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So You Want to Go to Space: You'll Need Medical Clearance First
Space tourism isn't on the list of family vacation destinations yet, but that doesn't mean doctors shouldn't be thinking about pre-flight medical checkups.
By Alexandra Sifferlin Dec. 14, 2012
BRUCE WEAVER / AFP / Getty Images
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket blasts off as it heads for space carrying the company's Dragon CRX-1 spacecraft at Cape Canaveral, Fla., Oct. 7, 2012.
On a Trip to Mars, Astronauts' Muscles Could Waste Away
Space tourism isn't on the list of family vacation destinations yet, but that doesn't mean doctors shouldn't be thinking about pre-flight medical checkups.
With Richard Branson selling $200,000 tickets for spots on his SpaceShipTwo, which he hopes will launch in 2014, space travel may not be so far-fetched. Or at least that's what Branson and other commercial space travel companies are betting on. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently awarded grant money to Boeing, Space Exploration Technologies and the Sierra Nevada Corporation to develop safe vehicles for space travel. As the next frontier in exotic destinations, there may be big bucks in traveling to the unknown; some experts estimate [PDF] revenues in the first ten years of commercial space travel operations might reach between $600 million to $1.6 billion. If that's the case, then it's really only a matter of time before space-bound passengers line up at the doctor's office to get medical clearance for extraterrestrial travel.
(MORE: Top 10 Medical Breakthroughs of 2012)
"It's a very real thing," says Dr. Millie Hughes-Fulford, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) department of biochemistry and biophysics and part of a group of UCSF researchers who published a helpful paper outlining some of the unique issues that physicians conducting pre-flight physicals might consider, such as extraterrestrial effects on the body including motion sickness, muscle deterioration and exposure to radiation that could increase the risk of cancer. The paper includes a list of medical conditions associated with space flight, culled from health records of astronauts, as well as a tally of medical conditions that might be worsened in space, and potential treatments. "We are at the beginning and it is time to say, 'heads up, this is coming at you,'" she says.
Granted, Fulford may be more passionate about the impending possibilities of space travel than most scientists, since she's been there. She traveled on the Space Shuttle in 1991, as a NASA payload specialist aboard STS-40, a Spacelab mission dedicated to biomedical studies. She currently studies the effects of microgravity on immune function and infection, an interest triggered by the high number of otherwise healthy astronauts who became ill during the Apollo space missions. If astronauts are felled by infections in space, says Fulford, then it's important to understand how extraterrestrial travel affects the immune system in order to find ways to make such journeys safer for ordinary citizens who may not be as physically fit.
With a casual space traveler, for example, a doctor may be faced with medical challenges like "Can my patient with a pacemaker participate in a suborbital Virgin Galactic flight?" and "What is the maximum allowable time my patient with osteoporosis can spend on vacation in a space hotel" before the effects of gravity erode his already brittle bones to a point where it becomes debilitating?
(MORE: What Tastes Good in Outer Space? Cooking for Mars-Bound Travelers)
The idea is to find ways to allow the most diverse group of medically able people to make the journey to space. "We have to think about civilians flying as opposed to what is currently pretty much only governmental astronauts. If we start to see that only completely healthy people will be able to fly, then we are going to see a drop in the number of people going," says another of the paper's authors, Marlene Grenon, an assistant professor of vascular and endovascular surgery at UCSF. "We need to address the people with medical conditions who would like to fly. If anyone can fly, there will be a lot of conditions that will be different in space, and we need to better understand these disease conditions in microgravity."
Even less severe symptoms, such as motion sickness and loss of appetite, are common among veteran astronauts, so doctors should be prepared to assess less experienced vacationers for any health problems that could be aggravated or put the passenger at undue risk by space travel. If a patient has cancer, for instance, it's possible space travel could expose them to radiation that would cause tumors to flourish, so a pre-flight evaluation would include warning the patient about the risk and possibly asking him to postpone the journey. Kidney stones are also more common among astronauts, due to dehydration, so establishing guidelines for passengers to drink enough fluids in space might also be a consideration.
As far-fetched as such preparation seems, more groups like the FAA and Aerospace Medical Association Commercial Spaceflight Working Group are proposing medical recommendations for space flight and starting to draft proposals for regulating commercial travel. However, the authors note the the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation has not made specific medical requirements or disqualifications for space tourists, probably because overregulation deters interest and could hinder development. That's more reason for physicians to take a stronger role in anticipating how they would evaluate potential space travelers, Fulford and her colleagues say, since doctors who clear patients for space will share the responsibility of issuing that clearance (and any potential health problems that result) with the commercial travel company selling the ticket.
(MORE: Are the Astronauts Trying to Get Even Higher?)
"There is definitely a trend toward more work being done in [space medicine] as the medical field catches up with what's going on in commercial space transportation," says Grenon, who is researching the effect of microgravity on the heart and on cells that line blood vessels. "This [effect] is important to understand with regards to long-duration space flight and exploratory missions. We feel that we are pushing the limits of our knowledge and really contributing to making journeys in space as safe as possible."
It might seem they are getting ahead of themselves, but Fulford, for one, believes it's never too early to start preparing, and estimates space tourism could be active in six to seven years. "As a country we are in the dull drones of thinking: 'oh, we're in the fiscal cliff.' No one is looking to the future and saying, 'we are in a great age. [But] we are in a great age, and I think it's time to enjoy that. We have to recognize where we are [part of] the progress of mankind." Which will eventually take us, she hopes, to infinity and beyond.


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AES-XTS Block Cipher Mode is used in Kingston's Encrypted USB Flash Drives
XTS - The Key to the Best Encryption
It takes more than a certificate to have the most secure USB drive encryption. Kingston's ultra-secure encrypted USB Flash drives, DataTraveler® 4000G2 and DataTraveler Vault Privacy 3.0, feature 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption utilizing XTS block cipher mode. XTS provides greater data protection over other block cipher modes, such as CBC and ECB.
The following details the security advantages of the DT4000G2 and DTVP30 encrypting USB Flash storage devices.
Full-Disk Encryption AES Block-Cipher Modes of Operation
AES, or Advanced Encryption Standard, is a block cipher that encrypts blocks of data in 128 bits. To encrypt anything larger than 128 bits, AES uses a block cipher mode. There are many different AES block cipher modes that are part of the AES specification. The simplest block cipher mode is Electronic Code Book (ECB). Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) addresses security weaknesses with ECB and is one of the most common modes used in portable encrypting Flash drives. XTS is one of the newest modes and provides stronger data protection over ECB and CBC. The following is a brief description of these block cipher modes.
Electronic Code Book (ECB). This cipher mode simply repeats the AES encryption process for each 128-bit block of data. Figure 1 depicts data encryption using ECB mode. Each block is independently encrypted using AES with the same encryption key. For decryption, the process is reversed. With ECB, identical blocks of unencrypted data, referred to as plain text, are encrypted the same way and will yield identical blocks of encrypted data (cipher text). This cipher mode is not ideal since it does not hide data patterns well. Figure 2 is an example that demonstrates the major security vulnerability with this cipher mode.
Electronic Code Book (ECB)
The unencrypted image is shown on the left. The image on the right shows what the cipher text might look like when using other encryption modes such as CBC or XTS. The center image clearly demonstrates the vulnerability associated with ECB. Since identical image pixel patterns within the encryption block are encrypted in such a manner that they yield identical cipher blocks, the original image bleeds through.
Clearly, identical blocks of data should not be encrypted in a manner that yields the same cipher text. As a result, the ECB block cipher mode is considered weak security and is not recommended for use.
Encrypted using ECB mode
Encrypted using other mode
Cipher Block Chaining (CBC). As discussed, the primary weakness with ECB is a result of identical data blocks being encrypted in a manner that produces identical cipher text. The goal is to achieve an encryption method that encrypts each block using the same encryption key, while resulting in different cipher text, even when the plain text for 2 or more blocks is identical. Cipher Block Chaining was designed to achieve this result. Figure 3 is a depiction of CBC cipher mode.
An initialization vector (IV) of 128 bits is generated and combined with the plain text of the first block in a sector. This data is combined using the Exclusive OR (XOR) function. The resulting 128 bits of data are then encrypted using the AES encryption algorithm and stored in the media. The resulting cipher text is passed on to the next block where it is combined with the plain text for that block, encrypted and stored. This process of chaining is repeated for each block in the sector. The process ensures that blocks of identical data result in completely different cipher text. As a result, CBC is much more secure than ECB and is considered to be suitable for most security applications. CBC is widely used in many encrypted Flash drives.
AES-XTS Block Cipher Mode. Originally specified as IEEE Std 1619-2007, NIST added XTS to the list of AES block cipher modes in 2010. XTS is the newest block cipher mode and is the cipher mode used by DataTraveler 4000G2 and DataTraveler Vault Privacy 3.0. It was designed as a stronger alternative to other available block cipher modes such as CBC. It eliminates potential vulnerabilities associated with some of the more sophisticated side channel attacks that could be used to exploit weaknesses within other modes. Figure 4 is a simplified block diagram for XTS mode.
XTS uses two AES keys. One key is used to perform the AES block encryption; the other is used to encrypt what is known as a "Tweak Value." This encrypted tweak is further modified with a Galois polynomial function (GF) and XOR with both the plain text and the cipher text of each block. The GF function provides further diffusion and ensures that blocks of identical data will not produce identical cipher text. This achieves the goal of each block producing unique cipher text given identical plain text without the use of initialization vectors and chaining. In effect, the text is almost (but not quite) double-encrypted using two independent keys. Decryption of the data is accomplished by reversing this process. Since each block is independent and there is no chaining, if the stored cipher data is damaged and becomes corrupted, only the data for that particular block will be unrecoverable. With the chaining modes, these errors can propagate to other blocks when decrypted.
AES-XTS provides the DT4000G2 and DTVP30 with greater data security than other offerings on the market. All security functions are contained within the confines of the on-board security processor, providing high-grade security and portability.
Additionally, both of these devices enforce complex password protection and lock down after a specified number of invalid password attempts. Packaged in a rugged waterproof casing, these devices provide the ultimate security and protection for data. All Kingston® enterprise and military grade encrypted drives come with a five-year warranty and free technical support.
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When it comes to The Fairmont Miramar Hotel by the beach, I'm usually raving about FIG Restaurant or covering a food event that has taken place in their driveway circle around one of the oldest trees in the city.
But it's no secret that the balance to enjoying all the food I write about is physical activity, whichever activity you may be really into right now. While I've been attending Pilates classes on the reformer the past couple of years, I'm always applying the principals of yoga not only to that, but also to my minute-to-minute posture and way about moving throughout the day. Yoga is universal.
Luckily, Exhale Spa and the Fairmont Miramar have teamed up this week to offer a special rate to go with a week of unlimited yoga classes. Because who really wants to eat unlimited, heatlamped food at the buffet, anymore? For a special rate of $260 per night, you'll get this free week of yoga included (until January 8) so you can detox with proper nights' rest right by the beach.
It was a special night in overcast Santa Monica, when the rising star chefs (and mixologists) of Los Angeles came out to dance. Their individual tables showcased a dish of their choosing, with propped-up lamps shining into the coastal darkness. The Fairmont Miramar was the setting, with FIG hosting the bungalow-side VIP reception to precede the walk-around gala held on the hotel's turnaround.
FIG, headed up by Chef Ray Garcia, was up for the sustainability award. Representing their fresh and inventive menu were spoonfuls of apricot tortellini – subtly sweet but tangy and way more complex than I could have imagined a sweet bite of pasta could be. Also generously passed around were fingerling potatoes and chips topped with creme fraiche and Petrossian caviar. The generous part was undoubtedly the option to add a spoonful more of caviar atop each potato – a point Petrossian chef and James Beard Rising Star Chef semi-finalist Ben Bailly agreed with. Rosé champagne complimented each of our beginning bites, but nothing prepared me for what was to come during the main program of the night.
The main sponsor of the night was Highland Park, and what a fortunate arrangement that turned out to be. Highland Park 18 was being served neat or on a big Néve ice rock. On the other end, Eric Alperin of the Downtown Los Angeles bar The Varnish served up The Highlander, a simple yet beautiful treatment to Highland Park 12 which the likes of Thomas Keller was also spotted sipping.
Stir in a whisky glass over a big rock of ice.


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Katie Sgarro, Contributor
Writer, Social Entrepreneur & LGBTQ Advocate
Catch Up Disney
Cinderella and Prince Charming dancing at ball.
Cinderella Castle, Magic Kingdom park, Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World remains a dream destination for millions of children. The magic, the costumes, the attractions, the music, the frozen desserts, all effortlessly combine to achieve nearly universal appeal among young kids. This widespread influence comes with a clear power but also a blurrier responsibility. What is Disney's role in facilitating healthy self-image among children? Should Disney be held accountable for the steps it takes (or fails to take) to break down harmful stereotypes? Is Disney meant to be a dream world for some children or all children?
At 22-years-old, I recently visited Disney World again. I was immediately struck not by the charming atmosphere but rather, by the lack of LGBTQ representation shown in that picturesque little world. What I was seeing scared me.
We are living in a monumentally progressive time here in the U.S. This is an era of true pioneers, including Ruby Rose, Jaden Smith, Miley Cyrus, Laverne Cox, etc. With the help of these courageous individuals, the "binary" view of society is slowly crumbling, giving way to a more inclusive conception of gender identity and sexual orientation. However, there is a lurking discrepancy between this progressive thinking and many signature U.S. institutions. Disney World is a prime example of such an institution.
Seemingly everywhere I looked there were traces of "binary" thinking, both ostentatious and subtle. Princes danced exclusively with princesses. Gift shops were divided in two pronouncedly different sections: one for boys and one for girls. One can easily learn the implicit rules of this world in one glance. Boys like red and play with lightsabers. On the contrary, pink and yellow are girls' colors. Good little girls like to dress-up in flowing gowns and jeweled tiaras. Boys grow up to be strong, desirable princes capable of rescuing fragile, beautiful princesses. There is no room in this world for a diverging gender identity or sexual orientation.
But why does this matter? According to LiveScience: "Kids develop an understanding of prejudice and discrimination in a fairly predictable manner. Between the ages of 3 and 6, they begin to understand and use stereotypes. After age 6, children start to understand other people's stereotypes, scientists have found." Disney caters to this young age group, many of its visitors are children that fall between the ages of 3 and 12-years-old. This age bracket represents an extremely developmental stage for children: the period where children begin to form their own opinions, prejudices, and conception of their own self-worth.
I first visited Disney when I was in third grade. I saw the smiling princesses and the brave princes. Three years later I would realize that I was gay. Over ten years would pass before I would muster up the courage to admit that I was different from those picturesque princesses waiting for their princes. Is this Disney's fault? Of course not. But it is this repetitive, constrictive image of what is "correct" or "acceptable" that Disney participates in (either willingly or unwillingly) that is dangerous and culminates in too many LGBTQ youth harboring a negative self-image from an early age.
Whenever I present on global LGBTQ rights today, I'm often asked a variation of the following question: Why does stigma surrounding the LGBTQ community still exist in the U.S. and what can we do to break it down? I believe that one of the main drivers of this toxic stigma is entrenched pop culture institutions' failure to incorporate more inclusive LGBTQ-friendly policies. The LGBTQ perspective is getting lost -- drowned out by the need to attract dollars and "mainstream" support. Is Disney anti-LGBTQ? I don't think so. Can Disney do more to promote inclusivity? Absolutely.
According to TIME Magazine, nearly 80 percent of transgender people report experiencing harassment in school when they were young. The Center for Disease and Prevention (CDC) reports that LGB youth are 4 times more likely, and questioning youth are 3 times more likely, to attempt suicide as their straight peers. According to The Trevor Project, nearly half of young transgender people have seriously thought about taking their lives, and one-quarter report having made a suicide attempt.
These striking statistics reveal the harsh reality that this pervasive stigma is continuing to kill many young people every year. It makes me wonder how many lives could be saved by making Disney World more inclusive? Why is Disney so hesitant to show two princesses in love or a young man proudly beaming in a flowing gown? I hope that we can all agree that the alternative, young people taking their own lives, is much scarier.
Queer Life Gender Identity Lgbt Youth Walt Disney Gender Equality


Algae are a diverse group of all photosynthetic organisms that are not plants. Algae are important in marine, freshwater, and some terrestrial ecosystems . Seaweeds are large marine algae. The study of algae is called phycology.
Algae may be unicellular, colonial, or multicellular. Some algae, like the diatoms, are microscopically small. Other algae, like kelp, are as big as trees. Some algae, the phytoplankton , drift in the water. Other algae, the epiphitic or benthic algae, grow attached to rocks, docks, plants, and other solid objects.
The major groups of eukaryotic algae are the green algae, diatoms, red algae, brown algae, and dinoflagellates. They are classified as protista. Another group, the blue-green algae, is the cyanobacteria. Some authorities do not consider the blue-green algae to be true algae because they are prokaryotes , not eukaryotes.
Green Algae. Green algae are the algae most closely related to plants. They have the same pigments (chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids), the same chemicals in their cell walls (cellulose), and the same storage product (starch) as plants. Green algae may be unicellular or form filaments, nets, sheets, spheres, or complex mosslike structures. There are both freshwater and marine species. Some species of green algae live on snow, or in symbiotic associations as lichens, or with sponges or other aquatic animals. Edible green algae include Chlorella and sea lettuce. There are at least seventeen thousand species of green algae.
Diatoms. Diatoms are often regarded as the most beautiful of the algae. Each diatom has a cell wall made of glass that is very finely etched with a species-specific pattern of dots and lines. The patterns on the diatom cell walls are so precise that they were used for years to test the optics of new microscopes. Diatoms are also the most abundant algae in the open ocean and responsible for about one-quarter of all the oxygen gas produced on the earth each year. Diatom populations often bloom in lakes in the spring, providing a major food for zooplankton, forming the base of the aquatic food chain. There are over one hundred thousand species of diatoms.
Algae on a pond. Algae are important in freshwater as well as in marine and some terrestrial ecosystems.
Red Algae. Red algae are almost exclusively marine and include many edible and economically important species, including nori and laver. Red algae are also the source of carageenan and agar , which are used as food thickeners and stabilizers. Red algae are mostly large, complex seaweeds. There are four thousand to six thousand species.
Brown Algae. Brown algae are almost exclusively marine and include the largest and most complex seaweeds. Kelp, for example, may be more than 60 meters (200 feet) tall, and forms dense underwater forests off the California coast. Other important brown algae include the rockweeds and Sargassum, for which the Sargasso Sea is named. There are about fifteen hundred species of brown algae.
Dinoflagellates. Dinoflagellates are unicellular algae with armor made of cellulose and flagella that cause them to spin as they swim. Dinoflagellates are found in both freshwater and marine ecosystems. Some species of dinoflagellates emit an eerie blue light when disturbed, called bioluminescence . Other dinoflagellates are toxic and responsible for red tides and outbreaks of shellfish poisoning. There are two thousand to four thousand species of dinoflagellates.
Life cycles among the algae are incredibly varied. In fact, almost any type of life cycle one can imagine is displayed by some member of the algae. In an asexual life cycle, individuals reproduce by splitting. Some dinoflagellates reproduce primarily by asexual division. There are three types of sexual life cycles, which involve at some stage the fusion of gametes : gametic meiosis , zygotic meiosis, and sporic meiosis.
Gametic Meiosis. In the gametic meiosis life cycle (which is employed by humans), meiosis produces the gametes, so the only haploid cells in the life cycle are the gametes. The individual that one sees is made of diploid cells. Diatoms have gametic meiosis.
Zygotic Meiosis. In zygotic meiosis, the zygote undergoes meiosis, so the only cell that is diploid is the zygote. All the other cells in the organism are haploid. Many of the green algae, including sea lettuce, have zygotic meiosis.
Sporic Meiosis. In sporic meiosis, there are both haploid individuals and diploid individuals within the life cycle. Meiosis produces haploid spores, which then divide to produce an individual that is made entirely of haploid cells. This individual produces gametes by mitosis . Two gametes unite and form a diploid zygote. The zygote divides to produce an individual that is made entirely of diploid cells. This individual produces spores by meiosis to complete the cycle. Because the life cycle includes two generations of individuals, a haploid generation and a diploid generation, it is called "alternation of generations." Plants and many of the green, red, and brown algae have sporic meiosis.
In Japan, Korea, and China, the production of nori is a billion-dollara-year industry, but because the two generations in the nori life cycle look completely unlike each other it was not until the early twentieth century that the second generation was discovered. This discovery radically improved the ability of humans to grow nori, and there is a memorial park in Japan dedicated to the British scientist, Kathleen Drew Baker, who discovered it.
Algae are the base of the aquatic food chain. Humans also eat many types of algae. The marine algae nori and kelp have been harvested in China for over two thousand years. Spirulina, a blue-green algae that is rich in protein and vitamin B, is harvested from Lake Chad in Africa. The photosynthesis done by algae is very important to the biosphere because it reduces the amount of carbon dioxide and increases the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere.
Some types of algae can cause environmental problems such as red tides and fishy-tasting water. These problems are usually caused by the excessive release of nutrients from farms, sewage, and other human activities. The outbreak of the nerve-toxin-producing Pfiesteria (a dinoflagellate) on the Atlantic coast, for example, has been linked to overflowing sewage lagoons.
Lembi, Carole A., and J. Robert Waaland. Algae and Human Affairs. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988.
Raven, Peter H., Ray F. Evert, and Susan E. Eichorn. Biology of Plants, 6th ed. New York: W. H. Freeman and Company, 1999.


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Q: Run tests using Jenkins in a Docker Container I've seen a few resources that connect Jenkins and Docker, but none exactly like what I'm trying to do, which is to have Jenkins:

*

*Pull latest code from GitHub

*Start Docker container and share pulled code with it

*Run tests in Docker container

*Generate report of test results

I'm lost on how to get code from GitHub into my Docker container when using Jenkins. I have the container that I use for local testing, but am trying to automate the process with Jenkins. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

A: We do exactly that.  We use the regular Jenkins Git plugin to fetch a copy of the source code.  Then we run our docker container to run the tests...
# docker-compose.yml
web:
  build: .
  volumes:
    - .:/src
  command: /src/run-tests.sh

docker-compose run web

Mount a volume so that Jenkins can access any output from the tests, such as junit xml results.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The impact solar light has on communities is truly remarkable.
By improving access to cleaner, renewable, sustainable lighting, we are making refugee camps safer and more suitable places for the many families who live in them, especially for girls and women. With savings made by families, more girls get a chance to study with clean light.
With access to bright, clean light children get an extra hour to study each day. Children do better at school and are more likely to gain a higher level of education and are no longer exposed to toxic kerosene fumes.
Kerosene lamps release toxic fumes that cause respiratory problems and eye diseases. With a simple solar light, families quickly notice an improvement in health which links back to better school performance and well-being.
Why Do Students Need Energy Access?
Providing solar light to children in areas without reliable access to electricity gives them a vital tool for studying after dark, boosting their academic performance. Most students living in off-grid regions rely on dangerous, polluting, expensive kerosene and candles for their lighting. Solar lamps are a safer, healthier alternative that improve children's chances of fully completing their education and breaking out of the poverty cycle. Read more!
Why Do Refugees Need Energy Access?
Solar lamps can be used as a guiding light: Food, water, and shelter are the basic provisions needed by refugees and IDPs in emergency situations; what is often overlooked is that access to energy is also integral to sustaining life. A personal portable solar lamp is a cost-effective way to ensure the highest impact. Kerosene, candles, and disposable batteries are costly for refugees, while solar lamps create long-term independence. Read more!
To improve the living conditions of people in refugee camps and students' opportunities for education, we work closely with our partners to measure and evaluate the impact of solar energy on education, poverty, health, well-being, and the environment. Read more about our activities!
Little Sun Foundation e. V.
U.S.-based donors can support our activities in a tax-efficient way through a contribution to the Little Sun Foundation US Fund at the King Baudouin Foundation United States (KBFUS).


Anthropology offers much to the world of bioethics, including theoretical approaches, methods, and practical guidance to health care professionals. Theoretically, anthropological research challenges cultural and social norms about identity, personhood, distinctions between self and other, definitions of life and death, and what it is that makes us human. Our comparative approach enables us to reveal just how moral assumptions and norms are not universal while demonstrating at the same time the cultural basis of moral reasoning. The social sciences also contribute to a view of ethical issues as societal problems, in this way illuminating the cultural processes that constitute ethical concerns (Haimes, 2002). Methodologically, anthropology has helped to "humanize" (Kleinman, 1995a, 1995b) bioethics by using ethnographic methods that enable a thick description of cases which illuminate people's grounded experiences of responding to ethical dilemmas and the values that enter into their moral reasoning (Hoffmaster, 1990, 1992; Marshall & Koenig, 2001). A contextualist approach to bioethics therefore prioritizes the "is" (people's actions and the values informing those actions) over the "ought" (what people believe they ideally should do), while recognizing that moral ideals vary cross-culturally. Anthropological approaches help develop "a more empirically grounded theory of morality" (Hoffmaster, 1992) and herald new or previously unrevealed moral considerations that help refine normative analysis (Haimes, 2002; Hoffmaster, 1990). Such first-hand experiences facilitate informed health policy-making.
In the following discussion I will explore ways in which anthropologists and sociologists have worked toward "humanizing" bioethics (Kleinman, 1995a, 1995b). First, I will briefly review the development of the field of bioethics and present some relevant concepts. I will then review anthropological research that examines bioethics as a cultural domain of inquiry and cultural process. A number of theoretical issues and topical areas will be discussed in light of cross-cultural research in the field. Second, I will cover various applied efforts of anthropologists working in bioethics. Lastly, I will explore some promising avenues for further research in bioethics. While anthropological contributions to the field of bioethics are central to our discussion, it is paramount to include some related work by those outside the discipline since: (1) anthropologists are increasingly engaged in interdisciplinary collaborations, and (2) non-anthropologists, for example sociologists and philosophers, are adopting anthropological methods and theoretical approaches to better understand bioethical issues from a cultural perspective. These trends are not surprising given that bioethics is a multidisciplinary field without its own discipline. This discussion picks up where several review articles have left off to provide a more current review of contemporary debates and issues in the anthropological inquiry into bioethics (Kleinman, 1995a; Marshall, 1992; Marshall & Koenig, 1996; Muller, 1994).


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Chainsaws—these have a rad reputation, and one can be more than a scary decoration at home. A good chainsaw can chop through wood, or bone, without the operator breaking a sweat. On the other hand, you will have to hack and scrape away for hours with a traditional saw to accomplish what a chainsaw can in a matter of minutes.
Remington is a solid brand name for household tools. The Remington Limb N Trim chainsaw is hands down one of the best you can buy in the current market.
This chainsaw is 14 inches long, but is very compact. It's easy to handle and store thanks to the portable design. Limb N Trim is powered by electricity, so you don't have to keep replacing batteries to winding it up for the gas batteries to work.
This chainsaw comes with an 8 amp motor, a very powerful device for woodworking and construction around the house. Limb N Trim makes chopping and trimming jobs a breeze. The compact design also makes it quite perfect to do yard work. The chainsaw is designed ergonomically with comfort in mind.
The kickback bar on Limb N Trim is set low, which reduced strain on shoulders and wrists. The chain tensioner is placed externally so you don't need to be a trained professional to use it.
Limb N Trim is a very low maintenance chainsaw as well. The integrated push button oiler makes sure the engine and the chains are working working smoothly so you don't have to repeatedly check it.
GreenWorks is an amply powerful chainsaw suitable for both household and professional construction work. This is a battery operated chainsaw so there's no cord. As a result, this chainsaw is very convenient to carry around and work without a cord getting tangled here and there.
You can also take the chainsaw as far away from an electrical outlet as much as possible.
The Lithium Ion battery backs 40 volts of capacity which gives it optimal power for minutes. Once depleted, the battery charges in a matter of minutes so you can move on to the next task without wasting time.
This chainsaw is powered by brushless motor. Compared to conventional mortars, this one can dampen vibrations by 70 percent and generate close to 30 percent more torque.
Brushless motors are also more eco friendly. The overall construction of the chainsaw is also very light. Risk of serious physical strain is therefore less.
460 Rancher is one of the best reviewed and most recommended chainsaws in percent times. At 20 inches in saw length, this is a large and powerful motor suitable even for the toughest of jobs.
It's equipped with an incomparable 60.3cc 2-Stoke X-Torq gas engine.
The tensioner is mounted on the side for optimal ease of use and performance. Gas chainsaws are notoriously difficult to keep clean. But this chainsaw has a quick release air filter built in to make cleaning easy.
This chainsaw also has a three-piece crankshaft. This super sturdy part makes handling difficult jobs much more easier. It's also highly durable and will not require replacement anytime soon.
If you are looking for an optimally performing gas-operated chainsaw, look no further than the Husqvarna 460 Rancher. Each purchase comes with a 2-year guarantee by the manufacturer that you can extend to 4 years if needed.
Black and Decker is a well known brand in household utilities. This high-quality chainsaw is one of the best products, largely due to the durability. You can use LCS1020 for years without any need to replacement as long as you keep all the parts routinely clean as instructed.
This chainsaw is powered by a 20 volt battery. This battery is quite special because it can stay charged for five times longer than any other chainsaw you can buy in the market.
After excellent battery power, the defining feature of LCS1020 is its ergonomic design. The 10-inch kickback chain is placed low to not induce excessive wrist strain.
Also, the blade system is tool free, so you can make adjustments as quickly as you need. The bale handle has a wrap-around grip to make sure you can hold onto the chainsaw firmly. The oil gauge window is clear so you don't have to take the tool apart to check for oil.
This is definitely one of the most versatile gas chainsaws you can buy. The Wild Thing chainsaw is recommended for both domestic and commercial use.
It has a 40cc engine, which is durable enough to handle the tricky trimming and cutting jobs. Overall, the build is very light ensuring that the chainsaw is very portable.
Plus, this chainsaw is much quieter than most other gas powered tools. It's equipped with neat gimmicks like an automatic oiler powered by the gears.
This automatic oiler eliminates your need to constantly check the oiling system. Also, the interior has a clean air filtration system to keep all the parts working well for years. This chainsaw has a CARB compliant design.
Conclusion: Chainsaws are a useful tool to have in any home. However, make sure you are properly trained to handle a chainsaw safely. Choose between a gas and battery powered chainsaw depending on what's most convenient. It's very important that you buy a high-end chainsaw with glowing reviews.
This is not a tool that you'd want to malfunction in any way when you are using it. You must prioritize power and ease of use of the chainsaw above else. For optimal performance, buy a powerful chainsaw sporting and ergonomic design.


Vail's Winter Mountain Games will take the next two years off and return in February of 2016, according to the Vail Valley Foundation.
VVF officials decided on the two-year hiatus for the third installment of the winter mountain lifestyle and sports festival in order to facilitate the ramp-up to the 2015 International Ski Federation Alpine World Ski Championships.
Scheduled from February 2-15, the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships are expected to showcase athletes from more than 70 nations, along with an onsite media and broadcast entourage of approximately 1,500 members.
Vail's Winter Mountain Games will take two years off and return in 2016.
An international television audience approaching 750 million people will watch the two weeks of racing and festivities.
Created by the Vail Valley Foundation in 2012 as the winter version of the organization's popular GoPro Mountain Games, the event includes head-to-head ice climbing competitions, the country's largest ski mountaineering race, on-snow mountain bike races and an evening big air competition, with bikers and telemark skiers flying simultaneously off huge snow jumps.
The off-mountain activities include free Bud Light Mountains of Music concerts and outdoor adventure film screenings, along with an interactive expo area.
The Winter Mountain Games presented by Eddie Bauer are a project of the Vail Valley Foundation. For additional information on the Vail Valley Foundation, visit www.vvf.org.
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Designed for a maximum of 25 people, Survival places individuals in a new outdoor environment. In Survival participate in a range of activities that equip them with skills to survive in this environment. Activities include foraging, plant identification, CPR, First Aid, abseiling, high ropes, improvised stretcher, lighting fires, making shelters, setting traps, rudimentary fishing skills, thermal control and more.
When they arrive at their location, it's straight into survival skills and as competence steadily increases and team identity and organisation become established, morale within the ranks begins to soar! There are also intricately crafted scenarios included to bringing a sense of theatre and entertainment to the experience adding that essential team bonding ingredient – FUN!
In Survival!, participants are taken out of their regular environment and challenged to learn new skills. Having left the comforts of home far behind, teams must quickly develop a sense of mutual trust and inter dependency. In order to function harmoniously, team members must develop an appreciation for the work styles and respect for others in the group. Specific challenges will demand a mutual trust in order to succeed.
The environment is controlled and the activities, although challenging, ensure that everyone is involved and finishes the activity with a sense of personal achievement. Prior to the event we will work with you to select the best location and range of activities that best suit the participants and the desired outcomes.


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« April 2019 | Main
Michael Oren on Who Has a Right to the West Bank
Michael Oren, former Israeli Ambassador to the United States, was recently interviewed by The New Yorker. During his interview, the reporter pressed Oren on the question of what right Israelis have over the areas the currently constitute the West Bank and Gaza. While he punted (a bit) on Gaza, he was pretty clear on the West Bank:
So you think that you, as a Jewish person born in New York, have a right to be anywhere in Israel—
Plus the West Bank, plus Gaza.
Absolutely. Not Gaza. We can debate whether Gaza is part of the land of Israel.
O.K., Israel plus the West Bank.
Even if you wanted to include Gaza, I'd say absolutely, yeah. The question is what is smart. What's possible.
Who gave you the right to live anywhere you want in the West Bank? That's what I am trying to understand.
Where did you get that right?
It's my heritage for three thousand years. It's the same exact right I have from where I am talking to you. I am talking to you from Jaffa. I live in Jaffa. The same right I have to live in Jaffa I have in [the settlement] Beit El or Efrat, or in Hebron. Exact same right. Take away one right, the other right makes no sense. By the way, P.S., most of the lands of pre-1967 Israel are not even in the Bible. Haifa is not in the Bible; Tel Aviv is not in the Bible.
So, the argument seems to be that, as a Jew, Oren has the right to live anywhere within any of the area historically controlled by Israel, based on some idea of "heritage." It's a strange and very weak argument. It's not at all clear what heritage means here or why "heritage" confers any kinds of "rights" of any kind. Furthermore, this kind of argument is of course susceptible to the obvious reply: If Jews have a right based on their heritage, then why do the Palestinians have any less of a right.
It's interesting to note that I've been arguing with a Twitter troll on this point for much of the day, and it's clear to me that the only way this argument works is if they can somehow deny that there have been Arabs living in the area of modern Israel and Palestine for millennia. They get to this conclusion mostly through acts of special pleading and attempting to play semantic and demographic games. Such arguments don't withstand the slightest scrutiny, but that doesn't prevent them from being argued vociferously, as though their conclusions were self-evident and the natural outcome must necessarily be the right of Jews, and only Jews, over the entire extent of Greater Israel.
If the argument were the more modest claim that Jews had the right to live in the modern state of Israel because Israeli law allows it, that would be a far more defensible claim. However, that would not allow for the more expansionary proposals that argue, as Oren does above, in favor of the right of any and all Jews to any and all areas in any and all of what Israel has ever claimed for itself, as far back as 3,000 years.
Since this is an obviously absurd argument, and can't be reasonably defended, the interview does not improve from there:
O.K., I just want to understand this because I don't want to misunderstand it. You are saying there are Palestinians living in various areas of the West Bank right now—
There are, indeed.
—which may or may not at some point become a state. But you are saying that, wherever they are living, they have less right to be there than you as a Jew born in New York.
I didn't say that. Don't impute words to me I didn't say.
I'm sorry, I thought you just said that.
No, I did not say that in any way. Listen, I don't think I want to continue this interview. I don't think this is a constructive interview. You can do with it—I would like to request you withdraw it. I don't think you are actually interested in anything I have to say. And that's been my experience with The New Yorkerall the time. You guys are just into delegitimization. You are not really interested. Why don't we call it quits right here, and I will pull this interview? I am relying on you to do that, as a journalist.
I think what honestly happened here is that Oren got out over his skis. He realized that he couldn't defend the implications of his argument and so had to run away from the interview as fast as he possibly could. And who could blame him?
In fairness, he never quite says that he has more right to live in the West Bank than a Palestinian who was actually born there, or that the Palestinians have less right. But it's certainly a reasonable inference from his arguments. If Jews, by virtue of their "heritage" have a right to, as Oren argues elsewhere in the interview the entirety of Greater Israel "down to the last millimeter." Many thousands of those millimeters are of course already occupied by the bodies and the lands of other, non-Jewish human beings. And so this principle necessarily implies that Oren's right as a Jew to that land outstrips that of the Palestinians already living there. The only concessions Oren is willing to make on this point are purely pragmatic.
Also of note in this interview is Oren's contention that the Two-State solution is not supported by anyone in Israel today, except for those on the "moribund" left, leading to annexation as the predominating position of the vast majority of Israelis. Whether Oren is right on this or not I have no idea. But if so, it raises once again the underlying contradiction at the heart of current Israeli policy: It cannot continue to be both Jewish and democratic if it continues these current policies. It ultimately has to choose, if it abandons to the Two-State solution, whether it will be a state of all of its citizens, or whether it will be an apartheid state. Given the moral and political contortions this leads to, is it any wonder that there are those who would propose to cut the Gordian knot and suggest deporting the Palestinians wholesale. Of course, as an act of ethnic cleansing, this would be a humanitarian violation of the highest order, and undermine fatally any claim to national morality that Israel would otherwise be capable of claiming.
Posted at 07:32 PM in Current Affairs, Ethics, Political, Society | Permalink | Comments (0)
James Baldwin and Reinhold Niebuhr in Conversation
A few days ago, Fred Clark at Slacktivist posted a video of James Baldwin and Reinhold Niebuhr being interviewed in the wake of the 1963 Birmingham church bombing.
Fred also points to a Commonweal interview where Niebuhr comments on the white evangelicals of his own day, in words that are equally germane today:
One of the ironic facts of American history is that both slavery and post-slavery injustice prospered in the states that were formed by two kinds of idealism — a Jeffersonian idealism and evangelistic Protestantism. All the horrible racial cruelties that are practiced in Alabama and Mississippi are done by people who have been "converted" five, six, seven, or eight times. …
Then along comes Billy Graham for his great evangelistic meeting. His manner is bland and he's a great biblicist. He speaks in a convincing way and, while the choir sings softly, he tells the people to pray and to give their heart to Christ and sign the decision card. He tells them in the words of St. Paul that "if any man be in Christ, he will be a new creature."
This is fantastic, because it shows the weakness of Protestantism — individualism. It deals with collective sin, particularly the race question, in purely individualistic terms. You can't overcome race prejudice by simply signing a decision card. Yet Billy Graham tells them that if they sign the decision card they will become "color-blind." Why is it that we see no evidence of the color-blindness when these people leave the evangelistic meetings?
Fred comments: "What Niebuhr condemns here as "individualism" is the idea of religion — of "salvation" — without justice. He was as unconvinced of the possibility of such a thing as the prophet Isaiah was. ... Evangelical individualism, he believed, divorced love from justice, turning it into something sentimental and gormless and vapid."
Posted at 11:08 AM in Ethics, Political, Religion, Society, Theology | Permalink | Comments (0)
Jurgen Moltmann and the Problem of Authority
Cameron Coombe, a doctoral student at the University of Otago in New Zealand draws our attention to this passage from Moltmann:
I grew up during the German dictatorship and as a young man spent five years in barracks and prison camps (1943-1948). I have therefore personally experienced authority and power as not especially healing—in fact, the reverse. Quite early, I believe it was in 1947, a sentence from Abraham Lincoln fascinated me: 'I do not want to be any lord's slave nor any slave's lord.' As a theological student, I was hesitant and mistrusting of the then-dominating theological schools of Bultmann and Barth, of Gogarten and Althaus. I felt myself oppressed by the pressure for ideological consent that was placed on one if one wanted to 'belong.' I could not march well in step with others, and so I became a divergent thinker, a nonconformist in that theological school to which I owe the most: the Barth school
A few things strike me about this passage.
First, the linkage, which is always there in Moltmann, between his biography and his theology. While many theologians (and here I think of Pannenberg in particular) like to pretend to be doing theology at 1000 feet, concerning themselves little with the concrete setting in which their own theology is formed and takes place, Moltmann has always been forthright about the dependence of his theology on his own personal story, particularly his experience in World War II and as a prisoner of war. Given the role that those experiences played in his conversion, it would be hard for him to be theologically honest without reference to those points, but he's never been shy about it.
Second, his general view of authority as that which should be viewed with suspicion. I'm particularly struck by the idea that "authority and power" were "not especially healing" in his experience. And certainly the kind of top-down authority structure that the Germany in which he grew up represented could and should give anyone a healthy suspicion of authority.
Third, the connection he makes between that and his own theological formation, in particular his desire not to be a metaphorical "slave" to anyone else's theological program. And that nevertheless, his affinities lie closest to the Barthian approach. This conforms well with what Douglas Meeks once told me, that he thought the best way to understand Moltmann was as a "liberal Barthian." It's certainly true that even insofar as his affinity is for the Barthain school he's definitely a "divergent thinker," and the battles between Moltmann and the Princeton Barthains to which I was a witness were at times impressive.
Posted at 10:37 AM in Religion, Theology | Permalink | Comments (1)
St. Hereticus and the Gospel of Americanism
Travis McMacken (of the excellent Helmut Gollwitzer book), reminds us of Robert McAffee Brown's alter ego St. Hereticus. For many years, St. Hereticus was a regular contributor to Christianity and Crisis, lampooning American Christianity and the peculiarities of modern theology.
In particular, Travis notes Hereticus's article on "Americanity" which seems very current these days:
Although this is a religion of fairly recent origins as world religions go (it is less than two hundred years old as I count time), it has in recent years become, so its adherents would claim, the most important. It cannot with total accuracy be called a world religion, since there are still a great many people in such colonies as Europe, Asia, Africa, the Far East, the Near East, and the Arctic and Antarctic regions who have not yet been converted by its missionaries, though in the last named region there have been some indications recently of a shift in sentiment among the Penguins.*
Of particular note is Hereticus's description of Americanity's understanding of monotheism and idolatry. He writes:
Wherein lies the great appeal of this religion? Most significantly perhaps in (1) the assurance with which it can claim to be the final hope of mankind; (2) the exclusiveness with which it can assert in the name of its deity, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," which in a briefly and more up-to-date translation goes, "America First"; (3) the wisdom of its benevolence program and almsgiving, which demands only that the recipients subscribe 100 percent to the creed of Americanity; and (4) the dedication of its priest-group, all of whom are prepared that heaven and earth should quite literally pass away before one jot or tittle of their creed be modified.
Hereticus (and Brown) were often prophetic, but at the time that he was writing, this was no great revelation of some future state of American religion. The first religion of America has always been America. And the unique theology of America has always been as it was described by H. Richard Niebuhr:
A God without wrath brought a people without sin to a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.
Thus has it ever been. The challenge of Christianity in America is always to distinguish itself from American Christianity.
Posted at 10:36 PM in Religion, Society | Permalink | Comments (0)


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Liquefied Natural Gas: An Untapped Opportunity for Remote Communities in Canada
by Aaron Henry
There is an estimated 200,000 people living in approximately 300 remote and off-grid communities across Canada.1 These communities, located in pristine and beautiful wilderness, are not without challenges, including energy security, affordability and high emissions. Many of Canada's remote off-grid communities are dependent on diesel and heating oil to generate their electricity and/or heat. Diesel costs can present challenges for communities. Taking an example from remote Ontario, the cost of diesel generated electricity for communities is three to 10 times higher in cost than the provincial energy mix. 2 This high cost of energy makes it expensive to heat and power homes and increases operating costs for industries in these communities by as much as 30 to 60 per cent.3 A significant portion of the higher price paid for diesel fuel is due to transportation costs to remote regions. Fuel is delivered to communities by ship, truck and plane. For remote communities, high energy prices pose economic challenges for families, businesses and industries such as mining operators.
"For remote communities, high energy prices pose economic challenges for families, businesses and industries such as mining operators."
The current federal Liberal government has prioritized transitioning remote off-grid communities to clean energy systems and in 2018 launched a $220 million Remote Communities Fund to support projects.4 However, the fund is only open to projects that deploy solar, wind, and bioenergy systems. While renewable energy has a role to play in remote communities, the GHG emissions produced by these communities' amounts to 0.3 per cent of Canada's total emissions. When it comes to affordability, megawatt capacity, and reliability, the role liquefied natural gas (LNG) can play in these communities has been significantly overlooked. Here's why LNG should be part of Canada's energy strategy for off-grid remote and indigenous communities.
Over 99 per cent of Canadians homes, businesses and institutions that have access to natural gas have it delivered through pipelines. Servicing remote communities via pipeline is an uneconomic proposition due to distance from supplies and smaller customer base. However, improvements in our technological capacity to liquefy and store LNG in smaller quantities has made it possible to transport LNG by truck directly to remote communities. Already today, the communities of Inuvik, Whitehorse and Ahahim Lake are using LNG as a fuel source for local community needs. More communities are also examining the economics as are mining operators. Canada's first mine to use LNG is the Renard Mine located approximately 1,000 km's from the LNG facility in Montreal.
For communities, one of the principle barriers now is the absence of more strategically located liquefying plants for subsequent distribution to remote communities. There are smaller scale LNG plants in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec but most of these facilities are close to urban centres as they are traditionally used for meeting peak winter heating demand. However, this is slowly changing. For example, recently commissioned LNG facilities built in northern B.C. and central Alberta are being used to service northern energy needs (oil and gas drilling operations and communities). Nonetheless, more facilities and central depots are needed to service Canada's extensive array of remote communities, particularly in central Canada.
There are significant economic benefits in pursuing an LNG based energy market in Canada's remote off-grid communities. According to ICF International, when studied over a 25 year period, switching from diesel to LNG would add 12.5 billion to Canada's GDP, create 115,000 net jobs/year, 4 billion in government revenue and reduce emissions by 500,000 tonnes or the equivalent to taking 83,000 cars off the road.5 These are significant economic opportunities that are consistent with the overarching goal of reducing emissions and improving economic opportunities.
A long term vision for remote and indigenous off-grid communities must include a variety of energy solutions. Many indigenous communities have planned to include renewable power in their energy mix.6 When complimented with LNG power generation, communities would be offered a nimble and responsive system able to respond to changes in electricity supply that might occur to a micro-grid that draws on renewable electricity supply.7
LNG's efficient power output could be crucial to ensuring a quick transition away from diesel. In Quebec alone, 175 MW of power generations (much of which goes to energy intensive resource industries) is currently supplied by diesel and heavy oil.8 While renewable energy has the advantage of being developed in small projects that can be scaled over time, converting diesel generators to LNG offers effective baseload electrical supply to complement intermittent renewable electricity supply.
"Efforts should be made to develop the infrastructure that would include LNG."
Despite these considerable advantages, the opportunity to power remote and indigenous off-grid communities with LNG is largely being overlooked by policy makers. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has advocated that public policy on climate change must adhere to the principle that GHG emission reductions be pursued in a way that incurs the least economic cost and allows Canadians to maintain their way of life. For remote off-grid communities, this includes a public policy framework that allows all energy forms to compete based on a consistent and verifiable metric such as cost per tonne of avoided carbon dioxide emissions. This approach will enable broader energy and technology solutions, including LNG and renewables, to the benefit of remote communities.
And so, as shares of solar and wind energy increase in Canada's electricity mix, efforts should be made to develop the infrastructure that would ensure that LNG is paired with these energy sources to create a more resilient energy grid in the North. The Canadian government should not overlook the importance of developing an LNG market for these communities because the economic and environmental impacts that natural gas would provide are significant.
Aaron Henry, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
https://wwwconferenceboard.ca/press/newsrelease/16-09-27/Canadians_Living_in_Remote_Communities_Lack_Access_to_Affordable_and_Reliable_Electricity.aspx
"Wataynikaneyap Power Background, <http://www.wataypower.ca/project/background>.
Mining Association of Canada. Leveling the Playing Field: Supporting Mineral Exploration and Mining in Remote and Northern Canada. April 2015. <http://mining.ca/sites/default/files/documents/Levelling_the_Playing_Field.pdf>.
"Government of Canada Supports Clean Energy in Remote and Indigenous Communities" Natural Resources Canada Press release, February 16th, 2018. <https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/government-of-canada-supports-clean-energy-in-rural-and-remote-communities-674300013.html>.
Peter Narbaitz, Bansari Saha, Katie Segal, "Economic and GhG Emissions Benefits for Remote Markets in Canada" ICF International Report to the Canadian Gas Association, May 2016. Pp. iv.
Margo McDiarmid "Indigenous communities embrace clean energy creating thousands of jobs" CBC News October 2017, <https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/first-nations-renewable-energy-projects-1.4348595>.
"Electricity from Gas Powered Generators" <https://www.clarke-energy.com/electricity-generation/>. Retrieved September 10th, 2018; "Natural Gas-fired combustion turbines are generally used to meet peak electricity load" U.S Energy Information Administration, October 2013. <https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=13191>.
Peter Narbaitz, Bansari Saha, Katie Segal, "Economic and GHG Emissions Benefits for Remote Markets in Canada" ICF International Report to the Canadian Gas Association, May 2016.pp. 2


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Nina Wadia is first celebrity to leave Strictly Come Dancing 2021
She lost a dance-off with Coronation Street star Katie McGlynn and professional dancer Gorka Marquez on Sunday night's show
Updated 20:20, 3 OCT 2021
Actress Nina Wadia has become the first celebrity to leave Strictly Come Dancing.
She lost a dance-off with Coronation Street star Katie McGlynn and professional dancer Gorka Marquez on Sunday night's show.
Wadia, known for her roles in EastEnders and Goodness Gracious Me, had been scored 18 for her tango on Saturday with partner Neil Jones.
The judges' scores from Saturday were added to those from last week before being combined with the results from a public vote, with the bottom two couples then competing in a dance-off in front of the judges.
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After opting to save McGlynn, judge Craig Revel Horwood said: "Well, both couples clearly upped their game from the first time they danced.
"Nina, you got every step right. Katie, you really kept the energy up all the way through to the end with lots of retraction but the couple I'd like to save is Katie and Gorka."
Head judge Shirley Ballas said Sunday's show featured "one of the closest battles I think we've ever had in a dance-off".
"Both couples upped their game. Bot couples were absolutely delightful to watch," she said.
"Neither couple had mistakes so I've decided to go with the couple who had more advanced technical actions in their dance and that couple is Katie and Gorka."
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When asked about her time on the show, Wadia said: "It's been really fun, thank you so much.
"Neil is incredible, thank you."
Jones added: "You've been a dream. Second partner on the show for me. I wouldn't have wanted anybody else.
"You've been fantastic and so much fun.
"Literally, we're like a married couple – you've got both husbands here tonight!
"It's been so much fun together, you said you wanted to dance and you've done two fantastic dances and I'm really, really, really proud of you."
Sunday's results show also featured a group performance from the professional dancers to Tom Grennan song Something Better.
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Television presenter AJ Odudu and her partner Kai Widdrington topped the overall leaderboard for the first two weeks.
However, influencer Tilly Ramsay's Charleston received the joint top score on Saturday alongside Dragon's Den star Sara Davies' foxtrot.
Next week the remaining 14 couples will perform movie-themed routines.
Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One on Saturday at 6.45pm.
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Dancing on Ice 2022 opening night sees Strictly pro Brendan Cole top the leader board
What's On News'That is the best first dance I have seen by a contestant in 14 series'


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Medical Exam Contradicts CNN Story About ICE Separating Nursing Mother From Baby
By Debra Heine
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is disputing a story reported by CNN on Monday about a nursing mother who was separated from her baby when she was apprehended in an ICE raid earlier this month.
CNN told the story of Maria Domingo-Garcia, a mother of three of who was among the 680 illegal aliens apprehended by ICE while working at Koch Foods in Morton, Mississippi. Domingo-Garcia is currently being held in a facility in Jena, Louisiana.
The article focused on Domingo-Garcia's separation from her four-month-old daughter, and the pain of not being able to breastfeed anymore. CNN spoke to Domingo-Garcia's attorneys, Juliana Manzanarez and Ybarra Maldonado, both whom claimed that she was still breastfeeding her baby at the time of her arrest.
"She is still really depressed. She is in a lot of pain because of not being able to pump or breastfeed," Manzanarez said after visiting Domingo-Garcia on Saturday.
An ICE representative however told CNN that Domingo-Garcia answered "no" when asked whether she was breastfeeding upon arrival at an ICE facility.
But her lawyers accused ICE of lying. "ICE is, once again, lying," Maldonado said. "She said nobody's asked her — not even one time — if she's been breastfeeding."
In a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation, ICE insisted that Domingo-Garcia did tell them she was not breastfeeding, and revealed that a subsequent medical examination "found that she was not even lactating."
"All ICE detainees receive medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility; that screening includes a woman being asked if she is breast feeding. During her initial medical screening, Ms. Domingo-Garcia answered no to that question," said ICE spokesman Bryan Cox.
"Pursuant to subsequent media reports that falsely alleged Ms. Domingo-Garcia was being detained despite being a nursing mother, an ICE Health Services Corps nurse practitioner conducted an additional medical examination of Ms. Domingo-Garcia, which verified she is not lactating," Cox continued.
CNN also misidentified Domingo-Garcia's nationality, according to ICE. The article describes her as being "originally from Guatemala," but ICE identified her as a Mexican national living unlawfully in the U.S.
CNN posted another story Tuesday shortly after the Daily Caller reported on the medical evidence refuting their report.
"Immigration officials doubled down Tuesday on their assertion that a mother arrested in the Mississippi raids earlier this month is not breastfeeding," CNN reported.
Ybarra Maldonado said neither he nor any lawyer from his firm was present for the medical exam ICE says it conducted. The first he learned of it was when CNN called seeking comment. ICE never reached out to him before releasing the result of the exam, he said.
"I don't know why they're going through great lengths to say she's a liar instead of releasing her," the lawyer said. "If during a test she didn't produce milk, perhaps it's because she's been detained for twelve days and going through a horrible situation."
However, if she was still "in a lot of pain because of not being able to pump or breastfeed" as he said she was on Saturday, the nurse practitioner would have picked up on that.
CNN's entire story, as the Daily Caller suggested, seems to have been based on the claims of the woman's immigration lawyers.
It's not entirely clear if CNN relied entirely on claims made by Domingo-Garcia's attorneys. A CNN spokesman did not immediately return a request for comment from the DCNF.
ICE meanwhile painted the CNN report as fake news: "Any suggestion that ICE does not give significant consideration to humanitarian factors when making arrest and custody determinations would be a patently false claim," the agency told the DCNF.
About Debra Heine
Debra Heine is a conservative Catholic mom of six and longtime political pundit. She has written for several conservative news websites over the years, including Breitbart and PJ Media.


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text:
#include "../../../include/physics_effects/base_level/base/pfx_vec_utils.h"
#include "../../../include/physics_effects/base_level/solver/pfx_joint_fix.h"
#include "pfx_constraint_row_solver.h"

namespace sce {
namespace PhysicsEffects {

PfxInt32 pfxInitializeFixJoint(PfxJoint &joint,
	const PfxRigidState &stateA,const PfxRigidState &stateB,
	const PfxFixJointInitParam &param)
{
	joint.m_active = 1;
	joint.m_numConstraints = 6;
	joint.m_userData = NULL;
	joint.m_type = kPfxJointFix;
	joint.m_rigidBodyIdA = stateA.getRigidBodyId();
	joint.m_rigidBodyIdB = stateB.getRigidBodyId();

	for(int i=0;i<6;i++) {
		joint.m_constraints[i].reset();
		joint.m_constraints[i].m_lock = SCE_PFX_JOINT_LOCK_FIX;
	}

	// Calc joint frame
	PfxMatrix3 rotA = transpose(PfxMatrix3(stateA.getOrientation()));
	PfxMatrix3 rotB = transpose(PfxMatrix3(stateB.getOrientation()));

	joint.m_anchorA = rotA * (param.anchorPoint - stateA.getPosition());
	joint.m_anchorB = rotB * (param.anchorPoint - stateB.getPosition());

	joint.m_frameA = PfxMatrix3::identity();
	joint.m_frameB = rotB * PfxMatrix3(stateA.getOrientation()) * joint.m_frameA;

	return SCE_PFX_OK;
}

} //namespace PhysicsEffects
} //namespace sce

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Women's Movements in the United States Woman Suffrage, Equal Rights, and Beyond
by Buechler, Steven M.
Provider: LightningBooks Contact
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Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Buechler, Steven M.
Steven Buechler has written a comparative sociological analysis of the woman suffrage movement (1840-1920)and the contemporary women's movement (1960s to the present). His identification of similarities and differences between these movements reveals persistent feminist issues over time as well as the distinctive concerns of each movement in its sociohistorical context. Buechler compares these two movements in terms of their origins, organizations, ideologies, class and racial diversities, countermovements, and outcomes. He uses resource mobilization theory to understand and compare these movements, but also uses these movements to call for a critical reformulation of resource mobilization theory. Steven M. Buechler is an associate professor of sociology at Mankato State University in Minnesota and the author of The Transformation of the Woman Suffrage Movement: The Case of Illinois, 1850-1920.Buechler, Steven M. is the author of 'Women's Movements in the United States Woman Suffrage, Equal Rights, and Beyond', published 1990 under ISBN 9780813515595 and ISBN 0813515599.
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WHITEHAWK is a classic, one of a kind sailing yacht.
She benefits from a multi-year restoration leaving her in superb condition.
She features updated systems and interior and exterior design.
She boasts beautiful woodwork throughout.
She is rarely offered for sale, making her truly unique to the market.


This article is based on a revision of "ABRAHAM AND NANCY HUCK", page 86 and page 87, THE SURREY PIONEERS by Richard V. Whiteside, c1974 by R.V. Whiteside. The March 9, 2012 revision is by Mary E. Davidson. Mary (McLennan) Davidson lives in Surrey and is a granddaughter of Mrs. R. A. C. Dewar, a great granddaughter of the Grimmers, and a great, great granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Huck who settled at Surrey Centre in the year 1872.
Abraham Huck was born in Ingelheim, Germany on March 7, 1824. Ingelheim was a village near the city of Mainz, situated on the Rhine River in the province of Rhineland, Palatinate. Abraham emigrated from Germany, possibly spending time in France, before immigrating to the United States in 1844 with his parents, Jacob and Katherina Huck.
Abraham Huck married Nancy Gentry in 1845 in the city of Cleveland, Ohio and shortly after, their first son was born in Hamilton, Robinson County in Ohio. The Hucks moved ever westward, living and farming in Illinois, Indiana and Missouri, before settling in Anderson City, Allen County, Kansas, where they farmed corn and tobacco. They had eleven children most of them lived to maturity. In 1862, Abraham and his eldest son, William, volunteered in the Union Army in the Civil War between the States. Abraham served as a blacksmith with Company L of the 14th Kansas Cavalry Volunteers, from November 1st 1863 until July 5th 1865, when he was discharged for disability. Soon after the Civil War was over, Abraham and Nancy, with the younger children, left Kansas and traveled by covered wagon to California, where they lived for several years.
Their next move was by ship, to British Columbia, Canada, where they pre–empted 320 acres of land in what is now the City of Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver, B.C. In 1872, when the Huck family arrived, Surrey was a wilderness.
This log cabin was the Huck's first home.
This frame home, and store with post office replaced the log cabin.
Abraham was the local blacksmith and had a blacksmith shop in the end of his barn in which he shod horses and oxen. In the early days, oxen, or 'bull teams' as they were known, were used in the logging camps. Some of the settlers had oxen with which they cleared the land and also to provide transportation. Both oxen and horses were shod with iron shoes, with a difference in the shoes. A horse shoe was one solid piece of iron, while the ox shoe had to be in two pieces because of the cloven hoof of the ox.
Abe and Nancy Huck were very community minded people and were always ready to do their part in promoting anything that was for the betterment of the pioneer settlers. Abe was a member of the building committee that laid the corner stone for Christ Church at Surrey Centre. His name, along with others, is inscribed on the Masonic scroll contained in that corner stone. On August 6, 1884, he also donated land for the church vicarage.
On January 17, 1881, one of Surrey's earliest council meetings was held at the Huck home on Old McLellan Road. At that meeting, it was decided to purchase four acres of land from Abe Huck. He was paid a nominal $1.00 for the land, on which was to be built a Municipal or Town Hall at Surrey Centre. In the minutes of that same meeting, Abe Huck is listed as representative for Southern Hall's Prairie, Ward #5, with an appropriation of $275.00.
The Loyal Orange Lodge was established in Surrey Centre in l884, with the early meetings usually held in the Town Hall. Abraham Huck was an active Orangeman and donated an eight octave grand piano to the Lodge, which he had brought from Boston, around the Horn, especially for this purpose. He also donated a bible with Roman figures, "still used for Lodge scriptural readings at meetings" in 1959. Both these relics can be seen at the Museum in Cloverdale, as can be seen the original Town Hall, which is the central core of the former Museum and later Senior Centre.
Nancy Huck was a big cheerful woman who often went barefoot and smoked a clay pipe. She was an ardent gardener and some of her roses still grow on the hillside below the church, where their home once stood. Nancy and some of her pioneer neighbours used to take their children and a picnic lunch to make a day of picking cranberries, which grew in abundance on the flat land south of Surrey Centre.
Abraham Huck died on January 12, 1890. His body was taken by wagon, across the frozen Fraser River to New Westminster, where he was buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Sapperton. Nancy went to Chilliwack to live with her daughter, Cynthia who married F.C. (Frederick Charles) Kickbush, where she died on April 17th, 1893. Her body was brought down the Fraser on the Irving and laid to rest beside her husband.
Lancelot Edward Grimmer, the Huck's son–in–law.
Lancelot Edward Grimmer was born in London, England, February 20, 1845. In 1852 he sailed with his parents and brothers Washington and Oliver to Australia. Lancelot left Adelaide, Australia for Monterey, California, in 1870. From there he walked up the Pacific Coast to Mud Bay, Surrey. He and W. A. Brewer, an old friend of the family, homesteaded on the Johnston Road north of the Serpentine River.
On September 20, 1875, in Holy Trinity Church, New Westminster, he marriedMartha Jane Huck, a daughter of the pioneer Huck family in Surrey Centre. Martha was born in Indiana in 1851.
"Lancelot Edward Grimmer" found on page 76 The Surrey Pioneers by Richard V. Whiteside, c1974 by R.V. Whiteside.
"Abraham and Nancy Huck", page 86 and page 87, The Surrey Pioneers by Richard V. Whiteside, c1974 by R.V. Whiteside.
Family tradition: Martha (Grimmer) Dewar and Irene (Grimmer) Pattinson, granddaughters of Abraham and Nancy Huck.


Paleontology is the study of ancient life that includes evolution of the organisms and their interactions with each other. There are many different subdivisions in paleontology: micropaleontology, palynology, invertebrate paleontology, paleobotany, vertebrate paleontology, taphonomy, human paleontology, ichnology, and paleoecology. Paleontology provides information about the origin, environment, evolution of an organism, and their relationship with the earth's organic and inorganic past.
The Paleontology Portal: A great resource for understanding paleontology in North America.
Understanding Evolution: This education website provides valuable information on the history of evolutionary biology.
Evolution Controversy: Talkorigin is a dedicated website for the debate and discussions of physical and biological origins of living organisms.
Paleonet: An excellent online collection with paleontological information and features.
Royal Tyrrell Museum: The Royal Tyrrell Museum is an internationally recognized scientific and public museum that is devoted to the science of paleontology.
The Field Museum: This museum features a life over time exhibition and the latest information about Sue the T-Rex.
Museum of Natural History: This museum provides information on humanities and natural world through teaching, research, and education.
Florida Museum of Natural History: This website lists many collections of bird fossils and invertebrate paleontology.
The Hunterian Museum: The Hunterian Museum contains large collections of art, coins and medals, archeology of world cultures, medicine and anatomy, fossils and dinosaurs, rocks and minerals, and zoology.
Cincinnati Museum Center: This center provides information on vertebrate and invertebrate paleontology research and features a large collection of invertebrate fossils.
Canadian Museum of Nature: The Canadian Museum of Nature provides information on research, collections, and exhibits of natural life.
Invertebrate Paleontology: This department focuses on study and research materials and also links to Mark Wilson's research and field photographs.
Paleontology at KU: Paleontology program at The University of Kansas include specimen based invertebrate paleontology, paleoecology, and taphonomy.
Harvard University: The Invertebrate Paleontology Department at Harvard University includes research collections, publications, and links.
Department of Earth Science: The University of California, Santa Barbara's earth science department has done research on various areas of paleontology including Proterozoic and Cambrian Paleontology.
Department of Paleobiology: The National Museum of Natural History, part of the Smithsonian Institute, has collections on dinosaurs, geologic time, and much more.
The Geological Society of America: GSA provides information on earth science and unites many earth scientists around the globe.
American Geophysical Union: This union is completely devoted to the advancement of geophysical science, with the help of national and international scientific organizations.
Ecological Society of India: This nonprofit organization encourages communication among ecologists and increases awareness among people on the importance of ecological science.
AASP – The Palynological Society: This society encourages the science of palynology and conducts annual meetings to discuss various aspects of palynology.
Society of Sedimentary Geology: This nonprofit society provides scientific information on paleontology, sedimentology, environmental science, hydrogeology, stratigraphy, and other related studies.
The Gulf Coast Section of SEPM (GCSSEPM): GCSSEPM encourages paleontology research, stratigraphy, and sedimentary petrology.
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology: This society is for scientific and educational purposes and helps with the advancement of vertebrate paleontology.
The Paleontological Association: The association helps the progress of research in paleontology and related sciences with journals and academic meetings.
Journal of the Paleontological Society: This is a quarterly journal dedicated to Paleobiology and also offers limited online access to non-members.
Palaeontologia Electronica: This peer-reviewed journal discusses all aspects of paleontology.
Cushion Foundation: This foundation publishes a journal of foraminiferal research and other special publications.
Journal of Paleontology: This journal publishes articles on phylogeny, systematics, paleogeography, paleoecology, and organism evolution.
Journal of Micropaleontology: The journal publishes original information on evolution, paleobiology, paleoenvironments, taxonomic studies, and reviews.
Palaeontologia Polonica: This monograph publication encourages new research methods and techniques in the field of paleontology.
The Paleobiology Database: This public resource is organized and maintained by a group of paleobiological scientists. The database provides taxonomical and collection based information on plants and animals.
Janus Database: The Janus Database provides information on marine geosciences.
UCMP Data Model: This data model standardizes and normalizes the information collected from several museums into one system.
National Geophysical Data Center: This is an atlas that is based on Levitus and Climap data.
Bibliography of Fossil Vertebrates: BFV is an indexed database that provides a collection of vertebrate paleontology literature.
Large Marine Ecosystems: This site provides maps along with information on fisheries, productivity, and governance of coastal areas.
The Willi Hennig Society: The Willi Hennig Society focuses on research in Phylogenetic Systematics.
Department of Geosciences: This site is dedicated to the field of taphonomy.
Software for Paleontology: A great resource that lists several websites, which provide software for paleontology research.
Software for Biological Collection Management: This page lists software that is used in collection management.
Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program: An excellent resource to help people understand the technique of using the leaves to obtain climatic information of the past.
The Scientific Web: Scientific Web provides a complete index of scientific software in mathematics, data acquisitions, statistics, and other related fields.
Fossils: A great resource to help people understand fossils and how they are formed.
Paleobiology: Fossils and Time: A good resource to help understand the fossils through the use of a variety of methods and techniques.
Sampling Bias and Catastrophes in the Fossil Record: A resource outlining gradual extinction patterns found in fossil records.
Trace Fossils and Burrows: This page provides excellent information on trace fossils and burrows with examples.
Paleontology Evidence: An excellent resource that provides research evidence.
The Permo-Triassic Extinction: Detailed information on PT extinction is given with events and references.
Biological Classification: A good resource to understand the biological classification of organisms.
What is Cladistics?: A simple guide to understand the basics of cladistics.
PhyloCode: A good resource for understanding the PhyloCode and its rules.
Classification and Phylogeny: A good resource to help people understand the hierarchical system, taxonomic ranks, genus, bionomical nomenclature, and species.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature: This page provides a breakdown of how organic lifeforms are classified.
Taxonomy: A simple and complete resource to understand everything about taxonomical classification.
Hadrosaurus: This site provides information on the first found nearly-complete skeleton of a dinosaur.
Boxgrove: Boxgrove is a research team that showcases many Paleolithic works.
Links for Palaeobotanists: A good collection of links and information for palaeobotanists.
Mazon Creek Fossil: An excellent resource with information on Mazon Creek fossils and their importance.
Fossils of Kentucky: This page provides information and facts on the fossils of Kentucky.