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This white-throated sparrow was rescued by a WIngs volunteer, rehabilitated and released.
© Scott Diehl
Threshold of pane
Collisions into windows pose the greatest manmade danger to songbird populations. We can take steps to significantly reduce those losses.
William Mueller and Scott Diehl
Attending to the injured
Clear solutions
It had been a rough winter for the wood thrush on her wintering grounds in Brazil. The lowland forest where she spent the last few winters had been cleared and was smoldering when she arrived last November.
She's had a difficult spring migration journey north to Wisconsin, too. When she arrived on the Texas coastline, thin and exhausted from crossing the Gulf of Mexico, the beachfront habitat she relied on for food, fresh water and rest was dotted with beachfront condos and radio towers. In Illinois, she narrowly escaped a hungry sharp-shinned hawk, also on its way north.
She was almost home. She had been flying at an altitude of over 1,000 feet for hours. As the first blush of dawn painted the eastern horizon, familiar shapes of the wooded hills and valleys of Wisconsin were revealed in the growing light. She began to descend, dropping down to face yet another grave danger. . .a landscape turned deadly, reflected in countless panels of plate glass.
Birds already run a gauntlet of dangers going about the daily business of searching for food, establishing and defending territories, nesting and raising young, or migrating to and from their wintering grounds. Adverse weather and predators are obvious threats in their natural surroundings, but additional manmade hazards unknowingly kill immense numbers of birds. At the top of this list? Collisions with glass windows.
Daniel Klem, professor at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, has studied bird/window collisions for years. Extrapolating his research results, Klem estimates that between 100 million and one billion birds of at least 225 species are killed by collisions with windows each year in North America alone. The numbers seem shocking for an event few of us see very often and rarely find first-hand evidence of. Birds killed following window collisions are quickly picked up by scavengers or may fall behind shrubs and other landscape plantings around homes or businesses where we don't notice them.
In the daytime, birds see the sky and landscape reflected in windows or they may see completely through a building where two windows line up. They do not realize that they cannot fly through these invisible obstructions. During spring and fall migration periods, the problem doesn't end when the sun goes down. Most of North America's songbirds migrate at night using the stars as navigational aids. These birds can be attracted to lighted buildings, especially tall ones, like moths to a flame, on their migratory path. Birds can collide with lighted window panes or, captivated by bright exterior lighting, will circle a building until exhaustion overtakes them. Confused and severely weakened, they drop to the streets and sidewalks below where they are at great risk of predation, accidents with vehicles, and collisions with reflections in low-level glass. Whether daytime or nighttime, one of every two bird collisions is fatal, and injured birds are often scavenged by gulls, crows, raccoons, cats or other predators.
Preventing such collisions is a focus for a small group of private organizations and governmental agencies. The Humane Society's Wisconsin Night Guardians for Songbirds (WIngs), aims to educate the public about this threat, find and rehabilitate injured birds, and work with building owners and tenants to reduce collisions with windows. WIngs is patterned after similar pioneering programs in Toronto (FLAP, Fatal Light Awareness Program) and Chicago (the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors).
Launched in the spring of 2005, WIngs staff works with owners, managers and tenants of Milwaukee's tallest buildings to make their buildings safer for migrating birds. Volunteers also search city streets in the pre-dawn hours for stunned, injured and dead birds. It takes a hardy, dedicated lot to patrol around tall downtown office buildings as early as 4:30 a.m. during spring migration to find birds before scavengers get them.
Live birds are gently captured and transported to the Wisconsin Humane Society's (WHS) Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at 45th and Wisconsin Avenues in Milwaukee. Dead birds are collected and transported either to the humane society or the Urban Ecology Center. Both centers are keeping records of the species found, specific locations and times each bird is found, and prevailing weather conditions. In compiling data, WIngs hopes to identify problem buildings and better recognize weather conditions that may increase the likelihood of window collisions. Collecting information in a consistent manner from WIngs, FLAP and the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors programs will make it easier to combine results into a single database to increase our collective knowledge about window collisions.
Injured birds arriving at the WHS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center are each placed in a warm, dark, quiet container and allowed to rest for 30 to 60 minutes. Handling birds too soon can lead to excessive stress that can kill them. Thereafter trained staff examine each bird, identify injuries, administer first aid and start treatment. Common injuries following window collisions include concussions and other head injuries, eye traumas, fractured bills and broken bones, especially the delicate bones in the bird's chest: the coracoids and furcula (the wishbone). These bones help support the bird's shoulder structure and when fractured, the bird cannot fly. The staff uses special splinting and stabilizing techniques to give the fractures a chance to heal.
Birds are initially housed in small, quiet habitats, with a minimum of exposure to humans so they can rest, eat and recuperate. An injured bird may stay in the rehab center a few days to several weeks, depending on its injuries. Once injuries are healed, each bird is evaluated for fitness. Some birds may need additional exercise in a large aviary, or even physical therapy before they are ready to go. When ready for release, southward migrating birds are transported south of the city, northbound birds are released north of town.
Last year's International Migratory Bird Day (observed the second Saturday each May) featured the theme "Clear the Way for Birds!" and included handouts describing practical solutions for reducing bird collisions. The problem can only really be solved one window at a time. There are a variety of options: some simple and inexpensive, others more complex and costly, but all windows don't have to be treated the same.
On private homes and in low-rise apartment buildings, installing simple mesh or screen barriers on the outside of windows that have been a problem helps in two ways: screens cut down on reflections birds see in the windows, and they provide a relatively soft cushioning barrier between the bird and the window that helps prevent injuries. Many new window installations and retrofits come equipped with full length or full width fiberglass screens on the outside. If your home has older aluminum triple-track windows, the screens typically cover only half of the window, leaving one pane still uncovered. You can cover the wooden frame outside the edge of that pane with screening or finer-mesh plastic chicken wire that's available at most hardware stores. The mesh can be stapled in place outside the window if those windows can be opened from the inside for cleaning.
Roy and Charlotte Lukes of Baileys Harbor have gone a step further, installing mesh covering the large picture windows on their home. In addition, they fashioned strings with large turkey wing feathers and fastened them to the upper edge of some windows where they have observed bird collisions in the past. Any breeze sets these "feather-mobiles" in motion, hopefully letting nearby birds know not to venture too close.
Wild turkey wing feathers attached by strings to the window frames flutter in even light winds acting as scare devices.
© Roy Lukes
For a more finished look over larger, extensive sets of windows, one can purchase commercially-produced "bird screens" that are placed in frames over the windows. Such a set was installed at the Rowe Sanctuary, an environmental education building in Gibbon, Nebraska. These screens can be removed during seasons where fewer birds are present, but if bird feeders are stocked year-round, window treatments should be left up all year too.
Another way to largely eliminate reflections from the outside of windows is to apply specially-made films, such as a product called CollidEscape. These films adhere easily and last for years without obscuring the view from inside. The films can be pretty readily removed, even years later if necessary.
Professor Klem and his colleagues have also found that where bird feeders are placed affects the numbers and severity of window collisions. Feeders placed nearer than three feet from windows or farther away than 30 feet substantially reduce fatal bird collisions. The middle zone between those distances is much more dangerous for birds.
Other simple techniques can prevent or substantially lower the frequency of collisions. Moving house plants farther from windows can reduce visual confusion. Though houseplants need natural light, birds sometimes think they can perch on these plants, unaware that there is a pane of glass between them and the landing site. Stenciled designs or decals applied to the outside of windows can be nearly as useful as screens or other barriers, if they are of sufficient size and number. Falcon silhouettes placed widely apart are largely ineffective: silhouettes and other designs need to be placed no more than the width of a hand apart to provide an effective visual warning for small birds. At the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee, staff and volunteers have created a display of a variety of methods of treating windows to prevent or limit collisions. The Wings website has a gallery showing a variety of window treatments designed to reduce/prevent bird collisions.
You can also find directions for crafting temporary frosted pane window stencils at Fatal Light Awareness Program. Stencils are also available at home remodeling centers and craft shops.
Painting stenciled designs on windows helps warn birds away.
© Jennifer Goyette
More extensive modifications may be more practical for new commercial construction rather than retrofits, including installing window glass at angles of 20 degrees or more, tilted outward at the top. Experiments show that angling glass downward is particularly effective at reducing collisions. Experiments with new types of window glass are also being conducted. Some new glass has a series of frosted "dots" on the outside that are barely visible inside yet eliminate reflections. Others are experimenting with ultraviolet coatings visible to birds but not to people. Perhaps "bird-friendly" glass will one day be standard for new construction and replacement windows.
A Birds & Buildings Forum held in Chicago last spring hosted a symposium on windows and building design. The forum, a small Chicago-based nonprofit group, encourages architects and design professionals to develop and build bird-safe windows and glass walls. The conference discussed window features that attract and kill birds. Although targeted for Illinois and Wisconsin architects, the event attracted attendees from as far as Atlanta, Seattle and Edmonton, Alberta. Sponsors included Chicago architecture schools, three architecture professional associations and the City of Chicago. The forum also provides information that can be incorporated in university courses so architecture students can learn about bird-safe designs as part of green architectural projects, said Randi Doeker of the forum.
Whether you are a homeowner, renter or small business operator, simple techniques offer economical options to retrofit windows or install simple screen barriers, window treatments, films and stenciling to reduce bird collisions. Placing bird feeders carefully and supporting community educational programs like the Wisconsin Humane Society's WIngs program, can also help us prevent injuries and save many more of the birds we cherish.
William Mueller chairs the Conservation Committee for the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology and the Issues Committee for the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative. Scott Diehl manages the Wisconsin Humane Society's Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Milwaukee.
Wisconsin Night Guardians for Songbirds
Bird screens and CollidEscape are available for purchase through the Wisconsin Humane Society.
Fatal Light Awareness Program
You can save birds from flying into windows!
A publication of the American Bird Conservancy
Clear the Way for Birds
The Danger of Plate Glass
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service information about birds and collisions
Window Collisions
A publication of the Bird Conservation Network
Birds & Buildings Forum
Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative
Other collision resources
Chicago Bird Collision Monitors
dnr.wi.gov
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Parent Council is running a fundraiser that will end this week. We are offering gift baskets that will be delivered in time for Father's Day. These make a great gift for any guy in your life. There are two options, both at a very reasonable price point. Orders are due by Friday to ensure processing and delivery time.


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Q: Rademacher's integral with $sgn$ function
Let $(r_n)_{n=1}^\infty$ be the sequence of Rademacher functions.
Prove that for all positive integers $n_1<n_2<\cdots<n_k$ and
$p_1,\dots,p_k$, it holds that
\begin{equation*}
     \int_{0}^1r_{n_1}^{p_1}(t)\cdots r_{n_k}^{p_k}(t)dt=\left\{\begin{aligned}
     &1, \text{ if each }p_j\text{ is even},\\
     &0, \text{ otherwise.}
    \end{aligned}\right.
\end{equation*}

My attempt was to look at each $n$th Rademacher's function:
$$r_n(t)=sgn(\sin(2^n\pi t)),$$
for all $t\in[0,1]$ and
\begin{equation*}
    sgn:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R},\text{ }\text{ }sgn(x)=\left\{\begin{aligned}
        1&, &\text{ if }x>0,\\
        0&, &\text{ if } x=0,\\
        -1&, &\text{ if } x<0.
    \end{aligned}\right.
\end{equation*}
So
$$\int_0^1\displaystyle\prod_{j=1}^k[sgn(\sin(2^{n_j}\pi t))]^{p_j}dt$$
will be zero if at least for a $j_0$, we have:
$$\sin(2^{n_{j_0}}\pi t)=0.$$
It happens when $2^{n_{j_0}}\pi t=\pi l$, for all $l\in\mathbb{Z}$. Then $2^{n_{j_0}} t=l$. Hence $2^{n_{j_0}}t$ is a integer number.
I can't get anything done for the $p_j$. Is there any other approach to this exercise?

A: Let $r_n(t) = \text{sgn}(\sin(t))$ on $\Omega = [0,1] \setminus \{{m}/{2^n} : n = 1,2,\dots, 0 \le m \le 2^n\}$, that is, remove a set of measure zero where we might be taking the sign of $0$.  Let
$$ \phi_n(t) = \cases{t + 1/2^n &if $t\in(\tfrac m{2^n},\tfrac{m+1}{2^n})$ for $m$ even\cr t-1/2^n &if $t\in(\tfrac m{2^n},\tfrac{m+1}{2^n})$ for $m$ odd.}$$
Then $\phi_n:\Omega\to\Omega$ is a measure preserving map such that $r_n\circ\phi_n = -r_n$ and $r_m \circ \phi_n = r_m$ is $m \ne n$.  Thus if $s(t) = r_{n_1}(t)^{p_1} \cdots r_{n_k}^{p_k}(t)$, and if $p_j$ is odd for some $j$, then $s\circ\phi_{p_j} = -s$.  So
$$\int s(t) \, dt = \int s(\phi_{p_j}(t)) \, dt = -\int s(t) \, dt.$$
If all the $p_j$ are even, then $s(t) = 1$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


DESCRIPTION: Beginning at the heart of Melbourne where a wealth of historic houses surrounds Melbourne Parish Church, one of the finest in the country, this gently undulating walk passes through fertile South Derbyshire farmland intersected by ancient hedgerows. After walking through the village of Wilson for a quick dip into Leicestershire, the return to Melbourne follows a stretch of the Cloud Trail followed by pavement and paths through the town.
TERRAIN: 4 gates, 5 stiles. Easy to moderate walk passing through fields set with arable crops or grazed by livestock. A stretch of walking along Cloud Trail (former railway line). Country lanes without pavement. Close proximity to water around Melbourne Pool.
1 Begin your walk at Melbourne Parish Church, which is dedicated to St Michael and St Mary. Dating from the early 12th century, the building was restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 19th century. Described by Sir Nikolaus Pevsner as being 'one of the most ambitious Norman parish churches in England', the interior contains ornate carved pillars, an intriguing squint hole from the Lady Chapel to the high altar, hatchments to different Lords Melbourne, and an Australian flag relating to the 19th century Prime Minister who passed his name on to Melbourne, Australia.
2 Next to the church is Melbourne Hall, a stately home with a grand formal garden containing the fabulously ornate 'birdcage' arbour created by famous Uttoxeter-born ironsmith Robert Bakewell (1682–1752). Melbourne Hall is the family home of Lord and Lady Ralph Kerr, direct descendants of Sir John Coke who made his home here in 1629. The Hall's Gardens are open from April to September on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays and daily during August, 1.30-5.30pm. During August the Hall is also open for tours (for details see www.melbournehall.com, call 01332 862502 or email info@melbournehall.com). In the adjacent stable block and outbuildings are a craft centre, shops and tearoom that can be visited all year around.
3 Pass through the gateway to walk in front of the Hall and follow the road along the side of Melbourne Pool which covers a site of 20 acres. Pass the former Melbourne Mill on your left and continue along Pool Road passing Pool Cottage on the right. Look for dragonflies skimming over the surface of the water and watch out for greedy geese that patrol the embankment. Ignore the first footpath on the right and continue 30 yards around a left-hand bend to a fingerpost sign. Follow the well-defined footpath through three large fields, often planted with crops, and then continue along a track ignoring a footpath which cuts across this tree-lined avenue. Where the track veers away to the left around a bend, continue ahead over stiles and through small field gates following yellow-painted posts to guide you.
4 After crossing a little stream known as Blackwell Brook, head uphill to a guide post and gate (do not go through the narrow stile straight ahead). Cross the next field diagonally uphill to a stile in the fence where you can see wooden farm buildings over to your right. Walk past the telegraph pole in the centre of the following field to a stile in the hedge by a metal footpath sign where you will emerge onto Burney Lane. Turn left and walk up the lane as far as a telephone signal mast then turn left to follow a public bridleway. This is the highest part of the walk, providing enough elevation to be able to look across the wonderful South Derbyshire landscape. The bridlepath follows the side of the field initially going straight ahead but then sharp right before passing an old fallen tree to enter a green 'tunnel' with high hedgerow on your left and woodland to your right. You will then emerge onto one of the greens of Breedon Priory Golf Course.
5 Continue along the bridlepath which now passes through a series of arable fields within Melbourne Park, following an almost straight line to the left of a long strand of trees. On meeting the drive leading to Park Farm on your left, continue ahead and walk along Green Lane to the village of Wilson, a small hamlet which is just over the county border into Leicestershire. Walk along the Main Street passing the Bull's Head pub. At the side of the old red phone box and notice board is a prestigious plaque awarded to Wilson for being Best Kept Village in both 1995 and 1996. Established in AD972, when it was known as Wifel's Torp, Wilson contains several early buildings that show evidence of timber-framed construction.
6 On reaching the little village green with its triangle of grass and gaily painted sign at the top of Short Hill, turn left and walk up a short rise following Blackwell Lane to a sign indicating the border of South Derbyshire. Turn right here and follow a footpath sign for the Cloud Trail.
7 At the former railway line turn left following the sign for Melbourne and Derby. The 13-mile long Cloud Trail is a walking, cycling and horse-riding route along an old railway track-bed from Derby to Worthington and Cloud Quarry. It forms part of the National Route 6, a Sustrans Greener Greenway which runs from London to the Lake District. These greenways are often lined with trees, shrubs and flower-rich verges used by birds, insects and small animals as a corridor enabling them to travel through open farmland and areas heavily developed for residential or industrial use.
After approximately one mile you will come to a road bridge crossing overhead. Exit the trail on the left to Melbourne Road and then turn left to walk down Station Road bringing you back to the centre of Melbourne.
8 At an unusual brick property with Turnbarrel sign on the front wall next to a post box, glance left to see the old Constabulary building, now a private residence. Walk ahead beyond the terrace of traditional brick-built Victorian houses to a triangular island of grass at the junction with Castle Street to see an old stone well. Continue along Station Road to another island and junction with Pack Horse Road. Bear left here and walk up Chapel Street to Derby Road which is the main shopping street.
9 Turn left and walk along Derby Road to the Market Place which is lined with buildings displaying a variety of architectural features. Notice the imposing old Co-op building of 1912. In the centre of the Market Place is a seated shelter built as a monument to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887.
10 Bear right to the start of High Street and turn left down an alley between the public toilets and the United Reform Church. This will lead you through to Penn Lane, a quiet suburb of the town lined by fascinating old buildings.
11 Turn left and walk down the lane passing a tall Georgian brick house on the right which is Pennfield House, one-time home of the Haimes family who owned the adjacent factory where gloves and shawls were manufactured. Beyond this is the former National School, which has ornate pointed windows with Gothic-style metal tracery. It was founded in 1738, although this particular building dates from 1822, and is just one of a plethora of listed buildings in the town. Continue down Penn Lane beyond the junction with Salisbury Lane on your left from where it becomes one-way.
12 At a bend with the Chantry House on your left, which is almost hidden by lofty mature trees, as the road bends left, follow the pavement to the right of Vale House and proceed down a covered passageway known as the Dark Entry which will return you to the church. You will pass the Dower House and come to a fabulous medieval barn, used in the 19th century as a malthouse. This has an upper storey of Georgian brick on the top of a much older stone base and foundations. The finale and highlight of this walk is now before you: the wonderfully ornate Norman arch of the west doorway of Melbourne's glorious parish church.


Summary: This project includes the construction of two 230kV substations for the Windstar Wind Farm in Tehachapi, CA. These substations convert the 34.5kV of power coming from the existing 130MW Wind Farm into 230kV of electricity that is transmitted to the electrical grid. Helix performed the civil concrete foundation work, steel erection, grounding, lightning protection, conduit installation, cable trench, fencing, and high-medium-low voltage terminations.


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chstarmac January 25, 2018 News
2018 Yearbook, "Ascension," Dedicated to Bro. Thomas Cleary, S.M. '81
Bro. Tom experienced quite a shock upon hearing his name, as the yearbook dedication typically is announced in March. It was moved to January to ensure the astute president would be truly surprised.
ABy Aidan Fitzgerald '18, Nicholas Plante '18 & Colin Capece '18
Any tremendous accomplishment begins with a vision.
More than 200 years ago, Blessed William Joseph Chaminade had a vision himself. Believing that he could inspire others to become devoted to the Blessed Mother, he founded the Society of Mary. Today, the Marianists perform magnificent works of faith around the world, and Blessed Chaminade's vision, as well as his commitment to making it a reality, is exemplified every day right here at 340 Jackson Avenue. It is incredibly fitting that on the day Chaminade honored its founder with a special student-body Mass, another Marianist visionary was recognized.
Students look fondly at Bro. Tom's new award, a token of the school's affection for him.
Today, the staff of Crimson and Gold, Chaminade's yearbook, dedicated this year's publication to school President Bro. Thomas Cleary, S.M. '81. The yearbook is always dedicated to a member of the Chaminade family who has made a significant and lasting impact on the school and its community.
The name of the 2018 yearbook is "Ascension," and it is difficult to find a Chaminade man who embodies this word more perfectly than Bro. Tom.
"Every day, Chaminade is ascending to new heights… Chaminade has made numerous strides in advancing its mission of academic excellence and spiritual growth. With the implementation of various curriculum and technology enhancements, Chaminade students are more prepared for college and career success," explained Crimson and Gold Editor-in-Chief Liam Joyce '18 in his speech this morning.
As the current president of Chaminade, Bro. Tom is the man who has been at the forefront of this tremendous growth.
"You are what makes Chaminade the best school anywhere," said Bro. Tom to the students gathered at the Mass.
"I'm extremely humbled by this dedication because I believe that what I get to do each and every day is a privilege," explained Bro. Tom in an interview earlier today. "And, it's fun! I get to work alongside an excellent staff and really great kids. The fact that I get to do what I do every day still astounds me."
"I think this year's theme is great because it really captures what we've been trying to do with our educational program here at Chaminade," added Bro. Tom. "The title also reminds me of the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit in our work."
Five years ago, Bro. Tom recognized a need for his alma mater to provide students with the skills necessary to make an impact on the world in the 21st century. He wanted Chaminade to empower its students for future success.
The president saw his dream begin to come to fruition in 2015, when the class of 2019 began its journey at Chaminade with iPads in hand. The following September, every Chaminade student was using the popular tablet. In the winter of 2016, the new Science, Technology and Research Center began to rise, and this fall, a new block scheduling program was implemented to best utilize this new space.
These enhancements have completely transformed the Chaminade educational experience. Students who graduate in future years will be well-versed in utilizing today's technology, capable of thinking outside the box to solve real-world problems, and able to effectively collaborate with others to refine their ideas.
Crimson and Gold Editor-in-Chief Liam Joyce '18 (left) and senior editor Ryan Jaghab '18 (right) awarded Bro. Tom the yearbook dedication. Joyce described the process, saying, "Bro. Tom was the perfect choice for this year's book. The theme 'Ascension' speaks to Chaminade's advancing with the new additions to our campus and curriculum, and the person at the helm of all of this ascension is Bro. Tom, so it was definitely fitting to pick him."
While the reception of this year's dedication came as a shock to Bro. Tom, members of the faculty were not surprised that it went to such a deserving candidate.
Bro. Stephen Balletta, S.M. '74 had only words of praise for his fellow Marianist.
"I think Bro. Tom is someone of extreme vision and courage, because the path that he's set us out on is big—it's substantial—and that means things are changing. There's always the tendency to say 'well, we've always done things this way,' but I think he's seen in a very visionary and perceptive way that the world is changing, and to best fulfill our mission we have to adapt to that," he said.
As a leader, Bro. Tom has in many ways revolutionized Chaminade and its curriculum, yet he has also maintained a warm presence both inside and outside the classroom. Despite his duties as president, he still teaches theology to seniors.
"Bro. Tom always lets us know that he really cares about us and our success," said Sean Kuttin '18, one of Bro. Tom's current students. "Even when he's just answering a simple question, he makes you feel like you're the only person in the room and is clearly interested in what you have to say."
Bro. Tom has been at the forefront of Chaminade's recent advances, including the iPad initiative, the new Science, Technology and Research Center, and and the updated curriculum.
"Bro. Tom has been someone that I've looked up to for a very long time—all the way from high school to law school and beyond," said Mr. Thomas Terrill '10. "We've worked closely on many projects together, and he's taught me a lot about being a leader and, more recently, a teacher. Most of all, he always lifts us up."
Bro. Tom's decades of faithful service to the Province of Meribah have shaped decades of Chaminade men, and as long as he's around, there is little doubt that the Flyers will continue to ascend to new heights.
Posted in News and tagged Bro. Tom, yearbook, yearbook dedication. Bookmark the permalink.
3 Up, 3 Down: January 25 Edition
Calling All Scientists!: Dr. Patricio Meneses Gives First Talk in Science Research Lecture Series

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Windows Path Conversion I want to convert "C:\Program Files\x\y\z" to "C:\%ProgramFiles%\x\y\z OR "C:\Progra~1\x\y\z"(DOS short path). How to do this C#.Net?
To convert long path to DOS short path I have tried solution posted here however on my Windows 10 it is not working. Any hints?
Update - Please note, path may or may not exist physically on disk. I am looking a solution which can convert any arbitrary path string to above formats. The solution using GetShortPathName(...) works only if the LongPath is physically exist on disk.

A: If you have a string put into your app such as "c:\program files\x\y\z" and you know it's the wrong place, but don't know where the right place is, you're going to have to make the assumption that c:\program files means "the program files folder" and perform a string replacement with the result of Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles) or Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFilesX86) depending on which you assert it to be
var wrongPath = @"c:\program files\x\y\z";
var actualPath = wrongpath.Replace(
  @"c:\program files",
  Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles)
);

For conversion to a short path, try something like: Method to convert a long path name to a short path returns a null


Cara Chow was born in Hong Kong and grew up in the Richmond district of San Francisco, where Bitter Melon is set. She attended an all girls' Catholic high school, competed in speech, and had an encouraging speech coach, which served in part as the inspiration for her novel. She was a PEN Emerging Voices Fellow in 2001. In addition to writing, Cara also teaches Pilates. She currently lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and son. Bitter Melon is her first novel.


text:
'Dancing With the Stars' crowns shocking winner
Country music radio host Bobby Bones and pro partner Sharna Burgess have been an audience favorite.
No one can say season 27 of "Dancing With the Stars" wasn't filled with surprises.
From the early eliminations of some of the more accomplished dancers such as singer Tinashe and actor Juan Pablo Di Pace to the no eliminations for the Disney Night performances, this season was a wild ride for many fans.
But the biggest shocker may have been the winner: country music radio host Bobby Bones.
Bones and his pro partner Sharna Burgess often didn't score the highest with the judges (though he did receive a perfect score near the end), but viewers' support helped to keep the duo in the competition and eventually led to them snagging the coveted Mirrorball Trophy.
Bones was clearly moved by the win.
"Thank you to the people and thank you to Sharna, who made all this possible," he said after co-host Tom Bergeron declared him the winner.
Bones also shared his gratitude on Twitter.
"Grateful for many things right now. Grateful for you that's seeing this," he tweeted. "Grateful for (Burgess). Grateful for the experience. Grateful for this mirrorball. And grateful for this picture."
Bergeron dubbed Bones "the people's champion" during the finale.
Model Alexis Ren and pro Alan Bersten, "Harry Potter" star Evanna Lynch and pro Keo Motsepe and Disney Channel star Milo Manheim and pro Witney Carson had also been vying for the win.
Bones admittedly had no dance experience, but he had plenty of heart — something that touched the audience.
"I secretly love that everyone keeps underestimating @mrBobbyBones," one person tweeted. "It makes the wins that much more sweet to celebrate."
(NEXSTAR) — The husband of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Doug Emhoff, is set to become the nation's first second gentleman when his wife is inaugurated on Wednesday.
The 56-year-old lawyer has been married to Harris since 2014. He previously worked as an entertainment attorney at DLA Piper, but left the firm prior to Inauguration Day due to conflict of interest concerns.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Nearly 20 members of the U.S. Capitol Police are quarantining after testing positive for COVID-19, according to a report from Bloomberg.
Bloomberg's Billy House reports 19 officers tested positive for the virus and additional cops were sent home due to contract tracing. House adds there's no way to confirm the cases are related to the January 6 riots.
McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) -- Three congressmen from the South Texas border region all say reforming immigration should be among Joe Biden's top priorities as the new president, but they agree that lowering COVID-19 infections must be the first issue he tackles.
During a Facebook Live event on Tuesday afternoon hosted by KVEO TV, CBS4, and with Border Report, U.S. Reps. Henry Cuellar, Filemon Vela and Vicente Gonzalez, all Democrats who represent South Texas, said they were encouraged by reports that Biden is taking on an aggressive immigration reform package, which could be sent to Congress on Wednesday just hours after he is sworn in.
Reactions: Gov. Edwards, Louisiana Senators comment on Biden inauguration
The icing on the cake. The king cake
Americans say what issues President Biden needs to tackle first


I have purchased several military designs from Alabama Needle Arts, but I'm afraid the lady who ran the company has probably passed away by now. Would anyone be able to give me any information on this?
I would like to find another source of military designs if this firm no longer exists (esp. helicopters and 101st Airborne), so if anyone can help me here as well, I would be grateful.
The shop I work for has several military patterns - they were published quite a while ago - I'll look for the ones you listed - if there are others comment.


First of three mini-albums to soothe babies by, composed and performed by Raymond Scott on self-designed electronic instruments. To be enjoyed by infants of all ages. As ambient music, it predates Eno and Fripp. Reissue produced by Gert-Jan Blom, liner notes by Irwin Chusid.


Sharon Campbell is one of the many talented Artists of Gateway Studios. She's an accomplished potter, painter and, most recently, photographer. Shannon Wolfe, our Photography/Digital Media Instructor, describes Sharon as "an imaginative and adventurous photographer who will go anywhere and do anything to get the shot." For Sharon that means navigating her manual wheelchair through all kinds of terrain, including streets, sidewalks and trails. A self-described "photojournalist," Sharon is passionate about her vocation as a storyteller with a camera. Check out the latest one-of-a-kind creations by Sharon in The Color of Sound at Gateway Gallery, opening July 28 and on display through September 15.


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The Blacklist's Jon Bokenkamp's Season 7 Premiere Postmortem Reveals Why Katarina Turned on Red and What she Has In Store for Liz
October 11, 2019 – 9:10 PM – 2 Comments
By Paulette Cohn Parade @paulette49
More by Paulette
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James Spader as Raymond "Red" Reddington, Megan Boone as Elizabeth Keen (Photo by: Scott Gries/NBC)
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Oct. 11's The Blacklist. If you haven't watched, stop reading!
The Blacklist wrapped up its two-part season seven premiere on Friday night, in which Raymond "Red" Reddington (James Spader) escaped his abductors with help from nurse Mila LaPorte (Natalie Paul), who turned out to not be a true ally, only to discover he is not Katarina Rostova's (Laila Robins) only target in her hunt for information.
The Blacklist's John Eisendrath and Jon Bokenkamp Talk Red's Kidnapping, Katarina Rostova's Agenda, and Liz's Dilemma
For years, Red had kept Katarina's secret, but recently a set of events occurred, largely the Townsend Directive, which is a standing order to take her life, that have escalated. A switch has been flipped, the game has changed, and she is desperate and she knows that Red can save her life, which is why she kidnapped and tortured him.
"The question of why would she turn on him goes deep into the mythology of the show, and it's one of the things that's going to be great to explore and unwrap this season as we learn more and more about, not only Katarina, but her relationship to Reddington, her relationship to Dom (Brian Dennehy), and what happened between these three," executive producer Jon Bokenkamp tells Parade.com in this exclusive postmortem interview on the events of the two "Louis T. Steinhil" episodes. "There's an event that fractured them, and we're going to dive into that and try our best to understand what could have possibly gone so wrong that this family would find themselves in this position."
Laila Robins as Katarina Rostova (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)
There was that scene where Red tells Liz that she's really responsible for everything that's going down, including her grandfather getting shot, because she asked too many questions that he told her not to ask, and she seems to buy into that. How will it affect her going forward?
Jon Bokenkamp: That's an example of one truth that will draw her closer to Reddington. She feels badly that she is responsible for this, so that is a first move in terms of the family drama that pushes her close to Red, because it's her fault that he found himself in such jeopardy, but once Katarina starts to unpack some truths of her own, Liz will be wondering whether or not she shouldn't be more aligned with her mother.
James Spader on the Plot Twists in Season 6 of The Blacklist
Now that the other members of the team know that Red is supposedly Ilya Koslov, a former Russian agent, how will that affect them?
Jon Bokenkamp: Red's identity is something that the entire Task Force has not been on the same page about. Liz knew, Ressler (Diego Klattenhoff) knew, but was forced by Reddington to keep it quiet, and now for the first time our Task Force is all on the same page. And really Cooper (Harry Lennix) is the one who has the biggest question on his shoulders because Ilya Koslov was a Russian agent, what does he do with that? Do they continue to work together as a Task Force? Where does it go from here?
So, Cooper has a big decision to make and as part of that we're going to go back into Cooper and Reddington's shared past, and tell a story that dates all the way back to season one, a little bit of stuff that happened in Kuwait.
And so, that's a long way of saying, yes, the Task Force is all now on the same page and yet all in their own way struggling to understand what it means that Red's not Red. It's going to provide us with a couple of pretty compelling stories as we move into season 7.
Megan Boone as Elizabeth Keen (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)
We saw Katarina is now Liz's new neighbor, is Liz going to figure that out? Does she want to have a relationship with this woman?
Jon Bokenkamp: What we love about it is it is a great set up for suspense intention, right? The audience knows that Katarina Rostova is living across the hall from Liz and Liz doesn't know it, so the audience is going to be like, "Liz, oh, my God, your mother, and she's terrible, and she's lying to you." That is a great set up which puts Liz in peril that she's unaware of because Katarina is clearly there to get some information. We've seen by what she's done to Red that she's willing to do almost anything to get it, which potentially could put Liz and Agnes in harm's way.
So, that is a great set up that we would be idiots to write ourselves out of immediately, so that is going to be the condition of the show for a little while, and it seems like it has the possibility for great storytelling, right, where Katarina's insinuating herself into the lives of Liz and Agnes and the audience is like, "No, don't let that happen."
Megan Boone from The Blacklist: 'I Don't Know Anything She Doesn't Know'
When the show started, it was more about bringing a criminal to justice each week as Red worked his way into the FBI, but now it seems to be more about telling their story. If all is revealed about Katarina in season seven, is there a story for season eight?
Jon Bokenkamp: Oh, yeah, of course. This is a very powerful family drama and this is really, in some ways, the first year we're telling that story because it's the first year Katarina's made an appearance. So, sure, we think that the story will definitely need at least a season eight to tell it in the way it needs to be told.
How did you come up with Katarina torturing Red by draining his blood? People die of exsanguination on shows, but not like that.
Jon Bokenkamp: Hahaha! I believe credit should go to our medical consultant, Dr. Shiya Ribowsky. We wanted a ticking clock to pressure Reddington with and were looking, quite literally, for something that could represent the sands of time slipping through the hourglass. Draining Red's blood felt like a dangerous, looming threat that wasn't too… bloody.
James Spader as Raymond "Red" Reddington (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)
Will we see more of Mila and the Magician, aka Steinhil?
Jon Bokenkamp: Yes, we will see more of Steinhil, who we meet in the first episode, and then we are going to see Mila in coming episodes. She, obviously, is in a hole with Reddington. He feels that she owes him a debt for trying to take his life, and it is a debt he plans to collect. He's going to be testing her allegiance, you know? He met her in an unexpected way, somebody he probably shouldn't trust, and yet he has a good feeling about her and is trying to see if she is somebody who might fit within his circle, if she's somebody who he might be able to trust for missions and operations and so forth.
The Magician's not gone either, right?
Jon Bokenkamp: The Magician is still alive. That is correct. He faked his death in the second episode then he disappears. His death was an illusion, so he is out there among the Blacklisters who remain uncaught.
The Blacklist airs Friday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC
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Tag Archives: Hot Springs County
Greetings From…Hot Springs State Park!
Hot Springs State Park is nearly as old as the state of Wyoming! The land was transferred to the State of Wyoming by the Shoshone Tribe, under the leadership of Chief Washakie in 1897. The treaty specified that a free bath house would be maintained to accommodate those who wished to use the springs but could not pay. The State, through the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources, continues to maintain a free bath house for visitors to this today. The town of Thermopolis ("The City of Heat") grew up around the springs as tourists flocked to the area to enjoy the mineral rich waters.
The Big Springs at Hot Springs State Park. (WSA P2001-19/29)
One of the most photographed, and unique, attractions in the park is Tepee Fountain. Though many assume that this, like the nearby mineral terraces, is a natural feature, it is actually the result of a practical need. Around 1903, the city of Thermopolis undertook two waterworks projects. The first piped in fresh spring water to town for drinking and washing and the second directed hot mineral water to the various sanitariums and bath houses in the park. After the pipes were installed, the lessees complained about low water pressure from the mineral taps. This stumped folks. Surely mineral deposits could not have blocked the pipes so soon!
"Wandering about the Reserve one day, [park superintendent Jacob Paulus] noticed the steam rising from the Springs. Snapping his fingers he thought I've got it! Steam was blocking the flow….[so] down along the river…Paulus installed a vent pipe." Water was soon gushing out the pipe and pressure was restored to the bath houses.[1]
Tepee Fountain as photographed in 1911. Note the pipe is visible at the top of the fountain.
(WSA J.E. Stimson Collection Neg 3129)
The water from the overflow pipe soon eroded the soil around the 12 foot high wooden pipe, so Paulus built a stone pyramid around the pipe to keep it upright and a stone catch basin at its foot, turning the practical pipe into a fountain of sorts. The local newspaper voiced its hopes that eventually the minerals would coat the stone and turn it into a snowy white tourist attraction. As it happened, the minerals build up more quickly than anticipated and algae in the water colored the fountain to match the terraces. Soon, a contractor from Chicago was brought in to replace the original wooden pipe with a 25 foot steel pipe. It was hoped that this would help keep the fountain functioning properly. The extension has lived up to its promise and the vent continues to spill water over the now monstrous fountain more than 110 years later.
Are you suffering from Cabin Fever? Check back often during April for more stops on our postcard tour of Wyoming!
1. "Museum Musings", Thermopolis Independent Record 9/7/1978.
Filed under Cabin Fever, Postcards
Tagged as Hot Springs, Hot Springs County, Hot Springs State Park, Thermopolis
Creating New Counties in 1911
This year, we are celebrating the centennial of the organization of 7 of Wyoming's 23 counties: Campbell, Goshen, Hot Springs, Lincoln, Niobrara, Platte and Washakie Counties. This was the largest group of counties organized at one time in Wyoming's history. But the story starts a few years earlier….
In his 1911 State of the State speech, Governor Joseph M. Carey tasked the Legislature with creating new counties in the state. Despite more than doubling in population since statehood in 1890,[1] Wyoming had added only one new county by 1911. [2] Expansion into the less populated areas of the state meant that these new residents did not have ready access to or representation in county government. Population growth was encouraged and there were great hopes for its continuance. In his speech, Governor Carey said
"It is to be hoped that the conditions before many years will not only justify, but demand many new counties. In providing the boundaries for new counties, future divisions should be taken into consideration." [3]
The Legislature took Carey's words to heart and 17 bill for the creation of new counties were introduced. A couple of the counties, like Hot Springs, had been narrowly defeated during the 1909 session and were nearly certain to pass during this term. In fact, Hot Springs, Platte, Goshen and Washakie Counties became Enrolled Acts 2, 3, 4 & 5.[4] Campbell and Niobrara soon followed as Enrolled Acts 11 & 12.
This map shows the outlines of the 17 counties proposed by the 1911 Legislature. The counties that were created are outlined in black. The counties that failed to pass are colored in and named. (WSA 1911 Map of Wyoming with annotations by the author)
Debate began to heat up when Golden Prairie and Waconda/Center Counties [5] were discussed. These three bills were proposed and backed groups and individuals especially interested in bringing new settlers to the state to civilize the plains through homesteading and dry land farming. After some debate, all three bills were "postponed indefinitely."
The majority of the division debate came during the discussion of if or how to divide Uinta County. In 1911, Uinta was the only one of the five original counties created in 1869 to retain its original borders, which stretched from the Utah border north to Yellowstone. It was also the largest of Wyoming's 14 counties and thus a great candidate for division. Seven bills were introduced between the House and Senate proposing to create new counties out of Uinta County. All but two of these options stayed exclusively within Uinta's boundaries.[6]
1911 House Bill 198 "An Act creating and forming the County of Bridger…" Bridger County would have been created around the town of Kemmerer in what was then southern Uinta County.
If the Evanston and Kemmerer newspapers are to be believed, this call for division of Uinta County blindsided many of the residents who remained opposed to the division. Opponents argued that the division was that the much smaller Uinta County would be unable to support itself and that all money the county had invested in road improvement would be lost. Proponents argued that it was nearly impossible for communities in the northern part of the county, like Jackson, to be fairly represented in county decisions due to their great distance from the county seat in Evanston. They also felt that the interests of the northern and southern portions of the county differed dramatically but that the larger population in the south eclipsed the voices of the north. Just days before the end of the session, it looked like the county would remain in tact and all crisis seemed to be averted. All 6 of the bills introduced at that point had been defeated. Then in the 11th hour, House Bill 203 passed, creating Lincoln County and reducing Uinta County to its current size.
The Legislature passed several other bills relating to county organization and creation during the 1911 session. These bills called for the rewriting of the boundaries of the counties to reflect Federal land surveys and fast tracked the process of organizing new counties, among other things. One bill that did not pass sought to restrict the names of new counties to native words and names or to words reflecting the natural landscape.
Several documents, including the unsuccessful bills to divide Uinta County, are currently on display in the Wyoming State Archives Reading Room in honor of Archives Month.
1. Wyoming's population in 1890 was 62,555. By 1910, it had grown to 145,965.
2. Park County was created in 1909.
3. 1911 Senate Journal, p.21
4. The bill for Goshen County originally called for it to be named Warren County in honor of Senator and former Governor Francis E. Warren. Likewise, Washakie County was to be called Hanover County. Thanks to an error by a Denver map company, there are maps that include "Hannover" County.
5. Waconda County was introduced as Senate File 101 and Center County as House Bill 59. Both used the same geographic boundaries and were essentially 2 bills for the creation of the same county. Both bills failed.
6.Wyoming County was introduced as House Bill 202 and Senate File 59 and included land within both Uinta and Fremont Counties. With a few adjustments, this area would be created as Sublette County in 1921.
Filed under Archives Month 2013, County Organization
Tagged as Campbell County, Goshen County, Hot Springs County, J M Carey, Lincoln County, Niobrara Counties, Platte County, Washakie County


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How the bat is made is what differentiates it from the typical regulation bat used by major league players. In addition to being lighter and thinner, the bat is also much longer compared to the normal bat. It ranges between 35 – 37 inches in terms of length. In terms of weight, the bat weighs between 17 – 22 ounces. Of great importance to note is the fact that the bat features a bigger barrel than the normal ones. Since it's flatter and features a small diameter, it's ideal when it comes to hitting ground balls as well as pop flies. This would be necessary during the fielding practice of any team regardless of the level.
Within league standards there is ample latitude for individual variation, many batters settling on their own bat profile, or one used by a successful batter. Formerly, bats were hand-turned from a template with precise calibration points; today they are machine-turned to a fixed metal template. Historically significant templates may be kept in a bat manufacturers' vault; for example, Babe Ruth's template, which became popular among major-league players, is R43 in the Louisville Slugger archives.[citation needed]
Baseball bats are made of either wood, or a metal alloy (typically aluminum). Most wooden bats are made from ash. Other woods include maple, hickory, and bamboo. Hickory has fallen into disfavor over its greater weight, which slows down bat speed, while maple bats gained popularity[5] following the introduction of the first major league sanctioned model in 1997. The first player to use one was Joe Carter of the Toronto Blue Jays.[6] Barry Bonds used maple bats the seasons he broke baseball's single-season home run record in 2001, and the career home run record in 2007.[6] In 2010, the increased tendency of maple bats to shatter has caused Major League Baseball to examine their use, banning some models in minor league play.[7][8]
Alright, let's get to the drill. "Fungo Baseball/Softball" is a great drill for fielding and base running. It's the same as playing an inter-squad scrimmage, except the pitchers do not throw live, and the hitters toss the ball to themselves and hit fungoes where they want. It is set up as a competitive game with an endless amount of teaching points. I really like to do this drill early in the season in order to simulate some real game like situations, and also when you're on a hot streak and you're looking to keep your team sharp on the little things like relays, backing up, and communication.
Helmet worn by batter to protect the head and the ear facing the pitcher from the ball. Professional models have only one ear protector (left ear for right-handed batters, right ear for lefties), amateur and junior helmets usually have ear protectors on both sides, for better protection from loose balls, and to reduce costs to teams (all players can use the same style of helmet).
When it comes to baseball gloves, it's not uncommon for players to develop a deep attachment to their glove. It's the same glove they trot out onto the field with every inning and many players, once they are into the 'adult' sizes, use the same glove for their entire life! It might seem crazy to outsiders, but there's just something about a high quality, leather baseball glove that becomes part of a player to the point that it feels wrong to wear a different glove. That is why it is so important to find the right glove, the right pocket, the right size, the right leather, and the right color. Gloves aren't just gloves, they are part of who you become as a player. Check out our selection of gloves by position, size, and brand or explore the buying guide specifically made to help you decide which baseball glove to buy if you need some guidance!
Rawlings Gamer EBG204-2DBC-3/0 Fielder's Glove 11.5" Worn on Left Hand / I-Web $100.00 $100.00 Easton Ghost X USA Baseball Bat - Grade School -5 oz / 2 5/8" Barrel $349.99 $199.99 Nike Baseball Pro Hyperwarm Players Sleeve - Men's Sold Individually $24.99 $24.99 Rawlings Heart of the Hide Pro Fielder's Glove 11.75" Worn on Left Hand / Exclusive $260.00 $219.99
Fungo bats have been around since the beginning of baseball and as most of us may know, baseball was said to be invented by Abner Doubleday in Cooperstown, New York during the summer of 1839. Since fungo bats were much easier to swing and gave off a ton of pop, they were almost seen as cheating back in the day. In a book from 1897 named "The Technical Terms of Baseball," the sportswriter Henry Chadwick stated,"The weakest batting is shown when the batsman indulges in fungo hitting." It wasn't until baseball bat regulations came around that fungo bats were only used by coaches and parents.
Fungo golf is a game involving two or more players in which they use fungo bats and baseballs and their object is to hit certain objects at a field. Fungo golf is played very similar to golf, where the player with the fewest strokes after a certain number of holes (typically nine or eighteen) wins the game. While there is no concrete history of how fungo golf was created, it has spread throughout America as a popular game especially with baseball players and coaches.


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A Swirl of Dust Over the Atlantic
July 26, 2022JPEG
For much of July 2022, easterly winds have carried large plumes of Saharan dust over the Atlantic Ocean. At times, dust in the Saharan Air Layer has traveled as far as the Caribbean, Texas, and Florida. In South Florida, meteorologists linked the incoming dust to hazy skies, striking sunsets, and reduced rainfall.
On July 26, 2022, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite captured a natural-color image (above) of a fresh plume of dust as it streamed over Western Sahara. The next day, the same sensor acquired an image (below) of clouds swirling through dusty skies downwind of the Portuguese island of Madeira. Other natural-color satellite imagery from July 4 to July 27 shows this latest pulse of dust is just one of many in recent weeks.
The spiraling cloud patterns near Madeira are the result of a von Kármán vortex street, a repeating pattern of vortices that swirl in alternating directions. The pattern can occur any time a fluid moves around a bluff body that separates the flow. In this case, the vortices were formed by air masses moving around Madeira. At its highest point, the island rises 1,861 meters (6,106 feet) above sea level.
Dust plays a major role in Earth's climate and biological systems. Since it is rich with iron and other minerals that plants and phytoplankton need, it provides natural fertilizer for ecosystems when it lands downwind. The airborne particles also absorb and reflect sunlight—altering the amount of solar energy reaching the planet's surface. Dust can also promote or reduce cloud and storm formation, depending on other atmospheric conditions.
"Most hurricane experts think that the Saharan Air Layer is bad for hurricanes," explained University of Miami meteorologist Brian McNoldy. "Not only does it contain dry air, but there's typically a layer of high wind shear associated with it. Hurricanes hate both of those things."
So far this season, McNoldy says the three named storms in the Atlantic have an accumulated cyclone energy that's about 41 percent of average for this point in the season. "That's quiet, but things can turn around in a blink of an eye with just one hurricane," he said. "If we're still at 41 percent of average at the end of September, that would be a definite sign of a quiet season."
NASA Earth Observatory images by Lauren Dauphin, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Story by Adam Voiland.
Pulses of dust from the Sahara Desert reached the Caribbean and parts of the United States in July.
Image of the Day for July 30, 2022
Aqua — MODIS
Image of the Day Atmosphere Dust and Haze
Northern Hemisphere Dust Storms 2022
Strong winds routinely loft sand and dust into the atmosphere in the Northern Hemisphere.
NASA Earthdata (2022) Dust storms. Accessed July 29, 2022.
NASA Earth Observatory (2020, January 9) A Dusty Journey. Accessed July 29, 2022.
NASA Earth Observatory (2020, January 9) Aerosols: Tiny Particles, Big Impact. Accessed July 29, 2022.
NBC Miami (2022 July 28) What To Expect As Saharan Dust Moves Into South Florida. Accessed July 29, 2022.
NBC Miami (2022 July 27) Despite Perceived Slow Start, 2022 Hurricane Season Behaving Normally. Accessed July 29, 2022.
Prospero, J. et al., (2021) The Discovery of African Dust Transport to the Western Hemisphere and the Saharan Air Layer: A History. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 102 (6).
Dust Storm from the Sahara Desert
Here Comes the Saharan Dust
The dust in the skies over the Caribbean and Southern United States has distant origins.
Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Dust and Haze Remote Sensing
Dust Crosses the Atlantic
Floridians looking for a break from hurricane season in late July 2005 were in for a change, though it wasn't necessarily what they wanted: Saharan dust. By July 19, a massive dust storm had crossed the Atlantic towards southern Florida. This image, captured by the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) instrument, shows wide swaths of the planet. On the right is the Sahara Desert, Earth's biggest dust-producing machine. In the far upper left is North America, this dust storm's likely target. In the center of the picture, intermixed with clouds, is the swirling dust storm, nearly the size of the United States.
Dust Storm off Western Sahara
Saharan dust hovered over the Atlantic for several days in mid-January 2008. This image shows two different areas of dust plume activity. Immediately off the coasts of Western Sahara and Mauritania, a series of tan dust plumes blow in predominantly straight lines toward the northwest. Farther west, a large, diffuse plume of dust hangs over the Atlantic Ocean
Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Water Dust and Haze


In their devastating November 4th defeat at the hands of an inexperienced, junior senator from Illinois, the Rethuglicans are in desperate search of a leader, someone that can match the intelligence, boldness, charm, and overwhelming popularity of Barack Hussein Obama. While their own humiliated presidential candidate, the anachronistic John McCain decomposes like so much roadkill in the hot Arizona sun, a furious competition for the 2012 election has begun.
But looming above them all like the avenging Stay Puft Marshmallow man from the movie Ghostbusters is the former Speaker of the House, the ethically compromised, moral and political hypocrite par excellence, Newt "Dr. No" Gingrich.
The disastrous events of his political and personal life are well known, which for the last dozen years or so had kept him on the political sidelines. (According to Tom Delay, Newtie, in a fit of pique, shut down major parts of the US government in 1995-6 because he didn't like his seating assignment on Air Force One, the political equivalent of seppaku.) But Newt re-emerged during the 2008 presidential election campaign, even dipping his toe into the water of a possible candidacy. Realizing that he didn't have chance back then, he became a regular guest on Fux News and other wingnut media outlets.
Earlier this year, Gingrich criticized Notre Dame University for inviting Obama to speak there, claiming he embraced "anti-Catholic values." He was immediately criticized by Catholic leaders for sticking his then-Baptist nose where it didn't belong. Not wanting to alienate a valuable voting constituency, a small majority of whom voted for Obama, Newtie quickly apologized (even converting to Catholicism a few days later).
During Obama's recent trip to Latin America, he lashed into the president, excoriating him for "bolstering the enemies" of the US by shaking hands with Hugo Chavez. Newtie seems to have forgotten that in 2007, when George W. Bush was president, he proudly proclaimed that he had grown up ". . .in a world, you know, where politics ended up at the water's edge and overseas we had to try to find ways to be Americans and to work together.
Such risky behavior includes wanting to hold a world security summit and working towards the elimination of nuclear weapons, such as was the goal of Newtie's own hero, Ronald Reagan.
Given his highly partisan track record as House Speaker, denying practically everything President Clinton ever proposed, it should come as no surprise that "Dr. No" Newtie is shaping the current Rethuglican redemption strategy of trying to block Obama's foreign and domestic agenda at every turn.
Make no mistake about it. Like the angry Sumerian god Gozer the Traveler, who made a dramatic comeback after being temporarily forced into inter-dimensional exile by the Proton Pack wielding Ghostbusters, Newtie is back with a vengeance.
All Newtie has to do to terrify us beyond the capacity for rational thought is to come back as himself.
UPDATE: The lead story in today's LA Times is titled CIA reportedly declined to closely evaluate harsh interrogations. It documents an investigation in early 2003 by the then-CIA's Inspector General, John L. Helgerson , that seriously questioned both the efficacy of torture and whether alternatives existed. It was circulated within the agency, the Defense Department, and Justice Department in draft form, setting off alarm bells within the Administration. It was quashed. In its place?
One report by a former government official — not an interrogation expert — was about 10 pages long and amounted to a glowing review of interrogation efforts.
That official was Gardner Peckham, national security advisor to–you guessed it– Newt Gingrich.
Me, I've been using pretzel imagery in my meditations in a thus far futile attempt to grok the wingnut mind.
OMG! I gave up pretzels when chimpy almost choked on one.
i literally almost choked on a pretzel! 😆 stay puffy!!!
What a nice chuckle you've given us at his imperial (he thinks anyway) expense.


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MPAA: 'We need copyright compromise'
Christopher Dodd, chairman of the Motion Picture Association of America, seems to have thrown in the towel on getting either SOPA or PIPA onto the statute books in their current form following this week's online demos and negative signals from the White House.
The NYT described Dodd and his associates as scrambling to find what could be salvaged. Dodd told the paper he would welcome a summit meeting between Internet companies and content companies, perhaps convened by the White House, that could lead to a compromise.
Dodd reflected that this week's events showed Washington's savviest players — not just the motion picture association, but also the United States Chamber of Commerce and the Recording Industry Association of America — had failed in the face of a sudden burst of Web-driven populism.
Dodd was having to admit defeat in a political fight where he had been hampered by his bar on lobbying personally on Capitol Hill – he can't until 2014 having been a Senator until 2011.
Dodd said that the entire industry was surprised by the intensity of the objections that arose in the last couple of weeks. "This was a whole new different game all of a sudden," he said.
MPAA appoints Dodd as CEO
MPAA's Dodd: Blackout "gimmick"
MPAA approves DreamStream anti-piracy technology
MPAA's Dodd: 'Partner to innovate'
MPAA: 'Is Google going to ignore copyright law?'
Categories: Articles, Content, Piracy


I have to admit, wraps are great for whipping up an easy healthy meal at any time. You can glad-wrap them and take them to work or use them as pizza bases for homemade healthy pizzas. However about 90% of the wraps that I have seen in the supermarket are filled with rubbish ingredients, vegetable oils, preservatives and so many food chemicals. Wraps are something I just do not buy or recommend people buy - except for these Mountain bread wraps.
In a small bowl mix together the buckwheat flour, tapioca flour, flaxseed, salt and herbs. Mix well with a whisk to get out any lumps.
Add the water and mix to combine. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
Heat a little coconut oil in a medium sized flat pan. Add enough mixture so that you can spread it out all over the pan (about a heaped 1/4 cup).
Cook the wrap until it is firm then flip.


1610s, "shallow recess in a wall," from French niche "recess (for a dog), kennel" (14c.), perhaps from Italian nicchia "niche, nook," from nicchio "seashell," said by Klein and Barnhart to be probably from Latin mitulus "mussel," but the change of -m- to -n- is not explained. Watkins suggests that the word is from an Old French noun derived from nichier "to nestle, nest, build a nest," via Gallo-Roman *nidicare from Latin nidus "nest" (see nidus), but that has difficulties, too. Figurative sense is first recorded 1725. Biological use dates from 1927.


This is the passage that concludes the great Sermon on the Mount, which encapsulates the preaching of Jesus. He is warning us against what today can be called the "sugar coated Gospel." The sugar coated Gospel is one that stresses upbeat feelings, positive thinking, and looking out for yourself. There are lots of "Be nice to others, and to yourself," and "God loves you just the way you are." This gospel accommodates itself to the surrounding culture, and avoids being very far out of step with contemporary trends. This gospel places high value upon popularity rankings. But it does not prepare us for the real temptations that will inevitably come from the world, the flesh and the devil. It makes few demands upon us.
A friend of mine in California described an RCIA program in his parish along these lines. The program mentioned abortion, but excluded the entire third pillar of the Catechism, which is about morality. There was nothing on the formation of conscience and the Ten Commandments.
This kind of catechesis is something like a football coach placing more emphasis upon the new, sharp-looking, uniforms of his players than upon stressing basic drills and physical calisthenics. You can imagine what happens when his team faces some reality on the gridiron.
Jesus assures us that "only he who does the will of my Father in heaven will enter the Kingdom of Heaven." God has made his will known by revealing the Ten Commandments, and by explaining his plan for marriage, spousal love and family. That is what He expects of us. If people are not taught these things, then how will they be prepared to withstand the typhoons, cyclones and floods of worldly temptation?
Young people today face some formidable odds in our society. They face a 50% divorce rate, and 80% cohabitation rate, and 85% contraception rate where 40% of Catholics of childbearing years are now sterilized. If future generations are to avoid the total collapse of their house, then they must take the words of Christ seriously. They must know what the Father wants and expects of us. This means they must first hear these things from pulpits. They must put the teaching of Jesus into practice. And they must place their full confidence in the help of the Lord. Heaven is within the grasp of everyone, but not without a real struggle with the temptations coming from a fallen world.
We are called to continual conversion of mind and heart. That is why we cannot be content with our present condition in the sight of the Lord. The Gospel constantly challenges us to take the next step, to move closer to God and to relinquish the grip of the world upon us. This has clear implications for those who are trapped in the contraceptive culture.
Too often the authentic Gospel is replaced with the "Sugar Coated" Gospel.


IDENTICAL twin sisters Dawn and Sarah Penney were among ten people from Stockport who received gold awards at the Duke of Edinburgh's presentation evening at the town hall on Thursday.
TWINS Sarah and Dawn Penny with Kate Ashworth at the awards evening.
IDENTICAL twin sisters Dawn and Sarah Penney were among ten people from Stockport who received gold awards at the Duke of Edinburgh's presentation evening at the town hall on Thursday.
Dawn and Sarah, 24, from Hazel Grove, both had to complete five challenging sections, including service, skill, sport, expedition or exploration and a residential project, to achieve the prestigious award.
Those who achieved a gold award took part in conservation work at Lyme Park, expeditions to Mallorca and the Cairngorms, a sailing expedition in the Irish Sea and a camping safari in South Africa.
During the presentation, awards included 10 gold awards, 55 silver awards and 150 bronze awards for people across the borough.
Amongst the recipients for the bronze award was Kate Ashworth from Woodsmoor Lane.
Kate, who suffers with cerebral palsy, received the award on the eve of her 18th birthday surrounded, by friends and her proud gran, Pat Ayres.
The Mayor of Stockport, Councillor Michael Wilson, attended the event along with Mayoress Miss Mary Nuttall, Councillor Shan Alexander, the executive member for education, and the director for education services, Ed Blundell.
Coun Shan Alexander said: "I am delighted to be part of the Duke of Edinburgh's presentation evening. This is a special occasion and one of the highlights of the year. The event gives me so much pleasure to see so many young people from Stockport achieving such great things."


Pepsi's 'Next' generation - Less sugar, more toxins!
(NaturalNews) On March 26, 2012, Pepsi introduced their latest in a long line of soft-drinks aimed at the health-conscious consumer. According to their press release, Pepsi Next is aimed at, "a segment of consumers who are resistant to both regular, full-sugar cola and diet cola offerings. These consumers love the taste of Pepsi but they don't believe you can achieve full-flavor taste with a diet cola. The launch of Pepsi NEXT is intended to fulfill this unmet need in the category."
They say Pepsi Next is "crafted from the right mix of cola flavor and a blend of sweeteners to closely mimic the taste curve of a regular cola." The marketing draw is 60 percent less sugar. There are 15 grams of sugar in a 12 oz can of Pepsi Next, compared to 40g in Pepsi's Throwback 'real sugar' version, and 41g in regular HFCS Pepsi. While less sugar is certainly a desirable feature, what is not mentioned is the fact that, in the absence of the usual bucketful of sugar (in this case, high fructose corn syrup), the ingredients to attain that trademark Pepsi icky-sweetness need to come from somewhere. In this case, not only does aspartame fill the bill, but sucralose and acesulfame potassium do as well! Now we have a beverage on the market with not one, not two, not three, but FOUR dangerous sweeteners - HFCS, aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium.
Another thing the marketers fail to mention is the whopping 60mg of sodium, compared to 40mg in Pepsi Throwback and 30mg in regular Pepsi. The real irony is the top of the ingredient list actually lists the product as containing 'low sodium!' Leave it to Pepsi to introduce a product with not only twice the sodium, but HFCS, aspartame, AND sucralose, and actually have the gall to market it to health conscious consumers.
Carbonated water - tap water containing fluoride, among other potential dangerous chemicals.
High fructose corn syrup - promotes obesity and liver damage.
Caramel color - potentially cancer causing.
Natural flavor - can be quite literally anything.
Phosphoric acid - causes tooth enamel corrosion, almost as bad as battery acid.
Sodium citrate - can cause muscle spasms, elevated sodium, and other side effects.
Caffeine - addictive, causes extra wear and tear on the adrenal glands, stress, and other issues.
Potassium sorbate - generally non-toxic, but can cause side-effects to certain individuals.
Aspartame - can cause cancer, mental disorders, headaches, weight gain, and a host of other health issues.
Citric acid - linked to the erosion of tooth enamel. Sodas are certainly not a healthy way to consume this ingredient naturally found in citrus fruit.
Acesulfame potassium - yet another artificial sweetener, could cause cancer and thyroid problems.
Sucralose - causes poor 'gut health' by reducing the amount of 'good bacteria' in the intestines. Also causes weight gain, among other issues.
So the next time you consider knocking back a Pepsi Next or some other toxic heavily-marketed 'beverage,' consider the fact that there is absolutely nothing redeeming health-wise about it.


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Tag Archives: Redefining Global Strategy
R U Global — Resources for World Leaders: Redefining Global Strategy
Redefining Global Strategy: Crossing Borders in a World Where Differences Still Matter, by Pankaj Ghemawat. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2007.
Reviewed by Harold Henkel, Associate Librarian
Since the publication of The World is Flat in 2005, Thomas Friedman has emerged as the leading guru on what we are told is a new globalized world. In over 500 pages of unsourced anecdotes and recounted conversations, Friedman drives home his thesis that technology has created an unprecedented (flat) state of affairs, in which business and capital move around the world, unimpeded by distance and national borders. But is it all really so simple? Not according to professor of global strategy Pankaj Ghemawat, who has little time for Friedman's book or method. In a revealing footnote, Ghemawat writes, "Friedman's book is hard to engage with directly, since its 450-plus pages contain no tables, charts, footnotes, or list of references."
Redefining Global Strategy is divided into two main parts. Part 1 is devoted principally to an exposition of the significance of the author's thesis that "the current state of the world is one of semiglobalization: levels of cross-border integration are generally increasing and, in many instances, setting new records, but fall far short of complete integration and will continue to do so for decades." The implication of a semiglobalized world is that there is no textbook for managing global operations. As it has ever been, international business entails added risk, and managers and entrepreneurs have to be able to think strategically, beginning with the question of whether they should globalize at all.
Having demonstrated how cultural, administrative, geographic, and economic differences still matter, Part 2 focuses on what Ghemawat calls the AAA strategies for global value creation:
Adaptation strategies that adjust to differences across countries.
Aggregation strategies that overcome differences across countries.
Arbitrage strategies that exploit differences across countries.
The final chapter of Redefining Global Strategy summarizes and recaps the main themes of the book. Ghemawat emphasizes that doing business internationally requires a strategy, and strategy involves hard analysis—not "playing pinball to the headlines" or reacting to "global bogeymen that don't have a scientific basis." The book concludes with a five-step process to help managers begin the process of competitive analysis and strategy formulation in global operations.
Redefining Global Strategy is not a quick read. The author's intended audience is business leaders and entrepreneurs whose decisions have consequences and therefore are in need of a serious and authoritative consideration of the subject. To decision-makers who prefer to take Thomas Friedman and others like him as guides to the future, Ghemawat has this warning: "Buying into this version of an integrated world—or worse, using it as a basis for policymaking—is not only unproductive. It is dangerous."1
1Pankaj Ghemawat, "Why the World Isn't Flat," Foreign Policy no. 159 (March 2007): 60.
This entry was posted in RU Global — Resources for World Leaders and tagged Pankaj Ghemawat, Redefining Global Strategy, The World is Flat, Thomas Friedman on October 27, 2010 by Harold Henkel.


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A Contrario ICL
Reflections and Commentary on Global Justice Issues
Lina Laurinaviciute
Law of the Sea, Piracy, Security Council
A Sea Free From Piracy – When Mare Will be Really Liberum?
Written by Lina Laurinaviciute
A spot of a small boat approaching a merchant vessel crossing the Red sea or a cruise ship riding to the sunny Seychelles can be a sign of a great danger and a terrible misfortune if not noticed in time. Hugo Grotius, the Dutch philosopher, more than 400 years ago in his book "Mare Liberum" (The Free Sea) declared that it was not possible to own sea.[1] However, soon it was realized that its treasures were not without a master. In the same 17th century Sir Edward Coke, an English jurist and Member of Parliament, expressed concern about the criminals – the pirates, who were characterized as the hostis humani generis (enemy of all mankind). The recent situation, especially in Somalia, reveals, that this problem still has an alarming tendency even in the 21st century.
Indeed, nowadays, the character of a pirate is far from the one romanticized by Capt. Jack Sparrow. Usually, they are local seamen looking for a quick score, highly-trained guerrillas, rouge military units, or former seafarers recruited by crime organizations. Armed with knives, machetes, assault rifles and grenade launchers, they steal out in speedboats and fishing boats in search of supertankers, cargo ships, passenger ferries, cruise ships, and yachts, attacking them at port, on the open seas, in international waters.[2] Also, the "Jolly Roger" – a famous flag of pirates, is not used by pirates themselves, but indicates a great danger in the various maps of maritime risk intelligence.
The first international efforts to define piracy were made by signing the United Nations (hereinafter – UN) Geneva Convention on the High Seas in 1958 and the following UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, signed in 1982, which stated that piracy consists of any of these acts:
(a) any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft, and directed:
(i) on the high seas, against another ship or aircraft, or against persons or property on board such ship or aircraft;
(ii) against a ship, aircraft, persons or property in a place outside the jurisdiction of any State;
(b) any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship or of an aircraft with knowledge of facts making it a pirate ship or aircraft;
(c) any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act described in subparagraph (a) or (b).[3]
The estimated figures of the International Maritime Bureau's (IMB) Piracy Reporting Centre show, that worldwide in 2012, pirates have committed 278 attacks, hijacked 27 vessels, took more than 400 hostages, from which 147 are still held by Somali pirates.[4] In addition, 58 attempted attacks were reported.[5] Indeed, the drop in Somali piracy has brought global figures for piracy and armed robbery at sea down compared with 2011, when 439 worldwide piracy attacks were reported. Nonetheless, there can be no room for complacency till entire ships are hijacked and cargo crews simply vanish.[6] Mariners are warned to be cautious and to take necessary precautionary measures, especially when transiting through the coasts of Somalia, Nigeria, Benin, South East Asia and Indonesia.[7]
As mentioned before, in Somalia attacks have dropped significantly, mostly due to the increased military action on suspected skiffs, military anti-piracy operations and increase in armed guards onboard ships. However, Somali pirates still remain the greatest global threat, as the majority of the worldwide piracy attacks are attributed to them. Usually, the tactics of the Somali pirates is to attack ships in the northern, eastern and southern coast of Somalia. According to the IMB's report of 2011, these pirates have also attacked vessels much farther off the Somali coast. They have moved deeper into the Indian Ocean, off Seychelles and the Maldives, and further south along the East African coast, off Kenya, Madagascar, and Mozambique.[8] To proceed with attacks very far out to sea, pirates normally use "mother vessels", which are able to launch smaller boats to attack and hijack unsuspecting passing vessels.[9]
In the case of Nigeria all waters are considered to be risky. Pirates attack, hijack and rob vessels, kidnap crews along the coast, rivers, anchorages, ports and surrounding waters.[10] Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea has been over shadowed by Somali piracy in recent years and is becoming increasingly dangerous (34 incidents from January to September 2012, up from 30 last year) and has pushed westward from Benin to Togo, Ivory Coast and Ghana.[11] The recent attacks indicate a worrying development of a dangerous business in the region. Attacks in Indonesia remain a concern as well. These attacks, which are normally launched during the night, have largely taken place in the Malacca Strait, through which 30 percent of the world's trade and half of the world's oil shipments pass.[12]
As reported by the IMB, pirates' attacks are often violent, planned and aimed at stealing oil, gas or other products which can be easily sold on the open market. To cover their tracks once the vessel is hijacked, they damage the communication equipment and at times even the navigation equipment. A ransom demanded for the release of the vessel and crew is also a prospective criminal deal of piracy.[13] An estimated global cost of piracy for 2010 was in the range of $7 to $12 billion, while for 2011 $7 billion were estimated only as Somali piracy's impact on the global economy.[14] Piracy and armed robbery have great economic consequences, as they are disrupting the delivery of humanitarian aid, especially to Somalia, threatening vital sea lines of communication, economic interests and security of countries at risk, as well as international maritime security and commerce.
As a result of these challenges, many ships have begun to hire armed guards. While this tactic can be quite effective, however, there is not yet a process for regulating these guards, creating potential legal complications. The killings of pirates by security companies, as the one of 2010 when the private security contractors shot dead a Somali pirate, raises questions over who has jurisdiction over a growing army of armed guards on merchant ships flying flags from many nations.[15] A piracy expert Roger Middleton, from the British think tank Chatham House, cautions, that : "there's currently no regulation of private security on board ships, no guidelines about who is responsible in case of an attack, and no industrywide standards". Therefore, the shipping industry and national governments should better coordinate their response to the threat of piracy.
The international community has taken a number of steps to tackle piracy when it emerged as a threat to international maritime security several years ago. In 2008, the UN Security Council passed a series of measures targeting Somali piracy, including Resolution 1816, which authorized states to undertake enforcement actions against piracy and armed robbery in Somalia. Following this and other UN resolutions, NATO, European Union, and United States started naval patrols operations in the Gulf of Aden.[16] This has improved security in that narrow body of water and pushed pirate activity into the broader Indian Ocean, making attacks more costly and risky for pirates, but also making it more difficult to counter attacks across such a vast area.[17]
Similarly, in 2011, Indonesia and Malaysia deployed two warships to the strait as part of a joint patrol targeting pirate attacks. The countries have also developed an "Eye in the Sky" operation with Singapore and Thailand, by which they jointly carry out air patrols.[18] However, not all navies, especially in the Gulf of Guinea have the resources to fight piracy far out at sea, so criminal gangs shift to other areas.[19]
Nonetheless, despite these efforts, it is realized that piracy cannot be solved by military means alone. The amount of ocean to patrol is too vast to protect every ship and, as risk analysis shows, pirates have responded to the increased naval presence by moving attacks farther out to sea. Piracy is most often just one symptom of the general collapse of law and order in the failed state. As a result, the attacks on shipping will continue as long as there is no central government capable of taking on the well-armed and well-paid pirate gangs.[20] Thus, tackling the root causes of piracy, supporting local communities and improving prosecution have a key importance for the rescue of the seas from pirates.
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea makes piracy a universal crime, and subjects pirates to arrest and prosecution by any nation.[21] Taking the example of Somali's piracy, the root of problem here has been the lack of an effective central government tied with limited economic opportunities throughout the country, where piracy became a mean of survival. In addition, Somalia is composed of a large number of clan groups, and the law is largely implemented at the local level. For many of these groups, piracy provides an economic lifeline, and so they are not willing to prosecute pirates.[22]
Indeed, pirates usually operate as a part of an organized crime network, such as JakartaGlobe in Indonesia. The warlords have intervened sending a good deal: traffickers living in Dubai or Yemen and fisherman are hired by gangs of pirates to execute criminal business. Foreign warships patrolling the area are creating some difficulties but the business is too lucrative to stop the traffickers.[23] Thus, it is clear that, if convictions of pirates in courts will not be successful, with many pirates walking away free, the threat of going to prison will not be a credible deterrent from piracy.
Furthermore, to combat piracy effectively means not only focusing on the pirates operating at sea but also changing the risk-reward equation for the ringleaders, clans providing support to pirates and agents providing intelligence from African ports. Further, it means reducing the freedom of movement pirates currently enjoy despite the private, national and international efforts. Piracy cannot also be defeated without the active cooperation of all the actors involved, including the regional governments.[24]
Pirates are well organised and resourced criminals. They rapidly adjust their tactics and manage to avoid naval patrols by operating farther offshore. Therefore, the holistic approach and the measures including military sea and land based anti-piracy action, preventive techniques used by the merchant vessels, strengthening law enforcement for the affective arrest and prosecution of pirates in the coastal countries, increasing cooperation between all counter-piracy actors and optimizing their efforts should be the priority to tackle evolving pirate trends and tactics. Equally, more significant impact should be made to eradicate the roots of piracy by building-up the capacity of the states and accelerating social and economic development. These measures in long term perspective can mitigate new developments in piracy, reduce its recent effect and contribute to the final defeat, enabling to declare that mare is liberum once more.
[1] United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, Freedom from Fear 3, Pirates of the XXI Century on the Treasure Hunt, April 2009, p. 31.
[2] Ibid., p 48.
[3] United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 10 December 1982, Article 101.
[4] International Chamber of Commerce, Piracy & Armed Robbery News & Figures,3 December 2012,available at: http://www.icc-ccs.org/piracy-reporting-centre/piracynewsafigures, [accessed 19 December 2012].
[5] International Chamber of Commerce, IMB Reports Drop in Somali Piracy, but Warns Against Complacency, available at: http://www.icc-ccs.org/news/811-imb-reports-drop-in-somali-piracy-but-warns-against-complacency,[accessed 19 December 2012].
[7] International Chamber of Commerce, Piracy & Armed Robbery Prone Areas and Warnings, available at: http://www.icc-ccs.org/piracy-reporting-centre/prone-areas-and-warnings, [accessed 18 December 2012].
[8] International Maritime Bureau, Global Piracy Report 2011, available at: http://www.ibm.com/investor/pdf/2011_ibm_annual.pdf, [accessed 19 December 2012].
[9] Supra note 8.
[11] Supra note 5.
[12] Council on Foreign Relations, Combating Maritime Piracy, available at: http://www.cfr.org/france/combating-maritime-piracy/p18376,[accessed 18 December 2012].
[14] One Earth Future, The Economic Cost of Maritime Piracy, Working Paper, December 2010, available at: http://www.cfr.org/france/combating-maritime-piracy/p18376, [accessed 18 December 2012].
[15] World, Private Guards Kill Somali Pirate For First Time, 24 March 2010, available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/24/private-guards-kill-somal_n_511143.html, [accessed 19 December 2012].
[16] Supra note 14.
[17] Council on Foreign Relations, Smarter Measures in Fight Against Piracy, 10 December 2010, available at: http://www.cfr.org/somalia/smarter-measures-fight-against-piracy/p23611, [accessed 19 December 2012].
[23] Supra note 1, p. 13.
* Photo of Mohamed Dahir / AFP – Getty Images
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Originally aired in October, 2012.
Strategies for you to step up and take a leadership role in client communications, and start client relationships out on the right foot..
Communicating skillfully with clients is all about understanding what your clients really want and giving it to them in ways that truly help them. But this doesn't mean handing the reins of control over to the client, or becoming an order taker. Many times, clients are looking for you to step up and take a leadership role, and prove that your service – and your expertise – can truly help their business. You'll learn how to take on this leadership role as Marcia Hoeck helps you start client relationships out on the right foot.
For over 25 years, as owner of Hoeck Associates, Inc., a leading marketing communications firm in Toledo, Ohio, Marcia Hoeck lived what she now teaches. Like many creative business owners, Marcia found the business aspects of her work to be troublesome. Out of necessity and survival, she developed simple methods to take the complexity out of the way her business ran. The results: a terrific team of people who stayed long term, profitable clients who came back year after year, a very manageable workload, and a business with great flexibility.
Because people often "picked her brain" about how she was able to create a sturdy, profitable business that ran so smoothly and lasted so long, Marcia decided to turn her attention to helping make business easy for other creative business owners through coaching and consulting. She sold the assets of her marketing communications firm in 2009, and often speaks in person and on teleclasses and webinars on business-building topics.