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Fracking in New York: Weighing Risks and Benefits

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Robert A. Michaels; PhD, CEP (left)
RAM TRAC Corporation; Schenectady, New York

Randy W. Simon, PhD (below)
Simon Technology Services; Schenectady, New York

The role of natural gas in the overall U. S. and global energy portfolio has grown dramatically because of the emergence of shale gas as an economical resource for large-scale production. Shale gas is natural gas that is trapped within shale formations, which are fine-grained sedimentary rocks that can contain large amounts of gas and oil. The existence of large deposits of shale gas has been known for decades, but extracting it was uneconomical until development of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies in the 1980s and 1990s. Indeed, shale gas accounted for only one percent of U.S. natural gas production in 2000.
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Development of new technologies under government-sponsored programs and a successful demonstration project in the Barnett Shale in north Texas together fueled a boom in shale oil production in multiple shale formations around the world. In the U.S., the Marcellus Formation, spanning much of the Appalachian Basin, propelled a major expansion of the U.S. gas industry starting in 2008. By 2010, shale gas accounted for more than 20 percent of U.S. natural gas production and, by the beginning of 2013, it reached nearly 40 percent.

The actual magnitude of gas reserves in the Marcellus and other shale formations is controversial. Estimates made at the beginning of the shale boom recently have come down substantially, as data from shale gas extraction have yielded a more accurate picture. The long-term abundance of natural gas from shale might (or might not) prove to be less than originally thought. Nonetheless, the era of large-scale exploitation of this resource is well underway, and has brought the issues of health and environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing (or ‘fracking’) to the forefront. Rapid expansion of fracking technology adds urgency to issues raised by its use.

The term ‘fracking’, short for ‘hydrofracturing’, denotes forceful injection of fluid at high temperature and pressure to break up (‘fracture’) deep bedrock, and thereby extract trapped natural gas. The term is a euphemism, because ‘hydro’ implies misleadingly that the injected fluid is just water. Actually it is a mixture of water (98-99.5 percent) and a proprietary cocktail of organic and inorganic additives including sand and fluids (0.5-2.0 percent): acids to improve gas flow, biocides to prevent clogging, corrosion and scale inhibitors to prevent leaks, gels or gums to add viscosity, and friction reducers to maintain pressure from surface pumps to the furthest reaches of the wells (Clark, et al., 2012). These fluids may include toxic chemicals that are linked to cancer and other adverse health and environmental effects. The gas drilling industry has guarded the composition of fracking fluids, but the proprietary status of such information conflicts with necessary public agency establishment and implementation of monitoring requirements, and with the legitimate public right to hold drillers accountable for any damage that they might cause, which cannot be known if contaminants detected cannot be matched to fracking substances injected into gas wells.

New technologies now enable horizontal drilling in all radial directions, like spokes of a bicycle wheel, from the base of a vertical shaft, producing a shaped array of horizontal shafts miles beneath groundwater aquifers to deliver fracking fluids explosively. The same shafts then collect natural gas from all directions in an area of approximately 640 acres (Kurkowski, 2012), delivering it to the central vertical shaft that conveys gas upward, through aquifers, to the surface. In a perfect world, natural gas is collected for sale, and toxic fracking fluids are recycled. Residual gas and fracking fluids remain in the fractured bedrock, but are safely sequestered miles beneath the surface, never to pollute air, surface soil, or water. The real world and real bedrock, however, are imperfect.

Natural gas and fracking fluids must be contained reliably within lined well shafts, from which leakage of gas and fracking fluids otherwise can occur if containment is inadequate. Leakage, especially near the surface, can contaminate groundwater, surface water, surface soils, and air. If recovered fracking fluids are stored in open lagoons, they can leach into soils and groundwater and vaporize into air. Contaminated groundwater or surface water used for residential or institutional drinking supplies also can pose risks to public health. In Pennsylvania some homes were reported to have gas emanating from water faucets, causing odors and posing risks of fire and even explosion, though the linkage to fracking has been difficult to verify. Such consequences, if caused by fracking, are unacceptable, and have constituted a source of great concern in New York State.

Fracking in New York State would enable drillers to extract gas from vast deposits in the Marcellus shale, which also extends into Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. Its exploitation in Pennsylvania and beyond already has nurtured a profitable industry. The costs, however, have included adverse impacts on public and environmental health (described above), and on the social fabric and economic life of affected communities. Alarmists prejudge these adverse impacts as being intrinsic to fracking, and therefore inevitable, based upon past experience.

Almost anything can be done badly. If accidents or poor practices in past experience had been deemed an appropriate criterion for disallowing an industry rather than improving it, we would have no airline or automotive industry, nor many other industries. Without prejudging the issue of whether fracking can be undertaken safely, we take a balanced approach: explore the feasibility of fracking safely, but acknowledge that accidents are not really accidents, but inevitabilities, in a permissive regulatory climate. This is because industrial processes and chemicals must be treated differently from American citizens, who are assumed innocent until proven guilty. In our regulatory system, industrial processes and chemicals generally are required to be proven safe, not presumed safe, prior to permitting. Exceptions have occurred however, especially with respect to substances that were in use prior to promulgation of regulations. No ‘grandfathering’ exception should apply to substances present in fracking fluids, especially if they have been regulated previously in other contexts.

The Southern Tier and Western New York State include a high proportion of economically depressed areas that might benefit from fracking if done correctly (Kurkowski, 2012). As advocates have acknowledged, the potential benefits of fracking may not be worth pursuing if the risks are too high, and/or if the benefits will materialize for gas companies to the detriment of residents. This viewpoint is sensible, as far as it goes, but we take the analysis further by identifying key issues at the global, national, state, and local levels that must be reconciled to assure that fracking in New York, if undertaken, will avert adverse impacts such as those listed above, reliably and perpetually.

Global Issues

The main global issue is whether or not fracking will generate more planetary greenhouse warming than its energy alternatives. Greenhouse gas generation from nuclear power, for example, is virtually nonexistent, and the potential for harnessing clean energy from sustainable solar, geothermal, wind, tidal, and other renewable sources is enormous. The current political and economic environment, however, is hostile to nuclear power; and renewables, for a combination of technical and economic reasons, are not yet in a position to provide for the majority of our energy needs. For a substantial period of time, we must rely heavily upon fossil fuels.

Natural gas is cleaner to burn than coal, oil, or gasoline. Coal is used to generate 80 percent of the world’s electricity, and constitutes the largest man-made source of greenhouse gas emissions. Replacement of coal plants by natural gas plants would cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 30-50 percent, and virtually eliminate emissions of mercury and other toxic metals, nitrogen oxides, and acid gases such as sulfates that contribute to acid rain. Replacing gasoline or diesel fuel with natural gas in vehicles would yield a 10-30 percent reduction in CO2 emissions. Clearly, if natural gas can be extracted without negative consequences, its use as a replacement for other fossil fuels would benefit pubic health and the environment.

Greenhouse gases are released, however, not only from using natural gas, but also from leakage of natural gas during production. Most of this leaked gas is methane, the primary constituent of natural gas. Argonne National Laboratory investigators have estimated shale gas leakage at 2.0 percent over the life cycle, and 1.2 percent for drilling, completion, and production activities. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates of these parameters prior to large-scale adoption of fracking were 1.4 percent for lifecycle, and 0.4 percent for drilling, completion and production (Clark, et al. 2012). In contrast, researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported measurements of methane leakage rates of four percent at a shale gas field near Denver (Pétron, et al., 2012), and rates of nearly nine percent in the Uinta Basin in Utah (Tollefson, 2013). Investigators have reached consensus on neither the magnitude of the methane release problem, nor its variation among gas fields and among well operators. More recently, the Environmental Defense Fund, the University of Texas at Austin, and nine major gas producers measured methane emission rates at U.S. shale gas wells. This is the most comprehensive study to date, and the work apparently is complete. The investigators, however, announced that the results only would be released upon publication in a technical journal.

Methane release from fracking contributes to total release of methane and, more broadly, to total release of greenhouse gases. In 2009, with fracking on the rise but the U.S. economy in the dumps, methane constituted only a small fraction of total U. S. greenhouse gas emissions according to the U. S. Energy Information Agency (US EIA, 2011). Even when increased to equivalent CO2 to account for its greater greenhouse warming potency, methane constituted only 11.1 percent of the total. However, this value cannot and should not be accepted uncritically. Data on methane leakage from fracking is incomplete and variable. The US EIA value, therefore, may be based upon voluntary reporting by gas drillers, which presumably would report, albeit accurately, their best cases rather than their typical cases. Further, the EIA data quantified methane emissions only up to 2009, showing an increase of approximately 10 percent in methane release during the 2005-2009 period, though shale gas production increased more than 100 percent. Thus, the EIA methane leakage data track the overall gas production numbers without any apparent uptick due to fracking. So either shale gas production is cleaner than other types, or EIA failed to capture methane emissions from fracking. The EIA data, therefore, are puzzling. Finally, methane leakage that increased between 2005 and 2009 would have continued to increase after 2009, which was early in the natural gas boom. Even if the methane emission values supporting the EIA (2011) report were atypical, at least they might represent a target that might be achievable and enforceable industry-wide.

The preponderance of greenhouse gas effects is exerted by CO2, which accounted for 81.5 percent of U. S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2009, if EIA’s methane leakage value is accurate. Other components also were emitted in smaller fractional amounts, including non-energy related CO2 (1.3 percent). More broadly, EIA reported that a drop in the carbon intensity of the U.S. energy supply may represent a new trend: from 1990 to 2005, carbon intensity increased on average by 1.0 percent per year, but from 2005 to 2009 it fell by an average of 1.9 percent per year, as natural gas was increasingly substituted for coal, and renewable electricity generation continued to grow.” In early 2012 CO2 emissions reached a 20-year minimum (Carey, 2012), constituting approximately 70 percent of CO2 emission reductions targeted by the Kyoto Protocol relative to future forecasts that were made in 1998. This reduction of carbon emissions relating to energy consumption was attributed to increased shale gas production, largely accomplished via fracking. The implication is that increased methane emission due to fracking may be the price of decreasing CO2 emissions, with net benefit regarding global climate change.

A different picture, however, emerges from extensive modeling of climate impacts exerted by additional methane introduced by large-scale replacement of coal with natural gas obtained by fracking. The models assume a variety of methane release rates. The result of this modeling is that most of the previously reported methane leakage rates would raise global temperatures more than if coal burning continued. Similarly, a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concluded that methane leakage rates would have to be below 1.6 percent for natural-gas-powered cars to exert less effect on climate change than cars running on gasoline (Alvarez, et al., 2012).

Multiple sources emit methane to the atmosphere, both natural and man-made. Natural background sources include biomass decay and hydrates (‘clathrates’) in seabeds and Arctic permafrost. When background production processes predominate over industrial processes, the release rate and its associated global warming rate are substantially fixed at the background rates. That is, even if industrial production were eliminated entirely, the predominant background release rates would persist irreducibly. The salient question is whether substantial substitution of fracking-derived natural gas for coal and oil in power generation, and for oil in automotive transportation, will reduce the climate effects of greenhouse gas emissions. If methane leakage in fracking is excessive, it might not. Transitions from mature technologies to emerging technologies often are characterized by relatively high environmental and public health impacts of the emerging technology, which may abate as the technology matures. Given the urgent time constraints for controlling global climate change, this transition in the case of fracking must be controlled more effectively than has been achieved during previous energy source and energy technology transitions.

Toward this goal, the gas industry should be required to continue evaluating methane leakage from shale wells quantitatively, and to develop and implement a program to reduce it aggressively to a sustainable emission rate. Such a program might be modeled on the sequentially tightened standards requiring automobile companies to increase their fleets’ corporate average fuel economy (CAFE). An important difference, however, is that automotive emissions were tolerated for many decades before a reactive regulatory attempt was made to reduce them, whereas ‘grandfathering’ of methane emission from fracking and associated climate effects must be prevented via proactive control.

All methods of natural gas extraction result in some level of methane release into the atmosphere. This also is true of coal mining and other fossil fuel extraction activities. If shale gas is to continue to be a major source of energy, it must be extracted in a manner that substantially retains the environmental benefits of natural gas, and thereby mitigates the impacts of extracting and using coal and oil.

U. S. National Issues

The main national issue relating to fracking is the need to develop energy self-sufficiency and strategic independence from uncertain foreign energy sources. Fracking may add vast quantities of versatile natural gas to our existing energy portfolio of domestic resources, which is currently dominated by coal. The abundance of coal and its resultant low price together have provided a strong economic incentive for its continued use despite negative environmental and health consequences. Recently, however, fracking has reduced the price of natural gas, and strong demand for coal, especially in China, has increased its price domestically. As a result, gas recently has overtaken coal in New York State. Coal is less versatile than natural gas, as efforts to convert it to a vehicle fuel have been unsuccessful. That failure prolonged U. S. dependency on foreign oil, constituting the basis for a U. S. national interest in promoting the use of more versatile natural gas, even if obtained from environmentally costly fracking.

The costs of reliance upon foreign energy sources are well known, and will not be addressed in detail here. They include political, economic, and military costs, all of which translate inevitably to environmental and public health costs on a national and planetary scale that must be considered. These considerations had led to a hands-off national policy on fracking. As part of the 2005 Energy Policy Act, Congress created the so-called ‘Halliburton Exemption’ for hydraulic fracturing, essentially taking the Federal Government out of the equation for regulating the gas industry. As a result, oversight and regulation of fracking has been left to individual states (for example, New York; NYS DEC, 2011), which often have been ill equipped to perform it. The Obama Administration, however, has sought to restore Federal oversight, despite gas industry opposition. Indeed, the President recently nominated to the Cabinet position of Energy Secretary M.I.T. physics professor Ernest J. Moniz, an advocate of accelerating replacement of oil and coal with natural gas, much if not most of which would be obtained via fracking, and the U. S. EPA is conducting a major study of its potential impacts on drinking water supplies (US EPA, 2011).

New York State Issues

New York State is grappling with the question of whether, and under what conditions, fracking might be permitted (NYS DEC, 2011). At minimum, specific conditions should be placed on fracking. An escrow fracking ‘superfund’ should be established from payments to be made into it by drillers to cover damage, if it occurs. Such a fund should be configured to provide incentives for the industry to prevent accidents, as in the Federal Superfund, in which companies must remediate damage or pay ‘treble damages’ (three times the price) into the Superfund if EPA must withdraw funds from it for remediation.

More generally, fracking should be regulated like any technology that potentially poses significant public health and environmental risks. Drillers should be required to avoid sensitive locations such as drinking-water reservoirs, and avoid damaged bedrock, such as previously drilled areas. They should be required to disclose the composition of fracking fluids that will be used, thereby assuring that detected contamination patterns can be matched to their source(s), which then would be held accountable. Permits should specify use of Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Best Available Control Technology (BACT), both to be defined for fracking by EPA and/or the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). BMPs and BACT for fracking should include monitoring equipment capable of detecting contaminant releases before they become unmanageable, which could include double-hull piping to detect leaks in the inner tube that would be contained by, and detected within, the outer tube pending repair and/or replacement. The regulatory package should prohibit open, unlined lagoons; instead requiring closed containers for recycling and transporting fracking fluids.

Local Issues

Fracking is a local issue because communities must achieve an appropriate balance between possibly competing collective vs. individual interests. Individuals, most notably, may have an interest in selling mineral rights and/or rights-of-way to gas drillers, with major consequences to their communities. Communities, in contrast, typically have an interest in controlling the pace and direction of development having quality-of-life significance. Communities act on behalf of citizens who may be impacted negatively by decisions made by their neighbors, for example, via zoning regulations.

Communities also must plan with neighboring communities to avoid uncontrolled piecemeal development of their region. Indeed, the environmental impact statement (EIS) approach instituted by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1970 represents an administrative mechanism by which sponsors of projects apply for required agency permits, which may be approved or disapproved based upon EISs. NEPA, however, has been criticized for failing to account for cumulative effects of multiple projects of a kind in a region. Cumulative impacts can be assessed via permit procedures in which a lead agency invites participation of ‘stakeholders’, which might include regional chambers of commerce, local planning boards, and individual community representatives, all advised by technical experts. Retrospective impact assessment can be incorporated into permits to verify the accuracy of EIS forecasts and, if necessary, adjust permits and/or the number of permits issued.

Mechanisms for coordination of communities within a region toward a particular goal have been developed, for example to select and permit a deep geological repository for long-term storage of lowlevel radioactive waste from nuclear power plants. Implementation of such procedures has been balky and sometimes ineffective. The proposed Yucca Mountain repository in a Nevada salt dome, for example, was considered and litigated for years, and disapproved. The problem of long-term storage of so-called ‘rad-wastes’ today remains a major obstacle to siting nuclear power plants, notwithstanding their negligible greenhouse gas emissions and global climate impact. A case study (Smith, et al., 2012) of cumulative impacts of fracking on brook trout in a Marcellus shale watershed illustrates possible trade-offs between energy development and the benefits provided by natural ecosystems. Local issues, therefore, might be thorniest, as they may be unsolvable via objective scientific and engineering equations. The financial stakes for communities and gas companies are high, and may conflict with the interests of individual residents and/or other stakeholders.

Evolution of Energy Sources

Exploitation of most if not all energy sources poses risks to public health and the environment. Like the proverbial lunch, ultimately it is not free. This raises the philosophical question of whether our society should exploit energy sources even though doing so poses risks. A practical answer is that we have no choice in our circumstances. Modern societies can increase their energy efficiencies, but ultimately they depend upon having access to substantial amounts of energy. The established methods for obtaining this energy already pose considerable ‘baseline’ risks. Evolutionary biologists and game theorists describe such a situation as an ‘existential game’, meaning that we are in it, and must remain in it, whether we like it or not. In the present context, facing the risks posed by extracting and using energy is unavoidable, unless we prefer to face the greater risks posed by failing to do so. The bottom line is that modern societies, because they must face risks intrinsic to meeting their needs, also must manage and mitigate those risks to keep them within acceptable societal limits.

Risk management includes viewing fracking as a choice among alternative energy strategies, the relative risks and benefits of which must be evaluated, weighed, and balanced. Fracking, therefore, should not be viewed simplistically as being either safe or unsafe. Expanded coal mining, drilling for undersea oil, and using the resultant energy sources to meet our growing needs instead of natural gas, all have serious and growing consequences. New energy sources tend to be the most difficult to reach, the most expensive to extract, and/or the most onerous for public health and the environment; that is a major factor explaining why their exploitation, and the enabling technologies, are relatively recent developments. The ‘ecological footprint’ of an average barrel of oil, for example, has increased since 1950, and will continue to increase (Clark, et al., 2012). Thus, greenhouse gas emissions released in extracting a barrel of oil from newly exploited oil sands in Alberta, Canada were found to be 23 times greater than emissions from extracting an Alberta barrel of oil years ago via conventional drilling. Fracking, therefore, looks increasingly attractive when considered in the context of dwindling easy-toreach sources, but our regulatory system requires that permitting of technologies be acceptably safe, not just comparatively safe. Our available and evolving energy choices will determine how our overall energy portfolio likewise will evolve. Given the available alternatives, we cannot afford a decision not to exploit our abundant shale gas reserves. On the other hand, we also cannot afford to utilize those reserves in a way that will further damage human health and the environment.

From a climate perspective, the ‘right’ strategy would be to eliminate fossil fuel use; including coal, oil, and natural gas; and go immediately to renewables, but this is impractical because of the relative immaturity of renewable technologies, as well as their intrinsic properties. The major renewable technologies, specifically, wind and solar, deliver power intermittently. They are therefore difficult to use to meet the base power needs of the grid, and will remain so pending availability of a viable energy storage technology on a sufficiently large scale (or alternatively, the development of a sufficiently interconnected smart grid that can effectively shuttle power to where it is needed on demand). In contrast, fossil fuels are abundant enough to last for a longer time than our planet’s ecosystems can survive their use.

Even the most optimistic studies suggest that complete transition to renewable energy will take 20 to 30 years. In that time, the damage to public health and the environment caused by, for example, the planned 1,000 or more additional coal burning plants (many in China) if they are like those that exist today might be overwhelming. The pace of transition to renewables, therefore, must be gauged to public health and environmental factors because they are more urgent than the supply factor. This flies in the face of the temptation, which some would call an imperative, to delay the transition to renewable energy while fossil fuel remains available. This temptation should be resisted. As we are stuck with fossil fuels as a means of assuring that people’s energy needs will be met reliably and economically, we must find the least damaging way to use them while we urgently develop renewable energy alternatives.

Human societies will continue to increase their use of energy. We must evolve, therefore, toward emphasizing efficiency, moderation, and adoption of a sustainable ‘portfolio’ of energy sources, which necessarily will vary geographically. We must invest heavily in renewable energy sources so they eventually will suffice for our energy needs. At best, therefore, natural gas displacement of other fossil fuels, most notably coal, represents a bridge between our near-term energy needs and long-term goal of meeting those needs sustainably for our planet and its inhabitants. If we fail to do this in a proactive and timely manner -- that is, immediately -- our options for addressing global climate change will close quickly and irrevocably (Stocker, 2013), and we will be forced to go down the perilous road of experimenting with global climate geo-engineering to undo damage already done. All of this means, most essentially, that continued development of depletable, non-renewable, non-sustainable energy sources such as natural gas via fracking requires adoption of the safest practices now, and an exit strategy that will assure for our communities a sustainable future as a reward for making wise choices today.

The Authors

Robert Michaels (ram@ramtrac.com) is an environmental toxicologist consulting in health risk assessment and management. He has served numerous corporations, the U.S. Congressional Office of Technology Assessment, and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). He chaired the State of Maine Scientific Advisory Panel and the Certification Review Board of the Academy of Board Certified Environmental Professionals. Dr. Michaels has been Secretary of the NFPA Committee on Classification and Properties of Hazardous Chemicals, Board Member of the National Association of Environmental Professionals, and Member of the Editorial Advisory Boards of Springer-Verlag and Cambridge University Press journals. He earned his doctorate at SUNY at Stony Brook in 1979.

Randy Simon (randy@simontechservices.com) is a physicist with over 30 years of experience in renewable energy technology, materials research, superconductor applications, and a variety of  other technical and management areas. He has been an officer of a publicly traded Silicon Valley company, worked in government laboratories, the aerospace industry, and at university research institutions. He holds a PhD in physics from UCLA. Dr. Simon has authored numerous technical papers, magazine articles, energy policy documents, online articles and blogs, radio scripts, and a book, and holds seven patents. He also composes, arranges and produces jazz music.

Literature Cited

1. Alvarez, R. A.; et al. Greater focus needed on methane leakage from natural gas infrastructure. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(17):6435-40, April 2012;

2. Carey, Julie M. Surprise side effect of shale gas boom: a plunge in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Forbes.com, http://www.forbes.com/sites/energysource/2012/12/07/surprise-sideeffect-of-shale-gas-boom-a-plunge-in-u-s-greenhouse-gas-emissions/; 7 December 2012; If you have trouble with the link, see Resourses below for .pdf.

3. Clark, C. E.; et al. The technology and policy of hydraulic fracturing and potential environmental impacts of shale gas development. Environmental Practice, 14:249-61, December 2012;

4. Kurkoski, Scott R. The Marcellus shale: a game changer for the New York economy? Albany, New York; New York State Bar Association, NYSBA Journal, 84(1):10-9, January 2012;

5. NYS DEC. Revised Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement On The Oil, Gas and Solution Mining: Well Permit Issuance for Horizontal Drilling and High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing to Develop the Marcellus Shale and Other Low-Permeability Gas Reservoirs. Regulatory Program. Albany, New York; New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; 1,537 pages, http://www.dec.ny.gov/data/dmn/rdsgeisfull0911.pdf, 7 September 2011;

6. Pétron, G. et al. Hydrocarbon emissions characterization in the Colorado Front Range, a pilot study. Journal of Geophysical Research, 117, D04304, 2012;

7. Smith, David R.; et al. Shale gas development and brook trout: scaling best management practices to anticipate cumulative effects. Environmental Practice, 14:366-81, December 2012;

8. Stocker, Thomas F. The closing door of climate targets. Science, 339:280-2, 18 January 2013;

9. Tollefson, J. “Methane leaks erode green credentials of natural gas. Nature, 493, 12 January 2013;

10. US EIA. Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the U.S. U. S. Energy Information Administration, http://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/ghg_report/ghg_overview.cfm,, 31 March 2011;

11. US EPA. Study of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources: Progress Report. Washington, DC; U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development; EPA 601/R-12/012, http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documents/hf-report20121214.pdf , 278 pages, December 2012

pdf.Document:   Carey Forbes Article

Comments on "Fracking in New York: Weighing Risks and Benefits"

  1. OEIC default avatar David Hauber August 05, 2013 at 10:02 pm

    This is by far the best article I have ever read on the subject. Michaels and Simon present a comprehensive and balanced view of a complex subject.  What the general public doesn’t appreciate is that all energy sources carry a risk.  The smart approach is to minimize risk. I can’t think of anything more dangerous than our current dependence on coal and oil.  Consider that coal dumps more radiation into the atmosphere (and our crops) than nuclear power and oil contaminates ground water daily.
    Natural gas benefits local landowners rather than Arab Sheiks. It is the best solution until we get smart with energy efficiency and sustainable energy.

  2. OEIC default avatar John Carson August 07, 2013 at 6:03 pm

    I was very happy to read this piece.  It is a rarity - a sober, knowledgeable assessment of the reasons why we are even considering hydrofracking (it does go beyond just profits for the fossil fuel companies).  I wish Drs. Michaels and Simon voices could be heard over the strident voices of hyperbole and attack that are dominating the conversation.

    Thank You

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Dominant Kerber to face Barty in Sydney final

SYDNEY: Former world number one Angelique Kerber registered her eighth win in as many matches in 2018 with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Italian qualifier Camila Giorgi as the German advanced to the Sydney International final on Friday. Giorgi, belying her ranking of world number 100, had defeated US Open champion Sloane Stephens in the first round, ousted twice Wimbledon and former Sydney champion Petra Kvitova and raced past Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1 6-2 in the last eight.
But Kerber, currently ranked 22nd in the world after a disappointing 2017 campaign, proved too strong for Giorgi despite the Italian racing to a 3-0 lead in the second set.
The 29-year-old Kerber, who won the Australian and US Open titles in 2016, was resolute in defence against her aggressive opponent and advanced to a first individual final since Monterrey in April last year.
Awaiting the German in the final will be Ashleigh Barty, who overcame a slow start to win her all-Australian semifinal against Daria Gavrilova 3-6 6-4 6-2.
“I just tried to play my tennis like I’ve played the last years and I’m so happy to be in the final in the first tournament of the year,” Kerber said in a court-side interview.
“She’s (Giorgi) beaten a lot of good players this week and so I was just trying to get a lot of balls back. I’m very happy with my performance.”
The 21-year-old Barty needed one hour, 58 minutes to see off the challenge of Russian-born Gavrilova as both players struggled to hold serve throughout the match.
Barty held just once in the first set but reversed the momentum in the second when she broke in the ninth game after Gavrilova double faulted twice, which prompted the 23-year-old to smash her racquet in frustration and earn a code violation.
Barty then broke early in the decider and again in the seventh game to finally pull away for the win.
“I certainly shot myself in the foot with my serve today,” she said. “But happy to get through in the end and get another opportunity tomorrow.
“It’s been a pleasure playing here this week.”
Gavrilova was playing her third successive Australian opponent in Sydney.
She had already beaten Olivia Rogowska in the first round and former US Open champion Sam Stosur in the second and advanced to the semifinals after Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza withdrew with a hip injury.
In the men’s section, Australian teenager Alex de Minaur booked his spot in the final after rallying to beat Benoit Paire of France 4-6 6-1 6-1 in one hour and 50 minutes.
De Minaur, ranked 167 in the world, became the youngest ATP World Tour finalist since American Taylor Fritz at Memphis 2016 and the 18-year-old will now take on Russian qualifier Daniil Medvedev in the final.
Medvedev defeated Italian fourth seed Fabio Fognini 2-6 6-4 6-1 in the day’s first semifinal. — Reuters

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Oneonta Country Club

Tee Times/Pro Shop: (607) 432-8950

When Can I Play Golf?
All tee-times are available on a First-Come-First-Served basis except, of course, when the course is reserved for league play and events. Please contact the ProShop to check availability and to schedule your game.

Can My Son/Daughter Play?
Absolutely! We ask that golfers under the age of 16 be accompanied by an adult, but they can certainly use the course. The Head Golf Professional, Matt Schulte, will evaluate those 16+ to make sure they are familiar with the rules and etiquette of the course. He will also ensure that they are able to play at a reasonable pace to maintain the time-sheet.

Can I Drive A Golf Cart?
A Golf Cart can be a great convenience. If you are an adult or a young adult (16-18) with a valid driver's license, you may rent and use a cart. We're sorry, but golfers under the age of 16 may not operate these vehicles.

Can I Drink/Eat On The Golf Course?
Please, no outside food or beverages. Our Roundhouse Pub & Grill has a full selection of snacks, meals, and beverages, and they are more than happy to package up your goodies to go! Also, on select days, we have on-course beverage service. Look for it near the covered bridge!

What Should I Wear At The Club?
Golfers, guests, and visitors to the Club are encouraged to dress in clean, tasteful attire. We encourage you to wear collared shirts. Short-sleeved polos are perfect for much of our season! If you want to wear shorts, they should be of "Bermuda" length and fit appropriately. Please refrain from wearing blue jeans, cut-off shorts, or sleeveless tops.

If, for any reason, you are in the area and find yourself without appropriate attire, we can help you! Our ProShop has a full line of stylish apparel for you!

For the upkeep of our grounds and buildings, please do not wear metal-spike shoes on the course, in the practice areas, or in the clubhouse. Consider using soft-spikes or spikeless footwear. If you need assistance with this, the ProShop staff can certainly accommodate you. Please be aware of your footing on the grass, wood, tile, bridges, and other surfaces around the course. We don't want your visit to be spoiled in any way!

Can I Play In Your Tournament/League?
The Oneonta Country Club hosts a number of Tournaments throughout the season! We also have a Public League that plays on Thursday nights. You can find information about these, and other events, on our Events page, and you are encouraged to contact the ProShop for more information.

If you are interested in competitive play, you may need to establish a Handicap in the USGA index. More information about this can be found on our Handicapping page, or inquire at the ProShop.

Can I Play In Any Order I Want?
For most of the season, we ask that you please play the golf course in it's proper sequence. This let's everyone enjoy the course with a minimum of conflict and disruption. Very early in the season, and sometimes very late, we open the course to non-sequential play.? If this is the case, priority is usually given to those who want to play by the numbers, and it's possible that you may be asked to wait a short while. You can check with the ProShop at any time to find out if non-sequential play is permitted.

I Don't Have Time For A Full Game. Can I Just Play 9-Holes?
Absolutely! We have rates for both 18 and 9 hole play. Ask any of our ProShop staff for details.

Website Design by KampColton • Copyright 2013 Oneonta Country Club, Inc.


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Dollar extends losses vs yen after BOJ tapering talk

The dollar extended losses against the yen on Wednesday after the Bank of Japan’s move to trim Japanese government bond (JGB) purchases in the previous session triggered speculation that it could begin tapering its massive, ultra-easy monetary stimulus.

Despite some support from higher U.S. yields, the dollar slipped 0.3 percent to 112.31 yen, struggling in the wake of a 0.5 percent drop on Tuesday when Japan’s central bank slightly reduced the amount of its JGB purchases in its regular buying operations.

While the move was a technical tweak in line with the central bank’s policies to date, it unleashed a wave of speculation that the BOJ could be poised to begin winding down its stimulus.

The dollar earlier slipped as low as 112.17 yen, its lowest since Jan. 2.

“One would think that with U.S. yields at such high levels, the dollar would be stronger, but investors are adjusting positions, awaiting new factors,” said Kumiko Ishikawa, FX analyst at Sony Financial Holdings in Tokyo.

Yields on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note reached a 10-month highs, partly lifted by the BOJ’s action.

The 10-year note yield stood at 2.553 percent in Asian trading, up from its U.S. close of 2.546 percent on Tuesday. It earlier matched the overnight high of 2.555 percent, its highest since March.

“The BOJ’s move reminded traders of the fact that major central banks are willing to normalize their monetary policy,” said Masafumi Yamamoto, chief currency strategist at Mizuho Securities.

“I think this unwanted strengthening of the yen will make the BOJ more cautious in going forward, when they want to move toward normalization,” he said.

The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six major rival currencies, inched down 0.1 percent to 92.473.

The euro was steady on the day at $1.1937, well below its nearly four-month high of $1.2089 set last Thursday.

Sterling was slightly lower at $1.3534 , but remained supported by expectations that Brexit talks will have a positive outcome.

Source: Reuters – Dollar extends losses vs yen after BOJ tapering talk

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Program info

Estimated safety rating

mccicmservice.exe may be a dangerous program, according to heuristic analysis. It triggers many of the "probable danger" flags detailed in this document. It is yet unknown if mccicmservice.exe is a virus or an ok program which doesn't cause harm the computer. We advise you to be careful with this application.

Executable file path

 C:\Program Files\Common Files\Motive\McciCMService.exe

The default name and path where this program is stored is
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Motive\McciCMService.exe.

MD5 hash of the executable file

The MD5 fingerprint for this executable is 859e5a32485178daeca06b52e2bb44b2.

Is running as a service

This application is registered as a Windows service. This means it runs on your system in background, usually without showing anything to you. Most Windows services are useful programs, which perform useful features to other programs or to the Windows Operating System.

Is a 64 bit executable file

This is a 64-bit executable. It uses the full capacity of nowadays' computer processors.

File description

The description extracted from the exe is mcci+McciCMService.

File version

File version extracted from the file 6,6,0,13.

Maker Alcatel-Lucent.

 Copyright ª 1999-2009, Alcatel-Lucent

Intellectual property rights notice Copyright ª 1999-2009, Alcatel-Lucent.

Potentially dangerous functions

Some dangerous features of the Operating System have been used, such as functions for tapping the keyboard. We advise you to be very careful regarding this program.

Digitally signed

A digital certificate is missing from this program. The authors did not sign it. This is probably bad.

Can be uninstalled

This executable does NOT have an uninstall routine set up in registry.


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Golden Welcome Back

Join the Kelowna Rockets for a Gold Medal Ceremony prior to Wednesday's opening face off against Dan Lambert and the Spokane Chiefs. The ceremony prior to puck drop will be honouring Rockets Captain Cal Foote, and Rockets Assistant Captain/Team Canada Captain Dillon Dube for winning gold with Team Canada at the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championship in Buffalo, NY. Dube had five points in the tournament(3G,2A) including t... Full Story

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Dream Baby Dream: Suicide—A New York Story

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Dream Baby Dream: Suicide—A New York Story

Kris Needs

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Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

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ISBN 13: 978-1-4683-1444-1
Trim Size: 6" x 9"

Product Description

The definitive, authorized biography of Suicide, the most iconic band of the New York punk explosion

New York City-based punk duo Suicide, though often feared and spurned for their anarchic and taboo-busting sound, inspired the major musical movements of the 1970s. In Dream Baby Dream, author Kris Needs chronicles Suicide’s roller coaster career from its formative days in avant-garde performance art through present day, chronicling their first album,their violent UK tour supporting The Clash in 1978, and the duo’s subsequent recordings, performances, and solo careers,supported with firsthand interviews by its founders, singer and artist Alan Vega and maverick instrumentalist Martin Rev.

Kris Needs is a former New Music Entertainment journalist and Zigzag editor. He has written several rock biographies about Blondie, George Clinton, Primal Scream, and The Clash. He is a regular contributor to Record Collector and Mojo.

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How To Become A Logistics Manager: Degree and Education Requirements

Stanley TanLeave a Comment

what degree do you need to become a Logistics Manager
majors for Logistics Managers

Logistics Managers

Other names for this job might include Air Export Logistics Manager, Contract Manager, Corporate Logistics Manager, Corporate Traffic Manager, Customer Logistics Manager, Dedicated Logistics Manager, Global Logistics Manager, Integrated Logistics Programs Director, Integrated Logistics Support Manager (ILS Manager), International Logistics Manager

  • $95130
  • 75%
    Job satisfaction
  • Quite Hard
    Becoming one
  • Low
    Job growth
OwlGuru Rank

Be A Logistics Manager: What You Really Need

In this requirements guide for Logistics Managers, you will find out what do you need to become a Logistics Manager and what it takes to become one.

After reading this, you will be able to plan for your future if you want to be a Logistics Manager.

Degree required

Recommended degree level

Bachelor’s Degree

Bachelors degree

Master’s degree

Associates degree

Post-bachelor certificate

Generally, employers are looking for Logistics Managers who have a Bachelors degree. They also prefer someone who is good in Time Management and Reading Comprehension.

1 common question that we always get is what major or degree do I need to become A Logistics Manager or what courses do I need to take.

We did a survey to ask other Logistics Managers what did they major in college or university and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Public Administration
Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General
Aviation/Airway Management and Operations
Business/Commerce, General
Business Administration and Management, General

Logistics Managers may qualify for positions with an associate’s degree. However, as logistics becomes increasingly complex, more companies prefer to hire workers who have at least a bachelor’s degree. Many Logistics Managers have a bachelor’s degree in business, industrial engineering, process engineering, or supply chain management. Bachelor’s degree programs often include coursework in operations and database management, decisionmaking, and system dynamics. In addition, most programs offer courses that train students on software and technologies commonly used by Logistics Managers, such as radio-frequency identification (RFID).

schools for Logistics Managers

Interested in becoming A Logistics Manager? Find the right schools that can help you to become one. You will need some of your details to get you matched with the right college or university. This service is free thanks to our sponsors.

Questions to ask the university or college:

  1. How many students are in the program?
  2. Is your program accredited?
  3. How many faculty members do you have? Do they hold the right credentials?
  4. What is your job placement rate?
  5. Does your school hold career fairs or other on-campus events with employers? How many employers typically attend?
  6. How many of your students have at least one internship by graduation?

Click to start becoming a Logistics Manager

How long does it take

Quite Hard

You will need a considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge or experience to be A Logistics Manager.

For example: An accountant must complete 4 years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

To become A Logistics Manager, you will need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training or vocational training.

How long does it take
4 to 6 years

Work experience
4 to 6 years

4 to 6 years

2 to 4 years

6 to 8 years

Over 10 years

No experience

Job training
0 to 1 month

0 to 1 month

1 to 3 months

6 months to 1 year

1 to 2 years

3 to 6 months

Most Logistics Managers have 4 to 6 years work experience and 0 to 1 month job training.

To increase your chances of getting a job, you can look for job training while studying to be one.

License and certifications

Do you need any license or certification
Recommended but not required

Logistics Managers can obtain certification through the American Society of Transportation and Logistics (ASTL) or the International Society of Logistics (SOLE). The certification offered by each of these organizations typically requires a combination of education, experience, and passing an exam. Although not required, certification can demonstrate professional competence and a broad knowledge of logistics.

Skills required

We asked other Logistics Managers if they could only have 5 skills, what would they be. Here is what they said.

1. Time Management what does this mean
2.Reading Comprehension what does this mean
3.Active Listening what does this mean
4.Critical Thinking what does this mean
5.Complex Problem Solving what does this mean
= Hot in-demand that most employers are looking for

We did some research and found that most successful Logistics Managers have these 5 common characteristics. Most of them had Dependability and Integrity.

3.Analytical Thinking

Knowledge required

Just like any other job, you will need some know-hows to do the job. To become a successful Logistics Managers you need to acquire knowledge in these 5 key areas.

1. Transportation what does this mean
2.Administration and Management what does this mean
3.English Language what does this mean
4.Production and Processing what does this mean
5.Customer and Personal Service what does this mean

As A Logistics Manager, you may also be required to know how to use certain Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software, Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software and Data base user interface and query software tools.

3PL Central (Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software)
Cadre Technologies Accuplus Integrated Distribution Logistics System (Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software)
Database software (Data base user interface and query software)
Email software (Electronic mail software)
Enterprise resource planning ERP software (Enterprise resource planning ERP software)
= Hot in-demand that most employers are looking for

How we can help

Start your journey to be A Logistics Manager

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Manufacturing, Research, Design and Consulting Services, Transportation
Logistics Planning and Management Services

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Logistics Managers requirements, how to become Logistics Managers, degree required to be a Logistics Manager, Logistics Managers license and certifications, majors to be a Logistics Manager, is it hard to become a Logistics Manager and how long does it take

Additional resources is a career and college finder site. We help students to find a career and college that is right for them.
Logistics Managers
Written by: Stanley Tan
Logistics Managers plan, direct, or coordinate purchasing, warehousing, distribution, forecasting, customer service, or planning services. Manage logistics personnel and logistics systems and direct daily operations.
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Modeling flocks and prices: jumping particles with an attractive interaction (Joint work with Miklos Racz and Balint Toth)

Stochastic Analysis Seminar Series

I will introduce a model of a finite number of competing particles on R.

Real-life phenomena that could be modeled this way possibly include the evolution of stocks in a market, or herding behavior of animals. Given a particle configuration, the center of mass of the particles is computed by simply averaging the particle locations. The evolution is a continuous time Markov jump process: given a configuration and thus the center of mass, each particle jumps with a rate that depends on the particle's relative position compared to the center of mass. Those left behind have a higher jump rate than those in front of the center of mass. When a jump of a particle occurs, the jump length is chosen independently of everything from a positive distribution. Hence we see that the dynamics tries to keep the particles together.

The main point of interest is the behavior of the model as the number of particles goes to infinity. We first heuristically wrote up a differential equation on the evolution of particle density. I will explain the heuristics, and show travelling wave solutions in a few cases. I will also present a surprising connection to extreme value statistics. Then I will briefly sketch a hydrodynamic argument which proves that the evolution of the system indeed converges to that governed by the differential equation.

Monday, March 10, 2014 - 15:45
to 16:45


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Paint Basket Member Art Forum

Portraits by Bruce Johnson    RSS Items RSS Comments
Album - Owner: bruce johnson - 104 items
Items view: Normal view Filestack view
Sort by: ID Date Title Views Rating | Sort Order: Ascending Descending
Julie hair 2
 Views: 123
Apr 18, 2006
Julie hair 1
 Views: 107
Apr 17, 2006
Julie Skin tone 2
 Views: 125
Apr 17, 2006
Zoom Details 1
Julie skin tone 1
 Views: 131
 Comments: 1
Apr 17, 2006
Julie underpainting
 I lay a base yellow wash as the base, this gives the skin a glow
 Views: 108
Apr 29, 2008
Julie line sketch
Stage one is the line drawing. With watercolour I spend a lot of time getting the line drawing as accurate as I can. Its to late to try and adjust it once I have started painting.
 Views: 122
Apr 17, 2006
Julie Preliminary graphite drawing
I often do a preliminary drawing to familiarise myself with the tonal values of the portrait
 Views: 141
Apr 16, 2006
Julie Ref
These images follow the stages of how I paint a watercolour portrait

THis is the reference image
 Views: 108
Feb 18, 2005
Zoom Details 1
Tom from life
I a couple ofyears ago I attended a pastel workshop presented by International portrait artist Larry Blovitts. He was amazing. During the workshop we painted the portrait of Tom, a professional model with huge beard.

Painted in pastel

20 x 16 Mi Teintes pastel paper
<br /…
 Views: 314
 Comments: 1
Jan 05, 2012
Lisa del Giocondo
This is a monochrome study of Leonardo's famous lady. I often do quick sketches like this to keep drawing up to par.. it also keeps my painting free and loose.

This is oil, Transparent Red Oxide. The background wash is TRO with Art Spectrum Green Light. This was gives the impression of a…
 Views: 166
Dec 31, 2001
Rembrandt Sudy
 Views: 227
 Rating: 4.98
Jan 03, 2012
Rosemary is an amazing artist from a portrait class I used to attend in Melbourne.
One Saturday morning the model failed to show so Rosemary volunteered to pose for our group. The theme was medieval and Rosemary wore a veil over hair. Because we were late getting started I only had time to ske…
 Views: 144
Jun 07, 2007
Fire in the Sky
A change from portraits
 Views: 405
Jan 03, 2012
Zoom Details 1
I was a guest artist on another site and painted Imogen as a challenge/tutorial for other  artists to join in and have some fun. My goal was to retain the age of the baby in the study which can be difficult if the proportions aren't correct. Its so easy to make them look older.
20 x 16 on…
 Views: 329
 Comments: 1
 Rating: 4.98
Dec 31, 2011
Aeva Media 1.4w © 2008-2011 Nao & Dragooon - Wedge: level up your forum!
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal


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Adam Survives 2008 Loggerhead Triathlon

Adam riding the bike portion of the Loggerhead TriathlonYoungest son Adam and his co-worker, Scott Maulsby, have been talking up entering the Loggerhead Triathlon – 3/8-mile swim / 13-mile bike / 3.1-mile run – for weeks. Adam had been a runner for some time and had lived in our pool when he was a little kid. He started biking several months ago and stepped up to a better bike just recently.

I gotta be honest

His family, particularly his older brother, didn’t rate his chances all that high. We figured he could bike OK; he could run OK; he could swim sort of OK, we just weren’t sure he could do them all at once.

Scott Maulsby rides Loggerhead TriathlonSwimming was the first leg. He thought it would take him 45 minutes to do the 3/8 mile. (We don’t know if that counted the time to recover the body.) In fact, he finished the swim portion in 11 minutes and 10 seconds.

His mother and I opted to skip the swimming part and catch him during the biking phase. Because he was way ahead of schedule, he was on his second turnaround when he and Scott buzzed by us.

We had enough time to drive up to where the running portion was making the turn off A1A onto the road leading to Dubois Park. We hit a police roadblock where a very friendly policeman told us we could pull our car into a parking lot right across from the watering station. It couldn’t have been any more convenient.

Right on schedule, Scott and Adam passed by looking only a little worse for the wear.

Here is where you can find all the results.
For more pictures, navigate here. They are mostly unedited.

This is the guy who really deserves recognition.

He’s got on a race number, but I don’t know if he pushed the kids the whole way. I’d loved to have seen him on the biking and swimming legs.

7 comments to Adam Survives 2008 Loggerhead Triathlon

  • It seems that the guy who needs recognition not only needs it for being a good dad by including his FOUR kids into his race, but actually for completing the race FIRST in his division. AND THEN turning around and doing it again with his kids.

    A detailed look at the two pictures on your website shows that his age is “39” and his number was “603”. Cross referencing this on the final results page shows that he completed the race in just over an hour.

    Additionally, I remember seeing him on my way back from the turn around on the run. His age group would have been done WAY before mine, so he had actually completed the race already, picked up the kids and turned around to do it again.

    Not only that, but his pace looked faster than mine the second time around.

    Kudos David Reback from North Palm Beach. I’ll see you at the next one.

  • kls

    I looked up what I thought was his number and saw those stats, but couldn’t believe they could be right.

    I was confused by what looked like a 9 on the back of his calf, but 603 on the saide. I didn’t realize they put your age there, also.

    What he did WAS impressive.

  • kls

    Oh, and, by the way. He had FIVE kids in that stroller, not the four that you counted.

  • Clarification from the elder brother: I knew he’d finish the Loggerhead Triathlon. I even had money placed that he’d be in the upper two-thirds of the field. With his finish in 399th place (out of 600 entries), he made me five bucks but only by one position. Next time, Adam, how about giving me some breathing room? Overall, Adam did great.

    On the other hand, it’s the half-Ironman in Miami I’m worried about on his behalf. The Loggerhead was 16.475 miles — Sprint length. The half-Ironman is 70.3 miles. That’s more than four times longer. I saw the pain in his face as he crossed the line after the short event.

    Adam: do you feel you will need to adjust your training schedule for the half-Ironman or do you see yourself as still being on the right track?

  • kls

    Training can kill you. During WWII, I read that it was decided that parachute training was just as likely to kill you as jumping into combat.

    In cases where they only expected you to make one jump, they’d do ground training and make your do your first one with bullets whizzing around.

    Maybe he’s afraid he’s only got one half-Ironman in him this season. There’s only so much wax in the candle.

  • Matt: I’m on track.

    I have no worries for the half-Ironman in November. As I’ve said before – I can do ANYTHING that I put my mind to. Even if I am not fully prepared, I will find a way to make my mind/body do what is necessary to complete the challenge.

  • I’d like to post a comment on the picture above that shows a time of 1:49:09. My time was actually 1:29:09, because my heat started 20 minutes after the start of the race.


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Protools Rooms:

Palm recordings Ltd. through it's own services and project allocation system is in the fantastic position to offer not just one Protools room but two fully equiped Protools rooms running the latest versions.

Our expertise in the field stems from Oscar winning and Grammy Award winning projects.

We continuously upgrade our systems and plug-ins to be at the leading edge of Protools services.

All our systems are running on Macs and run PT HD to the most recent versions of Protools. Our audio interfaces vary from Omni HD to HD I/O with various outboard equipment ir in the box mixing. Some systems also have Neve summing mixers that guarantee the vintage classic sound of Neve.

Monitoring is provided by Dynaudio Acoustics, Unity Rocks for our main monitors

Whether it's for track laying, programming or mixing, Palm Recordings Ltd. will cater for your project needs at extremely competitive prices.

Email us with your requirements and we will get back to you with a quote!

Our email address is

All Rights Reserved to Palm Recordings Ltd. Unit 2/2A, Cross House, 7 Cross Lane, London, N8 7SA


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Start on your own Mixed reality app

Posting ID : A1068547434
Date Posted : 2017-02-17
Category : Computer Services

Mixed Reality has more potential to revolutionize the world of business than either of it’s siblings, VR and AR. At SDI, we’ve been pushing our coders to learn the best methods for creating successful apps for Mixed Reality. With Microsoft’s MR platform The HoloLens and the soon to be released Magic Leap Platform, this market is poised to take off. SDI is set to build MR apps for any industry, and any business - on any budget!

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pandora jewelry How to Go Sledding With a Tras

How to Go Sledding With a Trash Bag

Know that you now need your t pandora jewelry rash bag. It is preferred that the trash bag be big enough to fit 2/3 of your body, but as long as you cover ” your bottom ” it will work.

If you can’t find a bag big enough to get above your waist then you will have to get two or more bags. Tear one big hole in the bottom of all but one of the bags. Then slide the bags th pandora jewelry at are torn up to your chest. Then pull the bag without the hole over your feet.

Make sure that no clothing beneath your waist is showing. The cloth will catch on the snow and slow you down or even send you out of control. He has patrolled over 14,000 changes and has made over 9,800 edits to improve articles around the site. He enjoys patrolling recent changes, boosting new articles, and voting in the NFD Guardian. His favorite article he’s worked on here is How to Use Google Drive, since collaboration between him and other community members turned it into a really informative and easy to understand guide. His proudest accomplishment on wikiHow has been starting the Hindi wikiHow, which provides access to how tos in a language spoken by more than 500 million people worldwide. He says writing on wikiHow is a rewarding process, since you pandora jewelry pandora jewelry get to help millions of people everyday and learn things along the way. He loves how the wikiHow community is a caring, supportive, and dedicated bunch of people. To new editors, he says, “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and ask for help. There are many who are willing to help you out here!”


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Roanoke Police obtain new crime solving camera
By John Carlin
WSLS10 Anchor
Published: September 10, 2008

In the old days police took simple photographs at crime scenes.

Soon they will have a new device that takes pictures to a level most people couldn’t imagine just a few years ago.

“It’s going to take our documentation of crime scenes in the area of photography up—by a thousand percent.”

Sgt. Dave Boyer speaks to us in the Roanoke Police forensics lab… He’s talking about the ”Panoscan”—a camera that shoots crime scenes in 360—or from every angle.

“When you go to a scene there is sometimes obvious, obvious pieces of evidence there that look like what you’ve seen before. What happens in the future, maybe you are speaking to a suspect or a witness who says there was something else that was in the room that at the time you didn’t realize was a piece of evidence, that you may have left,” said Boyer.

360-degree technology has been around for a while, what’s different here is the detail.

Let’s take a good look at how much detail we are talking about. A cell phone camera has typically one mega pixel. The camera you use for you child’s birthday party, 6, 7, maybe 8 mega pixels. This police camera—600 mega pixels.

Boyer says you never know what could be missed at a murder or accident scene. “It could be anything. A prescription pill bottle that may have been there. Had a different name on it, that it wasn’t the subject. That was in the room, and you would be able to read it using this device.”

The tool will also allow police to take measurements after the fact, and to map a room or building. It will also be helpful once the case gets to trial.

“For courtroom presentation, doing virtual tours, so the jury can actually see and be a part of and interact in the room at the scene. It’s just a mouse click away,” Boyer said.

The 50,000 camera will arrive by the end of the month. Police say training time is short, and they’ll be using it at crime scenes almost immediately.


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Older News  » Third Straight LNPSSA Boys Soccer Title for Parkview

Last updated 10:58 AM on 21 April 2016

Parkview's victorious Boys Soccer Team

Parkview Public School's Boys Soccer Team have made it three titles in succession after winning last Friday's LNPSSA Boys Soccer Championship at the Parkview PS Oval.

The opening game of the championship saw Parkview pitted against a determined Small Schools outfit. In a tense opening, Small Schools threatened to open the scoring before twin strikes from Riley Bradshaw and Tyler O'Connell gave Parkview a 2 goal buffer after 7 minutes. Small Schools continued to press before some individual brilliance from Thomas Heins in the midfield set up Tallis McMillan in the shadows of half time, McMillan calmly finishing from close range to give the hosts a 3 goal half time advantage.

Parkview came out full of running in the second half and were soon back on the scoreboard courtesy of a brilliant Ben Schmidt volley, before Thomas Heins got into the scoring act just two minutes later. Tyler O'Connell then set about scoring a second half hat-trick to bring his match tally to 4, before defenders Cody Browne and Jaxon Ryan put the icing on the cake of a 10-0 victory.

Round 1 Full Time

Parkview 10 (Riley Bradshaw 5', Tyler O'Connell 7', Tallis McMillan 15', Ben Schmidt 16', Thomas Heins 18', Tyler O'Connell 20', Tyler O'Connell 22', Cody Browne 25', Tyler O'Connell 27', Jaxon Ryan 29') defeated Small Schools 0.

The Final was a match up with Leeton Public School, and proved to be a high intensity affair characterised by slick ball movement and resolute defence. Parkview opened brightly and dominated midfield possession thanks to the deft passing combinations of Nicholas Croucamp and Brandon Crowe. Tyler O'Connell put the hosts ahead after 3 minutes and doubled the advantage after 9 minutes finishing off some slick lead up play from Tallis McMillan and Thomas Heins. Leeton PS then took over possession for the balance of the half and were unlucky not to pull a goal back on the stroke of half time, denied repeatedly by some brilliant goal keeping from Ryan Eade.

The second half continued as the first half ended with Leeton PS pressing early however strong defensive play and organisation from Cody Browne and Riley Bradshaw ensured the visitors were repelled and when Tyler O'Connell completed is hat trick after 25 minutes Parkview's victory was all but guaranteed. A fourth goal from O'Connell in ths shadows of full time completed a brilliant team effort on the day.

Final Full Time

Parkview 4 (Tyler O'Connell 3', 9', 25', 29') defeated Leeton PS 0.

Further reward for the Parkview team was the selection of seven team members in the 14 man LNPSSA Squad to contest the Riverina PSSA Soccer Championships on March 24th. Congratulations is extended to Tyler O'Connell, Tallis McMillan, Brandon Crowe, Riley Bradshaw, Thomas Heins, Ben Schmidt and Cody Browne on their selections.

Parkview will contest the Riverina Quarter Finals of the state knockout later in the year. Thanks is extended to all of the parents and carers who came to venue to support the boys and a special note of thanks to Micheal Ingram who refereed all four games hosted on the day.


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• Trump Proposes Slashing Funds to the UN and Gutting Climate Aid

    by  • March 16, 2017 • Take a Look, UN Agencies, UN Peacekeeping, US Foreign Relations, US-UN Relations •

    Donald Trump in his first weekly address to the nation, Jan. 28, 2017. His proposed cuts in his first national budget could leave the United Nations gouged but details are vague. CREATIVE COMMONS

    In his first national budget plan, released by the White House today, President Donald Trump proposed an aggressively pro-military and security-obsessed agenda that could severely cut funds to the State Department and the United Nations. Numerous other international programs run by various government agencies, which benefit many people around the world, are also being targeted.

    These extreme steps show barely a shred of concern for global opinion or for the needs of people in peril outside the US. The message is that citizens of the richest country on earth must come first.

    “Our aim is to meet the simple but crucial demand of our citizens — a Government that puts the needs of its own people first,” Trump wrote in his introduction to the document, compiled by the White House Office of Management and Budget. True to all his trademark isolationist and discriminatory rhetoric, Trump boasted that this would be his way of making, as the document says, “America Great Again.” Again?

    The budget plan goes to the US Congress next, where it could find more opposition than the president’s team may expect. Congress is mired in a growing revolt against a national health policy that Trump backs, mostly because of its draconian willingness to risk the loss of insurance coverage for tens of millions of Americans.

    No specific UN programs or agencies are elaborated on in the proposed national budget, leaving it up to both houses of Congress to fill in the blanks. It is widely assumed, however, that members of Congress are likely to target the United Nations Population Fund, the largest global provider of family planning and maternal health care, as well as the UN Human Rights Council.

    In her confirmation hearing on Jan. 18, Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, said: “We need to go into every part of the organizations of the UN, but one in particular that you can look at is the Human Rights Council, and you really have to question what is the goal of the Human Rights Council when they allow Cuba and China to serve on those.”

    On March 16, Haley said in a statement about the Trump budget proposal: “In many areas, the UN spends more money than it should, and in many ways it places a much larger financial burden on the United States than on other countries.” Yet the payoff, she did not acknowledge, is that the “burden” gives the US enormous control at the UN.

    Some officials in Trump’s own team as well as Congressional leaders and scores of military and intelligence officials past and present have questioned such a withdrawal from the world. Speaking in Tokyo on March 16, 2017, before meeting the Japanese foreign minister and the prime minister, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told Japanese reporters that he recognized the challenge: “[To] be able to do a lot with fewer dollars.”

    Defense Secretary James Mattis has said publicly: “If you don’t fund the State Department fully, then I need to buy more ammunition.” Certainly, he won’t be short of cash.

    Here are provisions in the Trump budget proposal that will most affect US foreign policy and international organizations, with language verbatim:

    • The President’s 2018 Budget requests $25.6 billion in base funding for the Department of State and USAID, a $10.1 billion, or 28 percent, reduction from the 2017 annualized CR [continuing resolution, which allows government offices to go on functioning in a budget stalemate].

    • Additional steps will be taken to make the State Department and USAID leaner, more efficient and more effective. These steps to reduce foreign assistance free up funding for critical priorities here at home and put America first.

    • [t]he Budget seeks to reduce or end direct funding for international organizations whose missions do not substantially advance U.S. foreign policy interests, are duplicative, or are not well-managed. [No specific examples given.]

    • Reduces funding to the UN and affiliated agencies, including UN peacekeeping and other inter-national organizations, by setting the expectation that these organizations rein in costs and that the funding burden be shared more fairly among members. The amount the US would contribute to the UN budget would be reduced and the U.S. would not contribute more than 25 percent for UN peacekeeping costs.

    • Eliminates the Global Climate Change Initiative and fulfills the President’s pledge to cease payments to the United Nations’ (UN) climate change programs by eliminating U.S. funding related to the Green Climate Fund and its two precursor Climate Investment Funds.

    • Refocuses economic and development assistance to countries of greatest strategic importance to the U.S. and ensures the effectiveness of U.S. taxpayer investments by rightsizing funding across countries and sectors.

    • Provides $3.1 billion to meet the security assistance commitment to Israel, currently at an all-time high; ensuring that Israel has the ability to defend itself from threats and maintain its Qualitative Military Edge.

    • Provides sufficient resources on a path to fulfill the $1 billion U.S. pledge to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. . . . Provides sufficient resources to maintain current commitments and all current patient levels on HIV/AIDS treatment under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and maintains funding for malaria programs. The Budget also meets U.S. commitments to the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria by providing 33 percent of projected contributions from all donors, consistent with the limit currently in law.

    • Allows for significant funding of humanitarian assistance, including food aid, disaster, and refugee program funding. This would focus funding on the highest priority areas while asking the rest of the world to pay their fair share. The Budget eliminates the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance account, a duplicative and stove-piped account, and challenges international and non-governmental relief organizations to become more efficient and effective.

    • Reduces funding for the Department of State’s Educational and Cultural Exchange (ECE) Programs. ECE resources would focus on sustaining the flagship Fulbright Program, which forges lasting connections between Americans and emerging leaders around the globe.

    • Reduces funding for multilateral development banks, including the World Bank, by approximately $650 million over three years compared to commitments made by the previous administration. Even with the proposed decreases, the U.S. would retain its current status as a top donor while saving taxpayer dollars.

    Other US government departments’ international programs are also affected:

    The Department of Agriculture: The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program — supporting child development and food security in low-income, food-deficit countries and primary education for girls globally through donations of American food and technical assistance — is eliminated because, the budget proposal says, it “lacks evidence that it is being effectively implemented to reduce food insecurity.”

    • Health and Human Services: Reduces the National Institutes of Health’s spending relative to the 2017 annualized CR level by $5.8 billion to $25.9 billion, and eliminates the Fogarty International Center. . . . The Budget also reforms the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through a new $500 million block grant to increase State flexibility and focus on the leading public health challenges specific to each State. [The CDC is a major player worldwide on health information and up-to-date data.]

    • The Department of Labor: The budget focuses the Bureau of International Labor Affairs on ensuring that U.S. trade agreements are fair for American workers. . . . It eliminates the Bureau’s largely noncompetitive and unproven grant funding, which would save at least $60 million.

    • Defending the Department of Defense: Trump’s rationale for a ballooning military budget:

    There is a $54 billion increase in defense spending in 2018 that is offset by targeted reductions elsewhere. . . . We must ensure that our courageous servicemen and women have the tools they need to deter war, and when called upon to fight, do only one thing: Win.

    As for the response from the UN, this statement was released on March 16, 2017, by Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesman for Secretary-General António Guterres: “The Secretary-General fully subscribes to the necessity to effectively combat terrorism but believes that it requires more than military spending.

    “There is also a need to address the underlying drivers of terrorism through continuing investments in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, countering violent extremism, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, sustainable and inclusive development, the enhancement and respect of human rights, and timely responses to humanitarian crises.

    “The international community is facing enormous global challenges that can only be addressed by a strong and effective multilateral system, of which the United Nations remains the fundamental pillar.”

    Barbara Crossette

    Barbara Crossette is the senior consulting editor and writer for PassBlue, a fellow of the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies at The Graduate Center, CUNY, and the United Nations correspondent for The Nation. She is also a board member of the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

    Previously, Crossette was the UN bureau chief for The New York Times from 1994 to 2001 and before that its chief correspondent in Southeast Asia and South Asia. She is the author of “So Close to Heaven: The Vanishing Buddhist Kingdoms of the Himalayas,” “The Great Hill Stations of Asia” and a Foreign Policy Association study, “India Changes Course,” in the Foreign Policy Association’s “Great Decisions 2015.”

    Crossette won the George Polk award for her coverage in India of the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 and the 2010 Shorenstein Prize for her writing on Asia.

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Welcome to Pathba.com, a Site for Technology, Mobile

We are an online tech magazine, dedicated to providing interesting articles, how-tos, and even fun trivia to our audience of geeky — and not-so-geeky readers. We’ve tried really hard to make sure that our content is understandable for regular people, but geeky enough that the more technical readers would find it interesting as well.


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European Court Rejects Appeals in Three Religious Discrimination Cases and Overturns Another Ruling

Today, the European Court of Human Rights published its verdicts on four cases from the UK brought about by Christians against their employers.

The basic premise of each case is that rules imposed on each of them by their respective employers have discriminated against them on the basis of their religious freedoms. All four lost their individual cases in UK employment tribunals, but then took their cases to the highest civil court in Europe, the ECHR.

The four defendants in question are Shirley Chaplin, a nurse from Exeter; Nadia Eweida, a British Airways worker from London; Lilian Ladele, a local authority registrar also from London; and Gary McFarlane, a marriage counsellor from Bristol. (Can you guess their various grievances from their jobs?)

The judges ruled that three of the defendants had not had their rights violated, but that Nadia Eweida, the British Airways worker, won her case on the grounds that British Airways had been overly restrictive in its application of its uniform policy.

Shirley Chaplin and Nadia Eweida‘s cases center around their right to wear crosses at work. The NHS and British Airways have very descriptive uniform policies of what is and is not allowed. Lilian Ladele and Gary McFarlane‘s cases are “conscience clause” cases addressing the protection of one’s beliefs in a work environment. The cases could have an impact of deciding how far a person can reasonably go when pushing a religious objection to a duty expected of them by their employer and what options are available to that employer should the employee overstep their boundaries.

Shirley Chaplin (via The Telegraph)

Shirley Chaplin was transferred to a desk job in 2010 by Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust Hospital for failing to remove a confirmation crucifix on a small chain, one she had worn to work for 30 years. The Trust had attempted to negotiate with Chaplin and offered several solutions, including wearing the cross under her clothing, all of which she refused. The Trust said during the original employment tribunal that the removal or hiding of the necklace was a matter of health and safety — not religious discrimination.

Outbreaks of the super bug MRSA had led to all UK hospitals disinfecting everything and everyone in their buildings and her openly displayed cross was considered a health risk as it could carry the bug. The Employment Appeal Tribunal (in the UK) ruled against her claim because it said Christians “generally” did not consider wearing a cross as a requirement of their religion, adding that the safety of staff and patients was paramount at all times and “sensible and sensitive” solutions were offered to Chaplin.

Nadia Eweida (via The Guardian)

Similarly, in 2006, Nadia Eweida was told by British Airways that it did not believe that the wearing of a cross was mandatory for Christians and that she must hide any jewelry under her clothing. Eweida refused, citing Sikh and Muslim employees who are allowed to wear turbans and veils as these are impractical to hide. She was given a choice of being placed on unpaid leave when she refused to cover up her cross or accepting a position where she did not have to cover it up.

Eweida lost her employment tribunal case but insisted she would fight on, declaring that, “It is important to wear it to express my faith so that other people will know that Jesus loves them.” Under increasing public pressure, the airline amended its uniform policy and began allowing the wearing of a lapel pin. The day after, Eweida rejected this compromise, branding it as “unacceptable to her.”

Lilian Ladele (via The Guardian)

In 2007, Lilian Ladele was working as a registrar for Islington Council in North London when her role changed. Instead of working on a freelance basis, the job went under the direct control of the council. As such, her working practices changed and she became responsible for officiating marriages and civil partnerships. Ladele said she could not carry out same-sex ceremonies “as a matter of religious conscience.” When the council refused to accommodate her views and disciplined her, she sued them claiming she was being effectively forced to choose between her religion and her job as a result of being forced to officiate at civil partnership ceremonies. Corinna Ferguson, a legal officer at the civil rights group Liberty, summed up the case perfectly:

Ms Ladele is entitled to her views but not to pick and choose who is worthy of public services.

Gary McFarlane (via The Telegraph)

Gary McFarlane was dismissed from his job in 2008 after indicating he might have a conscientious objection to providing sex therapy to a same-sex couple on account of his Christian faith. McFarlane had been working for the charity since 2003, but when asked to provide counseling for same-sex couples, he refused on the grounds of religious belief and was fired. After his appeal was thrown out, he stated,

I have the ability to provide counselling services to same-sex couples, however, because of my Christian beliefs and principles, there should be allowances taken into account whereby individuals like me can actually avoid having to contradict their very strongly-held Christian principles.

By ruling in favor of Eweida but against the three others, the ECHR essentially did the right things. The three rejected cases were clearly examples of situations in which members of the public were subject to discrimination as a result of an employee’s refusal to carry out his or her job. A person’s religious convictions should never trump issues of public health or public services. The case of Nadia Eweida is a tough one. The employer should be able to mandate its own uniform rules as it sees fit, provided they are reasonable and fair. The question is really how important it is to stop an employee from wearing a piece of jewelry. At the end of the day, unless Eweida is actively proselytizing at work and to customers, then it is of no harm to the employer to let her wear her jewelry. Hopefully, these rulings will clarify how far both employers and employees can go with this difficult balancing act.

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Diocese Knew Priest Russell Romano Was a Pedophile; Didn’t Turn Him In Because ‘We Don’t Want To Be Snitches’

Russell Romano, a longtime Illinois clergyman who left the active priesthood in 1991, is thought to have sexually abused more than a dozen boys in his heyday. As recently released records show (with the Catholic Church, there are always recently released records that astonish, despite everything we’ve already learned), church officials were perfectly clear about what Romano did.

The Chicago Sun-Times recounts how at Quigley Preparatory Seminary, where Romano worked, Rector Rev. John Klein stated in writing in 1985 that he knew his employee “liked the boys.”

When he confronted Romano about his habit of kissing and hugging boys, serving them alcohol and showing them pornography, “Russ immediately and without hesitation admitted that these (actions) showed poor judgement and they would stop immediately — that sincerely I should never worry about him doing any of this again.”

Next, Klein offered words of praise for the priest’s “sincerity” and his brave admission about his “judgement” problems.

I thanked him for his quick recognition of this, and he really seemed sincere — as if it had been something he had been thinking about and realizing was not too wise,” Klein wrote.

“Not too wise,” indeed.

Klein continued:

Russ needs to be supported and loved as he tries to work on things; he appears to really be trying hard.”

Isn’t that precious. Note that Klein didn’t say that the children Romano diddled needed to be supported. Or that the padres should “really be trying hard” to secure justice for the victims. Going by the records, those weren’t even secondary concerns. Just non-existent ones. Because when Klein thought about what he should do if someone ever complained about Romano’s rapey routine, he swiftly decided that

We don’t want to be snitches.

A year later, after the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services decided it had “credible evidence” that Romano got kids at the Seminary drunk, showed them porn, and abused them,

… the priest was quietly ordered by the archdiocese to stay away from children.

And that was it. Romano was never prosecuted.

No secular janitor or engineer could have gotten away with repeated sexual child abuse if such behavior was known to colleagues and superiors. But a priest? A representative of God on Earth, ensconced in a Church that imagined itself to be above the plebeian law? Different story, apparently.

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