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State officials are launching a pilot program to better manage Louisiana's 1.6 million acres of public oyster beds.
State officials are launching a pilot program to better manage Louisiana's 1.6 million acres of public oyster beds.
The Vessel Monitoring System Pilot Program aims to collect data on oyster harvests on public grounds by requiring tracking units on harvest boats.
The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will provide the tracking units to licensed oyster harvesters for free, with costs limited to minimal maintenance and care.
The state is contracting with Pole Star Space Applications, a fleet management and monitoring company, to provide data collection and work with owners to install the systems.
More than 700 vessels are permitted to harvest on public oyster beds, providing more than one-third of the nation's oyster crop.
Wildlife and Fisheries' Oyster Task Force and the Legislature approved the program.
Mike Voisin, owner of Motivatit Seafood in Houma and a member of the state's Oyster Task Force, said many private oyster harvesters use similar systems to keep track of their boats and product.
"The program will help the state to manage our public fisheries," he said. "We have to keep track of 1.6 million acres of public oyster grounds from Sabine Lake to east of the Mississippi River."
With a vessel-monitoring device, wildlife officials can track where harvesting is occurring and use trip tickets, which fishermen are required to file to report their catch to the state, to determine how much is harvested. That means Wildlife and Fisheries will have a better idea of where production is coming from and which grounds are more productive. That knowledge will help them to better manage the fishery, Voisin said.
Some oystermen have objected to the tracking devices out of privacy concerns. The information collected by the program will be kept confidential.
According to the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board's news site, Louisiana Seafood News, Oyster Task Force member and oysterman Jakov Jurisic voted against the program and will not be installing the system on his boat this year. He cited invasion of privacy and concerns about the security of the information the state is collecting.
The tracking system will also aid Wildlife and Fisheries in keeping poachers off public oyster grounds.
In late July, Wildlife and Fisheries cited five men in Terrebonne Parish for allegedly taking oysters illegally from a privately leased area in Four Isle Bayou.
The penalty for the unlawful harvesting of oysters is a fine between $900 and $950 or imprisonment up to 120 days. The hope is that use of the tracking systems can aid in enforcement of oyster laws.
"I know a number of our members have voiced concerns about the system," said John Tesvish, president of the Oyster Task Force. "One of the reasons the task force approved support for the program is to give officials an effective tool in keeping unwanted harvesters from our fertile growing areas."
Oyster harvesters who need to schedule installation of a tracking unit can contact Sam Boyd with Radio Holland USA at firstname.lastname@example.com, or (713) 378-2145. More information on the program is available at Wildlife and Fisheries' website, wlf.louisiana.gov.
Nikki Buskey can be reached at 857-2205 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Science Friday® is produced by the Science Friday Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Science Friday® and SciFri® are registered service marks of Science Friday, Inc. Site design by Pentagram; engineering by Mediapolis.
|In February, President Obama unveiled his proposed budget for 2011. This week, President Obama rolled out some details of how those changing budgets and changing priorities will affect NASA -- including different roles for various NASA centers, the termination of the 'Constellation' launch vehicle moon program, and plans for a larger role for private business in space flight. We'll talk about the government's new space strategy, and what lies ahead for NASA. Is an eventual trip to Mars on the distant horizon?


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Student Common Room
Equipped with sofas, desks, blackboards, a fridge and a microwave, this room is an ideal space for students to work collaboratively or take a break.
Mathematical Fluids Lab
To model fluids more accurately, faculty and students use this lab to compare mathematical predictions, numerical simulations and experimental results.
Putnam Exam
More than 400 colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada compete in the annual William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition. Bucknell often does well in this contest. In 2004 the Bucknell team placed 10th, higher than any other liberal arts institution in the nation. || Learn More about the Putnam Exam.
John Steiner Gold Exam
Bucknell students help to host this mathematical competition organized by the department in memory of a distinguished colleague. Students from public and private high schools as far as 100 miles away participate and compete for team and individual prizes. || Learn More about the Gold Exam.
Mathematical Contest in Modeling
The MCM is a nation-wide contest in which teams of undergraduates use mathematical modeling to present their solutions to real world problems. Bucknell often enters multiple teams. In 2010, the team of Dan Cavallaro, Bryan Ward, and Ryan Ward were one of only nine teams in the world to earn the highest designation of "Outstanding Winners" of the MCM. || Learn More about the MCM.
Philips Prize Exam
Every spring, the department holds the Professor George Morris Philips Prize Exam for first-year students.
Academic Resources
Peer Tutoring Program
Drop-in calculus help sessions are held Sunday–Thursday evenings, usually 7–9 p.m. They are staffed by graduate students and upperclass undergraduate students
Library and IT
The Bertrand Library subscribes to many major mathematical and statistical journals. Most other journals are easily accessible through interlibrary loan programs. || Mathematics: the library's Research by Subject page .
The University supports Windows, Macintosh and Unix environments. Computationally intensive projects can be deployed on the 128-core Linux Computing Cluster.
Speakers and Events
Mathematicians from academia and industry share valuable information about careers, and students gain exposure to the culture of mathematics and mathematicians. || Find out What's Happening
Math Education Tools
The department owns a variety of mathematics manipulatives that assist in learning and teaching mathematics. These include items that can be used at the elementary and middle school levels (e.g., pattern blocks, base-10 blocks) as well as the high school and collegiate levels (e.g., Calculator Based Laboratory Units (CBL) with various probes).
Related Student Organizations
Pi Mu Epsilon – mathematics honor society
MAA – student chapter of the Mathematical Association of America
Right Angle – for students interested in mathematics education
Putnam gang – for problem-solving enthusiasts


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A woman who killed her baby son when she knocked a television on his head while high on drink and drugs has been jailed for 15 months.
Natalie McMillan, 25, put her "self-indulgent drugs lifestyle" ahead of the welfare of her son Kian, who died from "catastrophic injuries", Preston Recorder Judge Anthony Russell QC said.
The baby boy was lying on his changing mat at the family home in Burnley, Lancashire, when his mother attempted to move the TV to plug in a scart lead and watch a DVD.
While giving evidence at her trial at Preston Crown Court, she tried to blame Kian's father - her ex-partner Edward Hanratty, 41 - and said she was upstairs in bed at the time.
McMillan denied she had been under the influence of drugs when her son died, but tests later showed she had taken heroin and valium.
Hanratty had also taken drink and drugs, and had passed out on the kitchen floor at their address on December 6, 2011.
Both pleaded guilty to child cruelty on the basis of neglect during their trial last month.
McMillan was cleared of manslaughter by gross negligence, but Judge Russell said he was satisfied it was she who actually moved the television through "foolishness".
Hanratty failed to attend for his sentencing and a warrant for his arrest has been issued.
Sentencing McMillan, the judge said: "Over the short life of your child it is apparent that both you and your partner gave priority to your selfish and self-indulgent drugs lifestyle and neglected the welfare of Kian.
"On the night he died, both of you were so intoxicated by drugs and alcohol that you probably forgot all about him with the tragic consequence that he died."
He added that it was clear McMillan had been concealing the extent of her drug addiction from social services and health teams for a long time.
She had also hidden her relationship with Hanratty, who was known to social services for previous welfare issues with other children.
Peter Wright QC, defending, said McMillan had made "considerable improvement" since descending to the "depths of the spiral of drink and drugs".
He added: "This is a young woman who is emotionally detached. This emotional detachment may be long term by reason of her own life by what occurred in infancy and subsequently in adolescence."
Detective Inspector Mark Rothwell from Lancashire Police said: "This is a tragic case in which a four-month-old baby has lost his life in the most tragic of circumstances.
"Natalie McMillan was in no fit state to look after Kian that night, and this should serve as a warning to people and highlight the most serious of consequences of caring for children, especially young babies, whilst under the influence of drink and drugs.
"From the moment Natalie McMillan dialled 999, to her sentencing, she has shown absolutely no remorse and will now have a period in custody to reflect on her actions and the impact that drugs have had on her life."


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The majority of more than 1,600 workers at Atos IT Services and Atos Healthcare, who are members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), have voted to go on strike over pay.
PCS balloted its members earlier this month after 89 percent of IT workers and 95 percent of healthcare staff at the major London 2012 Olympic Games sponsor voted to reject below-inflation pay offers. Most of the members work in the IT services division.
Some 71 percent of the IT staff voted for strikes, while 93 percent voted for action short of a strike. Action by Atos's IT staff could affect a range of contracts, including the 24-hour technological support to BBC production staff and on-air presenters, IT support to the Welsh Assembly and back-up and fault diagnosis on MoT test centre systems at the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.
Meanwhile, 76 percent of the union's healthcare members, who are administrative and reception staff, voted for strikes, while 86 percent voted for other forms of industrial action.
Strike action could take place in the next few weeks, PCS said.
According to the union, Atos refuses to offer pay rises to the 'living wage' level of £8.30 an hour in London and £7.20 an hour in the rest of the country. This is despite the company recording a 5.8 percent increase in first quarter 2012 revenue to €390 million in the UK and Ireland.
Furthermore, PCS said that Atos's chief executive Thierry Breton last week emailed staff saying that the company was "on track" to achieve all its targets for revenue and profits, adding: "You can be very proud to have strongly contributed to this success."
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "Atos is desperate to bolster its damaged image by its association with the Olympic spirit of hard work and success, but that the reality is that it makes its profits on the backs of its low-paid staff and from taxpayer handouts."
A spokesman for Atos said: "Robust contingency plans are in place and we are confident that services will be maintained. We have made a fair and competitive offer and are disappointed in this position. This does not reflect the view of the vast majority of our employees."


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Lipscomb Associate AD Brent High reports in from Honduras on day five of the Softball mission trip (An internet outage delayed the report until Sunday).
Saturday was a day none of us will ever forget – for two completely different reasons for two different groups. After three very long days of nothing but strenuous manual labor, we surprised the girls on Saturday and let them know they could go on a four-hour horseback trip tour of the Mission Lazarus refuge that would take them to the top of a nearby mountain. At the top of that mountain is the Mission Lazarus coffee plantation.
Cameron Hartsell who works here at Mission Lazarus and is by all accounts a latter day Davy Crockett, led the three softball coaches and nine players up the mountain. Most of the girls had very limited to no horseback riding experience. Their journey to the top was pretty routine. They enjoyed the tour, saw the green coffee beans growing on the plants, enjoyed a cup of freshly ground coffee and then headed back.
It was then that their adventure and the memories that will last a lifetime kicked in. Just as it has done almost every day here, a literal monsoon came out of nowhere and packed a wallop. The girls said the wind was blowing so hard and the rain was coming down with such consistency that it was hard to see the horse in front of you. The ravines, creeks and streams began to swell making it impossible to cross some of them. At one point the girls had to dismount and walk their horses across one of the swollen creeks because the horses wouldn't cross them voluntarily. When they got back to the refuge they were completely soaked from head to toe. They raced for the massive fireplace at the dining area and huddled around it like victims of a boat crash in the Antarctic. The rest of the evening they spent making the fire even bigger and drying out their clothes and shoes on the hearth.
Five of us chose a different adventure and set ourselves up for another set of lifelong memories. Ryan Terry, Brian Ryman, Shelby Cunningham, Kristen Sturdivant and I took a truck and headed for the cow town of Duyure near the Nicaraguan border. It was there that Ryan and I worked with a team of 10 Lipscomb folks back in January.
Our mission was simple - try to find all of the people we had spent meaningful time with back in January. Our first stop was at our 10-year-old friend Antonio's house. He was not there but I immediately recognized Carla, one of the girls that camped out beside our adobe house worksite literally all day long with her little brother Franklin back in January. I called out to Carla and she smiled. I asked her where 4-year-old Franklin was and magically he appeared from behind a tree. We talked to them for a while and gave them Lipscomb jerseys. Then Antonio's mom came down and greeted us and informed us that he was away working somewhere. We told her we'd be back in a little while and hoped to see him then.
We headed down the mountain a short way to the adobe house worksite. It was thrilling to see it completed. When we left in January it was about 2/3 of the way to completion. It is about a 20x15 dwelling split into two main rooms. The lady of the house was there with several of the kids. Ryan explained to her who we were, that we had worked on the house in January and she quickly welcomed us inside. She was thrilled to show off her new house. In the back room there were feed sacks hung from the ceiling to the floor separating "rooms" within the room. It was then that we learned that "catorce" people were living in this 300 square feet of space. Catorce! 14!
We prayed with the family. We gave them a gigantic food sack and jerseys for the kids and headed down the mountain to try and find our other friends. We made our way to the Iglesia de Cristo (Church of Christ) building but no one was there. We then turned down one of the streets where Ryan just happened to see Faustino in one of the doorways. Faustino was the older man who worked with us to build adobe bricks back in January. He was also one of the 14 people who now live in the adobe house. He recognized Ryan immediately. They exchanged embraces and talked about why were had returned. Faustino led us to the house of Jose – one of the pastors for the Iglesia de Cristo in Duyure. He too recognized us immediately, greeted us with an embrace and invited us into his home.
Jose then joined our Mission Impossible of trying to find the other little guys we had met back in January. The first on our list was Ronnie. Ronnie worked with us every single day in January at the adobe site. He's about 10 years old and pound for pound one of the strongest kids on the planet. We made our way to his house. There we met his father who informed us that Ronnie was off working in the mountains. That wouldn't stop us. We took our little Nissan truck off road from the dirt road if you know what I mean. Along the way we saw another friend – Wilson – who we met in January. He told us Ronnie was just up the road. As we struggled up a muddy hill and made our way over the top, there he was in the middle of the road, leading a burro loaded down with a gigantic bundle of sticks. We greeted him, gave him a jersey, talked about school and then made our way back up the hill.
We stopped back by the adobe house and spent some time with Jorge – one of the little boys who helped us every day in January. He was so happy to see us and get the jersey.
We then made our way back up the hill, hoping that our buddy Antonio had made his way home. As we came around the corner there was a line of kids on the fence – obviously anticipating our arrival. In the middle, wearing a yellow Jesus shirt and the biggest smile this side of the Equator was Antonio. We got it all on video. It was an amazing reunion. We asked him about his bicycle that the guys had bought for him back in January. He said he loved it, that it was "rojo" in color. We gave him a jersey, talked for a while, made some photos, told him we'd try to see him again in January when we bring our next men's athletics team and then said adios.
I got back to the dining area before anyone. I re-built the fire, turned on my ITunes "worship" playlist and just looked up at the mountains. I left the music running as the girls from the horseback trip surrounded the fire. It wasn't planned but for about the next 45 minutes, the girls either sat in complete silence or sang along to Carrie Underwood's rendition of How Great Thou Art, John Mark McMillan's How He Loves, Jeremy Camp's Overcome and several others from Chris Tomlin and MercyMe. It was a definite highlight of the trip.
We spent the rest of the night around the fire talking, sharing stories from the day, answering "interview" questions and just enjoying being together. The clothes and shoes were largely dry by the end of the night.
It rained and rained and rained some more on Saturday. The internet was down most of the day so it's been hard to get updates through.
I had already written my day four update before maybe the most important two hours of the trip took place. We were all sitting around the fire in a circle. Mollie Mitchell asked us to share moments where we had seen God on the trip. There were tears shed. Almost every girl shared something very deep and meaningful. We had a "popcorn" prayer to end the evening where all of the girls had the opportunity to jump in and pray. It was a mountaintop experience on this mountain in Honduras.
I am blessed. We are blessed. We are changed forever.


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If you live in the United States, you have a voice in Congress! The IPPF is asking you to help get your representatives to pass S. 701/H.R. 2002, the Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act.
An important piece of legislation is up for vote and it impacts P/P patients in the United States. Read over HR 2002, the Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act and the sample letter below for more information. When you're ready, contact your representatives asking them to support this Act.
Please note that emails are the best way to communicate with your member of Congress, given that all postal mail must be screened and irradiated before getting to the member's office.
For the subject line: HR 2002, the Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act
Dear Representative _________________________: (Need your representative's contact information/email? ΚΆΝΕ ΚΛΙΚ ΕΔΏ)
As a constituent affected by the access crisis to intravenous immune globulin (IVIG), I am writing to ask you to support and to co-sponsor HR 2002, the Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act, introduced in April by Representatives Israel, Brady, and Schwartz. IVIG is used for a number of serious diseases, yet Medicare patients have experienced problems getting IVIG since January 2005 when the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) changed payment for IVIG and other drugs. While unintended, the consequences have been grave for Medicare patients, with many people (like me/my loved one if true) unable to find providers to give us/them this lifesaving therapy.
Two years ago U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General issued a report on the problem Medicare patients have had in finding providers who would give them IVIG infusions: the Medicare reimbursement was too low to cover the cost many providers pay for IVIG. The OIG reported that the majority of the hospitals (77.2%) and physicians (96.5%) could not get IVIG at the Medicare reimbursement rate during the second quarter of 2006. The problem has not improved; in fact it has gotten worse since it has impacted coverage by private payers.
HR 2002 corrects the problems caused by the MMA. The Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act requires the Secretary of HHS to collect data on IVIG infusion or to review any existing data from providers. In addition, the bill gives the Secretary of HHS the authority to review the data on the cost of providing IVIG and the authority to institute an additional payment to providers. Driven by data, the bill will make IVIG reimbursement clearer and more transparent. Further, the bill requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) to analyze Medicare beneficiaries' access to IVIG and to make recommendations to Congress and the Secretary about any further changes to reimbursement to ensure that all patients have access to all brands of IVIG in all sites of care.
I cannot tell you how much this bill means to me/my loved one. Explain your story here.
Please co-sponsor the Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act—it is critical for people like me/my loved one who use IVIG to live life to the fullest.
Σας ευχαριστώ πολύ για την εκτίμησή σας.
Full address with zip
Phone number (optional)
The IPPF THANKS YOU for your support!


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I just finished Steve Jobs Biography a couple of minutes ago and for those of you who don't want to read the entire book, I suggest you read the last ten pages. In those ten pages, Walter Isaacson just let Steve Jobs talk about how to build companies.
His point is that only engineers or product minded people can lead product companies to greatness. He uses one of Henry Ford say to make his point: "if I'd asked customers what they wanted, they would have told they wanted a faster horse". Once a salesperson or a finance person is brought into the top job, then the focus of the companies changes to an incremental approach rather than a leap forward approach. Both types of CEO would focus the company on creating a faster horse and a sales person would bring the next dollar available and the finance person would optimize to increase cash flow. But none of them would focus on creating the automobile and be able to take a leap like Steve Jobs did with the Iphone and more recently the Ipad.
And once a company has changed its model, it perpetuates itself as people brought in, compensated and promoted are all enabling an incremental approach and the product persons who are able to produce leap forward approaches are not listened to so it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy and things stay that way for a long time. This is the traditional innovators dilemma revisited when incumbents have lost their edge and new companies are being started to leapfrog them.
Of course, people could argue that Tim Cook's promotion as Apple CEO is a blow to the entire argument or that the reasoning is biased by Steve Jobs' own experience or even that the sample he is using is not broad enough and the hypothesis should be tested by Business Scholars to validate his point. All those points are fair and square but even then, I would still think there is a kernel of truth to it. There is no doubt in my mind that Steve Jobs was one of the greatest innovators of his time and that he has found a formula to replicate innovations over and over again. This is bad news for innovators because if there is one replicable model associated with innovation then the risk of the endeavor has now significantly decreased and can be replicated by other companies as well. If that is the case, we should see an exodus of Apple Executives to other companies interested in learning and replicating the model very soon.
The book is rather unclear about the recipe itself and the details are lacking about how to make it work but I found nuggets here and there and the best way for you to make your mind would be to read the book to get your own take on what it is that Apple did of course, join apple and learn from within.Steve Jobs widget provided by VB Profiles


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#Tamilnadu #government #site
Tamilnadu government site
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu, state of India, located in the extreme south of the subcontinent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the east and south and by the states of Kerala to the west, Karnataka (formerly Mysore) to the northwest, and Andhra Pradesh to the north. Enclosed by Tamil Nadu along the north-central coast are the enclaves of Puducherry and Karaikal, both of which are part of Puducherry union territory. The capital is Chennai (Madras), on the coast in the northeastern portion of the state.
Tamil Nadu represents the Tamil-speaking area of what was formerly the Madras Presidency of British India. The Tamils are especially proud of their Dravidian language and culture, and they have notably resisted attempts by the central government to make Hindi (an Indo-Aryan language) the sole national language. While it has an industrial core in Chennai, the state is essentially agricultural. Area 50,216 square miles (130,058 square km). Pop. (2011) 72,138,958.
Relief, drainage, and soils
Tamil Nadu is divided naturally between the flat country along the eastern coast and the hilly regions in the north and west. The broadest part of the eastern plains is the fertile Kaveri (Cauvery) River delta; farther south are the arid flatlands surrounding the cities of Ramanathapuram and Madurai (Madura). The high peaks of the Western Ghats run along the state's western border. Various segments of this mountain range— including the Nilgiri, Anaimalai, and Palni hills—have peaks exceeding 8,000 feet (2,400 metres) in elevation. Anai Peak, at 8,842 feet (2,695 metres) in the Anaimalai Hills, is the highest mountain in peninsular India. The lower peaks of the Eastern Ghats and their outliers—locally called the Javadi, Kalrayan, and Shevaroy hills—run through the centre of the region. Tamil Nadu's major rivers—the Kaveri, the Ponnaiyar, the Palar, the Vaigai, and the Tambraparni—flow eastward from the inland hills.
Apart from the rich alluvial soil of the river deltas, the predominant soils of the state are clays, loams, sands, and red laterites (soils with a high content of iron oxides and aluminum hydroxide). The black cotton-growing soil known as regur is found in parts of the central, west-central, and southeastern regions of Tamil Nadu.
The climate of Tamil Nadu is essentially tropical. In May and June, the hottest months, maximum daily temperatures in Chennai average about 100 °F (38 °C), while minimum temperatures average in the low 80s F (upper 20s C). In December and January, the coolest months, temperatures usually rise from about 70 °F (21 °C) into the mid-80s F (about 30 °C) daily. The average annual precipitation, falling mainly between October and December, depends on the southwest and northeast monsoons and ranges between 25 and 75 inches (630 and 1,900 mm) a year. The mountainous and hilly areas, especially in the extreme western part of the state, receive the most precipitation, while the lower-lying southern and southeastern regions receive the least rainfall.
Plant and animal life
Forests cover roughly 15 percent of the state. At the highest elevations in the Western Ghats, the mountains support subalpine vegetation. Along the eastern side of the Western Ghats and in the hills of the northern and central districts, the plant life is a mixture of evergreen and deciduous species, some of which are markedly adapted to arid conditions.
Tamil Nadu has several national parks and more than a dozen wildlife and bird sanctuaries. Among the most notable of these protected areas are the Mudlumbai Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park in the Nilgiri Hills and the large Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park at the southern tip of the Western Ghats. These sanctuaries provide a safe habitat for a broad spectrum of fauna, including elephants, gaurs (wild cattle), Nilgiri tahrs (goatlike mammals), wild boars, sloth bears, and various species of deer. Tigers, leopards, and an assortment of primates, including macaques, langurs, and lorises, also inhabit these areas. Venomous king cobras are among the many species of reptiles that make their home in Tamil Nadu. Woodpeckers and flycatchers are common woodland birds; aquatic birds find a haven at the Vedantangal sanctuary in the south-central part of the state.
Population composition
The area's population evidently has changed little over the centuries. As speakers of a Dravidian language, the Tamils, who constitute the majority of the population, are understood to be descendants of the early inhabitants of India (the so-called Dravidians), who were driven southward between about 2000 and 1500 bce when the Aryans (speakers of Indo-Aryan languages) descended into the Indian subcontinent. In addition to the Tamils, the population includes various indigenous communities, who live primarily in the hill regions; these people also speak Dravidian languages. In Tamil Nadu, as in the rest of the country, the caste system is strong, even though discrimination has been banned by the constitution of India. Members of Scheduled Castes (an official category embracing those groups that traditionally occupy low positions within the caste system) account for about one-fifth of the population. Scheduled Tribes (those indigenous peoples who fall outside the caste hierarchy) account for just a small fraction of Tamil Nadu's residents.
Tamil, the official state language, is spoken by most of the people. Other Dravidian languages used within the state include Telugu, which is spoken by roughly one-tenth of the population, as well as Kannada and Malayalam, which are spoken by much smaller numbers. In the western region—near the convergence of the borders of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala—Kannada (and its dialect Badaga) and Malayalam are stronger. There also is a community of Urdu (an Indo-Aryan language) speakers. English is used as a subsidiary language.
The overwhelming majority of Tamil Nadu's residents practice Hinduism. There are, however, notable minorities of Christians and Muslims, with a large concentration of Christians in the far southern segment of the state. A small community of Jains is found in northern Tamil Nadu, in and around the cities of Arcot and Chennai.
Settlement patterns
Although Tamil Nadu is one of the most urbanized states of India, more than half the population in the early 21st century continued to live in rural areas. The Chennai metropolitan region, covering the industrial areas, townships, and villages surrounding Chennai city, has the largest population. Other important urban agglomerations include Coimbatore in western Tamil Nadu, Madurai in the south-central region, and Tiruchchirappalli in the central part of the state.
Agriculture, fishing, and forestry
Agriculture is the mainstay of life for about half the working population of Tamil Nadu. Since very early times, Tamil farmers have skillfully conserved scarce rainwater in small and large irrigation reservoirs, or "tanks." Government canals, tube wells, and ordinary wells also form part of the irrigation system. Because several of the river valley projects depend for water on rain brought by the erratic northeast monsoon, the government also taps subsoil water sources.
Agricultural practices have shown radical improvement since the mid-20th century through multiple cropping, the use of stronger and more productive strains of staple crops, and the application of chemical fertilizers; since the late 1960s the state has been self-sufficient in the production of food grains. The principal crops for domestic consumption are rice, millet, and other cereals, as well as peanuts (groundnuts) and pulses (such as chickpeas); sugarcane, cotton, cashews, and chilies are important cash crops. Many farmers in Tamil Nadu also raise livestock, primarily cows (especially for the dairy industry), poultry, goats, and sheep.
Tamil Nadu is one of India's top fish producers, with most of the yield coming from marine operations, although there also are many inland fisheries. In addition, the state has an active forestry sector, with pulpwood, babul (a type of acacia that yields valuable tannin), firewood, bamboo, and teak among the primary products. Rubber, grown largely in plantations, is important as well.
Resources and power
The major minerals mined in Tamil Nadu are limestone, bauxite, gypsum, lignite (brown coal), magnesite, and iron ore. The opencast lignite mine at Neyveli, in the north-central part of the state, is among the largest in India, and its products are used to fuel a thermal-power plant that provides much of the state's electricity. The bulk of Tamil Nadu's energy comes from thermal stations, but hydroelectric plants—especially along the Kaveri River and its tributaries—provide an important secondary source of energy. The state also is a leader in wind-power generation.
Tamil Nadu is one of the most industrialized of the Indian states, and the manufacturing sector accounts for more than one-third of the state's gross product. Production of heavy vehicles—such as automobiles, agricultural equipment, military vehicles, and railway cars—is among the state's major industries; the railway-coach factory at Perambur (near Chennai) is one of the largest in Asia. There is an oil refinery and petrochemical plant in Chennai. Other prominent manufacturing activities include textile milling, food processing, and the production of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and electronic parts and equipment. Tamil Nadu also is rich in handicrafts, most notably brass, bronze, and copper ware, leather work, handloomed silk, kalamkari (hand-painted fabric, using natural dyes), and articles fashioned from carved wood, palm leaf, and cane.
The services sector has grown especially rapidly since the late 20th century, and by the early 21st century it had become the largest contributor to Tamil Nadu's economy. Expansion of the information-technology industry has been a priority of the state's economic development policies. Tourism also has been an area of emphasis, with ongoing improvements in infrastructure, accommodations, restaurants, and cultural and recreational attractions.
The transport system of the southern Indian states converges on Chennai. A well-developed road network makes express bus service available to all major towns and places of interest. Many railways also run through the state.
Two of India's major seaports are located in Tamil Nadu—in the north at Chennai and in the south at Tuticorin. The international airport at Meenambakkam, near Chennai, is one of the largest airports in India. Domestic flights are available from a number of other cities, including Madurai, Coimbatore, and Tuticorin; the airport at Tiruchchirappalli offers domestic and limited international service.
Government and society
Constitutional framework
The structure of the government of Tamil Nadu, like that of most other states of India, is determined by the national constitution of 1950. The head of state is the governor, who is appointed by the president of India. The governor is aided and advised by the Council of Ministers, which is led by a chief minister and is responsible to the elected unicameral Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha). Most of the ministries are housed in the 17th-century Fort St. George in Chennai. The state's judiciary is headed by the High Court in Chennai (Madras High Court), which has original jurisdiction for the city and appellate jurisdiction for the state; the High Court also may hear original cases of an extraordinary nature from other parts of Tamil Nadu. A bench of the High Court is located in Madurai. Lower courts include district and sessions courts, magistrates' courts, and munsifs' (subordinate judicial officers') courts.
The state is divided into more than two dozen administrative districts, each administered by a district collector. Lower administrative and revenue units are called talukas, firkas, and villages. Panchayats (village councils) are responsible for local self-government and rural development.
The medical needs of Tamil Nadu's population are served by a large number of public and private hospitals, dispensaries, and primary health centres. Allopathic (Western), Ayurvedic and Siddha (traditional Indian), Unanī (a Muslim system using prescribed herbs and shrubs), and homeopathic medical treatments are all recognized and supported by the government and are available throughout the state. Among Tamil Nadu's primary health concerns are cholera, malaria, filariasis (disease caused by infestation of the blood and tissues by parasitic worms), and HIV/AIDS infection. The state has largely brought leprosy under control, although thousands of cases are still treated annually.
Various government agencies sponsor programs to improve the housing, education, and economic status of the Scheduled Castes and other traditionally disadvantaged groups. The state also provides assistance to women, children, and people with disabilities. A special insurance program is available for those with autism, cerebral palsy, and other developmental disabilities.
Tens of thousands of public and private primary, middle, and high schools are scattered across the state of Tamil Nadu. In addition, there are numerous arts and science colleges, medical colleges, engineering colleges, polytechnic institutes, and industrial training institutes. Among the most prominent of Tamil Nadu's universities are the University of Madras (1857) and Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (1989), both in Chennai, Annamalai University (1929) in Chidambaram; Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (1971) in Coimbatore; and Madurai Kamaraj University (1966) in Madurai. The Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha (1918) in Chennai and the Gandhigram Rural University (1956) in Gandhigram, in southwest-central Tamil Nadu, are the two institutes of national importance that are engaged in popularizing the Hindi language and Mahatma Gandhi's concept of rural higher education, respectively. Tamil University (1981) near Thanjavur (Tanjore), in the eastern part of the state, focuses on the study of Tamil language, literature, and culture.
Cultural life
Cultural milieu
Hinduism lies at the core of the culture of Tamil Nadu. Among the most famous of the state's temples, which number in the tens of thousands, are the 7th- and 8th-century structures at Mamallapura, which were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. The gopurams, or gateway towers, of such temples are dominant in most towns, particularly Chidambaram, Kanchipuram, Thanjavur, Madurai, and the Srirangam pilgrimage centre in Tiruchchirappalli. The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Administration Department is responsible for the administration of the state's temples and sanctuaries.
The cycle of temple festivals attracts large congregations of devotees. Noteworthy also are the car festivals, during which large chariots decorated with religious icons are taken in procession around the temple. In addition, Tamil Nadu is scattered with sectarian monastic institutions, or mathas—of which the most important are the Shankara Matha at Kumbakonam and the Vaishnava compound at Srirangam—which hold various activities; Hindu families typically owe allegiance to a number of such institutions.
Bharata natyam, one of India's major classical dance forms, and Karnatak music (South Indian classical music) are both widely practiced. Painting and sculpture are less prominent, although there are schools that teach the art of sculpture in stone and bronze. Tamil literature rapidly adopted the Western literary forms of the novel and the short story. The poet Subrahmanya Bharati (1882–1921) was one of the first to modify traditional Tamil poetry by blending popular and scholastic literary styles. Motion pictures are the most prevalent form of mass entertainment. There are both touring and permanent movie theatres, and sentimental and spectacular films, often featuring music and dancing, are produced by the film studios situated largely around Chennai.
Media and publishing
Hundreds of periodicals are published in Tamil, most of them daily newspapers. The Dina Thanthi is the leading paper. Among English newspapers, The Hindu of Chennai is widely read and is respected for its high standard of journalism.
The history of Tamil Nadu begins with the establishment of a trinity of Tamil powers in the region—namely, the Chera, Chola, and Pandya kingdoms—all of which are of unknown antiquity. These kingdoms enjoyed diplomatic and trade relations with distant lands. The Pandyas were mentioned in Greek literature dating to the 4th century bce , and in the 4th century ce , the Roman emperor Julian welcomed a Pandyan embassy. Meanwhile, the Chera dynasty cultivated a flourishing trade with western Asia.
From the mid-6th century until the 9th century, the Chalukyas of Badami, the Pallavas of Kanchi (now Kanchipuram), and the Pandyas of Madurai fought a long series of wars in the region. The period, nonetheless, was marked by a revival of Hinduism and the advance of the fine arts. From about 850, Tamil Nadu was dominated by the Cholas, of whom Rajendrachola Deva I (reigned 1014–44) was the most distinguished ruler. In the mid-14th century, the Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar, which included all of Tamil Nadu, came into prominence. During the 300 years of Vijayanagar rule, Telugu-speaking governors and officials were introduced in the administration.
In 1640 the East India Company of England opened a trading post at the fishing village of Madraspatnam (now Chennai) with the permission of the local ruler. The history of Tamil Nadu from the mid-17th century to 1946 is the story of the British-controlled Madras Presidency in relationship to the rise and fall of British power in India. After Indian independence in 1947, the Madras Presidency became Madras state. The state's Telugu-speaking areas were separated to form part of the new state of Andhra Pradesh in 1953. In 1956 Madras was divided further, with some areas going to the new state of Kerala and other areas becoming part of Mysore (now Karnataka). What remained of Madras state was renamed Tamil Nadu in 1968.
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Denver – Team Romney received a gift-wrapped present from VP Joe Biden to show off on Debate Day: Biden's latest gaffe.
Joe – or "Joey" as the VP's dad liked to call him — was riffing on the prospect of Romney-Ryan raising taxes on the middle class at a campaign event in North Carolina, when he said, "How they can justify — how they can justify raising taxes on the middle class that's been buried the last four years. How in Lord's name can they justify raising their taxes with these tax cuts?"
THWACK! That's the sound of foreheads being slapped at Obama HQ.
As we know, the definition of a gaffe in politics is when a politician accidentally speaks the truth . So yes, the middle class IS being buried, according to any number of studies, like this August one from the nonpartisan Pew Research Center.
Emotionally, it resonates because many middle class folks DO feel buried. And it hurts Obama/Biden because they are supposed to be their champions and pull them up out of the quicksand.
More pressing: Obama is going to have to clean up Joey's mess at Wednesday's debate. And no, we're guessing that having an answer to a question about the "buried middle class" wasn't included in debate prep.
Team Romney is ecstatic. They're already already selling "Honest Joe" T-shirts with the quote written on them. Oh, yes, "Buried" is a keeper through Election Day. Here's the ad:


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The Esscher transform is an important tool in actuarial science. Since the pioneering work of Gerber and Shiu (1994), this method has been used extensively for derivative valuation. However, the relationship between the asset pricing model based on the Esscher transform and some fundamental equilibrium-based asset pricing models, such as consumption-based models, has so far not been well-explored. In this paper we attempt to bridge the gap between consumption based models and asset pricing models based on Esscher-type transformations in a discrete-time setting. Based on certain assumptions for the distributions of asset returns, changes in aggregate consumptions and returns on the market portfolio, we construct martingale measures that are consistent with Esscher-type transformations. Relationships between the market price of risk and the risk preference parameters are derived for some cases.
We use Malliavin weights to calculate sensitivities for option prices. We model assets using both a variance gamma process and a normal inverse Gaussian process. We use the fact that these processes are given by Brownian subordination. We calculate the Malliavin derivative in the direction of compound Poisson approximation of the subordinator. We use explicit Malliavin weights. In the case of calls and puts we calculate benchmark sensitivities using a fast Fourier transform and using simulations we compare the performance of the Malliavin approach with that of a finite difference method with respect to this benchmark. We then price Asians options, which cannot be computed by Fourier methods.
In this talk we present several results for path and non-path dependent financial derivatives in a multidimensional stochastic covariance setting. In particular we emphasize recent advances in the topic of closed-form expressions for n-dimensional Certificates and Barrier Options in cases with stochastic variance, simple stochastic covariances and stochastic interest rate. These solutions are found in terms of special well-known mathematical functions like Bessel, non-central Chi-Square and Confluent Hypergeometric.
We study a problem of mean-variance hedging which includes a general convex constraint, together with "portfolio insurance" in the form of a guaranteed almost-sure lower bound on the wealth at close of trade. We use a conjugate duality approach, the essence of which is to appropriately "perturb" the problem, and calculate concave conjugates in terms of the perturbation in order to construct a Lagrangian function and a dual cost function, together with a set of Kuhn-Tucker optimality relations which effectively characterize the saddle points of the Lagrangian. Existence of a Lagrange multiplier is established subject to a natural Slater-type condition on the terminal-wealth constraint; the Lagrange multiplier comprises an Ito process paired with a member of the adjoint of the space of essentially bounded random variables measurable with respect to the event sigma-algebra at close of trade. The optimality relations are then used to synthesize an optimal portfolio in terms of the Lagrange multiplier.
In this talk, we consider the pricing of participating contracts using financial and actuarial approaches. Since these products involve mortality as well as financial risks, we compare both approaches using a mixed fund that reproduces typical investment instruments used in these policies. The financial framework of Vellekoop, Kamp and Post (2006) that is based on the duration of the bond portfolio is generalized to a non-gaussian interest rate model. Particularly, the financial framework is obtained under the physical and the risk-neutral probability measures. A detailed numerical analysis is performed using fixed premium and fully variable life insurance policies.
This is joint work with Patrice Gaillardetz.
In this talk we discuss a real options approach to valuing a corn ethanol plant. Operators of these plants have optionality in making certain operating decisions based on the price of corn (input) and gasoline (output). A variety of valuation techniques are used in this study, including a retrospective analysis, bootstrapping and partial differential equations. We will focus on the PDE approach to solving the optimal control problem and draw conclusions from the numerical solution.
There is a large amount of publicly available financial information on publicly traded corporations, usually on a quarterly year time period. These same corporations also undergo bankruptcy or acquisition through merger. It is natural to model these in a discrete time framework due to the nature of the data. We consider a bivariate discrete time hazard model. The framework is similar to that in classical biostatistics modeling, where one treats the two forms of exit from the system, namely bankruptcy and merger/acquisition, but with additional information on the type of exit. In biostatistics the cause of exit (usually death) is not known explicitly.
Such models are constructed and fit to a data base of some 12,000 publicly traded US corporations. With a large number of covariates some data reduction is needed. Both in and out of sample prediction is considered. A constant baseline hazard model does not fit well, so a smooth baseline hazard model is considered. This later model seems to give a reasonable fit in terms of prediction, and has a nice robustness property. Some tools for model assessment are developed. One useful tool for this is a limit theorem on rare multinomials which is originally due to McDonald (1980).
A well established approach to pricing basket credit derivatives consists in using a copula model with the following input data:
The Cox-Ingersoll-Ross (CIR) process is broadly used in financial engineering, mostly since it assumes nonnegative values. Applying a standard Euler discretization scheme for simulations is problematic, as nothing prevents the simulated values to be negative. Several fixes are found in the literature, most involving the normal distribution. We propose a scheme producing nonnegative discrete approximations for nonnegative diffusions (e.g. CIR), in which nonnegativity is secured by sampling from a nonnegative distribution. We use the martingale problem to establish convergence of the approximating processes to the target diffusion. The proposed scheme is suitable for several applications in pricing derivative securities.
L'usage du processus de Cox-Ingersoll-Ross (CIR) est répandu en ingénierie financière, principalement parce qu'il est à valeurs non-négatives. L'utilisation d'un schéma de discrétisation standard de Euler pour le simuler est problématique, puisque rien n'empêche alors les valeurs simulées d'être négatives. Nous proposons un schéma produisant, pour des diffusions non-négatives (telles le CIR), des processus d'approximation discrets non-négatifs, la non-négativé de ces derniers résultant de l'emploi d'une distribution à valeurs non-négatives, plutôt que la loi normale sur laquelle repose la plupart des schémas présentés dans la littérature. Nous utilisons le problème de martingale pour établir la convergence des processus d'approximation vers la diffusion visée. Le schéma proposé est approprié pour la tarification de plusieurs produits dérivés.
We use Malliavin weights to calculate sensitivities for option prices. We model assets using both a variance gamma process and a normal inverse Gaussian process. We use the fact that these processes are given by Brownian subordination. We calculate the Malliavin derivative only in the Brownian direction and use explicit Malliavin Brownian weights. In the case of calls and puts we calculate benchmark sensitivities using a fast Fourier transform and using simulations we compare the performance of the Malliavin approach with that of a finite difference method with respect to this benchmark. We then price Asians options, which cannot be computed by Fourier methods.
We consider affine term structure models with time-varying parameters. Under this framework, we use an ansatz approach and a solution property of Riccati equations to provide exact and approximate explicit representations of the price of a zero-coupon bond. We demonstrate that our proposed methodology readily recovers certain well-known bond valuation formulae. For the short-rate process, we also put forward a stochastic differential equation capable of incorporating desired characteristics for an interest rate model. We address the feasibility of a practical implementation of our proposed methodology within the context of model calibration. Finally, we present an analytical solution, via a series expansion, to the Riccati equation involved under this extended setting. An approximation to this analytical solution, valid up to any desired degree of accuracy, is also given.
This is a joint work with Rogemar Mamon (Western).
We study a mean-variance investment problem in a continuous-time brownian motion setting where the stock's volatility component is stochastic and driven by a mean-reverting Heston process. We construct an optimal strategy through the solutions of BSDEs (backward stochastic differential equations). We will also give sufficient conditions under which an explicit analytical expression is available for the optimal portfolio.


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Happy 500th birthday, Florida! TIME NewsFeed's round-up of 15 weirdest Florida news stories shows that Floridians have done pretty crazy things when marijuana is in their system–like eat people's faces off. So maybe that's why the Florida state legislature has introduced a ban on the sale of bongs, the special pipes used for smoking marijuana. But Stephen Colbert warned local pols not to mess with the "dube-it-yourselfers" Tuesday night.
Next Animal House


text: Cataract Care Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss among adults age 55 and older. At Mass. Eye and Ear, the Comprehensive Ophthalmology and Cataract Surgery Service is the primary office for evaluation and treatment of cataracts. For patients with additional complications, cataract surgery may be performed by the patient's subspecialist. A cataract is a cloudiness or opacity in the normally clear and transparent lens of the eye that is caused by changes in the chemical composition of the lens. When this clouding is significant, it interferes with the passage of light to the retina and blurs vision. The most common cause of cataracts is the natural aging process, and cataracts tend to increase in severity with advancing age. Certain medications, disease or injury, or hereditary factors also can cause cataracts. Types of Cataracts A nuclear cataract occurs in the center of the lens. Initially, it may cause a slight improvement in near vision called "second sight", which worsens as the cataract progresses. A cortical cataract begins as spokes in the outer portion of the lens. When the spokes approach the center of the vision, they may cause glare and loss of contrast sensitivity. A subcapsular cataract starts as a small opacity in the outer membrane of the lens, developing slowly. Diabetes, retinitis pigmentosa, and steroid use are common causes. Signs and Symptoms Painless blurring of distance and reading vision, overall dimness of vision, sensitivity to light, feeling of having a "film" over the eye, frequent eyeglass prescription changes, double vision, glare and haloes around lights Treatment Cataract surgery is a procedure that removes the diseased lens and replaces it with a prosthesis. Some patients may choose to use special replacement lenses, which can correct for refractive error (nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism). While the surgeons in several of the Mass. Eye and Ear specialty services perform cataract surgery on their patients, our primary service for this kind of procedure is the Comprehensive Ophthalmology and Cataract Consultation Service. For information on the surgery for cataracts, please visit our Cataract Treatment webpage. Make An Appointment Today! 617-573-3202


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Keith Eitel
Professor of Missions
Dr. Eitel was brought to an awareness of his need for salvation in an unusual way. While working in a gas station at age 16, he was held up at gun point by two men that argued with each other about whether or not to kill him. The argument commenced while the one that wanted to kill him made him kneel facing a wall with a .45 caliber pistol cocked and ready to shoot at his head. They locked him into the store room instead. Two weeks later he came to Christ, knowing then that indeed he was in need of salvation.
Since then, he has been convicted and moved to live a life of sharing the Gospel with a waiting world. He and his wife, Glenda, lived and worked as career missionaries in Cameroon, West Africa before joining the faculty of The Criswell College in 1985, his journey later took him on to join the faculty of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1992, and since 2005 he has served as the Dean of the Roy Fish School of Evangelism and Missions here at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
He has earned a Bachelor of Arts (Religion and Philosophy) from Dallas Baptist University; the Master of Arts (Church History) from Baylor University; Doctor of Missiology (Contextualization) from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; and a Doctor of Theology (Historical Missiology) from The University of South Africa. His areas of keenest, and most current research interest, orb abound the current explosion of Christians in the non-Western world. The discipline of World Christian Studies is devoted to analyzing these amazing happenings, which in their current form seem to be directly related to the final pushes of the cycles of Awakenings in the West during the 20th century. His focal interest regards seeking to know how a Baptist sense of identity subsists and continues in Africa, Latin America, and Asia and in defining what ways that identity looks similar and dissimilar to the historic developments of Baptist theological distinctiveness.


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The new XE sedan Jaguar Land Rover announced at the Geneva Motor Show today may not seem remarkable, but it's crucial to the brand's future in the American market.
Automakers who sell cars in the U.S. are subject to the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, which require their cars to average out to certain levels of efficiency.
That's easier for big companies: GM can prioritize performance in the new Corvette and balance that out by focusing on fuel consumption in its low-end vehicles.
But Jaguar Land Rover makes only high-end cars, and doesn't have the luxury to compromise on any of them.
In a January interview at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, we asked Group Sales Operations Director Andy Goss how the company plans to hit the CAFE standards while keeping its products top of the line.
"We know where we need to get to," he said. "We'll not rule anything out." Hybrids and electrics are in consideration, and Jaguar recently announced a new engine manufacturing center will a new family of low emission four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines.
But it's "not just a question of powertrain," Goss said. "We're very expert in aluminum."
Enter the Jaguar XE.
The compact sedan, set to roll out in 2015, will be built on an aluminum — instead of the standard steel — monocoque body, the first in its class, according to Jaguar.
That will make it lighter, so a smaller engine can yield the terrific performance expected by Jaguar customers. It will help in Europe as well, which has its own strict fuel economy rules.
Problem (partly) solved.
Here's the aluminum monocoque:


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Listen as Joni performs The Circle Game live at The White Swan in Leicester, England. An appearance sponsored by The Couriers Folk Club.
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DDavies on :
I cried when I first heard this. I was 17, cart wheels had just turned to car wheels for me, and my life was going round and round and round in a circle game.


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The North Garden/
We close Death & Company week with a cocktail that, on paper, scares the hypothetical caca out of me. A drink made up of three hard liquors, and when I read the names of three hard liquors and one of them is bourbon (facilitator of happy Rose) and one of the others of them is scotch (moody-bordering-on-surly Rose) and then there's simple syrup -- well, it makes me not trust the simple syrup, makes me paranoid that the simple syrup's lurking in there as some sort of sleight-of-hand trick with the scotch dodging behind it and getting away with murder, and I think this is not going to be a very productive Friday night.
Except I'm wrong on all counts. This is a lovely cocktail that begins with a note of apple crispness and ends with a tongue-tingling kicker of scotch, and in the middle it's got a big, warm, fat belly. I drink a lot of drinks, but I can't honestly recall the last time a drink had me wondering after just one, "Why am I in such a good mood? Nothing particularly awesome happened this week, right? Oh, wait, it is this cocktail what I'm drinking."
OK, I may not be wrong on the unproductive-Friday-night part. Have a good weekend, all!
The North Garden
(Adapted from Death & Co.)
2 ounces Busnel Fine Calvados
3/4 ounce Buffalo Trace Bourbon
1/2 ounce Dewar's
1/2 ounce simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Lemon peel, for garnish
Stir all ingredients briskly with ice. Serve in cocktail glass and garnish with lemon twist.
Tasting Notes:
I deviated from Death & Co.'s recipe in a few significant ways, all of them because I didn't have the right ingredients at home. For those keeping score, I used calvados and Dewar's where Death & Co. respectively calls for Lairds Bonded Applejack and Laphroaig 10-year Scotch. Also, places like Death & Co. often list "demerara" on their menus. This is a fancier way of saying turbinado sugar, aka natural brown sugar (as opposed to the unnatural brown sugar I make in my kitchen by mixing molasses into refined granulated white sugar). I just use simple syrup whenever Death & Co. calls for demerara.


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U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency invites minority farmers and ranchers in Marion County and across the nation to voluntarily join the USDA Minority Farm Register to receive information about opportunities from USDA agencies.
The Minority Farm Register is an outreach tool designed to connect with underserved farmers and ranchers who are not currently enrolled in USDA loan, farm, or conservation programs. The register is a shared list that will help USDA, community-based organizations, and minority serving educational institutions to communicate with minority farmers and ranchers.
Individuals wishing to join the register must sign and date a form that provides their name and address. Providing phone numbers, e-mail addresses, race, ethnicity, gender, and farm or ranch location will be voluntary, although additional information increases the producer's opportunities for receiving timely assistance.
A pamphlet with the registration form is available at the Marion County USDA Service Center at 301 Eisenhower Drive in Marion.


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With its classic style and recognition, it's no wonder that the Pro-Tec Classic Skate Helmet has been the envy of other helmets and the go-to piece of protective gear for years. The lightweight feel and comfort that you get is unmatched. Pro-Tec's EPS Foam Liner has a low profile and comfortable fit. The hard-shell construction is created with a durable, high-density, injection molded ABS Shell that can take a strike and prevent your head from any major injury. It will help absorb any shocks so that you can spend your time in the park instead of being knocked unconscious. Helping to keep you cool, you'll have plenty of breathability with 11 open vents. Go with the classic, the tried and true, Pro-Tec Classic Skate Helmet.
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Santa Clara University Play on April 16 to Commemorate 32 Lives Lost in the 2007 Virginia Tech Shootings
Deborah Lohse
SCU joins with other schools across the U.S. presenting an interactive suite of plays, held at daybreak on the fifth anniversary of the tragic day
SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 5, 2012 — Dozens of members of the Santa Clara University community will participate in a daybreak tribute to those who lost their lives in the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings.
The group of 76 people—alumni, staff, faculty and students majoring in theatre, dance, and other disciplines—will stage a collection of plays entitled "What a Stranger May Know."
The event will take place at 7:30 a.m. on Monday, April 16, on the fifth anniversary of the tragedy. It will be held outdoors on the St. Ignatius Lawn of the University at 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara University, CA 95053.
The suite of 32 plays, one for each victim, was written by Erik Ehn, an internationally known artist-activist and the director of playwriting at Brown University. He also taught playwriting at SCU.
SCU's production will follow Ehn's ambitious, plays-within-a-play format, said Kristin Kusanovich, senior lecturer in the Theatre and Dance Department and co-director of the Justice and the Arts Initiative at Santa Clara University, sponsor of the event. Kusanovich co-directed the performance with theatre and dance professor Michael Zampelli, S.J.
The student, alumni, and faculty actors will be scattered in different stations across the lawn, reading their 90-minute monologues simultaneously. Members of the audience are free to move about, wandering through the scenes as the stories unfold, or to stay with one drama throughout its entirety.
Other universities that will perform "What a Stranger May Know" on April 16 include Brown University, City College of New York, Brandeis University, University of Ulster, The New School, University of Texas at Arlington, Whittier College, University of Minnesota, Brooklyn College, and Whitman College.
About Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California's Silicon Valley, offers its more than 8,800 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, theology, and engineering, plus master's and law degrees and engineering Ph.D.s. Distinguished nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S. master's universities, California's oldest operating higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. For more information, see http://www.scu.edu.
Media Contact
Deborah Lohse | SCU Media Relations | firstname.lastname@example.com | 408-554-5121


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Syria conflict has 3rd anniversary amid offensive
BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian troops advanced in a major rebel-held town near the Lebanese border amid heavy bombardment from warplanes, artillery and tanks as the country's bloody conflict marked its third anniversary Saturday, state media and activists said.
The conflict, which began amid Arab Spring protests across the region, started off as protests that turned into an armed insurgency and eventually became a full-blown civil war that activists say has killed more than 140,000 people and has seen 2 million people flee the country. Peace talks between the government of President Bashar Assad and Syria's divided opposition haven't found a diplomatic solution to the crisis, which has seen sectarian violence rise as Islamic extremists entered the fight.
The main Western-backed opposition group, the Syrian National Coalition, vowed in a statement Saturday marking the conflict's third anniversary "to bring down the Assad regime that is the main source of the Syrian people's suffering." The coalition's chief Ahmad al-Jarba attacked Assad's main backer Iran, as well as Lebanon's Hezbollah and Shiite fighters who came from Iraq to fight with government forces. He urged countries backing the opposition "to commit to their promises of giving sophisticated weapons" to rebels.
"We are fighting a brutal war and facing enemies who have no values or morals such as the gangs of (Hezbollah leader Sheik) Hassan Nasrallah ... mercenaries of hypocrisy coming from Iraq all the way to the head of the snake in Tehran," al-Jarba said in a speech in Istanbul. "Oh Syrians: Our revolution will be victorious and the chemical terrorist regime will go. The battle is not long because we have passed the most difficult part."
State media in Syria did not mention the anniversary.
In Beirut, international aid agencies said that every statistic tracking the lives of Syrian children has worsened as the conflict grinds on, warning an entire generation of is at risk.
Suggesting how badly Syria has unraveled, UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said an estimated 2.3 million children last year were in need of shelter, food, health care, education or psychological help for the trauma they suffered. That number has nearly doubled to 5.5 million children this year, he said.
"Every one of those numbers has a face. Every one of those numbers is a child who has lost a future, or whose future is at risk," said Lake, who called Saturday "a sad and infuriating anniversary."
The aid groups said little has been done despite a U.N. Security Council resolution last month calling on Syria's warring sides to allow aid deliveries.
"I think we have to be honest. The situation in Syria is getting worse, not better, and it hasn't got better since the security council resolution," said Justin Forsyth of Save the Children. "More people have been killed, more people have fled. In terms of on the ground, changing lives, saving children, we are not even close to getting impact."
On Saturday, Syrian state television said troops advanced in the town of Yabroud, near Syria's border with Lebanon, and now control of much of the area between the two countries.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Syrian air force conducted at least 15 air raids on the town as heavy clashes raged on the town's outskirts. It said at least five opposition fighters were killed fighting government forces backed by Hezbollah members.
Yabroud is the last major rebel-held town in the mountainous Qalamoun region, where Assad's forces have been waging an offensive for months to try to sever rebel supply lines across the porous border.
Hezbollah officials say many of the car bombs that exploded in the group's strongholds in Lebanon over the past months were made in Yabroud. Hezbollah openly joined Syria's civil war last year, fighting along Assad's forces and tipping the battle in its favor in areas close to Lebanon.
Lebanese broadcasters Al-Mayadeen and Hezbollah's Al-Manar aired live footage from outside Yabroud showing bombs landing over the city. Al-Manar showed footage of dead men, some of them bearded. It also showed Syrian troops shooting and firing rocket-propelled-grenades at rebels in the area.
One of the Syrian commanders in the area told Al-Mayadeen that troops advanced "hundreds of meters (yards) inside Yabroud." He added that troops captured the nearby Saint Maroun Hill that overlooks Yabroud.
"We will cut supply lines with neighboring countries and the fighters will be besieged in specific areas then wiped out," the officer, who did not give his name, said.
An opposition activist in the area who goes by the name Amer al-Qalamouni denied that troops advanced into Yabroud, saying instead they attacked southeastern parts of the town.
Earlier in the day, the Observatory and Qalamouni said the Yabroud fighting killed a Kuwaiti commander of the al-Qaida-linked Nursa Front late Friday.
Al-Qalamouni and the Observatory said al-Kuwaiti was a key mediator for the release of a dozen nuns earlier this week who were held by rebels.
Also Saturday, Lebanon's state-run National News agency said two rockets, apparently fired by Syrian rebels, struck the Lebanese border villages of Nabi Othman and Labweh, killing one person and wounding two. Syrian rebels have been shelling Lebanese border villages where Hezbollah enjoys wide support.


text: Four defeats in a row have left England's number one ranking in jeopardy and raised questions about Strauss' role as leader [REUTERS] Jonathan Trott is backing under-fire England captain Andrew Strauss to end his form slump in the second Test against Sri Lanka that starts on Tuesday. The left-handed opening batsman has not scored a Test century since 2010 and needs to spark his team into action after they lost the first game of the two-match series by 75 runs in Galle last week. A fifth defeat in a row for England, who were also whitewashed 3-0 by Pakistan in their previous series, in Colombo will allow South Africa to take over from them as the world's number one ranked team. 'Ups and downs' "Every player goes through ups and downs," Trott said. "When someone is not scoring as many runs as they would like, or expect of themselves, it is always highlighted by you guys. "I'm sure it will have a similar effect as it did when Alastair Cook recently came through his little slump. I'm surprised you guys haven't learned your lesson from that," added Trott who scored a century in Galle. Strauss has plenty of credit in his 'cricket bank' having guided England to back-to-back Ashes wins over Australia and led them to the top of the Test rankings. However, he needs to arrest his batting slump quickly or run the risk of more media criticism about his value to the side. Strauss's opening partner Cook was in a similar position midway through 2010 but a century against Pakistan at the Oval turned his form around and he has since gone from strength to strength, scoring six hundreds including two double tons. England have struggled with spin against Sri Lanka and against Pakistan in their recent whitewash in the Gulf and Trott said there was no magic formula for success against the turning ball. "I just played normally in Galle," said the number three batsman. "I didn't try going in with any pre-conceived conceptions. "I had a bit of luck early on and rode it. You certainly need a bit of luck in these conditions with a lot of catchers round the bat." Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene said the heat and the state of the wickets were also obstacles batsmen had to overcome on the sub-continent. "It's not just spin bowling but how you play in certain conditions. It's about adapting," Jayawardene said. Broad missingEngland are without all-rounder Stuart Broad after he injured his ankle in the opening Test. If the visitors want a fast bowler to take his place then Steve Finn will get the nod but Tim Bresnan's superior batting may mean he gets called up instead. Left-arm spinner Monty Panesar may also be omitted after he toiled with the ball in Galle and dropped two important catches. Sri Lanka will be forced into at least one change after fast bowler Chanaka Welegedara was ruled out with a groin strain. Dhammika Prasad is expected to replace him. The return of Angelo Mathews after a calf injury has left the home team with a selection dilemma. They must now decide between Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal who scored 27 and 31 in Galle. The Colombo match marks the 30th anniversary of Sri Lanka's elevation to Test cricket. SOURCE: Reuters Sport Cricket Australia Pakistan South Africa


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Tuesday, June 16, 2009
A Little Java to Get You (MFT) Hoppin'!
Also, be sure to leave a little love for the Sweet Sixteen's newest members, Barbara and Kathy! :)
Before I show you my project, I want to wish my husband Chris a Happy Anniversary! 19 years -- it's hard to believe! Thanks for supporting me and letting me do what I do -- you're the best!!! :)
Back to our regularly scheduled programming...
I used I Need Coffee Flopsey to make this fun gift box full of coffee beans. I covered the wooden box (purchased at Michaels for $1.99) with paper, then I sanded and inked all the edges. I embellished with ribbon and a button from the Cup o' Buttons Summer Collection.
I stamped and colored Flopsey, leaving the ears "out of the box." I sponged around the edges of the image panel, then I added some yellow flock to Flopsey's slippers! The image panel is mounted onto the front of the box with dimensionals.
You're finished at my stop! Now it's time to see what the very talented Natalie Dever has created! Thanks so much for hopping by! :)
32 comments:
- StampOwl said...
fantastic project
- June 16, 2009 at 10:12 PM
- Barbara said...
How perfectly cute, Christina!!!
- June 16, 2009 at 10:22 PM
- texasjodylynn said...
Super cute! I love your little box!
- June 16, 2009 at 10:33 PM
- Amy Sheffer said...
I love this box, Christina!! Beautifully done! Fantastic ribbon treatment, too. And Happy Anniversary to you and Chris!
- June 16, 2009 at 10:38 PM
- GabrielaD said...
Love this!! I am really liking this hop... lots of great inspiration.
Thank you
- June 16, 2009 at 10:39 PM
- Megan said...
Sooo cute!! You could put some chocolate covered coffee beans in there too!! Yikes--love this idea.
- June 16, 2009 at 10:41 PM
- Karen Motz said...
Just darling Christina! Love your ribbon flower accent.
- June 16, 2009 at 10:50 PM
- Jessie/knightrone said...
Happy Anniversary!! Super cute stuff Christina!!
- June 16, 2009 at 10:55 PM
- Brenda said...
Great box!!! Fantastic!
- June 16, 2009 at 11:36 PM
- JessicaK said...
Great box and love the little blush on Flopsey's cheeks. Happy anniversary.
- June 16, 2009 at 11:46 PM
- Kirsten said...
- June 16, 2009 at 11:51 PM
- Carolyn said...
How cute is that. What a lovely gift.
- June 16, 2009 at 11:51 PM
- Karen said...
Sweet little gifty! Cute colors.
- June 17, 2009 at 12:28 AM
- raduse said...
Cute, cute, cute.
- June 17, 2009 at 2:28 AM
- Tracey said...
Happy anniversary Christina!! I love your project! Just adorable!
- June 17, 2009 at 6:39 AM
- Michele Boyer said...
So cute, Christina! I love the ribbon/flower! Happy anniversary!
- June 17, 2009 at 7:08 AM
- Amy said...
The box is adorable, Christina, but those yellow slippers are the bees knees! This bunny cracks me up!
Happy Anniversary (I'm late with my wishes...internet issues!)!!
- June 17, 2009 at 7:22 AM
- maiahs_momma said...
Love your project :), gorgeous work :)!
- June 17, 2009 at 7:57 AM
- Dawn Easton said...
Happy Anniversary to you and Chris!!
Love your ribbon and button treatment...fantastic girl!
- June 17, 2009 at 8:10 AM
- Leslie said...
Too cute!
You may want to try $ Tree!! Ours had these same little wooden ones for $1!!!
- June 17, 2009 at 9:04 AM
- Shaunna said...
I love your coffee box idea and choice of colors!! Wonderful coloring and an awesome project!!!
- June 17, 2009 at 9:13 AM
- Jane Wetzel said...
love what u did with the new set and that ribbon is the perfect touch! Yummy! :)
- June 17, 2009 at 9:36 AM
- Allison said...
So cute! Love the colours and the colouring on the bunny.
Congratulations on your anniversary!
- June 17, 2009 at 9:58 AM
- Jackie Pedro said...
This is so cute, Christina!! The ribbon button thingy (LOL) is fantastic!!
- June 17, 2009 at 10:10 AM
- terriavidreader (IN-USA) said...
Very cute. I love what each person incorporates into their own ideas for the stamps.
- June 17, 2009 at 10:21 AM
- Amy Johnson said...
This is absolutely fabulous! I love the paper you covered the box with, and I really love your ribbon/button treatment! Super Cute and Super Creative!
- June 17, 2009 at 10:36 AM
Supercute idea and very nice colors!!
- June 17, 2009 at 12:19 PM
- Lady Liberty said...
Awesome Christina - lovely gift idea and I love the way you colored Flopsey with the blush and all. Happy Anniversary and many more. TFS
- June 17, 2009 at 12:39 PM
- Cindy Haffner said...
Just darling.
- June 17, 2009 at 12:53 PM
- Leslie Miller said...
Oh, I LOVE this! Coffee gifts are always fun, and this one is fixed up so CUTE! Love the red with the coffee colors!
- June 17, 2009 at 1:06 PM
- Erika M. said...
Just too cute!
- June 17, 2009 at 2:07 PM
- kjlowrey said...
love the yellow/red together!
- June 17, 2009 at 8:43 PM


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I could never bring myself to fly in a wingsuit but riding a paramotor? Hell yeah. It's like riding the jet ski of parasailing, which means it looks like a whole lotta fun. Would you do it?
Our friend Devin Supertramp made the video of this paramotor race with a Canon 5D Mark III and a Glidecam HD 4000 and it's just awesome. I love the alternative sports that people get into and the crazy technology that makes it happen. [Parabatix via Devin Supertramp]


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Kevin and Danielle Jonas are expecting their first child and have confirmed the sex of the baby.
It's a girl! So that means Joe and Nick will have a niece that they can spoil rotten very soon.
Kev, the eldest Jo Bro, and wife Danielle revealed the gender exclusively via the Jonas Brothers app, which is free on iTunes and Google Play. He in turn posted the sonogram photo on his Instagram page. His little girl is sucking her thumb in utero! How adorable. Kev sounds like he is looking forward to being a dad.
Gotta love technology. We can find out a baby's gender and share the discovery with the world in the digital age.
Congrats to Kev, Danielle and the extend Jonas Brothers clan on this good news. Now they can start picking out pink clothes and seriously start thinking about names.
If you want to nab the Jo Bros app, it's here and for free.


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Upwaltham Barns - Wedding Venue
Nestling in the heart of the Sussex Downs in West Sussex between Petworth and Chichester, Upwaltham Barns provides a beautiful and unique setting for wedding receptions, anniversaries, birthdays and children's parties or any celebration.It is truly a stunning backdrop for your wedding photography, the atmosphere at this venue is delightfully friendly, relaxed and helpful. The owners, Tim and Nicola, will go out of their way to assist you. The excellent facilities at the venue suit any special occasion. Both The South Barn and The East Barn are licensed for civil weddings and partnership ceremonies. For your wedding, it may be possible to have a Service of Blessing at the exquisite, medieval church situated in the meadow opposite the venue. The East Barn can seat up to 100 guests for dining and The South Barn can accommodate up to 170 for dining. The courtyard and cottage gardens are perfect for pre-reception drinks. The pretty Jasmine Cottage is available for overnight accommodation for the bride and groom. On-site catering for events can be provided. There is a choice of caterers who offer a wide range of menus to suit all occasions and budgets, including a bespoke vegetarian option. To arrange a visit or check availability, please call them on 01798 300252 to request a brochure.


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These muffins are perfect for breakfast or a snack. They get their crunch from chopped walnuts.
The sugar-free crust needs to chill before rolling out.
Fresh peaches and blueberries are nestled under a topping flavored with ginger and lemon.
Chill overnight, then top with fresh strawberries and a drizzle of melted raspberry jam.
You don't have to tell anyone these are homemade, healthy granola bars. Just let your guests enjoy the chewiness of the oats and dense chocolate flavor from the highest-quality dark chocolate you can find.
Here's a sweet treat without the calories from sugar.
Wanton wrappers make these little desserts a snap to prepare.
Melted chocolate, chocolate chips, and nuts make a great combo for these cookies.
Serve this with a bit of gingered whipped cream for a special dessert.
You don't need ice cubes if you freeze the cherries before blending.
A moist quick bread perfect for the holidays.
Blend fresh mango, reduced-fat sour cream, and lime juice.
Put peaches, yogurt, ice and all but 6 raspberries into blender and puree. Serve in tall glasses. Garnish with reserved berries. The smoothie will be thick enough to float them on top. Add fresh mint leaves if you have them.
Naval oranges, ripe strawberries, and sliced bananas are served with a yogurt-ginger sauce.
Each serving contains about 145 calories, 8 g protein, 9 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 24 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, and 100 mg sodium.
Each serving contains about 134 calories, 1 g protein, 3 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 28 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, and 44 mg of sodium.
In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar with a whisk to make no-cook pastry cream. Put mixture on top of graham cracker crumbs. Top with berries.
A quick English dessert of cooked berries layered with whipped cream.
A healthy topper for toast, waffle or pancakes.
This takes some patience, but you will be rewarded with a rich, seedless sauce, perfect for topping anything from fruit, to meat, to chocolate cake!
This cake gets its moistness from the apples and raisins, so it requires little oil.
Your children can help you make this easy dessert that's colorful and good for them to eat. Have all of your supplies and ingredients ready before you begin.