source stringclasses 1
value | snapshot stringclasses 3
values | text stringlengths 264 621k | size_before_bytes int64 269 624k | size_after_bytes int64 185 235k | compression_ratio float64 0 0.01 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
warc | 201704 | One of the prides of my life is being complimented with the opinion that I take really great photos. I credit this to a few things. I have loved photography since forever. Not the technical aspect of it so much because ugh, math, work, pass. I have just always loved the aspect of capturing a moment, of freezing time.
I also come from a long line of people who treasured — and valued — family photographs. Thus, I tend to adhere to the opinion that if it’s not in the photo album, it probably didn’t actually happen.
Blessed
I am blessed to have hundreds of images dating to the late 1800s that allow us to imagine the people, places and even pets that populated the lives of those who came before us.
In the 1920s my ahead-of-her-time great gram posed playfully in a balance beam in a “gymnastics bloomer” that looks like it should drag her down by sheer weight of the fabric alone. Later photos show my beautiful grandmother in high school hijinks that remind us she was someone completely different once, than the mother and grandmother we know today.
My own parents reality would be rendered in vivid Kodachrome when two teenagers posed holding a newborn in front of a muscle car. How could anyone ever have really been THAT young?
My own 1980s teenage-dom is well documented in photographs — big hair, parachute pants and all. I even had the prescience to take photos of my own trashed bedroom to document how I really lived. For the record: like a pig. That one I’ll hide from my own kids for a few (thousand) more years.
Clearly, I am a person who understands the importance of a great — or even passably good — snapshot. Despite my prolific trigger finger on the snapshot button, I have begun to question if you can have too much of a good thing?
All of us cherish our childhood photos because even among a fairly prolific photo-taking family — you are not going to be talking about 10,000 images a year. I have, at most, a few hundred images covering almost 100 YEARS, and easily 10,000 or more covering the last ten.
Blessed with a mother who knew her way to Fotomat, I nonetheless find that all my childhood photos fit in a stack of well-organized albums tucked into a trunk in my mother’s living room.
Most people seem to share the same issue. They have anything from an envelope, to a shoebox to, perhaps, a bookshelf of family photo albums to reference. At the rate I take photographs, we will eventually need a storage unit to house them all.
Too much
I think that too many photos is like too much of any good thing. Eventually you don’t appreciate what you have due to the sheer amount of it. I have carefully scrap-booked, cataloged, and categorized the moments and memories of our lives into a slew of photo albums that fill the bookshelves in our home.
Even as I cherish them I wonder where our children are moving that they can take 97 scrapbook albums of their PAST when they are working to build their FUTURE?
I think they will appreciate the photos and stories but not if they become so overwhelming as to be more a “chore” than a blessing. I also suspect that they will eventually just have to reach into a pile, pull a chunk to keep and let some of it go.
Imagine, if you will, that your grandparents had tens of thousands of images of their lives, and your parents, and then you, and so on and so on. Eventually families would need climate controlled storage units just to house it all.
You’d need a family photo librarian to keep it all straight. Or you’ll have it all neatly organized on discs that went out of style like eight-tracks a generation ago, or that are accessible but who bothers?
Essence
I will always cherish my photos, but I’m trying to capture the essence and meaning of our lives beyond taking 10,000 photos a month so we can create a flip book of every moment of every day.
I also try to make sure I still capture candid moments. Posed portraits, while charming, don’t tell the story near as well as all those “messy” backgrounds that made up who we are and what we lived in 2010 and beyond.
I cringe when someone tells me they have everything from their baby’s christening to that same baby’s first day of kindergarten all on the same memory card that they haven’t gotten around to downloading yet. It takes all I have not to stage an intervention!
I would never tell anyone to skip taking photographs. I only suggest that we remember that 300 images of one birthday may mean less, in jogging future memories, than one meaningful snapshot of your everyday life.
Digital imagery has made it possible to instantly delete the chaotic, blurred, and messy from our photographic memory. I suggest that every once in a while you aim your camera at your “real life.”
The table cluttered with schoolbooks, your old barn boots, the shoes piled by the door, all carry the memory and meaning of who you are — were — on this moment in this day. Don’t forget to capture that.
Just remember that it’s a good sign that you are taking a few too many photos if your nickname is Paparazzi.
(Kymberly Foster Seabolt says “cheese!” She welcomes comments (and photographs!) c/o LifeOutLoud@comcast.net; P.O. Box 38, Salem, OH 44460; www.KymberlyFosterSeabolt.com.) | 5,377 | 2,650 | 0.000391 |
warc | 201704 | Hello, I am new to this site and I am just wondering if anyone has experienced the "Fibro Fog" (That's what my doctor refers to it). When I am set out to do something and I forget what I was set out to do. I start sentences and can't finish them. I forget where I put things. I feel like it happens more and more. Any thoughts?
Many people on this site have experienced the "Fibro Fog." Please use the blue google search field and put in Fibro Fog. You should be able to find many post describing what you are feeling.
I have a friend who has noticed some quick improvement in brain fog by taking supplements recommended for thyroid problems - she's taking kelp and selenium. I take those too, and they make me feel better over all. But you have to take these supplements in SMALL doses.
I've recently read there are two types of hypothyroidism - one is easily diagnosed with blood tests. The other type really originates in the pituitary gland, and the blood tests come back normal every time. Most doctors tell you you're fine if the bloodwork is fine. NOT TRUE. So maybe a naturopath could test your saliva for thyroid levels? Or an endocrinologist could help you, if you have other symptoms of low thyroid.
If you don't have a medical background, it is always good to find some type of medical person - a nutritionist, a naturopath, an alternative practitioner, a nurse - who will work with you and make sure you don't hurt yourself. Anything you put in your body can act like a drug. Foods cause allergies - supplements can cause problems too. It's best to get a good physical workup, with bloodtests before you start dosing yourself with supplements - and if you do, make sure you know what you are doing, or have someone who does understand medicine.
Your doctor should try and figure out what is causing the fibro fog, so ask about testing to try to find a cause. Don't let him/her just brush it off as "fibromyalgia," that's baloney. You should get a good blood workup and be checked you for several things. Are you taking any new medications? Antidepressants? Some drugs can give you brain fog. Have you had a viral illness recently? There is something called postviral fatigue that can bring brain fog with it. Have you been tested for any lingering viral illnesses? You might want to start there. Google Dr. Dan Dantini - he talks about viruses and brain fog.
I have had complete blood workups over the 20 years I have been seeing my neurologist who treats my fibr0. He was actally at the medical conference in which they established fibromyalgia as an official disorder,remains cutting edge in his is knowledge and treatment of it and believes in alternative types of treatment. (Many patients fly into Dallas from around the world to see him.) While it's true that medications, viruses, other illnesses, foods, etc. can cause fibro-fog, please don't diminish that it definitely can be a true side-effect of having fibro. A Fibromyalgia Network article stated that researchers believe they have zeroed in on at least one its causes: not enough of a neurotransmitter that aides in the retrieval of short term memories in the frontal lobes, resulting in deminished cognitive abilities. I was a victim of so many doctors who either didn't accept fibro as a diagnosis or, minimized it and who's only treatment was to RX anti-depressants, which I refused. I would say to anyone with fibro-fog to consider all the possibilies, including this one. Just something to consider...
Hi pbasler - You are correct, of course, there can be many causes for brain fog. I just hate to see someone blame it on fibro and not do diagnostic testing for other issues.
I'm appalled with the rampant overuse of antidepressant drugs which target neurotransmitters - they are heavy medicine, and can have very serious consequences for some people. Most doctors just throw these drugs at you to see what happens, and many are NOT educated about side effects or withdrawals (which can mimic fibromyalgia symptoms). Has a doctor ever tested you to see what your neurotransmitter levels are? I was never tested, but had plenty drugs thrown at me. I blame my brain fog on the use of those drugs. The last time I researched this, there were no reliable physical tests available for neurotransmitters. There was controversy as to whether blood tests adequately reflect what is going on in the brain. I have not heard of new tests yet, but I could be behind the curve since I haven't read the recent research. I would really like to know what you found out and hope you'll share it with us.
You don't say what the doctor in Dallas is doing to treat fibro-fog. I'd be interested, if he is having success! I'm sure lots of people who would like to know.
Also, do you know which neurotransmitter they were talking about with regard to short term memories in the frontal lobes? I'd like to google for more information on that. Thanks! : ) | 4,930 | 2,337 | 0.000429 |
warc | 201704 | Martti Ahtisaari
Alexander Stubb
Richard Gowan, Jussi Seppälä, Franziska Brantner, Martti Ahtisaari, Raimo Väyrynen
Raimo Väyrynen, Antti Tanskanen, Martti Ahtisaari
Ti 16.12.2008 klo 14:00-16:00
The Auditorium of the new Annex Building of the Parliament Arkadiankatu 3
The European Union's influence in UN forums has dramatically declined over the last decade, argues a new report by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). Europeans insist that the UN is central to their vision of universal human rights and a rules-based world order. However, UN voting patterns show that the UN decision making is increasingly being shaped by China, Russia and their allies. This has been made brutally clear in the Security Council, the General Assembly, and the Human Rights Council. What should the EU do to counter this trend?
Chair and welcoming remarks:
Raimo Väyrynen, Director, Finnish Institute of International Affairs Keynote speakers: “EU Influence in the United Nations” President Martti Ahtisaari, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2008, Chairman of the Crisis Management Initiative and Co-Chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations “Old institutions responding to new challenges - Finnish perspectives” Alexander Stubb, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Member of the European Council on Foreign Relations Joint presentation by the authors of the report: “A Global Force for Human Rights? An Audit of European Power at the UN” Richard Gowan, SeniorPolicy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations Franziska Brantner, Consultant with the United Nations Development Fund for Women, Co-founder of the think tank Actopia Commentator: Jussi Seppälä, Investigative Correspondent, Former EU Correspondent, Finnish Broadcasting Company, YLE Discussion The report “A Global Force for Human Rights? An Audit of European Power at the UN” is available at: http://ecfr.eu/page/-/documents/UN-report.pdf
Summary of the Seminar
Professor
Raimo Väyrynen, director of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, opened the event by congratulating President Martti Ahtisaari on his Nobel Peace Prize. Väyrynen then moved on to introduce the other speakers of the event and to thank the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) for their cooperation in organising this event. Professor Väyrynen noted how the ECFR has already published several highly interesting reports, despite being founded only a year ago. The report discussed in this seminar is based on a quantitative analysis of UN voting statistics over the past ten years. The analysis reveals a drastic decline in the number of allies supporting the EU positions in human rights issues.
President
Martti Ahtisaari began his speech by briefly reminiscing about the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony at the end of the previous week. He continued to explain the role he and the other co-chairs of the ECFR, Mabel van Oranje and Joschka Fischer, have within the Council. As to the ECFR’s aims, President Ahtisaari referred to the statement of principles of the Council, which spans from highlighting the need for more coherent foreign policies in EU member states, to encouraging the Union to use its transformative power outside its immediate neighbourhood. The decline of the EU’s influence from the 1990’s to the present date is noticeable. However, this trend could be reversed, if the EU just puts enough effort into doing so. The EU needs to be more effective in its attempts to promote its values and influence Africa, Asia, and Latin America. President Ahtisaari compared the current challenges with those he encountered in his work for Namibia. It is remarkable how, in 1988, countries such as the US, the Soviet Union, Cuba and the states in the region were able to cooperate, despite the differences amongst them.
President Ahtisaari showed optimism towards the current situation, too. He was especially delighted by the most recent statement made by the Middle East Quartet. He concluded his speech by reminding how important the UN has been to Finland in the past and stressed the need to maintain this relationship in the future.
Alexander Stubb, Minister for Foreign Affairs, sought to explain how he sees the global challenges international institutions are facing. To fulfil this aim, he set out to define the economic and political aspects of the challenge, as well as global governance itself. According to minister Stubb, three events have become defining moments in the post-cold war era. First of these is the fall of the Berlin Wall, which led to the re-unification of the east and the west. The second moment occurred on 9/11, and led to major changes in our perceptions as well as practices, as our focus turned to terrorism. The third moment took place in the form of two events which are related only because of their chronological proximity: the start of the war between Russia and Georgia on 08/08/08 and the start of the financial crisis on 08/09/08.
As to the international institutions, minister Stubb was of the opinion that after the cold war only two have been able to press the “refresh” button: the EU and Nato. The EU has introduced the Euro, doubled its membership, and has 10 new member states which nobody could have predicted just 20 years ago. There is even evidence that during the past four years, the Union has been able to push forward legislation faster than before. Nato, on the other other hand, has shown its usefulness in Kosovo and Afghanistan, and has taken on new types of tasks e.g. after the earthquake in Pakistan, the Tsunami and the hurricane Katrina. Five other institutions, the UN, OSCE, WTO, IMF and World Bank have not been so successful. The WTO has lost influence because of its failure with the Doha round. The IMF has not been able to provide ideas as to how the financial crisis should be tackled. It has rather been the EU that has proved to be more reassuring with its actions. OSCE is still necessary, but it is not functioning the way it should and needs to be believed in more by its member states.
With regard to the UN Security Council, minister Stubb pointed out that the permanent seats should be given to continents rather than to individual states. The EU should have its own permanent seat in the Security Council instead of two separate seats occupied by two of its member states. The bipolar order of the cold war era is evolving into either a multipolar or a multilateral order, as new actors gain importance. The issues of today’s world, such as climate change and the financial crisis are not problems of nation states, but rather global problems. To succeed in tackling these, the minister hoped to see a multilateral world order emerging, not just a multipolar one. The minister had noted how ideas of new international institutions are floating in the air. Yet he hoped that we would instead strengthen the current institutions. He concluded by saying that we need to finally get serious about global governance. We need to think how to get the EU model work in the rest of the world.
Richard Gowan began his comment by pointing out that we still do not know what the economic crisis, war between Russia and Georgia, or the situation in Congo means to us or to the global system. Neither do we know what choices Barack Obama’s team will make. Thus we might be in the middle of crisis, but, equally, this could be a moment of huge opportunity. The report “A Global Force for Human Rights? An Audit of European Power at the UN” is an attempt to step back from the day-to-day politics and look at the battle of ideas taking place in the UN. Gowan defined the main opponents of this battle as states seeking to preserve the traditional state sovereignty on the one side and the liberal internationalists on the other. There is also a significant “battle” over development, between the South and the North. However, the clash between the “sovereignty hawks” and the liberal internationalists is more central. The support for the EU’s positions in the UN General Assembly has slipped from 70% to 50%. At first sight, this may not seem like a cause for panic, especially if compared to the decline in support for the US positions. Nonetheless, the supporters of the EU are mainly states located in the wider Europe. Elsewhere, there is growing scepticism, and e.g. only 6 African states vote regularly with the EU. Despite some setbacks, the past years have been a relatively benign time for the EU in the Security Council. This is now changing and there is need for the EU to start building alliances.
Franziska Brantne r was optimistic, and pointed out that this is a moment for opportunities and that we can reverse the decline, as it is partly caused by political shifts which are not linked to the EU. Policies adopted after the 9/11, as well as support to the US policies, have led to the alienation of many Muslim countries. African countries and the African Union have initially been supportive of ideas such as the Responsibility to Protect or the founding of the International Criminal Court. Yet, they have come to feel that Africans themselves are the only targets of these policies. For Latin American countries, EU stances on immigration issues are a major cause for discontent. Finally, the EU does not have its own “Francophonie”, a group of natural allies, and has to create support from the scratch every time. Thus, the lack of time leads the EU to lobby for policies which simply reflect the smallest common denominator. As a solution to this situation, the ECFR recommends that the EU erect a big tent in the UN. In practice, this would mean increasing mutual transparency, internal and external coordination as well as genuine dialogue. The EU should also define more clearly what it wants to get out of the UN.
In his comment,
Jussi Seppälä pointed out that the decline of influence in the UN is a reflection of what is happening in the world more generally. If we bear in mind these changes, the loss of influence becomes easier to understand. However, this does not exclude the possibility that things would develop more positively in the future. Seppälä also brought up a point made in the report that the uniformity of the EU is so stern that some of its partners have grown apprehensive of it. He also stressed that the EU should make better use of the leverage it has e.g. through its role as a major donor of aid.
Professor Väyrynen opened the Q&A session by reflecting on whether the change in voting is caused by the weakening of the EU or the growing strength of the others. Though individual votes in the General Assembly may not all matter equally, the overall tendency is an indicator of how the world thinks about human right issues. Finally, he wondered whether the EU really should be the benchmark for others with regard to HR policies.
Other questions concerned the criticism expressed of the EU’s double-standards in the field of human rights, as well as the true extent of EU coherence. Double standards were seen as a real cause for concern. However, it was emphasised that it is better if the EU moves to solve this issue in a step-by-step manner than if it does not attempt to solve it at all. A further question about the prospects of UN Security Council reform was met with pessimism. Finally, president Ahtisaari emphasised that it is more important to get results than it is to worry about the nature of those with whom we work to get them. He also called for better implementation of the Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. | 11,773 | 5,125 | 0.000199 |
warc | 201704 | Focus Ventures, a Canadian-listed exploration company, is developing the Bayovar12 sedimentary phosphate project in northern Peru. The project is located close to existing port facilities and power, within one of the fastest growing fertilizer markets in the world.
Phosphate is a vital nutrient and a key input in modern farming. Management's vision is to build Focus into a world leader in the production of direct application phosphate rock, serving high-demand markets throughout the world and contributing to the improvement of farm yields and sustainable agriculture.
In May 2016 Focus published a restated Pre-feasibility Study for production of 1MT per year of phosphate rock concentrate grading 24 - 28% P205. The Study anticipates the open pit operation would generate a NPV of $458 million (7.5% discount rate) and a 26.3% IRR, with a payback of 3.9 years.
Natural, direct application phosphate rock contains no added chemicals and is absorbed into the earth more efficiently and safely than processed fertilizers, saving farmers money, providing better yields and helping to minimize environmental impacts. | 1,123 | 655 | 0.001534 |
warc | 201704 | China’s strong economy and huge appetite for energy have been key drivers in the current $130-per-barrel price of oil. China imports over half of its oil, regards the industry as “strategically vital,” controls retail prices and is facing inflation in excess of 8%. The price may seem daunting in the U.S., but it is much more so in China.
Here are China’s current oil sector particulars: Domestic production is about 4 million barrels a day, and that figure is rising very slowly. I have found no credible energy expert who expects Chinese production to rise meaningfully above the current range anytime in the foreseeable future.
Current consumption is now about 8 million barrels a day and rising at a rapid 7% annual rate, the highest growth rate in the world. Remember that China is becoming more energy efficient with each passing year–10% real gross domestic product growth, compared with 7% energy use–in line with its historical economic development pattern.
But China has been the primary contributor to the increasing oil demand over the last decade; its demand grows 65% faster than the U.S. and four times faster than India. Over the next decade, I don’t foresee much change in oil’s share of total energy use in China, compared with coal, natural gas and other forms of energy. Energy source substitution is difficult, expensive and takes time.
So, China is now required to import around 4 million barrels of oil a day just to keep its economy going. China has been a net importer of oil since 1993 and exports essentially no oil. Oil imports are likely to rise about 0.5 million barrels a day each year with a healthy Chinese economy. Using a round number of $100 a barrel, China’s annual current oil import bill alone is about $144 billion, up about $72 billion this year alone. It’s a big number.
Beijing is left wondering, first, how to handle the short-term price shock and, second, what the best long-term strategy would be.
Controlling oil prices in China is a disaster. In the short term, China’s inflation rate is over 8%, a figure that’s both high and worrisome. So Beijing is holding down many prices–including oil–with a cumbersome price-control scheme.
Consider the following: Since January 2007, global crude oil prices have risen by 109%; gasoline prices in the U.S. have risen by 77% (roughly apace); gasoline prices in China have risen only 9%.
Gasoline in the U.S. now sells for around $4 per gallon, but it sells for $2.49 per gallon in China. Beijing last raised domestic gasoline prices in November 2007, by 9%, and that was the first and only hike since January 2007, when crude was $87 per barrel. A recent rumor that China was about to lift its gasoline-price controls was quickly dismissed by Beijing.
China’s energy sector, regarded as “strategically vital,” is dominated by three giant state-owned enterprises. If Beijing wants anything in energy, it is control. But as China becomes more integrated into the global economy, global rules–not China’s rules–are increasingly intervening.
So here is where it gets really crazy.
Sinopec, conversely, with little drilling capability, buys crude at the global price and sells at the state-controlled retail price, taking a giant bath on every gallon of product they sell. During the first quarter of 2008, their earnings were down 81%. Ouch.
Then there is PetroChina, which has considerable domestic production but also must buy some oil at world prices and sell at the below-market state-set price. PetroChina’s earnings were down 56% in the first quarter.
Beijing will subsidize the domestic gasoline retailers, mostly Sinopec and PetroChina, about $40 billion this year for the price-cost squeeze just described. The oil bureaucrats in Beijing mean well, but what a tangle! How can global investors make any sense of this?
At some point, the domestic oil price in China must rise to the world price, but, at present, that would unacceptably lift inflation. So Beijing watches and waits with a price system that is not functioning. Beijing can afford this massive subsidy to China’s oil consumers with its current favorable budget situation.
But make no mistake: This hold-down of retail prices is a subsidy to energy consumers that is hidden in the government’s budget. The taxpayers are paying for these lower oil prices. They just don’t see it at the pump with the current inflation statistics.
For the longer term, Beijing is actively seeking secure sources of fuel for their economy, hoping to make multi-year deals for reliable energy reserves in the Middle East, Africa, Canada, Russia and elsewhere. Should those deals materialize, Beijing will ensure it has oil available. But oil prices are set in the global market, and Beijing would still be saddled with subsidizing their gasoline retailers if they want domestic prices to remain below market levels.
While I don’t approve of how China is behaving in the energy sector at present, it is arguably just as defensible as actions taken by officials in Washington, D.C. It has been almost 35 years since the first oil shock in October 1973. At that time, OPEC raised oil prices from $2.71 per barrel to roughly $8 per barrel–and we still don’t have an energy policy. What’s the hurry?
Donald H. Straszheim is vice chairman of Roth Capital Partners in Los Angeles, former global chief economist at Merrill Lynch | 5,515 | 2,591 | 0.000397 |
warc | 201704 | 1 Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Københavns Universitet2 unknown3 Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Københavns Universitet
Subtitle:
a model to explain seasonal changes of brain 5-HTT as intermediate phenotype of the 5-HTTLPR
DOI:
10.1007/s00213-013-3308-1
Abstract:
Molecular imaging studies with positron emission tomography have revealed that the availability of serotonin transporter (5-HTT) in the human brain fluctuates over the course of the year. This effect is most pronounced in carriers of the short allele of the 5-HTT promoter region (5-HTTLPR), which has in several previous studies been linked to an increased risk to develop mood disorders. We argue that long-lasting fluctuations in the cerebral serotonin transmission, which is regulated via the 5-HTT, are responsible for mediating responses to environmental changes based on an assessment of the expected "safety" of the environment; this response is obtained in part through serotonergic modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We posit that the intermediate phenotype of the s-allele may properly be understood as mediating a trade-off, wherein increased responsiveness of cerebral serotonin transmission to seasonal and other forms of environmental change imparts greater behavioral flexibility, at the expense of increased vulnerability to stress. This model may explain the somewhat higher prevalence of the s-allele in some human populations dwelling at geographic latitudes with pronounced seasonal climatic changes, while this hypothesis does not rule out that genetic drift plays an additional or even exclusive role. We argue that s-allele manifests as an intermediate phenotype in terms of an increased responsiveness of the 5-HTT expression to number of daylight hours, which may serve as a stable surrogate marker of other environmental factors, such as availability of food and safety of the environment in populations that live closer to the geographic poles.
Type:
Journal article
Language:
English
Published in:
Psychopharmacology, 2013, Vol 230, Issue 3, p. 333-343
Keywords:
Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Review | 2,251 | 1,121 | 0.000903 |
warc | 201704 | Folks that got an early taste of winter across the Midwest and Great Lakes during the middle of this week will get another round this weekend.
A quick-moving disturbance is expected to drop south in Canada and brush the Great Lakes Saturday, bringing another shot of cold air and the threat for chilly rain and some wet snowflakes.
Significant snowfall accumulations aren't expected for many in the United States as this system speeds by. The heaviest snow is expected to fall in south central Quebec Saturday into Sunday, where 1 to 3 inches are expected. A few spots could surpass 3 inches.
Snow may mix in with rain at times across the Great Lakes to northern New England. Snowflakes that do fall in these areas could accumulate on grassy surfaces. If the snow falls hard enough, a slushy road accumulation is also possible.
Low visibility and slippery conditions could develop quickly as a result. Motorists caught in a snow squall should drive with caution.
This disturbance will help keep unseasonably chilly air across the Midwest and Great Lakes.
Temperatures in cities like Chicago and Detroit have been running well below average.
High temperatures in Chicago have been running as much as 15 degrees below average over the past couple of days. In Detroit, high temperatures have been as much as 11 degrees below average.
With the help of all this cold air, the first snowflakes of the season already fell for many on Wednesday and Thursday as the lake-effect machine kicked on.
People living in some of the favored snowbelt regions downwind from the Great Lakes woke up to a winter wonderland Thursday morning.
Northeastern Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania were two of the hardest hit areas. Crawford County, Pa., had a report of nearly 7 inches of snow. Other reports across the county were between 2 to 4 inches.
Geauga County, Ohio, was also blanketed with snow. Around 5 inches fell around Burton. Some of the suburbs of Cleveland were also covered with snow. A trained spotter reported around 6 inches in Mayfield Heights.
Much of the heavy wet snow accumulated on trees and power lines. Branches snapped under the weight and power lines were brought down forcing power outages on communities. School closings were also put into effect.
Lake-effect rain and snow showers are expected to wind down Friday and early Saturday but more lake effect is expected to develop as this system departs Saturday night into Sunday.
A chilly flow on the back side of the system will spread over the warm Great Lakes and will allow for lake-effect rain and snow showers to develop downwind.
Although a repeat of Thursday morning is not expected, some areas could pick up a light accumulation, serving as a reminder that winter is not too far away.
There were mixed emotions on the early season snowfall. Some were pleased to see winter make an early appearance. For ski resorts, the snow comes as good news. Others who dislike the snow and the cold continued to ponder about the disappearance of summer.
A break from the snow is expected early next week as high pressure nudges in from the south.
A new system is expected to gather strength across the Plains by the middle of next week, however, and could present some problems farther down the road for the Great Lakes and Northeast.
Heavy snow is forecast for the Rockies early in the week. After that, the exact track of the storm is still unknown. AccuWeather.com meteorologists will continue to track it as it slides eastward across the U.S.
Story written by Jordan Root, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist | 3,579 | 1,668 | 0.000603 |
warc | 201704 | DPaaS is a web-delivered or cloud-based service for protecting data assets. Enterprises generally utilize this service to build better security and enhance their network security for effective data management on cloud. There is presently a rising need to reduce complexities in terms of large data volumes for application development. DPaaS services help organizations to look after these issues by providing cost-effective cloud services. It is a multi-tenant model which allows management of various services through a single portal. On its deployment, DPaaS seamlessly provides virtual machine capabilities for each and every server.
Free Sample PDF : http://bit.ly/1W60Aep
The global DPaaS market is segmented on the basis of deployment models, business enterprise size, delivery models, end-use industries and geography. Based on the type of deployment model, the market has been classified into private, public and hybrid model. On the basis of business enterprise size, the market is segmented into large enterprises, small and medium enterprises/ businesses (SMEs/SMBs) and others (public sector, hospitality, retail etc.). On the basis of delivery models, the market is segmented as on-premise and cloud. Furthermore, based on end-use industries, the global DPaaS market is segmented into IT and telecommunications, healthcare, manufacturing, defense and energy, and others. Geographically, the market is classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. The market demand in North America is mainly driven by the fast adoption of cloud based services by small, medium and large industries in this region. Moreover, the market is expected to grow tremendously in Asia Pacific region over the forecast period due to large investment done by the government into infrastructure activities for the effective data protection.
Full Report : http://bit.ly/1Tu4njs
The rising demand for disaster recovery services to protect enterprise data against various potential threats is currently a major factor driving the global DPaaS market. The market growth is also supported by increasing integration of deployment techniques and modern infrastructure development. Furthermore, emergence of more advanced forms of data management over the traditional models is another key driver for the DPaaS market. In addition to this, other factors like business and global expansion, financial efficiency and core competency is fueling the growth of DPaaS market. However, the challenges related to DPaaS market include trust or security in providing these services and managing the entire communication network as well. Trust or security comprises of secure connectivity, alignment with existing tools and processes, standards and regulatory compliance and data center. Management of entire communication requires several compatible platforms, application programming interface, constant identity and access management.
The study is a source of reliable data on:
Market segments and sub-segments
Market trends and dynamics
Supply and demand
Market size
Current trends/opportunities/challenges
Competitive landscape
Technological breakthroughs
Value chain and stakeholder analysis
The regional analysis covers:
North America (U.S. and Canada)
Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)
Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)
Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia)
Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand)
Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, North Africa) | 3,619 | 1,725 | 0.000583 |
warc | 201704 | Environmental-Friendly Paper Making Industry. important modifications have occurred since of latest Legislation, not merely in UK, but additionally Europe and also the complete world. The biosphere machine is a plastic septic tanks brand new innovation that safely meets pollution controlled standards that is set by the government. It is an often embarrassedly discussed topic, if ever talked about at all. The City of Aiken City Council met last night to discuss the budgets of two of its Divisions.
After a sewage overspill or even a flooding disaster, it is normal to see solid waste scattered around the neighborhood. Who will safe guard it? it should be none apart from your deeds to rent a trash bin dumpster rental company Tennessee. It has been used as examples of cities that exemplify the relationship between urban growth and effect on the environment. People who have taken steps to cleanse their colons also reported having clearer and younger looking skin, increased stamina, enhanced sleep, etc. Things you Will NeedFundsBusiness planEmployeesBusiness nameTrucksPermitsStep 1. It operates with fresh or salt water. The evaluation provides sector wise industry developments and facilitates deep understanding on solid waste management market future prospects over these sectors enabling a well-balanced market understanding. We hope we, with all the help of Blue Sky recycle, have given you the push so you can get your own personal office recycling programs started. Ronald Flynn is aiming for that Philippines to step a notch higher inside the progress it is making to turn into a developed country. While the staff will decrease by a half position, staff qualifications will increase necessitating the boost in funding. What needs to be implemented to preserve the biosphere? This is the question which is knocking the entranceway every resident in Tennessee. To stay informed on Wilmington Technology News, or share your Technology News, follow Tom Peracchio @Gu42 on Twitter or Guru42 on Facebook. By choosing our lifestyle carefully, we're in effect helping a great many other people around the world who have it a lot less fortunate than we do. We cannot stop our current necessities to preserve natural resources for your future generations. since the waste materials is incredibly compact, inside a tied stackable type or shape, it could be stored. Industrial waste management is also necessary so concerning keep the nearby environment pollution free and safe for the inhabitants. Luckily, the process may help you get rid of cravings for unhealthy foods along with other unhealthy foods. Industrial waste management is an additional popular waste management method by which all kinds of wastes are eliminated so regarding reduce public health risks whether it be a solid waste or liquid waste. Ensure that actually work recycling can be a success by forming recycling groups or teams. The effluent produced must not have a fecal coliform bacteria count greater than 1000 per 100 milliliters and haven't any visible floating solids. Because these food additives disrupt the functions of the digestive system, the kidneys, and the liver, our bodies cannot eliminate waste and toxins effectively. Pickup of e-wastes, oil, paint, tires and batteries will be provided to get a $25 per trip fee (the homeowner does septic tank heater have other choices here, of course. True Bio Electric promotes and offers prime clean power source for developing and developed nations worldwide. The Issuer relies upon litigation protection for forward-looking statements. The Issuer relies upon litigation protection for forward-looking statements. Please contact powerful Recycling Balers Ltd on Freephone 0800 5677 384 at any time for support & advice. Read much more of the Best Toilet Reviews here because we're helping you choose the best toilet that suits your needs.
Manage Your Items
Other Stuff | 3,914 | 2,002 | 0.0005 |
warc | 201704 | An important review of neurological manifestations of Bartonella infection was published recently in the Journal of Neuroparasitology. In a recent commentary on the One Health Initiative website, lead author and Galaxy cofounder, Dr. Ed Breischwerdt noted that:
The primary motivations for this review were to emphasize the expanding number of arthropod vectors, wild and domestic animal reservoirs and growing number of named Bartonella species that have induced documented human infections in recent years. In addition, this review will hopefully help physicians, public health officials and veterinarians to stop equating infection with a Bartonella species to historical Cat Scratch Disease, but to start considering the possibility that a much more complex environmental and medical scenario might be contributing to diverse neurological disease presentations in neurobartonellosis patients throughout the world.
Bartonella infection (aka Cat Scratch Disease) is linked to a broad spectrum of neurological symptoms in the medical case series literature, including motor impairment, vision problems, loss of feeling in hands and feet, neurocognitive and mood disorders. Time for clinical researchers to investigate these links in large samples of patients!
The review article is available for free download at Ashdin Publishing: http://www.ashdin.com/journals/jnp/235640.pdf | 1,383 | 766 | 0.00131 |
warc | 201704 | Missile Defense: European Phased Adaptive Approach Acquisitions Face Synchronization, Transparency, and Accountability Challenges GAO-11-179R: Published: Dec 21, 2010. Publicly Released: Dec 21, 2010. Additional Materials: Contact:
This report formally transmits our briefing on acquisition management for the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA). This is one of two products we are issuing in response to congressional October 13, 2009 request that we evaluate the Department of Defense's (DOD) plans for implementing EPAA. We provided congressional staff a draft copy of this briefing in a meeting with them on September 22, 2010. We do not make any recommendations in the briefing. We will issue a final report on broader issues of European missile defense that will include the material in the briefing. That final product will have recommendations, as appropriate. For the briefing we sought to answer two questions: (1) What key acquisition planning and management practices are in place for EPAA? (2) Are there near-term development risks for EPAA?
In response to changing threats in the region and new opportunities created by advances in missile defense technology, in September 2009 the President announced a new policy for missile defense of Europe, called the European Phased Adaptive Approach, or EPAA. DOD has emphasized the benefits of a policy of regional phased adaptive approaches, stating that it does not require a globally integrated missile defense architecture and that it relies on proven solutions. According to DOD, because EPAA is a policy, not a separate missile defense acquisition program, DOD intends to use the department's existing processes for managing missile defense acquisitions and the existing BMDS element-based acquisition approach for missile defense system elements---not one specific to EPAA--to approve system acquisitions. However, we found that DOD has not fully implemented a management process that synchronizes EPAA acquisition activities and ensures transparency and accountability. DOD has made progress in acquisition planning for technology development and systems engineering and testing and partial progress in defining requirements and identifying stakeholders but has not yet developed an EPAA acquisition decision schedule or an overall EPAA investment cost. The limited visibility into the costs and schedule for EPAA and the lack of some key acquisition management processes we found reflect the oversight challenges with the acquisition of missile defense capabilities that we have previously reported. The consequences of these issues have included: (1) limited means of independently assessing progress and a limited basis for oversight and (2) going into production before fully demonstrating system performance, leading to rework, cost increases, delays, and uncertainties about delivered capabilities. The flexibility desired by DOD is not incompatible with appropriate visibility into key aspects of acquisition management. As DOD proceeds with the EPAA acquisition activities, it is important for Congress and the President to have assurance that the EPAA policy is working as intended and that acquisition activities are cost-effective. | 3,215 | 1,459 | 0.000686 |
warc | 201704 | Overview
Pears come in both ornamental and fruit-bearing varieties, both of which produce beautiful spring blooms. This makes them popular in landscaping and backyard orchards. Difficulties arise because many cultivars are highly susceptible to a few diseases. Proper maintenance can help prevent disease in pear trees. However, if it occurs, recognizing the symptoms and knowing how to react could mean the difference between a minor problem and the loss of the pear tree.
Types
Bacterial diseases can cause serious damage. The most damaging bacterial disease is fire blight, to which most fruit-bearing varieties and many ornamental varieties are highly susceptible. Insects can play a key role in spreading fire blight and can be considered part of the disease life cycle. Fungal diseases such as leaf spot can damage a tree and render its fruit useless. Crown rot is another fungal disease.
Identification
Leaf spot can be recognized by the small, purple to black spots that appear on leaves, petioles, shoots and fruit. As the disease worsens, the leaves will drop prematurely and the fruit will crack and fall. Crown rot is harder to detect. Affected pear trees will grow poorly, have smaller leaves that turn red and gold prematurely, brightly colored but small fruit and an inadequate root system. Fire blight leaves blossoms, twigs and shoots looking as though they have been scorched. They soon turn black and die.
Time Frame
Leaf spot fungus grows well in moist warm weather. High winds and splashing rain are responsible for spreading the disease to uninfected tissue, and serious damage can be caused by midsummer. Crown rot can occur at anytime, but its frequency seems to rise in situations where overwatering is present. Fire blight does the most damage during the blooming phase. Once present, though, the disease can overwinter in wounds on the tree and strike up its assault the following spring with increased intensity.
Treatment
Fungicides are effective in treating leaf spot. Applications should be made according to manufacturer’s directions. A copper fungicide is used to treat crown rot. An alternative is to dig out the crown and allow it dry out over the summer. It should be covered with sand or pea gravel, weed fabric and topsoil before winter. Fire blight requires immediate pruning of infected tissue. Pruning tools should be disinfected between cuts with a 10 percent solution of bleach. Cuts should be made 8 to 12 inches below the visible sign of infection. You can treat the tree three times in the spring, at 5-day intervals, with streptomycin.
Significance
Leaf spot can cause pear trees to defoliate by midsummer. Fruits are usually scarred, scorched and unusable. Crown rot will damage the overall health of the tree which in turn produces small fruit or causes autumn leaf color to occur ahead of schedule. Fire blight causes branches to die and, left untreated, can kill the pear tree in a few years. | 2,961 | 1,434 | 0.000702 |
warc | 201704 | August 13, 2015 To script, or not to script? That is the question…
The words “authentic” and “script” don’t necessarily seem synonymous when it comes to user-generated videos, and many assume that scripting out what your customers should say is big no-no.
Or is it?
Yes and no – it depends on your approach and what you want to get out of the videos. BUT, should you choose to provide a script for your customers to follow, there are a few conditions and considerations to keep in mind so you can steer clear of getting not-quite-so genuine results.
Here are a few do’s and don’ts when it comes to video testimonial scripts:
DO give them the questions, but DON’T give them the answers
Don’t tell your customers what you want to hear word for word, since they’ll likely repeat your script verbatim. While you may think doing so can put some of your more camera-shy customers at ease, viewers can easily tell when it sounds and/or looks like someone’s reading from a piece of paper off to the side of the screen.
Give them the question, a brief description and let them do the talking. Remember, the most critical component in ensuring you receive quality video submissions depends largely on the question you ask. This is how you get those valuable insights from customers and establish credibility with prospects.
DO provide talking points to support your questions, but DON’T include sales-y buzzwords
Similar to how looking at a blank page and writing an essay can seem intimidating, so too can recording a video without a jumping off point. Help them get the ball rolling with a few key phrases to support your question and description.
For instance, when asking a question such as “
Why would you recommend our product/service?“, you can include something in your description to support your question, like “ What makes our product/service different/better than the rest (customer service, easy to use, etc.)?“
However, be sure not to encourage customers to use words that don’t sound organic or natural, since these can appear forced. A phrase like “
best deal ever” can be a red flag to the end user, so words like this shouldn’t be included in your script.
Remember, it’s all about the intention and approach. Your video testimonial script should always be a guideline used to provide the recorders with direction so they can speak about their experience in their own words – AND in their own way. | 2,540 | 1,251 | 0.000845 |
warc | 201704 | Engineering Degrees in Louisiana Guide to Louisiana Engineering Schools
Louisiana might seem like a sweet southern state that has more important things like agriculture to worry about. However, this state has expanded the economy that it depends on to include other industries such as tourism, commerce, and manufacturing. There are over 80 different colleges and universities in the state, many of which offer engineering programs and degrees for students of all kinds. While it might not seem like this economy needs engineers, it actually does. You can find technical schools and online courses, as well, allowing you to fast track your engineering education and get on with your life in no time at all.
Choosing your engineering school depends on your specific interests and which areas you want to study. Fortunately, most of the schools that offer engineering programs will have specialized studies in all of the different fields available to students. One of the most established and well-known schools in the state is LSU, also known as Louisiana State University. This school turns out more engineers and other professionals than any other school in the state. Get your bachelor’s degree in engineering to get started in career success, and aim for a master’s degree or higher if you want to increase your options and your earnings.
Louisiana Engineering Job Outlook and Salary
Even though the state was ravaged by major hurricanes twice in the last decade, it is making quite a comeback. The economy is beginning to stabilize itself and there are many new industries coming to the state for the tax incentives and because they are looking for a place to start over and begin their business again. There are financial incentives for businesses that come to the state, as well as for students who choose engineering as their field of study. All of this is creating more job growth and better outlooks for the future of engineering and other careers within the state.
Engineers in Louisiana can expect to make an average of $73,000 annually, which is fairly decent compared to the rest of the United States. Since manufacturing is such a big deal, those working in related engineering fields will find the most success. Chemical engineers can average nearly $97,000 annually, as can petroleum engineers, which is one of the hottest engineering careers in the state. Other engineering professions fetch their own handsome salaries, depending on the education and experience that you have. If you’re ready to embark on your engineering education and career, Louisiana is as good a place as any to get started. | 2,636 | 1,242 | 0.000812 |
warc | 201704 | Regional News of Sunday, 13 July 2014
Source: GNA
Agyenim Boating, Dean of Graduate School, Ghana Technology University (GTUC) has said the nation could go for solar energy if it musters political will and put in place right research investment and capacity building for local people.
Dr Boateng observed that in the light of the country’s abundance sunshine, it has the potential to develop and use of solar power, saying “government should carefully considered solar power as an alternative sources of energy, particularly for domestic usage”. He said Ghana’s location within the tropics enable it to receive high levels of direct solar radiation daily all year round, constituting a large untapped energy potential, ideal for solar-thermal, domestic and small industrial applications. Dr Boating, a solar PV systems’ installation expert made these comments on Thursday in Accra at a two-day workshop for technicians and engineers in the energy sector. He said the sun energy in Ghana could be exploited to produce electricity to ameliorate persistent energy crises facing the nation. “The production system is simple and its installation is not too difficult, however, the manufacturing and initial costs of solar panels are relatively expensive”, Dr Boateng added. According to him parts of the university college’s buildings have been installed with solar panels to help supplement the national grid. He urged government to promote an industry-wide shift of investment and production in PV solar projects as well as subsidize importation of solar panels. The university college, Dr. Boateng said is strengthening its relationship with energy service providers, technicians and engineers to develop solar Photovoltaic (PV) system curriculum content for implementation nationwide. For this reason, the University College is therefore partnering with Trades Works Limited, expert in solar installation in Ghana to engage a cohort of technical personnel in the pilot-test training session. The Volta River Authority, the Electricity Company of Ghana, the Energy Commission and Ghana Electrical Corporation participated in the workshop. The workshop, among other things, provided a platform to review the curriculum and training apparatus installed by the GTUC as well as providing competency-based skills training in solar PV installation and maintenance for service providers in the energy sector. The Council for Technical and vocational Education and Training under the skills development fund provided the funding for the project to be replicated in the other regions. | 2,618 | 1,293 | 0.000787 |
warc | 201704 | 市場調查報告書
中國的Trastuzumab市場調查 Investigation Report on China Trastuzumab Market, 2010-2019 出版商 China Research and Intelligence 商品編碼 296113 出版日期 內容資訊 英文 20 Pages
商品交期: 最快1-2個工作天內
價格
中國的Trastuzumab市場調查 Investigation Report on China Trastuzumab Market, 2010-2019 出版日期: 2015年06月18日 內容資訊: 英文 20 Pages
Trastuzumab是妨礙HER2/neu受體的單株抗體，主要是用作特定乳癌的治療。Trastuzumab在治療HER2陽性轉移性乳癌上有莫大影響。中國由於醫療環境的限制及知識不足，每年接受乳腺疾病檢查的女性為10％以下。為此，初期階段發現的乳癌，美國是80％，但中國僅為20％。在中國的醫院市場中，Shanghai Roche 與GENENTECHT佔Trastuzumab的市場佔有率。在2005-2014年之間，醫院的Trastuzumab的市場規模年複合成長率達到52.9％。
本報告提供中國的Trastuzumab市場相關分析，提供您提供您主要廠商的市場佔有率，中國的醫院市場上價格變化·銷售額，主要企業，及市場展望等資訊。
※ 本網頁內容可能與最新版本有所差異。詳細情況請與我們聯繫。
Monoclonal antibody, an epochal drug variety, plays an important role in the upgrading process of treatments for tumor and autoimmune disease, and has become a mainstream in the global market of targeting therapeutic agents. The manufacturers of antibody mainly concentrate in the hands of such drug giants as Roche, Amgen, Johnson & Johnson, Abbott, Novartis and Merck, among which Roche's Genetech boasts of the largest amount of monoclonal antibody varieties.
Developed by Genentech, trastuzumab was approved by FDA to be used in clinic in Sep. 1998 under the trade name of Herceptin, a major product of Roche. In 2013, the sales value of trastuzumab was USD 6.56 billion around the world.
After entering China in 2002 for the treatment of HER2 metastatic breast cancer, trastuzumab develops fast with annual sales value rising from less than CNY 20 million in 2005 to CNY 577 million in 2014 and CAGR during this period reaching up to 52.9%. Currently, trastuzumab in the Chinese market are monopolized by the subsidiary companies of Roche such as Genentech and Shanghai Roche Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd who has the largest market share of 80.60% with sales value in 2014 reaching up to CNY 465 million.
Due to its low toxicity and obvious therapeutic effects, trastuzumab can prolong patients' lives and improve the life quality of patients with advanced cancer, thus becoming the major driving force behind the growth of tumor monoclonal antibody market. The market size of trastuzumab in China is expected to keep expanding in the next few years.
Readers can get at least the following information from this report:
The author suggests the following groups of people purchase this report:
本公司檢索負責人員將免費協助尋找顧客的市場調查資料，提供提議服務。請由下列[免費委託檢索]按鈕詢問。 | 4,136 | 1,938 | 0.000895 |
warc | 201704 | For a golf course to remain relevant it must appeal to younger generations, women and families. Recent commentary has suggested golf must reinvent itself the same way cricket has evolved, by introducing shorter versions of the game to new audiences. First there was 50 limited overs matches and more recently Twenty20.
Australian golfing legend Greg Norman, when interviewed by Australian Golf Digest (October 2015), declared he was a “big proponent of increasing the speed of the game; building 12-hole golf courses reducing the time.” When specifically asked if 12 hole layouts will become as popular as Twenty20 was to cricket, Norman responded “In the next generation, yeah. The answer is yes; I think all over the world…it will be and it won’t take much.”
Gibraltar presented the concept of trialling a 12 hole form of play, offering a shorter version of the game, at an information session for Councillors in October 2015, as Council is the owner of the land. Myths circulating about physical changes to the land or non-permissible activities such as residential development were dismissed by John Uliana of Gibraltar as untrue “These rumours are patently untrue, even fanciful, clearly you would have to own the land and rezone it before you could build anything on it. And I don’t know anyone in this community that wants to see that land built on.”
Gibraltar has responded to the new trend of golfers seeking to play a shorter version of the game by looking to transition the play on the course to 12 holes. The pathway to sustainability involves playing 12 holes achieving both a shorter version of the game for casual golfers and families, as well as meeting the needs of competition golfers holding a handicap score – who simply play 6 holes again to finish a round of 18 holes played. Australasia’s leading golf marketing company, Golf Industry Central (GIC), advised the club throughout the project.
John Uliana of Gibraltar has stated: “Our aim is to ensure a high quality golf experience exists for members, locals and visitors well into the future. We do not want to be one of those golf courses asleep at the wheel that fall by the wayside, as has happened in other regions. The best way we can preserve the legacy of the first course established in the Southern Highlands is by adapting to changing demands and market conditions. I am proud of what the team has achieved at Gibraltar and invite locals and visitors to come and trial the new play, practice range and activities for kids and families, an approach that will secure ongoing golfing experiences and local employment.”
Across Australia changes in lifestyle and competing leisure options have led to declining membership numbers, falling revenue and less women playing. Women previously represented 35 per cent of golfers in the 1970s but now only represent 21 per cent (Golf Participation Report 2014).
To overcome the decline in demand for traditional golf, proactive clubs are rethinking the golf experience they offer to broaden appeal.
According to Gibraltar Country Club, Golf Operations Manager Tony White “The 12 hole form of the game is ideally suited and appealing to; enthusiastic golfers that are time-poor people, less able bodied golfers and players new to the game and less capable. There is great flexibility with 12 holes, 6 holes can be played in an easily accessible one hour and fifteen minutes and 12 holes in two and a half hours. Golfers maintaining their handicap can play either 12 holes or 18 holes by playing 6 again.”
Facts (Golf Participation Report 2014):
• Golf club memberships are in decline nationally
• Two thirds of golf clubs have less than 200 members (not sustainable) • Elite golf clubs, the top 5%, hold 25% of all members. The majority of clubs, 95%, share the remaining 75% of members (regional clubs must innovate to remain relevant) • Female golfers in decline now only 21% (previously 35% in the 1970s) • 60% of national golf membership is aged 55 years or greater • NSW is the poorest performing state in terms of golf membership reduction | 4,182 | 2,025 | 0.000508 |
warc | 201704 | About 1 in 150 babies are born infected with a common virus that can cause permanent hearing loss, but newborns aren’t routinely tested to see if they have it. That could change if a pediatrician at the University of Alabama in Birmingham has his way. He’s the leader on a new study that found that a simple saliva test can identify babies at risk.
(
READ the full story at NPR) | 392 | 278 | 0.00373 |
warc | 201704 | This upcoming week is homecoming at Michigan State University. Undergraduates, faculty and alumni are pulling together to celebrate the legacy of their university. The entire town shuts down for a parade, everything is covered in green and white, and people flock in from out of town. There are going to be hayrides across campus where you can learn about the history of the university, free arts and crafts nights, trivia games, free MSU ice cream, an awards gala, and almost every school, department, and club is doing something special. It is focused around celebrating the heritage of this great school, and the beautiful future we are currently forging for it. Where will graduate students be? Probably at home studying to avoid the crowds.
It is fairly common for graduate students to not be as involved in the student culture as they were in their own undergraduate one. First, the university caters more to the undergraduate with their extra programming and activities. Second, we’re often not on the email lists or alerted of these events when they do occur. Third, we have our own undergraduate university alliances which may or may not conflict with our graduate university. I know a number of University of Michigan alums that find it difficult to wear the green of their graduate university.
Despite this, I think there are a number of benefits that come from becoming more involved in your university, and involvement can really enrich your graduate experience. It gives you a chance to interact with the undergraduates, helping you to hone your teaching skills and keep current. By getting involved you learn about different opportunities around the campus outside of your own department that may benefit you. It also gives you the chance to meet other grad students in different departments, expand your network, and get the chance to talk about something other than your research or field. Getting involved in alumni events may be pivotal to scoring the perfect job. Most importantly, there are lots of free events that will get you out of the lab and library, and will help you relax.
Here are some easy ways to get involved:
1. Join the campus graduate student group: At MSU we have the Council of Graduate Students and Graduate Wellness, which do a number of grad student events throughout the year. You don’t need to attend meetings, but by following them on facebook or twitter you can at least be aware of cool events on campus and new opportunities. 2. Get involved with undergraduates: If you were passionate about a sport or club as an undergrad you can always volunteer to talk to the current members or help them out. If you were a star ultimate frisbee player, why not offer to practice with them and teach them your sweet forehand throw. Or stay academic and talk with the undergrad club in your field about your research. It’s great practice if you’re thinking about staying in academia. 3. Try tailgating: Seriously, wander around with a group of friends and do some awesome people watching. Check out the alumni tents, try to meet other graduate students, and relax! It’s a casual way to meet other people in the university and is a great way to get outside. 4. Get some swag and embrace your school: Even if you were once a rival, this is your new school, so have fun and enjoy it! You can easily pickup some free swag around campus events. You’ll feel more like you’re a part of the school and less like you’re just passing through.
Graduate school is more than just getting a degree… you should also be living your life and enjoying yourself. So take the time to explore your university!
GO GREEN!
Have you gotten involved in the non-academic life of your graduate school? Let us know in the comments below.
Tagsalt-ac anxiety Campus Resources classroom dynamic conferences depression disability dissertation evernote family food fun Google+ grading Health inspiration interdisciplinary job market job search meditation mental health motivation networking Organization parenting personal productivity professional professionalism professionalization research semester break Social Networking software stress students syllabus teaching technology tools Twitter wellness workflow work flow writing Archives 2014 2013 2012 2011 @GradHacker | 4,327 | 2,039 | 0.000497 |
warc | 201704 | Q: I hear the word “handsome” applied to men and women, but in somewhat different ways. A handsome man, according to Wiktionary, is attractive, dignified, and in good taste. A handsome woman, on the other hand, is striking, impressive, and elegant, though not typically beautiful. Why the difference?
A: Comeliness (now there’s a handsome old word!) is always an interesting subject.
The two standard dictionaries we consult the most—
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (4th ed.) and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed.)—have unisex definitions of “handsome” in this sense: pleasing, dignified, beautiful.
The
Oxford English Dictionary doesn’t mention sex either, defining a “handsome” physical appearance as beautiful, dignified, stately, fine. Fowler’s Modern English Usage (revised 3rd ed.) , edited by R. W. Burchfield, agrees that “handsome” can be “applied equally to men and women of striking appearance.”
But Burchfield adds that “now, when applied to women, tending to be used only of such as are middle-aged or elderly.”
As an example, he cites Sherman McCoy’s thoughts about his wife in Tom Wolfe’s 1987 novel
The Bonfire of the Vanities. (We’ve gone to the original to expand the quotation, which includes the ellipses.)
“
Still a very good-looking woman, my wife … with her fine thin features, her big clear blue eyes, her rich brown hair … But she’s forty years old! … No getting around it … Today good-looking … Tomorrow they’ll be talking about what a handsome woman she is.”
We think that Burchfield (a male lexicographer) may have gone a bit far in emphasizing the age angle here, but we agree that the adjective does indeed seem to be applied somewhat differently to men and women in modern times.
To begin with, it seems to be used much more often to describe men than women. Here’s the result of a Google search: “handsome man,” 1.57 million hits; “handsome woman,” 201,000.
And though a handsome man and a handsome woman may both be hunks, the woman tends to be hunkier (in the sense of being especially imposing or impressive).
The adjective “handsome” has had many meanings since it entered English in the 15th century, but it’s not certain why some have tended to attach themselves to men and others to women.
When the word first showed up around 1440, according to the
OED, it meant easy to handle or manipulate. The dictionary’s first citation is from the Promptorium Parvulorum, an early Latin-English dictionary: “Handsum, or esy to hond werke.”
Over the years, it has meant, among other things, handy or convenient (1530), apt or clever (1547), moderately large (1577), considerable, as in a sum of money (1577), proper, decent, seemly (1583), polite, gracious, generous (before 1625), and gallant or brave (1625).
The
OED’s earliest citation for the word’s use in the sense you ask about (beautiful, dignified, stately, etc.) is from Spenser’s The Faerie Queene (1590): “A handsom stripling.”
It’s been used for both men and women since then.
In Shakespeare’s
Othello (1616), Emilia describes Ludovico as a “very handsome man,” while Lady Mary Wortley Montagu writes in a 1718 letter of a woman who “appear’d to me handsomer than before.”
The adjective “handsome” is derived from the noun “hand,” a word that appears in various forms in Old English and other Germanic languages.
John Ayto’s
Dictionary of Word Origins says “hand” has “no relatives outside Germanic, and no one is too sure where it comes from.”
Ayto speculates that it might be related to early Germanic words for seizing, pursuing, and hunting, “and that its underlying meaning is ‘body part used for seizing.’ ”
By the way, the
OED also has entries for “handsome” as an obsolete verb (meaning to make handsome) and a rare old adverb (that is, in a handsome manner).
The dictionary says the adverbial usage survives in the proverb “handsome is as handsome does,” which uses “handsome” in two senses: you’re handsome (attractive) if you act handsomely (in a decent way).
The earliest appearance of the proverb in print, as far as we know, is in Oliver Goldsmith’s 1766 novel
The Vicar of Wakefield.
The vicar’s wife describes her children as “handsome enough, if they are good enough; for handsome is, that handsome does.”
But perhaps an even earlier version of the proverb (minus the word “handsome”) may be seen in Chaucer’s
The Canterbury Tales, written at the end of the 14th century.
In “The Wife of Bath’s Tale,” the old hag lectures the Knight on gentility: “To do the gentil dedes that he kan; taak hym for the grettest gentil man.” (In Middle English,
gentil means noble, refined, or excellent.) Check out our books about the English language | 5,147 | 2,453 | 0.000448 |
warc | 201704 | Impatiens Downy Mildew, which began significantly impacting landscape plantings in 2011, is back again in 2012. Or possibly it never actually went away. Cornell’s Margery Daughtery and Ann Chase of Chase Consulting co-presented on recognition and management of Downy and Powdery Mildews Saturday at OFA Short Course, and Daughtery says the situation is already as widespread as last year, if not more so.
“We have seen it on Long Island and in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Virginia and other states as well, she says.
While it’s possible some of the disease was transported north from South Florida where there was a significant outbreak at the beginning of 2012, it’s also likely that some incidences are the results of infected plants in the landscape in 2011. There was concern about oospores produced in the stems of plants being carried over from year to year in landscape beds, and Daughtery says she did see Impatiens Downy Mildew overwintering on Long Island. “We don’t really know how many years those spores will survive,” she says.
Weather conditions were particularly conducive to the disease this spring after a mild winter. “We were hoping it would be a spring and fall disease but so far it’s not intimidated by summer temperatures. For a crop with as much importance as impatiens, this is obviously a problem for our industry,” Daughtery says.
There are steps you can take to limit the chances of Impatiens Downy Mildew impacting your crop, of course. There are also a number of good alternatives available as landscapers, and perhaps consumers, who have been affected look to try something different. But work is being done on understanding and fighting back against the disease.
“We don’t want to give up on impatiens too early. In the ’90s you couldn’t grow a vinca because of Phytophthora. That’s no longer the case. We’ve started working on this quickly, so I’m hopeful we can find some solutions,” Chase says.
Visit the American Floral Endowment site for more information. | 2,124 | 1,107 | 0.000947 |
warc | 201704 | Hand Soap is generally recognized as a liquid form of soap that is dispensed via a pump – usually near a bathroom or kitchen sink. The pump makes soap dispensing easy, and sanitary, with little mess. Unless you have children… The little ones, it seems, love to pump and pump, making a big foamy sink full of bubbles.
Is there a quick and simple way to reduce the amount of soap waste when little hands come to wash? The Good Saves Money – less soap wasted, is less money spent on soap Saves Time – it seems a sink full of bubbles quickly leads to a soapy bathroom mess (and you know who usually ends up cleaning it up!) Easy – so easy you won’t believe it! The Bad This quick fix is not high on the aesthetically pleasing spectrum My Experience
My kids are great little hand washers. They love to wash their hands. A little too much sometimes… It didn’t take them long to figure out that multiple pumps of soap plus high pressure water makes a sink full of bubbles. How fun! (For them).
I’m not sure where I ran into this idea, but it’s cheap and simple: You twist a hairband around the base of a pump neck. This inhibits the action of the pump, but not completely. You get about half the amount of soap out, which is plenty for little hands. In fact, I’ve found it’s usually enough for big hands too.
Less soap wasted, soapy mess inhibited, more money saved. So simple, it’s genius. What’s not to love? Have you ever tried the hairband on the soap pump trick? What other ingenious but not-so-obvious tricks do you have for stopping the waste at your house? | 1,633 | 858 | 0.001222 |
warc | 201704 | Cover of the "How to Save the Climate" brochure.
A 131 foot banner simulating a ruler for measuring the sea level, and bearing a message "It's not too late" on Copacabana Beach. Rio de Janeiro is one of the Brazilian cities morevulnerable to the rising of the ocean level.
The report was agreed after almost a week of negotiations, at the end of a tense 24 hour marathon session which became increasingly political, angering some scientists (1). The second of a series of four to be released throughout 2007, this report documents the widespread effects that rising temperatures are already having on ecosystems and human activities and assesses the changes projected from human induced climate change over the next century.
"This is a glimpse into an apocalyptic future. The earth will be transformed by human induced climate change, unless action is taken soon and fast," said Stephanie Tunmore, Greenpeace International Climate & Energy Campaigner. "What this report shows is that we are simply running out of time."
Climate change is already affecting millions of people, ecosystems and species in all regions of the world. However, unless immediate action is taken now to reduce emissions it is likely that climate change will cause greater and even more harmful impacts such as mass extinction of species; billions of people facing water scarcity; increased drought; sea level rises; storm surges; river flooding and more hunger and misery through reductions in food production capacity in the poorest parts of the world (2).
"Everyone who cares about the fate of the earth should now stand up and demand action by Governments to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and prevent the worst of this nightmare vision from becoming a reality. If we fail to act quickly, decisively and with great vigour there will soon be nowhere to run and nowhere to hide," said Tunmore.
In its February 2007 report "Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis" (2), the IPCC expressed a greater than 90% certainty that most of the observed warming over the past half-century is caused by human activities. The latest report adds more detail, documenting the effect that rising temperatures have already had on people and ecosystems and what the future holds under different scenarios.
"We still have options," said Tunmore. "There is still time for an energy revolution that will dramatically transform our energy system and create a carbon free economy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions to a level that keeps the global average temperature increase well below 2 degrees C, avoiding the most catastrophic impacts."
"The one option that is clearly no longer open to us after this report is to continue to sit on our hands and do nothing."
www.energyblueprint.info
Other contacts: Stephanie Tunmore, Greenpeace International, +44 77 969 474 51 Laetitia de Marez, Greenpeace International, +31 646 162 020 John Coequyt, Greenpeace USA, +1 202 262 0831 Gabriela von Goerne, Greenpeace Germany, +49 171 878 0839 Mhairi Dunlop, Greenpeace International Communications, +44 7801 212 960 VVPR info: Greenpeace has documented through stills and video climate change impacts across the world ranging from Kiribati in the South Pacific, the Yellow River in China to the Amazon in South America, please contact Michael Nagasaka for clipreel and news features on climate changeimpacts, +31 646 166 309 and Franca Michienzi for stills, +31 653 819 255.
Notes: Greenpeace is calling for global emissions to peak by 2020 and fall rapidly thereafter ensuring at least a 50% reduction globally from 1990 levels by the year 2050, and eliminate fossil fuel emissions before the end of the 21st century. Governments must begin negotiations towards these targets at the UNFCCC Ministerial Climate Summit in Bali at the end of November this year and agree to conclude these negotiations by the end of 2009, at the latest to ensure that the Kyoto Protocol can continue. (1) In a late night maneuver after nearly 22 hours of negotiations Saudi Arabia, China and Russia gutted a key figure in the IPCC report on impacts, removing a graph of the warming effects of fossil fuel emissions from a key summary table. The move was described in an emotional statement to the Plenary by a senior climate scientist as an "act of scientific vandalism". Without the warming graph the table of impacts lacks a context to show when the projected impacts would occur. In another development China and Saudi Arabia forced the weakening of a key finding on the effects of recent warming on natural systems. The original finding was that: Based on observational evidence from all continents and most oceans, there is [very] high confidence that many natural systems, are being affected by regional climate changes, particularly temperature increases. China and Saudi Arabia insisted in the removal of "very" although the confidence in the findings was more than 99.9%. The watered down conclusion was adopted over the top of fundamental scientific objections by the scientists who authored the IPCC report. Greenpeace said that this was unprecedented in the history of the IPCC since 1988 and was an ugly and damaging development. "To our knowledge there have been no similar acts in the history of the IPCC". (2) Amongst the key findings of the report are as follows: * It is likely that climate change will induce mass extinction of species within 60-70 years. We have already seen the climate linked extinction of some frog species but this is just the tip of the iceberg. The scale of risk is larger than most of the five major extinction events that have occurred in the earth's history. * Over the next decades the number of people at risk of water scarcity is likely to rise from tens of millions to billions. Steadily decreasing water availability is projected for India and other parts of South Asia and Africa: whilst the poorest parts of the world are going to the hardest hit, wealthy countries such as Australia and nations in Southern Europe are also on the front line. * Reductions in food production capacity in the poorest parts of the world are projected, bringing more hunger and misery and undermining achievement of the millennium development goals Within a few decades it is likely that we will see climate change induced wheat, maize and rice production drops in India and China * Increased drought and water scarcity are likely to lead to growing problems of hunger and human dislocation in Africa in coming decades. * The loss of glaciers in Asia, Latin America and Europe are set to cause major water supply problems for a large fraction of the world's population, as well as a massive increase in glacial lake outburst floods and other risks for those living in the glaciated mountains. * Huge numbers of people will be at risk due to sea level rise, storm surge and river flooding in the Asian Megadeltas such as the Ganges-Brahmaputra (Bangladesh) and the Zhujiang (Pearl River). * Warming of more than another degree could commit the world to multi-metre sea level rise over several centuries from the partial or total loss of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets. Huge coastal dislocation would result and could be triggered by emissions made in the next several decades. | 7,296 | 3,403 | 0.000295 |
warc | 201704 | When the names Graham, Schloss and Buffett are mentioned to any value investor, let alone any one who has picked up a finance textbook, their reputations tend to precede them. What about Tweedy, Browne Company LLC or, as it was known originally, Tweedy & Co? It would be quite the stretch to say that the same enthusiastic response would be elicited. Founded in 1920 by Bill Tweed, the firm had such a tight knit relationship with Graham that their shingles were hung side by side on 52 Wall Street. From serving merely as the brokerage partner of all three legendary investors, Tweedy, Browne evolved to a full service investment firm that now utilizes the value-oriented methodologies pioneered by their former clients, with over $2.5 billion in assets under management.
Given their history, it is natural for Tweedy, Browne to utilize the same principles championed by their founding fathers. Like most value investors, they seek attractive businesses with a significant margin of safety. To capture such a margin, the firm renders the intrinsic or “true” value of attractive businesses, and compares it against current market prices. However, what is defined as “attractive” to Tweedy, Browne? According to the investing philosophy of the firm, the following traits are highly desirable: A. Low P/B ratio B. Low P/E ratio C. Above average dividend yield D. Low P/S ratio E. Increased insider buys F. Prices trading far from highs G. Low corporate leverage In particular, Tweedy Browne is very optimistic with regards to equities that possess an above average dividend yields. Their research suggests that equities with high and sustainable yields “may be more resistant to a decline in price”, and is an excellent assessment of the income/cash flow of a company. Furthermore, they suggest that empirical research demonstrates that portfolios consisting of high yield equities produce “attractive returns over long measurement periods”. Does Tweedy, Browne embody the wild success of the aforementioned investors? Performance reports demonstrate that the value fund of Tweedy, Browne, since its inception in 1993, has on average returned 8.04% annually. Comparatively speaking, the S&P 500 has returned 7.68% for the same period. Recent performance however, has left something to be desired, as in both 2010 and 2011, the firm underperformed when compared against the S&P. Nonetheless, their long-term performance and ability to limit losses has earned them the International Manager of the Year designation from Morningstar, and the Bronze award from Capital IQ in its US Mutual Fund Excellence Awards. With their optimism regarding dividends, it is truly no surprise that of the 58 equities held by the firm, 35 equities (60.3%) pay dividends. Generally speaking, Tweedy, Browne’s portfolio is well diversified, with their biggest holdings in financials, consumer goods, and industrials. Their top 4 dividend equities are situated in the telecom, oil & gas, and healthcare industries respectively. The average yield of these four equities is 5.60%, with a mean yield-on-cost of 4.54%, and a payout average of 74.57%. The following is an executive summary of Tweedy, Browne’s top dividend equities: Total S.A. ADS (NYSE:TOT)
As of market closing on January 13
th, Total S.A. has the largest dividend yield in Tweedy, Browne’s portfolio, but comprises a mere .1306% of all equities held. Total S.A. is an oil & gas company with operations spanning over 130 countries, involved in all levels of the supply chain, from exploration, development, to the ultimate marketing of products.
Total S.A. closed at $49.63, with a market capitalization of $111.88 billion. Its dividend yield stands at 5.98% with a yield-on-cost of 4.84%. Total SA has a payout ratio of approximately 46.30%. Historically, Total S.A’s dividend increased from 2007 to 2009, but then decreased in 2010/2011. However, in light of recent cuts, there is no reason to foresee the complete elimination of TOT’s dividend in the near future. In terms of financial metrics, the company has increased its cash on hand by 9.2% from Q3 of 2011 while maintaining its profit margin at 8%. In addition, TOT has also generated increasing free cash flows each quarter of 2011. The potential upside to TOT is estimated at $63.02, yielding a capital gain opportunity of 26.9%.
In terms of geo-economic news, Nigeria’s production of oil is in question as there is a nationwide strike over gasoline costs that are scheduled for this weekend. The strike is in response to the removal of fuel subsidies, which spiked the cost of gasoline to its nation of already impoverished denizens. Total SA, along with other major companies such as Exxon and Chevron are affected by this outage due to their operational subsidiaries in Nigeria.
GuruFocus rated TOT with the business predictability rank of 2.5 stars.
AT&T (NYSE:T)
AT&T is a telecommunications company providing a wide range of products ranging from internet services to cable television. AT&T’s holdings increased by 3.16% quarter to quarter, and now comprise .5161% of Tweedy, Browne’s aggregate portfolio.
AT&T closed at $30.07 with a market capitalization of $178.19 billion. Its current dividend yield is 5.85%, with a yield-on-cost of 6.36%. AT&T generally pays the same dividend every quarter per fiscal year, and as such, with its recent dividend declaration of $.44 per share, yields a 5-year growth rate of 4.39%.With cash at a all time high, at $10.7 billion on hand, and a free cash flow payout of 61%, AT&T’s dividend should not only remain steady in the future, but continuously grow as it has historically. In terms of earnings, AT&T is paying out approximately 89% of its earnings in dividends to their investors. The current upside potential of AT&T is 5.45% due to a analyst price target average of $31.71.
AT&T recently settled in a patent lawsuit with TiVo, by agreeing to pay, at minimum, $215 million. TiVo argued that the technology utilized in AT&T’s services and U-Verse was based directly off of their patented technologies. In December, the proposed acquisition of T-Mobile was canceled due to regulatory opposition.
GuruFocus rated T with the business predictability rank of 1 star.
Federated Investors Inc (NYSE:FII)
Federated Investors provides investment management services ranging from broker/dealer services to that of an advisory role. The amount of shares held of FII in the portfolio was sharply reduced by 90.89% quarter to quarter.
Federated Investors currently trades at $17.26, with a market capitalization of $1.79 billion. FII currently has a dividend yield of 5.56%, with a yield-on-cost in the portfolio at 3.74%. Since 2007, Federated Investors has grown its dividend rate at an average rate of 4.34% yearly. The question can then be asked, is the dividend safe, if not increase yearly? Since its first dividend payment in 1998 of $.02, FII has consistently and constantly increased its dividend payout every year. Furthermore, with a payout ratio currently at 50.50%, and free-cash-flow payout of 54.2%, there is still a lot of room for an increase in dividends. In terms of apple to apples, as of Q3 of 2011, the firm has a ROE of 7.2%, which underperforms the industry average of 10.3%. Analysts have currently placed a average price target of $17.50 upon FII, yielding a potential capital gain of 1.3% from its closing price.
Federated Investors recently announced the acquisition of Prime Rate Capital, a United Kingdom liquidity provider that is expected to be completed Q1 of 2012.
GuruFocus rated FII with the business predictability rank of 1 star.
GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK)
GlaxoSmithKline is pharmaceutical company committed to the research, development, and marketing of drugs and consumer health products. From quarter to quarter, holdings of GSK decreased by 20.57%.
GSK trades at $44.13 with a market capitalization of $111.73 billion. GlaxoSmithKline has a dividend yield of 5%, and a payout ratio of 102.30%. Over the last 4 years, GSK has grown its dividend at an annual rate of 3.14%. Although the firm is paying dividend in excess to earnings, it is likely that GSK will continue to grow its dividend. First, the firm has a free cash flow payout ratio of 80.1%, which grants it some room to grow its dividend. In terms of operations, the firm is a industry leader, with a profit margin of approximately 18.9%, and ROE of 18.5%. Comparatively speaking, the industry’s profit margin is 16.7%, and ROE is 15.8%. While there is always a inherent risk in investing in that of life science firms, GSK’s portfolio of products should ensure a continuous revenue stream for years to come. Analysts has placed an average price target of $49.58 on the firm, yielding an upside potential of 12.3%.
Recently, drug trials demonstrated that there wasn’t a “statistical significant” advantage of GSK’s new lung drug, Relovair over their Advair brand. This is considered concerning to some, as their patent on Advair is set to expire in several markets in 2012.
GuruFocus rated GSK with the business predictability rank of 1 star.
For more information regarding Tweedy, Browne and their latest portfolio, please visit:
http://www.gurufocus.com/holdings.php?GuruName=Tweedy+Browne | 9,377 | 4,199 | 0.000242 |
warc | 201704 | Drought Watch Our Solutions Our Story News Pay Your Bill Technology Adoption, Simplified Connecting Utilities and Technology
Doing more with less—without sacrificing quality or safety. It’s the reality that every utility faces due to tighter budgets, declining revenue, and reduced staff. And while technologies are available to achieve this goal, utilities often don’t know where to turn to find trustworthy technologies that enable more control, more efficiency and the capability to engage with customers. Meanwhile, with the fragmented nature of the water sector making technology adoption a costly and time-consuming undertaking for many technology innovators, many valuable products are never shared with the utilities that need them the most.
Until now.
Introducing the FATHOM Store
The FATHOM Store is the first ever, data-rich online marketplace uniquely designed for the water sector. This revolutionary technology ecosystem enables utilities to procure technology and for technology providers to reach utilities and represents the simplest, fastest and least risky way for utilities to adopt technology to solve the challenges facing our industry.
The FATHOM Store, built upon our highly scalable, secure data integration platform, is driven from our own firsthand experience with the technology gap in water utilities. Our technology marketplace connects utilities with technology providers, creating a community that is designed to accelerate technology adoption and revolutionize how utilities get the best operational and customer engagement tools from technology providers with little or no risk. A true win-win situation.
“FATHOM is the Apple of the water industry: they now let other tech companies use their platform to ‘do smart things with water meter data’. This is a truly radical move and will provide a breakthrough in the rate at which smart technologies are launched and greatly increase their chances of success.”
–Piers Clark, chairman of Isle Group and former commercial director at Thames Water Benefits to Utilities Simple, easy and risk-free way to purchase new technology Streamlined purchasing and billing process Built on a scalable, secure, open architecture data platform, FATHOM Prime Zero integration effort: rapid adoption with no risk and reduced costs Solves the growing data integration issues across utility IT Infrastructure, serving as a central repository for all disparate utility data A means for utilities to harness all their data in a geo-spatial, time-synchronized format in the FATHOM cloud Technology online market uniquely designed specifically for the water sector to help accelerate technology adoption Enables the incremental adoption of technology and Internet of Things (IoT) for water, including pressure, flow, quality, temperature, and leak sensors and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Instant access to valuable and innovative, vetted, pre-integrated and demonstrated technologies from around the world Benefits to Technology Providers Direct channel to market to over 4 million meters in the United States Removes the hurdles of slow and costly integrations Removes the hurdles of contracting and long-term procurement processes Centralized cloud-based hosting, access and exchange of data, including utility data, meter data, Internet of Things (IoT) data, as well as useful public data bases, in a geo-spatial and time-synchronized format Open APIs for exchange of data to enhance product functionality Pre-implementation of data for simplified implementations Reduces the risk of a business opportunity failing during the sales cycle Assists technology companies in migrating their business model to a service model to simplify purchasing Opportunities to prove value propositions and document successes through testimonials and case studies supported by innovative water utilities Matches early stage technology companies to friendly test beds Participate in a collaborative and innovative marketplace designed for water utilities How it Works
The FATHOM Store has been designed from the ground up to be easy to use and risk-free for utilities and technology providers alike. Through the data integration layer provided via FATHOM Prime, any technology integrated into FATHOM through the FATHOM Store is guaranteed to be compatible with our architecture and APIs.
The FATHOM Store is really as simple as 1, 2, and 3
1. Upload
Technology vendors exchange data with the FATHOM Prime platform
2. Approve
FATHOM vets each offering and pre-integrates into our platform
3. Purchase
FATHOM utility clients can browse and purchase through the FATHOM Store
Interested in learning more about the FATHOM Store?
Click on the link for more information or go directly to the FATHOM Store. | 4,810 | 2,161 | 0.000468 |
warc | 201704 | Reviewed by Brian D. McKnight (Department of History and Philosophy, The University of Virginia's College at Wise) Published on H-Appalachia (February, 2004)
Few locations illustrate the military, social, and philosophical progress of the Civil War as well as Camp Nelson, Kentucky. When the United States Army initially considered establishing a major supply depot in central Kentucky, it did so in order to reinforce the lengthy and cumbersome supply lines that plagued the Federal movement south. By the time the depot was constructed, however, the purpose of the war had changed from the cause of union, to that of emancipation. With this change, the Union army began enlisting black men, and Camp Nelson transitioned into a training center with a humanitarian purpose. Aside from the soldiers who trained there, thousands of former slaves made the journey out of the seceded states to the post where the federal government made their freedom a matter of national record.
From the first days of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln considered the liberation of Unionist eastern Tennessee a top priority of his administration. Throughout late 1861 and 1862, the Union army sought to gain control of the Cumberland Gap, through which soldiers could move into that contested part of the Confederacy. Various difficulties prevented the Federal Army from taking and holding the position for any extended period, and by 1863, with the Union cause gaining momentum, Lincoln again sought entrée into eastern Tennessee. Remembering his difficulties with General Don Carlos Buell during the first months of the war over the region's liberation, Lincoln appointed a man in March 1863, whom he trusted to command the Department of the Ohio. General Ambrose Burnside's main goal would be to move on eastern Tennessee.
During the first two years of the Civil War, federal forces in Kentucky learned that taking and holding the Gap from the north was a very difficult proposition. Due to the northeasterly-southwesterly striation of the mountains, the position was infinitely easier to supply from the south rather than the north. London, Kentucky, the closest depot north of the Tennessee border was separated from the Gap by numerous perpendicular lines of mountains. With eastern Tennessee as its major goal, the Department of the Ohio found itself without a path into the region. In an effort to secure a convenient route and to further reinforce the Union army's successful movements into parts of Tennessee, Burnside quickly established Camp Nelson on the northern bank of the Kentucky River in Jessamine County. One important byproduct of its location would be the protection of the Lexington-Danville Pike, a major route southward to Tennessee, and the important Hickman Bridge that crossed the river nearby. Richard Sears describes the location as "a hub, really a perfectly central spot" (p. xxiii).
Construction formally began during the summer of 1863, but was briefly interrupted by Confederate Colonel John Hunt Morgan's raid in July. Meanwhile, Burnside, who had gotten the job because of his devotion to Lincoln's policies, threw himself into organizing an invasion of eastern Tennessee. Initially ready to move in early June, his advance halted before it began when his Ninth Corps shifted southward to Vicksburg, Mississippi, where General Ulysses Grant had the river city besieged. With Vicksburg's capitulation in early July, the Ninth Corps returned to Kentucky. Unfortunately and unexpectedly, the fit force that Burnside had sent downriver returned in poor shape. Having spent much of the summer in Cincinnati, Burnside traveled to Kentucky in mid August to find the 8,000-man force reduced by wounds, fevers, and other ailments to barely 6,000 weary and straggling soldiers.
Not wishing to waste an opportunity, Burnside left Camp Nelson on 16 August with a force of nearly 15,000, including those who had recently seen Vicksburg. Although he expected that the still unfinished depot would struggle supplying his advancing force, Burnside could not imagine the difficulties that lay ahead of him. By the time he reached the Kentucky mountains, his supply line was stretched to more than 200 miles and his supply of available horses exhausted. Not long afterward, heavy fall rains began to turn the already poor mountain roads into bogs. Because of the distance between the depot and his army, the lack of horses and mules, and the poor condition of the roads, the men and remaining animals soon began to suffer from a want of food. Sears records numerous descriptions of the suffering of human and animal alike during the late summer and fall of 1863.
While Burnside's campaign on Knoxville and the Cumberland Gap proved ultimately successful, little of the credit can be placed on the role of Camp Nelson. Located perfectly for the defense of central Kentucky and movement into middle Tennessee, it was too far from the mountains to make its expected impact on the campaign. With the Federal war effort in the West moving deep into Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, and even Georgia by 1864, the depot's importance shifted away from the strategic to the political and social.
Apart from its service as a supply depot, Camp Nelson also became a training camp for refugees from eastern Tennessee. Throughout the course of the war, the training mission would continue, but with fundamental adjustments. When Lincoln chose to authorize the enlistment of black men into the Union army, training became its principal purpose. Although Kentuckians had initially reacted tepidly to Lincoln's call, after a two-year hesitation, recruitment officers at Camp Nelson began enlisting black soldiers in June 1864. The camp quickly became the largest black recruiting center in Kentucky and the third largest in the nation as black men converged on the depot to become soldiers. Of those men who trained there that summer and fall, many would make up the Fifth United States Colored Troops and would fight and die in the battle at Saltville, Virginia, and during the massacre that followed.
With this history of Camp Nelson, Richard D. Sears comes full circle. He has spent his career studying Kentucky's relationship with slavery, antislavery, and evangelicalism. The Reverend John G. Fee provides one of the many intellectual links between Sears' works. Fee, an abolitionist missionary who established schools at Camp Nelson and at Berea, Kentucky, figures prominently in several of the authors' books. Indeed, Richard Sears has established himself as a leading expert on Kentucky's Civil War experience.
Although Sears' Camp Nelson story is compelling and one of which historians should be aware, the focus of his study appears misleading. By entitling the work,
Camp Nelson, Kentucky: A Civil War History, Sears suggests to the reader that his work is a narrative, rather than a documentary history. On the other hand, his pulling together hundreds of primary documents between two covers makes an important contribution to the study of Kentucky' s role in the Civil War and will give students and scholars another easily accessible primary source from which to work. Despite the documentary nature of the book, the author does effectively narrate that Camp Nelson experience in an introduction that exceeds sixty pages.
In
Camp Nelson, Kentucky, readers will find a well-written and judiciously edited combination of narrative and documentary history. While the book may not easily lend itself to classroom use, its contribution will be made within the scholarly community and should make an impact on future studies of Civil War Kentucky.
If there is additional discussion of this review, you may access it through the network, at: https://networks.h-net.org/h-appalachia.
Citation: Brian D. McKnight. Review of Sears, Richard D., Camp Nelson, Kentucky: A Civil War History.H-Appalachia, H-Net Reviews.February, 2004. URL: http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=8939
Copyright © 2004 by H-Net, all rights reserved. H-Net permits the redistribution and reprinting of this work for nonprofit, educational purposes, with full and accurate attribution to the author, web location, date of publication, originating list, and H-Net: Humanities & Social Sciences Online. For any other proposed use, contact the Reviews editorial staff at hbooks@mail.h-net.msu.edu. | 8,399 | 3,835 | 0.000262 |
warc | 201704 | In premenopausal females, vaginal bleeding is considered abnormal when menstrual cycles last longer than 7 days or when there is excessive uterine bleeding (more than 80 cc/cycle). Vaginal bleeding is also considered abnormal when it occurs between menstrual cycles or after a physical examination or coitus. As menopause approaches, menstrual cycles may become dysregulated such that there are variable periods of amenorrhea followed by episodes of prolonged and usually painless vaginal bleeding.
Bleeding that occurs closer than 21 days between day 1 of one cycle and day 1 of the next cycle or bleeding that lasts longer than 7 days should be evaluated. It is important to note that vaginal bleeding is always considered abnormal in postmenopausal women.
Abnormal vaginal bleeding can be a sign of endometrial pathology, including endometrial cancer, and therefore must be evaluated carefully.
Abnormal vaginal bleeding is cause for heightened concern in patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer because these patients are at increased risk for the development of endometrial cancer. Vaginal bleeding can also be a presenting symptom of benign endocervical polyps or endometrial hyperplasia caused by tamoxifen treatment.
It is important to consider endometrial malignancy in premenopausal women who present with abnormal vaginal bleeding and any postmenopausal woman who presents with any vaginal bleeding. Approximately 5% of all cancers of the endometrium occur in premenopausal women.
In patients who present with vaginal bleeding, obtaining a careful history of the bleeding is essential. The history may reveal other common sites of bleeding, such as the urinary tract and the lower intestinal tract. Patients sometimes have difficulty identifying the site of origin of the bleeding.
Similar bleeding episodes may have occurred previously. Patients may have a history of endometrial or endocervical polyps or fibroids or recent use of hormonal agents; any of these factors could contribute to vaginal bleeding. Patients who develop oligomenorrhea (infrequent menstruation) within the year before menopause may develop episodes of uterine bleeding due to changes in their estrogen levels.
The initial clinical evaluation of abnormal vaginal bleeding should include a pregnancy test, if appropriate; a coagulation profile; and determination of the following laboratory values: fasting serum prolactin level, thyroid-stimulating hormone level, and follicle-stimulating hormone level. Measuring the luteinizing hormone level is rarely useful because it varies considerably during the day.
An examination of the abdomen and pelvis is always necessary to determine the site and cause of the bleeding. Clinical findings might include a friable cervix with nabothian follicles, suggesting chronic cervicitis; polyps extruding from the cervix, particularly in a patient undergoing treatment with tamoxifen; or an enlarged and irregularly shaped uterus, suggesting a diagnosis of leiomyomata. | 3,013 | 1,305 | 0.000769 |
warc | 201704 | Quote:
Originally Posted by
kevinla
I am 41 years old. Up until 6 months ago, I used to be regular.
My family does have have a history of constipation. Can it be genetic?
Could it be caused by stress?
It's possibly stress induced but more likely your fiber intake is too low and not drinking enough water. We all need to drink more water than we do. it's recommended that we should drink at least 64 oz. a day of water and get 25-30 grams of fiber daily.
Also, if we become too sedentary that slows that digestion process down. You may also might want to check out some of the side effects of any medications you may be taking on a regular basis because many prescription and over the counter drugs can cause constipation as a side effect and make constipation worse if the person already has constipation problems. Advil,Aleve, or pain medication usually causes constipation because it causes the digestion system to come to complete halt especially narcotics.
If you have a family history of constipation then you're going to become extra vigilant in keeping your bowels to move on a regular basis especially as you get older. | 1,138 | 626 | 0.001612 |
warc | 201704 | Re: Do protein drinks affect thyroid??
Here was an article I found that suggests the problems with soy and hypo!:
Soy has long been implicated in diet induced goiter. Since the consumption of soy products is increasing dramatically (soy latte anyone?) researchers are trying to define the component responsible. While all the studies mentioned above were on animals, we do know that in babies who have hypothyroidism at birth and require replacement therapy, we need to increase the amount of replacement they are on if we switch their feeds to soy milk. Whether this is because of an absorption problem, or a direct interference of soy with the action of the hormone remains unclear.
What does this mean?
In a short summary, soy does seem to have an effect on thyroid hormone status, in animal studies, and by observing children on soy milk with underlying congenital thyroid problems. We don't know the exact mechanism of the interaction with soy and the thyroid. We also have no studies that appropriately address the issue of thyroid replacement therapy and soy consumption.
How does this effect you?
A good rule to remember is that too much of anything is not healthy. At present we have no reason to say that soy should be avoided in patients on synthroid. And don't forget the health benefits associated with soy, such as reduced cholesterol levels, and improvement in menopausal symptoms. In general, I recommend patients consume no more than 60g of soy a day, and this may vary if there is a history of breast cancer. If you are concerned about your dosage of replacement therapy, or you have made a dramatic dietary change recently, I suggest that you get your thyroid hormone levels checked by your physician. It's quick, easy, and can help to optimize your management.
I hope this helps to answer any questions you may have about soy and thyroid function.
Medical Author: Ruchi Mathur, M.D. | 1,912 | 1,003 | 0.001002 |
warc | 201704 | Better World sustainability programme
Terms like 'corporate responsibility' and 'sustainable business' are catch-cries of the current millennium, but what do they actually mean?
At HealthPost, we've been thinking about what these terms mean to us. Below are some of the ways in which we're addressing the ethical challenges of doing business in the 21st century. Every one of our customers has contributed to making these positive steps possible, and we always welcome your feedback. Those of you who've nominated the HealthPost Environmental Fund as part of our Donation Programme may be especially interested in how we're putting that dollar to good use.
For some time now, we've been calculating and cancelling our carbon emissions. We've also applied common sense and planted an additional 4600 trees in our local region. At HealthPost we believe that the wellness of the individual is always connected to the health of the natural environment. Here are some of the ways in which we’re currently putting that belief into action.
HealthPost goes solar!
Always on the lookout for new ways to minimise our environmental impact, we have now installed 72 photovoltaic panels on the roof of our premises. Check out the ‘Scoop’ here.
Even on cloudy days we’re creating our own power. As of December 2012 these panels are producing 105% of our electricity needs, which means we can also feed power back into the grid!
Global Thinking: Offsetting our Carbon
At HealthPost we are committed to accurately measuring our carbon footprint, reducing and off-setting the carbon emissions produced by our parcel deliveries and daily operations, and minimising our impact on the environment wherever possible.
Our Emissions
Calculating carbon, we've discovered, is a reasonably complex business. To be sure that we're calculating our carbon emissions correctly, and that we are aligned with International Standards (ISO 14064-1), we've employed the help of carbon specialists, Catalyst R&D Ltd. In the form of the ACE calculator, Catalyst have provided us with a vital tool for measuring our own performance, enabling us to make comparisons from month to month, year to year, and thus set goals for improvement. Below is our most recent emissions profile (Emissions - tCo2e - 2011 -2012):
Monitoring our emissions has prompted us to make small but significant changes to our operations. Almost all of our rubbish is recycled, right down to the compost scraps which are taken home by staff to feed chickens or pigs. We produce a very small amount of landfill for a business of our size (around two standard wheelie bins per week). Electricity and fuel usage are clearly our biggies: public transport isn't available in our rural location and staff travel up to half an hour to work, though most carpool in what is fondly known as ‘The HealthPost Bus’. Still more significant, of course, is the fuel involved in delivering parcels to our customers around New Zealand and beyond (although the fuel saved by people shopping online isn't entered into our equations). This is hard for us to reduce due to the nature of our business, but we make sure that the courier van is chockfull when it leaves our premises! We've been generous in all of our calculations, taking responsibility not only for our own carbon but for that of smaller businesses in our area who may be sharing the courier but who don’t have the means to offset their own emissions.
Carbon Offset
HealthPost offset its carbon emissions initially using credits from the Te Apiti Wind Farm in the Manawatu Gorge, the first wind farm in New Zealand to supply electricity directly into the national grid. Te Apiti generates electricity for up to 45,000 average homes with no harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2015 HealthPost has offset its carbon footprint by purchasing credits produced by the Hinewai Reserve on Banks Peninsular. This 1000 hectare re-vegetation project is protected from browsing animals and pests and registered under the Permanent Forest Sink Initiative.
Please see below for the latest offset certificates.
Click on the image to enlarge Click on the image to enlarge Click on the image to enlarge Click on the image to enlarge Click on the image to enlarge Local Action: HealthPost Tree Planting
One day each year since 2010, HealthPost has swapped phones and packing tape for spades and wheelbarrows to go and plant trees around Golden Bay. Locations include Milnthorpe Park, Motupipi sand spit, Mangarakau Swamp and Paynes Ford.
Our annual tree planting is a highlight on the HealthPost calendar, and our appreciation goes out to our great team who are always ready and willing to get their hands dirty! And of course a huge thanks to our customers for supporting sustainable business. | 4,809 | 2,302 | 0.000439 |
warc | 201704 | Eats Recipes Sweat Health HOME Play
As much as Americans love their wine — we surpassed France in wine consumption in 2010 — we often spout completely erroneous “facts” about the libation’s health benefits and risks.
HellaWella is here to set the record straight on the top 5 health-related wine myths so you can politely correct that pretentious wine connoisseur at your next party.
There is no link between sulfites and headaches. Only about 1% of the general population, and about 5% of asthma sufferers, may react to sulfites, with restricted breathing as the most common allergy symptom. Some rarer symptoms include skin rashes, hives, itching and nausea.
If you frequently experience headaches after drinking your favorite Pinot, we hate to be the one to break to it you, but you just might be hitting the bottle a tad too hard and getting a headache because of dehydration.
However, if you believe the lush hypothesis doesn’t fully explain your symptoms, there are alternative explanations that could spare you from this self-realization. For example, you might be suffering from RWH, or red wine headache. We promise, it’s a real thing. The symptoms often include nausea and flushing and occur in people after even just one glass of red wine.
This phenomenon doesn’t happen with white wine, beer or liquor, and the reasoning behind it is still a bit of an anomaly. Some experts believe the culprit to be tannins, the flavonoids that are more abundant in red wines than white wines. The
Harvard Health Letter cited studies that showed tannins caused the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which at high levels can cause headaches, especially in people who suffer from migraines. Other possible causes are prostaglandins or a strain of yeast or bacteria found in red wine.
Yes, you might look super trendy offering your guests organic wine, and there are plenty of great health-related reasons to drink it, but its health benefits have nothing to do with whether or not the wines contain sulfites — which they do. All wines contain sulfites, a naturally occurring byproduct of the fermentation of grape sugars. Some wines have more sulfites than others, but, as we mentioned in myth No. 1, it’s not going to determine whether or not you get a headache anyway.
The evidence is mixed on this one. Studies have shown that healthful compounds — such as resveratrol, flavonoids, antioxidants and tannins — are more abundant in red wine. This is because these heart-healthy compounds originate from grape skins, and white wine is produced with limited exposure to the grape skin. However, there aren’t enough studies out there to conclude that drinking red wine leads to more positive health outcomes than drinking white wine, according to the
New York Times.
Drinking in moderation does not kill brain cells, according to Roberta Pentney, a former researcher at the State University of New York at Buffalo. However, alcohol can damage certain receptors in those smart brains of yours that result in some of the typical signs of intoxication. No wonder so many of us act a fool when we’ve had that one glass too many. This damage is mostly reversible, though, so fear not for the long term. Your short-term behavior is all on you, though. | 3,329 | 1,645 | 0.000623 |
warc | 201704 | Banana Intolerance Banana Intolerance Information
A person who has a banana intolerance will experience negative symptoms after eating bananas. It is important to note the differences between a banana intolerance and a banana allergy as the two are not the same. With all food intolerances, including banana intolerances, the symptoms that develop after eating the food in question are delayed. This delay can be several hours in length and, in some cases, up to a day or more. With a food allergy, the symptoms are almost immediate.
Another key difference between a banana intolerance and an allergy is the severity of the symptoms. Food allergy symptoms are often quite severe and, in some cases, they can be life-threatening. With a banana intolerance the symptoms are much more varied and they are not life-threatening. They can, however, be considered “lifestyle-threatening” as they often make it difficult for a person to live his or her daily life without difficulty.
Due to the variety of the symptoms and the delay between eating the offending food and the symptoms appearing, many people have difficulties determining that they have a banana intolerance without assistance. These people frequently know that they feel unwell, but they are unable to recognize why. A person with a banana intolerance (or any food intolerance) may have lived with these symptoms for a long period of time and have “gotten used” to them.
What is a Banana Intolerance?
A banana intolerance can be a digestive intolerance or an immune intolerance. In the case of a digestive intolerance, a person will be unable to properly digest bananas or has an inability to properly process, absorb or metabolize bananas. With an immune intolerance, the body responds to the food with an immune response.
Some people have issues with the serotonin that is contained in bananas.
When someone has a banana intolerance, eating foods that contain bananas (or bananas themselves) cause issues. As mentioned earlier, these symptoms can vary from person-to-person and they are often delayed by quite some time.
Some people may be able to eat a small amount of bananas without experiencing any issues, but they may feel symptoms when eating a larger amount. Other people will feel food intolerance symptoms even after eating only a small amount of bananas. Some only experience symptoms when eating raw bananas while others will have issues with bananas regardless of how they are prepared.
People who have a banana intolerance should also watch out for any foods that may contain bananas. These foods can include cakes, breads, cookies and many other desserts.
Digestive Banana Intolerance Symptoms
Digestive banana intolerance symptoms and immune banana intolerance symptoms vary depending on the person. However, immune intolerance symptoms typically have much more variety attached to them. Each person will an immune banana intolerance will feel unwell after eating bananas, but these symptoms will manifest in a very individual way.
With a digestive banana intolerance, one of the most common symptoms is stomach pain and abdominal cramping. Stomach pain and a number of other stomach issues (excessive gas, bloating, cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.) are common banana intolerance symptoms.
Other digestive banana intolerance symptoms include headaches, skin redness and other skin issues, difficulty breathing and other issues. While common digestive banana intolerance symptoms exist, each person will experience intolerance symptoms differently. Not everyone will experience the same symptoms or symptoms of the same severity.
Banana intolerance symptoms typically appear several hours after eating bananas, but they can be delayed by up to a day or more in some situations. This delay also differs from person-to-person.
Banana Intolerance Treatment
A person with a banana intolerance can stop experiencing banana intolerance symptoms by removing bananas from his or her diet. This does not have to be a permanent change for most people. In many cases, a person can resume eating bananas at a later date without experiencing negative feelings. This should be done with the advice of a medical professional in order to ensure that symptoms do not return.
Bananas are a very healthy food as they contain a number of important vitamins and nutrients. If you are not eating bananas, you should ensure that you get these nutrients from other sources.
If you are avoiding bananas, it is important to check ingredient lists and to ask questions in order to ensure that the food you are about to eat does not contain bananas. | 4,647 | 1,791 | 0.000563 |
warc | 201704 | Halloween has become the third-biggest party day of the year, behind New Year’s and the Super Bowl.
It seems the mystery, weather, and, of course, the tricks and treats may be the biggest reason behind its popularity; not to mention its main purpose of transforming into some ghoul, ghost, monster, royalty, celebrity, or whatever our creativity can come up with.
In fact, close to 90 percent of Americans decorate their homes for Halloween.
This year, my youngest daughter, who is 9 years old, wants to dress as a hot dog or Harry Potter two ends of the spectrum.
My middle daughter is 13, and still enjoys dressing up with her friends. Last year, she and a friend transformed into babies. The only purchase we had to make was pacifiers.
They wore their footie pajamas, put their hair in messy pony tails, held blankies, and sucked on their “nuks.” This quieted them at least for a little while. My daughter is tall and certainly not quiet, so this was a true costume.
Trick-or-treating and the costuming tradition largely developed from parades that occurred in England.
The poor would beg from door-to-door for food or money in exchange for praying for souls to be delivered to purgatory. Eventually, though, children took over the tradition. In the US, it did not become popular until the 1940s.
Communities encouraged trick-or-treating as a safe and healthy way to spend Halloween, versus vandalism and other such not-so-good tricks.
Halloween celebration has become a true tradition for many families, including mine. We look forward to it each year. We head to my brother’s house, where we meet other ghoulie characters for fun treats, including apple cider, hot cocoa, and all the fixins.’
After we fill our bellies with some delectable but diabolical treats, we cozy up on the hay wagon to be transported around our little town for tricks, treats, chants, and just plain fun and camaraderie.
When the trick-or-treating is all over, the kids pile in the house, dump their bags, which cover a majority of the floor, and “ooh” and “ah” over all the sugar and chocolate they have been dreaming of since last Halloween.
Of all the candy sold yearly, one-fourth of it is sold at Halloween. That’s a lot of Halloween candy. Candy bars chocolate that is are the most popular candy for our trick-or-treaters. Snickers are number-one, followed by Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
A Halloween treat bag would not be complete without candy corn. My favorite way to enjoy it is mixed with peanuts.
Candy corn was invented in the early 1800s. The Goelitz Confectionary Company began making candy corn in 1898, too. Today, the company is known as Jelly Belly.
What is a mummy’s favorite kind of music? Wrap. Of course.
Happy harvesting and happy Halloween! | 2,823 | 1,470 | 0.0007 |
warc | 201704 | September 22, 2015 | Issue Brief on Health Care
Recent videos suggesting that Planned Parenthood Federation of America affiliates are harvesting and selling the body parts of aborted unborn children have led to renewed calls for Congress to end taxpayer funding of the nation’s largest abortion provider. During the 2013–2014 reporting year alone, Planned Parenthood affiliates performed over 327,000 abortions, while the national organization reported $127 million in revenue over expenses, and held $1.4 billion in net assets. Yet, the organization’s affiliates receive over half a billion dollars in government funding each year from both federal and state sources.
Congress should end federal taxpayer funding to Planned Parenthood affiliates and redirect those funds to health centers that provide health care for women without entanglement in abortion or questionable handling of baby body parts. Planned Parenthood affiliates face serious allegations of profiting from the sale of baby organs and other disturbing conduct, adding to arguments that taxpayer funding should not subsidize the nation’s largest abortion provider.
Numerous statements made on the recently released videos raise questions as to whether Planned Parenthood is violating federal law that makes it illegal for any person “to knowingly acquire, receive, or otherwise transfer any human fetal tissue for valuable consideration if the transfer affects interstate commerce,” excluding reasonable payments associated with the transportation, implantation, processing, preservation, quality control or storage.[1] In fetal tissue research conducted or supported by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services for therapeutic purposes, human fetal tissue may be used only if the woman who supplies the tissue and her attending physician make signed written declarations complying with statutory requirements. The woman must declare that she (1) donates the tissue for such research, (2) does not restrict who may receive transplantation of the tissue, and (3) has not been informed of the identity of recipients. The attending physician must declare (1) the woman donated the tissue in accordance with requirements for her declaration, (2) the woman received full disclosure of any interest the physician had in the research conducted with the tissue, and any known medical risks to the woman or risks to her privacy that might be associated with donation of the tissue, and (3) in the case of tissue obtained by an induced abortion, the woman’s consent to the abortion occurred before she was asked to donate the tissue for such research, no alteration of the timing, method, or procedures used to terminate the pregnancy was made solely for the purposes of obtaining the tissue, and performance of the abortion complied with applicable state law.[2]
The recently released videos allegedly show Planned Parenthood executives haggling over the price of organs from aborted unborn children and casually discussing performing abortions in ways that would better preserve baby body parts for sale.[3] According to a former employee of a fetal tissue procurement company that works with Planned Parenthood affiliates, some Planned Parenthood clinics allegedly failed to obtain informed consent from some mothers before harvesting their aborted children’s tissue.[4]
Whether Planned Parenthood and its affiliates have violated federal laws is unclear from the videos alone. Congress, the Department of Justice, and state governments owe it to American taxpayers who have funded Planned Parenthood for decades to determine whether the organization has violated any federal laws. Some of those investigations have already begun.
During its 2013–2014 reporting year, the latest available, Planned Parenthood reports its affiliates receiving over $528 million in government funding—41 percent of the organization’s total revenue.[5] The annual report does not provide a breakdown of federal versus state funding or the exact government grants, contracts, and reimbursements Planned Parenthood affiliates receive.
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released in March 2015, however, shows that the organization’s affiliates receive taxpayer money through family planning grants under Title X of the Public Health Services Act, and also through a few similar programs, but that Planned Parenthood affiliates collect most of their government funding through a combination of state and federal Medicaid payments.[6]
In order to end the flow of federal tax dollars to Planned Parenthood affiliates, Congress must disqualify the national organization and its affiliates both from receiving grants under specific family planning programs, like Title X, and from receiving any federal Medicaid reimbursements. Congress can address both funding sources during the appropriations process.[7] Disqualifying Planned Parenthood affiliates from receiving Title X and Medicaid reimbursements would not decrease the amount of overall funding available for women’s health services. Both Title X grants and federal Medicaid funding could still flow to the many other qualified health care providers that offer the same and additional services as Planned Parenthood affiliates without entanglement in abortion.
No federal funds under either Title X or Medicaid may be used to cover the direct cost of elective abortion procedures. But the influx of hundreds of millions of dollars from taxpayers each year has buttressed Planned Parenthood’s climb to the top of the nation’s abortion providers. In particular, Title X family planning grants are provided as upfront funding that can be used for overhead costs of family planning centers. Even the pro-choice Guttmacher Institute admits Title X’s funding “helps supply a cash-flow cushion” for grant recipients.[8]
During its last reporting year, like many before it, Planned Parenthood reported revenues after expenses exceeding $127 million and net assets of more than $1.4 billion. In that same year alone, Planned Parenthood affiliates performed 327,653 abortions—almost one out of every three abortions in the U.S.[9]
Planned Parenthood and its supporters are quick to point to the other medical services provided by the organization’s affiliates—including sexually transmitted infection testing, cancer screenings, and contraception—to justify continued and expanded government funding of the organization. But a closer look at Planned Parenthood’s own report and actions points to a dwindling provision of other services for women in exchange for an increasing emphasis on abortion procedures.
The number of annual abortion procedures performed by Planned Parenthood affiliates has increased from 255,015 in 2004 to over 320,000 in 2013.[10] While Planned Parenthood affiliates performed 327,653 abortions in the 2013–2014 reporting year, they made only 1,880 adoption referrals and provided just 18,684 prenatal services.
Meanwhile, cancer screening and preventive services at Planned Parenthood affiliates have decreased by more than 50 percent since 2004 and the number of individuals served by Planned Parenthood each year has declined by almost 10 percent over the same time period.[11] Contrary to some reports, Planned Parenthood clinics do not perform mammograms.[12]
In addition to current allegations of harvesting and selling tiny livers, lungs, and hearts of aborted unborn children, Planned Parenthood has faced accusations of bad conduct in the past. Planned Parenthood affiliates have also been accused of financial waste, abuse, and possible fraud with taxpayer dollars.[13] While claiming to support the interests of women, some Planned Parenthood clinics have been accused of failing to report sexual abuse of minor girls.[14] Additionally, others have been accused of neglecting the health and safety of patients.[15]
Women’s health care services are available without entanglement in abortion. There are about 1,200 federally qualified health centers (FQHC) across the country that operate over 9,000 service sites in medically underserved areas, providing family planning services, cancer screenings, and women’s health exams, not to mention a wide range of primary health services for women, children, and men.[16] In 2013 alone, FQHC sites served over 21 million people—seeing about eight times as many patients as the 2.7 million Planned Parenthood’s 665 clinics reported seeing.
In addition to those and many other health care centers, there are about 2,000 pregnancy centers across the country that provide medical testing, prenatal care, ultrasounds, and childbirth classes, among other services, all of which supply women with life-affirming options.[17]
Congress should not force American taxpayers to fund the largest abortion provider in America, especially after videos suggesting it harvests and sells the body parts of unborn children it aborts. Congress should permanently end federal taxpayer funding to Planned Parenthood affiliates and put the funds to more efficient and effective use by redirecting them to the thousands of health centers across the country that provide women’s health care that is not entangled with abortion or questionable handling of baby body parts.
[1] 42 U.S. Code §289g–2(a) and (e)(3).
[2] 42 U.S. Code §289g–1. For further discussion, see Hans von Spakovsky, “How Specifically Planned Parenthood May be Violating the Law,” The Daily Signal, August 9, 2015, http://dailysignal.com/2015/08/09/how-specifically-planned-parenthood-may-be-violating-the-law/, and “Planned Parenthood Employees and Contractors Raise Probable Cause of the Systemic Violations of Federal Criminal Laws and Unethical Behavior,” memorandum sent to Representative Chuck Grassley, by Charmaine Yoest, President and CEO, Americans United For Life, August 27, 2015, http://www.aul.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/PP-CMP-Videos-Backgrounder-AUL.pdf (accessed September 18, 2015).
[3] Center for Medical Progress, “Transcript by the Center for Medical Progress,” July 25, 2014, http://www.centerformedicalprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/PPFAtranscript072514_final.pdf (accessed September 21, 2015); Center for Medical Progress, “Transcript by Center for Medical Progress,” April 9, 2015, http://www.centerformedicalprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/PPGCtranscript04092015_final.pdf (accessed September 21, 2015); and Center for Medical Progress, “Transcript by the Center for Medical Progress,” February 6, 2015, http://www.centerformedicalprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/PPFA020615_transcript.pdf (accessed September 17, 2015).
[4] Center for Medical Progress,
Human Capital, Documentary Web Series, http://www.centerformedicalprogress.org/human-capital/documentary-web-series/ (accessed September 21, 2015), and ibid.
[5] Planned Parenthood Federation of America,
2013–2014 Annual Report: Our Health. Our Decisions. Our Moment, http://issuu.com/actionfund/docs/annual_report_final_proof_12.16.14_/0 (accessed September 9, 2015).
[6] U.S. Government Accountability Office, “Health Care Funding: Federal Obligations to and Expenditures by Selected Entities Involved in Health-Related Activities, 2010–2012, March 20, 2015, http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/669140.pdf (accessed September 17, 2015).
[7] Sarah Torre, “Congress Can (and Should) Defund Planned Parenthood During Appropriations Process,” The Daily Signal, August 6, 2015, http://dailysignal.com/2015/08/06/congress-can-and-should-defund-planned-parenthood-during-appropriations-process/.
[8] Adam Sonfield, Kinsey Hasstedt, and Rachel Benson Gold, “Moving Forward: Family Planning in the Era of Health Reform,” Guttmacher Institute, 2014, http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/family-planning-and-health-reform.pdf (accessed September 21, 2015).
[9] Planned Parenthood Federation of America,
2013–2014 Annual Report.
[10] Planned Parenthood Federation of America,
Annual Report 2005–2006, http://liveaction.org/research/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2005-2006-Planned-Parenthood-Annual-Report.pdf (accessed September 21, 2015); Planned Parenthood, 2013–2014 Annual Report; and Americans United for Life, “The New Leviathan: The Mega-Center Report. How Planned Parenthood Has Become Abortion, Inc.,” 2015, http://www.aul.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/AUL-Mega-Center-Report-06-24-2015.pdf (accessed September 9, 2015).
[11] Ibid.
[12] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration weekly updates a comprehensive list of every licensed mammography center in the country. No Planned Parenthood clinics are included on the list, meaning they cannot provide mammograms, only refer for them. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Consumer Information (MQSA),” http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/MammographyQualityStandardsActandProgram/ConsumerInformation/default.htm (accessed September 17, 2015).
[13] Nathan Koppel, “Planned Parenthood Settles in Fraud Case,”
The Wall Street Journal, August 16, 2013, http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323455104579016951262314732 (accessed September 21, 2015), and Alliance Defending Freedom, “Planned Parenthood’s Waste, Abuse, and Potential Fraud: Alliance Defending Freedom’s 2013 Report on Federal and State Audits of Planned Parenthood Affiliates and State Family Planning Programs,” April 10, 2013, http://www.adfmedia.org/files/StearnsReport042013.pdf (accessed September 9, 2015).
[14] Alliance Defending Freedom, “How Planned Parenthood ‘Cares’ for Child Victims of Sexual Abuse: A Summary of Planned Parenthood Failing to Report Sexual Abuse,” September 3, 2015, http://www.adfmedia.org/files/PlannedParenthoodSexAbuseSummary.pdf (accessed September 9, 2015).
[15] Susan B. Anthony List, “Kermit Gosnell is Not an Outlier,” http://www.sba-list.org/negligence (accessed September 9, 2015), and Americans United for Life, “Exposing the Pervasiveness of ‘Back Alley’ Abortions,” 2011, http://www.aul.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Pervasiveness-of-Back-Alley-Abortions.pdf (accessed September 9, 2015).
[16] “Key Health Center Data by State, 2013,” National Association of Community Health Centers, https://www.nachc.com/client/2013%20Key%20facts%20by%20state%20data.pdf (accessed September 21, 2015), and “Federally Qualified Health Center,” Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, January 2013, https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNProducts/downloads/fqhcfactsheet.pdf (accessed September 9, 2015).
[17] Family Research Council, “A Passion to Serve: How Pregnancy Resource Centers Empower Women, Help Families, and Strengthen Communities,” 2011, http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF12A47.pdf (accessed September 9, 2015). | 15,107 | 5,869 | 0.000175 |
warc | 201704 | In the months preceding the Commonwealth Games in 2010, lakhs of beggars, slum dwellers and daily wage labourers were thrown out of the Capital as the police wanted a "safer and cleaner" city.
Two years down the line, more than half of these people are back, making it clear that throwing out the poor is a temporary bandage on what is a permanent wound.
"The areas that were vacated were cleared not for any other reason but to remove the poor. Many of these places are now lying vacant or have been turned into parking lots. The Delhi government had a very clear agenda of getting rid of the poor," said Miloon Kothari, member, Housing and Land Rights Network, a body that worked with those who were pushed out of the city before and after the Games.
Experts believe the processes that needed to be followed when someone is evicted were not at all considered in 2010. "There are high court judgments that clearly outline the processes to be followed if the government displaces someone. We need a national policy that mandates the government to act responsibly when it deals with the poor," Kothari added.
Dunu Roy, director of NGO Hazard Centre, said, "The police need to adopt a more helpful attitude so that they can work with the poor and not against them. The harassment needs to stop. As for the problem of housing, the government should offer credit to the poor to start building houses. Relegating them to the outskirts of the city will never work."
"There is no shortage of land in the city. The government does not want to give it to the poor," Roy added. | 1,584 | 837 | 0.001208 |
warc | 201704 | Submitted by HorseYard Editor on Tue, 2010-05-04 10:13
Connection is a two way street. To truly get along with a horse in shared partnership we need to have social leadership skills. If we can keep adjusting our leadership style to be more flexible, understanding and intelligent, the horse is more willing to form a loyal partnership and put greater effort into his performance. It’s all about being present in the moment and fully awake and knowing exactly what to ask a horse to do that starts the dance, backed up with the belief that your horse will perform and then letting the horse perform without holding him to it.
Submitted by HorseYard Editor on Wed, 2011-02-23 09:46
When you are training your horse, you shouldn’t be too interested in his performance. Instead of developing the bond to be able to train your horse, you should use the training to deepen the bond you have with him. The horse will direct your leadership and you should offer the program. This kind of leadership is comforting and nurturing to a horse. When a horse does not live in a harmonious herd environment, he needs us to provide socialization and leadership for his emotional well-being.
Submitted by HorseYard Editor on Tue, 2009-10-20 12:18
In their everyday need for survival, horses have created a communication system that is noteworthy. Wild horses are like a society of nomadic people who have leaders of leaders. Because nature’s habitat for horses is open rangeland, each horse has freedom to pick and choose a band of horses where he or she fits in and where his or her personality type is needed.
Submitted by HorseYard Editor on Thu, 2010-11-18 11:42
Today, I would like to talk to you about why horses shy. I am sure a lot of people would like some idea of why this can happen. There are of course many reasons why a horse shies, and it is sometimes very complicated to say exactly what it is. Many times, however, the horse shies because something spooks him and he wants to get back some control. So instead of performing the act that he is being asked to, he shies. In those circumstances, the best way to get over it is opposite to what most people do. The traditional thing to do is try to get the horse used to the object in question.
Submitted by HorseYard Editor on Tue, 2010-05-11 08:29
Being in the horse industry and being a horse lover on my own personal journey, I have seen a lot of personal growth in people due to the impact that horses have played in their spiritual evolution. I have seen trainers grow and change from hardened individuals to philanthropists and students turn into masters. I have seen first-hand the physical healing effect horses have on humans. All of these people that I have known over the years have horses to thank for their spiritual growth.
HorseYard.com.au is a business that has been developed to provide a service to buyers and sellers of horses and related products & services. The site will be actively promoting and enhancing the business to ensure we deliver Australia.
Keep in touch!
Mailing list
Subscribe to our mailing list for offers,news updates and more! | 3,141 | 1,513 | 0.000667 |
warc | 201704 | On January 1, 2012, the Canadian Provincial government of Ontario's
regulation under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, became law. Described as making a number of very important and far-reaching changes, the Regulation represents a significant shift in human rights and accessibility law affecting nearly all organizations in Ontario with respect to their human resources practices and in the way they do business including web based business and communications.
Section 14 of the law mandates that Ontario government organizations and businesses will make their Internet and intranet websites and web content conform with the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines in accordance with a time line set out in the legislation.
The Government of Ontario is required by January 1, 2012 to have
all new websites and web content conform to the standards. By January 1, 2016, all government websites and web content must conform with the WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
Designated public sector organizations and large business organizations are allotted slightly more time, and are required to meet the requirements by January 1, 2014 for all
new websites and web content. All website content is required to conform by January 1, 2021, which would include archives and redundant content. These new rules not only apply to public facing web content, but also includes “ internal website used to privately and securely to share any part of the organization’s information or operational systems within the organization” Wielding the big stick
The Regulation would enable a government official – a "director" – to assess an administrative penalty based on a consideration of the severity of the impact of the contravention (e.g. administrative oversight vs. health and safety risk), the contravention history of the person or organization in question, and the nature of the organization (corporation, unincorporated association or individual).
As example, penalties for individuals and unincorporated associations would generally range from $200 (for a contravention of minor impact and a minor contravention history) to $2,000 (for a contravention of major impact and a major contravention history).
The range for corporations would generally go from $500 to $15,000. However, in the case of contraventions of major impact coupled with a major contravention history, the administrative penalties can be assessed on a daily basis to a maximum of $100,000 for a corporation, and $50,000 for an individual or unincorporated association.
Of course the government has designated the License Appeal Tribunal as the tribunal responsible for hearing matters arising under the AODA!
After the Canadian Federal government got its knuckles rapped for what the Courts described as... A systemic system wide problem of inaccessible Federal Government websites. The court also concluded the Federal Government too often does not even live up to its own inadequate website accessibility standard, and that the Federal Government’s 9-year-old accessibility standard for its websites “…has not been implemented, has not been enforced, and has not been made a priority by the deputy heads of the estimated 146 government departments and agencies who are responsible for implementing these standards. You would think their Provincial counterparts would walk softly with that big stick! Think again. Ontario Accessibility Fail...
The government is using social media and the web in an effort to raise awareness of the “very important and far-reaching changes” that took affect on January 1, and has been promoting a informational page to achieve this goal. The new law requires all new web content published by the Ontario Provincial Government after January 2012, to be compliant with the INTEGRATED ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS.
So I ran a accessibility test on the information page...
WAVE has detected no accessibility errors ...but you must still check your page to ensure it is actually accessible.
Alright... dig deeper. On the page it has a explore government section. In no particular order I run tests on pages. Between six and eleven errors depending on the page and which assessment tool I use! But this is not new content and wouldn't be in contravention of the act with the big stick...yet. Back to the new Government Accessibility pages... the screen-shot says it all...
The government's response at being called a hypocrite... thanks for the heads up. We've informed the web-master! While it is generally agreed that inclusiveness of all individuals in society is an ideal that everyone should strive to emmulate, attaining these goals may not be best accomplished by creating artificial time lines while wielding a threat of a big stick. The competitive global nature of the Internet while creating endless possibilities for enhancing Accessibility is not without obstacles that can not be considered solely in the vacuum of one regional area.
And what would the Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty say... | 5,131 | 2,271 | 0.000447 |
warc | 201704 | Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2016, more than 53,000 people are expected to be diagnosed with the disease. The average age at diagnosis is 71.
Risk factors include
Smoking Eating fried meats and fats Race – African Americans are more likely to develop the cancer than Caucasians. Symptoms of cancer of the pancreas
Most patients diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas experience
Weight loss Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes) Pain in the upper abdomen or back | 654 | 401 | 0.00254 |
warc | 201704 | Last Sunday the Sikh community was the victim of a suspected act of domestic terrorism in Oak Creek, Wisconsin that resonated right here at home in New Jersey. Immediately upon learning the horrible and saddening news, I felt an instant closeness to the families in Wisconsin. I envisioned my own husband and family sitting in a Gurudwara on typical Sunday morning. Typically, I first enter the Gurudwara bowing to our holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The vibrations of the sacred hymns that are recited enter my ear and a blissful energy overcomes my spirit. Today, empathy filled my heart thinking of the humble servants, both men and women, ending their three day long prayer service and preparing meals for
langar (community kitchen). It could have been me. I would typically make my way to the kitchen shortly upon arrival to the Gurudwara to help cook the round flat bread for the congregation each Sunday morning.
Since this tragedy, around the country and throughout the world, the Sikh community is receiving support. Social media is broadcasting the beliefs of Sikhs. Sikhs will no longer be viewed as unknown strangers but rather American neighbors. I am truly impressed by the media coverage of this horrendous crime. The country has come together as one with both Sikhs and non Sikhs having expressed their sympathy for those in Wisconsin and in the Sikh community. For Sikhs, the aftermath of this attack has brought a historic learning opportunity for the mass American population. Though there have been numerous hate crimes against both Sikh men and women since 9/11, there has never been this much attention or focus on the Sikh religion.
Sikh men are commonly mistaken for members of other religious groups because of their beards and turbans. In my own country, I am scared for my husband's safety post-9/11 because of his long flowing beard. Walking outside in our development, at our local mall, or at our local airport, my husband has been stared at, shouted at, and even bullied. Yet America is our home. My own fears led me to urge him to tie his beard following the 9/11 attacks. I told him that he should "blend in" or even "fit into society." I lived day to day wondering if my husband would be attacked. I wanted to try anything to protect him while preserving his Sikh identity. His reply was that any person with a beard, open or tied, and a turban will be seen as a foreigner in society. In the past, he was attacked and discriminated against based on his appearance. These acts occurred because of the lack of education among the general public of the Sikh religion. It saddens me deeply that this tragedy took place and the only silver lining within the storm cloud is the growing awareness and acknowledgement of the peaceful nature of Sikhism.
Living in this country as a Sikh woman, I fit in with American culture and even follow fashion trends, although I do not cut my hair. Frequently, I hide the fact that I am a Sikh to blend in and fit it. It is easier to hide than to explain my religion to my colleagues, friends and students. Until today, I have camouflaged myself into my role as a nurse and as an educator, frequently separating my religious beliefs from my occupation. So tomorrow brings a new perspective, the responsibility to educate all those around me.
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion. It is the same God that other religions believe in, only with a different name,
Waheguru. And thus we are all brothers and sisters, following our own paths towards enlightenment. The tenets of Sikhism include praising and remembering God, performing honest hard work, and sharing the fruits of your labor with society. The Gurudwara is more than a place of worship. The Sikh temple serves as a community center housing libraries, schools, community kitchens, and large prayer rooms. Visiting the Gurudwara is a delight to visit every week, providing a peaceful place to worship and social gathering to exchange ideas.
My parents immigrated to America for freedom of religion and to offer my brother and myself a home to fulfill our dreams. The core foundation of America and Sikhism are remarkably common: having respect for diversity, treating one another with understanding and equality, and creating a society that fosters opportunity for success.
My heartfelt prayers are with the victims and their families and also with the heroic police officers who risked their lives to protect the Sikh community. Let this tragedy serve as a building block to educate the world about Sikhs and other religions. As an American and a Sikh, I am reminded of the distinctiveness of this country. Diversity of people, perspectives, and religions is what flavors the melting pot of America.
The Morning Email helps you start your workday with everything you need to know: breaking news, entertainment and a dash of fun. Learn more | 4,879 | 2,354 | 0.000426 |
warc | 201704 | Malinda S. Smith, Vice-President, Equity Issues, Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences
Will Ferrell’s comedy, ‘Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy’ tells the story of a woman who is hired in to a newsroom dominated by an old boys club whose behavior ranged from tolerating her presence, to disdaining her professional interventions, to scheming to seduce or depose her. A kind of benign tolerance pertained as long as the ambitious female character stayed in “her place,” doing girly stories on food, clothing and cute pets. Despite being subjected to the kind of garden variety sexism that continues to underwrite the glass ceiling, the female character refused to circumscribe her ambition by being pigeon-holed in to any kind of pink ghetto.
Even as we laugh at the absurdity of the scenes we are reminded of the perennial difficulty faced by organizations trying to treat diverse groups equitably: How do we get those who are comfortably ensconced in the existing social order to recognize the need for change and to be more inclusive? The comedy is productive for thinking about the possibilities of inclusion precisely because it speaks to what makes the absence of diversity and existing inequities so invisible, and yet so ‘normal’, to social majorities who are bemused by, if not resistant to, calls for diversity. This is captured in one memorable scene in the ‘Anchorman’.
Ed Harken: A lot of you have been hearing the affiliates complaining about a lack of diversity on the news team. Champ Kind: What in the hell’s diversity? Ron Burgundy: Well, I could be wrong, but I believe diversity is an old, old wooden ship that was used during the Civil War era. Ed Harken: Ron, I would be surprised if the affiliates were concerned about the lack of an old, old wooden ship, but nice try.
Diversity, we see, can mean different things to different people. As I wrote in “The language of equity and diversity in the academy,” the word ‘diversity’ is ubiquitous, and circulates in all areas of work as in political, social and cultural life. Its meanings are, like the word itself, multiple, contextual and notoriously contingent. Jeanne Martinson illustrates the point in “What is diversity”: “To a stockbroker, it means a balanced portfolio of stocks, bonds and other investments. To a horticulturalist, it means balancing perennials, annuals, shade and sun.” In forestry, it means variety in life forms, ecological roles and in levels including populations, species and ecosystems. In business, supplier diversity signals strategies to include nontraditional groups like minority-owned enterprises in the supply chain. And, in the workplace diversity generally refers to any aspect of human difference, such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and age. Diversity is also used in the academy to refer to differences in ideas, language, cognitive abilities, and institutional strategies in the area of internationalization.
The many and varied uses of diversity reminds us to heed the emblematic exchange between Humpty Dumpty and Alice in Lewis Carroll’s
Through the Looking Glass. Conscious both of his social power and of the contingency of words, Humpty Dumpty told Alice: “When I use a word it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.” Since words can mean different things, the question, according to Humpty Dumpty, was this: “which is to be master – that’s all.” At this historical conjuncture in Canada there are two powerful demographic changes that are spurring us to more seriously reflect on what we mean by diversity and how and why it matters. And, given the multiple and ever expanding use of the word diversity, organizations need to determine which usage is, for them, ‘master.’ Canada’s Social I-Revolutions: Indigenous, immigrant, inclusive
We are in the midst of two demographic revolutions, “social I-Revolutions,” which are ushering in a great social transformation in the very constitution of Canadian society: One is Indigenous and the other is immigrant, and both demand more innovative ways of thinking about diversity and inclusion. As Inuit Tapirit Kanatami leader Mary Simon made clear in, “Embracing the Maple Leaf,” the annual Mel Hurtig Lecture on the Future of Canada, “[T]he beauty of a discussion of this nature is the diversity of the Canadian voices that can contribute to the conversation.”
One I-Revolution is ignited by increasingly rejuvenated and insurgent first peoples, the Indigenous populations heterogeneously constituted by First Nations (53%), Métis (30%), Inuit (4%), and Non-Status Indians (11%). As Cora Voyageur and Brian Callious write in “Shades of Red: Diversity within Canada’s Indigenous Community,” that immigration produced a racially and ethnically diverse population. Although there is a tendency to think of diversity through the lens of immigration, diversity discourse is also applicable to Indigenous peoples. However, what diversity means for Indigenous peoples and for immigrants and what it requires of us may be radically different. Over 1.3 million strong, the Indigenous population is young, urban and constitute the fastest growing demographic group in Canada. They are spatially distributed, with the vast majority living in Ontario and the four western provinces. Most are concentrated in prairie cities like Winnipeg (10%), Saskatoon (9%) and Regina (9%) although some, like the Inuit, are spatially dispersed across 53 communities in the north, with the majority concentrated in Nunavut (50%).
This Indigenous population often finds itself caught between, and caught up in, two cultural worlds, one Indigenous and the other non-Indigenous. This biculturalism, as Inuit leader Mary Simon puts it, means Indigenous peoples are always already navigating complex social spaces, often with insufficient educational access to their Indigenous knowledge, histories, culture and languages. The Assembly of First Nations tells us that Indigenous languages are at the heart of indigeneity as “[I]t passes on our culture, traditions, history, legends, and spirituality from one generation to another.” Only one-quarter of Indigenous people speak an Indigenous language, a drop from one-third in 1996, so there is much need for a new vision of bilingualism – Indigenous and French/English – particularly in the access to education.
The second social I-Revolution already is transforming Canadian society in indelible ways. Since the 1970s we have been witnessing one of the largest social experiments in world history. Canadian society, in less than two generations, has undergone a fundamental social change from a white majority society to a social majority constituted by diverse non-white minority populations. In cities like Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, it is expected that non-white Canadians will be the majority by 2017-2020. Never before in human history has a society changed from a primarily white and European majority to a primarily non-white – ‘visible minority’ – and non-European majority. Yet, this is precisely the moment in which we find ourselves. What we make of it will have profound implications for the future of Canada.
Former Governor General Michaëlle Jean has encouraged Canadians to open more doors to the country’s racial and ethnic diversity, particularly in leadership and management positions. Both Indigenous peoples and non-white Canadians are underrepresented in leadership positions across all sectors despite the social I-Revolutions and the reconstitution of the social fabric of Canada. “Saying yes to diversity,” Jean argues, means “saying yes to modernity, to opportunity, and to the very future of our country. But saying no carries a huge price. For each time social exclusion closes a door, another door is opened to desolation, frustration, and despair.” Similarly, in a recent interview with the Globe and Mail, Governor General David Johnston encouraged Canadians to be more open to diversity and to hybridity – to see it as a part of the national ‘gift’. “I think it’s attractive that we don’t discourage but we encourage people to keep their language and their heritage, and to teach it to their children and their grandchildren.” He goes on to say, “The great gift of this nation is that we respect diversity, and somehow we’ve been able to make a nation out of diversity and allow people their expression of their identity – as long as they don’t hurt somebody else.”
Three perspectives on diversity and inclusion
In times of economic crisis, such as we face, it is all too common to hear talk which suggests diversity is a luxury, which we cannot afford, something from which we should divest or, at best, something we should defer to better times. But such magical thinking cannot disappear what is an inalterable fact of Canadian social reality. The question is not whether we can afford or defer diversity. Diversity is our current reality. Rather, as Humpty Dumpty suggests, the questions we are faced with are really about what diversity means both to and for us.
There are many perspectives on why and how we should care about diversity in a democratic society and a knowledge-based economy. Each of these social I-Revolutions requires a radical rethinking of how we imagine diversity – and particularly equity among and between Canada’s diverse people. While there are many perspectives on diversity, three overlapping and intersecting perspectives are most common:
first, there is the ethical or human rights approach to diversity; second, there are various voluntary and instrumental perspectives on diversity including the business case; and, third and finally, there is the ontological or complexity perspective on diversity.
One of the most enduring defenses of diversity is variously referred to as the antidiscrimination or ethical case. Arising out of human rights and civil rights movements, this perspective states simply that diversity is the right thing to do in order to ameliorate social inequities and to fairly reflect the existing social reality. What distinguishes this perspective is its attentiveness to ameliorating discrimination arising from prejudice and bigotry that impact specific demographic groups as well as the individual, cultural and institutional barriers that unfairly disadvantage them in the workplace, such as in hiring, retention, promotion and income. It is also distinguished by its normative or human rights logic, a commitment to antidiscrimination and due process, and its comportment with the efforts to entrench equality rights through various legal instruments that increase diversity.
There are also various instrumental logics for advancing equity and diversity. Proponents of the business case for diversity suggest diversity is a good thing, a resource, one which helps companies and organisations remain competitive by reflecting and staying connected to their customers. In “Why diversity – why now?” the authors argue that transformational and forward-thinking leaders recognize that diversity and inclusion must be integral to everyday practices rather than conceived as ad hoc or stand-alone programs. Instead, diversity must be understood as part of the business imperative, something that will impact the bottom-line, improve productivity, market share and increase staff and client loyalty.
The final and most compelling argument for diversity is what I’ve called the ontological or complexity case. Diversity is a fact of life. We need to understand the ways in which these Indigenous and immigrant I-Revolutions have reconfigured the diversity of Canada and how this diversity shapes ideas and innovation, novel approaches to problem-solving and creative ways of reinventing our collective futures. As Scott E. Page writes we need to better understand the relationship between diversity and complexity and those instances in which “diversity trumps ability…. for that innovation to happen depends as much on collective difference as on aggregate ability. If people think alike no matter how smart they are [then] they most likely will get stuck at the same locally optimal solutions.”
Canada’s diversity presents an inescapable opportunity; let’s get on with realizing it.
Malinda S. Smith is an associate professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, and the Vice-President, Equity Issues at the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences. | 12,851 | 5,654 | 0.000183 |
warc | 201704 | followers view all
Groups Thejordaninsurance is not in any groups Billy Jordan | Thejordaninsurance Lower Down The Out Of Pocket Costs With Affordable Health Insurance
There has always been a mixed sort of response for health insurance since people try to be very sure that nothing can go wrong with their health and so, they do not need it. But, as predicting the future is not only easy, but downright impossible, looking for an affordable and lower rate of health insurance premiums would help in getting over this apprehension in terms of health insurances.
Health insurances require you to pay a certain amount monthly, from your pockets. To make certain this cost is affordable to you and the insurance service provided will be adequate, approach an insurance agency, which can do all the ground work for you. When selecting an agency, look for the one that is associated with good insurance providers and do not charge you more for the advice and other initial processes. This is also a way of cutting down on your out of pocket costs.
Each health insurance policy is designed keeping in view of a certain group of people. Before selecting a health insurance, understand your need and the amount you can spend every month on a health insurance. Again, here too, the insurance agencies can help in sorting out health insurance policies that are suitable for you.
Before selecting any one agency or insurance policy, try comparing them to check which one is giving an affordable health insurance and also the best service in terms of hospitals and health care centres. The healthcare insurance providers should be associated with as many hospitals and health care centres as possible for us to get the benefit of insurance when we need it. Since this benefit transforms itself to affordability in the time of need, look for all these things before purchasing a health insurance policy.
Health care costs have gone up over the years and are about to go up more in the coming times. So, it would always be wise to have a good and affordable health care coverage for the uncertain future. The best way to do it is to start asking questions and searching for a good insurance agency to provide us with the best and cheaper health care policy you need. There are a lot of choices to narrow down from the vast list and getting online quotes from insurance agencies can help in the search for affordable health insurance, which will not require us to shell out more from our pockets.
About The Author:
Billy Jordan Jr. is the author of this article. He is the President & CEO of The Jordan Insurance Agency. The Jordan Insurance Agency is located in the Chandler building of the Ballantyne Corporate Park. The Company offers insurance products for Health, Life, Dental, Vision, and Medicare Supplements. With the ability to shop around in the marketplace from a variety of carriers. Every customer has guaranteed to get the right plan for their needs.
share like 6 report 95 views | 2,989 | 1,363 | 0.000736 |
warc | 201704 | As a young couple planning to have children in the near future, Emilie Taylor, 25, and Rob Lowe, 26, from Sheffield, are keen to get into a position where they can cut their working hours.
"We would like to start a family before we're 30," explains Emilie. "With children, we would both want to work part-time ideally - three days each, with childcare from grandparents on one day."
Emilie, who works for a drugs rehabilitation charity, is prepared to consider extra sources of income to help fund their aspirations.
Having already run community art groups at £20 an hour, she's also planning to make and sell her own ceramic artworks, although she will need to spend £1,000 on a kiln and small studio in her garden shed.
The couple have other concerns about their financial future. Despite their £41,500 combined income - Rob is a primary school teacher - they have no savings. "We do manage to put aside around £300 a month between us, but it all goes on the house", says Emilie.
They paid £99,500 for their three-bedroom property last year and fork out £520 a month on the repayment mortgage (longer than normal at 30 years.)
Their current deal is a two-year fix with Bristol & West at 5.05 per cent, which runs until March 2007.
Emilie and Rob are keen to cut their mortgage term to 20 years to pay off the loan as quickly as possible.
The couple have other debts to contend with - including student loans totalling £9,450. Rob also owes £1,170 on his HSBC credit card at 14.9 per cent, and is overdrawn by £1,500 on his HSBC graduate account; this is interest-free up to £750 and then 14.8 per cent above that.
While Rob contributes to the Teachers' Pension final salary scheme, Emilie has yet to start paying into a pension.
At present, the couple do not have any life cover. "We did try to get some protection in place," says Emilie. "But the fact I had a kidney removed when I was a child has made this tricky."
The cure: You can't both give up the day job
The couple's plans to start a family before they are 30 while working part-time are unrealistic, warns Colin Jackson at independent financial adviser (IFA) Baronworth. "Once they are parents, they'll need as much income as they can get."
Given that they also want to reduce their mortgage from 30 to 20 years, it's likely they will both have to keep working full-time - or consider delaying a family for a few years.
A compromise is possible, though. "If just Emilie worked part-time, she could use her time at home for her ceramics and produce some income to make up for her drop in salary," says Mr Jackson.
"Rob could also look into supplementing his income through private tutoring."
Debt
Philippa Gee from IFA Torquil Clark urges the couple to "fast forward" their effort to tackle their debts - so they can concentrate on saving again.
"Focus on the borrowings that carry the highest interest rate ," she advises. The interest on Rob's credit card debt and overdraft is greater than that which he could earn on any savings account, so he should first wipe these debts out.
Since the rate on student loans is linked to inflation - and currently stands at only 3.2 per cent - the couple should continue paying this off every month, as they are doing at present.
Savings/investments
Ms Gee recommends that Emilie and Rob carry out some basic budgeting to pinpoint where they can save more money.
She then recommends the couple build up a buffer sum to provide an element of stability. "They should be able to [find and] slot away £500 each month."
A mini cash individual savings account (ISA) lets investors contribute up to £3,000 a year tax-free.
Ms Gee picks out Alliance & Leicester's Direct ISA Issue 2, paying 5.2 per cent, though she adds that this is a variable rate and includes a bonus of 0.7 per cent that runs out in April 2007.
Property
Given their financial commitments, it is unlikely Emilie and Rob will be able to increase their repayments sharply enough to shorten their mortgage term from 30 to 20 years, says Phil Mines from IFA Antrams.
Ms Gee suggests the couple consider a flexible mortgage instead. "This will give them the option of overpaying when they have the resources to do so - rather than committing themselves to a much higher fixed monthly payment."
A good time to make this change, says Mr Jackson, would be in late February 2007 - a month ahead of the end of their current fixed- rate deal.
Retirement
Robert is fortunate to have access to a final salary pension scheme, because the employer, not the employee, shoulders the investment risk.
"He should keep an eye on his salary within this scheme to make sure he is on track - so that if there are any shortfalls [between his pay and his expectations], he will have time to make them up," says Ms Gee.
She also recommends that Emilie check with her company to see if a pension plan is offered - to ensure she benefits from any extra employer contributions.
If not, it could be worth considering a low-cost stakeholder personal pension, which will her you make small contributions as and when she can - and qualify for tax relief.
Protection
Life insurance will become a much greater issue when Emilie and Rob become parents, says Mr Jackson.
Ms Gee says Emilie should again ask her employer if any life cover is provided as a work benefit.
If not, it is worth trying protection brokers such as Life Policies Direct or Lifesearch, which offer cover to people with medical complications.
Interview by Harriet Meyer | 5,593 | 2,694 | 0.00038 |
warc | 201704 | Parents will have say on the Church handover of schools Ruairi Quinn's target of removing half of all primaries from Catholic control is unlikely to be met Published 13/04/2011 | 05:00
Quinn's worth: Minister for Education plans changesTechnologic: Principal Marianne Henry with pupils at Naas Community National School. Photo by Ronan Lang
Parents are likely to play a key role in deciding the future of Catholic primary schools as the new Minister for Education moves to take hundreds of them out of church control.
There is common agreement, even within Government itself, that Ruairi Quinn's initial target of removing 50% of schools from Catholic patronage by the beginning of next year is unrealistic.
At present the Catholic Church acts as the patron of 90% of the country's 3,200 primary schools.
The church itself accepts that it will have to give up the patronage of many of its schools.
The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has been a prime instigator of this process.
Ruairi Quinn is currently setting up a Forum on Patronage and Pluralism to work out how the running of schools will be handed over.
While there may be acceptance at top levels in the church that many schools will have new patrons, there are many obstacles to be over- come.
Michael Drumm, secretary of the Catholic Schools Partnership, said: "It cannot be forced through without the support of local commun- ities.''
Among the issues to be teased out over the coming months are:
Which schools will give up Catholic patronage, and how will this be determined? Will the church have any say in the type of school that emerges and the way in which religion or faith formation is taught? Will consultations be confined to parents of children at an affected school, or will parents of pre-school children in the general locality also have a say? How will the school properties, often owned by charitable church trusts, be transferred, and will there be costs for the state? What will happen to staff and parents who wish to opt out of the new arrangement?
Although the Minister put forward a figure of 50% as a target for the transfer of patronage from the Catholic church by the end of this year, there is a recognition in government circles that this is unlikely to happen.
A source close to the Minister said: "We are not going to wake up on January 2 and see that 1,500 schools have passed from Catholic control.''
According to the government source, parents in each local area are likely to have the main say in what happens to the schools.
The Minister's announcement has given rise to fears the Catholic involvement in education will be forcibly removed.
But the vast majority of schools are unlikely to change, at least in the short term.
The transfer of patronage is most likely to take place in country towns or suburbs, where there may be four or five Catholic schools in the locality, and no alternative for par- ents. A position paper by the umbrella group, the Catholic Schools Partnership, last week showed the church's current thinking on the issue.
The report acknowledged that in certain areas some Catholic schools may no longer be viable.
"In such situations the Catholic Patron, in dialogue with the local community, might make any buildings which are surplus to requirements available so that the Department of Educ- ation could plan for greater diversity of school pro- vision.
"This must be planned locally and based on respect for the rights of parents and all other stakeholders, including local parish communities.
"If sufficient demand for a school under different patronage can be demonstrated then all of the stakeholders should work in partnership towards this goal.''
This is most likely to occur when a Catholic school closes due to a shortage of pupils or where two schools amalgamate. According to the report, provision will have to be made for the rights of Catholic parents and their children.
So who will take over the schools? As a successful provider of multi-denominational education, Educate Together is well positioned to become patron of a number of the schools.
Benefiting from a strong tradition of parental involvement, Educate Together started in Dalkey in 1978 and is now the patron of 58 schools. Rather than receiving their faith formation inside school hours, pupils follow an an "ethical education curriculum'' where they learn about different religions and beliefs.
While academic standards at the Educate Together schools tend to be high, it remains to be seen whether Catholic authorities and more conservative parents will be happy to hand the keys of their buildings over to them.
One senior education official was sceptical and warned that there could be a backlash.
"Outside The Pale how many Catholic dioceses or boards of management are going to say: 'Here's my school, you can take it and best of luck." They will want some reassurance about some aspects of how the school are going to be run.''
Others believe that in some areas the church, with an ageing priesthood, will be only too happy to give up the onerous task of running schools.
The bid by Ruairi Quinn to change the patronage of hundreds of schools will not just affect their religious outlook. For better or worse, it will have a profound impact on how schools are managed in the coming decades.
In setting up new models of patronage, the minister must ensure that standards are not just maintained but improved.
Irish Independent | 5,484 | 2,542 | 0.000396 |
warc | 201704 | There’s a little “caveman” in all of us. About 1-4%, to be exact. That’s the proportion of the modern human genome that can be traced back directly to ancestral Neanderthal populations, which coexisted with “moderns” for hundreds of thousands of years, before going extinct about 30,000 years ago.[1] You may or may not believe you’re a monkey’s uncle – but you surely are the distant child of Neanderthals.
Perhaps it’s a co-worker, or an old high school bully – maybe even your ex. I’ll bet you’re thinking of someone now who seems to have a little more Neanderthal than average – and probably also wondering how you measure up yourself. I’ll show you exactly how to find that out, and much more.
We have one of these confusing-looking blobs in every cell in our bodies (shown in computer-generated false-color to help differentiate individual chromosomes). Every cell nucleus contains 23 pairs of chromosomes: 22 “autosomes,” and one pair of sex chromosomes (XX in females; XY in males).
Each chromosome is a single strand of genetic material (DNA) about 2 inches long[2], very tightly coiled into a double helix. Stretched out, each strand would be around 6 feet long![3] Together, these encode over 3 million base pairs in 32,000 genes – the sum of everything we are, all we have been – and all that we might yet become.
Advances in Human Genomics
The technology for analyzing the human genome has improved enormously over the past 20 years or so. The Human Genome Project[9] had the ambitious goal of sequencing the entire genome (i.e., decoding the double helix into an ordered list of the four basic amino acid constituents, represented by the letters C-G-T-A-…). When it began in 1990, few were optimistic that the project would be completed quickly, so daunting were the computational demands in those pre-Internet days. Yet by 2003 the work was done.
Since then, in parallel with computing power in general, the speed of genetic analysis has increased and the cost has come down to the point where it is no longer a luxury. Through the magic of mass-produced “microarray” chips, genotyping is now available to the masses.
23andMe
Enter 23andMe, which was founded in 2006 to “empower individuals and develop new ways of accelerating research."[4]
23andMe offers a personal genotyping service. You send them a sample of your saliva, and within a few weeks get back a complete analysis of your genome. From this information, they can determine your ancestry in truly astonishing detail.
Genetic mutations occur regularly, and some of them – those that are beneficial or at least not harmful – persist through all future generations. These are “markers” that can be used to identify from which pre-historic population your ancestors arose.
It is also possible to distinguish maternal from paternal descent, as mitochondrial DNA is only inherited from mothers. So for instance, if you have the K “haplogroup,” you belong to a population that split off from the original U8 group 35,000 years ago, then migrated in waves from the Near East into Europe.
Find long-lost relatives
Of course, the analysis can also reveal much closer relations. (Move over, Maury Povich!) I was adopted, and have been looking for my birth parents for many years. If anyone in my immediate or close biological family gets tested, they will show up as a “match." Finally, I have the means to find them!
In fact, the database does contain my biological 2
nd cousin, and several 3 rd-4 th cousins. These people are also notified of the match, and by mutual consent can share information and contact each other. I have corresponded at length with a 3 rd cousin; she is now working to get more of her relatives tested.
23andMe currently has over 650,000 genotypes in its database, with more being added every day.[5]
The Heavy Hand of the FDA
As Matthew McConaughey can attest (well, as the character he portrays in “Dallas Buyer’s Club” could have), the FDA has been busy inhibiting innovation for some time. One of the major benefits of 23andMe
used to be screening for genetic markers of health risks – for instance, the BRCA cancer genes that prompted Angelina Jolie’s mastectomy.
On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Exactly 50 years later the FDA, in one shot from a grassy knoll (they’re calling it a “directive”[7]), took out 23andMe’s health-related results: including health risks, drug response, and inherited conditions. If you got tested before that date, you can see all those results. For instance, I am at higher risk for prostate cancer and macular degeneration, but at lower risk for MS and diabetes. If you buy the service today, you only get the raw data and ancestry results – including your Neanderthal percentage.[8]
This makes me spitting mad! If you feel the same, at least now you have somewhere to send all that spit. (They do require a fairly large amount, so if you have an easy-going temperament you might have to work at it a bit to get enough.)
If you’re adopted like me – or want to make sure your child is really yours – it’s still a great deal. There are many heartwarming stories of family reunions made possible through this technology.[6] We can only hope the FDA will eventually come to its senses and give people the benefit of the latest scientific knowledge about genetic influences on disease.
SNiP SNiP
Note that 23andMe does genotyping – amplifying and searching for specific short sequences -- not comprehensive sequencing, which is more involved and still fairly expensive. They can (well, they previously
could) tell you which variant of a gene you had – i.e., which SNP was present. An “SNP” is a single nucleotide polymorphism, essentially a point mutation.
What they cannot do is detect things like trisomy-21 (Down’s syndrome), or Huntington’s Chorea, since these arise from repeated sequential copies of otherwise “normal” genes, and can only be detected through sequencing. | 6,226 | 3,149 | 0.000333 |
warc | 201704 | A Line Intersect Technique for Assessing Logging Waste
Abstract:A line sampling technique has been evolved for the assessment of logging waste remaining after clearfelling operations. The method was developed to obtain economically acceptable estimates of volume by reducing the amount of measurement of waste pieces required by conventional plot sampling. The method is described and the underlying theory presented. Its applicability is illustrated by the results of field trials carried out in the Kaingaroa State Forest, New Zealand, in connection with the sale of Pinus radiata to a large integrated pulp and paper plant. Document Type: Journal Article Affiliations:New Zealand Forest Service, Whakarewarewa, N.Z.
Publication date: 1964-09-01
More about this publication?
Forest Scienceis a peer-reviewed journal publishing fundamental and applied research that explores all aspects of natural and social sciences as they apply to the function and management of the forested ecosystems of the world. Topics include silviculture, forest management, biometrics, economics, entomology & pathology, fire & fuels management, forest ecology, genetics & tree improvement, geospatial technologies, harvesting & utilization, landscape ecology, operations research, forest policy, physiology, recreation, social sciences, soils & hydrology, and wildlife management. Forest Science is published bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October, and December. 2015 Impact Factor: 1.702 Ranking: 16 of 66 in forestry Also published by SAF: Journal of Forestry Other SAF Publications Submit a Paper Membership Information Author Guidelines Podcasts Ingenta Connect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites | 1,736 | 964 | 0.001041 |
warc | 201704 | Carlos Penha-Gonçalves and his team, at the Disease Genetics Laboratory, have developed an authentic mouse model of severe malaria in pregnant women. In a separate study, the group identified a genetic region which makes mice less vulnerable to infection of the liver by malaria parasites.
It is estimated that over 50 million pregnancies occur each year in malaria endemic areas. Indeed, pregnancy-associated malaria is one of the major public health burdens in Africa, leading to 100,000 infant deaths annually. Pregnant women who are infected with the Plasmodium parasite show more critical symptoms of malaria, their pregnancies rarely go to term, the growth of the fetus is delayed, babies have low birth weight and often die during infancy.
Carlos and his team have now developed a mouse model of pregnancy-induced malaria which reliably recapitulates the symptoms of the disease, both in the mother and in the fetus. Using this mouse model, the researchers have already begun to unpick some of the events which may underlie the severity of malaria infection during pregnancy.
Says Carlos, ‘What we have achieved would have been impossible to do in humans, and we hope that our model will now provide clues of key molecules and cells that could be targets for treatment’.
Malaria symptoms occur when the parasite reaches the blood stream. However, before moving to the blood stream, the malaria parasite infects liver cells, where it multiplies manifold. In another key study, Carlos and his team have identified a genetic region on chromosome 17 of mice which appears to make it more difficult for the parasite to expand in the liver cells.
The team noticed that a certain breed of mice that they work with showed poorer expansion of the parasite Plasmodium berghei in the liver, and, subsequently, lower numbers in the blood stream. They used genetic mapping techniques to identify the gene or genes responsible for this effect. They called this region berl1, for berghei liver resistance 1.
Says Lígia Gonçalves, first author of this study, ‘We narrowed it down to a region which contains over 300 genes, and we are now trying to restrict it even further, to test individual candidate genes’.
According to Carlos, the next step will be to look at the human equivalent of the berl1 region in humans, and investigate whether it too is able to convey resistance to liver infection. The researchers will study patients who show asymptomatic liver infections.
This research was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, in Portugal.
Ana Godinho | alfa
Further information: http://www.igc.gulbenkian.pt
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...
Anzeige
Anzeige
19.01.2017 | Event News
10.01.2017 | Event News
09.01.2017 | Event News
20.01.2017 | Awards Funding
20.01.2017 | Materials Sciences
20.01.2017 | Life Sciences | 5,153 | 2,467 | 0.000416 |
warc | 201704 | Chui-Hua Kong and colleagues point out that crabgrass is not only a headache for lawns and home gardens, but also a major cause of crop loss on farms. Scientists long suspected, but had a hard time proving, that the weed thrived by allelopathy. From the Greek "allelo-," meaning "other," and "-pathy," meaning "suffering," allelopathy occurs when one plant restricts the growth of another by releasing toxins. They set out to determine if crabgrass has this oppressive ability.
Kong's team isolated three chemicals from crabgrass that affect the microbial communities in nearby soil and did indeed inhibit the growth of staple crops wheat, corn and soybeans. "The chemical-specific changes in [the] soil microbial community generated a negative feedback on crop growth," the scientists said, noting that the chemicals also would have a direct toxic effect on other plants.
The authors acknowledge funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 163,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.
Michael Bernstein | EurekAlert!
Further information: http://www.acs.org
How much drought can a forest take?
20.01.2017 | University of California - Davis
Plasma-zapping process could yield trans fat-free soybean oil product
02.12.2016 | Purdue University
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...
Anzeige
Anzeige
19.01.2017 | Event News
10.01.2017 | Event News
09.01.2017 | Event News
20.01.2017 | Awards Funding
20.01.2017 | Materials Sciences
20.01.2017 | Life Sciences | 3,952 | 1,990 | 0.000513 |
warc | 201704 | WHEN Superstorm Sandy roared ashore in late October and the lights of lower Manhattan went out, New Yorkers were given a stark vision of a possible future.
Climate-change science is still a realm of great uncertainty but there is consensus that the planet is warming dangerously and that people are to blame. A recent report commissioned by the World Bank warned that the world is on track to have a global mean temperature that is 4°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100. If so, sea levels could rise by between half a metre and a metre by the end of the century, threatening hundreds of millions of people in coastal cities. Other regions would face the threats of droughts, bigger storms and changing rainfall patterns. That entails not just human costs but economic ones, too.
The question that preoccupies Klaus Desmet of the Universidad Carlos III in Madrid and Esteban Rossi-Hansberg of Princeton University in a new NBER working paper* is whether there are ways to manage the impact of changing weather patterns by moving the location of economic activity. They note that roughly 90% of global production uses just 10% of available land. If that 10% is threatened, activity may at least theoretically shift to bits of the 90% made more hospitable by climate change.
Messrs Desmet and Rossi-Hansberg build a model economy, and then batter it with different temperature increases to see how it reacts. In their benchmark analysis, they allow people to move around as they like in response to these changes. In extreme scenarios freedom of movement doesn’t make much difference: temperatures reduce global agricultural productivity to near zero, “implying the end of human life on Earth”. But in more moderate scenarios, rising global temperatures improve agricultural productivity in northerly climes. Welfare losses are small because there are big movements of people northward. A relatively small temperature increase (by the model’s standards), of 2°C at the Equator rising to 6°C at the North Pole, causes a shift in the average locations of agricultural and manufacturing activity of about ten degrees of latitude by the end of this century—roughly the distance between Dallas and Chicago, or Frankfurt and Oslo.
Restrictions on movement dramatically increase welfare costs, however. The authors modify the model by introducing a rigid border at the 45th parallel, which runs through the northern United States and across southern Europe, with roughly 1 billion people living above the line and 6 billion below. The model finds that rising temperatures actually benefit the northern section of the globe. Agricultural productivity grows and northern manufacturers enjoy more trade with the throngs that mass just south of the border. Welfare in the south falls, by contrast, by about 5% on average relative to the no-warming case. The model is simplistic, of course, but it suggests that limits on migration have a big effect on the costs of global warming.
Unfettered migration is obviously a lot more likely within countries. But even then, wouldn’t it matter if people left a really productive place for somewhere less dynamic? Real output per person in the New York area is some 70% higher than in Buffalo, for instance; a New Yorker fleeing upstate may suffer a large income loss. Matthew Kahn of the University of California, Los Angeles, reckons that this, too, is manageable. In his book “Climatopolis”, Mr Kahn points out that the productivity of rich places often has little to do with unique geographical advantages. Instead, cities profit as magnets for skilled workers attracted by other skilled workers. New York’s financial wealth stems not from its port but from its brimming community of firms and workers.
via The Economist
The Latest Streaming News: Climate change costs updated minute-by-minute Bookmark this page and come back often Latest NEWS
Latest VIDEO | 3,959 | 1,985 | 0.000513 |
warc | 201704 | NASA is designing the next generation of spacecraft for astronauts travelling to and from the International Space Station. The new spacecraft will serve as a lifeboat for the International Space Station. No American spacecraft has provided this service since an Apollo command module remained docked to Skylab for about three months from 1973 to 1974.
Currently, the lifeboat function on the space station is served by a pair of Russian Soyuz spacecraft that are docked at all times. Each Soyuz holds three people. There can be six people working on the station at any one time with two Soyuz spacecrafts docked. The crew drops to three when one Soyuz leaves and before another arrives with supplies and three new astronauts.
The new NASA spacecraft must have two capabilities to be considered a lifeboat, according to NASA engineers who are working with organizations developing spacecraft in the Commercial Crew Program (CCP). The spacecraft needs to provide a shelter for astronauts in case of a problem on the station and the spaceship has to be able to quickly get all its systems operating and detach from the station for a potential return to Earth.
“You’ve got to make sure it provides the same capability on day 210 as it does on day 1,” said Justin Kerr, manager of CCP’s Spacecraft Office.
The two factors that make it tough for spacecraft designers regarding the lifeboat feature are power and protection from micrometeoroids. Most of the power generated by the space station’s solar arrays is dedicated to the station’s systems and science experiments. The amount of power dedicated for a docked crew spacecraft is comparable to the amount of electricity used by a modern refrigerator.
“There’s very little power available for these spacecraft so what we’re really driving the partners to do is develop this quiescent mode that draws very little power,” Kerr said.
Designers also have the challenge of building a spacecraft strong enough to withstand impacts from micrometeoroids. The easy answer is to add armor to the spacecraft. Unfortunately, it can’t carry a lot of armor because it would be too heavy to launch.
Just like in the movie
Gravity, the International Space Station is always at risk of being hit by objects in space. Even a pebble the size of a bb can cause life threatening damage to the space station when travelling at 30,000 miles per hour.
The situations when the lifeboat spacecraft will be needed are not only movie fantasy. There have been occasions on the International Space Station when the crew members took refuge in the Soyuz because space debris was passing near the station.
Boeing, Sierra Nevada Corporation and SpaceX are working in partnership with NASA on spacecraft designs that meet the lifeboat criteria. Each company is coming up with its own novel solutions for the best way to meet the needs of a spacecraft that docks with the station and then stays in orbit for seven months.
Scott Thurston is the manager of the
CCP’s Partner Integration Office at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. “There’s no rock left unturned,” Thurston said. “Some have started out with very extravagant environmental control and life support systems and as they’re doing their studies, they’re slowly figuring out exactly what they need and what they don’t need.”
The new American spacecraft will offer more seats than the Soyuz. The final design will include four to seven seats which means the station can host more astronauts than its current regiment of six. Idealistically, that means more productivity can occur on the station since more people would be available for research duties.
“You never kept more on station than you could get off the station and back home,” Thurston said. “It’s why we staff that station the way we do. Now, you expand the crew capacity and then the crew and that really expands the amount of science you can do.”
More science means more discoveries. I can’t wait to see what they discover next. | 4,117 | 1,892 | 0.000549 |
warc | 201704 | lenders
While it is generally accurate to characterize each regulatory program as well-intentioned, it is important to acknowledge the real angst in the regulated community.
Less than six months ago, the federal government and 49 states announced a $25 billion settlement with the country’s five largest loan servicers, which, among other things, involves nationwide reforms to mortgage servicing standards and foreclosure practices. | 442 | 302 | 0.00338 |
warc | 201704 | Chef De Partie
Cook food and manage workers in one station of a restaurant kitchen.
Personal Chefs take their professions personal – literally. Customization is extended to a very personal level, crafting meals and menus to cater to clients’ tastes and diets, which run the gastronomical gamut. In fact, you tailor each assignment to be as unique as the individual client, whether it’s a low-sodium daily menu or school lunch preparations.
Personal Chefs have been around for hundreds of years, at least for the very wealthy. But being a Personal Chef in the entrepreneurial sense is something new, a situation that allows busy middle-class families to hire a “foodie” who is qualified to prepare meals.
And its a pretty sweet job. One of the downsides of being a Chef at a restaurant is that you end up cooking the same things over and over again. Sure, you have the specials to play with, but what is that compared to the complete freedom offered here? Clients will not only tolerate variety, they’ll demand it. That means you’ll be paid to cook creatively, try new recipes, and mix things up.
Typically you outline a menu for a week (with the client’s dietary restrictions in mind), then check with your clients to see if they have any objections. After approval is granted you purchase the necessary ingredients, and use clients’ kitchens to prepare meals that may last a week at a time. Ample space in the client’s freezer is a prerequisite for your services.
Most of your clients are normal families of all sizes, but celebrities and public figures also heavily rely on private Chefs. No matter the client, this occupation is challenging and interesting, drawing on your culinary knowledge, creativity, and business acumen. | 1,787 | 968 | 0.001068 |
warc | 201704 | [Source: HIRISE, Mars]
The Martian starring Matt Damon shows us what it might take for a single person to survive on Mars until possible rescue. Without giving away the plot, Matt Damon’s character, Astronaut Mark Watney needs to find a way to grow plants on Mars in order to stay alive and the terraforming he does is pretty accurate.
In the movie, Mark Watney needed to use hydrogen to get the water out of Martian soil in order to water the plants he needed to grow and eat for survival. His big issue was heating the hydrogen without blowing himself up.
According to Diane Linne, Senior Research Engineer at the Glen Research Center at NASA, removing water from the Martian soil is possible. Scientists believe that there is water trapped in the red planet’s soil either in the form of hydrogen minerals or as bound water and its NASA’s intent to get the water out.
A bin with heater plates on top of it bakes the simulated Martian soil and a roto-tiller installed inside the bin turns the soil while it’s being heated. The heat allows the hydrogen to come off the soil and the wet air gets collected downstream for drinking water. Another thing they can do with the hydrogen is mix it back with the carbon dioxide produced from the oxygen creating methane gas plus more oxygen. This will give astronauts oxygen for filling the propellant tanks for the ascent vehicle and for breathing. This will get them off Mars and back home again. | 1,465 | 761 | 0.001338 |
warc | 201704 | ETFS, Sharps Pixley see opportunity for gold price rebound, despite conflicting indicators
Despite gold falling to a new six-month low of $1,599, ETF Securities and precious metals dealer Sharps Pixley are among those who still see possibilities for a rebound in the price.
ETF Securities said that technical positions had contributed to pushing the price down over recent months. The precious metal is also struggling as investors seemingly rotate back into more risky assets such as equities. ETFS pointed to World Gold Council reports suggesting investors were poised to rotate back into more cyclical assets.
But the ETF provider also noted that the new lower price level means that the asset is now seen as more attractive to certain investors again. ETFS noted said that ivestor activity in China has surged, with volumes on the Shanhai Futures Exchange at record levels.
And it is also the case that despite apparent appetite for more risk, investors are also wary of persistent macroeconomic challenges.
“Macro fundamentals suggest a potential attractive entry level, as global financial markets remain awash with liquidity, global interest rates are expected to remain extremely low for the foreseeable future, and key macro risks are lingering, particularly for the eurozone economy,” ETFS said.
Sharps Pixley in London said that there were other reasons to expect the price of gold to rebound.
One is the commitment by the G20 not to engage in competitive devaluations in order to make their exports more attractive. But with many in this group of countries experiencing recessions or poor economic growth, it suggests monetary and fiscal policies will be looser, which would support the price of gold, Sharps Pixley said.
Meanwhile, the tendency among hedge funds earlier in February to reduce their bets on rising commodities pricing is linked to expectations that the Federal Reserve’s “QE infinity” could end sooner rather than later – which would hit the price of gold.
Minutes from the FOMC, which sets key interest rates in the US, are expected to point the way on QE when published 20 February , but with fewer speculators’ contracts in the market, Sharps Pixley said that the “cleaner positioning can prepare the stage for a gold price rebound”.
It also noted the surge in trading on the Shanghai Gold Exchange, saying that this was a result of traders returning to the market after the Chinese New Year celebrations, and taking advantage of a 3.37% drop in the gold price last week.
Angelos Damaskos, CEO of Sector Investment Managers, has warned that a supply crunch could be on the way for the gold market, potentially sending the price up to $2,000/oz
Commenting on the fundamentals of gold miners, he said that they have been adjusting business plans in light of the price weaknesses experienced over the past six months, to focus only on high grade deposits.
What this means is that miners are focused on profitability not production volumes. Should demand for gold increase again because of macro events, then it will exceed supply, hence sending prices up, Damaskos said. | 3,159 | 1,580 | 0.000645 |
warc | 201704 | Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry and Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster today launched the third cohort of the Software Testers’ Academy.
The programme aims to provide graduates with the skills and experience required to take up exciting new opportunities in the Information and Communications Technology industry. Software testing and quality assurance is increasingly a key growth area in this internationally focused sector.
Minister Farry said: “The Software Testers’ Academy is an excellent example of a government intervention to improve the skills of unemployed graduates, whilst at the same time providing skills that our employers need in an increasingly important sector for the future of our economy. The results of the Academies to date have been excellent, with 92% of trainees from diverse academic backgrounds securing employment in software testing. I would encourage any unemployed graduate to consider a career in the vibrant and growing local ICT sector.”
The Academy has been designed by Northern Ireland’s top ICT companies with support from the Department for Employment and Learning and Invest Northern Ireland under the Assured Skills initiative. It was developed collectively between government and the ICT sector and will be delivered by South Eastern Regional College and Belfast Metropolitan College.
Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster said: “The success of the Academy is underpinned by a clear commitment from the ICT sector in Northern Ireland which has worked closely with Invest NI and DEL to articulate its needs and help to design and deliver industry-relevant solutions. The close and continued collaboration between industry and government has clearly delivered results for a key sector in Northern Ireland and will deliver significant benefits to the economy in the longer term.”
Reminding employers of the work being taken forward to support the ICT sector, Minister Farry stated: “I have worked closely with other government Departments, employers and our local further education colleges and universities, through the ICT Working Group, to develop and implement an ICT Skills Action Plan. The Plan has already produced a number of positive results in support of the ICT sector since its launch in summer 2012. We have developed a Public/Private ICT Apprenticeship Scheme and our local universities are now offering postgraduate MScs in Software, aimed at non-IT graduates with over 100 individuals enrolled. The introduction of a new Software and Systems Development A Level from September 2013 will also help to increase the level of skills and attract more young people into the industry.”
Targeting HND or degree or equivalent graduates from any discipline, the Academy will offer an intensive 15-week training programme, including a company placement, to 32 successful applicants. Participants will gain an industry recognised qualification and a potential offer of employment.
Applications to the Software Testers Academy will close on 8 July and the training programme for successful applicants will start during September and run until December 2013.
Applications can now be submitted online at http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/softwaretesters. | 3,300 | 1,546 | 0.000658 |
warc | 201704 | Johannesburg - A target of 80 percent internet connectivity across Africa by 2020 has been set, Communications Minister Dina Pule told an information and communications indaba in Cape Town on Thursday.
“In this connected future, all of Africa's major cities, towns and villages will be connected to affordable internet, thereby facilitating the continent's mass entry into the knowledge and information economy,” she said in her closing speech.
A team was being set up to monitor the progress and implementation of resolutions made at the indaba, and feedback would be shared with other African countries.
Regional and continental organisations would interact with countries which were not represented at the indaba.
Pule said that delivering broadband access to every African citizen would accelerate the attaining of the Millennium Development Goals.
“Our work will also assist us in identifying and closing the skills gap within our countries.”
The benefit of such an approach would be Africa creating its own technologies instead of just being a consumer for them, she said.
It was the government's role, within the information and communications sector, to act as a regulator.
“We never abdicate that responsibility to anyone,” said Pule.
Sustainable jobs, some of which might not exist today, could be created if large and small to medium businesses were allowed the space to innovate.
The minister cited the expansion of the mobile application industry as an example of a job creation area which did not exist three years ago.
“Now it employs millions of people and is making the lives of many easier,” she said. - Sapa | 1,679 | 899 | 0.001149 |
warc | 201704 | Carol and Patrick Rooney of Derrycamma Farm near Castlebellingham are members of the recently established Oriel Food Group (orielfoodgroup.ie) of quality food producers in the ancient region of Oriel, which is mainly in what is now known as Co Louth.
In addition to their existing product range of free range chickens and eggs, and traditional crops of wheat, barley and oats, they now grow oilseed rape for culinary use. While not organic, the farm is run on ecological principles and their range of high quality cold pressed rapeseed oils is produced entirely on site, using only their own oil grown from seed.
Derrycamma Farm Rapeseed Oil was launched at Ireland’s largest garden festival, Bloom, in 2010 and has proved to be one of the most innovative, having since been joined by the first flavoured Irish rapeseed oils, infused with Garlic; Chilli; and Lemon. It is now distributed by a number of companies, including Sheridans Cheesemongers - look out for it in selected butchers, speciality food shops and some of the better supermarkets.
Farmers are finding a ready market for rapeseed oil as, not only is it a healthy alternative to other oils (having, for example, lower saturated fat and higher levels of Omega 3 than olive oil) but, most importantly, it does very well in taste tests such as the Great Taste Awards too – and consumers just love the beautifully short food miles. | 1,406 | 810 | 0.001248 |
warc | 201704 | Millions of children across Bangladesh will take part in a nationwide earthquake drill on 13-14 October.
Over 30,000 schools are conducting the drills under the government’s Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP) funded by the UN Development Programme; they will coincide with the International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction (13 October).
“This is to ensure discipline in case a major earthquake strikes,” Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, secretary of the Ministry of Education (MoE), told IRIN. “Discipline is important during any emergency.”
The drills - the largest in the country’s history, and covering both primary and secondary schools - aim to better prepare students in the event of a real disaster.
The drills will prepare students to save themselves, as well as act as volunteers to help others in the event of an actual quake, Chowdhury said.
Of the schools carrying out the drills, 480 are in the capital, Dhaka, which is deemed ill-prepared for earthquakes due to lack of awareness and unplanned urbanization. Drills for schools in Dhaka will be held on 14 October.
With a population of more than 15 million, Dhaka ranks among the 20 most vulnerable cities in terms of earthquakes in the world today, with a major fault line less than 60km from the city, says the World Bank.
A strong earthquake could take a major toll in densely populated, low-lying Bangladesh, which is prone to natural disasters, including cyclones, floods and landslides, say experts.
Bangladesh is surrounded by regions of high seismicity and is exposed to a high risk of a moderate-to-strong quake.
According to a seismic zoning map by the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, 43 percent of the country is rated high risk, 41 percent moderate risk and 16 percent low risk.
Almost 1,200 of Dhaka’s 2,700 schools are highly vulnerable to a moderate earthquake. Schools in cities like Chittagong and Sylhet and in the north are also vulnerable, according to a CDMP study.
MoE’s Chowdhury said the drills would create “a real time scenario” in schools from which the students could learn how to protect themselves in the event of a real earthquake. “This campaign… is going to have a major impact on our disaster preparedness.”
ja/ds/cb | 2,324 | 1,175 | 0.000881 |
warc | 201704 | I expect that we are going to hear a lot more about mobile payment options this coming year, and I think it is a logical progression in technology. People are using their smartphones for all sorts of transactions now – boarding passes, coupons at the grocery store, and so on – and using the phone to replace the credit card is just a natural move forward.
Of course, how quickly mobile payment options are adopted depends on two things: whether businesses want to invest in the technology to receive such payments and whether consumers are ready to trust the security of mobile payment technology. However, it seems that on the consumer side at least, mobile payment adoption has a few hurdles to jump before it becomes mainstream.
Venture Beat provided a sobering outlook on mobile payments for the coming year:
‘Secure’ has been a word that has been pitched with every mobile payment solution, and while mobile payments may well be safer than traditional transactions, consumers are not buying it, not wholly, at least.
The article goes on to state that mobile payments involve two of the least secure technologies out there, smartphones and credit cards. We also know that hackers tend to stay a step ahead when it comes to security and technology, so it is hard to believe that
mobile payment options will be more secure than other payment options.
A
study conducted by Tripwire and released last month shows just how wary consumers are about mobile payment options, with only 2 percent believing that it is the safest way to make a purchase in person. The study also shows that consumers are still out of touch when it comes to overall payment-related security. As Dwayne Melancon, chief technology officer for Tripwire, told eWeek, mobile security issues may need to be taken more seriously:
[A] surprising number of consumers are associating insecure mobile devices with their bank accounts or credit cards, which can make them easier targets for fraud and cyber-crime.
Ken Westin, security analyst for Tripwire, said in an email statement that consumers need to take more responsibility for their security. However, as the study showed, consumers want to leave security up to businesses and financial institutions. We all need to step up our own security responsibilities, but until consumers are willing to do more for their personal security concerns, companies will have to step up even more on the security front.
So that brings us back to the question of whether or not businesses are willing to add the technologies necessary for accepting mobile payment options. If the answer to that is “yes,” the follow-up question is what the company will do to ensure that these options are secure. After all, your customers will be counting on you to protect their financial and personal data.
Sue Marquette Poremba has been writing about network security since 2008. In addition to her coverage of security issues for IT Business Edge, her security articles have been published at various sites such as Forbes, Midsize Insider and Tom's Guide. You can reach Sue via Twitter: @sueporemba | 3,135 | 1,484 | 0.000683 |
warc | 201704 | Despite the intense marketing buzz surrounding service-oriented architecture, it turns out that lots of business types
may not even understand what the heck it is.
So what's a company like IBM, which is
crafting much of its business strategy around broad enterprise buy-in of SOA, to do?
Big Blue went with
a 3D video game -- an unconventional strategy that is beginning to look more conventional all the time, thanks to Sun's virtual office and other such concepts that are becoming reality.
The game, called Innov8 (rad, man), begins with instructions from a virtual CEO on how to carry out several business tasks, including understanding and improving a business process. A joystick helps players navigate around the virtual office, and they can chat up co-workers. They are scored on how well they did at the end.
This is relevant to SOA because
process improvement is a logical starting point for most SOA efforts, many experts agree.
Sandy Carter, IBM's SOA guru, says the game should be available in September. Big Blue wants to offer versions of Innov8 in online environments like Second Life to encourage folks to share scores and compete with others. (Maybe an online tourney pitting Microsoft vs. Google? We can dream, can't we?)
IBM's approach is
advocated by Edward Castronova, who says that companies can certainly put process improvement concepts learned in a virtual environment to work in the real world. It's also a smart way to capture the interest of younger employees, some of whom probably spent the majority of their childhoods parked in front of a Playstation. | 1,597 | 895 | 0.001126 |
warc | 201704 | An Oxford University study said that the reduction in commuting time resulting from people working at home will mean less carbon dioxide, one of the gases that causes global warming, being released into the atmosphere.
However, the research warned that, while more and more people want to work from home, the benefits are being undermined by poor co-operation by government and business over issues such as transport and the provision of IT. "The research is clear: working from home really can help reduce our carbon footprint as a country if we manage it correctly," said Professor David Banister, one of the authors of the study. "Managing home working correctly will involve changes in behaviour. This would include providing secure and efficient technology to facilitate collaboration, as well as properly managing heating at the employers end and the reduction of office space and heating costs at the employee's end. "If people work more than one day a week from home, significant environmental savings can be made." The study argues for more coherent policies to take advantage of the environmental savings that could be made from more sensible working policies. "Working from home has not featured very highly in government policy and there has not been any clear statement or encouragement from central or local government," said Professor Banister. "There is an opportunity for teleworking to sit at the heart of a co-ordinated policy that could involve sustainable transport." He added that home working would only really take-off with either a carbon-tax or tax incentives by the government. The report, commissioned by teleworking firm Giritech, has been released to coincide with National Work from Home Day in the UK on 18 May.
Flexible working can save the planet
By Robert Jaques on May 17, 2007 12:30PM | 1,835 | 939 | 0.001073 |
warc | 201704 | When more and more doctors started asking for access to patients' test results online, Sydney Adventist Hospital explored alternatives to some of the solutions being used elsewhere in healthcare.
The hospital's first priority was to keep patients' health information secure and confidential while still providing the service the doctors were demanding. And, like anywhere else in the healthcare industry, it was important to keep IT costs down.
The hospital's tech partner and integrator, Emerging Systems, teamed with Nortel Networks to come up with a slightly left-of-field but secure, low maintenance and lower cost option for the hospital -- a secure sockets layer virtual private network.
Already widely used in e-commerce and the financial sector, SSL VPNs have been called the “de facto standard” for securing credit card transactions and online banking. The SSL protocol was developed by Netscape in 1994 as a security mechanism built into the Navigator browser.
Gartner research says: “SSL expedites negotiation between a Web browser and server to establish a session encryption key to encrypt all communications between the two.” This keeps documents private during transmission over the Internet.
Initially Sydney Adventist Hospital looked at Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) which is usually how remote users -- like doctors -- get secure access to patients' records in hospitals.
“In most traditional security deployments, [such as IPsec] you actually have to install some sort of a secure client on the remote users' computer to ensure encryption and authentication before you gain access into an organisations online applications,” says Andrew Cook, director of systems engineering at Nortel.
The hospital soon realised IPsec was going to be a more costly -– and not necessarily superior -– option than SSL VPN.
Sydney Adventist Hospital has up to 700 doctors accredited to work at the hospital at any given time. IPsec would have been costly because the hospital's IT staff would have had to go out to each of the doctor's surgeries to install software, and then provide tech support on an ongoing basis.
Problems also arise for the doctors if they work at a number of different hospitals and therefore have to install different proprietary software required by each of those hospitals.
“But with SSL VPN, we can use some of the features that come with the browser with Internet Explorer [which most doctors already have] to create the security without having to go out there to the doctors rooms,” said the hospital's CIO, Chris Williams.
Gartner has been following SSL VPNs for five years but only recently has it started to generate more interest. Gartner says SSL provides strong, inexpensive security, but it cautions against weak validation and registration processes that could undermine that very security.
Geoff Johnson, VP and research director for networking and telecom at Gartner Asia Pacific, said the attraction of SSL VPNs is that they can be deployed easily and widely using a web browser. Much more straightforward than a client such as in IPsec which may be 20 Mb in size and has to be downloaded and installed, he said.
“In hospitals, SSL VPN can be a sensible approach to secure VPN connectivity, but strongly authenticated SSL certificates are needed,” he added.
The hospital underwent a full security review prior to purchasing Nortel's Alteon product and going down the SSL VPN path. Setting up SSL VPN is a relatively simple process from a technological point of view, said Russel Duncan, CEO of integrator Emerging Systems.
“It's a useful tool in the security arsenal … however, it should be viewed as part of the whole security process.”
He said it's not just about 'buying the box'. There are other issues to consider such as routers, firewalls, external servers, and intrusion detection as part of the whole security infrastructure. “You have to get that right first, before you plonk the box in”, he cautioned.
It's not groundbreaking for doctors to be able to view patient hospital records online from a remote location. However, it is the first time SSL VPN has been used in the hospital environment in Australia.
More than 40,000 inpatients and 170,000 outpatients come through Sydney Adventist Hospital each year, generating millions of test results from x-rays and blood tests. Most of the 700 doctors accredited to work at this private hospital have rooms spread across Sydney or even interstate.
Because the computers are privately owned by the doctors, the hospital effectively has no control over them. Nortel's Cook said SSL VPNs come into their own when you need to keep internal information secure within an organisation but at the same time have to allow external users (whose PCs you don't control) access to some of that information.
Williams said: “There is authorised access only to the appropriate information that the individuals [doctors] are allowed to have access to. It's not free and easy to everybody, just to those who are authorised. And patients still have to give consent for doctors to have access to their information.”
Duncan said just setting up the SSL VPN for the hospital (including hardware, software) worked out about half the cost of installing traditional IPsec.
The hospital also realised early on when it was looking into IPsec that it would take a full time IT staff member –- at a cost of about $60,000 -- just to service the software on doctor's computers. SSL VPN saves that cost on a yearly basis, said Williams.
After a successful pilot, the system is up and running at Sydney Adventist Hospital. In the first stage, doctors in the clinic on the hospital campus used the SSL VPN to view patient test results online. The next stage involved extending it to doctors off-campus, and by next year the hospital hopes to have a couple of hundred more doctors taking advantage of the new system. The service is provided at no cost to the doctors.
Duncan said five other organisations, some in healthcare and some in manufacturing, have also shown interest in piloting SSL VPNs themselves.
Down the track, the hospital plans to incorporate the Health Insurance Commission's certificate arrangement (public key infrastructure) into its system as well. Doctors who participate with HIC in electronic lodgement of medical claims will already have PKI installed on their computers as part of HIC compliance, Williams said.
And when it comes to exchanging private health data online, Gartner's Johnson said PKI is an important goal.
Disclaimer: The writer trained as a nurse at this hospital in 1988 before becoming a journalist. | 6,741 | 3,069 | 0.000332 |
warc | 201704 | Archived Newsroom • Press Release
Ultra High Definition Television: Threshold of a new age ITU Recommendations on UHDTV standards agreed
Geneva, 24 May 2012 – ITU has announced a new Recommendation
that represents a major advance in television broadcasting that will create an
entirely new television broadcast environment with the advent of ‘Ultra High
Definition Television’ or UHDTV. ITU’s Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) has
developed the standard – or Recommendation – in collaboration with experts from
the television industry, broadcasting organizations and regulatory institutions
in its Study Group 6.
Ultra High Definition Television: A more
defined future
The quality of television pictures that viewers see has improved dramatically
since it was invented in the 1930s. A dim black and white screen in the corner
of the room has become the sparkling ‘high definition’ colour picture that we
see on today’s large ‘flat panel displays’.
But technology does not stand still. ITU-R Study Group 6 has now agreed a
draft new Recommendation on the technical details for ‘Ultra High Definition
Television’ or UHDTV which is now being submitted to Administrations for
approval.
The ITU-R Recommendation lays out the quality standards for UHDTV in two
steps. The advances made with each of these quality steps are roughly similar to
the step from the old ‘standard definition television’ to ‘high definition
television (HDTV)’. HDTV pictures today have the equivalent of between 1-2
megapixels. The first level of UHDTV picture levels has the equivalent of about
8 megapixels (3 840 x 2 160 image system), and the next level comes with the
equivalent of about 32 megapixels (7 680 x 4 320 image system). As a shorthand
way of describing them, they are sometimes called the ‘4K’ and ‘8K’ UHDTV
systems.
Ultra high definition picture quality is accompanied by improved colour
fidelity, and options for higher numbers of pictures per second than for today’s
television systems.
ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré praised the work of ITU-R Study Group 6.
“UHDTV is an earth-shaking development in the world of television,” Dr Touré
said. “Watching UHDTV in the near future will be a breath taking experience, and
I look forward to it.”
David Wood, Chairman of ITU-R Working Party 6C (WP 6C), which developed the
draft new Recommendation, said, “This is the dawn of a new age for television
that will bring unprecedented levels of realism and viewer enjoyment. It’s a
historic moment. Some years will pass before we see these systems in our
homes, but come they will. The die is now cast, thanks to the untiring
efforts of the international experts participating in WP6C.”
Chairman of ITU R Study Group 6 Christoph Dosch added, “This is clearly a
major achievement for ITU-R Study Group 6 of which we can be proud. The
Recommendation means that organizations around the world can safely begin work
to make UHDTV a reality.”
Director of ITU’s Radiocommunication Bureau François Rancy said, “I’ve
personally seen the pictures with 8K UHDTV system, and it’s absolutely stunning
– the sense of being there is superb. This agreement shows the great and
continuing strength of the ITU-R and Study Group 6.”
A video on UHDTV development is at
http://youtu.be/hT2XluvAjwQ
For more information, please contact:
Sanjay Acharya
Chief, Media Relations
and Public Information
Grace Petrin
Promotion Officer
,
ITU Radiocommunication
Bureau
YouTube:
http://youtu.be/hT2XluvAjwQ
About ITU... | 3,744 | 1,779 | 0.000606 |
warc | 201704 | Every nation has a dish that defines it. The US has the burger – full of opportunity and larger than life. Japan has sushi – healthy and completely unique. England has fish and chips – old fashioned and comforting. Morocco has the tagine – steamy and fragrant. Well South Korea has bibimbap, the ultimate leftover stir-fry, served in blisteringly hot stone bowls that cook the food as you eat.
Historically, South Korea is a very poor country and meat, especially beef, is an extravagance. Bibimbap has become a staple dish because it is perfect for using up leftovers, so nothing from the bigger meals is wasted. It takes its name from the Korean for “mixed rice”, and beyond that the ingredients are up to the tastes and budget of the diner.
It’s basically made from whatever is in the fridge, usually shredded vegetables and leftover meat, but the way that South Koreans cook their food means this is a lot more exciting than it sounds. You could be using kimchi (fermented pickled vegetables) or soy and garlic-marinated beef, even dates and tofu – and whatever goes in you’ll be adding plenty of sesame oil for a nutty taste. Then the inspired bit – just before serving you crack an egg on top and mix it through. The effect is a creamy, crunchy, sweet, sour, delicious and moreish meal.
I first tried it at the aptly named Bibimbap in Soho, central London, and became addicted. So I used the World Cup as an excuse to head back there to meet the founder Young Park, who came to the UK to study engineering 20 years ago, but saw a gap open in London for Korean fast food.
“It’s kind of comfort food,” he says. “The basis of day-to-day Korean food is you have your rice dish and a soup, and lots of side vegetables. You usually have bits of these leftover after meals – so when you’re hungry is you just mix them all together. What goes in depends on the region, season and what’s in your cupboard.”
Thankfully that’s not quite how it works at the restaurant. Their bibimbaps are artfully constructed from exactly the right amount of each vegetable – mostly spinach, carrot, and beansprouts. Chefs heat the bowls then move down the line of bowls adding precise amounts and then cracking an egg on top. By far my favourite, and the one I order every time I visit, is the beef. True, it would be a decadent leftover meal in South Korea, but the excitement of receiving raw beef and egg and it cooking while you eat is magical. It’s also the meat that best suits the special sauces.
After my first meal at Young’s restaurant I spent weeks looking up where to buy stone bowls so I could recreate it on wet, windy days when the shops seem a long way away and all I have is leftovers in the fridge. I was addicted to the method – stirring it yourself, balancing all the flavours with as much gochujang (chilli sauce) as you dared, and then diving in spoon first. I’ve never quite got it as good as Young though.
“It’s the balance of the rice and vegetables that gives it the right taste. Here at Bibimbap we also have our own miso sauce. It’s not so well known, but once people taste it they tend to prefer it to the traditional gochujang sauce. It’s a family recipe – my mum’s really. But my bibimbap is better than my mum’s.”
Traditionally these sauces would be made at home, but as the world modernises and speeds up, Koreans are buying their sauces from shops instead. Convenience is king even in poorer countries, but it does mean that the sauces have made it all around the – if you want to recreate Bibimbap at home you can buy the right sauces at any Korean supermarket. One Bibimbap employee, though, tells me that if you can find a vantage point above the chaos of street-level Seoul you’ll see high-rise apartments with large vats of gochujang fermenting on the balconies, so the traditions are still there for those that are attached to them. One tradition Young refuses to let go of is the making of kimchi, a fermented vegetable side that is a staple in South Korea.
“Kimchi the staple of Korean food – we have it with pretty much every meal, as I guess Western people have bread. We have an occasion where my family gets together to make it, because you’ll make a big amount that you can eat for months. I’m not expert, my wife is, but we use salt water to pack it down, then a lot of chilli, garlic, soy sauce, seasoning and vinegar – and leave it to ferment to weeks.”
They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and you see it all the time in food. Some of the most delicious meals are eaten by the poorest people in the world. South Korea seems to have a cuisine built on leftovers – the kind of thing you might throw away, they are turning into one of the most moreish dishes I’ve ever had the privilege to eat. You don’t need a stone bowl and you don’t need a recipe – just a frying pan, some sesame oil, chilli sauce and lots of shredded veg and cooked rice. Play with the flavours, play with the vegetables, add some meat for some protein, and add the egg at the last minute.
Or, if you’re ever in London, just go to Bibimbap! | 5,298 | 2,487 | 0.000421 |
warc | 201704 | Chapter 1.
Empowering dialogue in intercultural settings
Chapter 1 introduces the conceptual framework used in the book. This framework is based on the linguistic and sociological analysis of communication systems and their cultural presuppositions. Cultural presuppositions consist in expectations regarding guiding values, ways of positioning, and results of communication processes, specifically of interactions in which the linguistic cues for these expectations can be analyzed. In particular, the analysis considers (1) presuppositions of educational interactions involving children, with a specific focus on intercultural settings, and (2) opportunities for promoting children’s agency and active participation in these interactions. Empowering dialogue is observed as a possible presupposition for promoting active participation and effective conflict management in interactions involving children and adults. Empowering dialogue is distinguished from disempowering monologue, which presents different cultural presuppositions. | 1,055 | 505 | 0.002015 |
warc | 201704 | The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon With its colorful cache of purples and oranges and reds, COLLARD GREEN SLAW is a marvelous mood booster --- not to mention just downright delish April 18, 2014
Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Clarifying one of the greatest philosophical conundrums in theology John Ericson
: Trying hard to be 'positive' but never succeeding? Blame Your Brain
The Kosher Gourmet by Julie Rothman Almondy, flourless (Italian king's cake), has royal roots, is simple to make, . . . but devour it because it's simply delicious torta del re April 14, 2014
Rabbi Dr Naftali Brawer: Passover frees us from the tyranny of time Eric Schulzke
: First degree: How America really recovered from a murder epidemic
Georgia Lee
: When love is not enough: Teaching your kids about the realities of adult relationships
Gordon Pape
: How you can tell if your financial adviser is setting you up for potential ruin
Dana Dovey
: Up to 500,000 people die each year from hepatitis C-related liver disease. New Treatment Has Over 90% Success Rate
Justin Caba
: Eating Watermelon Can Help Control High Blood Pressure
April 11, 2014
Rabbi Hillel Goldberg: Silence is much more than golden Susan Swann
: How to value a child for who he is, not just what he does
Susan Scutti
: A Simple Blood Test Might Soon Diagnose Cancer
Chris Weller
: Have A Slow Metabolism? Let Science Speed It Up For You
April 9, 2014
Jonathan Tobin: Why Did Kerry Lie About Israeli Blame? Samuel G. Freedman
: A resolution 70 years later for a father's unsettling legacy of ashes from Dachau
Jessica Ivins
: A resolution 70 years later for a father's unsettling legacy of ashes from Dachau
Matthew Mientka
: How Beans, Peas, And Chickpeas Cleanse Bad Cholesterol and Lowers Risk of Heart Disease
April 8, 2014
Dana Dovey:
Coffee Drinkers Rejoice! Your Cup Of Joe Can Prevent Death From Liver Disease
Chris Weller:
Electric 'Thinking Cap' Puts Your Brain Power Into High Gear
April 4, 2014
Amy Peterson:
A life of love: How to build lasting relationships with your children
John Ericson:
Older Women: Save Your Heart, Prevent Stroke Don't Drink Diet
John Ericson:
Why 50 million Americans will still have spring allergies after taking meds
Sarah Boesveld:
Teacher keeps promise to mail thousands of former students letters written by their past selves
April 2, 2014
Dan Barry:
Should South Carolina Jews be forced to maintain this chimney built by Germans serving the Nazis?
Frank Clayton:
Get happy: 20 scientifically proven happiness activities
Susan Scutti:
It's Genetic! Obesity and the 'Carb Breakdown' Gene
Jewish World Review
Oct. 15, 2007
/ 3 Mar-Cheshvan 5768
Code of Coercion
By
George Will
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
In 1943, the Supreme Court, affirming the right of Jehovah's Witnesses children to refuse to pledge allegiance to the U.S. flag in schools, declared: "No official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion or other matters of opinion, or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein." Today that principle is routinely traduced, coast to coast, by officials who are petty in several senses.
They are teachers at public universities, in schools of social work. A study prepared by the National Association of Scholars, a group that combats political correctness on campuses, reviews social work education programs at 10 major public universities and comes to this conclusion: Such programs mandate an ideological orthodoxy to which students must subscribe concerning "social justice" and "oppression."
In 1997, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) adopted a surreptitious political agenda in the form of a new code of ethics, enjoining social workers to advocate for social justice "from local to global levels." A widely used textbook -- "Direct Social Work Practice: Theory and Skill" -- declares that promoting "social and economic justice" is especially imperative as a response to "the conservative trends of the past three decades." Clearly, in the social work profession's catechism, whatever social and economic justice are, they are the opposite of conservatism.
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the national accreditor of social work education programs, encourages -- not that encouragement is required -- the ideological permeation of the curricula, including mandatory student advocacy. The CSWE says students must demonstrate an ability to "understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination."
FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO INFLUENTIAL NEWSLETTER
Every weekday NewsAndOpinion.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". HUNDREDS of columnists and cartoonists regularly appear. Sign up for the daily update. It's free. Just click here.
At Arizona State University, social work students must "demonstrate compliance with the NASW Code of Ethics." Berkeley requires compliance as proof of "suitability for the profession." Students at the University of Central Florida "must comply" with the NASW code. At the University of Houston, students must sign a pledge of adherence. At the University of Michigan, failure to comply with the code may be deemed "academic misconduct."
Schools' mission statements, student manuals and course descriptions are clotted with the vocabulary of "progressive" cant -- "diversity," "inclusion," "classism," "ethnocentrism," "racism," "sexism," "heterosexism," "ageism," "white privilege," "ableism," "contextualizes subjects," "cultural imperialism," "social identities and positionalities," "biopsychosocial" problems, "a just share of society's resources," and on and on. What goes on under the cover of this miasma of jargon? Just what the American Association of University Professors warned against in its 1915 "Declaration of Principles" -- teachers "indoctrinating" students.
In 2005, Emily Brooker, a social-work student at Missouri State University, was enrolled in a class taught by a professor who advertised himself as a liberal and insisted that social work is a liberal profession. At first, a mandatory assignment for his class was to advocate homosexual foster homes and adoption, with all students required to sign an advocacy letter, on university stationery, to the state legislature.
When Brooker objected on religious grounds, the project was made optional. But shortly before the final exam she was charged with a "Level 3," the most serious, violation of professional standards. In a 2 1/2 -hour hearing -- which she was forbidden to record and which her parents were barred from attending -- the primary subject was her refusal to sign the letter. She was ordered to write a paper ("Written Response about My Awareness") explaining how she could "lessen the gap" between her ethics and those of the social-work profession. When she sued the university, it dropped the charges and made financial and other restitution.
The NAS study says that at Rhode Island College's School of Social Work, a conservative student, William Felkner, received a failing grade in a course requiring students to lobby the state legislature for a cause mandated by the department. The NAS study also reports that Sandra Fuiten abandoned her pursuit of a social-work degree at the University of Illinois at Springfield after the professor, in a course that required students to lobby the legislature on behalf of positions prescribed by the professor, told her that it is impossible to be both a social worker and an opponent of abortion.
In the month since the NAS released its study, none of the schools covered by it has contested its findings. Because there might as well be signs on the doors of many schools of social work proclaiming "conservatives need not apply," two questions arise: Why are such schools of indoctrination permitted in institutions of higher education? And why are people of all political persuasions taxed to finance this propaganda?
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
George Will's latest book is "With a Happy Eye but: America and the World, 1997-2002" to purchase a copy, click here. Comment on this column by clicking here.
Archives
© 2006 WPWG
Columnists
Toons
Lifestyles | 8,459 | 4,204 | 0.000242 |
warc | 201704 | Hello, my name is***** and I have over 20 years of experience as a veterinarian. I am sorry to hear that Morgan has not been feeling well, eating poorly and today vomited her food after eating with some yellow, bile liquid. Yellow in the vomit means that the small intestine is refluxing bile into the stomach
so that when she vomits you see the yellow color. That isn't normal as bile doesn't belong in the stomach, and it does mean that there is some reverse motility, but it isn't specific for any particular disease process. In many cases a poor appetite and vomiting is triggered by eating something they should not, too much table food, too many treats
or something they find outdoors, or a dietary allergy or sensitivity.More serious causes of her symptoms include viral or bacterial infections, chronic pancreatitis
, inflammatory bowel disease, internal organ failure (kidney or liver disease), a full or partial gastrointestinal obstruction, an abdominal mass (tumor) putting pressure on the gastrointestinal tract or infiltrative cancers such as lymphoma
. Since she is an older girl we do need to consider more serious causes like organ failure or an abdominal mass and because this has been lingering for more than 24-48 hours (which is usually the time it takes mild stomach upset to pass) ideally she would see her family veterinarian now.In the meantime it may also be helpful to put her on an acid reducing medication as too much stomach acid, especially on an empty stomach, is very irritating and predisposes to vomiting.I recommend either: 1) Pepcid ac (famotidine
) at a dose of one 10mg tablet per 20 to 40 pounds of body weight every 12 hours OR 2) Prilosec (omeprazole) at a dose of one 20mg tablet per 40 to 80 pounds of body weight every 24 hours These are both acid reducers and either one could help her feel better. They are quite safe and can be used for several days if necessary. You might also consider feeding
a homemade bland diet of 1/3 boiled, lean hamburger (or boiled, white skinless chicken), all fats drained off the meat after cooking, mixed with 2/3 boiled, plain white rice. Feed several small meals a day. I recommend adding probiotics like Fortiflora, Proviable or Benebac to her meals daily to re-establish normal gut bacteria levels too.If she continues to vomit even with the acid reducers, runs a fever (more than 103F rectally), has a tense painful belly or if she continues to refuse to eat she should see a veterinarian for an examination, and some diagnostic testing. I would start with a complete blood count and biochemistry profile, a specific test for pancreatitis called canine specific pancreatic lipase, as well as radiographs of her abdomen.Please let me know if you have other details or a particular question based upon my response. | 2,804 | 1,435 | 0.000699 |
warc | 201704 | The Justice Department has sued the Coffeyville refinery for more than $4.18 million in civil penalties and clean-up costs stemming from a 2007 oil spill into floodwaters of the Verdigris River, plus additional, unspecified fines for other environmental violations.
A civil complaint filed last week in U.S. District Court also seeks a court order forcing Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing to comply with numerous environmental regulations designed to prevent additional spills or damage.
Company spokesman Steve Eames said Monday that the company is aware of the lawsuit but hasn't yet seen it.
"We are working diligently to clean up any remaining issues," Eames said, declining further comment.
About 2,145 barrels of oil leaked from the refinery into the river during flooding in July 2007, according to the complaint. The government is seeking up to $1,100 in civil penalties for each barrel spilled, a figure amounting to nearly $2.36 million.
Most of the spill involved crude oil that overflowed an above-ground storage tank. But some diesel oil leaked from another storage tank that was moved off its foundation by floodwaters. The refinery's sewer system also flooded, discharging some oily water, according to the complaint.
Along with the civil penalties for each barrel spilled, the government is seeking reimbursement for $1.82 million spent to clean up the spill.
The Environmental Protection Agency conducted flyovers of the flooded area to determine the extent of contamination, deployed containment booms and absorbent pads and sent in boats with portable skimmers and vacuum trucks, the lawsuit says. More than 100 EPA clean-up technicians were sent to the spill, and the agency hired others to monitor drinking water intakes along the river.
The Justice Department also claims Coffeyville Resources violated various sections of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the Oil Pollution Act before and after the spill. Among other things, it says the company didn't have a so-called risk management program, didn't meet requirements for hazard assessments and violated prevention program requirements. It also says the company didn't have written procedures for an emergency shutdown or investigated incidents that could have resulted in catastrophic spills.
If the court agrees, it could impose fines ranging from $27,500 to $37,500 per violation. That would be on top of penalties, if any, assessed for the 2007 spill.
It isn't clear in the government's lawsuit which of the numerous environmental statutes cited in the complaint it believes the company is still violating.
The lawsuit simply asks the court to order the company to take appropriate measures to correct past violations, prevent future violations and mitigate the effects of its violations. | 2,801 | 1,370 | 0.000734 |
warc | 201704 | How’s this for a sweet deal: Your son or daughter can plow the money earned last year from mowing lawns, flipping burgers or baby-sitting into a nest egg for the future.
And while it won’t rival the Mega Millions lottery, the money may turn into a sizeable stash when it’s withdrawn decades from now.
Those are among the benefits of Roth Individual Retirement Accounts. Anyone, including children, is eligible to contribute to a Roth with one caveat — they must have earned income from a job.
That means the chores around the house that junior performed for you or the grandparents last year are not likely to qualify as “earned” income by Internal Revenue Service standards.
With the mad scramble to file your taxes before this year’s April 17 deadline, don’t overlook this powerful long-term investment tool for your children.
Your child is allowed to contribute the amount of income earned by last year, up to a $5,000 maximum.
Earnings and contributions can be withdrawn tax-free years from now if you follow the rules.
At first glance, opening a retirement account for your kids might be the least of your financial priorities. After all, every penny your 14-year-old earned mowing yards last summer needs to be saved for college, right? And there are the cost-of-living expenses that typically come out of the 16-year-old’s summer pay — movies, pizzas and perhaps saving for a car.
When it’s all said and done, there’s little left for the Roth.
I’ve heard those arguments chapter and verse whenever I’ve written about Roths for kids.
But here are some of the advantages of contributing to a Roth —it can help your child develop the habit of putting money aside for the long term where the funds will have time to grow. And given the debatable future of Social Security, shouldn’t we be encouraging financial self-reliance?
If funds are tight, consider setting aside just a portion of grocery-bagging money for long-term investing. This doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
Not every investment firm, mutual fund company or bank will open Roths for minors through custodial accounts. Here’s a sampling of what you’ll find:
• The Monetta Young Investor Fund will open new Roth IRAs with a $100 initial minimum deposit, along with a $25 monthly automatic investment plan. Young savers can also take advantage of Monetta’s stock market educational materials.
• Charles Schwab lets you open a Roth with $100. There are no monthly service fees.
• TD Ameritrade has no minimum initial investment and no annual fees.
• American Century Investments allows Roth accounts in its Livestrong and One Choice asset allocation funds for a $500 minimum and then $100 a month. | 2,800 | 1,446 | 0.000727 |
warc | 201704 | While there are multiple technology companies that are trying to automate the process of TV ad buying, it isn’t being accepted widely across the industry. There are a handful of TV companies that are using the approach to analyze and do small-scale studies, but very few ads are actually being purchased that way.
Software, not salespeople. Programmatic ad buying is very different from current sales methods. With this level of automation, buyers use computer software to purchase instead of working directly with a salesman. It’s much more streamlined and efficient, but adoption has been slow.
Many media owners are reluctant to offer up their space for sale in the new system. For example, NBCUniversal will be offering “a small amount” of TV inventory available for purchasing, while A&E Networks and Walt Disney are only in the consideration stage. With very little inventory up for purchase the programmatic systems aren’t getting used as often.
More variety, too. This is in stark contrast to the online space where automatic systems have been embraced rapidly. With higher cost efficiencies and granular targeting capabilities, programmatic ad buying for digital media gives advertisers exactly what they need. There’s more variety as well – media buyers can purchase banners, mobile and video ad placements and more from the same system. Not a seamless transition. Television is different though so there’s not an easy crossover. Major broadcast and cable networks still sell most of their ad inventory through the upfront market in the spring, and strike large deals for multiple blocks of time. There’s simply no incentive to rock the boat in a system that has worked so well for decades.
The TV ad industry is unlikely to change soon, but the technology is in place to make it more refined and accurate. It’s up to content providers to decide how they want their space sold and for the time being, old school is the way to go.Google+ | 2,002 | 1,034 | 0.000995 |
warc | 201704 | MELBOURNE ― Should your government be able to take away your citizenship?
In the United Kingdom, the government has had the legal authority to revoke naturalized Britons’ citizenship since 1918. But, until the terrorist bombings on the London transport system in 2005, this power was rarely exercised. Since then, the British government has revoked the citizenship of 42 people, including 20 cases in 2013. British Home Secretary Theresa May has said that citizenship is “a privilege, not a right.” Most of the 42 held dual nationality. Mohamed Sakr, however, did not. His parents came to Britain from Egypt, but he was not an Egyptian citizen. Therefore, by stripping him of citizenship, the U.K. government made him stateless. Sakr appealed the decision from Somalia, where he was living. His case was strong, because the U.K. Supreme Court subsequently ruled in a different case that the government does not have the power to make a person stateless. Nevertheless, Sakr discontinued his appeal, apparently because he was concerned that the use of his cellphone was revealing his location to U.S. intelligence services. Months later, while still in Somalia, he was killed in an American drone attack. Now, partly in response to fears that Britons who have joined the fighting in Syria may return to carry out terrorism at home, the government has proposed legislation enabling it to revoke the citizenship of naturalized Britons suspected of involvement in terrorist activities ― even if this makes them stateless. (Since the start of the year, more than 40 Britons have been arrested on suspicion of engaging in military activities in Syria.) The House of Commons passed the legislation in January, but in April the House of Lords voted to send it to a joint parliamentary committee for additional scrutiny. In the United States, citizenship can be revoked only on limited grounds, such as fraud committed in the citizenship application or service in another country’s military. Arguably, joining a terrorist organization hostile to the U.S. is even worse than joining a foreign army, because terrorist organizations are more likely to target civilians. But one important difference is that if people who join other countries’ military forces lose their U.S. citizenship, they can presumably become citizens of the country for which they are fighting. Terrorist organizations usually have no such ties to a particular government. The 1961 United Nations Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, to which Britain is a signatory, does allow countries to declare their citizens stateless if it is proved that they have done something “prejudicial to the vital interests of the country.” The legislation currently before the U.K. Parliament does not require any judicial or public proof even of the weaker claim that someone’s presence in the country is not conducive to the public good. Should the person whose citizenship is revoked mount an appeal, the government is not required to disclose to the appellant the evidence on which it has based its decision. Though governments are bound to make mistakes from time to time in such cases, judges or tribunals will be unable to probe the evidence put before them. Another, more sinister possibility is deliberate abuse of these powers to get rid of citizens whose presence in the country is merely inconvenient. There is a strong case for an appeal system that allows for full and fair review of decisions to revoke citizenship. But governments will respond that to make the evidence available to a person believed to be involved with a terrorist organization could reveal intelligence sources and methods, thus jeopardizing national security. The ability to revoke citizenship without presenting any evidence in public is one reason why a government may prefer this course to arresting and trying terrorism suspects. And yet simply revoking citizenship does not solve the problem of leaving at large a suspected terrorist, who may then carry out an attack elsewhere ― unless, as with Sakr, he is killed. The larger question raised by the U.K.’s proposed legislation is the desirable balance between individual rights, including the right to citizenship, and the public good. Suppose that the government gets it right 19 times out of 20 when it relies on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities to revoke people’s citizenship. If that were the case with the decisions made by the U.K. government in 2013, there would still be a high probability that an innocent naturalized citizen was made stateless. That is a grave injustice. Suppose, however, that the 19 people correctly suspected of involvement in terrorism were able to return to Britain, and one carried out a terrorist attack similar to the London transport bombings, which killed 52 innocent people (the four bombers also died). In the face of such atrocities, it is difficult to insist that individual rights are absolute. Is it better to have one innocent person unjustly made stateless, or to have 52 innocent people killed and many others injured? The much greater harm done by the terrorist attack cannot be ignored; but when a democratic government starts to revoke citizenship and make people stateless, it sets a precedent for authoritarian regimes that wish to rid themselves of dissidents by expelling them, as the former Soviet Union did to the poet and later Nobel laureate Joseph Brodsky ― among many others. In the absence of global citizenship, it may be best to retain the principle that citizenship is not to be revoked without a judicial hearing. By Peter Singer Peter Singer, professor of bioethics at Princeton University and laureate professor at the University of Melbourne, is the author of several books, including “One World” and “The Life You Can Save.” His latest book, “The Point of View of the Universe” (coauthored with Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek), will be published this month. ― Ed. (Project Syndicate) | 6,064 | 2,730 | 0.000373 |
warc | 201704 | The economy may be slowly improving, but that doesn't mean there are jobs aplenty for all who want them. And finding a gig can be especially challenging for those without a lot of experience.
That's the boat Steve finds himself in. He says he's been trying to land a job at a retail store but hasn't gotten many call-backs.
"I need tips," he says, "on what to put on an application for people who've never had a job before."
There are lots of such tips available online from a wide variety of sources. Many reiterate the same basic points: Make the most of what you have and do your homework so you can dazzle a potential employer with your enthusiasm.
Here are a few other key points:
Write an awesome cover letter. Resumes are important, sure, but many employers are keeping an eye out for that special someone who will bring something new to the team. Your cover letter is the best shot at making that case and detailing what you can do.
Play up your strengths. You may not have much work experience, but that doesn't mean you haven't gained skills. Volunteer or fundraising work, clubs, community activities -- these all demonstrate your potential as a valued worker.
If you score an interview, prepare for it. You'll want to show an employer that you've given quite a bit of thought to his or her business and have a strong sense of what you can bring to the equation. Demonstrate confidence as well as humility, and don't try to make yourself into something that you're not.
Finally, keep your eye on the big picture. As you begin your ascent of the corporate ladder, remember that each job can lead to new opportunities. There are no wasted experiences.
Whatever job you're applying for, the bottom line is that you're a salesperson. What you're selling is yourself. | 1,788 | 962 | 0.001048 |
warc | 201704 | You are here Professor Linda Fentiman challenges the way courts tend to reinforce cultural stereotypes
Mothers are both the angels and the scapegoats of our society, says Professor Linda Fentiman.
"This is not only bad for mothers but it is also bad for children because it means we are not dealing with the fundamental causes of children’s health problems," Prof. Fentiman says, referencing her legal scholarship.
Prof. Fentiman notes that when a child suffers from lead poisoning or inadequate medical care, courts often point an accusing finger at the mother as the responsible party while ignoring more complex societal and environmental factors. An example of effectively addressing the root cause of a problem can be found in the elimination of lead additives from gasoline. Enacted by the EPA in the 1970’s, Prof. Fentiman said the regulation resulted in a proportional reduction of lead poisoning in children.
“The need for ‘new,’ the need for ‘immediate’ makes public discussion of complex issues much harder,” she says.
Drawing upon her experience in criminal law and her time in the General Counsel’s office of the Environmental Protection Agency, Prof. Fentiman explores the ways that society assesses risk and she finds we tend to look in the wrong directions. Legal principles generally reinforce cultural stereotypes while ignoring true risk. While the Internet makes more information available to us, we appear to be ill-equipped to process all the information.
"The children who are most at risk are the ones who are poor," she says. "Environmental toxins; mental illness and substance abuse caused by domestic violence; inadequate medical care, including vaccinations and prenatal care-- these are almost all about poverty. Rather than address poverty, we look at women as the cause even though they have no control over most of these hazards. The person closest to the child, the one who is literally ‘proximate,’ is the one we hold accountable rather than address the real issues." | 2,070 | 1,045 | 0.00099 |
warc | 201704 | Why the legal industry shouldn’t wait for QASA
As reported in Legal Futures, the much delayed Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) – originally scheduled for implementation in December 2011 – is still showing no sign of movement.
QASA has been described as “the only way” to protect all members of the public involved in criminal proceedings “at an upper level” but has been plagued with interruptions and delays. The latest delay sees the profession awaiting the government decision on whether it will set up an overlapping panel of defence advocates which the government believes will “provide valuable quality assurance and enable the government to have greater confidence in the quality of publicly funded defence advocacy”.
The principle behind the scheme it that it is intended to assess and assure the quality of criminal advocacy in the courts in England and Wales and ensure that the performance of all advocates is measured against the same set of standards, regardless of an advocate’s previous education and training.
Kaplan Altior’s senior training consultant Roy Morgan, specialising in advocacy, said:
“QASA and other options for assessing the quality of advocacy in the higher courts have been in the pipeline for some time. Whether any of them come to fruition or not remains unclear. What is becoming apparent however, are the clear benefits in securing the Higher Rights of Audience qualification now, allowing newly qualified solicitor advocates to gain valuable experience in advance of any system that may be introduced.”
Commenting on the benefits of qualification now rather than waiting for QASA to be approved, Mr Morgan said,
“Given the already long delays and uncertainty, coupled with the knowledge that there is little, if any, profit to be made from magistrates court work, most criminal practices up and down the UK have recognised for some time that the future is in the Crown Court and are therefore looking to keep as much work as possible in-house.”
The profession now needs to consider what the alternatives are if QASA or any other scheme fails to be introduced. He added:
“If any sort of judicial evaluation is introduced, as envisaged in QASA, already gaining the Higher Rights of Audience qualification, and being confident of using it, will ensure that solicitor advocates are ‘trial capable’ and have a distinct head start in the process”.
Commercial awareness in criminal work clearly dictates that advocates need to be able to conduct work in the Crown Court. Our HRA course will prepare advocates for the assessment process to obtain the qualification.
Those who complete the HRA course will gain experience and confidence in many aspects of Higher Court advocacy including;
Trial strategy planning and trial preparation Cross –examination techniques; top tips and feedback exercises Conducting PTPH; prelim applications (e.g. bad character; hearsay; special measures; ) and skeleton arguments Opening/closing speeches and judges directions; court etiquette-“The little things that trouble you” Dealing with Experts; “How to win your case without going into Court!”
Be prepared to conduct Higher Court advocacy and have less to fear from any assessment system that may be introduced.
Associate News is provided by Legal Futures Associates. Find out about becoming an Associate | 3,467 | 1,668 | 0.000624 |
warc | 201704 | Mesothelioma - An Overview
Mesothelioma is a rare, yet aggressive, form of cancer that attacks the tissue surrounding the body's internal organs. This tissue, mesothelium, provides fluid to the organs in order to facilitate smooth movement, just as the lungs do during breathing. While there are three types of mesothelioma, the pleural (which begins in the chest cavity) form is the most common, averaging 75 percent of all cases. The only known cause of mesothelioma is long-term or large amounts of asbestos exposure. Asbestos fibers cause scarring and damage cells in the tissue which leads to cancerous cells. Then, the cancerous cells rapidly reproduce creating tumors, building up fluid, and thickens membranes.
On average 2,000 to 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with this form of cancer every year. Sadly, the warning signs lay dormant for many years before surfacing, leaving patients typically in the later stages of cancer when an official diagnoses is made. The latency period can occur anywhere from 20 to 50 years, depending on the severity of exposure. In addition, because the symptoms are so similar to that of more common illnesses such as the flu, a cold, bronchitis, or pneumonia, oftentimes patients dismiss the severity of the signs. Typical signs are dry coughs, coughing up blood, and painful coughing. Also, fever, loss of appetite, and weight loss are other symptoms. In addition, a shortness of breath, and a difficulty breathing are commonly associated with mesothelioma. Since these signs are often overlooked, patients are not likely to link them with cancer. Thus, the average mesothelioma patients is 65 years old. A diagnoses at this stage of life can change the form of treatment that one selects.
Therapies and treatments can be dependent on the age and physical health of each patient. Choosing a treatment is a very personal choice, and how you would like to spend your time with loved ones should be considered. Some treatments are more invasive than others, and the side effects all differ. While there is no known cure for mesothelioma currently, there are many conventional treatments, such as surgery, radiation, drug therapy, and chemotherapy. Alternatives methods are gaining popularity, however there is not much research that can support the their claims. Some examples are immunotherapy, gene therapy, photodynamic therapy, and angiogenesis inhibition therapy. Holistic treatments, like acupuncture, massage, and vitamin supplements are also options. The majority of patients chose a combination of treatments, both to ease the symptoms of cancer, and in hopes of reaching remission.
Asbestos is considered to be the almost exclusive known cause of mesothelioma. Around 80 percent of all cases are patients that were exposed directly to asbestos in the work place. Approximately 700,000 buildings today still have asbestos within them, including many schools. Throughout the 20th century, asbestos was used in many industries, because it was found to be resilient to heat, fire, and electricity conduction. For many years, it has been proven, the dangers of asbestos were hidden from workers while they spent years working with the hazardous material. It wasn't until the mid-1970s that the United States government decided to regulate the use and exposure of asbestos. Unfortunately, the damage was done, and as the latency period ends for many Americans, cases of mesothelioma are constantly arising.
It is for this reason, that many mesothelioma patients have decided to take legal action against their former employers and the asbestos manufacturers. Medical bills, loss of income, pain, and the emotional suffering cause to you and your loved ones take a toll on an individual and their family. If your cancer was caused by a occupational asbestos exposure, you may be entitled to compensation. Consider the financial strain that your family will endure during this already emotional time. Your physician and your lawyer can handle the specifics of both your medical case, and legal case. Mesothelioma may have been avoidable, however your energy should now be focused on getting healthy.
Legal•Info State Mesothelioma Information Legal•Info State Resources
Find legal information and lawyers that specialize in Mesothelioma by state:
Alabama Mesothelioma Lawyer Alaska Mesothelioma Lawyer Arizona Mesothelioma Lawyer Arkansas Mesothelioma Lawyer California Mesothelioma Lawyer Colorado Mesothelioma Lawyer Connecticut Mesothelioma Lawyer Delaware Mesothelioma Lawyer District of Columbia Mesothelioma Lawyer Florida Mesothelioma Lawyer Georgia Mesothelioma Lawyer Hawaii Mesothelioma Lawyer Idaho Mesothelioma Lawyer Illinois Mesothelioma Lawyer Indiana Mesothelioma Lawyer Iowa Mesothelioma Lawyer Kansas Mesothelioma Lawyer Kentucky Mesothelioma Lawyer Louisiana Mesothelioma Lawyer Maine Mesothelioma Lawyer Maryland Mesothelioma Lawyer Massachusetts Mesothelioma Lawyer Michigan Mesothelioma Lawyer Minnesota Mesothelioma Lawyer Mississippi Mesothelioma Lawyer Missouri Mesothelioma Lawyer Montana Mesothelioma Lawyer Nebraska Mesothelioma Lawyer Nevada Mesothelioma Lawyer New Hampshire Mesothelioma Lawyer New Jersey Mesothelioma Lawyer New Mexico Mesothelioma Lawyer New York Mesothelioma Lawyer North Carolina Mesothelioma Lawyer North Dakota Mesothelioma Lawyer Ohio Mesothelioma Lawyer Oklahoma Mesothelioma Lawyer Oregon Mesothelioma Lawyer Pennsylvania Mesothelioma Lawyer Rhode Island Mesothelioma Lawyer South Carolina Mesothelioma Lawyer South Dakota Mesothelioma Lawyer Tennessee Mesothelioma Lawyer Texas Mesothelioma Lawyer Utah Mesothelioma Lawyer Vermont Mesothelioma Lawyer Virginia Mesothelioma Lawyer Washington Mesothelioma Lawyer West Virginia Mesothelioma Lawyer Wisconsin Mesothelioma Lawyer Wyoming Mesothelioma Lawyer | 5,818 | 2,403 | 0.000418 |
warc | 201704 | Introduction
The Patents Act is fairly straightforward when it comes to novelty and inventive step requirements, and the relevant rules correspond closely to similar rules under the European Patent Convention. In order to be patentable, an invention must be new compared with the state of the art prior to the filing date of the patent application and must involve an inventive step. The state of the art is held to comprise everything made available to the public by means of written or oral description, by use or in any other way. This is well known and well understood. However, what may not be as clear cut is exactly what it takes for, for example, an oral presentation to become available to the public, or what it takes to prove that the oral presentation included sufficient technical information to render an element that falls within the scope of a patent claim obvious to a skilled person.
Norcape Biotechnology AS filed a patent application (NO 20042188) on May 26 2004. The application was directed towards a hydrolysed marine protein product, the process for the production thereof and its application. The patent was examined and on February 20 2006 a Norwegian patent was granted. An opposition was filed by Marine Bioproduct AS on November 20 2006, but the patent was maintained. On October 30 2014 Membranteknikk AS filed a request for administrative review.
Claim 1 of the patent stated:
"
Hydrolysed marine protein product, characterized in that it comprises a reduced level of monovalent ions and biogenic amines (NPN) and other rest products of enzymatic, cooking, acids and microbial degradation or combination of these, wherein the level of monovalent ions and biogenic amines are at least reduced to 40% of the original."
Claim 2 stated "Product according to claim 1, characterized in that the level of monovalent ions and biogenic amines are reduced by combining ultrafiltration (UF) and nanofiltration (NF)".
The patent also included method claims. Notably, the independent method claim included ultrafiltration and nanofiltration steps.
Administrative review is provided for in Section 52(b) of the Patents Act and allows anyone to request the Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO) to declare a granted patent fully or partly invalid. The review must be independent of the initial patent examination and can consider only whether the patent actually fulfils the patentability requirements set out in Sections 1 and 2 of the Patents Act – that is, novelty, inventive step and patentable subject matter can be reviewed.
According to claimant Membranteknikk, the patent did not fulfil the requirements of Section 2 of the Patents Act with respect to novelty. The reasoning provided in the request was that the claimant allegedly gave a presentation at a conference in Reykjavik on April 29 2004 that anticipated the claims of the granted patent, because it included a disclosure of production of marine protein products through use of ultrafiltration and nanofiltration.
The claimant provided the following evidence in support of its allegations:
a list of conference attendees; confirmation from the conference administrator, Frank Minck, that the presentation had been given; photographs of the presenters, Odd Henning Sirnes and Rasmus Gundersen; and a copy of the presentation (referred to as 'D9'), which disclosed ultrafiltration and nanofiltration used in the same context as the patent, but did not explicitly mention monovalent ions or biogenic amines.
The patentee contended that the claimant had submitted insufficient evidence to prove that a presentation had actually been given on April 29 2004 with the content disclosed in D9. This contention was based primarily on the following arguments:
The list of attendees showed that Sirnes and Gundersent were registered to attend the conference, but not that they actually attended. The conference programme listed a presentation titled "Membrane filtration. Recent Development and application examples", but this was insufficient to show that a presentation had actually been given and that its content corresponded to that of D9. The photographs disclosed no substantial information. D9 itself was not dated. Further, the copy provided was a PDF file in PDF Format 1.6, which was introduced in December 2004. Consequently, it could not be the original presentation.
The patentee also noted that the conference was closed (with attendees by invitation only), that D9 had never been published in writing and that it was not provided as part of any opposition.
NIPO held that in order for a solution to be part of the prior art, it must have been disclosed in a manner which is sufficiently clear to enable a person skilled in the art to apply the solution. In the case at hand, it was therefore necessary first to determine the scope of the technical information provided to the audience as part of the presentation, and then to determine whether the technical information provided guidance with respect to the invention defined in the patent in a manner that disclosed the invention.
If an invention has been disclosed, it must then be determined whether this disclosure was to a "larger or indeterminate group of persons". If the group of persons is limited in a manner that implies an obligation of confidentiality, the disclosure is not necessarily a disclosure to the public.
NIPO referred to European Patent Office (EPO) Technical Board of Appeal Decision T 1212/97, which found that "information content made publicly available by a lecture cannot be put beyond reasonable doubt by any evidence of the lecturer alone, as the lecturer is in a quite different position to a member of the audience". Referencing this decision, NIPO found that the starting point for determining the information that a presentation or lecture has actually been provided to the public is the audience's perspective. Particularly relevant evidence would include notes made by audience members – preferably corresponding notes from two or more independent audience members – and handouts.
With respect to the statements made in support of the alleged fact that a set of slides had been presented in a given form, NIPO held that such statements could easily be influenced by the dispute and also "colored by memory, which for most of us does not improve over time".
NIPO found that it was unclear whether the conference in Reykjavik had been open to the public. Further, it noted that no evidence of the audience's perspective or handouts had been provided. The declaration from Minck and the photographs were given little weight. According to NIPO, it was doubtful whether Minck could be considered an ordinary member of the audience in view of his role as organiser. Moreover, his statement was very general and substantiated no actual disclosure of the invention, but rather only that a presentation regarding membrane filtering had been given. NIPO referred to the patentee's assertion that a presentation can be changed and reused over time.
Based on this, NIPO found that the weight of the evidence submitted by the claimant was insufficient to prove that the information provided to the audience through the presentation would enable a skilled person to work the invention. NIPO therefore concluded that D9 could not be considered part of the prior art when the application was filed, and that the requirements of Section 2 of the Patents Act were fulfilled.
NIPO also awarded costs to the patentee.
The decision shows that NIPO follows similar decisions of the EPO Boards of Appeal and requires a high level of certainty with respect to whether an oral presentation is public (in the sense that it makes information available to a larger or indefinite group), and whether the information presented actually discloses the invention to the public in a manner that would enable a skilled person to work the invention. The testimony of persons that may have an interest in the outcome of NIPO's decision is not given much weight, particularly if the presentation was made several years before the testimony. Instead, NIPO wants to see evidence that is contemporary with the oral presentation, preferably in the form of handouts or notes made by more than one member of the audience.
The decision provides valuable guidance for parties to future disputes, both those that seek to invalidate a patent and those that want to defend it – at least for now. The decision has been appealed to the Norwegian Board of Appeal for Industrial Rights, so further developments may be forthcoming.
For further information on this topic please contact Tom Ekeberg or Anne Sønstevold at Zacco by telephone (+47 22 91 04 00) or email (tom.ekeberg@zacco.com or anne.sonstevold@zacco.com). The Zacco website can be accessed at www.zacco.com. This article was first published by the International Law Office, a premium online legal update service for major companies and law firms worldwide. Register for a free subscription . | 9,045 | 3,681 | 0.000274 |
warc | 201704 | In Friends of the College of San Mateo Gardens v. San Mateo Community College District,
No. S214061 (Cal. September 19, 2016), the California Supreme Court rejected the “new project” test for determining whether a changed project remains similar enough to the original project for supplemental CEQA review to be appropriate. Instead, the court created a different threshold inquiry for lead agencies, which asks whether the previous environmental document “retains any relevance” in light of changes to the project and whether “major revisions” to the previous environmental document are required. Unlike the “new project” determination, reviewed by a court de novo, the “retains relevance” inquiry gives judicial deference to the lead agency’s determination.
The “new project” versus “changed project” distinction is important because courts are deferential to lead agencies in cases challenging supplemental CEQA review (in the form of an Addendum, Supplemental Negative Declaration (“Neg Dec”) or Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”)). By contrast, initial CEQA review gets a higher level of scrutiny, especially an initial Neg Dec which is reviewed under the plaintiff-favorable “fair argument” standard. Thus, the deference accorded to lead agencies in making a determination whether the “remains relevant” test is met under
Friends could greatly impact the scrutiny that modified projects receive from the courts.
In
Friends, the California Supreme Court considered the appropriateness of a CEQA Addendum for minor project changes to a previously approved project. Under CEQA, a project which evolves after prior approval may require either supplemental or, if the project has changed entirely, new environmental review. CEQA Section 21166 limits the circumstances under which a lead agency must undertake additional review to instances where there are substantial changes in the project, substantial changes to the circumstances under which a project is undertaken, or new information becomes available. See also CEQA Guidelines Section 15162.
Supplemental review can take the form of a Subsequent EIR or Neg Dec or a Supplemental EIR or Neg Dec if new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects will occur based on changes in the project, circumstances or new information. CEQA Guidelines Sections 15162 and 15163. If none of the conditions in CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 are met but some changes to the document are needed, an agency may proceed with an Addendum.
The project at issue in
Friends, originally adopted with a Neg Dec, involved multiple improvements on the college campus. In the Addendum, the college proposed to demolish rather than renovate one of the existing buildings, as had been analyzed in the Neg Dec. The demolition would also remove a popular public garden and the Friends of the College of San Mateo Gardens sued. The Friends argued that eliminating the garden so greatly altered the project that it was in effect a “new project,” which should have been evaluated in a new EIR or Neg Dec, and therefore subject to a higher standard of judicial review.
The court first rejected the notion that a “new project” test applies as a threshold inquiry for a lead agency using supplemental CEQA review for a modified project. In doing so, the court disagreed with
Save Our Neighborhood v. Lishman (2006) 140 Cal.App.4 th 1288, which held that a lead agency must first ask the threshold question “is the project a new project or the same project?” before considering whether the statutory criteria for supplemental CEQA review are met. In other words, “does the project have new or substantially more severe impacts due to project changes, changed circumstances or new information?” CEQA Section 21166. Moreover, Lishman held that the “new project” threshold question was a question of law, which the reviewing court must consider de novo, without deference to the lead agency.
By rejecting the “new project” test, the court agreed in part with
Mani Brothers Real Estate Group v. City of Los Angeles (2007) 153 Cal.App.4 th 1385, which criticized Lishman and found that CEQA does not impose a threshold “new project” question to determine whether a project is a new or modified project. Under Mani Brothers, a lead agency evaluating a changed project under CEQA proceeds directly to the question of whether the changed project, circumstances or information would trigger the statutory criteria for supplementation based on new or substantially more severe impacts, a determination which is subject to deferential judicial review.
However, despite criticizing the
Lishman “new project” test, the Supreme Court agreed with the Lishman court that there is a threshold determination to be made:
“A decision to proceed under CEQA‘s subsequent review provisions must thus necessarily rest on a determination — whether implicit or explicit — that the original environmental document retains some informational value.”
While the court rejected the “new project” test in the “abstract,” at the same time it acknowledged that the lead agency must ask the threshold question whether the CEQA review for the old project “remains relevant” and continues to have “informational value.” If the project were so changed as to render the previous CEQA review “wholly irrelevant,” the statutory criteria in CEQA Section 21166 for supplemental review of a previous project would not be reached. | 5,780 | 2,291 | 0.000459 |
warc | 201704 | In a Federal Circuit split panel Opinion on May 13, 2015 in
Akamai v. Limelight, Appeal Nos. 2009-1372, 1380, 1416 and 1417, the Majority held the issue of joint or divided infringement only arises with method claims and “exists when all of the steps of the claim are performed by or attributed to a single entity—as would be the case, for example, in a principal-agent relationship, in a contractual arrangement, or in a joint enterprise.” Circuit Judge Lin, author of the Opinion, rejected the assertion that 35 U.S.C. §271(a) incorporates joint tortfeasor liability, stating that “[e]ncouraging or instructing others to perform an act is not the same as performing the act oneself and does not result in direct infringement.” Judge Lin further noted that “[w]hen a party participates in or encourages infringement but does not directly infringe a patent, the normal recourse for the law is for the Court to apply the standards for liability under indirect infringement.” However, indirect infringement also “requires, as a predicate, a finding that some party is directly liable for the entire act of direct infringement.” A strong dissent by Circuit Judge Moore emphasized that the Majority’s rationale therefore leaves a “gaping hole in liability.” For example, under the Majority’s rule, a party A who performs the first step in a claimed method and then induces party B to perform the remaining steps would not be liable as a joint infringer or for inducing infringement. Circuit Judge Moore found that the issue of joint infringement is “first, last, and entirely about statutory construction” and that the plain meaning of “Whoever” as used in Section 271(a) encompasses such joint tortfeasors. This case may come full circle to Federal Circuit “ en banc action” recommended by Circuit Judge Moore and previously suggested by the Supreme Court as reported in this Update on August 14, 2014. | 2,002 | 992 | 0.001063 |
warc | 201704 | Experimental Use Exemption of Patent Infringement ̶ A Brief Comparison of China and the United States
Contributors:
Li Feng, Ph.D. , Jiancheng Jiang and Yuan Wang
Generally, the purpose of a patent is to award the patentee a limited market monopoly for disclosing his invention to the public. Experimental use of a patented invention, at least under certain circumstances, should not constitute patent infringement if such a use does not encroach upon the protected market. In many countries, including China and United States, experimental use of a patented invention is exempted, though varying in degree, from patent infringement. Here, we provide a brief comparison of the scope of experimental use exemption in the United States and China.
The United States
Historical Development
Historically, United States provides a narrow exemption from patent infringement liability for experimental use. The rationale behind the exemption was that “a man who constructed such a machine merely for philosophical experiments or for the purpose of ascertaining the sufficiency of the machine to produce its described effects” should not be punished.[1] This historical trend took a turn in 1984, starting from the case of
Roche Products Inc. v. Bolar Pharmaceutical Co., Inc.[2]
In that case, Bolar conducted bioequivalence studies, seeking FDA approval to market generic flurazepam, before Roche’s flurazepam patent expired.[3] Roche sued Bolar for patent infringement.[4] The trial court (U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York) ruled in favor of Bolar, holding no liability under the common law experimental use exemption doctrine.[5] On appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed, holding that the “experimental use” exception is narrow, and does not apply to tests having a commercial objective.[6]
Soon after the
Bolar case, the U.S. Congress enacted the Hatch-Waxman Act as part of the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, which seeks to strike a balance between two competing interests, encouraging pioneer research and development on one hand, and enabling competitors to market low-cost generic copies of drugs on the other.[7] In particular, the Hatch-Waxman Act overrules Federal Circuit’s decision in Roche v. Bolar, providing generic drug makers a “safe harbor” from patent infringement for testing “reasonably related” to obtaining FDA approval of an Abbreviated New Drug Application (“ANDA”). 35 U.S.C. § 271(e)(1). Thus, under the Hatch-Waxman Act, bioequivalence studies conducted in connection with ANDA submissions no longer constitute acts of infringement. This is the so-called “Bolar Exemption.” In exchange, the mere paper submission of an ANDA for a drug claimed by an unexpired patent is automatically an act of infringement, even though the generic drug maker does not yet have an approved version of the drug entering the market. 35 U.S.C. § 271(e)(2).
In areas other than pharmaceutical testing for regulatory purposes, it appears that the common law experimental use exemption remains narrow: exemption applies only when the use of a patented invention is for pure scientific curiosity.[8] In
Madey v. Duke University, Madey sued Duke University for patent infringement and Duke University raised the experimental use defense.[9] The Federal Circuit rejected Duke University’s arguments, holding that the “experimental use” defense is “very narrow” and is limited to actions performed “for amusement, to satisfy idle curiosity, or for strictly philosophical inquiry.”[10] The court found that research conducted at universities not only furthers the university’s “legitimate business objectives, including educating and enlightening students and faculty participating in these projects;” but “also serve, for example, to increase the status of the institution and lure lucrative grants, students and faculty.”[11] Such research at a university therefore is not exempted from patent infringement liability. Experimental Use Exemption in Pharmaceutical Context (the Bolar Exemption)
Since most of the disputes in the United States relating to experimental use exemption occur under the Hatch-Waxman framework, we discuss below the scope of the statutory exemption as construed by the court. The U.S. Supreme Court has construed section 271(e)(1) broadly to encompass any use reasonably related to the development and submission of information under a federal law that regulates the manufacture, use, or sale of drugs or veterinary biological products.[12] For example, the “safe harbor” applies not only to drugs, literally covered by the statutory test, but also to medical devices, not expressly spelled out in the statute. [13] The Supreme Court further reinforced that “[the experimental use] exemption from infringement extends to all uses of patented inventions that are reasonably related to the development and submission of any information under the FDCA [Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act],” including preclinical testing and testing data not ultimately included in the drug application.[14]
Under the guidance of the U.S. Supreme Court, both the Federal Circuit and various federal district courts have taken quite liberal interpretations of section 271 (e)(1). For example, the Federal Circuit held that the statute does not look to the underlying purposes or intended consequences of a use, so long as the use is reasonably related to the FDA approval.[15] One federal district court held that if it was reasonable for a party to believe that there was a decent prospect that the “use” in question would contribute to the generation of information that was likely to be relevant in the FDA approval processes, it should not matter whether other reasonable persons might have concluded that FDA approval could be secured even without the information in question.[16] Even after receiving FDA approval, if post-approval studies are “materials the FDA demands in the regulatory process,” those studies could still fall within the safe harbor provision.[17]
Nevertheless, courts have set forth limits on the application of section 271(e)(1). For instance, the Federal Circuit held that the safe harbor under section 271(e)(1) only applies to products that are subject to FDA approval.[18] If a product does not need approval from a regulatory body, the 271(e)(1) exemption does not apply.[19] Furthermore, studies recommended by a marketing department, not conducted for the purpose of regulatory approval, are not entitled to exemption.[20] In addition, a federal district court held that section 271(e)(1) offers no protection to a drug maker’s use of a patented invention to develop its own patentable product. [21] The rationale was that the section 271(e)(1) safe harbor was designed to allow generic competitors to enter the market with a product that competes with a patented invention at precisely the time the patented invention loses its protected status.[22] A drug maker, who develops its own new drug product using a patented invention, cannot take advantage of this safe harbor.[23]
China
Historical Development
Experimental use exemption was included in China's very first Patent Law in history, which was enacted in 1984. The Patent Law of 1984 in China states that use of a patent solely for the purposes of scientific research and experimentation shall not be deemed as an act of infringement. There have been relatively few judicial cases concerning experimental use exemption in China. Nevertheless, it was generally interpreted narrowly and was limited to scientific research and experimentations carried out specifically on the patented technology as such. The purpose of such exempted use is to give scientists and researchers freedom to characterize the technology, to look into the effect achieved by the technology, or to further improve the technology. [24] Under this interpretation, it may be difficult to consider clinical trials conducted by a generic company for regulatory purposes as being exempted from patent infringement. For instance, in
Glaxo v. Southwest Synthetic, the court's decision was in favor of the patentee, holding that regulatory clinical trials by the generic company were not exempted from patent infringement. [25]
In 2003, the Chinese Supreme People's Court delivered a draft judicial interpretation (for public comments) entitled "Provisions Concerning Several Issues in the Trials of Cases of Dispute over Patent Infringement," which proposed that an act of using a patented invention for the purpose of clinical trials to satisfy regulatory requirements shall be considered to fall into the scope of experimental use exemption. That draft, however, never became legally effective.
The case
Sankyo Co., Ltd. v. Beijing Wansheng Drug Indus. Co., Ltd brought a new round of attention to this issue in 2006. In that case, Wansheng used a patented process owned by Sankyo for regulatory purpose. The final judgment found no infringement by Wansheng. However, the decision did not rely upon experimental use exemption. The court did not consider Wansheng's act as being for "business purpose." The court reasoned that the use of Sankyo's patent by Wansheng was necessitated by relevant government regulations, which require clinical trials of the drug to satisfy the requirements for obtaining a license for production; the purpose of the trial was to test the safety and efficacy of the drug but "not directly for sale of it."[26] A similar opinion was delivered by the court in Elli Lilly v. Gan & Lee Pharm. in 2007. [27]
A provision, equivalent to the Bolar exemption in the U.S., was introduced for the first time in China's Patent Law when the Law was amended in 2008, which is currently in effect. Article 69 of the Chinese Patent Law recites "[t]he following shall not be deemed to be patent right infringement: . . . (4) [a]ny person uses the relevant patent specially for the purpose of scientific research and experimentation; and (5) [a]ny person produces, uses, or imports patented drugs or patented medical apparatus and instruments, for the purpose of providing information required for administrative examination and approval, or any other person produces or imports patented drugs or patented medical apparatus and instruments especially for that person".[28] Notably, the Chinese Bolar exemption provision exists in parallel with the provision on general experimental use exemption.
Current Practice of Experimental Use Exemption
It does not seem that there are any precedential cases in China's judicial practice concerning experimental use exemption. As mentioned above, however, “experimental use” was generally considered as referring to scientific research and experimentations carried out specifically on the patented technology as such, but not those that are conducted by exploiting the patented technology as a means. This understanding is reflected in a directive delivered by Beijing Higher People's Court in 2013, entitled "Guidelines for Judgment of Patent Infringement[29]" (”the Guidelines for patent infringement”), although that directive is not generally binding and is aimed only at providing guidance to the trials of patent cases in various courts in Beijing. In addition, the provisions on experimental use exemption are applicable regardless of whether the use is for a business purpose.
Current Practice of Bolar Exemption
There have not been any concluded cases where the court makes a decision based on the Bolar exemption provided in the Chinese Patent Law. Nevertheless, the court decisions in
Sankyo Co., Ltd., v. Beijing Wansheng and Elli Lilly v. Gan & Lee Pharm. could shed some lights in the application of the Bolar exemption in China. As in those cases, the Bolar exemption in China could be applicable to drugs and medical devices that are made according to a patented process, as well as drugs and medical devices that are patented per se. In a regulative directive (on trial) enacted by the State Intellectual Property Office (“SIPO”), entitled "Guidelines for Determination of Patent Infringement and Passing Off," the Chinese Bolar exemption is interpreted as applicable not only to patents on drugs and medical devices as such, but also to those on an active ingredient of a drug, on a process for preparing a drug, on a process for preparing an active ingredient of a drug, on parts specifically for use in a medical device, and on a method of using a medical device. [30] This directive is binding on local Intellectual Property Offices, which are government administrative agencies handling patent infringement complaints filed with them.
Furthermore, the Chinese Patent Law does not include sale and offering for sale in the listed acts applicable under the Bolar exemption. Usually, drugs and medical devices cannot be put on market when the regulatory approval process is still ongoing. As to acts of offering for sale such as display on a trade fair, it is believed that such acts have nothing to do with obtaining information for regulatory purposes and should be excluded from the Bolar exemption.[31] In fact, these acts are indeed excluded from SIPO's directive noted above.
Another question that arises is whether foreign regulatory approval should be included in the Chinese Bolar exemption. The SIPO seems to believe that it is desirable to include both domestic and foreign regulatory approval in the Bolar exemption[32] and it has indeed done so in its directive entitled “Guidelines for Determination of Patent Infringement and Passing Off.” However, some courts seem to interpret the Bolar exemption as applicable only domestically.[33]
Comparative Perspective
The experimental use exemption doctrines in the United States and China are conceptually similar, as both provide infringement exemptions in the experimental use context and in the context of pharmaceutical and medical device approval. However, it is to be noted that in China's codified patent law, experimental use exemption and Bolar exemption are separate, parallel provisions. In other words, Bolar exemption is not construed as being specific to experimental use exemption in the Chinese Patent Law. Perhaps the Chinese legislators were not able to categorize use of a patent for regulatory purpose into experimental use since the former could hardly be considered as pure philosophical use. Indeed, an act of applying for regulatory approval would usually be for the purpose of doing business but have little to do with philosophy.
The doctrines are applied differently in the two countries in several important aspects. For example, the Chinese experimental exemption doctrine appears to focus on the inquiry of how a potential infringer uses a patented technology (experimentation on the patented invention per se or employing the patented invention as a means), rather than the purpose of the use (business or philosophical). The United States, however, focuses on the latter.
Also, the Bolar exemption under 35 U.S.C. § 271(e)(1) encompasses an act of offering to sell or selling a patented invention, while the relevant Chinese statute does not include such an act in the exemption list. Another important difference between the legal frames of the United States and China is China’s lack of patent term extension for a patent that covers an approved drug and a proper patent linkage system that links patent enforcement activities with the drug approval process. Thus, the Chinese Bolar exemption is often dubbed as a “naked” Bolar exemption, which offers competitive advantages to the generic drug companies but omits a balancing remedy to innovative drug companies.
Nevertheless, the current Chinese Patent Law is viewed by the authority as commensurate with the current state of the domestic pharmaceutical industry where innovation lags behind its U.S. counterpart. That being said, the innovative pharmaceutical industry in China is growing very fast and may demand further amendment of the Chinese patent and drug registration laws to more properly balance the incentives for innovation and access to affordable medicine.
Dr. Li Feng (li.feng@finnegan.com) is an attorney with Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP, based in Washington D.C., the United States. Mr. Jiangcheng Jiang is the Managing Partner of Peksung Intellectual Property Ltd., based in Beijing China. Ms. Yuan Wang is a patent attorney with Peksung Intellectual Property Ltd. The views in this paper are solely the authors’, not of the firms that they are associated with. The Authors thank Kumiko Kitaoka (law clerk at Finnegan) for her legal research and helpful discussion. The Authors also thank Ningling Wang (Managing Partner of Finnegan’s Shanghai Office) for her critical input. This article first appeared in AIPLA Biotech Buzz, January 2015 | 17,152 | 6,478 | 0.000157 |
warc | 201704 | Anyone who’s ever shopped around for houseplants would probably admit to prioritizing the way they look and what their maintenance requirements are before deciding on one to bring home. Those are obvious things to keep in mind, but there’s one more important aspect we sometimes tend to forget about when looking for an ideal houseplant: their health benefits.
Good health depends on more than just diet and exercise. Without a doubt your environment affects your health too, and the right houseplant can actually make a big difference in your mood, your stress level, your sleep quality and even your breathing.
A nice looking plant is great, but a nice looking plant that quietly works its magic in the background on your health as you go about your regular routine is even better. Here are eight houseplants that can help solve a few common health-related problems.
1. Spider Plant
Spider plants are great for removing formaldehyde from the air in your home. This is the stuff that comes from all sorts of things you bring into your home including paper bags, waxed papers, facial tissues, paper towels, napkins, particle board, plywood panelling and synthetic fabrics. In addition to formaldehyde, snake plants target carbon monoxide and other toxic air impurities as well.
If you have poor indoor air quality and not much of a green thumb, a spider plant may be exactly what you need. It’s one of the easiest plants to care for and can be kept in less sunny places in your home since it typically doesn’t like to be placed under direct sunlight.
A spider plant can grow in any type of soil and only needs to be watered occasionally. If you can remember to water it often enough that its soil stays moist, then that’s all you really need to keep this plant alive and thriving.
2. Aloe Vera
Chances are you’ve probably heard of or used commercially sold medicinal creams or ointments that say they contain aloe vera on their labels. Despite a lack of scientific evidence that aloe vera has any substantial healing properties, it’s been used for thousands of years as a common natural remedy to soothe irritated skin.
The clear, gel-like substance found in the inner part of the leaf can be applied directly to the skin. According to WebMD, people typically use it to help treat burns, sunburn, frostbite, psoriasis and cold sores. Make sure you speak to your doctor first in case you have any allergies.
Aloe vera plants need to be deeply watered and their soil left to dry just slightly (about 1 to 2 inches deep) between watering. They do very well with lots of sun but can turn brown if they get too much of it, so keeping your aloe vera plant under indirect sunlight is best.
3. Lavender
Lavender is a flowering plant that has a very gentle and pleasant aroma. Best known for its stress-relieving mental benefits, the scent of lavender is often used in spa products like bath salts, skincare creams, soaps and candles.
You can place a lavender plant anywhere in your home, but putting it in your bedroom is especially helpful since it may help you sleep better. Catching a whiff of lavender may help soothe restlessness, nervousness, anxiety, depression and insomnia.
Lavender plants prefer well-drained soil and lots of sunlight. They also need deep watering, but be careful not to water them very often. Aim to water your lavender plant when the soil is nearly dry.
4. English Ivy
Nobody ever wants to think about the possibility of mold thriving in their home. If you’re worried about it, bringing an English ivy plant into your home can help you rest easy since it’s well-known to purify up to 94 percent of airborne mold particles that can trigger allergies.
Like the aloe vera plant, English ivy is another great plant to put in your bedroom. If you have asthma or difficulty breathing at night, it can help you breathe easier and get a restful night’s sleep.
Be aware that English ivy is poisonous, so it should be kept well out of reach from children and pets. The plant thrives under fluorescent light but not direct sun, so it’s the perfect houseplant for darker than normal bedrooms with artificial light. Soil should be kept most at all times, but not soggy.
5. Snake Plant
Another great houseplant for the bedroom, the snake plant (also known as the “Mother-in-Law’s Tongue”) is among one of the most popular choices for improving indoor air quality. It actually gets most of its job done at night, converting carbon dioxide into oxygen as you sleep.
Snake plants also remove all sorts of toxins from the air including trichloroethylene, formaldehyde, toluene, benzene and xylene. To optimize its air purifying power throughout your entire home, you’ll likely need more than one plant. Plan to get anywhere from 6 to 8 snake plants that are of waist-high height for optimal air purification.
Considered to be one of the easiest plants to care for, snake plants do great when placed under indirect sunlight. You really don’t have to water them much at all, and they’ll actually grow better if you let them dry out quite a bit between watering.
6. Rosemary
Rosemary is an herb that’s been used in folk medicine for centuries to help improve concentration and memory. It turns out that there may be some merit to this claim since a study conducted by Northumbria University found that people who were exposed to the scent of rosemary essential oil performed better on questionnaires compared to people who were exposed to no scent at all.
The memory-boosting component of rosemary is thought to be caused by a compound called 1,8-cineole, which may cause increases in a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Although you may be able to take advantage of a more potent scent by using rosemary essential oil with a diffuser in your home, it doesn’t hurt to keep a rosemary plant nearby in places like your home office or any other room where you could use a mental boost.
Rosemary can be planted in a pot and put in any spot where it has access to bright sunlight. It should be watered evenly throughout the growing season, but will need less water in the winter. Avoid over-watering and remember to trim your rosemary plant after it flowers.
7. Peace Lily
Peace lilies will really compliment your home decor in the summer when their beautiful white flowers are in full bloom, but that’s not all that they can do. This pretty and powerful houseplant is a master of air pollutant removal – working hard to absorb ammonia, benzene, xylene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene throughout your home.
Since this is a flowering houseplant, it will produce some pollen and a floral scent, which isn’t always suitable for people with plant and pollen-related allergies. With that in mind, peace lilies can make a gorgeous addition to any dining table, side table or entryway table.
Peace lilies should be planted in a pot with all-purpose soil and kept slightly most throughout the entire year (without overwatering). They can thrive in both low and bright light, but do best in shaded areas.
8. Boston Fern
If you live in a location where humidity tends to be a problem, the Boston fern may be the most ideal houseplant to bring into your home. Said to be a natural humidifier, Boston ferns are among the best air purifying plants that also combat formaldehyde, xylene and other unwanted toxins.
Place this type of fern in any air-conditioned room of your home. It may also indirectly benefit any dry skin you may suffer from, which can often be a side effect of highly air-conditioned indoor spaces.
Boston ferns are easy to grow and prefer indirect sunlight, but you should check the soil daily to make sure that it’s kept moist. They’re most efficient in rooms kept at a cool temperature with a humidity level of 50 to 80 percent.
Never discount the power of what a simple and innocent looking houseplant can do for your health. It’s worth doing some further research on the type of plant you choose and how to care for it if it means it will make a difference in how you feel.
Get An Awesome Life
Love this article? Share it with your friends on FacebookRead full content | 8,247 | 3,754 | 0.000272 |
warc | 201704 | No matter who you are, you will have moments where you feel like you have lost of motivation and do not want to do anything at all. Even highly effective and successful people will have times when they feel unmotivated. However, it is the way they deal with this “down” time that keeps them moving forward and helps them to accomplish great things.
Motivation is one of the keys that will
push you into taking action and keep you moving each day. If you do not have motivation, you will tend to procrastinate on the things that are supposed to get done. Eventually, you will put things off and totally give up on your project or task.
This is what is happening to most people out there. They say they want to become rich by investing or running their own business on the Internet. However, whenever they need to study the company report or build their website or write a report, they feel no motivation at all. This is where most people give up.
Fortunately, there are solutions to this. Here are the seven great ways how to overcome a loss of motivation.
1. Remember why you want to do it at first
If you feel a lack of motivation when you want to type an article, try to think about why you want to do it in the first place. The reasons you do something are the driving force behind everything you do. It is only when your reason is strong and emotional enough that
you will do whatever it takes to accomplish the task.
When you feel no motivation at all, it is because the reason behind what you’re doing is not strong enough. Think about it, why do people stop smoking? Most of the time, people stop smoking because they have a strong reason, if they continue to smoke, they may suffer serious health problem and might lose their love ones.
So why do you do what you do? Do you know why you want to achieve your goals and your targets? Make sure your reasons are strong and emotional. When you feel no motivation, think about the purpose why you want to do it.
2. Envision the success if you do it and feel the regret if you don’t do it
Ah, visualization, does it really work? Yes, it works and only if you are willing to work on it.
Visualization has been a very powerful tool that available to us and it is free of charge. You can think and imagine whatever you want, wherever and whenever you wish to. If you think that visualization does not work, try to imagine vividly that you walk to your kitchen, open your fridge’s door, you see a big yellow lemon and you take it out. After that you take a knife and cut the big yellow lemon into half.
Imagine this vividly and as detail as possible. After you cut the lemon, take the half up and squeeze the lemon that the juice drops into your mouth. Feel your hand’s pressure, hear the squeeze sound and imagine the sour lemon juice gets into your mouth. Now, do you feel more saliva in your mouth or nothing?
Chances are, if you follow through and visualize it vividly, you will have more saliva in your mouth. Come on, this is just a visualization and it is not real, but why did you get more saliva in your mouth? This is because
your mind cannot differentiate what is real and what is not. Your mind can only see it, but it cannot tell if it is real.
This is what makes visualization such a powerful tool. Think about it, if your dream is to drive a Mercedes Benz, imagine the vivid picture of you driving. Imagine the model you want, the color, the feels when you sit in, the smell of leather, feel the steering and hear sound of the engine roaring. Do you think your mind will eventually make it real one day? You bet.
The point is this, when you imagine and visualize things in your mind, you will feel motivated to do it. When you dream about the car you want, you will create the motivation from within. Try do this when you feel like procrastinating and don’t have any motivation.
3. Create a supportive environment
Do you know that your surroundings and your environment can affect your mood? How do you feel when you go to a very high-end and luxury hotel for a stay? Do you feel you are valued more and you have more confident? This is especially true if you go to a less developed area and you stay in a luxury hotel. You will feel like you have more confident and you feel more superior.
You will become the people you mix around with. If you always mix with successful people who talk about business, you will learn and join in to talk about business as well. This is how you can become motivated and how you can use your environment to boost your energy level. On the other hand, if you mix with negative people who always gossip and talk about other people, you will feel negative and have no motivation to work as well.
So
decorate your work space into a good and supporting environment. So that you will want to wake up each morning and rush to work, because the surrounding makes you feel good and motivated. This is why some people choose to use cars and expensive watches to help them boost their confident level. Remember, your environment is important and it can affect you. So change your environment instead of letting it to manage you. 4. Change your physiology and stay in action
Motion creates emotion. Whenever you feel down and have no motivation to do your work, change your physiology. Try out this exercise. Try to feel down and sad, think about all the sad things that happened to you and notice your physiology. How do you breathe? Is your shoulder slump or up? What about your facial expression? Where are your hands and do you look up or do you look down?
When you are in a sad state, your physiology will stay in a certain way. Conversely, if you are feeling good and energetic, your physiology will be in a certain way as well. For most people when they feel great and motivated, their breathing will be faster, their hands gesture will be active, they talk faster and their eyes look in a certain way.
You can tell straight from the face whether someone is upset or whether someone is happy. And
when you change your physiology, you will change your state as well. Therefore, if you don’t want to stay in a lousy state that is not helpful, try to notice your own physiology and change it accordingly. 5. Let others motivate you
Read a book, listen to music or watch something inspiring can definitely put you back on a faster gear. What you can do is to spend a minimum of 30 minutes each day to read an inspiring book every morning before you start your day. This way, you will make sure you kick start in the right state and are able to go through the day even if it is a rough day.
Videos and audio can be very helpful too. For example, when you are down and feeling no motivation, try to watch something inspiring on YouTube or listen to
motivational speech from great people. You will be pumped up in no time and ready to go.
The best way is still to
position yourself in the right mindset and in the right state before you start your day. That is why reading is so important and it can change life. Almost all the extraordinary people who accomplish outstanding success in life read, everyday. 6. Dream big, start small and act now
This is a very powerful principle if you apply it into your life. When you dream, you have to dream big so that your dream can inspire you. However, when you start, you have to start small because you want to make it into a habit so that you will automatically take action consistently every day.
When your motivation is gone; start small. Just like if you have no motivation to call your customers, try to start small and call only a few. You want to build up the momentum from there. Once you start to take action, the motivation will come and you will be able to continue to do more.
Do the baby steps and gradually increase from there on. For example, if you want to exercise and workout five days a week, try to schedule and start small. Even if it is just five minutes a day, commit to it and just do it. The key is to build the momentum and make it easy for you to start. Once you get the engine started, gradually increase the momentum and get on to the higher level. 7. Take a break
Sometimes you just want to take a break. Remember, success is not a destination; it is a journey that you need to go through for a long period of time.
It is not a sprint, but a marathon. Many people mistake success as doing something great and that success will come to over overnight. The truth is totally the opposite.
Almost all the successful people who have accomplished amazing results are able to do so because they persist long enough, they take action consistently enough and of course, they never give up. It is not something that can be created within a few days, not weeks and not even months. Real success takes years to build.
Therefore, make sure you get enough rest and take a break when need to. You need to understand your own capabilities and how much you can do. If you have done your work, you can reward yourself and take a break. You will notice that after the rest, you will feel more energetic, more motivated and are ready to take on the world again.
Get An Awesome Life
Love this article? Share it with your friends on FacebookRead full content | 9,277 | 3,830 | 0.000263 |
warc | 201704 | From long school days to active sports and outdoor playtime, kids are busy. Keep them energized, fueled and focused with nutrient-rich, healthy food choices. Regular meals and snacks composed of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean protein will provide children with essential vitamins and minerals while also giving them the energy they need to keep their stamina up all day long.
Start the Day Off Right
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and this is especially true for growing, busy children. Because whole grain breakfast cereals are a good source of complex carbohydrates, they provide lasting energy to keep kids satisfied throughout the morning. In addition, cereal is packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber, all necessary for healthy, growing bodies. Cheerios, for example, contain 3 grams of fiber per a 1-cup serving. In addition, a serving of whole grain Cheerios is a good source of iron, zinc, folate and vitamins A, B-6 and B-12. Aside from making sure your breakfast cereal is whole grain, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests that you choose a cereal that has little to no added sugar and is trans and saturated fat-free. Top cereal with low-fat milk to provide your child with protein, calcium and vitamin D for strong muscles and bones.
Fruit for Snacks
Fruit makes for the perfect snack because it is quick, nutritious and provides an energy boost for any time of the day. Good choices include apples, bananas, oranges, grapes, melon or berries. Because fruit contains natural sugar, it will give kids a quick source of fuel, and fruit is also high in fiber ,which helps to fill them up and keep them satisfied. Kids younger than age 9 should aim for 1 to 1 1/2 cups of fruit per day, while 9- to 18-year-olds should get 1 1/2 to 2 cups per day. To give fruit more staying power, pair it with a healthy source of protein, such as string cheese or a few tablespoons of peanut butter.
Something to Sip On
A healthy combination of blended low-fat milk, yogurt and fruit provides an energy-packed snack or meal option for busy kids. The typical nutrient-rich smoothie contains 140 calories, 5 grams of muscle-building protein and 17 percent of your daily calcium needs per a 1-cup serving. To make a healthy smoothie, blend together 1 cup low-fat milk, 1/4 cup low-fat yogurt and 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit. Banana and berries are delicious fruits to use in smoothies. As a bonus, a smoothie can be a great on-the-go food for busy families.
Munch on Trail Mix
A homemade trail mix containing whole grain cereal, dried fruit and nuts provides an energy dense combination of complex carbohydrates, fiber and protein to fuel active children. Start with 1 cup of your child's favorite whole grain cereal: o's, squares and flakes work well. Next add a few tablespoons of dried fruit, such as raisins, cranberries or cherries. Aside from providing sweetness, dried fruit will add some fiber, as 2 tablespoons of raisins contains 1 gram of filling fiber. Lastly, include a handful of nuts. Almonds, peanuts, walnuts or cashews are all good options. Nuts are a good source of protein. A 1-ounce serving of peanuts, for example, contains 7 grams of protein. | 3,207 | 1,519 | 0.00066 |
warc | 201704 | Colorectal surgery refers to a variety of procedures used to repair damage to the colon, rectum, anus and pelvic floor caused by diseases of the lower digestive tract, such as cancer, diverticulitis and inflammatory bowel disease. We also offer minimally-invasive outpatient alternatives to surgery using our endoscopy and colonoscopy facilities.
Visit our dedicated endoscopy website for detailed information on our services.
Upper GI endoscopy
This is an examination involving the passing of a small, fibreoptic tube (the endoscope) through the mouth into the stomach, allowing the doctor to look directly at the lining of the oesophagus (gullet), stomach and duodenum (the first section of the small intestine). If a sample of tissue needs to be taken for analysis (a biopsy), it will be removed painlessly through the endoscope, using miniature forceps.
Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
This provides a fibre-optic camera examination of the rectum, sigmoid and left colon. Often performed without sedation, a Flexible Sigmoidoscopy is commonly used to look for bleeding or noncancerous growths (polyps) and is one of the main screening tests for colorectal cancer.
Colonoscopy
A colonoscopy involves a long, flexible tube about the thickness of a finger (the colonoscope) being inserted into the rectum and gradually advanced through the colon, allowing the physician to examine the lining of the rectum, diagnose colon and rectal problems, perform biopsies and remove noncancerous growths (polyps).
Proctology
Proctology is the medical speciality that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders affecting the colon, rectum and anus.
Banding of haemorrhoids
This outpatient procedure involves the surgeon taking hold of the haemorrhoid with forceps or a suction device and placing a rubber band around the base of the haemorrhoid. This cuts off the blood supply and causes the haemorrhoid to wither and drop off after a few days.
Stapled haemorrhoidectomy
A new technique for treating haemorrhoids, this removes the excess lining of the bowel, raising the haemorrhoidal tissue back to its regular position and thus reducing the blood supply to the haemorrhoids, causing them to shrink. The procedure is relatively painless and can be performed as a day case in most instances.
Diathermy Haemorrhoidectomy
This is the surgical removal of haemorrhoids, where the anal cushions are excised using diathermy (a high frequency electric current to produce heat). This usually performed as a day case procedure in most instances.
Pilonidal sinus surgery for primary and recurrent disease
This procedure treats ingrowing hair follicles at the base of the spine. Hairs grow inwards through tiny holes in the skin (sinuses) where the germs on the hairs can cause pain, swelling and discharge. Surgical techniques include excision, Bascom's procedure and Limberg flaps.
Anal Fissures
An anal fissure is a small tear in the skin, just inside the anus, usually towards the back. Treatments include the use of GTN (a drug used to relax the internal anal sphincter) and a sphincterotomy, which involves cutting out that part of the internal sphincter to relieve the tension. A similar effect to the sphincterotomy can be achieved using non-surgical methods such as diltiazem for a chemical sphincterotomy and botulinum toxin (BOTOX®). A Botox fissurectomy lasts approximately three months, until the nerve endings regenerate. This three-month period may allow acute fissures to heal – if not, a surgical sphincterotomy may be recommended.
Perianal abscess and anal fistula surgery
A perianal abscess is a gathering of pus that forms next to the anus, often causing swelling and pain. An anal fistula is a narrow channel running from the skin near the anus to further up the anus, often occurring after there has been an abscess in the area. Surgery to treat these problems can involve draining the sepsis, laying open of fistulae, seton insertion and rectal advancement flaps.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic condition in which the lining of the digestive tract becomes inflamed and covered with ulcers. Two common types of inflammatory bowel disease are Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis.
Surgery for Crohn's Disease
Crohn’s Disease can occur along the entire digestive tract and spread deep into the bowel wall. Although surgery can relieve the symptoms of Crohn’s Disease, it cannot cure it. Surgery may involve the resection of diseased segments of Crohn's and strictureplasty of short strictures to preserve bowel length. Some cases are done laproscopically (using minimally-invasive surgery and micro-video cameras).
Pouch surgery for ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis typically affects the top layer of the large intestine (the colon) and rectum. Pouch surgery involves taking the very end of the small intestine (the ileum) and creating a pouch that is then connected to the anus to allow waste to leave the body through the anus.
Colorectal Cancer surgery
Although harmless in themselves, if non-cancerous growths (polyps) continue to grow, they may develop into a cancerous tumour. If this occurs, colorectal surgery may be necessary to treat the subsequent colon and rectal cancer.
Primary colorectal cancer surgery
This form of surgery includes all colonic and rectal resections, including low anterior resection of the rectum (where the tumour is removed without affecting the anus) and abdomino-perineal excision (where the rectum and anus are both removed) with myocutaneous flap repair of the perineum. Some cases are performed laparoscopically, involving minimally-invasive surgery and micro-video cameras.
Recurrent rectal cancer surgery
This form of surgery can involve multivisceral resection (surgery involving numerous organs) including total pelvic exenteration (the removal of the bladder, urethra, rectum, anus and supporting muscles and ligaments, together with the reproductive organs) and abdominosacral resection (which treats midrectal cancer while preserving the function of the anal sphincter).
Rectal prolapse surgery
When the lining of the rectum collapses through the anal opening, surgery may be necessary to repair the prolapse. Our surgical team can provide perineal and abdominal surgical repair of full thickness rectal prolapse.
Rectocoele repair
A rectocoele repair procedure involves restoring the supportive tissue between the vagina and rectum to treat a prolapse of the rectum through the vaginal wall. In some cases, the surgery may be performed laparoscopically, involving minimally-invasive surgery and micro-video cameras.
Anal sphincter repair
Damage to the anal sphincter is a relatively common problem, occurring in up to a third of women at their first vaginal childbirth. Subsequent problems can include faecal incontinence. This surgical procedure repairs the anal sphincter so that it functions as normal.
Diverticular Resection
Consisting of the herniation of mucosa through the thickened colonic muscle, the number of diverticula can vary from one to many hundreds. Diverticular resection is used to treat complicated diverticular diseases such as colovaginal (where stools are passed via the vagina) and colovesical fistulae (where the urinary bladder and the bowel become connected).
Visit our dedicated endoscopy website for additional information.
Opening Hours: Contact: Telephone:For general enquiries call: +44 (0)20 7407 3100 To book an appointment call: +44 (0)20 7234 2009 Email: info.lbh@hcahealthcare.co.uk | 7,573 | 3,227 | 0.000313 |
warc | 201704 | We have been eating Genetically Modified (GM) crops for nearly twenty years.
Notice of the MADGE AGM
The MADGE AGM will be held on Tues 31st Jan at the La Tortelleria restaurant 72 Stubbs St Kensington from 5.30 to 7.00pm. If you would like to attend please contact us on info@madge.org.au. Kids welcome!
MADGE at the International Monsanto Tribunal
Fran Murrell, co-founder of MADGE, was part of the Australia/Pacific delegation who travelled to the Hague to represent our farmers and eaters at the International Monsanto Tribunal.
Five judges have heard the evidence from around the world of the damage being done by Monsanto's pesticides and GMO crops. They will release an 'Advisory Opinion' on whether Monsanto's actions are in compliance with international law and UN conventions such as the Rights of the Child. The Advisory Opinion will be used to help advance international law and the attempts of victims to obtain justice. The Monsanto Tribunal was organised by civil society.
Here are the reports from MADGE's Fran Murrell:
Open letter to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and aid agencies.
MADGE is concerned that the definition of gene technology, GMO and GM product will be removed via proposed changes to the Food Standards Australia
We are eating unlabelled and untested nano particles in food.
What is genetically modified food, why is it controversial and how do I know if I’m eating it? By Fran Murrell
The SHOP ETHICAL! App gives you the low-down on the environmental and social record of companies behind common brands you buy in Australian supermarkets and beyond. | 1,685 | 939 | 0.001076 |
warc | 201704 | Although it is not a widely appreciated fact, Germany has been one of the most popular immigration destinations in the world for some time now. Some 11 million of the people currently living in Germany were actually born elsewhere. In other words, over one in eight members of the German population is an immigrant. The proportion is even higher among the working population, where one in seven is originally from another country. All in all, one in five people in Germany has a migrant background.
As with other countries, certain areas in Germany tend to attract people with a migrant background. Many of Germany's immigrant population live and work in the cities of Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, and Frankfurt. There is also a significant proportion of immigrants in many other cities and towns in western and southern Germany. By contrast, there are still relatively few people with foreign roots living and working in the states that make up the former German Democratic Republic.
Europe accounts for the biggest proportion of Germany's immigrant population. More than two thirds of Germany's immigrant population are nationals of another European country, and 36.6 percent are from within the EU. Overall, the major country of origin is Turkey, which accounts for 13 percent of the foreign nationals living in Germany. This is followed by Poland, which accounts for almost 11 percent. Around nine percent of the foreign nationals living in Germany are from Russia. Germany is also home to significant numbers of immigrants from Kazakhstan (7 percent), Romania (4 percent) and Italy (4 percent).
Many families from Italy, Turkey and the other EU member states in southern Europe first came to Germany during the recruitment of guest workers from 1955 to 1973 and have long since become an important part of the German population. Important lessons were learnt at the time about how to meet the challenges posed by immigration.
The group of expatriates – expats in short - has gained increasing importance in the last few years. Such international experts live and work for their companies in Germany for a limited period of time.
German society is increasingly heterogeneous. The foreign nationals who arrived with the first wave of guest workers from Greece, Spain or Turkey had jobs in industry and usually stayed there. Their children, however, already had access to much wider career opportunities. Today, members of Germany's immigrant population occupy a whole variety of positions in German industry, the services sector, and meanwhile also the civil service and the media - ranging from simple clerk to senior executive. People from Germany's immigrant population also tend to be highly entrepreneurial and are often self-employed. Indeed, this is a growing trend. Today, more than 700,000 people with a migrant background run their own company. In other words, migrants are an important factor in the German economy.
And you can be a part of it too – invest and set up your own business in Germany. Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), the economic development agency of the Federal Republic of Germany, is there to help. Its “Investor Guide” explains the immigration and residence criteria for business people and the legislation surrounding business creation in Germany. You will also find some valuable tips on corporate taxation, and on the aid available for start-ups. You will find further information here.
With its current employment prospects, Germany is an attractive destination. Immigration to Germany is currently rising. In future, certain sectors of the labour market will need to intensify their recruitment of skilled workers. Employment opportunities will continue to increase, particularly in the healthcare, engineering, IT, and many other commercial and technical sectors.
Why people from all over the world feel at home in Germany (German, English, Spanish) | 3,921 | 1,806 | 0.000558 |
warc | 201704 | WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - The U.S. deficit in goods and services trade slimmed in November, a reflection of cheaper oil and a weak domestic economy's suppression of demand for foreign-made goods. The shortfall in goods alone stood at a 22-month low.
The U.S. trade deficit was $27.9 billion, down from a virtually unrevised $29.3 billion gap in October, the Commerce Department reported Friday. Economists expected a smaller trade gap from a month earlier, but at a slightly wider $28.5 billion.
If it weren't for an abnormally steep retraction for the deficit in September -- when the gap stood at $19 billion -- the narrower November shortfall would compare only with the gaps last seen in late 1999 and very early 2000. After that period, a robust U.S. economy fed seemingly insatiable U.S. consumer appetites for the electronics, toys, clothes and other goods shipped from abroad.
Demand factor
"Critics have long decried the long standing and sizeable deterioration of America's trade balance with the rest of the world. Well, the current slump of the U.S. economy has helped cure that," said Ken Mayland, president of consulting firm Clear View Economics. "The trade deficit, which was running at a $33 billion monthly rate in late-2000, has retreated to a $28-or-so billion rate currently. Here's the question: is the cure worse than the disease?"
Now, imports have fallen for seven months in the past eight.
While officials remain encouraged that domestic demand has held up as well as it has in light of a recession and the September terrorist attacks, consumer attitudes remain a big unknown for Federal Reserve policymakers faced with lowering interest rates again at the end of the month, or letting already 40-year-low borrowing rates stand for now.
A separate report issued Friday, the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index, posted a rise for the first part of January. Read more.
Overall, total imports stood at $106 billion in November, down from $107 billion in October. Imported services increased in November, while the value of goods brought into U.S. ports was down.
Factory pain
Exports actually increased modestly in November, as the still relatively strong dollar forfeited some of its value to its trading counterparts and made U.S.-made goods for exports more attractive.
Exports in November were valued at $78.2 billion, up from $77.6 billion in October.
Still, a beleaguered manufacturing sector continues to feel the sting of generally weak exports; the November increase is attributable to services.
November imports of goods at $90.2 billion were the lowest since September 1999, Commerce officials said.
"If the 'real' trade deficit in December [that is, subtracting inflation anomalies such as the cheaper oil] comes in at the same level as in November, then the external sector will subtract about 1 percentage point off the Q4 GDP growth rate," said Jay Bryson, international economist with Wachovia Securities.
Before the trade data, the survey of economists by CBS MarketWatch put fourth-quarter GDP at a negative 1.2 percent. Most think the economy is expanding at about a 0.8-percent growth rate currently.
The dollar, which is more sensitive to trade data, rose 0.2 percent to 132.76 yen, while the euro was off 0.1 percent to 88.06 cents.
"The trade-weighted value of the dollar is at a 16-year high, as the United States is widely expected to recover more quickly and robustly than Europe or Japan," said Dan Green, an analyst with The Dismal Scientist.
Looking at trade with specific countries, November exports to Japan, at $4.3 billion, were at their lowest since May 1999.
The trade gap with China stood at a smaller $7.2 billion from $9.2 billion in October.
Trade with the newly industrialized nations of Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan stood at a combined deficit of $1.8 billion, down from $2.5 billion in October.
The trade imbalance with Canada stood at $3.8 billion, a slight increase from a month earlier, but the Mexico narrowed marginally to $2.5 billion.
The trade gap with the European Union narrowed to $5.9 billion from nearly $7 billion a month earlier.
Cheaper crude
Meanwhile, imports from OPEC, at $3.7 billion in November, were the lowest since June 1999. The smaller gap was the result of a July 1999-low for the average price per barrel of crude petroleum in November -- $17.13 from $19.94 a month earlier.
U.S. companies exported slightly more food products in November, but industrial supply exports including chemicals, metals and plastics all fell.
Capital goods exports did rise slightly in November, carried by medical equipment, paper, wood and testing instruments. Telecom goods were little changed, but exports of computers and accessories fell. Auto exports were down in November, the Commerce report showed.
As for consumer goods, exports of pharmaceuticals, books and appliances were among the decliners. Televisions, VCRs, toys and games exports improved.
On the import side of the ledger, the value of food and beverage imports were little changed in November from a month earlier.
Industrial supply imports were the lowest since July 1999.
Capital goods imports were little changed from October, as increased imports of semiconductors and civilian aircraft offset fewer imports of computers and aircraft engines.
"Imports of high-tech goods were down only $22 million on the month ... it appears that the rapid pace of decline registered earlier in the year is coming to an end," said Bryson.
"Although little should be made of one month's data, the smaller pace of import decline in November is consistent with other recent data that suggest that U.S. economic activity may be stabilizing," he said.
Consumer goods imports were little changed as well. In this category, smaller imports of toys and games, compact discs, televisions and clothing offset increased imports of diamonds and stereo equipment. | 5,946 | 2,783 | 0.000362 |
warc | 201704 | I’ve been in India for around 4 months and in that time I think I’ve probably interviewed more people than I have in the last 4 years.
Over this time I’ve come to realise that the two main things I’m looking for in candidates are passion and ability to communicate effectively.
It’s relatively easy to pick up on whether someone is passionate about what they do in a conversation or while pairing with them but I find the communication aspect a bit more tricky.
I’m typically trying to see whether the candidate can explain things at various levels of abstraction, moving up and down the levels as appropriate to get their point across.
With some people it’s really easy for me because they’re able to do this flawlessly without much feedback from me about whether I understand what they’re talking about and if they need to reframe.
However, in the majority of interviews I end up in the situation where the candidate perhaps isn’t explaining something in a way that I can understand.
Either they’re giving way too much irrelevant technical detail or end up beating around the bush at a high level and not really answering the question.
If this situation happened on a team I was working on then I would certainly consider it my job to try and guide the conversation so that we could both get what we want out of it.
After all communication is very much a two way thing.
In the interview context I do the same thing but I would expect the candidate to pick up the hints that I’m not understanding them easily and adjust the way that they reply to future questions to take that into account.
If they don’t seem to take that feedback on board then it’s quite likely that I’ll make the judgement that they’re not able to communicate very clearly and we won’t proceed with the candidate.
I’d be intrigued to hear the approaches others take because it does feel a little bit like I’m doing it wrong in this respect. | 2,019 | 983 | 0.001075 |
warc | 201704 | resourcesABOUT MT AUTHOR GUIDELINES CLASSIFIEDS EDITORIAL CALENDAR MEDIA GUIDE MASSAGE MART SCHOOLS & EDUCATION FEEDBACK
Let's Clear Up the Collection Confusion
This is an often-misunderstood practice swirling with misinformation. First, a few basics: Insurance is a contract between the patient and the insurance company. The insurance company is simply making a payment for services or care on behalf of the patient.
Crow Like the Rooster
As we welcome in the Year of the Rooster, we look at some of its major characteristics: confidence and communication, which suits the image we have of the Rooster...strutting in the farmyard, crowing to the others that it's time to wake up.
Shoulder Rehab: Start With the Scapula
The scapula is an incredible display of elegance and movement within the biomechanics of human motion. It's evolved for mobility and stability in the scapulo-thoracic region, giving us the ability to do things that are uniquely human, such as throwing with accuracy.
An Opportunity & a Responsibility
Nearly 80 Americans die from an opioid-related overdose every day, and spine-related pain is one of the principle drivers of opioid use. This unfortunate situation creates both an opportunity and a responsibility.
Low Back Pain in Running Athletes
After 7 million years of adapting to upright postures, the lumbar spine and pelvis have become remarkably adept at managing ground-reactive forces associated with running.
Anti-Aging With Dr. Ping Zhang
Jennifer Waters, TCM practitioner and writer of the Acupuncture Today column, "Talking With the Masters" sat down with Dr. Ping Zhang to discuss aniti-aging with acupuncture.
The Acupuncture Channel System (Part 1)
The earliest Chinese reference to channels is in the
Mawangdui Medical Manuscripts, 1
which are dated to the Warring States period of the Zhou Dynasty (475
BC-221 AD). The text presents 11 channels. There are no acupuncture
points listed in those channels. News in Brief
Updated Neck Pain & Whiplash Guideline; Attention, IHS DCs; New VP of Institutional Advancement At Palmer; N.J. DC Interns At U.S. Olympic Training Center; Chiropractic Society Of R.I. On The Front Lines.
A Conversation With Dr. Betty Edmond
This month's column is an exclusive interview with Betty Edmond MD, newly elected CEO/President of the AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine in Austin, Texas.
Scar Reduction With Acupuncture & Microneedling (Part 2) We Get Letters & Email
Our Country Needs Us Between Elections, Too; Continuing Care: We Aren't There Yet; Our Associations Need to Do More.
Five Branches University Has First Hospital TCM Residency
Established in 1984, Five Branches University (FBU) has campuses in Santa Cruz and San Jose, Calif., which serve the communities of Santa Cruz, the Monterey Bay, and Silicon Valley.
Acupuncture Points: Broadening Our Scope and Diagnostic Work
As every practitioner knows, the correct diagnosis is everything. Most healing disciplines rely on the use of symptomatology for their treatment implementation. Beyond symptomatology, we have clinical tests to provide more objective findings.
Another Step Forward for Chiropractic
Chiropractic is now available to 86,000-plus Latter-Day Saints missionaries and you are invited to become a provider. LDS membership in not required; our only concern is that our missionaries get the best quality care available.
Prepare for the End, From the Beginning: Wealth Building and Retirement with the Tao
Yin and yang flow into and out from one another continually. Beginnings become endings and endings become beginnings again. Wholeness and cycles are the nature of Tao.
Winter Protection
The winter season is upon us and offers unique challenges for the clinician and patient alike. To effectively navigate through the winter season there are two main TCM medicinals,
Huang Qi and Gan Jiang,
to consider, as well as two important formulas which feature these two
TCM treasures. A New Year and Vision for the ACA
Inadequate pain management coupled with the epidemic of prescription opioid overuse and abuse has taken a severe toll on the lives of millions of people in the United States. Every day, more than 1,000 people are treated in the ER for misusing prescription opioids.
Qigong for Substance Abuse
It is commonly believed that substance abuse, in addition to harming one’s physiological state, hurts the spirit. There is also a belief that one’s spirit does not weaken due to substance abuse, but rather, the person finds solace in addiction due to an already weak spirit.
Nutrition for Menopause: Front-Line Therapy for All Phases
Of all the changes women experience during their reproductive life, there is no doubt the most dreaded are the three phases of menopause. This is not surprising since all of the symptoms associated with menopause are replete with unpleasantness.
An Education in Gluten Sensitivity
A relatively new syndrome officially documented as non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) or gluten sensitivity (GS) was officially recognized and published in the new list of gluten-related disorders in 2012.
The Case Report: A Valuable Tool
Case reports are a valuable form of descriptive research. The most basic form of practice-based research, a case report is a detailed account of the history, presenting symptoms, assessment, observations, treatment and follow-up of an individual patient, discussed in the context of prior and potential future research.
True Practice Mobility for the Chiropractic Profession
When natural disasters occur, chiropractors can literally travel to the other side of the world to offer humanitarian relief in less than a day. The chiropractor's license to legally practice, however, can't make it past the state line.
Massage Today
April, 2003, Vol. 03, Issue 04
Massage at Preschools and Schools "Children Who Massage One Another Do Not Fight!"
By Rolf Elmstrom
Rolf Elmstrom is the former headteacher at the Axelsons Gymnastiska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, one of the largest alternative medicine schools in Europe.Mr. Elmstrom currently oversees several projects for Axelsons, including international education programs and portions of the institute's massage therapy program. This article is Mr. Elmstrom's report on an ongoing Axelsons project that incorporates massage in preschools and grade schools in Sweden.
In modern society, stress has become a serious problem. The tempo of life has accelerated and we always seem to find ourselves short on time. We communicate more and more using technology and machines. Much of our children´s natural play time has been replaced with sitting in front of the TV, watching videos or playing games on the computer.
We must not forget that everyone needs physical and psychological contact with other people. Physical contact in particular gives nourishment to the giver and the receiver.
The Touch Research Institute in Miami, Fla., has conducted significant research on the importance of touch; in Sweden, Professor Kerstin Uvnœs-Moberg has shown that levels of the peace-and-calm hormone oxytocin increases with touch, while at the same time, levels of the stress hormone cortisol decreases. Touch is the first sense we develop; it is of vital importance to communication and learning.
Together with Kerstin Uvnœs-Moberg, from the Karolinska Institute, and Professor Annelise von Knorring from the Psychiatric Clinic for Children in Uppsala, Axelsons Gymnastiska Institute has conducted a study involving 150 preschool children. Among other things, this study clearly shows that with massage:
After considerable contact with the Touch Research Institute, we realized just how important massage is. We felt it important to spread this knowledge, particularly to young people, and therefore we started at kindergartens. We have trained about 8,000 teachers throughout Sweden in the past five years. Every day, we hear reports of what a great difference massage makes in the children´s groups:
The following are comments from children involved in our program:
The Axelsons Institute organizes courses for all people who work with children. The purpose of these courses is to provide the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to introduce massage in schools. The courses include elementary massage; how to massage; the strokes used; where and when not to massage; how often you can massage; etc. Course participants learn how to give and receive whole-body massage and massage sitting on a chair; how to massage children and how to teach children to massage one another; and how to integrate massage into everyday schoolwork.
Join the conversation
comments powered by Disqus
Comments are encouraged, but you must follow our User Agreement
Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgar, racist or hateful comments or personal attacks. Anyone who chooses to exercise poor judgement will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to allow MPA Media the right to republish your name and comment in additional MPA Media publications without any notification or payment. | 9,150 | 4,534 | 0.000223 |
warc | 201704 | I am sitting in Los Angeles, California. Not only in L.A. but very near the center of L.A. proper, down in the warehouse district in an artists loft. Now here is a dramatic demonstration that what you resist persists. (Law of Attraction) How many times have I mentioned that everyone should move or stay away from the cities?
Too many times, evidently.
I am here because we are visiting Madalineís kids for the holidays and I have set up a few presentations in the area. We will be returning to Sedona after January 8
th but for right now I am in the belly of the beast to be sure. It is from this perspective that I will be writing this 4 th Day News. This has been a very enlightening experience and I will endeavor to share how I have benefited from this stay.
We are all familiar with the physical concepts of mass, momentum and inertia. Once things get going in a particular direction they tend to keep going that way until they meet a force of resistance. The bigger the mass and the faster it goes the stronger the effect of momentum. Increasing the momentum does not alter the potential of a collision it only increases the effects when it connects with anything presenting resistance. As I sit in the middle of 12 million points of consciousness all of who have hopes, dreams and plans of a future for self, family and friends I am a first hand witness of a tremendous momentum and inertia. This massive momentum and inertia of consciousness is not going to change direction by much unless there is a major educational effort made to expose possible economic and environmental threats and the need for change. (Not likely is it?)
The people on the Indian Oceanís coast line had a momentum going within their own lives. Each of them were continuing their life patterns (their momentum) even though there had been a large earthquake in Sumatra. What did an earthquake beside some remote small island have to do with their jobs serving tourists, fishing for a living or the tourists shopping and living out their fabulous vacation plans? Enough to kill over 150,000 + of them and make millions homeless, waterless, foodless and in high danger of contracting fatal diseases over the next months. Most people there were so busy attending to business that they completely ignored the signs of trouble approaching. In fact the real shame here is that countries ringing the Indian Ocean had opted out of paying for an early Tsunami warning system by going on the cheap and by not wanting to do or acknowledge anything that may alarm or shake up in any way, the booming tourist trade and investments that were being poured into that area. For the sake of profits the possible problem was pushed off into ďIt canít happen hereĒ type thinking. Understand that this was facilitated greatly by the momentum or inertia of the masses having their own plans and futures. We can now see that needed change was not instituted because of this inertia and in this case, definitely not quickly enough to save all of those people. The future contains the increased probability of earthquakes and various other earth changes (horrible weather) as the earth is being bombarded by higher and higher levels of solar radiation and the unwillingness of many of the inhabitants of earth, especially corporate governments to even consider that anything would come along and change their plans.
To all those around the Indian Ocean, Ooops I guess things can change very quickly.†
I suggest we all take a ďClueĒ at this time.
I am sitting here in L.A. experiencing the same kind of denial by some 12 million folks about the encroaching financial, political, and ecological changes bearing down on them. (Matty and I too.) †That is to say; I am also sitting here with the idea that while I am here nothing drastic is going to happen. This is the basic human nature or spiritual nature of all of us. We are optimists and are constantly reaching for a better future at each step of our lives. The problem lies in the available perspective that we each have.
For the most part, governments want only to maintain the status quo in the populace and will not educate anyone about the actual state of affairs. Potential threats are routinely hidden from the public by the governments and by the mass media outlets. As an example of how this affects the populace, just yesterday Matty and I were invited to a meeting of forward thinking persons who are starting a business that will introduce solar energy products and fuel saving compounds for fossil fuel engines. These forward thinkers had met to discuss how over the next few years they would market the new technologies in the L.A. area. Most of the discussion centered on how much money could be made and what percentage of each sale would go to the sales person. Matty and I sat very quietly until we got up and left the meeting. We both understood very well that none of the Mayan calendar information would be welcome in these discussions. These forward thinkers had been hobbled by their lack of information on the actual state of the U.S. economy and the advancements that have been made in free energy production. The market that they were planning to become wealthy from within a couple of years just wonít be there. Both because of the fall of the dollar coming very soon with the resulting chaos and a little later when free energy comes on line, solar and wind generated electricity will be as out of date as rubbing two sticks together. So it appeared to us that these folks were very much like the passengers on the Titanic. There were many life boats that left the ship with just a few people in them. Many passengers refused to believe that this wonderful ship would ever sink. So they passed on the life boat idea and danced to the band as it played on. The band could be heard playing by those few in the life boats as the Titanic sunk beneath the frigid waters. None of the people at this meeting had the ability to envision an ending of life and commerce the way they have been living it. This was the manifestation of the momentum or personal inertia of these particular people. The schedule of the evolution of consciousness and the resulting changes presented by the Mayan calendar is the Tsunami bearing down on them and their intense moneyed planning
. (They were all going to rich on these products you see?)
†I read an email while I was there at the meeting. It had been sent by a woman who had moved to Sri Lanka to assist homeless children about a year ago.
She wrote that most everyone that she knew was dead. Businesses and people where she shopped were all gone. The house she was going to purchase near the coast was gone completely and that all of this happened, on a bright sunny day with a calm horizon in less than 15 minuets. ( I donít think that the people at the meeting would have wanted to hear about this email so I doubt that it was read to them.)
It was in witnessing this type of reality that an increased understanding came to me of the power of denial. None of us knows exactly when the fall of the economy is going to happen. Those in charge of the economy know fairly well, but that is not us or me personally. I only have the reported indicators from leading world economists and they are saying the fall is coming very soon for the lack of sustainability. Looking back at what I have said was going to happen when about all of this, I must admit I have been wrong or at least early in my predictions. Predictions are never sure in the first place but now I see a part of why these economies are still racing on. The picture I got is of a Road Runner cartoon when Wyllie Coyote runs off the cliff and just keeps going until he finally realizes that there is nothing but a deep canyon under him. (From America itís a long way down.) The U. S. and World economies are at this time based only on the trust of the public and that trust is pushed forward only by the publicís personal momentum which in turn produces a denial that anything will change to their detriment in the future. This power of denial is far stronger than I had previously perceived and this is evidently why these economies are still going on with absolutely no support to be found anywhere.
This could be a great insight because we may be able to look and see the indicators of more exactly when things will go down. Like that moment when Wyllie Coyote reaches down to feel that there is nothing under him? You remember the expression on his face donít you? There will probably be a 1 to 2 week closing window in which to take actions like running for the hills. What we would be looking for is the wakening of the public to the truth of the situation. Right now that is happening very slowly but as the masses come awake you will know. When about half your associates have realized that the future is not going to be as they have been planning, when they are thinking about pulling their money from the banks or the stock market, when the value of gold and silver begin to climb rapidly (because the dollar is falling like a Wyllie), its time to gather your stuff, get on your bike and ride! If you have already woken to this potentiality, start preparing now. Start buying silver and or gold now. Start getting ready now with your plans of how and where to go out of the cities. (Gas, water, food, shelter, first aid, light and friends)
None of this is written to alarm you or anyone else about the world coming to an end or that civilization will collapse completely. Many economies and governments have fallen in human history and we are still here and still learning.
(Argentina has started looking interesting because they have gone through 5 or 6 collapses just recently so they have lots of practice at this sort of thing.)
Many of us can see that our western civilization is unsustainable as it is being run and that taking from the worldís poor to stuff the fat cats pockets and bellies is criminal. We Americans are by far the fattest of those fat cats. Peopleís around the world are telling us Americans that our wasteful, opulent lifestyle is actually criminal. (We arenít listening)
Look at how many fat bellies you see waddling by every day and then remember the starving multitudes around the planet that you hear about every once in a while on television. †We also understand to different degrees, how spoiled all these fat cats are and
is what is going to change. What are people going to do when there is no Dream Whip (desert topping) at the grocery store? What if there is no food or water at all at the stores? Look at what is going on in Asia right now and imagine the same kind of lack in your own neighborhood. What would all those people around you do? that
What would they do to you if you
did have food and water and they didnít?
Possibly, is the time to start thinking seriously about all of this and to look into how fast and dramatically things can change in your lives. Remember it only took 15 minuets to wipe out over 150,000 + people and the immediate life plans of millions.
Remember 9/11? That happened quickly didnít it?
Or you could go talk to the people in Florida about 4 hurricanes in 2004?
Or you could consider the devastating weather patterns forming over most the continents of the globe as I write this on January 4
th, 2005.
Still think that it canít happen here?
Be like the Road Runner (generating miracles) not like Wyllie Coyote (the fall guy).
Ian Xel Lungold,
12 Ahau, Bearer of the Codex ian@mayanmajix.com | 11,645 | 5,293 | 0.000191 |
warc | 201704 | The best way to treat acne naturally
Although, acne is not a severe skin disorder, it can have an adverse psychological impact on its sufferer. Since, most of the time acne develops during the most crucial years of a person's life, where one is extremely conscious about his/her looks, living with acne scars can be very difficult and embarrassing. There are many different procedures that one can perform to get rid of acne. Here are some natural methods that one can use to eradicate acne using the most natural products possible without having to visit a doctor.
1. Another acne herbal cure is honey. You can either mix it with grated apple or cinnamon powder. Leave it to dry and rinse off with lukewarm water after thirty minutes.
2. Lemon Juice: Lemon or lime juices are the two most effective natural ingredients that can be used to fade acne scars. They help remove old skin and add elasticity to the skin making it look healthy and clean. Either drinking fresh lime juice or applying pure lemon juice over the skin, helps getting rid of the acne scars.
3. Another way to treat acne naturally is to use omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids will provide you with the ability to heal your skin better. Omega 3 fatty acids will clear up acne by thinning out the sebum that clogs up your skin pores. Some of the best foods to eat to get some omega 3 fatty acids are fish, fish oils, and vegetable oils.
4. Natural acne cures using Aloe Vera are healthy. This natural plant contains powerful ingredients which will destroy the germ that causes acne. Though the plant is very bitter, you can extract the juice which you will in turn drink to help in soothing the skin thereby eradicating the acne causing bacteria.
5. Turmeric is another herbal cure for acne and is found to be effective in controlling this condition and preventing infection of the pimples. It can also heal the scars formed by pimples. You can either mix it with honey and sandal wood powder or mint juice and apply it over the face. Rinse off after twenty to thirty minutes.
6. Vitamin E: Vitamin E is healthy for skin, hence applying it on the scars will not only heal them but will also improve the skin quality. Many vitamin E capsules are available that can either be taken orally or rubbed on the face. All one has to do is to puncture the capsule and squeeze the content on to the scars.
7. Try replacing the sugar in your diet with honey or molasses as refined sugar is processed to remove nutrients. If you have to eat sugar you can eat brown unrefined sugar and reduce your intake once your acne flares up.
Author is an online medical researcher on acne treatment and skin care. Click read more on acne treatment
, natural ways to get rid of acne
.
Article Source: Messaggiamo.Com
Related:
»
Tattoo Me Now!» Turbulence Training.. is Amazing» Acne Free In 3 Days» Master Cleanse Secrets 10 Day Di
Webmaster Get Html Code
Add this article to your website now!
Webmaster Submit your Articles
No registration required! Fill in the form and your article is in the Messaggiamo.Com Directory! | 3,111 | 1,530 | 0.000662 |
warc | 201704 | By Stanley White and Tetsushi Kajimoto
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered a new round of fiscal stimulus spending after a crushing election victory over the weekend as evidence mounted the corporate sector is floundering due to weak demand.
Abe did not give details on the size of the package, but Japanese stocks jumped nearly 4 percent and the yen weakened over perceptions a landslide victory in upper house elections now gives him a free hand to draft economic policy.
An unexpected decline in machinery orders shows the economy needs something to overcome consistently weak corporate investment. Economists worry, however, that Abe's focus on public works spending will not tackle the structural issues around a declining population and workforce.
More public works also increases pressure on the Bank of Japan to keep interest rates low and the yen weak to make sure stimulus spending will gain traction.
The government was ready to spend more than 10 trillion yen ($100 billion), ruling party sources told Reuters before the election.
"We are going to make bold investment into seeds of future growth," Abe told a news conference on Monday at the headquarters for his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Japan's ruling coalition rang up a stronger-than-expected victory in Upper House elections, as voters chose stability despite concerns about Abe's economic policies and plans to revise the post-war pacifists constitution for the first time.
AGRICULTURE EXPORTS
Abe said he wanted to strengthen agriculture exports from rural areas and improve infrastructure, such as trains and ports, to welcome more tourists and cruise ships from overseas.
"We have promised through this election campaign that we will sell the world the agricultural products and tourism resources each region is proud of," he said.
He reiterated a campaign pledge to improve access to child care and elderly care. He will also consider providing grants to students struggling with college debt.
The prime minister said he wanted to take advantage of the Bank of Japan's zero-interest-rate-policy and issue bonds for public-private partnerships.
The government will also sell construction bonds, which are earmarked for public works projects, for the first time in four years to fund part of the stimulus package, the Nikkei newspaper reported, without citing sources.
The emphasis on the tourism industry in the package is about making a long-term investment, said Hiroshi Miyazaki, senior economist at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities.
"But the recent success in tourism has been due to the relaxing of visa requirements and a weakening yen. Now that the yen is rising, the BOJ's (Bank of Japan) monetary easing needs to accompany this plan for it to work," Miyazaki said.
MACHINERY ORDERS FALL
Some economists say public spending on infrastructure is needed to compensate for the private sector's reluctance to invest in plants and equipment.
Machinery orders fell unexpectedly in May as a strong yen and weak demand eroded corporate profits and spending plans, data on Monday showed, another sign the economy is struggling to attract the investment it needs to sustain growth.
The Cabinet Office said machinery orders are "stalling", a downgrade from April's assessment that said orders were showing signs of "pickup".
Other economists have argued the main reason Abe's policies have disappointed after more than three years in office are a lack of bold steps to liberalize the labor market and reverse a population decline.
These kinds of structural reforms are known as the "third arrow" in the prime minister's economic program, dubbed "Abenomics". The other two arrows are fiscal packages, such as the one announced on Monday, and monetary stimulus from the BOJ.
The BOJ has kept monetary policy steady since January, when it decided to add negative rates to its massive asset-buying program in a fresh attempt to accelerate inflation.
However, some economists think the BOJ may take some further action when it updates the Bank's forecasts at a policy meeting ending July 29.
The Nikkei <.N225> share average ended at 15,708.82 points, a one-week closing high, after earlier touching its highest intraday level since June 24. The yen <JPY=> fell to 102 versus the dollar following Abe's resounding election win and announcement of the stimulus package.
(Editing by Bill Tarrant.) | 4,446 | 2,228 | 0.000453 |
warc | 201704 | Not long ago, we filmed an episode for my television series, Growing a Greener World, which was all about composting. To this day, we get many requests for the instructions on how to build the three-bin composting system made from used shipping pallets that I constructed during the episode.
The beauty in the design is its simplicity, low cost and the ability to repurpose some of those ubiquitous pallets that pile up everywhere. With a drill and a few all-weather screws, anyone can assemble a multiple-bin pallet composting system quickly and cheaply. In my case, with the help of a neighbor simply to hold the pallets in place as I drilled the screws, we had a basic three-bin composting system securely in place in a matter of minutes, literally.• Pallet Selection. Pallets are made from all different types of wood. For a compost bin, it’s preferable to find those that are rot resistant, such as oak or cedar. Pine although easy to find, does not stand up to the elements as long. For strength and durability, you can’t beat hardwood.
Also be aware that pallets from one manufacturer to another are not always uniform in size. For this system, it’s preferable that they’re all the same size. It makes for a better looking finished product and helps during assembly to have one uniform size.
Most importantly, choose pallets that have not been chemically treated. The most common treatment methods for pests and pathogens are either heat-treating (marked on the pallet with “HT”) or fumigation, using Methyl Bromide (marked MB). Stick with heat-treated or new virgin wood if you can find it.• Assembly. Start with a level surface for the area where your system will set and assemble it in place. For my setup, you will need seven pallets: one for each outer wall, two for the dividers to separate the bins, and three across the back. Assembly is straightforward and intuitive. Start by attaching the left outer wall pallet to the back pallet with several screws. Then add one of the inner pallet dividers and secure it against the back pallet. With the remaining pallets, work your way across for the next two sections in this same manner. In no time, you are finished with the basic setup and ready to compost.
• Options. The assembly was so fast and easy, I felt like I wanted to spiff mine up some more. Although totally unnecessary, I like the idea of having a cover over the bin that would hold my finished compost. My solution: a cut-to-fit sheet of corrugated plastic screwed to a wooden frame made of 2x2 pine. I then attached two hinges to the fame and secured them to the outside of the back pallet.
Two larger hinges were also used to attach the outside pallet wall of the finished compost section to the back pallet. My thinking was it would be a nice way to swing open that side so I had better access for retrieving compost. In hindsight, it’s a nice feature but it’s not necessary and more trouble than it’s worth.
A final step that I strongly suggest is to screw a long treated 2x4 across the backside of the pallet wall. The extra stability it provides is a simple and inexpensive option to reinforce the entire system.
You can watch the composting episode and see just how I built this bin at www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode225/ | 3,327 | 1,628 | 0.000627 |
warc | 201704 | Tuning in to the body gives us a chance to notice where we need to make changes—it’s an opportunity to practice responsiveness. Wind down from a busy day with this guided meditation from Mark Bertin, MD.→
Mindfulness Meditation | Practices
A 20-minute loving-kindness practice to help us extend compassion to ourselves, those around us, and the larger world.→
A simple mindfulness strategy for mastering the habit of becoming more present to each moment and, as a result, experiencing greater focus, productivity, and life satisfaction.→
When it’s difficult to meditate, you can build moments of mindfulness into the day through simple activities like brewing and enjoying a cup of tea.→
Through mindfulness practice we can change the relationship we have with the anxious thoughts and feelings that surface during a panic attack.→
Noticing self-perpetuating thought patterns is a core mindfulness skill. Take a moment to examine how it feels to disengage from a busy mind and shift into “being” mode.→
A 15-minute breathing meditation that builds awareness of thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the body.→
An effective mindfulness practice for working with self-stories so you don’t get so caught up in yourself that you miss the irreplaceable moments happening right in front of you.→
Try this five-minute mindfulness meditation for building awareness of thoughts.→ | 1,456 | 761 | 0.001397 |
warc | 201704 | Nature v Nurture. What really rules mightier when raising kids? Lately it seems to me that my theories on raising kids with above average IQ’s and well rounded personalities to boot are holding true.
Just as it was proven in the book
it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert in any given field. When I read The Outliers, book I said to myself, well gosh darn it, I was right after all. If only my parents nurtured my love for ballet when I was a little girl, I would’ve been a prima ballerina at age 18!!! If only…. Malcolm Gladwell’s
Or if my parents supported my love for theater arts, I, not Lea Salonga, would’ve played Kim in Miss Saigon! (I vividly remember when the producers of Miss Saigon came to Manila for an open casting call and feeling oh, if only, mom and dad. If only…Why didn’t you pick up on my flair for the theater when I was in grade school??).
The list of what-ifs goes on and on for me, but there definitely is a co-relation to what our parents choose to shape our lives into in our formative years that will translate into our adulthood and what we ultimately become.
And who better a subject than Albert Einstein himself to answer the question of what makes a genius, is it nature or nurture?
It’s easy to deduct that if a child has parents or ancestors for that matter, who possess above average IQ’s then the offspring will have that genetically imprinted in their DNA. One conversation that comes to my mind is one I had with my brother, who happens to be a clinical psychiatrist, who tried to explain to me in layman’s terms, that kids with parents who are intelligent will inherit a sizable percentage of that intelligence themselves. Pretty straightforward. Enough studies have been conducted to prove that theory.
Back to our subject for today, Einstein. *
“The team compared Einstein’s brain to those of 85 other people and found that the great physicist did indeed have something special between his ears. Although the brain (Einstein’s) is only average in size, several regions feature additional convolutions and folds rarely seen in others.”
The study went on to say, ” Einstein’s genius, Galubarda says, was probably due to some combination of a special brain and the environment he lived in.” (Galubarda, is a neuroscientist at Harvard Medical School).
“Falk agrees that both nature and nurture were probably involved, pointing out that Einstein’s parents were very nurturing and encouraged him to be independent and creative, not only in science but also in music.” (Falk’s 2009 study found that a brain region linked to musical talent was highly developed in Einstein’s brain).
And there we have it. Two theories have been proven by this study.
Its not the size, it’s how you use it. Pick your minds off the gutter folks. Its a fact, Einstein’s brain was average sized. It’s how he chose to fill his brain with scientific exploration and theories that made all those folds and other convolutions that developed that are exceptional. Having a highly developed region in his brain that is linked to creativity shows that a scientifically inclined mind that is also creatively inspired makes for genius cred.
And so, I will let my children listen to Beethoven, Springsteen, the Beatles and everything in between while I also make a mental note to take them to the Natural History Museum and the local children’s Science Museum to make sure I nurture both sides of their brains. Watch out world, my little Einsteins will one day challenge E=MC2.
Special note to all tiger moms and dads out there: When your Doogie Howser kid(s) tells you he or she wants to learn how to rock out like Jagger or maybe in their case, Justin Bieber or that they want to take hiphop lessons at the local dance school, just go with it. After all, its a proven scientific fact, even Einstein learned how to get jiggy with it (I’m dating myself here but that’s the best dancing reference that comes to mind for me now).
*excerpts sourced from an article in the Washington Post Social Reader by Michael Balter | 4,179 | 2,082 | 0.000499 |
warc | 201704 | Monsanto Australia increased its shareholding in InterGrain on June 28th to 26% from its current 19.9%. The opportunity for Monsanto Australia to increase its stake in InterGrain was part of the initial agreement announced in 2010.
The Western Australian government remains the majority shareholder of InterGrain at 48.7%, with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) remaining a shareholder with a 25.3% stake.
As it has for the past three years, Monsanto Australia will work alongside the Western Australian government and GRDC to support InterGrain by providing the wheat breeding program with access to its cutting edge technology.
The $4.5 million additional investment demonstrates Monsanto Australia’s confidence in InterGrain’s ability to deliver improved varieties to local growers and its capacity to improve technological innovation in the Australian grains market.
InterGrain CEO Tress Walmsley said: “InterGrain is in a stronger position to deliver improved varieties and double genetic gains thanks to Monsanto Australia’s investment. InterGrain welcomes the opportunity to build on this successful collaboration so that we continue to benefit from Monsanto Australia’s advanced marker system, technology and germplasm.
Monsanto Australia’s Managing Director, Daniel Kruithoff, said: “Bringing together Monsanto Australia’s world-leading breeding technology with InterGrain’s highly experienced breeders will drive the innovation that the Australian grains market needs to remain globally competitive.” | 1,588 | 760 | 0.001365 |
warc | 201704 | My daughter is 14 years old. She is 5'5", 147 pounds. I am concerned about her weight. I looked at some online charts and for her height and weight she should be between 105 and 125 lbs. While she is only a few pounds over weight, I don't want to wait until it's out of control before doing something about it.
I feel I'm at a disadvantage to help my daughter because I've never had a weight problem and have never had to watch what I eat. I'm 5'4" and weigh 110 lbs. The most I've ever weighed (besides my two pregnancies) was 120 lbs.
I've encouraged my daughter to ride her bike, which she does about twice a week for 20 minutes.
I've tried to watch what she eats, we don't eat fast food a lot, maybe once a week. For snacks I keep things like pop corn, Cheeze its, crackers, ramon noodles and Chef Boyardee. At one point I notice she was eating Cheeze its right from the box and I told her not to do that because she won't realize how much she's eating.
I also have to deal with my exH's side of the family, they are mostly overweight and give her a hard time if she doesn't want to eat.
Any suggestions on how to help her with healthy eating and/or exercise? And how to help her with weight loss without ruining her self esteem?
I would disagree that 5'5" and 147 is reason enough to make an issue about her weight. Girls at this age are so super sensitive about their bodies, and while that puts her BMI right on the cusp of healthy/overweight, the psychological implications of being told you're fat by a relative, especially your mother, at 14 will do nothing but guarantee a weight problem. Cheez it's and Chef Boyardee are not good snacks for a child with such a sedentary lifestyle, however. I suggest you either get her involved with a 1-2x per week dance class/sport/teen fitness group (which my DD 15 loves, most Y's or big gyms have them, teaches teens 13-17 to use gym/circuit equipment with guided work out) or have family exercise time. We do yoga, go swim, or play Wii fit or Just Dance (those dancing video games really are a decent work out) at least once a week as a family, aiming for 2 or 3 if we can that week. Both of our girls are underweight if anything, but emphasizing the importance of staying active at every age is important. In addition to, or if you really can't get her to do more than the bike 40 min a week, I would limit the amount of empty carbs available to her at snack time. Instead, offer to make a smoothie or buy those little cups of yogurt that are overpriced, but any kid will eat when the Cheez It's are no more. At our house, each kid gets to pick one container of junky food for the week, and when it runs out, that's it. You can either pace yourself or gorge and then eat healthy the rest of the week, but they still get to choose what they put in their bodies, and hopefully learn to moderate a little. No one's going to lay off snack crackers if the supply is bottomless, but realistically, you can't eat what you want all the time, and your body needs more healthy than junk.
According to weight watchers the ideal rang for that height is 120 to 150. Unless her pediatrician says otherwise I wouldn't say anything to her. My mother tried to say some things about my weight to me as a teen and it really caused a lot of bad feelings between us. I do think limiting the junk is a good idea no matter what her weight is. Skinny people can still have bad cholesterol, blood pressure, etc... from eating a junk food diet.
Quote:
These are all pretty crappy snacks (except may be popcorn -- depending on how its made and what it is topped with).
You are super focused on refined carbs, and for many people (including me and I'm guessing your daughter) the blood sugar spikes from such simple carbs leave them feeling hungrier than when they first started eating. The more I eat of certain foods (primarily white flour and white sugar), the hungrier I feel. For me, a snack has NO simple carbs. Instead, it includes a little protein, a little healthy oil, and some fiber. So hummus with baby carrots, or cottage cheese and fruit.
Rather than approaching this as something that you want her to change about herself, I gently suggest that you start learning about nutrition. Buy a new cook book that is focused on healthy foods, and make things with your daughter. Have fun together in the kitchen learning about preparing and then enjoying a more balanced diet.
(If I had the kind of snack food in my home that you have in yours, I would weigh 300 pounds).
Make being active a togetherness activity. We have a family membership to the Y, and a regular schedule for going. Health isn't just about weight -- every one really is better off with regular exercise -- even if they don't "need" it to control their weight. We also hike together as a family -- but that is harder to work into our schedule than our regular Y visits.
I think that saying anything to your DD about her weight is a mistake. It will only make her feel bad about herself and drive a wedge between the two of you. But there are things you could start changing for your own sake, your other child's, and her sake. Healthy food and finding ways you all enjoying being active are the cornerstones.
Thanks for the replies. I'll see if I can find some kind of activity she can get involved in. The problem is she is always hungry. I used to let her eat yogurt, but she'd eat three of them and still be hungry.
What are empty/simple carbs? I've never had to watch anything I eat so this is all so hard to understand.
Any suggestions for healthy snacks?
Nuts, cheese, fruit. You need to get bulk and protein into her body. Veggies and fruit provide physical bulk to help you feel full and things like nuts and cheese provide you with longer lasting energy. Get the empty carbs out of the house--they don't do anyone any good. Jerky is often quite lovely.
I am 5'5" and I hit 145 lbs in high school. I wasn't fat. Not even slightly. If you go through and actually evaluate mortality data you will find that people in the "overweight" or first "obese" classification tend to be overall healthier and live longer than people who are "normal" weight. Please keep your judgments about your daughter's body to yourself. She needs to love herself without reservation. She can't stop being in the body she has. She has to learn how to be kind and loving towards that body without feeling shame for not being skinny enough for her mom. That's a harsh load to carry.
I have had to become far more active as a parent than I ever was before. I need to model healthy living and sitting on my butt is not healthy living. I had to learn how to exercise. I had to get up and run around with my kids. Children learn through modeling.
Quote:
Trust me, I've received MORE than my fair share of judgments from women who assume since I am skinny I must strave myself. I was constantly teased in school because I was so skinny. I KNOW not to make my daughter feel bad about her weight. I don't like it when people make comments about my weight so I would never do that to her.
My daughter is a beautiful, smart young lady. She isn't fat, but she isn't skinny either. The problem is all of her weight goes straight to her belly, her chest is 38", her waist is 37" and her hips are 41". I'd rather start helping her now when it's only a few pounds instead of waiting until she a 100 pounds over weight and say, Gee, we'd better do something. So many times you see obese kids on TV and people say,WHY did her parents wait so long? To me it's stupid to wait until your kid is so overweight that something drastic has to be done.
I'm extremely hostile towards skinny-bashing so I'm sorry you have been on the receiving end.
I'm going to say something slightly judgey. How about if you stop worrying about weight at all. It's not about how much you or your daughter weigh. But if you put crap in your body you won't be healthy regardless of size. Get the crap out of your house and things will be ok.
Maybe she will always have a belly bigger than you like. Maybe she will hit the dreaded
Sorry mom but what you're providing her is crap. And telling her not to eat straight from the box you provided her because she won't know how much she's eating... yeah you are telling her she needs to watch it.
Just buy better snacks. More fruit more veggies. You don't need to watch her every move she's 15. She's riding her bike already and you don't need to breath down her neck over her weight. She's sound perfectly healthy to me. My own mother was a size one while I was a size 5. AND OH MY GOD!!! She was never that size! NEVER! I weight 140 and am 5' 6 when I'm not pregnant. People think I look very very thin. I carry my weight different. But my moms constant eye and remarks about how much of what SHE provided I ate caused my anorexia. Mom's can screw a kid up big time.
Also... why do you know her measurements? By knowing those she knows you're looking at her and are overly concerned about her weight.
Also... skinny is not always healthy. And not everyone wants to be 120 lbs. Thankfully Hollywood has given us a new group of role models. Now if only I could get my hips to expand some more... I kid!
You really shouldn't jump to the conclusion that I am "breathing down her neck" over her weight. Like I said before, I KNOW what it's like being teased about your weight, I love my daughter and would NEVER try to make her feel bad about her size.
The reason I know her measurements is because when you order clothes online you need them in order to figure out what size to order.
It's hard to find age appropriate clothes for her in her size so I have to order a lot of her clothes online.
Ok... Then what do want? For us to tell you to get her on a tread mill? And why so cranky? I'm speaking from the side of the a kid whose mother thought she wasn't doing anything wrong either. Just giving you a different perspective. Nothing wrong with that now is there?
What do I want? Suggestions for healthy snacks which a couple of posters gave.
I'm not cranky. I just wanted to respond to your comments that I "don't need to watch her every move" and I shouldn't be "breathing down her neck" about my daughter's weight. I wanted to clarify that is not what I'm doing.
Would you like to know what it's like to have a mother who is thinner than you and thinks there is something wrong with you even if there really isn't? You may not be saying it to her, but you're thinking it and it's worrying you enough to bring it here. I'm not trying to bash you here I want you to see how hard it can be. Her weigh height ratio is not obese. She's just not going to be your size ever.
Let's approach this gently. This is a new member who came here for advice. Please give it in a kind way.
One of the healthiest snacks we love here are frozen berries, a banana, and some coconut milk blended into a smoothy. It's delicious and you can add things like ground flax seed and greens to it. Lots of yummy goodness and lots of nutrients!
Understood Mod, but I think she needs to see it's only a problem to her because she herself has never been that big EVER. And I wasn't trying to hurt feelings but being the kid in the OP makes me a little upset. That is all.
Another one we did before we found out our kids are allergic to casein (the protein found in milk) was sliced cheese with fruit. We left out the crackers, because they really weren't necessary.
Quote:
I was that kid, and I am that adult. I understand where the frustration comes from, but again, please, be kind to a worried mother.
I agree that the focus should be on health and not weight.
I would encourage you to do some additional research and perhaps talk to your doctor to get a better understanding of health and weight, particularly since you have never struggled with weight issues and also because the teenage body is very different than that of an adult. I will point out that your acceptable weight range is inaccurate: 5'5 and 111 pounds is considered
underweight according to BMI, so a range between 105 and 125 is not a fair representation of what good health.
You might consider using the new year to start off a family-wide health kick. You didn't mention whether you worked out regularly or your own eating habits, but you may want to reflect a bit to see if they contribute to your overall health or if there is room for improvement that you never noticed thanks to a high metabolism. That way the focus in on everyone being healthier and not on helping a teen girl lose weight.
First thing first, she is not actually overweight.
Telling her so would ruin her self esteem.
Ask yourself if she were your size or smaller would you be worried about her cheezit intake?
The snack items you posted are not even good for you. Let alone a growing kid. Snacks you want to keep in the house for yourself as well would be fruits veggies and low carb low sodium snacks.
I suggest you speak with her pediatrician as well. That may alleviate your concerns a bit and he/she may be able to help you with a better diet for the WHOLE family.
Imakcerka – I am not your mother, my daughter is not you. Please stop thinking that I’m telling my daughter this or that. Like Queen said, I'm on here to looking for help. Think about it, if I wanted to make my daughter her feel bad about herself I wouldn't even bother posting on here looking for advice on how to help her.
I used an online weight calculator just now and this is what they said:
Quote:
A
Your child's ideal body weight would be at a BMI at the 85th percentile or below, and so would be about
That doesn't necessarily mean that your child has to lose
Thanks, Queen for your suggestions. I’m going to stop buying the Cheeze its and get the sliced cheese with apples, and baby carrots with ranch dressing.
Mosaic – you are right this is hard for me because the only weight issues I’ve struggled with is trying to keep the weight on. I’ve actually had to drink weight gain in the past.
well I'm certainly glad you got the answers you were looking for.
Quote:
You seem very focused on making sure we know how thin you are.
Look, there are two separate things going on.
One - you are concerned about your daughter's appearance. Stop being concerned about her appearance. That is toxic and no good can come of it.
Two - you are not concerned about your health or your daughter's health. Heath does not equal weight. Weight does not equal health. This is not just some PC stuff, it's real. The snacks you stock in your house are not healthy, for you or for your daughter. If you think that your weight proves any level of health, you are wrong. If you think that Cheez-Its are okay for you because you are thin, you are wrong. It's crap no matter what size body is eating it.
So, now is a good time to decide whether you want to be the kind of mom who is focused on appearance (and that is ALL that weight is), or if you want to be the kind of mom who ensures the household knows how to nourish their bodies and has access to foods that contribute to growth, strength, energy and wellness.
I think in addition to changing to the snacks that were recommended on this thread (and besides apples and carrots and other fruits and vegetables you really should get some good proteins in there, plain almonds are good, as are hard boiled eggs, cheese has been mentioned, these things will help to keep her full while providing the building blocks for muscle) you might want to take a class on nutrition or have a sit down with your doctors. You have said that you have absolutely no knowledge about what is healthy food (as evidenced by the snacks you keep around), which means that you don't even know how to eat healthy yourself, this could really impact how you respond to disease (my very thin aunt recently had a heart attack and quadruple bypass, she had genetic disposition to heart disease but because she ate healthy and exercised (but was just thin by her predetermined body type, like you) she was able to survive and recover well from her heart attack and surgery. Finding out how to eat healthy will help you to be a good example for your daughter, and hopefully you guys can enjoy doing some exercise together (we like to do family walks, it's a great time to talk). Good luck with developing new healthy habits for your family!
My mom is consistently a size 2 or 4. I am consistently a 12 or 14. I am built like my paternal grandmother. Genetics are interesting.
Quote:
And keep in mind that BMIs aren't completely accurate. Athletes will come up on the charts as obese because they have good muscle tone and low body fat. Muscles weigh more than fat so the charts will say they are obese because they weigh more than average.
Many girls and women shy away from weight training (lifting weights) because they are afraid they will look too muscley. It actually takes an enormous amount of work to look like a body builder. Lifting weights is great for women because it improves your bone density and helps prevent osteoporosis. AND having strong muscles means your body burns more calories even while you aren't doing anything.
I'd focus on adding more snack options that aren't starchy high carbs. I like peanut butter on apples, myself. My ds gets in food ruts so I think it's good to brainstorm what food options there are in the house and what would be good to stock up on. You could put a list of snack ideas on the fridge. A list doesn't even have to have the mentality of being about weight and health but could be focused on grocery shopping and budgets. Which foods give you the most nutritious bang for your buck? How much of what do you need to buy for a variety of snacks to last a week? My ds goes for what is easy so chips or crackers are his first choice but he'll eat better if other things are obvious.
Keep in mind if people restrict calories, their metabolism slows down. I wouldn't even talk about calories. The cool thing about people who haven't damaged their metabolism by eating low calories is that they will actually burn more calories while at rest if they over eat one day (or a few). So don't worry about the once in a while over eating when dd is around relatives.
The other thing I'd focus on is getting some physical activity most days. We like to take family walks...
There's a big misconception among many people that thin=healthy, and I see it playing out in a number of ways. Some of them do show up in your post.
I'm just going to throw them out here:
Since thin=healthy:
All those things are accepted as
I understand the issue with trying to provide snacks for a growing teen, too. My son is mid-growth spurt. He could eat all the time. I’ve had to brainstorm a set of snacks he can help himself to that won’t break our budget.
In addition to the snacks you’re providing being very carb-heavy and processed, I’d point out that they’re also FULL of sodium. Most people don’t realize just how salty ramen noodles are, for example. You’re setting up a salt craving that can be very hard to re-train later.
Empty/simple carbs are simple sugars that cause quick rises in blood sugar followed by quick drops. This messes with the feeling of fullness and with hunger cues.
You may want to look up information on the Glycemic Index, which is a measurement of how a food affects blood sugar. Many people do very well on a low-glycemic diet – they feel better and are physically healthier.
You might also look for the book “The End of Overeating,” which talks a lot more about processed food like cheezits and why it’s a problem in the modern world. It’s designed to be eaten quickly, and the processing actually enables our bodies to extract more calories from it, faster. The natural systems that keep our appetite and metabolism in balance are actively overridden by very sweet/salty/fatty foods – because in nature, those foods are vanishingly rare, so it is okay for our brains to tell us to eat ridiculous amounts of them. The problem is that in modern life, these foods are NOT vanishingly rare.
And on the subject of processed foods, you might get a lot out of Michael Pollan’s “Food Rules.” It’s a little book of simple statements about food that condenses down his big, technical books into some easy-to adopt ideas. If you pick a few and try to stick with them, you’ll find yourself eating a more nutritious, more whole-foods diet, overall.
Another tip, if you haven’t already done this: sweetened beverages of any kind mess with our ability to judge fullness and contentedness with how much we eat. This includes artificial sweeteners. Stop stocking juice and pop, if you have it around. Just because you’re thin doesn’t mean you should be drinking it either. Drink water. Or water down the juice. I bought old-fashioned 7-ounce juice glasses like my grandmother had, and that’s all we drink sweetened beverages out of of in our house. When cookbooks and meal plans talk about a “glass” of juice per day? That’s what they were referring to until very recently.
Some of the things we do for snacks at our house:
I find savithny's above post to be fabulous advice for looking a bit at practical things and how you may be perceiving the situation.
I'd like to also mention that even teens will put on a bit extra weight when approaching a growth spurt, just like you notice younger children do. And that's normal, and may be there a little longer. Doesn't mean their body doesn't actually need the energy storage they're developing.
Finding healthy and more active things to do together as a family is also always a good habit, even with teens, rather than just 'what can I get her involved in (by herself)'. It'll also be more likely to spark her interest in other active things to do.
Seashells - you are wrong that I am concerned about my daughter’s appearance. I am concerned about her health. I wouldn't be so concerned if her weight was evenly distributed over her body, but her weight is concentrated in her belly. Belly fat is not good because it’s concentrated around the organs in the abdomen and can lead to diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
The only reason I keep talking about my weight is to explain that my eating habits are probably not the best because I've never had to think about what I eat. And you are right that weight does not equal health. I want to be the kind of mom who teaches her kids how to eat healthy, but since it's something I've never had to think about before, it's something I have to learn, hence the reason for my post.
Savithny – thanks for explaining about the empty/simple carbs and all the other information. Very informative and helpful, your list of snacks is exactly what I was looking for. I think she would like boiled eggs.
Couple of questions - I thought I heard that deli meat is bad for you because it's processed?
And we do drink a lot of kool aid instead of water, but the problem with that is when I eat something greasy, I can not drink water. The water seems to sit on top of the food and makes me feel very gassy and bloated to the point of discomfort. Any suggestions?
And thanks to the other posters for their helpful advice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
amber3902
Seashells - you are wrong that I am concerned about my daughter’s appearance. I am concerned about her health. I wouldn't be so concerned if her weight was evenly distributed over her body, but her weight is concentrated in her belly. Belly fat is not good because it’s concentrated around the organs in the abdomen and can lead to diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
Savithny – thanks for explaining about the empty/simple carbs and all the other information. Very informative and helpful, your list of snacks is exactly what I was looking for. I think she would like boiled eggs. One question though - I thought I heard that deli meat is bad for you because it's processed?
And thanks to the other posters for their helpful advice.
This is where I think you're missing the point.
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:14 PM.
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Resources saved on this page: MySQL 5.26% vBulletin Optimisation provided by vB Optimise (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd. vBulletin Security provided by vBSecurity v2.2.2 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd. User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd. | 24,842 | 10,312 | 0.000098 |
warc | 201704 | Although Nigeria lies wholly within the tropical zone, there are wide climatic variations in different regions of the country. Near the coast, the seasons are not sharply defined. Temperatures rarely exceed 32° C (90° F ), but humidity is very high and nights are hot. Inland, there are two distinct seasons: a wet season from April to October, with generally lower temperatures, and a dry season from November to March, with midday temperatures that surpass 38° C (100° F ) but relatively cool nights, dropping as low as 12° C (54° F ). On the Jos Plateau, temperatures are more moderate.
Average rainfall along the coast varies from about 180 cm (70 in) in the west to about 430 cm (170 in) in certain parts of the east. Inland, it decreases to around 130 cm (50 in) over most of central Nigeria and only 50 cm (20 in) in the extreme north.
Two principal wind currents affect Nigeria. The harmattan, from the northeast, is hot and dry and carries a reddish dust from the desert; it causes high temperatures during the day and cool nights. The southwest wind brings cloudy and rainy weather. | 1,126 | 620 | 0.001663 |
warc | 201704 | Washington (AP) What's the biggest economic worry for American families right now? A new survey says it's how to fill up the tank. Paying for gasoline easily tops the list in a new survey from the Kaiser Family foundation.
Then comes getting a good-paying job or raise, paying for health care and health insurance and difficulty paying rent or a mortgage.
About 44 percent of survey participants said paying for gasoline was a “serious problem” for them. Across all income levels, the cost of gas was the most frequently cited economic concern.
As of Monday, the energy department said the price of gas nationally averaged $3.60 a gallon. | 653 | 408 | 0.002509 |
warc | 201704 | Mars and Venus on MedicaidCommentary by John R. Graham
October 16, 2014
Source: Forbes
I will be covering Medicaid Health Plans of America’s annual conference in Washington, DC from October 26 to 28. So, I thought I’d prepare for it by reviewing the research on health outcomes for patients on Medicaid. What a tangled web!
According to evidence cited by Forbes opinion editor and Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow Avik Roy, “patients on Medicaid have the worst health outcomes of any insurance program in America – far worse that those with private insurance and, strikingly, no better than those with no insurance at all. “ On March 10, 2011, the Wall Street Journal published a column by Forbes contributor and American Enterprise Institute Resident Fellow Scott Gottlieb, MD, which concluded that “Medicaid coverage is worse than no coverage at all.”
Yet, others resist these conclusions. The federal and state governments spent $460 billion on Medicaid last year. Is it really feasible that this buys nothing? Gottlieb’s article prompted two scholars affiliated with the Kaiser Family Foundation to publish a paper “setting the record straight on the evidence.” Julia Paradise and Rachel Garfield conclude that “…… the Medicaid program, while not perfect, is highly effective…… Furthermore, despite the poorer health and the socioeconomic disadvantages of the low-income population it serves, Medicaid has been shown to meet demanding benchmarks on important measures of access, utilization, and quality of care.”
Can these differences be reconciled? The evidence cited by Roy and Gottlieb shows poor outcomes for various cancers, major surgical procedures, coronary angioplasty, and lung transplants. The evidence cited by Paradise and Garfield emphasizes preventive and primary care (including blood pressure and PAP smears), birth outcomes, heart attack, congestive heart failure, diabetes management, and pneumonia.
Although there is some overlap in the cardiovascular area, Roy and Gottlieb focus on catastrophic illnesses and procedures, whereas Paradise and Garfield focus on non-catastrophic care. If one only had recourse to these sources, one would be tempted to over generalize that Medicaid is ineffective for very sick people, but okay for people who are not very sick.
What does not come out is that Medicaid is not a health plan. To describe it as a “program” is accurate insofar as it is a budgetary item in federal and state accounts, cocooned in mind-numbing regulations. However, Medicaid dependents do not enroll in some national, or even state, health plan. Most are enrolled in private health plans, which contract with the states. These are categorized as either managed-care organizations (MCOs) or primary-care case management (PCCM). The Government Accountability Office (GAO) sorts states into four categories, reporting that 18 states use PCCM, 16 use both MCOs and PCCM, 12 use MCOs, and 5 could not be categorized.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, over 300 MCOs provide comprehensive Medicaid benefits for a capitated fee, bearing the financial risk of excess costs. About half of Medicaid MCO enrollees are in for-profit plans. Dependents generally have a choice between at least two plans. (I doubt most readers with employer-based benefits have a choice of at least two plans!)
In 2012, over 26 million Medicaid dependents were enrolled in MCOs and 8.8 million PCCM. However, enrollment is not randomly distributed among the Medicaid population. Although comprising two thirds of Medicaid dependents, they only account for one fifth of Medicaid spending, “because disabled and elderly beneficiaries, who account for most Medicaid spending, largely remain in fee-for-service (FFS)……” This means that MCOs and PCCMs mostly cover pregnant women, children, and their parents.
States have been using private plans to provide benefits to healthier Medicaid dependents, and leaving sicker ones to the FFS system, where governments pay providers according to bureaucratically determined fee schedules. That seems to be the wrong way around, and may explain why outcomes are very bad for the sickest Medicaid dependents, as discussed by Roy and Gottlieb. Paradise and Garfield, on the other hand, are likely discussing evidence from private health plans serving Medicaid patients. So, we should not be surprised that some outcomes are similar as they are for privately insured persons.
Where do we go from here? Reformers who want to increase patient choice and reduce the power of the federal government over health care recommend block grants, vouchers, or refundable tax credits for Medicaid dependents to buy their own private coverage. These will be positive reforms, but are not going anywhere for the next few years. Medicaid managed care, on the other hand, is an open door that is swinging wider.
Avalere Health estimates that 75 percent of Medicaid dependents will be enrolled in MCOs by 2015, up from 63 percent in 2012. The Kaiser Family Foundation anticipates that a “sharpened focus on high-cost/high-need beneficiaries” will lead states to enroll more of the sickest Medicaid dependents into private plans.
If done properly, this should improve outcomes for those patients. Medicaid managed care blurs the line between the Medicaid “ghetto” and private choice. When the opportunity for post-Obamacare health reform arises, Medicaid managed care’s success will make patient-centered reforms to the whole system easier to bring about.
Investors’ Note: Although most health insurers have Medicaid managed-care business units, pure-play Medicaid plans include Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: MOH), Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), and WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG). | 5,881 | 2,743 | 0.000375 |
warc | 201704 | RECENT PROJECTS:
Charlottes Place, Ealing
Cut Bar, Waterloo
Kashu, St. Albans
Dion, Canary Wharf
Mare Moto, Chelsea
Sam’s Brasserie, Chiswick
Brookmans, Hatfield
COMMERCIAL KITCHENS FOR RESTAURANTS
Nelson Catering Equipment has been involved in commercial restaurant
kitchens for 25 years and we have designed and installed them in
all shapes and sizes. We’ve worked with everything from highly
detailed architects’ blueprints to sketches on the back of envelopes.
And we’ve been given budgets ranging from the, frankly, excessive
to the decidedly modest.
One similarity between all these restaurant kitchens is that
we’ve made the available space work to its maximum potential, and
we have made it possible for each restaurant to achieve its goals
in terms of efficiency and menu exploration.
Our specialist team, which includes qualified chefs, knows its
commercial catering equipment intimately. We only deal with the
suppliers we feel offer the standards of consistency, reliability
and support that our customers deserve.
We are fully up to date with safety and hygiene legislation so
we are mindful what an Environmental Health inspection looks at
in our commercial kitchen design. Furthermore, our bespoke solutions,
which are often extremely economically viable, ensure that every
centimetre of useable space is put to its best advantage.
From the time you approve our commercial kitchen design, a Nelson
project manager will offer you the personal service we pride ourselves
on. Your project manager will liaise between you and our in-house
restaurant kitchen design team, will attend all necessary site
surveys and meetings and will arrange purchasing, commissioning
and installation, whilst also making sure all staff are trained
on the new catering equipment. We have found that having a single
point of contact improves communication immeasurably and ensures
that even the most trivial points are never overlooked. | 1,990 | 1,120 | 0.000922 |
warc | 201704 | NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Lupus Lupus or Thymus Gland?
08/20/2001
Okay my question more refers to the Thymus Gland. I had it removed 10 years ago when i was 13 years old. It was enlarged and rapped around my heart. I have always had health problems. I could never go into it all. I`ll go with my most recent problem, when I was pregnant about 2 years ago. I got a flu that got out of control. Low white cell. Something wrong with my placelet. Lets just say my blood was really messed up. They life flighted me to another hostpital, because baby in danger, and they couldn`t get fever down, and the blood. By the time I got to the other hostpital I was going back to normail, and they sent me home. I am always confusing doctors. It could be Lupus from what I`ve read about Lupus. But it may just be because I have No THymus Gland. What do you think. How does not having a Thymus gland affect my health? For instance can a simple flu get out of control, because I`m unable to fight it? Am I now more accessible to other diseases? Is there anything I can do to improve the situation?
1. Will the loss of Thymus affect your health? No! The Thymus involutes, gets smaller with age and is more or less `lost` in adult. That means that adults do not really need the thymus to fight disease. Actually when it persists or enlarges in adults (tumor-like `thymoma`) people have health problems immune deficiency, anemia, neurological problems.
2. I cannot tell you from the information you gave us if you have lupus. Lupus may present with low white blood cells and low platelets but those usually are not the only signs of disease. Are those still persistent? Do you have any symptoms? Viruses and certain complications of pregnancy can also present platelet problems. It is reassuring that everything was back to normal when you got admitted to the other hospital.
Yolanda Farhey, MD
Associate Professor
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati | 2,142 | 1,132 | 0.000888 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.