text:
It was a rainy day on April 10th, 2015 when Jake Silbert and Seydi Yougo Ba, two passionate football enthusiasts got together to discuss their plans for a new football team right here in Hangzhou. Two days after that fateful meeting, the Hangzhou Generals had their first ever practice. Fast forward three years and the Hangzhou Generals are one of the twenty teams in the American Football League of China (AFLC). The Generals just had their first ever official league game versus the Wuxi team and even got their first W in that game.
Football preparation is crucial for the players and coaching staff. This group takes practice seriously. The drills are fast paced and highly intense. At Hangzhou Jiayang Football field (佳杨体育足球场) they practice on brand new AstroTurf every Wednesday night from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m and Sunday morning from 9 to 12. The fee to join the team is 300 RMB for three months which helps cover field costs and practice and equipment. Beginners first learn the basics, then after the two months of player evaluation the coaches will decid which position is suitable for their skills. It is approximately 3000 RMB for the full equipment set which includes a helmet, practice pants, team jersey, shoulder pads, football cleats, and gloves.
Off the field, two highly qualified training coaches conduct Saturday morning workout sessions from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Enjoy Fitness, located at the sports training center on 201 Kai Xuan road. The trainers can help to create the right workout program for you and your position.
The Generals philosophy is to be a tough family. Team Members are taught to grow as a group, not as an individual. Seydi once said in a huddle, "I love you all and I hope you love each other". The players still say that in the huddles now. They comprehend that football is a rough sport, so everyone needs to be as tough as possible. If a player needs to leave the Generals, Seydi really hopes that they can remember the positives of being a General. The Generals are made of players from America, Cameroon, China, Congo, France, and the Ukraine.
When Seydi was asked what's the three-year plan for the organization, he said confidently 'to win a championship.' I felt the seriousness in his tone, this coach means business. He understands that they need to keep raising the bar. They want to be the most competitive team in the league.
Seydi and YOUGO SPORTS are making an impact in youth football right here in Hangzhou. Together they operate American football programs. Four years ago, opportunities for young children to play American football were close to none. Now, children from all ages are getting the chance to be more active and meet new friends from different parts of the world just by playing youth football. Seydi realizes the challenge here, but to him if it is easy, then it is not worth doing. He feels that kids need to be involved in sports, and they must understand how their bodies work.
Q & A with Seydi
More Hangzhou (MHZ); Seydi (S)
MHZ: What drives you to put so much energy into what you are doing? How do you remain on task?
S: Always improve, a lot of hard work. I must stay focused. People only compliment you when they see results, but I didn't hear anything when I was in the dirt. Now that the team is growing, people on the outside want to take it more seriously. They see us growing and constantly raising the bar. I need to be patient. I want to help more people and help the community, grow the city and get people together.
MHZ: Tell us a little about the interactions with the fans. Every time there are pictures it is noticeable that the Generals have a good number of supporters.
S: It makes me happy. It makes me proud. A Hangzhou TV program is going to start making a documentary about us and more people will see us and that bring more awareness to the Generals. This means more excited families, friends, and children. More people will be involved. When people bring their kids, it gives them options. It is good for everyone.
MHZ: Explain your journey, you must've gotten into sports somehow. What got you into sports and eventually into being one of the founders of the Hangzhou Generals?
S: I grew up in Senegal for many years. I loved sports, swimming, horse riding, and martial arts. I love contact. When I got older I got more into boxing such as Chinese boxing and Thai boxing. I then went to France for school where I got a degree in sports. My brother was also in France playing football. That was the first time I saw the sport. I wasn't into basketball or soccer. So, I thought I could learn football to play with my brother. Unfortunately, because of bad timing, him and I would not be able to play together, so I didn't sign up in France. I eventually started to learn more about sports management. I was in Shanghai for two years. I was looking for a team sport and found the Shanghai Warriors, I eventually got a good job offer in Hangzhou and decided to move to Hangzhou. At the time American Football in Hangzhou was just emerging, and that is where I met Jake. After some time we discussed starting a team.
MHZ: You being the friendly person that you are and one of the most competitive coaches around, how do you balance coaching and friendship? Because you guys often train together, but you often spend time together off the field.
S: The players understand that I am one of the leaders and coaches on the team. On the field they respect me as a coach. They understand the difference. They know our relationship on and off the field won't conflict.
MHZ: I am going to mention a couple of players on the roster, please tell me what pops in your head first.
S: Fast. One of the first players from the start. I think he is the only player who has been here forever and still doesn't have his own gear. He is amazing though. What he does on the field is spectacular. He is a great guy for the team. He is always smiling and chanting. I am glad to have him on the team.
S: He is focused. He does everything he can to reach his goals. Good athlete. Understands the game. We need more people like Him.
Li Han Tao
S: Puts in so much work. He was shy at first. When we first offered him to be a captain he was humble, so humble. He does a great job, he shares everything. In a game he is the first guy on the ball. Defence and offence. He has that natural desire to coach other people. Always wants to get better, he wants to help any way he can. He helps recruit and helps spread the awareness of our team. We need more people like that. He made the difference to get the ball rolling with our team. He brings so much energy. He now does the team huddle chants. Just a great leader.
S: First thing that comes to mind is coach. I called him coach first time I met him. He was my first football coach. I slowly got to know him better and better. He started off as my coach, then teammate, and finally my brother. Great guy. I want him to come back. I know he wants to come back. Jake is the reason we have the team. He has helped pioneer development of football in China. He helped Hangzhou and Wuxi. He has had a huge impact growing the sport and bringing people together.
Xiang Wei Yang
S: She is the only female captain in China. She is one of our trainers. She plays cornerback and she is a beast.
MHZ: Sports in Hangzhou is growing. How do you feel of the current level of sports in Hangzhou?
S: Hangzhou sports market is growing, and that's good because the city needs more sports teams, sporting goods shop, and sporting events. Hopefully Hangzhou keeps building sporting facilities and fields. It will create more jobs. It is an interesting time. Hangzhou is going more international. Hangzhou will probably soon be on Shanghai's level. The city wants to attract more foreigners here, so by having more sports and qualified individuals it will be great for Hangzhou.
Inspired by the skills of martial artists Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, 18-year old Tim Vukan and his friends were intrigued by this ancient art. After seeking guidance and training from Ving Tsun Gong Fu instructor Jan Hantelman, a connection was made for life. He shared with us stumbling across a tiny Chinese bookshop and discovering hundreds of books detailing the very art he loved. Intrigued by the images he found within the pages, he often went back to look around. It was here that he found the book that would change his life: Chinese Shaolin Kung Fu. Being the only book he found written in German, it became a part of him, attached to him day and night. After watching a live performance from the Shaolin monks in Hamburg he knew it was time…
After six years of intensive training and teaching in Hamburg and Münster, Tim took the plunge and moved to Dengfeng, Henan to practice directly at the source. Home to many academies and thousands of students, he chose to study at Wushu College where a little girl took him by surprise: "The best teacher I had was a nine-year old girl. She taught me high kicks and how to perform very difficult techniques. She taught me to be honest and kind to people."
What was the most difficult part of your course?
The most difficult part was we had to train very hard every day no matter what condition our bodies were in. Training started at 5:30am and continued all day until 6-7pm. After three weeks of intensive training, I couldn't walk up the stairs and suffered from heavy muscle tension pain in my legs. Once I was lying in bed, I felt calm and peaceful until the loud Chinese march music woke me up in the morning and it started all over again. This pain is necessary to understand your body. If you want to perform Shaolin Gong Fu and to reach a high level we must go further to feel what it means to have focus.
In Chinese there is a saying 先苦后甜, which means after hard and bitter work there will be sweetness. It means that we have to work hard if we want to achieve something. Everything we do is to gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and to learn how to control our body and our mind in different situations. Our body is sometimes weak. Learning Gong Fu is a way to train our minds to tell our body what to do and when to stop. I learnt jianchi 坚持 – it doesn't matter if we fail or succeed, it is more important to go on. Our body and mind each have their own language and we are able to control our body with our mind. If there is a strong mind and a clear heart, there is a strong body. Many diseases are based on an imbalance of our body and our mind. If we stay focused in the moment, we can prevent illnesses and have a happier life! Gong Fu is a way to choose health and happiness in your life.
After Henan, Tim moved to Yangshuo, Guangxi province to continue with taiji quan classes. There he met a woman who was offering taiji sword lessons and became her student, learning taiji next to the Li river. She taught him many things like Chinese cooking and the art of bartering. He felt happiness getting to know a culture which he had always wanted to learn more about.
During his travels in 2004, he really enjoyed Hangzhou. Growing up in Hamburg, he was a part of nature. In Hangzhou, he found he could still have that in the beautiful mountains and bamboo forests surrounding the city. From the beginning of his martial arts career, he often came into contact with Chinese medicine. In 2005, he decided to start studying it. In ancient times, masters of Gong Fu were often also doctors of Chinese medicine – it was a natural progression. Zhejiang Chinese Medical University offered him a place.
We hear a lot about the pressure of education in China, did you feel a lot?
The Chinese education system can be very challenging for foreigners. First to master the language and then to get used to the way of teaching. Asking questions doesn't have much space in classroom; it's very different to the west. Chinese students are not used to communicating with their teachers, only listening to gain information. This caused a lot of pressure while studying. Preparing for a test required memorizing and repeating facts instead of putting the theory into our own words like back home. Every culture has its own specialties, especially when it comes to education. Now, I often meet young people in the clinic telling me about their life and study and that it made them sick. Young students are often overwhelmed with pressure. I start telling them my story, hoping to inspire them to find their own way to learn.
You've founded your own company, how has that been? Do you have good support?
I founded Wushan TCM, a Chinese medical network, with the goal to connect the east with the west and to offer Chinese medicine education to students and current practitioners. There are live webinars and recorded online courses about the theory and practice. I also arrange local treatments for foreigners with Chinese medicine and take care of the language translations and clinical arrangements. I work in cooperation with Chinese medical doctors whom I've met during my studies and practice over the past twelve years. I want to help people to come to China and to gain their individual experiences.
You've studied tai chi, TCM and lots of other ways of healing. What would you say is the best medicine?
In our modern times a practitioner has to have knowledge from both western and Chinese medicine to offer the patients the most accurate and suitable diagnosis and treatment. Even though western and Chinese medicine are very different from each other, they can be combined in many different ways. While western medicine is treating the illness, Chinese medicine is treating the symptoms of the patient and finding the source. An example of how they work in harmony would involve undergoing surgery for an external injury (western) followed by Chinese medicine to strengthen the patient help to recover in a more comprehensive way. Both medicines have their limitations and their benefits.
I won't say that TCM is the best medicine. I believe Chinese medicine can help a lot of people, where western medicine cannot. Above all, the best medicine is when people take better care of themselves and gain more understanding of how we can keep healthy and prevent illness. It's about our lifestyle, our emotions, our living and working environment, our family situation, our nutrition and so much more. I want people to gain more sensibility about their lives and what makes us ill.
What plans do you have for the future?
I would like to combine my life in China with the life in the west. At the moment, I am preparing the German natural license test to be allowed to work and to treat in Germany with Chinese medicine. In the future I want to offer more lectures, seminars and tours in Hangzhou and to give more students the great opportunity to learn from professional doctors. More and more foreigners are interested in coming to China to study TCM. I want to help them however I can. The world will become more connected. Let's become a part of it!
Tim Vukan has been studying and practicing Chinese medicine for more than ten years at the Zhejiang Chinese Medical University in Hangzhou. He founded Wushan TCM in 2008 to connect Chinese medicine practitioners and students by offering Chinese medicine online courses and training tours to enable an authentic education in the theory and clinical field of Chinese health cultivation methods. To learn more, visit the website at www.wushantcm.com.
I first visited Georgetown, the capital city of Penang Island, Malaysia, in 2008. This was just before Georgetown gained Unesco World Heritage designation. I vividly recall the beauty of the decaying historical buildings dating back to the late 18th century British colonial rule. The multi-coloured shop houses with peeling paint stood stoically, telling countless stories of the centuries gone by.
In 1786, Britain established Georgetown to rival the Dutch trading port Malacca in a bid to gain control of the important trade routethrough the Straits of Malacca which connected Europe, the Middle East and India to the west with China, Southeast Asia and Japan to the east.Georgetown began attracting Chinese, Indian and Malaysian merchants and settlers. Each group broughtalong their language, food and religion making Georgetown a very special mix of cultures living together in harmony.
Georgetown's Unesco World Heritage zone is a compact, easily manageable area that you can walk around in two to three hours. Start at the grand KapitanKeling mosque, built in 1801 by Indian Muslim settlers with its Mughal-style domes and Indian-Islamic minaret, from where the call to prayer can be heard five times a day.
Then wander around Little India with Bollywood music blaring from shops and colorful silk saris on display. Tantalizing skewers of tandoori meattempt you to stop and nibblewhile tables piled with samosas and Indian sweets are hard to resist.Then further to the north, near the coastline are the British colonial buildings that now house banks, western bars and restaurants.
Turn a corner and head towards the Chinese area with colourfulclan houses, temples and shops. Bustling hawker stalls line the streets, selling Penang's famous street foods like CharKwayTeow, Chee Cheong Fun and HokkienMee. The Chinese community has roots from Hokkien, Cantonese and Hakka and they here are a linguistically talented bunch who easily switch between conversations in Cantonese, Mandarin, their own Chinese dialects, English and Malay.
By the time I visited in 2008, much of the historic area had fallen into disrepair. Then came the Unesco World Heritage designation breathingrenewed life to Georgetown and historic buildings were restored and converted into cafes and boutique hotels. Previously, Georgetown mainly offered budget guesthouses and one very top end hotel. Now, there's a growing range of boutique heritage hotels for visitors to choose from.
Campbell House was one of the first boutique hotels to open in Georgetown, and work on converting the building into a hotel began even before the Unesco World Heritage listing was announced. The owners, wife and husband team Nardya Wray and Robert Dreon, both saw the potential in Georgetown and had faith in its future. Nardya has a personal history with Penang, having been born in Malaysia before moving to UK andthen often returning to Penang to visit family.
Robert and Nardya bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience, both coming from successful careers in London's luxury hospitality industry.The couple embarked on restoring the hundred-year-old corner shophouse, completely gutting the building down to the original beams and structure.Working tirelessly over three years, they lovingly restored the building and filled their dream hotel with antique furniture sourced from around the region.
Campbell House offers eleven suites, each with an individual character representing a different element of colonial Malaysia, such as the Colonial Room with a four poster bed or the Sari Room graced with a headboard made from sari silk.
The rooms are luxuriously appointed and feature modern fixtures and technologies like flat screen TV's, Nespresso machines, chilly central air-con, rain head showersand newplumbing. You may be staying in a heritage hotel with antique furniture, but you will not lackfor any modern comforts.
Campbell House is located on Campbell Street, right in the heart of Georgetown and makes a great base for exploring the city. The next street over is LebuhChulia, one of the main roads of Georgetown, where you'll find many bars and street food.
Leaving behind the chaotic colourfulstreetlife and stepping into the peaceful tranquility of Campbell House, the first thing you will notice is the lovely lemongrass scent. Then the friendly receptionist will get you checked-in and pull out a map to show you where to find the best food and attractions.
Respecting the original architecture, there are no elevators in this three story house, but the hotel staff will use a clever pulley system to get your luggage to the top floor. Smoking is not permitted indoors, but you can do so on the rooftop terrace.
As is the tradition in Malaysian houses, guests have to leave their shoes in the public area before proceeding upstairs to the rooms. This ensures that the living areas are immaculately clean and you get the warm feeling that you are an honoured guest in a private house. Each guest receives personalized attention and you can even make special requests for breakfast to suit your dietary needs. The library invites guests to lounge and chat with each other and we had many lively conversations with our fellow travelers there.
Rooms are cleaned twice a day, and atnight they will leave iced tea and some sweet treats in the fridge. The soft and fluffy king-sized feather-topped bed is so comfortable, there seems to be a magic spell around it because as soon as you lay down you almost immediately fall asleep.
Breakfastis served in their Italian restaurant from 8am-12pm, so guests can leisurely sleep in or go out for an early morning walk before temperatures get too hot and still have ample time to return and enjoy breakfast.The breakfast spread includes a basket of freshly baked bread, a selection of housemade jams like coconut, orange marmalade and pineapple, a large platter of fresh fruit and a choice of entrée such as Eggs Benedict or Welsh Rarebit.
Their Italian Restaurant, Il Bacaro, draws on Robert's Italian roots and offers an alternative to local cuisine. As much as I love curries and fried noodles, sometimes you just crave a fine Italian meal. It's become a trendy dining destination for travelers and locals alike.
Georgetown is a city you can come back to again and again and never grow tired of.The Unesco World Heritage designation came just in time to save many heritage buildings from demolition. Though developmentis bringing about changes, its soul and authenticity still remains, just a scratch beneath the surface. The introduction of a heritage hotel like Campbell House means you can now visit Georgetown and stay in style and comfort.
Campbell House is a World Luxury Hotel Award winner and is ranked #1 on TripAdvisor for B&Bs in Georgetown. Rooms range from 600-800RMB per night.Air Asia flies from Hangzhou to Penang, transferring in Kuala Lumpur.
The Hyatt Regency welcomes Raul Avendano, a 31-year-old chef from Chile, to "spice up" their restaurant and buffet. This South American hottie creates a flavor so refreshing it will whip your taste buds into shape and wake you up from a world of slumber. This talented chef started his career in the hotel business studying administration, but after one year he decided it wasn't for him. He changed majors to be in the kitchen and everything fell into place.
"When I put on my uniform and take my knife, I feel different. I get this intense feeling, just taking the raw ingredients and transforming them to something incredible."
Raul has been cooking in top hotels all over the world. After four years traveling in Mexico, he moved on to Macau to open a new branch of the Banyan Tree. He was also the chef in the pre-openings of Dubai's exclusive beachfront bar and restaurant Zero Gravity and the Grand Hyatt Casino Hotel in the Bahamas.
His Mexican Flautas are a good place to start if you are unfamiliar with Latin cuisine. Succulent chicken breast cooked in a tomato base and wrapped in a crispy flour tortilla, topped with sour cream and fresh salad. Next, we tried the Pork Loin Roulade with onions, garlic, dried cranberries, nuts and apple sauce, pan seared and finished to perfection in the oven. This was served with roasted potatoes and a chorizo-like sausage. If that wasn't tantalizing enough, the final surprise was the Green Lamb Chops marinated with lemon and served on a bed of creamy quinoa risotto that really got our tongues tingling! We managed to have a chat and find out 'more' about the man himself for all you readers of MORE Hangzhou.
So Raul, you have quite the resume! Can you tell us which of your experiences have been the most rewarding so far?
A great place for me to work was Dubai. It was challenging at first because of the religion and restrictions. In Chile, we like to cook with red wine and experiment with new ingredients and spices, but there I could not use alcohol or pork. But, the supply of fresh meats, vegetables and spices was endless and we had good contacts with the suppliers. In the end, I really honed in on other techniques and flavors. It was a memorable time.
We all know how difficult it is to get certain ingredients here. Why did you choose China?
The fascination came from when I was a kid, you know. Growing up, I loved the Chinese movies with Jackie Chan, and I was amazed by the different culture and, of course, the food! Then I worked Macau and I learnt so much! I thought "I'm here! I've done it." China is a place that people from the west think they know until they arrive here and it all opens up. It's a whole new world. After I left Macau and went back to South America, I thought… "Something is missing in this kitchen… the woks!" Working on a line with these tools and producing a different taste was incredible, and I am happy to be back working with a talented group of individuals.
What's the greatest difficulty you have here?
It has to be the language. I'm learning slowly but it will take time. I always say "I have no problems, just challenges," and because I have no problems, I have more time to find solutions. I love working in this team. To these chefs, it isn't just a job, it's their passion and that's what make this food very special.
Where did your motivation come from? Did your mum cook at home?
Oh no, my love for cooking comes from my Dad's side of the family. My aunt and my Grandmother, they have good taste. My teachers too, they really inspired me to do more. I hope the people in Hangzhou can be open to try new flavours and enjoy eating my food as much as I enjoy creating it.
If you would like to join the taste fiesta, then head down to the Hyatt Regency hotel for their Latin Festival which lasts until April 10th. The buffet, which includes the dishes we tried, will run you 348RMB from Sunday to Thursday and from Friday to Saturday 368RMB (both prices have a 15% service charge).
Raul is in the process of creating a whole new a la carte menu that will be available after the festival with other dishes of Latin taste to tease you too! For more information on this, go ahead and contact the hotel or pop by for a sneaky peak at Raul himself hard at work in Café at the Hyatt. Buen Provecho!
To be honest, this is not exactly how I saw my Saturday morning going. After a good deal of persuasion, I had given in and decided to come to CrossFit Qiantang to see what all the fuss was about. Standing in a room full of about twenty-five athletic-looking sorts limbering up, little did I know that I was about to experience what would be one of the more intense twenty minutes worth of exercise I had done in my life.
In the car on the way to the gym, after having signed up for the class, we found out what the WOD (workout of the day) was. That day it would begin with 150 Burpees, a movement which involves going from standing to lying, to standing and a jump to finish. Then, 100 Wall Balls, requiring you to throw a medicine ball to above a line high on the wall. These two exercises were to be completed as a team, shared and in rotation. The final part, 5x200 meters, would be an individual effort.
After stretching and warming up, we were put into teams of three, our team name placed on the board, thereby riling up the competitive spirit in each and every athlete present. As the countdown began from ten, the crowd erupted, and as the music got louder, the tempo in the room sky-rocketed and the anticipation became unbearable.
Then, the room exploded as the battle for supremacy began, each team pitted off against each other in an effort to achieve the best time. During the next twenty minutes, I found strength in me that I didn't know existed as my team and trainers (and even the opposition!?) spurred me on to reach the finish line in as fast a time as possible.
So this was my experience of CrossFit, a way of working out that has taken countless countries by storm and is now rapidly spreading through the mainland of China. For a better explanation of what CrossFit actually is, I spoke with the founder of CrossFit Qiantang, The General. Summing up my experience perfectly he told me, "It's all about stepping out of your comfort zone. CrossFit is fun, but at the same time it can be brutal because it pushes you to your limits. The purpose of CrossFit is to train at your threshold area, which means you need to push your margin out."
What is CrossFit?
CrossFit has three core fundamentals: constant variation, functional movement and high intensity. The first, constant variation, aims to improve your overall fitness, offering new and completely different workouts each time, using muscles you never knew you had, in contrast to a more focused improvement that some sports or traditional gym training offer: "We want every single one of our athletes to have a great general, broad fitness, which means they are prepared for the unknown," said The General. In addition, you only find out the WOD after having booked the class, so if it's something you don't like, there's no backing out: "You have no idea what you are going to be doing that day, just like real life. Life is unpredictable... CrossFit is the same thing."
Functional movement involves using non-artificial movement – many gym machines promote a movement that is not entirely natural, whereas functional movements are more daily-life based and can therefore be used more in everyday situations.
High intensity is fairly self-explanatory, the benefit being you can put in less time but get more benefit. Rather than spending countless hours on a treadmill, CrossFit can condense this into around fifteen or twenty minutes of actual workout time (not including warming up or down), and yet offers results to match and even surpass longer, less intense workouts.
Why do CrossFit?
Aside from obvious health benefits, the most valuable thing CrossFit can offer is community. Looking lost on my first time in the gym, I was warmly received by trainers and members alike, as they approached me to introduce themselves and confess their great love for CF. Jenny had been CF-ing for around six months and was quick to praise the social aspect CF offers. She'd been working out in traditional gyms for years, rarely meeting anyone new: "I would be next to a guy on a treadmill every week for five or six years and have no idea about his name or who he was. Coming to CrossFit, there is a real feeling of community; everyone is very friendly and a strong bond is formed."
This bond can only serve to improve your workout input as when you are making that final push, those around you shouting your name are sources of admiration and inspiration, team members who want nothing more than to see you do that extra rep, sprint that last 100 meters. They expect nothing less than 100%, and that is exactly what you should give them.
Furthermore, CrossFit supports and encourages its members to leave their comfort zone behind and do things they never thought they were capable of. The General explained, "The vast majority of people in this world only want to do the things they can do well… we like to give you something that you're not good at… just use four or five hours a week to do this and your life will change completely." So rather than doing something which comes easily to you, something you're used to and can handle with relative ease, why not improve yourself by doing something you're terrible at. Makes sense, right?
Some go to church, others go to CrossFit
For most, CF is more than just a workout. It's way of life, a way of thinking that seems to make people want more from themselves. For one member, Adriana, CF was the missing piece of the puzzle, and after discovering it, her life came together, leading her to quit her job and become a shareholder in the company. Like many of the members here, you too may find yourself starting a new chapter of your life. Discover a new you, meet new friends. There's really no excuse, so go on down and meet the CrossFit Qiantang family.
Give it a shot
For those of you thinking of joining, the first step is to sign up for one of their trial classes, either on Saturdays at 10am or Wednesdays at 8pm. The Saturday morning class will include members, so you'll have a chance to meet the whole gang, something I strongly recommend, whereas the Wednesday evening class will include prospective members only. Also, many different membership schemes are available depending on your availability, ranging from a one-off drop in fee to a five-times-weekly membership.
Etienne Jeanne, guitarist with gypsy jazz band Three of a Kind, has been living in China for almost ten years. His Russian bandmates are based in Paris which means he mostly gets to play with them when he returns to France in the summer. This year however they are recording a new project in April and are hoping to embark on a world tour next year. I asked Etienne some questions about the band and the musical genre of gypsy jazz.
How did you meet your bandmates?
The three of us met in Paris in 2002. I had just moved to Paris when I was 18 in order to start my career as a professional musician, and met Aliocha and Vladi separately while doing gigs in Paris. It was the beginning of the "gypsy jazz revival" at the time. They were performing in an old Russian cabaret every week. I went to jam with them and found we had a strong connection right away so we decided to form a band. We've remained friends ever since.
How do you define gypsy jazz?
Gypsy jazz is a musical genre developed by the late great Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli in the late 30's, on the initiative of Hugues Panassié and Charles Delauney who wanted to build and promote a unique type of European jazz. That is why the Hot Club de France were the first "strings only" jazz quintet ever, innovating jazz music with a totally new sound never recorded before.
Is gypsy jazz the hardest genre to play on guitar?
It definitely requires strong guitar skills to play gypsy jazz, but not only that. A certain knowledge about jazz and gypsy culture in general, and an acuity for improvisation are also important.
Do you think there is a large audience for this type of music?
There is undoubtedly a large audience for gypsy jazz as this type of music is getting more and more popular. When I started to play this music, it was kind of a geek thing known principally in France and a few countries around (England, Germany, Holland, Italy), and now there is a Hot Club in every major city in the world, such as San Francisco, and even in Beijing! This style of music is pleasing to the ear, non-aggressive, and visually strong as you can see guitar players and violin players going crazy on their instruments! Plus it involves the guitar, which is the most popular instrument in the world, so people tend to identify themselves with it even more, especially metal guitar players.
What's the best thing about playing to a live audience?
Two things; the reward of an intense practice at home for years when people are clapping their hands, and the freedom to re-arrange our tunes, improvise, and make people surprised with a brand new show each time. To record is to leave a trace in time, to play live is to feel carefree again.
Where's your favourite place to play in Hangzhou?
I personally like to play in JZ Club because the venue is well adapted for live performances. There are many other places in Hangzhou offering the possibility to watch live bands, but not enough in my opinion. That is why I still need to work in Shanghai regularly since there are more opportunities. Fingers crossed about more musicians coming to Hangzhou in the next few years.
Has Chinese music had any influence on the music that you play?
Chinese music had an influence on the way I write originals indeed, we also cover a few songs from the early 30's Shanghai jazz repertoire.
Which bands are you following at the moment?
In the field of gypsy jazz, there are a lot of good musicians upcoming from all around the world although I think this type of music is precisely the legacy of Django Reinhardt, and hasn't really improved yet. People tend to copy the "authentic gypsy style" too much instead of working on their own interior music, which I think wouldn't have been the wish of the creators of this revolutionary musical genre.
If you would like to see Three of a Kind playing live, you can check them out at the venues below.
April 2nd @ ABC Café (Starts at 7:30pm)
1/F, Changjian Mansion, 415 Huanxing Rd, Binjiang, 滨江环兴路415号长建大厦1楼
April 8th @ Amigo (Starts at 9pm)
8 Yugu Rd, 玉古路8号
April 17th @ JZ Hangzhou (Starts at 9:30pm)
6 Liuying Rd (Nanshan Rd) , 柳营路6号(靠南山路)
April 22nd @ Reggae bar (Starts at 10:30pm)
131 Xueyuan Rd, 学院路131号
April 23rd @ Schänke (Starts at 9:30pm)
Room -3 and 2-2, Building 32, Qingchunfang, Qingchun Rd, 庆春路青春坊32幢1-3室和2-2室


text:
PORTLAND, Ore.—A genetically modified test strain of wheat that emerged to the surprise of an Oregon farmer last month was likely the result of an accident or deliberate mixing of seeds, the company that developed it said Wednesday.
Representatives for Monsanto Co. said during a conference call that the emergence of the genetically modified strain was an isolated occurrence. It has tested the original wheat stock and found it clean, the company said.
Sabotage is a possibility, said Robb Fraley, Monsanto chief technology officer.
"We're considering all options and that's certainly one of the options," Fraley said.
Fraley said the company has a test it has shared with other countries that could "fingerprint" the exact variety of wheat that carried the gene, and it's awaiting samples from the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Oregon farmer to test for the exact variety that emerged.
The USDA has said the Oregon wheat is safe to eat and there is no evidence that modified wheat entered the marketplace. No genetically engineered wheat has been approved for U.S. farming.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said he would not address Monsanto's suggestions that it could have been sabotage.
"I'm not going to speculate on what could or couldn't have happened," Vilsack told reporters in Washington, D.C., Wednesday. "Because you could go down that road and we'd be here all day."
Fifteen inspectors from the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are working on the investigation.
Vilsack said the department's priorities are to investigate and also to focus on getting markets open as quickly as they can after some overseas markets balked at the discovery of the modified crop. He said the department believes it is an isolated situation because tests in the farmer's adjoining fields have turned up negative, as have tests on neighboring fields so far.
He said the South Korean government had notified USDA on Wednesday that tests so far on wheat and flour had showed no indication of contamination.
Consumers' unease with genetically modified crops, particularly those in Europe and Asia, led St. Louis-based Monsanto to end the testing of modified wheat in 2005.
Many countries will not accept imports of genetically modified foods, and the United States exports about half of its wheat crop. Since the announcement of the discovery of the genetically modified wheat in Oregon, Japan—one of the largest export markets for U.S. wheat growers—suspended some imports. South Korea said it would increase its inspections of U.S. wheat imports.
Supporters of splicing in beneficial genes to modify crops say modifications could help wheat grow in places where it's needed. New traits could make it resistant to disease, pests and, like the rogue strain discovered in Oregon, herbicides.
Opponents argue that genetic modifications carry potential unknown consequences to the humans that consume them and the areas in which they're grown. Changes to the genes of the crops could affect the durability of weeds, making them harder to kill, or the pests that feed on the crops.
The wheat emerged in an Eastern Oregon field in early May and was resistant to the herbicide Roundup. Oregon State University researchers found the wheat had a genetic modification Monsanto used in field testing.
When the test fields were cleared in Oregon in 2001, the seed samples were sent to a USDA deep-storage facility in Colorado. The company's research director, Claire Cajacob, said the company also keeps some samples it is able to test. The rest of the seed is destroyed, she said.
"We've been very careful of how seed is stored and where it's stored," Cajacob said.
The company conducted follow-ups with any entity that possessed the seed with the so-called Roundup Ready gene and confirmed that they shipped it to Colorado or destroyed it, she said.
Testing ended in Oregon in 2001, four years before testing ended nationally. Company representatives said the average wheat seed only stays viable for one to two years in a harsh climate like Eastern Oregon's.
The wheat emerged in a rotational field that was supposed to be fallow in 2013.
Fraley said it's unlikely that other parent stocks were corrupted, or "probably we would have seen it for many, many years over the last decade."
Ninety percent of soft white wheat grown in Oregon, Washington and Idaho is exported, making the states reliant on relationships with foreign markets, specifically those in Asia.
Oregon wheat farmers convened by the Oregon Wheat Commission on Tuesday in Portland said their private conversations center on one question: How did it happen?
"We need to know," said Blake Rowe, chief executive of the Oregon Wheat Commission. "Somehow this gene is out in the environment, but we're waiting for USDA to know how it could have happened."
Reach reporter Nigel Duara on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nigelduara
AP Writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this story from Washington, D.C.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
PARIS (AP) — Syria's Western-backed opposition came under steely pressure Sunday to attend peace talks in just over a week as envoys from 11 countries converged to help restore, and test, credibility of a rebel coalition sapped by vicious infighting and indecision.
But diplomacy's limits were starkly apparent in Syria itself, where activists said rebel-on-rebel clashes have killed nearly 700 people in the deadliest bout of infighting since the civil war began.
The bloodshed, pitting al-Qaida-linked militants against several Islamist and more moderate rebel brigades, has begun to overshadow the broader war against the government.
Sunday's meetings in Paris came just over a week before the scheduled talks in Switzerland, as the Syrian National Coalition nears collapse, its influence eroded by the chronic infighting, international pressure and disagreement over whether to negotiate with Syria's president, Bashar Assad.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry joined 10 other foreign ministers who urged coalition President Ahmed al-Jarba to deliver his group to the Switzerland talks and finally meet face-to-face with the government it hopes to overthrow. Kerry said he was confident the coalition would be at the talks, and hinted at a diplomatic backlash from its allies if it skips the meetings.
"I think they understand the stakes," Kerry told reporters Sunday. "But I'm not going to get into consequences other than to say it's a test of the credibility of everybody, and it's why I am confident that they will be there. Because I think they understand that."
Al-Jarba, who will meet again with Kerry on Monday, tried to put the best face on his coalition's precarious position. The Syrian National Council will vote Friday on whether to attend the peace talks but already has agreed to uphold a cease-fire once negotiations begin.
"We have made clear the reality of the situation on the ground," al-Jarba said. "We have addressed issues, preoccupations and worries that we know exist."
Sunday's gathering clearly aimed to boost the coalition, in part with a 14-point declaration of goals to allow the Syrian people "to control its own future" and "put an end to the current despotic regime through a genuine political transition."
Within Syria, the moderate rebels say the coalition-in-exile is little help as they find themselves battling on two fronts — against al-Qaida-linked militants on one side and Assad's forces on another. One brigade after another has broken with the group, calling it out of touch with the harsh reality of a war that activists say has killed more than 130,000 people.
Assad himself has said there will be no discussion of giving up power, throwing the entire premise of the peace talks into doubt. On the other side, the rebel groups with the most men, arms and territory have already rejected any idea of an armistice. Sunday's declaration released by the 11 envoys included an explicit request for the Syrian National Coalition to accept the invitation to the peace talks.
"As the weaker party, they could agree to things that are not in our interests. And most of them are exiles, or have been outside the country for such a long time now that they don't even feel the suffering of their people," said Abu al-Hassan Marea, an activist from Syria's northern city of Aleppo, which has seen near-daily combat for months as rebels and the government fight for control. "If they agree to things that we don't approve of, it will be betrayal of the revolution."
The indecision and weakness of the Syrian coalition also has tested the patience of its backers, including the U.S.
Washington had to suspend shipments of nonlethal aid to moderate rebel fighters last month after insurgent groups broke into a warehouse where it was stored, raising the specter that the U.S. supplies and equipment would fall into extremists' hands. Kerry on Sunday said the Obama administration is considering when it can restart the aid shipments and indicated that moderate rebels may now be able to better secure them.
He also cited an unidentified "extremist group on the run" that he said is losing strength among the rebel factions.
But overall, the Syrian moderate opposition would lose moral authority if it refuses to engage in negotiations — especially considering Assad's regime has long signaled it plans to attend the peace talks.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the talks were the only hope for a political solution in Syria, "the only prospect that can lead to a true solution."
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier made clear that the series of meetings, which include talks with the Russian leadership, would include pressure for the peace conference.
"We want to do some persuading here and clear away the last obstacles that might exist — at least try to do that," Steinmeier said.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the coalition had, in fact, agreed last fall to attend the meeting, but since then has reconsidered as the result of renewed violence and brutality he blamed on the regime.
"We are working very hard, and (al-Jarba) is working very hard to convince the Syrian National Coalition — all of the members and also on the ground —to participate," Davutoglu said.
In Damascus, United Nations humanitarian chief Valerie Amos called on the international community to do more to help Syrians suffering from the conflict. And Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid bin Mohammed al-Attiyah in Paris said none of the opposition's allies had done enough.
But Marea, the Aleppo activist, predicted that if the peace talks happen "it will be a disaster" for those suffering in Syria's civil war.
"The regime must be called to account for its crimes, and the government to replace it should be one that all the people want," he said.
He did not say how that could happen.
Associated Press writers Diaa Hadid and Ryan Lucas in Beirut, Lebanon; Elaine Ganley in Paris; and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/larajakesAP and https://twitter.com/lhinnant


text:
Falcons receiver Julio Jones could be out for year with injured foot, will get 2nd opinion
- Image 1 of 2
- Image 2 of 2
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – The Atlanta Falcons could lose Julio Jones for the season after the Pro Bowl receiver injured his foot Monday in a 30-28 loss to the New York Jets.
Coach Mike Smith says Jones, the NFL leader with 41 catches, did not get encouraging results from a visit with doctors Tuesday morning.
Smith added that Jones will see a foot specialist Wednesday in Charlotte, N.C., for a second opinion. Jones ranks second with 580 yards receiving.
The Falcons (1-4) lost four-time Pro Bowl receiver Roddy White to a hamstring injury during the game. A high ankle sprain has nagged White, who has only 14 catches for 129 yards receiving.
Running back Steven Jackson has missed the last three games, all losses, with a hamstring injury.
AP NFL website www.pro32.ap.org


text:
NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partners. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Monday, August 29, 2016
Senior Health
Arguments with Elderly Mother
My mother is in her 80s and is still in excellent health. She lives in her own home, drives, shops, does her own cleaning and cooking and gardening, and is very active with several volunteer groups (president of 2 of them), etc.
But I find myself getting in very strange arguments with her. Here is an example. She complains that I never tell her what I`m doing. The fact is, I have a much more boring life than she does, so there is usually nothing to tell. I go to work, come home, sleep, clean on the weekends, and that`s about it. We argue about me "not telling her what`s going on in my life" a lot, and I don`t know what to say. Its like she thinks I am "hiding" all kinds of interesting and personal stuff from her, and I`m not.
Recently I did have something to tell her. I`d gone to a free event featuring a local politician who is running for a local office. I wanted to go meet him and hear what he had to say about current topics. When I told her that I did that, she made me repeat the name of the politician 3x and finally asked me to spell it for her. I got exasperated and said, "Why are you asking this? It doesn`t matter. You aren`t in his district. It is a very local thing and it doesn`t affect you." Believe it or not we got in a 20-minute argument then about why "I" was being "so mean to her" and why "I" was "behaving this way."
I start to doubt my own sanity after a while. Am _I_ the one who is being completely unreasonable? Is that a normal kind of conversation to have with an elderly mother? I feel like she is constantly evaluating and judging me for every little thing, and I resent that at the age of almost 60 myself I still can`t go hear a politician speak without having to report everything, including how to spell the politician`s name, to my Mother.
Which one of us is being "unreasonable" here? If it is me I will back off. I honestly don`t know any more.
It sounds like you are very concerned about your mother and her behavior. If your mother's behavior has changed drastically from previous behavior it woudl be beneficial to express your concerns about the changed behavior to your mother. Explain the behavior as you experience it. Your mother may not be aware of her changed behavior and/or your concern about it.
Sometimes as we age, we may experience mild behavior changes but drastic behavior change is not usually common. From your description, I do not perceive your being unreasonable in your conversation.
If the behavior is a drastic change, it may indicate the need for assessment by your mother's primary care provider to rule out any physical/psychological conditions that may result in behavior changes. Experience teaches that changing the subject or ceasing a conversation is more helpful than engaging in an argument or asking "why" she is engaging in this type of behavior is usually not helpful, even though this my lead to frustration on your part, which is understandable.
Your concerns are understandable and suggest that if the behavior continues and/or gets more intense, it may be an indication of underlying issues that need to be addressed with the primary health care provider.
Thank you for sending your question. Hopefully, this has been helpful.
Evelyn L Fitzwater, DSN, RN
Associate Professor Emerita
Associate Director of the
College of Nursing
University of Cincinnati


text:
Things To Do in Cumberland Valley
Cumberland Valley (a.k.a. Cumberland County, PA) is a place immersed in adventure and traditions. Many make the trip every year to visit some of our famous fly-fishing streams, world-renowned Carlisle auto shows or to take a hike on the legendary Appalachian Trail. There's a reason these passionate collectors all meet in The Valley. Our unique blend of outdoor beauty, downtown charm, agricultural landscape, history, art galleries, wineries, spas, farmers markets and friendly way of life keeps people coming back time and time again.
Need help getting started? Visit our trip ideas to start planning. Choose by your passion to get tailored suggestions and customized trips. So whether you are packing up your hiking boots or walking shoes, you're sure to find a diverse blend of things to do on the streets, creeks and trails of Cumberland Valley.
- Enjoy a night out on the town with a delicious dinner and a show at one of Cumberland Valley's performing arts centers.
- If you are an automotive hobbyist or just live with one, pack up your car and head to the automotive hometown of Carlisle. It's not just cars, there's something for everyone in your family.
- If you are visiting in the spring and summer months browse for delectable goodies at our downtown farmers markets. If the chillier months bring you to our neck of the woods, get out of the cold at our spas, art galleries and downtown shops, or embrace the weather and head downhill on skis or a snowboard.
- History buffs, children and anyone with a sense of adventure can stretch their legs and minds on the Army Heritage Trail at US Army Heritage & Education Center in Carlisle. When you see the big helicopter display along I-81, pull off and enjoy an afternoon exploring outdoor exhibits from World War I trenches to Civil War cabins.
Things to Do
- Car Shows and Racing
- Family Fun
- Farms & Markets
- Food, Wine & Beer
- History
- Nightlife
- Restaurants
- Romance
- Seasonal
- Shop
- Spas & Salons
- The Arts
- Top Things To Do
- Who Are You?
Find A Room
Explore the Valley using the map to the left or find activities and places to stay using theInteractive Map


text:
New DMCA Section 1201 Anti-Circumvention Rule
December 4, 2006
The Librarian of Congress issued a new rule on November 27, setting out six classes of copyrighted works that will be subject to exemptions for the next three years from the Digital Millennium Copyright Act's prohibition against circumvention of technology that controls access to a copyrighted work. The exemptions will be in effect for the next three years (through October 27, 2009).
Section 1201 of the 1998 DMCA makes it illegal to circumvent a technological protection measure employed to restrict access to or distribution of copyrighted material. Violators of the anti-circumvention provision are subject to civil and criminal penalties. At the same time, however, the law provides that there can be exemptions from the prohibition for users of "classes of works" who would be "adversely affected by virtue of such prohibition in their ability to make non-infringing uses" of those works. For more background on the triennial rulemaking procedure, see below.
The six classes of works in the Librarian's new rule are:
1. Audiovisual works included in the educational library of a college or university's film or media studies department, when circumvention is accomplished for the purpose of making compilations of portions of those works for educational use in the classroom by media studies or film professors.
2. Computer programs and video games distributed in formats that have become obsolete and that require the original media or hardware as a condition of access, when circumvention is accomplished for the purpose of preservation or archival reproduction of published digital works by a library or archive. A format shall be considered obsolete if the machine or system necessary to render perceptible a work stored in that format is no longer manufactured or is no longer reasonably available in the commercial marketplace.
3. Computer programs protected by dongles that prevent access due to malfunction or damage and which are obsolete. A dongle shall be considered obsolete if it is no longer manufactured or if a replacement or repair is no longer reasonably available in the commercial marketplace.
4. Literary works distributed in ebook format when all existing ebook editions of the work (including digital text editions made available by authorized entities) contain access controls that prevent the enabling either of the book's read-aloud function or of screen readers that render the text into a specialized format.
5. Computer programs in the form of firmware that enable wireless telephone handsets to connect to a wireless telephone communication network, when circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of lawfully connecting to a wireless telephone communication network.
6. Sound recordings, and audiovisual works associated with those sound recordings, distributed in compact disc format and protected by technological protection measures that control access to lawfully purchased works and create or exploit security flaws or vulnerabilities that compromise the security of personal computers, when circumvention is accomplished solely for the purpose of good faith testing, investigating, or correcting such security flaws or vulnerabilities.
The Librarian stated, "Three of these classes of works are very similar to the classes of works that were exempted three years ago, but with modifications to take into account the somewhat different cases that were presented to the Register this year. The new classes of works will enable film and media studies professors to make compilations of film clips for classroom instruction, make it easier for owners of wireless telephone handsets to continue to use those handsets when they switch to new wireless carriers, and permit the testing, investigation and correction of security vulnerabilities on compact discs that are distributed with access control technology that compromises the security of personal computers."
Details about the rulemaking, including the recommendation of the U.S. Register of Copyrights to the Librarian of Congress, are available on the U.S. Copyright Office web pages.
The Library Copyright Alliance and the Music Library Association filed comments with the U.S. Copyright Office in December 2005, requesting two new exemptions along the lines of those just issued by the Librarian, plus a renewal of the four exemptions that were granted in 2003 (PDF).
2006 Copyright Office Section 1201 Rulemaking
The Library Copyright Alliance and the Music Library Association filed comments (PDF) on December 1 with the U.S. Copyright Office requesting exemptions to the DMCA's Section 1201 prohibition on circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works.
The Copyright Office issued its notice of inquiry in October 2005, to begin the third round of triennial proceedings under Section 1201(a)(1) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.
The law allows for exemptions from the prohibition on circumvention for users of "classes of works" who would be "adversely affected by virtue of such prohibition in their ability to make non-infringing uses" of those works. But the exemptions must be determined through a rulemaking process that takes place every three years: the Library of Congress issued Rules in October 2000 and October 2003; the next rule will be issued in October 2006. The Copyright Office received 74 comments in this latest round; reply comments from interested parties are due February 2, 2006.
The Libraries' Filing
The The Library Copyright Alliance (LCA) consists of five major library associations—the American Association of Law Libraries, the American Library Association, the Association of Research Libraries, the Medical Library Association, and the Special Libraries Association. In their comments, the LCA and the Music Library Association requested two new exemptions plus a renewal of the four exemptions granted in 2003 (PDF).
- One of the new requested exemptions is for audiovisual works and sound recordings distributed in digital format when all commercially available editions contain access controls that prevent the creation of clip compilations and other educational uses. Teachers at the high school, college and graduate school level are increasingly unable, because of technological measures, to compile film and music clips to use in a variety of classes (for example, in media studies, literature, and criminal law).
- The second new exemption that the library groups requested is for sound recordings or audiovisual works (including motion pictures) embodied in copies and phonorecords; computer programs or video games; or pictorial, graphic, or literary works or compilations distributed in formats protected by access controls that threaten privacy and security. This requested exemption was prompted by recent disclosures about Sony BMG's copy control technology placed on music CDs, which has raised a public outcry about access controls that threaten the privacy of computer users and the security of their computers.
Section 1201 of the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) makes it illegal to circumvent a technological protection measure employed to restrict access to or distribution of copyrighted material. Violators of the anti-circumvention provision are subject to civil and criminal penalties. At the same time, however, the law provides that there can be exemptions from the prohibition for users of "classes of works" who would be "adversely affected by virtue of such prohibition in their ability to make non-infringing uses" of those works.
To determine the exemptions to the anti-circumvention provision, the law directs the U.S. Copyright Office to consult with the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information of the U.S. Department of Commerce, to conduct a triennial review of the impact of existing exemptions allowed under Section 1201 (a)(1) of the Act and to recommend further exceptions, if necessary. The U.S. Copyright Office conducts the rulemaking process, which consists of public hearings and submission of written comments from interested parties, and makes a recommendation to the Librarian of Congress. The Librarian issued the first "final rule" in October 2000.
The Rule issued by the Librarian of Congress in 2000 set out only two "classes of works" subject to the exemption from the prohibition on circumvention:
- Compilations consisting of lists of Web sites blocked by filtering software applications; and
- Literary works, including computer programs and databases, protected by access control mechanisms that fail to permit access because of malfunction, damage or obsolescence.
Libraries, researchers, technologists and other critics of this section of the law have insisted that the anti-circumvention provision stifles fair use of copyrighted information and chills legitimate research crucial to the advancement of science and technical innovation. The rulemaking process does not adequately fix these problems.
2003 Rulemaking
In December 2002 the U.S. Copyright Office began a second round of rulemaking. The comments filed in 2002-03 by ALA and its fellow library associations (ARL, AALL, MLA and SLA) were more limited than those filed in 2000. At that time, ALA and our fellow library associations had submitted extensive comments and testimony that technological "locks" could have an enormous impact on the ability of libraries to provide access to, lend, and archive material, as well as adversely affect the ability of users of a library to make full legitimate use of its resources. Thus, the libraries had proposed an exemption from the anti-circumvention provision for those who circumvent a technological lock in order to make a non-infringing use (i.e., a use permitted by the copyright law for fair use, classroom, preservation or similar provisions) of a lawfully acquired copyrighted work. The Copyright Office did not accept this proposal.
As we stated in our December 2002 filing (PDF), our assessment was that the section 1201 regulatory scheme, as implemented by the Register of Copyrights and the Librarian of Congress, offered little promise of meaningful relief from the genuinely adverse effects of the statutory prohibition on circumvention of technological measures that effectively control access to copyrighted works. Therefore, we offered only modest proposals, "because more appropriately ambitious exemptions designed to address the growing imbalance between copyright holders and the public with respect to access to copyrighted works were rejected by the Register of Copyrights in the first rulemaking. The Copyright Office has made clear that those proposed exemptions will not be reconsidered within the framework of the section 1201 rulemaking."
The libraries' filing thus asked for a renewal of the previous two exemptions which were granted in the 2000 Rulemaking, plus an additional exemption for "literary works, including eBooks, which are protected by technological measures that fail to permit access, via a 'screen reader' or similar text-to-speech or text-to-braille device, by an otherwise authorized person with a visual or print disability."
2003 hearings on the requested exemptions to Section 1201's anti-circumvention provision
In May 2003, the U.S. Copyright Office concluded a round of hearings in Washington, D.C. pursuant to its rulemaking, under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (DMCA), to determine potential exemptions to the Section 1201 prohibition on circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works. The five major U.S. library associations were represented at three of the Washington hearings by their outside counsel, Jonathan Band, who testified in support of several exemptions that the libraries have requested through the written comments submitted to the Copyright Office. There also were two days of hearings held in California in May 2003 at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law.
The transcripts of all the hearings are available on the Copyright Office web site.
Advice from U.S. Department of Commerce
The DMCA Section 1201 directs the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information of the U.S. Department of Commerce to consult with the Copyright Office in the rulemaking. The Commerce Department urged the Copyright Office in August 2003 to revise its legal requirements so as not to continue placing an inappropriate and heightened burden of proof on proponents of the exemptions from the anti-circumvention rule.
2003 Rule
In his October 28, 2003 triennial rulemaking, Librarian of Congress James Billington again issued narrow exceptions (PDF) to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) prohibition on circumventing technological locks intended to prevent access to copyrighted digital works. Although the exemptions offered slight relief from the anti-circumvention rule, the Librarian still did not address the excessive restrictions of the DMCA and particularly its impact on libraries' and educational institutions' ability to make fair use of digital materials. Libraries are disappointed that the law continues to disallow legitimate and customary uses of digital materials by libraries and schools.See Joint Library Press Release (PDF), October 28, 2003
ALA supports federal legislation that would amend the DMCA to address these and other concerns.
The Librarian recommended two additional exemptions beyond the two that were issued in 2000. One of the new exemptions allows people with vision or print disability to circumvent technological protection measures in order to access literary works, including eBooks, via a 'screen reader' or text-to-speech or text-to-Braille device. Libraries submitted comments to the U.S. Copyright Office in support of this exemption from the prohibition, as did the American Foundation for the Blind.
In hearings held earlier in 2003 by the U.S. Copyright Office, the libraries testified that the Librarian should continue to approve exemptions that permit users of digital literary works, including databases and computer programs, to circumvent access control mechanisms when they fail to permit access because of malfunction, damage, or obsoleteness. The new rule narrowed that exemption to permit circumvention only in connection with computer programs rather than all literary works. Another new exemption allows circumvention in the case of computer programs and video games in formats that have become obsolete.
The libraries also requested a renewal of an exemption that would allow access to the lists of websites blocked by filtering software. While libraries are now required to filter access to the Internet under the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), they maintain that they must be able to determine which sites are being blocked so that they can assist adults who still have a right to access a blocked site. Under CIPA, libraries are allowed to disable filters for adult patrons. The Librarian issued a similar exemption in the 2003 round of rulemaking.
2000 Rulemaking
One of the many issues arising out of the DMCA was the 2000 Rule issued by the Library of Congress to implement Section 1201 governing circumvention of copyright protection systems. The DMCA in Section 1201(a)(1) prohibits circumventing a technological measure that controls access to a copyrighted work; violators of the prohibition are subject to civil and criminal penalties. Over the long term, these technological "locks" could have an enormous impact on the ability of libraries to provide access to, lend, and archive material, as well as adversely affect the ability of users of a library to make full legitimate use of its resources.
The Rule as issued by the Librarian, effective Oct. 28, 2000, set out two "classes of works" subject to the exemption from the prohibition on circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works.
The two classes of works were:
- Compilations consisting of lists of Web sites blocked by filtering software applications; and
- Literary works, including computer programs and databases, protected by access control mechanisms that fail to permit access because of malfunction, damage or obsolescence.
These exemptions were in effect from October 28, 2000 to October 28, 2003.
The effective date of the anti-circumvention provision was delayed until October 23, 2000, to allow time for the Librarian of Congress to issue rules that would allow certain users to access certain "classes of works" if they needed to circumvent in order to make "non-infringing" uses of the works.
The Copyright Office throughout most of this year conducted rulemaking proceedings, in order to make a recommendation to the Librarian of Congress on what the implementing rule should encompass.
In preparation for the rulemaking proceedings, ALA's Office for Information Technology Policy conducted a policy study in September 1999 to help ALA and its fellow library associations begin to frame their response to the rulemaking.
ALA and the other four major national library associations submitted three sets of written comments on the rulemaking for the Copyright Office and provided oral and written testimony at two hearings. Through these submissions, the Libraries argued for a broad, meaningful exemption from the technological measure "anti-circumvention" restriction in order to continue to serve the needs of millions of library patrons. The Libraries' comments, along with the comments and responses of other stakeholders who supported or opposed an exemption, and hearing testimony can be found at the U.S. Copyright Office Web site.
Problems with the 2000 Rule
In issuing the rule, the Librarian rejected the Libraries' evidence that they are already experiencing adverse effects from technological measures and that an exemption is needed to ensure that libraries and library users can continue to exercise fair use and other activities permitted under copyright law.
The Copyright Office (and implicitly the Librarian) rejected also the recommendation of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) that endorsed the Libraries' proposal. To do otherwise, the NTIA stated in a September 29, 2000 letter to the Copyright Office (PDF), "would, in effect, reinforce and extend a licensing basis and transactional model for the electronic information market."
The Copyright Office did acknowledge that it "is appropriate to consider harm emanating from licensing in determining whether users of works have been adversely affected by the prohibition," and that such harm "may" justify an exemption in the future.
Ironically, the Librarian issued a statement along with the Rule, which set out several "concerns":
Because technology is changing rapidly, and waiting the statutory three year period to review the Rule might cause damage to scholarship, the Librarian intends to ask Congress to shorten the review period.
The Librarian will ask Congress to consider "more appropriate" criteria for assessing harm that the anti-circumvention prohibition might bring: "As presently crafted, the statute places considerable burdens on the scholarly, academic and library communities to demonstrate and even to measure the required adverse impacts on users."
There needs to be more "precise guidance regarding the definition of a class of works, as well as the standard of proof" for what classes would qualify for the exemption.


text:
Here is the blog post with some pictures. I will see if I can update the pictures tomorrow as the trees are much bigger now.
In 2009, we bought an acre of land in Homestead, Florida, 35 minutes south of Miami. Since the parcel had no electricity and no structure to accommodate a large PV array and the related inverters and water pump for a full-scale sprinkler system, I settled for a PV-powered drip irrigation system.
I wanted it to be as simple as possible with the least demand for equipment. The solution was to use a 275-gallon plastic tank ($60 used), and a 2-inch electric valve ($100) to release the water controlled by a timer ($12). Electricity is supplied by a Unisolar PV136 module ($125). The water pump is a 4-inch, 24 V, 1.6-gallon-per-minute well pump ($145) at the bottom of the shallow well. The battery storage is two marine batteries ($58 each). The water tank has a 2-inch manual valve that goes to the electric valve control and then to 2-inch PVC main pipes, which branch into 3/4-inch flexible plastic tubes.
I have about 82 trees. Each tree is fed by a 1/4-inch drip tube coming from the 3/4-inch secondary tubes. All this is accomplished by gravity, and in 10 minutes each tree gets about 1.5 gallons of water—more than enough. It then takes the pump 11/2 hours to replenish the tank.
The battery bank never drops below 85%, and it gets recharged 100% before noon. The single module provides more than enough energy for the task.
Chunin Martinez • Miami, Florida


text:
The STX Stallion 500 Helmet will be hitting the retail shelves in just a couple of weeks. Learn more about this unique partnership between the leading brand in lacrosse and the industry leader in helmet design and Continue Reading
"Had a great trip to GoPro in San Diego and got to shoot a bunch!" Read More...Continue Reading
Minneapolis, MN – October 24, 2014 – Epoch Lacrosse today proudly introduced the newest member of its carbon fiber shaft family, the FireFly. The FireFly, which will retail for $100 msrp (30") and $160 msrp (60" Continue Reading
The blue-and-white had several opportunities in the waning seconds but were unable to force overtime. Offit (three goals, one assist) and Louis Dubick (three goals) led Israel in scoring, while Mike Stone (two Continue Reading
I was pretty excited when Rukket contacted us to do a product review on their new lacrosse goals, which come in a 6x6 and 4x4 model both of which are very affordable, and after speaking with the representatives from Continue Reading
The 6th Annual Lacrosse Mustache Madness supporting the HEADstrong Foundation kicks off 10/19/14! Make sure to track your growth from stubble to stache stardom and post pics using #LaxStache to become eligible for Continue Reading
Minneapolis, MN – October 17, 2014 – Competition at the face-off X is fierce and the new NCAA rules will make hand speed and clamping power even more crucial. Epoch Lacrosse, today unveiled the 2015 Dragonfly Gen.5 Continue Reading
Today, we are bringing you a compilation of face dodges, toe drags and other similar moves from the best players in the country. You're going to love this video! Continue Reading
Save over $200 and showcase your game to every college coach with a mobile recruiting profile from ConnectLAX. Track which coaches are opening your emails and viewing your profile, list your profile in our Recruit Continue Reading
The 2014 Major League Lacrosse season may have come to an end, but that doesn't mean there isn't some sick action still to be seen. Straight from the MLL archives, here are the best goals from the 2014 season! Continue Reading


text:
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (Wednesday, February 12, 2014) – The Colorado Rapids announced today that the club has signed goalkeeper Joe Nasco and midfielder Jared Watts. Nasco comes to the Rapids from the Atlanta Silverbacks, where he was named to the NASL Best XI in 2013, while Watts joins Colorado after a standout four-year career at Wake Forest. Per league and team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.
"We're glad to add depth to our squad with these two signings, and look forward to their contributions to our club," said Rapids Technical Director Paul Bravo. "Joe is a strong goalkeeper who demonstrated that he can play at a high level, and Jared is a technical defensive midfielder who plays the game very intelligently. We're pleased to add both players to our roster."
"I would like to thank the Rapids organization and coaching staff for giving me this great opportunity," said Nasco. "My family and I are very excited to start this new chapter in our lives. I would also like to thank my agent Namjoo Hashemi and Eric Wynalda for believing in me and making this possible. I am looking forward to a very successful season with the team."
"I'm excited to take the next step of my career with the Rapids and am very thankful to the coaching staff and entire organization for the opportunity," said Watts. "I am looking forward to working hard for the club and contributing in any way that I can."
Nasco, 29, starred for the Atlanta Silverbacks last season, being named to the NASL Best XI after a spring season in which he helped the team to a league title, earning four shutouts during the season. A former All-American at Andrew Junior College and an all-conference player at Birmingham-Southern, Nasco was invited to preseason on trial and has appeared in both of Colorado's games, allowing only one goal against in 75 minutes.
A defensive midfielder at Wake Forest University, Watts was selected to the All-ACC First Team for three consecutive seasons and contributed five goals and 10 assists in his four years with the Demon Deacons. He was the captain of the U.S. U-17 squad at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria in 2009, and has also appeared for the U-20 Youth National Team. Watts also played youth soccer for the North Meck Soccer Club, now the Carolina Rapids – a Rapids adidas Alliance club in North Carolina.
Joe Nasco
Number: 23
Position: Goalkeeper
Born: June 18, 1984
Hometown: Kissimmee, Fla.
Citizenship: USA
Height: 6-3
Weight: 205 lbs
College: Birmingham-Southern College
Transaction: Signed by the Colorado Rapids on February 12, 2014
Jared Watts
Number: 33
Position: Midfielder
Born: February 2, 1992
Hometown: Statesville, N.C.
Citizenship: USA
Height: 6-1
Weight: 155 lbs
College: Wake Forest University
Transaction: Selected by the Colorado Rapids with the 33rd overall selection (second round) of the 2014 MLS SuperDraft on January 16, 2014, signed to a contract on February 12.


text: SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc failed to comply with a court order to disclose the bloggers and other commentators on a patent and copyright case who might have been influenced by payments from the Web company, a judge said on Monday. U.S. District Judge William Alsup gave Google until noon on Friday, August 24, to provide an amended list of public commentators on the high-profile case between Google and Oracle Corp who have received payments as consultants, contractors, vendors or employees. ...{br}{br}View the Entire Article{br}


text:
FITCHBURG — Two people, sought in connection with the murder of Luis R. Rodriguez in Fitchburg, were arrested on fugitive warrants in Richmond, Va., according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.
Dax A. Gibson, 36, of 365 Elm St., apartment 24, Gardner and Ashley Fruguglietti, 25, of the same address were apprehended without incident Thursday morning at a home in Richmond. The couple had fled Massachusetts with their infant son. Virginia social services took custody of the baby.
"This is a great example of cooperative police work," Mr. Early said in a press release. "We were able to capture the fugitives with a lot of help from several law enforcement agencies. No one was injured. We had been very concerned about the baby, but the baby is safe."
Mr. Gibson is facing charges of murder, home invasion and armed assault in a dwelling. Ms. Fruguglietti was indicted by a Worcester County Grand Jury on July 11 and faces charges of accessory after the fact of murder and misleading a police investigation.
A third suspect in the case, Dinkue Brown, 27, of 33 Adams St., Apt. 6, Fitchburg, is still at large. He also faces charges of murder, home invasion and armed assault in a dwelling
Mr. Rodriguez, 26, of 82 Marshall St., Fitchburg, was found about 2 p.m. June 21 bleeding on a neighbor's porch. He was taken to Leominster Hospital and was pronounced dead a short time later. Investigators believe he was attacked at home and fled to 68 Marshall St., where he was found. They do not believe the attack was random.
Mr. Gibson and Ms. Fruguglietti are being held without bail on fugitive from justice charges. They have waived their right to contest rendition and will be brought back to Worcester County soon to be arraigned on the Massachusetts charges.
State police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office are in charge of the investigation. They have been assisted by other state police units, Fitchburg Police, Virginia State Police and the U.S. Marshals Service. A state police detective assigned to the district attorney's office and a Fitchburg police detective traveled to Virginia as part of the investigation.


text:
Thomasnet Profile "View Our New Impact Movie & Let Us Know What You Think."
Pad printing is the most versatile printing processes with its unique ability to print on three-dimensional objects and compound angles...[LEARN MORE]
Learn more about our Pad Printing Machines. Whether it's new or used, we have a full line of Automatic Pad Printing Machines... [LEARN MORE]
Hot Air Staking Machines Service Tectonics, Inc., a leader in the decorating and assembly of plastics...[LEARN MORE]
Service Tectonics offers a full line of Pad Printing Inks. Check out our online chart of Ink Swatches...
Phone: 517-263-0758
Fax: 517-263-4145
Email our Sales Team
Visit the Contact Section
For More Information on contracting a Pad Printer
CLICK HERE or
Call (517) 265-4087
The Pad Printing Network is brought to you by Service Tectonics, Inc. The purpose of this site is to provide information on the pad printing process, pad printing equipment, supplies, contract pad printing services, and technical assistance to both existing and potential pad printers.
STI manufactures and sells Hot Stamping Presses. The mechanical action of the press incorporates a pair of rolling ball die-set bushes to ensure long, trouble free life.[LEARN MORE]
Service Tectonics builds, designs, and manufactures special and custom pad printing machines to meet specific needs...[LEARN MORE]
We build Custom Assembly Machines to fit the specific needs of your application. We provide services in all areas of the process, from design to manufacture.[LEARN MORE]
For use with any of our pad printing machines, STI sells pad printing pads in a variety of sizes and configurations, including conical shaped pads, roof top shaped pads, and loaf style pads.[LEARN MORE]
Home | Pad Print Process | Pad Printing Machines | Used MachinesHot Air Staking Machines | Hot Stamping Machines | Catalog | Sitemap 2827 Treat St., Adrian, Michigan 49221 Phone (517) 263-0758, FAX (517) 263-4145© 2004 Service Tectonics, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


text:
When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it! Matthew 13:46 NLT
When I was sixteen years old, my daddy, Rev. Alfred Daniel Williams King, Sr. gave me a sweet sixteen birthday party. He also gave me my very first and most beautiful set of pearl jewelry. They were set as dangling earrings and a necklace. I'm wearing the necklace in a photo taken over a quarter of a century ago.
Daddy was truly my hero. Was he perfect? No, of course not. He fought against temptations of the flesh like any man. Remember David was after God's own heart, yet he killed Uriah the Hittite. Noah drank too much wine. Moses was the most meek and humble man in history, yet he never quite mastered his temper. My father was such a man, a man after God's own heart, a man of faith and bold enough to build in the face of mockery of the people.
Daddy once took his youth ministry to Pensacola, Florida for a summer youth retreat. I was so happy to be included. It was my first time to see and play in the ocean. Daddy was a championship swimmer in college, having awards aplenty. When he married Mama and the children were born, he insisted that we all learn to swim. I was more of a dog paddler than a real swimmer, but I could stay afloat and had no fear of water.
The sound and sight of God's powerful waves crashing upon the shore was just awesome to me. I remember Daddy's rich baritone voice ringing with laughter as I bounded about in the water. I even grew to be so bold as to dash out into a huge wave and get washed away from the shore. With Daddy behind me and the looming ocean out beyond me, I remember yelling "Daddy" as the wave washed me away.
Instantly, at my cry for help, Daddy dove into the water and came cutting through the ripples to my side. I remember that Daddy had taught us so many times that Jesus, the living Son and Word of God calmed the waves with His command: "Peace be still." I remembered that Daddy taught us that Jesus walked on the water. When I felt Daddy's strong arms around me, pulling me out of the now menacing waves, I likely wondered if Jesus would come walking right up beside us.
Daddy's gift of pearls to me included the knowledge of the Pearl of Great Price, which is The Kingdom of Heaven presented to us in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is the greatest gift a Father can give a child, the gift of natural life fortified with the Gospel of Life.
Today, in the midst of immigration battles, tax battles, social and moral battles, I can only encourage us to remember our best and greatest father, GOD. I honor God on Fathers' Day because He is GOD and GOD alone. Through the years, God has given me some wonderful "father figures" to guide my understanding, and I am grateful.
God gives us many blessings in life. Among the countless blessings experienced in my now 62 years of life on earth are the lessons learned from my four favorite mentors. Three of them are elders from my bloodline, and from them I learned to receive God's miracles, to have a compassionate heart and that love never fails.
My father, Rev. Alfred Daniel Williams King, I (A. D.) taught me to believe in and later to experience the miracles of God. When I was a little girl, I would sit in the pews of churches where Daddy preached and listen to his sermons on the miracles of Jesus. When Daddy preached, I actually believed that Jesus walked on the water, turned the water to wine, rebuked the winds and the waves, multiplied the fish and the loaves and healed the sick and raised the dead.
When Granddaddy (Dr. Martin Luther King, Senior) preached about how we have to have "faith, hope and love," and the compassion of God, for the prisoners, for the sick, for the elderly, for the widows and for the children, my heart went out to "the least of these."
When Uncle M. L. (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) preached about the love of God, my heart learned to know God as my loving father. Most people know that Uncle M. L. was a famous civil rights leader, but my best memories of him are as a loving family man and preacher.
My daddy and uncle in the nineteen sixties went to Heaven when they were both killed in the 20th Century Civil Rights Movement. Granddaddy lived to see his "first three great-grandchildren," my first three children born alive. He went to Heaven in the mid-nineteen eighties; just about two years after I was "born again" in 1983.Daddy never saw one of his grandchildren. I try and help them to know Daddy through my memories.
I miss them all so very much. They were my family, my protectors, my heroes, my mentors and my first Bible teachers.
God in His infinite wisdom has given me two more mentors, Pastor Theo Allen McNair, Senior Pastor of Believers' Bible Christian Church in Atlanta, GA. He has been my Pastor and mentor for almost 25 years. It is to him that I gave my first symbolic cup to a prophet. And then there is Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for life. I can't tell you how much he has helped me to understand that God's gifts to us can increase when we stand for the Gospel of Life.
As I close, I'd like to encourage everyone to also remember those fathers whose lives have been touched by the abortion of their seed. God wants to heal all the fathers of the world. I'd like to share a blog message from Kevin Burke about this.
Let the healing begin!


text:
Wondercoin Collection (PCGS Set Registry)
Jaime Hernandez: The 1992-P Quarter maybe underrated but it is very scarce in grades of MS66 and higher. Most examples come with obvious flaws especially on Washington's bust. Many scratches are usually visible as the dies used to strike the coins weren't the best of quality. Examples in MS66 are scarce with a few hundred examples known in this grade. In MS67 condition they are really scarce with less than 10 examples know and none being finer.
© 1999-2018 Collectors Universe NASDAQ: CLCT


text:
You are not allowed to store junk outdoors on your property or adjacent right-of-way, such as an alley or planting strip. Junk can be used materials, scrap metal or car parts, construction debris, furniture, trash, or inoperable vehicles. We regulate junk storage on private property.
This ordinance does not cover:
Our ordinance requires that you:
The first-time penalty for violating this ordinance is $150. The penalty for additional violations is $500. Fines are higher in certain zones. Inspection charges may also apply.
Ask Us