When doctors told Army Specialist Michael Krapels that he would never redeploy, much less walk again, he refused to accept it."I took it as a personal challenge to work at rehabilitating myself and reconditioning myself back into the shape I needed to be in to do my job," Krapels said. "After a while, the task of returning to my unit consumed me."
Krapels, 24, of Sparta, was injured on Jan. 14, 2010, when a fellow soldier's machine gun misfired, shooting Krapels in both legs while he lay in bed. Now, two years after the accident, he is prepared to return to Afghanistan with his unit this week."I wanted to return to duty and redeploy with my unit because it is my duty as a soldier," Krapels said. "I signed a five-year contract to the Army and my country. I believe that when you make a commitment, you see it through to the end."
Krapels is currently stationed in Vicenza, Italy with the Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, but his unit is scheduled to leave for Afghanistan, although Krapels is unable to discuss any other details of the pending deployment.Getting to this redeployment has been a long road for Krapels and his family. When he was first shot, he was flown to an Army hospital in Germany and then Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital in Washington D.C.
2012年6月27日 星期三
2012年6月20日 星期三
Rio+20 is greatest threat to biodiversity
The UN Conference on Sustainable Development is underway in Rio de Janeiro. This time, 20 years after the original 1992 Rio "Earth Summit," thousands of politicians, bureaucrats and environmental activists are toning down references to "dangerous man-made climate change," to avoid repeating the acrimony and failures that characterized its recent climate conferences in Copenhagen, Cancun and Durban.
Instead, "Rio+20" is trying to shift attention to "biodiversity" and alleged threats to plant and animal species, as the new "greatest threat" facing Planet Earth. This rebranding is "by design," according to conference organizers, who say sustainable development and biodiversity is an "easier sell" these days than climate change: a simpler path to advance the same radical goals.
Those goals include expanded powers and budgets for the United Nations, UN Environment Programme, US Environmental Protection Agency and other government agencies, and their allied Green pressure groups; new taxes on international financial transactions (to ensure perpetual independent funding for the UN and UNEP); and more mandates and money for "clean, green, renewable" energy.
Instead, "Rio+20" is trying to shift attention to "biodiversity" and alleged threats to plant and animal species, as the new "greatest threat" facing Planet Earth. This rebranding is "by design," according to conference organizers, who say sustainable development and biodiversity is an "easier sell" these days than climate change: a simpler path to advance the same radical goals.
Those goals include expanded powers and budgets for the United Nations, UN Environment Programme, US Environmental Protection Agency and other government agencies, and their allied Green pressure groups; new taxes on international financial transactions (to ensure perpetual independent funding for the UN and UNEP); and more mandates and money for "clean, green, renewable" energy.
2012年6月19日 星期二
Georgia Museum of Natural History now easier to find
Many people don't even know the museum exists, much less how to find it on the University of Georgia campus, even though its constantly growing collections now number more than 6 million specimens.Most of the museum's holdings are stored off the main UGA campus in an Atlanta Highway warehouse, but some are on public display in a small gallery space in the museum's headquarters, hidden near the UGA steam plant at the intersection of Cedar Drive and East Campus Road.
But last week, workers from UGA's Physical Plant hung two large fiberglass models from the museum's outside brick walls — a big white shark and an orca, or killer whale — which now mark the museum's entrance.“We put them up there to advertise the presence of the museum,” said museum director Bud Freeman. “I think it's going to generate interest, and that's what we're after.”
The two models once were part of a museum in the state Capitol building, but a few years ago, state officials shut down the natural history section of that museum to concentrate on the political and historical exhibits. The models of the shark and whale have been in storage at UGA since, but recently the museum commissioned a taxidermist to spiff up the models, repainting them and coating them with clear preservative.Micro Stock racing on the rise.
But last week, workers from UGA's Physical Plant hung two large fiberglass models from the museum's outside brick walls — a big white shark and an orca, or killer whale — which now mark the museum's entrance.“We put them up there to advertise the presence of the museum,” said museum director Bud Freeman. “I think it's going to generate interest, and that's what we're after.”
The two models once were part of a museum in the state Capitol building, but a few years ago, state officials shut down the natural history section of that museum to concentrate on the political and historical exhibits. The models of the shark and whale have been in storage at UGA since, but recently the museum commissioned a taxidermist to spiff up the models, repainting them and coating them with clear preservative.Micro Stock racing on the rise.
2012年6月14日 星期四
Micro Stock racing on the rise
When Legends Cars first came about in 1993, they hit the country by storm as this new scaled down race car, which was a copy of the early Modified stock cars, had a huge fan appeal and was dubbed affordable and was basically a get in and go deal.Soon after others began to look to the downsized fabrication of the bigger counterparts and today there are Legends, Slingshots, 600cc Modifieds, Stage 1 Modifieds and the list goes on.
However, the original concept of scaled race cars was the brainchild of Bob Wagner, Sr., of Wharton, NJ with his creation of the Micro Stock.The first car built had its debut in 1977 at the defunct Pine Brook Speedway in New Jersey which was a 1/10-mile paved oval that hosted weekly TQ Midgets. Wagner felt there was room to add a class to the card but what type of car was the question due to the size of the track.
That's when he got the idea to put a body overtop of a go-kart chassis which had a full roll cage. He decided to go with a fiberglass Modified body. The engine was a 5 horsepower Briggs and Stratton."We call him the Godfather of Micro Stocks," said his son, Bob Wagner, Jr. "The First one was just a go-kart. He made the body first then he made a chassis to fit the body. It was just like a regular 1937 Ford only scaled down.
However, the original concept of scaled race cars was the brainchild of Bob Wagner, Sr., of Wharton, NJ with his creation of the Micro Stock.The first car built had its debut in 1977 at the defunct Pine Brook Speedway in New Jersey which was a 1/10-mile paved oval that hosted weekly TQ Midgets. Wagner felt there was room to add a class to the card but what type of car was the question due to the size of the track.
That's when he got the idea to put a body overtop of a go-kart chassis which had a full roll cage. He decided to go with a fiberglass Modified body. The engine was a 5 horsepower Briggs and Stratton."We call him the Godfather of Micro Stocks," said his son, Bob Wagner, Jr. "The First one was just a go-kart. He made the body first then he made a chassis to fit the body. It was just like a regular 1937 Ford only scaled down.
2012年6月12日 星期二
Friends of India hosts colorful, festive party
Vibrant colors filling the sky paled in comparison to those covering the attendees themselves Saturday at the sixth annual Color and Kite Festival.The event, sponsored by Friends of India Society and held at Buena Vista Camping Park, brought to life two celebrated Indian traditions with origins dating thousands of years.The first tradition at the biggest local Indian party of the year got under way as groups of attendees sent thousands of brightly colored Indian-made paper kites skyward.
Is Southeast Asia the New Garment-Sweatshop Capital of the World?A gentle but steady breeze and a backdrop of a clear blue sky made for perfect kite-flying conditions.Recent Temple University graduate Jay Shukla of Mays Landing explained how intense kite flying can get in his home country, as he taught his younger relatives to how to fly the kites.In India, he said, “some write the last name of their family on the kites and fight them with others from terraced apartments. The fiberglass string they use cut others’ strings, and it can get really serious.”
All the kite flying Saturday remained peaceful, however. In India, a huge kite festival is observed each Jan. 14 when the wind is right and the days start growing longer.After the kites were reeled in, there were friendly games of cricket, traditional and Bollywood-style dances, and awards.The Friends of India Society honored Latish Menghani of Vineland with its Person of the Year Award for his “enthusiastic help and availability” and presented a Special Recognition Award to Dr. Bhavna Patel of Vineland for her “leadership and contributions” to the Sanskaar Youth Grou
Is Southeast Asia the New Garment-Sweatshop Capital of the World?A gentle but steady breeze and a backdrop of a clear blue sky made for perfect kite-flying conditions.Recent Temple University graduate Jay Shukla of Mays Landing explained how intense kite flying can get in his home country, as he taught his younger relatives to how to fly the kites.In India, he said, “some write the last name of their family on the kites and fight them with others from terraced apartments. The fiberglass string they use cut others’ strings, and it can get really serious.”
All the kite flying Saturday remained peaceful, however. In India, a huge kite festival is observed each Jan. 14 when the wind is right and the days start growing longer.After the kites were reeled in, there were friendly games of cricket, traditional and Bollywood-style dances, and awards.The Friends of India Society honored Latish Menghani of Vineland with its Person of the Year Award for his “enthusiastic help and availability” and presented a Special Recognition Award to Dr. Bhavna Patel of Vineland for her “leadership and contributions” to the Sanskaar Youth Grou
2012年6月7日 星期四
Is Southeast Asia the New Garment-Sweatshop Capital of the World?
Thousands of migrant workers in Southeast Asia suffer "dangerously negligent" wage and workplace standards in the name of affordable fashion, according to a new report from War on Want and the Asian Immigrant Center. Workers interviewed for the study, which focuses on women who migrated to Thailand and Malaysia and within Cambodia to find work in the garment industry, frequently cited 10-hour days without overtime pay, chronic harassment, unsafe working and living environments, and below-subsistence wages.
They were also prevented from organizing, taking sick leave, going outside factory grounds, or becoming pregnant. Even minor "transgressions" such as missing a day of work, arriving late, or a trip to the bathroom could result in fines and penalties.Despite their importance to these countries' economic growth, migrant women's rights are consistently violated by those who would employ them, according to the study. Local governments fail to provide even the most nominal protection, in some cases creating policies that restrict workers from exercising their rights or fighting for better conditions.
"Once in the employment sector, workers are given little to no job security," the report notes. "Migrants live in a temporary and precarious state—which is beneficial to the employers, who can hire and fire according to demand, but which is detrimental to a worker's life, livelihood, and future."High-street retailers such as Gap, Zara, Marks & Spencer, and H&M do not operate the factories they contract in these countries, but they profit from the rampant exploitation.
They were also prevented from organizing, taking sick leave, going outside factory grounds, or becoming pregnant. Even minor "transgressions" such as missing a day of work, arriving late, or a trip to the bathroom could result in fines and penalties.Despite their importance to these countries' economic growth, migrant women's rights are consistently violated by those who would employ them, according to the study. Local governments fail to provide even the most nominal protection, in some cases creating policies that restrict workers from exercising their rights or fighting for better conditions.
"Once in the employment sector, workers are given little to no job security," the report notes. "Migrants live in a temporary and precarious state—which is beneficial to the employers, who can hire and fire according to demand, but which is detrimental to a worker's life, livelihood, and future."High-street retailers such as Gap, Zara, Marks & Spencer, and H&M do not operate the factories they contract in these countries, but they profit from the rampant exploitation.
2012年6月5日 星期二
University Of Michigan Makes Fuel-Efficient Car
A group of engineering students at the University of Michigan are trying to prove that a car can get about 3,300 miles per gallon using a modified lawnmower engine.The group will enter a single-person fuel efficient vehicle in the 2012 SAE International Supermileage Challenge, which will take place in Marshall, Michigan on June 7 and 8. The team hopes to beat the current record of 3,169 miles per gallon at the competition.
"The University of Michigan has an incredible legacy of student automative design team success," says Laura Pillari, the team's co-founder and project manager told AnnArbor.comMichigan's new fuel-efficient car comes just in time. A new survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center says for most people mileage is the most important factor in a new car purchase.
Catskill hosts purrfect annual art show!Until recently, the fiberglass boat, which was built in 1974, had been at Crozier Craft's west Port Angeles facility on Edgewood Drive where Chad Crozier and his team gutted it and fabricated an aluminum pilot house, fish boxes, fuel tanks and bulwarks. In the building, which can accommodate most boats up to 60 feet in length, is the former Viking Mist, a 36-foot Radon owned by Dan Green of Neah Bay.
"The University of Michigan has an incredible legacy of student automative design team success," says Laura Pillari, the team's co-founder and project manager told AnnArbor.comMichigan's new fuel-efficient car comes just in time. A new survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center says for most people mileage is the most important factor in a new car purchase.
Catskill hosts purrfect annual art show!Until recently, the fiberglass boat, which was built in 1974, had been at Crozier Craft's west Port Angeles facility on Edgewood Drive where Chad Crozier and his team gutted it and fabricated an aluminum pilot house, fish boxes, fuel tanks and bulwarks. In the building, which can accommodate most boats up to 60 feet in length, is the former Viking Mist, a 36-foot Radon owned by Dan Green of Neah Bay.