One of the hardest things in small business for me is the unknown. Another thing that I find difficult, but am working through conscientiously, is my sense of value.
I am okay. Just today's observations as January closes.
As an English teacher in the public school system you would think I would now be used to being undervalued lol. However, it would appear that I am not. When I set my rates for tutoring, a few friends strongly reminded me not to undersell the skills I possess. I did some research and felt comfortable with my rates.
1. You get what you pay for: 24 years experience teaching high school English to kids that often didn't want to learn.
2. I am massively experienced, highly competent and basically, a gifted teacher. The expense will never be long term; I teach the skills required for success.
Yes, I can state this easily. But stating it is accompanied by an anxious belly. And that goes to something far beyond how much I charge for tutoring.
This year, this reckless gap year or mid life crisis, is forcing me to confront my shadow fears and my shadow self.
I believe that I am an amazing creature. Yet, I live in fear that I may be mistaken lol. It's a small but real fear. What if my definitions are out. And yes, I realize how crazy this sounds.
I think though, that changing it up forces us to confront ourselves on a different level. I can go back to my job but I don't want to just yet. I feel that this uncertainty will teach me something. I feel that I have more to offer myself and this world than I currently do. I feel that there is unexplored terrain that is calling me to explore it.
I don't want to stagnate, to settle, to be compliant, to exist. I'm craving something more.
But, the benefit from this growth in my self serves everyone. When I am functioning at my best, I am a beacon of light and a promise of hope.
Nup. Just keeping it real.
I believe that when we live our best life we become our best selves which serves everyone and the world at large.
Oprah. Audrey. Martin Luther King Jr. Nelson Mandela. Meryl Streep. Susan Sarandon. The list goes on (where are my Australian role models???).
What a rollercoaster of emotion lol.
People have said I am brave.
It doesn't feel that way on the inside, but maybe bravery is just doing even when you're feeling like it's dumb and safety would be easier. Meh.
It is what it is. I can't go back yet. I'm not ready.
My friends are heading back to their first day with kids at school today. I'm sitting at Paul Wakeling Hyundai whilst my car receives its 15000 km service, capped at $249. I live Facebooked my Year 12 class this morning and replied to a message from the bestie, heading to school without her Sister of Destruction meeting her there.
This is the first time in 24 years that I have not had somewhere school-related to be on the first day with kids (in 2010 I was in Europe but was heading back to work soon).
It's a very weird feeling.
I spent my holidays catching up with people. For this introvert, every day activities resulted in two two-day migraines, the only times I stopped before heading to Tasmania on a cruise ship last Monday.
And, Tasmania marked the end of anxiety about money for the upcoming year as I remembered the benefits and beauty of travel. Hobart is beautiful. What I saw of Tasmania is beautiful. The freedom to explore, also beautiful.
Having faith that you are where you are supposed to be, doing what you are doing, and will survive it all is hard when you just don't know. I have taken certainty out of my life for this year, until the first week of December when I return to work. However, booking in tutoring for people settled those doubts yesterday and when I start casual teaching, I'm sure I will feel even better.
I am carrying anger and resentment about the investigation last year. And whilst I want the tags liar and self-serving removed from the documents, I am not sure it will be healthy for me psychologically to continue the fight to have those words redacted. I know that I didn't lie, and anyone that has interacted with me in the world of public education throughout the last twenty four years knows that I am far from self-serving.
So, does it really matter if a couple of investigators, neither the person who made the final resolution, which speaks against both words, wrote that about me? People who have never been in the context that I was, or worked as closely with kids as I have, or understand the broader impact my work has made on so many people's lives?
I don't know. That's the question I am asking now.
Maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe to heal I need to let go of it all, burn the file, and just keep moving forward. Maybe by fighting it, I open a hornet's nest, and create more trouble for myself.
Am I strong enough to withstand that pressure again.
I rolled down a hill in Tasmania. Liberation. The hill was green. Small hill. But, called me to roll. And I could not ignore the call. I rolled the anxiety away lol. I'll post it, because it's funny, and I love that I embraced my inner child even though I look like a teletubbie trying to get up at the end. I was dizzy – my defense and I'm standing by it lol.
Hmmm, it's not letting me post the video. Possibly saving me from assured humiliation. Hmmm, still no. Some photos instead.
I finished last year on such a high. My Indian experience truly transformed my life by empowering me to integrate the different aspects of self and identity roles. I was unable to return home and not make significant change. This was a process. By following the signs and saying yes to different opportunities, I finally opted to take leave from permanent full time teaching this year. A massive decision. My identity as a teacher has sustained me for many years.
During the last four weeks, my identity labeling has shifted. I am now considering myself as more than a high school English teacher. And man, that is terrifying.
But today, interestingly and ironically, Mike Baird has resigned as Premier of my home state, New South Wales. He has cited the necessity to spend more time with his family as his main reason. I hope there isn't a scandal waiting in the wings because his reason has impressed me.
As a people, we seem to have surrendered the important things in life for work, addiction, fear. It doesn't seem that many of us are living our best and most authentic lives. Most people I speak to feel a yearning, irrespective of how small, for something different. And most of us use fear as a reason for not seeking it.
I am feeling that fear every day. I am so worried that I won't have enough money for all of my adventures, then not enough time for everything I want to achieve. Bloody fear. It won't stop me from walking this path. I have paid many deposits for a variety of travels and have paid in full my flights to Perth and Minnesota/Las Vegas. I will write my book and I will empower my business to do what it needs to do, but I am scared.
I have faith that all will be well and that I am exactly where I am meant to be. I just want to acknowledge out loud that it isn't easy. I am hoping that disclosing it will calm my mind and pacify my fear.
Mike Baird answered questions at the end of his resignation speech. The journalists attacked him, expectedly. Why did you promise to continue as recently as December last year? When did you make this decision? Where were you? Why are you doing this?
It takes courage to stand against expectation, to walk a different path, your own organic path, to put yourself first, to create a new reality for your life, but I think it costs the soul more if you don't.
Kudos to Mike Baird today, for his resignation has reminded me that my choices are right for me. As a result, this upcoming year of transition, transformation, and discovery will continue to permit growth, and enable me to live fully and authentically.
I have been so busy. I wanted to make this year The Year of Living. I wanted to trust that the universe would provide what I needed to make my life happen. I wanted to reconnect with the people I love and adore.
And, I have, am and will be.
I saw the new year in at Eden, on vast acreage, overlooking the coastal towns with Donna, John, their cats Odin and Loki, and my two boys. Max didn't cope with the wide open space or the cats so surprisingly, found himself happier on the lead whilst Sammy was fine to roam. I spent a few nervous moments thinking the eagles soaring and protecting the property would swoop and steal Sammy (thanks to The Proposal for this fear) but settled eventually.
I drove home on the 3rd feeling hopeful but nervous. I love Nimmitabel, a village out of Cooma. I want to buy land there, lots of land. At the end of this year, it may easily be do-able. I'm excited about this.
I am surrounded by reinforcers and inspirers. Ginny and Marcus, also moving in different directions, are also hoping to host and run retreats in the Mountains eventually. In a sense, we have been building our own community and seem to be on the verge of auctioning it all. Again, exciting. And terrifying.
Lunch with Amanda, Nathan and newborn Brody, and when family has babies I no longer feel that sense of painful longing. I possess an inner acceptance of where I am and where I am not. And their willingness to accept me back has been a real blessing for me after a few years of necessary hibernation and healing.
An then an important shift started to happen for me. I am seeing myself less as a high school teacher and more of a small business owner, life teacher. I am loving how the transition in identity feels. It is wholly empowering. And today, I'm feeling less terrified and more excited.
Birthday celebrations for Karyn and more catch ups. Quality time with quality people, reinforcing old bonds.
Time at Swansea, revitalizing my love for camping, and more quality catch up time with more extended family. And my obligatory summer burn. Once every year. I never learn. A childhood longing to be brown.
And, this weekend working on promoting my first course for the year, assignments, planning before another week of catching up before cruising to see January out.
My cousin comes to stay in February. I am heading to Perth to see one of my soul tribe from India. And somewhere in there I need to work to raise money to fund this new life.
It is liberating. I had a vision for the life I wanted to be living. I'm heading there. The journey is happening.
I am blessed. And exceptionally grateful that the trauma of last year has forced me to liberate myself. I feel alive. I am not just existing. Life is transition and flux and chaos and the unknown. I will not have regrets.


Charterhouse Turf Machinery offer a comprehensive range of machines classified as ... of the new Sand Injection model moves the process to a whole new level. ... the fact – and specific maintenance at that, not just a brush up now and again.
Kino could feel the blown sand against his ankles and he was glad, for he knew ... The wind cried and whisked in the brush, and the family went on monotonously, ..... bit through neck and deep into chest, and Kino was a terrible machine now.
Brush Sanding Machine, Wholesale Various High Quality Brush Sanding ... Solid wood floor polishing machine with 6 sand paper brush rollers sanding machine.
Smartsand is a multi-brush sander for flat or profiled parts, raw or coated. ... in a coating line, or it can rather work independently off-line as standalone machine.
Overview. Simplify sanding with a 19-38 Combo Brush/Drum Sander! Our exclusive technology allows you to drum sand and profile sand on the same machine!
sweeping with a brush machine. When relaying or compressing ballast, the protection is removed with ease and can then be put back in place just as easily.


Folgertech Prusa update - Hey There Buddo!
Folgertech sent us free replacements for our broken thermistor and two new motor driver boards. Fast response, Fast delivery. Good on you, Folgertech.
So we got it a printin! For a while we were getting stringy garbage that seemed to not really match any problems we found. Problem turned out to be that the print head came preassembled with the gear set screw untightened. Kind of a wonder it was printing at all. Had noticed that manual extrusion was rather sporadic. Maybe should've suspected sooner, but I guess I assumed that repetier was being wonky.
The built in slic3r in repetier crashes on my mac for some reason, so I open up an independent instance and use that instead.
Also, SD card printing is preferable. We've killed a couple prints when my computer goes to sleep.
We're using Onshape. It is pretty awesome. Ben whipped out some mounts for our lcd screen in like 10 minutes. Then we didn't have enough M3 nuts, so we printed them. PLA is soft enough that it can be threaded by the screw. Needed to be 105% scaled in Slic3r.
Also press fit some spare 606Z bearings into a little cup. No scaling needed. Also press fit a little 6mm cylinder into the center. Not an insanely permanant tight press fit, but definitely needs so force to take out.
Made some cubes, some octopusi, a sloth.


Whether looking to promote your business or developing an important presentation, having the right voice is essential to capturing your audience's attention. The Velvety Vocal Vibes of Nancy Regas offers such a voice. To schedule an audition for commercial voiceovers in San Diego, CA, or learn more about her voiceover services, call her today.
As a voiceover artist, Nancy provides your project with a voice people want to listen to. She can explain how to use equipment or machinery, present information about your business to employees or potential clients, or voice your concerns to the public on your behalf—all in a clear, confident, and soothing voice. She's done work for radio, as well as Science Media Incorporated™. Some of her work includes commercials for Tasti Lee Tomatoes, Sasha's Canine Bakery, Thrift Pets, and Vintage Gold Classics as well as training and e-learning for All About Water, BioCom and Mechanical Ventilation Module for Pediatric Nurses.
Having been a public educator and counselor for more than 20 years, Nancy has extensive experience dealing with teen issues and has worked with countless related speaking engagements. She can present your concerns regarding high school issues, domestic violence, parents, and college preparation. Her audiences include everyone from PTA groups to churches.


text:
Church in West suffering crisis of faith, says Pope
Pope Benedict XVI | Mazur
"The real crisis facing the Church in the western world is a crisis of faith," Pope Benedict XVI told gathering of lay Catholics Sept. 24.
"We see that in our affluent western world much is lacking. Many people lack experience of God's goodness," the Pope said to the Central Committee of German Catholics on the third day of his state visit to Germany.
"They no longer find any point of contact with the mainstream churches and their traditional structures."
The Central Committee of German Catholics is an apostolate founded in 1952 as a forum for lay Catholics. It draws together individuals who hold positions of responsibility in civil society. Today's meeting took place in the diocesan seminary in the southwestern city of Freiburg.
Using Catholicism in Germany as an example, the Pope said that while the German Church was "superbly organized" it was perhaps lacking in a "corresponding spiritual strength, the strength of faith in a living God."
"We must honestly admit that we have more than enough by way of structure but not enough by way of Spirit. I would add: the real crisis facing the Church in the western world is a crisis of faith."
For anybody coming from the developing world to the western world, this crisis can be seen in the "poverty in human relations and poverty in the religious sphere" brought about by "a subliminal relativism that penetrates every area of life," he said.
This is observed, said the Pope, "in the inconstancy and fragmentation of many people's lives and in an exaggerated individualism," such that many people "no longer seem capable of any form of self-denial or of making a sacrifice for others." Meanwhile others "are now quite incapable of committing themselves unreservedly to a single partner."
To tackle these problems at their root, the Pope explained, he had created the Pontifical Council for New Evangelization. Established last year, it has a particular mission to re-evangelize those traditionally Christian countries that have seen a decline in belief and practice in recent years. The Pope stressed, however, that without a renewal in faith "all structural reform will remain ineffective."
Hence the need for new places where those who lack experience of God's goodness can encounter it, said the Pope. He suggested that small communities could be one such path where "friendships are lived and deepened in regular communal adoration before God."
There, said the Pope, "we find people who speak of these small faith experiences at their workplace and within their circle of family and friends, and in so doing bear witness to a new closeness between Church and society." Such encounters, he suggested, lead people to recognize the need for "this nourishment of love, this concrete friendship with others and with the Lord."
He concluded by praying that God "always point out to us how together we can be lights in the world and can show our fellow men the path to the source at which they can quench their profound thirst for life."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The first of two versions.
Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande both have albums due out in August, each of which will feature a collaborative track between the two divas. A couple weeks back, Ari shared her video for "The Light Is Coming," which followed the duo through a dark and eerie forest.
Tonight, on the opposite end of the spectrum, Nicki has unveiled the beachy new video for "Bed," which features ample mermaid glamor shots. It's the first of two videos, the second of which Nicki said will probably release next week and will likely closer resemble the teaser she shared a while back. Watch it above.


A student once asked me: Are you enlightened?
My answer: If I am it is a big disappointment!
So what is our perception of the person that is enlightened?
Are they wearing a particular style or brand of clothing?
Do they always have a smile on their face?
Is there a slight hush to the sound of their voice when they speak?
Are they living separate from society in a cave or remote setting?
Those could certainly be symptoms of an enlightened person but are they truly the definitive expressions and demeanor of an enlightened being?
Before enlightenment I chopped wood and carried water.
After enlightenment I chopped wood and carried water.
Expanding upon that definition we could say that the truly enlightened individual is one that is grossly absorbed in the activities and duties of their daily life. Living to the fullest extent their true purpose. With such enlightened activities as getting their children dressed and ready for school. Approaching their job and all actions and encounters that each day has to offer with the greatest of integrity and presence. If truly enlightened the individual does not need to disengage from apparently mundane activities but rather every action becomes an expression of a truly deep understanding of the eternal spiritual nature of all beings and the common inner-connection we all share through the thread of spirit that permeates the fabric of life.
So what is enlightenment and who is enlightened? Does it really matter? Lets say we are all enlightened as of this moment forward! How would it change our life? We must still get on with our daily duties and endeavors. The difference is that no longer would our mind be disturbed by the ups and downs, struggles and joys and the tedium of daily life. Each moment is as important as any other. Every breath we take contains the full potential for enlightenment. It is not in the next level of asana or some future moment in time beyond this very instant. Rather enlightenment is waiting for our recognition of its presence right here in the very fabric of each breath we take, every thought, endeavor and encounter.
A yogi is one who leaves a place a little nicer than when they arrived.
It is a simple statement with profound significance! It does not matter how much knowledge or ability we have if our interactions are causing pain or suffering to others or the world around us. We may each ask ourselves a simple question. Is the world a better place by our presence in it? Regardless of the system of yoga we practice or the path of self-development we have chosen we must see how we are applying the juice from those activities within our daily existence.
Are we enlightened? That may be the wrong question.
Are we becoming better human beings! Now that is worth contemplating!
David began practicing yoga at a very early age. His older brother Doug was his first teacher. They practiced hatha yoga from whatever books they could find. In 1975, K. Pattabhi Jois came to the United States for the first time, and David was fortunate enough to be there. It was then that he initiated studies directly with the master. Swenson made his first trip to Mysore, India, in 1977, and learned the full Ashtanga system as it was originally taught by K. Pattabhi Jois. David is recognized today as one of the world's foremost practitioners and instructors of Ashtanga yoga.


1 Discovering Affordable Dental Implants in Whitewright, Texas– Why So Costly?
5 How Do I Get Dental Implants in Whitewright TX?
You believed whatever was great. Nobody appeared to discover that you were missing a couple of teeth, and after that a person went across the line. You were provided gran sandals and also a crocheted blanket for Christmas, the tip being that it was time to snuggle on the couch with your cat and also a glass of warm milk.
Discovering Affordable Dental Implants in Whitewright, Texas– Why So Costly?
Possibly member of the family will certainly be more direct as well as skillful concerning it, however somebody should inform you that affordable dental implants could be life-altering. Locating affordable dental implants starts with a net search as well as the desire to travel a little bit. Opportunities are you will certainly need to go to a significant city to discover a dental expert who makes it his business to use cost effective dental solutions to people who require them. It might feel like false economic climate if you need to spend for train tickets or gas, however merely note the distinction in price as well as it quickly becomes clear: taking a trip is well worth the initiative to have your smile once more.
The reason dental implants are so pricey is that great deals of individuals get associated with making them, putting them as well as completing them. Add this to the cost of products plus the dental practitioner's helicopter costs, and also quickly you will certainly need to market your auto to be able to consume steak once again.
How Do I Get Dental Implants in Whitewright TX?
Dental practitioners could cut costs by doing what every customer does to conserve loan: acquiring in bulk. Because there is no such point as a poor dental professional, it is clear that these treatments occur commonly enough for a specialist to get materials in breakthrough. If he is educated, he could execute more of the work himself rather than sending you to a various person to tackle each part of the process. All this can save you loan, also after you request a solid sedative to obtain you through the procedure.
A lot of these dental practices advertise solutions online. Web advertising and marketing helps to keep costs down and reach more individuals, while widening their client base at the exact same time. Even more customers and also reduced media expenses amount to financial savings we can hand down to clients. Make certain to ask for an expense evaluation for the dental implants when you see among our dental practitioners.
Think about benefiting from these services prior to anybody needs to prompt you. Surprise them with a new smile. The benefits start with self esteem, which is crucial to living a complete life. Not every person that loses teeth will certainly be elderly. Several youths struggle with oral conditions or injuries which lead to tooth loss. When you could not grin or talk freely, this cuts you off from people and hampers your chances of success, especially if you intend to operate in a customer care ability.
Even worse still, your jaw needs teeth in it to remain healthy and balanced. Without anything to support, your jaw begins to atrophy like a muscle mass that never ever obtains utilized. Your mouth will certainly alter shape to ensure that, even if you intend to obtain dentures at some point, they will certainly not fit. Act rapidly to stop this from happening and offer us a call today.
The benefit of selecting affordable dental implants over dentures is that they will certainly help you to keep bone mass, whereas dentures do not. You have simply as great a chance of losing bone if you put on dentures as you do without teeth.
Also dentures can be put in your mouth semi-permanently. Your dental practitioner will repair them to a variety of blog posts to make sure that you take hip jump lessons without losing them. While the shouting of your other professional dancers or the target market as they go flying can be interesting, the regulation of 'finders caretakers' could mean your downfall for locating affordable dental implants.
Pay little focus on the expense of your good friend's procedure. Her mouth is different from your own, so the services you need will certainly not cost the same amount. It could take longer for your procedure to be ended up. A lot more products might be needed. Bone grafting could be needed prior to any type of further work can be done. Try not to be intimidated.
When picking affordable dental implants, just figure out exactly what kind of anesthetic services are offered at the very same time. This need to place you at your simplicity. You could be asleep the whole time. This is especially convenient if your primary worry concerning mosting likely to the dental practitioner is that you are simply scared. An anxiety of dentists prevails, yet is sometimes avoidable. Do not view 'Little Shop of Horrors' or 'Marathon Man,' and also you can be just great.
Possibly family participants will be a lot more straight and also skillful about it, but a person needs to inform you that affordable dental implants can be life-changing. Finding affordable dental implants begins with a web search and also the readiness to take a trip a bit. While the shrieking of your other professional dancers or the target market as they go flying could be interesting, the rule of 'finders keepers' might mean your downfall for discovering affordable dental implants.


text:
DAVID CROSBY SAYS COLLABORATION LED TO CREATIVE RERSURGENCE
David Crosby maintains that writing, singing, and touring with new and younger musicians has given him a massive creative jolt. "Croz" is currently on the road behind his latest set, called Sky Trails, which marks his third album in less than four years.
We asked Crosby if he too looks at this late-stage wealth of great material and positive activity as a gift: "It does feel like that, yeah. There's a pretty wide range -- that has to do with two things; one, I'm in two bands. I've got two bands -- one of them's acoustic, the other one's electric. That gives me a wide spread that way. And also, I write with other people. I don't understand people that don't. I guess they want all the (laughs) publishing for themselves, or something. But, for me, writing with other people really works. The other person seems to have something you didn't. Always." :
June 14 - Lowell, MA - Boarding House Park
June 16 - Lenox, MA - Tanglewood
June 17 - Morristown, NJ - Mayo Performing Arts Centre
June 28 - Estes Park, CO - The Stanley Hotel
June 29 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
July 1 - Steamboat Springs, CO - Strings Music Pavilion
AUDIO: DAVID CROSBY ON COLLABORATION


Register after your sign up at liebe.lc free domains. You can choose from liebe.lc domain endings, such as .liebe.lc up to 500 free domains. You can set up these domains on your free storage at liebe.lc or forward to an already established website.


The Vostok-2018 maneuvers are the biggest in the history of the Russian army, unparalleled since 1981, when the Soviet Union held drills involving about 100,000 people. The drills have gained an global status, with troops from China and Mongolia set to take part in one of the stages.
On site, Mr Putin praised the "mastery" of the Russian army and its "ability to deal with potential threats".
"Russia is a peaceful nation", Putin said Thursday, according to the AP, before adding that it must "be ready to protect its sovereignty, security and national interests, and, if necessary, support our allies".
At the end of the exercises, Putin awarded medals to 10 servicemen of Russia, China and Mongolia, who distinguished themselves during the course. You demonstrated the high-level performance. Additionally, military cooperation will be further developed.
During the main stage of the exercises, Russian, Chinese and Mongolian military units worked out actions to repel the offensive of a conventional enemy, to start their own offensive and to complete the defeat of the conventional enemy's main forces, the Kremlin said.
The head of the military department also noted that Vostok 2018 maneuvers are the largest event of the Russian Armed Forces combat training.
For example, a surprise inspection of the Northern Fleet took place in mid-August, while similar inspections of the Central and Eastern military districts happened later that month.
Russian Federation hosted its war games close to the border with China, mobilizing 300,000 troops in a show of force that will include joint exercises with the Chinese army.


It's the perfect time to learn or improve your golf game. Learn the basic shots; putt, chip, pitch, and full swing, course management, rules and etiquette of the game. Class size limited and taught to your level. Loaner clubs and fitting recommendations available.
Tuition includes $20 cost of materials.


text:
Taking comfort in the Unfairness of the Universe
← Game of the Month: The Last Of Us
Movie of the Week: Edge of Tomorrow →
Game of the Month: Destiny
Posted on 28 September, 2014 by Matthias Scheler
A couple of month ago I noticed that a lot my PlayStation network contacts were playing the beta of a game called Destiny. The last game whose demo sparked that much interest was Mass Effect 3. So naturally I was curious and looked the game up online: a combination of a science fiction themed MMORPG and a first person shooter. Based on that and favourable reviews of the beta I decided to pre-order the PlayStation 4 version of the game.
Destiny is indeed a first person shooter and a well made one at that. Fast and nice looking graphics, big maps, lots of different enemies and an arsenal of well balanced weapons to fight them. Besides story missions that can be played alone or cooperatively Destiny also features various player vs. player modes which are in design similar to video games like Unreal Tournament. Destiny also contains some role playing elements: the player can choose between three different classes for the character which match the scheme found in many role playing games: Titan (Soldier), Hunter (Rogue) and Warlock (Mage). Each of the classes features three grenade powers, a powerful melee attack, a special jump and a Super. This super power is what distinguishes the classes from each other. Hunters e.g. get a Golden Gun which fires three powerful shots while Warlocks can trigger a powerful explosion by casting Nova Bomb. If a character reaches level 15 its second subclass is unlocked. This subclass provides a different set of powers which mostly notably includes a different Super. The player can switch between the two subclasses anytime but needs to level them up separately.
Destiny provides a very satisfying first person shooter experience. The well tuned combat system, the elaborate map design and the smoothly working multiplayer mode all contribute to that. It is particular fun when you take on one of the challenging Strike missions with your friends. As the game doesn't feature any get out of jail free cards (like e.g. Mass Effect 3 multiplayer's Medigels or Cobra Missiles) team work and coordination are very important. You have to decide quickly whether you want to risk exposing yourself by reviving your team mate or whether you wait 30 seconds for them to re-spawn. The role playing part however is disappointing. There isn't much story, only hints, very little dialog and no way for the player to influence the plot. And while the concept of the Super is interesting its excessive cool down times prevents the player from using it frequently. I end up using it even less often than I could because I want to keep it charged in case a really challenging fight is around the next corner. There are also very little customisation options for your equipment. Most armours look very much alike and you need an extra item to apply one of the predefined colour schemes. Acquiring good equipment is even more important than in other games because it is the only way to level up past level 20. But as so often in video games you either need a lot of luck or spend hours and hours of grinding to get the desired equipment.
I definitely enjoy playing Destiny despite the underdeveloped RPG aspect. It reminds of Borderlands 2 in a good way. And to be fair Bungie, the company who created Destiny, called the game a shared world shooter which is a reasonable description. They never promised to deliver the MMORPG that players were hoping for. Based on that I'm however wondering whether the game will really have a life time of 10 years as Bungie promise. It will all depend on future expansions to this game world.
This entry was posted in Video Games. Bookmark the permalink.


text:
Q: Defining the Prior in MCMCglmm I've found this same question posted everywhere, and I can't seem to get any of the solutions to fit to my data, and I'm wondering if I'm trying to fit my data to a model that's just too complex.
I'm trying to fit my data to a multinomial logistic regression model from the MCMCglmm package. I've looked at many different documents, tutorials, and the MCMCglmm manual itself, primarily Florian Jaeger's tutorial which is excellent and thorough. I get lost, however, in his selection of the values for both the G-structure and R-structure of the prior, and I keep getting this error message
Error in priorformat(if (NOpriorG) { :
  V is the wrong dimension for some prior$G/prior$R elements

In particular, I'm not sure what the n values should be given my data in both, but the somewhat opaque error message is suggesting that it's an issue with V
Here's a (relevant) subset of my data:
CG_imm       locuteur   enquete       loc_age   loc_sexe      left    liquid   right    articulation_C1    voice_C1   NC_C1    NC_right    voice_right    right2          pos    logfreq      realization
abordable    44ajs1     Nantes        79         M            bl      l        p        stop               V          Vstop    stop        NV             NVstop          adj    NA           2
admettre     91adb1     Brunoy        54         M            tR      R        E        stop               N          NVstop   mid-vowel   V              mid-vowel       verb   6.52209279   0
adorable     91aal1     Brunoy        27         F            bl      l        break    stop               V          Vstop    break       break          weak break      adj    NA           0
agréable     92aaf2     PC            55         F            bl      l        break    stop               V          Vstop    break       break          strong break    adj    7.95191138   0
agréable     21abm1     Dijon         31         M            bl      l        k        stop               V          Vstop    stop        NV             NVstop          adj    7.95191138   1
agréable     75ccr2     Paris         NA         F            bl      l        break    stop               V          Vstop    break       break          break           adj    7.95191138   0
agréable     69ajl1     Lyon          52         M            bl      l        break    stop               V          Vstop    break       break          weak break      adj    7.95191138   0
Alexandre    91asl1     Brunoy        64         F            dR      R        break    stop               V          Vstop    break       break          weak break      noun   NA           0

From this dataset, I'm trying to predict realization a variable at three-levels with many different predictors.  Here's one of the models I've attempted:
k <- length(levels(df$realization))
I <- diag(k-1)
J <- matrix(rep(1, (k-1)^2), c(k-1, k-1))

prior1<-list(
  R = list(fix=1, V=0.5 * (I + J), n = 2
  ),
  G = list(
    G1 = list(V = diag(4), n = 4),
    G2 = list(V = diag(8), n = 8),
    G3 = list(V = diag(4), n = 4),
    G4 = list(V = diag(4), n = 4),
    G5 = list(V = diag(14), n = 14),
    G6 = list(V = 3, n = 3),
    G7 = list(V = 3, n = 3),
    G8 = list(V = diag(6), n = 6)))

m <- MCMCglmm(realization ~ -1 + trait + NC_C1*liquid + right2 + loc_age + logfreq + pos,
              random = ~ us(trait):CG_imm + us(NC_C1*liquid):CG_imm +
              us(trait):locuteur  + us(trait):enquete + us(right2):CG_imm +
              us(loc_age):locuteur + us(log_freq):CG_imm + us(pos):CG_imm,
              rcov = ~ us(trait):units,
              prior = prior1,
              burnin = 15000,
              nitt = 40000,
              family = "categorical",
              data = df)

In my full dataset, the predictor variables I've selected as random effects have the following levels:
> length(levels(ol_north$CG_imm))
[1] 181
> length(levels(ol_north$enquete))
[1] 13
> length(levels(ol_north$locuteur))
[1] 129

All of the predictors that are fixed effects are categorical except for loc_age and log_freq  The categorical, fixed predictors are at the following levels:
> length(levels(ol_north$NC_C1))
[1] 4
> length(levels(ol_north$liquid))
[1] 2
> length(levels(ol_north$right2))
[1] 14
> length(levels(ol_north$pos))
[1] 6

I've toyed with the n values in both the G-structure lists and R-structure, and I've adjusted the values in the diag() argument in the G-structure to no avail.  With such a complex model, I'm not sure where exactly my errors are occurring.  I've simplified the model to this, and do get it to converge but with a warning:

m <- MCMCglmm(realization ~ -1 + trait + NC_C1*liquid + right2,
              random = ~ us(trait):CG_imm + us(NC_C1*liquid):CG_imm,
              rcov = ~ us(trait):units,
              prior = list(
                  R = list(fix=1, V=0.5 * (I + J), n = 2),
                  G = list(
                      G1 = list(V = diag(2), n = 22),
                      G2 = list(V = diag(8), n = 8))),
              burnin = 15000,
              nitt = 40000,
              family = "categorical",
              data = df)

Warning message:
In MCMCglmm(realization ~ -1 + trait + NC_C1 * liquid + right2,  :
  some fixed effects are not estimable and have been removed. Use singular.ok=TRUE to sample these effects, but use an informative prior!

Thank you so much for any help in advance!

A: unless you are expecting something specific from your data, you could try to set the priors in the following way:
priors <- list(R = list(diag(1), nu = 10^-6), G = list(G1 = list(V = 1, nu = 10^-6)))

setting such a small nu means you're setting a "flat prior", i.e. you are saying "variance could be 1, but I'm not at all sure about it", so you're basically not influencing where the Markov chain starts.
You could also check this tutorial. Good luck!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Zahid's Say: The Engineering of World War III. Stop these evil people. Take back your country. Do not allow your leaders to be manipulated by them any longer.
The Engineering of World War III. Stop these evil people. Take back your country. Do not allow your leaders to be manipulated by them any longer.


ICHCAP and the International Training Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (CRIHAP) will co-host the UNESCO Workshop on Strengthening National Capacities for Effective Implementation of 2003 Convention in Korea at the National Intangible Heritage Center in Jeonju, Korea, from 10 to 13 July 2017. The workshop, sponsored by UNESCO and the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea, targets local government officials in the field of ICH. The first of its kind in Korea, it will be held as a part of the program that UNESCO has been operating since 2008 to strengthen national capacities for implementing the 2003 Convention. UNESCO has selected topics based on local or national needs and demands, including the convention implementation at the national level, community-based ICH listing, applications for inscription, and ICH safeguarding planning.
As the host of the first UNESCO ICH capacity-building workshop to be held on the peninsula, Korea fosters a thick history of cultural heritage safeguarding. For over a century, it has shown an active engagement on cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, from issues of heritage policies to how the law can protect traditional culture. The workshop is meant to encourage pertinent discussions around these subjects and other pressing concerns emanating from different places, not just Korea, as a proactive effort to understand the new chapter to the Operational Directives of the 2003 Convention and to explore culture-centered strategies for local development.
The workshop is composed of sixteen sessions; two facilitators1. will take charge: Prof. Marc Jacobs of Critical Heritage Studies at Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Prof. Sang-mee Bak of International Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. The first-day sessions will cover topics such as the main concepts of the 2003 Convention; the 2003 Convention and the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage; and raising awareness about ICH. On the second day, lectures will be provided on ICH safeguarding, applications for inscription, development of ICH safeguarding policies, and revision of domestic laws on ICH. The third-day sessions will include lectures on ICH and sustainable development and community participation, followed by case-study presentations of community leaders and a Q&A. The fourth-day sessions will provide the participants with an opportunity to learn about safeguarding plans and how to establish them by themselves, culminating with team presentations.
The participants are expected to spread the contents and spirit of the convention by organizing small workshops for ICH communities and reflect their take-away on international issues (sustainable development, gender equality, etc.) in their local ICH policy decisions. Meanwhile, ICHCAP plans to expand the workshop to NGOs, research centers, and other organizations in the field of ICH.


text:
Q: Javascript modules, loaders, bundlers and package managers confusion I don't get all the connections. Where do they resides and what is the impact of their usage. Are any of following statments correct?

*

*the loader will reside in browser(after loaded)? So when the main app javascript needs some module it will load it behind the scenes

*if I use bundler(command line tool) it will create one file from all of my modules(and all common ones used), so no async loading, as there is only the big bundled.js?

*why do I need for example bower.json and package.json in the same project(is npm used just to download build utilities)

*from where do they take the modules (npm repository or all have its own?)

*package managers are just to download the modules to your project for further processing

*npm modules holds only .js files

*you always needs way to orchastrate the build(gulp, grunt, npm scripts)

So far I have not found resource with information like : packagers do that, loaders do that.

A:

*

*the loader will reside in browser(after loaded)? So when the main app javascript needs some module it will load it behind the scenes

Loaders is a webpack feature, these loaders are used to process code that webpack does not understand by default (css, sass, images, etc.). They are just used when your code is compiled, when you publish your code it does not contains loaders with it. Loaders just run during build time.
--> Edit: this does not apply to the question since the question refeers to require.js for example, but still relevant overall.

*

*if I use bundler(command line tool) it will create one file from all of my modules(and all common ones used), so no async loading, as there is only the big bundled.js?

You can have prefetch, prelight, you can load chunks (pieces of your bundle) only when required (look for code splitting using dynamic import import(...). This makes the code be loadede/requested only when it is going to be loaded.

*

*why do I need for example bower.json and package.json in the same project(is npm used just to download build utilities)

Nowadays you don't need bower, most (if not all) the things that bower has you can find on the npm repositories.

*

*from where do they take the modules (npm repository or all have its own?)

Every package you download was uploaded to npm, you can look at npm as a "github" but for libraries.

*

*packagers are just to download the modules to your project for further processing

Yes

*

*npm modules holds only .js files

False, look at bootstrap.

you always needs way to orchastrate the build(gulp, grunt, npm scripts)

Yes, but if you want to transpile content, you can use only babel-cli.


Mortgage Foreclosure in France – Should you consider handing over your keys back to the bank?
Handing keys back to the bank simply is impossible at French law. This would not be a good idea anyway. You cannot personally go Bankrupt in France unless you are a French citizen, or a foreigner whose main place of residence is France. If one decides not to continue paying the mortgage and return the keys to the lender, the latter will initiate foreclosure proceedings and the property will eventually be sold at auction, which could result in the owner remaining liable for any shortfall, including mortgage penalties and auction charges that may not be covered by the auction proceeds. I am unaware whether it is, or not, lenders' policy to enforce payment of loans/mortgages (the shortfall) against borrowers situated overseas. A Judgment would have to be obtained in France first and the process for enforcing such Judgment in the UK or Ireland, is called 'Exequatur'. The procedure for this between EU Countries is simplified nowadays. I have little doubt that foreign Courts would accept such requests from a French entity. A UK Judge for example, could not re-assess the case, unless the French Court Order contravenes essential legal principles of UK law, which is extremely rare in financial & tax matters.
Pursuant to the French Consumer Protection Code, borrowers can apply for a 'repayment holiday' (deferred payment) of up to 24 months if they are suffering financial hardship. Where the mortgage in arrears is less than 3,800 Euro, a simple Application, rather than a Summons, can be filed with the local Court. This, if applicable, must be done prior to lenders formally issuing a notice of foreclosure, i.e. that the borrower is defaulting on his/her loan repayment.


Eat|See|Hear will be presenting three new movie screenings during the last three Saturday evenings in July: North by Northwest on July 16, 500 Days of Summer on July 23, and Trainspotting on July 30.
Adding to the fun each week are live performances from up-and-coming bands, starting each night at 7 p.m.
LA Movies-in-the-Park series Eat|See|Hear announces three new events planned for the last three Saturdays in July. On July 16, Eat|See|Hear will show the Alfred Hitchcock spy thriller, North by Northwest, at the Autry Museum in Griffith Park. The romantic comedy, 500 Days of Summer, will be featured July 23 at Pasadena City Hall's Centennial Square. On July 30, Eat|See|Hear will return to the Autry Museum to present the 1996 drama, Trainspotting. Showtime for each event is at 8:30 p.m.
The Autry is located at 4700 Western Heritage Way in Los Angeles. Free parking is available across the street at the LA Zoo parking lot. Movie-goers are asked to use the main entrance adjacent to the Autry Museum building on the event lawn.
Centennial Square at Pasadena City Hall is located at 100 N. Garfield Avenue in downtown Pasadena. Several fee parking lots are within a few blocks of this venue, along with street parking. Entrance to the event is on North Marengo Avenue at Holly Street.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. "It's a good idea to arrive early so you can claim your spot and get settled in before the show starts," says Sharon Sperber, co-owner of Eat|See|Hear. While the Autry is a large, grassy lawn, and Centennial Square is a large, concrete venue, guests at either location should bring pillows, cushions, blankets and/or low chairs to sit on.
Adding to the fun each week are live performances from up-and-coming bands, starting each night at 7 p.m. The Los Angles power pop band, Paper Pilots, will take the stage July 16. Dutch Party returns July 23 for its second Eat|See|Hear performance. Singer and song writer, Naomi, will take the stage on July 30.
As is the case with every Eat|See|Hear event, well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome, and will be greeted at the door with a free dog biscuit. "Be sure to bring some extra dog treats, a water bowl and waste bags, so your pet and those around you will all be happy," suggests Sperber.
General admission tickets are $14 each for adults and $8 for children 5 to 12 years old when purchased in advance. Children age 5 and under are free. Tickets for the July 16 event can be purchased online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eat-see-hear-outdoor-movie-north-by-northwest-tickets-22128558113, for the July 23 event at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eat-see-hear-outdoor-movie-500-days-of-summer-tickets-22128665434, and for the July 30 event at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eat-see-hear-outdoor-movie-trainspotting-tickets-22129167937. Tickets can also be purchased at the door the night of each show.
In addition to general admission tickets, a limited number of "Fashionably Late" passes are available for $21 each. "These VIP tickets provide a reserved section near the front of the venue, so you are guaranteed to have a great view regardless of what time you arrive." Sperber says. Fashionably Late tickets must be purchased in advance online, and are not available for sale or upgrade at the door.
Voted "Best Outdoor Movie Series" by Los Angeles Magazine in 2014, the Eat|See|Hear outdoor movie, food truck and live music event series brings an evening of fun to Los Angeles-area venues each summer. The fourth annual series is presented by SHOWTIME NETWORKS, featuring up-and-coming bands from the local music scene, the hottest food trucks and the largest inflatable movie screen on the west coast with the highest quality HD-projection with a 52-foot wide image and professional sound. Eat|See|Hear promises an enjoyable movie-going experience for everyone, including dogs. Each event and is produced by LA-based experiential marketing agency, Trailhead Marketing, Inc. For more information visit http://eatseehear.com.


The Ottawa 67's Logo and the Pelican | Red?
Recently I was working on a project for a client and they wanted to create a half tone of red on black. Normally because of the way T-shirts etc. are normally printed, you can't fade colours in silk screening but in this case there was a way!
The images showing the Ottawa 67's logo and the pelican look like they've been printed with different colours but in fact the red is the same in both prints.
The difference is the red in the pelican print has 2 layers of white under it and the 67's red is printed directly on the black… Whaaat!
This is a great example of why it cost more to print on dark colours then on white. If the background colour is going to affect the colour being printed then they have to print, flash dry the ink, and print again on top of the first print.
In this example they put the white behind to bring up the red, however depending on the situation it could be that you're simply printing the same colour twice to ensure the coverage is solid enough to hide the background colour.
It's amazing but true! There are now new ways to print using digital transfers or even directly on the clothing that can make the colours even more accurate with half tones. Depending on the design area and what's being printed that may be the best choice but it will affect the costs. Of course just about anything can be done if price is not a factor!
The 67's red is printed directly on the black background.
If you're looking for clever ideas, bring us in!


text:
Q: How to set up certificate authentication for VPN access to TMG 2010 I found this article (link) on how to set up VPN access to TMG 2010. It's clearly written and easy to follow, however, there are some pre-requisites for this. As I am fairly new to Windows server technology, those pre-requisites didn't ring a bell in my head, I'd really appreciate if someone could elaborate a bit more on those pre-requisites, hopefully with some detailed step-by-step guidance. And here is my server setup: I have two Windows 2008 R2 servers, one with TMG 2010 installed as an edge firewall, the other installed as DC and DNS.
The steps that I didn't have any clue are 3 and 5:

*

*Pre-requisite 3: Enterprise Root CA: where and how to install this?

*Pre-requisite 5: Computer certificate installed in TMG server: Where to get the certificate and how to install it?

*I suppose I need to install a certificate on my client PC which will access TMG through VPN, so how to get that certificate?

A: Have a look here for some guidance. It's called "Active Directory Certificate Services" (ADCS)
Reviewers: I would post the full details of the link, but it's quite large.
The Basic steps:

*

*Log on to TEST_PKI1 as a domain administrator.

*Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Server Manager.

*In the Roles Summary section, click Add roles.

*On the Select Server Roles page, select the Active Directory Certificate Services check box. Click Next two times.

*On the Select Role Services page, select the Certification Authority check box, and then click Next.

*On the Specify Setup Type page, click Enterprise, and then click Next.

*On the Specify CA Type page, click Root CA, and then click Next.

*On the Set Up Private Key and Configure Cryptography for CA pages, you can configure optional configuration settings, including
  cryptographic service providers. However, for basic testing purposes,
  accept the default values by clicking Next twice.

*In the Common name for this CA box, type the common name of the CA, RootCA1, and then click Next.

*On the Set the Certificate Validity Period page, accept the default validity duration for the root CA, and then click Next.

*On the Configure Certificate Database page, accept the default values or specify other storage locations for the certificate database
  and the certificate database log, and then click Next.

*After verifying the information on the Confirm Installation Options page, click Install.

*Review the information on the confirmation screen to verify that the installation was successful.


text:
What I Streamed And Liked: 'Bohemian Rhapsody'
It's Kim turn to pick the streaming movie this week, and her pick is the music biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody."
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a foot-stomping (mostly true) celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound.
They reach unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career.
Freddie manages to reunite with his bandmates and while bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music.
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is available for purchase from most of the major streaming outlets, including Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango Now, Google Play, PlayStation, Vudu and YouTube.


UCN 12009 (UCA 2009) is an odd common year.
UCN 12010 (UCA 2010) is an even common year.
UCN 12011 (UCA 2011) is an odd common year.
UCN 12012 (UCA 2012) is an even leap year.
suggestions are welcome, and are especially welcome from native speakers in support of ICAS localization for languages, or from those in support of ICAS optimization.
the CHARTdateEPOCH calendar spreadsheet is a complete reformulation of the previous makeCHARTS spreadsheet, providing some additional features.
this calendar spreadsheet resource charts days from a selected range date, and also calculates days and weeks from a selected epoch date (or days and weeks to a future epoch date). the following formulas are included in the archive resource: NDN numbers (New Calendar Day Notation), UCN (Uniform Calendar for New Calendar era) dates, Gregorian calendar dates, Julian calendar dates, JD (Julian Day) numbers, MJD (Modified Julian Day) numbers. the following epoch counters are also included: uniform months, mean lunar phases, days, weeks, mean Gregorian months. advanced users can customize the chart spreadsheet, or configure the calendar term names for a designated language.
the spreadsheet can be customized to provide a very useful ICAS resource. (Microsoft Excel 2004 or compatible).
the logGU spreadsheet is a template that displays both dateUC and dateG information for a given day-of-year.
Uniform Calendar date stamps for the following localizations were generated with dstampUC spreadsheet workbooks. dstamps can be generated for any year in the workbook range of years (and additional years can also be developed/configured by user).
text documents are encoded as Unicode UTF-8, however to view all characters correctly users may also need to remind the browser to check for UTF-8 document encoding (view menu). read more about UTF-8 on the Markus Kuhn or Wikipedia web sites.
Uniform Calendar organizers are an essential part of an ICAS metrication kit. for convenient reference of both uniform and traditional calendar information; keep copies of organizers for common and leap, even and odd calendar years.
documents are designed for printing and for assembly as a tall 7-sheet (28 page) booklet. some configuration of printer or page-setup settings may also be required. application preference settings (Microsoft Excel 2004 or compatible) may also concern the content formatting of specific cells. this document was designed with reference to a millimeter scale for A4 paper size (and is thus proportionally scalable for A-series paper sizes).
no charge for these documents however some assembly is required. first print the inner pages on seven sheets of paper. then print the outer pages on the other side so that worksheet cover is on the other side of 02-27, and so on with 16-13 opposite 14-15. if necessary, insert sheets manually to ensure correct pagination.
Day notation for last day of prior year UCN 12008M36 is NDN 4386198.
Day notation for last day of prior year UCN 12009Z35 is NDN 4386563.
Day notation for last day of prior year UCN 12010M35 is NDN 4386928.
Day notation for last day of prior year UCN 12011Z35 is NDN 4387293.
even leap years all years that are divisible by 4 with no remainder except for years that are divisible by 100 with no remainder, of which only those years divisible by 400 with no remainder are leap years. leap years are based on the correspondence of UCN 12000 and AD 2000, and extend retroactively for all Uniform Calendar and New Calendar (UCN) dates. leap years consist of UCN 11996, 12000, 12004; 11600 but not 11900; and so forth. (AD 1996, 2000, 2004; 1600 but not 1900; and so forth.) the year NC 00000 is also a leap year.
contents of this web site copyright © 2013 UCA and prior, Alliance for the Advancement of Technology.


The Wyalusing Valley Museum is moving! Our old exhibits on Grovedale Lane are now closed.
The Wyalusing Valley Museum Lodge Hall Annex is located across from Sheldon's Funeral Home. Parking is available on the street or in the public parking lot behind the Presbyterian Church (accessed from First Street).
The Lodge Hall is not currently handicapped accessible. When we have completed our renovations, both museum buildings will be handicapped accessible.


2. Add garlic paste to butter and mix in.
3. Smear all the butter onto prawns.
4. Sprinkle a little fish spice onto prawns, a little dry mixed herbs & a little Calisto's seafood spice.
5. Place prawns in preheated oven at 200degC for 7min.


Cities have become increasingly important to global politics, but have largely occupied a peripheral place in the academic study of International Relations (IR). This is a notable oversight for the discipline, although one which may be explained by IR's traditional state centrism, the subjugation of the city to the demands of the territorial state in the modern period, and a lack of conceptual and analytical frameworks that can allow scholars to include the impact of cities within their work.
Presenting case-specific scholarship from leading experts in the field, each contribution guides the reader through the changing nature of cities in the international system and their increasing prominence in global governance outcomes. The book features case studies on the financial power of cities, city action in the security domain, collaboration of cities in coping with environmental problems, transnational urban regions, and mayors as international actors to illustrate if the relationship between the city and the state has changed in profound ways, and how cities are empowered by structural changes in world politics.
The multidisciplinary and global focus in The Power of Cities in International Relations sheds much needed light on the significance of the reemergence of cities from the long shadow of the nation-state. Only by examining the mechanisms that have empowered cities in the last few decades can we understand their new functions and capabilities in global politics.
Are Canadian Cities Challenging the Gatekeeper Position of the Federal Executive in International Affairs?
Simon Curtis is Lecturer in International Politics at the University of East Anglia. He was previously Michael Leifer Scholar in International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science. His research interests are in international theory and international history.


text:
Funter Bay History: Steam Donkey Part II
I previously mentioned a Vulcan Iron Works steam donkey at Funter Bay in one of my earlier posts on steam power and internal combustion. Recently I acquired a photo which shows a very similar device at Funter, perhaps the same one. This photo is likely from the summer of 1919.
The photo was taken at the corner of the main Thlinket Packing Co warehouse, seen below:
The steam donkey seen in 1919 and the one in my modern photos look nearly identical to me. The layout of pipes, the piston parts, and the boiler door all appear to match. The donkey in 1919 is mounted on large logs. My modern-day photos do not show any logs under the engine, but loose spikes are visible (the logs likely rotted away or were removed). John Taubeneck provided some details on the Vulcan Iron Works in a comment on my earlier post, noting that there are only a few of these donkeys remaining. He believes the unit pictured above is slightly smaller than the one in the woods, but it is hard to tell.
Neither photo shows the conical top or smokestack seen on other Vulcan donkeys, in the 1919 image they may have been removed for shipping, and by the time of my photos the stack seems to have rusted off and fallen to the ground (a few decades ago it was still mostly upright and covered with a washtub).
The remaining donkey is across the bay at the base of the mountain where it powered an aerial mine tram. If these are the same unit, it may have originally been owned by the cannery and later sold to the mine. As the cannery used mainly low-horsepower gas engines on-site, a steam engine would likely have been used somewhere off the property. It could have served as a pile driver engine, or been used for logging in Kelp Bay or elsewhere.
The men posing on the donkey in the 1919 photo seem to have been a group of Seattle high school students. They will probably be discussed in an upcoming post.
Leave a Comment »	| Alaska History, Funter Bay History, Funter Bay People	| Tagged: Alaska, Cannery, Funter Bay, Funter Bay History, History, Mining, Southeast Alaska, Steam donkey, Steam Engine, thlinket packing, Vulcan Iron Works	| Permalink
Funter Bay History – Steam Power & Internal Combustion
Most of the industry in Funter Bay required power of some kind, steam was the major power source prior to cheap and reliable internal combustion engines, but early gas and diesel engines began arriving around the turn of the century.
You would think that in the middle of a forest, the best fuel for steam engines would be locally-cut wood, but coal seems to have been used instead (you can still find chunks of coal on the beach in a few places). Whether this was due to the design of the boilers, the thermal properties of spruce, or due to lumber harvesting restrictions, I'm not sure. Oil was also an option for fueling boilers (there was a whale oil plant at Tyee, and early petroleum wells in Southcentral Alaska). One document from the 1920s mentions that Killisnoo coal was preferable to oil as a fuel for steam boilers at Funter Bay. Coal was mined at Harkrader on southern Admiralty Island, near the fish processing plant at Killisnoo (now part of the village of Angoon). Discovered by Russian explorers, used by early Russian and American steam vessels, and mined intermittently until 1929 , this deposit was planned to supply Inside Passage steamships, but seems mostly to have been sold in local communities.
Edit: The main engines at the cannery appear to be gasoline, rather than steam, see below.
Large operations like the Funter Bay cannery had a large central boiler which provided steam for cooking and sterilizing, as well as heat and hot water for the sites.
Cannery power house in the 1980s:
Some close-ups of the two horizontal stationary gas engines at the cannery. The name plates have wandered away, so I don't know much about these (Update: Local resident Gordon Harrison has informed me these were Fairbanks-Morse gasoline engines, an early type of low-horsepower (5-10hp) internal combustion engine. These seem to resemble the 1898 designs, so it's likely that they were original equipment for the cannery when it started in 1902. Some diagrams of similar engines can be seen here):
The two engines would have been located in the machine shop, with the boiler located in the power house.
Two large tanks such as this held water for the boiler. On the map above, you can see the tanks located behind the power house. Update: The tank below is in fact the one located behind the pump house on the above map, and was used for oil. The two tanks behind the power house were nearly identical in design.
Mechanical power from the Fairbanks-Morse engines would be transferred via belts from the engine flywheels to overhead pulleys and shafts (rods), which distributed the power out to various machines (run from other pulleys and belts with a clutch system). Below is a surviving example of some of this overhead equipment in the carpentry shop attic, as viewed from above:
And below is some of the equipment which would have been operated by this arrangement (I'm not sure specifically what the devices below were, they're rusted pretty badly and missing a lot of parts):
Away from the main site, there would be smaller gas, diesel, or steam engines with "portable" boilers set up to operate things like winches, hoists, and tools. In this case, "Portable" means something like "You can drag it to a new location in about a week with 20 men and a team of mules". (I'll try to come back to the mules in a later post). The following shows a boiler for one of these smaller steam plants:
And a winch with small steam piston:
A more packaged power unit was the "Steam Donkey", a somewhat standardized portable boiler, steam engine, and winch on skids. These could be moved by clearing a road or trail, hauling a cable to a tree or other anchor, and then letting the unit winch itself towards the anchor. Here is a steam donkey that ran a mine tramway:
Note that there seem to be two piston units associated with this donkey, the heavily-geared one at front, and another unit with a large cable winding drum at the rear. Below is a closeup of the rear unit, which had a steam piston on each side of the central drum:
Update: after looking closely at my photos, I can make out what appears to be "Vulcan Iron Works" of Seattle. Here are some photos of a very similar Vulcan steam donkey, built in 1901.
Here is an early low-horsepower gas engine in the woods near the cannery:
A smaller and slightly newer (3hp?) gas engine, similar to the ones shown here.
Thanks to Gordon Harrison for providing some additional details!
9 Comments	| Funter Bay History	| Tagged: Admiralty Island, Artifacts, Cannery, coal, Funter Bay, History, Mine, Mining, Southeast Alaska, Steam donkey, Steam Engines	| Permalink


The New Year is a great time to reflect on the successes and failures of the year. Maybe you muddled your way through 2018 and you'd like 2019 to be better planned and a little less out of control.
Well, the New Year's a time for fresh thinking and opportunities, so get excited about how good 2019 is going to be! Once you've read this blog, you'll be in a great place to figure out your new focus and start building your strategy for 2019.
In 2019, one of the biggest continued trends will be customer service improvements. This is partly due to the rapidly evolving technologies we're seeing. Artificial intelligence and machine learning offer new opportunities.
Use automation to make information more accessible and accurate, but don't ignore the human factor. It's relationships and networks of people that drive business, after all.
Make sure your customers can talk to you, and that you truly get to know them. Find new ways to connect and to strengthen existing connections, and offer multiple communication lines.
Blockchain technologies have massive potential for innovation and will improve everyday business efficiency and security.
Big companies have been learning the hard way that ethics in programming are now a vital part of the process.
As data science continues to evolve, the number of experts increases too. Expect more easy-to-use analytic tools, so that the information is more accessible to others.
Edge computing will begin to rise. It'll make the biggest impact on both performance and reliability, as every part of the business comes to rely on software and data.
Customers increasingly have multiple touch points: a physical store, an e-commerce website, or the company's own website.
To create and maintain an active presence in more than one place and make sure that the service is top-notch, you've got to have an integrated system. You need each part of the company to communicate in real time to keep everything running smoothly.
From the very first impression right through to the first sale, you need to get customers engaged. In 2019, omnichannel will be vital for providing the highest levels of customer service.
Consider the big picture for 2019. What are your goals for the year, and what's your plan to achieve those goals? Remember to break large tasks down into smaller, manageable chunks.
One powerful strategy is to map out a different focus for each quarter of the coming year. Combined together, each quarter's goals are contributing to a different aspect of your overall target. Broken down, it gives you a shorter term focus that feels more real in the day-to-day.
Just as your customers are constantly comparing you to your competitors, you should also take the opportunity to evaluate your partners or vendors. Shop around to be sure you're happy with your vendors in key areas like payroll, office supplies, insurance, and professional services.
If a contract hasn't changed terms in years, see if you can negotiate a better deal for this one, or lock-in current prices for an extended term. Perhaps you've got a big purchase coming up: don't be afraid to ask for a discount.
Omnichannel and improvements in the data use and cybersecurity fields will support your customer service and business functions, but they're not a replacement for real human relationships. Speaking of relationships, take the time to check that you're not making do with stagnant deals from vendors.
Define a focus for each quarter of the year, and you'll find it easier to progress towards your overarching goals. Remember that premium customer service should remain your front and centre focus, to make 2019 your best year yet.


[caption id="attachment_2092" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Cindy Boecking[/caption] Great blog post by TODAY Mom's that featured some of our local families! Enjoy! Your friends at iCelebrateDiversity.com "Like Us" on Facebook!


text:
Polluters: Environmental Criminals, Consent Decrees and Other Pollution Cases in 2013
2013 Environmental Polluter (and Other Violators) of the Week
(More like bi-weekly, actually)
*True cases of environmental criminals and other violators and violations of environmental laws, regulations, statutes and pollution standards from real court cases and consent decrees
2015 environmental criminals and polluter cases
2013 polluter cases (or just scroll down the page)
2009 polluter cases
2002 polluter cases (Note: EPA's online files stop at 2003)
2001 - The EPA didn't save them!
Search your area for environmental crimes
The EPA and its federal, state and local law enforcement partners investigate and prosecute significant and egregious violations of environmental laws. These investigations involve, but are not limited to, the illegal disposal of hazardous waste; the illegal discharge of pollutants to a water of the United States; the illegal importation of certain restricted or regulated chemicals into the United States; tampering with a drinking water supply; mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering relating to environmental criminal activities.
People often ask us, "It seems like companies get away with polluting all the time, just look at Exxon and the Valdez!" While it may be true that some companies treat the environment, your community's well-being and your health like a doormat and act as though their crimes are nothing more than a public relations expense; individuals and companies are being caught all the time. And the penalties are severe! Follow Detective Joe Friday and read on to learn about the appalling gall of these jerks and their crimes.
It is EHSO's opinion that our society's obsession with money and instant wealth, combined with a generally apathetic public, and politicians more concerned with polls than pollution is leading to an increase in pollution and deliberate polluters. If you suspect a persistent polluter in your area, email us (or click here to use the EPA's report a violator form) for instructions to assist the EPA in catching him! To search a company's compliance history, click here!
Disclaimer: The following news stories are all taken verbatim from EPA releases, so don't even think of trying to sue us if you or your firm's name is here! We will WELCOME the publicity! Will your company?
2013 Polluter and environmental enforcement cases
12/20/2013 Florida Pesticide Producer to Pay $1.7 Million Penalty for Selling Misbranded Pesticides
12/19/2013 Energy Company to Pay $3.2 Million Penalty to Resolve Clean Water Violations in West Virginia / Chesapeake Appalachia LLC to spend estimated $6.5 million to restore areas damaged by natural gas extraction activities
12/19/2013 West Haven, Conn. fined for Illegal Sewage Discharges; Will Take Action to Significantly Reduce Sewage Discharges to New Haven Harbor and Long Island Sound
12/19/2013 Chicopee Company Pays Fine and Ships over 40,000 lbs of Hazardous Waste, Protecting Human Health and the Environment
12/19/2013 Following Fatal Blast, Metal Recycler Required to Invest in Modern Technology and Company-Wide Protections to Prevent Future Accidental Chemical Releases
12/19/2013 EPA Settles Cases Against Two Eastern Sandusky County Companies for Chemical Reporting Violations
12/19/2013 EPA Settlement Yields Improved Ability for Nantucket Company to Respond to Oil Spills
12/19/2013 U.S. EPA fines agricultural products companies $74,880 for pesticide violations in Calif. and Ariz.
12/19/2013 NOAA, EPA seek public comment on proposal to disapprove Oregon's Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Program
12/18/2013 Darigold failed to report chlorine gas release in Portland to authorities in timely manner
12/17/2013 Oregon Companies Settle with EPA for Illegal Disposal of Millions of Pounds of Reactive Hazardous Waste
12/12/2013 EPA Takes Action to Protect Farm Workers in Puerto Rico; Bayer CropScience to Initiate Measures to Protect Workers and Pay $53,000 Penalty
12/05/2013 Seattle marine engine dealer agrees to pay penalty, change engines in federal clean air case
12/03/2013 Twin Falls fish farm settles with EPA for water pollution violations
11/25/2013 Supplier for Embalming Chemicals Takes Action to Improve Safety at Facilities under Settlement
11/20/2013 Puerto Rico Land Authority Agrees to Stop Clearing Wetlands in Guanica, Puerto Rico; Will Mitigate Damage Done
11/20/2013 EPA Fines Fisher Sand and Gravel $150,000 for dust violations
11/19/2013 Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to close contaminated wells, protect groundwater in EPA agreement
11/19/2013 Cabot Corporation Agrees to Spend Over $84 Million to Control Harmful Air Pollution at Texas, Louisiana Facilities
11/14/2013 Chemical Company Failed to Disclose Public Health Risks, Judge Rules in Favor of EPA
11/13/2013 City of Shreveport Agrees to $342 Million Sewer System Upgrade to Comply with Clean Water Act
11/07/2013 Settlement Collects Cleanup Costs for Birch Swamp Road Superfund Site in Warren, R.I.
11/06/2013 Shreveport Plant Installs Fence-line Monitors
to Safeguard Workers and Local Community
11/05/2013 Newfield Production Company to pay $600K penalty to resolve Safe Drinking Water Act violations on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation (Utah)
11/01/2013 Progressive Nutrition of Norfolk, Neb., to Pay $125,000 for Settlement of Federal Pesticide Violations
10/31/2013 EPA Settles Clean Water Act Violations in Arkansas
10/29/2013 EPA Fines Phoenix-based Company $95,000 for PCB violations
10/28/2013 HBD/Thermoid Inc. Agrees to $371,075 Settlement for Alleged Violations of Clean Air Act at Chanute, Kan., Facility
10/28/2013 Former Winchester, Idaho hotel owner settles with EPA for asbestos demolition violations
10/28/2013 Methuen Mass. School Bus Company Pays $33K Penalty for Excessive Idling
10/25/2013 County Edge Dairy Inc. to Pay $20,000 Penalty for Clean Water Act Violations at its Inwood, Iowa, Facility
10/23/2013 Ritchie Enterprises Inc., of Sullivan, Mo., to Pay $30,000 for Failure to Use Lead Safe Work Practices and Notify Homeowners of Lead Risks
10/23/2013 Kansas and Illinois Pesticide Distributors to Pay Penalties Totaling $96,640 for Distributing Misbranded Pesticides
10/23/2013 EPA Orders Middletown, NY to Address Clean Water Act Violations
10/23/2013 EPA Reaches Settlement with Goshen, New York Company for Violations of Federal Toxics Law
10/18/2013 Dyno Nobel Inc. to Pay $257,167 for Clean Air Act and Risk Management Program Violations at Two Facilities in Missouri
09/30/2013 City of Tacoma settles with EPA for violating federal rules on PCBs in used oil
09/30/2013 EPA Obtains Warrant to Address Over 1000 Drums and Containers at New Jersey Facility; Ongoing Investigation Reveals Presence of Hazardous Materials (Photos Available via Web Link)
09/24/2013 EPA Fines BIA $136,000 for Keams Canyon Drinking Water Violations on the Hopi Reservation
09/23/2013 Griffin Bros. Inc. settles with EPA for violating federal pesticide rules in Salem, OR
09/20/2013 Texas Refinery WIll Pay $8.75 Million for Failing to Comply with Enforcement Settlement to Resolve Air Violations
09/19/2013 CITGO Agrees to Reduce Air Pollution and Pay Penalty to Resolve Clean Air Act Violations at Refineries in Louisiana and Illinois
09/19/2013 Hancock County, Iowa, Cattle Feeder Agrees to Innovative Settlement for Violating Water Permit
09/19/2013 Asarco agrees to pay $146,600 for PCB violations at Hayden copper smelter
09/18/2013 Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson settles with EPA for hazardous waste law violations
09/16/2013 EPA Strengthens S.S. Badger Consent Decree in Response to Public Comments; Penalties Increased for Failing to Cease Coal Ash Discharge to Lake Michigan at End of 2014 Sailing Season
09/13/2013 Post Foods to Spend More than $2 Million for Air Violations at Modesto Cereal Plant
09/12/2013 EPA Orders Work at Cameron, Smith Lake Chapter Mines
09/10/2013 Settlement with Town of Timmonsville and City of Florence will Resolve Drinking Water and Sewer Problems
09/10/2013 Columbia, S.C., Agrees to Major Sewer System Upgrades
09/05/2013 EPA fines Shell for Clean Air Act permit violations during offshore oil exploration in Alaska
09/05/2013 EPA Launches New Online Mapping Tool for Environmental Impact Statements
09/05/2013 EPA and Coast Guard Reach Pollution Control Agreement with Carnival / New Advanced Technologies Allow Industry to Comply with Emission Standards, Reduce Costs
09/04/2013 United States Reaches Settlement with Safeway To Reduce Emissions of Ozone-Depleting Substances Nationwide /
Largest case ever under Clean Air Act's ozone protection requirements
09/04/2013 EPA reaches settlement with Safeway to reduce emissions of ozone-depleting refrigerants nationwide
09/04/2013 United States Reaches Settlement with Safeway to Reduce Emissions of Ozone-Depleting Substances Nationwide
09/03/2013 Public Availability Meeting Scheduled Thursday, Sept. 5, for Chicago Heights Boulevard Site in St. Louis County, Mo.
09/03/2013 EPA Requires HA International to Reduce Hazardous Air Emissions at Illinois Facility
08/29/2013 Corpus Christi Plant Agrees to Pay Over
$750,000 to Improve Emission Controls
08/29/2013 Two California Firms and Owner Agree to Settle Clean Air Act Violations Stemming From Illegal Import of Vehicles
08/27/2013 Family Dollar, Inc., Pays $602,438 Penalty for Distribution of Misbranded Pesticides
08/26/2013 EPA focusing on industrial stormwater compliance, targeting a serious threat to Puget Sound water quality
08/23/2013 Big West Oil to spend $18M on emission controls to resolve Clean Air Act violations at North Salt Lake refinery
08/23/2013 Hazardous Waste Settlement Leads to School Cleanups in 60 Schools in R.I. and Mass.
08/21/2013 United States and the Commonwealth of Kentucky Reach Agreement with AK Steel Corporation to Resolve Clean Air Act Violations
08/20/2013 Yakima fuel distributor violated oil spill prevention and response safety rules
08/19/2013 Companies in Illinois, Nebraska to Pay Settlements Totaling $84,387 for Distribution of Misbranded or Mislabeled Pesticides
08/19/2013 Idaho sugar company failed to prevent industrial stormwater discharges, violated federal clean water rules
08/14/2013 Abilene Products Co., Inc., Agrees to $90,660 Settlement for Violations of Clean Air Act at Abilene, Kan., Fertilizer Facility
08/12/2013 Salem, Mass. Contractor Faces Penalty for Violating Lead Renovation Rule at Kittery, Maine Site
08/08/2013 Meriden Conn. Company Pays Fine for Hazardous Waste Violations
08/05/2013 Port of Tacoma settles with EPA, Department of Justice for damaging wetlands in violation of Clean Water Act
08/05/2013 Maralex Disposal to pay $89,900 penalty to resolve Safe Drinking Water Act violations at disposal well on Southern Ute Reservation (Colo.)
08/02/2013 Fry's Electronics Fined $50,000 by U.S. EPA for Making Unsubstantiated Health Claims
08/01/2013 NEWS BRIEF: Final report available from investigation of injection wells at Lahaina wastewater facility
07/31/2013 Chevron to pay $384,000 penalty and improve emission controls to resolve Clean Air Act violations at Salt Lake City refinery
07/31/2013 Billerica, Mass. Company to Pay $2.6+ Million for Alleged Pesticide Violations
07/31/2013 STATEMENTS: Senior EPA Officials Pay Tribute to Ira Leighton, who Helped Shape Environmental Protection since 1972
07/31/2013 Compliance with environmental laws helps protect air, land, and water in communities across Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington
07/31/2013 EPA Proposes Rule to Modernize Clean Water Act Reporting / E-reporting initiative will increase efficiency, ease burden for states and improve public access to data
07/31/2013 Springfield, Mass. Housing Authority Settles Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Case
07/29/2013 Fife, Washington ice manufacturer failed to notify emergency responders of hazardous chemical release
07/25/2013 Prudent Technologies to Pay $65,450 Penalty for Violations of Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule at Omaha Lead Site
07/25/2013 Sorrento settles with EPA for chemical management violations at Nampa, Idaho plant
07/23/2013 San Antonio Agrees to $1.1 Billion Upgrade Sewer Systems to Comply With Clean Water Act
07/18/2013 United States Reaches an Agreement with XTO Energy to Prevent Waste Spills from Natural Gas Exploration and Production
07/17/2013 Florida Man and His Corporation Sentenced for Wetlands Violations in Panama City
07/17/2013 Perma-Fix Northwest Richland settles with EPA for waste management violations
07/17/2013 School Bus Company to Install Automatic Idle Shut-off Controls and Pay Penalties under the Clean Air Act
07/16/2013 Laconia N.H. Company Fined for Failing to Notify Tenants about Lead Paint Hazards
07/11/2013 Nature's Best, LLC, to Pay $19,669 Civil Penalty for Violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
07/11/2013 Companies to pay penalty, reduce harmful emissions from Hagerstown cement plant
07/11/2013 Settlement with City of Wilmington, New Hanover County and Cape Fear Public Utility Authority will Reduce Sewer Overflows
07/11/2013 R.I. Property Management Company Fined for Failing to Notify Tenants about Lead Paint Hazards in Providence
07/10/2013 Shell Oil To Spend Over $115 Million to Reduce Harmful Air Pollution at Houston Area Refinery And Chemical Plant
07/08/2013 Hercules to Pay $2 Million Penalty for Violations at Resin Disposal Superfund Site, Jefferson Borough
07/02/2013 Kansas Department of Transportation to Pay $477,500 Penalty to Settle Violations of Clean Water Act at Three Construction Sites
07/02/2013 Deseret Generation and Transmission Co-operative agrees to resolve Clean Air Act violations at Utah Power Plant
07/01/2013 Energy Department settles with EPA for waste management violations at Hanford
07/01/2013 EPA Warns Against Use of Refrigerant Substitutes That Pose Fire and Explosion Risk
06/28/2013 United States and Tennessee Reach Agreement with King Pharmaceuticals LLC to Resolve Allegations of Clean Air Act Violations
06/26/2013 EPA Reaches Agreement with SunCoke Energy for Clean Air Violations at Plants in Illinois and Ohio
06/25/2013 Oregon and Idaho property managers failed to disclose lead paint hazards to renters
06/21/2013 W/T Land and Cattle settles with EPA for water pollution violations
06/19/2013 Settlement with Ash Grove Cement Company to Reduce Thousands of Tons of Air Emissions
06/13/2013 United States and Arkansas File Joint Complaint Against ExxonMobil for Pegasus Pipeline Oil Spill in Mayflower, Arkansas
06/13/2013 MassDOT and Contractor Fined for Clean Water Violations
06/12/2013 New Haven, Conn. Cold Storage Warehouse Fined for Release of Toxic Ammonia from Facility
06/11/2013 FMC Corporation to begin Superfund cleanup at former phosphorus processing plant near Pocatello, Idaho
06/11/2013 EPA Orders a Stop Sale of Hampton Manufacturing, Inc's "Antibacterial H-42 Clipper Cleaner"
06/06/2013 Miami-Dade Agrees to $1.6 Billion Upgrade of its Sewer System to Eliminate Sewage Overflows
06/05/2013 EPA Fines Phoenix Lamp Recycler More Than $70,000 for PCB Violations
06/05/2013 HarenLaughlin Construction Company of Lenexa, Kan., to Pay $27,286 Penalty for Failure to Use Lead-Safe Work Practices and Notify Property Owner of Lead Risks
EPA Files Complaint Against Timmonsville, S.C. for Water Violations
06/03/2013 EPA Approves Plan to Control Sewer Overflows in Cincinnati Area / Will Reduce Releases of Sewage and Polluted Stormwater by More Than 1.5 Billion Gallons Each Year
05/30/2013 Public Comments Sought on Proposed Coal Ash Cleanup Settlement with Rotary Drilling Supply in Jefferson County, Mo.
05/30/2013 Tesoro to pay $1.1 million to resolve Clean Air Act violations
05/30/2013 Clean Harbors Environmental Services, Inc. to pay penalty for chemical reporting violations at Aragonite, Utah facility
05/30/2013 Reddy Ice Corporation to pay penalty and improve accident prevention and preparedness at Denver facility
05/29/2013 Farm Services Cooperative, of Shelby, Iowa, to Pay $21,450 Civil Penalty for Sale of Restricted Use Pesticides
05/28/2013 Wal-Mart Pleads Guilty To Federal Environmental Crimes And Civil Violations And Will Pay More Than $81 Million / Retailer admits violating criminal and civil laws designed to protect water quality and to ensure proper handling of hazardous wastes and pesticides
05/23/2013 EPA to be reimbursed $340K for hazardous waste cleanup at Lin-Electric Superfund site in Mercer County, W.Va.
05/23/2013 United States Takes Action to Reduce Hazards from Phosphoric Acid Manufacturing at Louisiana Facility
05/22/2013 Coffeyville Resources Refining and Marketing to Pay $300,000 to Settle Violations of Clean Air Act at Kansas Oil Refinery
05/15/2013 EPA orders gas stations to close underground injection wells to protect drinking water sources on Yakama Reservation
05/10/2013 Rhode Island Shipbuilder to Pay Fine and Take Actions to Reduce Air Emissions under Settlement with EPA
05/07/2013 Trucking company to pay $83,500 for gasoline spill in Lake County, Montana
05/02/2013 Rhode Island Company Pays $198,500 to Settle Clean Air Violations at Brattleboro, VT Facility
05/02/2013 EPA Takes Action Against Violators of the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule
05/01/2013 Rhode Island Boatyard to Reduce Air Emissions and Pay Penalty
04/23/2013 Beef Products Inc. to Pay $450,000 Penalty for Clean Air Act Violations at its Waterloo, Iowa, Facility
04/22/2013 U.S. EPA Requires ADOT to Reduce Pollution from Stormwater Runoff
04/22/2013 Clean Air Act Settlement with Wisconsin Utilities to Reduce Emissions by More Than 50,000 Tons Annually
04/19/2013 EPA: Compliance with environmental laws helps protect air, land and water in communities across Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington
04/19/2013 Cement Manufacturer Agrees to Reduce Harmful Air Emissions at Colorado Plant
04/18/2013 R.I. Landlords Fined for Failing to Notify Tenants about Lead Paint Hazards in Woonsocket
04/16/2013 Grain Processing Corporation of Muscatine, Iowa, Agrees to Pay $129,000 Penalty for Clean Water Act Violations
04/16/2013 Seattle and King County, Wash. Agree to Upgrade Combined Stormwater Systems to Protect Local Waters from Raw Sewage Overflows / City and county combined sewer overflows expected to drop by up to 99% by 2030
04/15/2013 EPA action protects Big Windsor Reservoir from feedlot waste
04/10/2013 EPA To Hold Second Budget Call Due to Earlier Technical Difficulties
04/10/2013 EPA's FY 2014 Budget Proposal Maintains the Strength of Federal, State, and Tribal Core Environmental and Human Health Protections/FY 2014 Request Focuses on Transforming the Way EPA Does Business
04/08/2013 Dudley, Mass. Packaging Plant to Pay Nearly $485K Penalty for Environmental Violations
04/08/2013 Ethanol producer to pay $136,500 for risk management and chemical reporting violations at Aberdeen and Huron, S.D. facilities
04/05/2013 Tyson Foods, Inc., to Pay $3.95M Penalty for Clean Air Act Violations at Facilities in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska
04/05/2013 Settlement with Tyson Foods to Address Multiple Releases of Anhydrous Ammonia / Settlement requires company to conduct third party audits to reduce threat of accidental chemical releases, purchase emergency equipment for first responders
04/04/2013 Kingston, N.H. Concrete Producer Agrees To Resolve Clean Water Act Violations
04/04/2013 EPA Issues Clean Water Act Permit for Small Suction Dredge Miners in Idaho
04/03/2013 Portland Oil Re-Refining Company ordered to safely dispose PCB-contaminated oil or pay penalty
04/03/2013 EPA Settles with Hydrofarm, Inc. for Selling Unregistered Pesticides
04/02/2013 Collis Inc to Pay $31,379 Civil Penalty for Hazardous Waste Violations in Clinton, Iowa
04/01/2013 U.S. Air Force 611th Air Support Group Closes Banned Motor Vehicle Waste Wells at Three Alaska Sites
04/01/2013 Oregon fuel companies fined for federal oil spill prevention and response violations
Don't know which EPA Region You are in? City and County of Honolulu wastewater treatment plants' exemptions not renewed / Sand Island and Honouliuli plants will be required to upgrade to full secondary treatment 01/05/2009 - See the news about the SEC indictment of Waste Management former senior officers - Dean Buntrock and Phil Rooney and others! These guys were doing "Enron" long before you ever heard of Enron!