This is news staffer Lauren Daley manning the livechat. We have @CharlieDee71 live at Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's press conference.
Live chat now launched pghcitypaper.com/Blogh/archives… submit comments, questions.
Ravenstahl formally launched his re-election campaign 11 days ago. At the age of 26, he became Mayor in 2006 after the death of Mayor Bob O'Connor. He's currently running against Democratic mayoral candidates city controller Michael Lamb and city councilor Bill Peduto.
The mayor has been absent at several campaign and public events in the last week.
"10 years go this month i began the journey that has lead me to where I stand today. I was an ambitious and energized 23 year old determined to make his neighborhood and city better."
Ravenstahl now at the mic: "The city I ran for office to represent in 2003 no longer exists... It's evolved into a bigger and better place."
"I'm proud of my role in making this city was it is today. I'm proud we're no longer bankrupt. I'm proud we employ more people in Pittsburgh today then ever before. I'm proud we have turned a corner and now see our population increasing for the first time in my lifetime. I'm proud that the dream that was the Pittsburgh Promise is now a reality touching more than over 3800 kids already. I'm proud of the Renainssance we've advanced in our neighborhoods and most notably in our core downtown."
Ravensthal: "I'm proud that the dream that was the Pittsburgh Promise is now a reality ... I'm proud of what I've been able to achieve."
"I'm proud of things i was able to achieve. ... This success however comes at a cost. the grueling demands of this office are difficult to describe, the sacrifice significant. those that pay the greatest price are those who are closest to me."
Mayor: "This success has come at a cost. The grueling demands of this office are difficult to describe."
Mayor dropping bid for reelection "without any reservation and a clear mind."
"After a careful and considerable amount of thought I have decided that that price has become too great to endure. As a result ... hear to announce I'm dropping my bid for re-election. I do so without any reservation and with a clear mind."
Mayor says recent events, and nasty allegations, have lead him to this decision. "Many will speculate about my motives and conclude that the investigation is my reason for today. It's not. I've done nothing wrong. That will be proven over time."
"Politics for me have never been about winning....I'm not dropping from this race because I'm worried about losing. In fact I can say I'm more confident today" then he ever has.
Says grateful for his supporters. As you can say " my mom is great...hope she looks half as good she does...she does have medical issue she's dealing with but I have no doubt she will overcome and defeat them."
Mayor: mother does have medical issues, though "I have no doubt" that she will overcome them.
Ravenstahl says honored to hold position. Says he'll continue to do the "best job i possibly can' in the next 10 months.
Mayor: In next 10 months as mayor, "I will continue to follow my heart and do the best job that I possibly can."
Cites Bill Cowher retirement speech. "Just like Bill Cowher I have been extremely blessed....I can proudly say that this North Side boy has lived his dream."
Mayor: "This North Side boy has lived his dream." says his next job will be son's (unpaid) T-ball coach.
Mayor, answering reporter, says he is NOT ruling out future run for office.
"We're not going anywhere. We'll be here next 10 months."
Mayor: "I'm still focused on doing the job. Today's about not running for re-election."
Just a personal impression, but Ravenstahl actually seems more relaxed than when he announced Harper's departure.
Mayor: "when you spend more time ... responding to things that are false, that are harmful and hurtful ... it's [what] I enjoyed least."
"When you're spending more time doing things or responding to things that are simply false they're harmful and hurtful and cause you to have to deal with and therefore take your eye off the ball. It's something that's the nature of the business but something I clearly enjoy least about the business."
"I've assumed we've cooperated with any inquiries [feds] have made with the city. .." says he hasn't talked to anyone about the fed investigation into police this week.
Mayor asked about claim that security falsified pay records to conceal his after-midnight activities: "Simply not true."
Is this being televised live anywhere?
Is this televised or streamed anywhere?
What the next 9 months be like?
"I along with my family was no longer willing to bear that cost and pay that price. I don't nkow if I can put my finger specifically on what "it" was or what "it" is in order to move forward I had to make a decision, and I did."
Ravenstahl: "The cost one has to bear to do this job is one that I, along with my family, was no longer willing to bear."
He's encouraging others to get involved in race, has a candidate in mind. Won't say who.
It's easy to criticize, Sophie, until you've been there.
One blogger says he handled this perfectly today. So far, I agree. But I doubt that we know everything.
Ravenstahl says he is encouraging a specific candidate to enter the race in his absence, won't disclose identity.
Says he'll speak with hsi donors and decide what best course of action is with those dollars.
Says he respects the media but says it's changed in his time in politics, and for future candidates to be prepared.
Here is her tweet: Man. He handled that perfectly. Who knows what the real reason is. But he handled it perfectly.
Thanks, Ben. There will be lots of speculation, observation, analysis next few days. Power of social discourse!
Which, coincidentally, is something he just cited about running. "I don't know that I'm burnt out. ... It was simply the toll that it's taken on me personally and my family personally. It's difficult to describe unless you live it. It's difficult for me to explain to my closest friends, even my parents."
"It's not really something I anticipated and contemplated until Mayor O'Connor got sick and passed away. I've been very fortunate to be here for 7 years."
The toll it has taken on him? He's at bars and strip clubs every night!
BMA, earlier in the press conference he was asked about a similar accusation from former body guard and responded "it's simply not true."
Says his proudest moment is the Pittsburgh Promise. "I'm not going to get into regrets. e all have regrets in our life. That's just the nature of life."
what's cool is that the Pittsburgh Promise totally fixed the public schools!!!
Mayor: Proudest accomplishment is Pgh Promise. Biggest regret? "I'm not going to get into regrets."
Says he's going to make invoices from his security guards available to media today to show there was no wrong-doing on their part. "I know without a doubt I did nothing wrong and that is not why this decision was made. I know folks won't believe that. Maybe you guys don't even believe it. But over time the truth will prevail, and it will come out. Not as quickly as I would like to it, but it will. All these allegations and things being suggested simply aren't true."
whoever mystery candidate is, only one will get the Dem endorsement - Lamb.
Ravenstahl's campaign account is now retweeting messages of support from followers. It's been silent since yesterday morning.
I Do hope the truth comes out and that although he is young, he did no wrong.
Any chance his chief of staff, Zober, will run?
Ravenstahl says "my age is something folks always talk about and I guess probably always will."
Mayoral challenger @billpeduto "I understand how difficult of a decision this was and would like to extend our sincere best wishes to Luke"
Ravenstahl says no pressure from inside the party. "Quite the opposite." "I was not encouraged by anyone to do what I'm doing right now."
Mayor asked whether Jack Wagner is the mystery candidate: Chuckles and says, "I'm not going to get into specifics."
Mayor says he's disappointed in former bodyguard Fred Crawford "He's disappointed a lot of people. He's disappointed me.. .. He'll have to answer for it someday."
Ravenstahl says he was not pressured by dem party officials to step aside "quite the opposite actually"
Mayor: No job lined up. "I have no clue what I'll do in January."
Mayor, asked about use of bodyguards on personal time: "Chances are, they were there ... That's a decision the chief of police made."
"I feel really good. ... This is not a somber day. THis is a day I'm excited about. I feel really good. I'm at peace with my decision. It's been a tough couple of days because there have been a lot of people who have invested a lot of time to me and committed a whole hell of a lot to me that I've had to tell no and it wasn't easy. ... All of those people that may have not agreed with this decision are either standing in this room or will be standing with me in the future. That's, to me, what true friendship and love is all about and I'm just blessed to have a tremendous amount of love around me and tremendous amount of support."
"It wasn't an easy decision, but I'm, I'm happy."
Mayor: "I feel really good ... I'm at peace with my decision."
Ravenstahl asked if his brother was a candidate for mayor. His mother answered "no!"
To media. "I respect what you do. Doesn't mean we always agree, that I'm always polite to you. ... I know that you have a job to do sometimes I wish you were a little more understanding of the job we have to do including my press staff. ... I'm not angry at any of you. I don't blame the media for anything. That's the nature of this job."
Says he doesn't plan on doing Chief Regina McDonald's job for her, that he'll think she do a good job. Thinks rank and file officers "will respond to her leadership."
Ravenstahl identifies — belatedly — his attorney as Chuck Porter. Says he was not "a target" or "subject" of federal investigation.
Identifies Chuck Porter as personal attorney. says "I'm not a target, a subject. I don't know what all the words are I know folks were using creative words to suggest I was trouble. ... I didn't receive a letter. I was told point blank I wasn't a target and I know I'm not a target because I didn't do anything wrong."
Glad to hear him not blame the media.
Says Sgt. Gauntner didn't use debit card.
Mayor: "We'll start to prove [allegations of wrongful card use] wrong today."
From mayor's office: The total amount in 2012 allocated for the mayor's security detail is: $140,085.
Mayor: Acknowledges allegation aired on KDKA Radio this morning that he was probably at casino after midnight with bodyguards.
Ravenstahl says he was very likely out at places like the casino after midnight with bodyguards.
Ravenstahl says he probably should have made this decision three months ago.
Mayor on what changed his mind about running: "No silver bullet." Says he probably should have decided to drop out three months ago.
Mayor says he's uncomfortable with the public life. Something he's uncomfortable with. "I disliked the ability of folks to say and do whatever they wanted to say or do... I dislike the politics of it in terms of the folks that are, you know, in it to win and will do so at any cost. I'm just not that person."
Says he disliked the nastiness of politics. "and quite honestly sick of" it.
"Ability to make decisions now without having to run for re-election...is a good feeling. It may allow us to do some things that are perhaps bolder than what somebody who has to run for re-election might consider ... I'm not going to promise you anything."
He's getting a little choked up, talking about his employees. "They dedicate their life and put up with that same scrutiny. When somebody comes after me, they take it as them personally being attacked— their commitment is incredible."
Mayor on yesterday's "Stahl tactics." "I don't know who your sources are ...I guess he's not a good source." Crowd laughs.
says now he hopes "folks don't view me as somebody they are trying to defeat" and that they may be more open-minded on his initiatives.
Ravenstahl says finding a permanent police chief replacement would be difficult under circumstances — i.e. 10 months until a new boss.
After winding down with questions about 4-year-old Cooper Ravenstahl's political/athletic ambitions, press conference ends.
Thanks for doing this! Gonna tune out and get some lunch. Keep digging!
Some reax coming in from City Hall: City councilor Bruce Kraus: "I'm supportive of the mayor's decision. I think it took a lot of courage to do it. I think it's in the best interest of Pittsburgh as a whole."
Reax from city counclior @BruceKraus "I'm supportive of the mayor's decision. I think it took a lot of courage to do it."
From city controller and Mayoral challenger Michael Lamb: "I understand this was a difficult decision for Mayor Ravenstahl to make today. I respect the choice he has made, and wish the best for the Ravenstahl family. As our city continues to face serious challenges, I hope to work with the Mayor, his Administration, and City Council for the remainder of his term toward our common goal of improving Pittsburgh and the lives of the people who call it home."
@ketchupandbeer The mayor maintains he is not being investigated: Stress of public accusations a factor, but not investigation itself.
We're going to sign off for now. @CharlieDee71 is still covering this unfolding story and we'll have follow up and analysis on Blogh and in print. Thanks for participating in today's livechat!
Politics aside, wishing @MayorLuke best of luck on focusing on being a dad. Unsolicited advice: stick to T-ball, ice hockey runs your life.


text:
by JKPPosted on March 6, 2012
'Growing spaces' as a way of understanding and developing genuine partnerships – An Interview with Jackie Martin and Julie Gosling
Jackie Martin is Principal Lecturer in Social Work, De Montfort University, UK. She works with service users and carers on the Post Qualifying Social Work Award and carries out research with service users. Julie Gosling, as Director of Advocacy in Action, has developed and delivered teaching at universities across the UK and Europe, and has over 20 years' experience at the forefront of community involvement and in creating and supporting partnerships.
In this interview they discuss their new book Making Partnerships with Service Users and Advocacy Groups Work: Why the word 'partnership' is often an empty rhetoric and what is needed to make meaningful and true partnerships work between service users and social care providers.
Can you both tell us a bit about yourselves and your work? How did you first come together to work on this book?
Jackie: I am a Principal Lecturer at De Montfort University, where I have worked for six years. Previously to this I was a social worker and then Team Manager working for Nottinghamshire County Council. I have always worked with disabled people, adults and children and their carers. I met Julie at a Revalidation event at De Montfort where she was a service user representative working with the General Social Care Council. At that time I was looking for service users to work with me on the then new Post-Qualifying Award for Social Workers working with adults. Julie and I spent a lot of time together planning, teaching and discussing issues related to this award. We talked more widely about service user involvement and how to include people in a meaningful way in the programme. I learnt a lot through these discussions. We used the theme of a garden growing to explain some of our ideas at a conference on service user involvement, and I had the idea then of doing some writing on this subject. I suggested to Julie that we could write a book together and try and mirror our ideas in the way that we worked together.
Julie: I am a woman of Irish heritage – a musician and a writer. I am a survivor of severe domestic violence and homelessness in the 1970's, and still I live with the impact of this upon my emotional well-being. I am now physically disabled, but previously shared my home for 20 years with three friends who were all severely learning disabled – we lived together as a 'caring household.' It was during these years of sharing and caring that our household joined forces with other survivors-on-the-edge, to form 'Advocacy In Action' – a small but potent action / educational group with an international profile. I now teach across Europe and I am involved at undergraduate, post-graduate and post-qualifying levels in developing and delivering shared learning within social work and social care education. I have held various academic and public appointments, including university posts of visiting lecturer and consultant on service-user participation, member of the Nottingham University Teaching Hospitals clinical ethics committee, adviser to Nottinghamshire Police Authority, executive director of Nottingham Racial Equality Centre and Chair of Nottingham Irish Centre.
It was through my involvement in the East Midlands Adult PQ Partnership stakeholder board and teaching commitments at De Montfort University that Jackie and I recognised an affinity of principles and creative solutions. We often met outside of the university to plot ideas and Jackie persuaded me to write a book jointly with her about a concept we were both developing independently of one another – that of 'growing spaces' as a way understanding and developing genuine partnership between people who want to achieve individual and community well-being, empowerment and growth.
Your book is about partnership, and has lots of advice on how to involve service users in a genuine and respectful way. Are there common misconceptions about what service user involvement means?
Jackie: I think that some people think that service user involvement is just a matter of inviting service users to meetings. However, this is not correct. This could be like inviting people to a party where they don't know anyone, are not sure of what to expect and maybe no one talks to them – the result would be a miserable experience for them. Others may think that they cannot involve service users as it is too difficult a task, so they don't bother in the first place.
Julie: In the first question, I referred to 'genuine partnership.' Actually, it worries me that although there is an abundance of involvement chatter, there is not so much evidence of good partnership in action. The emphasis appears to be around bringing people into already established frameworks and dogma, instead of mutually building dialogue, space and values where partners explore, discover and create. As one practitioner told me: 'It's as if the words themselves are sufficient.' He then went on to describe how he used words like 'partnership' and 'choice' routinely, while knowing that they disguised the reality within the rhetoric – that services were actually becoming more rigid and inflexible. This continues to worry me on a number of counts:
Firstly, the original values and innovative partnership solutions – though firmly rooted in service user and community movements – have now been incorporated, colonised and commodified by more powerful partners who have little understanding or commitment to genuine power-sharing.
Secondly, some will only ever be 'invited guests at the party'. The whole notion of involvement implies a benevolent bringing into, with all the accompanying permissions, largesse and hand-outs. Involvement is not sufficiently rights-based. We need to move towards collaboration when we talk partnership.
Thirdly, and most worrying, the brave ideologies, innovations and responses of service user and community activists risk a dumbing down, if we do not wake up to the fact that our own words have been employed by partners with power to package up their less than liberating services. The service-user lexis of emancipation and change is now being used in reverse to shut us up. Language has become the invisible tranquilising shot that dulls our hearts and minds to the harsh truth that very little, very little indeed has changed for the better.
Of course there are abundant and shining examples of partnership practice at its best – both inside and outside of our book – and I would not wish to imply for one moment that service user, self-advocacy forums and community groups hold the monopoly on these. However, I am dismayed by the number of instances where partnership is being used precisely to avoid power-sharing. Overall, I am not convinced that the great juggernauts of social care and health have got into partnership in any major sense of the word, unless it is with those institutions and individuals that mirror their own inward-looking thinking and practices. I'd better stop it there I think!
Why is it important for health and social care services to involve service users?
Jackie: I think that service users can give a perspective which can be lost without their inclusion. Service users can help to cut through some of the professional 'jargon' which excludes people, even other professionals sometimes. Professionals are often under considerable pressures to meet targets or stay within budgets, and even with the best will in the world they can start to lose sight of why they came into the profession in the first place. Service users can help to keep that perspective and keep values sharp.
Julie: This is a question I ask every class of learners I work in partnership with. They give me inspiring answers about expertise by experience, respect, dignity and choice. It is now legislation of course. But decades before the government made it mandatory, ordinary folk were organising to insist that their voices were brought to the table with policy makers, academics professionals and practitioners.
I suppose my one-liner response to this question would be: 'And why would you not involve us?' – but with the proviso of course that partnerships are mutually grown within those respectful and accommodating spaces where everyone is recognised and rewarded. Otherwise partnership becomes yet another professional procedure, something that practitioners 'do' willingly or otherwise to the people who use their services.
You are both involved in educating prospective social workers – do you find that most students are aware of service user perspectives?
Jackie: Some are of course and some may have been service users themselves. I think that students who are on qualifying training course are quite aware of service user perspectives. Where it can get lost is when social workers qualify and then get caught up in a relentless system where they experience heavy work loads. I have found that social workers who are already qualified have really valued the chance to re-visit their values and work alongside service users as part of post-qualifying training.
Julie: I personally find that many learners think they understand about partnership and that most are willing to know more. I have to say however that students travel the most amazing journeys when they explore issues of partnership alongside service user educators. My twenty-one years' experience with Advocacy in Action has convinced me that this is the only way to celebrate and share the perspective of people who use or are eligible to use services. I will let our students speak for us on this issue:
'It is hard for me to admit that my practice, though good at times, has not been great at others, in fact crap at times. I don't think anyone likes to be wrong, but I've learned more from my assumptions and my own prejudices than from any book.'
'I realise the degree to which I have cut myself off and become numb and have taken my knowledge for granted. I can now, and will now, link into my own experience to understand and enable others. I will pass on my experience and knowledge to others just as Advocacy in Action has done for me. Knowledge and experience are there to be shared by all. Advocacy in Action has helped me know what services feel like.'
'It is their life, not mine.'
'I realise how we expect people to tell us very intimate and personal information without building up rapport or trust. Imagine me, the individual who finds it difficult to open up, now me the practitioner, trying to listen to other people's stories – when I myself cannot be open in the same way!'
'Some people would rather not talk about their lives, any more than I want to talk about mine, but they are put into situations where they are obliged to. It is part of my job to ensure the process does not distance me from them. I acknowledge the importance of memories, and I remember when I leave someone that they will be left with their own memories of me. I commit to work in the trust that they will remember my involvement as being relevant, respectful, useful and positive.'
What do you hope that readers of the book will take away from the book?
Jackie: I hope that readers will take away the enthusiasm which is evident in the partnerships in the book. I hope they will be keen to make their own partnerships into 'growing spaces' and see that every partnership is different but that there are principles of respect that are key to making partnerships work. I hope that they will take away the willingness to take risks and to learn from mistakes as we all make these. Most of all, I hope they take away the idea of the riches that working in partnership with service user can bring.
Julie: My own wish when writing this book was that anyone – learner or practitioner, academic or expert by experience, professional or community activist – would find it accessible, respectful and useful. I do not believe we have written a 'quick fix' solution on how to 'do' involvement, but hopefully readers will take away from the stories all the truths that enriched my thinking and Jackie's too. I wish for our readers the courage to challenge their own values and the confidence in their own good ideas and partnership principles, and finally I hope that the stories inspire everyone to work towards good power-sharing within great growing spaces of their own.
Copyright © Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2012.
Posted in Social workTagged adults, advocacy, community care, disability, health care, intellectual disabilities, mental health, older people, relationships, social care, social policy, social work, supported living
Prev Home-grown strategies for dealing with everyday transitions – An Interview with Jane Donlan & Bob Smith
Next Orthopedic Care in Children with Special Needs

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Brady MacDonald
bmacdonald@scng.com
Brady MacDonald is a theme park reporter for the Orange County Register and the Southern California News Group. He's covered the theme park industry for more than 25 years. He writes about Disney, Universal, Six Flags, SeaWorld, Cedar Fair and Legoland parks in Southern California, across the United States and around the world. As a member of the SCNG Features team, he also writes about entertainment, travel, pop culture, music, restaurants and craft beer.
Marvel after-hours event lets you dress like your favorite superhero at Disney's California Adventure
April 26, 2019 at 6:33 a.m.
The Disneyland After Dark: Heroes Assemble late night events will take place on April 30 and May 1.
Disneyland brings back a favorite old fireworks show for an encore performance this summer
April 25, 2019 at 11:30 a.m.
The daily run of the 'Mickey Mix Magic' nighttime show will come to an end on June 6.
Pop-Up Disney: You can take selfies in Mickey Mouse themed rooms at Downtown Disney, but it will cost you
The 'Instagrammers paradise' requires reservations that will run $30 to $38, depending on the day.
What Star Wars books and comics tell us about Disneyland's Galaxy's Edge
Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm have been seeding Star Wars books and comics with references to the new land coming to the Anaheim theme park.
New song from Star Wars cantina band is just one part of the complex soundscape at Disneyland's Galaxy's Edge
The cantina set list includes a B-side from Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes, the alien bar band from the original 'Star Wars' film.
Disneyland will limit Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge visits to 4 hours during reservation-only 'soft opening'
No stand-by visitors will be permitted to enter Galaxy's Edge between May 31 and June 23.
First Mickey Mouse ride heading to Disneyland's Toontown in 2022
Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway trackless dark ride will debut in 2022 in Mickey's Toontown.
You'll never guess the most expensive and affordable theme parks in California
The key factor in the California Theme Park Index wasn't admission ticket prices.
Even Disneyland cast members won't be able to get into Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge all summer long
April 18, 2019 at 4:33 p.m.
Disneyland is expecting massive crowds for the grand opening of Galaxy's Edge on May 31 and the weeks and months to follow.
I flew the Millennium Falcon: Disneyland ride operator describes experience on Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge attraction
"If you think about it, it's only been Han Solo, Chewie, Lando, Rey and now me," says Disneyland ride operator Mark Diwas.


text:
Korea started its presses before Gutenberg's Bible
Writer admin Date11 Sep 2007 Read17,642 Comment0
"Jikji," a 14th-century Korean book made with metal-type printing, was on display in the first floor lobby at the United Nations' headquarters in New York last month. The exhibition that featured Jikji ran for 40 days and was opened by Ban Ki-moon, the secretary general of the United Nations, with 200 UN delegates in attendance.
A German visitor looking at movable metal type from Korea exhibited during the annual Frankfurt Book Fair in 2005.
On the exhibit's opening day visitors had the opportunity to print some pages using the traditional Korean method.
The exhibition was significant because it showed the world once again how Korea had advanced printing technology in ancient times, a fact which is a source of pride for many Koreans.
Jikji and metal-type printing are more than just artifacts of history. The fact that Korea produced the world's oldest printed material using metallic tools is something that many Koreans hold in high regard.
The first edition of buljojikjisimcheyojeol, more commonly known as jikji, was published in 1377 at Heungdeuk Temple outside of Cheongju, Chungcheong and it predated Gutenberg's Bible, the first metal-type book printed in the West, by 78 years.
The textbook was originally two volumes and intended for Buddhist students.
Unfortunately, only a single second volume remains and it is currently preserved in France's National Library.
Jikji is believed to have been printed at a small regional temple and it is not in perfect condition. The words are not even in size and some were printed using wood engraving. However, it is highly regarded because it is one of the oldest relics of Korea's cultural heritage and the only remaining example of the Goryeo Dynasty's printing technology.
The biggest significance of Jikji is that it was made at a small temple, indicating that the movable metal printing skill was practiced extensively on the Korean peninsula at a time when the central government's printing had been paralyzed by the dominance of China's Yuan Dynasty.
It also proves that metal-printing had advanced to the point where even a small temple could print. This technique was passed on to the Joseon Dynasty.
However, the history of printing in Korea dates back far beyond the Goryeo Dynasty.
According to the Korean Printers Association, it is not clear exactly when Korea's printing technology first began. However, experts estimate that it must have started in the third or fourth Century when Korea's trade with China flourished and various methods for publishing records were introduced.
Before printing skills were developed records were engraved on stele (stone tablets).
The earliest engraved stele is the Jeomjaehyeon Shinsa Stele, which is thought to have been made in 85 B.C.
Next is the Gwanggaeto Stele erected in A.D. 414.
A monk looking at one of 80,000 blocks from the Tripitaka Koreana. [JoongAng Ilbo]
During the Three Kingdoms period (A.D. 18 to 688) Buddhist scriptures engraved on stone tablets became popular.
Buddhism was the biggest contributor to Korea's printing history. Printing skills were developed to pass Buddhist scriptures from generation to generation, and mass printing advanced rapidly with the unification of the Three Kingdoms into the Silla Dynasty.
"Wood engraving was developed in order to spread Buddhist teachings," writes Park Byeng-sen in "Korean Printing: From Its Origins to 1910." "It is this spiritual need which stimulated technical progress. It seems that after the unification of the Three Kingdoms, Silla had a need for an ideological base with which to rally the three peoples. Buddhism was seen as a way to assure the prosperity and cohesiveness of the nation."
It was in 751, during the Silla Dynasty, that the "Mugujeonggwangdaedaranigyeong," was published. It is now the world's oldest publication made with wood engraving.
Wood block-printing continued in the early Goryeo Dynasty. The best remaining example is the Tripitaka Koreana, which consists of 80,000 tablets and is preserved at the Haein Temple. The Tripitaka was developed for 15 years from 1259. The Tripitaka, according to Park, was manufactured to provide protection against barbarian attacks. Park notes in his book that people at the time believed that "Buddha had the power to transform all bad events at the time when they occurred."
The first metal printing in Korea was in the 12th Century, during the Goryeo Dynasty. No precise date has been established by scholars.
However, various historic records indicate that movable metal-printing was practiced as early as 1232.
In the 12th century the Goryeo people developed a skill to produce movable fonts. The evidence is the movable copper type with the letter Bok, which is currently preserved at the National Museum of Korea.
The Goryeo people, who took pride in their advanced printing technology, developed a metal printing technique that was economical and efficient because so many wooden block prints and books were destroyed during frequent attacks by the Mongolians.
Jikji, the oldest publication to use the movable metal printing technique. [JoongAng Ilbo]
The printing skills of the Goryeo Dynasty were passed on to the Joseon Dynasty and, in 1403, the first movable copper type was used.
"This enterprise did not proceed smoothly," Park noted. "Numerous difficulties were encountered, first of all with financing. Copper, which is used in the making of bronze had to be procured, as not enough of it was available in Korea."
Although there were many initial difficulties copper movable printing did not disappear. Instead it was improved in subsequent years and new copper types were developed.
During this dynasty a significant event for the Korean people took place: the first printing of hangeul, Korea's own unique alphabet, in 1447, four years after King Sejong announced the completion of the alphabet.
Today printing has grown to a different and more impersonal level. Words are typed in computers and printed with high-tech machines. Yet deep in the hearts of many Koreans. the first movable printing still remains a source of unshakable pride.
By Lee Ho-jeong Staff Writer [ojlee82@joongang.co.kr]


On Monday, a well-attended rally was organised by the Jammu Kashmir National Students Federation (JKNSF) in Muzaffarabad city to condemn the Pakistan Army's brutal acts, including enforced disappearances and torture of political activists and students.
Fresh protests by Kashmiri Youth in Muzaffarabad city and other parts of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are taking place against the Pakistan Army and spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The protesters shouted slogans like 'yeh jo deshatgardi hai, uske piche vardi hai' (Army is behind the terror activities). They also raised slogans against Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Recently, police lathi-charged and used tear gas shells against the students in Muzaffarabad city. This this was also an issue which was condemned during the protest march.
A part of erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, PoK and Gilgit Baltistan remain in Pakistani occupation since 1947 and since then, the people here claim they are facing severe problems.
Unemployment, poverty, and lack of infrastructure remain a major concern for the people in these areas and whenever the indigenous people demand their rights, Pakistani security forces act brutally against them, they say.


text:
Loony Tunes!
September 24, 2010 / Uncategorized / by Gideon
Readers of our prose know already that we take a dim view of what passes for rules of ripeness in inverse condemnation law. See Michael M. Berger and Gideon Kanner, Shell Game! You Can't Get There from Here: Supreme Court Ripeness Jurisprudence in Takings Cases at Long Last Reaches the Self-Parody Stage, 36 Urban Lawyer 671 (Fall 2004).
Now it turnes out that this stuff has gone beyond self-parody. Take a look at West Linn Corporate Park v. City of West Linn, ___ P.3d ___, Oregon Supreme Court Docket No. S056322, opinion filed September 23, 2010. It all started with the Coporate Park filing an action to challenge city exaction requirements (for off site improvements) as violative of the rule of the Nollan and Dolan cases, both limiting municipal exaction powers to exactions that have a nexus to the burdens imposed by the private development in question and are proportional to them.
Naturally, the action was filed in an Oregon state court, as required by the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in the Williamson County case. However, the town removed the case from state to to federal court. On what basis was this done, we have no idea. All we know is that the U.S. Supreme Court has held that plaintiffs in such cases may not pursue them in federal courts but the defendants can (by removing them from state to federal court) — see City of Chicago v. International College of Surgeons. The U.S. Supreme Court never explained why in the same case, the plaintiff, but not the defendant, is barred from proceeding with his action in federal court, so we won't go there — we just have to accept it.
But here, once the case got to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit thigs went loony tunes. It turned out that the federal court was unable to decide the case because to reach the federal issues in question it first had to resolve some state law issues. So you'd think that at this point the 9th Circuit would deem the case premature, abstain, and order the case remanded to state court where it was filed to begin with, so it could proceed there to resolve those state law issues. Right? Wrong.
Instead of doing such a sensible thing, the U.S. Court of Appeals asked the Oregon Supreme Court for an advisory opinion explaining what the pertinent state law is, so their federal Lordships could reach the federal issues they meant to decide.
However, if you read the Oregon Supreme Court's advisory opinion, it turns out that in order to answer the questions put to it, it had to be guided by federal law because, as it happens, most controlling inverse condemnation law is federal.
So the bottom line is that the federal court that was supposed to decide federal law issues got all tangled up in state law issues, while the state court that was supposed to decide state court issues gave us a lengthy interpretation of federal law issues.
There has got to be a moral here some place, but we have no idea what it could be, except perhaps a reinforcement of the folk proverb that says "Don't make a federal case out of it."
Those of our readers who are seriously into inverse condemnation law, should read this case. And as for those who aren't, we advise that they stay away from it, and have stiff drink instead.
← Eminent Domain in Britain Quotable Quote →


First Friday Devotion to the Sacred Heart derives from the revelations made by Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690). The practice of receiving Holy Communion on nine consecutive First Fridays is in reparation to "the Heart that has loved men so and is loved so little in return." Among the graces Christ is said to have promised those who are faithful to this devotion is final perseverance in the Catholic Faith, reception of the last sacraments and death in the state of grace, and the consolation of the love of Christ's Sacred Heart at the time of death.
Parish families are encouraged to have the traditional enthronement and consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A picture and certificate suitable for framing are available. The Pastor is also available to come to the home of parishioners for the Enthronement.
Please call the pastor at the office to make an appointment.


text:
De Laacher See is een kratermeer in Rijnland-Palts, Duitsland, vlak bij de steden Koblenz, Mayen (11 km), en Andernach (14 km). Het meer vult een vulkanische caldera in het Eifelgebergte, de enige caldera in Centraal-Europa. Het maakt deel uit van het vulkaanveld in de Oostelijke Eifel.

Het grote Eifelmeer heeft zijn naam verkregen uit het Oudhoogduitse woord "lacha". De naam betekent letterlijk "Meer van het Meer", vergelijkbaar met het "Loch Lochy" in de Schotse Hooglanden.

Meer
Het meer ligt op 259 meter boven zeeniveau, is 8 km in omtrek en wordt omringd door een muur van hoge heuvels. Het water is blauw, erg koud en smaakt bitter. Het meer heeft geen natuurlijke uitloop waardoor het waterniveau aanmerkelijk wisselt door verdamping en regenval. Op de westelijke oever ligt de benedictijner abdij van Maria Laach (Abbatia Lacensis), gesticht in 1093 door Hendrik van Laach van het Huis Luxemburg, eerste heer van het Paltsgraafschap aan de Rijn, die zijn kasteel tegenover het klooster bovenaan de oostelijke oever van het meer had.

Ontstaan

De caldera werd rond 10.930 voor Christus gevormd na de uitbarsting van de Laacher vulkaan. De achtergebleven korst stortte vermoedelijk 2 of 3 dagen na de uitbarsting in de lege magmakamer eronder. De resten hiervan kunnen nog door heel Europa teruggevonden worden en de tefra wordt vaak gebruikt voor het dateren van sedimenten. Een aantal unieke mineralen kan in de omgeving gevonden worden en mijnen halen de stenen uit de grond om te gebruiken als bouwmaterialen.

Met een geschatte Vulkanische-explosiviteitsindex van 6 (met ruim 5 km³ aan puin), was de uitbarsting van de Laacher vulkaan 5 keer krachtiger dan die van Mount Saint Helens in 1980 (VEI van 5 met 1,2 km³ aan materiaal).

Externe links
  Apokalypse im Rheintal, Spektrum der Wissenschaft, Februari 2009 (PDF-Bestand, 1,8 MB)
  Evolution of Complex Plinian Eruptions: the Late Quarternary Laacher See Case History, www.therafoundation.org

Vulkaan in Duitsland
Caldera
Meer in Duitsland
Kratermeer
Geografie van Rijnland-Palts
Eifel

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: composer update on mac not working Since I updated my PHP version to 5.4, I have trouble to update composer on my symphony 2 project.
$ php composer.phar update

gives me:
The "https://packagist.org/packages.json" file could not be downloaded: php_network_getaddresses: getaddrinfo failed: nodename nor servname provided, or not known
failed to open stream: php_network_getaddresses: getaddrinfo failed: nodename nor servname provided, or not known
_https://packagist.org could not be fully loaded, package information was loaded from the local cache and may be out of date

  [RuntimeException]
  Failed to execute git status --porcelain --untracked-files=no

  error: bad index file sha1 signature
  fatal: index file corrupt

Here is link to a screenshot:
http://sanofuzir.com/Screen.jpg
What should I do?

A: it's more likely that you can't even ping the url on the console.
then try the solution here: https://discussions.apple.com/message/10713911#10713911
just refresh your DHCP address, and it works for me!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Home » Markets » New York's Out-of-State Taxpayer Money Is Suddenly Up for Grabs
New York's Out-of-State Taxpayer Money Is Suddenly Up for Grabs
They're friends, for now.
Governors from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania have in recent weeks banded together as part of aregional initiative to coordinate reopening schools and businesses shuttered by the coronavirus outbreak.
But with states and cities facing the worst fiscal crisis in decades, a little-noticed provision in New York's tax law could leave billions of dollars in tax revenue up for grabs — putting those amicable relations to the test.
It's spelled out in Section 132.18 (a) of the New York tax code. It says anyone who works out of an office in New York, but lives out of state — whether in Westport, Connecticut, or Chatham, New Jersey — must pay New York income tax. And the Empire State stands out in how strictly and aggressively it enforces the statute, even if your job is done predominately from home.


The Lord Sky-created single "Reason With Me" has Rudeboy engaging for the one he wants to reason inline with him. Additionally he included a line from Victor Ad's tune If Money Nor Dey Na Wetin She Gain.
Recently Rudeboy showed up at the Coke Studio Africa close by Khaligraph Jones where they works together on a tune 'Today around evening time'.
Download Mp3: Rudeboy – Reason With Me.


text:
Q: Unexpected list.append() behavior when using 'sub-lists' in Python I've got a problem with a project I'm working on. I've managed to discover that the problem is actually with how I thought list appending works in Python. I've recreated the problem I'm having in my project as this much smaller snippet:
Let's say you have the following code:
# A list of two lists (one for even one for odd)
oddOrEven = [[]] * 2

for i in range(5):
    if i % 2 == 0:
        oddOrEven[0].append("even")
    else:
        oddOrEven[1].append("odd")

print(oddOrEven)

Now what I would expect to happen:

*

*When i is even, the 'even' list within the oddOrEven list has the word 'even' appended to it

*When i is odd, the 'odd' list within the oddOrEven list has the word 'odd' appended to it

So I expect the output to look like this:
[['even', 'even', 'even'], ['odd', 'odd']]

However, what is actually output is this:
[['even', 'odd', 'even', 'odd', 'even'], ['even', 'odd', 'even', 'odd', 'even']]

I just can't get my head around how this works. When something is appended to one sub-list, it's also appended to the other? The loop only runs 5 times, and yet 10 append operations are occurring.
Can someone explain why this happens, but also how I can achieve what I expected the result to be using the same list structure?