The role of assessment and evaluation in IPM implementation
Carol L. Pilcher, Edwin G. Rajotte
IPM is, by many accounts, a highly successful program. Some claim that the achievements over the last 40 years have given the program a mark of success. In fact, IPM has been described as “one of the best answers to reducing chemical contamination of the environment and improving the safety of food while maintaining agricultural viability” (Rajotte, 1993, p. 297). Others argue that implementation has been slow and success has been limited. Wearing (1988) stated that IPM has not been successful because some IPM technologies have not been adopted by growers. This limited success has resulted in a weakening of political support and a stagnation of funding for IPM in the USA (Gray, 2001). What defines a successful IPM program? How do we assess the true worth of an IPM program? These questions can be answered by conducting an assessment of IPM programs through program evaluation. However, the starting point of any IPM evaluation is made with three goals in mind; economic, an assessment of the costs and benefits; environmental, impacts on soil, water and non-pest organisms; and social, an assessment of a program's impact on people's health and well-being. A historical review of IPM evaluation, Evaluation has been a component of some pest management programs, starting back in the 1940s. During this time (1940s to 1960s), program evaluations were used to assess the needs of clients and determine the future directions (Allen & Rajotte, 1990).
Concepts, Tactics, Strategies and Case Studies
https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511626463.039
Pilcher, C. L., & Rajotte, E. G. (2008). The role of assessment and evaluation in IPM implementation. In Integrated Pest Management: Concepts, Tactics, Strategies and Case Studies (pp. 479-488). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511626463.039
Pilcher, Carol L. ; Rajotte, Edwin G. / The role of assessment and evaluation in IPM implementation. Integrated Pest Management: Concepts, Tactics, Strategies and Case Studies. Cambridge University Press, 2008. pp. 479-488
@inbook{a325de4b2b6943a8863e74e932bd6c23,
title = "The role of assessment and evaluation in IPM implementation",
abstract = "IPM is, by many accounts, a highly successful program. Some claim that the achievements over the last 40 years have given the program a mark of success. In fact, IPM has been described as “one of the best answers to reducing chemical contamination of the environment and improving the safety of food while maintaining agricultural viability” (Rajotte, 1993, p. 297). Others argue that implementation has been slow and success has been limited. Wearing (1988) stated that IPM has not been successful because some IPM technologies have not been adopted by growers. This limited success has resulted in a weakening of political support and a stagnation of funding for IPM in the USA (Gray, 2001). What defines a successful IPM program? How do we assess the true worth of an IPM program? These questions can be answered by conducting an assessment of IPM programs through program evaluation. However, the starting point of any IPM evaluation is made with three goals in mind; economic, an assessment of the costs and benefits; environmental, impacts on soil, water and non-pest organisms; and social, an assessment of a program's impact on people's health and well-being. A historical review of IPM evaluation, Evaluation has been a component of some pest management programs, starting back in the 1940s. During this time (1940s to 1960s), program evaluations were used to assess the needs of clients and determine the future directions (Allen & Rajotte, 1990).",
author = "Pilcher, {Carol L.} and Rajotte, {Edwin G.}",
doi = "10.1017/CBO9780511626463.039",
booktitle = "Integrated Pest Management",
publisher = "Cambridge University Press",
address = "United Kingdom",
Pilcher, CL & Rajotte, EG 2008, The role of assessment and evaluation in IPM implementation. in Integrated Pest Management: Concepts, Tactics, Strategies and Case Studies. Cambridge University Press, pp. 479-488. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511626463.039
The role of assessment and evaluation in IPM implementation. / Pilcher, Carol L.; Rajotte, Edwin G.
Integrated Pest Management: Concepts, Tactics, Strategies and Case Studies. Cambridge University Press, 2008. p. 479-488.
T1 - The role of assessment and evaluation in IPM implementation
AU - Pilcher, Carol L.
AU - Rajotte, Edwin G.
N2 - IPM is, by many accounts, a highly successful program. Some claim that the achievements over the last 40 years have given the program a mark of success. In fact, IPM has been described as “one of the best answers to reducing chemical contamination of the environment and improving the safety of food while maintaining agricultural viability” (Rajotte, 1993, p. 297). Others argue that implementation has been slow and success has been limited. Wearing (1988) stated that IPM has not been successful because some IPM technologies have not been adopted by growers. This limited success has resulted in a weakening of political support and a stagnation of funding for IPM in the USA (Gray, 2001). What defines a successful IPM program? How do we assess the true worth of an IPM program? These questions can be answered by conducting an assessment of IPM programs through program evaluation. However, the starting point of any IPM evaluation is made with three goals in mind; economic, an assessment of the costs and benefits; environmental, impacts on soil, water and non-pest organisms; and social, an assessment of a program's impact on people's health and well-being. A historical review of IPM evaluation, Evaluation has been a component of some pest management programs, starting back in the 1940s. During this time (1940s to 1960s), program evaluations were used to assess the needs of clients and determine the future directions (Allen & Rajotte, 1990).
AB - IPM is, by many accounts, a highly successful program. Some claim that the achievements over the last 40 years have given the program a mark of success. In fact, IPM has been described as “one of the best answers to reducing chemical contamination of the environment and improving the safety of food while maintaining agricultural viability” (Rajotte, 1993, p. 297). Others argue that implementation has been slow and success has been limited. Wearing (1988) stated that IPM has not been successful because some IPM technologies have not been adopted by growers. This limited success has resulted in a weakening of political support and a stagnation of funding for IPM in the USA (Gray, 2001). What defines a successful IPM program? How do we assess the true worth of an IPM program? These questions can be answered by conducting an assessment of IPM programs through program evaluation. However, the starting point of any IPM evaluation is made with three goals in mind; economic, an assessment of the costs and benefits; environmental, impacts on soil, water and non-pest organisms; and social, an assessment of a program's impact on people's health and well-being. A historical review of IPM evaluation, Evaluation has been a component of some pest management programs, starting back in the 1940s. During this time (1940s to 1960s), program evaluations were used to assess the needs of clients and determine the future directions (Allen & Rajotte, 1990).
U2 - 10.1017/CBO9780511626463.039
DO - 10.1017/CBO9780511626463.039
BT - Integrated Pest Management
PB - Cambridge University Press
Pilcher CL, Rajotte EG. The role of assessment and evaluation in IPM implementation. In Integrated Pest Management: Concepts, Tactics, Strategies and Case Studies. Cambridge University Press. 2008. p. 479-488 https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511626463.039
10.1017/CBO9780511626463.039


Naji Marshall Jason Carter Paul Scruggs Jeremiah Tilmon Quentin Goodin Xavier Pinson Dru Smith Sports Men's college basketball College basketball Basketball College sports Men's basketball Men's sports
Xavier Big East Missouri SEC
By JOE KAY - Nov. 12, 2019 10:49 PM EST
Missouri's Kobe Brown (24) blocks a shot by Xavier's Zach Freemantle (32) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
CINCINNATI (AP) — Xavier had made only two 3-pointers all game, none in the second half. Down by three in the closing seconds, the 21st-ranked Musketeers desperately needed somebody to finally hit from long range.
Naji Marshall swished one from the top of the key , and Xavier was finally on its way.
Marshall's clutch 3 tied it in regulation, and he made a pair of free throws in overtime Tuesday night as Xavier overcame poor shooting and rallied for a 63-58 victory over Missouri.
The Musketeers (3-0) let a 15-point lead slip away because they couldn't hit an outside shot, going only 3 of 21 from beyond the arc. Marshall's 3-pointer — Xavier's only one in the second half — tied it 51-all with 27.1 seconds left.
When they absolutely had to have a 3, Xavier let its best player shoot away.
"I knew it was going in," guard Paul Scruggs said. "That's all I've got to say."
Missouri (2-1) missed a 3 at the end of regulation and never led in overtime, losing to a ranked team for the seventh time in a row. Dru Smith led the Tigers with 22 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
Scruggs hit a pair of baskets in overtime as Xavier built a seven-point lead and held on. Quentin Goodin made three free throws in the final 20 seconds to close it out.
Marshall's big shot made it possible. He finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and a team-high three assists.
"He's talented, he's skilled, he has size, he made the big shot at the end of regulation," Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin said. "Any time you have a guy with that skill package that you can run your offense through, he's tough to guard."
Missouri had a setback in the opening minutes. Top scorer Jeremiah Tilmon picked up two fouls in the first 2:56 and spent the rest of the half on the bench. He finished with six points.
"It was depressing," said Xavier Pinson, who had nine points.
Xavier led by as many as 15 in a ragged first half. Missouri went eight minutes between field goals and had 13 turnovers, but Xavier couldn't take full advantage because of its woeful outside shooting. Goodin's steal and dunk capped an 11-2 spurt that gave Xavier its biggest lead, 27-12.
Tilmon had a layup and Smith scored twice off drives to the basket during a 14-point run that gave Missouri a 38-34 lead, its first since the opening minutes. Xavier went more than seven minutes without scoring while the Tigers rallied .
"That's what we call a rock fight," Xavier coach Travis Steele said. "I knew it wasn't going to be pretty, it was going to be ugly at times, but I was really proud of our guys for handling the adversity we went through."
Missouri: The Tigers' tough times against ranked teams continue. They haven't beaten a Top 25 team since Feb. 13, 2018, when they defeated No. 21 Texas A&M 62-58.
Xavier: The Musketeers have struggled to hit 3s — an issue last season as well. They are only 13 of 63 on 3-pointers this season.
"We had some wide-open looks," Steele said. "We'll take those shots."
POINTS TOUGH TO COME BY
Last season, Xavier lost at Missouri 71-56, the Musketeers' second-fewest points of the season. They managed 51 in regulation Tuesday.
SCRUGGS BACK
Scruggs sat out the previous game with a sprained knee, costing the Musketeers one of their top guards. He started Tuesday, played 40 minutes and scored 12 points.
CARTER IMPRESSES
Xavier transfer forward Jason Carter played 38 minutes and had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Missouri hosts Wofford on Monday and Morehead State two days later as part of the 2019 Hall of Fame Classic.
Xavier hosts Missouri State on Friday, completing a four-game homestand to open the season.
More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top 25


Donald Potter, of Canisteo
July 28, 2014 cdavis Obituaries 0
Canisteo, NY – Well known and respected Canisteo businessman, Donald B. Potter, 67, of 20 Elm Street, passed away peacefully on Sunday (April 6, 2014) at his home.
Born in Wellsville, October 14, 1946, the son of John and Mildred Herke Potter, he was a graduate of Scio Central School, Class of 1964 where he was a star athlete. He served his country as a member of the United States Air Force during the Viet Nam Era from 1964-1968.
From 1971 until 2009, Don owned and operated the Zenith Sales and Service in Canisteo. He was a member of the Canisteo American Legion Post, a former member of the Hornell Moose Lodge and the Hornell Lodge of Elks. Don coached the Grasshopper league , as well as little league and Babe Ruth League. He had served as fire commissioner for the Canisteo Fire Department, and as sports chairman for the Hornell Moose Lodge sports league. Don enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting and will be remembered as a good friend to many and a loving relative. His optimistic attitude was helpful to other veterans who were undergoing cancer treatment.
He was predeceased by his parents.
He is survived by his wife, Jean Broughton Potter to whom he was married on October 4, 1969, his daughter, Kristin (Roger) Leete of Rochester, and his son, Michael (Julie) Potter of Buffalo, his grandchildren, Alex Leete and John Potter, his sisters, Nancy Haberer of Wellsville, and Sheila (Robert) Linnecke of Scio, his brother, Gary (Sheila) Potter of Arcade, as well as several nieces and nephews.
To send a remembrance to the family or to light a candle in Don’s memory, please visit www.brownandpowersfuneralhomes.com. The family is being assisted by Gerald R. Brown, Director.
The family will be present to receive friends on Saturday from 6 PM until 8PM and on Sunday from Noon until 2:30 PM, at the Brown & Powers Funeral Home, 6 Spruce St., Canisteo. Funeral services will be held on Sunday at 2:30 PM following calling hours with Rev. Robert Morris officiating. Burial will be at Bath National Cemetery.
Friends may make memorial contributions to: The Canisteo Ambulance Corp, Main Street, Canisteo, NY 14823 or to : The Cancer Services Program of Steuben County (Please specify for travel vouchers) ,411 Canisteo Street, Hornell NY 14843.
Father Jerry Moynihan
Thomas Caple, of Canisteo


Bridget Golightly
Bridget Golightly is eighty-nine years old. She won the 100 m, 800 m, triple jump and solo synchronised swimming events in the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games. Highlights of her sparkling stage and film career include two Academy Awards as Best Supporting Actress for Little Dorrit and Rocky V, and her much-lauded Titania against Sir John Gielgud's Bottom. Bridget is also a Nobel Prize-winning mathematician, renowned poet and international peacekeeper, and represented the United Kingdom in the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Boom-bang-a-ting-a-ling on a String'. When she's not busy bringing joy to the world, she likes to relax by drinking a nice cup of tea.


Adventists Affirm
A Publication Affirming Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs
Volume 24, Number 3 - No Turning Back
Volume 24, Number 2 - The Church Working Together
Volume 24, Number 1 - Creation and Evolution
Volume 23, Number 3 - Unashamed
Volume 23, Number 2 - Sin and Salvation
Volume 22, Number 3 - For This Purpose
Volume 22, Number 2 - The Emerging Church
Volume 21, Number 3 - Be Ye Transformed
Volume 21, Number 2 - Late Adventist Preaching
Volume 21, Number 1 - Early Adventist Preaching
Volume 20, Number 3 - The Authority of the Bible
Volume 20, Number 2 - Stewardship
Volume 20, Number 1 - Leadership
Volume 19, Number 3 - America in Prophecy
Volume 18, Number 3 - The Holy Spirit
Volume 18, Number 2 - Forgiveness
Volume 18, Number 1 - Discipline
Volume 17, Number 3 - Issues Youth Face
Volume 17, Number 2 - Mental Health
Volume 17, Number 1 - Interpreting Prophecy
Volume 16, Number 3 - Church and Relevance
Volume 16, Number 2 -Church & Steadfastness
Volume 16, Number 1 - Creation
Volume 15, Number 3 - Second Coming
Volume 15, Number 2 - Health
Volume 15, Number 1 - Spirit of Prophecy
Volume 14, Number 2 - Worship Vs. Performance
Volume 14, Number 1 - Ethics and Lifestyle
1. Answers to Questions about Women's Ordination
2. Does the Bible Support Women's Ordination?
3. How Money Got Us Into Trouble
4. Feminism's "New Light" on Galatians 3:28
5. When God Goes Calling
6. The Bible and the Ministry of Women
7. Does Paul Really Forbid Women to Speak in Church?
8. Early Adventist History and the Ministry of Women
9. Ellen G. White and the Ministry of Women
10. To Ordain or Not to Ordain?
The Nonpareil Book: A Volume Like No Other
Samuel Koranteng-Pipim
Director, Public Campus Ministries
Michigan Conference of SDA
Without this book there would be no sacred music, oratorios, beloved hymns, and Negro spirituals.
The composer of the “Hallelujah Chorus,” George Frideric Handel, was not a religious man. Yet, even this world-famous composer was moved and inspired by words from this nonpareil book.
After several years of failure in opera, Handel was plunged into poverty and despair. At the age of sixty he was bitter, depressed, and defeated. When asked to write the music for a sacred oratorio, he glanced through the pages of the manuscript with little enthusiasm for the task. But something happened when his eyes suddenly caught the words, “Comfort ye, comfort ye My people . . . For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given . . . He shall lead His flock like a shepherd . . . Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden.”
The April 1948 Reader’s Digest reports that as Handel kept reading, the text began to quicken his pulses, warm his heart, and inspire wonderful melodies. The glorious words, “He shall reign forever and ever . . . King of kings, and Lord of lords . . . Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” fired his creative genius.
Grasping a pen, Handel jotted down in feverish haste the wonderful notes that raced through his mind. For twenty-four days and nights he worked tirelessly, as if transported to another world, paying little attention to the meals that were brought to him and hardly stopping to rest. His faithful servant became greatly worried; he had never known the master to act like this. Indeed, he appeared to be mad—writing, writing, writing, then striding about the room with tears coursing down his cheeks, singing “Hallelujah” at the top of his voice.
Messiah, the greatest oratorio ever written, was born of an experience induced by the power of a book. Handel said of the occasion, “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself.” No wonder King George II was so moved when the oratorio was first presented in London that he rose spontaneously to his feet at the beginning of the “Hallelujah Chorus,” and all of the throng with him! No wonder audiences still rise today every time the “Hallelujah Chorus” is sung.
A Nameless Book. But what is this book that inspired Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus”? What is this book that has power to warm hearts, inspire hope, and transport even non-religious people to behold God in His majesty?
Strangely, this nonpareil book is also nameless! It is simply called the Book.
Though many know the book by the title “the Bible,” the word is derived through Latin from the Greek to biblion, which means “the book.” Since the Bible is the supreme book in all the world, it does not need a name; it is enough to simply say, “The Book”—i.e., “The Bible.”
A Respected Book. Indeed, many of the world’s most renowned people have testified to the value and inestimable importance of the Bible.
Sir Isaac Newton, one of the greatest scientists of all time, once said: “We account the Scriptures of God to be the most sublime philosophy. I find more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history whatsoever”
George Washington Carver, the African-American genius of Tuskegee Institute, has been called the world’s greatest biochemist. He is best known for his discovery of hundreds of valuable uses for the peanut and sweet potato. In 1921 Dr. Carver was invited to testify before the United States Senate Ways and Means Committee on the possibilities of the peanut. Though initially given ten minutes to speak, he so captivated the committee that the chairman said, “Go ahead, Brother. Your time is unlimited.” Carver spoke for one hour and forty-five minutes.
At the conclusion of his presentation the chairman asked, “Dr. Carver, how did you learn all of these things?”
Carver replied, “From an old Book.”
“What book?” the Senator queried.
The famed scientist replied, “The Bible.”
“Does the Bible tell about peanuts?” the surprised Senator inquired.
“No, Sir,” Dr. Carver replied, “but it tells about the God Who made the peanut. I asked Him to show me what to do with the peanut, and He did.”
Thomas Jefferson also speaks about this Book: “I have said and always will say that the studious perusal of the Sacred Volume will make better citizens, better fathers, and better husbands. . . . The Bible makes the best people in the world.”
Similarly, Daniel Webster, a foremost American statesman, author, lexicographer, and orator testifies: “I believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the will and Word of God.”
A Timeless Book. Unlike other books that come and go because their ideas no longer fit the thoughts of different ages or meet the needs of human hearts, the Bible is a timeless Book.
Onetime professor of English at Princeton University, author and diplomat Henry Van Dyke, has accurately remarked:
Born in the East and clothed in Oriental form and imagery, the Bible walks the ways of all the world with familiar feet and enters land after land to find its own everywhere. It has learned to speak in hundreds of languages to the heart of man. It comes into the palace to tell the monarch that he is a servant of the Most High, and into the cottage to assure the peasant that he is a son of God. Children listen to its stories with wonder and delight, and the wise men ponder them as parables of life. It has a word of peace for the time of peril, and word of comfort for the day of calamity, a word of light for the hour of darkness. Its oracles are repeated in the assembly of the people, and its counsels whispered in the ear of the lonely. The wicked and the proud tremble at its warning, but to the wounded and the penitent it has a mother’s voice. The wilderness and the solitary place have been made glad by it, and the fire on the hearth has lit the reading of its well-worn page. It has woven itself into our deepest affections and colored our dearest dreams; so that love and friendship, sympathy and devotion, memory and hope, put on the beautiful garments of its treasured speech, breathing frankincense and myrrh. . .
No man is poor or desolate who has this treasure for his own. When the landscape darkens and the trembling pilgrim comes to the valley named “of the shadow,” he is not afraid to enter: he takes the rod and staff of Scripture in his hand; he says to friend and comrade, “Good-by; we shall meet again;” and comforted by that support, he goes toward the lonely pass as one who walks through darkness into light.
Truly, this Book is like no other book.
A Unique Book. The Bible was written by some 40 different authors on three different continents (Africa, Asia, and Europe), in countries hundreds of miles apart, over a period of about 1,500 years. It deals with matters of universal interest: history, philosophy, science, health, architecture, religion, prophecies, etc. It speaks to the needs of every generation, offers solutions to life’s perplexities, and even reveals the origin and future of our world. It has brought peace to troubled consciences, comfort to the sorrowful, hope to the despairing, courage to the despondent, and the assurance of reunion to the bereaved.
Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been published in more languages than any other book in history, and yet it has not lost its original emphasis.
This unique Book appeals to the young as well as the old, rich as well as poor, simple as well as wise. It advocates the rights of every individual, including the cause of the poor and defenseless, and it demonstrates a mysterious power to transform lives.
A careful reading of this unique Book reveals that it was written by men from every level of political and social life—from the king upon his throne down to the herdsmen, shepherds, fishermen, and petty politicians.
Onetime President of the Southern Baptist Convention, W. A. Criswell, has written this about the Bible: “Here are words written by princes, by poets, by philosophers, by fishermen, by statesmen, by prophets, by priests, by publicans, by physicians, by men learned in the wisdom of Egypt, by men educated in the school of Babylon, by men trained at the feet of rabbis like Gamaliel. Men of every grade and class are represented in this miraculous Volume. The circumstances under which the Book was written were sometimes most difficult and always most varying. Parts of it were written in tents, deserts, cities, palaces, and dungeons. Some of it was written in times of imminent danger and other parts in times of ecstatic joy.”
But the remarkable thing about the Bible is that, despite the circumstances that gave birth to the 66 different books comprising this Book, the contents of the Bible show a unique harmony. Observes H.L. Hastings: “It contains all kinds of writing; but what a jumble it would be if sixty-six books were written in this way by ordinary men. Suppose, for instance, that we get sixty-six medical books written by thirty or forty different doctors of various schools, . . . bind them all together, and then undertake to doctor a man according to that book! . . . Or suppose you get thirty-five ministers writing books on theology, and then see if you can find any leather strong enough to hold the books together.”
A Well-preserved Book. But there is more: the Bible has been preserved remarkably during the process of transmission. Despite the fact that it was written on perishable material and was copied and recopied for hundreds of years before the invention of the printing press or computers, the Bible’s two sections—the Old and New Testaments—when compared to all other ancient manuscripts, have displayed an unusual correctness in transmission.
With reference to the Old Testament, the section of the Bible written in Hebrew and Aramaic, the remarkable accuracy with which the scribes wrote down the text is due to strict rules that they followed. For example, no word or letter could be written from memory. The words or letters of each section were counted, and if these did not tally with the newly made copies, the new copy was discarded altogether and the task begun again. Who ever counted the letters and syllables and words of Plato or Aristotle? Cicero or Seneca?
On the other hand, the New Testament was written in Koine Greek—the common language of people in apostolic times. Though there are no original copies of the earliest writings of the apostles, we have the later handwritten copies that have survived. These are called manuscripts—from the Latin words manu scriptum, meaning “written by hand.”
Generally speaking, the New Testament manuscripts are much more recent to us than the Old Testament. But unlike the well trained Old Testament copyists who were extremely careful in copying every word of the ancient documents, factors such as the great demand for copies of the New Testament to instruct new believers and the frequent interruptions in the copying process due to hostilities and persecutions led to hasty and sometimes careless copying of the original New Testament manuscripts. Fortunately for us, because of the many New Testament manuscripts that have been preserved, we can always cross-check any section whenever there is any doubt.
Because of the unique preservation of the original text of the Bible, Christians can be absolutely certain of its essential accuracy. The late Sir Frederic Kenyon, onetime director of the British Museum and an authority on Bible manuscripts put it this way: “The Christian can take the whole Bible in his hand and say without fear or hesitation that he holds in it the true Word of God, handed down without essential loss from generation to generation throughout the centuries.”
An Enduring Book. Still, of all the books ever produced, the Bible has suffered the most vicious attack. Yet it has survived the persecution of critics and enemies. It is like an anvil that has worn out the hammers of criticism. The hammers of the agnostics, atheists, and higher critics have been pecking away at this book for ages, but the hammers are worn out, and the anvil still endures. If the Book had not been the Book of God, human beings would have destroyed it long ago. Emperors and popes, kings and priests, princes and rulers, Communists and revolutionaries have all tried their hand at it; they die and the book still lives.
The Book has come down to us floating upon a sea of blood—every page stained with the blood of martyrs.
Bernard Ramm, a Christian scientist and theologian once asked rhetorically whether, beside the Bible, there has ever been a book on philosophy, religion, psychology, or any other subject that has been so “chopped, knifed, sifted, scrutinized, and vilified . . . with such venom and skepticism? with such thoroughness and erudition? upon every chapter, line, and tenet?” He concluded: “A thousand times over, the death knell of the Bible has been sounded, the funeral procession formed, the inscription cut on the tombstone, and the committal read. But somehow the corpse never stays put. . . . Considering the thorough learning of the critics and the ferocity and precision of the attacks, we would expect the Bible to have been permanently entombed in some Christian genizah [a storage room for worn-out Scripture manuscripts]. But such is hardly the case. The Bible is still loved by millions, read by millions, and studied by millions.”
Jesus said it best almost 2,000 years ago: “Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
How do we account for the remarkable power, universal appeal, unity, and survival of this ancient Book?
A Revealed Book. Though written by human penmen, the Bible makes a bold claim to its divine origin. The apostle Paul wrote: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16). The word “inspiration”
[theopneustos in the Greek], literally means “God-breathed,” that is to say, all the books of the Bible have a divine origin.
Charles Wesley, one of the founders of Methodism, argued that “the Bible must be the invention of either good men or angels, bad men or devils, or of God.” He reasons:
It could not be the invention of good men or angels, for they neither would nor could make a book, and tell lies all the time they were writing it, saying, “Thus saith the Lord,” when it was their own invention.
It could not be the invention of bad men or devils, for they would not make a book which commands all duty, forbids all sin, and condemns their souls to Hell to all eternity.
Therefore, I draw this conclusion, that the Bible must be given by divine inspiration.
In other words, the Bible is not simply an inspiring book by some good human writers; it is an inspired Book from God.
An Inspired Book. Probably the most mysterious thing about the Bible is the manner in which God, the principal Author of the Book, was able to employ fallible human beings as His instruments to write down His message in a trustworthy manner. The unique cooperation between God and the Bible’s human writers is known technically as “inspiration.”
The apostle Peter describes it this way: “Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21). The Greek word used here, phero, means “to bear” or “to carry along.” It was a term used by sailors for a sailing ship being carried along by the wind. As Peter was himself a fisherman, his use of this word is significant. It implies that the human writers of the Bible were gently led by the Spirit in communicating the message that God had given them by revelation. Because the Bible is the product of this cooperative effort between the human and the Divine, its message is “sure.” The apostle Peter again asserts:
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths [Greek, mythos, a story, whatever its significance, that has no factual basis] when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. . . . And we have the prophetic Word made more sure [Greek, bebaioteron, which has the force of “standing firm on the feet,” “steadfast,” “reliable,” “valid”]. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:16-19, RSV)
In his letter to the Christians of Thessalonica, the apostle Paul summed up: “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
In other words, the fact that the Scriptures are inspired implies that the Bible is truly the Word of God.
A Trustworthy Book. One unmistakable piece of evidence that the Bible has a divine imprint is the impartial manner in which its human writers recorded biographical accounts of its heroes and heroines.
Noah, the survivor of the Flood, got drunk and exposed his nakedness; Abraham, the friend of God, lied and doubted God; Lot, the hero of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, got drunk and had an incestuous relationship with his daughters; Miriam, the beautiful singer and prophetess of Israel, had a racial and jealousy problem and was struck with leprosy; Rahab, the woman of faith and the ancestor of Jesus Christ, was a prostitute; David, a man after God’s Own heart, was guilty of adultery and murder; Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, lived the life of a fool; Judas, one of the most influential among the twelve disciples of Christ, was a thief and a traitor; Peter, a leading apostle of Christ, denied his Master with curses and swearing; John, the apostle of love, called for fire to destroy his enemies; and Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, persecuted the followers of Christ.
If the biographical accounts in the Scriptures were simply human efforts to enhance the moral standing of some prominent men and women, the writers would have covered up, judiciously omitted, or reconstructed the negative and embarrassing aspects of those lives.
This is the way men write history; but when the Lord undertakes to tell His story of a sinful man, He does not select a poor, miserable beggar, and show him up; He does not give even the name of the thief on the cross, nor of the guilty woman to whom He said, “Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more”; but He takes King David from the throne, and sets him down in sackcloth and ashes, and wrings from his heart the cry, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy loving-kindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.” And then when he is pardoned, forgiven, cleansed, and made whiter than snow, the pen of inspiration writes down the whole dark, damning record of his crimes, and the king on his throne has not power, nor wealth, nor influence enough to blot the page. . . .
And a book which tells the faults of those who wrote it, and which tells you that “there is none righteous, no, not one,” bears in it the marks of a true book; for we all know that men have faults, and failings, and sins; and among all the men whose lives are recorded in that book, each man has some defect, some blot, except one, and that is “the Man Christ Jesus” (H.L. Hastings, Will the Old Book Stand?
[Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald, 1923, pp. 17, 18]).
A Spiritual Book. Robert H. Pierson, onetime president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, wrote: “The Bible is more than a good or true book. . . . Man may write a good book, a true book, even a wonderful book, but man has never produced a volume that compares with the Holy Scriptures. The Bible lives! Through its sacred pages God moves and speaks to human hearts. It is a Book of divine origin destined from the beginning to fill a unique need among the human family. No other volume has successfully challenged it.”
This living Book points out to sinners a way of pardon, of peace, and of redemption. It tells us how human beings subject to like passions as we are, may yet be men of mighty faith, having fellowship with God, and prevailing in effectual and fervent prayer. It tells us how we who have sinned against the Most High may be cleansed from bloodguiltiness, washed and made whiter than snow, and find life and peace in Christ the Lord. It tells us how we, redeemed through God’s mercy, may stand stainless as angels in the presence of the eternal King.
A Neglected Book. Though there are unmistakable evidences of the Book’s power to transform lives, though it remains the world’s bestselling book, and though copies of it can be found in many homes, hotel rooms, and libraries, the surprising thing is that the Bible is the most neglected book!
The famous English preacher George Whitefield said, “God has condescended to become an author, and yet people will not read His writings. There are very few that ever gave this Book of God, the grand charter of salvation, one fair reading through.”
One of the most acclaimed Christian writers, Ellen G. White, wrote: “If we will let it speak to us, the Bible will teach us what nothing else can teach. But alas! everything else is dwelt upon except the Word of God. Worthless literature, fictitious stories, are greedily devoured, while the Bible, with all its treasures of sacred truth, lies neglected upon our tables. The Sacred Word, if made the rule of life, will refine, elevate, and sanctify. It is the voice of God to man. Will we heed it?” (Messages to Young People, p. 257).
A Life-changing Book. H. L. Hastings has perceptively observed:
There are men who study philosophy, astronomy, geology, geography, and mathematics; but did you ever hear a man say, “I was an outcast, a wretched inebriate, a disgrace to my race, and a nuisance in the world, until I began to study mathematics, and learned the multiplication table, and then turned my attention to geology, got me a little hammer, and knocked off the corners of the rocks and then studied the formation of the earth, and since that time I have been happy as the day is long; I feel like singing all the time; my soul is full of triumph and peace; and health and blessing have come to my desolate home once more”? Did you ever hear a man ascribe his redemption and salvation from intemperance and sin and vice to the multiplication table, or the science of mathematics or geology?
But I can bring you, not one man, or two, or ten, but men by the thousand who will tell you, “I was wretched; I was lost; I broke my poor old mother’s heart; I beggared my family; my wife was heart-stricken and dejected; my children fled from the sound of their father’s footsteps; I was ruined, reckless, helpless, homeless, hopeless, until I heard the words of that Book”!
And he will tell you the very word which fastened on his soul. Maybe it was, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest”; perhaps it was, “Behold the Lamb of God Which taketh away the sin of the world”; it may have been, “God so loved the world, that He gave His Only-Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He can tell you the very word that saved his soul. And since that word entered his heart, he will tell you that hope has dawned upon his vision, that joy has inspired his heart, and that his mouth is filled with grateful song. He will tell you that the blush of health has come back to his poor wife’s faded cheek; that the old hats have vanished from the windows of his desolate home; that his rags have been exchanged for good clothes; that his children run to meet him when he comes; that there is bread on his table, fire on his hearth, and comfort in his dwelling. He will tell you all that, and he will tell you that this Book has wrought the change.
Yes, there is power in the Book, a power that can change your life and your circumstances. Its power rests on the fact that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).
A Book Like No Other Book. When was the last time you read the Book? How much time do you spend daily with the Bible? Don’t you think it is about time to begin reading God’s inspired Word“—the Book that is like no other book?
On July 28, 1917, Woodrow Wilson wrote these pertinent words:
The Bible is the Word of life. I beg that you will read it and find this out for yourselves—read, not little snatches here and there, but long passages that will really be the road to the heart of it. You will find it not only full of real men and women, but also of the things you have wondered about and been troubled about all your life, as men have been always; and the more you read, the more will it become plain to you the things that are worthwhile and what are not, what things make men happy—loyalty, right dealing, speaking the truth, readiness to give everything for what they think their duty, and, most of all, the wish that they may have the approval of the Christ, Who gave everything for them—and the things that are guaranteed to make men unhappy—selfishness, cowardice, greed, and everything that is low and mean.
When you have read the Bible you will know that it is the Word of God, because you will have found it the key to your own heart, your own happiness, and your own duty.
The promise God gave to Joshua can be ours if we heed His counsel: “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success” (Joshua 1:8).
This promised blessing will bring peace to our troubled consciences, comfort to our broken hearts, light to our perplexed minds, and strength to our discouraged souls.
10701 W Grand River Ave.


Biotechgate Biotechgate
Companies Search for companies
Action required: Please refresh your browser
We have recently implemented some changes that require a hard refresh of your browser: Please hold down the CTRL-key and press the F5 key.
After a successful hard refresh, this message should not appear anymore.
More details about this topic are available here »
XBiotech Commences Tender Offer to Purchase up to $420,000,000 of its Shares
By: GlobenewsWire - 14 Jan 2020 Back to overview list
AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- XBiotech Inc. (NASDAQ: XBIT) (“XBiotech”) announced today that it commenced a “modified Dutch auction” tender offer to purchase up to $420,000,000 of its common shares, or such lesser number of common shares as are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn, at a price not less than $30.00 nor greater than $33.00 per common share, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest (the “Offer”). The Offer is made upon the terms and subject to the conditions described in the offer to purchase and in the related letter of transmittal. The closing price of XBiotech’s common shares on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on January 13, 2020, the last full trading day before the commencement of the Offer, was $18.62 per share. The Offer is scheduled to expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on February 12, 2020, unless the Offer is extended.
XBiotech believes that the Offer represents an efficient mechanism to provide XBiotech’s stockholders with the opportunity to tender all or a portion of their stock and thereby receive a return of some or all of their investment in XBiotech if they so elect. The Offer provides stockholders with an opportunity to obtain liquidity with respect to all or a portion of their stock without the potential disruption to XBiotech’s stock price.
The Offer is not contingent upon obtaining any financing. However, the Offer is subject to a number of other terms and conditions, which are described in detail in the offer to purchase. Specific instructions and a complete explanation of the terms and conditions of the Offer will be contained in the offer to purchase, the letter of transmittal and the related materials, which will be mailed to stockholders of record shortly after commencement of the Offer.
None of XBiotech, the members of its Board of Directors (including the Independent Committee who authorized the Offer), the information agent or the depositary makes any recommendation as to whether any stockholder should participate or refrain from participating in the Offer or as to the price or prices at which stockholders may choose to tender their shares in the Offer.
D.F. King & Co., Inc. will serve as information agent for the Offer. Stockholders with questions, or who would like to receive additional copies of the Offer documents may call D.F. King at (212) 269-5550 (banks and brokers) or (866) 856-3065 (all others).
About XBiotech
XBiotech is a fully integrated, global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to pioneering the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutic antibodies. XBiotech currently is advancing a pipeline of therapies by harnessing naturally occurring antibodies from patients with immunity to certain diseases. Utilizing natural human immunity as a source of new medicines offers the potential to redefine the standards of care for a wide range of diseases. The discovery and manufacturing techniques which enable this were designed by and are exclusive to XBiotech. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, XBiotech also leads the development of innovative, proprietary manufacturing technology to reduce the cost and complexity of biological drug production. For more information, visit www.xbiotech.com.
About True Human™ Therapeutic Antibodies
XBiotech’s True Human™ antibodies are the only available antibodies derived without modification from humans who possess natural immunity to certain diseases. (Unlike all commercially available antibodies, which are called “Humanized” or “Fully Human,” XBiotech’s True Human™ antibodies are directly sourced from the natural human immune response for specific diseases without modification, and thereby have not been shown to cause immunogenicity.) With discovery and clinical programs across multiple disease areas, XBiotech’s True Human antibodies have the potential to harness the body’s natural immunity to fight disease with unprecedented safety, efficacy, and tolerability.
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including declarations regarding management's beliefs and expectations, including with respect to XBiotech’s strategic ambitions, regarding the expected timing of closing of the transaction with Janssen, filings and approvals relating to the transaction, the amount and timing of potential future milestone payments by Janssen, the mechanism of action and potential safety and efficacy of bermekimab, the anticipated timing of clinical studies with bermekimab, the progression and results of such studies, statements regarding the regulatory pathway for bermekimab and the timing of regulatory filings, and statements regarding any capital allocation decisions, including as to potential share repurchases. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "expects," "plans," "contemplate," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "projects," "intend" or "continue" or the negative of such terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are subject to the disclosures set forth in the "Risk Factors" section of certain of our SEC filings. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which we operate, may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We assume no obligation to update our forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.
Ashley Otero
aotero@xbiotech.com
Related companies: XBiotech Inc.
Copyright 2020 GlobenewsWire Back to overview list
Follow @Biotechgate
© 2020 Venture Valuation
to the top ↑


博客 Blog
China confirms first case of Zika virus
Charlotte Middlehurst
Fears of pandemic grow as more cases of the virus are confirmed in China and across Europe
(Image credit: Sanofi Pasteur)
China has confirmed its first case of the Zika virus in one of its nationals who had travelled back from Venezuela, said state news site Xinhua on February 9.
The 34-year-old man from Ganxian county, Jiangxi province, had recently returned from a trip showing symptoms of fever, headache and dizziness.
The virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, has caused alarm after being linked to rise in cases of microcephaly – a congenital condition associated with maldevelopment of the brain – in South America.
In response, the World Health Organisation has called for urgency in finding a vaccine and better diagnostics, and warned the world to be alert.
The Chinese patient stopped in Hong Kong and Shenzhen before returning to his hometown on February 5.
China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) confirmed that the man’s condition is now stable and that his body temperature has returned to normal. He is now being quarantined and treated in a hospital in Ganxian.
The Chinese health commission played down the risk of further outbreaks, saying that the likelihood of the virus spreading due to this imported case is, “extremely low due to low temperature”.
Hong Kong authorities have increased inspections at the airport in response, and reinforced training for boundary control inspectors, the report added.
The WHO estimates that up to four million cases of Zika will be recorded in the Americas over the next 12 months. About 80% of those infected do not exhibit symptoms but when they do appear, patients notice fever, a red rash, and conjunctivitis.
Four cases of the Zika virus have been confirmed in the UK in the last six weeks. Public Health England has told a parliamentary committee all four cases were "travel associated" and not transmitted in Britain.
Italy has confirmed nine cases of the Zika virus in the country, of which four were registered in northern Veneto region, local media reported on Friday.
See here for a full report on climate change and the Zika virus on Diálogo Chino.
And here for an article on Zika fears could ruin Rio Olympics.
Charlotte Middlehurst is a London-based journalist specialising in China, climate change and environmental issues. She has written news and features on China for the Economist, Al Jazeera and The Daily Telegraph. She is the former deputy editor of chinadialogue. Tweets @charmiddle
Climate change and urbanisation driving dengue fever in south China
Increasingly severe outbreaks of the dengue virus in south China and other countries have been linked to the growth of cities and warmer, wetter weather
Diseases of climate change
Indian scientists say rising temperatures will make new areas of the Himalayas vulnerable to mosquito-spread diseases. Patralekha Chatterjee reports.


Obama Shouldn’t Lecture Xi About Surveillance
By Steven Hill Published November 1, 2013 Uncategorized
By Steven Hill, China-US Focus, November 1, 2013
President Barack Obama has been a vocal critic of China’s hacking into U.S. government and corporate computer systems, accusing the Chinese government of Orwellian tactics. But now President Obama is having to defend similar activity by his own government.
A firestorm is gathering under the Obama presidency over the latest revelation that the National Security Agency has been spying on the telephones of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and 34 other world leaders. This is in addition to previous leaks that the U.S. government spies on the phone logs, Internet activity and credit card transactions of virtually every U.S. citizen, of Spanish and French citizens, and that the US has bugged European Union offices as well as the United Nations and world leaders at international conferences of the G-20.
Of course, the Chinese leadership is no innocent when it comes to electronic surveillance. Beijing also monitors vast amounts of Internet traffic and even shuts down offending web sites if it wants. It tracks personal phone and email accounts as a way to intimidate political dissidents. Certainly Orwellian, but the US is not that far behind, having used electronic surveillance and the muscle of government authority to harass and threaten journalists who are following the proud Western tradition of a free press reporting on government misconduct and malfeasance. West is meeting East, but in the wrong ways.
At least Beijing does not try to portray itself as a model of transparency and accountability, as President Obama and US congressional leaders routinely and self-righteously try to do. In the most recent chapter of NSA skulduggery, President Obama has claimed that he was in the dark over spying of those world’s leaders. White House officials say that the NSA has so many eavesdropping operations under way that it wouldn’t have been practical to brief the president on all of them.
Is President Xi similarly uninformed about Chinese surveillance? How could it possibly make national security sense that the man in the Oval Office did not have to approve or at least be informed about a decision on bugging the phones of so many of the world’s top leaders?
And if that’s true, it means that even the President of the United States needed leaks from whistleblower Edward Snowden in order to know what his own top spies are doing. That’s alarming, because it also would indicate that the U.S. national surveillance state is out of control.
But hold on, this just in – current and former U.S. intelligence officials are saying that, in fact, top-ranked officials in the White House and State Department signed off on the surveillance of phone conversations of friendly foreign leaders. If what they are saying is true, then President Obama is either lying or his top aides did not inform him and they are not stepping forward to take responsibility. It also raises troubling questions about how honest – or informed – President Obama has been in his previous defenses of the surveillance state.
So while the chief executive and the nation’s top spies engage in a “he said, she said” spat over who knew what when, the rest of the nation is left puzzling over whether their president is an incompetent bumbler who didn’t know what he should have known, or a bald-faced liar. No matter how one answers that question, it looks really bad for the president. And for U.S. stature on the world’s stage.
But the bafflement is bipartisan, since thanks again to the whistleblower Snowden, it was reported in the German publication Der Spiegel that the monitoring of Merkel’s cell phone began back in 2002, when President George W. Bush was chief of U.S. spies. What did he know, and when did he know it?
Congressional “Dimwit of the Season” award has to go to Senate Intelligence Committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein. Previously, she insisted that she and her Intelligence Committee colleagues were informed and knowledgeable about the NSA’s activities. Senator Feinstein has been chief Democratic Party cheerleader of the national security state, but now even she’s alarmed. Recently she stated, “It is abundantly clear that a total review of all intelligence programs is necessary.…It is clear to me that certain surveillance activities have been in effect for more than a decade and that the Senate Intelligence Committee was not satisfactorily informed.”
This is the same clueless Senator who previously condemned Snowden as a traitor, saying, “I don’t look at this as being a whistleblower. I think it’s an act of treason…He violated the law. It’s treason.” And yet if it wasn’t for his “treasonous” acts, the very serious Senator Blindstein would still be clueless.
There is little doubt that the national surveillance state is out of control. Previously President Obama, Senator Feinstein and other congressional leaders insisted that that the NSA is subject to stringent congressional oversight and monitoring from the executive branch, but it’s now clear that this isn’t the case at all. Like the good ol’ days during the Reagan administration, when Ollie North and his accomplices ran gun- and drug-running operations to support the Contras in Nicaragua, the off-the-shelf rogues, goons and spooks are back. Regardless of which party has the presidency, they lurk in the White House basement, making vital decisions regarding the nation’s foreign policy and remaining unaccountable to the nation’s elected leaders.
But all is not lost. President Obama can partially redeem his tattered reputation by following the fine example of that intrepid charlatan-who-would-be-president, Donald Trump. The boss-in-chief can Trump-et the words “You’re fired!” to whichever of the head spooks that gave these orders.
Does anyone believe Obama will do that? I’m not holding my breath. It’s hard to see how Obama comes out of this without a dramatic loss of stature, both in the US as well as abroad. Increasingly, the hero in all of this is looking like that “traitor,” Ed Snowden. President Obama and Senator Feinstein should pin a Presidential Medal of Freedom on Mr. Snowden’s lapel.
American officials have criticized rightly China’s Orwellian tactics, and urged Beijing to become, well, more like the West. But behind closed doors, the US is becoming more like China. And the US is fast losing all credibility to criticize China for any of its domestic and international surveillance activities. That is a loss for the world’s evolution toward global peace and prosperity.
Steven Hill (www.Steven-Hill.com) is a political writer and author of “10 Steps to Repair American Democracy” (www.10Steps.net) and “Europe’s Promise: Why the European Way is the Best Hope in an Insecure Age” (www.EuropesPromise.org)
Irony of the NSA debacle — did Obama need Snowden to tell him that U.S. spies are bugging world’s top leaders?
Governing mag: Can Adopting Ranked-Choice Voting Make Politics Civil?


Renovations to ’Gateway to Disney’ Commence
Thu November 24, 2005 - Southeast Edition
Brian Kern
Known to many as the true gateway to Disney, the interchange at Interstate 95 and Interstate 10 in Jacksonville, FL, is undergoing a total makeover.
The project, expected to take approximately six years at a cost of $206 million, is a very complex job, according to Mike Goldman, a public information officer of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in Jacksonville.
“This is the most congested interchange in the state,” Goldman said. “It’s as long as any project we’ve ever undertaken in Northeast Florida.”
Archer Western Contractors LTD is spearheading the interchange renovation that started in February. Jon Walker, Archer Western’s project manager moved to Jacksonville from Arizona to direct the job from start to finish.
“Drainage work is one of our top priorities at the moment,” Walker said. “We’re working on the outside portions of the project — laying a lot of pipe.”
The project includes 27,000 linear ft. (8,300 m) of storm drainage pipe culverts. Three hundred drainage structures will be placed, and 73,000 sq. ft. (6,780 sq m) of temporary sheetpile retaining walls will be erected.
Seventeen bridges and 21 ramps, totaling 25 lane miles will be constructed at the interchange, located within the Jacksonville city limits.
Walker said one bridge has already been removed and placed off to the side. There will be four steel plate girder bridges and 13 pre-stressed concrete beam bridges. A total of 12 million lbs. (5.4 million kg) of structural steel will be used in the construction of the four steel plate girder bridges.
The contractor will use 40,000 cu. yds. (30,600 cu m) of bridge structure concrete and 60,000 cu. yds. (45,900 cu m) of 12.5-in. thick concrete pavement before the job is complete. Throughout the job, 850,000 cu. yds. (650,000 cu m) of embankment will be placed.
Goldman said in addition to constructing new on- and off-ramps, there will be some environmental issues to deal with.
“There was a solid waste incinerator in the area many years ago that left some ash deposits to be cleaned up,” Goldman said. “FDOT started cleaning some of the areas in 2002.”
Cleanup work on the incinerator ash could continue throughout the duration of the project as it is encountered.
A project of this magnitude naturally impacts city and interstate traffic patterns. While attempts will be made to keep the impact at a minimum, periodic closures and detours will occur.
According to a fact sheet provided by Walker, reconstruction of the interchange will take place in 10 phases. Temporary ramps and roadways will be constructed throughout the project to accomplish the multiple phase construction. The Interstates will be closed at night, between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., and traffic will be detoured to local roads during certain activities, such as setting beams across the road.
The I-95 southbound exit to Stockton Street will be closed after the end of the year and will remain closed for up to three years. A temporary exit ramp will be constructed at Forest Street and will remain in service until permanent access is constructed.
College Street will be permanently closed from Roselle Street to Forest Street. Message boards and permanent electronic signs will be used during detours to encourage night traffic to use I-295.
The I-95 on- and off-ramps at McCoy’s Creek Boulevard were permanently closed from day one. I-95 northbound traffic to I-10 westbound can continue to exit at Stockton Street.
Among a large list of equipment being used on the interchange project, Archer Western has a fleet of cranes on-site. They are using three Manitowoc crawler cranes: a 3950W 150 ton; an 888 230 ton; and a 4100W 220 ton.
Walker said the Walsh Group, Archer Western’s parent company, uses its nationwide leveraging capabilities to acquire rental equipment, but local sources are often used for service.
It also is using two Grove hydraulic cranes and a rented Link-Belt 248 200 ton crawler crane to round out the fleet.
The company purchased a Caterpillar MP30 pulverizer for this job to be used for breaking up the massive amounts of concrete on the project.
When complete, the refurbished interchange will provide access to downtown Jacksonville from Forest Street to Park Street and Riverside Avenue.
Traffic capacity will be increased, as will various efficiency and safety aspects. Cross-lane weaving movements that drivers face when using the current interchange will be reduced or eliminated. Forest Street also will be widened to accommodate the new on- and off-ramps.	CEG


10 Best Thanksgiving Movies
by Laurie L. Dove
'Pocahontas'
Irene Bedard, the voice of Pocahontas in the Disney film of the same name, and chief creative officer of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios, John Lasseter, take part in a Walt Disney Studios animation presentation. Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney
"Pocahontas," a 1995 Disney animated film, offers a fictionalized look at Native American Pocahontas and Englishman John Smith as English settlers meet Powhatan Indians in Jamestown. It also makes a nice follow-up to the realities of "The New World," and we especially like suspending disbelief when Pocahontas visits Grandmother Willow, an advice-offering tree spirit. The movie's sure to bring back memories for the teenagers who viewed it as toddlers, and it's perfect for helping a new generation of children wile away a pleasant hour.
Ultimate Guide to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
10 Lively Facts About the Day of the Dead
Celebrate Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights