When writer and amateur photographer William J. Nash-McAdam and a friend drove from Mesa to Downtown Phoenix last weekend to take photos of the cityscape, they never imagined they would end up as subjects of a Homeland Security investigation. Nash-McAdam, who has been photographing the Valley for 14 years, and a friend parked at the Burton Barr Central Library and took the light rail to Central Station. Upon arriving at Central Station, they noticed that the blue rails of the Bloom structure looked nice against the backdrop of the Westward Ho. They took photos, cameras aimed high to capture the antenna on top of the building.
They were then approached by a Phoenix Police Department officer who was patrolling the station. According to Nash-McAdam, the officer asked them what they were doing, to which he replied that they were taking some photographs for personal use. The photographer states that the officer accused them of lying, and told them that he saw them taking pictures of a Federal Building that he claimed was located to the south of them, the exact opposite direction they would have been pointing their cameras to photograph the Westward Ho. Nash-McAdam states that he asked the officer which building he was referring to, but the officer refused to identify which specific building was the Federal Building in question.
According to Nash-McAdam, the officer also informed him that he could also not take photographs of the light rail, bus stops, bank buildings, stadiums, street lights, or the airport. When asked why that was not allowed, the photographer says that the officer threatened him to try it and see. When the officer was asked what statute they were infringing upon, Nash-McAdam says that the officer told him to Google it.
After taking the IDs of the two photographers and stating that he was calling for backup, the officer returned. According to Nash-McAdam, he again interrogated them about why they needed to take photographs of the city, and informed them that Federal Buildings were all around. According to the photographer, the officer informed them that their detention was a Homeland Security issue.
When the officer finally let the two go, he left the photographers with a warning that he would be watching their activities.
Nash-McAdam spoke to two other people with cameras in the Copper Square area. According to him, one photographer stated that he had been confronted by police about taking a photograph of Civic Square with the Bank of America building in the background, and the other stated that he was confronted by officers for taking photos of Chase Field.
While Nash-McAdam doesn’t think that this incident will keep him from visiting Downtown Phoenix in the future, he says that it has cemented his view that Phoenix is a “police state to me when held in comparison to my hometown of Orange County and the numerous other cities I’ve traveled to.”
“I find it ironic they’re building this art bloom right next to a federal building. Are they going to harass people who take pictures of this major point of interest that is being so touted by the mayor?”
One of the most disturbing parts of this story, besides the officer’s unwillingness to cite a specific statute they were in violation of, was his statement that the forbidden buildings are all around. Apparently, this means that virtually all photography could now be presumed to be banned in Downtown Phoenix.
Perhaps the reason the officer had so much difficulty in citing a statute that forbids the photographing of things as innocuous as a light pole, is because none exists. What it appears the officer was referring to was a joint FBI and Department of Homeland Security memo dated August 3, 2004, that requests local agencies “report information concerning suspicious or criminal activity to their local FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF).” A copy of this memo is available on the website of a Wisconsin municipality. This memo contains a similar list of items that are identified as “critical infrastructure” including:
- Banking and Finance
- Defense Industrial Base
- Electric Power
- Emergency Services
- Information Technology
- National Monuments and Icons
- Oil and Natural Gas
- Postal and Shipping
- Public Health
- Transportation (Rail/Mass Transit, Maritime, Aviation, Highway)
According to the FBI-DHS memo, people should be reported to their local terrorist task force for “showing uncommon interest in critical infrastructure/key resource facilities, networks, or systems (e.g. photographing or videotaping assets).” And according to the memo, photographing something as innocuous as “water” qualifies as threatening “critical infrastructure.” What is particularly telling about the FBI-DHS memo is that, while it cites the USA PATRIOT ACT for its definition of “critical infrastructure” it does not cite any statute that would make photography of such infrastructure illegal.
Unfortunately, incidents of photographer harassment are not limited to Phoenix. Jim Poulos, a train affecionado, has been told by officers in New York City that he was not allowed to take photographs in the Subway, when photography is explicitly permitted by an affirmative statute. Poulos has been collecting stories of photographers who have been wrongfully harassed by police at the War on Photography website. The stories, collected mainly from the United States, include one report, similar to the Phoenix incident, in which a photographer was questioned by FBI Agents for photographing in the general direction of an FBI building in downtown Amherst, NY. The site includes several accounts of harassment for taking photos on public transit from Chicago to Philadelphia.
BBC-affiliated journalist Greg Palast was criminally charged for photographing an ExxonMobil refinery in conjunction with a documentary about the living conditions of Katrina refugees. While the charges were ultimately dropped in his case, this kind of harassment of photographers by the authorities has a chilling effect on everyone who uses a camera.
Photography is not a crime. If the City of Phoenix wants a thriving, vibrant downtown, they need to instruct their police officers to relax their harassment of their guests who come to their streets–our streets–to capture the beauty that our city has to offer.


Veteran newscaster John Gibson gets to the core of the most salient issues facing America today as host of FNC's hard-hitting primetime show The Big Story with John Gibson, airing Monday through Friday at 5 p.m. ET, with expert legal analysis from Judge Andrew Napolitano and in-depth field reports from correspondent Heather Nauert.
Tuesday, August 19:
There's some evidence that thousands of Islamic extremists are streaming into Iraq
• Magnus Ranstorp, deputy director of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence at the University of St. Andrews
The World Markets Research Center has ranked countries based on their risk for terrorism attacks
• James Auger, co-author of study
Attorney General John Ashcroft comes out in defense of the Patriot Act, saying we need it to protect the country
• Ron Daniels, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights
It's an urban guerilla war being fought in Iraq. So how do you fight the enemy when you don't know who he is?
• Retired Marine Col. Gary Anderson
A bomb rips through U.N. headquarters in Baghdad, killing at least 20 people and injuring dozens of others
• Mark Malloch Brown, U.N. development chief
Be sure to tune into The Big Story with John Gibson ... weekdays at 5 p.m. ET.


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2017-10-4 elizabeth lavenza is the adopted cousin of victor frankenstein this is true for the 1818 version of the novel, in which elizabeth (four years younger than victor) is the daughter of alphonse frankenstein's sister, but in the 1831 version of the novel, elizabeth is instead rescued by victor's. In “the scarlet ibis,” how does the death of the scarlet ibis foreshadow the death of doodle like doodle, the scarlet ibis is a fragile creature that struggles. The scarlet letter after being forced to wear a scarlet “a” and live on the outskirts of the colonial puritan settlement, hester prynne struggles to repent and raise her illegitimate daughter, pearl, alone. Frankenstein curriculum struggles between hawthorne the prince/ machiavelli the scarlet pimpernel/ orczy frankenstein/ shelley the jungle/ sinclair.
Symbol and interpretation in hawthorne's scarlet letter by dr stephanie carrez paper delivered at the conference of the nathaniel hawthorne society, celebrating the hawthorne bicentennial in salem, ma, july 1-4. Start studying universal themes learn vocabulary, and frankenstein seems good) the scarlet letter frankenstein (the monster struggles to find where he belongs. With at least one of the words without the words where my words occur.
Empathy through the eyes of a creature: a journey into mary shelley's frankenstein her personal struggles, in our frankenstein unit,. 2006-1-27 frankenstein's creation of this monster throws nature into a state of imbalance, struggles with the most fundamental. 2015-5-31 frankenstein's bolthole: peaceful chanel iman drapes baby bump in split scarlet gown at star rob kardashian 'can't seem to get healthy' and still struggles. Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link need an account click here to sign up. Frankenstein mary shelley freakonomics the scarlet letter pdf downloads of all 645 litcharts literature guides.Role of letters and communication in frankenstein 2012 life struggles in the scarlet letter and frankenstein if you read a lot of classic literature,. 2018-6-11 frankenstein: top ten quotes, free study guides and book notes including comprehensive chapter analysis, complete summary analysis, author biography information, character profiles, theme analysis, metaphor analysis, and top ten quotes on classic literature. Auditions for the norton singers' spring 2018 production of the thrilling swashbuckling musical the scarlet marguerite struggles to young frankenstein--the. A summary of themes in mary shelley's frankenstein learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of frankenstein and what it means perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
2018-3-17 the frankenstein sickness is strong with this one he struggles with his programmed mission, if the scarlet witch can concoct children out of thin air,. After her father’s death, caroline is taken in by, and later marries, alphonse frankenstein she dies of scarlet fever, which she contracts from elizabeth,. Join shmoop as a student or teacher and get access to thousands of premium products plus other membership benefits. 2018-6-8 a detailed description of frankenstein characters and and gentle woman adored by all her family until she died from the scarlet fever she contracted nursing.
Start studying english (002) mttc learn vocabulary, frankenstein published in 1818 all deal with the criminal mind and the struggles within the human. Scarlett johansson is lucy, frankenstein of gun-wielding violence as lucy struggles to evade the attacks on her for purely business reasons at first,. The struggles of change essay 875 words 4 pages throughout the countless pages of history, struggles of frankenstein and the scarlet letter 1799 words | 8 pages. 2015-3-23 in the novel frankenstein, frankenstein by mary shelley: outline print his worry free childhood up until his mother catches the scarlet fever from.
2018-6-7 the island (2005 film) the island is a 2005 american science fiction thriller film directed and co-produced struggles to fit into the highly structured world he. 2014-5-8 who conceives a daughter through an adulterous affair and struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity like frankenstein (particularly percy’s edit. Romanticism, then, can best be there is also hawthorne’s deep sense of history modern readers often believe that the scarlet letter was written during the age.Download
2018. Term Papers.

domain: literature


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Look inside our books using Google Book Search. Please note that this will take you to an external website. To search our website please use the search box at the top right of the screen.
This practical guidebook is aimed at anyone who wants to acquire or improve their knowledge of snow and avalanche release. It describes the formation and evolution of snow, how to identify the many forms snow takes, and how to assess avalanche risk more precisely and reliably.
A practical pocket guidebook to help you learn the skill of snow avalanche prediction. Aimed at all winter snow sports enthusiasts, you can learn the skill of avalanche prediction, understand and predict avalanches, evaluate the risks and reduce the dangers. The book includes a Nivotest designed to help quantify risks from avalanches.

domain: geography


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Wednesday, April 11, 2018
--- Laws 3 ---
In the age of the automobile, the world is still replete with foot trails. My favorite haunt as a kid were the local trails around Stewart's Hill in Valley, Alabama. Later, I looked for variety in the mountain trails of the Southeast. And I am delighted to find so many corridors in Denver set aside for foot traffic.
But different trails are administered by different organizations and the different organizations have different reasons for maintaining trails.
I've used both Rails to Trails trails and the Appalachian Trail and foot paths associated with it back east. Although multi-use, they seem to be focused on making the "great outdoors" accessible to people who want to enjoy it.
Rails to Trails Conservancy (https://www.railstotrails.org) is an interesting organization that buys old, dilapidated railways and converts them into walking trails. If you're in the United States, there is probably one near you.
Denver encourages foot traffic for very utilitarian purposes. Their past with smog is enough motivation to want to cut down on automobile traffic as much as is practical and the foot trails are very much about "point A to point B" transportation. When I lived on Floyd Avenue, Bear Creek Trail was a major byway from areas east and west to Bear Creek Valley and River Point Shopping Centers. The Centennial Trail is not called a "link" for nothing. So, for instance, dogs are welcomed on most of the trails in the Denver area.
Not so for Waterton Canyon. A very strong emphasis there is Colorado Water maintenance traffic to and from Strontia Springs Dam and conservation, particularly of Bighorn sheep. There are signs there prohibiting dogs. Sheep and dogs don't get along.
So, what are your favorite trails and who administers them? Do they post rules and regulations? If they don't have signs on the trail, they may have a website that lists rules and regulations. If not, local, state, and federal government laws apply and, if you don't live in the area, you might be surprised to find that laws there are different from laws where you live.


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Submitted by Rachel R on Fri, 08/05/2016 - 10:03am
Bankruptcy can help shore up shaky finances
Image Source: Flickr User Don McCullough
North Carolina and South Carolina stand out among southern states for many reasons, but here's one I bet you didn't know: it's home to the fewest bankruptcy filings in the region. This means that Carolina consumers are choosing to fight their financial battles outside the bankruptcy court and are perhaps benefiting from the blossoming economic recovery in both states.
Which Southern States are the Worst for Bankruptcy?
The rest of the South fares far worse than North Carolina and South Carolina in regards to their number of bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents. Tennessee has 553 filings per 100,000 residents, Alabama has 529, and Georgia has 483. Mississippi is at 361 and Kentucky at 345.
By comparison, North Carolina had 150 filings per 100,000 residents between Spring of 2015 and 2016, and South Carolina had 135 filings per 100k residents. That's a significant difference and the numbers don't lie. There's something different in the Carolinas that's leading to economic prosperity for many of its residents.
Which North Carolina Counties Rank the Lowest?
Maybe some parts are doing better than others. Nerd Wallet ranked the counties within the states and Orange County, North Carolina made the list of counties with some of the lowest bankruptcy filings at less than 80 filings per 100,000 residents.
Rowan County, NC also ranked low with 104 filings per 100k residents. Alamance and Catawba Counties came in at less than 118 filings each and Buncombe County, NC at just under 125 filings. Henderson County ranked well with 126, Robeson County at less than 129, and Gaston at just under 132.
Also on the list of the 100 counties with lowest bankruptcy filings in the United States were Mecklenburg, NC at 135 and Union County at just shy of 137 filings per 100,000 residents. So not only did North Carolina rank well among Southern states, but these counties ranked well on a national scale.
Is Bankruptcy Right for You?
Maybe the situation looks bright. After all, North Carolina does have the fastest growing economy since 2013, beating fierce economic powerhouse states like California and New York.
This doesn't mean there aren't people out there who will still struggle. As some have testified, economic hardship is a way of life for people living in North Carolina. No matter where you live, bankruptcy may be a fit solution for you if your finances are bogged down by debt that you can’t afford to pay. Even though bankruptcy filings are dropping North Carolina, that doesn’t mean that it’s not still an appropriate solution for many consumers.
If you can answer yes to one or more of these questions, you may need the serious debt intervention offered by bankruptcy:
#1 Are you living paycheck to paycheck and unable to save money?
#2 Are your credit cards maxed out?
#3 Are you unable to pay your living expenses, bills, and debt obligations?
#4 Are you facing foreclosure on your home or repossession of your auto?
#5 Are you being hounded and threatened by debt collectors?
What Are the Benefits of Bankruptcy?
Bankruptcy will put a stop to debt collections, foreclosure, repossession, and will buy time for you to decide whether you can catch up on payments or need to unload the debt. With Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you can discharge many unsecured debts like credit cards and medical bills. With Chapter 13, you can get on a repayment plan to catch up on past-due balances on secured debt like a mortgage.
To find out more about the debt relief offered by North Carolina bankruptcy, contact the Law Offices of John T. Orcutt. Call +1-833-627-0115 now for a free consultation at one of our locations in Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville, Wilson, Greensboro, Garner or Wilmington.
Nerd Wallet study
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6616 Six Forks Rd #203 Raleigh, NC 27615 North Carolina
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1738 Hillandale Rd Suite D Durham, NC 27705 North Carolina
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116 N Howe St. Suite A, Southport, NC 28461 North Carolina
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Bankruptcy Attorneys Wilmington NC
116 N. Howe Street, Suite A Southport, NC 28461 North Carolina
Tel: (910) 447-2987


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LNG—will Oregonians eat B.C.’s lunch?
Back in 2015, we conducted a study asking the question, “What would delays in LNG export capacity cost the people of British Columbia?” What we found, in a nutshell, was “a lot.”
British Columbia’s natural gas resources are substantial and the international market for liquefied natural gas is growing, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. British Columbia is well placed to serve that market: under conservative assumptions, B.C.’s export capacity could be 42% to 74% of Asia-Pacific imports of LNG in 2020.
Under the conservative assumption that actual sales of B.C. LNG to Asia-Pacific importers would be only 11% to 20% of that market in 2020, the annual export revenues lost due to delay would be equal to between 2% and 9.5% of BC’s GDP in 2014. This cost is substantial: CA$22.5 billion in 2020, rising to CA$24.8 billion in 2025.
But we also found that B.C. is dragging its feet in terms of decision-making and the federal government has been slow to act as well. As such, B.C. stands to be beaten to market by other countries:
The International Energy Agency notes, for example, that, because of these delays, “no Canadian LNG project will start production” by 2020, even as 17 international projects were under construction as of May 2015, with target on-line dates between 2015 and 2019.
Underscoring Canada’s sluggishness, the announcement that a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in the state of Oregon has taken another step toward development should serve to stimulate B.C.’s policymakers to find a way to move the province’s own LNG export plans ahead.
The Jordan Cove project received an important government approval that will let the project move through the U.S. permitting process, and demonstrates that in the U.S. at least, the ability to build pipelines and LNG export terminals remains. The Jordan Cove project includes both large scale liquefaction technology and a 232 mile (373 kilometre) natural gas pipeline.
Meanwhile, in B.C., the Pacific NorthWest project has been conditionally approved (with 190 conditions) by the federal government, but opposition to the project remains strong:
And Indigenous opponents of Pacific NorthWest LNG vow to stand their ground.
"We have no alternative now but to take it to the courts," said Donald Wesley, a hereditary chief representing the Gitwilgyoots tribe of the Lax Kwa'laams.
For over a year, local Indigenous people have been occupying Lelu Island, an important Pacific salmon habitat where the LNG plant and export facility would be located.
"We're trying to protect something here that belongs to the people of Canada and it's such a valuable resource here," said Wesley. "I think Trudeau made the biggest mistake of his career."
And once again, a natural resource project has become embroiled in provincial politics. B.C. will hold an election on May 9 and Premier Christy Clark, who has previously supported the Pacific NorthWest project (and its potential revenues), faces a challenger who is opposed to the project, at least in its current form:
John Horgan, leader of the province’s opposition New Democratic Party, thrust the LNG project into the middle of his campaign on Friday, telling reporters it was “poorly sited.” He vowed to “find a better place and a better way” to build the gas export terminal should he become premier.
One can only wonder how many years that little tweak would add to the project, leaving B.C.s prospect of being an LNG exporter idling, while others lock down long-term contracts in the world’s most lucrative markets.
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This week I wanted to make a different style of cake.
My hubby loves Battenberg cake so I decided to make him one, however me, being, me had to add a twist!
The traditional Battenberg, in my opinion, is ok but needs a little more flavour.
So I got my baking thinking cap on and decided to mix two of my favourite flavours together.
Chocolate and orange!
This is what I got...
Chocolate Orange Battenberg Cake
175g baking spread
175g caster sugar
175g self raising flour
3 eggs at room temperature
Zest of half an orange
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
75g chocolate, I used Galaxy because I love the creaminess that the chocolate has but you can add your own favourite
1 dspn cocoa powder
3 tbsp orange marmalade
500g white marzipan
Pre heat the oven to 170C (fan)
1 - Mix the spread until it is creamy
2 - Add the caster sugar and mix until light and fluffy
3 - Gradually add the eggs along with a little flour to prevent curdling
4 - Sift in the flour and mix until evenly combined
5 - Once your cake mixture is made weigh the mixture so that you are able to divide equally
6 - Divide the mixture equally into two separate bowls
7 - Heat a pan of water and bring to the boil
8 - Break up the chocolate and place in a glass bowl and place over the boiling water until melted
9 - Add the melted chocolate to one of the bowls of cake mixture and stir in
10 - Add the cocoa, this is mainly to add more of a chocolate colour to the sponge
11 - In the other bowl add the orange zest and juice and mix together
12 - Take either a square or rectangular cake tin and prepare it so that you are able to bake both halves together
13 - Measure a double layer of tin foil that is big enough to line the tin plus an additional 10cms
14 - In the centre of the foil fold in half, this will create the dividing section, fold the foil back to create a 10 cms high foil wall
15 - Line the tin with the foil making sure the foil wall is in the centre of the tin, continue to line each half of the tin with baking paper
16 - Add the two cake mixtures to the tin and place in the pre heated oven and bake or 30 minutes
17 - Once the cake is ready remove from the tin and leave to cool completely
18 - Once cooled trim the edges and cut each cake in half using a ruler to make sure you have four equal pieces
19 - Melt the marmalade over a low heat
20 - Generously dust the worktop with icing sugar to prevent sticking and roll out a piece of marzipan which is slightly bigger than the width of the cake once put together, this will be the base
21 - Brush the base with some of the melted marmalade and place a chocolate piece of cake on one half
22 - Brush some melted marmalade on the middle side of the cake and place a piece of the orange cake by its side, the marmalade will help to keep the pieces together
23 - Brush the top of the two cake pieces with more melted marmalade and place the other two pieces of cake on top to create the chess board design
24 - Roll out the rest of the marzipan, brush the cake with the remaining melted marmalade and cover the cake with the marzipan
25 - Trim the edges and cut off the two ends so that you have a neat finish to the cake
I love how moist the orange cake is and it goes perfectly with the chocolate cake.
This cake is easier to make than it may sound and the results are fantastic!
I have shared this recipe on Honest Mum's Tasty Tuesday's check out the other delicious recipes and Papa G's Pork with Wine and Coriander dish.
I have also shared this recipe on A Mummy Too's Recipe of the Week, check out her Recipe of the Week post for lots of delicious ideas!

domain: hobby


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“He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches” (Matthew 13:31-32). Now, we’ve already seen the words of the kingdom compared to seeds in general. Here, it is the kingdom of heaven itself compared to a specific seed – the smallest of all – that someone planted in his field. We also saw earlier that this “someone” is the kingdom of heaven and that the kingdom of heaven is Jesus; the kingdom of heaven is thus the seed and the sower.But here, the kingdom of heaven is not merely a tiny seed – it is a tiny planted seed. Seeds have everything they need to germinate except water but their shoots will not root and provide the plant with a stable foundation unless they are sewn in a field. Jesus explains in Matthew 13:38 that this “field” is “the world.” So then, the kingdom of heaven, small and vulnerable, is to be planted in the world and even among enemies, thorn bushes and suboptimal soil, it will grow to be a great tree. The smallest-to-greatest imagery here is not to be missed, despite its overuse: beyond the common and obvious interpretations, that something so minuscule has the potential to become something so huge might be why “A bruised reed [Jesus] will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice” (Isaiah 42:3).
This is an interesting angle on justice – not extinguishing something seemingly broken or dying (or small) in order to preserve the potential of small things to grow into big things, of life to come from death. Speaking of life, it’s not only that this teensy seed becomes a gigantic tree – it is that this pinpoint-sized seed becomes a home for many birds. And we see here that the birds do come and build nests for their families. The aspect of the fully mature mustard seed Jesus highlights is not the great size of the tree but that it becomes a home to “even” the birds of the air. Jesus mentions “the birds of the air” earlier in Matthew, too – in the “do not worry” passage: ““Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” (Matthew 6:26).
I don’t think this is a coincidence. The phrase “the birds of the air” connects the exhortation in Matthew 6 to not worry about what you will eat or wear with this parable that the kingdom of heaven, though seemingly insufficient, grows into a home for birds – and if even the birds, how much more the children of God? The kingdom of heaven, then, is, among other things, about provision even as it may seem at the first not to be enough. Of course, “the birds of the air” make another appearance: In Matthew 8:20, when Jesus points out that “the foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” There are many ways to interpret this; one of them might be this: if Jesus is the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of heaven is a tiny seed, then perhaps He doesn’t have a home for Himself because He *is* the home for others grown from a single, tiny human being.


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Debt limit still at issue
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington state lawmakers are now dealing with a new rift that threatens to stall the end of the special session.
Gov. Chris Gregoire has called an afternoon meeting with House and Senate leaders to figure out whether they can agree how to handle the state's debt limit.
The Senate has wanted a constitutional amendment that would eventually reduce the state's usage of bonds from 9 percent to 7 percent of state revenues. But Democratic Rep. Hans Dunshee says his colleagues are unwilling to even support a plan to create a suggested debt limit of 8 percent.
Dunshee says the curbs would lead to cuts for a variety of construction projects, including schools. He says that could force local governments to pay an increased share.
The special session ends Wednesday.
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington lawmakers reached a tentative agreement Monday on how to close the state's $5 billion budget shortfall, finding the elusive compromise after weeks of talks.
Budget negotiators struck the pact in a meeting Monday morning. They declined to discuss specifics of the spending plan and will spend the day compiling the details before presenting it to their respective colleagues and the public on Tuesday.
"We've got a deal," said Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, as lawmakers from both parties and chambers emerged from a conference room. Gov. Chris Gregoire has been involved in the negotiations for days. Murray said he expects they will be able to pass the budget by Wednesday.
The Legislature wasn't able to reach a deal on the spending plan when its regular session ended a month ago, leading the Democratic governor to call them back for 30 days of overtime. Republican Sen. Joe Zarelli, of Ridgefield, said he was pleased that all sides worked together in the negotiations.
"I'm sure there are some things where people felt like they won and other things where they felt like they were marginalized," Zarelli said. "Everybody's going to have their pluses and their minuses."
The budget agreement comes just hours after leaders announced a crucial deal on how to overhaul the state's workers' compensation system. There's still one hurdle left for lawmakers to clear: They are still negotiating a deal that would lower the state's debt limit.
Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina, said the budget came together in a series of meetings that went late into the night. It was a daunting task, as all sides tried to cut billions in spending without causing too much damage, he said.
"We had a couple of moments where things were a little testy," Hunter said.
Of all the parties involved, House Republicans emerged as least supportive of the plan. House Republican Leader Richard DeBolt said many of his members were concerned by some of the cuts to school spending — although he didn't offer specifics on the compromise.
"I don't see them getting a lot of votes on it," DeBolt said. But House Republicans did have input on the plan and have agreed not to stand in the way of a vote, he said.


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In early October, Russian scientists reported the discovery of a unique, according to them, the body in the subglacial lake Vostok in Antarctica. Found a bacterium has genetic similarity with modern science, living beings only 86 percent.
Lake Vostok, drilling of which was discovered a bacterium, is the largest subglacial body of water on the mainland. The thickness of the ice, under which there is liquid water, is approximately four kilometers. The length of the lake — more than 175 kilometers, a width of approximately 65 km, depth — up to 1.2 kilometers. The total volume of water in it exceeds 6.1 thousand cubic kilometers, which is only 3.5 times less than in lake Baikal, the largest freshwater lake in the world. Station “Vostok”, after which the lake got its name, is located on the Northern edge of the ice pond.
The age of the ice over the lake is estimated at 20 thousand years, and it itself is isolated from the outside world for 15 million years. The water temperature in the upper part of the lake is minus two or three degrees Celsius at a pressure of 400 times above atmospheric. In the depth of the lake, it is likely that there are geothermal sources which warmed the water and create a comfortable for the organisms living conditions. Meanwhile, in the water of the lake is about one hundred times more oxygen than normal. The temperature of the surface layer of lake ice does not exceed minus seven degrees Celsius is the lower limit for metabolic activity of known bacteria.
The borehole 5G-1 began to develop at the Vostok station in 1989 by the joint efforts of the Soviet, French and American scientists. The surface of the lake, the scientists reached in 2015, raising from a depth of 3767,57 meter on the surface of the earth two ice core.
“The frozen on the drilling crown water was found absolutely no known bacteria, it is called w123-10”, — said the head of the laboratory of cryostability Petersburg nuclear physics Institute named after Boris Konstantinov geneticist Sergei Bulat.
Headed by Bulat team officially engaged in the search, that is “alien” life in subglacial lake Vostok, as well as identification of nitrogenous bases and amino acids in meteorites (carbonaceous chondrites) and comets cosmic dust substance of micron size, was found in Antarctica. Unusual microorganisms in the group of Bulat are trying to locate methods of molecular phylogenetics, in particular the gene sequencing of the small subunit ribosomal RNA of bacteria and archebacteria compliance with the criteria for the study and authentication of ancient DNA. Assessment of cell number is by running cytofluorometry.
Creature w123-10 was may second the bacterium found in the drilling of lake Vostok. The first one was opened in 2004 by Russian and French scientists, who at depths 3607 3561 meters and found the signal thermophilic beta-proteobacteria Hydrogenophilaceae thermoluteolus. These depths are separated by a layer of ice whose age differs by approximately five thousand years. Being Hydrogenophilaceae thermoluteolus, as studies have shown, comfortable lives at temperatures around minus 50 degrees Celsius. These organisms discovered in the ice of the first type — the so-called top ice, in contrast to the lower ice of the second type is not located directly at the surface of the lake.
Most likely, Hydrogenophilaceae thermoluteolus live, as suggested by the team, Bulat not in the lake, and at its bottom or in crevices in warm and rich with carbon dioxide and hydrogen sedimentary rocks. Closer to the surface they can be imposed as the result of seismotectonic activity. Detection Hydrogenophilaceae thermoluteolus led to a revision of existing tectonic models of Antarctica was the evidence of its subglacial lakes geothermal sources.
Previously, scientists have reported on the findings in the ice of the southern continent for unknown organisms. In 2013, experts reported the discovery in the samples from lake Vostok unknown to science DNA, but then denied this information. It should be noted that most of the information about the traces of microorganisms obtained on the basis of statistical data, which is difficult to distinguish between the presence of a truly unique organisms introduced from outside. Scientists from the U.S., for example, announced a very controversial finding in retrieved to the surface samples nadoennogo ice fragments of DNA and RNA that indicate the possibility of dwelling in the lake of multicellular creatures.
Available data indicate that the most likely candidates for life in subglacial lake are chemoautotrophic bacteria — in particular, methanogenic archaebacteria and sulphate-reducing bacteria. Such creatures could survive in total darkness and excess oxygen. Unfortunately, in the ice of the first type above lake Vostok have not yet discovered enough traces of methane and hydrogen sulfide, which would point to the activity of such organisms. However, scientists still have only investigated the ice of the first type, whereas the active life in lake Vostok, if it exists, most likely occurs closer to its bottom, which scientists have not yet reached.
If life really is in the subglacial lake Vostok, it is likely to is very peculiar. Similar conditions for potential organisms, scientists believe, exist in the sub-ice oceans of Jupiter’s moons (Ganymede, Callisto and Europa) and Saturn (dione and Enceladus) as well as at the poles of Mars. A study of the East allows astrobiologists already on the Ground much to learn about potential life in the cold worlds of the Solar system.
For example, scientists believe that Enceladus under a layer of ice at the depth of 30-40 kilometers away is the ocean, the depths of which are thermal sources, heating water to a temperature of 90 degrees Celsius. Probably a moon of Saturn was formed in the early stages of development of the Solar system, and its stone – its properties are similar to primitive meteorites (carbonaceous chondrites), the Earth’s surface. The latter contain, in particular, the minerals serpentine and saponite, which provide Enceladus hydrogen and heat necessary for the existence chemoautotrophic forms of life. On Earth, these organisms represented by bacteria, which get energy from organic matter and chemical oxidation reactions of inorganic compounds.
In the ocean of Enceladus is about the same salt content as in earth’s ocean. In addition, there are a lot of soda and a high level of alkalinity (pH of the water reaches 12). As scholars have noted, high alkalinity and high concentrations of baking soda means that in the depths of the ocean to happen the reaction of serpentization is an interaction of hot rocks satellite and ocean water, resulting in water are carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and metals.
On the Ground like an ocean of Enceladus conditions exist in the Mono lake in California. In this pond a lot of salt and soda, it does not live fish, however, are unusual organisms, in particular bacteria GFAJ-1, tolerant to lethal to other organisms concentrations of arsenic.
Detection of bacteria Hydrogenophilaceae thermoluteolus in the ice above lake Vostok shows that within the earth’s subglacial lake has hydrothermal vents similar to those assumed in the sub-ice oceans of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn.
Unfortunately, in the next few years sending missions to Saturn is not planned — it is too far from Earth. In the present study the gas giant and its moons completes the automatic station Cassini, thanks to which mankind learned about the geysers of Enceladus and its ice ocean. Jupiter was more fortunate: NASA and the European space Agency plan to send in the 2020s, a special mission devoted to the search of life on the satellite Europe. Unlike lake Vostok, automatic station will not engage in drilling, and examines the samples produced from emissions from the ice ocean of a moon.

domain: biology


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Did you know that according to a study by the Philippine Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism in 2012, one in 11 Filipino adults has goiter, and around one in 12 Filipino adults suffers from some form of thyroid disorders?
Millions of Filipinos are affected by problems with their thyroid, yet awareness of this disease is very low. The symptoms of thyroid disorders are often mistaken for other diseases, or worse, are ignored by patients with the disease.
What is the thyroid gland?
The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped organ found at the lower middle part of the neck. It is sometimes referred to as the “master controller” of metabolism, and is important to health and well-being. The thyroid creates, stores, and releases thyroid hormones into the blood. Thyroid hormones are important to the normal function of our body, and affect everything from the brain to our other organs.
People who are at risk for thyroid disorders:
check for the following variables
- Iron deficiency
- 50 years old and above
- Asian or Caucasian descent
- Down’s or Turner’s Syndrome
- Already undergone thyroid surgery
- Have family history of thyroid problems
- Previous history of radiation exposure or neck x-ray
- Diagnosed with autoimmune disease such as type 1 diabetes
To raise awareness of thyroid disorder, Merck Inc. held a bloggers event at the Holiday Inn Makati last September 21. Dubbed as "Unmasking Your Thyroid", the event was attended by chosen bloggers including people from the health industry. Dr. Nemencio Nicodemus, Jr., who is the President of the Philippine Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, as well as a Professor in the UP College of Medicine and the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health, gave an informative talk on what the thyroid is, as well as the symptoms of thyroid disease.
Patients with hypothyroidism, or too little thyroid hormone have one or more of these symptoms:
*tend to have slower metabolism
*they gain weight despite not eating much
*move and speak slowly
*feel tired most of the time
*have depressed thoughts
*cannot tolerate cold
*have irregular menstrual periods
Patients with hyperthyroidism, or too much thyroid hormone will manifest one or more of the ff:
*have hyperactive metabolism
*they lose weight despite having good appetite
*have heart palpitations
*irritable thoughts and insomnia
*have sweating and heat intolerance
*have tremors in their hands
More information can be found online in the website www.thyroid.ph. This is an online repository of information where people can learn more about thyroid disorders. The website also contains useful guides which can help people check themselves for symptoms of thyroid disorders, such as goiter, hyperthyroidism, or hypothyroidism.
There are a lot of people who may have thyroid disorders, but aren’t even aware until it is too late. It is important to have one’s thyroid checked as early as possible, especially if there is family history of the disease, or during pregnancy. Prevention, proper information and early detection will always be better than cure that comes too late.
About MERCK: Merck is the world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company with headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany. Merck is a leading science and technology company that works to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life – from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions.

domain: health


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A change in the track of the jet stream could bring a lengthy spell of bitterly cold weather to Britain.
The forthcoming icy snap will move in when the system changes direction and dives over the UK dragging bitter air down from the far north with low temperatures and gale force winds dominating.
The jet stream - ribbons of fast-flowing, high altitude air - will alter its track to a northwest to southeasterly flow from a more westerly path.
This raises the risk of some heavy rain and high winds with significant snow possible for northern areas of the UK.
Some forecasts have questioned if the cold snap could be triggered by a Polar Vortex, which involves hurling fragments of a bitterly cold air mass south from the Arctic.
But Leon Brown, principal meteorologist at The Weather Channel, said it was unlikely that this phenomenon would occur this winter..
He explained: "The polar vortex is just the strength of the flow that circulates around the poles and is dominated by the jet stream.
"There are sometimes big meanders in the jet stream, known as Rossby Waves. The control of these 'waves' is complex and related to a whole host of factors we call global teleconnections.
"One factor that we watch for at this time of year is if there is a stratospheric warming and resultant much weaker winds in the stratosphere which can sink lower to the troposphere.
"If the winds in the 'polar vortex' weaken this can allow the cold polar air that is normally held up over the poles to flow or drain out. We don't see anything like that this winter.
"In the forecast for the next few weeks over the Atlantic we will see a shift of the jet stream with a cold wave or trough over western Europe.
"It is this shift in the jet stream that will allow a colder northerly flow to develop over western Europe next week.


VECTUS brings what has, hitherto, been considered a transportation solution of the future into a proven and safe reality for today. With its potential for improving accessibility to quality public transport at a lower cost than conventional modes, while avoiding traffic problems such as congestion, accidents and pollution, it is an ideal solution to inter-connecting major transport hubs with satellite urban developments.
VECTUS uses small, lightweight, driverless vehicles to carry individuals, or small groups of people, non-stop from the origin station to the destination station. Stations are located on a network of lightweight guide-ways and are off-line (i.e. located on a side track), meaning that vehicles waiting for passengers at the station are not blocking the traffic flow on the main track. Consequently, waiting times for passengers are negligible and there are no intermediate stops during the journey, hence reducing the user’s total travel time. Vehicles are personal and travel on individually selected routes - yet the capacity of VECTUS is comparable to many other light public transportation modes due to the three second headway possible between vehicles. Furthermore, since the system is operating 'on demand', energy is used only when transportation is requested.
The VECTUS system is more cost effective than more traditional public transport because the system is driverless and does not run according to timetables. VECTUS also uses lighter vehicles, which require smaller guide-ways and stations, hence incurring a cheaper infrastructure cost.
Users of a VECTUS system enjoy a range of benefits previously not possible. Offering a non-stop, on-demand service means that the total travel time is shorter than any conventional mass transit system, with private and secure vehicles providing a safer and more efficient service. VECTUS provides negligible waiting times 24/7 without any increase in cost.
Accessible for Everyone
Many public transport systems are old and were designed without considering accessibility for those with impaired mobility. However, VECTUS offers wheelchair access at every station and these stations can be densely located, allowing shorter distances to the nearest stop. Guide-ways are small and can be easily installed with stations integrated inside or immediately adjacent to buildings, making travel direct and fast. Another unique quality of VECTUS is that it is flexible and personalised. A proportion of vehicles can also be specifically designed to accommodate wheelchairs.
The design flexibility of the system has immediate advantages for town and city planners. Small, off-line stations (which are relatively inexpensive) can be densely positioned without reducing the speed of the service, in contrast to conventional rail transit with large vehicles that stop at every station. Moreover, each station can be sized to suit local demand requirements in terms of the number of parking berths needed. The VECTUS system ensures that city planning is not constrained by transportation solutions serving specific corridors. VECTUS makes it possible to have a network which covers vast areas, rather than specific corridors. Instead of forcing developments to fit around a transport system, VECTUS can be tailored to fit around new developments. The system’s small guide-ways and efficient stations can even be constructed inside building lobbies or through small tunnels.
VECTUS can be implemented in both towns and cities and play a central role in developing an area into a thriving and vibrant location. The system is perfect for areas with a high demand for local transit at peak and off-peak hours, such as university campuses, shopping complexes, hospitals, theme parks and airports. VECTUS can also be used to complement traditional public transport. For example, to connect areas and neighbourhoods currently not served by existing public transport, to large bus and rail terminals as well as 'park-and-ride' facilities.
People invariably use private vehicles in areas where public transport is inefficient, inconvenient or both. Unfortunately, this invariably creates heavy congestion on the road system, particularly at peak travel times. VECTUS is an effective alternative. Efficient, convenient and environmentally friendly, it provides a reliable service with low waiting times. Passengers can travel from a city centre to out-of-town car parks, minimising the need to drive. The system is popular in areas which have limited or expensive parking.
Increased Property Value
An area served by an accessible, reliable transport system, which provides excellent commuting opportunities, is a more desirable place to live and work. Therefore, by implementing a VECTUS system, land values may inrease and the environment is less scarred by the implementation of heavy infrastructure.
VECTUS vehicles are flexible in design, with a range of styling solutions possible, allowing them to blend in to any urban environment. The vehicles are minimalistic and aerodynamic in design, with maximum comfort in mind. Each vehicle features automatic double doors on each side, comfortable seats, automotive standard HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) and a real-time passenger information system; while the large windows afford panoramic scenic views. The vehicles and stations are designed to accommodate the requirements of passengers with impaired mobility, including wheelchair users, in terms of layout, colour coding and high visibility handholds and thresholds. Buttons are illuminated, have raised tactile symbols and are within easy reach of a person in a wheelchair.
As motor vehicles are responsible for about fifty percent of greenhouse gases and twenty six percent of the world’s total energy consumption, it is important to encourage the public to utilise public transport. Using small, lightweight electric vehicles, the VECTUS system is a reliable, environmentally friendly alternative to travelling by car.


With dance music's annual Winter Music Conference in Miami fast approaching, Toolroom present a selection of tunes to impress the gathered industry boffins, clubbers and well-watered music journalists. Oh, and DJs who fancy getting the label's next "big tunes" well in advance of their regular release. At 47 tracks deep, with three DJ mixes thrown in for good measure, it's a bit of a beast, but there's more than enough to excite those who want fresh, recent and forthcoming bangers. All the big players are present - Deadmau5, Huxley, Maya Jane Coles, Duke Dumont, Mark Knight etc - as well as Toolroom favourites such as Hoxton Whores, Dirty South and Nicky Romero. Basically, if you're after big tunes to please big rooms, you should give it a whirl.
What is Album Only?
Some artists and labels prefer certain tracks to be purchased as part of an entire release. These tracks cannot be purchased individually but are available to download as part of the release


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This May is Mental Health Awareness Month. While the National Institute of Mental Health says about one in four Americans suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year, not everyone seeks the care they may need. If you feel like you need to talk to someone, Theravive can help.
Theravive is an international mental health network with thousands of therapists trained and specialized in every mental health issue ready to help you or someone you love. Itâs easy to find someone to talk to -- just search the list of therapists provided to find one where you live. They also have options for online therapy and phone counseling, as well as expert resources and support groups for every kind of mental health issue possible. Serving over half a million people, Theravive is a trusted place where patients can meet therapists to resolve issues and move forward with their lives.
Despite the encouragement of support systems like family and friends, dating abuse victims can often feel as if they have no one to turn to or speak with about their experience. With therapy, those victims may be able to find peace and closure regarding their circumstance. They may also discover ways to move on with their life, or develop coping mechanisms to help deal with other issues that result from dating abuse such as post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, or suicidal thoughts. Even in a healthy relationship, people can feel as though they need to talk to someone.
Everyone deserves a healthy relationship. If you or someone you know may need help, seek help with a professional therapist using Theravive. Weâll be posting one of the resources for dating abuse on their site as well.
Be safe and be well this month!

domain: medical


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nytheatre.com review by Chris Harcum
August 15, 2007
Leni Riefenstahl is known as Hitler's filmmaker because she made the documentary Triumph of the Will, during six days of the Nuremberg Congress of the Nazi party in 1934. In Sarah Greenman's play Leni, the complicated onion of the responsibility of art is peeled away by two sides of Ms. Riefenstahl, brought to life by a younger and an older actress. Equal parts psychodrama, biography, courtroom drama, lecture, and double solo performance, this piece takes you deep into her mind, where the conflicts and accusations fly just as much as they did around her. Was she aware she was making such a strong piece of propaganda for Hitler, or was she just an artist brining her highest level of craft and professionalism to her work? Was someone who wanted beauty to be the new religion simply blind to the events happening around her?
Leni opens up with actual footage without subtitles of Triumph of the Will. It is astounding and sickening what a breathtaking film it is. Riefenstahl's argument against the film being a piece of propaganda is that it does not contain any commentary. She maintains this "film art" simply shows a series of images as they happened.
The mystery of her true relationship with Hitler is never completely unearthed. Looking at all the evidence, it is doubtful anyone will ever truly know what it was. Was she Hitler's puppet? Was Hitler at her beck and call when she needed support to complete her projects? Were they romantically linked or good friends? Was she secretly supportive of him? Did they just use each other to serve their own needs? Conjecture goes back and forth amongst historians so it is only fitting that the two Lenis in this piece fight at times over the accuracy of details, accounts, and memories. The questions bring up more questions while the stranger-than-fiction historical details make you wonder what surprises are in store.
Sarah Greenman's eloquent and spellbinding play avoids many of the traps inherent in all the genres used in this piece. Louisa Cabot and Olivia Mora are perfect in their roles. You buy them instantly as versions of the same person, their dialects are spot on, they knock many moments right out of the park, and they give and take so well you actually think they are operating with only one shared mind. Lorraine Clink's direction keeps the prism of Greenman's play turning briskly.
One complaint. The piece runs close to 90 minutes with a 10-minute intermission. Cutting that out would keep the action moving and let Fringers get to other shows. Second (non-show) complaint to audience members: unless you plan on giving millions to a theatre, don't gripe about the facility. If downtown theatres continue to go the way of CBGB, you will be sorry.
Riefenstahl's influence is deeply embedded in our culture. From our clothing ads to the way sports events are shot to how the President lands his plane and makes his entrance, we experience her aesthetic daily. One can only imagine her impact had she not created Triumph of the Will but created some other equally potent film. On the other hand, what if she had been allowed to make films after World War II? Hopefully, we will not have questions about the output of Collective Play Productions and they will bring us more textured, quality work. If you are looking for a big helping of meat to put on your FringeNYC plate, go see Leni.

domain: artistic


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Marcelle Joseph Projects is delighted to present At Home Salon: Double Acts, an exhibition in the private residence of the curator in Ascot and showcasing artworks by 14 artists. For the third biennial edition of this exhibition - subtitled Double Acts – Marcelle Joseph has collaborated with a different London-based curator, gallerist, journalist or artist in each of seven different rooms of her home. Each “double act” curating team has in turn chosen two artists to show in their designated area. The collaborating curators include (in alphabetical order): artist Rebecca Ackroyd, Bosse & Baum gallerist Lana Bountakidou, Arcadia_Missa gallerist Rozsa Farkas, independent curator Valentina Fois, The Sunday Painter gallerist Will Jarvis, freelance arts writer Anna McNay and Emalin curator Leopold Thun. Expect the unexpected - artistic combinations in the domestic context away from the white cube that jolt, inspire, provoke and invite conversations of all sorts.
At Home Salon | Double Acts: Ascot, Berkshire


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Kayaking in Cape Town
You don't have to be a pro to discover Cape Town by kayak. Coastal Kayak Trails has regular sunset and sunrise paddles off Sea Point. A two-hour paddle costs around R250. 021/439–1134 or 083/346–1146. www.kayak.co.za.
Real Cape Adventures offers regular scenic paddles off Hout Bay and from Simon's Town around to Boulders. Expect to pay R250. 021/790–5611. www.seakayak.co.za.
Need a break from the big city? View 42-hour itineraries from 13 cities.More
View deals in Cape Town for vacation packages, hotels, airfare, and more from our partners!More


The government’s vaccination programme against coronavirus will start tomorrow with a target of inoculating 3.5 million people in the first month of first phase.
According to Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), around 2.5 lakh people registered through website www.surokkha.gov.bd for coronavirus vaccine across the country till Friday as the frontline fighters in 18 categories and the people above 55 in another category are now allowed to register for the vaccination in the first phase.“A total of 2,45,000 people registered for vaccine till 2pm on Friday. We have taken measures to increase the number of registration for vaccination. We are carrying out various activities, including sending messages in mobile phones and publishing advertisements. Local administration at the grass roots will also carry out campaign to make people aware,” Prof Dr Mijanur Rahman, director (MIS) of the DGHS, told the Daily Sun.
He said the DGHS has taken various initiatives to ensure a smooth registration process for vaccine seekers as the health workers will go to vaccine seekers’ doorsteps to support them in online registration across the country.
At the same time, union digital centres will also help people register for vaccine and the vaccine seekers can also register physically visiting the vaccine centres across the country, the DGHS sources said.
The health and family welfare ministry said the government has decided to inoculate 3.5 million people in the first month of vaccination programme.
The country now has a stock of 7 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca (Covishield) vaccine, of which the government procured 5 million doses from Serum Institute of India and the rest were gifted by the Indian government.
Two doses of the Covishield vaccine will be given to each vaccine recipient in an eight-week interval.Dr Md Robed Amin, line director (NCDC) and spokesperson for the DGHS, earlier said a total of 7,343 centres will be set up all over the country, including 324 in the capital, to run the vaccination drive.
“There’ll be two vaccination centres in every upazila health complex while four in district-level hospitals and eight in medical colleges or specialised hospitals. However, all centres may not start work at the same time. The vaccine centres will work as per the need,” he said.
At least one hundred people will be given vaccine daily at every vaccine centre across the country, the DGHS sources said.
Each of the vaccination team is comprised of two vaccinators and four volunteers while the vaccinators include nurses, sub-assistant community medical officers and family welfare inspectors.
The DGHS has also asked not to grant leave to health workers until February 10 in a bid to ensure the smooth rollout of Covid-19 vaccine across the country.
“The vaccine centres will carry out the vaccination from 9am to 3pm round the week except Friday. We have initially planned to carry out the programme for two weeks. If our target of inoculating 3.5 million people is not completed by the time, then it may continue for more days,” Dr Md Shamsul Haque, Line Director (MNC & AH) of the DGHS, told the Daily Sun.
The DGHS has already reached vaccines to district level and the vaccines have been kept in EPI stores.
Prof Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora, additional director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), recently said four lakh doses of the vaccines have been allocated for Dhaka district.
Health minister Zahid Maleque on Thursday said the government has decided to inoculate 3.5 million people. "We will get vaccine throughout the year, we will continue vaccinating people," he said.
The minister will receive vaccine at Sheikh Russel Gastroliver Institute & Hospital in the capital on Sunday, the ministry sources said.
The first consignment of vaccines that Bangladesh will receive under the World Health Organization-led international platform Covax could arrive by April-May, the health minister said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the vaccination programme virtually when 26 front liners received Covishield vaccine in Kurmitola General Hospital on January 27. And 541 others received the vaccine in five hospitals in the capital on the next day.
A total of 567 people who received their first doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca (Covishield) vaccine were under observation for seven days.
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) sources and some vaccine recipients said no major side effect of the vaccine has been found yet among the vaccine recipients.
The government is procuring three crore doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine by June under a deal with the Serum Institute of India. The country will also receive some 6.8 crore doses of the same vaccine from the global vaccine alliance GAVI under the COVAX facility.
Bangladesh plans to inoculate 80 percent of its population and the Covid-19 shots will be administered in five stages under three phases, according to the national vaccine distribution and preparation plan.


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The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has called on Lithuania to reduce fossil fuel subsidies and introduce a carbon tax to green its economy.
“This policy should be tightened, reducing fossil fuel subsidies,” OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria told an online news conference on Monday.
“Sometimes we get the impression that we are working very hard to save or get a few extra euros to save nature, but at the same time we are spending a lot of money to subsidize fossil fuels that are harmful to the environment,” he said.
The secretary-general criticized countries that make commitments to reduce CO2 emissions and ratify the Paris Agreement, but later fail to tax CO2 emissions. In its latest Economic Survey of Lithuania released on Monday, the organization recommends that the country introduce a carbon tax in sectors not covered by the European emission trading system.
According to Gurria, a carbon tax is necessary to change attitudes. “We need a big, fat price on carbon. That means a tax on carbon. Why? Because if you have a higher price for emissions, you will try to avoid producing emissions,” he said.
Lithuania’s fossil fuel subsidies are among the highest in the OECD, according to the report. The country must reduce emissions in the transport sector, the biggest sources of emissions with 28 percent, the OECD said. “The large share of transport emissions will require a deep restructuring if the 2030 targets are to be met,” the organization said. Lithuania’s energy policy should focus on the development of cleaner renewable energy, despite low fossil fuel prices, it said.
Note: This news is a re-post of the original posted on The Baltic Times website.


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- Prison Planet.com - http://www.prisonplanet.com -
Putin rules out Chechen rebels from airport attack
Posted By admin On January 27, 2011 @ 8:52 am In World News | Comments Disabled
NHK World
Jan 27, 2011
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says that Chechen separatists had nothing to do with Monday’s deadly suicide attack on Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport.
The explosion that ripped through the arrival terminal of Russia’s busiest airport killed 35 people and wounded over 130 others.
Russian authorities suspect the attack was a suicide bombing. They are investigating links to Islamic extremists from the North Caucasus, who have carried out previous terror attacks in Moscow.
Putin told reporters on Wednesday that preliminary checks have ruled out links to the Chechen Republic. But he didn’t deny that other extremist groups in the North Caucasus could be responsible.
Article printed from Prison Planet.com: http://www.prisonplanet.com
URL to article: http://www.prisonplanet.com/putin-rules-out-chechen-rebels-from-airport-attack.html
URLs in this post:
 NHK World: http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/27_05.html
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 Image: http://www.stansberryresearch.com/pro/1011PSIENDVD/PPSILC35/PR
Copyright © 2013 PrisonPlanet.com. All rights reserved.

domain: politics


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In addition to being set on the Trans-Siberian Express as it travels across Russia, Under the Almond Tree is a story also set in part in Badakhshan and Central Asia. Badakhshan, in North East Afghanistan and GBAO, is one of the poorest areas in the region – with low literacy levels and little available in the way of infrastructure or support. People here are vulnerable to natural disasters – earthquakes, landslides, flooding, drought all affect the area. There are significant security concerns all along the border areas and a heightened military presence.
In spite of the many challenges faced however, the people here are among some of the kindest and most generous people I have met anywhere in the world. Their resilience, good humour and love of family are inspiring, and this is truly one of the most beautiful places to visit.
You can find more of my travel photos and visual research for the novel on Pinterest and Instagram – lcmcveigh – and in the media gallery on this website.

domain: travel


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TU Percussion Ensemble Concert
Thursday, April 25, 2013 from 07:30 PM to 09:00 PM
Free and open to the public
The University of Tulsa Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Thomas McGillen, presents a concert of chamber and solo works for percussion on Thursday, April 25th at 7:30 p.m. in Gussman Concert Hall. Join us for an exciting evening of contemporary percussion music and transcriptions of classical music for keyboards, drums, and percussion instruments. Come and enjoy one of the most unique chamber ensemble events of the season.
Free and open to the public.
918 631 2262

domain: entertainment


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Hello! Athanasia here today to share a small canvas I created with the June 2015 Limited Edition Spray Set.
To create this mixed media background, first I made a collage with papers, applied some light paste with a stencil, and then I glued everything down. After that, I used the sprays with a paint brush, and spread the colors here and there… I also used the sprays to paint the flowers.
I altered the chipboard pieces with the Shabby Turbine Teal spray and the Obviously Black and Midnight Bronze embossing powders, and some bronze mica flakes.
I also used the embossing powders on the background with a stamp, to create more texture, and give more interest. I really love the result! One more thing I did with the embossing powders, was to create this beautiful butterfly. I stamped twice the butterfly on rice paper, spread the embossing powder, and heat it. Then I cut it around with a scissors, and painted it with the Shabby Turbine Teal spray.
Thank you for visiting!
Have a lovely crafty time 🙂
4 thoughts on “Mixed Media Canvas by Athanasia Papantoniou”
This is truly stunning Athanasia! I always love what you create!
YEAH – my favorite thing…. mixed media on canvas with LINDY’S!!!!!!!!!! This is INCREDIBLE Athanasia. The colors are SPECTACULAR. The design is PERFECT. The layers are INTRIGUING. What a GREAT way to start my day. Thanks bunches for such inspiration. j.
Lovely canvas! Very stormy and emotional! I like the colors and background very much! And this is an interesting technique with the butterfly. Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely gorgeous! I love how the dark sprays make some spots look almost charred- very cool effect. I’ll probably be here for awhile…


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Financial goals are essential for achieving financial success and stability. Setting clear and achievable financial goals is the first step towards taking control of your finances and building wealth. Whether you are saving for retirement, a big purchase, or simply want to improve your financial health, having specific goals in mind can help you stay focused and motivated.
In this article, we will discuss the importance of setting financial goals and provide a step-by-step guide to help you set and achieve your goals. We will also address some frequently asked questions about financial goal setting.
Why Set Financial Goals?
Setting financial goals is crucial for several reasons. Here are some of the key benefits of establishing clear financial objectives:
1. Provides direction and purpose: Setting financial goals gives you a clear direction for your money and helps you prioritize your spending and saving. By defining your goals, you can focus on what is truly important to you and avoid getting sidetracked by unnecessary expenses.
2. Motivates you to save and invest: Having specific financial goals can motivate you to save and invest more effectively. When you have a target to work towards, you are more likely to stick to your savings plan and make smart investment decisions.
3. Helps you track your progress: By setting measurable financial goals, you can track your progress over time and see how close you are to achieving your objectives. This can help you stay on course and make adjustments as needed to reach your goals.
4. Builds financial discipline: Setting and working towards financial goals requires discipline and self-control. By practicing good financial habits and sticking to your plan, you can develop the discipline needed to achieve long-term financial success.
5. Improves financial literacy: Setting financial goals forces you to learn more about topics such as budgeting, investing, and retirement planning. This can help you become more educated about your finances and make informed decisions about your money.
How to Set Financial Goals: A Step-by-Step Guide
Now that you understand the importance of setting financial goals, let’s discuss how to establish your own objectives. Follow these steps to create actionable and achievable financial goals:
1. Define your objectives: Start by identifying what you want to achieve with your money. Are you saving for a down payment on a house, planning for retirement, or aiming to build an emergency fund? Be specific about your goals and consider both short-term and long-term objectives.
2. Make your goals SMART: When setting financial goals, use the SMART criteria to ensure they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, instead of saying you want to “save more money,” a SMART goal would be to “save $5,000 for a vacation by the end of the year.”
3. Prioritize your goals: If you have multiple financial goals, prioritize them based on their importance and urgency. Focus on one goal at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed and increase your chances of success.
4. Create a plan: Develop a detailed plan for achieving each of your financial goals. This may include setting a budget, increasing your savings rate, investing in your retirement accounts, or paying down debt. Be sure to include specific actions and deadlines to keep yourself accountable.
5. Monitor your progress: Regularly review your financial goals and track your progress towards achieving them. Make adjustments to your plan as needed and celebrate small victories along the way.
6. Seek professional guidance: If you are unsure how to set or achieve your financial goals, consider seeking advice from a financial planner or advisor. They can help you create a personalized plan and provide guidance on how to reach your objectives.
Frequently Asked Questions About Setting Financial Goals
Q: How many financial goals should I have?
A: The number of financial goals you set depends on your individual circumstances and priorities. It’s important to focus on a few key goals at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Q: How often should I review my financial goals?
A: It’s a good idea to review your financial goals regularly, such as on a monthly or quarterly basis. This allows you to track your progress and make adjustments as needed.
Q: What should I do if I can’t reach my financial goals?
A: If you are struggling to achieve your financial goals, consider reassessing your plan and making adjustments. You may need to cut expenses, increase your savings rate, or seek additional income sources to reach your objectives.
Q: How can I stay motivated to achieve my financial goals?
A: To stay motivated, remind yourself of the reasons why you set your financial goals in the first place. Visualize the outcome of achieving your goals and reward yourself for reaching milestones along the way.
Q: Should I share my financial goals with others?
A: While it’s not necessary to share your financial goals with others, doing so can help you stay accountable and receive support from friends and family. Just be mindful of who you share your goals with and consider their intentions and reactions.
In conclusion, setting financial goals is a crucial step towards achieving financial success and building wealth. By defining your objectives, making them SMART, creating a plan, and monitoring your progress, you can increase your chances of reaching your financial goals. Remember to prioritize your goals, seek professional guidance if needed, and stay motivated throughout the process. With dedication and perseverance, you can take control of your finances and achieve your financial dreams.

domain: economics


New Delhi: The first week of lockdown 4.0 comes to an end on Sunday with greater mobility all across the country, except the containment zones. Shops have reopened, trains are on the track. Flights will be resuming operations from May 25. But the Delhi-Noida border is shut. And the possibilities are that they will remain shut as the Noida administration is not willing to open the border fearing a sudden and sharp increase in the number of cases. A report has been prepared explaining why the border should not be opened. The report would be submitted to the Supreme Court and the state government.Also Read - Drunk Driver Fires at Another Vehicle in Delhi Cantt Area, 1 Injured; Police Suspect Road Rage
Why is Delhi-Noida Border Closed? Also Read - Farmers Protest Likely to Intensify as Opposition Backs 'Bharat Bandh' on Dec 8 | 10 Points
On April 21 — late in the evening — the border between Delhi and Noida was closed in an attempt to contain the spread of the disease. At that time, Nizamuddin Markaz became a hotspot of the virus. Noida closed its border to save the district. Also Read - Unlock 3: Noida-Delhi, Ghaziabad-Delhi Borders Open. Are E-Passes Required Anywhere From Today?
Consequently, all border-sharing districts cut Delhi off. Delhi-Gurgaon, Delhi-Faridabad borders were closed.
Why are the borders not opening while Centre opened all state borders?
The Uttar Pradesh government on May 17 ordered to open the border following the MHA guideline of allowing inter-state movement. But a day later, the Noida district administration put the restrictions in place.
Is the Issue Sub-Judice?
The issue has reached the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. No verdict has been passed. The courts wanted to hear the parties.
Why does Noida not want to open border with Delhi?
According to the new report that the Noida administration has prepared, opening the borders would make Noida more vulnerable. It says out of 293 cases (as of May 20), 50 can be attributed to sources from Delhi.
Delhi has a larger population, a higher number of active cases, a higher number of toll and containment zones.
“Sample positivity rate in Delhi is 7.3 per 100 cases compared with 24 in GB Nagar. This clearly shows that the burden of the disease in Delhi is much higher than GB Nagar,” the report said.
That the cure rate in Delhi is 47 per cent compared with 70 per cent in the Uttar Pradesh district which, it said, is an indicator of its effective strategic approach.
Why does the border matter so much?
The proximity of Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon has placed these three cities in one bracket. Many NCR residents live in one city and work in the other. Some travel between Gurgaon and Noida every day for work purposes, which has become difficult as now two passes will be required for travelling from Gurgaon to Noida.
Essential service staff are allowed to travel across the border. Special e-passes are required to have a hassle-free movement across the border. But acquiring those passes from DM offices is another long-winding process.
Passengers travelling to New Delhi Railways Station to board trains are also exempted once they show their tickets. A similar move to air passengers is also expected once domestic air travel begins on May 25.


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Behavioral Health in Your Practice
Physician-led primary care teams often address common behavioral health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and substance use. By bringing medical and behavioral health services together within primary care, providers are better able to meet both the mental and physical health needs of the patient. Behavioral health and primary care integration is considered the gold standard for care. To help you promote behavioral health with your primary care team, we are sharing industry information, tools, and other resources for easy reference.


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In the bank’s Report on Jobs, all UK regions except Northern Ireland posted reduced claimant numbers in December; 12,100 lower than in November and down 40,500 from December 2011.
The report said: “Notably, this was the largest annual decline in 20 months. That said, the unemployment rate remained at 4.8% for the sixth successive month in December.
“The South East and South West posted the lowest unemployment rates at the end of 2012 at 3.0% and 3.2% respectively.”
Permanent staff placements increased further during January, with the latest rise strong, albeit the weakest in three months.
Average starting salaries for permanent staff rose strongly in January but the rate of inflation has been noted as the fastest since last May.
According to the report, demand for permanent staff rose solidly at the start of the year, but the latest increase was the weakest in four months.

domain: finance


As they gear up for the release of their first album in almost five years, Get Back, Pink Mountaintops share another new track. We’ve heard the fun, strange song, North Hollywood Microwaves, and today we have The Second Summer Of Love. The track sounds classic and scorching, and feels more like the Pink Mountaintops we know than that first one. Get Back is out April 29 via Jagjaguwar. Check it out the new track (via Stereogum) below.


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Kodak Black is speaking out once again from behind bars. In his latest Instagram post, Kodak reassures his fans that he is not in prison “crying or sad or some shit,” but he wants his fans to know that he will not stay silent about things that have happened to him since he has been imprisoned.
He wrote, “First Off, If You Know Me, You Know Was Up & You Know What Da Play Is! But Sincerely from the FINESSE KID himself, Don’t Even Think A Nigga In This Bitch Crying Or Sad Or Some shit. This Is Where I’m From, I Been Doing This Shit & I’ll Do It Again! Granted!”
He continued, “But Why Should I Sit In This Bitch & Let These Ppl Do Me Any Kinda Way? Why Stay Mute When You Have A Voice? Yea, Yea And As Far As Da Ma Dukes Go, Ya Ion Really Appreciate How Buddy Got Her Out There All Down Bad & Shit But In The Same Token, Dam Right The Ol Girl Ain’t Really Feelin How These Ppl Playing With Her Youngest, But A Nigga Thuggin Da Greatest Tho! Nevertheless! Granted! Basically, Don’t Get This Shit Fucked Up!”
Kodak is currently serving a 46-month prison sentence, for weapons charges, with his potential release date in 2022. He recently filed to appeal his sentence on grounds of a technicality.
Kodak’s lawyer Bradford Cohen claims that Kodak was incorrectly labeled as a prior convicted felon, a technicality that could have affected his sentence. While Kodak has previously entered guilty pleas, the plea deals would have kept convictions off his record. Since he is not a prior convicted felon, Cohen believes the mislabeling caused him to have a harsher sentence.
By appealing his sentence, Cohen aims to bring his release date to late 2021 instead.
“Yes the appellate brief should be filed this week,” Cohen wrote on Instagram on Tuesday (Feb. 4). “It’s not a question of ‘I got screwed.’ It’s a question of law. Kodak was never a convicted felon previous to this charge. This charge in federal court was a false reporting charge for failing to disclose that he had a pending charge while applying for a firearm. If the appeal is successful, it would shave about 10 more months off the 2022 release date.”
Kodak was recently transferred out of a Miami prison, following his claims of abuse. He said that the guards were “strategically” trying to kill him by denying him food and allegedly drugging him.
Take a look at his Instagram post below.

domain: law


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Nicholson, Lt. Col. John (ed.).
Title Pennsylvania at Gettysburg: Ceremonies at the Dedication of the Monuments Erected by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to Maj. Gen. Meade, Hancock, Reynolds & to Mark the Positions of the Pennsylvania Commands Engaged in the Battle. Vol. I. Only of 4.
Book Condition Good
Publisher Harrisburg: Stanley Ray, 1904. 1904
Seller ID 78-758
605p. Photos. Heavy. Hinges repaired with cloth tape. Good Copy

domain: history


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Summary: Microsoftâ€™s upcoming operating system Windows 8 will support Flash. Finally, a selling point for the tablet. While itâ€™s not exactly â€œfull fatâ€ Flash, it could keep the add-on in play for years to come.
It appears that ditching Adobe System’ Flash Player wasn’t as easy as Microsoft thought earlier this year.
Because screenshots from WinUnleaked show the browser plug-in working even in the Metro version of IE10 where Microsoft had earlier said plug-ins would be barred.


Big Oil's Anti-E15 Campaign Filled with Gross Exaggerations and Misinformation +VIDEO
The people who rammed lead down our throats for nearly a century, and denied it was harmful, have a new story to peddle
By Marc J. Rauch
Exec. Vice President/Co-Publisher
THE AUTO CHANNEL
AUTO CENTRAL - May 16, 2012: A bit more than 18-months ago, the EPA issued a study finding and held a teleconference to announce that after evaluation they determined that E15 engine fuel (15% ethanol mixed with 85% gasoline) had the same effects on spark-induced internal combustion engine vehicles manufactured after 2007 as E10 engine fuel (10% ethanol mixed with 90% gasoline), which in a word were "none."
The oil and gasoline industry, along with all their paid politicians and media personalities became apoplectic. They issued press release after press release denouncing the EPA announcement in which they repeated their tired rhetoric about how harmful ethanol can be to automobile engines and challenged the EPA's authority to take on the study and then pronounce E15 ready for prime time. Big oil claimed that the EPA did not do sufficient testing and that their results were premature. They threatened, among other things, that they would sue the EPA.
Four months later, in January 2011, the EPA extended their E15 pronouncement to include all passenger car and light truck gasoline-engine vehicles manufactured for model years 2001-2006, thereby giving the green light to all such vehicles manufactured from 2001 on.
The oil-gasoline lobby had a sh-t fit. They re-circulated all the press releases they used four months before, added some new vitriolic condemnations, and made good on the promise to sue the EPA.
Again, Big Oil claimed that millions of vehicles would be damaged and that the EPA waiver was made without sufficient testing and that it was premature.
Today, the American Petroleum Institute and two auto manufacturer associations held their own teleconference to officially announce the finding of a study that they preliminarily released several days ago. This study, which was conducted by a private organization called Coordinating Research Council, studied the use of E15 in eight vehicles and found that two of the vehicles suffered from pitted valves, leaks, and loss of compression. A former member of CRC joined the Big Oil panel to present these results and explain the technical aspects. Using the study's results the group unanimously stated that their earlier criticism about the EPA results was correct, that the EPA was premature in issuing the waiver.
Listen to today's complete press conference
Not only did I listen to the press conference live, I participated in it. In my opinion this study and its findings are irrelevant, immaterial, off-base, wrong, and/or entirely fraudulent. The study and its findings continue a long history of oil industry misdeeds that were and are designed to keep America and most of the world enslaved to gasoline.
Let me take this point-by-point:
The EPA Waiver
The EPA took on the study of E15 because they were requested to do so by members of the ethanol industry. They didn't do it because of some New World Order socialist conspiracy to control our lives (I acknowledge that the EPA has been guilty of this, but this study didn't originate with them). Either because the request originated from an outside source, or because the EPA lacks the authority to mandate the use of E15, they did not mandate its use, they merely made a recommendation that it could be used without undue harm. They also recommended that additional warning labels be placed at filling stations to alert consumers to the fact that this fuel from an E15 pump was E15 fuel, as compared to E85, regular gasoline (E10), diesel, plain water or compressed air. Currently there are other similar labels on station pumps, so this label wouldn't be out of the ordinary.
The EPA's study was not conducted unreasonably quickly. The original request to test was submitted in March 2009. The preliminary findings were released in September 2010 - 18 months later. That period of time is at least as long as the study time conducted by CRC to dispute the EPA findings.
In today's anti-E15 press conference the Big Oil spokespeople stressed that CRC's study was conducted by experts. They used the word "experts" again and again, as if to say that the EPA relied merely on the opinion of monkeys. The EPA's study was based upon the work done by the government's testing laboratories - the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Argonne National Laboratory. I tried to ask the panel if they felt that the two U.S. labs were less expert or if they didn't have experts, but I was cut off before I could ask the question.
I can assure you that both government laboratories have experts, too. Oh, and by the way, when the EPA did the test they also tested E20 just see if perhaps E15 represented some invisible line that if broken would have disastrous effects. E20 proved as harmless to the tested engines as E15. How do I know this? During the October 2010 press conference, I asked if they tested any other blend levels at the same time. You can hear it for yourself if you listen to the press conference via the link above. (Argonne and NREL have actually been studying ethanol for years.)
So, knowing about the E20 test, you might ask, "Why didn't the EPA recommend E20, too?" I also asked that question. The answer was that they (the EPA) were only asked to test E15, so that's all they are responding to. The E20, as I mention above, was just used as a control of sorts. The significance here is that if the EPA wanted to force the evil ethanol monster on us, as API contends, they would have gone straight to E20. That information is only available to the world because the question was asked.
In addition, to support the findings of the government labs, Ricardo Laboratories - perhaps the worlds most prestigious private testing lab - conducted their own independent study of E15 and not only arrived at the same EPA conclusions, but they broadened their acceptance of E15 to include vehicles manufactured as far back as the 1994*.
Moreover, ethanol is not a new engine fuel. In fact it was used in the very first internal combustion vehicle in the 1820s. Up until the time when General Motors scientists invented the use of leaded-gasoline, ethanol was considered the better fuel. What the GM scientists sought to achieve with the invention of leaded-gasoline was a fuel that mimicked the performance qualities of ethanol. Gasoline didn't become the dominant fuel because it was better than ethanol, it became the dominant fuel because GM, the world's largest auto maker, found a way to make billions of dollars of profit by promoting their new patented product. GM was given a mighty assistance in achieving fuel dominance by partnering with John Rockefeller's oil-gasoline companies. Rockefeller then delivered the fait accompli to the contest when he gave millions of dollars in bribes to politicians to vote for Prohibition, virtually wiping ethanol from the field of competition.
Ethanol, and various blends of ethanol-gasoline, have been studied, tested and used in America and around the world for more than 150 years. To say that studies using ethanol are premature is as much of a joke as when the oil-gasoline industry and its political lackeys told us that leaded-gasoline was not harmful (Joe Biden once testified before Congress that leaded-gasoline was not harmful to humans).
Pitting Valves, Leaks and Loss of Compression
The anti-ethanol crowd likes to say that ethanol damages engines. They say it as if gasoline had no negative effect on engines. The panel members in today's anti E15 teleconference repeated this over and over. The truth is that gasoline damages engines. Gasoline causes pitted valves; gasoline can leak, engines that run on gasoline can experience compression loss. If you don't believe me, drive by any engine shop and look to see if they are working on any vehicle engines. These aren't engines that have been using ethanol, these engines are damaged because engines deteriorate over time, and gasoline damages engines.
Furthermore, if it wasn't for mixing ethanol with gasoline any higher compression engine (all modern engines) would blow apart because of the knock caused by straight gasoline. During the years that tetraethyl lead was added to gasoline the knock was quieted. When leaded-gasoline was finally legislated out of existence, the options were to go back to mixing in ethanol or methyl tert-butyl ether, aka MTBE. When it was finally realized that MTBE was another poison, and it too was eliminated, the only real solution reverted to the original solution, ethanol.
I've run across a few knuckleheads online who promote freedom of choice by saying that we Americans should be allowed to choose to not use gasoline with ethanol. It makes me laugh because if their gasoline didn't have any ethanol in it their engines would really experience damage. By the way, this freedom of choice has nothing to do with the Open Fuel Act, which truly would give us a choice in deciding which fuel to use.
Gasoline Engines Not Made for E15
Perhaps the only comment I heard during today's press conference that I agreed with was when one of the speakers said that gasoline engines were not made to run on E15. That statement is exactly correct. However it's a completely irrelevant and immaterial point to make.
The fact that a gasoline-optimized engine can run on any other fuel other than gasoline is absolutely remarkable. It's a testament to how fantastic ethanol is. Just think: if we were ever faced with the apocalyptic future, as envisioned for example in the Mad Max Road Warrior movie, we wouldn't have to hijack remnants of gasoline to run our gasoline-powered motor vehicles, we would just make ethanol out of almost anything regardless of where we are. We wouldn't need to drill thousands of feet below the surface with expensive equipment, we could simply ferment whatever grows and then use a stone age technology to distill it into alcohol.
The serious point I'm making here, and it's a point that most people overlook, is that ethanol isn't the perfect fuel for a gasoline-optimized engine because the engine is optimized to run on gasoline, not because ethanol is not as good or better. In an engine that is optimized to run on ethanol (with proper fuel injectors, appropriate spark timing, and greater piston compression), ethanol will perform equal to or better than a gasoline-optimized engine. Furthermore, if you tried to use pure gasoline or E10 in the ethanol-optimized engine your results would probably not equal the results of pure ethanol or a high ethanol-gasoline blend in a gasoline-optimized engine.
What we need is a fuel whose source and availability is not dependent upon foreign interests; a fuel whose success doesn't contribute to the war chests of terrorists and terrorist regimes; a fuel that doesn't poison us; a fuel that can be produced inexpensively; a fuel that can be produced in any geographic region. And we need a fuel like this right now, not 50 years in the future. Ethanol is that fuel. Ethanol's cousin, methanol, also meets these qualifications, particularly if the methanol is produced from easily sourced waste materials (not from CNG). Being able to power our vehicles from a fuel produced from an increasingly endless supply of human excrement is better than any Star Trek fantasy we can imagine, because it's doable right now.
As The Auto Channel opined in June 2008, we need legislation that mandates the end of new gasoline-powered vehicles. If you live in fear of a New World Order controlled by the people who occupy the United Nations building in Manhattan, you should be equally afraid of the people who occupy the OPEC headquarters in Geneva and their minions who are housed in the API office building in Washington, DC.
• SEE ALSO: No New Gasoline-Powered Vehicles...
* Why did Ricardo Labs only okay E15 for vehicles manufactured since 1994? In the early 1990's nearly all auto manufacturers changed certain metal and rubber components that were susceptible to corrosion from ethanol, in order to allow ethanol to be used without any harm. Typically any ethanol-gasoline blends with higher ethanol levels are not recommended for use in cars manufactured prior to about 1991-92. In any event, the great preponderance of vehicles on the road today were manufactured after the mid-1990's.


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After dropping not one, but two “Stay Schemin” freestyles, we have more news out of the Slaughterhouse camp. Crooked I took to Twitter to announce his next mixtape and release date for the project.
The Cali MC tweeted, “Bout to get in the booth again. 3rd song. The Slaughterhouse joint on my mixtape >. The mixtape is called Psalm 82:6 for those askin. After this mixtape you’ll know me. The good the bad the ugly. I’m droppin March 8th.”
Crooked’s tape will be dropping the same day as the group begins their tour. With Slaughterhouse set to release their next studio project welcome to: OUR HOUSE on May 15th, the year is looking pretty busy for Shady/Aftermath’s stable of lyricists.