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Making Waves, New Opportunities, KW and beyond…..
It has been a while since I have written anything on my blog but this is mainly because I have been rather busy. The antenna business ( www.m0cvoantennas.com ) went from being busy to very busy at the beginning of the year and has remained so since. In March of this year I was given the opportunity to take over as Director of K.W.Electronics Limited (Company #08587607). progress was slow at first but in July 2019 I received certificates transferring over the title of Director to myself.
Making Waves – 2m Quad
The M0CVO High Gain 4 Element Quad for 2M
The antenna I am now going to describe is one that I designed some time ago. It is a high gain quad beam for 2M (144 – 146 MHz) band. The forward gain of such an antenna is approximately 11.5 to 12dBd, that's approximately 10.6 to 10.8 times the output power from the rear of your transmitter. For example, say you were operating a 10 Watt txr, the effective radiated power (erp) would be 10*10.6=106 Watts.
All this power and still a relatively small antenna; the boom is a mere 1 metre in length and may be constructed from 1" (2.5cm) square, weather treated, wood. The elements are constructed from 2.0mm diameter enamelled copper wire (ecw), the dimensions of which are shown in Table 2.
All the dimensions were calculated using the formulae in table 1, which was, admittedly gleaned from "The Amateur Antenna Handbook" by William I Orr, W6SAI, although the beam is of my own design.
For horizontal polarisation feed from bottom for vertical polarisation rotate by 90◦
To strengthen the elements of the quad a 2nd support can be fitted which will also make it easier to attach to the boom.
Making Waves – The Shorty Forty
I was taking part in a Twitter conversation today with someone building the helical antenna published in this month's RadCom, the RSGB member's magazine, and having issues with the matching of it. He was trying it out due to lack of space and a poor earth (clay) at his QTH.
I set to thinking and remembered an antenna design that I used to hand out to Foundation and Intermediate Licence trainees when I was mentoring them through their studies and assessing their practical assignments. This was the Shorty Forty antenna because we don't all have the requisite 20.28m of free space to string a dipole across. I shared the plans with him and later thought "Why not share them for everyone?" so here goes:
The Shorty 40 – Helical Whip for 7MHz
So you want to get onto 40m but don't have room for a dipole (20.28m)? Then this could be just the answer if you have a little time on your hands and enjoy home construction.
The Shorty 40 is a helical whip for 40m wound on a 3m long, 32mm diameter piece of PVC tubing (the sort available in most DIY stores). You will need 21m of 1.2mm diameter enamelled copper wire, 80cm of 2mm diameter ECW and 10 or 15m of 1.5mm diameter insulated copper wire (the sort used for lighting circuits or earth wire). You will also need a SO239 connector and a piece of angled aluminium.
The picture says it all really but, just in case, begin by winding the 21m of copper wire along the length of the pipe, using tape or adhesive to secure it along the way. Cut the 80cm of 2mm ECW in half and push through the holes drilled in the top of the pipe. Solder together in the centre and solder the end of the coil here also. Drill a 16mm hole in the aluminium bracket for the SO239 socket and then attach it to the pipe using machine screws. Then solder the other end of the coil to the centre pin of the socket. Connect pipe to mast and connect two or three 5m radials to the solder lug on the aluminium bracket. Attach coax, raise mast and away you go.
Disclaimer I cannot claim to be the first person to develop an antenna such as this but I have researched ideas on the internet and in books on the subject – from ARRL, PW Publishing and RSGB publishing – and changed them to suit modern metric measurements and make them easier to understand and build.
Making Waves – Antenna Polarisation Issues
Someone asked me to explain why he was unable to hear some horizontally polarised stations on his vertical even though the vertical operates at 360degrees. This was the explanation I gave him:
Fig.1 shows the radiation pattern of a 1/2 wave dipole, showing strong signals off either side with nulls towards the ends.
This is better shown in fig.2. Assuming that the antenna runs from north to south in a straight line, any station to the east or west will be able to hear / work it but if they are located north or south of it they will struggle to hear or be heard.
fig.3 shows the radiation pattern of a vertical antenna. A vertical antenna, when placed over a good earth, will radiate evenly in all directions and so can be heard/worked by any station in any direction that is either vertically or horizontally polarised. However, those who are horizontally polarised must have their antenna running in the correct direction for the reasons outlined above. There is also a 3 – 6dB loss in signal due to the change in polarisation although this effect is only true in a vacuum as scatter caused by other objects and reflection changes the polarisation of the radio waves anyway.
Making Waves, 23cm and infinity
As I have stated previously I purchased a 1296MHz transverter from SG-Lab in Bulgaria. Anyway, upon applying power to it and testing the transmit (with an IF of 145MHz at 2.5W from my FT-817) I noted that it was not working as described. Upon opening up the top of the case I noted that one of the components was raised and obviously burnt. I contacted Hristiyan, LZ5HP, at SG-Lab and sent photos of the faulty component in situ. He immediately identified it as a short in the choke having caused the problem and I returned the unit to him. Two weeks later it was back with me in full working order with a replaced choke. This time when I applied power and some IF it worked as it should.
I also mentioned that I would look at constructing a DL6WU Yagi but, unfortunately, work has got in the way and I just haven't had the time. I looked online for suppliers and, after much deliberation, decided to purchase one from Dual Antennas in Serbia (www.antennas-amplifiers.com). This was down to both price and quality. Although there are manufacturers both in England and in Germany, Dual seemed to offer the best deal. For a 13 element Yagi it cost me 59€ plus shipping. there was the other issue that when it arrived in the UK it was held by customs for a week whilst they added import charges and VAT but that only came to £19.15.
The 23cm Yagi from Dual.
So now I am fully operational on all bands from 80m – 23cm (except 4m currently). I have not yet had a QSO on 23cm although I have put out a few CQ calls, so maybe next Thursday evening during the UKAC contest.
The 23cm Yagi up at CVO Towers
The transverter visible in operating position below the X1M HF QRP set with the FT-817 providing the IF to the left.
Making Waves – Fundamentals of radio Antennas part 2
Standing Waves
Assume that it is possible to have a wire conductor with one end extending infinitely, with an RF transmitter connected to this wire. When the transmitter is turned on, a RF current in the form of sine waves of RF energy moves down the wire. These waves of energy are called travelling waves. the resistance of the conductor gradually diminishes the amplitude of the waves, but they continue to travel so long as the line does not come to an end.
The antenna, however, has a finite length. Therefore, the travelling waves are halted when they reach the end of the conductor. Assume that the RF transmitter is turned on just long enough for one sine wave of energy to get on the line (Fig.4A). This travelling wave is moving down the antenna toward the end. When the wave reaches the end of the conductor, the current path is broken abruptly. With the stoppage of current flow, the magnetic field collapses. A voltage is induced at the end of the conductor that causes current to flow back towards the source as in Fig.4B. The wave is reflected back to the source and , if a continual succession of waves is sent down the line, they will be reflected in the same continual pattern. The wave moving from the transmitter is known as the incident wave and its reflection is known as the reflected wave.
Fig.4 Travelling waves on an antenna and typical resultant wave.
A continuous flow of incident waves results in a continuous flow of reflected waves. Because there is only one conductor, the two waves must pass each other. Electrically, the only current that flows is the resultant of both of these waves. The waves can reinforce or cancel each other as they move.
When they reinforce, the resultant wave is maximum; when they cancel, the resultant wave is minimum. In a conductor with a finite length, such as an antenna, the points at which maximum and minimum occur (Fig.4C) are stationary. In other words, the maximum and minimum points stand still, although both the incident and reflected waves are moving. Because of this effect, the resultant is referred to as a standing wave.
The development of the standing wave on an antenna by actual addition of the travelling waves is illustrated in Fig.5. At the instant in A the incident and reflected waves just coincide. The result is a standing wave having twice the amplitude of either travelling wave. In B, the waves move apart in opposite directions and the amplitude of the resultant decreases but the points of maximum and minimum do not move.
When the travelling waves have moved to a position 180 degrees phase difference, the resultant is zero along the entire length of the antenna, as shown in C. At this instant there can be no current flow in the antenna. The continuing movement of the travelling waves, shown in D, builds up a resultant in the direction opposite to that in A. The in-phase condition of the travelling waves results in a standing wave, in E, equal in amplitude but 180 degrees out of phase with the standing wave in A.
Fig.5 Development of standing wave from travelling wave.
If the progressive pictures of the standing wave are assembled on one set of axis, the result is that shown in Fig.6. the net effect of the incident and reflected waves is apparent. The curves are lettered with reference to Fig.5. As the travelling waves move past each other, the standing wave changes only its amplitude. The fixed minimum points are called nodes and the curves representing the amplitude are called loops.
The concept of the standing wave can be applied to the half wave antenna with reference to either current of voltage distribution at any instant. This application is possible because there are travelling waves of both voltage and current. Because voltage and current are out of phase on the half-wave antenna, the standing waves are also found to be out of phase.
Fig.6. Standing Waves
Part 3 to follow.
NB. This collection of items was first produced as an adaption of information from a US Army training manual on antennas and radio propagation. This manual is no longer in print.
Making Waves – Fundamentals of radio Antennas part 1
The electrical and magnetic fields radiated from an antenna form the electromagnetic fields, and this field is responsible for the transmission and reception of electromagnetic energy through free space. An antenna, however, is also part of the electrical circuit of a transmitter (or receiver); and, because of its distributed constants, it acts as a circuit containing inductance, capacitance and resistance. Therefore, it can be expected to display definite voltage and current relationships in respect to a given input. A current through it produces a magnetic field and a charge on it produces an electrostatic field. Thes two fields together form the induction field.
Voltage and Electric Field
When a capacitor if connected across a source of voltage, such as a battery (fig.1), it is charged some amount, depending on the voltage and the value of capacitance. Because of the emf (electromotive force) of the battery, negative charges flow to the lower plate, leaving the upper plate positively charged. Accompanying the accumulation of charge is the building up of the electrical field. The flux lines are directed from the positive to the negative charges and at right angles to the plates.
Fig.1 Charges on the plates of a capacitor.
If the two plates of the capacitor are spread farther apart, the electric field must curve to meet the plates at right angles (Fig.2). The straight lines in A become arcs at B, and approximate semi-circles in C, where the plates are in a straight line. Instead of flat metal plates, as in the capacitor, the two elements can take the form of metal rods or wires. In B the rods are approximately 30 degrees apart and the flux lines are projected radially from the positively charged wire to the negatively charged wire. In C the rods are in a straight line and and the flux lines form a pattern similar to the lines of longitude around the earth. To bring out the picture more clearly only the lines in one plane are given.
Fig.2 Electrical field between wires at various angles.
Assume that the sphere marked E in Fig.2C is a transmitter supplying RF energy. The two wires then can serve as the antenna for the transmitter. RF energy is radiated from the antenna and charges move back and forth along the wires, alternately compressing and expanding the flux lines of the electric field. The reversals in polarity of the transmitter signal also reverse the direction of the electric field.
When a charge is put on the plates of a capacitor by means of a battery (DC), an electric field is set up between its plates. The flow of charge from the source to the capacitor ceases when the capacitor is fully charged and the capacitor is said to be charged to a voltage equal and of opposite polarity to the source. The charged capacitor can be used as a source of emf since it stores energy in the form of an electric field. This is the same as saying that an electric field indicates voltage. The presence of an electric field around an antenna also indicates voltage. Since the polarity and the amount of charge depend on the nature of the transmitter output, the antenna voltage also depends on the energy source. For example, if a battery constitutes the source, the antenna charges to a voltage equal and opposite to that of the battery. If RF energy is supplied to a half wave antenna, the voltage across the antenna lags the current by 90 degrees. The half wave antenna acts as if it was a capacitor and it can be described as being capacitive.
Current and Magnetic Field
A moving charge along a conductor constitutes a current and produces a magnetic field around the conductor. therefore, the flow of charge along an antenna also will be accompanied by a magnetic field. The intensity of this field is directly proportional to the flow of charge. When the antenna is uncharged, the current flow is maximum, since there is no opposing electric field. Because of this current flow, a charge accumulates on the antenna, and an electric field builds up in increasing opposition to the emf of the source. The current flow decreases and when the antenna is fully charged, the current no longer flows
The magnetic field in the space around a current-carrying device has a specific configuration, with the flux lines drawn to a definite rule. Whereas in an electric field, the electric lines are drawn from a positive to negative charge, in the magnetic field the flux lines are drawn according to the left hand rule. The direction of current flow is upwards along both halves of the antenna. The lines of magnetic flux form concentric rings that are perpendicular to the direction of current flow. If the thumb of the left hand is extended in the direction of current flow and the fingers clenched, then the rough circles formed by the fingers indicate the direction of the magnetic field. this is the left hand rule, or convention, which id used to determine the direction of the magnetic field.
Combined Electric and Magnetic Fields
When RF energy from a transmitter is supplied to an antenna, the effects of charge, voltage and current, and the electric and magnetic fields are taking place simultaneously. These affects (Fig.3) have definite time and space relationships to each other. If a half wave antenna is used, the relations between charge and current flow can be predicted, because of the capacitive nature of the antenna. The voltage will lag the current by 90 degrees, and the electric and magnetic fields will be 90 degrees out of phase. With no electric field present (no charge), the current flow is unimpeded and the magnetic field is maximum. As charge accumulates on the antenna, the electric field builds up in opposition to the current flow and the magnetic field decreases in intensity. When the electric field reaches its maximum strength, the magnetic field ha decayed to zero.
A reversal of polarity of the source, reverses the direction of current flow as well as the polarity of the magnetic field, and the electrical field aids the flow of current by discharging. The magnetic field builds up to a maximum , and the electric field disappears as the charge is dissipated. The following half cycle is a repetition of the first half cycle but in the reverse direction. This process continues as long as energy is supplied to the antenna. The fluctuating electric and magnetic fields combine to form the induction field, in which the electric and magnetic flux maximum intensities occur at 90 degrees apart in time, or in time quadrature. Physically, they occur at right angles to each other, or in space quadrature. To sum up, the electric and magnetic fields about the antenna are in space and time quadrature.
Fig.3 Electric and magnetic fields 90 degrees out of phase.
Part 2 will follow next week.


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My eyes are bloodshot, pain shoots down my legs and chances are I've gained at least five pounds in the last week -- these are the perils of attending conferences.
So how do you minimize the damage you'll take on during them?
Before you pack, you must plan. Beyond the obvious items like fresh underwear, you need to pack with survival in mind. Bring both aspirin and Ibuprofen. Since aspirin thins your blood, it will help with the brown bottle flu, and the Ibuprofen will keep the swelling down from all the walking. Bring some moleskin for your feet. Hey, you never know.
Avoid planning flights that get you into the conference late at night. This sets you off on the wrong foot from the get go. Also, as confident as you are before the conference that you will be in great shape by the end, make your flight home at the earliest 11 a.m. This way, you will be able to sleep until 8:55 a.m. that morning.
Day 1
Drink a ton of water. This is like carbo-loading for a race, only for your liver. Night one often plays out as such: welcome reception with drinks, which is followed by a quick drink, then dinner and drinks and then a stop by the hotel bar for "one more quick one." That said; pace yourself on night one because you have might three more to go.
Day 2
Yeah, you brought work out clothes with intention to hit the gym, and that didn't happen. Take 25-minutes and go for a walk outside. The fresh air will help you feel better and get the blood flowing. Start with the aspirin and Ibuprofen regiment this morning and every morning from here on out. If you are out late again, sneak a few club soda and lime drinks in a lowball glass. It will look like you are drinking gin and tonic and that keeps the "come on, have a drink" guy off your back.
Day 3
See day 2. Now this is your night to go crazy, but keep it within reason. People are watching and having too many drinks can cause you to do stupid things that you won't even remember tomorrow to regret. Unfortunately, those iPhones remember everything.
Day 4
Pat yourself on the back if you are still functioning. You made it. Just don't miss your flight and you will be able to come home with your head held high.
Jabez LeBret is the author of the Amazon No. 1 bestselling law office marketing book How to Turn Clicks Into Clients. As a partner at Get Noticed Get Found, a legal marketing agency, over the last nine years he has delivered over 800 keynote addresses in six countries. His main area of expertise is managing Gen Y in the workplace, advanced Facebook strategies, LinkedIn strategies, Google+, SEO, local directory optimization, and online marketing.

subset: commoncrawl


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The world is not simply in the midst of a deep economic slump. This is but one aspect of the crisis of legitimacy that confronts almost all of the political and economic institutions that comprise the capitalist world system today. The ongoing revolt in the Arab world against political corruption and socioeconomic exclusion is unquestionably the most dramatic manifestation of this phenomenon, but the crisis of legitimacy is not confined to that region alone. The grievances that have fueled street protests and revolutionary movements from Morocco to Iran are shared in greater or lesser degrees by people all around the globe – the indignados of Puerta del Sol, the aganaktismenoi of Syntagma Square, students and public sector strikers in the U.K., and the hundreds of thousands of protesters who, for a brief time, turned Madison into a Midwestern version of Tahrir Square.
In her invaluable 2003 book Forces of Labor, Beverly Silver identifies what she calls the "fundamental contradiction of historical capitalism," the tension between the system's drive to attain maximum profitability and its need to maintain legitimacy in the eyes of those it oppresses and exploits. She writes:
One type of crisis can be resolved only by measures that eventually bring about the other type of crisis. This alternation creates a tendency for a periodic oscillation between historical phases characterized by a move toward the de-commodification of labor and the establishment of new social compacts and phases characterized by the re-commodification of labor and the breaking of old social compacts.
This passage captures at a somewhat abstract level the transition from the postwar Keynesian settlement between labor and capital to the neoliberal regime that governs the global political economy today. By reorganizing itself politically and smashing the power of the organized working class and its allied political parties in the 1970s, the capitalist class was able to restore profitability and consolidate its political power. But in doing so, it also sowed the seeds of the contemporary economic crisis and the crisis of legitimacy that the slump has triggered. Capital's attack on the working class has recoiled upon itself. It lost sight of the fact that the system's stability depends on the existence of a working class with a modicum of power in the workplace, in politics, and in the labor market. In bringing the working class to its present state of abjection, the system has placed barriers in the way of its own growth. And when growth slows to a crawl, the system's claim to legitimacy is called into question.
Zbigniew Brzezinski, National Security Advisor under Jimmy Carter and one of the leading organic intellectuals of the U.S. national security state, recently gave an illuminating interview on MSNBC that shows that the ruling class, or at least a comparatively enlightened section of it, is aware that its position may become increasingly unsettled.
To date the working class and the poor have been rather quiet in the face of the economic crisis, but Brzezinski and his cohorts have every reason to fear that such a state of affairs will not last indefinitely. The global economy is stuck in a deep economic malaise that shows no signs of abating any time soon. The European Union's sovereign debt crisis threatens to tear the Eurozone apart, with dire implications for the global economy. Here in the U.S., the situation is dismal. The economy created only 18,000 jobs in June, a poor performance by any standard but an especially dreadful one at a time when over 14 million people are looking for work. State and local governments are cutting thousands of jobs and slashing core public services as tax revenues remain low and federal aid dwindles. Last year, $2 out of every $10 of personal income in the U.S. came from government payments, and much of that aid will dry up by the end of the year. Workers have been completely cut off from the fruits of the very shaky "recovery." Since June 2009, when the recession ended in a narrowly technical sense, 88% of national income growth has gone toward corporate profits, while only 1 percent has gone toward wages and salaries.
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The political class has shown itself to be unwilling and unable to do much of anything to confront this untenable situation. The hot topic of debate in Washington is not how to confront the jobs crisis or the fiscal crisis of state and local government but rather how far and how fast to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
The depth and severity of the economic crisis has pointed up the crisis of the liberal democratic state under neoliberalism. It doesn't matter that majorities in country after country oppose the drive to austerity. In the nominally liberal democratic polities, popular sovereignty has been definitely displaced by the sovereignty of bankers, bond markets, and ratings agencies. The center-left parties of Europe and North America, complicit as they have been in the neoliberal offensive of the last 40 years, have to date been utterly unable to offer an alternative to the drive to austerity and are themselves caught up in the crisis of legitimacy. One only needs to consider the fact that the savage Greek austerity program – opposed by 80% of the country's population – is directed by the sitting president of the Socialist International to understand how deep the rot goes.
Brzezinski recognizes some of the aspects of this emergent crisis, but he confuses symptoms with causes. Let's unpack one of his central claims:
When you have stagnation, when you have a rather severe case of unemployment, the sense of social injustice can be terribly demoralizing, and politically in the long run very dangerous. It can politicize social-economic issues, create radicalism, class conflict, extremism. And I think that's a real risk in our society, especially since so many of those who have made so much money recently produce very little wealth for others, they essentially pocket the money. They are engaging in financial manipulations but not enhancing productivity and increasing employment.
The main problem with this formulation (there are others) is that Brzezinski views unemployment, a lack of social mobility, and widespread social injustice as the cause of politicized social-economic conflict when the relationship runs the other way. Inequality and social injustice is on the rise precisely because most social-economic questions have been depoliticized and organized out of the political system by economic elites and the parties they own and control. Demands for universal health care, the right to organize unions, or any other reforms that would improve the lot of the working majority are simply not, as the pundits put it, on the table. Neoliberalism, at its heart, is class war from above waged under the guise of rational, technocratic management of an economy that must – as neoliberals claim – be shielded from the corrosive influences of democratic politics. But if inequality and social injustice is to be reversed, we need more politicization, more class conflict, not less, but the broken machinery of the liberal democratic state cannot accomodate such a development. This is why the discontented around the world have attempted to bypass the system through the direct manifestation of popular sovereignty in public spaces like Puerta del Sol or Syntagma Square. It's instructive to reflect on the fact that such interventions have succeeded in overthrowing dictators in the Arab world but have failed to stop austerity programs in the supposedly democratic West, even when massive in scope and supported by vast segments of the population.
The crisis of legitimacy will not necessarily prove to be a boon for the political fortunes of the Left. Center-right and far-right parties are on the march (especially in Europe), and significant portions of the population remain wedded to the neoliberal discourse surrounding taxes, spending, and the role of the state. It appears as if at the moment electoral interventions as well as mass protests will not succeed in turning the tide. With the established parties of the center-left everywhere in retreat, and with the union movement here in the U.S. seemingly breathing its last, an alternative is going to have to be built from the ground up. In this respect we should consider following the example of the Spanish indignados, who have fanned out from their protest encampments to organize against home foreclosures, and with increasing success. In themselves, these efforts will not be nearly enough to bring the austerity drive to a halt, much less end the rule of capital. But it's these kinds of intensive organizing projects that might allow the Left to reestablish an organic connection to the poor and the working class, stimulate the working out of a counterhegemonic common sense to neoliberalism, and to serve as a platform from which larger and more ambitious interventions might be launched.


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How about situations where a woman's health might be threatened by pregnancy?
Thanks to advances in medical science we are now capable of treating or safely managing conditions which once would have posed great risk to the lives of pregnant woman. Some medical professionals would even say that these threats are now so rare that abortion simply cannot be considered a necessary response to such scenarios.
Another problem with discussions about threats to the life of a pregnant mother is that people often lump several different issues into that one debate, and as a result things become confused. For example; people wrongly assume that if a mother was to develop cancer during her pregnancy pro-lifers would deny her chemotherapy if this posed a threat to the life of her unborn child. However this is simply not correct.
Pro-lifers make the important distinction between a genuine life-saving treatment (like chemotherapy) that targets an illness, and the act of abortion, which does not actually treat any illness, but instead deliberately targets an unborn human being and terminates her life.
Even if a genuine life-saving treatment like chemotherapy was to prematurely and unintentionally end the life of the unborn child, this is obviously still quite different to the act of abortion where the intention is to end the life of an innocent human being, and where ONLY the innocent human being is targeted and is directly and deliberately killed.
Another area of confusion is that of ectopic pregnancies. Some people wrongly assume that pro-lifers would expect a mother and her unborn child to die without treatment, but, once again, this is not correct. In this instance it is recognised that there is literally no other way out of that situation but to remove the embryo, and if this course of action is not undertaken both the mother and her child will die. Again the intention in this situation is NOT to end the life of an innocent human being, but to save the life of the ONLY human being who can be saved in that difficult situation (the mother).
At the end of the day, the simple fact remains however that the vast majority (approx. 98%) of abortions that take place in this country each year, are not carried out for life-saving purposes, but rather using the loophole of 'risk to mental health'.
As high court judge Justice Miller stated in his ruling on the Right to Life v Abortion Supervisory Committee case, there is serious reason to doubt the legitimacy of this practice.
Without easy access to medical abortion, won't some women want to seek the same result by other methods?
The "safe abortion vs unsafe abortion" dichotomy is ultimately founded on a false choice, relying on the assumption that unsafe or illegal abortions are the only alternative to so-called safe abortion practices. (And that's leaving aside the fact that medical abortions are hardly 100% safe for the woman, let alone the child).
There is also debate about the methodology and reliability of research claiming to show that legalised abortion is safer than childbirth. Methodologically sound research, like the 2012 study from Chile, has shown that legal restrictions on abortion have actually benefited women's health there by reducing the maternal mortality rate by 69.2%. (http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0036613)
As a society we are getting better – though we're not yet good enough – at providing options for women caught unexpectedly in the difficult situation of an unplanned or crisis pregnancy. Some will want to choose adoption but for others it might be that accessing financial, emotional and physical support to raise the child will seem a better option.
What about a situation where scans show that the baby will have a serious disability?
On the rare occasion of a pregnancy scan showing that an unborn child may be disabled, feelings of anxiety and uncertainty are only natural for the child's parents.
And as a society we must recognise that additional stress will inevitably fall on a family caring for a person with a disability. We must be committed to providing services and care that not only assists the family but also does not discriminate against persons with disability.
Some people argue that ending the life of a disabled unborn child is a compassionate choice. The problem with this "better off dead" philosophy is that deciding another person's life isn't worth living is not something that we have a right to choose for them. There is also the serious problem that abortions conducted on the basis of disability demonstrate and reinforce prejudice against the disabled.
Another major issue is where to draw the line. Exactly how serious does a child's disability have to be – before or after her birth – to justify her death? Compromising the right to life in this way starts a society very quickly down a path of incremental change where the rights of persons with disability or illness are continually eroded, and where more and more reasons are found to justify ending innocent human lives in order to secure some perceived good outcome.
What if a woman has no stable income and can't drop out of uni or work to raise a child – isn't pregnancy unfair for child and mother?
This is a pretty fair question and seems to encompass two different issues: first, that the arrival of a child in these circumstances could be unfair on the woman and second, that it could be unfair on the child herself. Common to both is the idea that we hear voiced all too often in this country: that a child is unwanted.
Does a child's right to life depend on her perceived value to others (adults, in other words)? If so, then the logical conclusion must be that some children enjoy a greater right to life than others, given the "unwanted child" argument. And if this is true, then what does it mean for the human rights of children who become unwanted after birth?
Human rights, by their very definition, must apply equally to all humans. It is deeply problematic to interpret a child's fundamental right to live as somehow being conditional on whether someone else wishes them to be around or not, or for it to be based on economics.
Surely a truly compassionate and just society is geared towards providing the necessary support to women in these difficult situations, rather than rushing them towards an abortion where they feel that they have no other choice available to them?
This is precisely why financial, emotional and physical support to raise the so-called "unwanted children" of society is made available by many New Zealand organisations working in the area of unplanned and crisis pregnancy.
Should a child be brought into the world if there is an abusive situation in her home?
It goes without saying that violence in the home is intolerable. And that's why our society must work harder to ensure that every child is raised in a safe, loving and stable environment. But arguing that a child should be aborted rather than enter a violent domestic situation makes no sense. What this proposes is that we should do grave harm to a child now in order to spare them from the possibility of grave harm further down the track.
And if protecting children from child abuse can be achieved by ending their lives, then can't this approach also apply equally to newborn babies or infants? In other words, couldn't infanticide also be justified by this kind of reasoning if a child's parents or caregivers were to become abusive after a child was born?
Surely New Zealand social policy is in real trouble if we are now suggesting that the death of a child is the answer to the serious problem of child abuse?
What about a situation where pregnancy results from sexual assault – isn't abortion the best solution?
Sexual assault of any kind is a terrible crime that no person should ever have to experience.Every survivor of rape deserves the fullest support of family, friends and community to find healing and to overcome this extremely difficult trauma.
Especially those women who have become pregnant as a result.
Positive options are available however, including adoption. This is a relatively straightforward process under New Zealand law, albeit one that will inevitably be highly emotional for those involved. Other women choose to bring up their child with support from family, friends, or other support agencies.
Whatever option is taken, the welfare and rights of the child should be a paramount consideration in any truly caring and just society. In the immensely difficult circumstances of an unplanned pregnancy resulting from rape, it's worth remembering that the child is an innocent victim along with her mother. Both mother and child deserve to have their profound dignity and worth respected and to receive our fullest support.


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The Nevada Senate today passed a bill extending support for energy efficiency measures to renters, seniors, people on fixed incomes and low-income families. The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman William McCurdy II of Las Vegas, passed the Senate without a single dissenting vote.
Earlier this month, the Nevada Assembly passed the energy efficiency bill, also unanimously. The bill now heads back to the Assembly for a final vote to bring the legislative language into agreement, then to Gov. Brian Sandoval for his signature to become law.
Advocates for Nevada's clean energy economy supported the legislation as a key step towards reducing energy use, saving consumers money and reducing pollution from fossil fuels. Additionally, investing in energy efficiency measures on all kinds of properties means putting Nevadans to work in construction. The bill would put at least 5 percent of energy-efficiency spending towards low-income energy consumers, and customers could cut their energy bills by as much as half.
"It's a great day for all of Nevada's energy consumers who will have more programs available to save energy and money after the bill is signed into law," said Tom Polikalas, Nevada representative for the South West Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP). "We greatly appreciate this bipartisan, unanimous support for energy savings, job creation, and economic development. We appreciate the hard work of the many legislators who worked tirelessly on this bill and the many supportive stakeholders of the bill ranging from NV Energy to the Nevada Conservation League. This bill brightens Nevada's economy, environment, and future."
"Today the Nevada Senate took an important step forward in establishing energy equity for low-income families and communities of color," said Rudy Zamora, director of Chispa Nevada, a program of the League of Conservation Voters. "This law, made possible with bipartisan support, will cut energy bills, allowing our working families to have more flexibility to spend on health care, education, and other needs, while growing green jobs and promoting energy efficiency across the state."
"Energy efficiency measures help cut energy costs, and that means more money for families," said Lena Paola, local realtor and member of the Las Vegas Urban League Young Professionals. "Assemblyman McCurdy's legislation extends the access to energy efficiency to renters, low-income families, seniors and others, and in this way extends the clean energy economy to everyone in our state. Thanks to the Senate today for passing AB 223 unanimously."


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Patricia Walsh
Spring Lake School Boys: Where's Our Larry? by Patricia Walsh
Who knew that the much-loved, and a little bit scary, janitor of Spring Lake School is the school's most valuable person? Larry the janitor, who calls students Turkey Heads, creates milk-spilling, lunchroom chaos, and encourages nonsense and silliness in the hallways, suddenly goes missing without explanation. Solving the mystery falls to three best-friend-fifth-graders—Lenny, Noah, and Angelo. But finding Larry is only part of their story. These clever boys also need to find a way to get both Larry and fun back to Spring Lake School. Their plan is so audacious that it is in danger of being stopped cold by Principal Nickels (nickname: "Old Buffalo), a rule-enforcing, fun-squashing principal who started this trouble in the first place.
I have written several non-fiction books for early and middle-grade readers, including co-authored titles in the series Life Cycle of a…, (Heinemann), which were named among Science Books & Films Best Science Books for Children 2002. School Library Journal called my Draw-It series (Heinemann) a valuable addition to the how-to-draw books by renown authors Leon J. Ames and Ed Emberley. As a former third-grader teacher with a Masters in Teaching and more than 20 years as a writer and editor in educational publishing, I incorporate sound reading skills in my stories. My goal: To write entertaining books, which exemplify good values and incorporate the reading skills we teach.
The Book Doctors: This is a really fun, old-fashioned story that still has a place in the world. The school janitor is an iconic figure that's been around for a long time, and will continue to be around as long as kids puke on floors. We love the three plucky kids solving the crime, Hardy Boys-style. And of course they uncover a much bigger story that involves the mean principal. The fact that you are going to incorporate reading skills into the story, with your expertise as a former teacher with a Masters in Teaching, is gravy on the cake, and icing on the meat. However, some of this does sound a little too familiar. The fun-squashing principal has been a staple of this kind of story for decades. Ferris Bueller's Day Off is already 30 years old, and they went to great lengths to torment and torture that anal-retentive character. We need to see what you're going to do with this time-honored tradition that we haven't seen before. And don't tell us the boys are clever, let us come to that conclusion by showing them doing something clever. We want to see more of the nonsense and silliness this kooky janitor brings to the party. Milk-spilling lunchroom chaos doesn't really sound very original, inventive or new. What kind of fun are our heroes trying to bring back? Again, as in all these pitches, as in all writing, your story starts to come alive when you give us some of the particulars. We need to know more about the crazy machinations of the hijinks these boys get into, and how the stakes are continuously escalating. And could someone please tell us, where have all the comparison titles gone? A gripping yarn for kids of all ages about an unsung American hero: the janitor. And three plucky heroes who were going to get to the bottom of his disappearance. Needs more differentiation from the canon of stories about kids in schools, and kids solving mysteries.
Vote for your favorite pitch. The pitch that receives the most votes will be awarded the "Fan Favorite," and the author will receive a free one-hour consult with us (worth $250).


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Joanne Hanley and Ed Clark will discuss the Gettysburg Foundation and the Gettysburg Battlefield. Joanne Hanley has been President of the Gettysburg Foundation for two years. She retired from the National Park Service in 2011 after a 32-year career, where most recently she served as General Superintendent of the National Parks of Western Pennsylvania, which included the development of the Flight 93 National Memorial, as well as managing Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, and Johnstown Flood National Memorial.
Her other National Park Service assignments included Women's Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, New York, Glen Echo and Clara Barton National Historic Site, George Washington Memorial Parkway, and Mount Rainer National Park. She worked on management plans in several of the Alaska national parks when they were first added to the National Park system in the 1980's, and also worked in Washington DC in the National Park Service Office of International Affairs on training and technical assistance in southeast Asia and Africa.
Now, Mrs. Hanley manages the $103 million Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center, the only privately owned and operated visitor center in the entire National Park Service, which has now welcomed more than 6 million visitors. The Foundation has a membership of nearly 20,000 around the country and world, and is dedicated to preservation and education efforts at Gettysburg National Military Park. She holds a bachelor's degree in environmental science from Long Island University, New York, and a master's degree in environmental science from Washington State University.
Ed W. Clark is the superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site. He has served most recently as superintendent of Manassas National Battlefield Park. He replaces Superintendent Bob Kirby. Prior to Manassas, Clark was deputy chief ranger at Shenandoah National Park and supervisory park ranger at the Blue Ridge Parkway. He is currently enrolled in the Senior Executive Service's Candidate Development Program, identifying him as one of the service's most promising senior leaders. Clark is a native of Roanoke, Va., and holds degrees from Radford University and Ferrum College. He said he has ancestors who fought at Gettysburg, making the battlefield a very special place for him personally and professionally.


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Teaching your children about the importance of saving and how to manage money is imperative, and it's helpful to start early. Most banks won't let children open savings accounts without the consent of an adult, who is ultimately responsible for the minor's account. If you're the one responsible, you have full access to the money in your child's account.
Any parent listed as the custodian on a child's bank account can withdrawal and use the money as they wish; however, the money should be used in a way that benefits the child.
Custodial Account
Most banks won't set up accounts solely for minors. Instead, they create a custodial account that names one adult, usually a parent, as the custodian. This person has full access to the account, even though the account is in the child's name. This includes online access and the ability to write checks or withdraw funds for any reason. If you're the custodian of your child's account, you can use the money saved there.
Other Parent
Being a parent doesn't provide automatic access to your child's savings account. For example, if the child's grandmother created the account and is listed as the custodian, neither you nor your child's other parent have any rights to access the account. If you are the custodian, no one else, including another parent, can use the money in the account.
Transferring the Account
Once your child reaches 18, he is able to take over full control of his savings account. This means a quick trip to the bank where you sign over your rights as custodian. Your child's name is already listed as the account holder, so no other changes are needed to give him sole access. At this point, you'll no longer be able to use the money in the account as the custodian.
Educational Savings Accounts
Many parents choose to open their children's educational savings accounts in the names of the children rather than in their own names. Tax advisers often recommend this so you don't have to claim the interest, but check with your tax professional to determine what is right for your family. These educational savings accounts are usually different than standard savings accounts because you often incur penalties for early withdrawal of the money. However, if you sign up as the adult responsible for the account, you can use the money, minus any penalties. Some of these accounts allow you to let more than one adult access the account, meaning both parents can use the money.
Photo Credits
- Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images


text: God established a definite rhythm to life in this age at creation: a seven-day week with a day of rest for worship. During the Reformation, the daily Offices (i. e., Matins, Vespers, and Compline) prepared Christians for reception of the Lord's Supper on the Lord's Day. The evening family devotions found below have the same intention of preparing us for worship and reception of Christ's body and blood on Sunday. Included is a guide for leading these devotions and a 60-day schedule for praying the Psalter.


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Guess We Forgot to Delete the "Out" From "Without" in Your Termination Letter
Former Motorola CFO Paul Liska thought he'd been let go because the company was postponing the spinoff of its cellphone unit. Imagine his surprise when he read in Crain's Chicago Business that he'd actually been fired for cause.
In a recent SEC filing, Motorola (MOT) said Liska was "involuntarily terminated for cause" and therefore must repay his $400,000 signing bonus and forfeit the stock options he received when he signed on with the company.
An odd disclosure, given the way in which Motorola's leadership handled Liska's departure. Asked about the circumstances surrounding his exit on a Feb. 9 earnings call, Motorola co-CEO Greg Brown had this to say:
"[Paul] did a lot of good work here and helped us get a lot of the heavy lifting done around this separation and preparation for separation which–as we talked about–remains the commitment to our strategy going forward and he was also very helpful in getting after along with the businesses and the other leaders in the organization, cost reduction initiatives. That said, I think the business environment's changed, and given the environmental changes, we thought the change was appropriate at this time as well in that position."
If that was the case, why was he fired for cause, which Motorola defines as–among other things–"willful and continued failure to substantially perform duties" and "gross misconduct"?
We may soon find out. Liska has reportedly filed suit against Motorola for wrongful termination.
[Image credit: Someecards]


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Grand Central Terminal Ceiling Mug
Availability: In stock
Grand Central Terminal Ceiling 11oz Coffee Mug. Great for collectors, office gift or everyday in your home.
11 oz; 3 wide x 3 3/4 tall; hand wash recommended.
|What's the Story
|Grand Central's beautiful Main Concourse sky ceiling, designed by French artist Paul Helleu, features 12 constellations painted in gold leaf plus 2,500 stars—59 of them illuminated by LEDs.
Write Your Own Review


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To obtain a relatively realistic standard of living in a nation, the GDP is measured by Purchasing Power Parity per capital; and this shows you the worth and household consumption rate of the average resident. The GDP data per capita, is nothing short of the country's economy as it reflects in the living condition of the people. GDP in itself is the worth of a nation's economy – periodic evaluation and worth of the domestic goods and services of a nation. GDP is the flexible measure of the national economic activity within a period of time.
The richest countries in the world are those countries with a sound and healthy economy. The wealth of nations, measured by The Gross Domestic Products(GDP) might give huge results, but with respect to the living conditions of the people, one might be stunned at the disparity between the two. In that case, the richest of all countries is calculated either by nominal GDP or by Purchasing Power Parity(PPP). Nominal GDP is the measure of the economic worth of a nation disregarding effects of inflation while the GDP by PPP puts into consideration the possibility of inflation.
It is somewhat expected that the citizens of a nation would benefit from the progress of the nation's economy, but that is not often the case. Some countries by mere GDP rationale are tremendously affluent that it beats imagination why it has not in a convincing way reflected in the lives of the people. There still appears to be a sort of imbalance in wealth distribution, for instance, China with a mind spinning GDP of $18.976 trillion is the world's leading economy but by per capita GDP(in terms of population), ranks the 87th in the world's richest list. While the richest country in the world by nominal GDP per capita is Luxembourg, Qatar is the richest Purchasing Power Parity, per capita.
According to IMF, these are the top richest countries by GDP (PPP) per capita:
See Also: Top 10 Countries Where Women Are In Short Supply
Top 10 Richest Countries In The World
10. HongKong
Total GDP: $320.9 Billion
GDP Per Capita: $61,020
Hong Kong is one of the business-friendly destinations in the international community, and as such, has encouraged a serious capitalist economy. Hong Kong is the 10th richest nation in the world by GDP (ppp) per capita, and it is also known for its low tax rates. This is most probably the direct reason why the country has a high life expectancy (84 years); in other words, the wealth distribution is a near perfect one and the economic success of the country is evident in the lives of the people. From the 1980's till now, Hong Kong's economy has been depicting signs of speedy and positive growth against all odds.
9. Switzerland
Total GDP: $659.8 Billion
GDP Per Capita: $61,360
Switzerland is one of the most stable economies in the world, having a terrific low unemployment rate (3.2% as at 2013). With a vibrant labor force, the nation benefits from their manufacturing and investment-oriented economy in a healthy combination with exports and the service sector. As a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), there is a very liberal trading attitude in Switzerland, thereby empowering the private sector to a large extent. The nation's industrial treasures are centred in Zurich, harboring about 150,000 companies. Switzerland has one of the lowest rates of home ownership in Europe, commendable living condition and has one of the highest life expectancies in the world with an overall 83 years.
See Also: 5 Billionaires Who Were Also Elected Presidents Of Their Countries
8. United Arab Emirates(UAE)
Total GDP: $348.7 Billion
GDP Per Capita: $68,250
A league of 7 Arabic States with Dubai as the most populous city. UAE's economy before now was solely on oil and gas exports but currently non-oil sectors like tourism and services sector have improved, generating 71% of the country's GDP. In Tourism particularly, Dubai raises over 60% while Abu Dhabi, originally known for her oil & gas exports, holds 16%. Though the UAE does not permit the existence of trade unions, it is definitely considered a free trading zone, ranking 25th in the Index of Economic Freedom and 26th in the Ease-of-Doing Business Rank. With a 2013 population of 9.2 million(a 9:1 ratio of expatriates to natives), UAE has enough to go round with a 76 years overall life expectancy.
7. Kuwait
Total GDP: $114 Billion
GDP Per Capita: $69,670
Meet the 7th richest economy in the world by GDP per capita with a 2014 population of 4.1 million people and 78 years life expectancy. Kuwait has the currency unit with the most value in the world, and holds about 10% of the global oil reserve, thus, it is a petroleum-based economy. Of all the Arab countries, Kuwait is the first to initiate the diversification of the economy in the Middle East and recorded as the most successful Arab nation in investments. Kuwait is not only an oil-friendly nation but also firmly involved in tourism, agriculture, shipping and banking services. As a relatively reasonable area to trade, Kuwait encourages business/entrepreneurial start-ups and for most, social media-based businesses.
See Also: Top 10 Coolest African Spots For Vacation
6. Norway
Total GDP: $370.6 Billion
GDP Per Capita: $70,590
Norway is yet another country that is doing well by GDP per capita, ranking the 6th in the world, has an incredibly large capital reserve and a highly rated monetary value. Norway assures a standard living condition for her inhabitants with an 82 years overall life expectancy. The major economic activity in this country has always been oil production and exports but in all, they have a vibrant mixed economy, owing to their numerous natural endowments. Norway seems to be the only country that places a percentage of her population on a disability pension.
5. Ireland
Total GDP: $294.1
GDP Per Capita: $72,630
The Island country is #5 on the list world's richest countries. With a population of 6.6 million people, Ireland has one of the highest growth rates in Europe. According to IMF reports, spending, investment and construction drove GDP growth in Ireland in 2016.
See Also: These Three African Empires Shocked The World
4. Brunei
Total GDP: $26,938.50 Billion
GDP Per Capita: $76,740
Brunei Darussalam made it on the list of richest countries due to several factors; the country has a 77-78 years life expectancy, 3.7% unemployment rate a population of 415,717 people, and according to the World Factbook, a $79,900 by GPP (PPP) per capita. A small wealthy and diversified economy with keen interests in Oil & Gas(90% of its GDP), imports & exports, agriculture and fisheries; they patronize both local and foreign investments. After Singapore, Brunei is rated the next most developed nation in Southeast Asia.
3. Singapore
Total GDP: $297 billion Billion
GDP Per Capita: $90,530
Singapore is the go-to- place for a vibrant, successful and towering economy. Just like China, it has promoted her market economy to a world-class level. The second freest economy after HongKong is the 4th most influential city in the world and a pacesetter in tech-advancement, industrialization and foreign investments. As a wealthy nation, Singapore is known for her feasible social policies, skilled workforce, low tax rates and advanced infrastructure, corruption-free and stable political environment; all these earned her the World Bank's no 1 for doing business. Singapore enjoys the perks of a vibrant economy such that of a 5.5 million population, 90% own their homes, and is known as one of the top tourist destinations with an estimated record of over 15 million tourists in 2014.
See Also: Tourist Attractions And Other Places Of Interest In Abuja, Nigeria
2. Luxembourg
Total GDP: $59.95 Billion
GDP Per Capita: $109,190
With a population of 562,958 people, Luxembourg has an 82 years average life expectancy and a legendary low unemployment rate of 6% as of 2012. Known as a tax haven, banking is the largest sector of the economy, then comes steel production, telecommunication, tourism and agriculture. Luxembourg is prominent for being an internet start-up attraction and an investment hub.
Despite the highly rated market economy of the nation, as at 2014, Luxembourg had the highest external debt per capita in the world with about $3,696,467.
1. Qatar
Total GDP: $152.5 Billion
GDP Per Capita: $124,930
Among all the richest countries, Qatar has been the world's richest nation by GDP(PPP) per capita for over 3 years in a row, according to Business Insider. Before the oil boom in 1940, their economy was predominantly supported by fishing and pearl hunting. Currently, the economy is boosted by oil & gas – 3rd largest reserve in the world, industries, financial sector and tourism; ranking 32nd in the Index of Economic Freedom. The nation's rank in the standard of living both in the Middle East and the world at large is beyond doubt. Qatar has a population of 2,155,446 people, of which a greater chunk are expatriates, 14% are dollar millionaires(Wikipedia), 79 years life expectancy rate and a 0.4% unemployment rate (2014). Qatar is one of the leading Arab nations and the first ever in the category to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.


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We never intended to be working towards taking back our library. For over six months, since January 7, when KCLS announced their shocking plans for renovating our library over the determined and outspoken objections of over 40 library patrons who attended the informational meeting, we've been working, along with many other dedicated citizens, to convince KCLS Board and KCLS Management to only do needed updates.
But on May 28, everything changed. Deputy Mayor Dan Grausz delivered an impassioned plea to the KCLS Board asking for more Mercer Island input into their plans for our Library. Councilmember Debbie Bertlin followed his presentation with a beautifully crafted statement reiterating his request, and Councilmember Benson Wong, followed by statements from Mercer Island citizens, also addressed the Board requesting consideration be given to citizens' concerns. But the Board and Management denied all of these requests and are moving ahead with plans that do not take into account Mercer Islanders preferences for our library.
Fortunately, however, the interlocal agreement between the City of Mercer Island and KCLS, which ceded our library to KCLS in 1994, provided an escape route by which we could de-annex our library from the KCLS system and, once again, gain control of the library we had built with Mercer Island design and Mercer Island funds on Mercer Island land.
We have taken the first step in this process and have gathered, in two days, over 150 signatures of Mercer Island registered voters on a petition which requires our City Council to place a measure on the November ballot that Mercer Island will establish its own library, a first step for separating from KCLS.
These signatures were delivered to City Hall on Tuesday, July 15. Separating from KCLS, although seeming extreme at first glance, with further deliberation is a win-win solution for Mercer Islanders.
1) We would gain control of our library building, retaining the drive-up book drop, the small meeting room in its current location, the enclosed children's area, the vestibule at its current size, the warm and welcoming atmosphere, and many other features we value. At the same time we would update the electrical and computer systems that require updating and upgrade the building as necessary, adding two small study rooms and an ADA accessible staff break room.
2) We would prevent closure of our library for up to a year, as proposed by KCLS, since unnecessary major renovations would be avoided.
3) We would have the same access to the nationwide collection of books that we now have through interlibrary loans and other contractual arrangements, so that books not held in our collection would be as available as they are now, or more available than they are now, because interlibrary loans would not need to go through a central system but could go directly from our own library. Also, instead of competing system-wide for popular new fiction and non-fiction, our own librarian can simply purchase multiple copies for us.
4) We would gain control of our own library staff. We would have our own reference, teen, and children's librarians, who would know our patrons, our reading interests, and our library needs. These librarians would not circulate to other libraries but would, instead, be dedicated to serving our community.
5) We would gain control of our own collection, so that it would meet the needs and wishes of our community. Periodicals, bound books, videos, reference materials, and e-books collections would be bought and curated by our librarians in response to the needs and interests of readers, writers, researchers, students, teachers, parents, senior citizens, and others who live and work on Mercer Island. Our own history would be preserved through issues of the Mercer Island Reporter from the inaugural issue up to the present week, retained and easily accessible to citizens in our library.
6) We would gain control of our open hours so more library service could be provided on weekends, particularly on Sundays for students.
7) Our City Council would contract with another library system, or a professional library management organization, to run our library, hire our librarians, select and purchase our collections, and update and maintain our building, so that our city would not be in the business of running a library itself. This is the approach that then-Mayor Bryan Cairns had recommended in 1993 when the decision to join KCLS was on the ballot.
8) We would save money—a lot of money. This year Mercer Islanders were taxed $4.4 million for KCLS library services (and KCLS spent less than half of this on Mercer Island Library services). Quotes from professional library organizations that were approached for an estimate of the cost of running our library gave us estimates of $1 million to $2 million per year, a savings to Mercer Island taxpayers of $3 million to $4 million per year.
The process is as follows:
1) Mercer Islanders vote in November to establish our own library.
2) Then Mercer Islanders vote to de-annex from KCLS, following the process for de-annexation laid out in the interlocal agreement between Mercer Island and KCLS.
3) Mercer Islanders buy back our library building (the land is still owned by MI) from KCLS at a cost to be determined by appraisers, as stipulated in the interlocal agreement. (While land appreciates over time, buildings depreciate over time.)
4) Our City Council contracts with another library system, or with a professional library management organization, to manage our library—to hire our own library staff, build our own collections, and run our own library.
As we work towards de-annexation, our City Council has continued to work to influence KCLS with regard to our proposed library renovation and proposed closure. As of the most recent City Council meeting on Monday, July 7, the City Library Committee has been reconstituted as the Library Board and will still seek to influence KCLS with regard to renovation plans and closure. But unless KCLS changes drastically with the incoming new director and radically reverses their current plans for MI Library renovations and upcoming prolonged closure, owning our library will still be our best option for excellence of library services and access to a wide range of library materials, and for lowered cost to Mercer Island taxpayers.
More information is available from any of us and at www.libraryremodel.org. Please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com to join with us or to ask us questions. We look forward to your feedback and to your votes.
Alan Lippert
Bart Dawson
Bob Still
Brenda Paull
Cameron Ackley
Carv Zwingle
Carol Fielding
Dan Paull
Dick Winslow
Erik Swenson
Fran Call
Gary Robinson
Helene Steinhardt
Ira Appelman
Jerry Gropp
Joe Fielding
Judy Ginn
Julia Fiset
Kim Kendall
Marcia Dawson
Meg Lippert
Myra Lupton
Patty Gropp
Rand Ginn
Sally Still
Sara Sue Zwingle
Sarah Petrie
Sharon Smith
In consideration of how we voice our opinions in the modern world, we've closed comments on our websites. We value the opinions of our readers and we encourage you to keep the conversation going.
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Iran won't rule out war after U.S. sends aid to saudis (Details).
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif refused to rule out military conflict in the Middle East after the U.S. sent more troops and weapons to Saudi Arabia in response to an attack on oil fields the U.S. has blamed on the Islamic Republic.
"I'm not confident that we can avoid a war," Zarif said in an interview with CBS to be broadcast Sunday on its "Face the Nation" program. "I'm confident that we will not start one, but I'm confident that whoever starts one will not be the one who finishes it."
When asked to elaborate, Zarif said: "That means that there won't be a limited war."
Zarif was interviewed in New York, where he will attend the United Nations General Assembly session. The U.S. said Friday it will send a "moderate" number of troops to the Middle East and missile defense capabilities to the Saudis in response to last weekend's attack on oil facilities.
Iran's response has been a mix of defiance and an attempt to ease the tension. President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday the Islamic Republic would lay out a peace initiative for the region at the United Nations General Assembly that would involve a coalition of regional and foreign countries.
His overture will likely be met with skepticism in Saudi Arabia and the U.S., where many believe that foreign policy is driven by the hardline Revolutionary Guard Corps. instead of the president and his top diplomat.
U.S. and Saudi analyses of the attack have described the strike as complex, involving a mix of low-flying drones and cruise missiles coming from the north. The attack exposed vulnerabilities in Saudi Arabia's defense capabilities, despite the Kingdom having spent hundreds of billions of dollars on weaponry in recent years.
American officials blame Iran for the attack that knocked out half the production of oil from a key Saudi field. Houthi rebels fighting a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen took credit for the attack.
"I'm confident that Iran did not play a role," Zarif said. Anybody who "conducts an impartial investigation will reach that conclusion," he said.


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AppOptics and Loggly – Better Together
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The first thing any good log management solution does is centralize all of your logs so you have easy access to analyze them. However, most log management platforms simply throw tools your way and don't do much to remove the onerous work that is log analysis. It's no wonder why most users can only extract basic insight from their logs, since they don't have the time or motivation to learn advanced formulas or complex query languages.
At Loggly, we don't believe in putting the burden on the users to know the contents of their logs or learn a special query language before extracting insight. This is why we aim to do as much of the work for you automatically. Loggly Dynamic Field Explorer™ is one of the first innovations in this space that changes the way you consume and analyze your logs.
In my last post, I discussed the ways that Field Explorer helps you by:
Today, I'll be sharing the output of conversations I have had with Loggly power users over the last few weeks. I'll describe a few examples of how they leverage Field Explorer to streamline their everyday workflows, and by doing so take a lot of the grunt work out of log analysis.
Tomorrow, I'll be digging into these use cases with a live demo on a webinar that also includes Monex, a great Loggly customer. So be sure to register if you haven't done so already!
When you are troubleshooting an issue reported by a customer or a monitoring service, the first thing you most often need to assess is if it's a bug in the code or an operations issue (a server out of memory, bad network connectivity, etc).
The most common recommendation from Field Explorer power users is to first use its automated summary and metrics. By looking at how errors are spread across your infrastructure, you can get an immediate indication of how widespread or isolated a problem is (and hence if it's a specific instance in production that needs help or a code issue affecting all instances).
Many times, the distribution of errors split by the host shows only a handful (of errors that definitely should not be happening). Other times, you might have errors that normally happen at low volume in a healthy environment and one "unhealthy" instance that exhibits errors beyond this normal threshold. Field Explorer can help expose those in an instant by breaking down error counts by the host metadata we automatically collect or by any other context you include in your logs (container name, thread, etc.).
You can also take advantage of the one-click access to graphs to get a more visual feel for how your errors are distributed. In the example below, I pressed the "Time Series" button in Field Explorer.
While it's a best practice to set up as many dashboards and alerts as possible, many users are hesitant to use them too much due to setup effort or for fear of creating noise. They may use dashboards and alerts only for a particular query with some 'guaranteed" value—that is, they know they'll need it in the future. Of course, this means a lot more sanity checks will happen with ad hoc queries, especially those deemed best for a human to manually confirm a behavior or pattern since some dynamic tweak or contextual comparison (e.g., a global versus per-component view) is needed.
The problem is that these types of ad hoc sanity checks rarely yield any insightful information since their goal is simply to confirm something you already expected. Over time, the friction to create, save, and execute these searches—in light of their minimal payoff—causes people to run fewer of them or to run them at lower and lower frequencies. This is especially true in a time crunch or when you are in firefighting mode.
Field Explorer eliminates the need to create all of these special queries and calculations. It automatically does the work for you and puts the information at your fingertips every time you log in. It's easy to do as many sanity checks as you want: Simply cycle through the fields you are interested in and check out summaries of the values in your logs and the frequency with which they are seen. You can quickly go from verifying that requests are properly being load-balanced, to checking if any new types of errors are showing up, to seeing whether your users are using any new browser versions, and so on.
One Loggly e-commerce customer team mentioned how Field Explorer saved the day in regards to 404s—the often ignored error message. Almost all of their 404s were the result of user typos, so there wasn't much payoff in understanding their root cause or even regularly checking in on them. But now that they automatically see a summary of all the 404 URLs, the insight is effortlessly pushed to them. Most recently, they discovered that a bunch of their ads on third-party sites were throwing 404s—wasting good advertising dollars and creating a really bad impression for their brand. By eliminating the need to create and execute a bunch of queries, Field Explorer took the work out of finding this important issue and has made sanity checks a regular part of the site team's workflow.
When users reach out for assistance, they're not all able to give an accurate account of what led up to a particular problem or the exact details of their environment. Field Explorer makes it very easy to see what they did over a specific time period (say the last hour or even the last day) and expose any other context you have without writing a bunch of queries. This capability is especially important for companies seeking to empower first-line customer support agents to do some initial investigation and data collection or confirmation before escalating cases to the development team.
All you need to do is search for whatever customer identifier you have in your system, and Field Explorer will automatically present you with the list of fields and the context available in your logs for that customer ID. Then, it's just a matter of cycling through the fields of interest and examining the insights automatically extracted from your logs. You don't need to chase down a bunch of separate events that all have a bit of information.
In the example above, I can quickly tell that this customer is mostly using the latest version of Chrome and most recently working within the events tab (along with a lot of other context if I continue cycling through the available fields). If the customer mentioned a specific error message he or she was seeing, I would be able to search for that as well and get context for what action may have caused that with Field Explorer.
The more you use Loggly Dynamic Field Explorer, the more you will discover how powerful it is to include as much context as possible in all of your logs. Logging too much information and creating noise is less of a concern when the burden is not on you to construct the perfect queries that will generate insights. With Loggly doing much of the hard work to expose your fields and the top values for each one, it's much easier to focus on your end goal of getting answers from your logs.
Wednesday, February 4, 2:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time
Jonathan Keith, development manager for Monex Insight, a brokerage application serving more than 1.5 million consumers, will talk about how his team uses Loggly Dynamic Field Explorer for troubleshooting and debugging.
Hector Angulo


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That's right, Miss Jolie is denying tying the knot with Brad Pitt. She was spotted with just a plain gold band instead of her engagement diamond ring. When asked by a source if it was her wedding band, she replied " No, it was not."
Pitt had told a source back in November 2012, that he and Angelina were planning on having a wedding very soon, and he was feeling the pressure from his kids the most.
We have to ask….what's the hold up guys?


text: A menagerie is a collection or group of animals, in today's case, we're going to be looking at magical ones. This isn't just a list of herds or groups, but rather areas which feature a collection of the most magical creatures. In this week's Top 10, we're going to get all magical and in some cases, a little bit science-fictiony. But don't worry, we'll stick to our guns and only pick gatherings of creatures that have some strangely magical properties. Continue reading "Top 10 – Magical Menageries"


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When I go somewhere new, I always want to go back but I did not quite get that vibe in Kampala Uganda. Kampala is the capital … Read the rest
It is no news that Rwanda has a dark history and when I got to Rwanda, the Kigali Genocide Memorial located at the Gizozi … Read the rest
Hey Guys!
Its been about 3months since my last post. I missed you all and yeah I missed blogging too. My site was down cos I had… Read the rest
Like I said in my last post I was in for more Adventure and I decided to hike further to see the settlement of the Idanre People… Read the rest
From the airspace of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja you cannot but notice how organized well planned Nigeria's capital… Read the rest
Hey Guys! I traveled through South West Nigeria and that's why just before my last post I have been off for a while. I had … Read the rest
Touch down Capetown and you just cannot miss Table Mountain, the backdrop, Africa's New Natural World Wonder. The sight… Read the rest
Being an inquisitive person, when I heard from a couple of locals that there was an island dominated by SEALS, I decided to… Read the rest
I was never one to believe in Color Psychology or most things relating to psychology as I am not too much of an abstract person,… Read the rest
I have always loved animals and for some weird reason, wild animals have sprung up certain interest in me although I am not… Read the rest


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In this sparkling debut novel, Mary Ann Marlowe introduces a hapless scientist who's swept off her feet by a rock star—but is it love or just a chemical reaction?…
Biochemist Eden Sinclair has no idea that the scent she spritzed on herself before leaving the lab is designed to enhance pheromones. Or that the cute, grungy-looking guy she meets at a gig that evening is Adam Copeland. As in the Adam Copeland international rock god and object of lust for a million women. Make that a million and one. By the time she learns the truth, she s already spent the (amazing, incredible) night in his bed
Suddenly Eden, who's more accustomed to being set up on disastrous dates by her mom, is going out with a gorgeous celebrity who loves how down-to-earth and honest she is. But for once, Eden isn't being honest. She can't bear to reveal that this overpowering attraction could be nothing more than seduction by science. And the only way to know how Adam truly feels is to ditch the perfume—and risk being ditched in turn
Smart, witty, and sexy, Some Kind of Magic is an irresistibly engaging look at modern relationships why we fall, how we connect, and the courage it takes to trust in something as mysterious and unpredictable as love.
Source: Goodreads
I am so fed up of books that feature a Plain Jane MC who hates anyone with boobs and even though she's really plain manages to catch the attention of Mr. Handsome and falls instantly in love with him.
This is that sort of book.
To be honest, I picked this book up mostly because it reminded me of that old 90's movie, Love Potion Number 9. If you haven't seen that movie it's pretty is like Amy Farrah Flower played in this case by Sandy B and Sheldon Cooper played by Tate Donovan uses some formula that makes her attractive to everyone. Though, they do it in the name of science and aren't as socially awkward as Shamy.
Here though, the whole Love Potion Number 9 angle is hardly played with. Well, it might be later on considering I only read about thirty pages of the book before calling it a day.
I have noticed this year, that my tolerance for bad books or at least books I don't like-since reading is subjective- has decreased drastically. Used to a book like this and its tropes usage would've only gotten a couple of groans from me and I might've been able to tolerate it to the end but I just can't anymore.
I really don't know what it was that ticked me off so much about this one if it was the use of tropes of the lack originality that made me roll my eyes.
Or the fact that a grown woman would describes herself as being ridiculously responsible would randomly fall into a one night stand with a rock star without knowing him.
I just couldn't…
It's the same feeling I felt when I read that said grown woman constantly trashes any woman who looks better than her and bemoans about her own looks because she's not blonde.
And she's supposed to be a grown professional woman.
You know, maybe a few years ago I would've been okay with this but I can't now. I just can't. I thought we were beyond books like this.
And okay, I know that Fifty Shades of Puke managed to get published but that was years ago. AND more importantly that was an outlier. This sort of shit really has lost any sort of originality it has and I just don't understand how it could make it past the slush pile.
But whatever.
It didn't make it past my slush pile and I certainly don't recommend it.
Overall Rating: DNF
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BRITISH COLUMBIA – Seabridge Gold of Toronto has updated the inferred resource for the Deep Kerr deposit, saying that it is now believed to contain 1.01 billion tonnes grading 0.53% Cu and 0.35 g/t Au. That amounts to 11.3 million oz of gold and 11.8 billion lb of copper.
In terms of contained metals, the new numbers represent a 3.2 million oz increase in gold and a 2.1 billion lb increase in copper over last year's estimate.
Seabridge chairman and CEO Rudi Fronk noted that in the three years since the Deep Kerr was discovered it has become one of the world's largest gold-copper deposits. Moreover, the shape of the deposit has been constrained to support the low cost block caving method of mining.
The Deep Kerr deposit is part of Seabridge's KSM project 65 km northwest of Stewart. A comprehensive overview of the project is posted at www.SeabridgeGold.net.


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I love to adorn my home with fresh flowers, especially at this time of year when the flowers and plants that grace gardens are beginning to tuck themselves away for the winter.
Flowers are the perfect 'pick me up' for any sideboard or table, and is an easy way of injecting colour into a room. I like to place my blooms in irregular vases, upon books and shelves.
Happy Monday!{Images: 1, 2, 3}


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A contrast is set up between the loyalty of Mary anointing Jesus and the one who would betray Jesus. Judas may have had many motives including greed and his disappointment that Jesus did not turn out to be the Messiah he wanted. But the betrayer was right in the midst of Jesus leadership
- Audio (MP3) 49 MB


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Do you have a skylight installed in your kitchen or bathroom? Some homes even have these lovely features in bedrooms and living spaces. Unfortunately, skylights don't last forever. Eventually, you may need skylight repair. Skylights can be damaged during inclement weather or merely deteriorate over time. Fortunately, you won't need a complete roof replacement to address the problems you're experiencing. Here are several indications that it's time to contact a professional skylight and roof repair contractor.
Water Damage
One of the clearest indicators that it's time for skylight repair is the presence of water damage. This is noticeable in the form of a damp ceiling, discoloration, or drywall bubbling. All of these signs indicate there is unwanted water leaking through your skylight. So you should call a professional roofer for repairs.
While skylights are quite durable, it is possible for the glass pane to become damaged, especially if you've experienced inclement weather recently. If you notice cracks in the glass, contact a roofing contractor for skylight repair right away.
Even if you haven't noticed water damage or cracking on or around your skylight, it's still possible you need repairs. If you've experienced drafts, especially in the rooms where your skylight is located, it's possible your windows are the culprits. Have a professional examine your skylight if drafts have been, or are becoming, an issue in your home.
Do You Need Professional Skylight Repair?
If you've noticed leaking, cracks, or drafts on or around your skylight, it may be time to call a roofing professional for assistance. Tile Pro Roofing is here to assist you with all of your skylight repair needs and inquiries. To receive a free quote today, visit our website or call (425)224-3539. We'll be happy to discuss your project or schedule an appointment for your repairs.
Edited by Justin Vorhees
Skylight Repair
Twenty years serving Bellevue, Bothell, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Redmond, Sammamish, North Seattle, and Woodinville


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Some Early Lessons Learned Working on Cohaico
Over on the Cohaico blog, I wrote about some things I learned during the first months of working on a new startup:
Products that succeed? They are the ones that got the crazy distribution by getting people to use their service, other companies to partner with them etc. On the outside, this often looks like "destiny" or "force majore". You built such a kick-ass product that people are just magically drawn to it. Bullshit. Nothing happened by itself. Every successful product came to be because somebody, deliberately, carefully and thoughtfully kicked ass doing sales and did it better than the competition.


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Discover the Microsoft Dynamics ERP Product that fits Best your business needs.
The Microsoft Dynamics Product Line can be intimidating at first! Especially when you are new to the ERP Solution environment.
Don't Worry, Be Happy!
Here is an easy and quick way to help you narrow down the ERP systems that fit best your company needs.
Answer few questions to learn our ERP Recommendations and access exclusive ERP Resources.


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Soundtrack Information
Flushed Away
Astralwerks (ASW 79285)
Release Date: 2006
Conducted by Harry Gregson-Williams
Formats: CD, Digital
Music From
Music By
- Various Artists
- Harry Gregson-Williams
Purchase Soundtrack
Track Listing
Review: Flushed Away
2 / 5 Stars
In Flushed Away, another popular CG-animated film starring talking animals this year, a mostly British voice cast helps tell the tale of a pampered, upper crust rat who ends up flushed into the London sewer system and discovers a world very different to his own. The only common criticism leveled at the film was that its pace was too frenetic and a few pauses would have helped the imaginative world breathe a little. Composer Harry Gregson-Williams is no stranger to the colorful palette of such animated fare, although here he had to be squeezed in among an eclectic collection of pop and rock standards, both old and new. They seem selected mainly to appeal to the adults in the audience, keeping their ear\'s attention through recognition, as it is doubtful that kids under a certain age would know anything about The Dandy Warhols or Tom Jones. Using such tunes as Tina Turner\'s "Proud Mary" or "What\'s New Pussycat?" by Tom Jones would serve mainly as aural gags and jokes in the film and probably could have been omitted from the album. Sprinkled about the established classics are brief ditties written for the movie and performed by its characters, The Slugs. They even provide vocal support on Bobby McFerrin\'s mellow "Don\'t Worry Be Happy". "Ice Cold Rita", also featuring Hugh Jackman, who voices the primary rat, is the most fun of the tiny tunes, but none really have a chance to develop beyond a few dozen seconds and thus punctuate moments in the film far better than making for a good listening on disc. And lastly, in true British fashion, is the inclusion of "Yakety Sax" by Boots Randolph, the name of which might not be familiar to most, but it became famous for being used repeatedly in the wacky, baudy British comedy The Benny Hill Show and subsequently in current favorites such as The Simpsons.
Gregson-Williams\'s work is represented in two tracks, the first sharing its minute running time with the aforementioned vocalists The Slugs and the second receiving a more expansive treatment at almost five minutes. "Marcel / That\'s Not Rice You\'re Eating" opens with a jaunty accordion line in true French fashion, then moves on to provide waltz-like support for The Slugs. "Life in the Sewer" begins in a pleasant, subdued manner, with short, sweetly earnest melody passed from clarinet to flute and chimes, onto horn and oboe. Acoustic guitar comes into to play gently, accompanied by clarinet, as the same melody is developed further, before more active orchestral elements appear. Strings dance and flow like a river while the brass rise triumphantly, leading into a bright, percolating busy section. The tone dips briefly into something sneakier yet still active then finishes subtly with what could almost be a swaying pirate ditty, on flute and accordion. This suite is the standout track on the album, unless someone is specifically looking for a recording of the 80\'s Billy Idol classic "Dancing With Myself". Film score fans will certainly enjoy the Gregson-Williams selection, but this may be recommended only for fans of the composer who are completists, as I can\'t say its worth purchasing the release for five minutes of his music. The rating would be higher if it was simply for the score itself, but as the entire contents of the album needs to be taken into consideration, having so many pop standards which can be found elsewhere and also consistently on the radio brings the overall rating down.
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Time seems to have flowed past at speed the last few weeks. All the sudden it is mid-January already and no blog post has been written. Ouch! Not sure how that happened.
I spend Christmas with one of my best friends together with her boyfriend, who also happens to be a good friend of mine, and their two adorable boys. Two boys, who at the tender age of 4 and 7, were extremely excited about Santa coming. Their faces when we called NORAD's Santa Tracker was priceless.
So Christmas was full of early mornings and lots of toys but it was also relaxing and with more food than it is humanly possible to eat. One thing to keep in mind: when putting a bottle of Bailey's in the freezer… yes, the cream stays frozen but not the pure alcohol… it does give quite a kick!
Oh and this sweet shop is just fabulous. They have all kinds of chocolates, hard-boiled sweets, fudge, toffee, liquorice and so on. It feels like you are stepping back in time when you enter.
As usual the long weekend ended way too fast and it was time to go home once again. Back to a really busy week in work, which ended with a pretty chilled out New Years Eve. I really enjoyed spending it with a very good friend, just eating cheese and crackers and drinking some wine. I guess in a way I "should" feel a bit freaked out that I rather stayed in (like my parents) than went out into town (getting pissed in a crowded pub) but to be honest it was great just chilling. Hmmmm…. not sure what that says about me.
Well, I made up for it a bit the weekend just gone by. My sister and her partner came over for a weekend visit. It was great!! There was lots of fish & chips, Guinness (OK, not much for me as I still am not too keen on the black stuff), pubs and lots and lots of laughs.
My sister and I, in stitches as always.
Proper fry up's (sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs and toast) in the mornings kept us going. We ended up in a variety of places. All from the traditional Irish pub with a traditional Irish music session to the heavy metal rock bar in town. It was brilliant fun and over way too fast.
So now I am sitting here, trying to survive the rest of the month. The January blues and all that. As most others I am properly skint and like many I am looking over my budget and mulling over various health ideas. Oh the joy…
But at the same time, it is a new year and new opportunities looming around every corner. I do not really do the whole new years resolution thing but I do try to keep some ideas in mind. I will make this year mine. Not decided how yet but if the world will end in 2012 (like some seem to believe) then I want go out with a bang and a smile on my face.
Or in the wise words of Eleanor Roosevelt: "Life is what you make it. Always has been, always will be."