text:
By George Koo An upcoming book on artificial intelligence makes the startling contention that in just the last three years, China has caught up to Silicon Valley in AI. And, no, Mr Trump, it's not because the Chinese stole the algorithm from Google. Rather, China leapfrogged the US in mobile computing, which enabled it to … Continue reading Leapfrogging: How China caught up to Silicon Valley
Students across Asia Pacific embrace computer sciences
By Daniel Maxwell STUDENTS are embracing coding and computer sciences in increasing numbers, with millions expected to participate in the global Hour of Code initiative taking place this week. Over the past five years, the number of students in the Asia Pacific region who are learning to code has increased dramatically, with China, Japan, South Korea, … Continue reading Students across Asia Pacific embrace computer sciences
Education – China Heads New Alliance of Asian Universities
China has organized an alliance of Asian universities to compete with western educational institutions. The alliance will share resources and increase exchanges of students and teachers. The new organization is called the Asian University Alliance (AUA). It was launched in late April at Tsinghua University in Beijing. The Chinese university was elected as chair … Continue reading Education – China Heads New Alliance of Asian Universities
Education – Chinese students in USA
By Doug Tsuruoka Source: ASIA TIMES Chinese students pouring billions into US local economies A December 13 front-page story in the Wall Street Journal reported that Alabama's Auburn University is offsetting an estimated 7,000 factory jobs lost to China in surrounding Lee County by serving as a local employer, workforce trainer and magnet for new businesses. … Continue reading Education – Chinese students in USA


text:
How Much Fat Is Good For Your Cat?
Fat – Not good for cats. This is a general norm in most pet parents. But, what the least they don't know is – Actually fat is good for cats. To put some light on this, let's explore into the deeper aspects. With Obesity being the major issue in pets especially in felines in America, people are deviating toward diet food. Strictly adhering to the self-made rules about what to give and what not to give to control obesity, major cat owners make a mistake of totally avoiding fat in the cat meals. Whereas clearing those overweight myths, pet parents need to get enlightened about the truth hidden in this fat.
If you're one of those cat owners and quite finicky like cats to what to give and what not to in order to control that extra calories, we take on this journey of fat facts and why fat is so essential for your cat for their overall health.
What are fats?
Fats means not all about that extra pounds that paves way to obesity. There are numerous types of fats present in cat food and each type of them are essential playing their crucial part in the diet. Fats used in cat food are highly digestible and are a source of energy.
All fats are fatty acids. These fatty acids can be thought of as building blocks of the different types of fats. They may be classified as saturated, unsaturated or unpolysaturated based on the number of bonds between them. Omega 3 and omega 6 are highly essential that help to keep skin and coat health.
What are the essential Fatty Acids?
Essential fatty acids are those that your cat is unable to synthesize by itself and therefore must be supplied in the diet. Linoleic and arachidonic acid both of which are omega-6 fatty acids. These are highly supplemented in cat food due to their many benefits such as they increase brain function and lessen inflammation.
Why Fat Is Good For Your Cat ? What do Fats do?
Fat plays an important role in the total wellbeing of your cat. Some of the ways in which fat helps cats includes:
What are the common sources of fat in cat food?
Animal fat and vegetable oil are highly used as sources of fat in the diet of dogs and cats. Arachidonic acid is found in the fat of animal and fish oil. Linoleic acid is found poultry, beef and pork fat but the best sources are soybean, corn and safflower oil, whereas omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish oil, krill oil and flaxseed.
What is the limit of fat intake?
The best cat food available will have the appropriate portion of fat in it. Contrarily, you need to remember that your cat has unique feeding requirements. For example, a cat with pancreatic condition may require cat food that is lower in fat. The best option to find out which diet is appropriate for your cat, consult your vet, who can guide you in the right direction.
Comments are closed.
June 2019

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Inductive Logic
Fall 2011
Catalogue DescriptionIntroduction to inductive logic and the problem of decision under uncertainty. Topics include: the nature of inductive rationality, philosophical theories of induction and probability, cognitive biases and common errors in inductive reasoning, and philosophical problems in defining risk, rational agency, and the expected value of an action.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course the student who passes this class will understand
Course Requirements
Your grade in this course will be calculated on the basis of your performance on 6 tests, at least 3 of which will be administered in class. The first five tests are worth 20 pts. The 6th test will be administered on the day of the final exam and it is worth 40 pts. If it benefits you to do so, your grade on the final will be substituted for the sum of your two lowest test scores. Otherwise it will not be counted. The tests will involve formal problem solving as well as written explanation and application of basic concepts. The final test will be comprehensive.
Final letter grades are assigned on a standard scale. 92% and above = A, 90-91% = A-, 88-89% = B+, 82- 87% = B, 80-81% = B-, etc. Fractional point totals are rounded up from .5. You and only you are responsible for monitoring your performance in this course. Be sure to pay close attention to the drop deadline.
You will lose 5 points off of your final grade for every class meeting over 3 that you miss. The Philosophy Department sponsors several lectures each semester. Students who attend these lectures may submit a roughly one-page summary by e-mail. Thoughtful, well-composed, summaries free of typos will be awarded 1 attendance credit. A maximum of 3 attendance credits are possible.
Get to class on time. You may be late two times without penalty. After that a late is equal to an absence. You are late if you come in after I call your name for roll. If you are late, you must tell me at the end of that period on that day, or it will be counted as an absence.
Laptops and other electronics.
If you use a laptop or a tablet for any reason you need to sit in the back of the room. Cell phones must of course be silenced and put away during class time.
Late and Make-up Policy
No late take-home tests are accepted for any reason. There are no make-up tests, though for very compelling reasons it may sometimes be possible to arrange to take a test early.
Keep up with the reading and homework problems. Logic is very demanding of your time and attention. Be sure to check the What's Up link at least a day before each class period in order to know what you will be responsible for.
Academic Honesty
You are free to study together outside of class. However, all work done in this course is subject to the CSUS academic honesty policy, which you may read at: Academic Honesty Policy & Procedures.
In this course you will be using a hand held device called a CPS RF response pad or "clicker" to answer quiz questions. Your clicker is only capable of answering questions under your name and can not be shared with or transferred to anyone else until this course is over. Never handle another student's clicker or allow anyone else to handle your clicker while in class. Students who do will be expelled from class and referred to Student Affairs for disciplinary action.
Course Materials
Students with Special Needs
Students who have special learning or testing needs must notify the instructor by the end of the second week of the semester. Students who fall into this category should visit SSWD Lassen Hall 1008 (916) 278-6955 with appropriate documentation.
Dates, times and the schedule of readings are subject to revision at the discretion of the instructor.


text:
Chesapeake, VA. – The recently released book When One Door Closes: A Teen's Inspiring Journey and Living Legacy by Susie and Bill Graham with H. Thomas Saylor has been named by Mom's Choice Awards® to be among the best in family- friendly media, products and services of 2009.
Parents, educators, librarians and retailers rely on the Mom's Choice evaluations when selecting quality materials for children and families. The Mom's Choice Awards® seal helps families and educators navigate the vast array of products and services and make informed decisions. When One Door Closes is published by Three Dot L.L.C. of Northville, Michigan and is being honored in the adult books category.
An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of PBS's Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times best-selling author, Priscilla Dunstan, creator of the Dunstan Baby Language; Patricia Rossi, host of NBC's Manners Minute; Dr. Letitia S. Wright, D.C., host of the Wright Place™ TV Show; Catherine Witcher, M.Ed., special needs expert and founder of Precision Education, Inc.; and Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, syndicated columnist and founder of the Mom's Choice Awards®.
For more information and to view a complete list of award winners, please visit www.MomsChoiceAwards.com.


text:
Size (mm) : 100-3000
Pressure rating : 6-63 (bar)
Body Material: All Types of Ductile Cast Iron, Carbon Steel, Copper Alloys
By using these joints, valves could easily be removed/dismantled from the pipeline. By turning the installed bolts the length of the dismantling joints can be reduced allowing enough space for removing the valve and sealing washers from the pipeline. For installing the valves and sealing washers, the length of dismantling joints can be adjusted by the adjusting bolts and therefore fastening the valve tightly to the pipe flanges.


text:
The Consistency Of The Eternal Purposes Of God With The Free Agency Of Men -- By: J. W. Ward
Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 004:13 (Feb 1847)
Article: The Consistency Of The Eternal Purposes Of God With The Free Agency Of Men
Author: J. W. Ward
BSac 4:13 (Feb 1847) p. 77
The Consistency Of The Eternal Purposes Of God With The
Free Agency Of Men
One of the most plausible objections ever urged against the doctrine of God's eternal purposes, is its alleged inconsistency with man's freedom of action. As this objection is, probably, more frequently advanced and more sensibly felt than any other, it may not be amiss to give it a careful examination. And it may be proper to remark at the outset, that the objection lies with as much force against the government and overruling agency of God, as against the doctrine of his eternal purposes. I would then ask those who object to the doctrine of the divine decrees on the supposed ground, that it is inconsistent with the free agency of man: do you believe that God reigns in the natural and moral world—that he does all his pleasure in the armies of heaven above and among the inhabitants of this lower world? If not, you have dethroned the monarch of the universe. You have taken from him his sceptre and driven him from his kingdom. You are, to all intents and purposes, an atheist. You do not believe in the existence of a perfect moral Governor of the world. And the first question to be discussed with you must be,—not, has God from eternity formed a perfect plan of government? has he foreordained whatsoever comes to pass?—but, is there a perfect God who reigns on the throne of the universe? But if, on the other hand, you admit this truth, if you admit that God does
BSac 4:13 (Feb 1847) p. 78
reign and govern the universe, doing his pleasure in heaven and upon the earth, then I would ask: do you believe that this government of God is consistent with man's free moral agency? If you say, "No," then you cannot believe in man's free moral agency. You have therefore no right to offer, as an objection to the divine decrees, the supposed fact that they are inconsistent with man's free moral agency. You do not believe that man is a free moral agent. And if he is not, then the doctrine of the divine decrees may be true, even though it be inconsistent with the free agency of man. It is only inconsistent with a falsehood (i.e. with what you believe to be a falsehood), and may therefore well be true, for truth is inconsistent with falsehood. Instead therefore of bringing objections against the doctrine of the divine decrees, you ought to receive it as truth. But if, on the other hand, you say, "Yes," then I would ask you to reconcile your belief in God's universal government and overruling agency with your belief in man's free moral agency. And when you have gone through with the work and wrought out the problem, you may, by the very same process, demonstrate the consistency of God's decrees with man's freedom of action. If God governs the world he certainly ch...
Click here to subscribe


text:
Balcony Ramblas Superior Room
The Perfect accommodation in Barcelona City Center
At Hotel Continental Barcelona all our rooms are equipped with air-conditioning, a safe box, a TV, an iron (under request), a bathroom with bath tub and shower, a microwave, a mini-fridge and a basket containing crockery and cutlery, in case you wish to picnic in your own room.
Read More Close
Superior Balcony Ramblas are totally exterior rooms. Spacious, bright and facing to the famous Las Ramblas. Size from 19 to 21 Sqm. They are queen-bedded or twin-bedded. With a modern, fully equipped bathroom finished in top quality.
- Balcony furnished with a table and chairs to spend a memorable moment viewing Las Ramblas
- Mini-Fridge
- Iphone, Android charger and USB
- Iron (under request)
- Picnic set
- Hairdryer
- Telephone
- High speed WiFi
- Safe box
- LED TV full HD with national and international channels
- Air conditioning with individual temperature control
- Tropical fan
- Smoking and Non-smoking rooms available
- Possibility of adding an extra bed


text:
Sticky notes
Stuck to the script
Unfamiliar rings
Not in the mood, rings
Among shooting stars
Sonny Bono, Sonny Corleone
Stared, blank stares
Shot for the moon
Captions searched for pictures
Mercy me–what just fell from the family tree?
Pratfalls, windfalls–Wasn't that pitiful?
Felt woozy, losers couldn't be choosers
Anything fun, was fine with me


text:
Equipment & irrigation
Regulations and the contractor I own a mid-sized landscape-contracting firm in the Midwest and am concerned about the EPA's new emission regulations. What do they mean to me?-Indiana
They really have no impact on you or your business in a direct sense. The responsibility for emission compliance falls on the shoulders of the manufacturers of string trimmers, blowers, edgers and other hand-held power equipment. You can legally own and operate equipment you purchased in the past. The regulations only apply to new machines.
A brief review of why these regulations came about may be helpful to you. Gasoline engines produce three types of emissions: hydrocarbons (HC), nitric oxides (NOX) and carbon monoxide (CO). Small, 4-stroke, spark-ignition engines under 50 hp (the type you and most other contractors use), contribute a minimal amount of the total man-made HC, NOX and CO emissions. These emissions come from the engine exhaust, spilled gasoline and evaporation.
The EPA Phase I regulations (in effect now) call for substantial emissions reductions from unregulated products. Beginning in 2001 and running through 2005, EPA Phase II regulations will be in force. It is estimated that these regulations will reduce emissions from small gasoline engines by roughly 75 percent.
Higher standards I've just purchased some new mowers and string trimmers. They have a triangle sticker with the letters "ANSI" on them. What does this mean?-North Carolina
This sticker signifies that your products are certified from an independent testing company called the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The ANSI testing program ensures that certain equipment meets nationally recognized voluntary safety standards. You will notice a number on the bottom of the triangle that relates to the specific product and the year the standard was last updated.
The Stimpmeter has long been the standard tool for measuring green speed. However, it also is the primary method of assessing green uniformity. Typical ball-roll distances fall within the range of 180 to 370 cm, and, according to one researcher, a course is considered to have uniform greens if all ball-roll distances fall within a range of 15 cm. However, this only indicates green-to-green uniformity, and not uniformity within a single green. Realizing this, a team of University of Nebraska researchers sought to create a method of measuring uniformity within a single ball roll, and thus on a single green.
Such a measurement requires several measurements of ball speed as the ball crosses the green surface during a single roll, for which no device is currently available. After eliminating radar (such as that used to measure baseball speeds) and high-speed photography as options, the researchers devised a system using photoelectric switches, an electronic clock, a personal computer, a length of PVC tubing and a Stimpmeter (see illustration, above). After a ball is released from the Stimpmeter, it enters the tube, which rests on the green surface. As the ball rolls, it interrupts the infrared beams of a series of photoelectric switches mounted within the tube. The computer records the resulting data and generates output describing the speed of the ball at intervals throughout its roll.
To test the accuracy of this system in detecting non-uniformity, the researchers measured ball rolls on a green mowed once, another mowed twice (in the same direction) and an unmowed green. As expected, the unmowed green and the once-mowed green showed good uniformity (that is, the device detected no significant variability). On the twice-mowed green, however, the device detected non-uniform conditions. These apparently resulted from directional grain produced by mowing twice in the same direction. (This was not meant to simulate actually golf-course conditions--most courses that double-mow greens do so with perpendicular passes. It was merely a means of creating non-uniformity so as to test the device.)
The researchers feel that this system--which they refer to as a Golf Ball Deceleration Measuring System--offers a viable method of evaluating green-surface uniformity. It is portable, economical and appears to be highly accurate.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2020 Penton Media Inc.


text:
Annabelle's Birthday Cake
I can't believe my beautiful little Annabelle has turned 2! As much as everyone talks about the 'terrible two's' let's just say so far, so good. She is as adorable today as much as when she was born!
I really wanted to celebrate the special occasion by making a delicious and beautifully decorated cake. Things have been so busy with Dancing With The Stars that I had no idea how I was going to pull it off, but I set myself the goal of making her day special and I'm happy to say I somehow pulled it off (I think little sleep has something to do with it!).
So, I do have a bit of a little secret to let you in on… much of the credit goes to the new Create & Bake range from Coles. I had heard quite a bit about the range before from friends of mine who have tried out the various cookware and recipes.
The best bit is that it's easy to create what looks like total masterpieces in the kitchen, but in reality is simple and fun. The range is adorable - from cake bases to sprinkles and even sparkly cupcake wrappers and icing toppers, you really don't need to have skills in the kitchen, just a big imagination!
Annabelle is obsessed with princesses, fairies, butterflies and lots and lots of pink. She was so excited when she saw her decorated princess cake with a side of butterfly cupcakes. I had so much fun making them that I was tempted to do a fairy cake too but a lack of time meant I had to leave it for another day.
I wanted to share with you the step-by-step guide for these three great recipes, to help you create them at home. Your kids will love you for it!
Princess Castle Cake (Serves 16)
What You'll Need:
What To Do:
Butterfly Cupcakes (Makes 12)
What You'll Need:
For the icing and decoration:
What To Do:
Fairy Cake (Serves 10)
What You'll Need:
What To Do:
Coles have fab recipes and ideas online so if you have a special occasion coming up or are just after a sweet treat, check out their delicious Create & Bake creations for inspiration.


text:
(15 March 2010) On the same day as The Daily Telegraph reports that Army training exercises have been cut by a third to save money, The Times reports that a mother's battle to ensure that soldiers in war zones have their human rights protected will be challenged by the Government today, claiming that commanders will fear being sued for decisions made in the heat of battle.
The Supreme Court will hear Ministry of Defence submissions over a landmark ruling that soldiers must be protected by the Human Rights Act when fighting outside their bases in countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq.
Catherine Smith, whose son, Private Jason Smith, 32, died of heatstroke in Iraq in 2003, has struggled for seven years to secure a more thorough inquest into his death, as well as to ensure better protection of soldiers' rights.
Last May the Court of Appeal ruled in her favour, sparking concern among some commanders. Major-General Patrick Cordingley, who commanded 7th Armoured Brigade in the Gulf War and retired from the Army in 2000, said: "Life is hugely complex in battle situations and commanders cannot be expected to have to worry about every aspect of the Human Rights Act once they're engaged in operations."
The ruling also requires coroners to conduct more probing inquests into the deaths of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, a move that could result in further revelations of military equipment and training failures. Today's hearing in London will be the final leg of Mrs Smith's legal struggle. ...
The Ministry of Defence is worried that guaranteeing soldiers the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Human Rights Act when in an inherently dangerous situation would put an unreasonable burden on the Government and would affect the ability of commanders to make decisions that expose their troops to risk.
"British commanders engaged in battle with the Taleban in Afghanistan need to know that the decisions they take in hostile environments will not be challenged at a later date in the courts," a spokesman for the MoD said.
Extracts of the MoD's legal argument, which has been seen by The Times, also say: "Given that soldiers (who are not conscripts) have voluntarily assumed the risk of danger and death that is an intrinsic element of their chosen occupation there would appear to be less ground for imposing a special duty on the State to protect them from risk of death than in respect of other groups of individuals."
Mrs Smith's lawyer, Jocelyn Cockburn, a partner at Hodge Jones & Allen, said: "I don't think a court would second guess in almost any circumstance what a commander decides to do in the heat of battle. The issues that could be affected are military planning and the putting in place of, and adhering to, systems to protect soldiers."
The MoD would have a greater requirement to ensure troops are properly trained and equipped before deployment, she said.
- Full article at Times Online, by Deborah Haynes, Defence Editor: Giving soldiers human rights in war zones 'will hamper battlefield commanders'
- Daily Telegraph, 16 Mar 2010: Government attempting to block human rights of soldiers
- BAFF: Human rights and the 'duty of care' on operations


text:
Network Tracing with Fiber Manager
Connection, light path, and fiber allocation information can be obtained by tracing the path of one or more fiber optic cables in your network. Fiber Manager provides three tools to perform fiber optic network traces.
Perform a Fiber Trace to trace the end-to-end path of connected fibers. Tracing on a specific wavelength is supported.
Perform an OTDR Trace to highlight a user-defined distance along a path of connected fibers.
Perform a Possible Paths Trace to find all available paths from a user-defined starting and ending point in the fiber network.


text:
Your privacy is important to us.
It is Creative Manitoba's policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect while operating our website. Accordingly, we have developed this privacy policy in order for you to understand how we collect, use, communicate, disclose and otherwise make use of personal information.
Privacy Policy:
- We will collect personal information by lawful and fair means, with the knowledge or consent of the individual concerned.
- Before or at the time of collecting personal information, we will identify the purposes for which information is being collected.
- We will collect and use personal information solely for fulfilling those purposes specified by us and for other ancillary purposes, unless we obtain the consent of the individual concerned or as required by law.
- Personal data should be relevant to the purposes for which it is to be used, and, to the extent necessary for those purposes, should be accurate, complete, and up-to-date.
- We will protect personal information by using reasonable security safeguards against loss or theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification.
- We will make information about our privacy policies and procedures readily available to our members, especially as it relates to any of their own personal information that we may retain.
- We will only retain personal information for as long as necessary for the fulfilment of those purposes.
We are committed to conducting our business in accordance with these principles in order to ensure that the confidentiality of personal information is protected and maintained. Creative Manitoba may change this privacy policy from time to time at our discretion.
For more detail about our privacy policy please contact our Privacy Officer at email@example.com or call 204-927-2787.


text:
Convinced You Should Wear Deodorant?
Episode 153 · February 14th, 2016 · 1 hr 45 mins
About this Episode
Today's show starts with recommendations for Michael Pollan's latest documentary and a new audiobook. In the News & Views segment: the broken calorie; underarm deodorant, the skin microbiome, and how we were convinced that we smell bad in the first place; also, the top 20 perils facing America...100 years ago. In the Shinrin-yoku Update, the Every Kid in a Park program is explained. The Moment of Paleo segment explores why you aren't—and shouldn't expect to be—the average. After the Bell we have two great pieces: Trail Angel Ponytail Paul followed by a talk by 91-year old legendary coach John Wooden.
Links for this episode:
- This Episode's homepage (outlined show notes and more)
- Latest in Paleo on Facebook - News hunters and gatherers post your links here.
- Full List of Recommended Books & Audiobooks
- Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition
- Cooked - Official Trailer - Netflix [HD] - YouTube
- Netflix Announces New Michael Pollan Documentary Series, 'Cooked' - Eater
- Is the Calorie Really a Useful Measure? - The Atlantic
- Calorie-Counting Is Terrible on All Fronts -- The Cut
- McDonald's salad has more calories than Big Mac
- Why is a Calorie Not a Calorie [Fed Up] - YouTube
- The effect of habitual and experimental antiperspirant and deodorant product use on the armpit microbiome [PeerJ]
- Study: Deodorant has significant effect on underarm microbes - UPI.com
- Antiperspirants and deodorants are changing your body's microbes - Quartz
- What deodorant does to your underarm bacteria | MNN - Mother Nature Network
- Your Deodorant May Be Messing With Your Body's Microbes (VIDEO) | U.S. > Weird
- How Advertisers Convinced Americans They Smelled Bad | History | Smithsonian
- The Tacoma times. (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, February 03, 1916, Image 1 « Chronicling America « Library of Congress
- Every Kid in a Park | Main
- Every Kid in a Park Gives Fourth Graders and Families Free National Park Passes
- Secretary Jewell introduces Every Kid in a Park - YouTube
- Trail Angel - YouTube
- John Wooden: The difference between winning and succeeding | TED Talk | TED.com
- 15 Lessons from Coach Wooden's Ted Talk: The Difference between Winning and Succeeding. | JAG GYM Blog
Visit PuraKai to shop for eco-friendly clothing and stand-up paddle boards. Be sure to use coupon code "latest in paleo" for 15% off all clothing purchases.


text:
P is too worried about his bum problems to sit on a cold step.
If God gives you lemons you should find a new God
(27-11-12, 07:16 PM)spitey Wrote:
at last a few in attendance.... Streak , Mr.P, Teaj, Lurky, Benji, Samo and Moi. anymore for anymore?????? Deano what you doing??


text:
Belle of the Ball – a yellow to very light yellow thermal, gold and red holo microglitter
$4.00 On sale
Belle of the Ball – a yellow to very light yellow thermal, warm is very light yellow and cold is yellow. It has gold and red holo microglitter throughout. Inspired by Beauty and the Beast
I make thermals sound terrible but I like to have complete honesty. This doesn't mean that Grace-full thermals are different to any other brand, all thermals have the potential to have these problems.
So please note: Thermal polishes typically have a shelf life of about 6-12 months. The pigment in the polish will begin to break down after a few months, but they will retain effects longer if stored in a cool, dark and dry place. The polish will still change colours, but the effects will be less dramatic. They also can 'burn out' if left in a hot area or very cold area, because of this be aware when you order if it's likely to be hot or freezing where your polish is delivered to it has a higher chance of stopping transitions. Again always store in a cool, dark area.
Nitty gritty:
Nitty gritty:
*Your polish comes in a 11ml bottle, with a wide easy to use brush
*It contains stainless steel ball bearings.
*I've used a quality glitter suspension base to keep the glitters suspended.
*Cremes especially need a good shake every couple of weeks
My polishes are 5 free
These polishes are hand mixed and while we attempt for no variation between bottles, there may be very very small differences due to being made by hand. I try to attempt to have photos as colour accurate as possible by having some different swatchers however monitors may vary and change the actual colours.
Swatchers Olivia Jade Nails, pamperedpolishes, rachelaughsnails, vyvernis and queenofnails83


text:
Line 51 Improvement Plan Gets Berkeley Go-Ahead
Press Releases
AC Transit has won approval from the Berkeley City Council to proceed with a construction project to improve traffic flow along one of the East Bay's busiest and most congested transit corridors. The Council approval means AC Transit can now complete construction of the Line 51 A&B Corridor Delay Reduction & Sustainability Project, which includes nearly $3 million in traffic and street improvements from the Berkeley Marina to the Rockridge BART station, via University, Shattuck, and College avenues. The improvements include bus stop relocations; traffic signal coordination, priority, and upgrades; queue jumps; bus bulbs; and more.
The project's primary objective is to increase the speed and reliability of the service. But it will also improve the pedestrian experience and the streetscape with bus bulbs that add public space and shorten street crossings for pedestrians. It does all this without impacting other users of the street, whether in cars, on bikes, or on foot.
As two of the most heavily used bus routes in the East Bay, Lines 51A and 51B combined carry 19,000 passengers a day to Berkeley, Oakland, and Alameda. At times, service along the entire 15-mile stretch has been unreliable due to bus bunching, late vehicle arrivals, and overcrowded buses.
AC Transit has received a $10.5 million grant to design and implement infrastructure modifications along the route that would increase reliability and on-time performance, decrease travel time, and improve safety for AC Transit riders and pedestrians.
Construction of the project is due to begin in June, pending final approvals from the cities of Oakland and Alameda.
See more information about the project.


text:
Identify Your
2ft Custom Made Orthotics can eliminate the pain and discomfort and correct 12 common foot problems. Below are images of the Pain Centres (marked in red) caused by 12 common foot problems that can effect people of all ages. All of the problems shown below can have more serious effects on your body than the just the pain they are currently causing. The pain is natures warning that more serious damage to your body is occurring!
An example is: Over Pronation creates Ankle pain, over pronated feet become Flat Feet. Flat Feet will cause the Knees to turn inward which in turn causes the Hips to turn outward this then cause the body to twist at the base of the Spine which will likely pinch the Sciatic nerve causing never ending pain. Identifying over pronation in children for example (use the 2ft home diagnostic tool) can put a stop to this cascade of injuries before they cause permanent damage into adulthood.
Chat with a at no cost!
Select and click on a telephone link below to send them an SMS and one of our foot specialists will call you back immediately or you can call directly and speak with a foot specialist in your native language to answer any questions you have.
There is no cost to you or obligation to purchase; we are happy to assist you. It is our belief that the more informed you are with accurate information the better chance you have of making the right decision for your health and well being. Call now, we look forward to assisting you.
Make An
Book a time to try a test pair.
Take the 2ft challenge and try a pair on at one of our store locations. Feel the instant relief that a 2ft Orthotic brings. Our staff love this moment when they see the smile cross our clients faces as their pain disappears. Try a test pair today and make walking and standing a pleasure again.


text:
McGill's School of Architecture was founded in 1896 on the philosophy of universitas: a community of scholars devoted to architectural instruction. The school has consistently prided itself on its own diversity and its pluralistic teaching environment, where scholars are allowed to blossom within their interests and capacities without adhering to a certain set ideology, hence freeing them of constraints. Currently housed in the stately MacDonald-Harrington building on McGill's main campus, the school declares on its website that its mission is "to educate professionals who will contribute to the socioeconomic and cultural development of Quebec, Canada, and the broader global community through responsible participation in the process of the design, construction, and interpretation of the built environment." One of the principal ways the "built environment" is interpreted is through the teaching of its history, the knowledge of which is a critical tool in understanding the sensibilities prevailing within the field of architecture. It is from these required classes that students draw significant amounts of precedence and inspiration for their design projects, fusing, compiling, engaging, synthesizing, and experimenting with these aforementioned sensibilities. It is more often than not their first comprehensive introduction to architectural history as a subject, which, as of recently, has been drastically restructured, partially with the intention of globalizing our history curriculum and shifting the historical centre of gravity closer to early modernism.
Eurocentricity lends the 'West' a sense of unique historical density, envisioning the world from a single privileged point of view that centralizes and augments a flattened perspective of Europe.
Eurocentrism in architectural history
Architecture is heavily rooted in academia, and what is defined as progress can best be understood by looking at the field's past. In 1895, the year before McGill's School of Architecture was founded, a book co-authored by Sir Banister Fletcher and his son called A History of Architecture on the Comparative Method was published in London. The book holds a formative position in English-speaking architectural institutions – McGill included – constituting the historical education of many generations of architecture students. Originally, the work was a modest survey of European styles, but in the fourth edition an important difference surfaced. The book was divided into two sections: "The Historical Styles," which covered all the previous editions' European content, and "The Non-Historical Styles," which included Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Central American, and Arabic architecture.
The nomenclature of Fletcher's work has been a topic of heated debate and is certainly controversial by today's standards. Fletcher established a dichotomy of architectural styles and compared them through pseudo-scientific methods that led to the supposed indication and reaffirmation of European superiority and non-European inferiority. What adds to this absurdity is that the very process of identification of the 'us' as opposed to the 'other' is a European construct in itself. In the words of Annmarie Adams, the current Director of the School of Architecture, the book stands as one of the "culprits of Eurocentrism." The infamous illustration is the "Tree of Architecture" (the frontispiece of Fletcher's book), which depicts the sturdy upright trunk bearing the names of European styles. The 'non-historical styles' are supported by the Western trunk, with no room to grow past what appears to be the 7th century.
I am not claiming that Fletcher's work provides the paradigm for Western historiography's treatment and observation of non-Western architecture in its entirety – no work could ever take on such a charge or claim such a feat. However, Fletcher's book has stood the test of time and is still in print today in its 17th edition. This "culprit" was taught as a part of McGill's history of architecture curriculum up until the 1990s, almost a century after its original publication date, which is why the work bears significant relevance to this argument in the context of our university. The book, and many like it, has only recently started collecting dust on the shelves of McGill's bookcases, symbolizing the glacial pace of this paradigm shift. The book itself is but a mere symptom of the assumptions of Western superiority prevalent at the time of its conception, but its prolonged survival is an indication of the slow death of academic colonialism.
It is important to recognize that the writing of history makes history, and disproportional perspectives of such can no longer be afforded.
Eurocentrism in architecture
The comparative method is an excellent demonstration of how academic Eurocentrism operates. While there are various definitions, the one used for the purpose of this article – without claiming authority of this definition – is Eurocentrism as the disposition to view Europe as the focal point of civilization and its ideals as the unique true source of ontological reality. Eurocentricity lends the 'West' a sense of unique historical density, envisioning the world from a single privileged point of view that centralizes and augments a flattened perspective of Europe. This augmentation is all too literal in the case of European spatial evaluation practices literally belittling Africa cartographically and subdividing Asia into 'Near,' 'Middle,' and 'Far.' Another example is Greenwich Mean Time, which centralizes England as the regulator of temporal measurement and calibration. The abrasive, binaristic, hierarchical constructs that have manifested and infectiously proliferated under the 'West' and 'East' dichotomy as a result of Eurocentrism are innumerable: the word 'nations' stands opposed to 'tribes'; 'culture' to 'folklore'; 'religion' to 'superstitions'; 'philosophy' to 'religion'; 'pedigree' to 'elders'; 'art' to 'artifact'; 'psychology' to 'behaviour'; 'protests' to 'riots'; 'defence' to 'terrorism'; and finally what about 'architecture?'
'Vernacular architecture' is probably the closest binary falling into the framework of the previous pattern, though there are also positive connotations behind this contemporary nomenclature. The word 'vernacular' itself comes from the Latin word vernaculus, which means domestic, indigenous, or pertaining to home-born slaves, and it is unsurprising that its frequency of use increased drastically over the 18th and 19th centuries. Obviously, language is prone to evolution, and in the context of architecture and its instruction today, there is an inherent appreciation and positive association with vernacular architecture; however, oftentimes it is placed adjunct to what is considered established. It is in the distinction between this established breed of architecture and that subsidiary breed that the polarity is presented, subverting the latter by demoting it from its self-evident signification.
Architecture has, as Ipek Türeli, professor of architecture history at McGill, puts it, two schools: the school of the 'Cathedral' and the school of the 'Bicycle Shed.' This original distinction was made by Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, who argued that the Lincoln Cathedral is architecture and that the Bicycle Shed is a building. The former symbolizes architecture as most people conceptualize it, but the latter symbolizes the architecture with which the majority engages. The former has been infinitely legitimized, the latter persistently delegitimized. The former implies an extension of high culture and the establishment, while the latter implies quotidian utility and democracy. The former symbolizes 'architecture,' while the latter signifies 'vernacular.' Their purpose here is to serve as metaphors that embody the contrast between an École des Beaux-Arts outlook, in comparison to a Bauhaus outlook – two major schools of thought in architecture. Vernacular architecture used to be defined, in the imperialist sense, as a byproduct of dwelling requirements, or a mechanism for habitation, but not really as architecture. Today, however, it is defined as architecture without architects, hence exhibiting the paradigm shift. In Fletcher's tree diagram, all the buildings we see are monumental. This is due to the Western desire to draw parallels between European and non-European monuments, so it can seek self-validation and reaffirmation of its definition of architecture.
Architecture as an organic extension of culture is paramount to its understanding and practice; it remains an integral part of our perceptions of reality and its construction.
Teachings of McGill's School of Architecture
It is safe to say that Eurocentrism – any return to or manifestation thereof – would be, considering our post-colonial reality, not just a hinderance to globalizing movements and cultural pluralism, but literally reversing any legitimate intentions in that direction. Can we say we have or ever truly will distance ourselves from Eurocentrism at McGill's School of Architecture or even the field in its entirety? The answer is probably no, based on the difficulty of such eradication, particularly with regard to the limitations of the recorded historical academia made available to us by the languages that we understand and are educated in. My advantageous position of being a student that underwent all four required segments of architecture history before the restructuring allows for observations on how we are 'dealing' with the constant presence of Eurocentrism in our teachings. My cohort, on the other hand, took these classes after the current restructuring, allowing me to compare my experiences to their own.
The first pre-reform segment of architectural history classes at McGill focused on antiquity to early Christianity – and in an excessively traditionalist manner, Greece and Rome are considerably stressed. This is the course Eurocentric historical trajectories unflinchingly take, from their roots in Classical Greece (constructed as 'pure,' 'democratic,' and 'Western') to imperial Rome and all the way through history to the metropolitan capitals of Europe and the U.S.; rendering Europe, isolated and unassisted, as the motor of progress as it 'invents' class society, feudalism, capitalism, and the industrial revolution. The Greeks and the Romans evidently had no notion of European identity beyond a geological one, and often times viewed the indigenous people of Western Europe as 'barbaric' and 'backwards.' In almost the grandest case of Stockholm Syndrome ever imaginable, the Western European obsession and fetishization of Roman culture could arguably be described as verging on sadomasochistic. The now-reformed preliminary segment still retains the same period and a similar stress on "European" topics with the only occasional stray toward a more holistic historical perspective.
The second pre-reform segment endured the most noticeable and the most admirable transition of all. The segment originally focused on Europe, from pre-industrial to early modernism, and then suddenly veered toward the U.S. to discuss the dawn of the skyscraper. This class has been vastly reformed and can be perceived as the School of Architecture's most substantial and drastic response to combatting Eurocentrism. Focusing on the scale and fabric of numerous cities, Türeli's class does not deal with the 'West' versus the 'non-West' but rather focuses on the connections and processes of how cities are made and how buildings come to be as part of urban conglomerates and transnational connections. Türeli presents history as an intertwined, complex reality, and actively deconstructs notions of European exceptionalism by spending as much time talking about the grain elevator, as she does talking about Daniel Burnham's famous buildings (such as the Flatiron Building), stressing their relevancy to modernists and praising the 'Bicycle Shed.'
The third pre-reform segment was both a literal and figurative step back, in that it stepped literally chronologically backward to look at Europe from the early renaissance to the industrial revolution, and in doing so, it stepped figuratively backward to look exclusively at Europe. I would like to be the first to state that the latter is rooted in subjectivity. I do admit that the class presented the valuable opportunity for a more extensive analysis of history as opposed to a diluted broader one, and that this is respectable. It was, however, the bombardment of Eurocentric undertones within this class that I found worthy of criticism. I also find it vital to reassert that it is not Europe or European architecture that I am choosing to polemicize, nor specific Europeans, but the notions of Eurocentrism and European exceptionalism. This segment was certainly the most complacent in its Eurocentric tendencies; existing under the age-old philosophy of 'we have to teach Europe.' I would like to clarify that it is not my belief otherwise, however, I do believe that we should not teach Europe alone. This view of history performs a gross disfavour to both history itself and its students.
The fourth segment was taught by the director of the school herself, and operated in a way so as to peel back the cover to reveal the complex cultural, social, and political layers behind architectural developments in the twentieth century. It focuses on North American topics but dissects these topics intriguingly, and attempts to demonstrate their evolution in the context of their significant socio-political backdrops. The class discussed everything from gender topics to the vernacular, and even had classes that focused exclusively on Canada, a rarity. Many may argue that Anglo-Americanism is merely an extension of Eurocentrism – in fact, in a more recent version of Fletcher's book, a tree of architectures put the 'American' style at the pinnacle of the updated tree of architecture. My belief is that there isn't a clear break between the two but a complex evolution and exchange that is certainly worth studying. It is evident that this class never actively addressed Eurocentricity but passively engaged with it by perceiving and addressing architectural history in a responsible manner that allowed Adam's students' perceptions of architecture to mature. Other classes in the School of Architecture that would be relevant to the discussion on Eurocentrism are History of Housing taught by Pieter Sijpkes and Cultural Landscapes taught by Robert Mellin.
It is important to recognize that the writing of history makes history, and disproportional perspectives of such can no longer be afforded. Eurocentrism permeates historical teaching, and is an ever-present concern in attempting to teach our past holistically, ethically, and realistically. Architecture as an organic extension of culture is paramount to its understanding and practice; it remains an integral part of our perceptions of reality and its construction. The menagerie of imported styles of the buildings on this campus serve as a concrete reminder of how this reality has been historically distorted through the lens of eurocentricity and its ubiquitous hegemony. The eradication of this bias is a difficult one, and it is important for us as students to take agency and engage with the education we are receiving.


text:
(Please note: This is only a draft extract from another article I am currenly working on)
The character of Superman originates from the romantic Hollywood portrayal of the Titans. The Titans are regarded by modern society as Greek mythology, and so is treated as just that, myth. Hollywood perpetuates this in the Illuminati ongoing control of the history books being fed to countless generations and passed onto our children. In my previous articles on the Illuminati, I explained how the overall objective of their Kabbalist doctrine was to infiltrate every single aspect of society, the Freemasonry being the ideal vehicle in which to do this in 1776, thus creating their first nation and re-establishment of Babylon, the US, as a base. By consuming all aspects of society, this includes our education system, from which everything we think we know and take for granted comes from, e.g. professions/career, our culture, religion etc. This is why those who we may refer to as, `sheeple' disavow and denounce `Conspiracy theories'. This is perfectly understandable, since `fear' is what controls us. People instinctively defend what they have become accustomed to and has essentially become part of their lives and lifestyle. To put it bluntly, the real battle is for control of our consciousness/souls. They have incrementally being doing this for some time. Some have asked me why would they wait this long? Why wouldn't they just take us. The answer to this is our free will. We have to submit to it. Three hundred years is only a few minutes to the devil. Two thousand years is only a day. He has an eternity. With the illuminati consuming all the earth's natural resources, human resources is only a step away. So, we must act today.
However, I digress. I have already written at length on Hollywood and the character of Superman. The Greek myth of the Titans tells us how Zeus cast the Titans upon the earth. It describes them as being giants and possessing super human qualities. By viewing it as nothing more than mythology, it detaches and reduces its relevance to the Holy Bible, thus subduing us to treat the bible as myth. Genesis relays the real events as the Titans being fallen angels cast out from heaven upon the earth, where they were thrown into the abyss. They were the Nephilim, sons of Anak, fallen from heaven and against the commandment of God, took human women and had intercourse with them, thus planting the seed of their tempter, Satan. Hollywood re-tells this story in a variety of versions and is not limited to Superman. There is a more in-depth discussion on this in my dissertation. The Aliens Sci-Fi horror series, including a significant element in Alien V Predator, and of course the more recent, Prometheus are much more overt in their portrayal of the Bible.
It is also for this reason why I believe that the sinking of the Titanic (titan, sinking into the abyss) was an Illuminati ritual. I shall go into the connections to other historical Illuminati rituals, including 9/11, in the complete article later.....


text:
The first cornice I upholstered, is the one above our front door. It was an ugly plaid design and I reupholstered it with our old maroon and gold Victorian-like curtain fabric. It matches the curtains I made that are up behind the kitchen sink.
Next up, is the cornice that goes above the girls' hallway door. It's on the inside of their room, not the hallway side.
Lastly, I upholstered the cornice that goes above the girls' door to the outside. Their cornices are midnight blue crushed velvet with bronze metallic screen printed on stars. MHG had picked them out forever ago to make bed curtains for her top bunk. With the lattice treehouse now, there's really no need for bed curtains.
I will not be keeping the cornice above their hallway door forever. Eventually, Ahdoo is going to install a door frame, door jam, threshold, and Dutch doors for their bedroom, so at that point, a door cornice won't be necessary. He'll do such a nice job framing it out with the trim, that I won't want to cover the top trim up with a fabric cornice.
I can't wait for the Dutch doors! They will be the final touches to their room! Dutch doors are the doors that are kind of like barn doors, where the top and bottom of the door can be opened separately, or locked together to both open as one. I figured that it'll be like having a door or baby gate depending on which I prefer at any given moment. We will also be putting a cat door in the bottom, so the boys are always able to get in and out of their room. We will be using some old-world style hinges to give the room kind of a fairytale/pirate/fantasy theme. I can't wait…I'm hoping that the door comes out looking something a little like this…and if I can convince my Husband to round the top of the door I will squee with joy!!! Yes…I said squee.
I would love it to have the window from pic #1. I would want it to be extra reinforced like pic #2. I LOVE the wood in pic #3. I would be thrilled to find the HINGES from pic #4 for it. Something like that. If it can't be rounded, I still NEED the Dutch doors, and I would prefer some cool, black, wrought-iron looking hinges. The window isn't necessary really, but I'm pretty sure reinforcing it is important.


text:
By Cristian Alejandro Báez Lazcano
A saying popularized by the Afro-Uruguayan leader Romero Rodríguez comes up again and again in the history of the Afro-Latino and Afro-Caribbean movements: "We entered as blacks and left as Afrodescendants." It's not just about words. At the December 2000 conference in Santiago de Chile on racism, xenophobia and other forms of discrimination, the term "Afrodescendants" was adopted through consensus after much discussion. And that's when we Afrodescendants in Chile realized we were Afro-Chileans.
So many terms had been imposed by the colonizers to describe us: negro, zambo, mulato, zambaigo, moreno. With the term Afrodescendant, we get to define ourselves as "people of African origin who were brought as slaves during colonial times and who historically have been victims of racism, racial discrimination and slavery, with the consequent denial of their human rights, experiencing conditions based on marginalization, poverty and exclusion that are expressed through the profound social and economic inequality under which they live," in the words of the Declaration of Santiago. And here, in Chile, we are still trying to be counted.
The term Afrodescendant—as set forth in the Declaration of Santiago and adopted in the 2001 Declaration and Plan of Action of Durban, South Africa—was officially recognized as both a legal and political term by many countries and the United Nations.
Following the words came action. The first non-governmental Afro-Chilean organization, founded in December 2000, was Oro Negro—Black Gold—led by the then-mayor of a community in the north of Chile, Sonia Salgado Henríquez. The very establishment of this organization called into question the myth that blacks did not exist in Chile; had they ever been there, however, they must all have perished because of the cold, hostile weather. Oro Negro made Afrodescendants visible in the social, cultural, legal and political realms in this long, narrow country perceived by many as exclusively white.
The movement began as a social and cultural one. Archives and academic studies about Afro-Chileans are few and far between. Thus, in the first stage of the organization (2001-2007), research became a priority. Customs, traditions, history and territories were documented in an attempt to define and promote the legacy of Afro-Chileans. In 2003, the Lumbanga organization was set up to conduct oral histories and to promote the living and intangible patrimony of Afro culture in Chile. The point was clear: "We Afro-Chileans are here and present and we haven't disappeared."
It was not only a matter of convincing others that Afro-Chileans existed; in many cases, it involved self-recognition, because many descendants of slaves in Chile simply had not acknowledged their race. We needed to reconstruct from the inside to develop and feel ourselves Afrodescendants.
At the same time, Afrodescendant organizations had to implement the plan of action formulated at the world conference in Durban, which was more technical and political than the initial cultural agenda. The Afro movement in Chile formed the Alliance of Afro-Chilean
Organizations to articulate local issues and negotiate with the Chilean state. In addition to Oro Negro and Lumbanga, other groups such as Arica Negro, Seniors Club Julia Corvacho and the Luanda Afrodescendant Women's Collective joined the network.
We had to come up with a plan, developed along many fronts:
• A legal framework that recognizes the presence and contribution of Afro- Chileans.
•An institutional framework with the creation of a public entity to deal with the demands and needs of the Afrodescendant community.
•A political framework to justify immediate social, cultural and economic actions on the local level in favor of Afrodescendants.
•A statistical framework that defines technically the number of Afro-Chileans at the present time and our economic and social situations.
•We recognize the plethora of local actions by Afrodescendant organizations, especially in the provinces of Arica and Parinacota, where the largest communities identifying as Afro-Chilean are found, but I want to share some experiences that indicate the challenges still facing the movement.
We've found that few legal instruments exist to obligate the Chilean state to put into effect measures for inclusion and for making the Afro-Chilean community visible, although an article in our Constitution, similar to that of many countries in Latin America, establishes that people should not be discriminated against because of race or religion. An indigenous law, passed in the 1990s about native peoples, does not apply to us because we are a transplanted people who came to Chile at the same time as the colonizers, but as slaves.
One of the strategies was to take advantage of Chile's post-dictatorship commitment to human rights issues in the international arena to pressure the country to initiate actions of inclusion in favor of Afro-Chileans. We had to research agreements, pacts, conventions, declarations, protocols and other political and legal instruments to which Chile was a subscriber and to commit government of cials to apply these measures within its borders.
The Afro-Chilean political movement had to venture forth into the world to become politically mature and to form alliances, especially with our more experienced counterparts in
Latin America and the Caribbean. Our organizational leaders learned about the currents of political-ethno/racial discourse and became more black- identi ed, able to make greater strides within Chile because of alliances and knowledge from beyond its borders.
During its 17 years as a political movement, Afro-Chilean organizations have made three attempts to get a law recognizing the identity of Afrodescendants in Chile. In 2005, congressional representative Iván Paredes, under the aegis of Lumbanga, gathered historical arguments to justify such a law, but the effort never got off the ground. Later Lumbanga and Oro Negro both put together a document to be presented by congressional representative Antonio Leal, but the bill was shelved, even after another representaitve, Orlando Vargas, lent his support.
Finally, in 2016, the bill was revamped with additional legal, historical, anthropological and political arguments. This became bill N° 10625-17, a document that would guarantee the individual and collective rights of Afrodescendants in Chile. The bill, submitted by representative Luis Rocafull in April 2016 and approved by the human rights and citizenship commission, passed into consideration by the Chamber of Deputies in the Chilean Congress.
The Chilean government in 2014, through the Culture Ministry, invited the Afrodescendant groups to participate in a "prior consultation" process in the context of agreement 169 of the international Treaty on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples. This was an important step in the recognition of Afrodescendants as a "tribal people," opening up a new legal space in which to argue for human rights.
Prior to these measures, the first Office of Racial Equity, designed and proposed by Oro Negro and Lumbanga, opened in 2011 in the municipality of Arica. The Durban action plan calls for such offices to be created both on the national and local levels.
In 2001, following the Durban meeting, Oro Negro had tried to get Afrodescendants included in the 2002 census. But the census was only a year away, so the effort was postponed until 2005, when a pilot program took place in the Arica region to get Afrodescendants to identify as such in preparation for full inclusion of the Afrodescendant category in the 2012 census, working together with the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
The effort was underway to include the census question, "Do you consider yourself Afrodescendant/black?" with the possible answers of "yes," "no," or "don't know" in the 2012 census. But a technical analysis, based on the pilot program and subsequent focus groups, concluded that it was premature to include the question because people did not understand the meaning of "Afrodescendant" and that it was preferable just to use the term "black."
This official decision by INE did not definitively end the debate about Afrodescendant inclusion in the 2012 census; we denounced the exclusion as having a racist component, and international organizations began to listen to our arguments, resulting in negotiation with INE to carry out the census on a limited regional basis. It was found that in 2014, in the region of Arica and Parinacota, 8,415 people self-identified as part of the Afrodescendant culture, the first recognition by the state of our community through statistics.
The 2012 census in Chile was annulled, and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) recommended a new "shortened census" to be carried out in April 2017. Again, we entered into a struggle for statistics—the right to be counted—but this time, much strengthened because the census tools were more sophisticated and inclusive. We also had other types of modern historical and anthropological academic studies to bolster our efforts, as well as certain international legal and political instruments that would oblige INE to include at least one category or variable about Afrodescendants in this shortened census.
To our surprise, we found that INE had not included the question about Afrodescendant identity nor even the category, justifying the exclusion because the census itself was abbreviated. This act of exclusion forced the Afro-Chilean community to denounce the census in local and national legal venues. Both the Chilean Appeals Court and the Supreme Court rejected the petition, and we have brought the case before the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights. We are still fighting to be counted and recognized.
Cristian Alejandro Báez Lazcano, an Azapeño Afrodescendant Chilean, is the founder of the NGO Lumbanga. He works as a researcher and territorial coordinator of Afrodescendant Patrimony at the University of Tarapacá in Arica, Chile. In 2004, he received the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Youth Award for his project, "Research, Recovery and Dissemination of Afrodecendents in Chile."


text:
In an ever disconnected world I find great comfort when I see a poster for a humble community event. The kind of event that is probably arranged by an exhausted committee of people who are driven by their purpose. The kind of event that could involve a performance from the back of a truck and perhaps a collection of other activities that sit on the borderline of compliance.
Where there are community events there are people who care about something.
If you've ever arranged an event you'll smile (even if it's forced) when I mention the words funding applications, risk management policy, 'politics', 'white anting', trying to please everybody and most likely hecklers.
But you'll also know that exhilarating feeling as you shove the last chip packet into a plastic bag, sit down and realise that you pulled it off.
I love community events particularly for their ability to draw together people in a fun and celebratory atmosphere. Events are most often happy and memorable times (let's not dive into the stressed to the eyeballs committees that sit behind them today), times of turning the person you wave to on your way to work to a person with a name and even a shared cuppa. They are shining opportunities for raising awareness about any kind of community issue and of course they are a very helpful tool for fundraising.
I believe that it's too easy to underestimate the importance of events, certainly there are economic outcomes (sometimes more than we realise) but there are also incredibly important and often unspoken outcomes which include things like social inclusion, skill development, community connection, self-confidence development and more and more.
I have incredibly fond memories growing up attending all manner of events from school fetes to the annual 'show' (or agricultural show if you're a bit more up town), even going to the movies was somewhat of an event. Radio shows broadcasting from the beach, surf comps, battles of the bands, live concerts, parades and commemorative shows.
People would come out of their homes and get involved. The community would look after the kids as we screamed wildly on a sugar induced high through the school yard, or town park – wherever the event was being held. And people would get to know one another, connect and build community.
I have equally fond (though a little more stressed) memories of arranging all manner of events from dance parties to conferences, community markets, jam nights, street parades and outdoor festivals.
Now as a parent I just don't seem to find quite as many things to take my kids to. And it's not because I'm too busy either, it just seems that either there is less on, or my ears and eyes aren't seeking out that information.
I've wondered for some time about why this is the case – Sorry, I don't buy the 'public liability' thing. Yes yes, I know it exists and it's over the top but there are always more ways to get things done…
A few years ago Evolve Network conducted a research project about community events in the Mid North Coast of NSW. The project captured the attention of over 65 event organisers and to save you reading the full doc (you can see it HERE if you like) it highlighted the key difficulties of event sustainability included * ageing and tired volunteers who arrange the events, * increased necessity for 'mutual obligation' activities – i.e. the people who might have volunteered are forced into volunteering and probably in other important things like painting walls * exhausted community purse and * lack of skill development.
(I will write another post soon about sneaky ways around all of these things)
Yes, there's certainly a lot against the humble community event organiser and I very humbly take my hat off to those who soldier on despite the obstacles.
Yesterday I took my kids to the mother of all school fetes in my local community. And I wasn't disappointed.
We walked into the school grounds and instantly spotted people we knew or at least recognised. The kids very quickly ditched me for friends, activities (and sugar) and we all managed a good balance of friends, food and fun before seeking out the car a few hours later.
The most interesting point for me here – this is NOT the school that my kids go to, I didn't go to that school and we have no affiliation with it other than the fact that we live in the same community. And I've got to say it was impossible to ignore a pang in my consciousness that very clearly said "er hmm – THIS community is available to you too" (aka stellar marketing strategy).
I saw parents who had come together and baked, created, planned and organised AND STILL SMILED as they facilitated what was very clearly a mega-fundraising and community building activity for the school.
And what impressed me most was the committee had expertly (even if by accident) analysed the most financially successful event of the year in the community (aka 'the show') and emulated a mini-version which drip fed finances from the wallets of the parents to the fundraising account of the school.
From side-show alley games to carnival rides and fairy floss at the annual 'show' my purse vomited at least $60 into the school's economy – times that by numerous families and the annual (or so I'm told this is now bi-annual) fundraising is done in one fell swoop- thank you very much. No door knocking, begging, pleading or bi-monthly raffle tickets required. I LOVE THAT TOO.
Thanks for an entertaining event school committee. AND I encourage you to reconsider the importance of the events in your community. Chances are they are contributing more than you currently imagine.


text:
Illinois Medicare Advantage Plans
What are they? Kind of like a PPO or HMO, Illinois Medicare Advantage Plans are an another option for Illinois Seniors. Advantage Plans also know as Medicare Part C are administered by individual private insurance providers that are approved by Medicare. There are a variety of medicare advantage plans in Illinois. Medicare Plans of this type include Doctor and Hospital coverage. Illinois Medicare Advantage Plans may offer extra benefits, such as vision care, hearing care, dental care, and in some cases health and wellness programs. Most do include Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D).
Buying Illinois Medicare Advantage Plans
Residents of Illinois eligible for medicare have the option every year to enroll in medicare advantage plans. It is often a good idea to get advice from a knowledgeable Illinois Insurance Agent when buying medicare plans . You can get quotes on Illinois Medicare Advantage Plans here.
Medicare Enrollment Periods: Medicare Enrollment
October 15th begins the medicare enrollment period for Seniors. Between Oct 15 - Dec 7th eligible Seniors can switch to a Medicare Advantage Plan, add a Medicare Supplement Plan or add on a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. There are several other changes that can be made in addition. If you are looking to join a Medicare Advantage Plan or to get Medicare Supplement Insurance enter your zip code below.
Are you qualified for Illinois Medicare Advantage Plans?
For those in Illinois about to turn 65 years old there is a window of opportunity to enroll into medicare. Generally, the eligibility requirement for Medicare is that you or your spouse worked for at least 10 years in Medicare-covered employment and you are 65 years or older and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. For those ready to apply to medicare,you can do it online or just stop in at your local medicare office. If you want to look into additional coverage other than the traditional medicare visit our Illinois Medicare Advantage Plans listing and choose a provider listed in our medicare directory.
If you are an Illinois resident and are turning or just turned 65 it is important that you:
- Apply for medicare through a Social Security Office in Illinois or apply for medicare online. Any delay on your part will cause a delay in medicare coverage and can result in higher medicare premiums.
- Learn about the medicare options available in Illinois. Get a quote today! There is a limited window of opportunity to enroll in optional medicare programs, like supplemental medicare insurance coverage,advantage and medicare prescription plans.
Get Illinois Medicare Advantage Plan Quote
Find Quotes on Illinois Medicare Advantage Plans
Medicare Article: What is Medicare Advantage?
Find Medicare Advantage Supplement and Health Insurance Plans in these Illionois cities: Addison Aledo Algonquin Alsip Alton Anna Antioch Arlington Heights Aurora Barrington Bartlett Batavia Beardstown Belleville Bellwood Belvidere Bensenville Benton Berwyn Bethalto Bloomingdale Bloomington Blue Island Bolingbrook Bourbonnais Bradley Breese Bridgeview Broadview Brookfield Buffalo Grove Burbank Burr Ridge Calumet City Canton Carbondale Carlinville Carlyle Carmi Carol Stream Carpentersville Carterville Carthage Cary Centralia Champaign Charleston Chatham Chester Chicago Medicare Advantage Plans Chicago Heights Chicago Ridge Chillicothe Cicero Clarendon Hills Clinton Collinsville Columbia Country Club Hills Crete Crystal Lake Danville Darien Decatur Deerfield Dekalb Des Plaines Dixon Dolton Downers Grove Du Quoin Dundee East Alton East Moline East Peoria East Saint Louis Edwardsville Effingham Elburn Elgin Elk Grove Village Elmhurst Elmwood Park Eureka Evanston Evergreen Park Fairfield Fairview Heights Flora Flossmoor Forest Park Fox Lake Frankfort Franklin Park Freeport Galena Galesburg Geneseo Geneva Glen Carbon Glen Ellyn Glencoe Glendale Heights Glenview Godfrey Granite City Grayslake Greenville Gurnee Harrisburg Harvard Harvey Havana Hazel Crest Herrin Hickory Hills Highland Highland Park Hillsboro Hillside Hinsdale Homewood Hoopeston Huntley Itasca Jacksonville Jerseyville Joliet Kankakee Kewanee La Grange La Grange Park La Salle Lake Bluff Lake Forest Lake In the Hills Lake Villa Lake Zurich Lansing Lemont Libertyville Lincoln Lincolnshire Lincolnwood Lisle Litchfield Lockport Lombard Loves Park Lyons MacHesney Park MacOmb Mahomet Marengo Marion Marseilles Marshall Matteson Mattoon Maywood Mc Leansboro McHenry Melrose Park Mendota Metamora Metropolis Midlothian Milan Mokena Moline Monee Monmouth Montgomery Monticello Morris Morrison Morton Morton Grove Mount Carmel Mount Prospect Mount Vernon Mundelein Murphysboro Naperville Nashville New Lenox Newton Niles Normal North Aurora North Chicago Northbrook O Fallon Oak Brook Oak Forest Oak Lawn Oak Park Olney Olympia Fields Oregon Orland Park Oswego Ottawa Palatine Palos Heights Palos Hills Palos Park Pana Paris Park Forest Park Ridge Pekin Peoria Peru Petersburg Pinckneyville Pittsfield Plainfield Plano Pontiac Princeton Prospect Heights Quincy Rantoul Red Bud River Forest River Grove Riverdale Riverside Robinson Rochelle Rock Falls Rock Island Rockford Rolling Meadows Romeoville Roscoe Roselle Round Lake Rushville Saint Charles Salem Sandwich Savanna Schaumburg Schiller Park Shelbyville Silvis Skokie South Beloit South Elgin South Holland Sparta Spring Grove Springfield Sterling Streamwood Streator Sullivan Summit Argo Sumner Sycamore Taylorville Tinley Park Troy Tuscola Urbana Vandalia Vernon Hills Villa Park Warrenville Washington Waterloo Watseka Wauconda Waukegan West Chicago West Frankfort Westchester Western Springs Westmont Wheaton Wheeling Wilmette Wilmington Winfield Winnetka Wood Dale Wood River Woodridge Woodstock Worth Yorkville Zion IL
Illinois Medicare Advantage Plans page updated Mar 27, 2012.


text:
I also have a son at the age of 12 and he plays trumpet.
He got a trumpet this spring and played "When The Saints Go Marchin' In" "Happy Birthday" and "Theme from Lupin the 3rd" at his school event.
After that, the trumpet had been left alone, so I asked him to play something else. He said OK and the song I brought was this:
Nini Rosso's Il Silenzio
That was the first song I recalled about trumpet 🙂
Trumpet is a hard instrument to play, you know, but he has practiced whole summer, and this is his play today! Will you listen?
Sorry, PC microphone recording quality, but I love it. I played keyboard in the background 😉


text:
Thermal Management Part 3: PCB Heat Transfer
In this episode, Chris Carlson shows how to calculate PCB Heat Transfer. An expert in PCB design, Chris is a wealth of information for the novice and experts in PCB design. Get the most effective information on PCB design and Electronic Design Automation. If you find this video interesting, please like and share with your fellow PCB designers or let us know if you have any questions in the comments. Links to the Datasheets: Voltage Regulator Datasheet: http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/lm3940.pdf Heatsink Datasheet: https://media.digikey.com/pdf/Data%20Sheets/Aavid%20Thermal%20Technologies%20PDFs/Surface%20Mount%20Heat%20Sinks.pdf


text:
Video editing is the process of editing motion video footage. In the new age of personal video, video editing is becoming a central function of the desktop, with the popularity of video editing software ever increasing.
Any self-respecting operating system that has ambitions on becoming the dominant force on the desktop therefore needs to have a good selection of video editing software. Video sharing websites such as YouTube and Google Video are now enormously popular with hundreds of thousands of new videos uploaded every day. Recording digital television to the PC is also increasing prevalent and many users want to edit these broadcasts, if only to remove the advertisements.
In the past, video editing in Linux significantly lagged behind other popular operating system. While there was a good range of software, the vast majority offered limited functionality. However, the situation has dramatically improved, in part because of development on multimedia frameworks (such as GStreamer and MLT). Furthermore, the versatility of Linux video editors has improved markedly. Linux now represents an excellent platform for editing video.
To provide an insight into the quality of software that is available, we have compiled a list of 8 excellent video editors. Hopefully, there will be something of interest for anyone interested in editing motion video footage.
Read more at LinuxLinks.


text:
In the immortal words of Yoko Ono, "Aieeeee!" A fierce primal scream -- of the kind Ms. Ono is famous for as a performance and recording artist -- is surely the healthiest response to the agony of "Lennon," the jerry-built musical shrine that opened last night at the Broadhurst Theater.
The title character of "Lennon" is, of course, John Lennon, the onetime Beatle and (more to the purposes of this show) Ms. Ono's artistic collaborator and husband, who died nearly 25 years ago. Biographies of Lennon indicate that he was a man of corrosive intelligence, overflowing creativity, Lucullan indulgences and enough inner demons to fill a county in hell.
This drippy version of his life, written and directed with equal clunkiness by Don Scardino and featuring a Muzak-alized assortment of Lennon's non-"Beatles" songs, suggests that he was just a little lost boy looking for love in all the wrong places until he found Ms. Ono and discovered his inner adult. When his adoring fans and a hitherto tame press turned on him in the late-1960's, Lennon told a journalist that his public had never seen him clearly to begin with, that even when he was a schoolboy, those who actually knew him never "thought of me as cuddly."
Yet cuddly is how Lennon (who is portrayed by five actors) emerges here, like a pocket-size elf doll who delivers encouraging mantras of self-help and good will when you scratch his tummy. "We're all one," "Love is the answer," "Be real" -- these and other Lennonisms are projected in repeated succession on a screen before the show begins. Little that follows goes beyond such fortune-cookie wisdom.
"Lennon" is the latest in the bland crop of shows known as jukebox musicals that have been spreading over Broadway like kudzu, from the mega-hit "Mamma Mia!" (the Abba musical) to the super-flop "Good Vibrations" (Beach Boys). "Lennon" fits the jukebox mold, with its regulation lineup of perky, puppyish performers and brimming quota of recognizable songs, delivered with lots of volume and little dancing.
But unlike other recent examples of the genre, "Lennon" deals directly with the man behind its music. This makes a certain sense, since so much of Lennon's later work was self-reflective. Aided by projections (the scenic design is by John Arnone) of drawings by Lennon and photographs of the artist at different ages, the nine-member ensemble takes a synoptic slog through the life and times of its subject, annotated by autobiographical songs.
Mr. Scardino and Ms. Ono (whose name appears in large type in the credits, where she is accorded "special thanks") have said that using five actors to portray Lennon reflects the idea that the man meant different things to different people. Yet instead of making Lennon seem multifaceted and multiform, this device turns him into a one-size-fits-all alter ego to the world.
The subtext, to borrow from a Dr. Pepper commercial of years ago, is something like "I'm a Lennon/ You're a Lennon/ He's a Lennon/ She's a Lennon/ Wouldn't you like to be a Lennon too?"
And because one of the actors, the charismatic Will Chase, looks and sounds much more like Lennon than the others, your focus is magnetically pulled toward him in ways that upset the show's balance.
Stories of Lennon's substance abuse, womanizing and acts of violence are kept to a minimum. (His drug arrest for marijuana is presented as a frame-up; his use of heroin is never mentioned.) It is asserted that traumatized by the absence of stabilizing parents in his childhood -- he was born in 1940 -- Lennon devoted most of his young adulthood to trying on personae that didn't fit.
These artificial selves would seem to embrace both his notorious dalliance with Indian mysticism and his work as a member of the Beatles, biographical chapters presented with dismissive flippancy. Then, John meets Yoko, and the tone shifts to the kind of romantic earnestness usually accompanied by a thousand violins. After singing "Mind Games" with Yoko with saccharine piety, Lennon says, "Our life became our art."
This epiphany occurs well before the end of the first act. Which means the rest of the show reverently portrays the persecution (by comic-book F.B.I. agents and journalists) and deification of Lennon and Ms. Ono, up to his murder in 1980. It is worth noting that while most of the characters are played interchangeably by the ensemble, Ms. Ono is embodied by one actress only (Julie Danao-Salkan) and registers as improbably constant as the North Star.
On this Ono-centric level, "Lennon" is not without precedent. "John and Yoko: A Love Story," a 1985 television movie that had Ms. Ono's official sanction, and Ms. Ono's own musical, "New York Rock," produced Off Broadway in 1994, were similar in their emphases. But while the world may love a love story, it seems safe to say that Lennon ultimately will be remembered less as the husband of Ms. Ono than as a member of the group that changed the face of popular music.
There is little corroborative evidence for this epochal status in "Lennon." The songs' arrangements, performed by an onstage orchestra, and vocal delivery tend toward either aggressive Broadway belting or Carpenters-style schmaltz, neither of which was exactly Lennon's approach. The talented cast members, who include formidable Broadway veterans like Terrence Mann and Chuck Cooper, seldom evoke the man they are celebrating.
Mr. Chase does manage to summon both the sardonic and wistful qualities that pervaded Lennon's voice, without stooping to vulgar impersonation. Julia Murney does a lovely job with Lennon's paternal ode "Beautiful Boy," one of the few moments that is not oversold. And Marcy Harriell puts over "Woman Is the Nigger of the World" with a rafter-rattling intensity that, while not exactly Lennonesque, certainly makes an impression.
Chart-toppers like "Give Peace a Chance" and "Instant Karma" are accorded the full, painful love-in treatment à la "Hair." (Daisies are distributed during "Give Peace a Chance.") But while the songs' musical hooks may still dig into your memory, the image of the man who wrote them is likely to feel fuzzier after the show than it did before.
At the end, a clip from Mr. Lennon and Ms. Ono's video of his song "Imagine" is shown. And there before you is the real John Lennon -- lean-faced, thin-lipped, cryptic, shyly exhibitionist. It says everything about the vapid "Lennon" that your instinctive response to this complex apparition is, "Who is that man anyway, and what is he doing here?"
Music and lyrics by John Lennon; book by Don Scardino; directed and conceived by Mr. Scardino; choreography by Joseph Malone; set and projection design by John Arnone; costumes by Jane Greenwood; lighting by Natasha Katz; sound by Bobby Aitken; music coordinator, John Miller; music director, Jeffrey Klitz; orchestrator, Harold Wheeler; music supervisor-arranger, Lon Hoyt; creative consultants, Bob Eaton and Brian Hendel; general management, NLA/Maggie Edelman; production manager, Arthur Siccardi; production stage manager, Arthur Gaffin. Presented by Allan McKeown, Edgar Lansbury, Clear Channel Entertainment and Jeffrey A. Sine. At the Broadhurst Theater, 235 West 44th Street, Manhattan; (212)239-6200. Running time: 2 hours 10 minutes.
WITH: Will Chase, Chuck Cooper, Julie Danao-Salkin, Mandy Gonzalez, Marcy Harriell, Chad Kimball, Terrence Mann, Julia Murney and Michael Potts.


text:
Here's the Mobile Payment Landscape
In 2012, Gartner expects mobile payment transaction value to pass $171.5 billion worldwide, and that the number of mobile payment users will reach 212.2 million. This represents a 61.9 percent increase in transaction value, and a 32.2 percent increase in user volume.
In May 2012, Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) released a study that said 36 percent of smartphone users made a purchase on their phones, and 62 percent of those shoppers make mobile purchases at least once a month. The implication isn't just that companies need well-designed mobile storefronts, but that consumers are shifting toward mobile payment processing services to conduct brick-and-mortar transactions. The company offers Google Wallet, which uses near-field communication to store payment information in the cloud and allows users to simply tap their phone against a point of purchase to pay for things.
Catalysts are critical to discovering winning stocks. Check out our newest CHEAT SHEET stock picks now.
Square issues mobile credit card readers that attach to smart devices, as well as tap-to-pay services, and recently reported that it is now processing $8 billion in transactions every year. Along with Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), which pre-installs its Passbook mobile wallet application on the new iPhone 5, Square will be accepted at participating Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) stores in the United States. Apple's Passbook is also integrating with Dow Jones component American Express (NYSE:AXP).
Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) is testing mobile payment technology and has partnered with a start-up called Paydiant. The system does not require unique hardware for merchants.
PayPal (NASDAQ:EBAY) is already a well-known leader in the space, but competition is clearly ramping up. About this competition, PayPal VP of Retail and Prepaid Products Don Kingsborough said in an interview with Jeff Reeves at InvestorPlace.com, "PayPal is fortunate enough to be uniquely positioned with a comprehensive offering that we aren't seeing from the majority of players out there."
Even Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) is working with mobile payment, partnering with a tech company called Bango. According to a statement, "Bango now provides Facebook mobile web carrier billing as part of an improved mobile payments flow. This enables Facebook's mobile web users to easily purchase digital content without the use of premium SMS messages or the limitations of credit cards."
On September 17, MasterCard (NYSE:MA) released a developer kit for its PayPass service. Brian Gendron of MasterCard's Worldwise Communications team said on the company's Cashless Conversions Blog, that "MasterCard is leading the way in providing the tools and services needed to support mobile payments including the payment application, user interface and provisioning of payment accounts onto their mobile phones."
Big names, big tech, big market — with $171.5 billion in transaction value, a number that is only expected to grow, on the line, major players across the board want to be the first to develop a ubiquitous solution. The company to do it will be a leader in influencing purchasing behavior in a future where financial transactions are performed through mobile, cloud-based solutions.
Don't Miss: Can RIM Find Its Place in the Mobile Market?


text:
From the moment you place your reservation, all the way through billing, customer service is job number one. You'll find Southwest Limousine chauffeurs and staff to be knowledgeable, friendly, and courteous. Our drivers are people oriented and invested in providing you the best experience.
You'll never have to wait for us. We ensure that all of our chauffeurs are prompt and punctual. There's no more rushing to the airport or being late for your wedding day.
Our drivers are fully licensed and have safe driving records. It's their job to take the stress out of driving.
We have a full range of vehicles for you to choose from.
- Executive limousines
- Black "L" series Town Car service
- Cargo Vans
- White or black six, eight, or ten passenger
- Lincoln Town Car stretch Limousines
- Plus many more
Customer confidentiality is guaranteed and we also offer private door-to-door service.
Ask about our wedding package. The basic service includes champagne, decorations and a "Just Married" sign. The upgraded package also includes a red carpet and helium balloon launch. It's just one more way to make that very special day a little more perfect.
Established in 1979, Southwest Limousine has been owned and operated for over 30 years by the same owner. Driving and cars are Southwest Limo's passions.
All major credit cards are accepted.


text:
Access to clean ground water is not as easy as it was in the past. Rising pollution levels coupled with the increasing demand for clean water has led to harnessing ground water in several unsustainable and environmentally degrading ways.
Thankfully though, this can be prevented with the help of sustainable water pumps which can help individuals gain access to clean ground water in a sustainable manner. Here are 6 such sustainable water pump designs that have been doing the rounds of late.
Sun-Sub Submersible Solar Panel Pump
The Sun-Sub Submersible Water Pump is solar powered and features a lightweight chassis along with soft suspension. It is fitted with a 12x120W solar panel array which supplies the necessary power to the pump. When fully functional, the pumping system can supply a stunning 2920m3/h.
NSP Solar Pump by Pumpmakers
The NSP Solar Pump by Pumpmakers is an affordable water pump that is literally maintenance free. It can easily be manufactured anywhere in the world and can extract water from depths of over 300 feet. Powered by solar energy, the pump can also work on cloudy days while a hand crank can be used to supply power at night.
With the capacity to pump over 5000 liters of water every day, the pump can surely be a blessing for those who want to conserve energy and enjoy reduced utility costs as well as an improved quality of life in the process.
Solar balloon Waterpump WIP
The Solar Balloon Water Pump uses both solar and wind energy to power the pump. The pump works on the principle of the solar balloon producing a pulling force as and when the sun heats up the air inside it. The force thus created, will create an under-pressure inside a closed well. This pressure will allow water to be pumped into a reservoir from where it can be distributed to several fields in the region.
Solar Spiral Water Pump
The Solar Spiral Water Pump features a solar powered spiral glass tube that is immersed in a well while the top portion is left exposed to the sun. As the sun heats the water in the well, the steam thus produced shoots up the tube, causing it to spin continuously. This spin motion will, in turn, cause the steam to rise inside the spinning spiral tube. A condenser at the top converts the steam to water again which is collected in a bucket or distributed via a hose attached to the condenser.
Solar Stirling Common Waterpump
This low temperature water pump is considered the best choice for decentralized water supply and distribution. The pump itself is very easy to construct and can be done by anyone with the help of just a few instructions. It is also much cheaper than traditional photovoltaic water pumps and can easily extract water from depths of over 100 meters.
The performance of the Solar Stirling Common Water pump is also very favorable when compared to traditional diesel pumps. While the standard use of the pump is for extracting ground water, it can also be used to pump water to higher ground, or power presses, power saws and grain mills.
Humphrey Pump
The Humphrey Pump has been in use for quite some time now and is considered as one of the most robust water pumps around. This is a fact that has been proven by a 100 year old Humphrey water pump still functional in Australia. Although quite old, the Humphrey pump can be easily modified to suit current needs, thus reducing construction and operational costs while not compromising even a little bit on operational efficiency.
Getting access to clean ground water has become a hassle these days. However, recent developments have given rise to several innovative pump designs that would allow one to gain access to clean water in a sustainable manner.


text:
Unlike GM and Chrysler, Ford refused the crack turned down the federal bailout money. Unlike GM and Chrysler, Ford managed to adapt and stay out of bankruptcy court and didn't need President Obama to rip off bondholders.
And, unlike GM and Chrysler, Ford has managed to turn a profit. Imagine that.
Helped by a lightened debt load, Ford Motor Co. posted a surprise second-quarter profit of $2.8 billion Thursday, following the worst loss in company history a year earlier. Shares rose more than 6 percent in morning trading.
The net profit ends a string of four straight quarterly losses for the nation's second-largest automaker, which has gained U.S. market share at the expense of crosstown rivals Chrysler Group LLC and General Motors Co., both of which spent time under bankruptcy court supervision. Ford last went into the black in the first quarter of 2008, with net profit of $70 million.
However, excluding its debt reduction and other items, Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford would have reported a quarterly loss, though smaller than Wall Street expected.
Okay, so GAAP accounting rules helped create the profit. Ignore them. Even the smaller-than-expected loss is a good sign, often the first in a genuine turnaround.
It's also a sign that sound business practices and making cars people want to buy is better than becoming Congressional Motors: