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Astrology vs. Science
ASTROLOGY VERSUS SCIENCE
EFFECTS OF URANUS-NEPTUNE CYCLE ON THE USA
(This is the complete original article that was published in the Winter 2007 NCGR JOURNAL – later events are added) By Theresa H. McDevitt
The entire Uranus-Neptune cycle covers approximately 172 years. There are usually 3 conjunctions, two consecutive times in the same sign, returning again every 4,000+ years. In the past two millennium 13 conjunctions have taken place within seven zodiacal signs. This dynamic duo can be depicted as revolutionary changes leading to new spiritual realizations. The issues of erratic and abrupt changes (Uranus), sacrifice, and deprivation (Neptune) become paramount during this cycle.
Similar to statistical scientists, astrologers understand that although many similar events attributed to planetary configurations happen to a lesser extent at all times around the world, what makes a difference is the overwhelming poignancy of the prominent issues brought about by specific cycles. The instability promoted by the combination of these two giants has had a significant influence on the United States affecting race relations, weather patterns, and economic trends.
It is common knowledge that the history of the United States of America is intrinsically connected to race and ethnic relations, as well as being a leader on economic trends. Climate changes also appear synonymous with the Uranus-Neptune powerful combination: Atmospheric disturbances, such as wind and rain in crazy, strange and confused ways; electric storms; loss of electric power; chemical pollution; floods; tsunamis; hurricanes and polluted oceans. The following assessment supports these facts relating primarily to the effects on US territory.
PREVIOUS CYCLES:
The Scorpio cycle (1478) impacted the areas between the Baring Straits of Alaska to Washington State and California. It is possible that Asian tribes were still crossing over and settling in North America. Also occurring was the union of Spain's Aragon and Castile under Ferdinand the Catholic and Isabella, who in 1480 began the Inquisition and in 1492, reportedly financed the New World voyages of Christopher Columbus.
The Sagittarius cycle (1650) impacted the areas between Washington State to Wisconsin and from Canada to Mexico. Spanish conquerors were exploring the North West, colonizing California and Mexico and destroying what was left of the Mayan civilization in Mexico. According to scientists and historians, other causes for the demise of the Mayans have been attributed to earthquakes and climatic changes. Also, according to Grun's The Time Tables of History, in 1650, the new American colonies began the extermination of North American Indians.
CAPRICORN CONJUNCTION (1821):
This conjunction marked the beginning of the industrial revolution at the peak of the slave trade and establishment of southern plantations. In addition, the young nation was having problems with Native American tribes. William Henry Harrison, Governor of the Indiana Territory, led the famous battle of Tippecanoe (1811) to deal with the matter. He organized the first genocidal slaughter of an Indian Nation, which led to the "Trail of Tears." Legend has it that the younger shaman brother of the Shawnee Chief, Tecumseh, cursed the great white father in Washington for broken promises, which became known as Tecumseh's Curse. In 1840, William Henry Harrison was elected US President; but shortly after taking office, he died from pneumonia. This event was the first death associated with the infamous Tecumseh curse that have repeated every 20 years, thus also thought to be related to the Jupiter-Saturn cycle. Since Harrison's death, every other President inaugurated on a year ending in 0 has not finished in office, except for Ronald Reagan, who survived a gunshot due to a mutation on the cycle that year.
President George W. Bush (2000-08) was the next one in line for the fulfillment of the alleged curse. Since the implication of the curse was to cause damage to the nation, this time the curse seemed to have been fulfilled by the administration's detrimental policies such as, misleading the nation into an unnecessary war, increased ethnic/racial and economic divisions, increased enemy forces, constitutional damage, environmental neglect, loss of world prestige, and insurmountable economic deficits with indefinite dire consequences.
From the start of the applying conjunction in 1992, the US experienced the wrath of hurricane Andrew in south Florida, sever storm in New York flooded subways with 4 feet of water and caused significant erosion to the Long Island coast. In 1993 catastrophic floods down the Mississippi river affected 10 states. At the same time, police officers were acquitted for the brutal beating of Rodney King, which led to the Los Angeles riots and the re-trial of the guilty officers.
By the second conjunction there was another controversial trial involving 2 black teenagers, whom during the riots attacked Reggie Denny a white truck driver, who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The guilty verdict was delivered by the third conjunction in October 1993. During the separating conjunction in 1994, the O. J. Simpson "trial of the century" caused additional race divisions around the country. A primarily black jury acquitted the black football hero for the double murder charge despite insurmountable evidence of guilt. During the past two cycles the flaws in the system of government (Capricorn) were highlighted.
In the geodetic map of the world the sign Aries starts at Greenwich 0 longitude. The rest of the signs follow eastwards in their natural order of 30 degrees each. Capricorn occupies the segment from 90W to 60W longitude from the Arctic to the Antarctic, encompassing the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, part of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and most of South America (see map included). These areas were activated by the past two triple conjunctions (1821 and 1993). The Mississippi river goes along the line of 90W longitude from north to south. (Opposite signs on the other side of Earth can be also activated to a lesser extent).
SYNOPSIS OF LAST TWO CYCLES (1821-1993):
(10 to 44 years between hard aspects - within orb from prior to after exactness)
Conjunction 1821:
Industrial Revolution, Slave Trade, Southern Plantations, Indian Wars, Trail of Tears, Presidential Curse.
Waxing Square 1865:
Civil War ended, Lincoln assassinated, Slavery abolished by 13th Amendment.
Quincunx 1895:
Beginning Spanish American War (in 1898 US took possession of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and Philippines).
Opposition 1895:
Great migration north of southern Blacks, Galveston hurricane killed over 6,000, San Francisco earthquake, Oil was discovered in Beaumont, TX.
Quincunx October 1929:
Stock Market crash, beginning of Great Depression.
Waning Square 1957:
Beginning of the Civil Rights Movement.
Hurricane Andrew, New York floods, Mississippi floods. The Los Angeles riots, and Simpson's trial of the century.
(Additional events of catastrophic proportions affected US and other countries during this cycle such as, record-breaking floods in Europe (93), major earthquakes in California (January/94), Kobe, Japan (95), China (96), Iran (98), Turkey (99), Guam, India, and Mexico).
Next waxing square begins in 2035.
MUTUAL RECEPTION:
In 2004 Uranus-Neptune began a mutual reception (in each other's signs, Aquarius-Pisces respectively). These factors emphasize the issues of the signs, as if both planets were in both signs at the same time. In addition to having a strong effect on the oceans, gases and petroleum, it puts a spotlight on the poor and destitute in the signs of self-undoing (Pisces) and humanity (Aquarius).
A few years after the conjunction, a mutual reception occurs lasting at least 7 years. There have been 5 mutual receptions from the Scorpio conjunction (1478) to the Capricorn conjunction (1993). Although the conjunction and mutual reception have the strongest effect on the weather, there are ups and downs in between related to major aspects. Specific disturbances have also been recorded during stations of either planet.
During the current mutual reception all existing records on weather disturbances have been broken. Hurricanes have increased in size and strength significantly and in 2005 there were 27 named storms – unprecedented in tropical history. Except for the 1832 cholera epidemic that killed over 3,000 people in New York City and 4,340 in New Orleans, there is no historical documentation related to catastrophic events during the previous mutual reception period (1835-1842). However, since the mid-1990s scientists have been tracking hurricane activity through tree rings in the South East from the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. They found that particularly during the 1840's there was evidence of hurricanes for which there was no historical documentation.
RECENT WEATHER PATTERNS:
In December 2004 the Indonesian earthquake and subsequent tsunami killed 176,000 people from 11 countries – 3 months later another one killed 1,000. Florida was hit by 4 major hurricanes costing billions in damages and thousands homeless – the first time 4 major hurricanes were recorded in one area in the same season.
The record-breaking hurricane season of 2005 also devastated the Gulf Coast States. The monsters hurricanes Katrina (Aug. 29) and Rita (Sep. 24) hit the largest refining and petrol-chemical centers in the nation located between Mississippi and Texas, including Beaumont, known as the oil center of Texas. Interestingly enough, except for New Orleans, the rest of the cities such as, Biloxi, Beaumont, Galveston, and Houston affected by the most powerful hurricanes in US history were incorporated during the previous Uranus-Neptune mutual reception.
The catastrophic damage to the US oil production and tourist industry, in addition to the human tragedy caused by the floods in New Orleans, will have long-lasting consequences beyond the end of the mutual reception (2011). The American Civil War started after the previous mutual reception. We cannot dismiss the possibility of similar circumstances before the next waxing square (2035).
The people mainly affected by the Katrina disaster in New Orleans were African Americans and the very poor, who had no means for evacuating on time. The huge amount of displaced citizens and the loss of property and jobs will affect America for many years to come. Most of all, it exposed the grim reality that the difference between life and death is still mostly dependent on poverty and race in the richest, most powerful country in the world. Domestic priorities were being dwarfed by the ill-advised war in Iraq.
Ten months before hurricane Katrina, the October 2004 issue of National Geographic published an expose' on the impending catastrophic floods in New Orleans titled, "Gone with the Water." Most of the damage could have been avoided and lives saved had the federal government not declined to cut the funding to the US Army Corps of Engineers to fix the levees. The US President ignored the warnings from climatologists, as well as the pleas from local and state officials for Louisiana's flood control and coastal erosion improvements project.
Prior to Katrina Louisiana's state officials were considering suing the federal government for a larger share of the $5 billion in royalties from offshore oil and natural gas drilling in the Gulf to pay for repairs to the deteriorating coast. On 7-20-06 Governor Kathleen Blanco filed a lawsuit in New Orleans federal district court, in August she signed off on a settlement and on 12-9-06 the Senate confirmed the share of offshore oil revenues to fund coastal restoration and hurricane protection projects, which the US President signed.
In October 2005 the monster hurricane Wilma devastated the region around Cancun, Mexico and continued on the path of destruction to South Florida causing major floods and loss of electric power for weeks. In addition, unusual November tornados in the US mid-west and east caused significant devastation leaving many more homeless. Mayans in Central America suffered a severe storm with catastrophic mudslides, countless deaths and homeless. In the same month one of the worst violent earthquake in the history of India and Pakistan killed thousands and many more homeless. In 2006-07 the North East experienced unusual warm winters and unusual tornados devastated entire communities in central Florida and mid-eastern states. California weather turned extremely violent with catastrophic fires intensified in 2007-09, leaving thousands homeless.
Nothing happens on Earth that the planets won't show. Planetary cycles are predestined, but what people choose to do is not. Freewill is always available and awareness accelerates the growth process towards progress. There are a myriad of planetary cycles in process at any given time, all in perfect synchronicity. The Uranus-Neptune cycle in particular exposes the vulnerabilities and barriers that prevent humanity from achieving its greatest potential.
It seems highly probably that the latest global warming and climate changes were triggered by the 1993 Uranus-Neptune conjunction, followed by the mutual reception in process since 2004. Scientists concur bigger storms began to form since 1990s pointing specifically at 1995, which coincides with Uranus ingress into Aquarius, above Greenland and activating the Atlantic Ocean. The melting of Greenland's glaciers increased when Neptune joined Uranus in Aquarius in 1998. Scientists also recorded a temporary intensification of storms from the 1950s to 1960s during the last waning square.
Scientists claim they are still trying to understand that frequency of major hurricanes rises and falls seem to be on a cyclic time frame. Unawareness of planetary cycles will keep them speculating and struggling to understand this phenomenon. Uranus (oxygen, electric power, disruption) and Neptune (oceans, greenhouse gases ("the climate-change driver") can certainly be attributed to global warming. The fact that Neptune and Pisces rule petroleum contributes to the drastic exposure of these issues, such as the war in Iraq, a major center of oil in the world and the war on terror also referred to as the clash of civilizations (west vs. east, progress (Uranus) vs. blind belief (Neptune).
Neptune's issues of victimization have been further emphasized by the cycle of Pluto in Sagittarius (religion, ethnic cleansing, migration, refugees (1995-2008). Interestingly, Pluto went into Scorpio in 1490 during the Uranus-Neptune Scorpio cycle (1478); and during the Sagittarius cycle of 1650, Pluto was in its opposite sign Gemini. Pluto was activating the areas between TX and LA in 2005; and as it crossed longitude 90, tornados began to occur east of the Mississippi.
THE FUTURE:
The violent weather trend begun in the last Uranus-Neptune conjunction (1993) and the issues of global warming, oil and human suffering will remain in the forefront as Neptune begins its sojourn into Pisces in 2011. This will mark a crucial turning point in the war on terror and in the dire epidemic of homelessness around the world as a result of war and natural disasters. The period from 2008 to 2011 should be especially critical when the mutual reception intensifies reaching the exact semi-sextile for the last time in this cycle. In September 2009 double cyclones devastated the Philippines with sustained 120 to 150 mph winds, hundreds dead, and millions in cost.
Problems with oil, lack of clean water, homelessness, and overall difficulties will remain while Neptune is in Pisces until 2026 during the unstable times with Pluto in Aquarius (2023-43), which will lead to major government and social reforms. (Refer to "Why History Repeats" by this author).
Meanwhile, let us not forget that the geodetic position of these two giants is still right above Greenland thus activating the entire Atlantic Ocean. Although some scientists still argue whether climate change due to human activity could significantly affect hurricanes, it is logical to assume that as the world's pollutants worsen, so will the negative effects on the weather from the Uranus-Neptune cycle.
In an enlightened world tyrants would not be able to capitalize on extreme idyllic beliefs that keep people in bondage. The security and health of the Earth and its citizens, regardless of race, creed, nationality, or economic status would be a priority. In an enlightened world the heighten awareness promoted by the Uranus-Neptune cycle would be better assimilated in consciousness, thus accelerating the growth process toward progress – revolutionary changes (Uranus) leading to new spiritual realizations (Neptune).
The next Uranus-Neptune conjunction is due to begin in 2163 in Aquarius followed by the mutual reception beginning 2170. The first Aquarius cycle in over 4,000 years promises to be the most significant ever. By this time the Aquarius Age will be in full swing making progress a priority. This cycle will impact the areas from Greenland to the Antarctic and the Atlantic Ocean. Using submarine sonar data documenting thinning ice in the Arctic, scientists predict that the ice in Greenland could be absent in summer by 2100. This scientific speculation could possibly coincide with the next conjunction in the 2160s. Likewise, incessant observations are the basis for astrological verities. We should continue to observe the on-going mutual reception, stations, and major aspects between conjunctions, such as the next waxing square due in 2035.
Astrologers can speculate on future possibilities by looking into the past because history reflects the nature of planetary cycles and preventive measures depend mainly on enlightened awareness. A significant observation concerning the Uranus-Neptune cycles from 1478 to 1993 involving the signs Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Capricorn, is that geodetically these areas pertain to the continents of North and South America, including the Caribbean. There was perfect timing between these cycles and the European discovery of the New World. It has truly been an American experiment in process marked by the powerful Uranus-Neptune cycle. (The geodetic map of the Americas is posted at the end of this article).
My research on this particular planetary cycle specifically showed a conclusive correlation with the history of the United States and its intrinsic connection to race and ethnic relations. The Uranus-Neptune cycle marked every major developmental stage: From the first colonists encounters with Native Americans, to the Indian Wars, Slave Trade, Civil War, Civil Rights Movement, and Immigration reforms, to the 2005 tragedy of hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, LA. Furthermore, due to the geodetic position of the signs Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Capricorn occupying the entire continent of North and Central America where all the conjunctions have taken place since 1478, the last four cycles of Uranus-Neptune coincided with the European discovery of the New World and its subsequent development.
On October 3, 2008, as soon as Uranus and Neptune made a station-direct to resume the final stage of the mutual reception that followed the 1993 conjunction, OJ Simpson was found guilty of armed robbery, kidnapping, and 10 other felonies as part of a plot to reclaim sports memorabilia he lost after the murders in 1994. On December 5, 2008, as the planets reached the exact semisextile he was finally sentenced to 33 years in prison.
The ultimate historical event during the latest Uranus-Neptune cycle and its influence on race relations was the inauguration of the first black US President on January 20, 2009. A prominence of further racial issues related to this event is to be expected, at least until the duration of the Mutual Reception (March 2011).
While the mutual reception continues on its exact semi-sextile, a devastating earthquake hit the island nation of Haiti on January 12, 2010. There was total destruction, over 200,000 dead people, and millions homeless. The chaotic effects of this terrible tragedy will be felt for many years to come. On February 27, 2010, as the Uranus-Neptune mutual reception reached exactness, another devastating earthquake hit Chile in South America. During these last stages of the mutual reception, many other earthquakes have been recorded in California and another devastating one in China. The effects are being emphasized by the last opposition from Saturn to Uranus from April to September 2010. In addition, in March, as soon as Jupiter joined Uranus in Pisces over Iceland (see map below) it caused a massive volcano eruption. In addition, the destructive Saturn-Pluto square from Oct/09 to Sept/10, is also contributing to the bad weather and other devastating natural disasters (refer to EXTRA INFO).
Earth turbulence could continue throughout 2011when Uranus makes a critical waxing square to Pluto. The Iceland volcano had been dormant since 1820-22, during the previous Uranus-Neptune conjunction in Capricorn, square Pluto-Jupiter conjunct in Aries -- history repeating again, as indicated by these major planetary cycles.
The winter of 2010 has broken all-time records of low temperatures and snow storms in the US North East, while the North West recorded unusual warm weather.
1- Horoscopes of the US, Carolyn R. Dodson, AFA Publishers, Inc, 1985
2- Tables of Planetary Phenomena, Neil F. Michelsen, ACS Publishers, Inc, 1990
3- The Time Tables of History, Simon & Schuster, NY, 1991
4- Horoscopes of the USA and Canada, Marc H. Penfield, AFA 2005
5- The Universal Illustrated Encyclopedia, Banner Press, Inc., NY
6- National Geographic, Now What, September 2004
7- National Geographic, The Big Thaw, September 2004
8- National Geographic, Gone with the Water, October 2004
9- National Geographic, In Hot Water, August 2005
10- National Geographic, Special Katrina Issue, November 2005
11-National Geographic, Super Storms, August 2006
12- National Geographic, Maya Rise & Fall, August 2007
13-Why History Repeats, Theresa H. McDevitt, AFA 2005
14-Wikipedia and other web sites
=========================================================
Please Note: Information extends to the future.
Astro Charts: Click Here


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4 edition of Railroading in the Carolina Sandhills found in the catalog.
Railroading in the Carolina Sandhills
S. David Carriker
The 20th Century, 1900-1985
by S. David Carriker
Published January 1987 by Heritage Pub Co .
North Carolina,
Railroads,
Sandhills (Ga.-N.C.),
South Carolina,
History: American
Visits from the shades
Veterans Compensation and Benefits Improvements Act of 1985
Small business investment company program
Children in adult jails
An explanatory appeal to the Society in general, and his friends in particular, by William Matthews
Defining Australian Citizenship
Neve 1666
Unintended Results
Cataract and intraocular lens surgery
Apples in a Box
Ellery Queens Challenge to the reader
Old civilizations of the new world.
A Wedding In The Family (Back To The Ranch)
Haṭha yoga
Rome painted by Alberto Pisa
Life Of Friedrich Schiller
Performance measurement in integrated health systems
Paul Ulric
The plots against the president
Railroading in the Carolina Sandhills by S. David Carriker Download PDF EPUB FB2
The 3rd railroad book that I wrote was in It was part Railroading in the Carolina Sandhills book the "Railroading in the Carolina Sandhills" series and was titled "Volume 3: The Hoffman & Troy Railroad." It was one of my favorite books to write, even though it was only pages. This subject is what actually got me started in railroad history.
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Millions of years ago, Chesterfield County was at the bottom of an ancient sea. The sandhills around the area are proof to this. Indians once lived here, and their artifacts can be found in. Railroading in the Carolina Sandhills Vol 1 & 2 By S David Carriker. Condition is Used. Very Fine (F or FN): A Fine book approaches the condition of As New, but without being crisp.
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See our FAQ page for answers to common questions at our refuge, such as regulations for camping and ATV use. See our multimedia page for photographs taken around our refuge.
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These poor growing conditions led farmers in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries to avoid the Sandhills. Some crops, however, were found to do well in the sandy soils. The Sandhills Heritage Gateway is a project of the Sandhills Area Land Trust (SALT), whose mission is to protect the rich natural resources and natural heritage landscape of the Sandhills Region of North Carolina.
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Carriker, Railroading in the Carolina Sandhills (). Robert Wayne Johnson, Through the Heart of the South: The Seaboard Air Line Railroad Story (). Edward A. Lewis, American Shortline Railway Guide (). Additional Resources: "An Act To Incorporate the Carolina Central Railway Company.". Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge, McBee: Address, Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge Reviews: /5 there are no tours or activities available to book online for the date(s) you selected.
Please choose a different date. Coastal South Carolina, South /5(11). The South Carolina Pacific Railway was a shortline railroad operation that existed in eastern South Carolina in the late 19th century and much of the 20th century.
The line was chartered in and completed in It ran miles from Bennettsville, South Carolina, east to the border with North Carolina. It was leased to the Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley Railway Company beginning in The red-cockaded woodpecker's most distinguishing feature is a black cap and nape that encircle large white cheek patches.
Rarely visible, except perhaps during the breeding season and when defending its territory, the male has a namesake small red streak — called a cockade — on each side of its black cap. Book title: Railroading in the Carolina Sandhills, Volume 2: The 20th Century () A Compilation of Historical Essays on Railroad.
Download the book Railroading in the Carolina Sandhills, Volume 2: The 20th Century () A Compilation of Historical Essays on Railroad in PDF and EPUB format.
"Norfolk Southern Railway (SR, EMD) (not to be confused with today's Norfolk Southern) was a line serving southeast Virginia and northeast North Carolina, chartered in and acquired by Southern Railway in " Here is an artist's rendering of the unit.
Click on it for a larger version. The Carolina Sandhills is a 15–km- (9–mi-) wide physiographic region of rolling sandy topography that extends from the western border of Georgia to central North Carolina along the updip (north and west) margin of the Coastal Plain province in the southeastern United States (Fig.
The Sandhills of South Carolina marked the edge of the ancient ocean shoreline nearly 55 million years ago in what is now South Carolina. The Sandhills today form a band that separates the Midlands and Piedmont from the Coastal Plain, running through parts of Aiken, Lexington, Richland, Kershaw, Sumter and Chesterfield Counties.
Sandhills consists of ten buildings and is home to transfers and students in their second-year and above. The Sandhills community is part of University Place and named after the sandy interior region of the Carolinas. It is located half a mile from the main campus with Campus Shuttles running every 10 to 20 minutes on the weekdays, so getting.
The Carolina Book by College Green Publishing. The Book. The Story. The Sandhills are rolling hills of rough, sandy soil that begin at the fall line. A fall line is a long, low cliff. At the fall line, rivers drop suddenly.
Because the fall line is a stopping point, it makes a natural border. The fall line in South Carolina forms the border between the Sandhills and the Piedmont. North Carolina Sandhills Conservation Partnership The mission of the NCSCP is to coordinate the development and implementation of conservation strategies for the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis), other native biota, longleaf pine and other ecosystems in the Sandhills of North Carolina.
Sustainable Sandhills, Fayetteville, North Carolina. K likes. Through education, collaboration and demonstration, Sustainable Sandhills creates resilient environmental, economic and social Followers: K.
Part 2: The Cradle of North Carolina: Coastal Plain and Sandhills. Twenty or more counties lie in North Carolina's Coastal Plain, which is generally considered to be all of the state's land east of modern-day Interstate Below the rapids of the Roanoke River at Roanoke Rapids and Weldon, and below Raleigh on the Neuse River and Fayetteville on the Cape Fear River, broad terraces nearly Blizzard Branch lies on the border of the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge in Chesterfield engine on display next to the sign is indicative of owner John Catoe's passion for collecting and rebuilding old engines.
If you prefer to hold a book in your hand while learning about North Carolina railroads, try some of the following: Railroading in the Carolina Sandhills ; the 19th century (), by S. David Carriker () Crossties through Carolina; the story of North Carolina's early day railroads, by John F.
Gilbert and Grady Jefferys (). The Sandhills Habitat Description Sandhills are an inland habitat type, characterized by rolling hills capped by deep coarse sands.
They are wedged between the Coastal Plain and Piedmont regions of North and South Carolina and Georgia. Scientists believe sandhills were File Size: KB. Softcover books.
The Central Coast Railway Club has a number of books for sale. To request that books be reserved for you and brought to a meeting, please send the list of you wish to buy to Central Coast Railway Club. If you cannot make a meeting, let us know. Here at Blizzard Branch we pride ourselves on our products.
We have stone ground meal and grits in white and yellow corn, all packaged in 2 pound bags. We also make sugar cane syrup, grown, pressed, cooked and bottled in 12 ounce bottles, right here in the Sandhills of sunny South Carolina. Sandhills Golf Communities. The Sandhills of North Carolina is a renowned North Carolina Golf region.
Formed from ancient beaches, from a time when the coastline and oceanic levels were higher, the NC Sandhills divide the Piedmont region from the Coastal Plains regions of the state. The foundation book for understanding the whole subject (buy here) Bonds, Russell S.
Stealing the General: book on the "Great Locomotive Chase." Good discussion of railroading on the Western & Atlantic RR. Brown, Cecil K. A State Movement in Railroad Development: Origins and progress of North Carolina railroads.
Brown, C. The Carolina Sandhills bays The Carolina bays do, of course extend across the boarder into South Carolina. Our discussion here is focused on the area above the coastal plain, were the bays are rare.
We propose that this is due to the higher relief of the landscape, which had caused most of the deposited ejecta to drape over hills and wash into.
The endangered red-cockaded woodpecker is among the many animals and plants found on tacre national wildlife refuge. An observation tower, a photography blind and several interpretive displays/nature study panels also are available here.
Other amenities include hiking trails, an auto tour route and a recreation area. - If you're thinking of planting a tree, plant a native. Native trees require less maintenance, are more tolerant of disease and drought, improve air quality, prevent erosion and support wildlife habitat!.
See more ideas about Plants, White oak tree and Trees to plant pins. Site Conservation Plan for the NC Sandhills North Carolina Sandhills Conservation Partnership This project was funded through a block grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, with matching funds from The Nature Conservancy Written by Lindy Nelson.
BIRDS OF THE CENTRAL SANDHILLS OF NORTH CAROLINA J.H. CARTER III This paper is based on records obtained from the following sources: (1) Pearson, Thomas G., C.H. Brimley, and H.H. Brimley. Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge a nature, wildlife, and photography perspective.
Carnivorous plants, birding, and hiking are the main attractions at this refuge. The refuge provides habitat for the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker, the Pine. The Sandhills Natural History Society is an active group of people living in the North Carolina Sandhills who enjoy being in nature.
We bird, hike, take lots of photos, and learn about the natural history of North Carolina and beyond. Model railroader is the world's largest magazine on version trains and version railroad layouts. We function amateur and superior help on all model railroading scales, such as format track plans, model railroad product opinions, version train news, and version railroad boards.
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A friend played this tune for me today and I loved it! I guess it's in a car commercial although I haven't seen it…it's got a lovely feeling about it and it gets me psyched to hear more from Joe Purdy. This singer/songwriter from Arkansas has apparently been at it for years. It's nice to see him getting some well deserved attention.


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State needs billions to fix deficient bridges
John Christoffersen The Associated Press
Sep. 15, 2013 Updated: Aug. 17, 2017 3:02 a.m.
Hundreds of bridges in Connecticut are structurally deficient, according to records, and state officials are exploring the possibility of implementing tolls for the first time in decades to help come up with the billions of dollars needed to repair or replace its aging spans.
The state has more than 500 bridges considered structurally deficient, meaning they need rehabilitation or replacement because at least one major component has advanced deterioration or other problems that led inspectors to deem its condition poor or worse. More than 200 bridges in Connecticut are "fracture critical" because they don't have redundant protections and are at risk of collapse if a single, vital component fails.
Connecticut has 49 bridges that are both structurally deficient and fracture critical, records show.
The Associated Press analyzed data involving 607,380 bridges in the National Bridge Inventory that are subject to National Bridge Inspection Standards. On a national basis, there are 65,605 structurally deficient bridges and 20,808 fracture critical bridges, according to the most recently available federal government data.
Some 7,795 bridges nationwide fall into both categories — a combination of red flags that experts say is particularly problematic.
"Those would be ones you'd worry about more," said Ted Zoli, chief bridge engineer for HNTB Corp. in New York whose projects include the Lake Champlain Bridge between New York and Vermont. "Fractured criticality and structural deficiency together represents a combination that results in a higher risk bridge."
But a spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Transportation said the bridges are safe and would not be kept open if they posed a safety risk. Those bridges get extra attention in inspections, and the state conducts more frequent inspections of bridges deemed to need it, he said.
"I would say that a person in the state of Connecticut has a better chance of winning the lotto, being struck by lightning and being attacked by a shark all on the same day, as opposed to being on a bridge under the Connecticut DOT's jurisdiction that would put our constituency at risk," said Kevin Nursick, DOT spokesman.
The 49 bridges that are structurally deficient and fracture critical have a combined average daily traffic of 1.8 million, records show. The four busiest ones carry traffic on Interstate 95 in heavily congested Fairfield County.
Ten of the 49 bridges are in Hartford, seven in Waterbury and four in New Haven.
Many of the bridges were built in the 1950s and 1960s, and some are decades older.
Connecticut, like other New England states, has many older bridges with an average age of 52 years, Nursick said.
The state has about 20 major bridge projects underway, spending more than $500 million on the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge in New Haven alone, Nursick said. A bridge in Hartford will have to be replaced at a cost of $2 billion to $3 billion, and many others will need work, he said.
"It is unquestionably a multibillion-dollar investment for years to come," Nursick said. "We're going to need to see increased federal funding in the years to come."
Studies are looking into whether electronic tolls should be implemented, Nursick said.
Mike Brodeur, a 47-year-old construction company supervisor from Lisbon interviewed at an Interstate 95 rest stop in Milford, said that while driving under the Pearl Harbor bridge this week, he was surprised at the level of deterioration in the old bridge, which is being replaced.
"They do need to upgrade them," Brodeur said. "It's good to see the state is putting the time and money into the bridges."


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Amgen And UCB Present Positive Data At ENDO 2016 Comparing Romosozumab With Teriparatide
In Phase 3 Open-Label STRUCTURE Study Postmenopausal Women With Osteoporosis Transitioning From Oral Bisphosphonates to Romosozumab Experienced Consistent and Significant Gains in Bone Mass and Estimated Strength Over Teriparatide
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. and BRUSSELS, April 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) and UCB (Euronext Brussels: UCB) today announced detailed Phase 3 results showing the investigational agent romosozumab demonstrated a statistically significant increase in hip bone mineral density (BMD) and strength compared with teriparatide in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis transitioning from bisphosphonate treatment. The data, from the randomized, open-label, international, multi-center STRUCTURE study (STudy evaluating effect of RomosozUmab Compared with Teriparatide in postmenopaUsal women with osteoporosis at high risk for fracture pReviously treated with bisphosphonatE therapy), were presented during an oral session at ENDO 2016, the Endocrine Society's 98th Annual Meeting & Expo in Boston.
"These findings are especially important because they show romosozumab provided significant improvements in hip bone strength in a population that remained at high risk of fracture despite bisphosphonate therapy," said Bente Langdahl, Ph.D., DMSc, professor at the department of endocrinology and internal medicine at the Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark and STRUCTURE investigator. "Across the primary and secondary endpoints, patients transitioning from oral bisphosphonates to romosozumab showed consistent and significant gains in bone mass and estimated strength over teriparatide. At the hip, patients transitioning to teriparatide showed either no gains or significant decreases in these parameters."
The trial included 436 women, averaging 72 years of age, with postmenopausal osteoporosis, a history of non-vertebral fracture after the age of 50, or vertebral fracture and treatment with bisphosphonate therapy for a minimum of three years prior to transitioning to romosozumab or teriparatide therapy. The women were randomly assigned to receive either subcutaneous romosozumab 210 mg once monthly (n=218) or subcutaneous teriparatide 20 mcg daily for 12 months (n=218).
The results showed that the percent change from baseline in BMD at the total hip through month 12 (the primary endpoint, an average of the percent change from baseline at month six and 12), was significantly greater with romosozumab compared with teriparatide: 2.6 percent versus –0.6 percent, respectively (p<0.0001), for a mean difference between the two groups of 3.2 percent (p<0.0001). The measurement was based on the standard method of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA).
For the secondary endpoints, patients treated with romosozumab had significantly larger increases from baseline in BMD and strength compared with those taking teriparatide, with mean differences ranging from 3.1 percent to 4.6 percent (all p-values <0.0001):
Percent change from baseline
Romosozumab
Teriparatide
Total hip BMD changes by DXA at six months
2.3 percent
Total hip BMD changes by DXA at 12 months
Femoral neck BMD changes by DXA at six months
Femoral neck BMD changes by DXA at 12 months
Lumbar spine BMD changes by DXA at six months
Lumbar spine BMD changes by DXA at 12 months
Total hip integral BMD changes by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) at six months
Total hip integral BMD changes by QCT at 12 months
Total hip cortical BMD changes by QCT at six months
Total hip cortical BMD changes by QCT at 12 months
Total hip estimated strength by finite element analysis (FEA) at six months
Total hip estimated strength by FEA at 12 months
The overall incidence of adverse events was generally balanced between the two study arms. Incidence of all adverse events in patients treated with romosozumab was 75.2 percent compared to 69.2 percent with teriparatide. Serious adverse events occurred in 7.8 percent of patients treated with romosozumab compared to 10.7 percent for teriparatide. Adverse events reported in the romosozumab arm greater than or equal to 10 percent of patients were arthralgia and nasopharyngitis. Injection site reactions were reported in 7.8 percent.
About Romosozumab
Romosozumab is an investigational bone-forming agent and is not approved by any regulatory authority for the treatment of osteoporosis. It is designed to work by inhibiting the protein sclerostin, and has a dual effect on bone, both increasing bone formation and decreasing bone breakdown. Romosozumab is being studied for its potential to reduce the risk of fractures in an extensive global Phase 3 program. This program includes two large fracture trials comparing romosozumab to either placebo or active comparator in more than 10,000 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Amgen and UCB are co-developing romosozumab.
About the STRUCTURE study (NCT01796301)
STRUCTURE (STudy evaluating effect of RomosozUmab Compared with Teriparatide in postmenopaUsal women with osteoporosis at high risk for fracture pReviously treated with bisphosphonatE therapy) was a Phase 3, multi-center, international, randomized, open-label, teriparatide-controlled study that evaluated safety, tolerability and efficacy of romosozumab in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. The trial included 436 postmenopausal women averaging 72 years of age who had postmenopausal osteoporosis and a history of bone fracture; patients were treated with bisphosphonate therapy for a minimum of three years prior to screening, with treatment with alendronate (70 mg weekly or equivalent) during the year immediately prior to screening. The women received daily calcium and vitamin D and were randomly assigned to receive either subcutaneous romosozumab 210 mg once monthly (n=218), administered by a healthcare professional, or self-administered subcutaneous teriparatide 20 mcg daily for 12 months (n=218).
The primary endpoint was percent change from baseline in total hip BMD by DXA through month 12 (average of the changes at months six and 12). Key secondary endpoints included percent change from baseline at months six and 12 in total hip BMD by DXA; hip integral and cortical BMD by quantitative computed tomography (QCT), a method to measure BMD changes in three dimensions; and estimated hip strength by finite element analysis (FEA). FEA is a validated method that utilizes QCT scans to simulate compression overload to estimate vertebral strength, and a sideways fall to estimate femoral strength. Other secondary endpoints included lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD by DXA at months six and 12.
Osteoporosis affects many women after menopause as their ability to form new bone cannot counter balance the rate at which bone is being removed.1,2 This bone loss leads to weakened bones over time, increasing the potential for a break.3
It is estimated that one in three women over the age of 50 will experience an osteoporotic fracture.4,5 Patients who experience an osteoporosis-related fracture are twice as likely to experience a future fracture.6
The World Health Organization has officially declared osteoporosis a public health crisis,7,8 and the International Osteoporosis Foundation urges governments worldwide to make osteoporosis a healthcare priority.9
Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its biologics manufacturing expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people's lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be one of the world's leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.
Forward-Looking Statements – Amgen
The scientific information discussed in this news release related to our product candidates is preliminary and investigative. Such product candidates are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or European Commission, and no conclusions can or should be drawn regarding the safety or effectiveness of the product candidates.
UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With more than 8500 people in approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of € 3.3 billion in 2014. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB). Follow us on Twitter: @UCB_news.
Forward looking statements – UCB
1 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General. The 2004 Surgeon General's Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis: What It Means to You. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK45513/pdf/Bookshelf_NBK45513.pdf. Published October 14, 2004. Accessed February 2016.
2 National Osteoporosis Foundation. Clinician's Guide to Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis. http://nof.org/files/nof/public/content/file/344/upload/159.pdf. Published January 2010. Accessed February 2016.
3 International Osteoporosis Foundation. What Is Osteoporosis? 2015. Available at: http://www.iofbonehealth.org/what-is-osteoporosis. Accessed February 2016.
4 International Osteoporosis Foundation. The Global Burden of Osteoporosis. What you need to know. Available at: http://www.iofbonehealth.org/data-publications/fact-sheets/what-you-need-know-about-osteoporosis. Accessed February 2016.
5 International Osteoporosis Foundation. Osteoporosis in the European Union in 2008: Ten years of progress and ongoing challenges (October 2008). Available at: http://www.iofbonehealth.org/sites/default/files/PDFs/EU%20Reports/eu_report_2008.pdf. Accessed February 2016.
6 International Osteoporosis Foundation. Stop at One. One Fracture Leads to Another. http://share.iofbonehealth.org/WOD/2012/patient_brochure/WOD12-patient_brochure.pdf. Accessed February 2016.
7 International Osteoporosis Foundation. The National Coalition for Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases Briefed Congress on Action Plan for a National Vision for Bone Health. Available at http://nof.org/news/157. Accessed February 2016.
8 The World Health Organization. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. Exercise interventions: defusing the world's osteoporosis time bomb. Available at: http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/81/11/mingchanwa1103.pdf. Accessed February 2016.
9 International Osteoporosis Foundation. Global Initiatives. Available at http://www.iofbonehealth.org/global-initiatives-0. Accessed February 2016.
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amgen-and-ucb-present-positive-data-at-endo-2016-comparing-romosozumab-with-teriparatide-300244852.html


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Home/Editorials/Spring Training Preview: Clayton Kershaw Starts In Battle Of Aces
Spring Training Preview: Clayton Kershaw Starts In Battle Of Aces
Although Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim got off to a shaky start with Brett Anderson on the mound, the Los Angeles Dodgers offense provided plenty of run support, including a three-run blast from Alex Guerrero in the second inning.
The game ended in a tie, marking the Dodgers sixth of the spring, and the club looks to get back in the win column as they face the Oakland Athletics Friday at Hohokam Stadium.
With the Dodgers also sending players to San Antonio to participate in Big League Weekend, manager Don Mattingly has a split squad at his disposal. Included in the players who remained in Arizona is Clayton Kershaw, who makes his fourth start of the spring.
In his last outing, Kershaw threw 3.1 innings and allowed one earned run on four hits. The left-hander has accumulated a 2.16 ERA over three games this Spring Training and looks to extend his pitch count.
Today's game is a battle of aces as Kershaw faces off against Oakland's ace Sonny Gray. Recently named the Opening Day starter for the Oakland Athletics, the 25-year-old right-hander makes his third start of the spring.
Gray has accumulated a 5.68 ERA over 6.1 innings pitched thus far. In his first full season in the Majors last year, he went 14-10 with a 3.08 ERA and he is expected to shine in the Oakland rotation this year.
With Adrian Gonzalez traveling to San Antonio, Scott Van Slyke gets the start at first base today, and Chris Heisey and Scott Schebler are starting in center and left field respectively. The Dodgers are not utilizing a designated hitter, which means Kershaw is the club's first pitcher to get live at-bats.
David Aardsma, J.P. Howell and Adam Liberatore are available out of the bullpen.
Dodgers lineup:
SS: Jimmy Rollins
RF: Andre Ethier
2B: Howie Kendrick
1B: Scott Van Slyke
3B: Juan Uribe
CF: Chris Heisey
LF: Scott Schebler
C: A.J. Ellis
P: Clayton Kershaw
Athletics lineup:
LF: Coco Crisp
CF: Craig Gentry
2B: Ben Zobrists
DH: Billy Butler
SS: Marcus Semien
C: Stephen Vogt
RF: Tyler Ladendorf
1B: Matt Olson
3B: Andy Parrino
P: Sonny Gray
[divide]
Zack Greinke Working To Improve His Slider
Dodgers News: Hyun-Jin Ryu May Begin Season On Disabled List
Big League Weekend Preview: Dodgers, Puig Face Rangers In San Antonio
Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw Shares Heartwarming Fruits of Foundation's Efforts
Dodgers: How Many LA Players Will Be Playing in the WBC?
Dodgers: Should LA Consider Using a 6-Man Rotation in 2023?
Dodgers: What You Need to Know About New LA Infielder Yonny Hernandez
Dodgers Offseason: Revisiting the Remarkable 2016 Draft for Los Angeles


When Facebook went "mainstream" in 2006-2007, I was one of the first people to sign up. I've been on the social network for four years now. Now, as you know, people mature quite rapidly between mid-teens and early-adulthood. If you were to have a look at my Facebook profile, you'll see a significant change between the Awais of 2007 ("hey guyz, wass up!? I jst came home from skewl lol") and the Awais of today.
When Facebook introduced the Timeline feature, I thought I'd have a look at the stuff I posted from four years ago and I was utterly horrified by the sheer amount of non-sense updates and photos I had uploaded.
Thankfully, I now have a very easy way to delete all those embarrassing things I posted on not just my own but also my friend's profiles: it's an app called Exfoliate and it automatically deletes all your posts from Facebook from 1 month to more than 3 years ago! Check it out after the jump.
Exfoliate helps you remove old content from Facebook(tm). Content on social networking sites is a potential threat to your privacy. Removing this content by hand is tedious, and practically impossible.
Exfoliate helps you automatically remove of old Facebook(tm) content.
We've tested the app on a Samsung Galaxy S II on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and can confirm that it works as advertised! When you launch Exfoliate for the first time, you are asked to log in to Facebook, give Exfoliate permissions to access your Facebook data (so it can delete it) and then start the exfoliation process. Exfoliate lets you choose where to delete data from (Wall, Albums, Friends' Walls etc.), the types of posts to delete (comments, likes, photos, status updates) and the age of the posts to delete.
Exfoliate was a paid app that has now gone free. If you couldn't try it before, now's your chance! Get it as soon as possible since there are chances Facebook may disable Exfoliate's privileges. Facebook makes money off your data so what Exfoliate does goes against their interests.


WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump's plan to revitalize America's manufacturing economy is short on details but, like him or not, he doesn't mince words on the subject.
He pledged to be "the greatest jobs president that God ever created'' on the day he declared his candidacy in 2015.
What that means for Connecticut is open to question.
The state still has a solid manufacturing base, built on an industrial tradition dating back to the Civil War and beyond. Manufacturing employment statewide stands at 159,700, up slightly over the previous year — but that's a far cry from 296,500 factory jobs that existed in Connecticut in 1990 — according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Unemployment in the state is 5.4 percent, above the national figure of 4.9 percent. But it is 4.1 percent in Danbury and 5 percent in the Bridgeport-Norwalk-Stamford corridor. The empty and bulldozed factory sites in Bridgeport and the Naugatuck Valley stand as mute testimony to the long road ahead for Connecticut to fully recover its manufacturing glory.
Trump says his plan will create 25 million new jobs in the next decade. It is a variation of the traditional Republican recipe for economic growth: lowering taxes generally and corporate taxes specifically, and reducing the regulatory burden on industry.
But Trump mixes in his own particular flavors — rewriting trade deals to formulate an "America-first economy,'' incentives for corporations to bring home cash hidden overseas for tax avoidance, and applying pressure to companies that ship jobs overseas.
Decrepit factories notwithstanding, Connecticut's manufacturing economy has proven much more resilient than that of its counterparts in many of the Midwestern rust-belt states. Industries with significant defense contracts like Sikorsky, Electric Boat and Pratt & Whitney helped the state get over the hump of the Great Recession of 2008.
Electric Boat is the beneficiary of major new U.S. Navy submarine contracts. The company predicts its workforce will grow from 14,500 to 18,000 by 2030 — an increase of almost 25 percent.
Sikorsky, the nation's top producer of helicopters for the U.S. government, has a Connecticut workforce totaling 7,850.
"We currently do not foresee any significant change,'' said company spokesman Paul Jackson.
With an educated and skilled workforce, Connecticut in recent years has promoted job growth in advanced manufacturing. The state, backed by the federal government, has assisted Naugatuck Valley Community College and Housatonic Community College in fostering programs that train prospective workers in reading blueprints, precision measurement and the all-important skill of computer numerical control, which guides the increasingly robotic process of 21st Century production.
Educators at both 2-year institutions say all their graduates easily find middle-class jobs with significant long-term earnings potential, the equivalent of the lost assembly-line jobs that undergirded the advance of American workers into the middle class generations ago.
To some Trump skeptics, there's a bit of "reinventing the wheel'' to the president-elect's policies. And they wonder how he'll reconcile his promises to pump up infrastructure and defense spending while cutting taxes.
Others are scratching their heads over how Trump can be a working-class hero when his clothing line was manufactured in China, he didn't pay contractors and he maintains a close relationship with scorched-earth corporate raider Carl Icahn. Also, they question whether lower corporate taxes will lead to greater investments in American jobs or simply more offshoring.
Harrity says he gets a particular chuckle out of Trump's promise to coerce U.S. manufacturers into keep jobs home.


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Northeastern California Partnership for Special Education, Chico, California
Certification/Degree Special Education
Partners Cal. State Univ., Chico
57 Local Ed. Agencies
Commission on
U.S. Dept. of Education's
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services
Program Initiated 1989
Total Program Graduates 331
2004 Candidate Cohort 60
Candidate Demographics 74% Female
88% White
9% Hispanic
2% Native American
2% Asian Am.
15% Individuals with disabilities
Program Duration 2 years
Cost per Candidate/Who Pays $10,000 average
Candidate is responsible but may receive a scholarship of $5,200-$10,000
In 1987 the special education picture in California's 14 most northern counties could be summed up in a single word: desperate. The sparsely populated region, spanning 43,000 square miles-an area slightly larger than Austria-had at least 60 special education teachers on emergency credentials and a much larger group of substitutes with no credentials at all. Individual county offices of education organized some courses locally in conjunction with California State University, Chico (CSUC), the sole higher education institution in the region providing special education preparation. But the curricular offerings lacked structure, frequency, sequence, and coherence. Professors made local visits only sporadically, and candidates had only rare opportunities to be on campus. Given these obstacles, it took roughly seven years to get the credential. Not surprisingly, few candidates stayed that long.
In response to this crisis, CSUC developed the Northeastern California Partnership for Special Education in 1989. It offers an alternative route program in the form of an education specialist internship. Its mission is "to improve the quality of rural special education services to pupils and their families."
The partnership comprises CSUC, 57 local education agencies (including school districts, individual schools, and counties), the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC), and the federal government. The Partnership Advisory Board provides program oversight and policy leadership. The Board consists of representatives of the partner groups, including a cross-section of professional roles, community and parent representatives, and university faculty. Regular communication ensures that the university and each of the local education agencies share equally in decisions governing each local candidate's recruitment, selection, support, and competency verification.
The program begins with a preservice orientation on the CSUC campus. Program participants, or "interns," then begin teaching full time while working toward a full credential by way of a highly structured, organized, sequential learning experience.
It typically takes two years to complete the program, including summer school on campus. During the school year, classes are offered on campus on the candidate's monthly release days and on one Saturday each semester, as well as online after the candidate's school day via real-time streaming video on the Web.
The program has an emphasis on attracting home grown talent. In its recruitment efforts, the program deliberately targets groups that are under represented nationally as special education teachers (especially people with disabilities and men). And as the diversity of the region's students continues to increase, the program also actively recruits ethnically diverse candidates. Due to regional increases in rural drug abuse and poverty, the program has made it a priority to search for candidates with credentials to serve students with moderate-to-severe needs.
Many candidates in this program are career changers—notably from the military and the dot-com industry—or people re-entering the workforce. The average age is 40. Some candidates are drawn to the program because they have children of their own in special education. Others say they had always wanted to teach but got sidetracked by better-paying jobs. A common denominator seems to be a certain level of maturity.
Many candidates must meet a set of basic state requirements, including having a bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 2.67, demonstration of subject-matter competency, and passing the California Basic Education Skills Test. Every candidate who meets the prescreening criteria goes through an extensive and intensive structured interview conducted by a team. Since the program is continual, interviews take place every two weeks. The interview protocol is inspired by the "Star" Teacher Selection Interview developed by the Haberman Educational Foundation—an instrument with a 95 percent predictive rate over its 35-year history. It helps to gauge such qualities as whether a person is persistent, is a problem solver, is protective of learners and learning, can translate theory into practice, and can use successful approaches with students considered at risk of failure. An essay portion of the interview assesses writing ability. And the process also includes role-playing situations.
The selection interview is specifically tailored to rural special education teaching. It seeks to evaluate, for example, a candidate's reasons for becoming a teacher and working with exceptional children and prior commitment to exceptional children. It determines candidate's skills in communication and collaboration through such questions as: What role does collaboration play in special education? How would you create a climate of fairness and equity in a diverse classroom? "The interview process makes it clear to candidates that this is a rigorous program," says a program adviser. "Before we used it, candidates would get into the program and then say, 'I had no idea this would be so hard.'"
Team members score interview results using a rubric and candidates who score below a cutoff point are not accepted. Candidates who do not make the initial cut are assigned to a second team for another interview. "We don't want their whole career dependent on one interview," says the adviser.
Candidate Training: Content and Pedagogy
Each candidate's goals and his or her action plan for achieving those goals—including course work, individual assistance, and professional development opportunities—are documented and tracked in a personal roadmap called the Individualized Induction Program (IIP). The entire program is anchored in standards: the California standards for the teaching profession, the education specialist standards for earning the credential, and the California academic content standards for students. Each IIP is designed to ensure that by the end of the program, the candidate meets all the standards. The candidate's course work must follow a prescribed scope and sequence of courses, but substitutions are allowed, based on a candidate's background and experience.
The candidate's portfolios and reflective logs are organized around the standards.
The program begins with a one-day orientation, dubbed survival training, in which candidates become acquainted with the instructors, the university supervisors, and—if possible—the local support providers (i.e., mentors). During the orientation, candidates also begin to get to know each other.
Throughout the program, discussions are tailored to suit the issues candidates confront in their daily teaching. The traditional time gap between course work and the chance to put what's being learned into practice is virtually nonexistent in this program, with candidates continually traveling an arc from academic theory to trying it out with their pupils, and then, back in the university classroom, reflecting with instructors and peers on what worked, what didn't, and why.
The curriculum is geared to pupil outcomes. Under the program's Pupil Assessment Project, for example, candidates focus on four or five of their most challenging pupils and how to move them forward. The emphasis is on using assessment to support pupil growth.
Overall, more emphasis is placed on teaching strategies than on content. "We are a fifth-year program, meaning that candidates come in with subject-matter content, so the focus is on pedagogy," says the program director. "However, it's very content-rich. And the fact is, both content and pedagogy are special-education specific."
The cluster of courses and field experiences required for California's Level 1 credential covers a range of critical how-tos, such as how to manage the physical structure and content of learning environments to meet pupils' behavioral and academic needs; how to work collaboratively to construct a pupil's Individualized Education Program; and how to approach relationships with paraprofessionals. The cluster also covers assessment and evaluation, methods for teaching math, technology in specialized instruction, and laws and regulations in special education.
Level 2 requirements include instructional strategies for behaviorally and emotionally disturbed students and advanced curriculum content for teaching pupils with both mild-moderate and moderate-severe disabilities.
Mentoring, Supervision, and Support
The individualized web of candidate support provided collaboratively by district and university staff is the soul of this partnership program.* Not only do these relationships provide a safety net for the candidate during the high wire act of simultaneously learning and teaching, but they enable high caliber learning experiences for pupils by bringing layers of expertise to bear in meeting pupil needs, even in remote locations.
The candidate's support team consists of CSUC-based program coordinators and supervisors and local mentors and administrators. Supervisors are university instructors who facilitate the support network in their assigned region. Each supervisor works with 10-15 mentors and roughly the same number of candidates, whom they follow throughout the four semesters. They visit candidates onsite at least five times a semester to observe, coach, model, and mentor. Between visits, they maintain phone and email contact. Besides linking with mentors, supervisors communicate and develop rapport with school principals and other district or county education administrators. Many of today's supervisors were once candidates themselves. Mentors, or local support providers, are local teachers or district staff members with at least three years of successful teaching experience. They are nominated by county or district administrators and usually work one-on-one with a candidate—matched by credential and expertise. Mentors attend training at the university, meet weekly with the candidate for the first two semesters, and work with a university supervisor. The mentor gets release time and a stipend to function as the candidate's coach, consultant, and critical friend to help reduce stress, build skills, and meet the needs of the moment.
Principals and other local administrators are also integral members of the candidate's support team. At the end of the program, the supervisor and principal must both sign off on required competencies for the candidate to receive a credential.
The program's evaluation of a candidate's readiness for the credential models the kinds of assessment the candidate is learning to conduct with his or her own pupils. The evaluation incorporates the following measures:
a GPA of at least 3.0 must be maintained in all courses;
artifacts from course work, including, in the candidate's portfolio, a detailed reflective journal tied to standards, as well as individualized lesson plans driven by analyses of ongoing pupil assessment data and critiqued by supervisors, mentors, and the employer;
formative observation feedback, using a research-based format, that documents growth and skills in teaching;
results from individual progress conferences between candidate and faculty that are held at least twice a year;
results from conferences among supervisor, mentor, employer, and candidate that occur at critical junctures during internship placements; and
a final evaluation of competencies made by the supervisor, employer, and related program faculty.
Finally, each candidate presents his or her portfolio in an oral presentation for a peer-review session. Faculty then provide written feedback and make a recommendation regarding state certification.
Each partner contributes to the program. The university provides televised or Web-based courses, regional supervision, and separate course sections for candidates. Public schools guarantee candidates 10 paid release days each year to attend classes. Grants from the CCTC and the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services support partial tuition stipends, the services of support providers (mentors and candidate adviser), and program coordination and evaluation.
Success Indicators
This program can boast an unprecedented feat: It has eliminated special education emergency credentials in its sprawling service area. Since 1990, the program has had 331 graduates, and 91 percent of them now teach in the region's schools. That rate of local retention has held steady despite the intensifying seriousness of pupil needs over time and despite the mobility afforded by a credential that qualifies one to teach at any K-12 level and across special education settings. So far, some 206,875 special education pupils have gained credentialed teachers.
The program has also had a ripple effect throughout individual schools, as veteran general education teachers—often struggling to keep up with changed standards—tap into the cutting-edge knowledge and skills brought to their sites by way of the CSU Chico-linked special education program. "I see other teachers coming by when I come to a school," says one university instructor. Administrators see this, too, and build on it to keep their sites more current. They ask candidates to do consultations and modeling with other teachers, for example, or to present at board meetings.
The partnership leaders credit five guiding principles for driving the program's success over time:
Attract candidates by raising, not lowering, standards. From the outset, the partners asserted the need to draw a different clientele—people more suited to meeting kids' needs—by raising standards for admission, university curriculum, and candidate supervision and performance. They set, and have not wavered from, twin goals of high quality and ready access.
Ensure collaborative decisions. The public schools and the university make mutual decisions. A critical step in making the program a success was gaining the support of the regional school districts for a structured, centralized program. By allocating funds for monthly teacher release days, districts agreed to give up the courses they were offering locally. But it was not a tough sell, since administrators saw hope in the new program for ending the emergency credential crisis.
Evaluate for continuous improvement. In the face of continual challenges, the program remains flexible, using evaluative data (including feedback from students and others throughout the region) to identify and solve problems. The use of data to tailor the program so that it meets candidate needs has resulted in a rising retention rate over time. One administrator emphasizes that information collected is not just quantitative. "We try to collect candidates' voices. The survey at the end of each class is not just their rating but their words and their emotions connected to this course experience. Honesty is important. We break down the objectives of the courses and ask what students are not feeling satisfied with."
Pursue high quality personnel. Program directors, instructors, supervisors, and advisers have extensive public school experience and excellent academic backgrounds. They understand highly effective teaching and the demands of a rural internship and are committed to offering stability through their roles. All involved credit the "grow-your-own" approach the program has used. In effect, it's a case of program administration modeling the kind of culture it strives to nurture in the program itself. "We have all been mentored," says one program staff member. "This program has done a remarkable job of recognizing talent in our own backyard and encouraging and supporting people to be innovative."
Pursue external funding. Annual grant writing has secured state and federal funds that have underwritten management, advisement, coordination, regional travel, program materials, support provider stipends and training, candidate stipends, and program evaluation.
*For the theoretical underpinnings of the support structure, program leaders refer to Tharp and Gallimore's Triadic Model of Assisted Performance (1988), which is based on the Kamehameha Elementary Education Program, a 15-year continuous research and development program.


Ooooh, we love Mythological Monsters by Sara Fanelli. I got it second hand on whispers amazon after my friend Nicky told me about it (she is a good book-source person).
My Greek myths knowledge is kind of shady... I wish it was better as I feel like Greek myths give you good foundations for looking at art/cultural stuff and pub quizzes, you know, a bit like knowing Latin.
I have a few problems reading the names out loud, but so far Coco hasn't noticed... she is intrigued with every page and is getting to the point where she knows which monster is coming next. I love Sara Fanelli's collage style, the words and layout remind me of the very best kind of revision notes, it's the way I like to see information laid out I think. Maybe I could convince Sara Fanelli to make me an encylopedia, that would be good.
On the way back from our holiday in France we stayed at a hotel that had a little maze; we went searching for the Minotaur... but of course he wasn't there really.
We also learned a bit more about Ariadne (who helped Theseus kill the Minotaur, when we went to a story telling session at the National Gallery in the summer... (get us) and heard the story of the Titian painting of Bacchus and Ariadne (seriously, she helped out Theseus and then he just left her sleeping on an island... the little tyke).
Argus, my personal favourite and currently the front runner for Halloween costume inspiration... watch this space.
Oh I'll have to keep an eye out for this one, I cant resist a good picture book!


I didn't expect so many comments on my earlier post. And since most of these are detailed comments, it makes better sense if I post my replies here.
Prakash: Thanks for the comment, I agree with most of the points you mentioned.
Realty Rider: My post isn't about Mumbai's potential. And none of the projects you mentioned have been 'successfuly completed'. From what I hear retail (mall) space is being converted to commercial, not the other way around. Thanks for the comment.
Lekhni: Thanks for such a detailed comment. Here are my views on each of the points you raised.
1. The level of buying from speculators/investors in Mumbai's real estate market has crashed, and this isn't a new phenomena. A decline of interest from these speculators/investors, has been happening for the last six to nine months. That's the reason why transactions have taken a hit.
I agree with you when you say that an external shock might drive investors (who have been waiting it out) to sell - in fact, I even mentioned it point #5. Now whether that shock is in the form of a US recession or something else is a different matter. I mean, a shock in the form of a US recession will hit many more sectors (not just in Mumbai but in other countries, most notably US itself!) so real estate is bound to be a casualty.
Interestingly enough, since I wrote this post, we've already got a new shock - inflation at 11.05% (thanks to the oil surge - again a global phenomena) and the prospect of a sharp rise in interest rates. Now that should logically impact Mumbai's real estate prices. Let's wait it out and see if it does.
2. I already mentioned this in point #3. And builders haven't 'started throwing in stuff', they've been doing it for almost a year. But like I mentioned, headline rates have not fallen as yet. Sure, your effective cost reduced with these so-called freebies but the impact on your overall cost of purchase isn't huge and prices still remain too high.
3. I never made the point on stock markets financing the real estate bubble. And I can't agree with you that Mumbai's real estate boom has been financed by easy lending. That might be true to a some extent for HNIs and large investors, but not for the majority.
In fact far from it, banks started going slow on mortgages about a year back. This happened after the RBI pointedly took note of the speculation in the real estate sector (Gurgaon and Bangalore being good examples) and then increased risk-weightage on mortgages which made life tougher for banks - some of which had indeed gone over-aggressive on home loans. (If you know anyone in ICICI Bank ask them why they drastically cut/transferred their staff from their mortgages division).
I understand the call you're taking and like I said I'd only be too happy to be proved wrong. In fact from the way things are going (after 11% inflation and a rising interest rate scenario), there might actually be a sense of panic among builders which might drive down prices. And if this does happen, it will not be because of speculation, greed and dodgy lending practices by banks. It will be because inflation drove up interest rates, which in turn stifled India's overall GDP growth - thanks, in no small measure to the oil shock, i.e. an event that affects almost every country in the world and not just the city of Mumbai.
I think both of us are in agreement that Mumbai realty prices will fall. It's just a question of how much and how soon.
Anon - not sure if that has anything to do with my post, but thanks for the comment.
Manoj - Some factual errors in what you said - prices never crashed 50% in the early 90s. They fell 50% from the mid-90s when the RBI raised interest rates (my guess is probably around 1994-95, sometime after 12th Sept 1994 when the stock markets touched an all-time high of 4,643) all the way to about 2002-03 (which annualised is an 8% decline - not exactly a 'crash'). So, as you correctly pointed out real estate typically crashes in slow motion and lasts longer. Will it happen this time? Let's see. For Mumbai prices to go into a similar downward spiral this time for the next 5 years, a lot would have to go wrong - and if that does happen, I think there'll be much more to worry about than just the real estate market. Thanks for the comment and I wish I could make such a handsome return on my investment!
1. No Supply in town... Remember everyone saying that opening up of the Mill Lands and the repeal of ULCRA will 'unleash' land? It's not happened. And no one expects it to. There are many mills that have yet to be converted to real estate project. No one knows the status there. As for the lands already converted (Piramal's Ashok Gardens, Marathon, Bombay Dyeing, Lodha Bellissimo, etc. Sheth's Beaumonde), the builders (and owners) are laughing all the way to the banks. Rates in all these projects are upwards of Rs30,000/psf and no, they aren't coming down. If anything, more premium apartments are coming up at even higher rates.
2....And too much in the suburbs: Redevelopment has changed the landscape of western suburbs from Bandra to Santacruz. Even now, construction activity is in full swing as societies yield in to builders. You'd expect this kind of supply to push down prices, right? No chance. Smaller flats (500sqft+) aren't available because older societies (which have these flats) are hanging on for lucrative redevelopment proposals.
Meanwhile newly constructed/redeveloped buildings only have 3-4BHK whose minimum prices are Rs2cr+. There is an assumption that 2BHKs aren't required anymore, just like in the past 1BHKs went completely out of fashion.
What's funny is that fully constructed buildings are lying vacant (drive down Bandra and Khar and you can them dark and empty). Investors have been holding on to these flats for at least 6-9months under the assumption that there will be demand. But there isn't and even then, rates aren't falling.
3. Smaller builders under pressure: Newspaper reports suggest that smaller builders are at risk because they've borrowed heavily for their projects and now their flats aren't selling. This is believable, because in some cases these smaller buildings are offering discounts of all forms (more amenities, EMI freeze, etc.). And yet there are other smaller builders who aren't rushing to fold up.
For example, Chembur Tilak Nagar, a 'fast-selling' area because the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road will make access much easier. On the other side of Chembur, Raheja's Acropolis is selling at Rs8,500/psf, which has emboldened Tilak Nagar builders to demand Rs7,000+/psf. As per local brokers, builders in Tilak Nagar were vegetable vendors once who hit it big thanks to Dy. Minister R. R. Patil. Most buildings don't even have an occupation certificate (OC), meaning you can't pull in that flower bed into your house just yet. Most houses in these buildings have completely random layouts. Some of these 4-5year old buildings are already being water-proofed for leakage. So even if a house is cheap in these areas, it comes with risks. And you might not even be able to trace the builder.
4. Big builders stand firm: In Dahisar, Lodha's premium project –Aqua is selling for Rs5,895/psf with rate hikes happening almost every month. In Kandivali (East), the Lokhandwala's were charging Rs6,500 and claimed that they would be hiking rates soon. In Goregaon and Malad (East) top-end builders like Raheja and Sheth are holding rates firm at Rs8,000 to Rs9,000. In fact, Rahejas are also asking for a 25% black component in some of their projects.
There are few exceptions. For example in Bhakti Park Wadala (East) where rates were hiked from Rs7,500 (late last year) to Rs8,000 (April this year) now the builder is willing to negotiate. So, even in distant suburbs, going by these rates, there isn't any sense of a major slowdown or builders rushing to offer attractive bargains.
5. Real estate markets follow the stock markets – NOT!: The stock markets are down 30% this year, but property prices in Mumbai haven't even fallen 10%. So I don't buy this argument. Moreover, (a) Mumbai's property market is much more illiquid so price movements aren't as quick to fall and (b) Even in the stock markets, there is no sense of panic, i.e. mutual funds aren't seeing any major redemptions.
However, the first signs of a crack are appearing; news reports suggest that investors who are holding on to their flats (as mentioned in #2) are beginning to undercut builders to sell off their flats. Perhaps, if the stock markets fall further, we might get a clearer picture.
6. Politicians support builders: The aspirations, and achievements, of Mumbai's politicians in real estate are well known and so is the age-old politician-builder nexus. It is safe to assume that the government will protect builders. Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukhs' much-publicized housing policy never saw the light of day. No extra land has come in from ULCRA. If anything, the Government has tweaked FSI more in the last few months than it has in the last few years. So the Government's focus seems to be on keeping a tight leash on supply. Aside: Even Narayan Rane – whose despair for the CM's seat would make Rakhi Sawant's publicity stunts look noble – is grabbing whatever land he can in his home suburb of Bandra.
Bottomline: As long as the overall economy does well and wages in Mumbai keep rising at 25% per annum (much, much more in some sectors), demand should logically remain strong. So, while there might be a slowdown in Mumbai's real estate market, builders are still not rushing to slash prices. I'd love to be proved wrong when I say that I do not expect Mumbai's real estate to collapse. But a lot has to happen for that, because I think there will always be demand at lower levels. The question of course is how low.
For rates to reach their 2002-03 levels, they would have to fall 60%+. Improbable, but not impossible. And given the currently inflated level, a 20% fall from here doesn't amount to a 'crash', but it would still be welcome. In all probability, that's when demand might come in. After all, (this author included) who doesn't want a house in Mumbai?
PS –Times of India is carrying this 'real estate rates will decline 15%' news across all of their English dailies: TOI, Mumbai Mirror and ET. Given the TOI's editorial freedom, I wonder if this was planted.


text:
Fu il figlio maggiore di Philippe III de Croÿ, Duca di Aarschot, e Johanna Henriette van Halewyn.

La sua carriera militare cominciò nel 1577 come luogotenente del reggimento di fanteria vallone di suo padre.
Sposò il 3 settembre 1580 Marie de Brimeu, vedova di Lancelot, Comte de Berlaymont, Seigneur de Beaurain. Ella proveniva da una ricca famiglia calvinista della Piccardia ed era di 10 anni più grande del suo giovane marito. La sua influenza su Charles fu così grande che egli abbandonò la sua fede cattolica e la sua lealtà verso il Re di Spagna.
Nel 1583 diventò statolder delle Fiandre per gli insorti protestanti. Non fu in grado di fermare l'avanzata di Alessandro Farnese e decise neòl marzo 1584 di riconciliarsi con la Spagna.

Nel 1584 divorziò da Marie de Brimeu e nel 1585 ritornò alla sua fede cattolica e la sua lealtà alla corona spagnola.
Nel 1584 consegnò Bruges agli spagnoli e nel 1585 fece lo stesso con Gand.
Negli anni successivi combatté al fianco del Farnese ed era presente agli Assedi di Grave, Venlo, Neuss e Sluis. La sua più importante vittoria fu la presa di Bonn il 13 settembre 1588. Nel 1590 si unì alle truppe spagnole che appoggiavano la lega cattolica nelle Guerre di religione francesi.

Infine, nel 1599 fu premiato con l'Ordine del Toson d'oro.

Nel dicembre 1605 sposò sua cugina Dorothée de Croÿ, figlia di Charles Philippe de Croÿ (1549–1613). Entrambi i matrimoni rimasero senza figli.

Dopo la sua morte nel 1612, tutti i suoi titoli e possedimenti andarono a sua sorella Anne de Croÿ e suo cognato Charles de Ligne, II Principe di Arenberg.

Charles è stato un importante collezionista d'arte ed è famoso per i suoi Albums, una raccolta di mappe dettagliate illustrate di tutti i suoi domini.

Fonti

Altri progetti

Charles III de Croÿ
Charles 03
Charles
Charles
Charles

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Published On: Fri, Aug 23rd, 2019
Religion / World News | By The Dispatch
Imprisoned Pastor John Cao Moved to Kunmings Prison
(International Christian Concern) –On August 19, the mother of imprisoned pastor John Cao confirmed that her son has moved from Menglian detention center to a prison in Yunnan province's capital city, Kunming.
His transfer came after the Chinese government announced its decision to uphold his seven-year prison sentence for "organizing illegal border crossings" last month.
The Chinese pastor, known for his work among Myanmar's underprivileged communities in Wa state, was arrested and charged with "organizing illegal crossings of national borders" in 2017. Many believe that he was targeted for his Christian faith.
His mother and sister were only able to visit him for the first time on July 25, after he has been incarcerated for more than two years. Pastor Cao comforted them and told them that the government's latest decision was as expected. He however filed an application to be moved to a prison in Kunming, for it would be easier for his 82-year-old mother who lives 800 miles away to visit him.
Bob Fu from the persecution watchdog China Aid shared the prison's address on his Twitter, inviting people to write letters to encourage Cao. The address is: No. 416 Si Wa Lu, Wang Da Qiao, Dongjiao, Panlong District, Kunming City, Yunnan province, China. Zip code: 650216. Cao's name should be addressed as John Sanqiang Cao.
Check out the ICC post HERE
The Dispatch - The generic Dispatch designation, used primarily for press releases or syndicated content, but may be used for guest author requesting a generic nomenclature
ChinaChristianChristian arrestedChristian persecutionChristiansJohn CaoMyanmarPersecutedpersecuted christianspersecutiontwitterYunnan Province
Rose Burillo: Learning Noises of Mexico City
Frank Andreoli Montreal Dining Guide


How Many Users Does Tumblr Really Have?
Here's a straightforward question: How many users does Tumblr have?
Alas, the answer isn't cut-and-dried.
But that's not the same as a "user" number, at least not in the way that modern-day social networks like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook talk about user numbers.
When those guys talk about about users, they're generally talking about "active users" — people who have created accounts on their networks, and are using those accounts to access the services' core functions.
And if you're trying to assess Tumblr's business prospects, that would be a good number to know. Because, at least for now, the company's ad strategy revolves around showing ads to registered users who use the service's core "dashboard" — the equivalent of Twitter and Facebook's news feeds.
Tumblr doesn't seem to provide an equivalent number. So, unless they offer one up,** we'll have to take educated guesses.
That number would sound a lot less impressive in the first paragraph of a press release, so it's understandable that Yahoo would go with 300 million instead. And it's important to note that Yahoo has already said it may start showing ads beyond the dashboard.
Yesterday, during her call with Wall Street analysts, Marissa Mayer said Yahoo would explore giving Tumblr bloggers the chance to run Yahoo ads on their own pages. You wouldn't need to be logged in to see those.
Meanwhile, if anyone else wants to take a guess at the number of registered, dashboard-viewing users, be my guest. You can sound off in comments below, or reach me via email (peter@allthingsd.com).
* That number is much bigger than the 117 million estimate comScore provides, but gaps between internal and external Web measurements are as old as Yahoo. By the way: In an ad sales pitch obtained by Business Insider, Tumblr said it had 225 million uniques as of March. That's a big growth spurt!