Stately home Cliveden, now a hotel, was a pool party venue for characters involved in what famous political scandal, named after the Secretary of State for War at its centre?

Viscount Astor, David Cameron's father-in-law, on reconciliation with Mandy Rice-Davies | Daily Mail Online comments David Cameron’s father-in-law last night revealed he has had an extraordinary ‘reconciliation’ with Mandy Rice-Davies - the former showgirl who claimed to have had an affair with his father during the Profumo scandal. Miss Rice-Davies famously responded to the third Viscount Astor’s denials of an affair with the immortal line: ‘Well, he would, wouldn’t he?’ Writing in the Spectator magazine his son, the fourth viscount, said his father ‘never recovered his health and died a couple of years later’. 'Charming': Lord Astor said Mandy Rice-Davies, pictured in 1963, was 'absolutely charming and had very kind words to say about my father' after a recent meeting But Lord Astor said he had an unlikely reconciliation with Miss Rice-Davies at a performance of Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s new musical on the Profumo affair. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share He said it was a ‘great plus’ to have met her, adding: ‘She was absolutely charming, and had very kind words to say about my father. It was a most unexpected moment - a reconciliation of sorts, and an uplifting footnote after all these years. ‘And what of the accusation? Well any girl of 19 who can get into the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, whether with something true or not true, has to be rather admired.’ Chance encounter: Lord Astor, left, bumped into Mandy Rice-Davies, right, during a performance of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's new musical on the Profumo affair Lord Astor, stepfather to Samantha Cameron, also revealed that the Profumo affair might never have happened if his father’s filly Ambiguity had not won the Oaks at Epsom in 1953.  The proceeds from the win paid for the heated swimming pool at stately home Cliveden, where John Profumo saw showgirl Christine Keeler, a friend of Miss Rice-Davies, swimming naked at a party in July 1961. Third Viscount Astor, pictured at his wedding in London, 'never recovered his health' following the scandal Mr Profumo, then Secretary of State for War in Harold Macmillan’s government, was forced to resign in 1962 after it emerged he had an affair with Miss Keeler while she was also alleged to be having an affair with the Russian naval attaché Yevgeny Ivanov. Lord Astor said Mr Profumo had met Miss Keeler after a party at Cliveden hosted by his father. When the party relocated to the pool they met with a separate group hosted by his father’s colourful osteopath Stephen Ward, who surrounded himself with young showgirls. ‘Two worlds collided,’ Lord Astor said. ‘First into the walled garden was Valerie Profumo, who anxiously covered up a topless Christine Keeler with a towel before the other guests arrived. But Christine had already been spotted by Jack Profumo.’ Lord Astor said his father found Mr Ward’s treatments helped ease his migraines and neuritis. He said he ‘fell under his spell’ and allowed Mr Ward to live in a cottage on the estate because ‘it suited him to be treated after hunting on Saturday’s.’ He went on: ‘I remember the afternoons by the pool when Ward and his girlfriends came to swim, with other families from cottages on the estate, usually when my father and stepmother were away. Party time: Lord Astor said Mr Profumo had met Miss Keeler, right, at a party at Cliveden hosted by osteopath Stephen Ward, centre, pictured also with Penny Marshall, front Scandal: John Profumo, poses as the new Secretary of State for War, at the War Office before the scandal of his affair with call-girl Christine Keeler broke 'One of the girls taught me how to do backflips from the diving board, but sadly I don’t remember who she was. All were well-behaved because Nanny Greene, large and in full uniform, presided over the pool sternly. No bad behaviour got past her.’ Lord Astor says that Mr Ward was an ‘arch manipulator’ who was never a great fried of his father. Mr Ward took a fatal overdose while awaiting the verdict on his trial for living off immoral earnings, of which he was later convicted. Miss Rice-Davies’s famous c


In 2011 street thieves were filmed in Chinese cities using what innovative pickpocketing tools?

Morning Blog | PlanetPOV Morning Blog Morning Blog Kalima On May - 30 - 2011 Good morning everyone! I hope that when and if you have the time, MB will be the place for you to catch up with friends before you leave for work or start your new day. A place to relax and take a break from serious topics and discussions during your day. You are free to talk about anything here. Introduce your favourite news stories, videos, photos, funny stories or recipes. Think of it as your space, whether you wake up with the birds or chose to have a lay in, MB is open 24/7.  By 5 am EST-2 am PST, I  will update MB each morning, posting links and  sometimes brief comments to many international news stories and opinions I hope that you might find interesting. Please feel free to drop in anytime, you are always welcome here. Looking forward to meeting you in your mornings, afternoons and evenings. Have fun. Share this: Written by Kalima Long time resident of Tokyo --- "Where is this woman I once knew so well? Memories fading or hurtling by like a howling wind at a speed I can't fathom or define. A star hangs like a teardrop from her eye, quivering but never falling. I search the empty corridors of my soul in hopes of catching just another glimpse of who she once presumed herself to be. Where is this woman who trod with such certainty, where is she now? I mourn her passing as another dawn breaks in my restless heart." Related PlanetPOV posts: REMINDER ======= A quick reminder about the 2nd anniversary edition of MB updates. I’ve just downloaded a photo for tomorrow morning’s updates, and I will be posting a new post. The first 3 people to send me the correct answer to [email protected] will receive a MB mug of their choice of colour and size, from me. I will leave the photo at the top of the MB post for 24 hours. GOOD LUCK! 11/20/2011 at 9:29 AM Kalima Because we don’t have calendars in our house, I thought today was the 20th and I came in my craft room to see what the quiz was today only to find out I am a day early. But now I know what the quiz is going to be about. I will be checking to see it posted. Oh and for next year we already have a calendar on the side of the fridge lol. Every month I will see a different dolphin but they are all Flipper to me. All those years ago that movie started my love affair with dolphins can you believe it? My aunt and I sat through two showings of it on the same day, that is how much I loved it. I also tried never to miss a showing of the regular series lol. K, don’t do that, it will be up for 24 hours, or until the next morning’s updates. I didn’t know that, I mean that you wanted one. Keeping my fingers crossed for you. Well now I’m confused, 2nd anniversary gifts calls for cotton in the US, paper in the UK and what’s it Japan? No matter you deserve precious jewels for a fantastic job--DAILY! Thank You Kalima! 11/19/2011 at 6:28 PM As do you my friend, as do you. No idea if there is even such a thing in Japan, but if I could choose one, it would have to be NATTO. 😀 😆 K, you caught me dancing on the table again. Old habits die hard. Two years tomorrow, my how time flies when you are having fun. Thank you so much, and don’t forget to send your answer, ok? As you can see, I’m finally back. 11/18/2011 at 10:35 PM Good Morning from Kalima. She is having some major computer problems ans she is unable to do her Morning Blog today, she sends her regrets and I’m sure we wish her the best and will miss her “bits and bobs” from around the world. So from Kalima, “Mata ashita ne” Kalima, you are missed. And I hope your computer problems are resolved quickly. Hurry back! 11/18/2011 at 1:53 AM Good morning everyone. I’m heading into my weekend in the morning, another day will be spent in cleaning up the house ready for the big cat’s day off on Sunday. Japan continues with almost daily stories about radiation fallout being discovered all over the northern regions of the country, and as the cooler weather grips us, I wonder and worry about those who have lost their homes and how they will cope in temporary housing. They wi


What large corporation's annual conference is called 'f8'?

Join us at F8 2017 You must enter your name to sign up. Enter your email address Please enter a valid email address. By submitting this form, you agree to receive marketing-related electronic    communications from Facebook, including news, updates, and promotional    emails. You may withdraw your consent and unsubscribe from    such emails at any time.


American Coot, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology Typical Voice Size & Shape The American Coot is a plump, chickenlike bird with a rounded head and a sloping bill. Their tiny tail, short wings, and large feet are visible on the rare occasions they take flight. Color Pattern Coots are dark-gray to black birds with a bright-white bill and forehead. The legs are yellow-green. At close range you may see a small patch of red on the forehead. Behavior You’ll find coots eating aquatic plants on almost any body of water. When swimming they look like small ducks (and often dive), but on land they look more chickenlike, walking rather than waddling. An awkward and often clumsy flier, the American Coot requires long running takeoffs to get airborne. Habitat Look for American Coots at ponds in city parks, in marshes, reservoirs, along the edges of lakes, and in roadside ditches, sewage treatment ponds, and saltwater inlets or saltmarshes.


The modern internet grew from a non-public US Defense system called?

What Is the 'Internet'? Is It the Same as the 'Web'? Updated November 02, 2016 Question: What Is the 'Internet'? Is It the Same as the 'Web'? Answer: The Internet is a massive public spiderweb of computer connections. It connects personal computers, mainframes, cell phones, GPS units, music players, soda pop machines, car alarms, and even dog collars. All of these computer connections exist for the sake of free information sharing. The Internet is a broadcast medium for the everyperson. Built with the same freedom-of-messaging motivation as HAM radio of the 1970's, the modern Internet is a daily tool for millions of people to trade signals with each other. The Internet (or 'Net') is built on a chaotic mishmash of hardware, governed by minimal standards and even fewer rules. Thousands of different software packages broadcast on the Net, connecting millions of users each day. During the Clinton administration, the Internet was nicknamed "The Information Superhighway", a term which has now become grossly inadequate to describe the sheer magnitude of the Internet's reach. The Internet's hardware is vast: it is a chaotic combination of high-speed optic fiber, regular network cables, wireless routers , and satellite connections. No single organization owns the Internet's hardware. No single organization governs its use. The Internet truly is a marvel of free broadcasting and amateur publishing. Anyone can use the Internet. As long as you have a computer, cell phone, or other internet-enabled device, you simply find a free or paid place to connect. Once you are connected (sometimes called 'logged on'), you can broadcast and receive all kinds of signals. A detailed explanation of the Internet follows here: 1: The Internet Is a Big Collection of Computers and Cables. The Internet is named for " interconnection of computer networks ". It is a massive hardware combination of millions of personal, business, and governmental computers, all connected like roads and highways. The Internet started in the 1960's under the original name "ARPAnet". ARPAnet was originally an experiment in how the US military could maintain communications in case of a possible nuclear strike. With time, ARPAnet became a civilian experiment, connecting university mainframe computers for academic purposes. As personal computers became more mainstream in the 1980's and 1990's, the Internet grew exponentially as more users plugged their computers into the massive network. Today, the Internet has grown into a public spiderweb of millions of personal, government, and commercial computers, all connected by cables and by wireless signals . No single person owns the Internet. No single government has authority over its operations. Some technical rules and hardware/software standards enforce how people plug into the Internet, but for the most part, the Internet is a free and open broadcast medium of hardware networking. Here is a conceptual diagram of the Internet and how it contains many forms of online communications 2: The Web Is a Big Collection of HTML Pages Within the Internet. The World Wide Web , or "Web" for short, is the very large subset of the Internet dedicated to broadcasting HTML pages. The Web is viewed by using free software called web browsers . Born in 1989, the Web is based on hypertext transfer protocol, the language which allows you and me to "jump" (hyperlink) to any other public web page. There are over 90 billion public web pages on the Web today, and over 300 billion private ('invisible') web pages.


What widely referenced cosmetic surgery method contains the Greek word for fat?

Plastic Surgery for Gynecomastia: Background, History of the Procedure, Problem Plastic Surgery for Gynecomastia Author: Jay M Pensler, MD; Chief Editor: James Neal Long, MD, FACS  more... Share Overview Background Gynecomastia is derived from the Greek terms gynec (feminine) and mastos (breast). The literal translation, male breasts, relates to any condition that results in excessive development of breast tissue in males. Males may rarely develop breast cancer , but this is often associated with testicular atrophy. Male breast volume is composed of a combination of ductal and stromal tissue, commonly referred to as glandular tissue, and an increase in adipocytes, typically referred to as fatty tissue. Excess skin resulting in significant ptosis of the breast may be present in patients with severe gynecomastia. See the images below. Preoperative gynecomastia patient. Note the enlarged breast size. Courtesy of Jay Pensler, MD. Next: History of the Procedure Galen introduced the term gynecomastia in the second century AD. He defined gynecomastia as an unnatural increase in the breast fat of males. Although Galen was aware that glandular enlargement of the male breast occurred as a separate entity, he did not consider this gynecomastia. The first recorded description of a reduction mammaplasty was by Paulas of Aegina in the seventh century AD, who referred to the condition as an "effeminacy of men." Several medical and surgical treatments of gynecomastia were described in the 1800s. Treatment of gynecomastia has continued to evolve over the ages. Presently, a multifaceted surgical approach is used to optimize correction of the deformity. The fatty component is removed with one or a combination of the variants of liposuction, while the glandular component requires direct excision. The skin is redraped over the underlying structures or, in severe cases, resected. The patient's treatment plan should be crafted to correct the specific problems that are unique to his specific case. [ 1 ] Previous Next: Problem Gynecomastia results in an increase in breast tissue in males that, when problematic, is readily detectable by other individuals. The increased tissue may be breast glandular tissue, adipose (fatty) in nature, or a combination of the two. This results in significant functional and psychological limitations. The physical deformation may also be exquisitely painful. As a general rule, the glandular tissue is significantly more painful than the fatty tissue. Situations like gym class may require children or adolescents to remove their shirts in the presence of other students. This can put a boy with gynecomastia in danger not only of embarrassment but also of physical harm. Most patients have never heard of this condition until the family physician identifies it. The physician may be unaware of the possible causes of the condition and its psychological impact. After initial presentation, boys are frequently advised to ignore the gynecomastia and are told that it will go away. Fortunately, in most instances, cases of minimal subareolar pubertal-onset gynecomastia do regress as puberty progresses. Individuals with no regression or even progression of the deformity often receive little or no understanding about the shame and humiliation they experience. Coaches, sergeants, physicians, parents, and peers (both boys and girls) can inflict damage out of ignorance, cruelty, or both. The author reports that a parent recently exclaimed during an initial evaluation, "I just don't understand why 'he' has to slouch around all the time." Postural and clothing modifications to mask the deformity are the norm in these patients from puberty through adulthood. Awareness of gynecomastia needs to progress in order to inform the men and boys with gynecomastia and their physicians what can be done to improve the condition. Previous Epidemiology Frequency Gynecomastia can occur in persons of any age. During adolescence, males develop firmness around the breast as the breast bud enlarges due to the hormonal fluxes of puberty. The subareolar firmnes


The English word Parliament derives from what foreign word-meaning?

latin - Does the etymology of the word "government" mean "to control the mind"? - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange 14   Is this the same site that broke down "politics" as "poli-" meaning "of the people" and "tics" meaning "blood-sucking parasites"? –  Roger Mar 26 '14 at 18:04 1 Please include your own research in your question. :-) –  Kristina Lopez Mar 26 '14 at 18:21 2 @KristinaLopez Thanks, I did. –  Houseman Mar 26 '14 at 18:30      It seems to me that both are correct, but not in the sense you (or the conspiracy theorists) are thinking. Evidence suggests that it comes from Latin "mens" meaning "mind" but came to be used as "a general adverbial suffix" ( en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mens#Latin ). Etymologically speaking, it might help to frame it as "a group that is of a mind/disposition to govern/lead" rather than "a group that controls minds". –  Brian Lacy Mar 26 '14 at 22:13 3   If "-ment" always referred to the mind, then a replacement would be a brain transplant, punishment would be a headache, and an attachment would be a neural implant. –  tobyink Mar 26 '14 at 23:08


As at 2011 how many countries of the world criminalize homosexuality?

77 countries where homosexuality is illegal | 76 CRIMES 77 countries where homosexuality is illegal Updated Dec. 14,  2016 Map of the 77 countries with laws against sexual relations between people of the same sex. 77 countries with anti-homosexuality laws (or 73 or 79) Click image to learn about  the hundreds of LGBTI people in jail or awaiting trial in the 76-plus countries with anti-gay laws A total of 73 countries have criminal laws against sexual activity by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex  (LGBTI) people, according to a revised version of a tally by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, or ILGA. ILGA’s list slightly understates the problem. It leaves out  Indonesia, where millions of citizens are affected by anti-LGBT laws. It also omits three anti-LGBT governments because, for various reasons, they don’t appear on a list of internationally recognized countries. This blog’s comparable 77-country list is below, including links to the blog’s coverage of each one. A separate article lists the 10 governments with laws providing the death penalty for same-sex intimacy, at least on paper. As of the publication of the 2016 edition of ILGA’s State-Sponsored Homophobia report, ILGA’s list numbered 75. But both Seychelles and Nauru repealed their anti-gay laws in May 2016, just after the ILGA report was  prepared for publication. Then, on Aug. 10, 2016, the Supreme Court in Belize overturned that nation’s anti-sodomy law as applied to consensual sex. That brings the ILGA total down to 72. In December, the parliament in Chad approved a new penal code making same-sex intimacy a crime. That raised the ILGA tally back up to 73. The main difference between that revised ILGA total of 73 nations and this blog’s list of 77+ is that ILGA mentions but does not include four political entities that are on this blog’s list: Indonesia , where two large provinces outlaw homosexual acts; and Three political entities that have anti-LGBT laws but that aren’t accepted as countries by the international community — the Cook Islands , a self-governing country whose residents all have citizenship in New Zealand; Gaza / Palestine ; and the territory of Syria and Iraq that is controlled by Daesh / ISIS / ISIL troops. This blog’s total would be 79 countries if it were to include Russia and Lithuania , two countries that do not have laws against homosexual acts but do have repressive laws against “propaganda of homosexuality.” Libya and Nigeria have similar anti-propaganda laws, but also prohibit same-sex relations, so they are already on the list. Back in 2012, based on a separate, nearly complete count, St. Paul’s Foundation for International Reconciliation cited a total of 76 countries.  That list was used in that year’s Spirit of 76 Worldwide program aimed at repealing those laws. It also inspired the name of this blog — “Erasing 76 Crimes.” These are some of the recent changes in the list: The tiny nations of Palau in the western Pacific Ocean and São Tomé and Príncipe , in the Atlantic Ocean off the shores of central Africa, recently decriminalized homosexuality and were dropped from this list in 2014. Mozambique’s LGBTI advocacy organization, Lambda, can celebrate the repeal of the country’s anti-gay law, but it has not yet won its battle for official government recognition, which it has been seeking since 2008. (Photo courtesy of Lambda) Mozambique , on the southeastern coast of Africa, with a population of 24 million, adopted a new Penal Code in the second half of 2014 and was dropped from this list in early 2015. Lesotho also was dropped from the list after adopting a new Penal Code, which effectively eliminated the nation’s former common-law crime of sodomy. As noted above, Seychelles and Nauru repealed their anti-gay laws in May 2016, as did Belize in August 2016. Also as noted above, Chad enacted an anti-homosexuality law in December 2016. Iraq was added to the list, although it does not have a civil law against same-sex relations. But, in the words of the 2015 edition of ILGA’s State-Spo


(Supplementary question) As at 2011 how many countries which criminalize homosexuality are in the British Commonwealth?

Why is Jamaica so homophobic? Why is Jamaica so homophobic? Is it connected to Rastafarianism? by Anonymous reply 2 05/07/2011 Lack of education and indifference. Gay is seen as a "white" problem. Violent culture in general. Regarding the music end, record companies also profit from it. Homophobia sells records, that may have otherwise been written off as lame.  Much Dance Hall is other peoples songs sampled with new words, just like Rap music. Buju Banton's famous "Boom, Bye, Bye........ in Da Batty Boy Head" Is sampled from Mad Cobra's song "Flex" with the words changed to be homophobic. If Banton never swapped out the words with hate words, nobody would know who Buju Banton was. (The ironic thing is he actually does have great original voice and if he could have passed on the hate he may have gotten the big label pickup that Sean Paul got. Sean Pauls voice is lame, typical) After the attention that Buju Banton got for this, Elephant Man, Beenie Man, Admiral T all did anti-gay songs too. A record company had to release these songs, else you would have never heard of it, so the Corporations are on board. by Anonymous reply 4 05/07/2011 All those island cultures are all very sexist and macho. I had friends that worked in the islands for months at a time and they said the incidence of AIDS is pretty high and all of the men were routinely cheating on their women. It was not uncommon on any given night after work at the bar that some woman would roll in and bust her man with some other woman. Some of the guys still send boxes of condoms to the islands in an effort to help out because it is so expensive down there and also difficult to find. by Anonymous reply 5 05/07/2011 [quote]Some of the guys still send boxes of condoms to the islands in an effort to help out by Anonymous [quote]Gay is seen as a "white" problem. In other words, they're racist trash. by Anonymous reply 9 05/07/2011 BBC6 radio dj George Lamb, use to play that Dance Hall stuff all the time, some really offensive stuff about the torture and killing of gay men, and this was on his primetime morning show. He also use to call Shabba Ranks a legend, this is a man who said all gay men should be executed. by Anonymous reply 10 05/07/2011 Lowdown folk look for someone else to look down on and once they get away with it there's no end to where it being going. Jamaica got no one talking good about the gays, so it's open season. Sad, sick culture, and their meat be dry for all they be jerkin it. by Anonymous Latinos too, and Philippinos also think it's a white problem. by Anonymous reply 17 05/07/2011 but r17 you don't see thread after thread on DL talking about how horribly racist those people are. The agenda here only points in one direction. Only one group of people is to be demonized. by Anonymous reply 19 05/07/2011 Chinese, Latino, and Philippino cultures do not have the same level of homophobic violence that Jamaica does, r15/r17. Homophobia is common to many places and cultures, but Jamaica really does stand apart. by Anonymous reply 20 05/07/2011 Well, r21, I guess that means it's yet another opportunity for them to stop being homophobic. A reminder never hurts. by Anonymous 05/07/2011 "Is it connected to Rastafarianism?" When people think of the Caribbean, most tend to think of, you know, laid-back, Bob Marley, peace and love, white sand, blue waters, palm trees, pot, Hey-Mon, etc etc. This is a misperception. Caribbean cultures are post-colonial places: very poor, strictly religious. Everyday life there is quite different than that picture above. Quite strict, dog-eat-dog, fundamentalist, religious, small-town, isolated. Even the "big cities" tend to be small towns. by Anonymous And the answer is.... British colonialism! Thanks for playing. by Anonymous reply 24 05/07/2011 R22 Yeah I bet they will stumble on DL read this thread and just feel awful. *rolls eyes* by Anonymous reply 25 05/07/2011 No one has really adressed what I actually tried to get at: why is it that Jamaica is so much more homophobic than other Caribbean countries where most of the


(Supplementary question) In what year did the UK decriminalize homosexuality?

Homosexuality: the law, ethics, and the Bible Read more about James at You can stop being gay . Read about more changed lives at Hope for Homosexuals . Read testimonies about men and women who felt uneasy, empty, emotionally unstable or unfulfilled in gay relationships and how God changed their life styles when they turned to Jesus. For those who voluntarily seek change in sexual preference and expression, see Coreissues: Homosexuality and the Law Since the 1960's Western culture has progessively legalised private homosexual acts between consenting adults. In the UK, the Sexual Offences Act (1967) decriminalised private sexual acts between men 21 years or over in England and Wales. The minimum age of consent at which a person may lawfully consent to buggery and to certain homosexual acts was then reduced to 16 in England and Wales by the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000. This came into force in 2001. In 1973 the Dutch mental health institutions stopped treating homosexuality as an illness and the military lifted its ban on homosexuals. The Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalize gay marriage in 2001. In America the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated all state sodomy laws in 2003, opening the floodgates to the legalization of homosexuality and same-sex marriages state by state. In Europe, social and employment law surrounding homosexuality has been formalized and prompted by EU legislation. The European Union Article 13 Race & Employment Directives require EU member states to introduce legislation to outlaw unfair discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, religion or belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation. This applies in the fields of employment and training, and in the provision of goods and services. In response to such directives the UK government introduced the Equality Act 2010 , where sexual orientation is a 'protected characteristic'. In practice this law effectively restricts free speech on homosexuality and free expression of Christian ethics on sexuality in the work place! Same Sex Marriage In the western world there are persistent moves by vocal minorities to legalise same sex (gay) marriage. And over time the general population accepts this as 'equality' law and culturally defined ethics take precedence over traditional biblical morality. In the UK - after a sham public consultation - same sex marriage was finally legalised in England and Wales in 2013 through the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill . Clearly, this must lead to redefining marriage. For instance, Section 12 of the UK Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 says a marriage is voidable if it has not been consummated (in the normal and complete way) due to the incapacity of either party to consummate it. Clearly, the law has to change for same sex marriage and marriage has to be redefined. But doing this will be to the detriment of society , and surely only the originator of marriage, God (Gen 2.24), has the right to define marriage? "Marriage must remain a union between a man and a woman. It is not the role of the state to redefine marriage" [Archbishop of York (UK)] "Same-sex marriage would eliminate entirely in law the basic idea of a mother and a father for every child" [Cardinal Keith O'Brien (Scotland)] Church Protection: In the UK the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill 2013 claims to 'protect those religious organisations and their representatives who don't wish to conduct marriages of same sex couples from successful legal challenge'. But this 'protection' could be challenged by EU equality directives which aim to remove discrimination. The European Court of Human Rights has stated [Spring 2012]: "If same sex couples are allowed to marry, any church that refuses to offer wedding services to them will be guilty of discrimination." From a legal point of view the church will probably have to accept any change in the law. But it does not have to accept man's re-definition of marriage. More at Gay Marriage and the Law & Gay Marriage and the Bible . Homosexuality and Free Speech (UK) In order to avoid conflict with Human Rights Law o


What in Spanish what does the song-title, 'Que Sera, Sera,' mean (loosely, not grammatically correctly)?

Gratuitous Spanish - TV Tropes Gratuitous Spanish You need to login to do this. Get Known if you don't have an account Share YMMV "El inglés es ideal para hablar de negocios, el alemán se hizo para las ciencias, el francés es la lengua del amor y el español... Ah, el español, es el idioma para hablar con Diosï¿½" note "English is perfect for talking business, German was made for science, French is the language of love, and Spanish... Ah, Spanish, it is the language with which to speak to God..." — Victor Hugo Since mucha TV is produced in California, and California has a frontera with Mexico (Baja California, to be specific), it is only natural that U.S. TV writers would insert Spanish words and phrases into their series to make things seem extranjeras. This trend has recently become popular in Japan, though it has a way to go before it becomes as popular as alemán or inglés . Since the overall trend in the US is that more and more people speak Spanish (and Spanish-speakers are increasingly present in all professions and classes, including entertainment), Spanish is becoming more and more common both in US produced fiction and real life. Often, what occurs es que a Spanish speaker will only use Spanish terms that most English users know (such as "sí" meaning "yes", or "amigo" meaning "friend") but otherwise speaks in perfecto English. It's a way for the writers to remind us that the character is from a Spanish-speaking país and therefore exotic, but exactly why the character needs to slip back into Spanish for such simple terms is nunca quite explained. There is a little bit of Truth in Television here — as anyone who's bilingual will tell you, sometimes you will say automatic responses (such as "yes") in your lengua materna without even thinking about it — but this trope generally extends far beyond normal levels of this. In certain places, such as Southern California, the high number of Spanish speakers makes a cursory knowledge unavoidable, and even non-native speakers will use common Spanish words in conversation. See also Poirot Speak . This has become muy, muy common among childrens' educational shows, both live action and animated. The Primo Óliver may be added to existing shows, or by starting with the Five-Token Band right off the bat. It will obviously carry over to any branded books, video games and web site/games también. If a series featuring Gratuitous Spanish is doblada into Spanish, the Spanish terms often become Gratuitous English . See Everything Sounds Sexier in French for some of the connotaciones of the use of Spanish, such as the promedio Internet male talking about Penï¿½lope Cruz . Compare also with El Spanish "-o" . For the Spanish language de verdad, see Spanish Language . This is a subtrope of Gratuitous Foreign Language and really should be used with extreme care. Ejemplos:     open/close all folders      Advertising (Publicidad)  Parodied in commercials for the Bing search engine. The commercials are done in telenovela style with dialogue all in Spanish (other than proper names and the word "links") and subtitled. However, when the Mysterious Stranger displays his laptop showing Bing, it's apparent that the characters are in San Jose, California (showing movie listings for local theaters or airline fares from the city) — almost 700 miles from the Mexican border. A series of State Farm commercials feature an obnoxious man trying way too hard to appeal to viewers. He's often seen standing near groups of people trying way too hard to act like regular people, and then telling you to "Ask your neighbors/friends/family" about State Farm, because they probably use it. In one commercial, he says "Ask your neighbors- tu familia.", with absolutely no setup for the sudden burst of Spanish. It's assumed they did this to make the commercial even MORE obnoxiously trying-too-hard, but the "tu familia" part has been removed in later airings. There's this one anti-drug PSA where a Hispanic teenager is talking with a friend on her cell phone. Their conversation is entirely in English, except that she calls her


Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and General Dynamics are notable corporations in what sector?

Comparing Lockheed Martin with other major defense contractors - Market Realist Company overview: Should you invest in Lockheed Martin? PART 12 OF 12 Comparing Lockheed Martin with other major defense contractors By Ally Schmidt  | Oct 31, 2014  10:08 am EST Major defense players in the U.S. With total sales of $45,358 million in 2013, Lockheed Martin is the largest defense contractor in the world. The other major defense contractors in the world include The Boeing Company ( BA ), Raytheon Company ( RTN ), General Dynamics ( GD ), and Northrop Grumman Corp. ( NOC ). The Boeing Company Boeing is one of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers. It’s also the second largest defense contractors in the world. It had total sales of $86,623 million in 2013. It has two major business segments: Commercial Airplanes, which forms 61.5% of its sales, and Defense, Space and Security, which forms 38.5% of its sales. Its popular products include some widely used commercial aircraft like 737s, 777s, and 747s. Raytheon Company Raytheon is the third largest defence contractor in the U.S. It has total sales of $23,706 million in 2013. Its major business segments are Integrated Defense Systems (22%), Intelligence, Information and Services (24%), Missile Systems (27%), and Space & Airborne Systems (27%). Almost 72% of its revenues come from the U.S. government, while 27% of its sales come from international customers. General Dynamics This is the fourth largest defense contractor in the United States. Its total sales in 2013 were $31,218 million. General Dynamics’ major business segments include Aerospace (26%), Combat Systems (20%), Marine Systems (22%), and Information Systems & Technology (32%). The company gets 62% of its revenue from the U.S. government. Northrop Grumman With total sales of $24,661 million Northrop Grumman is the fifth largest defense contractor in the United States. Its major business segments include Aerospace Systems (35 %), Electronic Systems (30%), Information Systems (25%), and Technical Services (10%). Almost 86% of its sales are from the U.S. government. All these stocks are part of the Industrial Select Sector SPDR ( XLI ). Check out Market Realist’s Aerospace page for more important research. {"metrics":["Open"],"tickers":["LMT","GD","NOC","RTN","XLI"],"ticker_names":["Lockheed Martin Corporation","General Dynamics Corporation","Northrop Grumman Corporation","Raytheon Company","Select Sector Industrl Slct Sctr SPDR Fd"]} X


Brazil Currency, Brazilian Currency Sao Paulo Metro Map Brazil Currency The unit of money or Brazil currency South America is Real (BRL). In 1500, the Portuguese established their colony in Brazil (then known as New World) and introduced the 'Real' currency . However the first official currency that was distributed everywhere bearing the 'Real'name was originally printed in the year 1654 by the Dutch when they occupied the Northeastern part of Brazil. Real became the official currency of Brazil in 1690 and since then its official status remained intact till 1942. Only in 1942, the currency named Cruzeiro replaced real. The currency rate was 1000 reis = 1 cruzeiro. In the 1980s and 1990s, Brazil went through a period of high inflation and hence this South American nation had to change its currency numerous times. Until 1986, the Brazilians dealt with Cruzeiros . In that year three zeros were removed and the currency was changed to Cruzado . After a couple of years another three zeros were removed and the 'new cruzados'-(Cruzados Novos) were introduced to the people of Brazil. In 1990, the Cruzeiros once again were in vogue after replacing Cruzados Novos . Finally another three zeros were reduced and the currency came to be known as Cruzeiros Reais. In 1994, with the implementation of the new financial plan, the new currency Real was launched. Thus after a long time the currency of Brazil was stabilized. Brazil Currency(Real) consists of Bills ranging from- R$1, R$2, R$5, R$10, R$20, R$50 and R$100. Coins are also available in varied colors and sizes with value ranging from 1 cent, 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents, 50 cents and also 1 Real. Previously the Bills had images of Historical characters, but at present the images of Brazilian animals are illustrated on the bills. The female character at one side of the bill represents Brazil as a Republic. Brazil doesn't allow tourists or travelers to use foreign currency bills and traveler checks are curtailed. Travelers have to exchange the currency before payment of bills.


The word apogee refers to what sort of point?

Apogee | Definition of Apogee by Merriam-Webster Examples of apogee in a sentence <shag carpeting reached the apogee of its popularity in the 1970s but is now considered outdated> Of apogees, climaxes, and culminations Apogee is often used in its figurative sense, signifying the high point of a career, endeavor, or state (“she was at the apogee of her profession”). This meaning developed as a metaphorical extension of the word’s astronomical sense, denoting the farthest distance from earth of an object orbiting the planet. A number of other English words that are synonymous with apogee have followed a similar path of figurative development from a technical meaning. Climax (“the most interesting and exciting part of something”) came into English as a term for a series of phrases arranged in ascending order of rhetorical forcefulness.  And, very much like apogee, culmination (“the final result of something”) is also rooted in astronomy: it originally referred to the highest point a celestial body reaches in its daily revolution (for example, the sun’s height at noon). Illustration of apogee Origin and Etymology of apogee French apogée, from New Latin apogaeum, from Greek apogaion, from neuter of apogeios, apogaios far from the earth, from apo- + gē, gaia earth First Known Use: 1640 apogee Synonyms Synonyms


What country has Baffin Bay to its west coast and Denmark Strait to its south-east?

Baffin Bay - 必应 Sign in Baffin Bay Baffin Bay is a bay in South Texas, an inlet of the larger Laguna Madre. Located near the Gulf of Mexico, Baffin Bay forms part of the boundary between Kenedy County and Kleberg County. Baffin Bay Extent The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of Baffin Bay as follows: On the North. A line from Cape Sheridan, Grant Land (82°35′N 60°45′W / 82.583°N 60.750°W) to Cape Bryant, Greenland. On the East. The West Coast of Greenland. On the South. The parallel of 70° North between Greenland and Baffin Land. On the West. The Eastern limits of the North-West Passages [The East Coast of Ellesmere Island between C. Sheridan and Cape Norton Shaw (76°29′N 78°30′W / 76.483°N 78.500°W), thence across to Phillips Point (Coburg Island) through this Island to Marina Peninsula (75°55′N 79°10′W / 75.917°N 79.167°W) and across to Cape Fitz Roy (Devon Island) down the East Coast to Cape Sherard (Cape Osborn) (74°35′N 80°30′W / 74.583°N 80.500°W) and across to Cape Liverpool, Bylot Island (73°44′N 77°50′W / 73.733°N 77.833°W); down the East coast of this island to Cape Graham Moore, its southeastern point, and thence across to Cape Macculloch (72°29′N 75°08′W / 72.483°N 75.133°W) and down the East coast of Baffin Island to East Bluff, its Southeastern extremity, and thence the Eastern limit of Hudson Strait]. — International Hydrographic Organization, Limits of Oceans and Seas, 3rd edition Baffin Bay History The area of the bay has been inhabited since c. 500 BC. Around AD 1200, the initial Dorset settlers were replaced by the Thule and then Inuit peoples. Recent excavations also suggest that the Norse colonization of the Americas reached the shores of Baffin Bay sometime between the 10th and 14th centuries. The English explorer John Davis was the first recorded European to enter the bay, arriving in 1585. In 1612, a group of English merchants formed the "Company of Merchants of London, Discoverers of the North-West Passage". Their governor Thomas Smythe organized five expeditions to explore the northern coasts of Canada in search of a maritime passage to the Far East. Henry Hudson and Thomas Button's explored Hudson Bay, William Gibbons Labrador, and Robert Bylot Hudson Strait and the area which became known as Baffin's Bay after his pilot William Baffin. Aboard the Discovery, Baffin charted the area and named Lancaster, Smith, and Jones Sounds after members of his company. By the completion of his 1616 voyage, Baffin held out no hope of an ice-free passage and the area remained unexplored for another two centuries. Over time, his account came to be doubted until it was confirmed by John Ross's 1818 voyage. More advanced scientific studies followed in 1928, in the 1930s and after World War II by Danish, American and Canadian expeditions. Currently, there are a few Inuit settlements on the Canadian coast of the bay, including Arctic Bay (population 690), Pond Inlet (1,315) and Clyde River (820). Those settlements are accessed and supplied by air and annual sealifts. In 1975, a town was built at Nanisivik to support lead and zinc production at the Nanisivik Mine—the first Canadian mine in the Arctic. The mine was closed in 2002 due to declining resources and metal prices. Whereas the town still has a functional seaport and an airport, as of the 2006 census, it has an official population of zero. Baffin Bay was the epicenter of a 7.3 magnitude earthquake in 1933. This is the largest known earthquake north of the Arctic Circle. It caused no damage because of its offshore location and the small number of the nearby onshore communities. The northwestern part of the bay remains one of the most seismically active regions in eastern Canada. Five earthquakes of magnitude 6 have occurred here since 1933. The latest strong earthquake occurred on 15 April 2010 and had the magnitude of 5.1. Baffin Bay Geography and geology See also: Jakobshavn Isbræ Baffin Bay is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean bounded by the Baffin Island in the west, Greenland in the east, and Ellesmere Island in the north. It connects


What recent wine-making country produces varieties from its Maharashtra region?

GRAPE GRAPE 1.                  INTRODUCTION   Grape (Vitis sp.) belonging to Family Vitaceae is a commercially important fruit crop of India. ï¿½It is a temperate crop which has got adapted to sub-tropical climate of peninsular India.    2.                  OBJECTIVE   The primary objective of this exercise is to support commercial cultivation of grapes by projecting a one acre bankable model project.ï¿½ The high yield of grape is limited to a few vineyards and is not consistent throughout the life - span of the crop. ï¿½In order to get uniformly high yields with good quality fruit, the basic principles of viticulture needs to ï¿½percolate down to all the growers.   Peak production during March-April months leading to glut in the market and poor quality of grapes resulting in tremendous post-harvest losses are other problems which limit profits. Growers need to be educated on means of extending harvest over a longer period to get better price for their produce and to minimize market risk.   3.1              Origin   Grape cultivation is believed to have originated in Armenia near the Caspian Sea in Russia, from where it spread westward to Europe and eastward to Iran and Afghanistan. Grape was introduced in India in 1300 AD by invaders from Iran and Afghanistan.   3.2              Area & Production   India is among the first ten countries in the world in the production of grape. The major producers of grape are Italy, France, Spain, USA, Turkey, China and Argentina.ï¿½ This crop occupies fifth position amongst fruit crops in India with a production of 1.21 million tonnes (around 2% of worldï¿½s production of 57.40 million tonnes) from an area of 0.05 million ha. in 2001-02. The area under grape is 1.2 % of the total area of fruit crops in the country.ï¿½ Production is 2.8% of total fruits produced in the country. About 80% of the production comes from Maharashtra followed by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.   The area and production trends of grape during the period 1997-98 to 2001-02 are depicted in Graphs-1 & 2.   State-wise area, production and productivity of grapes are given in Table-1 below.   Table-1: State-wise Area, Production & Productivity of Grapes during 2001-02.   1209.60 24.40 ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Source: Database of National Horticulture Board, Ministry of Agriculture , Govt. of India.   Variety-wise break-up of the area is as below:   3.3              Economic Importance   The fruit contains about 20% sugar in easily digestible form besides being rich in calcium and phosphorus. ï¿½World over it is grown mainly for wine making (82% production), raisin making (10% production) and rest for table purpose (8%). In India, however it is mostly consumed as fresh fruit and only a limited quantity is utilized for the production of liquor, dry fruits like raisins etc.   4.                  MARKET ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY   4.1              Demand and Supply Patterns   The contribution of India in foreign trade of grape and its processed products is meager, although, export of fresh grape from India is on the increase. ï¿½The share of Indian grape in the imports of the European countries (U.K., Germany, France, Netherlands) and Asian countries (Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and China) needs to be increased.   Varieties in demand in international markets include Thompson Seedless, Emperor, Ruby Seedless, Red globe, Christmas rose, Crimson Seedless, Calmeria, Rouge Ribier, Exotic, Fantasy Seedless. Several varieties such as Thompson Seedless, Flame Seedless, Shared Seedless, Tas-A-Ganesh and Sonaka, that are currently in demand in the international markets, are produced and exported from India. However, seeded varieties that are demanded in USA and Italy markets are not produced in India. To tap this potential, there is a need to increase area under seeded varieties of grapes.   The wine trade has enormous potential. With the support of Govt. policies India can make a mark in wine industry at global level.   ï¿½Mahagrapesï¿½, a co-operative partnership firm established in 1991, with the suppor


Australian foreign minister Kevin Rudd complained that what homeland foodstuff was confiscated from his luggage on entering the USA in 2011?

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS BLOG MIRROR -- By John Ray -- Aug 2010 archive The original version of this blog is HERE . Dissecting Leftism is HERE (and mirrored here ). The Blogroll .  My Home Page . Email me (John Ray) here .  Other mirror sites: Greenie Watch , Political Correctness Watch , Education Watch , Immigration Watch , Food & Health Skeptic , Gun Watch , Socialized Medicine , Eye on Britain , Recipes and Tongue Tied . For a list of backups viewable in China, see here . (Click "Refresh" on your browser if background colour is missing) See here or here for the archives of this site Two of my ancestors were convicts so my family has been in Australia for a long time. As well as that, all four of my grandparents were born in the State where I was born and still live: Queensland. And I am even a member of the world's second-most condemned minority: WASPs (the most condemned is of course the Jews -- which may be why I tend to like Jews). So I think I am as Australian as you can get. I certainly feel that way. I like all things that are iconically Australian: meat pies, Vegemite, Henry Lawson etc. I particularly pride myself on my familiarity with the great Australian slanguage. I draw the line at Iced Vo-Vos and betting on the neddies, however. So if I cannot comment insightfully on Australian affairs, who could? **************************************************************************************** AAAH! That lovely global cooling Coldest year on record for minimum temperatures in the capital of Western Australia Perth is shivering through its coldest year for overnight temperatures, but at the same time bathing in the sunniest winter on record. Meanwhile, farmers are battling the second driest year since records began, as the WA Bureau of Meteorology rewrites the history books for rain, sun and temperature extremes. Perth's minimum temperature for winter this year is 1.9C colder than the average 8.2C, according to the bureau's climate information officer John Relf. And the city has received just 402.6mm of rain compared to the January to August average of 648.3mm. While daytime temperatures are on average at 18.8C, the number of sunlight hours are well above the 6.4 hour average with a 7.3 hour average recorded for August. ``We've literally had an extra hour of sunlight a day in August this year," Mr Relf said. ``Our weather has been dominated by high pressure and when you get high pressure for extended periods of time the lows just run underneath. ``We seem to be going on some sort of parallel with 2006 at the moment, which recorded the driest year on record and it's been going like that for a long time." The dry conditions spell devastation for many wheat and cattle farmers across large parts of the state. WA Farmers Federation president Mike Norton said some farmers in the eastern Wheatbelt stand to lose entire crops this year because of drought. ``You don't have to go very far inland to be at half our normal rainfall," Mr Norton said. ``We desperately need a very, very wet September. ``When you start to talk about livestock, there is going to be some real problems across a very large area of the Wheatbelt. Pastures are doing worse than what the crops are." Perth dams are also low. At 35.3 percent capacity, dams are down 52.38 gigalitres compared to this time last year - one gigalitre is the size of Subiaco oval filled to the brim. Despite the dry spell, the Bureau of Meteorology says the outlook for spring holds some hope. The bureau is predicting a 65 per cent chance that the median rainfall will be exceeded from September to November in the South-West, while remaining average across the state in spring. ``The pattern of seasonal rainfall odds across Australia is dominated by the recent warm conditions in the Indian Ocean as well as a cooling trend in the equatorial Pacific Ocean associated with a La Nina," it says. SOURCE More Qld. medical board craziness They allow dangerous doctors to keep practising (Jayant Patel take a bow) and then ban a really popular doctor with zero complaints against him A SM


A backless usually female shoe or slipper is commonly called by what animal name?

Glossary | Zappos.com A reptile hide featuring a wide, boxed print. Analog Movement Representation of time by position on a dial on a clock or watch. Analog Watch This type of watch possesses a dial and hands. Angled Cuff A cuff on a dress shirt with an angled outer top edge. Aniline Leather A type of leather in which high quality hides have been treated with aniline dye to create a delicate, soft, supple finish. Aniline dye colors the leather while keeping the natural variations blemishes on the surface visible. Ankle Strap A strap attached at the rear of the shoe that encircles the ankle. Usually features an adjustable buckle or elastic. Antiqued Leather A type of leather which is dyed a darker color over an existing lighter color to create a contrasting, rubbed-off, and artificially-aged appearance. This is also referred to to distressed leather. APMA The APMA stands for the American Podiatric Medical Association. It is comprised of America's Premier Foot & Ankle Physicians. The seal was created to inform both physicians and consumers about products whose quality, safety and effectiveness allow for normal foot function and promote good health. Approach Shoe A grip-soled athletic shoe meant to aid rock climbers on the path to and from the climbing area. Arch The high, curved part of the sole of the foot, located between the ball of the foot and the heel. This term can also refer to the raised area of the insole of the shoe, which is meant to pad and provide support for the arch of the foot. Asymmetrical Hem A bottom hem that is longer on one side and shorter on the other. Athleisure Shoe Athletic footwear meant for performance of a specific sport. Basketball , crosstraining, golf , hiking , running, tennis and walking are some examples. ATM (Atmosphere) Unit of pressure used in watch making to indicate water resistance. A water-resistance of 3 ATM is equivalent to 30 meters or 100 feet, 5 ATM= 50 meters or 165 feet, and so on. Atmosphere (ATM) This is a measurement of pressure to determine water resistance of watches . Each ATM is equal to 10 meters of water pressure. Automatic Also known as self-winding movement. A mechanically powered watch that is wound by motion of the wearer's arm rather than through turning the winding system. Most automatic watches have up to 36 hours of power reserve. If the automatic watch is not worn for a day or two, it will wind down and need to be wound by hand to get it started again. Automatic Movement Automatic watches do not require batteries or manual winding. A weight within these watches turns with the natural movement of the wearer's arm, thus keeping the watch wound. Back Seam The vertical seam at the center of the back of a shoe or boot. Backpack A cloth or leather bag held to the back with double shoulder straps. Originally designed for a functional purpose, the backpack has now become a fashion item as well. Ball A ballet-style flat meant for everyday wear. Balmoral Shoe A shoe construction featuring a laced "V"-shaped panel across the foot. Band Collar A narrow band that stands up around the neckline. This collar may have an opening or a button closure. Bateau Otherwise known as boat-neck, it's used to describe a wide slit neckline that follows the curve of the collarbone. Bateau Neckline A straight, wide-cut neckline from shoulder to shoulder. Also called a "boat neck." Batwing Sleeve A sleeve with a large armhole and extends from the bodice to a narrow cuff. Also called a "dolman sleeve." Bell Sleeve A sleeve that flares out at the bottom and resembles a bell shape. Bellows Tongue Close-fitting shorts for men, women, or kids that land at or slightly above the knee. Besom Pocket A left-chest welt pocket on a suit jacket or a blazer commonly used for a pocket square. Bezel Generally, the upper part of the watch body. Specifically, it refers to the ring around the outside of the crystal of the watch face. It may be covered in diamonds or crystals in fashion watches or calibrated markings on sportier watches . Bike Shorts Tight-fitting shorts for sport use ( cycling ) that have


When bankers and brokers talk of M&A, what normally do they mean?

Ask A Banker: What Do Investment Bankers Actually Do? : Planet Money : NPR Paul Goyette/Flickr Hi! My name's Matt. I write about the financial industry for a site called Dealbreaker . Before that, I made a living as an investment banker, underwriting convertible bonds and other equity-linked securities and selling equity derivatives to corporate clients. (I know!) At Dealbreaker I mostly write for an audience of financial industry professionals, the sort of people who would understand (but probably not read) that job description I just wrote. But since these days the workings of the financial industry are of broader interest, the Planet Money team thought it might be fun for me to occasionally answer questions here about how finance works. We'll start with some generic questions; if you have questions you'd like me to answer, please email planetmoney@npr.org and write "ask a banker" in the subject line. Or ask on Twitter (@planetmoney). Q. What do investment bankers actually do? I can't put it better than the senior banker who once asked me why I had chosen to "become a traveling money salesman." I've dined out on that phrase ever since , and probably owe him royalties, though I'm not going to sweat it since he's quite rich. Article continues after sponsorship Investment bankers are traveling salesmen (and women), which explains why many of them are so ornery so much of the time. It also explains why, while in popular perception investment bankers are arrogant jerks wearing Hermès ties, actual individual bankers tend to be perceived by their clients as obsequious and needy. Because they're selling something. Specifically, they're selling money to companies. Say a company wants to get money to build a factory or hire more workers or whatever. It can get that money by issuing stock or bonds. "Issuing bonds" just means "borrowing money from strangers." "Issuing stock" is more existentially complicated, but "giving people partial ownership of your company in exchange for cash" is good enough. Issuing stocks or bonds requires finding someone to buy them, and most companies aren't good at selling stocks and bonds, so they hire investment bankers as middlemen to help them find people looking to invest money. (Incidentally, "investment bankers," as the term is used in the industry, work at investment banks that employ trading and sales staffs, who make trades and sell stocks and bonds to investors. These people are not normally called "investment bankers." In fact, the large majority of people at investment banks are not "investment bankers." Confusing, I know.) When a company decides to issue stock or bonds, investment bankers perform "due diligence" to make sure the company's accountants will say that the company's financial statements say what they say they say. Then they write up a prospectus explaining the risks and benefits of buying the stock or the bond. Finally, investment bankers hand the prospectus to the sales and trading staffs at their bank, who go out and convince mutual funds, hedge funds, rich people, and moderately less rich people to buy the stocks and bonds, while the investment bankers stand around saying helpful things like "good luck!" and "try to sell more stock!" and "hurry!" No one reads the prospectus. In future columns, I'll discuss the other main thing investment bankers do: Mergers & Acquisitions. And I'll talk in more detail about what I actually did in the industry. Let me know what else you'd like me to talk about.


What pressure group, led by Kumi Naidoo, with three million members, celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2011?

Can This Man Save the Planet? – gCaptain Can This Man Save the Planet? August 26, 2011 by gCaptain By Adam Spangler, Dow Jones & Co, Image: © Louise Gubb/Greenpeace At 0700 hours, June 17, 100 Miles off the coast of Greenland, a black inflatable speedboat splashed into the icy water off the bow of a large, repurposed Russian fireboat. Kumi Naidoo, the charismatic leader of Greenpeace International, climbed down into it. As the engine revved up and the high-speed Zodiac started pounding through the waves, Naidoo recalled clutching a bow rope tightly with one hand, and with the other holding a banner demanding, “Stop Arctic Destruction.” Speeding past Danish naval patrol boats, the inflatable reached its target, a towering 53,000-ton oil rig. As Naidoo and his Nordic action coordinator, Ulvar Arnkvaern, started to climb a steel ladder that stretched 100 feet up to the platform, a high-pressure fire hose hammered freezing water down on their heads. Soaked to the skin and shivering violently, Naidoo and Arnkvaern fought their way up, step by step. When they reached the deck of the oil rig, Naidoo announced to the crewmen who surrounded him that he was there to hand over a petition signed by 50,000 people online demanding that the rig operator, Cairn Energy, release its oil-spill response plan—if it even had one. The captain of the rig refused to see him and, while he waited to be arrested, Naidoo gave a short interview to a newspaper reporter patched in by walkie-talkie. When a police helicopter landed, the activists were flown off to four days in a Greenland jail, where Naidoo came down with a fever. The petition was left behind, unread. Both sides claimed victory though neither seemed to have won anything. The Cairn Energy protest was the first time a Greenpeace executive director had been arrested and deported in a direct action in over a decade and it’s not a coincidence that Naidoo decided to lead the operation on the eve of the organization’s 40th anniversary. Greenpeace finds itself at a major crossroads. What began as a tiny grassroots group in Vancouver now has 2.8 million members and 2,500 employees in 40 countries. It is not just the international face of the environmental movement—it is a behemoth that rivals some of the companies it opposes. It has won battles in the wilderness and in the courts, but it also faces widespread criticism that it has not achieved major, world-changing results. As the organization struggles with middle age, a question flaps in the air like one of their tattered banners: What is Greenpeace’s role in the world today? Naidoo, a 46-year-old human-rights activist from South Africa who has held the top job at Greenpeace for two years, has always shared with the organization a taste for direct action. But his willingness to negotiate with multinational corporations is a new and controversial direction for the organization. He has successfully pressed Unilever and Coca-Cola to agree to discontinue the use of HFC gases (which are more harmful to the atmosphere than CO2) in their refrigeration systems. He has gotten NestlÃ© to agree to stop buying palm oil from Sumatra, where forests in pristine tiger habitats bear continual clear-cutting. He is now pressuring Facebook to “unfriend” coal. “How appropriate for our time that the executive director of Greenpeace is in the absolute heart and soul of global business and politics,” says J. Carl Ganter, a leading environmentalist. “He’s positioned to lead the way.” All of this is sacrilege, however, for many hard-core eco-warriors. “I lost some old grassroots friends on that one,” Naidoo admits about working with Coca-Cola. “But we don’t have to support everything they do in order to work with them.” Paul Watson, the youngest founding member of Greenpeace and now leader of the smaller, more confrontational Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, is perhaps the best-known detractor of his former NGO. He paints a picture of a once-great organization lost at sea. “It’s become nothing more than a bureaucratic money machine that rides on the backs of other NGO


Greek god Dionysus is also known by what mythical Roman godly name, associated with revelry?

Dionysus Dionysus See More Dionysus Pictures > Dionysus was the god of fertility and wine, later considered a patron of the arts. He created wine and spread the art of viticulture. He had a dual nature; on one hand, he brought joy and divine ecstasy; or he would bring brutal and blinding rage, thus reflecting the dual nature of wine. Dionysus and his followers could not be bound by fetters. Dionysus was the son of Zeus and Semele , and he was the only god with a mortal parent. Zeus went to Semele in the night, unseen by human eyes, but could be felt as a divine presence. Semele was pleased to be the lover of a god, even though she did not know which one. Word soon got around and Hera quickly assumed who was responsible. She went to Semele in disguise and convinced her she should see her lover as he really was. When Zeus visited her again, she made him promise to grant her one wish. She went so far as to make him swear on the River Styx that he would grant her request. Zeus was madly in love and agreed. She then asked him to show her his true form. Zeus was unhappy knowing what was about to happen, but bound by his oath, he had no choice. He appeared in his true form and Semele was instantly burnt to a crisp by the sight of his glory. Zeus managed to rescue the fetal Dionysus and stitched him into his thigh until he would be ready to be born. His birth from Zeus conferred immortality upon him. Hera , still jealous of Zeus ' infidelity and the fact that Dionysus was alive, arranged for the Titans to kill him. The Titans ripped him to pieces; however, Rhea brought him back to life. After this, Zeus arranged for his protection and gave him to the mountain nymphs to be raised. Dionysus wandered the world actively spreading his cult. He was accompanied by the Maenads, wild women, flush with wine, shoulders draped with a fawn skin, carrying rods tipped with pine cones. While other gods had temples to be worshipped at, the followers of Dionysus worshipped him in the woods. There, they might go into a state of ecstasy and madness, ripping apart and eating raw any animal they might come upon. Dionysus was also one of the very few characters able to bring a dead person back from the underworld . Even though he had never seen Semele , he was concerned for her. Eventually, he journeyed into the underworld to find her. He faced down Thanatos and brought her back to Mount Olympus . Dionysus became one of the most important gods in everyday life and was associated with several key concepts. One was rebirth after death; his dismemberment by the Titans and his return to life was symbolically echoed in viticulture, where the vines must be pruned back sharply, and then become dormant in winter for them to bear fruit. Another concept was that under the influence of wine, one could feel possessed by a greater power. Unlike other gods , Dionysus was not merely a god to be worshipped, but he was also present within his followers; at those times, a man would possess supernatural powers and was able for things he would not be able to do otherwise. The festival for Dionysus was held in the spring when vines would start bearing leaves. It became one of the most important events of the year and its primary focal point was the theater. Most of the great Greek plays were initially written to be performed at the feast of Dionysus . All participants, writers, actors, spectators, were regarded as sacred servants of Dionysus during the festival. Dionysus Is also called Bacchus, Dionysos.


In 2011 Australia launched passports offering a third-gender option for intersex people (whose anatomy fits neither male/female convention) indicated by what letter symbol?

Human Rights Violations against Trans People in the Netherlands | HRW Human Rights Violations against Trans People in the Netherlands September 13, 2011 Repeal Requirement for Irreversible Surgery to Change Official Gender Summary The state should stay out of our underwear. — Vreer, Amsterdam, March 7, 2011   After a while, you’re just done with it. You just want to live, just like everybody else. — Linda, Rotterdam, April 1, 2011 In 1985, the Netherlands was among the first European nations to adopt legislation granting transgender people—individuals whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned them at birth—legal recognition of their gender identity, albeit under onerous legal conditions.   Over a quarter of a century later, the Netherlands has lost its leading edge. Legislation that at the time represented a progressive development is wholly out of step with current best practice and understandings of the Netherlands’ obligations under international human rights law. Most egregiously, Dutch law allows trans people to change their gender on official documents only on condition that they have altered their bodies through hormones and surgery, and that they are permanently and irreversibly infertile. These requirements routinely leave trans people with identity documents that do not match their deeply felt gender identity, resulting in frequent public humiliation, vulnerability to discrimination, and great difficulty finding or holding a job. “Right now, you have to brace yourself at every moment of your life, because you never know when will be the next time you have to explain yourself,” one woman said. The conditions imposed by article 1:28 of the Civil Code violate transgender people’s rights to personal autonomy and physical integrity and deny transgender people the ability to define their own gender identity, which the European Court of Human Rights has deemed to be “one of the most basic essentials of self-determination.”   This report details the impact the current Dutch law has on the daily life of transgender people and analyzes the existing Dutch legal framework from a human rights perspective. Human Rights Watch calls upon the Netherlands to amend article 1:28 of the Civil Code to respect transgender people’s right to personal autonomy and physical integrity. It should separate medical and legal questions for transgender people. Legal recognition of the gender identity of transgender people should not be made conditional on any form of medical intervention. An Outdated Law and Its Impact on Transgender People Most people’s internal, deeply felt sense of belonging to a particular gender corresponds to the sex they were assigned at birth on the basis of their external sex organs. For transgender people, or trans people, this is not the case: their gender identity differs from their birth sex. The transgender community is diverse, and precisely how their gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth differs from person to person. Transsexual people want to live and be accepted as members of the gender opposite to the sex they were assigned at birth. Besides transsexual people, the trans community also includes gender variant people whose gender identity is neither male nor female: it may be somewhere on the spectrum between male and female, or it may not be susceptible at all to definition in terms of the male/female dichotomy. Article 1:28 of the Civil Code impacts different groups of transgender people in the Netherlands in different ways. According to the law, transsexual people who wish to undergo surgery to alter their bodies can change their papers only after they have completed the lengthy medical trajectory. It takes years, not weeks or months, before people meet the conditions imposed by article 1:28. During that time, they must live with identity documents that do not match their gender identity, and thus deny a fundamental aspect of their personality. “People are left dangling in between two worlds for far longer than is necessary,” Joc


Kevlar, the high-strength fibre material, used in armour and sports equipment, is a product/brand of which international chemicals corporation?

Patent US7498276 - Advanced body armor utilizing shear thickening fluids - Google Patents Advanced body armor utilizing shear thickening fluids US 7498276 B2 Abstract An armor composite material has been invented which contains a fabric which has been impregnated with shear thickening fluid. This invention offers a ballistic resistant material that is more flexible and less bulky than comparable, conventional ballistic fabric. The material in the alternative can be puncture resistant. The invented material offers superior ballistic performance and/or puncture resistance compared to conventional ballistic fabric-based materials of equal thickness. The invented material can be applied to applications requiring armor that is compact and/or flexible, such as body armor, protective clothing and flexible protective devices and shields, and stab resistant clothing and devices. Images(2)   Claims(36) 1. A material for dissipating the kinetic energy of a moving object comprising a fabric or a yarn which further comprises a shear thickening fluid (STF) intercalated into said fabric and/or yarn wherein said STF remains in a fluid form and said STF comprises particles suspended in a solvent and said particle-solvent suspension remains in a flowable form after intercalation and said solvent is environmentally stable and remains integral to said material and said suspended particles during service. 2. The material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said material is a ballistic material which contains aramid fibers, graphite fibers, nylon fibers or glass fibers. 3. The material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said particles are oxides, calcium carbonate, synthetically occurring minerals, naturally occurring minerals, polymers or a mixture thereof. 4. The material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said solvent is water, which optionally contains added salts, surfactants, and/or polymers and said material is a poly (para-phenylene terephthalamide). 5. The material as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said solvent is ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, ethanol, silicon oils, phenyltrimethicone or a mixture thereof and said material is a poly (para-phenylene terephthalamide). 6. A material for dissipating the kinetic energy of a moving object comprising a fabric or yarn which further comprises a shear thickening fluid (STF) intercalated into said fabric and/or yarn wherein said STF remains in a fluid form in said material during service. 7. The material as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said material is a ballistic material which contains aramid fibers, graphite fibers, nylon fibers or glass fibers. 8. The material as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said shear thickening fluid comprises particles suspended in a solvent. 9. The material as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said particles are oxides, calcium carbonate, synthetically occurring minerals, naturally occurring minerals or polymers or a mixture thereof. 10. The material as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said particles are SiO2, polystyrene or polymethylmethacrylate. 11. The material as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the solvent is water, which optionally contains added salts, surfactants, and/or polymers and said material is a poly (para-phenylene terephthalamide). 12. The material as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said solvent is ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, ethanol, a silicon oil or phenyltrimethicone or mixtures thereof and said material is a poly (para-phenylene terephthalamide). 13. The material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said particles have an average diameter size of less than 1 mm. 14. The material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said particles have an average diameter size of less than 100 microns. 15. The material according to claim 6 , wherein the material comprises one or more layers of said material and said at one or more layers are a woven fabric. 16. The material according to claim 6 , wherein the material comprises one or more layers of said material and said at one or more layers are a nonwoven fabric. 17. The material according to claim 6 , wherein the material comprise


What compound, KClO3, commonly features in the heads of safety matches?

Sciencemadness Discussion Board - Chemical Reaction of a Safety Match - Powered by XMB 1.9.11 Chemical Reaction of a Safety Match Does anyone know the Chemical Reaction of a safety match? I believe the matches contain sulfur, potassium chlorate, powdered glass and red phosphorus but I couldn't find an equation for the reaction. Does anyone know it? posted on 8-1-2007 at 21:35 Strike-on-box safety matches contain Sb2S3 and KClO3 in the tip. The box's striking surface contains red phosphorus and glass powder. According to wikipedia, the friction of striking a match causes a small portion of the striking surface's red P to convert to white P which combusts spontaneously in air, starting the reaction between the components of the match head. Like any other pyrotechnic reaction, it is generally difficult to predict the exact reaction products, but I would assume that a reaction along these lines occurs. 3KClO3 + Sb2S3 -> Sb2O3 + 3SO2 + heat posted on 8-1-2007 at 23:06 additionally, in these safety matches are many other substances to regulate their stability (in the matchehead are present sulphur and derivates which isn't will be stable without "stabilizing" compounds as small amounts of Fe2O3, zinc, etc without these things the "safety" matche will turns in a really mini portable "bomb" which will ignites and even explodes on smallest friction), other compounds to regulate the velocity of burn, etc..i cann't remember much of the infos at teh moment because my book with tons of infos disapeared and i MUST sleep now (here: 5:05 AM) the web.... tomorrow i will post "The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant." posted on 10-1-2007 at 08:52 so now i find my book with the infos. there says which moreover the Sb2S3 (in modern safety matches), has the phosphorus sesquisulfide(done development to risks to red P ). some of the phosphorus sesquisulfide based modern matches are of the Strike-anywhere matches types, and other part of the Safety matches (although i don't know what the difference of % in the composition ).. ------- darkuza,i think which is very probably which the SO2 isn't the ONLY gas of decomposition ,but the MAINLY gas... i don't think which using this method with matchheads for producing H2SO4 is cheap, and also has very time consuming and lot of impurities (the others gases from decomposition of matches can to poison any catalyst (e.g. V2O5 method)(????)).. you can try also heat sulfur alone with air or O2 this is much better (much less cost , and much more purity of SO2) and pass into catalyst, or then heat MUCH more pirite or other sulfide ..e.g. iron sulfate III Quote: from wikipedia: iron(III) sulfate, Fe2(SO4)3, which when heated to 480 Â°C decomposed to iron(III) oxide and sulfur trioxide, which could be passed through water to yield sulfuric acid in any concentration i still think which old baterry (and filtrated after) acid can provide dilute H2SO4 totally FREE.. also, search in this forum to see threads of H2SO4. [Editado em 10-1-2007 por Aqua_Fortis_100%] [Editado em 10-1-2007 por Aqua_Fortis_100%] "The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant." posted on 21-11-2015 at 18:52 Sorry for reviving an old thread and all... My recent projects in chemistry have involved mainly turning household chemicals into other ones, or isolating an element out of them. I recently wondered if I could isolate the rather exciting compounds out of matches, as those are one the few pyrotechnic compositions commonly sold to the public. My research showed (as stated somewhat incorrectly above) that strike-anywhere match heads contain PHOSPHOROUS sequisulfide(P4S3)and antimony trisulfide(Sb2S3),along with some unnamed stabilizers. Safety matche heads (as opposed to strike anywhere matches) contain potassium chlorate (KClO3) and antimony trisulfide(Sb2S3). The trick in safety matches (to make them safe) is to isolate the phosphorous critical to the reaction from the other reactants in the match head by put


A significant German reaction to the 2011 Fukushima crisis was to phase out what by 2022?

German developments following Fukushima Developments in Germany following the nuclear disaster in Japan First measures following the accident On 11 March 2011, a severe earthquake occurred off the coast of Japan. This earthquake and the tsunami which followed caused serious damage to several Japanese nuclear power plants, and to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in particular. On the same day a crisis unit was set up by Germany's Federal Ministry for the Environment; this unit continued to exist, expanding as necessary, for more than four weeks. Its primary aims were to keep the population of Germany informed about events in Japan and their impact, to prevent the importation of potentially contaminated foodstuffs and products and to ensure that German citizens in Japan at that time were protected from any radiological effects arising from the accident. This also involved dispatching representatives of the Federal Environment Ministry to the German embassy in Tokyo. Safety review of German nuclear power plants On 14 March 2011, in the light of events in Japan, the federal government and the Minister-Presidents of the five Federal Länder with nuclear power plant sites decided to review the safety of all German nuclear power plants. The autonomous Reactor Safety Commission (RSK), responsible for advising the Federal Environment Ministry on issues of nuclear safety, and staffed by a panel of recognised experts, was commissioned with the  formulation and final review (German) – in the form of a robustness test – of all German nuclear power plants and the final assessment of the respective results. In summary, the Reactor Safety Commission observed in its first statement dated 16 May 2011 that with regard to electricity supply and protection against flooding, German facilities appear to be better prepared than the Fukushima power plant. Further robustness tests revealed no uniform findings that could be related to either plant design or age. The RSK concluded its extensive deliberations on relevant insights from the Fukushima accident for German nuclear power plants with its recommendation of 26/27 September 2012. Phasing-out nuclear energy Parallel to the work of the RSK, the federal government convened the Ethics Commission for a Safe Energy Supply at the beginning of April 2011 with the aim of establishing a public consensus on future energy supply and discussing the risks of using nuclear energy. The commission submitted its recommendations on 30 May 2011, concluding that although the risks associated with nuclear energy may not have changed owing to the events in Fukushima, the way these risks are perceived has. The possibility of an accident spiralling out of control is of crucial significance in Germany. The commission recommended limiting the use of nuclear energy for the commercial generation of electricity as far as possible and phasing-out nuclear energy within a decade. The existence of lower risk alternatives would make the phase-out a realistic option. On the basis of the review findings, discussions and reports submitted by both the RSK and the Ethics Commission, the '13th Act amending the Atomic Energy Act' was passed by a huge majority in the German Parliament on 30 June 2011 and entered into force on 6 August 2011. The right to commercial operation for the seven oldest nuclear power plants and the Krümmel nuclear power plant expired with the entry into force of the act. Owing to a prior decision by the federal government and the Minister-Presidents of the Länder with nuclear sites, these nuclear power plants had already been taken off the grid. The remaining nuclear power plant blocks have either already been closed down (2015 Grafenrheinfeld) or are being permanently closed down in succession until 2022 (2017 Gundremmingen B, 2019 Philippsburg 2, 2021 Grohnde, Gundremmingen C, Brokdorf and 2022 Isar 2, Emsland and Neckarwestheim 2). The European Stress Test At European level, the European Council declared on 24/25 March 2011 that "the safety of all EU nuclear plants should be reviewed, on the basis o


In general a horse is distinguished from a pony at/over approximately what height, in hands, to the withers?

clipper paddock horsemanship gaucho rider mustang clipper paddock horsemanship gaucho rider mustang Yearling: a horse of either sex that is between one and two years old. Modern light horses, all descended in part from the Arabian horse, the oldest surviving breed of known lineage, include the Thoroughbred, celebrated as a racehorse; the American saddlebred horse, known for its easy gaits; the Morgan and the quarter horse, favored for riding and cow herding; and the Standardbred, or trotter, developed for light harness racing. The Appaloosa and the Pinto, much used in cow herding, are distinguished by their patterned colors. The palomino is not a breed but a color type. Among the small horses are the Shetland pony and Welsh pony. The terms cow pony and polo pony refer to the animal's use rather than its size or breed. Although little used for work today, horses are widely owned for recreational riding and show activities. Yearling: a horse of either sex that is between one and two years old. The size of horses varies by breed, but can also be influenced by nutrition. The general rule for cutoff in height between what is considered a horse and a pony at maturity is 14.2 hands as measured at the withers. An animal 14.2h or over is usually considered a horse and one less than 14.2h is a pony. However, there are exceptions to the general rule. Some smaller horse breeds who typically produce individual horses both under and over 14.2h are considered "horses" regardless of height. Likewise, some pony breeds, such as the Welsh pony, share some features of horses and individual animals may occasionally mature at over 14.2h, but are still considered ponies. People of all ages with physical and mental disabilities obtain beneficial results from association with horses. Therapeutic riding is used to mentally and physically stimulate disabled persons and help them improve their lives through improved balance and coordination, increased self-confidence and a greater feeling of freedome and independence. The benefits of equestrian activity for people with disabilities has also been recognized with the addition of equestrian events to the Paralympic Games and recognition of para-equestrian events by the FEI. Hippotherapy and therapeutic horseback riding are names for different physical, occupational, and speech therapy treatment strategies that utilize equine movement. In hippotherapy, a therapist uses the horse's movement to provide improve their patient's cognitive, coordination, balance and fine motor skills, whereas therapeutic horseback riding uses specific riding skills. All horses move naturally with four basic gaits: the four-beat walk, the two-beat trot or jog, and the leaping gaits known as the canter or lope (a three-beat gait), and the gallop. Besides these basic gaits, some horses perform a two-beat pace, instead of the trot. In addition, there are several four-beat "ambling" gaits that are approximately the speed of a trot or pace, though smoother to ride. These include the lateral slow gait, rack, running walk, and tï¿½lt as well as the diagonal fox trot. Ambling gaits are often genetic traits in specific breeds, often referred to as gaited horses. In most cases, gaited horses replace the standard trot, a 2-beat gait, with one of the four beat gaits. People of all ages with physical and mental disabilities obtain beneficial results from association with horses. Therapeutic riding is used to mentally and physically stimulate disabled persons and help them improve their lives through improved balance and coordination, increased self-confidence and a greater feeling of freedome and independence. The benefits of equestrian activity for people with disabilities has also been recognized with the addition of equestrian events to the Paralympic Games and recognition of para-equestrian events by the FEI. Hippotherapy and therapeutic horseback riding are names for different physical, occupational, and speech therapy treatment strategies that utilize equine movement. In hippotherapy, a therapist uses the horse's movement to provi


What self-proclaimed birthplace of surfing announced in 2011 that the activity would become (in 2013) an official college sport?

All Articles | Aloha Surf Guide | The Official Surf Guide of Hawaii The Official Surf Guide of Hawaii Menu Leave a reply (PAPEETE, Tahiti) — Tahiti is a surfer’s paradise. Now, it’s paradise for stunt rider Robbie Maddison. Maddison, who partnered with DC Shoes, was able to fulfill a three-year dream and ride a modified-motorcycle across the waves on Tahiti’s shore. The dramatic video below shows Maddison zooming through a rainforest before trading solid ground for water. He enters the water at full speed and manages to zoom across the surface with water spraying up from behind the bike. Maddison, an X Games medalist and world-record holding athlete, speeds past surfers into an oncoming wave. It looks like he had barely enough speed to outrun the wave, but he makes it out, with his dirt bike aiming straight for shore. Maddison worked with DC to modify his dirt bike and add skis to the front and back wheels. The bike also has airbags, activated if Maddison pulls the lever, to keep the bike from sinking to the bottom of the ocean if he crashed. In the video below, you’ll see a madman take off on a sizeable wave in Tahiti on a highly-modified motorcycle. His name is Robbie Maddison, and he’s a surfer-slash-stunt-rider from Australia. “Maddo” seems to know no fear, as he’s backflipped the Tower Bridge in London, jumped the Corinth Canal in Greece, and acted as the stunt-double for Daniel Craig in James Bond films. But looking over the ledge in Tahiti, while holding onto two handlebars, is another level of madness. We caught up with Maddo to ask him, well, why? Well, let’s take it from the top. Where the hell did this idea come from? Well, I grew up surfing, and my wife is a big-time wakeboard champion, so every time we’re home in Australia we’re in boats, on the water, etc. I guess the idea originally came from—well I mean I’m obviously a motorcycle guy—but I was on the back of a boat and we were cruising along the river and I’m looking at the wake coming up the back, watching her wakeboard, and something clicked in my head. I fantasized putting skis on a bike and riding on water. It was a stupid vision at the time, but I kept toying with it, playing with designs and concepts, and eventually it became a reality. Like most people who surf in Tahiti, you don’t have a good trip unless you meet up with Raimana. We heard he was pretty crucial to pulling this off. Yeah, I’d never met him before, but he’s a nice guy, very hospitable and a great surfer. Before the stunt, the day before I got the big wave on my bike, a big swell came and Raimana towed me into the sickest waves I’ve ever experienced. I caught some wearing my full gear to get used to wearing it in the water, and he towed me into ‘em. Then right after, he towed into a couple waves and I watched him get some of the sickest barrels I’ve ever seen first-hand. I was up on the Jet Ski right in front of where the lip was hitting the water, parallel to the reef—it was just so epic. That scene will live with me forever. Having grown up in Australia on the beaches just south of Sydney, did understanding the physics of a wave and ocean dynamics help you at all? Did your past as a surfer influence how you were able to ride that bike in the surf? Yeah, 100 percent. I’ve surfed since I was 8 years old. I’ve been a surfer for like 26 years. If I wasn’t a surfer growing up there’s no way I would have ever even imagined this, not to mention have had the knowledge of how to read the wave. I was only comfortable in this scenario because I’ve spent the majority of my life dropping in on waves. Honestly, the whole way I imagined I needed to ride the wave on my bike was wrong, but after watching some footage, with my knowledge of surfing I realized I had to adjust to be up on the face of the wave—and I’m comfortable being there because I spent the majority of my life dropping in on the face of waves. If I hadn’t been a surfer at heart, I couldn’t have pulled it off. How does the perspective that we see in the photos and the video relate to what your perspective was of riding those waves in


The world wide web domain .tv belongs to which Pacific island nation?

Dot.tv brings riches and worry - ITNews - theage.com.au Dot.tv brings riches and worry Funafuti, Tuvalu July 8, 2004 It took just a bit of alphabet and a jot of punctuation to pave this island's lone road, to light the village lanes at night, to pay the rent on an office suite and a UN seat in far-off New York. Ever since two little letters, "tv," were plucked from the alphabet soup of the internet and assigned to tiny Tuvalu, its 9,000 Pacific islanders have been making the most of it. Or have they? Television stations, networks and others with video-heavy Web sites have been buying the right to use the island nation's ".tv" internet domain, explains Bart MacKay of California-based VeriSign Inc, which sells the Tuvaluans' cyber-identity to distributors. "When we speak with our customers and ask what domain extensions they would like to sell, dot.tv is at the top of their list," he says. But the Tuvaluan government may not be getting top dollar for its lucky draw in the World Wide Web lottery, some islanders are grumbling. "What do you call it, 'ripped off'?" politician Apisai Ielemia asks a visiting reporter. "We should not be ripped off by these business-minded companies." The Tuvaluans themselves are decidedly not business-minded. Traditional, laid-back, remote, living on a scattering of sunny atolls midway between Hawaii and Australia, their chief exports are coconut oil and postage stamps. Cooperatives or the government run almost everything here, from the ramshackle markets to the radio station. (The land of dot.tv, ironically, itself has no television.) Tuvaluans also have been too trusting in the past. In 1979, for example, a year after the colony gained independence from Britain, an American "real estate" scammer swindled it out of half its $US1 million reserves. By 1998, when a Canadian entrepreneur dropped in to regale them with tales of riches awaiting via the internet, they knew enough to consult American lawyers. The Geneva-based International Organisation of Standards, assigning country-code, "top-level domain" names on the internet, had bestowed .tv on Tuvalu, as it had dealt .jp to Japan and .fr to France, for example. The Tuvaluans now owned that Web address, and could license it for non-Tuvaluans to use. With no real marketing plan, the Canadian deal foundered, however, and Tuvalu reached another agreement, with a California company, in 2000. Two years later, that company sold the new .tv Corp to VeriSign, the powerful outfit that maintains registries for ".com" and ".net", the most important internet suffixes. Along the way, the Tuvaluan government collected more than $US20 million ($A28.14 million) in lump-sum payments, from .tv Corp. stock sales and other windfalls, and .tv collected tens of thousands of registrants - from Major League Baseball's mlb.tv, which streams video of games, to a site called farm.tv, which offers videos of farms for sale. The revenue - about twice as much as Tuvalu's previous annual gross domestic product - allowed the islanders to tar the road that runs the length of slender, sandy, 11-km-long Funafuti; to install street lights among the palms and cinderblock shacks; to pay the $US50,000 ($A70,350) admission fee to the United Nations, among other things. Regular cheques came in as well, as Tuvalu's cut in annual registrants' fees: a guaranteed $US550,000 ($A773,830) per quarter, plus five per cent of quarterly income over $US5 million ($A7.03 million), with the rest going to VeriSign. As each quarter passed with only the minimum payment, however, that deal began looking less lucrative to some here. "We're getting very little," said Amasone Kilei, a member of Tuvalu's 15-seat Parliament. "It's our property, and we need to get more than the company operating it - more than 50 per cent." MacKay, at VeriSign, said ordinary .tv domains sell for an average $US49 ($A68) a year, but the most desirable premium names, such as "drugstore.tv," sell for much more, up to five figures annually. The current number of registrants is between 190,000 and 200,000, he said. The previous operat