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When I was in Cub Scouts, my elementary school — just down the street — was the perfect pack meeting place.
The gym was spacious, the location convenient, and the closet full of equipment for games and activities.
These days, not every pack, troop, or crew has it so lucky. Many school districts have essentially banished all Scout units and told them to meet elsewhere. That's frustrating, but instead of complaining, let's act.
Enter the BSA's Adopt-a-School program. It flips the traditional relationship between a school and a Scout unit upside-down.
Instead of a Cubmaster or Scoutmaster approaching a principal and saying, "Here's what we need," the Scouter starts by asking, "How can we help?" It's a win-win for the community — Scouting gets stronger, and the schools are improved.
Here's how it works:
The Adopt-a-School Process
- A staff advisor or unit leader approaches a local school about participation in the Adopt-a-School program.
- The unit and school agree to four volunteer service projects over a one-year period. (Ideas include grounds beautification, teacher appreciation, festivals, book drives, or tree-planting.)
- The unit pledges to the projects and registers them on the Adopt-a-School website.
- The Scouts complete the project. (Like Pack 334 from Findlay, Ohio, seen in the photo above.)
- The unit records the project through the Adopt-a-School site and links it to their Journey to Excellence hours.
Don't Forget the Patch
What's in it for you? How about the patch seen above, awarded just for pledging to the projects?
Then, as each project is completed, units will receive a green, blue, red, or orange mini-patch (seen at right).
Four projects, four mini-patches. Collect 'em all.
To recognize their contribution, the local council and school will each receive certificates of participation.
The Goal
Rudy Gonzalez, membership recruitment specialist at the BSA, told me that the increased exposure of Scouting's value to schools and the local community could mean increased membership.
He and his team hope to see the adoption of 25,000 local schools by the 2013 jamboree.
Let's get started!
What Do You Think?
What's the relationship between schools and Scouting like in your community? How could it be improved?


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BERLIN — The Perdue AgriRecycle facility in Seaford, Del. is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this month.
The facility, which was the first of its kind in the country, is still the largest converter of chicken litter to organic fertilizer for American farmers, including those in Worcester County.
"It has served as an alternative for poultry growers on the Eastern Shore," said Steve Schwalb, Perdue's Vice President of Environmental Sustainability. He explained that some farmers, especially smaller operations, couldn't utilize all of the poultry litter they produced effectively. However, the AgriRecycle facility is able to take that material and produce large quantities of organic fertilizer, which can then go back to the farmers.
More than 160 farmers on Delmarva allow Perdue to process their poultry litter in exchange for having their chicken houses cleaned.
Schwalb pointed out that, while the fertilizer was great for farms, it could be used for much more than that.
"Perdue AgriRecycle produces organic fertilizer for America's top golf courses, municipal parks, suburban gardens," added Jason Maloni, the Senior Vice President of Levick Strategic Communications, a public-relations firm that represents Perdue. "Even the dust remaining from the process is vacuumed up and provided to mushroom farmers."
Maloni also stressed how important it was that the fertilizer the facility made was organic.
"Organic is highly desirable," he said.
Schwalb agreed, remarking that the fertilizer was "slow-release" and actually improved the terrain it was used on in the long-run.
"It bulks up the soil; you end up having a better soil," he said.
Beyond the desirability of the fertilizer, the AgriRecycle facility concentrates on making its product environmentally friendly.
In the 10 years since its opening, the facility has converted 1.5 billion pounds of litter into 850 million pounds of fertilizer. Half of the fertilizer the AgriRecycle plant produces is shipped nationwide, removing the nutrients it would create from the watershed and subsequently the Chesapeake Bay.
"This means a cleaner Chesapeake Bay ecosystem," said Maloni, who added that the Perdue facility is the only one in the nation "measurably moving nutrients from the watershed."
Schwalb cited the AgriRecycle plant as one of Perdue's greatest environmental successes to date.
"It was a vision [Chairman of the Board] Jim Perdue had 10 years ago," he said.
Despite the size and productivity of the facility and the $44 million spent constructing it, Jim Perdue has stated that AgriRecycle does not and might not ever make the company a lot of money.
"It wasn't designed to be hugely profitable and to this day has been at best a break-even operation. But more important than profit is the fact that we're doing something hugely beneficial for the environment," he said.
Schwalb remarked that the facility was only one among a number of programs and initiatives Perdue was implementing in an effort to become a "greener" company.
Currently, the company is working on a $12.8 million environmental renovation of its corporate headquarters. A large part of that will be the installation of 11,000 solar panels, which will eventually cover an area as large as 10 football fields, at both the headquarters and other company properties. Those panels are estimated to provide 25 percent of the electricity those locations use every year overall. At peak solar times, they may provide as much as 90 percent of needed energy for short bursts.
Other green changes will include better heating and air conditioning units, more environmentally sound materials, many of which will be recycled, and "premium" parking spaces for employees with hybrid cars.
"The renovation centers around resource utilization," said Schwalb.
Once completed, the goal is to achieve a gold certification by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. LEED is considered a benchmark when judging the positive environmental impact of a building and has four possible ratings: bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. Though the corporate headquarters won't likely reach that last ranking, Schwalb explained that even achieving gold is nearly impossible for a simple building renovation; usually, to get that high of a rating the building has to be designed in advance to meet LEED's strict standards.
Another environmental program that Perdue is involved in is Operation Clean Streams. Several years ago, 30 Perdue employees joined the program and removed 1,800 pounds of waste from the local watershed. This year, the number of employees involved has risen to 1200 across several states; they removed 50,000lbs of garbage from watersheds in Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Delaware.
"Lots of folks really have a passion for it," said Schwalb.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Rim Fire one year later: a natural experiment in fire ecology and management
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, July 31, 2014
Ecological Society of America: Liza Lester (202) 833-8773 x 211; gro.asenull@retsell
U.S. Forest Service: Jon Heil (707) 562-9004, su.def.sfnull@liehj
The enormous conflagration known as the Rim Fire was in full fury, raging swiftly from crown to crown among mature trees, when it entered the backcountry of Yosemite National Park in California's Sierra Nevada in late August 2013. But inside the park, the battle began to turn, enacting a case study in the way management decisions and drought can combine to fuel large, severe fires.
"When the Rim Fire hit the park, it eventually encountered lands where fire had been used as a management tool, rather than immediately suppressed," said Hugh Safford, a regional ecologist for the U.S. Forest Service based out of Vallejo, Cal. "When the Rim Fire hit these areas, the amount and continuity of forest fuel became a limiting factor," he said. "There just wasn't enough fuel in the system to keep it going."
Safford will lead a group of visiting ecologists on a two-day excursion into the Rim Fire's path this August during the Ecological Society of America's 99th Annual Meeting to view the effects of the fire on adjacent landscapes that have been managed very differently over the last century.
Fire ecology is a hot topic at this year's meeting, which will bring 3,500 environmental scientists to Sacramento on August 10-15th to discuss the most recent advances in ecological research, education, and policy.
Day one of the field trip will take visitors to sites in the Stanislaus National Forest, and day two to the National Park.
"The minute you leave the park, you're on lands that get used by a lot of people for a lot of things," Safford said. "The Forest Service is dealing with places that have had a lot of human impact and occupants."
The Rim Fire: a natural experiment
The Rim Fire is in a sense a natural experiment. Yosemite, set aside in 1864, is mostly old growth forest, in which lightning-ignited fires have often been allowed to burn since the 1970s. The National Forest is a working landscape that includes private lands, major highways, dams, power lines, and communities, which the Forest Service protects by suppressing wildfire.
"I'm not suggesting one's right and one's wrong, but it presents an interesting contrast," Safford said, "It's a good case study to look at the effects of large, severe fires on watersheds subject to different management regimes."
The fir, cedar, and pine forests of the high Sierra are adapted to frequent fires ignited by lightning. Fire scars on older trees, including the 2000-year-old giant sequoias record a history of low intensity fires recurring every 10 to 20 years. Fires that burned at low intensity through the understory tended to kill few of the mature trees, on the order of 5 to 10 percent. Recent studies have found that wildfires in the mixed conifer forests of the Sierra often run out of fuel and go out when they encounter sections of forest that have already burned within the last decade.
Though it smoldered on into October, by September 3rd, 2013, the Forest Service was reporting that the Rim Fire was 70 percent contained. Most of the acreage burned in the first week. The blaze that began as an alarming, out-of-control monster became just another big fire that managers were using to do ecological work.
Ignited by a hunter's illegal campfire near the Rim of the World Vista in Stanislaus National Forest on August 17th, the fire ultimately burned for three months, consuming 257,314 acres of trees and $127 million taxpayer dollars. Smoke from the fire prompted air quality warnings from the Bay Area to Reno, Nev. It was the largest recorded fire in the Sierra Nevada.
A trend toward mega-fires
In the past few decades, ecologists have noted a trend toward intense "mega-fires" in the mountain forests of the western states. Recent record-breaking fires in Arizona and New Mexico join the 2013 Rim Fire, the 250,000-acre Carlton Complex fire currently burning in eastern Washington State, and the even larger Buzzard Complex fire in Oregon.
According to Safford, increased fuel on National Forest lands resulting from the long-term lack of fire is one of the principal drivers of recent increases in the size and severity of wildfires, trends which appear to be absent in the National Parks.
"The Rim Fire is not random occurrence. It's part of a trend in big fires, and a real wake up call," Scott Stephens agreed. Stephens, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, authored a recent review on the characteristics and challenges of mega-fires with fellow fire specialists from Australia, Canada, Spain, and China, as well as the western U.S. in the March 2014 issue of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.
Large fires are a problem facing many of the world's temperate and boreal forests. As was the case with the Rim Fire, mega-fires are often driven by a combination of drought, heat, wind, fuel from fire suppression, budget cuts, and encroaching development, Stephens said.
These big fires are more expensive to contain and to recover from than the more frequent but less destructive fires that used to characterize the Sierra's mixed conifer forests, and they are dangerous for firefighters. They char enormous swaths of land, leaving large areas of up to 30,000 acres with no mature trees to seed a new generation.
"Most of the trees died in the Rim Fire. Not just the little guys. We're looking at multiple patches of high severity fire that are of thousands of acres in size," said Safford. "Where are the seeds going to come from? The landscape will be dominated by brush for a long time."
Prelude to a habitat regime change
Very large, intense fires can take out entire habitat ranges, and, in combination with the pressures of land use change and development, leave nowhere for animals to retreat and await regrowth (while at the same time benefitting species that thrive in snag fields). Forest is slow to return, topsoil erodes, and quick-spreading opportunistic exotics capitalize on the disturbance.
In concert with warming climate, which is increasing water stress on forest species, there is potential for a permanent change in habitat type, from forest to brush or to grassland.
"After severe fire, mixed conifer forests in the Sierra Nevada are replaced by chaparral stands. When chaparral burns, it burns hot, and with the increasing frequencies of severe fire that are predicted, we expect to see progressively more forest converting to brush and not returning. With continued high fire frequencies, brush can convert to grassland as well," said Safford. "We're seeing that type of thing happening in southern California already, mostly in chaparral lands that are turning to fields of exotic grass."
Questions of forest management are really questions about our priorities for the function and appearance of our landscapes—juggling priorities to protect property and respiratory health, esthetics, habitat, carbon sequestration, and water availability.
Given the difficulty of managing fire in proximity to homes and businesses, the Forest Service is considering mechanically thinning forests where it can, but these initiatives remain small in proportion to the huge fuel reduction backlog, and are currently expensive compared to controlled burning. Safford thinks it is an effort that all stakeholders should prioritize.
"We need to think about our grandkids," said Stephens. "When I think about climate change, I look at the opportunities to do more to change the structure of the forest before big fires hit, and create the conditions so that when it does burn, we can have a party." In 50 years, he said, opportunities are going to get squashed between the management history of the forests and an increasingly warm, dry climate. "If we begin the transformation now, we give future managers options."
Ecological Society of America's 99th Annual Meeting, August 10-15th, 2014, in Sacramento, Cal.
Main * Program * Press Information * App
FT 18: The 2013 Rim Fire – Forest Management Influencing Fire Ecology
Friday, August 15, 2014: 7:00 AM-7:00 PM
Organizer: Hugh Safford, U.S. Forest Service, Region 5
Co-organizers: Eric Winford , Gus Smith , Jan van Wagtendonk , Kent van Wagtendonk , Becky L. Estes and Susan L. Ustin
More fire ecology at the upcoming meetinghttp://esa.org/am/info/press/topics/#fire
Additional Resources:
Safford, Hugh D.; Van de Water, Kip M. (2014). Using Fire Return Interval Departure (FRID) Analysis to Map Spatial and Temporal Changes in Fire Frequency on National Forest Lands in California. Res. Pap. PSW-RP-266. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station. 59 p. http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/documents/psw_rp266/
Scott L Stephens, Neil Burrows, Alexander Buyantuyev, Robert W Gray, Robert E Keane, Rick Kubian, Shirong Liu, Francisco Seijo, Lifu Shu, Kevin G Tolhurst, and Jan W van Wagtendonk (2014). Temperate and boreal forest mega-fires: characteristics and challenges. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 12: 115–122. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/120332
Online Special Issue: Prescribed burning in fire-prone landscapes. (2014). Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 11 (August). http://www.esajournals.org/toc/fron/11/s1
Journalists and public information officers can gain access to full texts of all ESA publications by contacting the public affairs office. Email Liza Lester, gro.asenull@retsell.
The Ecological Society of America is the world's largest community of professional ecologists and a trusted source of ecological knowledge. ESA is committed to advancing the understanding of life on Earth. The 10,000 member Society publishes five journals, convenes an annual scientific conference, and broadly shares ecological information through policy and media outreach and education initiatives. Visit the ESA website at https://www.esa.org.
To subscribe to ESA press releases, contact Liza Lester at email@example.com.


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For some reason, the Maryland Senate wants to give in-state tuition breaks (immense savings over a four-year degree) to illegal immigrants. There's a lot more to this issue, of course, but the fact is if the Senate gets its way — House approval is still considered unknown — people who live in Maryland as illegal immigrants can enjoy the same tuition breaks as official citizens.
Coined the Maryland DREAM Act, bill supporters say the state as a whole will benefit as a lot more so-called residents will have access to higher learning, resulting in better salaries and opportunity. Detractors, understandably so, argue these illegal immigrants will be taking spots of current citizens who need the financial assistance to enroll at a state college and that extending these breaks to illegal immigrants will cost the state a tremendous amount of money in tight budget years.
It's going to be interesting to see how our local Senators vote early next week and then observe how regional Delegates vote.
A lot has been said about the new council majority-minority division in Ocean City, but it's worth noting the sides may not be as entrenched as once believed. This week's Boardwalk vote is the latest in a number of recent decisions that have not been of the 4-3 variety. The council voted Monday to approve a wooden surface for the Boardwalk in a 5-2 vote with Councilmen Brent Ashley and Joe Hall opposed. Ashley and Joe Hall did not have the support of typical allies Jim Hall and Margaret Pillas on this particular matter.
It's a wonderful thing to observe a grassroots effort get underway like it did this week when word leaked the U.S. Navy would be scrapping the NJROTC program at Decatur this summer.
The issue here seems to be these sorts of programs must have at least 100 participants to continue. Despite steady increases in participation, the Navy has indicated the decision has been made and programs like Decatur were put on probation and notified of the deadline to hit the 100-member threshold by a certain date.
Nonetheless, current and past NJROTC members have stepped up to lend their support in a quasi-petition effort. Here's a look at a small sampling of the comments that have been put forward in support of retaining the program.
Jackson Todd: "After graduating in 2002, I attended and graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 2006. Then I attended the Maryland State Police Academy and worked as a Trooper for 4 years before transferring to another police department. I am proud to have graduated from VMI because of the lessons learned inside and outside the classroom, and I credit the SDHS NJROTC, CDR Deming, and OSCM Reynolds with sparking my interest in choosing that college."
Brandon Smith: "The NJROTC was a very large part of high school experience, but it taught me life and leadership skills that got me into to college. I now use those same skills as a manager in my workplace, and in starting/running my own business."
Robert Rappold: "Being a part of the NJROTC Unit at Stephen Decatur H.S. helped me in more ways than I ever thought. To start with, it kept me out of trouble. … At the time of my High School years, I did not entirely appreciate all that NJROTC provided. But looking back, I wish I had taken more advantage of it. And now that I have 2 boys of my own now attending Buckingham, I would love to see them be able to join the SDHS-NJROTC Unit in a few years."
Natalie Hemphill: "I was in the NJROTC program at Stephen Decatur High for 3 years and I would hate to see the school lose this vital resource. Although I chose not to go into the military, this program taught me more of what I wanted out of life. It also made it possible for our students to see and experience things we never would have had the chance to see like the inside of a Sub, and Aircraft carrier, and other parts of the Navy we have no access to here on the Eastern Shore."


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Daughter: Joan Rivers is in 'serious condition
NEW YORK (AP) — Joan Rivers remained in serious condition in a New York City hospital Friday, one day after going into cardiac arrest at a doctor's office.
Melissa Rivers said in a statement Friday that her mother was "receiving the best treatment and care possible." She also thanked Rivers' fans and friends for their support.
"My mother would be so touched by the tributes and prayers that we have received from around the world," Melissa Rivers said. "Her condition remains serious … We ask that you continue to keep her in your thoughts as we pray for her recovery."
The Mount Sinai Hospital said it had no updates Friday. On Thursday, hospital spokesman Sid Dinsay confirmed that Rivers had been taken there that morning.
New York City police officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to publicly name Rivers, said she was taken to the hospital just after 9:30 a.m. Thursday. It was unclear why she was visiting the doctor's office.
The comedian with a half-century of show business under her belt has spawned a reputation for often-snarky red carpet fashion commentary. A show she had scheduled Friday at the Count Basie Theatre in New Jersey, has been postponed.
An early and outspoken proponent of cosmetic surgery, Rivers' drastically altered her appearance over the years — and found plenty of material for jokes. ("I've had so much plastic surgery, when I die they will donate my body to Tupperware.")
The host of "Fashion Police" on E! network, Rivers also presides over an online talk show, "In Bed With Joan" and co-stars with her daughter on the WEtv reality show, "Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best?"
Her latest book, "Diary of a Mad Diva," was released this summer.
In 2009, Rivers emerged as the winner of NBC's "The Celebrity Apprentice." A documentary, "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work," premiered in theaters in 2010.
The New York native originally entered show business with the dream of a theatrical career, but comedy became a way to pay the bills while she auditioned for acting roles.
"Somebody said, 'You can make six dollars standing up in a club,'" she told The Associated Press in 2013, "and I said, 'Here I go!' It was better than typing all day."
After proving herself in comedy clubs as a rarity — a woman comedian — Rivers was a smash on her first booking on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" in 1965. "God, you're funny," Carson told her.


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No matter what latch and positioning look like, the true measure is in the answers to these two questions:
- Is it effective?
- Is it comfortable?
Even if latch and positioning look perfect (and, yes, even if a lactation consultant told you they were fine), pain (particularly after the first two weeks) and/or ineffective milk transfer indicate that something needs to change, and the first suspect is ineffective latch/positioning.
If baby is transferring milk and gaining weight well, and mom is not hurting, then latch and positioning are – by definition – good, even if they look nothing like the "textbook" latch and positioning that you've seen in books.
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"Rules and regulations have no place in the mother-baby relationship. Each mother and baby dyad is different and what works well for one mother and baby may not work well for another mother and baby. The important thing to do is to look at the mother and baby as individuals."– Andrea Eastman, MA, CCE, IBCLC in The Mother-Baby Dance
Following are some of my favorite resources on latch and positioning:
Newborn Hands: Why are they always in the way while breastfeeding? from the San Diego Breastfeeding Center
Latching handouts by Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC
Breastfeeding: Off to the best start from the Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative
(Lovely latching pictures here, with simple directions. Open (download) the leaflet from the link.)
Deep Latch Technique from The Pump Station.
(Good latching pictures and directions.)
When Latching by Anne J. Barnes, has instructions with drawings
(The drawings and tips here are helpful.)
A Guide to Latching Your Baby by CW Genna
(with photos)
Breastfeeding Videos by Dr. Jack Newman
Animation illustrating assymetrical latch technique by Victoria Nesterova
(Nice animation — text is in Russian.)
The Mother-Baby Dance: Positioning and Latch-On by Andrea Eastman, MA, CCE, IBCLC
(This is a longish article written for breastfeeding counselors that has some nice descriptions of latching and positioning, along with info on why some things tend to work better than others.)
Is baby latching on and sucking efficiently? How to tell from AskDrSears.com
(A useful list.)
Help for various nursing positions
Some Ins and Outs of Laid-Back Breastfeeding from Breastfeeding USA
Laid back breastfeeding video from BiologicalNurturing.com
Videos: Natural Breastfeeding How-Tos
Lactation yoga, or side-lying nursing without getting up to switch sides by Eva Lyford, @
Nursing Laying Down (step-by-step description with photos) from Mother-to-Mother.com
More useful information
Latching: Thoughts on pushing baby's chin down when latching @
Baby Led Latching from Natural Mama NZ
When The Breastfeeding Baby Keeps Falling Asleep Before They're Full from Analytical Armadillo
Videos: Breastfeeding NZ — A Good Latch
When the Back of the Baby's Head is Held to Attach the Baby to the Breast by Robyn Noble DMLT, BAppSc(MedSc), IBCLC and Anne Bovey, BspThy
Breast Compression by Jack Newman, MD. The purpose of breast compression is to continue the flow of milk to the baby once the baby no longer drinks on his own, and thus keep him drinking milk. Breast compression simulates a letdown reflex and often stimulates a natural let-down reflex to occur. The technique may be useful for poor weight gain in the baby, colic in the breastfed baby, frequent feedings and/or long feedings, sore nipples in the mother, recurrent blocked ducts and/or mastitis, encouraging the baby who falls asleep quickly to continue drinking.


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A message from Floor Coverings International® regarding COVID-19
Dear Valued Customer,
At Floor Coverings International®, the health and safety of our customers and employees is our highest priority. In response to the public health situation related to coronavirus (COVID-19), we are diligently monitoring updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and medical professionals to ensure we are taking the necessary precautions to ensure our customer's health and safety is at the forefront of how we serve you.
Practicing Good Hygiene Etiquette
All of our Floor Coverings International® professionals are following preventative safety measures:
- Cleaning our hands often, 20 seconds with soap.
- Using hand sanitizer when available.
- Keeping a safe distance (6 feet) from people.
- Cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
Keeping Our Customers Safe
- Before entering a customer's home or property, we will communicate that we're healthy and ask if our customer is as well.
- Instead of shaking hands with a customer, we may say hello by "elbow tapping".
- We will provide customers with information about protecting their health and safety.
- All customers may ask questions regarding the virus and we will answer according to the most recent company update and procedure.
What Can You Do To Help?
- Let us know in advance of your appointment if you have any concerns or if you would like us to take special precautions.
- Inform us if anyone in the household has health issues, like the flu or a cold.
- Let us know if you would like us to limit the amount of information we leave behind and we can make adjustments or email information instead.
If you would like more information on the latest news to help prevent the spread of COVID19 in your everyday practices, please visit CDC.gov or Coronavirus.gov for daily updates.
Thank you for your continued confidence and trust in Floor Coverings International®. Your comfort and safety are extremely important to us and we look forward to providing the best, and most accommodating, customer experience possible.
Chad Schloerke
Vice President, Operations
Floor Coverings International®


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100 thousand workers march on the capital as unions warn austerity isn't working and threaten a general strike for the first time since 1926
Story Transcript
Britain's Unions are on the march again. More than a 100 thousand union workers, students and supporters converged on London to have their voices heard.
Hassan Ghani
"The unions have called in their workers from across Britain, leading a march on a massive scale. Their message is simple: austerity isn't working. But the question, as always, is will the government take notice?â€
This certainly isn't the first time the unions have brought London to a standstill under this government. Last year even larger numbers came out to oppose David Cameron's austerity measures – but the Conservative led government clearly hasn't been swayed from its course. It says it plans to continue slashing billions of pounds across public spending in order to reduce the country's massive budget deficit.
David Cameron, UK Prime Minister
"We are in a global race today. And that means an hour of reckoning for countries like ours. Sink or swim. Do or decline." "Let us here in this hall, here in this government, together in this country make this pledge – let's build an aspiration nation. Let's get Britain on the rise. Deficit, paid down. Tough decisions, taken. Growth, fired up.â€
Well that plan, so far, doesn't seem to be working. The British economy has been shrinking throughout 2012, with three consecutive quarters of falling GDP.
On the ground, protesters believe the government's strategy is guided by ideology rather than necessity.
"We can see the people at the top, they're making profits, they're expanding. But somehow there is that constant pressure on the people at the bottom to make cuts, make savings, suck it up. We don't want to do that anymore. We know that they can find the money, they know that they can invest. There has to be a way forward, and that's invest and work with the people from the bottom to improve society for everybody in general.â€
"They're using this as an excuse just to actually bring us down, and we're a first world country, we can't have a cheap labour economy – there's no need for it.â€
"There isn't anybody in the parties that are willing to stand up and make a real effort, try a different approach. They're all in a small bubble together, and it doesn't represent the needs and the aspirations of the people on the ground. They've lost touch.â€
"The cuts that they're introducing are going to disproportionately affect those at the poorer end of society. They're not taxing all sections of society in a fair way. They're allowing, for instance, large companies to get away with enourmous tax fraud, or loopholes that create almost legitimate tax avoidance.â€
And others fear that if the government continues to ignore workers, things could nasty.
Hassan Ghani
"The government's not going to change course is it?
"I'm not expecting them to, but all you can do is apply as much pressure as you can. Our parliamentary politicians can't do much more either. So this is about mobilising as many people as possible, showing the rest of the country that next time we need even more of you. If Greece is anything to judge by, you can't just keep cutting and cutting from your position of power, before something violent occurs, I'm not looking forward to it.â€
Union organisers are confident that growing numbers of people are backing their call.
Paul Nowak, Trades Union Congress
"This government has made very clear political choices. It's spending 1.6 billion pounds on a re-organisation, a privatisation, of our national health service that people didn't vote for and don't support. It cut the top rate of tax for those earning over a 150 thousand pounds a year, and at the same time it's cutting hundreds of thousands of public sector jobs and devastating communities up and down the country. And I think that the British public is swinging behind trade unions and swinging behind our analysis, which is that this is a government governing for the rich and not for the majority of people in this country. And we've got to put that right.â€
On the podium, furious words from union leaders who say the 99% are being forced to pay for the crimes of the 1%.
Len McCluskey, Unite Trade Union
"We're marching against this millionaire government, who are deaf to the protests and to the suffering of their people, but are all too ready to listen to the cackle of the rich who demand tax cuts. We're marching against the whole rotten elite, who are responsible for this crisis and take us from one scandal to the next, wasting money on wars while pushing millions into poverty.
Dave Prentis, UNISON Trade Union
"We are told there is no alternative, but there is. David Cameron, Nick Clegg could have the guts to go back to the bankers, the spivs, the speculators – tell them, on our behalf, 'you created this mess, you clear it up'.â€
And, they offer their own manifesto for growth, arguing that austerity has led to Britain's double-dip recession.
Len McCluskey, Unite Trade Union
"Let's tackle the tax-dodgers, let's invest in manufacturing and house-building, let's bring banks under proper public control, let's freeze energy prices, let's boost the minimum wage by a pound an hour – in short, let's go for growth, growth that fills the needs of the people and avoids the errors and the crimes of the neo-liberal past.â€
And just to show they mean business, the Unions, with six million members have threatened a general strike across the United Kingdom – the first since 1926.
Christine Blower, National Union of Teachers
"When the time is right, and all the practicalities have been considered, we need to strike together, because we need to oppose welfare cuts, and health cuts, and education cuts.â€
There was also an appearance from the leader of the opposition Labour Party, Ed Miliband. But his words received a mixed reaction, with some in the crowd furious at party's past under Tony Blair, and others angry with his assertion that some cuts are necessary.
For now, the unions are considering their options over a general strike, and preparing for a Europe-wide day of action on November 14th. Hassan Ghani, for the Real News, London.


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Water SA
On-line version ISSN 1816-7950
Print version ISSN 0378-4738
SELLAMI, Ikbel et al. Local and regional factors influencing zooplankton communities in the connected Kasseb Reservoir, Tunisia. Water SA [online]. 2011, vol.37, n.2, pp.201-212. ISSN 1816-7950.
Associations between zooplankton community structure and abiotic (temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, nutriments) and biotic factors (chlorophyll a and phytoplankton community) were examined, in Kasseb Reservoir, northern Tunisia. Samples were taken bimonthly from July to December 2002 at 3 sampling stations (deepest station: Station 1, Brik River: Station 2 and M'Zaz Stama River: Station 3). From our results it is evident that zooplankton exhibit seasonally and spatially heterogeneous distribution. The highest density of zooplankton was recorded in September at a depth of 5 m (10.8 × 103 ind·ℓ-1). At Station 1 cyclopoid copepods (65% of total abundance) were the most abundant group followed by Cladocera (21% of total abundance). At Station 2 (93% of total abundance) and Station 3 (98% of total abundance) cyclopoid copepods were numerically dominant throughout the study period. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was used to estimate the influence of abiotic and biotic factors in structuring the zooplankton assemblage. Zooplankton abundance was negatively correlated with turbidity (r= -0.381, P <0.05). The results also suggest that both local (environmental parameters, competition, and predation) and regional (hydrologic connections and dispersal) factors have a significant effect on both species richness and community structure of zooplankton in Kasseb Reservoir. The presence of zooplankton species con sidered to be indicators of eutrophic status confirmed the high trophic levels of Kasseb Reservoir.
Keywords : Kasseb Reservoir; hydrologic connections; local and regional factors; zooplankton; heterogeneous distribution.


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The Dempsey Challenge (yes, ladies, Patrick "Dr. McDreamy" Dempsey from "Grey's Anatomy") is an annual international fundraising platform in Lewiston and Auburn, Maine, which benefits The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine.
Comprised of various cycling distances (10, 25, 50, 70 and 100 miles), and
a 5K (3.1 mile) and 10K (6.2 mile) run/walk, participants 18 and over are required to raise $150 (and encouraged to raise even more!) as they prepare for The Dempsey Challenge.
For more information, please check out the link: http://www.dempseychallenge.org/abou...psey-challenge
P.S. If you are interested in joining a local team, I am on the Androscoggin Bank Team, which is accepting new participants. Just click on the "Teams" link. You can do the run/walk, or the bike ride, or both.
Thanks for your interest!


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Activities and Recreation
The Garden State has much to offer golfers of all skill levels, with over 200 highly rated public and private golf courses in the state. Here are some of the more notable golfing destinations.
New Jersey growers have been producing award-winning wines for over 200 years. Two growers were recognized in 1767 by London's Royal Society of the Arts for the quality of wine they produced. The state has nearly 20 wineries that offer tours, wine tasting, festivals, concerts, shows, grape-crushing parties, and many other events throughout the year.
New Jersey is a sports fan's paradise. Spectators have much to choose from: two proefessional sports franchises, world class horse racing, and numerous minor league teams in a variety of sports. Skiing and water sports opportunities can also be found here.
New Jersey offers shopping advantages and destinations that few places can match. The greatest reason to shop here is the fact that there is no state sales tax on clothing or shoes. The Garden state also offers the complete spectrum of shopping opportunities; from luxurious malls and boutiques to flea markets, discount malls and auctions.


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Thirty-two years ago, the two of us and 1,043 other protesters were arrested for what one would now call "occupying" Wall Street. It was October 29, 1979, the 50th anniversary of the Wall Street crash that ushered in the Great Depression. We two were then graduate students at Princeton, and we had trained for weeks as part of an "affinity group" of about a dozen people prepared to commit acts of civil disobedience to prevent what we saw as a greater evil. It was about six months after the catastrophe at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania. And so, on the 29th, thousands of us blocked off the entrances to Wall Street to protest the corporate funding of the nuclear power industry.
But the protests were not only about the nuclear industry. The day before, we had joined a giant rally against corporate power at the World Trade Center. Then, in the early dawn of the 29th, our affinity group and hundreds of other such groups from across the country gathered to surround Wall Street and shut it down. Our group went to its assigned street corner where we sat down and linked arms. Police were everywhere, many of them seated menacingly atop horses; they were equally determined to keep Wall Street open that day.
The smell of those horses comes back vividly to us both now in October 2011, as we join the protesters of Occupy DC. We remember our aches from the horses' painful butting as we revel in the vibrancy of the new Occupy Wall Street movement spreading to cities across this country and around the world.
Journalists have been asking us where this new movement comes from. We tell them our Wall Street story of 32 years ago, which none seem to know. And we do our best to impress upon them the reality that this new "occupy" movement has very deep roots.
These roots were planted over the past century by the millions of workers who stood up to exploitation and won basic labor rights and convinced governments to raise taxes on the very wealthy to create a middle class.
That fight sprouted a new root—the struggle for civil rights—a battle that melded with other efforts to end an unjust war in Vietnam.
Then, in the 1970s, women came together to change how the Unites States thought about sexism. They created the space for new movements to later ask, if you think sexism is wrong, why is homophobia okay?
Then environmentalists across the globe started asking why it was okay to bequeath our grandchildren a polluted planet. In Kenya, a young woman named Wangari Maathai (a woman whose recent death we mourn) began planting trees with other women as they claimed control over their lives. These are deep roots indeed.
Two decades ago, these movements gave birth to the global justice movement, and millions united to oppose corporate greed and corporate rule. In Chiapas, Mexico, in the mid-1990s, indigenous people stood up to free trade rules configured to make them anything but free. And they said—enough.
Twelve years ago, 65,000 people converged on Seattle to say no to global trade rules structured to give expanded power to corporations while undermining regulations created to protect people and the environment. On the streets of Seattle, unions and environmentalists linked arms, as did global justice activists from South and North. During that fateful week, we shut down the meetings of the World Trade Organization and sent a potent message that people organized across issues could stand up to corporate power and change the course of history.
Nine years ago, 15 million people in 600 cities said no to war against Iraq. Three years ago, millions poured into the streets to fight for immigrant rights.
This is the Peoples' History that informs today's protests.
And if the great peoples' historian Howard Zinn were alive today, he would be busy writing a new chapter at this very moment. That new chapter might well start in the spring with the fruit vendor in Tunisia who said: enough. It would describe the millions of Egyptians who said: enough.
It would include the brave people of Wisconsin—who ate pizzas and other food donated not just by supporters across the U.S. but also by some of those very Egyptians—as they took over the state capitol building in February to say "enough" to the Wisconsin governor who tried to roll back sixty years of hard-won protections for workers and ordinary people.
Yes, a part of our history is one of war, racism, genocide, and violent inequality. But an equally important part—the part that is too-often not retold—is the history of people coming together, fighting back, and creating a more decent and humane union.
We need to update you on where Truthout stands this month.
To be brutally honest, Truthout is behind on our fundraising goals for the year. There are a lot of reasons why. We're dealing with broad trends in our industry, trends that have led publications like Vice, BuzzFeed, and National Geographic to make painful cuts. Everyone is feeling the squeeze of inflation. And despite its lasting importance, news readership is declining.
To ensure we stay out of the red by the end of the year, we have a long way to go. Our future is threatened.
We've stayed online over two decades thanks to the support of our readers. Because you believe in the power of our work, share our transformative stories, and give to keep us going strong, we know we can make it through this tough moment.
Our fundraising campaign ends in a few hours, and we still must raise $11,000. Please consider making a donation before time runs out.


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Shepherd's Pie
4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cans (16 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 jar (16 oz) chunky style salsa (2 cups)
1 cup frozen corn
1 medium carrot chopped (1/2 cup)
Vegan Cheese & Chives (optional)
Mashed Potatoes: Boil the cubed potatoes in water until soft. Strain and mash the potatoes until smooth, adding salt to taste.
In a skillet heat beans, salsa, corn and carrot to boiling. Reduce heat to low and cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until carrot is tender. Spoon mashed potatoes onto bean mixture around edge of skillet. Cover; simmer 5 minutes. Sprinkle with vegan cheese and chives before serving (optional).
Source: WFM Recipes


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Arcartera Officially Listed by Hong Kong Central Bank
Kowloon, Hong Kong, China, 9th Mar 2023 – Arcartera Limited is a web3 start-up that is building blockchain infrastructure for the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. The company is having an actual unique use-case for blockchain technology: It's protocol has the potential to improve AEC segments like Facility Management, Supply Chain Management, as well as Architect and Contractor Payments. Arcartera Limited is proud to announce that they have been officially listed by the Hong Kong Central Bank as a participant in their Stable-Coin Project.
As part of their work on Web3 Payments, Arcartera developed a protocol that can also be beneficial for the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). This protocol was submitted to the HKMA in 2022 and has been officially endorsed by them. The inclusion of Arcartera in their official report on the government website further underlines Arcartera's work and the recognition it has received from a central bank. This is a significant achievement for Arcartera Limited and highlights the potential of blockchain technology for improving payment systems in the AEC industry.
Gregor Hans Schoener, Arcartera's CEO, expressed his pride in this achievement, saying, "We are extremely proud of this achievement. It's a milestone for any web3 startup to be recognized, but being officially mentioned on a government website really shows our ambitions for the Arcartera Protocol and the whole AEC / Blockchain industry."
Arcartera Limited is a blockchain infrastructure start-up that was founded in January 2022. The company's primary focus is on building blockchain-based solutions for the AEC industry, and it has quickly achieved significant milestones in this area. In addition to being listed as a participant in the Hong Kong Central Bank's Stable-Coin Project, Arcartera was also chosen by the Hong Kong FinTech Week as a designated speaker to discuss how blockchain can benefit the AEC industry.
For more information about Arcartera Limited, please visit our website at https://www.arcartera.com/, or follow our Twitter or Telegram at @ArcarteraLTD
Media Contact
Organization: Arcartera Limited
Contact Person: Gregor Hans Schoener
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.arcartera.com/
City: Kowloon
State: Hong Kong
Country: China
Release Id: 0903232725
The post Arcartera Officially Listed by Hong Kong Central Bank appeared first on King Newswire.
Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Money Faction journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.


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First lady announcing pledges for vets, families
WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Michelle Obama announced pledges from foundations and corporations totaling more than $160 million Wednesday to help veterans and their families get the services they need as the country adjusts to a postwar footing.
Calling this a "pivotal moment for our military families and for our country" as the war in Afghanistan ends, the first lady said military families should never have to face the challenges associated with the transition to civilian life alone.
Appearing at a conference of philanthropic groups, Mrs. Obama warned that with fewer homecoming videos and welcome-home parades for returning troops likely in future years, "we cannot allow ourselves to forget their service to our country. ... We've got to show our military families that our country is there for them not just while they're in uniform but for the long haul."
The first lady highlighted the launch of the Philanthropy-Joining Forces Impact Pledge, under which more than 30 organizations are making commitments to provide a range of services over the next five years, including $62 million in existing commitments and $102 million in new pledges over the next five years.
Paul Rieckhoff, CEO and founder of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, noted that the launch comes after reports that up to 40 patients at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care Center may have died because of care delays.
"The Phoenix tragedy, Fort Hood shooting and the latest Pentagon suicide numbers all sadly underscore the urgent need for a sustained, national effort to ensure all our vets get the care and support they deserve," Rieckhoff said in a statement. "This challenge is much more than the government can handle alone. These leading foundations have made a bold, visionary commitment."
Vikki Spruill, CEO of the Council on Foundations, said those making pledges would work in areas including homelessness, employment, training, education and community integration. The council also is creating an online Veterans Philanthropy Exchange to help charitable organizations share ideas and information on how to help military families.
Donald Cooke, the Robert R. McCormick Foundation's senior vice president for philanthropy, said philanthropies are a key resource for veterans because of their presence in communities around the nation. He called foundations and corporations with a stake in their communities "the secret to how we're going to help our veterans come home."
The announcement is part of a series of events marking the third anniversary of Joining Forces, the initiative created by Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Biden to support military families and veterans.
Follow Nancy Benac on Twitter at http://twitter.com/nbenac


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Fit for your life, BeatsX earphones are the perfect wireless companion. Experience authentic, clear sound throughout your day with up to 8 hours of battery life. With Fast Fuel, a 5-minute charge gives you 2 hours of playback. Its unique Flex-Form cable provides all-day comfort and easy pocket portability, while eartip options provide a personalized fit and secure-fit wingtips offer added stability.
BeatsX works as hard as you do. Sleek, light, and compact, these earphones are your perfect wireless companion. They instantly set up – just power on and hold near your iPhone – and then simultaneously connect to your Apple Watch, iPad and Mac*. With Class 1 Bluetooth technology, BeatsX goes wherever you go with great wireless efficiency.
BeatsX features authentic, clear sound with optimized noise isolation for an immersive listening experience. An innovative acoustic design delivers a clean treble response and distortion-free bass for the most natural tonality across a broad range of genres.
Whether playing in your ears or hanging around your neck, BeatsX is incredibly sleek and comfortable for all-day wear. The unique Flex-Form cable provides a flexible fit, a variety of eartip options provide personalized comfort and secure-fit wingtips offer added stability. And when you're not wearing them, magnetic ear buds keep your earphones tangle-free and they easily coil up for compact portability.
BeatsX features an 8-hour battery powered by the efficiency of the Apple W1 chip so it is ready when you are. For a quick turnaround, Fast Fuel gives you 2 hours of playback from a 5-minute charge. RemoteTalk allows you to take calls with a built-in mic, play music, adjust volume and activate Siri. With easy to use controls, you can seamlessly switch back and forth as you go about your day. BeatsX is your perfect wireless companion, fit for life.
*Requires iCloud account and macOS Sierra, iOS 10, or watchOS 3
For a quick video on how to pair your BeatsX or any other W1 chip powered wireless headphones click here


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WASHINGTON — Amtrak said Tuesday it will install video cameras inside locomotive cabs to record the actions of train engineers, a move that follows a deadly derailment earlier this month in which investigators are searching for clues to the train engineer's actions before the crash.
The Amtrak engineer, Brendan Bostian, suffered a head injury in the accident and has told investigators he can't remember what happened. Northeast Regional train 188 accelerated to a speed of 106 mph in the last minute before entering a curve where it derailed. The speed limit for the curve is 50 mph. The crash left eight people dead and about 200 injured.
The train was equipped with a "black box" data recorder and an outward-facing camera focused on the track ahead, but neither of those devices reveals what was happening inside the cab.
The National Transportation Safety Board has been recommending that the Federal Railroad Administration require passenger and freight train cabs to have audio recorders since the late 1990s. They revised that recommendation five years ago to include inward-facing sound and video recorders.
Railroad administration officials say they support use of the cameras. In the past year, the agency has told the NTSB that it intends to propose regulations requiring the cameras. However, no regulations have been proposed and it typically takes federal agencies many months, if not years, to move from proposals to final regulations.
Joseph Boardman, the railroad's president and CEO, said Amtrak has supported efforts by a railroad administration safety advisory committee made up of industry and labor representatives to come up with standards for the cameras. The committee has yet to issue recommendations.
"We've been supporting it all the way along," he told reporters in a telephone briefing. "It's just a matter of working out some of those details. … There may be some adjustments we have to make later down the road, but I think it's time to do it and I'm doing it."
Besides accident investigations, Amtrak will review the recordings to monitor engineers' actions, Boardman said.
Unions representing engineers at Amtrak and other passenger and freight railroads have generally opposed use of the cameras. As recently as 2012, railroad administration officials had also opposed requiring the cameras, telling NTSB they were concerned the cameras might lower employee morale and the images might be used punitively by railroads.
Officials for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cameras will first be installed in 70 new Amtrak locomotives that will power all Northeast Regional and long-distance trains between Washington, New York and Boston, as well as Keystone Service between New York, Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Most of those locomotives will be equipped with the cameras before the end of the year, and the rest by sometime this spring, Boardman told reporters in a telephone briefing.
Amtrak is developing a plan for installation of cameras in the rest of its locomotive fleet, including Acela Express locomotives, but no time table has been set for those installations. The railroad has about 300 locomotives nationwide.
It's not unusual for engineers to be killed in train crashes, or to be seriously injured and not remember details clearly. The NTSB first recommended requiring audio recordings of sound in locomotive cabs following a 1996 collision between commuter train and an Amtrak train in Silver Spring, Maryland. None of the commuter train's operating crew members survived, and the board was unable to determine their actions leading up to the crash.
The recommendation was revised to include video cameras with sound in 2010 as the board wrapped up its investigation into one of the worst train collisions in memory — a Metrolink commuter train that failed to obey signals and collided head-on with a Union Pacific freight train near Chatsworth, California. Twenty-five people were killed, including the Metrolink engineer, and over 100 injured in the 2008 crash.
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Hang on to Your Badge!
Every morning in the 30 days leading up to Comic-Con (from June 18 to July 17), we're going to offer our "Toucan Tip of the Day," a tiny tidbit of terrific information that we hope will help you enjoy the show just a little bit better. Sign up for our RSS feed (click the button on the right sidebar) to get all of our tips and stay informed on upcoming news about Comic-Con 2013! To view all of our Toucan Tips, please click on the "Tip of the Day" link under Categories at the top of our sidebar on the right.
Getting a Comic-Con badge is no easy task. HANG ON TO YOUR BADGE! (Yes, we're shouting at you.) Not only do you need it to get in the door each day at the Convention Center, you also need it to access our events at our satellite areas, at the Hilton Bayfront, the Marriott Marquis, the Manchester Grand Hyatt, and some other offsite areas. Your badge also contains your personal information in the barcode on the front. You will also need your badge if you are eligible to participate in Comic-Con 2014 online preregistration, so keep it AFTER Comic-Con, too! Do NOT give your badge to anyone—friend, family-member, or total stranger—at any time. (PS: Take your badge with you when you go out to eat, too! Area restaurants will be offering special deals for Comic-Con attendees!)


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Following in the footsteps of the legendary Nightclub series, the re-engineered Nightclub MkII boasts numerous sonic improvements in both club and studio settings.
With a new cartridge body, the Nightclub MkII offers increased output voltage for powerful, energetic sound and enhanced performance from integrated phono preamps such as the ones found in DJ mixers. Superb sound quality!
Club DJ and studio workers believe the Nightclub MkII to be an absolute high-end cartridge. It is indeed a no-nonsence performer with fascinating musical resources. Its output is superb with a frequency response rating high enough to compare Nightclub MkII to any audiophile cartridge. The special elliptical stylus guarantees sound with insignificant scratching.
Output voltage at 1000Hz, 5cm/sec. - 8 mV
Channel balance at 1kHz - 1.5 dB
Channel separation at 1kHz - 23 dB
Channel separation at 15 kHz - 15 dB
Frequency response - 20-20.000 Hz +/- 1.5 dB
Tracking ability at 315 Hz at recommended tracking force - 80 μm
Compliance, dynamic lateral - 20 μm/m N
Stylus type - Special Elliptical
Stylus tip radius - r/R 13/25 μm
Tracking force range - 2.0-5.0 g (20-50 mN)
Tracking force recommended - 3.0 g (30 mN)
Tracking angle - 20°
Internal impedance, DC resistance - 1.000 Ohm
Internal inductance - 580 mH
Recommended load resistance - 47 kOhm
Recommended load capacitance - 200-600 pF
Concorde cartridge weight - 18.5 g
Compatible with cartridges - Nightclub Series
The ultimate club cartridge. Superb sound quality!
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FOXBOROUGH — Two days after returning from a vacation in Europe and Israel, Patriots owner Robert Kraft finally broke his silence Monday about Aaron Hernandez's arrest on a murder charge and subsequent release from the team.
"No one in our organization was aware of any of these kind of connections. If it's true, I'm just shocked," Kraft said in his office at Gillette Stadium. "Our whole organization has been duped."
Kraft, who has owned the Patriots since 1994, said he was "limited" in what he could discuss because of "an ongoing criminal investigation, as well as other potential civil proceedings," yet spoke to reporters despite being advised not to by his attorneys. It is unclear if the family of Odin Lloyd, the victim in Hernandez's murder case, will attempt to sue the Patriots.
But Kraft said it "is important that our fan base hear directly from our organization." Kraft said the team knew Hernandez was "immature," but didn't think his off-field activities ever would lead to a murder charge.
In fact, the Patriots were willing to draft Hernandez because they believed he had owned up to his past. Kraft disclosed a letter Monday that Hernandez sent to the Patriots on April 16, 2010, six days before the NFL draft.
In the letter, addressed to Patriots player personnel director Nick Caserio and written with help from Hernandez's agents at Athletes First, Hernandez admitted to recreational drug use while at the University of Florida and said he would "willfully" submit to biweekly drug testing during his rookie season if the Patriots were willing to draft him. Hernandez also offered to make a monetary atonement stemming from his $200,000 rookie signing bonus for any failed drug test.
"In addition, I will tie any guaranteed portion of my 2010 compensation to these drug tests and reimburse the team a pro-rata amount for any failed drug test," Hernandez wrote.
"My point is simple — if I fail a drug test, I do not deserve that portion of the money. I realize this offer is somewhat unorthodox, but it is also the only way I could think of to let you know how serious I am about reaching my potential in the NFL."
A Patriots spokesman said he could not say whether the team took Hernandez up on his offer. Most NFL players are drug tested twice per year — once between August and April, and again between April and August — but the Globe reported in 2010 that Hernandez would face additional testing from the league because of marijuana issues he had at Florida.
Several media outlets, including the Globe, have reported that Hernandez failed multiple drug tests during his three seasons at Florida. But before the 2010 draft, Hernandez told teams he had failed just one, and a Florida spokesman told the Globe Monday that "we do not dispute his claims in this regard."
Kraft said the Patriots felt comfortable drafting Hernandez in the fourth round after receiving this letter, and did not believe he had any other major off-field issues.
"Here's a guy writing a letter, taking responsibility," Kraft said. "The only thing I ever heard on Aaron Hernandez was he was very young, immature, and potentially had problems presented in this letter. Never saw signs of anything else."
Kraft said Hernandez "knew how to push my buttons." Hernandez, a native of Bristol, Conn., told Kraft after being drafted that the first jersey he owned was a Drew Bledsoe Patriots jersey.
"He was a New England kid who was a Patriot. I thought it was cool," Kraft said.
Hernandez often greeted Kraft with a kiss on the cheek, and donated $50,000 to the Myra Kraft Giving Back Fund after signing a contract extension before the 2012 season that paid him $16 million guaranteed, with a maximum value of $40 million.
Kraft said he tried to give Hernandez the $50,000 back, but Hernandez insisted that the foundation keep it.
"He wanted to be a role model for the Hispanic community. He said that when he signed his contract," Kraft said. "He said, 'You gave me a second chance,' and I believed him."
Kraft said all he knew about Hernandez is what happened inside the practice facility at Gillette Stadium, and that for three years Hernandez was a model football player. He noted that coach Bill Belichick said that Hernandez had the best training camp of any Patriots player last August, after Hernandez had signed his contract extension.
"I only know what goes on inside this building. We don't put private eyes on people," Kraft said. "When he was in this building, I was never exposed to anything where he was not positive. He was always polite, respectful."
Kraft didn't say whether the team will be less willing in the future to take on players with character risks, but "you can be sure we'll be looking at our procedures and auditing how we do things."
Kraft certainly wishes he had done more research on Hernandez's off-field activities before giving him the extension last August, but he felt at the time that signing Hernandez to a long-term deal was the best move for the team. Hernandez's rookie contract was supposed to run through the 2013 season, and the Patriots felt like they could get better value if they had signed him to a long-term deal before he reached free agency.
"If you let the best players go to free agency or get to the last year, you usually pay more," Kraft said. "It was a business decision. We were paying for performance. He was undervalued his first two years, then we wanted to get him in range."
"We can look back, obviously it wasn't the correct decision. When something isn't right, we try to correct it."
Kraft reiterated that he and other top members of the organization had decided a week before Hernandez's arrest that they would cut him if he was arrested in any way in connection with the murder investigation, even if it were for a charge like obstruction of justice.
"If any member of the New England Patriots organization is close enough to a murder investigation to actually get arrested — whether it be for obstruction of justice or the crime itself — it is too close to an unthinkable act for that person to be part of this organization going forward," he said.
Kraft said the incident has cast a pall over the organization over the past two weeks, and he worries that it could be a big distraction during training camp, which begins on July 25.
"Everything we don't want is happening," he said.
Cutting Hernandez also has saddled the Patriots with a couple of large salary cap hits — $2.5 million this year and $7.5 million next year — but Kraft said that cutting Hernandez was the only option the team had.
"It was principle, over money or cap or anything else," Kraft said.
Principle is also why the Patriots were willing to take a $250,000 hit over the weekend when nearly 2,000 fans exchanged their Hernandez jerseys for another player's at the Patriots ProShop. Kraft said the team plans to destroy the jerseys by grinding them up and donating the material for recycling purposes.
Kraft expressed extreme regret that a member of his organization appears to be involved in a homicide.
"The most sad thing is the Lloyd family lost a son, a brother," Kraft said. "I'm really sorry, and my heart goes out to the Lloyd family."
Ben Volin can be reached at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @BenVolin


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Mary Virginia Harney of Oak Bluffs, died peacefully at Martha's Vineyard Hospital on Jan. 4. She was 88 and was the wife of the late John J. Harney Jr. with whom she had four children
She was born April 7, 1924 in Cambridge, the daughter of Patrick and Mary Faherty Tangney. After moving to Derry, N.H. as a child, Mary attended Derry schools, including her much-loved Pinkerton Academy. During World War II she welded submarines for the U.S. Navy as a civilian worker at the Boston Naval Shipyard. She was later employed at the New England Life Insurance Company and New England Telephone Company where she was a member of the Pioneers and a labor activist who organized her workplace and later served as a steward with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).
In the 1960s she fell in love with Martha's Vineyard and eventually settled full time in Oak Bluffs. There she spent much of her time gardening but most enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren, always taking pride in their accomplishments. Her wonderful sense of humor and love will be missed by all who knew her.
She is survived by her children Mary Osgood and her husband Charles of Wilmington, Anne Harney and her husband Harvey Cantor of Wellesley, John Harney and his wife Laurie Collins of Kensington, Md., and Paul Harney and his wife Joanne of East Falmouth; grandchildren Charles and Sean Osgood of Wilmington, Craig Osgood of Burlington, Vt., Andrew Cantor of Miami, Fla., Lizzie Cantor of Brooklyn, N.Y., Ana and Colin Harney of Kensington, Md., and Jennifer and Jack Harney of East Falmouth. She was pre-deceased by her brothers Robert Tangney and Joseph Tangney.
Services will be private at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to Hospice of Martha's Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home in Oak Bluffs.


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Infield Fastpitch Gloves Buying Guides
March 08, 2022
In baseball and softball, a fielding glove is one of the most important tools you'll need to become a successful player. What size glove you should use largely depends on the position you play, but there are also other factors that help determine exactly which glove you should equip yourself with.
May 17, 2022
In this article we will be taking a closer look at the best softball gloves for 2021, which include fastpitch gloves, slowpitch gloves, and youth softball gloves. Not only that, but we take a deeper dive into the best gloves for certain positions, such as best outfield gloves, infield gloves, and gloves for pitchers.
March 22, 2022
There are various methods you can use to break in and soften your glove. Some of these methods can be used individually or in conjunction with others. Read on and we'll cover the different ways to break in your glove, plus different methods on how to oil gloves.
March 29, 2022
Baseball and softball gloves are an important part of being a great player. It isn't enough to just buy a glove, wear it on the field, and hope it gets the job done. You need to break your glove in, take care of it, condition it, and help maintain it so it extends beyond just a single season.
March 22, 2022
In baseball and softball, a glove is a tool that players spend exorbitant amounts of time breaking in, working on, using, and protecting. But eventually, the time comes for every glove where a lace snaps or a ball breaks through the webbing, and the last thing any player wants to do is throw out his or her well-conditioned glove and start fresh.
Other Great Choices
- @Recommendation.Title by @firstname.lastname@example.com@Recommendation.MSRP


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Who I Am
While I hardly take myself seriously, I do take my work very seriously. Photography is my art form and not just my job. I become immersed in the moments and create from within. Photography is much more than just a click or a nice camera. I am constantly evolving as an artist and am eager to see where my work takes me next.
Who You Are
You crave authenticity. You enjoy awkward moments and relish a good story. You love a good laugh and are not afraid to be yourself. You imagine your photographs to capture your essence and not just your pose. You want your images to be about more than just you; they are about your lives, your families, and all the crazy-amazing things that you want this day to represent.
What to Expect
Each collection of photographs includes moments big and small. I aim to provide the images that you have always wanted and those you didn't even know you wanted until you saw them. At a wedding you will probably find me on the perimeter of the chaos looking in. I will be there through it all and yet most clients forget I am there. While I will do just about anything to capture any given moment, I tend to hang back and leave it raw and uninterrupted.


text: Nothing short of a perfect finish will do on handcrafted pens, bottle stoppers and small projects. Creating a perfect finish is easy to do when you have the right finishing supplies. We offer Mylands Friction Polish, HUT Crystal Clear and PPP finishing bars in addition to Magic Masters spray lacquer and our favorite pen finish, Insta-Bond™ CA Pen Finish with 20/20 Plasti-Polish.


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Joe Anthony
Harbor Springs, MI
"I just returned from the Dartmouth parents' weekend and wanted to let you know that Joey could not imagine attending another university. The atmosphere, academics, and rural environment are perfect for him. He is on cloud nine! I am certain this experience will be the path meant for him and a life changer. I just wanted to say thanks for helping us bring a great kid to the perfect college. I can't say enough. Although I have another kid coming along in three years…" ~ Joe Anthony


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gabriele pasini
Giacca in velluto a coste
- Giacca grigia in velluto a coste
- Rever a lancia
- Tasche laterali
- Spacchi laterali
- Vestibilità regolare
Colore: Grigio
Il modello indossa una taglia 48, è alto 1.86 cm e pesa 84 kg.
Materiale: 98% Cotone - 2% Elastan
Italy: 1 - 2 working days (Delivery of the courier).
Europe: 3 - 5 working days.
Rest of the world: 3 - 10 working days. p >
Any additional costs due to the payment of taxes, and duties for countries outside the European Union are on the customer. These are to be paid directly to the carrier to release the order.
For more details, see the page Shipping.
Credit Cards
You can make purchases using Visa, Mastercard, or American Express.
Bank Transfer
By bank transfer, will be possible to make the payment with your bank after the conclusion of the order, within 48 hours.
By choosing PayPal as a payment method, you can make the payment through your PayPal account.
Scalapay (financing)
By selecting payment via Scalapay, you will pay via a loan in 3 monthly installments the total amount of the order.
For more details see the page Payments.
The cost of the return for Italy is free.
If for any reason you are not satisfied with your purchase, unworn items can be returned for size change, color change, item change or refund within 14 days from the date of receipt of the order.
For more details, see the page Returns .


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Lhasa Apso dogs - All you must know!
Your pet greets you with excitement, a wagging tail and dog kisses whether you have been away for one minute or for many weeks. I never get sick of this!
Research has shown that pets, such as dogs and cats, reduce peoples stress levels and lower their blood pressure.
Your Lhasa Apso can amuse and entertain you, keep you from getting bored and turn a bad or boring day into a great one. A dog loves you no matter what you wear or how you look.
They teach their owners about devotion, acceptance and patience and in return, you nurture your pets and care for them.
In return, we, the owners try to teach our dog's acceptable behavior to prevent dog behavior problems, such as excessive barking.
How Your Lhasa Apso Communicates
Yes, I know the picture is not of a Lhasa Apso, But I just couldn't resist using this!
OK... so when any dogs bark, growl, whine or even howl it is a natural and normal behavior and their way of communicating with each other and with their human families.
Starting when they are young puppies they use vocalization to communicate. This may include crying sounds when they are frustrated, afraid, hurt, or soft whining sounds when they are hungry or cold. Older dogs make many different sounds for different situations such as:
* Whimpering or Whining - Dogs often use whining or whimpering as a means of communicating when they seek attention or show submissiveness when greeting other dogs. Many also whine when they are in pain, frustrated, lonely or want something, such as a dog treat or someone to take them for a walk.
* Howling - Many dogs use howling as a long-range means of communicating. If a dog hears another howling in the distance they often howl back as a form of communicating. Some howl when they hear sirens, certain music or go hunting.
* Growling - As most owners will tell you, dogs growl not only as a warning, to show aggression, dominance and in defense but also when playing. A wagging tail and lots of movement may often accompany play growling. You can tell the difference between play and aggressive growling by a dog's posture; a dog that remains stationery, snarls or stares is using an aggressive growl and they are serious.
* Dog Barking - Barking dogs and excessive barking are ways dogs communicate. Some breeds are trained to bark, such as working or herding dogs and guard dogs. Although barking is normal behavior often used to get attention show excitement and other emotions, excessive dog barking often creates many problems.
For the most success with Lhasa Apsos; it is suggested you take the time to do a little online research.
Tell Me About Excessive Lhasa Apso Barking Then.
Lhasa Apso barking turns into a problem when it becomes loud, unwanted, inappropriate or excessive.
When people hear continuous dog barking, it is not only disruptive but also causes stress and annoyance to you and others, such as neighbors.
Nervous, uneasy or lonely barking often happens when your pet is left home alone and they experience separation anxiety or fear.
As your Lhasa Apso becomes more upset, lonely or anxious, the barking gets higher and louder and quite often annoys neighbors. Many dogs think than when you close the door and leave you are never going to return and this starts the continuous, loud barking.
What's Your Lhasa Apso's Environment Like?
An uninteresting, boring environment that offers no stimulation often creates a bored barker, that makes a lot of noise as an outlet for his or her pent-up energy.
Lhasa Apsos left alone outside or inside for long periods often demonstrate this continuous barking behavior.
They are social animals, and when confined alone in a kennel or yard the result is excessive barking because they are bored or lonely and are demanding some attention.
Since nobody is there to stop them from barking, it almost becomes a hobby to them
Dogs love to play ball, Frisbee and games with their owners and often bark when they become excited. Unfortunately, some get too excited and the dog barking turns into a major problem for anyone within hearing distance.
Did You Know This?
The percentage of male and female purebred and mixed bred Lhasa Apsos that bark excessively is essentially the same,
Lhasa Apsos that do not get enough exercise often bark or whine to release tension. Some dogs seem to be very hypersensitive to movements and sounds around them.
Often, when a person gets a new puppy and it barks, they shout at them to stop their barking. Unfortunately, a puppy takes this as a sign that you are answering them back so they continue and this eventually turns into excessive barking or inappropriate dog behavior.
Sometimes owners unintentionally train their Lhasa Apso to bark by giving them the attention they want. If your Lhasa Apso barks to go in or out, a treat, to play ball, for a tummy rub or other reasons, they will learn quickly that barking gets results!
How About Some Tips To Help Control Barking Then?
Well, here are a few proven tips on teaching your Lhasa Apso to stop his or her excessive barking:
* As amazing as it sounds, teaching your Lhasa Apso to speak or bark on command is a simple way to teach them to stop barking.
Find something that makes them bark, such as withholding their toy or treat away from them. Once they bark, praise them and keep repeating the word 'speak'.
When you do this often enough, your Lhasa Apso learns that the word speak means bark and the dog will start barking on command.
Now you teach them the word 'stop' or 'quiet'. You do this when they are barking, say the word and give them their treat or toy.
When repeated often enough, it does not take long for your dog to figure out that saying the word quiet or stop, means for them to stop barking and they'll receive a reward.
If someone comes into your home and you tell your dog 'quiet' and it stops barking, praise him or her and always keep reinforcing your dog's good behavior.
* The best way to teach your dog to stop barking is by training them well when they are very young. If you have an older dog, don't give up though!
* There will be times when you must leave your dog alone. To get your pet used to this without barking, start by leaving the house for a few minutes.
Never make a fuss of your dog when you leave and after being gone a few minutes, come back in. Again, do not make a fuss of the dog.
Gradually increase the time you are away but make it seem very natural so your dog knows you will return. This way they do not feel so stressed.
* Some Lhasa Apsos are calmer when they hear a person's voice so try leaving the radio on low.
* Try keeping your Lhasa Apso away from things that start him barking, such as looking out the window. Close your curtains or blinds and if this doesn't work, give the command 'quiet' or 'stop', then slam a book down or shake a can full or marbles, to make a loud noise. Once he is quiet, have him sit, praise the dog and give it a treat.
* Exercise and mental stimulation are extremely important and help keep dogs from nuisance barking or exhibiting bad dog behavior.
Letting your Lhasa Apso out in the yard for a few minutes is not enough exercise. Your pet needs a long walk, brisk exercise or playtime daily, to run off some of his energy and keep his barking controlled.
Remember that a tired dog does not bark as much. On a walk, your dog smells and sees different sights, which keeps him from getting bored. Try teaching your Lhasa Apso new tricks or obedience training, as they need mental stimulation to keep them from barking.
A Final Word For You.
When properly exercised, rewarded and trained there are very few Lhasa Apsos that cannot learn to control their barking.
It is very important to remember that dogs bark as part of their natural behavior, just like humans speak to communicate. Never try to eliminate dog barking entirely from their repertoire, and use only positive training methods to accomplish this.
Most Lhasa Apso owners will be able to curb or prevent problem barking.
Need Some More Help?
I hope this short outline introduction to Managing Barking has been helpful for you.


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Simbionix Releases Two New Simulation Modules
Cleveland, OH USA: Simbionix, the world's leading developer of medical simulation systems, has released two new endovascular training modules, Cerebral Intervention and Cardiac Rhythm Management.These new ANGIO Mentor modules demonstrate Simbionix's commitment to enriching the content of its training systems and maximizing their value for customers.
The Cardiac Rhythm Management module enables virtual placement of pacemakers and defibrillators. Any change in the patient's heart rate during the simulation sounds an alarm so trainees can learn to provide immediate treatment. For the first time, trainees have the ability to train on canulating the coronary sinus, placing a lead and perform electrical measurements in a virtual and safe environment.
The Cerebral Intervention module features complete neurovasculature and a biplane x-ray system, making it the perfect platform for learning how to deliver intracranial coils and stents. Simbionix's CEO, Gary Zamler, explains; "This module gives neuro-interventionists the opportunity to handle complications, such as a perforated aneurysm, in our unique simulation environment, rather than in the OR."
Mr. Zamler continues: "We at Simbionix are proud of these two new modules and their potential contribution to the quality of medical practice."
Dr Thomas Masaryk is also excited about the new module: "Historically one might say that I've been a "simulator skeptic." But, I was utterly amazed with what Simbionix has accomplished: a thoroughly impressive recreation of complex aneurysm coiling…, I have no doubt that the cerebral intervention module will change the way we teach intracranial procedures. In the future I foresee a significant impact on case planning and decision making. Now trainees can gain experience with difficult cases before encountering these critical challenges in real life."


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Thank you to everyone that entered our last challenge!
It is a pleasure to see all your wonderful creations.
Congratulations to our Winner and Top 3 of our August challenge #8.
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Keith Olbermann: Not Worth It
Keith Olbermann is a talented television man. He's agile with words. He's whip-smart, an often penetrating thinker, and seems able to strike the perfect on-air balance between smoldering outrage and smirking "What are we doing here, folks?" acknowledgment of some of television's absurdities. Still. If you are a TV executive who hires this man, you are a fucking idiot.
Last year, Keith Olbermann left MSNBC because—long story short, here—Keith Olbermann is a petulant, spoiled child. (This is not to say that there is nothing wrong with the cable news business itself; it's simply to point out that Keith Olbermann is a buffoon with a near-complete lack of self-awareness whose own diva-like behavior has left a trail of enemies at various networks in his wake.) He took a job at tiny Current TV. And what is happening this week, do you wonder? Yes, that's right, Keith Olbermann is locked in a "falling out" with the network, a "rift" that could, potentially, mark the end of Olbermann's very short time there. He is reportedly upset about Current's cheap production values, as well as his own "level of influence" at the network. Olbermann's own PR campaign consists, as usual, of him making snide remarks to random Americans, on Twitter.
Keith Olbermann has done something rather spectacular: he has made cable television executives into sympathetic characters. They have to deal with Keith Olbermann's bullshit, after all. The details of each particular self-entitled tantrum aren't really important; the salient fact is that this will never stop. This is how Keith Olbermann is. If you hire him, this is what you will get. He has some redeeming qualities, yes. He has, within him, the ability to be a great TV newsman. Sadly, his ego will never let that happen. It's time to just... let him go.
He's not worth it.
[Photo: Getty]


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by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 09.25.11
Image: Pirate Party/Susanne Graf
As the rest of the world was celebrating talk like a pirate day, the Pirate Party won its first seats in the Berlin state elections.
In Germany, any party winning more than 5% of the votes is entitled to a share in government. With 8.9%, the Pirate party lands 15 seats in the state government, among them 19-year-old Susanne Graf (pictured above), who will be the youngest representative when session opens in October. Is this the beginning of a new kind of politics? Is the Pirate party walking a green plank?
First and foremost, the Pirate Party campaign program (pdf, German) promises transparency and to give citizens more voice in government.
As a young, technologically oriented party, this could auger a change (which some believe is inevitable) in the way we govern ourselves, a move away from representative government to net-based referendums. While not itself green, many believe this strategy could help take big money out of government, bringing balance back to the human aspect of decision making.
Although the word "pirate" has come to be associated with, well let us just say, the uncompensated use of certain digital properties, the official program of the Pirate Party focuses on equal access to information that is in the public domain, and equal opportunity use of internet technology as well as improved educational opportunity for the youth.
The greenest angle on this approach to equal access in public domains is the call to keep natural areas available for everyone, such as maintaining open access to river banks. Ironically, the debate stirs already over the lack of female presence in the party. Susanne is the only female sitting with 14 males.
The Greenest Planks of the Pirate Party Platform
Probably the greenest plank proposed in the Pirate program calls for free public transport, and activates against expanding highways through the city. Free public transport speaks for itself as a green platform. Thoughts on how to suppress highway construction projects rest on the main Pirate plank: make the contracts transparent, so the big money cannot win behind closed doors, and give people a direct vote on whether such projects should proceed.
Of course, the Pirates advocate nuclear-free power as well. And the campaign program explicitly calls for "sustainable, ecological economic policy."
Pirates Walking Other Planks
The Pirate program offers much more than "open access." It turns the clock back on post-9/11 state controls, fighting against surveillance of citizens and demanding improvements in accountability for police forces.
The platform contains planks designed to open borders, fighting on several fronts against anti-immigrant feelings. Perhaps most controversially, the Pirate platform also demands a change from drug abuse penalization to educational and social supports designed to reduce dependence on harmful drugs. Walking this plank includes the legalization of marijuana, on the grounds that illegal cannabis handlers pose a health risk by selling contaminated products.
Nations around the globe are finding politics as usual unsatisfying in the face of global economic crisis. Sustainability fans know that things cannot go on as they are. The question that now arises in Berlin is: will this youth movement earn respect for a new path forward, a post-capitalist, post-industrial, social-network based politics? Can politics survive transparency? And can it work for a party named "Pirates"?


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Reasons You're Vegan and Still Gaining Weight
Many people choose a vegan lifestyle for ethical, environmental, or health reasons. But if you're solely going meat-, dairy-, and egg-free because you think it will help you drop pounds, you may end up gaining rather than losing weight. Keep these points in mind to avoid plumping up on your vegan diet.
Chowing on Vegan Junk
Vegans may rejoice at the thought that french fries, potato chips, and Swedish Fish are all free of animal products. Even though they get the green light, they're also high in fat, sugar, and calories. As with all junk food, if you eat it regularly, the numbers on the scale are bound to go up. Just because some junk food is vegan doesn't mean it's healthier, so avoid these foods, and opt for healthier, lower-calorie vegan noshables.
Pass the Bread Basket, Please!
Many people don't know how to cook vegan meals, so when you head to a dinner party or out to a restaurant, get ready to eat some dinner rolls and spaghetti! There's nothing wrong with eating bread or pasta; it's just that they're high in calories. A dinner roll will run you over 200 calories, and although one cup of cooked pasta is a little over 200 calories, plates tend to be two or three times larger than an appropriate serving size. If bread and pasta are staples in your vegan diet, it's no wonder your pants are feeling a little snug.
But That Cupcake Is Vegan!
Made with butter, milk, and eggs, most cookies and cakes are off-limits, and missing out can be a little depressing. So when you stumble upon a vegan carrot cupcake with Tofutti cream cheese frosting, indulging is a must. Go ahead and enjoy vegan treats like dark chocolate and peanut butter brownies once in a while, but eat your sweets in moderation. Remember that not-so-healthy foods — even though they're animal-free — are not calorie-free.
Nuts For Protein
Snacking on handfuls of nuts, smearing peanut butter on your banana, and wondering why the scale numbers are increasing? Yes, nuts are a great source of protein and healthy fats for vegans, but they're also high in calories — a two-tablespoon serving of peanut butter will run you 210 calories! If you'e concerned about protein, check out these protein-rich, low-calorie vegan meals, and include these vegan protein sources in your diet.
Ooh, This Ice Cream Is Dairy-Free!
It's amazing how much Daiya cheese and Soy Delicious nondairy frozen desserts taste just like the real thing. It can be really exciting to discover these foods after living without them for so long, but a vegan can't live on dairy-free ice cream alone. Try this vegan ice cream made with bananas that's about 150 calories per serving.