Intelligence based on 'fabrication'

Vital intelligence used to justify the invasion of Iraq 10 years ago was based on "fabrication" and "wishful thinking", a new documentary claims.

A BBC Panorama investigation, broadcast to mark the 10th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War, suggests that US and UK security services relied on several pieces of questionable information, while dismissing others that were contradictory.

Panorama - The Spies Who Fooled The World - documents the chain of secret information that contributed to the decision to invade, including new testimonies from intelligence sources.

It tells how claims from a few sources that Iraq was manufacturing Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) spiralled into apparently sound intelligence used to justify the war.

The programme alleges that certain intelligence was relied on out of wishful thinking, with one source telling the programme the Iraq War was borne out of "choice" rather than "necessity".

In his first TV interview on the subject August Hanning, former head of German Intelligence, said Iraqi spy Rafed Al Janabi - codenamed Curveball - told German secret services he had witnessed the manufacture of chemical and biological weapons, including mobile facilities to produce them.

Former CIA Europe Division chief Tyler Drumheller also claimed he passed warnings about Curveball's claims up the chain of command, while Mr Hanning said he also sent a personal cable to then CIA director George Tenet. Mr Tenet denies receiving the warnings, the programme says.


The Poisoning of Arafat: Polonium Suspected in Palestinian Leader's Death

What Killed Yasser Arafat? Tests Hint at Possible Arafat Poisoning

Nine-month investigation by Al Jazeera discovers rare, radioactive polonium on ex-Palestinian leader's final belongings.

Unsupported polonium

The institute studied Arafat’s personal effects, which his widow provided to Al Jazeera, the first time they had been examined by a laboratory. Doctors did not find any traces of common heavy metals or conventional poisons, so they turned their attention to more obscure elements, including polonium.

It is a highly radioactive element used, among other things, to power spacecraft. Marie Curie discovered it in 1898, and her daughter Irene was among the first people it killed: She died of leukemia several years after an accidental polonium exposure in her laboratory.

At least two people connected with Israel’s nuclear program also reportedly died after exposure to the element, according to the limited literature on the subject.

But polonium’s most famous victim was Alexander Litvinenko, the Russian spy-turned-dissident who died in London in 2006 after a lingering illness. A British inquiry found that he was poisoned with polonium slipped into his tea at a sushi restaurant.

Animal studies have found similar symptoms, which lingered for weeks - depending on the dosage – until the subject died. “The primary radiation target… is the gastrointestinal tract,” said an American study conducted in 1991, “activating the ‘vomiting centre’ in the brainstem.”

Scientists in Lausanne found elevated levels of the element on Arafat’s belongings - in some cases, they were ten times higher than those on control subjects, random samples which were tested for comparison.

The lab’s results were reported in millibecquerels (mBq), a scientific unit used to measure radioactivity.

Polonium is present in the atmosphere, but the natural levels that accumulate on surfaces barely register, and the element disappears quickly. Polonium-210, the isotope found on Arafat's belongings, has a half-life of 138 days, meaning that half of the substance decays roughly every four-and-a-half months. “Even in case of a poisoning similar to the Litvinenko case, only traces of the order of a few [millibecquerels] were expected to be found in [the] year 2012,” the institute noted in its report to Al Jazeera.

But Arafat’s personal effects, particularly those with bodily fluids on them, registered much higher levels of the element. His toothbrushes had polonium levels of 54mBq; the urine stain on his underwear, 180mBq. (Another man’s pair of underwear, used as a control, measured just 6.7mBq.)

Further tests, conducted over a three-month period from March until June, concluded that most of that polonium – between 60 and 80 per cent, depending on the sample – was “unsupported,” meaning that it did not come from natural sources.

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Are you a negaholic? A negaholic is someone who, consciously or not, consistently chooses to be negative. Negativity can become a habit that is difficult—but not impossible—to break.

And what if it's not your intention to be pessimistic? Being contrary, doubtful and wary might be ingrained in your character or you could be suffering from a neurological chemical imbalance.
brain strain.

In a 2002 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a condition called "negative affect" was defined as a "predisposition to anxiety, irrationality, anger, and a range of other unpleasant moods." Negative affect was said to be identified physiologically by increased brain activity in the prefrontal cortex. It's purported to be a permanent condition, but one that can be controlled.

When negativity is the direct consequence of the loss of a job, a failed relationship or the death of a loved one, it is considered a reactive mood disturbance and is generally a temporary condition.

Whether your negative thinking pattern is ingrained in your personality or stems from a specific event, it's characterized by physiological changes in your brain. The brain is composed of millions of neurons—nerve cells that send and receive messages from the body using neurotransmitter chemicals. Such messages can be disrupted by a chemical imbalance.

There's no shame in seeking counseling or medical treatment to remedy a chemical imbalance and improve your quality of life. If pervasive feelings of hopelessness, a lack of energy and an inability to function well persist for more than two weeks, they are considered to be symptomatic of clinical depression. Medication can help the brain regain control.

If your negative thinking patterns are the result of habit rather than a diagnosable medical condition, there are ways to counter them. Here are some tips on how to adopt a positive attitude.

Identify your triggers
Become aware of when negative thoughts occur. Your thinking may become distorted when you're tired or hungry or when work pressures pile up. Monitoring your negative thinking patterns will help you identify what triggers them, enabling you to regain control.

Don't sabotage yourself
Expect and accept bumps in the road. Eliminate negative thoughts, recriminations and self-criticism. Don't dwell on past incidents, learn from them and move on. Changing the way you view your world will allow you to see opportunities in obstacles.

Adopt coping strategies

More From AskMen:

Exercise and Depression

Dealing With Depression

Anxiety Disorders

Balance Self-Expectations & Reality

4 Steps: Stop Worrying

Think before you speak

Seek out support

Get some perspective

Buddy up

Ditch the whiners

Refocus your mind

Take stock

Control your negativity


Product Releases

Innovations Series Presents: Manufacturing in Orthopedics

Wed, 03/08/2006 - 6:30am
The demands of the medical device marketplace require companies to deliver products to market faster while reducing expenses. This article discusses cellular manufacturing, one technique that helps orthopedic device manufacturers ensure high quality and increased profits while reducing waste and manufacturing time.

By Tom Barrett

    Trained operators program machining centers to create orthopedic implants that accommodate various patient profiles such as height, weight, and load-bearing ability.
  • Increased flexibility
  • Reduced lead time
  • Production of high product mix
  • Reduced operating costs
  • Increased work-force utilization
  • Reduced manufacturing space needs
Orthopedic device manufacturers are under intense pressures to reduce costs while accelerating time to market. Additionally, the nature of the orthopedic business requires a large number of smaller volume components, as devices must be matched to a wide variety of patient needs. How can orthopedic device manufacturers hasten time to market and reduce costs with low volumes of numerous components?

One method is through cellular manufacturing, which enhances the flexibility to produce an increasingly high mix of products. It allows smaller quantities of components to be manufactured while simultaneously reducing costs, improving quality, reducing lead times, and ultimately, increasing flexibility.

Combined with lean manufacturing principles, companies have implemented cellular manufacturing to streamline processes and reduce the time to market in response to customer demand and an increasingly competitive global market.
A Factory Within a Factory
Cellular manufacturing can be considered a factory within a factory. It features "cells" that contain a group of dedicated equipment, machines, or workstations located in close proximity and based on similar products or processes. The cell is configured for speed, with products manufactured by cross-trained personnel and predisposed to work as a unit or team.

The use of state-of-the-art CNC machining centers in a cellular manufacturing environment greatly reduced cycle times and manufacturing costs in the production of an orthopedic implantable device.
One of the key features of cellular manufacturing is the flexibility to quickly accommodate changes in the manufacturing demand. It is not uncommon in the orthopedic industry for an implantable device family to have hundreds of part numbers associated with it to accommodate varying patient profiles such as height and weight. Stocking these parts in quantity can result in very high inventory carrying costs.

The cost of manufacturing too much of the wrong product is a harsh reality impacting bottom line performance. An equally hard lesson, however, is having too few parts to satisfy a market requirement. In a competitive arena, doctors can and will go to alternative sources for medical devices.

With cellular manufacturing, companies can increase flexibility to accommodate the large number of component parts. The goal is to optimize workflow so as to dramatically reduce lead-time. With shortened lead times, manufacturers can quickly respond to customer requirements and produce the parts needed, as well as manage their inventory more effectively.

A cellular manufacturing process can have cycle times of days rather than the weeks necessary for the traditional batch process. In an industry of tight cost controls on medical devices, these shorter cycle times translate to reduced costs and accelerated time to market.
Reducing Cycle Time
Cellular manufacturing principles were recently applied in the production of a component for a prosthetic joint with more than 300 part numbers that required flexible production to meet customer demands. The prosthetic joint system component had previously been manufactured in a batch environment.

A team of engineers, including experts in manufacturing, six sigma, and lean manufacturing methods, first evaluated various state-of-the-art equipment to manufacture this component. A dedicated manufacturing cell was created incorporating new CNC machining centers. The goal was to complete the production of the part, from raw material through manufacturing and inspection, in one cell. In addition, lean manufacturing methods and six-sigma principles were incorporated to optimize the processes required and to eliminate waste.

Combining lean manufacturing principles with six-sigma quality creates powerful systems to eliminate waste and better manage work flows leading to increased speed to market and enhanced quality.
Cycle time was further reduced in the various machining steps. Quality control was incorporated into the process itself rather than only at the end of the manufacturing operation. New fixturing was introduced utilizing the quick-change fixturing methodology known as single minute exchange of dies or SMED, further eliminating waste and reducing the time required for changeovers.

The result was a reduction in cycle time from the previous manufacturing process by over 75%, providing significant cost savings and improving the ability to respond to changing customer needs.
Evaluating a Manufacturing Process
Cellular manufacturing, combined with lean manufacturing and six-sigma principles, can optimize manufacturing processes, saving significant time and money, while enhancing the quality of the final product.

This diagram illustrates a simplified value stream map for the production of an implantable device used in knee surgery. At each stage in the process, the map identifies equipment/personnel needed, records changeovers, and notes parts produced as well as defects and waste.

There are five basic steps to follow when evaluating a manufacturing process to seek improvement. First, the program goals must be defined. Whether working internally or with an outsourcing partner, it is important to assemble a dedicated project team early in the manufacturing process. These teams usually include manufacturing engineers, quality engineers, machine operators, and lean manufacturing specialists. This team should create a project charter, defining the project, the team, the criteria for program success, measurable metrics, and milestones.

As a second step in evaluating a manufacturing process, each of the processes involved in the current manufacturing operation must be outlined and understood. What machines are needed to manufacture the product? What are the cycle times involved? A value stream map is one way to identify all flows in the manufacturing process, including machining times, production output, and equipment set up and changeovers. Once the complete manufacturing process is illustrated, ideas to improve work flow and eliminate waste are easier to identify.

The third step requires analyzing current processes including performing root cause analysis and working to balance cycle times, combine or eliminate processes, increase flexibility, and improve quality.

Incorporating cellular manufacturing techniques in a lean manufacturing environment dramatically reduced cycle time for this orthopedic device, while increasing capacity.

Once problem areas have been identified, the project team can brainstorm solutions for improvement. Cellular manufacturing, lean manufacturing techniques, six-sigma principles, rate based planning, and alternative sequencing are a few of the many possible methodologies to help meet project goals. Each idea should be assessed and validated before proceeding.

In preparation of transitioning to a new process, a validation document must be completed and executed. As a final step, all new processes should be documented and all persons should be trained to the new process requirements to ensure a quality product is produced. After the process validation is executed and approved, the new process can be implemented. The process must then be continually monitored to measure its performance against the predetermined objectives, always looking for further refinement and improvement opportunities.
Implementing Change
The process for an existing product was analyzed with an objective of reducing cycle time and costs for an implantable component used in knee surgery. Long lead times previously had hindered the ability to quickly respond to changing customer requirements.

Innovations Series Technology Spotlight
Feed-Thrus for Internal Bone Growth Stimulators

The Alberox Products Division of Morgan Advanced Ceramics (MAC) offers ceramic feed-thrus used in internal bone growth stimulators. The ceramic-to-metal seal assemblies offer a more robust bond and higher reliablility than traditional glass seals. The superior reliability and durability of these feed-thrus aids the bone healing process by reducing the probability of revision surgery. Offering 100% leak inspection, the hermetic feed-thrus are comprised of biocompatible, corrosion-resistant materials, making them ideal for use in internal bone growth stimulators.

As internal bone growth stimulators are typically implanted in a soft pocket of tissue under the skin, a small sized implant is essential. The electrical properties of the alumina ceramic and the company's application engineering expertise allow for the development of smaller feed-thrus. Alberox Products custom manufactures these feed-thrus to meet the specifications of medical implant designers. Information: www.alberox.com.

The full value stream map included machining time on each device, changeovers required, efficiency rates, inspection time, total minutes elapsed, and number of pieces completed at each step in the process. The top illustration offers a simplified version. The value stream map identified the five basic machining operations in the manufacturing process for this device.

Once the current manufacturing processes were documented, each and every step was analyzed. In its evaluation of the implantable device used in knee surgery, the team's analysis of the initial manufacturing process revealed:

•The original production line was created for a low volume of devices. When demand increased, the production line was not changed.

•Machining operations were unbalanced. One machine had a 24-minute cycle time while another had a six-minute completion time. Inventory bottlenecks were very visible in this process.

•Changeovers were long, taking approximately one hour every time a new size was manufactured.

•The manufacturing processes did not have to be sequenced in their current order. There was flexibility to modify the order of machining operations.

•It was ultimately determined that improved processes could dramatically reduce machining time on certain operations.

As a next step, the team identified possible changes to facilitate production. The team's goal was to balance machining time, reduce changeover times, increase capacity, and create a more flexible process that was responsive to customer demands. The proposed changes were discussed in detail with the customer. After significant process development and prototyping, a validation protocol was written for the new process.

Evolution in Fracture Treatment: Splinting to Internal Fixation
John Minier, Internal Fixation Marketing Manager, Small Bone Innovations
The field of orthopedics and study of treating musculoskeletal injuries witnessed a renaissance in the 20th century that continues today as surgeons rely on space-age materials to treat—and in some cases, cure—injuries and diseased joints and bones. However, the origins of the field pre-date recorded history; archaeologists and anthropologists have found evidence that point to the use of splints by primitive man to stabilize fractured bones.
One man's work in the first century BC is arguably the last truly enlightened study of orthopedics prior to the modern era. Hippocrates' analyses of fractures and principles of traction and counter-traction, coupled with the creation of primitive external fixation devices was the foundation of all things orthopedics for more than 20 centuries. The next major milestone in fracture treatment came in the 1800s when Carl Hansmann pioneered the use of plate internal fixation systems. Hansmann's innovations spawned the first period of enlightenment for orthopedics since Hippocrates' studies in ancient Greece.

During the last decade, orthopedic surgeons have focused on tailoring these technologies to treat more complex injuries, adapting implants long used to treat large bones such as arms and legs to fix smaller, more fragile bones. New implants are now replacing bulkier designs, easing procedures for surgeons, and optimizing patient recovery and comfort. In late 2005, Small Bone Innovations (SBI) released its multi-purpose hand fracture kit, the Universal Hand System. The set—a variety of specially multi-sized plates, screws, and instruments—is designed to allow surgeons to treat nearly all possible fractures of the hand, even when bone quality is compromised. The anatomically contoured plates and screws are made of cold worked stainless steel for optimal strength given the high-impact use of the hands.

SBI took additional steps to adapt the system to best fit the needs of the surgeon and OR staff. Color-coded K-Wires and modules allow for easy identification and tray organization, speeding up procedure time and preventing confusion. The special instrument set is even ergonomically designed to reduce hand fatigue and improve effectiveness and feel.

SBI's Universal Hand System is one example of the level that orthopedics has reached in the ability to treat complicated fractures, while preserving anatomical integrity. So where will fracture treatment be at the end of the 21st century and beyond? They may be closer than you think. Just look around the orthopedic industry for clues—Artelon, a biodegradable material used to treat arthritic joints, (see Medical Design Technology October 2005 cover story) designed to act as scaffold, allowing the body's own tissue to regenerate where it had been damaged by trauma or disease. But only time will tell where the revolution will take us. Information: www.totalsmallbone.com.

After the new process validation was executed and approved by the customer, the team implemented the changes on the manufacturing floor. Similar to the prosthetic joint system example, the team chose a cellular manufacturing approach and a unique quick change fixturing approach to increase production flexibility and decrease costs and cycle times.

The results were dramatic: a reduction in cycle time from 44 to eight days, an increase in capacity from 40 units/day to 80 units/day, and significantly less manufacturing floor space needed. By reducing cycle time, a significant cost reduction was achieved in addition to cutting the scrap rate in half. Inventory levels were lowered and manufacturing was able to respond faster to customer requests.
Continuous Improvement
Dedicating the internal or external team and resources needed to analyze and identify improvement opportunities early in the design and manufacturing process will reap great rewards in customer satisfaction and increased profits. The application of cellular manufacturing principles can add increased flexibility, reduced cycle times, and lowered costs to orthopedic device manufacturing. In addition, with large product families needed to accommodate the variations in patient profiles, orthopedic device manufacturers can incorporate the principles of cellular manufacturing to better respond to customer requests while managing their inventory.
Working With External Teams
In the past, relationships between orthopedic device companies and outsourcing companies were based on transactions. Instead of being customer-driven, orthopedic device outsourcing companies were job-driven, working from purchase order to purchase order. Little time was invested up front to analyze manufacturing flows, identify potential process improvements that could simplify component production, or devise inventory management programs.

As long-term partnerships develop, manufacturers can look to their orthopedic device outsourcing companies to help analyze their production and optimize their manufacturing processes. When choosing an outsourcing partner, orthopedic device companies should look for well resourced partners that can provide engineering and manufacturing expertise who are willing to customize their services to meet the needs of the device company. As a threshold, the outsourcing partner must have excellent quality systems and employ lean manufacturing and six-sigma principles to reduce costs and cycle times. A full range of services, from design and rapid prototyping through component manufacturing and assembly, is also essential.
Looking Ahead
Strategic partnerships between orthopedic device companies and leading outsourcing suppliers can provide the time, resources, and incentives to analyze manufacturing processes and identify improvement opportunities. Though not the panacea for process improvement, the application of cellular manufacturing principles can add increased flexibility, reduced cycle times, and lowered costs to orthopedic device manufacturing. In addition, with the high numbers of parts in each product family due to the large variations in patient profiles, orthopedic device manufacturers can incorporate the principles of cellular manufacturing to better respond to customer requests without costly stockpiling of inventory.
For additional information on the technologies and products discussed in this article, visit Accellent Inc. at www.accellent.com.

Tom Barrett is the vice president of operations for Accellent Orthopedics. Prior to joining Accellent, Barrett had spent 13 years in the orthopedic market with Stryker, where he held various management positions in manufacturing and business unit leadership. Most recently, he was vice president of operations for biopharmaceutical manufacturing at Stryker Biotech. Barrett can be reached at 866-899-1392 or tom.barrett@accellent.com.

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“ Born 2008 destroyed 2011.”

The Fraser Island Dingo.

                                                                        CONTACT SFID:  mkrail@bigpond.net.au

                                                                                Ph: 07 4124 1979

Fraser Island (K’gari) lies off the coast of Queensland, Australia, approx. 200k (120miles) north of Brisbane. It is the largest sand Island in the world.

In 1992 Fraser Island was inscribed on the World Heritage list by UNESCO because of its natural beauty and unique flora and fauna. The apex predator on the Island is the dingo (canis lupus dingo) and may well be one of the last pure strains of dingo remaining on the east coast of Australia.. The conservation of this gene pool is of National and International significance.

The dingo arrived in Australia between 4,000 and 18,000 years ago (Dr. Alan Wilton, Geneticist.) and under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 was declared indigenous and classed as native wildlife. The Act also provides for the legal protection of the dingo as a “natural resource” in protected areas, such as Fraser Island.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the dingo is listed as “vulnerable” and is considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. In the State of Victoria it is listed as “threatened” under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. Despite this, it is the only native species to be declared a pest throughout much of Australia, only protected in certain areas, such as National Parks.

On Fraser Island evidence suggests that  the population has come under pressure due to the continued expansion of tourism.

Vehicle strikes are increasing.

Incidents with visitors are increasing, this often leads to the destruction of the dingo.

Interference of the dingoes in their natural habitat is detrimental to their well-being, this includes the practice of ear tagging, which  can permanently damage the animals ear.

The fate of the Fraser Island Dingo depends on public support, by “working together”  we intend to ensure the survival of this iconic species and re-establish the natural balance of their Island home..

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An amount owed to a person or organization for borrowed funds. Loans, notes, bonds, and mortgages are forms of debt. These different forms all call for borrowers to pay back the amount they owe, typically with interest, by a specific date, which is set forth in the repayment terms.


monks and merchants

Asia Society
silk road treasures

heavenly horses

nomad rulers

buddhism and china

buddhist cave temples

merchants and currencies

the tang dynasty

the silk road

buddhism and china image

miniature limestone scripture pillar

five-stone sandstone pagoda

section of dhammapada sutra handscroll

set of nested gilt-bronze, silver, gold, and glass reliquaries

buddhism and china text

buddhism and china

"As rain pours through poorly thatched roofs, so does desire overwhelm the undeveloped mind."
— Words of the Buddha from the Dhammapada

According to tradition, the historical Buddha was born around 563 B.C.E. into an eminent family of the Sakya clan located among the foothills of the Himalayas between present-day Nepal and India. His personal name was Siddhartha, but he later became known as Sakyamuni (Sage of the Sakyas). At the age of twenty-nine he rejected the life of luxury in which he had been raised, leaving his home and family to seek understanding of the suffering and mortality inherent in all life. After years of searching, at the age of thirty-five, he found spiritual enlightenment during a night of meditation. Thereafter, he devoted the rest of his life to teaching the insights he had attained.

The essence of the Buddha's teachings is embodied in "The Four Noble Truths": First, all life is suffering, second, suffering stems from desire, third, suffering can only end with the elimination of desire, fourth, this is achieved by following the Eightfold Path, focused on meditation, moral training, and discipline. Only by following these teachings can the individual reach enlightenment, or salvation, and, after death, the transcendent state known as nirvana.

During the centuries following Sakyamuni's death, Buddhism evolved into an institutional religion. Monastic orders were formed and worship of the relics of the Buddha, and indeed the Buddha himself, became popular. Originally, the Buddha was represented only by the lotus or the stupa, but by the first century B.C.E. images of the Buddha began to appear.

Although Buddhism was known in China during the Han dynasty, it was only after fall of the Han that it began to gain widespread popularity. A continuous stream of Buddhist missionaries from India and Central Asia found eager converts at every level of society and powerful patrons among the new nomad rulers of North China. The practice of Buddhism proved a potent stimulant to trade, with a growing demand for precious objects from afar, including incense from Central Asia, jewels and precious metals, coral, pearls, and lapis lazuli, all destined to adorn Buddhist temples, images, and reliquaries.

The form of Buddhism that became dominant in China was Mahayana ("The Greater Vehicle"). Mahayana Buddhism emphasized the potential salvation of all living beings and the concept of compassion. The embodiment of this ideal of universal compassion was the bodhisattva, beings who have attained enlightenment but who defer their entry into nirvana to aid others. A popular Mahayana scripture, the Lotus Sutra, taught that making holy images was an act of the highest merit on the road to enlightenment. Mahayana converts became China's greatest art patrons, supporting the building of cave temples and pagodas, the carving of statues and stelae (stone tablets), and the translation and copying of Buddhist sutras.


Home >  Student Life >  Multicultural Programs >  About

The Office of Multicultural Programs strives to create an educational enterprise that values multiculturalism, where the value of diversity is not only acknowledged but also actively pursued and celebrated through every fiber of the University community. We foster a campus-wide climate that moves beyond the basic concept of being civil toward those who are different to being engaged with those differences.

We aim to create a campus culture that recognizes, appreciates and values the different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, religious beliefs, sexual orientations, economic statuses, abilities (both physical and mental), political beliefs and ideologies of those who comprise the campus and surrounding communities.

Diversity Statement

The Office of Multicultural Programs recognizes that diversity is more than a demographic measurement - it is also an essential source of experiences that enrich learning through a series of engaging and in-depth interactions. All members of the University community have something to teach and something to learn from one another. We aim to emphasize Salve Regina's commitment to integrate the learning potential of a diverse campus with the core educational mission of the institution.

This commitment compels us to foster an environment that encourages all members of the University community to develop and practice intercultural skills in their personal, professional and academic pursuits. Beyond creating a welcoming environment, it is our responsibility to provide students, faculty and staff with the opportunity to explore and contribute to our diverse community, built on the principles of respecting and valuing differences.

We will be successful when the Salve Regina community views diversity not as a way to differentiate between us, but as the way in which we collaborate and interact to pursue the highest ideals of the human experience in the spirit of the mercy tradition - creating a world that is harmonious, just and merciful.

Enhance individual growth and community integration

  • Objective: Serve as an advocate and a support for Salve Regina's minority student population.
Provide ongoing support to our minority student population


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Are Vegans Closed-Minded Hypocrites?

How can Vegans use electricity since animals (fish) are killed at dams that generate electricity? Seems a bit hypocritical to use electricity at the same time you eschew products that have come in contact with surfaces that have been used to cook beef?!? Just curious.

I've also seen a lot of reference to Vegans being "open minded." I can't for the life of me see any open mindedness in such an extreme World View. Thanks for any enlightenment you can pass my way.

These are really great questions, which, as you point out, go a long way towards exposing the hypocrisy of vegans who present themselves as somehow "pure." Other examples are listed here and here.

At Vegan Outreach, however, our view is that being vegan isn't about being pure, but about doing our best to avoid supporting cruelty towards animals. I'm sure that you agree that the suffering of factory farms and industrial slaughterhouses today is morally repellent; you can see some of the typical practices here and here. As summarized by animal scientist Bernard E. Rollin, PhD, in his textbook Farm Animal Welfare (Iowa St U. Press, 1995), "U.S. society is extremely naive about the nature of agricultural production. [I]f the public knew more about the way in which agricultural and animal production infringes on animal welfare, the outcry would be louder."

Given the reality of today's animal agriculture, we believe that anyone who is open-minded will choose not to support these practices. In this sense, we define "open-minded" as, in part, being willing to face the reality of food production today -- e.g., "It is all very well to say that individuals must wrestle with their consciences -- but only if their consciences are awake and informed. Industrial society, alas, hides animals' suffering. Few people would themselves keep a hen in a shoebox for her egg-laying life; but practically everyone will eat smartly packaged, 'farm fresh' eggs from battery hens." The Economist, "What Humans Owe to Animals," 8/19/95.

As important as that is, being open-minded means more than having open eyes. Truly open-minded people question the status quo and, instead of making decisions based on habit or convenience or convention, make decisions from ethical first principles. (You can read a first-principle theory here.)

Of course, relative to the current status of humanity's ethical evolution, giving consideration to the suffering of non-human animals leads to "extreme" conclusions -- that causing unnecessary suffering to any creature is ethically indefensible. But what seems extreme relative to today's consensus view always changes over time. As pointed out by The Economist (also 8/19/95):

Or, as put in Practical Ethics:

I hope this explains why we pursue veganism as part of a consistent ethical world view, in order to lessen the amount of suffering in the world. You can see some other relevant quotes and learn more about Vegan Outreach here.

Thanks so much for writing and taking the time to read this.

All the best!

Matt Ball
Vegan Outreach


Global Studies Home at The University of West Georgia

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Global Studies

Global Studies is an interdisciplinary enquiry into the developments which have in the past and will continue to shape the interconnectedness of people and places around the world. It employs critical analyses of the processes which have contributed to both the complexity and variety of our world societies and to the common features of the changing human and natural environments. It begins with basic questions, such as how does people's struggle to survive connect them across time and space, or what common features are there in the dynamics of conflict for people in different regions with similar experiences, and, how do apparently local issues or developments in one region of the world have profound impacts on people across the globe? Global studies is much more than just the tracking of elements of "globalization," a process which has been going on since human communities first began migrating beyond the confines of their geographic origins. It is about the ways we both see and affect each other, and how people, states, societies, and the global community struggle to reconcile common individual and local interests with broader world-wide interests. Global Studies is, therefore, the study of us, and the world we share from a variety of perspectives.


Pay Range 10 Breakdown

Hourly (40 hrs.)$13.9722$20.9583
Hourly (42 hrs.)$13.3068$19.9602
Hourly (56 hrs.)$9.9801$14.9702

Meter Service Technician II

Range: $29,062.11 - $43,593.16 (10)
Position Number: 1368

JOB TITLE:  METER SERVICE TECHNICIAN II
JOB SUMMARY:  This position is responsible for performing technical duties in support of the meter service functions of the department.
Reads electric, gas, and water meters.
Loads and unloads data to hand held computer.
Reports defects in metering equipment.
Reports meter tampering.
Receives complaint orders.
Assists Billing Clerk with billing problems.
Trains new personnel; schedules personnel vacations.
Performs other related duties as assigned.
Knowledge of meter reading routes and local geography.
Knowledge of the function and operation of utility meters.
Skill in the operation of hand held computers used in the recording of meter data.
Skill in oral and written communication.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:  The Lead Meter Service Technician assigns work in terms of general instructions.  The supervisor spot-checks completed work for compliance with procedures, accuracy, and the nature and propriety of the final results.
COMPLEXITY:  The work consists of related technical duties.  Inclement weather conditions and field obstacles contribute to the complexity of the position.
SCOPE AND EFFECT:  The purpose of this position is to read utility meters.  Successful performance facilitates and promotes accurate utility billing.
PURPOSE OF CONTACTS:  Contacts are typically to give or exchange information, resolve problems and provide services.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:  The work is typically performed while intermittently standing, bending, crouching, stooping, or walking.  The employee frequently lifts light objects.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:  The work is typically performed outdoors, occasionally in cold or inclement weather.  The employee is exposed to dust, dirt, grease, and machinery with moving parts. Work requires the use of protective devices such as goggles and gloves.


About formulas

Formulas are equations that perform calculations on values in a list. A formula starts with an equal sign (=). For example, the following formula multiplies 2 by 3 and then adds 5 to the result.

You can use a formula in a calculated column and to calculate default values for a column.

A formula can also contain any or all of the following: functions, column references, operators, and constants.

Parts of a formula

Functions     The PI() function returns the value of pi: 3.142...

References (or column names)     [Result] represents the value in the Result column for the current row.

Constants     Numbers or text values entered directly into a formula, such as 2.

Operators     The ^ (caret) operator raises a number to a power, and the * (asterisk) operator multiplies.

A formulas might use one or more of the above elements. Here are some examples of formulas (in order of complexity).

ShowSimple formulas (such as =128+345)

The following formulas contain literal values and operators.

Example Description
=128+345 Adds 128 and 345
=5^2 Squares 5

ShowFormulas that contain column references (such as =[Revenue] - [Cost])

The following formulas refer to other columns in the same list.

Example Description
=[Revenue] Use the value in the Revenue column
=[Revenue]*10/100 10% of the value in the Revenue column
=[Revenue] > [Cost] Returns Yes if the value in the Revenue column is greater than the value in the Cost column

ShowFormulas that call functions (such as =AVG(1, 2, 3, 4, 5))

The following formulas call built-in functions.

Example Description
=MAX(Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4) Returns the largest value in a set of values
=IF(Cost>Revenue, "Not OK", "OK") Returns Not OK if cost is greater than revenue. Else, returns OK.
=DAY("15-Apr-2008") Returns a day part of a date. This formula returns the number 15.

ShowFormulas with nested functions (such as =SUM(ROUND([Cost],2),[Profit])

The following formulas specify one or more functions as function arguments.

Example Description
=SUM(IF(A>B, A-B, 10), C)

The IF function returns the difference between the values in columns A and B, or 10.

The SUM function adds the return value of the IF function and the value in column C.

The PI function returns the number 3.14159265358979.

The DEGREES function converts a value specified in radians to degrees. This formula returns the value 180.

The FIND function searches for the string BD in Column1 and returns the starting position of the string. It returns an error value if the string is not found.

The ISNUMBER function returns Yes if the FIND function returned a numeric value. Else, it returns No.

Applies to:
Windows Sharepoint Services 2.0


Colorectal Cancer Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses drugs that either kill cancer cells or prevent them from dividing. Chemotherapy is given intravenously or in a pill form. It’s a systemic treatment meaning it enters your bloodstream and reaches all areas of the body. Chemotherapy is useful for cancers that have spread to other areas of your body.

Today, almost all chemotherapy is given as outpatient, meaning you do not have to be in the hospital. Nausea associated with chemotherapy is minimal now due to new anti-nausea medications available. Within the last three years, several new chemotherapy drugs for colon cancer that have become available.

Adjuvant Treatment

After surgery, the tissue that has been removed is looked at under the microscope. This will help determine the cancer’s stage. If the cancer is large or has spread to lymph nodes, even though no remaining cancer can be seen, it’s possible that some remaining cancer cells may be left behind or may have already spread to other areas. When this is the case, doctors may recommend additional treatment with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.

Neoadjuvant Treatment

Neoadjuvant treatment is given before surgery to shrink the tumor and improve the results of surgery and to help prevent the tumor from coming back in that area. For some rectal tumors, chemotherapy may be combined with radiation therapy before surgery.


The expression defining moment is often used in terms of athletics to describe a person or a team who, when faced with a crucial moment in a game or an event, triumphed.  Moments like these are rarely forgotten, they are recorded into the minds, lore and DVDs to be relived over and over again.

We have seen reruns and reenactments of the United States Hockey Team's upset of the highly favored and experienced Russians in the 1980 Winter Olympics.  We remember Brandi Chastain ripping off her jersey after scoring the game winning penalty kick in sudden death to win the 1999 Women's World Cup Finals over China.  We relive Michael Phelps' incredible successful attempt to tie the record of seven gold medals at a single Olympics by 1/100th of a second in the 100-meter butterfly.

Moments like these are etched into our minds and, over time, become bigger than life.  They often change a person's life and future, dramatically and forever.  However, defining moments aren't just limited to athletes.  They are obtainable by each of us, if we choose to accept them.

Some of you may be thinking, "I want to, but I've never had the opportunity", "I tried to once, but it didn't work out" or "No thanks, I'm fine where I'm at."

Defining means to be "decisive" or of "critical importance."  When an opportunity like this arises, there is no question, discussion or group decision to determine the consensus "best" route to take.  They are times when you just know in your gut, through much prayer and through the Spirit, the decision or path you need to take.

It is very possible the action would involve a dramatic and significant change in everything you know to be "rational."  It may alter the way you live your life.  It may mean doing something that makes no worldly sense whatsoever.

Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus (Matthew 14:29).

Peter walked on water!  This is not something most of us have done or would consider doing.  Granted, Jesus himself summoned Peter to do it, but there were eleven other disciples in the boat who did nothing but cower from the heavy waves.  Every one of them had the opportunity to take that same step Peter did, but they missed their moment.

Looking back, there have been times where I have failed to make a decision because I was trying to think through each option too much, wanting to see down both roads, not wanting to make a mistake, even though I "knew" the direction I should take.  Other times, I was afraid to act, worrying about "what others would think" or what "might" happen if I did.

Peter's moment was short lived because he reacted in the same way many of us would have.

When he saw the wind, he was afraid and began to sink (Matthew 14:30).

Peter saw his surroundings, thought about it too much and was scared to go on.  His opportunity ended.

How many of us have had chances in our life to meet someone, go somewhere, do something and looked around, thought about it and were afraid to act or afraid to take that chance?  How would our lives have been different "if" only….?

No one would have blamed Abraham had he not offered his son Isaac as a burnt offering to God (Genesis 22).  However, as a product of Abraham's faith and fear of the Lord, he was blessed.

I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore.  Our descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies (Genesis 22:17).

Moses could have lived comfortably in the desert with his family and not have confronted Pharaoh for the release of the Israelites (Exodus 5), but as a result of his obedience, Moses led his people to the "promised land."

The Lord said to him (Moses), "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, "I will give it to your descendants."  I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.  Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone (Deuteronomy 34:4-7).

David had all of the reasons in the world to sit back with the Israelite warriors instead of stepping up to face the Philistine Goliath alone (1 Samuel 17), yet, the young David was fearless and he triumphed.

The Lord said to you (David), "You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler" (2 Samuel 5:2).

Ruth could have easily gone back to her home country following the death of her husband rather than join her mother-in-law in a foreign one (Ruth 1).  Instead, she chose to follow and care for Naomi and God used her in a great way.

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife.  Then he went to her, and the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. They named him Obed.  He was the father of Jesse, the father of David (Ruth 3:13-17).

What would have happened had any of these people chose not to walk in faith, not to listen to the Lord, allowed fear to overtake them or remained in their "comfort zone"?  All of their decisions changed the course of life as they knew it and for many others.  As a consequence of stepping out in such a defining way, God was able to use each of them mightily because of their faith and trust in the Lord.

I recently read an article written by Jonathan Larson, a self-proclaimed atheist and University of Hawaii student.  He says, "I practice faith in a very different way than any religious person would.  I don't see the value in belief without any evidence.  I see a lot of potential for harm in that, actually."

Mr. Larson does practice faith in a very different way—not believing without evidence is not faith!  Yet many of us "Christians" live in that way every day.  We want to see before we believe and we want to believe before we act.

You don't have to be an athlete on an international stage.  You don't need to train your whole life for that one moment in time.  The event doesn't have to be something where others will even notice or want to write about.  We are presented with opportunities throughout our life to change, grow and impact others.

Oftentimes, the opportunity may seem to be impossible or unimaginable.  The offer may seem ridiculous and absurd from a worldly perspective. Sometimes it will be accompanied by nervousness or fear.  However, its timing will be amazingly perfect and come with little effort on your part.

Before the "Miracle on Ice" hockey game in 1980, U.S. Olympic Hockey Head Coach Herb Brooks told his players, "You were born to be a player. You were meant to be here. This moment is yours."  What he told his players is not very different from what God tells us—we were created in His image (Genesis 1:27), given a number of gifts to be used for a specific purpose (Romans 12:6-8), and our time is now (1 Corinthians 7:29).

If we always wait to react based upon our own understanding, we may never take a step of faith, especially one of such importance.  Don't allow your moments pass you by.  Make all of your opportunities a defining moment.

**This article first published on March 25, 2010.


A Clockwork Insect: Garden bug sports mechanical gears

BY Zachary Green  September 14, 2013 at 12:55 PM EDT

Many mechanical devices have been inspired by examples in nature, but it’s not often that nature replicates something only known to be made by human beings.

Meet Issus coeleoptratus, more commonly referred to as a “planthopper”.

Photo by Malcolm Burrows

Though common throughout gardens in Great Britain, young planthoppers possess a physical trait that is spectacularly uncommon in nature: two honest-to-goodness gears on their hind legs, the only known functioning gear system of any organism. In a paper published Sept. 13 in the UK journal, Science, zoologist, Malcolm Burrows, and mechanical engineer, Greg Sutton, revealed their findings about this singular insect.

The two spent 10 years studying the movements of jumping insects at the University of Cambridge in the UK. By flipping the insects on their backs and tickling them with a paintbrush, they were able to make them kick while taking pictures of them with a high-speed camera.

When it came to planthopper nymphs, the two scientists noted something fairly extraordinary: their hind legs could synchronize their movements in 30 millionths of a second. That’s faster than a neuron can be fired off to the brain, meaning the planthopper’s legs actually start jumping before its nervous system tells it to.

Photo by Malcolm Burrows

Closer examination of the insect revealed a small system of shark fin-like gears on the first segment of its hind legs (the equivalent of the top of a human thigh bone).

As one leg prepares to leap, the interlocking gear system causes the other leg to move in almost perfect concert with the other. This synchronicity allows the planthopper to propel itself faster and farther and in a straighter path. Burrows and Sutton believe that young planthoppers evolved this trait in order to escape dangerous situations with as much speed and force as possible. At such speeds, synchronizing leg movements is absolutely vital, as one wrong move could send the insect springing to the side instead of forward.

Planthoppers actually lose their gears by the time they have fully matured, replacing them with a friction-based system of feelers. In fact, even without these gears, adult planthoppers are better jumpers than their younger counterparts. Burrows and Sutton theorize that the loss of these gears is due to them being unnecessary, as the insect is now bigger and stronger, and also because it removes the danger of damaged gears throwing the legs completely out of sync (a phenomenon the two witnessed several times).

Sutton adds that the planthopper’s unique gear system also holds potential for the way we design machines today– particularly tiny ones. Their curved and hooked gears cut down on the friction created by most gear systems found in modern devices.

“Modern machinery often doesn’t work at very small scales,” Sutton said. “Friction doesn’t matter so much when you have two big gears next to each other but when you get small, friction starts killing you.”

New methods of fabrication–such as 3D printing–make it possible to create tiny gears such as those found on planthopper nymphs.

“What we have is a prototype for incredibly small, high-speed, high-precision gears,” Sutton said. “And that prototype is given to us by nature.”


Friday Feb 10, 2012

Eliminating Batch Windows Using Real-Time Data Integration

When we invest in technology solutions we expect improvement in productivity, agility, performance and more. We don’t want to be limited by the technology we select. While data warehouses are designed to give us the freedom to access complete and reliable information, the underlying data integration architecture and the type of solution used can lead to significant constraints on how we manage our critical production systems.

With data warehousing solutions, one of the most common constraints is the time window available for batch extract processing on the source systems. The resource intensive extract process typically has to be done in off-business hours and restricts access to critical source systems.

A low-impact, real-time data integration solution can liberate your systems from batch windows. When the extract component uses a non-intrusive method, such as reading database transaction logs to capture only the changed data, it does not burden source systems. Hence, data extract can happen at any time of the day, and throughout the day, while all users are online.

SunGard is a great example for achieving a major transformation in data warehousing solutions by using log-based real-time data integration. The company removed batch processing timeline related constraint by using Oracle GoldenGate to capture all of the intraday changes that take place on the selected tables. As a result they reduced the nightly extract process from the Oracle E-Business Suite application by 9 hours. In addition, Oracle GoldenGate enables to feed EBusiness Suite data to the Oracle BI Application for Finance throughout the day. Hence, end users have access to up-to-date information on the Oracle Business Intelligence dashboards as changes occur.

To read more about how real-time data integration can free your critical systems from batch window constraints and how SunGard leveraged Oracle GoldenGate in their data warehousing implementation, I invite you to check out the SunGard case study and the article “Freedom from Batch Windows Using Real-Time Data Integration we wrote for TDWI's What Works in Emerging Technologies publication. As always, you can find more resources on Oracle GoldenGate on our recently redesigned website.

Monday Nov 09, 2009

The Benefits of ODI Knowledge Modules: a Template Approach for Better Data Integration

This post assumes that you have some level of familiarity with ODI. The concepts of Knowledge Module are used here assuming that you understand them in the context of ODI. If you need more details on these elements, please refer to the ODI Tutorial for a quick introduction, or to the complete ODI documentation for detailed information..

At the core, ODI knowledge modules are templates of code that will be leveraged for data integration tasks: they pre-define data integration steps that are required to extract, load, stage - if needed - and integrate data.

Several types of Knowledge Modules are available, and are grouped in families for Loading operations (LKMs), Integration operations (IKMs), Data Control operations (CKMs), and more.

For a more detailed description of what a knowledge module is, simply picture the multiple steps required to load data from a flat file into a database. You can connect to the file using JDBC, or leverage the database native loading utility (sqlldr for Oracle, bcp for SQL Server or Sybase, load for db2, etc.). External tables are another alternative for databases that support this feature.
As you use one or the other technique, you may first want to stage the data before loading your actual target table; in other cases, staging will only slow down your data load.

As far as the integration in the target system is concerned, again multiple strategies are available: simple inserts, inserts and updates, upserts, slowly changing dimension... these techniques may be as simple as one step, or be a complex series of commands that must be issued to your database for proper execution.

The Knowledge Modules will basically list these steps so that a developer who needs to repeat the same integration pattern only has to select the appropriate templates, versus re-developing the same logic over and over again.

The immediate benefits of this approach are well known and well documented:
- All developers use the same approach, and code development is consistent across the company, hence guarantying the quality of the code
- Productivity is greatly improved, as proven path are re-used versus being re-developed
- Code improvement and modification can be centralized and has a much broader impact: optimization and regulatory changes are done once and inherited by all processes
- Maintenance is greatly simplified

To fully appreciate all the benefits of using knowledge Modules, there is a lot more that needs to be exposed and understood about the technology. This post is a modest attempt at addressing this need.

Most tools today will offer the ability to generate SQL code (or some other type of code, such as scripts) on your source or target system. As most products come with a transformation engine, they will also generate proprietary code for this engine where data is staged (I'll skip the debate here as to whether a transformation engine is a staging area or not - the point being that code can be generated on either source, "middle-tier" or target).

However, real life requirements are rarely either/or. Often times, it makes sense to leverage all systems to optimize the processing: spread out the load for the transformations, reduce the amount of data to be transferred over the network, process the data where it is versus moving the data around solely for the purpose of transformations.

To achieve this, Data Integration tools must be able to distribute the transformation logic across the different systems.

Only ODI will effectively generate code and transformations on all systems. This feature is only possible thanks to the KM technology.

Beyond the ability to generate code, you have to make sure that the generated code is the best possible code for the selected technology. Too often, tools first generate code that is then translated for the appropriate database. With the KMs technology, no translation is required: the generated code was initially conceived explicitly for a given technology, hence taking advantage of all the specifics of this technology.

And since the KMs are technology specific, there is no limit to what can be leveraged on the databases, including user defined functions or stored procedures.

Whenever a tool generates code, the most common complaint is that there is very little (if any) control over the generated result. What if a simple modification of the code could provide dramatic performance improvements? Basic examples would include index management, statistics generation, joins management, and a lot more.

The KM technology is open and expansible so that developers have complete control over the code generation process. Beyond the ability to optimize the code, they can extend their solution to define and enforce in house best practices, and comply with corporate, industry or regulatory requirements. KMs Modifications are done directly from the developers graphical interface.

One point that can easily be adapted is whether data have to be materialized throughout the integration process. Some out-of-the-box KMs will explicitly land data in a physical file or tables. Others will avoid I/Os by leveraging pipes instead of files, views and synonyms instead of tables. Again, developers can adapt the behavior to their actual requirements.

How much time does it take to adapt your code to a new release of your database? How much time does it take to add a new technology altogether? In both cases, KMs will provide a quick and easy answer.

Let us start with the case of a new version of the database. While our engineering teams will release new KMs as quickly as possible to take advantage of the latest releases of any new database, you do not have to wait for them. A new release typically means new parameters for your DDL and DML, as well as new functions for your existing transformations. Adapt the existing KMs with the features you need, and in minutes your code is ready to leverage the latest and greatest of your database.

Likewise, if you ever need to define a new technology that would not be listed by ODI (in spite of the already extensive list we provide), simply define the behavior of this technology in the Topology interface, and design technology specific KMs to take advantage of the specific features of this database. I can guaranty you that 80% of the code you need (at least!) is already available in an existing KM... Thus dramatically reducing the amount of effort required to generate code for your own technology.

I am a strong advocate of the customization of KMs: I like to get the best I can out of what I am given. But often times, good enough is more than enough. I will always remember trying to optimize performance for a customer: we did not know initially what our processing window would be - other than "give us your best possible performance". The first out-of-the-box KM we tried processed the required 30,000,000 records in 20 minutes. Due to IT limitations, we could only leverage lesser systems for faster KMs... but still reduced performance to 6 minutes for the same volume of data. We started modifying KMs to get even better results, when the customer admitted that we actually had 3 hour for the process to complete... At this point, spending time in KM modifications was clearly not needed anymore.

KMs are meant to give the best possible performance out of the box. But every environment is unique, and assuming that we can have the best possible code for you before knowing your own specific challenges would be an illusion - hence the ability to push the product and the code to the limit

Another common question is: do you have to leverage both source and target systems as part of your transformations? Clearly, the answer is no. But in most cases, it is crucial to have the flexibility to leverage all systems, versus being cornered in using only one of them. Over time, you will want to reduce the volume of data transferred over the network; you will want to distribute some of your processing... all more reasons to leverage all available engines in your environment.

Do not hesitate and share with us how you extend your KMs!

« March 2014


This page is part of the book SQL-99 Complete, Really, by Peter Gulutzan & Trudy Pelzer. The authors have graciously allowed us to reproduce the contents of the book here. Because the book is about the SQL-99 standard, the contents of this and other pages in the book may not directly apply to MariaDB. Use the navigation bar to navigate the book.

In SQL, a binary string, or BLOB, is any arbitrary sequence of zero or more octets that isn't associated with either a Character set or a Collation. A BLOB value may be a <literal>, the value of a parameter or a host language variable or the result of any expression or argument (including a possibly qualified <Column name>) that evaluates to a binary string. BLOBs represent an unknown lump of binary data: the typical use of a BLOB <data type> is to store an image.

Octets in a BLOB are numbered (from left to right) beginning with 1 (the most significant octet). BLOBs are stored in the binary string <data type> BLOB.


Motion graphics documentary video of Deaf artists of the 21st century

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Title: Motion graphics documentary video of Deaf artists of the 21st century
Author: Smith, Heather L.
Abstract: Deaf art reflects a unique culture where Deaf people express their life experiences, which are different from those of hearing people. Deaf art also shows the joy and community among Deaf people with their shared language and experiences, expressed through art that includes painting, sculpturing, acting, and writing. In other words, Deaf culture is a celebration where we as Deaf people can bond and share our similar experiences with life struggle in this majority world of hearing people. We often seek out other Deaf artists to connect with and get the sense of “home.” That “sense of home” includes not just gathering in person, but also interacting through communications technologies, such as email, websites, blogs, videos, and chat rooms. However, even though there are many examples of videos of Deaf people expressing their deaf experiences in ASL, these were strictly two-dimensional, very flat because they had limited or no motion graphics. Motion graphics allows for more lifelike, three-dimensional representation of visual images, an appropriate medium to use in representing two Deaf artists who use a three-dimensional means of communication: American Sign Language (ASL). Creating this 30-minutes three-dimensional motion graphics video documentary about two Deaf artists, Jengy Geller and Carl Lil Bear, and their backgrounds and inspirations has brought the language of ASL to where the audience could appreciate the three-dimensional visual images along with special effects that includes a flythrough into virtual worlds of rich contrast colors that portray knowledge.
Record URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1850/8043
Date: 2008-11

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Celestial Brain

"As above, so below."
- Hermes Trismegistus

Nature rears her typically secretive multidimensional, holofractal infinite Self within plain sight as one the latest scientific discoveries revealed that the universe grows in the same way as a giant brain.

A team of scientists from University of California San Diego recently published a study in Nature Scientific Reports suggesting that the bioelectrical firings between brain cells mirror the shape of expanding galaxies. By developing a model simulation of the universe shortly after the big bang, the team was able to observe how quanta of space-time, units tinier than subatomic particles, networked with one another as the universe expanded. They found that the simulation curiously echoed the growth dynamics of a number of other systems found in life, both natural and artificial, signifying that different types of systems might evolve in the very same fashion.

From the interconnection of neurons within the brain, mycelial networks in the forest, the mapping of human social webs, a birds eye view of a major city layout, or a graphic representation of the Internet, the same outward expanding, intertwining filamental structures can be found throughout. John Stamet, a mycologist, has dubbed this reoccuring phenomenon as various manifesations of the mycelial archetype inherent within the cosmos.

Dmitri Kroukov, co-author of the study, says that the uncanny parallels between networks great and small cannot simply be chalked up to coincidence, further stating that, for a physicist, it's an immediate signal that there is some missing understanding of how nature works. As hinted by the study, scientists are now eager to find if there may lie a single fundamental law that accurately describes and predicts the behavior of these natural systems.

With such exciting implications, this hidden law might just be the invisible binding force driving the illusive dance of order and disorder. Resonating with the enigmatic words of Carl Jung, in all chaos there is a cosmos, in all disorder a secret order, perhaps one day well ultimately verify, via science, that everythings truly imperfectly perfect after all.

Image by Rebecca-Lee, courtesy of Creative Commons Licensing


Keep the Dividends Flowing: Screening for DRPs

    by Wayne A. Thorp

    Dividend-paying stocks are usually classified as conservative stocks, at least compared to highly volatile growth stocks. Dividend income provides a steady source of return, and no longer suffers from a tax rate disadvantage.

    Also, investing in companies with dividend reinvestment plans (DRPs) offers a conservative low-cost approach, since dividend payments are put to work immediately with little or no transaction costs involved. [For more on the basics of DRPs, see our annual guide.]

    However, selecting stocks from a universe that consists only of conservative stocksfirms offering dividend reinvestment plansis not a conservative approach, and can quickly land you into trouble.

    JOIN TODAY for just $29.
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    to read this article and receive access to future AAII.com articles.

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    → Wayne A. Thorp


Highlights near Berkeley

Step Towards Enlightenment in Australia

Just over an hour south of Australia’s largest city is a more tranquil “largest”, the largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere, Nan Tien Temple. This spiritual, educational and cultural refuge brings a bit of the east to the western world.

Classic Chinese architecture accents this “Paradise of the South” with symmetrical structures like the tiered seven-level pagoda and ski-slope-roofed shrines including the Great Compassion Hall that features an intricate 16-handed Bodhisattva statue. Stroll the serene landscape to discover the lotus pond, tea garden, vegetarian dining hall and playful statue studded hillsides, and to learn more about the Fo Guang Shan sect of Mahayana Buddhism that is practiced on site.

To end, meditate at the main Great Hero Hall under the powerful yet peaceful presence of five grand Buddha statues set in front of 10,000 miniature ones. Make the most of this moment to reflect and walk out the red doors into the world a more enlightened person.

Tip: For those with time, spend a day or weekend with one of the temple’s offered retreats for a fully serene experience.

Nan Tien Temple

180 Berkeley Rd
Berkeley NSW, Australia
Staticmap?key=aizasycfr-xpzmln9k22jlspjbt0xbwg3gq2qi0&center=-34.466355, 150.84840099999997&size=312x200&sensor=false&markers=size: small|color:red|-34.466355, 150


Great idea. Downloaded it.

I think that the column that says "N+.5", "N+1", etc. should be labeled "reciprocity correction" rather than "contrast," since that's what it seems to refer to in this context. I'd also specify for clarity that the tables for "Tri-X Pan" are for "Tri-X 320," since some people may want to use this for Tri-X 400 as well, though I suspect the correction is for all intents and purposes the same.

Maybe a later version you could add in bellows factor, calculable by various methods, and filter factor, to produce a result with all the relevant components: base exposure + filter factor + bellows factor + reciprocity factor based on the sum of the first three elements.

Then the real bees knees would be a light meter with Zone system calculations plus all of the above.


Creativity likely isn't in one side of your brain

Researchers into creativity are finding that the idea that a person may be "right brained" or "left brained" is based on some outdated '70's science. In this interview, think jar collective talks to author William Duggan about what neuroscience is currently saying about creativity and how we can use this new knowledge to inform our creative practice.


You can’t take medians and add, subtract, or divide them

You have a report that gives for each industry the median number of litigation cases per law department in the industry.  Let’s say 45 cases.  A later table in the report gives medians for subsets of that total number, such as medians of employment cases (perhaps 12), of patent cases (3), and of all other cases (28).

What you should not do is add up the individual case-type medians (12+3+28 = 43) and expect the sum to be the same as the median number of total litigation cases (45).  The reason is that each median stands on its own and was created on its own.  The software sorts each one high to low and picks the middle value.  It would be merely a coincidence if the sorted list of total number of cases arrived at the same number.

One reason is that if the sorted list has an even number of items, the software averages the middle two – a figure that the other lists, if they have odd integers of items, will never produce.  A second reason is that one or more of the component lists (employment, patent and other in the example) might have some missing data, which would throw off a potential match of medians.

We welcome comments


Get Ripped Fast With These Amazing Bodybuilding Tips

Being healthy is a lifestyle choice, and building muscles also requires major lifestyle changes. Where do you begin, though? Here are some excellent tips for building muscle that can improve your life. They will teach you some great ways to build the muscles you desire.

It is important to incorporate a sufficient amount of vegetables into your diet. Vegetables are sometimes lost in the push for complex carbs and high quality protein to fuel bodybuilding. Vegetables give you important nutrients which aren’t in foods that usually have a lot of protein or carbs. Of course, vegetables contain a ton of fiber, as well. Fiber helps your body to better process protein.

Many people who work out make the mistake of emphasizing speed over technique. Focusing on technique while doing your repetitions more slowly will significantly improve your results, regardless of the exercise you are working on. Take all the time you need and make sure you perform the exercises like you should.

Make sure you understand the best exercises to increase muscle mass. Each set of muscles can be exercised differently, so don’t assume that one size fits all. Therefore, your exercise plan should include a variety of exercises in order to work different parts of the body.

If you are trying to build muscle, you are going to have to start eating more over all. Eat an additional 3500 calories per week, which will be enough to put on about a pound. Find healthy ways to get anywhere from 250 to 500 more calories daily. If you don’t see any weight change, consider altering your eating habits.

Creatine supplements are popular in the muscle development community. However, they must be treated with caution. If you have any kidney problems, do not use this supplement. Other negative reactions could include muscle compartment syndrome, cramps and arrhythmia. Adolescents using this supplement are at the highest risk. Be sure that you are using these supplements exactly as they are recommended.

If you are trying to build large muscles, do not attempt it while doing any form of intense cardio training. Cardio is essential for good fitness, but too much cardio may cancel out your attempts at bulking up through strength training. If increasing muscle mass and strength is your primary goal, stick with resistance training.

Make sure that workouts never exceed one hour in length. Your body will begin to produce some cortisol, after the first hour of working out. Cortisol may block testosterone, which hurts all your efforts that you have been putting in towards achieving more muscle mass. Shorter workouts will help you to get greater results in a smaller timeline.

Try to create a body that looks bigger than your body may actually be. You can do this by focusing on the higher chest, your upper back and your shoulders. Train these specific areas. This causes your waist to look smaller and makes you look bigger.

Make sure that your caloric intake, overall, is as high as it needs to be. Plenty of health sites offer free calorie calculators to help you decide how many calories you need to be consuming. Utilize one of them, and then change your diet around to include enough protein, carbohydrates, and various other nutrients that your body needs to increase muscle mass.

Work your muscles to exhaustion to get the best results from your exercises. Leave nothing on the table. Push yourself during each set until you are literally physically unable to complete another rep. When necessary, shorten your sets if you get too fatigued.

Caloric intake is an important component in any weight training plan. Keep in mind that some calories will benefit you more than others, and nutrition is very important if you want to develop a body that is strong and lean. At an extreme, a bad diet will lead to more fat instead of muscle.

In order to build muscle, you must be dedicated to the cause. If you do both of those, the rest just happens because you are doing the things needed. If you use the tips you just read, you’ll start looking forward to looking at the lean, muscular person you see in the mirror.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the dimensions of the Purse Perfector?
The Medium Purse Perfector is 8” (20.3 cm) long and 3 ½” (8.9 cm) deep: the short section is 4 ¼” (10.8 cm) tall and the tall section is 5 ¼” (13.3 cm) tall.
The Large Purse Perfector is 9” (22.8 cm) long and 4 ¼” (10.8 cm) deep with the short section 4 ¼” (10.8 cm) tall and the tall section 5 ¼” (13.3 cm) tall.

How much does a Purse Perfector weigh?
The Medium Purse Perfector weighs 4 oz and the Large Purse Perfector weighs 5 oz.

What is the fabric used?
The Purse Perfector is made of a high-grade 100% nylon that is both durable and lightweight.

Is the Purse Perfector washable?
Yes, it is machine washable and then let air dry.

What size should I get? I have a checkbook or French wallet.
The Large Purse Perfector will accommodate a checkbook wallet horizontally in the pocket between sections. If you have a traditional or small wallet, then the Medium size should work nicely for you.

Where are Purse Perfectors made?
Purse Perfectors are hand tailored in San Francisco, California.

How are they packaged for shipping?
Purse Perfectors have minimal packaging to reduce waste and are packaged by the developmentally disabled of Easter Seals Work Resource Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Is the Purse Perfector patented?
Yes, under the title Interchangeable Organizer for Carrying Bags, inventor Lyn Marsteller received utility patent number 6823909, which was issued on November 30, 2004.

Where can I buy Purse Perfectors?
Purse Perfectors are available online at and a few stores in the USA.

What’s the price?
The Medium Purse Perfector is $54.95 and the Large Purse Perfector is $59.95.

Where is the Purse Perfector office?
Purse Perfector is a division of Steller Accessories, LLC, which is a woman-owned business incorporated and located at 3458 Observatory Place, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45208.

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Human mission to Mars is no longer just a sci-fi dream

The notion of landing astronauts on Mars has long been more fantasy than reality: The planet is, on average, 140 million miles from Earth, and its atmosphere isn’t hospitable to human life.

More health and science news

Have you used the new health insurance exchanges?

Have you used the new health insurance exchanges?

What has been your experience with the online insurance exchanges?

Unraveling the mystery of the flying snake

Unraveling the mystery of the flying snake

Studies show that they transform their cross-sectional shape to help them become more aerodynamic.

Scientists say megafires in West will grow bigger, hotter

Timeline of major changes to the Affordable Care Act

Some modifications were prompted by significant problems with launching

NASA says it hopes to land astronauts on the planet within the next two decades, and the agency is developing a heavy-lift rocket and a new space capsule to achieve this goal. It has even established an optimal time frame for this event — in the early 2030s, when the very different orbits of the two planets brings them closest to each other.

The challenges of space technology — including how to keep astronauts alive en route and on the planet — as well as government support and funding remain daunting, but the goal of landing humans on Mars is seeming less and less like a pipe dream.

“A human mission to Mars is a priority, and our entire exploration program is aligned to support this goal,” said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.

NASA has “overcome the technical challenges of landing and operating spacecraft on Mars” robotically, Bolden said. “We’re developing today the technologies needed to send humans to Mars in the 2030s.”

‘Human destiny’

It is “human destiny” to explore space and settle on other planets, he writes in “Mission to Mars,” which is being released this week. He has his own step-by-step plans on how to accomplish a Mars campaign, but he makes room for others as well.

“Our world isn’t just Earth anymore, and we need to get much more serious about that,” Aldrin said in an interview, adding that the leaders who take us to Mars and the pioneers who inhabit it “will go down in human history as heroes and be honored for thousands and thousands of years.”

Musk got into the space business with the ambition of sending many people to Mars. The first of these missions is “further off than I would like,” he said, “but far closer than many expect.”

The successful landing of Curiosity — at one ton, by far the largest vehicle ever flown to Mars — is put forward as one reason a human mission is increasingly conceivable. There’s still a long way to go in terms of landing technology, said Michael Gazarik, associate administrator of the NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, because a Mars descent with humans would require a capsule weighing something like 40 tons. Nonetheless, Gazarik said the technology is being developed, and having a Mars lander by the 2030s is “plausible.”

The problem of radiation

Radiation measurements made by an instrument on Curiosity have found high — but not prohibitively high — levels of high-energy cosmic and solar rays both en route to Mars and on the surface of the planet. Extensive shielding of astronauts would be needed, scientists have found, but the risk of later illness due to radiation would not be significantly higher going to Mars than after a long-term stay on the space station, according to Bent Ehresmann, a member of the Curiosity radiation monitoring team.

The biggest impediment, though, may be money. President Obama has challenged NASA to send astronauts to Mars in the 2030s, but NASA’s budget is now a small fraction of what it was in the years after President John F. Kennedy set a precise timetable for landing on the moon. The agency gets less than 0.5 percent of the federal budget; at the peak of the Apollo program, it was 4 percent. Also, Obama will have left office long before the big decisions about a 2030s mission are made, and his successors might have different priorities.

John Grunsfeld, NASA’s director of the Science Mission Directorate, said that sending humans to Mars would be the ultimate expression of the agency’s long-term goal of more intimately combining exploration and science. Having flown on the space shuttle to the Hubble Space Telescope three times to fix and upgrade it, Grunsfeld has firsthand experience with the capabilities that only astronauts can bring.

The same would be true on Mars, he said. “In a matter of a week, astronauts could probably complete the entire [two-year] Curiosity mission.”

The upcoming Mars conference — co-sponsored by the nonprofit group Explore Mars and the GWU’s Space Policy Institute — is designed to examine the feasibility and rationale for a human mission to Mars and to highlight the public’s seeming embrace of the idea.

A recent poll commissioned by Explore Mars and Boeing questioned 1,101 people about sending humans to Mars; the public’s views were overwhelmingly positive.

About 75 percent of respondents either “agreed “or “strongly agreed” with the statement that it was worthwhile to increase NASA funding to 1 percent of the federal budget (in other words, to double NASA’s share) in order to fund a mission to Mars. More than 84 percent said that if the rover Curiosity found evidence of past or current life on Mars, NASA should send a human crew to try to verify the finding.

Nonetheless, getting past the question of why the United States should some day send astronauts to Mars won’t be easy.

“It will be done, regardless of U.S. leadership,” Aldrin said of an eventual manned Mars landing. “The real question is: How long does the exceptionalism of the United States last?”

Kaufman, a former Washington Post editor and the author of “First Contact: Scientific Breakthroughs in the Hunt for Life Beyond Earth,” is writing a book about the first months of the rover Curiosity’s exploration of Mars.

Read what others are saying

    Conservative leader Bill Gothard resigns following abuse allegations


The Right Hand of Vecna

Four powerful beings have been brought together to serve the evil and powerful god Vecna. He plans to control the universe using secrets and trickery, and enslave all of the other races and force other gods to bow to him.

These adventurers have each agreed for their own nefarious reasons and seek to control the god themselves. Little to their knowledge, other powers are at work that seek to destroy them…and the universe.

Right hand of Vecna

SeveGomez Vecna title 2 PirateOpossum KatherineGomez nerdwulf


View H.J.Res. 24 report

What’s your position on
The Business Cycle Balanced Budget Amendment

H.J.Res. 24: Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

(More Info on Congress.Gov)

What do you think?

The next vote on this bill will occur in the House of Representatives. How should your representative vote?

What POPVOX Users Say

POPVOX Nation:
83% Support
17% Oppose
(163 users)

View Report & Comments

135 users
28 users
order determined by social media popularity

Endorsing Organizations

National Taxpayers Union 16,654 Facebook fans 472 Twitter followers

February 7, 2013

Dear Representative Amash:

On behalf of the 362,000 members of the National Taxpayers Union (NTU), I write in support of H.J. Res. 24, your “Business Cycle Balanced Budget Amendment” (BCBBA). This creative proposal would amend the U.S. Constitution to incorporate a mechanism providing for long-term balance of the federal budget. It would provide Congress with budgeting flexibility while still maintaining real protections from the out-of-control spending that threatens our solvency.

Instead of requiring annual balance, the BCBBA establishes an expenditure level based on a three-year average of prior revenues plus adjustments for inflation and population growth. Unlike restrictions that are based on measurements of the size of the economy, the BCBBA’s main aspect is tied to previous revenue. This has the benefit of being a “knowable” number rather than an estimate, while utilizing a three-year average ensures that temporary fluctuations do not translate into wild swings in federal spending.

The BCBBA combines this common-sense spending rule with a simple provision allowing for a robust supermajority of Congress to waive the amendment’s restrictions in the case of an emergency. This failsafe would allow Congress the ability to budget for true national security or economic emergencies without opening a large loophole through which massive amounts of non-urgent spending could be driven.

It should be noted that NTU continues to support several paths toward constitutional fiscal discipline, including amendments to prevent spending and taxation from growing beyond their historical shares as a percentage of our economy. However, we believe that the BCBBA would also achieve many of the same goals that other measures can by properly aligning incentives in budgetary policy. Because its structure provides for long-term balance while allowing for short-term fluctuations, there would be no justification for rushing to enact tax hikes in order to meet any annual requirements. The result would be a federal budget that is much more stable and predictable in its growth while still encouraging fiscal responsibility and affordability for taxpayers.

NTU has approached the current legislative evolution of the BBA not merely as an interested observer or even as a concerned stakeholder. Instead, we view this process through a 44-year organizational history, in which constitutional reforms to help guide deliberation on the size of government have occupied the central part of our mission. The federal budget has only been balanced five times since NTU’s founding in 1969. This dismal record proves that neither “political will” nor statutory measures are up to the challenge of protecting taxpayers and providing for a sustainable fiscal future.

Through its innovative structure, the BCBBA would properly enshrine long-term balance in our Constitution while facilitating substantial flexibility. The BCBBA is a worthy approach to long-term fiscal discipline. We urge Representatives to co-sponsor H.J. Res. 24 and to work toward its enactment.

* This organization’s position on this resolution was entered by POPVOX.


Make Canoe my Homepage

Connor Jessup asks: Who’s more difficult, the aliens or the humans, in Falling Skies?

- June 14th, 2013

As if the surviving humans in Falling Skies didn’t have enough to worry about, another race of aliens shows up for season three.

Three’s a crowd,” said 18-year-old Canadian Connor Jessup, who plays Ben Mason. “So it’s a crowded season.

As if it wasn’t complicated enough for these people. Alien threat grows, it’s sort of redundant.

But even if the aliens disappeared, you still have to deal with humans, and we’re not easy.”

Truer words never were spoken. As the third season of Falling Skies debuts across Canada with back-to-back episodes on Super Channel on Sunday, June 16 (one week after its debut on TNT in the United States), it’s hard to tell who’s more bothersome and problematic, the aliens or the humans.

Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Falling Skies follows the human fight against an occupying alien force that is plaguing the Earth. Noah Wyle stars as Tom Mason, father of Jessup’s character Ben.

It really has grown in scale,” Jessup said. “If you go back and look at the first season, it really was just a story about a small group of people, very insular, fighting against a faceless, nameless enemy that we didn’t understand.

But by the third season it has expanded, more people have joined up, we founded a society, new technology, new aliens, there are faces to villains, names to villains, there’s weird phraseology. It has become deeper in terms of the genre element and the sci-fi element.

The show started out strongly attached to the American Revolution. And in many ways it still is. It’s following the path of, say, Tom as a George Washington figure, whose first concern is purely military, how do we win this? But as victory becomes in sight, the political questions arise. After victory, what kind of world do we build? That theme is entering the show, especially in the third season.”

Jessup’s character Ben, a former captive of the aliens, has become a translator for a group of rebel “skitters,” which is the term used to describe the invaders.

Season two was all about walking this tightrope between alien and human for Ben,” Jessup explained. “There’s a transformation happening. It’s not resolved. He’s changing.

Even though at the end of season two Ben fell more on the human side, it’s an ongoing thing. It’s a hard world for Ben to live in, because now that he’s not alone any more in having these abilities and people are starting to appreciate the contribution we can make, it’s still by no means easy.

Again, it begs the question: After the war, will these things be so easily forgotten? The youthfulness we have now, that people appreciate us for now, when that’s gone what will be left? How will we recover?”

Trying to win the war leads to trying to win the peace. It’s a pattern that has been repeated over and over in human history, and the theme continues in Falling Skies, with aliens thrown into the mix.

The war is not over by any means, but it has entered a different phase,” Jessup said.

Wars unite disparate factions. People who would not normally be allies, it forces them to be friends. But after wars, those things are a lot more difficult.”

- February 13th, 2013

Abraham Lincoln is the comeback president of the year.

Comebacks aside, some things are better left uninvented.


Vaada film Sundar C and Sheryl Brindo in lead. Sundar C is essaying the role of a person who avenges the person who has spoilt his life. Sheryl Pinto acts as an ardent fan of MGR and she feels her husband Sundar C should also be like him. Both of them dance for the song Enakku Needhan MGR Unakku Naan Dhan Saroja Devi.