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warc | 201704 | Stretching the value of your unemployment check
The process of pounding the pavement for work can cause perpetual frustration for the unemployed. The sometimes fruitless nature of a job search must not blind consumers to the fact that they’ll have to make that unemployment check stretch. To accomplish this, financially sound decisions are necessary.
Reaching backward for relief
The U.S. job market may be slowly improving, but that doesn’t mean the necessity to live frugally on unemployment benefits has gone out the window. Simply cutting out the Starbucks and buying less at the grocery store won’t do it, advises AOL Jobs. To begin with, personal finance expert Jean Chatzky suggests working backward. Once you’ve locked down the essential, fixed expenses, you can focus on what may have to go.
“I think the easiest way to budget is backward,” she says. “This is where my money is going now and then you can make changes.”
Know your expenses outside fixed costs
Austerity measures must be put to action when you have only an unemployment check to rely upon. This goes beyond savings, reminds Chatzky. It’s about taking an ax to those things that aren’t essential, fixed monthly costs in your budget. Rent, mortgage and car payments are inescapable, and they also don’t change from month to month. If public transportation is an option, however, it would be wise to consider the expense of maintaining a vehicle.
That leaves the non-essentials like cable TV and Internet. If you have 600 channels but feel like there’s nothing on most of the time, consider the TV bill carefully. Similarly, the Internet can be a time-waster, although it can also be an invaluable job search tool. If you must cut that one, consider using the Internet at your public library.
“The people that I’ve seen throughout this recession that have the biggest problems are the ones who continued to live as if there were two salaries coming into the family when there was really only one,” says Chatzky.
More revenue-generating, future-preserving ideas
The unemployed may have to consider some difficult questions in order to remain above water financially. Will you rent out that room above the garage, pull the kids out of private school or sell your prized guitar collection?
Taking money out of a retirement account like a 401(k) is an option some consider, although financial experts advise that the unemployed not touch that money unless it is a dire emergency. That nest egg was built for a reason, and the tax penalties can amount to 30 or 40 cents on the dollar for early withdrawal. In the worst case scenario where debt is absolutely smothering, filing for bankruptcy may be an option, although doing so is not as easy as it was a few years ago. Consult with a credit counselor.
Source North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue on unemployment benefits Tags:bankruptcy, fixed costs, installment loans retirement account, unemployed, unemployment benefits, unemployment check | 3,043 | 1,539 | 0.000669 |
warc | 201704 | Chemistry World. It was certainly a blast writing it. I didn’t mention, because she asked me not to quote yet, that Rebecca Onion has also been looking into this topic – I hope it’s OK to say now that she'll shortly be publishing something rather wonderful on it. In any event, I thought it would be worth putting up the full original article here. The images are, except where indicated, all courtesy of the Chemical Heritage Foundation, and I reckon that their exhibition in the autumn is going to be fabulous.
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As you’re reading
Chemistry World, I bet you had a chemistry set. Maybe you tinkered with a substantial rack of test-tubes containing compounds that would now be considered daring: potassium permanganate, sodium thiocyanate, perhaps supplemented with stronger stuff bought at the chemical supplier’s or “borrowed” from school: nitric acid, lumps of sodium under oil. Younger readers might have been denied such pleasures, having to be content with litmus paper for measuring soil pH. Today’s sets are likely to be more about “kitchen chemistry” or “colour chemistry”, using nothing more hazardous than bicarb and food dyes.
The content, appearance and aspirations of your chemistry set age you as much as your choice in music. When I recently got to look at the marvelous collection in the vaults of the Chemical Heritage Foundation in Philadelphia, I was struck by how these alluring boxes encode social narratives. They reflect changing perceptions of chemistry and science as a whole, shifts in the social strata of the target consumers, in attitudes to gender and in the objectives of science education. “Chemistry sets and science kits contained much more than vials of chemicals, test tubes, and microscopes”, says art historian and independent curator Jane E. Boyd, who is curating an exhibition of the CHF’s sets that opens in October. “Their colourful boxes and cases also held manufacturers’ ambitions for success and prestige, parents’ hopes and anxieties for the future lives of their sons and daughters, and children’s own desires for fun and excitement.”
What were these sets for? Are they toys? Were the meant to educate or to amuse? Why were they produced, and for who? And why do they seem – I’m sure it isn’t just me – to pack such a nostalgic punch?
The magic of chemistry
Chemical sets aimed at children started to appear from around the 1830s. One of the earliest was the “No. 1. Youth’s Laboratory, or Chemical Amusement Box”, produced in 1836-7 by the chemist Robert Best Ede. It contained “more than 40 Chemical preparations and appropriate apparatus, for enabling the enquiring youth… to perform above 100 Amusing and Interesting Experiments with perfect ease and free from danger.” These cabinets were luxury items: Ede’s was mahogany-cased and sold for the tidy sum of 16 shillings. Historian Melanie Keene of Cambridge University has shown, while the contents of the nineteenth-century cabinets were quite ambitious in their chemical scope, containing such compounds as potassium “superoxalate”, “prussiate” and “bi-chromate”, the emphasis of the booklets was on making chemistry “familiar”, with reference to household items such as soap or candles [1].
Robert Best Ede’s “Portable Laboratory”, c.1836. Wellcome Library, London.
It wasn’t until the second half of the nineteenth century that toy manufacturers began to make commercial sets as educational tools tailored for the affluent middle classes. The intended audience is clear from one of the CHF’s earliest items, a Chemcraft set sold around 1917 by the Porter Chemical Company in Hagerstown, Maryland, one of the major manufacturers of chemistry sets in the USA throughout most of the twentieth century. Like Ede’s set almost a century earlier, it is housed in a handsome wooden box with the ingredients kept in elegant little wooden bottles. The lid shows a well-bred young lad in suit and tie, hair neatly gelled, bending over his little burner under the watchful eye of his father.
Alongside but independent of the chemical cabinets, science popularizers of the nineteenth century produced how-to manuals describing experiments for children using household ingredients. Ede’s earliest cabinets were intended to accompany the popular 1823 book on chemical experimentation, Chemical Recreations by John Joseph Griffin – but Ede’s company later sold them independently with its own bespoke pamphlet. These two traditions of the cabinet and the booklet merged, so that when the cabinets became available to a wider “toy” market at a slightly cheaper price from the 1900s, the accompanying instruction manual became indispensible.
Both the early chemistry sets and the experimental booklets had a strong link to the tradition of “performative chemistry” that developed during the nineteenth century. Dramatic chemical demonstrations were a hallmark of the public talks at the Royal Institution given by Humphry Davy and Michael Faraday in the early part of the century. “These performances were intended to make chemistry ‘familiar’, as enticements to active practical investigations that could be carried out in the home”, says historian of science Salim Al-Gailani of the University of Cambridge, who has made one of the few detailed studies of chemistry sets [2]. He says there is a clear link between publications such as Faraday's book of his RI lectures,
Chemical History of a Candle(1861), the penny-pamphlet handbooks, and later chemistry-set manuals.
Chemistry displays, lodged somewhere between music-hall spectacle and public education, were refined at institutions such as the Royal Polytechnic Institute in London, where lecturers like John Henry Pepper wowed audiences with chemical magic. Pepper, best known for devising the illusion of “Pepper’s ghost” used in performances of
Hamletand A Christmas Carol, went on to set up his own Theatre of Popular Science and Entertainment at the Egyptian Hall in London, the home of Victorian stage magic, and took his show on tour in the USA and Australia. Some stage magicians were even contracted to write popular treatises on chemistry. A chemical manual from c.1894, in which the link to stage magic is clear. (Harry Price Library, UCL)
This link between stage magic and the early chemistry sets is personified in Albert Gilbert, the founder of the A. C. Gilbert Company of New Haven, Connecticut, which was the main US rival to Porter’s Chemcraft and became one of the biggest toy firms in the world. Gilbert was a stage magician, and he founded his company in 1909 to supply materials for magic shows, marketed under the brand Mysto Magic.
The early Chemcraft sets reflect this association too, promising “Mysterious experiments in chemical magic.” There were hints of a connection with alchemy, for example in the suggestion that the deposition of copper onto iron was a kind of transmutation. The manuals offered tips on how to stage a magical demonstration, combining practical instruction with the misdirection and sleight-of-hand methods of the magician. This dabbling with the old imagery of alchemy was sometimes filtered through racial stereotyping that seems shocking now. One Chemcraft manual suggested that the performer dress as some sort of Oriental fellow, like a “Hindu prince or Rajah.” And he would need an assistant “made up as an Ethiopian slave”, with “his face and arms blackened with burned cork”. He should be given “a fantastic name such as Allah, Kola, Rota or any foreign-sounding word.”
“The influence of ‘natural magic’ continued to shape the iconography and pedagogical function of chemistry sets well into the twentieth century”, says Al-Gailani. Even one of the CHF’s most recent sets, from around 1994, was marketed under the “Mr Wizard” brand, harking back to the American television show Watch Mr Wizard produced and presented by Don Herbert from 1951 to 1965. Herbert aimed to demonstrate the science behind the everyday, and he revived the show (and the brand) from 1983 to 1990 as Mr Wizard’s World for the children’s channel Nickelodeon.
Still revealing the magical secrets of nature in the 1990s?
While children might delight in the prospect of mysterious thrills, the parents who forked out for these sets were more likely to be persuaded by the idea that they would be educational and improving. Chemistry experimentation was often presented in the late nineteenth century as morally virtuous: as Griffin put it, “Chemistry is a subject qualified to train both the mind and the hands of young people to habits of industry, regularity, and order”. Such manuals stressed cleanliness, dexterity and common sense – a stark contrast to the “diabolical sorcery” that one might find promised in magic-themed chemistry. The early twentieth-century makers of chemistry sets sometimes tried to reconcile the contradictions by suggesting that they were demystifying the stunts still then being pulled off by mediums and spiritualists. As one Gilbert manual put it in 1920, “We explain how they are performed by purely natural means.”
This tension, says Boyd, is just one of the “many contradictions inside these eye-catching boxes: between dreams and reality, structured learning and free exploration, mysterious magic and rational science, safety and danger.” The boxes in which the kits were housed sent out contrasting messages about what home chemistry was all about. Many show the experimenter as a young scientist, in the time-honoured chemist’s pose of holding up a test-tube or flask of coloured liquid. Some offer a futuristic, utopian vision of science as saviour, perhaps with the tubes of a chemicals plant hovering in the background. “Experimenter today, scientist tomorrow”, promises a Chemcraft manual from 1934.
A brave new world promised by Chemcraft. “Experimenter today, scientist tomorrow” Toys for the boys
The imagery throughout is decidedly male. “Manufacturers’ expectations and assumptions about masculinity are particularly apparent in chemistry set marketing copy in the United States in the twentieth century”, says Al-Gailani. He points out that, after the Second World War, chemical experiments that might earlier have been presented as “magic”, such as invisible ink, would instead be likened to the crime-sleuthing associated with the FBI, “an institution that was immensely influential in defining and popularising the predominant ‘all-American, square-jawed’ masculinity of the post-war era”. Chemistry was not just a male but a manly affair. The disheveled “mad scientist”, while beginning to feature in movies, is nowhere to be found here – instead, the young experimenter is smartly dressed and well disciplined, accustomed to following instruction (manuals). If he obeyed the rules, a chemistry set wasn’t just a recreational pursuit but a preparation for a career in science.
Did girls get a look in? A British Lott’s set from around 1915 claims that it is for both boys and girls, and reassuringly places the home chemistry lab in what looks rather like a domestic kitchen, albeit with (highly questionable) periodic tables on the walls. But if girls did chemistry, it was with a view to preparing them for their obligations in “mother’s kitchen”, not the laboratory. As a Chemcraft manual put it in 1933 “in the home, the housewife who knows nothing of the chemistry of the foods she prepares or the materials which she uses daily is handicapped”. The man who knows no chemistry is handicapped too, the manual adds – but strictly in the professional, not domestic, domain. It was the father’s duty to inculcate such knowledge in his son in preparation for a life of work, just as the mother should educate her daughter in the chemistry of cooking and domestic chores.
A Lott’s chemistry set made in England, c.1915 For boy’s only?
When Gilbert finally produced a set specifically for girls in the late 1950s, fetchingly decorated in pastel pink, it is not exactly a “chemist’s set” at all. Instead it reminds the girl who squints into a microscope, while her big sister looks on encouragingly, that all she can aspire to is to use her natural domestic skills to become a “lab technician”.
…or for girls too (if they don’t aspire too high)? Keeping safe
By the 1970s things seem to have improved a little. Both girls and boys, as golden-haired and wide-collared as David Soul, feature on the lid of Johnny Horizon’s chemical set, although the girl seems to be reduced to looking on adoringly as her brother (boyfriend?) does the measuring and pouring. Yet this is no longer marketed as a chemistry set: in the post-
Silent Springera it is now an “Environmental Testing Kit”. “Is the air around you polluted?” it asks. You can examine river waters for contamination too, and the set promises that you and your family “will be able to do more about our environmental problems.” A chemistry set post-Silent Spring.
How times change. What would those who bought the Johnny Horizon kit have made of Chemcraft’s offering from the late 1940s, which includes “safe experiments in atomic energy”, including – probably my favourite element (literally) of the entire CHF collection – uranium ore and a “radio active screen”? The latter is incorporated into a “spinthariscope”, a device first invented by the chemist and entrepreneur William Crookes in 1903, which uses a zinc sulfide phosphor screen to reveal the scintillations of alpha particles.
Home experiments in atomic energy, c. 1948.
Compare this with the Tree of Knowledge Chem-Science set from around 2000-2005, which – despite offering standard experiments such as the bicarb-vinegar volcano and litmus testing – assures the buyer that the “35 fun activities” contain “no chemicals”.
The Tree of Knowledge Chem-Science set (c.2000-2005) takes no risks.
If you’re inclined to bewail this apparent taming of home chemistry for kids, bear in mind that social anxieties about safety are nothing new. A concerned parent wrote to the
Timesin 1903 warning that “the placing in the hands of young boys of such ingredients as chlorate of potash, sulphur, &c., must always be deprecated as a temptingly dangerous proceeding”. (If only we could have responded by saying “Yes, that’s the point.”)
“The idea that the sets used to have terribly dangerous materials in them, and then these gradually got nanny-stated out, isn’t fully supported by the sets themselves”, cautions CHF curatorial assistant Elisabeth Berry Drago. “Even the earliest sets contained fairly innocuous stuff: things that were corrosive, or shouldn’t be inhaled, but not intrinsically deadly or dangerous.”
Compare, for example, the contents of the Lott’s chemistry set from around 1915 with those of a 1965 Skil Craft set (see Box): there was rather little change over five decades. “The ads and print material demonstrate that a concern for safety and toxicity was not a late development, but something that was very much a part of the context from early on”, says Drago. “Even in 1917 the onus is on safety.” The Porter Chemcraft set from that era insists that it is “Perfectly safe” and “Contains no poisonous or otherwise harmful substances”. Yet there was probably more concern about the sources of heating than about the chemical ingredients. Early chemistry sets contained Bunsen burners, Drago says, while later even “alcohol lamps with open flames are not considered child-safe any more.”
This wasn’t simply a matter of changing perceptions of what was hazardous, but also of who was to blame: as medical historian John Burnham of Ohio State university has argued3, there was an increasing tendency over the course of the twentieth century to switch the responsibility for child safety from parents (particularly mothers) to manufacturers and the “engineering” of the childhood environment. If manufacturers were to be held responsible for accidents, they weren’t going to take any risks.
“There is no doubt that contents of today's chemistry sets are far tamer than they were a few generations ago”, says Al-Gailani. But he is not convinced that this is the only or even main reason behind the much lamented “decline in popularity of the chemistry set.” To understand that, he says, “we need a much better understanding of wider shifts in the toy industry, especially the perceived profitability of scientific toys, and the place of chemistry in popular culture.” He thinks that the perception that the chemistry set should play a role in drawing children into science “has a lot to do with the iconic status of the chemistry set in writing about scientific careers and nostalgia for a less risk-averse era” – that it’s a story we tell, but not necessarily the right or complete one.
Smells and stinks
The chemistry set today is rarely marketed with the sobriety of the past. It emphasizes science as fun – smelly, disgusting, tactile and visual. We will surely one day be judged for this, for better or worse. There are certainly dangers in suggesting that chemistry is going to be relentlessly fun and entertaining, selling itself on stinks and bangs, as UCL chemist Andrea Sella argued when accepting the Royal Society Faraday Prize for communicating science this year.
But those sensual delights are harder to procure anyway when the range of chemicals permitted in a chemistry set is constrained. One alternative – some will see as a poor one, lacking the true tactile and aromatic sensations of chemistry – is the CHF’s Chemcrafter app, tellingly displayed in a 1950s visual style.
The chemistry set of the future? The Chemcrafter app from the Chemical Heritage Foundation.
Yet the questions confronting manufacturers now are in some ways not so different than ever they were. Should chemistry be made to feel exotic or familiar? Are chemistry sets about fun or sober instruction, and how far can the two be combined? Should they be marketed at the children (and which children?), or their parents? Whatever answers we find will say a lot about us.
Totally gross: chemistry sets today.
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Box: What’s in the Box?
In circa 1915, the British Lott’s Bricks Chemistry Set No. 5 contained the following:
“Alum powder, ammonium carbonate, ammonium chloride, borax, calcium carbonate, charcoal (powdered), Congo red, copper sulfate, iron filings, iron sulfate, lime, manganese dioxide, potassium bichromate, potassium permanganate, potassium iodate, potassium iodide, potassium nitrate, “Sky blue”, sodium bicarbonate, sodium bisulfate, sodium carbonate, sodium nitrite, sodium thiosulfate, strontium nitrate, sulfur and zinc.”
In 1965 the Skil Craft Chemistry Set contained these ingredients:
“Ammonium chloride, gum arabic, cobalt chloride, sulfur, calcium chloride, sodium silicate solution, phenolphthalein solution, tannic acid, sodium ferrocyanide, manganous sulfate, sodium thiosulfate, ferric ammonium sulfate, sodium salicylate, borax, sodium bisulfate, and aluminum sulfate.”
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References
1. M. Keene,
Ambix 60, 54 (2013).
2. S. Al-Gailani,
Stud. Hist. Phil. Sci. 40, 372 (2009).
3. J. C. Burnham,
J. Soc. Hist. 29, 817 (1996).
The Chemical Heritage Foundation’s exhibition
Science at Play: 100 Years of Chemistry Sets and Science Kitsruns from October 2015 to September 2016 in Philadelphia. | 20,405 | 8,907 | 0.000118 |
warc | 201704 | Q: But isn't everything really connected? Doesn't the quantum world pervade everything that we see around us? A: Of course it does. So does classical physics. The quantum world does pervade everything around us, but as Richard Feynman liked to say, "Scientific creativity is imagination in a straitjacket." Not everything is possible. That's what makes the world so interesting. It is true that quantum mechanics is extremely strange, and on extremely small scales for short times, all sorts of weird things happen. And in fact we can make weird quantum phenomena happen. But what quantum mechanics doesn't change about the universe is, if you want to change things, you still have to do something. You can't change the world by thinking about it. We are connected to the world by many things: by light and sound and heat. We do, at subatomic scale, behave quantum mechanically. But we behave like classical objects for a reason: We're big, we have lots of particles, they interact. All the weirdness of quantum mechanics gets washed out on the scale that we can experience. That's why we experience a classical world. The weirdness of quantum mechanics is reserved for either very specially prepared configurations in the laboratory, or scales that are so small that quantum-mechanical effects are significant. We're also connected to the universe by gravity, and we're connected to the planets by gravity. But that doesn't mean that astrology is true. With quantum mechanics, there's a notion that observers affect the things that they're observing. That's not always true, but it's often true. That's one of the very strange properties of quantum mechanics. Therefore people get the notion that there's no objective reality, and that you can literally impact on the external world just by doing things internally. That's not the case. If you want to affect something in the external world, you have to do something to it. You can't just hope for the best. You can't bring good things to you by thinking about them. The quantum mechanical correlations, the spooky action at a distance that quantum mechanics brings up, is true only for very specially prepared systems that are isolated from the rest of the world, completely. And we are certainly not isolated from the rest of the world. We're bombarded by many things every second of the day, and a result, we're not specially prepared quantum mechanical systems, nor can we exert weird quantum powers over other objects.
You'll notice that some of the things that Krauss talks about has a ring of familiarity if you have read my blog entry on why quantum mechanics is so difficult for the general public, and why it is susceptible to being abused.
One would hope that people would read this article and stop being taken in by all of these quackeries. Would Oprah invite Krauss to clarify all the misinformation that she helped spread when she touted "The Secret" on her show? I highly doubt it.
Zz. | 2,961 | 1,335 | 0.000751 |
warc | 201704 | The human population of Planet Earth is getting close to 7.3 billion:
left) would drop from 6 children/women to about 2 now? right) recorded just about one million births, the lowest in recorded history, BUT, had 1.27 million deaths, the highest on record. At the current fertility rate of 1.4 ( 2.07 to remain stable), Japan's 127 million population would drop to 85 million in 2110. In Europe, Spain, a largely ( 2/3) Catholic country, is facing almost the exactly same decline, also with a fertility rate of 1.4. about half a million/year)is easing the decline, but has come with increasing local terrorism. Births in Europe dropped from 7.5 million in 1960 to 5.4 million in 2011. Hong Kong (1.13), Singapore (1.28) and South Korea (1.32) are especially concerned. The USA ( right)? 1.97. But about 1 million immigrants/year means continued growth. 7.6 fertility rate), Mali ( 6.9) and Somalia ( 6.6), and Africa in general, with exponential growth still expected for some time to come, bringing the world fertility rate average up to 2.5: fame) and his colleagues, they postulate that the then current population of 5.5 billion was not sustainable, and that something in the range of 1.5 billion to 2 billion was ideal: Population Bomb Decent wealth and resources to everyone Basic human rights to everyone Preservation of cultural diversity Allowance of intellectual, artistic, and technological creativity Preservation of biodiversity Ted Turner: 250-300 million people should be the about right for the world. Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute: we need 1.5 Earths to sustain present population Optimum Population Trust: we have 2.3 billion too many people already A 2001 UN report estimates a carrying capacity from 4 billion to 16 billion ( which is typical for the UN, trying to please everyone) Anyone who tries to arrive at a reasonably high figure for how many people are ideal for our globe will get shown the Malthus error and success of the Green Revolution, where technology and other factors come into play. The combined Gross Domestic Products of Europe, U.S. and Canada will double by 2050, while the rest of the world will grow by a factor of 5, leaving Europe, the U.S. and Canada at less than 30% of the world's GDP--SMALLER THAN WHAT IT WAS IN 1820! REDUCEOUR POPULATION. How? We can wait for an Andromeda Strain ( virus or something microbiological from outer space) to kill off most of us. Alien (macroscopic) attack from Mars or another Galaxy. Nuclear Winter, say, initiated by Israel attacking Iran, where Russia responds in support, bringing the USA into the fray, and through mistake, irrational action, stupidity or whatever, setting off a nuclear war where many of the 16,300 nuclear weapons are exploded. Quickly populate our Moon, Mars, asteroid, Milky Way Galaxy. what about doing nothing?It seems that pure success at economics tends to reduce population growth. Families in Shanghai, for example, can with ease gain a waiver from one child, but children are expensive and affect lifestyle, so the birth rate has continued to fall. The fertility rate of the world is expected to drop below sustainability by 2050. Venus Syndromeor other doomsday scenario. World population of 2-3 billion to maintain a moderately comfortable lifestyle for all...but not until the 23rd century and beyond. We should acknowledge our dilemma and do something about it. However, if no consensus can be reached for something like global warming, good luck for population to be solved, considering the religious and cultural connotations. Unfortunately, they provide no further specifics with reference to solutions. a plan to encourage the “best people” in society to have more children (positive eugenics) and to discourage or prevent the “worst elements” of society from having many, if any, children (negative eugenics).Eugenics became solidified into a movement in various countries throughout the world in the first three decades of the 20th century, but nowhere more solidly than in the United States and, after World War I, in Germany. Russell explains that eugenics plays a central feature in the construction of any world government scientific dictatorship, stating that, “Gradually, by selective breeding, the congenital differences between rulers and ruled will increase until they become almost different species. A revolt of the plebs would become as unthinkable as an organized insurrection of sheep against the practice of eating mutton.” Huxley explained that, “The future dictator’s subjects will be painlessly regimented by a corps of highly trained social engineers,” and he quotes one “advocate of this new science” as saying that, “The challenge of social engineering in our time is like the challenge of technical engineering fifty years ago. If the first half of the twentieth century was the era of technical engineers, the second half may well be the era of social engineers.” Thus, proclaims Huxley, “ The twenty-first century, I suppose, will be the era of World Controllers, the scientific caste system and Brave New World.”[2] If you are going to control any population for any length of time, you must have some measure of consent. It’s exceedingly difficult to see how pure terrorism can function indefinitely, it can function for a fairly long time; but sooner or later you have to bring in an element of persuasion, an element of getting people to consent to what is happening to them. UNESCO). Said Julian Huxley: Thus even though it is quite true that any radical eugenic policy will be for many years politically and psychologically impossible, it will be important for UNESCO to see that the eugenic problem is examined with the greatest care, and that the public mind is informed of the issues at stake so that much that now is unthinkable may at least become thinkable… : War Against the Weak “the incremental effort to transform eugenics into human genetics forged an entire worldwide infrastructure,” with the founding of the Institute for Human Genetics in Copenhagen in 1938, led by Tage Kemp, a Rockefeller Foundation eugenicist, and was financed with money from the Rockefeller Foundation.[22] While not abandoning the eugenics goals, the new re-branded eugenics movement “claimed to be eradicating poverty and saving the environment.”
So there it is: the best way to influence the masses is to scientifically prove that Planet Earth was being jeopardized by too many people, and the solution was genetics for eugenics. Religious and cultural factors can be trumped by the need to best provide for a livable future world. Both the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations have had some rather shameful past.
Matthew Connelly in 2008 wrote
: Fatal Misconception: The Struggle to Control World Population ...population control (specifically in India) was a necessity for the masses, adding that “it is not what they want, but what is good for them.”
Paul Ehrlich refers to mankind as a cancer upon the world, and we must shift our efforts from treatment of the symptoms to the excision of the cancer. There will need to be brutal and heartless decisions. The pain will be intense, but radical surgery gives the patient (
humanity on Earth) the best chance for ultimate survival. But he never quite says exactly what to do.
Should foreign aid be linked to population control? Well, historically, that is exactly what the U.S. did:
Said President Lyndon Johnson: I'm not going to piss away foreign aid in nations where they refuse to deal with their own population problems. President Richard Nixon: population control is a must and go hand in hand with aid. in 1962, which launched the environmental movement, actually helped decrease population, as DDT was banned and malaria deaths increased. Then again, a less polluted world meant that more people lived longer, so this could have been a wash. Silent Spring
Bill Gates asking his fellow billionaires to help reduce world population. But his only financial support goes to vaccines and the like to, in effect, actually increase population.
Can nanotechnology and genetic engineering play roles? Artificial photosynthesis? Cost effective fusion? If anything, much of new technology will be utilized to increase population.
. I have no simple solution for population. Anything I conjure reminds myself of Adolf Hitler. or the smarmy need for dictated eugenics. My moral self cannot support those strategies. Sorry. But I'll yet adjust this posting someday when I get a revelation. Population Control | 8,636 | 4,169 | 0.000243 |
warc | 201704 | As I have said before our new Alberta CEO Ed Stelmach is haunted by the ghost of a Premier past; the lame duck Harry Strom.
Edmonton Sun columnist Neil Waugh knows this too and gloating with glee likes to rub it in;
Listen up on land
Last week Premier Ed Stelmach finally gave Albertans a peek under the tent flaps about his plans to stop the insanity of Ralph Klein's flawed oilsands policy, which sees energy companies pay a penny-on-the-dollar in royalties while at the same time shipping raw bitumen and jobs down the pipeline to Illinois and Texas and turning 48 townships of pristine boreal forest around Fort McMurray into a vast industrial zone.
"My government is committed to ensuring there will never again be a major downturn like we saw in the 1980s," Stelmach boomed to the Canadian Energy Research Institute.
He plans to thwart any National Energy Program rerun by "developing and diversifying" the energy industry.
During the Alberta PC leadership campaign last fall Stelmach compared pipelining raw bitumen to Texas as selling the "topsoil" from a farm.
"This includes encouraging more upgrading and value-added activities in the province," he told the oilmen. "Our government will encourage that to happen."
He has a strange way of doing it. The latest jobs-down-the-pipeline dust-up happens before the National Energy Board in Calgary on June 4 when TransCanada Pipelines pitches its ultra-controversial Keystone bitumen pipeline to the States.
Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan has already filed an intervention describing the dubious line as a "devil's bargain".
NEB documents reveal the Alberta government is intervening too. But instead of a blizzard of submissions backing up the premier's pledge, Alberta taxpayers will be represented by one lowly "regulatory analyst" who is only there to "monitor" the hearings on behalf of his Edmonton bosses.Spare us any more goofy speeches, Ed.
Tories drop ball on housing problem
They recommended the premier consider "limited, short-term market intervention." In short, they proposed the province impose "rent stability guidelines" consisting of once-a-year rent increases of no more than 2% above inflation. Also proposed was a one-year notice for condo conversions with no lease-busting rent increases in the meantime.
The task force report described this recommendation as a "very difficult one."
The Alberta Tories obviously had a difficult time of it as well. Because when the smoke cleared and Housing Minister Ray Danyluk released his $285-million response this week, rent controls were mysteriously missing.
In their place were a series of half-hearted attempts to rein in runaway accommodation costs.
The proposed condo conversion restrictions have been accepted. But landlords can impose once-a-year hikes with no ceiling.
Instead of responding boldly and constructively to a problem that's creating economic hardship for large numbers of Albertans and employment problems for many Alberta businesses trying to compete with the oilsands developers for workers, the Tories tried to dodge the bullet. They're attempting to buy a little more time.
In the meantime, apartment owners will continue to record huge profits, the affordable housing crisis will continue and the whole problem will blow up again next spring.This is not leadership.
Boom's deadly toll
The blood spilled and the body count wasn't as high as in the tragic Diversified 690 bus crash. Thank God for that. But the cause of the death of two Chinese temporary foreign workers at Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.'s Horizon oilsands plant this week can be traced back to same source.
And that's the Alberta Tories' botched - and now extremely deadly - oilsands policy, which triggered a massive oilsands building boom without first putting in place the necessary infrastructure.
The Tories then conspired with the developers to tear up the labour peace treaty that ruled the oilsands for more than a decade.
There followed the airlift of cheap foreign workers, while thousands of Alberta tradesmen and women sit on union dispatch lists.
The collapse of the tank roof structure that killed Genbao Ge and Hong Liang Liu and injured four others working for the Chinese-government-owned contractor was the culmination of this goofy policy.
It's the same one that allows oilsands developers to pay a penny-on-the-dollar royalty until the multi-billion-buck plants are paid out, while at the same time shipping raw bitumen and jobs down the pipeline to Illinois and Texas and leaving behind irreparable environmental damage in the pristine boreal bush north of Fort McMurray.
It wasn't until after the bus crash that killed six construction workers on the Syncrude job that the Alberta PCs finally admitted that Highway 63 was fundamentally dangerous. And they're now playing a desperate game of catch-up to twin the major route to the oilsands.
But only last week, Finance Minister Lyle Oberg was bragging in his budget speech about more offshore workers coming in.
"We will develop an immigration strategy to encourage more skilled workers to come to Alberta." Oberg boomed. Well, how do you like your strategy now, Lyle?
And just how panicked the Stelmach government is to control the damage and deflect the blame has been clearly evident since Tuesday's tragedy.
A limited internal investigation by government bureaucrats - and no public report, but simply a handover to the dubious Alberta Justice Department, which already has the worst record in Canada on bringing boardroom bad guys to justice. (They've yet to get the trucker who crashed into Bus 690 into court - an accident that happened way back on May 20, 2005.)
Worker error
Meanwhile, CNRL is being allowed to do a parallel "full investigation" of the incident, where worker error will be the inevitable conclusion.Heck, Employment Minister Iris Evans didn't even bother to issue a press release acknowledging the latest oilpatch accident even happened.
Smoke and mirrors
"Alberta intends to borrow $300 million on behalf of its corporations this year," noted CIBC World Markets economist Avery Shenfeld. "With half of that raised in the public debt market."
Shenfeld added that the government-backed Alberta Capital Finance Authority and ATB Financial plan on floating paper worth $2 billion this year.
BMO Capital Markets economist Michael Gregory also determined that the Tories are back in the borrowing business "which will be subsequently lent to other provincial corporations to meet their funding requirements."
Things get even more murky when you dig deep into the budget documents to find the true meaning of P3 (public/private partnerships), like the Anthony Henday and Stoney Trail ring roads in Edmonton and Calgary.
P3 magic, we are told, is that it "allows the government to transfer certain risks that the private sector is better able to manage."
Without getting too specific.
But the background blurb also admits: "contribution of public financing to a P3 project should reduce total project cost."
And under a section called "debt servicing costs," Oberg's documents show a line identified as "financing costs for government-owned capital (P3s)" growing from $8 million this fiscal year to $22 million by 2009-10.
Yup, we're back in debt.
Except the budget book would prefer to call it "alternative financing" or "capital lease liability".
Of course, there's more debt on the books in "debt free" Alberta.
Another $166 million in medium term bonds comes due this year.
That leaves over $1.2 billion of old Don Getty debt on the books to be paid off from the debt retirement account when it comes due. Some of that won't be until 2013.
Sure, there's another $2.2 billion surplus in the forecast this year plus another $7.7 billion ticking over in the Sustainability Fund.
OTHER FUNDS
At the same time, the Tories will pull another $1.4 billion of investment income out of the Alberta Heritage Fund, while other funds will yield an additional $2.1 billion more.
But isn't the HTF supposed to be used for a rainy day?
Don't worry, it could be pouring soon.
The University of Calgary's Institute for Sustainability, Energy, Environment and Economy recently released a paper on Alberta's economic future.
The results of that study are suddenly showing up in government documents.
The "bulk" of the government resource revenue came from gas royalties in recent years.
In 2004, it hit over $8 billion. By 2013, the institute predicts gas royalty revenue will be only $3 billion.
While oilsands revenue is the next big thing, the way the Tories have screwed up the royalty regime with their goofy penny-on-the-dollar giveaway leads the institute to a grim conclusion.
"In general, one would expect significantly lower royalties as a percentage of revenues in the case of oil- sands compared to conventional oil," the paper warns. Expected royalties compared to recent years will be "substantially lower."
And the projected royalty revenues for 2013 are "just over $5 billion" - which the report points out are "about one-half the average levels" over the past five years.Looks like Oberg is just getting warmed up for when Alberta is back aboard the debt and deficit wagon.
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Social Credit,Socreds, PC, Calgary, Party of Calgary, politics, leadership, Conservatives, Edmonton, One Party State,History, Politics, Economics,leadership, politics, PC, | 9,607 | 4,613 | 0.00022 |
warc | 201704 | MILWAUKEE (AP) — Nearly as many Americans die from guns as from car crashes each year. We know plenty about the second problem and far less about the first. A scarcity of research on how to prevent gun violence has left policymakers shooting in the dark as they craft gun control measures without much evidence of what works.
Some local news is curated - Original might have been posted at a different date/ time! Click the source link for details.
Full News here – Politics News Headlines – Yahoo! News | 522 | 357 | 0.002907 |
warc | 201704 | County officials stress need for public safety levy The new levy would be 1 cent per $1,000 cheaper than the previous tax
HILLSBORO - They are pleading, in a dignified way.
At rotary meetings, neighborhood group meetings, chamber of commerce gatherings - any place they can find a public forum - the sheriff, the district attorney and the chairman of the board of county commissioners are all campaigning heavily for local Measure No. 34-127.
It's more commonly referred to as 'the public safety levy,' a local tax Washington County voters can choose to pay or not pay in the upcoming Nov. 7 general election.
The levy, a four-year renewal of a tax that county residents have paid for the last five years, accounts for about 17 percent of the funding for the county's justice system, including law enforcement, jail operations, courts and emergency services for victims of crimes.
It's money that fills in the financial gaps created by a property tax system that doesn't keep up with the county's population growth and demands for services, the elected officials say. It's money that makes the system work smoothly.
'Every (jail) bed is open, and we're running okay. That, for me, is the most critical piece of this levy,' said Washington County Sheriff Rob Gordon.
Where's the money go?
Bob Hermann, the county's district attorney, said money from the levy not only pays the salaries for nearly half of the county's prosecutors, allowing criminal cases to move more quickly through the justice system, but it also pays for specially trained criminal investigators, a boon for the prosecution of crimes.
'What we've done in this county is we have really improved the quality of investigation,' Hermann said.
All told, the officials say the levy would pay for 125 positions - a number that includes only four new positions: two deputies for the sheriff's investigations unit and two counselors for the juvenile department. The funding of all those positions also keeps 114 beds open at the county jail (14 percent of the jail's capacity), reducing the number of inmates that need to be released early for lack of space.
The levy also would retain about 50 percent of the income that the county's four emergency shelters - a public/private partnership - rely on to operate.
And it would expand the county's successful drug court program from 20 defendants a year to 76 a year - a point Tom Brian, chairman of the county's board of commissioners, emphasizes.
If the levy fails?
'The question is whether the agencies have enough money to invest in cost-effective alternatives to incarceration,' such as the drug court, he said.
Without the levy, they don't, Brian said. The county would need to spend its resources on maintaining the bare-bones system, instead of exploring more efficient and collaborative strategies valued by most, if not all, of the county's leaders.
Indeed, 'we think we have the most effective criminal justice system in Oregon,' Gordon said.
The county is also in the middle of updating its criminal justice system master plan - a process whereby consultants are looking for inefficiencies in the system. Officials expect the review to be completed in a year or two.
The cost?
If voters renew the levy in November, county residents would pay 42 cents per $1,000 in assessed value of their property (1 cent per $1,000 cheaper than the previous levy).
Owners of a home assessed at $192,000, for example, would pay an additional $81 in taxes in 2007.
'Washington County is a very safe community,' Gordon said. 'Look at what we've done, and allow us to continue doing it.' | 3,610 | 1,774 | 0.000567 |
warc | 201704 | This question is often asked by many people in our stressed out society, especially mothers juggling a job and children. Everything goes back to our caveman past. Our evolution has provided us with an amazing flight or flight instinct. This served our distant ancestors well on the African Savannas when they were running flat out from a drooling lion or alligator.
When our flight or flight response is triggered our adrenal glands go into overdrive and juice up your body full of adrenalin and enhance the nerve signals between your brain and the rest of your body. The increased adrenalin triggers the mind to circulate blood only around the areas which are needed for survival, generally, heart, lungs, brain and legs.
Occasional use of our flight or fight response gives us super human strength and cognition powers. However, in modern society the same response is triggered on an almost continuous basis: the email from the boss, the screaming kids, the traffic, the low bank balance... All of it adds up and taxes your adrenal glands until there is simply nothing left to give, the result is adrenal gland burnout and the effects can be devastating.
Adrenal gland burnout, also known as adrenal gland dysfunction can result in a feeling of being perpetually tired, cranky and annoyed. It can lead to a foggy mind, low sex drive and feelings of depression and weight gain that not even the strongest triple espresso can fix. The saddest thing is, to remedy the adrenal dysfunction many of us turn to speedy energy drinks, coffee and donuts. These convenience store quick fixes may give you a short term buzz, but they tax and basically juice and twist what is left of your adrenals and worsen the problem and can make it permanent.
PotentSea® Marine Aminos are a rare blend of naturally occurring, non synthetic marine amino acids and minerals which feed the adrenal glands to create a state of adrenal health. Once you achieve adrenal health through the use of PotentSea® Marine Aminos you can return to your old self. You will enjoy sustained energy without annoying jitters. You will see a noticeable anti-aging effect. Your better hair, skin and nails will have everyone telling you that you look years younger. You will have all the energy and mental focus that a demanding job and children require.In short, PotentSea® Marine Aminos will fight adrenal gland burnout and adrenal gland dysfunction helping you to be you again! | 2,457 | 1,221 | 0.000826 |
warc | 201704 | Contemporary social and environmental conditions pose significant challenges to normative design practices, evolving out of an increasing scarcity of resources and consequent shifts in economic, political and material processes. Landscape Urbanism sets out to develop new modes of practice that directly engage with these new conditions and the ways in which they continuously reconfigure the city. The methodology of the Landscape Urbanism programme is multidisciplinary by definition. Expanding from the legacy of landscape design to consider the complexity of contemporary urban dynamics, the course work integrates knowledge and techniques from such disciplines as environmental engineering, urban strategy, landscape ecology and architecture. The programme operates by synthesising the dynamic and temporal forces that shape the contemporary urban landscape with the generative and organisational potentials of materials developed through abstract systems.
Prototypical Urbanities: Towards an Interstitial Ecology
China’s economic boom, combined with migration from the countryside to the cities, is boosting a high-speed urbanism that produces new cities in the shortest imaginable time. This directional urbanisation, propelled from within the coastal zones and into the countryside, has brought even the smallest villages face to face with the phenomena of globalisation and its foreign capitalist and generic architecture.
Building upon a body of research established over the past four years, LU has maintained its focus on China’s ambitions to build 400 new cities by the year 2020 – with 12 million people expected to move from rural to urban locations – as the basis for its brief. Far from resisting this development, we have engaged opportunistically with the generation of ‘proto-strategies’ for new large-scale agglomerations as a means of critically addressing the phenomenon of mass-produced urban sprawl. Our test-bed this year has been the urban agglomerations around the metropolitan area of Beijing.
Workshop Tutors
Rebecca Haines-Gadd
Teruyuki Nomura | 2,112 | 1,089 | 0.000935 |
warc | 201704 | “In the bright new age of whale science, Graham Burnett's astounding and wide-ranging report from the front lines of cetacean studies is hugely welcome. Rooted in historical fact, political, philosophical, and scientific analysis, it lays out the sorry story of the interaction of humans and whales in an era that redefined the ever-uneasy meeting of natural and human history. By turns enlightening, lively, and disturbing, always intuitive and drawing on a wealth of knowledge as vast as its subject, Burnett’s book is set to become a new high water mark in a still unfolding story.”
Philip Hoare, author of The Whale
“The wait is over. We finally have a comprehensive, brilliantly written chronicle of science in the history of whaling—or whaling in the history of science. Graham Burnett’s leviathanic opus covers everything you ever wanted to know—or didn’t know you wanted to know—about the biology, conservation, politics, and history of what is perhaps man’s most troubled relationship with wild animals. This masterly study eclipses every cetological work that precedes it. Well, maybe not
Moby-Dick.”
Richard Ellis, author of The Great Sperm Whale The Sounding of the Whale Science and Cetaceans in the Twentieth Century D. Graham Burnett
Publication Date: 31 January 2012 Cloth • $45.00 • £29.00 UK Publication Date: 20 February 2012 978-0-226-08130-4
“In the early twentieth century, whale biology was restricted to the flensing decks of factory ships, where scientists were in danger of being sucked ‘into the belly of the beast’ of modern whaling.
D. Graham Burnett artfully renders the history, and the often fractious relationship, between biologists and whalers; I felt as if I had discovered a trail of ambergris meticulously arrayed along the shores
of twentieth-century cetology.
The Sounding of the Whale is a work of stunning scholarship
and a bracing read.”
Joe Roman, author of Listed and Whale
D. Graham Burnett is professor of history and history of science at Princeton University. He is an editor at Cabinet magazine and the author of four books, including A Trial by Jury, Trying Leviathan, and Masters of All They Surveyed. He is available for interviews
Please contact Levi Stahl at (773) 702-0289 or lstahl@press.uchicago.edu for more information. | 2,384 | 1,253 | 0.000835 |
warc | 201704 | Boston, MA (PressExposure) May 18, 2009 -- (IDTheftSecurity.com) Dan Yost, chief technology officer of the laptop computer security firm MyLaptopGPS, appeared on several news media outlets this month to discuss the impact of recent government laptop thefts in Oklahoma. Nearly 1.25 million unique data records on Oklahoma citizens went missing because of apparently lax security leading to the loss of two state mobile computers. In his various news media appearances since, Yost has noted the potentially catastrophic financial fallout of data losses such as these and stressed that the single most effective laptop theft deterrent is laptop tracking technology, which MyLaptopGPS provides in the form of Internet-based GPS.
"A mobile computer is stolen every 12 seconds, and now the State of Oklahoma has become a victim of this statistic more than once," said Yost, who invited readers to follow MyLaptopGPS' laptop computer security blog and laptop computer security posts at Twitter. "Every time a laptop computer containing citizens' information is stolen, the financial ramifications for the affected organization (this time, government) can be catastrophic. Just the cost to mail notification letters, for instance, can be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The alternative, installing proper laptop security technology on machines containing constituents' sensitive data, is inexpensive and money well spent."
Yost's expertise has been featured twice in CXO Europe. Furthermore, in December of 2008, he and widely televised and quoted identity theft expert Robert Siciliano co-delivered a presentation titled "Information in the Modern Age: Maintaining Privacy in an Era of Medical Record Identity Theft" at the 4th Annual World Healthcare Innovation & Technology Congress in Washington, D.C., where Former U.S. Congressman Newt Gingrich delivered the keynote address.
Reported in April, the loss of a total of two laptop computers belonging to the Oklahoma state government resulted in the attendant loss of close to 1.25 million unique data records on Oklahoma residents. First, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services revealed that a laptop containing highly sensitive information about approximately one million Oklahomans was stolen from an employeeâs car. Then, the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency lost to thieves a mobile computer containing the private data of up to 225,000 Oklahomans.
Yost's response to these thefts in his company's home state appeared in news media outlets several times. With Rep. Jason Nelson and Rep. Jason Murphey, Yost also spoke at a related press conference at the Oklahoma State Capitol. Furthermore, in a letter to the editor of his that appeared in Tulsa World, Yost noted the role that laptop security technology could have played in preventing or greatly mitigating these thefts' impact.
Featured in Inc. Magazine and TechRepublic, MyLaptopGPS maintains the Realtime Estimated Damage Index (REDIâ¢), a running tally of highly publicized laptop and desktop computer thefts and losses and these lossesâ associated costs. Since the beginning of 2008, 4,291,909 data records associated with laptop theft have been lost, according to the REDI at MyLaptopGPS' website. A log of these high-profile laptop thefts is available.
"Once again, a large, public organization has failed to safeguard its constituents' information," said Siciliano, who endorses MyLaptopGPS and is CEO of identity theft protection firm IDTheftSecurity.com. "The alternative is to invest in and install inexpensive, effective laptop computer security technology. Doing so is in fact simple and runs a high likelihood of preventing laptop theftâwhich, we've seen, is fraught with financial headaches."
YouTube video shows Siciliano on a local FOX News affiliate discussing the importance of securing mobile computing devices on college campuses, where laptop theft can run rampant. To learn more about identity theft, a major concern for anyone who's lost a laptop computer or other mobile computing device to thieves, readers may go to video of Siciliano at VideoJug.
Anyone who belongs to LinkedIn® is encouraged to join MyLaptopGPS' laptop computer security group there. They may download a demo of MyLaptopGPS, as well, and have the opportunity to read one of two reports tailored to the type of organization they run.
About IDTheftSecurity.com Identity theft affects everyone. CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, Robert Siciliano is a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report's editorial board and of the consumer advisory board for McAfee. Additionally, in a partnership to help raise awareness about the growing threat of identity theft and provide tips for consumers to protect themselves, he is nationwide spokesperson for uni-ball in 2009 (uniball-na.com provides for more information). A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on "The Today Show," "CBS Early Show," CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX News, "The Suze Orman Show," "The Montel Williams Show," "Tyra" and "Inside Edition." Numerous magazines, print news outlets and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft. These include Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters and others. For more information, visit Siciliano's Web site, blog, and YouTube page.
The media are encouraged to get in touch with any of the following individuals: | 5,635 | 2,634 | 0.000384 |
warc | 201704 | Jericho, New York (PressExposure) October 28, 2009 -- Government insured and sponsored loans are those loans that are regulated and sponsored by the government. These types of loans have several benefits over conventional loans; they have minimum or no down payments; have low rate of interests, and most importantly allow a borrower with average credit history to purchase a home. Government sponsored loans most often do not carry pre-payment penalties, making them the most sought after loans available.
Topdot Mortgage is one of the few loan providing firms that has recently launched FHA (Federal Housing Authority) loans or government sponsored loans for its clients. There are three basic types of such FHA loans; 30 year fixed rate and return loans, 15 year fixed rate and return loans, and 1 year adjustable rate and return loan program. These specialized loans offered by Topdot Mortgage allow loan advantage to those clients who have a few credit problems, or those who fall short of conforming or subprime guidelines. FHA loans are regulated and insured by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
FHA loans have a number of advantages. For a lender, a 30-year fixed mortgage loan offers better pricing than conforming fixed rates. The greatest plus point for a homeowner is that he can refinance up to 95 percent cash with the help of FHA loans without requiring any cash reserves. a From borrower's perspective, the down payment of these loans can come from a variety of places including gift funds, employer, a relative or a non-profit agency; such an option is not there in conventional loans. FHA loans also allow a seller concession of six percent on all purchase transactions. Another benefit for those who have a limited or no credit score is that they can get the advantage of alternative non-traditional credit as there is no minimum credit score.
With all these advantages FHA loans can prove to be the perfect product to help borrowers achieve their dreams. | 2,000 | 988 | 0.001015 |
warc | 201704 | The Economics of Milkfish Aquaculture in Iloilo, Philippines
Tarrosa-Pestano, Maria Cecilia (1992)
Abstract
The milkfish (ehanos chanos)industry plays a vital role in the Philippine economy. The industry, however, is facing the problem of low productivity. This study evaluates the efficiency of resource use in milkfish aquaculture. The trans log production and translog prof it functions were estimated using cross-sectional data obtained through a survey of 67 milkfish farmers surveyed in Iloilo, Philippines. In both functions, the explanatory variables were inorganic fertilizer, seed, labour, pesticides,age of pond and respondent's experience. Farm size was entered as dummy variable for small, medium and large farms. The performance of each farm category was evaluated using economic indicators such as rate of return on investment, rate of return on operating cost, ratio of net profit to gross revenues and ratio of net profit to variable costs. The results showed that the small farms had performed better than the other farm groups.
Repository Staff Only: Edit item detail | 1,092 | 598 | 0.001681 |
warc | 201704 | Regular smoking substantially increases risk of asthma in adolescents
Adolescents who smoke cigarettes regularly have a significantly increased risk of developing asthma during their teens compared to their non-smoking peers, according to the latest results of the Children's Health Study (CHS).
The research appears in the second issue for November 2006 of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, published by the American Thoracic Society.
Frank D. Gilliland, M.D., Ph.D., of the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, and six associates analyzed 2,609 children with no prior history of either asthma or wheezing. All participants were recruited from fourth- and seventh-grade classrooms in 12 southern California communities as part of the CHS, which tracked the respiratory health of school-aged children during the 1990s.
For periods of five to eight years (depending on a student's age at the beginning of the study), the investigators annually collected data on demographic factors, medical histories, household exposures, cigarette smoking and newly diagnosed asthma through interviews and questionnaires. They used this information to estimate a child's relative risk for new-onset asthma.
"The results of our study provide clear evidence that regular smoking increases the risk for asthma and that important chronic adverse consequences of smoking are not restricted to individuals who have smoked for many years," said Dr. Gilliland.
Among the children studied, there were 255 cases of new onset asthma (104 males and 151 females). Children who reported smoking 300 or more cigarettes per year had almost a four-fold increased risk for new-onset asthma compared with nonsmokers. Surprisingly, this increased risk was greater in non-allergic children than those with a history of allergies.
The adolescents most at risk for developing asthma, Dr. Gilliland noted, are those who were exposed to cigarette smoke while in the womb and who later became regular smokers (seven or more cigarettes per day). The investigators found this combination led to more than an eight-fold increased risk of asthma compared with unexposed nonsmokers.
"The effects of smoking may be mediated by changes in airway function, as smoking causes increased bronchial hyper-responsiveness in children and adults without asthma," said Dr. Gilliland. "The combined effect of increased bronchial hyper-responsiveness and the pro-inflammatory milieu in smokers may set the stage for the onset of asthma."
The link between active smoking with asthma were not substantially affected by adjustments for demographic factors like educational attainment, family income, birth weight, gestational age, health insurance availability, physical activity levels, family history of asthma, pets, humidifier use, other household characteristics, or exposure to ambient pollutants and indoor combustion sources, including secondhand smoke.
"The clinical and public health implications of our findings are far-reaching," said Dr. Gilliland. "Effective tobacco control efforts focusing on the prevention of smoking in children, adolescents and women of childbearing age are urgently needed to reduce the number of these preventable cases of asthma."
Contact: Jennifer Chan, Media Relations Representative, University of Southern California, 1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 236, Los Angeles, California 90033
Phone: (213) 703-1482 E-mail: [email protected] Last reviewed:By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 30 Apr 2016 Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved. | 3,595 | 1,768 | 0.000569 |
warc | 201704 | The narrative of Canada's role in the Afghan civil war as told by the country's mainstream media is designed to lead readers and viewers to two inescapable conclusions:
First, that after 10 years, Canada's involvement in the conflict has come to a definitive end.
Second, that thanks to the efforts and sacrifices of Canada's troops, at least 157 of whom have died with scores more maimed physically and mentally, the West has triumphed unconditionally in Afghanistan.
Alas, the balance of probability is high that both these yarns are baloney.
It is equally likely that the people spinning these Afghan fairy tales know very well they are not true, and that they are designed principally to serve the political needs of the country's Conservative government.
Nevertheless, the tone of Canadian coverage of the Afghan war brooks no argument that these dubious conclusions are somehow the unchallengeable truth.
Consider a story in my local paper and many others across Canada on July 8. This tale by correspondent Matthew Fisher was distributed by Postmedia News, which it is fair to say has served as a trusty Sherpa to the Harper Government's line on Afghanistan, loyally humping the government's propaganda day after day all the way back to Canada from the Hindu Kush.
So begins this tale, with startling precision: "Canada's first war in more than half a century ended at 11:18 a.m. local time Thursday, about 300 metres away from where the first Canadian combat troops set foot in Kandahar on Jan. 19, 2002."
Alas, it cannot be said that Canada's involvement in this war was over by any definition by 11:19 a.m., or indeed that it likely will be until the day the last Western troops and their supporters are taken by helicopter off the roof of the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul … metaphorically speaking, that is.
For that matter, Canada's "combat role," technically defined, is not even over, as many of our troops will remain to assist with the handover of the occupied territory to more numerous U.S. soldiers.
Beyond that, the government of Stephen Harper, ever loyal to American imperial projects, foresees our troops remaining for a three-year hitch in a "training" capacity to bring the Afghan National Army to a point at which it can defend the regime of Afghan President Hamid Karzai (and its inevitable pro-American successors) on its own.
At least three things are wrong with this story. First, the frequent description of military "trainers" and "advisers" as non-combatants is largely fictional. Historically, so-called combat trainers frequently found themselves in the thick of the fiercest fighting, lest they lose credibility with their students. Notwithstanding its pacific protestations, it is unclear what the intentions of the Harper government are for the activities of Canadian advisers.
Second, even if our soldiers remain "behind the wire," as we have been repeatedly promised, there's no guarantee their "students" can be depended upon not to turn on them -- as the soldiers of the German
Bundeswehr discovered to their horror last February. This is a civil war in which the West has intervened, after all, and the motives of many groups, including elements of the Afghan army, remain murky.
Third, it seems highly unlikely that the Karzai government, without popular support among the country's Pashtun majority (notwithstanding the president's ethnicity), can survive without Western mercenaries to prop it up, no matter how well trained the Afghan army is.
From any sensible military perspective, then, the meter continues to run on Canada's involvement in the Afghan war -- and a tariff will still to have to continue to be paid, both in blood and treasure.
The other part of the Afghan fairy story is the claim that has been drummed into our heads that Western troops in Afghanistan, including Canada's, have succeeded in defeating the Taliban in a set-piece campaign, as if the Talibs were the
Wehrmacht and this was late 1944 in Europe.
Turning again to the gospel according to Matthew Fisher: "the coalition succeeded in pushing the enemy off the battlefield. This allowed Canadian, American and Afghan forces to move in among the local population to ensure their security and to assist them with economic development."
But the Taliban, as the military arm of the Pashtun people in a civil war, are
an insurgency. As such, they do not wear uniforms or march behind brass bands into battles on open ground upon which they can be conveniently defeated.
They ebb and flow, arming roadside bombs at night, farming innocently by day, wisely never turning up for a battle in which they can be crushed by their better-armed foe. As Mao Zedong explained and the Taliban recently practised atop the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul and later in Kandahar: "The enemy advances, we retreat; the enemy camps, we harass; the enemy tires, we attack; the enemy retreats, we pursue."
If Western troops do pull out of Afghanistan in meaningful numbers, Taliban activity can be expected to pick up. If Westerners flow back to protect their allies, they will seem to evanesce.
Indeed, a study by the Rand Corp., the U.S. military's think tank, has suggested that defeating the Taliban insurgency would take up to 600,000 troops and 14 years -- which is arguably beyond the financial and manpower capacity of the West's armed forces, not to mention the patience of voters in Western democracies, even this one.
This is why, as British Prime Minister David Cameron recently sensibly suggested, in the words of the
Telegraph, "Afghanistan's long-term future lies in a negotiated settlement with the Taliban." He argued for the model that was used to entice the Irish Republican Army into a peaceful role in government in Northern Ireland in return for giving up its insurgency.
For even if its numbers are severely depleted, as may or may not be the case, the Taliban can continue almost forever to make trouble for the occupiers and their collaborators. And so even the brother of President Karzai, walled away in his Kandahar redoubt and protected by his Praetorian Guard, could not escape the long reach of the Taliban. To quote Fidel Castro, another old Commie revolutionary of whom the Taliban would likely not approve, "no cause will be lost while there is one revolutionary and there is one gun."
The true story of the Afghan war comes down to this: If the West cannot make an accommodation with the Pashtun people through the Taliban, the war will continue until the West is driven out. That may take a long time, and there may be a high cost, but it will happen.
"News stories" that tell you differently, or that claim Canada's involvement in this tragic conflict has now ended, are designed to advance a political program that has its roots closer to home than in the high dusty mountains of the Hindu Kush.
This post also appears on David Climenhaga's blog, Alberta Diary. | 6,961 | 3,346 | 0.000301 |
warc | 201704 | Intellectuals and the People is extensively researched and engages with prominent theorists in order to intervene in contemporary debates about the relation of intellectuals to society. It sets out to demonstrate that discussions of the intellectual and society focus upon the vulnerability or declining authority of the intellectual and overlook the extent to which supposed differences between intellectuals and 'other people' support wider existing social and political inequalities. Angie Sandhu focuses on the implication of power and authority for intellectuals and their work and argues against the notion that intellectual autonomy is beneficial either for intellectuals or society. She places intellectuals in a more constructive and egalitarian relation to 'other people', and concludes by referring to the promising development in Latin America, in particular the Zapatistas, who are challenging inequalities and hierarchies within theory and practice. | 965 | 503 | 0.001992 |
warc | 201704 | "The editors have brought together a range of eminent contributors who present a range of issues throughout the life cycle. The book asserts that it hopes to 'assist readers to anticipate change and discontinuity in people's lives and think about strategies to support them' through the many challenges that they may face in their lives. In my view this book certainly does that and the editors and contributors are to be congratulated on the production of a relevant and contemporary text that I have no hesitation in both endorsing and recommending to all involved in supporting and or caring for people with learning disabilities." Professor Bob Gates, Project Leader - Learning Disabilities Workforce Development, NHS Education South Central, UK "The editors have gathered an authoritative faculty to present and discuss a range of contemporary issues; both practical and ethical. The text is well grounded in the lived experience of people with disability and draws on the... | 985 | 550 | 0.001827 |
warc | 201704 | Helminth and arthropod parasites were collected from 41 warthogs, Phacochoerus aethiopicus, in the Hoedspruit Nature Reserve, eastern Transvaal. This reserve consists of a military base, which is a restricted area and is surrounded by a reserve, which is open to the public. Eleven nematode species, 1 or 2 cestode species and the larvae of 2 cestode species were recovered from the animals in the reserve, and 8 nematode species and 1 or 2 cestode species were recovered from those in the military base. Oesophagostomum spp. were generally most abundant in warthogs in the reserve during the cooler months of the year, while Probstmayria vivipara also occurred in peak numbers during the cooler months, with an additional peak in October and November 1988 in warthogs in the reserve and the base, respectively. No pattern of seasonal abundance could be determined for the other helminth species. The warthogs also harboured 8 ixodid and 1 argasid tick species, 3 flea species and 1 louse species. Adult and immature Haematopinus phacochoeri were most numerous during August and September, and the largest numbers of adult Rhipicephalus simus were present from December to April.
Description:
The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi.Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format. | 1,392 | 733 | 0.001368 |
warc | 201704 | Smart restaurant owners know the best place to create, build and maintain a relationship with their customers is right where they spend the most time – on Facebook.
Whether it’s their smartphone, tablet or desktop, you can bet your customers are using Facebook. In fact, of the more than 500 million active Facebook users, more than 50% log in to their accounts every single day.
That’s a whole lot of people checking in to their Facebook accounts on a daily basis.
In this article, we look at how you can use Facebook to connect with your customers to build strong, long-lasting relationships.
One of the newest and most promising ways to connect with your customers and build a community is with Facebook Live Video.
With live video, you actually take your restaurant online on Facebook live. You can talk in real time to your audience and even take their questions.
Facebook Live Video enables you to have a live and engaging conversation with your followers. You can even gauge how they like your live broadcast by watching their live reactions roll over the screen.
What might you showcase? You could live stream any of the following:
Live video is successful because it gives people an inside look at your restaurant, it’s authentic, and people love watching video. (tweet this)
Your restaurant will benefit from reaching your audience in new and exciting ways. You’ll also have a superb chance at acquiring new followers as they catch on to your live stream.
With Facebook Live Video, you can generate extra excitement for your restaurant.
Before you get started with live video, here are a few tips:
You may spend a lot of time crafting and curating content for your restaurant’s Facebook page. You’ve got a social media planning calendar, and you’ve got posts lined out for the month. If this is the case, great job.
Yet, keeping up with your social media page is a lot of work. It takes patience and dedication to craft engaging Facebook posts on a consistent basis.
You can take some of the work off your shoulders while at the same time connecting with your customers.
How? Encourage your customers to be a part of the conversation.
Not only will this be fun for your customer, but it will draw in new followers as well because Facebook has created a platform where it’s okay to be a voyeur. We can watch what others are doing in safety and even react to it.
Look at these ways you can encourage customers to fill up your restaurant’s Facebook page:
Remember that word-of-mouth advertising is still king, yet it has evolved in today’s digital age.
Facebook is the platform for word-of-mouth. You can bet that your potential customers are looking at your reviews and the comments on your Facebook page before deciding to dine with you.
You want people to “check-in” at your restaurant when they’re on the premises. This increases your visibility in the Facebook News Feed. (tweet this)
This is a terrific way to connect with your customers.
Go one step further and set up offers on your page that are shown to your customers once they check-in at your restaurant. Using Facebook Offers, you’ll not only connect with diners but enhance their loyalty as well.
Make it easy for customers to find your menu. It should, of course, be on your website, but did you know it can be on your Facebook page as well?
It’s easy to add a menu tab to your Facebook page. This is a great way to connect with your customers.
When it comes to Facebook, the possibilities for connecting with your customers are endless.
We’re going to leave you with a few more tips for using Facebook to connect with customers:
As we mentioned earlier, shrewd restaurant owners know they can build and maintain relationships with their customers by meeting them where they are – right on Facebook.
Make today the day you leverage this powerful platform to engage, delight, educate, connect with and reward your customers.
At Restaurant Engine, we build responsive, mobile-friendly restaurant websites that intrigue and tantalize your customers. Contact us today for your free website consultation. We’d are here to help you stand out in the crowd and stay ahead of your competition with your restaurant website. | 4,312 | 1,897 | 0.000543 |
warc | 201704 | The US Airways Fleet Service Agent - Overtime
A Fleet Service Agent (FSA) can perform any of a variety of task pertaining to the preparation of aircraft for flight. A FSA works in an open environment called the “ramp”. The FSA physically loads/unloads aircraft with baggage and cargo, caters aircraft, handles and transfers baggage, and marshals aircraft.
The conditions and work of a FSA can be challenging. Working in an open environment the FSA is exposed to all whether conditions. Several functions dealing with aircraft preparation involve the physical challenges of handling cargo and baggage of varies weights and proportions.
Jets and planes rolling in, trucks of all sorts moving into position, aircraft loading/unloading equipment pulling up, carts being positioned, and employees from various departments along with contractors all working on of a single aircraft at one time makes the atmosphere of an FSA very exciting. The task and goals of these individuals may differ, however they are all working toward a single ultimate goal - to make the customers experience the best it could possible have been.
With so much activity, coordination and cooperation are essential. FSA’s and contractors must work together to achieve their individual goals. With those goals obtained the ultimate goal is almost certain to be achieved.
All FSA’s obtain their shifts through a process called a “shift bid”. A shift bid is a seniority based selection system; employees with the more seniority will select a shift before an employee with less seniority. FSA schedules have a variety start-times. Shifts can range from a minimum of four to a maximum of six hours. All shifts over four hours include a half-hours unpaid lunch. With a variety of start-times and lengths the FSA position has the flexibility that is ideal for a college student looking for a little extra money for school
The FSA enjoys the convenience of free parking, free employee shuttle, main road accessibility, and public transportation.
All Philadelphia international airport airport employees are given free access to the employee parking lot. The employee lot is located minutes from both I95 and I76 and is positioned at the intersection of two major roads. Once in the parking lot employees catch the employee shuttle, which will take them to the airport. Within the lot employees are picked-up a one of several conveniently located stops. The employee shuttle stops at all airport terminals where employees are dropped-off and are picked-up to be taken to the parking lot. The shuttle then returns to the employee lot where the cycle continues.
Employees also have access to public transposition services by Septa routes R1, 37 and 108. | 2,751 | 1,300 | 0.000781 |
warc | 201704 | Finally, we have an article with a refreshing change of pace from what is so often touted in the news at the minute when it comes to Kratom usage. Kratompedia.com reports in a first person style blog, simple ways which can enhance and stabilise Kratom experiences. The author of the article details simple approaches to lifestyle which compliment the approach of using Kratom as a dietary supplement rather than a drug to escape with. Here the author goes into approaches such as making sure you are well hydrated whilst using Kratom, a point which is potentially vital as it is simple.
There are so many articles in the good versus bad of Kratom, it is not unreasonable to assume that the varying effects individuals experience could be down to wildly fluctuating levels of hydration. This article is definitely worth a read: http://kratompedia.com/kratom-guide/.
Users of hard drugs such as Heroin and black market painkillers are looking to Kratom for their opiate high. Those individuals take high doses of Kratom to achieve their opiate-like high however, many suggest that hard drug addicts might be able to quit their habit by switching to Kratom.
While Kratom acts like an opiate by stimulating the same parts of the brain true opiates do it has been shown to be a safer alternative to these hard drugs, lawmakers believe that this drug will only lead users back to their original drug of choice. A business listing kratom vendors who sell the the drug claims:
I've helped roughly 50-of-110 heroin/opiate addicts they've seen stay clean from their addictions by substituting kratom since 2012.
While those numbers may show Kratom is helping there is no record to show how many users suffered a relapse or simply spend an enormous amount of money on the drug only to create more problems they had previously. Fox46 - Kratom use and opiates | 1,853 | 971 | 0.001034 |
warc | 201704 | How long do running shoes really last?
We’ve all heard it—300 to 500 miles. 6 months. Depends on the runner.
I don’t believe it.
I love buying shoes, who doesn’t? Looking through the newest buyers guide can surge adrenaline through the capillaries like shooting down a switchback. For us runners, shoes are our number one piece of gear. After 250 miles we are destined to start feeling the twinges of, “I need to replace my shoes pain.” Magically the new kicks, along with the new shoe smell, qualms our leg twinges. But, is this true or is it merely a case of phantom pains.
I am not an authority, just a case study.
In the past I have subscribed to the get new shoes quick state of mind. Now, I step back and reflect whether I need them or not. I’d like to put on the table that I’m not trying to save the planet nor live the frugaltarian life. I don’t mind doing either one of these things, but the foremost reason for not giving in to the new shoe fever is
endurance.
What can your shoes endure?
As runners we test the boundaries of endurance on a daily basis. We test our bodies, so why not test our shoes. They are also in it for the long run.
How far can they really go?
I have a pair of Brooks Cascadia’s with about 1500 miles, this is nothing in comparison with some of my long live the running shoe compadres. You know who you are. Don’t fear the shoe companies that sponsor you. Put it on the line and let us know what your shoes have under the hood.
For all the naysayers, yes we know the negatives, the dangers and consequences. We also know what might happen to our bodies after piling on miles day after day. Still we endure.
If you can’t shake the shoe buying temptation, at least keep one pair of shoes in the rotation and put them to the test. See what you can put them through.
From this day forward we will be holding the
running shoe contest. Use Your Shoes
If makes no difference whether road or trail.
What have your shoes endured? How many miles do your shoes have on them?
Please post a comment with your shoe type and the miles on the shoes.
You can be discreet if your shoe sponsor threatens, and post anonymously. | 2,221 | 1,137 | 0.000912 |
warc | 201704 | Service orientation is a business philosophy — a new way of thinking about organizing your business and its processes. Both service orientation and its related technology concept, service-oriented architecture (SOA), enable business to use technology in a flexible, agile manner. Let’s look at an example to see the effect service orientation can have on a business.
Carla is a call-center representative for a bank. She takes calls from banking customers and accesses various systems on her computer to help address each customer’s question or concern. In the world of tightly coupled, inflexible, monolithic IT systems that existed before service orientation, Carla’s day-to-day work involved several applications. Every day she would perform what techies facetiously call “swivel-chair integration”: While on calls, she would jump from one application to another, sometimes copying and pasting information to perform integration manually using her own experience and intuition to get certain information from one system to another.
Despite her best efforts, Carla occasionally makes mistakes that she or another call-center representative have to fix later. Although her boss has repeatedly told her that an important part of her job is advising customers about products they might be interested in, she has a difficult time understanding which products are right for each customer. Simply put, each system exists in its own universe, requiring the human operator to piece the business process together, resulting in inefficiency, lost productivity, low quality, and more errors.
After her bank implements SOA, however, Carla’s daily life becomes much simpler. The bank implements a composite application that uses all her existing applications, but combines them to offer the same capabilities she formerly achieved manually. Now, she can spend less time on each call, and information about her customers is at her fingertips. She can identify at a glance which of the bank’s products will be of most interest to the customer, leading to increased sales for the bank and a bigger bonus for her.
Furthermore, as various business changes work their way into Carla’s inbox, she can make adjustments quickly and efficiently. Maybe it’s a new marketing campaign followed by a regulatory change, or maybe a new product the bank wants to promote. Service-oriented tools are so powerful, flexible, and easy-to-use that Carla can take advantage of them to do her job regardless of the changes her boss throws at her.
It’s important to note that we didn’t mention specifically what kind of tool Carla is using to do her work now, because it doesn’t matter. The point is that regardless of which tool is appropriate for a particular situation, the tool is now powerful enough to make use of composite services that pull various IT functions and data from different systems into whatever arrangement makes the most sense for the user. In other words, from Carla’s perspective, IT resources are nothing more than business resources she can use, as needed, in her work. Through the power of loosely coupled, composite services, service orientation has empowered her, and she doesn’t need to know the technology behind the scenes that makes it happen.
Service orientation offers five business advantages.
1. Reduce Integration Costs
Companies must lower IT costs to lessen their overall spending. The current rule-of-thumb is that spending must decrease each year, posing a challenge to companies that must not only maintain existing IT systems, but also implement new technologies and approaches, such as SOA. Although architecture requires new spending, it can greatly reduce other IT spending.
For example, SOA reduces the need for tightly coupled middleware. As companies resolve their integration challenges architecturally, they have less need for enterprise application integration (EAI) and other middleware. Although architecture requires an upfront investment, it costs significantly less than the amount that many firms spend annually on middleware. The cost reduction from SOA is more than just the elimination of software licenses. It also means fewer hardware systems, consulting services, and even internal staff they need to manage the remaining system complexity.
SOA also promises to eliminate redundancy by increasing the reuse of IT assets. Some companies have spent millions of dollars implementing the same basic projects over and over again for different purposes. For example, most companies implemented their first customer databases a few decades ago, but they re-implement that same logic in their CRM, ERP, portal, and Web-based systems. This redundant and unnecessary spending only ends when you can truly reuse IT capabilities. SOA enables companies to build services once and reuse them many times to solve different challenges as they arise.
2. Business-to-Business Interactions
Enterprises of all sizes have long sought to automate business-to-business (B2B) interactions in a reliable and secure manner. The increasing globalization of business has resulted in suppliers existing anywhere in the world, covering many different countries, languages, and time zones. This globalization has added challenges and pressures in the effort to optimize supply chains, increasing the value proposition of IT systems based on SOA.
Today’s standards-based interfaces and document formats are fast becoming the
lingua franca of disparate, heterogeneous information on the network, and Web services represent a new, open-standards-based approach to getting systems to integrate with one another. Rather than planning in advance how a specific application will tie into another application, service orientation advocates the concept of exposing IT functionality and data as services the business can use as needed to compose applications that implement business processes. Using standards-based services also lets arbitrary applications communicate with one another without being concerned about the other system’s internal implementation. It’s no surprise that enterprises and IT vendors alike are using SOA as the primary means of solving B2B integration issues.
The business benefits of service-oriented B2B integration over tightly coupled B2B approaches are:
Reduce the cost of integration because they have agreed on the interfaces between their systems and businesses in advance — lessening their dependency on complex, expensive, custom integration approaches.
Lower the TCO of their heterogeneous systems since standards-based, interoperable systems give businesses a greater choice of vendors and the flexibility to solve specific business needs.
Realize a much greater market opportunity rather than relying on partners and suppliers to implement specific, proprietary approaches; vendors can provide solutions that will work in their customers’ environments, enabling them to reach partners that may previously have been inaccessible.
Decrease the time to market because they can increasingly depend on their partners’ IT environments to offer interoperable services, so they don’t need to develop proprietary solutions.
SOA provides not just a framework for dealing with short-term B2B integration challenges, but it also gives companies a way to increase their competitiveness in all industries, particularly where margins are slim.
3. Regulatory Compliance
In today’s harsh corporate environment, being an executive or a board member of a public company is not for the faint-of-heart. A whole raft of new laws and rules meant to protect the public, provide transparency in corporate management, facilitate government regulation, and smooth the interactions between businesses and their stakeholders will impact businesses for decades to come. Laws such as Sarbanes-Oxley, the PATRIOT Act, Basel II, the California Privacy Act, Graham-Leach-Bliley, and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) require that corporate managers take full responsibility for their actions (for more information on these laws, see “New Compliance Regulations,” below). If they don’t, they may lose their money or even their freedom.
New Compliance Regulations
Basel II a.k.a. The New Accord, the International Convergence of Capital Measurement and Capital Standards - A Revised Framework It represents recommendations by bankers to revise the international standards for measuring the adequacy of a bank’s capital. It was created to promote greater consistency in the banking approach to risk management across national borders.
California Privacy Act Prohibits financial companies from sharing the details of a customer’s financial transactions with third parties without the customer’s permission. It also gives consumers the right to stop companies from sharing their information with associated companies unless they meet certain criteria.
Graham-Leech-Bliley Requires financial institutions to protect their customers’ privacy, including private, personal information. To ensure this protection, all institutions must establish appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) a.k.a. The Privacy Rule Addresses the use and disclosure of individuals’ health information, as well as standards for individuals’ privacy rights to understand and control how their health information is used.
USA PATRIOT Act a.k.a. The Patriot Act, the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act Expanded the authority of American law enforcement for the purpose of fighting terrorism in the United States and abroad. Also used to detect and prosecute other potential crimes, such as providing false information on terrorism.
Sarbanes-Oxley Act a.k.a. Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act Passed in response to a number of major corporate and accounting scandals (e.g., Enron). The Act establishes a new quasi-public agency, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, which oversees, regulates, inspects, and disciplines accounting firms. It also covers issues such as auditor independence, corporate governance, and enhanced financial disclosure.
In a tough business climate of heightened competition, complex regulations, and constant change, management must be able to set guidelines for the company and have sufficient visibility and control to ensure that employees follow those guidelines. IT is both the most important asset for providing these capabilities to executive management, and the biggest deterrent to that visibility and control due to the complexity, opacity, and inflexibility of the typical IT environment. Thus, SOA provides agility without compromising the visibility and control that companies require of their IT infrastructures.
Regulations and other changes that come from outside the business are fundamentally arbitrary, because legislatures can create or amend them at will for any number of political or economic reasons. Would you bet that the current regulations that apply to your organization are set in stone? Of course not! In fact, you can expect new rules and changes to existing rules, and you can also expect those changes to be inherently unpredictable. Furthermore, global companies must submit to local regulations wherever they do business, adding to the volatility of the regulatory picture. There is no monetary return on investment (ROI) for money spent on regulatory compliance. The only “ROI” that applies is “risk of incarceration.”
4. User Empowerment
Many users will find themselves participating in one or more business processes that they have no control over. The move to service orientation will have subtle but powerful effects for these people. The tools they use to do their jobs — spreadsheets, portals, business applications — may now be part of service-oriented business processes. Such applications focused solely on knowledge-worker productivity can empower the ordinary line-of-business (LOB) user to become a business-process professional. As a result, these tools can use the flexibility of composite applications to implement service-oriented processes.
5. Business Agility
At a fundamental level, one basic business problem affects all the rest. That problem is “inflexibility.” We consider inflexibility to be the “
über-problem” of business today. Basically, if companies are flexible enough, they can solve all their other problems, since no problem is beyond the reach of the flexible company. If companies were flexible enough, they could adjust their offerings to changes in customer demand, build new products and services quickly and efficiently, and make use of their people’s talents in an optimal manner to maximize productivity. If companies were flexible enough, their strategies would provide the best possible direction for the future. Fundamentally, flexibility is the key to every organization’s profitability, longevity, and success.
How can a business aim to survive, even in an environment of unpredictable change? The answer is “business agility,” the ability to respond quickly and efficiently to changes in the business environment and to introduce changes to achieve competitive advantage. Companies that can make effective use of a changing environment are better able to compete and thrive in any business climate.
The most important aspect of the business-agility definition is that it has two parts: the ability to respond to change and leveraging change for competitive advantage. The first is the reactive, tactical aspect of business agility. Clearly, the more quickly and efficiently companies can respond to change, the more agile they are. Achieving rapid, efficient response is similar to driving costs out of the business: It’s always a good thing, but over time it has diminishing returns as responses become as fast and efficient as possible. Competitors are also trying to improve their responses to change, so it’s only a matter of time until they catch up with you — or you catch up with them.
The second, proactive half of business agility is by far the more interesting and powerful part of the story. Companies that not only respond to changes but also see them as a way to improve their business often outdistance the competition as they use change to their advantage. Strategic advantages — those that distinguish one company’s value proposition from another’s — can be far more durable than tactical advantages, such as better responsiveness to change.
Competition Through Change
Once companies realize that service orientation has the power to increase competitiveness in the face of today’s ever-changing business environment, there will no longer be any question that service orientation is a critically important business concept.
Jason Bloomberg and Ron Schmelzer are senior analysts and principals at ZapThink, LLC, an advisory firm that focuses on helping organizations leverage their technology to become more agile, competitive, and efficient. Their latest book is Service Orient or Be Doomed! (Wiley, 2006). | 15,432 | 6,536 | 0.000156 |
warc | 201704 | Document Type
Article
Comments
Published in Stanford Journal of International Law, Vol. 44 (2008).
Abstract
Citizens of foreign countries are increasingly using international treaties to assert claims against Federal and state governments. As a result, U.S. courts are being asked to determine whether treaties provide litigants with individually enforceable rights. Although courts have no consistent approach to determining whether a treaty gives rise to individually enforceable rights, they often apply the textualist methodology derived from statutory interpretation. However, instead of using textual theories of statutory interpretation, I argue that courts should use intentionalist theories developed from contract interpretation in determining individually enforceable rights under treaties. Two positive arguments and one negative argument support my approach. First, the question of whether a non-party can enforce a treaty is structurally similar to the question of whether a non-party can enforce a contract, but structurally different from the issue of whether there is a private cause of action under a statute. Second, Supreme Court jurisprudence supports the view that treaties are contracts even though they have the effect of statutes. As such, it is appropriate to apply theories of contract interpretation to understanding treaties. Third, arguments used to justify using textualism for purposes of interpreting statutes are not relevant to interpreting treaties.
I suggest that courts use a modified version of the "intent-to-benefit" test derived from contract law in determining whether a treaty is enforceable by a non-party. Under the modified "intent-to-benefit" test, a non-party will have individually enforceable rights and remedies under the treaty if the treaty identifies a class of individuals who are intended beneficiaries of the treaty and if such non-party is within that class of individuals. Applying this test suggests that courts should privilege the drafting history over the ratification history of a treaty in interpreting it.
I apply the modified "intent-to-benefit " test to a case study-the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. The Supreme Court recently decided in Sanchez-Llamas v. Oregon that the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations does not provide individuals with any remedies, but refused to decide whether the treaty provides individuals with rights. Since that decision, two Federal Courts of Appeals have come to differing conclusions on the question of whether that treaty creates individually enforceable rights. Under the modified "intent-to-benefit," the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations would be found to give rise to individually enforceable rights.
Date of Authorship for this Version
2008
Keywords
Individually enforceable rights, Treaties
Recommended Citation
Kalantry, Sital, "The Intent-to-Benefit: Individually Enforceable Rights Under International Treaties" (2008).
Cornell Law Faculty Publications. Paper 75. http://scholarship.law.cornell.edu/lsrp_papers/75 | 3,073 | 1,304 | 0.000773 |
warc | 201704 | In last month’s column, I provided data about declining self-service success and made recommendations for short-term...
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improvements to unassisted support strategy. This month, I’ll provide additional data regarding self-service satisfaction and cost per interaction, and discuss longer-term initiatives for improving success and the customer experience.
I’m spending this month compiling the results of the 2011 TSIA Member Technology Survey, and the early results show that planned spending on knowledge tools in 2011-12 is very high, indicating that technology companies are taking steps to reverse the downward trends of self-service success. To help drive home the point of investment in knowledge management (KM) and self-service tools, it is helpful to review customer satisfaction by channel of support compared with channel cost, which is dramatically higher in business-to-business support that consumer support.
Source: TSIA 2011 Benchmark; 5 = Highly Satisfied
Field service visits with high related fleet costs and in-person visits rate highest in customer satisfaction (an average score of 4.64 on a five-point scale), but they also rate highest in cost per interaction ($797 per field service appointment). Not surprisingly, next comes phone support, with an average satisfaction score of 4.33 and an average cost of $162. As the amount of human interaction lessens, both cost and quality drop, with chat and email incidents trailing phone.
I am challenging companies to look at this in a different way: What would the overall savings be for the organization if we increase the cost of each self-service interaction?
John Ragsdale
At the very bottom of the scale for both quality and cost is self-service, with an embarrassing customer satisfaction average of 3.27, and a shockingly low price of six cents per interaction. As the data clearly shows, when it comes to customer satisfaction, an old axiom is true: You get what you pay for.
If companies are serious about boosting self-service success, increasing the percentage of total interactions resolved by self-assistance, and improving both employee and customer attitudes about knowledge bases, the time for investment is now. So much time and effort is spent trying to lower the cost of assisted support, but I am challenging companies to look at this in a different way: What would the overall savings be for the organization if we increase the cost of each self-service interaction? Clearly, six cents is not enough. What would raising the investment to $1 per interaction bring? What about $2?
With the high cost of assisted support, calculating potential deflected savings can help pave the way for self-service budgets. For example, if a support operation receiving 10,000 customer incidents a month were able to increase self-service success by just 5%, raising incidents resolved by self-service from 15% to 20%, this could potentially reduce 500 phone calls a month, with a cost savings of $81,000. Over a year, that savings would add up to almost $1 million.
Longer-term, support teams need to work more closely with development to improve product supportability, building features into the products themselves that speed resolution and perhaps eliminate the customer from the equation. Longer-range efforts to improve self-service success include:
Moving self-service to point of interaction.When a problem occurs with a device, why can’t it tell the customer what to do? A great example of this comes from Xerox, whose imaging equipment doesn’t just tell you what’s wrong; it plays a video telling customers how to fix the problem. Out of paper or toner? No more “Error 232” flashing -- instead you see a video of how to replace the paper or toner, step by step. Embedded, intelligent help.Taking a clue from gaming, software applications must be smarter about monitoring how customers use and navigate the system, and offer appropriate guidance without making them break out of the current process. Including how-to videos and process wizards within the application, for example, not only helps train new users but can be great reminders when completing infrequent tasks. Next-generation, connected, proactive support.Having systems smart enough to “phone home” when a problem occurs is not new, but the scope of the proactivity must increase. Consumers are big fans of “self-healing” features in computers and modems that can, as an example, fix connection issues to re-establish an Internet session. Tomorrow’s consumer and enterprise technology should be better equipped with analysis tools that can detect, diagnose and fix problems with no assistance required from customers or tech support. Final recommendations
Many companies burned by pricy CRM deployments that delivered questionable value push back when told to make heavy investments in new technology. While it is true that throwing money at a problem may not fix it, when it comes to knowledge management and self-service, the underlying technology is so important that even a lackluster deployment typically delivers some measurable results. Investing in best-of-breed tools can accelerate time to value through:
Process maturity.Many KM platforms today are knowledge-centered support (KCS) certified, meaning the best practices are already baked into application flows. Implementing a new self-service system may force you to overhaul your approach to knowledge management, but you will emerge with much stronger practices and industry recognized processes. Integration options.A frequent complaint about older KM systems is that they are unable to integrate with CRM, multichannel and search tools. Best-of-breed products not only come with libraries of multitenant application programming interfaces for large-scale integration, but most vendors offer pre-integration to common CRM tools. Customization and ownership costs.Today’s best-of-breed solutions are almost all available as on-demand or Software as a Service (SaaS), with business-user controls for configuration and customization, and little IT resources required. Analytics.While there are fewer standalone analytic platforms left today due to industry consolidation, best-of-breed knowledge management platforms have eliminated the need for a third-party analytic tool with embedded analytics that can give intelligent advice on missing content and concepts, offer lists of dynamic frequently asked questions, and enable sophisticated reporting on customer trends. | 6,721 | 3,060 | 0.000331 |
warc | 201704 | In this podcast, founder and CEO of ScaleOut Software William Bain discusses distributed data caches and how they can be used with data stored on the cloud. Visit the SearchSOA Podcast Library for more expert commentary.
Early usage of the cloud has been primarily dominated by storage, said William Bain, founder and CEO of ScaleOut Software, Inc. Accessing data stored on the cloud, though, presents challenges. "What users primarily need is a very simple, easy to use software architecture that lets them access their data quickly," said Bain. Bain believes a new layer of storage, the distributed data cache, will help make data more accessible and make cloud computing a more appealing option for computation and analysis.
A distributed data cache, also called a distributed data grid, is a storage layer that sits between a database server and the in-memory of an application. Bain believes that it can speed application performance. "[Distributed data caches] host data so that it can be accessed very quickly, much more quickly than if it were kept just in the database server," said Bain.
Bain sees several use cases for data analysis using distributed data grids on the cloud. He says that MapReduce, a method of analysis that divides a computation among several servers and then combines the results, can be more easily deployed through the use of distributed data grids. Bain also cites the financial services industry as a good place to use distributed data caches. The ability to run analysis across a large set of servers will help stock analysts make decisions and apply strategies more quickly, suggested Bain.
While the primary use of distributed data caches is to store fast changing data that is accessed by multiple servers, Bain believes that the duties of distributed data caches will grow over time. "At some point in the future, distributed data grids and database servers will probably merge," said Bain. For the next several years, though, Bain believes that distributed data grids will continue to provide a platform for performing parallel data analysis. | 2,095 | 949 | 0.00106 |
warc | 201704 | Essential Guide Guide to enterprise mobile app development and SOA A comprehensive collection of articles, videos and more, hand-picked by our editors Anne Stuart, Site Editor
In Clay Richardson's view, there's no doubt about mobile computing's impact on the current business landscape.
"Mobile is the No. 1 disruptive force facing companies today," the Forrester Research senior analyst says in opening this videocast, the first in a two-part series on mobile business process management (BPM). Why is mobile such a powerful factor? "Because mobile touches everything: all parts of a business' ecosystem -- customers, employees, partners, suppliers," Richardson says. "Everyone is reaching for mobile to leap buildings with a single bound and to move faster than a locomotive."
But as Richardson explains in this overview, there's often a big gap between what people expect and what mobile actually delivers, especially in terms of user experience and smooth integration with legacy applications or back-end processes. Despite the technology's flaws, though, businesses can't afford to ignore it. Forrester projects that, by 2016, U.S. consumers will be using 126 million tablet computers, with mobile applications becoming a $60 billion market.
While many companies view application development as a big first step toward going mobile, Richardson believes reengineering business processes should be a higher priority. "The actual work behind the scenes to make mobile more engaging and tie back to core systems is where most of the hard work is," he says. "That's the real opportunity."
In this presentation, prepared exclusively for SearchSOA.com and its sister TechTarget site ebizQ, Richardson discusses real-life mobile BPM successes and failures. He also explains why mobile BPM may not be the best choice for every situation and describes two key factors that BPM professionals should consider before mobilizing any process. In part 2, Richardson drills down into specific steps for making processes mobile.
Editor's Note: Following is a transcript of this presentation on mobile BPM , featuring Forrester Research Senior Analyst Clay Richardson. This transcript has been edited for clarity and editorial style.
We know mobile is the number one disruptive force facing companies today. But why is that?
It's because mobile touches everything, all parts of a business's ecosystem. Customers, employees, partners, suppliers--everyone is reaching for mobile [as a way] to leap buildings with a single bound and to move faster than a locomotive, which begs the question: When we pull these devices out, are we seeing them as phones? Are we really seeing them as phone booths that we can turn to, to become Superman for our employers and our families?
Just to give you an example of the expectation gap that we're seeing between what people want to do with mobile and what they're actually able to do with their mobile devices, [I had] a Superman experience of my own, where earlier this year I hosted a slumber party for my daughter, 10 years old.
I'm sure you can imagine being at a slumber party with a bunch of young kids, 10-year-old girls, screaming and saying "Where's the food" and trying to figure out, "Okay, how am I going to get this done? Am I going to pick up the phone and call the pizza delivery place?"
So here's where the Superman part came in. I figured: "I'll pick up my phone, I'll download that pizza-delivery company's app and actually get the download, have the app downloaded in 10 seconds and then have the pizza ordered in maybe another 60 seconds." How long do you think it took to actually get the pizza ordered? It actually took 20 minutes to order the pizza, which is crazy.
I'm sure you're asking yourself: "Why did it take 20 minutes?" I could have just picked up my phone instead of using the app, and just called, and waited on hold, and had the screaming kids in the background. It would have been less frustrating if I had actually just called.
It made me ask myself: "What was it about that experience that made it such a bad experience and gave me a poor outcome, an unexpected outcome?" So let's look at this.
I'm sure many of you have had the same challenge and run into these same sorts of problems as you started to use apps more and more to connect with your employer and connect with the companies you do business with. The key here was that I realized that friction came from all directions in terms of being able to place the order and actually complete the order on the mobile device. I had friction coming from the fact that device was the device, and the app on the device was not optimized for the form factor. So as you can imagine, I was fat-fingering all over the place trying to get this pizza ordered.
It's kind of interesting. I felt bad about giving the pizza company such a hard time recently. So I went back, downloaded the app again, gave it another try, and realized, "Wow, it still took me the same amount of time because they [still] had not optimized the actual ordering process for the form factor."
Mobile BPM: A matter of context
The other piece that was interesting is friction came from not having context to other completed tasks. [For instance,] where I might have ordered pizza in the past, [the app] actually did not recall the [previous] pizza that I ordered. It didn't take into account my location, and maybe [it could have] offered suggestions such as, "Do you want to order this pizza? Do you want to order a pizza that has half pepperoni and [the other] half pineapple and barbecue," since my daughter likes barbecue and pineapple together. It should have been able to notice, or I expected it to notice, that I had ordered pizza from this location in the past and to at least make some suggestions. This is our expectation.
What I also notice is inflexibility around legacy apps. This is kind of my interpretation. What I realized as I was going through the process: I felt like when I was placing the order for the pizza, actually constructing the pizza, that [experience] was very disconnected from the actual payment process. So I could feel like I'm using this new fancy app, but in the background, the payment process felt like it was legacy and very disconnected from the actual mobile experience.
Then, finally, there's this disconnect from back-end processes. That was another piece of friction. Keep in mind: I'm a process guy. So I'm always looking at, "Okay, what is the process? How's the process actually supporting the outcome and the experience that I want?" I could see that the process itself was disconnected as I was going through ordering the pizza.
So just giving you that example, we know that mobile is not something that companies can hide from. Companies can't put their heads in the ground and say, "You know what? I'm going to skip this mobile thing," or "I'm going to halfway do it," because our numbers show that by 2016, 126 million tablets will be in use by U.S. consumers. And we also know that there will be an explosion in the number of mobile apps that are used on mobile devices--$60 billion projected by 2015.
Mobile BPM: 'Three-way tug of war'
But how are companies beginning to deal with the mobile challenge? That's the real question. That’s what I hear all the time from our customers and companies…What I see when I look at companies that are beginning to take on the mobile challenge, is really a three-way tug of war.
The first direction in the tug of war is focused on building really cool apps for customers. These are the customer-strategy and product-strategy people, focused on building really nice, almost Angry Birds-like, apps for the customer experience, to engage the customer.
The [second] pull on the three-way tug of war is around mobile application development. A lot of these conversations are really focused on, "Should we use HTML5? Do we build native apps for the mobile device? How do we actually build for the mobile device?" So really this is focused more on this: "How [do we] best approach building apps for mobile?"
Then the last piece of the tug of war that we see is from the infrastructure team that's focused on locking down the devices, locking down smartphones, iPads, tablets. The key there is: These guys are not concerned with what people are necessarily doing on the phone. They're more concerned with making sure that the phone is secure.
The key here—I'll ask you: Does it look like something is missing or a role is missing? What we found is: Where teams don't focus, and where the real challenge is, is around business process, and reinventing business processes for mobile. So all these other areas within the organization that are focused on mobile often leave the process disconnected from the mobile experience.
The business processes typically tie together all these different areas--the device management, the mobile app, customer strategy. So [it's about] employees trying to get things done, customers trying to engage beyond simple app interaction, and then going beyond HTML5 versus native OS app-development conversations.
Mobile BPM reinvention
Data that we have at Forrester indicates that most companies in the future will place heavy investment in reinventing processes for mobile. Let's take a look at this.
In today's terms, we know that $1.6 billion is being spent on mobile app-development service, so companies are going out and getting service providers to help them build mobile apps. We also know that $600 million is being spent on the managed-device services area. Then, $200 million today is focused on mobile-process reinvention--going out reinventing, re-imagining, rethinking business processes for mobile. So those are today's numbers.
Let's fast-forward to 2015. The numbers change dramatically, with $5.6 billion focused on mobile-app development services. But by 2015, [we see] $7.6 billion in spend on mobile-process reinvention. So the numbers for mobile-process reinvention will be more than what we see for mobile-app development [during] this time.
I'm sure you're scratching your ahead thinking, "Okay, why? Why is the number for reinventing processes going to significantly jump in this time frame?" What we see is our companies looking at the application development part of mobile as the tip of the spear. That's the beginning. But the actual work behind the scenes to make mobile more engaging and tie back to core systems is where most of the hard work is. That's the real opportunity.
So now that we have your attention on how mobile process reinvention will grow, the real question to ask is: How are companies beginning to reinvent business processes for mobile? What are the strategies? That's really the core of the research that I've been focused on: looking at the specific strategies that work, what strategies aren't working.
Mobile BPM: A strategic approach
So we'll walk through some of the strategies that we're seeing. The first strategy that we've identified as we've talked to customers and companies moving into mobile process reinvention is focused on reengineering the entire process, end to end, for mobile. As we talk to customers that have gone through this, they've told us that that approach doesn't work well because it's focused on assuming that every step in the process can benefit from mobile—when, in truth, that's not always the case.
I came across this article recently that reminded me of this scenario of over-engineering business processes. The article talked about BMW's ActiveHybrid 3, one of their first hybrid high-performance cars. In the article, it talked about how great this hybrid car is, but it also talked about that it was over-engineered.
This was really a warning when I read this. It kind of matched up with the research I was doing around mobile process reinvention. And it made me think one of the keys for business process professionals—really, anyone engaged in reinventing business processes for mobile--to take away is: You can engineer to greatness, but doom process to failure.
So we could over-engineer processes for mobile, with every step engineered for mobile; every step, we assume, is optimized for the mobile experience. But it's actually cumbersome to use because every step tries to assume that mobile is going to be the way of engagement. So this is more of a warning.
I'm definitely a big BMW fan; that's why I was reading the article. But the key here is to make sure, in this strategy, to not focus on over-engineering. This is where most customers say that when they went down this path, it really didn't work for them. Customers [and] employees did not engage as much in mobile because everything was developed to the lowest common denominator, as opposed to being completely optimized.
Identifying mobile BPM opportunities
The second strategy that we uncovered focused on a more strategic approach to identifying the mobile opportunities within processes and across the enterprise. So looking across an enterprise, all the processes that we have and for each individual process, [we need to] identify where we can optimize the process for mobile, reinvent the process for mobile.
For companies following this more strategic approach, we found that they looked at two dimensions to identify the opportunities in processes and across the enterprise. The first dimension that they shared with us was around context. [This involved] trying to look at processes, and tasks within processes, where bringing in more context could actually change the outcome dramatically, change the way that the customer engage and the outcomes they receive, change the way the employee engage, change the way they manage and absorb the outcomes.
When we talk about "context," this is a really tricky word. It's a very broad term. When we talk about context here, we're really referring to the additional real-time information that provides an understanding of what's going on right now and helps the employee or the customer make better decisions. So we look at the phones and we think about context, [such as geolocation technology]. It knows where I am. It knows what my preferences are. It knows where I've been. It knows what I purchased.
All that information provides context for driving better outcomes. With this dimension, it's really about looking at those processes and tasks. We're bringing in greater context; more context can change the outcome dramatically.
The second dimension was around time. Here, we're looking for processes and tasks that have a short window of time to drive to the right outcome. If we're able to deliver the information, the context, and complete the task in that short window, we're able to change the outcome dramatically. These two dimensions are both focused on outcomes, being able to drive better outcomes. So the key here is in the time window. We're looking for tasks that have a short window of time where we can drive a better outcome.
The two key dimensions of mobile BPM
[Context and time] were the two dimensions we were able to identify as we interviewed customers as key dimensions for identifying and finding the best opportunities for mobile-process reinvention. Let's give some examples here…
One of the customers that we interviewed shared with us some of the challenges they had around customer self-service, and even employee self-service, where they wanted employees and customers to be able to [serve themselves] instead of picking up the phone and calling. They wanted to allow them to submit tasks, and even complete tasks while they're on the go, anytime, 24/7. Instead of being on the phone all day, they can get the task done faster by adding in more context. So that's an example of a process we're seeing that’s ripe for reinvention.
One of my favorite examples is around inspections. We know customers and companies are turning to mobile as a way to provide more engagement for inspecting things like wind turbines, and also for inspecting cell towers, and even inspecting physical facilities.
Think about a store that needs to be inspected. The inspector [can] go around with a mobile device, whether it’s a tablet or a smartphone, and do the inspection there, getting the context, getting the inspection done in a short period of time.
As an example, one of the customers we interviewed was Starbucks…They reinvented the inspection process for mobile; it allowed the inspector to go in and do the inspections for the different stores.
But one thing they noticed, once they took away the paper and empowered the inspector with the tablet, it changed the process. It allowed the inspector to actually engage with the manager on what issues they saw in the store that might have also been related to other stores. So they're able to bring in this rich context and provide real-time guidance to drive better outcomes.
Another example that we see for reinventing business processes for mobile is in field sales. This is focused on, again, a short window of time. Think of an insurance-sales rep--someone selling wealth products or investment products, but [who] engages directly with the customer in the field. Reinventing the sales processes that provide guidance and provide an opportunity to drive a better outcome at the moment of truth is really critical. We're seeing customers extend the field-sales processes that were tethered to PCs and laptops and being able to extend these to mobile devices to provide better engagement. In some cases, [they've developed] co-creation opportunities to actually build the policy or build the sales with the customer right there on the device.
The key here is, you should take your processes, run them through the same dimensions that we have [discussed] here, to identify which ones are best…For [some] customers we interviewed, reinventing the process for mobile maybe wasn't the best fit.
Order management is an example that we uncovered where one of our customers, one of the companies we interviewed, built an order-management process that was extended out to mobile. But what they found was, the process was so long-lived it really didn't take advantage of the short windows of time. They found they could have left that particular order-management process [alone].
Recruiting was another process that surfaced as not a critical process in terms of the time window. [Companies are] not really worried about "Do we get the candidate within the next minute, or do we get him in the next week, or the next month?" So there's no time sensitivity, but there's also context. When we interviewed the customer, the company, around this process, context really was not a critical factor in terms of being able to drive to a better outcome. So it's maybe not an ideal process for reinventing for mobile.
This just gives you some idea of how we're beginning to see customers reinvent business processes for mobile. The key takeaway is to focus the opportunities for mobile reinvention on context and time. Using those two dimensions as your compass will guide you to a very strategic focus on the best opportunities for mobile process reinvention. | 19,264 | 7,355 | 0.000137 |
warc | 201704 | The Washington Court of Appeals issued a published decision last week in the matter of
Ken Bricker v. Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. In this case, Mr. Bricker sued a state agency after it failed to release public records to him. The trial court imposed a $90 per day penalty for the untimely disclosure of sixteen documents and a $15 per day penalty for the untimely disclosure of three additional documents based on the Washington Public Records Act. The total penalty was $29,445. It was upheld on appeal.
While the Washington Public Records Act does not apply to Washington condominium and homeowners associations, those entities are similarly required by other state laws (and frequently their own governing documents) to make their records reasonably accessible to owners. If those associations fail to promptly disclose records, then they are subject to court-imposed financial penalties. The
Brickerdecision demonstrates why boards should take owners’ requests to review association records seriously. | 1,038 | 554 | 0.001823 |
warc | 201704 | Twitter is abuzz about Binayak Sen. Mostly outraged that the good Doctor has been condemned to life in prison for crimes against the Indian State.
His case intrigues me. The confused volley of arguments made in his favor suggests a deeper reason for why his case has so exercised the anglophone Indian mind. I want to briefly address these arguments then talk about why it is that we feel such empathy for him and why this is profoundly dangerous for our republic.
First the arguments. From reading of twitter, I see at least six arguments that have been made.
First, that he is a good man caught in bad circumstances. Well, he put himself in these circumstances willfully. He deliberately built links with people who are responsible for extreme acts of violence not just against the State but anyone even among the people they seek to represent who opposes their ways. He knew full well that the Maoists have declared war on the Indian State and that past experience suggests the State will eventually crush them. This is not a valley of flowers he was entering but a war zone. Bad things happen to even good people in war zones. Cry me a river.
Second, he has done a lot of good for a lot of people. I salute him for this. But good people do bad things all the time. His good deeds may eventually be an argument for mercy and commutation but are not evidence of innocence. Indeed, his guilt is compounded by the fact that he rashly risked all the good he was doing on the ground to pursue a selfish political agenda. Did he not see that his patients in the tribal areas needed him more than the Maoist elite? I bet he did, but delusions of grandeur made him pawn his healing touch for the steel of the gun.
Third, the State's evidence is lacking & even fabricated. This is entirely plausible in today's India. But, surely, those of us here who haven't seen such evidence can't opine on it. The only legitimate venue for making this argument is the courts (both sessions and appeal). Only they see the entirety of the evidence and can arrive at appropriate judgements based on it. We can't possibly second guess the court based on fragmentary and agenda-driven tweets or magazine articles. Trial by media would end whatever semblance we have of the rule of law.
Fourth, our justice system is compromised. Sure. This is a major sore spot in India for we aspire to be a nation of laws. This is something that does require all of us coming together, regardless of our political belief. But turning this specific case as a trial of the justice system seems weird. Lots of people are railroaded every day by our justice system - what is so profoundly unique about this case that requires an extraordinary intervention by the civil society? I don't see anything myself.
Fifth, others in politics & bureaucracy are equally guilty or worse. OK - let's go after them all. What's that got to do with Dr Sen's guilt? Surely, the fact that others are getting away does not imply that the guilty in the net ought not face consequences.
Lastly, sedition is itself a crime that should be outlawed. Perhaps so. But that is again an argument to be made in the parliament (if & when it's in session), not in the wild west of twitter & our compromised media.
These arguments are interesting not only because none of them stands up to scrutiny but that there are so many of them. It's as if Dr Sen's defenders are making a volley of arguments hoping one or more may stick and that his simple to understand guilt is diffused by the complex veil of sophisticated arguments.
Why does India's anglophone elite feel such empathy for this man that they engage in such argumentation? I'd posit it's because he is like many of us but much more. Well schooled and articulate, he shunned the comforts of urban life to go into less privileged communities. He inspires guilt in many of us for our lack of similar initiative. At core, most of our elite is left-leaning and his is in many ways the ideal life they aspire to in their inspired moments. Hence, the inevitable outrage when the hero falls apart because his feet are made of clay. The outrage is less about Dr Sen but about themselves - it allows them to assuage their guilt and move on tomorrow to the next episode of BB4 or Munni or whatever else it is that amuses them in their comfortable but guilt-ridden lives.
This is unremarkably kitschy conduct except for the danger it represents for India. Maoists are not Gandhians with guns. They are waging war on our State and their vision for the future affirmatively is not freedom. Indeed, they are guilty of keeping the regions where they roam shackled to poverty. There is limited investment that would create jobs, no law and order that's crucial for day to day life, and a traumatized generation growing up in the midst of war. Not only is the present awful, the future has also been poisoned.
Maoists need to be crushed but they can't be unless the Indian elite sees them as the enemy. By "them" I don't mean the local foot-soldiers they send out to kill and die. I mean the people like us - like Dr Sen - who inspire empathy in the people of twitter and media. This empathy at a personal level prevents us from seeing through to the evil that they represent. How can we defeat it if we see the devil as the victim?
This is what we must all ponder. There is war ongoing and we need to take a black & white stand. The grey will get us all killed. | 5,446 | 2,624 | 0.000382 |
warc | 201704 | The housing sector continues to revive, according to this morning's update on housing starts and newly issued residential building permits. Residential construction increased 3.6% in October over the previous month, the Census Bureau advises. Last month's permits total total slipped 2.7%, but that's not a worry at this point because this metric, which offers a clue about future construction activity, is still advancing at a robust pace generally.
Improvement is also the message in the latest read on existing home sales, which rose 2.1% last month and are higher by nearly 11% vs. a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors. Home builders are feeling more optimistic about their industry as well: confidence in this sector rose this month rose to its highest level in six years, the National Association of Home Builders reported yesterday. Improving conditions are also reflected in today's update on starts and permits, even though permits backtracked a bit.
The crucial perspective on starts and permits as it relates to the business cycle analysis is watching how these indicators perform on a year-over-year basis, and on that front the trend remains convincingly positive. Both series are rising at well over 20% a year, a strong signal that the housing sector is expanding at a healthy pace. In absolute terms the rate of construction is still well below the levels reached before the housing bust circa 2006. But at this stage the most important factor is the growth rate. An expanding housing sector, even from a low base, is critical on a number of levels for the macro picture these days. The good news is that the trend continues to be our friend.
The housing market's recovery is timely for the economy overall. Housing at times can represent nearly one-fifth of GDP, according to some estimates, and so the news that this arena is no longer a drag on growth but is a net positive again is significant. All the more so at a time when concerns are rising about the fiscal cliff and its potential for creating headwinds for the economy. A housing recovery, in other words, is no longer a sideshow for the business cycle; instead, it's probably an essential source of growth if there's any chance of falling into a new recession. Housing probably won't save us if the worst-case scenario for the fiscal cliff arrives, but for now let's just say that the rebound in residential real estate couldn't come at a better time.
“Housing is absolutely going in the right direction,” says Harm Bandholz, chief U.S. economist at UniCredit Group. “Excess supply has been wound down and there’s a steady increase in demand. That’s good for construction.”
It's also good for the big picture. In yesterday's update of The Capital Spectator Economic Trend Index (CS-ETI), new building permits for October was one of the few missing pieces of data for last month's profile. With today's update, there's another data point that falls into the positive column. Even before this morning's housing news, CS-ETI was telling us that recession risk was low, based on the available data through October. The analysis is even more compelling now.
If the fiscal cliff hazard could be defused, the economy might really take off. That leaves us with a crucial question, as posed by the LA Times today: "Can the bozos who created the 'fiscal cliff' save us from it?" The business cycle, it seems, is at the mercy of the clown factor. | 3,478 | 1,711 | 0.000591 |
warc | 201704 | Hiring Context
Management Information Services, Inc. is a Washington, D.C.-based economic and energy research firm. They employ economists, engineers, and scientists in a number of fields. Most of the firm's current employees have advanced degrees, primarily
Ph.D. Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Geoscience knowledge and skills
All employees expected to have basic geosciences knowledge and new employees should bring knowledge of all aspects of the energy and environmental industries with them when they are hired. This kind of expertise is necessary in order for employees to provide the level of services that retain current clients and generate new ones.
Other skills and abilities
New employees need to be able to demonstrate strong independent thinking, effective written communication skills and the capability to do high-quality research. Given the nature of their business, there is also a strong need for employees to have well-developed quantitative skills. Complementing the need for written communication skills, employees in this sector need to demonstrate the interpersonal skills to work effectively and professionally with a wide range of clients. They should also have a strong work ethic and a willingness to keep a flexible schedule depending on the needs of their current projects.
Successful employees in consulting tend to be those with a level of self-direction and ambition that allows them to not only deliver on their current responsibilities but also seek out and bring in new clients for the business.
Future Horizon
What do you see as future trends in your workforce?
It is becoming increasingly difficult to find employee candidates with the right mix of qualifications to be successful in the research and consulting sector.
What can higher education do to prepare students for these future trends?
Prepare them for the real world of the 21st century where they will have to make their own success. | 1,956 | 979 | 0.001028 |
warc | 201704 | Is there a right way?
So, I flew round trip to Toronto from New York yesterday.
In New York, they x rayed my shoes but ignored my digital clicker, cell phone, digital camera and assorted electronics. They also made me take off my suit jacket.
In Toronto, they ignored my shoes but took apart my clicker. They didn't care about my jacket.
On the plane from New York, they said it was fine to use cell phones as soon as we landed.
On the plane from Toronto, they insisted we not use our cell phones, even though we were on the runway for twenty minutes.
So, which is it?
One of the illusions members of the reality-based community labor under is that there's a right answer. That if you do X and Y, you're most likely to get Z.
This sort of rational thought certainly makes it easier to plan.
I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that in fact, many complex problems don't have obviously correct answers.
My best takeaway from this insight is to pursue answers that are inexpensive and easy to test. That becoming hysterical when one particular superstition is hard to implement is ridiculous.
Most of all, being serious about a superstition is not the same as being serious about the problem at hand. We shouldn't minimize our marketing (or security, for that matter) challenges, but we ought to lighten up a bunch about the untested beliefs we bring to the table. | 1,375 | 732 | 0.001379 |
warc | 201704 | by Simon Black, Sovereign Man:
In 1999, as an arrogant 20-year old kid who thought he knew everything, I went flat broke.
Actually, I was worse than broke. On top of losing all of my money, I was also in debt more than $22,000… so I had a negative net worth.
That was an astronomical sum for me at the time, and I thought I’d never recover.
I wrote about this a few months ago, explaining how I had borrowed money through a bank loan that was secured against my future earnings as an Army officer.
And then, without any real knowledge or training, I dumped the entire amount in the stock market, pretty much at the peak of the dot-com bubble.
At first I had a couple of small wins. I was daytrading popular Internet stocks like Yahoo, moving in and out of positions sometimes in as little as a few minutes.
For example, I would buy 1,000 shares of a company at $20, and then immediately sell if the stock price went up by 5 cents.
Doing so would net me about $30 after commission, and every time I made money it only reinforced my own arrogant conviction that I was a highly skilled investor.
In reality I was just a stupid kid, and I didn’t realize how much risk I was taking.
Eventually my good luck ran out. Stock prices started falling, and I suffered my first losses. All the little profits I had made evaporated, and soon I was in the red.
But rather than learn from my mistakes and re-assess what I was doing, I doubled down, borrowed more money on margin, and bought even more shares of companies I didn’t know anything about.
Then one day the inevitable happened.
I bought shares of Compaq, a leading computer manufacturer at the time.
The day I bought Compaq shares may have been the stock’s all-time high. In fact, I may have literally been ‘the guy’ who paid the most money for the shares.
Because as soon as I bought the shares, the price started to fall… just a little bit at first.
I convinced myself that the shares would rise again and I just had to be patient. But the price kept falling.
Mind you, my belief wasn’t grounded in any actual fact. I hadn’t conducted any analysis about the business, management, or share fundamentals.
I made a decision based on absolutely zero data.
I did, however, ask my friends, who were just as naïve as I was. And naturally they all encouraged me to NOT sell because the price would go back up.
It didn’t.
Eventually the broker liquidated my entire position through a margin call, leaving me with absolutely nothing. And I still had to pay off the original $22,000 debt (plus interest).
It was a difficult, painful, expensive way to learn, but I eventually did gain from the experience.
It’s not to say that going broke taught me how to be a better investor. Far from it.
Going broke taught me that I didn’t know anything about investing.
And how could I? How could anybody?
Investing, just like so many things that make us successful, is a SKILL.
I have friends, for example, who are phenomenal surgeons. They didn’t just wake up that way. They didn’t roll out of bed one morning and start operating on people.
They studied. They interned. They spent years in residency honing their craft and building their skills until they became master practitioners.
Like surgery, investing is a skill– and one that most people never had the chance to develop.
Again, how could we? Successful investment habits aren’t taught in public schools, and most people don’t grow up with much exposure to the topic.
Laszlo Bock, Google’s top HR executive, published a fantastic book on recruiting and conducting job interviews last year called Work Rules.
Help us spread the ANTIDOTE to corporate propaganda.
Please follow SGT Report on Twitter & help share the message.
Please follow SGT Report on Twitter & help share the message. | 3,902 | 1,954 | 0.00053 |
warc | 201704 | Presentation on theme: "Amnesty International JUSTICE FOR JUSTINE Student Group Action : March 2010."— Presentation transcript:
1Amnesty International JUSTICE FOR JUSTINE Student Group Action : March 2010
2JUSTINES CASE Justine Bihamba and her family have been targeted by members of the DRC military for the work she does as the coordinator of the womens human rights organisation, Synergie des Femmes Contre les Violences Sexuelles (SFVS). The English translation of SFVS is Womens Synergy for the Victims of Sexual Violence – it is a collective of 36 womens organisations providing medical care, counselling, legal assistance, social support and income generating opportunities to women and girls who have been raped.
3JUSTINES CASE On 18 September 2007, soldiers forced their way into Justines home whilst she was out and tied up her six children at gunpoint. One of the soldiers assaulted Justines eldest daughter, then sexually assaulted and attempted to rape another daughter. Justines 21-year-old daughter explained that her mother was out and pleaded with the soldiers to take what they wanted but not to hurt anyone. One of the soldiers replied that they had not come to steal anything, but rather were on a well-defined mission.
4JUSTINES CASE Justine returned home whilst the attack was happening and immediately telephoned the authorities. The soldiers fled and in a subsequent search of the neighbourhood with the military police, Justine and her children identified the men. However, the military police refused to arrest the men claiming that there was no evidence against them.
5JUSTINES CASE Justine lodged a legal complaint against the soldiers. In the following weeks and months a succession of senior army officers, the provincial governor and other officials all told Justine that justice would be done. In March 2008, the Vice-Governor promised Amnesty that he would pursue the matter, saying that it was unacceptable that those responsible should remain unpunished. Two and a half years on from the attack, however, the men have still not been arrested or brought to trial.
6JUSTINES CASE Amnesty is calling for: The immediate protection of Justine Bihamba and her family A full and impartial investigation into the attack, including attempted rape and sexual assault, on Justines family Those responsible to be arrested, tried and brought to justice
7VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)
8
9War crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in the conflict zones of eastern DRC by both government forces and armed groups. These include rape, unlawful killings, recruitment and use of children, abductions and deliberate attacks against civilian populations and humanitarian agencies.
10VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC) Sexual violence has been prevalent in all areas, particularly in the conflict zones. In some situations, rape has been widespread and systematic, often committed in public and in front of families in a deliberate attempt to terrorise, demoralise, displace and punish populations. Complete statistics of the scale of rape in the DRC do not exist. But it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of women and girls in North Kivu in eastern DRC, have been subjected to sexual violence during the recent conflict.
11UN RESOLUTIONS 1325/1820 These resolutions call for a better implementation of standards putting women at the heart of peace and reconstruction measures in conflict. Women experience conflict and human rights abuses differently to men. This means that the support they need, and the policies, measures and solutions that are proposed need to reflect womens experience. Amnesty is calling on the DRC authorities to implement UN Security Resolution 1325, which calls for the respect, protection and fulfilment of the rights of women and girls during and after conflicts.
12ACTION 1: JUSTICE FOR JUSTINE POSTCARDS Justine and a group of activists recently met with the DRC president to discuss violence against women in conflict areas. This personal connection makes NOW the perfect time to remind him that the perpetrators of the attack on Justines family have still not been brought to justice, despite being personally identified by Justine and her family. Lets bombard President Joseph Kabila with action cards demanding Justice for Justine!
13ACTION 1: JUSTICE FOR JUSTINE POSTCARDS Your group will have received a pack of 150 action cards Please get as many signed as possible and post them in bulk to: President Joseph Kabila, Cabinet du Président Palais de la Nation Kinshasa/Gombe République Démocratique du Congo You could collect donations for postage as you get them signed Please help us track how many cards have been sent by ing to tell us how many you send! To order more free action cards call The Fulfilment Store (TFS) on and quote ref IAR053: A5 postcard Justine Bihamba
14ACTION 2: FILM SCREENING ON CAMPUS Amnesty has produced an inspiring one hour film highlighting the terrible impact conflict is having on women and girls in the DRC. Filmed at Amnestys Student Conference in November 2009, it also includes a filmed interview with Justine Bihamba herself. Watch/download the film at You could turn the screening into an event, or show the film on a loop. As well as raising awareness, a film screening would be a great opportunity to collect postcards and take solidarity photos.
15ACTION 3: SOLIDARITY PHOTOS Through research missions to the DRC, we have learnt that messages of solidarity help human rights defenders, like Justine Bihamba, perform their vital work with increased safety and security. To help support Justine carry out her work with SFVS, we would like you to collect as many photos as possible showing solidarity with Justine and upload them onto Flickr: As well as sending Justine a link to this page, we will also create photo albums out of the best pictures and send them to Justine and to the President of the DRC.
16ACTION 3: SOLIDARITY PHOTOS Download a Justice for Justine sign in English or French at or make your own using one sheet of A4 for each letter to spell out Justice for Justine (this would be a good action for the end of the film screening). Get creative with your images! Could you make the shape of the letters with your bodies and take a photo from above, be artistic with your signs, or choose unusual / iconic locations as your backdrop? Upload your photos to Take the photo on your mobile and text it to it to and we'll upload for you
17RESOURCES Order more free postcards from The Fulfilment Store (TFS) on quote ref IAR053: A5 postcard Justine Bihamba Get the latest info on Justine Bihambas case, plus videos of Justine, a report on the conflict in the DRC and an action at If you have any questions or want to do more us at | 6,864 | 3,146 | 0.00032 |
warc | 201704 | Education for All in LAC Where do we stand, where do we go? ECOSOC Buenos Aires, 12 & 13 May 2011 UNESCO Santiago 1 EFA: specific solutions for specific challenges •Diversity: 41 countries, 5 ‘administrative’ languages, many indigenous languages • Most countries classified as middle income countries (MICs) except Haïti (low income); some high income countries • Many countries with high or medium development as per UNDP HDI 2010; Haiti (low human development) and Barbados (very high) • Characteristics: deep inequality, political changes and non continuity; violence; natural disasters 2 EFA and youth transition to work EFA: a concerted effort • OEI – education goals 2021: – 11 general goals e.g. UPE and USE – 27 specific goals – 38 indicators • OAS – education goals of the Summit of the Americas: – Universal primary education - UPE – Access for at least 75% of young people to secondary education – Opportunities for lifelong learning 3 EFA and youth transition to work EFA (contd.) • ALAS Foundation: civic society for child development • CLADE: Latin American campaign for the Right to Education • Plan International: “learning without fear” a global campaign for ending violence in schools • … and AECID, PREAL, IADB, CECCSICA, CARICOM, Save the Children, WB, and others EFA and youth transition to work 4 G-1: expanding & improving ECCE • Legal provisions for access to ECCE exist in most countries e.g. Caribbean • Average enrolment at the pre-primary level (for countries with data), increased from 55% in 2000 to 65% in 2008 • Gender parity reached in many countries • However, children from the richest 20% of population enrol much more than those from the poorest 20% • Furthermore, children from urban areas enroll much more than those from rural areas 5 EFA and youth transition to work Overview of enrolment in ECCE 6 EFA and youth transition to work Goal 2: UPE – primary enrolment • Between 2000 & 2008 the region progressed towards UPE with enrolment rising from 93% to 95% • As per Pareto principle the last 10- 5% is actually the most difficult to reach – Countries improved enrolment in 1999 –2007: Guatemala: 82 to 95%; Nicaragua: 76 to 96% – Others saw a drop in enrolment: Jamaica: 88 to 86%; Peru 98 to 96%) • On the whole completion rates improved over the last decade from 86% to 90% 7 EFA and youth transition to work Goal 3: learning opportunities for all learners - secondary Enrolment at the secondary level increased by 6% from 66% to 73% in 2000 - 2008 Noticeable increases in Guatemala (to 49%), DR (to 47%) Regional NER Secondary 74 72 70 68 66 When comparing secondary completion 64 rates of those aged 20–24 62 with those aged 30–34 it increased by 25%EFA and youth transition to work 2000 2008 8 Tertiary education Enrolment rose from 22% to 38% in 2000–08 i.e. an 16% increase The greatest proportional increase worldwide; greatest regional increase after Central & Eastern Europe 9 EFA and youth transition to work Goal 4: adult literacy • Adult literacy increased moderately between 2000 and 2008 from 90% to 91% • This masks differences within and between countries: around 20% of people in Guatemala and Nicaragua are illiterate, in Uruguay and Cuba, illiteracy is virtually non-existent • Overall, adult literacy is marginally lower among women than men in LA and higher among women than men in the Caribbean • Between 2000 and 2008 growth in literacy has been slightly higher among males than females •…but there is the issue of functional illiteracy… EFA and youth transition to work 10 Goal 5: gender parity 11 EFA and youth transition to work Goal 6: quality of education The UNESCO 2nd regional study (maths, reading, science for 3rd and 6th graders) shows that important tranches of learners do not achieve minimum levels of proficiency in either reading or mathematics in some countries In general, differences in learning outcomes between boys and girls are small The former tend to perform better in maths, the latter perform better in reading 12 EFA and youth transition to work The state of EFA: summary • UPE is not seen any longer as a challenge with overall 95% enrolment (UIS, 2008). Is this true? • Access to pre-primary level (ECCE), as well as access and completion of secondary education & TVET, remain serious concerns • Goal 6 will not be met: quality of education and all its ramifications • Inequity is pervasive and slows down socioeconomic progress. A new definition…. • Issues: school violence, natural disasters that put in danger EFA gains, ICTs in education; education to combat climate change, etc… EFA and youth transition to work 13 Towards Education convergence in LAC Guiding principles: CROSS-CUTTING THEMES Others undergraduate higher secondary secondary middle primary ECE S U P P O R T I V E M E C H A N I S M S Division of labour & working areas & S Y S T E M S Terminology & definitions Situation analysis Programme design (coordination, collaboration, convergence) Validation process Incentives STRUCTURE OF THE SECTOR Implementation, M&E Accountability Accelerating EFA by 2015? Education Support systems Curriculum reforms • Diversity and flexibility • Standard-setting • Harmonisation of learning objectives • Methods of delivery and pedagogy Teachers • Pre-and in-service training Schools culture • • • • Management and planning • Certification, accreditation, minimum standards • Teacher evaluation Culture of peace and ‘convivencia’ School climate Instructional & participatory leadership Inclusion & equity • Decentralisation • Quality assurance & school inspection • Accountability • Education mgmt. inf. systems (EMIS) • Inter-agency partnerships & coalitions A social • Public–private partnerships • South-South cooperation contract for 15 • Innovative financing EFA and youth transition to work education Beyond 2015 - Where do we go from here? • Rethinking quality of education: how do the various aspects of quality relate to each other? Teaching and pedagogical methods, assessment of and for learning, 21st century skills, etc. • Equity: how do we serve the learners that do not have access to quality education today? • Higher learning (academic & technical, professional): beyond basic skills to transform LAC into knowledge-based societies 16 EFA and youth transition to work Financing must remain a commitment • Impact of economic downturn emphasizes the need to explore innovative modalities for financing of EFA • Some countries use the self-benefiting modality as they require better technical expertise or programming capacity • South-South Cooperation, endowment funding, Public Private Partnerships, Debt Swaps, private sector and foundations, etc. 17 EFA and youth transition to work Thank you 18 EFA and youth transition to work | 7,154 | 3,237 | 0.000328 |
warc | 201704 | Small businesses are using a variety of strategies -- working with schools, providing training programs or altering their approach to recruiting -- as they search for skilled workers to fill vacancies. For example, Rodon Group, which manufacturers plastic parts, has partnered with community colleges to make sure students get the necessary preparation. Meanwhile, at Nine One Nine Marketing in North Carolina, teamwork is used to overcome employees' individual skills gaps. | 476 | 321 | 0.003128 |
warc | 201704 | “You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.” — Michael Jordan
Confidence is a skill you can build.
Self-confidence is about how you feel about your abilities.
Confidence is one of those
crucial keys to bringing out your best. The Confidence Mind is a Powerful One
It’s also a key to having the courage to be who you uniquely are.
The confident mind is a powerful one. Whether it’s sharing your thoughts, acting on your ideas, or being bold enough to be yourself, confidence can serve you in multiple ways.
Even humor and style flow better with confidence.
Confidence is Like a Muscle
If you
think of confidence as a muscle, then pay attention to all the chances you get to flex it throughout your day. It even starts with how you get out of bed. If you don’t think of yourself as confident, then act “as if” and gradually you’ll find your groove.
Keep in mind that while competence breeds competence, confidence comes first – you have to believe to achieve. Above all, don’t anchor your confidence on external people or things. Flow it from the inside out, starting with your own belief in you.
In the book, Managing Your Mind : The Mental Fitness Guide, Gillian Butler, Ph.D., and Tony Hope, M.D., write about six ways to improve your confidence.
6 Simple Strategies for Building Self-Confidence
You can use these strategies to help build up, tune, and improve your self-confidence.
Via Managing Your Mind:
“Practice” “Behave as if you are more confident than you are.” “Be flexible in your behavior.” “Learn from your mistakes. The only way to avoid mistakes is to become stagnant.” “Silence the voice of self-blame, and speak encouragingly to yourself.” “Be kind to yourself.” Bring Out Your Best
Don’t be your own worst critic. Be your own best coach. Learn from your mistakes, but encourage yourself to new heights.
Via Managing Your Mind:
“Apply the ‘water-under-the-bridge’ rule, and operate a statute of limitations. Kicking yourself for past inadequacies, confusions, or failures gives fuel to your internal wavering voice — cut off its supply of oxygen and use an encouraging voice instead. Imagine you had a champion whose job it was to bring the best in you. What encouraging things would this person be whispering in your ear? Amplify those messages, so you can hear them loud and clear.”
Each time you fall down, be the first to pick yourself up. Confidence is a habit you can grow. The seeds are the thoughts and beliefs that empower you to take action.
You Might Also Like Photo by Shandi-Lee . | 2,697 | 1,325 | 0.000805 |
warc | 201704 | The major theme to emerge from the two day forum was that there is a growing body of evidence that the
long term use of ADHD medications by children provides no benefits and poses significant risks to growing minds and bodies. Forum participants were also concerned this evidence is being ignored and that the application of the over-simplified, dumbed down, ‘ADHD’ label denies children appropriate individualised responses to their unique circumstances.
The two top priorities identified by the forum were:
1 – The redevelopment of the draft national guidelines on ADHD by a group of mental health experts without commercial ties to the pharmaceutical industry who will ignore commercially tainted evidence and incorporate the emerging evidence of long term harm into their deliberations. (refer to One Year on From the Release of the National ADHD Guidelines)
2 – Urgent action to address the disproportionate use of psychotropic drugs by children in the care of the state (in either foster or institutional care). There is significant evidence that these often previously abused children are being ‘medicated’ with a range of psychotropic drugs as a substitute for safer, more effective, individualised interventions.
Commentary – The issue of the use of psychotropic drugs on children in state care
Although hard data is patchy, there is anecdotal evidence of the widespread use of psychotropic drugs as the primary method of behaviour control for children in the care of welfare authorities across Australia. The issue has attracted some interest in Queensland and New South Wales. On Sunday 12 February 2011 the (Brisbane)
Sunday Mail published an article titled ’Foster children doped up in care’ highlighting the issue of the use of ‘ADHD medication’ by children care in Queensland (refer to http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/sunday-mail/foster-children-doped-up-in-care/story-e6frep2f-1226005048486). In 2008 The Australian published an article titled ‘Children in care drugged’ which covered similar concerns about the use of ‘chemical straightjackets’ on New South Wales children in care (refer to http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/children-in-care-drugged/story-e6frg6nf-1111117927563).
Other states don’t even know the extent of the problem. For example on 5 May 2009 Martin Whitely MLA in the Western Australian Parliament asked of the Minister representing the Minister for Child Protection;
What is the number and proportion of children in State care, both in institutions and foster care, that are prescribed the following classes of psychotropic medications: (a) Antidepressants; (b) Antipsychotics; (c) Amphetamines; and (d) Amphetamine-like substances (eg. Methylphenidate)? The reply was that ‘this information is stored on individual case files and is not itemised on the Department’s information management system in a way that is reportable. A manual check of all information on all case files required to provide this information would be a significant drain on the Department’s resources.’ Since then the West Australian Government has refused numerous requests by Martin Whitely MLA to review the use of psychotropic drugs by children in care in WA.
This is an issue that needs urgent attention in Western Australia and across Australia. It is too easy for governments in direct care of children who have very often suffered significant abuse and neglect to rely on drugs to temporarily suppress the child’s troubled behaviours. It is too easy for state governments to avoid the issue. It is a national disgrace that we do not know how many abused Australian Children are going on to be chemically abused in state care.
Update; At least things have not got as bad as they appear to have in Miami Florida a highlighted in this article in the Miami Herald written in May 2011 http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/28/2240617/creating.html | 3,990 | 1,898 | 0.000543 |
warc | 201704 | Duration of Diabetes Mellitus and Risk of Thromboembolism and Bleeding in Atrial Fibrillation Nationwide Cohort Study Abstract Background and Purpose—Guidelines advocate anticoagulant treatment to all patients with atrial fibrillation and concomitant diabetes mellitus. The potential refinement to thromboembolic risk stratification that may spring from subdividing diabetes mellitus is unexplored. The purpose was to investigate duration of diabetes mellitus as a predictor of thromboembolism and anticoagulant-related bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation. Methods—Using nationwide Danish registries, we identified all patients discharged from hospital with an incident diagnosis of atrial fibrillation from 2000 to 2011. Hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals for thromboembolism and bleeding according to years of diabetes mellitus duration in categories (0–4, 5–9, 10–14, and ≥15) and as a continuous variable using cubic splines were calculated by Cox regression. Results—The study population comprised 137 222 patients with atrial fibrillation, of which 12.4% had diabetes mellitus. Compared with patients without diabetes mellitus and after adjustment for anticoagulant treatment and CHA 2DS 2-VASc components (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age, previous stroke, vascular disease, and sex), the risk of thromboembolism was lowest in the 0 to 4 years duration category (hazard ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.20), and highest in the longest duration category of ≥15 years (hazard ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.29–1.70). When analyzed as a continuous variable, duration of diabetes mellitus was associated with risk of thromboembolism in a dose-response-dependent manner, but not with a higher risk of bleeding during anticoagulant treatment. Conclusions—In patients with atrial fibrillation, longer duration of diabetes mellitus was associated with a higher risk of thromboembolism, but not with a higher risk of anticoagulant-related bleeding. Considering the critical balance between preventing thromboembolism and avoiding bleeding, longer duration of diabetes mellitus may favor initiation of anticoagulant therapy. Received March 9, 2015. Revision received May 12, 2015. Accepted May 28, 2015. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc. | 2,353 | 1,014 | 0.001013 |
warc | 201704 | It happens about this time every semester – grad students hunker down for midterms, group projects, interviews, leadership roles, and extracurricular activities – all important elements for a commanding GPA and desirable resume. But something has to go to make time – and the first thing to go is
. FUN
Let me tell you why that’s a bad idea.
No matter how hard you study or how well you interview, it is not humanly possible to excel at everything all the time. Sometimes your project won’t be the best in class; you’ll get a “B” on your midterm, or that silly recruiter won’t choose to interview you. There’s only one way to make it through life’s hard knocks.
You guessed it –
. FUN
Fact is, having fun makes you resilient and helps develop a support network to get you through life’s challenges. Believe or not, life can get a lot tougher than a bad exam score. In fact, there is no better example of the power of fun than funerals. You gather to mourn an unspeakable loss, crying, hugging and speaking in hushed tones. Then, something unexpected happens: somebody
laughs.
While it initially seems inappropriate, everyone is drawn to it. As you get closer, you hear someone say, “that reminds me of the time when (insert name of deceased) drove his dad’s Lexus into the bay…” Pretty soon everyone is laughing through their tears, recalling the endearing quirks and funny habits of the dearly departed. Levity makes the loss bearable.
Bad things can happen anytime, making it critical to schedule
. You do remember fun, don’t you? Think back to when you were ten years old. Remember how you felt the first time you rode a two-wheel bike or skateboard or roller blades without incurring physical trauma? Remember the great play you made in soccer or tennis? Remember when you won the science fair or spelling bee? That whole-body exhilaration you felt was preemptive fun FUN!
The kind of fun that protects you during stressful times has three distinctive characteristics, and brain science behind it:
You feel extreme joy, producing serotonin, the happy hormone You are active, generating adrenalin You’re with other people, producing oxytocin which facilitates bonding
That sounds more like a chemistry lesson than an exercise in fun, but it’s actually pretty easy. Think of things you like to do that are active, involve others, and make you happy. For obvious reasons, merely enjoyable activities like reading or playing video games don’t make the cut. Playing sports with friends works. So does going dancing with your roommates. Anything that meets all three criteria will do.
You should absolutely continue to study hard and polish those interview skills. Just remember to also develop your resilience and ability to deal with disappointment. Now go out there and have
! FUN Author Marilyn is the Assistant Director of Graduate and Alumni Career Services at Bentley University. She brings an uncanny ability quickly discern strengths and differentiators and turn this knowledge into strategic career plans. She is passionate about equipping graduate students and alumni with cutting edge skills. Marilyn has a great deal of corporate experience, primarily in the technology, biotech and healthcare industries. She is a long-time user of social media (she was mentioned in Fast Company’s “Most Influential People Online 2010”). She holds degrees in Psychology and Public Administration from The Florida State University. Marilyn immigrated from Cuba as a child and is bilingual. She is active in Boston’s Hispanic business community. Related posts: | 3,696 | 1,925 | 0.00054 |
warc | 201704 | The books have claimed the Mongols to be barbaric, but how barbaric were they? The barbarians have earned the title barbaric. The barbarians were people who didn’t belong to a certain culture or group of people, and pretty much did what they pleased. The Mongols were barbaric with their laws, punishments, and the amount of battles and deaths caused in their presence. The barbarians were barbaric in many different ways. The Mongol Empire was bigger than the continental U.S., being 4,860,000 square miles of conquered land (Doc 1). The Mongol Empire was more that three times bigger that the amount of land Adolf Hitler conquered during his time (Doc 1). With the empire being this big, there would need to be laws. There were laws on hospitality, adultery, drinking, and marriage. With these laws came punishments. For example, if you committed adultery, you would be executed, even if there were no earlier convictions (Doc 10). There were also laws made by Genghis Khan that were enforced during battle situations. If you were a soldier and you got scared and ran away from battle, if you were found, the rest of your group of 10, including you, would be executed. If your whole group of 10 flees, the group of a hundred you were in would all be executed along with you.
You were expected to stay with your group throughout battle, or your consequence would be death (Doc 2). In battle, if you were a prisoner or war, that was not desired to be a slave, or were an artisan, the law was to put you to death with the axe (Doc 3). The number of deaths caused by the barbarians, is not countable. Many people were killed and or captured by the Mongols. Along with the people, their towns were also demolished. Through the years 1220-1258, there were 5,107,000 plus deaths alone (Doc 4). In 1221 in Nishapur, Persia, there were 1,747,000 deaths according to a Persian chronicler (Doc 4). The Mongols tore the city apart and in the process, “severed the heads of the slain from their bodies and heaped them up in piles…” (Doc 4). There weren’t many options for punishments, not that the people got to choose their punishment, and people who were punished were probably a big part of the number of deaths caused the barbarians. Punishment and death was very common in the Mongol Empire. The Mongol leaders might have this punishment to make clear that they are in charge and to intimidate others. There was always a punishment for rule breaking. Most often, the punishment was death.
There were different ways of killing people, or to sound nicer, putting them into a deep sleep in the Mongol Empire. In the Empire there were different forms of being killed, or put to death. You could just be executed, you could have you head chopped off, you could be shot multiple times with arrows, you could even be buried alive upside down (Doc 5,4,3,2). Killing was very common with these peoples. The Mongols overall were very violent. They could be organized at times, but they were more barbaric by following the rules that were organized by the emperor. The Mongols conquered many lands, but killed and lost others they knew in the process. The laws were partially barbaric because of the different parts involved in them. If you committed a crime, there wasn’t anyone to help you get out of your punishment. The most barbaric thing is that mostly everything resulted in death. If you committed a horrible crime, such as adultery, the way you are killed might be worse, but if you got drunk more that three times a month, you could possibly be put to death (Doc 10).
The barbarians were a barbaric people. As you can tell, they did what the pleased. The laws made by Genghis Khan that were used for battle situations were barbaric because if one person or a small group of soldiers left because they were scared, everyone else and them included, were killed (Doc 2). There was pretty much only one punishment in the whole Mongol Empire, and that was death. This punishment is barbaric for the people who didn’t commit huge and serious crimes. Death was a big part in the success of the Mongol Empire. If they, the barbarians, hadn’t killed the people from the cities they captured, there could have been revolts against the Mongols. The Mongols were barbaric because of many things, but mostly for the amount of death they caused. The Mongol Empire set the example for the other empires to follow. Again I ask, how barbaric were the barbarians really? The Mongols were barbaric enough for them to be called barbarians and with the number of deaths caused by them, it would be safe to say that the barbarians were pretty barbaric.
Courtney from Study Moose
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warc | 201704 | Comprehensive documentation provides a defence for Paramedics in a very contentious world. Without documentation, it is very hard to show that something occurred. Thorough timely documentation and the use of the VIRCA method should not be seen as additional and unnecessary paperwork. Instead, it should offer the Paramedic some peace of mind. It has been established at law that a Paramedic owes a duty of care to their patient. The QAS as an organization also owes its patients a duty of care.
As such, it is vital that the QAS perform their job professionally and correctly. This is because once a duty of care is established; the QAS has to ensure that they do not breach that duty. Virca Does not apply to case where transport is not required, but the documentation still needs to be completed with all Patient details and applied management and advice given.
Patients who refuse transport. There is still a concern amongst Paramedics that they have no defence against negligence apart from transporting every person they attend. In some instances this has not been the case. Documentation provides a defence; and as such, documentation is an integral part of the treatment for each patient a Paramedic attends. It is an established legal truism that a person of sound mind has the right to self-determination; they can choose what is done (or not done) to their body.
The voluntary choices and decisions of an adult person of sound mind concerning what is or is not done to their body, must be respected and accepted, irrespective of what others, including doctors, may think is in the best interests of that particular person. The difficulty arises when there is doubt over whether a person is of sound mind. However, in cases where the person does have an adequate mental capacity, a patient does have the right not to be transported. As such, Paramedics need not fear the worst if they are faced with a patient who refuses transport. Instead, they need to have a good understanding of the legal principles behind patients who refuse transport, and its correct documentation. This leads to the next section.
Method for Correct Documentation for Non-Transport E-ARF’s – VIRCA The correct method for documentation where a patient refuses transport is to use the VIRCA acronym. V – Refusal must be made voluntarily. I – Pt must be informed of their condition, and risks associated with that condition if they are not transported. R – Refusal must be made relevant to the circumstances. C – Pt must have the capacity to refuse. A – Pt must be provided with sound discharge advice. Every time a Paramedic attends a patient who refuses transport, it is necessary to document that fact by using the VIRCA method. Each element needs to be addressed separately and applied to the particular circumstances of the individual case.
How to Integrate Patient Assessment and VIRCA. Having examined each element, there is a need to look at the big picture of patient treatment where the patient refuses transport. As per a memorandum from the Commissioner, a Paramedic should:
1. Assess the patient systematically whenever possible. Of course, sometimes a patient may be aggressively non-compliant, and a full assessment will not be possible. However, even from distant observation a Paramedic should be able to assess some areas. For example, obvious external haemorrhage, incontinence, inappropriate behaviour or language, forced respirations can all be obtained from a patient at a distance. All these findings need to be documented.
If possible, try to establish a provisional diagnosis from these findings. Also, don’t forget to obtain history from the patient’s friends, QPS, or from bystanders. They may be able to give a Paramedic a very useful rundown of events, which can help in assessing the patient’s condition. Advise the patient. Inform the patient of your clinical findings, and suggest to them your provisional and differential diagnoses. Make sure they understand the information you are providing them with, as this forms part of the assessment of their capacity to refuse treatment and/or transport. The next step is to inform the patient of the potential risks inherent in them not being transported to a medical facility. It is important to be realistic, or the patient may not believe you.
It is very rare, that people will die for trivial complaints but this may cause the patient to doubt your credibility if you seem to over communicate the condition they have if only minor. It is better to provide the patient with more realistic examples of what may happen, and then conclude with the possibility, even if unlikely, that paralysis or death may result. Please note that if a injury or illness may lead to death, however unlikely, then you must inform the patient of this. The point is to be sensible when explaining it, or the impact may be wasted, and the seriousness of the situation be replaced with incredibility.
3. Assess the Validity of the Refusal. To assess the refusals validity, simply apply the VIRCA acronym. Other Alternatives. If the patient is not compliant with the advice of QAS officers, consider other alternatives. If the patient will not go to a hospital, does he have a family doctor that will come to see him? Could family members be used to help convince the patient of the necessity to receive transport? If necessary, consider the use of QPS in assisting with transport, especially patients that may come under the Mental Health Act provisions.
Document thoroughly using VIRCA. Having completed all other steps, it is now necessary to document all the above steps to paper. Complete an E-ARF as per the CPM guidelines, including a provisional diagnosis. The E-ARF should be completed with the same care as for any other patient, notwithstanding that the patient may have already left the scene. Include in the E ARF each of the VIRCA steps, and apply them to the circumstances of the case. See the applied example in the next section for a practical application of this.
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warc | 201704 | 1. Rönn, Monika, et al. (författare) Bisphenol A exposure increases liver fat in juvenile fructose-fed Fischer 344 rats 2013 Ingår i: Toxicology. - 0300-483X. ; 303:1, s. 125-132 Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract BACKGROUND:Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) has been shown to induce obesity in rodents. To evaluate if exposure also later in life could induce obesity or liver damage we investigated these hypothesises in an experimental rat model.METHODS: From five to fifteen weeks of age, female Fischer 344 rats were exposed to BPA via drinking water (0.025, 0.25 or 2.5mgBPA/L) containing 5% fructose. Two control groups were given either water or 5% fructose solution. Individual weight of the rats was determined once a week. At termination magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess adipose tissue amount and distribution, and liver fat content. After sacrifice the left perirenal fat pad and the liver were dissected and weighed. Apolipoprotein A-I in plasma was analyzed by western blot.RESULTS:No significant effects on body weight or the weight of the dissected fad pad were seen in rats exposed to BPA, and MRI showed no differences in total or visceral adipose tissue volumes between the groups. However, MRI showed that liver fat content was significantly higher in BPA-exposed rats than in fructose controls (p=0.04). BPA exposure also increased the apolipoprotein A-I levels in plasma (p<0.0001).CONCLUSION: We found no evidence that BPA exposure affects fat mass in juvenile fructose-fed rats. However, the finding that BPA in combination with fructose induced fat infiltration in the liver at dosages close to the current tolerable daily intake (TDI) might be of concern given the widespread use of this compound in our environment. 2. Rönn, Monika, et al. (författare) Quantification of total and visceral adipose tissue in fructose-fed rats using water-fat separated single echo MRI 2013 Ingår i: Obesity. - 1930-7381. ; 21:9, s. E388-E395 Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to setup a rodent model for modest weight gain and an MRI-based quantification of body composition on a clinical 1.5 T MRI system for studies of obesity and environmental factors and their possible association. Design and Methods: Twenty-four 4-week-old female Fischer rats were divided into two groups: one exposed group (n=12) and one control group (n 12). The exposed group was given drinking water containing fructose (5% for 7 weeks, then 20% for 3 weeks). The control group was given tap water. Before sacrifice, whole body MRI was performed to determine volumes of total and visceral adipose tissue and lean tissue. MRI was performed using a clinical 1.5 T system and a chemical shift based technique for separation of water and fat signal from a rapid single echo acquisition. Fat signal fraction was used to separate adipose and lean tissue. Visceral adipose tissue volume was quantified using semiautomated segmentation. After sacrifice, a perirenal fat pad and the liver were dissected and weighed. Plasma proteins were analyzed by Western blot. Results: The weight gain was 5.2% greater in rats exposed to fructose than in controls (P=0.042). Total and visceral adipose tissue volumes were 5.2 cm(3) (P=0.017) and 3.1 cm(3) (P=0.019) greater, respectively, while lean tissue volumes did not differ. The level of triglycerides and apolipoprotein A-I was higher (P=0.034, P=0.005, respectively) in fructose-exposed rats. 3. Andersson, N., et al. (författare) Amplitude modulation of light from various sources 1994 Ingår i: Lighting Research and Technology. - Sage Publications. - 1477-1535. ; 26:3, s. 157-160 Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract This work was done to obtain basic knowledge about various light sources and specially about light modulation, or flicker. The study showed that the modulation of light varied a lot between different ordinary light sources. In general the 100 Hz component in the flickering light dominated. For incandescent lights the modulation increased with decreasing power and was in the range 10-22%. Light from the tungsten-halogen lamps had 2-6% modulation. The most common light sources (single-colour fluorescent light) had a modulation of about 20%. Fluorescent tubes with better colour rendering (full-colour fluorescent and full-colour special fluorescent tubes) had a higher modulation, 30-40%, while light from high-frequency (HF) fluorescent tubes had a modulation of 0.9%. Light from conventional compact fluorescent tubes had a modulation degree of about 44%, and for HF compact fluorescent tubes it was 2-7%. Modulation of light from HF compact fluorescent tubes had a tendency to decrease with increasing tube size. The modulation of light from discharge lamps was in the range of 52% up to 100% and the curve form of the light from low pressure sodium vapour lamp (100% modulation) contained several high frequency components. 4. Berglund, Eva, et al. (författare) Communicative skills in relation to gender, birth order, childcare and socioeconomic status in 18-month-old children 2005 Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. - 0036-5564. ; 46:6, s. 485-491 Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract Variation in communicative skills, defined as gestures, vocabulary comprehension and vocabulary production, was examined as a function of gender, birth order, childcare and socioeconomic status (SES) in 1,019 18-month-old children. The children were recruited at their regular check-up at a number of randomly selected Child Health Care centers in a Swedish county. The participation rate was 88%. The children were assessed by their mothers using a short version of the Swedish Early Communicative Development Inventories. The results demonstrate significant effects of gender and birth order on vocabulary comprehension and vocabulary production. Girls scored higher than boys and first-born children scored higher than later-born children. Type of childcare (family care, care at home and day-care centers) interacted with gender and birth order on vocabulary production and indicated that family care is not as advantageous as care at home or at day-care centers. SES had no effect on children's communicative skills at this age. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Berglund, Karin, et al. (författare) Provoking identities : Entrepreneurship and emerging identity positions in rural development 2016 Ingår i: Entrepreneurship and Regional Development. - Routledge. - 0898-5626. ; 28:1-2, s. 76-96 Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract This article discusses entrepreneurship in a depleted community in transition. The purpose is to develop knowledge about how discourses are used in the positioning of identity in regional development. The concept positioning illustrates how identities are provoked, challenged, negotiated and moved into identity positions that break away from the idea of imitating successful and wealthy regions; instead, locality, place and history emerge as important resources from where local actors obtain agency and recognize new opportunities. Ethnographic data of a single case were collected over a six-year period between 2005 and 2010. The longitudinal nature of the study made it possible to incorporate how local stakeholders took on new identity positions, while handling their inspiration as well as their frustration. Results show how rural change was conditioned by discourses and how entrepreneurship challenged and reframed dominating structures through interaction between entrepreneurship and community. Four discourses, expressed as dichotomies available to people in this depleted community, illustrate the interactive process of positioning: change vs. traditions, rational vs. irrational, spectacular vs. mundane and individual vs. collective. The results support research emphasizing perspectives that acknowledge interaction between entrepreneurship and context as well as discursive aspects of regional development. 10. | 8,056 | 3,470 | 0.00029 |
warc | 201704 | Blog
Given that all things Internet seem to move at the speed of light and come or go overnight, it’s fairly impressive to see commercial email marketing approaching its fifteenth birthday. I remember first becoming involved in email in 1999 and being impressed then with what was creatively and technically possible – even though dial-up Internet connections still outnumbered broadband!
Although anti-spam software and abuse-prevention delivery rules have often thwarted the channel’s technical capabilities (even since its early years – video in email was possible in 2000), there is no excuse to still be mailing like it’s 1999.
After a decade of “best practices”, it’s high time to examine the core components of your email program to be sure you’re applying contemporary thinking and capabilities rather than simply re-running what worked or was assumed to have worked in the past. Many so-called “best practices” are far from evergreen and if not re-examined continually, become the number one reason an email program slowly degenerates into mediocrity and diminishing returns. List Building
1999: Opt-in permission was a much-supported standard of early email marketing but never legally mandated in the US. The result? To develop email lists of any critical mass, marketers often disregarded permission, favoring quantity over quality and adding email addresses to their files through any means possible – co-reg deals, list swaps, and compiling data from directories or prospect files. Long story short, there are plenty of large email lists amassed through less than opt-in means, a huge percentage of which are disengaged, unresponsive people who probably shouldn’t have been there in the first place.
2012: First, examine your email address gathering methods for a) use of clear permission and b) a UVP (unique value proposition) that entices engagement from subscribers. Not that both aren’t important – they are – but valuing quality (of list members) over quantity always results in better qualified, more engaged list members which translates into better response performance and ROI.
Keep in mind too that large percentages of inactive, disengaged subscribers can affect your deliverability and reputation, since some of those inactives will included abandoned accounts-turned-spamtraps; and hitting spamtraps frequently can land you on blacklists. With at least two major ISPs now also monitoring email address owner engagement with email messages and using it as a determiner or inbox placement, keeping broad swaths of “zombies” on your list will, over time, actually harm your ability to reach the people who really want your email as you find campaigns increasingly relegated to the junk folder. So, either re-engage your inactives with an orchestrated campaign, or suppress them, and remember to conduct regular email list hygiene to identify and remove spamtraps.
Subject Lines
1999: The conventional wisdom on subject lines was “keep ‘em short and sweet”, “long subject lines will be truncated” and “don’t use the word free”. None of these practices are relevant today.
2012: While it’s true long subject lines may still not be fully visible in many email client viewers, their content itself is rarely if ever cut off or truncated. New research by Alchemy Worx, a London-based ESP, reveals long subject lines to be powerful motivators of not only opens, but also clicks, and as a result better relevancy indicators than short subject lines. Long subject lines also allow the inclusion of multiple vs. single topics – for email messages with multiple offers or benefits this makes for a more descriptive subject line which better sets and manages the expectation of recipients as to what the email is about, and therefore correlates to a higher incidence of actually responding to the email offer vs. just being intrigued enough to open the message.
And yes, in the early days of email when content filtering was king, the word “free” did sometimes trip spam filters and result in junked campaigns. Free, however, remains one of the most powerful words in direct response, and rarely does it trigger content filters today. So if you have a great free piece of content, free trial, or free gift, be sure people know it!
Measurement & Analysis
1999: The basic metrics of email campaigns told the story as we measured delivered, opens, clicks, conversions and unsubscribes. Was there more revenue than cost at the end of the day? Great! Positive ROI!
2012: While basic email process metrics and ROI remain staples of campaign analysis, they don’t tell the whole story and we can’t stop there today. Contemporary smart email marketers look beyond open/click/conversion rate (how many people took this action on campaign “x”?) and are examining open/click/conversion reach (what percentage of people on my list has ever opened and what’s the frequency distribution?).
In addition, contribution metrics like AOV (average order value) and RPE (revenue per email address) also paint a richer results picture than simple ROI and serve as meaningful metrics when comparing the results of one campaign to another or when comparing head-to-head test groups.
How to Email Like It’s 2012
In 2012 successful email marketing isn’t simply about just being in the red or the black at the end of a campaign or business cycle.
Today it’s about maximizing potential and continuous improvement – achieving optimal delivery, response, and financial contribution from the channel: the biggest “bang for our buck”, the max for the minimum, the most efficient use of resources, and the brightest, most relevant application of strategy.
Times have changed and with them the rules of email have evolved and will continue to evolve.
Success in this channel is (and I believe always will be) defined by flexibility, agility and innovation. Stay nimble, always question your assumptions, don’t be afraid to experiment and you’ll be light years ahead of the pack who’s still emailing like it’s 1999. Want to learn more “new rules” of email? Tune in to my FREE virtual training “ The NEW Rules of Email: Innovations, Tactics and Secrets you MUST Know to Generate More Sales, Revenue and Business Growth in 2012 ”. Register here for complimentary access Tags: email campaign analysis, email list, email marketing, email metrics, new rules of email, relevancy, subject lines | 6,631 | 3,145 | 0.000331 |
warc | 201704 | Dennis Kerr may have retired from DTE Energy (Detroit, Michigan, U.S.) in August 2009, but the 65-year-old's schedule remains busier than an electrical crew helping restore power after a major storm. A former journeyman lineman and safety trainer, Kerr serves as the co-chairman of the board of directors for the International Lineman's Rodeo Association, is a long-standing executive member with the Michigan Safety Conference and heads up the Michigan Lineman's Association. Despite the many hats he wears, his preferred role is that of father and grandfather.
Raised in Bad Axe, Michigan, Kerr attended Ferris State College, where he earned an associate's degree in business. After graduation, he joined Detroit Edison, which later became DTE Energy.
“I hired on with the company because they were accepting lineman apprentices,” he said. “I started out at the end of a 5-foot shovel, digging holes and setting poles.”
Just six months into his employment, however, Kerr was drafted to the Vietnam War. Instead of joining the Army, he enlisted in the Navy, becoming a second-class yeoman and running a personnel office during his last year aboard ship.
“I returned to DTE in 1971 when my military obligation ended,” he recalled. “I entered their apprenticeship program and became a journey lineman three years later. I climbed poles until 1982, and then moved to our technical training center to help train apprentices.”
Kerr also worked in the company's college professional recruitment area and was a division instructor responsible for the safety and training at three lineman service centers.
“Before 1985, all of our training records were kept by hand,” he said. “I had five filing cabinets filled with paperwork. One of my colleagues suggested we put the records into a personnel training history system to streamline the process. It was quite an undertaking and took a lot of effort, but it was a real plus once we finished the project.”
Kerr next returned to corporate training as supervisor for overhead and underground lines training and then took an operating supervisor position at one of DTE's service centers, where he spent the last 12 years of his career.
Retirement has allowed the former lineman to become even more involved in one of passions: the International Lineman's Rodeo. Held annually in Bonner Springs, Kansas, U.S., this event attracts nearly 5,000 people from all over the world.
“I've been involved with the International Lineman's Rodeo since 1987,” Kerr said. “I took teams down there to compete and then worked as a judge. Now, I'm the co-chair of the board of directors.”
The former lineman is also chairman of the board of the Michigan Lineman's Association, which puts on a rodeo every year, and is as a chief judge for the Gaff-n-Go Lineman's Rodeo in Virginia. In addition, he recently stepped down as president of the Michigan Safety Conference, a two-day safety training event held each spring that targets workplace health and safety issues.”
“As you can probably tell, workplace safety still is a big part of my life,” he laughed. “I think lineman's rodeos are important to the utility industry because they promote safety and skills of the trade. It is dangerous to be a lineman, and participating in these events can help decrease that risk. They're also a bunch of fun.”
According to Kerr, lineman's rodeos also help raise awareness of the trade — something he feels is important.
“We are suffering from a lineman shortage,” he said. “Most high school curriculums are geared toward students who will go on to college, but college is not for everyone. Being a lineman takes dexterity, physical fitness and a love of the outdoors, which are traits a lot of today's young people possess. We need to do a better job of promoting the trade at the high school level, because it is a very exciting profession.”
Kerr experienced some of this excitement firsthand during his time as a journeyman lineman, such as when he and another member of his crew were caught in a tornado.
“We had just finished up a job so we were in our bucket truck filling out paperwork,” he remembered. “All of a sudden, the wind picked up and it began storming. Then, the truck began rocking violently back and forth. It got so dark that I could not see the guy sitting next to me. This was back before all the weather technology existed, so we did not find out until the next day that a tornado had passed right over us.”
These days, the father of three prefers to keep his excitement mostly contained to the golf course and watching his grandchildren's musical and sporting events. However, he still finds time to enjoy a little adventure.
“I recently spent a week in Florida with my son and three of my grandkids kayaking, swimming with manatees and dolphins, and doing some simulation skydiving,” he said. “I am grateful to have lived long enough to reach retirement so I can spend as much time as I can with family and friends.” | 5,138 | 2,463 | 0.000422 |
warc | 201704 | The Alafia River runs east and west through central Hillsborough County, Florida, U.S., separating the primary load centers in and around the city of Tampa from Tampa Electric Co.'s largest generation point at Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach. Inspectors identified significant corrosion-caused deficiencies on the structures supporting four of the utility's seven transmission circuits crossing the river. With the ever-present threat of severe weather during hurricane season, Tampa Electric faced potentially catastrophic dangers if the situation was not resolved quickly, including major interruptions — or worse. The clock was ticking, and the utility had one of the biggest projects in its history to execute.
The three 230-kV circuits and one 69-kV circuit in question are in close proximity along a 1,300-ft (396-m)-wide stretch of the Alafia River. A variety of wood, steel and concrete structures supported the circuits to the north and south of the river, with steel lattice towers and tubular steel H-frames used to span the river itself. This included a set of structures on the tiny Key West Island, a spoil island in the river that reduced the longest span to about 1,000 ft (305 m). Adding to the project team's challenges, the island was sinking into the river.
Project Requirements and Goals
The initial driver for this project — to address corrosion-related structural deficiencies at the river crossings and eliminate their threat to reliability — soon gave way to other considerations: How could Tampa Electric use this opportunity to provide the best value and performance for its customers and shareholders? The utility assembled a project team to develop options, perform analysis and provide a recommendation to management.
In addition to the previously cited challenges, the geography of the project area proved to be extremely important. The Alafia River is an environmentally sensitive area and a popular recreational waterway. To the east and west, nearby bridges limit horizontal and vertical clearances. Tampa Electric made it a priority to minimize the project's impact on the environment and local community.
The utility had to consider other factors including future system upgrades and access to the project site for large equipment and many workers, both during the initial construction and later for possible restoration activity, while, at the same time, balancing its construction plan with project costs and the long-term life of the replacement structures. Above all, ensuring safety, the utility's highest core value, was a must for the project team and the public alike.
The project team was charged with developing a solution that would restore the structural integrity of the crossing structures and address the additional considerations in the most cost-effective manner. And the project had to be in service before the start of the 2011 hurricane season on June 11.
Project Development and Selection
The project team developed two options for completing the work. The first option called for remediation of the deficient structures with only limited new construction. The second option required much more new construction and included transmission structures that varied significantly in scale and potential benefits.
Because the corrosion-caused structural deficiencies initially were identified through a visual inspection, the project team commissioned CG Power Solutions to perform a comprehensive remediation study. CG inspected and tested the aboveground steel and reinforced-concrete foundations. Initial results showed only surface corrosion on the majority of the aboveground steel. However, the inspection revealed severe deficiencies in the steel connections to the concrete foundations, so much so that Tampa Electric added temporary reinforcement to one lattice tower on the spoil island based on CG's findings. The foundation testing showed the reinforced-concrete foundations on two of the lattice towers would not support any future Tampa Electric system expansion plans.
CG provided recommendations for remediating the foundations. An array of helical anchors would be suitable for some structures, but others would require more extensive remediation with supplemental concrete foundations.
In parallel with the remediation study, the project team developed conceptual designs for rebuilding the circuit crossings. The designs ranged from versions that maintained the existing configuration with in-place structure replacements to others that completely reconfigured the circuits and structures that would span the full width of the river.
The Best Solution
The team developed multiple options and evaluated each based on the project requirements. In an added wrinkle, the team factored in a fourth 230-kV circuit that would have to cross the river, part of a separate project and a new opportunity that came out of the multiple options the team had identified initially.
Using the recommendations and remediation estimate CG provided and the rebuild design options Tampa Electric developed, the project team narrowed the options to three and compiled separate cost estimates with scopes and schedules. Option 1 included remediation of the existing structures and limited new construction to accommodate the new circuit. Option 2 included replacement structures installed on the spoil island and new construction to accommodate the new circuit. Option 3 included new structures installed that spanned the river as well as provisions for the new circuit, and made possible the removal of the structures from the spoil island.
The project team determined option 3 would minimize the impact on the environment. Although temporary impacts to the island were necessary to remove the existing structures, this option would eliminate the significant excavation required for remediation and new installations. Option 3 also offered an aesthetic benefit by presenting a cleaner appearance along the river and a safety benefit by removing the structures from the spoil island, which is accessible to the public.
Removal of the existing structures and avoiding new construction on the spoil island provided short- and long-term benefits to crew safety, mobilization requirements, reliability, restoration and life-cycle costs. It also offered the opportunity to perform the engineering and design specific to accommodate the new circuit, and with minimal additional cost, the crossings could be built to handle significantly higher current levels if the circuits ever required upgrading.
With option 3, the project team had the best solution, one that met the minimum requirements at the least initial cost. It also offered many advantages that substantially addressed the other factors considered in this project. The team presented its findings, cost estimates, scopes, schedules and final recommendation to management and the project was approved. Now the hard work could begin.
Innovations and Project Complexity
This project broke new ground for Tampa Electric in three specific areas: structure size and span length; use and strategic deployment of lightning arresters; and implementation of a unique conductor tensioning procedure.
The crossing structures are the tallest, deepest and strongest, and have the largest diameter of any in Tampa Electric's transmission system. The spans across the river also are the longest in the utility's system. The Thomas & Betts tubular steel monopoles are 220 ft (67 m) in overall length, 8 ft (2.4 m) in diameter at the base with a 45-ft (13.7-m) direct-embedded depth and concrete backfill. The groundline capacity is in excess of 15,000 ft-kips (20,300 m-kN) and meets National Electrical Safety Code extreme wind requirements with all wires down in one direction. The river-crossing spans are more than 1,600 ft (488 m).
Although lightning arresters are standard equipment at Tampa Electric's substations and on the distribution system, their use on the transmission system has been limited and never above 69 kV. This project, however, includes two methods of lightning protection. Standard Tampa Electric transmission construction includes shielding with a static wire. But, since there can be as much as 60 ft (18.3 m) between the static wire and bottom phase conductor bundle, ABB lightning arresters were strategically incorporated into the design.
For protection from direct lightning strikes, lightning arresters on all three phases of the two outside circuits complement the standard static wires over the circuits. This provides an umbrella to the crossing spans and, because of their close proximity, should provide protection from direct strikes to the three inner circuits, as well. In addition, lightning arresters on the bottom phases of the three inner circuits to protect against back flashover. By eliminating the top- and middle-phase lightning arresters from the interior circuits, the project team cut more than US$20,000 from the project cost.
Sag-Tension Issues
Generation of sag-tension information is a simple process in the office. Recreating it in the field can be a greater challenge, especially for self-supporting dead-end structures. Further complicating things on this project was the fact the design called for bundled 795 aluminum conductor steel supported (ACSS) over the river to be backed up with a single 1590 ACSS away from the river. Tampa Electric used Power Line Systems' PLS-CADD to design the project and generate sag charts, but it was the capability of PLS that accurately predicted pole deflection, which was the basis for implementing a unique but effective tensioning procedure.
Historically, this has been a two-step process. First, crews would install the conductor in one direction at a point close to the specified tension. The second step involved the installation of the conductor in another direction and pulled up close to the specified tension. This is where operations became problematic and the frustration of tightening one side and loosening the other began. After lengthy discussions, the project team developed a new approach by leveraging the capabilities of PLS.
The new approach began with the design of a PLS weather case using measurements of typical conductor temperature, ambient temperature and wind speed at the project site during construction. This typical weather case was used with a deflection load case to analyze the self-supporting dead-end crossing structures under two scenarios that mirrored the standard two-step procedure. The first analysis determined the structure deflection at each attachment point with only the bundled 795 ACSS conductor and river-crossing static wire installed at full tension. These values were recorded. The second analysis determined the structure deflection at each attachment point with the bundled 795 ACSS conductors, the single 1590 ACSS conductors and static wires in both directions installed at full tension. These values also were recorded.
PLS predicted the structure deflection at the middle phase attachment point would be 40 inches (1,016 mm) under the first scenario, but only 16 inches (406 mm) under the second. This means the middle-phase attachment point would change positions by 24 inches (610 mm) — the result of 40 minus 16 (1,016 minus 406) — between the crew's first and second steps. Likewise, the static wire attachment would change by 35 inches (889 mm), the top phase by 30 inches (762 mm) and the bottom phase by 22 inches (559 mm).
In the field, the crew completed the first step by installing the 795 ACSS conductor and static wire to full tension over the river. As an interim step unique to this project, crews released the static wire and conductors by the differential amounts described previously. Crews then completed the standard second step of the installation procedure, the installation and full tensioning of the 1590 ACSS conductors and static wire. With the upland conductors at full tension, the tension in the river-crossing conductors was verified and required virtually no adjustments.
Achievements
With high stakes, a tight time frame and processes the project team had to create along the way, the project achieved all of its goals. In late May 2011, before hurricane season, Tampa Electric rebuilt the four existing circuit crossings and constructed the new circuit crossing at the Alafia River. The project solved the problems of structural deficiencies and offered a clean installation with major operational and maintenance advantages. The environmental impact was temporary and finite because all equipment was removed from the spoil island.
The final configuration accommodates the new circuit, offers a current rating of 1,000 A more than the previous rating and creates enough room for another circuit crossing in the future. In the end, the project required more than 8,800 man-hours for construction and came in almost 10% under the $5.5 million project estimate. The project earned Tampa Electric the 2012 Industry Excellence Award in the transmission line category from the Southeastern Electric Exchange and is one the utility will return to as a model of safe, large-scale achievement for many years to come.
Acknowledgement
The authors acknowledge the other members of the project team: Chuck Rogers, Ed Fridy, Nate Alcoz, Chris Steele, Dave Johnson and Matt LaRussa. They also thank Suzette Knight, Glenda VanPetten, Marcie Collins, Nicki Narloch and Carla Hunt. Without the handful of miracles they performed, this project would have been over-budget and missed the in-service date. Finally, the authors thank Cherie Jacobs and Brian Lott for their significant contributions to this article.
Phillip Hughes II (pehughes@tecoenergy.com) has 16 years of experience in the electric power industry, with 11 years at Tampa Electric Co. He has eight years of transmission operations and engineering experience and currently is a senior consulting engineer responsible for new construction projects, system modifications and resolution of LiDAR clearance issues. Hughes holds BSME and BSEE degrees from the University of South Florida and is a professional engineer registered in Florida. Kenji Plennert (dkplennert@tecoenergy.com) is a senior engineer at Tampa Electric Co. and has 10 years experience in the electric utility industry. He previously worked in Tampa Electric's transmission engineering group for five years and recently transferred to the position of distribution operations engineer. Plennert holds a BSME degree and a MBA degree from the University of South Florida. | 14,626 | 5,895 | 0.00017 |
warc | 201704 | Every day people are winning campaigns on Change.org that address issues big and small. We’ll take a look at these victories and how the world changed in the last week.
Şeyda Gökçe Bakan, a teacher who was severely injured in a car accident, will receive therapy that will enable her to walk again, thanks to a petition started by Şeyda’s colleagues.
Last winter, Şeyda was driving to the high school where she teaches in an underdeveloped area of eastern Turkey, when she lost control of her car on the icy roads. She broke her neck and was left unable to walk.
Over the following eight months, Şeyda underwent a series of surgeries and physical therapy, but none of the treatments helped her to regain mobility.
Her doctors told her only hope of walking again was to receive physical treatment in GATA, a state-run military research hospital. But being hospitalized in GATA is subject to special authorization.
That’s when Şeyda’s fellow teachers and alumni from Uludag University stepped in.
They created a petition on July 1 – “Let Şeyda get her treatment in GATA” – and soon after the country’s top publications were writing about Şeyda. Signatures on the petition started building. Members of parliament visited Şeyda and promised their support.
Twenty-eight days and 183,708 signatures later, Şeyda was granted admittance for treatment at GATA. On Monday, July 27, Nabi Avcı, the Minister of Education, called Şeyda to tell her not only will she be treated at GATA in Ankara, but also she has been appointed to a teaching position there.
Şeyda’s victory is one of many on our platform that tells a personal story about health to create a life-changing outcome. Read about our most popular health victories, many of which are stories of expanded use, like Şeyda’s story. Or support a health petition that is currently trending. | 1,973 | 1,039 | 0.001036 |
warc | 201704 | Answer: This is a very common question/issue. What a pulmonary nodule means to you depends on a lot of factors. What does a pulmonary nodule look like? A pulmonary nodule is basically a small focus of tissue in the lung. It is usually round but can often be oval, irregular, or speculated. Sometimes is can be calcified or have fat density. By definition a nodule is less than 3cm in size. If the lesion is greater than 3cm, it may be the exact same tissue etiology, but it is now called a mass. What could it mean? Fat density in a nodule is considered benign. If calcifications are seen within a pulmonary nodule it is almost always benign as well. Calcifications are associated with prior or chronic inflammation/infection. In this scenario, the nodule is the tissue that is left over after your immune system has taken care of the problem. It is kind of like a scar. These “scars” do not always calcify and a non-calcified nodule can be more difficult to evaluate. None the less, a noncalcified-nodule can still represent the benign residue of a prior infection, but it is hard to tell for sure. So that is usually the major question; is the nodule cancer or not? So how can you tell if it is cancer? The good news is that the vast majority of lung nodules are benign. The bad news is, if the nodule is not calcified or does not have fat, it can be difficult to impossible to tell on one CT scan if a nodule is cancer or not. Because cancers grow and scars generally do not, a follow-up scan can help. Scans at different times provide a reference point to evaluate if it increases in size over time. Some types of cancers grow very slow and therefore a long follow-up may be necessary to feel comfortable that the nodule is benign. Other factors play a role in the likelihood that a nodule is a cancer or not. The chances that a nodule is malignant increases with nodule size. Some other common factors that increase the likelihood that a nodule could be cancer is; patient age, history of other cancers, smoking history and history of other carcinogen exposure. How often do you re-scan with CT and for how long? This is a major issue that is debated by many. In the last decade several articles have been published in major peer reviewed medical journals to try to establish a safe and rational approach to the management of this common issue. Most recently, in 2005 a consensus guideline was created and adopted by the major medical society on chest imaging (the Fleischner Society). Their follow-up algorithm is very helpful but remains general and many other individual factors will dictate management. The article is online: http://radiology.rsna.org/content/237/2/395.full
This algorithm was used when I was at MGH. However, things in medicine often change with medical advances and it is possible that it has been updated since. | 2,853 | 1,372 | 0.000732 |
warc | 201704 | Worldwide, the Toyota Prius is still the leader in the hybrid market. Since 2000, over 1.5 million Prius hybrids have been sold in the United States and over 3 million globally. It is the world’s best-selling hybrid by leaps and bounds.
Making the Prius such a great vehicle is its incredible fuel efficiency. Now in its third generation, it achieves an EPA-estimated rating for 51 mpg in the city, 48 mpg on the highway, and 50 mpg combined. The combined efficiency is almost 25 percent better than the first Toyota Prius models.
The Prius is a versatile hybrid with a total of four different models to choose from: the largest Prius v, the smaller Prius c, the standard Prius, and the Prius Plug-in Hybrid. Beyond that, there are multiple trim levels within each model. The 2014 Prius has four trims available: Two, Three, Four, and Five. The Three and Four models offer an industry-first moonroof with solar panels. These panels provide power for a ventilator that helps keep the interior cooler while it’s parked in the sun.
If you’ve ever wanted to drive a Prius for its efficiency, but wanted more performance capabilities, check out the PLUS Performance package. This gives the Prius sharper handling and a sportier look. The package was even engineered by Toyota Racing Development. It adds an aerodynamic grounds effect kit, 17-inch forged alloy wheels, TRD track-tuned springs, and a rear stabilizer.
Want to see what makes the 2014 Toyota Prius stand out? Stop by Hurlbert Toyota today and we’ll show you what you’ve been missing. | 1,572 | 870 | 0.001173 |
warc | 201704 | I watched a particularly effective episode of
Harry's Law, a show that airs on Wednesday nights on NBC at 21:00. This is not your typical offering and I will also admit to being a big fan of David E. Kelley's shows. This is another law show, but not justanother law show. It has its serious topics and its less serious topics but it is a lot more interesting... the scenarios posted and the responses to them.
Last Wednesday, on 9 November, the episode centered around two things. Harry goes on vacation in a Mercedes Benz truck where in the town of Langford, she is pulled over. The reason? The mayor of the town (well played by George Wendt) made an ordinance that no one shall own, operate or otherwise bring a foreign-made vehicle into their town. They wanted her to pay $1,000 fine for this ridiculousness and she wouldn't.
This is not where I am going with this.
The second case that comes to the office is the less amusing side of the story. A couple from China come in to the office and tells a sad story about how in their home nation, the second children of families who break the "no second child" rule are often stolen from their families. The harassment, brought on by the local government, not the country's government, begins with imprisonment of the parents, then destroying their homes, then other charming acts of basic terrorising the parents. The final slap in the face is to steal the child, put her in an orphanage, while telling the orphanage that the parents perished.
Telly shows and I are often at odds because they take liberties based - naturally - on the knowledge of the lowest common denominator. So, for those of you in that category, they are fooling you. When the child first meets the birth parents, she answers a direct missive in Chinese and then says, "I remember you." This is nothing short of a miracle. I'm not saying that small kids cannot recall anything; however, 98% of memories developed prior to the age of 6 or 7 are likely to be extremely traumatic ones (I'm not qualified to know what children consider "traumatic", but witnessing something violent or a killing or any number of things may imprint on a very small child's memory). Most people are a fairly blank slate up until the years when permanent memories develops; there is one exception, and I am just as susceptible to that as anyone: stories.
Oh, sure. My mother has all the good stories: how I fell into the cactus in the house in Demarest; how I got drunk when I was teething because a neighbour recommended put a tiny amount of vodka on in my bottle and she measured it with a teaspoon instead of an eyedropper. The most famous is one where I woke up early, wanted out of prison (the crib), so I stood up on chubby little legs and began pushing really hard against the bars. Now, who knows, maybe the baby cribs of circa 1968 didn't have brakes on 'em. But that sucker ended up blocking the bedroom door so that no one could get in. Heh, heh.
It sound good and it did in fact happen. But it is not from
mymemory this comes, but years of hearing my mother tell this. For a long time I thought I could remember it - she told it in rich detail and left nothing out, I was sure I could recall it. She's told it to everyone under the sun, on every occasion, but that is not my memory. I guarantee you it wasn't mine: I was in my room, oblivious to the stir I created and laughing my head off! Not exactly the definition of scarred.
There is an actual reason for putting you through all this, I promise.
In this show, a woman who knows one of lawyers on Harry's staff, Adam, and introduces him to two Chinese people, a husband and wife that had broken the second child law and the local government has stolen her. They've spent time and all of their money and tracked her to a family in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was taken at age two and now she is age 6. They want to get their little girl back and return home to Beijing. (Is it only me who wonders what the government will do - local or otherwise - when these parents who broke a major law there show up again?)
As it happens, China has revamped their taxation system to radically dissuade non-agriculturally dependent families to restrict their procreation to one. Families with farms can have two - kids are additional labour - without suffering monetary problems.
So the lawyers from Harry's firm first visit with the adoptive parents of Li. Li runs into the living room hot on her sister's Darlene's heels, arguing who gets to watch what on the telly. This is while the two lawyers from Harry's office are there to drop this bomb on the parents. They were good enough to want to avoid the parents just receiving a subpoena, but beyond that, this just went straight into the jurisprudence system! Meanwhile, the couple who have been raising this little girl go out and retain a lawyer.
When they meet in front of the judge, a tall, stately, African American woman with very short hair and who is extremely well-spoken, she explained how the process would work: she would hear from the biological parents, then the adoptive parents. The next day they would hear professional opinions on each side of the coin and then the following day there would be closing arguments and she would render her judgment.
Then she said something to the effect of how this would be painful; but like it or not, you are all in this together. That the little girl now has biological parents that she knows are alive; and she has the family with whom she has spent more than half of her life. Like it or not, this is it. One side cannot erase the other.
She held the lawyers back and asked if they had at least met as a group with the child present. They all shook their heads. The judge raised an eyebrow and said, "So your clients all lawyered up; this can all be faxed with a lawsuit, huh?" They all had the grace to look a little chastised, at least.
Later that day, the three lawyers and their clients had a get-together with Li. She seemed cold and distant to her biological parents, and the husband told the wife that she was only two when she last saw them. The adoptive mother apologetically told them Li doesn't remember Chinese. And then, after a another minute of the parents fretting that their child does not remember them, she said, "I remember you," in Chinese.
(Maybe that could happen, but I find that tough to believe...)
The next day in court they have experts give testimony. The defendants' side had a man who argued that it would be criminal to rip the daughter from her adoptive family. The other side's expert actually argued that multi-racial families can't work! I was grinding my teeth to the nubs when I heard that. That is preposterous!
After the experts did their thing, the judge called to the lawyers to hang back and asked if either of them had gotten their clients into counseling of some kind. Both again looked a little sheepish and shook their heads. The judge then asked the three of them if they had any kids. They all shook their heads and she sighed, shook her head and made a comment that it's a good thing their clients are in good hands.
At the end, it was time for the judge to hand down her verdict and inform the families of her fateful decision. She began by saying that these cases all come down to the judge you get [there was no jury]. She had been adopted by white parents. Was she racially conditioned to be white? She didn't know. She did say that if anyone had suggested to her that they were not her family, she would have fought it and never believed it. On the other hand, she is a mother and if anyone took her daughter, she would search the ends of the earth for her, if it took two years, four years, twenty.
She took a deep breath and said that she is going to work out a very strong and detailed set up of visitation rights. She also stated that Li would be living with the Thomas' (the adoptive family). She would get the visitation rights worked out as soon as possible and then apologised to the Chinese family. She just couldn't see taking away Li from her parents who'd raised her the last four years of her life. The Chinese woman broke down, the Thomas' were very relieved. I can understand that.
Currently, United States law always favours the side of the biological parents, a ruling I don't agree with. I don't think any case is so cut and dry one can have a predetermined ruling ideal. Each case has to be tried on an individual basis. Many times, I am on the side of the adoptive or waiting parents of an as-yet unborn child. Especially when teenage girls enter into an agreement that they will give up the baby they will have to a family that is childless and waiting for their own baby. But the 15-year-old girl giving up the child holds it for the first (and presumably last) time and suddenly decides to change her mind. AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!
And the law is on
herside?! How is that fair? She signed an agreement! Received money and a ton of free health care! And she is bloody well 15! What kind of life will this be for either the child or the girl or the rest of the family? Let's be honest, we all know how this plays out. The mother of the teenager is saddled with more kids that she is raising full time. What a great system! And we support it! The lawsupports it.
Now we have destroyed how many lives? That of the girl, the baby, the girl's family (if they are directly involved). And what about the adoptive parents? Sure, they knew the risks. But they are desperate to have a child and they are the ones who really got screwed. These people usually have been through the ringer by the time they reach this point: failed attempts on their own to conceive; failed attempts at IVF; attempts to maybe have a surrogate mother (one who has signed up solely to incubate a child for another couple) adoption and now this - and then some irresponsible twit decides she can do this and opts to keep the child! These are the people who go through the worst times.
So what do you think? Should the legal system have a fall-back position that is favourable to one side of the issue? Or should the courts have to examine each case and make its own determination? Do you think the biological parents should always be the top winners of every case? The adoptive parents? Why or why not?
It's good food for thought. I welcome your thoughts, as always. | 10,417 | 4,863 | 0.000206 |
warc | 201704 | What have we learned from cancer immunotherapy in the last 3 years? 12:141 DOI: 10.1186/1479-5876-12-141
© Ascierto and Marincola; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2014
Received: 16 April 2014 Accepted: 13 May 2014 Published: 21 May 2014 Abstract
Until recently, most immunotherapeutic approaches used to fight cancer were ineffective, counteracted by the tumour’s ability to evade immune attack. However, extensive research has improved our understanding of tumour immunology and enabled the development of novel treatments that can harness the patient’s immune system and prevent immune escape. Over the last few years, through numerous clinical trials and real-world experience, we have accumulated a large amount of evidence regarding the potential for long-term survival with immunotherapy agents in various types of malignancy. The results of these studies have also highlighted a number of recurring observations with immuno-oncology agents, including their potential for clinical application across a broad patient population and for both conventional and unconventional response patterns. Furthermore, given the numerous immune checkpoints that exist and the multiple mechanisms used by tumours to escape the immune system, targeting distinct checkpoint pathways using combination approaches is an attractive therapeutic strategy with the potential to further enhance the antitumour immune response.
KeywordsImmunotherapy Melanoma Efficacy Survival Sequencing Background
Exploiting the immune system’s ability to identify and destroy tumours using immunotherapy has long been recognised as a promising approach to anticancer treatment [1]. However, traditional immunotherapies such as interferon and interleukin-2 have generally failed to demonstrate consistent clinical benefit in advanced stage cancer.
The recent renaissance of cancer immunotherapy can be largely attributed to the development of novel immunotherapy agents which target specific immune regulatory checkpoints to enhance the endogenous antitumour immune response. After becoming the first agent to demonstrate a significant overall survival (OS) improvement in a randomised phase 3 trial in metastatic melanoma [2], the anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) antibody ipilimumab was approved for this indication (although, in Europe, its initial indication was restricted to patients who had received prior therapy) [3]. In the last 3 years, we have gained a wealth of experience with this and other immunotherapies in the clinical setting and learned a considerable amount regarding their potential benefit across multiple tumour types.
CTLA-4 is a key inhibitory checkpoint molecule that is thought to counteract the co-stimulatory signal from its homologue, CD28, by competitively binding to its ligands (B7.1 and B7.2) on the surface of antigen-presenting cells [4]. Tumour cells exploit this pathway to turn off the immune response by suppressing the activation and proliferation of conventional T cells and promoting the function of regulatory T cells (Tregs) which can dampen the immune response at the tumour site [5, 6]. By blocking CTLA-4, ipilimumab restores the co-stimulatory activity of CD28, thereby increasing the number of activated T cells that can migrate to and attack the tumour [7]. Recent data have also demonstrated that treatment with CTLA-4 antibodies can mediate selective depletion of Treg cells within the tumour [8].
Adoptive T cell therapy (ATC) using chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) is an alternative immunotherapeutic approach to anticancer therapy. This approach combines the antigen-binding property of monoclonal antibodies with the lytic capacity and self-renewal of T cells [13]. Clinical trials have revealed promising results in patients with CD19-positive haematological malignancies, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia; further trials in patients with B-cell malignancies or solid tumours are ongoing [13].
ATC therapy using autologous
ex vivo- expanded tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) that are then adoptively transferred back into patients is an immunotherapy that has shown clinical efficacy in metastatic melanoma [14]. In one study, the immunodominant epitope recognised by the tumour-reactive T-cells was identified as a mutated protein phosphatase 1, regulatory (inhibitor) subunit 3B (PPP1R3B) gene product; the patient achieved a durable complete response with regression of bulky liver tumour mass [15].
Efforts to determine an effective vaccine that alerts the immune system to cancer cells have largely failed; however, experimental cancer vaccines containing proteins that are overexpressed by tumour cells may work synergistically with other immunotherapies [16, 17]. Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) is a genetically modified virus which drives the secretion of the immunostimulatory cytokine granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) [18]. T-VEC is currently being evaluated as a potential treatment in melanoma and other advanced cancers [19, 20]. In a pre-clinical study in breast cancer bearing mice, the combination of an anti-PD1 antibody and a multi-peptide vaccine prolonged the vaccine-induced progression-free survival (PFS) by altering both the CD8 T-cell and dendritic cell components of the tumour microenvironment [21].
Currently, the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC)/International Union Against Cancer (UICC) tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) classification provides limited prognostic information and does not predict response to therapy. However, it is now becoming clear that the host-immune reaction to tumours is a critical element in determining response to therapy. This has led to the development of an ‘Immunoscore’ which correlates immune-cell infiltration in tumors to patient’s clinical outcome. Recent work has reported that such an immune-classification has a prognostic value that may be superior to the AJCC/UICC TNM-classification, and studies are ongoing to validate and integrate such a system into clinical practice [22].
Responses to immunotherapy may be delayed or may develop after a period of apparent disease progression due to the time required to build an effective immune response; therefore, tumour assessments should be performed only after completion of the assigned regimen and the results confirmed with a follow-up scan [23]. For ipilimumab, the recommended induction regimen is 3 mg/kg, administered every 3 weeks for 4 doses; this is sufficient to provide a considerable survival benefit in a proportion of patients [2, 3]. To maximise clinical benefit, it is also recommended that ipilimumab is administered for the entire induction regimen as tolerated, regardless of the appearance of new lesions or growth of existing lesions, as immune cell infiltration following immunotherapy may be mistaken for tumour progression [24]. In addition, the unconventional nature of some responses with ipilimumab have made it necessary to introduce new criteria to characterise antitumour activity, as conventional assessment methods may not fully capture these novel response patterns. Immune-related response criteria (irRC) were developed from existing modified World Health Organisation (mWHO) criteria; the irRC allow for initial tumour progression or appearence of new lesions, both of which would be considered as progressive disease according to mWHO criteria [23]. Although irRC were developed based on response patterns observed with ipilimumab, the possibility of unconventional, immune-related response patterns must be also considered for other immunotherapies, including nivolumab and other anti-PD1/PDL1 agents. Indeed, responses with nivolumab may be rapid or delayed, and may continue after therapy is discontinued [25].
An emerging understanding of the biology affecting the results of immunotherapy leads to the conclusion that surrogate endpoints such as objective response rates and PFS may not be appropriate for measuring long-term treatment benefit [26]. Data from clinical trials and ipilimumab expanded access programmes (EAPs) indicate that long-lasting stable disease is a common outcome with immunotherapy and that, even in the absence of a complete or partial tumour response, durable disease control can result in prolonged OS [23, 27]. Efficacy endpoints that better correlate with prolonged survival, such as landmark survival analyses are therefore becoming more relevant since they take into consideration the durability of survival [26].
Evidence suggests that a number of immuno-oncology approaches do not require identification of specific tumour antigens and thus provide the potential to offer clinical benefit across many different types of cancer. Based on this rationale, monoclonal antibodies targeting a variety of immune checkpoints inhibitors (e.g. anti-CTLA-4, anti-PD1, and anti-LAG3) have been investigated across multiple tumour types, including prostate cancer, lung cancer and RCC [32, 34, 37–42]. For example, in a phase 3 trial in patients with mCRPC, ipilimumab treatment improved PFS and prostate specific antigen (PSA) responses versus placebo when administered after a single dose of radiotherapy (RT). Although the primary endpoint of improved OS was not met (the hazard ratio for OS versus placebo was 0.85;
P = 0.05), the results of an OS subgroup analysis suggested that patients with a lower disease burden may be more likely to benefit from ipilimumab treatment [32]; an ongoing phase 3 trial of ipilimumab in patients with chemotherapy-naïve mCRPC is prospectively evaluating this patient population.
Encouraging results have also been observed in ipilimumab clinical trials in patients with advanced lung cancer. In a phase 2 trial, there was a trend towards improved survival in patients who received ipilimumab 10 mg/kg after carboplatin and paclitaxel (CP) compared with CP alone [38, 39]; two randomised phase 3 trials to evaluate ipilimumab in NSCLC (NCT01285609) or SCLC (NCT01450761) are open for enrollment.
Among other investigational immunotherapies, the anti-PD1 antibody nivolumab has been evaluated in a variety of tumour types. In the phase 1 trial described earlier, median OS was 9.6 months, 16.8 months and >22 months, in patients with NSCLC, melanoma and RCC, respectively [34, 35]; phase 3 trials of nivolumab in each of these indications are currently ongoing. Other immune checkpoint inhibitors, including other anti-PD1/PDL1 agents, anti-LAG3 antibodies and anti-KIR antibodies, are also under evaluation in various solid tumours and haematological malignancies.
Clinical trial and real-world data on the use of ipilimumab in patient subpopulations
Patient subgroup
Efficacy summary
Safety summary
References
Elderly patients
DCR: 38%
Generally well tolerated; consistent with wider EAP
Chiarion Sileni et al., 2014 [48]
1- year OS: 38%
2-year OS: 22%
population
DCR: 35%
No increase in toxicity in elderly patients
Lopez Martin et al., 2012 [49]
1- year OS: 21%
Consistent with wider EAP population
1- year OS: 37%
Chandra et al., 2013 [52]
Consistent with published data in younger cohorts
DCR: 36%
Uveal melanoma
DCR: 34%
Safety profile similar to that in cutaneous melanoma
Maio et al., 2013 [53]
1- year OS: 31%
Consistent with ipilimumab clinical trials
Danielli et al., 2012 [54]
DCR: 23%
Consistent with ipilimumab clinical trials
Khattak et al., 2013 [55]
DCR: 20%
Consistent with wider EAP population
Luke et al., 2013 [56]
DCR: 46%
Consistent with ipilimumab clinical trials
Mucosal melanoma
DCR: 36%
Safety profile similar to that in cutaneous melanoma
Del Vecchio et al., 2013 [57]
1- year OS: 35%
Consistent with wider EAP population
Multicentre experience
Postow et al., 2013 [58]
DCR: 27%
Consistent with ipilimumab clinical trials
Brain metastases
DCR: 25%
Safety results consistent with those previously reported in clinical trials
Margolin et al., 2012 [59]
1- year OS: 36%
2-year OS: 21%
DCR: 50%
1- year OS: 55%
AEs generally manageable and reversible
Di Giacomo et al., 2012 [60]
2-year OS: 39%
Di Giacomo et al., 2013 [61]
Safety results consistent with those previously reported in clinical trials
Queirolo et al., 2014 [62]
1- year OS: 20%
Consistent with wider EAP population
BRAF/NRAS-mutated melanoma
(BRAF mutated vs BRAF wild-type)
Shahabi et al., 2012 [63]
DCR: 30% vs 35%
Di Giacomo et al., 2013 [61]
(BRAF mutated vs BRAF wild-type)
DCR: 60% vs 46%
(BRAF mutated vs BRAF wild-type)
Consistent regardless of BRAF and NRAS mutation status
Queirolo et al., 2014 [62]
DCR: 38% vs 39%
1-year OS: 48% vs 39%
(NRAS mutated vs NRAS wild-type)
DCR: 57% vs 49%
1-year OS: 43% vs 40%
Similar median OS between patients with BRAF/NRAS-mutated and BRAF/NRAS wild-type melanoma; trend towards improved OS in wild-type population without prior BRAFi/MEKi treatment
Mangana et al., 2013 [46]
BRAF mutations are uncommon in patients with noncutaneous (uveal or mucosal) melanomas [64]; therefore, BRAF inhibitors may have limited utility in these patient populations. Although clinical trial data regarding the use of novel therapies in patients with noncutaneous melanoma are limited, data from EAPs suggest ipilimumab has a similar efficacy and safety profile in patients with advanced uveal or mucosal melanoma to that observed in cutaneous melanoma [50, 51, 53–55, 57]. In EAP in Italy, the 1-year OS rates in patients with uveal or mucosal melanoma were 31% and 35%, respectively; these values are similar to those reported in the US EAP (34% and 32%, respectively) [50, 53, 57].
Subgroup analyses from the registrational phase 3 trial (MDX010-20) also suggest ipilimumab provides a consistent survival benefit across patient populations, including those with a historically poor prognosis (e.g. elevated lactate dehydrogenase or poor performance status) [2, 65]. In addition, ipilimumab has demonstrated activity in elderly patients and patients with stable asymptomatic brain metastases, providing further support for the potential benefit with immunotherapy in a broad patient population [50, 52, 58, 60, 62]. With respect to the clinical activity of other immuno-oncology agents, in a phase 1 trial in patients with advanced solid tumours, objective response rates with nivolumab in NSCLC were similar across different patient groups and histology types [66].
Based on their mechanisms of action and available clinical data, immunotherapy agents may provide greatest clinical benefit if used as early as possible in the treatment paradigm when patients have a better prognosis. Furthermore, patients who eventually undergo disease progression after immunotherapy may have prolonged survival, which may allow the opportunity to receive and potentially benefit from subsequent lines of therapy. In MDX010-20, ipilimumab, with or without gp100, significantly improved median OS compared with gp100 alone despite similar estimates of median progression-free survival among the three treatment arms [2]. This may suggest that, even in some patients without an objective response or stable disease, immunotherapy can prolong survival by slowing the rate of disease progression.
Unlike targeted agents, immuno-oncology agents do not alter the nature of tumour cells, which could otherwise select for rapid disease kinetics. Therefore, initial treatment with immunotherapy does not compromise the ability of patients to respond to subsequent therapy with a BRAF inhibitor. Conversely, around 40% of patients with advanced melanoma who progress after BRAF inhibitor treatment undergo rapid disease progression and thus are unable to complete ipilimumab therapy. In a retrospective analysis of 34 patients with BRAF-mutated melanoma, among 28 patients who received a BRAF inhibitor followed by ipilimumab, 12 patients (43%) had rapid disease progression and were not able to complete ipilimumab treatment. Median OS for patients with rapid progression was 5.7 months, compared with 18.6 months for patients who were able to complete ipilimumab treatment. By comparison, none of the six patients who received ipilimumab followed by a BRAF inhibitor had rapid disease progression and all had disease control after subsequent treatment with a BRAF inhibitor [67]. Similar results were observed in the Italian EAP, whereby median OS was 9.9 and 14.5 months, respectively, for patients who received a BRAF inhibitor before or after ipilimumab treatment. Among 45 patients who received a BRAF inhibitor first, median OS from the end of BRAF inhibitor treatment was significantly longer in patients who were able to complete ipilimumab treatment compared with those who had rapid progression and were unable to complete ipilimumab therapy (12.7 versus 1.2 months;
P < 0.001). With regard to optimal treatment sequencing, using immunotherapy first followed by targeted therapy in patients with more indolent disease may therefore offer the best chance of long-term survival [67–71].
Prior exposure to ipilimumab does not appear to affect outcomes to subsequent anti-PD1 antibody therapy. For example, in a phase 1 expansion study in 135 patients with advanced melanoma who received pembrolizumab, efficacy and safety in 48 patients who had received prior treatment with ipilimumab was similar to that observed in the 87 patients who were ipilimumab treatment-naïve [36].
Although typically used only as palliative therapy or in patients with CNS metastases, there is some evidence to suggest that administering RT after iplimumab may provide additional clinical benefit. For example, in a retrospective analysis of 21 patients who received locoregional RT after progressing on ipilimumab, 11 patients (52%) showed evidence of a systemic objective response or prolonged stable disease outside of the irradiated area [72]. This so-called ‘abscopal effect’ has also been observed in isolated patient cases when RT has been administered either before or after ipilimumab therapy, suggesting that RT and ipilimumab have potentially synergistic effects on antitumour immunity [73, 74].
Ongoing research in oncology focuses on enhancing the proportion of patients who benefit from treatment with immunotherapy. As already eluded to, combining immunotherapies with other treatment modalities such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy or targeted agents could potentially lead to enhanced efficacy as these treatments may have immune-stimulatory properties. Increasing preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that these treatments may have additive effects when administered in combination with immunotherapy [60, 73–76].
Given the numerous immune checkpoints that exist, combining immuno-oncology agents that target different checkpoint pathways is also an attractive therapeutic approach. Tumours exploit these pathways to turn off the immune response in different ways, either by decreasing T-cell proliferation or inactivating T cells at the tumour site [77]. For example, by inhibiting CTLA-4, ipilimumab promotes T-cell proliferation, increasing the number of activated T cells that can migrate to attack the tumour; conversely, anti-PD1 agents such as nivolumab counteract tumour defences specifically within the tumour microenvironment, reactivating T-cell activity and inducing tumour cell death [9, 11]. The complementary roles of these two pathways in regulating adaptive immunity are supported by preclinical models in which simultaneous administration of anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD1 antibodies resulted in enhanced antitumour activity compared with single agent treatments [78, 79]. In a phase 1 combination study of ipilimumab and nivolumab in patients with advanced melanoma, 40% of patients treated with the concurrent combination regimen had objective responses and the 1-year OS rate was 82%; notably, responses with the combination were both rapid and deep [80, 81]. This combination is being further evaluated versus ipilimumab or nivolumab monotherapy in a phase 3, randomised trial. Accumulating preclinical and clinical data also support the use of other investigational immunotherapy combinations such as nivolumab plus anti-LAG3 and ipilimumab plus GM-CSF [82, 83].
Finally, biomarker discovery efforts may help to identify patients who are most likely to benefit from treatment with immunotherapy; immunological markers measured during treatment could also be useful as surrogate markers of clinical response. However, identification of immunotherapy biomarkers is challenging due to the complexity of interactions between the immune system and tumour cells, as well as difficulties in performing standardised immunological assays [84]. At present, no predictive biomarkers have been validated that can be used to guide patient selection for treatment with immunotherapy. Although there are some data to suggest that objective response rates with nivolumab, either as monotherapy or in combination with ipilimumab, are highest in patients with positive PDL1 expression in NSCLC and melanoma, the absence of this marker is not an indication that patients will fail to respond to treatment [85, 86].
Given that immunotherapy appears to be effective in a broad patient population, the use of biomarkers to guide treatment selection may not be as relevant for immunotherapies as it is for targeted agents such as BRAF or MEK inhibitors. However, despite the lack of any definitive predictive biomarkers, several immunological parameters have been identified that may serve as early markers of response. For example, increases in absolute lymphocyte count and in the number of circulating T cells that express inducible T-cell costimulator during ipilimumab induction therapy have been found to be associated with higher response rates and/or improved survival outcomes [27, 87–89]. Further prospective, controlled studies are needed to determine whether changes in these markers can be used to predict treatment effects.
Conclusion
Over recent years, immunotherapy has increasingly been acknowledged as the fourth pillar of treatment in advanced cancer alongside surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, with ipilimumab in advanced melanoma serving as the model for proof of concept. Since the approval of ipilimumab in 2011, a number of post-approval issues of importance to practitioners have arisen, many of which are related to the mechanism of action of immuno-oncology agents. Among these is the potential for immunotherapy to show clinical activity in all subpopulations regardless of tumour genotype or histological subtype. Immunotherapy approaches may also allow the opportunity to slow disease progression and prolong survival even in patients with progressive disease. Another related issue which concerns clinicians is how to optimise the sequencing of treatment with ipilimumab and BRAF inhibitors, with increasing evidence to suggest that clinical benefit may be optimised by administering immunotherapy agents as early as possible in the treatment paradigm. In conclusion, immunotherapy agents may represent the future standards of care for various solid tumours or haematological malignancies, with the potential for providing a meaningful survival benefit. Various strategies combining immune checkpoint regulators with other complementary immunotherapies or different treatment modalities are under investigation to maximise treatment outcomes.
Abbreviations AJCC:
American joint committee on cancer
CP:
Carboplatin and paclitaxel
CTLA-4:
cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4
EAP:
Expanded access programme
GM-CSF:
Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor
irRC:
Immune-related response criteria
mCRPC:
Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer
mWHO:
Modified World Health Organisation
NSCLC:
Non-small cell lung cancer
OS:
Overall survival
PD1:
Programmed death 1
PDL2/PDL2:
Programmed death ligand 1/2
PFS:
Progression-free survival
RCC:
Renal cell carcinoma
RT:
Radiotherapy
TNM:
Tumor-node-metastasis
Treg:
Regulatory T cell
T-VEC:
Talimogene laherparepvec
UICC:
International union against cancer.
Declarations Acknowledgements
Professional medical writing support and editorial assistance was provided by StemScientific, funded by the Melanoma Foundation.
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This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. | 54,377 | 20,058 | 0.00005 |
warc | 201704 | Actress Gauri Karnik astonished by youth club activities
By Vidya Kulkarni
Bhatali village in Chandrapur district was agog with excitement on Wednesday 13th June 2007. Over 300 villagers had gathered to welcome a special guest; a “Bollywood” celebrity whom they see on their television screens every day. Young boys and girls outnumbered the gathering. Their enthusiasm was evident in anticipation of meeting Gauri Karnik, the young and talented actress and singer from Mumbai, who was visiting them specially to know about their work on HIV/AIDS awareness.
The village based Gram Uday Yuva Mandal, a group of almost 85 young boys and girls, has been spearheading the HIV awareness effort in their community since 2005. The programmes initiated by UNICEF in this area, particularly Village Micro Planning and Sparsh( HIV) training, have motivated youth volunteers to come together and engage in meaningful action. Such proactive efforts often lead to empowerment of the community as a whole.
UNICEF is partnering with high profile supporters from the entertainment industry to highlight the importance of community empowerment. A number of celebrities have shown keen interest in UNICEF’s programmes and have expressed a desire to get associated with it. Gauri put it very aptly, “It is an effort to overcome ignorance of city slickers about the rural peoples’ lives. I am trying to know the reality, so that I would be able to sensitize people around me.”
Incidentally Gauri was also part of a team of members of parliament and celebrities, constituted by UNICEF, to visit malnutrition-affected areas in Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh earlier this year. “The visit was an eye-opener for me. We came across villages where children were deprived of basic nutrition and education. I learnt that malnutrition in some parts of India is very critical, even worse than Somalia.” Gauri thinks that celebrities can certainly help to bringing social issues to the fore and thus contribute in minimizing the gap between rural and urban populations.
In Bhatali village of Maharashtra, Gauri expressed her desire to know more about the youth club activities. They were equally enthusiastic and prepared to share their initiatives with her. First they took Gauri to their center, a room built by the Grampanchayat especially for the youth club activities, to give an overview of their work.
Varsha Salve explained how the youth club members, as peer educators; organize capacity building programmes for the youth. She explained how they provided information and clarified misconceptions on sexuality related issues. Varsha also gave a demonstration on condom use. It was so evident from her confidence that she had internalized what she had learnt.
Gauri Talking to Bhatali residents
“It’s impressive” said Gauri spontaneously. “The girls in this village seem to be stronger than their urban counterparts. Even city based educated girls would hesitate to speak openly about sexuality. Giving a condom demonstration in public is out of question for them!”
Trained youth volunteers have been able to build considerable awareness on child health and malnourishment. Shyam Shelvate, a youth volunteer, described how they worked to reduce the extent of malnutrition in the village. “We regularly visit the families having underweight children and help them to prepare nutritionally balanced diets. Further we keep in touch with them to ensure progress in children’s health.”
The Sparsh programme has greatly helped in reducing stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS. “The youth club members take the initiative to go for voluntary testing. Once we practice what we preach, people want to listen to us,” shared one volunteer. The awareness on HIV among community members was quite remarkable. For instance, the community members are aware that some of its residents are HIV positive. However, these individuals or their families enjoy the same status as any other families in this village. This attitudinal change within the community was also evident from the fact that people were talking openly about HIV concerns in a public meeting.
Gauri whole heartedly appreciated the work being done by the youth. Lastly she also gave a word of advice to the parents; “if you are really concerned about well being of your daughters and wish to protect them, ensure that you send them to the village youth club, where they can learn to know themselves, which is an immensely important and enduring life skill they deserve to get.” | 4,623 | 2,231 | 0.00046 |
warc | 201704 | In the National News Bed Bug Nanotechnology
The Center for Advanced Technology in Sensor Materials at Stony Brook University, New York, has produced an innovative new nanotechnology product that traps bed bugs. The product is a microfiber that is several million times more dense than fabric, and could be used for sheets and mattress or furniture covers, or other products. The material’s “entanglements” become interwoven with the structures of the bed bug, stopping them in their tracks until death. The microfiber is safe for humans and pets and unlike chemical treatments, the insects cannot develop a resistance to it. This patent-pending technology is being commercialized by Fibertrap, a private company that employs non-toxic pest control methods.
Flowers Improve Predator Diversity
Entomologists at Washington State University recently published research work in the journal Biological Control, showing the power of flowers to suppress orchard pests. They found that plantings of sweet alyssum attracted a host of spiders and predatory bugs that in turn preyed on woolly apple aphids, a pest that usually requires chemical sprays. After one week, they found that aphid densities decreased considerably in the apple trees with alyssum versus the trees without the flowers. Previous studies showed that alyssum attracted the most syrphid flies, an important predator of aphids. But they found few syrphid fly larvae eating the aphids. To discover the other aphid predators, and whether alyssum was attracting them, researchers sprayed the flowers with a protein marker and captured predatory insects and spiders in nearby traps. Many of the captures, including wasp parasitoids, lacewings, minute pirate bugs, lady beetles, earwigs, and spiders were marked with the protein. This study shows that sweet alyssum can be an appealing best management practice for organic growers since it can aid in aphid suppression.
Ozone Pollution Slows Insect Foraging
Ozone pollution is known to injure plants, but researchers at Pennsylvania State University and the University of Virginia have also shown that insects are also adversely affected. Using the striped cucumber beetle as an example, they found that the beetle was unable to identify cucurbit plants that were affected by ozone. Volatile organic compounds that are normally secreted by the plant and used by the insect for identification, are destroyed by the ozone. This result may help to explain declining insect communities in some parts of the world. The researchers commented that plants that rely on insect pollination can also be negatively impacted for the same reason.
Why the Asian Lady Beetle is a Successful Invader
The Asian lady beetle was introduced to the northeastern U.S. by the USDA in the late 1970s to control scale and aphids. It is now spreading uncontrollably, threatening to outcompete native lady beetle species. To investigate its success, entomologists from the University of Giessen and the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany looked for answers. They found that a microsporidia (fungus-like parasite) lives in the beetle’s hemolymph. In addition, the Asian beetle has a strong immune system capable of producing antibiotic and antimicrobial substances. All ladybug species compete for food, sometimes eating each other. Native lady beetles that eat Asian lady beetles or who are exposed to secretions from the Asian beetle’s hemolymph are killed by the microsporidia, providing a clue to the ecological success of this insect.
Bees Killed by Pesticide
Thousands of bumble bees were inadvertently killed by a misapplication of a pesticide called dinotefuran (Safari), to treat aphids. Linden trees in bloom were treated in two commercial locations outside Portland, OR. The pesticide label specifically states that the product should not be applied to blooming plants. As a result, the Oregon Department of Agriculture has placed a ban on the use of all pesticides on plants containing dinotefuran for at least 180 days while they investigate.
House Makes Stink Bug Public Pest No. 1
The brown marmorated stink bug has invaded 39 states, and the worst is feared for the coming season. On June 13, 2013, House lawmakers signed a spending bill directing four agencies within the USDA to expand research to reduce stink bug damage, and orders the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to implement biological control technology. The leader of the bill was Virginia Rep. Frank Wolf.
Useful Publications and Apps
• Working in Entomology, written by Amateur Entomologists' Society member Rachel McLeod, promotes entomology as a profession, and contains a collection of interviews of entomologists and their work.
Calendar of Events
August 4 - 9, 98th Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, www.esa.org/meetings/upcomingmeetings
August 10 - 14, 2013 American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting, Austin, TX, www.apsnet.org
August 11 - 24, Planning and Implementing Sustainable IPM Systems, Corvallis, OR, oregonstate.edu/conferences/event/
August 14-17, The Second International Conference on Pollinator Biology, Health and Policy, State College, PA, www.cvent.com/events/international-conference-on-pollinator-biology-health-and-policy/event-summary
August 18 - 21, 57th Annual Conference of the Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials, Atlanta, GA, www.aspcro.org/?q=upcoming
September 4 - 6, International Conference on Entomology 2013. Orlando, FL, www.omicsgroup.com/conferences/entomology-2013
October 2 - 3, Extension Sustainability Summit, Park City, UT, wrdc.usu.edu/htm/programs/ess
The Extension Sustainability Summit was designed by Extension educators, for Extension educators, to assess what major environmental sustainability programs are currently being delivered through Cooperative Extension, and to envision our future direction. | 5,953 | 2,885 | 0.00035 |
warc | 201704 | Q&A: Hospital design that puts proof to work for veterinarians
Wayne Usiak, AIA, worked for six years on hospitals in human healthcare, and that's there where he ran across the emerging concept of evidence-based design: careful studies of what really works in hospital design to improve healing, patient well-being, and staff member satisfaction. Now Usiak—a
Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member and founder of BDA Architecture in Albuquerque, N.M.— brings proven design techniques to veterinary hospitals. In this interview, Usiak explains what makes evidence-based design special and how it can work for you: DVM360.com: How did you become interested in evidence-based design?
I was a human-hospital architect for a major firm in the United States, and the initial focus of evidence-based design was in single-occupancy rooms. We saw incredible gains in [patients'] healing and lowered stress when they didn't have to share a room.
Then they found a way to make staff more efficient in the rooms: They stopped making the rooms mirror images of each other, with bathrooms back to back. It saved money to put the plumbing for bathrooms closer together, but efficiency would suffer when staff walked in one room with the bed on the right, then the other room with the bed on the left.
How do you adapt human-hospital design into veterinary hospitals?
A lot of it doesn't seem to apply directly, but then I noticed that the healing studies were based on patients' and staff members' responses to sensory input. And animal sensory perception is even higher: Animals see better, smell better, and hear better than humans. We knew lots of natural sunlight, ultraviolet light, and outdoor views aided in recovery for human patients. Human patients asked for 22 percent less pain medication when they recovered in rooms with daylight.
Better lighting worked on staff members, too. In one case, a hospital decreased dispensing errors by 31 percent by improving staff members' moods and work lighting with sunlight. We used more natural light and more focused task lighting. We found a 29 percent energy savings in lighting and a 17 percent health and productivity gain.
Also, when human hospitals paid attention to ergonomics and used better chairs, they received 20 percent to 84 percent fewer complaints of musculoskeletal problems from staff. When hospitals brought in more fresh air, hospitals saw absenteeism drop 9 percent to 20 percent and saw 20 percent or more reductions in complaints about on-the-job headaches.
Have veterinarians really bought into these health-focused design trends yet?
I don't ever have a difficult time when I explain why I'm making these suggestions. I can tell a veterinarian that if we raise a wall three feet, we can get natural daylight into the wards, and here's why that will help with patient healing and team member satisfaction. Practice owners usually ask about cost. Our contractors give us an idea, and sometimes it's too expensive; sometimes it's not.
For example, we worked on a 5,000-square-foot hospital with a number of air-conditioning units all over the building. It cost us more, but it offered incredible thermal control and comfort. The practice owner told us, "This is better than even I thought it would be."
Evidence-based design will trickle down from human hospitals into veterinary hospital design, just like "green" and environmentally friendly ideas have. Certain architectural design ideas are being proven all the time, and everybody's learning that they work. | 3,562 | 1,718 | 0.000587 |
warc | 201704 | Changing economic structures. The collapse of capitalism
The collapse of capitalism today is a very important topic in intellectual circles. Why, even the capitalists themselves are already saying that there come those days when there is a long-awaited change in economic structures. What is the socio-economic system, let's look at it to make it clear. In general, it is a term coined by Marx. It is a historical type of society is determined by the mode of production. He identified the socio economic formations characteristic of the European continent: primitive, slave, feudal, capitalist, communist (where socialism - the first stage of communism).
So in the history of mankind, it developed in the framework of the five economic formations. Asian same country, with a particular view of Marx outlined the Asiatic mode of production.
In the days of Marx, socialism, as a phenomenon as an economic development model has evolved, and, in fact was ready, but at the time was dominated by capitalism, which began around the 16th century. Marx, as an analyst, suggested and even proved that capitalism can not exist forever, and sooner or later collapse, burst like a soap bubble. Everything from the capitalist model is based on the constant expansion of markets, scientific and technological progress, innovation. Due to the constant growth of the European population, the people already getting crowded, but rather a European land could not provide all the power, then there was another change in economic structures, with the feudal to the capitalist. Lifted the ban on interest on loans, which prohibited the Catholic Church in general and the Christian system of values. It is with taking the loan interest and the progress was possible, as a way to get the economy out of the crisis.
Then people's minds matured to a new formation, to socialism, but he was able to win only in the 20th century, replacing capitalism. And for that very theory of Marx, the capitalist world would crumble at a time when as a feudal. And the revolution in Russia had planned not as a mere change of government, but as the first stage in the world, the socialist revolution. Russia was then the only spark the flame of the revolution in the world. But the world revolution failed, capitalism has survived, and even won at the end of the 20th century. Which was tenacious, though!
What is the vitality of capitalism? Capitalism, as I wrote above, continues to exist due to the expansion of markets, the increase in demand and consumption. Capitalism is a model of capital accumulation, a single individual. The domination of the bourgeois class, which subjugates the other classes (the petty bourgeoisie, the proletariat, the lumpenproletariat) Ie on the idea of ??capitalism is good, is good only for a single class. Just like communism is good, for a particular class of proletarians - capitalism is good for the bourgeoisie. That is, some exploit others. Some work, others eat ... Capitalism is caused lending rate, ie Some give money in loans to others, and then get that amount even with a percentage, ie make money out of thin air. It turns out if a country has a certain number of goods produced, and there is a certain amount of money. is the equivalent of the entire product. If the product has become more, and therefore has more money (there was a issue, printed in short) So, to get some money, then you need to implement some sort of equivalent of the amount of the item. Under capitalism, the same money becomes a commodity, so they can be changed to give loans, etc. If I that did not produce, then the idea of ??me, and not have to get the money, and if I get the money, just for the services provided by my lender, then I thereby undermining the economy, money is more than the product, there is hyperinflation. So that inflation is not happening, then you need to create the conditions under which goods will become more and more so that I could continue to receive interest on loans, and live off of it (and clover) happily ever after. And what do I care, to the exploited class?
This condition is to expand markets, create new businesses, new elements of the economy produced goods. But few in fact only increase the number of goods, you also need to increase their sales. How to do it? That's right - through advertising. And then, from the 19th century (perhaps earlier) capitalists have begun to increase their markets. About this increase is well, well, with numbers and statistics, written by V. Lenin in "Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism." He brings the living examples of the advanced capitalist countries of the West.
Approaching the edge of the precipice, at the beginning of the 20th century, capitalism was faced with a serious problem. In the U.S., the Great Depression, the economic crisis, unemployment and hunger. And it's very much offended large oligarchic families, because they really think about what may soon lose all the state that they "honestly earned" over the years. And in 1913 was created the legendary U.S. Federal Reserve. The most influential American bankers have decided to establish a reserve bank, and not subordinate to any one. They managed to create a private bank, which eventually began to occupy the central bank of the country and engage in emission (release) of the dollar. Thus, they were able to maintain the system of division of labor, the expansion of markets, with the refinancing of the system. But what about the fact that in America there was some kind of central bank, is a private office? Yes, like it is or what if their wrappers he would distribute all over the world, thus enormously increasing the market, the possibility of borrowing, and therefore extended the life of capitalism.
Then there was the First World War, which began in 1914. Actually American bankers and deployed it by calling through a variety of political provocation. And now those same dollars printed by the leadership of the new bank already, and they floated, tones, the ocean, in the thick of the war, giving loans to the countries involved in the war.
However, there was still more the October Revolution of 1917. There was once a time when such a change should occur socio-economic system, and it took place, but not everywhere. The world was divided into two camps. The Communist model at the time was something new, so that's never been. Communist Man was a man of the future, was the exploitation of the lower classes of the bourgeoisie and the bourgeoisie in general, as a class, was destroyed (literally). I'm not going to talk about whether it was a good or bad time, except to say that it was timely, it is something that should have happened. Not how much pricked all the excesses of the Bolsheviks, I will say that this period anyway ever had to happen and transform itself from a past experience of previous models.
Eastern bloc countries, as a result, dramatically reduced the tentacles of the capitalists by cutting out at the root. The socialist countries are simply removed the possibility of expansion of capital on its territory is not given the opportunity to expand markets, the expansion of the zones of influence of the West. And they had hoped, creating the Federal Reserve ... And since the mid-70s, the U.S. economy began to experience mild stress. So, just before the collapse of the USSR in 1987, Dow Jones industrial average fell as much as 22.6% (508 points). The event went down in history as "Black Monday." By passing the state, still shaken and other exchanges. The Stock Exchange of Australia soon lost - 41.8% Canada - 22.5%, Hong Kong - 45.8%, UK - 26.4%. "Shit, what do we do?" - Thought cunning, Anglo-Saxon moneybags.
Save these guys could only wonder. And here's to - the miracle was the collapse of the USSR! After that continued expansion of Western capital, the bubble began to swell further, received reinforcements, and all - you can sleep peacefully, happy ending! Of Russian schools have removed all of the hated Marx, with his political economy, and in its place a new subject - economics. All at once become businessmen, business and successful entrepreneurs. These sorts beznesvumany, these sorts Director in his jacket, all these modern, well, where there is up to them!
People began to prepare as qualified consumers. Even the Minister of Education (former) said that the Soviet system of education prepares people-creators, but they need qualified consumers. All right, we need consumers, consumers need the army, that someone cram it all barohlo produced with only one purpose - to get the maximum capitalist profit. That is, again some live well, happily ever after, while others work for them. At the like? Becomes a capitalist! Those most to develop and expand markets, and credit, do not forget we have to take. Here's your grandmother and St. George's Day!
Now what? And now we have a unique moment to be contemporaries of the events - changing economic structure. That is, roughly the capitalist paradigm, as a socio-economic system, as well as a philosophical model - has died. Actually kranty comes to capitalism. According to the economist M.Hazina, a key step was the arrest of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former head of the IMF (International Monetary Fund). The fact that he represented the position of those who promoted as a new, next out of the crisis, the creation of some new federal reserve system, ie, as if "over the bank." Even more higher organization than the U.S. Federal Reserve. But, as it is not happened, you see, and Strauss-Kahn was forced to go to jail.
Apparently, capitalism as a kind of global economic system, went to their point of bifurcation that to the point at which the gap is already. Most likely capitalism has exhausted itself and is not to further expand the market, the bubble is about to burst, and then what - or who knows tone. In general, the essence is that Marx was right on so much that capitalists fear him for so much that they almost seizures arise from fear. There are different ways to treat Marx, for him, for example, materialism, but, as for capitalism - he has no equal. Even if you still like or be able to extend the swimming capitalism "oceans", sooner or later it will end. Possible to delay, postpone death, but in the end it will be one way. It's as sick as his body is already dead, as such, but he is on artificial prolongation of life. That is, in fact it is dead, but continues to exist with devices - also in this case. Sooner or later the bubble will burst. But the worst thing is not that. The worst thing is that to replace capitalism and socialism, there is not any alternatives, well, just do not come up with more people. And so in front of the unknown and frightening at the same time free from the bondage of capitalist slavery. | 10,837 | 4,871 | 0.000206 |
warc | 201704 | November 2014
Fisheries Biologist Awarded Grant to Study Crayfish
Dan Magoulick, center, collects fish and crayfish with three U of A students on Wildcat Creek in the Ozark National Forest. The students were learning various fish sampling techniques and some fish identification.
As an ecologist and fisheries biologist, Dan Magoulick is interested in the factors affecting the population and community dynamics of freshwater fish and invertebrates.
“My main focus is population and community ecology, but I really work within the whole spectrum, from individual physiological ecology and behavioral ecology, up to ecosystems,” Magoulick said.
He is a research professor and assistant unit leader in the Arkansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, housed in the Department of Biological Sciences.
Magoulick’s recent research includes, among other things, studying the classification of Arkansas flow regimes and developing ecological-flow response relationships and environmental flows assessment for the Ozark region; effects of drought on stream fish and invertebrate population and community dynamics; and distribution, population genetics and factors affecting the imperiled coldwater crayfish.
In September, Magoulick was awarded an $80,208 grant from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to study the population status and genetics of the Mammoth Spring crayfish and the coldwater crayfish in the Ozark Highlands of Arkansas and Missouri. Both crayfish are candidates for being listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“We were doing work in the mid-1990s on crayfish related to conservation biology and we found some introduced species in the Ozark and Missouri Highlands,” Magoulick said.
“The invader in this case is
Orconectes neglectus, the ringed crayfish, which is native to the White River drainage but not native to the Spring River drainage. It has displaced two of the native species, the Hubbs’ crayfish and coldwater crayfish. It is a unique opportunity to study these populations. We don’t see a lot of these local invasions, mainly because we haven’t looked for them that much.”
The results of the study will provide information on crayfish population dynamics and invasion status for the state agencies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which are all responsible for managing the freshwater resources in the Ozarks. It will also include a genetic study of the Mammoth Spring crayfish, which will determine whether it is a single species or multiple species.
“This will provide them information on what this invader is doing and whether it is displacing the native species and how fast it is reaching a certain area,” Magoulick said. “The agencies probably aren’t going to be able to eliminate introduced species but in many cases they can hold its population down, so it will be worthwhile information.”
Millett to Lead Nuclear Reactor Study
Paul Millett
The University of Arkansas is the lead institution for a new $786,407 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to investigate strategies to minimize volumetric swelling in metallic nuclear fuels.
The research has the potential to increase the safety and efficiency of nuclear reactors for power generation.
“Almost all current nuclear energy reactors operate with ceramic fuels,” said Paul Millett, assistant professor of mechanical engineering. “But as an alternative, metallic fuels have generated significant interest because they have much higher thermal conductivity, meaning the temperatures in the reactor are far lower than with ceramic fuels.”
Fuels in metallic form, however, have a tendency to swell significantly during operation, which limits the efficiency of power generation. The swelling is a caused by gas elements such as helium and xenon that are produced by the atomic fission process and cluster to form gas-filled bubbles within the fuel.
As principal investigator, Millett will work with researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Texas A&M University and the Idaho National Laboratory.
They will use advanced computer simulations and experiments to get a better understanding of the micro-scale processes that lead to volumetric swelling in metallic fuels. Most importantly, the researchers will explore how to design fuels that are resistant to swelling.
Learn More
Analysis of ARTP Shows $522 Million Impact on State
Phillip Stafford
The Arkansas Research and Technology Park has had an economic impact of more than a half-billion dollars since construction on the park began in 2003, according to a new economic impact analysis conducted by the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Arkansas.
University officials unveiled the report on Oct. 30 while “Celebrating 10 Years of Innovation,” a ceremony commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Arkansas Research and Technology Park. The Innovation Center at the research park was dedicated on Oct. 15, 2004.
“From the vantage of 10 years, it’s clear that the Arkansas Research and Technology Park has been an unqualified success, and its anniversary is well worth taking some time to celebrate,” Chancellor G. David Gearhart told a crowd that gathered in the Innovation Center atrium.
The research park, managed by the University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation, includes several facilities that support university research and technology-based economic development.
“By concentrating leading-edge facilities together with a rich pool of talent and innovative ideas, our plan for the ARTP is not only being realized but is having a measurable impact on the local and state economy,” said Phillip Stafford, president of the University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation, which manages the park.
Learn More
Nine Professors Receive SEC Faculty Travel Grants
For the second consecutive year, the U of A awarded travel grants to faculty who conduct research at other institutions in the Southeastern Conference.
The SEC Visiting Faculty Travel Grant Program is intended to enhance faculty collaboration that stimulates scholarly initiatives among the conference’s 14 member universities.
It gives faculty from one SEC university the opportunity to travel to another SEC campus to exchange ideas, develop grant proposals, and conduct research.
The travel grants — funded by the SECU academic initiative — are available to each university for visiting faculty to use during an appropriate period, such as a sabbatical leave, the summer or a designated university break.
The visiting faculty member may consult with faculty and/or students, offer lectures or symposia, or engage in whatever activities are productive for the visitor and host campus.
All areas of research and scholarly activity were eligible for support.
The U of A faculty selected for travel grants are: Caree Banton, history; Kameri Christy, social work; Jamie Hestekin, chemical engineering; Angie Maxwell, political science; Roy McCann, electrical engineering; Xuan Shi, geosciences; Joshua Smith, English; Peter Ungar, anthropology; and Lia M. Uribe, music.
Learn More
IN THIS ISSUE
Fisheries Biologist Awarded Grant to Study Crayfish Species
Millett to Lead Nuclear Reactor Study
Analysis of ARTP Shows $522 Million Impact on State
Nine Professors Receive SEC Faculty Travel Grants
IN OTHER NEWS
Paradise in Petra: U of A Professor Leads Research for PBS Documentary
U.S. Department of Energy Awards Picasolar $800,000 to Increase Efficiency of Solar Cells
Doctoral Candidate Explores Martian Soil Composition
HELPFUL LINKS
The Arkansas Catalyst Sign up for Listserv information on the following topics: arts and humanities, high-performance computing, DNA sequencing, energy and environment, food safety, health, nanotechnology, NASA-related research, RazorGrant, STEM education and sustainability. Grant Award Winners
The following is a sampling of the top grants awarded to faculty in October, with the principal investigator, the award amount and the sponsor. An asterisk (*) indicates the continuation of a previous award.
• W. Dan Hendrix, $597,117, U.S. Economic Development Administration • Fiona Goggin, $389,799, National Science Foundation • Ralph Henry, Gisela F. Erf and Greg Salamo, $306,914.57, U.S. Food and Drug Administration • Eun Koh, $225,000, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation • Santiago Perez, $133,500, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art SOCIAL MEDIA
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205 Administration Building 1 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR 72701 479-575-2470 Website: vpred.uark.edu
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The Arkansas Catalyst is an initiative of the office of the vice provost for research and economic development with support from the office of university relations & information technology services. | 9,129 | 4,051 | 0.000253 |
warc | 201704 | About This Course in Digital Engagement
In 2014, the Wyncote Foundation commissioned Like, Link, Share: How cultural institutions are embracing digital technology.
Like, Link, Share is a landmark study of 40 legacy cultural institutions globally who were nominated by peers as field leaders in digital technology. The report and its accompanying website identified key attributes of these leadership institutions, and resulted in invitations for conference presentations, blog postings, and speaking engagements at Board meetings, seminars, and at media and cultural sector gatherings.
From these interactions with thousands of people we learned that many organizations lack a framework for getting started in digital engagement. They have a sense that they “should be doing it” but feel overwhelmed about beginning and don’t know where to start. Out of these experiences, interacting with arts leaders, grantmakers, and artists, Wyncote decided to commission a free, on-line course that could help people get started, make progress, and learn. Our belief is that both communities and organizations will benefit from the engagement that is possible as cultural organizations and artists find each other on social platforms, develop new relationships, and work together toward an enriched inner and civic life.
About the Makers
The development of this course is a collaboration among three people: Sarah Lutman, Beck Tench, and Jessica Fiala. We were inspired by the many examples of interesting, inspiring, and surprising digital engagement we see every day as we interact personally and professionally with cultural organizations and the great people who work inside them as artists, as staff, and as volunteers.
Beck Tench is an independent educator, illustrator, storyteller, and technologist. She collaborates with organizations and individuals to create projects that amplify the authentic and necessary human elements of living and working in the world. Her role in the project is to bring her experience as an educator, a “practicer,” and as a coach for other people’s technology adoption to the content, design, and feeling of the Wanderway course.
Sarah Lutman is the principal of Lutman & Associates, a consulting and project development enterprise that collaborates with philanthropic, cultural, and public media organizations nationally. She had the idea of creating this course, built its structure, and collaborated on its content development with Beck and Jessica, providing editorial direction and project management.
Jessica Fiala is research associate at Lutman & Associates and a dancer with the renowned Ragamala Dance, based in Minneapolis. Jessica collaborated on the design and content of Wanderway, completed the interviews that are part of the course, and helped identify ideas and examples that have made the course richer and more interesting.
About the Wyncote Foundation
This course in digital strategy and engagement was commissioned by the Philadelphia-based Wyncote Foundation and its Vice Chair, David Haas. Wyncote Foundation’s public media & journalism grantmaking works to strengthen and grow a vibrant, meaningful public media ecosystem, as a key element of the larger public sphere that enriches civic life, including parks, libraries, community colleges, land-grant universities, arts and cultural institutions, and a free press.
Wyncote supports public service media that furthers cultural and creative expression, stimulates civic engagement and discourse, and accountability journalism that provides essential information and analysis that are vital to informed communities in a democratic society.
Wyncote views “public media” as a larger ecosystem that includes legacy CPB-funded public broadcasting as well as enterprises producing and distributing public interest, educational and other mission-driven media. For background, see the Center for Media and Social Impact’s publication Public Media 2.0.
Acknowledgements and Thank Yous!
First and foremost, thanks to David Haas, Feather Houstoun, and Rachel Edelman of the Wyncote Foundation for their interest in this subject matter, their support of this project, and for their deep understanding of the role and potential for media in service to a civil and humane society.
We were deeply inspired by the organizations who participated in the development of this project, whether as interviewees, as resource people, or as other kinds of informants (including friends). For example, to develop the course, we drew on a group of 25 people who helped crowdsource our ideas and make them stronger. Other collaborators helped review the course in its beta version and gave us feedback that has strengthened the work. The organizations we’ve highlighted in our examples and interviews have been a constant source of inspiration and ideas. Their candor and their willingness to share not only their work, but the feelings behind the work, have made this project especially rewarding.
Artists and creative individuals fill our world with their passion, joy, and wonder. Pause and look, and you will experience good works wherever your concentration leads you. Through this course, we hope you connect with kindred spirits and fellow travelers, and that you’re able to join with them to spread your own good work around your community and the world. | 5,414 | 2,455 | 0.000413 |
warc | 201704 | If you've looked under the hood of almost any car in the last five years, you might have noticed that there isn't a lot of room in there. The proliferation of electronic controllers and other components in the engine compartment combined with the push for more room in the passenger compartment is placing a premium on underhood real estate.
With automaker engineers acting like high-stakes land brokers, the automotive electronics industry is continually looking for innovative ways to reduce the size of underhood components - as well as increasing the number of features and their reliability.
Linking several electronics systems together via multiplexing, with one or two wires doing the work of several, is one way to solve this puzzle, Making components smaller also helps.
Multiplexing has been around for a quarter of a century, starting with engine-management systems.Corp. introduced the concept in 1979 to provide diagnostic access to engine-control electronics. In 1981, only 10 GM platforms had limited networks for diagnostic purposes only. Four years later, the Cadillac Eldorado bowed with a multiplex system supporting vehicle operation. By 1993 all GM passenger cars had multiplexed engine management systems. And by 1999 every GM vehicle will feature a multiplexed engine-control system.
Corp.'s 1995 product lineup has several examples of multiplex technology in the transmission, body, instrument panel, air conditioning, overhead console, air bag, ABS, trip computer and security systems. Most Chryslers have several multiplex systems. Neon and Jeep Cherokee have one each.
Top-line luxury models like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class,850 and Infiniti Q-45 implemented multiplex systems several years ago.
The most "visible" use of multiplex wiring systems, however, is the 1995 Lincoln's Memory Profile System, which gives two different drivers their choice of settings for features such as steering assist, suspension firmness and audio presets.
UT Automotive and Motorola Inc. worked together withMotor Co. engineers to design a network capable of communicating more than 200 functional messages. In the process, reliability is increased through fewer connections, says Ford. Multiplexing also saves 100 wires and eight pounds on the .
The goal of multiplexing is to reduce the number of wires and circuits. The total number of circuits in the 1995 Continental is 1,634 or 318 more than in the '94. But the '95 has more features, thanks to the Memory Profile System. Had this year's model included the same features as the '94, it would have required only 1,199 circuits.
"The mission was to prove the benefits of multiplexing for," says Mark Fouts, UTA's principal engineer-wiring systems engineering.
Continental's multiplex system links 10 modules with a two-wire bus. Modules control lighting, vehicle dynamics, driver door and seat, powertrain, air conditioning, instrument panel, ABS and traction control, cellular phone and stereo system.
"Intelligence is resident in each module," says Mr. Fouts. "All modules interpret each electronic message passing through the system, but don't react unless they're programmed to do so."
Robert Jensen, UTA vice president-wiring systems product engineering, says multiplexing is cost-effective because of the features Ford was able to add for very little cost. As applications increase, he says, costs naturally will come down.
"You have to design the whole system from a clean sheet of paper from day one," says Mr. Jensen. "If you add it, you'll get redundancy and miss the full benefits of system integration."
But under the hood isn't the only place where multiplexing offers advantages.
"Driver doors are the most difficult places to wire," says Mr. Jensen. "They have the most content and open and close more often. Multiplexing allowed us to offer more features than we could have without it."
There are 42 circuits in the Continental's driver door. Without multiplexing, there would have to have been 65 circuits, creating a bundle of too many wires to snake to the engine compartment.
In addition to multiplexing, technology is evolving to make electronic components smaller, creating even more room under the hood, behind the dash and other places throughout the vehicle.
The quandary is that while real estate under the hood is at a premium, the demand for functions also is on the rise. Add to that the problem of heat generated by electronic components, and you can imagine the challenges.
"The factors affecting miniaturization include cost, volume and heat dissipation," says Marc Simon, vehicle electronics systems program manager at Siemens Automotive.
The focus on cost drives miniaturization because of the cost of materials. In theory, the less material, the less the system will cost. Obviously smaller components make room for new components and/or allow for a reduction in the size of the engine compartment itself. Miniaturization is limited by heat dissipation, says Mr. Simon. Electronic components generate heat and are in a hot environment under the hood.
As one example the volume of Siemens Automotive's 1986 engine management ECU will have shrunk 72% by the time the 1998 version debuts. In 1986, an 8-bit ECU with 35 input-output pins filled a 90- [in.sup.3] (1,475 [cm.sup.3]) metal box. By 1992, a 16-bit ECU with 55 pins occupied a 60-[in.sup.3] (983-[cm.sup.3]) box and had 30% more computing power.
This slimming down was made possible by an advance in manufacturing technology that allowed robots to more precisely place microprocessors on fiberglass and epoxy printed circuit boards (PCBs).
Siemens goes to a flexible aluminum circuit board for its 1996 model, allowing the board to be folded over and reducing volume from 60 [ins.sup.3](983-[cm.sup.3]) to 42 [ins.sup.3] (688-[cm.sup.3]). Also, the aluminum substrate PCB eliminates the need for a conductive metal casing. Using a plastic cover reduces weight from 25 oz. (709 g) to 11 oz. (312 g).
The next step in the miniaturization process, says Siemens, is to optimize components with higher levels of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICS). Doing that, Siemens has a prototype of an ECU for 1998 that takes up less than 25 [ins.sup.3] (410[cm.sup.3])of space.
Coupling these miniaturization techniques with a ceramic circuit board, which has greater heat dissipation characteristics, Siemens can mount the ECU much closer to the engine than with other substrate materials. Positioning the ECU closer to the engine means there can be fewer and shorter wires as well as fewer connections, increasing reliability. This also allows the ECU to be part of an integrated molded plastic air-fuel delivery system, further maximizing underhood space.
Siemens also is shrinking its air-bag system ECU. The 1987 model, which had to accommodate remote sensors, filled a 48-[in.sup.3] (787[cm.sup.3]) void. In 1993, even with an integrated single-point sensor, the ECU downsizes to 17[ins.sup.3] (279[cm.sup.3]). The 1998 Siemens air bag system ECU will further integrate components and shrink to 7.5[ins.sup.3] (123[cm.sup.3]).
"Sometimes the whole principle of the system increases miniaturization," says Berthold Wolfram, passenger safety systems program manager at Siemens.
Siemens is not alone in reducing the size of its ECUs. Other suppliers of electronics systems, such as, ITT Automotive and Kelsey Hayes, also are making strides in miniaturization.
The ECUs for Kelsey's new EBC 25 and EBC 30 ABS are up to 40% lighter and half the size of the modules for its EBC 10 and EBC 15 systems introduced three years ago. The new system also can accommodate traction control and serve as the basis for a vehicle stability system.
"A large part of (the size decrease) is a 30% reduction in the number of assembled parts that go into the hydraulics," explains Bob Sullivan, vice president and general manager of Kelsey-Hayes Technologies. On the electronics side, the new ABS ECU has an integrated coil module that combines the solenoid coil and the circuit board, he adds. All of this helps keep the company among the ABS price leaders. Two years ago the company introduced a $200 ABS system. | 8,202 | 3,701 | 0.000272 |
warc | 201704 | Thanks to a series of retirements, the Pittsburgh Public School Board now has four new members — the highest turnover for the board in 14 years. The new members are excited and optimistic about the future of the district, though all say they’re expecting a tough job.
Sylvia Wilson is taking over the seat vacated by one-term board member Sharene Shealy. Wilson recently retired as assistant to the president of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers and wants to see change in the district.
“Things are very grim,” Wilson said. “People have thought that I was crazy for doing this, but I believe that when you see a problem, instead of blaming people and pointing fingers you jump in and you help to resolve whatever problems there are.”
Wilson said her priorities include the district’s financial situation and attracting families to and keeping more of them in the district.
“I know this isn’t going to be easy; I know this is a difficult situation,” she said. “Nobody can come in and wave a magic wand and be able to cure everything. So it’s just a matter of showing that as a board member, as a school director, we all have to work together to make things happen.”
In District 5, Terry Kennedy will be taking the seat vacated by Theresa Colaizzi. Kennedy said she has a unique perspective to bring to the school board as the mother of a special-needs child who went through Pittsburgh Public Schools. One of her main priorities will be fighting for a fair funding formula statewide for students with an individualized education program, or IEP.
“That funding formula assumes each of the 500 districts has 16 percent of its students with special needs and they all have the same costs to their services,” Kennedy said. “Well, reality has it every child’s services is defined by their IEP and the costs of said services varies.”
Kennedy said she has learned a lot being the mother of a special-needs child in the district and looks forward to the challenge of working with the administration.
“For everything I know I’m sure there’s a lot I do not know so I look forward to learning more, and I’m hoping we’ll have a good four years despite the challenges coming up," she said, "and I’m looking forward to helping overcome the challenges and coming up with solutions.”
In District 9, Carolyn Klug will take over the seat held by Floyd “Skip” McCrea.
“I’m a retired Pittsburgh Public School teacher, and I’m still very concerned about what’s going on with our students and I still wanna help,” Klug said.
Klug said she would also like to see more families move to the district and keep their kids in the public schools, but she added that equity for each student needs to be addressed. She is also opposed to closing any more schools.
“The Pittsburgh Public Schools is a big part of the Pittsburgh community as a whole,” Klug said. “I think we need to ensure that we grow and continue to grow on our strong policies and projects that we have going on right now.”
In District 7, Cynthia Ann Falls will take over the seat of the longest-serving school board member Jean Fink. Falls was a teacher at two Pittsburgh high schools from 1992 to 2010. She said the collective experience of board members will help inform decisions.
“We have elementary teachers, we have a high school teacher, we have a principal, we have someone who’s been very versed in elementary and union experience, so we bring a lot to the table of different variety and different levels,” Falls said.
She said she’s ready to jump right in.
“It’s not all about one specific topic; it’s about looking at and being open-minded about all of them,” she said.
District 3’s Thomas Sumpter will be the only incumbent returning, the other four seats on the board were not up for re-election this year. | 4,006 | 1,831 | 0.000582 |
warc | 201704 | Area Employer Information/Strategies Supply Chain Management Planning and Forecasting Purchasing Supplier Sourcing Operations Management Materials Management Inventory Management Vendor Inventory Management Warehouse Operations Distribution Systems Management Rate Analysis Performance Analysis Customer Service Global Supply Chain Management Manufacturers of: Industrial goods Consumer goods Retailers Wholesalers Distributors Service providers including: Banks and financial institutions Hospitals Hotels and restaurants Educational institutions State and local government Federal government agencies including: Department of Defense Armed Forces Federal Emergency Management Agency Department of Transportation Many entry-level positions as analysts, management trainees, or first line supervisors are available with manufacturers and retailers in particular. Develop strong analytical and computer skills and a logical approach to problem solving. Attention to detail is also important in this field. Take courses in statistics and computer systems. Learn to communicate with different types of people across functional areas. Gain experience and build skills through a supply chain internship. Get involved in student organizations and professional associations. Seek positions of leadership. Obtain proficiency with enterprise resource planning (ERP) software like Oracle or SAP. For government positions, maintain a high GPA and participate in a government internship program. To work in the armed forces, consider participating in ROTC. For global supply chain management positions: Plan to start in domestic positions and work towards international assignments. Learn about import/export laws. Become familiar with how US Customs and other organizations regulate trade. Cultivate foreign language skills and cultural awareness. Transportation/Carrier Management Rate Analysis Pricing Sales Marketing Customer Service Account Management Systems Management Transportation Management Traffic Management Dispatching Fleet Management Trucking and moving companies Air freight and air carriers Rail freight and rail carriers Ocean freight carriers Ship lines Shipping companies Transportation companies Pipeline companies Develop strong technical and analytical skills. Learn to work well and communicate with different types of people. Gain experience with logistics and transportation through an internship. Be willing to start in a hands-on position, such as a loading dock supervisor for a trucking company. This allows employees to learn the business from the bottom up. Become familiar with Department of Transportation regulations. Understand that you may work long, irregular hours in this field. Third Party Logistics Analysis Demand Forecasting Sales Customer Service Account Management Systems Management Warehouse Operations Inventory Management Dispatching Transportation Management Freight Management Warehousers Dedicated carriers Freight forwarders Third party logistics firms Gain experience through internships or summer jobs in logistics and/or sales. Develop negotiation, persuasion, and communication skills. Be comfortable communicating with professionals from varying backgrounds, e.g. technical or business. Learn to problem solve effectively and to stay calm under pressure. Demonstrate a high level of motivation, organization, and planning. Consulting Supply chain consultants help their clients with projects including: Process Re-engineering Software Selection Information Technology Implementation Strategic Sourcing Logistics Network Design Supply Chain Optimization Consulting firms Learn to work well on a team. Develop strong communication skills, both oral and written. Hone your presentation skills. Complete one or more internships to gain relevant experience in supply chain management. Obtain proficiency with enterprise resource planning (ERP) software like Oracle or SAP. Demonstrate critical thinking skills and creativity. New college graduates typically start in analyst positions. Earn an MBA for advancement into associate and higher positions. General Information Many job opportunities exist in supply chain management, and they frequently transform as products and the marketplace change. Stay abreast of the field through participation in the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. The supply chain includes: marketing, product design, suppliers, manufacturing, logistics, customers, and reverse logistics. Jobs exist within all of these functions and processes. Majors in supply chain management, logistics, transportation, and industrial engineering are particularly helpful to gain entry into this functional area. Information technology, analytical, and quantitative skills are important in supply chain management. Develop flexibility, negotiation skills, and the ability to make sound decisions. Join student professional organizations and seek campus leadership positions. Complete one or more internships to gain related experience. Learn to work well on a team and to work effectively with a wide variety of people. Conduct informational interviews with professionals in jobs of interest to learn more about which functional areas and work environments are most appealing. Some organizations may not have a “logistics” department. Also look for positions in operations, manufacturing, purchasing, or marketing. Be willing to relocate to have more job opportunities. Develop and utilize a personal network of contacts. Once in a position, find a mentor. Research relevant industry credentials such as the Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) and Certification in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM). Many professionals start their supply chain management careers as analysts. Consider earning an MBA after gaining a few years of work experience to reach the highest levels. | 5,862 | 2,417 | 0.000415 |
warc | 201704 | Pension (noun) an antiquated idea about providing for workers after they retire, even long past the time the market has decided they are worth anything NOTESEdit
The swift demise of traditional plans catches some analysts by surprise. 'This is a watershed event,' one expert says.
By Peter G. Gosselin, Times Staff Writer, peter.gosselin@latimes.com
From the Los Angeles Times, July 11, 2007, Copyright 2006 Los Angeles Times
WASHINGTON — Nearly two-thirds of employers that offer traditional pensions have closed their plans to new hires or frozen them for all employees, or plan to do so in the next two years, according to a study released Tuesday.
The latest numbers show an acceleration in the decline of pensions — retirement plans in which employers, instead of employees, are responsible for investing retirement money and providing benefits. They also illustrate that the trend is no longer confined to troubled industries such as steel, auto and airlines, but now involves healthy companies such as IBM and Verizon.
Analysts have known for some time that the number of employers shutting or freezing their pension plans was on the rise. But the sharpness of the increase caught some by surprise.
"This is a watershed event," said Jack VanDerhei, a Temple University pension specialist. "There has been a steady decline in traditional pensions for two decades, but the trend is really accelerating, and it's going to accelerate even more."
The survey by the industry-supported Employee Benefit Research Institute and Mercer Human Resources Consulting shows that most companies that close off their pensions seek to partially offset the loss to employees by increasing contributions to firm-sponsored 401(k)s, where employees are responsible for managing their own retirement money.
But critics say the increases do not make up for the demise of pensions.
The offsetting benefits of 401(k)s "are not measuring up," said David M. Certner, legislative policy director for AARP, the giant services and lobbying organization for senior citizens. "There are a lot more ways people can get tripped up with 401(k)s than with traditional pensions."
The pickup in the pace of pension closures and freezes is particularly surprising because employers seemed to have weathered the worst of their financial problems several years ago.
During the booming 1990s, a rising stock market raised the value of plans' investments so much that collectively the plans had to contribute only about $30 billion a year to ensure they could meet their obligations to future retirees.
But in 2000, two things happened: The stock market crashed, slashing the value of investments, and interest rates sank. Declining interest rates reduced the return on their investments, forcing the plans to set aside more funds to meet future benefit obligations.
The combination raised the amount that plans collectively had to set aside to about $90 billion a year, and dramatically increased the number of plans that were considered "underfunded" and unable to meet their future obligations.
But the number of underfunded plans has come down in the last four years and, by some measures, the pension system as a whole is back in financial balance, analysts say.
Paradoxically, one of the key items that has pushed employers into the new rush to get out from under their pension burdens is a law approved by Congress last year that was designed to stabilize the pension system.
Employers quizzed by EBRI and Mercer cited the law, the Pension Protection Act, in explaining their actions.
Nearly 30% of those who said they planned to freeze or close their plans in the next two years cited uncertainty about the law as contributing to their decisions. More than half said their belief that the law would raise costs was key to their decision.
"Companies hate uncertainty, and this law has created a lot of uncertainty," said Mauricio Soto, a research economist with Boston College's Center for Retirement Research.
The new survey found that 25% of employers questioned had closed their pensions to new hires within the last two years, whereas 12.9% had frozen their plans for all employees. The survey found that more than 30% of employers expected to make similar changes in the coming two years. The survey questioned 162 employers, including some of the nation's largest companies, according to the study's statistics.
The acceleration of pension freezes and closures raises anew the question of whether the 77-million-strong baby boom generation is financially ready to retire.
Some recent studies have suggested that baby boomers are not as ill-prepared as previously suggested, and that a combination of pensions, 401(k)s and home equity, together with Social Security, would see them through old age.
But EBRI analysts suggested those studies might need to take a fresh look in light of the new survey's results.
"It appears that any careful analysis of retirement income adequacy … must be modified substantially to factor in the extraordinary plan changes among [pension] sponsors in the last few years," analysts said.
"What you're seeing is the slippage of the middle class," said Certner of AARP. "Their retirement benefits are much smaller than those of the previous generation that had traditional pensions."
NOTES2Edit Pensions may be outsourced, By Jonathan Peterson, October 31, 2007, Copyright 2006 Los Angeles Times
Banks look to take the plans and their assets off the hands of employers.
WASHINGTON — Would you feel comfortable if your company sold off your pension plan to a big bank?
This month, Citigroup Inc. got the green light from the Federal Reserve for an unusual deal to take over the $400-million retirement plan of a British newspaper company.
In exchange for getting its hands on all that cash, Citigroup will run the pension plan -- investing the money, paying the benefits and taking on the liability previously borne by Thomson Regional Newspapers. And it's eyeing similar moves stateside.
Other banking investment and financial companies, including JPMorgan Chase & Co., also are exploring the idea of taking pension plans -- and their billions of dollars of assets -- off the hands of employers. At least three federal agencies are considering aspects of the idea, including its basic legality and safeguards for workers.
Advocates say such changes would be a win-win for retirees and employers, retaining all the protections of current law, while putting plans in the hands of sophisticated financial stewards. Plus, large banks are less likely to go out of business or face severe financial strains than smaller employers.
Yet other people worry that such setups could subject retirement benefits to new risks and jeopardize decades-old worker protections. They're concerned that the would-be pension managers are more interested in profit than in the security of retirees. Further, they fear that unwise investments could bring a crisis for which there is no simple solution.
"This is easy money," said Karen Friedman, policy director of the Pension Rights Center, an advocacy group that speaks out on pension policies and retirement security issues from the standpoint of workers and retirees. "You'd have these third-party institutions that would have really no ties to the workforce. . . . We have a lot of concerns. There are some big questions."
Targeting 'frozen' plansEdit
The main targets for pension takeovers are the growing number of plans that have been limited or "frozen" by employers, as the Thomson plan was. From 2002 to 2006 alone, some 3 million workers may have had their plans limited or frozen, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.
Pension freezes typically mean that new employees can't participate in a plan or that current workers can't increase their benefits.
Pensions are protected by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and amendments to that law, which set standards for funding a company's long-term promises. The law also places responsibility on those who run plans to act entirely in the interest of workers and retirees. Investments are supposed to be diverse and chosen wisely.
These traditional pensions still cover about 44 million workers and retirees, and represent a cash pot of $2.3 trillion.
But a growing number of employers have been backing away from such plans, which have guaranteed benefits; instead, many are offering 401(k) plans and other programs without fixed benefit payouts.
Two-thirds of companies that offer traditional pensions either have limited the benefits or plan to do so in the next two years, according to a July survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute and Mercer Human Resource Consulting.
Even when pensions are frozen, however, employers face costs and uncertainties about their pension investments and how long people will live to collect benefits.
In addition, new accounting rules require companies to make clear their pension liabilities on their balance sheets -- which adds another source of volatility to financial statements. And some firms are worried about a 2006 law that may push up compliance costs.
Looking for alternativesEdit
Ari Jacobs, head of the Retirement Benefits Advisory Group at Citigroup in New York, said American employers seemed "very interested in opportunities to reduce or eliminate the risks associated with their pension plans." He added: "We in the U.S. are looking at a similar model" as the British deal.
"A lot of these companies -- including some that are our clients -- are asking, 'What are our alternatives now that we've frozen the pension plan?' " said Scott Macey, senior vice president and director of government affairs for Aon Consulting.
Until now, the alternatives have been to pay off workers with cash or to buy annuities from insurance companies, which then continue to pay the benefits.
But now, financial companies such as Citigroup say they could do the job more cheaply than insurance companies -- and with greater expertise at managing risk. Insurance companies, for example, face costly state-by-state regulation that pushes up the price of annuities.
"As a financial institution, we believe we're better at managing financial risk than anybody else," Citigroup's Jacobs said. "That's our core business."
Carl Hess, head of Watson Wyatt Worldwide's investment consulting practice, said: "The banks are saying, 'We can undercut the insurance companies.' That's what they see as their entree here."
Chicago-based Aon is in talks with "several large financial institutions" to explore ways that those firms could assume control of pension plans, Macey said. As envisioned, all legal protections for workers and retirees under the 1974 retirement income law would remain in effect.
"Everything that a current plan sponsor would be required to do, the new sponsor would be required to do," he said.
Jacobs echoed that, saying: "This is not about changing anybody's benefits whatsoever."
Asked why a financial firm would be interested in taking on pension obligations, Bradley D. Belt, former executive director of the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., which insures private pension benefits up to certain limits, put it this way: "If somebody gave you $95 today and said, 'you get to pay me $100 a year from now,' would you take the money? I suspect that most people who are in the asset management and investment management business would say absolutely yes."
Seeking assurancesEdit
Belt, now chairman of advisory and investment firm Palisades Capital Advisors, is among those interested in taking over pension plans.
He is talking with large partners about pursuing such business if it becomes legal.
Retirees whose plans were transferred "would still have the full panoply" of government protections, Belt said.
But Norman Stein, a pension authority and professor at the University of Alabama School of Law, worries that if shifting ownership becomes an easy option, it might encourage some employers to freeze and unload pension plans instead of sticking by them.
If federal regulators eventually allow such ownership shifts, Stein would like to see ironclad assurances that benefits would not be jeopardized.
U.S. regulators are starting to weigh in. The Department of Labor is examining whether such proposals are legal under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, and the Internal Revenue Service is reviewing such matters as whether new pension sponsors would be able to deduct any pension contributions they make, as employers are allowed to do.
The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. is also looking into the matter. The federal pension insurer's deficit -- already $18 billion -- will grow if major plans go belly up in the future and it is forced to take on new obligations. At the same time, better management of shaky pension funds could save the insurer from new costs.
"These proposals present the possibility of significantly greater security for pension beneficiaries and the PBGC," said Charles E.F. Millard, its interim director. "This could be very attractive, but there are numerous regulatory issues and potential risks that need to be explored."
Managing the risksEdit
Among the risks to be considered: What would happen if a financial company took control of many pensions, perhaps bundling them together -- and the investments failed? The federal pension insurer could then be faced with an overwhelming cost, Watson Wyatt's Hess said.
If an outside company took over just a few pension plans, the risks might be manageable, he said. "It works twice," he said. "It doesn't work 200 times."
Aaron Albright, spokesman for the House Committee on Education and Labor, said the panel was examining what implications such pension takeovers would have for workers.
"We also want to make sure that these buyouts do not create new incentives for companies to drop their defined benefit plans," he said. | 14,061 | 6,134 | 0.000165 |
warc | 201704 | The Environmental Protection Agency is holding hearings this week across the country to collect public comments on its proposed regulations limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Members of Kentucky’s congressional delegation gathered Wednesday to address what they call a “war on coal.”
The EPA’s proposed regulation would require Kentucky to cut 18 percent of its carbon dioxide emissions, though it leaves
how those cuts are made up to the state. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell attended what he called a “sham hearing” to voice his objections with the rule to EPA representatives, and then hosted a press conference with other congressional members from coal producing states.
"This isn’t about regulations written in some dungeon up in Washington. This is about thousands of people who have lost their jobs," exclaimed U.S. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.
Over the past two years, Eastern Kentucky has lost 6000 coal jobs, though that’s due to a variety of factors and not just environmental regulations.
The U.S. Supreme Court determined that greenhouse gases pose a health hazard in 2007, and because of that endangerment finding, the EPA is required to address the problem. McConnell didn’t elaborate on what he would prefer as an alternative to the agency’s current proposal, other than inaction. | 1,366 | 750 | 0.001394 |
warc | 201704 | Some people are born with teeth that are more yellow than others. But often we can
whiten teeth and our bright smile can change whole appearance. And not obligatory you need to go to the cosmetic dentist to do teeth whitening.
If you have strawberries and baking powder you can start teeth bleaching right now.
It may sound strange, but really
strawberry and baking powder can make your teeth whiter. As says www.health.com:
The secret to this
inexpensive home whitening methodis malic acid, which acts as an astringent to remove surface discoloration.
Combined with baking powder, strawberries become a natural tooth-cleanser, buffing away stains from coffee, red wine, and dark sodas. While it’s no replacement for a bleaching treatment at your dentist’s office, “this is a fast, cheap way to brighten your smile,” says Adina Carrel, DMD, a dentist in private practice at Manhattan Dental Arts in New York.
“Be careful not to use this too often, though, as the
acid could damage the enamel on your teeth.”
You will need to mash up one ripe strawberry and add in 1/2 tablespoon of baking soda. Then use a soft toothbrush to spread the mixture onto your teeth.
Leave on for 5 minutes, then brush thoroughly with toothpaste to remove the berry–baking powder mix. Rinse. And floss – get out all strawberry seeds.
Take a look into mirror to note your smile whiteness.
Dentists say you can apply this type of
home teeth whitening once a week.
Photo by
jojoro | 1,512 | 828 | 0.001256 |
warc | 201704 | The Library Ligand field stabilization and activation energies revisited : molecular modeling of the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of divalent, first-row aqua complexes
Deeth, Robert J. and Randell, Kris. (2008)
Ligand field stabilization and activation energies revisited : molecular modeling of the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of divalent, first-row aqua complexes. Inorganic Chemistry, Vol.47 (No.16). pp. 7377-7388. ISSN 0020-1669 Full text not available from this repository.
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ic800628j
Abstract
Ligand Field Molecular Mechanics (LFMM) parameters have been developed for the hexaaqua complexes of the divalent first row metals V2+ through to Zn2+. The LFMM parameters provide an explicit description of the d electron stabilization energies and are tuned to reproduce both the experimental structures and the relative energetics of the hexaaqua complexes in aqueous solution plus Johnson and Nelson's data (Inorg. Chem., 1995, 34, 5666-5671) for hypothetical complexes from which the ligand field stabilization energy has been removed. The LFMM calculations automatically reveal the typical, strong Jahn-Teller distortions of the d(4) Cr(II) and d(9) Cu(II) species plus the structurally smaller, but still energetically significant, distortions of the d(6) Fe(II) and d(7) Co(II) complexes. The latter are largely mediated via M-O pi interactions which are explicitly treated in the LFMM method via the Angular Overlap Model e(pi perpendicular to) parameter which treats the T interactions perpendicular to the ligand plane. Without further parameter modification, we then predict approximate reaction barriers for both associative and dissociative ligand exchange based on simplified model pathways. The correlation between computed barrier heights and experimental exchange rate constants is generally excellent with the slowest reactions (involving V and Ni) having the largest barriers while the fastest reactions (Cu and Cr) have near zero barriers. In agreement with experiment, the LFMM model further confirms that k(V) < k(Ni) and k(Co) < k(Fe) which contrasts with the classical crystal field activation energy analysis of Basolo and Pearson which predicts k(V) = k(Ni) and the reverse order of reactivity for Fe and Co species. LFMM further predicts a mechanistic changeover from an associatively activated process at Mn to dissociatively activated exchange for Fe, Co, and Ni which is consistent with experimental activation volumes and previously published high level quantum chemical calculations.
Item Type: Journal Article Subjects: Q Science > QD Chemistry Divisions: Faculty of Science > Chemistry Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Ligand field theory, Molecules -- Models, Jahn-Teller effect, Transition metals, Aqua ions Journal or Publication Title: Inorganic Chemistry Publisher: American Chemical Society ISSN: 0020-1669 Official Date: 18 August 2008 Dates:
Volume: Vol.47 Number: No.16 Number of Pages: 12 Page Range: pp. 7377-7388 Identification Number: 10.1021/ic800628j Status: Peer Reviewed Publication Status: Published Funder: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) URI: http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/29541 Actions (login required)
View Item | 3,278 | 1,625 | 0.000617 |
warc | 201704 | Image by 401K via Flickr
If you're already in your retirement years you probably are already in balance with your income. Out of necessity your living expenses are in sync with your social security and pension fund benefits. Thankfully, Social Security benefits will rise 3.6 percent in 2012 and also many inflation linked pensions will rise also. Between 2007 and 2011 median household income for people 65 and up increased by 5.5 percent per year, while income for every other age group declined. In 2010, 9 percent of people 65 plus years old live in poverty compared to 13.5 percent for those 18 - 64.
Those with the most financial problems is the 50-plus group. Their investments took a big hit but are slowly recovering. Many lost their jobs and used up their savings just to make it through. An AARP survey found that 25 percent of the 50-plus adults used up their savings between 2007 and 2010. This group is the hardest hit because they have no retirement savings. Some are working hard to recover but sadly many never will.
What can you do? Debt and high expensesare the curse the 50-plus group has to overcome. Many families still have children in college which diverts money away from retirement. The costs of a larger home, than would be necessary in retirement, only adds to the problem. So creating a plan is critical. Housing is one of your most expensive costs.Having a plan to reduce costs should be at the top of your list. Downsizing is the quickest way to do this. Many real estate professionals say by the end of 2012 the bulk of the housing markets will be stabilized and start to see improved prices. Prepare for the rise in home prices by planning to sell in 2 - 3 years. Start today to prepare your home by painting and remodeling. Though you can't predict where we will be in 3 years, you still have to stay in budget, keep saving and investing at the same time. Saving for retirement is still importantand really the only way to get a decent return on your money. In a world of less than 1 percent savings instruments at your bank, an 8 percent return is possible with equities and bonds. A diversified portfolio and patience will take you to where you need to be. With stocks and their dividends providing a return of 5.3 percent a year for the past 15 years, it's important to not ignore equities. Time of transition.
Most people were effected by the recession. But there were many who weren't. Why. They were prepared. They had a plan and a way of life where they are only slightly felt the effects of recession. We need to take a lesson from them. They lived with spending less than they made and saving the rest. They stayed away from debt and were ready for the storm. They were prepared. | 2,728 | 1,366 | 0.000734 |
warc | 201704 | Geographers in high demand across business, government, nonprofit, and educational sectors April 19, 2013
While the competition for job openings is high, employees with geographic and geospatial skills are in demand across a wide swath of sectors and industries within the U.S. workforce. According to the latest estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a recent report from the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, and research conducted for the AAG's National Science Foundation-funded EDGE program, employers today are seeking employees who can apply broad, interdisciplinary perspectives and diverse expertise to the specific needs of their unique organizations and industries.
A recent column by Doug Richardson, Executive Director of the AAG, highlights some of these recent findings and offers advice and resources for aspiring geography professionals to make the most of the growing employment opportunities throughout the field. | 960 | 572 | 0.001756 |
warc | 201704 | Physiotherapy Physiotherapy
The alterations in medical technology and improved health care have increased the demands on
physiotherapy professionand in the others decreased them. More physically and mentally handicapped children survive and people have a longer life expectancy. These together with developments in cardiac surgery, neuro surgery and other surgical procedures all place further demands on physiotherapy services. Role of Physiotherapy Helps to monitor patients who have been discharged from hospital to ensure that they are maintaining the level of physical activity reached on leaving hospital. To ensure full independence. To assess and evaluate the patient and then altering the physiotherapy treatmentas the result of evaluation. Evaluation by the patient as a result of his disease/injury. The physiotherapist must understand the social, cultural and environmental factors as these may affect the requirements of each patient with regard to home, work and leisure. To gain co–operation of the patient. Physiotherapy
Some of the areas where physiotherapy is a vital form to rehabilitate patients are: in the ICU, Post–Surgery, Amputation cases, Before and After Childbirth (obstetrics), Burns, Chest problems and
physiotherapy in children. In patients who are bed redden due to either head injury or hemitropic should be given proper chest psycho to prevent pulmonary complication. Proper limb physiotherapy should be given to prevent vascular problems like Deep Vein Thrombosis or joint stiffness which commonly occurs due to immobility. Physiotherapistalso helps the patient to return to the society with the help of an occupational therapist and social worker. | 1,699 | 882 | 0.001145 |
warc | 201704 | What is a half-truth? Back in 1989, I looked up the definition of a half-truth in the Oxford Dictionary, and found this. "Half-truth. A statement that is partlytrue "
Well after thinking about this definition, it appearedto me there was another form of half-truth.
Are you ready for this roller coaster ride....well the new truth about truth lies in the truth that truth can lie when the truth we speak, read or write is merely part of a greater truth. This was the type of half-truth I had encountered in the anti-family social programs in North America during the late 1980's.
The conclusion, was that truths can lie !
This type of half-truth is a truth, totally true, that is part of the whole Truth, a half-truth.
Reality suggests to me that we are arrogant and or deceived to believe that we can ever know The Whole Truth ! Its that simple.
The difficultyin understanding a half-truth rests in that the definition of a half-truthcan have at least three different meanings. A half truth, referring to ahalf true, half false statement and a half-truth, referring to a lie of omission,or part of the truth.
Below you will find copies of some correspondence sent to Oxford University Press regarding the definitions contained within their dictionaries. Oxford University Press
Managing Director Walton Street, Oxford, England 0X2 6DP Fax 0865-56646
September 26, 2002
CORRECTIONS TO THE DEFINITION OF HALF-TRUTH
To whom it may concern:
It was back in 1993 that I submitted to your office corrections to the definition of half- truth; namely that a half-truth is a truth, a deceptive statement that is only part of the whole truth.
Half-truth(1): A (true) statement that is part of thewhole truth.
Example: "Stop violence against children." This ignores women, and men.
Statistics are mostly about misleading truths that are half-truths.
I am taking this opportunity to submit to you another component of the definition.
Half-truth(2): A statement that is part of a truth.
Example: "We are equal." This is part of the true statement, "We are equal before the law."
You may also consider that the old definition might still be correct.
Half-truth.(3) A statement that is partly true.
Example: "Canadians are bilingual." The statement is a generalization, that is derived from the truth that "some Canadians are bilingual and some are not."
Half-truth(4) A statement that is based on a half-truthconcept.
Example: Stop violence. This statement involves the issueof "violence" which is only part of the whole issue of abuse.
ADDED OCTOBER 25, 2002
Half-truth(5) A true statement that is based on a truthcontaining a word with two meanings that deceives.
Example: "We must build closure." A statement Iheard being used at "Saint Anthony's Fire" wherepeople were led to believe this meant a physical structure.
Half-truth(6 ) A true statement that ignores the timeline and creates a deceptive truth.
Example: "The light turned red." The statement ignoresthat the light first changed to yellow. True statements out of sequencethat are intended to deceive.
ADDED NOVEMBER 30, 2002
Half-truth(7) A true statement that contains differentpunctuation that deceives.
Example: " One of the best movies of the year ?" verses " One of the best movies of the year !" One statement is voiced as a question the other is voiced as a statement of fact; the difference is in the punctuation.
ADDED JANUARY 9, 2004
Half-truth(8) A word with two components, whereby onlyone is brought forward.
Example: " Spouse is gender neutral !"
While the term 'spouse' is gender neutral the term also refers to a member of the opposite sex.
--------
ADDED JULY 13, 2006
ADDED DECEMBER 31, 2007
Half-truth (10) A new word used to represent an entity that is notsubstantially different from the original but conveys a false difference.
This manipulation of truth, involves 'creating' a newname for something, thereby suggesting something new, different and improved,when in fact the 'new label' hides the reality of the situation.
For example, 'washer less faucets' claim that they donot use washers. Some of them do however develop drips and requirethe replacement of a 'grommet'. This grommet is a rubber material thatfits onto a cylinder. A grommet is defined as a washer. It issimilar to a washer, not exactly a washer but considered a washer of sorts.
Another example is the term democracy. Canada'sso called "democracy", is a parliamentary system established in part by the British Monarch in 1867. It includes a free vote, but also includesa Governor General, who in one instance was the son of the Monarch of England. The term 'democracy' while appealing does not truly reflect the actual system,and in the case of Canada, the political system is more about power to oneperson, rather than power to the people. The 'new term' while differentis not in fact representing a new system based on the comparison of similaritiesto differences.
The most obvious and relevant half-truth has been thedivision of the religion founded by Jesus Christ into different sects, orgroupings based on differences. Roman Catholic, Protestant, Lutheran,Anglican Religions, while different labels, they all represent the same religioninitiated by Jesus Christ. A different name is not truly a differententity although the name tends to suggest this.
* * *
Please note that these changes will also affect the definitions of truth and lie; a truth that is a half-truth is a lie.
Thanks for your time, and have a good day !
Sincerely yours,
Caesar J. B. Squitti
The "Key" to the Gates of Eden ?
This may indeed prove the story of Genesis true, whereby Adam and Eve took of the tree of knowledge and believed that they would be like God to know The Truth. We are not God, or like God in the infinite sense.
It is hoped that we can appreciate this reality and appreciate how polarizing truth can polarize a family, a community, a nation, a world.
In the following web pages we focus on the following:
In the Bible, in Genesis, it is stated that in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were deceived by taking of the fruit of the tree of knowledge and believing that they would be like God. This fruit, a simple metaphor for truth, representing knowledge, be it true knowledge formed an error in human philosophy that accepts true knowledge as "The Truth," when in fact this knowledge is part of The Truth, the Tree of Knowledge; this is the anti+truth, otherwise known as a half-truth, or part-of-the- truth. It is my opinion that this is the "original sin," an error of logical programming that has remained with us since "The Garden of Eden," much like the Y2K programming error of this century, ironically another half-truth. This "original error" in human philosophy was that mankind was and is deceived about true knowledge, as being one in the same as The Truth. This flaw in human thinking, in human philosophy, was perhaps the deception from the Garden of Eden; a deception that remains with us as I write this.
You should note that a half-truth, refers to a totally true statement that deceives because it is only part of The Truth, a lie of omission.
Mankind, as Adam and Eve, were deceived, and we are still deceived about Truth and knowledge; since there is an undiscovered negative side to Truth; anti+truths. Knowing of some of "The Truth," some truths, metaphorically, the fruit from the tree of knowledge, does not mean we know The Truth in the infinite sense. WE ARE NOT GOD! There are profound differences between truth, the truth we know, and The Truth. The current definitions of truth, half-truth and lie are incorrect. There is a difference between something being true, within dimensions, and The Truth. We have been deceived.
Consequently, the new truth about Truth lies in the truth that truth can lie !
The greatest truth I have learned is that no one knows The Truth; we are not God !
Surprised ?
This adds credibility to the biblical "satan," one of the fallen angels, "the light that deceives the world" whose major tool of deception and polarization is the anti+truth or half-truth.. You should note that this paradigm, has not been identified, yet, and half-truth logic abounds our world. It is hoped that this web site exposes the many concepts that are polarizing this world, based on truth that lies; half-truth paradigms, and the anti+truth.
For one, politics, is all about polarizing Truth. The section on "Anti+truths Polarize the World," identifies many of the most common half-truth based models of today's world.
Anti+truths, cannot be proven false, by being proven false, for they are true. They are proven false, by proving that a greater truth exists. Part of the problem is the use of generalized logic, to remove variability and complexity. Much of today's philosophy incorporates "black and white" thinking. There is no need to negatively debate the anti+truth.
The key to this error of logic is to appreciate what a half-truth is. In the most famous trial of all time, at the trial of Jesus Christ, Pontious Pilate asks "What is Truth." The answer to this question was nailed to the cross. Jesus Christ, provides us with a clue to solving this riddle, and is based on the basic properties of Light. Light becomes a metaphor for Truth. Light, is made up of different distinct colors, and some waves of Light that cannot be seen.
To deal with the many polarizing truths in this worldI ask the question, What is a half-truth ? Well , let us first look at
whatit is not!
The current definitions include "
a partly true statement," or " a statement that mingles truth and falsehoods"; this is incorrect. These would be half true statements, or half truth statements, but not "half-truths."The difference could be attributable to the hyphen. The difference betweena statement that is half truth, inferring that it is also a half lie, anda half-truth, is that a half-truth is a truth that is part of a greater truththat creates a deceptive polarizing truth that is a deceptive form of lie.The term half-truth, in of itself is somewhat misleading, and could be improvedby saying "half-of-the-truth," or "part-of-the-truth." You will note thatsaying half truth, or half-truth, one cannot appreciate the slight difference,and reflects a problem between written and oral language. Technically thereis a difference between a "half-truth" and a "half truth." Perhaps indeedthe devil is in the detail; - .
A half-truth is all about dimensions. It is true yet false. An undiscovered oxymoron, a paradox. It is a truth but not the Whole Truth.
A half-truth is totally true, in its own dimension, but it is deceptive lie for it is an error or lie of omission.
A half-truth(2) as defined as a statement that is part of a truth, is the manipulation of a true sentence, by taking part of it. Most notably in Canada during the past 25 years we have been brainwashed to believe that "we are all equal." The reality is the "we are equal before the law" or "we are equal before God". To take part of this sentence and suggest that it is true is a deceptive half of a true sentence.
A half-truth (3) as defined above is a generalization. A truth is presented, a generalized statement that is bad logic, and not so much a half-truth. The statement is based on some truth, but ignores the complex nature of reality and the use of the word "some."
It is like taking "a fruit," a truth, from the infinite tree of knowledge and believing that we know The Truth, LIKE perhaps God. Like in the infinite sense, rather than like in a minor sense.
The term half-truth is somewhat misleading and could be improved by looking at other words, such as half-of-the-truth, part-of-the-truth. It is a "white lie," a truth that lies; a lie of omission. In the greatest form of deception it deceives everyone, since we seldom know The Truth.
Correspondence was received from both Websters and Oxford University Press verifying that corrections to the current definitions would be undertaken.
Consequently if you understand what a half-truth is and isn't, then you can appreciate that Truth can deceive us if it is a half or part of a greater truth, and a lie could be a truth, if the truth is part of a greater truth.
(Let us also appreciate that truth can deceive us not merely by itself, but in addition we use Truth to make assumptions, the error of human flawed logic, what I refer to as the "jump of logic"; sometimes it is simply wrong.)
The "half-truth," thelight that deceive(s)d the world. | 12,599 | 5,183 | 0.000195 |
warc | 201704 | July 12, 2005: BOMA Launches Energy Efficiency Program
The campaign, developed in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under its Energy Star Challenge, is designed to educate association members about the financial and environmental benefits of improving energy efficiency, train commercial building operators and owners on strategic energy management, and recognize members who demonstrate energy savings of 10, 20, 30 percent or more. Because energy is the single largest operating cost in an office building, representing 30 percent of a typical building's costs, the value of these savings is substantial for the bottom line, and also the environment, says the EPA.
The campaign was developed by the Building Owners and Managers Association Foundation and a task force of industry leaders, including USAA Realty, Cushman & Wakefield, Lurie Company, Trammell Crow, Jones Lang LaSalle, Transwestern Commercial Services, and others in coordination with the EPA.
EPA launched the Energy Star Challenge in March 2005 to encourage businesses and institutions across the country to take steps to identify the many buildings where financially attractive improvements can reduce energy use by 10 percent or more, and to make the improvements now through proven methods such as low-cost building tuneups, lighting upgrades, and replacement of old equipment. EPA estimates that if each building owner took on this challenge, by 2015 Americans would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by amounts equivalent to the emissions from 15 million vehicles, while saving about $10 billion.
For more information on BOMA, visit www.boma.org. For more information about the Energy Star Challenge, visit www.energystar.gov/challenge.
Publication date: 07/11/2005 | 1,773 | 937 | 0.001071 |
warc | 201704 | Chronic pain, computer usage, snacking late into the evening…all of these factors are bound to keep you up at night! And what’s worse is if you don’t correct these surprising bad bedtime habits you can end up with chronic insomnia and associated health problems due to sleep deprivation.
Are you guilty of any of these ten bedtime habits that are ruining your chances of a restful night’s sleep?
1. A Too Full Tummy
Despite common sense, many of us cave to a snack attack before bedtime or simply eat dinner way too late in the evening. A large amount of food consumed shortly before bedtime means that your digestive system is working in overdrive to digest it, which means your sleep patterns will be disrupted. | 738 | 439 | 0.002358 |
warc | 201704 | We all do it. Telling a white lie can save time, save face, and make those difficult days on the job just a little easier to cope with. But sometimes little fibs can backfire - and you can find ourselves in a big heap of trouble, especially if you have adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD).
Not long ago I responded to a letter from an
ADDitude reader who was on vacation. She had promised her boss she would work on a project over the summer and have it ready for him the first day she was back in the fall. It was the last two weeks of summer and she was away on holiday, not having completed the project that was due immediately upon her return. There was no way she could finish it on time, so she asked me what she should tell her boss when she got back.
My advice was to call him immediately and let him know that the project would not be ready. Saying nothing for two weeks was not a good option. It would be a fib of silence that would ultimately cause her even greater problems, and it was disrespectful of the other person's responsibilities. Giving her boss a two-week heads-up could help to avoid last-minute complications and provide him with an opportunity to do some damage control. Not saying anything, on the other hand, would lead her boss to expect that everything was fine when it wasn't.
Below are five little fibs to avoid, along with substitute responses that will serve both you and the other person involved. Remember, practice makes perfect. The natural inclination is to fib just a little to buy more time, appear in control, or just plain avoid the issue. The substitute responses will be difficult at first, but the more you practice, the easier it gets.
White Lie #1: No problem!
This article comes from the February/March 2005 issue of
ADDitude. | 1,806 | 969 | 0.001037 |
warc | 201704 | Let me express the support of the NEPAD Secretariat to this initiative which demonstrates the dynamism of AfricaRecruit and its shared will to contribute constantly to the development efforts of Africa through the mobilisation of the stakeholders and the Diaspora and their implication in development projects on the African Continent-
Prof Firmino Mucavele, Chief Executive New Partnership for Africa's Development February 2007
H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999- April 2007
"When AfricaRecruit was launched in 2002, I provided an endorsement in the firm belief that its objectives were not only noble but also realizable. Since then, the initiative has performed creditably and become a key part of the NEPAD programme to mobilize quality skills for Africa."
Full Endorsement...
AfricaRecruit is a programme plan of action taken to build robust and enduring productive capacity throughout the continent. It is an innovative service delivery vehicle with its focus on capacity building through human resources using its various networks within and outside Africa. For more details on AfricaRecruit, kindly click here
Shortage of skills is a critical constraint that is holding back investment, job creation and improved public services for Africa. Although exact figures are difficult to obtain, probably 40% of African professionals are now living outside the continent, meaning upwards of 5 million doctors, teachers, engineers, and technicians. African immigrants to the United States boast some of the highest educational attainments of any immigrant group and there are now more than 250,000 scientists and physicians of African descent in the United States. The continent spends over $4bn in technical assistance each year in sectors such as health, education and the environment, as well as public management. For more detailed information on Africa's brain drain, please click here.
“Africa Recruit is also important as a vehicle for dialogue between Africans living in and outside the continents, which can create a dialogue with professionals in the diaspora, and look at ways in which African governments can help foster the flow of skills back to Africa.”
Professor Wiseman l Nkuhlu Chairman from October 2001 to July 2003; and as Chief Executive of the Secretariat from October 2001 to July 2005
The African Diaspora have increasingly becomes a recognised force for development for their countries of origin. In 2001 remittances to developing countries stood at $72.3 billion, 42% of total Foreign Direct Investment. This is the second largest source behind Foreign Direct Investment of external funding for developing countries. It is evident that the African Diaspora can play a unique and crucial role in Africa's development. Africarercuit provide the enabling environment that will facilitate the process of engagement with the various stakeholders on building and sustaining capacity in Africa.
"Mobilisation of resources is crucial for the successful implementation of NEPAD, said
Prof. Firmino Mucavele, Chief Executive of the NEPAD Secretariat July 2005- January 08, in a presentation to the Zambia NEPAD Action Plan workshop held in Lusaka on 26-28 October 2005.The major sector priorities of NEPAD as follows: Agriculture, including food security and market access; Infrastructure development including transport, energy, information and communication technology, water and sanitation; Human resources development including education and health; Environment and tourism; Culture; and Science and technology development."
How does it work?
AfricaRecruit provides the “real” and virtual marketplace for the various stakeholders’ engagement
Real Market Place. AfricaRecruit is a practical meeting point for jobseekers and employers, African government’s and related officials, African Diaspora and all the various stakeholders to meet. The forums are solution-orientated platform to facilitate identification and dissemination of best practices. AfricaRecruit works in partnership with various International and African organisations in facilitating capacity building in Africa with main emphasis on: Human Capital Financial Capital
Virtual Market Place www.findajobinafrica.com is Africarecruit’s job search engine and Africa’s prime employment platform where placement agents and employers can advertise their jobs, search for potential employees and where jobseekers can hunt for jobs and advertise their expertise to employers using the CV database.
www.africarecruit.com Africa Human resource Club is primarily a virtual professional Club across the continent of Africa where Human Resource Professionals can meet to discuss challenges, solutions and best practices for details
How exactly does AfricaRecruit help Employers and Recruitment Agencies? | 4,878 | 2,225 | 0.000455 |
warc | 201704 | RABOBANK RELEASES INAUGURAL BBQ INGREDIENTS INDEX
Jun. 27, 2014
Source: Rabobank news release
This Fourth of July, Americans will pay more for their backyard barbecues than ever before. The inaugural 2014 Rabobank BBQ Index examines the composition of a ten-person barbecue and how rising commodity prices have impacted the cost over the years, showing an overall price increase from $ 51.90 in 2004 to $55.62 during the financial crisis in 2007, to a total of $66.82 in 2014.
Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Rabobank BBQ Index tracks the price of typical barbecue ingredients, from main dishes of grilled chicken or a cheeseburger on a bun topped with lettuce, tomato and pickles, to chips and ice cream on the side and soda and beer to wash it down.
"While commodity price fluctuations are not always passed on to retail prices, American consumers will feel some significant market changes this Fourth of July," said Bill Cordingley, Head of Food and Agribusiness Research at Rabobank.
"The beef market has exploded this year and retail ground beef prices, the heart and soul of the American barbecue, are up an astonishing 71% over the last five years. We think there will be more pluck than chuck this year as some consumers lean to chicken sandwiches over burgers."
BBQ Index Breakdown Combined, beef and chicken make up one-quarter of the Index and they each tell a different story. While beef has seen the large increase of 71 percent in five years, including 14 percent over last year, chicken prices have remained fairly flat, up just three percent over five years and one percent since last year.
Meat:
According to Rabobank analysts, cattle herds in the United States are the smallest in 63 years and exports have grown substantially, using a larger share of U.S. production, which has driven up the cost. Meanwhile, chicken exports have also expanded, mainly for dark meat. While export prices have increased, domestic white meat demand has remained steady, maintaining stable prices in the U.S.
Dairy: Retail cheese and ice cream prices have both jumped 15 percent in the past five years. Most of the gains in cheese have occurred in the last year, with prices up 11 percent. While U.S. demand for dairy has slowed in recent years, growing demand in China and other developing markets has kept prices rising. U.S. milk typically used for cheese and ice cream is now increasingly shipped overseas as powder.
In Q1 2014 U.S. dairy exports rose 26 percent*, and 13 percent of milk produced in the U.S. is now shipped internationally. And with a recent study** saying dairy fats are not bad for you, U.S. prices could go even higher if demand grows both at home and abroad, putting pressure on supplies.
Beverages: Ask your friends to bring the beer, as it comprises 28% of the total barbecue cost. The price of 20 beers has increased by 10 percent over the past five years, as the popularity of more expensive "craft" beers has pushed domestic and premium prices upward. "The two weeks leading up to holidays like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July are some of the biggest in beer sales, regardless of price," said a Rabobank beverages analyst.
"However, companies will still heavily promote their products and consumers typically load up on beer at home during these key weekends."Soda prices have increased a small four percent over the last five years and are down one percent year-over-year, as slower consumer demand has increased the amount of discounting.
Bread/Snacks: Price-wise it makes sense to keep burgers in the bun: prices are flat compared to 2013 and down one percent over 5 years. In general, wheat prices are dropping with the whole grain complex due to increased global production, particularly this year. Chip prices are also down because people are moving towards lower-fat snack foods, decreasing three percent year-over-year. Veggies: The drought in Mexico increased prices for tomatoes by 12 percent compared to last year but vegetables are, as always, the lowest percentage of the Index and the healthier items.
* On a liquid milk equivalent (LME) basis
** March 2014 journal Annals of Internal Medicine
Overview Rationale and Methodology
The Rabobank BBQ Index assumes an average American family/neighborly BBQ situation, which might take place over the 4th of July. The Index assumes an average of 10 adults attends; hypothetically, each person consumes the same amount of food and beer.
Each individual is assumed to consume two burgers (one chicken, one beef) with a slice of cheese, five handfuls of chips, a couple of beers, a can of soda, a pickle and a couple scoops of ice cream.
As a means of comparison, the BBQ Index parallels the Bureau of Labor Statistics as a data source. The series we selected was the "average price index, US city average", which is a monthly series.
We based our index on the January 1, 2000 price. The formula for the weighting is (sum of component*weighting)/(base sum of component*weighting)*)100.
Components and Weighting by Value:
•Lettuce - $.99: 1% of total barbecue
•Tomatoes - $1.95: 3%
•Cheese - $2.90: 4%
•Bread - $2.80: 4%
•Soda - $3.58: 5%
•Pickles - $3.51: 6%
•Chips - $4.37: 7%
•Chicken - $8.62: 13%
•Beef - $9.64: 14%
•Ice Cream - $9.82: 15%
•Beer - $18.59: 28%
Total Volumes:
•Chips - 16 oz (5 handfuls per person)
•Pickle - 24 oz (1 pickle per person)
•Soda - 120 oz (1 can of soda per person)
•Tomatoes -1.2 lbs (2 slices per person)
•Cheese -2 lbs (2-3 slices per person)
•Bread -2.4 lbs (2 buns per person)
•Beef -2.5 lbs (1 quarter pound burger per person)
•Chicken -2.5 lbs (1 chicken sandwich per person)
•Ice Cream - 1/2 gal (1-2 bowls per person)
•Lettuce -1 lb (1-2 leaves per person)
•Beer - 24 oz (2, 12 oz per person)
Tweet | 5,919 | 2,787 | 0.000369 |
warc | 201704 | Shoftim(Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9) The Greatness of Humility
This week's portion says that a Jewish king is commanded to write for himself a Torah scroll and to carry it with him at all times (Deut. 17:18-20). The idea behind this is that the king needs to maintain perspective. He should remember just where his power comes from, and not make the mistake of thinking that he is in control. In Jewish thinking, arrogance is the worst of all traits, while humility is the greatest trait. When the Torah looks to praise Moses, he is singled out as the "most humble of all men" (Numbers 12:3). That, the Sages say, is the greatest and most genuine form of charisma.
We see from here that the purpose of humility is not so much a hedge against becoming intoxicated with power; rather, the idea is that humility itself is empowering. But how does this work?
Humility does not mean lack of self-esteem. It does not mean self-denigration (Uriah Heep style). Humility, in Judaism, is a recognition that there are more important things in this world than my own desires and needs. Humility is a matter of perspective. Talented and capable as I may be, I am nevertheless only a small part of a vast universe. The humble person realizes:
What's right is infinitely more valuable than serving myself.
The more humble, the greater the leader, because a humble person has no interest in his own honor, power and self-aggrandizement. He serves those who he leads.
In Torah law, the people are not servants of the king; the king is a servant of the people. The first king of Israel, Saul, did not want the job. And because he did not want the job, he was the right man for the job. Because the extent to which a leader enjoys the trappings of power, is the extent to which he no longer serves the people alone.
The humble person will not only have the confidence of those he leads, he will also be unafraid of those he leads. Doing that which is right for the nation is all that matters to him. Whether or not he is popular is irrelevant.
On a personal level, this applies to us as well. If you have humility, then living with what you believe to be right is more important than what others think of you. A humble person is unaffected by social pressures, unmoved by societal norms. Indeed, humility is the foundation of true independence.
Arrogance is a fast track to mediocrity. Humility, on the other hand, paves the way for greatness. It is no accident that the Torah considers Moses - "the most humble of all" - to be the greatest human being that ever lived. | 2,560 | 1,290 | 0.00078 |
warc | 201704 | Schools' energy efficiency practices proving successful
Published:
$114,000 saved in pilot program at eight schools
Following a successful pilot program, the Anchorage School District is
expanding its energy conservation program to 27 schools across the district.
Each school in this year's program is above-average in their energy use per
square foot as compared to other district schools.
In 2007, eight schools actively participated in a conservation pilot
program. With no significant financial upgrades to existing structures,
schools were able to reduce electricity by 11 percent and natural gas by 6.5
percent, totaling $114,829.85 in energy savings. Staff and students at the
selected schools were able to lower energy usage by becoming more conscious
and developing better habits.
ASD Project Manager Jon Paxton said simple tasks, such as not propping entry
doors open, turning off unneeded room lights, shutting off and unplugging
electronics equipment, and minimizing use of high-energy machines, added up
to big savings.
"Energy is one of those things where every little bit helps. Nickels and
dimes, millions of times, it adds up," said Paxton.
As an incentive, the eight schools that participated in the pilot project
were offered 25 percent of the value of energy they saved. In February,
those schools were presented checks ranging from $56.25 to $8,426.75.
Paxton said saving energy, and money, is the right thing to do and he has
seen a lot of interest in participation. "People are conscious for a while,
but then they get busy and sometimes lapse out of it. We're going to try to
keep them on track."
The district spends approximately $15.5 million on electricity and natural
gas at more than 90 facilities each year. The goal of the district's energy
conservation program is to reduce usage by 10 percent.
The current program, which includes operational and infrastructure
audits, will end in June, however conservation measures will eventually be
expanded to all ASD schools and buildings. | 2,048 | 1,084 | 0.000939 |
warc | 201704 | Event Date/Time: Sep 16, 2012
End Date/Time: Sep 18, 2012 Description
Shared Services and Outsourcing professionals across diverse industries, backgrounds, geographies, functions and responsibilities have one thing in common – the need to innovate. This need has grown exponentially over the last few years. This is because the industry has matured over the last decade and there is a general feeling among industry professionals that the same processes, systems and technologies have been recycled and reused year after year under the pretext of standardising operations.
The Shared Services and Outsourcing Exchange 2012 will, therefore, focus on innovation and reigniting passion in processes, thinking, strategies and technologies. This unique, invitation-only meeting will bring senior business leaders from HR, IT, Finance, Outsourcing, Procurement, Customer Services and Legal functions from all over the world to debate and formulate strategies to take their business to the next level.
Confirmed Speakers include:
• Gary Booth, Director of People Services, The Co-operative
• Ed Martinez, VP Shared Services, Wendy’s
• Peter Villanyi, Managing Director, Avis Budget Group EMEA Business Support Centre
• Paul Wickens, Chief Executive – NICS Enterprise Shared Services, Northern Ireland Civil Service
• Roman Tesar, Managing Director, Lufthansa GTS
• Ole Jørgensen, VP Strategy & Service Development, Statoil
• Amer Alghabban, Director, Global Quality Assurance Auditing, Merck Serono
• Peter De-Prycker, Programme Director –Finance Outsourcing Services, Unilever
To request the attendee list email: exchangeinfo@iqpc.com, or call: +44 (0) 207 368 9404.
You can also email exchangeinfo@iqpc.com, or call: +44 (0) 207 368 9404 for more information on solution provider opportunities or to request your delegate invitation.
Website: www.sharedservicesexchange.co.uk | 2,102 | 1,053 | 0.001053 |
warc | 201704 | Muscle strain What is it? A muscle strain is also called a pulled muscle. It occurs when a muscle is suddenly pulled or twisted. When this happens, a tiny tear occurs in the muscle. Pulled muscles happen more easily when muscles are not stretched or warmed up before working out. Sometimes they happen when the muscle is overused. Strains happen most often in the legs, arms, and back. Your muscle may hurt and may be swollen. You may not be able to move the area of your body where the hurt muscle is because of the pain and swelling. You may need an x-ray (picture) taken of the injured area to make sure you did not also break a bone. Healing usually takes about 1 to 2 weeks but may take up to 6 weeks for bad strains. While it is healing, you may need to wear a splint or ace wrap to protect the injury. Medical Care:
The most important part of treating an injured muscle is resting the muscle. Resting your muscle lessens swelling and allows the injury to heal. When the pain decreases, begin normal, slow movements.
Ice causes blood vessels to constrict (get small) which helps lessen inflammation (swelling, pain, and redness). Put crushed ice in a plastic bag and cover it with a towel. Put this on your injured muscle for 15 to 20 minutes every hour as long as you need it. Do not sleep on the ice pack because you can get frostbite. Keep the injured muscle raised above your heart, if possible. This helps lessen both pain and swelling. You may need to wear a splint or brace to keep the injured muscle from moving so the muscle will heal. How bad the sprain is will determine if you need a splint. You may remove the splint each day to wash the injured area. Put your splint back on as soon as possible. When retaping, make sure the splint is in the same place and position. You may also retape the splint if it gets wet. If the area above or below the splint starts to feel numb or tingling, the splint may be too tight. Loosen the tape so the area is comfortable. Move the part of your body near the injury, such as fingers or toes, which is not covered by the splint several times a day.
Following are things you can do to help your muscle strain heal faster. This may also prevent muscle strains in the future.
Do not return to running or other heavy exercise until you are pain-free and your caregiver says it is OK. Start exercising slowly, like bicycling, when caregivers say it is OK. Always do stretching exercises before working out or doing sports activities. This will loosen muscles and tendons that will lessen stress on your muscles. Your caregiver can show you exercises best for stretching. Ask your caregiver if you should wrap weak joints with support bandages before exercising. You caregiver will show you the correct way to use support bandages. Herbs and Supplements:
Before taking any herbs or supplements, ask your caregiver if it is OK. Talk to your caregiver about how much you should take. If you are using this medicine without instructions from your caregiver, follow the directions on the label. Do not take more medicine or take it more often than the directions tell you to. The herbs and supplements listed may or may not help treat your condition.
Herbs: Supplements: Complementary Therapies: Chiropractic treatment is often used for muscle strains. Magnet therapy is used for muscle aches and strains. Massage decreases symptoms and helps you to recover more quickly from muscle strain.
Other ways of treating your symptoms : Other ways to treat your symptoms are available to you.
Talk to your caregiver if:
You would like medicine to treat muscle strain. Your symptoms have not gone away or improved by these self-help measures. You have questions about what you have read in this document. SEEK CARE IMMEDIATELY IF: Your bruising, swelling, or pain gets worse. The area is cold below the injury, such as fingers or toes. The area is numb or blue below the injury, such as fingers or toes. Care Agreement:
You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.
References:
1. Ernst E: Does post-exercise massage treatment reduce delayed onset muscle soreness? Br J Sports Med 1998; 32(3):212-214.
2. Kaminski M & Boal R: An effect of ascorbic acid on delayed-onset muscle soreness. Pain 1992; 50(3):317-321.
3. Zhang WY & Li Wan Po A: The effectiveness of topically applied capsaicin. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1994; 46(6):517-522.
Last Updated:12/4/2015 | 4,667 | 2,154 | 0.000466 |
warc | 201704 | Love was in the air at the first public review of Facebook's proposed new west campus design — a sprawling office in a forest envisioned by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry.
The 433,555-square-foot building would perch on top of approximately 1,540 parking spaces, and blend into the landscape by incorporating ground-level gardens that wind their way up to a rooftop terrace. The goal is for the 22-acre Constitution Drive site to resemble a forest as people drive by on the Bayfront Expressway, according to Facebook. The west campus would accommodate 2,800 employees, mainly engineers.
During the Sept. 24 Planning Commission meeting, community members and commissioners alike hailed the design. "It's a rare treat to have a project like this," said Commissioner Henry Riggs.
Fellow architect Peipei Yu, a member of the Planning Commission, shared the excitement, but wanted more. "When I first looked at it, I thought 'it's not Frank Gehry enough!'" She urged Facebook to play with the idea of technology popping out of nature. "If you're going to have Frank Gehry come to town, why not really have Frank Gehry come to town?"
Ms. Yu then reminded everyone that the city needs to consider what benefits may be derived through the project's development agreement, cautioning that "we don't want to get so excited because it's so shiny ... that we get distracted and forget benefits for our city."
Two areas she had in mind: Direct revenue, and planning for a population bump in already overcrowded schools as Facebook employees have kids. Unfortunately Ms. Yu will not be in town for the negotiation process — Sept. 24 was her final meeting as a planning commissioner; her family is moving out of town, according to city staff.
The notion of payments to make up for a lack of sales tax revenue arises at an interesting time. Commissioner Vince Bressler asked during the Monday night meeting whether Facebook would be selling products in the future, although at the time there wasn't an answer.
However, three days later the social networking giant introduced "Facebook Gifts," a service allowing users to give each other real goodies such as chocolate or stuffed animals. Will that trigger sales tax revenue? A Facebook representative said that w ill depend on where the gift ships from, since the company has partnered with vendors who stock the items. In some cases the tax will be factored into the price. The California Legislature has pushed hard for taxes on online purchases, and Amazon recently began collecting sales taxes from California residents.
The development agreement for the east campus included a one-time payment of $1.1 million as well as incrementally increased payments over 10 years starting at $800,000 annually, commitments to funding community programs, and other niceties such as local bike trail improvements. Facebook will likely try to negotiate a smaller-scale agreement for the west campus — and appears to have some support for that within the community and commission.
JobTrain Executive Director Sharon Williams praised the social networking company's efforts to follow through. Very often when a client announces they've gotten a job, it's at Facebook, Ms. Williams said, and "they're taking great pride in the opportunity." She also pointed out that a landmark Gehry building itself will be a community benefit, an observation that several commissioners agreed with.
The city will formally commence negotiations after the Oct. 30 council meeting, according to the staff report.
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warc | 201704 | How To Identify (and Be Slightly Grossed Out By) Dog Vomit Slime Mold
With all of this week’s heavy upstate rains, microbiological processes are kicking into full gear and bacteria and fungi are actively working on the process of decay. Many species of mushrooms are popping up in yards, lawns, mulch, and on almost any other damp substrate.
Mushrooms are rarely an eyesore — most of them are quite attractive. They simply indicate a healthy soil ecosystem. However, instead of colorful turkey tail mushrooms or fairy-tale fly agarics, some of you may find ominous patches of bright yellow mushy looking goop spreading in parts of your garden. It probably won’t take much imagination to think, “That looks like something threw up!”
You’re not the first to think of a disgorged meal when seeing these unexpected blobs and thus the common name of the mass is Dog Vomit Slime Mold (which in my opinion is one of the most gross common names of a living thing).
Click the link to keep reading.
In truth, Dog Vomit Slime Mold (Fuligo septica) is not a fungus (as are true molds) at all, but instead a member of the Myxogastia order – aka the plasmodial slime molds (as opposed to the Dictyostelids – aka cellular slime molds). As a whole, slime molds are fascinating life forms. Like fungi, they go through a number of life stages. Generally, they act as amoeba-like protists hunting about in the soil while preying on bacteria and fungi in a process called phagocytosis (entrapment and internal digestion like other amoebas do, whereas fungi digest their food externally with excreted enzymes). When conditions get right (think “wet”) a colony of slime mold will change into its fruiting body phase to reproduce by spore. The emergence of these massive blobs of slime mold are the indicator of the species’ reproduction.
Dog vomit slime mold will typically appear in gardens with mulch after heavy spring rains. The individual slime molds have been in the soil all along, but the wetness and the warming weather encourages the reproductive state. While often unappealing looking, the Clemson Extension says that these slime molds are generally harmless.
In our experience, they occasionally smother low-hanging plants in their way, causing a bit of damage. To avoid rotting leaves, simply scrape away the slime mold with a stick or spray it off with a hose (if your soil is already drenched from heavy rain, the hose might not be ideal). Within a few days the slime mold will loose its coloration, turning brown or grey, and then disappear entirely.
Because slime molds predate bacteria and yeasts, their presence is often an indicator that there is some good active microbiology present. Slime molds eat other fungi and bacteria, so they prefer soils that have an abundance and variety of life. You can think of them as an approval badge for your healthy soil instead of a temporary eyesore.
Other slime molds are out right now and they come in a rainbow of colors. The one in the above photo was found at the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest and looks a bit like a cockscomb.
This white one is separated into obvious circular clumps and looks a bit like Totoro dust bunnies.
Whatever form they appear in, slime molds contribute to the entire decomposition process and shouldn’t be a matter for real concern. They’re just part of the composting food web.
~Nathaniel | 3,436 | 1,733 | 0.000591 |
warc | 201704 | Optimism continued into this past year. In January 2016, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released the Global Investment Trends Monitor Report on FDI flows between countries and regions. The data show that flows into the United States increased to $384 billion, a record high. Because they can be affected by a small number of large deals, annual flows are notoriously volatile and a one-year spike is not necessarily cause for celebration. However, flows can reveal trends over time, and 2015 is the ninth year in 10 that the United States has led the world in FDI inflow.
According to the most recent data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the top five market sources for FDI in the United States remain consistent: Investments from the United Kingdom are valued at $465 billion, followed by Japan ($374 billion), Germany ($312 billion), Canada ($311 billion), and France ($240 billion). In total, investments from these countries account for just shy of 60 percent of all FDI in the United States.
“Business-friendly” may be a buzzword, but Americans work hard to make it a reality. FDI from eight countries grew at compound annual growth rates (CAGR) above 18 percent from 2009–2014. China continued its streak as the fastest-growing source of FDI, with a CAGR of 38.5 percent, and the total amount of Chinese FDI reached $10.2 billion in 2014. Investors from Luxembourg (26.8 percent CAGR), Brazil (25.2 percent), India (22.1 percent), Malaysia (19.6 percent), South Korea (19.4 percent), Switzerland (18.2 percent), and the United Arab Emirates (18.1 percent) also increased their investments in the U.S. market rapidly during that period.
This investment plays an important role in the American economy. In 2013, U.S. affiliates of foreign companies spent $53 billion on U.S. research and development and exported $360 billion worth of U.S. goods. New research published in February by the International Trade Administration (ITA) reveals that these companies are responsible for at least 12 million jobs in the United States, including 6.1 million direct jobs. An additional 2.4 million jobs are attributable to the economic activity of majority foreign-owned firms; this includes jobs in the supply chains of those firms and jobs supported by the spending of direct employees, as well as other economic effects. Foreign investment can also drive productivity gains, and the report estimates that 3.5 million jobs in the manufacturing sector alone can be attributed to FDI.
There are many reasons that companies continue to choose the United States — the U.S. economy remains strong with the world’s most attractive consumer market, enhanced access to other markets through free-trade agreements, a culture of innovation, a highly productive workforce, and a “business-friendly” environment.
World’s Largest Market
Data from the White House Council of Economic Advisors shows that, as of February 2016,4 the United States has experienced the two best years of private-sector job growth since the 1990s, and consumer confidence is near its highest level in nearly a decade. With a diverse population of 320 million, there is room for companies of all sizes to find their market in the United States.
Opportunities to Export
Many companies also choose to export from the United States. In fact, the U.S. affiliates of foreign companies exported goods worth $360 billion in 2013 — more than one-fifth of all U.S. goods exports. Free-trade agreements with 20 nations give U.S.-based exporters enhanced access to markets with hundreds of millions more potential customers, and, according to the World Bank, no country has more rapid export procedures.
Innovation
The United States is a world leader in research and development (R&D) and intellectual property protection, providing a fertile environment for innovation. As of late 2013, it was estimated that more than 31 percent of total world R&D expenditures take place in the United States.
Workforce
The American workforce is among the world’s most productive. According to The Conference Board’s Total Economy Database, the output per hour of the American worker is approximately 25 percent above the average of the world’s mature economies.
Business Friendly Environment
“Business friendly” may be a buzzword, but Americans across the country work hard to make it a reality: U.S. economic development organizations (EDOs) guide international investors through the process of establishing their businesses. The World Bank’s Doing Business 2016 report ranks the United States seventh globally, and first among countries with populations over 100 million. The U.S. system is well known to be transparent, fair, and stable, with thriving capital markets to support growing companies, and SelectUSA is ready to help companies find their way even more easily.
Services to Facilitate Investment
Services to Facilitate Investment
SelectUSA is the U.S. government program to facilitate foreign investment into the United States. We provide services to companies, as well as U.S. EDOs. SelectUSA helps investors find the information they need to make decisions, connect to the right people at the local level, and find answers to questions related to federal regulations. SelectUSA assists U.S. EDOs to compete globally for investment by providing information, a platform for international marketing, and high-level advocacy. SelectUSA’s highest profile event is the Investment Summit. The 2015 Summit, hosted by President Obama, was oversubscribed with more than 2,000 participants from every corner of the United States and 70 countries. The 2016 Summit will take place on June 19–21 in Washington, D.C. Participants will learn more about how, where, and why to invest in the United States from high-profile executives, senior officials, and economic developers. Visit SelectUSASummit.us to learn more and register today. | 6,017 | 2,724 | 0.000374 |
warc | 201704 | (This information is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a doctor or a recommendation for any particular treatment plan. Like any printed material, it may become out of date over time. It is important that you rely on the advice of a doctor for your specific condition.)
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It has often been called “the great imitator” because so many of the signs and symptoms are indistinguishable from those of other diseases.
Syphilis is passed from person to person through direct contact with syphilis sore. Sores occur mainly on the external genitals, vagina, anus, or in the rectum. Sores also can occur on the lips and in the mouth. Transmission of the organism occurs during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Pregnant women with the disease can pass it to the babies they are carrying. Syphilis cannot be spread through contact with toilet seats, doorknobs, swimming pools, hot tubs, bathtubs, shared clothing, or eating utensils. Many people infected with syphilis do not have any symptoms for years, yet remain at risk for late complications if they are not treated. Although transmission occurs from persons with sores who are in the primary or secondary stage, many of these sores are unrecognized. Thus, transmission may occur from persons who are unaware of their infection. Primary Stage: The primary stage of syphilis is usually marked by the appearance of a single sore (called a chancre), but there may be multiple sores. The time between infection with syphilis and the start of the first symptom can range from 10 to 90 days (average 21 days). The chancre is usually firm, round, small, and painless. It appears at the spot where syphilis entered the body. The chancre lasts 3 to 6 weeks, and it heals without treatment. However, if adequate treatment is not administered, the infection progresses to the secondary stage. Secondary Stage: Skin rash and mucous membrane lesions characterize the secondary stage. This stage typically starts with the development of a rash on one or more areas of the body. The rash usually does not cause itching. Rashes associated with secondary syphilis can appear as the chancre is healing or several weeks after the chancre has healed. The characteristic rash of secondary syphilis may appear as rough, red, or reddish brown spots both on the palms of the hands and the bottoms of the feet. However, rashes with a different appearance may occur on other parts of the body, sometimes resembling rashes caused by other diseases. Sometimes rashes associated with secondary syphilis are so faint that they are not noticed. In addition to rashes, symptoms of secondary syphilis may include fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches, and fatigue. The signs and symptoms of secondary syphilis will resolve with or without treatment, but without treatment, the infection will progress to the latent and possibly late stages of disease. Late and Latent Stages: The latent (hidden) stage of syphilis begins when primary and secondary symptoms disappear. Without treatment, the infected person will continue to have syphilis even though there are no signs or symptoms; infection remains in the body. This latent stage can last for years. The late stages of syphilis can develop in about 15% of people who have not been treated for syphilis and can appear 10–20 years after infection was first acquired. In the late stages of syphilis, the disease may subsequently damage the internal organs, including the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints. Signs and symptoms of the late stage of syphilis include difficulty coordinating muscle movements, paralysis, numbness, gradual blindness, and dementia. This damage may be serious enough to cause death. Some health care providers can diagnose syphilis by examining material from a chancre (infectious sore) using a special microscope called a dark-field microscope. If syphilis bacteria are present in the sore, they will show up when observed through the microscope. A blood test is another way to determine whether someone has syphilis. Shortly after infection occurs, the body produces syphilis antibodies that can be detected by an accurate, safe, and inexpensive blood test. A low level of antibodies will likely stay in the blood for months or years even after the disease has been successfully treated. Syphilis is easy to cure in its early stages. A single intramuscular injection of penicillin, an antibiotic, will cure a person who has had syphilis for less than a year. Additional doses are needed to treat someone who has had syphilis for longer than a year. For people who are allergic to penicillin, other antibiotics are available to treat syphilis. (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) | 4,891 | 2,194 | 0.000458 |
warc | 201704 | New Technology for Welding Aluminum
To meet federally mandated fuel economy standards, automakers must dramatically reduce vehicle weight. As a result, engineers are using more and more aluminum for body panels, engine components and structural parts.
Aluminum use in vehicles is expected to double by 2025, as automakers roll out a wide variety of lighter weight models. In fact, Alcoa and Novelis recently invested $1 billion in their U.S. plants to mass-produce aluminum sheet for the automotive industry. The material offers many advantages over steel. For instance, one kilogram of aluminum can replace two kilograms of steel.
Aluminum is corrosion-resistant and offers an excellent blend of strength and low mass that can help improve fuel economy. Vehicles made with aluminum components can also accelerate faster and brake quicker than their heavier counterparts.
Technology Trickles Down
Traditionally, the auto industry has reserved use of aluminum for high-end vehicles, such as the Audi A8, the Jaguar XJR and the Tesla Model S. But, the technology is starting to trickle down to more conventional vehicles, such as sedans and trucks.
One of the stars of last month’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit was Ford’s new F-150 pickup. It boasts an all-aluminum body, including the doors, hood, side panels, load bed and tailgate, that shaves 700 pounds off the truck.
The F-150 is the first high-volume vehicle to use large amounts of aluminum. Ford assembles as many units of its popular pickup in a month as all other aluminum-bodied vehicles combined sell annually. The aluminum body is joined with structural adhesive and 4,000 rivets vs. 7,000 spot welds on a traditional steel pickup.
While aluminum continues to make inroads into the auto industry, steel is not about to fade away. It will continue to be an important material in Detroit for decades. In fact, Ford engineers increased their use of high-strength steel in the new F-150 frame from 23 percent to 77 percent to improve stiffness and durability, while reducing weight.
Traditionally, aluminum vehicles have been assembled with structural adhesives and rivets. Because higher production volumes hinder adhesive use, automakers have relied on self-piercing rivets to join aluminum body parts.
However, rivets add cost, and riveting guns have a limited range of joint configurations. And, while this approach can be used to join lower-strength steels with aluminum, it isn’t suitable for joining aluminum to ultra-high-strength steel.
New Joining Methods
Automakers and part suppliers are focusing on new ways to join aluminum with tools and technology other than traditional resistance spot welding, which is prone to variability. Engineers at Honda Motor Co. recently developed a new, continuous process for joining aluminum and steel using friction stir welding.
The technology generates a stable metallic bond between steel and aluminum sheets by moving a rotating tool on the top of the aluminum, which is lapped over the steel with high pressure. As a result, the welding strength is superior to traditional metal inert gas (MIG) welding.
“This new technology contributes to an improvement in fuel economy by reducing body weight by 25 percent compared to a conventional steel subframe,” claims Ron Lietzke, a Honda spokesman. “In addition, electricity consumption during the welding process is reduced by approximately 50 percent.”
The Honda engineers also developed a new way to apply the welding technology to mass-production vehicles, such as the Accord sedan. Traditionally, friction stir welding requires large equipment, but the new continuous welding system relies on a six-axis robot. In addition, Honda developed a nondestructive inspection system using a highly-sensitive infrared camera and laser beam, which enables inline inspection for every unit.
General Motors engineers have also been experimenting with new ways to weld aluminum. Their resistance spot welding process uses a patented multi-ring domed electrode that does what smooth electrodes are unreliable at doing—welding aluminum to aluminum. By using this process, GM expects to eliminate nearly two pounds of rivets from aluminum body parts, such as hoods, lift gates and doors.
“The ability to weld aluminum body structures and closures in such a robust fashion [gives us] a unique manufacturing advantage,” claims Jon Lauckner, GM chief technology officer and vice president of global R&D.
“This new technology solves the long-standing problem of spot welding aluminum, which is how all manufacturers have welded steel parts together for decades,” adds Lauckner. “It will grow in importance as we increase the use of aluminum in our cars, trucks and crossovers over the next several years.”
Spot welding uses two opposing electrode pincers to compress and fuse pieces of metal together, using an electrical current to create intense heat to form a weld. The process is inexpensive, fast and reliable, but until now, not robust for use on aluminum in today’s manufacturing environment.
According to Lauckner, GM’s new resistance spot welding process works on sheet, extruded and cast aluminum, because the multi-ring domed electrode head disrupts the oxide on aluminum’s surface to enable a stronger weld.
GM already uses the assembly process on the hood of the Cadillac CTS-V, and the lift gate of the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon. Aluminum welding also plays a key role in the new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. In fact, GM invested more than $50 million to upgrade the body shop of its Bowling Green Assembly Plant.
“The new welding process enables us to make the frame lighter and stiffer,” says Dave Tatman, plant manager. “It is 99 pounds lighter and is 57 percent stiffer than the previous-generation frame, resulting in a chassis so strong that the convertible model needs no structural reinforcements.”
It’s also the most complex frame design in the Corvette’s history, featuring main rails composed of five customized aluminum segments, including aluminum extrusions at each end, a center main rail section and hollow-cast nodes at the suspension interface points, all with varied thicknesses.
According to Blair Carlson, GM manufacturing systems research lab group manager, aluminum resistance spot welding is an efficient method for joining aluminum to aluminum where there is two-sided joint access. “It is particularly effective with the thicker materials—up to 4 millimeters—used on the new frame,” he points out.
The process is used in the Corvette’s aluminum structure tunnel subassembly and in mainline attachments of various components. It’s also used for welding aluminum extrusions, die castings and aluminum sheet metal. There are 439 aluminum resistance spot welds on the Corvette Stingray coupe.
Laser welding is used in the frame’s tunnel subassembly to attach sheet aluminum closeout panels to the tunnel structure. “The process enables continuous welding quickly when only single-sided access is available,” says Carlson. There are two robotic laser welding stations in the Bowling Green plant—one with a pair of robots and another with a single robot.
A team of engineers at Brigham Young University recently developed a new way to create an extremely strong bond between aluminum and ultra-high-strength steel. The friction-bit joining process uses a small, consumable bit to create a solid-state joint. It can join lightweight aluminum with cast iron by inserting a thin layer of steel between the two metals, which facilitates bonding.
“Our process can help to combine steels and light metals in the same vehicle frame, which gives engineers more flexibility in designing an optimal structure,” claims Michael Miles, a manufacturing engineering technology professor who developed the process with MegaStir Technologies and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Friction-bit joining applications include areas of a vehicle frame where ultra-high-strength steel needs to be joined to a light metal. “For example, an automaker may want to use aluminum for the roof of a car while using ultra-high-strength steel for the A and B pillars of the frame that connect with the roof,” says Miles. “Another example includes the incorporation of lighter-weight metals on the interior parts of the car door.” | 8,517 | 3,699 | 0.000278 |
warc | 201704 | Do you use opioids recreationally?
Are you worried about a friend or family member’s opioid use?
Have you lost control of your opioid use?
Can you no longer function day-to-day without them?
At ASYR we focus on you, not just the addiction. You are bigger than your addiction. You are not defined by your addiction.
Our Opioid Treatment Program works with you to develop a treatment plan that meets your needs. You are not in this alone: our team of physicians and counsellors are here to help.
Did You Know? Ontario has the highest rate of prescription narcotic use in Canada. The estimated social, economic and health costs to Ontario from untreated opioid use exceeds one billion dollars. (Health Canada, 2002) What we offer
We support your decision to regain control and can help with:
How the Program Works To access this service: Contact an Intake Coordinator at 905-841-7007 ext 322 or 1-800-263-2288 ext. 322 Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday - Thursday 9am - 7pm Friday 9am - 4:30pm
The following groups can be accessed through the Community Opioid Treatment Program:
The Opioid Treatment Program helps people who use drugs like:
The Opioid Treatment Program provides the you with support, including:
The Opioid Treatment Program is available in: | 1,264 | 699 | 0.001452 |
warc | 201704 | 1School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA 2Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA *now at: Institut de Recherches sur la Catalyse et l'Environnement de Lyon, UMR5256, Université de Lyon 1, CNRS, Villeurbanne, France **now at: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Richland, WA 99352, USA
Received: 17 Nov 2008 – Published in Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss.: 16 Jan 2009 – Published: 06 May 2009 Abstract. The effect of organic particle mass loading from 1 to ≥100 μg m
−3 on the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) properties of mixed organic-sulfate particles was investigated in the Harvard Environmental Chamber. Mixed particles were produced by the condensation of organic molecules onto ammonium sulfate particles during the dark ozonolysis of α-pinene. A continuous-flow mode of the chamber provided stable conditions over long time periods, allowing for signal integration and hence increased measurement precision at low organic mass loadings representative of atmospheric conditions. CCN activity was measured at eight mass loadings for 80- and 100-nm particles grown on 50-nm sulfate seeds. A two-component (organic/sulfate) Köhler model, which included the particle heterogeneity arising from DMA size selection and from organic volume fraction for the selected 80- and 100-nm particles, was used to predict CCN activity. For organic mass loadings of 2.9 μg m −3 and greater, the observed activation curves were well predicted using a single set of physicochemical parameters for the organic component. For mass loadings of 1.74 μg m −3 and less, the observed CCN activity increased beyond predicted values using the same parameters, implying changed physicochemical properties of the organic component. A sensitivity analysis suggests that a drop in surface tension must be invoked to explain quantitatively the CCN observations at low SOA particle mass loadings. Other factors, such as decreased molecular weight, increased density, or increased van't Hoff factor, can contribute to the explanation but are quantitatively insufficient as the full explanation. Citation: King, S. M., Rosenoern, T., Shilling, J. E., Chen, Q., and Martin, S. T.: Increased cloud activation potential of secondary organic aerosol for atmospheric mass loadings, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 2959-2971, doi:10.5194/acp-9-2959-2009, 2009. | 2,526 | 1,287 | 0.000797 |
warc | 201704 | The Department of Agricultural Engineering (established in 2006) offers the courses that deal with the application of engineering principles and scientific technologies for sustainable food production, and all along the food production to consumption chain. The course structure and syllabus for the UG and PG programmes have been designed to create skilled and technically sound human resources to cater the engineering needs of farm mechanization, irrigation and drainage, soil and water conservation, post harvest processing of crops, value addition, renewable energy, and appropriate design and utilization of aquaculture resources. The laboratory infrastructure has been developed to impart the essential practical knowledge including the application of computers and IT for the design, simulation, modeling, remote sensing etc. Two industrial trainings form a part of the UG programme that aims to provide the industrial exposure and enhancement of technical know-how and skills. The Department is actively involved in multi-disciplinary research with projects funded by DST, UGC, MoFPI and NHB.
Soil and Water Conservation Engineering Water Resources Development and Management Ground Water Hydrology Rainwater Harvesting Watershed Management Remote Sensing and GIS Farm Implements and Machinery Renewable Sources Energy and Utilization Waste recycling and Bi-product Utilization Mechanization of Horticultural Crops Bioprocess Engineering Food Engineering and Food Industry Management Tea Processing Technology Climate Change and Climate Resilient Agriculture Aquacultural Engineering
Courses Offered Duration Number of Seats Program Course Structure Timetable B.Tech(by course work) Four Years 60 B.Tech(Syllabus) 2013-2014 batch M.Tech (by course work) Two Years M.Tech(Syllabus) 2013-2014 batch Ph.D. (by course work and research work) IPP Coursework(Syllabus) 2013-2014 batch
Name Designation Area of Specialization Email & Contact Prasanna Kumar G.V. Ph.D. Associate Professor Farm Machinery and Power, Energy, Waste recycling prasanna.kumar.g.v.@aus.ac.in L.N. Sethi, Ph.D. Associate Professor Water Resources Development and Management laxmi.narayan.sethi@aus.ac.in Sudipto Sarkar, Ph.D Assistant Professor Irrigation and Drainage, Aquacultural Engg. sudipto.sarkar@aus.ac.in Ajita Tiwari * Ph.D. Assistant Professor Process and Food Engg. ajita.tiwari@aus.ac.in M. Padhiary** M. Tech. Assistant Professor Farm Machinery and Power, Energy mrutyunjay.padhiary@aus.ac.in Nitin Kumar M. Tech. Assistant Professor Dairy and Food Engg. nitin.kumar@aus.ac.in Avinash Kumar Ph.D. Assistant Professor Aquacultural Engg., Water Resources Engg. avinash.kumar@aus.ac.in Chetan Khobragade M.E. Assistant Professor Renewable Energy Sources, Farm Machinery and Power khobragadechetan@gmail.com K. R. Jolvis Pou Assistant Professor Saikat Roy, M.E. Assistant Professor Water Resources & Hydraulic Engineering saikatroyubkv@gmail.com (+91)9163461981 (+91)8013064327
* Faculty on leave
** Faculty on study leave
The Department has the well equipped laboratories for conducting experiments and research in various aspects of Agricultural Engineering and inter-disciplinary areas. The library of the Department fulfils the needs of the UG and PG courses. The Department has the computing facilities with the softwares for the design, drafting, simulation, modelling, watershed management, GIS and RS
Dr. Sudipto Sarkar,
Phone : (03842) 270989 (O) E-mail : ae.tssot@gmail.com
The Agricultural Engineering graduates have the great demand in tractor, farm machinery, irrigation and food processing industries. Opportunities exist in Government, Non-Government and private sector in the areas of farm mechanization, energy management, automation, climate change, watershed management, irrigation and flood control, rain water harvesting, dairy and food engineering, food processing, value addition, aquaculture etc. There exists a huge scope for the entrepreneurship in the inter-disciplinary areas with agricultural engineering graduates playing a crucial role. | 4,065 | 1,759 | 0.00057 |
warc | 201704 | Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue: Nanotechnology Market Outlook 2017
Nanotechnology has been the greatest impetus to technological and industrial development in the 21st century and has been recognized as the resource for the next industrial revolution. The evolving technology has already influenced a large number of industrial segments, and the economic activity generated from it has been high in magnitude and wide in scope. The nanotechnology-based products, which have had a huge impact on almost each industrial sector, are now entering the consumer market in a big way.
In their latest research study, "Nanotechnology Market Outlook 2017", RNCOS' analysts have identified that the global nanotechnology industry has been growing at a rapid pace with rising applications in sectors like electronic, enegy, healthcare sector etc. In addition, market trends like nanotechnology-based thin film solar cells with high effieciency; nanomaterials with higher strength; robust growth in nanofibres and nanomedicine market; etc., are booming growth in this industry. Considering the above factors, the global nanotechnology market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of around 19% during 2013-2017.
In the report, the analysts have studied the nanotechnology market by application, by component and by region. On the application front, they have analyzed nanotechnology use in electronics, energy, cosmetics, medical and defence sector. In addition, they have covered the current nanotechnology market and forecast for each of the above mentioned segments till 2017. In terms of component, the nanotechnology market can be segregated into nanomaterials, nanotools and nanodevices. The report covers their present and future shares in the market.
Further, country level analysis discusses nanotechnology market in major countries like USA, Germany, France, the U.K., Russia, etc., the present key growth drivers, and future directions for each nation. In addition, it covers the nanotechnology patent analyses, including number of patent publications and global top assignees of nanotechnology patent literature.
Besides this, the report covers the global R&D funding for the nanotechnology industry, including break-ups for corporate, public and venture capital funding along with their forecasts. The report even covers country-level analysis of R&D funding to provide in-depth understanding about investment related to nanotechnology.
With a view to providing a balanced outlook of the global nanotechnology market to clients, the report also includes the profiles of key industry players like Altair, Nanophase Tech and Nanosys, among others. Overall, the objective of the study is to help clients understand the prospects of the industry, and make sound investment decisions in view of the same.1. Analyst View2. Research Methodology3. Nanotechnology - An Introduction4. Key Market Trends and Developments4.1 Nanofibers Market Witnessing Robust Growth4.2 Nanomedicine - Becoming the Hottest Growing Sector4.3 Nanotechnology - Thin-Film Solar Cells with Record Efficiency4.4 Rising Applications of Nanomaterials with Higher Strength5. Nanotechnology Market Overview6. Industry Performance: Current and Future Outlook6.1 By R&D Funding6.1.1 Government6.1.2 Corporate6.1.3 Venture Capital6.2 By Major Applications6.2.1 Electronics6.2.1.1 Nanocircuits6.2.1.2 Nanowires6.2.1.3 NanoSensors6.2.2 Energy6.2.2.1 Energy Source6.2.2.2 Energy Conversion6.2.2.3 Energy Storage6.2.2.4 Energy Distribution6.2.3 Cosmetics6.2.3.1 Skin Care6.2.3.2 Hair Care6.2.4 Biomedical6.2.4.1 Drug Delivery6.2.4.2 Therapeutics6.2.4.3 Medical Materials and Implants6.2.4.4 Analytical Tools and Instruments6.2.4.5 Diagnostics6.2.5 Defense6.2.5.1 Military Vehicles6.2.5.2 Military Clothes6.2.5.3 Aeronautics6.2.5.4 Satellites7. Country-Level Analysis7.1 US7.2 Brazil7.3 Germany7.4 France7.5 UK7.6 Ireland7.7 Russia7.8 Japan7.9 South Korea7.10 Taiwan7.11 China7.12 India7.13 Australia8. Patents Analysis9. Competitive Landscape9.1 Altair Nanotechnologies Inc.9.2 Nanophase Technologies Corporation9.3 Nanosys, Inc.9.4 Unidym, Inc.9.5 Ablynx9.6 NanoScale Corporation9.7 Zyvex Corporation9.8 Acusphere, Inc.9.9 SouthWest NanoTechnologies, Inc.9.10 Applied Nanotech Holdings, Inc.
Source: http://www.reportlinker.com/ | 4,350 | 2,041 | 0.000491 |
warc | 201704 | A new test designed by psychologists helps determine whether or not you are addicted to shopping.
Addictive behavior takes many forms, from substance abuse to spending entirely too much time on the internet. According to a report from the Examiner, however, it’s also possible to become addicted to shopping. A new study from researchers at the University of Bergen in Norway, The U.K., and the United States have described a test that can predict whether or not a person is addicted to shopping.
Cecile Schou Andreasson, a doctor of psychology and clinical psychologist at the University of Bergen says the test can determine whether a person is an addictive shopper in just minutes. The test was reported in the September 29 edition of the journal
Frontiers in Psychology.
Early test results show that women are more likely to become addicted to shopping than men. “It is more predominant in women, and is typically initiated in late adolescence and emerging adulthood, and it appears to decrease with age,” Dr. Andreassen says. The addiction is paired with neuroticism, depression, and anxiety, and people suffering from these conditions are much more likely to develop an addiction to shopping.
Extroverts are also more likely to become addicted to spending cash, which suggests that the preoccupation with shopping can be indicative of low self esteem.
The test, called the Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale, can determine a person’s likelihood of becoming an addictive shopper with just six simple questions, to be answered on a spectrum of “completely agree” to “completely disagree.” The questions ask how often a person thinks about shopping, whether or not it alters their mood, if they put off other responsibilities to go shopping, whether or not they are able to stop shopping after reaching excessive levels, and whether or not it affects their overall well being. | 1,924 | 934 | 0.001098 |
warc | 201704 | After many weeks of uncertainty, Big Ben finally set the record straight and announced what the Fed plans to do with its bond purchase program. Aside from keeping interest rates and the monthly pace of bond purchases unchanged for the meantime, the Fed caused quite a ruckus in the markets by saying that a reduction in bond purchases could take place as early as the last quarter of this year.
According to Bernanke, the U.S. central bank might start tapering down its stimulus efforts towards the end of the year or by early 2014 if economic data eventually comes in line with the Fed’s projections. For now, the Fed expects joblessness to fall to 6.5% and GDP growth to range from 3% to 3.5% next year.
Although the statement initially triggered a massive Greenback rally and appears long-term dollar-bullish, there are actually two sides to the story.
On one hand, the recent FOMC announcement shows that the Fed is committed to take action. This has been positive for the dollar, as it reveals that the Fed is watching the economy very closely and is ready to adjust monetary policy appropriately.
On the other hand, the statement also reflects that the Fed is also willing to increase purchases if economic performance is weak enough to warrant more stimulus. “If the economy does not improve along the lines that we expect, we will provide additional support,” Bernanke cautioned.
Immediately after Bernanke’s statement, the Greenback soared across the board. In particular, the U.S. dollar index that tracks the performance of the currency versus other majors jumped almost 100 percentage points from 81.00 to 82.00. Meanwhile, in other financial markets, the S&P 500 tanked 1.4% to 1,628.93 and the yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose a whopping 2.39%.
The prospect of an end to the Fed’s asset purchase program that has supported the economy in the past several months triggered a major case of risk aversion. If the Fed terminates its quantitative easing program too early, the U.S. economy could just end up where it had been a few years ago–a country with a frail economy, weak growth, and high unemployment.
It seems like the Fed has a tough couple of months ahead of it in terms of managing expectations. Market participants priced in tapering as something inevitable but data showing that the economy has truly improved and will meet the Fed’s projections has yet to actually come out.
For now, it might be premature to make any definite conclusions as to what the Fed will do from a couple of weeks’ worth of data. | 2,585 | 1,325 | 0.00077 |
warc | 201704 | Y. anceps syn. Arundinaria anceps, A. jaunsarensis, Sinarundinaria jaunsarensis is a bamboo quite rare in the U.S. It is native to the Himalayas of India. Bamboo is a common term for a large number of giant grasses that include many different species and varieties. There are two main types of bamboo. Runner types send out underground stems to varying distances and sent up a vertical shoot. These will grow in large thickets or grove if left alone. Runners are mainly found in temperate regions. Clump bamboos have underground stems that sprout vertical shoots much closer their parent plants glowing slowly outward. Clumpers tend to be tropical or subtropical. Bamboo has many uses worldwide from building materials to paper.
Google Plant Images:click here! Where can you buy this plant:click here! Characteristics Cultivar:n/a Family:Poaceae Size:Height: 12 ft. to 12 ft.
Width: 0 ft. to 0 ft.
Plant Category:edibles, landscape, ornamental grasses and bamboos, perennials, Plant Characteristics:low maintenance, spreading, Foliage Characteristics:evergreen, Flower Characteristics: Flower Color: Tolerances: Requirements Bloomtime Range:not applicable USDA Hardiness Zone:6 to 10 AHS Heat Zone:Not defined for this plant Light Range:Part Shade to Part Sun pH Range:5.5 to 6.5 Soil Range:Sandy Loam to Clay Loam Water Range:Normal to Moist Plant Care Fertilizing How-to : Fertilization for Young PlantsYoung plants need extra phosphorus to encourage good root development. Look for a fertilizer that has phosphorus, P, in it(the second number on the bag.) Apply recommended amount for plant per label directions in the soil at time of planting or at least during the first growing season. How-to : Fertilization for Established PlantsEstablished plants can benefit from fertilization. Take a visual inventory of your landscape. Trees need to be fertilized every few years. Shrubs and other plants in the landscape can be fertilized yearly. A soil test can determine existing nutrient levels in the soil. If one or more nutrients is low, a specific instead of an all-purpose fertilizer may be required. Fertilizers that are high in N, nitrogen, will promote green leafy growth. Excess nitrogen in the soil can cause excessive vegetative growth on plants at the expense of flower bud development. It is best to avoid fertilizing late in the growing season. Applications made at that time can force lush, vegetative growth that will not have a chance to harden off before the onset of cold weather. Light Conditions : Partial Shade Partial Shadeis defined as filtered light found beneath trees with high limbs. Partial shade usually offers some protection from direct afternoon sun. Conditions : Dappled Light Dappled Lightrefers to a dappled pattern of light created on the ground, as cast by light passing through high tree branches. This is the middle ground, not considered shady, but not sunny either. Dappled remains constant throughout the day. Conditions : Part Sun Part Sunrefers to filtered light, with most sun being received during the afternoon hours. Shade usually occurs during the morning hours. Conditions : Light ConditionsUnless a site is completely exposed, light conditions will change during the day and even during the year. The northern and eastern sides of a house receive the least amount of light, with the northern exposure being the shadiest. The western and southern sides of a house receive the most light and are considered the hottest exposures due to intense afternoon sun.
You will notice that sun and shade patterns change during the day. The western side of a house may even be shady due to shadows cast by large trees or a structure from an adjacent property. If you have just bought a new home or just beginning to garden in your older home, take time to map sun and shade throughout the day. You will get a more accurate feel for your site's true light conditions.
Conditions : Filtered Light For many plants that prefer partially shady conditions, filtered lightis ideal. Good planting sites are under a mid to large sized tree that lets some light through their branches or beneath taller plants that will provide some protection. Conditions : Partial Sun, Partial Shade Part sunor part shadeplants prefer light that is filtered. Sunlight, though not direct, is important to them. Often morning sun, because it is not as strong as afternoon sun, can be considered part sun or part shade. If you live in an area that does not get much intense sun, such as the Pacific Northwest, a full sun exposure may be fine. In other areas such as Florida, plant in a location where afternoon shade will be received. Conditions : Full to Partial Sun Full sunlightis needed for many plants to assume their full potential. Many of these plants will do fine with a little less sunlight, although they may not flower as heavily or their foliage as vibrant. Areas on the southern and western sides of buildings usually are the sunniest. The only exception is when houses or buildings are so close together, shadows are cast from neighboring properties. Full sun usually means 6 or more hours of direct unobstructed sunlight on a sunny day. Partial sun receives less than 6 hours of sun, but more than 3 hours. Plants able to take full sun in some climates may only be able to tolerate part sun in other climates. Know the culture of the plant before you buy and plant it! Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include: pinching, thinning, shearing and rejuvenating.
Pinching is removing the stem tips of a young plant to promote branching. Doing this avoids the need for more severe pruning later on.
Thinning involves removing whole branches back to the trunk. This may be done to open up the interior of a plant to let more light in and to increase air circulation that can cut down on plant disease. The best way to begin thinning is to begin by removing dead or diseased wood.
Shearing is leveling the surface of a shrub using hand or electric shears. This is done to maintain the desired shape of a hedge or topiary.
Rejuvenating is removal of old branches or the overall reduction of the size of a shrub to restore its original form and size. It is recommended that you do not remove more than one third of a plant at a time. Remember to remove branches from the inside of the plant as well as the outside. When rejuvenating plants with canes, such as nandina, cut back canes at various heights so that plant will have a more natural look.
Conditions : Light and Plant Selection For best plant performance, it is desirable to match the correct plant with the available light conditions. Right plant, right place! Plants which do not receive sufficient light may become pale in color, have fewer leaves and a "leggy" stretched-out appearance. Also expect plants to grow slower and have fewer blooms when light is less than desirable. It is possible to provide supplemental lighting for indoor plants with lamps. Plants can also receive too much light. If a shade loving plant is exposed to direct sun, it may wilt and/or cause leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damaged. Conditions : Full Sun Full Sunis defined as exposure to more than 6 hours of continuous, direct sun per day. Watering How-to : Xeriscaping Xeriscapingis a method of planting which promotes naturally drought tolerant plants and water saving methods. Much consideration is given not only to the plants chosen for the design, but the design itself. Lawns are greatly decreased in size and usually located in the center of plantings at a lower grade as to catch any runoff. Shrubs requiring the most water, are conservatively used and thoughtfully placed, where they may be easily watered, preferably from runoff, and moisture conserved. There is a strong emphasis on using native plants, which a purist will do exclusively. At the very least, improved cultivars of natives are highly recommended.
Irrigation maybe used to supplement watering, but takes a creative turn in the form of drip systems and recycled catch water. Organic mulches in the form of compost, straws, and barks are also used to retain as much water as possible. In extremely dry areas, it is not uncommon for gravel and rocks to serve as the mulch.
A xeriphytic landscape is one that takes your particular site into consideration. A plant that maybe considered low water usage in one area of the country, may not be in another area, due to climatic stresses.
Conditions : Moist Moistis defined as soil that receives regular watering to a depth of 18 inch deep, does not dry out, but does not have a drainage problem either. Conditions : Regular Moisture for Outdoor PlantsWater when normal rainfall does not provide the preferred 1 inch of moisture most plants prefer. Average water is needed during the growing season, but take care not to overwater. The first two years after a plant is installed, regular watering is important. The first year is critical. It is better to water once a week and water deeply, than to water frequently for a few minutes. Conditions : Moist and Well Drained Moist and well drainedmeans exactly what it sounds like. Soil is moist without being soggy because the texture of the soil allows excess moisture to drain away. Most plants like about 1 inch of water per week. Amending your soil with compost will help improve texture and water holding or draining capacity. A 3 inch layer of mulch will help to maintain soil moisture and studies have shown that mulched plants grow faster than non-mulched plants. Conditions : Outdoor WateringPlants are almost completely made up of water so it is important to supply them with adequate water to maintain good plant health. Not enough water and roots will wither and the plant will wilt and die. Too much water applied too frequently deprives roots of oxygen leading to plant diseases such as root and stem rots. The type of plant, plant age, light level, soil type and container size all will impact when a plant needs to be watered. Follow these tips to ensure successful watering:
* The key to watering is water deeply and less frequently. When watering, water well, i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly saturate the root ball. With in-ground plants, this means thoroughly soaking the soil until water has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 inches (1' being better). With container grown plants, apply enough water to allow water to flow through the drainage holes.
* Try to water plants early in the day or later in the afternoon to conserve water and cut down on plant stress. Do water early enough so that water has had a chance to dry from plant leaves prior to night fall. This is paramount if you have had fungus problems.
* Don't wait to water until plants wilt. Although some plants will recover from this, all plants will die if they wilt too much (when they reach the permanent wilting point).
* Consider water conservation methods such as drip irrigation, mulching, and xeriscaping. Drip systems which slowly drip moisture directly on the root system can be purchased at your local home and garden center. Mulches can significantly cool the root zone and conserve moisture.
* Consider adding water-saving gels to the root zone which will hold a reserve of water for the plant. These can make a world of difference especially under stressful conditions. Be certain to follow label directions for their use.
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor Plants Normal wateringmeans that soil should be kept evenly moist and watered regularly, as conditions require. Most plants like 1 inch of water a week during the growing season, but take care not to over water. The first two years after a plant is installed, regular watering is important for establishment. The first year is critical. It is better to water once a week and water deeply, than to water frequently for a few minutes. Planting How-to : Preparing Garden BedsUse a soil testing kit to determine the acidity or alkalinity of the soil before beginning any garden bed preparation. This will help you determine which plants are best suited for your site. Check soil drainage and correct drainage where standing water remains. Clear weeds and debris from planting areas and continue to remove weeds as soon as they come up.
A week to 10 days before planting, add 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and work into the planting site to improve fertility and increase water retention and drainage. If soil composition is weak, a layer of topsoil should be considered as well. No matter if your soil is sand or clay, it can be improved by adding the same thing: organic matter. The more, the better; work deep into the soil. Prepare beds to an 18 inch deep for perennials. This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now, but will greatly pay off later. Besides, this is not something that is easily done later, once plants have been established.
How-to : Pruning Flowering Hedges Careful selection, planting and initial pruning is critical for a uniform formal or informal hedge. The safest time to prune most flowering hedges is immediately after flowering. This way you do not prune away newly forming buds if you wait until later in the year. Initially, cut back leaders and laterals by one third to one half on planting. In second season, once flowering is complete, cut back again by about one-third.
A hedge can provide privacy and shelter from wind. Hedges should be sloped at a gentle angle, wider at the base, to deflect wind and avoid snow damage. Stretch a line between two stakes for a level top. Cut a template from heavy cardboard for a consistent shape and move it along the hedge as you cut. Shears or an electric trimmer should be held parallel to the line of the hedge.
How-to : Preparing Containers Containersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature, a planting option when there is little or no soil to plant in, or for plants that require a soil type not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior. If growing more than one plant in a container, make sure that all have similar cultural requirements. Choose a container that is deep and large enough to allow root development and growth as well as proportional balance between the fully developed plant and the container. Plant large containers in the place you intend them to stay. All containers should have drainage holes. A mesh screen, broken clay pot pieces(crock) or a paper coffee filter placed over the hole will keep soil from washing out. The potting soil you select should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have chosen. Quality soils (or soil-less medias) absorb moisture readily and evenly when wet. If water runs off soil upon initial wetting, this is an indicator that your soil may not be as good as you think.
Prior to filling a container with soil, wet potting soil in the bag or place in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist. Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will allow plants, when planted, to be just below the rim of the pot. Rootballs should be level with soil line when project is complete. Water well.
How-to : Planting Perennials Determine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sun and shade through the day, exposure, water requirements, climate, soil makeup, seasonal color desired, and position of other garden plants and trees.
The best times to plant are spring and fall, when soil is workable and out of danger of frost. Fall plantings have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to compete with developing top growth as in the spring. Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike wet conditions or for colder areas, allowing full establishment before first winter. Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants, unless planting a more established sized plant.
To plant container-grown plants: Prepare planting holes with appropriate depth and space between. Water the plant thoroughly and let the excess water drain before carefully removing from the container. Carefully loosen the root ball and place the plant in the hole, working soil around the roots as you fill. If the plant is extremely root bound, separate roots with fingers. A few slits made with a pocket knife are okay, but should be kept to a minimum. Continue filling in soil and water thoroughly, protecting from direct sun until stable. To plant bare-root plants: Plant as soon as possible after purchase. Prepare suitable planting holes, spread roots and work soil among roots as you fill in. Water well and protect from direct sun until stable. To plant seedlings: A number of perennials produce self-sown seedlings that can be transplanted. You may also start your own seedling bed for transplanting. Prepare suitable planting holes, spacing appropriately for plant development. Gently lift the seedling and as much surrounding soil as possible with your garden trowel, and replant it immediately, firming soil with fingertips and water well. Shade from direct sun and water regularly until stable. Problems Weeds : Preventing Weeds and Grass
Weeds rob your plants of water, nutrients and light. They can harbor pests and diseases. Before planting, remove weeds either by hand or by spraying an herbicide according to label directions. Another alternative is to lay plastic over the area for a couple of months to kill grass and weeds.
You may apply a pre-emergent herbicide prior to planting, but be sure that it is labeled for the plants you are wishing to grow. Existing beds may be spot sprayed with a nonselective herbicide, but be careful to shield those plants you do not want to kill. Non-selective means that it will kill everything it comes in contact with.
Mulch plants with a 3 inch layer of pinestraw, pulverized bark, or compost. Mulch conserves moisture, keeps weeds down, and makes it easier to pull when necessary.
Porous landscape or open weave fabric works too, allowing air and water to be exchanged.
Pest : Slugs and Snails Begin looking for slugs and snails so that you may set traps. Weeds : Bamboo Bamboois a great plant, as long as you're happy it is in your garden. But, if you find nothing appealing about this plant and it has taken hold in your garden, you may feel helpless when it comes to getting rid of it. Bamboos spread by underground stems called rhizomes. The following bamboos are known for sending out long rhizomes from which a new shoot, or plant, may arise: Phyllostachys, Pleioblastus,and Sasa. These canes will live for several years prior to turning brown. Clumping bamboos are usually not a problem. Prevention and Control: There are several methods to rid yourself of bamboo. If time is on your side and you are patient, you may cut back all canes to the ground and repeat the cutting process, never allowing new canes to reach over 2 feet tall. Eventually, the roots will starve and you will be able to dig them out.
If you need faster results, a combination of chemical treatment and pruning will work best. Begin by cutting the bamboo canes almost back to the ground. Then make a vertical chop into the top of each cane with an ax. Paint the stumps with a recommended product. Make sure you wear protective clothing and rubber gloves to do this. Within a few weeks the bamboo should be dead and you can dig it out. You may have to repeat this process on really stubborn shoots.
Miscellaneous Edibles : Edible LandscapeAn edible landscapeis one in which all or most of the plants can be eaten or used for cooking in some way. If you are interested in edible gardening, it is highly recommended that you pratice organic methods in the garden. At the very least, do not use chemicals in the area of the garden where there are edibles. Be creative. Many edibles look great in containers, hanging baskets, or even as foundation plants. Conditions : Erosion ControlPlants that help to control erosionhave fibrous root systems that help to keep soil intact. Leaves and the overall form of a plant can prevent erosion by breaking up water droplets before they hit the ground, lessening splashing and runoff. Conditions : Fall Color Fall coloris the result of trees or shrubs changing colors according to complex chemical formulas present in their leaves. Depending on how much iron, magnesium, phosphorus, or sodium is in the plant, and the acidity of the chemicals in the leaves, leaves might turn amber, gold, red, orange or just fade from green to brown. Scarlet oaks, red maples and sumacs, for instance, have a slightly acidic sap, which causes the leaves to turn bright red. The leaves of some varieties of ash, growing in areas where limestone is present, will turn a regal purplish-blue.
Although many people believe that cooler temperatures are responsible for the color change, the weather has nothing to do with it at all. As the days grow shorter and the nights longer, a chemical clock inside the trees starts up, releasing a hormone which restricts the flow of sap to each leaf. As fall progresses, the sap flow slows and chlorophyll, the chemical that gives the leaves their green color in the spring and summer, disappears. The residual sap becomes more concentrated as it dries, creating the colors of fall.
Glossary : Hedge A hedgeis any tree, shrub, perennial, annual or herb that can be clipped and maintained in a formal or informal shape. Hedges can provide privacy and define property lines as well as rooms of a garden. Glossary : SpecimenA specimencan be a tree, shrub, ground cover, annual, or perennial that is unique in comparison to the surrounding plants. Uniqueness may be in color, form, texture, or size. By using only one specimen plant in a visual area, it can be showcased. Specimen plants are accents in the landscape, just as statues, water features, or arbors. Glossary : Evergreen Evergreenrefers to plants that hold onto their leaves or needles for more than one growing season, shedding them over time. Some plants such as live oaks are evergreen, but commonly shed the majority of their older leaves around the end of January. Glossary : pHpH, means the potential of Hydrogen, is the measure of alkalinity or acidity. In horticulture, pH refers to the pH of soil. The scale measures from 0, most acid, to 14, most alkaline. Seven is neutral. Most plants prefer a range between 5.5 and about 6.7, an acid range, but there are plenty of other plants that like soil more alkaline, or above 7. A pH of 7 is where the plant can most easily absorb the most nutrients in the soil. Some plants prefer more or less of certain nutrients, and therefore do better at a certain pH. Glossary : Plant CharacteristicsPlant characteristics define the plant, enabling a search that finds specific types of plants such as bulbs, trees, shrubs, grass, perennials, etc. Glossary : Landscape UsesBy searching Landscape Uses, you will be able to pinpoint plants that are best suited for particular uses such as trellises, border plantings, or foundations. Glossary : TolerantTolerant refers to a plant's ability to tolerate exposure to an external condition(s). It does not mean that the plant thrives or prefers this situation, but is able to adapt and continue its life cycle. | 23,200 | 9,506 | 0.000105 |
warc | 201704 | Is very confident not confident enough?
Being overconfident often gives better results than being objective and rational:
This paper suggests a potential rationale for the recent empirical finding that overconfident agents tend to self-select into more competitive environments (e.g. Dohmen and Falk, forthcoming). In particular, it shows that
moderate overconfidence in a contest can improve the agent’s performance relative to an unbiased opponent and can even lead to an advantage for the overconfident agent in absolute terms.
Source: “Overconfidence Can Improve an Agent’s Relative and Absolute Performance in Contests” from Munich Discussion Paper No. 2010-35
Join 25K+ readers. Get a free weekly update via email here.
Related posts: | 768 | 456 | 0.002276 |
warc | 201704 | By LISA BRITTON
Of the Baker City Herald
Jerry Nickell's commute Wednesday morning was lit by the light of a waning gibbous moon a welcome sight since he left his house on Highway 7 before dawn.
At 4:32 a.m., to be exact on foot, 14 miles away from his office at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
andquot;Perfect temperature, gorgeous morning,andquot; he said, somewhere around mile 12 at 7 a.m.
He's never done this before.
And, no, he didn't have car trouble.
So why did Nickell, 48, pick Sept. 1 to hoof it to work?
September is andquot;Leave Your Car at Homeandquot; month, so dubbed by Health in Action!, a program to promote healthy lifestyles that is funded by Catholic Health Initiatives, the parent company of St. Elizabeth Health Services.
Nickell was one of at least 10 hospital employees to shun their cars on Wednesday morning and walk or bike to work.
Those other on-foot commuters included George Winn, Jeff Daniels, Laura Laurence, Bob Borders, Denise Van Artsdalen, Pam Sundean, Betty Kimbell and Cathy Graham. Dr. Barbara Tylka bicycled to work.
This was exactly what Sherrie Kvamme hoped would happen.
Kvamme is the facilitator for Health in Action (HIA), and she wants everyone to add a little motion to their lives.
She doesn't care if you walk or run or bike or roll along in a wheelchair the point is to cover a little ground.
andquot;I'll do whatever it takes to help you move an inch,andquot; she said. andquot;If you move a little bit more than you did yesterday, it counts.andquot;
HIA began in January, and the organization has either sponsored an event each month (March was andquot;Go Fly a Kiteandquot; month) or partnered with existing events, such as the Health Fair and Oregon Trail Interpretive Center's trail walk.
Kvamme doesn't anticipate that everyone will start hiking to work, but she encourages everyone to at least modify their day to include a little more exercise.
andquot;We want to make people more aware of the fact that they can park their car at the far end of the parking lot, or walk their kids to school,andquot; Kvamme said.
Prior to his walking commute, Nickell did a little research on the activity levels of Baker County residents.
He found that 82 percent lead sedentary lives.
andquot;We like to think of ourselves as the rugged, outdoor type,andquot; he said. andquot;The body was built to move that's what Health in Action is all about.andquot;
Mark calendars for HIA events
Kvamme hopes every city in Baker County will be andquot;movingandquot; on Saturday, Sept. 18.
In Baker City, the Baker County Historical Society has changed the route of their historical walk to start at the Oregon Trail Regional Museum at 2 p.m.
Virginia Kostol will guide the downtown walking tour. Groups are usually limited to 20 so everyone can hear Kostol's stories of history. If the group exceeds that number, maps will be provided for people who want to take a self-guided tour.
On the same day in Sumpter, the Friends of the Dredge are encouraging everyone to come walk the paths around the state park and share some healthy snacks.
Future events include a andquot;walk and talkandquot; in October with Rep. Greg Walden.
andquot;He's going to discuss health care concerns with anyone who wants to walk and talk with him,andquot; Kvamme said. andquot;It's to promote healthy lifestyles in Baker County, it's not political.andquot;
That date has yet to be set.
Walking across Oregon
HIA members started tracking the miles they cover to andquot;walk across Oregonandquot; by racking up 442 miles, which is the distance from Ontario to Newport.
Membership to HIA is free. To join, simply contact Kvamme at 541/893-6315 or e-mail her at griefrecovery@pinetel.com .
Each member receives a monthly newsletter that includes news about HIA, a kids page, a list of local events, features on people around the county and a calendar.
To join in the trek across the state, use the HIA calendar to document how many miles of activity you log each day, then sign your name and mail it to Kvamme at the end of the month. The mailing address is: P.O. Box 1034, Baker City, OR 97814.
HIA is even offering incentives to get people moving. Participants age 13 and older will receive a pedometer after logging 50 miles, and children 12 and under just have to record 25 miles.
Kvamme said they will again start the andquot;walk across Oregonandquot; program in January and continue it through December.
And she is adamant that no one has an excuse to not participate.
andquot;I don't want people to feel this is just for athletes,andquot; she said. andquot;There's no excuse for anyone not to be part of Health in Action.andquot;
She said she can work with those unable to walk to devise a plan of exercise and calculate activities into mileage.
andquot;No one's going to get out of this,andquot; she said with a smile.
Baker County boasts ample opportunities to lace up those sneakers, from strolling beside the Powder River on the Leo Adler Memorial Parkway to traversing the twisty trails around the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center.
Want to head out of town? Grab your hiking boots and explore trails in the Elkhorns or the Wallowas.
HIA will sponsor a banquet in January 2005 and give out awards to those who have logged 25, 50, 100, 250, 400 and 500 miles.
For more information, contact Kvamme at 541/893-6315. | 5,382 | 2,635 | 0.000383 |
warc | 201704 | This volume represents the first comprehensive study of a managed behavioural health plan, describing the quality, cost, and effectiveness of a system of care.
Based on a five year evaluation of an $80 million demonstration program funded by the US Army, the research examines the cost and effectiveness of a continuum of care models for children and adolescents with mental health and substance addiction problemes.
These models include the delivery of individualized and coordinated services using case management and interdisciplinary treatment teams for patients and their families, and involves residential, intermediate, and nonresidential services.
Dr Leonard Bickman (...) and his colleagues address issues critical to providing a full range of mental health services in community settings.
They assess the clinical outcomes of about 1000 families and the cost and service utilization data of and additional 4000 families.
The authors provide an exhaustive and in-depth presentation of their methodology.
They identify new approaches to measurement and analyses that will benefit future investigations on managed care.
The thorough discussions of thought-provoking findings shed valuable light on the effectiveness of this broadranging mental health service system, as well as raise questions about fundamental issues in the training and supervision of therapists. (...).
Mots-clés Pascal : Santé mentale, Psychiatrie, Toxicomanie, Evaluation, Efficacité, Coût, Formation, Enfant, Gestion, Qualité, Soin, Système information, Méthodologie, Modèle, Etats Unis Mots-clés Pascal anglais : Mental health, Psychiatry, Drug addiction, Evaluation, Efficiency, Costs, Formation, Child, Management, Quality, Care, Information system, Methodology, Models, United States Notice produite par : ENSP - Ecole nationale de la santé publique (devenue EHESP) Cote : FR20/0112
Code Inist : 002B30A03B. Création : 28/06/1996. | 1,980 | 1,052 | 0.000983 |
warc | 201704 | Who doesn’t love to have a perfectly clear skin? All of us, right? But sometimes the production of melanin gets increased in our skin cells, which leaves tiny brown spots or ‘freckles’ all over our face. In today’s post, I’ll talk about how to get rid of those ugly freckles. Check out 10 easy procedures below:
1. Lemon Juice
The simplest as well as most common way to remove freckles is to apply lemon juice with the help of a cotton ball. The juice of freshly squeezed lemon is known for its natural lightening properties. It would make freckles lighter at first and gradually they will disappear.
2. Milk Peels or Masks
The lactic acid content of milk-based peels or masks can work directly on the surface layer of our skin and turn freckles lighter over time. If you go for a dairy mask, allow it to infuse into your skin properly before washing your face. You can also massage your face with whole milk for 10 minutes daily in order to get rid of freckles.
3. Sour Cream and Oat Paste
A thick paste of oats and sour cream or milk also plays a crucial role in lightening freckles. Just soak 1 tablespoon of oats in (1/2) cup of sour cream or milk and mash them together. Apply this paste on your freckles and see how they vanish little by little.
Also Read – Top 10 Pigmentation Creams for Bright Skin Here 4. Strawberry and Kiwi Paste
Strawberry itself is a great lightening agent. You can prepare an effective mask simply by reducing a strawberry to pulp. For better results, crush a couple of kiwis and strawberries together. Apply this paste to your freckles and let it dry completely. After 15-20 minutes, rinse off with fresh cold water.
5. Apricot Paste
If strawberry is not readily available in your area, replace it with apricot. It has been seen that an apricot mask can fight against freckles and make them significantly lighter over time.
6. Cucumber, Nutmeg and Honey Mask
You can also prepare a wonderful skin-lightening mask by mashing up cucumber and nutmeg together and adding honey to it. Each of these ingredients is easily available and can fade away freckles quickly.
Also Read – How Often Should You Exfoliate Your Face Here 7. Mixed Fruit Mask
Take equal quantities of cucumber, papaya, pineapple and strawberry. Blend them finely to come up with a smooth paste. Spread it all over your face and wash with cold water once it dries. This mixed fruit mask will help you eliminate freckles from your face effectively.
8. Vitamin C
Try to include as much vitamin C as possible in your daily diet. Opt for green leafy veggies and fresh citrus as well as other fruits to make sure that you have enough of this nutrient. You can also take vitamin C supplements in order to fulfill your regular requirements.
9. Skin-Lightening Cream
Pick a skin-lightening cream from your nearest store that contains licorice extract, aloe vera extract, and so on. These are known to combat both natural as well as sun-related freckles successfully upon daily application.
Also Read – Considering Skin Whitening Pills? Know the Side Effects First! Here 10. Chemical Peel
If none of the above methods work for you, seek the help of an experienced dermatologist and go for a chemical peel. Being a medical procedure, it can stop the occurrence of freckles permanently by peeling the outermost layer of our skin away. As a result, we get rid even of the lightest freckles on our face. | 3,447 | 1,723 | 0.000591 |
warc | 201704 | HIPAA Settlements Between Healthcare Providers and the Government I. Summary/Conclusion HHS relied mainly on voluntary compliance measures to address HIPAA violations until approximately one year ago. Recent settlements between HHS and healthcare providers suggest, however, that resolution settlements could be more severe if a violation happens today. HHS may still rely on voluntary compliance, but it is also willing to use other measures, like fines, resolution agreements, and detailed corrective action plans. II. Resolution agreements and corrective action plans Two recent HIPAA violations have resulted in substantial fines and detailed resolution agreements and corrective action plans, suggesting that this may be a turning point in the enforcement HHS employs to resolve HIPAA violations. 1 A. Resolution agreements A Resolution Agreement is "a contract signed by HHS and a covered entity in which the covered entity agrees to perform certain obligations (e.g., staff training) and make reports to HHS, generally for a period of three years." 2 HHS has used resolution agreements in two major settlements, one with Providence Health & Services (PHS) on July 9, 2008 and one with CVS Pharmacy (CVS) on Jan. 15, 2009. HHS intends only to use Resolution Agreements to "settle investigations with more serious outcomes, when OCR [the Office of Civil Rights] has not been able to reach a satisfactory resolution through the covered entity's demonstrated compliance or corrective action through other informal means." 3 Resolution agreements typically will involve paying a fine, 4 and the entity agrees to enter into and comply with a corrective action plan (CAP), as a term and condition of the Resolution Agreement. The entity does not admit liability by signing the Resolution Agreement, at least not in the two cases which have entered into such agreements at this time. 5 HHS agrees, however, to release the entity from "any actions arising out of or related to" the conduct that violated the law. 6 The six-year statute of limitations for imposing civil monetary penalties on an entity for a HIPAA violation is tolled to ensure that HHS may still bring an action against the entity in the event "of an uncured material breach." 7 B. Corrective action plans Both resolution agreements entered into by HHS at this time have utilized CAPs as a term and condition of the settlement. CAPs require specific corrective action obligations to prevent another violation, with appropriate tailoring to address the gaps in the entity's policies and procedures that led to the violation at issue. Corrective action obligations have included addressing the entity's policies and procedures and submitting them for approval to HHS; distributing the policies and procedures to all members of the workforce and certifying receipt, understanding and acceptance of them; dictating minimum content in the policies and procedures; ensuring that members of the workforce receive adequate training on the policies and procedures; monitoring for violations; and creating a procedure for members of the workforce to report violations internally. 8 The entity must also present an implementation report to HHS within a specified number of days after the entity's policies and procedures are approved. 9 The implementation report "summarize[es] the status of the implementation of the CAP" by the entity. 10 The entity, finally, submits an Annual or Periodic Report to HHS each year the CAP is in force. 11 This Report, among other entity-specific requirements, includes disclosing training schedules and materials; confirmation that the entity has certifications from all members of the workforce that went through training; summaries of any violations; and certification that a designated entity representative reviewed the Report and confirms "the information is accurate and truthful." 12 HHS will notify the entity if it determines the entity breached the CAP, and the entity must respond in the time demanded. The response can be either that the entity is in compliance; the "alleged material breach has been cured"; 13 or the entity cannot repair the alleged breach within the time limit but is working to do so. 14 HHS may impose civil monetary penalties against the entity if it fails to meet the time and response requirements. 15 C. PHS and CVS settlements These more severe HHS settlements that utilize fines and resolution agreements have been implemented against two entities, PHS and CVS, as noted above. The settlements were based on the following facts. i. PHS PHS entered into a resolution agreement with HHS that required a $100,000 fine and a CAP. A PHS employee removed four backup tapes and two optical disks containing unencrypted, electronic protected health information (ePHI) from a division of PHS, which was a common practice, on Dec. 30, 2005. The employee left these disks and tapes in his car overnight, and they were stolen from the vehicle. 16 Laptops with unencrypted ePHI were stolen from members of PHS' workforce on four other separate occasions 17 after members of the workforce removed the laptops from PHS. 18 ii. CVS CVS entered into a resolution agreement with HHS that required a $2.25 million fine and a CAP. OCR and the Federal Trade Commission jointly investigated CVS' HIPAA compliance "after media reports alleged that patient information maintained by the pharmacy chain was being disposed of in industrial trash containers outside selected stores that were not secure and could be accessed by the public." 19 The investigation also discovered that CVS did not have a policy for sanctioning members of its workforce who did not comply with its PHI disposal policies and procedures. 20 III. Other settlements 21
HHS has settled HIPAA violations with health care providers using other means when a resolution agreement is not appropriate.
A. Other settlement means
HHS' other settlement means include: changing policies and procedures,
22training staff on new or amended policies and procedures, addressing the problem or repairing the flaw in the system, 23apologizing to the complainant, 24changing a form or document 25and sanctioning the employee responsible. 26HHS does not provide dates or other identifying information regarding these settlements, so it is unclear whether many of them took place before or since HHS has started to use Resolution Agreements to settle violation cases. B. Hospital telephone messages 27
A hospital employee, as a specific and pertinent example, called a patient regarding the patient's medical problem and plan for treatment. The patient was not available, and the employee left this PHI with the patient's daughter. The hospital employee also violated HIPPA by calling the patient's home phone number when the patient requested only communication at her work phone number. The hospital resolved this matter with HHS by drafting and executing new procedures that required training employees to limit the content in their phone messages. They were also instructed to check the patient's contact restrictions with respect to messages.
Notes: 1John Eriksen, HIPAA Compliance Must Address Organization Oversight, 18 MANAGED HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVE 10, 10 (2008). 2U.S. Dep't of Health & Human Servs., Case Examples and Resolution Agreements, www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/enforcement/examples/index.html (last visited May 22, 2009). 3Id. 4Id. Providence Health & Services received a $100,000 fine in 2008, and CVS Pharmacy, Inc. received a $2.25 million fine in 2009. 5Providence Health & Services ("PHS") Resolution Agreement, July 9, 2008, at 1, available at www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/enforcement/examples/providenceresolutionagreement.html; CVS Pharmacy, Inc. ("CVS") Resolution Agreement, January 15, 2009, at 2, available at www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/enforcement/examples/cvsresolutionagreement.html. CVS "expressly den[ied] any violation of HIPAA or the Privacy Rule." Id. 6CVS Resolution Agreement, supra note 5, at 4. 7Id. at 4–5. 8Id. at 11–17. See also PHS Resolution Agreement App'x A, supra note 5, at 3–8. 9CVS Resolution Agreement, supra note 5, at 17; PHS Resolution Agreement App'x A, supra note 5, at 8. 10CVS Resolution Agreement, supra note 6, at 17. 11Id. at 18–19; PHS Resolution Agreement App'x A, supra note 5, at 8–9. 12CVS Resolution Agreement, supra note 5, at 19; PHS Resolution Agreement App'x A, supra note 5, at 9. 13CVS Resolution Agreement, supra note 5, at 20. 14Id. at 19–20; PHS Resolution Agreement App'x A, supra note 5, at 9–10. 15CVS Resolution Agreement, supra note 5, at 20; PHS Resolution Agreement App'x A, supra note 5, at 10. 16PHS Resolution Agreement, supra note 5, at 1. 17Id. 18U.S. Dep't of Health & Human Servs., Resolution Agreement: HHS, Providence Health & Services Agree on Corrective Action Plan to Protect Health Information, www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/enforcement/examples/providenceresolutionagreement.html (last visited May 21, 2009). 19News Release, U.S. Dep't of Health & Human Servs., CVS Pays $2.25 Million and Toughens Practices to Settle HIPAA Privacy Case (Feb. 18, 2009), available at www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/02/20090218a.html. 20CVS Resolution Agreement, supra note 5, at 2. 21U.S. Dep't of Health & Human Servs., All Case Examples, www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/enforcement/examples/allcases.html (last visited May 21, 2009). This website contains a list of twenty-seven case examples with brief facts and HHS resolution. 22This occurred, as a few select examples, on facts like leaving a phone message with a patient's daughter; disclosing PHI to a newspaper without patient approval; and keeping pseudoephedrine log books out on the pharmacy counter. 23This occurred when patients could see computer screens with PHI and when an HMO mailed an explanation of benefits to an unauthorized family member. 24This occurred on facts like sending a claim with patient test results to the improper payor; revealing PHI to a research company without the patient's approval; placing a red "AIDS" sticker on the front of patient's medical records that other patients could see. 25This occurred when an HMO sent the patient's medical records to a disability insurance company based upon a form it utilized and when a practice faxed a patient's HIV status to his employer instead of his new provider. 26This occurred, as a few select examples, on facts a health insurer releasing a patient's PHI without going through the proper procedures; revealing PHI to a research company without the patient's approval; a supervisor examining another employee's medical record; discussing a patient's HIV/AIDS status near other patients without taking precautions to avoid being overheard. 27U.S. Dep't of Health & Human Servs., All Case Examples: Hospital Implements New Policies for Telephone Messages, www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/enforcement/examples/allcases.html (last visited May 21, 2009). Anna Timmerman (atimmerman@mcguirewoods.com) is an associate with McGuireWoods. © Copyright ASC COMMUNICATIONS 2017. Interested in LINKING to or REPRINTING this content? View our policies by clicking here. To receive the latest hospital and health system business and legal news and analysis from Becker's Hospital Review, sign-up for the free Becker's Hospital Review E-weeklyby clicking here. Latest Articles 5 things to know about Pres. Trump's executive order addressing the ACA Should Medicare allow total joints in ASCs? Q&A with Drs. Barry Waldman, Derek Johnson 84% of medical personnel are unsure of MACRA's requirements, survey finds: 3 takeaways Healthcare plan vanishes from WhiteHouse.gov after President Donald Trump takes oath Christ Hospital's dispute with St. Elizabeth Healthcare over $24M ASC may wage on for years | 11,836 | 4,664 | 0.000216 |
warc | 201704 | If you are monitoring your cholesterol levels and blood pressure numbers to reduce your risk of a heart attack, there’s something you should know. Doctors are focusing so much on cholesterol they are missing other critical factors that could help your heart.
Groundbreaking research from Harvard and the Mayo Clinic reveals a new discovery that can help you reduce your risk of a heart attack by half. To find out more about this new discovery, | 452 | 275 | 0.003702 |
warc | 201704 | Public Comment By Mark McDonald Thursday February 18, 2010 - 08:59:00 AM
Something stinks in West Berkeley and it’s not just the noxious odors coming from several industrial firms primarily Pacific Steel Castings foundry (PSC) on Gilman Street.
In 1975 I first smelled the infamous “burnt pot handle” odor allegedly caused by PSC’s phenol releases that people have been complaining about since the 1960’s. The phenols may be obnoxious but there are other non-smelly toxic airborne substances usually associated with foundries like PSC which are nickel, manganese, cadmium, chromium, dioxins, copper, zinc, lead, benzine, iron, formaldehyde, creosote and carbon tetrachloride.
We don’t know exactly what is coming from PSC because in all those decades of complaints the City of Berkley and the Bay Area Air Quality Management Board (BAAQMB) haven’t properly tested the plant’s emissions. They have allowed the company to expand by letting them build a second facility in the 1970’s and then a third in the 1990’s. In 1997 local government allowed PSC to build an incinerator in which they burn toxic wastes saving the company lots of money on hauling and disposal but adding more poisons to local air. In just one year (2003) PSC announced a 44 percent increase in airborne emissions. In a colossal failure of responsibility and common sense local government has also allowed dense residential housing to cluster right up near the plant’s borders.
Neighbors have legitimate concerns as last year it was revealed that of the entire nation’s ten most toxic schools three are in West Berkeley. The State of California has identified the four districts stretching from Oakland through Berkeley into Richmond as being the highest in child asthma.
I attended Berkeley’s Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) Jan. 14 meeting on PSC’s operating permit which the board was empowered to suspend if PSC failed to demonstrate sufficient progress on diminishing the nuisance complaints by neighbors.
There is no exact data on emissions because there is no adequate system to collect and analyze them which would be fence-line monitors as recommended by many including the city’s environment commission (CEAC). Lacking this information the ZAB is forced to rely on the actual number of complaints by local groups and individuals to BAAQMB. Unfortunately many of the neighbors explained why they don’t call complaints into the BAAQMB any more because they do not trust them. They described an elaborate and confusing system where someone has to come to the complainer’s house and verify the odor. If enough complaints are verified, they get certified and if not the complaints disappear. Even if someone comes soon enough a person complaining about an odor has to describe the smell with an adjective that matches the one in the official’s mind or the complaint doesn’t count. Most say there isn’t any follow up so they believe many successful complaints are being dumped.
Berkeley and BAAQMB officials were there in force and spoke repeatedly about the PSC’s new carbon collection system and a fabric bag odor abatement equipment though it was hard to understand how or if any of the new stuff actually reduced toxics. The officials all talked about the “particulate” problem which they insinuate might be actually from the exhaust from the adjacent highway and railroad tracks. Highways and fireplaces do put a lot of particulate into the air but the substances we are mostly worried about are unique to foundries.
It has become so painfully obvious that a proper monitoring system is needed that BAAQMB has recently made some theatrical gestures by putting a solitary monitor of the wrong type blocks away that operates at sporadic times. So far the results are inconclusive and I saw no reason to trust anything about the project. They gave $25,000 of taxpayer money to local activists who in desperation and with good intention purchased EPA approved roof-top air collectors which immediately showed dangerous levels of manganese and nickel. The BAAQMB sat on the information and then quietly rejected the findings as being “unprofessional.”
West Berkeley residents have come to believe that BAAQMB’s main job is to diffuse public complaints while promoting the false impression that they are protecting the health of the public. Many union workers came to say how badly they need the good paying jobs but most of them live elsewhere and drive to the plant. Complaints seem to be less lately but since the plant is running at half capacity with 300 workers the air might be better because of the economic downturn.
One cannot ignore the blatant and corrupt incompetence by government in this matter. PSC’s public relations firm is owned and operated by two former Democrats, Elizabeth Jewell and Dion Aroner, former state representative for this district, who could be seen coordinating speakers and signs supporting the foundry at the ZAB meeting.
For the record I believe that if the government can bail out crooked bankers then workers should not be made to suffer for government’s failure in letting a potentially dangerous smoke-stack facility and a residential community grow together without the necessary buffer zone. That being said it is not acceptable for anybody to poison people for profit or a paycheck. Up wind at the Chevron refinery BAAQMB and the Richmond Council recently approved processing of more toxic crude oil without adequate analysis of the airborne emissions. Berkeley folks take notice; a lawsuit by several groups against BAAQMB and the Richmond Council stopped the new dirtier crude oil for now.
Berkeley people can ask Mayor Bates who is also vice-Chair and soon to become Chair of BAAQMB why the CEAC recommended perimeter monitors haven’t been installed yet. The Berkeley School District needs to know what their students are breathing at the affected schools and may need to relocate the students for their safety. Local activists have begun a body-burden study which should help ascertain what is in the West Berkeley air. Any results from monitors and studies should be reviewed by independent scientists.
We are indebted to many good activists but especially Mr. L.A. Wood who coordinates an excellent website Berkeley Citizen where folks can find much good information.
Mark McDonald is a Berkeley resident. | 6,489 | 3,154 | 0.000325 |
warc | 201704 | A recent White House report calls out an alarming fact — a 25-year-old Black male in America has a "roughly 1 in 2 chance of being employed today" due to obstacles such as "early death, incarceration, low labor force participation, and high employment."
These facts are not new. But President Obama's administration makes it clear that these disparities affecting Black men and other groups of disadvantaged youth continue to hold back the economy's overall productivity. Many youth face recurring obstacles that push them back from reaching their full potential, the document further emphasizes. "Participation among working-aged men of color is centrally important to the American economy, and America could grow its economy for all by bringing these men more fully into the labor force," the report states. "However, addressing barriers to educational opportunity and attainment can begin to prevent the labor participation gap before it starts." President Obama launched the My Brother's Keeper task force in 2014 to create educational and employment opportunities for young people using specialized programs and mentoring to connect youth with the tools to close the gaps that exist between them and their greater accomplishments. BET National News - Keep up to date with breaking news stories from around the nation, including headlines from the hip hop and entertainment world.
(Photo: Bonninstudio/Westend61/Corbis)
TRENDING IN NEWS | 1,458 | 819 | 0.001236 |
warc | 201704 | LOGONA History
The story of LOGONA is closely associated with the rise of the
German natural marketplace, where the company today serves as a leading
supplier of natural personal care products.
During the 1970s, a wave of environmental consciousness and
activism rolled through Europe, giving life to many alternative
enterprises and political groupings. Organic agriculture, renewable
energy and environmental responsibility became the watchwords of this
movement. In 1975 in Hanover, Germany, a group of friends opened a shop
featuring the few available products that fit the values of this new,
green alternative movement. To expand their store’s selection, this
“Lorien Goods” group began to import products, and then to wholesale
these products to other stores. In 1977, they tried their hand at
manufacturing simple bodycare products, and the LOGONA idea was born.
Bodycare products manufactured and packaged from a broad
ecological standpoint resonated with a growing number of consumers. The
product line has steadily expanded over the years to meet growing
consumer interest. Today, over 200 natural personal care and cosmetic
products carry the LOGONA label.
Strict ingredient
quality standards have always been fundamentally important to LOGONA
product formulation and manufacturing. LOGONA products utilize the
highest quality, natural raw materials, such as premium vegetable oils
and waxes, herbal extracts and floral distillates derived from organic
agriculture and wildcrafting.
Aside from rigorous ingredient standards, LOGONA products must
also conform to industry leading ecological standards regarding minimal
resource consumption during manufacturing, and minimal and recyclable
packaging for the finished products.
Quality creates Trust
Manufacturing personal care products without synthetic
preservatives requires especially careful procedures to handle both raw
materials and finished products. Only the slightest contamination can
ruin an entire production run. LOGONA utilizes GMP (Good Manufacturing
Practice), the pharma-ceutical production standard, to guide its
manufacturing. In spring of 1999, LOGONA successfully completed an
“Environmental Audit” of its entire operation, conducted under mandate
of the German federal government.
More than 25 Years Continuity and Competence
Despite its steady growth, LOGONA has remained true to its
founding principles. Many personnel from those early days still work
with the company today. The collectively organized LOGONA employs more
than 140 full time employees, and places special emphasis on social
responsibility and fairness towards employees and community.
LOGONA product quality standards have continually improved to
correspond with advances in manufacturing know-how and more rigorous
ingredient standards. No advance in product quality, however, has come
at the cost of the company’s steadfast commitment to environ-mental
responsibility. The goal to make quality personal care products with
minimal impact on the planet and its resour-ces remains foremost.
Why German personal care products
anyway?
Manufacturing personal care products and cosmetics using
natural, herbal ingredients has very deep roots in Germany. Long before
the beginnings of LOGONA, German companies led the world in terms of
both quantity and quality for these products. The relatively new
generation of German natural manufacturers, among which LOGONA still
counts itself, stands firmly on the shoulders of this tradition.
Strong competition increases quality and stimulates
innovation
Many strong natural brands of personal care products thrive in
Germany, and new companies emerge with new brands every year. This large
group of suppliers, competing for the same consumers with similar
arguments for similar products, has helped create a very vibrant market.
To succeed, a supplier must first meet the high quality standards of
the competition. The products must also perform well to meet consumer
expectations. Finally, to remain successful, a German supplier must
continually innovate and keep pace with market developments.
The German natural
product industry enforces its own high standards
Despite the sometimes intense competition, German manufacturers
of natural personal care products have recognized that common interests
and values bind them strongly. For example, they have adopted a common
definition for the term “natural”, as it applies to personal care
products. Moreover, they have accepted a tough (and costly) enforcement
mechanism, overseen by the trade association BDIH. The BDIH “Certified
Natural” seal of approval is awarded only to products evaluated by
independent laboratories for compliance to the established natural
guidelines. This successful program has greatly increased consumer
confidence in the term “natural”.
Government controls protect consumers
Unlike the American FDA, which also establishes rules for
ingredients in personal care products, German governmental agencies
enforce their rules rigorously. For example, government agents visit
manufacturers regularly to inspect manufacturing procedures, and to take
product samples for testing. The testing includes checking the accuracy
of ingredient declarations printed on packaging. As a result,
fraudulent ingredient listings have been practically eliminated. By
contrast, accepting the truthfulness of American personal care products
requires from the consumer a leap of faith in the honesty of the
manufacturer.
Active media role
increases consumer confidence
The German consumer enjoys a high level of accessible, quality
information to assist in evaluating products. For example, the monthly
magazine, ÖKO-TEST, publishes critical reviews of consumer products from
natural and environmental standpoints. It analyzes leading brands from
both the natural and conventional marketplaces in terms of ingredients,
packaging, performance and price. The magazine has been a leading factor
in increasing German consumer awareness, manufacturer responsibility,
and product quality.
We oppose animal testing!
Logona products contain trusted, traditional, plant-based
ingredients recognized for generations as completely safe for the
intended use by humans. Testing takes place exclusively on human
volunteers. These tests accompany every Logona product, starting with
self-testing by research and development staff members, continuing with
similar staff testing during the microbiological stability trial period,
and finally culminating with rigorous, scientific testing on paid
volunteers under independent, dermatological supervision. Only after a
product has successfully passed each of these phases can it be
introduced to the marketplace.
Respect for people, animals, and environment is the basis of
our ethical self-image. For this reason we are actively engaged in the
movement to validate alternative test methods, which do not utilize
animals. We strongly believe that animal testing belongs to the past.
BDIH Certified Natural
Going beyond the talk
LOGONA has been a strong supporter of the European movement to
define and regulate the term natural personal care (“Naturkosmetik”).
Consumer confidence had suffered over the years because of its rampant
misuse by manufacturers. To address this problem, the German trade
association BDIH worked diligently to define the border between natural
and conventional personal care products. The BDIH formulated a set of
guidelines to which products must comply in order to receive the BDIH
Seal of Approval. Manufacturers must submit their nominated products to
an independent laboratory for analysis. If the lab results comply with
the guidelines, the product receives the BDIH Seal.
The BDIH current minimum requirements to receive the BDIH seal of
approval follow. More information is available at the following web
address: www.kontrollierte-naturkosmetik.de
The BDIH also recommends compliance with the following
supplemental criteria:
• full ingredient disclosure
• avoidance of genetically-engineered ingredients
• environmental responsibility regarding raw materials,
manufacturing, and packaging
• social responsibility regarding domestic employees and with 3rd
World suppliers of raw materials (Fair Trade) 1. Botanical Ingredients
Use of botanical ingredients whenever possible is encouraged.
Plants should be grown organically or wild-harvested, although
consideration is given for alternatives based on quality and
availability.
2. Animal Protection and Animal Testing
No testing on animals, whether conducted by the manufacturer or
outsourced to a third party, is permitted at any time. Ingredients not
on the market before 1/1/98 may only be used if they were not tested on
animals. Ingredients already on the market that were tested on animals
after 1/1/98 are disallowed, even if they were carried out by a third
party, by contract, with permission of the contracting buying agent or
by anyone legally or contractually connected with them. The use of
by-products from animal vertebrates such as spermaceti, tortoise oil,
mink oil, marmot oil, animal fats, animal collagen or fresh cells, is
not permitted.
3. Mineral Ingredients
The use of inorganic salts, such as magnesium sulfate, and
mineral ingredients, such as sodium chloride, is generally allowed. (See
exceptions under 5).
4. Restricted Ingredients
Emulsifying agents and surfactants may be used if they are
obtained by the hydrolysis, hydrogenation, esterification, or
trans-esterification of the following materials: fats, oils and waxes;
lecithin, lanolin, monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides;
proteins and lipoproteins.
5. Unacceptable Ingredients
Synthetic coloring agents; synthetic fragrances, ethoxylated
ingredients; silicones; paraffin and other petroleum products. The
criterion for permitted fragrances is the ISO Norm 9235.
6. Preservatives
Certain preservatives identical to those found in nature are
allowed along with natural preservation systems for the safety and
stability of the product. These include: benzoic acid, its salts and
ethyl esters; salicylic acid and its salts; ascorbic acid and its salts;
benzyl alcohol.
7. Irradiation
Sterilization of natural ingredients and their cosmetic end
products through radioactive treatment is not allowed.
8. Independent laboratory certification
The independent testing institute Ecocontrol in Osterode,
Germany evaluates the compliance of the above criteria. Compliance with
the criteria is rewarded with the BDIH "Certified Natural Cosmetic"
seal.
Highlights:
Vegan and Gluten Free Selections BDIH Certified Organic Standards Used No Animal Testing, Cruelty Free Free of synthetic preservatives such as parabens, urea, bht... Free of Mineral Oil, Synthetic Fragrances & Dyes | 11,009 | 4,823 | 0.000213 |
warc | 201704 | Forget the scare-mongering, cycling while pregnant is a matter of common sense, and it has health benefits too.
One thing pregnant women never go short of is advice: cut back on that, don’t do this, stop eating that. Where does cycling fit in? Is it a sensible way to stay fit and healthy during pregnancy, or are there risks for mother and baby? The official line from the NHS is clear cut – cycling is a definite no-no. The NHS website contains a list of sports to avoid, and cycling is included alongside horse riding, downhill skiing and gymnastics. The reason? All these activities have “a risk of falling”. But ‘cycling’ encompasses everything from tootling along a towpath to downhill mountain biking, with varying levels of risk.
No need to stop, but do take it easy
More reasonably, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) offers a less simplistic assessment of cycling in its leaflet ‘Recreational exercise and pregnancy: information for you’. Riding a bike is still listed alongside horse riding, skiing and gymnastics, but instead of a straightforward ‘no’ the RCOG suggests these are exercises to be undertaken with “particular care”.
Keen cyclist and GP Dr Andy Ward thinks this cautious approach is more sensible than putting your bike in a shed the moment you find out you are expecting. “If a pregnant woman was a confident cyclist prior to getting pregnant, I would have no problem with her continuing to ride during pregnancy. You are just as likely to fall off as you were before!” he said. “I would make her aware that there is a potential risk to the pregnancy if she did crash – BMX racing might not be the best idea!”
Long-distance cycle tourer and author Josie Dew chose to continue cycling through her two pregnancies, and agrees with Andy that normal everyday cycling is a reasonable thing for a pregnant woman to do. “I wouldn’t career headlong down a steep rocky hillside off-road, but I think normal cycling is fine – and is actually very beneficial,” she said.
Within moderation, cycling is a good form of exercise during pregnancy. Listen to your body Benefits of cycling while pregnant
What are the advantages of continuing to ride a bike? “The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists advises that maternal benefits appear to be both physical and psychological in nature,” says Andy Ward. “Many common complaints of pregnancy, including fatigue, varicose veins and swelling of extremities, are reduced in women who exercise. Additionally, active women experience less insomnia, stress, anxiety and depression.
“An argument for public health is that women who incorporate exercise into their routine during pregnancy are more likely to continue exercising after birth. These benefits are not exclusive to cycling, but if that is a woman’s preferred method of exercise, then it beats a sedentary lifestyle.”
However, while Andy sees many positives to cycling while pregnant, he concedes it’s not entirely risk-free, of course. “The two main risks of cycling while pregnant are falling off and injuring the foetus, and overheating, which can cause abnormalities in the baby if it occurs in the first trimester. To avoid overheating in the first trimester it is advisable to wear cooler gear, maintain hydration and avoid riding on very hot days.”
One condition that pregnant cyclists may be at increased risk of is pre-eclampsia, characterised by high blood pressure and increased levels of protein in urine. This condition can develop into eclampsia, with life-threatening consequences for the mother and baby. However, the risk remains small and the evidence of increased risk is mixed.
“There was a 2009 Danish study that showed a small increase in severe pre-eclampsia in women who cycled for more than 270 minutes per week during the first trimester of pregnancy,” Andy explains. “The problem with the study is that although severe pre-eclampsia is serious, it is rare (affecting only 0.5 percent of pregnancies), so even if your risk is doubled you still only have a one percent chance of getting it (the increase in risk was actually a bit smaller). A subsequent systematic review published in 2012 suggested that exercise may actually help prevent pre-eclampsia (although it did not give an idea about the optimum amount).”
This illustrates the value of doing your research, something Victoria Hazael, senior communications and media coordinator of cycling charity CTC, took very seriously during her first pregnancy. “I thought about whether to cycle and did some research online. I realised that there’s a lot of conflicting information out there and it depends which website you look at.”
If you’re a regular rider anyway, there’s no reason not to carry on when pregnant. Consult with your midwife
When Victoria spoke to a midwife, she was advised that as she already cycled it was sensible to continue if she wished. “I was told that as I cycle everyday anyway and use my bike as transport, it made sense for me to carry on.”
However, not every medical professional Victoria spoke to was as enthusiastic. “You don’t always see the same midwife throughout your pregnancy, and I met one who was not supportive at all. She told me I shouldn’t have cycled from work to my appointment, so I explained the research I had done, that I cycled every day, and that I didn’t fit in a lot of other exercise. She backed down!”
Josie Dew found that her midwife was happy for her to continue riding. “When I asked her is it okay to keep cycling, she thought I meant maybe half a mile down the road to the shops. But no, I meant 10, 20 or more miles a day. When she realised I normally did a lot more than that a day, she was surprised but very supportive. But she stressed that I shouldn’t push myself, which I didn’t. I just rode the number of miles that I felt like riding.”
Don't overdo it
If you do decide to cycle during pregnancy, riding sensibly and not overdoing it makes sense. It’s a time for staying healthy, not starting an ambitious training schedule for a sportive or long charity ride. “Fitness and activity levels will naturally decline through the pregnancy, so setting realistic goals is important,” says Andy Ward.
Victoria Hazael’s GP gave similar advice. “He said to really listen to your body. He talked about not getting out of breath, and not taking on something big or training for a long-distance ride. You need to realise that your energy levels won’t be the same as normal, and think about the oxygen levels in your blood.”
As your pregnancy progresses you may want to adjust your position on the bike to make it more comfortable. “I raised my handlebars so the riding position was more upright,” says Josie Dew. If you usually ride a road bike, you may want to swap to something more comfortable. Victoria Hazael explains, “I rode to work on a mountain bike and later a Brompton folder.”
Towards the end of your pregnancy, you can expect to feel more tired and to find cycling more difficult. “As the pregnancy progresses, cycling does get more tricky, especially when you have a physical bump in the way. But I didn’t feel particularly unstable. If I had felt unsteady I probably would have opted to walk or take the bus into work,” Victoria says.
As for when to stop riding altogether, different cyclists come to different conclusions. While Victoria stopped at eight-and-a-half months, largely because of snowy weather, Josie continued to ride to within days of her due date. “I rode up until just a few hours before both girls were born. In fact, I think it was cycling over a bumpy, badly surfaced road that set me into labour with my first child!”
Andy Ward suggests it’s better not to push yourself. “Not being too ambitious in later pregnancy would be my advice. Ride with someone as much as possible and always carry a mobile phone. Comfort and energy levels are probably the biggest factor.”
In the end, how much you cycle during pregnancy boils down to listening to your body and using common sense.
As your pregnancy progresses make sure your bike set-up is still comfortable for you. Cycling in the different trimesters of pregnancy First trimester
The first 12 weeks is a crucial time for the foetus to grab a firm hold inside the womb, and this period is the highest risk of miscarriage. Keep cycling but do it gently and only if you feel like it – fatigue and morning sickness, which can last all day and all night, might force you to stop for a while. Listen to your body. Cycling off-road is not recommended – it comes with too many jolts and bumps and to high a chance of being sent over the bar.
Second trimester
During months three to six the chances of miscarrying fall dramatically. The tiredness and nausea of the first trimester are likely to have eased too, meaning you might have more energy than before. Cycling at this stage will keep you fit and supple which should help you cope with any aches or pains from carrying extra weight. Just remember to remain cautious despite your newfound energy, because a tumble won’t be good for mother or baby.
Third trimester
From month six to your due date your bump will be big and active. You might get short of breath, especially on the hills, and leaning over the handlebar can be challenging. Dutch style bikes have a position that avoids leaning over on your stomach. Many pregnant women are plagued by haemorrhoids so a wide saddle with a gel seat cover might be required. If you feel unstable with the bump, it’s time to put your bike to one side, but this is a personal choice. Cycling keeps you fit, pliable and gives you stamina for the labour itself.
Medical advice
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists advises that exercise in pregnancy can help reduce varicose veins, tiredness and swelling. Active women tend to experience less insomnia, stress, anxiety and depression. The main risks are related to possible falls and overheating. Be sure to keep hydrated. Stop cycling and seek medical attention if you experience excessive shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, abdominal pains, leakage of amniotic fluid or bleeding.
Note: while the advice published here has come from medical professionals and cycling experts, you should always consult your GP before cycling during pregnancy This article was originally published in The Essential Guide to Kids Cycling. | 10,750 | 4,736 | 0.000219 |
warc | 201704 | Giving up your regular late-night snack may be hard, and not just because it’s a routine. The habit may genetically change an area of the brain to expect the food// at that time, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered.
By training mice to eat at a time when they normally wouldn’t, the researchers found that food turns on body-clock genes in a particular area of the brain. Even when the food stopped coming, the genes continued to activate at the expected mealtime.
“This might be an entrance to the whole mysterious arena of how metabolic conditions in an animal can synchronize themselves with a body clock,” said Dr. Masashi Yanagisawa, professor of molecular genetics and senior author of the study.
The UT Southwestern researchers report their findings in the Aug. 8 issue of the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
.
The daily ups-and-downs of waking, eating and other bodily processes are known as circadian rhythms, which are regulated by many internal and external forces. One class of genes involved in these cycles is known as Period or Per genes.
When food is freely available, the strongest controlling force is light, which sets a body’s sleep/wake cycle, among other functions. Light acts on an area in the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or SCN.
But because destroying the SCN doesn’t affect the body clock that paces feeding behavior, the circadian pacemaker for feeding must be somewhere else, Dr. Yanagisawa said.
To find the answer, his group did a simple but labor-intensive experiment. The scientists set the mice on a regular feeding schedule, then examined their brain tissue to find where Per genes were turned on in sync with feeding times.
The researchers put the mice on a 12-hour light/dark cycle, and provided food for four hours in the middle of the light portion.
Because mice normally feed at night, this pattern is similar to humans eating at inappropriate times. Dysfunctional eating patterns play a role in human obesity, particularly in the nocturnal eating often seen in obese people, the researchers note.
The mice soon fell into a pattern of searching for food two hours before each feeding time. They also flipped their normal day/night behavior, ignoring the natural cue that day is their usual time to sleep.
After several days, the researchers found that the daily activation cycle of Per genes in the SCN was not affected by the abnormal feeding pattern.
However, in a few different areas of the brain, particularly a center called the dorsomedial hypothamalic nucleus or DMH, the Per genes turned on strongly in sync with feeding time after seven days.
When the mice subsequently went two days without food, the genes continued to turn on in sync with the expected feeding time.
“They started to show the same pattern of anticipatory behaviors several hours before the previously scheduled time of feeding,” said Dr. Yanagisawa, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. “So somewhere in the body, they clearly remembered this time of day.”
Source Newswise
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. Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy Not Safe | 3,794 | 1,872 | 0.000548 |
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