Poetry contributes to creative diversity, by questioning anew our use of words and things, our modes of perception and understanding of the world. Through its associations, its metaphors and its own grammar, poetic language is thus conceivably another facet of the dialogue among cultures. Diversity in dialogue, free flow of ideas by word, creativity and innovation. World Poetry Day is an invitation to reflect on the power of language and the full development of each person’s creative abilities. Every year on 21 March UNESCO celebrates the World Poetry Day. A decision to proclaim 21 March as World Poetry Day was adopted during the UNESCO’s 30th session held in Paris in 1999. According to the UNESCO’s decision, the main objective of this action is to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard within their communities. Moreover, this Day is meant to support poetry, return to the oral tradition of poetry recitals, promote teaching poetry, restore a dialogue between poetry and the other arts such as theatre, dance, music, painting and so on, support small publishers and create an attractive image of poetry in the media so that the art of poetry will no longer be considered an outdated form of art but one. UNESCO encourages the Member States to take an active part in celebrating the World Poetry Day, at both local and national level, with the active participation of National Commissions, NGOs and the public and private institutions concerned (schools, municipalities, poetic communities, museums, cultural associations, publishing houses, local authorities, etc.). Background In today’s world there are unfulfilled aesthetic needs. Poetry can meet this need if its social role of interpersonal communication is recognized and it continues to be the means of arousing and expressing awareness. Over the past 20 years there has been a strong revival of interest in poetry, with a proliferation of poetic activities in the various Member States and an increase in the number of poets. It is a social need, which incites young people in particular to return to their roots, and a means whereby they can look into themselves at a time when the outside world is irresistibly luring them away from themselves. Moreover, as an individual, the poet is taking on a new role as the public becomes more and more appreciative of poetry evenings with readings by the poets themselves. This shift in society towards the recognition of ancestral values also represents a return to the oral tradition and an acceptance of speech as a means of socializing and structuring the individual. There is still a tendency in the media and among the general public to refuse to take the poet seriously. Action is needed to free ourselves in order to make this image a thing of the past and to give poetry its rightful place in society. During its 30th session held in Paris in October-November 1999, UNESCO decided to proclaim 21 March as World Poetry Day. UNESCO Director-General's Message Poetry has a thousand faces and always springs from the depths of the culture of peoples. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has long supported the work of poets, publishers and teachers worldwide. This year, once again, on the occasion of World Poetry Day, UNESCO wishes to highlight the artistic importance and the power of poetry in encouraging people to read and in creating one of humanity’s most authentic and dynamic art forms. Poets convey a timeless message. They are often key witness to history’s great political and social changes. Their writings inspire us to build lasting peace in our minds, to rethink relations between man and nature and to establish humanism founded on the uniqueness and diversity of peoples. This is a difficult task, requiring the participation of all, whether in schools, libraries or cultural institutions. To quote the poet Tagore, the 150th anniversary of whose birth will be celebrated this year, “I have spent my days in stringing and unstringing my instrument”. It is important to understand the strong ties between poetry and all of the arts and techniques on which people draw to make sense of the world. Mallarmé used to say that poetry was the “expression, in human language restored to its essential rhythm, of the mysterious meaning of the aspects of existence”. Poetry is not merely a means of communicating or transmitting information, for, as poets work constantly on the language, poetry also enlivens human discourse and always reveals the original brilliance of culture. UNESCO therefore sees the defence of freedom of expression and information, on one hand, and the promotion of poetry, on the other, as two indissociable components of its mandate for peace. As poetry reaches deeply into the innermost efforts of men and women to create and reflect, it has the capacity to sustain dialogue amid the diversity of human expression. UNESCO undertakes to ensure, under its various programmes, that poetry is more widely published, translated and disseminated. In the same way as Jason entrusted Orpheus with the task of surmounting obstacles that could not be overcome through physical strength or warfare, so too shall we need poetry for a long time in order to build peace in the minds of men and women. Irina Bokova UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION PROCLAMATION OF 21MARCH AS WORLD POETRY DAY INTRODUCTION During its 30th session held in Paris in October-November 1999; UNESCO has decided to proclaim 21 March as World Poetry Day. An analysis of the situation of poetry in this end of century has highlighted the following considerations: (i) In today’s world there are unfulfilled aesthetic needs. Poetry can meet this need if its social role of interpersonal communication is recognized and it continues to be the means of arousing and expressing awareness. (ii) Over the past 20 years there has been a strong revival of interest in poetry, with a proliferation of poetic activities in the various Member States and an increase in the number of poets. (iii) It is a social need, which incites young people in particular to return to their roots, and a means whereby they can look into themselves at a time when the outside world is irresistibly luring them away from themselves. (iv) Moreover, as an individual, the poet is taking on a new role as the public becomes more and more appreciative of poetry evenings with readings by the poets themselves. (v) This shift in society towards the recognition of ancestral values also represents a return to the oral tradition and an acceptance of speech as a means of socializing and structuring the individual. (vi) There is still a tendency in the media and among the general public to refuse to take the poet seriously. Action is needed to free ourselves in order to make this image a thing of the past and to give poetry its rightful place in society. 1. UNESCO’S ROLE IN PROMOTING POETRY The initiative of a global action in favour of poetry would give recognition and fresh impetus to national, regional and international poetic movements. The main objective of this action should be to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard within their communities. The day would be celebrated throughout the world, starting in 2000. The idea that it might open the Cultural Olympics to be held in Delphi in 2001 is also under consideration. As 21 March is to be devoted to the elimination of racial discrimination, it would be a good idea that, during the first instance, these two causes are associated in their celebration on the same day. At a time when poetry is flourishing, this day could provide an occasion for activities and efforts carried out at different levels to support poetry and more particularly to promote: (i) the efforts of small publishers who are struggling to enter the book market by publishing more and more collections by young poets; (ii) a return to the oral tradition, or rather to live performance, since poetry recitals attract more and more people today; (iii) the restoration of dialogue between poetry and the other arts such as theatre, dance, music, painting and so on, and with topical themes like the culture of peace, nonviolence, tolerance, etc.; (iv) the association, on the occasion of World Poetry Day, of all the arts and philosophy, which is also akin to poetry, so as to breathe new meaning into the dictum of Delacroix who wrote in his Journal: “There is no art without poetry”; (v) the image of poetry in the media so that the art of poetry will no longer be considered an outdated form of art but one which enables society as a whole to regain and assert its identity. 2. PROGRAMME OF THE CELEBRATION Each country is invited to celebrate the day of 21 March in its own way, with the active participation of National Commissions, NGOs and the public and private institutions concerned (schools, municipalities, poetic communities, museums, associations, publishing houses, local authorities and so on). For its part, UNESCO will endeavour to encourage and support national initiatives designed, inter alia, to: (i) further the introduction of poetry as an important feature of arts education in school curricula; (ii) raise awareness in schools so that World Poetry Day will be celebrated in the most interdisciplinary way possible by and in schools; (iii) encourage the award of poetry prizes; (iv) mobilize municipal authorities so that they will contribute actively to the preparation and celebration ofWorld Poetry Day; and (v) promote the creation of a network of prizes in each Member State (and Associate Member) (vi) elaborate an electronic repertoire of poetic institutions and/or associations in different Member States and associated Members. 3. RESOLUTION OF THE 30TH SESSION OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF UNESCO ADOPTED ON 15 NOVEMBER 1999 The General Conference, 1. Having considered document 30 C/82, Proclamation of 21 March as World Poetry Day, together with the Executive Board’s decision concerning such proclamation (157 EX/Decision 3.4.2), 2. Endorsing the recommendations of the ad hoc meeting whose conclusions are set out in document 157 EX/9 and which, following a detailed analysis of the state of poetry as the century draws to a close, regards the proclamation of a day for poetry with satisfaction and enthusiasm, 3. Convinced that the initiative for a worldwide event in support of poetry would give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional and international poetry movements, 4. Mindful that this event, which responds to aesthetic needs in the present-day world, must have repercussions in the promotion of linguistic diversity, since through poetry endangered languages will have greater opportunities to express themselves within their respective communities, 5. Mindful also that a societal movement expressed in the recognition of ancestral values is also a return to the oral tradition and acceptance of the word as a socializing and structuring element of the human individual, and that such a movement, which may help the young to recover basic values, constitutes a means for them to come face to face with themselves, 6. Recalling that, since poetry is an art rooted both in the written text and in the given word, any action to promote it should be conducive to an intensification of international intercultural exchanges, 7. Proclaims 21 March as World Poetry Day; 8. Invites the Member States of UNESCO to take an active part in celebrating this Day, at both local and national level, with the active participation of National Commissions, NGOs and the public and private institutions concerned (schools, municipalities, poetic communities, museums, cultural associations, publishing houses, local authorities and so on); 9. Invites the Director-General of UNESCO to encourage and support all national, regional and international initiatives taken in this respect. UPCOMING OBSERVANCES: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 March) International Day of Nowruz (21 March 2011) World Poetry Day (21 March) World Water Day (22 March) International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims (24 March) International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (25 March) International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members (25 March)
There are times that one needs to take time off even if it’s not an official holiday (in the US). One of such days is March 8th. I decided to take this afternoon off, partly because I have been working on weekends week after week and partly because I have things that need to be taken care of. I left work at 1 pm, with a list of things to do. My first stop is Kaiser contact lens department, to order new lenses for my son. Right, motherhood comes first, even on March 8th. Then, to Sears. My dishwasher has been broken for months. I don’t mind hand-washing dishes, but it takes too much time and wastes too much water. A dishwasher is not very expensive, if I don’t go for the top quality. I had a new one some seven years ago, but it did not live up to its “expected life expectancy,” which is about 10 years. I could have it fixed for $200 or so, but what if it breaks again in a year, as my old washing machine did. What a better day can one have to purchase a brand-new dishwasher than March 8th! Instead of go on with my long list, I decided to get a dozen malasadas ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malasada ) for my female friends/co-workers. I made at least 11 women at work a little happier (and a little fatter) on this International Women’s Day! ps. Today marks the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day .
Advanced Robotics Artificial Life and Robotics Autonomous Robots Intelligent Service Robotics International Journal of Social Robotics Journal of Intelligent Robotic Systems IEEE Transactions on Robotics (T-RO) IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering (T-ASE) IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation (T-RA, published from March 1985 to June 2004, replaced by T-RO and T-ASE) Industrial Robot International Journal of Robotics Research International Journal of Robotics and Automation Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems Journal of Field Robotics International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery Journal of Robotic Systems Mechatronics Robotica Robotics Automation Magazine Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Highly Active PdPt Catalysts for the Electrochemical Reduction of H2O2 J. Electrochem. Soc., Volume 158, Issue 4, pp. B434-B439 (2011)(Published 2 March 2011) ABSTRACT REFERENCES (54) Brian D. Adams , Cassandra K. Ostrom , and Aicheng Chen Department of Chemistry, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 5E1, Canada Recent studies have shown that the use of hydrogen peroxide as a fuel cell oxidant instead of oxygen significantly increases the power density. In this paper, we report on highly active carbon supported PdPt catalysts for hydrogen peroxide reduction. Four different PdPt electrocatalysts, Pd/C, Pt/C, Pd 0.5 Pt 0.5 /C, and Pd 0.25 Pt 0.75 /C, were prepared and characterized using transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and Brunauer–Emmet–Teller surface area analysis. The electrocatalytic activities of these synthesized catalysts were studied using a rotating disk electrode system with a combination of linear sweep voltammetry and chronoamperometry. Our studies show that the Pd 0.25 Pt 0.75 /C catalyst has the highest activity for hydrogen peroxide reduction, outperforming the Pd/C, Pt/C, and Pd 0.5 Pt 0.5 /C catalysts. 2011 The Electrochemical Society History: Submitted 4 November 2010; revised 5 January 2011; published 2 March 2011 Permalink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1.3548529
Effect of Addition of SnO x to the Pt2Ru3/C Catalyst on CO Tolerance for the Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell J. Electrochem. Soc., Volume 158, Issue 4, pp. B448-B453 (2011)(Published 2 March 2011) ABSTRACT REFERENCES (31) Guoxiong Wang , Tatsuya Takeguchi , Ernee Noryana Muhamad , Toshiro Yamanaka , and Wataru Ueda Catalysis Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0021, Japan SnO x -modified Pt 2 Ru 3 /C catalysts were prepared by depositing SnO x nanoparticles onto a commercial Pt 2 Ru 3 /C catalyst at different p H values together with a post-treatment in reduction atmosphere to improve the catalytic activity for H 2 /CO electro-oxidation. The structure and morphology of Pt 2 Ru 3 /C and SnO x -modified Pt 2 Ru 3 /C catalysts were characterized by x-ray diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscopy. Electrochemical activities were evaluated by CO stripping voltammetry and a single cell test in combination with on line microgas chromatograph analysis and in situ infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS). The Pt 2 Ru 3 /C and SnO x -modified Pt 2 Ru 3 /C catalysts had similar morphology and particle size. Electrochemical, on line microgas chromatograph analysis of anode outlet gas and in situ IRRAS measurements indicated that the SnO x -modified Pt 2 Ru 3 /C catalyst prepared at the p H value of 5 during the SnO x deposition process exhibited the greatest CO tolerance by improving the CO electro-oxidation efficiency. 2011 The Electrochemical Society History: Submitted 6 November 2010; revised 14 January 2011; published 2 March 2011 Permalink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1.3552942
'What Do You Really Want From Us?' 【The Washington Post】 Sunday, May 18, 2008 This poem appeared on the Internet in March and has since gone viral, popping up on thousands of blogs and Web sites, in both English and Chinese. Its authorship could not be confirmed. When we were the Sick Man of Asia, We were called the Yellow Peril. When we are billed as the next Superpower, we are called The Threat. When we closed our doors, you launched the Opium War to open our markets. When we embraced free trade, you blamed us for stealing your jobs. When we were falling apart, you marched in your troops and demanded your fair share. When we tried to put the broken pieces back together again, Free Tibet, you screamed. It was an Invasion! When we tried communism, you hated us for being communist. When we embraced capitalism, you hated us for being capitalist. When we had a billion people, you said we were destroying the planet. When we tried limiting our numbers, you said we abused human rights. When we were poor, you thought we were dogs. When we lend you cash, you blame us for your national debts. When we build our industries, you call us polluters. When we sell you goods, you blame us for global warming. When we buy oil, you call it exploitation and genocide. When you go to war for oil, you call it liberation. When we were lost in chaos, you demanded the rule of law. When we uphold law and order against violence, you call it a violation of human rights. When we were silent, you said you wanted us to have free speech. When we are silent no more, you say we are brainwashed xenophobes. Why do you hate us so much? we asked. No, you answered, we don't hate you. We don't hate you either, But do you understand us? Of course we do, you said, We have AFP, CNN and BBC. . . . What do you really want from us? Think hard first, then answer . . . Because you only get so many chances. Enough is Enough, Enough Hypocrisy for This One World. We want One World, One Dream, and Peace on Earth. This Big Blue Earth is Big Enough for all of Us. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/16/AR2008051603460.html 【译文-中文】你究竟想让我们怎么样？ 【翻译作者】：mossblue This poem appeared on the Internet in March and has since gone viral, popping up on thousands of blogs and Web sites, in both English and Chinese. Its authorship could not be confirmed. 这首诗在三月时出现在互联网上，自此之后如病毒一样在英国和中国两地的上千篇博客和网站传播。这首诗的作者尚未得到确认。 When we were the Sick Man of Asia,We were called the Yellow Peril. 曾经我们是东亚病夫，我们被叫成黄祸。 When we are billed as the next Superpower, we are called The Threat. 现在我们被宣传为下一个超级大国，我们又被称作恐吓。 When we closed our doors, you launched the Opium War to open our markets. 曾经我们闭关锁国，你发动鸦片战争撞开我们的大门。 When we embraced free trade, you blamed us for stealing your jobs. 最终我们拥抱了自由贸易，而你则谴责我们抢断了你们的工作。 When we were falling apart, you marched in your troops and demanded your fair share. 曾经我们势如危卵，你调转铁蹄来强取豪夺。 When we tried to put the broken pieces back together again, Free Tibet, you screamed. It was an Invasion! 当我们想重拾旧山河，你高叫着：解放西藏，希望我们相向倒戈！ When we tried communism, you hated us for being communist. 我们走上共产主义道路，你仇视我们是布尔什维克。 When we embraced capitalism, you hated us for being capitalist. 我们和资本主义结合，你厌恶我们是资本投机者。 When we had a billion people, you said we were destroying the planet. 我们拥有数十亿人民，你说我们挤占地球。 When we tried limiting our numbers, you said we abused human rights. 我们控制人口膨胀，你控诉我们人权龌龊。 When we were poor, you thought we were dogs. 我们贫穷落魄，你认为我们是猪猡。 When we lend you cash, you blame us for your national debts. 现在你借债许多，却责骂我们是你是的债权国。 When we build our industries, you call us polluters. 我们建设自己的工业，你叫我们污染者。 When we sell you goods, you blame us for global warming. 我们销售你的商品，你给我们扣上全球变暖的黑锅。 When we buy oil, you call it exploitation and genocide. 我们购买石油，你说我们进行能源剥削导致枯竭 When you go to war for oil, you call it liberation. 你们为石油大动干戈，你美名曰拯救尔等于水火。 When we were lost in chaos, you demanded the rule of law. 当我们混乱不堪、你呼吁什么法律规则。 When we uphold law and order against violence, you call it a violation of human rights. 当我们有法可循、除暴安良，你指着这是践踏人权、罪不可赦。 When we were silent, you said you wanted us to have free speech. 当我们沉默，你说想要我们发出自由之声。 When we are silent no more, you say we are brainwashed xenophobes. 当我们不再沉默，你却将我们描绘被洗脑的仇外者。 Why do you hate us so much? we asked. 为什么你如此仇视我们？我们问到 No, you answered, we don’’t hate you. 不，你回答，我们没有仇视。 We don’’t hate you either, 我们对你亦无仇恨。 But do you understand us? 但你们可了解我们？ Of course we do, you said, 当然了解，你说道， We have AFP, CNN and BBC. . . . 我们有AFP、CNN和BBC…… What do you really want from us? 你究竟想让我们怎么样？ Think hard first, then answer . . . 好好想想吧，你们能如此一簧两舌…… Because you only get so many chances. 只因我们宽宥待人、有容乃大。 Enough is Enough, Enough Hypocrisy for This One World. 就此打住吧，我们看尽了世间假仁假义。 We want One World, One Dream, and Peace on Earth. 只求得美美与共、天下大同。 This Big Blue Earth is Big Enough for all of Us. 在这片碧顶穹空下是我们共同的家园。 http://www.tianya.cn/publicforum/content/no110/1/124576.shtml
http://lshtc.iit.demokritos.gr/LSHTC2_CFP Sorry for cost post. Key dates * Start of testing: January 15, 2011 * End of testing: March 31, 2011 * Submission of executables and short papers to challenge organizers: April 30, 2011 * Submission of workshop papers: May 31, 2010 * ECML'11 workshop (subject to approval): September 5, 2011 Following a successful first edition, we are pleased to announce the 2nd edition of the Large Scale Hierarchical Text Classification (LSHTC) Pascal Challenge. The LSHTC Challenge is a hierarchical text classification competition, using large datasets. This year’s challenge will increase the scale and the difficulty of the task, using data from Wikipedia ( www.wikipedia.org ), in addition to the ODP Web directory data ( www.dmoz.org ). Hierarchies are becoming ever more popular for the organization of text documents, particularly on the Web. Web directories and Wikipedia are two examples of such hierarchies. Along with their widespread use, comes the need for automated classification of new documents to the categories in the hierarchy. As the size of the hierarchy grows and the number of documents to be classified increases, a number of interesting machine learning problems arise. In particular, it is one of the rare situations where data sparsity remains an issue, despite the vastness of available data: as more documents become available, more classes are also added to the hierarchy, and there is a very high imbalance between the classes at different levels of the hierarchy. Additionally, the statistical dependence of the classes poses challenges and opportunities for the learning methods. The challenge consists of three categorization tasks, involving different documents and category systems. In particular, the largest category system, based on Wikipedia, contains more than 300,000 categories and 2M documents for training. The largest category system ever used in the past for evaluation purposes, to the best of our knowledge, was based on the Yahoo! Directory and contained 130,000 categories and 500,000 training documents. In addition to the largest task, two smaller ones, based on Wikipedia and DMOZ respectively, are included in the challenge. The scale of these is in the order of the first edition of the challenge. All of the datasets in this edition are multi-label. Particularly in the two datasets that are based on Wikipedia, each document is assigned on average to 3.2 and 4.6 categories respectively. Furthermore, the hierarchies are no longer simple tree structures, as both documents and subcategories are allowed to belong to more than one other category. More information regarding the tasks and the challenge rules can be found at the challenge's Web site; follow the "Tasks, Rules and Guidelines" link. As in the first edition, participants will be able to smoothly and continuously submit runs, in order to improve their systems. This year we also plan a two-stage evaluation of the participating methods: one measuring classification performance and one for computational performance. It is important to measure both, as they are dependent. The results will be included in a final report about the challenge and we also aim at organizing a special ECML'11 workshop. In order to register for the challenge and gain access to the datasets you must have an account at the challenge Web site. Organisers: George Paliouras, NCSR "Demokritos", Athens, Greece Eric Gaussier, LIG, Grenoble, France Aris Kosmopoulos, NCSR "Demokritos" AUEB, Athens, Greece Ion Androutsopoulos, AUEB, Athens, Greece Thierry Artières, LIP6, Paris, France Patrick Gallinari, LIP6, Paris, France
标签: march
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