text:
While the review is supposed to take 60 days and will no doubt be an attempt to whitewash failed efforts by the government to jumpstart the economy through its support of the green industry, a look at past efforts is more than sufficient to conclude that such "investments" are more properly labeled "boondoggles" and an enormous waste of taxpayer money.
The spin on the review is already in. When Daley named Herbert Allison, a former assistant Treasury secretary, to head it up, he said:
The president is committed to investing in clean energy because he understands that the jobs developing and manufacturing those technologies will either be created here or in other countries. And while we continue to take steps to make sure the United States remains competitive in the 21st century energy economy, we must also ensure that we are strong stewards of taxpayer dollars.
Two fundamental questions were raised about government "investing" in energy by Washington Post writer Steven Mufson:
What does Washington have to show for these investments?
And should the government even be in the business of promoting particular energy technologies?
The Cato Institute's study of energy projects gives the answer to the first question by listing many of the most notorious, and expensive, failed efforts by the government in the past to create viable energy projects, including Yucca Mountain, the Clinch River Breeder Reactor, the National Ignition Facility, the nuclear weapons sites cleanup (Idaho National Laboratory, the Hanford Site, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Rocky Flats Plant, and Savannah River Site), the Superconducting Super Collider project, the Synthetic Fuels Corporation, various "clean coal" projects, FutureGen, and alternative fuel vehicles.
Two of the most egregious examples are Clinch River and Synthetic Fuels. Originally conceived under the Nixon administration in 1971 and promoted as sort of perpetual motion machine, the Clinch River Breeder Reactor was initially estimated to cost $400 million with about half coming from private utilities and the balance from the Atomic Energy Commission (now the Department of Energy). Within one year of approval by Congress the cost had escalated to $700 million. As cost overruns, corruption and fraud mounted, so did the price tag. The Carter administration opposed it without success, and the Reagan Administration breathed new life, and funding, into the project partly in deference to then-Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker (R-TN) who strongly supported the project, located in his state just outside Oak Ridge, Tennessee. By 1983, however, following investigations of fraud and revised estimates to complete the project running into the billions, the Senate finally pulled the plug on the project. Today the 1300-acre site remains empty, and the taxpayers are out an estimated $8 billion.
It was under the Carter administration that the Synthetic Fuels Corporation got its start, with the president calling it the "keystone" of the country's energy policy, designed to turn coal and shale into oil and gas. Carter set a goal of producing 2 million barrels of "synfuels" a day by 1990. It was a gargantuan project even by today's standards, some $88 billion to be invested in various projects to generate the liquid fuels. But it ran into two realities: corruption, and rapidly declining oil prices on the world market which made the project even less viable economically. By the time it was shut down in 1985 taxpayers were on the hook for another $4 billion.
As noted by the Cato Institute:
The private sector is entirely capable of performing research into coal, nuclear, solar, and alternative energy sources for itself. Businesses will fund new technologies when there is a reasonable chance of commercial success, as they do in every other private industry. Federal subsidies may even be actively damaging to our energy future by steering markets in the wrong direction, away from the best long-term energy solutions
The answer to Mufson's first question, What does Washington have to show for these investments? is clear: almost nothing except wasted energy, wasted taxpayer dollars, and misdirected resources.
The answer to Mufson's second question, Should the government even be in the business of promoting particular energy technologies? should be equally clear. In the Constitution's enumerated powers clause (Section 1, Article 8) there is no provision given any branch of the federal government to "invest" one single dime of taxpayers' money into any of these failed ventures. Let's call them what they are: unconstitutional, unimaginably wasteful, and designed to promote more federal government interference in the economy.


text:
0 Items (Empty)
Recently Viewed Items
Your Shopping Cart
Your shopping cart is currently empty. If you would like to make a purchase today, add items to your shopping cart.
This 3" Apollo 4A Series double check valve assembly comes with flanged inlet X grooved Victaulic outlet OS&Y gate valves. The 4A is a stainless steel bodied, single access cover design that features Apollos patented Triforce check assemblies. The check assemblies are held in place by stainless steel snap retainers. No special tools are required to service the device. The 4A Series are made in the USA and carry a 5 year factory warranty.
Lead Free Compliant

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Avantrip is an online travel agency focused on Latin America. At this moment, they only sell plane tickets but they are planning to launch hotel booking, ground tickets and tours in the near future.
Venture Slogan: Avantrip.
Avantrip's own description: "…sell travels online, simple and transparent to customers, increasingly dynamic and demanding. They are our inspiration, and that's why we work, to your satisfaction and experience. We believe that good attracts good. So we enjoy what we do, and that our customers enjoy looking through us. Honesty is the best way to conquer and retain their loyalty…"


text:
|eBay Logo
Shop by category
The cheapest DVDs in Australia! We can't be beaten on price! action new dvd movies adventure movies australian movies classic movies comedy drama dvd movies documentary films sport sports movie collection thriller western family film action list of movies musical movies horror movies western dvd


text:
Brandeis opened the first contest on a 13-2 run and rolled past Mitchell as 13 different players scored points in the game. The Judges were led by 16 points off the bench in just 20 minutes from sophomore Mikaela Garvin (Providence, R.I./Hope). Garvin set numerous career-highs in addition to scoring and minutes, as she pulled down three rebounds and had two assists and two blocks. She hit 5-of-9 from the field, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range.
Sophomore guard Hannah Cain (Gloucester, Mass./Gloucester) added 12 points and a game-high eight rebounds, five on the offensive glass. She also tied with rookie Samantha Mancinelli (Durham, Conn./Coginchaug Regional) and junior Julia Scanlon (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris) for game-high honors with five assists. Mancinelli also had five offensive rebounds as the Judges had a 56-26 edge on the glass, 23-7 on the offensive end.
Mitchell was paced by 13 points and six from rookie forward Amanda Garcia (New Britain, Conn./New Britain). Classmate Lauren Lohmar (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth) added six points off the bench on 3-of-7 shooting, but no other Mariner had more than two baskets. The visitors were held to just 15-of-52 from the floor (28.8%).
In the nightcap, Springfield held Trinity to just one field goal over the final 5:36 as the Pride erased a 10-point deficit. Trailing, 47-37, Springfield forced four turnovers and grabbed three offensive rebounds down the stretch, going ahead on a Meghan Biondolillo (Levittown, N.Y./Island Trees) trifecta with 1:07 left.
Springfield sophomore Jaimie Bickelhaupt (Brookfield, Conn./Brookfield) came off the bench to score a game-high 15 points in 23 minutes. She connected on 5-of-7 from the field and 5-of-6 from the line, with nine of her points coming in the second half. Biondolillo added 10 points and the Pride's only two 3-pointers, including the dagger at the end of the game. Junior forward Tamara Tribble (White Plains, N.Y./Valhalla) added a game-high 12 rebounds, four on the offensive glass.
Trinity had three players score in double figures, including two off the bench. Sophomore Hannah Brickley (Melrose, Mass./Melrose) and rookie Christina Raiti (Plainview, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran) each had 11 points in reserve, while junior Abby Hancock (Casco, Maine/Lake Region) had 10 as a starter. Junior Shantel Hanniford (Nantucket, Mass./Nantucket) led the Bantams with eight rebounds, six offensive, while junior Moriah Sweeney (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey) had seven boards and matched Raiti with four assists each.
- 30 -


text:
Back to Search Results
Additional Info
Additional Specs
Features & Benefits
Product Reviews
Product Info
If you're looking for an auto repair shop in Mission Viejo that you can trust, look no further than the team at Complete Autocare & Tire. At our shop, we're proud to serve all of your automotive needs, whether you need a routine oil change or exhaust system work on your vehicle. Complete Autocare & Tire is a leader in offering name brand tires and wheels from top tire brands, all at competitive prices. With tire and wheel services to ensure that you make the most out of your vehicle, our auto repair shop is THE place to go for complete car care in the Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills, and Ladera Ranch areas. Call us today to learn more about what we can do for your car, truck, or SUV, or stop into our Mission Viejo car care center to see what we have to offer. From tires and rims to services to keep you rolling, we know you'll love the personalized attention you receive at Complete Autocare & Tire in Mission Viejo, CA.


text:
I watched the sun set this week down at a storm-ravaged beach, and I realized that while the sun rises and the sun sets, pretty much everything else changes.
It's Thanksgiving week, but for thousands of people on Long Island it will be a holiday season unlike any other. It will be a day of giving thanks for survival, for shelter, for food and for friends. And humming in the background will be the still-fresh noise of crashing waves and the eerie silence of rising water.
So many residents of our communities still wonder at the devastation — the ruined homes and businesses. Their work lives are disrupted and their nights are uneasy. What will be? How will we rebuild? Who will help us? When will we feel normal again? Is it safe to live here?
Still, it feels right to celebrate Thanksgiving with a brief timeout for good food and the company of friends and family. How lucky we are to live in a country where the food and clothing and money started flowing toward those in need even before the tidal waters retreated.
It feels OK, even in the midst of loss, to remember all that we have.
One friend said she really feels thankful for electricity, and no wonder: She didn't have any for 12 days. A woman I know said that for as long as she lives, she will cherish the friends who took her and her kids and her dog into their home for a week. They fed her and cheered her up and held her hand through the worst of times.
I feel grateful that my home was safe from the storm and we could offer help to others in the first days after the hurricane. I'm still feeling thankful for the heat that comes wafting out of the radiators and the hot water that flows from the faucets. I never thought much about that before.
I meet neighbors whose eyes well up as they recount the sight of water rising in their living rooms, flooding the homes they've lived in for decades, washing away photo albums and books and memories. And yet, every single one has said to me, "There are people worse off. At least we have …" Fill in the blank: friends, family, enough food, a place to go for Thanksgiving dinner.
This year, we will travel for Thanksgiving so that we can sit down with children and grandchildren and my parents, who at 89 and 93 are blessings unto themselves, and us as well.


text:
Can you imagine being a kid and having your dad sometimes sport a Batman mask as he waits for opportunities to parent you in that iconic gritty Batman voice?
That's exactly what Vine user BatDad does, and it's amazing. Well, for us, the viewers. His family seems to go between amused, nonplussed and annoyed based on this compilation of Vines. Never change, BatDad.
You can check out BatDad's Vines here, or check him out on Twitter here.
Off-Topic is our nightly open thread where we show you something interesting beyond the world of games while inviting you to talk about anything and everything.


text:
Our music libraries are on all of our portable devices, whether they be phones, tablets, or computers. But while your music libraries may be packed with great songs, if they aren't in High-Resolution Audio you are not experiencing the sound quality that the artist intended you to hear.
While there are plenty of great High-Resolution Music downloading sites, Sony engineers have made it possible for you to listen to your regular music library in near High-Resolution Audio quality by developing Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE HX™) Technology.
How Does DSEE HX™ Work?
While lossy music files (like MP3s) are great for saving space on your device, they are missing vital information from the song's original recording file. On the other hand, High-Resolution Audio file formats (such as FLAC and WAV) are created with lossless compression that allows the original data from a recording to be reconstructed almost perfectly by a class of algorithms. DSEE HX™ Technology lies somewhere in between. Here's how:
Sony DSEE HX™ software upscales your existing sound source (those lossy MP3s or AACs) to near high-resolution sound quality. This means that the technology injects more life into your music by upscaling compressed files. So it restores the subtleties of the original song recording and simulates the sound of live performance.
DSEE HX™ Technology Products
This technology can be found in a wide range of Sony products. Here are some Sony products that include DSEE HX™ software as well as a whole host of other advanced features.
ZX2 High-Resolution Walkman® Top Features:
Store hundreds of High-Resolution Audio songs: 128 GB of internal memory
Great sound quality: Supports high-resolution playback DSD, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC, MP3 and WMA files
Superb battery life: Up to 33 hours of high-resolution playback on a single charge
High quality wireless streaming: Provides top wireless Bluetooth® music streaming with Sony's new audio technology LDAC™
HAP-S1 High-Resolution Player Top Features:
Great sound quality: Playback of DSD and the full range of high-resolution file formats
Storage capacity: 500 GB of internal storage
Wired or wireless file transfer: The ability to transfer audio files from your computer via Ethernet or wireless connection
Software control: Download the dedicated HDD Audio Remote app to control your listening experience
Xperia™ Z3 Smartphone Top Features:
Waterproof: With an IP65/68 rating, the Xperia™ Z3 can last for up to 30 minutes in fresh water, and you can dive as deep as 5 feet.
Takes stunning images: With Sony Exmor RS® mobile sensor and the first ISO 12800 in a smartphone, this phone will take your photos to a whole new level.
Gaming: The only smartphone with PS4™ Remote Play.
With DSEE HX™, Sony gives you the power to upgrade your existing music library to near High-Resolution Audio sound quality with the touch of a button. This is just another innovative technology from Sony that will enrich your music listening experience.


text:
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's campaign was called out by Politifact yesterday for some snazzy splicing it did in a Dewhurst web ad that essentially puts words in journalists' mouths.
But this isn't the first time the Dewhurst campaign has spliced statements together to blur the truth.
A video released by his campaign a few weeks ago entitled "Ethics Matter" implied that President Barack Obama and his Attorney General, Eric Holder, are withholding the truth on the gun-running operation known as Fast and Furious.
The web ad splices together various news clips of Obama, Holder and machine guns with voice overs from reporterly-sounding men and women talking about developments in the story.
The video ends with a clip of Obama addressing a group of grade school students about his experience in school. "I had to take a class called 'Ethics,'" he says. "Now ethics is about right and wrong. But if you'd asked me what my favorite subject was, I don't think Ethics would've made it on the list."
That last clip splices out the beginning, middle and end of the Obama quote, where it's clear he's joking around with the kids he's speaking to. In the full clip, Obama says he had to take ethics in 8th grade, and he tells the kids that his favorite subject back then was basketball. He then goes on to talk about how much he still remembers and uses the ethics class he took in 8th grade.
The splice in Dewhurst's ad is smooth as can be, and it's nothing new in political advertisements. But the ad would've been just as effective without cutting out the context of Obama's speech.
You can watch Ethics Matter below.
EDIT, 12:30 p.m.: This post was updated to reflect the fact that Politifact analyzed a web video, not Dewhurst's new television ad.


text:
Childhood program improves health 30 years later
Preschool intervention led to reduced blood pressure, obesity, especially among men
High-quality early childhood programs may reduce adults' obesity and blood pressure, a new study finds.
Kids from poor families who were randomly assigned to a program of educational activities, basic medical care and healthy meals for the first five years of life displayed better health in their mid-30s than peers who didn't get the intervention, say psychologist Frances Campbell of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her colleagues.
It's not clear precisely how the childhood program boosted adult cardiovascular and metabolic health, the researchers report in the March 28 Science. But since a program with an average annual cost of about $18,000 per child in today's dollars yielded sustained health benefits, the researchers conclude, early childhood interventions may represent a way to bring down health care costs.
Campbell's team analyzed data from the


text:
Tuesday, September 25
Good morning, TexMessagers! What is Paul Ryan doing in Houston this afternoon? We don't know. And apparently neither does anyone else.
Paul Ryan will make a special appearance in Houston this afternoon, but there is one small scheduling problem — Houston area Republicans don't know what he's doing there!
According to Chris Elam, the deputy executive director for the Republican Party of Texas, the Romney-Ryan national campaign didn't disclose many details about Ryan's solo trip to the Lone Star State. A media relations contact for the campaign would only disclose that Ryan would be attending "a few fundraising visits."
The Wisconsin representative will land at Houston Hobby Airport at 5:55 p.m. for an the event that is open only to those with valid media credentials. Paul will not make a statement or address at the airport.
Why is the Romney-Ryan campaign spending so much time in Texas? The state is already considered a shoo-in for the Republican ticket, but Texas is one of the orphan states whose upcoming congressional elections could decide who holds control of the House of Representatives.
"Paul Ryan is grateful for the support we have in Houston," said Brendan Buck, a spokesperson for the Romney campaign. "These Texans understand we cannot afford four more years of President Obama and that Mitt Romney will bring us real recovery."
Francine Stanfield, a spokesperson for Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, said Brady plans on attending the event with his close friend and House colleague tonight. But state Rep. Randy Weber, R-Pearland, who is in a competitive congressional race with Democrat Nick Lampson, will be busy fulfilling legislative duties in Austin.
Perhaps Ryan could be coming to endorse some of his colleagues, or to vacuum up funds from backers of Rick Perry's failed run for the nomination. It could even be that he doesn't have a political agenda at all. As for what he plans to attend while he's here, mum's the word.
Headlines from TxPotomac's 2012 presidential campaign coverage and more
★ Barack Who? Michelle Obama hardly mentions her husband in speech to Congressional Black Caucus
★ Romney enlists Rick Perry, Pete Olson to boost campaign, blast Obama
★ New e-book takes a look at 'the worst presidential campaign in American history' (Rick Perry, that's you)
★ Electoral College update: Big trouble for Romney in industrial heartland
★ 5 hits and 5 misses from the campaign trail, Sep. 15-20
★ Obama and Romney talk Latino issues on Univision — here's a recap of their answers
★ Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson to visit University of Texas on Monday
★ The new gender gap: Poll shows Obama with 52 point lead among Latinas, 29 among Hispanic men
★ Rick Perry: 'Christian warriors' need to stand up to 'President Obama and his cronies in Washington'
★ Obama acts cool on Letterman; Romney dredges up 1998 tape of Obama talking 'redistribution'
★ Romney dines in Dallas at $50,000 a plate as protesters yell 'we are the 47 percent'
★ A dozen Obama gaffes — with a little help from Joe Biden
★ Napolitano: Immigration hasn't been 'a linchpin, red hot issue' in 2012
★ Poll: Overwhelming public support for photo identification laws
★ Romney raw: Here are the unedited tapes. Decide for yourself.
★ Mitt Romney's top twenty gaffes of the year
★ Rapid Response: Team Obama ridicules Romney for '47 percent' comment
★ Fact check: Romney's '47 percent' claim is not entirely accurate
Reader Comment of the Day
In response to our Facebook post, "At the RNC, Rick Perry said he's not the quarterback, but he's on the team. Can key Texas players like Pete Olson and Ted Cruz help Mitt Romney score big this election?", John Hodges wrote in the comments forum:
Ricky is the cheerleader.. Like he was at A&M…
Texas Watch
TxPotomac lets you know what stories to look out for.
★ Economic indicators: American Petroleum Institute releases weekly data. Federal Housing Finance Agency releases monthly house price index estimates. Conference Board releases monthly data based on a representative sample of 5,000 U.S. households.
★ Houston Community College will hold a voter registration drive at its Stafford campus. Sept. 25-Sept.26. Registration will open at 11 a.m.
Tomorrow and beyond:
★ Sept. 29 – Nov. 3. Saturday Phone Bank Blitz at Harris County Democratic Party Headquarters (Houston, TX)
★ Oct. 3. First Presidential Debate, University of Denver, Denver, Colo. Moderator: Jim Lehrer
★ Oct. 9. Voting Registration deadline.
★ Oct. 11. Vice Presidential Debate, Centre College, Danville, Ky. Moderator: Martha Raddatz
★ Oct. 16. Second Presidential Debate, Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y. Moderator: Candy Crowley
★ Oct. 22. Third Presidential Debate, Lynn University, Boca Raton, Fla. Moderator: Bob Schieffer
★ Oct. 22 to Nov. 2. Early Voting in Texas.
★ Nov. 6. Election Day.
Today in Texas History
On this date in 1867, legendary Texas cattle rancher and trail blazer Oliver Loving died of gangrene at Fort Sumner, New Mexico. More>>>


text:
Is Big Data The Future of Marketing?
Is Big Data The Future of Marketing?
Join the DZone community and get the full member experience.Join For Free
In our last interview, Doug Kessler talked about creating a content culture. Before that, Todd Wheatland predicted that content and technology would combine to drive the future of marketing. Mark Schaefer discussed culture and the future of search. Marcus Starke predicted the rise of the science of marketing. Ann Handley called for more brands to become Content Brands. And Alan See reiterated that the customer and the content is king.
Now let's hear what Steve thinks about the present and future of marketing.
Tell us about yourself?
I'm an author, columnist, blogger, entrepreneur and head of an integrated marketing agency. I've been an agency guy from day one, starting my career working on the Pizza Hut business for a terrific Southern California firm. Fast forward to today–having spent the past twenty-five years in five different agencies (from global to local) working on a wide variety of accounts, I'm partner in my own shop. Along the way I discovered a love of writing (hence my book, blog and Businessweek column) and a knack for finding niches (we recently launched a startup tech firm in the Bay Area).
Tell us about a tough or interesting challenge you face?
The biggest challenge we face is maintaining our agency's focus while staying ahead of change in a rapidly evolving environment. We specialize in working with stalled, stuck and stale brands, which there are no shortage of these days. But turnover in the c-suite, changing marketplace dynamics and an increasingly confusing environment can easily knock an agency off its game.
How are you approaching those challenges?
We continually remind ourselves to take our own medicine, deepening the capabilities we consider unique and maintaining focus on the essentials (our core competency of helping struggling companies understand and address their true challenges) while being nimble in our offering (new/different services including things like social media strategy consulting and data visualization). That has helped us remain consistent while staying relevant—an interesting balancing act.
What is your prediction for the future of marketing?
I am fascinated with the rapid escalation of "big data" and the tools available to analyze it. I think it may increase the polarization between the analytical and creative sides of marketing. More and better-understood data will give the analysts more influence, but since data, by definition, can provide only a view of the past (even if it's the immediate past), we'll need forward-thinking creative capabilities more than ever. This may raise tension not only between the analytical and creative players within clients and agencies, but within the mind of the individual strategist as well. It will put an even higher premium on planners who can comfortably operate using both sides of their brains. I find that personally exciting, if a bit intimidating.
Opinions expressed by DZone contributors are their own.


text:
The site you are requesting could not be found. There may be an error or the site may no longer be active. If you are the owner of this website/domain, please contact MacAce
MacAce - The Mac ISP | Hosting | Email | Broadband | Leased Lines | Hosted VoIP


text:
Soundshower at Hot Body Yoga
Avishai Barnatan
Friday, 25 August 2017 from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm (AEST)
Event Details
Come bathe in pure sounds that will take you on a deeply transformational journey…
This is a wonderful and unique musical experience!
The Soundshower combines Tibetan Bowls, Chimes, Flutes and Overtone Singing. During the Soundshower you will be invited to lie down and immerse in the soothing tones. These tones reduce the brain activity and slow the heart beat, allowing a deep expanded state where healing can occur.The healing frequencies enhance a physical , mental and emotional calibration to the human body and energy field.
The Soundshower helps shift and release stagnant energy and tension accumulated in the body, and is a very relaxing, rejuvenating and energising experience. It also assists with pain relief and many stress related conditions.
give yourself a chance to recharge, gain focus and clarity and deepen your sense of wellbeing.
*Please come 15 min. before the starting time and bring a matt to lie on and a light blanket and cushions to make sure you are comfortable!
you are welcome to view this Soundshower intro video
* You can also purchase a combined ticket for the Soundshower and the Sound healing workshop on Saturday Aug 26th at Bikram yoga studio in Launceston between 11.30-3pm (more info on the fb event page or my website)
for more info 0421 631504
When & Where
Hot Body Yoga Launceston
43 Brisbane Street
Friday, 25 August 2017 from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm (AEST)
Add to my calendar


text:
New Fire Raging In Albany County
Another fire has broken out in Albany County, prompting evacuations for those in the Cottonwood Park and Bear Creek Road areas. Officials believe the Arapaho fire was sparked by lightning in the Laramie Peak area, and made a major wind-driven run late Thursday afternoon and evening.
It's burning in mixed conifer, and generated a smoke column that could be seen from Interstate 25 near Wheatland. It is actively burning on private and Forest Service lands between Laramie Peak and Bearhead Mountain. It's not yet known how many acres have burned.


text:
A borrower in Iraq. We obscure the identities of many of our borrowers in conflict zones for their protection.
Few people question the morality of micro-lending. But when it comes to making loans to borrowers in conflict zones, my first question is, "Is it moral?" More on this later. First, I think it's important for people to understand the realities of conflict zones.
What is war? Aside from violence and destruction (which has a lengthy history of thought and regulation), war is defined by Clausewitz as "just an extension of politics by other means." He also asserts that, in order for a country to be successful in a war, a trinity of political leadership, the military, and the civilian population must be in harmony.
Today, this doesn't apply to most wars. The majority are being fought as insurgencies, a portion of a country's population fighting their sovereign authority in an armed rebellion. In this model, the insurgents and the insurgents' political leadership are a singular, hostile force, while the government authority struggles to retain its authority through political leadership and the military (a notable exception being military dictatorships). The civilian population in insurgencies are the center of gravity and, in the end, this civilian population will decide who wins the conflict.
Counter-insurgency strategists tell us that the most effective way to fight this type of war is to focus on gaining and retaining the support of the non-insurgent civilian population. This has to happen in order for the government to cut off resources and degrade the combat capabilities of its enemies.
So what does this have to do with microfinance?
Microfinance helps build local economies, decrease unemployment, and improve living standards. These are all critical elements in civilians feeling satisfied and pacified, making them less likely to join an insurgency. This is another reason that many social enterprises and development funds deploy microfinance programs in conflict zones. Counter-insurgency campaigns do very similar things to give local economies the breathing room to grow and create stability.
This is where the question of morality comes in. When investors inject capital into communities through microfinance before security is established, there can be some very negative consequences. While its true that increased economic activity can draw people away from conflicts, it can also create more risk for the civilian population. Often, people with strong livelihoods become targets for insurgents to extort revenue or seek retribution. In extreme cases, economic activity can lead to "spectacular attacks" like market bombings.
This happens because insurgent organizations have no legitimate revenue stream to fund their organizations. In Afghanistan, for example, the Taliban funds their operations with overseas donations, narco-trafficking, and extortion.
Recently, Michael Looft, Kiva's Regional Director for Europe and the Middle East, visited Iraq and asked field partner Relief International what they thought about this. They replied that in areas where microfinance institutions operate in Iraq, there are frequent disruptions of daily work due to destruction and closurers. These incidents impact businesses' income, which can affect borrowers' ability to repay. The gist is that their clients are running businesses in a dangerous time, and their success could also make them a target.
If this is the case, is it moral to conduct microfinance in conflict zones? I believe the answer lies in Lesson 16 of Colin Powell's rules of leadership: "The commander in the field is always right, and the rear echelon is wrong, unless proved otherwise."
In terms of microfinance, I translate this to mean that the borrower is always right unless proven otherwise. The borrower has the best understanding of their security and should make the decision that is best for them. So yes, it is moral to fund loans in conflict zones, as long as the borrower has agency over the terms of the loans. And of course basic safety precautions should be taken when possible. For example, Kiva takes steps to concel borrowers' identities when posting loans.
The reality is that no situation is ever 100% safe, but entrepreneurs have better information than lenders most of the time. On top of that, the possibility that microfinance may shorten a conflict is morally justifiable to me.
Kiva borrowers in Iraq with their identities protected.
Next Thursday, June 20th, this blog series will be continued by Jeffery Nelson with his post "Swords to Plowshares: Is Micro-finance the proper tool for post-conflict zones?"


text:
". . . from dust to dust. A vernacular legacy"
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS)Documentation of Dunn County's historic
Hutmacher Complex
1995 architecture field research project near Killdeer/Manning, North Dakota
field research activity led by
Steve C. Martens, AIA Associate Professor and James W. Nelson, AIAAssociate Professor
Dept. of Architecture & Landscape Architecture North Dakota State University
The project investigation team is grateful to the Dunn County Historical Society and the State Historical Society of North Dakota
for grant support, field assistance, and generous access to historic photos and other pertinent information from their collections, some of which are reproduced in this brochure.
As part of their ongoing research interest, the NDSU HABS investigation team would greatly appreciate correspondence from individuals or county historical societies with additional information pertaining to surviving earthen or stone slab structures built on the Great Plains by Germans from Russia.
The Frank and Veronica Hutmacher Farmstead (part of the Hutmacher Complex, including St. Edwards Cemetery and ruins of the Valentine and Francis Hutmacher farm); rural Dunn County, near the former Fayette townsite in the vicinity of Manning and Killdeer, North Dakota
Sein Leben war ein Augenblick Ein Frühligstraum sein Erdenglück.
This life lasted but a moment [like the blink of an eye]. A Spring dream only imagined.
[-from a cemetery marker in St. Edward's Cemetery]
For further information about the kinds of buildings constructed by Germans from Russia, please see:
Koop, Michael and Carolyn Torma. "Folk Building of the South Dakota German-Russians". (Vermillion, SD: Collections of the South Dakota Preservation Office; n.d. 1984, videotape, 30 min)
Koop, Michael and Stephen Ludwig. "German-Russian Folk Architecture in Southeastern South Dakota". (Vermillion, SD: State Historical Preservation Center; 1984, 187 slides, 1 cassette tape, 1 script).
Koop, Michael. "German-Russians", in Dell Upton (ed.) America's Architectural Roots. (Washington, DC: National Trust for Historic Preservation; 1986).
Murphy, David. "Building in Clay on the Central Plains", in Perspectives in Vernacular Architecture, III. (Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1982.)
Sherman, Fr. William C. "Prairie Architecture of the Russian-German Settlers", in Richard Sallett (ed.) Russian German Settlements in the United States. (Fargo: North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies; 1974).
Please contact the team leaders, care of:
Steve Martens, AIA; Associate Professor or James W. Nelson, AIA; Associate Professor
Dept. of Architecture & Landscape Architecture North Dakota State University
P.O. Box 5285; S.U. Station Fargo, ND 58105-5285
(701) 231-7387 or FAX 701-231-7342 e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
What is HABS?
The Historic American Buildings Survey (or HABS) was begun during the Great Depression as a means of recording -- through photos, precise field measurements, and archival drawings -- unique historic buildings that form part of our national heritage. The completed pen-and-ink drawings are part of the most extensively accessed collection in the Library of Congress, encompassing over 120,000 documents that describe more than 30,000 buildings (both high-style and commonplace). Measured drawings developed by student groups like the NDSU team will eventually be placed in the HABS collection after being submitted to the annual Charles E. Peterson Prize national competition.
The Hutmacher Complex is comprised of two adjacent farmsteads constructed in a traditional, ethnic architectural form that originated in the Black Sea region of Russia and Ukraine. The most distinctive and significant aspects of the property are its architectural form (that is, the shape and arrangement of rooms) and the means by which the buildings were constructed. Significance of the Hutmacher Complex has been recognized by the National Register of Historic Places. For many years, the Hutmacher Complex has been protected, in a sense, by its relative remoteness and by continued occupance and use of the buildings until the 1970s. Though several of the buildings existed in a fragile condition at the time of this documentation effort, the county and state historical societies remain committed to their protection and preservation. Stone slab structures at the Frank Hutmacher farmsite include a house, below-grade cellar, the ruins of a barn/granary, a summer kitchen/butchering shed, a poultry barn, and a garage (which also may have stabled livestock at one time).
Ethnic Origins:
During the 18th- and 19th-centuries, Germans and German-speaking peoples relocated to the Steppes of Russia under encouragement from Catherine the Great and Czar Alexander I. There they adopted and modified an extant national tradition of constructing load-bearing earthen buildings. This ethnically-distinct building tradition was brought to the Great Plains of North America and modified using a variety of similar, but distinguishable methods and materials. The stone slab buildings of the Hutmacher Complex are part of an ethnically distinct folk complex that includes language, foodways, and burial customs (such as iron cross cemetery markers).
The Hutmacher complex is the best known example of stone-slab construction in North Dakota. The Hutmacher families were typical of other Germans from Russia who emigrated to the northern Great Plains a short time after Native Americans were forced off their Dakota Territory treaty lands around the turn of the twentieth century. The buildings the Hutmachers built on their farmsteads were highly labor-intensive to construct and maintain, but also highly appropriate in terms of their environmental response and their use of locally available materials. In addition to the carefully-worked, coursed ashlar sandstone slabs and clay mortar found in the Hutmacher Complex, German-Russian methods of construction by the immigrants included rammed earth, puddled clay, and batsa bricks.
Environmental Response:
All principal openings orient toward the south as deep window recesses. Though the Frank Hutmacher house was constructed and added-to over several years' time (from 1928 to 1963), all rooms in the house are aligned along a single east-west axis with an entry vestibule recalling the immigrants' tradition of a vörhausel. Unhewn Badlands Cedar roof rafters bear on the masonry walls and on a cottonwood ridge beam referred to as an "erstbaum" (or "first beam"), with the entire roof assembly then covered by branches, flax straw and clay. Beehive-shaped, clay coated chimneys that are visible in two locations originally served freestanding, cast iron stoves in which the Hutmachers burned coal they harvested from a nearby excavation, about 100-yards to the west. Other German-Russians as nearby as South Dakota are known to have built much larger bake ovens in this new world setting. On several of the outbuildings, hogwire fencing was also used as a "binder" for the roofing clay. Exterior surfaces of the sandstone walls were originally covered with a mixture of clay and chopped straw, which remains visible in several locations.
Project Information:
Field research and documentation of the Hutmacher Complex were conducted during the summer of 1995 by Scott Gilbertson, Lee Dobrinz and Eric Oleson, all students of the Department of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at North Dakota State University, working under direction of Steve C. Martens, Associate Professor and James W. Nelson, Assistant Professor, with financial support from the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Ella Guenther, Dorothy Galyen, and Agnes Fisher of the Dunn County Historical Society provided a substantial amount of information, support and encouragement for the recording effort.
The activities of the recording team have been observed and filmed by Prairie Public Television, in anticipation of a documentary that would capture the process of measuring and preserving a unique North Dakota architectural treasure.
All photo images on this webpage are by Steve C. Martens


text:
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
* Pink and Green Mama's Gratitude Giveway #3: Kiwi Craft Crate
Let's kick off the holidays with another giveaway!
My lovely friends at Kiwi Crate sent us
this fun little craft kit to play with and try out.
"C" (age 4) loved it, it's a perfect mess free craft kit for toddlers and preschoolers.
Everything you need comes inside the kit, even these scissors
(which are awesome and now "C"s favorite pair)
We got the Colors Crate to explore.
First up was playing with colors on two different spinning tops.
The papers were precut so we just colored them in
and you can make different designs on both sides so you get
twice as many tops to play with.
Each craft comes with these cute little instructions and tips.
Very cute graphics and very user friendly!
"C" adding finishing touches to her tops before we gave them a whirl!
They sent multiple, prepunched circles of paper
to fit onto each of the two spinning tops.
She made designs on both sides!
Spinning the top!
Look at how the colors blend together -- weeee!
Then, she wanted to make the "stained glass" window that came with the kit.
We stuck the pieces of pre-cut contact paper to the pre-cut matte board frame.
Then, "C" stuck tissue paper to the contact paper's sticky surface.
Checking her work to see how the colors look in the sunlight.
Then, she played with it on our light table.
They also sent us these cool pieces of colored plastic so we could blend colors!
Trying the stained glass with the included "blue" glasses
to see if the colors change.
Then, it was time to play with bleeding tissue paper.
"C" had never played with this stuff before and I guess
I hadn't either. We laid out the included white mini tote bag on a cookie sheet
and used the include eye dropper to apply water to the tissue paper.
We let it dry on the bag and it made a pretty tie-dyed rainbow!
All in all this was a GREAT kit.
"C" is the perfect age for it and I think any kid ages 3-5 would love it.
It was very mom-friendly too.
There was minimal set up (and clean up) involved!
These would make great birthday gifts for classmates and friends.
Want a chance to win your own free kit to play with at home?
from Kiwi Crate (go check out their website),
they have several cute ones on their website.
Comments are now closed.
pink and green mama
Labels: Color Wheel, Giveaway, Product Review, Rainbow, Sponsors
Monday, November 28, 2011
* Cyber Monday Pink and Green Mama Crafts Homemade Gifts Kids Can Make Lesson Plan Sale - 50% Off!
I'm hosting my own little Cyber Monday Sale
today to get you started on the right foot
for the upcoming holidays!
My Pink and Green Mama Crafts:
Homemade Gifts Kids Can Make
from the HeART ebook PDF
is 50% off today only!
from the HeART ebook PDF
It has 15 complete projects in a
53-page PDF Formatted
Craft e-Book.
* Complete Supply Lists
* Full-Color Photos of Actual Projects
* Detailed Step-by-Step Photo Directions
These projects are not just for Christmas,
several of them also work for other special occasions
like birthdays and anniversaries!
Younger children, ages 2-4 will need a lot of assistance
but older children ages 5 and up,
will be able to do a lot of the work by themselves!
Please click on the PayPal button above.
53-page PDF Formatted
Craft e-Book.
* Complete Supply Lists
* Full-Color Photos of Actual Projects
* Detailed Step-by-Step Photo Directions
These projects are not just for Christmas,
several of them also work for other special occasions
like birthdays and anniversaries!
Younger children, ages 2-4 will need a lot of assistance
but older children ages 5 and up,
will be able to do a lot of the work by themselves!
What could be better than
a gift made with love,
given with love,
and created with inexpensive supplies
or materials you already have on hand?!
This PDF ebook is designed to be printed out
or you can read the directions directly from your own
home or classroom computer screen.
To purchase the PDF
After I receive a confirmation email from Pay-Pal,
I will email you an easy-to-print PDF
and you will be ready to start making some homemade gifts.
This $5.00 sale price is only for
today, Monday,
November 28, 2011.
NOTE: Please make sure to keep an eye on your junk mail folder
for a Pink and Green email.
I will send your lesson as soon as possible and always within 24 hours,
I am a busy mom, not a robot so please be patient with me!
Pink and Green Mama
These craft lesson plans are copyrighted
by MaryLea Harris (Pink and Green Mama LLC)
they are intended for personal or classroom use,
not for re-sale or reproduction.
Friday, November 25, 2011
* Thanksgiving Break Blog Stand-by...
Today we'll be setting up the Christmas tree.
Hanging wreaths, eating leftover turkey sandwiches,
and sneaking off for a mommy-daddy date
while the grandparents spoil and babysit their granddaughters.
Wishing you and yours a happy holiday weekend.
The blog will resume next week after I can zip my pants again.
Pink and Green Mama,
Labels: Fall, Holidays, Thanksgiving
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
* Native American Princesses Imaginary Play
Two little Native American Princesses have taken up
residence in our family room.
It started with the teepee.
My parents found it at a neighborhood garage sale
two years ago. Isn't it great?!
It travels around our house.
Sometimes it's in the yard, other days you can find it in
our family room, the playroom, or my art studio.
Then the girls needed some food so they raided my
Gyotaku (Japanese Fish Printmaking) rubber fish from the art studio.
They built this "camp fire" with stones and scarves.
and gathered necessary supplies...
Then they needed something to wear.
So, one Saturday morning this summer,
I made them each a fleece dress.
I found this fleece at JoAnnes during a sale this summer.
I folded it in half and cut out the basic shape you see above with simple side seams
on my sewing machine and hand-cut fringe.
Didn't use a pattern, just eye-balled it.
Close-up of the "arm pit" area of the dress.
Neckline has a notch to make it easier to take on and off.
"E"s was embellished with some simple (plastic)
turquoise beads from our stash.
"C"s dress has a little turtle bead and some pink accents.
We tied and knotted plastic pony beads onto some of the fringe for a bit more bling.
"E" modeling her fancy outfit.
"C" gathering fish in her mesh net (one of my string grocery bags)
"E" cleaning the fish by the campfire.
Baskets, blankets, and kittens inside the teepee.
Take time to pet the wild mountain lion who hangs out by the campsite.
Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving from
our teepee to yours!
Pink and Green Mama,
Labels: Fall, Holidays, Play, Thanksgiving
Monday, November 21, 2011
* Cut Paper Thanksgiving Dinner
"E" (age 8) had to plan a Thanksgiving dinner
as one of her November projects for school this month.
I thought she would just make a seating chart,
write a menu, and maybe copy a recipe.
Nope... she wanted to make a full-size reproduction
of our Thanksgiving table so that's just what she's been working on
for the past three weeks. She finished it this weekend and it's adorable.
She used brown contractor's paper to roll out a table
and made all of the plates and cut paper food out of scrap-booking paper
and construction paper. She even made place cards for
each family member, water glasses out of watercolor paper,
and little forks, knives, spoons out of gold paper.
Here are some peaches stuffed with sweet potatoes and stuffing.
She even asked us to trace our hands and sign on the "tablecloth" just like we do
at my mom's house every year.
Signing the table cloth for my niece's first thanksgiving (2009).
Here's my favorite part.
Her kid's meal for my niece.
Check out the cotton ball mashed potatoes and the crinkly paper crackers!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Pink and Green Mama
Labels: Create, Fall, Holidays, Paper Crafts, Thanksgiving
Thursday, November 17, 2011
* Mom's Homeroom Anatomy of a Craft Project Body Maps!
This summer, we got to film a segment for the
We spent a whole morning and part of an afternoon
shooting footage of the girls and two of their friends
making Life-Sized Body Maps.
The kids made wonderful projects
and were naturals on camera.
The film crew was wonderful and I made some new facebook friends too!
We had two awesome cameramen, a very funny sound guy,
a talented working mama director, our lovely and warm hostess Alba (and myself)
along with 4 kids crammed into my art studio!
My hubby was in charge of snacks and candid photos.
Yesterday, the video premiered on their website!
You can check it out by clicking here, it's called
If you want to hear what my voice sounds like
(it sounds weird to me!) and see my kiddos in action
crafting, learning, and creating go check it out!
Giggle monsters on the rug for a final take.
The original Life-Sized Body Map Post
Labels: Create, Explore, Interview, Mom's Homeroom, Preschool, School Age, Science, Sponsors
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
Blog Archive
- ► 2013 (74)
- ► 2012 (164)
- * Pink and Green Mama's Gratitude Giveway #3: Kiwi...
- * Cyber Monday Pink and Green Mama Crafts Homemade...
- * Thanksgiving Break Blog Stand-by...
- * Native American Princesses Imaginary Play
- * Cut Paper Thanksgiving Dinner
- * Mom's Homeroom Anatomy of a Craft Project Body M...
- * Turkeys In Disguise... Part 2: Astronaut Turkey ...
- * Fall Art Project: Cubist Pattern Leaves
- * Fall Art Project: Turkeys With Crayon on Marker ...
- * Pink and Green Mama's Gratitude Giveaway #2: Mak...
- * Fall Craft for Kids: Coffee Filter Leaves
- * Pink and Green Mama's Gratitude Giveaway #1: Nov...
- * Nintendo Wii Play Motion Ice Cream Party!
- ▼ November (13)
- ► 2010 (172)
- ► 2009 (161)


text: These online art activities for families will help young people and their parents or caregivers enjoy and discover the many works of art in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. The projects can be done at home. Many of the supplies are household objects, and the steps are easy to follow. Teachers may wish to adapt some of these activities for the classroom as well. Be sure to plan a visit to the museum to see the actual works upon which these activities are based. We hope to see you often!


text:
Friday, June 20, 2008
mimosa, anyone?
How great is this tree? It's Dr. Seuss-inspired (my favorite kind!) When I first saw one, it was located curiously close to a delicious local sushi restaurant, so I decided it must be Asian. Then, I began to see them along the road as I was driving to work, and realized that was a stupid assumption. I was trying to imagine how I could have never noticed these wonderful pink powder-puff fluffs growing on these local trees, and decided to do a little research. What is it? Where is it from?
Turns out, it IS Asian!! or, to be more precise, it is native to both Asia and the Middle East. It's called a Mimosa or silk tree. And birds, bees, butterflies and hummingbirds like it.
I have ALSO discovered that this is an "invasive tree" and many folks are up-in-arms about people who plant it in this part of the world. Apparently it re-seeds quite easily and can be a bit of a pain. But I can't imagine anything quite as charming as an overabundance of pink powder-puff-fluff trees - even if they ARE invasive.
My photos are all rather close-up because I didn't like the surroundings...but there's an entire pool devoted to the Mimosa at Flickr, and a couple better overviews here and here.
7 comments:
- dancinglife said...
Luv the fluf.
- June 29, 2008 at 11:35 PM
- Mary said...
I remember being offended when I first heard about Mimosa being invasive, too. Alas, where I'm living now, in Panama, there's a species of it that grows on the ground and has thorns AND is invasive. Definitely makes going barefoot no fun!
- July 12, 2008 at 5:03 PM
I saw one of these on a walk with the girls this weekend! I never would have noticed it if you hadn't posted pictures. The girls were thrilled because anything pink is thrilling...
- July 21, 2008 at 12:26 PM
- equipaje said...
Very fragrant flowers, I love this plant! And in my country (Italy, in the North) isn't *so* invasive.
I know it like Albizzia julibrissin.
- November 6, 2008 at 6:09 AM
- Xavi said...
Yes is Albizzia julibrissin or Constantinopla Tree.
- November 25, 2008 at 3:13 PM
- ROS said...
Yes it is the Albizzia julibrissin or the Persian silk tree... the term 'Mimosa' is commonly used in the US but is a misnomer... your post sparked off a little investigation and hopefully i've got it right in my post - http://ringsofsilverpv.blogspot.com/2009/05/of-albizias-acacias-and-mimosas.html
- May 3, 2009 at 3:55 PM
- Mac_fromAustralia said...
Hi. I just found your lovely blog by clicking on "next blog" at the top just to see where it would lead. Here in Australia we know those trees as Albizzia julibrissin or silk tree. I have one right outside my window. Turns out they do self-seed so now we try to be vigilant about picking up the seed pods or even cutting them off before they fall.
- August 23, 2011 at 4:00 AM


text:
The staff of Texas Fish & Game is excited to debut a brand new blog here at fishgame.com.
It is called "Bassology" and we promise it will bring to you the latest on bass fishing techniques, strategies, gear and research on the bass themselves. We will also have lots of video interviews with the pros and will have unique ways to involve you in this blog and offer chances for you to win cool prizes.
Check it out beginning tomorrow.


text:
While textbooks are deservedly considered valuable and interesting primary sources by mathematicians as well as by historians of mathematics education, these materials generally provide little insight into how classes were conducted each day or into what students actually learned. To develop a more complete picture of educational practice, textbooks must be combined with information gleaned from administrative records, student notebooks, student reminiscences, obituaries, and the like. Unearthing that sort of documentation, though, often depends as much on serendipity as on systematic research. John Playfair (1748-1819) served as professor of mathematics and then of natural philosophy at the University of Edinburgh. In addition to Elements of Geometry and Illustrations of the Huttonian Theory of the Earth, the books for which he is best known, he organized his lectures into Outlines of Natural Philosophy (2 vols., Edinburgh, 1812-1814). There are also at least five extant sets of notes taken by students who attended his natural philosophy course.
This paper will analyze as many of these notes as possible, focusing especially on the following questions: How closely do the notes conform to each other and to the textbook? Did the material Playfair covered change over time, such as before and after Outlines was published or when he revised the textbook in 1816 and 1819? Did the fact that he was primarily a mathematician early in his career inform his choice of topics and the manner in which he presented them? Were there aspects of the course that were uniquely Scottish?
Poincaré's interest in the equilibrium shape of rotating fluids under gravitation probably dated to his early studies of celestial mechanics, with significant discoveries of bifurcation points in the Jacobian series of equilibrium figures published in 1885. This led him to a conjecture that the bifurcations associated with the sequence of zonal harmonics led to systems of a planet with increasingly many moons. this conjecture was, in Chadrasekhar's words, "so intoxicating that those who followed Poincaré were not able to recover from its pursuit". Be that as it may, this interest motivated a course at the Sorbonne in 1900, and the culmination of this course was a discussion of the rings of Saturn. Basing his discussion on work of both Kovalevskaya and Maxwell, he argued that the rings could not be solid or liquid. In this paper we give an outline of these developments and the reasons why the question was considered important.
Pierre Simon Laplace arrived in Paris in 1769 and immediately made the acquaintance of one of the most powerful mathematical figures in France, Jean Le Rond d'Alembert. Through mathematical ability and this powerful patron, Laplace was able to quickly obtain employment and even membership in the Academy of Science. In this talk I will investigate Laplace's early career and how the memoir "Sur le principe de la gravitation universelle et sur les inégalités séculaire des planètes qui en dépendent" demonstrates how his academic career was shaped with the help of the leading figures of the day.
Many considerations of the problem of the applicability of mathematics, focusing on 20th century physics, have found the successful application of abstract mathematics to physical theory in that century mysterious. A notable example is Mark Steiner who has argued that the success of the forms of argumentation used to develop quantum theories, many of which are kinds of mathematical analogy, apparently defies naturalistic explanation. Insight into the reasons for the successful application of mathematics can be gained, however, through an examination of the development of earlier theories. The consideration of 19th-century physics is of particular interest since not only is this the century that saw the rise of many of the theories that would form the foundation for the development of 20th-century physics, but it is in this century that physicists began to understand how to use mathematics to understand what the world is like underneath the phenomena of experience. In this paper I will examine a key period in the early development of electromagnetic theory, namely the conversion of the available knowledge of the phenomena, knowledge developed in large measure by Faraday, into a mathematical theory, primarily in the work of William Thomson and Maxwell. An examination of this episode clarifies how knowledge of phenomena is converted into a crystallized mathematical form, which provides clues as to how to account for the apparently mysterious success of mathematics as applied to 20th-century physics.
Helen Hogg (1904-1993) worked at the University of Toronto's David Dunalp Observatory from its opening in 1935 into her emerita years, maintaining a leadership in the variable stars of globular clusters. Her mid-20th century mathematical methods are revealed by a detailed study of her research file on M13 (NGC 6205) now held by the University of Toronto Archives.
In the preface to his Scientific Papers (1898), Tait contends that his early quaternion publications were mostly composed on his own, prior to any significant correspondence with Hamilton. Tait states: "These were written while I was endeavouring to familiarise myself with the new calculus, and were, in great part, worked out before I had any communication with Sir W. R. Hamilton except through his Lectures ; a fascinating book, ... . When I made Hamilton's acquaintance a year or two later, ... I submitted to him some of the more formidable difficulties which I had met in the study of his great work, and the hints I thus obtained were of much use to me in finally preparing these papers for publication" (Tait 1898: v). There is reason to argue, however, that Tait's rendering of his engagement with quaternions is questionable. His correspondence with Hamilton from 1858 to 1860 indicates that more than just a "few hints" were passed from Hamilton to Tait. Indeed, the two mathematicians relied heavily upon one another to legitimate their developing ideas. Tait's claim in 1898 that he had worked solo should, therefore, be read as part of his own legitimation efforts-efforts coloured by the fact that Tait was engaged in debates with Gibbs and Heaviside over their respective development of vector analysis (which ignored aspects of the quaternion system). Tait's account of his engagement with Hamilton is meant to recollect the past to situate himself at the forefront of quaternion research as it had unfolded in the middle of the century.
In this paper, I will explore Tait's engagements with quaternion analysis from 1880 to 1900-a time when he perceived himself to be in a battle for priority and primacy in the development of vector analysis. I will argue that his reconstructions of the past are romanticized and inaccurate accounts of how Tait initially engaged with quaternions from 1858 to 1870-accounts that he produced in order to legitimate his continued role in the development of quaternion mathematics.


text:
Selena Gomez took a break from filming a movie in Florida on Friday and flew to Los Angeles to attend a surprise birthday party for her boyfriend, Justin Bieber.
The Baby hit-maker turned 18 on Thursday, and his manager, Scooter Braun, and his mother, Patti Mallette, teamed up to throw a lavish bash at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Friday to celebrate his age milestone.
Celebrity guests included pals Ashley Tisdale, Kim Kardashian, her half-sisters Kylie and Kendall Jenner, and boxer Mike Tyson, but there was one person Bieber was particularly stunned to see — his teenage sweetheart, Gomez.
The singer/actress had been shooting Spring Breakers on location in Florida all week and Bieber stuck by her side throughout the party as he covered her in kisses.
A source tells Usmagazine.com, "He was all over Selena the whole time, walking her around by the hand. He kept kissing her. It's clear she was the best part of the night for him. He is still so in love with her."
In addition to the surprise party, Braun also handed Bieber the keys to a brand-new sports car. He unveiled the eco-friendly Fisker Karma to the car-crazy teen superstar during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show earlier in the week.


text:
If you're reading this, chances are you've considered dieting before…you've probably tried a few. Perhaps you lost a few pounds (did you gain it back?), or quit because you found it too difficult, maybe it was just too expensive to continue. Whatever your dieting history is, it's in the past…and starting today you can stop letting your past dictate your future, because the Ideal Protein Weight Loss Protocol offers dieters what they really want...a focused plan that can put an end to constant dieting.
Pick up the phone and give us a call 605-528-3802, we'll help you to achieve your weight loss goals and teach you to live at a stable weight
Our medically developed protocol is a short-term plan, with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Your weight loss will unfold in 4 phases:
After Ideal Protein you'll have learned HOW to enjoy the foods you love without the guilt.
Anyone can lose weight…learning how you can maintain a stable weight should be your ultimate goal. Click here and find out how the Ideal Protein Weight Loss Protocol will help you achieve your weight loss goals.


text:
Information from the AHA's "Careers for Students of History"
Note: the below information is strictly confined to ways you can use a history degree to become a historian, with or without teaching. It is important to bear in mind that there is nothing about a history degree that restricts you to being a historian. The skills that you must have in order to excel in Bucknell's history program — being able to read, comprehend, and synthesize information — are applicable in many different fields. As you can see from our History Possibilities page. Bucknell history graduates go into quite diverse fields, and you can, too.
Be a Primary or Secondary School Teacher
You can teach at a primary or secondary school with a bachelor's degree. You'll want to discuss teaching certification with Bucknell's education department. (For more information, visit the Society for History Education and History Matters.)
Be a Professor
You can teach at a college or university. Keep in mind that you will almost definitely need a Ph.D., and the job market is highly competitive.
There is more demand for scholars in areas such as Asian, Pacific Rim, African, Middle Eastern, Atlantic World, and Latin American history, as well as issues of gender, race, ethnicity, and political economy. It is beneficial to get involved in professional organizations. (For more information, visit the Society for History Education and History Matters.)
Be a Museum Professional
You can be a museum professional, such as a marketer, designer, fundraiser, photographer, data processor, or curator. For jobs other than curator, an M.A. and three years' experience is usually required. Curator positions typically require a Ph.D. Internships and volunteering are quite helpful in this regard. (For more information, visit Museum Employment Resource Center.)
Be an Editor or Publisher
You can work in editing and publishing by helping prepare documentary editions (especially if you have an aptitude and interest in computing) or by doing scholarly editing and publishing. A B.A. can get you an entry-level job, but further education in the mechanics of editing and publishing is usually required for advancement. (For more information, visit the Association for Documentary Editing.)
Be an Archivist
You can work in archives. After all, what kind of research could historians do without archives? Corporations also commonly have archives. Many archivists help present information to the public. An M.A. is usually required. (For more information, visit the Society of American Archivists.)
Be a Preservationist
You can work in historical preservation. This field involves working to identify, evaluate, preserve, and interpret historically and culturally significant sites. Professionals commonly work with federal agencies, but there are also state, local, and private nonprofit organizations. Qualifications vary, but an M.A. in historic preservation (often available at large public universities) can be very useful. (For more information, see articles by George W. McDaniel and Antoinette J. Lee in Public History: Essays from the Field.)
Be a Consultant or Contractor
You can be a consultant or contractor. This is ideal for historians with a sense of adventure, or for those who prefer flexibility and a variety of projects. Consulting/contracting is a growing field, with professionals who perform almost all the jobs described above. Common consulting/contracting areas in the job market include preservation/land use, museums, archives, and the media. A strong foundation in history is definitely necessary, and familiarity with the bidding process is also useful. (For more information, visit the Association of Cultural Resource Agencies.)


text:
Editor's comment: Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal gland. Some of its functions include helping the body manage stress and aiding in the metabolism of sugar and fat. Cortisol levels cycle throughout the day. Normally they are highest around 7 a.m. and drop very low in the evening. For people who sleep during the day and are up at night, this pattern may be reversed.
Circadian rhythm of serum cortisol in female patients with fibromyalgia syndrome.
By G. Fatima, et al.
Subscribe to the World's Most Popular Newsletter (it's free!)
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients have disturbed sleep patterns which may lead to altered circadian rhythm in serum cortisol secretion. The aim of this study was to assess circadian changes, if any, in serum cortisol levels in female patients with FMS.
Cortisol levels were estimated every 6 h during 24 h period; in 40 female patients satisfying ACR criteria for FMS (Age 36.4 ± 9.9), and 40 healthy females without FMS (Age 33.8 ± 11.1).
A significant difference in the night time serum cortisol level was observed among the patients and control groups (patients, 12.9 ± 9.7 controls 5.8 ± 3.0; p < 0.01).
However, no significant difference was found in serum cortisol levels in patients and control groups in the morning (patients, 28.4 ± 13.2 controls, 27.6 ± 14.5; p > 0.05), afternoon (patients, 14.4 ± 5.6 controls, 14.0 ± 6.6; p > 0.05) and evening hours (patients, 10.9 ± 5.8 controls, 8.9 ± 3.6; p > 0.05).
It could be concluded that there is an abnormality in circadian secretion of cortisol in female FMS patients.
Source: Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry, April 2013. By Fatima G, Das SK, Mahdi AA, Verma NS, Khan FH, Tiwari AM, Jafer T, Anjum B. King George's Medical University, Lucknow, 226003 UP India.


text:
Art Gallery of Ontario's Teachers' Access Program (TAP)
The Art Gallery of Ontario's Teachers' Access Program offers Ontario teachers an enhanced level of engagement with the Gallery. Through AGO TAP, teachers receive FREE general admission to the Gallery, invitations to exclusive teachers' events, the Educators' eNewsletter, resources and tools for use in the classroom – and much more.
Registration for AGO TAP is FREE with a valid Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) card.
AGO TAP benefits include:
- Subscription to the Educators' eNewsletter
- Invitations to exclusive teachers' events and previews
- FREE general admission
- Upgrade price for special exhibitions
- Access to teachers' workshops
- Advance notice of special school tours and programming
- Special offers
- AGO resources and activities that you can use in the classroom to help students build visual literacy and develop their skills in observation, interpretation, critical thinking and creativity.
Please note that due to high demand, we are experiencing activation times longer than our standard 72 hours for our Teachers Access Program.Register Now
Are you interested in additional benefits such as free admission to special exhibitions, discounts at the restaurants and shopAGO, special pricing for AGO education programs including classes and talks? We now offer a Teacher Membership level, click here for pricing and more details.
To receive your free general admission ticket to the AGO or purchase an upgrade ticket after you have registered in AGO TAP, please present your valid OCT card and photo ID at the AGO ticket desk. Please allow 72 hours for activation of AGO TAP registrations.
Tickets issued through AGO TAP are only valid for the same day, future dated tickets are not available. Limit of one AGO general admission ticket/special exhibition upgrade ticket per registered AGO TAP teacher per day. Ticket cannot be not transferred or sold. No cash value.
AGO TAP is free for Ontario teachers with a valid OCT card. The Art Gallery of Ontario reserves the right to alter or discontinue the Teacher Access Program at anytime.
If you have any questions about the AGO's Teachers' Access Program please contact us via email at email@example.com.
School and Teacher Programs are generously supported by
- The Weston Family Teacher Training Fund established by The W. Garfield Weston Foundation


text:
Disclaimer!! This is a purely technical post with no pragmatic use!
Sadly you will not read that they have unlocked the iPhone 3G. They have posted a few updates over the past few months giving us some idea of what is going on with the 3G unlock. It seems they have hit a snag while trying to use a specific exploit. They were able to get the baseband to stop responding to the OS. They then tried to restore the device multiple times to no avail.
Without getting too technical, they were able to fix the issue and even tried to reproduce the issue but had no luck. Reproducing this error would have been a Good Thing and possibly would have gotten the Dev Team one step closer to unlocking the 3G. So, "two steps forward, one step back".
For all of the technical jargon please check out this the Dev Teams Blog. Good thing is, we all know the iPhone Dev-Team is still hard at work for all of you looking to use your iPhone 3G on a carrier besides AT&T. Have faith, it should only be a matter of time.
[Via blog.iPhone-dev.org]


text:
Back in the mid 1980's evidence started to mount that if people engaged in exercise over periods of time, they may reduce their chances of acquiring certain types of diseases, such as heart disease, and other cardiovascular disorders. Research also pointed out that regular exercise may reduce premature mortality, thus assisting persons in living longer through maintaining a healthy lifestyle. These results were independent of their gender, places where they lived, their body weight, and other types of medical conditions, such as blood pressure status, and family history of a particular disease.
The concept of exercise in the past ten years has moved into a new realm - that of looking at the the effects of exercise on special populations. Special populations groups are persons with diseases, and other metabolic conditions that are usually under the care of physicians or other health care personnel.
Exercise and Special Populations - Pregnancy
One of the first special population groups to be studied directly under exercise conditions were pregnant women. For many years previously, obstetricians felt that exercise may harm the developing baby and cause unnecessary problems during pregnancy and delivery. This was in the absence of any concrete scientific information.
Over the past 15 years there have been many research reports on the effects of exercise on pregnant women, from their response to different exercise programs, to their birth outcomes. The results have been impressive, in that most women seem to fair better physically when performing regular moderate exercise regimens than those who remain sedentary over the course of their pregnancies. Although there is still a lag between information presented in journals and articles, and what many physicians recommend, the consensus today is that an active lifestyle with this group may be better for both mom and baby.
Current reports highlight the need for pregnant women to perform low-impact aerobic exercise that will help with metabolism after the second trimester, and not injure joints that are being softened up in the third trimester for delivery. Walking 1-2 times per day after meals seems to help burn excess energy, and aerobic exercises such as the UBE (Upper Body Ergometer), and Aqua-JoggingTM in a pool with a special buoyancy vest are two very good ways to stay in shape without excess stress to joints. They can be performed using basic fitness guidelines of 20-30 minutes, 3-4 days per week, keeping the heart rate in the training zone. Your physician should be kept abreast of your fitness program, and any unusual situations should be discussed with him/her.
Exercise and Seniors
Another special population group receiving attention in the medical literature and lay person press is the senior age group (55 years and over). For most of this century we were told that gaining weight, losing strength, developing disease, and losing energy were simply a part of the natural aging process. With the growing number of studies looking at exercise and life span, body fat loss, increasing strength, and reducing the incidence of certain diseases, through regular exercise over the years, it is becoming clear that inactivity - not aging per se, is the culprit in most, if not all, types of chronic diseases.


text:
The Master Watch is a classic, yet simple approach to elegant timekeeping. It is housed in a polished 40mm stainless steel casing, recognized for its handsome minimalist dial face and sophisticated silver details. This effortlessly stylish watch is perfect to wear with your evening attire, or even during the day at the races.
This watch comes with Princess Louise's 20mm watchstrap
• Miyota GL20 Movement
• Slim Series
• Stainless Steel
• 3ATM Water Resistant
• Size: Case Diameter 40mm excluding crown
• Thickness: 6.20mm including back case
• Princess Louise's Watchstrap
• Fits our 20mm Grosgrain & Leather Watchstraps.
• 1 Year Guarantee
• Download Instruction Manual
Shop our full range of Watch Straps HERE
In the event that an item is temporarily out of stock, we will notify you of the delay and despatch it as soon as it arrives. Cricket Sweaters are all handmade to order (7-10 business days).
Deliveries are made from 8am until 6pm and will equire a signature, so you may wish to provide a delivery address where someone is available to sign. If you are not at home, the carrier will try a neighboring address or leave a calling card.
Deliveries are not made on National Holidays.
In the event that an item arrives with you and you are not entirely happy, please contact us immediately so we can arrange to send you a replacement or an alternative product.
You are required to contact us and return any unwanted items within 14 days of delivery if you require a full refund.
You can either:
- Call us on: +44 (0)8451 29 29 00
- If you are in the USA, you can call: +1 866 434 6937 (TOLL FREE)
- Send an email to email@example.com
Click here to view read the full returns policy.
Add to Cart


text:
Rare Yellow-eyed penguins at Curio Bay
The world's rarest species of penguin, the Yellow-eyed penguin, can be found at Curio Bay in The Catlins.
1 / 4
At low tide at Curio Bay in New Zealand's deep south, yellow-eyed penguins can be seen waddling across sand and through a fossil forest, heading back to their nests after a fishing trip.
These enterprising penguins nest in the forest and scrub that lines the beach. They're only found around Curio Bay and Waikawa in the Catlins, and in the sub-Antarctic islands, so a visit to the former offers a rare chance to see them in their natural habitat. It's an opportunity you shouldn't miss.
The yellow-eyed penguin, also known as Hoiho, is the world's rarest species of penguin. There are just 5000 of them still living. Predators include sea lions, shark or barracuda, and the penguins were also a food source for the first Maori people. The forests they live in are increasingly cleared, predators have been introduced that raid their nests, and fishing affects their food source. Consequently the yellow-eyed penguin is a protected bird.
The bird is named for its eye colour and the yellow band around its head that easily distinguishes it from other birds. It's a very shy creature, so is best viewed from a distance, such as from a platform above the fossil forest. Various companies offer guided tours and can show you the best viewing spots.
Remember, when viewing the birds, keep your distance, talk quietly and move slowly, and don't stand between the penguins and the sea or their nests. The reserve is a dog-free zone.


text:
This Day in World History
March 8
International Women's Day Celebrated Around the World
Each year, women and men around the world honor the achievements of women and seek to promote women's rights by celebrating International Women's Day.
The day's origin can be traced to the National Woman's Day staged by the Socialist Party of America from 1909 to 1913. Its goal was to advance the cause of women's suffrage. Inspired by the example, German socialist Clara Zetkin proposed in 1910 an international women's day at the Second International Conference on Working Women, a meeting of leftist and feminist activists from 17 countries. The hundred or more attendees approved the idea unanimously.
The following year, a million women and men from Germany, Austria, Denmark, and Switzerland took part in the first International Women's Day. The first two years, the day was celebrated on March 19. Zetkin chose that day to commemorate the day in the 1848 Revolution when Prussian King Frederick William IV championed the revolutionary cause, leading to promises — never fulfilled by the king — of granting women the right to vote. In 1913, the day was shifted to March 8, where it has remained ever since.
In 1975, the United Nations began to sponsor International Women's Day, and it gained in popularity. The day is now a national holiday in twenty-seven nations ranging in size from Armenia and Azerbaijan to China and Russia. In some nations, it is a holiday for women only. In some years, the United Nations recommends that celebrations worldwide focus on a similar, global theme. In other years, it allows nations and local groups to set their own theme. For the centenary of the day in 2011, the global theme was "Equal access to education, training, and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women."
"This Day in World History" is brought to you by USA Higher Education.
You can subscribe to these posts via RSS or receive them by email.


text:
EPA's fuel folly
What has been termed the Environmental Protection Agency's "Phantom Fuel Requirement" is an aptly named rule that epitomizes the mind-set of an agency that has put itself above the law. Hiding behind complexity and its self-assigned moral authority, EPA increasingly subjugates the views of the public, Congress and the courts to its own policy determinations.
In 2005 and 2007, Congress twice amended the Clean Air Act to establish a renewable fuel standard. Under the RFS, Congress required that our fuel supply contain increasing amounts of renewable fuels.
Story Continued Below
The Phantom Fuel Requirement relates specifically to a mandate within the RFS to use cellulosic biofuels. Under the mandate, refiners, blenders and importers must purchase the prescribed amount of cellulosic biofuels or pay a fine.
The RFS established ambitious goals for cellulosic biofuels but charged EPA with reducing the requirement if production was in fact lower than the mandate.
The intent was for EPA to reduce the required level of cellulosic biofuels to the amount that was actually likely to be produced. Congress wanted to avoid penalizing refiners for failing to buy fuel that did not exist.
The RFS greatly overestimated the industry's ability to produce cellulosic biofuels. As a result, EPA has had to reduce the required level every year since the mandate took effect.
In 2010, the first year of the mandate, EPA projected that 5 million gallons of cellulosic biofuels would be available. In fact, there were none. In 2011, EPA increased the mandate to 6.5 million gallons. Again, the actual amount available was zero. Undeterred, in 2012, EPA increased the required amount to 8.5 million gallons. The actual available amount was 25,000 gallons.
Since it is impossible to comply with the mandate to use this phantom fuel, EPA is effectively taxing the industry. This tax is passed to consumers in the form of higher gas prices.
EPA's overestimates are part of an intentional strategy. On July 19, 2012, I wrote to EPA and argued that the agency had "usurped Congress' policymaking authority in order to satisfy its own goals." In its response, EPA wrote, "the standard that we set helps drive the production of volumes that will be made available."


text:
Kim Kardashian is raising eyebrows -- by bleaching hers.
The fashionista's latest style statement was showcased during her sister Kendall Jenner's 19th birthday celebration on Monday, where the "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star posed for a snap with bushy-browed model Cara Delevingne.
But it's not what you think. Aware that her legions of fans could very well go into full freakout mode -- or worse, decide to mix up a cauldron of bleach for themselves -- the 34-year-old offered up full disclosure with some loaded hashtags: "About last night... #KendallsBDayParty #DontBeScaredOfMyBleachedBrows #ItsForAPhotoShoot
It may be for a shoot, but we are still...


text:
Chugga wrote:If anyone has any stories of the 'Choat's' era (thats what we in the family call it) Please feel free to share them either here or feel free to PM me.
southskies wrote:Hi,
Can you reattach the bus000x images?
system improver wrote:Here is the fleet list compiled by the now defunct Bus and Coach Society of South Australia, and republished by TESSA (Transport Enthusiasts Society of SA) with notes, which shows the ex Choat fleet just after acquisition:
7501 RUK448 Bedford SB3 300 petrol 6825575-M Freighter 4092 B35F 1966 Choat ex Riverside Bus Serv., Murray Bridge
Return to Australian Photos, Videos, Sound Clips etc - ARCHIVE
Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 2 guests


text:
OU Athletics Visitor's Guide
Facilities | Map & Directions | Ticket Office | Accessibility
OU Athletics Department
180 W Brooks
Norman, OK 73019
Main Phone
(405) 325-8200
Ticket Office
(405) 325-2424
(800) 456-GoOU
There's Only One Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is home to one of the most storied athletics programs in the nation. The success of OU's teams contributes to a sense of pride in the community and across the state. The very mention of the word "Sooners" evokes a sense of history, tradition and championships.
Gameday Information
The OU Athletics Department welcomes Sooner fans to campus throughout the year. Please view the latest official information for all sports, including specific information for football and basketball gamedays:
Football Gameday | Basketball Gameday | All Sports
Directions & Parking
From the North
Travel south on I-35. Once in Norman, exit at Lindsey St. and head east. The OU campus is located approximately three miles east of I-35. Memorial Stadium will be to your left once on campus. Turn right (south) on Jenkins Avenue for the Lloyd Noble Center (basketball), L. Dale Mitchell Park (baseball), John Crain Field (soccer) and the Marita Hynes Field (softball).
From the South
Travel north on I-35. Once in Norman, exit at Highway 9 and travel east. Turn left (north) at Jenkins Ave. The Lloyd Noble Center (basketball), L. Dale Mitchell Park (baseball), John Crain Field (soccer) and Marita Hynes Field (softball) will be on your left as you travel north on Jenkins. Continue north for Memorial Stadium.
Campus Map | Parking on Campus | Parking Maps
OU Athletics Facilities
Oklahoma is home to some of the finest athletics facilities in the nation. View complete information and take a tour of each of the places the Sooners call home:
OU Athletics Facilities | Memorial Stadium | Accessibility
Contact Us
Didn't find the anwer you were looking for here? Email us here or visit the following links for more specific contact information.
FAQ | Customer Care | Department Directory
Campus Questions | City of Norman