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The Union cabinet approved the pay and pension raises that will put an additional Rs. 1.02 trillion in the hands of 10 million central government employees and pensioners in the current fiscal. The policy is likely to deliver a potential boost to the consumer economy.
At a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the cabinet accepted the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission for pay and pension increases ranging from 14% to 23.5% for 4.7 million employees and 5.3 million pensioners.
This is good news for the government employees and all the new entrants aspiring to get job in the government offices as the salaries are likely to be get doubled. The government said the raises, which will be backdated to January 2016, will have a multiplier effect on the economy. Demand for housing, automobiles and consumer durables is expected to increase, providing a fillip to the economy.
Finance minister Arun Jaitley rightly dubs it as a 'historic rise' in emoluments, as the employees will also be benefitted with the arrears.
Economists studying the new recommendations feel that this will be a dent of government treasury. But, will also bring about consumer demands. The immediate challenge will be to figure out the impact of higher consumer spending on inflation. Pricing power has been weak because of excess capacity in Indian industry. But the most recent economic data shows that capacity utilization has begun to inch up while inflation pressures are building.
If one wants to believe that India is one of the biggest growing economies, then the hike in salaries of the government employees will surely give a boost to consumerism.


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Can Pipes Really Be Restored Underground?
Submitted by nick on Thu, 2012-07-12 08:01
Underground plumbing is one of the least noticed modern conveniences. We rely on it day in and day out, and for the most part, people don't think a thing about it. That is unless there is a problem with drains backing up, pipes linking or underground structural damage that slows down water flow. When a problem with plumbing hits, most people want the problem solved as quickly and as easily as possible.

subset: commoncrawl


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Union Election, Not NLRB Vote
New York University and UAW agree on plan to let grad students vote on collective bargaining, paving the way for return to unionization of teaching assistants at a private university. Expected legal showdown is averted for now.
Graduate teaching assistants at New York University could be represented by a union as early as next year, under a deal announced Tuesday afternoon.
Under the deal between NYU and the United Auto Workers, an election is expected next month on whether graduate teaching assistants would like to be represented by the UAW. If they vote yes, as is expected, NYU would become the first private university since 2005 with unionized TAs. Under the agreement, both sides agreed to withdraw a case currently before the National Labor Relations Board on the legal right of private university graduate students to unionize. That case had the potential to set a new precedent on the issue, which is currently governed by a 2004 ruling denying that right.
In the absence of a new ruling, it is unclear whether other private universities where teaching assistants are trying to unionize will follow NYU's course of action, or will force unions seeking to represent the TAs to go through a long legal process to seek an NLRB ruling.
Grad Unions and Private Universities
2000: NLRB -- in case involving NYU and UAW -- rules that graduate teaching assistants are eligible for collective bargaining and can be considered employees.
2002: NYU recognizes the UAW union for its graduate students, becoming the first private university to do so.
2004: NLRB -- in case involving Brown University and the UAW -- reverses the 2000 ruling, and says that graduate students cannot be considered employees entitled to collective bargaining.
2005: NYU withdraws recognition of the UAW,
2005-6: Graduate teaching assistants go on strike at NYU, seeking to force the university to restore recognition, but strike fizzles out without such recognition.
2011: Regional NLRB official, in response to new petition from NYU graduate students to unionize with UAW, rules that the 2004 decision that grad students lack collective bargaining rights is still in place, but questions logic of that ruling, which is then appealed to full NLRB.
2012: NLRB announces that it will use the appeal on behalf of NYU grad students to reconsider the 2004 ruling.
2013: NYU and UAW announce compromise under which the appeal to NLRB will be withdrawn.
The UAW and NYU have sparred for years -- most notably in a long strike that started in 2005, when NYU stopped recognizing the union -- over collective bargaining rights for TAs. But a joint statement issued by the university and the union featured a positive, collaborative tone. "[T}he university and the UAW see this agreement as an opportunity to prove again that bargaining for graduate employees can be effective in a private university," said the statement. "The union and the university are pleased by the trust exhibited to this point to reach this historic agreement. It will form the foundation of our relationship going forward. The university is pleased at the expansion of our relationship with the UAW, and the UAW is excited about its enhanced relationship with one of the most innovative global private teaching and research universities."
The deal announced Tuesday is similar to a proposal the university made earlier this year: Withdrawal of the case before the NLRB, a union election for teaching assistants, but no union election for research assistants, whom the UAW would also like to unionize. (The joint statement acknowledges that the two sides have not been able to resolve differences over those grad students.)
Both sides had good reasons to compromise. Now that President Obama has succeeded in getting nominees confirmed to the NLRB, it was expected that the board would rule in favor of the union. But the UAW and union supporters have been dismayed by how long it has taken to even get close to an NLRB ruling (some hoped this matter might be resolved early in the first Obama administration), and there have been rumors of a push to pressure one of the Obama NLRB appointees -- Nancy J. Schiffer -- to recuse herself because she formerly was deputy general counsel for the UAW.
Some union supporters have argued that a compromise with NYU (as a model for other universities) could be more secure than an NLRB ruling that might be reversed the next time a Republican president is in office -- or if a federal court unsympathetic to academic unions heard a challenge to an NLRB ruling.
Outside the South, graduate student unions are common in public higher education (where collective bargaining rights are determined at the state level), but have been the source of years of organizing and legal struggles in private higher education. Private universities have consistently opposed the unions, arguing that grad students should be seen primarily as students, not employees. Unions have argued otherwise.
The NLRB has flip-flopped on the issue, depending on whether Democratic or Republican appointees are in the majority. But during most of the Obama administration, Senate Republicans have held up nominations and legally challenged appointments made by the president without Senate confirmation, leaving the question of grad student unions (as well as plenty of other union issues) in limbo.
NYU and the UAW have some history of compromise -- when they aren't fighting, at least. In 2002, NYU became the only private university to recognize a TA union. At the time, the relevant NLRB ruling recognized the right of graduate students to collective bargaining. After that decision was reversed in 2004, NYU regained the right to reject collective bargaining, and it did so in 2005. The union went on strike to try to force the university to recognize it, but the strike fizzled. The 2004 NLRB decision is unchanged by the NYU-UAW compromise, although that decision didn't bar TA unions. Private universities have always been free, as NYU has indicated it would do after an election, to recognize a union. Because the election won't be conducted through the NLRB process, both sides agreed to use the American Arbitration Association.
The joint statement also addressed a concern that NYU and other private universities have raised: that collective bargaining could end up involving union officials in academic matters. Union officials have always said that this was a false issue, and that questions like compensation, benefits and grievance procedures are about working conditions, not the curriculum. The joint statement says that the "parties concur that the 'academic management rights' of the university to make academic decisions separate from the bargaining relationship will be honored by the union, making clear that academic decisions are not subject to bargaining."
The statement issued by the UAW noted several provisions of the agreement that it considered significant. In particular, the union statement noted that NYU has pledged not to try to influence the graduate student vote, and that this pledge extends to department chairs and departmental directors of graduate studies. A fear of graduate student unions at NYU and elsewhere has been that because of the power professors hold over their grad students, active campaigning against a union could scare off union support. One pro-union blogger responded to this part of the agreement with an image of a flying pig and the line: "Pigs Must Be Flying Because NYU Just Agreed to Neutrality."
The union, acting on behalf of graduate teaching assistants at NYU's main campus and its Polytechnic Institute campus, said that the compromise had been approved by more than 100 graduate employees, including at least one person in every major department. The statement from the UAW called the agreement "unprecedented" and noted that it has taken eight years for the union and NYU to agree on the matter.
William A. Herbert, executive director of the National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education, said that he thought the agreement "demonstrates prudence by both the employer and the union." He said that the neutrality pledge "allows graduate students to make their own choice," and that "both parties recognize their best interests are in a negotiated agreement aimed at calming the waters." (The center Herbert leads is supported by both labor and management groups in higher education, and is based at Hunter College of the City University of New York.)
Technically, other private universities could continue to rely on the NLRB's 2004 ruling that found no right to unionize for graduate students. But Herbert said he thought there was a chance -- particularly if NYU graduate students vote for a union, and negotiations on a contract proceed smoothly -- that others could follow NYU's lead and come up with agreements to permit union elections.
"It may be that other universities look at NYU and examine what they concluded there -- that it's in their interest to have good working relationships and avoid disruptive campaigns that sometimes arise in the context of NLRB proceedings," he said. "This could send a signal to other universities that this is a model that could be utilized on other campuses."
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Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Check Out Weekly Shot!
I ran across this very nice photo blog while touring another, isn't that the way it usually happens? Very interesting, the idea of an "invited" group of photographers who contribute to a weekly subject, theme or idea. Very good work. To check out the Weekly Shot click here.
Posted by Visualville at 12:34 PM


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Despite being the first to concede his serve in the match, Djokovic had the upperhand from then on as Rafa's groundstrokes continued to fall shorter and shorter in the court against the Serb's deep shots and solid serves.
Rafa's serve seemed to be a real pain point and I believe it was the main factor that cost him the match and some valuable points that he needed to defend to keep breathing down Federer's neck in the rankings.
Djokovic on the other hand, showed no signs of weakness besides some unforced errors early in the first set. The Australian Open champion, who was number 13 in the world this time last year, is currently chasing both Rafa and Federer in the rankings. How soon do you think will he advance from his current number 3 spot!?!?! With this form, am guessing pretty damn soon.
As for Rafa, he will need way more than a few words on the front of his hand to keep him in focus. The three-time French Open champion has been playing all week with 3 spanish words written on his hand which he says mean "concentrate". I suggest he picks 3 new words for Miami next week.


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Last Thursday, I walked home from classes and saw traffic backup piling into an intersection. It wasn't Times Square Status by any means, but there was a bit of kerfluffle, since it's not an intersection that is usually very busy. It was easy to peer ahead and see the source of the commotion was a row of ambulances (ambuli?) huddled around a storefront, pulling someone out on a stretcher and loading him or her into the vehicle.
It was strange; I've not been in the city very long, but I'm already desensitized to the sound of an ambulance, and I've seen more honest to goodness stretchers in my two months here than I've ever seen in my life. I was prepared to turn the corner onto my block unphased by empathy until a loud, impatient horn blared from behind the flashing lights. As if to say, "Excuse me! Your life-threatening emergency is getting in the way of my evening plans!" or perhaps even more macabre, "Could you hurry your death along, please? I've got a date."
It was the horn that woke me to the grim urgency of the moment, the dispassionate industry of city living. How could I reconcile the ruthlessness of a city that seems to have embraced me with arms wide open, the city that tucks me in at night? How do these themes exist together in one living space? In one city block? In one human?
I've said before on my blog that I'm not sure if I want this city to harden me or if I want to stay compassionate and vulnerable. But in a moment where I almost forgot to pause, an insensitive horn reminded me to say a little prayer for a person I don't know, and a big prayer for the rest of us 8.4 million New Yorkers who no longer think twice about ambulances and stretchers.


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Paul Levinson examines why McLuhan's theories about media are more important to us today than when they were first written, and why the Wired generation is now turning to McLuhan's work to understand the global village in the digital age.
Offering a definitive final assessment of the series, The Essential Sopranos Reader aims to comprehensively examine the show's themes and enduring cultural significance. Gender and ethnicity, the role of dreams, the rebirth of HBO, the series' controversial finale, and other topics come under scrutiny in this highly accessible, engaging collection. The book concludes with an interview with Dominic Chianese, who played Uncle Junior in all six seasons of the show.
Paul Levinson's engaging voice guides us on a tour that explains how communications media have been responsible for major developments in history and for profound changes in our day-to-day lives. Levinson presents the intriguing argument that technology actually becomes more human. We see how information technologies are selected on the basis of how well they meet human needs. Why is email more like speech than print is? Why didn't the arrival of television destroy the radio? These and many more thought provoking questions are answered in The Soft Edge.
Boldly extending and deepening the pathways blazed by McLuhan, Paul Levinson has provided us with a brilliant and exciting study of life with our old media, our new media, and the media still to come.
With rigor and wit, Dawkins examines God in all his forms, from the sex-obsessed tyrant of the Old Testament to the more benign (but still illogical) Celestial Watchmaker favored by some Enlightenment thinkers. He eviscerates the major arguments for religion and demonstrates the supreme improbability of a supreme being. He shows how religion fuels war, foments bigotry, and abuses children, buttressing his points with historical and contemporary evidence. The God Delusion makes a compelling case that belief in God is not just wrong but potentially deadly. It also offers exhilarating insight into the advantages of atheism to the individual and society, not the least of which is a clearer, truer appreciation of the universe's wonders than any faith could ever muster.
"Where did the universe come from? What was there before it? What will the future bring? And finally, why is there something rather than nothing?"
One of the few prominent scientists today to have crossed the chasm between science and popular culture, Krauss describes the staggeringly beautiful experimental observations and mind-bending new theories that demonstrate not only can something arise from nothing, something will always arise from nothing. With a new preface about the significance of the discovery of the Higgs particle, A Universe from Nothing uses Krauss's characteristic wry humor and wonderfully clear explanations to take us back to the beginning of the beginning, presenting the most recent evidence for how our universe evolved—and the implications for how it's going to end.
Provocative, challenging, and delightfully readable, this is a game-changing look at the most basic underpinning of existence and a powerful antidote to outmoded philosophical, religious, and scientific thinking.
Space and time form the very fabric of the cosmos. Yet they remain among the most mysterious of concepts. Is space an entity? Why does time have a direction? Could the universe exist without space and time? Can we travel to the past? Greene has set himself a daunting task: to explain non-intuitive, mathematical concepts like String Theory, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, and Inflationary Cosmology with analogies drawn from common experience. From Newton's unchanging realm in which space and time are absolute, to Einstein's fluid conception of spacetime, to quantum mechanics' entangled arena where vastly distant objects can instantaneously coordinate their behavior, Greene takes us all, regardless of our scientific backgrounds, on an irresistible and revelatory journey to the new layers of reality that modern physics has discovered lying just beneath the surface of our everyday world.
America's space program is at a turning point. After decades of global primacy, NASA has ended the space-shuttle program, cutting off its access to space. No astronauts will be launched in an American craft, from American soil, until the 2020s, and NASA may soon find itself eclipsed by other countries' space programs.
With his signature wit and thought-provoking insights, Neil deGrasse Tyson—one of our foremost thinkers on all things space—illuminates the past, present, and future of space exploration and brilliantly reminds us why NASA matters now as much as ever. As Tyson reveals, exploring the space frontier can profoundly enrich many aspects of our daily lives, from education systems and the economy to national security and morale. For America to maintain its status as a global leader and a technological innovator, he explains, we must regain our enthusiasm and curiosity about what lies beyond our world.
Provocative, humorous, and wonderfully readable, Space Chronicles represents the best of Tyson's recent commentary, including a must-read prologue on NASA and partisan politics. Reflecting on topics that range from scientific literacy to space-travel missteps, Tyson gives us an urgent, clear-eyed, and ultimately inspiring vision for the future.
Experience the cosmos as never before with Brian Cox's Wonders of the Universe, a gorgeously illustrated, full-color companion to his wildly popular miniseries on the Discovery Channel and BBC. Breathtaking images brighten Cox's enthralling exploration of the fascinating science and overwhelming majesty of natural phenomena from ocean currents to black holes. Cox, called "Carl Sagan with a Britpop haircut" by the Los Angeles Times, follows in the footsteps of Stephen Hawking and Brian Greene in this riveting and dynamic tour through the Wonders of the Universe.
Sam Harris's first book, The End of Faith, ignited a worldwide debate about the validity of religion. In the aftermath, Harris discovered that most people—from religious fundamentalists to nonbelieving scientists—agree on one point: science has nothing to say on the subject of human values. Indeed, our failure to address questions of meaning and morality through science has now become the most common justification for religious faith. It is also the primary reason why so many secularists and religious moderates feel obligated to "respect" the hardened superstitions of their more devout neighbors.
In this explosive new book, Sam Harris tears down the wall between scientific facts and human values, arguing that most people are simply mistaken about the relationship between morality and the rest of human knowledge. Harris urges us to think about morality in terms of human and animal well-being, viewing the experiences of conscious creatures as peaks and valleys on a "moral landscape." Because there are definite facts to be known about where we fall on this landscape, Harris foresees a time when science will no longer limit itself to merely describing what people do in the name of "morality"; in principle, science should be able to tell us what we ought to do to live the best lives possible.
Bringing a fresh perspective to age-old questions of right and wrong and good and evil, Harris demonstrates that we already know enough about the human brain and its relationship to events in the world to say that there are right and wrong answers to the most pressing questions of human life. Because such answers exist, moral relativism is simply false—and comes at increasing cost to humanity. And the intrusions of religion into the sphere of human values can be finally repelled: for just as there is no such thing as Christian physics or Muslim algebra, there can be no Christian or Muslim morality.
Using his expertise in philosophy and neuroscience, along with his experience on the front lines of our "culture wars," Harris delivers a game-changing book about the future of science and about the real basis of human cooperation.
From Sam Harris, neuroscientist and author of numerous New York Times bestselling books, Waking Up is for the twenty percent of Americans who follow no religion but who suspect that important truths can be found in the experiences of such figures as Jesus, the Buddha, Lao Tzu, Rumi, and the other saints and sages of history. Throughout this book, Harris argues that there is more to understanding reality than science and secular culture generally allow, and that how we pay attention to the present moment largely determines the quality of our lives.
Waking Up is part memoir and part exploration of the scientific underpinnings of spirituality. No other book marries contemplative wisdom and modern science in this way, and no author other than Sam Harris—a scientist, philosopher, and famous skeptic—could write it.
—Bill Gates (May, 2017)
Selected by The New York Times Book Review as a Notable Book of the Year
The author of Enlightenment Now and The New York Times bestseller The Stuff of Thought offers a controversial history of violence.
Faced with the ceaseless stream of news about war, crime, and terrorism, one could easily think we live in the most violent age ever seen. Yet as New York Times bestselling author Steven Pinker shows in this startling and engaging new work, just the opposite is true: violence has been diminishing for millenia and we may be living in the most peaceful time in our species's existence. For most of history, war, slavery, infanticide, child abuse, assassinations, programs, gruesom punishments, deadly quarrels, and genocide were ordinary features of life. But today, Pinker shows (with the help of more than a hundred graphs and maps) all these forms of violence have dwindled and are widely condemned. How has this happened?
This groundbreaking book continues Pinker's exploration of the esesnce of human nature, mixing psychology and history to provide a remarkable picture of an increasingly nonviolent world. The key, he explains, is to understand our intrinsic motives--the inner demons that incline us toward violence and the better angels that steer us away--and how changing circumstances have allowed our better angels to prevail. Exploding fatalist myths about humankind's inherent violence and the curse of modernity, this ambitious and provocative book is sure to be hotly debated in living rooms and the Pentagon alike, and will challenge and change the way we think about our society.
In this enlightening book, Sam Harris argues that this truth about the human mind does not undermine morality or diminish the importance of social and political freedom, but it can and should change the way we think about some of the most important questions in life.
In this illustrated history, Steven Johnson explores the history of innovation over centuries, tracing facets of modern life (refrigeration, clocks, and eyeglass lenses, to name a few) from their creation by hobbyists, amateurs, and entrepreneurs to their unintended historical consequences. Filled with surprising stories of accidental genius and brilliant mistakes—from the French publisher who invented the phonograph before Edison but forgot to include playback, to the Hollywood movie star who helped invent the technology behind Wi-Fi and Bluetooth—How We Got to Now investigates the secret history behind the everyday objects of contemporary life.
In his trademark style, Johnson examines unexpected connections between seemingly unrelated fields: how the invention of air-conditioning enabled the largest migration of human beings in the history of the species—to cities such as Dubai or Phoenix, which would otherwise be virtually uninhabitable; how pendulum clocks helped trigger the industrial revolution; and how clean water made it possible to manufacture computer chips. Accompanied by a major six-part television series on PBS, How We Got to Now is the story of collaborative networks building the modern world, written in the provocative, informative, and engaging style that has earned Johnson fans around the globe.
"A glorious book . . . A spirited defense of science . . . From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought."—Los Angeles Times
How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don't understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions.
Casting a wide net through history and culture, Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies of the past as witchcraft, faith healing, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today's so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning with stories of alien abduction, channeling past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms.
Praise for The Demon-Haunted World
"Powerful . . . A stirring defense of informed rationality. . . Rich in surprising information and beautiful writing."—The Washington Post Book World
"Compelling."—USA Today
"A clear vision of what good science means and why it makes a difference. . . . A testimonial to the power of science and a warning of the dangers of unrestrained credulity."—The Sciences
"Passionate."—San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle
"Vivid...impressive....Splendidly informative."—The New York Times
"Succeeds spectacularly."—Science
"A tour de force."—Salon
Already internationally acclaimed for his elegant, lucid writing on the most challenging notions in modern physics, Sean Carroll is emerging as one of the greatest humanist thinkers of his generation as he brings his extraordinary intellect to bear not only on Higgs bosons and extra dimensions but now also on our deepest personal questions: Where are we? Who are we? Are our emotions, our beliefs, and our hopes and dreams ultimately meaningless out there in the void? Do human purpose and meaning fit into a scientific worldview?
In short chapters filled with intriguing historical anecdotes, personal asides, and rigorous exposition, readers learn the difference between how the world works at the quantum level, the cosmic level, and the human level—and then how each connects to the other. Carroll's presentation of the principles that have guided the scientific revolution from Darwin and Einstein to the origins of life, consciousness, and the universe is dazzlingly unique.
Carroll shows how an avalanche of discoveries in the past few hundred years has changed our world and what really matters to us. Our lives are dwarfed like never before by the immensity of space and time, but they are redeemed by our capacity to comprehend it and give it meaning.
The Big Picture is an unprecedented scientific worldview, a tour de force that will sit on shelves alongside the works of Stephen Hawking, Carl Sagan, Daniel Dennett, and E. O. Wilson for years to come.
With The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Kuhn challenged long-standing linear notions of scientific progress, arguing that transformative ideas don't arise from the day-to-day, gradual process of experimentation and data accumulation but that the revolutions in science, those breakthrough moments that disrupt accepted thinking and offer unanticipated ideas, occur outside of "normal science," as he called it. Though Kuhn was writing when physics ruled the sciences, his ideas on how scientific revolutions bring order to the anomalies that amass over time in research experiments are still instructive in our biotech age.
This new edition of Kuhn's essential work in the history of science includes an insightful introduction by Ian Hacking, which clarifies terms popularized by Kuhn, including paradigm and incommensurability, and applies Kuhn's ideas to the science of today. Usefully keyed to the separate sections of the book, Hacking's introduction provides important background information as well as a contemporary context. Newly designed, with an expanded index, this edition will be eagerly welcomed by the next generation of readers seeking to understand the history of our perspectives on science.
Collins's faith in God has been confirmed and enhanced by the revolutionary discoveries in biology that he has helped to oversee. He has absorbed the arguments for atheism of many scientists and pundits, and he can refute them. Darwinian evolution occurs, yet, as he explains, it cannot fully explain human nature -- evolution can and must be directed by God. He offers an inspiring tour of the human genome to show the miraculous nature of God's instruction book. Sure to be compared with C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, this is a stunning document, whether you are a believer, a seeker, or an atheist.
The authors outline how their positions have further diverged on a number of key issues, including the spatial geometry of the universe, inflationary versus cyclic theories of the cosmos, and the black-hole information-loss paradox. Though much progress has been made, Hawking and Penrose stress that physicists still have further to go in their quest for a quantum theory of gravity.
The Future of the Mind brings a topic that once belonged solely to the province of science fiction into a startling new reality. This scientific tour de force unveils the astonishing research being done in top laboratories around the world—all based on the latest advancements in neuroscience and physics—including recent experiments in telepathy, mind control, avatars, telekinesis, and recording memories and dreams. The Future of the Mind is an extraordinary, mind-boggling exploration of the frontiers of neuroscience. Dr. Kaku looks toward the day when we may achieve the ability to upload the human brain to a computer, neuron for neuron; project thoughts and emotions around the world on a brain-net; take a "smart pill" to enhance cognition; send our consciousness across the universe; and push the very limits of immortality.
Merchants of Doubt tells the story of how a loose-knit group of high-level scientists and scientific advisers, with deep connections in politics and industry, ran effective campaigns to mislead the public and deny well-established scientific knowledge over four decades. Remarkably, the same individuals surface repeatedly-some of the same figures who have claimed that the science of global warming is "not settled" denied the truth of studies linking smoking to lung cancer, coal smoke to acid rain, and CFCs to the ozone hole. "Doubt is our product," wrote one tobacco executive. These "experts" supplied it.
Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway, historians of science, roll back the rug on this dark corner of the American scientific community, showing how ideology and corporate interests, aided by a too-compliant media, have skewed public understanding of some of the most pressing issues of our era.
Named one of the top books of 2009 by the Times Literary Supplement (London), this controversial and compelling book from Dr. Stephen C. Meyer presents a convincing new case for intelligent design (ID), based on revolutionary discoveries in science and DNA. Along the way, Meyer argues that Charles Darwin's theory of evolution as expounded in The Origin of Species did not, in fact, refute ID. If you enjoyed Francis Collins's The Language of God, you'll find much to ponder—about evolution, DNA, and intelligent design—in Signature in the Cell.
Now, Carr expands his argument into the most compelling exploration of the Internet's intellectual and cultural consequences yet published. As he describes how human thought has been shaped through the centuries by "tools of the mind"—from the alphabet to maps, to the printing press, the clock, and the computer—Carr interweaves a fascinating account of recent discoveries in neuroscience by such pioneers as Michael Merzenich and Eric Kandel. Our brains, the historical and scientific evidence reveals, change in response to our experiences. The technologies we use to find, store, and share information can literally reroute our neural pathways.
Building on the insights of thinkers from Plato to McLuhan, Carr makes a convincing case that every information technology carries an intellectual ethic—a set of assumptions about the nature of knowledge and intelligence. He explains how the printed book served to focus our attention, promoting deep and creative thought. In stark contrast, the Internet encourages the rapid, distracted sampling of small bits of information from many sources. Its ethic is that of the industrialist, an ethic of speed and efficiency, of optimized production and consumption—and now the Net is remaking us in its own image. We are becoming ever more adept at scanning and skimming, but what we are losing is our capacity for concentration, contemplation, and reflection.
Part intellectual history, part popular science, and part cultural criticism, The Shallows sparkles with memorable vignettes—Friedrich Nietzsche wrestling with a typewriter, Sigmund Freud dissecting the brains of sea creatures, Nathaniel Hawthorne contemplating the thunderous approach of a steam locomotive—even as it plumbs profound questions about the state of our modern psyche. This is a book that will forever alter the way we think about media and our minds.
"Sweeping, erudite, sharply argued, and fun to read..also highly persuasive." --Time
Now updated with a new afterword
One of the world's leading experts on language and the mind explores the idea of human nature and its moral, emotional, and political colorings. With characteristic wit, lucidity, and insight, Pinker argues that the dogma that the mind has no innate traits-a doctrine held by many intellectuals during the past century-denies our common humanity and our individual preferences, replaces objective analyses of social problems with feel-good slogans, and distorts our understanding of politics, violence, parenting, and the arts. Injecting calm and rationality into debates that are notorious for ax-grinding and mud-slinging, Pinker shows the importance of an honest acknowledgment of human nature based on science and common sense.
For all the thousands of books that have been written about religion, few until this one have attempted to examine it scientifically: to ask why—and how—it has shaped so many lives so strongly. Is religion a product of blind evolutionary instinct or rational choice? Is it truly the best way to live a moral life? Ranging through biology, history, and psychology, Daniel C. Dennett charts religion's evolution from "wild" folk belief to "domesticated" dogma. Not an antireligious screed but an unblinking look beneath the veil of orthodoxy, Breaking the Spell will be read and debated by believers and skeptics alike.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Continuing his groundbreaking examination of our "Anthropocene Epoch," which he began with The Social Conquest of Earth, described by the New York Times as "a sweeping account of the human rise to domination of the biosphere," here Wilson posits that we, as a species, now know enough about the universe and ourselves that we can begin to approach questions about our place in the cosmos and the meaning of intelligent life in a systematic, indeed, in a testable way.
Once criticized for a purely mechanistic view of human life and an overreliance on genetic predetermination, Wilson presents in The Meaning of Human Existence his most expansive and advanced theories on the sovereignty of human life, recognizing that, even though the human and the spider evolved similarly, the poet's sonnet is wholly different from the spider's web. Whether attempting to explicate "The Riddle of the Human Species," "Free Will," or "Religion"; warning of "The Collapse of Biodiversity"; or even creating a plausible "Portrait of E.T.," Wilson does indeed believe that humanity holds a special position in the known universe.
The human epoch that began in biological evolution and passed into pre-, then recorded, history is now more than ever before in our hands. Yet alarmed that we are about to abandon natural selection by redesigning biology and human nature as we wish them, Wilson soberly concludes that advances in science and technology bring us our greatest moral dilemma since God stayed the hand of Abraham.
Did Newton "unweave the rainbow" by reducing it to its prismatic colors, as Keats contended? Did he, in other words, diminish beauty? Far from it, says acclaimed scientist Richard Dawkins; Newton's unweaving is the key too much of modern astronomy and to the breathtaking poetry of modern cosmology. Mysteries don't lose their poetry because they are solved: the solution often is more beautiful than the puzzle, uncovering deeper mysteries. With the wit, insight, and spellbinding prose that have made him a bestselling author, Dawkins takes up the most important and compelling topics in modern science, from astronomy and genetics to language and virtual reality, combining them in a landmark statement of the human appetite for wonder.
This is the book Richard Dawkins was meant to write: a brilliant assessment of what science is (and isn't), a tribute to science not because it is useful but because it is uplifting.
"A love letter to science, an attempt to counter the perception that science is cold and devoid of aesthetic sensibility . . . Rich with metaphor, passionate arguments, wry humor, colorful examples, and unexpected connections, Dawkins' prose can be mesmerizing." —San Francisco Chronicle
"Brilliance and wit." —The New Yorker
From the Trade Paperback edition.
At the origin of Western philosophy stands Plato, who got about as much wrong as one would expect from a thinker who lived 2,400 years ago. But Plato's role in shaping philosophy was pivotal. On her way to considering the place of philosophy in our ongoing intellectual life, Goldstein tells a new story of its origin, re-envisioning the extraordinary culture that produced the man who produced philosophy.
But it is primarily the fate of philosophy that concerns her. Is the discipline no more than a way of biding our time until the scientists arrive on the scene? Have they already arrived? Does philosophy itself ever make progress? And if it does, why is so ancient a figure as Plato of any continuing relevance? Plato at the Googleplex is Goldstein's startling investigation of these conundra. She interweaves her narrative with Plato's own choice for bringing ideas to life—the dialogue.
Imagine that Plato came to life in the twenty-first century and embarked on a multicity speaking tour. How would he handle the host of a cable news program who denies there can be morality without religion? How would he mediate a debate between a Freudian psychoanalyst and a tiger mom on how to raise the perfect child? How would he answer a neuroscientist who, about to scan Plato's brain, argues that science has definitively answered the questions of free will and moral agency? What would Plato make of Google, and of the idea that knowledge can be crowd-sourced rather than reasoned out by experts? With a philosopher's depth and a novelist's imagination and wit, Goldstein probes the deepest issues confronting us by allowing us to eavesdrop on Plato as he takes on the modern world.
(With black-and-white photographs throughout.)
"An important book that provides insight into key new developments in our understanding of the nature of space, time and the universe. It will repay careful study." —John Gribbin, The Wall Street Journal
"An endlessly surprising foray into the current mother of physics' many knotty mysteries, the solving of which may unveil the weirdness of quantum particles, black holes, and the essential unity of nature." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
What is space? It isn't a question that most of us normally ask. Space is the venue of physics; it's where things exist, where they move and take shape. Yet over the past few decades, physicists have discovered a phenomenon that operates outside the confines of space and time: nonlocality-the ability of two particles to act in harmony no matter how far apart they may be. It appears to be almost magical. Einstein grappled with this oddity and couldn't come to terms with it, describing it as "spooky action at a distance." More recently, the mystery has deepened as other forms of nonlocality have been uncovered. This strange occurrence, which has direct connections to black holes, particle collisions, and even the workings of gravity, holds the potential to undermine our most basic understandings of physical reality. If space isn't what we thought it was, then what is it?
In Spooky Action at a Distance, George Musser sets out to answer that question, offering a provocative exploration of nonlocality and a celebration of the scientists who are trying to explain it. Musser guides us on an epic journey into the lives of experimental physicists observing particles acting in tandem, astronomers finding galaxies that look statistically identical, and cosmologists hoping to unravel the paradoxes surrounding the big bang. He traces the often contentious debates over nonlocality through major discoveries and disruptions of the twentieth century and shows how scientists faced with the same undisputed experimental evidence develop wildly different explanations for that evidence. Their conclusions challenge our understanding of not only space and time but also the origins of the universe-and they suggest a new grand unified theory of physics. Delightfully readable, Spooky Action at a Distance is a mind-bending voyage to the frontiers of modern physics that will change the way we think about reality.
In this age of supposed scientific enlightenment, many people still believe in mind reading, past-life regression theory, New Age hokum, and alien abduction. A no-holds-barred assault on popular superstitions and prejudices, with more than 80,000 copies in print, Why People Believe Weird Things debunks these nonsensical claims and explores the very human reasons people find otherworldly phenomena, conspiracy theories, and cults so appealing. In an entirely new chapter, "Why Smart People Believe in Weird Things," Michael Shermer takes on science luminaries like physicist Frank Tippler and others, who hide their spiritual beliefs behind the trappings of science.
Shermer, science historian and true crusader, also reveals the more dangerous side of such illogical thinking, including Holocaust denial, the recovered-memory movement, the satanic ritual abuse scare, and other modern crazes. Why People Believe Strange Things is an eye-opening resource for the most gullible among us and those who want to protect them.
What we read in the news today is full of subjectivity, half-truths, and blatant falsehoods; and thus it is more necessary now than ever to safeguard the truth with facts. In his provocative new book, evolutionary biologist Jerry A. Coyne aims to do exactly that in the arena of religion. In clear, dispassionate detail he explains why the toolkit of science, based on reason and empirical study, is reliable, while that of religion—including faith, dogma, and revelation—leads to incorrect, untestable, or conflicting conclusions.
Coyne is responding to a national climate in which over half of Americans don't believe in evolution (and congressmen deny global warming), and warns that religious prejudices and strictures in politics, education, medicine, and social policy are on the rise. Extending the bestselling works of Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens, he demolishes the claims of religion to provide verifiable "truth" by subjecting those claims to the same tests we use to establish truth in science.
Coyne irrefutably demonstrates the grave harm—to individuals and to our planet—in mistaking faith for fact in making the most important decisions about the world we live in.
In The Universe, today's most influential science writers explain the science behind our evolving understanding of the universe and everything in it, including the cutting edge research and discoveries that are shaping our knowledge.
Lee Smolin reveals how math and cosmology are helping us create a theory of the whole universe. Benoit Mandelbrot looks back on a career devoted to fractal geometry. Neil Turok analyzes the fundamental laws of nature, what came before the big bang, and the possibility of a unified theory.
Seth Lloyd investigates the impact of computational revolutions and the informational revolution. Lawrence Krauss provides fresh insight into gravity, dark matter, and the energy of empty space. Brian Greene and Walter Isaacson illuminate the genius who revolutionized modern science: Albert Einstein. And much more.
Explore the universe with some of today's greatest minds: what it is, how it came into being, and what may happen next.
A brilliant book about modern physics, quantum mechanics, the fate of stars and the deep mysteries of black holes, Leonard Susskind's account of the Black Hole War is mind-bending and exhilarating reading.
Kaku skillfully guides us through the latest innovations in string theory and its latest iteration, M-theory, which posits that our universe may be just one in an endless multiverse, a singular bubble floating in a sea of infinite bubble universes. If M-theory is proven correct, we may perhaps finally find answer to the question, "What happened before the big bang?" This is an exciting and unforgettable introduction into the new cutting-edge theories of physics and cosmology from one of the pre-eminent voices in the field.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Richard Feynman, winner of the Nobel Prize in physics, thrived on outrageous adventures. Here he recounts in his inimitable voice his experience trading ideas on atomic physics with Einstein and Bohr and ideas on gambling with Nick the Greek; cracking the uncrackable safes guarding the most deeply held nuclear secrets; accompanying a ballet on his bongo drums; painting a naked female toreador. In short, here is Feynman's life in all its eccentric—a combustible mixture of high intelligence, unlimited curiosity, and raging chutzpah.
In Other Minds, Peter Godfrey-Smith, a distinguished philosopher of science and a skilled scuba diver, tells a bold new story of how subjective experience crept into being—how nature became aware of itself. As Godfrey-Smith stresses, it is a story that largely occurs in the ocean, where animals first appeared. Tracking the mind's fitful development, Godfrey-Smith shows how unruly clumps of seaborne cells began living together and became capable of sensing, acting, and signaling. As these primitive organisms became more entangled with others, they grew more complicated. The first nervous systems evolved, probably in ancient relatives of jellyfish; later on, the cephalopods, which began as inconspicuous mollusks, abandoned their shells and rose above the ocean floor, searching for prey and acquiring the greater intelligence needed to do so. Taking an independent route, mammals and birds later began their own evolutionary journeys.
But what kind of intelligence do cephalopods possess? Drawing on the latest scientific research and his own scuba-diving adventures, Godfrey-Smith probes the many mysteries that surround the lineage. How did the octopus, a solitary creature with little social life, become so smart? What is it like to have eight tentacles that are so packed with neurons that they virtually "think for themselves"? What happens when some octopuses abandon their hermit-like ways and congregate, as they do in a unique location off the coast of Australia?
By tracing the question of inner life back to its roots and comparing human beings with our most remarkable animal relatives, Godfrey-Smith casts crucial new light on the octopus mind—and on our own.
In Denialism, New Yorker staff writer Michael Specter reveals that Americans have come to mistrust institutions and especially the institution of science more today than ever before. For centuries, the general view had been that science is neither good nor bad—that it merely supplies information and that new information is always beneficial. Now, science is viewed as a political constituency that isn't always in our best interest. We live in a world where the leaders of African nations prefer to let their citizens starve to death rather than import genetically modified grains. Childhood vaccines have proven to be the most effective public health measure in history, yet people march on Washington to protest their use. In the United States a growing series of studies show that dietary supplements and "natural" cures have almost no value, and often cause harm. We still spend billions of dollars on them. In hundreds of the best universities in the world, laboratories are anonymous, unmarked, and surrounded by platoons of security guards—such is the opposition to any research that includes experiments with animals. And pharmaceutical companies that just forty years ago were perhaps the most visible symbol of our remarkable advance against disease have increasingly been seen as callous corporations propelled solely by avarice and greed.
As Michael Specter sees it, this amounts to a war against progress. The issues may be complex but the choices are not: Are we going to continue to embrace new technologies, along with acknowledging their limitations and threats, or are we ready to slink back into an era of magical thinking? In Denialism, Specter makes an argument for a new Enlightenment, the revival of an approach to the physical world that was stunningly effective for hundreds of years: What can be understood and reliably repeated by experiment is what nature regarded as true. Now, at the time of mankind's greatest scientific advances—and our greatest need for them—that deal must be renewed.
Technology has become the architect of our intimacies. Online, we fall prey to the illusion of companionship, gathering thousands of Twitter and Facebook friends, and confusing tweets and wall posts with authentic communication. But this relentless connection leads to a deep solitude. MIT professor Sherry Turkle argues that as technology ramps up, our emotional lives ramp down. Based on hundreds of interviews and with a new introduction taking us to the present day, Alone Together describes changing, unsettling relationships between friends, lovers, and families.
Why are rates of conditions like autism, asthma, obesity, and allergies exploding at an unprecedented pace? Why are humans living longer, getting smarter, and having far fewer kids? How might your lifestyle affect your unborn children and grandchildren? How will gene-editing technologies like CRISPR steer the course of human evolution? If Darwin were alive today, how would he explain this new world? Could our progeny eventually become a different species—or several?
In Evolving Ourselves, futurist Juan Enriquez and scientist Steve Gullans conduct a sweeping tour of how humans are changing the course of evolution—sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. For example:
• Globally, rates of obesity in humans nearly doubled between 1980 and 2014. What's more, there's evidence that other species, from pasture-fed horses to lab animals to house cats, are also getting fatter.
• As reported by U.S. government agencies, the rate of autism rose by 131 percent from 2001 to 2010, an increase that cannot be attributed simply to increases in diagnosis rates.
• Three hundred years ago, almost no one with a serious nut allergy lived long enough to reproduce. Today, despite an environment in which food allergies have increased by 50 percent in just over a decade, 17 million Americans who suffer from food allergies survive, thrive, and pass their genes and behaviors on to the next generation.
• In the pre-Twinkie era, early humans had quite healthy mouths. As we began cooking, bathing, and using antibiotics, the bacteria in our bodies changed dramatically and became far less diverse. Today the consequences are evident not only in our teeth but throughout our bodies and minds.
Though these harbingers of change are deeply unsettling, the authors argue that we are also in an epoch of tremendous opportunity. New advances in biotechnology help us mitigate the cruel forces of natural selection, from saving prematurely born babies to gene therapies for sickle cell anemia and other conditions. As technology like CRISPR enables us to take control of our genes, we will be able to alter our own species and many others—a good thing, given that our eventual survival will require space travel and colonization, enabled by a fundamental redesign of our bodies.
Future humans could become great caretakers of the planet, as well as a more diverse, more resilient, gentler, and more intelligent species—but only if we make the right choices now.
Intelligent, provocative, and optimistic, Evolving Ourselves is the ultimate guide to the next phase of life on Earth.
From the Hardcover edition.
Reinventing Discovery tells the exciting story of an unprecedented new era of networked science. We learn, for example, how mathematicians in the Polymath Project are spontaneously coming together to collaborate online, tackling and rapidly demolishing previously unsolved problems. We learn how 250,000 amateur astronomers are working together in a project called Galaxy Zoo to understand the large-scale structure of the Universe, and how they are making astonishing discoveries, including an entirely new kind of galaxy. These efforts are just a small part of the larger story told in this book--the story of how scientists are using the internet to dramatically expand our problem-solving ability and increase our combined brainpower.
This is a book for anyone who wants to understand how the online world is revolutionizing scientific discovery today--and why the revolution is just beginning.
Why do people believe bunk? And what causes them to embrace such pseudoscientific beliefs and practices? Noted skeptic Massimo Pigliucci sets out to separate the fact from the fantasy in this entertaining exploration of the nature of science, the borderlands of fringe science, and—borrowing a famous phrase from philosopher Jeremy Bentham—the nonsense on stilts. Presenting case studies on a number of controversial topics, Pigliucci cuts through the ambiguity surrounding science to look more closely at how science is conducted, how it is disseminated, how it is interpreted, and what it means to our society. The result is in many ways a "taxonomy of bunk" that explores the intersection of science and culture at large.
No one—not the public intellectuals in the culture wars between defenders and detractors of science nor the believers of pseudoscience themselves—is spared Pigliucci's incisive analysis. In the end, Nonsense on Stilts is a timely reminder of the need to maintain a line between expertise and assumption. Broad in scope and implication, it is also ultimately a captivating guide for the intelligent citizen who wishes to make up her own mind while navigating the perilous debates that will affect the future of our planet.
These luminous, entertaining essays travel both the vastness of the cosmos and the intimacy of the human mind, posing such fascinating questions as how did the universe originate and how will it end, and how can we meld science and compassion to meet the challenges of the coming century? Here, too, is a rare, private glimpse of Sagan's thoughts about love, death, and God as he struggled with fatal disease.
Ever forward-looking and vibrant with the sparkle of his unquenchable curiosity, Billions & Billions is a testament to one of the great scientific minds of our day.
This fascinating new volume tells the story of contact between aliens and humans from all across the globe, dating back to 1932, including meetings with military personnel and American presidents such as Eisenhower and Kennedy.
For the first time, a former member of MI6 reveals her conversation with Neil Armstrong at a NASA conference, when she confirmed that there were "other" spacecraft on the moon when Apollo 11 landed in 1969. Armstrong also confirmed that the CIA was behind the cover-up.
In a further admission in December 2012, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev revealed "the president of Russia is given a special top secret folder [that] in its entirety contains information about aliens who have visited our planet. Along with this, the president is given a report of the Special Service that exercises control over aliens in our country. I will not tell you how many of them are among us because it may cause panic."
Philosophy is a great companion and a roadmap to navigate life's major milestones, including:How to make sense of deathWhat loving someone or something meansThe effect of art on our livesWhat role language plays in understanding the worldHow do our ideas affect our actions
A heartfelt and personal journey filled with both humor and drama, How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming is the book for anyone, young or old, who has ever imagined exploring the universe—and who among us hasn't?
In this illuminating book, renowned physicist Lee Smolin argues that fundamental physics—the search for the laws of nature—is losing its way.
Ambitious ideas about extra dimensions, exotic particles, multiple universes, and strings have captured the public's imagination—and the imagination of experts. But these ideas have not been tested experimentally, and some, like string theory, seem to offer no possibility of being tested. Even still, these speculations dominate the field, attracting the best talent and much of the funding, while creating a climate in which emerging physicists are often penalized for pursuing other avenues. The situation threatens to impede the very progress of science.
With clarity, passion, and authority, Smolin offers an unblinking assessment of the troubles that face modern physics, and an encouraging view of where the search for the next big idea may lead.
"The best book about contemporary science written for the layman that I have ever read." —The Times (London)
In the course of his career, Einstein wrote more than 300 scientific and 150 nonscientific publications. These essays date from the 1930s and 40s. In direct, everyday language the author develops a coherent view that transcends both the antiquated religion of fear and the modern religion of ethics. His concept of cosmic religion combines science and religion, with science forming the basis for a more enlightened religion. In these essays and aphorisms, Einstein also reflects on pacifism, disarmament, and Zionism. In addition to a brief biography of the author, this volume includes a warm appreciation by George Bernard Shaw.
From the Trade Paperback edition.


text: Fire Magic A430i-2 Aurora Island Style Slide In Grill with Rotisserie Backburner The outdoor chef must have this island style grill. The Aurora is one of Fire Magic's most popular and features a push button solid state electronic which means fast and easy lighting. The spacious grilling surface lets you cook your steaks and vegetables at the same time and even keep your finished foods warm on the top warming rack. Now all you have to do is call your family and friends over and prepare a great meal! All stainless steel construction Bright polished stainless steel removable control panel trim Seamless double wall water resistant hood Electronic spark ignition system with flash tubes Grill lifter Heavy gauge stainless steel warming rack Digital oven & meat thermometer in control panel with meat probe Seamless welded lid & control panel 1/2" stainless steel gas flex connector Disposable foil drip tray liners Rotisserie kit Integral installation hanger Cooking area: 432 sq. inches (24" x 18") Grilling surface BTU: 50,000 Rear burner: 16,000 BTUs


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She's lost her drive and her ambition. Losing the baby has almost made her lose her mind. But finding an old fuel tank on her island home gets her attention, especially since she has to call the environmentalists in.
Ms. Evans adds a bit of history to her books, writing about often forgotten history trivia that adds an interesting aspect to the tale she's telling. She mixes past and present and ties it up with a big bow to make it all fit together.
Faye has a husband, a daughter and a son. Her father-in-law is staying with them currently. She has plenty of reason to live if she can just get out of her funk. Joe is trying to be patient but it bothers him.
With inspectors checking out the fuel (which turns out to be kerosene), she meets with a man who searching his ancestors. He uses her great grandmother's name in connection with a soldier who never came home from the war even though he was married. He thinks she was keeping him captive. She knows that couldn't be true, but what was the truth?
When the local marina's diner owner is shot and killed, Faye has something else to interest her. She doesn't realize how close and personal that death is going to become to her.
My favorite part is watching Faye trying to figure out why the soldier would be there at all and where he might have lived. When she finds arsenic, it's a clue. But a clue to what?
This is a very good read with exciting parts, some trauma, and family secrets being unearthed. It's a fascinating read that keeps you glued to the pages. I'm ready to read the next in this series.
Editor's note: This article was originally published at Long and Short Reviews. It has been republished with permission. Like what you read? Subscribe to the SFRB's free daily email notice so you can be up-to-date on our latest articles. Scroll up this page to the sign-up field on your right.


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No free speech allowed?
Israel government barred Dublin Lord Mayor Mícheál Mac Donncha on Tuesday from entering Israel because of he supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions on Israel movement.
According Haaretz news paper the Israeli Strategic Affairs Ministry, in charge of fighting delegitimation of Israel, said the reason for the decision was was Donncha's ties with the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which promotes boycotts of Israeli companies and international companies who work in Israel.
According to the ministry, the mayor promoted the IPSC's ideas through the city council and publicly expressed support for them.
Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan said that "the policy I set is clear: He who works consistently to boycott Israel will not enter here."
In January, Israel summoned the Irish ambassador in Israel for clarification and to express dissatisfaction in light of a proposed bill in Ireland's national parliament calling for a boycott of Israeli settlements.
For more news on this issue clik her


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Apply For A Dream Date Competitionwritten by tomas_bates on 2011-07-21 #news
In the mood for love? Want to join our Baby for a Car Competition but don't have a loved one? We want to send a lucky Lomographer or two on their dream date - Read on for details on how to participate!89 55 Share Tweet
Through A Plastic Lens - Photographs by Charlie Wagerswritten by charliewagers on 2010-11-22 #news
Through a Plastic Lens is a solo exhibition of Medium-Format photographs by Charlie Wagers. A month long art-show in Square Records Gallery, in Akron, Ohio.1 7 Share Tweet
Lomography x Green Monday Photo Competition:Let's go GREEN!written by antheali on 2014-05-19 #news
You might have gotten used to living in a concrete jungle, where countless skyscrapers and people stand. But you could actually fight for your own green in the city with analogue, and here comes the chance with Let's go GREEN! The competition by Lomography and Green Monday allows you connect healthy lifestyles with analogue photography, the coolest thing is you may even win a new camera!1 Share Tweet


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Fuel Economy - Category
Wasteful ThinkingJan 13th, 2019
With the weather getting colder, you might be tempted to start your vehicle up, let it idle for 15 or 20 minutes and... (Read more)
Improve Fuel Economy with Proper Maintenance at 1 Stop Car & Truck Repair Inc in VeniceAug 27th, 2017
With Venice gas prices being what they are, many of us in FL are driving less and looking into purchasing smaller or... (Read more)
Hey Venice Drivers: How Do You Save Gas?Apr 4th, 2017
Higher Venice fuel prices aren't going away any time soon. That's not good news for our wallets. A lot of Venice... (Read more)
Save Fuel by Watching Your WeightSep 30th, 2015
Most Venice drivers are all talking right now. Better gas mileage. Fewer emissions. FL folks want to save the... (Read more)


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Learning The "Secrets" of Businesses
What To Consider When Choosing a Chairman.
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group like a board, committee or even an assembly. In most of the cases, they are nominated or rather appointed by the group members according to some criteria. They are also supposed to serve for some time but there are those ones who are there for long time. The methods and the process for getting a chairman follow some predetermined protocol but some of these things we can all agree on. Their main job is to make sure that the meetings are in order and runs smoothly o that an agreement is reached. In a business setting, they are supposed to protect the investors' interests such as the profiting and the stability of the company. The other executives are also supposed to answer to him and these are just examples of the things that they do.
This shows just how important they are and that means that choosing one should be something done with a lot of care because a lot will depend on the choice that is made. Of course a number of people are usually listed and then they are vetted to see who suits the sit best. The experience of the candidates and the certifications that they have are among the first things that will be considered in this case. It would be ideal to choose one that has some training in that particular area. They are actually supposed to know a little more than the executives that are below them because that is the only way that they are going to be actual leader.
If you take an example of one of the greatest chairmen of all time, Hussain al Nowais, it is clear that he is qualified and also has some experience in that area. The many years that he has done the job and many other things makes him among the best chairmen in history. This is one of the offices whose efficiency mostly depends on how much one has learned in the field. The success of the meetings and everything will depend on his ability to enforce the law, his patience, his sense of judgment and the qualities and qualifications that he has and therefore these are things that should be considered. This, plus his sense of judgment, his patience and his ability to enforce the rules and the law in general are the things that will determine the success of the meetings and should therefore be considered. His ability to enforce the law, patience, and his sense of judgment are things that will determine how well he gets the job done and should therefore be on top of the list while looking. Among the many goals that any company has is to excel and some of these things will depend on the decisions made which in turn depends on some of the key players like the chairman.


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Page and images owned, maintained, and © copyrighted 2010 by Danny Oglethorpe
Note: This page was put together in 2004. It has never been made public until November of 2010. KHON-2 is NOT counted in my log totals. My wife and son think I'm crazy for not counting
Since putting this page together, I sent a recording of my reception to F2 expert Robert Copeman in Australia. In his opinion, this is indeed F2, and it is possibly KHON-2.
My local analog KTBS-3 is now gone from channel 3 and the cable leakage is now only sporadic.
These photographs actually do not do justice to the signal. The recording looks better.
The possibility of receiving TV DX via F2 never seemed realistic to me. Therefore, I was not at all prepared when some F2 actually made its way to my TVs. The next time F2 visited my TVs I was preapred, but no ID was received. Although my experience with F2 has been interesting, it has not been very satisfying...
Don't you just hate it when a person has an excuse for every mistake he has ever made?
Well, I messed-up my first experience with F2 on December 30, 2001. That F2 was from somewhere in the vicinity of Venezuela. And I have some excuses (in addition to my admitted stupidity).
1. My local cable TV system leaks on the low-band (channels 2-6) to my east/southeast/south. (The cable company can't find the leak.) Therefore, signals from those directions have to be pretty strong in order to pull through the leakage.
2. My local channel 3 puts out radiation on channels 2 and 4 for days at a time during the winter months. This is not adjacent channel splash (I have traps for that), but actual signal on the adjacent channels. This was going on the morning of 12/30/01.
3. By nature F2 doesn't always appear to arrive at the receiver via a direct route. Therefore, I thought the odd-looking signal was a combination of cable leakage, channel 3 adjacent channel radiation, and weak Es from the east/northeast.
If I had only checked the WTFDA email list during the time of the odd signal, I could have read timely reports of F2 being received on TV in eastern parts of North America! But no, I simply felt like it was just some mixed-up Es from the usual eastern Es stations like WMAR-2 Baltimore. Thus, I didn't pay the signal much attention and only caught a few minutes of it on tape. Unfortunately, I was mixed-up, not the TV signal.
You can be assured that I was determined to never make that kind of mistake again. So I studied-up on F2 in hopes of having another chance someday. That chance came on October 30, 2003 at about 1700 Central Standard Time.
In spite of doubters in the DX community, I honestly believe that the odd signal that Steven Wiseblood (near Brownsville TX) and I received was KHON-2 Honolulu via F2. KHON-2 was the only TV station on channel 2 anywhere west of here airing "The People's Court" at that time of day. Most of all, Ham operators in this region of the country had strong contacts with Hawaii at the same time on the 6 meter band.
Note The People's Court logo lower left
The distance to Honolulu is almost 4,000 miles


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I told myself that this top was just a trial, something to get myself used to tracing patterns and the infamous Burda instructions. What could be easier than a two piece top with cut-on sleeves? So why did I use a fabric I actually liked which, by the way, was completely the wrong print for this style anyway? But it turned out not to matter, because...
1. It accomplished the original goal: trying out a Burda pattern. I did the tracing with my extra awesome setup of a pencil and marker taped to a ruler:
3. As my advisor would say, sometimes it's just as important to figure out what doesn't work as to figure out what does. Now I'll no longer be tempted by those tops. Ever.
So really, no big deal. Moving forward, I think I'm going to stay away from knits for a while, until I save up enough to really get some decent stuff online. This probably won't happen until after Christmas. I also realized just how dire my pant situation is, and that I will have to give in and buy a few pairs of RTW jeans to make it through the rest of the year. Of my three pairs that fit, two have been patched more than once, and one pair has big acid holes down one leg. It's time. But that's just even more incentive to keep grinding on my pants muslin. It's going, but slowly. Other than the perpetual pants, I'm looking to start a collared shirt (because I can and it's not knit) and am sensing some reworking/recycling projects shortly. Stay tuned.
ETA: I changed the title of this when I realized I had multiple hits coming from people searching "bu.sty girls" on Google. Creepy!


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The Bello Sonno Bed combines all of the features and benefits you'd expect from a premium quality bed. The Bello Sonno bed can be complemented with any of our four Furniture Collections; Bellano, Florence, Verona and Milan.
- Raise back section & knees for comfort or therapy.
- Adjust height for transfers or care.
- Choose from a range of 12 wood colours to match your decor.
- Move easily with hidden wheels.
- Operate bed functions with convenient handset control.
- Choose from a range of accessories.
Standard Features:
- Four section profiling.
- Anti-stomach compression.
- Fully height adjustable (25-82cm).
- Safety low voltage handset & control system.
- Safety and Eco-friendly power cut-off.
- Meets current EU / UK legal & safety requirements.
- Manufactured in accordance with ISO 9001 quality standards.
- 14 Day Money Back Guarantee on this bed (subject to Terms).


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Company : TBJ Inc
UMDC Code : 182849
The Model SPD 30-96-2B-AH WS is a unique height adjustable sink that enables users to adjust the work height to their own specific comfort level. It is shown here with a double bowl configuration. Type 304 Stainless Steel Construction. 1½ square heavy duty tubular base frame with adjustable leveling feet.
(2) 28 x 16 x 10 ½ deep sinks. (1) deck mounted spray gun. (1) deck mounted compressed air gun. (1) hot/cold water sprayer. Deck mounted faucet with foot pedal controls. Push-button height adjustment from 36 to 44. Flexible utility connections included. Marine edge around top perimeter. Overall dimensions: 30 W x 96 L x 36- 44 high work surface.
Product URL : http://www.tbjinc.com/Product.aspx?id=110291
Last Updated : 03/16/2013
Categories : "Sinks, Laboratory"
Please provide the following information and a representative of TBJ Inc will contact you to assist with any questions you might have.
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Mildred Dresselhaus
Mildred Dresselhaus
from 6.00
A print of Professor Mildred Dresselhause aka "The Queen of Carbon Science."
20% of all proceeds from Badass Ladies prints are donated to Girls Inc., who run programs that inspire girls everywhere to be strong, smart and bold and who advocate for legislation and initiatives that increase opportunities for girls.
High-quality print on Epson archival textured matte paper. Printed and shipped from Oakland, California.
Add To Cart


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Shrestha opens 5-shot lead over Nagarkoti
- NPGA classic
-, Kathmandu
Feb 9, 2018-
Top-ranked Shivaram Shrestha opened up a five-stroke lead over overnight co-leader Bhuwan Nagarkoti in the second of Golfer Pilots NPGA Classic on Thursday.
Shrestha shot four-under 64 for a 36-hole total of seven-under 129, while Nagarkoti carded one-over 69 for a total of two-under 134 during the sixth event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2017-18 at the par-68 Royal Nepal Golf Club (RNGC). Rame Magar also carded 69 to stay in third with a total score of one-under 135.
Dhana Bahadur Thapa carded two-over 70 to remain in fourth at one-over 37. Sanjay Lama was next at fifth with a total card of 138 after shooting even-par 68 on Thursday. Bhuwan Kumar Rokka shot a 69, Rabi Khadka a 71 and Surya Prasad Sharma a 70 to share the sixth position at three-over 139. Jayaram Shrestha, who shot 72, was tied for ninth at 141 with amateurs Binod Tamang and Subash Ghising. Pradeep Kumar Lama (71) was in 10th at 144.
Amateur golfers Tamang played even-par 68 and Ghising carded two-over 70. Navaraj Chaulagain (73) was in third at 12-over 148, while the only lady golfer Pratima Sherpa had a hole-in-one on 12th on her way to 14-over 82.
The Nepal No 1 Shrestha shot five-under 29 on the front nine and one-over 35 on the back nine. The RNGC pro sank birdies on the first, second, fourth, seventh and ninth holes. On his way back, Shrestha dropped a shot on the 13th and parred rest of the holes.
Nagarkoti carded two-under 32 on the front nine and three-over 37 on the back nine. He sank birdies on the third and fourth in his first nine holes. On the back nine, Nagarkoti had a double bogey on the 10th and bogeys on the 12th, 14th and 17th holes against birdies on the 16th and 18th. Rame Magar shot one-over 35 and even-par 34 on each half . He dropped shots on the second and ninth against a birdie on the seventh hole. On the back nine, Magar sank birdies on the 10th, 11th and 13th against a triple bogey on the 16th hole.
In all, 31 pros and 13 amateur golfers are taking part in the 54-hole tournament. The first and second rounds was played at RNGC with the final to be played at the Gokarna Golf Club. The pro-am tournament will be played on Saturday at the Gokarna. The tournament was initiated by the pilot golfers in 2007 but was not held since 2009. It appeared this year on the annual Surya Nepal Golf Tour.
The champion will receive Rs 55,000 and the runner-up will take home Rs 37,000 with third-placed golfer assured of Rs 25,000 in the tournament that offers Rs 300,000 in total cash prize. There will be no cut in the event but only top 21 pros and ties are entitled for cash rewards.
Published: 09-02-2018 08:52
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This old work horse has been parked at a friend's place for at least a year. I finally snapped a shot of it Thanksgiving Day weekend when I walked outside and saw the storm clouds in the background. This is three different exposures slapped together in Photomatix and touched up a bit in Photoshop.
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Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, Air Force Global Strike Command commander, speaks in Washington, D.C., Sept. 16, 2014.
Air Force Photo by SSgt. Carlin Leslie
Air Force Global Strike Command is changing the training paradigm at all three of its missile bases. The series of incremental block changes, which were first beta-tested at Minot AFB, N.D., started rolling out to the missile wings at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., and Malmstrom AFB, Mont., in December, AFGSC boss Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson told Air Force Magazine. Among the changes, the command has increased manning, moved instructors back into the squadrons, and added mid-level supervisors back to the squadron, said Wilson. Before the command's Force Improvement Program, all airmen received the same training, whether they had been assigned to the wing for three months or three years, he noted. That's not the case anymore. "We're listening to our airmen and … we took their good ideas and we rolled it up in this training [program]," he said during the Jan. 9 interview. "We wanted to make sure we didn't screw it up and that we had it right. That's why we beta-tested it first at Minot and now we're rolling it out to all the wings." Wilson said so far he's getting "two big thumbs up" from the field. "Everybody is seeing an improved way of how we're doing the mission. It's better and they like it," he said. (See also Global Strike Evolution from Air Force Magazine's August 2014 issue.)
Daily Report: Read the day's top news on the US Air Force, airpower, and national security issues.
Tweets by @AirForceMag


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Our county's first representative to the Indiana general assembly got into political "hot water" with the folks back home immediately after Kosciusko county was organized. John B. Chapman, who is the man who named both Kosciusko county and Warsaw, was the representative from Elkhart and Kosciusko counties when the name and bounds of our county seat were determined. He also was instrumental in locating the site of the seat of justice.
When Chapman came up for re-election, four candidates --John Jackson, John D. DeFreis, E. M. Chamberlain, and William Crawford --opposed him. One of the big problems discussed in the campaign was how to get means of transportation in the area. Chapman advocated the building of railroads, which was a rather unpopular stand at the time. The farmers were especially afraid that the railroads would cut their farms and kill their cattle. The majority of the people at that time seemed to favor the building of canals to provide a means of transportation.
John B. Chapman wrote a letter to the editor of the Northern Indianian (Warsaw newspaper) which was published in the issue of March 22, 1877. In this letter he told of a political meeting held in a store house at Leesburg during his campaign for re-election.
All five of the candidates spoke at this meeting. Chamberlain promised that if he were elected he would see that canal service would be extended to the area and that railroad projects would be forgotten. Several of the candidates criticized Chapman severely for choosing the name of Kosciusko for the county, maintaining that it was too hard to spell and to pronounce. Some of the speakers criticized the size of the county, claiming that it was too large. When it came time for Chapman to speak he stoutly defended his policy of encouraging railroad building, as well as upholding the name and bounds of our county.
E. M. Chamberlain was the successful candidate, but the policies of Chapman proved to be the lasting ones.
Warsaw Times-Union Tues. Apr. 28, 1953


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Malaysia Post has issued its special stamp depicting the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu Adzam Shah Bridge. The issue consists of two stamps that were put into circulation on the 31st of December.
The Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge or Penang Second Bridge is a dual carriageway toll bridge in Penang, Malaysia. It connects Bandar Cassia (Batu Kawan) in Seberang Perai on mainland Peninsular Malaysia with Batu Maung on Penang Island.
It is the second bridge to link the island to the mainland after the first Penang Bridge. The total length of the bridge is 24 km (15 mi) with length over water at 16.9 km (10.5 mi), making it the longest bridge in Malaysia and the longest in Southeast Asia.
Construction actually started in November 2008. To reduce the cost of construction, its design was then modified to resemble the first cable stayed Penang Bridge. The bridge has been built with a large loan from the People's Republic of China to continue and maintain the economic relationship between China and Malaysia. The bridge was officially opened on 1 March 2014 and was named after the fourteen Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah of Kedah.
Club News
Rajpex-2015, Rajasthan State Level Philatelic Exhibition at Jaipur from 24th to 27th January 2015
Rajpex-2015, 14th Rajasthan State Level Philatelic Exhibition will be organized by Rajasthan Postal Circle at Mahaveer Public School, Vardhman Marg, C-Scheme, Jaipur from 24th to 27th January 2015.
For more information visit
Prospectus and Entry Form of Rajpex-2015 can be downloaded from https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2JvHObXjqc2RDI5aE16RFFJYm8/view
Special Cover on 50 Years of Academic Excellence of Lokmanya Tilak Medical College, Sion - 29th November 2014
Lokmanya Tilak Medical College and Hospital is one of the premier medical institutions of India and proudly recognized nationally and internationally. It was started in 1947 with 10 beds initially, which has now grown into multi-specialty hospital with more than 1,400 beds. On 30th November 1964 Lokmanya Tilak Medical College was established with the first batch of 60 students.
Lokmanya Tilak Medical College and Hospital is the first major referral hospital and caters to all trauma and disasters from both major highways. It was the first Trauma Service in the country and possibly in Asia, which has been on a constant 'state of alert' for disasters. This hospital is a nodal center amongst the medical services of the Disaster management plan in the civic context. It has many firsts to its credit like human milk bank, skin bank and first emergency coronary stenting.
A special cover was released to mark 50 Years of Academic Excellence of Lokmanya Tilak Medical College on 29th November 2014 at Mumbai. (Special Cover approval no. MH/30/2014). The cover depicts the Hospital and college buildings and the College logo and the special cancellation depicts the team work logo of the hospital.
Courtesy – Indian Philately Digest


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I'm reading Anthony Trollope's Barchester Towers. I'm not far into it, but it was good enough that it really tested my resolve to turn out the lights to get my desired # of hours of sleep!
Here's a snippet of what I read last night:
The baby really was delightful; he took his food with a will, stuck out his toes merrily when his legs were uncovered, and did not have fits. These are supposed to be the strongest points of baby perfection, and in all these our baby excelled.
Now, that's just funny!