text:
China to Complete Internet Access Real-Name Registration by June 2014
Xinhua News Agency, 3/29/13
The General Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China issued a memorandum today regarding implementation of the "State Council Plan for Organizational Reform and Functional Transitions." The 13th directive on the list calls for the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), State Internet Information Office (SIIO), and Ministry of Public Security to finish developing real-name internet registration systems by the end of June 2014.
Editor's Note: For more information on this topic, please see "Update: China Implements Internet Access Real-Name Registration," MD 12/28/12 issue.
Keywords: regulation Internet MIIT Ministry of Public Security State Council Internet access State Internet Information Office real name system timetable


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Major changes to improve the safety of North Sea helicopter operations, including prohibiting flights in the most severe conditions, have been announced by aviation regulators.
The changes include amendments to the seating of passengers, improved breathing equipment, changes to pilots' training and equipment improvements.
Announced by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the measures follow a series of North Sea helicopter crashes in recent years including last August's Super Puma tragedy in which four people died and the April 2009 Super Puma disaster which claimed 16 lives.
The changes are the result of a comprehensive review of offshore helicopter operations undertaken in conjunction with the Norwegian CAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and advised by a panel of independent experts.
The measures include:
Prohibiting helicopter flights in the most severe sea conditions, so that the chance of a ditched helicopter capsizing is reduced and a rescue can be safely undertaken;
Pending further safety improvements to helicopters, passengers will only be able to fly if they are seated next to an emergency window exit to make it easier to get out of a helicopter in an emergency (unless helicopters are fitted with extra flotation devices or passengers are provided with better emergency breathing systems);
Requiring all passengers to have better emergency breathing equipment to increase underwater survival time unless the helicopter is equipped with side floats.
Also, there will be important changes to the way pilots are trained and checked. And the CAA will take on the role of approving each offshore helideck, ensuring they meet strict safety standards.
The CAA has also made a number of recommendations to EASA, as the regulator for helicopter certification and airworthiness.

subset: commoncrawl


text: I will be teaching Plant Growth andd Development in the Fall and need to order a textbook now. I like Growth and Differentiation in Plants by P.F. Waring and I.D.J. Phillips but, the latest edition is the 3rd, published in 1981. Does anyone know of a more recent alternative to this text? Thanks, Cyndy Dr. Cynthia M. Galloway Assoc. Professor of Biology Dept. of Biology Campus Box 158 Texas A&M University Kingsville, TX 78363 (512)593-3790


text: On Monday 14 April 2003 22:19, Martin J. Bligh wrote:> Seems all these bug checks are fairly expensive. I can get 1%> back on system time for kernel compiles by changing BUG to> "do {} while (0)" to make them all compile away. Profiles aren't> very revealing though ... seems to be within experimental error ;-(What happens if you just turn BUG_ON into "do {} while (0)"?Ciao,Duncan.-To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" inthe body of a message to firstname.lastname@example.com majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.htmlPlease read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/


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NORTH NEWTON, KAN. – By newly established tradition (beginning last year), the final two Bethel convocations of the school year, held April 29 and May 3 this year, focused on excellence in both athletics and academics.
Kent Allshouse, athletic director, opened the April 29 convocation by pointing out that a liberal arts education, which Bethel prides itself on providing, produces students who strive for excellence in the classroom and on the field or court.
Dale Schrag, campus pastor, presented the Seth Dunn Memorial Award that Dunn's family established following his death from a longboarding accident Aug. 1, 2011, right before his senior year at Bethel.
Schrag noted that the award stipulates "primary consideration … be given to a senior who identifies areas of needed change on campus, challenges others and takes action that makes a difference in accordance with the stated ideals and values of the Bethel community."
He presented the award to Creigh Bartel, senior from Newton.
Other special awards were:
● David H. Richert Distinguished Scholar award to Rachel Epp Buller, assistant professor of art
● Gerald Schrag Award for mathematics to Megan Leary, senior from North Newton
● 2013 Undergraduate Research, Internships and Creative Activity (URICA) Awards to Brooke Banning in biology, Nicole Eitzen and Rebecca Epp in literary studies, Rachel Evans and Wesley Goodrich in natural sciences, Megan Leary and Austin Unruh in math and computer science, Emily Luedtke in art history and Jocelyn Wilkinson in communication arts (see sidebar)
● C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest awards to Arthur Kauffman, senior from Burgettstown, Pa., first place for "Beyond Speaking Truth to Power: New Possibilities in Enacting Social Change"; Aaron Rudeen, senior from Osage City, second place for "Engagement"; and Renee Reimer, senior from Sioux Falls, S.D., third place for "The Sacredness of Humanity"
● Writing Fellowship award to Rebecca Epp, junior from North Newton
Nancy Lugo-Baez, assistant professor of nursing, introduced the Sigma Theta Tau nursing honor society inductees, senior nursing students Mariah Hostetler, Dodge City, Ana Jimenez, Wichita, Susan Morris, North Newton, Beth Piper, North Newton, Virginia Pyle, Park City, Misty Randolph, Newton, Anju Shrestha, Wichita, and Payton Walker, Sharon Springs. Morris also received the Iota Chi Excellence in Nursing Scholarship Award for having the highest grade point average in the senior nursing class.
The athletics department presented Bethel watches to four-year letter winners: Aaron "AJ" Benton, San Antonio, Texas, and John Watson III, North Newton, for basketball; Emily Gundy, Halstead, Mariah Hostetler, Dodge City, and Kyle Kroeker, Hutchinson, for cross country; Ben Suchsland, Agra, for football; Abram Rodenberg, Halstead, for golf; Lizzie Shelly, Lenexa, for soccer; Patrick Loganbill, Wichita, Shayne Runnion, Phillipsburg, and Miranda Weaver, Hesston, for tennis; and Whitney Steingard, Henderson, Neb., for volleyball.
Allshouse also named "B" Letter Award winners for those who have been in their sports two or more years (see sidebar).
The April 29 awards convocation concluded with "special recognitions":
● Student "ambassador of the year" for Admissions – Leland Brown, sophomore from Galveston, Texas
● The George Rogers Outstanding Athlete of the Year Award – Ben Suchsland and Miranda Weaver
● The 2013 Douglas A. Penner Champions of Character Scholarship – Edward Davila, senior from San Antonio, Texas
● The Gerry Sieber Service Award – Austin Unruh, senior from Goessel
At the May 3 awards convocation, athletic training faculty recognized Kansas Athletic Trainers Society (KATS) honors for 2013: 1st Team: Emily Gundy, Steph Shogren, senior from Hesston, Whitney Steingard and Jacob Stucky, senior from Moundridge; and Honorable Mention: Mariah Ekhart, sophomore from Wamego, B.J. Heffernan, senior from Lakewood, Colo., Jeremiah Howington, senior from Paris, Texas, Sadie Minkevitch, senior from Newton, Taylor Morris, junior from Buhler, Serenity Seiler, junior from Hanston, and Tanner Steingard, sophomore from Henderson, Neb.
Both academic and athletic awards from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics were announced (see sidebar for list).
Other awards and special recognitions were:
● J. Lloyd Spaulding Award for Economics and Business to Natasha Orpin, senior from Canton
● Ray and Betty Funk Award for Entrepreneurship to Casey Schunn, senior from Whitewater
● Dorothy Wedel Kaufman Honor Scholarships for literary studies to Nicole Eitzen, Arthur Kauffman, Martin Olson, senior from Denver, and Marike Stucky, senior from Moundridge
● John O. and Esther Schrag Helping Hand Award to Tim Shade, assistant professor of music, who was nominated by Shianne Defreese, sophomore from Goessel, and Rebecca Trumble, senior from Newton
● Resident Assistant of the Year award to Wesley Goodrich, RA in Haury Hall
● KCAC and NAIA academic awards (see sidebar for list)
There were also two Thresher Awards given to seniors being honored for making an "outstanding contribution in their academic field."
The 2013 Thresher Awards went to
● Joel Boettger, Hesston, in music, presented by James Pisano, associate professor of music
● Jordan Ortman, Marion, S.D., in music, presented by Karen Bauman Schlabaugh, professor of music
Bethel President Perry D. White concluded the final convocation of the year by noting staff promotions: Francisca Méndez-Harclerode, biology, and Doug Siemens, education, from assistant to associate professor.
He also recognized two faculty members who have been at Bethel for 35 years – Diane Flickner, associate professor of health and physical education, and Dwight Krehbiel, professor of psychology – and faculty or staff members at the college for 25 years – Russ Graber, associate professor of health and physical education, Marla Krell, director of experiential learning and career services, Paul Lewis, professor of psychology and professor of philosophy, and Kay Schmidt, associate registrar.
Finally, White gave a tribute to and led a standing ovation for Flickner, who is retiring this year after a career at Bethel that included 11 years as head volleyball coach and 21 years as athletic director, in addition to her teaching responsibilities.
Bethel College is the only private college in Kansas listed in the 2012-13 Forbes.com analysis of premier colleges and universities in the United States and ranks in the top five "Best Baccalaureate Colleges" in the Washington Monthly annual college guide for 2012-13. The four-year liberal arts college is affiliated with Mennonite Church USA. For more information, see www.bethelks.edu.
Sidebar: 2013 URICA Awards for Bethel student research
Each year, Bethel College offers support for student summer research through the Undergraduate Research, Internships and Creative Activity (URICA) program.
These grants provide a $1,000 stipend to each student selected, with additional, smaller cash awards to the mentor working with the student and to the student's department to help defray the research expenses of the project.
The URICA Committee – currently Dwight Krehbiel, professor of psychology, John McCabe-Juhnke, professor of communication arts, and Doug Siemens, associate professor of education – evaluates student proposals and makes award decisions.
Brooke Banning, senior from Lenexa, will do "Functional comparison of the prion protein genes in Danio rerio (zebra fish)," working with research mentor Francisca Méndez-Harclerode, associate professor of biology.
Nicole Eitzen, junior from Xalapa, Mexico, will do "The hippie and jipiteca narrative: A comparative study and creative writing project," working with research mentor Nathan Bartel, associate professor of literary studies.
Rebecca Epp, junior from North Newton, will do a creative writing project based on the life stories of her German-Russian immigrant grandparents, working with research mentor Ami Regier, professor of literary studies. Epp's research is also being supported by a grant from the annual Mennonite Contributions Contest.
Rachel Evans, senior from Bel Aire, will do "Characterization of norepinephrine differences for rural vs. urban emergency responders," working with research mentors Kathryn Layman, associate professor of chemistry and physics, and Dwight Krehbiel, professor of psychology.
Wesley Goodrich, senior from Independence, will do "Salivary cortisol response to manual labor," a first step toward studying cortisol responses in altruistic behavior, working with research mentor Dwight Krehbiel.
Megan Leary, senior from North Newton, will do "A strategic analysis of the game Pandemic using graph theory and game theory," working with research mentor Karl Friesen, adjunct assistant professor of computer science.
Emily Luedtke, junior from Wichita, will do a project combining oral history and the creation of seven portraits of LGBT people, working with research mentor Rachel Epp Buller, assistant professor of art. Luedtke's project is also being supported by the Klassen Diversity Fund.
Austin Unruh, senior from Goessel, will do a project dealing with chaos theory, working with research mentor Karl Friesen.
Jocelyn Wilkinson, senior from San Antonio, Texas, will do "What can you do for me?: The effects of branding on major cultural, historical landmarks worldwide," working with research mentor Christine Crouse-Dick, associate professor of communication arts.
The students will do their primary research this summer and make public presentations during the 2013-14 school year in a special convocation and in the annual URICA Seminar in spring.
Sidebar: Achievement awards for Bethel athletes
"B" Letter Awards (four-year letter winners plus the following):
● Men's basketball
Ronnie Hodge, senior, Newton
Nathen Yunker, senior, Larned
● Women's cross country
Susan Morris, senior, North Newton
● Football
Joey Creiglow, senior, El Centro, Calif.
Edward Davila, senior, San Antonio, Texas
Levi Minkevitch, senior, Newton
Nathan Murphy, senior, Newton
John Regier, senior, Beatrice, Neb.
Jacob Stucky, senior, Moundridge
Grady Stultz, senior, Goessel
● Football, track and cheer
Jeremiah Howington, senior, Paris, Texas
● Golf
Matt Diller, senior, Goshen, Ind.
● Men's soccer
David Counts, senior, Lakewood Village, Texas
● Women's soccer
Linsey Laird, senior, Newton
● Softball
Becca Bradley, senior, Omaha, Neb.
Lauren Franz, senior, Hesston
● Men's tennis
David Tedone, senior, North Richland Hills, Texas
● Volleyball
Amber Blount, senior, Topeka
Lindsey Chandler, senior, Topeka
Breanna McConnell, senior, South Haven
KCAC Scholar-Athletes (must be a sophomore or higher, 3.333 cumulative GPA, lettered; NAIA Scholar-Athletes plus the following):
● Men's cross country
Wesley Goodrich, senior, Independence
● Women's cross country
Rachel Evans, senior, Bel Aire
● Football
Nicholas Bartholomaus, junior, San Diego, Calif.
David Bronson, junior, Reading
Nathan Murphy, senior, Newton
John Regier, senior, Beatrice, Neb.
Jacob Stucky, senior, Moundridge
Ben Suchsland, senior, Agra
Seth Tarrant, junior, Conway Springs
● Softball
Becca Bradley, senior, Omaha, Neb.
● Men's tennis
Jesse Voth-Gaeddert, junior, Hesston
● Women's tennis
Alyssa Scheuerman, junior, Scott City
Madelyn Weaver, junior, Hesston
● Volleyball
Allison Rudeen, junior, Osage City
Serenity Seiler, junior, Hanston
NAIA All-America Scholar-Athletes (3.5 cumulative GPA):
● Women's basketball
Katie Regier, junior, Whitewater
Samantha Wilkerson, junior, Neosho Rapids
● Women's cross country
Emily Gundy, senior, Halstead
Mariah Hostetler, senior, Dodge City
Susan Morris, senior, North Newton
Nicole Smith, junior, Elkhart, Ind.
● Football
Nathan Murphy, junior, Newton
John Regier, senior, Beatrice, Neb.
Jacob Stucky, senior, Moundridge
● Golf
Abram Rodenberg, senior, Halstead
● Men's soccer
Ben Kreider, junior, North Newton
Austin Unruh, senior, Goessel
Jacob Weber, junior, Newton
● Women's soccer
Angelina Adame, sophomore, Newton
Brooke Banning, senior, Lenexa
Paige LaFever, sophomore, Hutchinson
Elizabeth Shelly, senior, Lenexa
Madison Wiles, junior, Hutchinson
Morgan Wiles, sophomore, Hutchinson
Brie Zerger, sophomore, Hutchinson
● Softball
Sarah Cunningham, junior, Oskaloosa
Rachel Unruh, junior, Raytown, Mo.
● Men's tennis
Clinton Chlumsky, junior, Wichita
Wesley Goodrich, senior, Independence
● Women's tennis
Shayne Runnion, senior, Phillipsburg
Steph Shogren, senior, Hesston
Miranda Weaver, senior, Hesston
● Track and field
Emily Gundy, senior, Halstead
Michelle Kaufman, senior, Moundridge
Susan Morris, senior, North Newton
● Volleyball
Amber Blount, junior, Topeka
Katie Regier, sophomore, Whitewater
Whitney Steingard, senior, Henderson, Neb.
● Men's basketball
Adam Arciniega, sophomore, Avondale, Ariz. – 3rd Team
Lee Griffin, junior, San Antonio, Texas – Honorable Mention
Cody Cape, freshman, McPherson – All-Freshman Team
● Women's basketball
Lauren Ulrich, freshman, Walnut, Calif. – Honorable Mention/All-Freshman Team
● Football
Ben Suchsland, senior, Agra – 1st Team
Garrett Garcia, junior, Newton – Honorable Mention
Tevin Jones, sophomore, McKinney, Texas – Honorable Mention
Levi Minkevitch, senior – Honorable Mention
Nathan Murphy, senior, Newton – Honorable Mention
● Men's soccer
Alex Hagan, sophomore, Flower Mound, Texas – Honorable Mention
BJ Heffernan, senior, Evergreen, Colo. – Honorable Mention
● Women's soccer
Madison Wiles, sophomore, Hutchinson – 2nd Team
● Softball
Kylee Gragg, sophomore, Minneapolis – 2nd Team
Victoria Roberts, sophomore, Sedgwick – Honorable Mention
Shiann Wickham, freshman, Blackwell, Okla. – Honorable Mention
Men's tennis
Clinton Chlumsky, junior, Wichita – 2nd Team
Logan Palenske, junior, Abilene – 2nd Team, Newcomer of the Year
● Women's tennis
Breanna Honer, freshman, Shawnee – 1st Team, Freshman of the Year
Ashley Koester, sophomore, Conway Springs – 1st Team
Steph Shogren, senior, Hesston – 1st Team
Miranda Weaver, senior, Hesston – 1st Team
Allie Hipp, sophomore, Claflin – 2nd Team
Coach of the Year – Lonnie Isaac
● Volleyball
Lindsey Chandler, senior, Topeka – 1st Team
Jordan Gray, junior, Sedgwick – 2nd Team
Katie Regier, junior, Whitewater – Honorable Mention
(awards still pending for track and field)


text:
April 28, 2008
Museums Play Important Role in Science Education for Kids
At the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey kids can learn about science in a fun and exciting atmosphere.
Science educator Lisa Silverman showed a group of students how surgery is performed "" on a person dressed in a banana suit, that is.
"Can everybody say the word 'autoclave?'" Silverman asked while holding up some surgical instruments. "That's a fancy word for an oven-dishwasher that goes at a very high temperature and actually kills the germs."
As she guided the children through the operation, she also taught lessons about infections, surgery, the roles of operating room staff and the kinds of schooling one needs to be a surgeon.
Education experts call this "informal" or "free-choice" science learning, since it takes place outside of the school setting.
A congressionally chartered nonprofit group that advises the federal government known as the National Academies will release a report this summer about the learning of science in such informal settings""including such places as museums, zoos and aquariums.
The report is meant to address the lack of scientific education and literacy among Americans. Many are afraid there will be a shortfall of homegrown engineers and scientists to keep the nation competitive, a general work force ill-equipped to function in an increasingly high-tech workplace, and a citizenry struggling to grasp complex public issues like stem cell research.
Experts believe science museums can play a big role in teaching and promoting science to both children and adults.
David Ucko, an expert on informal learning at the National Science Foundation, requested the study to take place later this summer. "Studies are showing that such institutions stimulate interest, awareness, knowledge and understanding."
Gerry Wheeler, executive director of the National Science Teachers Association, believes summer projects, like this one, are very useful. "They're a valuable resource for making nature real to the young, hungry mind."
The Liberty Science Center expects about 850,000 guests this year. Visitors can walk a high steel beam in the skyscraper exhibit or practice laboratory procedures.
"With us, they're right up touching the science," says Jeff Osowski, the center's vice president of learning and teaching.
School groups can talk with surgeons on the end of a live video link while they perform operations.
"The students ask a lot of questions and get very frank answers from the doctors and the nurses," said Bobbi Bremmer, who teaches high school science in Livingston, N.J.
The kids are welcome to ask as many questions as they like. For many students, "that is as important as any technical or book lesson, because the information is applicable to their families, friends and most of all, themselves," she said.
George Hein, a professor emeritus at Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass., and author of the book "Learning in the Museum", believes museums have an enormous role to play in teaching children because they can offer experiences that are tough for schools to present.
"You can actually do science. You can take prisms and mirrors and see what happens when you move light around," he said.
"Another advantage of museums is that visitors can choose what to focus on, and that helps them learn more and retain it longer," says Oregon State University researcher John Falk. He believes museums benefit from a self-fulfilling prophecy: People expect to learn about science there, and so they do.
One research study showed that visitors do learn from these presentations. A demonstration of the human skeleton allowed visitors to pedal a stationary bicycle while a pane of glass showed an image of a skeleton within the visitor's reflection.
After the experience, 6- and 7-year olds were asked to draw a skeleton. Nearly all drew bones terminating at the joints""a sharp contrast to the performance of other kids who didn't go through the exhibit. Nearly all the museum visitors in the study still knew the relationship between bones and joints almost eight months later.
"The value of a science museum is that you expose yourself to science, that you pursue science and learn a little bit ... and you stay connected to science and you see value in science and that helps society support the scientific enterprise," said Falk.
"What's more, science museums entice families to learn together, and even about each other," he said. "Parents may discover that a daughter is interested in engineering."
Sue Allen, who studies museum learning at San Francisco's Exploratorium, said "in a fast-changing world where people need to keep learning all their lives, science museums provide a model for going beyond classroom education."
"We are one of the few places where people can get energized, get inspired, get excited ... and practice their own natural scientific inquiry skills. What a fantastic model for what lifelong learning could be."
On the Net:
Liberty Science Center
Association of Science-Technology Centers
National Academies
Associated Press


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This week shooting wrapped up on the TV adaptation of "The Conqueror" - the second book in the Jonas Wergeland Trilogy by acclaimed Norwegian author Jan Kjaerstad.
The story follows TV star Jonas Wergeland's extraordinary life and career both before and after being charged and convicted of his own wife's murder.
Our service company InFilms worked as Executive-Producer, organizing the entire shoot in Portugal and we're happy to report that everything went according to plan.
It was a wonderful experience and hopefully it'll be the first of many future films we do for norwegian TV channel NRK.


text:
Showing Suppliers 1 - 20 of 39
GE Lighting
Address: 1975 Noble Rd., Nela Park, Cleveland, OH
Business Type: Manufacturer
AESCO Electronics
Address: 2230 Picton Parkway, Akron, OH
Business Type: Distributor
Bowman Lamps, LLC
Address: 17881 Northwood Lakes Dr., Chagrin Falls, OH
Business Type: Manufacturer
Creative Lighting Solutions, LLC
Address: PO Box 686, Columbia Station, OH
Business Type: Manufacturer
Doran Manufacturing, LLC
Address: 2851 Massachusetts Avenue, Cincinnati, OH
Business Type: Manufacturer
Future Electronics
Business Type: Distributor
Description: More Than a Distribution Company Future Electronics' is a world-class leader and innovator in the distribution and marketing of semiconductors and passive, interconnect and electro-mechanical components. They operate in 169 locations in 41 countries in the Americas, Europe and... (more)
Address: 6060 Rockside Woods Blvd., Suite 141, Independence, OH
Address: The Greene, 4407 Walnut Street, Suite 250, Beavercreek, OH
Glass Surface Systems, Inc.
Address: 24 Brown Street, Barberton, OH
Business Type: Manufacturer
Grainger Industrial Supply
Business Type: Distributor
Description: Grainger helps customers save time and money by providing them the right products to keep their facilities up and running. Grainger's customers are 2.0 million businesses and institutions in 157 countries. While each customer has a unique facility to operate and a different problem to solve, our... (more)
Address: 8700 Le Saint Drive Branch 206, Hamilton, OH
Address: 7576 Tyler Blvd. Branch 162, Mentor, OH
Address: 2321 Needmore Road Branch 208, Dayton, OH
Address: 1455 E. 2nd St. Branch 207, Franklin, OH
Address: 4420 Glendale Milford Rd. Branch 152, Cincinnati, OH
Address: 6999 Huntley Rd. Branch 177, Worthington, OH
Address: 915 Industry Ave. Branch 298, Lima, OH
Address: 1300 Third St. Branch 848, Perrysburg, OH
Address: 939 W. 8th St. Branch 154, Cincinnati, OH
Address: 1721 6TH St. SW Branch 163, Canton, OH
Address: 360 Victoria Rd. Branch 952, Youngstown, OH
Address: 1040 National Pkwy. Branch 175, Mansfield, OH


text:
It used to be that immigrants flocked almost exclusively to large cities. No more. According to current census data, new arrivals are hitting suburbia and small towns in bigger numbers for the first time ever.
Why? In a word, jobs. Growth in the food and construction industries is happening not in already developed cities, but rather in places that are still expanding. That means that new-arrival numbers for places like Los Angeles, which has always been a huge magnet for Latino immigrants in particular, have been flat in the past decade, while the suburbs outside Atlanta and other cities have seen as much as 60 percent spike.
Of all the 13.3 million new suburbanites, Latinos account for more than a third, outpacing Blacks (2.5 million) and Asians (2 million).
The report also showed that the U.S. population is diversifying at a staggering rate. Almost 50 percent of babies born last year were members of minority groups, compared with just a fifth of Americans over the age of 65. While that is a positive for Latinos, it also brings up concerns over the cost of health care and the lag in education for our future.


text:
One day 78 people in Barton went to the hospital all with the same symptoms and the gaians magic could not heal them. later that day a nurse went to check on them but when she got there they were dead so she used a phone in the room to call the front desk and tell the front desk they were dead in the middle of the call the front desk herd screaming coming form the other end. the person at the front desk sent up somebody to check what happen. So a doctor took the elevator up. once he was up there he didn't see anything. so he went to the room where the infected were staying. he opened the door and in the corner of the room was her dead body being eaten by the infected. he screamed and the infected turn to him. he never did close the door behind him. so the infected was released to the hospital. Later that day the police sealed up the hospital and then 3 days later they saw some of the boards around the hospital doors starting crack. The most powerful mages in Gaia sealed the city and no one was allowed to leave the city. 2 years after the 1st infection 98% of Barton's total population was infected and killing.
As one of the survivors you try to live in a city full of zombies.
3 millon lived in Barton town
unknown how many live


text:
Knightfall wrote:Bruce,
Have you ever considered a grand, unified Mystaran Underdark? If so, how would you connect it all?
Not really, no. There could be various "underdarks" but since the surface isn't unified, there's no logical reason for any underdark to be so either. Connections between such realms could be made via tunnels, faults in the crust, teleporters, "warp" regions, etc.


text:
Leopard 10.5.3, Audio Hijack and ssh crash
June 16, 2008 ·
I updated Leopard to 10.5.3 this morning and ssh would no longer run, giving a Bus Error each time. A quick Google revealed the problem was actually the Instant Hijack component of Audio Hijack Pro and there is already a 2.8.1 update to AHP that fixes the problem. Just blogging this in case anyone else runs into it.
Tags: osx


text:
FAQs: Admission Standards
There is no minimum requirement or absolute "cutoff" for grades, class rank or test scores. USC evaluates prospective students through an individualized, comprehensive review process that takes these, and many other factors, into account. Regardless, most first-year students are selected from the top 10 percent of their high school classes. Successful transfer students typically present at least one year of rigorous, full-time academic coursework, with strong grades.
All undergraduate students entering USC may receive a combined maximum of 32 elective units for college courses and/or examinations (such as Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate) taken before graduation from high school. A maximum of 16 of these 32 units will be allowed for college courses taken before high school graduation. These courses must appear on a college transcript as part of a regular college curriculum and are expected to be taught on the college campus by college faculty.
For more information, please visit the Undergraduate Transfer Credit Services website.
Admissions statistics are available online in the First-Year Profile and the Transfer Profile.
Generally, for the purposes of admission into USC, we review an applicant's coursework from grade 9 through the first term of his or her senior year. Students need to use the Mid-Year Report Form included in the Common Application or visit www.usc.edu/midyeargrades to submit their fall grades as soon as they become available.
Once admitted, all students are required to submit an official copy of their high school transcripts to verify their graduation dates. Students' transcripts will also be reviewed to ensure that they have maintained a continued level of academic achievement. A serious downturn in a student's senior year could result in the rescinding of an admission offer.
Please visit our Admission Process page for detailed information.
Students should successfully complete at least sixteen yearlong college preparatory courses while in high school:
- Four (4) years of English (composition and literature)
- Two (2) years of foreign language
- Three (3) years of mathematics (algebra, geometry, algebra II, trigonometry, or calculus)
- Two (2) years of natural science (e.g., biology, chemistry, physics)
- Two (2) years of social sciences (e.g., U.S. history, government, economics, geography)
- Three (3) years of additional courses in subjects above or academic electives (such as computer science, art, music, speech)
- Students should pursue Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes whenever possible and if offered by high school.
We require SAT Subject tests only from first-year applicants who do not attend a regionally accredited high school (such as home school, some non-accredited parochial or community based programs, even some newer schools). These students must submit three SAT Subject exams, including one in mathematics, in addition to the SAT or ACT. For all other applicants, these exams are optional.
How will USC evaluate my application if I have been educated following the British educational system? For applicants whose education is based upon the British educational system, USC requires results from the GCSE/IGCSE/O level exams as well as predicted A level results. If available, results of AS level exams should also be submitted. In addition, USC will award advanced credits for each successfully completed A level for which USC offers comparable coursework. Information on A level exam credits can be found at arr.usc.edu.
USC requires either SAT or ACT scores from:
- All first-year applicants.
- Transfer applicants who have accumulated fewer than 30 transferable semester units since graduating high school.
For students who take the SAT more than once, USC records the highest scores for each section —even if achieved in different sittings — but will not combine section scores from the old SAT (prior to March 2016) and the redesigned SAT.
For students taking the ACT, USC will record the highest composite score.
The essay portion of the ACT is optional. The essay portion of the SAT will be optional for students taking the redesigned test in March 2016 or after.
The answer to this question depends on when you enrolled at the university.
Policies for students who enrolled at USC in the fall semester of 1997 or later:
- If you left USC voluntarily (i.e., you were not academically disqualified), you should contact the academic advisor in your department. The advisor will be able to provide guidance about re-enrolling.
- If you were academically disqualified, you must contact the USC Office of Academic Review at (213) 740-7741 for further guidance.
Policies for students who enrolled at USC before the fall semester of 1997:
- If you left USC voluntarily (i.e., you were not academically disqualified) and you have completed 16 or fewer semester units elsewhere, then you are still considered a "continuing student." Simply contact your previous department's academic advisor. The advisor will be able to assist you in clearing any holds on your record and will be able to provide you with registration information.
- If you left USC voluntarily (i.e., you were not academically disqualified) and you have completed 17 or more semester units elsewhere, then you must fill out a USC Re-entry Application. This brief form allows you to list the schools you attended after leaving USC. There is no fee for this application.
- If you were academically disqualified, you must contact the USC Office of Academic Review at (213) 740-7741 for further guidance.
USC accepts applications from students enrolled in nontraditional programs and high schools not recognized by one of the regional accrediting associations. However, in addition to the standard application materials, these students are required to submit results from three SAT Subject tests (including one in mathematics).
USC considers applications from home-schooled students. To better understand a student's preparation, we require two extra items in addition to the general requirements found on the Prospective First-Year Admission Components page. Home-schooled students must submit: 1) Results from three SAT Subject tests, including one in mathematics; and 2) answers to the home-school questions on the Common Application Secondary School Report. Be sure to include information about your home-schooling philosophy, curricular choices and textbooks used.
All first-year and transfer international applicants whose native language is not English must submit a TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic score. International first-year applicants with minimum scores of 650 on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section or 27 on the ACT English section are exempt from taking the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic. Scores should be recent, earned within two years of your application date.
Academic success at USC depends on your ability to communicate effectively in English. All international applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency in the following manner:
- First-year applicants must submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic scores; or SAT or ACT scores.
- Transfer applicants must submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic scores.
First-year and transfer applicants whose native language is English are presumed to be proficient. This includes applicants from countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada (except Quebec) where English is both the first language of the country and the language of instruction. Applicants with minimum scores of 100 on TOEFL iBT (with at least 20 in each section), 650 on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section or 27 on the ACT English section are presumed to be proficient.
For those who do not demonstrate English proficiency, USC requires the International Student Exam (ISE) upon admission and prior to registration. The results on the ISE determine whether or not a student must enroll in English language courses at the American Language Institute (ALI) at USC.
More information about USC's International Student Examination
More information about USC's American Language Institute (ALI)


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Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics
227 Biotechnology Building
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-2703
Web Sites
Department Profile
Lab Website
Andrew G. Clark is Professor of Population Genetics in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. He received a B.S. in Biology and Applied Mathematics at Brown University in 1976, and a Ph.D. in Population Genetics at Stanford University in 1980. He did postdoctoral work at Arizona State University and the University of Aarhus, Denmark, and a sabbatical at the University of California at Davis. Prior to joining the Cornell faculty in 2002, he was a professor in the Department of Biology at Penn State University. Dr. Clark's research focuses on the genetic basis of adaptive variation in natural populations, with emphasis on quantitative modeling of phenotypes as networks of interacting genes. Dr. Clark has been active in genomics research and has been a frequent consultant with Celera Genomics since April 1999. He was elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1994, and serves on review panels for the NIH, NSF, and the Max Planck Society. Dr. Clark's research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, NATO, and the Marsden Fund. He served as President of the Society of Molecular Biology and Evolution, and is on the Council of the Genetics Society of America. Dr. Clark is a member of the graduate field of Genetics and Development, and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. He will be teaching courses in the Human Genetics and Genomics and Advanced Population Genetics.
Research Description
Population genetics of insect immunity
Analysis of DNA sequence variation among alleles of Cecropins, Attacins, and other pathogen-defense molecules produced by insects is revealing how insects are able to deal with diverse bacterial pathogens. We are quantifying patterns of DNA sequence variation in most of the known antibacterial genes and have found that, as a class, they exhibit high levels of variability and an unusual pattern of clustered singleton sites. We are developing the theory and analyses to determine the causes for these patterns of variation. Both a model of simple hypervariability and an "arms race" model can be firmly rejected, leaving models that rely on spatial structuring as the best explanation for observed patterns of variation. Many antibacterial genes occur as small gene families, and whereas the Cecropin cluster exhibits fairly rapid birth-and-death of genes, the Attacin cluster has definite intergenic conversion events. Functional aspects are being studied as well, including variation in transcriptional response to infection, and variation in the dynamics of intra-fly bacterial growth, and whole-fly survival. Variation in bacterial virulence in Drosophila is also being studied. The primary question is, "How can insects, whose immune system lacks memory, evade bacterial pathogens?"
Evolution of the Y chromosome in Drosophila
Perhaps our most exciting recent success in genomics was to develop a method for identification of genes imbedded in heterochromatin. This method has already led to the discovery of eight previously unknown protein-coding genes on the Y chromosome of D. melanogaster (Carvalho et al., 2000, 2001). The basic idea of the method is to apply BLAST searches with any and all known proteins as the query, searching for alignments with the unmapped scaffolds left over from the whole genome shotgun assembly. Celera's original assembly had 631 unmapped scaffolds, and it was thought that these might be parts of genes imbedded in heterochromatin, because heterochromatin has such low cloning efficiency. Our method reveals BLAST hits with these unmapped scaffolds which we then piece together by spanning the gaps with reverse-transcription PCR. Having this wealth of Y-linked sequence is allowing us to now pursue the evolutionary questions regarding the dynamics of nucleotide sequence change on the Y chromosomes, and the deeper molecular evolutionary questions about the origins and divergence of these Y-linked genes.
Population genetics of sperm displacement
When females are able to store sperm for extended periods, it is possible that sperm from more than one male may be "competing" for use in fertilization. In Drosophila, later-mating males have an advantage, but there is extensive genetic variation in this character. Sperm competition has profound evolutionary consequences, and we are studying the molecular basis for the phenomenon as well as the population genetic aspects of it. We have implicated the Accessory Gland Proteins (Acps) in the "defense" component of sperm displacement, and more recently, in a collaborative study with Willie Swanson, Chip Aquadro and Mariana Wolfner, we began an exhaustive identification of Acps by sequencing EST clones derived from the male accessory gland and tested for male-specific expression. This survey not only identified a large new set of accessory gland proteins, it also demonstrated that as a class they undergo accelerated amino acid replacement, and the hit rate of the clones suggests we are near exhaustive coverage of the genes. Functional tests of sperm competition provide our means to analyze the male–female chemical communication in gamete use. Quantification of sperm displacement in the field are surprisingly effective by scoring microsatellites (due to allele multiplicity), and we have completed three surveys of a brood-structured samples (with Larry Harshman and Jørgen Bundgaard). Models for Bayesian inference of sperm competition parameters by Monte Carlo Markov chain are being developed with Beatrix Jones.
Human and Comparative Genomics
My consulting work at Celera Genomics is expanding in an interesting direction. Celera and its parent company, Applera, are launching a project to sequence the complete set of transcribed human genes in 40 individuals and chimpanzee. These data will provide a rich view of polymorphism, and allow pipelined genome-wide tests for attributes like synonymous vs. nonsynonymous levels of polymorphism and divergence (with mouse), codon usage, linkage disequilibrium, etc.. Already we have a complete alignment of human and mouse closest orthologs, and in every human gene, the polymorphism identified in the original five sequenced individuals is being compared to the divergence between human and mouse (similar to the McDonald-Kreitman test). Public data are being developed along similar lines, but the public SNP effort suffers from a very uneven and heterogeneous ascertainment, including different population samples assayed in different ways. A nice feature of the Celera data for analysis of polymorphism is the uniformity of ascertainment, uniformity of laboratory procedures, and uniformity of informatics used to identify polymorphism. Most of these results will be released in the public domain upon publication.
Evolution of metabolic regulation
A classic example of a biological network is intermediary metabolism, and given the depth of our knowledge of the genes encoding nodes of this network (the enzymes), it serves as an excellent model system for evolution of an interacting network. Along with the more theoretical aspects, we are examining the mechanisms that maintain genetic variation in lipid and glycogen storage in Drosophila and the expression of a set of enzyme-encoding genes in relevant metabolic pathways. An intriguing recent result obtained from QTL mapping is that, in many cases there is quite substantial trans-acting variation even in the absence of cis-acting variation. This implies that natural selection for, say, G6PD activity, will result in response primarily at these sites trans to the structural gene. Simple models can explain nearly half the variance in metabolic rate, and over 40% of the variance in flight performance based on activities of 12 enzymes in intermediary metabolism. Our recent analysis of doubly P-element tagged lines yielded a surprising amount of epistasis in their effects on metabolic traits. The ultimate goal of this project is to understand how the forces of mutation and selection in these quantitative traits interact to affect standing levels of variation.
Genetic basis of complex disease
There is wide interest in applying human single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to the problem of identifying genes that underlie complex diseases (defined as those that tend to aggregate in families but not simply segregate). The promise of methods that entail whole-genome screens for association rely heavily on population genetic principles, as well as on the empirical state of patterns of linkage disequilibrium in the human genome. Most of our efforts have focused on a candidate gene approach to cardiovascular disease risk, and the population genetic analysis has entailed careful quantification of factors that impact the extant variation in human populations, including mutation, recombination, demographic factors, migration, and natural selection. This project has recently expanded in a collaboration with Drs. C. Sing, E. Boerwinkle, and J. Hixson to examine 100 kb regions of chromosome 19. This study will include SNP typing in over 4000 individuals with full medical records, and testing of association between SNP haplotypes and phenotypes will be done by several novel approaches we are developing. In addition to these candidate gene approaches, we have examined the assumptions of the Common Disease Common Variant model, and find many features of the model less than convincing. The alternative demands that designs for finding associations consider the likelihood that genes that influence disease risk will have allelic heterogeneity. In addition, the summation over the genome of effects of the vast number of rare alleles is also likely to be greater than negligible.
Assorted topics in theoretical population genetics
I am interested in the theoretical consequences of genetic systems that influence mating compatibilities, such as the S-locus in gametophytic self-incompatible plants and the a and b loci in the fungus Ustilago. Hamish Spencer, Marc Feldman, and I have been working on models of genomic imprinting, particularly in relation to sex chromosomes and dosage compensation. This collaboration was quiet for a while, but we have renewed interest in the X-linked case. Nuclear–cytoplasmic interactions continue to be an interest, and recently we found stable cycles in models with fitness interactions between maternally transmitted factors (such as mtDNA) and an X-linked gene (Rand et al. 2001). Inference of human demographic history from sample data continues to be a challenge, and further developments of the branching process approach that we developed in Tishkoff et al. (2001) are under way. With Sorin Istrail, I am working on an intriguing graphic-theoretic problem we call the haplotype coloring problem, and we anticipate that results will be of great practical value for the study of haplotype variation. Finally, the theoretical consequences of variation in expression of genes imbedded in an interacting network raised many deep theoretical issues, and we are beginning to pursue these primarily by developing network simulations.
Selected Publications
Click here to view Dr. Clark's PubMed listings.


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This timeline highlights some of the important milestones in the 122-year history of the Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House.
Rejected by his first love, Elisabeth Nielsen, a heartbroken Jacob A. Riis leaves Ribe, Denmark, for the United States, and begins a remarkable journey from poor immigrant to pioneering photojournalist and social reformer. Six years later, Riis returns to Ribe to propose marriage to Nielsen, a proposal she accepts.
Charles Scribner's Sons publishes How the Other Half Lives: Studies Among the Tenements of New York, Riis's groundbreaking expose of conditions in the city's slums on the Lower East Side.
Jacob Riis helps the Circle of the King's Daughters, an organization of Episcopal Church women who supported his earlier advocacy for the poor, secure temporary space in the basement of the Mariner's Temple on the Lower East Side near the Bowery and Chinatown. Initially focused on helping the corps of doctors and nurses who inspected the slums every summer, the King's Daughters soon begins offering additional services such as sewing classes, mothers' clubs, health care, summer camp and a penny provident bank.
The King's Daughters Settlement with Riis's help acquires and relocates to 48 Henry Street, where it remains for the next 58 years.
At a celebration of the 25th wedding anniversary of Jacob and Elisabeth Riis, held at 48 Henry Street, Bishop Henry Codman Potter announces that the King's Daughter's Settlement would be renamed the Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House.
A letter from Riis's old friend Theodore Roosevelt and beginning "Dear Jake," congratulates Riis Settlement on the opening of its gymnasium at 48 Henry Street.
Two years after the death of his first wife Elisabeth, Riis marries his secretary Mary Phillips, who would be an active member of the Riis Settlement board for the next 50 years.
Jacob A. Riis dies May 28 at his farm outside of Worcester, Massachusetts, at the age of 65.
During a span of nine years, a total of six different Riis Settlement sites are in operation at various times throughout the city: 48 Henry Street, Marcy Houses (Bedford-Stuyvesant), First A.M.E. Zion Church (Bedford-Stuyvesant), the Stephen Foster Houses (Harlem), the Red Hook Houses in Brooklyn, and the Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City. Queensbridge is the only site whose future is not in doubt at this time.
Mary Riis, widow of Jacob Riis, attends a Barn Dance at Riis Settlement Queensbridge, and is pictured in a photo with Helene Nelson, who served as executive director for almost 40 years.
Riis Settlement Queensbridge hosts its first anniversary celebration as well as the 50th anniversary of United Neighborhood Houses of New York, the umbrella organization for all of New York City's settlement houses. The event features ballet performances from Snow White and Aladdin and His Lamp. Admission is $1 for adults and 50 cents for kids.
The original Henry Street site is sold to Trinity Church, and Riis Settlement Queensbridge became the organization's official headquarters.
Riis Settlement Queensbridge begins its long and ongoing partnership with the Fresh Air Fund.
All Riis Settlement activities are officially consolidated at the Queensbridge Site
Riis Settlement establishes various new programs including drug rehabilitation programs and African-American cultural projects. Also, two service programs, satellites of Steinway Child & Family Services and a branch of Big Brothers of New York City, open during the decade in space provided by Riis Settlement.
New York State Attorney General Louis Lefkowitz opens the first Consumer Protection and Complaint Center in New York City at Riis Settlement
A NY Newsday column on non-profits features Riis Settlement's Robert Miner, who was on staff for 45 years. Miner retires as executive director the following year.
William T. Newlin becomes executive director of Riis Settlement
Riis Settlement opens the Queensbridge Riis Senior Center
Riis Settlement holds its first Spring Arts Festival, now an annual tradition, showcasing the talents of participants, particularly children and youth.
HRH Princess Benedikte of Denmark becomes patron of Riis Settlement, and makes the first of several visits to the organization
In response to the changing needs and demographics of western Queens, Riis Settlement establishes a formal Immigrant Services Program.
Six Riis Settlement teen participants head to Ribe and Copenhagen, Denmark, in the first year of the organization's Danish Cultural Exchange Program. The following year, the Danish youth who hosted Riis participants come to New York.
Executive Director William T. Newlin is proclaimed a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog by Her Majesty, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
Riis Settlement receives the first of three consecutive Family Strengthening Awards from the United Neighborhood Centers of America.
Riis Academy- P.S. 166 opens.
Riis Settlement takes over operations of the Ravenswood Community Center in the nearby Ravenswood Houses, and opens Riis Academy- Ravenswood.
Riis Academy- Information Technology High School opens.
Riis Settlement launches its first-ever community garden in the Queensbridge Houses.
HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark visits Riis Settlement. The visit is covered by local and international press, including the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.


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Len is the total package!
It really takes a special person to be a realtor. Len Filiault walked into our lives and helped my husband and our 11 month old son secure our future. Not just anyone can do that. You need somebody that is qualified, skilled and knowledgeable. Someone that is personable and has empathy, someone that can share your excitement, the ups as well as the downs.
I'm going to let you know Len is the total package! We would recommend Len to anyone! He made us feel important, valued and so respected. Buying a home is a huge event, there is so much involved, Len was an amazing teacher, as well as leader, we are forever grateful to you Len.
Len's support kept us mentally grounded! As of 3/31/2017, we are nicely settling into the home of our dreams. This is a life experience that no person should attempt without the support of an agent that will listen, guide, and comfort you and then ultimately be the man that knocks at the door of your new home to celebrate with you.
Thank you!
Rob, Chantal and Liam Kozachuk


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S: Daphne Brielle's Christening (08.11.12)
FC: Daphne's Christening August 11, 2012
1: Truly a miracle a gift from up above, we have been blessed with a child to love
4: The God Parents
6: Sign of the Cross The mark of Christians because Jesus Christ died on the cross. Parents and Godparents trace it on the child's forehead to show that the baby belongs to Christ, who now offers his help and grace to face and overcome the sufferings of life.
9: Water This is for cleansing and is a sign that our sins are washed away. Baptism cleanses us of original sin with which we are all born and, in the baptism of adults, of every sin committed prior to baptism. Water is also necessary for life and so is a sign, too, that the life of the risen Christ is ours.
10: Oil Is a sign of sealing with the gifts of Holy Spirit.
11: White Garment This garment (usually a shawl) is a relic of the new clothes worn by Christians after baptism in the first centuries. It is a sign of innocence and the new life of resurrection.
13: Candles These symbolizes Christ - The Light of the World
14: Baptismal Ceremony
19: Pictorials
22: Party! Party!


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Charlie Williams will join Butch Davis' coaching staff, a source close to the situation informed Inside Carolina on Friday afternoon. An Arizona official contacted by Inside Carolina Friday said Arizona head coach Mike Stoops has confirmed that Williams is leaving to take a job on the UNC staff. While the position Williams will coach at UNC has not yet been confirmed, he has spent his last 13 seasons, in college and the NFL, as a wide receivers coach. (Inside Carolina)
Related: Football | Butch Davis
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Ryan Switzer is hard at work. Will he see an increased role with Cowboys in 2018?Saturday March 17, 2018


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The challenges facing African-American boys in the public education system are astounding. 48-percent of Black males drop out of high school, and in many states, fewer than 50-percent even walk across the graduation stage. While the country seeks to reform our public schools through initiatives like President Obama's Race to the Top, many young people–especially Black boys–are left behind.
Aside from being victims of generational poverty, many African-American boys are disproportionately placed in Special Education and/or expelled from school, making their access to education even more difficult.
Tomorrow night, PBS will premiere a documentary that takes a look at the educational crisis for young, Black men. In the expose "Too Important to Fail," Tavis Smiley crisscrossed the country speaking to students and education experts to find out what's really going on in schools.
In the documentary, Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu, an educational consultant, said the country's reponse to the educational crisis facing Black boys would be handled much differently if the kids in question were white.
Dr. Kunjufu asserts:
"…if 53% was the dropout for white males, it would be unacceptable; if 41% of their children were being placed in special education, that would be a major crisis," says Dr. Kunjufu. "If only 20% of their boys were proficient in reading in eighth grade, that would be a crisis. If only 2.5% of white males ever earned a college degree, that would be a major crisis in America."
Watch the full episode. See more Tavis Smiley.
As a teacher in an urban public school, I agree with Dr. Kunjufu's assessment. Although the overwhelming majority of educators do what we can, each year we are asked to do even more with fewer resources, less support, and overcrowded classrooms. I've personally witnessed the inequalities in the schools in my district. While many schools in middle class neighborhoods have laptops and pristine textbooks for each student, my school stuggles to prepare nearly 2000 teens for the 21st Century using outdated IBM computers and graffiti-riddled books. If the school looks rundown and abandoned by the higher ups, how can we expect the kids to care?
Our communities–and by extension our nation–will continue to decline if we cannot provide a quality education for our kids.


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Four Questions To Ask Your Dairy Farmer
With many people now buying milk, cheese and other dairy products at local farmers' markets — directly from the farmers themselves — it is easy to be misled into believing that the animals who produced the milk are free of the pain and suffering inherent in factory farming.
Simply because the cows were fed organic feed or allowed to graze on grass without pesticides or weren't forced to ingest hormones or antibiotics like their sisters on conventional farms, does not mean they weren't abused.
Below is a list of questions to ask your local dairy farmer, or seller, about their operation. These questions will allow you to make more informed decisions on where, or how, you spend your money.
Do your cows eat grass or are they fed organic feed?
Cows have evolved over millions of years to eat almost nothing but grass. Farmers feed cows grains in order for them to gain weight or so they produce more and/or sweeter milk. Grains are hard for cows to digest and lead to chronic digestive problems.
Another reason a farmer might feed their cows grains is because the cows are confined and have no access to fields or grass. Have you ever driven past feed lots with cows crammed together, standing in their own waste, with no grass in sight? Well that could easily be an organic dairy farm.
Do you separate the baby calves from their mothers?
Virtually all commercial dairy farms take the baby calves away from their mothers within a few days of giving birth. Separating a mother and her baby is an extremely traumatizing experience for the mother and her newborn. The reason farmers take the baby away is so they can steal the mother's milk that was intended for her child.
Many times a mother cow will call out for days trying to find her stolen calf. The sound of a grief stricken mother cow for her calf is heart breaking. Perhaps ask the farmer about that?
If the farmer claims that they don't separate the mother and calf, I'd be skeptical. Ask how it is financially feasible to run a dairy farm that way?
What do you do with all the male calves born on your farm?
Because male animals don't produce milk, they are virtually worthless to dairy farmers. Only one bull is needed at a time in most dairy farms, but since almost half of all calves born will be male, what happens to them? Most dairy farms sell male calves to crated veal farms where the calf will be chained or tied up, placed usually in a dark wooden crate or another tight spot to restrict movement, and fed an iron-deficient liquid diet so that when he is slaughtered several months later, his meat is pale in color.
If they aren't sold to a crated veal operation, they more than likely will be sold or raised as Rose-veal. Rose-veal only differs from crated veal in that the calves aren't restricted as much (although they usually remain tethered) and have access to sunlight.
What do you do when a cow's milk production slows down?
Most dairy farmers will slaughter cows after four years, or when their milk production begins to drop. Farmers want the most profitable animals possible and therefore don't wish to keep around cows that produce less milk. Dairy cows are usually sold to slaughterhouses and are ground up into hamburger meat at four years old, even though many can easily live longer than 20 years. If a farmer claims they keep all their older cows and/or bulls, they must have a tremendous amount of money and land, since keeping nonproductive animals is extremely costly, as any farm sanctuary can confirm.
Ultimately what it comes down to is the fact that cows don't produce milk for humans to drink; they make milk for their babies, just as every other mammal does. Dairy farming is inherently an abusive industry because it imprisons animals and forcibly takes what does not belong to us.
Drinking cows' milk is also a rather perverse act when thought about. Drinking the lactation of another species is strange enough. But to drink the milk of a 1,000 lb, non-primate animal, completely covered in hair and who eats grass, is even stranger. Any claim that drinking cows' milk is "natural" should be met with great suspicion.
To make your life simpler and spare the lives of dairy cows, skip the cows' milk, cheese and butter and eat plant-based "milks" instead.
Image">http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=82">Image: Nathan Greenwood / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


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We help our clients manage more complex supplier networks and leverage B2B platforms to reduce time to market.
The digital wave is a strong driver for the purchasing function to increase its strategic influence. It is a great opportunity to coach and align purchasing´s internal customers because they don´t want to get "Amazoned" or "Ubered."
The supplier network of the future will consist of partners that shape the customer experience of your current products and services. Enhanced collaboration models will be an integral part of sourcing strategies.
We develop targeted approaches for our clients to fulfill their requirements through our Procurement Performance Assessment, which shows the direction for business transformation in a digital world:
- Effective supplier and risk management to increase the value creation within your company based on big data and social media
- Establishment of business networks to digitalize operations of sourcing and procurement based on cloud technology
- Developing platforms for co-innovation and supplier collaboration to reduce time to market
All these trends impact the value chain of every industry, urging procurement departments to adapt, transform and increase attention on the growing complexity of supplier networks, continuously assessing risks and scouting for innovations.
Perform your quick assessment to benchmark your digital maturity with your peers.


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AfriGeneas Western Frontier Forum
Negro Geography in the West
Some of my more discerning advisors have brought to my attention the risk of taking historical terms, titles, and vernacular literally. One such tip came in the form of learning whether a woman listed as a widow of record was a "Grass Widow," meaning her husband was still on this side of the ground, or a "Dirt Widow" meaning he was six feet under. Another tip came from an author who advised me that just because a location had a "Black" signature to it, such as a name or an owner, it didn't necessarily mean that the subject in question had a Black history. This case is exemplified when we study the geographical history of locations that used the title, "Negro" or "Nigger." Old maps and legends throughout the west are chocked with names like Negro Butte, Niggerhead Mountain and Negro Hill, and these are just places in California. Geographic names with Negro or Nigger prefixes can be found in New Mexico, Texas, Alaska, as well as eastern states like Ohio and Virginia. Even Australia has several places with the name "Nigger"
During one of my "Seek and Enjoy" travel missions in the 1980's I stopped in the southern Oregon town of Ashland and learned of the famous Shakespeare Festival. Just outside of the town is a road once known as "Dead Indian Road," since renamed Dead Indian Memorial Highway by the progressive people of the region. One year while visiting, I read a local newspaper during the height of the conflict about the name "Dead Indian Road." Someone asked why the road couldn't simply be renamed back to it's original title? A local historian responded by saying that the original title, "Dead Nigger Road" would probably not be any more preferable than Dead Indian Road. This of course got my attention and I searched for perhaps a duel history of the road, maybe a Black settler, miner, or perhaps a race lynching contributed to the earlier title. My conclusion was that the history was based on a Native American who froze to death on the road, with the vernacular of the time addressing Native Americans as "Niggers."
I have not been able to find the article in my records and contacts with Ashland officials seem to be unfamiliar with this phase of the history of the road, but one official was willing to attribute the "Dead Nigger Road" history to local folklore.
I can point to times when both "Negro" and "Nigger" could be considered either derogatory or acceptable, depending on inflection and intention, but I don't intend to deal with the politics of the words as much as their historical uses in western geography. Occasionally I like to present the etymology of a word and this I will do to the best of my ability, especially since I can connect both words from Africa to the American West. Most etymologists agree that both Negro and Nigger are transliterated words from Latin "Niger" meaning Black, they just don't agree as to whether the French, Dutch, or English are credited with the transliteration. Anyhow, both words arise as a result of American colonization, of which all nationalities mentioned were present. From my observation, "Nigger" in it's many variations of spelling, seems more prevalent in early U.S. English than the word Negro. Negro and Nigger landmarks show up all over the eastern half of U.S. history. Several "Nigger Run Road's" existed in states like Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York, usually signifying a slave escape route. Virginia, Tennessee and Florida had "Negro" and "Nigger" place names to indicate cemeteries, neighborhoods and work projects. As we move west, both words take on new meanings as settlers and miners use the words to describe geography. A description of a type of coal called Niggerhead coal mined by New Mexico settlers in the early 20th century is discussed in an interview of
As best as I could decipher from mining vernacular, Niggerhead ores were generally less desirable ores and the term was used for other mining operation than just coal. Niggerhead was also used to describe a type of granite ore in Ohio. Before I go further, here is interesting data provided by Karen Mitchell of the Huerfano County New Mexico "Miners Page." These statistics help give a clear view of the cultural diversity in the American West around 1915, an excerpt follows:
The geographic terms Negro, Nigger and Niggerhead come to California in the 1800's. The most noted title in California is of Negro Bar now under Lake Folsom and Negro Hills near Sacramento. A location near Victorville, California showed up on old maps as Negro Butte, but it has been hard to determine whether the name is associated with the nearby black volcanic rock or Victorville's Black settlement history. Surprises are in store as a Niggerhead Mountain is listed in Los Angeles County near Malibu (www.calsign.com/mining/countydata/losangeles7.htm - 135k). A Niggerhead Chromite Mine is listed in San Luis Obispo County as well as a Niggerhead Chromite Mine in Del Norte County, California., ( www.mindat.org/)
Moving out of California the name Negro and Nigger for geographic titles takes hold in Alaska as well as Australia. Southwestern Alaska has a lake called Negro Lake near the town of Iliamna and somewhere out on the peninsula near the town of Chignik is a cliff called Negro Head. I don't know whether their name histories are based on volcanic formations or Black mining history, but I do have an example of the use of both the word "Negro" and "Nigger " to describe a Black miner in the Ketchikan district of Southeast Alaska. I edited some of the spelling and spacing in the following excerpt:
An article included in a website newsletter from Australia titled "Placenames Australia" discussed a September 2003 Australian newspaper cover of activists requesting an end to geographic place names which they felt were derogatory. Several of the place names referred to the terms "Nigger" or "Black." I will include another excerpt for you to get an idea of the Australian controversy:
In concluding, as I stated earlier, I do not wish to engage in the politics of the words. Conservatives like Ward Connerly wanted the University of California and police statewide to stop collecting racial data in his quest to end Affirmative Action, which he and other conservatives felt was unfair. Liberal-minded people would like to see any racially descriptive term which may be considered offensive removed from the public domain. One example is a recent argument in Florida to change the name of a canal titled "Slave Canal," in Jefferson County, Florida (Politically Correcting: Florida Enters The Name Game By KEVIN BEGOS firstname.lastname@example.com Published: Jan 4, 2006). The result of name changes and neglecting to collect data is a much more difficult research task. African-Americans still often have to resort to family bibles, church records, oral histories and slave owner records to find their heritage as they were often ignored in public records. On the other hand, the conservative argument to eliminate race data collection has some merit for the left in the history of our 28th President, Woodrow Wilson, the following excerpt explains:
"…Wilson's attitude on racial issues is generally regarded as a stain on his reputation; many argue that he was instrumental in shaping the worst period of racism in American history. His administration instituted segregation in federal government for the first time since Abraham Lincoln began desegregation in 1863, and required photographs from job applicants to determine their race. Wilson also regarded those whom he termed "hyphenated Americans" (German-Americans, Irish-Americans, etc.) with suspicion: "Any man who carries a hyphen about with him carries a dagger that he is ready to plunge into the vitals of this Republic whenever he gets ready."
Interpreting the intent or meaning of a word used by a culture in history is challenging, for word meanings, like cultures, evolve and change, arise and die. Finally the website Brainy Geography (http://www.brainygeography.com/topics/n/negro.html) has an excellent page which lists over 500 geographic locations across the U.S. that include the word Negro in their titles, many of them western locations. I recommend it as a good resource.
Thanks for reading
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Wow, this AI will be absolutely devious to fight against! The way they actually spread out will make it very hard to survive one against many - as it should be!
Also, I must say the lighting flashes are very atmospheric! In a dark environment, a powerful laser blast really would light up everything nearby. Very cool.


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The Mint – Los Angeles
Move over White Stripes, Lloyd's Garage is in the house. This kickass duo from Napa knows how to raise the roof. One guitar, one very basic drum kit, and no shortage of sound or great music which sticks to the basics. This is a musical renaissance that is more than welcome at a time when popular music is all about theatrics and special effects. Remembering rock of days gone by, such as early Kinks, and even Led Zeppelin will give the seasoned listener a chill down their spine when you hear Seth and Lloyd bang out their great rock songs. With lyrics like"… No time for sweet talking … you're gonna hate me tomorrow…", and 1 time, 2 times, 3 times walking out that door… better break my body…" , why Robert Plant himself could not have penned better lyrics. With the three right chords, crisp vocals and real drum playing, it was impossible to sit still even after a long day at work. Just as E=MC2, Lloyd's Garage have a formula for real rock music which is talent, plus energy, plus sticking to the basics.
Review and photos by Mark Trout


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I'll go ahead and read the question, the answer and all of the follow-up comments, then come back for a closer look.
In what year did USA Today report: "Paleontologists have discovered a new skeleton in the closet of human ancestry that is likely to force science to revise, if not scrap, current theories of human origins"? (A) 2001 (B) 1991 (C) 1981
The answer is "A" - 2001. Now, the follow-up comments.
<Read comments>
Wow, that all sounds pretty serious. Let's cross our fingers and go back for a closer look.
You'll see as we go through these questions that most of them seem to follow this formula: multiple-choice question with indistinguishable choices, followed by an answer that makes you wonder what was the point of having a multiple-choice question in the first place. After looking at a few of these, I conclude that the purpose of this strange presentation is to highlight, as Ray describes it, "an evolutionary expert quietly admitting that he has no evidence." Let's see what the admission is, exactly: "Paleontologists have discovered a new skeleton that is likely to force science to revise, if not scrap, current theories of human origins." Well, that is a problem, isn't it? That we might have to scrap evolutionary theory? Well, it would be, that's not what it says. It says that we might have to scrap theories of human origins. Now if you're not steeped in the science, it might be hard to catch the subtlety here, so let's not draw any conclusions yet.
The first comment says that the find might "overturn the prevailing view that a single line of descent stretched through the early stages of human ancestry." Well, even that sounds a little technical. Let's see the conclusion of this comment, which is a little more obvious: "Lucy may not even be a direct human ancestor after all." Interesting, but it has no bearing on our confidence in evolutionary theory in general.
What does the second comment say? "Lucy was a chimpanzee. The 'evidence' for the transformation from ape to man is unconvincing." This point also might go over your head if you're not a science nerd, but the title of the article makes the point obvious: "Lucy: Evolution's Solitary Claim for Ape/Man". This article is talking strictly about the relationship between Lucy and us. It's not saying anything fundamental about evolutionary theory.
Neither of these comments is saying anything about scrapping evolutionary theory, or even revisiting the idea that we are apes descended from apes. They're just talking about scrapping the prevailing views concerning "the early stages of human ancestry." All they're talking about here is the details of the family tree that we share with the other primates. Neither one of these comments says anything incriminating.
This last comment surely will be our undoing: the evidence points away from Darwinism? I just don't know what to think. Let's look at the article.
"Evidence from fossils now points overwhelmingly away from the classical Darwinism which most Americans learned in high school: that new species evolve out of existing ones by the gradual accumulation of small changes. Increasingly, scientists now believe that species change little for millions of years and then evolve quickly."Context certainly does seem to be important here. The part that Ray quotes seems to say that evolutionary theory itself is in crisis. In proper context, we can see that the author is not saying anything about evolutionary theory. He's saying that the changes in species are often sudden, contrary to the prevailing gradualist view at the time. He even goes on to say that "the new theories are intended to explain how evolution came about—not to supplant it as a principle."
Clearly, no quiet admissions of lack of evidence concerning evolutionary theory are apparent in any of this commentary. The question itself and the first two comments simply say nothing negative at all about any facet of science. The third comment was quote-mined and grossly misrepresented. Finally, let's look at the sources for all these excerpts: USA Today in 2001; The New York Times in 2001; Newsweek in 1980; CRS Quarterly. So even if any of these quotes did say something incriminating about evolutionary theory, we should be very careful not to grant them too much credence, given that the first three are popular press and the last one is the quarterly journal of the Creation Research Society. Not to mention that two of the articles were already seven years old when Ray published his book, and one of them almost thirty. An awful lot of knowledge can be gained since in three decades. Question #1 is empty. Perhaps our blind faith in evolutionary theory was shaken, but the shaking stopped as soon as we looked at the facts.
That's 7.2. Thanks for watching.


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Myra admits that today she's getting her first white cock. That's a bit surprising considering our Puerto Rican/Mexican babe's looks and location (Sin City). Fortunately for her, that first white cock is above average in size and attached to one of the most experienced dudes in the sexytime department. TC is our man for this scene and that suits Myra just fine.
Myra is 24 but she begged us to say she's 20. Career move? It's that sort of thing that tells us Myra is the type of girl that is or can pretend to be pretty much whatever she needs to be – at least when she's around guys – to get what she wants. But she's nervous enough for her first shoot that she let's slip some truths and inconsistencies like that. Like, she claims this is her very first time flying ever. This just seems unlikely. But we're happy to indulge her stories as long as we get her naked (and fucking and sucking and cumming and cum covered….) So even though our sexy Vegas hostess admits she's 24 in the video, we'll just say she's 20 in her intro graphic. Good compromise, yeah?
Myra shows off her glorious tits about 3 milliseconds after TC picks her up from the airport. A promising start!
Side note – Myra is a 34B boob size.Depending on how she sits/fucks/sucks/bends over, she looks more like a 34C. So should we tag her as "Big Tits"? Your call, let us know.
Anyway, once at the hotel, Myra decides to take a relaxing bubble bath (because spoiled brats take bubble baths) and reluctantly agrees to suck her first white cock while she's at it. Reluctantly because she doesn't love to give blowjobs. Major points loss, Myra. But lets' see if she makes it up later. Hint: yes. Yes she does. She does get leg cramps and TC's big cock kinda fucks her raw at some point, but she's a trooper and gives us quite a show. Myra is one sexy latina amateur we hope to see again soon. As usual, that's up to you guys – let us know. Oh and yes we DO read ALL your feedback and requests for girls to come (cum?) back. Not to give away too much but let's just say some of the recent girls you've been requesting to come back WILL in fact be back soon!…


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Giant portrait in Pakistan gives face to drone victims
Artists are giving a face to drone strike victims in Pakistan with a giant portrait of a young girl. The portrait is part of a project called #NotABugSplat.
In military slang, drone operators call their targets bug splats, "since viewing the body through a grainy video image gives the sense of an insect being crushed," according to the project's website.
The 90-by-60-foot poster was unfurled last month in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwest Pakistan, a region that has seen "plenty of drone activity," said Ali Rez, one of the Pakistani artists behind #NotABugSplat, in an e-mail to USA TODAY Network.
According to Reprieve/Foundation for Fundamental Rights, which provided the image, the girl had lost both her parents and siblings to a drone strike. The project does not identify the girl or provide her age.
Drone strikes in Pakistan have totaled 383 since 2004, killing an estimated 2,300 to 3,700 people, according to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.
The people behind the project include artists from France, Pakistan and the United States, Rez said.
"We would like to see children and innocent civilians in the region lead normal, peaceful lives without fear," Rez said. "And we would like to deliver this message in the most peaceful way possible: With just one picture."
Follow @JolieLeeDC on Twitter.