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Nagzira Tiger Reserve- A Trip Report
10 Attachment(s)
Nagzira Wild Life Sanctuary & Tiger Reserve is situated in Bhandara district of Maharashtra (India). The nearest railway station is Gondia over Howrah- Mumbai railway, which is around 40 km away. Chorkhamara and Pittejhari gate are the main entry points of the forest. Chorkhamara gate is nearest to Gondia and Pittejhari gate is nearest to Sakoli town over NH-6.Attachment 18002
We spent our nights in forest rest house (Holiday Home No-1), which is deep inside core area and adjacent to the forest office of Nagzira. These Holiday homes (forest rest house) of Nagzhira have a drawing room, a bedroom and an extra room which looks like a kitchen or pantry. The toilets are out of the room, in the small, open courtyard surrounded by a wall (the design is like old railway staff quarters) and covered by the green foliage of the sal - mahua tree grown outside of bungalow. There are 10 such holiday homes and two 3 & 6 bed room rest house named Latakunj and Madhukunj. Attachment 18003Food is available in the canteen which is run by forest department. The complex is in the core zone and situated in the bank of famous Nagzira Lake. A log house and a VIP bungalow named Nilay is also present, and both are also built in the bank of Nagzira Lake, the other side of our complex. Attachment 18010these are situated inside forest core area none have electricity. The complex of holiday homes, canteen etc have no proper fencing around them. Spotted deer & Langurs are the common visitors of the complex. One night I have heard alarm calls of spotted deer from some close locations which indicates panther or tiger, nearby. Chorkhamara village just outside the forest gate have two private accommodations in March'11, the time we visited. Attachment 18006
It took nearly 2 hours to reach Chorkhamara gate from Gondia railway station by car, which we reserved for the whole tour and kept inside the forest for safari. In Nagzira diesel cars were not restricted at that time, and petrol hoodless Gypsies were not available. As we had reservation of holiday home, we were permitted to enter the forest and stay there at night, after paying the entry fees, guide charges (who will stay with us for next 2 days inside forest) and camera fees in the Chorkhamara gate. Day visit from 6 am to 1 pm and 3 pm to 6 pm is also allowed. Tourists who have permits of forest rest house are also permitted for safari in this scheduled time, only.Attachment 18000
During our stay inside, we never met any tiger or panther though we were very close on his heals. During day 2 safari just after a km from Forest office we met a forest guard on bicycle, who stopped our car with some anxious gesture. He was nervous and heavily sweating and told us that a few yards away, where the forest path have a sharp bend, he met a tiger just a few minutes back, strolling towards the bend from our direction. Both were surprised and stared at each other for some moments when the beast turned and faded behind the dense undergrowth of bamboo grove. Our overzealous driver Latif bhai silently followed the path towards the bend which leads to a water hole.Our guide indicates that the tiger is still nearby as the deer and langoors have vanished from the location. Suddenly the rain came, and we lost our chance of sighting. We spent 2 nights inside the core area. We have heard the alarms calls of frightened chital and langoors while waiting at the Nagzhira lake near our forest rest house, where we spent most of our time sitting over those black rocks and watching the birds, while my daughter enjoyed sketching pictures. We have spotted Neelgai, Sambar and Cheetal Wild Boar and Gaur(Indian Bison) while in safari. Crested Serpent Eagle, Red jungle fowl, Peacock, Plum headed Parakeet, Rose ringed Parakeet, Indian Roller or Neelkanth, Racket tailed Drongo, Black Drongo, Barbets, Tailor bird, Tree pie were sighted. One evening we have spotted a large Brown fish owl just came out of its day hide out and perched over a dry trunk across a waterbody.Attachment 18004
In Nagzira, tourists are restricted on Thursday and no booking is allowed inside. So we came out of the core area and arranged a local guest house with the help of Latif ji and a local guide, outside Chorkhamara gate. The guest house has a large open compound. A concrete one storey house with two rooms along with attached bath and a common verandah is built in middle of the ground. The other side of the road is covered with dense forest. Village and forest gate both are within a distance of 5 minutes gentle walking. The rest house has electricity. Another attraction is food. To a non-vegetarian Bengali forest lover it's really a pleasure to have delicious deshi - chicken (village grown fowl) curry in the dinner plate along with local grown rice after 2 days of complete vegetarian diet inside the forest.Attachment 18009
An old banyan tree which was full of blossom in the month of March is the point of attraction to a large number of birds, like barbet, redwhiskered bulbul, tailor bird and parakeets. One afternoon we found a herd of 6 neelgai in the pond nearby. Attachment 17999Our guide informed us that the forest opposite to this rest house is frequently visited by tiger and leopards & his claim was confirmed at that afternoon when I heard repeated alarm calls of Langoors from the roadside jungle. Attachment 18008
Next evening was eventful. A little thunder shower that followed the scorching heat of the day has stopped by 8 pm. I heard 4 or 5 sharp 'Koo', the alarm calls of a spotted deer followed by a strange cough like sound from a close distance. The sounds died suddenly just as it started. It was pitch dark in that cloudy night. Some time later our car returned from the village and our guide who ran to us, and told to get into car fast, as a tiger over the kill was spotted by two local bikers on the main road outside forest area. We three were excited. Rupsa, my little daughter who is a fan of the stories of Kenneth Anderson, Jim Corbett and Buddhadeb Guha's Rijuda along with her scared mother and excited father ran towards the jeep while Latif ji started the car. Half kilometers away, we spotted the sign of blood over the road and then the abdominal wastes, liver and intestines lying in a pool of blood. A spotted deer was laying a few feet away, close by the road, but the tiger has vanished. The whole atmosphere is tensed and unusually quite as if all creatures are frightened and waiting for the horrible fate, the unlucky deer met some time ago. I've seen tiger many times in the jungle, but this experience was quite different. We drove away to the highway nearby and after 10 minutes we returned. Suddenly in the field, where in that morning I roamed to get the snaps of a female Purple Sunbird, at a distance of 10 or 15 feet from our car two large eyes sparkled in the powerful light of my maglite. They are quite larger than the eyes of a deer or bison seen at night. The large round head of a tiger with blood allover its whites were clearly visible, who was also watching us anxiously. We decided to leave the spot immediately. Though the area is out of tiger reserve, but it's unfair to disturb him from his rightful meal. Next morning we drove to the site. The daylight has erased our horror of last night and we got down from the car to examine the foot prints. The pug marks and the deep hoof marks of the frightened deer were allover in the rain soaked ground. It is a rare and exciting experience to a jungle lover. I found the intestine and other part of abdomen with the mark of dried blood and froth of the dying deer over the road. I've read that it's a common practice of a tiger to clear the abdominal wastes and put it at a distance apart before starting the meal. The tiger was hungry and spared no time in devouring the meal beside the road when accidentally the local biker spotted it. After we left the spot yesterday night it carried away the deer in some nearby forest where no human nuisance could disturb its supper. We left Nagzhira that day to catch a train from Nagpur which is approx 4 hour drive through NH6.Attachment 18007
Some important information about Nagzhira:
Chorkhamara gate of Nagzhira Tiger Reserve is approx 40 km (2 hrs drive) from Gondia Rly. stn over Howrah Mumbai (via Nagpur) railway. Other entry point is Pittejhari gate which is about 45 minutes drive from Sakoli town at NH6 (Kolkata-Mumabai National Highway)
Car : It is essential to keep the vehicle inside, which will be also used in Safari. We booked it from Sonali Travels (Gondia, Maharashtra); contact No-09422830601. Mr. Mahesh Ji, owner of the company, whom I talked many times over phone but never met him in person, is a gentleman in nature, with an attitude of helping the tourists. Our driver Mr. Latif is an excellent person I've ever met. He is helpful and an enthusiastic forest and bird lover.
Nagzhira is one of the cheapest forest of Maharashtra. Charge of all types of FRH is Rs.400/- per day. Log hut is the best. Niloy another guest house is allotted only to the VIP s. The forest Holiday Homes are ill maintained and in a worst shape. The floors are carpet covered, but with a lot of holes in it, which accommodates large contingents of rats who come out after night fall and roam freely all over the rooms including the beds of helpless tourists. So be sure to put a mosquito net which should be carried by you because, two mosquito nets for two beds which are provided by the forest department are full of holes. But the experience of staying inside the core area of a tiger reserve without the faintest hint of electric lights at night is something unique and romantic. I've heard that all these accommodations will be closed and moved outside the core area like other Tiger Reserves in near future. The men who run the canteen are good host and most accommodative, food which is strictly non vegetarian, are tasty and cheaper than Kanha, Bandhabgar or even Tadoba. For Booking of Forest Rest House : Depty Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), Bhandara, at Gondia, Mulchul Road, Ashirwad Road- Ashirwad Bhawan; Gondia- Maharashtra; India; PIN-441601. Phone- +91 7182 226399.
The private guest house outside the Chorkhamara gate is also a nice place to enjoy the forest and have electricity. It is well maintained. Rooms are not large but clean with tiled floor. Both have attached bath with western toilets. For booking, contact- Mr.Puresh Kodape of Chorkhamara village (he is also a famous guide of Nagzhira and a nice person who will take care about all of your needs) Ph No- +91 9158265860.
Nice trip report.
Good trip report & photos.
Thanks for sharing this info on Nagzira. Very good report with lovely pictures
That was really amazing trip.I like those beautiful picture of nature and wildlife.
well written and good photos!
Thank you for the trip report. I was wondering about this place for a while now. I am hoping to visit it very very soon. You report was quite informative.
Thank you all for these encouraging messages.
Thanks for theses informations. A french friend went there last year, stayed outside the sanctuary for 3 days, saw tigers and sloth bear...but he had a problem the last day when the sanctuary director stopped him at the gate when he went out. The director closed the gate, asked him for a tip...he had to pay 3600 Rs after sometime and then went out...
It should be reported in proper forum and these types of unwanted incidents must be stopped immediately.
thnx for sharing this lovely trip report on one of my favourite wilderness place!!.i had been visiting this wls for a lont time!!!.wat it Gazelle INN resort out side chorkhamara gate?.
@ didi india.well Nagzira does not have a Director its being controlled by the DCF from Gondia.
have you taken up the matter with proper authority b'cause its a serious allegation ,Ihave friends there who runs NGO & monitors continuously Nagzira which includes a journalist .so if you give detail then it can be exposed!!.
LAso Nagzira spreaded into Gondia dist also
1 Attachment(s)
Outstanding trip report.good photographic documentation.waiting for another.
I'll ask my friend to have more details.
please do !! it should be exposed!!.i 'll ask my friends there
I change some words of my first post. My friend payed 3600 Rs after 2 hours speaking to a forest official (which seemed to leave just inside the park on the left of a big house).
Is it possible that a moderator cancel my precedent post in this thread.
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Questions for WeatherBug's Andy Jedynak
Desktop apps offer advertisers targeted campaigns and innovative formats. In a chat with ClickZ, WeatherBug's VP of business development discusses the channel's possibilities and challenges.
Desktop apps offer advertisers targeted campaigns and innovative formats. In a chat with ClickZ, WeatherBug's VP of business development discusses the channel's possibilities and challenges.
Three out of four Internet users connect to the Web via non-browser applications, a Nielsen/NetRatings report from late last year found. That amounts to 106 million people, a vast audience and one still largely untapped by marketers. While the mere mention of desktop ads quickly raises the hackles of privacy advocates (who associate them with companies that monitor surfing habits), the truth is some of these applications inspire great loyalty among users.
Take AWS Technologies' WeatherBug application. WeatherBug's weather data is provided to Web users through back-end relationships with schools across the U.S., schools where AWS sets up "WeatherNet Classroom" centers to give kids hands-on meteorological experience. The program's been such a hit that the National State Boards of Education recognized the company's CEO with its top award. Now there's a strong brand.
Andy Jedynak, WeatherBug's VP of business development, is effusive when it comes to desktop advertising. Jedynak is pushing several innovative ad formats intended to increase acceptance among its 32 million active users while boosting effectiveness for advertisers. In a recent interview with ClickZ, he talked about some of them.
Q.Desktop advertising appears to be growing steadily. What are the current trends in marketing on the desktop?
A.It's beginning to be more popular to advertise on the desktop because people's habits and expectations for how they get information online are changing. Internet applications are much faster than a Web site, [their content] much more convenient and readily accessible. The Web site is slowly being superceded by the application, and because of this it's going to be more important for advertisers to use this channel.
Smart advertisers are going to look closely at their choices in the application space. Applications have been underutilized by advertisers. It's a comfort thing, but the Internet application space is growing up, just as the Web space did in the late nineties.
It's an exciting time; the way people access the Internet is absolutely changing. Four years ago we made the rather large decision of not offering our application through a Web site. We absolutely don't regret it.
Q.Your format innovations have met with considerable acclaim and market success.
A.There are two unique formats that are gaining popularity with advertisers. One is the Brandwrap, where advertisers' [creative] takes over the entire surface of the WeatherBug app. It's impossible to miss; the content itself is integrated into the ad.
The second is Sponsor Select, in which we ask our WeatherBug users to go ahead and select a sponsor. We thought it made sense to go to the next step and give them control over the ads they see. Sponsor Select turns the whole interactive advertising paradigm on its ear.
Users are completely in control of where they go and how much time they spend on any Web site. One thing they [usually] don't have control over is the sponsor who supports their experience. We took that step.
People understand. They know they're getting these services for free, and we've found people love to choose their own sponsor. If someone chooses you as an advertiser, they're far more likely to convert and buy. A desktop environment gives advertisers the flexibility to do this.
Q.What about targeting ads based on registration information?
A.Yes. There's a high hurdle for applications to get new customers. A user has to go to the trouble of downloading, and people are reluctant to fill out registration info. WeatherBug asks people to provide their name, income, zip code, occupation, all these things that are really valuable to an advertiser's plans.
An advertiser can target, for example, 18- to 54-year-old women with a $50,000 or greater household income. If we can do that for advertisers, the waste is zero and the effectiveness of the ad goes way up.
As Internet applications proliferate, there will be more registration-based targeting available to advertisers. Eighty percent of our campaigns are now targeted by demographic. Initially it was a much smaller number.
Q.What is desktop advertising's essential value proposition for media buyers?
A.One of the proven tenets of Internet advertising and advertising in general is the more loyalty a viewer has to a property, the more effective advertising will be on that property.
Internet applications have created a direct relationship with users. The loyalty transfers to any advertising placed there. A lot of users choose to have the applications open automatically when they boot their computer, a great thing for any advertiser in line to get an impression with someone at the beginning of the day.
Q.How are you addressing legal and privacy concerns over desktop advertising?
A.We're very much against anything that would shadow anyone as they surf. We made the decision a long time ago that we weren't going to be tracking surfing habits; we think that's the right approach.
Back in 1995, when Web sites were starting to get big and the whole dot-com era was beginning to boom, everyone was worried about cookies, so Web sites then were very careful about how they used them. That fervor has died down, but part of being the leading edge is you have to worry about things like that.
Now, with applications, people have the same kinds of questions. There are a lot of people who are concerned about how they're monitored. Very soon more people will access the Web via an application than via a browser. As an industry, we need to be careful people don't perceive us as less than totally up-and-up. It's important that the big players in the Internet application space take a leading role in acting on behalf of the consumers who support our products. By extension, the consumers who use Internet apps will then perceive the advertisers who support the applications in a more positive light.
One of the things I do is go around the country and talk to people in consumer privacy groups. It's surprising how many traditional businesses don't understand there's a higher standard for privacy online than there is offline.
Q.Have you experimented with mobile distribution and advertising?
A.We were an early player in this space, which we entered three years ago. We're the principal provider of weather on Nextel phones.
As more and more advertisers decide reaching people on their PDAs and cell phones makes sense, we'll certainly be there with solutions to do that. Technology drives choice and choice drives change, and more people are now accessing the Internet with devices other than their personal computer. You just have to go where people are.
Q.Describe a typical day in the life of Andy Jedynak.
A.I usually leave before my wife and three boys are up, when it's still dark. The first thing I do is sit down with my notebook, check off the things I did yesterday and start a list of what's important to do today. I try to do them in a sequence of importance. I spend a lot of time talking to the folks in various departments at WeatherBug, and the day flies along. I do my best to get out for lunch, and admittedly don't do it enough. A great day is when I get home early enough to put my boys to bed.

subset: commoncrawl


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Are they subs, hoagies, or heroes where you live? Grinders, maybe? Apparently there are thirteen or so names for this style of sandwich, but those are the only four I've ever personally encountered. To Lane they are heroes. You can take the boy out of Queens, but you can't take Queens out of the boy. Being a New Englander (with family hailing from Eastern Massachusetts), I used to call the cold sandwiches subs and the hot or toasted subs were grinders. Now I've noticed I use them almost interchangeably, so when O requested meatball subs for dinner (the same kid who wouldn't eat pasta sauce less than a year ago!) I set to work instead of stopping to ponder the difference any further.
The perfect meatball sub starts with a great sub roll. The roll should be soft enough that you don't send meatballs flying everywhere while you try to bite through the crusty bread. The roll also needs to be dense enough that the sauce doesn't seep all the way through, making a soggy mess. The latter is my preference, I know plenty of people who happily devour a meatball sub even if the bread is completely soaked through. Ever since I started making our bread at home, I've attempted the perfect sub roll a few times. Some were too crusty, some were not crusty enough. Some were too soft to hold up to much filling, and others were too dry. These have solved my sandwich roll problems. They are soft and just crusty enough, and they held up really well to a generous filling of sauce and meatballs. I can stop my search for the perfect roll and go back to convincing Lane that around these parts, he's eating a sub (or maybe a grinder).
Sub (or Grinder, or Hero, or Hoagie) Rolls
- 1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 C. warm (105-115 degrees) water, divided
- 2 tsp. sugar, divided
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 C. bread flour (see notes on flour in the directions below)
- 2 C. all-purpose flour
Combine yeast and 1/4 C. of the warm water in a small bowl.
Sprinkle 1 tsp. of the sugar over the yeast mixture and let sit for about 5 minutes, or until foamy.
Add the remaining 1 1/4 C. of warm water and remaining 1 tsp. of sugar to the yeast mixture.
Add the oil and stir to combine.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the salt and both flours.
Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until smooth.
Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook attachment and knead for 5-6 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Note on flour: I have made these rolls when it is very humid outside (and thus humid in the house), making for an incredibly sticky dough. If you find it necessary, add more flour 2 Tbsp. at a time during the kneading process. The final dough should be smooth and elastic and only very slightly if at all sticky. I don't find it necessary to add more flour every time I make these, it just seems to depend on the level of humidity.
When the dough is finished, lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough in the bottom.
Turn the dough once to coat it evenly with oil.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for 1 hour, until dough has doubled in size.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, punch down, and divide it into 8 equal-sized balls.
Shape each ball of dough into a long oval, close to how large you want the finished rolls to be. The rolls will get larger, my ovals were 5-6 inches long and the finished sub rolls are 7-8 inches long.
Place the shaped rolls on the lined baking sheet and make a 1/4 inch deep slash across the top of each roll using a razor blade or sharp knife.
Cover the baking sheet with greased plastic wrap and place in a warm place. Allow the rolls to rise for 30 minutes.
Bake the rolls for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
Remove to a wire rack to cool before slicing.
Makes 8 rolls.
Source: adapted from Rakish Eats


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Stainless steel goniometer measures the range-of-motion of finger joints and other small joints including toes. Head has two opposing 180 scales marked in 5 increments. A linear scale in both inches and centimeters in on one arm.
Measures lung capacity without using water. Unit is small, lightweight, and easy to handle and offers a broad measurement range of 1,000 - 7,000 cc.
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Some of you may have had trouble accessing this site yesterday as I left it open on my computer and didn't realize the problem until I tried to log on myself. So sorry…
But for those of you who did log on and for all your sweet comments about my daughter's HaPpY mail…thanks a bunch. She had a little foot surgery yesterday and just wasn't feeling herself.
Today's post was just the most fun to make…and so easy!
I'm loving this framelit! This whole project took me maybe 20 minutes.
The flowers are from the Special Reason Buncle…
I punched every other side panel for more light to escape…
Previously I posted a white box with a flower on top (you can scroll down to find it if you missed it) and I have plans for a box for a baby shower. But wouldn't these be pretty on a dinner table or at a wedding reception/shower? Seriously the possibilities are endless.
Here are the ordering numbers if you'd like to pop over and order any of these supplies from pages 42-43 in the Occasions Catalog by clicking on the "shop now" star to the left…Special Reason Bundle (flowers) #144720 and Window Shopping Bundle (box) #142726. Questions? Leave me a comment…
Here's the Stuff 'N Digits for you…
- Paper: Bermuda Bay and Thick Whisper White Cardstock
- Ink: Pear Pizazz, Daffodil Delight, More Mustard, Pool Party, Bermuda Bay
- Stamps: Special Reason
- Tools 'N Embellishments: Stylish Stems Framelits, Window Box Thinlits 3/8″ Ruched Ribbon and Linen Thread. The tea light was bought at Hobby Lobby.
- Cut your Bermuda Bay cardstock 6″ x 11″. Lay the box framelit to the short edge, place one of the side panel and the large top panel inside the box panel and cut. Cut another box from the same sheet of cardstock. It just fits! Cut off two side panel tabs on ONE of the box pieces. Lay the pieces facing in opposite direction (meaning the large top/bottom faces one direction and opposite for the other piece) Glue with Multipurpose Glue the side tab to connect the top to the bottom. Burnish score lines on the bottom (pick either one) and glue the two tabs that will connect the bottom to the side panels on both sides of this piece and repeat for the top. You will have one tab that just tucks in so that the top of the box will open. Insert tea light and close tab.
- Stamp flowers on scrap of Whisper White CS with Pool Party tapping edges with a sponge and Bermuda Bay before stamping. Use Daffodil Delight and More Mustard for smaller flower. Stamp leaves in Pear Pizazz. Use Framelits to cut out all in one pass through Big Shot. Attach to side of box with dimensionals and Multipurpose Glue.
- Make box with several loops of ribbon and tie off in center with Linen Thread. I used hot glue for the attachment of the bow.
You are going to love this set for so many reason and in every color!
It's Friday! Hope your weekend is just what you need.
Here's your "B-ism" for today…
like the shoe company says, "just do it!"
Be HaPpY … Stay inky!


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HAINING, China - Standing on the podium waiting to receive their FIBA Diamond Ball tournament gold medals, the United States women's basketball team had only one thought on their minds: This was only a dress rehearsal. The real performance begins now at the Olympics.
"Being here is great but this wasn't the real show," said Candace Parker, who scored 12 points in America's 71-67 win over Australia in the gold medal game.
"It was like an audition for the Olympics. We passed the pre-Olympic test but now we're going to go and take care of business."
This was the first meeting between these two rivals with both teams at full strength since the 2004 Olympics gold medal game, won by the Americans 74-63.
"This is all locked away," said Lisa Leslie, who led the U.S. with 14 points.
"This is rehearsal. Now we're getting ready for the big game."
Before Tuesday's game both teams said this contest was merely a tuneup for the Olympics and nothing more. Yet the physical play spoke differently. Players on both teams hit the floor after hard fouls and the game had the feel of an Olympic gold medal matchup not a meaningless game.
"I don't think there has every been a game when we played Australia when it wasn't physical," said Leslie.
Penny Taylor, who led Australia with 19 points sported a blackened left eye after the game. Something she surely will remember if the two teams do meet again in the Olympics.
"I've got a souvenir to take with us," Taylor said, pointing to her eye.
Both teams were raving about having such a high-quality tuneup right before the Olympics.
"I've been to three Olympics games and this Diamond Ball is by far the best in terms of preparation," said Australia's Lauren Jackson, who finished with 16 points in the loss and was named the tournament's MVP. "Everyone has their full teams and the top three teams in the world are here. It's a great lead up to the Olympics."
The Americans were leading 67-65 with 2:04 left when Leslie hit a layup to extend the advantage to four. Taylor answered with a twisting layup on the other end to make it a two-point game.
With the shot clock winding down, Tina Thompson hit a jumper from the corner to restore a four-point lead. Then Australia turned the ball over on it's next two possessions, sealing the win for the U.S.
"This was a great tournament for us in terms of our preparation and I couldn't have asked for more," U.S. coach Anne Donovan said.
The U.S. was also tested by Latvia in its first game. Latvia proved it could be a potential spoiler in the Olympics, beating Russia in the opener. Aneta Jekabsone averaged 29 points for Latvia against the two powerhouse teams and made a strong impression.
"She can play on my team any day," U.S. guard Sue Bird said. "I think she would do well in the WNBA."
While Latvia was impressive, Russia looked disjointed. Becky Hammon made her Russian debut and could lead them only to one victory over Mali in the fifth place game.
In the much-hyped game against the United States, Hammon and her Russian teammates were no match for the Americans.
"You take the win with a grain of salt," Donovan said. "Russia will be ready once the games start."
Russia has notoriously looked out of sorts early on during international tournaments before coming on strong later. At the 1998 World Championships, the United States routed Russia by 36 points in the preliminary round before needing to rally from a nine-point halftime deficit to beat them in the championship.
Mali showed it could compete for short periods of time, but viewed the tournament as a chance to just improve.
"Our goal in the Olympics is to try and beat New Zealand," said Mali forward Kadiatou Kanoute, who played her college basketball at Fordham. "That's the team that we think we have a shot to compete against. The rest of the time is just a learning experience for us."


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Well, the graphics are good...
... Buuuut that's about all this two-bit anime-wannabe has going for it. The sound was mediocre at best, and it really didn't add any sort of hype to this promo, let alone inspire me to watch any more of it. The style is, as I've said before, cliche and unoriginal. Sure, you came up with your own characters, but so have a ton of other people. Welcome to the cesspool of wannabe-animes. Stop cranking out this crap.
these are starting to get realy old and anoying...
you seem to be very good at everything you do. But i want to ask you something. What kind of sick fantasy porn world do you live in where all the women are sexy (i know thats an anime thing because i am also a huge anime fan) but I mean c'mon! seriously there are no guy characters in this story or anime or OVA or whatever it is. I also hate it that the women are dykes!
My world seems to be a lot bigger than your closed-minded little homophobic world, from this and your reviews of my other stuff which are little more than rants against human nature. I said it before, stop watching my stuff. You won't find anything you like, and I'm not making it for you.
This is one hell of a flash video.Im suprised this didn't make frontpage.The style of art is familiar.
I like the cut of your jib
This movie is the tops, don't get me wrong. But after I found out that everybody on the show is a muff-diver the name "Pink Lemonade" gained another meaning, pretty funny, but not as cute as before. Oh yeah, and how do they have babies?


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Linked by Thom Holwerda on Wed 1st May 2013 22:40 UTC
"BlackBerry 10 is completely different from previous BlackBerry operating systemsâ€"with good reason. Its core assets come from a company named QNX, which Research In Motion acquired in 2010. Blackberry 10 features include 'live tiles' that dynamically refresh with new information, as well as a revamped keyboard and security upgrades. But what really makes or breaks a phone is the quality (and quantity) of its third-party apps. So what we'll do here is look at the programming API. That will give us a good grip on what app developers can do with the platform."
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Whether they realize it or not, Blackberry is dead. Finished. Kaput.
I don't give them much of a shot either, but it isn't because of lack of effort. BB10 is actually pretty damn nice (my co-worker bought a Z10 and it is pretty solid), I just don't know if they can make up so much lost ground...
If their marketshare starts to climb over the next year, even a little bit, I wouldn't completely count them out. Well see I guess.
The fact that they still exist is pathetic, like a former movie star trying to make a comeback, when their 15 minutes of fame died a long time ago.
That seems a bit over the top to me... 15 minutes of fame? They reigned over the smartphone market before it was even called that - have a little respect for your elders
Anyway, Hollywood is riddled with aging movie stars that somehow made a comeback after all but disappearing. Its not like it never happens...
RE[2]: Meh
Meh is right, the problem with RIM is their past. IE they were a business phone, no one wants that anymore apart from luddite IT managers. Now it's all about BYOT, ie bring your own tech, ie consumer devices in the workplace.
I used to have a blackberry pearl for a phone. The main thing it could do is hold 2000 text messages from a shitty IT system that would page me that some moron's code and fscked up again. They were phone built for IT policies and annoying the fuck out of you. Not for people.


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Ascension Air, the fractional ownership provider of Cirrus SR22T GTS single-engine aircraft, is planning to launch a second operation in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this month. Ascension Air currently bases six of the Cirrus aircraft in Atlanta. The company, which has offered an 80-annual-flight-hour fractional ownership program for the aircraft, also expanded its product portfolio with a new 60-annual-flight-hour "Aviator's Club" and 25-hr. "Prop Card." The Prop ...
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It was a rough weekend for Kansas University's football program, which lost an assistant coach to TCU and then watched a couple of its top remaining recruiting targets commit elsewhere.
Just days after learning that linebackers coach DeMontie Cross was leaving to take the same job with the Horned Frogs, a pair of highly sought offensive linemen said no to the Jayhawks and yes to other BCS-conference programs.
Honolulu offensive lineman Reeve Koehler, a four-star guard from St. Louis High who was at or near the top of KU's remaining wish list in the Class of 2013, committed to Arkansas over the weekend.
Koehler, who took an official visit to Arkansas this weekend, said last week that he would weigh his options after returning home from the visit. Arkansas and Kansas were his finalists, but evidently Koehler saw enough from new Razorbacks coach Bret Bielema and the rest of the program on his visit to commit orally while on the trip.
Koehler, 6-foot-3, 280 pounds, told Danny West of HawgSports.com that there were multiple things about the visit that he liked. One of the biggest factors was the team's bond.
"The highlight of the visit probably was seeing how tight the players are," Koehler told West. "I like that kind of brotherhood. I knew this was the place I wanted to be."
Not long after learning of Koehler's decision, the Jayhawks also lost out on another offensive lineman when College of DuPage tackle Matt Finnin, a three-star prospect who had listed KU among his five finalists, orally committed to Nebraska.
The 6-8, 330-pound juco standout told Mike Matya of HuskerOnline.com he was wowed by his visit with the Cornhuskers and did not see any reason to wait.
"I loved everything about it," Finnin told Matya. "I don't see myself playing anywhere else next year."
KU coach Charlie Weis still has two spots remaining in the Class of 2013, which can include up to 27 players because two of the midyear transfers can be counted backward to last year's class. Eleven of the 25 commitments in the class officially signed with KU in December. Many of them — mostly junior-college transfers — are in town already and will begin their lives as Jayhawks on Tuesday when the spring semester begins.
In addition, those players will be eligible to participate in spring practice, which begins March 5 and wraps with the annual spring game on April 13.
National signing day for the rest of the class is set for Feb. 6, which gives Weis and company a few more weeks to fill the remaining spots should they choose to do so. Weis has said consistently since taking over at KU that he would not sign guys simply to bring in bodies, so the possibility exists that the class is complete as is. There are a few uncommitted targets still out there, but Koehler and Finnin certainly were at the top of KU's wish list.
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Boaz Brickman, Esq.
Bridgewater, New Jersey
Vice President, Litigation
Boaz joined IPVALUE in February 2012 as Vice President, IP Counsel. Boaz came to IPVALUE from Alcatel-Lucent, where over the past ten years, he held the role of Sr. IP Counsel and Head, Assertion. In this role, Boaz was responsible for leading a worldwide team of attorneys who asserted and licensed Alcatel-Lucent patents. Before leading the Assertion Team, Boaz managed Lucent's complex, multi-jurisdictional patent cases. Prior to Alcatel-Lucent, Boaz was a litigation associate and partner in the Los Angeles office of Kirkland & Ellis where he specialized in patent litigation.
Boaz received his J.D. degree from UCLA (Order of the Coif) and his B.A.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto. Boaz is registered to practice in the State and District courts in California, and before the Federal Circuit as well as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Alfi Guindi, Esq.
Silicon Valley, California
Vice President, IP Counsel
Alfi joined IPVALUE in June 2015 with over twelve years experience across all aspects of intellectual property law. Prior to IPVALUE, Alfi was the lead assertion attorney for Rockstar Consortium's flagship licensing franchises, and the principal architect of Rockstar's portfolio-wide strategy for monetizing Standard Essential Patents, including the development and execution of FRAND positions both in the negotiation and litigation contexts. Prior to Rockstar, Alfi held senior in-house positions at Samsung (while living in Korea) and BlackBerry, where he directed dozens of patent litigations in jurisdictions including the U.S. International Trade Commission, U.S. Federal District Courts and Courts of Appeal; Germany, Italy, France, U.K. and Australia Courts; including multi-national litigations. Prior to going in-house, Alfi practiced law in New York with Quinn Emanuel Urquhart and Sullivan.
Alfi is a former Captain in the United States Marine Corps, and graduated law school from the University of Pennsylvania, where he also earned a Certificate in Business Policy and Management from The Wharton School. Alfi holds his undergraduate degree from Emory University. He is admitted to practice in New York, and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
George S. Park, Ph.D.
Silicon Valley, California
Vice President, Development
George joined IPVALUE in July 2005. He is actively involved in identifying and developing opportunities to work with patent owners to generate returns on their IP portfolios. George has experience in client relations and commercialization programs with small and large patent holders from around the world, and he has engaged in a variety of portfolio diligence engagements, including in the context of sales programs and M&A transactions.
Prior to IPVALUE, George was a Managing Scientist at Exponent, a national science and engineering consulting firm, where he managed the Menlo Park branch of the Technology Development practice. In that role, he led a number of national security related projects involving robotics, sensors, wireless communications, and biometrics technologies. George also worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Company, where he provided leadership and problem solving skills to develop corporate strategy on a wide range of issues, including the identification of IP acquisition targets for an enterprise software vendor, development of a new product line for a portable IT hardware manufacturer, and formulation of a growth strategy for a major networking company. Earlier in his career, George served as a Senior Scientist for Arete Associates and a founder of MPPY, a 4-member UCLA-based consulting team. He also served as an analyst at the RAND Corporation, a think tank conducting policy and technology analyses for government and commercial clients.
George holds an MBA degree from UCLA and a Ph.D. in Physics from Stanford University.
Paul J. Riley, Esq.
Bridgewater, New Jersey
Senior Vice President, Licensing and Litigation
Paul Riley joined IPVALUE in 2004, and currently serves as Vice President of Licensing. Paul has significant experience in conducting adversarial patent license discussions, and in drafting, negotiating and concluding complex intellectual property transactions with U.S., Asian and European companies.
Prior to joining IPVALUE, Paul was a trial lawyer at Morrison & Foerster, an international law firm recognized for its expertise in handling intellectual property issues. Paul specialized in patent litigation for clients in the high-technology, medical device, biotech and consumer electronics industries, and tried cases before judges, juries, arbitrators and the International Trade Commission. Paul also prosecuted patent applications and handled intellectual property–related transactional matters for his clients.
Paul holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in biomedical engineering from Tulane University, where he was Dean's Honor Scholar, and a Juris Doctorate degree, cum laude, from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America. He is a member of the United States Patent Bar, and is admitted to practice law in California, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Paul is a frequent lecturer both domestically and abroad on topics relating to intellectual property commercialization strategies and tactics.
Steve H. Shin, Esq.
Bridgewater, New Jersey
Vice President, IP Counsel
Steve joined IPVALUE in June 2008. He has eight years of experience as a patent attorney. Prior to joining IPVALUE, Steve was an Associate in the Litigation department at Patterson, Belknap, Webb, and Tyler LLP. Before that, Steve was at Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale and Dorr, LLP and Clifford, Chance, Rogers and Wells. At these firms, Steve's work included patent litigation, opinion work, client counseling and patent prosecution.
Steve received a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Dartmouth College, a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from UCLA and a JD from Columbia University School of Law where he was the Harlan Fisk Stone Scholar. Steve has six publications in the area of solid-state photochemistry. He is admitted to practice in New York as well as Federal Court in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
Jonathan Takei, Esq.
Silicon Valley, California
Vice President, IP Counsel
Jon joined IPVALUE in March 2005, bringing more than ten years of experience in patent and intellectual property litigation to his role at IPVALUE. Prior to IPVALUE, Jon was Of Counsel at Fenwick & West LLP, where he litigated and managed patent and other intellectual property cases. Previously, Jon was an associate at Cooley Godward LLP. Jon has counseled clients in a range of technology industries, including semiconductors, mechanical devices, laser optics, biotechnology, fitness equipment, and medical devices. Jon's experience encompasses all stages of litigation, from pre-filing investigations, discovery, dispositive motion practice, claim construction, trial, through appeals. His experience also extends to licensing and settlement negotiations, as well as strategic patent counseling.
Jon earned his undergraduate degree in microbiology and immunology from the University of California at Berkeley, and his law degree from Santa Clara University. He is admitted to practice in California, the Federal District Courts of the Northern and Southern Districts of California, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and Ninth Circuit, and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Warren Waskiewicz
Bridgewater, New Jersey
Vice President, Licensing
Warren joined IPVALUE in January 2015. Before coming to IPVALUE, Warren served as General Manager/ VP of the IP Division at Avago. At Avago, he had full P&L responsibility for all outbound patent licensing activities (~18,000 worldwide patent assets), led the licensing team, and was responsible for consistently delivering ~$100+M in annual revenue. Prior to Avago's acquisition of LSI, Warren was at LSI for several years as VP of its IP Business. While at LSI, his team executed licensing agreements which exceeded $800M over the course of six years. Previously, Warren held several positions at Agere, Lucent and AT&T Bell Laboratories, including serving as an IP Licensing Manager at Agere after its spin-out from Lucent.
Warren holds a Master's Degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and a Bachelor's Degree in Biophysics from The Pennsylvania State University.
Andrew Wu, Esq.
Silicon Valley, California
Vice President, IP Counsel
Andrew joined IPVALUE in October 2009 with over 13 years of experience as a patent litigator. Prior to joining IPVALUE, Andrew was a partner for 6 years at Morgan Lewis. Before joining Morgan Lewis, Andrew practiced all aspects of patent and intellectual property law at Pennie & Edmonds and Sidley & Austin. Over his career, Andrew has led litigation for numerous patent and intellectual property cases in federal and state courts around the country as well as before the U.S. International Trade Commission and foreign courts. His practice has included pre-litigation counseling, patent analysis, devising and implementing substantive and procedural litigation strategy, and managing litigation teams. His litigation experience included arguing summary judgment motions, arguing claim construction, conducting direct and cross examination of fact and expert witnesses at trial, and preserving favorable rulings on appeal. He has extensive experience negotiating patent licenses in various contexts, including settlement of litigation.
Andrew received his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law, where he took first place in the Nathan Burkan Competition and was an extern for United States District Judge Donald Lee. He received his Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Aerospace) from the University of Michigan. Before law school, he was an engineer in the naval nuclear program at Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Andrew has published articles on intellectual property law in the Santa Clara High Technology Law Journal, AIPLA Quarterly Journal, and numerous IP and trade journals. He is admitted to practice in California and Illinois, and is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.


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snake3d is a variant of the snake game. You are a snake in a 3d world trying to eat as many icosahedrons as possible, which makes your tail longer. There are other snakes (network players) in the world that will try to get you.
|Games/Entertainment Arcade
|Operating Systems
|Unix Mac OS X
Release Notes: Multi-player (over TCP/IP network) is now available, with up to 4 players. Most of the GLUT code has been replaced, and now SDL is used instead. A new 2d world was added to allow new players to get acquainted with the controls before going to 3d board. When two snakes collide, now both are dead. Other minor bugs and drawing improvements were made.
Release Notes: Players can now change board settings before the game starts. Other snakes can be set to follow you instead of the food. All configurations (snakes, board, and keys) are now saved. Snake tail drawing was improved (smoother rotation), and so was the head rotation. Some bugs were fixed (including the key repeat bug).
Release Notes: A simple menu interface was added for controlling game parameters such as world selection and key configurations. The default key for quitting is now M-q. A game can be aborted to start a new one. The speed selection is finite. Some bugfixes were made. The original resolution should be restored after full screen mode. A snake bend bug (rotating from backward to right) was fixed. Mac OS X binaries are now available.
No changes have been submitted for this release.
A Fluent OpenStack client API for Java.
A TWiki appliance that is easy to use and lightweight.


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|Message view
|« Date » · « Thread »
|« Date » · « Thread »
|Shazron <shaz...@gmail.com>
|Re: Consistent implementation of the whitelist
|Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:45:33 GMT
I'd rather wait until we all agree on supporting one .xml config rather than having interim changes (less friction for users upgrading). What about plugins? I see that android uses a plugins.xml As for icons and splash screens, unfortunately on iOS it has to be specified in the app's Info.plist and cannot be from an external source, since this is handled by the app itself and outside of our control. On Tue, Jan 31, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Filip Maj <email@example.com> wrote: > I think a spec that is way more pertinent to Cordova for solving this > problem (and also many others) is the config.xml spec. Anis pointed out > the <access> element. WebWorks already uses a config.xml file as a base > for defining application metadata and configuration. So does PhoneGap > Build. Tons of goodies in there that we can use on top of caching and > server whitelisting, such as: > > - icon definitions (<icon> element) > - generic preference/configuration elements (<preference>). I believe > phonegap build uses this for things such as locking orientation in an app. > Basically anything in phonegap.xml can be mapped to <preference> elements. > - <feature> element. *VERY* pertinent to defining which APIs you want your > app to access. Essentially could replace plugins.xml in cordova currently. > - <author>, <title>, <license>, <description> elements... > - free localization of strings (such as titles) as well as content by > piggybacking on xml:lang attributes for different elements. > - application entry point (entry page) definitions (<content>) > - finally, there is a <param> element that is a key:value pair. We could > map anything to this... > > PhoneGap Build extended the config.xml elements with a splash screen > (<splash>) element as well. > > > The possibilities are endless, and we have a pretty complete spec. Also > for icing on the cake, Michael Brooks and I are involved with the W3C > community group related to the widget spec so we already have ins to > present feedback and iterate on the spec if necessary. >
|View raw message


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Pizza in the East Village
Okay, so I know that the thing now are all of these personal pizzas, fancy pizzas, etc. And I definitely love that stuff. But sometimes a gal just wants a casual slice of pizza. I know that there's a pizza place on every corner, but which ones are actually worth it? Where can I get a good slice of pizza in the East Village?


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I skipped last weeks "Music for Fridays"; my head was in the clouds as Tillerman just discovered that I was a Google #1 hit . I was still basking in all that unexpected Internet notoriety.
Well, it's taken a week. After getting congrats from my kids and a resigned shake of a head from my wife, life has just about returned to normal.
Continuing the "iconic parody" theme from the last post, here is a heretofore unknown Neil Young song performed for the very first time.
Fish On Fridays. (Old Photos Series)
1 day ago


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Business out of your crafts? (I NEED HELP!)
I was just wondering if there are any of you mom's out there that have started your own business by selling the things you enjoy to make? If so, has it been successful for you?
I'm a stay at home single mom who's been desperately looking for work but I'm expecting my second son in August so getting hired has been a real pain for me. I even thought about joining the Slumber Parties team but to start that I'll need $250 that I'm not even close to having. So I thought why not use my creativity to make things such as wipee cases, baby blankets, photo albums & things of that sort to make a little extra cash? I see people around here doing that all the time so I just wanted to get some insight on it and see if any one else out there has done it and become successful from it?
I have. I LOVE making jewelry and have a jewelry business. It's been ok. It takes a bit of time to get your business rolling. I don't use the money from my business from bills. It's very up and down so I don't think I would depend on the money from my business for bills anyway.
If you want to open a storefront, use storenvy. It is 100% free and customizable. Etsy will charge you fees as will other storefronts.
My friend has been doing well selling her crochet items. She does EVERYTHING. And I adore her baby girl shoes. lol Anyway, she uses facebook and etsy.
I have been selling my crochet stuff more to friends off facebook and one of craigslist. But since I am so new at it (and they are friends/family) I am only charging like $8. Hopefulle by winter it will be more.


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"What we're entering into is a world where America doesn't run everything. The U.S. cannot dictate," said Mr. Bandow, who is now a senior fellow specializing in foreign policy at the Cato Institute.
After facing up to world of change, Hillary Rodham
Clinton leaves a legacy of caution →
Douglas Bandow, who served as a special assistant to President Reagan, said Mrs. Clinton has "been very active in going over and meeting with leaders in the region."


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Marvell CEO Dr. Sehat Sutardja Receives Indonesian Diaspora Lifetime Achievement Award for Global Pioneering and Innovation
Award presented at historic inaugural Congress of Indonesian Diaspora, which taps into Diaspora's potential to shape the Country's progress and effect change for the better
Jul 09, 2012, 08:00 ET from Marvell
SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Marvell (Nasdaq: MRVL) today announced its chairman, president, chief executive officer and co-founder, Dr. Sehat Sutardja, was given the Indonesian Diaspora Lifetime Achievement Award for Global Pioneering and Innovation at the first-ever Congress of Indonesian Diaspora, being held July 6 – 8 in Los Angeles. The award, presented by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, recognizes Dr. Sutardja's achievements in advancing technology through innovation in engineering, driving adoption of technology into new markets and evangelizing the use of the latest technology in developing nations that will greatly impact the future.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120709/SF36373)
"I am incredibly honored and humbled to receive the inaugural Indonesian Diaspora Lifetime Achievement Award for Global Pioneering and Innovation. I am accepting this award on behalf of the millions of Indonesians who left the country while keeping the Indonesian pride and spirits alive," said Dr. Sehat Sutardja. "I am deeply thankful to my wife, Weili, and my family for their love and support. As a proud son of Indonesia, I am committed to helping Indonesia leapfrog to the knowledge based economy by adapting the most advanced technology that we have developed to make the world a better place."
"Dr. Sutardja has not only been a pioneering force in the technology industry, but also an advocate of leveraging innovation to advance Indonesia's role in the global economy and provide new opportunities for its citizens and the Diaspora," said Dr. Dino Patti Djalal, the Indonesian Ambassador to the United States. "Dr. Sutardja is widely admired and respected in Indonesia for his remarkable achievements, as well as for his humility and idealism. He embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship and excellence that Indonesians yearn for in the new global landscape of the 21st century. Dr. Sutardja was the natural selection for the inaugural Indonesian Diaspora Lifetime Achievement Award for Global Pioneering and Innovation; his accomplishments exemplify what can be achieved with a relentless, innovative drive and he is a key advisor around technology's pivotal role in the next phase of Indonesia's development."
Dr. Sutardja, born and raised in Jakarta, is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the modern semiconductor age. With more than 260 patents in his name, Sutardja's breakthrough designs and guiding vision have revolutionized the semiconductor industry and enabled landmark devices for markets ranging from data storage to mobile. He has also leveraged his technology acumen and relationships with world leaders to expand access to technology for developing nations.
Dr. Sutardja and his wife, Weili Dai, are very successful business partners who have co-founded Marvell Technology Group Ltd. together. Today, Marvell is one of the top five fabless semiconductor companies in the world. They're also very proud parents of two sons who are Electrical Engineering graduate students at UC Berkeley; Christopher and Nicholas are currently Ph.D candidates.
About the Congress of Indonesian Diaspora The Congress of Indonesian Diaspora, being held July 6 - 8 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, is the first global meeting of the Indonesian Diaspora. The event is designed to: inspire Indonesian Diaspora communities to connect and to unite to create a tangible force in order to achieve a better Indonesia; foster and implement concrete initiatives to empower Indonesian communities in the U.S. to support Indonesia's economy, social and political progress; and strengthen U.S.-Indonesian ties. Speakers include Indonesian Ambassador to the U.S. Dr. Dino Patti Djalal, Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economic Development Dr. Mari Elka Pangestu, Minister of National Education Muhammad Nuh, World Bank Managing Director Dr. Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Marvell President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Sehat Sutardja, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Indorama Group Om Prakash Lohia.
About Marvell Marvell (NASDAQ: MRVL) is a world leader in the development of storage, communications and consumer silicon solutions. Marvell's diverse product portfolio includes switching, transceiver, communications controller, wireless and storage solutions that power the entire communications infrastructure, including enterprise, metro, home and storage networking. As used in this release, the term "Marvell" refers to Marvell Technology Group Ltd. and its subsidiaries. For more information, visit Marvell.com.
Marvell and the M logo are registered trademarks of Marvell and/or its affiliates. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
For Further Information Contact:
Marvell Media Relations
Daniel Yoo
SOURCE Marvell


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Anal cancer is fortunately very rare (about half of a percent of all cancers in 2017), as screening for anal cancer has not been well-established, and the treatment, while short, is brutal. Many of those who experience it will not talk about it, due to the stigmas surrounding this cancer. Years ago breast and prostate cancer were unmentionable; it took high-profile patients such as former First Lady Betty Ford to break this taboo. Farrah Fawcett's well-publicized anal cancer may have begun this process, but secrecy and shame are still part of the anal cancer experience for many. If you have been diagnosed with anal cancer, you must expect some of your friends and relatives to be squeamish about it, and you will have to work out how to deal with this reaction; see the tab on Reactions of Others for more on this topic. If you can be open about it, and even clarify for your friends and family that the underlying virus can be transmitted in a number of ways, and most of us have been infected at one time or another, you will help to remove the stigma. See this UK discussion about why we must talk more openly about this cancer. A good short article about anal cancer and its treatment is here.
The National Cancer Institute estimates that there were 8200 new cases (about 0.5% of all new cancers) in the U.S. in 2017, most with a Squamous Cell Anal Carcinoma (SCAC), and 1,100 deaths from anal cancer in 2017. (This is just an estimate based on reporting from selected areas of the country.) The incidence of anal cancer is rising, especially among young and the proportion of women among those diagnosed is increasing - more women are reported with this cancer than men. In the past three decades reported cases have gone up some 60% for males and almost 80% for women. HPV vaccination could prevent most of these cancers, but vaccination rates in the US are very low. Until a significant part of the population has been vaccinated, increasing numbers for this cancer diagnosis can be expected. Anal cancer is an issue for gay men - see this article.
Screening and Diagnosis
Anal cancer and hemorrhoids often have the same symptoms. See these medical sites for further information - the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society and/or the Mayo Clinic; this Australian site. the Cancer Council, also offers useful information. The professional society of colon and rectal surgeons, ASCRS, has extensive information on its site. Even experienced doctors have mistakenly diagnosed hemorrhoids when the problem was anal cancer. Some doctors never examine the anal area, even though a "digital rectal exam" (DRE) requires no special equipment and not much training. Many if not most patients either do not know about this kind of examination or are reluctant to ask for it. The American Cancer Society itself dropped the recommendation for an annual DRE after 1997, in favor of examinations such as a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy that are only done every 5 or every 10 years —arguably increasing the probability of missed anal cancer signs: Chronological History of ACS Recommendations for the Early Detection of Cancer in Asymptomatic People
Symptoms such as rectal bleeding or pain, sensitivity in the groin, changes in bowel habits, and excessive gas or bloating, may be ignored or attributed to hemorrhoids. The result, recounted by numerous anal cancer patients and confirmed in medical literature, is delayed diagnosis.
If you are reading this and have not been diagnosed with an anal cancer, but have been told over time you have hemorrhoids – consider consulting a colorectal doctor or an oncologist soon!! This is especially true if you have any of the symptoms mentioned above. A DRE and if possible an anoscopy, or proctoscopy, a simple exam with a small instrument that enables a magnified look at the area under a light, determine if there is any cause for concern. For more information on this procedure, see the National Institutes of Health, or the Harvard Medical School websites. An online search will also bring up videos of the procedure in action; you may not want to view them before you have one! Please note that an anoscopy is very different from a colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy, neither of which can adequately exam the anal canal for signs of anal dysplasia or tumors. The risk factors for anal canal are not the same as those for colon cancer, and there is no evidence that anal cancer patients are more likely to have colon cancer. Talk to your oncologist and your colorectal surgeon or gastroenterologist about these screening or followup procedures. If you are at all uncertain about the diagnostic terms that you read here or that your doctors use, a helpful guides is here. If you believe that you have not been diagnosed correctly, seek other help!
An improvement in followup of an abnormal Pap smear has been developed and approved for use in Canada and the UK but prospects for approval by the US FDA in the US are uncertain. (Research is underway in the US to review anal cancer screening for women during regular visits to the gynecologist.) This website author wonders if biophotonics might be applied to anal cancer scans; in the meantime, a periodic DRE and anoscopy is essential in the presence of persistent hemorrhoids or rectal bleeding. If you hear "don't worry about it," regarding your hemorrhoids, that may be the time to head for a colorectal surgeon. Listen to your body and your instincts! (My oncologist recommended seeing a different cancer center for a second opinion, and that in itself increased my confidence in him. No one is error-free, and it's your body being treated - make yourself responsible for understanding what will be done.)
The long-range goal of many cancer researchers now is improving detection methods so that cancers are detected far earlier than they are now. Here, for example, issues about HPV and anal cancer in older women are discussed. in the meantime, improvement of treatment - increasing effectiveness and reducing toxicity - is a key part of the story. While research on anal cancer is limited to some extent by its rarity, there are some new avenues being explored. The HPV and Anal Cancer Foundation helped to sponsor the Inaugural Annual Scientific Meeting of the International Anal Neoplasia Society (IANS) in 2013, and the following yearly conferences will help develop more research.
Following any initial diagnosis for anal cancer, your medical team will order scans to determine if the cancer has spread to any distant sites; the same tests may be part of your follow-up program. You may have encountered some of these scans as diagnostic tools for other medical problems; I did not have a clear understanding of the PET scan until I had to have one! Find a good explanation here. As you prepare for treatment, here are some suggestions for "taking control" of what is happening to you. If you have any concerns about your treatment or your medical team, don't be afraid to seek a second opinion.
Before the 1970s, most anal cancer was generally treated by a rather brutal operation that removed the anus and lower rectum, leaving the patient with a permanent colostomy (feces bag), and survival rates after 5 years as low as 40%. In 1974 Dr. Norman D. Nigro, of Wayne State University School of Medicine, published a review of patients who had been treated with combined radiation and chemotherapy – first to reduce the tumor prior to surgery, but later only with the combined regime, when it was realized this was as successful as the surgery. This combined regime has been studied and tested over the years, and improved with better-targeted radiation; but it remains the standard treatment for anal cancer, known now as the Nigro Protocol. (Dr. Nigro retired to Arizona, where he passed away in 2009.) A colostomy may become necessary if the tumor recurs in the anal area; no one of course wants to contemplate this, but recent reports from vibrant survivors show that life is well worth living post-colostomy. See this, for example, about a young model who was not afraid to be photographed in a bikini with her colostomy bag, this uncoverostomy.org YouTube, and this fascinating CNN report.
When caught early, this treatment is highly effective, with an 80% five-year cancer-free survival rate. Survival rates when the cancer is not diagnosed until a later stage drop to to 60%. (The National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, and the Cancer Guide site all offer information for patients about staging.) These are still better survival rates than many of the other cancers related to HPV, such as cervical cancer (see below).
See the National Comprehensive Cancer Network site Clinical Practices Guidelines for anal carcinoma. Registration for the Clinical Practices material is required - you do not have to be a physician to register. The guidelines are updated periodically; the guidelines for 2017 are now posted.
The Cancer Network (Journal of Oncology) discusses anal cancer management here and here.
A short summary is provided by the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons on their website. A very basic summary is available from the Lifescript site.
Many cancer treatment sites now provide advice or access to "complementary treatment," such as meditation or nutrition counseling, help with sleep disorders, and the like. See the National Cancer Institute "CAM" page for information on these treatments. This may be referred to as "integrative medicine;" these are aids to the standard treatment, to ease difficulties or improve emotional health. There is no known alternative treatment for anal cancer that eliminates the chemoradiation of the Nigro Protocol, although there is some research being pursued to improve the basic treatment. If you have been diagnosed with anal cancer, pursue acupunture, meditation, a better diet, or anything else that helps you with the treatment; but please do not try to substitute these for the treatment that you need to beat this cancer! See the Cancer Guide site for a discussion of this. You may also want to consider a clinical trial - a discussion on how to find and enter such a trial, with your physician's help, is here in the Cure magazine. Brown University, for example, is conducting trials of immunotherapy for HPV-related anal cancer (virtually all anal cancer); A discussion about this is here: and see this for further information on immunotherapy trials. European oncologists have also expressed interest in having more clinical trials for possible new treatments, and one clinic in Canada is experimenting with use of targeted viruses to attack cancer cells. Some other clincal trials are underway, and In a few years there may be new options for treatment. Here is one example from Advaxis for persistent or metastatic anal cancer.
Additionally, see this report by doctors from the 21st Century Oncology Group about colostomy-free results from "treatment in a community setting."
Less damaging treatments may be available in the future. Check out this discussion by Dr. Trimble of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation. Research and use of immunotherapy treatment is making rapid strides, and other work is being done on how to combat metastases. The HPV and Anal Cancer Foundation reported in mid-2017 about progress in treating metastatic anal cancer here.
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines also discuss the post-treatment followup, and the options depending on the results of the treatment. They include a periodic examination of the anal area, with an anoscopy rather than a colonoscopy as the recommendation. Most of us do not get even a digital rectal exam (DRE) in our standard physical or gynecological exams, much less an anoscopy, but either of these would certainly help reduce the incidence of anal cancer. Colonoscopies are designed to detect problems higher up in the digestive tract, and are not the best means for checking the anal area after the Nigro treatment is over. They also do not require extensive preparation or anesthesia, which itself has risks.
HPV and Cancer
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that approximately 85% of anal cancers are considered to arise from infection with the Human Papillomavirus, often abbreviated as HPV. (The Papillomavirus family is named from the Latin word papilla for bud, after the budding habit of these viruses.) Papillomaviruses have been identified in humans, rabbits, cows, birds and reptiles; some researchers have posited that the first land vertebrates, ancestors of today's reptiles, birds and mammals, were already hosting this virus three hundred million years ago. Genital cancers have become widespread in marine mammals, and many of them are associated with a papilloma virus. As human beings evolved the Human Papillomavirus evolved with them; over 200 strains of this family have been identified. Various studies done after the virus was isolated in the 20th century have shown that the majority of us, perhaps 80% or more, are either infected or carry antibodies, indicating a past infection. In most cases the virus co-existed with the human in a kind of balance, not growing in ways that threatened the life of the host. For a small, but growing, number the balance breaks down and cancer develops. This may be the result of stress, smoking, or other health problems that suppress the immune system. While medical science is aware of risk factors, exactly who will develop a cancer or other health problem* as the result of HPV infection is not known.
HPV is associated with anal, cervical, vaginal and vulvar, and penile cancers, and more recently with head and neck cancers. Researchers are also finding evidence of HPV infection in breast cancers, and prostate cancers. Michael Douglas talks about his throat cancer in terms of HPV and oral sex, with surprising frankness, here. And check this site created in Australia about penile cancer.
For more information on this virus family:
A Planet of Viruses, by Carl Zimmer, and What your Doctor May Not Tell You about HPV and Abnormal Pap Smears, by Joel Palefsky, M.D., with Jody Handley.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website covers HPV in detail at What is HPV.
See Also Alanna Kennedy-Gorman's update in Cancer Today, "The HPV Cancer Connection." WebMD has a good article here. And see this link for a personal story focused on HPV infection.
The International Papillovirus Society holds an international conference each year to share research information and increase public understanding of the virus and its role in cancers. Organizat;ions such as the HPV and Anal Concer Foundation (see Key Websites) participate and report.
HPV transmission
HPV is transmitted by skin contact. This is frequently by sexual activity, and HPV infection is described as a sexually transmitted disease, or STD, which may explain why doctors may be reluctant to want to talk about it. But sex need not be involved in this transmission. Newly diagnosed patients may be embarrassed to learn that anal cancer is characterized as an STD; it is important to understand that the infection is extremely common, and can occur without anal sex, or any sexual contact at all. Recent research has shown that HPV can be transmitted by equipment used in medical procedures such as colonoscopies or gynecological exams; see this report. And it appears to be related to stress. And now there is some evidence that the long-recommended wiping from front to back may be a means of transmitting HPV to the anal area! As the doctor in the story says, "just dab!"
Anal cancer affects more women than men, but the highest risk for this disease is among gay men, men having sex with men (MSM in the literature). "Main-stream" reporting on this cancer often leaves the impression that anal cancer results only from anal sex. Such inaccurate reporting overlooks the other risk factors for anal cancer, such as smoking, and perpetuates a stereotype that contributes to the shame that many such patients sense about this diagnosis.
Anal cancer has been associated with HPV strains 16 and 18. These two HPV strains are also associated with cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancers (and HPV strains are also causative agents in penile, mouth and throat cancers.) HPV-related cancers are on the rise among heterosexual men, despite the association with gay men for anal cancer.
The Vaccine
A vaccine now exists that offers protection against HPV 16 and 18, and two other strains that cause genital warts; and it is approved by the FDA for both young women and young men. For more information the New York Times has a very informative article, A Vaccine May Shield Boys Too, see also the online Oncology Journal, Cancer Network here. In October 2011 the Centers for Disease Control's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended the vaccine for boys and young men (Panel Endorses HPV Vaccine for Boys of 11), and spoke to concerns that the vaccine had adverse effects. The National Cancer Institute presents information here. Another study indicates that young women who receive this vaccination are not more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior - e.g., be promiscuous. A good discussion of this issue appeared in the Boston Globe M.D.Mama column. In late June 2013 a CDC study was published showing a substantial drop in HPV infections in girls, even with a relatively low rate of vaccination, and there is evidence that the vaccine helps prevent cervical cancer. The recent study showing that HPV infection can occur in medical procedures makes the vaccine even more important! A Conservative MP in Canada announced support of the vaccine for boys after going through his own agonizing treatment for throat cancer. The M.D.Anderson Center has joined 68 other cancer centers in calling for vaccination. Regretably, the application of the vaccine in the US is still very low. Perhaps this piece in Teen Vogue will help reassure!
Charlotte Haug, M.D., discusses the risks and benefits of this vaccine in the Journal of the American Medical Assciation. For a view from the British Medical Journal, see this. Unfortunately, the CDC reports that vaccination is proceeding very slowly in the US, in part because doctors do not actively recommend it to teenagers - and few if any school programs include it. See the HPV and Anal Cancer Foundation report. Fortunately the vaccine is reported to be working among those who have received it.
Vaccination can help prevent disease even among those who have had severe HPV-related disease such as cancer. (Canada has raised their upper age limit to 45, while the US CDC keeps the limit at 26 - why?) For more details on this research and the implications for those of us who've had an HPV-related cancer, see this Science Daily story, and the summary from the British Medical Journal where the research was published. The US Department of Defense has endorsed the vaccination for patients within its system; see the report here. While this news is important, recent studies conducted in Sweden indicate that the protective effect of the vaccine is enhanced by receipt of the shots at younger ages.
There are promising indications that an experiemental vaccine might serve as treatment for pre-cancerous cervical lesions; these are caused by the same HPV strains that can cause anal cancer, so the hope must be that early discovery might lead to prevention of a cancer. And Australia researchers report that a new vaccine might completely eliminate cervical cancer.
On the HPV test:
Can you get HPV through oral sex?
Risk factors and incidence of anal cancer:
For additional detailed information on anal cancer, see the Key Websites Page.
*Recent research suggests that an HPV infection in women may raise the risk of heart attack or stroke.
General information on HPV from M.D.Anderson


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Norma Bartol: horses once part of town business
Updated 7:49 pm, Thursday, August 15, 2013
Although I am sitting under an umbrella watching the ocean waves and my grandchildren, and enjoying them, the dates of the fall events are arriving ahead of time in the mail, and on my (believe it or not) computer.
On Saturday, Sept. 21, Earl Nemser's "Stetsons & Stilettos" will take place. This is one of the most fun parties to my knowledge, perhaps because of the name, unusual, the place, fabulous, the food and drink, exceptional, or all this put together. I wonder what is going to happen in the bull ring?
Speaking of the Greenwich Riding & Trails Association reminds me that while perusing "Greenwich 1640-1990," a special section of Greenwich Time, I came upon an article about horses in Greenwich past. Naturally I had to bring this to the fore.
According to Lesley Clark, staff writer, "horses were always a part of life in town." I was particularly interested as the writer takes a somewhat different view from that which I usually tell about. To wit: we all know that Greenwich starting out as a farming community using draft horses.
There were still some in Field Point Park where the Mead family plowed with a team. When my grandmother visited the Missus Mead I was allowed to ride on the huge work horses. I was thrilled, especially as later on I was given a ride in the electric car belonging to the Meads. My grandmother, who at that time was living in Belle Haven, was driven with me in her elderly locomobile, although my mother sported about in one of the first wood station wagons. What a time for a 10 year old.
In the 1800s horses helped to support the businesses in those days. Feed grain suppliers, carriage makers and blacksmiths could be found up and down Greenwich Avenue.
Edward Fitzsimmons handmade sturdy harnesses for farm horses, as well as decorative ones for the carriage horses of the well-to-do Belle Haven and backcountry folk. The firm went on to be a gas station and also Pontiac Sales on Railroad Avenue across from the station. Then there was Silas Derby and his stage service to carry school girls to and from their school in Banksville.
As I have mentioned before, the first foxhunt began at the Field Club where the members had built a stable. The first Drag Hunt was in 1914 and then in 1915 the Greenwich Riding Association was formed, and also became backers of the Fairfield and Westchester hounds. They also developed bridle paths in backcountry Greenwich, which I am happy to be able to report are still being used by Greenwich riders in spite of the appalling development in town.
The Greenwich Boys and Girls Club spent a marvelous day with my favorite farmer, Adie von Gontard. He is always doing something for everyone, and the day for the youngsters to spend on a farm and to learn about farming was enjoyed by all. They saw the free range chickens, and then they realized why an egg from the chickens is so good. Children also enjoyed the mini horses and big horses grazing in the field, the donkeys and the magical doves. In the culinary department there was a lemonade stand in the woods, and of course the most popular, the Good Humor man.
Vicky Skouras and Lucinda Harriss gave pony rides, and a horseshoe was given out to all so that it could be placed over the door, a sign of good luck. What a wonderful day the young must have had thanks to the von Gontards, and their backcountry farm.
Sunday, Sept. 22, will be the date for the famous "Go Wild," the Greenwich Land Trust's Family Field Day to benefit the preservation of open space and wildlife habitats.
There will be the popular hot air balloon rides, the petting zoo, bluegrass band, giant maze, bungee, trampoline, rock climbing wall, pony rides and lots of food of course. This is the day of all days and a wonderful Greenwich event.
Co-chairs are Nancy Fazzinga, and Lindley Pless, with Robin Bodell Fisher, Suzanne Sammis Cabot, Kim Gregory, Karen Marache and Valentina Prouty, among many to help them. Jane D. Hogeman is president of the land trust, with William S. Bishop vice president and treasurer, Janice T. Richards, vice president, and Margaret E. Conboy, secretary.
Norma Bartol, a former Greenwich Time reporter and columnist, lives in the backcountry. Her column appears on alternating Fridays. Her email address is firstname.lastname@example.com.


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OCEAN ISLE BEACH — On Valentine's weekend this year at the Ocean Isle Inn, you wouldn't have to travel far to find a knight in shining armor.
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etour | My OHIO Portal
ATHENS, Ohio (Sept. 29, 2004) -- Several departments and student groups have collaborated to create a campus-wide dialogue for tolerance and understanding during the university's OUTweek, Oct. 4 to Oct. 12. At the forefront are two events related to the 1998 murder of hate-crime victim Matthew Shepard.
Six years to the day after Matthew Shepard was lured outside a Laramie, Wyo., bar and savagely attacked for being gay, Judy Shepard, his mother, will share her son's values of respect and dignity for others through her talk at 8 p.m. Oct. 7 at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium. Using a combination of video clips, court statements and discussion on hate language and hate crimes, Judy Shepard explains how hateful behavior is a learned behavior.
As Judy and Dennis Shepard mourned in private after their son's death, they started the Matthew Shepard Foundation (www.matthewshepard.org) to carry on their son's legacy and use their grief to make a difference. To foster acceptance, prevent hate crimes and advocate for gay and lesbian equality, Judy Shepard has testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, appeared in television public service announcements aimed at curbing anti-gay violence and given public lectures in many cities across the nation. She is determined to do what she can to ensure that no other parent will have to endure what she has.
The event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Programs Center, the School of Theater, University Program Council, Residence Life, Performing Art Series, College of Fine Arts, Office of the Dean of Students, Open Mind Speaker Forum and the departments of women's studies and political science.
In addition to a talk presented by Judy Shepard, the School of Theater will present "The Laramie Project," a play written by Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project, a group of 10 New Yorkers who set out for Laramie, Wyo., to explore the town four weeks after Matthew Shepard's murder. After nearly two years of research and 200 interviews, the theater company created a moving play that transcends the small college town of Laramie, and delves into the substance of hate and a culture trying to sort out its intolerance, bigotry and homophobia.
"I'm thrilled to be doing 'The Laramie Project,'" said Director Shelley Delaney. "But I also feel a huge sense of responsibility. It's history ? recent history ? and I feel a need to be fair and responsible about it."
Delaney, who was recently nominated for a 2004 Joseph Jefferson award for her performance in "Free Man of Color," is a School of Theater faculty member.
"The Laramie Project" will run Oct. 13-16, Oct. 20-23 and Oct. 27-30 in the Elizabeth Evans Baker Theater located in Kantner Hall.
Regular admission for the production is $12 and $10 for students and seniors. For ticket information and reservations, call (740) 593-4800 or go to the Fine Arts Ticket Office in Kantner Hall 103, Monday through Friday, from noon to 5 p.m.
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This morning, I passed a runner on the trail carrying an open can of Mountain Dew. And you know what I was thinking, right? How had she not spilled it on herself?
The actual beverage didn't faze me at all. I could care less if she felt the need to drink a big can of soda on a run. Perplexed, yes. But she was out on the trails at 6:30 a.m. when most of our neighborhood was just stirring awake. She was running through the park in 83% humidity. She was scaling hills that many folks couldn't be bothered to walk up, much less, run up. If she wanted to gulp down a giant can of soda afterwards (or during), then more power to her.
Thank goodness she was in Philadelphia. That kind of behavior wouldn't be tolerated in New York City.
The Big
No more diabetes! No more heart disease! No more fat people! (I can hear their arteries opening up already.)
But it's not that simple, is it?
As a country, we're fat and getting fatter. According to the CDC, there has been a "dramatic increase in obesity" over the past twenty years. Across the country, more than one-third (35.7%) all adults are classified as obese, meaning that they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher. To put that into perspective, a person who is 5'9″ would be considered healthy at a weight between 125 and 168 pounds; a BMI of 30 would put his or her weight at more than 203 pounds.
And while obesity rates vary across the country, as of 2010, no single state had an obesity rate of less than 20%. Near three quarters of all states had an obesity rate of at least 25%. New York, ironically, as a state, was not in that group though reports indicate that more than half of adults in New York City are obese or overweight.
Increased rates of obesity have resulted in shorter life spans and increased medical costs (those related to obesity were estimated at $147 billion). That works out to $1,429 in higher costs than folks considered to be a "normal" weight. For a nation concerned about the overwhelming cost of health care, that should give us pause.
But is a ban on sugary drinks the way to go? And if so, what's next? Potato chips? Fried chicken? Boxes of chocolate?
Arbitrary bans on substances that we consider "bad" make me nervous. This is America. If you want to order a pizza with four different kinds of meat and not one green vegetable, I think it's your right. It's also stupid. But I think you have a right to be stupid as long as you're not hurting anyone else.
We haven't banned cigarettes. Or liquor. Or (God forbid) coffee. Nicotine, alcohol and caffeine are all arguably substances that aren't good for us. But we haven't banned them. What we have done in most cases is tax the heck out of them - except for caffeine, though it was proposed in 2009 - allegedly as a joke - by Utah State Rep. Craig Frank (R-American Fork).
We like to create social policy from tax. So-called sin taxes get slapped on almost everything we want to discourage (think tanning, cigarettes, alcohol and porn). But we're still tanning, smoking, drinking and having sex - so what gives?
Studies show that sin taxes don't actually affect most behaviors unless they're big. Really big.
A study out of the Rand Corporation on the taxation of sodas and sports drinks found that most kids would not change their soda or sports drinks habits based on taxes with one exception: kids from families with an annual income of $25,000 or less. The conclusion of the study was that "[s]mall taxes will not prevent obesity." The same study, however, found that larger taxes might change behavior though the increases would have to be more than twice what most of what has been proposed to date.
If making sugar-laden drinks more expensive could be just as effective as a ban, why not consider it and raise a bit of revenue in the process? We're already hooked on the stuff: according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (report downloads as a pdf), in 2004, the average American consumed 37 gallons of carbonated, non-diet soft drinks.
To be fair, I'm no fan of most sin taxes but a ban just feels wrong. If we think that a Big Gulp is as dangerous as a pack of cigarettes, why not keep it legal and make a buck or two in the process? Sure, it might kill you but think of the good it will do in the process. It's much like the Finance Minister of Russia, Alexei Kudrin, encouraging Russians to smoke and drink in order to boost the economy, saying:
People should understand: Those who drink, those who smoke are doing more to help the state.
A paraphrased version ("Those who drink sugary drinks are doing more to help the City") could be New York's City's new motto.
Okay, it's a reach but it makes as much (if not more) sense as a ban. Quite frankly, as irritating, arbitrary and irrational as I find sin taxes, at least there is an understandable cause and effect: you want to do something, you have to pay more.
At least then, it remains a choice - even if Mayor Bloomberg thinks it's a bad one.
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2016 Migration Tracks – more fascinating insights into the migration of Swainson's and Gray-cheeked Thrushes
After last year's (2015) successful deployment of coded nano-tags on migratory birds in Colombia, SELVA researchers returned to the field this spring to tag more birds. With more tags and more automated detectors in North America and in Central America, hopes were high and we were not to be disappointed. A total of 30 Gray-cheeked Thrushes and 7 Swainson's Thrushes were detected outside of Colombia, including the first four birds ever to be recorded by three new antennas in Panama, while another was picked up on Jamaica! Like last year, some birds were picked up at multiple points, revealing news insights into the routes that these remarkable birds take (see animated migration tracks; we recommend extending the duration of the animation to 30 or 60 seconds!). Watch out for Swainson's Thrush 516 and 519 that are detected on no less than 3 and 5 occasions respectively..
The Gray-cheeked Thrush – a migrant that travels from the Amazon to the boreal forests of Canada every year via northern Colombia
We also received further confirmation of the critical importance of mid-elevation forests in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in NE Colombia for Gray-cheeked Thrush, with birds once again making mind-boggling non-stop flights covering thousands of kilometers after leaving this region.
Detections of Gray-cheeked Thrush carrying radiotransmitters on leaving Colombia in 2015 and 2016
These fascinating insights were only made possible through multiple collaborations and SELVA would like to thank all those involved in making this possible over the years: Stu Mackenzie (Bird Studies Canada), Keith Hobson (Environment Canada), Dr. Phil Taylor (Acadia University), Motus Wildlife Tracking System, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Universidad de los Andes, Colciencias, University of Saskatchewan, Panama Audubon and all those who operate the more than 300 Motus stations throughout the Western Hemisphere. Last but not least, we want to thank our great team of bird banders in Colombia including Angela Caguazango, Jeyson Sanabria, Ana María Díaz, Sean McElaney and Daniel Giesbrecht.