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TIANJIN - It's been a lot of work spanning a couple of continents, but Zhongnanhai will finally re-launch tomorrow afternoon with a completely different look and functionality.
A couple of items, before we go (temporarily):
- Unfortunately, while we are currently transferring our posts to the new site, all comments will be lost. This is a sad reality of moving from Movable Type to an entirely new platform.
- All RSS feeds will change; in fact, there will be more RSS options on the new site. Please check back tomorrow (Saturday) to update your feeds.
We'll see you on the other side...
Given what has been happening here in China the past week and a half, it's hard not to think and write about all things earthquake. However, I thought I might just take a moment away from China to throw my two cents in on the Democratic Presidential nomination race in the United States.
Politicians, much like movie stars and sports figures, have never really been known as introspective. Some may call it shallow. However, I personally do cut them a bit of slack. When you're surrounded 24/7 by sycophants and fans who consider you the second coming of Lennon (that would be John, not Vladimir Ilyich) it's most likely difficult to be able to see through the fog of crap these people encase you in. But that said, there has to come a point in everyone's career where you just have to step back and say "enough is enough." There's nothing more pathetic than an aging sports star who keeps clinging on hoping for one last shot at glory, or an actor who may have had his or her 15 minutes of fame who is now relegated to supporting roles or the occasional cameo. Same thing applies to politicians. In any election, a politician - generally speaking - once the polls are closed and the numbers start flowing, will know very quickly whether or not he or she has a shot of winning. And when the numbers become inevitable, most politicians generally concede victory to their opponent gracefully and move on. However, it's becoming readily obvious that Hillary Clinton is not one of these politicians.
Despite a recent turnaround in the last few primaries, Mrs. Clinton still trails Barrack Obama to the point now where she can no longer get more delegates than he can. The best she can hope for, on the narrowest of outside chances, is that the Democratic Party flips its decision and allows the votes that were cast in Michigan and Florida to be added to the overall tally. This would still not give Clinton enough delegates to win the nomination outright. All this could potentially do is give her the lead in the popular vote, which her campaign hopes, would be enough to convince Superdelegates that she's the horse to bet on in the Presidential campaign against John McCain. This scenario has, in my estimation, about a 2 percent chance of actually succeeding. And if it did work, it would put the Democrats in a particular disadvantage. Here's why, as I see it:
For this unrealistic outcome to work for Mrs. Clinton, Superdelegates would have to turn against Obama, a politician who has run a somewhat cordial campaign (though not without its mudslinging, of course) and has kept his nose clean politically (minus his yappy former preacher). As such, if Clinton wants to turn the SD's her way, she'll have to get particularly nasty and drudge up some sort of scandal against Obama and ride it all the way to Denver. I can just see the Republicans salivating at this prospect. As well, if the Democratic party reverses its original decision not to allow the Florida and Michigan votes to stand because they violated party rules, again it gives ammunition to the Republican Party, which would be well within its rights to begin pointing out that if the Democrats can't follow their own rules, how can they be trusted to keep their promises and play by the rules if they got into the Whitehouse. Basically, if the stars align for Hillary, the Democrats are essentially going to have to run a defensive Presidential campaign. And look how well that worked out for John Kerry in 2004.
It's time for Mrs. Clinton to take a step back and face the reality of the situation. If she actually cared about the fortunes of her party, and not her own inflated sense of self-worth, she would gracefully bow out of the race now and allow the Democratic party time to get itself cohesive enough to take on the Republican machine, which, despite what you might think about the crap that has gone on the last 8 years under Bush, still has the power and support in the United States to snatch up what should have been a virtual cake walk for Democrats this go round.
This is a post in a series focusing on the US Presidential race. As the 2008 campaign has global implications, the writers at Zhongnanhai will be occasionally posting on this topic. You can read more of our coverage by clicking here.
Covering the Earthquake zone: Day 1, Sichuan Province, China
I saw my first dead body today. Figures it had to be of kids.
We were shooting at a county 60km away from the epicentre of the earthquake that hit Sichuan province, southwestern China.
Also had a building crumble towards us so we ran. But we're safe no worries.
The rescue effort in Hanwang county is into its fourth day. Parents and relatives are basically looking for their kids bodies to surface.
Miraculously a girl was rescued alive today. Unfortunately she will be amputated from the waist down. But considering the circumstances I think her parents and everyone are grateful.
The bodies weren't so disturbing, though the kids faces were beyond recognition. Some of the parents had to take two or three more looks under the sheets to make sure the body is in fact their child.
The most disturbing one was of a girl clutching a pen still. It happened so suddenly, she didn't even have time to react. The clock in the middle of town is stuck at 14:28, the time the earthquake hit.
The county is nearly deserted except for parts where there are rescue efforts going on. Some buildings are barely affected while places like the school we filmed today is a hallowed out mess.
The most haunting is the sound of parents wailing for their child when they recognize the body. Remember these people have only one child per family. And these kids were mostly of high school age, moving on to university next year. They're the hope of the family.
Thankfully I have not experienced any aftershocks in this area.
We're returning back to the hotel in the capital of Sichuan province every night. It's quite a stark contrast to be down in the dirt, inhaling rubble by day, and staying in a five star hotel the next.
Anyhow these are just a random collection of thoughts since my boss said I should talk about what I saw today.
I am feeling fine, but who knows if I'm repressing it.
Gotta wash off this debris off myself and grab a few hours of sleep. Another early start tomorrow.
Days 2&3 - Total devastation
Today I experienced what mass panic was and ran for my life in Beichuan county.
We were filming a rescue effort when I saw a group of rescue and aid workers, residents, everyone all running in our direction yelling "RUN!!!"
My cameraman ran towards me and said, "Run! It's a flood!"
We proceeded to run like hell, with rescue workers hollering that nobody should stop running.
To my understanding Xinhua news agency came out with a report around 12:50pm about fears of the rising water levels and cracks in the dam. But my boss says the water levels have a few more metres to go before it spills over.
Here I was expecting a wall of water going to wash over us like in the movies.
My first thought was: I should really get some medical insurance. Luckily my boss has told me tonight that I am indeed covered despite having not taken the hostile environment training course.
I did feel bad for the poor man still 6-7 metres down the rubble. We thought we'd stay there and film his rescue for the rest of the day. This father is not only alive after six days without water and food, but was UNHARMED. He happened to be under a stairwell which saved him. They were just feeding a string to him and dripping water down when there was mass panic. As he thought he was closer to being saved everyone left him. His 13-year-old daughter stayed with him though I'm told.
I don't blame anyone for being over cautious. After the complete destruction of this county after the earthquake, people are worried about more deaths. The county is reduced to rubble. In the old part of town 80 per cent of all the buildings are gone.
The site was extraordinary considering most of the bodies in obvious areas were removed. It was eerie and haunting on a different level than seeing dead bodies. I saw cars flattened like a tin can, bikes fallen into the cracks of the road, buildings fallen on top of buildings creating a mountain of rubble. You can't help but imagine the fear that must've ran through the place when the earthquake hit and the number of people who died in the most awful of ways.
This flood warning was a serious setback for the rescue effort continuing for those still found alive.
Yesterday we interviewed a 22-year-old still trapped in between slabs of concrete. His one leg appeared to be twisted and completely broken.
He was still very alert and chitchatting with his relatives, who were outside and took turns going in to see him.
I was outside the building and chatting with a fireman about the survivor. A young man in the army uniform passed by and was very excited to hear about a survivor. He said, "What's his condition? Just cut off his legs! Come on! We saved two people like that yesterday! What are you waiting for!?!?!"
As gruesome as it sounds, at this point in the rescue effort, life, at any cost is still worthwhile.
The survivor's relatives were all very calm and rational considering the circumstances. They didn't blame rescue workers for working too slow, nor were they impatient. Like the young rescue worker, they are just grateful to hear that he's alive. Of course at this point, the survivor has not been told that his mother died in the earthquake and so, still had good strength.
We ran into his doctor today and heard he was rescued at 20:00 last night, with a good chance of having BOTH legs healing!
Earlier in the day we climbed up a mountain of rubble. We heard the kindergarten was somewhere in there with parents still lining around trying to find their kids' bodies.
An aid worker told my colleague a very sad story about the kindergarten. When the earthquake happened the teacher tried to keep the kids calm by getting them to sing a song. As the building collapsed the singing petered out.
Among the wreckage I saw this one guy laying out photos he found. He sucked in his breath and said, "My god." His friend said, "I know, but it happened. What can you do?" None of the people who stood around
flipping through the pictures knew anyone in them. But they all cried silently.
Then there was a mother standing on top of what use to be her home. She kept yelling out her son's name. At first she sounded like she genuinely believed her son would respond. But much like the middle school in Hanwang county, I think parents and relatives are still looking, even if it's just the body. At least they know.
Filming that scene made me feel just how intrusive and exploitive the media is. We film, then leave. But what can we do?
People at the emergency shelter further south in Mianyang try to send out hope.
There is a tent sent up for people to register their missing loved ones.
Me: "How likely are these people going to find their loved ones?"
Volunteer: "You cannot give up hope. Many people just lost communication."
This elderly lady turned to me at the tent and asked me tearfully if I could help her find her 30-year-old son and her 3-year-old grandson. She came straight to the centre after the earthquake and hasn't been
in touch with them since.
People are holding up signs everywhere and hoping to talk to fellow villagers to see if they've seen or heard from their loved ones.
I know people say the rescue effort is winding down, but there are still places, in the mountain area, where rescue crews have yet to reach because the aftershocks made the roads inaccessible. I heard though that certain villages are still doing well enough but are running out of time without food and water.
The epicentre, Wenchuan, is still inaccessible to cars. Though my colleague, who took two days to get in on foot, assures me Beichuan, about 80km away from the epicentre, is by far the worst hit place. Likely because the county is surrounded by mountains on all four sides and the houses are built on the lowest level.
It's getting hotter by the day now and the stench of bodies is going to be a big concern. I often hear pieces of mountains rolling down of in the distance in Beichuan. I personally haven't felt much of the aftershocks.
As for the cracked dam, I wonder if the army is just going to let it wash out the county eventually. Looking at the damages I have no idea how long, and whether it's possible to even clean up that mess.
I want to thank everyone for caring about my safety. You have to believe me that we are the most taken care of. We always have water supplies and we get to stay in a five star hotel every night back in the city. And I am always careful.
My body is aching a bit from running so hard, and my throat is a bit sore from inhaling so much dust and debris (yes even with a face mask) but otherwise I am fine.
Sichuan Earthquake coverage: Day 4
No survivors were found alive by the time I left Beichuan county today at 16:00 local time. The chances are getting slimmer. All I saw were body bags being carried around.
We found a rescue effort where a father sat waiting to see if his son is still alive under a slab of concrete. It used to be a three story building. Now it stands only waist high.
He doesn't live in the county but arrived two days ago and had been continuously calling his son's mobile until it got through last night and was picked up. He heard breathing sounds and immediately notified rescue crews. They didn't start the digging until 11am today.
Two hours later they got a glimpse of the top floor of what use to be a motel. Inside were four bodies. Rescue crews gave up digging. There's no way anyone underneath would survive.
The father thinks his son is still on the first floor.
He speaks in Sichuanese to me, gesturing behind him, his son's unintended grave. I could only understand 70% of what he's saying, but I'm guessing he's complaining that the rescue crews didn't come fast enough. It still hasn't sunken in that it's now day 6 after the earthquake.
Just across the rescue site was a couple taking great pains to collect their belongings scattered on the street. They put everything in their store. They fidgeted with the lock for a long time, as if they'd return some day. My coworker told me he saw reports today that officials do not plan on rebuilding the county after the cleanup.
Further down some residents are back to dig through the rubble for their belongings. One man found his photo album and his army badge. The ex-army soldier beams and holds up a mobile phone. "I found it! And it still works!" He's among the lucky ones. None of his family members died in the earthquake.
The town is almost empty except for rescue and aid workers. Even they are slowly pulling out.
An hour drive south to Mianyang Emergency Shelter shows a bustling place. Inside people have made beds on top of treadmills, hanging laundry off the bench press, and boxing rings have become a big comfy bed for dozens. There were weird giant sized posters of Arnold Schwarzenegger and other body builders hanging on the wall. The earthquake victims leaned against them, slurping instant noodles or eating congee.
The right side of the stadium grounds was a big queue. They were registering their kids into a temporary school that will be built shortly near the site. The NBC correspondent told me that this was very well coordinated and unseen during Hurricane Katrina.
So far the stadium is quite sanitary. It's been home to survivors for almost a week, and now houses over 10,000, most from the Beichuan area. Those with their kids running around can still manage a smile or two.
I saw one baby screaming at the top of his lungs and kicking his grandma. Perhaps he's traumatized from the events of the past week. She graciously tried to hold him upright for me to take a picture of him, but he wouldn't have it. He continued to cry.
Tomorrow is another day spent in Beichuan. We felt an aftershock today while filming the rescue but it was very small. We all ran away from buildings or anything that can topple over us. But it's kind of hard.
How does one go on day in and day out not trusting nature? Not trusting the roof over your head?
My coworker's friends live in Chengdu. A newlywed was home alone when the earthquake struck. Her first thought was: What's the most precious thing we've got? She ripped her 52" plasma screen off the wall and
proceeded to wrap it up with three blankets. Then she thought: "That freezer is really new and very good."
I don't know whether she managed to carry that stuff herself.
But now she and her husband take shifts sleeping. One sleeps until 3am and the other takes over into the morning. They have set two glass bottles one on top of the other. They figured if the earthquake was big enough they will wake up.
Not sure that will save them. But I can only imagine how horrible it must be to not feel safe in your own home.
I realize I'm very privileged. Today I was hiking back to the car when I let out a big sigh "Whew! Finally done work, now I can go home!" Just then I was passing by a couple of local residents. I felt so awful. These people don't have a place to call home and will likely either sleep on the floor or in a tent made of three plastic sheets in Mianyang.
My mother called me frantically this morning, telling me to get out. She said, "Why are you doing this? It's not like they pay you a lot. You don't need to prove anything!"
I really had no good answer for her. I had to ask myself long and hard why I wanted to be here. It's not for fame; I'm not even doing on-camera stuff. It's not for the adrenaline, because I can think of a million other things more exciting than running for my life from a possible flood. It's not because of some altruistic reason that I think I'm "serving the people" or that it gives me great satisfaction to tell people about their pain.
The only answer I can come up with is that this opportunity opened up for me to experience what people have to endure through natural disasters. And keep me humble.
I've heard horror stories about trying to get a flight out of Chengdu airport. Some people waited for 24 hours or more. Our driver then piped up: 'Yeah but you guys have money so it's no problem.'
And that cinched it for me right there. We do have the resources. I'm sure I'd get out faster if I got first class tickets. I can live in my cushy five star hotel every night, or get out of here anytime I want.
They can't.
Sichuan Earthquake coverage: Day 5
The mourning of the dead in Beichuan took place all over the county, just like the rest of the country at 14:28, the exact time the earthquake hit a week ago.
I went to the one that was held on the highest pile of rubble in the area, with only rescue workers from the army and media there.
About 10 minutes before the moment, the cameraman turned to me and asked, "Did you feel it?" I didn't, but it was an aftershock.
Shortly afterwards someone pointed to the mountain behind us. At the peak were clouds of dust kicking up. I looked long and hard and finally saw huge boulders rolling down the mountain.
I didn't know if it was going to be bad, but at that time, I felt pretty safe standing on top of the rubble. At least nothing can fall over me.
We never saw boulders reaching the bottom of the mountain. But it's enough of a reminder that Beichuan is still under threat.
14:28 rolled around and the soldiers all took off their hats and bowed in unison towards the Chinese flag, lowered at half mast. Car horns wailed for three minutes. It was touching.
Across the river, a rescue crew is still busy digging out a possible survivor. They do not stop during the moment.
A 67-year-old woman was found alive earlier this morning. They were hoping for one more miracle.
As we waited for the "moment" to happen, ie. see them pull out a survivor, a cameraman and I wandered off to the back part of town.
I've been back in this county for the last four days. Everyday the roads look different, boulders moved, rubble pushed aside. I'm unsure whether that car really rammed into that railing or whether it was pushed there to clear off the roads.
But this back end of town, looks about as eerie as the first day I went there.
Few residents are allowed in as of 8am today. The rescue workers say it's for their own safety. I find only a handful of them trying to collect their belongings.
One couple I ran into stood on the empty street staring at an apartment building. She points to the window with a curtain billowing in the wind. "I thought I was just going on a day trip for work and would come back that night, so I didn't even bother closing my window."
"Which floor do you live on?"
"The fourth."
I counted. "You mean the third."
"No, the bottom floor is crushed under, now the second floor is the
first floor."
None of her family died. But she lost her housecleaner and many friends.
"My initial thought was that my family was alive so I'm one of the luckier ones. But now coming back ... I'm not sure what to do."
She came back to collect some things. But it's not safe to enter. All she has left is her purse and the clothes she wore out of the house that day.
The stories of these residents don't stop here, but the life has certainly left Beichuan county.
Only a handful of residents and mostly people from the surrounding mountain areas are seen weaving between all the rescue workers who are tired and don't have much else to do other than body retrieval.
There's nothing "new" to report other than the rising body count. The international news is slowly moving back to the cyclone in Burma and to other news.
I'm heading back to Beijing tomorrow. I hear the airport is a nightmare so I'm prepared for extreme delay.
I don't feel like leaving because I know the stories aren't done. But such is the news lifecycle.
My colleague said he interviewed a father who dug with his bare hands at a school for his son yesterday. It took him 10 hours to save him.
He said, "My first thought was: It only took 10 hours? That's quick!"
Think that's a sign to get out before you get too jaded.
As emotionally taxing as this earthquake has been for many people here in China, an interview I conducted this morning really brought home to me just how much of an impact this disaster in Sichuan may be having on the overall Chinese psyche.We managed to contact a Chinese Ph.D student at Harvard Medical School by the name of Li Gang who spearheaded a donation drive to help the Sichuan victims. Ostensibly the point of the interview was to discuss what overseas Chinese people were doing to help out the victims here in China. But what was striking about the interview was the emotion that flowed forward during our discussion. In relating how he had organized the Chinese community on campus to get together, I started to hear a slight change in his voice. And in a follow-up question about what the reaction of the Chinese community at Harvard was, Mr. Li essentially began sobbing as he told us about how he and his fellow overseas Chinese students all gathered around computers and viewed images of the devastation in Wenchuan County. Afterward it got me thinking about the mental stress that people can face when they're detached from their comfort zone.
I have a number of Chinese friends and colleagues here in China who have lived for an extended period of time overseas. Though virtually all of them say they enjoyed their experience overall, many of them will freely admit that they often times found it difficult. Many reasons are generally given, including the difference in the food, the struggles with the language, the financial strain of living in generally more expensive countries, etc. The list is generally quite extensive and varied from person to person. But most of my friends and colleagues, if pressed on the matter, will admit that one of the biggest things they struggled with was a detachment from Chinese people and the Chinese culture. It, in my estimation, seems to be an emotional attachment to the 'motherland' that a lot of non-Chinese can't completely get their heads around. I've always sort of lived by the theory that home is where you make it. That's why I now consider China home. Sure, this isn't my country and technically I'm a guest here. But still, I've made China my home. But for reasons that are likely numerous, most Chinese, in my estimation, don't really think like this. Even if they were born and raised in other countries, there seems to be some kind of homing-beacon like drive buried within the Chinese soul that makes them long for the Middle Kingdom. So when disaster strikes the 'motherland,' I suspect the drive to want to help their kinsmen is amplified among Chinese people. This is why I think my interviewee this morning had difficulty containing his emotions.
Living abroad can be tough on anyone at times. As an example, this past week my elderly mother slipped and fractured her hip. Upon hearing this news from my family members, I was somewhat torn as to what to do. Being on the other side of the planet and working where I do during this time here in China would make a return flight home to visit here in the hospital logistically difficult. Still, I was stricken by a sense of 'I need to do something,' even though I know there's nothing I can do physically for her. Thankfully, she's receiving high-quality medical care and, according to my family members who are there with her, responding very well to treatment. And not to remotely even try to compare the earthquake disaster here in China with my mother's accident, but, from an emotional standpoint, it did give me a better insight into how handcuffed overseas Chinese must feel right now. You're half a world away, and you want to help, but your options are limited. That said, though I'm not normally in the habit of soliciting comments from our readers (especially angry ones!), I would like to hear from overseas Chinese and ask them what's going on in their heads right now when it comes to the disaster in Sichuan.
China came to a virtual standstill as the country observed three minutes of mourning for the victims of the deadly Sichuan earthquake. Starting at 2:28pm, air sirens wailed across the country as most motorists stopped and blared their horns. This photo was taken at Jishuitan Qiao in northwest Beijing.
Watching the television news coverage of the mass rally in Tian'anmen Square following the official three minutes of mourning, it was readily apparent that this disaster has unified people in a way that other things, such as the Olympics and other historical political campaigns (see: Cultural Revolution), have not. Compared to things like, for example, the Torch Relay, which rallied mainly frustrated youth behind a nationalistic cause, the earthquake has brought everyone together. Young and old, affluent and poor, could all be seen in the pictures from Tian'anmen Square, chanting 中国加油 (Zhongguo Jiayou, or 'Power to China') in unison. And while, at times, pundits have been critical of perceived nationalism here in China, this time around, the unity of the Chinese people is being directed at the most altruistic cause; Chinese people helping each other.
Further to this, the government has sanctioned three days of official national mourning. This is the first time this has happened to honor average Chinese citizens. (In the past, the deaths of national leaders like Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping have been marked by official mourning, but nothing on this scale) And to coincide with the mourning period, the media here has suspended basically anything that smacks of entertainment. It's being reported that newspapers will only use black font on their front pages during this period. Music programs on radio stations have been suspended and replaced by news and analysis of the quake and television stations are running continual coverage of the relief efforts. It's a very unique time here in China right now. But the question that is starting to be asked within media circles is just how long this will remain the focus of the nation's full attention?
I remember vividly in North America following 9/11 that we started asking ourselves as journalists and media organizations just how long it would be before we could, or should, start talking about other things about a week-and-a-half after the terrorist attacks. Of course, news of the event and the subsequent fallout remained the top story for weeks after the two towers crumbled to the ground. But it remains a delicate point for the media every time a massive catastrophe like this takes place. How much time do you dedicate exclusively to this before life moves on and other issues begin to be discussed again? I don't think there is any hard and fast answer to this question. Generally the theory is to gauge the mood of the public. That in itself can be a difficult thing to do, because people's emotions range widely when disasters like this take place.
No one in their right mind could diminish the scope of this disaster and the outpouring of grief that the Chinese people have been expressing for their countrymen. But just how long this will last is a somewhat unprecedented question here in China, and something that I suspect will be debated more and more as the days press forward.
BEIJING - A friend of mine passed this along this morning:
In the morning, I logged in to MSN as usual. More than 10 friends of mine sent me this "bad news" and wanted me spread it to as many people as possible:
The leader of No.3 Middle school in Huizhou, Guangdong Province has "directed" a show of donation. He asked staff to video tape him and some other leaders of the school donating money. After the video had been taken, he and his co-workers took back all the money they donated. Not only that, they gave some money to each student and asked them to donate it on tape. Afterwards, the money was returned.
My friends said, let's spread this ugly image of this school leader! Use the internet as media supervision tool, to criticize this behaviour!
You can watch the video shot by the students here.
UPDATE (1:48pm Beijing Time):
Thanks to cat for filling us in on the story in the comments section. We learned how quickly rumors can spread when people began predicting an earthquake between 10pm and midnight on the day of the Sichuan quake. Looks like this story may just be a rumor, as well.
More charity groups are stepping in to offer contributions to the victims of the earthquake in Sichuan. One such is a Beijing-based group that's connected to the China Youth Care foundation. I received a letter this morning from one of the organizers:
Dear friends,
As you all know, the 7.9 magnitude tremor, which was focused in China's Sichuan Province, is estimated to have killed at least 14,800 people -- and that toll is expected to rise dramatically as rescue teams reach the most affected areas. In cities near the earthquake's epicenter, over 26,000 people are buried under the rubble of collapsed buildings.
Thus, the urgent help to earthquake-affected areas are badly needed. Though donations from home and abroad has been collected very effectively these days, I am sure that still some people may not have time to do it personally or still look for proper ways to help.
I and some friends are organizing an event to gather donations (cash is preferred) together and send it right away. We have one experienced person from China Youth Care Foundation who can guarantee the donations to use efficiently. Our charity dinner group has donated blankets for a Qinghai school successfully that this person coordinated.
We will have a banner showing our real care to those survivors, which you can express something on it too. We'll send it to the disaster region afterwards.
Please see details as below:
Sunday, 18th May
3pm onwards
Location -MEA Education Centre and Kultur Kafe in the Blue Castle Complex, Building F,S-116A / NO.3,West Dang Wang Road Chaoyang District / near Dawang Lu subway stop
Tel: 0108599 7735
Please pass this message on to your friends as well.
CNReviews offers an excellent list of other ways to donate. You can find the information here.
Also a reminder that the Bookworms in Beijing, Suzhou and Chengdu are coordinating donation efforts. They are looking for tents, dried food, practical clothes, quilts and emergency blankets as well as money for water and medicine. You can find more information here. All donations should be dropped off before 4pm on SATURDAY in Beijing and Suzhou and 1pm SATURDAY in Chengdu.
BEIJING - As I'm sat at home writing this post in my comfortable dry apartment, in near silence - I, like many of you, feel desperately helpless. I've donated, I've told people how to donate on the radio and I've appealed to everyone I know back home to donate. And they are doing.
But, I cannot help thinking that I should be doing more. With the death toll likely to rise above 50,000 - I want to help with my hands. I want to help give water, distribute medicine, wipe away people's tears. And a part of me wants to grieve with the people here in China.
I'm not Chinese, but I live here. This is my home too right now.
Where I come from we don't have earthquakes or snow-storms of the magnitude that we have seen here. We just don't. And for me to be on the radio every-night delivering news about the rising casualty list - is hard.
Whilst on the show I'm signed into my messaging client - so that should anything go wrong, or need amending, my superiors can contact me swiftly and silently. For the past couple of evenings one of my Chinese friends on my contact list has been asking me the same question, 'Why is our nation's flag at Tiannanmen Square not at half-mast?'.
It's a good question.
According to Wikipedia:
Flying the flag at half-mast is a symbol of respect, mourning and distress. The flag is lowered to allow the invisible flag of death to fly on top of the mast, thus signifying death's presence, power and prominence.
The flag certainly would have been lowered in many other countries, as you can see from the Wikipedia article - so why not here? And I really am not criticising, I just want to understand why.
As I was looking around for more information I came across this entry on Danwei where novelist Han Han says:
'It seems that the flag is never lowered for civilian matters, no matter how big. I've basically never seen a flag at half-mast. One time at school the flag was raised to half mast where one of the pulleys got stuck, but that was a half-mast raising, not a half-mast lowering.'
Just how big a civilian matter does it need to be? There is no doubt that a flag flying at half-mast is hugely symbolic, wherever in the world you happen to be. Anyone who happens to glance will know what it means - it means that the nation is mourning. It would in no way show weakness, or a lack of strength - rather, in my eyes it would show solidarity at this tragic time.
UPDATE - At 14:28 on the 19th of May 2008, 3 minutes of silence will be observed across China. Additionally, the National Flag will be flown at half-mast for the period of the 19th-21st.
BEIJING - I feel as though I'm in journalistic limbo right now.
I received a phone call this morning from a good friend of mine who had just arrived at the airport in Chengdu. He works for a Russian news service as the chief correspondent here in China. As such, he has been tasked to make it to the epicenter of this week's earthquake in Wenchuan County. He relayed for me his trip there from Beijing, saying that it was an extremely sad flight, as many of the people who were on it were family members of the victims who were on their way to collect their dead relatives. He also described for me the hardships he personally faced in getting to the hardest-hit area, given that he would most likely have to rent a bike to make it to the region because 4-wheel transport remains a virtual impossibility. And despite all that he had told me about the trouble that lay ahead for him and the hardship that he had already encountered, a large part of me wanted to say 'congratulations.'
It may seem morbid, but it's these kinds of situations that tend to bring out the best in journalists. I don't know if there's any sort of scientific reasoning behind it, but as a journalist, you're trained to gravitate toward the heart of the action. Perhaps it's because we're trained to relay information that no one else has. Perhaps another part of it is also a bit of self-gratification, given that being in these kinds of situations, you're work comes under intense focus, forcing journalists to strive above and beyond their day-in and day-out routine work. And yet another part of it might be somewhat self-serving, as after the ordeal is over and the work is done, you can say to yourself and others "I was there. I was on the front lines." Whatever it is that compels us as journalists, we all want to be involved in the story. Hence why I say I feel in limbo.
Given my present circumstances, I'm locked here in Beijing and have no opportunity to make it out to the disaster zone. Sure, I'm on the radio everyday, and have been tasked to talk about the broader-based issues surrounding the earthquake, such as logistics, civic policies, emergency management and international aide and support. I've also been doing semi-frequent updates on the overall situation on radio back in my native Canada. But a big part of me just feels that it's not enough. Again, not to sound morbid, but big-news situations like this don't come along everyday. And being a journalist within potential proximity to the story, one can't help but want to be there in the thick of things.
The last thing my friend said to me really sort of brings home the situation. He said, "I just wanted to give you a call and say that if I don't make it back, thank you [for your friendship]." Even though part of him realizes that he's potentially putting his life at risk by entering into the mass devastation, the drive to tell the story for journalists more often supercedes conventional practicality. So best of luck my friend. And the same to those doing their part for the victims of this horrific tragedy.


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Add Twitter link
Let your customers check out your Twitter feed right on your website by adding a space for them to view your profile, and click to visit.
- Log in to your GoDaddy account.
- In your Products list click Website Builder, and then click Manage next to the account you want to use.
- Click Edit Site.
- Click the three-bar icon in the upper right hand corner.
- Click Site Settings, then under Connect social click on the Twitter icon.
- Make sure you're signed into your Twitter account, then click OK to connect.
- From the left-hand side, click and drag the Twitter box, then click Settings.
- Next to URL, enter the URL for the Twitter page you want to display on your website.
- Next to Show, select what you would like to display in the Facebook Like box, including Stream, Faces, and Header.
- Optional: Go to the Advanced tab to add or edit other effects for your Twitter Like box, including Background Color, Border, Shadow, Rounded Corners, Transparency, Margin, and to edit the Size of the box.
- Click Save.
- Click Publish to update your site online.

subset: commoncrawl


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Just wanted to making a passing mention to David Hopps:
World Twenty20 2012 : World Twenty20 2012: The team(s) of the tournament | Cricket Features | ICC World Twenty20 2012 | ESPN Cricinfo
Who actually included Dhoni in his *best* XI team. Seriously.
Anyway I'm sure CW can do better.


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Program Starter Kits
School lunch professionals participating in the Offer vs. Serve (OVS) program have the ongoing challenge explaining to students & clients the complicated requirements of the OVS program. Created by foodservice directors and nutritionists, Build-a-Tray is a fun, game-like set of products that teaches kids how to build a balanced meal by placing the right food groups on the right spot on their food trays.
Our Build-A-Tray Program Starter Kit has all the necessary information, rules, instructions and tools needed to launch a successful program in your schools and comply with the new rules and regulation associated with OVS.
Finally, a fun and interactive way to support OVS requirement! Read more here about OVS and learn more about what we offer here! Also, see our BAT Cafe here!
BAT Danglers
Give your Cafe some attention with these stand-out spinning signs!
Danglers aren't just like any other sign...they spin, they dance, and they are easy to hang! In constant motion, these Danglers will grab childrens attention as well as entice their appetities with nutritional and fun messages. 5 to a standard pack, you can hang these Danglers in a variety of positions, that are sure to compliment any serving line or cafeteria.
BAT LunchBoards
Tell'em What's for Lunch or Breakfast:
- A Wipe-Off Board to Display the Daily Menu
- 18" x 18" x .25" - Square Shape with Snap Trim Frame
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Dry-Erase LunchBoard perfect for doors and wall-mounting. Complies with all New Rules & Regs and The Build-A-Tray Program.
BAT Washable Trays
Send us your washable hard tray, and we will turn it into a visual reference guide for your students.
We customize your Build-a-Tray display with shapes & numbers to match the program. Comes with or without Easel.
It's that easy.
Mounted Poster Signs
Glossy poster printed on 1/4 sintra board with snap trim edging.
Paper Posters
Roll up Build-A-Tray poster with information about the program and nutrition.
Order multiples of 10-pack for large districts.
Shape Cards
2 sided, laminated, washable, durable cards, slips into traks and pockets. Comes with Pack of 22.
Black plastic, washable durable, holds shape cards on serving line. Comes with pack of 6.
Clear Plastic Sleeve with Adhesive to stick on glass. Holds Shape Cards. Comes with Pack of 12.
ShapeCard Clip Holder
Weighted Holder for Shape Cards, Washable & Durable
Activity Coloring Book
A fun and Educational activity book that teaches children how to Build-A-Tray and other fun nutrition related facts and puzzles.
FREE when you order The Build-A-Tray Program Starter Kit!
BAT Cafe Packages
Build-a-Tray Cafe Packages includes high quality signs made of a washable vinyl print.
All materials are fire-retardant and easy to install!
The basic package includes:
- One cafe sign
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- Welcome Sign
- One set of Moov'ems
- Cafe Logo for Reuse
- One Set of 5 Danglers
- Hardware Included


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iPhone 4 Pink Back Cover (Glass Panel) with Black Edge is Only Available here.This
Not only can iPhone Repair Specialists convert it to the trendy "White" colour, now iPhone Repair Specialists are offering a new array of colours, which include Yellow, Green, Transparent, Red, Blue and Pink. And no it's not a case or sticker you attach to the iPhone but the actual glass that is coloured. This makes them one of the first to offer a unique customization service for the iPhone 4 that makes the ordinary coloured, black or white iPhone, a little more extraordinary.
This service is only converting your black iPhone 4 back cover to a Stunning Pink Glass back cover.
Call 02 8003 5876 Now to get 'iPhone 4 Pink Back Cover (Glass Panel) with Black Edge' - Limited Edition.
Tuning >


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Your Host Under Attack on Fox News
What do you mean, be careful about it? They're openly gonna do it! They don't hide this! They used to hide this kind of stuff. Anyway, here is Juan Williams totally wrong, ill-informed, misinformed, or just wrong-on-purpose answer.
WILLIAMS: You think I'm coming across like I'm hoping for a recession?
MCDOWELL: No, I think -- no, I --
BARTIROMO: Are you?
WILLIAMS: No, 'cause I... You know what --
MCDOWELL: I think you gotta be careful, though.
WILLIAMS: I just think --
MCDOWELL: That's all I'm s... Politically.
WILLIAMS: What I said was that people like Rush Limbaugh, who said he hoped Obama failed -- or Bill Maher, who said, you can recover from a recession, but it's hard to recover from a president like Trump -- I think that kind of stuff is negative 'cause I'm so pro-American. But I do think that you have to look at the realities --
RUSH: All right. Stop it. That's all we need. I never said I wanted America or the economy to fail. I was afraid it was going to with Obama, and I was right! I hoped Obama's policies... Do you believe that it's been since 2009 and I'm still having to explain this? It's nine years since I made this comment. It's nine years that I've explained it 'til I'm blue in the face over and over and over again -- on TV, on radio, in print -- and it is still mischaracterized that I wanted America to fail.
I don't doubt that there's a whole bunch of Millennials who think that that's what I said because that's all they've heard. I was scared to death for my country. I was scared to death America was gonna fail. We had a president who openly promised to transform our country away from its founding. I was scared to death. I hope Obama failed implementing his socialist policies. Do you think Juan Williams still doesn't know that or is...? (interruption)
You think he knows it and is just taking the occasion to be purposefully lazy here to help him make a point? Next up, Shannon Bream speaking with Brit Hume. This is last night. Now, I appeared with her on Tuesday night. This is last night, and we're a little bit out of order here, but it doesn't matter because we're gonna get back to it. She's asking Brit Hume about the good things people are saying about former president George H. W. Bush. To set things up, here she is introducing and playing a clip of me on her program the night before...
BREAM: We now how incredible praise from across the political spectrum. Here's what Rush Limbaugh told me to that point last night...
RUSH ARCHIVE: I think it's just a vehicle for them to be able to contrast what they think Trump is versus the way they're telling us Bush was. The thing is that they never treated George W. Bush this way or George H. W. Bush -- either one of them -- this way. They had just as much animus for Bush 41 and Bush 43 as they do Trump for different reasons.
RUSH: And Brit Hume...
HUME: I don't agree with that. He was certainly not treated -- mostly by the media -- uhhh as he has been since his death. But the politicians in both parties liked George H. W. Bush, and they worked with him on a range of issues. This loathing of Trump is a -- is a force of nature. It's orders of magnitude greater I think that what they felt about Bush. Now, for my colleagues in media, a lot of them I think badly misjudged him and misjudged his presidency and that's changed with them, but I don' think that politicians ever particularly detested him.
RUSH: (impression) "I think my colleagues -- my colleagues in the media, my colleagues in the media -- a lot of them I think badly misjudged Bush. Yes! (laughing) Yes! And misjudged his presidency? Yes! Yes! And that's changed with them." No! It hasn't changed whatsoever. Ask yourself this, Mr. Hume -- or anybody. Just ask yourself this. If George H. W. Bush had died two weeks before the midterm elections, would we have seen what we have seen?
\Would we have seen him treated the way he has been treated now? Would the media have gone out of its way to show the possible good way Republicans...? Would they have gone out of their way to praise a Republican if it was before the midterm elections? While you ask yourself that, answer it honestly. Mr. Hume even said, "You know, my colleagues, they misjudged him." The point remains, they praise George H. W. Bush in ways they never did when he was alive, as a linkage to contrast Donald Trump, who they hate.
Make no mistake about that.
This article originally appeared on Rush Limbaugh


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Aqua Teen Hunger Force is the ****, nice avatar man lol.
"See, you don't know what rape is like. For years, I thought it was funny. Oh, yeah, rape. It's so funny. Until you been raped."
Yea..I don't know why I bother. Guess I like the feeling of owning people with my knowledge
Well he has hidden under the blanket of perception for many fans that Duncan and Manu carry that team, and that simply isn't the complete truth. Tony has been an under the radar top PG for 9 years. And he continues to be. So what? You got 3 rings out of him, one of which he was finals MVP.
Fans perception means little when based on reality
Parker should have gone above Rondo, but whatever
I, and any mod, have never had an issue with you. Don't worry about it bro. You are a great poster here.
its the wording homie. Its why I didn't delete the post, since you had a point.
Would you mind making me a sig like yours that has my favorite teams on it?
It works, trust me. We see them
Want to join The PSD's Spurs?
Bliss This!
Varsity Captain
Cinderella Story


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Story highlights
- Union Rags' owner describes his late charge as "unbelievable"
- "When I asked him, he did it for me," the horse's jockey says
- I'll Have Another ceremoniously retires Saturday before the start of the Belmont Stakes
- The horse dropped out due to injury, ending his Triple Crown hopes
Union Rags roared from behind to win the 144th running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, one day after the winner of the first two legs of horse racing's fabled Triple Crown dropped out due to an injury.
Paynter led for much of the race, but ended up in second after jockey John Velazquez led Union Rags on a late charge. Atigun came in third.
"I knew he would make it, and I knew (trainer) Michael (Matz) could do it with him," the colt's owner Phyllis Wyeth told NBC, which covered the race. "And nobody would have gotten through on the rail other than Johnny today. That was unbelievable."
Wyeth, who owns a small horse farm about 30 miles west of Philadelphia, had sold Union Rags only to later repurchase him at auction. The horse had entered the Kentucky Derby as among the favorites, but faltered and ended up in seventh.
During Saturday's race, Union Rags hung around in the middle of the pack before Velazquez squeezed him in along the rail, where he edged out Paynter by a head.
"I've got to give it to the horse," Velazquez said. "When I asked him, he did it for me."
Union Rags did not run in the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown.
The Belmont crowd of 85,811 wagered $13.8 million on the day's races, according to the New York Racing Association.
I'll Have Another had entered the New York race as the runaway favorite, having won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. But he dropped out after developing tendonitis, prompting his owner to subsequently announce the colt's retirement from racing.
A day after owner J. Paul Reddam announced I'll Have Another's racing career was over, and minutes before the Belmont Stakes contenders broke from the gates, the injured colt was led to that race's winner's circle and ceremoniously retired.
"He's had an incredible run," trainer Doug O'Neill said Saturday. "Could we have run him? Yes. But would that have been the right move? No. I was proud of the whole team."
I'll Have Another jockey Mario Gutierrez, born in Mexico, described the "unbelievable journey" he has been on -- rocketing from relative obscurity racing in western Canada to international fame in his first two Triple Crown contests -- thanks to I'll Have Another. The jockey expressed faith that the horse, had he been healthy, would have made history Saturday.
"A lot of people didn't believe in him since (the) Santa Anita Derby, the Kentucky Derby, (opining that) everything was going to be a huge deal for him. And he proved them wrong," Gutierrez told reporters Saturday. "I know if he was 100% today, he would prove everybody wrong again."
Affirmed, in 1978, was the last horse to win the Triple Crown -- the name of the triumph for horses that win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Since 1990, only seven horses have won the first two legs.
The Belmont is considered to be the longest and most grueling of the three Triple Crown races. The horses run one complete lap over 1½ miles. The Derby is 1¼ miles, and the Preakness is 1 and 3/16 miles.
The Triple Crown did not acquire its name until Sir Barton won all three races in 1919. Just 11 horses have won the prestigious honor, most recently in 1978, when Affirmed grabbed the title.
Only two other Derby and Preakness winners were unable to run in the final leg of the Triple Crown: Burgoo King in 1932 and Bold Venture in 1936.


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Boulder Riots by Blast Door Interactive AB
by via_web on
August 18, 2010
Filed under App DB, Games, iPhone, iPod Touch
* Crush everything in your way
* Let loose your primal rage upon the human race
* Roll faster and faster and use lightning reflexes to get maximum score
* Destroy tanks, humans, buildings and helicopters
* Compete online by submitting your scores to leaderboards
* Boulder Riots utilizes the full power of the Unity engine
Get ready for a high intensity first class human smashing experience! See if you have what it takes to take this pearl of technology for a ride with your filthy human hands.
Yes, that's right.Boulder Riots is on the loose waiting for you to harness it's awesome powers.
Smash Buildings, Destroy tesla-coils and Dodge Missiles. All these features and more in our newest action intense top of the line production.
Developer Website: http://www.blastdoor.se


text:
Chat to us
Call 1300 309 768 for enquiries
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update your search
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Sorry, at this moment in time we do not have any properties matching your criteria.


text:
Precious time is often lost through the handling of Restaurant Software Solutions . Similarly, the more cash is handled the greater the security risk in stores. Fortunately, Point of Sale (POS) technology is making better control of cash in retail stores possible, resulting in benefit for both staff and customers.
One German furniture company has estimated that the payment process and handling of cash at the checkout takes between 15 to 25 seconds. As this is only one part of processing pos system, 15 to 25 seconds is quite substantial time and, when the seconds are calculated for the cash handling from every sale throughout the day…till operators are spending more time on this process than most business owners would like.
Then, there is also the concern of cash robbery and theft. On any given day in a retail business, one, a few or many more employees will handle cash. Think how many different times and how many different people will handle cash in a supermarket on any one day. It is also probable that many managers are reconciling cash and making deposits, which is why they use point of sale systems.
How Do You Select the Best Point Of Sale Systems in Restaurant Software Solutions ?
The term point-of-sale is used to describe a variety of things. This can include the checkout counter in a store or a place where transactions occur. More frequently, the phrase refers to a computerized cash register. The commonly used abbreviation for point-of-sale is POS. Each letter in the abbreviation is pronounced individually (e.g. P-O-S) versus pronouncing the abbreviation itself (e.g. paws).
When computers were first invented, large retailers were the first to implement point-of-sale systems to help automate many of the tasks involved with operating a retail store. These computers were very large and expensive. This limited the adoption of point-of-sale systems to large retailers such as grocery chains. The introduction of low cost personal computers during the 1980s allowed retail stores of all sizes to improve efficiencies with the help of pos systems.
A common point-of-sale system includes a computer, cash drawer, receipt printer, pole display, bar code scanner, magnetic swipe reader, modem and point-of-sale software. Each piece provides the following functionality:
- Personal Computer - Operates the POS software and provides hardware interfaces for devices such as printers, credit card readers and so on.
- Cash Drawer - A lock box that stores cash and is triggered to open by the pos software.
- Receipt Printer - Prints a paper copy of the sales transaction for the customer.
- Pole Display - LED display that faces the customer and shows each item and price scan.
2. Create inventory records and SKUs via the purchase order
3. Receive goods against the purchase order
4. On hand stock levels are increased based upon receiving
5. Print price tag with bar codes
6. Sell the goods via the point-of-sale cash register
7. On hand stock levels are depleted based upon SKU scans
8. Perpetual Inventory is automatically maintained
9. Generate reports on sales, inventory levels, purchases, and receiving
10. Manage inventory buying and markdown behavior based upon sales trends
As you can see, the simple point-of-sale system grew into a powerful information system for managers and store owners. Today, point-of-sale systems continue to innovate and some even include:
- eCommerce integration
- Integrated accounting
- CRM - Customer Relationship Module
- Electronic payment processing
- Gift card management
- Service order management
- Marketing
- Revolving accounts receivable
- Customer traffic counters
- Integrated video surveillance
- Open To Buy planning
- Linear inventory modeling
- Special order management
- EDI (electronic ordering)
- And much more...
As retail management systems continue to add more robust features, the term point-of-sale will continue to refer to just a module within the overall system.
Point of Sale - Are these Five Steps Increase Product Sales Through Your POS Display?
Point of sale (POS) systems are used by hundreds of businesses in order to streamline the purchasing process as well as track the various financial and inventory data that relates to the sales made. Although the general concept behind each system is virtually the same, different industries can purchase POS systems that are tailor made for their needs. Think of it is a delivery service: A bike delivery would work fine for a local newspaper, but UPS would have to shut down if it didn't have delivery trucks. The same concept applies to POS sale systems used in retail stores, restaurants, and hotels. Each specific industry can benefit from a system that is designed for their specific needs.
Retail POS systems are specialized at quick and easy one time sales. The items stored in their database are well defined, and although there can be many colors or sizes offered for one item, there isn't very much variation in the product. If one person buys a black jacket, although the jacket comes in blue, all the people who buy the black on are still getting the same item. This is why retail POS systems are the simplest in nature. In regards to the sale process, all they need is to pull up an item's information from inventory and remove it upon purchase. Of course, this is just in reference the the sales aspect of the system; there are still complex inventory control settings and sales efficiency metrics that that can be used, but in terms of making a sale, the retail system is the most simplistic.
Clearly, when starting a business it important to take the industry specific POS into account. Don't just try and find the best deal, but rather what will work best to make your company run efficiently. Understanding why each system is unique will help when trying to make the decision for what POS system to purchase. Although the examples given were for specific industries, the systems can be applied to different industries that have similar purchasing processes: The retail POS can be used in stores ranging from clothing to electronics and the restaurant system can be used in various hospitality related industries.
6 Tips for Controlling Cash in Your Store
In a competitive market, point of sale displays help solve several of a marketer's short-term hurdles. The impact of sales promotion measures is not durable like the results obtained through advertising and personal selling. Sale displays by and large are understood and practiced as a catalyst and as a supporting facility to advertising and personal selling.
Point of sale displays differs from advertising in many ways. Whereas advertising is mostly an indirect and subtle approach towards persuading consumers to buy a product, sale displays is a direct and almost open inducement to consumers to immediately try the product. Secondly, advertising normally has long-term objectives like building brand awareness or building consumer loyalty or repositioning a brand, sale displays performs an immediate task of increasing current sales. Finally, advertising helps sales by adding some durable and long-term value to the product, while point of sale displays aid selling by temporarily changing the existing price-value relationship of the product.
The above categorization is based on the marketing problem to be tackled. If we look at the target group to whom sale displays measures are normally aimed at, we find four broad target groups, viz. the consumer, the trade or channel and influential groups. Bulk of the sale displays effort is aimed at the consumer and the trade.


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Credit card payments in favor of Green Island Tours - Easter Island are collected by TREKKSOFT AG, Hauptstrasse 15, 3800 Matten, Switzerland ("TREKKSOFT"). TREKKSOFT will appear as TREKKSOFT TOUR BOOKING on your credit card statement. The domain where you enter and process your payment is owned and operated by TREKKSOFT.
Please send an e-mail to email@example.com for all inquiries regarding your credit card payments and chargebacks.


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|Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange
previous taxon |
next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
Annual to tree
Leaves generally compound, alternate, stipuled; leaflets generally entire
Inflorescence: generally raceme, spike, umbel or head; flowers sometime 12 in axils
Flowers generally bisexual, generally bilateral; hypanthium generally flat or cup-like; sepals generally 5, fused; petals generally 5, free, or the 2 lower ± fused; stamens 1many, often 10 with 9 filaments at least partly fused, 1 (uppermost) free; pistil 1, ovary superior, generally 1-chambered, ovules 1many, style, stigma 1
Fruit: legume, sometimes including a stalk-like base above receptacle, dehiscent, or indehiscent and breaking into 1-seeded segments, or indehiscent, 1-seeded, and achene-like
Seeds 1several, often ± reniform, generally hard, smooth
Genera in family: ± 650 genera, 18,000 species: worldwide; with grasses, requisite in agriculture and most natural ecosystems. Many cultivated, most importantly Arachis , peanut; Glycine , soybean; Phaseolus , beans; Medicago ; Trifolium ; and many orns
Reference: [Polhill & Raven (eds) 1981 Advances in legume systematics; Allen & Allen 1981 Leguminosae]
Family description and key to genera by Duane Isely.
Shrub, heavily armed, not gland-dotted
Stem much-branched from base, stiffly spreading, striate
Leaves simple, alternate; juvenile (on seedlings, young shoots near ground) linear; adult awl-like, stiff, becoming spines
Inflorescence: generally cluster, axillary near twig tips, few-flowered
Flower: calyx 2-lipped, membranous, yellow, persistent; petals ± equal, yellow, persistent
Fruit ± exserted from calyx, ovoid or oblong, explosively dehiscent
Seed with small basal outgrowth
Etymology: (Latin: ancient name)
Species in genus: ± 20 species: w Eur, n Africa.
Stem < 3 m; twigs hairy when young, becoming stiff, thorn-like, intricately intertwined
Flower: calyx 15 mm; petals < 20 mm
Fruit 12 cm, densely hairy
Ecology: Common. Disturbed places, especially old fields, pastures
Elevation: 0400 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Outer North Coast Ranges, Cascade Range Foothills, n&c Sierra Nevada Foothills, San Francisco Bay Area, Inner South Coast Ranges, South Coast, Peninsular Ranges
Distribution outside California: native to w Europe
Old plants very flammable. Weedy.


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Today I was fortunate to photograph a group of wild turkeys in the greenest grass imaginable. Photo equipment is as follows: Canon 30D, Canon 300mm F4 IS, Canon 70-200 F2.8 (non-IS). Turkeys were patient so lenses were changed and camera styles were changed from standard to landscape to portrait. ISO was set at 100 and 400 and white balance was used at AWB, shade and cloudy. Now the shooting conditions were almost perfect, down in a canyon 9AM brilliant sunshine very large shade trees and brilliant green (mowed) grass. This was a golf course. The grass at the turkeys feet was washed out and almost white while the surrounding grass and background was green. I use center point focus and spot metered on the birds. Thanks in advance for any input. doccash [a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=206058\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Euh... please forgive me, but I read your post twice and am not sure whether you are asking a question or just sharing your happiness to have had a great shooting opportunity.Is you problem with the color of the grass near the turkeys?Regards,Bernard[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=206067\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
That must be one of the turkeys that Fox News photoshopped!! [a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=206503\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


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I have been working a small "pinball" bot, which will play the win xp pinball game, 3d Pinball: Space Cadet.
It uses the Robot class for pixel reading, and inputting keyboard keys. The source is on my desktop at home, but i can put it up later tonight, if anyone is interrested.
It is in "somewhat" working state atm, but there is some problems:
1: Obviously pixel reading is not the best way about a bot in a very dynamic game like pinball. It comes down to reading the right pixel at the right time. As it is now, very fast balls can pass through. The reading algorithm could probably be optimised to get a better result. Im using pixel reading since I wanted to do it in java (I only know java), so memory reading is sadly not an option.
2: The bot is run using concurrency, but there is some problems with it. There is an on and a off button. Sometimes after a while, the off button doesnt stop the thread.
I have i ideas I just havent gotten around to implement yet. Its a work in progress, and I school is keeping me very busy atm.
It is meant to be a shared program, so anyone who wants to contribute, come with oppinions, do further development, or basicly whatever will be ofcourse be welcome to do so.


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Mumbai (PB): Aiming to provide proper quality care to the patients undergoing treatment under ayurvedic system of medicine, the department of Ayush in cooperation with School of Health Sciences, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Delhi will introduce a certificate course in Ayush-Nursing (Ayurveda) for Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANM)/ General Nursing & Midwifery (GNM) from July this year across country. IGNOU is also planning to begin certificate programmes in Unani and Homoeopathy in the coming years.
This programme is designed to discuss the current issues and trends in Ayurveda, to develop skills to provide nursing care to patients admitted to hospitals providing care through the ayurvedic systems of medicine, to develop understanding and depth in performing ayurvedic nursing skills and to apply knowledge of Ayurveda in diverse settings- hospital and community.
"As per government of India's report on Human Resources for the health sector, there is no ANM trained nurses in Ayurveda. So the GOI along with IGNOU has decided to start this programme to provide certified quality professionals in this field. IGNOU with its large network has the capability of catering to the needs of a large number of aspirants," said M Rajesh, regional director of IGNOU, Mumbai.
Prof. Bimla Kapoor, director of School of Health Sciences, IGNOU, Delhi said that this course will be conducted by IGNOU in 20 Ayurvedic Colleges throughout the country as identified by Department of Ayush as Programme Study Centres. "In our country we have around 20 centres which includes: Government Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram, Govt Ayurveda College Mysore, RA Podar Medical College (AYU), Mumbai, Ayurvedic & Unani Tibbia College, New Delhi, Rajiv Gandhi Ayurvedic College, Paprola, J B Roy Govt Ayurvedic College, West Bengal, SDM Ayurvedic College, Udupi, Govt. Ayurveda College, Nagpur, etc.. which have intake capacity to admit 30 students having ANM/GNM qualification and already in service," she added.
Prof. Kapoor added that GoI has mentioned that the required centres should have 30 candidates in service for ANM/GNM in Ayurveda Hospitals across the country for training at the Ayurveda colleges. Although this course is designed for all ANM/GNMs even then preference for the first year may be given to ANM/GNM employed in Ayurveda Hospitals in the states. In case of non-availability of ANM/GNM in the Ayurveda Hospitals then the interested ANM/GNM candidate in the allopathic hospitals can be nominated to go for training in this course.
The minimum duration of the programme is for 6 months and the maximum duration is for two years, and also the students will be given hands on training by the existing Ayurveda faculty in identified centres.


text: There was a great deal of excitement from yesterday's cosmically close shave as 3-mile-wide asteroid 4179 Toutatis zipped by the Earth. If you missed the action, we've rounded up some of the best images and videos from the event. Toutatis is a long, irregularly shaped object that swings by Earth about once every four years, usually coming within a few million miles of our planet. The asteroid is officially classified as "potentially hazardous" but has very little chance of actually hitting the Earth. Astronomers have calculated that its odds of crashing into our planet over the next 600 years are effectively zero. This year's pass brought Toutatis within about 3.7 million miles of Earth, roughly 15 times the Earth-moon distance, though the next flyby, in late 2016, will be at a more comfortable 23 million miles. The asteroid won't get close again until 2069, when it be around 1.8 million miles from Earth. Toutatis makes people realize that gigantic rocks zoom by our planet fairly regularly. Given its size — about half as big as the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs — and its close proximity, the asteroid gives us all a little scare wondering if and when we could be hit from space. Fortunately, NASA is on the case with its Near Earth Object program and the Spaceguard Survey, which has found and monitored about 90 percent of near-Earth asteroids larger than a half mile. A private non-profit organization named the B612 Foundation has also announced plans to be on the lookout for killer asteroids, cataloging everything larger than 500 feet wide in the vicinity of our planet. If we do find a large and deadly rock headed our way, there are various ways to reroute the object, including nuking it, shooting it with lasers, pushing it with a small spacecraft, or tugging it with a giant space lasso. Perhaps one of these awesome plans will one day save the planet. In the meantime, we can all stop fretting about the end of the world. We may see a few more images soon since the Chinese spacecraft Chang'e 2 is scheduled to visit Toutatis on Dec. 13. Chang'e 2 launched from Earth in 2010 and flew around the moon, conducting research from orbit. After completing its primary mission, the probe was rerouted toward Toutatis in April 2012. Above: Radar Toutatis NASA has been watching Toutatis closely with radar telescopes from its Goldstone Observatory in California. The above image shows the asteroid around its closest approach on Dec. 11. The two images, taken a few hours apart, show a small amount of rotation. Image: NASA/JPLToutatis From Earth A short video sequence showing the bright white dot of Toutatis flying through a field of stars, as seen from a telescope in the Canary Islands on Earth. The film comes from the Slooh Space Camera consortium, which offered free live feeds of the asteroid passing by our planet. The feed was so popular that it briefly crashed their Google+ hangout. Video: Slooh Space CameraToutatis Approaches A sequence taken from Dec. 4 to Dec. 7, showing Toutatis approaching. You can see different faces of the asteroid as it tumbles end over end in its rotation. Image: NASA/JPLToutatis Turns Images taken hours apart on Dec. 8 show the asteroid turning slightly. These pictures show a considerable amount of detail, with resolution down to 24 feet per row. Image: NASA/JPLLumpy Toutatis The irregular potato shape of Toutatis can be seen in these two images, taken on Dec. 9. Because of the object's elongated shape and the radar shadow it casts, the lower part of the image appears almost disconnected from the top even though they are all one piece. Image: NASA/JPLLong Toutatis Two images taken about four hours apart, showing the long face of Toutatis. As the asteroid rotated, the more distant lobe disappeared behind a shadow cast by its front. Image: NASA/JPLBright Speck in the Sky A team from the Remanzacco Observatory in Italy snapped this picture of Toutatis in the sky using their telescopes. The asteroid is the elongated white streak in the center set against the background stars. A short sequence can be seen at right, made up from 40 consecutive 10-second exposure images as Toutatis barreled through the sky. Image: Ernesto Guido & Nick Howes, Remanzacco Observatory


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Alphabet dispute revives old injuries in Croatia
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[February 02, 2013]
VUKOVAR, Croatia
(AP) -- Can Vukovar also be Bykobap?
Whether the name of the war-scarred town on the Danube is written in the Latin or Cyrillic alphabet is a sensitive question. Croatia's upcoming entry into the European Union is forcing residents of the Balkan country to answer it.
More than twenty years after it was reduced to rubble in a brutal Serb-led army siege, Vukovar is testing if Croatians are ready to respect the EU's standards on minority rights when their country joins as the 28th member on July 1.
The Croatian government is trying to introduce Serbian Cyrillic writing into areas with sizeable ethnic Serb communities, a move that has infuriated Croatia's war veterans and nationalists. Thousands of flag-waving protesters, some wearing military uniforms, joined a demonstration against the change on Saturday in downtown Vukovar.
Unlike ethnic Croats, the minority Serbs use the Cyrillic alphabet influenced by Orthodox Christianity and also used by Russians. Though Vukovar, for instance, sounds the same in both alphabets, in Cyrillic it is written Bykobap.
Saturday's protest is organized by veteran groups, Vukovar wartime defenders and hardline political parties. Opponents of Serbian script have been active on Facebook, where one of the postings reads: "The final strike on Vukovar
-- Cyrillic!"
Once a picturesque baroque tow, Vukovar has become a symbol of the senseless destruction during the war that followed the breakup of the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s
-- leaving more than 100,000 people dead and millions homeless in Europe's worst carnage since World War II.
Even decades later, many Croats and Serbs in Vukovar and elsewhere continue to live parallel lives, with children attending separate schools and each ethnic community visiting its own cafes or shops.
The EU maintains that Croatia must protect its minorities, particularly ethnic Serbs, from discrimination and violence. But Zarko Puhovski, a liberal Croatian analyst, pointed out that "a rebellion against Cyrillic is something that was to be expected in Croatia" in the aftermath of the war with Serbia.
"Many people are against it, and that tells you that the situation may not be ready," Puhovski said. "But, if we were to wait until it is ready, it would never happen."
[to top of second column]
The fighting in Croatia started when it declared independence from the former federation in 1991, triggering a rebellion by the minority Serbs and an onslaught by the Serb-led Yugoslav army. Vukovar, located on the boundary with Serbia, took the first blow. Once Croatia joins the EU, the still-tense town and the Danube will become the bloc's eastern border.
In three months of siege, Yugoslav army bombardment all but obliterated the town before it fell in November 1991. The army troops and Serb paramilitaries overran Vukovar, killing and expelling its residents, and leaving a ghost town of shattered buildings, pockmarked by grenades and tank fire. More than 200 prisoners were executed and buried in a mass grave at a nearby pig farm.
The war ended in 1995, in a U.N.-brokered peace agreement that envisaged the region's gradual return to Croatian rule.
Although the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, has sentenced several Serbian officers and politicians in connection with destruction of Vukovar and the killings, many in Croatia have felt it was not enough.
They say the introduction of Cyrillic is a slap in the face.
"It would be as if a sign in Arabic was put up next to Ground Zero in New York," nationalist Croatian politician Zoran Vinkovic claimed.
Today, nearly 35 percent of Serbs live in Vukovar, according to the results of a postwar census published in 2011
-- enough for the introduction of the Serbian script at road signs, in schools, and on documents.
Press; By JOVANA GEC]
Copyright 2013 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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