Monday, December 2, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
chemist Ruth Benerito for developing wrinkle-free cotton
Her name graces no labels, but millions wear Ruth Benerito creations daily.
A government chemist, Benerito led a team that helped create wrinkle-resistant cotton — an innovation that spared homemakers hours of ironing and breathed new life into an industry smothered in rayon, polyester and other synthetics.
Benerito, who was credited with 55 patents and more than 200 professional publications, died Oct. 5 at her home in Metairie, La., family members said. She was 97.
Until Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, she had lived in the same house for 56 years, sharing it in her later years with an older sister.
Benerito was sometimes called the Queen of Cotton, according to the American Chemical Society, which installed a plaque honoring her team's work at the U.S. Department of Agriculture laboratory she called home for nearly 33 years. Last February, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) lauded her achievements, along with those of other little-known inventors, at a committee meeting he chaired on American competitiveness.
"We can thank chemist Ruth Benerito for developing wrinkle-free cotton, which is in the shirts many Americans wear today, including mine," he said.
Though she always wanted to be a scientist, Benerito never set out to make lawmakers look hearing-room crisp.
"A lot of times what you discover is more from serendipity than what you set out to do," she told Investor's Business Daily in 2002. "That's why I think you can't manage science. You can't say that on a certain month, day or year you're going to do such and such a thing."
Her breakthrough came amid years of work by scientists eager to unrumple cotton garments and free women from the iron's grip. Over just a few decades, new, easy-care synthetics had battered the cotton market, cutting its share by 50% from 1960 to 1975. Some analysts predicted that by 2000, U.S. cotton would be a cool, dry memory.
In 1958, Benerito took charge of the cotton chemicals laboratory at the USDA's Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans. After years of experimenting, she figured out how to strengthen the bonds among cotton's molecular strands with a technique called "cross-linking." With chemical processes she developed, the stronger bonds withstood pounding in washers, decreasing wrinkles in the garments.
"It's sort of like when a woman gets her hair in a permanent wave," Benerito once told an interviewer. "You have to take these long chains and cross-link them, connecting the two chains in a specific arrangement."
The development "opened more doors down the line that people hadn't thought about," including flame-retardant clothing and bedding, said Rini Paiva, executive director of the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Alexandria, Va. Benerito was inducted in 2008.
Though most of Benerito's patents are related to cotton, she also pioneered a life-saving treatment during the Korean War, allowing intravenous delivery of fat to wounded soldiers who were too sick to eat.
Born in New Orleans Jan. 12, 1916, Ruth Mary Rogan Benerito often said her civil engineer father and artist mother were early feminists, encouraging their daughters in pursuits that at the time were seen as unladylike.
Graduating from high school at 14, Benerito went on to Newcomb College and was one of two women allowed to take physical chemistry at Newcomb's affiliated school, Tulane University.
"We took it with the engineers," she said in a 1986 oral history, "and they didn't like it one bit."
Even after receiving her master's degree in physics from Tulane, Benerito had a tough time finding a job. She taught math, science and driving safety in nearby Jefferson Parish, although at the time she didn't know how to drive.
When her family moved to Chicago, she went along. In 1948, she received her doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of Chicago, shuttling back to New Orleans during summers to teach at Tulane.
In 1950, she married Frank "Benny" Benerito, who died 20 years later. She has no immediate survivors.
After retiring from her research career, she continued to teach. She was an adjunct professor at the University of New Orleans when poor vision forced her to stop at 81.
Five years later, Benerito was honored with the 2002 Lemelson-MIT lifetime achievement award.
"It's safe to say," said Merton Flemings, who was then director of the Lemelson-MIT program, "that Ruth Benerito has made us all more comfortable in our clothes over the years."
Benerito, who was credited with 55 patents and more than 200 professional publications, died Oct. 5 at her home in Metairie, La., family members said. She was 97.
Until Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, she had lived in the same house for 56 years, sharing it in her later years with an older sister.
Benerito was sometimes called the Queen of Cotton, according to the American Chemical Society, which installed a plaque honoring her team's work at the U.S. Department of Agriculture laboratory she called home for nearly 33 years. Last February, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) lauded her achievements, along with those of other little-known inventors, at a committee meeting he chaired on American competitiveness.
"We can thank chemist Ruth Benerito for developing wrinkle-free cotton, which is in the shirts many Americans wear today, including mine," he said.
Though she always wanted to be a scientist, Benerito never set out to make lawmakers look hearing-room crisp.
"A lot of times what you discover is more from serendipity than what you set out to do," she told Investor's Business Daily in 2002. "That's why I think you can't manage science. You can't say that on a certain month, day or year you're going to do such and such a thing."
Her breakthrough came amid years of work by scientists eager to unrumple cotton garments and free women from the iron's grip. Over just a few decades, new, easy-care synthetics had battered the cotton market, cutting its share by 50% from 1960 to 1975. Some analysts predicted that by 2000, U.S. cotton would be a cool, dry memory.
In 1958, Benerito took charge of the cotton chemicals laboratory at the USDA's Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans. After years of experimenting, she figured out how to strengthen the bonds among cotton's molecular strands with a technique called "cross-linking." With chemical processes she developed, the stronger bonds withstood pounding in washers, decreasing wrinkles in the garments.
"It's sort of like when a woman gets her hair in a permanent wave," Benerito once told an interviewer. "You have to take these long chains and cross-link them, connecting the two chains in a specific arrangement."
The development "opened more doors down the line that people hadn't thought about," including flame-retardant clothing and bedding, said Rini Paiva, executive director of the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Alexandria, Va. Benerito was inducted in 2008.
Though most of Benerito's patents are related to cotton, she also pioneered a life-saving treatment during the Korean War, allowing intravenous delivery of fat to wounded soldiers who were too sick to eat.
Born in New Orleans Jan. 12, 1916, Ruth Mary Rogan Benerito often said her civil engineer father and artist mother were early feminists, encouraging their daughters in pursuits that at the time were seen as unladylike.
Graduating from high school at 14, Benerito went on to Newcomb College and was one of two women allowed to take physical chemistry at Newcomb's affiliated school, Tulane University.
"We took it with the engineers," she said in a 1986 oral history, "and they didn't like it one bit."
Even after receiving her master's degree in physics from Tulane, Benerito had a tough time finding a job. She taught math, science and driving safety in nearby Jefferson Parish, although at the time she didn't know how to drive.
When her family moved to Chicago, she went along. In 1948, she received her doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of Chicago, shuttling back to New Orleans during summers to teach at Tulane.
In 1950, she married Frank "Benny" Benerito, who died 20 years later. She has no immediate survivors.
After retiring from her research career, she continued to teach. She was an adjunct professor at the University of New Orleans when poor vision forced her to stop at 81.
Five years later, Benerito was honored with the 2002 Lemelson-MIT lifetime achievement award.
"It's safe to say," said Merton Flemings, who was then director of the Lemelson-MIT program, "that Ruth Benerito has made us all more comfortable in our clothes over the years."
Friday, October 11, 2013
Shutdown backfires on Republicans as they score worst poll rating of any political party for the last 20 years
Not popular: The polls also show a dramatic spike in the proportion of people who have a negative view of the GOP since the shutdown
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2452054/Republicans-score-record-low-favorablity-rating-shutdown-continues-Obama-calls-GOP-leaders-White-House-meeting.html#ixzz2hQ2gjC00
Monday, September 23, 2013
household income the U.S. Census Bureau
“The big story is that everything was stagnant over the year” said Economic Policy Institute's Elise Gould. “We’re stagnant, and continue to be in bad place.”
While the economy continues to struggle, residents in the wealthiest states continued to make far more than in the poorest. In 2012, Maryland remained the richest state in the country, with a median household income of $71,221. Mississippi was again the poorest, with an income of $37,095 -- nearly half that of Maryland’s.
ALSO READ: Famous Restaurant Chains That Are Hard to Find
Despite the addition of jobs nationwide, median incomes remained stagnant in most states and were still generally below their 2008 levels, adjusted for inflation. Sheldon Danziger, president of the Russell Sage Foundation, explained that this has been the nature of the recovery. “We have an economy that continues to grow, with most of the gains going to the economic elite. I don’t see any bright prospects for the median worker, much less the poor.”
States with lower median incomes generally had much higher rates of poverty than the national rate. All of the 10 states with the lowest median income in 2012 also had among the highest poverty rates in the country. While 15.9% of Americans fell below the poverty line in 2012, nearly one in four Mississippians did.
Employment is one of the biggest factors affecting income. In some states with lower unemployment, a higher share of the households had steady income, which bolsters the state’s median. In many of the highest-income states, like New Hampshire, Minnesota and Hawaii, unemployment in 2012 was less than 6%, compared to a national rate of 8.1%.
Elise Gould, Director of Health Policy for Economic Policy Institute, explained that unemployment rates can have a significant effect on a state's household income. “When we’re talking about average families and poor families, the vast majority of income comes from wages. So it’s about jobs.” Gould cautioned, however, that unemployment rates do not tell the full story.
ALSO READ: The Worst Economies in the World
Unemployment rates, for example, ignore those people who have given up looking for work or accept part-time work. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while 8.1% of American workers were unemployed in 2012, 14.7% were underemployed, meaning they wanted to work full time but could not. This was an increase from roughly 10% in 2008.
The types of jobs available in each state also affect income. A review of Census Bureau industry composition data shows that people in most of the states with a higher median income were often more likely to be employed in information, finance, professional and other positions that tend to pay higher salaries. Maryland, the wealthiest state in the country, had the highest percentage of workers in professional, scientific and management positions.
At the same time, many of the low-income states had smaller percentages of these professional occupations and higher rates of employment in retail, manufacturing and transportation. The high proportion of manufacturing jobs in low-income states might be surprising, but, explained Danziger, the makeup of the manufacturing industry in the country has changed.
“There’s a difference between unionized auto company workers and non-unionized parts suppliers,” Danziger said. “Even when manufacturers haven’t cut wages, they are adopting labor-saving technological change.”
To identify the states with the highest and lowest median household income, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed state data on income from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 American Community Survey (ACS). Based on Census treatment, median household income for all years is adjusted for inflation. We also reviewed unemployment data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2012, as well as 2012 ACS data on health insurance coverage, employment and poverty.
America's Richest States
5. Hawaii
> Median household income: $66,259
> Population: 1,392,313 (11th lowest)
> Unemployment rate: 5.8% (12th lowest)
> Pct. below poverty line: 11.6% (8th lowest)
Over 16% of people in Hawaii worked in arts and entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services last year, the second highest percentage in the country. This reflects the state’s strong retirement and tourism economy. The unemployment rate in Hawaii declined only slightly in 2012 from the year before, but remained well below the U.S. rate, at just 5.8%. Over that time, Hawaii was also one of a handful of states to see a meaningful increase in income. Median household income rose by more than $3,000, to $66,259.
4. Connecticut
> Median household income: $67,276
> Population: 3,590,347 (22nd lowest)
> Unemployment rate: 8.4% (tied-14th highest)
> Pct. below poverty line: 10.7% (4th lowest)
Connecticut’s median household income fell considerably from 2008, when a typical family in the state took in $73,075 annually. This mirrored broader trends in the rest of the U.S., as nationwide median household income fell from over $55,000 in 2008 to $51,371 in 2012. Still, 11.5% of the state’s households earned at least $200,000 in 2012, the most in the U.S. Connecticut also remains one of the states with the worst income inequality in the nation, ahead of only New York.
3. Alaska
> Median household income: $67,712
> Population: 731,449 (4th lowest)
> Unemployment rate: 7.0% (22nd lowest)
> Pct. below poverty line: 10.1% (2nd lowest)
In spite of Alaska’s high median household income -- and the nation’s second-lowest poverty rate -- over 20% of the population did not have health insurance last year, more than all but two other states. This could be due in part to the state's high volume of seasonal employees, who are much less likely to have health insurance. Alaska’s oil production also bolsters residents’ income, with most collecting dividend payments from the state’s reinvested oil savings.
2. New Jersey
> Median household income: $69,667
> Population: 8,864,590 (11th highest)
> Unemployment rate: 9.5% (tied-5th highest)
> Pct. below poverty line: 10.8% (5th lowest)
The median household income in New Jersey was just shy of $70,000 in 2012. This was due in part to the large number of especially wealthy households. More than 11% of households had an income of at least $200,000 in 2012, a higher percentage than any other state except Connecticut, and nearly double the national rate. But not all residents were well off in 2012. The state’s unemployment rate for the year was 9.5%, among the highest in the nation. Also, the percentage of households that depended on food stamps rose from 8.0% in 2011 to 9.3% last year. This mirrored a nationwide trend: The number of American households on food stamps rose to from 13.0% to 13.6% between 2011 and 2012.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Natalie Dormer joins The Hunger Games: Mockingjay
Game of Thrones star Natalie Dormer has joined the cast of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Parts 1 & 2, Lionsgate announced Thursday.
Dormer, who plays Margaery Tyrell on the HBO series, will portray Cressida, a director from the Capitol who documents Katniss' (Jennifer Lawrence) journey through the upcoming rebellion.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Lisa Robin Kelly & Christina Applegate
Troubled actress Lisa Robin Kelly, best known for playing Laurie Forman on "That '70s Show," died last night at the age of 43.
The star had recently checked herself into rehab after struggling with alcoholism for years.
[Photos: More TV Stars We've Lost in 2013]
"Unfortunately Lisa Robin Kelly passed away last evening," Kelly's agent, Craig Wyckoff, said in a statement. "Lisa had voluntarily checked herself into a treatment facility early this week where she was battling the addiction problems that have plagued her these past few years.
"I spoke to her on Monday and she was hopeful and confident, looking forward to putting this part of her life behind her. Last night she lost the battle. Cause of death has not been issued yet and no death certificate has been issued either."
[Photos: 'That '70s Show': Where Are They Now?]
Sources told TMZ that Kelly's new boyfriend took her to rehab earlier this week, but it was too late — the actress suffered a fatal cardiac arrest Wednesday night. Kelly was a veteran actress who got her start in 1992 on "Married… With Children." Her credits included "Murphy Brown," "Charmed," and "Silk Stockings."
On "That '70s Show," the veteran actress played the promiscuous elder sister of Topher Grace's Eric Forman for five years. Her character was written out, though Kelly returned for a few episodes in Season 5. Then, she was replaced by Christina Moore in Season 6
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
Boston Archdiocese monsignor was arrested The Rev. Monsignor Arthur M. Coyle Charged With Hiring Prostitute
http://boston.com/metrodesk/2013/08/05/boston-archdiocese-official-charged-with-hiring-prostitute/zjl1b5uUo16AkZ5E8NO1oL/story.html
Boston Archdiocese monsignor was arrested sunday after he was caught with a prostitute in a cemetery, according to a report by The Lowell sun.
The Rev. Monsignor Arthur M. Coyle, a 62-year-old Merrimack Valley official with the Archdiocese of Boston, was reportedly with the prostitute behind the Polish Cemetery on Boston Road.
He is due to be arraigned in Lowell District Court Monday morning, according to the report. Coyle plead non-guilty and was ordered to return to court on Sept. 16. He was released on personal recognizance, the Sun reported. Coyle, the episcopal vicar for the archdiocese, lives at the rectory at St. Rita’s on Mammoth Road.
The Weymouth native was appointed Episcopal vicar in 2008, according to the Archdiocese of Boston, and was ordained a priest in 1977 at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. - See more at:
http://www.metro.us/boston/news/local/2013/08/05/boston-archdiocese-monsignor-caught-with-prostitute-arrested/#sthash.AHuLfe64.dpuf
http://www.wbur.org/2013/08/05/priest-prostitution-charges
Boston Archdiocese monsignor was arrested sunday after he was caught with a prostitute in a cemetery, according to a report by The Lowell sun.
He is due to be arraigned in Lowell District Court Monday morning, according to the report. Coyle plead non-guilty and was ordered to return to court on Sept. 16. He was released on personal recognizance, the Sun reported. Coyle, the episcopal vicar for the archdiocese, lives at the rectory at St. Rita’s on Mammoth Road.
The Weymouth native was appointed Episcopal vicar in 2008, according to the Archdiocese of Boston, and was ordained a priest in 1977 at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. - See more at:
http://www.metro.us/boston/news/local/2013/08/05/boston-archdiocese-monsignor-caught-with-prostitute-arrested/#sthash.AHuLfe64.dpuf
http://www.wbur.org/2013/08/05/priest-prostitution-charges
Friday, August 2, 2013
The Penny: On the Outs or Here to Stay?
"Canada's decision to retire its penny has provided a tremendous boost to the effort here in the U.S.," says Jeff Gore, an assistant professor of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and one of the organizers behind the advocacy group Citizens to Retire the U.S. Penny. "Although Canada is far from the first country to retire their lowest-denomination coin, the fact that their monetary system is so similar to ours makes their decision particularly relevant to the U.S." (The Royal Canadian Mint officially stopped distributing the penny earlier this year.)
Cost sentiment and the rounding tax
For Gore, getting rid of the penny just makes good financial sense.
According to the U.S. Mint, both the penny and the nickel have been produced at a loss since 2006 because the materials used cost more than the value of the coins. By some estimates, producing a single penny can cost more than 2 cents. And in the aggregate, production of both pennies and nickels results in a loss of about $436 million per year.
"It doesn't take much of an economic argument to say, 'Stop making it,'" says Chip Manning, director of the Babson Center for Global Commerce at Sewanee: The University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. "But the sentimental argument for keeping (the penny) is what most people revert to."
According to Americans for Common Cents, a Washington, D.C.-based interest group dedicated to preserving the penny, 67 percent of Americans actually favor keeping the penny, and 77 percent of Americans worry that prices will rise if the penny is eliminated because businesses will round up to the nearest dollar.
While some have expressed doubts about those claims, pointing out that Americans for Common Cents has strong ties to the zinc industry, which profits from producing the penny, Manning says the fear of the so-called rounding tax resonates, even if the economics behind the theory are questionable.
"The fear is that if the penny goes away, everything that is $1.99 will go to $2," Manning says. "But in general, competition does a better job of keeping pricing in check, not the currency value of the coins."
The idea of the rounding tax stems from a 2001 study from Pennsylvania State University economist Raymond Lombra, who found that the elimination of the penny could cost consumers about $600 million per year. The study also concluded that such a tax would have a disproportionately negative impact on the poor who would be hurt the most by minor price increases, Lombra argued.
But, a more recent study from Wake Forest University economist Robert Whaples called those findings into question because they failed to account for factors that randomize the direction of rounding, such as sales tax and the purchase of multiple items. According to Whaples, consumers wouldn't see a price shift in either direction if the penny were eliminated.
Who's right?
While it's tempting to chalk it up to a battle of the experts, the U.S. does have at least one case study suggesting that the elimination of the penny won't adversely impact consumers. At U.S. military bases overseas, the Department of Defense uses flat, disclike certificates in lieu of heavier metal coins. Known as POGs, the U.S. military coins come in 5, 10 and 25 cent denominations. But, according to the military, base exchanges round prices up or down to the closest nickel, resulting in a "virtual wash" for all parties in a retail transaction.
Give a penny to charity
One common reason cited for keeping the penny is that taking the 1 cent piece out of circulation would hurt charitable giving. But as our economy moves to electronic payments, some say that argument is losing its underlying rationale.
"In the past, 'Every penny counts' was a mantra in fundraising," says John Lauck, president and CEO of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals in Salt Lake City. "Today, however, processing actual pennies is not a very cost-effective way to raise funds. It is quite expensive to pick up, clean, sort and count coins from canisters or fountains."
Instead of collecting actual pennies, Lauck says Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other charities have shifted their focus to donations that can be collected electronically at registers.
"Eliminating the physical penny would not likely have much of an impact on donations to Children's Hospitals," Lauck says.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/penny-outs-stay-100000058.html
Friday, July 26, 2013
O.J. SIMPSON has been slammed with a devastating diagnosis his diabetes is a ticking time bomb
O.J. SIMPSON has been slammed with a devastating diagnosis – his diabetes is a ticking time bomb that’s likely to go off within the next three months!
Doctors have diagnosed his condition to be so serious he could collapse in a diabetic coma or have a fatal heart attack at any time, says a pal of the disgraced 66-year-old football great.
To make matters worse, O.J.’s blood pressure is “sky-high” and he’s hastening his own death by refusing to take care of himself because he’s convinced he’s doomed to die behind bars.
“I know I’m gonna die soon,” a despondent O.J. told a close prison pal. “I don’t care anymore. My life is over. I’m done.”
Saying he has nothing to lose, the former gridiron hero has finally confessed to a pal that he killed his ex-wife Nicole and her friend Ron Goldman during an uncontrollable fit of rage – and he plans to go out with a big bang by having his written murder confession released upon his death.
What’s more, The ENQUIRER has learned that Simpson devised a secret plan to assure that the $2 million he’s hidden away goes to his family and not to Ron Goldman’s relatives, who won a wrongful death lawsuit against him.
Meanwhile, O.J. has become bloated and sickly since being sentenced for up to 33 years in prison in 2008 after being convicted of kidnapping and armed robbery.
He reportedly tips the scales at a staggering 300 pounds and suffers from dangerously high blood pressure. And in recent days, his spirits plummeted as he became convinced the bid he’s making for a new trial would fail and he’d never again enjoy freedom.
Severely depressed, he spends much of his time sleeping in his prison cell bunk at Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada.
“O.J.’s doctors have told him he could be dead in as little as three months because of his out-of-control blood sugar and blood pressure,” revealed a friend.
“But O.J. doesn’t care. He knows he’s never going to get out of prison, so he refuses to take care of himself.”
Dr. Daniel Bessesen, a Denver-based endocrinologist who has not treated Simpson, told The ENQUIRER: “Diabetes puts you at increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. About 80 to 90 percent die from heart disease, not high blood sugar.
“I’ve noticed in taking care of diabetics in correctional facilities that they become severely depressed, which leads to little interest in self-care.”
O.J. apparently doesn’t care about what other people think of him either. Recently, while watching TV, he confided to a close prison pal: “You know, everybody believes I killed Nicole. Well, I did do it! I need to tell someone before I die.’ ”
O.J. then revealed what happened on the night of June 12, 1994, when he went to Nicole’s townhouse, seething over her drug use and the lovers she’d taken since their divorce.
He told his prison buddy he went there intending to have it out with Nicole, but got angrier and angrier along the way.
“By the time he confronted Nicole, he was in an out-of-control rage,” said the insider. “She kept smarting off to him, which made it worse.
“He had a knife in his pocket, and although he said he never intended to use it, he was suddenly hacking away with it. Then he heard footsteps rushing at him, and a strong, young guy was on him.
“He stabbed and stabbed and finally the young man (Ron Goldman) was dead. He said he still loves Nicole and remains haunted by his moment of rage.”
O.J. plans to stun the world once again when he dies, said a friend. “He’s going to write a letter confessing that he killed Nicole and Ron, and he’ll leave instructions that the letter be released to the public after he’s gone.
“He’s also making sure that none of his money or any other assets get to Ron’s father (who won a 1997 civil lawsuit against him for $21 million).
“O.J. has only a few pals he can trust, so he is having them quietly hide his money in various offshore accounts with instructions to give it only to his family when he dies.”
Most days Simpson just lies around his cell, said the source. “When he does get up, it’s to eat fatty and starchy junk food, especially his favorite, ice cream sandwiches.
“He’s been told by a doctor he desperately needs to get his weight down and immediately improve his diet or else. He was also told he could have a stroke, and he’s showing signs of it. Broken blood vessels in his eyes indicate he may already have blood clots forming.”
In May, O.J. appeared in court in his bid for a retrial. He was ridiculed in the media for being fat, and afterward he made some token efforts to exercise before giving up. Now, he keeps to himself and, for some strange reason, repeatedly sings the Scarecrow’s song from “The Wizard of Oz” – “If I Only Had a Brain,” say sources.
“O.J. is a broken man, who is in his own little world and says he would rather die now than to be locked up like a wild animal for the rest of his life,” noted another one of O.J.’s friends.
“He ignores people when they talk to him and often wanders around in a glassy-eyed trance. His family is being supportive, but he’s not paying attention to them either.”
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Helen Amelia Thomas (August 4, 1920 – July 20, 2013)
Helen Amelia Thomas (August 4, 1920 – July 20, 2013)
was an American author and news service reporter, member of the White House press corps and opinion columnist. She worked for the United Press and post-1958 successor United Press International (UPI) for 57 years, first as a correspondent, and later as White House bureau manager.
She was a columnist for Hearst Newspapers from 2000 to 2010, writing on national affairs and the White House. She covered the administrations of eleven U.S. presidents—from the final years of the Eisenhower administration to the second year of the Obama administration.
Thomas was the first female officer of the National Press Club, the first female member and president of the White House Correspondents' Association, and the first female member of the Gridiron Club. She wrote six books; her latest, with co-author Craig Crawford, is Listen Up, Mr. President: Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know and Do (2009). Thomas retired from Hearst Newspapers on June 7, 2010, following controversial comments she made about Israel, Israeli Jews and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Thomas
http://www.biography.com/people/helen-thomas-38119
She was a columnist for Hearst Newspapers from 2000 to 2010, writing on national affairs and the White House. She covered the administrations of eleven U.S. presidents—from the final years of the Eisenhower administration to the second year of the Obama administration.
Thomas was the first female officer of the National Press Club, the first female member and president of the White House Correspondents' Association, and the first female member of the Gridiron Club. She wrote six books; her latest, with co-author Craig Crawford, is Listen Up, Mr. President: Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know and Do (2009). Thomas retired from Hearst Newspapers on June 7, 2010, following controversial comments she made about Israel, Israeli Jews and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
Quick Facts
- NAME:Helen Thomas
- OCCUPATION:Television Personality, Journalist
- BIRTH DATE:August 04, 1920
- DEATH DATE:July 20, 2013
- EDUCATION: Wayne State University
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Winchester, Kentucky
- PLACE OF DEATH:Washington, D.C.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Thomas
http://www.biography.com/people/helen-thomas-38119
Friday, July 19, 2013
Liu Yipeng, Friday after being injured in the crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 in San Francisco a week ago
A girl who died Friday after being injured in the crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 in San Francisco a week ago has been identified as Liu Yipeng, according to Chinese state media.
Liu went to school with the other two victims who were killed in the crash, both 16-year-old girls, China News reported.
She had been listed in critical condition at San Francisco General Hospital where she died Friday morning. Other details, including her age and hometown, were not released by the hospital.
"Her parents have asked that we reveal no further information at this time," a hospital statement Friday said. "We will respect their wishes while they grieve."
Officials identified the two other victims as Ye Mengyuan and Wang Linjia, both part of a group of Chinese high school students on their way to West Valley Christian Church and School in the San Fernando Valley for a three-week summer camp.
Their bodies were recovered soon after the Boeing 777 clipped a seawall and slammed into a runway at San Francisco International Airport last Saturday.
Ye's body was found close to the aircraft's left wing. San Francisco police confirmed Friday that a fire truck responding to the incident hit her, but emphasized that the San Mateo County coroner had yet to determine her cause of death.
Gordon Shyy, public information officer for the San Francisco Police Department, said the girl was outside the jet and covered in fire retardant foam when the fire truck "went over her."
She had been listed in critical condition at San Francisco General Hospital where she died Friday morning. Other details, including her age and hometown, were not released by the hospital.
"Her parents have asked that we reveal no further information at this time," a hospital statement Friday said. "We will respect their wishes while they grieve."
Officials identified the two other victims as Ye Mengyuan and Wang Linjia, both part of a group of Chinese high school students on their way to West Valley Christian Church and School in the San Fernando Valley for a three-week summer camp.
Their bodies were recovered soon after the Boeing 777 clipped a seawall and slammed into a runway at San Francisco International Airport last Saturday.
Ye's body was found close to the aircraft's left wing. San Francisco police confirmed Friday that a fire truck responding to the incident hit her, but emphasized that the San Mateo County coroner had yet to determine her cause of death.
Gordon Shyy, public information officer for the San Francisco Police Department, said the girl was outside the jet and covered in fire retardant foam when the fire truck "went over her."
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Copt صاحبة "النول اليدوي المصري" ليلى راشد اسكندر وزيرة للبيئة
http://www.elaph.com/Web/news/2013/7/824253.html
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في سابقة غير معهودة في تاريخ النظام السياسي المصري، ستنصب الدكتورة ليلى راشد اسكندر وزيرة للبيئة في الحكومة المصرية، وهي المرأة الرابعة في حكومة الدكتور حازم الببلاوي.
ستنضم ليلى راشد إسكندر إلى أربع نساء أخريات في بادرة غير مسبوقة في تاريخ الحكومات المصرية لتصبح وزيرة للبيئة في حكومة الدكتور حازم الببلاوي.
الدكتورة ليلى راشد إسكندر درست الاقتصاد والعلوم السياسية في كلية السياسة والاقتصاد في جامعة القاهرة، ودراسات الشرق الأدنى وتطوير التعليم الدولي في جامعة بيركلي في كاليفورنيا، وجامعة كولومبيا في نيويورك.
ولم يكن اسم ليلى راشد من الأسماء المعروفة في دوائر عالم المال والأعمال والاقتصاد، مثلما كان معروفًا بين سكان أحد أفقر الأحياء المصرية وهو حي (الزبّالين) في المقطم، الذي أمضت فيه خمسة عشر عامًا تُطَبِّق فيه خبرتها ودراستها الأميركية فى التعليم على أبناء الزبالين، وقد ذاع صيتها حين اختارها منتدى الاقتصاد الدولي في (دافوس) ليمنحها جائزة "شواب" للإبداع الاجتماعي، نظير أعمالها التطوعية في مجال التنمية الاجتماعية والاقتصادية، خلال انعقاد المنتدى في شرم الشيخ.
والدكتورة ليلى راشد اسكندر هي رئيسة مؤسسة التنمية المجتمعية والمؤسسية للاستشارات (CID) التي حصلت على جائزة "أفضل ناشط اجتماعي لعام 2006" من منظمة "شواب"، على هامش المنتدى الاقتصادي العالمي.
وحسب سيرتها الذاتية التي تناقلتها صحف ومواقع مصرية، فقد عملت الدكتورة إسكندر في هيئة التحكيم الخاصة بجائزة اليونسكو الدولية لمحو الأميّة، وتمثل المنطقة العربية منذ عام 2005 في الأمم المتحدة لمحو الأمية (UNLD)، وعقد التعليم من أجل التنمية المستدامة (ESD)، وتعمل كذلك مستشارة لشؤون التعليم لدى الوكالة الكندية للتنمية الدولية (CIDA)، ومستشارة لشؤون السياسات في برنامج تحسين الأداء التعليمي للبنات (GILO)، وهو أحد المشاريع التعليمية التي تمولها الوكالة الأميركية للتنمية الدولية لمساعدة وزارة التربية والتعليم في مصر على تحسين الأداء التعليمي في عدد من المدارس المختارة في المرحلتين الابتدائية والإعدادية، كما دخلت قائمة المبدعين الاجتماعيين الذين يصل عددهم لدى منتدى دافوس إلى 97 مبدعاً في 40 دولة في العالم.
هجرة لأميركا
تلقت ليلى راشد تعليمها في مدرسة الإرسالية البريطانية ثم حصلت على بكالوريوس الاقتصاد والعلوم السياسية من جامعة القاهرة، وتزوجت وهاجرت مع زوجها إلى الولايات المتحدة عام 1968، واستقرت في ولاية كاليفورنيا وعملت فى إحدى الإدارات التعليمية الأميركية وحصلت على شهادة من جامعة كاليفورنيا في التربية، أهلتها للتدريس لطلبة الثانوي في منطقة وادى السيليكون الشهيرة بصناعة الحاسبات وأجهزة الكومبيوتر وتكنولوجيا المعلومات.
وتمتلك ليلى راشد اسكندر خبرة ميدانية في المجال البيئي وفتحت مكتبا استشاريا للاستشارات البيئية في غاردن سيتي، وتعد من الخبرات النسائية في المجال البيئي، ومن الوجوه المألوفة في المنتديات والمؤتمرات الدولية.
شاركت ليلى اسكندر في مشروع "بساطة" المقام في نويبع لتدوير المخلفات، كما شاركت في ورش التدوير للقمامة بمنشية ناصر، وشاركت في الدراسة التي أعدتها وزارة البيئة حول نقل مصانع تدوير القمامة في المنطقة الكائنة خلف العبور.
قامت اسكندر بتدريس الاقتصاد لطلبة من أذكى الطلاب مما كان يشكل حافزاً للإبداع والتطوير في طرق التدريس، وبعد عشر سنوات من النجاح في عملها والحياة المرفهة في الولايات المتحدة، انتابها الحنين إلى مصر وقررت العودة إليها، وقبل العودة للوطن عملت لمدة عام ونصف العام في الصندوق الصناعي السعودي وهي خطوة هامة في حياتها، تعلمت خلالها معنى «التنمية» حيث تقوم الدولة بتدخلات مخططة ترفع الاقتصاد في اتجاهات معينة تقود إلى التنمية، بينما الوضع يختلف في الولايات المتحدة حيث يقود القطاع الخاص السياسة الاقتصادية، وتهيئ له الدولة المناخ المناسب للانطلاق.
من السعودية لمصر
وبهذه الخبرة في مجال التنمية من السعودية عادت إلى مصر عام 1981 ووجدت أن مفهوم التنمية في مصر يختلف هو الآخر عن السعودية لأنه مرتبط بالفقر، وقررت أن تكون التنمية والتطوير هما هدفها، ولم تجد وظيفة تناسبها، وبعد فترة وجدت إعلاناً يطلب متطوعين للتدريس في حي الزبالين في المقطم، وتحمست للفكرة، وفي أول يوم رأت مدى الفقر وصعوبات الحياة التي يعيشها الزبالون في هذا الحي، حيث يسكنون أكشاك من الصفيح والكرتون حول أكوام من الزبالة والحيوانات النافقة.
وهناك قررت أن تنقل خبرتها في جامعة كاليفورنيا إلى حي الزبالين وقوامها التعليم الفردي، حيث ينطلق في هذا النظام كل طالب في دراسته وفقاً لقدراته دون انتظار للآخرين، وطبقت النظام بأدوات بسيطة وتمويل وهبات من أهل الخير وتبرعاتهم وأسست نظامًا يعتمد على محو الأمية والتعليم التنموي من خلال القصص والحرف البسيطة، وتزايد عدد الأطفال حتى وصلوا خلال ست سنوات إلى 300 طفل بعد أن بدأت بعشرة، وبالتوازي مع هذا العمل التطوعي في حي الزبالين، طَبَّقَت الأفكار نفسها في بلدتها في محافظة المنيا مع الفلاحين، وحاولت نقل النظريات في التنمية وطرق التعليم إلى خارج المدرسة من خلال مشروعات يتم الربط بينها وبين التعليم خارج الإطار الرسمي، فأي مشروع مثل مشروعات إقراض المرأة أو الحرف اليدوية تضع له برنامجاً ومنهج عمل يتمركز حوله التعليم.
النول اليدوي
وتضرب ليلى إسكندر مثالاً لذلك بمشروع النول اليدوي للسيدات، حيث يتم وضع برنامج لتعليم الفتاة كيفية العمل على النول مع ربط النظافة الشخصية بحوافز العمل، فتأتي الفتاة بملابس نظيفة لأنها تعلمت أنه إذا اتسخ النسيج الذي تنتجه سينخفض الأجر الذي تحصل عليه، وفي الوقت نفسه تتعلم أصول الحساب التي تؤهلها لتفهم كيف تبيع وتشتري وتتعلم القراءة في إطار أسماء المنتجات وأسعارها، كذلك في مشروعات تربية الأرانب يتعلم القائم بالمشروع كتابة المواعيد الخاصة بجداول نضج نوعيات الأرانب وطعامها ويتعلم الحساب وعمليات البيع والشراء وهكذا.
ولكن كيف تحول الأمر من عمل تطوعى إلى "بيزنس" أسست من خلاله شركة خاصة، وهل تحقق الشركة أرباحاً من خلال عملها في التنمية؟ تجيب ليلى إسكندر: هناك عدد كبير من الجمعيات الأهلية بها رجال ونساء يقومون بأعمال تطوعية، وبدأت أتعرف إلى بعضها، ومع صعود تيار المشروعات الممولة من الجهات المانحة للتنمية، بدأت أقارن بين مشروعات تأخذ ملايين الدولارات ولا تحقق النتائج المرجوة منها.
وأضافت إسكندر "هناك مشروعات أخرى تتم بتمويل ذاتي بسيط وتؤدي نتائج أكثر من المتوقع، ومن هنا جاءت فكرة إنشاء الشركة عام 1995 مع مجموعة من أصدقائي من القطاع الخاص وأسسنا الشركة برأسمال 60 ألف جنيه، على أساس أن تُقَدِّم خدمات تقليدية في البداية مثل الاستشارات والتدريب والدراسات والأبحاث حتى نصل إلى القيام بمشروعات شراكة لتحقيق التنمية دون اللجوء إلى جهات مانحة، وهذا لا يعنى ألا نحقق ربحاً، لكن أن نعمل على أساس كيف نختار المشروعات التي تؤدى إلى تقوية وبناء المؤسسات، وقمنا بالعمل مع ثلاثة قطاعات هي الحكومة والقطاع الخاص والجمعيات الأهلية.
البيزنيس والتنمية
وتقول ليلى إسكندر: كان من المهم في الشركة أن نقوم بتنظيم برامج تربط ما بين البيزنس والتنمية، وعلى سبيل المثال ساعدنا إحدى شركات الشامبو التي كانت تعاني مشكلة الغش التجاري للعبوات الفارغة التي تحمل اسمها ويتم إعادة استخدامها، فأسسنا جمعية أهلية في حي الزبالين، وعلمنا الأولاد أن يشتروا العبوات الفارغة (بأموال الجمعية الأهلية) ويقوموا بتكسير العبوات وإعادة تدوير البلاستيك والزجاج المكسور وبيعه للشركات وتحقيق عائد يعود جزء منه لبناء فصول ومشروعات جديدة للحي.
وتشير ليلى إسكندر إلى أن شركتها قامت بتصميم خرائط رقمية لكل ورشة في حي الزبالين في المقطم وعدد العمالة بها وحجم استثماراتها، موضحة أنه يوجد 600 مشروع صغير ومتوسط في مجال إعادة تدوير المخلفات في حي الزبالين، تورد المخلفات التي يتم تصنيفها إلى خمسين أو ستين مصنعاً على مستوى الجمهورية تعيد استخدام هذه المخلفات.
وتحلم ليلى إسكندر بأن ترفع الوعي بأهمية إعادة تدوير المخلفات، موضحة أن إحدى الدراسات التي قامت بها أكدت أنه في حال فصل المخلفات من المنبع أي في المنازل والمنشآت سيخلق كل طن من المخلفات 7 فرص عمل.
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في سابقة غير معهودة في تاريخ النظام السياسي المصري، ستنصب الدكتورة ليلى راشد اسكندر وزيرة للبيئة في الحكومة المصرية، وهي المرأة الرابعة في حكومة الدكتور حازم الببلاوي.
ستنضم ليلى راشد إسكندر إلى أربع نساء أخريات في بادرة غير مسبوقة في تاريخ الحكومات المصرية لتصبح وزيرة للبيئة في حكومة الدكتور حازم الببلاوي.
الدكتورة ليلى راشد إسكندر درست الاقتصاد والعلوم السياسية في كلية السياسة والاقتصاد في جامعة القاهرة، ودراسات الشرق الأدنى وتطوير التعليم الدولي في جامعة بيركلي في كاليفورنيا، وجامعة كولومبيا في نيويورك.
ولم يكن اسم ليلى راشد من الأسماء المعروفة في دوائر عالم المال والأعمال والاقتصاد، مثلما كان معروفًا بين سكان أحد أفقر الأحياء المصرية وهو حي (الزبّالين) في المقطم، الذي أمضت فيه خمسة عشر عامًا تُطَبِّق فيه خبرتها ودراستها الأميركية فى التعليم على أبناء الزبالين، وقد ذاع صيتها حين اختارها منتدى الاقتصاد الدولي في (دافوس) ليمنحها جائزة "شواب" للإبداع الاجتماعي، نظير أعمالها التطوعية في مجال التنمية الاجتماعية والاقتصادية، خلال انعقاد المنتدى في شرم الشيخ.
والدكتورة ليلى راشد اسكندر هي رئيسة مؤسسة التنمية المجتمعية والمؤسسية للاستشارات (CID) التي حصلت على جائزة "أفضل ناشط اجتماعي لعام 2006" من منظمة "شواب"، على هامش المنتدى الاقتصادي العالمي.
وحسب سيرتها الذاتية التي تناقلتها صحف ومواقع مصرية، فقد عملت الدكتورة إسكندر في هيئة التحكيم الخاصة بجائزة اليونسكو الدولية لمحو الأميّة، وتمثل المنطقة العربية منذ عام 2005 في الأمم المتحدة لمحو الأمية (UNLD)، وعقد التعليم من أجل التنمية المستدامة (ESD)، وتعمل كذلك مستشارة لشؤون التعليم لدى الوكالة الكندية للتنمية الدولية (CIDA)، ومستشارة لشؤون السياسات في برنامج تحسين الأداء التعليمي للبنات (GILO)، وهو أحد المشاريع التعليمية التي تمولها الوكالة الأميركية للتنمية الدولية لمساعدة وزارة التربية والتعليم في مصر على تحسين الأداء التعليمي في عدد من المدارس المختارة في المرحلتين الابتدائية والإعدادية، كما دخلت قائمة المبدعين الاجتماعيين الذين يصل عددهم لدى منتدى دافوس إلى 97 مبدعاً في 40 دولة في العالم.
هجرة لأميركا
تلقت ليلى راشد تعليمها في مدرسة الإرسالية البريطانية ثم حصلت على بكالوريوس الاقتصاد والعلوم السياسية من جامعة القاهرة، وتزوجت وهاجرت مع زوجها إلى الولايات المتحدة عام 1968، واستقرت في ولاية كاليفورنيا وعملت فى إحدى الإدارات التعليمية الأميركية وحصلت على شهادة من جامعة كاليفورنيا في التربية، أهلتها للتدريس لطلبة الثانوي في منطقة وادى السيليكون الشهيرة بصناعة الحاسبات وأجهزة الكومبيوتر وتكنولوجيا المعلومات.
وتمتلك ليلى راشد اسكندر خبرة ميدانية في المجال البيئي وفتحت مكتبا استشاريا للاستشارات البيئية في غاردن سيتي، وتعد من الخبرات النسائية في المجال البيئي، ومن الوجوه المألوفة في المنتديات والمؤتمرات الدولية.
شاركت ليلى اسكندر في مشروع "بساطة" المقام في نويبع لتدوير المخلفات، كما شاركت في ورش التدوير للقمامة بمنشية ناصر، وشاركت في الدراسة التي أعدتها وزارة البيئة حول نقل مصانع تدوير القمامة في المنطقة الكائنة خلف العبور.
قامت اسكندر بتدريس الاقتصاد لطلبة من أذكى الطلاب مما كان يشكل حافزاً للإبداع والتطوير في طرق التدريس، وبعد عشر سنوات من النجاح في عملها والحياة المرفهة في الولايات المتحدة، انتابها الحنين إلى مصر وقررت العودة إليها، وقبل العودة للوطن عملت لمدة عام ونصف العام في الصندوق الصناعي السعودي وهي خطوة هامة في حياتها، تعلمت خلالها معنى «التنمية» حيث تقوم الدولة بتدخلات مخططة ترفع الاقتصاد في اتجاهات معينة تقود إلى التنمية، بينما الوضع يختلف في الولايات المتحدة حيث يقود القطاع الخاص السياسة الاقتصادية، وتهيئ له الدولة المناخ المناسب للانطلاق.
من السعودية لمصر
وبهذه الخبرة في مجال التنمية من السعودية عادت إلى مصر عام 1981 ووجدت أن مفهوم التنمية في مصر يختلف هو الآخر عن السعودية لأنه مرتبط بالفقر، وقررت أن تكون التنمية والتطوير هما هدفها، ولم تجد وظيفة تناسبها، وبعد فترة وجدت إعلاناً يطلب متطوعين للتدريس في حي الزبالين في المقطم، وتحمست للفكرة، وفي أول يوم رأت مدى الفقر وصعوبات الحياة التي يعيشها الزبالون في هذا الحي، حيث يسكنون أكشاك من الصفيح والكرتون حول أكوام من الزبالة والحيوانات النافقة.
وهناك قررت أن تنقل خبرتها في جامعة كاليفورنيا إلى حي الزبالين وقوامها التعليم الفردي، حيث ينطلق في هذا النظام كل طالب في دراسته وفقاً لقدراته دون انتظار للآخرين، وطبقت النظام بأدوات بسيطة وتمويل وهبات من أهل الخير وتبرعاتهم وأسست نظامًا يعتمد على محو الأمية والتعليم التنموي من خلال القصص والحرف البسيطة، وتزايد عدد الأطفال حتى وصلوا خلال ست سنوات إلى 300 طفل بعد أن بدأت بعشرة، وبالتوازي مع هذا العمل التطوعي في حي الزبالين، طَبَّقَت الأفكار نفسها في بلدتها في محافظة المنيا مع الفلاحين، وحاولت نقل النظريات في التنمية وطرق التعليم إلى خارج المدرسة من خلال مشروعات يتم الربط بينها وبين التعليم خارج الإطار الرسمي، فأي مشروع مثل مشروعات إقراض المرأة أو الحرف اليدوية تضع له برنامجاً ومنهج عمل يتمركز حوله التعليم.
النول اليدوي
وتضرب ليلى إسكندر مثالاً لذلك بمشروع النول اليدوي للسيدات، حيث يتم وضع برنامج لتعليم الفتاة كيفية العمل على النول مع ربط النظافة الشخصية بحوافز العمل، فتأتي الفتاة بملابس نظيفة لأنها تعلمت أنه إذا اتسخ النسيج الذي تنتجه سينخفض الأجر الذي تحصل عليه، وفي الوقت نفسه تتعلم أصول الحساب التي تؤهلها لتفهم كيف تبيع وتشتري وتتعلم القراءة في إطار أسماء المنتجات وأسعارها، كذلك في مشروعات تربية الأرانب يتعلم القائم بالمشروع كتابة المواعيد الخاصة بجداول نضج نوعيات الأرانب وطعامها ويتعلم الحساب وعمليات البيع والشراء وهكذا.
ولكن كيف تحول الأمر من عمل تطوعى إلى "بيزنس" أسست من خلاله شركة خاصة، وهل تحقق الشركة أرباحاً من خلال عملها في التنمية؟ تجيب ليلى إسكندر: هناك عدد كبير من الجمعيات الأهلية بها رجال ونساء يقومون بأعمال تطوعية، وبدأت أتعرف إلى بعضها، ومع صعود تيار المشروعات الممولة من الجهات المانحة للتنمية، بدأت أقارن بين مشروعات تأخذ ملايين الدولارات ولا تحقق النتائج المرجوة منها.
وأضافت إسكندر "هناك مشروعات أخرى تتم بتمويل ذاتي بسيط وتؤدي نتائج أكثر من المتوقع، ومن هنا جاءت فكرة إنشاء الشركة عام 1995 مع مجموعة من أصدقائي من القطاع الخاص وأسسنا الشركة برأسمال 60 ألف جنيه، على أساس أن تُقَدِّم خدمات تقليدية في البداية مثل الاستشارات والتدريب والدراسات والأبحاث حتى نصل إلى القيام بمشروعات شراكة لتحقيق التنمية دون اللجوء إلى جهات مانحة، وهذا لا يعنى ألا نحقق ربحاً، لكن أن نعمل على أساس كيف نختار المشروعات التي تؤدى إلى تقوية وبناء المؤسسات، وقمنا بالعمل مع ثلاثة قطاعات هي الحكومة والقطاع الخاص والجمعيات الأهلية.
البيزنيس والتنمية
وتقول ليلى إسكندر: كان من المهم في الشركة أن نقوم بتنظيم برامج تربط ما بين البيزنس والتنمية، وعلى سبيل المثال ساعدنا إحدى شركات الشامبو التي كانت تعاني مشكلة الغش التجاري للعبوات الفارغة التي تحمل اسمها ويتم إعادة استخدامها، فأسسنا جمعية أهلية في حي الزبالين، وعلمنا الأولاد أن يشتروا العبوات الفارغة (بأموال الجمعية الأهلية) ويقوموا بتكسير العبوات وإعادة تدوير البلاستيك والزجاج المكسور وبيعه للشركات وتحقيق عائد يعود جزء منه لبناء فصول ومشروعات جديدة للحي.
وتشير ليلى إسكندر إلى أن شركتها قامت بتصميم خرائط رقمية لكل ورشة في حي الزبالين في المقطم وعدد العمالة بها وحجم استثماراتها، موضحة أنه يوجد 600 مشروع صغير ومتوسط في مجال إعادة تدوير المخلفات في حي الزبالين، تورد المخلفات التي يتم تصنيفها إلى خمسين أو ستين مصنعاً على مستوى الجمهورية تعيد استخدام هذه المخلفات.
وتحلم ليلى إسكندر بأن ترفع الوعي بأهمية إعادة تدوير المخلفات، موضحة أن إحدى الدراسات التي قامت بها أكدت أنه في حال فصل المخلفات من المنبع أي في المنازل والمنشآت سيخلق كل طن من المخلفات 7 فرص عمل.
- See more at: http://www.elaph.com/Web/news/2013/7/824253.html#sthash.bWufDef0.dpuf
Surrender of Lord Cornwallis
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Monday, July 15, 2013
California’s War Dead Military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan, 2001-Present
Total killed as of June 25, 2013:738
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Teen crash victims, 16-year-old Chinese girls Wang Lin Jia and Ye Meng Yuan
A picture of Wang Linjia, right, and Ye Mengyuan at Jiangshan Middle School in Jiangshan, east China's Zhejiang Province. The two girls were killed in the crash landing of an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 at the San Francisco airport on Saturday morning. Their family members headed for the United States on Monday. — Han Chuanhao/Xinhua/McClatchy-Tribune, July 8, 2013
Firefighting truck spray water on Asiana Airlines flight 214 as it sits on the runway burning at San Francisco International Airport in this July 6, 2013 picture taken by a passenger of the plane.
d: July 7, 2013 Teen crash victims, Wang Lin Jia and Ye Meng Yuan, mourned on microblogs Wang Lin Jia’s still-active Weibo page shows her last messages on the micro-blogging site. One of the two confirmed victims of Saturday’s deadly Aviana Airlines Flight 214 crash in San Francisco, Wang Lin Jia, 17, was reluctant to say goodbye to her friends, she wrote on her Tecent Weibo page (a Chinese version of Twitter) days before her death. In one tweet, Wang wrote, “Maybe time can dilute the coffee in a cup and flatten the contour of memory.” On Friday, one day before the plane crash, she posted her last Weibo message in English. She simply said: “Go.”The other victim was Ye Meng Yuan, 16, who, according to People’s Daily Newspaper in Beijing, was a classmate with Wang in the same school. Mourners have left thousands of messages on the two girls’ still-active Weibo pages. Some are from their close friends, but most are from strangers. One wrote, “Little sisters, good luck on your road in heaven.”Judging from the replies on the two girls’ microblogging pages, Wang was the class monitor, a special position in the Chinese education system, something like a teacher’s assistant and was good at Chinese calligraphy and recitation. Ye was also a stellar student, leader and was a proficient piano player, her page indicates. According to another Beijing daily newspaper, the two students were among 30 high school students from Jiangshan School who were planning to attend a summer camp with a focus on visiting some of the most selective universities in California, such as the University of California, Berkeley and UCLA. When Wang’s parents received the news on the death of their daughter, they hugged and burst into tears, according to the East Day news in Shanghai. Both Wang and Ye’s parents are in the process of completing the necessary paperwork to come to the US. According to the public relations department of Asiana Airlines’s base in South Korea, the two girls were thrown from the plane and killed upon impact when the plane’s tail hit the ground. They were believed to sit at the rear of the airplane; their bodies were found on the runway. East Day also reported the students onboard the doomed flight had just completed their first year of senior high and paid approximately $5,000 dollars to go on the 15-day-long camp. -
The dead were identified as Ye Meng Yuan and Wang Lin Jia, both 16-year-old girls and described as Chinese nationals who are students, Asiana Airlines said. They had been seated at the rear of the aircraft, according to government officials in Seoul and Asiana, and were found outside the airplane.
Two Chinese teenagers died in the incident and more than 180 people were injured, local officials said. In a tragic new twist, the San Francisco Fire Department said that one of the teenagers may have been run over by an emergency vehicle as first responders scrambled to the scene.
See more at: http://www.metro.us/philadelphia/news/2013/07/07/teen-crash-victims-wang-lin-jia-and-ye-meng-yuan-mourned-on-microblogs/#sthash.VwyXJJq7.dpuf
The death toll from the Asiana Airlines Inc. plane crash in San Francisco rose to three as a girl in critical condition since the accident died yesterday.
The victim was described only as a female minor by Rachael Kagan, a spokeswoman for San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. Kagan declined to disclose the girl’s name, age or nature of her injuries.
Two other victims, 16-year-olds Ye Meng Yuan and Wang Lin Jia of China, who were on their way to a summer camp in the U.S., died at the crash site. More than 300 people survived the July 6 wreck at San Francisco International Airport, the first fatal airline accident in the U.S. since 2009. It was Seoul- based Asiana’s first crash since a Boeing 747 cargo plane went down at sea in July 2011.
The San Francisco Police Department separately said yesterday it verified that a fire truck hit one of the two victims who died at the scene, as the fire department had suspected.
That victim was covered in fire-retardant foam, lying prostrate on the ground near the fuselage, Gordon Shyy, a police spokesman, said in a telephone interview yesterday. Shyy said he didn’t know which victim was struck.
“We do not know that the fire truck was the actual cause of death,” he said.
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