It appears as though Rapid City, SD voters who go to the polls at the June 7 municipal election will have the chance to limit new billboards in their community.
The new Scenic Rapid City has been working hard to collect enough signatures to trigger the vote, and they were able to gather over 3,000 verified signatures, according to city officials.
The proposal would ban new digital billboards, following a trend that has included cities such as Denver, Houston, St. Louis and Indianapolis. It would also double the required distance between new and existing billboards to 2,000 feet and fix their maximum size at 250 square feet.
A second proposal would establish a 20-year expiration date on sign credits, the city's currency for new billboards. City ordinance now grants one sign credit for every billboard taken down and requires two sign credits to be surrendered for every new billboard that goes up.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
No branding on the Seattle skyline for now
A proposal to allow corporate signage at the tops of Seattle's downtown office buildings has been tabled for at least a year.
The idea, which proponents had hoped would pass quickly and with little public scrutiny, instead sparked a series of heated public gatherings where architects, designers and average citizens came out vociferously against the proposal.
Now, the editorial board at the Seattle Times says the idea should be dropped for good:
| Photo by United States Geological Survey |
Now, the editorial board at the Seattle Times says the idea should be dropped for good:
Seattle's skyline, featuring the Space Needle and tall buildings reflecting shimmery waters of Puget Sound, looks grand as it is. The council should drop this idea permanently.
Rawhide Down: 30 years later
30 years ago yesterday President Ronald "Rawhide" Reagan was shot. His words in the aftermath of the shooting are just another reason he is globally loved.
http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2011/03/rawhide-down-30-years-later/
eric aka the Tygrrrr Express
http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2011/03/rawhide-down-30-years-later/
eric aka the Tygrrrr Express
Our Gone Google Story: Boise State University saves on IT costs and invests in academics
Editor’s Note: Recently we announced the winners of our global Gone Google ad contest. Today’s featured winner is Brian Bolt, Lead Systems Engineer at Boise State University in Boise, Idaho.
Boise State University first looked at moving to Google Apps for Education in 2007. At the time, we were in the process of upgrading our email for employees and students from a system that had been in place since 1996. We realized that by choosing Google Apps for Education, Boise State could provide much more than a new email platform: an entire set of integrated, cutting edge communication and collaboration tools. And the huge cost savings would allow us to redirect scarce budget dollars and personnel away from email maintenance towards new technology initiatives that support our school.
We were proud to be the largest deployment of Google Apps for Education to students, faculty and staff when we moved to the cloud. Almost 20,000 student accounts and 3,000 faculty and staff accounts were migrated. Since then we’ve seen tremendous benefits. Every year, we save $147,000 in IT costs alone. This savings has allowed us to redeploy one and a half full-time employees to important technology projects that are core to our university. Our students and faculty alike have embraced Google Apps for Education. They are excited to use Docs and Google's other communication tools to easily share, research, and collaborate.
Boise State sees Google Apps as a great tool to help us in our commitment to academic excellence, public engagement, vibrant culture and exceptional research.
To lean more about Boise State's experience using Google Apps and the Apps Marketplace, join us for a webinar on April 7th at 11am PST
Boise State University first looked at moving to Google Apps for Education in 2007. At the time, we were in the process of upgrading our email for employees and students from a system that had been in place since 1996. We realized that by choosing Google Apps for Education, Boise State could provide much more than a new email platform: an entire set of integrated, cutting edge communication and collaboration tools. And the huge cost savings would allow us to redirect scarce budget dollars and personnel away from email maintenance towards new technology initiatives that support our school.We were proud to be the largest deployment of Google Apps for Education to students, faculty and staff when we moved to the cloud. Almost 20,000 student accounts and 3,000 faculty and staff accounts were migrated. Since then we’ve seen tremendous benefits. Every year, we save $147,000 in IT costs alone. This savings has allowed us to redeploy one and a half full-time employees to important technology projects that are core to our university. Our students and faculty alike have embraced Google Apps for Education. They are excited to use Docs and Google's other communication tools to easily share, research, and collaborate.
Boise State sees Google Apps as a great tool to help us in our commitment to academic excellence, public engagement, vibrant culture and exceptional research.
To lean more about Boise State's experience using Google Apps and the Apps Marketplace, join us for a webinar on April 7th at 11am PST
A New Definition Of Courage
By Findalis of Monkey in the Middle
Since the March 11th earthquake and tsunami, the world has witnessed the remarkable strength and fortitude of the Japanese people. While other nations experience looting, rioting, and the full spectrum of criminal behavior whenever a disaster (man-made or natural) occurs. Not so with the nation of Japan. Politeness, sharing and the concept of community embodies this nation's soul. No where in Japan this is unquestionable than with the 50 men who have volunteered to stay at the doomed nuclear facility at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.
Dr. Masaru Emoto released this statement:
Since the March 11th earthquake and tsunami, the world has witnessed the remarkable strength and fortitude of the Japanese people. While other nations experience looting, rioting, and the full spectrum of criminal behavior whenever a disaster (man-made or natural) occurs. Not so with the nation of Japan. Politeness, sharing and the concept of community embodies this nation's soul. No where in Japan this is unquestionable than with the 50 men who have volunteered to stay at the doomed nuclear facility at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.
Workers at the disaster-stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan say they expect to die from radiation sickness as a result of their efforts to bring the reactors under control, the mother of one of the men tells Fox News.True Bravery knows no skin color, no one faith, no one nation. It comes from the depths of one's soul, stirred by conviction and nourished by one's conscience.
The so-called Fukushima 50, the team of brave plant workers struggling to prevent a meltdown to four reactors critically damaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, are being repeatedly exposed to dangerously high radioactive levels as they attempt to bring vital cooling systems back online.
Speaking tearfully through an interpreter by phone, the mother of a 32-year-old worker said: “My son and his colleagues have discussed it at length and they have committed themselves to die if necessary to save the nation.
“He told me they have accepted they will all probably die from radiation sickness in the short term or cancer in the long-term.”
The woman spoke to Fox News on the condition of anonymity because, she said, plant workers had been asked by management not to communicate with the media or share details with family members in order to minimize public panic.
She could not confirm if her son or other workers were already suffering from radiation sickness. But she added: “They have concluded between themselves that it is inevitable some of them may die within weeks or months. They know it is impossible for them not to have been exposed to lethal doses of radiation.”
The plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (or TEPCO), says medical teams conduct regular testing on the restoration workers for signs of contamination-related illness. It claims there have been no further cases following the three workers who were treated last week after coming into direct contact with radioactive water. There are no reports of new members of the Fukushima 50 developing radiation sickness.
Although two suffered radiation burns to their legs and ankles and absorbed radiation internally, they have since been released from the hospital and are regularly being checked for signs of any deterioration in their condition, says TEPCO.
The company has pledged to improve the tough conditions for workers who stay on the site due to the short turnaround of shifts on safety grounds.
Some restorers directly tackling the problems with the fuel rod containment chambers are limited to 15 minutes at a time inside the reactor buildings or working near highly radioactive substances, including traces of plutonium that have appeared at numerous locations within the plant complex.
Living conditions for the hundreds of employees staying within the plant’s perimeter to support the restoration efforts are also equally as hazardous, say the authorities.
Banri Kaieda, the interior minister who also acts as a deputy head of the nuclear disaster task force jointly set up by the government and TEPCO, said 500 to 600 people were at one point lodging in a building within the complex. He told a media conference it was “not a situation in which minimum sleep and food could be ensured.”
Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency says that workers were only eating two basic meals of crackers and dried rice a day, and sleeping in conference rooms and hallways in the building.
According to Kaieda, not all of the workers had apparently been provided with lead sheeting to shield themselves from potentially radiation-contaminated floors while sleeping.
“My son has been sleeping on a desk because he is afraid to lie on the floor. But they say high radioactivity is everywhere and I think this will not save him,” said the mother of the worker who spoke to Fox News.
Full Story
Dr. Masaru Emoto released this statement:
To All People Around the World,The Fukushima 50 will all certainly die of Radiation Sickness from their heroic efforts. Let us all pray that their sacrifice will not be in vain. That they will be able to do the impossible, and stop this disaster from destroying a good chunk of Northern Japan.
Please send your prayers of love and gratitude to water at the nuclear plants in Fukushima, Japan.
By the massive earthquakes of Magnitude 9 and surreal massive tsunamis, more than 10,000 people are still missing. It has been 16 days already since the disaster happened. What makes it worse is that water at the reactors of Fukushima Nuclear Plants started to leak, and it's contaminating the ocean, air and water molecules of the surrounding areas.
Human wisdom has not been able to do much to solve the problem, but we are only trying to cool down the anger of radioactive materials in the reactors by discharging water to them.
Is there really nothing else to do?
I think there is. During over twenty year research of hado measuring and water crystal photographic technology, I have been witnessing that water can turn positive when it receives pure vibration of human prayer no matter how far away it is.
The energy formula of Albert Einstein, E=MC2 really means that Energy = number of people and the square of people's consciousness.
Now is the time to understand the true meaning. Let us all join the prayer ceremony as fellow citizens of the planet earth.
I would like to ask all people, not just in Japan, but all around the world to please help us to find a way out the crisis of this planet
In London On April 9th? Attend The Adventurist Film Festival!
The 2011 Adventurist Film Festival is scheduled to take place at the Royal Geographical Society in London on April 9th. Co-hosted by Hendrick's Gin, the event promises to once again shine a spotlight on some of the more offbeat, yet adventuresome, films to be released in the past year. There will also be a host of great guest speakers and plenty of libations to enjoy as well.
Amongst the guests who will be on hand for the event are Amazon Walker Ed Stafford, who will know doubt regale attendees with rousing stories from his 4000 mile hike along the length of the Amazon River. Ed will be joined by Tarka and Katie-Jane L'Herpiniere, who took a little walk of their own along the Great Wall of China, and Andrew Miles from the Explorers Film School.
The day will begin at 12:15 PM and run throughout the afternoon, with short-list of the top film entries on display. An over all winner for festival will be crowned by 6:30PM, at which time everyone will retire to the RGS Map Room for further discussions of an adventurous nature. To check out the full program, click here and to purchase tickets for the event, click here.
The Adventurists, by the way, are the fine chaps behind such events as the Mongol Rally, the Rickshaw Run, and the Africa Rally, all of which look insanely fun.
"Operation Purple" Camps application time NOW
Operation Purple Program
When you hear "Operation Purple camp" you should think: Kids Serve Too! The National Military Family Association's Operation Purple camps are a time for having fun, making friends, and reminding military kids that they are the Nation's youngest heroes.
The Operation Purple program was created in 2004 in response to parent’s call to "help us help our kids." The mission of the Operation Purple program is to empower military children and their families to develop and maintain healthy and connected relationships, in spite of the current military environment. We do this through a variety of means, including the healing and holistic aspect of the natural world. The program is joint or "purple"— and open to children and families of active duty, National Guard or Reserve service members from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or the Commissioned Corps of the US Public Health Service and NOAA.
In the 2004 Operation Purple pilot season, the National Military Family Association started with 12 camp locations serving close to 1,000 children. Since then the Operation Purple program has grown and expanded and by summer's end close to 45,000 military children and teens will have been served. The Operation Purple program also includes camps for teens, family retreats at the national parks, and camps geared to address the needs of children and families of our nations wounded service members.
Donations for Operation Purple camps are now supporting our 2012 program. Please direct donation questions to donations@militaryfamily.org.
Please direct questions regarding the Operation Purple program to OPC@militaryfamily.org.
2011 Operation Purple camp applications are now available.
Find a location near you and apply today.
Because the children ALSO serve.
[*cross-posted from WOTN*]
A recap of new Google Docs functionality for your business
As we near the end of the March, we want to highlight some of the many recent updates made to Google Docs. You’ve already heard about Discussions in Google Docs, which introduced a better way to provide document feedback. Here are some of the other features that have been released in Google Docs over the past couple months:
- Filter your data in spreadsheets: We made it easier to analyze and view your data with the addition of filtering in Google spreadsheets. Applying a filter to a set of data can help you quickly narrow down the data set to find the data you need. By selecting a data set, you can filter and sort amongst many rows at once.
- 12 new file formats in the Google Docs Viewer: The Google Docs Viewer is used by millions of people every day to quickly view PDFs, Microsoft Word documents and PowerPoint presentations online. Not only is viewing files in your browser far more secure than downloading and opening them locally, but it also saves time and doesn’t clutter up your hard-drive with unwanted files. We recently added support for:
- Microsoft Excel (.XLS and .XLSX)
- Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 / 2010 (.PPTX)
- Apple Pages (.PAGES)
- Adobe Illustrator (.AI)
- Adobe Photoshop (.PSD)
- Autodesk AutoCad (.DXF)
- Scalable Vector Graphics (.SVG)
- PostScript (.EPS, .PS)
- TrueType (.TTF)
- XML Paper Specification (.XPS)
- Microsoft Excel (.XLS and .XLSX)
- Mobile editing in 45 languages: Last year, we launched mobile editing in English in Google documents. You can now edit your documents on the go in 45 languages on Android with Froyo (version 2.2) and on iOS devices (version 3.0+) including the iPad.
- Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in 34 languages: Last June, we introduced the ability to upload documents into Google Docs using Optical Character Recognition (OCR). We’ve now added support for 29 additional character sets, including those used in most European languages, Russian, Chinese Simplified and some other Asian languages. See the upload page for the full list.
- Multiple chart ranges and hidden sheets in Spreadsheets: We added the ability to chart multiple ranges and hide sheets in Google spreadsheets. In charts, you can now add extra ranges by clicking on “Select ranges...” and “add another range.” You can also manually add new ranges separated by commas. In addition, we introduced the ability to hide your sheets. You can now click on a sheet tab and select “hide sheet” to remove a sheet from view.
- Revisions, presence, and format painter in Drawings: We’re making it easier to work together in drawings. First, we’ve added presence highlights around shapes so you can keep track of which object each person is editing. Second, we added revision history which lets you see who made which change as well as go back to previous versions. Third, the new format painter lets you choose a source shape, press the format painter icon to copy its formatting, and then click on another shape to apply that formatting to the destination shape.
- Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office: Google Cloud Connect is now available in 39 languages. We’ve also added the ability to hide the toolbar.
- Hidden gridlines in Google spreadsheets: Under the View menu, you can Hide gridlines for each sheet, leaving only the borders that have been put there.
- Quick starring and improved sharing invitations: Now you can star documents while editing them. Once a doc is starred, you’ll be able to find the doc by clicking on the starred link in your document list. We’ve also updated document sharing so that when you share a doc with others, all new collaborators are now included on the email.
- Cloud printing on the go: now you can print from your smartphone with Google Cloud Print for mobile documents and Gmail for mobile. Just open a document in Google Docs or an email in Gmail in your mobile browser and choose “Print” from the dropdown menu in the top right corner. To get started, you’ll need to connect your printer to Google Cloud Print.
To Catch A Dollar
Tonight, March 31, 2011 at 7:30PM, marks the single day national release of the film To Catch A Dollar. Directed by Gayle Ferraro, the documentary film tells the story of Nobel Leaureate and Grameen Bank founder Professor Mohammad Yunus and follows his journey from the creation of Grameen Bank in Bangladesh to the founding of Grameen America in New York City. The film also highlights the successful impact that the Grameen Model has already made after just three years in America and closely follows the stories of three women as they work to lift themselves out of poverty with the help of microloans.
This is the only night the film will be screened to a national audience in 227 theatres across the country. The screening will feature an introduction by Robert De Niro and a panel discussion with Professor Yunus, Maria Bartiroma, Suze Orman, and support statements from Hugh Jackman and Matt Damon. It is a great way to learn about the work Grameen America does on a daily basis and the potential of microfinance, especially in America. Please try to check it out if you can and spread the word about this special event! Go to www.tocatchadollar.com to learn more about the film and to find a theatre near you!
News from World Union of Meretz
The following are updates regarding Meretz, the World Union of Meretz and Israeli politics from the March 2011 newsletter of the World Union of Meretz, compiled by Dror Morag, WUM's secretary-general. I've done some editing for form and I bold some of these items for emphasis:
Next week, Meretz will elect its new Secretary General, Executive Board and Convention Presidium. We all hope that The new Secretary General and Institutions will lead the party to ... enable it's rebuilding towards the next Knesset elections.
Last week, Haim (Jumes) Oron, Meretz Chairman, resigned from the Knesset after 23 years of impressive and widely appreciated parliamentary work. Jumes did not resign his position as Meretz Chairman, and will go on with this position working towards rebuilding Meretz and the Israeli peace camp. Oron's resignation enabled Zehava Galon to re-enter the Knesset, after a two-year hiatus following the last elections. Galon used [this] hiatus to work on her PhD in Gender Studies at the Bar Ilan University. Prior to this period Galon was a highly appreciated Knesset member for 10 years – 1999-2009.
These changes in Meretz come as a part of a bigger picture of change processes taking part in the Israeli left; a period of rebuilding and rejuvenation. Many understand that the Israeli left can no longer be fragmented [into] a variety of parties and NGO's, thus losing many votes and not [being] able to pose a serious opposition to the Shas-Barak-Bibi-Lieberman government. A variety of forums are gathering to work out a framework for forming a single political bloc between Kadima and Hadash – a Zionist-Social Democratic-peace oriented front. We do not know yet how will this bloc will look, but the aim is to enable a formation of a center-left government with Kadima. ...
JAFI [the Jewish Agency for Israel]: During February 2011, Rany Trainnin had been approved permanently to the position of Deputy Chairman, in charge of all of JAFI's conduct inside Israel. ...
JNF/KKL [Jewish National Fund/Keren Kayemet L'Yisrael]: The Struggle is yet to be concluded; a General Assembly meeting due to take place on March 15th was surprisingly postponed to an unknown date by Mr. Efi Shtenzler, JNF/KKL acting Chairman.
Meretz USA 2011 Israel Symposium: Meretz USA are currently holding their annual 'Israel Symposium' – a one week study trip in Israel and the west bank, meeting prominent politicians, activists and journalists discussing the Israeli left and the occupation. ...
This newsletter is available in full at the World Union of Meretz Website.
Next week, Meretz will elect its new Secretary General, Executive Board and Convention Presidium. We all hope that The new Secretary General and Institutions will lead the party to ... enable it's rebuilding towards the next Knesset elections.
Last week, Haim (Jumes) Oron, Meretz Chairman, resigned from the Knesset after 23 years of impressive and widely appreciated parliamentary work. Jumes did not resign his position as Meretz Chairman, and will go on with this position working towards rebuilding Meretz and the Israeli peace camp. Oron's resignation enabled Zehava Galon to re-enter the Knesset, after a two-year hiatus following the last elections. Galon used [this] hiatus to work on her PhD in Gender Studies at the Bar Ilan University. Prior to this period Galon was a highly appreciated Knesset member for 10 years – 1999-2009.
These changes in Meretz come as a part of a bigger picture of change processes taking part in the Israeli left; a period of rebuilding and rejuvenation. Many understand that the Israeli left can no longer be fragmented [into] a variety of parties and NGO's, thus losing many votes and not [being] able to pose a serious opposition to the Shas-Barak-Bibi-Lieberman government. A variety of forums are gathering to work out a framework for forming a single political bloc between Kadima and Hadash – a Zionist-Social Democratic-peace oriented front. We do not know yet how will this bloc will look, but the aim is to enable a formation of a center-left government with Kadima. ...
JAFI [the Jewish Agency for Israel]: During February 2011, Rany Trainnin had been approved permanently to the position of Deputy Chairman, in charge of all of JAFI's conduct inside Israel. ...
JNF/KKL [Jewish National Fund/Keren Kayemet L'Yisrael]: The Struggle is yet to be concluded; a General Assembly meeting due to take place on March 15th was surprisingly postponed to an unknown date by Mr. Efi Shtenzler, JNF/KKL acting Chairman.
Meretz USA 2011 Israel Symposium: Meretz USA are currently holding their annual 'Israel Symposium' – a one week study trip in Israel and the west bank, meeting prominent politicians, activists and journalists discussing the Israeli left and the occupation. ...
This newsletter is available in full at the World Union of Meretz Website.
Budget Battle: Tea Party The Willing Cudgel Used To Beat Democrats Over The Head
Here are some facts that everyone knows but recent budget battle talks and disagreements overshadow.Fact One: Republicans only control one third of the Government. Democrats control two-thirds of the Government
Fact Two: Republicans control the House of Representatives. Democrats control the U.S. Senate and the White House.
Tea Party members, for all the talk about them, understand this. They are willing to be used as the cudgel that beats Democrats over the head over and over again. They allow this because they are actively involved in the political process and understand the talk about good cop, insane cop, can be used heavily in favor of cleaning up our fiscal mess, one billion at a time.
Michael Ettlinger and Michael Linden take note of what this means. Democrats are now ready to cut $30 billion below 2010 levels for the 2011 budget. That was the Republican leadership’s initial offer, basically a pro-rated version of their $100 billion in cuts from the Obama 2011 budget request. They went further to the right after losing the tea party conservatives and then sought $100 billion overall from that budget request, or in real dollars a $61 billion reduction. So here come the Democrats, offering the $30 billion in cuts that the Republican leadership wanted in the first place.
Look at the budget battle continuing on the Hill at the moment.
Despite controlling two thirds of the Government, Democrats have been forced to concede time and time again because they understand the Republicans owe the Tea Party. They owe them because the GOP made promises during their campaigns and the Tea Party has every right to expect, demand even, those promises be kept to the best of the GOP's ability.
From NBC's Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Caving in: If the current Washington fight over spending was a game of chicken, the Obama White House would already be pulled over on the side of the road, as House Republicans continue to barrel down the deserted highway. The fact is, the White House and Senate Democrats keep caving, while House Republicans -- at least publicly -- have yet to budge an inch. The latest development, as Politico reports, is that the administration has agreed to an overall cut of $33 billion, which is near the number that the House leadership originally proposed (before the Tea Party caucus forced it to go higher). And now the White House appears to be backing away from its demand that no riders be attached to the deal. Press Secretary Jay Carney said there is no veto threat from the White House on a deal that contains ANY riders, as was originally the position. And here’s what Vice President Biden said on the matter yesterday: “The president and I are not really big on any riders at all. But this is a process which is normal for the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to get into the details. We’ve made it clear what we think are non-starters, both in numbers and riders. But I’m not going to go -- I’m not going to negotiate out here.”
Media outlet after media outlet as well as Democratic leaders [Reid] continue to cry out "The Republicans are scared of the Tea Party".
I beg to differ.
Republicans are not scared of the Tea Party, Republicans love the Tea Party.
Republicans that are serious about spending cuts and understand that America continues to spend more money than it has, also understand the Tea Party is the best friend they have and the best weapon against Democrats that wish to continue spending more money than we have.
I suspect there will be no government shutdown. A budget deal will be made, Republicans fighting tooth and nail for each and every spending cut made, publicly. Democrats fighting against each and every spending cut, just as publicly.
The Tea Party will say it is not enough. Republicans will point to Democrats, reminding folks that Democrats control two-thirds of the government and say that's why they couldn't get more spending cuts.
Translation to Tea Party- 2012 elections.
The Tea Party and the GOP are tag teaming the out-of-control, spend-more-than-we-have Democrats and they are doing it brilliantly.
.
Scottish Govt challenges disclosure ruling on local income tax information
Scottish Ministers have appealed to the Court of Session after the Scottish Information Commissioner ordered documents detailing the financial implications of a proposed local income tax scheme be released to the Daily Telegraph.
On February 9, 2011, following a two-year dispute, the Scottish Information Commissioner ordered the information be disclosed:
Read the Scottish Information Commissioner’s decision and the Daily Telegraph story.
On February 9, 2011, following a two-year dispute, the Scottish Information Commissioner ordered the information be disclosed:
“The information therein would contribute significantly to public understanding of how and why changing financial and economic circumstances in the period since 2007 had affected the viability of the Ministers’ policy to replace council tax with a local income tax. This could in turn allow informed discussion of the longer term viability of any such plans as economic circumstances have changed in the period since the revised revenue projections were prepared.”The new appeal means the information will now not be released until well after the Scottish Parliament general election in May.
Read the Scottish Information Commissioner’s decision and the Daily Telegraph story.
Trailer For Jeff Lowe's Metanoia Film
Back in the winter of 1991, climber Jeff Lowe spent nine days putting up a new route on the Eiger. After completing that very difficult, and life altering, route, he named it Metanoia. No one has ever been able to duplicate that route ever since. Now, a new film is in the works that will tell the tale of that climb and the impact it had on the alpine world.
Yesterday, I received a note about this film, which is scheduled to be released later this year. In that note, there was a plea for donations to help complete the movie. The production team was seeking $25,000 to do just that. Today, when I clicked on the donations page, I see that they not only reached their goal, they've actually earned nearly $38,000 in the process. Pretty impressive response from the climbing community, and a job well done!
Also, the film interviews climber Ueli Steck about Lowe and the Metanoia climb. Ueli, who is amongst the strongest climbers in the world in my opinion, has nothing but good things to say. He is also gearing up to make an attempt on Metanoia himself. If anyone can climb the route, is is probably Steck.
Yesterday, I received a note about this film, which is scheduled to be released later this year. In that note, there was a plea for donations to help complete the movie. The production team was seeking $25,000 to do just that. Today, when I clicked on the donations page, I see that they not only reached their goal, they've actually earned nearly $38,000 in the process. Pretty impressive response from the climbing community, and a job well done!
Also, the film interviews climber Ueli Steck about Lowe and the Metanoia climb. Ueli, who is amongst the strongest climbers in the world in my opinion, has nothing but good things to say. He is also gearing up to make an attempt on Metanoia himself. If anyone can climb the route, is is probably Steck.
Himalaya 2011: The Trek To BC Begins
Arriving in Lukla is the first stage of the climb, even if it is still quite a long way from the mountain. From there, the climbers will actually descend a short distance for the first day, before making the long climb up to Namche Bazaar and their first rest day. It is all part of the early acclimatization process, and even though it is merely a trek at this stage, it all starts to prepare them for the challenge ahead.
Alan Arnette sent out his first audio dispatch of the season, and from the sounds of things, he is more than happy to have arrived in Lukla and to be back in the Khumbu Valley. He arrived in Lukla yesterday and made the long, slow slog up Namche Hill today. This is all old hat for Allen, who has been to Everest three times previously, but you can tell that there is some excitement in the air none the less.
Allen is climbing as part of the International Mountain Guides team, and they posted an update to their blog today as well. In that update they indicated that the entire team, including a group of trekkers, arrived in Lukla yesterday, but perhaps more importantly, the preparations in Base Camp are nearly complete, which means it'll be a nice comfy place to stay when they all arrive in a week or so. The tent platforms are all built, and the lead Sherpas are returning to Namche Bazaar today to count the oxygen bottles for their garbage deposit and register the climbers for permits to pass through the dreaded Khumbu Icefalls, the most dangerous place on the mountain.
Meanwhile, the Altitude Junkies team is now assembling in Kathmandu and preparing for their trek to EBC. They'll depart in two separate groups, one on the 1st and the other on the 2nd of April. Similarly, the Himex team is leaving for Lukla today and expect to be in Base Camp on the 9th. They share all kinds of details about their climbing group, and a host of new upgrades for BC, in this post.
Also back on Everest this year is David Tait, who has made three successful summits of Everest, including a complete traverse of the mountain from the North to the South side. Tait vowed that he was through with Everest a few years back, but just like clockwork, he still returns each spring. He is currently in Kathmandu and organizing his gear, but will be off to Lukla shortly, and expects to be in Base Camp by the 7th of April.
Plenty more to come. Expect some great images from the EBC trek over the next few days as the climbers make their way to the mountain. Having done that trek myself last year, I know full well what they're up to and where they are staying along the way. Reading about their travels is making me miss the Khumbu at the moment.
Trends from the 2011 Nonprofit Technology Conference
by Tom Austin Content Development Manager NeighborWorks America
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| NTC Keynoter Dan Heath tells nonprofits "how to change things, when change is hard." credit: JD Lasica/Socialbrite.org |
At the Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC), sponsored by Portland-based NTEN, one is reminded how technology is transforming the nonprofit sector. Held this year in Washington, D.C., the conference attracted more than 2,000 nonprofit staff from the U.S. and around the world, all trying to glean the best ways to put technology to good use in their missions.
Here are seven trends from the conference with an eye on impact on affordable housing and community development nonprofits:
Video is hot. Clearly nonprofits are finding it more challenging to engage folks in their mission just by using explanatory text. Compelling videos that “show” rather than “tell” have a way of cutting through the information overload we all experience. Check out these award winning nonprofit videos.
E-mail marketing is also hot. Can your website visitors subscribe to an e-newsletter where you send them the latest news and events? E-mail marketing is getting more sophisticated by the day, giving nonprofits the ability to customize communications to different audiences and track open and click-through rates.
Google rolls out suite of products for nonprofits. The Google kiosk was packed at NTC and it wasn’t just the free chocolate bars they were giving away. The tech giant used the conference to announce a package of products for nonprofits to improve operations, raise awareness, reach donors, and improve website performance. My favorite is Google’s Fusion Tables, where you can upload a spreadsheet and view as a map or a chart and share with others, even on a webpage. Imagine how useful this might be in illustrating abandoned properties or other neighborhood challenges. http://www.google.com/nonprofits
Release of E-Nonprofit Benchmarks Study. An annual survey on nonprofit use of e-communications was released at the 2011 NTC by M+R and NTEN. The study shows a 14 percent growth in online nonprofit fundraising last year, mainly driven by relief organizations that have overseas operations. If you want to compare your nonprofit’s digital performance with others, this report is a good place to start.
Mobile applications are in. Mobile devices are getting traction in disaster relief fundraising, but there’s also a lot of discussion on what will be the next big thing in mobile. NTC hosted sessions called “Best Practices—Communicating and Fundraising Using the Mobile Device” and “Using Location-Aware Web and Mobile Applications for Activism and Engagement.” This NTEN blog explores this arena.
Net neutrality remains issue for nonprofits. Nonprofits continue to have a stake in high speed Internet access to all who benefit from their programs, including those in remote rural areas. Not a surprise to see that issue on the NTC legislative agenda.
Technology and organizational change. Change is hard for nonprofits, as NTC keynote speaker Dan Heath, author of Switch, pointed out. Change is sparked by evoking emotion, not just information, he said and demonstrated by showing some compelling nonprofit video clips.
The next NTC is in San Francisco in April 2012. But the sponsor, NTEN, has fantastic web-based resources year-round. I highly recommend membership in this organization for nonprofits working in the affordable housing and community development field.
The next NTC is in San Francisco in April 2012. But the sponsor, NTEN, has fantastic web-based resources year-round. I highly recommend membership in this organization for nonprofits working in the affordable housing and community development field.
A Shadow of Fear On Legitimate Debate
The new online publication, Souciant Magazine, has a fascinating article on the pros and cons of Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS). With all due respect to the authors of the recent, very good article on the topic in Dissent, this one is both smarter and more succinct.
[Full disclosure: Souciant presented this article courtesy of the upcoming online Middle East publication, Babylon Times. I am one of the co-founders of Babylon Times, and I hope my readers will keep their eye out for it and check us out and support us when Babylon Times does debut. We expect the premier to be in early June]
But what is of almost as much importance as the matter of the article itself is the name of the author. You will notice the article was published anonymously. We are seeing, in that anonymity, the effects of Israel’s relentless action against freedom and democracy.
The Knesset is trying to legislate against any form of boycott, including that which targets only the settlements.
Perhaps by the time the bill becomes law (and it almost certainly will) it will be modified and watered down in some way. But that really isn’t the point.As my readers know very well, I do not support the global BDS movement, but do support targeting the settlements and the occupation. But whether you agree with me, oppose all BDS or support all BDS, I think most of us can agree that an article like the one by Anonymous should not be cause for prosecution or fear of it.
Some may feel Anonymous is overreacting. Maybe, maybe not. But the advocates of illegalizing BDS support in Israel are hoping for just that kind of overreaction. That’s how assaults on democracy work, not only through repressive laws but by creating a repressive atmosphere.
Is that where any of us really wants Israel to go?
Thanking The Koch Brothers: Union VP Explains Why Boycotting Koch Industries Is Moronic
Interspersing complaints and whining about David H. Koch and Charles G. Koch's political agenda with facts of what Koch industries does for workers and the good they do for America, International Vice President at United Steelworkers, Jon Geenen explains why the recent calls for boycotting Koch's businesses is a very bad idea.
Before addressing the idiocy of Geenen's political arguments, lets highlight his admittance that the Koch family is the prime example of what America needs today.
Emphasis mine.
Koch Industries advances American jobs and American manufacturing. Two things this country is in dire need of.
A look at their subsidiaries across various industries gives a good indication of how many jobs the Koch brothers provide in the United States:
* Georgia-Pacific paper and pulp company, maker of "Brawny" paper towels, "Angel Soft" toilet paper, "Mardi Gras" napkins and towels, "Quilted Northern" toilet paper and paper towels, "Dixie" paper plates, bowls, napkins and cups, "Sparkle" paper towels, and "Vanity Fair" paper napkins, bowls, plates and tablecloths. The Atlanta-based company has operations in 27 states.
* Invista, a polymer and fibers company that makes "Stainmaster" carpet, and "Lycra" fiber, among other products.
* Koch Pipeline Company LP, which owns and operates 4,000 miles of pipeline used to transport oil, natural gas liquids and chemicals. Its pipelines are located across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Alberta, Canada. The firm operates offices in Wichita, Kansas, St. Paul, Minnesota and Corpus Christi, Texas.
* Flint Hill Resources LP, is a major refining and chemicals company based in Wichita, Kansas. It sells products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, ethanol, polymers, intermediate chemicals, base oils and asphalt. It operates oil refineries in six states. Flint Hill has chemical plants in Illinois, Texas and Michigan. The firm is also a major manufacturer of asphalt used for paving and roofing applications. It operates 13 asphalt terminals located in six states including Alaska (2 terminals), Wisconsin (2), Iowa (3), Minnesota (4), Nebraska (1), and North Dakota(1). The firm manages the purchasing of domestic crude oil from Texas and Colorado offices, has four ethanol plants across Iowa, operates three refineries in Alaska, Texas, and Minnesota, and has a refinery terminal in Alaska. It also operates fuel terminals in Wisconsin (4 locations), Texas (6), and one each in Iowa and Minnesota.
* Koch Fertilizer, LLC, which is one of the world’s largest makers of nitrogen fertilizers. Koch Fertilizer owns or has interests in fertilizer plants the United States, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, and Italy, among others.In October 2010, a plant in Venezuela was nationalized by the government.
* Koch Agricultural Company's Matador Cattle Company division operates three ranches totaling 425,000 acres located in Beaverhead, Montana, Matador, Texas and the Flint Hills of eastern Kansas. There are more than 15,000 head of cattle raised on the ranches. (Source)
Geenen's complaints stem from the fact that the Kochs have money and choose to use it to advance a political agenda they happen to believe in.
OMG, what a crime!!!
Key words there... Their fortunes.
Emphasis, again, mine.
So, we have established Koch Industries employs masses, manufactures and provides jobs right here in America, continues to expand their vast holdings, wealth and businesses and American workers, even union workers are benefiting.
I repeat- Geenen's complaint seems to be that the Koch brothers use their fortune to help advance their own political beliefs.
Who doesn't?
*raises hand here*
I don't.
If a person has money and chooses to fund organizations, think tanks, political action groups or anything their heart desires in order to help a cause or agenda they believe in, as long as they aren't receiving tax payer money and/or bailouts from our government, and it is their own money they are spending... more power to them.
Liberal or conservative. I don't really give a damn. It is their money, they can use it the way they want to and should be applauded for doing so. Applauded for being willing to put their money where their mouths are.
Amazingly enough, the hypocrites on the left do not complain when it is a liberal billionaire donating and working toward furthering liberal goals, example George Soros, just to name one in a long list.
No, they complain and actively work against anyone that dares spend their own money to further goals more aligned with conservatism.
Liberal billionaires that use the system to help liberal politicians are icons and idolized in progressives' minds, but the conservative wealthy that do the same are some sort of monsters because those goals do not match the ideology of a liberal.
I, for one, would like to thank David H. Koch and Charles G. Koch for providing and creating jobs right here in America. I would like to thank them for continuing to manufacture products here in America. I would like to thank them for using their considerable fortune to help further a conservative agenda that I believe is good for America.
H/T allahpundit@Twitter
.
Before addressing the idiocy of Geenen's political arguments, lets highlight his admittance that the Koch family is the prime example of what America needs today.
A number of organizations are advocating a boycott of the products that come from companies owned by the Koch family. This is problematic for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it could potentially hurt the wrong people.
The Koch brothers own Georgia Pacific. It is an American consumer goods company that makes everyday products like facial tissue, napkins, paper towels, paper cups and the like. Their plants are great examples of American advanced manufacturing. Incidentally,
GP makes most of its products here in America. The company’s workforce is highly unionized. In fact, 80 percent of its mills are under contract with one or more labor union. It is not inaccurate to say that these are among the best-paid manufacturing jobs in America.
This presents a dilemma and a paradox. While the Koch brothers are credited with advocating an agenda and groups that are clearly hostile to labor and labor’s agenda, the brothers’ company in practice and in general has positive and productive collective bargaining relationships with its unions.
While some companies are running from investment in American jobs, The Koch brothers’ Georgia Pacific just reached agreements with its primary union in the paper industry to invest more than a half a billion dollars in capital to essentially create two state-of-the-art machines that conserve fiber and energy at two separate union mills.
Emphasis mine.
Koch Industries advances American jobs and American manufacturing. Two things this country is in dire need of.
A look at their subsidiaries across various industries gives a good indication of how many jobs the Koch brothers provide in the United States:
* Georgia-Pacific paper and pulp company, maker of "Brawny" paper towels, "Angel Soft" toilet paper, "Mardi Gras" napkins and towels, "Quilted Northern" toilet paper and paper towels, "Dixie" paper plates, bowls, napkins and cups, "Sparkle" paper towels, and "Vanity Fair" paper napkins, bowls, plates and tablecloths. The Atlanta-based company has operations in 27 states.
* Invista, a polymer and fibers company that makes "Stainmaster" carpet, and "Lycra" fiber, among other products.
* Koch Pipeline Company LP, which owns and operates 4,000 miles of pipeline used to transport oil, natural gas liquids and chemicals. Its pipelines are located across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Alberta, Canada. The firm operates offices in Wichita, Kansas, St. Paul, Minnesota and Corpus Christi, Texas.
* Flint Hill Resources LP, is a major refining and chemicals company based in Wichita, Kansas. It sells products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, ethanol, polymers, intermediate chemicals, base oils and asphalt. It operates oil refineries in six states. Flint Hill has chemical plants in Illinois, Texas and Michigan. The firm is also a major manufacturer of asphalt used for paving and roofing applications. It operates 13 asphalt terminals located in six states including Alaska (2 terminals), Wisconsin (2), Iowa (3), Minnesota (4), Nebraska (1), and North Dakota(1). The firm manages the purchasing of domestic crude oil from Texas and Colorado offices, has four ethanol plants across Iowa, operates three refineries in Alaska, Texas, and Minnesota, and has a refinery terminal in Alaska. It also operates fuel terminals in Wisconsin (4 locations), Texas (6), and one each in Iowa and Minnesota.
* Koch Fertilizer, LLC, which is one of the world’s largest makers of nitrogen fertilizers. Koch Fertilizer owns or has interests in fertilizer plants the United States, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, and Italy, among others.In October 2010, a plant in Venezuela was nationalized by the government.
* Koch Agricultural Company's Matador Cattle Company division operates three ranches totaling 425,000 acres located in Beaverhead, Montana, Matador, Texas and the Flint Hills of eastern Kansas. There are more than 15,000 head of cattle raised on the ranches. (Source)
Geenen's complaints stem from the fact that the Kochs have money and choose to use it to advance a political agenda they happen to believe in.
OMG, what a crime!!!
By now anyone who had not yet heard of the Koch brothers has been introduced to them. Every major newspaper and magazine has run an article about the brothers who until recently lived largely under the radar while advancing a political vision via political action committees and think tanks funded by their fortunes.
Key words there... Their fortunes.
If consumers pick alternate products (because people will still use toilet paper), in many cases, the substitute will be from a company with a track record that is much less friendly to the values of the workers who would, as a result of the boycott, become the collateral damage. The Koch brothers’ lifestyle will not dramatically change; there are no shareholders that will become concerned; the company is privately owned. The stock won’t plummet either — there is none.
Emphasis, again, mine.
So, we have established Koch Industries employs masses, manufactures and provides jobs right here in America, continues to expand their vast holdings, wealth and businesses and American workers, even union workers are benefiting.
I repeat- Geenen's complaint seems to be that the Koch brothers use their fortune to help advance their own political beliefs.
To be sure, I personally have grave concerns about the agenda and influence being wielded by private wealth into our political system. Who doesn’t? I too agree that the Koch brothers are an ideal example of a very broken system. They undoubtedly know that many see them as pariahs, and undoubtedly they don’t care — no more than I care if someone attaches a label to me for my political views.
Who doesn't?
*raises hand here*
I don't.
If a person has money and chooses to fund organizations, think tanks, political action groups or anything their heart desires in order to help a cause or agenda they believe in, as long as they aren't receiving tax payer money and/or bailouts from our government, and it is their own money they are spending... more power to them.
Liberal or conservative. I don't really give a damn. It is their money, they can use it the way they want to and should be applauded for doing so. Applauded for being willing to put their money where their mouths are.
Amazingly enough, the hypocrites on the left do not complain when it is a liberal billionaire donating and working toward furthering liberal goals, example George Soros, just to name one in a long list.
No, they complain and actively work against anyone that dares spend their own money to further goals more aligned with conservatism.
Liberal billionaires that use the system to help liberal politicians are icons and idolized in progressives' minds, but the conservative wealthy that do the same are some sort of monsters because those goals do not match the ideology of a liberal.
I, for one, would like to thank David H. Koch and Charles G. Koch for providing and creating jobs right here in America. I would like to thank them for continuing to manufacture products here in America. I would like to thank them for using their considerable fortune to help further a conservative agenda that I believe is good for America.
H/T allahpundit@Twitter
.
Georgia Department of Corrections Improves Case Management with Google Maps
Editor’s Note: Providing a safe and secure environment for the citizens is the mission of U.S. law enforcement agencies. Today we invited Jeff Smith, Enterprise Systems Manager from the Georgia Department of Corrections, to share how it improved offender management by using Google Maps.
The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) is the largest law enforcement agency in the state. Our team of over 13,000 Corrections professionals strives everyday to manage the offenders effectively while helping to provide a safe and secure environment for the citizens. With a growing number of probationers to supervise - now more than 150,000 - this challenge was becoming increasingly more difficult and we needed modern technology to help us.
With the massive number of probationers in the GDC system, it’s fundamental that we have accurate mapping tools in order for probation officers to manage their caseloads appropriately. Believe it or not, for decades we had been plotting the probationers on paper maps and manually drawing the routes we took to supervise them. More recently, our officers turned to publicly available mapping tools to make their job easier on their own. In spite of that, accuracy was still a problem, and we came to realize the urgent need to equip our officers with accurate, interactive maps.
We implemented a solution that integrates large amounts of offender management data that we collected into Google Maps API Premier in October 2010. Google Maps gives us the flexibility to send large amounts of data to draw a single map and customize the data icons. We can easily map the address of each offender and color-code it based on the offender’s supervision level. Probation officers are now able to access customized Google Maps both from their desk computers and on their netbooks when they are on the road. An officer can quickly see on a map all the offenders he supervises, their addresses, identification information, supervision levels, and the probation office supervising the offenders’ cases. Officers can optimize caseloads based on real geographic boundaries so each of them can focus just on a sector of the city and reduce the amount of time spent navigating through Atlanta. We can also run a search by officer, office, or by radius to identify the cases. If an offender reports a home address change, we can tell if he or she moves out of the region and needs to be reassigned to another officer or office. We no longer have to rely on the offenders’ self-reported data for the city or county their residence is in. Google Maps has helped advance our case management and collaboration significantly.
With the capability to visualize where the offenders live, Executive Management also realized Google Maps would be a valuable tool in deciding where to establish new offices. These new ways to look at managing offenders and officer caseloads were hard to imagine with our previous systems.
Google Maps has helped us improve collaboration and optimize resource allocation intelligently. We can now focus more on our core agenda, which is to protect our citizens and provide effective opportunities for offenders to achieve positive change.
The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) is the largest law enforcement agency in the state. Our team of over 13,000 Corrections professionals strives everyday to manage the offenders effectively while helping to provide a safe and secure environment for the citizens. With a growing number of probationers to supervise - now more than 150,000 - this challenge was becoming increasingly more difficult and we needed modern technology to help us. With the massive number of probationers in the GDC system, it’s fundamental that we have accurate mapping tools in order for probation officers to manage their caseloads appropriately. Believe it or not, for decades we had been plotting the probationers on paper maps and manually drawing the routes we took to supervise them. More recently, our officers turned to publicly available mapping tools to make their job easier on their own. In spite of that, accuracy was still a problem, and we came to realize the urgent need to equip our officers with accurate, interactive maps.
We implemented a solution that integrates large amounts of offender management data that we collected into Google Maps API Premier in October 2010. Google Maps gives us the flexibility to send large amounts of data to draw a single map and customize the data icons. We can easily map the address of each offender and color-code it based on the offender’s supervision level. Probation officers are now able to access customized Google Maps both from their desk computers and on their netbooks when they are on the road. An officer can quickly see on a map all the offenders he supervises, their addresses, identification information, supervision levels, and the probation office supervising the offenders’ cases. Officers can optimize caseloads based on real geographic boundaries so each of them can focus just on a sector of the city and reduce the amount of time spent navigating through Atlanta. We can also run a search by officer, office, or by radius to identify the cases. If an offender reports a home address change, we can tell if he or she moves out of the region and needs to be reassigned to another officer or office. We no longer have to rely on the offenders’ self-reported data for the city or county their residence is in. Google Maps has helped advance our case management and collaboration significantly.
With the capability to visualize where the offenders live, Executive Management also realized Google Maps would be a valuable tool in deciding where to establish new offices. These new ways to look at managing offenders and officer caseloads were hard to imagine with our previous systems.
Google Maps has helped us improve collaboration and optimize resource allocation intelligently. We can now focus more on our core agenda, which is to protect our citizens and provide effective opportunities for offenders to achieve positive change.
Gear Box: Satmap Active 10 Trek GPS
One such option is the Active 10 Trek from Satmap, a company with a strong reputation in Europe, but a bit lesser known here in the States. As you would expect, the Active 10 Trek has all the features you could ever want in a handheld GPS device, including a built-in base map with a good level of details, the ability to mark way-points and chart courses, and a digital compass to keep you on course. The device is also ruggedized to protect against all sorts of weather and has a color screen to help the maps easy to read, even in the bright sunlight. A red backlight for navigation at night helps protect your eyes, and large buttons make the Active 10 easy to use, even while wearing gloves.
The device is well built and screams high quality and refinement at every turn. It has a nice heft in your hands, but isn't too heavy either, and you get the feeling that it can stand up to all kinds of punishment on the trail. There are eight buttons on the unit, plus a tiny joystick. Those can be a bit daunting at first, but once you get the hang of how it works, you'll soon be using all of those buttons easily and without thinking. The interface is intuitive and easy to use. So much so, that I took it out on my first trial run without even reading the manual, and used it to successfully navigate off trail between two points. That should say something about how easy it is to use the Active 10.
Of course, a number of GPS devices could be described in the same manner that I described this one above. But the Active 10 has something that no other handheld GPS device can boast, which is access to the library of National Geographic Maps right on the unit. The Active 10 has an SD card slot along the left side of the device, which facilitates expansion maps that can add far more detail to the built-in base map. SD cards with the Nat Geo maps are purchased separately, but deliver the kind of expertise that can only come from National Geographic.
With my test unit I received two of the Nat Geo map cards to try out on the Active 10. Those cards included the Trails Illustrated: America's Greatest National Parks and the Topo! Texas maps. The latter of those would prove very useful on weekend hikes in my home state. The first time I zoomed down to the highest detail level while out hiking, my eyes nearly popped out of my head. Seeing all of those topographic lines, trails, and POI's was very impressive, and a HUGE upgrade from my previous GPS device that is over eight years old. Similarly, the National Parks card includes a similar level of detail for 25 of the best parks in the U.S. That list includes: Acadia; Arches; Big Bend; Bryce Canyon; Canyonlands; Channel Islands; Death Valley; Glacier/Waterton; Grand Canyon; Grand Teton; Great Smoky Mountains; Isle Royale; Joshua Tree; Kings Canyon; Mount Rainier; North Cascades; Olympic; Redwood; Rocky Mountain; Sequoia; Shenandoah; Voyageurs; Yellowstone; Yosemite; and Zion.
Satmap didn't scrimp on the accessories that come with the Active 10 either. Inside the box you'll find a lanyard, as well as a very nice case, for carrying your GPS on the trail. There is also a USB cable for connecting the Active 10 to your computer, 3 AAA batteries and a rechargeable battery pack. There is also a car charger and a wall charger with every international adapter you could ever hope for. The batteries last for a good long time, especially the included rechargeable pack. It is difficult to give you an accurate number, as how you use the device greatly impacts battery life, but I had no problem getting 15+ hours of use, and with the USB cable I could connect the device to my Solio solar charger to recharge the batteries on longer treks.
Performance on the Active 10 is excellent. The first time I turned it on, it took it awhile to connect to the satellites, but it managed to lock on to every one of them, even under a decent tree cover. Subsequent uses of the device showed a marked improvement in locking on to the satellites as well. I'm not sure why there were performance gains, but I suspect that the first time out of the box, there was an initialization process that the Active 10 had to complete.
After an initial get acquainted session, I found the Active 10 very easy to use, and I was quickly drilling down into some of the more high level navigational functions without even thinking about it. Setting way points was a breeze, and navigating to them was even easier. The electronic compass was useful in a number of circumstances, and the interface was so quick, that I could turn the device off, and store it in the case, only breaking it out as needed.
I haven't had the opportunity to go geocaching with the Active 10 yet, but I'm told that it is easy to load up geocaching coordinates and go in search of those hidden treasures. I hope to give it a go sometime in the near future.
If you couldn't tell, I'm highly impressed with the Satmap Active 10 Trek. By itself, it is an excellent, easy to use GPS device with all the features you could ever hope for. Throw in great battery life and an interface that is easy to use, and you have a real winner. Pair the device with the amazing National Geographic Maps, and you have a GPS unlike any other o the market. Those maps unlock a lot of potential for hikers, backpackers, mountain bikers, and just about any other outdoor enthusiast. You won't get the Nat Geo maps on any other handheld GPS device, and that puts the Active 10 in a class all it's own. (MSRP: $369.99)
ICO seminar on privacy and anonymous data
ICO news release
30 March 2011
30 March 2011
Being anonymous ‘an ever increasing challenge’ in 2011, says Information CommissionerFull press release here.
Advances in the internet, the scale of personal information that is collected by public bodies and businesses, and the pressure to share data in the name of efficiency, make being anonymous in 2011 ‘an ever increasing challenge’ Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, will say today at a seminar the ICO is hosting on anonymisation.
Leading academics and experts from the public sector and business will gather at the Wellcome Trust in London today to consider different perspectives and approaches to anonymisation – the process of removing personal identifiers from information. Speaking alongside the Information Commissioner are Paul Ohm from the University of Colorado, Mark Elliot from the University of Manchester as well as representatives from the Cabinet Office and the Office of National Statistics.
The ICO will publish a report in the coming weeks that will summarise the seminar’s key discussion points as well as setting out next steps.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Constitutional Citizenship: A Legislative History
For Immediate Release
March 28, 2011
Washington, D.C. - Today, the Immigration Policy Center releases Constitutional Citizenship: A Legislative History, by 14th Amendment scholar Garrett Epps. One of the most insidious attacks on immigrants at both the federal and state level is the suggestion that the U.S. should repeal the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment and deny birthright citizenship to the children of certain immigrants. Some proponents of this position argue that the Framers of the 14th Amendment never intended that birthright citizenship extend to the children of temporary immigrants and unauthorized immigrants.
Epps argues that the Framers of the 14th Amendment lived during a period of increasing immigration, in which Chinese laborers were the temporary immigrants of the day and "gypsies" were the unauthorized immigrants of the 19th century. The 14th Amendment provided for birthright citizenship for both of these populations, and most certainly provides for birthright citizenship for the children of temporary and unauthorized immigrants today.
Perhaps most fundamentally, Epps explains that the Framers of the 14th Amendment were intent on changing the status quo and undoing the impact of years of slavery. They sought to amend the Constitution and not replicate the discriminatory policies of the antebellum period. A true analysis of the original intent of the Framers finds that they could not have intended to create a new population of vulnerable persons who, because of the national origins or actions of their parents, are denied U.S. citizenship.
Epps writes: If the children of "illegal aliens" are "illegal" themselves, then we have taken a giant step toward recreating slavery in all but name. If citizenship is the hereditary gift of the nation rather than the inheritance of its people, we are drifting back toward the discredited doctrine of Dred Scott...The clamor for hereditary inequality comes from people eager to repeat the mistakes of the American past, and by doing so, to betray the American future.
To view the piece in its entirety, click on the headline:
Constitutional Citizenship: A Legislative History (IPC Special Report, March 28, 2011)
###
For more information contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org or 202-507-7524.
March 28, 2011
Washington, D.C. - Today, the Immigration Policy Center releases Constitutional Citizenship: A Legislative History, by 14th Amendment scholar Garrett Epps. One of the most insidious attacks on immigrants at both the federal and state level is the suggestion that the U.S. should repeal the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment and deny birthright citizenship to the children of certain immigrants. Some proponents of this position argue that the Framers of the 14th Amendment never intended that birthright citizenship extend to the children of temporary immigrants and unauthorized immigrants.
Epps argues that the Framers of the 14th Amendment lived during a period of increasing immigration, in which Chinese laborers were the temporary immigrants of the day and "gypsies" were the unauthorized immigrants of the 19th century. The 14th Amendment provided for birthright citizenship for both of these populations, and most certainly provides for birthright citizenship for the children of temporary and unauthorized immigrants today.
Perhaps most fundamentally, Epps explains that the Framers of the 14th Amendment were intent on changing the status quo and undoing the impact of years of slavery. They sought to amend the Constitution and not replicate the discriminatory policies of the antebellum period. A true analysis of the original intent of the Framers finds that they could not have intended to create a new population of vulnerable persons who, because of the national origins or actions of their parents, are denied U.S. citizenship.
Epps writes: If the children of "illegal aliens" are "illegal" themselves, then we have taken a giant step toward recreating slavery in all but name. If citizenship is the hereditary gift of the nation rather than the inheritance of its people, we are drifting back toward the discredited doctrine of Dred Scott...The clamor for hereditary inequality comes from people eager to repeat the mistakes of the American past, and by doing so, to betray the American future.
To view the piece in its entirety, click on the headline:
Constitutional Citizenship: A Legislative History (IPC Special Report, March 28, 2011)
###
For more information contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org or 202-507-7524.
The Unauthorized Population Today: Number Holds Steady at 11 million
For Immediate Release
Three-Fifths Have Been Here More Than a Decade
March 22, 2011
Washington D.C. - Recent estimates from the Pew Hispanic Center and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicate that the number of unauthorized immigrants in the United States has remained unchanged at roughly 11 million since 2009. This comes after a two-year decline of approximately one million that corresponded closely to the most recent recession, which ran from December 2007 to June 2009.
Despite that decline, the new data make clear that the current population of unauthorized immigrants is very much part of the social and economic fabric of the country. Three-fifths of unauthorized immigrants have been in the United States for more than a decade. Unauthorized immigrants comprise more than one-quarter of the foreign-born population and roughly 1-in-20 workers. Approximately 4.5 million native-born U.S.-citizen children have at least one unauthorized parent. In short, unauthorized immigrants who are already in the country have become integral to U.S. businesses, communities, and families.
To view the IPC fact sheet in it's entirety click on the headline:
The Unauthorized Population Today (IPC Fact Check, March 22, 2011)
###
For more information contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org or 202-507-7524.
Three-Fifths Have Been Here More Than a Decade
March 22, 2011
Washington D.C. - Recent estimates from the Pew Hispanic Center and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicate that the number of unauthorized immigrants in the United States has remained unchanged at roughly 11 million since 2009. This comes after a two-year decline of approximately one million that corresponded closely to the most recent recession, which ran from December 2007 to June 2009.
Despite that decline, the new data make clear that the current population of unauthorized immigrants is very much part of the social and economic fabric of the country. Three-fifths of unauthorized immigrants have been in the United States for more than a decade. Unauthorized immigrants comprise more than one-quarter of the foreign-born population and roughly 1-in-20 workers. Approximately 4.5 million native-born U.S.-citizen children have at least one unauthorized parent. In short, unauthorized immigrants who are already in the country have become integral to U.S. businesses, communities, and families.
To view the IPC fact sheet in it's entirety click on the headline:
The Unauthorized Population Today (IPC Fact Check, March 22, 2011)
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For more information contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org or 202-507-7524.
Hispanic student launches pro-immigrant crusade
This young immigrant is working hard to get immigration reform in this country. His own experiences with the immigration process prompted him to help other immigrants. - - Donna Poisl
from latino.foxnews.com
Denver – A young Mexican who came with his parents to the United States seeking a better future has undertaken a personal crusade to help undocumented immigrants fit into their new home.
The constant delays in obtaining U.S. citizenship and the unnecessary challenges he faced have inspired Felipe Vieyra to lend the immigrant community in Colorado a helping hand.
"I want to reform the American immigration system," the 21-year-old tells Efe.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
from latino.foxnews.com
Denver – A young Mexican who came with his parents to the United States seeking a better future has undertaken a personal crusade to help undocumented immigrants fit into their new home.
The constant delays in obtaining U.S. citizenship and the unnecessary challenges he faced have inspired Felipe Vieyra to lend the immigrant community in Colorado a helping hand.
"I want to reform the American immigration system," the 21-year-old tells Efe.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
New Bill Could Expand Rights For New York Illegal Immigrants
Individual states are trying to pass bills that are similar to the DREAM Act for their students. - - Donna Poisl
from huffingtonpost.com
The DREAM Act, a congressional bill that would've made it easier for the nations younger illegal immigrants to become US citizens, may have died in Washington, but it's making a small comeback in New York, thanks to a bill introduced in Albany by state Senator and Manhattan Democrat, Bill Perkins.
The bill stops short of granting illegal immigrants legal residency but would grant them some rights they don't currently possess.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
from huffingtonpost.com
The DREAM Act, a congressional bill that would've made it easier for the nations younger illegal immigrants to become US citizens, may have died in Washington, but it's making a small comeback in New York, thanks to a bill introduced in Albany by state Senator and Manhattan Democrat, Bill Perkins.
The bill stops short of granting illegal immigrants legal residency but would grant them some rights they don't currently possess.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Hispanic Boom
This article says the large number of Hispanics in the new Census figures should not be a worry. They will all blend into the country just like immigrants did in the past. - - Donna Poisl
by Linda Chavez
New Census figures out this week show that the Hispanic population in the U.S. has increased dramatically over the last decade. Hispanics now number roughly 50 million nationwide, up from 35 million in 2000. They also are no longer concentrated in just a handful of Southwestern states, as they were for decades, but have spread out across the country. Some of the largest percentage increases have incurred in Southern states, with the Hispanic population more than doubling in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee. Both higher Hispanic birthrates and immigration have driven this trend.
But what will this demographic shift in the American population mean in the long term?
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
by Linda Chavez
New Census figures out this week show that the Hispanic population in the U.S. has increased dramatically over the last decade. Hispanics now number roughly 50 million nationwide, up from 35 million in 2000. They also are no longer concentrated in just a handful of Southwestern states, as they were for decades, but have spread out across the country. Some of the largest percentage increases have incurred in Southern states, with the Hispanic population more than doubling in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee. Both higher Hispanic birthrates and immigration have driven this trend.
But what will this demographic shift in the American population mean in the long term?
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
English lessons make life easier for immigrants on campus
University students volunteer to teach immigrants English. It is changing lives and opening up a whole new world for them. - - Donna Poisl
BY ALI EAVES, Collegian Reporter
Majak Yai leaned over the book and carefully sounded out the words.
“And she can turn people into st-stone and do all kinds of horrible things,” he read aloud.
He finished the chapter, closed the book and smiled. “I think it’s better than before, right?” he asked his tutor. Just seven months ago, Yai, 24, did not speak English.
“When I started, I did not even know to say ‘Hi,’” he said.
Now, with the help of six dedicated tutors and C. S. Lewis’s “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” he can speak it, read it and write it a little, too.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
BY ALI EAVES, Collegian Reporter
Majak Yai leaned over the book and carefully sounded out the words.
“And she can turn people into st-stone and do all kinds of horrible things,” he read aloud.
He finished the chapter, closed the book and smiled. “I think it’s better than before, right?” he asked his tutor. Just seven months ago, Yai, 24, did not speak English.
“When I started, I did not even know to say ‘Hi,’” he said.
Now, with the help of six dedicated tutors and C. S. Lewis’s “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” he can speak it, read it and write it a little, too.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
State illegal immigration laws: What have they accomplished?
All the anti-immigration laws have done, in most cases, is get the pro-immigrant people more organized. - - Donna Poisl
Five years into a legislative surge, state illegal immigration laws have yielded few arrests. But they have stirred a populist backlash, say immigrant rights groups.
By Aaron Couch
Boston - The wave of immigration laws that has swept through states since 2006 shows few signs of letting up, with state legislators expected to introduce about 1,400 bills this year. Yet five years into this legislative surge, the toughest laws have not recast immigration in the ways that legislators might have intended.
From an enforcement standpoint, the impact of state anti-immigration laws like Arizona's controversial SB 1070 "is almost negligible," says Veronica Dahlberg, an immigrants' rights activist.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Five years into a legislative surge, state illegal immigration laws have yielded few arrests. But they have stirred a populist backlash, say immigrant rights groups.
By Aaron Couch
Boston - The wave of immigration laws that has swept through states since 2006 shows few signs of letting up, with state legislators expected to introduce about 1,400 bills this year. Yet five years into this legislative surge, the toughest laws have not recast immigration in the ways that legislators might have intended.
From an enforcement standpoint, the impact of state anti-immigration laws like Arizona's controversial SB 1070 "is almost negligible," says Veronica Dahlberg, an immigrants' rights activist.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Immigration debate opens new front on the Internet
This group is working to get pro-immigrant comments on the websites to counteract all the hateful comments that are there. I hope it helps. - - Donna Poisl
from Chicago Tribune
Chicago – The debate on undocumented immigration is now being pursued on a new front: the commentary section on newspapers' Web sites.
The Chicago Tribune reports that several Hispanics have formed groups to provide a counterweight to the negative commentaries about immigrants.
Sara McElmurry, head of communications for the Latino Policy Forum, decided to activate her "Comment Corps" when she saw comments that were "full of hate" concerning two articles about immigration in the online versions of the Tribune and Sun-Times, Chicago's two major dailies.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
from Chicago Tribune
Chicago – The debate on undocumented immigration is now being pursued on a new front: the commentary section on newspapers' Web sites.
The Chicago Tribune reports that several Hispanics have formed groups to provide a counterweight to the negative commentaries about immigrants.
Sara McElmurry, head of communications for the Latino Policy Forum, decided to activate her "Comment Corps" when she saw comments that were "full of hate" concerning two articles about immigration in the online versions of the Tribune and Sun-Times, Chicago's two major dailies.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
More photos from Ski WOC
Just a couple more photos of the cold snowy winter that we experienced in Sweden - now that everybody is back in our regular springtime abodes. These photos are all from the organizers.
Nikolay a bit boxed in at the start.
Nikolay again.
Greg in the mass start.
Adrian at the start of the Long distance.
Scott on the bridge.
Chaos at the back of the pack - taking the time to just chill out and read the map.
Greg after the long.
Start of the long distance - women.
Ali after finishing - she held off that Russian girl.
Alex coming in to the finish of the Long.
Alex done.
Robbie in the relay
Adrian
Ali in the relay.
Headcam guy.
Alex punching a control in the relay.
Nikolay a bit boxed in at the start.
Nikolay again.
Greg in the mass start.
Adrian at the start of the Long distance.
Scott on the bridge.
Chaos at the back of the pack - taking the time to just chill out and read the map.
Greg after the long.
Start of the long distance - women.
Ali after finishing - she held off that Russian girl.
Alex coming in to the finish of the Long.
Alex done.
Robbie in the relay
Adrian
Ali in the relay.
Headcam guy.
Alex punching a control in the relay.
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