Friday, November 3, 2006
On November 13, Torontonians will be heading to the polls to vote for their ward’s councillor and for mayor. Among Toronto’s ridings is Scarborough-Agincourt (Ward 39). Two candidates responded to Wikinews’ requests for an interview. This ward’s candidates include Wayne Cook, Mike Del Grande (incumbent), Samuel Kung, Lushan Lu, Sunshine Smith, and John Wong.
For more information on the election, read Toronto municipal election, 2006.
Friday, March 9, 2007
Imagine coming back from a camping trip in the desert. Then a few months later you notice in your photos from the trip that you camped inside a giant impact crater so big that no one documented it before. Could it happen?
During several trips to the Black Rock Desert, mostly while supporting the Stratofox Aerospace Tracking Team for suborbital space rocket launch efforts, Ian Kluft KO6YQ noticed some oddities in rock formations. He had a little experience with volcanoes, and some rocks in the area looked unusual. There seemed to be some lava here and there – but where was the volcano? He observed that even a large caldera should have mostly volcanic rocks. He then noticed some curved geographic structures in satellite imagery which made him curious if it might be an impact crater.
A TV documentary about meteor impacts mentioned some characteristics of impact craters. He went to the Internet to learn more. He noticed some of his own pictures of the area had cone shaped structures which might be “shatter cones” due to an impact shock wave that passed through the rocks. Discussion with others produced suggestions and volunteers who joined the effort. More circular features in satellite photographs were found. Igneous dikes through white layers of rock had been described and were visible in many photos.
The possible impact crater is 30 miles (48 km) wide east-to-west and 40 miles (64 km) north-to-south centered around 40.984045 N, 118.916016 W. That is in northwestern Nevada halfway between Reno and the Oregon border. The apparent ancient geological structure is so old that much of it is eroded away. The forces that eroded the Black Rock Desert itself, whether glacier or stream, have apparently cut through the crater rims and floor to do it.
Following an expedition to the area in late January, more possible shatter cones were observed in one of the rock samples collected. These are only formed by the shock wave of an impact event or nuclear explosion. The nearest nuclear test was underground at Sand Springs Range in central Nevada. Atmospheric tests at the Nevada Test Site were at the southern, and opposite, end of the state. So that points toward an impact if confirmed. But professional geologists will want to have the final word on confirming them.
In addition to shatter cones, rock samples were thought to contain shocked quartz because the criss-cross fractures looked like examples in online documents. But this group of volunteers doesn’t have equipment for proper photography of shocked quartz. If found, that would be another way to prove the impact origin of the rocks.
Columnar jointed columns hundreds of feet tall appear on some bluffs in locations that appeared consistent with part of a slowly cooling crater floor. But that alone only helps as part of a bigger picture, because volcanoes can have lava cool in columnar joints as well.
They also found local geological studies which described oddities which could be explained by an impact event. Layers of rocks in the mining district called Sulphur left geologists with a mystery about the cause of chemical alterations since 1980. The group compared it with information in online geological texts like “Traces of Catastrophe” by Dr Bevan M French of the Smithsonian Institution. Layers of impact ejecta seemed to explain the rock layers better than the previous theory about acid uniformly cooking the rocks across the region, and only in one layer of rocks. A separate 1980 study 40 miles away identified an immense air-fall tuff layer in the Soldier Meadows area as having been deposited in a single unit, yet couldn’t locate the volcano which produced this enormous volume. Fault diagrams published online by a mining operation at Sulphur on the edge of the circular structure from the satellite photo also look like curved terraced faults in the wall of a crater.
The mining geologists who wrote papers from 1980 to 2002 had not mentioned the possibility of a crater. But they were each gathering single puzzling pieces of information. A larger image seemed to be forming when putting the pieces together. The group hopes the information will be helpful to geologists who do further work in the region.
The theory hasn’t been put to any test by professionals yet. Some responses point out that the elliptical region reported as the possible impact crater could also be the volcanic caldera that the 1980 study was looking for. If so, such a large volcanic caldera would still be a significant discovery for the region.
This will remain officially a mystery for a while until the professional geologists get to study it. There is a lot of information available online for those who are interested.
By Joseph Kenny
The average cost of a house in the UK is now 130,000 this can be a pretty daunting figure for first-time buyers. But there are still options for first time buyers in the current market.
The first option may or may not be suitable for you, but it’s something worth considering. In the North of England, the average house is price considerably lower than in the south, especially compared to the southeast. The gap is nowhere near as great as it used to be, but 5% deposit on 90,000 may be an easier option, with lower monthly mortgage payments.
Under new tax rules, there is a tax exemption scheme known as ‘Rent-a-Room’, which will allow you to earn 4,600 each year by renting out one room in your home. This additional income is often taken into account when lenders are considering giving you a mortgage. They may allow you up to four times that income, which would add nearly 20,000 to the size of the mortgage you could obtain.
Another common practice is to buy a property jointly with a friend, or maybe your brother or sister. This requires a legal agreement properly drawn up which takes into account how much cash each person is investing in the property. This is in terms of amounts of cash deposit, and also if the mortgage payments are equally split or not. This is essential to avoid arguments, should you have a disagreement or when you sell the property.
If you’re fortunate and your family have a little money set aside. You may be able to ask them to contribute towards the deposit amount. Another way they could assist you is by acting as guarantor for your loan. But this would mean that if you cannot make the payments they would become obliged to make them for you.
One of the better options for first time buyers in the current market could be to purchase a brand new property. The advantage of a new property is that it comes with all new fixtures and fittings. And will be in good condition, requiring little maintenance. Many builders will now give very generous deals for first-time buyers.
Properties previously owned by the local council are usually of very solid construction with good size rooms. They potentially offer excellent value for money in comparison to houses that have always been private.
Shared ownership schemes are now becoming popular, and are run by housing associations all over the country. They are set up to help people on lower incomes who want to become property owners. Under this type of scheme, you only buy a share in the house of for example, 50%. You then only need a mortgage for 50% of the value of the property.
You will also have to pay rent on the other half of the house, but this is usually set at a much reduced rate. Over time you can buy more shares in your house up to the full 100%. When the house is sold you are entitled to your share, for example 50%, including half of the profit.
Auctions can provide interesting options for first time buyers in the current market. Properties that are sold via auction very often sell for far less than if the same house was sold by the local estate agent. It will be possible for you to view properties before they are auctioned. It is necessary to arrange a mortgage before bidding, and you will be required to put down a deposit if you are the successful bidder of around 10%.
The usual amount of the deposit required by banks and building societies is a minimum of 5%. They require this not so much because they want you to have the money to put down. It is more a case of you proving that you can put by a regular amount of money every month for a couple of years. That says to them that you are both disciplined and serious about your mortgage commitment.
Not all options for first time buyers in the current market require a deposit, someone lenders will now offer 100% mortgages to first-time buyers. Interest rates tend to be, slightly higher than if you had put down a deposit.
There are even a handful of lenders that may allow the first-time buyer slightly more than 100% of the value at the house. This is to cover such things as legal fees. On the surface this can be a good deal, the only drawback is that some companies will impose what are known as, indemnity premiums, which can be quite high.
As you can see from everything above, there are still options for first time buyers in the current market. And a capable broker should be in a position to assist you to find a suitable mortgage, depending upon your situation.
About the Author: Joe Kenny writes for Glitec.org, offering cheap
online mortgages
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or visit Rebuild.org for great
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Source:
isnare.com
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Wednesday, June 12, 2013
In May, periodical cicadas with 17 years life cycle emerged on the East Coast of the USA after underground development as juveniles since 1996. Researchers and scientists worked to map and study the rare wave, and the locals prepared for the noisy event. First recorded in 1666, the Magicicada septendecim species recently emerged in 1979, 1996, this year, with a next wave due in 2030.
This week, Wikinews interviewed Chris Simon, an ecology and evolutionary biologist at University of Connecticut, about the cicadas.
((Wikinews)) What caused your initial interest in periodical cicadas?
((WN)) You study the emergence of the periodical cicadas. What do you study? What observations are you making?
((WN)) What equipment do you use?
((WN)) Do you study the periodical cicadas with anyone else? What is their role?
((WN)) You studied the periodical cicadas in 1979 and 1996 too. What changes with time?
((WN)) What are your thoughts on the long life span of the periodical cicadas? Why could it be so? What advantages and what disadvantages does it have?
((WN)) News reports mention this is ‘Brood II’ of the periodical cicadas. What are the distinctive features of this specific species and what is its full scientific name?
((WN)) At what depth do the cicadas juveniles live underground?
((WN)) How do people prepare for the cicada emergence?
((WN)) Do cicadas affect transport in the local area?
((WN)) Do cicadas usually stay outside or do they also invade houses too?
((WN)) What do the cicadas eat?
((WN)) Do cicadas damage crops or city vegetation? What damage?
((WN)) Thank you.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Crown Office are staying quiet about possible prosecutions after an inquiry found medical failures caused three deaths at NHS Lanarkshire.
In response to a specific question as to the possibility of prosecutions, a Crown Office spokesperson told Wikinews today that “The three deaths were fully investigated by the Procurator Fiscal and reported to Crown Counsel [laywers] to consider. Crown Counsel concluded that, given the facts and circumstances of the deaths, a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) was the appropriate forum to consider the circumstances of the deaths.” It was further noted that “[a] FAI cannot make any findings of fault/blame against individuals.”
However, Crown Office did not specifically rule out prosecutions for offences such as cuplable homicide despite the spokesperson noting this was a direct response to such a question. They also declined to comment on National Health Service care as “it would not be appropriate to comment on the provision of NHS services” and entirely ignored questions about Crown Office satisfaction in the inquiry’s outcome and the length of time it took to reach a conclusion. The inquiry wrapped up last week but the deaths were in 2006.
Agnes Nicol, George Johnstone, and Andrew Ritchie died within a three-month period following keyhole surgery to remove their gall bladders.
Later expanded to look at all three deaths, the inquiry initially established to look into the case of Nicol, 50, who received surgery in late 2005. A surgeon at Wishaw General Hospital mistakenly cut her bile duct and her right hepatic artery. Whilst suturing her portal vein, her liver was left with 20% of its normal blood supply; the errors were not discovered until her transfer to liver specialists at Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary.
By then, her liver was seriously damaged. She developed septicaemia, dying from multiple organ failure in March 2006.
Johnstone, 54, underwent the same procedure at Monklands District General Hospital on May 9, 2006. A consultant surgeon accidentally damaged, possibly severing, his bile duct. He died two days later in intensive care from the combined effects of multiple organ failure and a heart ailment.
Ritchie, 62, died in intensive care a week after an operation in June 2006. He died from intra abdominal haemorrhage caused by errors during the surgery.
Different surgeons were involved each time and the inquiry, under Sheriff Robert Dickson, found no evidence of poor training or inadequate experience. Dickson noted that in each case there was lack of action on a “growing body of evidence that there was something fundamentally wrong with the patient” and surgeons failed to contemplate their own actions as potentially responsible. He agreed with two professors that it may have been possible to save their lives “had the post-operative care been to the standard which they expected, and had there been a proper management plan which staff could have worked to” and noted that all the patients suffered from a lack of adequate medical notes being available after their surgery. He described the care as having “clear faults”.
NHS Lanarkshire apologised and said improvements had been made regarding “these types of cases” as well as with document management. Wikinews got in touch seeking details of the changes made but the health trust failed to respond.
Thursday, January 12, 2017
United States President Barack Obama gave his official farewell address on Tuesday night from McCormick Place in Chicago, reflecting on personal and national accomplishments. This is expected to be his last major speech before officially handing the reins to president-elect Donald Trump on January 20.
| “Its why GIs gave their lives at Omaha Beach and Iwo Jima; Iraq and Afghanistan – and why men and women from Selma to Stonewall were prepared to give theirs as well.” |
Obama’s speech was wide-ranging. He thanked his family and the nation, spoke of the need for unity, noted the country’s accomplishments and need for improvement in areas like education and civil rights, and spoke about the need for pride in U.S. accomplishments, citing milestones of U.S. history and of his presidency specifically. “It’s why GIs gave their lives at Omaha Beach and Iwo Jima; Iraq and Afghanistan – and why men and women from Selma to Stonewall were prepared to give theirs as well.”
The president also addressed his country’s troubled history with race and racism, an issue many black citizens feel he has avoided. Despite this, Chauncy Devega of Salon described the president as “a role model of calm, cool reflective black masculinity: a man utterly at home in his own skin.” Obama described the concept of a post-racial U.S. “unrealistic” and particularly cited the need for reform in education and the criminal justice system and greater acceptance of scientific evidence, particularly evidence supporting action to counteract climate change.
However, publications including The Washington Post and Salon have given particular focus to another aspect of the president’s address: the country’s increasing political tensions and controversies involving access to news and information, both accurate and inaccurate. “We become so secure and our bubbles,” said Obama, “that we start accepting only information, whether it’s true or not, that fits our opinions instead of basing our opinions on the evidence that is out there,” calling this trend “a third threat to our democracy.”
The Washington Post characterized Obama’s comment, “If every economic issue is framed as a struggle between a hard-working white middle class and an undeserving minority, then workers of all shades will be left fighting for scraps while the wealthy withdraw further into their private enclaves,” as a “not-so-subtle jab” at the campaign tactics of President-elect Donald Trump. The Telegraph describes Obama’s warnings about the need to protect democracy as “a thinly veiled slight to the divisive rhetoric of Donald Trump’s election campaign, which included attacks on Muslims, the disabled, women and immigrants.” The president went on to call on the public to “reject the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest or to enfeeble the sacred ties that make us one America. We weaken those ties when we allow our political dialogue to become so corrosive […] We weaken those ties when we define some of us as more American than others when we write off the whole system as inevitably corrupt and when we sit back and blame the leaders we elect without examining our own role in electing them. It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy.”
Despite this, when the mention of Donald Trump brought boos from the crowd, Obama reiterated the importance of the long history of peaceful transfers of power from one president to the next: “No no no no no. […] I committed to President-elect Trump that my administration would ensure the smoothest possible transition, just as President Bush did for me.” However, this was not unaccompanied by a call to action. Near the end of the speech, he insisted citizens dissatisfied with elected officials should “lace up your shoes, grab a clipboard, get some signatures and run for office yourself.”
Overall, the departing president’s speech focused on accomplishment, echoing the “Yes we can” slogan from his 2008 campaign: “If I have told you eight years ago, that America would reverse a great recession, reboot our auto industry, and unleash the longest stretch of job creation in our history. If I had told you, that we would open up a new chapter with the Cuban people, shut down Iran’s nuclear weapons program without firing a shot, take out the mastermind of 9/11[…] If I had told you that we would win a marriage equality and secure the right to health insurance for another twenty million of our fellow citizens. If I had told you all that, you might have said our sights were set a little too high. But that’s what we did.”
But when the crowd began shouting “Four more years! Four more years!” Obama, with a small laugh, answered, “I can’t do that.”
Your boyfriend isn’t as thrilled with the prospect of marriage as you are. It’s disheartening when you start talking about marriage and he starts to sweat and look uncomfortable. Perhaps you’ve asked him about it and he’s told you that he just doesn’t feel ready for such a serious commitment yet or he feels he’s too young to even think about settling down. You feel at a loss because you’re unsure of when things may change and he might decide that being with you in the long term is what he truly wants. If you’re starting to question whether his aversion to the idea of marriage is just a case of cold feet or more, there’s a way to tell. There are some signs of a commitment phobic man that will allow you to gain some insight into whether your man is ever going to pop that all important question so you can become his wife.
One of the signs of a commitment phobic man that is glaringly obvious is he’ll change the subject the moment you even mention anything more serious than dating. This includes situations in which you may be telling your guy that a friend or co-worker is getting married. He doesn’t want to know about it and he makes that very clear. He’ll start talking about something completely unrelated once you point out that an engagement took place or someone is planning a wedding. You can’t miss this as he’ll be very uncomfortable whenever the subject of commitment pops up.
Another of the signs your guy may be afraid of commitment is his inability to make any long term plans with you. These types of men are the ones who don’t want to sign a lease on an apartment and have absolutely no interest in buying a home or starting a retirement savings account. They live in the moment and will never suggest that the two of you go on vacation a few months from now. A man who is fearful of commitment will also shy away from the subject of children and he’ll disagree if anyone ever tells him that he’d be a great father.
He may also be a bit reckless with his finances. Although it may seem a stretch to try and associate a man’s financial habits with his desire to commit, they do go hand-in-hand. A man who craves a commitment will be focused on planning for the future of his family. On the other hand, a man who doesn’t want to get married will only think of himself and will tend to spend his money as quickly as he earns it. Sadly, if you’re with a man who doesn’t have any real assets to his name that probably means he’s not going to pop the question anytime soon.
Article Source: sooperarticles.com/relationship-articles/advice-for-women-articles/signs-commitment-phobic-man-282702.html
About Author:
You don’t have to wait for him to decide whether or not he’s ready to commit to you. If you are tired of putting your dreams on hold because he’s commitment phobic, there are things you can do to make him want to marry you now. Learn right now what you need to do to make him fall to his knees and beg you to marry him.Author: Gillian Reynolds
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Heavy rains in western Indonesia have triggered landslides across the region that have killed dozens of people. Meanwhile, other areas were devastated by major flooding, with water reaching two metres high in some locations.
Search and rescue chief Eko Prayitno in Java told reporters that police, soldiers and volounteers were working together to attempt to reach survivors, some digging with their hands or traditional tools. Heavy equipment is available and efforts are underway to get it into place, he said, but blocked roads are making such efforts difficult.
Prayitno also said that a single landslide in the Karanganyar region buried 61 people who were attending a dinner to celebrate a successful clean up of a house affected by another landslide, which had caused no injuries. “They were having dinner together when they were hit by another landslide… At least 61 people were buried.” Landslides affected the region over a four hour period from 01:00 a.m. to 05:00 a.m. local time. Meanwhile, seventeen people are feared dead in the neighbouring district of Wonogiri, which has also been hit by landslides after twelve hours of nonstop torrential rain.
Andi Mallarangeng, spokesperson for president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, told reporters “The president sends his deep condolence, and has ordered Home Minister [Mardiono] to inspect the scene [in Karanganyar] and monitor the emergency responses.”
Many fleeing residents have attempted to salvage their possessions, with some using tyres to float television sets and refrigerators to dry ground. Another single massive slide in Tawangmangu, a mountainous resort, buried 37. Metro TV News was told by an eyewitness, identified only as Karsidi, that “Those people were gathering for a tea break during communal works after the rains, and suddenly the land collapsed onto them.”
The affected regions spread across Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi. The population distribution in Indonesia has worsened the situation, with many people living on river flood plains to utilise the fertile soil and many more living in inaccessible mountain regions. The total death toll is estimated at up to 81 people, and eyewitnesses and local media report that thousands of homes are affected.
Landslides are common in Indonesia, where large-scale rainfall is a regular occurrence. This is often exacerbated by deforestation. However, Heru, head of the local disaster coordinator agency in Karang Anyar, commented that “The forest in the area is thick,” and consequently he did not believe deforestation was a causal factor. The region he is responsible for has recorded 36 deaths and 30 more buried in thick mud near the banks of the Bengawan Solo river. Meanwhile Julianto, another provincial government official, said “The landslides took us by surprise. This is the first time in the last 25 years anything of this scale occurred here in Central Java.”
Julianto also commented that thousands of people displaced from their homes by flooding and landslides have been forced into temporary accommodation in buildings and tents provided by emergency response teams.
Today’s disasters coincide with the third anniversary of the Asian tsunami, which killed an estimated 230,000 people. A tsunami drill on Java was unaffected as the seasonal poor weather did not have an adverse affect on the area of the drill.
Tuesday, March 1, 2005
Aylesbury, England — The Arsenal F.C. midfielder Jermaine Pennant, currently on loan to Birmingham City, has today pleaded guilty to drink-driving, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance by Aylesbury magistrates court. Pennant received a sentence of three months imprisonment. Pennant’s lawyer, Bary Warbutton, has said that the footballer will appeal against the severity of the sentence.
The incident occurred on January 23 of this year, Pennant was arrested after crashing teammate Ashley Cole’s car into a lamppost. The 22-year-old claimed that he crashed the car after attempting to operate the car’s Satellite navigation system.
Despite the claim by Warbutton that imprisonment “could completely destroy his career”, Birmingham City have said that they will stand by the player, and help to rehabilitate him. Arsenal released a statement saying that the sentence would not impact the player’s future with the club; his contract with club expires in the summer, at the same time as his loan-spell with Birmingham ends.
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