New York Times: "Thousands of the nation’s largest water polluters are outside the Clean Water Act’s reach because the Supreme Court has left uncertain which waterways are protected by that law, according to interviews with regulators. As a result, some businesses are declaring that the law no longer applies to them. And pollution rates are rising. Companies that have spilled oil, carcinogens and dangerous bacteria into lakes, rivers and other waters are not being prosecuted, according to Environmental Protection Agency regulators working on those cases, who estimate that more than 1,500 major pollution investigations have been discontinued or shelved in the last four years.
• "The two Supreme Court decisions at issue — Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. United States Army Corps of Engineers in 2001 and Rapanos v. United States in 2006 — focused on the federal government’s jurisdiction over various wetlands. In both cases, dissenting justices warned that limiting the power of the federal government would weaken its ability to combat water pollution. “Cases now are lost because the company is discharging into a stream that flows into a river, rather than the river itself,” said David M. Uhlmann, a law professor at the University of Michigan who led the environmental crimes section of the Justice Department during the last administration."

Telling the story of women's work is never done: Writing Women Back into History” is the theme for National Women’s History Month, March 2010, the annual celebration of women in the United States. For years women’s contributions were routinely underestimated or ignored even in the history of librarianship. While this still remains the case for much of history, the second wave of feminism reinvigorated interest in, and work on, “women’s history” at the academic and community levels. Now children learn about Sojourner Truth as well as Betsy Ross and we understand that Abigail Adams contributed to the founding of this country as did her husband, John, our nation’s second president."
For additional programming ideas and resource materials, see “(At Least) 21 Ideas for Celebrating Women’s History Month” and “To Help You Plan.”

Andrés Duany, a renowned Miami architect and planner is has a solution for dealing with the post-quake housing crisis in Haiti. He has devised a stripped-down, bunkhouse-like structure made of near indestructible, space-age materials that can withstand earthquakes and hurricanes . Dubbed the ‘core house’, this light, expandable temporary dwelling accommodates eight people. http://m.greendiary.com/entry/miami-architect-designs-core-house-for-haitis-homeless/

Andrew Carnegie gave $2 million in 1901 to start the Carnegie Institute of Technology (CIT) at Pittsburgh and the same amount in 1902 to found the Carnegie Institution at Washington, D.C. He later contributed more to these and other schools. CIT is now part of Carnegie Mellon University. Carnegie served on the Board of Cornell University. In 1911, Andrew Carnegie became a sympathetic benefactor to George Ellery Hale, who was trying to build the 100 inch (2.5 m) Hooker telescope at Mount Wilson, and donated an additional ten million dollars to the Carnegie Institution with the following suggestion to expedite the construction of the telescope: "I hope the work at Mount Wilson will be vigorously pushed, because I am so anxious to hear the expected results from it. I should like to be satisfied before I depart, that we are going to repay to the old land some part of the debt we owe them by revealing more clearly than ever to them the new heavens." The telescope saw first light on November 2, 1917, with Carnegie still alive.[20] In Scotland, he gave $10 million in 1901 to establish the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, a fund to assist education at Scottish universities.[21] He was subsequently elected Lord Rector of University of St. Andrews. He also donated large sums of money to Dunfermline, the place of his birth. In addition to a library, Carnegie also bought the private estate which became Pittencrieff Park and opened it to all members of the public, establishing the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust[22] to benefit the people of Dunfermline. A statue of him stands there today. He gave a further $10 million in 1913 to endow the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust, a grant-making foundation.[23][24] Carnegie also established large pension funds in 1901 for his former employees at Homestead and, in 1905, for American college professors. The latter fund evolved into TIAA-CREF. One critical requirement was that church-related schools had to sever their religious connections to get his money. His interest in music led him to fund construction of 7,000 church organs. He built and owned Carnegie Hall in New York City.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Carnegie

Pollepel Island[1] is an island in the Hudson River. Also known as Pollopel Island, Pollopel's Island, and Bannerman Island, it is the site of Bannerman's Castle[2][3] The name is from the Dutch word pollepel 'ladle'. Pollepel Island is about 50 miles (80 km) north of New York City[4] and about 1,000 feet (300 m) from the Hudson River's eastern shore.[3] It contains about 6.5 acres (26,000 m2) — most of it rock.[3] The principal feature on the island is Bannerman's Castle, an abandoned military surplus warehouse.[2] It was built in the style of a castle by businessman Francis Bannerman VI (1851–1918).[3] It remains one of a very small number of structures in the United States which can properly be called a castle. Pollepel Island is sometimes referred to as Bannerman's Island.[5] One side of the castle carries the words "Bannerman's Island Arsenal".[2] Pollepel Island was discovered during the first navigation of the Hudson River by early Dutch settlers in New York,[6] at the "Northern Gate" of the Hudson Highlands. There are accounts Native Americans believed the island was haunted and European settlers also told tales about it, including the legend of Polly Pell, invented to explain the island's name after its Dutch origins had been forgotten. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollepel_Island

Muse reader shares BEST EVER salad dressing recipe dating from the 40s or 50s. There are many more oils and vinegars that can be substituted (as well as spices) and it is an excellent, excellent base for not only dressing, but dip, sandwich spread, meat marinade/rub, etc.

2 med garlic cloves (or more if you’re into garlic)
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t tarragon
1/2 t sugar
1 t dried mustard
1 egg
1 c salad oil
1/4-1/3 c cider vinegar

Food process spices and garlic. Add egg and continue processing. Slowly pour in oil (this is where emulsification happen) then add vinegar until desired consistency. It keeps for ages in the fridge. Sometimes I throw in bleu cheese AFTER it’s emulsified. Sometimes I use dill or thyme in place of the tarragon. Sometimes I use lemon or lime juice/rice vinegar/balsamic—just keep the proportions consistent and it’s almost no fail.

Q: When will the census forms be delivered and who is responsible for them?
A: The census "package" will be delivered by a U.S. Census Bureau worker between today and April 30, or by the U.S. Postal Service between March 15 and March 17. It includes a cover letter, a form, and a return envelope. The form has only 10 questions and is one of the shortest. The head of household must complete the form for everyone living there on April 1. People who live and sleep at the address most of the time should be listed, as should people staying on April 1 with no permanent address. Federal law requires a response and the head of household can be fined of up to $5,000 if he/she doesn't, but "the Census Bureau views this approach as a last resort." The Census Bureau is required by the Constitution to count everyone in the country every 10 years, regardless of citizenship status. -- U.S. Department of Commerce.
Q: What should I do when I encounter a revolving door when I'm with someone else? Should one let one's female companion or business partner proceed through the door first, having to shoulder most of the effort to start it spinning? Or should one proceed first, providing the initial effort, but seeming rude by entering first?
A: Men traditionally entered a revolving door first if it wasn't moving, but women went first if it was already in motion. This old bit of etiquette was based on the notion that women needed help to push the door. Today, the person in front enters first and pushes.
Separately, the larger question of when a man should open a door or hold a chair for a woman depends largely on whether the woman will appreciate these gestures. It is probably fair to say that most young women today are not inclined to sit in a car while a date walks around to open the door. The man's best bet is to ask: "May I get the door for you?" or "Can I hold your chair?" By leaving the choice to her, he doesn't have to guess about her preference. The woman should respond politely: "Yes, thank you" or "No, but thank you. I can manage it." Of course, this works between two men, two women, or a woman and a man also. Like so many matters of modern etiquette, a little communication between people involved is the logical way to resolve the problem. -- Emily Post's Etiquette Daily. http://www.thecourier.com/Opinion/columns/2010/Mar/JU/ar_JU_030110.asp?d=030110,2010,Mar,01&c=c_13