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Sao Tome and Principe
The Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe is a multiparty democracy. The Government is composed of an executive branch and a unicameral legislature (the National Assembly). The President appoints the Prime Minister, who in turn appoints the ministers of the Government. Miguel Trovoada, leader of the Independent Democratic Alliance (ADI), was reelected President in 1996 for a second 5-year term in an election deemed generally free and fair by international observers, despite allegations of an unconstitutional modification of the voter lists between the first and second rounds. In the November 1998 legislative elections, the Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe (MLSTP) won an outright majority with 31 of 55 seats, and holds all 10 seats in the Cabinet. The judiciary is independent.
The Minister of National Defense, Security, and Internal Order supervises the military services and the police. Many members of the military are part-time farmers or fishermen. Since a military mutiny in 1995, the Government and international donors have dedicated resources to improving soldiers' living conditions. No defense expenditures have been used for lethal weapons since the advent of multiparty democracy in 1990.
The economy is based on the export of a single product, cocoa, produced in an archaic, state-run system of plantations called "rocas." The Government has privatized some of the state-held land but had limited success in privatizing state-owned enterprises. The Government faltered in its efforts at structural adjustment, and the economy continues to face serious difficulties. While the inflation rate has fallen to 10 percent per year and the currency has stabilized, the country remains highly dependent on foreign aid, and external debt is six times gross domestic product. Per capita income is less than $350 per year, and the economy is stagnant. Unemployment, although difficult to quantify, remained very high.
The Government continued to respect the rights of its citizens. The principal human rights problems continued to be an inefficient judicial system, harsh prison conditions, violence and discrimination against women, and outdated plantation labor practices that limit worker rights.
Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from:
a. Political and Other Extrajudicial Killing
There were no reports of political or other extrajudicial killings.
b. Disappearance
There were no reports of politically motivated disappearances.
c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
The Constitution prohibits torture or cruel and inhuman punishment. There were no reports of violations during arrests or interrogations.
Prison conditions are harsh but not life threatening. Human rights monitors are not known to have requested permission to make prison visits; it is believed that the Government would permit such visits if requested.
d. Arbitrary Arrest, Detention, or Exile
The Constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest, detention, or exile, and the Government observes these prohibitions.
Exile is not used as a punishment. All those exiled under the one-party regime of 1975-1990 are free to return, and several prominent politicians have done so.
e. Denial of Fair Public Trial
The Constitution provides for an independent judiciary, and the judiciary has returned verdicts against both the President and the Government. The legal system is based on Portuguese and customary law, with the Supreme Court at the apex. The Government has important powers relating to the judiciary, including setting salaries for judges and all ministerial employees in accordance with standard government salary guidelines. Government salaries are extremely low, and the authorities are concerned that judges may be tempted to accept bribes. The authorities maintain that they continue to respect the independence of the judiciary.
The Constitution provides for the right to fair public trial, the right of appeal, and the right to legal representation. In practice, however, the judicial infrastructure suffers from severe budgetary constraints, inadequate facilities, and a shortage of trained judges and lawyers, causing long delays in bringing cases to court and greatly hindering investigations in criminal cases.
There were no reports of political prisoners.
f. Arbitrary Interference With Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence
The Constitution provides for the integrity of the person and the right to privacy of home, correspondence, and private communication. The Government does not engage in intrusive practices, such as surveillance of persons or the monitoring of communications. The judicial police are responsible for criminal investigations and must obtain authorization from the Ministry of Justice to conduct searches.
Section 2 Respect for Civil Liberties, Including:
a. Freedom of Speech and Press
The Constitution provides for freedom of expression and freedom of the press, and the Government generally respects these rights in practice. One government-run and three independent newspapers and newsletters are published sporadically, usually on a monthly or bimonthly basis.
Television and radio are state operated. While there are no independent local stations, there are no laws forbidding them. The Voice of America, Radio International Portugal, and Radio France International rebroadcast locally. The law grants all opposition parties access to the state-run media, including a minimum of 3 minutes per month on television. In September President Trovoada criticized cronyism in the state media and encouraged potential operators to enter the private broadcasting sector.
All parties freely distribute newsletters and press releases giving their views and criticizing the Government, the President, and one another. There were no reports of government censorship or threats of censorship from any group, nor any reports of efforts by national security forces to suppress criticism.
The Government does not restrict access to or use of e-mail, the Internet, or satellite phones. However, the only domestic Internet server is a joint venture in which the Government's Post and Telecommunications Office is a partner, and the cost of Internet access remains high, so access remains limited in practice.
Academic freedom is respected.
b. Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association
The Constitution provides for these rights, and the Government respects them in practice. The Government requires that requests for authorization for large-scale events be filed 48 hours in advance and usually grants the appropriate permits.
c. Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for religious freedom, and the Government respects this right in practice.
d. Freedom of Movement Within the Country, Foreign Travel, Emigration, and Repatriation
The Constitution provides for these rights, and the Government respects them in practice.
Domestic law contains no specific provisions for granting refugee status in accordance with the 1951 U.N Convention Regarding the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. However, the authorities traditionally have welcomed those seeking refuge or asylum. No requests for first asylum were reported during the year, but in theory the Government would be prepared to grant such requests. There were no reports that persons were forced to return to a country where they feared persecution.
Section 3 Respect for Political Rights: The Right of Citizens to Change Their Government
Citizens exercised this right for the first time in 1991 in free and fair presidential and legislative elections, and subsequently in the 1994 and 1998 legislative elections, and the 1996 presidential elections. These elections resulted in the peaceful transfer of power between political party coalitions. Voter participation has exceeded 80 percent in recent elections. International observers noted that the 1998 legislative elections were free and transparent. Each of the three principal political parties has significant representation in the unicameral National Assembly. Elections are by secret ballot on the basis of universal suffrage for citizens 18 years of age or older. In the 1998 legislative elections, the MLSTP won an outright majority with 31 out of 55 seats and filled all 10 Cabinet positions.
The Constitution provides for the election of the President, who as Head of State names the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister appoints members of the Government.
There are no restrictions in law or in practice on the participation of women in politics. However, women are underrepresented in politics and government. Women currently hold 3 of 55 seats in the National Assembly, 1 of 12 seats in the Cabinet, and 1 of 4 seats on the Supreme Court. One woman was a presidential candidate in the 1996 elections and received 16 percent of the first-round vote.
Section 4 Governmental Attitude Regarding International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Violations of Human Rights
A small number of local human rights groups have formed since 1991 and operate without restriction or governmental interference. There were no known requests by international human rights groups to visit the country.
Section 5 Discrimination Based on Race, Sex, Religion, Disability, Language, or Social Status
The Constitution provides for the equality of all citizens regardless of sex, race, racial origin, political tendency, creed, or philosophic conviction. However, the Government has not sought actively to enforce these provisions.
While the extent of the problem is unknown, violence against women occurs, and medical professionals and officials report firsthand experience in dealing with violence, including rape. They also report that although women have the right to legal recourse--including against spouses--many are reluctant to bring legal action or are ignorant of their rights under the law. Traditional beliefs and practices also inhibit women from taking domestic disputes outside the family.
While the Constitution stipulates that women and men have equal political, economic, and social rights, and while many women have access to opportunities in education, business, and government, in practice women still encounter significant societal discrimination. Traditional beliefs concerning the division of labor between men and women leave women with much of the hard work in agriculture, with most child-rearing responsibilities, and with less access to education and to professions. Female literacy is approximately 62 percent; male literacy is approximately 85 percent.
A number of government and donor-funded programs have been established to improve conditions for children. There has been improvement in maternity and infant care, in nutrition, and in access to basic health services, especially in urban areas. Mistreatment of children is not widespread. There are few social protections for orphans and abandoned children.
People With Disabilities
The law does not mandate access to buildings, transportation, or services for persons with disabilities. There are no reports of discrimination against the disabled. Section 6 Worker Rights
a. The Right of Association
The Constitution provides for freedom of association and the right to strike. Few unions exist in the very small modern wage sector. Independent cooperatives, on the other hand, have taken advantage of the government land distribution program to attract workers and in many cases to improve production and incomes significantly. Public sector employees still make up the great majority of wage earners. Strikes are legal, including those by government employees and other essential workers. There are no laws or regulations that prohibit employers from retaliating against strikers.
There are no restrictions barring trade unions from joining federations or affiliating with international bodies.
b. The Right to Organize and Bargain Collectively
The Constitution provides that workers may organize and bargain collectively. However, due to its role as the principal employer in the wage sector, the Government remains the key interlocutor for labor on all matters, including wages. There are no laws prohibiting antiunion discrimination.
There are no export processing zones.
c. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor
The law prohibits forced and bonded labor, and it is not known to exist. The Government prohibits forced and bonded labor by children, and such practices are not known to occur.
d. Status of Child Labor Practices and Minimum Age for Employment
Employers in the modern wage sector generally respect the legally mandated minimum employment age of 18 years. The Ministry of Justice and Labor is responsible for enforcing this law. In subsistence agriculture, on plantations, and in informal commerce, children do work, sometimes from an early age. The Government prohibits forced and bonded labor by children, and the prohibition is respected (see Section 6.c.). e. Acceptable Conditions of Work
Working conditions on many of the state-owned plantations--the largest wage employment sector--verge on the medieval. There is no legally mandated minimum wage. The average salary for plantation workers does not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family, and the real value of their pay is constantly eroded by high rates of inflation. In principle, workers and their families are provided free (but inadequate) housing, rudimentary education for their children, and health care, as well as the privilege of reduced prices and credit at the "company store." These arrangements are intended to subsidize food and clothing. However, corruption is widespread, and international lending institutions have criticized the Government for ineffective administration of these subsidies. Workers often are forced to pay higher prices on the parallel market to obtain the goods theoretically provided at a discount as part of their compensation.
The legal workweek is 40 hours with 48 consecutive hours mandated for a rest period, a norm respected in the modern wage sector. The 1979 Social Security Law prescribes basic occupational health and safety standards. Inspectors from the Ministry of Justice and Labor are responsible for enforcement of these standards, but their efforts are ineffective. Employees have the right under the law to leave unsafe working conditions.
f. Trafficking in Persons
The law prohibits trafficking in persons, and there were no reports that persons were trafficked in, to, or from the country.
[end of document]


text:
Broadway on PBS
Broadway on PBS
Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn - The Broadway Musical comes to Great Performances on PBS.
Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn
Noël Coward's Present Laughter
Kevin Kline gives a Tony Award®-winning performance in Noël Coward's Present Laughter.
Noël Coward's Present Laughter
Broadway's Tony Award-winning Indecent premieres as part of the Broadway's Best lineup.
In The Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams
Great Performances airs a special encore of In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams.
In The Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams
She Loves Me on Great Performances is the opening act of the PBS Broadway's Best lineup.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
As promised, it's time for our first giveaway. This lovely What To Eat Notepad and Magic Whisk from Anthropologie can be all yours if you follow the instructions below.
How to Enter:
- Become a FEST follower and leave a comment below telling me what you'd like to see more of on FEST. (To become a follower, simply click "Join this site" on the right.)
For additional entries:
- Add FEST's button to your blog and leave a comment telling me you did so. (See below for the HTML code.)
- Link to this giveaway on your favorite social media site and tell me where you shared.
The winner will be announced next Wednesday.
Update: This giveaway is closed. Congratulations to our winner, Heather!


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All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has one eye on the future after selecting a new-look midfield partnership for the Test against Scotland at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on Sunday.
Ben Smith, widely regarded as a winger or fullback, will play at centre with Highlanders' teammate Tamati Ellison inside him.
The combination, who have just 12 caps between them, fill in for veterans Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith who share 136 appearances.
"We want to form a bit of a combination and we think there's probably a bit of a combination there from the Highlanders already," Hansen said.
Hooker Dane Coles and halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow will make their debuts if they see action after being named on an eight-strong bench.
Hansen has resisted the temptation to rest captain Richie McCaw and five-eighth Dan Carter, but has given Piri Weepu the chance to impress by handing him a start in the No.9 jersey.
McCaw will start his 114th Test match with a rejigged back three with Victor Vito at No.8 and Adam Thomson on the blindside.
Hansen feels Thomson and Vito need to prove themselves in the first game of the four-week tour, while Weepu has looked back to his best in training.
"We gave him some pretty strong and clear guidelines before we picked the team and he's met those, hence we're seeing a sharper, fitter looking Piri, so long may that continue."
Both wings feature Hurricane players, with Cory Jane on the right and Julian Savea on the left, while Israel Dagg will be the last line of defence at fullback.
Wyatt Crockett gets rewarded for his patience, starting his eighth Test in three years at loosehead prop, partnering Owen Franks and Andrew Hore in the front row.
"I think he's [Crockett] been marking off the days until the squads go from 22 to 23. This is going to be a big occasion for him, so I'm expecting to see a big game from him," Hansen said.
The Test marks the first time the All Blacks have played under the new rules which allow the inclusion of a second specialist prop on the bench.
Crusaders' duo Samuel Whitelock and Luke Romano are the locks in a side which features only five survivors from the starting lineup which drew 18-18 with Australia in Brisbane last month.
New Zealand: Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Ben Smith, Tamati Ellison, Julian Savea, Daniel Carter, Piri Weepu, Victor Vito, Richie McCaw (capt), Adam Thomson, Samuel Whitelock, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Andrew Hore, Wyatt Crockett. Res: Dane Coles, Tony Woodcock, Ben Franks, Ali Williams, Sam Cane, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett, Ma'a Nonu.


text: Gerry Creager wrote: > There was an interesting brainstorming session at Rocks-A-Palooza a > couple of weeks ago. Someone wants to offer Amazon resources. > Problem remains for me: How can I get sufficient cloud resources for > computing (I'll hammer on dataset transport in a moment) that will > handle reasonable weather models with their small message MPI chatter, > and lots of file I/O? I've been assured that Amazon's ready to > accommodate that. This is one of the problems - clouds aren't ready for this kind of usage model yet. They only have GigE and usually it's oversubscribed. When you say file IO, they hear capacity, not performance (either throughput or IOPS). And as you point out, the pipe to/from the cloud is not ready for lots of data. > However, getting data into S3 for availability, when a daily > multi-gigabyte dataset is used for initiation, and another is created > as output, is going to be expensive, and likely slow. I think there > are other approaches that have to be evaluated. I am not sure the > cloud is ready for MPI play on a significant basis, just yet. I haven't seen the cloud ready yet for anything other than embarrassingly parallel codes (i.e. since node, small IO requirements). Has anyone seen differently? (as an example of what might work, CloudBurst seems to be gaining some traction - doing sequencing in the cloud. The only problem is that sequencing can generate a great deal of data pretty rapidly). Jeff


text:
We received a rapid and wonderful response to our recent survey and would like to thank all of you. We appreciate your interest in helping to shape your local health care. And, we are proud to continue to serve your health care needs.
Find a Job
View our current job openings and apply online.
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Epic electronic health record job opportunities.
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View our current openings for physicians and apply online.
As a member of Lahey Health, Beverly Hospital is committed to providing medical expertise and personalized care for an exceptional experience north of Boston. We offer an extensive network of primary care physicians, state-of-the-art medical facilities, and emergency care; combining the latest advances in medicine with a truly remarkable and refreshing level of warmth and compassion.
We invite you to navigate through our site and see what our comprehensive hospital system has to offer, learn more about Beverly Hospital services that are available to you on Boston's North Shore and why we are among the top Massachusetts hospitals for your medical needs. If, at any time, you need further assistance, please visit our Contact Us page.
U.S. News released the Best Hospital Rankings in Massachusetts that includes 110 hospitals with Beverly and Addison Gilbert Hospitals coming in at No. 6 in the state and No. 5 in the Boston/metro region.
The annual U.S. News Best Hospitals rankings, now in their 26th year, recognize hospitals that excel in treating the most challenging patients.
Read more about this recognition >>
Read Denis Conroy, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of Northeast Health System's interview with Becker's Hospital Review about financial challenges hospitals & health systems are dealing with now and what they will face in the future.
Nurse-Midwives of the North Shore Birth Center have been recognized by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) for achieving "Best Practice" in the nationally endorsed quality measures. Well done!
Beverly Hospital and Addison Gilbert Hospital Among Truven Health Analytics 2015 Top 100 Hospitals
Since the onset of the Hospital Safety Score in Spring 2012, the publicly available data showed Beverly Hospital and Addision Gilbert Hospital have consistently exceeded the standards of other medical institutions in terms of patient safety procedures in place, earning them both a Straight A's distinction.
Lahey Health System, Inc., located at 41 Mall Road, Burlington, MA 01805 (the parent of Lahey Clinic Hospital, Inc., 41 Mall Road, Burlington, MA 01805, Northeast Hospital Corp., 85 Herrick Street, Beverly, MA 01915, and Winchester Hospital, 41 Highland Avenue, Winchester, MA 01890), CareGroup, Inc., located at 109 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (the parent of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Inc., 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (which in turn includes Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton, Inc., 199 Reedsdale Road, Milton, MA 02186, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital – Needham, Inc., 148 Chestnut Street, Needham, MA 02492, and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital – Plymouth, Inc., 275 Sandwich Street, Plymouth, MA 02360), New England Baptist Hospital, 125 Parker Hill Road, Boston, MA 02120, and Mount Auburn Hospital, 330 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138), and Seacoast Regional Health Systems, Inc., located at 25 Highland Avenue, Newburyport, MA 01950 (the parent of Anna Jaques Hospital, 25 Highland Avenue, Newburyport, MA 01950) (collectively the "Applicant"), intend to file an Application for Determination of Need ("Application") relative to a proposed affiliation involving the Applicant (the "Project"). The Applicant is submitting its Application as it intends to affiliate to create a new comprehensive, distributed, high quality and high-value non-profit healthcare delivery system to serve patients throughout Eastern Massachusetts. To facilitate the level of economic and clinical integration required to better manage the health of a broad population and meaningfully impact care delivery in the state, the Project would establish a new parent company that will function as the sole corporate member of each hospital, and will also include the participation of the organizations' accountable care organizations. The Total Value of the Project is estimated to be approximately $5,323,154,000. There is not expected to be any anticipated price or service impacts on the Applicant's existing Patient Panel. Any ten Taxpayers of Massachusetts may register in connection with the intended Application or amendment by no later than October 16, 2017, by contacting the Department of Public Health Determination of Need Program, 250 Washington Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02108.
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text:
by Sue Ann Rybak
The sign on Frank Salemno's barbershop said:
"Thank you friends for your loyal patronage over the past 75 years. You have been much more than customers, you have been very good buddies, and we have shared many great times and memories together! I am retired. Thank you! Frank."
Salemno, who was nicknamed "Frankie Smacks" for giving his favorite customers little slaps on the backs of their heads and then ordering them to get out of the barber chair when their haircut was done, was more than just a shop owner – he was a living legend to many longtime Chestnut Hill residents.
Rose DiPinto, Salemno's sister said her father closed his shop in January.*
"He is in a rehabilitation center in New Jersey," DiPinto said.
DiPinto said people went to her brother's shop because they thought of him as their friend.
"He was more than just a barber to his customers," DiPinto said. "People considered him a friend, and he loved all his customers."
At the age of 18, Salemno bought the business from Dominic Rosetti for $50 – $15 of which he had to borrow from friends. Salemno said one friend even chipped in 11 cents. He said when he first started the shop he charged 40 cents a haircut.
Salemno used to say "clippers were for sissies." Salemno's tools were simple – shears, a comb, a straight razor and hot lather.
Tom Alex, of Chestnut Hill, said Salemno was a genuinely happy guy. Alex said the first time Salemno gave him a shave with a straight razor he thought uh-ho.
"Sometimes, his hands were a little unsteady – but everything turned out fine," Alex said.
Jim Shea, 86, of Chestnut Hill, said Salemno's barbershop was a social hub. Shea said it was a place where a little good-natured ribbing was accepted. Shea, a World War II veteran, noted that it was hard to find old-time barbershops, where a man can enjoy camaraderie and talk sports. Shea added that nowadays men and women get their hair styled at beauty salons.
"He was a good Marine and one of the few skilled barbers," Shea said."He will be missed by everybody."
Salemno fought at Saipan and Iwo Jima with the 4th Marine Division, 3rd Battalion, during World War II. He went in with the first wave at Iwo Jima and, after the beachhead was established, served as a runner. Salemno was wounded twice with shrapnel in his chest and a bullet in his leg. He received a Purple Heart, four Combat Stars, a Gold Star and two Presidential citations for his service.
In 1946, Salemno reopened his shop. An active citizen in the community, Salemno was a former president of the Chestnut Hill/Mt. Airy Business Development group, which preceded the present Chestnut Hill Business Association. DiPinto said Salemno was a family man who was extremely proud of his grandchildren. In the 1970s, he helped organize the Christmas Parade, the 4th of July Celebration and many other civic events.
Salemno loved to kid with his customers.
If you asked him what his specialty was, he would say "boating." Salemno loved to go out on his 44-foot Grand Banks trawler and go fishing.
Mike Dante, a longtime Chestnut Hill resident who recalled going to Salemno's barbershop as a teenager, said, "He will be missed."
Editor's note: An original version of this story erroneously called DiPinto Salemno's sister.


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Find the perfect hotel in Tlaquepaque using our hotel guide provided below. Search for cheap and discounted hotel and motel rates in or close to Tlaquepaque, Mexico for your personal leisure or group travel. We provide the best Tlaquepaque hotel/motel rooms. Review the Tlaquepaque hotel list below to find the perfect lodging. We also have a map of the Tlaquepaque hotels. Coordinating a group? Get Tlaquepaque Group Hotel Deals
The Tlaquepaque center point is approximately the area of Plaza de Toros El Centenario and 2 miles southeast of Parque Agua Azul.
How should we direct your call?


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Heavy Rains Greet Father's Day. Record Rainfall Causes Flooding.
Rain began at the Sioux Falls airport at 4:35 am Saturday morning. As of 4:35 am this morning, our official rainfall was 4.65 inches.
This breaks the previous ALL-TIME 24-hour precipitation record of 4.59 inches, which occurred August 1, 1975. This also sets a new 24-hour record rainfall for the month of June, topping the previous record of 4.26 inches on June 16, 1957.
The heavy rain shutdown a portion of Interstate 90 near Luverne, MN early Sunday morning. At the Hills-Beaver Creek exit water was over all four lanes. It has since reopened.


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I am very fortunate to visit lots of clients in the UK and Europe that have a huge appetite for running their workloads on OpenStack®. These organizations range from bleeding edge online e-commerce platforms to global enterprises that have mainframes at the heart of their operations. For each of these organizations, there's the easy fit applications that are perfect fit for a cloud platform – the applications that can be orchestrated and require little maintenance; the applications that handle failure. These include web services, scalable NoSQL stacks like MongoDB and stateless applications that scale behind a load balancer. In many circles these applications are referred to as "cattle"* – larger groups of applications, identifed by the service or its instance ID number, where the first instance is indistinguishable from the numerous other spawned.
Then there's the other end of the spectrum: legacy heavy weight applications that cause headaches at 2 a.m. when the server fails such as SQL database servers and tightly coupled services that require human interaction on service failure. These are commonly known as "pets;"* applications that require care and attention, are unique and if they become ill take time and money to nurse them back to health. For any true cloud environment, these legacy applications require more than a lovingly crafted orchestration recipe to provide a seamless service in the event of a disaster.
OpenStack can be deployed in a variety of ways to overcome a wide range of disasters at the infrastructure level and when doing so, we're aiming to achieve one thing: remove any single point of failure (SPOF).
With Rackspace® Private Cloud, we deploy a typical out-of-the-box experience with High Availability (HA) in mind when the hardware is available. This includes replication of databases between two MySQL nodes, running services across multiple nodes and either using load balancing between these services or utilizing a virtual IP that is able to be moved between physical nodes. In this world, we make it very easy to gracefully handle the failure of a controller service such as the OpenStack Identity service, Keystone, or the OpenStack Image service, Glance.
For the Compute nodes, the nodes that run the hypervisor and virtual machine instances, there are a number of things that are now expected capabilities that a purist view of cloud considered unnecessary up to six months ago, such as live migration of running instances and placing nodes into maintenance mode. These capabilities are commonplace for pre-cloud environments such as VMware estates. Live migration is a necessity regardless of whether you have zero to cloud orchestration capabilities complete with a fully automated continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) environment or a large integrated application where each component offers an element of risk and considerable overhead should an underlying hypervisor suddenly disappear. Live migration puts an element of control to the chaos often associated with a cloud environment. Live migration is an expectation when traditional workloads are migrated away from VMware to OpenStack – it is no longer a good enough excuse or practical to turn around and suggest that migrating to OpenStack involves a rewrite of your application to hide the short-comings of not having this capability within an OpenStack cloud.
KVM, the open source hypervisor shipped with Rackspace Private Cloud, supports both block level migration and live migration when used with a shared storage platform attached to the Compute nodes. We also benefit from the ability to migrate to other nodes by booting from cinder volumes. These cinder volumes are naturally exposed to all our Compute nodes and, coupled with the ability to restart instances on failure, we're providing features expected by enterprises, but managed in a cloud way.
OpenStack Grizzly, which Rackspace Private Cloud uses, allows an enterprise to consume these features today.
There is still some work to do to improve this area – maturity of the hypervisor's ability to do block level migrations, improvements to the live migrations through OpenStack to provide an uninterrupted service, easy to consume boot from volume processes; and an ability to perform maintenance and migration operations from OpenStack's web dashboard, as well as improving the process by which upgrades can occur to remove planned downtime. But work is already under way through the current Havana development cycle to improve the areas of High Availability within OpenStack.
* If you've been to any IT conference or if you follow anyone who's anyone on Twitter, you may have heard of the "Pets vs. Cattle" analogy, coined by Randy Bias and expanded upon by Tim Bell of CERN. Pets versus Cattle is used to illustrate the difference between the mindset of managing virtual machines (in which virtual machines are named, nurtured and cared for) versus managing cloud instances wherein by if your cloud instance instance or "cattle" gets sick, you shoot it and move on. (No offense, PETA.)


text:
A head-to-head test: Integra vs. the OEM Differences in transceiver manufacturing may be impacting your network.
Integra sales engineer Jon Zatlokowicz explains how interoperability of optical transceivers helps keep your network up and running.
Fiber Optic Splice & Connector Cleaner. Precision Optical Cleaner. 3oz (85g) pump spray.
If you're interested in this component, you might also want to search for these related products, accessories, or our Smart Coder and Smart Coder Package
Giving network engineers and field techs the power to quickly and easily reconfigure transceivers in the field for any network hardware.


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A compact studio in a home with balcony access. The apartment has stylish interior, whose details make the apartment cozy and comfortable. There are two beds which fold up when not in use. The kitchen is well-equipped with everything that is needed for cooking, and there is a washing machine in the bathroom. Linen, towels and an Internet connection are included in the price, and there is an own parking place for the apartment's customers. A code lock makes checking in easy. Moving from the apartment is easy by both car and public transportation. The highways Kehä III and Lahdenväylä can be accessed by a car within a few minutes and the nearest underground station Mellunmäki is 2,5 kilometers (1,5 miles) away. The nearest bus stop is less than 100 meters away and the nearest grocery store is within 1,3 kilometers (0,8 miles) of the apartment. The apartment is fully furnished and you can find dishes in the kitchen so that you can have breakfast and prepare dinner. Services to help your day-to-day life (for example, cleaning services) are also available to the apartment. After booking, you will receive payment instructions and a payment link from the property via email. Credit cards are only needed to guarantee your booking. This apartment has key code locks. The code will be sent to you by SMS and email by 16:00 pm on the day your reservation begins. Enter the five-digit code followed by hash on the keypad on the door, for example 12345#. If you enter the wrong code, press the # key again before re-entering your code.
Πιστολάκι μαλλιών
Μη διαθέσιμο: Ανιχνευτής καπνού
Μη διαθέσιμο: Ανιχνευτής μονοξειδίου του άνθρακα


text:
Vikram Pancholi is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Reiki, NLP and Energy Healer. He is into creating pragmatic tools from the knowledge and experience, attained in various metaphysical fields during last 35 years....
Dr. Shruti Shah is a Holistic Healer. She is a Medical Astrologer, a Past Life Regression Therapist, an Internationally Certified ThetaHealing® Practitioner, and Instructor and a Reiki Grand Master. She also offers following holistic therapies and treatments for her clients.
Kirti Kanodia is a certified Theta Healer, Trained Family Constellation Facilitator, Tarot card Reader, Past life Regression Therapist, Angel card reader, Inner child integration, Vedic Astrologer, Tasso Therapist and Reiki Master.
Past life Regression Trainer, Family Constellation Trainer, Theta Healing Trainer, Inner Child Work, Angel Therapist, Reiki healer, Hypnotherapy, Crystal Healing, Graphology, Tarot card reader & Astrologer
Rajavardhan is a Astrologer, Theta Healer, Shamanic Healer, Vastu & Maha Vastu Consultant, Access Bars Practitioner, DORN Therapy (Healing) Germany Expert. Founder of Sri Varaahi Holistic Healing.
As so rightly affirmed by Reiki Grandmaster Dishaa, a young and dynamic lady, an M.B.A turned natural healing expert from Chandigarh (India) for whom life has always been a 'Love for the Moment' which is beautiful yet compassionate...
There are many of us who consider astrology as a superstition and not really a science. But the accuracy of some of the predictions that astrologers have made is what makes astrology an art which can be used to predict what may probably happen in the nearby future. The positions of the stars, planets and other celestial bodies help decide astrologers about the future. Certain movements of the stars and planets have been observed to have an effect on us. There have been many instances when we felt situations were beyond our control, our words were misconstrued and an important message failed to reach its destination. Mercury retrograde was considered to be the main reason behind this mayhem. Mercury, the planet of communication was observed to have an impact on our lives. Many a times astrological predictions have proven to be eerily accurate.
The art of astrology helps astrologers acquire information about a person's personality, strength and weaknesses. The zodiac is the belt of constellations through which the Sun, the Moon and the planets transit across the sky. There are many passionate believers of astrology who feel that the future can indeed be predicted by studying the position of the Sun, the Moon and the planets.
There are many well known versions of astrology like Indian Astrology, Chinese Astrology, Egyptian Astrology and Western Astrology. Indian and western astrologers create and study an astrological chart popularly known as the 'horoscope' for an event based on the position of the stars at the moment of the event. Indian astrologers have a firm belief that there exists a meaningful link between the time someone is born and the qualities that are inherent to his/her personality. The birth chart reveals a lot about the person and his destiny and predictions can be made by studying the person's stars. By seeking help from an astrologer, people can make meaningful choices about the direction of their future.
The planet Sun transits through the twelve signs of the zodiac on its annual journey and spends about one month in each sign. The sun's position on a person's birthday therefore determines his/her star sign. The sun represents personal pride, ego, authority, power, leadership qualities, health and vitality etc. The sun also symbolizes creativity and influences the fun side of our life like sports, recreational activities, holidays and other social events etc. Astrologically the Sun is the centre of our existence and all our daily affairs tend to revolve around this centre. It gives strength to all the other planets ruling the Zodiac and that is the reason why the Sun plays a key role in Astrology. On its annual journey the sun spends about one month in each Zodiac sign and has a different effect on each sign:
When the Sun transits into Aries it is strong and enthusiastic. It makes you appreciate honesty and truth and hate deceit. You like things to be clear cut and logical. Your weakness is your lack of sensitivity and your limited capacity to be emotional.
When the Sun transits into Taurus it gives the strength and drive to take up projects initiated by the impetuous Aries Sun. This is a time for hard work. During this time the capacity to finish off an unfinished task and security needs are strong. A good time to savour rich food and enjoy other sensual pleasures.
Communication becomes enjoyable and effortless. The Gemini sun makes one curious to seek the truth. The sun's influence gives you the much-needed flexibility and also makes you realistic. This is a very good time to get your point across, to initiate new relationships and also to go on short trips.
When the Sun is in Cancer things tend to get a bit low and emotional. Social events take a backseat and more and more time is spent at home. Flirtations become more serious and emotional sensitivity is heightened. Personal relationships take a more serious turn and reach serious levels. A good time to nurture and perform domestic activities like cooking for loved ones.
The Sun in Leo makes it very persuasive. It also makes you very self confident and vibrant. It makes you willing to take risks without a second thought. The influence of the sun makes you playful and warm-hearted. A good time to host a party or go out and socialize.
When the sun is in Virgo anything that is low in value will fall by the wayside. Only the best works for you now from clothing to food etc. you will have the energy to put things in order. This is a very good time to quit your unhealthy habits like smoking and start a new fitness routine.
the sun in Libra marks the time for deliberations. You go over your decisions again and again and take your time while weighing the pros and cons. You are bestowed with a sense of fairness and diplomacy. The Libra sun turns your thoughts to aesthetic beauty and interpersonal relationships. This is a very good time for Romance.
The sun in Scorpio makes you very passionate and intense. Passions run high and physical love is engrossing and exciting. You like to engage yourself in activities that are meaningful and significant. You may also develop some negative feelings like Jealousy and envy.
when the sun is in Sagittarius adventure takes a front seat in an otherwise routine and busy life. You find it hard to settle down to work or stick to a schedule. Mishaps are likely due to your increased sense of adventure. An ideal time to explore and travel.
The sun in Capricorn makes you set high goals for yourself. You are persistent and patient. Your common sense governs all your decisions. You are not spontaneous and tend to take life rather seriously. Once you achieve success you never look back. A good time to raise your social status.
The sun in Aquarius makes you mentally agile and friendliest of all signs. This transit marks a good time to leave behind old traditions and forging new techniques. Your ideas are progressive at this time. It's not a time for building intimate relationships. A very good time to hang out with a large group of friends or to work for a good cause.
the sun in Pisces makes you emotional and intensely compassionate. You are tolerant, patient and sometimes trust others blindly. People can take advantage of your sensitivity and end up hurting your feelings. This is a good time to connect on an intimate level with others and also cultivate your creative instincts. The time of your birth is therefore, important when it comes to studying your astrological chart. By studying your stars, planets and your zodiac sign you are more likely to make choices that are right for you!
Astrology is the study of patterns and relationships of planets in motion at the time of our birth. From this information an astrologist can develop a specific birth chart for an individual. With this chart, we can get clues to our unique personality traits and our compatibility with others in friendships, business relationships and love. When create by a professional, meaning can be found to it all.
Astrology can be very useful. It can give you information as to why you like, dislike or are indifferent to someone you just meet. But, because in the work, career, business world, and even in your personal life, you still may need to interact with people who you may find difficult, your chart can show you how the contradictions and friction between you can help you both to grow.
Originally called the "master of all science", Astrology today falls more in the category of metaphysics (the study of that which is beyond the physical). Astrology is based on the premise that the planetary movements influence moments in time. Since everyone is part of the Universe, our moment of birth is recorded and is meaningful.
Astrology is a tool of self-discovery that, although may seem complicated at first in individual pieces, in time begins to make sense. You begin to see that although life may seem like a series of coincidences and meaningless events, things are actually falling into place in your life exactly as planned. There is reason for what happens to you. This revelation can be comforting.
Astrology can help you understand all your relationships. Whether it's with your boss, sibling, parent, child, romantic partner or a friend. When you compare two birth charts, the Astrologer will be alerted to areas where there could be conflict as well as inherent strengths.


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Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler is single again after reportedly breaking off his engagement to Erin Brady.
The rocker proposed to Brady on Christmas Day in 2011 but their relationship was rumored to be on the rocks late last year.
A spokesman for the star dismissed split rumors in October, putting the couple's problems down to the usual "trials and tribulations in a relationship," but New York Post gossip column Page Six now reports they have separated.
A source tells the publication, "It's over for good this time… They're still friendly but they're going their own ways. The engagement is off."
The couple has been dating since 2006. Tyler has been married twice before.


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Randy Yorks N-Sider
To "Respond to Randy" click on the link below and choose "Randy York's N-Sider" under "Area of Interest" on the new screen. Please include your name and hometown and share your thoughts on Nebraska's walk-on tradition. Your ideas may be published on "Randy York's N-Sider" page on Huskers.com. Please check back for updated comments.
'Rags to Riches' Walk-on:
Making It at Nebraska All About Passion
Here's a pre-summer memo to Jase Dean of Bridgeport, Kramer Hyland of Lincoln, Justin Jackson of Roca, Jordan Makovicka of Ulysses, Brent Moravec of Grand Island, Brian Thorson of Millard, Jeremy Wallace of Omaha and more than 20 other walk-ons who were recruited last winter to join Nebraska's 2008 football team:
Coming to Nebraska as a walk-on is a once-in-a-football-lifetime opportunity. It's your chance, as a highly driven student-athlete, to write your own rags-to-riches story. Your story, like others before you, will be built on promise, paved with passion and achievable only at a certain price. Potential is important, but in the end, performance is the only thing that counts. So check your ego at the door, roll up your sleeves and get to work. And remember this fundamental truth – football sometimes mimics life. So at some point – more than likely in your first two years as a walk-on – you can pretty much count on your greatest rejection leading to your greatest direction. Once you learn that and how to handle adversity, you will be well on your way to survival.
"Passion is what Nebraska football is all about, and passion is what's driven every walk-on who has ever played here," says Mike Tranmer, who wrote his own rags-to-riches story at Nebraska a quarter century ago. Rising from the ranks of almost total anonymity to team captain, Tranmer started at middle guard on a team that won 12 straight games in 1983.
If Turner Gill's two-point conversion pass to Jeff Smith had been complete, the top-ranked Huskers would have beaten Miami, 32-31, in the Orange Bowl, and they would have won their first national championship under Tom Osborne.
Who knows? If fate had been kinder, perhaps Tranmer might have enjoyed the same kind of name recognition as say, a Terry Connealy, a middle guard from Hyannis who sacked those same Hurricanes 11 years later when Osborne won his first national championship as a head coach.
But that's just a writer's thought. Tranmer, who also lettered on Nebraska's '82 team that lost only at Penn State (27-24), doesn't look back for one minute or regret one thing.
Was Tranmer the Only Modern-Day Captain to Play Without a Scholarship?
In fact, he's rather proud of his place in Nebraska football history and would make an interesting question in a game of Nebraska Trivial Pursuit: Who is the Huskers' only modern-day football captain who never received an athletic scholarship?
Step to the head of the line if you answered Mike Tranmer. The blood, sweat and tears he traded for playing time are, in a word, priceless. There was a time when Tranmer thought his days at Nebraska were over, and staying to the end of his fifth year was reward enough for him.
His senior year, he stepped out of the shadows and into the spotlight, even getting quoted in Time magazine.
"You wouldn't believe how many requests for interviews I got from out-of-state reporters," he recalled. "Nebraska writers had no trouble believing I was a starter and a captain because there had been a number of walk-ons who did the same thing – the Derrie Nelsons and the Jimmy Williamses. But I think I was the only one who walked on and became a captain without ever going on scholarship. That's why the out-of-state reporters kept asking for interviews. They just couldn't believe that as a team captain, I was actually paying my own way to play and go to school."
It made perfect sense to Tranmer. "Am I proud of that fact?" he asked, repeating a question. "Absolutely! I was going to be a student anyway. But to be a student who gets to play football at Nebraska at the same time! Who cares if I have to pay my way? I had two guys on scholarship playing behind me – Kenny Shead and Ken Graeber . . . just great kids, both of them. We shared time, but I got to start. That was my lifelong dream. It was the passion that drove me to come here in the first place."
Tranmer grew up on a hog farm near Lyons, Nebraska (1,214 people at the time). "I remember watching Jerry Tagge play quarterback and listening to Lyell Bremser on the radio," he said. "Following Nebraska football was just an indescribable passion. You watch, listen and learn early that a player's goal was just to get to Lincoln and simply help the team. In the past, Nebraska football was just a bunch of guys like me who may have been too small to play college football, but knew the door was always open to prove otherwise. People told me I couldn't even get a Division II scholarship, so why would I want to go to Nebraska and work my butt off just for a chance to play on the scout team?"
He Just Couldn't Stop Believing Even When Osborne Told the Truth
It's a tough question, and only tough guys can answer it. Mike Tranmer came to Nebraska as a 5-foot-11, 185-pound defensive lineman with a dream in his heart and stars in his eyes. He never quit believing in his dream, even when his head coach thought it might be time for him to give it up and go somewhere else.
It was the summer before Tranmer's sophomore year and Tom Osborne wanted to talk to each player before he went home. Tranmer remembers every word Osborne said in his one-on-one meeting. "Mike, I don't think you're ever going to play here," he remembered Osborne telling him. "So if you want help transferring, I'll help you. We want to keep you as a scout team player because you're working your tail off. But I just don't know if you'll ever get to the point where you can play."
A year later, after another season on the scout team, Tranmer had climbed his way up the depth chart to second team. "I busted my butt every day to get on that field," he said. "My junior year, I lettered and worked harder than ever in the weight room. That's when I was voted 'Lifter of the Year' and then voted captain."
Tranmer finds it interesting that his greatest rejection – Osborne's honest analysis of his playing chances – also created his greatest direction – a legendary head coach noticing a down-the-liner working "his tail off" and acknowledging that his work ethic made an important contribution to the team.
"I think that's what Coach Osborne had, what we lost and what we need to find again," Tranmer said. "You can be the greatest athlete in the world, but if you're not playing for something, it doesn't make a lot of difference. When I played here, we didn't have top 25 recruiting classes. But we had kids who played with heart and with passion. We had great athletes and great kids, and together, we knew who we were playing for – the University of Nebraska and all the history behind it. We were also playing for the state of Nebraska and all the people who followed our program with loyalty like no one else."
Tranmer enjoyed coming back to Lincoln last month. Doak Ostergard, Nebraska's new director of Outreach Programs, introduced him to several members of the current team.
"There wasn't one prima donna out there," Tranmer said. "They were all bright-eyed kids who want to do well. They just didn't get the opportunity to focus on what Nebraska football is really all about. Bo Pelini and this entire coaching staff have really embraced these players. They're teaching them about the passion of Nebraska football and about the passion of walk-ons. When I played, we were fortunate. We had such continuity among coaches, the players always knew what we were about."
'If You Didn't Buy Into It, You Weren't Going to Be Around'
"I've heard people say in the past that the football program just kind of ran itself," Tranmer said. "Well, it didn't run itself. It's just that the philosophy was set up so that when you first came in, you understood what you bought into. If you didn't buy into it, you weren't going to be around. Everyone knew the walk-ons were every bit as important as the scholarship players. For all of us, it was about one thing – team. Everyone knew we were going to put the best players on the field, and everyone knew you had to earn that right through hard work and perseverance."
Tranmer and almost all of his teammates were willing to pay whatever price was necessary. "We wanted to play hard for the university, the state, our families, our friends and especially our coaches," he said. "(Defensive coordinator and line coach) Charlie McBride wasn't the softest guy in the world, but by golly, he loves you, and it was an honor to go out there and play for him, Coach Osborne and everyone else. We won most of our games back then because we had incredible passion. If we got behind, we knew we were still going to win."
Turner Gill and guard Dean Steinkuhler were the offensive captains of Nebraska's 1983 team. Tackle Mike Keeler and Tranmer were the defensive captains. The Huskers were not without stars. "Like Turner, Mike Rozier and Irving Fryar weren't from Nebraska, but they were All-Americans who absolutely knew who they played for and why it was so important. They knew it because our coaches instilled it in them every single day," Tranmer said. "They intermixed well with Nebraska natives like (Outland Trophy winner) Steinkuhler, (Academic All-American defensive end Scott) Strasburger and me.
"My kids tell me I was the classic overachiever, and I guess I was. What I'm trying to say is those All-Americans from New Jersey and Texas came to love Nebraska and understand what drove us just like we did. That's why understanding the passion of the past is every bit as important as understanding the X's and O's the coaches put up on the board. I'm absolutely convinced once we get that passion back, we'll be a national power again."
Surprisingly, Tranmer wasn't the only Husker starter in 1983 to play without a scholarship. "Monte Engebritson, our starting tight end from Hastings, (Neb.), and Mark Schellen, our starting fullback from Waterloo, (Neb.), busted their butts just like I did and were more than willing to play without a scholarship," he said. "We all could have gone to other schools, but we didn't care. We walked on for two reasons – to play and help the team. We always said we'd rather be on the field without a scholarship than on the bench with a scholarship. People just couldn't understand it, but we did."
Walk-ons Were the Heart and Soul of the Team and Can Be Again
A senior manager of pharmaceutical operations for a large national company, Tranmer helped Tim Turman coach two of his three sons – Mitch and Jake – to state high school football championships at Wahoo Neumann. He admits that Mitch and Jake, who played football together last fall for Nebraska Wesleyan University, still don't quite understand what drove their dad in college.
And he's okay with that because there is no single definition for passion. It can be defined in so many different ways, and Tranmer, for one, can't wait to watch who emerges in the next few years from Pelini's first class of recruited walk-ons. He knows how tough the road will be for almost all of them. He knows passion will be a differentiating factor in whether they stay and if they play. That's why he hopes no one jumps to conclusions no matter how difficult it gets.
"Walk-ons were the heart and soul of our teams from the past," he said, "and I don't see any reason why that can't be the case again soon and continue well into the future."


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Allen Ginsberg
read this poet's poems
On June 3, 1926, Allen Ginsberg was born in Newark, New Jersey. The son of Louis and Naomi Ginsberg, two Jewish members of the New York literary counterculture of the 1920s, Ginsberg was raised among several progressive political perspectives. A supporter of the Communist party, Ginsberg's mother was a nudist whose mental health was a concern throughout the poet's childhood. According to biographer Barry Miles, "Naomi's illness gave Allen an enormous empathy and tolerance for madness, neurosis, and psychosis."
As an adolescent, Ginsberg savored Walt Whitman, though in 1939, when Ginsberg graduated high school, he considered Edgar Allan Poe his favorite poet. Eager to follow a childhood hero who had received a scholarship to Columbia University, Ginsberg made a vow that if he got into the school he would devote his life to helping the working class, a cause he took seriously over the course of the next several years.
He was admitted to Columbia University, and as a student there in the 1940s, he began close friendships with William S. Burroughs, Neal Cassady, and Jack Kerouac, all of whom later became leading figures of the Beat movement. The group led Ginsberg to a "New Vision," which he defined in his journal: "Since art is merely and ultimately self-expressive, we conclude that the fullest art, the most individual, uninfluenced, unrepressed, uninhibited expression of art is true expression and the true art."
Around this time, Ginsberg also had what he referred to as his "Blake vision," an auditory hallucination of William Blake reading his poems "Ah! Sunflower," "The Sick Rose," and "Little Girl Lost." Ginsberg noted the occurrence several times as a pivotal moment for him in his comprehension of the universe, affecting fundamental beliefs about his life and his work. While Ginsberg claimed that no drugs were involved, he later stated that he used various drugs in an attempt to recapture the feelings inspired by the vision.
In 1954, Ginsberg moved to San Francisco. His mentor, William Carlos Williams, introduced him to key figures in the San Francisco poetry scene, including Kenneth Rexroth. He also met Michael McClure, who handed off the duties of curating a reading for the newly established "6" Gallery. With the help of Rexroth, the result was "The '6' Gallery Reading" which took place on October 7, 1955. The event has been hailed as the birth of the Beat Generation, in no small part because it was also the first public reading of Ginsberg's "Howl," a poem that garnered worldwide attention for him and the poets he associated with.
In response to Ginsberg's reading, McClure wrote: "Ginsberg read on to the end of the poem, which left us standing in wonder, or cheering and wondering, but knowing at the deepest level that a barrier had been broken, that a human voice and body had been hurled against the harsh wall of America."
Shortly after Howl and Other Poems was published in 1956 by City Lights Bookstore, it was banned for obscenity. The work overcame censorship trials, however, and "Howl" became one of the most widely read poems of the century, translated into more than twenty-two languages.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Ginsberg studied under gurus and Zen masters. As the leading icon of the Beats, Ginsberg was involved in countless political activities, including protests against the Vietnam War, and he spoke openly about issues that concerned him, such as free speech and gay rights agendas.
Ginsberg went on to publish numerous collections of poetry, including Kaddish and Other Poems (City Lights, 1961), Planet News: Poems, 1961–1967 (City Lights, 1968), and The Fall of America: Poems of These States (City Lights, 1973), which won the National Book Award.
In 1979, Ginsberg received a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, and in 1993, he received the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres (the Order of Arts and Letters) from the French minister of culture. He also cofounded and directed the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at the Naropa Institute in Colorado. In his later years, Ginsberg became a distinguished professor at Brooklyn College.
On April 5, 1997, in New York City, he died from complications of hepatitis.
Selected Bibliography
Wait Till I'm Dead: Uncollected Poems (Grove Press, 2016)
Death and Fame: Poems 1993–1997 (HarperFlamingo, 1999)
Illuminated Poems (Four Walls Eight Windows, 1996)
Selected Poems: 1947–1995 (HarperCollins, 1996)
Cosmopolitan Greetings: Poems, 1986–1993 (HarperCollins, 1994)
White Shroud: Poems, 1980–1985 (Harper & Row, 1986)
Collected Poems: 1947–1980 (Harper & Row, 1984)
Plutonian Ode: Poems 1977–1980 (City Lights, 1982)
Mind Breaths (City Lights, 1978)
First Blues: Rags, Ballads & Harmonium Songs 1971 - 1974 (Full Court Press, 1975)
The Fall of America: Poems of These States (City Lights, 1973)
The Gates of Wrath: Rhymed Poems 1948–1951 (Grey Fox Press, 1972)
Iron Horse (The Coach House Press, 1972)
Planet News, 1961–1967 (City Lights, 1968)
Reality Sandwiches, 1953–1960 (City Lights, 1963)
The Yage Letters (with William S. Burroughs, 1963)
Kaddish and Other Poems (City Lights, 1961)
Empty Mirror: Early Poems (Totem Press, 1961)
Howl and Other Poems (City Lights, 1956)
The Book of Martyrdom and Artifice: First Journals and Poems, 1937-1952 (De Capo Press, 2006)
Deliberate Prose: Selected Essays, 1952–1995 (HarperCollins, 2000)


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Don't roll the dice with those cheap chargers you find in the impulse section near the cash register. This one from Maxboost is an Amazon #1 best seller with 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 7,300 people (read reviews). Amazon indicates that its typical list price of $15.99 has been reduced 38% to $9.99. Keep this 24W / 4.8A USB car charger in the glove box, and know that you'll have juice for your tablet, phone, or other USB mobile device any time you need it while on the road. It features dual USB ports, a compact rugged design, and intelligent circuitry to prevent against short circuiting, over-heating, over-currents, and over-charging. See this highly rated and discounted dual port USB charger now on Amazon.
This story, "38% off Maxboost 4.8A/24W Dual USB Port Smart Car Charger - Deal Alert" was originally published by TechConnect.


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Read More About Waldorf School of Garden City (The)
Founded in 1947, The Waldorf School of Garden City is an independent, coeducational, college-preparatory day school for students age three through twelfth grade. Our philosophy is based on the values of imagination, integrity, hard work, kindness, personal and social responsibility, and mutual respect. We are dedicated to providing a rigorous, liberal arts education that focuses on the development of the whole human being. Emphasis is placed on a multidisciplinary approach to learning through a curriculum that balances the physical, artistic, social and intellectual needs of our students. Our nurturing environment and diverse community enable our students to excel as educated and compassionate individuals whose lives are enriched by their lifelong passion for learning.
Join us for an open house on Wednesday, April 10 at 8:30am for grades fourth-12th.
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I am building a couple ukelele's tenor ukes to be exact! Yesterday I made the fixtures, tonight I cut some black walnut for the back sides and top.
When I walk through a forest, the trees sing their songs to me. I respectfully take the timbers and transform them into music. No nobler use for wood is there.
A Brief History
Back in 1978, I was attending college at Southwestern College in Winfield, Ks. The first fall I was there, I saw an ad for help at a local Bluegrass Festival. A college student, broke, chance to make extra cash? I was all over this, so I signed on. Not only did I get paid, but I received free tickets to the festival. So there I was, walking around on Saturday, when on one of the back stages was a mountain dulcimer workshop given by three attractive women. I still remember two of them, Cathy Barton and Mary Faith Rhodes. I sat back and watched. I also fell in love with the dulcimer. Here was a simple instrument that originated in the USA, the Appalachians in fact, and made with woods that I was very familiar with due to my families mid western logging business. I went to these ladies shows, watched the Dulcimer Championships. I spent my earnings on a very cheap dulcimer. I could not learn to play.
The strings were too high, it was poorly made. The next June, there was a June Jamboree segment of the fall festival. Once again, I worked it, this time I spent my earnings on a dulcimer kit. I built this with less than half the recommended tool list, I remember using a rock to pound in the frets and a stack of bricks for clamps. I ended up with an instrument that was more playable, and amazingly enough, better looking.
It was at this time I transferred to Iowa State. A few years into school there, I discovered that there was a wood shop available for student use. Wood from the family sawmill, and my first dulcimer was made. Again I looked at it, thought about it, saw my mistakes, a cherry board from Dad, and I built number two. It was an hourglass, all cherry, natural knotholes for the upper sound holes. My Mother still has this one, A-2. I made 5 dulcimers at Iowa State, except for #2, I have no idea where or who has them.
I ended up back at home next, worked for the family logging business, built a few more in the basement of my parents house. One of those was shipped back to Winfield, Ks. I also entered one in the county fair, it received a ribbon. Can't remember how many I built in Woodbine, but they were numbered W-6 on.
I ended up back in Winfield, Ks next. Here I decided to get serious about the dulcimer business. It was here that I also took first place in a major art show with one of my dulcimers. These dulcimers were numbered Wf-XX. Not sure the starting number, but when I moved I was in the 50's.
My next shop was in Wapello, Ia. Here I got busy. The last dulcimer built there was Wp-149. Formed a loose partnership with a singer/teacher named Pat Walke. She had me build a student model. These were very simple in shape and design, allowed me to use a lot of scrap lumber and also try out new and "exotic" woods such as mulberry and honey locust. It was here that I also branched out into other instruments. I built two 3/4 size guitars, 18 old-time banjos, 2 hammer dulcimers, some kalimbas, and assorted other things.
My next move was to Winfield, Iowa, where I built WFI-150 for my wife. That was over ten years ago, and I am ready to re-open my shop in Webster Groves, Mo.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
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Organic industry leader Earthbound Farm is using robotic systems to case-pack clamshells.
Adept Technology Inc. installed four of its patented ClamPAC systems in April to pack clamshells at San Juan Batista, Calif.-based Earthbound Farm, according to a news release from Pleasanton, Calif.-based Adept.
The switch from manual to automated packing allowed Earthbound Farm to design a more environmentally-friendly clamshell that required gentle handling.
Since in its initial purchase, Earthbound Farm has purchased four more ClamPAC systems.
"We explored several suppliers offering robotic systems. Adept was the only one we found that had a product that could withstand our rigorous sanitation routine," Joe Torquato, Earthbound Farm"s engineering director, said in the release. "Our new robotic packaging systems improve the consistency of our throughput, which helps position us for continued growth. The technology is gentle and accurate it reduces product damage and enhances the presentation of our clamshells in the case."
ClamPAC is the first fully integrated robotic solution to be pre-engineered to case pack clamshells. Adept makes customer-specific modifications to the system before delivery, and its trademarked SoftPIC grippers enable gentle packing at high speeds.


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Ex-Minn Archbishop Flynn resigns University of St. Thomas post amid report on abuse response
MINNEAPOLIS – The retired Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Harry Flynn, has resigned as chair of the University of St. Thomas Board of Trustees, the school announced Saturday, becoming the second leader to quit the board of the St. Paul-based Roman Catholic institution this month amid fresh criticism over the handling of clergy sexual misconduct cases.
The university said in a statement that the board accepted Flynn's retirement as chair and board member at its regular meeting Thursday. The statement also confirmed the board's vice chair, the Rev. Kevin McDonough, a former vicar general of the archdiocese, resigned from the board Oct. 4.
The statement did not give reasons for Flynn's or McDonough's resignations, and university spokesman Doug Hennes declined to comment.
Efforts to reach Flynn on Saturday evening for comment were not successful.
But the statement noted St. Thomas has retained outside counsel to lead an independent investigation of "matters related to clergy sexual abuse allegations that impact the university" and has appointed a special committee to oversee the investigation and review the findings and recommendations.
McDonough was involved in three investigations that have drawn recent scrutiny, all dealing with fellow priests accused of sexual misconduct. One involves a professor of Catholic studies at St. Thomas, the Rev. Michael Keating, who was sued Monday by a woman now in her late 20s who alleges Keating sexually abused her between 1997 and 2000, starting when she was 13 and he was a seminary student.
The lawsuit says that she reported her allegations in 2006 to archdiocese officials, including Flynn, who was the archbishop at the time, and McDonough, who was his top deputy. That was the same year Keating joined the St. Thomas faculty.
Authorities investigated her allegations then but declined to file criminal charges against Keating, and the archdiocese sent her a letter in 2007 saying there was insufficient evidence for suspending him.
Keating went on leave from St. Thomas the day before the woman's suit was filed. Keating's attorney, Fred Bruno, has denied the allegations.
The archdiocese was already reeling from allegations in recent weeks that top leaders, including McDonough, ignored warnings over the last several years about two other priests: the Rev. Jonathan Shelley, who was accused of having pornography on his computer, and the Rev. Curtis Wehmeyer, who is now serving a prison term for sexually abusing two children in 2010 and for possessing child pornography. Flynn's successor, Archbishop John Nienstedt, earlier this month established a task force to review issues of clergy sexual conduct.
Flynn, who served as archbishop from 1995 to 2008, had chaired the university's trustees since 1995. McDonough, who was vicar general from 1991 until 2008, had been on the board since 1991. McDonough also resigned from the advisory boards of the St. Thomas School of Law and the university's Center for Catholic Studies.
Michael Dougherty, a trustee since 2003, will serve as interim chair, while John Morrison, a trustee since 1996, will serve as interim vice chair. The board expects to elect a permanent chair and vice chair Feb. 13. Timothy Flynn, the retired chairman and CEO of the giant accounting firm KPMG and a trustee since 2006, will chair the oversight committee.


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NEW ORLEANS — More than two years after the catastrophic BP oil spill, environmental groups say billions of dollars the British oil giant is expected to spend on restoration should go toward buying tens of thousands of acres of coastal land for conservation, rebuilding Louisiana's eroding wetlands and creating nearly 200 miles of oyster reefs.
Under the Oil Pollution Act, companies must pay to restore areas fouled by a spill. The amount BP will have to pay is subject to ongoing litigation with the government, which also will choose how to spend the money. Regardless, the company is expected to pay billions of dollars for the more than 200 million gallons of oil spilled from its out-of-control well after the rig Deepwater Horizon exploded in April 2010.
In a report released Wednesday, the environmental groups laid out 39 priority proposals for spending the money in one the first overarching visions of restoration of the Gulf.
The report recommends a massive $500 million restoration of the Louisiana coast, the purchase of large tracts of coastal land in Florida, Texas, Alabama and Mississippi for conservation, plugging unused oil and gas wells in the Gulf, spending about $165 million in restoring Mobile Bay, cleaning up marine debris across the Gulf, building nearly 200 miles of oyster reefs and setting up long-term monitoring to track the Gulf's health.
"Without knowing what the actual payment will be, our assumption is that this will be the biggest environmental restoration ever," said Stan Senner, director of conservation at the Ocean Conservancy. He was the chief restoration planner after the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska and helped develop the restoration model for the Gulf.
Federal and state lawyers are in negotiations with BP over how much the company should pay for the damage its spill caused. BP faces a January trial unless a settlement can be reached before then.
The report was sponsored by the Environmental Defense Fund, the Ocean Conservancy, the National Audubon Society, the Nature Conservancy, Oxfam and the National Wildlife Federation.
The environmental groups emphasized their portfolio of projects were suggestions only and based on limited information about the oil spill's effects on the environment. The government has not disclosed its findings on what damage has been caused by the spill.
The groups delivered the report to a council of federal and state officials overseeing restoration efforts. The group, known as the trustee council, is in discussions with BP over how much the company should pay. This legal process, known as the natural resources damage assessment, is secretive as BP and government scientists investigate how badly the environment was damaged.
The environmental groups said their recommendations would be adjusted based on those findings becoming public.
Garret Graves, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's representative on the trustee council, said the recommendations were not helpful.
"The environmentalists' report is so out of touch that I put my copy in the recycling bin," he said. He said it appeared the groups saw "an opportunity to pick pet projects and fulfill their political agendas."
The environmentalists said the report's intent was the opposite of that.
"This is about getting people to think about what restoration could look like," said Paul Harrison, the senior director of the Environmental Defense Fund's water program. "We need a comprehensive approach."
He warned that states might try to get projects funded that would not do the greatest good to the ecosystem.
Edward P. Richards, a professor of law at Louisiana State University who's studying Louisiana's ongoing restoration plans, was critical of the report. He questioned spending money on areas that saw little direct damage from the oil spill. Florida and Texas had little oil wash up on their shores.
Richards said he was struck by the irony of environmental groups campaigning to spend so much money on places that might be submerged by sea-level rise. For example he said it was unwise to spend large sums on diverting rivers to rebuild land in coastal Louisiana, something the report recommends.
"River deltas do not build in the face of ocean rise," he said. "The only science we have on the effect of river diversions is that the water that causes the dead zone at the end of the Mississippi is also bad for the marsh lands."
Louisiana recently adopted a master plan to rebuild its coast over 50 years with $50 billion and the plan calls for river diversions to funnel sediment and freshwater back into eroding basins. Louisiana has lost about 1,900 square miles of coastal land since the 1930s and the state is working to hold the sea back.
The scientific community is not in agreement about the effectiveness of river diversions. Many scientists believe river diversions can work to re-establish the natural order of the Mississippi delta while others believe they will not do the job and also cause unintended harmful consequences.
Just how much money BP will end up paying in ecosystem restoration is uncertain.
Exxon paid $900 million for the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill that caused 11 million gallons to leak into Prince William Sound. Based on the criteria from what Exxon paid per barrel of oil spilled and adjusted for inflation BP could pay about $31 billion.
But experts say BP is unlikely to pay that much. BP can argue that the spill's effects were minimized by the Gulf's warm waters, oil-eating bacteria and other factors. Also, the Gulf has been soiled by past spills and natural oil seeps, so the oil giant could say it's too hard to pinpoint what is BP damage and what isn't.
However state and federal lawyers argue that the damage was extensive and that the Gulf's marine environment is more varied and rich than that of Prince William Sound.
A look at proposals on how to restore Gulf
Environmental groups released a report on Wednesday making 39 recommendations of how to repair damage to the Gulf of Mexico's ecosystem caused by the catastrophic BP oil spill in 2010. The amount BP will have to pay is subject to ongoing litigation with the government, which also will choose how to spend the money.
Below are some of the environmental groups' costlier proposals.
—Expand the Texas Chenier Plain Refuge by 64,260 acres. Cost: $90 million
—Build sub-tidal reef in Matagorda Bay within footprint of historical Half Moon Reef. Cost: $3.8 million
—Restoring Shamrock Island in Nueces County by creating sea-grasses, marsh and mangroves. Cost: $3 million
—Buying land around the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and Apalachee Bay. Cost: $30 million.
—Sea-grass and oyster restoration along the Florida Panhandle. Cost: $15 million.
—Buying 69,453 acres to help conserve St. Vincent Sound and Lake Wimico near Apalachicola. Cost: $100 million
—Mobile Bay restoration and building 100 miles of intertidal oyster reefs. Cost: $95 million
—Reconnecting tidal exchanges within the Mobile-Tensaw Delta by building new bridges under the Mobile Causeway. Cost: $70 million
—Buying coastal properties in Alabama coastal counties to aid conservation. Cost: $125 million
—Restoration of 3,622 acres of coastal habitat. Cost: $7.8 million
—Wetlands and oyster restoration in Hancock County, restoring up to 60,000 feet of oyster reef. Cost: $18.8 million
—Restoring 1,000 acres of coastal marsh along Mississippi coast. Cost: $13.6 million
—Barataria basin restoration with new dunes, marsh, oyster reefs and filling in oil canals. Cost: $378 million
—Breton basin restoration with armoring marsh, oyster reefs and building up Chandeleur islands. Cost: $100 million
—Building 70 miles of oyster reefs in Cameron, Terrebonne and St. Bernard parishes. Cost: $70 million
Open waters of the Gulf
—Plugging and removing nonproducing oil and gas wells in waters off the coast of Louisiana. Cost: $31 million
—Place observers aboard fishing vessels to monitor catches for marine mammals, sea turtles and bluefin tuna. Cost: $32.5 million
—Cleaning up marine debris across the Gulf. Cost: $10 million


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Razer is part of the Open-Source Virtual Reality (OSVR) ecosystem, a new standard in VR gaming to push the VR gaming experience forward and supporting the venture with the OSVR Hacker Dev Kit, a virtual reality device and open-source software that enables programming for any variety of VR technology.
OSVR™ stands for Open Source Virtual Reality. It is an ecosystem designed from the ground up to set an open standard for Virtual Reality input devices, games and output with the sole goal of providing the best possible game experience in the Virtual Reality space. Supported by Industry Leaders and focused on gaming, the OSVR framework rallies gamers worldwide together to push the boundaries of VR-Gaming.
Hardware & Software
This OSVR platform is fully open-source, so regardless of whether you're interested in working with hardware developmental kit designs, or software plugins for everything from motion control, to game engines, and even stereoscopic video output, you'll have complete access to all you need.
Focused on the VR Gaming experience
The future of gaming is upon us, and the technology to be immersed in your favorite game world is at hand. To offer more gamers the opportunity to experience the exhilaration of VR-Gaming, the OSVR platform is focused on providing game engine plugins for all to use. A dedicated team of game developers, peripheral manufacturers, and virtual reality experts meticulously architected this platform, to help even more games enter this new dimension.
Supported by Industry Leaders
At the forefront of the next gaming revolution, are industry leaders from every space. With big names such as Unity, Unreal, Bosch, Razer, Sixense, and Leap Motion, all lending their specialized expertise, this OSVR platform promises to blaze a trail in gaming like nothing the world has ever seen.


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U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Litigation Release No. 17745 / September 25, 2002
Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Release No. 1636
SEC v. John Giesecke, Jr., Joseph J. Shew and John Desimone (U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Civil Action No.CV 02-7471S VW (RZX)
SEC Files Financial Fraud Case Charging Three Former Homestore Executives; Defendants Agree to Repay $4.6 Million in Illegal Trading Profits
Defendants to Plead Guilty in Related Criminal Actions Brought by U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California
The Securities and Exchange Commission today filed charges against three former senior executives of Homestore Inc. (formerly Homestore.com Inc.), based in Westlake Village, Calif., for perpetrating an extensive scheme to fraudulently inflate Homestore's on-line advertising revenues in 2001. The complaint, filed today in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, charges that John Giesecke Jr., Homestore's former chief operating officer; Joseph J. Shew, its former chief financial officer; and John DeSimone, its former vice president of transactions, caused Homestore to overstate its advertising revenues by $46 million (64%) for the first three quarters of 2001. This action was brought in coordination with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, which simultaneously announced related criminal charges against the three defendants. Giesecke, Shew, and DeSimone have each agreed to settle the Commission's lawsuit, to plead guilty to the criminal charges, and to cooperate with the government in its continuing investigation. At the time of the violations, Homestore was one of the top Internet portals for real estate and related services.
The Commission's complaint charges Giesecke, Shew, and DeSimone with arranging fraudulent "round-trip" transactions for the sole purpose of artificially inflating Homestore's revenues in order to exceed Wall Street analysts' expectations. The defendants circumvented applicable accounting principles and lied to Homestore's independent auditors about these transactions. While the fraud was ongoing, the defendants exercised stock options at prices ranging between approximately $21 and $32 per share, reaping profits ranging from approximately $169,000 to approximately $3.2 million.
The Commission's complaint alleges as follows:
Bogus Barter Transactions. Throughout 2000 and 2001, Homestore's sale of on-line advertisements was one of its primary revenue sources. Homestore engaged in a series of complex round-trip barter transactions to inflate revenues and meet Wall Street estimates. The essence of these transactions was a circular flow of money by which Homestore recognized its own cash as revenue. Specifically, Homestore paid inflated sums to various vendors for services or products; in turn, the vendors used these funds to buy advertising from two media companies. The media companies then bought advertising from Homestore either on their own behalf or as agents for other advertisers. Homestore recorded the funds it received from the media companies as revenue in its financial statements, in violation of applicable accounting principles.
As a result of a significant revenue shortfall in the first quarter of 2001, the company devised a plan to use a major media company as an intermediary in some round-trip transactions. The overall scheme required Homestore to "refer" vendors to the media company, and the vendors to purchase on-line advertisements from that company. In return, the major media company purchased on-line advertising from Homestore for which the media company acted as a media buyer.
Using this structure, Homestore paid a total of $49.8Āmillion to various vendors in the first two quarters of 2001. These vendors then paid $45.1Āmillion to a major media company to purchase on-line advertisements. Homestore, in turn, recorded $36.7Āmillion in revenue from the major media company's related purchase of Homestore on-line advertisements. In short, Homestore recycled its own money to generate revenues. Homestore used this same general plan with another media company in the second and third quarters of 2001 to fraudulently recognize an additional $9.7 million in revenue.
Charges Against the Defendants. In connection with these round-trip transactions, the Commission's complaint charges Giesecke, Shew, and DeSimone with securities fraud, lying to the auditors, falsifying Homestore's books and records, and aiding and abetting Homestore's reporting and record-keeping violations. The complaint alleges that Giesecke, Shew and DeSimone knew that the round-trip transactions had no economic substance and that Homestore paid cash to numerous intermediaries for the primary purpose of selling advertising and recognizing revenue from these or related transactions. Nevertheless, Giesecke, Shew and DeSimone carried out the fraudulent plan and recorded, or caused the company to record, revenue on these bogus deals. All three defendants lied to the company's independent auditors about the round-trip transactions and withheld business records from the auditors during their 2001 quarterly reviews. Shew and Giesecke also misrepresented Homestore's revenues to securities analysts covering the company, while Giesecke approved press releases containing inflated revenue numbers.
The individuals charged and the terms of their settlements are:
The returned ill-gotten gains of approximately $4.6 million will be paid to the benefit of Homestore shareholders. In addition, the Commission is seeking the permission of the court to have Giesecke's civil monetary penalty of $360,000 paid to the benefit of shareholders under the Fair Funds provision of the recently enacted Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
In related proceedings filed today by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles, Giesecke has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of wire fraud, Shew has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy, and DeSimone has agreed to plead guilty to one count of securities fraud. Giesecke and DeSimone each face a maximum possible penalty of 10 years in prison, while Shew faces up to 5 years in prison. Their pleas are based on fraudulent conduct similar to that described in the Commission's complaint. As part of their plea agreements, all three defendants have agreed to cooperate with the Commission and the criminal authorities.
The Commission also announced today that it would not bring any enforcement action against Homestore because of its swift, extensive and extraordinary cooperation in the Commission's investigation. This cooperation included reporting its discovery of possible misconduct to the Commission immediately upon the audit committee's learning of it, conducting a thorough and independent internal investigation, sharing the results of that investigation with the government (including not asserting any applicable privileges and protections with respect to written materials furnished to the Commission staff), terminating responsible wrongdoers, and implementing remedial actions designed to prevent the recurrence of fraudulent conduct. These actions, among others, significantly facilitated the Commission's expeditious investigation of this matter.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.


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Delft Travel Guide
Delft, Netherlands © Boserma
South of Amsterdam lies Delft, a Dutch city famous for its distinctive blue and white ceramics. There is much more to Delft than china, however, and the city has a 750-year history full of drama and excitement.
Founded in 1246, Delft became a prosperous city until much of it was destroyed by a great fire in 1536. It was hit with another disaster in 1654, when a gunpowder warehouse exploded and large sections of the city were destroyed. Delft has also been the site of Dutch East India Company offices, acting as a major trading centre in the Netherlands. Nowadays, Delft is one of the prettiest towns in the Netherlands, with a number of beautiful buildings and a network of canals that are pleasant to stroll along. There are a few museums worth visiting, and the Thursday Market at the main square is a great place to both soak up some local culture and do a bit of souvenir shopping.
The city has a lively atmosphere thanks to the 13,000 students of the Delft University of Technology, and there are a number of cafes, restaurants, bars and nightclubs to keep everyone entertained. While Delft has no red light district, there are a few marijuana coffeeshops in town as well, though whether these are still accessible to tourists is open to debate.
Of course, the famous earthenware is not to be forgotten and apart from the touristy shop windows, which overflow with a sea of blue and white, visitors can make a stop at the factory which produces the most iconic pieces. The white and blue decorative pottery, the trademark of Royal Delftware, was influenced by Chinese porcelain brought back from the east by the tradesmen of the Dutch East India Company. The Royal Delftware Factory (Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles) is the only remaining earthenware factory in Delft and dates back to the 17th century. Visitors to the factory can see painting demonstrations, attend painting workshops or visit the factory's museum and showroom.
Become our Delft Travel Expert
We are looking for contributors for our Delft travel guide. If you are a local, a regular traveller to Delft or a travel professional with time to contribute and answer occasional forum questions, please contact us.


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Go Green Week Day #4: Eco-Friendly At School
We're celebrating Earth Day with environmentally friendly tips all week. So far we've looked at travel tips, and some general tips for around the house and in the yard. Today, we take the tips to school. There's some action things kids and parents can do to encourage their schools/classmates to be more eco-friendly.Check back each day for more great tips!
Also be sure to join us this Saturday at NewBo City Market for EcoFest! Learn more Earth friendly tips, while enjoying family fun activities, music, movies, art, and more.
Don't idle!
Remind your school system to turn off bus engines when buses are parked. Exhaust from idling school buses can pollute air in and around the bus, and can enter school buildings through air intakes, doors, and open windows. Constant idling also wastes fuel and money, and school bus engines really need only a few minutes to warm up.
Everyone can make a difference!
High school students can study links between everyday actions at their high school, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change. Become a "climate ambassador" leader in your school or neighborhood and motivate friends, schools, and community leaders. Talk to you friends - help spread the word!