Abode: A Tale of Two Moons

An ElfQuest roleplay, based of the comic made by Wendy and Richard Pinni. Fantasy and adventure.

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This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Abode: A Tale of Two Moons?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

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Meun

Member for 0 years

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Hey, I'm interested in making a character. However, I haven't read ElfQuest or anything like that so I'm not quite sure how this is going. Is there a plot of sorts, or is it a free for all sort of deal?

Also, is there a skelly or anything, specific requirements you would like for the bio/description, pictures, or can we just go with what's already on the character sheets?

You can dream and fantasize all you want, but some things can't be changed.
-Zeth

but if you dream
you can move forward

radioinvader

Member for 1 years

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Federal agriculture minister says Ottawa intent on 'modernization' of ...

Stripping the Canadian Wheat Board of its monopoly on wheat and barley sales is only the start of the federal government's "modernization" of the industry, federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said Friday.

In addition to the establishment of marketing freedom, Ottawa plans to cut farmers' costs, invest in innovation and develop new markets, Ritz said at the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association convention in Edmonton.

Wheat in Western Canada brings in nearly $4 billion to the farm gate and represents $5.6 billion in exports, but Ritz said the crop is in decline despite the growth of the middle classes in markets such as China and India.

"We've seen slippage in our production capacity of wheat over the last two decades - less and less wheat being grown, less markets demanding hard red (wheat variety) predominantly," Ritz told reporters.

Scientists are mapping the genome of wheat and that could lead to stronger and gluten-free varieties, he said.

Ritz said the government also wants to make it easier for farmers to get their wheat to market by introducing the Fair Rail Freight Service Act, which would give shippers the right to enter into a commercial service agreement with the railways.

Amendments introduced to the Canada Grain Act as part of the budget eliminate mandatory inward weighing and inspection of grain done between elevator and port by the Canadian Grain Commission. Ritz said that will cut $20 million out of the farmers' cost of shipping grain yearly.

"With farmers no longer owning the wheat to port as was done under the Canadian Wheat Board, there was no need for that anymore."

Farmers attending the convention applauded Ritz for removing the board's monopoly on western wheat and barley sales.

"The transition from the single desk to the open market has worked so extremely well and it's been so seamless," said Rolf Penner, a wheat farmer from Morris, Man. "We all expected some kind of hiccup somewhere and really there hasn't been any."

Wheat Board supporters such as the National Farmers Union vowed to continue their fight.

"This is a dark day for western Canadian farmers and the marketing agency that worked solely on their behalf," said president Terry Boehm, in a statement released Friday.

"Farmers will continue to pursue this matter in the courts, through our class action suit against the Harper government."

Source: http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Federal+agriculture+minister+says+Ottawa+intent+growing+wheat/7843553/story.html

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 ($799.99 direct with lens) is the latest in Panasonic's line of SLR-styled Micro Four Thirds camera bodies. The 16-megapixel shooter looks and handles a lot like a scaled-down D-SLR. It has an extremely sharp eye-level EVF, a vari-angle touch-sensitive LCD, shoots at 5.3 frames per second, and shoots excellent photos through ISO 6400. It's not without its flaws?even though it records 1080p60 video there is no external microphone input, and its kit lens is just a tad soft at its widest setting. Its pros outweigh its cons, earning the camera a 4.5 star rating and our Editors' Choice award for compact interchangeable lens cameras under $1,000. If the $800 asking price is too big of a pill to swallow, the previous winner, the?Sony Alpha NEX-F3, is still an excellent camera and is currently selling for less than its original $600 asking price.

Design and Features
The G5 looks like someone took a typical D-SLR and put it in front of Rick Moranis's shrink ray. The handgrip, eye-level viewfinder, and physical control buttons are all arranged just like they would be on an SLR?but it measures just 3.3 by 4.7 by 2.8 inches and weighs only 12.2 ounces without a lens. It's bigger than compact-styled compact interchangeable lens camera like the Olympus PEN E-PL5?that measures 2.5 by 4.4 by 1.1 inches?but smaller than a compact D-SLR like the 3.8-by-5-by-3.1-inch Nikon D3200.

It's bundled with the Lumix G Vario 14-42mm lens, which seems a bit big for the camera thanks to the included petal lens hood. In reality, it's got a wider diameter than the collapsible Olympus 14-42mm kit lens included with its line of Micro Four Thirds cameras, but is not that much deeper when the hood is reversed for storage. The lens is optically stabilized, while the Olympus is not?this is due to a different approach in stabilization. Panasonic builds stabilization into its lenses, while Olympus puts it into bodies. Even though you can use lenses from either manufacturer interchangeably on Micro Four Thirds cameras, you won't have any form of stabilization if you opt to use Olympus glass on a Panasonic body. This also comes into play when using older lenses from other camera systems via an adapter.

Top-mounted controls include a standard Mode dial, a button to activate the iAuto mode, a Record button for video, a programmable Function Lever (by default it controls zoom when a power zoom lens is attached, but adjusts Exposure Compensation when one is not), and power switch, and the shutter release button. Rear controls include buttons to adjust Focus/Exposure Lock, ISO, White Balance, the Focus Area, the Self Timer, and Drive Mode. There's also a dedicated Q. Menu button, which gives you quick access to many shooting functions via an on-screen menu?it can be navigated via touch or via the physical controls. One weak point of the camera is the quality of the rear pad. It feels just a little bit mushy when using it, a departure from the crisp feel that I'm used to getting from similar controls on other cameras.

You can frame and review images using the 1.4-million dot eye-level electronic viewfinder or via the vari-angle rear LCD?that's 3 inches in size with a 920k-dot resolution. The LCD EVF is sharp and bright, but it's not quite on the same level as the OLED finder that is built into the Sony Alpha NEX-6?it has more contrast and a resolution that is in excess of 2.5 million dots. If you use the EVF, the G5 will start to focus just as you bring your eye to the camera?this can help you capture a quick shot that you may have just missed as the camera will be focused on what is in front of it by the time your eye is up against the eyecup.

The rear LCD is extremely sharp, although it lags a bit behind the 610k-dot OLED on the back of the top-end Olympus OM-D E-M5, and is touch sensitive. You can touch it to select a focus point and fire the shutter, or to adjust shooting settings. During playback it's possible to scroll through photos by swiping, just as you would with an iPhone.

There are a number of art filters built into the camera, and Panasonic feels they are an important enough aspect of the design that it has reserved a spot on the Mode dial for them. Most of the seven options contained within deal with color?you can get saturated images using the Expressive setting, washed out ones with Retro, bright photos with High Key, and darker images with Low Key. There's also Sepia, Dynamic Monochrome (high-contrast black-and-white, essentially), and Impressive Art (high-contrast color). A High Dynamic Range mode brings out the detail in shadows and tries to suppress blown highlights, Cross Process gives you the same funky color palette you get when developing slide film in color negative chemicals, and the Toy Effect mimics the plastic lens of Lomo cameras and adds a dark vignette around the edges.

There's also a Miniature Effect that mimics a tilt-shift lens, a Soft Focus effect, a Star Filter which adds star points to bright lights in your photos, and a One Point Color mode that lets you highlight a specific color in your image, leaving the rest in black and white. You can preview each of these in real time, and they work for video recording as well as for stills?although shooting video of the processor-intensive Miniature Effect requires a lower frame rate that noticeably speeds up your footage, reducing the time of your overall clip dramatically?and you can't record video at all when the Star Filter or Soft Focus engaged.

The camera doesn't have built-in Wi-Fi. You're seeing this more and more on cameras, including compact interchangeable lens models like the Sony Alpha NEX-5R and NEX-6, as well as the Samsung NX line, including the entry-level NX1000.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/zhFerTRmYLA/0,2817,2414383,00.asp

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Circa Raises $750K From Group Including Lerer Ventures To Revolutionize Mobile News Delivery

We’ve learned today that mobile news-delivery company Circa has raised another $750K on top of the $900K raised previously. The company launched its app of the same name, which allows you to follow an often-changing story in bite-sized chunks, only three months ago. A few more big names have joined in this up-round, including: Lerer Ventures, Advancit Capital, Menlo Talent Fund, Alex Bard and Eamon Leonard. Those investors join individual contributors from its previous 900K raised, including Dave Morin, David Karp and Josh Spear, as well as firms such as Quotidian Ventures and SK Ventures. When I spoke to Circa’s co-founder and CEO Matt Galligan today, he told me that he’s extremely happy about the growth of its userbase as well as how the app itself is coming along. The team announced version 1.1, which included some design and usability tweaks that Galligan is specifically proud of. Circa currently employs seven non-editorial staffers and 12 others who manage the current news categories within the app. Regarding the funding, Lerer Partner and former CEO of Huffington Post, Eric Hippeau, had this to say: We think Circa has developed the right technology and persona to capture a large audience looking for their mobile devices as their main source of news. Growth is on the horizon, as far as what types of content you’ll be able to find within Circa. Galligan tells us “Right now, we’re exploring what categories that we want to go into next,” mentioning such verticals as Business and Sports. When thinking about what makes Circa different, Galligan says if you think of CNN as something that has nailed TV coverage of news and Huffington Post as a publication that does well on the web, Circa can be that application for mobile news delivery. Circa allows you to follow an ongoing story, like Lance Armstrong admitting that he doped during his cycling career. It updates as individual bits of information come in, rather than making you read an entirely new story each and every time. Galligan also says that Circa has been approached by large news outlets that are interested in working with his company to adopt its format. With the money, it seems like Circa will continue to hire and work on perfecting what it believes will be a format that publications will want to pay closer attention to as time goes on. People who read the news on

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/MoIYWcCTfmk/

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Personality and pain relief | Psychology Today

Medical researchers have long known that placebo treatments can produce real effects, such as pain relief. Personality traits are also known to influence a person?s response to treatments for certain conditions. A recent study has found that personality traits appear to influence how strongly a person responds to a placebo treatment for pain. Personality traits associated with self-control and the regulation of anger in particular were associated with greater pain relief. This raises the possibility that improving a person?s self-control and ability to manage anger could also improve their ability to control pain.

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Image courtesy of Michal Marcol at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In this study, volunteers received a series of four injections while receiving PET scans to monitor brain activity (Peci?a et al., 2012). Two of the injections were designed to be painless and the other two were intended to be quite painful. Participants were not told in advance which injection they would receive so as not to bias their expectations. After receiving one of the painful injections they were administered a substance that they were told would relieve the pain but which was actually an inert saline solution with no analgesic properties. This placebo treatment produced a significant reduction in pain. Pain relief was rated both subjectively (by self-ratings of pain intensity) and objectively (changes in opioid receptor function observed through PET scans). Pain relief tended to be stronger in participants who rated themselves higher in the personality traits of ego resiliency and agreeableness and lower in neuroticism. Agreeableness and neuroticism each consist of a number of narrower facets that were also examined. The facets that predicted placebo response most strongly were high altruism and straightforwardness (facets of agreeableness) and low angry hostility (a neuroticism facet that is also related to low agreeableness).

Neuroticism is a trait associated with negative emotionality People high in neuroticism tend to report more physical symptoms and complaints, such as headaches and muscle tension and so on, than less neurotic individuals (Ode & Robinson, 2007). People high in neuroticism cope with pain more poorly than other people probably because they tend to over-react emotionally. There is evidence linking physical pain and negative emotions as neuroimaging studies have found that endogenous opioid activity in a number of brain regions modulate both the experience of physical pain and of negative emotions. Angry hostility was the neuroticism facet that most strongly predicted (poor) placebo response in this study. The authors stated that there is research evidence linking anger to lower opioid receptor system functioning so this result was not surprising (Peci?a, et al., 2012).

Agreeableness is an interpersonal trait associated with cooperativeness and concern for others. The authors of the study noted that patients who are highly agreeable tend to have a better relationship with their doctors as they take a frank and collaborative approach. Agreeable patients may therefore respond more readily to treatment, even if the treatment is a placebo. Additionally, agreeableness has been linked to placebo responses to acupuncture. They also noted that PET scans showed that the placebo response (that is, opioid receptor function) occurred in brain regions that respond to observing pain in others, and therefore play a role in empathy. Agreeable people tend to be empathetic to the suffering of others, so this overlap between the brain regions associated with the placebo response and with empathy might help explain the connection with agreeableness, particularly the altruism facet.

Altruism is associated with selflessness and self-sacrifice for the benefit of others. Perhaps people who are self-sacrificing are better able to control pain? Perhaps, being able to suppress pain when needed facilitates self-sacrifice because the pain and inconvenience of foregoing one?s own interests for the benefit of another person becomes easier to bear. Straightforwardness, the other agreeableness facet that predicted the placebo response, is associated with honesty and openness in one?s communication with others. One possible explanation for its connection with the placebo effect is that people who are naturally honest may have been more likely to believe the researcher when they were told they were being given a treatment that would provide pain relief.

Agreeableness is also related to effortful self-control, in particular the ability to control the expression of anger (Ode & Robinson, 2007). As noted previously, anger has been linked to the opioid system, so this may another reason that agreeableness is linked to the placebo effect. Another personality trait linked to both self-control and the placebo effect is ego-resiliency.

Ego-resiliency might be described as flexibility in self-control. That is, a person can inhibit their impulses when required by the situation, and yet also allow him or herself to be spontaneous and uninhibited when this is permitted. That is, the person can adapt their level of self-expression to the demands of the situation. This in contrast to people who are either chronically over-controlled ? that is, unable to loosen up when they need to ? or under-controlled, unable to restrain their impulses when expected to do so. Ego-resiliency assists a person in adapting to stress and adversity as over-controlled individuals tend to respond in a stiff, repetitive manner, whereas under-controlled people respond in a chaotic and unfocused manner (Letzring, Block, & Funder, 2005). The researchers argue that ego-resiliency is associated with positive emotions and adaptive changes in areas of the brain related to reward and emotional processing. Specifically, there is evidence that this trait may be associated with lower levels of activation of the dopamine system during expectation of reward, and lower levels of dopamine in turn has been associated with greater activation of endogenous opioid receptors during a painful stressor (Peci?a, et al., 2012).?

The findings that the placebo effect is linked to personality traits associated with self-control, i.e. agreeableness and ego-resiliency, suggests that the placebo effect is influenced by a person?s capacity to regulate how they respond to adverse experiences. Even though the placebo effect would seem to be outside of conscious awareness, it appears that people who have developed the ability to regulate their emotions may also have a greater ability to regulate pain. This might be because the brain regions that modulate responses to pain (the opioid receptor systems) also are involved in regulating negative emotions. Additionally, it could be the case that people with greater self-control may take an attitude of active engagement to treatment, even placebo treatment, as opposed to passively waiting to see what happens. As a consequence they might respond more effectively. Emotional regulation is a trainable skill. That is, psychologists can teach people strategies to regulate how they experience and express their emotions to cope more effectively with stress. Psychologists already teach anxiety management strategies to people with chronic pain. It seems possible that training in emotional regulation, such as anger management, could actually effect changes in the opioid receptor system, resulting in a stronger placebo effect. This might have implications for how people manage pain. Another intriguing possibility suggested by the study that is that empathy may be associated with pain control due to a common association with the opioid system. Perhaps, if people could be trained to be more empathic, this too could affect the opiod receptor system. Future research, such as PET studies could determine whether training could have such an effect on the brain and whether this assists in coping with pain.

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References

Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/unique-everybody-else/201301/personality-and-pain-relief

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Google Girlfriend

An imaginary girlfreind whom one would brag about to his friends and use a picture of "said girl" from google.

Richard: Hey guys look at my girlfriend!
Brett: Cool! shes good looking where is she from?
Richard: Google
Brett: So she is a google girlfriend?

Source: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Google%20Girlfriend&defid=3956092

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Pak bashing has become a fashion in India: Bashir

New Delhi: With reports of de-escalation in tension at the Line of Control (LoC), Pakistan High Commissioner to India, Salman Bashir, on Thursday reiterated that the soldiers of the country's army did not cross the LoC.

Referring to the mutilation of an Indian soldier, though Bashir said that "these horrific happenings and heinous acts are condemnable", he denied that the act was committed by the Pakistani Army. He said, "We need to get to the bottom of the issue.

He further hit out at India, saying, "I must say Pakistan bashing has become fashionable in India whenever there is an issue," adding, "we should get out of this mode". The Pakistan High Commissioner further asserted that the real need was to bring back normalcy.

Pointing that the only way forward was dialogue between the two countries, Bashir claimed that Pakistan had also lost three soldiers recently in firing by the Indian Army. He also dismissed the allegations of Pakistan planting landmines near the LoC, terming them as "irresponsible statements".

Further talking about the beheading of Indian soldiers, the Pakistan High Commissioner said, "Day this (beheading of Indian soldier) was reported, we lost over a 100 people in bombings in Quetta...we are not indifferent to this."

"Both Pakistan and India should pay attention to Confidence Building Measures," said Bashir.

Source: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/pak-bashing-has-become-a-fashion-in-india-need-is-to-bring-back-normalcy-bashir/316342-3.html

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Subscribe To Family Circle Magazine, Better Homes & Garden or ...

?Amazon currently has a one year subscription to Family Circle magazine priced at just $5 when your order with auto renewal.? Already a subscriber? Use the same name and address as your current subscription and it will be extended by 12 issues.? This subscription will automatically renew until you decide to cancel it. Cancel anytime with Amazon?s Magazine Subscription Manager, where you can also change your address, confirm first issue delivery estimates, and more.

?Family Circle magazine is a publication that covers all aspects of family life and provides you with helpful recipes and cooking tips, decorating ideas, cleaning advice, and family activities you can enjoy with your entire household. Each issue is packed with informative articles on a variety of topics such as health and nutrition, fashion and beauty tips, and delicious recipes your entire family will love.

Readers of Family Circle magazine will find useful advice and guidance on topics like planning a family vacation, organizing your home or specific rooms like the kitchen or home office, and easy crafting activities. Additionally, Family Circle magazine provides you with reviews on the latest home appliance products, food products, and kitchen tools so you can equip your home with the useful items you need.

For busy parents who work all day, Family Circle magazine also includes great ideas for quick and easy recipes so you can prepare nutritious, affordable meals for your family every night of the week. If you are planning a trip or are interested in visiting nearby locations for a weekend getaway, the magazine also frequently includes articles on different towns and cities with tips on the best sights to see in each city.

Family Circle magazine provides families with fresh, fun activities, meals, decorating tips, and family-geared health and wellness articles so you can always share new and exciting information with your family. The magazine also makes a great gift for your friends and their families, allowing them to also enjoy the wealth of ideas provided with each issue.

Other magazines available for $5:

Ladies Home Journal (1-year auto-renewal)

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Use an Amazon.com gift card that you received FREE for searching with Swagbucks to save even more on your purchase.

Just a quick reminder that the prices on Amazon can increase at any time so be sure to check the price before ordering!

Check out the ClipperGirl?s Amazon Shopping Guide for other great deals

Be sure to check out other Amazon deals that I posted recently.

If this information was helpful, be sure to share it with a friend and have them sign up for my email list or subscribe in a reader in order to keep up with all of the great bargains and deals!

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Source: http://www.clippergirl.com/subscribe-to-family-circle-magazine-better-homes-garden-or-ladies-home-journal-for-just-5

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Runyan Statement on President?s Press Conference

Washington, D.C. ? Congressman Jon Runyan (R-NJ), issued the following statement regarding President Barack Obama?s press conference on his gun violence and safety agenda.

?After the Newtown tragedy, we need to have a serious discussion about gun safety, mental health and violence in our society. While I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, I also recognize the need to keep our schools and communities as safe as possible. During the course of this discussion I will give consideration to any good faith proposal that makes our communities safer. I also pledge to work with all my colleagues, both Democrat and Republican, in Washington and New Jersey to ensure families in New Jersey and across this country are safe from gun violence. What this discussion does not need is what we saw today from the NRA. Their ad referencing President Obama?s children was at the very least inappropriate and diverts the discussion away from the important issues.?

Contact Info:?

Andrew Fasoli
Office of Congressman Jon Runyan
202-225-4765

Source: http://www.politickernj.com/62419/runyan-statement-president-s-press-conference

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Ke$ha's 'C'mon' Video, Frame By Frame: Watch Now!

Director Darren Craig leads MTV News through the clip, from the 1970s influence to the 'derelict' furries.
By Kara Warner

Ke$ha in her "C'mon" music video
Photo: Sony Music Entertainment

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700265/kesha-cmon-music-video-breakdown.jhtml

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'Superomniphobic' material shrugs off oil, blood, acid and more

6 hrs.

Devin Coldewey , NBC News

Even the nicest water-resistant materials, from synthetics to waxed canvas, can be ruined by certain liquids?that soak right in while rain and coffee?roll off. Scientists at the University of Michigan have created a surface that repels not just everyday fluids but exotic and dangerous ones.

The "superomniphobic" material works by reducing the amount of surface that's exposed to any given liquid it encounters, meaning that that liquid's surface tension (which keeps its together in a droplet or stream) remains intact.

A series of short videos accompanies the?article in the Journal of the?American Chemical Society, demonstrating the various ways in which liquid refuses to interact with the superomniphobic surface. Droplets bounce and roll across the surface, streams richochet off, and hydrochloric acid has no corrosive effect. Even "non-Newtonian" fluids like blood and shampoo, famously difficult to stop from soaking and staining, have been tamed.

Anish Tuteja, lead researcher on the project, and his colleagues have been working on similar omniphobic surfaces?for over five years, but this one is the best by far, he told NBC News.

"On the first generations, the droplets were leaving something behind," he said ? a problem around hazardous materials that could cause trouble later by evaporating or falling off. Not any more.

Yet it can't be totally impermeable. "It's a very, very porous coating ? porous to anything that's gas-based, but not to anything liquid." That means ordinary air and water vapor can pass through ? helpful when you don't want your clothing to stifle you.

The researchers achieved this balance by allowing much of the coating to be air ? in fact, between 95 and 98 percent of its?surface area. Up close, it appears like a loosely woven mat. Look closer, and the fibers begin to appear spiky.

When a droplet of water comes into contact with the surface, it's basically balanced on the tips of those spikes, with vast spaces of air in between. They don't overcome?the liquid's?surface tension, meaning the droplet keeps its shape and bounces or rolls along.

The spaces are big enough to allow air to breathe through, but small enough that neither oil, water, or acid will have enough contact to soak through. It's like a tennis ball on a net ? the net is light enough to see through, but the ball will bounce right off. If the spaces were much bigger, the ball would go through, and if they were much smaller, you wouldn't be able to see.

The work's not done, Tuteja said. Although he has "three or four" parties?interested in this type of material, not least of which is the military (which partially funded the research), there are still improvements to be made.?

"We definitely need to improve the mechanical durability, increasing the number of washing cycles, and so on," he said. A rather pedestrian concern for a leader in the field, but it's what needs to be done to get the superomniphobic material out of the lab and onto our coats and shoes.

Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBCNews Digital. His personal website is?coldewey.cc.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/futureoftech/superomniphobic-material-shrugs-oil-blood-acid-more-1B8002723

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V?ctor Soriano i Piqueras: Dos horas de Fabra a Mas

A Catalunya y la Comunitat Valenciana las separa f?sicamente el r?o de La S?nia, poco m?s que una rambla, pero como buena rambla mediterr?nea, a veces se puede vadear y otras, en cambio la corriente es capaz de llevarse por delante los puentes. Los proyectos comunes no faltan, pero demasiadas veces se enfangan en las disputas, entre banderas, lenguas y pa?ses que no existen. Parafraseando al profesor Josep Vicent Boira, ge?grafo urbano valenciano que es habitual de la prensa catalana, si el "plan A" de Artur Mas (el plan del pacto fiscal, la exigencia de inversiones para Catalunya, etc.), no solo se pod?a entender sino que alentaba alianzas en Valencia (al fin y al cabo, las exigencias son las mismas, pero con otra oratoria menos agresiva), el "turbo plan B", el de la idependencia y el refer?ndum a toda costa, aunque sea pasando por encima de la Constituci?n y de Duran i Lleida, ha dejado a algunos en la luna de Valencia.

A catalanes y valencianos nos une historia y lengua, y sobre todo, intereses econ?micos. Son dos pueblos con vocaci?n exportadora que son gran proveedor y cliente mutuo, y a los que ahora m?s que nunca les unen los lazos bancarios; pero hay un proyecto com?n m?s importante y trascendente que todos los dem?s: el Corredor Mediterr?neo. No se equivoquen, aunque los planes de infraestructuras de las ?ltimas d?cadas nos han intentado convencer de que el Corredor es un eje fundamental para conectar Espa?a con Europa -que lo es- desde Algeciras hasta Figueres, lo cierto es que tal longitud suena m?s a justificaci?n que a realidad. Con las cifras -y el mapa- en la mano poca duda cabe de que el Corredor no es imprescindible m?s all? de Alicante (o si me apuran, de Murcia). Es por tanto un proyecto eminentemente valenciano-catal?n, que tiene que cerrar el llamado "tri?ngulo de Oro" ferroviario (el formado por Madrid, Barcelona y Valencia) por el lado oriental y que, sobre todo para la econom?a valenciana (la catalana ya tiene su 'salida' al resto del continente) es clave.

La mayor?a de los que nos interesamos por estos temas somos incapaces de entender c?mo un pa?s puede invertir decenas de millones de euros, a fondo perdido, en l?neas de alta velocidad (LAV) a lo largo y ancho de un vasto territorio de medio mill?n de kil?metros cuadrados, con una orograf?a extremadamente dif?cil (y es que Espa?a no es Alemania, y no solo por el paro), y obviar su l?nea m?s rentable, m?s saturada y m?s necesaria. Para que se hagan una idea, s?lo el t?nel de Guadarrama, 28 kil?metros en la LAV noroeste, que une Madrid con Valladolid por Segovia, cost? m?s de 1.200 millones de euros, y mientras se constru?a (e incluso ahora, varios a?os despu?s de ser inaugurado) el Corredor Mediterr?neo, el m?s saturado de toda Espa?a, todav?a cuenta con un tramo en v?a ?nica, entre Vandell?s y Tarragona.

Trazado del Corredor Mediterr?neo. Fuente: Ministerio de Fomento.

Lo cierto es que la historia del proyecto Corredor Mediterr?neo es larga y tediosa. En 1987 se hicieron las renovaciones de algunos tramos, lo que finalmente permiti? la doble v?a electrificada entre Valencia y Vandell?s, aunque limitada a 160 km/h en algunos segmentos, y sobre todo, limitada por su enorme tr?fico de trenes de cercan?as y media distancia entre la capital valenciana y Castell?n. Esto permiti? establecer servicios de altas prestaciones entre Barcelona, Valencia y Alicante: el conocido como Euromed, que lleg? en 1997 con velocidades m?ximas de 200 km/h y trenes del AVE Madrid-Sevilla reconvertidos al ancho ib?rico de 1.668 mm.

El servicio ha evolucionado (poco, eso s?), y hoy hay multitud de frecuencias en la relaci?n entre las dos grandes ciudades mediterr?neas -la segunda y tercera ciudades espa?olas e ib?ricas-, que cubren el trayecto entre poco m?s de 3 horas y poco menos que 4, no solo por la limitaci?n de velocidad y la v?a ?nica, sino tambi?n por las dificultades que implica la convivencia con los cercan?as (tanto entre Valencia y Castell?n como entre Barcelona y Sant Vicen? de Calders), y que constituyen el servicio de larga distancia convencional con m?s tr?fico y m?s beneficios de Renfe.

La necesaria voluntad inversora siempre ha existido, al menos sobre el papel; pero nunca se ha materializado m?s que en propuestas, algunas veces muy sorprendentes. Si en tiempos de vacas gordas se planteaba construir una LAV nueva y paralela, en ancho est?ndar, al actual corredor en ancho ib?rico, de eso proyecto ya no queda nada. Cuando todav?a gobernaba el PSOE, la se?ora Rodr?guez-Pi?ero, anunciaba que "privatizar?a" la gesti?n de la LAV Valencia-Castell?n para poder acometer la inversi?n, seg?n un modelo similar al de la Perpignan-Figueres. Esto, aunque unas semanas antes el siempre ambiguo Jos? Blanco, entonces ministro del ramo, se compromet?a con el pa?s vecino a desarrollar la traves?a central pirenaica, dejando de lado el Corredor Mediterr?neo; obviando la inversi?n descomunal, las afecciones ambientales irreparables y la dudosa rentabilidad del paso por los Pirineos aragoneses.

Ya con Rajoy en La Moncloa, la ministra Pastor anunciaba, a bombo y platillo con acto en Valencia incluido, que se construir?a un tercer carril para permitir que tanto trenes de ancho est?ndar como ib?rico circularan entre la Regi?n de Murcia, la Comunitat Valenciana, Catalunya y Francia. Se descartaba por tanto la opci?n privatizadora y se optaba por mantener una l?nea de altas prestaciones pero adaptada a los dos anchos. Afortunadamente la reflexi?n del Ministerio fue r?pida: el tercer carril compromet?a la velocidad y la capacidad del corredor, y supon?a una inversi?n absurda a medio plazo, pensando en que toda la red espa?ola se debe migrar a ancho est?ndar alg?n d?a (y de hecho buena parte del actual corredor en ancho ib?rico cuenta con las llamadas "traviesas polivalentes" que permiten esta migraci?n con facilidad).

Todo y que la soluci?n era imaginativa -peor era no hacer nada, y se supone que la inversi?n ferroviaria est? en vacas flacas (salvo en la LAV gallega, que ser? algo as? como un aeropuerto de Ciudad Real en versi?n de infraestructura lineal; mientras que afortunadamente la LAV extreme?a est? en el congelador de los proyectos tras el rechazo portugu?s a continuarla hasta Lisboa)-, no era ni mucho menos la id?nea. Ahora, por fin, se plantea una soluci?n a corto plazo, con un coste moderado y que soluciona la necesidad de que las mercanc?as de las industrias y puertos mediterr?neos conecten con el resto de Europa, y gana tiempo (aunque no demasiado) en el tr?fico de pasajeros entre Barcelona y Valencia.

Pero no hay que olvidarse de las necesidades reales del Corredor. Descartada la opci?n paralela, y aun tirando por el camino del m?ximo ahorro, hay actuaciones imprescindibles, y de coste moderado, que de no desarrollarse comprometer?n el desarrollo de Espa?a. Con la LAV entre Perafort (Camp de Tarragona) y la frontera francesa acabada, lo que permitir? a los tr?ficos mediterr?neos abandonar el trazado convencional y por tanto evitar a la red de cercan?as de Barcelona, el tramo entre Vandell?s y Tarragona siendo desdoblado y la migraci?n al ancho internacional en ciernes, las necesidades m?s acuciantes est?n cubiertas; pero no es suficiente.

Es una necesidad inminente la construcci?n de la l?nea de alta velocidad paralela al Corredor Mediterr?neo entre Valencia y Castell?n, para que los trenes AVE entre la capital del Turia y la Ciudad Condal puedan evitar el conflicto con los servicios de media distancia y cercan?as, e irrenunciable el t?nel pasante y la nueva estaci?n central subterr?nea en Valencia. Estas actuaciones, que ser?an la obra m?s barata de todas las que se han hecho en alta velocidad en Espa?a, podr?an dejar Valencia y Barcelona a unas dos horas de viaje sin paradas intermedias, reduciendo todav?a en media hora el tiempo de viaje anunciado para cuando se hayan concluido las obras previstas por Fomento, que excluye la nueva LAV a Castell?n y el t?nel pasante de sus planes a corto plazo, aunque media hora m?s del tiempo de viaje por la LAV pura entre Valencia y Madrid, a la misma distancia que Barcelona.

Ahora lo importante es que las tensiones sobre otros temas no acaben con un proyecto m?s que necesario. Ni la explosi?n independentista catalana, ni la desfiguraci?n de la imagen valenciana auspiciada por intereses pol?ticos puede poner piedras, por mucho que a algunos interese, en este camino que ya los romanos segu?an a modo de V?a Augusta. Igual, con un poco de suerte, que Alberto Fabra y Artur Mas est?n a dos horas de viaje en tren ayuda a tender puentes, lo suficientemente fuertes para que no se los lleve la corriente del rio de La S?nia, entre dos pueblos que se miran y se reh?yen como hermanos mal avenidos.

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Stocks mixed; Boeing drags Dow down

Stocks ended mixed on Wall Street Wednesday as Boeing stock tumbled on more problems for the company's 787 Dreamliner. Boeing stock dropped by 3 percent.

By Matthew Craft,?AP Business Writer / January 16, 2013

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday. Concerns that the popularity of the Apple iPhone is waning have pushed Apple's stock down 5 percent this month.

Brendan McDermid/Reuters/File

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More problems for Boeing's 787 sent the aircraft maker's?stock?down sharply Wednesday, dragging the Dow Jones industrial average lower.

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Japan's two biggest airlines grounded all their Boeing 787s for safety checks Wednesday after one was forced to make an emergency landing. The plane, known as the Dreamliner, has been plagued by a series of problems this year, including a battery fire and fuel leaks. Boeing's?stock?sank $2.60 to $74.34, a loss of 3 percent.

The Dow lost 23.66 points to close at 13,511.23. Without Boeing's drop, the Dow would have ended the day nearly flat.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index inched up 0.29 to 1,472.63. A gain in Apple helped pull the Nasdaq composite up 6.77 points to 3,117.54.

Apple rose $20.17 to $506.09, ending a three-day slide. The world's largest publicly traded company closed below $500 on Tuesday for the first time in nearly a year. Concerns that the popularity of its iPhone is waning have pushed Apple's?stock?down 5 percent this month.

Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase, America's largest bank, rose after both posted quarterly results that trounced analysts' estimates.

Harry Clark, chairman of Clark Capital Management Group in Philadelphia, described JPMorgan's numbers as staggering. The bank's quarterly earnings jumped 55 percent and total revenue for the year hit $100 billion.

"Their earnings are just ridiculously good," Clark said. "It shows you that these giants can make money in any type of environment."

Slightly smaller financial firms, such as Northern Trust and Bank of New York Mellon, reported weaker earnings and their?stocks?sank.

JPMorgan Chase gained 47 cents to $46.82. The bank's stunning results were offset by an internal review of a $6 billion trading loss on credit derivatives. JPMorgan's board of directors criticized executives for failing to keep the board informed of potential problems and using unapproved models for measuring trading risks.

Goldman Sachs gained $5.50 to $141.09, a 4 percent jump. The investment bank's profits nearly tripled in the fourth quarter of last year. Goldman's bond underwriting business had its best year since the financial crisis, thanks to strong demand for fixed-income investments and companies lining up to borrow at historically cheap rates.

Analysts forecast that companies in the S&P 500 will report a 3.2 percent increase in fourth-quarter earnings. Financial firms and consumer-discretionary companies are expected to post the biggest growth, according to S&P Capital IQ.

The Labor Department said consumer prices were flat last month as gas prices sank. The December reading of the consumer price index capped a year of tame inflation. Consumer prices increased just 1.7 percent in 2012, down from 3 percent in 2011.

The report led traders to push up prices for Treasurys, knocking yields down. The 10-year Treasury note's yield slipped to 1.82 percent. The yield, used to set mortgages and a wide variety of other loans, ended Tuesday at 1.84 percent.

Among other companies making news:

? Wendy's rose 4 percent, or 18 cents, to $5.08. The hamburger chain, known for its Frosty shakes and square burgers, earnings topped Wall Street's estimates, even as a key indicator of sales at North American restaurants dipped slightly.

? Chipotle Mexican Grill dropped 6 percent. The burrito chain warned that its quarterly earnings would fall short of previous forecasts because it underestimated the hit it would take from higher food costs. Chipotle'sstock?lost $16.38 to $280.94.

? Genworth Financial jumped 9 percent, the largest gain in the S&P 500. The financial services company laid out a plan to reorganize its business, including putting its mortgage unit under a new company. Genworth'sstock?gained 72 cents to $8.85.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/PpqPsW0O8zI/Stocks-mixed-Boeing-drags-Dow-down

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Hollande: 750 French Troops Deployed in Mali Offensive

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by Naharnet Newsdesk 15 January 2013, 07:22

A total of 750 French troops have joined the offensive against Islamist rebels in Mali where overnight strikes "achieved their goal," French President Francois Hollande said in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

"For now, we have 750 men and the number will increase," said Hollande during a visit to his country's only military base in the region -- Peace Camp in Abu Dhabi. "New strikes overnight achieved their goal," he added.

Source: http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/68360-hollande-750-french-troops-deployed-in-mali-offensive

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Jeffrey Scott Shapiro: A Gun Ban That Misfired (WSJ)

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New post-16 maths course 'needed'

15 January 2013 Last updated at 11:07 ET By Judith Burns BBC News education reporter

A new maths qualification is needed to encourage more students to study the subject after 16, a study suggests.

Post-16 maths would be further boosted if the new qualification was required for jobs or degree courses, argue Nuffield Foundation researchers.

The course, for students who do not take A-level maths, should focus on mathematical fluency, says the study.

Author Prof Jeremy Hodgen said universities and employers should be involved in developing it.

A previous Nuffield study found that fewer than one in five pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland studied maths after the age of 16; the lowest level among 24 countries surveyed.

'Attractive alternative'

In Scotland almost half (48%) of students took maths after 16 but this was still below the average. The figure for Germany and Hong Kong was over 90% while in the US, New Zealand and Singapore it was over 65%.

England's Education Secretary, Michael Gove has set a target that "within a decade the vast majority of pupils are studying mathematics right through to the age of 18".

The new study looks in detail at post-16 maths education in seven countries.

Continue reading the main story

?Start Quote

The Nuffield Foundation is absolutely right that more young people should study maths to 18?

End Quote Elizabeth Truss Education Minister

The authors say that rather than making the qualification compulsory the challenge is to provide a "clear and attractive alternative" for students who achieve good grades in GCSE maths but do not currently go on to study AS or A-level mathematics.

They also recommend that students should study a wider range of subjects, following the example of Singapore where students who study arts or humanities must also take a maths or science subject.

They also argue that the strongest incentive for students to continue with maths is that it is required for employment or higher education.

They want the new qualification to focus on statistics, mathematical modelling of real-life problems and general mathematical fluency. They say research is needed into exactly what mathematical skills employers and universities need school leavers to have.

In addition they endorse proposals to make over-16s in England study GCSE maths until they have achieved at least a C grade.

The Education Minister Elizabeth Truss said "The Nuffield Foundation is absolutely right that more young people should study maths to 18.

"We agree there is a gap in qualifications for students who do not currently study A-level maths and are working with leading professors like Tim Gowers, the Advisory Committee for Mathematics Education and Mathematics in Education and Industry to ensure there are excellent qualifications for those who have a grade C at GCSE and want to take maths further.

"Our reforms will mean that there is higher take-up. This is part of our work towards our goal of everyone studying maths until 18."

Labour said its policy was to make the subject compulsory to 18. The shadow education secretary, Stephen Twigg, said: "Only under Labour's plans would every child study English and maths from the age of five to the age of 18, giving them a firm foundation in the basics."

'Teacher shortage'

Lead author Prof Hodgen, of King's College London, said "Our study shows the importance of a consensual approach to policy development and implementation.

"Higher education and employers will need to be involved in the development of a new qualification if they are to value it and to make it an entry requirement.

"Schools and colleges may need to be incentivised to offer the new qualification to students, as well as to ensure that existing advanced qualifications maintain their levels of participation."

Prof Hodgen also warned that the "critical shortage of mathematics teachers" meant it was "important not to underestimate the timescale necessary for change".

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-21026526#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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The Chemistry Of A Solar Airplane - Chemical & Engineering News ...

Watch the Solar Impulse plane in action and learn more about the innovative materials that make it possible.

Credit: Bayer MaterialScience/Solvay/Solar Impulse/C&EN

Sitting in a vast hangar in Payerne, Switzerland, nestled between the Alps and Lake Neuch?tel, is Solar Impulse HB-SIA, its four motors powered only by lithium-ion-polymer batteries charged by solar cells. The airplane?s 63-meter wingspan rivals that of a Boeing 747. But unlike a 747, the upper surfaces of its wings are coated entirely in solar cells. Built with lightweight materials and an innovative design, it weighs about the same as a family car.

Solar Impulse?s Swiss founders and pilots are Bertrand Piccard, 54, a psychiatrist and explorer, and Andr? Borschberg, 60, a former fighter pilot, engineer, and founder of semiconductor technology start-ups. They came up with the notion to build a solar-powered plane in 2003 and since then have convinced corporate sponsors and partners to provide the project with $130 million, including materials and manpower.

In the process of developing and testing the plane, they have inspired many, including the research teams of their chemical company partners, Solvay and Bayer Material?Science, to think more creatively. Bayer and Solvay have reaped a significant public relations benefit from involvement with the project. But more important, company executives say, is the chance to apply what they have learned in other areas, including projects with car companies.

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HIGHER PLANE

Solar Impulse has successfully completed flights across Europe and from Switzerland to Morocco.

Credit: Jean Revillard/Solar Impulse

Solar Impulse isn?t an aircraft that you will be able to fly on anytime soon. ?It?s not designed to carry people or even freight but as a message that sustainable energy is a viable option for mankind,? Borschberg says.

Flying at an average speed of 44 mph, it has already completed a series of flights across Europe, including one from Payerne to Morocco, and has even flown overnight.

In May the Solar Impulse team plans to freight the one-seat plane to the West Coast of the U.S. and fly it, in three or four legs, to the East Coast. The team also is building Solar Impulse HB-SIB, a stronger version of the plane, in which ?everything is upgraded? so that in 2015 it will be capable of flying around the world, Borschberg tells C&EN.

It was a motivational lecture by Piccard that in 2003 led Solvay to join the project as its founding partner. ?This type of project is unique in the history of Solvay. It?s a project with an idea to make a better world,? says Claude Michel, who heads up Solvay?s Solar Impulse team of about 10 staffers. ?We recognized the value Piccard has in innovation, his pioneering spirit and respect for people and the planet, and we found we had the same set of values.?

Solvay?s contribution to the construction of the plane includes 11 materials used in 25 different applications and more than 6,000 parts. Among its activities, the firm has provided lightweight plastics to replace metals, techniques for improving lithium ion-polymer batteries, and a broad body of materials research and know-how.

Solvay?s Halar brand fluorine copolymer, for example, is being used to encapsulate the plane?s thin photo?voltaic cells. Halar is resistant to ultraviolet radiation, is waterproof, and forms a lightweight film less than 20 ?m thick. Before the Solar Impulse project, Solvay used Halar only for coating materials such as metals, but the firm is now looking at using it across a range of applications, Michel says.

Solvay will have invested $16 million in the project, including a cash contribution and the value of its time and parts, by the time Solar Impulse HB-SIB makes its global flight in 2015. ?It?s a good investment,? Michel says without hesitation.

The benefits to Solvay, he explains, have been multiple: Participation has driven the development of specialty plastics and chemicals across the company, enhanced the image of the firm as a solutions provider, and proven to be a powerful tool to motivate staff. R&D staffers typically don?t see a real-world outcome from their labors. With Solar Impulse, though, they quickly appreciate their role in preparing Solvay materials for the plane, Michel says.

Solar Impulse has had other influences on Solvay?s scientists, not least that they have adapted to the project?s tough time and performance requirements.

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SHAPING UP

Staffers test a new casing for the cockpit.

Credit: St?phane Gros/Solar Impulse

Meanwhile, working on Solar Impulse has led researchers at Bayer to be more creative in their approach to projects, says Martin Kreuter, a senior marketing manager in the firm?s materials science division.

?The removal of the expectation for commercial success has allowed people to work differently and to get into an open innovation mind-set,? Kreuter says. ?Working with Piccard and his team is inspirational.? About 30 staffers from a range of Bayer departments have contributed to the Solar Impulse project.

Bayer joined Solar Impulse as a financial sponsor and materials partner in 2010. The German company?s contributions include polyurethane foam for the wingtips, motor casings, and cockpit; polycarbonate film for the cockpit window; and adhesive and coating materials used in the cabin and wings.

Bayer has used carbon nanotubes in combination with epoxy to make the spars?the backbones of the wings?and other structural components lighter and stronger.

For the project, Bayer has drawn on its experience in the automotive sector, where weight and performance are also key parameters, explains Kreuter, whose role at the firm involves partnering with car companies. And the materials and techniques Bayer has developed for Solar Impulse, such as lightweight and rigid insulating foam, could be used in cars.

?There are many things that we are developing with Solar Impulse that you might see in an electric vehicle 20 years from now,? says Kreuter, whose office in Leverkusen, Germany, has one wall covered in pictures of futuristic-looking cars. ?Everything we are doing with Solar Impulse has high relevance to our most important sectors including automotive, electronics, and construction.?

In addition to helping reduce the weight of the solar plane, Solvay and Bayer are providing materials that can buffer the extreme temperatures of flight, which without safeguards could range from ?40 to 30 ?C .

To insulate the cockpit and other temperature-sensitive components of the plane, the chemical companies have codeveloped a strong and lightweight insulating foam based on Bayer?s Baytherm Microcell polyurethane and Solvay?s 365mfc fluorinated blowing agent. Owing to pores that are smaller than those in standard foam, the new product provides rigidity and structural strength but remains lightweight. The foam is designed to ensure that the temperature does not drop below 15 ?C for the batteries and below freezing in the cockpit, Michel says.

Still, the conditions pilots experience in the Solar Impulse are extreme enough that they have had to resort to meditation and even self-hypnosis during flights. ?It?s a case of knowing ourselves,? Borschberg says.

To try to make the pilots more comfortable, Solvay has provided a nylon 6,6 fiber for their undergarments. The material incorporates a special filler that helps keep the pilots cool in the heat and warm when it gets cold. The nylon recycles infrared heat back to the surface of the skin when it is cold but also prevents sweating during periods of intense heat. ?We have had to be very clever, open, and curious,? Michel says.

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PARTNERS

Piccard (left) congratulates Borschberg after a successful test flight.

Credit: Laurent Kaeser/Solar Impulse

The Solar Impulse team of about 80 staffers, excluding headcount from partners and sponsors, has engineering expertise from backgrounds as diverse as Formula 1 racing cars and aeronautics, but it had little experience building airplanes. ?So we were extremely open and entrepreneurial and flexible in our thinking,? Borschberg says. This also meant that the staffers developed an approach that was unrestrained by protocol. Solar Impulse?s designers and engineers cross-fertilized their ideas with those of materials scientists and chemists from Solvay and Bayer, he adds.

Borschberg has been ?extremely impressed? by the way researchers from Solvay and Bayer have engaged in the project, the way they have made resources available, and their culture of supporting the project?s goals. ?The motivation of our partners and the public has helped us keep our energy levels high,? he says.

The project has hit pockets of turbulence, however. In the summer of 2012 development of Solar Impulse HB-SIB was set back when the main spar of the wing failed a load test. ?We had pushed a little bit too hard to reduce weight. We were just on the other side of the limit,? Borschberg says. The Solar Impulse team has since modified the design, but the glitch set back the attempt to circumnavigate the world by more than a year.

Although someone with Piccard?s background in psychiatry and exploring may be an unusual partner for a chemical company, it is not the first time that the Piccard family and Solvay have worked together.

In 1911 Solvay founded the Conseil de Physique Solvay, a regular gathering of Europe?s finest scientific minds to develop solutions to the scientific problems of the day. A regular attendee was Auguste Piccard, Bertrand?s grandfather, a professor of physics at the Free University of Brussels and a balloonist who became the first man to view the curvature of Earth. Other participants included Marie Curie and Albert Einstein.

The goal of the Conseil de Physique was to advance the scientific thinking of the day. And the Solar Impulse project has already influenced Solvay and Bayer to think differently. Piccard and Borschberg hope to have shared their message about the possibilities for innovation and renewable energy with an even wider audience by the time they circumnavigate the world in 2015.

Source: http://cen.acs.org/articles/91/i2/Chemistry-Solar-Airplane.html

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Presidential Stepparents - Blended Family Moments

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Source: http://www.blendedfamilymoments.com/2013/01/presidential-stepparents-8-stepparents.html

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