text:
Chair's Bi-Monthly Report of Activities
GODORT Members, Below is a list of my activities since taking over as Chair. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Thanks, Bill Sleeman
May/June 2008 [forthcoming]
March/April 2008
5-7: Worked with ALA/WO and GODORT Legislation Committee to draft support documents for March 6th Hearing on GPO's appropriations request.
7: Asked the Awards Committee Chair, Stephen Woods, to work with ALA/WO to add information about the James Childs Award winner and other GODORT awards to AL Direct.
12: Conference call with GPO. Agenda topics included - Update on March 6 hearing - Update on SuDocs Search; Update on FDSys roll out; EPA project - results of document review, FGI project; Background on RFI for mass digitization; Status of cataloging backlog; GODORT contributions to OPAL; Any announcements/news for DLC; status of shared regional proposal. Minutes available via the GODORT Wiki at: http://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/GODORT_Chair
19: Attended the Sunshine Week event at the National Press Club.
21: Met with Janet Scheitle, Chair of FAFLRT and Jessica McGilvray, Asst. Director Office of Govt. Relations, ALA/WO to discuss cooperation on government information advocacy issues.
31-04/01: Attended the Spring DLC meeting. Participated in the first GODORT Strategic Planning forum.
3: Letter to Dan Cornwall on his selection as 2008 LJ Mover and Shaker.
7: Working with Cass Hartnet, Chair-elect, appointed Arlene Weible to the ALA COL E-Government Services Ad hoc Subcommittee.
10: Worked with Justin Otto, Fed. Docs Chair on speakers for the GODORT Update.
11: Telephone call with Kevin McClure, Leg. Comm. Chair re: GPO report for JCP that was announced at the Depository Library Council meeting.
14: Meeting with Jessica McGilvray and Corey D. Williams Green, ALA/Washington Office regarding upcoming GODORT priorities.
16: Conference call with ALA/WO regarding the GPO Study on Regionals and the GIS/GODORT Leg Comm. meeting on the FDLP.
22: Telephone call with Corey D. Williams Green, Associate Director, ALA-WO, Office of Government Relations - on the April COL conference call and their interest in developing an Association response to the JCP requested study on regional libraries.
23-29: Worked with the GODORT Strategic Planning Committee to draft and distribute a letter to former GODORT members (who are still ALA members) about their experiences with GODORT.
24-28: Worked with Justin Otto, Fed Docs Task Force Chair; Kevin McClure, Legislation Committee Chair; Cass Hartnett, Chair-elect to craft GODORT response to COL/GIS request for information on JCP study (Please note that this is ongoing and will be sent to the membership for comments before it is returned to COL/GIS)
25: Worked with Mary Horton to identify a volunteer to represent GODORT on the GPO project to convert shelf list cards to machine readable form (requested by Geoff Swindells, DLC Chair). Patty Phipps from Georgia Tech volunteered to represent the GODORT Cataloging Committee.
VOTES: Approved the expenditure of $325.00 by the Program Committee to provide the hotel costs for one pre-conference speaker.
January/February 2008
Jan. 6: Tasked Federal Documents Task Force and GITCO to review the EPA documents released by GPO and to report back to Steering.
Jan. 11-14: ALA Mid Winter Meeting.
Jan. 28: Completed contacts with all GODORT Award winners for 2008.
Jan. 29: Completed and mailed GODORT's response to the "Draft Protocol for Responding to a Formal Request for an 'Official' ALA Position."
Feb. 1: Tasked Education Committee to follow up with GPO regarding the use of OPAL to distribute programming/training opportunities.
Feb. 11: Working with the Chair of the Round Tables Coordinating Assembly and several RT Chairs prepared a letter for Leslie Burger, past-President, on the efforts underway to develop services and goals for ALA, seeking to have RTs included in that process.
Feb. 14: Presentation on the history and future of government information and the FDLP at the 125th anniversary celebration of West Virginia University Libraries membership in the FDLP. http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/news/
Feb. 20: Conference call with Michele McKnelly (GIS) and Kevin McClure regarding joint GIS/GODORT meeting at ALA Annual.
Marcy Allen, Penn State - New CUAC Liaison (Feb.) - approved
To co-sponsor in name only programs with FAFLRT and LRRT (Feb.) - approved
November/December 2007
November 1,8. Worked with Andy Bridges, ALA/WO to get stories about GODORT's advocacy training and our joint FDLC session with SLA into ALA Direct.
November 1. Initiated Steering Committee discussion on virtual membership.
November 2. Contacted both candidates for President of ALA and invited both to speak at GODORT meeting during MW (both have agreed with times/dates TBA).
November 2. Met with ALA/WO staff; Pam Bluh, ALCTS President; Charles Wilt, ALCTS Executive Director about improving communications between GODORT and ALA Divisions.
November 5. Worked with ALA/Chicago Membership staff to get five year list of former GODORT members (left ALA; left GODORT/stayed in ALA) to contact on behalf of Strategic Planning Committee.
November 6. Worked with Chair of Legislation Committee to draft response to request of support from Openthegovernment.org statement. After consultation with ALA/WO staff agreed that government information librarians should respond individually if they were interested.
November 8: Charged Education Committee and Federal Documents Task Force to review GPOs draft library assessments focus document and offer recommendations. Shared responses with Steering.
November 19: Charged the Federal Documents Task Force to draft a letter of expectations for the new GPO Superintendent of Documents (per ALA's request).
November 20: At the request of the GODORT Secretary drafted a letter of appreciation to Forrest Williams (Stat-USA) on his retirement.
December 8: Forwarded a draft resolution on Tribal Colleges joining FDLP to relevant stakeholders for review.
December 10: Forwarded a draft statement of expectations for the new Superintendent of Documents to relevant stakeholders for review. (second draft sent on 12/17). Final version of the approved letter was sent on 1/2/08.
December 10: Charged Legislation Committee to draft resolution in support of GPO's funding requests.
December 11: Charged Cataloging Committee to review the ALCTS response to the LC Working Group Proposal. ALCTS is responding for ALA and GODORT has endorsed in principle the ALCTS response.
December 11: Attended the GPO holiday reception.
December 12: Participated in the ALA Dialogue on Government Information.
December 12: Prepared a letter of appreciation for Tara Olivero, ALA-WO.
December 14: Invited Laurie Hall to speak at GODORT Cataloging Committee meeting during MW.
December 18: Participated in a meeting at GPO on the new Superintendent of Documents appointment.
December 19/20: Exchanged E-mail with the President of ACRL about improving communication and working together on areas of shared interests.
Two votes:
• Spend $100.00 to fund survey of membership via Survey Monkey.
• GODORT recommendations for DLC.
September/October 2007
- Participated with Legislation Committee Chair, staff from ALA/WO, GIS, COL, Staff of AALL and other government information librarians to draft testimony in preparation for the hearing on Robert Tapella's appointment to be Public Printer of the United States.
- Participated in a conference call with ALA/WO staff and Camila Alire, COL Chair, on the Tapella nomination.
- Met with Prue Adler, Executive Director of the Association of Research Libraries, Lynne Bradley (ALA/WO) and Cass Hartnet, to discuss ways to work more effectively on areas of shared interest regarding government information.
- Participated in a conference call with GPO Staff (minutes sent to Steering Reflector).
- Worked with Kevin McClure, Leg Comm. Chair and Jesse Silva to activate the NAAN in support of ALA/WO's efforts to move H.R. 1255 to a vote.
- Met with Nominations Chair, Esther Crawford and Cass Hartnett, Chair-elect at FDLC to discuss nomination process.
- Met with Steve Beleu, Oklahoma State Library, at FDLC to discuss efforts to include Tribal Colleges in the Federal Depository Library Program.
- Communicated with the GODORT Archivist Vicky Tate, Web Manager and others regarding progress on the plan for electronic/web archiving of GODORT materials.
- Exchanged e-mails with Andy Bridges of ALA, Communications on how to generate interest in government information stories in regional newspapers/media outlets and in ALA Direct.
- Worked with ALA/WO staff to offer an advocacy training program during the week of the FDLC [see the GODORT News page].
- Worked with Peggy Garvin of SLA to organize the joint GODORT/SLA program at the Federal Depository Library Conference.
- Completed Chair and Task Force Coordinators appointment letters.
- Attended a demonstration of GPO's FDSys phase one at GPO.
- Reviewed the initial draft of the GODORT website migration.
- Requested Mary Mallory to communicate with the ALA Executive Board regarding the October 15 draft ALA Protocol for "Responding to a formal request for an 'official' ALA position."
- Two votes:
o DttP Proposal o Appointment of Suzanne Sears to complete term on Education Committee
August 2007
GPO Conference Call: Thank you all for the valuable in-put on the GPO Conference Calls. It appears from the general tone of the responses that continuing the conference calls is important to the members of Steering (and, I suspect, to their Committees as well). I have recently exchanged e-mails with Ric Davis at GPO and he is certainly interested in maintaining the communication link with GODORT as well. I will try to set up a call for September and will be shortly soliciting some members of Steering to participate and will be requesting agenda items. Thanks.
Appointment Letters:
Yes, they are coming. I admit that I have been engaged in some bad "avoidance behaviors" but hope to get these underway and in the e-mail to Chairs in September and to Committee members by the end of October.
Lunch meeting with Emily Sheketoff, Tara Olivero and Lynn Bradley (ALA/WO):
On Friday, October 24 I had lunch with Emily, Tara and Lynn. We discussed GODORT's advocacy agenda and our strategic planning effort (ALA is happy to see us planning for our future). One of the key concerns from the ALA/WO is communication, particularly with the ALA Council. As many of you know several of our members have moved on to Council and are now seen as the voice of GODORT when in fact, they are not currently elected officers of GODORT. I reiterated that Mary Mallory, as the GODORT Councilor, is the only person authorized by GODORT to speak for the Roundtable at Council. I pointed out that if there is a question about what is GODORT's official position and Mary is not available then "big ALA" has to be reminded by Emily or Lynn to communicate with the elected officers. To some extent it is ALA's duty to know who the representatives are and to question statements about GODORT' position that don't come from one of the current elected or appointed officers. My take on this conversation was that Emily and Lynn were reluctant to question ALA Council members, particularly some "older hands" in ALA. Mary, this may require you to be more vocal on the Council list when someone professes to speak – or is perceived as speaking for GODORT.
We also talked about the two proposed ALA wide meetings being considered. The first, which came out of the discussions around GODORT's letter on shared regionals, would deal with communication issues between the divisions and roundtables and may take place in November. The second, which came out of the proposal at annual by GIS, would be a "dialog" devoted to government information policy in general with the goal of getting closer to "one voice" on issues. Emily seemed to understand the importance that GODORT attaches to this issue and assured me that we would have support for a strong voice at the meeting. Finally, we talked about the e-government initiative and the federal libraries subcommittee and I again stressed our interest in both efforts. Aimee Quinn continues to be our contact person on ALA's e-government imitative. The appointments to the federal libraries subcommittee have not yet been finalized.
Advocacy Training:
Following on the discussion at Annual the ALA/WO has arranged for GODORT to take part in their advocacy training. This will be held on Wednesday, from 1:30 to 3:30 (during the FDLP). Folks can bring luggage, etc., and it is okay if you need to leave early for a flight. There will be no charge, and ALA/WO will provide some refreshments. Stephanie Vance will conduct most of the training, with Lynn and Tara helping out. More details and directions to follow. It will be open to any interested GODORT member.
Virtual Membership (VM):
ALA is putting together a task force to explore the issues related to VM and I have asked/proposed John Hernandez to represent GODORT on the TF. Not all proposed members will be appointed and I will keep you posted on this. Please don't forget that I have also asked each of you to work with your committees to consider how you would use a virtual member and I will be looking for some input on this.
GODORT/SLA program at FDLP:
The program for this year is entitled: How Do Journalists Use Government Information? It will include presentations by New York Times reporter Scott Shane (http://tinyurl.com/2nfugw) and Washington Post research editor Alice Crites, MLS (http://tinyurl.com/2mrybn). DATE: Monday, October 15; TIME: 7:00 p.m.; PLACE: Crystal City Doubletree Hotel [www.doubletreecrystalcity.com]. Peggy Garvin of SLA is trying to arrange for food but asks me to let everyone know not to expect the same quality as last year.
GODORT website and the Wiki:
Please be sure to review and update your main pages. Having the correct contact information and materials in place is so very important to our ability to communicate with our members. PPM:
Please review the appropriate sections. If changes are needed please discuss with your Committee and then forward the proposals to Valerie Glenn, Bylaws and Organizations Chair. Past Minutes:
Please review the past minutes for your committee/TF and, if needed, make sure that all of the minutes are complete and up-to-date.
Thank you all for the support and guidance you have offered thus far. I really appreciate all the help and feel like I am learning a great deal about ALA. By the time I cycle off as Chair I may have figured everything out (or not) …. Cheers, Bill


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This blog was originally conceived as a blog for first time motorcycle riders. Getting a bike for the first time as a newly-divorced 42 year old was a transformational life experience for me. I wanted to help others find their way, provide some (hopefully) helpful advice, and establish a voice in the motorcycle industry. I hated my job at the time, so in the back of my mind I thought I might be able to get a job with a motorcycle company as a result of it. At least I held out the hope.
I also had a work-related mandate to get more experienced with social media, as I was working for a PR firm at the time and all the cool kids knew how to build blogs and use Twitter and Facebook and Pinterest and all these other websites du jour to help our clients build audience. My boss pulled me aside one day and said, "If you don't learn social media, you're going to get left behind." I figured if I had to learn it, I better do it with a topic I'm passionate about.
Time went on, and I learned what I needed to learn and eventually trained one of my young lieutenants to run social media for my team. The mandate became less important. And I lost interest in keeping the blog going – as 15 months since writing a post will attest. It takes a lot of work to conceive posts, write them, hyperlink them to the right keywords to goose your SEO and have the right images to keep readers, sometimes with short attention span, interested; and promote the blog on Reddit and other social bookmarking sites. Doing social media right is a full time job, even for a blog that's just a hobby.
I kept the blog alive but haven't written anything in a while. I've changed jobs so I don't even work for a PR firm anymore, I'm now in-house at a big midwestern bank, I've moved to a different area of the country (Tulsa, OK), moved in with my girlfriend, I've sold a bike (my Triumph America) and had a bike stolen (my Suzuki V-Strom, right out of my backyard), and I bought a brand new BMW R1200GS (the most complete, do-everything bike imaginable).
And I have a lot more to write about now. So I want to use the blog as an outlet for some of those other topics. I don't know if it will stick. I tend to get all fired up about projects, get them started, and run out of steam – NoBaffles being a good example. My 1/3 of a book being a good example. 1/3 of a screenplay being another example.
Anyway, going forward, I'll be writing periodically about things that are important to me. Manhood, divorce, women, career, fitness, sex, travel, parenting, politics. And of course, I'll still write the periodic post about motorcycles. I still love them. I could sit in the garage and stare at my bike for hours. Just stare. It's a work of art. And I think all motorcycles are works of art. Every time I see a bike parked on the side of the road, I slow down to ogle. Every time a bike passes me, I check it out. They turn me on like a pretty girl.
I'm not going to worry about traffic to the blog. This time, it's for me. I know that "if you build it they will come" is a fallacy but I am not that concerned about it. I like to write. This will be my outlet. Twitter – that social media platform can go screw itself. I never got it. Never will. I love Reddit – discovered it as part of this blog-creation process and still visit every day. But the folks at the motorcycles subeddit never liked when I linked to my own posts, even though that was the single best source of traffic for the blog. If I linked a post on Reddit, I'd get hundreds of uniques from all over the globe within hours – sometimes minutes.
My first post under the new format has been percolating for some time. It's about the fallacy of the American dream – the wife, the house in the 'burbs, the kids. I've come to realize that once *they* have you married, mortgaged, and squeezing out puppies, *they* have you locked in. Your freedom is history.You will work, and earn, and pay taxes, until you're dead or almost dead. And that's why the little bit of freedom I got back when I got divorced is so precious to me. More to come.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
UK textile manufacturers sold out of administration
A group of UK textile and garment manufacturers producing for the likes of Marks & Spencer and John Lewis have been sold out of administration in a deal that will save over 100 jobs.
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If you're concerned about your child's weight, or your child has been referred for treatment of childhood obesity, you are not alone. One-third of children in the United States are currently considered overweight or obese. Across Nemours campuses, teams of dedicated childhood obesity experts work one-on-one with your child and family to develop a personalized treatment plan.
Obesity is measured by a child's body mass index or BMI, which is a calculation that uses height and weight to estimate how much body fat someone has.
Children with a BMI above the 95th percentile are considered obese. Those between the 85th to 94th percentile are said to be overweight.
How Childhood Obesity Can Be Treated
Some families may simply need practical advice and strategies related to healthy eating and exercise to treat childhood obesity. Some may have a child who's been identified as having an unhealthy BMI and need a supervised program to help him or her shed excess pounds.
However, others may have a child who requires surgical intervention, or bariatric surgery, to avoid or resolve life-threatening conditions related to childhood obesity.
Newtown Square
Locations & Doctors
FloridaSpecialty Care
PennsylvaniaSpecialty Care
Nemours duPont Pediatrics, Newtown Square
Main Line Health Center
3855 W. Chester Pike, Suite 280
Newtown Square, PA 19073
Get Map & Directions »
For Appointments: (302) 651-4200
For Information: (610) 557-4800
Fax: (610) 557-4816
- photo ID
- medical and pharmacy insurance cards
- preferred pharmacy name and phone number
- names and dosage of all medications, including over-the-counter medication, your child is currently taking
- guardianship and custody papers, if a legal guardian rather than a parent accompanies your child
New Patients
- Patient Registration (PDF)
Returning Patients
Returning Patients
- Patient Presents Without Legal Guardian (PDF)
English | Spanish
Note: A parent or legal guardian must be with a child for a first visit.
Resources for Patients & Families
- Insurance We Accept: See accepted insurance, listed by location.
- Pay Your Bill: Use online bill pay or send by mail.
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Children with obesity can get personalized help from our weight management program at Nemours duPont Pediatrics, Newtown Square.
How We Treat Childhood Obesity
Our programs integrate the latest research and most advanced clinical care to address the whole child.
Here are some of the services we offer:
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These experts are also able to provide guidance when it comes to the needs of special subsets of overweight or obese children, such as kids under the age of five, or those with other medical conditions that may make it harder for them to lose weight.


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October 16, 2013
Bacon Braised Green Beans
Mike loves green beans. Knowing this, I've attempted to make him several of my favorite versions - sauteed with shallots, sauteed with garlic, lemon zest and parmesan, and sauteed with pancetta. All of these recipes were met with so-so reviews. No matter what I paired them with, he just doesn't like sauteed-and-still-crunchy green beans. He likes good old fashioned green beans that are cooked for a long time with onions, bacon and salt. It turns out - so do I. My Granny was famous for green beans just like these - they were cooked all day on the stovetop. I made my own version of these to go along with our "Relaxing Sunday" dinner. I couldn't bring myself to cook all of the color out, but I did make sure they were nice and soft (even granting Mike a test), versus crunchy. They might be everyone's new favorite.
Bacon Braised
Green Beans
New! Printable Recipes, here.
1 pound of green beans
4 pieces of bacon, diced
1/2 cup of onion, diced
1 cup of chicken stock
sea salt & cracked pepper
In a saute pan that has a fitted lid, cook the bacon on medium until the fat has rendered. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the green beans, chicken stock, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Cook on medium for 10 minutes, then cover and cook for 30 minutes on a low simmer. Season with more salt, if necessary.
Labels: Comfort, Comfort Recipes, green beans, Recipes, side dishes, Thanksgiving
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Surgery is likely to be needed for
ulcerative colitis when:
People may choose to have surgery to improve their quality of
life, cure ulcerative colitis, or prevent the possibility of colon
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Last week, I attended the Cleo Eligible Bachelors 2015 -Meet and Greet Session.
It was a gathering of hot steamy guys at GAP, 1 Utama Shopping Centre
The stage (or rather floor) was set and all the girls were pretty excited to welcome this year's Cleo 50 Most Eligible Bachelors that were bound to set our hearts on fire.
Some of the guests at the event.
It's crowded with lots of leng chai's to see.
Do you know who is my favourite?
It's Edouard Furgeot.
Yup, he's my favourite! First to be called out to do his "catwalk and introduction".
For you ladies who have missed the event,
here are some photos for you to 'cuci mata' aka drool.
Hot bachelors coming full speed ahead.
This guy Jeff Lim is pretty cute too
Here I am posing with the Editor of Cleo Malaysia, Claudia
And one of my favourite blogger, Joyce of the The Kinky Blue Fairy
I just love her colourful and bubbly personality.
And her hair colour and hair style is forever trendy. She is after all a trendsetter.
It's party time for the gals
Betty and I
Gorgeous ladies dressing up their "man"
Photo opportunity
Can't miss mine too with these two hunks!
Friends I met at the event who cheered for their favourite.
Know a potential bachelor who is hot and charming?
You can start nominating your friends now for Cleo's Most Eligible Bachelor 2016.
Nominate here
Will be submitting a nomination for my friend, Daniel Chan here for next year's competition.
Hope he makes it to the top 50! Good luck!
For more info, log on to:
A sneak peak behind the scenes for Cleo 50 Most Eligible Bachelors 2015:


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WASHINGTON — Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul is hinting to supporters that he is ending his long-shot campaign for the presidency.
The Texas Republican congressman addressed supporters in a 7 1/2-minute video on his campaign Web site Thursday night and did not specifically say he was quitting the race.
Republican frontrunner John McCain already has enough delegates to clinch the party's nomination, and other contenders have dropped out.
Paul said that although victory in the conventional political sense is not available in the presidential race, many victories have been achieved due to the hard work and enthusiasm of his supporters.
He said that he hoped that one day he and his supporters could look back and say his campaign was a significant first step that signaled a change in direction for the country.
Paul said their job now was to plan for the next phase of their effort.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text: Mount Utsayantha By Chas|2011-11-06T03:02:23-05:00November 6th, 2011|0 Comments Share This Story, Choose Your Platform! FacebookTwitterRedditTumblrPinterestVkEmail About the Author: Chas Charles is the creator of CatskillSearch.com and this website details his Catskill Region photography. CatskillSearch contains photos, helpful web links, and news pertaining specifically to the Catskill Region of New York State. Leave A Comment Cancel reply Comment Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.


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Genetic Epidemiology of Ovarian Aging
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00501800
Recruitment Status : Active, not recruiting
First Posted : July 16, 2007
Last Update Posted : January 9, 2019
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
The purpose of this study is to identify clinical and genetic markers of ovarian aging. In this process, we will evaluate environmental factors that may affect fertility and the age at which fertility declines, and may influence the age at which women enter menopause. Wide variability exists between women both in the age at which menopause occurs and the rate of decline in oocyte number and reproductive capability. As the loss of ovarian function has profound impact on women's hormonal milieu and their subsequent risk for the development of disease, improving our understanding of the factors that determine the timing and rate of reproductive aging is critical to improving quality of life for all women. In addition, improving our understanding of reproductive aging has profound economic, and social, implications given the complex choices women face regarding the timing of childbearing and the growing burden of infertility. While the inter-individual variability in age at menopause has a large genetic component and possible environmental influences, to date no studies have addressed the relationship between oocyte number as reflected by antral follicle count (AFC) and genetic inheritance.
We hypothesize that ovarian aging, as reflected by antral follicle count, is largely determined by common genetic polymorphisms that impact the initial oocyte endowment and/or the rate of oocyte loss over time thus lowering antral follicle count for any given age. We further hypothesize that antral follicle count will be an improved marker of ovarian aging. Thus, we propose a study of the genetic and environmental factors that influence age-specific variability in antral follicle count.
|Condition or disease
This is a cross-sectional study with a subgroup followed longitudinally over time. This study consists of four basic components:
- identification and recruitment of a population-based sample of 1,250 regularly cycling women of diverse ethnicities, ages 25-45;
- a baseline examination on days 2-4 of the menstrual cycle, including a blood draw, transvaginal ultrasound examination, body size measurements, and questionnaires, to establish cross-sectional relations between the AFC and the genetic and environmental exposures of interest (see Specific Aims);
- genetic analyses of X-chromosome and autosomal mutations, deletions, and polymorphisms, implicated in the control of ovarian function; and
- follow-up examination, 3 years after baseline, completed by approximately one-third of the cohort (n=450), to begin to describe longitudinal relations between AFC and the exposures of interest and to identify markers predictive of accelerated follicle loss.
Specific Aims:
- Characterize antral follicle count (AFC) as a marker of ovarian age by comparing it to other available biomarkers, FSH, FSH/LH, and inhibin B, and determine effect modification of these relationships by age.
- Examine the relationship between antral follicle counts and the frequencies of specific genetic polymorphisms in the DAZL (Deleted in AZoospermia-Like) and interacting protein genes.
- Determine the associations between race/ethnicity, body fat, and active and passive smoking and AFC, independently of age; if main effects are observed between genetic polymorphisms and AFC (Specific Aim 2), explore the effect modification of those relationships by race/ethnicity, body fat and active and passive smoking.
- Determine the change in AFC over a three-year period and its relation to genetic and environmental characteristics, based on the approximately 450 women who complete a 3-year follow-up examination.
The primary goal of this study is to demonstrate the relationship between antral follicle count and common genetic polymorphisms and the effect of modification of environmental factors. To achieve this goal, our multidisciplinary team proposes to recruit a random sample of 1,250 regularly cycling, ethnically diverse women, ages 25-45, who belong to the Northern California Kaiser Permanente Medical Care (KPMC) Program in San Francisco.
This study will provide evidence to support ultrasound evaluation as a non-invasive marker of ovarian aging. This and the genetic testing may lead to an opportunity for prospective identification of patients at risk for early decline in ovarian function. The ability to accurately generate and share this type of information will allow women to become proactive in managing their fertility as well as to better understand their risks associated with reproductive aging. The recruitment of a large, population-based cohort will increase the generalizability of the data generated. The ethnic diversity of this population will allow multiple comparisons to identify true "risk factors" for early, and/or accelerated, ovarian aging and their correlation with ethnicity.
|Study Type :
|Estimated Enrollment :
|1250 participants
|Observational Model:
|Time Perspective:
|Official Title:
|Genetic Epidemiology of Ovarian Aging
|Study Start Date :
|November 2006
|Estimated Primary Completion Date :
|July 2020
|Estimated Study Completion Date :
|December 2020
|African American
|Latina (Mexican or Central American)
- Antral Follicle Counts [ Time Frame: December 2014 ]AFC as measured by Transvaginal Ultrasound
Biospecimen Retention: Samples With DNA
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|25 Years to 45 Years (Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
|Sampling Method:
|Probability Sample
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 25-45 years
- Self-identifying as one of five specified race/ethnicities - Caucasian, Chinese, Filipino, African-American, or Hispanic (Mexican or Central American).
- Regular menstrual cycles (monthly bleeding with an interval of 25-35 days)
- Uterus and ovaries required.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Chronic medical illness such as heart, kidney, or liver disease or diabetes
- Endometriosis of ovary
- Prior surgical procedure for removal of ovarian cyst(s)
- Epilepsy
- Lupus
- Invasive cancer excluding squamous or basal cell skin cancers
- Prior treatment with chemotherapy or radiation therapy
- Use of any oral/systemic estrogen or progestin containing medication within a 3-month period
- Use of any central nervous system active medications known to disrupt the menstrual cycle (e.g. clonidine, aldomet)
- Psychiatric history involving functionally debilitating disturbance such as psychosis or major mood disorder requiring hospitalization or change in occupational or social functioning.
- Currently pregnant or breastfeeding
- Unable to speak and read English, Cantonese, or Spanish
- Concurrent participation in a clinical drug trial.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00501800
|United States, California
|University of California San Francisco
|San Francisco, California, United States, 94143
|Principal Investigator:
|Marcelle I. Cedars, M.D.
|University of California, San Francisco
|Responsible Party:
|University of California, San Francisco
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00501800 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
R01HD044876 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract )
5R01HD044876 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract )
|First Posted:
|July 16, 2007 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|January 9, 2019
|Last Verified:
|January 2019
Reproductive Health
Continental Population Groups
Genital Diseases, Male
Genital Diseases, Female


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Evaluating and Protecting Your Business's Good Name
Research shows that companies with good reputations can charge higher prices for their goods and services — anywhere from 3 to 8 percent more than their less-reputable competitors.
So how do you figure out what your company's reputation is and how you can improve it? The Reputation Institute offers an online diagnostic tool to help you find out. Based on your answers to 16 questions, the tool shows how your company rates on reputation management and offers suggested priorities and action items to improve your reputation management.
Of course, you need to protect your reputation, too, and sometimes you have to rehabilitate it. According to public relations agency Burson-Marsteller, corporate executives worldwide believe it takes more than three years for companies to recover from a reputation-damaging crisis. The executives surveyed identified the following top-five key steps to restoring a damaged reputation:
Disclose details as quickly as possible. Hiding from a problem doesn't make it go away, and in today's instant-news environment, delays in disclosing information can add significantly to reputation damage. Use social media and other outlets to get as much information out to the public as quickly as possible, and provide frequent updates for as long as necessary.
Be transparent in your corrective actions. If you don't tell people what you're doing to fix the problem, they'll assume you aren't doing anything. Let people know what you're doing right now and what you intend to do in the coming days, weeks, and months to correct the issue.
Figure out what went wrong (and how you can prevent it from happening again). In late 2010, Qantas Airways immediately grounded all of its Airbus A380 planes after an engine on one of the jumbo airliners exploded shortly after takeoff. The grounding gave Qantas time to determine whether the problem was with the airplane or the engine (it was the engine) without risking additional incidents. You can't fix a problem if you don't know what caused it, so do what you need to do to correctly identify what went wrong in the first place.
Strengthen your governance structure to prevent repeat missteps or scandals. Sometimes internal controls don't work well, allowing mistakes or intentional misbehavior to slip through. Evaluate your policies and procedures to ensure you're providing adequate checks and balances instead of concentrating too much authority in too few hands.
Talk to the media. The media spotlight can be harsh and unforgiving, but hanging out in the shadows can be far worse for your reputation. If you ignore the media, they'll report on the story anyway — only without your input. View the media as a tool for communicating with your stakeholders, and use the opportunity to tell them what happened, what went wrong, and what you're doing about it.
The more proactive and open you are in responding to a crisis, whether it's a simple error or an outright scandal, the less damage your corporate reputation will suffer.


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Join the discussion on the P4 Blog
Listen to Back to the Bible
Powered by 4 is all about engaging God's Word and living it out--in community. So if it's encouragement you want or motivation you need, join the discussion on the P4 Blog--a place to weigh in on the daily scripture as well as share thoughts & questions. And, for a more in-depth look at Scripture, tune in to the daily Back to the Bible radio program with Woodrow Kroll.


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Well-designed packaging plays an important role in delivering more sustainable products that help our customers reduce their environmental impacts and costs.
While a product's packaging often has a lower environmental impact than other product life cycle phases, we understand that packaging is one of the most visible and tangible impacts for our customers. Not only do we strive to improve packaging quality, but we also aim to help customers reduce packaging waste and the time, effort and costs associated with handling and disposing of it.
Packaging is a challenging issue for the life science industry due to requirements for sterile conditions, protection for fragile contents, and additional certifications and data sheets. All this means extra packaging, which in turn requires extra environmental resources and creates waste disposal challenges.
To address these challenges, we incorporate sustainable packaging principles into our product Design for Sustainability criteria. We identify potential areas of optimization in order to reduce material usage during packaging manufacture without compromising the quality and safety. This also aims to increase the percentage of materials that minimally impact the environment, including recycled content. For example, the majority of the cardboard boxes used to package products within our U.S. facilities are certified to the standards of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).
We also work with our suppliers and distribution partners to reduce any excess secondary over-packaging that sometimes inadvertently negates the reductions we have made in a product's primary packaging.
In our packaging, we aim to use as much recycled content as possible. We choose packaging materials to ensure product sterility and protection, while minimizing excess package size, mass, volume and material. In addition, we are looking to ensure that packaging materials are responsibly sourced, and we are evaluating use of certified materials.
Our Titripac® packaging system for volumetric solutions was designed to make titration more reliable and less wasteful. Constructed from a recyclable corrugated outer box and durable inner bag, featuring a unique built-in contamination-proof dispenser tap, the per-liter packaging is less than half the weight of the alternative packaging in plastic bottles. This means that the solution cannot be contaminated, and that once the product is used up, the outer box can be fully recycled, whereas the plastic bottle packaging may not be due to the product contents. We conducted a product carbon footprint analysis comparing the Titripac® and plastic bottle packaging systems, and found that the reduced material weight and high recyclability of Titripac® result in lower life cycle global warming potential in each phase investigated: material production, manufacturing, distribution and end-of-life combining for an overall reduction of 42% in life cycle greenhouse gas emissions. Because the product is safe from contamination in this packaging design, less chemical product waste is generated as it can be used effectively to the last drop.
1 Compared to Merck's product delivery system using 1 liter bottles
We are investigating more sustainable materials to create a cost effective and globally harmonized packaging solution for solvents and inorganic reagents. Molded pulp can be considered a more sustainable option for cushioning products since it is manufactured from 100% recycled paperboard or newsprint and can be readily recycled and disposed of. In 2013, molded pulp was introduced as the cushioning material for our 1 Liter and 2.5L glass bottles for solvents and inorganic reagents globally, replacing styrofoam. The new UN-rated containers (safety designation for shipping dangerous goods) will be packed in either four pack or six pack configurations. All top selling products were targeted first for this new solution and have been updated to no longer use styrofoam cushioning. With about 80% of all solvents and reagents now packed with molded pulp, space and handling savings for us and our customers are evident. The molded pulp cushion materials can be nested, and therefore a single pallet can hold over four times as many of these as compared to the more bulky foam. The next step - already in progress - is to convert the packaging for the remaining product sizes (500ml and 4L bottles) and offer 100% of our solvents and inorganic reagents in this more sustainable packaging.
For our Milli-Q® Integral Water Purification Systems used for lab water purification, molded pulp cushioning is used for the product accessories. The Q-Pod® used to be packaged with polyethylene, but now it utilizes a custom molded pulp cushioning material which is made from 100% recycled fiber and is fully recyclable. The number of pallets required to store the material was reduced by 90%.
We use the Green-e Label on products that are manufactured at sites for which we purchase Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), indicating the use of certified renewable energy. This includes products manufactured in Temecula, CA, St. Charles, MO, Hayward, CA, San Diego, CA and Danvers, MA.
We design and right-size packaging in order to minimize the amount of packaging used. For example, we are moving from hard copy Microscopy insert sheets to electronic insert sheets, which will be available online at the central global homepage and support our customers before they apply our products at human or animal material. This shift will reduce the need for extra packaging required with paper insert sheets, while still complying with the EU directive and FDA regulation, which define insert sheets need to be provided to the customer before product use and contain all handling and storage advices, as well as the active ingredients.
In our Lab Water product line we are consistently looking for right sizing opportunities. We changed to a thinner pallet wrap for 35,000 pallets per year, reducing material weight by 49%.
Many of our products include bulk antibody vials, reagents and test kits that are refrigerated or frozen and need to maintain temperature during distribution to customers. With increasingly more environmentally conscious customers, we are exploring packaging alternatives to our current expanded polystyrene (EPS) boxes packed with dry ice or cooler packs. We are focused on options that do not compromise temperature quality, but that are smaller, lighter and can demonstrate reduced environmental impacts.
We also understand that our customers have certain contamination requirements to meet, and we are working with them to offer packaging solutions with reduced use of corrugated. For example, the double PE sack solution offers high stability to ensure good transport and storage safety, and the perforation seam offers ease of handling.


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Massive Collateral Damage has been done and in the age of having files held in electronic data, this is very disturbing.
Executive Gov-
The Securities and Exchange Commission has forbidden its employees from destroying investigative documents, as fallout spreads from a whistleblower's recent claim that the agency has illegally destroyed thousands of preliminary investigation documents.
An SEC attorney alerted Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) of the possible crimes in August. The whistleblower said the documents in question were "matters under inquiry," including reviews of AIG, Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers and Bernie Madoff.


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Even before authorities released photos of the suspected Boston Marathon bombers, friends of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev noticed something unusual two days after the bombing, when Tsarnaev showed up with his unruly hair cut short.
On Thursday, April 18, when the images of Tsarnaev and his brother Tamerlan were spread all over the news, his fellow students at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth began calling one another, the FBI says in a new affidavit.
Dias Kadyrbayev, one of three friends charged Wednesday with conspiring to obstruct justice or making false statements in the case, got a call from another one of the three, Robel Phillipos, who told him to "put the news on" when he got home. One of the suspects in the marathon bombings "looked familiar," Phillipos said.
PHOTOS: Boston Marathon bombing
Kadyrbayev recognized Dzhokhar Tsarnaev at once, the affidavit said, and he texted Tsarnaev to tell him so.
"Lol," Tsarnaev texted back. And he sent another message: "I'm about to leave, if you need something in my room take it."
What happened next forms the basis of the new federal charges filed against Kadyrbayev, 19, and his friend Azamat Tazhayakov, also 19. Authorities say they conspired to dispose of Tsarnaev's backpack, filled with fireworks, and his laptop before FBI agents could search his room.
Phillipos, 19, is accused of knowing about what the other two did with the backpack and lying to FBI agents when questioned about it.
The three appeared in U.S. District Court in Boston pn Wednesday afternoon and their attorneys waived bail pending an additional hearing on May 14.
Afterward the lawyers denied that the young men knew before Tsarnaev's arrest that he had been involved in the bombing and said they had no idea that his backpack was evidence in the case.
"He is just as shocked and horrified by the violence that took place in Boston as the rest of the community is," Robert Stahl, Kadyrbayev's lawyer, told reporters outside the courthouse.
If convicted on charges of conspiring to obstruct justice, Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov, both citizens of Kazakhstan who are in the U.S. on student visas, face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Phillipos, a U.S. citizen, faces up to eight years in prison and a $250,00 fine. He is charged with making false statements to federal agents.
According to the affidavit, all three young men met in Tsarnaev's dormitory room at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth at about 6 p.m. on April 18, three days after the bombings and shortly after the bombing suspects' photos were publicly released.
Tsarnaev's roommate told them he had left a couple of hours earlier. As they sat down to watch a movie, they noticed Tsarnaev's backpack. Looking inside, they found fireworks, some of which had been opened and emptied of powder, and a jar of Vaseline.
The three of them returned with Tsarnaev's backpack and also his laptop to the New Bedford, Mass., apartment that Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov shared and continued to watch the news. The three of them "started to freak out," Phillipos told agents later, "because it became clear from a CNN report that we were watching that [Dzhokhar] was one of the Boston Marathon bombers."
Kadyrbayev told agents that he and Tazhayakov decided to get rid of the backpack to help their friend avoid getting in "trouble."
"Do what you have to do," Phillipos allegedly told the others.
Kadyrbayev said he placed the backpack and fireworks in a large trash bag and threw it into a garbage bin at the apartment sometime around 10 p.m.
The affidavit makes clear that Tsarnaev, as is already known, had returned to campus after the bombings and was attempting to live a fairly normal life.
Tazhayakov told agents that two days after the bombing, on April 17, Tsarnaev had visited at his apartment until midnight. The next day — the day his friend was publicly identified — Tazhayakov said he attended an afternoon class and got a ride home with Tsarnaev, who dropped him off about 4 p.m.
Within hours, Tamerlan Tsarnaev would be killed in a shootout with police in Watertown, Mass., and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev would be on the run before being taken, seriously injured, into custody.
Law enforcement authorities said they recovered the backpack from a landfill in New Bedford, not far from the suspects' apartment. Inside it were the fireworks, the jar of Vaseline, and a homework assignment sheet from one of Tsarnaev's classes.
The court documents did not say what happened to the laptop.
After Wednesday's court hearing, Stahl said the allegation that his client recognized Tsarnaev as one of the bombers right away is in "dispute" and said "his first inkling came much later."
Likewise, he said, Kadyrbayev did not know the backpack's potential connection to the bombing. "He did not know that those items were involved in a bombing, or were evidence in a bombing, or had evidentiary value," he said.
Tazhayakov's attorney, Harlan Protass, said his client has "cooperated fully" with the authorities.
"My client ... feels horrible, and was shocked to hear that someone he knew at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth was involved with the Boston Marathon bombing," he said.
ALSO:Kentucky boy, 5, shoots to death 2-year-old sister
Affidavit: Martial arts teacher tried to toss ricin evidence
Bombing survivor: 'Just like the movies, all the sound went away'


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Session III Final Week. Instructor Beki Javernick-Guion from Skeleton Key Pottery, brings us a six week course in ceramics/pottery. You will learn the basics of hand building and wheel throwing. All course tools & materials included. At the end of the course you will leave with up to 15 competed pieces fired and glazed. It's not too soon to be thinking of those holiday gifts! Let's get dirty and play in clay!
Seniors over 65 $85
Members $145
Non- Members $175


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Matt Porterfield says we can credit Jean-Luc Godard's "Masculine-Feminine" (1966) for the interview structure of "Putty Hill." He also says that Martin Bell's hard-to-find "Streetwise," about Seattle street kids, exerted a huge influence on his two films about youth: "'Streetwise' is a documentary that acts like a narrative, 'Putty Hill' is a narrative that acts like a documentary.'"
But he also cited three other masterpieces, readily available on DVD, that are never far from his mind when he thinks of making fiction features with nonfiction techniques.
•Kent McKenzie's "The Exiles" (1961), about American Indians in Los Angeles, uses pungent vignettes, evocative bar music and electric interior monologues to capture how male bonding turns shared weaknesses into an illusion of strength — and to convey the end-of-the-line feelings just beneath the surface of one more round of drinks at a bar.
✭Charles Burnett's "Killer of Sheep" (1977), at its most universal, is about community — what it means to live among kith and kin. At its most particular, it's about what it meant to live in Watts before it devolved from a close-knit section of Los Angeles to the original boyz-'n'-the-hood neighborhood.
•Errol Morris' "Fast, Cheap & Out of Control" (1997). Morris finds the philosophic threads connecting a topiary gardener, a wild-animal tamer, a mole-rat specialist, and a robotics scientist. Porterfield says: "Karen Schmeer, the film's editor, was a big influence on my editor, Mark Vives; it's a documentary, but it takes a strong narrative approach as it weaves together four stories.


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Please note that Lanreath Parish Council has a new website which can be accessed at: https://lanreathparishcouncil.jimdofree.com/
Pronounced Lanreth, the Parish can trace its existence back at least to the Domesday Book of 1086, when it was known as Lanredoch. The present version is a derivation of the 'church site (Lann) of Raydhogh'. Unfortunately, nothing seems to be known about him (or her?) so if anyone can enlighten us do get in touch through the Contact Us link.
Lanreath is well steeped in legend, including the alleged sighting on numerous occasions of a ghost dressed in black driving a coach pulled by headless horses. Intending visitors shouldn't worry though - he hasn't been seen for ages!
In 1620, the Punch Bowl Inn became the very first licensed public house in the Land. Parts of the building date back even earlier. The building has served variously as a courthouse, coaching inn and smugglers den, but closed on the 1st May 2012. It is doubtful it will open again as a pub, but who knows? - watch this space.
The present day Lanreath has a population of around 500, its economy sustained by farming and tourism. It is ideally placed for the latter, with the coast being a short distance to the south and the moors to the north.. The surrounding attractions are too numerous to list here, so have a look at our Places to Stay page and come and see for yourself. You'll be very welcome!
Read about the legend of St.Piran, Patron Saint of Cornwall
Please note that Lanreath Parish Council has a new website https://lanreathparishcouncil.jimdofree.com/


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A Poem for Twelfth Night - "How the Puritans Stole Christmas"
Yes, it's that time of year again. Christmastide is approaching it's festive conclusion, punctuated by the Twelfth Night revelry. And, of course, that means that it's time, once again, for my traditional Twelfth Night post* : a poem titled "How the Puritans Stole Christmas" ...
... with apologies to Dr. Seuss:
How the Puritans Stole Christmas
Every High-Church Anglican and Catholic
Living in Jolly Olde England
Liked Christmas a lot...
But the Puritans,
Who were infected with Calvinism,
Did NOT!
The Puritans hated Christmas!
The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be that their round heads weren't screwed on just right.
It could be, perhaps, their predestinarian arses were too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
Was a distaste for mince pies - shaped like a manger-bed in a stall.
Whatever the reason,
Mince pies or their arses,
The Puritans saw the yuletide celebrations as farces,
Staring down on the festivities with sour, dour frowns
At the merriment and good will of those in the towns.
For they knew all the revelers were engaged in such vices
As eating tarts made of suet and spices.
"And they're eating plum pudding!" they snarled with a sneer.
"Tomorrow is Christmas! It's practically here!"
Then they growled, with their greedy fingers nervously drumming,
"We MUST find a way to keep Christmas from coming!"
For, tomorrow, they knew...
...That the Christmas events
Would involve the consumption of pies made of mince!
And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the noise! Noise! Noise! Noise!
That's one thing they hated! The NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!
Then the revelers, young and old, would sit down to a feast.
And they'd feast! And they'd feast!
And they'd FEAST! FEAST! FEAST! FEAST!
They would start on plum pudding, and rare roast-beef
Foods again giving Puritans nothing but grief!
And THEN
They'd do something Puritans liked least of all!
Every merry-maker in town, the tall and the small,
Would stand close together, with Christmas bells ringing.
They'd stand hand-in-hand. And they all would start singing!
They'd sing! And they'd sing!
AND they'd SING! SING! SING! SING!
And the more the Puritans thought of the whole Christmas-Sing
The more the Puritans thought, "We must stop this whole thing!
"Why for over sixteen hundred years we've put up with it now!
We MUST stop Christmas from coming!
...But HOW?"
Then they got an idea!
An awful idea!
"We know just what to do!" The Puritans began plot-ting.
And they made civil war against England's King.
And they built up an army, and the Puritans said,
"When we've won this war, we'll remove the King's head!"
"All we need is a ploy..."
To get the job done.
But since kings are kings,
It was difficult to come up with one.
Did that stop the Puritans...?
No! The Puritans said,
"Charges of treason and Romish sympathies will cost him his head!"
So they called a rump court; charges the King refused to refute.
And the court issued the sentence to execute.
They loaded poor Charles
Dressed in clothes resembling sacks
On a ramshakle scaffold
And severed his head with an ax.
Then the Puritans said, "Huzzah!"
For they had brought the King down
And they began to march
On all the churches in town.
All their stain-glassed windows were dark. Quiet filled the air.
All the vestrymen were all dreaming sweet dreams without care
When the Puritans came to the first church in the square.
"This is stop number one," The Puritans hissed
And each Puritan approached shaking his fist.
Then they broke all the stain-glass.
And smashed statues galore.
Their horses dishonored the graves in the floor.
Then they burned all the vestments,
And prayer books, too.
Then they said "Let's move on, we have much to do!"
Father Christmas on Trial
Then they slithered and slunk, with dour looks most unpleasant,
Around the whole town, to despoil places where Christ was once present!
Stained glass! Statuary! Painted images! Candles!
All manner of popish influences that for years had caused scandals!
And they smashed them to pieces and threw them on piles
And set them ablaze, smiling devilish smiles!
Then they turned to the larders. They banned the Yule feast,
The plum pudding, the boar's head, and all toasts to that beast!
They forbade all the foods that had given offense.
And they succeeded in banning the pies made of mince!
The Puritan Ban on Christmas
Then the last thing they took
Was the yule log for the fire.
On the walls they left nothing but hooks, and some wire.
And the one little speck
Left in the church house
Was a crumb that was even too small for a mouse.
They did the same thing
To the other church houses
Leaving crumbs
Much too small
For the other church mouses!
And what happened then...?
Well...in England they say
That the Lord Protector's round head
Grew three sizes that day!
And the minute that "defender of liberty" felt safe from the strife,
He became the Commonwealth's dictator for life!
And he enforced the outlawing of Christmas! And all the foods for that feast!
And he...
The Lord Protector ruled the realm like a tyrannical beast!
NB: Christmas was not only outlawed in the British Isles but in parts of colonial America, as well. In 1659, a law was passed by the General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony requiring a five-shilling fine from anyone caught "observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way."
* Originally posted as "A Poem for the Twelve Days of Christmas - 'How the Puritans Stole Christmas' ..." on 3 January 2007, and again on 5 January 2007 under the title "A Poem for Twelfth Night - 'How the Puritans Stole Christmas' ..."
Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
How the Puritans Stole Our Lady
A Song for the End of Christmas
A Song (and a Poem) for the End of Christmas
Labels: Anti-Catholicism, Christmas, England, Food, History, Humor, Poetry, Religious Persecution, Traditional Feast Days, War Against Christmas


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AAA has a history for producing quality programs that advance anthropology and allow for expansion of our research and teaching to new audiences. Program growth and development depend on the generous contributions of members like you!
Among the many worthwhile activities, awards and programs that the AAA supports through its fundraising efforts are the following important funds. Your gift may be designated to a specific fund or divided between more than one.
RACE Educational Outreach: Through its three traveling RACE museum exhibits and www.understandingRACE.org website, AAA is increasing public knowledge of race – what it is and what it isn't. Development of these new educational resources will further the process and provide an opportunity for AAA members to share their knowledge with K-12 students and teachers and others interested in learning about race and valuing human variation from an anthropological perspective. AAA members will find the materials invaluable for CSL courses, lectures, workshops and other public engagement efforts.
Internship Program: The objective of this program is to provide anthropology students with the opportunity to work with the staff of AAA and other agencies within the DC metropolitan area on projects that are aligned with their areas of interest within anthropology. The internship will be based within AAA offices and include an outreach component with a participating governmental office, local university, or other allied organization. Target groups are; anthropology majors either in their undergrad junior or senior year and graduate students.
Gray Literature and Technical Report Portal: The AAA will develop on-line portal to provide access to gray literature and technical reports. This portal will link to information and reports stored on a combination of AAA, government, NGO, and other websites to provide greater access to anthropological reports and other material that do not have an ISBN number, and which are commonly not sold in conventional commercial publishing venues. This portal will increase access to archaeological site reports, governmental technical reviews, social impact studies, grant reports, data sets, text collections, and similar products that are useful in the research and professional work of many anthropologists.
AAA Endowment Fund: Our endowment fund is the key to our future. Your gift ensures that the AAA will be able to advance the discipline of anthropology by broadening our programs and services.
Please make your contribution today!


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10 Cute Dogs Who Will Do Anything for Treats
For some mysterious reason, February 23rd is known as International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day. It seems likely that dogs managed to get a hold of a calendar somewhere and decided to mark this day, so to speak, in order to get more treats. Clever pups.
In celebration of this delicious day for dogs and the crafty canine who must have made it so, we found a selection of videos involving dogs and treats and what dogs will do for the love of biscuits.
Little Dog Steals Biscuits From Big Dog
This brave (and treat-crazed) Yorkie steals a biscuit from a rather large, but patient, pit bull. We don't advise taking biscuits from a bigger dog, but we can understand why the little dog would do so. Look how much more he gets.
Impressive Eye Trick
This little guy will risk having his eyes stick that way for a biscuit. We've never seen a dog cross his eyes on command before, so this trick definitely deserves a treat. But, please, save his eyes and teach him to roll over too.
Find the Hidden Biscuit
Victor the German Shepherd has to use his powerful sense of smell to figure out where his favorite treat has been hidden. Dogs know that the best use of their nose is for finding their delicious biscuits, no matter where the humans hide them.
Synchronized Biscuit Eating
Time to double the treat fun with more German Shepherds. This pair of pups waits serenely for the command to toss the treats off their noses and catch them. They deserve many biscuits because they have coordinated their efforts in a virtual dog biscuit ballet.
Extreme Patience Wins a Biscuit
These two patient pooches endure a long and excruciating waiting period before they get their biscuits. Certainly, they must go to some very Zen, dog happy place to sit so still and wait so patiently for the command to eat their beloved biscuits.
Tricks With Biscuits For Biscuits
Last year, we showed you this talented dog who can balance a giant stack of treats on his nose with ease. Here he is again, lying on his back, balancing biscuits on his chin and paws. Knick knack paddywack, give this dog a bone.
Even Cats Like Dog Biscuits
This sneaky little thief proves that it's not just dogs who love dog treats. And, his dark coloring gives him a stealthy advantage, although he seems to have been caught in the act this time.
Pooch With Amazing Balloon Popping Skills
Strangely enough, this dog appears to prefer balloons to biscuits. She even holds a Guinness Book of World Records title for popping 100 balloons in 44.49 seconds. Anastasia, you deserve a biscuit.
Give a Dog a Biscuit Over Twitter
To celebrate the day, you can give the lovely Sela a treat through the miracle of modern technology and the internet with this robotic instant message treat dispenser. We can't tell if this is actually working right now, but you can follow @seladog on Twitter and give her a treat from there.
Not a Dog Biscuit, But a Dog, "Biscuit"
This dog named Biscuit is a skilled climber. She loves rock climbing with her owner and has gotten to new heights with her talent. We don't see it here, but we do hope she gets a biscuit after a good climb.


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Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has dismissed reports suggesting she has split from boyfriend Jason Statham.
The Transformers: Dark of the Moon beauty and the action star, who began dating in 2010, were said to have taken a break after a series of arguments.
But speaking to the Metro at GQ's Men of the Year Awards in London on Tuesday, the 26-year-old catwalk queen insisted the speculation was false, stating she and The Expendables star "have never been happier".
Her representative has also issued a statement denying the rumors: "Rosie and Jason have not split and are not on a break. In fact, Rosie just got back from spending the weekend with Jason on the set of his new movie."
In a new interview with Elle magazine, Huntington-Whiteley credits the 45-year-old actor with providing her with a sense of stability.
She said, "Many models are in long-term relationships for stability. Admittedly, not always with great men, but it gives them something to come home to, something grounding. That's how I see my relationship. Well, I see it in many ways but one of the most beautiful things is that I feel at home whenever I am in the world because of him."
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has dismissed reports suggesting she has split from boyfriend Jason Statham.


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With summer break just around the corner, thousands of local children who rely on school meals need a place to turn for healthy lunches.
We're here to help -- but we need your support!
We are excited to announce our continued partnership with the City of Oakland and Oakland Public Libraries to offer the Free Summer Lunch Program at 11 Oakland Public Library branches this summer!
Volunteers are urgently needed to help run summer lunch locations and to serve the 15,000 meals we expect to give children this year. Shifts will occur between 11:30am and 1:30, Tuesday through Friday, from June 18th - August 17th.
Please contact firstname.lastname@example.com or call (510) 635-3663 ext 307 for more info. Or, register for a mandatory orientation.
With your help, we will work towards making sure no child in Oakland goes hungry this summer.


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joystick_update − query joysticks for status changes
#include <vgajoystick.h>
int joystick_update(void);
queries all currently opened joysticks for position changes and calls the appropriate event handlers.
A non-zero value is returned if and only if any joystick reported a position change. In more detail the logical and of the return value and (1 << joydev) is non-zero if this joystick status changed.
This function is only available in ELF versions of svgalib. Due to backwards compatibility issues it cannot be used with shared a.out libs.
svgalib(7), vgagl(7), libvga.config(5), joytest(6), mjoytest(6), joystick_init(3), joystick_close(3), joystick_sethandler(3), joystick_setdefaulthandler(3), joystick_getnumaxes(3), joystick_getnumbuttons(3), joystick_getaxis(3), joystick_getbutton(3), joystick_button1(3), joystick_getb1(3), joystick_x(3), joystick_getx(3).
The svgalib joystick handler was mostly done by Daniel Engstr\"om <firstname.lastname@example.com>. Multiple joystick, VC switching support and code to glue it into svgalib by Michael Weller <firstname.lastname@example.com>. Part of the code is based on code from C. Smith and Vojtech Pavlik.


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Fishing Report: Ice fishing options abound
Special to the Daily
Open-water fishing is limited primarily to tail waters, such as the Blue River below Dillon Reservoir. On warmer days and afternoons, the lower Roaring Fork and Colorado rivers will often be running ice-free. Small nymphs fished deep are typically the best bet this time of year, although midge hatches on cloudy days can result in good surface action.
Dillon Reservoir Snake River area continues to produce a few kokanee, although they are near the end of the run and not in the best of shape. Best action is often before the sun hits the water. The reservoir is generally capped, but be sure of ice depth before venturing out over deeper waters.
South Park waters have slowed over the past couple of weeks. Antero still produces a few fish, but if action is your goal, there are far better options. If you do fish at Antero, shallow and early will increase your chances. Eleven Mile is doing a little better, but numbers are way down, and most are struggling to see limit's worth of fish in a day's fishing.
Downstream, Williams Fork Reservoir is sporting more than a foot of ice and producing a few small lake trout and rainbows. Pike have been generally slow.
Green Mountain Reservoir has a good coat of ice and has been fishing decent for both lake trout and rainbows. A few snowmobiles have been running the surface. Nearby Wolford Mountain Reservoir has been producing good numbers of trout and kokanees. Most fish are coming on jigs. Color is not all that important, but lure action is. Starting near the bottom with a quick lift and slow drop was the ticket for one party.
Taylor Park Reservoir has nearly a foot of ice and is doing excellent for small lake trout in water 40 feet and deeper. Another option that is picking up for lake trout is Granby. The ice is typically 6 inches and thicker. Snow machines are starting to show in force. Looking for areas where a "flat" breaks to deeper waters is a good option at this time. Fishing closer to shore will often produce good numbers of rainbows. If fishing is slow, head to Willow Creek for fast action with small trout.
Dave Coulson is the Colorado state editor for http://www.fishexplorer.com. He contributes a weekly fishing report to the Summit Daily and Explore Summit Weekender.
Start a dialogue, stay on topic and be civil.
If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted.


text: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 2, 2012 IMLS Press Contact 202-653-4799 Giuliana Bullard, gbullard at imls.gov 2013 National Medal Nominations Are Due October 15 Accelerated Deadline to Accommodate Spring Ceremony Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has an accelerated deadline for nominations for the 2013 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. To accommodate a spring award ceremony, the deadline is earlier than usual. It is October 15, 2012. Museums and libraries that would like to be considered for the award should complete and mail the nomination form by that date. The National Medal for Museum and Library Service ( http://idevmail.americaneagle.com/link.aspx?l=1&d=196&mid=333902&m=1060 ) is the nation's highest honor for exemplary service by museum and libraries. The National Medal honors museums and libraries that make extraordinary civic, educational, economic, environmental, and social contributions. Public or private nonprofit museums, including art, history, science and technology, children's, and natural history museums; historic houses, nature centers, zoos, and botanical gardens; and all types of nonprofit libraries, including public, school, academic, research, and archival, are eligible to receive this honor. The winners are honored at a National Medal award ceremony held in Washington, D.C. For more information and to access the nomination form, please go to www.imls.gov/applicants/detail.aspx?GrantId=13 ( http://idevmail.americaneagle.com/link.aspx?l=2&d=196&mid=333902&m=1060 ). A complete application will include a five-page, single-spaced narrative; financial statements for the past two fiscal years; and up to three letters of support. These nominating materials are reviewed by members of the National Museum and Library Services Board, a presidentially appointed policy advisory board of IMLS. Based on their recommendations, the IMLS Director selects the final winners. Complete applications must be postmarked by October 15, 2012 to this address (no faxes or emails will be accepted): The National Medal for Museum and Library Service Office of the Director Institute of Museum and Library Services 1800 M St. NW 9th Floor Washington, DC 20036-5802 Program Contact for Libraries Michele Farrell, Senior Program Officer Phone: 202-653-4656 E-mail: mfarrell at imls.gov Program Contact for Museums Steven Shwartzman, Senior Program Officer Phone: 202-653-4641 E-mail: sshwartzman at imls.gov About the Institute of Museum and Library Services The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Our grants, policy development, and research helps communities and individuals thrive by providing broad public access to knowledge, cultural heritage, and lifelong learning. To learn more about IMLS, please visit www.imls.gov ( http://idevmail.americaneagle.com/link.aspx?l=3&d=196&mid=333902&m=1060 ). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://lists.uen.org/pipermail/library-media/attachments/20121002/f204ddb4/attachment.html


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'Community' review: It lives, despite NBC
Community: Fourth season premiere. 8 p.m. Thursday on NBC.
The battered but still amazingly unbowed "Community," television's "Brave Little Toaster," returns Thursday night with new show runners and probably one last chance to find a degree of whatever passes for permanence on NBC.
It tells you something about the corporate view of the beloved cult show that NBC sent out press materials for the fourth season a couple of weeks ago that included the information that the season would begin on Oct. 19, 2012.
Wait, what? At first, it looked like some kind of self-spoofing joke on the part of "Community." Would that it were.
The network's crack PR staff hastily sent out an e-mail, saying, in essence, "Oops." Obviously, they'd just dusted off the old press kits from when the fourth season was supposed to have started and popped them in the mail without bothering to fix the premiere date to Feb. 7.
Despite everything NBC has done to thwart the show, intentionally or by accident - including announcing that it would move to Friday nights, then changing its mind, and, oh yeah, canning creator Dan Harmon as the show runner - "Community" enjoys a fiercely loyal following.
The fact that the sitcom doesn't always make linear sense has only further endeared viewers to the group of misfits attending Greendale Community College.
The group includes pathologically cynical ex-lawyer Jeff Winger (Joel McHale), former social activist Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs), eternal optimist Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown), uber-nerds Abed Nadir and Troy Brown (Danny Pudi and Donald Glover), overachiever Annie Edison (Allison Brie), and cranky, bigoted old fart Pierce Hawthorne (Chevy Chase, who quit the show, but not before filming most of the new season).
Odd as these oddballs are, they don't hold a sequin to the school's cross-dressing Dean Pelton (Jim Rash).
Thursday's premiere is a crazy, overstuffed jumble of story elements, set in various levels of Abed's consciousness. It's as if the unreconstructed subject of an episode of "Hoarders" were given free rein to write a sitcom script. In many ways, the loopiness of the season opener reflects the peripatetic history of the show itself - almost as if it's one big wink-wink to the audience from new show runners Moses Port and David Guarascio, saying, "Yeah, we know it's been a long, strange trip, but we're going to stick with Harmon's Plan A."
Next week's episode is a little less frenetic, but could have easily come from a Harmon-run season of the past as the gang goes to a "Doctor Who"-like fan convention.
The great British comic actor Matt Lucas ("Little Britain," "The Wind in the Willows") guest-stars as a crazed super-fan, imprisoning Abed in a "Who"-ish TARDIS.
"Community" has always worked because it never plays by any rules, even its own. Fans were rightly worried when Harmon was canned, but at least the first two shows of the new season follow his crazy-quilt template. Let's hope it stays that way.
David Wiegand is The San Francisco Chronicle's executive features editor and TV critic. E-mail: email@example.com Twitter: @WaitWhat_TV


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The Flatiron Mural in Toronto
Located in downtown Toronto, the Flatiron building built in 1891 by architect David Roberts was the first flatiron preceding the famed New York building. In 1998, Canadian artist, Derek Besant painted a mural that mirrors the building directly across from it. The mural consists of over 50 panels attached to a steel frame mounted on the wall and gives off the effect that the painting is fluttering in the wind being held up by screws.
Photos Via


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Sea to Shining Sea
Veterans Crossing America by Bicycle, Hand Cycle and Recumbent
From May 28 to July 28, 2012, a team of injured military veterans rode bicycles, hand cycles and recumbent cycles from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. Hosted by the leading not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, World T.E.A.M. Sports, the 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride honored the courage of our military and the strength of the American spirit. Since 14 of the 16 participants who rode the full route have disabilities, the ride provided a dramatic example that disabled Americans can lead productive lives and accomplish remarkable athletic feats.
The team of riders followed a cross-country route through 14 states and the District of Columbia, from San Francisco, California to Virginia Beach, Virginia. Sea to Shining Sea riders left San Francisco on May 28, passed through the Napa Valley and rode into the rugged Sierra Nevada Mountains into Nevada at Carson City. Crossing the deserts of Nevada and Utah, through Salt Lake City, the riders then climbed over the high Rocky Mountains in Colorado to Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo. Heading east through the Arkansas River valley into Kansas, the ride continued through Missouri and St. Louis for the Fourth of July. Following the celebrations in the heart of America, the riders headed east through southern Illinois and Indiana to Cincinnati, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From Pittsburgh, the group rode east through Pennsylvania and Maryland to Washington DC. After a stop in Washington, the ride headed south to Richmond, Virginia to the conclusion in Virginia Beach, Virginia on July 28. In all, the riders covered nearly 4,000 miles from coast to coast.
At many major cities that the route crossed, community and media events were held to publicize the event. The ride stopped at selected American military bases along the way, and connected with local communities of disabled persons in towns and cities it traveled through.
Sponsorship support for the participating wounded warriors allowed the riders to participate at no cost, including air transportation to the start and from the finish, lodging and meals. The ride was fully supported through sponsorship support.
Funds raised in excess of the ride's expenses were applied to other inclusive athletic events World T.E.A.M. Sports manages for Americans who have disabilities.
Learn More About Our 2012 Sea to Shining Sea Ride
For more details about our 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride, presented by State Farm, visit our official ride website.
Explore our 2012 World T.E.A.M. Sports Sea to Shining Sea Flickr photographic galleries.
2012 Sea to Shining Sea Sponsors
The 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride was supported through generous sponsorships by State Farm, American Portfolios, MWV, Dominion, the Semper Fi Foundation, the USO, BNY – Mellon, General Electric, GM Fleet and Commercial, Brown Shoe Company and Famous Footwear, Energizer Holdings, Altria, EnerSys, Occidental Petroleum, Magaschoni Apparel, Penske Truck Rental, AR Capital, Vedder Price, the El Pomar Foundation, Recycle for People, and George Puskar.
Upcoming Sea to Shining Sea Rides
Information regarding upcoming Sea to Shining Sea rides from World T.E.A.M. Sports will be posted to this site as rides are announced. Veterans with disabilities with an interest in participating may send a note of interest to World T.E.A.M. Sports. They are also encouraged to participate in other events from the organization, such as the Face of America ride, and to watch for the official announcement for applications. Our next ride is anticipated in 2018 or 2019.
Supporters Praise the 2012 Sea to Shining Sea Ride
"Honoring our fellow Americans who have sacrificed for us was the least anyone should do. They are the ones we need to thank both now and in the future, and I was happy to be a small part of a big journey. They all made me proud, including those of you who helped make this ride become a reality."
– Jim Noland, Pittsburgh
"What a huge achievement for anyone to pedal that many miles through all of the obstacles and potential obstacles that were thrown in the way, but for this group, it's definitely that much more impressive! I'm sorry that I did not get to spend anytime with the Sea To Shining Sea folks on the road, but I felt that I was living vicariously through Bill, Lou and Emily and the stories they were sharing."
– Leigh Edmonds, Mobile USO Program Manager
"It was our honor and privilege to be involved with this very worthy, important and challenging ride. Our team had a great reaction and felt that it was an important point that we do all that we could to make the team welcome while in our region."
– Ned Masse, MWV
"It was our pleasure to help in any way…..we got so much out of the Sea to Shining Sea visit!"
– Kate Henry, b2 and company exponential results, inc
"We were pleased and proud to have the participants of the 2012 Sea to Shining Sea stay at the St. Regis Deer Valley."
– Michael J. Zaccaro, St. Regis, Park City
"I understand it was a great ride and I'm glad we were able to play a part in your success."
– John I. Pray, Jr., Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff, USO
Participants Support the Sea to Shining Sea Ride
"Elated! Self-Confident! Camaraderie! Conditioning! These are a few words that come to mind when I reflect the summer of 2010 after riding a hand cycle and upright bicycle on the World T.E.A.M. Sports, Sea to Shining Sea adventure across America. There is absolutely NO way we could have done this without State Farm's generosity. The support provided by State Farm allowed me the peace of mind highly needed to focus on the abilities left in my body after suffering paraplegia, traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress after my Apache helicopter crash in Afghanistan. Thank you, State Farm and World T.E.A.M. Sports."
– Stuart Contant, US Army (Ret.), 2010 Sea to Shining Sea Ride participant
"The World T.E.A.M. Sports Sea to Shining Sea ride symbolized for me facing the impossible, which many of us on the team could relate to in our lives. As the miles passed, the 'impossible' became the 'very possible' and the focus switched from changing our lives to changing the lives of others."
– Kevin Sullivan, US Air Force (Ret.), 2010 Sea to Shining Sea Ride participant
"World T.E.A.M. Sports has given me an opportunity to re-identify myself. People don't look at me as just an injured veteran anymore. They now see me as the veteran that rode her hand cycle across the country and climbed a mountain in Nepal. These experiences have allowed me to see myself as a stronger more complete person. I am not just surviving after being injured, I am truly living! Thank you World T.E.A.M. Sports!!! I'm ready! What's next?"
– Nicolette Maroulis, US Navy (Ret.), 2010 Sea to Shining Sea Ride and 2010 Soldiers to the Summit Nepal Expedition participant.
"On May 21, 2010, a small group of cyclists gathered at dusk at the edge of San Francisco Bay. It was cold and blowy, with scattered rain. The wind kicked up flecks of foam in the Bay. The Golden Gate Bridge loomed above in the gray sky. The only note of color was the bright yellow of the foul-weather jackets the riders wore as they leaned into the wind, struggling across the sand toward the water.
"Curious onlookers stopped and noticed that several of the riders were being carried down to water's edge, while others pushed their hand bikes and recumbents into the frigid foam. The riders provoking this curiosity were taking the first step in a journey of discovery of America, and of the power within themselves."
– read more of Paul Bremer's story, "The 2010 Sea to Shining Sea WTS Ride," published in the March 2011 edition of the Potomac Pedalers Touring Club Pedal Patter newsletter
Explore our 2012 Sea to Shining Sea event website or view videos for more information regarding the 2010 ride, sponsored by State Farm.
"Two Shining Seas" Documentary
Explore the documentary "Two Shining Seas" of the 2010 Sea to Shining Sea ride by Austin Smithard.
Sea to Shining Sea Books
Shining Seas – by Mike Claver, Rachael Rosen, and Jeanna Buck, with Abby Bergakker, November, 2012. 108 pages, softbound. Illustrated. Experience the 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride from staff members who traveled across the continent with 14 disabled veterans and 2 pilots for blind riders. From California to Virginia, the team faced record high temperatures, high mountains, deserts, and other challenges as they rode bicycles, hand cycles and recumbents. Limited copies are available for purchase from World T.E.A.M. Sports. $25.00 postpaid.
From Sea to Shining Sea – by Paul Bremer, September, 2011. E-book. 270 pages. Illustrated. Complete report of the 2010 Sea to Shining Sea cross-country journey. Beginning in California and ending in Virginia two months later, the team of 15 disabled veterans, accompanied with a few able-bodied riders such as Bremer, joined together as a team for their journey.
Sea to Shining 2010 Sea Video Album


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Investment manager Howard Marks is chairman of Oaktree Capital (OAK). In an interview , Marks described the problems of debt in the world today. Marks cites Japan, whose economy failed to be reignited over the last 25 years. When Japan gave money to people, expecting them to spend it, people saved it instead. Their psychology was dominated by worry, so keeping money in the bank mattered more than spending it to help the economy. [More list articles: Why Expect More Price Swings from These 4 Biotechs] On the S&P 500, now at a 5-year high, Marks says it is a statistical trick. The index was higher 6 years ago, and was higher 12 years ago. The time of reference changes the importance of the S&P 500's 5-year high. Investors who had money in markets 12 years ago did not make any money. Marks is a fan of gold. Gold is an asset that does not produce any cash flow. Without knowing how to price an ounce of gold, making any statements about what the right price is cannot be done for gold. Business Section: Investing Ideas 1. Oaktree Capital Group, LLC ( OAK): Oaktree began trading as public company last year. Shares are up significantly at around $48.80 since then. Shares dipped recently, because of an upcoming dividend payment of $1.05. Companies held by Oaktree Capital Management include: 2. SanDisk Corp. ( SNDK): .SanDisk received an upgrade from RBC recently. The firm thinks the company is worth $65 a share, up from $50. Shares are already trading close to its 52-week high. SanDisk also makes embedded flash for Apple (AAPL). The company will also be the flash supplier for Nvidia's (NVDA) Phoenix reference design phone, which is powered by the Tegra 4. 3. Delphi Automotive PLC ( DLPH): Delphi shares pay a dividend with a yield of 1.78%. In its quarterly report, the company reported earnings of $0.90 per share, beating estimates by $0.08. Revenue declined 3.4% from last year to $3.8B. The company was added to the S&P 500 in December 2012. 4. Brookdale Senior Living Inc. ( BKD): The company reported quarterly results that missed consensus by $0.13 per share. In Q4, Brookdale lost $0.20 per share on revenue of $699.7M. The revenue is a 4.1% increase from the previous year. Kapitall's Turbo Chart:
( List compiled by Chris Lau )


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Carolinas's own guide to great gardening and landscaping. A State-by-State Gardening Publication
Make it Last
Freezing fruits and vegetables to extend your harvest
by Richelle Stafne
There is a fine line in a productive summer garden where the harvest goes from plentiful to growing "out your ears." Of course, you can give extra produce away or donate it to a local soup kitchen, but another option is to freeze the abundant harvest. I grew up on a rural farm where food preservation was a way of life. From snapping green beans for canning to washing blackberries for freezing, we learned to help from a young age. Here are tips to help you get started with freezing produce at home.
>> read article
>> read article
Fruit Tree Friends
by Alan Branhagen
Companion planting is the idea that certain plants attract beneficial insects and fix soil nutrients in the edible garden. It's not a dog-eat-dog world out there; it's a bug-eat-bug world that forms the food chain that feeds us.
Fresh fruit picked off your own trees is a hot horticultural pursuit these days. Homeowners envision delectable apples, pears, peaches, plums and cherries dripping from their trees. Well, truth be told, there's a lot of work that goes into those beautiful fruits. Bumps and blemishes from an army of fruit tree pests are the reality of the orchardist. >> read article
Fresh fruit picked off your own trees is a hot horticultural pursuit these days. Homeowners envision delectable apples, pears, peaches, plums and cherries dripping from their trees. Well, truth be told, there's a lot of work that goes into those beautiful fruits. Bumps and blemishes from an army of fruit tree pests are the reality of the orchardist. >> read article
Tomato: Fruit or Vegetable?
by Bob Polomski
When I want to get a room full of gardeners engaged in a lively debate, I bring up the topic of tomatoes. A question that transforms shy, reserved types into outspoken, opinionated verbal wranglers is this one: "Is the tomato a fruit or a vegetable?" >> read article
The Top 10 Reasons Your Tomatoes Fail
by Bob Westerfield
Anyone who has ever grown a backyard tomato knows that there is no comparison to the flavor and quality of a freshly grown tomato compared to one purchased at the supermarket. While tomatoes are arguably the king of the vegetable garden, they can be challenging at times because this tropical fruit can be finicky. By far, tomato problems exceed those of any other vegetable. Whether that is because they just have more problems or because of how popular they are, they are definitely not easy to grow. Here I will outline what I see as the top 10 issues that can lead to tomato failure in the garden. >> read article
Shishito Peppers
by Cynthia Wood
While on a food and native plant pilgrimage to Austin, Texas, I was offered a small plate of charred, wrinkly green peppers sprinkled with sea salt. The waiter said that the peppers were called shishitos and that they were native to Japan. Within a few minutes, I had devoured the entire plateful and was clamoring for more. These odd looking little peppers were seriously addictive. >> read article
Exotic Flavors
Growing some out-of-the-ordinary seasonings
by John Tullock
If, like many of us, you have been trying to eat more locally produced food lately, no doubt you have already learned how to keep the produce bin stocked with beans, tomatoes, lettuce and corn by growing them at home or visiting the local farmers' market. Nothing beats local produce for flavor and nutrition, and eating close to home helps conserve the fuel that would have been used to transport the food across the country. But what about those wonderful, exotic flavors like ginger? They will always have to come from far away, right? >> read article
Perpetua Blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum
by Clara A. Curtis
Gardening in 2016 should be inspirational and eclectic and fun! What better plant to add to your garden than one that exhibits four seasons of interest and produces fruit for your cereal bowl! No more boring gardens stuffed with static plants that are not earning their keep – plant a new blueberry to spice it up. >> read article
Eriobotrya japonica
by Kerry Heafner
Kerry Heafner profiles the loquat (Eriobotrya japonica). Watch as he tells us all about this underused fruit tree that makes an excellent (and delicious) addition to the landscape. >> read article
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Modern Abstract No. 1
Modern Abstract No. 1
This real magnolia leaf has been dried, pressed, and hand embroidered. All leaf embroideries come with with a mat, backing, and archival sleeve, sized at 8"x10". However, for lasting results, it is recommended to have framed for prolonged preservation. (does not come framed.)
**As all leaves are real, reproductions may vary a little making all work unique and 100% one of a kind. Leaf color may vary.**
Add To Cart


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Mountains / Wood Lid Glass Jar
Mountains / Wood Lid Glass Jar
Gift beauty and functionality with these Maple Wood + Glass Organizational Jars!
Use as a to-go container, gift with candies, organize your craft room, store perishables in the kitchen - these jars are multi-functional and textured with a custom Lucca design!
> Choose from 40+ Designs!
> 31 oz. Storage Jar
> Real Maple Wood Lid
> Air Tight Seal
> Food Safe Storage
> Safe For Candles
> Height: 5.5"
Base Diameter: 4"
Widest Diameter: 4"
Top Diameter: 4"