rre Peru arrests the country's soccer boss as part of a criminal investigation into fraud By www.washingtontimes.com Published On :: Thu, 07 Nov 2024 14:58:21 -0500 Peruvian police arrested the head of the country's soccer federation Thursday as part of an investigation into allegations that he abused his position to extort local clubs into ceding their television rights. Full Article
rre Resurrection Of Jesus Christ By www.web-church.com Published On :: Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:30:48 PST Learn the basics about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, what it is, why it's important, and what it means in our lives, today. Full Article
rre Facts rebut climate alarm from U.N. Secretary-General Guterres By www.washingtontimes.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 14:16:03 -0500 There's a reason we heard so much about extreme heat deaths over the summer. Full Article
rre A squirrel's death in New York could spur change By www.washingtontimes.com Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 13:37:43 -0500 As the electoral dust settles, desks will soon begin clearing out in Washington and in statehouses around the country. Full Article
rre Ex-NFL coach Jack Del Rio to resign from Wisconsin role after drunk driving arrest By www.washingtontimes.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 15:46:54 -0500 Former NFL coach Jack Del Rio will part ways with the University of Wisconsin's football team after he was arrested last week on a drunk driving charge. Full Article
rre IL CASO PUIGDEMONT: LA "PROVA DEL FUOCO" DEL MANDATO D'ARRESTO EUROPEO By www.collectiuemma.cat Published On :: Mon, 06 Aug 2018 13:15:00 +0200 DIRITTO PENALE CONTEMPORANEO 4 luglio 2018 | Luigi Foffani Per leggere la decisione dell'OLG del 5 aprile 2018, clicca qui. Per leggere la decisione definitiva dell'OLG del 12 luglio 2018, clicca qui. 1. La mattina del 25 marzo 2018 Carles Puigdemont, ex-Presidente della Generalitat de Catalunya, viene fermato alla guida di un automobile su un’autostrada dello Schleswig-Holstein, pochi chilometri dopo l’ingresso nel territorio della Repubblica Federale Tedesca. Puigdemont – che risiedeva a Bruxelles dal 28 ottobre 2017, per sfuggire al mandato di cattura del Tribunal Supremo spagnolo – si era recato in Danimarca per una conferenza e stava rientrando in Belgio attraverso la Germania. Contro di lui viene emessa una richiesta di mandato d’arresto europeo (MAE) per i delitti di “ribellione” (“rebelión”: art. 472 CP esp) e peculato (“malversación de caudales públicos”: art. 432 e 252 CP esp). L’Oberlandsgericht dello Schsleswig-Holstein, con la decisione del 5 aprile 2018 respinge senza esitazione la richiesta di mandato d’arresto europeo per quanto riguarda il delitto di “rebelión”: tale delitto infatti non ricade in alcun modo nel “campo d’applicazione del mandato d’arresto europeo” descritto dall’art. 2 della Decisione quadro del 13 giugno 2002 “relativa al mandato d’arresto europeo e alle procedure di consegna tra Stati membri” (2002/584/GAI) ed anche la richiesta di estradizione appare a prima vista inammissibile per la mancanza di una “beiderseitige Strafbarkeit” (“doppia incriminazione”). Diversamente invece non sarebbe inammissibile – secondo l’OLG Schleswig-Holstein – la richiesta di mandato d’arresto europeo in relazione al secondo delitto (peculato, “malversación de caudales públicos”, “Veruntreuung öffentlicher Gelder”), che sarebbe riconducibile alla fattispecie di corruzione richiamata dalla Decisione quadro; ma la richiesta del Tribunal Supremo spagnolo – secondo l’OLG – “non contiene una sufficiente descrizione delle circostanze, sulla base delle quali il reato sarebbe stato commesso, con una necessaria concretizzazione del rimprovero penale, che renda possibile la sua riconducibilità al comportamento addebitato all’imputato. […] Non è chiaro peraltro se lo Stato sia stato realmente gravato di questi costi, nella misura in cui questi siano stati effettivamente pagati con fondi del bilancio regionale e se l’imputato abbia occasionato queste spese”. La decisione dell’OLG Schleswig-Holstein risulta pienamente corretta e convincente, sulla base della disciplina europea e nazionale del mandato d’arresto europeo e dell’estradizione. 2. Quanto al primo e più importante punto (il supposto delitto di “rebelión”) è del tutto evidente l’inesistenza in concreto del requisito della “doppia incriminazione” (“beiderseitige Strafbarkeit”, “double criminality”), necessario per dar corso alla richiesta di estradizione ai sensi del § 3 comma 1 della legge sulla cooperazione giudiziaria internazionale in materia penale (Gesetz über die Internationale Rechtshilfe in Strafsachen, IRG). Il comportamento tenuto da Puigdemont e dagli altri leader indipendentisti durante tutto il percorso politico-istituzionale che ha portato al referendum dell’1 ottobre 2017 e alla successiva dichiarazione unilaterale di indipendenza del 27 ottobre sarebbe infatti – sulla base di una ipotetica applicazione al caso in esame del diritto tedesco – penalmente irrilevante. Il delitto di “Hochverrat gegen den Bund” (“alto tradimento contro lo Stato federale”) – punito dal § 81 StGB con l’ergastolo o con una pena detentiva non inferiore a 10 anni – richiede infatti che si sia concretamente perseguita la separazione di una parte del territorio nazionale “con violenza o tramite minaccia di violenza” (“mit Gewalt oder durch Drohung mit Gewalt”). L’OLG Schleswig-Holstein richiama correttamente la giurisprudenza del Bundesgerichtshof tedesco, che richiede per l’applicazione in concreto di una così grave fattispecie incriminatrice – ed anche della molto più lieve ipotesi della “violenza contro un organo costituzionale” (“Nötigung eines Verfassungsorgans“: § 105 comma 1 StGB) – che la violenza impiegata o minacciata dai rivoltosi abbia concretamente annullato la libertà di decisione nel caso specifico dell’organo costituzionale destinatario della violenza. Un’ipotesi che – come correttamente rileva l’OLG Schleswig-Holstein – mai si è concretamente verificata durante il processo indipendentista dei mesi scorsi, né nei confronti del Parlamento catalano, né nei confronti delle Cortes spagnole. Ma a ben vedere anche sulla base del diritto spagnolo – che l’OLG Schleswig-Holstein non prende in considerazione, in quanto una simile analisi non rientrava nelle sue competenze – l’imputazione formulata dal Tribunal Supremo spagnolo risulta del tutto inverosimile. Il delitto di “rebelión”[1] (art. 472 e 473 CP) punisce infatti con una pena elevatissima (reclusione da 25 a 30 anni, poiché il Tribunal Supremo contesta a Puigdemont e agli altri imputati l’aggravante di aver “distratto i fondi pubblici dalla loro legittima destinazione”) “los que se alzaren violenta y públicamente para cualquiera de los fines siguientes” (“coloro che si sollevino violentemente e pubblicamente per qualsiasi delle seguenti finalità”), fra le quali finalità viene prevista espressamente “declarar la indepedencia de una parte del territorio nacional” (art. 472 n. 5° CP esp.). L’unico elemento di questo gravissimo delitto che possa ragionevolmente ritenersi integrato dal processo indipendentista catalano è l’evento, ossia la dichiarazione unilaterale di indipendenza del 27 ottobre 2017, in esecuzione del risultato del referendum dell’1 ottobre (dichiarato preventivamente illegittimo dal Tribunal constitucional). È indiscutibile dunque l’esistenza della finalità tipica del delitto di “rebelión” a carico di Puigdemont e degli altri imputati, ma è altrettanto evidente l’assoluta inesistenza della condotta materiale tipica di tale grave delitto e soprattutto di un qualsivoglia nesso di causalità fra la condotta e l’evento che rappresentava l’obiettivo di tale illecita finalità. L’art. 472 descrive la condotta tipica come il fatto di “alzarse violenta y públicamente” per conseguire una delle finalità penalmente rilevanti della “rebelión” (quale appunto la separazione della Catalunya dallo Stato spagnolo). In realtà chiunque sia stato in Catalunya nei mesi scorsi ha potuto rilevare il carattere assolutamente pacifico del processo indipendentista: l’unica violenza è stata quella delle ripetute cariche di polizia dell’1 ottobre per tentare di impedire l’esercizio del voto in quello che il Governo spagnolo ed il Tribunal constitucional avevano definito come un referendum illegale e incostituzionale. Ma quand’anche si fossero verificate delle manifestazioni pubbliche di violenza nelle settimane e nei mesi antecedenti al referendum e alla successiva dichiarazione unilaterale di indipendenza, e quand’anche si potesse dimostrare la riconducibilità degli atti di violenza alle decisioni assunte dall’ex Presidente della Generalitat e dalla cupola dei partiti e movimenti indipendentisti – come tenta di dimostrare il provvedimento del Tribunal Supremo spagnolo – ciò che comunque sarebbe inesistente ed indimostrabile sarebbe il nesso di causalità fra gli atti di violenza (condotta tipica del delitto di “rebelión”) e l’evento rappresentato dalla dichiarazione unilaterale di indipendenza della Catalogna. Quest’ultima infatti è derivata da un voto espresso dalla maggioranza del Parlamento catalano il 27 ottobre 2017 in esecuzione del risultato del referendum dell’1 ottobre e la maggioranza in questione era esattamente quella corrispondente ai seggi conseguiti dai partiti indipendentisti alle ultime elezioni catalane. I partiti indipendentisti (Junts x sì e CUP) avevano espressamente dichiarato già in campagna elettorale l’intendimento di giungere a promuovere un referendum sull’indipendenza, nonostante la ferma e reiterata opposizione del Governo spagnolo e le prese di posizione in senso contrario del Tribunal constitucional. Il voto del Parlamento catalano del 27 ottobre 2017 è null’altro che la naturale e fedele conseguenza delle elezioni catalane del 27 settembre 2015, per nulla influenzato dalle ipotetiche manifestazioni di violenza che il Tribunal Supremo spagnolo imputa all’azione politica dell’allora Presidente della Generalitat e degli altri leader indipendentisti. In conclusione, dunque, del delitto di “rebelión” previsto dal Codigo penal spagnolo può essere contestata a Puigdemont e agli altri imputati solo ed esclusivamente la finalità – dichiarata pubblicamente, perseguita con coerenza ed infine conseguita, sia pure in termini assolutamente effimeri e più simbolici che reali – di separare la Catalogna dallo Stato spagnolo. Troppo poco, evidentemente, per ritenere integrati gli elementi costitutivi di un gravissimo delitto che il legislatore spagnolo aveva pensato e descritto con riferimento a vicende di tutt’altra natura, come un tentativo di colpo di stato, un’insurrezione armata, un sollevamento di gruppi militari o paramilitari[2], ecc. È vero che il delitto di “rebelión” è stato costruito dal legislatore spagnolo come una fattispecie a dolo specifico, che non richiede la realizzazione materiale della finalità secessionista; ma è altrettanto evidente che – se non si vuole cadere nella deriva di un “Gesinnungsstrafrecht” di matrice chiaramente autoritaria – la consumazione di un reato di tale gravità non può non presupporre una condotta violenta non solo soggettivamente indirizzata, ma anche oggettivamente idonea, a realizzare la predetta finalità secessionista. Mutatis mutandis, sarebbe come se i consigli regionali di Lombardia e Veneto, anziché assumere alcuni mesi or solo la legittima iniziativa di un referendum popolare per promuovere una maggiore autonomia delle rispettive Regioni, avessero voluto organizzare un referendum per la secessione dallo Stato italiano: la reazione delle autorità governative statali sarebbe stata verosimilmente quella di promuovere un conflitto di attribuzioni fra i poteri dello Stato davanti alla Corte costituzionale; ma certo a nessun ufficio di procura sarebbe venuto in mente di promuovere un’azione penale per “attentato contro organi costituzionali o contro le assemblee regionali” ex art. 289 c.p. o addirittura un’“insurrezione armata contro i poteri dello Stato” ex art. 284 c.p. Ciò che è avvenuto in Spagna, viceversa, è stata una repentina criminalizzazione del conflitto politico-territoriale catalano attraverso un uso assai discutibile e spregiudicato dello strumento penale. L’evidente forzatura interpretativa della ricostruzione operata dal Tribunal Supremo spagnolo è verosimilmente alla base di ciò che l’OLG dello Schleswig Holstein non scrive nella propria decisione, ma sembra implicitamente ritenere: il venir meno nella vicenda in esame del principio della fiducia reciproca fra gli ordinamenti che è alla base della Decisione quadro sul mandato d’arresto europeo e di tutto il sistema della cooperazione giudiziaria europea e la convinzione (anch’essa implicita) che in Spagna non vi sarebbero oggi le condizioni per un giusto processo (“fair trial”) nei confronti di Puigdemont per il delitto di “rebelión”. Una convinzione implicita che trova conferma nel fatto che da molti mesi numerosi esponenti del decaduto Governo catalano ed altri leader indipendentisti si trovino in custodia preventiva per la medesima contestazione del delitto di “rebelión”. 3. Quanto infine al secondo punto della decisione dell’Oberlandsgericht dello Schleswig Holstein, suscita perplessità l’affermazione – sostenuta nella richiesta di mandato d’arresto europeo avanzata dal Tribunal Supremo spagnolo e ripresa in termini adesivi dalla decisione dell’OLG – secondo la quale il delitto di peculato (“malversación de caudales públicos”, “Veruntreuung öffentlicher Gelder”), contestato dal Giudice istruttore del Tribunal Supremo a Puigdemont e ad altri esponenti del decaduto Governo catalano, sarebbe riconducibile alla fattispecie della corruzione presente nel catalogo dei reati presupposto del mandato d’arresto europeo. Non vale infatti sostenere che la Convenzione ONU sulla corruzione del 2003 ed altre iniziative internazionali intendono la corruzione in senso ampio ed atecnico, come comprensiva anche di altre figure di reato del settore pubblico, come appunto la “malversación de caudales públicos”. Un conto infatti è una convenzione internazionale che – nel generico intento politico di contrastare fenomeni di corruzione intesa nel senso più ampio del termine (in senso sociologico più che giuridico-penale) – chieda ai legislatori nazionali di incriminare anche altre ipotesi di reato diverse dalla specifica fattispecie della corruzione; cosa completamente diversa invece è una Decisione quadro che – comportando l’adozione di misure restrittive della libertà personale nella forma del mandato d’arresto europeo – va interpretata in senso tecnico e restrittivo in ordine al “campo d’applicazione del mandato d’arresto europeo” di cui all’art. 2 della Decisione quadro. In ogni caso gli strumenti della cooperazione giudiziaria internazionale avrebbero comunque potuto essere utilmente attivati in forma di richiesta di estradizione, poiché sussiste senz’altro, nell’ipotesi in esame, il requisito della doppia incriminazione: la “malversación de caudales públicos” di cui agli art. 432 e 252 CP esp. – sostanzialmente equivalente alla fattispecie di peculato ex art. 314 c.p. it. – trova infatti corrispondenza nella più generale fattispecie di “Untreue” o “infedeltà patrimoniale” (§ 266 StGB), suscettibile di trovare applicazione anche nel settore pubblico in presenza di condotte di “Veruntreuung öffentlicher Gelder” (“gestione infedele di fondi pubblici”). La richiesta del Tribunal Supremo spagnolo non trova tuttavia accoglimento – come già segnalato all’inizio di questo commento – per la carente descrizione, da parte dell’autorità richiedente, delle circostanze di fatto sulla base delle quali si sosterrebbe la responsabilità dell’imputato da estradare[3]. Un ulteriore ed evidente sintomo di quella implicita carenza di fiducia – da parte dell’autorità giudiziaria a cui è rivolta la richiesta di estradizione – circa la fondatezza dell’impianto accusatorio costruito dal Giudice istruttore del Tribunal Supremo spagnolo contro i leader del processo indipendentista. 4. In conclusione: dopo questa decisione interlocutoria – alla quale ha fatto seguito una rinnovata richiesta delle autorità giudiziarie spagnole, che insistono con fermezza nella pretesa di sottoporre a processo l’ex Presidente della Generalitat Carles Puigdemont – siamo in attesa della decisione definitiva dell’OLG dello Schleswig Holstein. Qualunque sarà la decisione definitiva, essa segnerà comunque una pietra miliare – in un senso o nell’altro – nella storia del mandato d’arresto europeo e della cooperazione giudiziaria europea. 5. Nelle more della conclusione di questo breve commento è sopraggiunta finalmente la decisione definitiva dell’OLG Schleswig-Holstein del 12 luglio 2018, che sostanzialmente conferma la decisione precedente, negando l’estradizione per il delitto di “rebelión” ed ammettendola invece per la “malversación de caudales públicos”. Una settimana più tardi – il 19 luglio – il Giudice istruttore del Tribunal Supremo Pablo Llarena ha deciso, con suo autonomo provvedimento, di rifiutare l’estradizione “dimezzata” [4] e di ritirare tutte le richieste di estradizione e di ordine d’arresto europeo nel frattempo indirizzate in Belgio, Scozia e Svizzera contro altri politici indipendentisti di primo piano rifugiatisi all’estero per sfuggire all’arresto in Spagna. Sembra dunque chiudersi definitivamente – con un passo indietro dell’autorità giudiziaria spagnola (a malincuore e non senza considerazioni polemiche nei confronti della pronuncia della magistratura tedesca) – la partita europea e internazionale per la soluzione penale della questione independentista catalana[5] e la palla ritorna nuovamente nel campo della politica: una politica che – con nuovi attori protagonisti (tanto a Barcellona – con la Presidenza della Generalitat di Quim Torra – quanto a Madrid, dopo la caduta a sorpresa del governo di Mariano Rajoy e l’arrivo alla Moncloa di Pedro Sanchez) – tenta di riprendere – con estrema prudenza da ambo le parti, ma con qualche nuova timida speranza – la difficile via del dialogo e della ricerca di una soluzione politica condivisa alla crisi costituzionale aperta dalla domanda di indipendenza di una parte (sia pur lievemente) maggioritaria della società civile e politica catalana. _____________________________________ [1] Sul quale v. per tutti in dottrina il recentissimo contributo di M. Cugat Mauri, La violencia como elemento del delito de rebelión, in Liber Amicorum. Estudios Juridicos en Homenaje al Prof. Dr. Dr.h.c. Juan M. Terradillos Basoco, Valencia, Tirant Lo Blanch, 2018, p. 567-582. [2] Esempio paradigmatico fu il tentativo di colpo di stato militare che ebbe luogo il 23 febbraio 1981, nel quale una parte dell’esercito spagnolo comandato dal tenente colonnello Tejero fece irruzione nel Parlamento durante il voto di fiducia al Primo Ministro Adolfo Suarez, prendendo in ostaggio parlamentari e governo, mentre altri gruppi militari invadevano alcune strade di Valencia con carrarmati e soldati ed intendevano inviare una divisione di carristi a Madrid per occupare la capitale. [3] Di fronte per di più a dichiarazioni pubbliche della stessa autorità governativa spagnola (l’ex Ministro delle Finanze Montoro) che a suo tempo aveva riconosciuto che per la realizzazione del referendum indipendentista catalano non erano stati impiegati fondi ricavati dal bilancio pubblico. [4] Probabilmente si è tenuto in conto in questa decisione il rischio che per il solo delitto di “malversación de caudales públicos” difficilmente sarebbe stato sostenibile un lungo protrarsi della custodia cautelare in carcere di Puigdemont, e che una volta liberato questi avrebbe potuto esercitare senza limiti il proprio mandato di parlamentare catalano e finanche essere nuovamente eletto come Presidente della Generalitat. [5] V. ad es.: Llarena da por perdida la batalla europea de la rebelión, in La Vanguardia, ed. online, 19 luglio 2018. Full Article
rre Streamlined import of specimen & occurrence records into taxonomic manuscripts By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Fri, 30 Oct 2015 10:55:00 +0200 Substantial amount of documented occurrence records is awaiting publication stored in repositories and data indexing platforms, such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD Systems), or Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio). In order to streamline the authoring process, save taxonomists time, and provide a workflow for peer-review and quality checks, Pensoft has introduced an innovative feature that makes it possible to easily import occurrence records into a taxonomic manuscript. Prior to this development, Pensoft's ARPHA Writing Tool (AWT) only used the "upload from Excel" approach for this workflow. Although this method significantly simplified the process of importing materials and is actively used by the authors, it still required one extra transposition step. Now, we added a new even more user-friendly option. By simply specifying an identifier (ID) in the relevant box, the new import plugin allows for occurrence data, stored at GBIF, BOLD systems, or iDigBio, to be be directly inserted into the manuscript. It all happens in the user-friendly environment of the AWT, where the imported data can be then edited before submission to the Biodiversity Data Journal. Not having to retype or copy/paste species occurrence records, the authors save a lot of efforts. Moreover, they automatically import them in a structured Darwin Core format, which can be easily downloaded from the article text into structured data by anyone who needs the data for reuse after publication. Another important aspect of the workflow is that it will serve as a platform for peer-review, publication and curation of raw data, that is of unpublished individual data records coming from collections or observations stored at GBIF, BOLD and iDigBio. The work has been partially supported by the EC-FP7 EU BON project (ENV 308454, Building the European Biodiversity Observation Network) and the ITN Horizon 2020 project BIG4(Biosystematics, informatics and genomics of the big 4 insect groups: training tomorrow's researchers and entrepreneurs), under Marie Sklodovska-Curie grant agreement No. 542241. Full Article News
rre New EU BON article looks into incorporating spatial autocorrelation in rarefaction methods By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Mon, 16 May 2016 18:46:00 +0300 A new EU BON acknowledged article looks at the recently introduced in scientific literature methods for constructing Spatially Explicit Rarefaction (SER) and their implication for ecologists and conservation biologist. The research was published in the journal Ecological Indicators. Abstract: Recently, methods for constructing Spatially Explicit Rarefaction (SER) curves have been introduced in the scientific literature to describe the relation between the recorded species richness and sampling effort and taking into account for the spatial autocorrelation in the data. Despite these methodological advances, the use of SERs has not become routine and ecologists continue to use rarefaction methods that are not spatially explicit. Using two study cases from Italian vegetation surveys, we demonstrate that classic rarefaction methods that do not account for spatial structure can produce inaccurate results. Furthermore, our goal in this paper is to demonstrate how SERs can overcome the problem of spatial autocorrelation in the analysis of plant or animal communities. Our analyses demonstrate that using a spatially-explicit method for constructing rarefaction curves can substantially alter estimates of relative species richness. For both analyzed data sets, we found that the rank ordering of standardized species richness estimates was reversed between the two methods. We strongly advise the use of Spatially Explicit Rarefaction methods when analyzing biodiversity: the inclusion of spatial autocorrelation into rarefaction analyses can substantially alter conclusions and change the way we might prioritize or manage nature reserves. Original Source: Bacaro, G., Altobelli, A., Camelletti, M., Ciccarelli, D., Martellos, S., Palmer, M.W., Ricotta, C., Rocchini, D., Scheiner, S.M., Tordoni, E., Chiarucci, A. (2016). Incorporating spatial autocorrelation in rarefaction methods: implications for ecologists and conservation biologists. Ecological Indicators, 69: 233-238. [5years-IF: 3.494] doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.04.026 Full Article News
rre Article Alert: Has land use pushed terrestrial biodiversity beyond the planetary boundary? A global assessment By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Wed, 20 Jul 2016 11:16:00 +0300 The planetary boundaries framework attempts to set limits for biodiversity loss within which ecological function is relatively unaffected. In a recent article in Science Newbold et al. present a quantitative global analysis of the extent to which the proposed planetary boundary has been crossed. Abstract: Land use and related pressures have reduced local terrestrial biodiversity, but it is unclear how the magnitude of change relates to the recently proposed planetary boundary ("safe limit"). We estimate that land use and related pressures have already reduced local biodiversity intactness—the average proportion of natural biodiversity remaining in local ecosystems—beyond its recently proposed planetary boundary across 58.1% of the world’s land surface, where 71.4% of the human population live. Biodiversity intactness within most biomes (especially grassland biomes), most biodiversity hotspots, and even some wilderness areas is inferred to be beyond the boundary. Such widespread transgression of safe limits suggests that biodiversity loss, if unchecked, will undermine efforts toward long-term sustainable development. The study is available at http://dx.doi/10.1126/science.aaf2201 Full Article News
rre Article alert: Local biodiversity is higher inside than outside terrestrial protected areas worldwide By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Mon, 15 Aug 2016 17:52:00 +0300 Are protected areas working when it comes to promoting biodivesity? A new study, published in Nature Communications, shows that local biodiversity is actually higher within, rather than outside protected areas. Abstract: Protected areas are widely considered essential for biodiversity conservation. However, few global studies have demonstrated that protection benefits a broad range of species. Here, using a new global biodiversity database with unprecedented geographic and taxonomic coverage, we compare four biodiversity measures at sites sampled in multiple land uses inside and outside protected areas. Globally, species richness is 10.6% higher and abundance 14.5% higher in samples taken inside protected areas compared with samples taken outside, but neither rarefaction-based richness nor endemicity differ significantly. Importantly, we show that the positive effects of protection are mostly attributable to differences in land use between protected and unprotected sites. Nonetheless, even within some human-dominated land uses, species richness and abundance are higher in protected sites. Our results reinforce the global importance of protected areas but suggest that protection does not consistently benefit species with small ranges or increase the variety of ecological niches. Original Source: The original article is openly accessible at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12306 Full Article News
rre Red Sox viewed as a top candidate to land Garrett Crochet by pair of insiders By www.boston.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 22:21:49 +0000 Crochet, 25, was one of the top starting pitchers in the American League last season, posting a 3.58 ERA. The post Red Sox viewed as a top candidate to land Garrett Crochet by pair of insiders appeared first on Boston.com. Full Article Sports Baseball MLB Red Sox
rre Julian Edelman credits Tom Brady for Jets’ current dysfunction By www.boston.com Published On :: Thu, 24 Oct 2024 00:58:03 +0000 "This is kind of a new wrinkle in the league where teams are trying to buy the Super Bowl.” The post Julian Edelman credits Tom Brady for Jets’ current dysfunction appeared first on Boston.com. Full Article Sports Football Julian Edelman NFL Patriots Tom Brady
rre Earth Observation for Biodiversity Monitoring: A review of current approaches and future opportunities for tracking progress towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 10:06:45 +0200 Full Article Events
rre Establishing macroecological trait datasets: digitalization, extrapolation, and validation of diet preferences in terrestrial mammals worldwide By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Thu, 24 Jul 2014 11:13:41 +0300 Full Article Events
rre Corrected data re-harvested: curating literature in the era of networked biodiversity informatics By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Thu, 05 Feb 2015 15:55:51 +0200 Full Article Events
rre Towards a global terrestrial species monitoring program By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Tue, 24 Nov 2015 14:10:48 +0200 Full Article Events
rre An assessment of soil erosion prevention in Mediterranean Europe: current trends of ecosystem service provision By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Tue, 08 Dec 2015 14:41:02 +0200 Full Article Events
rre Incorporating spatial autocorrelation in rarefaction methods: implications for ecologists and conservation biologists By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Mon, 16 May 2016 14:46:08 +0300 Full Article Events
rre Local biodiversity is higher inside than outside terrestrial protected areas worldwide By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Mon, 15 Aug 2016 15:38:36 +0300 Full Article Events
rre Putting susceptibility on the map to improve conservation planning, an example with terrestrial mammals By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Tue, 29 Nov 2016 15:02:32 +0200 Full Article Events
rre Spind: a package for computing spatially corrected accuracy measures By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Wed, 19 Apr 2017 15:34:58 +0300 Full Article Events
rre The long-term ecological research (LTER) network: Relevance, current status, future perspective and examples from marine, freshwater and terrestrial long-term observation By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Tue, 09 May 2017 15:45:53 +0300 Full Article Events
rre Am I a Hypocrite? - By Michael Farren By www.allaboutworship.com Published On :: Mon, 30 May 2016 11:39:12 -0500 Warning, bubble bursting, thoroughly raw post commencing now...read no further if you by some chance hold us Farrens in some undeserved place of sainthood. (Which if you do, this should help adjust that a bit). My truly amazing daughter Madison and I got into a spectacular fight this last Saturday. And If you know the Farrens at all, you know that we are a very passionate clan...we love big, and we fight big. And to be fair, this test of wills did not ensue over some small frivolous matter. No, this “ruin a whole day miserable” episode was wrapped around the intricacies and responsibilities of adulthood, or more to my very loudly made point, the lack thereof. The reality is I could not be more proud of Madison, who is 21 this July, and lives almost an hour away about to start her Senior year of college. She's a bonafide rockstar in my book, but even still, some things just need to be said right?! Of course as with any epic fight, it escalated quickly, and lasted longer than it should have. I was right, (yep, still sticking to my guns on that) but my delivery was less than desirable. There may or may not have been some slamming of fist on tables, and through a litany of now regretted words I finally had the last word…but at a heavy emotional cost to us both. But here is the real kicker, of all the weekends for this to happen, it just so happens that this was the weekend Madison and I were scheduled to lead worship together the following Sunday morning...oh the maddening mystery of Divine timing. We did not speak the rest of the day after this episode, and due to a party we were both attending that evening she ended up spending the night and riding with me to church. It was a somber start of a morning to say the least. As we were walking across the parking lot into the church, I asked Madison why we would still show up to lead worship even after having such a crappy weekend, and she replied quickly, "Because He is still worthy of our worship". Well said daughter, well said. But as we continued into the building, her response got me thinking about something in a completely different way. Even after all my years of leading worship, knowing full well that it has nothing to do with my worth or perfection, I will admit to still wrestling the question of hypocrisy every time I step onto the stage in a broken or messy state of being. But it's not just a worship pastor problem. I would make a very unscientific yet experienced observation that roughly half of all attendees walk into church on any given Sunday feeling more or less hypocritical. But prompted by the Holy Spirit, just before the second service started I actually read for maybe the first time the actual Webster's definition of a hypocrite. Here goes...Hypocrite: "a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs". And just like that, for the first time I truly got it. Week after week I stand and declare that God is great and worthy of all of my adoration and praise. Sunday after Sunday, I passionately exhort almost 600 other people to join me in that refrain. And showing up and continuing to sing about His greatness even after a really rough weekend is the one thing keeping me from being a hypocrite...because for me to keep silent or stay away would most certainly classify me by the definition of "a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs". If He was worthy of praise last Sunday, He's still worthy of it this Sunday, in spite of me. His love and affection for me has never wavered, and so neither should my response to it. My belief in who He is remains the same. Declaring the greatness of our God in our times of greatest brokenness and mess does not make us hypocrites...it makes us believers! Harsh as it may sound, for the first time ever I now see that there are way more hypocrites at home on Sunday than are sitting in the pews. And I'd rather stand with my hands raised next to messy, broken, yet hope filled people, than become a hypocrite. I refuse to let the enemy blackmail me with his lies and accusations...if we have placed our belief in the goodness and kindness of the one true God, let's stop behaving in a way that disagrees with that belief. Show up. And not just on Sunday, but every day. Make the enemy eat his words. Take back your God given righteousness. Stand on your brokenness and lift an even louder praise...no longer bridled by guilt or shame...we are hypocrites no more! Full Article
rre 5 Practical Ways Michael Farren Gets Musically Inspired By www.allaboutworship.com Published On :: Tue, 18 Oct 2016 11:53:02 -0500 To say that Michael Farren is one of today’s top songwriters is a bit of an understatement. Besides penning “Let It Rain” which has sold a mere 2 million copies, been translated into multiple languages, and is impacting worshipers across the globe, Michael has written and is writing many of today's top songs for Christian Artists and churches. As a signed staff writer for Integrity Music he often writes and delivers as many as 100 songs a year. So how does he keep inspiration fresh? Here are some things I’ve observed: 1. Gear is Ready to Go: Just like most of us Michael is always busy with something. Business, Church, Family, and just…life has its demands but he is always ready to record the moment inspiration does strike. Guitars are set out, keyboards are on, and the microphones are hot, just yearning for him to push the big red record button. Which he does, even if he only has 5 minutes before his next meeting. 2. Sounds that Inspire: The right sound can make all the difference. It can bend your ear towards a melody or strike your imagination. When he finds those products that do that, he buys them. Two of them are “The Giant” plugin by Native Instruments and a logic/mainstage instrument preset from Abel Mendoza’s company ‘That Worship Sound’. 3. Instruments That Have Songs In Them: How do you buy a guitar as a songwriter? It’s not the best one or the most expensive. But You pick the one that has the most songs in it. Sounds dumb but it’s true. You play a bunch of them and see which one makes you want to sing a new song and which ones make you want to play an old tune. Then purchase accordingly. 4. Alternative Instruments That Play the Same as a Guitar: Don’t play the banjo or the Mandolin? No problem. As mentioned before the right sound bends your creativity in new directions but sometimes we are hampered by our playing abilities. A few easy solutions are two instruments that Michael keeps close by. The first is a Ganjo – a banjo that has the neck of a guitar. The second is a ‘Nashville Strung’ guitar – accomplished by taking a pack of 12 string guitar strings and then only using the higher string for each note. (hint: use the other strings for your regular guitar) 5. Listen to People's Prayers: If worship songs are supposed to communicate a person's heart to God, then it stands to reason we should be listening to more than just our own heart. When people pray, add your agreement and pay attention. I’m sure I’ll have more nuggets of wisdom to share as I spend more time around the All About Worship offices and studio. Will pass them along as we go. Full Article
rre Surrender to the Process - An interview with Sarah Reeves By www.allaboutworship.com Published On :: Wed, 12 Apr 2017 14:12:26 -0500 It makes perfect sense to all who know Sarah Reeves that she is where she is and doing what she is doing. But the journey it took to get her here has not been an easy or uneventful one. I got the chance to visit with Sarah about her recent single release, Nowhere, and God’s ongoing story in her life. Having been raised in the church and music industry by her record producer father and mother, a nurse, at the age of 15 Sarah encountered the presence of God in a way she never had before. She knew at that moment that He was calling her into a life of music and ministry. She dove head first into leading worship within her local church and by 18 was signed to a label and touring the country leading worship. After some time, she met and married her husband, Philip Kothlow, and decided for a season to step out of music and sort of discover herself and “live some real life . . . away from music”. She took a job working as a preschool teacher and Philip was an electrician at the time. A couple of years into marriage, she found herself in a place she never thought she’d be. “About three years ago . . . I remember us just reaching this point in our marriage where we were facing wall after wall, and struggle after struggle. We came to this place where we found ourselves on the verge of divorce and we knew at that point we had to make a drastic change. We were both working full-time jobs . . . and we decided to step away from those. We went away and really just kind of started over. Focused on each other. Focused on God and putting Him at the center of our marriage. We learned how to be married and fell in love all over again. During that time . . . I started putting out YouTube covers and slowly God started to open up doors again into music. Things were really starting to happen. He had redeemed our marriage and now he was redeeming my artistry again. What I thought was over was just beginning.” Today, Philip is Sarah’s manager and together they are storming back with a fresh perspective on music and a renewed passion for worship. Nowhere dropped April 7th in anticipation of her full album release with Word Records in the fall. When talking about the direction of this new project Sarah said, “God has given me this specific sound . . . but there’s always been this inner battle between being a worship leader and being an artist. There’s this style that I love but I felt the pressure to always keep it straight down the middle if I wanted to be a worship leader. About a year and a half ago, a friend sent me a track . . . and I wrote this song to it that I just loved and something in me came alive in that moment. Through that song I found so much clarity as if God said, ‘Sarah, I’ve given you this sound and you don’t have to choose . . . I’ve given you this gift for you to merge the two together.’ The production is very electronic and pop and hopefully will push the limits of worship leaders to write and produce outside of the box.” When it comes to songwriting, Sarah always tries to “write songs that come from a place of things (she’s) walked through or that would encourage other people.” Her hope is to stretch stylistically and for people to not put the stereotypical worship mindset on this project, but rather to think bigger and more creatively. A lot of her musical style and depth of worship comes from influences such as Jeff Deyo (former lead singer of Sonic Flood who, funnily enough, introduced Sarah to her now husband), Bethel Music, Glades, Ellie Goulding, and Coldplay. Personally, some of the people who have helped shape and mold her into the person she is today are her mother, who has been a huge prayer warrior, her husband, who knows how to encourage and challenge her to be a better person and artist, and her pastors Henry and Alex Seeley from The Belonging, a church that meets in Nashville. Given the journey that it’s taken to get where she is today, we asked Sarah what words of encouragement she would give to those coming up as artists and worship leaders now who might be growing weary of the grind. “One thing that I’ve learned came from a message that Alex Seeley preached a while back called Surrender To The Process, and it’s just been something that I’ve clung to and have had to learn how to do. I had to let my dreams die and had to come to a place where I had completely surrendered my heart, my dreams, my career, everything that I wanted . . . and once I came to that point, He finally was enough for me. I think when we get to that point, it just doesn’t matter . . . our craft, our music, everything that we can see . . . it’s amazing. And if it happens, awesome, but if it doesn’t happen, it’s okay. Our purpose is eternity and to build the Kingdom of God with whatever He’s given us in the moment. Be faithful in those little things and surrender to whatever process He wants to take you through.” Make sure to check out Sarah’s single, Nowhere, available anywhere music is sold. And make sure to keep an eye out for other singles she will release as her full project date this fall gets closer. Full Article
rre 183 AAW: 'Leading Songs' vs. 'Pastoring People' with Michael Farren By www.allaboutworship.com Published On :: Mon, 04 Dec 2017 14:51:46 -0600 Michael King and Michael Farren continue the discussion on the main focus areas for All About Worship - Power of His Presence, Power of His People, and the Power of a Sound. King catches up with Farren in the middle of the KINGDOM SONGS BOOT CAMP and there are some amazing takeaways. “Stop leading songs and start pastoring people” - Michael Farren. Full Article Michael Farren Podcasts
rre The Worship Podcast (Episode 14): The Dangers of Isolation - Michael Farren By www.allaboutworship.com Published On :: Thu, 06 Sep 2018 10:05:11 -0500 Today's podcast is a car ride talk with one of our favorite people in the world - Michael Farren. We're talking about the dangers of isolation ... it's a sneaky weapon of the enemy uses (many times) against creatives and leaders alike. When you don't know you're isolating yourself from people and relationships, you need an answer; A shift. Listen in to find out what that shift was for these guys, and what it might be for you too. Enjoy! ----------------- The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey). Subscribe to the podcast:theworshippodcast.comlinktr.ee/theworshippodcast You can also connect with The Worship Podcast on social media:The Worship Podcast on FacebookThe Worship Podcast on InstagramThe Worship Podcast on Twitter Full Article
rre Why Garrett Crochet makes sense as a Red Sox trade target By sports.yahoo.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 17:24:42 GMT With Garrett Crochet linked to the Red Sox as a potential trade candidate, John Tomase explains why the White Sox pitcher would be a great fit in Boston. Full Article article Sports
rre Trump’s election win will create demand for cryptocurrency insurance By finance.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-13T11:55:09Z Full Article
rre Adventures in Drywall: Over a Barrel By www.wconline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 14:15:00 -0400 By always being willing to do work that was specialized and making sure that it was done right, I kept busy. I have suggested this idea in previous articles. And when I hear guys complaining that they can’t compete against the 30-man crews, I wonder if they have considered doing specialized work. Full Article
rre Crowdfunding campaign aims to resurrect former vinspired service By www.thirdsector.co.uk Published On :: Fri, 21 Jun 2019 10:39:54 +0100 The defunct charity's former digital director wants to set up its digital volunteer recruitment network as a social enterprise Full Article Digital
rre Contractor Accused of Fraud in New Jersey Arrested in Las Vegas By www.wconline.com Published On :: Fri, 01 Nov 2024 08:00:00 -0400 The Las Vegas police arrested a Pennsylvania contractor who is accused of defrauding New Jersey homeowners out of $140,000, reported Chris Spiker of Daily Voice Burlington County NJ. Full Article
rre Small businesses underrepresented in rulemaking process, report says By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 00:00:00 -0500 Washington – Health and safety standards could be weakened in certain cases because small businesses have been left out of the federal rulemaking process, according to a report from the Center for Effective Government. Full Article
rre Bystander CPR helps cardiac arrest survivors return to work: study By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 00:00:00 -0400 Dallas – More people are able to return to work after suffering cardiac arrest thanks in part to an increased number of bystanders performing CPR, researchers conclude in a new Danish study. Full Article
rre Toolkit aimed at curbing health decline among correctional workers By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Sat, 25 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400 Lowell, MA — Noting that corrections officers have an average life expectancy that’s 16 years less than other occupational groups, the Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace has created a mentoring toolkit aimed at combating a decline in health early in correctional workers’ careers. Full Article
rre AI tool may help prevent sudden cardiac arrest among firefighters By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Wed, 09 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400 Gaithersburg, MD — Recently developed artificial intelligence software can determine whether firefighters may be about to experience a potentially fatal cardiac event, researchers say. Full Article
rre Lift correctly By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500 No matter what industry you work in, some amount of lifting likely will be required. Overexertion injuries – which most often occur when a load is being lifted or otherwise handled – account for 22 percent of nonfatal work injuries, according to 2009 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Full Article
rre DOL OIG releases list of current and planned audits for FY 2023 By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Wed, 09 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500 Washington — The adequacy of OSHA’s future pandemic planning and the effectiveness of the agency’s National Emphasis Program on COVID-19 may be evaluated this fiscal year by the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Full Article
rre New tool helps track corrective action at mines By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Tue, 20 Aug 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Arlington – The Mine Safety and Health Administration on Aug. 14 issued a new online tool to help mine operators track their record of correcting violations. Full Article
rre Tech Session takes a look at OSHA’s ‘current activities’ By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Wed, 24 Oct 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Houston — When OSHA revised its rules for reporting severe injuries in 2014, agency officials were not sure what to expect, Patrick Kapust, deputy director of OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs, said Monday during the “OSHA Current Activities Update” Technical Session at the 2018 National Safety Council Congress & Expo. Full Article
rre Underreporting of injuries among greatest management challenges for OSHA, MSHA: report By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Tue, 20 Nov 2018 00:00:00 -0500 Washington — Incomplete initiatives aimed at improving employer reporting of injuries are among the top management and performance challenges facing OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration, according to a Department of Labor Office of Inspector General report released in November. Full Article
rre MSHA completes internal fixes spurred by Upper Big Branch disaster By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0500 Arlington, VA – The Mine Safety and Health Administration has addressed all of the 100 corrective actions recommended in its 2012 internal review following the Upper Big Branch mine explosion in April 2010, the agency announced Jan. 13. Full Article
rre Fall arrest harness with high-visibility vest By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Sun, 25 Jun 2017 00:00:00 -0400 The NEWTON EASYFIT HI-VIZ Fall Arrest Harness has a fluorescent-colored vest with reflective strips. Full Article
rre Using the correct noise monitoring equipment By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Sun, 23 Jul 2017 00:00:00 -0400 When should I use a noise dosimeter instead of a sound level meter? Full Article
rre OIG finds no evidence that MSHA fines act as deterrents By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Thu, 19 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Washington — A recent audit from the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General found no correlation between safe mining operations and paid civil monetary penalties issued by the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Full Article
rre Grand jury indicts Didion Milling, six current and former employees after fatal mill explosion By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400 Madison, WI — A federal grand jury has indicted Didion Milling and six of its current and former employees on nine charges, including two willful violations of OSHA standards. Full Article
rre Editor’s Note: Repeat occurrences By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Sun, 26 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500 In this issue, we present expanded coverage of OSHA’s “Top 10” most cited standards for fiscal year 2023. In addition to the overall Top 10, you’ll find lists for willful and serious violations, OSHA regions and – new for us – a list of which industries have the most citations. Full Article
rre NELP to USDA: Faster poultry-processing line speeds during COVID-19 pandemic ‘irresponsible and reckless’ By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Thu, 18 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400 Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service in April approved 15 poultry processing plants’ requests to increase line speeds 25% – despite reported cases of COVID-19 among workers and at least one fatality related to the ongoing pandemic, according to a new policy brief from the National Employment Law Project. Full Article
rre Community spread of COVID-19 occurred faster in counties with meatpacking facilities: study By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Fri, 04 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400 Davis, CA — U.S. counties that are home to beef-, pork- and poultry-processing plants experienced accelerated COVID-19 infection rates during the pandemic, according to a recent study led by a researcher at the University at California, Davis. Full Article
rre Tower worker video offers overview of fall arrest lanyard testing By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Tue, 26 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400 Dayton, OH — Communications tower workers: Always use lanyards with appropriate fall clearance – and never connect the equipment back to itself unless that’s the way the lanyard is designed. Full Article
