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Economics/ hello,this question about.... Question
this question about quantitative easing: (question below)
: A central bank does this by first crediting its own account with money it has created ex nihilo ("out of nothing") It then purchases financial assets, including government bonds and corporate bonds, from banks and other financial institutions in a process referred to as open market operations. The purchases, by way of account deposits, give banks the excess reserves required for them to create new money by the process of deposit multiplication from increased lending in the fractional reserve banking system. The increase in the money supply thus stimulates the economy.
My question is : do banks have to pay money back to central bank ?
(money that central bank purchases financial assets from banks and other financial)
Answer
Be very careful, as many of the assumptions you are using are incorrect.
First, the federal reserve bank does not create money. The treasury makes money, and the fed must purchase the currency from the treasury. They accept currency from the treasury and pay a fee to them, which is funded by charging banks who are members of the fed interest on disbursements; that interbank interest rate is called the federal funds rate. Also, money is not created "out of nothing". The US dollar, like all fiat currencies, are supported by the nation's production potential. Money is basically an I.O.U. for resources, and the domestic value of that money (it's purchasing power) is determined, in part, by production value. When economic growth outpaces monetary expansion, it will contribute to deflation. When monetary expansion outpaces economic growth, it contributes to inflation. Of course, there are other factors that influence purchasing power of a currency, which is why I say relative monetary expansion rates "contribute to", rather than "determine" inflationary and deflationary pressures.
So, the answer to your question is both "yes" and "no".
Yes: Banks pay money to the federal reserve bank in terms of interest payments on money borrowed from the fed, and, of course, fees.
No: Banks will not pay back money for any government debt that the fed purchases from them. This is actually a very common process.
Remember that the fed is NOT a government agency, but it is quasi-governmental in that it controls monetary policy; it influences interest rates and money supply. Also remember that taxation and government spending are controlled by congress, not the fed.
Let's see how this works:
1) The government spends more money than it collects in fees and taxes
2) The government issues debt in the form of T-bills, T-notes, and T-bonds
3) Investors purchase these debt instruments because they accrue interest income, and US government debt is considered, for the most part, "risk free". Among these investors buying government debt are banks (for more information on the nature of risk-free investments, go here: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/riskfreeasset.asp#axzz2BN1TGvFy
)
4) These banks who have invested in government debt now have future value. In other words, they are owed money by the government, but do not have that money on-hand.
5) In order to increase bank liquidity, the fed purchased these investments from the banks at a discounted rate
6) The banks increase the amount of money they have on-hand, making them more able to withstand loan losses, currency demand, or other issues that may result in a depletion of reserve currency. It also makes them able to increase lending to people and businesses, while maintaining high reserve requirements, which is meant to stimulate the economy.
7) The government now pays the federal reserve bank instead of the purchasing banks for ownership of the debt investments.
This method of buying and selling assets with future value is extremely common. It's really no different than selling a machine used; where someone has already derived a little bit of value from the machine, but then someone buys it used for a discounted price and derives the remaining value from it.
When all is said and done, the reality is that this will have a minimal influence. As the result of political infighting in the US government, our fiscal policy (taxation and spending) is nearly completely frozen; we have been incapable of accomplishing anything. So, the federal reserve has been alone to try and use exclusively monetary policy to pull us out of one of the deepest and longest recessions in history - which is one of the reasons it has been so long. Think of it like throwing a bucket of water on a house fire; it might help a little bit but its a last-ditch effort. Thankfully, our economy is recovering on its own to an extent as well, although not in an ideal manner. | 1.566869 | 967 | 966 |
By Dan Nielsen
Tony Schwartz, President and CEO of The Energy Project and author of
addressed a critical leadership principle in a recent Harvard Business Review blog. No leader who desires leadership excellence can ignore this critical success factor: Be Excellent at Anything,
“Whatever else each of us derives from our work, there may be nothing more precious than the feeling that we truly matter — that we contribute unique value to the whole, and that we’re recognized for it
The single highest driver of engagement, according to a worldwide study conducted by Towers Watson, is whether or not workers feel their managers are genuinely interested in their wellbeing. Less than 40 percent of workers felt so engaged.
Feeling genuinely appreciated lifts people up. At the most basic level, it makes us feel safe, which is what frees us to do our best work. It’s also energizing. When our value feels at risk, as it so often does, that worry becomes preoccupying, which drains and diverts our energy from creating value.
So why is it that openly praising or expressing appreciation to other people at work can so easily seem awkward, contrived, mawkish and even disingenuous?
The obvious answer is that we’re not fluent in the language of positive emotions in the workplace. We’re so unaccustomed to sharing them that we don’t feel comfortable doing so. Heartfelt appreciation is a muscle we’ve not spent much time building, or felt encouraged to build.
Oddly, we’re often more experienced at expressing negative emotions — reactively and defensively, and often without recognizing their corrosive impact on others until much later, if we do at all.
That’s unfortunate. The impact of negative emotions — and more specifically the feeling of being devalued — is incredibly toxic. As Daniel Goleman has written, ‘Threats to our standing in the eyes of others are almost as powerful as those to our very survival.’
In the workplace itself, researcher Marcial Losada has found that among high-performing teams, the expression of positive feedback outweighs that of negative feedback by a ratio of 5.6 to 1. By contrast, low-performing teams have a ratio of .36 to 1.”
This subject is absolutely critical for all leaders, including all healthcare leaders! Next week, we will examine the specific steps Tony Schwartz suggests for sincerely and effectively using appreciation in building higher-performing and more sustainable teams.
Copyright © 2012 by Dan Nielsen
Founder, National Institute for Healthcare Leadership – www.nihcl.com
Founder, America’s Healthcare Leaders – www.americashealthcareleaders.com
Cell 214-695-1292In our recent Dog Census we asked:
Do you think pedigree dogs are living longer? Yes 26% No 37% Don't know 37% Do you think pedigree dogs are getting healthier? Yes 11% No 59% Don't know 30% Isn't it interesting? We have analysed a small group of 100 just to get a trend in advance of the survey closing, but isn't it fascinating that there is such a difference between perceived life expectancy and health even in a small group of people? What do you think? Are pedigree dogs living longer or not? If you're just going from personal experience there are so many other factors to consider. I've had lots of Beardies in my life, even so I struggle to find a definitive trend. Some have lived very long lives - 16 is my best, some have died at 12 or younger of something odd. Some have had pups, some haven't. Some have had some trauma or an infectious disease. Will have been fed a certain commercial diet or fresh homemade food. Some were rarely vaccinated, others annually. In that time I've had brilliant vets and sadly some really very ordinary ones. Great pet insurance or none at all - which possibly changed the options my vet may have put to me. Sally for example was on Vivitonin for years, none of my other oldies before then were ever offered this wonder drug and that may have extended her life in both quality and quantity dramatically. How will we ever get proper scientific data on life expectancies that factors all these variables out? I guess we can just measure perceptions and ask lots of people in different professions and then take the average of them all. Has there ever been a survey that suggested pedigree dogs are getting healthier and living longer? Banks and brokerages will begin offering TFSAs in 2009 | 1.75433 | 931 | 928 |
Download the news in French
Brussels, 14.02.2014 – On 11 February, the NGO Shipbreaking Platform accepted the invitation from Surfrider Foundation Europe, an NGO dedicated to protecting the marine ecosystems around the world, to speak at a conference on the emerging maritime risks, held at the Foundation’s EU headquarters in Biarritz, France. More than 40 people attended the conference.
The conference was streamed online:
Speakers included Antidia Citores, policy advisor at Surfrider, who presented the white paper that the Foundation addressed to the European Commission last year and which lists 45 recommendations in order to enhance maritime safety and reduce pollution. Amongst others, the document entitled “A white paper on maritime safety – Towards an Erika IV package?” [1] calls for solutions to the risks that are posed by the increasing number of containers transported by sea. Last year, and likewise in January 2014, the French Atlantic coast has been littered with goods that escaped from broken containers following shipping accidents. Sometimes such accidents are caused by other floating containers. The containers have no legal status and it is therefore difficult to identify the party responsible for the pollution. The white paper also calls for stricter rules for shipowners choosing to register a ship under certain flags, and recommends the creation of an EU flag to minimize the risks associated with “flag hopping”, whereby shipowners are free to choose any flag they want, including those that enforce the lowest possible social and environmental standards.
Delphine Reuter, communications officer at the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, presented the Platform’s work that is carried out at the European and South Asian level. The debate with the audience focused on the responsibility that should be borne by shipowners, such as the French company CMA-CGM, who has chosen to make more profit by beaching its end-of-life ships in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan instead of ensuring their safe and clean recycling elsewhere.
After the conference, the Platform and Surfrider launched an exhibition called “Dément tellement” [2]. The exhibition features steel sculptures by French artist Gilles Plantade and photographs of the Chittagong shipbreaking yards by Pierre Torset. The exhibition will remain open to the public at the Biarritz headquarters until 7 March 2014.
The NGO Shipbreaking Platform also participated with Surfrider in a press meeting organised by the town of Anglet, next to Biarritz, where a Spanish cargo ship was accidentally beached two weeks ago following stormy weather conditions. The mayor of Anglet told the press that the owner of the “Luno” is now looking into options for dismantling the ship. The Platform together with the Surfrider Foundation will continue to monitor the progress of the operations, with the Platform paying particular attention to the handling of the hazardous materials that are present within the structure of the “Luno”.
CONTACT
Delphine Reuter Communications officer NGO Shipbreaking Platform delphine@shipbreakingplatform.org here concerns the tensionsinherent between sociology and Christianity, and not how successful Christianbehavioral scientists are in handling this tension in the classroom. This pedagogicalissue is, of course, quite importantand hopefully this and other essays on the subject will sponsor some comment infuture publications on how various members of A.S.A. deal with this problem inthe classroom. 22There is, of course, one additional reason which typically creates tension betweenChristian students and sociology relating neither to research nor theory. Sociologistsare, as a group, more politically liberal and radical than any other group oftheir academic colleagues. It is very likely that elements of this worldview becomeevident to their students, who come to college with political views considerablyto the right of those they meet in introductory sociology. Whether these liberalpolitical values are somehow inherent to sociology itself is a debatable point,but one which will not be taken up here. We are concerned in this paper with lesssubtle sources of tension between Christianity and sociology. On the political liberality of sociologists, cf. Seymour Lipset and Everett Ladd,Jr., "The Polities of American Sociologists." American Journal of Sociology,78 (1972), pp. 67-104. On the inherent liberal (and, simultaneously, conservative)political bias in sociology, cf. Peter Berger, "Freedom and Sociology", The American Sociologist, 6 (1971). pp. I-S. 23Arthur Holmes, op. p. 17. | 1.814761 | 931 | 929 |
From its start, the recall effort against Rep. Mike McLachlan, D-Durango, was reactionary and disorganized. A small group of gun-rights puritans targeted the lawmaker for his votes in favor of a series of reasonable measures that aim to counter gun violence in Colorado and launched a hastily drawn recall campaign. Their rationale for removing McLachlan from office was that he lied during his campaign when he said he supports Second Amendment rights. That was a shaky premise for justifying such drastic means. Voters in the 59th District rightly agreed.
McLachlan’s campaign rhetoric about gun rights was broad and, as such, is useful in illustrating the complexity of the arguments surrounding the issue. His campaign website says: “Mike supports the Second Amendment and the rights of all gun owners.” This position, as interpreted by those who see any gun-control legislation whatsoever – including that which bans gun possession among minors or felons, for instance – as an infringement of a hallowed constitutional right, was violated when McLachlan supported the measures passed by the Colorado Legislature this spring. Those bills, which limit the magazine capacity of guns to 15 rounds, require universal background checks – to be paid for by the purchaser – on virtually all gun purchases and mandate in-person training before gun owners can obtain a concealed-carry permit, represent a reasoned and balanced approach to curtailing gun violence. None will solve the problem completely, but without levying undue infringements on gun owners’ rights, the measures have the potential to curb a devastating trend in Colorado and across the country.
Most important for the recall effort, though, is the fact that none runs afoul of the Second Amendment of the Constitution. Despite a long-held commitment to that amendment’s guarantee of the right to bear arms – affirmed for individuals by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2008 decision in District of Columbia vs. Heller – the United States has an equally long track record of balancing that right with some limits. That is true for all of the Bill of Rights. None is without any infringement whatsoever, nor should it be.
By that measure, McLachlan’s votes on the Legislature’s gun measures do not run afoul of his claim on the campaign trail to be a supporter of Second Amendment rights. Instead, they reflect his recognition that there is a balance to be struck between freedom and responsibility, and the bills passed at the Capitol passed that test. While that position certainly is something with which many of McLachlan’s constituents have the unfettered right to disagree, it is not one that meets the test of dishonesty, nor the bar deliberately set high for recall efforts to proceed to a vote. With just 8,500 unverified signatures, the organizers were a far distance from the 10,587 needed to put the issue on the ballot. That gap says much about how voters, in general, perceive the legislative process, if not McLachlan’s actions within it.
Interpreting the Second Amendment – and that of all the amendments as well as the Constitution itself – is the ongoing business of the Supreme Court, which consistently has found that there are bounds to the protections offered in the seminal document and its appendices. Attempting to remove an elected official from office for not holding a fundamentalist view of the Second Amendment or any of its cohorts was shortsighted, and overlooked the nuances of lawmaking: namely that representative government necessarily requires legislators to consider input from wide-ranging sources, including their own beliefs and the issues of the day, and make the best decision they can. In this case, McLachlan did that and the failed attempt to remove him from office shows the system worked.Types of oats
What’s the difference between rolled oats and quick-cooking oats?
Traditional rolled oats are hulled oat grains that are cleaned, steamed, then rolled to flatten.
Quick-cooking oats are created by steaming the hulled oat grains for longer and rolling them thinner. They are broken into small pieces, so they cook faster.
Rolled and quick oats can both be used to make porridge. Check before using oats in baking, such as muesli bars, biscuits, crumbles and cakes. Most recipes call for the traditional rolled oats, unless otherwise specified.
Rolled oats and quick-cooking oats have the same nutritional benefits.
Storage
Keep oats in a cool dry place in an airtight container. They can be kept in the fridge or freezer if your pantry is prone to moths or weevils. – Post By Post. | 1.561822 | 926 | 923 |
Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiogram Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiogram Alternate Names PTCA transhepatic cholangiogram Definition
A percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram (PTCA), is a special X-ray test used to look at the bile ducts. The bile ducts allow the liver and gallbladder to secrete digestive fluid into the intestines. The pancreatic duct can also be seen and evaluated for disease.
Who is a candidate for the test?
A PTCA is usually ordered when a healthcare professional suspects a condition that affects the bile ducts, such as biliary obstruction, or blockage.
How is the test performed?
An intravenous line (IV) is usually placed into a vein in the arm before the procedure. Antibiotics, sedatives, and pain medications may be given through the IV. The examiner will then clean the skin over the liver, and inject a local anesthetic into the skin to numb it.
A thin needle is then inserted into the liver. The examiner watches the needle with a special X-ray machine. Small amounts of a contrast agent are injected through the needle. A special catheter is inserted into the liver once the needle is in the right spot. More contrast agent is then injected to highlight the bile and pancreatic ducts. X-ray pictures are taken of the bile ducts while they are filled with the contrast agent.
If a blockage is seen, a special tube known as a stent may be inserted to bypass the blockage. If the blockage cannot be opened with a stent, the provider may leave a small drain tube in the ducts to drain bile to a bag outside the body. When the test is over, the person goes to a recovery area until the sedative wears off. The person may be allowed to go home later the same day if he or she is otherwise well.
What is involved in preparation for the test?
A woman who knows or suspects that she is pregnant should tell the healthcare professional because this test can expose the unborn child to radiation. Any allergies to iodine should be mentioned, since the contrast agent is iodine based. Nothing should be taken in by mouth for 8 hours before the test. The healthcare professional will let the person know if other preparations are needed.
What do the test results mean?
A PTCA may reveal a blockage, known as a
biliary obstruction, or other abnormality in the ducts. A blockage could be due to a gallstone, inflammation, or a tumor. Sources
"Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease", 1998, Sleisenger et al.The need for elder care may come as a result of an illness, injury, hospitalization, or simply the gradual process of aging. It’s not always easy to notice (or accept) that your loved one needs help. There are many warning signs to look for but here are a few of the big ones.
Mobility Problems.Is your loved one walking from room to room grabbing onto furniture for balance? Do they have difficulty getting out of a chair due to muscle weakness or arthritis? Have they experienced a fall recently? Although the use of canes and walkers can help with balance, the lack of mobility sometimes due to the fear of falling can impact someone’s overall health. Weight Loss.Have you noticed your parent(s) clothes becoming loose? Have you checked the refrigerator and cupboards recently? Sometimes weight loss can indicate a lack of motivation to eat, energy to cook or difficulty seeing to cook safely. Other times, weight loss is linked with a significant health condition and it might be best you mention it to their physician. Poor Home Maintenance.Are dishes piled in the sink or counter? Are old newspapers and magazines stacked high when they used to be read and tossed away promptly? Is the once beautifully manicured garden becoming overgrown and uncared for? Lack of Personal Hygiene.Pay attention to appearance. Are his/her clothes clean? Do you notice them wearing the same pieces again and again? Do you detect body odor, unshaven or unkempt hair? What about fingernails and toenails, do they appear clean and trimmed?
Talking with a parent or loved one can be difficult. Sometimes knowing you are concerned or that you pointed it out might be inspiration enough. If they don’t show signs of willingness to get help, contact their doctor and let them know your observations.
Please contact a member of Hearthstone’s Community Relations for more information and learn how Hearthstone Senior Living can offer a solution. | 1.164233 | 926 | 924 |
Last week, I penned a piece for
The Diplomat where I outlined in broad strokes several potential economic policy outcomes that could have been results of the Third Plenum of the Central Committee of the 18th Communist Party of China (CPC). On the menu were items as diverse as reform in interest rate ceilings, deposit insurance, capital controls, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and the hukou housing permit system. If one had to draw an overarching theme for this Third Plenum – what Xi Jinping’s key dilemma would be – it would be delivering market-friendly reform to the center and periphery of China while maintaining the Party’s position in Beijing. Xinhua, in its summary of the post-Third Plenum reforms, put it simpler: "The core issue is properly handling the relationship between the government and markets."
So what are the results of the Third Plenum, how did investors and observers react, and was the meeting a success for Xi Jinping, who was expected to fully consolidate his power and position as the PRC’s President?
The core physical result of the meeting was a rather vague communiqué issued by the Communist Party on the results of the meeting. According to Chris Buckley over at
Sinosphere, the initial reports "gave only a sketchy summary of what was discussed, saying that the 200 or so central and provincial officials who attended endorsed broad proposals to seek more balanced and equitable growth through more market competition and improved government. The summary said the planned changes would include taxation reforms, integrating urban and rural society, improved government services, and building a more effective legal system.” Enjoying this article?Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.
An ancillary aspect of the CPC’s communiqué was the notion of equality and fairness in China’s economy. According to
Xinhua, "the CPC pledged to clear barriers in the market and improve the efficiency and fairness in the allocation of resources. It will also create fair, open and transparent market rules and improve the market price mechanism.” No specifics were provided on how precisely the “market price mechanism” can or will be improved.
One of the more concrete outcomes – at least administratively – was the announcement that the CPC will set up a central leading team for “comprehensively deepening reform.” The team will be a successor to the National Development and Reform Commission (which was merged with the economic reform commission).
China Daily further clarified the role of the group, “Part of the new group's duties, apart from economic reform, is to plan and carry out reform on modernizing China's 'governance system' and 'governance capability’.” Caixin, in its coverage of the reforms, expressed optimism that the reforms will create a more favorable climate for China’s entrepreneurs and family business endeavors.
The Third Plenum’s outcomes are also significant in what they explicitly omit. As was long expected by observers and analysts, Xi Jinping did not go on the offensive against the increasingly stagnating state-owned enterprises.The CPC’s decisive turn towards a market-based economy will necessitate action in this area sooner or later; it could perhaps be that the Central Committee favors a gradualist approach towards the state-owned enterprises, and may even handle their reform on a case-by-case basis. This could be a manageable task for Beijing given that there exist around 120 large SOEs.
Investors were thoroughly let down by the results of the Plenum; global stocks dipped, from Europe to the United States. Neil MacKinnon, a global macro strategist interviewed by
ABC News, said that "While the general approach is market-oriented, the absence of clear details is slightly disappointing.” In essence, the Third Plenum told investors what they mostly already knew about the challenges facing China’s economy and the measures needed to ameliorate the situation. The move towards further market-oriented reforms is thus largely uninteresting to investors without specific details.
Shortly before the conclusion of the Plenum, my colleague Zachary Keck wrote an article for
The Diplomat explaining why negotiating reform between Beijing and the rest of China wouldn’t be easy, for a variety of reasons. These challenges will endure as China embarks on the next step in its grand opening up to the world. Minxin Pei, noted China expert and contributor to The Diplomat, writes that expectations of concrete and detailed reform emerging from the Third Plenum are “sanguine and naive” given that they overestimate the level of control Xi and his colleagues in Beijing truly posses over local governments and regional party bosses. Despite its historically centralized nature, Chinese technocracy isn’t immune from the vagaries of institutional politics.
In assessing whether this Third Plenum succeeded, China watchers must be careful not to miss the forest for the trees. Despite the disappointing lack of details, the rhetorical outcomes of the Third Plenum nonetheless reassuringly signal that the world’s second largest economy is embracing liberal reform that can only be beneficial for China’s 1.35 billion people and the world economy in the long-term. | 1.916263 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Muni sources parts to keep light rail trains running
Outdated parts for Breda light-rail vehicles are hard to come by, but Muni has found an effective — albeit expensive — solution.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has engaged a third-party firm to obtain and fabricate parts for the aging trains, which has helped improved reliability and increased the availability of light-rail vehicles for daily service.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved a contract amendment with Alstom Transportation Inc. and the SFMTA to exercise two options to extend the current contract through Aug. 31, 2018 for additional amount $25.5 million. The total contract amount is $55.2 million.
The original $39 million contract with Alstom had started out as pilot when the board approved the contract back in 2013 for two years. The transit agency later extended the contract to to Aug. 31, 2016.
John Haley, director of transit for the SFMTA, said at the board’s Budget and Finance Committee last Wednesday that the transit agency saw a significant improvement in the mean time between failures of the light-rail vehicles, and a lower out-of-stock rate for train parts whiling using Alstom:
“The focus today is how we’ve been able to address a long-standing problem for the agency, which is making sure we have the right parts at the right time so we can support doing both our preventive maintenance on scheduled basis as well as our repairs in a timely fashion.”
Muni light-rail vehicles now travel more miles without breaking down. The mean distance between failures has increased from an average of 2,964 miles to 5,150 and the average train availability increased from an average of 110 to 120 after implementing the inventory management system.
Haley said the transit agency can now send out more two-car trains during peak times on the L-Taraval and M-Oceanview.
One of the key and important parts of the contract is for Alstom to find experts to reproduce parts from manufacturers who are no longer in business, said the transit agency. The process is called reverse engineering.
This has to led to a higher availability of parts in the transit agency’s inventory, which had not been always the case, said Haley.
During the last six years, the stock-out rate for parts was at high of 11.5 percent in 2012, but that has since decreased 2.5 percent this year.
The transit agency had also seen an increase of spending in parts from $21 million in 2011 to $42 million in 2015, according to SFMTA documents.
Haley said this was good thing for the transit agency because it meant inspections and preventative maintenance on vehicles were done on time and that parts were more readily available for maintenance staff:
“This is the level of maintenance that we need to be doing. This is what will keep the system safe and the system reliable.”Article Title
Noisy respiratory secretions at the end of life
Publication Details Clark, K., & Butler, M. (2009). Noisy respiratory secretions at the end of life. Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care, 3(2), 120-124. doi:10.1097/SPC.0b013e32832af251
Abstract
Purpose of review: Noisy respiratory secretions at the end of life are common and sometimes very distressing for those caring for the dying person. Understanding of the pathophysiology is limited but is probably more complex than current opinion would suggest. As a result, the management of this problem is poor.
Recent findings: This study considers current definitions and proposes a three-step mechanism to account for the phenomena. The current evidence to describe contributing causes and management is discussed, and a research agenda is proposed.
Summary: A more sophisticated approach when assessing and managing respiratory secretions is necessary, including methods to adopt preemptive strategies. Research that explores the benefit of compassionate education and communication with people close to the dying person must be explored.
Keywords
peer-reviewed | 1.555685 | 874 | 872 |
IBM’s 1 billion dollar acquisition will allow Watson supercomputer to ‘see’
INDUSTRY NEWS 11 August 2015
IBM has announced plans to acquire the medical imaging group Merge Healthcare for $1 billion in order to boost the capacity of its Watson supercomputer.
The new group will be integrated into IBM’s Watson Health platform, which analyses massive amounts of personal health data to help medical professionals improve treatment.
Watson is the first commercially available cognitive computing platform. The system, delivered through the cloud, analyses high volumes of data, understands complex questions posed in natural language, and proposes evidence-based answers.
The planned acquisition of Merge Healthcare strengthens IBM’s strategy to add rich image analytics with deep learning to the Watson Health platform, in effect, advancing Watson beyond natural language and giving it the ability to ‘see’, the company said in a statement.
In April 2015, the company launched IBM Watson Health and the Watson Health Cloud platform. The platform was created to help improve the ability of doctors, researchers and insurers to innovate by surfacing new insights from the massive amount of personal health data being created daily.
Medical images are the largest and fastest-growing data source in the healthcare industry and perhaps the world – IBM researchers estimate that they account for at least 90 per cent of all medical data today.
However, certain challenges can inhibit the efficient use of this data. For example, the sheer volume of medical images can be overwhelming even for the most advanced medical specialists – radiologists in an emergency room can be presented with thousands of images per day, according to the IBM statement. In addition, tools to help clinicians extract insights from medical images are limited, requiring most data to be analysed manually.
The Watson Health Platform will be used to analyse and cross-reference medical images against a deep trove of lab results, electronic health records, genomic tests, clinical studies and other health data — which IBM estimates represent 315 billion data points and 90 million unique records.
Medical professionals will be able to compare new medical images with a patient’s image history as well as populations of similar patients to detect changes and anomalies. Insights generated by Watson could then help healthcare providers in fields including radiology, cardiology, orthopaedics and ophthalmology to pursue more personalised approaches to diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of patients.
‘As Watson evolves, we are tackling more complex and meaningful problems by constantly evaluating bigger and more challenging data sets,’ explained IBM vice president John Kelly. ‘Medical images are some of the most complicated data sets imaginable, and there is perhaps no more important area in which researchers can apply machine learning and cognitive computing.’
Under terms of the transaction, Merge shareholders would receive $7.13 per share in cash, for a total transaction value of $1 billion. The closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory review, Merge shareholder approval, and other customary closing conditions, and is anticipated to occur later this year.
Further information Source: IBM’s 1 billion dollar acquisition will allow Watson supercomputer to ‘see’
Via: Google Alert for Deep LearningBefore running the tests with actual participants, you should carry out a pilot test with two or three people. In this case, coworkers and friends are OK. The key is to get used to the procedure of running a test and to work out any bugs in your procedure. A pilot also helps you figure out how long the test will take so that you know whether you need to cut or possibly add more tasks.
After you have finished the pilot tests, try analyzing the collected data. This data should not be used in the final analysis, but you should do the analysis to make sure that you are collecting the right data. For example, once when we were evaluating a Web site, we asked people to sort a list of features according to importance. Although the exercise was useful, it turned out that the data we had gathered was extremely difficult to analyze properly. One person mentioned that only the top two things in the list were really important to her; another identified the top four items as important. In retrospect, a better way of gathering this information would have been to ask people to rate the importance of each feature from 1 (not important) to 7 (very important). If we had tried analyzing data from the pilot test, we would have caught the problem before conducting the real test. | 1.467072 | 882 | 880 |
Starbucks' new rewards program isn't for the frugal
Starbucks has announced a new rewards program starting in April. The new program will reward dollars spent in stores, not frequency of visits.
With the new Starbucks rewards system, money matters.
On Monday, Starbucks announced a new rewards program that will begin in April. The program will reward customers based on dollars spent at Starbucks locations and shift away from rewarding frequent visits. The decision was based on consumer demand, according to Starbucks, but has caused a backlash from customers on Twitter.
The new rewards system has the potential to aid big spenders to more quickly earn free rewards. But for customers getting a quick drink to go? They’ll have to spend more to qualify.
“If you always buy only one beverage or pastry when you visit Starbucks, it might mean taking a little longer to get a free reward than you do today,” it states on the Starbucks website.
The current Starbucks reward system is based on visits. Each visit results in a customer being rewarded with one star. With 30 stars customers reach Gold status, after which every 12 stars results in a free reward. At a minimum, a Gold customer could earn a free reward by spending about $24 and buying a cup of regular coffee over 12 visits. For people buying more expensive drinks, it would still take 12 visits.
Under the revamped rewards system rolling out in April, every dollar spent at Starbucks will gain a customer 2 stars, according to the website. It will take customers 300 stars to reach Gold level and 125 stars to gain a free reward. At a minimum, Gold customers would need to spend $62.50 and for customers only buying a cup of coffee, it would take more than 30 visits to reach a free reward. A Gold customer buying more expensive drinks would earn a free reward faster.
In other words: spend more money and you will earn a reward even faster under the new system.
The change in rewards system comes as many fast food establishments have been shedding programs that offer cheap food and replacing them with programs to boost the dollar per order amount. In November 2015, McDonald’s ditched its dollar menu in exchange for a McPick 2 menu, where customers can pick two items for $2. Wendy’s also ended its dollar menu and became the first burger chain to test a “4 for 4” menu nationally, which Business Insider credits with helping to achieve a 4.8 percent boost in sales in the fourth quarter.
Starbucks could be leveraging its popular reward system aiming at the same goal: upping the amount, even slightly, of how much customers spend when they order.
Last month, Starbucks reached more than 11 million customers using their loyalty program, a growth of 23 percent over the last year, according to The Associated Press. Current loyalty rewards members spend about three times more than non-members.
Starbucks has stated that the new plan will also offer new ways to earn reward stars, including Double-Star Days and other as yet undisclosed methods.
“You’ll be able to collect Stars in so many places, from Starbucks and Teavana stores to the grocery aisle, even in your inbox. Soon we’ll be launching new ways for you to earn even more Stars, both in and out of our stores,” it says on the website.In most cases, hair loss is due to age, genes or changes in hormone levels. But what you eat may affect hair health, especially if you're deficient in certain nutrients. A 2002 article published in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology suggests that the amino acid L-lysine may offer some benefits to those trying to promote hair growth, and including seeds rich in this amino acid might help.
Seeds for Hair Growth
Seeds rich in L-lysine might aid hair growth. As a building block of protein, amino acids such as L-lysine may play a role in the formation of your hair. Seeds rich in this amino acid include pumpkin, chia, flaxseeds, sunflower and sesame. While these seeds may help up your intake of L-lysine, they are also a concentrated source of calories, so watch your portion to prevent weight gain. Although the amount varies per seed, these seeds are also a source of other nutrients that are important for hair health and growth, including zinc, iron, selenium, a variety of the B vitamins and essential fats. | 1.425993 | 908 | 906 |
Browsing History Theses and Dissertations by Subject "American history"
Now showing items 1-2 of 2
Shintani, Kiyoshi (University of Oregon, December , 2008)[more][less]Shintani, Kiyoshi 2009-07-27T23:46:14Z 2009-07-27T23:46:14Z 2008-12 http://hdl.handle.net/1794/9493 vii, 237 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. Fannie Farmer of the Boston Cooking School may be the only culinary expert from the Progressive Era who remains a household name today, but many other women took part in efforts to reform American foodways as well. Employing "scientific cookery," cooking based on the sciences of nutrition and physiology, these women paradoxically formed their careers within a prescribed culture of women's domesticity. At a time when the food industry was rapidly growing, culinary authorities engaged in commercial enterprise as intermediaries between producers and consumers by endorsing products, editing magazines and advertising recipe booklets, and giving cooking demonstrations at food expositions. This study examines the role of cooking experts in shaping the culture of consumption during the forty years beginning in 1876, when the first American cooking school based on scientific principles was founded in New York. Consumer culture here refers not only to advertising and a set of beliefs and customs regarding shopping at retail stores. Expanding the definition of consumption to include cooking (producing meals entails consuming foods) and eating, this dissertation also explores how cooking experts helped turn middle-class women into consumers of food. Drawing on cooking authorities' prescriptive literature, such as cookbooks, magazine and newspaper articles, and advertising cookbooks, this study takes a bifocal approach, illuminating the dynamic interplay between rising consumerism and foodways. Culinary experts not only helped develop the mass marketing and consumption of food. They also shaped a consumerist worldview, which exalted mental and physical exuberance, laying the groundwork for consumer culture, especially advertising, to grow. They adopted commercial aesthetics into their recipes and meal arrangements and, claiming that the appearance of foods corresponded to their wholesomeness, culinary authorities suggested eye-appealing dishes for middle-class women to make and consume. The entwinement of culinary and consumer cultures involved cooking teachers' insistence on the domesticity of women, especially their role of providing family meals. This gender expectation, along with consumer culture, characterized twentieth-century America. Culinary reformers helped modernize American society at large at the turn of the twentieth century. Committee in charge: Daniel Pope, Chairperson, History; Ellen Herman, Member, History; James Mohr, Member, History; Geraldine Moreno, Outside Member, Anthropology en_US University of Oregon University of Oregon theses, Dept. of History, Ph. D., 2008; Modernity Culinary Reformers Consumer culture American history Cooking up modernity: Culinary reformers and the making of consumer culture, 1876--1916 Thesis Ruhl, Melissa (University of Oregon, June , 2011)[more][less]Ruhl, Melissa 2011-08-15T22:01:10Z 2011-08-15T22:01:10Z 2011-06 http://hdl.handle.net/1794/11484 vii, 122 p. : ill. High school student activism at Chemawa Indian School, a Native American boarding school in Oregon, transformed the curriculum, policies, and student life at Chemawa. Historians have neglected post-WWII boarding school stories, yet both the historical continuities and changes in boarding school life are significant. Using the student newspaper, the <italic>Chemawa American,</italic> I argue that during the 1960s, Chemawa continued to encourage Christianity, relegate heritage to safety zones, and rely on student labor to sustain the school. In the 1970s, Chemawa students, in part influenced by the Indian Student Bill of Rights, brought self-determination to Chemawa. Students organized clubs exploring Navajo, Alaskan, and Northwest Indian cultures and heritages. They were empowered to change rules such as the dress code provision dictating the length of hair. When the federal government threatened to close Chemawa many students fought to keep their school open even in the face of rapidly declining enrollment rates. Committee in charge: Dr. Ellen Herman, Chairperson; Dr. Jeffery Ostler, Member; Dr. Brian Klopotek, Member en_US University of Oregon University of Oregon theses, Dept. of | 1.378783 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
You’ve got the skills and the fitness but is the secret to winning races all in the mind?
Readers of Dirt Magazine will be familiar with this feature we call “The Question”. We thought it would be interesting to throw it out to you lot on the World Wide Web to hear your thoughts and views.
The race season has started, all the training has been done, but when it comes to the crunch just how important is the mental approach to winning?
So we posed the question, when it comes to winning World Cup downhill races how much is about the physical/skill side of the sport and how much is down to a rider’s mental approach?
Both are important, but how do you think the balance works for the top riders?
FABIEN BAREL EX WORLD RACER AND URGE BIKES PRODUCT OWNER
I sincerely believe that you need to be fully prepared to win a World Cup race. And for that, all parameters need to be well calculated and fully pushed to each limit. The limits are often not at the maximum but more where I would call the ‘optimum’. The optimum is the perfect compromise where skills and preparation meet fun on the bike.
Every top rider must have been facing the situation where fun has gone because there is too much pressure on results. This is where the mental side of riding will interfere with performance. We will develop our own philosophy to transform this situation into a force.
Every top athlete will have a different point of view but each of us will find the one that suit him the best to perform. I have seen many very skilful riders over the year and only very few will reach the top. It means one thing to me, that you have to be a good rider to reach World Cup level but you have to be mentally strong to win it.
DARREN ROBERTS HEAD OF PERFORMANCE AT RED BULL UK
Physical fitness is of course extremely important – strength, power and agility can help you in a run, but if you really want a fast time, be fast on the bike not fast in the gym. Conditioning simply enables you to cope with the demands of a season of racing World Cup DH rather than just the specific three–minutes of a run.
Stringing together a winning run for World Cup DH is more than fitness or skill, it’s mental acuity and toughness. There is no room for error and any mistake can cost you the win – that brings with it enormous performance pressure. It’s as singular and incisive as a 100m sprint. The one thing all the top riders have in common is the ability to absorb that pressure and to some extent use it, they’re not phased by it…at all. They use specific warm ups for the mind as well as ergogenic aids like caffeine.
In the world of elite athletes, mental acuity and toughness is king. World Cup DH is no different, our bodies are the instruments of our mind. I don’t care how fit, fast or strong you are, if you haven’t got the mental acuity and toughness to hold it together for a DH run at world level, the win will be out of reach.
STEFANE GIRARD MOUNTAIN BIKE COACH
Training for a World Cup downhill competition is a long and complicated process. Downhill is indeed a very demanding sport. You need amazing riding skills. You of course need to be able to develop high sprint power, but you also need to be fit in order to survive a whole day (sometimes three or four days) of training before entering he actual competition as fresh as possible. Last but not least you also need to have strong mental strength in order to ride at 100%, controlling fear, excitement, stress and pressure.
Whatever they say, all of the top 20 World Cup contenders train or at least try to train those different areas. Some of them seem to do it with better success than others, so what matters the most? The key to training is to base it on the individual. This means that a training program should be made for you based on your strengths and weaknesses, if your skills are your weakness, work on them…
But the psychological side of performance is definitely the most complicated and the hardest to measure, this is what will get you to use 100% of your full potential or not. What makes it so complicated and crucial is that psychology can change dramatically over a very short amount of time, based on any fact or situation that can affect confidence in a positive or negative way. Weather conditions, opponents, the way your training went, a few words exchanged with some people (mechanic, manager, coach), etc. You can go from 100% down to 75%, or from 90% up to 100%.
Nobody can really say fitness is X%, skills Y% and mental Z%, but what we all know is that mental strength can change a performance in no time, when typically the fitness and skills you have developed don’t really change in a | 1.819739 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Since the incorporation of Sunny Isles Beach in 1997, the leaders of the City have embarked on a mission to create a unique community easily identifiable by residents and visitors alike. As a newlyelected Commissioner, I continued the quest of seeking approval from the United States Postal Service for a unique ZIP Code for the City of Sunny Isles Beach.
The task of obtaining a ZIP Code for the City was first initiated when I was nominated to serve on the City Advisory Committee by former Vice Mayor Lewis Thaler whose idea it was to make the request. I had no idea what I would be doing once appointed to the CAC, but I immediately was directed by the former Chair of the City Advisory Committee that my task would be to undertake this request. Even then, in January 2012, the USPS was already having financial difficulties, and they just continued to get worse over time. At the time of this writing, the Federal Government is on shutdown.
I waded through the USPS Operations Manual and other materials I had and could find that would enlighten me as to what the USPS takes into consideration when considering a “request for ZIP Code boundary review” rather than simply writing a letter stating that Sunny Isles Beach wanted a new ZIP Code because it is unique and different from the other areas inside 33160. I extolled its virtues: the Beach, geographic location, tourist destination, economic status and property values (as to uniqueness), the low crime rate (for the insurance cost argument), its population and projected growth rate (to justify the cost). I always felt that it was an up-hill battle because of the financial ramifications to the floundering USPS as my research also led me to the requirements that the change had to make financial sense. I learned during the process that we also had been denied in the past on two occasions, and I had found articles on the Internet about other cities that had been turned away. But, as they, say: If you don’t ask, then certainly you don’t get, and I remained cautiously optimistic.
In a nutshell, my arguments seemed to fall on deaf ears with a reply that felt scripted and was turned around too quickly given the procedure I was originally told would have to be followed when considering the request. The denial was based on the fact that the USPS was unable to identify any operational needs, substantial savings, or service improvements that would justify their providing a unique ZIP Code for Sunny Isles Beach. At a minimum, changes to schemes and transportation schedules, directory revisions, computer software, and mail forwarding for changing addresses would be required and significant administrative costs would be incurred. It was further explained that 5-digit ZIP Codes can only be authorized if there is an operational need supporting the USPS’ mission of providing the best universal service, when an existing ZIP Code structure impedes quality service, and where there is an opportunity to substantially reduce its distribution and delivery costs. The denial also went on to explain in three paragraphs the “preferred last line” concept as though I had no idea what it is although I had stated in the request that it was inadequate. Naturally, however, above all else the USPS is a business, a separate entity not funded by our tax dollars, so all of the fiscal arguments make sense notwithstanding internal directives of the USPS which I was provided from their office in Washington, D.C., or arguments made in the request for the change.
Finally, however, there was the ultimate truth in black and white: “The USPS is experiencing significant financial challenges related to declining mail volumes, the lackluster economy and fluctuating fuel costs.” Consequently, not all of the established rules apply any longer. In fact, since the time of the application, there has been talk in Congress of the installation of post office box stations, like you might see in a townhouse project, so mail carriers no longer have to stop at individual addresses and everyone within a certain area would pick up their mail at the same location.
As much as the attorney in me wants to appeal the decision, timing is everything and now is simply not the time. With email, social media, financial difficulties, the speed of technological development, an ever-evolving global economy and necessary adaptations to all of the above, it may never be. Who knows? The ZIP Code may eventually become a thing of the past, maybe even the United States Postal Service itself. For the time being, however, not having our own ZIP Code does not detract from what Sunny Isles Beach has become, is, or will be in the future— Florida’s Riviera, a unique community, and then some.13 | 1.873126 | 933 | 931 |
DURHAM, N.C.—The North Carolina General Assembly called lawmakers back to Raleigh on Wednesday for a special session. The reason wasn’t a pressing budget crisis, a natural disaster, or court-mandated redistricting. (That happened last month.)
Instead, legislators returned to the state house to overrule a local ordinance in Charlotte banning discrimination against LGBT people. A bill written for that purpose passed Wednesday evening and was signed by Governor Pat McCrory, a Republican. In the House, every Republican and 11 Democrats backed the bill. In the Senate, Democrats walked out when a vote was called, resulting in a 32-0 passage by Republicans. The law not only overturns Charlotte’s ban: It also prevents any local governments from passing their own non-discrimination ordinances, mandates that students in the state’s schools use bathrooms corresponding to the gender on their birth certificate, and prevents cities from enacting minimum wages higher than the state’s.
The push by Republican leaders is the latest front in a battle in the Old North State between liberal-leaning cities and more conservative areas of the state, and it’s also the latest front in a national battle over LGBT rights.
Charlotte’s updated ordinance was passed in February, after a contentious process. Existing rules prevented businesses from discriminating against customers based on race, age, religion, and gender, and the new ones added gay, lesbian, or transgender customers to the list. The most controversial provision allows transgender people to use the bathroom corresponding to the gender with which they identify. Such provisions are not uncommon—many major cities, as well as smaller ones, have them on the books.
Almost immediately, Republicans in the state legislature vowed to overturn the law, even though the assembly is not in session. North Carolina has become a fierce battleground for culture war issues. Since the GOP captured the legislature in 2010 and the governorship in 2012, there’s been a steady stream of conservative changes, from much stricter voter laws to looser gun laws to overhauling taxes. The legislature even considered a proposal to establish Christianity as the official state religion.
The state is deeply divided between liberal cities and conservative rural areas, and with few prospects to take back control in Raleigh, progressives have looked to local government as a way to enact change. The general assembly has not looked kindly on those efforts. In September, just as the legislative calendar was ending, lawmakers heard a bill that would prevent cities from passing higher minimum-wage laws, establishing affordable-housing mandates, or instituting rules about landlord-tenant relations. It would also have likely banned any LGBT-discrimination bans. Another failed bill would have required state approval for cities wishing to create new bike lanes.
Although the push to preempt city laws failed as the clock ran out, Charlotte’s new ordinance created a new impetus. McCrory, a former mayor of Charlotte, opposed the law but declined to call a special session, so on Monday lawmakers did so themselves. On Wednesday, members who could make it in time traipsed back to Raleigh to overturn the Charlotte rule. (Some missed the session, saying they did not have time to travel.) What exactly would be in the bill remained a mystery almost up to the moment the session gaveled in—the text was made public just minutes ahead of time.
Once released, it was clear that the legislative language was more sweeping than expected. Not only does it prevent local governments from writing ordinances that allow people to use the bathroom corresponding to the gender with with they identify, it also preempts cities from passing their own nondiscrimination standards, saying the state’s rules—which are more conservative—supersede localities. Local school district would be barred from allowing transgender students to use bathrooms or locker rooms that don’t correspond to the gender listed on their birth certificate. The bill would also ban cities from passing their own minimum-wage laws.
It’s a striking example of how North Carolina’s Republicans have decided that culture-war issues ought to take precedence over traditional conservative preference for local control. But they also pit the North Carolina GOP’s professed desire to improve the business climate in the state against social conservative impulses. Representative Paul Stam, a sponsor of the bill, called it a commerce bill, but many large corporations have stated their opposition to this law and others, concerned that they could interfere with business or hiring.
There were just 30 minutes allocated for public comment in the House during the session. (Committee members only got five minutes to read the bill before voting, though.) There was further time for comment in the Senate.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court made same-sex marriage the law of the land in June 2015, the new front in LGBT rights concerns non-discrimination laws. In one especially noted example, a non-discrimination proposal in Houston was defeated in November, in large part because of controversy over transgender use of bathrooms. The laws pit advocates who say that the laws create ostracism and danger for a transgender population already subject to threats and violence against opponents who maintain that allowing transgender individuals to use | 1.588088 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
the bathroom with which they identify endangers privacy or creates a threat of sexual assault. (Experiences in places with transgender accommodation suggest there’s little risk of sexual assault.)
Two states have passed laws that preempt local non-discrimination provisions. In 2011, Tennessee passed such a law, and Arkansas passed one in 2015—both in responses to cities adopting or considering ordinances, noted Cathryn Oakley, a senior legislative counsel at the Human Rights Campaign, which opposes the laws.
Bills that mandate that students use the bathroom corresponding to their “biological sex” or some similar phrase—tied to what a birth certificate says in the North Carolina case—are more common, but none has entered law. In February, South Dakota lawmakers passed a similar bill, but Republican Governor Dennis Daugaard vetoed it, saying the law did not answer any pressing need and that local authorities were better-equipped to handle the issue than state lawmakers. The student-restroom laws raise other questions, such as how schools might seek to enforce then, and whether enforcement would make schools fall afoul of federal Title IX regulation and thus endanger federal funding. (It would be somewhat ironic if the state’s attempt to preempt cities was itself preempted by federal law.)
The law could have far-reaching implications both statewide and nationally. North Carolina cities will see local ordinances and minimum-wage laws rolled back and have to adjust. There are likely to be legal challenges. The law will be an issue in this year’s gubernatorial election, in which McCrory is set to face Attorney General Roy Cooper, a Democrat who called the bill “shameful.” And as perhaps the first law of its kind in the nation, it will create a template for other conservative legislatures to pursue. That’s unfortunate, suggested Robin Wilson, a law professor at the University of Illinois who helped broker a compromise on a Utah religious-liberty law between LGBT activists and conservative advocates. “For the state to just come behind and wipe that clean without thinking about commonsense solutions—I [don’t] think that’s the point we want to come to,” she said.Winter Sports – Snowshoeing
Looking for a winter sport that can be enjoyed by participants of all ages? Snowshoeing is a great option for a number of reasons. The sport is popular with everyone from children to senior citizens.
Snowshoeing does not require specific technical skills, but it does offer a great workout. Unlike skiing or snowboarding, you do not need to be at an expensive ski resort to participate. You can easily snowshoe on public trails and open spaces.
When first starting out, be sure to participate in small increments. Take some short walks to build up your stamina before venturing out on longer walks. Be sure to be prepared for the environment. Dress in layers that are appropriate for the cold weather. It is very important to stay hydrated while snowshoeing. Bring along a backpack to carry important items like mittens, a map, first aid kit, cell phone and a GPS. Don’t forget to throw in some snacks for fuel. As with any type of hiking, make sure you let others know where you are going and when you are planning to return. It is wisest to snowshoe with a group.
When choosing your first set of snowshoes, check with your local sporting goods stores for advice. For example, some models are built specifically for a woman’s shorter stride, while other models have features designed specifically for the beginner. A good sales person can help you decide what features are important and what other accessories you might find useful.
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You can be the first to comment!Our mobile lab space will broaden data collection, enabling cognitive scientists to extend studies beyond university walls.
we can ensure that theories of the mind reflect a more representative group of humans. In an era where policymakers are increasingly consulting cognitive scientists to make decisions, more representative data can help science improve society.
Most cognitive science data are collected from college students, who are ethnically and socio-economically less diverse than the broader population. This limits scope of our theories about the human mind. By reaching a more diverse group of experimental participants, | 1.751933 | 923 | 920 |
Promoting Counseling Excellence through Global Networking and Advocacy
Dr. Andrea L. Dixon, CSI President-Elect
Friday, March 22, 2013, 1:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Advocacy for our clients and for the counseling profession is a competency taught in all levels of counselor preparation, encouraged through leadership in CSI chapters, and modeled and mentored by the leaders of our Society. In today’s global society, counseling advocacy must be considered as a global challenge. CSIs Global Network was created as a web-based resource to inform counselors of the status of our profession in countries around the world, and raise awareness of the critical need for counseling advocacy on a global scale. As the network expands, we are challenged to listen, dialog, learn, and grow through experiences and partnerships with counselors around the world.
This year, during our leadership workshop that will be held Friday, March 22nd from 1:00-3:30 PM, we will explore the promotion of counseling excellence through global advocacy. We will begin our workshop by recognizing our 2013-2014 Leadership Fellows and Interns. We will then introduce a panel of a few of the counseling profession’s leaders and scholars who have promoted counseling excellence throughout the world with their research, advocacy, and leadership efforts.
The panelists will include Drs. Carol Bobby, Courtland Lee, and Ted Remley. They will discuss their views on the need for the globalization of the counseling profession, how they have reached across country borders as advocates of the counseling profession, successes and struggles they have experienced in their global advocacy efforts, and how they have engaged others around the world through research, service, advocacy, and leadership. Participants also will have an opportunity to interact with panel members and other CSI leaders during the small group discussions.
Please complete the CSI Leadership Workshop Registration Form to reserve your seat.
Dr. Carol Bobby is the Executive Director of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). She earned her doctorate degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Florida in 1986. Dr. Bobby has worked as both a clinician and an administrator for several counseling organizations. After completing her doctoral degree, she began her tenure as Executive Director of CACREP where she has remained for ten years. Dr. Bobby has also worked in private practice in Virginia. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the Commonwealth of Virginia and a Nationally Certified Counselor. Dr. Bobby has served the counseling profession in numerous capacities including the most recent as Chair of the Association of Specialized and Processional Accreditors (ASPA), Voting Director of the Center for Quality Assurance in International Education, and as President of Chi Sigma Iota from 1992-1993. She has presented extensively on issues related to standards for accreditation and international education, and has published newsletter articles and had articles printed in referred journals on these topics.
Dr. Courtland Lee is a Professor in the Counselor Education Program at the University of Maryland. He is the author, editor, or co-editor of five books on multicultural counseling and two books on counseling and social justice as well as numerous book chapters and articles on counseling across cultures. He is the President of the International Association for Counselling and a Fellow of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, the only American to receive this honor. Dr. Lee is also a Fellow and Past President of the American Counseling Association and a past President of Chi Sigma Iota.
Dr. Theodore P. Remley Jr., holds the Batten EndowedChair in Counseling at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, where he is the Graduate Program Director of the master's and doctoral Counseling Graduate Programs. He holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education from the University of Florida and a law degree (J.D.) from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. He is licensed as a Professional Counselor in Virginia, Louisiana, and Mississippi, and is a member of the bar in Virginia and Florida. He is licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in Louisiana. Dr. Remley has chaired the counselor licensure boards in Virginia and Mississippi, and has served on the board in Washington, D.C., and Louisiana. He has served as a school counselor, college counselor, U. S. Army officer, and has had a private practice in both counseling and law. He is a former Executive Director of the American Counseling Association. | 1.344803 | 919 | 918 |
A food-and-beverage manager oversees a staff of employees in a variety of outlets including fast-food restaurants, bakeries, delis, catering companies, bars or fine-dining establishments. Although the restaurant industry does not typically require employees to enter with a four-year degree, it offers numerous opportunities for career growth and financial success. To be a leader in this field, you might need to start in an entry-level position. But whether you're entering the industry as a manager or moving up the ranks, the following qualities might make you a good fit:
People-oriented
Food-and-beverage managers must be comfortable leading their employees and working with the public. In fast-food restaurants, some managers also work as cashiers. In fine-dining establishments the manager is expected to walk the floor and talk to patrons. At the same time, they have to ensure their employees are working efficiently. If a customer has a complaint, it's usually up to the manager to smooth things over and make sure the customer wants to return to the restaurant in the future.
Bottom-line Focused
In "America's Top 100 Jobs for People without a Four-Year Degree," authors Ron and Caryl Krannich, Ph.Ds, say, "Food-service managers and assistant managers are sometimes responsible for pricing menu items and using food and other supplies in an efficient way to prevent waste." To make sure their employees are maximizing the restaurant's resources, managers might enforce portion sizes of ingredients when cooks or bartenders prepare meals or drinks. They might also train staff members to work quickly, but in a friendly and efficient manner, so they can handle a high volume of customers.
Honest
In some cases, food-and-beverage managers work for the owner of the establishment, who has entrusted his or her managers with the restaurant's profits and supplies. Stealing from the establishment or other dishonesty is a fast way to lose the owner's trust and make it difficult to find a similar position in the future.
Organized
Advance preparation is a key success factor in restaurant operations. This means ensuring table settings are ready to place before customers come in and ingredients are fresh and ready to prepare into entrees during a rush. Food-and-beverage managers must be strong administrators. Your employees will rely on you to decide what days and times they're working and what their responsibilities, are so scheduling staff hours is a key task, as well as handling payroll. Your employees will expect to be paid regularly and at the same time each week or every two weeks, whatever the schedule is.
Willing to Learn and Lead
Even after you've become a manager, you will continuously be in learning mode. It will be your responsibility to make sure the restaurant does not face liability issues, so you will need to stay up-to-date on safety certifications and management techniques. Also, your employees are likely to perform better and remain at the establishment if they feel they can learn from you. Employee retention can be a major success factor in the quality of your service and reduce new-employee expenses, such as training time, new uniforms and the time it takes for new hires to learn the job.
Flexibility with Hours
Your hours will depend on the venue for which you work. If you work in a restaurant or bar, you might at times need to work late at night. If you work in fast-food or at a school cafeteria, you hours might be nine-to-five, or might vary for fast food. Be prepared for all situations if your goal is to work in management.
Photo Credit Photo by Flickr user Markyboy81 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/markhardie/). Qualities of Effective Managers
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Job Description for F&B Manager
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What Makes a Good Restaurant Manager?
The job of the restaurant manager is one of the toughest in the business world, thanks to long hours, unpredictable business, difficult...
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Wine tasting is a highly subjective art. Different varietals appeal to tasters for different reasons. For instance, if you prefer sweet white...
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Companies rely on customer service departments to provide the link between the customer and the company. Customer service departments focus on accurately... | 1.653205 | 970 | 969 |
APPEAL from the Circuit Court of Grundy County; the Hon.
WILLIAM I. HIBBS, Judge, presiding.
MR. JUSTICE BRISTOW DELIVERED THE OPINION OF THE COURT:
The Department of Public Works and Buildings appeals directly to this court from a judgment of the circuit court of Grundy County awarding compensation to the defendants for land and access rights taken in the improvement of U.S. Route 66 as a freeway under the Illinois Freeways Act.
The appeal is made directly to this court because a freehold interest and public revenue are involved.
The pleadings consist of the petition in condemnation; defendants' answer with a copy of a certain lease attached; petitioner's motion to strike the answer, the lease, and that part of the answer referring to the lease; petitioner's motion that compensation for the land taken be ascertained by a jury; defendants' cross petition, and petitioner's motion for a new trial. Petitioner's motions to strike the answer and the lease, and for ascertainment of compensation by a jury and for a new trial were all denied.
The State produced four witnesses, and the State's testimony as to value of the tract in question was as to fair cash market value not taking into consideration the lease in issue. Defendants' witnesses as to the fair market value of the premises considered a lease from the Shell Oil Company which had been negotiated by the defendants in good faith for a considerable period of time and entered into a short time prior to the filing of the petition in condemnation. The evidence clearly shows that the property in question had been considered for, purchased for, leased for, plans prepared for, and the property cleared for a gas station, truck stop and restaurant, all in good faith prior to the commencement of the proceeding. Petitioner's proof placed the value of the land before taking at between $5000 and $6000, without taking into consideration the Shell Oil Company lease. Defendants' proof showed the value of all the premises, with the lease taken into consideration, between $14,000 and $18,000. The trial court, after hearing the evidence without a jury and after a personal view of the premises awarded damages for land taken in the amount of $1400, for access rights taken $2400, and for damages to land not taken $7000.
The appeal presents two issues to this court for determination, viz.:
1. Does the State of Illinois in proceedings to condemn property for public use by the State have a right to a trial by jury under the Illinois constitution of 1870 and the Illinois Eminent Domain Act? Ill. Rev. Stat. 1951, chap. 47, par. 1 et seq.
2. Was the Shell Oil Co. lease properly admissible in evidence as material to the valuation of the property interest involved?
The question whether there is a right to trial by jury in condemnation proceedings where the compensation is to be paid by the State of Illinois presents a question of first impression never directly decided by this court. Section 13 of article II of the constitution of 1870 provides in part as follows: "Private property shall not be taken or damaged for public use without just compensation. Such compensation, when not made by the state, shall be ascertained by a jury, as shall be prescribed by law." Section 1 of the Eminent Domain Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1951, chap. 47, par. 1,) provides substantially the same as the foregoing constitutional provision with slightly varying language, as follows: "Private property shall not be taken or damaged for public use without just compensation; and that in all cases in which compensation is not made by the state in its corporate capacity, such compensation shall be ascertained by a jury, as hereinafter prescribed." Such statutory provision in the Eminent Domain Act has been the law of the State of Illinois since the approval on April 10, 1872, of "An act to provide for the exercise of the right of eminent domain."
"Eminent domain" is a phrase which has been used for hundreds of years to designate the power and right of the sovereign State, or those to whom its power has been delegated, to take private property within its jurisdiction for public use without the owner's consent, upon paying due compensation. Western Union Telegraph Co. v. Louisville and Nashville Railroad Co. 270 Ill. 399; Litchfield and Madison Railway Co. v. Alton and Southern Railroad, 305 Ill. 388; Limits Industrial Railroad Co. v. American Spiral Pipe Works, 321 Ill. 101.
The power and right of eminent domain is inherent in the sovereign State, existing independently of written constitutions or statutory laws thereof, regulated by appropriate legislation, limited only by the constitutional provision for compensation, | 1.160851 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
and extending to every kind of property. South Park Comrs. v. Montgomery Ward & Co. 248 Ill. 299; Litchfield and Madison Railway Co. v. Alton and Southern Railroad Co. 305 Ill. 388.
Both the constitutions of 1818 and of 1848 provided: "Nor shall any man's property be taken or applied to public use without the consent of his representatives in the general assembly, nor without just compensation being made to him." Const. of 1818, article VIII, sec. II; Const. of 1848, article XIII, sec. II.
In People v. Stuart, 97 Ill. 123, which involved the effect of an act of 1877, providing for the mode of making payment of condemnation, on the liability of certain individuals on a bond given to provide or pay for additional State House grounds, in a concurring opinion by the then Chief Justice, it was noted that the constitution requires the assessment of compensation by a jury in all condemnation proceedings except where compensation was to be paid by the State and that the act in question providing for payment of compensation for land taken was void as being in excess of legislative powers and that therefore, under the terms of the bond in question, the compensation was to be paid by the individual obligors thereon. The Chief Justice then concluded: "They are not the State. The State had no interest in the question of the amount of compensation. The owners of the land and these obligors alone were interested in that question. They had in such case a right to have the amount determined by jury. That right is given to the party making compensation as well as to the land owner. Until the amount was determined in a manner effective under our constitution these obligors were not bound by this bond to pay." Thus, by this case and other later cases, it has been clearly established that, where the State is not one of the parties in interest, both parties to a condemnation suit have a right to have the amount of compensation determined by a jury.
However, in Johnson v. Joliet and Chicago Railroad Co. 23 Ill. 124, which arose under our earlier constitution, the question was raised whether the right to a trial by jury was guaranteed in eminent domain proceedings by the constitutional provision declaring that "the right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate, and shall extend to all cases at law, without regard to the amount in controversy." In denying this contention the court stated, at page 130, "This has reference only, and is so understood by all jurists, to suits or actions for the recovery of money in actions ex contractu or ex delicto. It never has been considered by any court, as extending to the process in the exercise of the right of eminent domain, nor in cases of that description, nor in cases in chancery, and other cases which might be mentioned. * * * Nor do we see any conflict between that section and the eighth section, article thirteen of our constitution, which declares `that no freeman shall be imprisoned or disseized of his freehold, liberties or privileges, or outlawed or exiled, or in any manner deprived of his life, liberty or property, but by the judgment of his peers or the law of the land.' This clause does not apply, and has never been made to apply, to cases of this description. This is a case clearly within the eleventh section of article thirteen which we have cited and commented on. It is a proceeding in the exercise of the right ...This study aims at synthesizing experiences in the practical application of ASM type models. The information is made easily accessible to model users by creating a database of modelling projects. This database includes answers to a questionnaire that was sent out to model users in 2008 to provide inputs for a Scientific and Technical Report of the IWA Task Group on Good Modelling Practice – Guidelines for use of activated sludge models, and a literature review on published modelling projects. The database is analysed to determine which biokinetic model parameters are usually changed by modellers, in which ranges, and what values are typically used for seven selected activated sludge models. These results should help model users in the calibration step, by providing typical parameter values as a starting point and ranges as a guide. However, the proposed values should be used with great care since they are the result of averaging practical experience and not taking into account specific parameter correlations.
Keywords: ASM, database, good modelling practice, parameter ranges, parameter sets, survey | 1.528037 | 957 | 955 |
World-Renowned Business Advisor, Execution Expert and Best-Selling Author
A business icon, Ram Charan has an uncanny ability to merge fresh, high-level thinking with the hard-nosed drive for results in the real world.
It is quite obvious the business world is in a state of flux. We have plummeted from the highs of the last economic boom into the most troubled economy of the past fifty years—an economy that is now globally interconnected and immensely complex. Businesses are frantically trying to find their way in the newly reworked landscape, where the rules of the game seem unclear and sometimes unfair. Drawing on his experience with businesses worldwide, Ram Charan offers perspective and insight for business leaders operating in this new competitive arena, where the balance of economic power has dramatically shifted. The audience will learn:
The wide gulf between strategizing and getting things done is a growing problem in today's increasingly complex business world. For businesses to prosper and grow, particularly in a challenging business environment, the gap between promising results and delivering them must be closed. Charan argues execution takes place as a result of robust dialogue that links people, strategy and operations. What's more, he contends that leading the three core processes of an organization (people, strategy and operations) is the real job of running a business and espouses the need for deeply and passionately engaged leaders. The audience gains:
Growth is vital to economic recovery and is among the most pressing issues facing companies today, but growth doesn't happen because managers decide to broaden the product line, spend more money on technology, beef up the sales force or acquire another business. Instead, growth starts with a mindset and insatiable curiosity about the world's needs. This speech helps the audience:
The need for talented people in the right jobs can be summed up in a simple way: no talent, no numbers. Talent is a leading indicator of whether the business is headed up or down. Smart leaders put people before numbers, because it is talent, in the end, that delivers the numbers necessary to keep a business strong and healthy. The audience will gain:
We live in a world of unprecedented change and massive volatility. What remains constant is the capital most companies hold in terms of innovation and creativity. "Innovation," says Charan, "is the world's best and perhaps only way to win in the face of fast commoditization." Using examples such as Procter & Gamble, Honeywell, Nokia, LEGO, GE, HP and DuPont, all of which harnessed the power of innovation, Charan offers both an instructive and inspiring look at transforming today's companies and remaining profitable in the face of economic uncertainty. The audience will gain:
The twin components of making a company profitable are a keen understanding of the operational underpinnings of the organization and creating a world-class sales team. Charan imparts the basics of business, the universals of success that apply whether you are selling fruit from a stand or running a Fortune 500 company. From this foundation, he then explains in detail how to run a company that is customer-centric—an absolute must in a world where pricing has collapsed and the consumer's ability to comparison shop is unprecedented. Charan strips back the functions of running a company and making its sales team high functioning, no matter the size of the organization or the current business climate. The audience will gain:
In 30 years of helping directors deal with the practical challenges of governing well, Charan has become a leading authority on corporate boards.
Directorship magazine named him "one of the most influential people in corporate governance and the board room." He facilitates board self-evaluations, peer reviews, strategy retreats, and CEO evaluations, and advises on recruitment of new directors and compensation. Charan has served on several boards and on the National Association of Corporate Directors Blue Ribbon Commission on Corporate Governance. Participants will learn: Fortune magazine calls him "the most influential consultant alive"—a reputation earned through more than 30 years of wise counsel to top business leaders around the globe. Charan has a unique perspective on how great leaders differ from the rest. He breaks through the façade of leadership to explain the capabilities leaders must possess, how to build a leadership-driven company, how to lead in economic uncertainty, how to develop and grow your own leadership capability, and finally, how to plan for smooth succession. The audience will gain:
A business icon, Ram Charan has an uncanny ability to merge fresh, high-level thinking with the hard-nosed drive for results in the real world.
Through working with top business leaders around the world for more than three decades, Ram Charan has developed an expansive view of the global business landscape and a finely tuned business acumen. He gets to the crux of what the issues are
now. Dubbed “an unrivaled source of real world insights into what business does right” by Fortune magazine, his engaging, interactive style gets people thinking and he gives audiences tools to turn ideas into action. Named by BusinessWeek as a top resource for in-house corporate | 1.802957 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Recently, I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon at Carnegie Mellon University with very impressive women faculty members and doctoral candidates in the engineering, environment and public policy fields.
These women of diverse backgrounds and experiences enlightened me about their work on a number of environmental challenges facing us today. They are doing important research on the life-cycle of energy systems and their impact on climate change and mitigation. Through these efforts, faculty and students are seeking to understand the social, economic and environmental implications of energy consumption tools that can be used to support sustainable energy.
I was pleased to learn that one Ph.D. candidate is studying water quality and marine life in the Monongahela River. We’re doing very similar work in our Wheeling, West Virginia office and I hope we can build on each other’s progress. There are a number of interesting and practical research projects on air quality modeling, agriculture, and natural gas – I am interested in learning about the final outcomes of these projects and how it may increase our understanding in those areas.
My visit to Carnegie Mellon is timely since we celebrate Women’s History Month in March. Women have a long history in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) that many may not realize. Women play an important role by fostering a robust and diverse scientific community that draws from a broad array of unique experiences and skills. Developing diverse world-class talent in STEM, is absolutely critical in meeting the growing environmental challenges facing our modern world.
I am inspired by the passion and creativity of the talented group of engineers and scientists at Carnegie Mellon. They are striving to make meaningful contributions to the environment for generations to come. We need to ensure more women have the opportunity to pursue degrees in the various fields of science. These women scientists and engineers are helping to move this forward.
Shawn M. Garvin is EPA’s Regional Administrator for Region 3, overseeing the agency’s operations in Delaware, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Shawn’s career in intergovernmental affairs spans more than 20 years at the federal and local levels. Lung Disease Unit | Maher T.M.,University College London | Maher T.M.,Imperial College London
European Respiratory Review | Year: 2013
Despite major advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), diagnosis and management of the condition continue to pose significant challenges. Clinical management of IPF remains unsatisfactory due to limited availability of effective drug therapies, a lack of accurate indicators of disease progression, and an absence of simple short-term measures of therapeutic response. The identification of more accurate predictors of prognosis and survival in IPF would facilitate counseling of patients and their families, aid communication among clinicians, and would guide optimal timing of referral for transplantation. Improvements in molecular techniques have led to the identification of new disease pathways and a more targeted approach to the development of novel anti-fibrotic agents. However, despite an increased interest in biomarkers of IPF disease progression there are a lack of measures that can be used in early phase clinical trials. Careful longitudinal phenotyping of individuals with IPF together with the application of novel omics-based technology should provide important insights into disease pathogenesis and should address some of the major issues holding back drug development in IPF. The PROFILE (Prospective Observation of Fibrosis in the Lung Clinical Endpoints) study is a currently enrolling, prospective cohort study designed to tackle these issues. © ERS 2013. Source
Maher T.M.,Interstitial Lung Disease Unit | Maher T.M.,Imperial College London | Maher T.M.,University College London
Clinics in Chest Medicine | Year: 2012
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease of unknown cause that conveys a dismal prognosis. In the United States there are currently no licensed therapies for treatment of IPF. The development of effective IPF clinical trials networks across the United States and Europe, however, has led to key developments in the treatment of IPF. Advances in understanding of the pathogenetic processes involved in the development of pulmonary fibrosis have led to novel therapeutic targets. These developments offer hope that there may, in the near future, be therapeutic options available for treatment of this devastating disease. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. Source | 1.460891 | 877 | 875 |
Response to Letter by Miller and Palesch
Response:
Miller and Palesch question several aspects of the article by the Optimizing the Analysis of Stroke Trials (OAST) Collaboration.
1 They suggest that the Friedman test (a nonparametric ANOVA) should have been used to assess differences between the statistical tests being compared; this is what we did when performing a 2-way ANOVA using ranked data rather than raw data, as stated in the Methods section (Comparison of Statistical tests) of the article.
Miller and Palesch also suggest that the level at which the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) is dichotomized should be chosen on the basis of expected risk and benefits. In reality, trialists tend to copy previous study designs so a cutpoint of 0 to 2/3 to 6 was fashionable several years ago until the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) rt-PA trial led a move to using 0,1/2 to 6.
2 In reality, the ‘most efficient’ cutpoint is likely to be the one which splits the population roughly in equal halves so the choice should depend on stroke severity and prognosis. For example, trials of feeding and hemicraniotomy, which involve patients with very severe stroke, chose 0 to 3/4 to 6 and 0 to 4/5,6 respectively. 3,4 However, as shown in the OAST article, ordinal approaches are generally more efficient than dichotomization. 1
In regards of NXY-059 data, we cannot comment because the SAINT I Trial Steering Committee elected not to share their data with OAST (although they have with other groups such as VISTA). However, we note that the Cochrane-Mantel-Haenszel (CMH) test, as used in SAINT I, is not an ordinal test; rather, it compares 2 groups on a binary response, adjusting for control variables, and assuming a common odds ratio.
In regards of which approach to use, the statistical assumptions underlying the different tests must be considered. Importantly, the assumption of proportional odds is met in most stroke trials assessing functional outcome (with the notable exception of thrombolysis which increases both very good outcome and death
5) so that ordinal regression is usually appropriate. The t test has been recommended for analyzing data from scales where there are 7 or more categories 6 and is robust under a range of conditions. 7 Finally, it is vital to consider which clinical assumptions are relevant to stroke trials; in general, we are interested in improving outcome irrespective of the underlying prognosis, and statistical tests which assess this will be more relevant than those which only see whether an intervention helps patients cross a particular boundary such as ‘poor outcome’ into ‘very good outcome’. Acknowledgments Disclosures
None.
References ↵ The Optimising Analysis of Stroke Trials (OAST) Collaboration. Can we improve the statistical analysis of stroke trials? Statistical re-analysis of functional outcomes in stroke trials. Stroke .2007; 38: 1911–1915. ↵ ↵ ↵ Vahedi K, Hofimeijer J, Juettler E, Vicaut E, George B, Algra A, Amelink GJ, Schmiedeck P, Schwab S, Rothwell PM, Bousser MG, van der Worp HB, Hacke W; DECIMAL, DESTINY, and HAMLET investigators. Early decompressive surgery in malignant infarction of the middle cerebral artery: a pooled analysis of three randomised controlled trials. Lancet Neurology .2007; 6: 215–222. ↵ Wardlaw JM, Zoppo G, Yamaguchi T, Berge E. “Thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke.” Cochrane Database Systematic Review .2003; (3): CD000213. ↵ ↵Hi, thanks for using healthcare magicGastroenteritis
is usually viral though it can also be caused by bacteria as well.
In bacterial infections, the symptoms are often more severe and associated with blood in the stool or vomitus.
The rash
that you are currently experiencing is likely related to the infection. Infections of the respiratory or gastrointestinal tract can sometimes cause a rash to appear.
This rash usually resolves as the infection resolves and would not have a long term effect.
I hope this helps | 1.430504 | 939 | 937 |
Spagnolo P.,University of Modena and Reggio Emilia | Sverzellati N.,University of Parma | Wells A.U.,Interstitial Lung Disease Unit | Hansell D.M.,Royal Brompton Hospital
European Radiology | Year: 2014
Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disorder of unknown aetiology with a wide spectrum of radiological appearances and almost invariably pulmonary involvement. Lung involvement accounts for most of the morbidity and much of the mortality associated with sarcoidosis. Imaging contributes significantly to the diagnosis and management of patients with sarcoidosis. In typical cases, chest radiography may be sufficient to establish the diagnosis with little margin of error and CT is not necessary. However, CT can play a critical role in several clinical settings: atypical clinical and/or radiographic findings; normal or near-normal chest radiograph but clinical suspicion of sarcoidosis; and detection of complications. Moreover, in many patients, CT findings are atypical and unfamiliar to most radiologists (e.g. sarcoidosis mimicking other lung diseases and vice versa), and in these cases histological confirmation of the diagnosis is recommended. CT is also useful in assessing disease extent and may help to discriminate between reversible and irreversible lung disease, thus providing critical prognostic information. This review concentrates on the more difficult imaging aspects of sarcoidosis, in particular differential diagnosis and disease complications. Key points: • Sarcoidosis is characterized by a wide spectrum of radiological appearances. • In typical cases, imaging substantially contributes to the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. • CT plays a critical role in atypical and complicated cases. • CT may discriminate between reversible and irreversible lung disease. © 2014 European Society of Radiology. Source
Wells A.U.,Interstitial Lung Disease Unit
European Respiratory Review | Year: 2013
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the most prevalent of the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias, is associated with a poor prognosis. An accurate diagnosis of IPF is essential for its optimal management. The 2011 American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS)/Japanese Respiratory Society (JRS)/Latin American Thoracic Association (ALAT) recommendations on the diagnosis and management of IPF were developed from a systematic review of the published literature. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scanning has a central role in the IPF diagnostic pathway, with formal designation of criteria for an HRCT pattern of usual interstitial pneumonia. In the correct clinical context, a usual interstitial pneumonia pattern on HRCT is indicative of a definite diagnosis of IPF and negates the need for a surgical lung biopsy. However, although the 2011 ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT statement is a major advance, the application of the guideline recommendations by clinicians has identified limitations that should be addressed in future statements. Key problems include: 1) HRCT misdiagnosis, particularly by less experienced radiologists; 2) lack of management recommendations for the highly prevalent clinical scenarios of probable or possible IPF; 3) ongoing confusion concerning the diagnostic role of bronchoalveolar lavage; and 4) the lack of integration of clinical data in the designation of the diagnostic likelihood of IPF, including the treated course of disease. These issues become evident as the recommendations are applied and highlight the need for continued guideline adjustments. © ERS 2013. Source
Staitieh B.S.,Emory University | Renzoni E.A.,Interstitial Lung Disease Unit | Veeraraghavan S.,Emory University
Annals of Medicine | Year: 2015
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a severe, progressive fibrotic disease of the lung of unknown etiology that affects approximately 150,000 patients in the United States. It carries a median survival of two to three years, but clinical course can vary markedly from patient to patient. There has been no established treatment for IPF, but recent advances in coordinated clinical trials through groups such as IPFnet and academia-industry partnerships have allowed this relatively rare disease to be studied in much greater depth. Historically, the default therapy for IPF was a combination of prednisone, N-acetylcysteine, and azathioprine, but recent trials have shown that this regimen actually increases mortality. An enormous body of work in recent years, spanning the bench to the bedside, has radically altered our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying IPF. Newer modalities, particularly those involving monoclonal antibodies targeted at specific pathways known to contribute to the fibrotic process, have generated a great deal of excitement in the field, and recent clinical trials on therapies such as pirfenidone and nintedanib herald a new era in targeted IPF therapies. © 2015 Informa UK, Ltd. Source
Maher T.M.,Interstitial | 1.070328 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
The Essential Guide to Overcoming Obsessive Love
Have you ever found yourself calling your partner repeatedly even though they have asked you to stop? Does your partner sulk, pout and pick a fight whenever you want to meet up with friends for a drink? Perhaps the fights have escalated and you now are being shoved around.
The Essential Guide to Overcoming Obsessive Love: Break Free of Unhealthy Bonds and Open the Way to True Love by Dr. Monique Belton and Eileen Bailey may help you recognize the unhealthy relationship you are in and show you ways to correct the issues. Although many books on relationship tout the ability to fix your relationship, Overcoming Obsessive Love acknowledges that it is carving the path but that the couple must do the work that it describes. Overcoming Obsessive Love is for the obsessive lover and his or her partner. Broken into five parts, the book devotes its focus to explaining obsessive love and showing how each partner plays a role in the unhealthy cycles typically found in these relationships. Although the obsessive love relationship is complex, Belton and Bailey attempt to address the various factors that play a role for each partner. The book also has extra pieces of information throughout each chapter to assist: Definitions of terms that are relative to the topic Tips and ideas to develop a healthier outlook on love Warnings that signal an unhealthy lover or relationship Case studies relative to the chapter discussion Facts and statistics
In addition, each chapter ends with key points for the reader to focus on.
The first part of the book focuses on defining obsessive love. Belton and Bailey break down the obsessive love relationship, describing how it develops, why it might develop, and relating it to social norms. They also break apart myths typically associated with obsessive relationships, such as “all obsessive love relationships include physical violence.”
The second and third parts of the book address the obsessive lover and the partner of the obsessive lover respectively. Each part provides a questionnaire at the beginning to help determine if the reader fits the profile of one of these partners. After describing the typical traits of these characters,
Overcoming Obsessive Love dives deeply into the behaviors that are associated to the role in the relationship. For the obsessive lover, this could be self-punishment, anger, self-recriminations, or dysfunction in every day, such as missing work to check on the whereabouts of their partner. The partner, though, could be participating in behavior that is enabling or contributing to their obsessive lover. If the partner is codependent, the obsessive love may be helping them fill a need to take care of someone else. On the other hand, the partner could be sending mixed signals to their obsessive lover, such as setting a boundary with their partner but then not holding up to it. The third part goes on to give suggestions on how to break off the relationship, manage finances, and handle the situation if there are children involved.
Part 4 is where the book begins to bring all of the initial information together to really assist a couple in breaking out of their cycle of obsessive love. It begins by focusing on the self-image of the partners, encouraging each to look at them deeply and address the issues that are encouraging the unhealthy cycle. Belton and Bailey include a questionnaire for each partner: for the obsessive lover, it focuses on the self-image; for the partner, it focuses on accessing their strengths and weaknesses. The chapter encourages the partners that they have the power to change their self-image and includes strategies, such as visualization, to do this. Therapy and counseling for the individuals and the couple as a whole is encouraged as well.
The next two chapters are devoted to the individuals, providing information to the obsessive lover on how to break the cycle of obsessive behaviors and assisting the partner with setting boundaries and making changes. The last chapter is the meat of this part of the book, though. In it, there are self-help exercises for both partners to assist them in creating a new self-image and growing out of the cycle built into the relationship. The partners are encouraged to use logs and journals of their behavior in order to identify patterns, use positive speak to combat the negative thoughts that have become habit forming, and to lean on friends and family for support. The chapter also encourages affirmation. “Affirmations can help you cope with negative thoughts and fears. You can say them silently or aloud. The more you repeat affirmations, the more you believe them.”
Finally, the book ends with a focus on what to do if the relationship becomes dangerous, either through stalking or abuse. It provides information on how to protect yourself from stalking, what to do if you are being stalked (i.e. filing a police report), and how to use the law to protect yourself. It addresses the various types of abuse a partner may experience and describes how each of these will affect the partner.
Overcoming Obsessive Love addresses many, if not all, of the key points within an obsessive love relationship. Having experienced such a relationship, I wish that I had this book handy. Although it may be considered heavy on the technical aspect | 1.777462 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
of relationships, Belton and Bailey are sure to create a focus on the emotional load that comes with being in the cycle of obsessive love. It is easy to appreciate the intricacies within the book because the obsessive love relationship is certainly one of great complexity.
However, readers may find that the final part, which addresses a relationship turned dangerous, may not be enough. It seems that if the authors felt the need to address a dangerous relationship separately in its own part of the book, would it not warrant more focus than a mere 50 pages? In addition, the rest of the book is strong in hitting the relationship from two sides, both technically and emotionally. The final part of the book, though, focuses much more on what to do and less so on the emotional drain that this may have on the partner experiencing the danger. The authors also fail to address adequately the emotional fallout after finally ending a dangerous relationship. It seems that this neglect may leave the reader feeling let down and unsure of how to continue if they are in such a relationship. They may be left wondering how to pick up the pieces once their life has been torn down so far.
Overall, though,
Overcoming Obsessive Love is a great resource for both parties involved in an obsessive love relationship. The book discusses the background necessary to understand what has led to the obsessive love and the roles that each partner plays. Providing the couple techniques for addressing their needs and issues within the relationship gives them a strong point from which to start healing and correcting the obsessive love cycle. The Essential Guide to Overcoming Obsessive Love By Monique Belton, PhD and Eileen Bailey Alpha: June 7, 2011 Paperback, 320 pages $16.95 Your Recommendation:(if you've read this book) Want to buy the book or learn more? Check out the book on Amazon.com! APA Reference
Comeaux Lee, C. (2016). The Essential Guide to Overcoming Obsessive Love.
Psych Central. Retrieved on January 22, 2017, from https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-essential-guide-to-overcoming-obsessive-love/Steven Novella recently wrote a post discussing an FDA warning against the use of homeopathic teething products over safety concerns related to the possibility of toxic amounts of belladonna. He goes into the hypocrisy of the FDA regulation of homeopathic products, a topic covered numerous times here on Science-Based Medicine, as well as the misleading initial response from Hyland’s, producers of the...
The FDA recently put out a consumer warning about homeopathic teething gels and pills. The warning states: The FDA recommends that consumers stop using these products and dispose of any in their possession. The warning is not because all homeopathic products are inherently useless. As we have discussed here often, the basic principles of homeopathy are pure pseudoscience. The practice of diluting...
I run across a lot of information in my feeds that I need to save for further evaluation. The study “Does additional antimicrobial treatment have a better effect on URTI cough resolution than homeopathic symptomatic therapy alone? A real-life preliminary observational study in a pediatric population“, I saved with the file name, ‘jaw droppingly stupid’. The worst homeopathy clinical trial ever doesn’t...
Do you believe in magic? It might surprise you to learn that some people believe sugar pills have healing properties. This belief system, called homeopathy, is a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide, and it’s growing. While there is no convincing evidence to demonstrate that homeopathic treatments are more effective than a placebo, many consumers and even some health professionals accept homeopathy as a...
I had never heard of Dr. Shantaram Kane, a chemical engineer in Mumbai, India. I don’t know how he heard of me, but he apparently knows I am critical of homeopathy. He e-mailed me out of the blue to tell me about a study he had published in 2010 in the journal Homeopathy: “Extreme homeopathic dilutions retain starting materials: A nanoparticulate perspective.”... people who run businesses. They should not be specially excluded from the freedom to practice their faith in daily life."
The amicus brief argued that religious exercise cannot, and should not, be excluded from the marketplace; that the mandate substantially burdens Hobby Lobby's and Conestoga's religious exercise; and that the mandate cannot survive strict scrutiny review by the Court.
Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties are among over 90 lawsuits filed by more than 300 plaintiffs challenging the HHS mandate in courts around the country.
The brief is available online. | 1.806352 | 955 | 952 |
William D. Waltz from A Guy from My Hometown Walked on the Moon while I Climbed a Tree of Heaven Searching for Praying Mantis fromA Guy from My Hometown Walked on the Moon while I Climbed a Tree of Heaven Searching for Praying Mantis
As asteroids and aphids, we are both the subject and object of the laws of physics and nature. My childhood was spent in overgrown backyards, weedy wastelands that lined the railroad, cracked parking lots, and forgotten meadows. As a boy, I crept through scrubbrush trying to spy a cicada or a walking stick or a praying mantis. It didn’t matter what, as along as it was bug. Entomology possessed me for years. Persistence was rewarded with glimpses of wildness. The summer Armstrong walked on the moon my days began with insect safaris which entailed hours of collection and study. By the time autumn had overtaken Ohio, I’d filled four cigar boxes with specimens of various beetle and butterfly species, pinned each to cotton batting, and labeled each in Latin. Even after the reluctant dusks of summer, I would spread out a white bed sheet on the damp lawn to attract luna moths. No moth ever lit on my linen, but those hours of waiting resembled meditation, communion, poetry. Nature lead me to science; science lead me to poetry. The biologist Edward O. Wilson has said that the urge to affiliate with other forms of life, biophilia, is innate.
Science and Poetry share an obsession with wonder, and it is wonder’s glint that draws us toward mystery. Like a jellyfish’s tentacle, imagination undulates in the dark waters of the unknown, searching. An agile imagination stings and rewards the mind with morsels of sustenance. Invention and innovation capacitate both scientist and poet to discover, to breakthrough. Not surprisingly science works its way into the work of poets and artists (and bricklayers and economists and farmers) who matter most.
There are at least two ways for science to be integrated into poetry. The common method is as content: ideas, images and language. A poet might alluded to sub-atomic particles in a sestina or a poet’s understanding of photosynthesis might lend itself to a metaphor of insomnia. The more ambitious path is to allow knowledge of the universe to alter the very form of poetry. Essentially scientific concepts are imported into the universe of poetry and asked to reproduce their laws in and on the composition. Of course, these attempts are highly theoretical and the results range between hackneyed mimicry to paradigm exploding genius. William Carlos Williams, inspired by Einstein’s theory of relativity, conceived his notion of the variable foot, which attempted to reconcile free verse with measure. More recently, Alice Fulton’s "fractal verse" builds original patterns of language and rhythm within an irregular whole, approximating the fractals found in nature.
Can poetry return the favor to science? Those moments of intense concentration spent watching a gang of carpenter ants carry a katydid over a sandstone sidewalk felt a lot like the vigorous contemplation of a pack of black letters running across the white matrix of a page. It is mystery and wonder that sustains us. On those warm July nights when my childhood friends and me camped out under the old mulberry tree, our imaginations searched for the night, the moon, the luna moth. Science and poetry share alpha and the search for omega. A poem is a biology experiment.Continue Reading
There are no specific drug therapies to treat instances of reverse sneezing. However, these episodes may be caused by another underlying condition that can predispose a dog to such episodes, states PetMD.
As outlined by PetMD, reverse sneezing is characterized by backwards motion of the head as the dog brings in air with lips sucking in. The purpose of this action is to remove irritants that may be lying behind the pet's nose and nasal passages. Reverse sneezing is typically the side effect of another condition, so treatment of the episodes of reverse sneezing lie in addressing the underlying condition. For puppies, a malformed palate may be a root cause. For adult dogs, the movement of the cilia lining the larynx may set off a reverse sneeze. The cilia function to remove irritants, but this function alone may not be sufficient. For instance, antihistamines can eliminate reactivity to allergens and thereby reduce reverse sneezing.Learn more about Veterinary Health | 2.012073 | 923 | 921 |
November 17, 2011;
Source: Columbia Journalism Review | There are many nonprofit, 501(c)(3) news organizations already in existence. MinnPost, ProPublica, Voice of San Diego, National Public Radio, Mother Jones, the Center for Public Integrity, the Columbia Journalism Review, the Austin Bulldog, even videographer James O’Keefe’s Project Veritas—they’re all 501(c)(3)s (though three decades ago, the IRS initially tried to reject the tax exempt status of Mother Jones). But now the IRS has pulled back on the reins and is delaying approvals of nonprofit applications of the San Francisco Public Press (which accepts no advertising and is run totally by volunteers), the Lens (an investigative journalism site in New Orleans), and the Investigative News Network have all had their 501(c)(3) applications stalled.
Apparently, the IRS has long been uncomfortable with the notion that “journalism” is an inherently charitable activity. To the IRS, journalism sounds and feels commercial and is not enumerated as a potential tax-exempt activity in the 501(c)(3) statute. The strategy of nonprofit newspapers had been to count on the IRS accepting journalism as an educational activity, but the IRS has always had more of an academic or community benefit definition of “educational.” The expectation of newspapers that a vigorous news reporting capability is educational may not pass IRS muster.
What is likely to happen? A few possibilities:
While the IRS compiles newspapers’ (c)(3) applications for the purpose of coming up with a precedential ruling, some of these not-for-profit newspapers could suffer, with donors uncertain or reluctant about making donations to entities with tax exemptions still pending. IRS could tell applicants what they could do to make their operations more “charitable” or “educational” or less “commercial.” The challenge would then be whether the IRS’s advice is practical/pragmatic. Questions about the “nonprofitness” of nonprofit newspapers might make those that already have (c)(3) status a little queasy about the strength of their charitable bona fides. It has happened before without this kind of tax status impetus, but perhaps some might eschew public charity status. Congress and the White House might consider adding a 27th category to the twenty-six 501(c) organizational types. A nonprofit category for journalism would be just as justifiable as 501(c)(13) cemetery companies, 501(c)(14) state-chartered credit unions and mutual reserve funds, 501(c)(16) cooperative organizations to finance crop operations, and 501(c)(25) title-holding corporations or trusts with multiple parents, etc.
Undoubtedly the IRS is committed to freedom of the press. It just seems to have a problem with the thought of a nonprofit press.—Rick CohenKnowing how to influence others is crucial to your success. It's found in the simplest interactions with your customers, suppliers, partners, bosses, subordinates, and colleagues, as well as your friends and loved ones. The act of influencing is such a part of your daily life that you may not even realize when you (or others) are doing it. But to use influence effectively - to inspire and convince others to follow your lead, share your point of view, or buy your products and services - requires adaptability, perceptiveness, and some insight into other people and cultures.
Based on 20 years of research,
Elements of Influence reveals how you can:understand why people allow themselves to be influenced - and why they resist: choose the right approach for each situation be influential when you have no formal authority avoid or handle skepticism, resistance, and rebellion gauge how responsive someone might be to an influence attempt determine a new course of action if the influence technique you're using isn't working succeed in every kind of organization - and even in other countries.
Whether we're nodding our heads, shaking hands, making a presentation, or sharing our ideas with a customer or colleague, hardly a moment goes by in which we're not influencing others, or being influenced ourselves. Yet true masters of influence do more than attain mere compliance; they transcend it on a regular basis to achieve wholehearted, emotional commitment from others. More potent than passive consent, this enthusiastic and engaged response can even lead people to actively spread your message on to others, creating a powerful wave of continued support.
Elements of Influence demystifies all the fundamentals of influence - the basics you need to know in order to generate more positive outcomes in both business and life. You'll learn how to pick up on the societal and cult... Download and start listening now! | 1.799178 | 962 | 960 |
Dole Food Company, Inc. (DOLE) is the world’s largest producer and distributor of fresh fruit and vegetables, including an expanded line of value-added products. The company operates three different business segments, with fresh fruit bringing in the lion’s share of revenues (68% in 2010), as vegetables and packaged foods comprise 15% and 17% of sales, respectively. More than half of Dole’s sales are generated outside the United States, with roughly one-third of revenues derived from the company’s top 10 customers. Its patrons consist primarily of leading global and regional mass merchandisers and supermarkets in Asia, Europe, and North America.
The outlook for Dole Food Company appears solid. This is because the underlying dynamics of the $675 billion fresh produce industry have it poised for long-term growth, since demand for these goods has outpaced overall population expansion. Moreover, the cultural shift toward healthier dietary habits has been accelerating; retailers have increased the square footage dedicated to such items; and a diverse variation of products continues to provide healthy momentum. Medical communities also have furthered their efforts to convince consumers to switch-off less nutritious food sources, and partake in preservative-free items instead. This, too, should augur well for Dole’s top and bottom lines going forward.
Despite the positive long-term trends, Dole Food Company has struggled with recent global turmoil, as have many food distribution businesses. Pricing levels in Asia have been hurt by a difficult operating environment, but should improve as efforts to repair lost infrastructure begin to take hold. Furthermore, continued unrest across sections of the Middle East temporarily closed key Iranian markets, causing supply levels to climb quickly, which disrupted the company’s distribution chain and pricing initiatives. Still, it is likely that as Middle-East tensions begin to ease, order will be restored to central commerce locations. This will likely lead to firmer demand, which ought to help alleviate some of Dole’s recent price troubles in the region.
The company also has been taking steps to reduce overall costs and bolster its margins. In Latin America, for example, it has closed high-cost, company-owned farms, renegotiated several existing labor contracts, and improved the terms of various grower covenants. These maneuvers should bear fruit over the next year, as Dole will need to trim these problematic expenses in order to regain its previous profitability.
Longer term, the fresh produce giant is seeking to expand market share via new product lines, such as fruit bowls in 100% juice and health-focused frozen snack items. Although it faces stiff competition, primarily from produce-kingpin
Fresh Del Monte Produce, Inc. (FDP) and Chiquita Brands International (CQB), Dole remains well positioned, with a number 1 or 2 market share rank in core territories of Europe, Japan, Latin America, and the United States.
Although Dole’s shares have long-term appeal, they are not well suited for risk-averse accounts. The company generally faces sharp shifts in short-term demand and supply levels, due to the fresh produce industry’s highly volatile nature. Still, growth opportunities and a foray into new product lines should provide support for solid sales and earnings advances over the long haul, which make this particular stock an intriguing option in the food distribution and production segment.
At the time of this article’s writing, the author did not have positions in any of the companies mentioned.co and Alliant Food Services trucking them around to 3,000 specialty coffee stores in the U.S. and Europe. And he now gets licensing revenue from an ad agency called Britevision Media, which puts corporate logos on his sleeves (see box). So what exactly does Jay Sorensen worry about? "Not much, really. I guess just taking care of my customers," he says.
In hindsight, that errant cup of coffee tumbling into Sorensen's lap seems like one part of a larger karmic puzzle. It was perfectly timed, after all, with the rise of Starbucks, which has turned gourmet coffee drinking into a near-religious rite. It also coincided with Sorensen's career quandary. If Shell hadn't yanked the lease on that service station, he says, he'd probably still be happily pumping gas. And if he weren't so lousy at selling houses, he'd probably still be doing that. Instead, he was bounced out of his rut because destiny intervened in the form of a hot cup of coffee and a cool little product. When Sorensen himself thinks about it, he can't figure out what happened. "I just got lucky," he says. "Everything broke right for me at the right time." | 1.885434 | 968 | 966 |
Obama plans tax crackdown on firms setting shop in IndiaMay 5th, 2009 - 10:36 am ICT by IANS
By Arun Kumar
Washington, May 5 (IANS) Contending that the current US tax system gives US-based multinationals shipping jobs to places like India an unfair advantage over domestic rivals, President Barack Obama has announced plans to reduce tax breaks for them.
“It’s a tax code that says you should pay lower taxes if you create a job in Bangalore, India, than if you create one in Buffalo, NewYork,” Obama said Monday spelling out his proposals to close corporate tax loopholes and crack down on overseas tax havens.
“I want to see our companies remain the most competitive in the world. But the way to make sure that happens is not to reward our companies for moving jobs off our shores or transferring profits to overseas tax havens,” he said in a White House announcement.
The goal of the Obama plan is to help create new jobs in the US and make the tax code fairer, officials said. All told the changes would raise $210 billion in tax revenue over 10 years, they said.
But tax policy experts and corporate lobbyists cited by CNN said such measures, unless accompanied by a reduction in the corporate tax rate, will push more companies to move their operations-and jobs-overseas to more tax friendly countries.
The White House and Treasury Department laid out three proposals, some of which would require congressional approval to take effect, that they say will eliminate the current tax advantages US-based multinationals get for investing and creating jobs abroad.
Tax deferral rules: A reform of the “deferral” rule, which lets US-based multinationals deduct expenses for overseas operations, but defer paying income tax on the profits from those operations. That gets paid only if and when companies bring that money back to the US.
R&D credit: A tax cut for companies that do their research and development in the US by making permanent a “research and experimentation” credit that already exists and would cost $74.5 billion in tax revenue over 10 years.
Foreign tax credit: Make it harder for companies to “abuse the foreign tax credit. Currently companies may claim a credit against their US income taxes for taxes they paid to another country. Amending that rule would raise an estimated $43 billion over 10 years, according to the administration.
Several lawmakers, including US House of Representatives Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel, signalled support for Obama’s proposals.
But one crucial player, Senator Max Baucus, Democratic chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, called for more study of how US businesses would be affected.
The proposed changes to the deferral and foreign tax credit rules will make for a tough sell to the business community too.
“These aren’t loopholes. These were put into the code with full knowledge and full discussion,” said US Chamber of Commerce chief economist Martin Regalia.
“This is only about raising more money - it’s not about making the tax code simpler or more efficient or easier or anything else.”
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)
Tags: arun kumar, bangalore india, barack obama, cnn, congressional approval, corporate lobbyists, corporate tax rate, income tax, lower taxes, multinationals, new jobs, newyork, overseas operations, policy experts, tax breaks, tax crackdown, tax havens, tax loopholes, treasury department, unfair advantage-936-9669.
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" as defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and the actual results and future events could differ materially from management's current expectations. The conduct of clinical trials and the development of drug products involve substantial risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from expectations. Promising early results do not ensure that later stage or larger scale clinical trials will be successful or will proceed as expected. Such factors are detailed from time to time in Nymox's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory authorities.
Contact
Nymox Pharmaceutical Corporation
Roy Wolvin, 1-800-93NYMOX www.nymox.com
Posted: April 2008 | 1.245533 | 906 | 904 |
Design used to be considered the icing on the cake, declared
Bloomberg Businessweek editor Josh Tyrangiel as he kicked off the magazine’s Design 2013 conference at San Francisco’s De Young Museum on Monday. But over the past two years, says Tyrangiel, “There’s been a fundamental change in the way businesses of all kinds view design. For decades, design was thought of almost as an indulgence. But today there are countless examples of designers leading the way.” Tyrangiel says that his hope for the conference was to “change the way participants think about their lives or work.”
Tyrangiel would have us start with four concerns: cities, redesign, information, and imagination. At least, those were the titles for the conference’s four seemingly disconnected yet often overlapping sessions. Architects and landscape architects, graphic designers and software designers, journalists and filmmakers, and others took up these standards in a daylong discussion of their work in design and where they see it going. Those four sessions might have been folded up into two concerns that came up over and over: building community and story telling.
For Thom Mayne, FAIA, the 2013 AIA Gold Medal winner, making cities responsive to current “urban forces” is today’s challenge. “The city is the most compelling problem facing us in the 21st century,” Mayne says. “Cities represent the cumulative nature of our culture, but today the notion of a literal history is completely meaningless. As an architect, design requires a completely new way of thinking that represents contemporary society.” Building cities means building communities. Mayne says that his design for the San Francisco Federal Building—with its distribution of public spaces throughout—is a way of creating “conduits of conversation,” a way to break down barriers.
Jeanne Gang, FAIA, founder and principal of Chicago’s Studio Gang Architects, touched on community and connectedness in her discussion of Studio Gang’s design for the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership in Kalamazoo, Mich., a project that Gang describes as the “first purposefully built social justice center in the country.” Gang says that designers must work with all 7 billion people on the planet in mind. “We need to expand our definition of infrastructure,” she says. “Is it possible for architecture to help make people want to live closer together? Our patterns of urbanization really do matter.” Green infrastructure is also important, Gang says. Her project at Northerly Island in Chicago—converting a former airfield to an ecological preserve—is “highly designed but at the same time wild.” Says Gang, “Wild patches connected with industrial sites are better habitat than suburban lawns. We’re interested in architecture that increases the desirability of compact urban living.”
Janette Sadik-Khan—who, as commissioner of New York City’s Department of Transportation, has some experience with cities—described how her city is transforming streets into vibrant public spaces by creating designated bike and bus lanes as well as pedestrian plazas like the new Times Square. “You can literally paint the city you want to see,” she says, adding that retail activity has increased along protected bike lanes by 50 percent. “Design can tell you—take your business elsewhere or have a vital, active space.”
Sadik-Khan isn’t alone in seeking top-down design solutions for cities. Stephen Doyle, creative director of Doyle Partners, spoke about wanting to use design to “infiltrate public space” and to engage the public through “enchantment, surprise, and humanity.” Yves Behar, founder of the industrial-design and brand-strategy firm fuseproject and chief creative officer of Jawbone—a wearable personal electronics firm—said that designers are now at the table as business partners. (Jawbone won an Industrial Designers Society of America Design of the Decade Award in 2010.) “Fifteen years ago, CEOs didn’t understand how design would make a difference.” There’s been a sea change in American industry, Behar says, which is “now more about design” than the U.S. market’s counterparts across much of Europe.
Behar has opened up his own design process to public comment via crowd funding, which generates not just resources but community. But design can spur community IRL, also. Partners & Space co-founder and co-creative director Anthony Sperduti described how he helped J. Crew revitalize its menswear division by buying an old liquor store in Manhattan and making the site a gathering place for clientele, complete with an art-gallery fitting room and copies of What A Man Should Know lining the shelves. “Brands need to be personal, not corporate, and have a point of view,” Sperduti says.
Part of building a community is designing tools that allow communities to build themselves. Pentagram’s Edward Opara previewed a project in the works, Blopboard, that would allow users to vote on a client’s products or social issues in real time. Glen Cummings, principal at MTW | 1.833763 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Progression Tracker
Do You Need a Funding Plan?
Introduction to the Six Steps
Step 1: Establish Priorities
Step 2: Assess Capacity
Step 3: Set Fundraising Goals
Step 4: Identify Funding Sources
Step 5: Evaluate & Select Funding Sources
Fundraising Environment Diversification Estimated Returns Sustainability Key Evaluation Questions
Final Quiz
Sample Finance Plans
List of Case Studies
References & Additional Resources
Step 5 (continued). Estimated Returns
When choosing the best funding strategies for your group, it is important to know what kind of returns you can expect from a particular funding strategy. One of the best ways to figure out costs associated with different funding options is to ask other groups in your area. Here are some factors that can affect your organization's fundraising costs and returns:
Age of your organization.New organizations can expect to see fewer returns from their funding sources than established organizations. For example, success with particular grants in previous years may determine success with those grants in future years. Competition for funds.If there are similar organizations in your area, you may see a decreased return on investments. Source of funds.Small gifts from individual donors will mean higher fundraising costs, at least in the short term. In contrast, grants, major gifts, and donations from corporations will mean lower costs. (However, individual donations are more sustainable, as we will see on the next page!) Different methods.Different methods have different returns. Below is an estimation of returns from a few funding sources: Source of Funds Expected Costs Membership $0.20 to $0.30 per $1.00 raised Special Events $0.50 to $1.00 per $1.00 raised Corporations/Foundations $0.20 per $1.00 raised Direct Mail (acquisition) $1.25 to$1.50 per $1.00 raised Direct Mail (renewal) $0.20 to $0.25 per $1.00 raised Non-monetary returns.While some of these strategies may be higher in cost than others, they often have important non-monetary benefits, such as recruiting new members, maintaining current membership, media exposure, and heightened awareness of your watershed.
Fundraising costs has become a hot topic in the nonprofit sector. Not only are nonprofits facing increased scrutiny on their operating and fundraising costs, but they are also facing increased competition from other groups in their area. As a result, nonprofits often feel the need to show low fundraising costs and assure donors that their money is going towards programming and projects. Still, organizations must be honest about their fundraising costs to develop trust among their donors.
Citation: See Resources, Works Cited #28, Price JP, Cooper JJ, Li Q, Price DH. HEXIM2, a HEXIM1-related protein, regulates positive transcription elongation factor b through association with 7SK. J Biol Chem .2005; 280: 16360–16367. ↵ Yik JH, Chen R, Pezda AC, Zhou Q. Compensatory contributions of HEXIM1 and HEXIM2 in maintaining the balance of active and inactive positive transcription elongation factor b complexes for control of transcription. J Biol Chem .2005; 280: 16368–16376. ↵ ↵ ↵ Johnson PF. Molecular stop signs: regulation of cell-cycle arrest by C/EBP transcription factors. J Cell Sci .2005; 118: 2545–2555. ↵ Montano MM, Doughman YQ, Deng H, Chaplin L, Yang J, Wang N, Zhou Q, Ward NL, Watanabe M. Mutation of the HEXIM1 gene results in defects during heart and vascular development partly through downregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor. Circ Res .2008; 102: 415–422. ↵ Shimizu N, Ouchida R, Yoshikawa N, Hisada T, Watanabe H, Okamoto K, Kusuhara M, Handa H, Morimoto C, Tanaka H. HEXIM1 forms a transcriptionally abortive complex with glucocorticoid receptor without involving 7SK RNA and positive transcription elongation factor b. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A .2005; 102: 8555–8560. ↵ | 1.42492 | 943 | 941 |
http://www.bizcommunity.com
Can advertising "Stop Rape"?
I hate it when this happens, but I'm having a controversial opinion, and I won't rest until it's out. It's about this Primedia "Stop Rape" campaign, and before I start ranting, I better state some things clearly.
The first is that I am (rather obviously, I should hope) vehemently horrified by the rape situation in this country, and by Anene Booysen's death, and by the atrocities women locally and internationally are suffering.
The second is that I am an expert in advertising law, and maybe plain language, and writing - not in rape politics. Although along the way I've managed to pick up a psychology degree or two. So, I am going to try to limit my thoughts to the advertising aspect of the Stop Rape campaign, and the rules around advertising in a disturbing manner.
So, let me start on Friday morning, and I have just (thank goodness) dropped my small children at school. I turn 702 up, hoping to get a bit of radio enjoyment in the two blocks I travel home, and I find myself subjected to a horror story about a child being raped by a school driver. Now the next thing I must be clear about is that I turned the radio off when the words "her bladder collapsed" sounded; and I continued to turn off anything disturbing during the day. So I am not an expert on the entire contents of the campaign.
Nonetheless, I arrived home feeling sick and personally violated, struggling to focus on my work. Which is most probably the intention of the advertisement.
Getting the message across
Now here's the thing.
The general rule about advertisements around social issues and wrongs is that they can go further, and shock, and disturb, as compared to advertising for products. So the disturbing images we saw for a few years of accident victims from drunk driving and speeding incidents was justified because it might scare us out of doing the same. And a horrifying ad I had to consider when working at the ASA, showing a baby drowning in the running bath while its drunk parents fought, was justified because maybe an alcoholic would get help based on that ad. In other words, the sense of violation the viewer or listener feels is justified because people who see the ad might change their behaviour patterns as a result.
Now let's look at the Stop Rape ad that I turned off. Is that ad going to scare people into stopping rape? In the first place, I don't think that the majority of violent rapists are listening to intellectual talk radio. I know that that is a generalisation; and I know that many rapes are committed by men that are professional and intellectual, BUT I think the particular type of rape that is horrifying us as a nation, the type of rape that killed Anene, is committed by groups of violent and uneducated men. Not middle-class liberals dropping their kids at school and hoping to hear a bit of talk radio.
Second, those rapists who ARE listening to 702 and other stations involved - do you think that they suddenly go "Oh gosh, I had no
idea that people minded. Oh silly me, I'll just stop raping people right now." Will shock tactics work? Unlikely
And as to getting the government to do something about rape - making then feel our outrage - well, I struggle to believe that they are neglecting rape out of a particular choice. I like (I use that word loosely) to think that they neglect rape convictions and captures and sensitive policing out of their general incompetence rather than out of a special focussed negligence. And will bigoted misogynists, who hand down sentences that are lenient because the raped child was treated carefully, suddenly say, "Oh I thought everyone agreed. I'll be stricter from now on"? I doubt it.
So where is the justification for these disturbing commercials? It's not going to change the behaviour of rapists. It might make government slightly more sensitised; but we're talking about people who can't even feed the nation competently. So I really wouldn't hold my breath for remarkable change.
Perhaps the justification lies in the fact that it has started dialogue and thinking - and maybe someone will have a clever idea that actually works.
And I totally agree that if one fewer woman is raped because of this campaign, then it worked. I just struggle to believe that that will be the case. So I struggle to believe that the sense of personal violation that I had from this campaign is, in fact, justified. (And again, to be clear, I would be happy to feel this comparatively mild violation if I thought it would help. I just don't.)
Let's hope that I am wrong.
About Gail Schimmel
Gail Schimmel is a specialist in advertising law. She runs a consultancy - Clear Copy (www.clearcopy.co.za) - that offers advice to marketers and advertisers in relation to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and other aspects of advertising law. An admitted attorney (with BA | 2.046879 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
I thought I’d done writing about council newspapers when communities secretary Eric Pickles introduced his new code of conduct which prohibited councils from publishing their own newspapers more than four times a year.
Of course, given that Mr Pickles’ rules on council newspapers are a code of conduct, rather than law, there was always a danger the most ardent supports of council newspapers would carry on regardless. And so it proved in Greenwich.
They produce Greenwich Time there, a weekly publication which is, according to the council, ‘written in a journalistic style, containing a degree of community news, certain lifestyle features and residents’ opinions.’ Residents opinions tend to stand a better chance of getting into print if the concur with the council’s view of the world – and the 853 blog is worth checking out for more on Greenwich Time
As for how journalistic it is, it certainly lacks news values. Take the August 16 edition, which covered the riots in London (a good 10 days after it happened). The intro on the front page was:
“Greenwich councillors have given a firm commitment to stand beside residents and businesses affected in last week’s rioting and looting in Woolwich and Charlton.”
As local councillors, should we expect any less? The previous week’s front page, which hit the streets while the looting was dying down, was dominated by the fact a visit by a children’s author to a library was a sell out. Hold the front page! If ever there was proof that councils make duff newspapers, this it it.
Of course, I’m not saying the local newspapers in the area are perfect, of course they’re not. But in council newspapers, with their guaranteed income from their own departments’ advertising, we don’t get to see the news of the community, we get to see the news the council wants the community to see.
And when you look at Greenwich Council’s distribution points – which include libraries, stations and public buildings – you have a council publication which doesn’t have an unfair playing field so much as an unfair Olympic stadium at its disposal.
Not surprisingly, the decision to carry on publishing has upset the Tory opposition in Greenwich, which has sought to get the matter discussed by the overview and scrutiny committee at Greenwich.
Holdthefrontpage reports that this attempt had failed. No surprise there – it’s proof of the futility of the overview and scrutiny committee, which replaced the traditional talk-before-we-decide committee structure which had served local councils pretty well for hundreds of years.
But it was the reason for refusing to discuss it which caught my eye:
A spokesman for Greenwich Council said: “In initiating a ‘call in’ of the decision on Greenwich Time, councillor Drury requested the council to ‘properly’ explore the production of GT every two weeks.
“This itself would have been in breach of the guidance set out by the new code and was rejected by the Scrutiny Committee.”
In other words, Greenwich Council won’t discuss fortnightly publication at the scrutiny committee because it would breach Pickles’ code, the same code which the council has no problem with breaching to publish their weekly ‘newspaper.’
It’d be funny if it wasn’t so arrogantly breathtaking.
The Bexley Times reports that the council has now been reported to the District Auditor for not sticking to the code. The Auditor’s ruling will, presumably, determine whether Pickles was right in settling for a code of conduct rather than an outright law.Presenters
How do you move from a one size fits all performance management process to one size fits one? In this HCI Keynote video, Brooke Orr discusses how Coca-Cola used data to transform its performance management approach and iterated toward improvement.
Key insights:
Examine whether your cultural values are supported by your processes. Does your compensation strategy support the experimentation necessary to achieve innovation? Roll around in the data and listen to the story it really tells; use it to contextualize and personalize your organization’s performance management strategy. Don’t ask whether someone is a poor performer; consider framing it as whether they are “at risk for poor performance.” You can’t change the past, but you can prevent future problems by giving someone more of what they need to be successful.
Tags: | 1.989439 | 860 | 858 |
Aside from leaving behind an irritating, annoying bite, several species of ticks carry Lyme disease, a potentially devastating illness that occurs in both humans and animals. According to the University of California Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the blacklegged tick is believed responsible for the majority of Lyme disease transmissions in the state. There are a variety of safe, nontoxic methods you can use to control ticks in your yard.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are used in combination or alone as an effective and nontoxic method to repel ticks from the yard. Lavender, sage, lemongrass and thyme can each be mixed with water and sprayed directly onto the grass. The spray is also an effective method for keeping ticks off your pets; just pay attention to your dog's or cat’s reaction. Cats are especially sensitive to stronger, undiluted odors, so use the spray cautiously if your pets spend most of their time outdoors. Reapply the essential oil in the yard as needed after a heavy rainfall.
Cultural Control
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, properly maintaining your yard makes it less attractive to ticks. The CDC recommends mowing the lawn regularly, stacking and storing wood in a dry area, removing brush or tall grass from the lawn’s edge, and installing a 3-foot-wide strip of wood chips or gravel between your lawn’s edge and a nearby wooded area. The sharp wood chips and gravel are difficult and uncomfortable for ticks to cross, and create an effective barrier around your property. Eliminating refuse -- including trash, unwanted furniture and old mattresses -- from your yard eliminates any spots for ticks to seek shelter.
Nematodes
There are approximately 20,000 different species of nematodes -- microscopic, unregimented worms that live by the thousands in your backyard already. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, certain predatory types of nematodes thrive in many of the same places ticks find appealing -- including burrowed in your lawn’s soil and under leaves -- and feed on the adult females. Nematodes are sold in small plastic containers or plastic syringes at home improvement stores or garden centers.
Beautyberry
The beautyberry (Callicarpa sp.) is an ornamental shrub with clusters of pink blossoms that later form showy violet berries. According to Mother Earth News, properties of the beautyberry leaves are believed to repel certain types of biting insects, including the deer ticks that can carry Lyme disease. The beautyberry bush thrives throughout USDA hardiness zones 7 through 9, and is best grown in partially shaded areas with loose, fertile soil.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Preventing Ticks in the Yard United States Department of Agriculture: Tackling Ticks That Spread Lyme Disease Aspen Bloom Pet Care: Pest Repellents that Make "Scents" Mother Earth News: Beautyberry Banishes Bad Biting Bugs Clemson Cooperative Extension: Beautyberry Yardener: How to Use Predatory Nematodes University of California Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources: Lyme Disease in California University of Nebraska -- Lincoln: What Are Nematodes? Photo Credits Ablestock.com/AbleStock.com/Getty ImagesRisk Management Software Definition - What does Risk Management Software mean?
Risk management software is a type of enterprise software that helps companies to actively manage risk. Many of these tools are analytical in nature, and use existing data or projections to help human decision makers identify risk and take measures to avoid potential crises.
Techopedia explains Risk Management Software
Different companies offer various kinds of risk management software tools. Some are based on predictive analytics, where data filters provide educated predictions about the future. Others compare and contrast specific business processes to understand where a business’s strengths are. Experts also talk about "risk drivers" where software can identify and analyze key factors in enterprise vulnerability.
Many risk management tools involve transparent dashboards that help human decision makers to handle a great deal of information in a transparent way. These can include the use of best practices information, along with data about existing operations. Many of these tools are based on creating a useful and user-friendly graphical user interface that helps end users to understand their goals and how to reach them.
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Obama Administration To Justify Drone Strikes With Casualty Counts
President Barack Obama’s administration bombed what the Pentagon claimed was an al Shabab training camp and killed 150 people. The death toll from the air and drone strikes was higher than any strikes in America’s covert drone wars thus far.
The number of deaths was higher than the death toll in the al Majalah strike in Yemen, which killed 55 people, including 41 civilians on December 17, 2009. It was higher than a CIA drone strike in Pakistan, which killed 80 children and a man in a religious school.
But the Pentagon and anonymous “intelligence officials” maintained in the aftermath that all of the 150 people killed were “militants” or al Shabab members. There was absolutely no reason to doubt that each person dead from drone missiles and aircraft bombs were bad people, who the U.S. was justified in attacking.
Nearly every establishment media outlet in the U.S. raised little to no concerns about the death toll and the scale of the attack in Somalia in their coverage.
There is nothing in the Associated Press’ report about the Shabab militants posing an “imminent threat” to Americans. The New York Times reported the strikes were launched to prevent “an imminent attack against American troops and their allies in East Africa.” The Washington Post reported the fighters were a threat to “both U.S. and African Union troops stationed in the war-torn country.”
Sarah Knuckey, associate clinical professor of law at Columbia Law School, has pointed out that in Somalia, the U.S. supposedly follows rules for “use of force in counterterrorism operations outside of active hostilities.” In other words, these are supposed restrictions on use of force in places away from Afghanistan or Iraq, where war has not been declared.
The Obama administration claims to follow the guideline that the U.S. “will use lethal force only against a target that poses a continuing, imminent threat to U.S. persons.” What rules were being followed in launching these strikes?
Previously, in October 2013, Obama deployed a Navy Seals team in Somalia to carry out a “kill or capture” mission. There were questions then about whether Obama had war powers to launch such an operation.
What rules are being followed with these strikes in Somalia? Does it matter? If it does not matter, what about the potential blowback? How about the concern that this kind of action draws the U.S. further into the destruction of another country and that the results could very well end up being as destabilizing as in Libya?
Journalist Jeremy Scahill detailed in his book, “Dirty Wars,” the extent to which actions by the U.S. have transformed “al Shabab and its al Qaeda allies” into groups “more powerful in Somalia than it—or the CIA—could ever have imagined.”
Briefly, CIA-backed Somali warlords were defeated by the Islamic Courts Union in the mid-2000s. “Blowback sparked by US policies in Somalia and abroad,” further inspired al Qaeda activity. “The civilian tolls the wars were taking in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the abuses at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, gave credence to the perception that the United States was waging a war against Islam,” according to Scahill.
“While the United States backed its own warlords in Mogadishu, Washington’s post-9/11 actions led to the formation of a coalition of former warlords and religious movements that would challenge the rule of the U.S. proxies in Somalia.” Ethiopia joined the conflict, and the escalation helped Shabab reinvigorate itself.
To what extent will this attack fan the flames of militant operations in Somalia?
Additionally, on the same day that the Obama administration killed more alleged fighters in counterterrorism operations than in any of its operation thus far, the administration made an announcement that it would finally disclose the number of people killed by U.S. drone and other air strikes since 2009.
The AP reported the disclosed casualty counts would include combatants and civilians. It would not cover war zones like Iraq, Syria, or Afghanistan. These reports of casualties would focus on Pakistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, and other locations where extralegal and undeclared warfare is being waged.
There is an element of propaganda to this announcement. Not only did Lisa Monaco, a counterterrorism and homeland security adviser to Obama, say this is “the best way to maintain the legitimacy of our counterterrorism actions and the broad support of our allies,” but the announcement came as 150 alleged Shabab fighters were killed.
The Obama administration clearly intended to create the perception that it would disclose numbers, thereby diminishing concerns about human rights violations. The U.S. can argue it only kills terrorists now, as it did with this attack on a training camp.
A key issue is how the Obama administration defines “combatants” or “militants,” and how it defines “civilians.” | 1.664912 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
HARRISBURG — Barry Schoch won't gloat.
He's too professional. Too serious about his life's work as an engineer. Too proud of the men and women he directs as secretary of the state Department of Transportation.
But Schoch would have every right to scream from the highest bridge in Pennsylvania: Told you so.
Schoch was the catalyst of arguably Gov. Tom Corbett's biggest, most important legislative victory: the November 2013 passage of the largest road, bridge and mass transit spending law the state has adopted in nearly two decades.
The $2.4 billion transportation funding package, known as Act 89, went into effect Jan. 1. It was expected to raise transportation spending up to 39 percent over the current $6.1 billion by 2017-18.
In 2014, the bill's impact on motorists and taxpayers has gone exactly — and in some cases better— than Schoch had predicted in speeches while crisscrossing the state to garner public support and in private talks with reluctant lawmakers.
Schoch promised skeptics that PennDOT could manage the influx of taxpayer money to fix more roads and bridges.
"We are not only on schedule, we are ahead of schedule," he said in an interview.
PennDOT had estimated Act 89 would allow the agency to spend an additional $800 million in the first 18 months. PennDOT figured it could pay for 200 additional projects totaling nearly 1,600 miles of road improvements and 83 bridges.
The law has brought in $1.5 billion in the same time, enabling the state to repave and resurface 221 roads, spanning 1,696 miles, by November, PennDOT records show. That includes 20 road projects and more than 199 miles in the district that covers the Lehigh Valley, Poconos and Berks County.
Those figures do not include additional road projects scheduled to be bid in the fall, with construction in 2015.
PennDOT is on track with its bridge work, too, under a pilot program that allows bidding several bridges under one contract. The bundling program saves costs on supplies and design work, Schoch said.
The only bridge being replaced in the Lehigh Valley area is the 84-year-old Second Street bridge over Cold Spring Creek in Whitehall Township. It costs $3.8 million.
But in coming years, the Valley area's bridge jobs will pick up. Act 89 is allowing PennDOT to restart long-mothballed expansion plans such as the widening of Route 22 and improving the Fahy Bridge over the Lehigh River in Bethlehem.
"Without Act 89, none of that would happen," said Becky A. Bradley, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission. "Put some lines under that [statement], bold it or put it in flashing lights. It is that important, Act 89."
An additional $207 million in Act 89 funds will be distributed to mass transit agencies by the end of the year, PennDOT records show.
The Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority is leveraging the new state money with federal money to buy three buses and 15 vans for its Lehigh Valley service this year.
"We've seen our operating funds in much better condition than they were prior to Act 89, and we should be financially sound for the next five years," LANTA Executive Director Armando Greco said.
The state's largest mass transit agency, SEPTA, which operates in Philadelphia and its suburbs, on Wednesday issued a $55.5 million public bid to replace a 119-year-old, 1,000-foot-long, 100-foot high passenger rail viaduct over a Delaware County creek. The crumbling viaduct was often used as a news conference staging ground to drum up support for the Legislature to pass the funding package.
The viaduct would not have been fixed without Act 89, SEPTA Deputy General Manager Jeff Knueppel said. If Act 89 did not pass, he said, SEPTA was planning to curtail or close several regional rail lines in the city and suburbs.
"Act 89 has given us a future," Knueppel said.
The bill's dreaded gasoline and diesel fuel tax increase to pay for the transportation upgrades is less obvious than critics feared thanks in large part to the worldwide drop in crude oil prices.
"We've said it all along," Schoch said. "What price you pay at the pump is affected more by the cost of a barrel of crude, cost of refining and getting it there [to the gas station] rather than the taxes. No one believed that."
The law eliminated a 12-cent consumer tax and raised the millage on a oil franchise tax, which wholesale distributors pay. The fear among lawmakers was | 1.581116 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
wholesalers, such as Wawa, Sheetz and Sunoco, would pass most or all of that tax onto consumers at the pump. They did pass some of it along, but how much is unknown due to private pricing data held by the wholesalers.
Between January and May, the state's average consumer gas price rose 27 cents to $3.78 a gallon, according to AAA. Diesel prices went up 12 cents to $4.22 in that time. In June, prices started falling. As of Thursday, the average prices were $2.85 for regular gasoline and $3.57 for diesel.
Pennsylvania was smart and lucky to act when it did, said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst at gasbuddy.com. Although gas prices are dropping, Pennsylvania still collects the same amount of taxes because it's based on a straight monetary value as opposed to a sales tax percentage, he said.
"It would have been impossible to see this big slide in prices coming," DeHaan said.
In November, the state collected $204 million in taxes, $10.5 million more than estimates, for the Motor License Fund, which includes gas and diesel taxes, license, fine and fee increases, state Revenue Department records show. That pushed the fund's annual tax collection to more than $996 million, which is $13.8 million, or 1.4 percent, above estimates.
Sen. John Rafferty, R-Montgomery, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said several people have asked him in if he knew gas prices would fall. Absolutely, he quips.
Even with gas prices falling, work continues.
None of it would have occurred without Schoch's leadership, said state Rep. Mike Schlossberg, D-Lehigh, the only member of the Lehigh Valley's House delegation to support the funding bill. The Legislature would not have approved the bill if not for Schoch's ability to negotiate and rattle off statewide and regional statistics about roads and traffic, he said.
"Barry Schoch was brilliant," Schlossberg said.
Corbett deserves credit for hiring Schoch, added Gene Barr, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.
"I've been in this business a long time," Barr said. "I don't think I've ever seen a secretary work harder to get a bill passed."
Gov.-elect Tom Wolf would be wise to keep Schoch as transportation secretary, Schlossberg added. Schoch said he'd be willing to talk to Wolf about the position, but so far has not been approached. No decisions have been made, Wolf spokesman Jeffrey Sheridan said.
The passage of Act 89 was government at its finest because Democrats and Republicans compromised, Schlossberg said. Democrats dropped opposition to reducing construction workers' pay by not mandating they receive regional union-scale wages on local transportation projects budgeted at $100,000, he said. Republicans dropped opposition to a tax increase, he said.
"People walked away happy with the overall plan, but a little upset over some of the details," Schlossberg said. "But that's the way you are supposed to govern."
The transportation funding fight that Harrisburg saw in 2013 could resurface in counties next year, when Act 89 allows them to place a $5 surcharge on vehicle registration fees to raise money for county owned road and bridge repairs.
Twitter @sesack 717-783-7305
ACT 89 BY THE NUMBERS IN 2014
$1.5 billion in new revenue for roads and bridges $207 million for mass transit $60 million for local transportation projects, ports, rail freight and aviation 1,696 miles of road resurface and repaved 83 bridges fixed or under construction. Source: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation); and Karma Rodgers (Milwaukee).
The board elected three members to the ABA House of Delegates as representatives of the State Bar of Wisconsin. Grant Killoran (Milwaukee) and Patricia Struck (Madison) were appointed as new representatives. Christina Plum (Milwaukee) was reappointed.
Finally, the board voted to sunset four policy positions which are generally out-of-date or no longer relevant. Those include positions on expert and lay witness testimony, consolidation of mass litigation, product liability, and self-help repossessions.
Upon request, interested members may obtain a copy of the minutes of each meeting of the board of governors. For more information, contact State Bar Executive Coordinator by org jmarks wisbar email or by phone at (608) 250-6106. | 1.687614 | 967 | 965 |
Optimization of the position of the acetabulum in a ganz periacetabular osteotomy by finite element analysis.
MedLine Citation:
PMID: 23097237 Owner: NLM Status: Publisher
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is a surgical procedure to correct acetabular orientation in developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). It changes the position of the acetabulum to increase femoral head coverage and distribute the contact pressure over the cartilage surface. The success of PAO depends significantly on the surgeon's experience. Using computed tomography data from patients with DDH, we developed a 3D finite element (FE) model to investigate the optimal position of the acetabulum following PAO. A virtual PAO was performed with the acetabulum rotated in increments from the original center edge (CE) angle. Contact area, contact pressure, and Von Mises stress in the femoral and pelvic cartilage were analyzed. Five dysplastic hips from four patients were modeled. Contact area, contact pressure, and Von Mises stress in the cartilage all varied according to the change of CE angle through virtual PAO. An optimal position could be achieved for the acetabulum that maximizes the contact area while minimizing the contact pressure and von Mises stress in the pelvic and femoral cartilage. The optimal position of the acetabulum was patient dependent and did not always correspond to what would be considered a "normal" CE angle. We demonstrated for the first time the interrelation of correction angle, contact area, and contact pressure between the pelvic and femoral cartilage in PAO surgery. © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res.
Authors:
Zhenmin Zou; Arturo Chávez-Arreola; Parthasarathi Mandal; Tim N Board; Teresa Alonso-Rasgado
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Publication Detail:
Type: JOURNAL ARTICLE Date: 2012-10-23
Journal Detail:
Title: Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society Volume: - ISSN: 1554-527X ISO Abbreviation: J. Orthop. Res. Publication Date: 2012 Oct
Date Detail:
Created Date: 2012-10-25 Completed Date: - Revised Date: -
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID: 8404726 Medline TA: J Orthop Res Country: -
Other Details:
Languages: ENG Pagination: - Citation Subset: -
Copyright Information:
Copyright © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society.
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
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From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document:Both selenium deficiency and modest selenium supplementation lead to myocardial fibrosis in mice via... Next Document:Bistability Loss as a Key Feature in Azobenzene (Non-)Switching on Metal Surfaces.Palm trees on the Hollywood Hills silhouetted against the dusk sky on March 01, 2016. (icardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)
The last time anyone counted, there were 700,000 street trees in the city of Los Angeles. That was more than two decades ago.
Now, after four years of punishing drought, the city badly needs a fix on the condition of its urban forest.
But doing that the old way — by sending out tree counters with clipboards — would cost about $3 million, money that’s already committed elsewhere. | 1.121891 | 962 | 960 |
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If you are using the ‘Find’ Service there is no Malware removal. You (or your developer) would need to remove the malware. If you use the ‘Find & Fix’ or the ‘Find, Fix & Prevent’ service then the removal of the Malware is included.
Your website is scanned once a day. You will see the last scan date on the SiteLock Security Shield that appears on your website. You can choose to set the scan daily, weekly or monthly.
Yes, If you are using the ‘Find’ Service there is a limit of 25 pages. If you use the ‘Find & Fix’ service there is a limit of 500 pages. With the ‘Find, Fix & Prevent’ service up to 2500 pages are scanned daily.
When Sitelock is first deployed it needs to scan all of your website’s files. If you have a large website this will take longer than for a smaller site. However, over time, SiteLock will then only scan any new or changed files so it will not have any long term effect on performance.
You are responsible for uploading the SiteLock Security Shield to your website. If you are not comfortable doing this then our technical team will perform this for a small one-off fee.
If you decide not to secure your website then it could get hacked. This may mean that it then contravenes our Terms of Service and our Acceptable Usage Policy which may result in your website being temporarily suspended pending removal of the Malware. In the worst case scenario you could lose some or all of your website data. | 1.439422 | 943 | 942 |
A team at Disney Research has developed a new type of 3D printer that can build three-dimensional objects such as teddy bears out of soft fibres such as wool.
The machine looks like a cross between a sewing machine and a 3D printer -- the yarn is built up in layers to create a sort of felt.
This approach to creating soft objects can allow for high levels of customisation and rapid prototyping.
The project was headed up by Scott Hudson from Carnegie Mellon University's Human-Computer Interaction Institute and supported by Disney Research. Hudson said in a press statement that he was extending the set of materials available for 3D printing, adding that this material is designed for making "things that are held close". This could be scarves, hats, teddy bears or soft robots.
While the resulting bear in the embedded video might not be much to look at, it demonstrates how completely soft objects can be created directly from computerised designs. Unlike conventional 3D printers which use extruded melted plastic, this 3D printer deposits layers of yarn, using a needle that repeatedly pierces the yarn to drag down fibres into the layers below, entangling it in order to create a unified mass.
In order to allow for joints in the printed objects, Hudson experimented with leaving small gaps in the geometric model of the toy -- these small voids allowed for more flexibility in some places in the bear. To increase stiffness, he then placed a layer of low stretch fabric -- nylon organza mesh -- within the print.
The fabric was then felted into the body of the object, providing a sort of "skeleton" for the final design. Using a combination of these techniques Hudson could create a range of stiffness in objects depending on what was required.
In order to develop soft robotic toys with articulated joints, Hudson experimented with 3D-printed plastic components embedded with a nylon mesh, onto which the yarn could be overlaid. He experimented with creating a teddy bear arm that bends at the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints thanks to a servo motor and "tendon wire", which retracts and extends. Hudson demonstrates this with a cute moving teddy bear arm complete with plastic paw pads.
In the research paper, Hudson says this work is "only a beginning" and that more work needs to be done to make the resulting felted objects more robust. "These objects exhibit reasonable strength for forces applied laterally to layers. However, they are less robust to forces perpendicular to layers, tending to pull the layers apart. To improve robustness in that direction in future work we may consider injecting very small amounts of a flexible adhesive in conjunction with the felting process in order to more permanently bind felted fibres between layers."
It will take time, however, to find an appropriate adhesive that can provide stickiness without affecting the softness of the resulting object.
Another challenge is that the technique isn't quite as precise as some other additive manufacturing processes.
In other Disney Research news, post doctoral researcher Yoshio Ishiguro has developed a way to 3D-print small loudspeakers in any shape -- from spirals to ducks. The speakers can reproduce sound of around 60 decibels, have no moving parts, and run off batteries. Each speaker contains an electrode plate and a thin conductive diaphragm, separated by a layer of air.
When a high voltage is applied to the electrode, the electrostatic attraction distorts the diaphragm to reproduce sound. airport and main roads between HIA and Vieux Fort town. The silent threat the river poses can undermine the efforts of tourism development island-wide. The aim must be to properly harness that river with intervals of mini dams for irrigation and inland fishing. In so doing it should be borne in mind that that river has been diverted from its original course at least twice in the last seventy-five years.
The development of medical schools and other hi-tech intellectual pursuits should be a major thrust in energizing the economy of Vieux Fort and the entire south.
Vieux Fort needs a complete makeover. To this end the people of Vieux Fort must demand the resignation of their MP. They must afterwards select someone who will assist in executing the development of Vieux Fort, regardless of party in power. The person selected must be honest and fearless and ready to work for Vieux Fort full time. That’s what Vieux Fort needs to usher in a new day for the better. That’s my wish for the town of my birth.
Editor’s Note: The writer is a former government minister. | 1.880988 | 920 | 918 |
==========
The Coalition for Secular Government is pleased to announce the release of its policy paper on the "personhood" movement by Ari Armstrong and Diana Hsieh (Ph.D):
The 'Personhood' Movement Is Anti-Life: Why It Matters that Rights Begin at Birth, Not Conception (PDF or HTML). The 'Personhood' Movement Is Anti-Life Why It Matters that Rights Begin at Birth, Not Conception by Ari Armstrong and Diana Hsieh, Ph.D. A policy paper written for the Coalition for Secular Government (www.SecularGovernment.us) Published on August 31, 2010 Contents Introduction The 'Personhood' Movement The Destructive Effects of 'Personhood' Individual Rights and Abortion The Morality of Abortion 'Personhood' and the Separation of Church and State Amendment 62 Is Not a 'Message' Notes From the Introduction
Amendment 62, set to appear on Colorado's 2010 ballot, seeks to legally establish personhood from the moment of conception, granting a fertilized egg (or zygote) full legal rights in the state's constitution. Following in the footsteps of 2008's Amendment 48, Amendment 62 is the spearhead of a national campaign to outlaw abortion and other practices that could harm a zygote, embryo, or fetus.
If fully implemented, Amendment 62 would profoundly and adversely impact the lives of sexually-active couples, couples seeking children, pregnant women and their partners, doctors, and medical researchers. It would subject them to severe legal restrictions, police controls, and in many cases protracted court battles and criminal punishments.
Amendment 62 would outlaw abortion, even in cases of rape, incest, terminally deformed fetuses, and danger to the woman's health. It would prohibit doctors from performing abortions except perhaps in some cases to save the life of the woman, thereby endangering the lives and health of many women. In conjunction with existing statutes, Amendment 62 would subject women and their doctors to first-degree murder charges for willfully terminating a pregnancy, with the required punishment of life in prison or the death penalty.
The impact of Amendment 62 would extend far beyond abortion into the personal corners of every couple's reproductive life. It would outlaw many forms of birth control, including the pill, IUD, and "morning after" drugs. It would require criminal investigation of any miscarriages deemed suspicious. It would ban potentially life-saving embryonic stem-cell research and common fertility treatments.
Amendment 62 rests on the absurd premise that a newly fertilized zygote is a full human person with an absolute right to biological life-support from a woman--regardless of her wishes and whatever the cost to her. The biological facts of pregnancy, in conjunction with an objective theory of rights, support a different view, namely that personhood and rights begin at birth. Colorado law should reflect those facts, not the Bible verses so often quoted (and creatively interpreted) by advocates of Amendment 62 and other "personhood" measures.
About the Authors
Ari Armstrong publishes
Free Colorado and co-authors a column for Western Colorado's Grand Junction Free Press. He is the author of Values of Harry Potter: Lessons for Muggles, a book exploring the heroic fight for life-promoting values in the Potter novels.
Diana Hsieh founded the Coalition for Secular Government in 2008. She earned her doctorate in philosophy from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She is currently working on a book on Ayn Rand's novel
Atlas Shrugged, based on her series of podcasts at ExploreAtlasShrugged.com. More of her work can be found at DianaHsieh.com. percent in July 2004, to 27.6 percent near the end of his term in November 2006. (It then began rapidly rising when Deval Patrick took office.)”
And at Bain Capital, which Romney ran for 15 years until 1999, there are only seven women among the company’s 87 managing directors and senior executives, or 8 percent.
Romney’s comments and “solutions” to inequality are out of touch with the issues that women face. He revealed at the debate that he can neither relate to the struggles women face, nor does he really care to implement real solutions. He delivered a top down, sexist approach that would only set women back if he became president!
Check out the memes that the social media world created to mock Romney’s “binders full of women” event above and the video clip of the debate below. | 1.496953 | 957 | 955 |
Peter Friedman's Favorite Techdirt Posts Of The Week from the favorites dept This week's favorites post comes from Peter Friedman, a professor at Case Western Reserve University school of law, Of Counsel to Hull McGuire PC, and the author of the excellent blog Ruling Imagination: Law and Creativity. A lot of the "favorites" posts to date have been just from people who are regular commenters on the site, but the "community" here goes beyond just those who comment, and includes people like Peter, who is one of the lawyers I regularly rely on for insights into the law.
I have my own pet peeve in our society's obsession with property and ownership. More and more it seems people use claims of ownership to extend their desire to control as much as they can. And, of course, there are the legions of theorists who seem to always find a magic elixir for all of society's ills in the creation of new forms of property and "free" markets for them. So I enjoyed the post about "a small antiques shop, called Obsolete, in Los Angeles against the large retailer, Restoration Hardware. The complaint? That Restoration Hardware bought some lamps from Obsolete and then made similar lamps for sale in its own stores." The article Mike linked to in that post asked the following question:
It seems like a loaded question, especially when you consider the implication of considering the practice unfair: elevating the "finding of rare and compelling pieces of design" to ownership of those designs. Mike's comeback is right on the money: "Funny, but I don't see anything whatsoever unethical about buying nice antique lamps and then making newer, cheaper versions for sale to people who want to buy them." If an independent merchant stakes his reputation to his ability to find rare and compelling pieces of design around the world, and he invests significant time and money to do, is it fair for a larger company to cherry-pick the best discoveries, manufacture lookalike reproductions and undercut the little guy on price?
Of course, the desire to assert control appears repeatedly to anyone paying attention. As a Cleveland Cavaliers' fan, I was amused to see that the least of the "3 Kings," Chris Bosh, "is suing the producers of VH1's
Basketball Wivesfor violating his trademark, publicity rights and 'life rights,' because his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his child is on the show." She apparently doesn't say very nice things about him. In order to avoid being sued myself, therefore, I'll refrain from any comments regarding Mr. Bosh's teammate and former Cavalier. He can keep his life rights for himself.
But this type of grasping after whatever might be grasped goes on and on. "[T]he Tokien Estate . . . threatened author Stephen Hillard, who has written a bit of historical fiction combined with literary criticism, called
Mirkwood, which uses a fictionalized JRR Tolkien as a character." There was the one law professor who apparently believes copyright law should protect brides from having their wedding dresses "stolen." And, finally -- back to sports again -- there's the NHL's threat to a car dealership for having posted decals on its window saying "Go Canucks Go," in cheering on the Canucks in the NHL playoffs. Apparently, the NHL's reasoning goes, the sign constitutes a trademark infringement because it might confuse customers into believing the Vancouver hockey team endorses the dealership. I better get that Browns sticker off my bumper pronto!
A few other favorites from this past week:
The Wall Street Journalís stab at creating its own version of Wikileaks. Oh, except for that small point about offering
noprotection of the anonymity of any whistleblower who leaks information to it.
As a lawyer, I love the detailed and pointed requests Mozilla sent the Department of Homeland Security in response to the request from DHS that Mozilla take down from the online list of Firefox extensions one called MAFIAAfire that negates domain seizures by automatically rerouting users to alternate domains. Lawyers often get a bad rap, and often deservedly so, but the best lawyers are willing to stand up and keep their clients from getting run over. It's not always the most obvious thing to ask questions in response to a demand from DHS like this one: "Is Mozilla legally obligated to disable the add-on or is this request based on other reasons? If other reasons, can you please specify."
As a lawyer too, I think it's wise to know what others can find out about you. Mike wrote about the "details of what kind of info Facebook provides law enforcement on the receipt of a valid subpoena." Of course, you don't need to be the target of a criminal investigation to be subject to subpoenas. If you start a civil lawsuit or get sued, your life might become an open book. Legal policies differ across jurisdictions, and your end user agreement with any website might leave the door open regardless of the law that would operate in the absence of that agreement. Money isn't the only price that has to be | 2.005389 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Note to Readers of Gregory Bresiger.com. The philosophy of this blog is the idea of smart money management; of avoiding many of the mistakes that can ruin a person’s life. We have taken this idea and turned it into a mini-book that combines commonsense with simple money management concepts. Liam Judge, my partner and the person who is the defacto electronic publisher, and I have written a book that incorporates this philosophy, MoneySense. Here is the first chapter of the book. If you like it and want more, perhaps you will go to Amazon.com. There, for the marginal price of $2.99, you might be interested in reading the rest of the book. We thank our readers, people who allow GregoryBresiger.com, to survive.
Gregory Bresiger
“But the most and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of property. Those who hold and those who are without property have ever formed distinct interests in society.”
- James Madison [ The Federalist Papers, No. 10, p79, (The New American Library Of World Literature, New York, 1961]
Chapter 1 Lots of People Want Your Property
They‘re after your property. They‘re after your assets.
Indeed, from the first day you start earning money until the last day that you can, they‘re leering at your wealth, lusting after it.
Who Are They?
They are the wealth destroyers. They are numerous. They are all around you. They could have a terrible effect on your life if you are not careful. This book will help you identify some of them and limit the damage they can do.
They, the wealth destroyers, are in no particular order the following: the government, some of your relatives, the government, your personal needs, the government, your wife, your husband, jealous neighbours, the government, relatives, credit card companies, populist pols, your increasing health care costs as you age, the government, the relentless power of inflation, which wears on your wealth. And finally, of course, the government.
And, by the way, don‘t forget the government. That‘s because, where your wealth is concerned, it never forgets.
They are among myriad enemies or potential enemies of would-be wealth creation or preservation. Battling them, keeping them from taking over your life, is one of the subjects of this book.
Dreams Becoming Nightmares
Each of the wealth destroyers will sap your wealth, aborting your efforts to create it. They will end your dreams of taking it easy while you still have your original teeth. They can destroy your dreams of a house in a lovely suburban community, or an apartment in the center of the city or a lovely getaway somewhere that hasn‘t been overrun by traffic.
Do you want any or more of these things? And are you an average person who will earn a middle-class income over the course of a lifetime? Then what is your plan to build, protect and preserve wealth? In this age of ever higher taxation and runaway consumerism, that could send almost anyone scrambling for bankruptcy protection, everyone needs a plan to accumulate and protect wealth.
Looking for the Holy Grail? It Isn’t Here.
MoneySense isn‘t the Holy Grail of wealth creation. I certainly don‘t have the name of a hot stock that will make you a millionaire overnight. I don't have a Hillary Clinton cattle futures tip for you. I also can't provide you and yours with the political pull to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks that someone like Donald Trump has obtained. However, I am someone who started with almost nothing. Today, my wife and I are comfortable.
That is in part because I am a business journalist who has dealt with some brilliant people over the course of many years. Some of them have forgotten more about money management than I will ever know. But by listening, observing and writing, I have learned some of the techniques of wealth creation and destruction. And I have crossed paths with all sorts of people trying to achieve all kinds of financial goals.
This book can help you achieve many of them. Still, it requires a certain degree of discipline, a commitment to a plan.
Possibly you are someone who has taken the first steps to achieving these goals that only substantial wealth can bring. This book is for you. Remember, despite any success you may have had, there are so many ways that you can be tripped up.
How?
They Make the Promises---You and Your Children Pay for Them.
Let me stipulate that democratic governments, almost all of them, are normally run by career pols. They have ravenous appetites for wealth because they almost always have big plans to expand the government, which means they always want more money. And most popular governments, faced with money problems, will usually pretend they’re only after the wealth of the rich, but it is the great middle class that is usually bloodied. Why do these career politicians wreak so | 1.852058 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
much havoc?
In a typical democracy the first order of business of the pol is get elected and the second order is to get re- elected.
Winning elections usually means making huge, sometimes insane, promises about creating or expanding programs. Back in 1972, for example, the president, republican Richard Nixon, and a Congress controlled by the opposition party, the democrats, were running for re-election. They started trying to outdo each other over which party could out-promise the other in raising Social Security benefits since the elderly were, and remain, a key voting block. Many elderly were delighted to receive higher benefit checks just before they went to the voting booths. They were so happy that they re-elected both the president and most Democrats in Congress. (President Nixon and leaders in Congress started arguing over who deserved credit for the benefit hikes).The problem was later the bills came due. And payroll taxes to pay for Social Security programs started soaring. Most pols didn't care. They won their elections. I wrote about this in "The Great Social Security Deal of 1972," which is available at Mises.com.
Let me illustrate with another example of why you will need to amass a lot because the government will inevitably be spending and taxing a lot more, why it is business as usual for most pols to make big promises on the hustings and forget to mention the bills that will come due after the elections. In a recent glowing endorsement of Hilary Clinton for president, even the New York Times wrote this of her and her many promises of new or expanded government programs: "Mrs. Clinton and her team have produced detailed proposals on crime, policing and race relations, debt-free college and small-business incentives, climate change and affordable broadband. Most of these proposals would benefit from further elaboration on how to pay for them, beyond taxing the wealthiest Americans.”
Promises, Promises
There was no way Mrs. Clinton could have ever kept all her promises by just taxing the richest of the rich. In almost any modern welfare democracy there is never enough rich people to go around; to pay all the bills of an ever expanding state. Mind you, The Times said these things in strongly endorsing Hillary Clinton, who went on to a stunning defeat in part because so many Americans didn't trust her promises of bigger government with only a select group of rich people paying for it.
[This led to red ink in the Social Security system. Of course, years later Social Security taxes had to be raised. And benefits, sometimes in subtle ways, were cut. One example: At one time, you never paid taxes on your Social Security payments. Why should you? By the time you get Social Social Security, you will have typically paid into the system for decades. Paying taxes on your payments constitutes double taxation.]
Political promises usually are paid for in one way or another either directly through taxes or through money printing and inflation.
Inflation is a subtler, but no less destructive tax that affects almost everyone. But luckily for governments most people don‘t understand how it happens so they rarely become angry with our spendthrift political ruling classes of both parties and the mainstream media that often enables them. Too much spending inevitably leads to persistent cycles of more and more taxes until they can become almost unbearable. Then, too late, almost everyone starts to understand what inflation does to us as the value of the currency deteriorates at a shocking pace.
But fortunately for governments looking to raise taxes, few Americans study history. So citizens typically forget that our nation was started by sorehead merchants, landowners and individuals who didn‘t like paying unjustified or excessive taxes.
This book offers various strategies to cope with numerous forms of taxation. Why do you need these strategies?
The never ending government spending combined with taxation, along with a rampant “I‘ve got to have it now consumerism”, have ruined many a life. And many of these people now have broken financial lives.
The Magnificent Bankrupts
Yet, at some point, they made good money---sometimes very good money---and often for decades. They were people we once envied.
Indeed, they ended up with nothing or just eking out an existence in the last years of their lives. The Magnificent Ambersons end up in the same place as famous talk show second banana Ed McMahon----a man who likely made $100 million or more in his career. They ended up broke.
That‘s something that would have been inconceivable to them throughout their seemingly blessed lives. Yet tens of millions of people in advanced welfare states in America and Europe are following this same sorry path. This book can help you avoid these financial disasters.
That‘s the point of “MoneySense”.
I don‘t want you to suffer money ulcers. I want you to achieve many or most of your dreams.
I want your years----young, middle and last---to be years in which you may not have everything----it would be boring to have everything. What would there be to shoot for?---- | 2.016055 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
but years in which you and your family can live comfortably. I want you to look confidently to your financial future.
We’re not Mashuggah
Yet this book will offer you no crazy overnight dreams of wealth. These are the kind of dreams pursued by poor souls whose primary wealth creation strategy is throwing away ten or twenty dollars or more a week playing the lottery. By the way, the latter is a rigged game in which the odds of winning a substantial prize are never advertised for obvious reasons.
But how can MoneySense make your life better?
First, before a person can come up with a wealth generating strategy, one must recognize the numerous ways that wealth can be stillborn. To get from point A---a young person with little or nothing or a middle-aged person with a small amount of assets who wants more or an elderly person who has accumulated a nice stake, but who could easily lose it----to point B, financial stability or perhaps independence, requires a plan. And a good plan in anything always assumes that something could go wrong with even the best of plans. In any human endeavour, there always seems to be at least a fair possibility that something could blow up.
So, in this book, we will discuss effective financial strategies for accumulating wealth and holding on to it over the long term. Our topics will include saving, investing, spending and credit cards, among others. We will also review the most common traps that can destroy your portfolio, bank account or retirement account.
Look Out for Those Traps
These traps will stop you from sending your young person to a first-rate university. They will end your dream of owning a home. They will prevent you from ever starting a business. And a small business is one of the most common ways that people improve themselves; making a better life for their families and, possibly, leaving something of great value to the next generation. You must be proactive in avoiding these traps that would destroy your efforts to achieve financial independence.
Again, step one is to recognize that there are many ways your dream can become a nightmare. Remember, the wealth destroyers are out there. They are just waiting to take hard earned money from you. And they---especially the impersonal big governments of the left and right that come and go like a bunch of streetwalkers [Pace streetwalkers: They run a business that provides personal service. Many people wonder just exactly what the average career pol does, besides issue useless press releases and talk on his or her cellphone.]--- exist to perpetuate themselves. They grow bigger and bigger by gathering more and more money. Most governments don‘t care if you succeed or not. They care that you have wealth that they can tax and tax and tax some more, which is an anomaly. That‘s because governments want more and more money, but often seem not to care how they hurt the men and women who create wealth, the people who comprise the economy. It makes as much sense as working a golden goose to death because it isn‘t laying enough eggs. But the wealth destroyers often are aided and abetted by incendiary work of someone you would never guess. Many times that person is you. Many people, like the Ambersons and Ed McMahon, spend themselves into a lower standard of living, poverty and, in increasing numbers in America, bankruptcy.
So first, as we begin this journey, let‘s look at how you spend. Let‘s look at your consumerism. Here are some of the most important factors in determining if you can create and sustain the wealth that will make life better for you and your family.
(Continued in Chapter 2) Go here to purchase the eBook on Amazon for just $2.99: http://amzn.to/2ilFI5p18 . Exploratory Workshop on the Social Impacts of Robotics
direct military applications of robots, much of the interest on the part of the defense community in robotics is focused on manu- facturing. Improved productivity in the manufacture of weapons and associated mili- tary hardware could offer significant savings to the defense budget. Flexible, automated factories, even those not normally involved in military production, could be more easily and quickly mobilized in times of national crisis.
The National Aeronautics and Space Ad- ministration is exploring the expanded use
of robots for such tasks as planetary explora- tion, repairing satellites in space, and aiding mining expeditions. Some researchers are in- terested in the use of robots for ocean ex- ploration and seabed mining.
These examples suggest that, depending on the capabilities of robots in the next decade, there may be important applications that are not now imagined. The nature of these new capabilities, and hence of the ap- plications, will depend in part on Federal policies in such broad areas as R&D, techni- cal education, and reindustrialization. | 2.118663 | 993 | 991 |
A lactation program targeting mothers of very low birth weight babies (VLBWB) can be successful in raising the rate of breast-feeding among this group Mothers milk is well documented to be the optimal source of nutrition for newborn babies; however, mothers of very low birth weight (VLBW) babies (those who weigh less than 1500 grams -- approximately 3.3 pounds) are among the least likely groups to initiate and sustain lactation. Now, a study published in the Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing shows that a lactation program targeting mothers of very low birth weight babies (VLBWB) can be successful in raising the rate of breast-feeding among this group.
Chris Martin | EurekAlert!
Further information: http://www.rush.edu/
The Great Unknown: Risk-Taking Behavior in Adolescents
19.01.2017 | Max-Planck-Institut für Bildungsforschung
A sudden drop in outdoor temperature increases the risk of respiratory infections
11.01.2017 | University of Gothenburg
An important step towards a completely new experimental access to quantum physics has been made at University of Konstanz. The team of scientists headed by...
Yersiniae cause severe intestinal infections. Studies using Yersinia pseudotuberculosis as a model organism aim to elucidate the infection mechanisms of these...
Researchers from the University of Hamburg in Germany, in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Aarhus in Denmark, have synthesized a new superconducting material by growing a few layers of an antiferromagnetic transition-metal chalcogenide on a bismuth-based topological insulator, both being non-superconducting materials.
While superconductivity and magnetism are generally believed to be mutually exclusive, surprisingly, in this new material, superconducting correlations...
Laser-driving of semimetals allows creating novel quasiparticle states within condensed matter systems and switching between different states on ultrafast time scales
Studying properties of fundamental particles in condensed matter systems is a promising approach to quantum field theory. Quasiparticles offer the opportunity...
Among the general public, solar thermal energy is currently associated with dark blue, rectangular collectors on building roofs. Technologies are needed for aesthetically high quality architecture which offer the architect more room for manoeuvre when it comes to low- and plus-energy buildings. With the “ArKol” project, researchers at Fraunhofer ISE together with partners are currently developing two façade collectors for solar thermal energy generation, which permit a high degree of design flexibility: a strip collector for opaque façade sections and a solar thermal blind for transparent sections. The current state of the two developments will be presented at the BAU 2017 trade fair.
As part of the “ArKol – development of architecturally highly integrated façade collectors with heat pipes” project, Fraunhofer ISE together with its partners...
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20.01.2017 | Materials Sciences
20.01.2017 | Life SciencesAbstract
The cellular changes during an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) largely rely on global changes in gene expression orchestrated by transcription factors. Tead transcription factors and their transcriptional co-activators Yap and Taz have been previously implicated in promoting an EMT, however, their direct transcriptional target genes and their functional role during EMT have remained widely elusive. We have uncovered a previously unanticipated role of the transcription factor Tead2 during EMT. During EMT in mammary gland epithelial cells and breast cancer cells, levels of Tead2 increase in the nucleus of cells, thereby directing a predominant nuclear localization of its co-factors Yap and Taz via the formation of Tead2/Yap/Taz complexes. Genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation/next generation sequencing in combination with gene expression profiling reveals the transcriptional targets of Tead2 during EMT. Among these, zyxin contributes to the migratory and invasive phenotype evoked by Tead2. The results demonstrate that Tead transcription factors are critical regulators of Yap/Taz cellular distribution and together they control the expression of genes critical for EMT and metastasis. | 0.600094 | 942 | 940 |
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Brussels, 12 January 2001
Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström said: "There is great public interest in the quality of bathing water and clear recognition that only a European system can guarantee water quality. In modernising this Directive, one of my objectives is to improve our ability to inform the public about bathing water quality as well as to update the rigorous standards which have helped to ensure an overall improvement in the quality of bathing water since 1976".
Although the current Bathing Water Directive (Directive 76/160/EEC) is now 25 years old, its continued importance is evident particularly each summer it protects the public from accidental and chronic pollution discharged in or near bathing areas across Europe. Furthermore, the overall quality of bathing waters has improved considerably since the Directive came into force. Changes in science and technology, however, oblige the Commission to revise and update its legislation at regular intervals. It is now time for the Bathing Water Directive to be revised. Its revision will be a further milestone in European environmental water legislation.
The four stage process (i.e. Communication, Consultation, Conference, Proposal) adopted for developing a new Bathing Water Directive is similar to the one that was used for the preparation of the Water Framework Directive. It is based on transparency, stakeholder participation and commitment and shared responsibility. The purpose of the Commission Communication is to launch an open consultation exercise. The objective of this consultation will be to learn how best to improve our bathing water legislation and its implementation. This document provides an outline of the expected contents and implications of a revised Directive, however the various elements have not yet been set out in concrete proposals for amendment of the existing Directive.
The revision of the Bathing Water Directive will maintain, and even upgrade, the rigour of the existing Directive. The revised Directive will still contain specific targets which will be tough and ambitious and which will have to be met within specific timeframes.
It is also the Commission's intention to rationalise and optimise the implementation of bathing water quality management through various steps, including reducing the number of parameters to be monitored, and through introducing new tools and more robust parameters. A revised Directive will above all provide better information to the public.
The specific issues mentioned in the document are: the identification of bathing areas, compliance mechanisms, surveys and monitoring, trends in water quality, standard setting and methods of analysis, the obligation to take action, the prediction of water quality, information requirements, public participation and reporting and how to keep the Bathing Water Directive up-to-date.
The Commission seeks constructive inputs on the approaches presented in the Communication, and invites all interested and involved parties to participate in the consultation and to react to this document.
All language versions of the Communication can be found on the DG ENV Water web-site on http://europa.eu/water/water-bathing/index_en.html The Communication can also be obtained by writing or faxing to:
European Commission
Directorate-General Environment
Unit ENV.D.1 Water protection, soil conservation and agriculture
Bert Van Maele, Desk officer for the Bathing Water Directive
Avenue Beaulieu 9, office 3/133
B-1160 Brussels
Fax: +32/2/296 88 25
Comments to the Communication should be sent to the address above. Submissions by email are particularly encouraged by using the email mailbox:
The consultation exercise will culminate in a Bathing Water Conference hosted by the Commission and the Swedish Presidency of the Council, which will be held during Green Week 24-28 April 2001.
Based on the finding of this consultation exercise, the Commission intends to come forward with a Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on Bathing Water in June/July 2001.
Side Bar“We’re encouraged but we still have a lot of questions that have to be answered,” he said.
Even those answers might not be the final approval for sediment diversions. Kyle Graham, head of the coastal authority, has said the agency was still determining a cost-benefit analysis for the diversions.
The key question: Will the projected benefits in storm surge reduction and fisheries production gained by wetlands restoration outweigh the costs in construction and operation of the diversions, any possible added flood risk to surrounding communities, as well as any disruption to current fishing industries.
Some fishing groups oppose the diversions because they are concerned reduction in salinity levels caused by the river water could displace their target species.
Graham said the first decision of that kind likely will come this fall when research is final on the impacts of the planned Myrtle Grove diversion in Plaquemines Parish. | 1.516374 | 976 | 974 |
Botox typically lasts 3-4 months. If you feel you are experiencing any form of complications since your treatment I strongly urge you to discuss this issue with your physician.
Thank you for your question Melissap43. I have never injected Botox in the legs so I am not sure I can offer you much help. In the face and neck Botox usually lasts three to four months. The dosing in larger muscles is usually higher and perhaps for this reason it lasts longer. I recommend speaking with your doctor and/or a neurologist for specific recommendations. Good luck!
Botox typically wears off after 3 months. If you had a complication with your last injection, I would strongly recommend discussing this with your physician prior to any further injections.
How Long for Botox to Wear Off?
I'd recommend a visit back to your doctor who injected you. Botox wears off in 3-6 months after injection. You may consider visiting a neurologist regarding your symptoms. Best of luck.
How long should it take for Botox to get out of my system?
I am not sure why you had Botox in your legs and what does was used. Botox actually does not stay in the body very long despite the fact that the results can last 3-4 months. At this point, there is absolutely no Botox left in your body after an injection in November 2015. Best.
Stephen Weber MD, FACS Denver Facial Plastic Surgeon
Web reference: http://weberfacialplasticsurgery.com/services/non-surgical/botox-dysport-xeomin-neuromodulators
Botox - how long until it wears off?
Sorry to hear you aren't satisfied with your treatment. After 3 - 4 months, the effects of your treatments should have dissipated by now. I would highly advise to follow up with your physician. Explain the situation and possibly get referred to a specialist or another plastic surgeon. Best of Luck.
How long should it take to get Botox out of my system?
Thank you for your question and I am sorry to hear of your paralysis issues. Botox typically works for 3-4 months in most patients. Since you are going on 7 months I would recommend discussing your results with your injector to obtain an in-person evaluation and potential referral to a specialist. Best wishes.
Web reference: Http://www.nelson-center.com/wrinkle-relaxers.html
Results take 3-4 months to resolve. I suggest you see an expert for treatment options. Best, Dr. Emer.
Web reference: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa6C2fuS-AgOnvBjr6_VSQg
Botox in legs - how soon for the paralysis to wear off?
Thank you for your question about Botox.
This is an unusual situation - and sounds very troubling. Your best advice will come from the doctor who treated you. If your doctor was not a neurologist or plastic surgeon, I suggest you seen one. However, Botox can last up to a year in some people You will know it is wearing off, when the area of paralysis gains strength again.
Always see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.
Best wishes. Elizabeth Morgan MD PHD FACS
Generally speaking all effects of Botox last 4 months or a little longer. If you are having problems that are long lasting and systemic you should see a board certified neurologistJust as no consensus has been reached about all the proper roles of a company, we have no final conclusion on the proper role of a law department.
Roles expected of corporations include to maximize profit (law departments are expected to minimize costs), increase market share (law departments should serve more internal clients and handle more work in-house), improve the community (legal departments undertake pro bono projects), promote diversity (ditto for law departments), conserve the environment (ditto), encourage personal growth (ditto), optimize productivity (ditto), and increase the quality of goods and services produced (ditto).
Roles expected of corporations conflict with each other and change over time. Ideology underlies everyone’s conception of those roles of both corporations and the law departments that serve them. The people who respond to those demands have different personalities and drives, and all of the mix changes over time. Likewise with law departments. The scope and depth of any law department remains malleable, with no chance that they will be set for long periods (See my post of Sept. 3, 2008: survey of the responsibilities of the general counsel.). | 1.604737 | 952 | 950 |
As you may already know, our thoughts create our reality through the power of our intention. In other words, positive things bring about a positive reality, while negative thoughts create the opposite effect.
The late and great Dr. Masaru Emoto has done extensive studies on how exactly our thoughts and intentions can alter the shape and structure of water crystals, and what he discovered is simply astounding.
In one double-blind study, a group of about 2,000 people in Tokyo focused positive intentions and thoughts toward water samples inside an electromagnetically shielded room located in California. There was also another group of water samples set aside in a different location used as controls, but the group was unaware of this fact. Ice crystals from both sets of samples were then identified and photographed by an analyst, and the images obtained were blindly assessed and critiqued for aesthetic appeal by 100 judges.
The conclusion indicated the crystals from the treated water were given a higher score than those in the control group, which is consistent with prior studies measuring the impact of intention on water.
Based on one’s consciousness, a person can directly alter the geometric shape and structure of water since both our thoughts and water are comprised of the same energy. For a number of years, Dr. Masaru Emoto has researched and performed many studies on how our intentions can alter the structure and energy of water. Ever since learning about micro cluster water in the US and Magnetic Resonance Analysis technology, he’s been compelled to uncover more about our impact on the water we drink.
For years, Dr. Emoto has been freezing droplets of water and examining the molecular changes in water caused by our thoughts and intentions. He then photographs the frozen water crystals in order to visually document these changes.
Here are a few examples of his water crystal experiments:
In another example, he taped the words “thank you” on a bottle of distilled water, and miraculously, the water crystals from this sample had a strikingly similar shape and composition to crystals that had been exposed to Bach’s “Goldberg Variations,” representing gratefulness for the man it was composed for. As you can see from this example, giving thanks for our water, our land, and our Earth can transform the very particles that make them up and provide us with more healing and good energy.
However, when these water samples were labeled with negative words, exposed to heavy metal music, or spoken to negatively with words such as “Adolf Hitler,” no water crystals formed and the structure became chaotic and fragmented.
Also, when fragrant floral oils were added to the water, the crystals actually took on the original shape of the flower that the oil was extracted from!
Dr. Emoto found that samples taken from clear mountain springs and streams had a beautiful crystalline structure, while water crystals observed at polluted or stagnant water sources were deformed and chaotic. While this example doesn’t have to do directly with the words we speak or conscious intentions we have, it just shows that negativity that stems from destruction and pollution we have caused wreaks havoc on our precious water sources. However, when we take care of our Earth and let it exist naturally, our water remains beautiful, fresh, and unadulterated.
So, with these examples and exposure to Dr. Emoto’s groundbreaking work, you can see that we have the power to alter our physical world with our thoughts and intentions. Water is life, and we must protect it, honor it, and bless it in order for it to nourish us properly and heal us.
If you would like to see more of Dr. Emoto’s studies and evidence about how our intentions affect the water we drink, please watch this video for more information:Cap-and-trade systems limit emissions to some pre-specified absolute quantity. Intensity-based limits, that restrict emissions to some pre-specified rate relative to input or output, are much more widely used in environmental regulation and have gained attention recently within the context of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions trading. In this paper we provide a non-technical introduction to the differences between these two forms of emission limits. Our aim is not to advocate either form, but to elucidate the properties of each in a world where future emissions and GDP are not known with certainty. We argue that the two forms have identical effects in a world where future emissions and economic output (i.e., GDP) are known with certainty, and show that outcomes for marginal costs, abatement, emissions and welfare diverge only because of the variance of actual future GDP relative to its forecast expectation.
Description:
Abstract in HTML and technical report in PDF available on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change website (http://mit.edu/globalchange/www/). | 1.55917 | 960 | 958 |
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Gene Regulation by HEXIM1 in Heart
See related article, pages 415–422
Hexamethylene bis-acetamide (HMBA)-inducible protein 1 (HEXIM1) was cloned as an upregulated gene in vascular smooth muscle cells after treatment with the differentiating agent HMBA.
1 A recent report has shown that HEXIM1 is an inhibitor of positive transcription elongation factor (P-TEF)b, which plays an important role in regulation of RNA polymerase II elongation. 2–4 HEXIM1 was previously cloned as a potential cardiac transcriptional regulatory factor suppressing the cardiac myosin light chain-2v promoter and termed cardiac lineage protein (CLP)-1. 5 HEXIM1 was also cloned as the novel inhibitor of breast cell growth estrogen-downregulated gene (EDG)1. 6 HEXIM1 protein level is downregulated by estrogens. HEXIM1 also suppresses estrogen receptor-α transcriptional activity. 6,7 Gene and protein expression indicate the broad expression of HEXIM1 during postnatal development, with highest levels in heart, skeletal muscle, and brain. Protein localization of endogenous HEXIM1 in vascular smooth muscle cells and primary cardiomyocytes suggests that HEXIM1 is a nuclear protein. Furthermore, HEXIM1 has been shown to be involved in many biological processes, including cancers, AIDS, cardiac hypertrophy, and inflammation, through transcriptional repression. 4
In vitro experiments demonstrate that HEXIM1 functions as a transcriptional repressor by inhibiting P-TEFb, a protein complex composed of cyclin-dependent kinase 9 and a cyclin partner that regulates RNA polymerase II elongation.
2–4 HEXIM1 interacts with 7SK small nuclear RNA (snRNA), a component of P-TEFb complex containing cyclin-dependent kinase 9 and cyclin T1. This interaction occurs through the KHRR 7SK snRNA binding motif of HEXIM1 (Figure). HEXIM1 also associates with cyclin T1 through the PYNT motif to suppress P-TEFb activity (Figure). Recently, HEXIM2 was identified as a HEXIM1 homolog in the DNA database. HEXIM2 also contains 7SK snRNA and cyclin T1 binding motifs. 8,9 HEXIM1 functions as a homodimer or heterodimer with HEXIM2 via their C-terminal regions. Based on these homologies, HEXIM2 can functionally compensate for the loss of HEXIM1 on regulation of P-TEFb activity in vitro. Gene knockout mouse experiments demonstrate that CLP-1/HEXIM1 is essential for heart development 10: CLP-1 gene–knockout ( CLP-1 −/−) mice display lethality in late fetal stages. CLP-1 −/− hearts show a reduced left ventricular chamber with thickened myocardial walls, indicating the characteristics of cardiac hypertrophy. The HAND1 gene, a basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factor involved in early heart development, is significantly reduced in CLP-1 −/− hearts. Therefore, CLP-1/HEXIM1, together with HAND1, plays a critical role in heart development, and loss of the CLP-1/HEXIM1 gene can lead to cardiac hypertrophy. Similarly, elevated P-TEFb activity by overexpression of cyclin T1 is observed in cardiac hypertrophy. Taken together, these data strongly suggest the involvement of HEXIM1 and P-TEFb in cardiac hypertrophy. However, little is known about HEXIM1 function on other transcription factors.
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which belongs to the VEGF family containing several different isoforms, is a key growth factor during vascular development throughout the body by binding to its receptors, VEGFR1 (Flt1) and VEGFR2 (Flk1/KDR).
11 VEGF is among the most important growth factors to stimulate angiogenesis during embryogenesis, postnatal development, and tissue repair and regeneration. The loss of this gene results in reduced angiogenesis and embryonic lethality, suggesting that it plays essential roles in the development and differentiation of the vascular system. The transcriptional regulation of the VEGF gene is critical to adjust to the VEGF expression level. Therefore, the VEGF expression level is strictly controlled by transcription factors that bind to several response elements within the VEGF promoter region. 11 These transcription factors include hypoxia-induced factor (HIF)-1α, HIF-2α, nuclear factor (NF)-κB, activator protein (AP)-1, specificity protein (SP)1, STAT, and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)α. HIF-1α and -2α are well-character | 1.044746 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
ized bHLH-PAS (bHLH-Per Arnt Sim)–type transcription factors of the VEGF gene. Hypoxia induced by ischemia upregulates both HIF-1α and -2α gene expression, which can activate VEGF gene transcription through binding to hypoxia-response elements located at regulatory regions of VEGF gene. NF-κB is a transcription factor for the VEGF gene, and the activity of NF-κB is regulated by intracellular localization change from cytoplasm to the nucleus by inductions of stresses and cytokines. AP-1 is a transcription factor that binds to TPA-response element (TRE) and is highly activated by hypoxia. SP1 is involved in a variety of gene regulation. SP1 seems to regulate differential overexpression of VEGF. Expression of the VEGF gene is also regulated by leukemia inhibitory factor through a STAT transcription factor that binds to the promoter region of the VEGF gene. C/EBPs are a family of 6 proteins, the expression of which is detected in a wide variety of cell types. 12 These proteins contain the BR-LZ (basic region leucine zipper) DNA-binding domain. C/EBPs bind to DNA elements as homo- or heterodimers. The N-terminal region of the proteins contains transcriptional activation, repression, and autoregulatory functions. In general, C/EBP proteins function as transcriptional activators. However, recent data demonstrate that C/EBPs also repress transcription of certain target genes. Several studies reported that C/EBPα blocks cell cycle progression at the G 1/S boundary. Montano et al first demonstrate the negative transcriptional regulation of VEGF gene by C/EBPα in the heart (Figure). 13 Interestingly, HEXIM1 can attenuate the inhibitory effect of C/EBPα on VEGF gene expression. Montano et al established new HEXIM1 gene–knockout mice to examine involvement of this gene in heart development. This group created mice carrying insertional mutation in the HEXIM1 gene that disrupted its C-terminal region. These homozygous HEXIM1 (1-312) mutant mice display perinatal death and several heart defects, including abnormal coronary patterning, thinner ventricular wall, and decreased vascularization. These defects were attributable to decreased expression of VEGF and fibroblast growth factor-9, and increased apoptosis. They found that HEXIM1 can activate VEGF gene expression through interaction between the HEXIM1 C-terminal region and C/EBPα, which is a suppressor for VEGF gene expression through binding to the VEGF promoter region (−2079/−1252). Therefore, the authors suggest that VEGF is a direct transcriptional target of HEXIM1 that attenuates a repression of C/EBPα on VEGF gene transcriptional control. Taken together, these results suggest that HEXIM1 plays critical roles in coronary vessel development and myocardial growth through direct interaction with C/EBPα. Recent work has revealed that HEXIM1 can also bind to estrogen receptor-α, 7 glucocorticoid receptor, 14 and NF-κB. 15 Clearly, HEXIM1 may interact with more transcription factors. Thus, HEXIM1 regulates wide varieties of developmental programs and diseases through transcriptional regulation.
Acknowledgments
The author thanks Mayank Verma for critical reading.
Sources of Funding
This work was supported by grants from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology.
Disclosures
None.
Footnotes
The opinions expressed in this editorial are not necessarily those of the editors or of the American Heart Association.
References ↵ Kusuhara M, Nagasaki K, Kimura K, Maass N, Manabe T, Ishikawa S, Aikawa M, Miyazaki K, Yamaguchi K. Cloning of hexamethylene-bis-acetamide-inducible transcript, HEXIM1, in human vascular smooth muscle cells. Biomedical Res .1999; 20: 273–279. ↵ Michels AA, Nguyen VT, Fraldi A, Labas V, Edwards M, Bonnet F, Lania L, Bensaude O. MAQ1 and 7SK RNA interact with CDK9/cyclin T complexes in a transcription-dependent manner. Mol Cell Biol .2003; 23: 4859–4869. ↵ ↵ ↵ ↵ Wittmann BM, Wang N, Montano MM. Identification of a novel inhibitor of breast cell growth that is down-regulated by estrogens and decreased in breast tumors. Cancer Res .2003; 63: 5151–5158. ↵ ↵ Byers SA | 1.282075 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
With the feds back in the game, they may not look kindly on wildcat activities out in fringy California and elsewhere. Turf does, in fact, matter. Moreover, with Congress now back in the stem cell legislation business, to borrow from one oldtime political commentator, no one is safe.
Consider the comment from John M. Simpson, stem cell project director for Consumer Watchdog of Santa Monica, Ca. He issued a call for the feds to act to ensure that taxpayers share in any profit generated by stem cell therapies developed with government funds.
In a letter to President Obama, Consumer Watchdog cited the profit-sharing model at CIRM and said,
“Celebrating the change in policy is not enough, however. It is now necessary, more than ever, to examine the regulations governing the way federal funds are distributed to researchers. A change in those rules is needed and we call on you to work with Congress to implement reform of the Bayh-Dole Act.”Businesses in California have taken issue with CIRM's profit-sharing rules, but the state agency has now broken the Bayh-Dole ice. The precedent in California will help fuel efforts to make changes in the federal law.
From Oakland, Ca., came another call for federal action that could have an impact on CIRM. Marcy Darnovsky, associate executive director of the Center for Genetics and Society, said the national government should enact enforceable rules for all stem cell research, public and private. Such rules would supersede those in California.
Jesse Reynolds, policy director of the center, said,
"We've seen what happens with inadequate regulation and oversight in the financial sector. The human biotechnology sector also needs effective public policy."The Dickey-Wicker amendment is already on the table in Congress. It could become the vehicle for a host of challenges to the established order in the biotech business. Sphere: Related ContentThree Advantages of Fridge Hire
If you trade in food and other perishables, a fridge or cold room is a fundamental requirement. The facilities become handy for storage and preservation of foodstuff. However, while you may need to store and preserve several items, buying a new fridge may just add to your business capital, which may not be enough, especially when you are just starting. To lessen the cost of running business, you can rely on a company for fridge hire Sydney has to offer.
Fridge hire services are beneficial especially for start-up businesses with little capital in the beginning. Here are top three benefits of fridge hire Sydney currently has to offer.
1. No maintenance and service cost on your part
Whether you rent for a short while or for long-term, the supplier still does all the maintenance and service to the facility. You can hire a fridge for short term, especially during special events such as exhibitions, or one-day parties. If the hired fridge ceases to perform its intended functions, the supplier should replace the facility at no extra charge. As long as you rent, the supplier holds the responsibility to provide a functional fridge that meets your requirement.
If you were to buy a fridge, all the maintenance and service expenses would be upon your shoulders. Hiring a fridge helps you save money because you pay only one as agreed.
2. You are free to change or upgrade the facility
Since you rent the fridge for a given duration, you can change or upgrade the facility as you wish. This can be part of your agreement at the time of hiring. Companies for fridge hire Sydney has to offer are flexible and can accommodate various rental plans. In some cases, this may lead to an increase in rental fee, especially if you upgrade to a better or bigger facility. Compared to buying a new fridge, the cost of hiring or replacing a fridge is a little less. Besides, you need not worry about service and maintenance costs, as those are obligations of the owner.
3. The price is lower even for a high-quality fridge
If you buy a brand new fridge, you have to pay the actual cost of the facility. For a start-up business, the cost can be quite overwhelming, calling for an urgent loan. However, if you go for fridge rental Sydney companies have for customers, you can save a lot of money to plough in other areas of your business.
In many occasions, you, as a small business owner, may not own a high-quality refrigerator or cold room. This is because of the high cost of such facilities. However, with the services of fridge hire Sydney has to offer, you can easily do so. Renting fridges is a worthy move because they keep your products fresh and in prime condition.
In Sydney, you can just get in touch with reliable companies such as Cold Display Solutions to get a good fridge for your restaurant or food business.
If you need a used fridge for sale in Sydney, visit http://coldsolutions.com.au/hire.php | 1.858103 | 988 | 986 |
Never thought I’d have a chance to write that headline. We continue here with our blogging of the stimulus legislation, a.k.a. the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, plunging now deep into the appropriation weeds.
Title I of Division A, the less-than-explosive opening of our narrative, which covers about eleven pages, is entitled “Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies.” By my math, it contains provisions for about $17 billion in new stimulus spending.
By far the largest single appropriation is $11.5 billion for the Rural Housing Insurance Fund Program Account for “unsubsidized guaranteed loans” under Section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. From what I can determine, this is a Great Society-era rural-housing-loan-and-assistance program that provides government-supported financing for single-family homes, farms, and rural communities. The provisions of the original law that I could find online seem designed to exclude lending to corporate farms or extravagant projects. Whether it operates this way in practice, I have no idea, but on its face, this seems a worthy and timely allocation. The stimulus bill specifically directs that “modifying loans” is an acceptable use of the appropriated money—shoring up rural households that need to restructure mortgages is certainly an important goal.
The second largest appropriation, under the heading “distance learning, telemedicine, and broadband program,” is $2.5 billion for “the cost of broadband loans and loan guarantees…and for grants.”
A quick issue summary: The U.S. has shamefully low broadband penetration in comparison to other industrialized economies—we currently rank about sixteenth. An expansion of broadband investment and use is essential and should be a high priority for national policy. Generally, federal policy has relied, as it should, on private capital and decision-making, but the policy failures of incentive and federal support for backbone infrastructure are many—thus our pathetic global ranking. One problem is that private capital, it turns out, is mainly attracted to the dense populations in cities. In theory, as with rural electrification, the federal government could constructively support broadband expansion in less-profitable rural areas.
The money allocated in Title I can be used for “broadband infrastructure” anywhere in the United States, as long as seventy-five per cent of the area served is designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as a rural area deprived of sufficient broadband service. The authorizing language is so detailed here that it reeks of intensive lobbying. In fact, a flurry of lobbying shaped the broadband provisions of the stimulus bill, as described by the Los Angeles
Times.
This led, among other things, to a splitting of broadband investment provisions in the stimulus bill, with the Department of Agriculture assigned to handle the rural policy. In addition to its mathematical definition of rural areas, Title I contains nine other provisos that narrow the acceptable use of this $2.5 billion to such an extent that it is hard to imagine how, exactly, anyone could come up with a permissible plan. Fortunately, that is not our problem—the last of these provisos requires the Secretary of Agriculture, who is Tom Vilsack, the former Democratic Governor of Iowa (and onetime ardent Hillary Clinton supporter) to report to the House Committee on Appropriations within ninety days on “planned spending and actual obligations describing the use of these funds.” Stay tuned— we’ll see what Vilsack recommends.
Some other provisions in Title I—all seemingly laudable, given the economic crisis and the role of the federal government as a shock absorber and temporary job creator—include: $500 million for emergency expansions of the school-lunch and other food-assistance programs for the poor; $176 million for work on Agriculture Department buildings and facilities, provided that “such funds shall be given to critical deferred maintenance, to projects that can completed, and to activities that can commence promptly”; and $50 million for “watershed rehabilitation programs.”
There is also a $290 million allocation for “watershed and flood prevention operations,” of which $145 million is allocated to “purchase and restore floodplain easements.” This seems to be money that will be used to buy land rights—not exactly a job-creating activity. I have an e-mail in to the House Appropriations Committee asking for clarification; I will report what I learn.
The last section of the title is a lengthy recitation of “general provisions,” which concerns eligibility for the emergency food aid and formulas for allocations to the states. There also appear to be amendments to a number of farm-support laws involving crop insurance, farm loans, compensation to farmers for losses due to rising fertilizer and other “input” prices during 2008, and grants for “aquaculture producers.” These latter provisions, although not heavily funded in the context of the overall bill, nonetheless involve tens of millions of dollars. They may involve attempts to get credit flowing to rural areas—it’s hard to tell | 1.885345 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
See if this sounds familiar. Halfway through a long expansion, industrial production levels off, after years of rapid growth. This is blamed on two factors, declining oil prices and a strong dollar. I could be describing the past year, or I could be describing 1985-86:
Notice how industrial production leveled off for a couple years, before resuming its rise:
My hunch is that the dollar was more important than oil. Tight money led to a slowdown in NGDP growth and a strong dollar. NGDP growth (year over year) slowed from 12.4% in 1984 Q1, to only 4.9% 1986 Q4. Eventually the Fed eased policy, and NGDP accelerated. The 1980s boom resumed. It actually eased a bit too much in the late 1980s, which set up the 1990-91 recession.
Does this mean that history will repeat? No. But it’s an interesting comparison.
PS. While writing this I forget that Caroline Baum made a similar observation in her book “
Just What I Said“, where she pointed out:
This isn’t the first time that a change in oil prices has been regarded as a tax increase or tax cut and anointed with the ability to help or hinder economic growth. Time-trip back to early 1986, when oil prices plunged to $10 a barrel in April from $30 at the end of 1985. This was hailed as good news – a tax cut! – for consumers, which was guaranteed to boost US economic growth.
It didn’t turn out that way. Following the plunge in oil prices, gross domestic product growth slipped to an anemic 1.7% in the second quarter of 1986 . . .
Ah, recall the days when 1.7% RGDP growth was anemic, not above trend.
Tags:Does science necessarily undermine faith in God? Or could it actually support faith? Beyond the flashpoint debates over the teaching of evolution, or stem-cell research, most of us struggle with contradictions concerning life's ultimate question. We know that accidents happen, but we believe we are on earth for a reason. Until now, most scientists have argued that science and faith occupy distinct arenas. Francis Collins, a former atheist as a science student who converted to faith as he became a doctor, is about to change that. Collins's faith in God has been confirmed and enhanced by the revolutionary discoveries in biology that he has helped to oversee. He has absorbed the arguments for atheism of many scientists and pundits, and he can refute them. Darwinian evolution occurs, yet, as he explains, it cannot fully explain human nature -- evolution can and must be directed by God. He offers an inspiring tour of the human genome to show the miraculous nature of God's instruction book. Sure to be compared with C.S. Lewis'sMere Christianity,this is a stunning document, whether you are a believer, a seeker, or an atheist.
Francis S. Collins (M.D., Ph.D.) is a world-renowned physician-geneticist known for his discovery of the causes of many human genetic diseases.� He is also known for spearheading the Human Genome Project, which produced the first complete sequence of human DNA in 2003. In 2006, he published The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence fo Belief, which spent fourteen weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.In 2007, he founded The BioLogos Foundation to respond to the many queries he receives about science and faith. Since August 2009, he has served as the directof of the National Institutes of Health.His most recent books, all authored prior to his current government position, include The Language of Life: DNA and the Revolution in Personalized Medicine and Belief: Readings on the Reason for Faith.Kaplods,
great post. I do some research on how people misinterpret research in the media, and I think you're right on so many levels.
Add in that sometimes research focuses on just a particular group of people, and we don't know if the results apply to other groups of people.
For example, a particular diet may work well for people without carb sensitivity, but NOT for people who process carbs differently. But the research as reported rarely makes these distinctions. accompli.
The lines are now drawn. Five months ago, Muhammad Mursi presented himself as a revolutionary to Tahrir. Now, we know better. Now, we know that he is not committed to the change that millions of Egyptians demanded in the revolution. Now, we know that his idea of sovereignty is much like Mubarak’s, and a world away from the truly popular sovereignty of which he spoke on 29 June. | 1.499034 | 1,007 | 1,003 |
New institute to help K-6 teachers convey responsible energy use
The Energy and Sustainability Institute for Elementary Teachers will take place Aug. 9 to 13 at Rice Creek Field Station, the biologically diverse 400-acre site south of campus.
The new program filled to its 20-teacher capacity in about 48 hours, said Dr. Alok Kumar, chair of the college’s physics department and co-organizer of the institute. He saw that as a demonstration of intense interest among Oswego County educators in starting lessons of environmental responsibility in the earliest grades.
“The response is so overwhelmingly positive that I hope we’ll be able to offer it again in the coming years,” Kumar said. He credited Cindy Pauldine, a teacher who works in professional development for the Oswego City School District, with rallying interest among elementary teachers.
Teachers of grades K-6 will learn and share ideas for field trips and exercises, including assembling a solar-powered motor, explaining the water cycle from rain to wastewater, showing the impacts of humans along the shores of Lake Ontario and much more.
“As a child, when we learn things, it stays with us for life,” Kumar said. “For the young, it has to be experienced, with hands-on activities. If you unfold the mysteries of nature through experiment or experience, you retain the information for a much longer period.”
Green roots
The idea started taking root in December to put together a free five-day, elementary-level program. It spins off SUNY Oswego’s annual Energy Institute for high school teachers, which has an option for graduate credit.
“This program has become a reality due to the constant encouragement of Jack Gelfand, director of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, and the sponsorship of his office,” Kumar said.
Co-organizer Diann Jackson, assistant director of Rice Creek Field Station, said the institute’s sessions will focus on forms and sources of energy; defining and putting sustainability into action; and uses and conservation of energy at school, in the home and around the community.
“We’re introducing teachers to some resources and tools to motivate their students about environmental issues,” Jackson said. “I’m very excited about this. It’s going to be a full week, a fun week.”
Kumar and Jackson have enlisted the support of the state Energy Research and Development Authority, the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), New York Sea Grant and Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District.
“These agencies are assisting the college and school districts in developing this partnership,” said Jackson. “Rice Creek is a perfect location for this institute.”
Natural habitat
Rice Creek’s surroundings will help teachers learn how to impart lessons of watersheds, wetlands, wind and solar power. Teachers also will receive practical tools, like kits to put together simple motors operated by photovoltaic cells.
Kumar said the biggest issue with the institute is that it is oversubscribed, and he had to say “not this summer” to so many interested elementary teachers from around Oswego County. He said there is strong potential for grants to perpetuate and perhaps expand the institute in coming years.
Matt Spindler, who teaches vocational teacher preparation in the School of Education, will work to assess the benefit of the curriculum for the teachers, with an eye to making improvements and additions, Kumar said.
PHOTO CAPTION: Energetic engagement—Dara Sanoubane, a SUNY Oswego employee who this fall will become a teacher at Discovery Middle School in Vancouver, Wash., makes a point July 6 during a session of the Energy Institute for high school teachers in Wilber Hall. The institute has spun off one for elementary school teachers Aug. 9 to 13 at Rice Creek Field Station.
(Posted: Jul 21, 2010)This paper has been added to your cart ($35.00)
In plants, phenyalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) has been related to defense mechanisms against insect feeding and wounding, and its role was investigated in poplar (Populus simonii × P. nigra) regarding induction by third-instar Lymantria dispar larvae feeding and punching mechanical wounding. The activity and mRNA expression level of PAL was evaluated during time courses in relation to L. dispar feeding and mechanical wounding. The constitutive levels of PAL activity in healthy poplar showed no significant differences during 72 h. L. dispar feeding and mechanical wounding caused different responses of protein and transcript levels of PAL. PAL was obviously induced by L. dispar feeding during a 24-72 h period. For mechanical wounding, activity and mRNA expression level of PAL were not significant induced but were mostly inhibited. The results suggested PAL gene may be significantly related to poplar defense against L. dispar attack. | 1.604473 | 987 | 985 |
In 1997, my boss (ex-military) was telling me what he had to offer me—a 401k and he was nailing down disability insurance. I was not impressed, as he micro-managed me, harassed me in public from time-to-time, and continued with his unspoken but blatantly obvious policy of hiring ex-military men in recovery.
Somewhere in the talk (I had already raised the bottom line dramatically) he used the word “security,” losing what little credibility he had. It wasn’t something I was after or even believed in, evidence of his continued inability to change paradigms or exercise emotional intelligence in dealing with individuals, qualities that made him a poor leader and a poor boss.
The Door Swings Both WaysFurthermore, the Great State of Texas has “employment at will,” which means the employer can fire the employee at any time, for any reason—a good reason, a bad reason or (most importantly) NO REASON AT ALL. This is most fearlessly exercised in law firms, which are virtually revolving doors; less strenuously with businesses. However, the law is ‘at will’ and on the side of the employer.
History of a Free AgentI was a liberal arts major, following the career model of my father, who advocated majoring in History. “Most of the presidents of the US,” he told me, “majored in History. It gives you background. It gives you options.” Of course to rebel, I chose English.
My dad went to law school, taught at a law school, then worked for the SEC as a division head, then into private practice, then on to another law firm where he became senior partner, then was invited to chair the SEC. Which he did long enough to get the SEC out of their current problem (Watergate, deregulating stock commissions), then went back to his law firm.
It was a trajectory he called “working your way up,” and one I adopted, mentally. You could also call him a “free agent.”
He never talked about “retirement.” He liked what he did and planned to do it forever, like his father before him. Retirement, it’s important to realize, is a product of the past 20 years or so.
This is idealistic but why not entertain this notion – is the main selling point of marriage that you can one day be rid of it? Is the greatest incentive you have to offer about working at your place the fact that it won’t be forever?
Managing a Free AgentHow do you manage a “free agent?” You manage the environment, not the person. Promotions, the carrot and the stick, punishment and reward, group pressure, will not work with a free agent. Why not? Because they are always free to move on, generally anticipating it, certainly not fearing it. One would rather leave of one’s own accord, but if it happens, it’s simply an unplanned event or sometimes poor timing.
Why did I stay in the places where I did? Because of the boss. They were great to be around and created the kind of atmosphere, including attracting like-minded people, where I could thrive. They didn’t impede my progress. Free agents are self-motivated achievers. We work more for the pleasure of it than most folks, perhaps, and can’t be motivated (we come that way) but CAN be deflated.
Free agents don’t threaten easily because they know their skills and experience are welcome elsewhere. Furthermore, they don’t whine or give warning before they leave. They don’t think it worth their time to change the unwilling or improve the untrainable. Finding themselves in an untenable work situation with poor management, they leave the place to its idiosyncracies and go on to greener pastures.
The Free Agent Mindset“Two-thirds of today's workforce have a free agent mindset;” says Ed Gubman, Ph.D., in his book, THE ENGAGING LEADER: Winning with Today's Free Agent Workforce,” “that is, they are loyal to themselves but not necessarily the companies they work for. They understand that supply and demand rules--when they're not needed, they'll be gone. More than half are constantly scanning the job market, and the most highly desirable employees believe that career security rests within themselves, not with their organizations.”
If the majority of today’s workers now have the “free agent mindset,” this means if you’re an employer, you’ll have to clean up your act and do what you should’ve been doing all along. The free agent has options, and the ‘feel’ of their work day is what matters. It should cause you to look to your leadership skills and emotional intelligence, as the primal leader, and the climate in your workplace and see if it’s the kind of place people would like to work in.
Does the person’s workday include experiencing or seeing mobbing, harassment or hostile workplace? No, these are not illegal, but remember with free agents, that’s | 2.145724 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Beer Cooler Sous Vide Grilled New York Strip Steaks *Or, as I like to call it, Bubba Sous Vide.
I’ve been reading about the magic of sous vide cooking for a while now. Chefs have been using the technique for years; it lets them cook food to a very specific level of doneness, using a water bath with an immersion circulator. If they want a steak cooked to perfect medium-rare, 128*F, they set the immersion circulator to 128*F, seal the steak in a vacuum bag, and put it in the water bath. The steak cooks all the way through to the temperature of the water, and stays at that temperature for as long as it is in the water. When the chef is ready to cook, they unseal the bag, sear the steak, and serve it. Voila – perfect medium rare from edge to edge.
Immersion circulators aren’t cheap; professional models are out of the price range of home cooks. (Or at least this home cook.) Sous Vide Supreme came out with a model for home cooks last year – it is tempting, but at $500, I’ve been able to resist temptation so far.
*I’d love to get one, but I couldn’t justify the $500 price tag, and the kitchen space it will use. I love my gadgets, but this seemed like a gadget too far.
Then, Kenji Lopez-Alt had a brainstorm. Instead of an immersion circulator and a vacuum sealer, he filled a beer cooler with hot water, and used a zip-top bags. The cooler traps the heat, keeping the temperature of the water steady enough to use as a sous vide water bath.
Kenji’s Beer Cooler Sous Vide was a hack worthy of McGyver, and I loved reading about it. I put it on my “I need to try that” list, and…promptly forgot about it. That is, until I went grocery shopping for Valentine’s Day dinner. My local grocery store had a great deal on thick cut New York Strip steaks. I grabbed a couple, then wondered how I could cook them to a perfect medium-rare. (Perfect medium-rare is my quest.* And it’s tough with thick cut steaks.) Kenji’s technique popped back into my head, and I knew what I had to do.
*My greatest shame is presenting my mom with a steak that is not rare. For all my skill as a cook, I have a problem with overcooking beef. What can I say? I get distracted sometimes. I was hoping a side effect of this technique would be more consistent results. It is easier to measure the temperature of a cooler full of water than it is a thin steak.
The process is simple: fill a beer cooler with water about five degrees higher than the temperature you want the steak to finish at, because the temperature will drop slightly. Season the steak, then put it in a zip-top bag, and seal the bag most of the way shut. Slowly lower the bag into the water to force out the air. Once the bag is almost all the way submerged, seal the top and close the cooler. Let the steak sit in the water bath for at least one hour, to cook all the way through to the temperature of the water.
*Timing isn’t critical – the steak can’t get hotter than the water, so it can not overcook. This is part of the beauty of the technique.
Remove the food from the bag, pat it dry, then sear on ripping high heat. I go two minutes a side, rotating 90 degrees after one minute to get a diamond pattern of browned crust on the meat. It doesn’t need any more cooking than that; it is already cooked to the doneness you want by the water bath.
Instead of searing in a fry pan, I got my grill as hot as I could, then grilled the steaks for 2 minutes a side. I had nice browning, an impressive set of diamond grill marks. And the results? Oh…the results…Ohhhh…
*Sorry, give me a moment. I’m overcome by the memory.
This was, bar none, the best thick-cut steak I’ve ever cooked. An inch and a half of perfectly pink beef from edge to edge, with a thin browned crust on the outside. Not the usual gradation of red in the middle, through shades of pink, then gray and overcooked, before getting to the brown crust. This was medium rare from one side to the other. And, tender? The long, slow cooking in the water bath leaves the juices in the meat. They don’t get squeezed out during the cooking time. The result is buttery beef, the likes of which I’ve never made before.
*I can’t wait to try this technique with prime grade beef. Or rack of lamb. Or a thick cut pork chop. Oh, and about that Sous Vide Supreme? Darn | 1.351128 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
it, now I’m lusting after one.
Are you a home cook looking to try something out of the ordinary? Have you been on a quest for a perfectly cooked piece of beef? You have to try this out. Thank you, Kenji!
Cook time: 1 hour water bath, 4 minutes on the grill
Equipment: Grill (I used my Weber Summit. Here is the current version of my grill.) Large cooler (At least 2 gallons capacity; more is better) Quart sized zip-top bags Ingredients: 2 thick-cut New York Strip Steaks (at least 1 1/2 inches thick) 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper Directions: 1. Cook the steaks in the beer cooler water bath: Fill a large cooler with 132*F water. (I fill the cooler most of the way with hot tap water, then add boiling water until I get to 132*F). Sprinkle the steaks evenly with the salt and pepper. Put each steak int its own zip-top bag. One at a time, slowly lower the bags into the water, letting the water push the air out of the bag and seal itself around the steak. When the bag is submerged to the level of the zip, seal the bag, then let it sink into the water. Close up the cooler and cook the steak in the hot water bath for at least an hour. *If you are cooking for more than two hours, check the water temperature and add boiling water occasionally to keep the temperature between 125*F and 130*F.
2. Prepare the grill: Set the grill up for cooking at high heat; as high as you can get it. For my Weber Summit, I turn all the burners to high, let the grill preheat for 15 minutes, then brush the grate clean with my grill brush. 3. Sear the steaks: Remove the steaks from the zip-top bags, and pat them completely dry. Put the steaks over the highest heat part of the grill, and cook for two minutes, rotating 90 degrees after one minute to make a cross-hatched pattern on the steaks. Flip the steaks and cook for another two minutes, rotating 90 degrees after one minute. Remove the steaks to a platter, and rest for ten minutes before serving.
Notes: *I cooked these steaks on my gas grill because my charcoal grill (and deck) are covered with mix of snow and ice that I haven’t been able to break through. I would much rather use charcoal for my searing; the high, dry heat of charcoal will brown the meat much better than gas. I’m going to use a full chimney of charcoal, piled two coals deep over half my charcoal grate to create a very high heat searing zone.
*February in my house can’t be described as warm, which gave me a couple of obstacles to overcome. The hottest water from my tap was only 115*F, so I added boiling water to bring the temperature up. (Luckily, my electric kettle boils water very quickly.) My house was also very cold; according to my Thermapen, the air temperature in my kitchen was 62*F. I did a dry run (wet run?) with the cooler and two gallons of water, and the temperature dropped ten degrees in two hours. I added a lot more water the second time around, filling the cooler completely, and trusted the extra thermal mass to keep the temperature up. I started the steaks in 133*F water; after an hour and a half the water was down to 126*F. I think the water bath can hold the steaks longer in the summer; in the winter I would be ready to grill after no more than an hour of cooking in the water bath.
*Another advantage to this technique is the brining effect, caused by seasoning the steaks before they are cooked in the water bath. I forgot the pepper – these steaks were just beef and salt, but they were seasoned all the way through.
*I’m really excited by this technique. Can you tell? I thought this would be a cute trick, something to try once; instead, I’ve been thinking about these steaks ever since I ate one, and I can’t wait to try this again.
What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below. *Enjoyed this post? Want to help out DadCooksDinner? Subscribe using your RSS reader or by Email, recommend DadCooksDinner to your friends, or buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site. Thank you! | 1.438592 | 979 | 978 |
December 28, 2009
“Zombie Debt” refers to an old debt, usually a credit card debt, which has gone unpaid for a sufficient period of time that the original creditor has charged it off as a bad debt with the IRS and sold the account to another legal entity: the “Zombie.”
The debt buyer obtains an “assignment of debt” from the original creditor, but in most instances NOT evidence sufficient to win a court case. However, by filing a lawsuit and obtaining a judgment, either by default (when the defendant-consumer does not appear in court when summoned) or by the consent of the consumer, the Zombie converts an invalid debt to a judgment debt. A judgment debt is legally recognized as collectible, by way of garnishment of wages or attachment of bank accounts, to name a couple of remedies.
Typically the Zombie-buyer pays five cents on the dollar for the assignment. So, if the consumer allegedly owed Two Thousand Dollars on the account, the Zombie pays One Hundred Dollars for the right to collect the debt.
The sale of the debt may occur after the original creditor hired a collection agency to attempt to collect the debt. Typically, the original creditor, the collection agency, (if any) and the “Zombie,” all report the debt to the Credit Bureaus, with an outrageous interest rate, late fees, attorney’s fees and the like, thus super-multiplying the appearance of the alleged amount due, to the consumer’s detriment.
After the sale of the debt, the “Zombie” begins collection efforts. Such efforts are usually short-lived, and often a lawsuit quickly follows.
The reason people refer to this type of debt as a “Zombie Debt Collectors” is that these companies seem to never go away and stop stalking and frightening the consumer. “Zombie” may be a reference to the Movie: “The Night of the Living Dead,” because the debts never die.
Some examples of Zombie debt collection practices which violate the law are attempts to collect a debt that: 1) has been discharged in a Bankruptcy proceeding; 2) is shown to be a fraud account, as a result of a theft of the consumer’s identity; 3) has been paid in full; 4) is too old for a lawsuit because the statute of limitations (statutes which limit the number of years a creditor may wait before filing a law suit) have expired.
There are many more examples of these immoral and unethical practices. The Zombie may sue a John Doe, but not the John Doe on the original account!
The companies who buy old defaulted debts are “Collection Agencies” under a federal law know as The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or, the “FDCPA” for short.
Unfortunately, many of the law firms pursuing these claims, although themselves subject to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, have long-standing, good reputations in the legal community. These firms file lawsuits because the profits are so great, and because the Courts have not yet fully defined all of the practices which violate the law.
Rather than purchasing the evidence needed for purposes of a trial, what, in fact, the Zombies’ typically have bought from the original creditor is: the alleged debtor’s social security number, last known address, date of birth, last known employer, bank information and the alleged amount due, and an “assignment” document.
What the Zombies’ typically do not possess is evidence that is acceptable and necessary for a court proceeding. More often than not the Collector is not in possession of: the credit card or other loan application; the monthly billing statements; the record of purchases and payments; and proof of any mailings to the individual consumer (defendant) regarding changes in the “terms and conditions,” of the loan. These are some, but not all of the documents needed in Missouri, at trial, to successfully obtain a judgment against the consumer. In fact, in many instances, the original creditor has none of these records of the actual account to sell to the Zombie, because the original lenders do not wish to pay for storage of vast numbers of documents every year, nor personnel to do the work to store them.
When served with a summons to appear in court at the suit of a Zombie debt collector, many, if not most, consumers either allow a default judgment to be taken, or appear in court and consent to a judgment.
Many thousands of Missouri consumers are successfully sued every year.
Millions of Americans nationwide are successfully sued and forced to pay such judgments.
Those consumers who manage to settle the claim for less than the sum demanded, are unaware the debt will appear as a charge-off on their credit reports for seven years, and any amount the consumer does not pay to the Zombie will be reported to the IRS by the Zombie. Thus, the consumer is forced to pay state and federal taxes on the unpaid portion of the alleged debt.
Few consumers know that the Zombie should be counter-sued, under the FDCPA, by a knowledgeable consumer lawyer, in the Missouri Associate Circuit Courts, BEFORE the | 1.610017 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
alleged debtor’s FIRST court date.
Under the FDCPA the consumer can recover $1,000 for violations of the federal statute, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, the consumer’s attorney’s fees.
Attorney’s fees may be many times more than the statutory $1,000 damage amount, but the courts are authorized to and do in many instances award such fees.
Lawyers who are passionate about protecting consumers are struggling to make a living, because many, if not most, of their clients are also struggling in these difficult economic times. However, there are lawyers who will work with their clients to create a stream of income for the lawyer and obtain great results for the clients.
In the end, we will all win, as the predatory lenders who created the current recession, and the Zombie’s who buy their “accounts” are defeated by Missouri consumers and their lawyers.
August 14, 2009
Nancy Quackenbush is an accomplished attorney who has spent over 25 years practicing law in Missouri and Illinois. She is respected for her ability to diagnose a wide range of legal issues, including personal litigation, construction cases, real estate litigation and arbitration matters, equity (injunction) trials and appeals, as well as other contract claims. Ms. Quackenbush sits as an Arbitrator for the Court in St. Clair County, Illinois.
Nancy is known for her friendly demeanor and would be happy to speak with you about your case. Please feel free to contact her.
August 14, 2009
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August 14, 2009
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Presentation on theme: "Working with the Body, Breath, and Mind to Find Emotional Balance Sara Morrow, PhD, RYT Licensed Psychologist, Registered Yoga Teacher"— Presentation transcript:
1Working with the Body, Breath, and Mind to Find Emotional Balance Sara Morrow, PhD, RYT Licensed Psychologist, Registered Yoga Teacher
2Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Centering Practice Find a comfortable sitting position –Feet flat on the floor –Sit upright, spine is tall –Feel grounded through the sit bones –Lift through the crown of the head and the heart –Strong/stable skeletal body, relaxed muscular body –Soften face, jaw, gentle smile, shoulders fall away from ears –Close your eyes, or have a soft unfocused gaze Bring awareness to the present moment –Scan the body, notice tension vs. comfort, sensation –Connect w/ the breath – breathe nose-to-belly –Notice any thoughts – past/future, judgment, labeling good/bad –Sweep the mind clear, quiet the thoughts, come back to the breath –Notice the quality, tone, intensity of your emotions –Bring a kind curiosity to your experience
3Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Evidence Based Treatment Scientific evidence has shown yoga to be effective in helping over 50 health conditions (Timothy McCall, MD, Yoga as Medicine, 2011) Mental health studies (# studies): –Anxiety (13) –Depression (8) –Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)(4) –Schizophrenia (4) –Alcoholism/Addiction (3) –Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) (2) –Eating Disorders (2) –Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (1) –Autism (1) In 2012 there were 83 active studies using yoga as a treatment modality (NIH and NCCAM)
4Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC What is Yoga? Originated 5,000 years ago in India “Yoga” = to yoke together, unite –Integrate all aspects of the individual – body, mind, spirit Physical poses did not become primary feature until 1900s –Yoga traditionally was focused on meditation, breathing, chanting Goals: –Strong and flexible body free of pain –Balanced autonomic nervous system (control center) –Optimal function of physiological systems digestive, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, nervous, immune –Develop calm, clear, and tranquil mind –Self-transformation, enlightenment –Improve overall quality of life –Reduce suffering…. Could yoga be the 1 st Psychology???
5Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC “Rewire” Your Life We are born with tendencies: –Neurology, body, mind, emotions, temperament Life experiences & choices shape us over time Rehearsed patterns of thought & behavior (CBT) become our “persona” ~ the way we are in life Negative habits → emotional imbalance Positive/Healthy habits → emotional balance We can create a positive experience of life: –Commitment to new patterns –Repeatedly make mindful choices Emotional Retraining
6Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC “Reprogram” the Mind The Mind has a negativity bias –Learn/remember more easily from negative experiences than from positive (velcro vs. teflon) Generating positive thoughts creates new neural circuits in the brain - “hardwire happiness” You mind builds your brain thought by thought - “experience-dependent neuroplasticity” Experiences affect gene expression –Practicing relaxation increases expression of genes that regulate stress response (increase resilience). (Rick Hanson, PhD)
7Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Yoga’s Tools that Affect Well-Being 1.Postures (Asanas) – reduce pain/injury, promote healing, circulation, digestion – feel well physically = feel well emotionally 2.Breathing Techniques (Pranayama) – regulate nervous system (NS) 3.Relaxation – ease + steadiness, awareness, release of tension – calm nervous system, reduce stress 4.Meditation (1-pointed focus, stillness) – quiet the mind, senses turn inward 5.Awareness/Attention Training + Attitude – mindfulness – present moment, body/sensations/breath/mind/emotion – notice w/o judgment/reaction, kind curiosity
8Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Positive Effects of Yoga Yoga & Mindfulness have been shown to improve: –Stress (lowers cortisol) –Depression –Anxiety –Anger –Trauma (PTSD) –Eating Disorders –AD/HD (possible due to increasing dopamine; Mehta et al. 2012) –Attention, Concentration, Memory, Learning, School Performance –Insomnia –Immune system function –Cancer, Chemotherapy –Obesity, Blood | 1.531662 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
pressure –Chronic pain, Injury
9Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Why Does Yoga Work? Decreases Sympathetic Nervous System arousal –“Stress Response” –“Fight/Flight/Freeze” Fight – Anger Flight – Anxiety Freeze – Depression –Most mental health problems relate to an over- stimulated SNS, which also affects physical health Increases Parasympathetic Nervous System function –“Relaxation Response” –“Rest & Digest”
10Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Research Evidence 2011 meta-analysis of peer reviewed, published research from found yoga to: –enhance muscular strength, body flexibility –improve respiratory and cardiovascular function –promote recovery from addiction –reduce stress, anxiety, depression –reduce chronic pain –improve sleep patterns –enhance overall well-being and quality of life Yoga facilitates characteristics of friendliness, compassion, and greater self-control, while cultivating a sense of calmness and well-being. Sustained practice leads to changes in life perspective, self-awareness and improved sense of energy to live life fully and w/ genuine enjoyment. Yoga produces a physiological state opposite to that of the fight-or- flight stress response and with that interruption in the stress response, a sense of balance and union between the mind and body can be achieved. International Journal of Yoga, 2011 Jul-Dec; 4(2): 49–54
11Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Immune System Effects 2013, University of Oslo (N=10) Blood draws immediately before/after exercise 1 hr. nature walk plus 1 hr. listening to jazz or classical music –Changed the expression of 38 genes in immune cells 2 hrs. yoga, breathing exercises, meditation –Changed the expression of 111 genes in immune cells 14 genes affected by both activities, suggesting similar biological effects Yoga has more widespread effects on the immune system at a molecular level
12Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Increases GABA 2007 study 1 hr. of yoga vs. 1 hr. of reading MRI of brain GABA (gamma-amniobutyric acid) –increased by 27% in yoga group –no change in reading group Low GABA levels linked to anxiety/depression Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine; Vol. 13, No. 4; Boston University School of Medicine
13Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Vagus Nerve Yoga (and deep breathing) mechanically stimulates the vagus nerve: –“Wanders” from brain, down either side of neck, connects at heart, and connects to ALL major organs –Largest nerve in the body –Controls motor and sensory functioning brings info back to the brain –Regulates heart rhythms –Stimulates Parasympathetic NS, calms Sympathetic NS –Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS): pacemaker-like device surgically implanted in chest used to treat seizures since 1997 used for treatment-resistant Major Depressive Disorder
14Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Trauma and the Body Common features of all traumas: –Alienation and disconnection from the body –Reduced capacity to be present in the here and now Low Heart Rate Variability (HRV) –Related to self-control, regulating emotions and impulses –Linked to those easily thrown off balance, emotionally reactive –Increased risk for depression, cancer, heart disease Yoga: –Increases HRV –Builds awareness/respect/appreciation for our bodies –Teaches us present moment awareness
15Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Mind-Body Connection Mind’s version of reality affects the body –Perceived threat causes fight/flight/freeze response in body –The mind can misperceive “threat” – thought, tension, internal state Body systems influence the mind (2-way relationship) : –Heart/circulatory system –Respiratory system (shallow, irregular mouth breathing) –Musculoskeletal system (tension/relaxation/posture) –Immune system/illness –Endocrine system (hormones) “Both the body and mind participate in constructing positive or painful emotional experiences.” (Forbes, 2011) The brain “learns” to be anxious/depressed through repeated patterns of thought, body movement, behavior. –All things we can learn to exert some degree of control over (CBT)
16Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Steps Toward Balance Regulate the Breath Relax the Body Develop mental focus Learn to stay present with direct experience ~ All of which are developed through yoga ~ Gain knowledge and then PRACTICE –With repeated practice of a skill, the brain forges new neural pathways = experience-dependent neuroplasticity –What we DO shapes our brain –The mind | 1.539741 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
, brain, body, and emotional patterns are capable of change…
17Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Breathing ~ Pranayama Shallow, irregular breathing –Increase heart rate –Raise blood pressure –Speed up the mind –Cause nervous system to be out of balance –Increase anxiety and depression Regulated breathing –Lower heart rate –Decrease blood pressure –Calm an anxious mind, invigorate a depressed mind –Bring nervous system back into balance –Support emotional balance Allow yourself to receive the gift of oxygen
18Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Breathing for Emotional Balance Mouth breathing –Is our “emergency” response –Draws air to upper lobes of lungs Stress receptors stimulate Sympathetic NS –Increases heart rate, respiration –Body has to work harder to get enough oxygen - wastes energy –Unfiltered, cold, dry air irritates throat - increases chance of infection Nasal breathing is most effective –Draws air to lower lobes of lungs where: 60-80% blood cells are located - receive oxygen, exchange gas Parasympathetic NS receptors concentrated –Quiets, calms, steadies the mind –Relaxes - stress response/emotions/body/nervous system –Lowers heart rate, blood pressure –Filters, warms, moisturizes air into lungs - immune support
19Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Breath and Mood Breath patterns vary according to emotion –Anger = short and quick –Fear/Anxiety = retain breath, irregular –Sadness/Upset = long and deep –Happiness = slow, relaxed, regulated Having people breathe in certain patterns induces emotion
20Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC “If you want to use yoga to heal emotional pain, you must find out where it resides in your body and learn to take your breath there.” ~ Ana T. Forrest
21Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Breathing Techniques Calming: –1:2 breath ratio – inhale:exhale, inhale through nose, slow exhale –Nose-to-belly – feel rise/fall of belly (also ribs and chest) –Left nostril breathing – in left, out right – circular (helps insomnia, lie on right) –Alternate nostril breathing – out/in left, out/in right –Smile Breath – inhale lift heart, exhale drop chin to chest and smile Energizing: –1:1 ratio, inhale nose, exhale strongly by pulling belly muscles in –Pulling Prana – inhale arms up, exhale fists pull down to waist –Breath of Joy – 3-part inhale, arms in front, to side, up above, exhale as you swing arms down, “Ha” –Bellows Breath – 1sec. inhale, 1 sec. exhale Focus on exhale, pulling belly back to spine 1 minute meditation – close eyes, feel effects –Right nostril breathing – in right, out left (contraindicated for mania)
22Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Physical Practice ~ Asana Embrace the concept - your body is a vehicle for emotional healing Practice working with the body in ways that differ from anxiety and depression Yoga tells all systems of your mind-body network that you are NOT anxious or depressed Balances nervous system Helps us attend to our direct experience Shifts mental patterns – quiet mind, 1-pointed focus Accesses the roots of our suffering
23Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Posture and Mood
24Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC
25Strike a Pose! High-Power Poses Viramudra – superhero position –Broad stance, hands to hips, lift through the heart, chin raised a bit, smile Jayamudra – victory position –Throw your arms up above you as if you just won the GOLD metal, smile –Even blind athletes tend to do this when they win CEO pose –Hands interlocked behind head, chest broad, feet up
26Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Posture and Mood 42 participants randomly assigned to High-Power Pose or Low-Power Pose –Held for 2 minutes Saliva test before and 17 minutes after pose Low-Power Pose (arms crossed, shoulders hunched, closed) : –17% increase in cortisol (stress hormone) –10% reduction in testosterone (memory, concentration, libido, energy) High-Power Pose (arms out/up, chest broad, chin up, smile) : –15% decrease in cortisol –25% increase in testosterone “Fake it until you become it!” Dana R. Carney, Amy J.C. Cuddy, and Andy J. Yap. (Psychological Science, 2010 Harvard)
27Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Mindfulness Paying attention – | 1.649773 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
non-judgmentally, –to what is happening to us, –in the moment. Awareness w/o the “good” vs. “bad” labels –Sensory Experience (touch, hear, see, smell, taste) –Breath –Thoughts –Emotions –Social Interactions
28Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC It’s not what you see, It’s how you see it. It’s not what you see, It’s how you see it. “Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.” ~ Dr. Wayne Dyre ~
29Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Mindfulness Practice When something difficult happens: –Observe the sensation with “strategic acceptance” Not hopeless resignation, but w/o resisting or judging Label the experience, “I am feeling….” – “name it to tame it” –Let go of the negative Clear the mind, release tension from body –Direct the mind towards positives Appreciation, successes, the feeling of being treated with respect, your good qualities and intentions Stay with positive sensations, soak in the feeling, really notice/embrace the good moments, breathe, relax, smile… –Let it be (acceptance), let it go (negative), let it in (positive)
30Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Body-Breath-Mind Exercise Inhale arms up, exhale prayer hands to the heart Neck roll – right ear to right shoulder, left ear to left shoulder Cat/Cow – flexion/extension of spine –Smile Breath on exhale! Gentle seated twist – spine tall, hand to opposite knee Hip opener – outer foot/ankle rests on top of opposite leg Moving with Mindfulness –Present moment –Sensations in body –Breath –Aware of thoughts that come and go – sweep the mind clear
31Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Meditation Meditation = embracing and being present to any and all mind-body states without preferring one to another A way of being – attending fully to the present moment Meditation is NOT –achieving a special result –altering our state of mind –controlling our thoughts –relaxation You may experience: Frustration, boredom, discomfort, grief, sleepiness Not signs of “failure” All sensations are worthy of kind & clear attention It is not what arises in meditation, but how we relate to what arises Investigate thoughts/feelings OR withdraw attention from negative Overall goal = reduce suffering - shift perception of “discomfort”
32Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Effects of Meditation Reduce stress (thereby strengthening the immune system) –University of Massachusetts Medical School, 2003 Reduce anxiety, depression, anger, confusion Increase peace, calm, balance - Psychosomatic Medicine, 2009 Boost creativity and energy - Science Daily, 2010 Cultivate healthy habits that lead to weight loss – e.g. mindful eating –Journal of Emotion, 2007 Improve digestion and lower blood pressure - Harvard Medical School Decrease your risk of heart attack (by 48% at 5-year follow-up) –The Stroke Journal, 2009 Decrease perception of pain and improve cognitive processing –Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 2010 Improve your focus and attention –University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2007 Increase the size of your brain! (esp. regions that regulate emotion) –Harvard University Gazette, 2006 – hippocampus, the thalamus and the inferior temporal gyrus –Brains of long-term meditaters look 20 yrs. younger than non-meditaters –Increased gray matter in brain regions that regulate attention – more in-tune with ourselves and others (empathy), improves memory
33Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Setting an Intention ~ Sankalpa To have in mind a purpose, to direct the mind, to take aim. Consciously drawing awareness to the direction you intend to go. Think about - visualize/imagine/feel - what you want to create in life. –Characteristic (loving), state of mind (peaceful), lifestyle (balance)… Be very specific. Be positive. Write it down. –Like writing a contract with yourself. –Gain clarity, activate the Law of Attraction. Place your intention in a location important to you. Or carry them in your pocket/purse to amplify their effect! ( Adapted from Jack Canfield)
34Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Meditation Practice Grounded –Feel contact points between body and seat/floor/earth Upright –Tall spine, head balanced over tailbone, chest open Relaxed –Soften muscular body, face, eyes, jaw, shoulders Scan body, notice sensations Attention on Breath - your anchor in the moment Check-in with the mind | 1.81551 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
, notice emotions Notice w/ friendly curiosity –Fluctuations of the mind - past/future, planning/worrying, storyline –Go back to the breath/sensations/present moment experience Settle/clear the mind, allow thoughts to pass
35Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC “On Breathing” Breathing in, I know I’m breathing in. Breathing out, I know I’m breathing out. As the in-breath grows deep, The out-breath grows slow. Breathing in makes me calm. Breathing out makes me ease. With the in-breath, I smile. With the out-breath, I release. Breathing in, there is only the present moment. Breathing out, it is a wonderful moment. ~Thich Nhat Hanh In, out, deep, slow, calm, ease, smile, release, present moment, wonderful moment.
36Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Yoga = Mind-Body Medicine!
37Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Quotes from Famous Yogis “Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.” “Healthy plants and trees yield abundant flowers and fruits. Similarly, from a healthy person, smiles and happiness shine forth like the rays of the sun.” ~B.K.S. Iyengar~ “The success of Yoga does not lie in the ability to perform postures but in how it positively changes the way we live our lives and our relationships.” “The quality of our breath expresses our inner feelings.” “The ultimate goal of yoga is to always observe things accurately, and therefore never act in a way that will make us regret our actions later.” ~T.K.V. Desikachar~ “Have only love in your heart for others. The more you see the good in them, the more you will establish good in yourself.” ~P. Yogananda (Autobiography of a Yogi)~
38Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC Namaste My soul recognizes your soul. I honor the love, light, beauty, truth and kindness within you because it is also within me. In sharing these things, there is no distance and no difference between us. We are the same. We are one.
39Mind Balance Yoga ~ Sara Morrow, PhD, LLC References Emerson, D., Hopper, E. (2011). Overcoming Trauma Through Yoga: Reclaiming Your Body. Forbes, Bo (2011). Yoga for Emotional Balance: Simple Practices to help relieve anxiety and depression. NurrieStearns, M. (2010). Yoga for Anxiety: Meditations and Practices for Calming the Body and Mind. Simpkins, A. (2011). Meditation and Yoga in Psychotherapy: Techniques for Clinical Practice. Weintraub, Amy (2012). Yoga Skills for Therapists: Effective Practices for Mood Management. Weintraub, Amy (2004). Yoga for Depression: A Compassionate Guide to Relieve Suffering Through Yoga.As I’ve learned from dance and yoga teacher training, the gift of a good instructor lies not simply in how much knowledge she may possess or even how well she communicates it, but by how the student progresses as a result of their encounter. I thought of the teacher-student relationship when reading a post on KevinMD.com about a different sort of personal exchange – the one between a doctor and patient.
Cardiac electrophysiologist David Lee Scher, MD, outlines five ways physicians can better engage patients in their health so that medical advice dispensed during an office visit gets put to use in a patient’s everyday life for the long term. Tips include bedside-manner recommendations and effective use of technology as well as involving caregivers in a plan.
From the post:
2. Improve the patient and caregiver knowledge base.Much of patient behavior is driven by fear of the unknown. The purpose of each test and what it entails, the overall suggested plan, the possible diagnoses and their probabilities should all be touched upon. This need not be done in great detail but in a way in which the patient gets the overall picture. The reason for each medication prescribed and its most common potential side effects is something not always done, leaving patients with prescriptions and many questions even five minutes after leaving the office. A well-informed patient is the best patient.
And if you learn best through the combination of audio, visual and kinesthetic cues, check out this video of “The Cardiac Dance | The Spirals of Life,” which uses movement to explain the structure and function of a healthy or diseased heart.
Previously: “You belong here”: A recap of Stanford Medicine X, Why engaging patients in their own care benefits the health-care system, Personal essays highlight importance of cost-conscious medical decisions and Alan Greene talks about Medicine 2.0 and the future of doctor-patient communication | 1.575646 | 1,016 | 1,014 |
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Semiannual Eurasia Transportation Summits Spring meeting (Istanbul), fall meeting (Moscow or London), featuring member-selected topics and interactive discussions with industry peer and regional decision makers Briefing Books and Discussion Summaries IHS Energy research conducted for and available to Forum members only Informal Networking Events Private dinners/receptions with Eurasian country guests and IHS Energy experts Events Invitations to exclusive client-IHS expert gatherings; seats at IHS Energy spring and fall Executive meetings Roundtables; seats at IHS CERAWeek; invitations to the annual IHS Energy Executive Conference in Houston (additional fee). Analyst Privileges Timely responses from on-demand IHS Energy researchers
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Eurasia Oil Export Forecasts (online delivery, Excel format) Historical data and outlooks to 2035, with semiannual updates; includes assumptions and highlights of key changes since last update Eurasia Gas Export Forecasts (online delivery, Excel format) Historical data from 1990 and outlooks to 2035 for natural gas production, consumption and exports with semiannual updates for major regional producers and all consumers; includes assumptions and highlights of key changes since last update Energy and the New Global Competition: Perspectives from IHS CERAWeek 2014 The articles in this IHS Energy Special Report, published in The Wall Street Journal during IHS CERAWeek 2014, examine how the competitive landscape in the energy industry is being reshaped by rapid change in markets, emerging new technologies, and shifts in geopolitics. The Energy View from 2030: Which scenario will it be? When developments occur that surprise us, it is often because assumptions about the present, as well as the future, have been overturned. The consequences can be very significant for companies, governments, and societies. The history of energy is filled with unexpected developments that go against what had been the general consensus. Although no course of action will provide true clairvoyance about the future, the process of developing scenarios forces us to question the present in order to understand the different ways the future could unfold and to prepare for them. This essay is based on the current IHS Energy Scenarios, which provide three distinct visions of how the future could unfold.
Executive-level members receive our proprietary Eurasian oil and gas forecasts to 2035, covering the following concepts:
At this global energy company, the Market Intelligence team – which supports procurement decisions totaling $13.5 billion annually – cut in half the number of source locations that analysts must access to gather information and reduced by 50% the time required to generate reports/charts for decision makers.Learn more about our client’s successes
With operations in Texas and California, this independent oil and gas company implemented a single, integrated system that enabled access to 30+ standard reports with the latest well and production info via the Web, avoiding manual processes and increasing data currency. Easily created/maintained “hands-free” data feeds saved months of development time.
To gain an advantage in highly competitive energy markets, this industry leader leverages rapid, accurate analysis of global oil and gas projects -- from exploration to concept selection and field plan development -- that save time and deliver insights by comparing cost scenarios and production profiles.Learn more about our client’s successes
One of the world’s largest energy companies – a Fortune 100 leader in global oil, gas and chemical markets – turned a potential business disruption into a new opportunity to drive efficiency and innovation by providing 9,000+ worldwide employees with easy access to a major catalog publication via a single online platform.Learn More About Our Customers Success6–50.
28. Chen CY, Ballard RC, Beck-Sague CM, Dangor T. Human immunodeficiency virus infection and genital ulcer disease in South Africa: the herpetic connection. Sex Transm Dis 2000; 27: 21–29.
© Copyright 2003 American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association
29. Franceschi S, Castellsagué X, Dal Maso L, et al. Prevalence and determinants of human papillomavirus genital infection in men. Br J Cancer 2000; 86: 705–711. | 1.845213 | 933 | 931 |
Eating disorders can be characterized into three main types: anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. The characteristics of each disorder differ, but one fact remains: people who suffer from eating disorders have a higher likelihood of suffering from anxiety and depression than those who do not suffer from eating disorders. In fact, up to 80 percent of those with anorexia have suffered major depression at some point, and as many as 80 percent of bulimics have suffered from an anxiety disorder. There are several theories as to why this might happen.
Eating disorders are most likely to afflict young women. Only 5 to 15 percent of sufferers are male. Up to 3 percent of American women will suffer from anorexia in their lifetimes, and up to 4 percent of women will suffer from bulimia. The vast majority (approximately 90 percent) of people who suffer from an eating disorder are between the ages of twelve and twenty-five.
Determining Its Origins Can Be Problematic
It is difficult to determine which comes first – the eating disorder, or the anxiety or depression. What is clear is that low self-esteem and lack of a feeling of control are common traits of the eating disordered patient. Feelings of inadequacy, anger, or loneliness are also possible factors, according to nationaleatingdisorders.org. Others may suffer from troubled personal relationships, physical or sexual abuse, or ongoing body image issues. Some are quick to blame the media for plastering images of too-thin women all over magazines, television, and other forms of media.
Scientists have found that high levels of cortisol and vasopressin are evident in both anorexic patients and people who suffer from depression. These two hormones are released as a response to stress. Too much of the stress hormone in the body is harmful on the immune system and various organs – including the brain.
Two neurotransmitters may also be responsible for the seemingly inseparable link between mood disorders and eating disorders. Serotonin and norepinephrine work to regulate certain functions in the mind and body including appetite, emotions, and sleep. When these regulatory systems are not working properly, the brain cannot communicate messages to the body effectively. This can result in mood disorders and abnormal appetite regulation.
Even if anxiety and depression precede the eating disorder, these mental health concerns certainly do not go away after years of disordered eating. Inadequate nutrition due to self-starvation or purging can cause the shutdown of several functions within the body. Low levels of tryptophan, for example, leads to mood problems.
Electrolyte depletion, vitamin deficiencies, malnutrition, and dehydration all come with a host of further – and sometimes lasting- problems. Women and men who have engaged in fasting or self-induced vomiting and endured rapid weight loss tend to experience higher levels of anxiety of depression later in life. Anorexic patients are more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs. About one-fifth of anorexic patients attempt suicide. Brain scans of anorexic patients show that the abnormal brain activity that shows during anorexic states can remain long after symptoms have disappeared.
Treatment Approaches
Since mood and eating disorders so often go hand in hand, the treatment approach must take into consideration the type of eating disorder and the prevalence of a mood disorder. It would not make sense, for example, to put an eating disordered patient on a nutritional plan designed to put weight on if the underlying anxiety is not treated as well.
Treatment for bulimia or binge eating disorder will usually include anti-depressant medication and cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy teaches the sufferer to recognize what triggers cause binges. They will learn more positive methods of coping with stress, such as talking, practicing yoga, exercising or meditating. Bulimics and binge eaters alike often find benefit in taking part in group therapy and psychodynamic therapy to discuss their self-esteem issues.
Advanced stages of anorexia require hospitalization to restore nourishment to the body. Since anorexics have extreme body image issues, they also benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy to work on healthy methods of coping with stress. Younger anorexic patients can benefit from family therapy, so the entire family can work as a unit to recognize symptoms of relapse and encourage healthy eating habits. Anti-depressants are not recommended for anorexics, as many of them suppress appetite.
For eating disorder patients, recovery may be a life-long struggle. Sufferers must be monitored for symptoms of anxiety and depression, as mood disorders left untreated can cause the disordered eating to recur. Treatment is a lifelong process. | 1.441389 | 943 | 942 |
One of the most common problems for designers working in the Web medium is the varying effects that fonts can portray to different end users. Traditionally, Web pages would allow the user to view fonts only available on their machine. This limited the use of any font other than the most common font-types, such as Arial and Times New Roman. This problem has been resolved by embedding fonts into web pages so that the user can see the documents exactly as the web page designer had intended them to be seen. Embedded fonts are not only used in Web pages, but can be incorporated into PDF documents, emails and downloadable applications.
Function
There are several reasons to choose embedded font over the default. When the document contains text that is trademarked or part of a logo, it's essential to maintain the original font. This is also true for documents that are to be sent to a service bureau or similar organization for final output. Other situations that would require the use of embedded font include documents that contain decorative, symbol-based, or graphical fonts. Examples of these include Carta or Zapf Dingbats.
Restrictions
Fonts found online include permissions that are defined by the original publisher. There are certain restrictions set by the publisher that indicate where and how the font can be embedded into a document. Print and Preview fonts can be embedded into documents that are in a "Read Only" status. Editable fonts can be used in documents that are edited by the user. Installable fonts can be permanently installed by the user or by a client application. Fonts that have No Embedding permissions cannot be embedded into a document.
The Facts
Applications should only embed fonts when requested by the user. When an application distributes any type of font in any format, the proprietary permissions of the original owner of the font must be acknowledged. Embedding fonts within a Web page or document guarantees that the font specified will be present on the receiving computer. However, not all fonts can be transferred from computer to computer as most fonts are licensed to only one computer at a time. Only OpenType fonts and TrueType fonts can be embedded.
Considerations
Embedded fonts can give Web designers a desired look and feel, but can have a negative impact on visitors. When embedded fonts are used, visitors must wait for the font to download before the page will display. Visitors may also experience security warnings when attempting to access a web page that contains embedded font. Not only can this be disruptive to visitors, but the security warning pop-ups can scare away visitors not familiar with the site.
Photo Credit Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images vinegar in His mouth, Jesus speaks words of comfort and of promise: “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in paradise.”
Jesus turns the eyes of the repentant criminal forward in hope, to a place of salvation.
All those people, watching and mocking, and there is only one who truly sees this broken rabbi on the Cross for the King He is. Only one, an unexpected one, seeing an unexpected King.
Time and again in the Gospel of Luke, throughout these weeks of Ordinary Time, we’ve seen the same surprising story. The conventional religious people just don’t understand Jesus’ message. It is the outsiders, the ones we least expect, who open their eyes and their hearts and recognize the kingship of Jesus, and what that kingship entails. It is not a kingship of this world, and what we are expected to do to pay homage to this King is very different than what the expectations of a worldly king might be.
So we hear this story on this last Sunday of Ordinary Time, on the Feast of Christ the King, before we enter the cold, pre-dawn winter hours of Advent. In the dark, it may be easy to miss who we’re really seeing on that cross.
It isn’t a broken man, a failed teacher. If we truly understand His message, we see Christ the King, whom the Greek Christians called Christ Pantokrator, Christ all powerful, looking forward in hope that we all might be with Him in the kingdom.
Christ opens our eyes and hearts and souls to see unexpected people in unexpected ways, as He too was the ultimate unexpected One. He bids us to see who He is, and how we might see Him in the most unlikely people.
You never know. A street urchin might turn out to be a Nobel Prize winner. A crucified teacher might turn out to be King. And a baby born in a rude stable on a cold winter night might turn out to be the Son of God.
Amen. | 1.741063 | 924 | 922 |
You know getting a massage feels good, but you may not realize how good it can be for your health, too. For example, as soon as your body senses the first touch of pressure, it sends a signal to your nervous system that can slow your heart rate by more than 10 beats per minute and lower your blood pressure by as much as eight percent. And that’s only the beginning of the health benefits massage delivers. It can help alleviate back pain, chronic headaches, muscle aches, stress and more.
Here’s a look at some of the specific health pluses of common types of massage. You may never look at a rub-down the same way again.
Deep Tissue Massage This massage technique uses slow, deep strokes to target the deep layers of muscle and connective tissue to promote flexibility and movement while reducing pain and stiffness. Those with conditions like osteoarthritis may see improvement in joint pain and range of motion with deep tissue massage. Pregnancy Massage Also called prenatal or maternity massage, therapists use gentle pressure to improve blood circulation, which reduces swelling. Pregnancy massage has also been shown to lessen lower back pain as well as symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful tingling or numb sensation in the hands that up to 60 percent of pregnant women develop. (Though pregnancy massage has not been found to be unsafe for the fetus, some practitioners may not offer it in the first trimester to be extra safe.) Shiatsu Like acupuncture, shiatsu focuses on relieving illnesses brought about by imbalances in the natural flow of energy, or qi, in the body. But unlike the Chinese treatment, this Japanese massage modality uses thumb, finger and palm pressure (instead of needles) to increase the body’s energy flow. Shiatsu may be particularly helpful for people experiencing neck, back and shoulder pain: In one study in the Journal of Holistic Nursing, people with back pain rate their discomfort as significantly lower over the course of four shiatsu sessions. Sports This type of massage manipulates soft tissues and focuses on relieving tightness in specific muscle groups that are repetitively used during a particular sport (like golf and tennis) or type of exercise (like running). Some therapists practice a method called myofascial release, which stretches connective tissue. In general, you’ll experience stronger pressure than you’ll feel in other types of massage. Research in the Journal of Sports Medicine & Physiology has shown that sports massage decreases the stiffness that occurs a couple of days after vigorous exercise, known as delayed onset muscle soreness, by up to 30 percent. Swedish A relaxing treatment that utilizes long, sweeping strokes, Swedish massage increases oxygen flow to your muscles while releasing toxins, boosting circulation and making your limbs more limber and flexible. Swedish massage may be particularly helpful for people with fibromyalgia. It’s also a good option for women looking for relief from PMS and menopausal symptoms: In a study in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, researchers found that people who received Swedish massage had a significant decrease in the hormone arginine-vasopressin, which helps regulate the body’s water retention. Studies have also found that Swedish massage can reduce stress and the frequency of headaches. Thai While other massage therapies involve the use of oils on your skin to stroke sore muscles, Thai massage instead focuses on the stretching and gentle compression of your muscles while you are clothed. A study in the Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies found that participants who received a 30-minute Thai massage showed a significant decrease in muscle tension, pain and anxiety compared to a group that simply rested, making this a great option for those suffering from back pain, as well as stress, depression or anxiety. How to Find a Massage TherapistMassage therapists should be certified or licensed in their state. You can check the American Massage Therapy Association website for licensed therapists in your area, or ask friends, family and health professionals for referrals.
Massage is considered safe for most people, but ask your doctor first if you have skin burns or wounds, a tendency to develop blood clots, severe osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis or cancer.. "This will ensure you use more of your back and less of your arms," she explains.
Just like Hilgenberg's first routine, hit these workouts at least once each per week. If you really want to turn up the heat, complete each workout twice per week!
Side lateral raise Efficient At-Home Cardio Workout
No matter your skill level, this AMRAP-style workout (which stands for "as many rounds as possible") will challenge you. Complete each of the following exercises and repeat, resting only when necessary. See how many rounds you can complete in 15 minutes. Don't let the lack of equipment fool you. "It's short but brutal," explains DeLeon. "Try it!" | 1.382351 | 986 | 984 |
(Medical Xpress)—Patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia complain of chronic pain throughout their bodies, but often doctors have difficulty detecting what causes the pain, and therefore, how to treat it.
These patients also complain of hyperalgesia, or increased sensitivity to pain. A University of Florida study published in the July issue of the
European Journal of Pain has found that injections of the painkiller lidocaine in peripheral tissues such as muscles in the shoulders or buttocks reduced hyperalgesia, bringing researchers one step closer to understanding how chronic pain works within these patients.
"We hypothesized that if pain comes from the peripheral tissues, and we can take this pain away by injecting local anesthetics, then this would be indirect proof of the importance of peripheral tissues for the clinical pain of these individuals," said Dr. Roland Staud, a professor of medicine within the UF College of Medicine's department of medicine.
Sixty-two women diagnosed with fibromyalgia were involved in the study. Each woman received two injections in the trapezius muscles of the shoulders and the gluteal muscles of the buttocks, for a total of four injections per patient. The women were divided into several groups and given mechanical and heat pain stimuli immediately before and then 30 minutes after the injections. One group received four saline injections. The second group received four lidocaine injections.
Although the lidocaine injections significantly reduced hyperalgesia, the placebo injections did not. The study also found that the lidocaine and saline placebo injections both resulted in a 38 percent reduction in patients' clinical pain, or the pain a person feels at the point of injury as well as pain radiating throughout the area near the injury. There was no statistical difference between the painkiller and the saline placebo.
Treatment of chronic pain is difficult because doctors often can't detect evidence of injury at the site where patients experience pain, Staud said. But chronic pain affects the body differently than, for example, a single incident such as a leg break. It actually changes nerve function along patients' spinal cords, said Michael Robinson, director of the UF Center for Pain Research and Behavioral Health.
He said hyperalgesia is a phenomenon in which the nervous system becomes sensitized to stimulation, amplifying the intensity perceived by the patient. Knowing what kind of treatment is successful in treating this sensitivity could bring researchers closer to providing relief to patients—combating their hyperalgesia and curbing chronic pain.
"The best way to treat chronic pain conditions is multidisciplinary and multimodal, looking at emotional, sensory and tissue damage. We know there are central and peripheral and social and behavioral components to someone saying, 'Ow, it hurts,'" said Robinson, also a professor in the department of clinical and health psychology in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions.
For example, in a person with a history of cancer pain, even if the cancer has been treated and is in remission, experiencing new pain in the afflicted area can trigger associations with the pain surrounding the patient's cancer, including fears about the patient's prognosis and anxiety about treatment.
"That sensation may well feel more painful than if they just thought it was a tweaked a muscle," Robinson said.
Staud said the study can help them develop better ways of managing chronic pain.
"Over-the-counter medications and prescriptions such as opiates aren't really effective for controlling chronic pain conditions," Staud said. "We are able to explain the pain of chronic patients better and manage it better. We are making progress but it will take time."
Explore further: Understanding and managing chronic pain More information: Staud, R., Weyl, E.E., Bartley, E., Price, D.D. and Robinson, M.E. (2014), "Analgesic and anti-hyperalgesic effects of muscle injections with lidocaine or saline in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome." European Journal of Pain, 18: 803–812. DOI: 10.1002/j.1532-2149.2013.00422.x al. (2007). Guided Inquiry: Learning in the 21st Century. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Leskes, Andrea and Ross Miller (2006). Purposeful Pathways: Helping Students Achieve Key Learning Outcomes. Washington DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities. This publication describes how colleges and high schools can work together to design powerful and sequential learning—‘purposeful pathways’—for integrative learning, inquiry learning, global learning, and civic learning outcomes.
Wilhelm, Jeffrey. (2007) Engaging Readers & Writers with Inquiry (Theory and Practice) New York, NY: Scholastic Inc. | 1.309802 | 990 | 988 |
I once read a quote stated by Al Pacino for his character in a movie called City Hall (which I have not seen, because I do not watch R rated movies), and this quote explains very well what I mean by “
don’t judge Cinderella:” “Be careful how you judge people; you don’t sum up a man’s life in one moment.”
We often sum up the lives of other women, fairy princesses, and other species, especially other moms. At the sight of another mom’s success, joy, and fortune, we judge her Cinderella story:
“Who does she think she is… she doesn’t belong in a castle!?” “How did she get so lucky? The prince could have chosen ANY girl… and he chose her! “This is ridiculous. The slipper fits, and she gets to marry a prince!”
As the goodly townspeople we are, we nod, we smile, and wave at her. We may even throw rice at the carriage… yet inside we secretly resent her “happy ending” and are very suspicious of her fairy tale. We suddenly become experts in her life, her feelings, her intentions, her thoughts, and even her capabilities!
Maybe she’s a gold-digger – it can’t be true love after meeting the prince just once! She is nice now, but just wait until the crown gets to her head [literally!] Sure she’s pretty, but is she smart enough to rule a kingdom? …
We make up a shaming story about Cinderella without knowing of the hurtful loss, the hard work, the tough challenges, the unfair trials, the endless tears, and the insurmountable patience that preceded the happy ending.
We start with judgment, then comes the jealousy, and end up with justification… and for reasons we wouldn’t admit: her man, her promotion, her car, her well-mannered kids, her confidence, her shoes!
“How can she walk in those?” is not a tutorial request, if you know what I mean.
What is so insulting about Cinderella’s fairy tale? Henry David Thoreau once put it this way:
“It’s not what you look at that matters. It’s what you see.”
Let’s be honest. Cinderella is just following her fairy tale script. She was born to be a queen and believe me, she paid her dues. Cinderella is making the choices that are right for her, knowing the townspeople will criticize her either way. Our problem is not with Cinderella; our issue is with ourselves.
We feel insecure, unhappy, or unfulfilled. We feel threatened, scared, or intimidated. We feel envy because we want what she has.
And yes, Cinderella may find offense in our thoughts, actions, and words —
if she ever finds out— but quite frankly she will move on with her fairy tale life. We, on the other hand, get to keep the shame, guilt, and harsh self-judgment.
Next time you witness or find out about someone’s “
happy ending,”don’t sum up her life in a moment. Avoid stereotyping (fairy princesses are not all alike!), monitor your thoughts, and ask yourself what their true story could be; or better yet, ask your Cinderella about her journey… you will be surprised.
I encourage you to catch yourself, appreciate the self-awareness, and remember how it feels to be judged… chances are that like me, you have been in her glass slippers…maybe even more than once.
Are you judging Cinderella?A team of scientists at IBM and a Singapore research lab have designed a nanoparticle that homes in on antibiotic-resistant bacteria and launches a lethal assault, making resistance futile. And Big Blue's involvement has helped generate a tidal wave of interest around the globe for the project, which is still very much in the discovery phase.
The investigators' new strategy, which might eventually go on to become a potent approach in the war against MRSA, relies on a nanoparticle equipped with an electrical charge which is opposite to the charge on the membrane of bacteria. The nanoparticle zeroes in on the bacteria, links up and punches holes in its defense network. But the researchers are quick to note that the program, while intriguing, still faces animal studies ahead of any human clinical trials. And IBM wants to partner up with a developer who can take this therapeutic to market.
"We do a lot of exploratory research," Bob Allen, who runs the chemistry department at IBM Research-Almaden, tells the Wall Street Journal. "We're trying to leverage our expertise in physical chemistry...to develop new concepts and get into new markets through partnerships."
Faced with lean margins and big risks, pharma has largely pulled out of the whole antibiotic research field over the years. But given IBM's magnetic reputation and flair for new technology--as well as the high unmet need represented by MRSA--this program may no go unpartnered for long.
Read more on | 1.965334 | 1,016 | 1,014 |
Members of the building industry balked again Wednesday at a proposal by Orange County officials to make new development pay for its share of road improvements.
As expected, an advisory committee made up of developers, builders and their representatives rejected a county staff recommendation that would add impact fees of $1,570 to the price of each new home and $18,516 to the price of a small retail shop.
Committee members attacked the staff proposal for more than three hours before voting that they couldn't live with it. They agreed to meet again in about two weeks to consider other policies for handling the impact of growth on roads.
County Commissioner Lou Treadway, who leads the committee, tried to block the vote and called the panel's action ''a delaying tactic.'' He said later he may bring the staff proposal to the county commission before the advisory board makes its final recommendation.
''We are not going to accomplish anything by continued meetings,'' Treadway said.
The 25-member committee has been meeting since October 1983 to review a series of proposals on impact fees. The county already has adopted law enforcement and fire protection fees.
County Attorney Harry Stewart warned members Wednesday that they are subject to the Florida Government in the Sunshine Law. Members should not speak to each other about committee business outside of a publicized meeting, he said.
Stewart said later he did not know if members had met in private, but Treadway said he had ''heard skuttlebutt'' that some members had discussed their opposition to the county plan privately. Committee member Tom Ross last week sent a four-page analysis of the plan to seven committee members and to about 30 others in the building industry.
Asked if he met with other committee members since the last public meeting, Ross cited attorney-client privilege. Ross, an attorney who represents several major developers, said he has ''had numerous discussions'' with clients who are members, but he declined to tell what was said about impact fees.
''I do not intend to discuss with you or anybody else my discussions with my clients. It's an attorney-client privilege,'' he said.
Ross represents a group of home builders suing the county over its $78.40 fee on all new building to help support the sheriff's office.
County officials said they also expect to end up defending the transportation impact fee in court no matter what is approved.
County staff members offered a revised transportation impact fee proposal on Wednesday in an attempt to satisfy criticisms two weeks ago. Advisory board members were critical of the size of the planning districts and the size of the retail fee.
Both staff recommendations would raise about $63 million by 1990 and cover 52 percent of county road needs caused by growth.
The latest proposal calls for the county to be split into four planning districts instead of three. Fees from new construction in each district will pay for a road improvement plan for the district.
The amount of the fees will be based on the size of a building, its use and the traffic it would be expected to generate. As an example, for each 1,000 square feet, office buildings would pay $1,931 and large malls would pay $5,355.
County impact fee planner David Heath said the county could not lower the retail fee without raising other fees because the road costs are fixed.
Several developers responded to the proposal Wednesday by asking if the county could use other revenue sources such as the property tax to pay for road improvements. County officials replied that the commission already rejected the idea of trying to pay for the impact of growth that way.
''It doesn't surprise me that their using every delaying tactic they can,'' Treadway said. ''They've lost their credibility with me.'' this activity, students discover how CDOM can dominate the absorption of sunlight, how... (View More) sunlight degrades CDOM through photochemical oxidation, and how CDOM levels are related to nutrient status, stratification and mixing of the ocean. Materials needed include coffee mugs, hot water, spoons, and tea. This resource is found in Rising Tides, a journal created for teachers and students reporting on current oceanography research conducted by NASA, NOAA, and university scientists, featuring articles, classroom activities, readings, teacher/student questions, and imagery for student investigation of marine science. (View Less)
This is a hands-on lab activity about the composition of salt. Learners will explain the general relationship between an element's Periodic Table Group Number and its tendency to gain or lose electron(s), and explain the difference between molecular... (View More) compounds and ionic compounds. They will then use household materials to build a model to demonstrate sodium chloride's cubic form and describe the nature of the electrostatic attraction that holds the structure of salt together. Background information, common preconceptions, a glossary and more is included. This activity is part of the Aquarius Hands-on Laboratory Activities. (View Less) | 1.360433 | 1,006 | 1,004 |
People who question the assessor's value of their property have a chance to plead their case in the weeks to come as the local equalization hearings begin. It's too late for folks who didn't file appeal applications to challenge their values this year. They will have another chance next year. Tax bills cannot be appealed during the equalization process. With the help of Mary Worlie, Brown County director of equalization, the following questions have been answered in an effort to increase understanding of the process: Q.Why are there equalization hearings? A.If a property owner doesn't agree with the value the assessor's office assigns to a property and the disagreement cannot be resolved, an appointment before a board of equalization is set. Q.When are the hearings? A.The boards of equalization organize after today's Brown County Commission meeting. At that time, some routine work will be done. That includes approving property tax breaks for senior citizens who have limited incomes, permanently disabled veterans and tax-exempt properties such as churches and other nonprofit organizations. On April 15, the county board of equalization - comprised of the county commissioners - meets to resolve disagreements concerning rural property and land in smaller communities. The disputes were not resolved by township equalization boards that have already met. Commissioner Nancy Hansen does not sit on the county equalization board because she's a licensed appraiser and sitting in on the hearings would be a conflict of interest. On April 22, the consolidated board of equalization - comprised of three county commissioners, an Aberdeen City Council member and an Aberdeen public school board member - meet to listen to appeals from Aberdeen residents. Towns and townships choose whether they want to have a consolidated board. In Brown County, only Aberdeen does. Q.Why can't I just show up and appeal my property value? A.You needed to file an appeal. If you didn't meet the recent deadline, you have to wait until next year. Appeals and tax breaks almost always require applications to be filed, some yearly and some only once. Without the proper application, the chances of getting the benefits it affords is almost nil. "You have to pay attention ... you have rights, but you have responsibilities," Worlie said. Q.How many people are appealing township equalization decisions this year? A.About 50 people have filed applications to appear before the Brown County Board of Equalization. Of those, about 20 have cases have already been resolved. In nearly all of those cases, the assessor's office has adjusted values after reviewing the case. About 55 applications have been filed with the Aberdeen/Brown County consolidated board of equalization. Of those, all but 10 or so have already been resolved, mostly because the assessor's office made adjustments after reviewing the case. Q.What if I don't agree with the decision of the county or consolidated board of equalization? A.You can appeal to the state board of equalization, which generally meets in July, or file a lawsuit. The deadline to apply to the state is May 16. If Worlie or any county assessor doesn't agree with a county or consolidated board of equalization, she or he cannot appeal the decision. Q.How many people generally appeal to the state level or go to court? A.Generally one case a year goes that far in the process, Worlie said. Q.How many people in the Brown County office help assess property? A.The office has the equivalent of seven and a half workers, Worlie said. Together, they look at 25,000 parcels of property. That means not a lot of time is spent on each parcel, so, Worlie said, mistakes are made. Some people don't want representatives from the office in their homes. In those cases, Worlie said, assessors look at the outside of a home and estimate its value. Q.How do county assessors determine a property's value? A.Three criteria are used:
The building cost. Income potential. What it would sell for based on similar sales ideally in the same area. Q.What's the biggest misconception people have about the director of equalization's office? A."That we're out to stick it to them ... we're out to raise their taxes," Worlie said. She said many people forget that assessments are only one factor used to figure a tax bill. The other is the mill levy that's determined by the county budget. | 1.347934 | 905 | 904 |
Here we are on the last Sunday in Ordinary Time, the feast of Christ the King. This is the last Sunday before Advent begins, the last Sunday of wearing green vestments. In the past weeks, we’ve read through much of the Gospel of Luke. We are on the verge of Advent, but before we can get to all our favorite Advent stories, here we are with this story of Christ on the Cross. It seems a surprising story so far from Passiontide. It’s unexpected, somehow, to be hearing about this in late November. So how do we bridge the gap from the crucified Christ to the soon-to-be-born infant Jesus?
We’ll start in a place far from Jerusalem, far from the hill called “Skull”.
My husband and I were standing in line in front of the
Accademia in Florence. It had been his dream to see Michelangelo’s David, and now here we were, on a crisp autumn morning, with all the other tourists in comfortable walking shoes, waiting for our turn to go into the museum to see the statue. Suddenly a gaggle of scruffy pre-teens came rushing up to us. They didn’t really look Italian; gypsies, most likely. Dirty faces, torn clothes, old shoes. They formed a scrum around us and shoved big pieces of cardboard at us on which were written their stories – I am poor! I have nothing to eat! Please give me money! Even as we were reading the cardboard signs, they were reaching underneath them --- and trying to pick our pockets. One of us in line noticed what was happening and shouted an alarm. We grabbed our respective purses and wallets and yelled at the street urchins. They ran off, cursing us in Italian and Romany. Shaken, we double-checked our pockets and thanked those who had figured out what was happening.
I hadn’t thought of that story for many years, until I saw a newspaper article in the Washington Post three years ago. It told the story of Mario Capecchi, who survived as just such a street urchin in WWII Italy after his mother, an anti-Fascist intellectual, had been hauled off to the Dachau concentration camp. Before she was taken, she had given some money to a neighbor to care for her son Mario, who was then just three years old. The neighbor cared for him until the money ran out, and then turned him out onto the streets. He went from town to town, occasionally living in orphanages, but mostly begged and stole and survived on his wits. He nearly died of malnutrition and was in a hospital in Bologna when his mother, liberated from Dachau, finally found him in 1946. A year later, an uncle in America sent money for them to emigrate, and Mario began a new life, one that included degrees from Antioch and Harvard and a fellowship under the discoverer of the structure of DNA, James Watson. Capecchi did groundbreaking work in gene targeting. And so, three years ago, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine. A street urchin to a Nobel Laureate. Not what one would expect.
This gospel passage is another case of unexpected people doing unexpected things. We shouldn’t be surprised by this; it has been the case all the way through the Gospel of Luke. In Luke’s world, the outsider is usually the hero of the tale, and the folks who are the in-crowd usually get it wrong.
What’s going on in this passage, one that is so very familiar to us?
Jesus hangs on the cross. He’s been up there so long that gravity has taken its toll. The wounds on his head and hands no longer freely bleed. The bloodstains on his face and palms have dried to a dark-wine crust. His shoulders creak with pain. The crowd, who had called for his execution, is watching silently now, but the soldiers and the leaders mock him. The sign on the cross mocks him: “Jesus, King of the Jews.” Even one of the criminals hanging beside him mocks him, daring him to save himself and the criminal, too. In their eyes, this is no king. This is just another broken troublemaker who got what he deserved.
But the criminal on Jesus’ other side sees something more in him than a loser, a failed religious leader. This criminal chastises the first one: “We are being justly punished, but this man doesn’t deserve this. He did nothing wrong.”
That would be remarkable enough coming from the mouth of a dying criminal, but the moment takes an even more surprising turn: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” This is more than a personal request. It is an acknowledgment of Jesus as King of a kingdom not of this world.
And then Jesus does what he usually does when a person opens his heart to the Anointed One and asks for help.
Even in the pain of the moment, with the taste of blood and sour | 1.440675 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
ERIC Number:ED272138 Record Type:RIE Publication Date:1984 Pages:76 Abstractor:N/A Reference Count:0 ISBN:N/A ISSN:N/A
[IDEAS For Equitable Computer Learning.]
Schubert, Jane G.; And Others
Designed to assist educators in improving computer learning opportunities for students, this packet of materials presents practical strategies that address 12 barriers to equitable instruction: (1) lack of encouragement for females and minority students to use computers; (2) potential value of computer learning more apparent to males than females; (3) bias against females and minorities in software and advertising; (4) prerequisites irrelevant for computer access and instruction; (5) limited computer access for females during free time at school; (6) underrepresentation of females and minority students in computer clubs; (7) dominance by one student over another during computer time; (8) pressure from peers not to participate in computer activities; (9) underrepresentation of females in computer leadership roles; (10) inappropriate location of computers within schools; (11) inability of teachers and students to recognize and deal with problems in computer learning; and (12) shortage of qualified personnel for computer learning. For each of the barriers, a 3- to 4-page leaflet presents illustrations and discussion of situations that constitute the barrier; suggestions for appraising whether the illustrated problem exists in a particular setting; activities for developing awareness among staff and students about the problem and its consequences; suggested actions for improving the computer learning environment; and ways to assess whether the actions have been effective. In addition, IDEAS includes a computer survey for students, an educator's self-assessment questionnaire, discussions of and suggestions for early childhood computer readiness and out-of-school computer access, and a bibliography of selected references in the areas of gender equity and computer education. (Author/JB)
Descriptors: Access to Education, Computer Literacy, Computer Uses in Education, Educational Opportunities, Elementary Secondary Education, Equal Education, Females, Microcomputers, Minority Groups, Questionnaires, Sex Bias, Sex Differences, Sex Fairness, Sex Stereotypes, Student Attitudes, Surveys
American Institutes for Research, P.O. Box 1113, Palo Alto, CA 94302 ($9.00).
Publication Type:Guides - Non-Classroom; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires Education Level:N/A Audience:Practitioners Language:English Sponsor:N/A Authoring Institution:American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences, Palo Alto, CA. Note:For a digest incorporating some of these ideas, see ED 263 910.You are here EU seeks to inject momentum into capital markets project
[LONDON] The European Union sought to breathe new life into its flagging capital markets union (CMU) project on Wednesday by urging the European parliament and member states to accelerate approval of the reforms.
The project, which aims to make it easier for companies to raise funds through bonds and equities, has made slow progress since its launch last year. But the EU is determined to speed the process after Britain's June vote to leave the EU removed a major opponent of greater centralisation of markets supervision.
The European Commission, the EU executive, set out steps on Wednesday to ensure CMU has a "tangible impact" as soon as possible.
"It's now time to finish the first building blocks of the Capital Markets Union and move forward with new priorities," Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said in a statement. "We'll work closely with co-legislators so we can progress quickly and make the CMU a reality."
The Commission acknowledged that further work will be needed to reinforce "the European dimension of supervision" and said it will consider a recommendation from a panel of EU leaders for a single European capital markets supervisor.
Apart from seeking approval for reforms of prospectus rules and securitisation, the EU executive said there is also a need to finalise changes to venture capital markets by the end of this year.
"In addition, the Commission intends to take forward a programme to support the development of national and regional capital markets in member states," it added.
The commission said it would amend insurance and banking legislation by the end of the year to "further unlock private investment in infrastructure and small and medium sized enterprises".
The EU executive will also present a draft law on business restructuring that it said would allow "honest entrepreneurs to benefit from a second chance after overcoming bankruptcy".
There will also be a proposal in November to help even out rules that currently give preferential tax treatment to debt over equity, plus a move next year to introduce a simple, efficient and competitive pan-EU pensions product.
Regulators across the EU will also develop a coordinated approach to help the bloc encourage financial technology start ups, the Commission added.
REUTERS | 1.387174 | 996 | 994 |
Ferguson, K. H. and Fukai, S. and Wilson, G. L. and Toleman, Mark (1985)
Effects of post-transplant water deficits on leaf development and yield of winter planted tobacco in north Queensland. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 36 (1). pp. 51-61. ISSN 0004-9409 Abstract
[Abstract]:
The effect of water deficit on floral initiation, leaf development and yield of commercial leaf of tobacco planted in the winter was studied in northern Queensland. The deficits were induced by different watering treatments at transplanting in combination with a range of times during which irrigation was withheld after transplanting. In addition, the effect of two periods of water deficits on flower and leaf development was investigated in a pot experiment under controlled environment conditions.
Water deficits after transplanting delayed floral initiation and allowed more leaves to be produced. Moreover, the size of most leaves of commercial value was increased by water deficit; for example, withholding water for 28 days after transplanting increased the area and dry weight of commercial yield per plant by 33%. Results from the pot experiment demonstrated that the larger leaf area resulted from an extended period of linear growth and a greater rate of expansion after water deficits were relieved.
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Item Type: Article (Commonwealth Reporting Category C) Refereed: Yes Item Status: Live Archive Additional Information: Author version not held. Published version cannot be displayed. See Publisher's link to published version. Faculty / Department / School: Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Maths and Computing Date Deposited: 29 Sep 2010 01:32 Last Modified: 02 Jul 2013 23:17 Uncontrolled Keywords: post-transplant; water deficits; leaf development; yield; tobacco; Queensland Fields of Research : 07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences > 0703 Crop and Pasture Production > 070306 Crop and Pasture Nutrition Socio-Economic Objective: B Economic Development > 82 Plant Production and Plant Primary Products > 8203 Industrial Crops > 820305 Tobacco URI: http://eprints.usq.edu.au/id/eprint/5165 Actions (login required)
Archive Repository Staff OnlyTitle
Technologies of representation: Fields of rhetorical action in transnational feminist encounters
Date of Award
2005
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Writing Program
Advisor(s)
Eileen E. Schell
Keywords
Circulation, Digital texts, Technologies, Rhetorical action, Transnational, Feminist encounters
Subject Categories
Rhetoric and Composition
Abstract
In this dissertation, I examine how websites function as global fields of rhetorical action for feminist activism across geopolitical, cultural, and economic borders. I begin by defining the term global fields of rhetorical action and explicating its usefulness for rhetorical scholars through an analysis of the digital circulation of a debate between two feminist organizations. From this analysis, I then demonstrate the exigence for feminist rhetoricians to develop alternative conceptual and methodological frameworks that place our work in a global sphere and account for the transformation of rhetorical action through digital technology. I propose a new methodology--- rhetorical genealogy ---that examines digital texts as both historical and ephemeral, one that specifically focuses on the circulation and consumption of digital texts. I demonstrate the efficacy of this new methodology through an extended analysis of the circulation and consumption of the digital representations of Palestinian women produced by the Women's Affairs Technical Committee , an organization of Palestinian women working within a geopolitical site of conflict. A rhetorical genealogy of this website reveals the ways in which digital representations are acted upon by mainstream and feminist audiences in the U.S. as they travel through multiple fields of rhetorical action. This analysis extends and complicates Kenneth Burke's rhetorical concepts of identification and difference by employing transnational feminist Sara Ahmed's stranger theory and technology theorist Paul Virilio's theory of real-time to reveal the transformation of identification and difference in transnational digital rhetorics and contexts. I argue that rhetorical scholars must broaden our understanding of rhetorical action to account for both the global and digital transformation of local, regional, and global relations of power.
Access
Restricted
Recommended Citation
Queen, Mary Teresa, "Technologies of representation: Fields of rhetorical action in transnational feminist encounters" (2005).
Writing Program – Dissertations. Paper 12. http://surface.syr.edu/wp_etd/12
http://libezproxy.syr.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1014323431&sid=7&Fmt=2&clientId=3739&RQT=309&VName=PQD | 1.273077 | 1,006 | 1,004 |
The aphorism “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” is as old as time itself — or nearly, anyway. According to our good friend Wikipedia, its first recorded use was in a Sanskrit tome on statecraft from the 4th century BC, which means we’ve at least 2,500 years of political cynicism preceding the election campaign in which we’re currently embroiled. As far as political expediency goes, though, that particular nugget of wisdom is one that’s best regarded with suspicion — as the ongoing pitched battle between the camps of Donald Trump and Fox News demonstrates nicely.
Ever since Trump announced that he was withdrawing from the latest in an endless series of Republican debates because he felt moderator Megyn Kelly had been “unfair” to him, there’s been a sort of rueful admiration for her emanating from unlikely sources: the
Guardian, for instance, suggested that “Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly is not the first journalist to incur the wrath of Donald Trump. But she may be the first to have forced the combative Republican presidential frontrunner into submission.”
There’s no doubt about the fact that Trump is a blowhard and a bully. As such, then, there’s been a degree of admiration for anyone’s who’s seen as having stood up to him, even if that person happens to be Megyn Kelly of Fox News. And it is indeed tempting to bestow some rueful praise on Kelly after seeing her challenge Trump on his treatment of women, and witnessing Trump’s subsequent bloviating on that topic (Salon, for instance, described her as being “caught between being a reasonable, smart journalist and being a Fox News pitbull”).
But is the enemy of our enemy a true friend to the groups Trump is attacking? It’s a good time to revisit an article from a couple of weeks back, wherein Gawker’s Sam Biddle points out (in a very Gawker-y manner) that Kelly is (and remains) horrible person. If she’s a feminist —
if — she’s also a walking reminder that one can be a feminist and an asshole.
Kelly also remains living proof of the fact that standing up to Donald Trump does not in and of itself make you worthy of admiration. The Republican establishment is sick of Donald Trump because he is undermining decades’ worth of careful work directed toward getting the American public to vote in direct contradiction to its own self-interest. Fox News is sick of Donald Trump because he is undermining their ability to control the conservative narrative.
None of this changes the fact that all the people involved in this dust-up remain as worth of condemnation and contempt as they were six months ago, before the whole Trump traveling sideshow took to the road in its garish jalopy. Fox News may or may not be the enemy of the left’s enemy — one suspects that they’ll all be BFFs again if Trump wins the GOP nomination — but either way, these are the same Rupert Murdoch-funded propagandists who’ve been flooding America with right-wing bilge for the last 20 years.
You’d think this would be self-evident, but these subtleties are surprisingly elusive in America’s polarized landscape — the pervasive atmosphere that dictates those on your side are inherently and thoroughly good and those on the others are inherently and thoroughly bad is hard to escape, even if you consider yourself smart and/or educated enough to know better. Clearly, a good/bad dichotomy poses all sorts of problems when you have anything beyond two polarized parties, i.e. pretty much any case that occurs in the actual real world. This, perhaps, is why Americans tend to conflate ISIS with al-Qaeda (they hate one another, for the record), or why George W. Bush could group three wildly different and mutually hostile countries into an “Axis of Evil.”
Bush’s use of the word “evil” in relation to his fictional axis is particularly telling, because it highlights a key difference between left and right: the left has long shied away from ethics, perhaps because for so long the subject has been conflated with religion, which in turn has been conflated with right-wing demagogues ranting about who God does or doesn’t want us to kill at any given moment. But ethics — questions of what is morally right, what is just and fair — is a subject that the left should engage with, because much of what the right advocates is ethically untenable.
This goes for both Donald Trump and Fox News, and it’s the basis on which they should both be condemned. Trump’s policies, such as they are — building a wall along the Mexican border, banning Muslims from entering America, etc. — aren’t just ridiculous; they’re
wrong. Turning away refugees is morally reprehensible. Outsourcing cheap exploitative labor and a ridiculous War on Drugs to a southern neighbor, and then closing the border to that country’s citizens, is morally reprehensible. So, too, is the garbage that Fox pumps into American discourse on any given day.
The | 1.826241 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
The capture on 6 March of the hardline Khmer Rouge leader Ta Mok, who is known as "the Butcher" for his role as Pol Pot's right-hand man during the years of Khmer Rouge rule, is a very positive development. The US has been working very hard over the past year to accomplish this objective. Secretary Albright personally raised this subject during her recent visit to South-East Asia. At Assistant Secretary Roth's direction, Ambassador Quinn has actively pursued this matter with Prime Minister Hun Sen and other Cambodian officials. I did the same during my recent visit to Cambodia, as did Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes David Scheffer.
We have conveyed to the Cambodian government and the international community our strong conviction that those senior Khmer Rouge leaders must be brought to justice for their horrendous crimes and we are continuing to work with other interested countries to pursue the establishment of an appropriate international tribunal for this purpose.
The Cambodian government has a historic opportunity to rebuild the trust of the Cambodian people and to instil confidence in the rule of law by pursuing justice for the leaders of the Khmer Rouge. The government's handling of this issue will send a powerful signal to the people of Cambodia about whether the culture of impunity in Cambodia can be eliminated. The government's handling of this issue will also be an important part of how Cambodia is perceived within the international community.
The government's stated goal of sustainable development within a system of law cannot be achieved when justice is denied on an issue that has so profoundly affected so many Cambodians. We do not believe that the pursuit of justice is inherently destabilising as some have suggested in this case. On the contrary, we firmly believe that bringing senior Khmer Rouge leaders to justice is a necessary part of the long-term process of Cambodian national reconciliation.
The Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes and members of his staff have worked diligently with representatives of the Cambodian government to outline our views on this subject, and we anticipate that we will meet with the Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong during his visit to New York this week to continue this dialogue
The hardships the Cambodian people face are enormous: the legacy of nearly two decades of war coupled with a failed 10-year experiment in socialist central planning. The country is ranked 140 out of 167 countries on the UN's human development list. The statistics are disheartening: half of all children are stunted or chronically malnourished; in every 200 live births, one mother dies; almost 12 per cent of all children born die before the age of five. The country has the fastest growing rate of HIV infection in Asia. And, as a consequence of landmines, Cambodia has a higher proportion of amputees than any other country in the world.
Our current assistance programme is squarely targeted at addressing these needs by providing $12m in the areas of maternal and child health, HIV/Aids education and prevention, micro-enterprise lending, assistance to war and mine victims and democracy and governance.
Last month, in Tokyo, the United States took part in the International Consultative Group meeting on Cambodia, which sought to reach a multilateral consensus on meeting Cambodia's pressing development needs. While we signalled our support for an international response to these needs, we told our international development partners at that meeting that the level and nature of our future assistance programmes will depend in large part on the Cambodian government's actions.
The United States and other donors will be looking for tangible progress toward genuine democracy, respect for human rights and demonstrated results by the government in carrying out much needed economic reforms.Reuse contentDr Melissa Gladstone, Clinical Lecturer in Child Health, has been awarded the David Harvey Memorial Prize by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
She won the award for ‘best abstract on research on child health in a developing country setting’. The research looks at outcomes of babies born prematurely in rural Malawi. It is the first study of its kind which has been done using accurately ultrasound dated data in a community setting in rural Africa.
It shows that of surviving infants seen at six weeks, twice as many of the babies born prematurely died by two years of life in comparison to babies born at term and even if they survive the first month of life. The premature infants followed up were almost all late-premature infants (born after 32 weeks gestation, as most of the premature infants born at earlier gestations did not survive to six weeks. Of these late premature infants followed up, they were more likely to have developmental delay and/or problems with their growth and nutrition.
The study highlights the ongoing problems that babies who are born prematurely have, even if they survive to begin with, and has highlighted the need for more appropriate interventions to prevent these problems occurring.
Her research is conducted with Dr Nynke van den Broek from the School of Tropical Medicine, Sarah White and George Kafulafula based in Malawi and Professor Jim Neilson from the Liverpool Women’s. | 1.414106 | 1,022 | 1,020 |
There is no doubt that alcohol abuse and other self-destructive behaviors are major problems among modern Indians. Is this a medical issue that will be solved by psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers? Or is this a political issue that can be solved only by ending the oppression of Indians? There are of course many healthy and happy Indians, and they are used by the dominant culture as evidence that oppression is not related to self-destructive behaviors, but that is as silly as pointing to veterans who have survived war as evidence that war is not related to death.
I am a clinical psychologist who is not only ashamed of America’s historic oppression of Indians but who is also ashamed of the mental health profession. Blaming biochemistry or genetics for self-destructive behaviors has been a lucrative lie for drug companies and the rest of the mental health industry; it has also diverted the dominant culture from examining a dehumanizing society.
Today, Indians will tell you that they know plenty of crazy or insane folks among them, but was this always the case? The 1916 book The Institutional Care of the Insane of the United States and Canada reports: “Dr. Lillybridge of Virginia, who was employed by the government to superintend the removal of Cherokee Indians in 1827-8-9, and who saw more than 20,000 Indians and inquired much about their diseases, informs us he never saw or heard of a case of insanity among them.” Over the last two centuries, virtually all anthropological and epidemiological studies have shown a strong relationship between extended contact with European-American civilization and insanity or schizophrenia.
Similarly, alcohol and drug abuse is most severe in traditional cultures which have been decimated by Western Civilization. One of the most widely used arguments for the genetic view of alcohol abuse is the “Oriental flush”: the reddening after drinking that frequently characterizes those with Asian ancestry, including Indians. But individuals from Asian backgrounds who flush do not necessarily have more drinking problems than those who don’t. “Flushing groups” have both the highest rates of alcoholism (e.g., Indians) and the lowest rates (e.g., Chinese). Rather than looking towards the biochemical and genetic, the answer is obvious to social psychologist Stanton Peele, author of Diseasing of America: “It would certainly seem that Eskimos’ and Indians’ abnegated state in America and their isolation from the American economic and achievement-oriented system inflate their alcoholism rates.”
I believe the dominant culture is receiving a certain kind of justice for both its lies and its oppression of Indians. For stolen land and genocidal practices, Indians have certainly not received political, legal, or economic justice. However, there is a justice being meted out for forcing Indians into become something they are not. Because of its denial and its failure to make amends for the violence of coercion, the dominant culture’s karma is to repeat this with its own children. Increasingly, the dominant culture’s “different” children, stubborn, bored, and shy kids (considered perfectly healthy in traditional cultures), are diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder, attention deficit disorder, and social anxiety disorder — and drugged into conformity.
The dominant culture’s karma for ignoring the resentment of Indians for forced conformity is that it now ignores its own children’s resentment over similar >coercion. And the dominant culture’s justice is a death sentence. Its very >roots — family relationships — are being destroyed by its children’s resentment, which acts on the dominant culture like a slow-killing poison.
Bruce E. Levine, Ph.D., is a psychologist and author of Commonsense Rebellion: Taking Back Your Life from Drugs, Shrinks, Corporations, and a World Gone Crazy.When you open up trade opportunities, will the benefits go to people with high incomes or people with low incomes? Brad DeLong walks through the logic that says that if foreigners have a comparative advantage in high-income occupations (such as computer programming), this will be of more benefit to low-income U.S. workers than if the other country's comparative advantage is in low-skill work.
In this context, it is interesting that the journalistic upset about outsourcing appears to arise because of the impression that foreigners are competing with the relatively rich--radiologists, programmers, et cetera. I believe that we should worry a lot more about outsourcing if it puts downward pressure on the salaries of the working class than if it puts downward pressure on the incomes of the yuppie class. But that's not what's in the journalistic zeitgeist.
My sense is that the journalistic zeitgeist is that all economic phenomena must be put in a negative light. This is always the case, but it seems to be particularly urgent with a Republican in the White House.
Read Brad's full post for a nice example of general equilibrium modeling.
For Discussion. While outsourcing grabs much of the ink, what are the economic stories that are being under-reported? | 1.893733 | 1,001 | 999 |
Sciencein Christian Perspective
Sociology and the Christian Student: A Statement of the Problem 1Richard Perkins Houghton College Houghton, New York 14744
From:
JASA 32 (June1980): 114-118. It appears to be self-evident that a certain amount of antipathyexists between evangelical and fundamentalistic forms of Christianity on the onehand, and the behavioral sciences on the other. Moreover, sociology in particularseems to attract more than its share of attention when this antipathy is recognizedand debated publicly. A friend recently attended a Southern Baptist church inFlorida and returned with this account of the message: the minister emphaticallyagrued that college education can-and often does-create real problems for theChristian student. He therefore recommended that parents in the congregation sendtheir sons and daughters to (preferably local) "Bible-believing" colleges.Beyond this, he maintained that under no circumstances should they permit theirchildren-whether they be at a local Christian college or not to- enroll in sociologycourses. For, should higher education in general not prove fatal to their faith,sociology surely would. As a college professor, a sociologist, and as one who would classify himself (shouldthe need arise) as an evangelical Christian, I believe the minister has a point.Of course, I do not think that intellectually capable students should stay outof college or that they should avoid sociology: at the very least, my vested interestsin both would urge me to reject that stance. But I do believe that Christian faithand sociology do not easily mix --that is, they do not lend themselves as readilyto intellectual synthesis as biology (or, better yet, physics) and Christianity. Of course, this is not the first time a more general version of this issue hasbeen raised. The question of the incompatability of science and religion is, obviously,one which has received the attention of many scholars. 2 The central question in these essays revolves around thereal or apparent intellectual antipathy between faith and reason as the basisfor one's world view. While there need be no necessary logical inconsistency betweenthese two perspectives, we find that they are often held to be alternative, ratherthan merely different, orientations used in making sense out of the world. Theapparent 'winner' in this on-going struggle has been science whereas the Bibleclaims that the "just shall live by faith," the typical citizen of modernsociety increasingly seems to prefer living by empirical observation. From theoutcome of the famous Scopes trial to the local pastor who now consults psychologytexts in order to formulate his moral pronouncements on the effects of TV viewing,science has steadily made inroads into areas previously defined as the exclusivedomain of religion. 3 In addition to the issues arising from science posed as an alternative Weltanschauung,the argument has also extended to the more specific subject of the behavioralsciences. Here again there is no shortage of analytical literature. It is whenreligion (as an individual's belief system or as a bureaucratic organization)becomes the dependent variable in psychological, anthropological, or sociologicaltheories that the otherwise implicit conflict between social science and religiouscommitment becomes explicit. Here the student is confronted with empirical evidence-notsomeone's opinion, mind you-demonstrating that religiosity vanes with such non-supernaturalfactors as income, sex, occupational status, education, authoritarianism, anomie,tolerance for ambiguity, peer group pressures, and various forms of psychologicalcomplexes. Moreover, the churches which parishioners form in their collectivepursuit of organized religion typically turn out to be very similar to non-religiousbureaucratic organizations in their financial manipulations, promotional schemes,career motivations, and so forth. In other words, behavioral science has shownreligion to be a very human (i.e.. "secular") activity indeed, and whilethis may not provide Christian students with a rationale for pitching their faith,it probably causes many of them to look at religion in a very different (and henceforthcritical) light. The Sociology- Christianity Debate When we focus more specifically on the role of sociology in this on-going debate,we find that very little has been written-especially when the object is to analyzethe effect that the study of sociology has on the religious commitment of theevangelical Christian student. 4 Rather than attempt a full-scale analysis of all the 'trouble spots.' I brieflydiscuss two issues in contemporary sociology which pose potential problems forChristian faith-particularly the faith of Christian students studying sociologyfor the first time. One of these issues deals with the results of empirical studiesin the sociology of religion and the other arises from sociological theory asapplied to the interpretation of one's daily existence. Empirical Findings and Faith There exists within sociology a strong, yet often implicit, theme which PeterBerger and others refer to as the "debunking motif:" "The | 1.811414 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
sociological frame of reference, with its built-in procedure of lookingfor levels of reality other than those given in the official definitions of society,carries with it the logical imperative to unmask the pretensions and the propagandaby which men cloak their actions with each other." 5 In some cases this unmasking effort is deliberate and therefore obvious. For example,sociologists point out that things are not always as them seem: that the operationsof bureaucratic organizations are influenced by informal social controls whichare not included on the official tables of organizational authority or that people"fall in love" for many reasons which are not recognized (or, at leastnot acknowledged publicly) by the lovers themselves. In other words, sociologistsoften find through their studies of social behavior that there is a lot more goingon than what thepeople say is going on. Moreover, these "unofficial" levels of realityuncovered by sociological analysis involve insights which to many seem threatening.For example, lovers tend to become somewhat disenchanted when it is pointed outto them that many of the factors which play a part in shaping their relationshiphave absolutely nothing to do with Cupid's arrows. 6 More to the point, sociology has contributed alternative perspectives on religiousinteraction which many persons find uncomfortable- -perhaps even outrageous. Forexample, it was the sociologist Max Weber, following the suggested (if somewhatless sophisticated) lead of Karl Marx, who undertook the first fullscale empiricalinvestigation of religious styles and social location, showing that religiousworld views vary in systematic and consistent ways from one social class to another.More recently, H. Richard Niebuhr has given us a detailed sociohistorical analysisof denominational growth and the political and economic forces which, at leastin part, generated them. 7 Empirical studies in the sociology of religion have frequently revealed findingswhich debunk the image many Christian students have of the church. Liston Pope'sanalysis of Gastonia, North Carolina, for example, uncovered the blatant ideologicalfunctions of local Protestant churches and the role that sermons played in thwartingthe union effort in the textile industry. 8 Festinger's study of a millenarian sectreveals that the underlying dynamic in binding a congregation together is basedupon social and psychological factors having little, if anything, to do with acknowledgedreligious goals. 9 Other studies have also shown that vigorous orthodox commitments often come frompersons who represent anything but those who have been profoundly "touchedby the love of God." For the most part, these studies have shown that religiousorthodoxy and religious commitment are strongest in those persons who are mostauthoritarian and dogniatic, 10 illiberal and closeminded, 11 socially isolated, 12 ethnocentric, 13 and anti-democratic. 14 Findingssuch as these are hardly likely to make the Christian student wish to renew hisor her commitment to the family of professed believers. 15 An addition to pointing out that God's people possess feet of clay, (or even perhapsthat their feet are dirtier than most), sociological analysis also rests uponthe observation that values are relative to the group which endorses them: thatis to say, one's perception of the world is more realistically described as aninterpretation and one's interpretation varies according to the group in whichone is socially located. Thus, the student of sociology inevitably discovers thatvalues are relative. Yet, at the same time, the Christian is, by definition, committedto a set of absolute values -conceptions of how the world ought to operate whichare said not to be subject to historical, geographic, or social factors. Eventhough the value-relativism of the social scientists belongs in the category ofempirical claims while the absolute values of the Christian respresent a non-empiricaljudgment, the possibility of intellectual tension between the two nonethelessexists. For many Christian students, a "belief in" one necessitatesrethinking one's "belief in" the other. There is at least one more reason to suspect that the findings from sociologicalresearch tend 10 run counter to the world-view shared by most Christian students.Most of these students subscribe to the common sense notion that attitudes havecausal primacy over behavior. Even though this "attitudes first" thesisis widely held in American culture in general, there is good reason to suspectthat evangelical Christians have an even greater attachment to this style of thinking.The basic goal of evangelical Christians is to expand the influence of Christon earth. The means to this end is some variation of "soul-winning."Here the mind of the non-believer is the basic focus rather than the non-believer'sbehavior. In other words, the emphasis is on the "heart" rasher thansuperficial externalities of behavior. To express this in biblical terms, theEpistle of James, while not forgotten, takes a back seatto the Epistle of Hebrews: faith is placed first -and changes in behavior | 1.933449 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
follow. The point here is not to debate the theological issue at hand, but to point outthat this sort of reasoning is likely to have an effect on the way in which onegenerally interprets the world. It is at this point that the student discovers(and, it is my experience that this discovery is accompanied by some degree ofdiscomfort) that conclusions from research studies run counter to this assertion.Although the attitudes-behavior relationship is at least in part reciprocal, theemphasis appears so he on behavior changing attitudes, rather than on the otherway around. Thomas Pettigrew puts the matter succinctly: "behaving differentlymore often precedes thinking differently." 16 What is at issue here is not merely a matter of revising one's thoughts abouta rather abstract relationship. Rather, this intellectual shift has the potentialto shift one's theology as well, and it is this shift which brings out the realthreat. Is must occur to at least some of these students that one's religiouscommitment is a function of one's typical behavior (as a factor of one's sociallocation, reference groups, etc.). Peter Berger, whose Invitation To Sociologyis assigned reading in many introductory courses, says as much in the followingquote: "Rules carry with them both certain actions and the emotions and attitudesthat belong to these actions. ...The preacher finds himself believing what he preaches ... In other words, onebecomes (a believer) by engaging in activities which presuppose belief." 17Many students find this notion upsetting not simply because it contradicts thespeculations of common sense, but because it threatens to undermine the validityof their spiritual commitment. Sociological Theory and Religious Faith As is indicated in the preceding paragraph, underlying all theoretical work insociology-from functiunalistic stratification models to labeling theories of socialdeviance-is the proposition that reality is socially constructed. This enterprisein reality construction initially takes place as human beings collectively projectmeanings unto objects and events which confront them. Thus, instead of confrontinga chaotic and therefore terrifying world, the average member of society can restassured that Normal people are going about their Normal affairs. The crucial point in all this- -and one which often goes unnoticed unless sociologistsare around to point it out -is that this socially constructed reality is stabilizedby the inevitable process of reification, whereby these meanings take on an ontologicalstatus they otherwise do not deserve. It is one thing for persons to declare that"little girls are not aggressive," thereby creasing (assuming this isa new idea) a predictable and therefore meaningful social world in which to operate:it is quite another thing to assume that little girls must be unaggressive. Themotive for the first statement is usually nothing more than sheer convenience:the behavior of little girls ought to be at least somewhat predictable; if itwere not, social order would be less tenable than it already is. Here it is impliedthat normal little girls can be anything humanly imaginable and that unaggrcssivcnessis the role we somehow happened to settle on. But the second statement more accuratelycharacterizes the social world in which most of us live most of the time; theissue of normality in little-girl behavior is not ordinarily open for seriousdebate. Once established as Normal behavior, our roles as traditionally definedtend to become fixed and immutable; in other words, the meanings symbolized bythese roles become reified. Of course, all of these ideas are common to any introductory sociology course. 18It is my experience that ideas such as these tend to transform the consciousnessof students; what was previously seen as ordinary (and rather dull) everyday socialbehavior now becomes a fascinating if not consciously-planned conspiracy to maintainan artificial, socially imposed set of meanings. But the Christian student islikely to react with shock when he or she learns of the part which religion hashistorically played in this conspiracy. This is neither the time nor the place to go into a detailed empirical accountof how religious movements have involved themselves in reality-maintenance enterprisesthroughout history. 19 More to the point of this paper, it should be emphaticallyunderscored that this sort of intellectual revelation can, and often does, havea profound effect upon Christian students. Quite often these students have previouslybeen encouraged to think of religion as a purely personal affair-not in the sensethat it is "private," but in the sense that religion has not been perceivedas a collective social enterprise subject to the same institutional factors asare other spheres of collective action. When seen as just one more institutionalizedactivity, religious faith can become (to use Max Weber's famous concept) disenchanted:i.e., it can lose its distinctive character. When the realm of the sacred fallswithin the analytical purview of the social scientist, the phenomenon itself mustinevitably be transformed from a unique aspect of human experience into just anothermundane human activity. The point here is to acknowledge that the Christian studentof social behavior is likely so find him or herself in a | 2.046196 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
difficult position: thedetached sardonic observer is a tough role to integrate with that of committedbeliever. The result is quite often either anxiety and tension or an alterationof one or both of the roles, so that they can be played without enduring the cognitivedissonance involved. When the second option is exercised, the result will be apoor grasp of sociology's analytical purpose, the loss of some measure of religiouscommitment, or perhaps an alteration of the original religious world view. Closely related to this problem is the collectivistic orientation of sociologyand the typically individualistic nature of contemporary Christian faith. Oneof the distinct traits of Christianity-Protestantism in particular, and its evangelicalwings even more so-is its individualistic character. Christ may indeed have "diedfor the sins of the world" but evangelicals stress that the atonement musttake on a distinctly personal significance for the individual believer. Throughoutthe conversation of the typical Christian one notes an orientation focused onthe individual and not the corporate nature of social life: for example, the conceptof sin is normally thought of in individualistic terms. As God commands us tolove our neighbor, so those who hate are sinning-and are doing it individually.Similarly, the sinner is seen as reconciled to God through Christ as an individualand not in any corporate sense. (The "old dispensation" may have stressedthe social covenant, but the "new dispensation" does not). As a result,the idea that the church represents something more than the total number of individualsaints is certainly an uncommon notion for evangelical Christians today. Yet this"something more" thesis lies at the heart of what is known as the "sociologicalperspective." Society represents something over and above the sum total ofall the individuals -a social force not reducible to its component parts. This"some-thing more" is, of course, its institutionalized system of interactionwhich operates as an independent variable in its own right. Arthur Holmes, philosopher and evangelical Christian, claims that "Christiansbelieve that the source of evil is ultimately within a man, not without"and that "the nature of man undergirds his behavior and his institutions," 20But the sociological theories on criminal behavior, suicide, marital instability,economic inequality, prejudice, and so on all stress causal variables which lieoutside the individual. The image of the individual given in such "Durkheimian"theories is of a leaf before the wind-unaware of the causes of his behavior andtherefore not responsible for them. Thus, it is the social institutions whichshape the "nature of man" and not, as Holmes would have us believe,the other way around. This is the message which sociology is likely to leave withthe Christian student. The basic pedagogical purpose behind every sociology course is to clarify theanalytical connection between the students' individual biography and the socialsystem of which he or she is a member. It is therefore apparent that insofar asthe professor succeeds in doing just this, he or she threatens the epistemologicalfoundations of evangelical Christianity. 21 What, for example, is to be the conclusionof the student of sociology who discovers that American racism represents somethingmore than merely the sum total of prejudiced individuals: that racism representsan institutionalized system distributing the economic surplus unequally accordingto skin color-a system which continues to operate despite our "best"intentions and equalitarian laws? The student is either forced to compartmentalizehis or her thoughts into "sociological" and "Christian" areas,refuse to internalize the findings of sociology, or reformulate his or her religiousfaith--often with far-reaching and rather unsettling consequences. 22 Summary and Conclusion Before any argument can provide an adequate explanation, the component parts ofthat argument must be fully explicated. While there have been numerous previousattempts to explicate a "Christian sociology" or (more modestly) todemonstrate how Christianity and sociology can be intellectually integrated, therehave been few, if any, attempts to outline the specific areas in which Christianityand sociology contribute to the construction of mutually antagonistic world views. As we have noted, at least part of this incompatibility is due to the status ofsociology vis-a-vis the scientific method of inquiry. Other problems are due tosociological issues which arise from both its empirical findings and from itsgeneral theoretical approach. Both of these areas are introduced in most basicsociology courses and it is here where we typically see the most apparent (aswell as the first) evidence of the. sociology-Christianity debate. Several points must be carefully noted before this discussion is closed. First,the intensity of this "debate" will vary, depending upon the natureof both the students' faith and the presentation of sociology by the course instructor.For the student whose faith has been closely examined, or who is enrolled in asociology course in which the unique sociological perspective is not clearly presentedin an integrated manner, this | 1.864937 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
encounter is not likely to be traumatic. But forthe student whose Christian faith is naive, and who encounters a rigorous andwell-integrated sociology course, this encounter can sometimes reach crisis proportions. Furthermore, the encounter-should it occur-is not likely to be a public event.More typically, the Christian student's struggle is a private affair: he or sheengages in the debate as a solitary combatant without the immediate aid of sympatheticpeers. Furthermore, the private nature of this situation undoubtedly accentuatesthe conflict: not only does the responsibility for an adequate apologetic fallsquarely on his or her (normally unprepared) shoulders, but the social situationof the classroom typically exacerbates the tension: everyone else seems to unmovedby all this apparent contradiction. Thus the issue of deviance and intellectualabnormality is sometimes added to the pressure already felt. To be troubled wheneveryone else is troubled is one thing: to be the only troubled soul within asea of complacency is quite another. Finally, the teacher may turn out to be quiteunsympathetic to any student's question if it appears to be based upon any epistemologicalfoundation other than relativistic empiricism. This scenario, of course, can be easily worked into a defense of Christian education.But the intent of those who participate in and defend the purpose of Christianhigher education mutt not be to simply remove the cause of all the anxiety. Adeliberately sociology-less Christian educational curriculum is deficient andpays no respect to either Christianity or education. Furthermore, constructinga sociology program around faculty who evidently lack the sociological imagination-regardlessof the purity and vigor of their faith contributes nothing towards the goal ofliberal education which most Christian colleges claim to support. In the wordsof Arthur Holmes, Christian higher education ". . . shuns tacked-on moralizingand applications, stale and superficial approaches that fail to penetrate thereal intellectual issues." 23 Ourtask as Christians involved in higher education is to seek a synthesis of faithand knowledge. But this task cannot he successfully undertaken as long as "thereal intellectual issues" remain improperly outlined and misunderstood.
References 1I would like to thank Gerry Fuller and Dale Hess of Westminster College for theirassistance in reading the first draft of this paper. 20f the empirical studies, perhaps the best known is Charles Y.Glock and Rodney Stark's in Religion and Society in Tension (Chicago: Rand McNally, 1965); cf. Chapter 14, "On the incompatability ofreligion and science." While the Glock and Stark essay is useful in observingthe effects of the religion-science clash it does not provide us with very manyinsights into why this clash develops. Nor does the essay take a peculiar positionvis-a-vis theology; their measurement of "religion" remains rather generalthroughout. The purpose of this essay will be to examine probable causes of theantipathy and to consider evangelical Christian presuppositions in particular.This is a task which has not as yet received very much attention. 3Even if we take into consideration the current meditation fad, the presumed growthof "Consciousness III," and the formation of Americanized eastern cults,the same general conclusion has to be drawn for our society taken as a whole. 4See, for example, David Lyon's Christians and Sociology (Downers Grove: Inter-VarsityPress, 1976); Jack Balswiek and Dawn Ward, "The nature of man and scientificmodels of society," Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation, 28 (1976),181185. Most essays such as these center on the "nature of man" issue-a"heavy" philosophical problem which does (and should) concern intellectuals,but one which does not concern very many undergraduate students (except in superficialways) at least at the introductory level, where most students come in contactwith sociology. Therefore, the distinction between the essays cited above andthe one in hand is that this one is attempting to center on a few prominent issueswhich inevitably crop up in most introductory sociology courses- ones which arelikely to pose problems to the uninitiated Christian student. Since few of thesestudents are expected to read this essay, it is being directed at sociologistswho teach at Christian colleges where an integration of faith and learning isdesired and expected. As such, it constitutes a warning to undergraduate teachersof sociology of potential problems between Christian faith and sociology ratherthan an attempted integration of the two. 5Peter Berger, Invitation to Sociology (Garden City, New York: Anchor, 1965), p.38. 6Peter Berger, ibid., p. 35. 7Cf. The Social Sources of Denominationalism. Of course, Niebuhr acknowledged(as did Max Weher) that the causal schema runs both ways: that religious faithinfluences, as well as is influenced by, one's social location and social structurein general. | 2.049036 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
See Neibuhr's Kingdom of God in America, and Weber's The ProtestantEthic and the Spirit of Capitalism. To a certain extent, this mode of analysis coincides with common sense; even themost fanatical advocate of religious determinism would have to concede that "religion"per se had very little to do with the original nineteenth century separation ofsouthern and northern brands of Methodists, Presbyterians, or Baptists. Why wouldone nineteenth century Baptist group have asserted with full sincerity that slaverywas ordained by God while another, equally sincere and emphatic, maintained thatslavery represented an absolute evil? It does not take a particularly sophisticatedobserver to conclude that in a ease such as this we must overlook all the piousrhetoric and investigate certain prominent economic and political forces-forcesthat neither group of true believers in the above example would wish to acknowledgeas pertinent. 8 Millhands and Preachers, (New Haven: Yale University Press, l942. 9Festinger, et al., When Prophecy Fails (New York: HarperTorchbooks, 1956). 10J D. Photiadis and A. Johnson, "Orthodoxy, church participation, and authoritarianism," American Journal of Sociology,69 (1963), 111-128. 11Milton Rokeaeh, The Open and Closed Mind (New York: Basic Books. 1960). 12R. Stark and Charles Y. Gloek, American Piety: The Nature ofReligious Commitment (Berkeley: University of CaliforniaPress, 1968); Glock, Ringer, and Babbie, To Comfort andChallenge (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1967). 13Gordon Ailport, The Nature of Prejudice (Garden City: Doubleday and Co., 1954);R. L. Gorsuch and D. Aleshire, "Christian faith and prejudice: a review ofresearch," Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 13 (September, 1974),281-300. 14E. L. Struening, "Antidemocratic attitudes in a midwestern University," in Antidemocratic Attitudes in American Schools,edited by H. H. Remmers (Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press, 1963). 15The point here is that findings such as those reported in the previously mentionedstudies are those which the student is likely to confront in a sociology class:the point is not that these studies represent all there is to say on the matter,or that they are free from any methodological defect. 16Thomas Pettigrew, Racially Separate or Together? McGrawHill (1971), p. 279, 17Peter Berger, op. cit., p. 96. 18Every sociology course, that is, which is worthy of the designation. It is recognizedthat some "sociologists" lack what Mills called the "sociologicalimagination" and whose courses, as a result, constitute nothing more theoreticallyrigorous than lectures on current events or "problems of democracy,"and whose discussions rarely go beyond what one could otherwise find on the sixo'clock news. In addition, I have the sneaking suspicion that such nonsoeiologiealsociologists have a way of finding their way into the faculties of Christian collegesat a rate which exceeds what would exist were recruitment due solely to chance.In other words, Christian sociologists--when taken as a group -appear to be lessoriented towards theoretical sociology than others in that their courses tendto substitute a discussion of otherwise unrelated concrete events for abstractsystems theory, as well as typically substituting a normative for an impsriealbasis of discussion. I readily admit that these conclusions are based on nothing more substantial thanimpressionistic observations. I would be greatly relieved to find out that theyare, in fact, untrue. 19The interested but intellectually uninitiated reader would do well to readPeter Berger's The Sacred Canopy (Garden City, New York: 1969), especially Chapter2, "Religion and world maintenance." 20 The Idea of a Christian College (Grand Rapids, Michigan: E. Erdman's, 1975),p. 47 and p. 52. The word "ultimately" in the sentence quoted obscuresthe issue somewhat. Even so, there is a tension between the "interior"causes proposed by conservative theology and the "exterior" causes proposedby the social sciences, especially sociology. 21I say this knowing that Christian behavioral and social scientists are dedicatedto the task of integrating the scientific perspective with that of Christianity(or vice versa). But the question we are addressing | 1.724754 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Duration of Diabetes Mellitus and Risk of Thromboembolism and Bleeding in Atrial Fibrillation Nationwide Cohort Study Abstract Background and Purpose—Guidelines advocate anticoagulant treatment to all patients with atrial fibrillation and concomitant diabetes mellitus. The potential refinement to thromboembolic risk stratification that may spring from subdividing diabetes mellitus is unexplored. The purpose was to investigate duration of diabetes mellitus as a predictor of thromboembolism and anticoagulant-related bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation. Methods—Using nationwide Danish registries, we identified all patients discharged from hospital with an incident diagnosis of atrial fibrillation from 2000 to 2011. Hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals for thromboembolism and bleeding according to years of diabetes mellitus duration in categories (0–4, 5–9, 10–14, and ≥15) and as a continuous variable using cubic splines were calculated by Cox regression. Results—The study population comprised 137 222 patients with atrial fibrillation, of which 12.4% had diabetes mellitus. Compared with patients without diabetes mellitus and after adjustment for anticoagulant treatment and CHA 2DS 2-VASc components (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age, previous stroke, vascular disease, and sex), the risk of thromboembolism was lowest in the 0 to 4 years duration category (hazard ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.20), and highest in the longest duration category of ≥15 years (hazard ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.29–1.70). When analyzed as a continuous variable, duration of diabetes mellitus was associated with risk of thromboembolism in a dose-response-dependent manner, but not with a higher risk of bleeding during anticoagulant treatment. Conclusions—In patients with atrial fibrillation, longer duration of diabetes mellitus was associated with a higher risk of thromboembolism, but not with a higher risk of anticoagulant-related bleeding. Considering the critical balance between preventing thromboembolism and avoiding bleeding, longer duration of diabetes mellitus may favor initiation of anticoagulant therapy. Received March 9, 2015. Revision received May 12, 2015. Accepted May 28, 2015. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.For more than a decade TopRank Marketing has been working with health systems and healthcare technology companies to create successful integrated digital marketing programs.
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by Michael Smith (Veshengro) What do monks and gardeners have in common? They spend much of their time on their knees.
Where monks spend this time in prayer gardeners spend this time battling weeds and often the only way to do that is, simply, by doing it by hand and kneeling is part of this exercise.
While some weeds are beneficial and many even are edible others are a nuisance and thus must be removed if our plants, especially our vegetables, are to thrive and, as said, often the only way to do that is removing those plants in the wrong place, aka weeds, by hand.
The fingers may be able to do some of the work there are definitely times, and I know that for certain, when weeding tools are called for. Many gardeners will use trowels or hand forks to loosen the ground and then pull the weeds by hand and, yes, that does work. Others, on the other hand, and pardon the pun, swear by the use of a weeding claw, much like the old-time cultivators.
To a degree, as with many gardening tools, it is a case of horses for courses but, as far as I am concerned, the best tool for hand weeding plant beds of any kind is a wire weeder, sold under the name of Wonder Weeder, but which can be made by easy DIY, or substituted with a hoof pick.
I have made my own wire weeders and do, more often than not though, use an old hoof pick for this purpose.
The advantage of a wire weeder or hoof pick to loosen the soil and pick out weeds is that you do not have to lay the tool aside when picking the weeds up with the hand and disposing off them into a trug, for instance. The tool just rests inside the palm of the hand while picking and then is ready for use again straight away. Saves time.
There are, no doubt, times when you have to remove a larger weed, or one with a deep root that has become rather established and other tools are required, whether this the hand fork, trowel, or a weed removal tool such as Grampa's Weeder or the Fiskars Weed Puller W52 or W82.
In general, however, a wire weeder is all you need, with the other tools as a back up
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Tag Archives: Essay Questions August 9, 2016
While answering only one essay question for your Darden MBA application essay may seem simple, it requires discipline to highlight all of the important parts of your profile for the admissions committee in one short …
While answering only one essay question for your Darden MBA application essay may seem simple, it requires discipline to highlight all of the important parts of your profile for the admissions committee in one short essay. Writing a successful essay with such limited space requires you to focus only on your most compelling attributes.
Think about the other areas of your application and what they cover. Your academic potential should be highlighted through GMAT or GRE scores and your academic transcripts, leadership and professional accomplishments should come through clearly from your recommendations, and finally your essay is a chance to outline your personal qualities.
When considering which personal qualities to highlight in this essay, consider that leadership is crucial to future Darden MBAs. Your ability to work well within a team of peers is also important to Darden, a school with a small, tight-knit community.
Darden, similar to HBS, is devoted to the case method of teaching business subjects. Learn more about the school by visiting the Darden website, attending events and speaking with current students and alumni.
MBA Application Essay Question: Describe the most important professional feedback you have received and how you responded to this feedback. (500 words)
In this question Darden is seeking to understand how you take feedback and how you process and learn from feedback. Feedback is often the first stage to grow and develop as a professional and as a leader. Learning to take all feedback – both positive and critical – and examining and incorporating the lessons from that feedback into your development is a sign of maturity.
As you describe the professional feedback you will want to set the stage for the feedback by describing your relationship with the person who gave you the feedback and any background facts. Take the time to describe how you felt while receiving the feedback, and don’t be afraid to talk about having uncomfortable feelings about it.
It’s a normal reaction to feel threatened by criticism, which is often what professional feedback is perceived as. If the feedback was positive make sure you can use the story to demonstrate development and growth.
If you can’t think of the most important moment of feedback you have received, think about working backwards from a professional accomplishment you are proud of. As you think about the areas where you have excelled you may find that the trigger was a piece of important advice or feedback from a manager, peer or customer.
Make sure your feedback story enhances the overall package of your application. This essay is one of your few opportunities to show how you think, what your leadership approach is, and how you improve as a result of input from other people. Think about the situations that showcased your best performance at work, or that taught you something about your interests or future career goals.
Because you have only one essay question to present yourself, make sure you have a trusted reader to tell you if you are effectively communicating why you are going to be a strong leader who deserves a spot in the UVA Darden MBA class.
Looking for perspective in your approach to your Darden MBA application? Contact us to discuss how Stacy Blackman Consulting can help.
August 2, 2016
Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management is a close-knit community that values a diverse community and philanthropy. At the same time, diversity in experience, background and thought is important to the Kellogg admissions committee. Do …
Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management is a close-knit community that values a diverse community and philanthropy. At the same time, diversity in experience, background and thought is important to the Kellogg admissions committee.
Do your research on the programs, activities, clubs, classes and professors at Kellogg as you approach your essays. While you are reading and conversing with students and alumni, envision how you will contribute to the community.
Kellogg has two mandatory video essays as part of the application process. After you submit your essays you will receive the questions, one of which will focus on Why Kellogg and another will be a general “getting to know you” question. The video essay is an opportunity for the admissions committee to see the person behind the accomplishments you will describe.
Prepare as if you would for an interview, drafting the topics you want to cover and practicing your presentation. The video should accurately portray your personality and demeanor, and extensive preparation will help you be comfortable and be yourself.
Video essays can be daunting, and Stacy Blackman Consulting has developed customized preparation to help you practice for this important component of the application and provide our expert feedback. Contact us to learn more about how we can prepare you for the entire Kellogg application.
REQUIRED ESSAYS Essay 1: Leadership and teamwork are integral parts of the Kellogg experience. Describe a recent and meaningful time you were a leader. What challenges did you face, and what did you learn? (450 words)
This essay focuses on | 1.38844 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
leadership and teamwork using a behavioral essay framework. By seeing the details about exactly what you did and said in your leadership story, Kellogg admissions will understand how you are likely to perform in the future.
When approaching this essay spend some time on set up to explain the background, and then use the majority of the space describing specifically what you did, thought, felt and how you behaved.
As the question specifically asks about challenges, it will be useful to show how you have overcome difficulty as a leader or learned from a tough situation. Don’t be nervous about showing weakness here. Every leader has to learn and develop, and willingness to be open to feedback and improve will be an asset to your profile.
Do not neglect mentioning teamwork, which is a core value of Kellogg’s culture. Your leadership experience is likely part of a team at work or in an extracurricular activity, and sensitivity to teamwork and collaboration in any leadership story demonstrates maturity and people skills.
Essay 2: Pursuing an MBA is a catalyst for personal and professional growth. How have you grown in the past? How do you intend to grow at Kellogg? (450 words)
This essay question is a hybrid of a classic career goals essay and a personal essay. Kellogg is interested in candidates who are able to integrate their personal and professional goals and show how a Kellogg MBA will serve both sides of life.
When you describe professional and personal growth in the past, make sure it is relevant to your plans to pursue an MBA at Kellogg. The story you tell in this essay should provide insight into your decision to pursue an MBA and allude to your future goals. Because this isn’t a question about your entire career thus far you can choose just one or two main experiences to share.
The topic of this essay should also be an experience that did show growth over time. Something like starting in an entry level position at work and progressing into a management role comes to mind easily, but also consider something like developing leadership skills over time and personal investment in your career.
You could also focus on a passion outside of work that has developed over time and led to personal growth.
Dual-degree applicants: For applicants to the MMM or JD-MBA dual degree programs, please explain why that program is right for you. (250 words)
Doing your research on Kellogg MBA’s academics and resources will help you answer the question about why you need a dual degree to achieve your goals. If you are applying to the MMM program, you’ll have to show how the degree will prepare you more effectively for your career goals than the MBA alone.
Be able to articulate what is different about the Kellogg MMM program as compared to the MBA and other joint degrees. Know the classes you want to take, the professors you hope to work for, and how the MMM experience will be an asset in your future career.
Similarly, the JD-MBA at Kellogg is a highly competitive admissions process and will require a very clear explanation of what you will do with both degrees after school. Consider the unique attributes of the Kellogg JD-MBA program as compared to others, and also why you specifically need both a JD and an MBA to achieve your career goals.
Re-Applicants Only: Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (250 word limit)
In answering this question make sure you provide tangible evidence that you have improved the overall package you are submitting this year. Some of the most tangible improvements are a stronger GMAT score or grades from new quantitative classes you attended since the last time you applied.
Other steps that you can describe include a promotion at work, new volunteer activities, or increased responsibility at work or in your activities. If you don’t have something tangible and external to report, it’s reasonable to discuss how your career goals have changed or your personal aspirations have been refined as you revamped your applications.
Additional Information (Optional) If needed, use this section to briefly describe any extenuating circumstances (e.g. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, etc.) (no word count)
If there are any areas of concern, this is the correct place to address them. Strike an upbeat tone here and avoid excuses. Explain your issue clearly and focus most of the essay on the correction for the issue. For example, if you had a disciplinary issue in college, spend most of the essay demonstrating that you learned from the experience and have been an ideal citizen ever since.
Low GPA issues should be explained here, and if there is a grade of C or below on your transcript the admissions committee will want to know why and feel comfortable it is an outlier in your overall academic record. For academic questions make sure you emphasize your improved performance either later in your college career or in subsequent work or classes since college.
Image credit: Mike Willis (CC BY-ND 2.0)
August 2, 2016
The set of essays for admission to UC Berkeley Haas School of Business is a holistic exploration of personal to | 1.521663 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
professional topics. A clear understanding of your application strategy, particularly your career goals and strengths/weaknesses, …
The set of essays for admission to
UC Berkeley Haas School of Business is a holistic exploration of personal to professional topics. A clear understanding of your application strategy, particularly your career goals and strengths/weaknesses, is the key to putting together a cohesive application. While challenging, this is also an opportunity to demonstrate several different aspects of your personality to the admissions committee.
Note that Haas describes four defining principles for the community: Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always and Beyond Yourself. Which of these principles do you identify with? Make sure you have strong examples that illustrate how you have demonstrated these principles and use them in the following essay set.
Stacy Blackman Consulting has successfully coached applicants to the Haas MBA program for 15 years. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you set a winning application strategy.
REQUIRED ESSAYS Essay 1: If you could choose one song that expresses who you are, what is it and why? (250 words maximum)
This is a creative and open-ended question that invites you to show your personality as you open this set of essays. Take the opportunity to think about your favorite music and what song most represents you.
Perhaps it’s a song that you grew up listening to with your family, that reminds you where you came from. Maybe it’s a song that helps you feel optimistic about your future. Music often evokes emotion, and the essay should capture that feeling and describe why it is meaningful to you.
Essay 2: Please respond to one of the following prompts: (250 words maximum)
All three of the potential essay prompts for Essay 2 deal with change, growth and transformation. This essay is seeking to understand how you handle challenges to your own status quo, and what you learn as a result. Flexibility, curiosity and the ability to handle change would be positive personal qualities to demonstrate with whatever example you choose.
Describe an experience that has fundamentally changed the way you see the world and how it transformed you.
If you decide to answer this question think about the moments that have truly changed you. One approach is to think through transitions. Perhaps the transition from high school to college showed you a different way of life, or the transition to working from college exposed you to new people and new ideas.
Traveling for the first time outside your home country may have been another transition. If none of those transitions lead to a topic for this essay you can delve into the smaller incidents in your life. A friendship, family experience, or volunteer opportunity could have opened your eyes to something new about yourself and the world.
Once you have selected a topic for this essay you will need to explain how you were transformed. What was your attitude like before the experience and what are you like now? Was the transformation internal or did you change how you approached other people? Ideally you learned something from this transformation and explaining that lesson learned would be a strong finish.
Describe a time when you were challenged by perspectives different from your own and how you responded.
The brainstorming process for this question can be similar to the option above. Consider the transitions in life when you have been in a new environment or culture that didn’t quite fit with your past experiences.
Those could be the moments when you were exposed to new perspectives and were forced to respond. Another possible scenario would be a new person introduced to your school or workplace, one who brought a new perspective or culture.
While it is normal to be taken aback or threatened by new perspectives, ideally you were open minded and tried to understand and learn through this experience. Describe the experience, your initial reaction, and then use a significant portion of the essay to describe what you learned and how you changed as a result.
Describe a difficult decision you have made and why it was challenging.
Difficult decisions are often a moment to reflect again upon your values. What were the stakes of your decision and why did you struggle to make a clear choice? Perhaps you were choosing between priorities in your life, family or work, where to study for university or what career path to pursue. No matter what the decision was it will be important to talk a bit about your process for making it. Why did you choose one option over another and what did you learn about yourself?
Essay 3: Tell us about your career plans. How have your past experiences prepared you to achieve these goals? How will Berkeley-Haas help you? (500 words maximum)
This is a short career goals essay and asks you to describe your path to business school along with your future goals. As you describe your path you don’t need to recite your resume here – rather highlight the key experiences that will be relevant in your future career. Think about the cover letter you would write to explain your background for a desired next job, and tailor your approach accordingly.
Describe your future goals in a succinct manner, considering what aspects of your background to explain in the “path | 1.457181 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
” section that will support your goals development.
Be specific about why the Haas School of Business is the right program to pursue your goals as well. As you consider past experiences and your future goals you will be able to see what you want to gain from the Haas experience to fill any gaps.
If you have an advertising background and want to become a brand manager you’ll likely need classes in operations and finance to understand the analytical side of brand management.
Other goals will require specific skills gained from an MBA and your own unique background will inform how you take advantage of the Haas experience.
Make sure you have determined exactly what courses make sense for your career goals and the programs and clubs that you will participate in to reach your personal and professional goals. Thorough school research will be invaluable in approaching this question.
OPTIONAL ESSAY Use this essay to share information that is not presented elsewhere in the application, for example: Explanation of employment gaps or academic aberrations Quantitative abilities For re-applicants, improvements to your candidacy
Haas recommends using this space to address any information that was not adequately covered elsewhere, specifically suggesting that any employment gaps or lack of apparent quantitative skills be covered.
A short gap between school and a secured job is not necessary to explain, but an unexplained gap of several months between two jobs should be addressed. If your resume has significant employment gaps you should describe what you did between jobs in this space. Ideally you can point to additional education, training, volunteering or traveling that you engaged in while unemployed.
If you have a strong quantitative background like an engineering or hard sciences degree, or you work in a quantitative field like finance, it is likely unnecessary to further explain your quantitative skills.
Otherwise, you may want to take one or two examples to demonstrate that you have an analytical mind and can take a quantitative approach to problem solving and evaluating data. As the question specifically asks you not to focus on the grades on your transcript, use this space to describe projects at work, additional post-graduate coursework, or your plans to strengthen your quant skills before you enroll at Haas.
Reapplicants can describe hard improvements to your candidacy such as an improved GMAT score, new grades from quantitative classes, or a promotion. Other improvements might include refined career goals and additional leadership responsibilities at work or within a volunteer activity.
July 26, 2016
UCLA Anderson School of Management is a small and close-knit school with particular focus on entrepreneurship, entertainment, real estate and other major industries in Southern California. While UCLA has a dominant position in the region it …
UCLA Anderson School of Management is a small and close-knit school with particular focus on entrepreneurship, entertainment, real estate and other major industries in Southern California. While UCLA has a dominant position in the region it is also a nationally known program that will position you well in whatever career you pursue.
Anderson is highly selective about the composition of each MBA class, therefore your fit with the values and principles of the school is of primary importance. When approaching this set of essays make sure you understand what Anderson will do for you and what you plan to bring to the community.
We have helped countless applicants achieve their UCLA Anderson dreams. Contact us to learn how Stacy Blackman Consulting can help you.
FIRST-TIME APPLICANTS—ONE REQUIRED ESSAY: We believe that the best results are achieved when you share success, think fearlessly and drive change. With this in mind, what are your goals at UCLA Anderson and in your short-term and long-term career? (750 words maximum)
He also elaborates on the three phrases in the video and essay question: “At UCLA Anderson, three principles form our foundation. First, we SHARE SUCCESS within our community, which is to say we collaborate to achieve our goals. While working together, we THINK FEARLESSLY to go past the obvious, to go around the obstacles — with our sights set on making a real impact. And with the opportunity for impact comes our desire to DRIVE CHANGE as a result of all that we do.”
Thorough school research will provide examples you can use to describe why these values and principles drive your goals while attending UCLA Anderson. Your career goals should be examined through the filter of Anderson’s values and how you plan to use those values in your post-Anderson life.
When structuring this essay consider telling one or two pivotal stories to illuminate who you are. UCLA is looking for personal expression in this essay, and to understand how you are different from other applicants. Consider the turning points or moments that triggered reflection for you.
Have you experienced a significant personal setback? What is your family background? Have you lived outside your home country? When did you face a turning point or make a big decision about your career? What were some of your proudest accomplishments? What moments have called upon your need to collaborate, lead or innovate?
For the second part of the essay briefly explain what you plan to do immediately after graduation, and then what you want to accomplish over the long-term with your career. A career path that | 1.578261 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
focuses on demonstrated passions and interests throughout your life is going to be most compelling as you write this essay and each section should bridge seamlessly into the next.
For the part of the essay focusing on UCLA Anderson’s part in your plans, UCLA specifically requests citing specific classes, professors and programs. To express a bit more on the personal side it will be helpful to include the social and extracurricular aspects that attract you to the small and close-knit experience at Anderson. Be specific as you discuss the clubs and conferences that are unique to the UCLA MBA.
OPTIONAL ESSAY: The following essay is optional. No preference is given in the evaluation process to applicants who submit an optional essay. Please note that we only accept written essays. Are there any special circumstances or life experiences that you wish to share with the Admissions Committee? Please use your best judgement on what is pertinent to share. (250 words maximum)
It is important to focus on explanations rather than excuses in this essay. Potential extenuating circumstances may be a very low GPA, academic probation or using a recommender other than your current supervisor.
Clearly explain the situation, and if it is a situation from the past, explain why you have changed. Providing evidence that you will not repeat the actions in question will help to solidify your answer.
RE-APPLICANTS—ONE REQUIRED ESSAY: Reapplicants who applied for the class entering in 2015 or 2016 are required to complete the following essay:Please describe your career progress since you last applied and ways in which you have enhanced your candidacy. Include updates on short-term and long-term career goals, as well as your continued interest in UCLA Anderson. (750 words maximum)
If you are a recent re-applicant this essay gives you the opportunity to highlight improvements since your last application. You have room to add other “ways in which you have improved your candidacy” such as an improved GMAT score, academic updates or extracurricular activities. While most MBA programs are focused on quantitative improvements to your profile, keep in mind that here UCLA Anderson is expressly asking for an update on your career.
July 19, 2016
The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth has a small student body and a rural location, combined with world-class faculty and academic focus. As you approach your Dartmouth Tuck MBA application it will be important …
The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth has a small student body and a rural location, combined with world-class faculty and academic focus. As you approach your Dartmouth Tuck MBA application it will be important to consistently show how you will fit into the school values of leadership, teamwork and collaboration and bring your own unique qualities and experiences to the community. This revised set of essays focuses on global approach as a significant value as well.
The Tuck admissions blog offers the following advice: “There are no right or wrong answers. We encourage applicants to limit the length of their responses to 500 to 700 words for Essay #1 and 500 words for Essay #2. Please double-space your responses.”
Stacy Blackman Consulting has worked with many successful Tuck applicants, contact us to learn more about the customized assistance we can provide for your application.
Essay One (Required): Tuck educates wise leaders who better the world of business. What are your short- and long-term goals? How will a Tuck MBA enable you to become a wise leader with global impact?
Tuck has updated the career goals essay to include a question about your global vision and impact on the world of business. Consistent with a standard MBA career goals essay you must also outline your short- and long-term career goals. Your short-term goals are the aspirations you have for your job immediately after graduation, while your long-term goals may be 10 or 20 years after you complete your MBA.
As you consider how you will make a global impact in your career, you should incorporate “Why Tuck” as a crucial element. Make sure you have researched the school’s programs and determined how your education will help you achieve your goals.
For example, Tuck has multiple global business programs, including a class where you can consult to an international company and short Global Insight Expeditions. By reaching out to current students and alumni you can learn more about the experiences and classes that would inform your development as a global leader.
Essay Two (Required): As a diverse and global community, our students arrive at the same place from many different paths. Tell us about an experience in which you have had to live, learn and/or work with other people very different from yourself. What challenges and/or opportunities did you experience, how did you respond, and what did you learn about yourself as a result?
The new required Essay Two also seeks to understand your global awareness and ability to learn and grow from those with different backgrounds. This essay prompt is open ended and allows you to choose an example from work or from an extracurricular experience | 1.393123 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
. Think broadly about your background and when you have expanded your world by interacting with someone very different.
A compelling narrative will demonstrate learning and growing through interacting with others. Think about a time when you were truly challenged by a person or group of people different from yourself, and how you resolved the experience.
What did you learn about yourself and others? Interacting with your Tuck classmates may challenge you in a similar way, and showing a growth mentality would be attractive to the admissions committee.
This essay is not only an opportunity to discuss your ability to learn from others, you can also show that you are a leader in the Tuck tradition. The Tuck School of Business definition of leadership is inherently collaborative. Team based experiences are preferable, and as you describe working with someone different from yourself you can likely work in a strong leadership example.
Essay Three (Optional): Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere that may be helpful in reviewing your application (e.g., unusual choice of evaluators, weaknesses in academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes, etc.). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application.
This is your opportunity to discuss any perceived weaknesses in your application such as low GPA or gaps in your work experience. When approaching a question of this nature, focus on explanations rather than excuses and explain what you have done since the event you are explaining to demonstrate your academic ability or management potential.
You could potentially use this space to add something new that was not covered in the previous essays or in the application, resume or recommendations, however use your judgment about the topics as Tuck asks that you only complete this question if you “feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application.”
Essay Four (Required from Reapplicants): How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Please reflect on how you have grown personally and professionally.
If you are re-applying to Tuck this essay is the place for you to showcase any developments since your last application. Ideally you have concrete improvements like a stronger GMAT score, grades from business classes, or a promotion. Even if nothing quantitative has changed in your profile you likely have developed more leadership activities or progressed in your job responsibilities.
If you are struggling to think of any clear improvements you can describe refined goals or deeper thinking about your future that has led you to apply again to Tuck. Demonstrating growth in maturity or introspection can be a huge improvement to your application and absolutely should be highlighted.
July 12, 2016
Duke Fuqua is a community focused MBA program that seeks “leaders of consequence.” Fuqua sees a new business environment, where impeccable ethics, a disruptive attitude and other personal attributes are more and more important. This …
Duke Fuqua is a community focused MBA program that seeks “leaders of consequence.” Fuqua sees a new business environment, where impeccable ethics, a disruptive attitude and other personal attributes are more and more important.
This set of essays provides significant room to explain who you are and why Fuqua is the right next step for you, both personally and professionally.
In this essay set you are asked for 25 new facts, to outline your career goals and explain why Fuqua to round out your resume, academic profile and recommendations.
As always, it is important to demonstrate that you know Duke Fuqua well and are a strong fit with the program. Starting your research and personal networking now will put you in a solid position to prepare the most specific and effective essays.
Stacy Blackman Consulting can help you prepare a compelling, individualized strategy to approach your Duke Fuqua application this year, contact us to learn more.
REQUIRED SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS Instructions: Answer all 3 of the following questions. For each question, respond in 500 characters only (the equivalent of about 100 words). 1. What are your short-term goals, post-MBA? 2. What are your long-term goals? 3. Life is full of uncertainties, and plans and circumstances can change. As a result, navigating a career requires you to be adaptable. Should the short-term goals that you provided above not materialize what alternative directions have you considered?
This career goals essay asks for your plan in three parts. First, you should describe what you plan to do immediately after your MBA. Then you’ll explain the long-term vision for your career. Finally, Duke admits that many career paths are forged through circumstance, and asks you for your Plan B.
Think big picture and focus on the overall story trajectory. What would be the most logical (and interesting) progression from your current skill set and MBA education? How will your next step flow from the combination of those experiences? And your alternative path ideally isn’t a massive departure, but simply shows the areas you could see yourself exploring if your primary plan doesn’t materialize.
For example, perhaps you are focused on becoming a marketing executive within the consumer packaged goods industry, such as General Mills. If you don’t find the suitable position after Duke | 1.395548 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
, maybe you would consider marketing for a retailer, such as Target, as your alternate career path because marketing is still the function you are interested in developing a career within.
Alternatively, you may have two disparate interests and want to consider both of them. Perhaps your Plan A is to join a strategy consulting firm after graduation, but if you don’t receive a spot among your top choices you would think about co-founding a start up as another possible path. Think about your range of interests and go from there.
Because you have limited space, you’ll have to boil your plans down in a clear statement of what you plan to do, but ideally any plans are supported by the information provided in your resume, recommendations, and other essays.
FIRST REQUIRED ESSAY: 25 RANDOM THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF Instructions: Present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be only a few words, while others may be longer. Your complete list should not exceed 2 pages. The “Team Fuqua” spirit and community is one of the things that sets The Duke MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. When a new person joins the Admissions team, we ask that person to share with everyone in the office a list of “25 Random Things About Yourself.” As an Admissions team, we already know the new hire’s professional and academic background, so learning these “25 Random Things” helps us get to know someone’s personality, background, special talents, and more. In this spirit, the Admissions Committee also wants to get to know you–beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. You can share with us important life experiences, your likes/dislikes, hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are. Share with us your list of “25 Random Things” about YOU.
This essay is entirely open ended and you can cover topics spanning your personal background, work experiences, values and hobbies. If you have a particularly interesting story in any of those areas, this is the place to tell that story.
Whatever areas you choose to highlight, make sure you are following the admissions committee’s advice to share what makes you a dynamic, multi-dimensional person.
Coming up with 25 random things to list in this essay may seem daunting at first. To jumpstart your creative process you may want to brainstorm with friends and family about what is most interesting and memorable about you. Or keep a notebook with you to record thoughts as you go about work and personal activities.
Once you have 25 random things, how do you structure your list? There’s a few possible ways to proceed: chronologically, chunking the list into themes, or even alphabetically.
You may want to organize the list so that it builds from shorter to longer items, or you may want to intersperse some of the 25 random things that require a paragraph explanation between sets of things that are easy to understand in one sentence.
Structuring the list to make it easy to read and follow will be appreciated, but resist the urge to package the list too perfectly. Content is always the most important factor and remember that the primary purpose of this essay/list is to show Duke your multi-faceted life and interests.
SECOND REQUIRED ESSAY Instructions: Your response should be no more than 2 pages in length. Fuqua prides itself on cultivating a culture of engagement. Our students enjoy a wide range of student-led organizations that provide opportunities for leadership development and personal fulfillment, as well as an outlet for contributing to society. Our student-led government, clubs, centers, and events are an integral part of the student culture and are vital to providing you with a range of experiential learning and individual development experiences.
Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, how do you see yourself engaging in and contributing to our community, outside of the classroom?
The best essays will be both specific and personal, while demonstrating you have done your homework on Fuqua. While everyone benefits from a diverse alumni network, what specifically do you want to give and receive from your classmates?
If you describe clubs and classes you are attracted to, also offer specific examples from your past experiences to show your consistent personal or professional passions.
Your fit with the program is crucial, and therefore you must exhibit the qualities Duke is seeking as well. The Duke MBA program is especially interested in your role within the community, and will place significant weight on this factor. If you research thoroughly and are specific, you should be able to clearly demonstrate why you are going to be strong contributor and teammate.
This essay can also be a place to talk about how the Duke MBA fits into your career goals. What do you know now that will be enhanced through your MBA education? And what crucial aspects of the skill set required for your future career will be augmented by attending Duke?
However, the main focus should be your community involvement and how you plan to improve the | 1.52663 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Vegetarian and vegan food
Vegetarians and vegans can eat quite well in most countries. The traditional cuisine and the style of eating in many countries can make it a bit difficult for vegetarians or vegans to find food without animal products in it. However, most cultures have a at least a few vegetarian dishes, and many, if not most restaurants are willing to leave out or substitute animal ingredients.
Planning
Take your diet into consideration when planning your trip. Where will you be going? There will be a greater variety of food available in big urban centers then there will be in rural areas. If you want to visit a tiny village in rural Vietnam, fine, but be prepared that you may have to limit the variety in your diet, or work with restaurants or others feeding you to come up with food to your liking.
Research the cuisine for the place you are going. There will be a couple of vegetable/grain dishes everywhere so you'll have something to order in restaurants. This will also give you an idea of local cooking techniques; often times innocent looking vegetable dishes will be cooked in chicken stock.
Look up lists of vegetarian restaurants and grocery stores in the area you'll be staying, check the destination guides for the area you will be visiting for information. Try local vegetarian groups in the area you'll be visiting.
Among countries in which vegetarianism and veganism is not the norm, those in the West tend to be the most accommodating, and even non-veg restaurants, particularly in the Netherlands, Denmark, the US and the UK, generally offer several vegetarian options.
Explaining your diet
In many countries and cultures (especially developing countries where focus is often on getting any sort of food) vegetarianism/veganism is very rare or unheard of. People will feel insulted when you turn down the lamb kabobs they have prepared for you. Come up with a short explanation and be prepared to repeat it. If you're vegetarian/vegan for non-religious ethical reasons, in places with a language barrier or strong food/host tradition it's usually best to refrain from explaining out your beliefs and go with something inarguable (medical reasons, something vaguely religious or cultural). Be
The tiny book
In some cultures, there may be an internal vegetarian tradition of some kind that you can compare your diet to. In countries with
Be as considerate as you are in your home country. If you are staying long term with someone or eating dinner at their house, let them know about your diet. Ask if you can
When all else fails, hit the grocery store/local veggie market. You can cobble something together with a camping stove or get an apartment with a kitchen.
You can try GM Diet Plan which was developed by General Motors company for their employees for their good health and wellness. This food Plan was developed with the help of Food and Drug Administration and Department of Agriculture of United States of America. On 15th August 1985 this diet plan was approved and distributed by its board members at its general meeting. GM Diet Plan is wholly endorsed by General Motors and this Diet plan is available to all employees and families at its Food Service Facilities.Value stream mapping is an activity that stems from lean methodologies used to capture and report on processes from beginning to end. Once the value map stream is complete, you have a visual representation of the process and its activities such as inventory pulls, kanban signals, “milk runs”, buffers, load leveling and value processes themselves.
Once a VSM is complete, is now becomes a communication artifact, and to a certain degree, obsolete. Once you have the VSM, you now have the information you went in search of, and the VSM is nothing more than a representation of knowledge.
The identification of steps that create value and steps that create waste are the ultimate goals of production of the VSM. The purpose of the map isn’t the map, but the learning processes. Its the granular evaluation of specific processes within a process that produces the knowledge required to trigger kaizen events and make process improvements.
Once the knowledge is acquired and understood and a kaizen event triggered, future state maps can be produced to show where process improvements can be made – increasing (where applicable) and streamlining value adding processes, and removing wasteful activities. The future state map shows a more desirable VSM which is used to produce an action plan that can be introduced into the process and improvements made.
I was in the process of putting together VSM templates for Excel, and a colleague of mine made a good point when I asked him for input. Paper is portable. Pencil can be erased. The longer you sit and evaluate a process, the more you find yourself erasing and making changes.
That being noted, and taking into consideration what I said above, I’m not sure I see value in digital VSMs at all. They are short lived (when acted upon) artifacts the don’t require the effort it takes to screw with a tool outside of standard pencil and paper. | 1.895737 | 1,022 | 1,020 |
How jealous dreams can trigger real rows: Study finds what we think about when we sleep affects how we act when we are awake
If you can’t help snapping at your other half, blame your dreams.
A study found that the content of our dreams spills over into our real-life relationships, triggering rows and doubts in the day to come.
The idea that our waking life influences our dreams has been much studied. But the latest research looks at whether what we think about when asleep affects how we act when we wake up.
A study found that the content of our dreams spills over into our real-life relationships, triggering rows and doubts in the day to come
The researchers from the UK and US, said: ‘These results provide evidence for the first time that specific dream content predicts subsequent behaviour with relationship partners.
‘These results deepen our understanding of dreams, as a previously unstudied factor that contributes to important relationship processes - particularly love/intimacy and conflict.’
The researchers asked 61 men and women to write down details of their dreams as soon as they woke up.
The volunteers, who were all in relationships, filled in the dream diaries immediately on waking.
They also completed personality questionnaires and details of their waking day.
This included how much time they spent with their boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife, how much they rowed, and how loving they were.
All together there were 842 dreams to analyse and 87 per cent of participants dreamed of their partner at least once.
When people felt jealous in a dream about their partner, this led to them reporting more arguments and problems in their relationship the next day.
Dreams that involved conflict with a partner also predicted greater real life relationship difficulties in the following days.
And when the dreamer committed infidelity in their sleep this led to a fall in the level of love and intimacy they showed towards their partner in the next few days, the journal Social, Psychological and Personality Science reports.
Importantly, the findings couldn’t be explained away by what the volunteers had done before dreaming – pointing to dreams influencing life rather than the other way round.
The researchers, including a Reading University psychologist, said: ‘When recalling a dream after waking, the content and/or emotions are active in the mind, and once they are active, may influence subsequent behaviour.’
Not all of the findings were negative. For instance, the study also found that people who had more dreams featuring their partner spent more time with them and were closer to them in real life and the authors said dreams can promote bonding, as well as conflict.
They said it was unclear whether dreams tend to alter moods without conscious reflection or whether dreamers intentionally changed their behaviour after considering the implications of their dreams.
But they added that ‘the social effects of dreams can be potent regardless’.
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Electronic-Prescribing, Computerized Prescribing, or E-RX has increased dramatically of late in the American health care system, a long overdue alternative to the written form for the almost five billion drug treatments annually. This paper examines the history and selected issues in the rise of E-RX by a review of salient literature, interviews, and field… (More)
The area configuration of healthcare resources, such as the number of hospitals per hundred thousand population, has often been used in healthcare planning and policy making to estimate the global access (potential access) of health services to a local population. However, the actual utilization of the "available" healthcare resources (revealed access) is… (More)
‹ 1 › dioxide in our atmosphere were caused by dinosaur farts. If there were any valid points to be made by skeptics, this would not be one of them.
Cross posted at Green Options.
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By MATTHEW WEAVER
Capital Press
National animal disease experts say the Washington Department of Agriculture is taking the correct steps in investigating a possible case of bovine tuberculosis.
"It seems like a textbook case," said Jamie Jonker, vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs for the National Milk Producers Federation.
The disease is primarily spread by respiratory secretions between animals.
USDA and the state involved usually conduct testing, Jonker said. If bovine TB is confirmed, the animal is traced back to its herd of origin and testing conducted on any animal that may have been exposed.
The government typically either slaughters the entire herd or tests them for potential reaction, removing those that show initial signs for further testing, Jonker said. The latter practice takes longer, but allows the farmer to keep animals that are free of disease.
Jonker recommends farmers ensure they have good biosecurity and follow practices on their farm to prevent the introduction or spread of the disease, including knowing the health status of new animals before bringing them onto the premises.
The disease is nearly eradicated in the United States cattle population, Jonker said. Occasionally a case arises in beef or dairy cows in California, New Mexico and Texas during the last decade, Jonker said.
In Michigan, bovine TB has become established in restricted populations of white-tailed deer in the northeastern part of the state, said Steve Schmitt, wildlife veterinarian for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Schmitt estimated 55 cattle herds have been infected with bovine TB since 1998, some more than once, because the disease is still in the wildlife population. Most infected herds had only one animal infected, he said.
Ranchers fence their feeding areas or locate them near their barns to keep deer away. Moving cattle is restricted in infected areas, and there are testing requirements to catch signs early, Schmitt said.
The state and USDA have spent $200 million to combat bovine TB, he said.
Schmitt said it's unlikely the disease will ever be eradicated in Michigan, even though a relatively small percentage of the deer, about 1.5 percent, are infected.
There's very low risk of humans becoming infected, Schmitt said. Pasteurization kills the bacteria in milk, though there's been one instance in Michigan of a hunter contracting the disease from a deer. In that case, the hunter cut open an infected animal's lesion, then poked himself in the finger with a knife.
It takes daily doses of antibiotics for six months to a year to cure an infected human or animal, Schmitt said.
"It's not so much a public health problem, it's more of a concern for market access," he said. "You don't want to obviously have a known cattle herd infected that you're not doing anything about."
Online
National Milk Producers Federation: www.nmpf.org
Michigan Department of Natural Resources: www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10319-99064--,00.html and bring esteem to the owner. Global apparel markets: product developments and innovations, 4th quarter 2014 (http://www.marketreportsonline.com/405159.html) This report analyses some of the latest developments and innovations in the global apparel industry, including: colour trends; finishes for denim fabric; new collections; new dyes; sports apparel; thermoregulating apparel; three-dimensional (3D) printed apparel; and wearable technology. United Kingdom - Games Consoles (http://www.marketreportsonline.com/405272.html) The UK games consoles market had total revenues of $1,328.1m in 2014, representing a compound annual rate of change (CARC) of -5.1% between 2010 and 2014.Market consumption volumes declined with a CARC of -10% between 2010 and 2014, to reach a total of 3.6 million units in 2014. About Us:
MarketReportsOnline comprises of an online library of 2,50,000 reports and in-depth market research studies of over 5000+ micro markets. We provide 24/7 online and offline support to our customers. Get in touch with us for your needs of market research reports.
Contact Us: Ritesh Tiwari Corporate Office TX, Dallas North - Dominion Plaza, 17304, Preston Road, Suite 800, Dallas 75252. Tel: + 1 888 391 5441 E-mail: sales@marketreportsonline.com | 1.546163 | 989 | 987 |
New Associate Vice Provost and Director of the Teaching & Learning Center
—Suzanne Willever, TLC Communications Manager & Web Designer, Temple University
Pamela Barnett, Associate Vice Provost and Director of the Teaching & Learning Center
Dr. Pamela Barnett is new to Temple as an Associate Vice Provost and Director of the Teaching & Learning Center. She comes to us from Princeton University’s McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning, where she served as Associate Director and was responsible for programs serving faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates. Before Princeton, she was tenured as a professor of English and African American Studies at the University of South Carolina. Her book
Dangerous Desire: Literature of Sexual Freedom and Sexual Violence Since the Sixtieswas published by Routledge in 2004 and examines literature written in response to the liberation movements of the 1960s.
Given her background and scholarly interests in race and gender studies, one of her first concerns when she moved to instructional development at Princeton was to develop programming about identity and diversity in the classroom. Among her other initiatives was a program that linked support for undergraduates with support for faculty. Her “large class initiative” provided academic skills instruction for undergraduates in some of the university’s most challenging large science and quantitative classes, and then teaching consultations for the faculty who taught them. Thus, a workshop on “Problem Solving Skills for Physics 101” became an opportunity to brainstorm with faculty about new teaching approaches as well.
Dr. Barnett’s interest in working at Temple University was sparked when she taught a night class here several years ago on African American literature while on leave from the University of South Carolina (USC) and living in Philadelphia. She was impressed by the diversity of backgrounds—in terms of race and ethnicity, class, age, and life experience—and how much it enriched their study. “The experience underscored what a liberal education can be in a richly diverse environment. So,” she recalls, “when I decided to relocate permanentlys to Philadelphia and make the next stage of my career here, I kept my eye on the Temple job website. This is where I wanted to be: at a large, diverse, public, urban, institution with a real sense of educational mission.”
Dr. Barnett is particularly suited to understanding the needs of Temple faculty and Teaching Assistants; over the course of her career she has served as a TA, Adjunct, Non- Tenure-Track faculty, and then Tenured faculty. She has balanced classroom teaching with dissertation advising and her own research, and at Princeton she balanced teaching with administrative duties. Therefore, she understands the unique challenges faced by university teachers at various stages of their careers and in their different roles. Her varied experiences will help her develop programming and services that are relevant to the different roles—and worthy of Temple teachers’ precious time.
She also brings her experience as a professor of African American studies and her work in diversity and pedagogy programming. She plans to have the TLC do its part to contribute to the efforts of the Office of Multicultural Affairs to promote the retention and success of faculty who are underrepresented in their fields. And she wants to provide programming to support all faculty teaching Temple’s diverse student body. She notes, “This is the most diverse university in the country, and I aim to build a center that enables Temple instructors to make the most of this unique environment. The learning opportunities in this context are enormous.”
Coming into the TLC, Pamela was impressed by the foundation laid by her predecessor, Angela Linse, who built the center and cultivated relationships throughout the university. She also notes that the entire TLC staff has raised the profile of the center by running high quality pedagogy events like the annual new TA orientation and the winter faculty conference. “I feel very fortunate that so many people are interested in what we do, predisposed to want to talk with me.” She hopes to continue the relationships that exist with the center’s current network of great teachers and administrators who are involved or have been involved on the advisory board, in facilitating teaching programs, or speaking at the TLC.
What does she want the TLC to look like in a few years? Her top priority is to develop sustained and substantive opportunities for faculty to reflect on their teaching and their students’ learning, and to do that in communities with other teachers. Expanding upon TLC’s one-time workshops, Barnett intends to experiment with different formats including book groups, teaching discussion circles, short courses, pedagogy certificate programs, and research projects on teaching and learning.
Dr. Barnett is also currently working on a new program that will give instructors the opportunity to visit the classrooms of their colleagues who are doing innovative, interactive teaching in the challenging large-lecture format. The program will pilot this fall, allowing participating instructors to visit classes of their choice from a list, then meet with those professors to talk about the methods they are using, why they use them, and how they impact students’ learning. Ideally, participants will get ideas and have conversations that will enable them to bring some new strategies | 1.594989 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
to their own teaching of large classes. Dr. Barnett cites the importance of consulting with fellow teachers: “It is one thing for me and my staff to extol the benefits, for example, of using the rapid response systems or ‘clickers’ to get students thinking and engaged in a large lecture hall, but it’s another actually to see how a colleague uses them successfully.”
As the center grows and adds staff, it will also offer one-on-one consultation services to instructors, along with classroom observation and feedback. She believes that busy faculty should be able to make an appointment to talk about a teaching issue, whenever the need arises: “The assignment design workshop may not be offered the week that you really need it.” As for classroom observation and feedback, she adds, “I’ve now seen this process invigorate many people’s teaching. If we do our job well, we help instructors build on their strengths, innovating in ways that fit their teaching goals and personas.” Another top priority moving forward is the Gen-Ed initiative. She believes the TLC needs to stand by faculty as they design and pilot innovative new courses, and then as they assess and consider how to improve them year to year.
Her longer-term goals include expanding TLC programming for TAs. One exciting initiative would implement a pedagogy certificate program, through which Temple will gain more recognition for producing excellent scholar-teachers. In addition to participating in TLC programming and getting classroom observation and feedback, certificate seekers would get support creating materials that are often expected on the academic job market: statements of teaching philosophy, well-designed course syllabi, and other elements of a teaching portfolio.
Prior to moving into an administrative role, Dr. Barnett received awards for teaching excellence. When asked why she decided to shift to administration, she replied that after having finished her book and knowing that her tenure was secure, she had more time to reflect on what she most loved about her career and what she wanted to do next. She recalls, “I always wanted to be a teacher; when I was young, I even had a play schoolhouse on my back porch where I somehow convinced neighborhood kids to come study globes and draw letters. And it turned out I was well suited to getting things done, in collaboration with other people.”
For instance, she chaired a committee to revise USC’s African American Studies curriculum and enthusiastically embraced the challenge of thinking about what the students needed to learn and how the curriculum could be designed to get them there. This experience convinced her that departmental service, and then a position of greater administrative responsibility, would be a good way to make a difference using her interests and skills. Adding to this a desire for urban life, and the ability to choose where she lived, solidified her decision to move to Philadelphia and work in administration. “I am motivated knowing that my work can affect more students; I will continue to teach, and by supporting all of the university’s instructors, my work as an educator extends beyond my own classrooms.”
Since taking the job here and relieved of her grueling commute to Princeton, Dr. Barnett is finding more time to become involved in the community. She would like to go back to some work she was doing with the Center for Literacy’s adult high school diploma program before she started her commuting life. Another thing for which she now has time, she happily adds, is gardening: “When I got the job at Temple, one of the first things I did was get a plot in my community garden. I now actually have time to water it before or after work since I don’t have to commute 110 miles a day.” As for her colleagues at Temple, we are thankful that Pamela Barnett has planted roots, quite literally, in our neighborhood, and we look forward to the contributions she will make to this center and to the Temple University community. | 1.838666 | 774 | 773 |
The list just keeps growing for the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and overall health. The newest to the list is breast cancer. A study just published in the journal of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention surveyed approximately 35,000 postmenopausal women, ages 50 to 76, for their use of various specialty supplements (1). The 24-page summary took into account past and present use of supplements as well as frequency (days/week) and duration (year). Individuals taking high purity omega-3 oil had a 32 percent reduced risk of developing breast cancer, whereas other supplements typically taken to reduce menopausal symptoms (e.g., black cohosh, dong quai, soy, or St. John’s wort) had no association. Although further research needs to be conducted, this again adds to the growing body of evidence on the benefits of omega-3s for disease prevention.
Of this survey didn’t answer the question about if they had taken more, would they have seen even better results? This is because cancer like all chronic diseases is driven by silent inflammation coming from increasing levels of Toxic Fat (i.e., arachidonic acid). High purity omega-3 oil dilutes Toxic Fat, but only a strict anti inflammatory diet can actually reduce Toxic Fat. Follow an anti-inflammatory program consisting of a strict anti inflammatory diet, ultra-refined high purity omega-3 oil concentrates and anti-inflammatory polyphenols to reduce the driving force for virtually all chronic disease.
1. Brasky TM, Lampe JW, Potter JD, Patterson RE, White E. Specialty supplements and breast cancer risk in the VITamins And Lifestyle (VITAL) Cohort. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010 Jul;19(7):1696-708. Nothing contained in this blog is intended to be instructional for medial diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult your personal physician immediately.Celery
(Apium graveolens)
Celery is often seen around the holidays sitting on hors d'oerves trays, overflowing with cream cheese or peanut butter. It may be surprising to some that this common vegetable is also a medicinal herb. This common plant in the vegetable garden grows from two to three feet tall with several upright stalks that branch at the top with leaves.
Key Medicinal Uses Internally Celery can sooth the stomach, help get rid of excess fluid in the body and to begin a late menstrual cycle. This herb is a uterine stimulant, it relieves indigestion, treats flatulence and helps reduce the blood pressure. It also contains compounds that help you sleep well and for this reason it used to be given for hysteria. Some say it is an aphrodisiac. The seeds have anti-inflammatory, diuretic, anti-rheumatic and anti-spasmodic actions. It has also been used after childbirth to aid the uterus in adjusting to postpartum. Externally The herb can be used to fight fungal infections and tumors. Other Uses Celery oil can be used to tone the central nervous system as well as a diuretic and to treat cellulite. Using the oil in aromatherapy can help decrease skin puffiness and cleanse the kidneys, liver and spleen. It is useful for dissolving uric acid crystals in people suffering from gout and arthritis. The seeds are also used to make a tonic (also known as celery soda). The main body of the plant is often added to soups, salads or eaten alone as an appetizer. The seeds are sometimes used in pickling, especially in the cuisines of Germany, Italy, Russia and Asia. The essential oil is also used in perfumes and cosmetics. Herbs to Combine/Supplement Parts Used Whole plant The entire plant is used including the seeds, the roots and the oil. Cautions
Therapeutic doses of the herb and oil should not be used during pregnancy.
Preparation and Dosage
An infusion may be made with ½ ounce of bruised seeds or ½ ounce of dried leaves or stalks. Add to 1 pint of water. Allow it to steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Take 1 cup every few days.
A decoction can be made of ½ ounce seeds in half a cup of water. Boil it for 5 minutes then strain out the seeds. Take in small doses. Juice of celery can be taken before meals in a dose of 1 tablespoon 2 or 3 times per day. Celery oil can be used twice a day in a dose of 2 drops in water.
To use the oil for massage, add 5 to 10 drops of oil in 20 ml of olive or sweet almond oil. Massage the mixture into arthritic joints for relief. | 1.487107 | 1,000 | 998 |
Sugar!
You wise souls can probably spare me the research....
What effects does sugar have on a weightlifter's appearance? I'm ignorant on the subject.
Does sugar convert any nutrients to fat? Should sugar be avoided? Should it be consumed more at certain times than others?
Thanks in advance!
I made a post about sugar a while ago. Let me see if i can go find it!
Found it!
War on Sugar
Why when people diet they try their best to cut out as much fat as possible? Myself included.
In a healthy diet we should aim to get between 25 percent to 35 percent of our calories from fat.
Of that, less than seven percent should come from saturated fat. That would be fats from meat and dairy origin.
Less than one percent should come from trans fats, and that would be primarily from partially hydrogenated fats and a little bit from animal fat.
And then the rest should really come from mono and poly unsaturated fats. And that would come from liquid vegetable oil.
I feel that sugar is the enemy. It fights fat reduction, it fights high energy living, it fights against health. But even us health conscience people have problems living the life we want to live in health because of America's over-reliance of simple sugars, which are readily available for pennies anytime you want them.
In an article written by Brian Calkins, he sums up this topic like this:
Bottom line, the goal in consuming carbohydrates should be to reduce or eliminate simple sugars and instead focus on the complex carbohydrates – both the starchy and fibrous complex carbs – those that have not been processed or refined.
Do the best you can. At first, it may seem challenging as you begin to uncover the foods that contain sugar, eliminate them and seek out the more supportive carbohydrates. But once you get into the habit of eating the fibrous and starchy carbohydrates, eventually it will become a way of life for you. I can promise you, after an initial effort, the payoff of eliminating sugar from your diet can be dramatic. Your energy level will soar. You will lose stubborn body fat. And your craving for sugar will completely dissipate.
awesome, thanks emeka!
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Copyright ©2000 - 2017, vBulletin Solutions, Inc. known to be the crafty and creative one. I noticed that I think well when it involves something visual. When participating in presentations, projects, and experiments, I always go over a little more than what is really needed because for some reason it helps me learn the material in more depth. The proof is all in my report card; my grades soared when it came to art and sciences.
The diagrams and examples that were given are the ones that always get stuck in my head. I am also a very keen observer. I am one of those students who stand to the side and just watch. So it when comes to me trying it for myself, I get it done. Connecting my experience to Temple’s, I remember the time when I was younger and very curious about computers. My parents didn’t want to teach me how to use them because they thought I was too young. But as I watched my dad use the computer, I noticed all the buttons he pressed and the functions they served. Until one day, I decided that it was time for me to get my hands on the machine. My dad told me that I knew exactly what button to press to turn it on and where to move the mouse to get to the games. Temple’s abilities will never be close to what I am able to do with my mind. But our similarities of being visual learners made me realize that being unique with your own learning style would be best.
Also, the weaknesses that you possess shouldn’t hold you back from achieving your plans and goals. The mind is the most powerful weapon a human possesses. Despite Temple Grandin’s learning disability, she learned a different way to make her mind work wonders by thinking in more visual terms rather than thinking logically. Seeing how Temple uses this technique for the better during the film, I realize that my own learning technique is very similar to hers. Temple’s rather average, yet unique persona allowed her to be known as an individual full of hope and perseverance for a lot of people today, including myself. Temple established the idea of self-perseverance and almost suggests the small power of generalized gender roles in society. As of today, she continues her influence in our world in terms of animal treatments and in the world of autism.
Courtney from Study Moose
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