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The petrol filter replaced
Published on 8/1/2015
So I gave up waiting for the imported filter, and found a close enough match locally.
I usually order from MX5Parts.co.uk, and I've never before had an issue with any of their parts, service or delivery. So naturally I had no qualms ordering the fuel filter from them. Especially since locally my only option was getting an OEM one made for almost 4 times the price at the old Ford/Mazda factory.
However it was the first time I imported since the South African postal service strikes last year, which lasted almost six months. Why the postal service? I don't have a choice. If the parcel is small and light, MX5Parts sends it via Royal Mail, and hence it arrives via our postal service. And to be honest I doubt I'll ever receive it - it's probably stolen, stuck or even lost at customs somewhere.
So after a month of waiting I jacked the car up, removed the old filter and took it to the local Midas parts store. They pulled out their catalogues and we started searching for a filter that will fit. There are no after-market fuel or air filters for the MX-5 available locally, only the oil filter. The catalogues' section for the MX-5 were literally only one line. What was interesting though was that, apart from the MX-6, all the other older Mazdas (323, 626, Astina, Etude) use the same fuel filter. It's not the same as mine, but not too different either, and the Astina and Etude has pretty much the same engine, mounted sideways for the FWD train.
Replacing the fuel filter on a Miata is super easy. Just pull the fuse so that the pump is disabled and then idle the car until the fuel line is dry. Undo the flap and pull off the fuel lines. Fitting this other Mazda filter didn't pose a problem, but because the filter's lines doesn't match exactly and because the rubber fuel hoses are very short, there was some bending necessary. So it's on, and it works, and it doesn't leak, but the hose on the engine side bends a bit too much for my liking and fitting it in the bracket would simply tear the fuel lines off. I'll try and get some silicone hoses at some point to replace these old line hoses with.
Or, here's hoping I still get the real filter delivered.
UPDATE So I did actually receive the ordered filter. It arrived a month and two weeks after shipping from the UK. The packaging was absolutely mangled, but fortunately the filter itself was intact. It's sitting on a shelf now for when I need it again in 30 000 km.


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Veterans and Military families,
Join us for the next Support Siouxland Soldiers event.
Monday, October 15, 2018
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Long Lines Family Rec Center, 401 Gordon Dr.
This free event includes a hot dinner, groceries, resource fair, winter clothing and more.
Volunteers are needed, please sign-up online at:

subset: commoncrawl


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A major challenge entrepreneurs face is having too many mundane tasks on the 'to do list.' It is impossible to allow your business to reach its potential if your workload is too high.
You need to take back the time that administration is stealing from you, before you become buried in unfinished paperwork.
You didn't start your business to become an administrator, but what can you do? Administration has to to be done, right?
An Online Business Manager could be your solution.
I am Jackie Van Baren and I am JVB Connect.


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Artoletta is a new culture which will bring people delight and surprise. The practical sense that toilet is white may go out of use by the introduction of Artoletta. The design of Artoletta can be arranged by such as Japanese traditional Ukiyo-e, international works of art and various kind of patterns, all of which are carefully decorated one by one by craftsmen. Artoletta, born in Japan, merged toilet with art as the word tells. People enjoy the toilet design as a fashion and the restroom space will keep evolving by gaining a new option. And finally, Artoletta will enrich people's lives.
A beautifully decorated toilet provide our mind with a healing through visual sense. It means the end of a negative restroom environment which is dirty and dark for not only kids but for adults. In a commercial complex, Artoletta is a topic and attracting customers. This product also contributes to the medical welfare. It provides not only a healing but support for people with weak eye sight to identify the toilet location by using a color easy to see. This technology may be applied to other interiors such as wall, furniture and equipment i.e. a restroom could be totally coordinated and decorated.
Works of art, illustrations and photos are printed onto vinyl films that are heated and then
wrapped around a toilet. These films can be removed and the toilet may be restored to its
original condition; or a new illustration or photo may be wrapped upon request. As toilets
are regularly cleaned to maintain a good sanitary environment, these wrappings are
designed to retain their original color and hard to come off. The toilet has been transformed
into a work of art and the restroom has become a room people of all ages desire to visit.


text:
As the entry-level Jeep, the Renegade is sufficiently refined as well as pleasantly capable. For urban driving, we prefer the base engine with manual shift and front-wheel drive, which feels lighter than other models. Snow and ice call for a 4×4 model. The Trailhawk feels the most ponderous due to its heavier weight and two-speed transfer case, but it's the best model for rugged terrain.
Driving impressions by John Voelcker, The Car Connection. James M. Flammang contributed to this report.
* The advertised price does not include sales tax, vehicle registration fees, other fees required by law, finance charges and any documentation charges. A negotiable administration fee, up to $115, may be added to the price of the vehicle.
* Images, prices, and options shown, including vehicle color, trim, options, pricing and other specifications are subject to availability, incentive offerings, current pricing and credit worthiness.


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Explore and take a tour of London's most iconic landmark – The Buckingham Palace, official residence of Her Majesty the Queen. The Royal State Rooms are open to the public during Summer. Venture pass the gates and take a walk through the palace's 19 State Rooms where the Queen uses to conduct royal businesses and entertain official guests. Furnished with some of the finest treasures from the Royal Collection, admire priceless pieces of arts and paintings, exquisite sculptures and furniture as you make your way from room to room.
At the end of the tour, walk along the south side of the garden taking in the splendid views of the west front of the Palace and the famous lake. Described as a 'walled oasis in the middle of London', the Palace's garden is home to 30 varied species of birds and more than 350 wild flowers, some extremely rare. Also called the Queen's garden, it is where she holds her Summer garden parties.
*As there are limited slots on each tour, it is recommended that you book in early.
Entry Times: 1100 hours and 1500 hours* (GMT+1)
The State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are open annually during the summer months when the Palace is not in use for official functions.
* Between 24 July to 4 August, only 1500 hours entry is available.
One Time Admission to the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace
Includes: Audio guide (Available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Russian and Mandarin. There is also a family audio guide (in English only) and accompanying activity trail, suitable for children 7-11 years.)
Ages 17 years and above
Ages 5 - 16 years
1. Purchase online
2. Receive an email with the e-voucher
3. Receive a separate email within 2 working days
4. Enjoy your visit
65 6701 1185
+65 9134 1516 (Text only)
Tours and tickets are subjected to availability and are not confirmed until a second confirmation email is received. In the event if the date selected is not available, alternative arrangements will be communicated via email.
The e-ticket is valid for on day purchase only
Opening dates and times are subject to the individual attractions. Please check the attraction's official website before making arrangements.
Changi Recommends and the merchant will not be responsible for any accidents, loss of property or damage caused by individual's negligence.
Changi Recommends will not be responsible for the loss of ticket caused by individual's negligence.
The e-voucher cannot be exchanged for cash or used on more than one occasion.
The value of the e-ticket is in Singapore dollars.
Any alteration(s) on the e-ticket will not be accepted by Changi Recommends and the appointed merchant.
Buckingham Palace State Rooms, London SW1A 1AA
By Train
Nearest underground station- Victoria Underground & Railway Station (Circle, District and Victoria Lines) is 5-10 mins walk passing the Royal Mews.
By Bus
Numbers 11, 211, C1 and C10 stop on Buckingham Palace Road.


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The Door of Return Museum of Senegal
Downloads: 441
Downloads: 41
Ngutter, William Nguta-Makau
MetadataShow full item record
Door of Return Museum symbolizes a synthesis of environmental building systems (EBS) and extends Senegal's cultural fingerprint along the Atlantic shoreline. Benefits of EBS technologies include ecologic imperatives, coexistence with nature, and transcultural synergies to name a few. Architecturally speaking EBS is the purposeful integration of environmental systems in a harmonious manner that maximizes passive energy solutions to the fullest extent possible. When doing so problems exist both environmental and contextual yet resolutions can be rewarding to the client, community, and most important the end-user. Overcoming problematic challenges maintains sensitivity towards nature, cultural history and vernacular typology. Design methodology mitigates natural systems such as thermal heat transfer, daylight control, natural ventilation and thermal lag prior to incorporating mechanical systems. The paramount result is a contemporary museum that educates via its collection and economized performance systems.
- Masters Theses [19408]


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On August 6, 2014, the New York Times – and other media outlets – reported that a Russian crime ring had amassed the largest known collection of stolen Internet data – a cache of at least 1.2 billion user name and password combinations, as well as more than 500 million email addresses. The sheer volume of this stolen information underscores the fact that staying ahead of hackers has become an increasingly losing battle. Despite the publicity and increasing urgency in addressing this concern, data security breaches are becoming more frequent, more severe, and more costly, and have increasingly greater consequences for the company and its management. For example, the New York Times report comes on the heels of Target's recent announcement that its losses related to its data breach during the 2013 holiday season were expected to top $148 million, resulting in a "hold" rating on its stock and lowering its earnings forecast.
A string of high-profile data breaches at well-recognized companies, hospitals, professional firms and restaurants make clear that no business is immune from this risk. This, along with increased regulatory scrutiny and reporting requirements and well-publicized lawsuits against company boards and management by shareholders and financial institutions, has elevated cybersecurity to the single most important issue to board members and management, according to a recent survey by EisnerAmper.
One thing is clear: companies must be proactive and get out in front of the problem by including an assessment of their coverage needs, and any existing coverage they may have, as part of a comprehensive breach protection and response strategy and security plan. Waiting until a breach occurs may be too late.
The landscape for insurance covering these types of risks is evolving and changing rapidly. Historically, policyholders have looked to commercial general liability (CGL) policies for defense and indemnification of third-party claims. Alternatively, coverage for losses related to a policyholder's property may exist under a first-party property policy. Liability for these losses has also spawned shareholder lawsuits, resulting in claims for coverage under D&O policies. But the insurance industry is contesting coverage of cyber risks under these types of policies, and is making every effort to exclude coverage from most new CGL and property policy forms. At the same time, the market has seen an influx of cyber-specific policies, but coverage under these policies can vary widely from policy-to-policy and from industry-to-industry, and the forms themselves differ greatly in their terminology and structure. Moreover, because these are relatively new insurance products, it will be some time before policyholders have definitive guidance from the courts on how coverage under these new policies will be interpreted.
With coverage being increasingly limited under traditional policies, and with the breadth and uncertainty of coverage offered under cyber-specific policies, companies should seek guidance from experienced coverage counsel to maximize their potential coverage under both cyber-specific and other insurance coverage – well before they face a cyber crisis.
If you are considering this type of coverage, or are interested in determining whether this type of coverage is appropriate for your enterprise, please contact one of the authors of this Alert, or the Reed Smith attorney with whom you frequently work.
Client Alert 2014-215


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Germany's Rocket Internet has lukewarm IPO
Germany's ambitious start-up platform Rocket Internet made its high-profile arrival on the Frankfurt stock market on Thursday but got off to a disappointing start as shares slumped in morning trading.
Shares were issued at 42.50 euros—which would value Rocket at 6.7 billion euros ($8.46 billion), more than Lufthansa airline—but lost six percent in early trading.
After more than five million shares had been traded in the first hour, the price was down 2.26 percent to 41.54 euros.
Rocket Internet, aiming to be Germany's answer to US giants Amazon and eBay and China's Alibaba, owns a range of businesses worldwide in e-commerce, online retail and Internet-based payment systems.
The Berlin-based tech incubator founded in 2007 and run by the brothers Oliver, Marc and Alexander Samwer fully or partially owns 66 companies in more than 100 countries, many of them emerging economies, with about 20,000 employees.
Zalando, Europe's largest online fashion retailer, which had its Frankfurt stock debut on Wednesday, was built up under the watch of Rocket.
The stock debuts come amid a surge of international market enthusiasm for e-commerce initial public offerings (IPOs) after China's Alibaba raised $25 billion in New York, with some market watchers warning of another tech bubble.
Explore further


text: James Hendler, director of the Rensselaer Institute for Data Exploration and Applications (IDEA), has been appointed to the Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee. The committee provides scientific and technical advice to the Under Secretary for Science and Technology and senior department leadership on matters related to the expansion of technological capabilities across the homeland security enterprise. - See more at: Rensselaer News Page.


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Infill Infrastructure Grant Program (IIG)
Application, General Program, and Standard Agreements Questions
Loan Closing Questions
Program Details
- Purpose
- Assistance Type and Terms
- Eligible Activities and Applicants
- Guidelines
- Get Funding — Current Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)
- Previous Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs)
- Awards
- Program Forms
- Management Memos
- Training and Technical Assistance
Funded by Proposition (Prop 1C) 1C, the Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act of 2006, the primary goal is to promote infill housing development. By providing financial assistance, IIG supports infrastructure improvements to facilitate new infill housing development. IIG serves to aid in new construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure that supports higher-density affordable and mixed-income housing in locations designated as infill. Infill project sites must have been previously developed, or largely surrounded by development.
Important Updates
Assistance Type
IIG is grant assistance, available as gap funding to infrastructure improvements required for specific residential or mixed-use infill development. Funds will be allocated through a competitive process, based on the merits of the individual infill projects and areas. Some of the application selection criteria includes housing density, project readiness, access to transit, proximity to amenities, and housing affordability.
Assistance Terms
For Qualifying Infill Projects, the Program grant amount shall not be less than $500,000 or $250,000 Rural Areas. The maximum Program grant amount shall not exceed $5 million for each application. The Department will fund only one application for each Capital Improvement Project or portion thereof. In each NOFA, the Department will fund only one application for each Qualifying Infill Project.
Eligible Activities
To be eligible for funding, a Capital Improvement Project must be an integral part of, or necessary for the development of a Qualifying Infill Project. Program grant funds must be used for reasonable and necessary costs of the Capital Improvement Project. Eligible activities include new construction, rehabilitation, and acquisition of infrastructure.
Eligible Applicants
Non-profit or for profit developers are required applicants, either solely or as a joint applicant with a Locality or public housing authority with jurisdiction over the area in which the Qualifying Infill Project is located. Public agencies are not eligible as sole applicants for Qualifying Infill Projects.
- New! October 30, 2019 Guidelines (PDF)
- New! October 30, 2019 Guidelines with Track Changes (PDF)
- Draft Guidelines (PDF)
- Draft Guidelines Tracked Changes (PDF)
- Statement of Reasons (PDF)
- Draft Guidelines Workshop (PDF)
- Round 5 Guidelines (PDF)
- Round 4 Guidelines (PDF)
Get Funding
Applications are invited through the issuance of Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs).
Current NOFAs
Large jurisdictions applications are due February 18, 2020 by 5:00 p.m., and small jurisdictions applications are accepted on an over-the-counter basis until all available funds are exhausted. Please be sure you are subscribed to the IIG emailing list to receive notifications and announcements.
New! 2019-2020, NOFAS
- New! 2019 Notice of Funding Availability for Large Jurisdictions (PDF)
- New! 2019 Notice of Funding Availability for Small Jurisdictions (PDF)
- New! Application (XLS)
- New! Universal Application (XLS)
- STD. 204 — Payee Data Record (PDF)
- FI$Cal Government TIN Form (PDF)
- New! Financial Assistance Application Tool (FAAST)
- New! NOFA Workshop Presentation (PDF)
Fiscal Year 2017-2018, Round 5 — 10/02/2017
Fiscal Year 2017-2018, Round 5 Awards
Fiscal Year 2017-2018 NOFA (PDF)
FAQs (PDF) — 12/14/2017
Income limits (PDF)
Fiscal Year 2014-2015, Round 4 — 10/02/2014
Fiscal Year 2014-2015, Round 4 Awards
Fiscal Year 2014-2015 NOFA (PDF)
FAQs (XLS) — 12/01/2014
Income limits (PDF)
Fiscal Year 2013-2014, Round 3 — 05/14/2013
Fiscal Year 2013-2014, Round 3 Awards
Fiscal Year 2013-2014 NOFA (PDF)
Income limits (PDF)
Program Forms
NOTE: View sample documents disclaimer on our Privacy Policy page.
IIG Specific Documents
Management Memos
There are currently no management memos for the IIG Program on the website at this time.
Training and Technical Assistance
There are currently no IIG Training and Technical resources on the website at this time.
- CalHFA Sales Price Limits (PDF)
- California Recycle Underutilized Sites (CALReUSE) Program (ASP)
- Mullin Densities — AB 2348 Ch. 724 (2004) (PDF)
- Rural Area Determination Procedures (DOC)
- What is an Enforceable Commitment Letter? (DOC)
- California Codes/Laws/Bill Information
- Multifamily Housing Program (MHP)
- Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC)
- Legislative Information


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Lions season, over. College football, done. While some might crawl into the deep, depressing stage of the year we call the offseason, there are optimists among us. With football season coming to a close, draft season begins, and boy is 2019 going to be a doozy. This is an interesting part of the draft process... Continue Reading →
Revisiting My 2018 Draft Class Rankings: 3 Hits and 3 Misses
With Pro-Bowl selections complete, and draft season right around the corner, I decided to revisit my 2018 draft class positional rankings and see how wrong I was. Some players were HUGE misses, some players were big hits, and I don't have any shame about it. Scouting is a unique process that is impossible to perfect... Continue Reading →
NFL/NCAA Betting Picks
Degenerates unite, if you've been in a slump fear not and follow me into the promised land. If you're in debt to your bookie worry no more, for I am here to get you back to living your life with both knee caps intact. This weekend I'll come through with 3 NCAA and 3 NFL... Continue Reading →
MSU vs. UofM Preview, Keys, Prediction
It's time, it's time for your best friends to become enemies, it's time to "jokingly" tell co-workers to go **** themselves, Michigan week is finally upon us. This is the time where Spartan fans harass anyone wearing Maize and Blue with talks of their 8-2 record in the last 10 years. This is the time... Continue Reading →
Michigan at Michigan State Preview
This game often goes against everything previous performances would lead us to expect, and that's because there's more emotion wrapped up in this game than most. Emotion gives us incredible plays, emotion gives us uncharacteristic mistakes, and emotion keeps us all glued to the game for far longer than any non-football fan would think reasonable.
MSU vs. Northwestern Preview
Saturday at 12:00 EST Michigan State will lineup against a team that's been a thorn in their side the last couple years. Northwestern took down the Spartans the last two years, both in memorable fashion. The 2016 game featured a quarterback duel with a combined 94 points and 705 passing yards (281 of them coming... Continue Reading →
Lions Cowboys Post-Game Thoughts
4 games into the year we've reached the end of the "1st quarter" and I feel like this is the point where you can start coming to some conclusions about this Lions team. Detroit goes into Dallas in the closest thing to a "must-win" game outside the division as you can get, falling into a... Continue Reading →
Seven Up: Staff NCAAF Picks – Week 5
Finally, the week we've been waiting for. Two top-10 matchups, five ranked-vs-ranked games, and an FCS game that might just be worth tuning into. We're just going to let the games do the talking this weekend. Here are our top games and picks for Week 5: Unanimous picks for the Buckeyes, Cardinal, and Bison this... Continue Reading →
MSU vs. Central Michigan Preview
Ah it's good to be home. The Spartans are back in East Lansing this weekend to take on Central Michigan at 12:00 EST this Saturday. It's always a fun contest when these two meet, CMU is comprised of about 70% in-state recruits and while MSU's recruiting has had much more of a national feel lately,... Continue Reading →


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Why bother outsourcing customer support when you can get your customers to do it for you. I've been watching the success of giffgaff with interest for a while. For those not familiar with giffgaff it is a UK mobile service provider where customers participate in the company's business operations, specifically Marketing, Sales and Customer service.
As well as via the Giff Gaff community web page Facebook and Twitter provide additional channels for customer support. Support is provided socially, by fellow customers rather than using Giff Gaff employees.
This trend of setting up online communities to deliver peer to peer customer support has been dubbed "Unsourcing" and is not limited to Giff Gaff. The obvious reason for many organizations choosing to unsource is cost. Gartner estimates that using communities to solve support issues can reduce costs by up to 50%.
However viewing unsourcing as an opportunity to reduce customer support risks repetition of the same problems that have beset organizations who have chosen outsource their customer service to emerging economies, most importantly creating a disconnect between the organization and its customers. Simply viewing customer service as a cost center rather than for example an opportunity for differentiation and as a source of new product ideas is doomed to fail.
Unsourcing has a number of benefits. It allows Gen Y customers to interact with organizations via the social channels with which they are most familiar and to engage with fellow customers who share a common interest. In addition it creates a bond between an organization and its most important customers.
Unsourcing will become a key aspect of the customer service mix rather than a panacea. Organizations will still need to ensure that their customers aren't left high and dry should they not get the right answer. If it's a complaint they will need to ensure it is addressed as quickly as possible. They must monitor the channels to detect emerging trends, product problems or new product opportunities. In other words they will still need to tie the social or unsourced customer to business processes.


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Whalers and sealers followed on the mainland, as did pastoralists and miners, keen to exploit the free land, and cash in on the booming gold fields to the north.
An Esperance beachside hotel
lounge room and front deck
Esperance, c720 ks south-east of Perth on Western Australia's southern coastline, is an eight hour drive from the state's capital city. This small town (pop 10,000), first settled in the 1870s, has become a dream holiday resort for the outdoorsy, sporty types. The local tourist office recommends horse riding, bike riding, fishing from the town jetty, scuba diving, whale-watching in season (the southern winter), wind surfing and 4WD drive tours. For the less sporty types, The Esperance Museum displays material about the local history, including relics from pioneering families, shipwreck items, pieces of the US Sky Lab which fell to earth here in 1980, Aboriginal artefacts and antiques.
The most interesting Esperance holiday accommodation overlooks Esperance Bay and the Recherché Archipelago. The most interesting local industry is a specialist fish and shark leather tannery – the studio shows how hand bags, wallets and jewellery boxes are made from sea creatures.
The ferry lands at Woody Island
The official Australian tourism website says that life becomes even more interesting if the tourist drives from Esperance west along Twilight Beach Road past West Beach, Chapman's Point, Blue Haven Beach, Salmon Beach, Fourth Beach and Twilight Beach. It is quite impressive to walk along the soft, white sands - the sand dunes, pushed to great heights by the Esperance Doctor Wind, rise 50+ metres high. Note also the granite cliffs and watch the ocean change colour from aquamarine near the shore to a deep blue out near the 105 islands of the Recherche Archipelago.
This is also the direction of Cape Le Grand National Park; Stokes National Park and Cape Arid National Park. Rotary Lookout is the best spot for panoramic views of Esperance, Esperance Bay, Pink Lake and the islands off the coast.
Now this beautiful but sleepy West Australian tourist area is riding high on a wave of publicity leading to new interest, including for me. Tourism Australia's huge new global marketing campaign, launched on Australia Day 2016, focused on the country's aquatic and coastal experiences. They were correct - research showed that 70% of international visitors targeted such experiences on their trips. The global news wire Agence France Presse included Lake Hillier on a list of five great Australian destinations off the well-trodden tourist track!!
Middle Island, 125 ks from Esperance, sits in beautifully clear turquoise waters and is the longest (7 ks) of the islands that make up the Recherche Archipelago. Lake Hillier is a solidly strong pink-coloured lake on Middle Island! The lake is c600 ms long, and is surrounded by a rim of sand and dense woodland of paperbark and eucalyptus trees.
But Western Australia is home to a number of pink lakes. So the question remains: why is Lake Hillier SO pink? Scientists believed the colour intensity was because a high salt content allowed the colour-causing micro-organism to flourish. The dye created by bacteria apparently lives in the salt crusts. Why the lake had such high salt content compared to paler-pink lakes remained uncertain.
Visitors to Middle Island should also inspect the early settler's ruins and the camp ground belonging to Australia's only recorded whaler-turned-pirate, Black Jack Anderson. Alas he was murdered by his own crew!
Cape Grand National Park
For those flying over Lake Hillier, the scenic flight follows the stunning coast out to Cape Le Grand National Park, Duke of Orleans and Cape Arid National Park. For those travelling on the ferry, tours start on the beautiful Esperance beaches, and spend a day sailing to Middle Island, then onto Woody Island and around the other islands.
Cape Arid National Park is on the mainland at the eastern end of the Recherche Archipelago; it is another highly regarded bird sanctuary, noted for its 160 species. And spot brush-tailed wallabies and honey possums are readily visible. Vegetation found within the park is mostly on young dune systems that have large areas of coastal heath with smaller systems of banksia, paperbark and mallee. Species of orchid and ferns exist near Mount Ragged.


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The Obameter
Require providers to report measures of health care costs and quality
"Require hospitals and providers to collect and publicly report measures of health care costs and quality, including data on preventable medical errors, nurse staffing ratios, hospital-acquired infections, and disparities in care and costs."
Affordable Care Act ramps up carrots and sticks for health providers to collect, report data
President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign health care plan promised to "require providers to report measures of health care costs and quality."
The Affordable Care Act, which he signed in 2010, increases incentives and moves toward financial penalties to encourage certain health providers to do just that. More than two dozen sections in the law address data collection, public reporting and corresponding adjustments in government payments.
But the law stops short of "requiring" all "hospitals and providers" to do the kind of public reporting Obama promised. Rather, the law focuses primarily on Medicare providers — though that includes nearly all physicians — and reporting that's voluntary and incentive-based.
The move toward collecting and publicly reporting measures of health care costs and quality didn't start with the Affordable Care Act. It's been a focus of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services since at least the early 2000s, under various pieces of legislation — but programs were expanded and new ones added under the 2010 law.
Especially marked, say some experts, is the move beyond just incentive payments for hospitals to participate in reporting programs to a drop in funding for failing to participate.
"The financial penalties really take it up to a very significant level," said Jane Hyatt Thorpe, an associate research professor at George Washington University Medical Center who co-wrote a brief on Medicare quality measurement. "It's a whole new world."
Still, most other programs, such as the Physician Quality Reporting System, still focus simply on incentive payments.
Beyond Medicare, there's work to get uniform reporting started in Medicaid and CHIP, the Children's Health Insurance Program. And eventually, quality reporting will be required for health plans that participate in new health insurance exchanges, said Apoorva Stull, communications manager for the National Committee for Quality Assurance, a nonprofit that has helped develop quality measures.
Obama promised to "require providers to report measures of health care costs and quality." While there's been progress under his administration, including under the Affordable Care Act, it stops short of a true requirement for all health care providers to participate. We rate this promise a Compromise.
Government Printing Office, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, March 23, 2010
Interview with Keith Maley, spokesman for the Health and Human Services Department, including via email, April 24-26, 2012
Interview with Jane Hyatt Thorpe, associate research professor, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University Medical Center, April 24, 2012
Email interview with Andrew Ryan, an assistant professor of public health and Walsh McDermont scholar in the Division of Outcomes and Effectiveness Research at Weill Cornell Medical College, April 26, 2012
Email interview with Apoorva Stull, communications manager, National Committee for Quality Assurance, March 26, 2012
Email interview with Kara Carscaden, deputy press secretary, Obama campaign, March 29, 2012
Interview with Timothy Jost, professor at the Washington and Lee University School of Law, March 23, 2012
HealthCare.gov, "Administration Implements New Health Reform Provision to Improve Care Quality, Lower Costs," April 29, 2011
HealthReformGPS, "Medicare Quality Measurement and Reporting Programs," Feb. 9, 2011
Health Affairs, "Public Reporting on Quality and Costs," March 8, 2012
Health Affairs, "State-Sponsored Public Reporting Of Hospital Quality: Results Are Hard To Find And Lack Uniformity," December 2010
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, "Quality Initiatives - General Information," April 4, 2012
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, "Quality of Care Center," accessed April 25, 2012
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, "Physician Quality Reporting System," April 6, 2012
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, "Affordable Care Act Gives States Tools To Improve Quality Of Care In Medicaid, Save Taxpayer Dollars," June 1, 2011
New York Times' The New Old Age blog, "Found: Doctors Who Take Medicare," July 6, 2011
Health care reform bill includes requirement for more disclosure
Democratic plans for health care reform include new requirements for hospitals to report on health care-associated infections that develop in hospitals and demographic information associated with such infections.
The secretary of Health and Human Services is also authorized to make the information publicly available over the Internet. The secretary should also make an annual report to Congress with recommendations for reducing such infections.
This proposed new authority is a concrete step toward fulfilling this promise. So we rate it In the Works.
U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee,
HR 3962 - the Affordable Health Care For America Act
U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, HR 3962 - Section by Section
Kaiser Family Foundation, Analysis of Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) , accessed Nov. 4, 2009


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District A | Vietnam Streetfood
A friend of me told that me that there was a new Vietnamese streetfood bar in town. We decided to go to eat there with a group. We were all very exciting because it was something new and we all like Vietnamese food. The Vietnamese streetfood bar is located in the centre of Rotterdam. Address: … Continue reading District A | Vietnam Streetfood


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Chamber Event: J.L.O Skincare Ribbon Cutting
more info...
Member Event: 22nd United Fantasy Flight Annual Fundraiser
We are gearing up for the 22nd Annual United Phoenix Fantasy Flight.
Attached is a flyer for this year's main fundraiser and golf tournament.
This year's annual fundraiser will be on Nov 2nd with golf starting at 1:00PM
followed by a dinner at the Foothills Golf Club on Clubhouse Drive in Ahwatukee.
$99 includes golf, cart and dinner. $15 for dinner only.
There will be a silent and live auction during the dinner.
more info...
Member Event: Signarama Chandler 20th Anniversary Celebration
more info...
Chamber Event: 13th Annual Palo Verde Award Dinner
13th Annual Palo Verde Awards Dinner
As the Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce's signature fundraising event, this annual ceremony celebrates and honors the Business Woman of the Year, Corporate Award and Social Enterprise Award. In addition, scholarships are given to inspiring women who live and work in the Ahwatukee community to further their education.
Open to the public, this event features:
Cocktail Reception
Silent Auction
Live Entertainment
Awards Ceremony
Ticket Prices
$90 - Individual Ticket
$695 - Table of Eight
To become a sponsor follow the registration link below
For Donation, and Advertising Opportunities Please Email email@example.com
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Chamber Event: Chamber Computer Lab
Classes will cover how to update your AFCC account and create a landing
page to start generating leads and increase SEO.
Classes begin with a webinar from 11:00 - 12:00 and hands on training to follow
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Chamber Event: Wake Up Ahwatukee Morning Mixer
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Chamber Event: South Mountain Window Cleaning
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Chamber Event: Purcell Tire Ribbon Cutting
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Member Event: Protecting Your Employees Protects Your Business
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Chamber Event: After 5 Evening Mixer
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Chamber Event: Visiting Angel Ribbon Cutting
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Chamber Event: AFCC Ambassador Meeting
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Chamber Event: YEA Payment Deadline
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Chamber Event: Google is Coming to Arizona and Speaking to AFCC Members!
Grow, Get Found and Succeed Online.
The Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce will be hosting Paige Cahill, National Speaker for Google's Get Your Business Online for the "Grow, Get Found and Succeed Online" workshop on Thursday, November 30th at 9:00am in the community room at Mountain Park Senior Living. This event will immediately follow the "Get to Know Your Chamber Coffee". Businesses will walk-away with Google tools, online marketing best practices and insider tips that can be implemented immediately to maximize your business or organization's online marketing results. Learn what Google tools every business should be using to get found, attract new customers, and succeed online! Seating is limited and registration is required. Click here to register now.
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FanFit Gaming is dedicated to epic loot made by gamers, for gamers. Whether you're a Twitch streamer, E-Sports pro, casual competitor, a n00b, or simply a videogame lover. We're taking the experience you love off screen and into your home.
We celebrate the best of gaming design and aesthetic through our exclusive line of unique apparel, merchandise, and our signature neon lights. Paying homage to the origins of gaming, while introducing new and exciting product designs that tip our hats to the future of the industry.
We strive to capture the love for some of our favorite gaming moments and experiences through our products.
We're based out of Toronto, Canada , and remember "It's Dangerous to go alone! Take this."


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- Salves Skin Shampoo Soap
- >
- Salve Cayenne Ointment Dr C 2 oz
Salve Cayenne Ointment Dr C 2 oz
Salve Wounderful!™ 4 oz damaged back, muscle, skin, bone, tendon support
We think this product belongs in every first aid kit!!! It is in ours!Wounderful!™ Salve is wonderful body support when it's trying to heal itself in mild to severe conditions involving damaged skin, bones, tissue, tendons, muscles, diaper rash, burns and more! I love this product, I've been making this since about 1993. We have used this over and over and over again for injuries- even open wounds right down to the bone. Useful for wounds, soft tissue damage,tendon damage, helping body speed up its abilities to heal broken or crushed bones, scar repair (use for a year on scars). Synergestic Master of Herbology developed formula of Beeswax, Calendula,Comfrey, Lavender, Olive Oil, Rosemary, Scullcap.
Store in a cool, dry place. Keep out of reach of children.
FDA Disclosure: Warning: External use only. Consuming this product may cause Liver damage. This product contains comfrey. Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which may cause serious illness or death. This product should not be taken orally used as a suppository or applied to broken skin. For further information contact the Food & Drug Administration.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration and are not intended to treat, cure, diagnose or prevent disease.
Made with *Organic Cayenne which is THE FIRST AID HERB! When you don't know what to do or encounter shock, bleeding, b vitamins, heart issues, hypothermia, lethargia, hemorrhaging grab your bottle of cayenne from infants to seniors. just a few drops will often do the trick, more in severe situations. Can be used also topically if needed and can be used on any species. *Because this product is a high quality Organic product, the cayenne in this may feel hotter than you are used to in a 40,000 heat unit cayenne containing product. If you or your creature are sensitive to hot or spicy plants / foods, and for baby / young animals be sure to dilute your chosen dosage in water or another liquid (like raw milk for baby animals) before taking.
Cayenne is a medicinal and nutritional herb. It is the purest and most certain stimulant.
Cayenne Extract is is the coolest cayenne pepper extract because it is made from cayenne fruit with only 40,000 heat units.This herb is a great food for the circulatory system in that it feeds the necessary elements into the cell structure of the arteries, veins and capillaries so that these regain the elasticity of youth again, and the blood pressure adjusts itself to normal. It rebuilds the tissue in the stomach and heals stomach and intestinal ulcers; in equalizing the blood circulation, cayenne produces natural warmth; and in stimulating the peristaltic motion of the intestines, it aids in assimilation and elimination. When the venous structure becomes loaded with sticky mucus, the blood has a harder time circulating; therefore, higher pressure is needed to force the liquid through. Cayenne regulates the flow of blood from the head to the feet so that it is equalized; it influences the heart immediately, then gradually extends its effects to the arteries, capillaries, and nerves the frequency of the pulse is not increased, but is given more power with each beat.
Product Description
Supplement Facts
% Daily Value
Proprietary Blend:*
Cayenne Pepper (40,000 h.u.).
* Daily Value not established.Other Ingredients: A base of pure Grain Alcohol & Distilled Water.
Warning: Do not use during pregnancy or while nursing except as directed by your health care professional.
No added Fillers or Chemicals
* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.
Shake well before opening. Take 1 dropperful in a cup of hot water as needed or as directed by your Health Care Professional. For optimum results take 1 hour before or after meals as to not compete with digestion.
Store in a cool, dry place. Keep out of reach of children.
A natural hair & scalp treatment.
At some point many of us fret over dry flakes, pick at split ends or wish for fuller, thicker hair. One thing is certain, if we want great hair then we will need a great scalp.
Dr. Christopher's time-tested BF&C Hair & Scalp Massage Oil contains no synthetic fragrances, dyes, no animal by-products, no animal testing, no Sodium Laurel Sulfate & helps cleanse & moisturize the scalp.
Also available in Capsule (Complete Tissue & Bone), Cut, Ointment (Complete Tissue & Bone), Powder, Shampoo / Conditioner, Soap & Syrup (Complete Tissue & Bone) form.
Supplement Facts
% Daily Value
Proprietary Blend:*
Rosemary Essential Oil, Peppermint Essential Oil, Cayenne Extract, BF&C Formula (White Oak Bark, Comfrey Root, Mullein Leaf, Black Walnut Leaf, Marshmallow Root, Wormwood Herb, Lobelia Herb, Skullcap Herb & Gravel Root).
* Daily Value not established.
Other Ingredients: A base of pure Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Wheat Germ Oil.
No added Fillers or Chemicals
* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.


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indicates every 2 miles
St Ives-longstanton Circle Cycle Route
England > Cambridgeshire > Park and Ride, St Ives
|Cycle Route Details
|Route Name
|St Ives-longstanton Circle
|Distance : miles (km)
|16.69 (26.86)
|Posted By
|K Enticknap
|Calories Burned
|(login and provide your weight for more accurate calories burned)
|Cycle Route Location
|Park and Ride, St Ives
|Start Location
|Park and Ride, St Ives
|End Location
|Park and Ride, St Ives
|Cycle Steps
|It starts in the St Ives Park and Ride, before heading out towards Longstanton on the Guided Busway. Here the path is smooth and not challenging. Before you reach Longstanton, you will pass through the Fen Drayton Nature Reserve, as well as Swavesey village. At the Longstanton P&R you will turn off towards Willingham, passing through and proceeding towards Earith. You will then join the main road back towards St Ives, where you will pass through the villages of Earith and Bluntisham. Finally, a small route through St Ives itself will bring you back to the start point.
|Landmarks/Pubs for lunch/Sites to see?
|There is a bikeshop you pass in St Ives town centre. There are also pubs in each village as well as St Ives. The main attraction is the Nature Reserve at Fen Drayton.
|Cycling Clubs located in this region
|Cambridge Clarion
|Chatteris Cycling Club
|CTC Peterborough
|Fen Amateur Riding Team
|Ramsey Cycling Club
|Your comments?
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Jason Razzino's girlfriend, Ashley Williams, said her boyfriend had much to live for, but suffered from depression and alcohol addiction.
Police have identified Razzino, 30, as the man who shot a Norwich police officer during a stand-off on Monday, and then shot and killed himself.
Williams said she and Razzino moved into their Cedar Glen Apartment in October and were expecting their first child next month.
However, Razzino's battle with depression and alcohol addiction stood in the way of their total happiness.
It's a battle Razzino was desperately seeking help for, Williams said.
"He was trying to get help," said said from her mother's Rhode Island home a day after Razzino turned a gun on a police officer and then himself inside their apartment during an 11-hour standoff.
"He was calling doctors and trying to get in for some mental health issues for months," Williams stated.
Williams believe that the stresses of life led him to tell her to take his 11-year-old son to Rhode Island on Sunday so he could think about some things on his own.
On Monday morning he was fine, but by afternoon he became upset, telling her he called the suicide hotline while she called Norwich Police, Williams said.
"To let them know that he may be dangerous. To be careful," Williams said.
The situation escalated when police arrived around 2:45 p.m., according to State Police. Razzino barricaded himself inside his apartment with at least one handgun and a rifle.
An hour later, shots were fired and 14-year Norwich Police veteran Jonathan Ley was hit with four of the bullets.
Williams said she remained in contact with Razzino until around 7 p.m., when his phone started going straight to voice mail. She continued to get updates from the negotiator at the scene, but never spoke to her boyfriend again.
However, a chilling last Facebook message Razzino posted during the standoff gives a glimpse of his mental state. It read, "let's bang this out."
"It's heart-wrenching because you just want to tell him that this dosen't need to happen, " she said through tears. "I know he was hurting and I know he was scared and that was the worst part."
Williams, who is on maternity leave from the military, said police called her at 2 a.m. to let her know Razzino was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound when they entered his apartment.
"I'm sorry that officer got hurt. As for Jason, I don't know what he was thinking. He was not this person," she said.
Officer Ley's condition continues to improve at Yale-New Haven Hospital.


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April 21 - April 27, 2002
Primary Care Pearls for April 21 - April 27, 2002
Saturday, April 27, 2002
Philadelphia Hospital Stops Delivering Babies Due to Liability Insurance Costs.
In part due to Philadelphia's Methodist Hospital's decision to stop delivering babies due to liability insurance costs doubling, legislation was introduced in the US House of Representatives to reform the medical tort system. Comment: see an earlier pearl noting that tort reform is DOA in the US Senate under the current Democratic leadership. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 03:53 GMT © medjournal.com
Tort Reform Would Save Billions of Dollars, Improve Care.
Phillip K. Howard, head of the bipartisan nonprofit policy coalition called Common Good, recently stated that tort reform would save approximately $50 billion US dollars. This is enough to pay for 25 million Americans to get health insurance. The savings would come primarily by reducing defensive medicine- the practice of prescribing unnecessary medicines and unnecessary referrals out of fear of malpractice lawsuits. He supports his views in part by quoting a recent Harris poll of doctors. This poll found that 96% of doctors believe that most malpractice claims are not brought because of medical error. Furthermore, 83% said they do not trust the courts to reach a fair result. Also, 73% reported seeing other doctors protect themselves by over-prescribing and over-referring. The poll not only found that doctors regard the current malpractice climate as harassment, it also found that the majority of Americans are concerned that the medical liability situation limits access to medical care. Comment: research has found no correlation between malpractice lawsuits and quality of care. Actually, the opposite has been shown to be true. The most talented, best trained physicians at the peak of their career (generally in their 50's) have been shown to be sued more often than other doctors. Why? Because they are the best doctors, they tend to see the sickest patients. Also, they tend to have large practices. Since lawsuits are correlated with bad outcomes (an unavoidable part of life) and not bad medical care, these top physicians are sued more often. Furthermore, the outcome of trials has not been correlated with poor medical care. Tort reform would improve medical care by improving access and decreasing the practice of defensive medicine. Isn't it about time that our Democratic politicians bring some balance back, and enact tort reform? [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 03:19 GMT © medjournal.com
First Three Months of 2002 Warmest Ever Recorded.
The first three months of 2002 were the warmest ever since records began in 1860, and most likely the warmest for at least the previous 1000 years. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 02:52 GMT © medjournal.com
Switch From Aspirin to COX-2 Inhibitors May Hurt Your Heart.
Switching from daily aspirin to one of the newer COX-2 arthritis medications may result in cardiac complications. Aspirin suppresses prostaglandin and thromboxane, whereas COX-2 inhibitors only inhibit prostaglandin. Thromboxane can have harmful effects upon the heart. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 02:26 GMT © medjournal.com
Terrorists Target Doctors in Pakistan.
The author of this article, an assistant professor of medicine at Aga Khan University in Pakistan, describes the terror associated with practicing medicine in Pakistan. Currently, doctors are being targeted by drive-by shootings. An eye opening testiment to the dedication of physicians worldwide. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 01:59 GMT © medjournal.com
Insurance Company Tells Patients to get Medications Over the Internet.
A German health insurance company recently announced that patients should buy their drugs on the Internet to save money. Furthermore, a roundtable of the German Health Service came down in favor of the Internet trade of pharmaceutical drugs. Comment: While delivery of over-the-counter medications may be reasonable, prescribing medications via an online, faceless consultation with a physician is going too far. The online pharmacy at issue is DocMorris.Com [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 01:43 GMT © medjournal.com
Most Heart Attack Victims Treated in Hospitals Without Angiography.
This study of 451 heart attack patients in Massachusetts and Maryland found that primary angioplasty was slightly more effective than thrombolytics (mortality 6.2% in the angioplasty group vs. 7.1% in the thrombolytic group). Currently 2/3rds of patients with an acute heart attack in the United States are treated in hospitals that do not have coronary angioplasty available. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 01:32 GMT © medjournal.com
Male Circumcision Associated With Lower Cervical Cancer Rates.
This study of 1913 couples found that the risk of cervical cancer was less when the male partner was circumcised. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 01:22 GMT © medjournal.com
Nuclear Medicine Breath Test as Effective as Endoscopy in Diagnosis of H.Pylori.
In this study of 708 patients found that the C-14 non-invasive breath test was as effective as endoscopy in diagnosing H.Pylori infection. Comment: perhaps this will convince insurance companies to cover the less expensive, less invasive breath test. We used the breath test in our clinic a few years ago, but due to a complete lack of reimbursement from the insurance companies, we were unable to continue purchasing the kits and performing the test. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 01:18 GMT © medjournal.com
Household Composition a Risk Factor for Abuse.
This article in the journal Pediatrics found that children in homes with an unrelated adult (usually the biological mother and a boyfriend) were more likely to be abused as compared with children living with one biological parent and no other adult, or with both biological parents. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 00:58 GMT © medjournal.com
Thursday, April 25, 2002
Deadly Virus in Greece Closes All Educational Institutions.
All Greek educational institutions were closed in an attempt to prevent the spread of an unidentified, deadly virus that has killed three people and infected 32 people. Comment: this is an excellent strategy. In the case of an unknown or incurable outbreak of an infectious disease, quarantine is highly effective. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 23:39 GMT © medjournal.com
Tort Reform Unlikely Due to Senate Democrats.
Experts say that a federal tort reform bill introduced in the US House is unlikely to become law due to Democratic control of the US Senate. The bill would help bring obstetrical care to many poor, rural areas where physicians are currently unable to practice due to malpractice insurance costs being higher than their income. Comment: why are the Democrats always against measures that would bring balance back to our out-of-control legal system? Perhaps it's because the Association of Trial Lawyers of America contributes a lot more to the Democratice party than the people living in poor, rural areas do. It would be nice to get the trial lawyers to take this problem seriously, and help us fix this problem. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 23:30 GMT © medjournal.com
Whole Grain Oat Cereal Reduced Blood Pressure and Cholesterol.
Daily consumption of whole oat cereal found that it not only decreased total cholesterol by an average of 15% in 12 weeks, it also reduced the need for blood pressure medication. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 23:12 GMT © medjournal.com
Diluted Smallpox Vaccine Effective.
This study of 680 adults who had not been previously immunized were innoculated with 3 different strengths of the smallpox vaccine: regular, a 1:5 dilution, and a 1:10 dilution. All strengths were found to be equally effective in vesicle formation, the surrogate marker used by the researchers to indicate successful vaccination. [ NEJM ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 00:48 GMT © medjournal.com
Dental Health Problems in China.
It is estimated that almost half a billion people in China never brush their teeth. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 00:39 GMT © medjournal.com
Good News for Women?.
This study of the medication Cabergolin found that the young healthy males who took it were able to have several orgasms within a few minutes. Normally, men this age require about 20 minutes between love making. Comment: see the previous pearl on "Disease Mongering: Sex." Do men this age really need a medication that gives them more orgasms? [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 00:37 GMT © medjournal.com
One in Five Women Forget to Take Birth Control Pill at Least Twice a Month.
British doctors are being urged to discuss more contraceptive options with women other than just the pill due to the frequent non-compliance with taking the medication correctly. This survey of over 600 young women found that one in five women forget to take their birth control pill at least twice monthly. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 00:31 GMT © medjournal.com
Nontraditional Roles for Men and Women Linked to Premature Death.
This study of nearly 3700 participants over a 10 year period, and based on the Framingham data, found that men whose primary job was as a househusband had a 82% higher 10-year death rate as compared to men who worked outside of the home. Women with high job demands outside of the home suffered higher rates of heart disease compared to housewives. The researchers took into account known risk factors such as smoking, age, cholesterol, stress, and household responsibilities. Comment: the researchers hypothesize that men and women who go against traditional societal roles may have encountered greater stress leading to the health problems. This is an unusual study. I haven't come across anything like it previously. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 00:22 GMT © medjournal.com
Wednesday, April 24, 2002
American Pain Society Lobbies Congress.
Last December, the American Pain Society (APS) lobbied congress to not infringe upon the ability of physicians to treat pain. The appeal was made as the FDA and DEA are considering new regulations to limit access to pain medications (to help control diversion and abuse). According the the APS President Michael Ashburn, MD, "Pain is one of the most common reasons people consult a physician, yet it frequently is inadequately treated, leading to enormous social cost in the form of needless suffering, lost productivity and excessive health care expenditures." He also said that "No legislation or regulation can take into account all the nuances of particular clinical situations as they evolve. Only a physician, together with his or her patient in the context of the doctor-patient relationship, has the information necessary to decide what approaches, structure and therapeutic tools are appropriate for the management of pain in a particular situation." Comment: Amen! It takes a lot of education to become a licensed, board-certified physician. Yet bureaucrats with less than half the education frequently want to tell physicians how to practice medicine. Yes, regulations and standards for physicians are necessary, but balance is needed. Currently there is no balance. Over-regulation, bureaucratic paper-work, and demonizing of doctors by the government (except when they are sick) is the norm. A more reasonable balance is needed in order to improve the quality of our healthcare system. We need have lawyers and lawmakers stop practicing medicine. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 14:42 GMT © medjournal.com
American Pain Society Releases Guidelines for Arthritis Pain Management.
Guidelines on managing pain in arthritis patients have been issued by the American Pain Society. In brief, the guidelines call for the initial use of acetaminophen for mild to moderate pain, then COX-2 inhibitors, then opiods. It is notable that the guidelines call for the use of opiod analgesics for patients in certain arthritis patients. Lifestyle recommendations, such as staying active and maintaining a normal body mass are also emphasized. Comment: these are helpful guidelines. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 14:26 GMT © medjournal.com
Ban on Antibiotics in Animal Feed Reduces Antibiotic Resistance in Humans.
Danish researchers have found that a ban on the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in livestock animal feed can lead to a substantial drop in antibiotic resistant bacteria in humans--- and not adversely affect the animals' health or growth. In the late 1990's, Denmarks livestock producers agreed to stop the routine use of antibiotics in livestock feed. This has reduced human bacterial disease. For example, in 1989-1990 more than 80% of the broiler chicken flocks were infected with Salmonella compared with only 2% to 3% in 2001. In the 1980's the incidence of salmonellosis (the human disease that can be caught from infected chicken eggs) per 100 000 population in Denmark was 30, compared with 3 per 100 000 in 2001. Good News: three large US companies -- Tyson Foods, Perdue Farms, and Foster Farms -- have phased out the practice of using antibiotics in animal feed. Comment: when I buy chicken, it is going to be from Tyson, Perdue, or Foster. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 14:18 GMT © medjournal.com
Pap Smear Guidelines Updated.
This consensus statement updates recommendations on how to manage the patient with a pap smear showing atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance. [ JAMA. 2002;287:2120-2129 ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 14:05 GMT © medjournal.com
Dietary Dairy Intake Linked to Cardiovascular Risk Reduction.
This study of 3000 adults aged 18 to 30 years old found that increased dietary intake was associated with a decreased risk of insulin resistance syndrome: the combination of obesity, dyslipidemia, and glucose intolerance. Comment: another study linking certain dietary patterns with improved health. This link, however, confuses the picture of what is a good diet. Diary products, such as butter, milk, and cheese, are all generally high in fat, and a diet high in fat has been linked to increased cardiovascular risk. My conclusion is that the saying "all things in moderation" is still valid today. The best book on a healthy diet I've come across recently is The 20/30 Fat and Fiber Diet Plan which makes a lot of sense to me (but it doesn't recommend a diet high in diary) [ JAMA. 2002;287:2081-2089 ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 13:56 GMT © medjournal.com
Antibiotic Resistance in Animals Spreads to Humans.
Antibiotic resistance in animals appears to create similar antibiotic resistance in humans. Comment: no kidding! See previous pearls for my thoughts on this matter- in brief, a) livestock farmers use antibiotics freely because the antibiotics promote growth in the livestock (leading to increased profits), b) the USA is among the worst offenders in terms of antibiotic abuse by livestock farmers, and c) since antibiotics promote health and growth, why don't we reserve them for humans? Or do we put financial profits (of the livestock farmers) above public health? Physicians are being pressured to decrease antibiotic prescribing -- why isn't there a similar pressure on livestock farmers? [ take the poll ] [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 03:25 GMT © medjournal.com
Doctor Convicted of Manslaughter for Oxycontin Prescribing.
Officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration have stated that the prosecution of Dr. James Graves of Pace, Florida is part of a national crackdown on the abuse of prescription drugs. He was recently convicted of four counts of manslaughter, and faces up to 15 years on each of the counts. He also faces 30 years for racketeering. At least two other doctors are currently facing similar charges. Laura Nagel, head of diversion control for the DEA, reportedly has stated that this conviction is intended to send a strong message to physicians to be more cautious about prescribing narcotics. Comment: the specifics of this case are almost irrelevant. What is relevant is the statement from the DEA official that this is part of a nationwide crackdown (witch hunt ?). Who will face manslaughter charges next? Are honest, competent, board-certified physicians going to be caught in this crackdown? If you have chronic pain, be ready to suffer more- fewer doctors are going to help you control your chronic pain. [ Physicians Financial News 30-April-2002 ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 02:00 GMT © medjournal.com
Tuesday, April 23, 2002
Government Regulations Too Complex Even for the Experts.
The government frequently criticizes and accuses doctors of committing fraud when they submit incorrect billing codes (CPT codes). The complex method established by the government to determine whether or not a doctor assigns the correct code is out-of-control, with some research showing doctors being accurate only 50 to 60% of the time. Now, it has been confirmed that even specialists certified to review CPT codes, with an average 10 years of experience, are as terribly inaccurate as well. The certified experts studied disagreed over 40% of the time on what the proper billing code should be. Comment: aren't you glad that your doctor has to spend so much time trying to learn crazy, confusing government regulations? We spend an inordinate amount of time trying to learn the government's nutty regulations, and when we are wrong, the government accuses us of fraud! Even the certified experts, whose full-time job is to assign proper CPT codes, have big problems following the regulations. How about simplifying things so doctors can spend more time with their patients, more time studying medicine instead of government regulations? What would you rather have your doctor read, the New England Journal of Medicine or the bureaucratic government's billing code regulations? These guidelines seem to be just as complex as IRS rules, and who really understands the IRS code? Very few of us. Fraud and waste are a big concern, but these findings suggest that the biggest waste is due to the government's overly bureaucratic, complex, idiotic, crazy over-regulation. Let's let doctors practice medicine, and not create undue (crazy) burdens that interfere with patient care. [ Family Practice News 15-Feb-2002 ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 23:18 GMT © medjournal.com
Ibuprofen Blocks Aspirin Benefit.
Multiple daily doses of ibuprofen blocked the antiplatelet benefits of aspirin in this small study of 18 patients. Delayed release diclofenac and rofecoxib did not interfere with aspirin's antiplatelet effect. Comment: this study suggests that ibuprofen should not be used to treat osteoarthritis in patients using aspirin as a preventive agent for myocardial infarction. NEJM 2001;345(25):1809. posted by Internet Medical Journal 22:45 GMT © medjournal.com
Family Physicians Lead the Way in Reducing Antiobiotic Prescriptions.
Based on data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics at the CDC, antibiotic prescribing for children fell by 31% during the 1990's. Comment: This is a positive development in the fight against antibiotic resistant bacteria. Family Practice News, 1-March-2002. posted by Internet Medical Journal 22:40 GMT © medjournal.com
Glucosamine Helps Fight Osteoarthritis of the Knee.
In this retrospective analysis of two randomized, placebo controlled trials, women taking oral glucosamine did not experience any joint space narrowing over the three year study period. This compared to a 0.33 mm increase in joint space narrowing among those treated with placebo. Symptoms were also improved in the glucosamine group. (Dr. Carmelo Gonzalez-Rodriguez at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society, as reported in Family Practice News, 1-March-2002). posted by Internet Medical Journal 22:36 GMT © medjournal.com
ACE Inhibitors Lower Overall Mortality in Diabetics.
This study of 572 diabetics found that the ace inhibitor captopril was more beneficial than beta-blockers or diuretics in the treatment of their hypertension. Those on captopril had not only a lower cardiovascular and stroke event rate, but also a lower overall mortality rate. Diabetes Care 2001;24:2091. posted by Internet Medical Journal 22:32 GMT © medjournal.com
Antioxidants and Some Heart Medicines Don't Mix.
This study of 160 patients with known coronary artery disease found that antioxidants negated the benefit of a simvastatin-niacin treatment program. Those on antioxidants alone or antioxidants plus simvastatin-niacin had a similar cardiovascular event rate as did those on placebo. Those on the simvastatin-niacin regimen had greatly reduced event rates. Comment: this three year study strongly suggests that antioxidants are not helpful in preventing cardiovascular events in people with known coronary artery disease. Furthermore, it documents the tremendous benefits from established, mainstream medical therapy. Alternative medicine in this case was shown to be harmful. NEJM 2001;345:1583. posted by Internet Medical Journal 22:29 GMT © medjournal.com
Topical Impotence Cream.
A topical cream used to treat impotence has been used in China since last July, and is now going to be marketed throughout the rest of Asia. The company producing the medicine is NexMed, which is based in New Jersey, USA. The active ingredient in the medication is a derivative of alprostadil ( a medicine for impotence that needs to be injected directly into the penis). Time of onset varies, but typically is much quicker than Viagra. Comment: this company and medication may become wildly popular when it is introduced in the US. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 15:55 GMT © medjournal.com
Fish Oil May Help Diabetics.
Daily supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid was shown to increase insulin sensitivity in overweight individuals susceptible to type II diabetes. Comment: This was a small study of only 12 overweight men and women. Nonetheless, an interesting finding. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 01:47 GMT © medjournal.com
Hormone Replacement and Healthy Arteries.
This small study presented at the 2002 Experimental Biology conference suggests that exercise plus hormone replacement can significantly increase the elasticity of the arteries in women over 60 years old. Comment: elasticity of your arteries is important in the development of cardiovascular disease. This study indicates to me that exercise is vitally important. The role of hormone replacement is still controversial, but in this study it was helpful. The women had to engage in an exercise program consisting of a 40-minute walk 5 times a week. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 01:42 GMT © medjournal.com
Early Life Critical to Lifetime Cancer Risk.
This study of 600,000 immigrants to Sweden found that their lifetime risk of cancer did not differ significantly from that of the country of origin. Comment: an interesting study that hypothesizes that the gestation period for cancer may be decades. The quality of this study appears to be good. The take home message is that parents need to do their best to optimize their children's diet and lifestyle (of course). For example, the eventual development of osteoporosis is highly dependent upon a person's peak bone mass, which in turn is highly dependent upon dietary calcium intake during adolescence. Of particular concern is the large increase in obesity among children over the last 20 years. What will this mean in terms of cancer and heart disease when these children enter their 50's and 60's? [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 01:33 GMT © medjournal.com
Monday, April 22, 2002
Sudden Infant Death: Possibly Related to Bacteria in Mattresses.
This study suggests changing mattresses may help prevent suddent infant death (SIDS). Bacteria that grow in mattresses where a baby has vomitted (burped up food) have been linked to SIDS. Foam mattresses, or mattresses that are old or previously used by another baby, are most likely to harbor these bacteria. Comment: based on these findings the use of a non-porous, new mattress for babies seems reasonable. We still don't know very much about how to prevent SIDS. It may be that in the future, more stingent recommendations on the baby's sleeping surface will be made. At this point, it seems reasonable to follow the recommendations of these researchers. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 04:13 GMT © medjournal.com
Afternoon Coffee May Disrupt Sleep.
Comment: Here's a suprising study: drinking coffee in the afterrnoon can keep you awake into the night. So, (surprise!) coffee increases wakefulness. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 04:01 GMT © medjournal.com
Angry Temperment Strongly Linked to Heart Disease.
In this study of 1055 men for an average of 36 years found that hot tempers predicted heart disease long before other risk factors such as diabetes and hypertension. These findings are corroborated by other studies linking type A behavior (high stress) with cardiovascular disease. Comment: the statistics in this study are weak, but suggestive that our intuition is right-- a hostile, angry, negative temperament is not good for your health. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 03:53 GMT © medjournal.com
Exercise Reduces Blood Pressure: So What?.
This meta-analysis of 54 studies found that aerobic exercise reduces systolic blood pressure by 3.8 mm Hg on average, and diastolic BP by 2.58 mm. Comment: this is a classic case of statistics being irrelevant. Why do the authors of this study say that the diastolic pressure is reduced by "2.58" mm Hg? Is there any known difference between that and "2.57" ? This is pure nonsense. Clinically, it appears that the effect upon blood pressure is very minimal. The conclusion of this study should be that we know that exercise is good for you, but don't depend upon exercise to significantly lower your blood pressure. If you have hypertension, you will need to do something more than exercise in order to get your blood pressure down. [ article ] posted by Internet Medical Journal 03:26 GMT © medjournal.com
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Unfortunately, it is locked to my email address, but I am sure the nice people at Pond Friends will figure it out for us in a day or two.
In the meantime, we have a Grim Facade and a Dana Knightstone to occupy us.
Grim Facade 5: The Artist and the Pretender
Murder in Romania: A Dana Knightstone Novel 5


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The Club & the Coast, the Unlikely Comfort of Rhythms
When viewed from just a few steps remove, the tedium of daily experience takes on a profoundly absurd quality. It's that absurdity which, if I let it, leaves me dazzled and disoriented. Everything, from the everyday little dramas one the one hand to the yawning abyss of the Unknown on the other—I can see the absurdity in it, can see the absurdity in myself and my emotions. And at the same time I feel everything reduced to this very specific and, at times, visceral point—I'm grieving. It's a bodily experience, automatic, unthinking. It's cellular. It seems to move on its own course, its own rhythm, its own progression.
Last month I made a sudden trip back to the US, my first time returning to the Bay Area since I left it three winters ago. I was responding to the quiet crisis of an elderly relative entering hospice care, and simultaneously a messier tragedy was busy unfolding with another loved-one. And none of it could be tidily resolved in the week before I had to return to Berlin. So the result was a weird sort of psychic limbo, a sense of detachment, a preoccupation with mortality, yes, but more acutely an obsession with the passage of time—not so much the running-out-of-it part, but the unrelenting and indifferent forward compulsion of one second after the next. There's such perverse consistency in it: that despite my experience of the fractions in between, whether my perception dilating or contracting, it doesn't matter. Time goes on. Time will leave you behind. I suppose metronomes have always freaked me out for this reason—though paradoxically, the unending 4/4 of the technoclub can fill me with such affirmation, wtf.
But I'm not alone in this thinking. It seems that as mortal creatures we have a lot of anxiety around things that remind us of the finite nature of our existence: think midlife and quarterlife crises, the tick-tick-ticking of the biological clock, the perturbative agitation of FoMO (ie. fear of missing out). There's even a German word in this vein: Torschlusspanik, literally "gate-shut-panic", conjuring images of the clock ticking down, the walls closing in, the winding path called Life growing narrower and the way more occluded. Can you hear the wolves howling? Meanwhile the specter of Mortality begins to insist on longer and more frequent uncomfortable eye-contact, putting a damper on hopes, ambitions, party plans. And in response we frantically share inspirational memes: Carpe diem. Life is short, do it up.
*pounds fist on chest*
Time and Mortality are my adversaries, and I fight them mightily, but they are, alas, more powerful than I.
*shakes fist at sky*
Revisiting California made me realize I've missed the ocean, the enormity of it, the bleak profundity of it—as if I could really forget. Before moving to Berlin, my partner and I lived for a while at San Francisco's fog-covered western edge looking out daily into the vast grey Pacific. Walking along the edge of the frigid surf always helped me put a lot of things perspective, including myself. On the beach, you can feel time passing in a tangible way, the constant erosion of wind and water, sand and sun grinding things down and polishing them smooth, smoother, until there's nothing left. Toeing little battered fragmented things that used to be alive, or, poor dears, were still caught up in the process of dying. Thinking about Nature's brutal indifference, and how can we, as sentient creatures, imagine ourselves as somehow exempt? I find a lot of weird serenity in those contemplations, inviting internal dialogues about identity and ego, sentiments fringing on both transcendentalism and nihilism.
Alas, Berlin has no beach, no ocean. I'm not generally prone to homesickness, but that's one of the few things I lamented when we decided to move here, the loss of the beach. But lamentation is absurd, especially since a beach in Berlin would most certainly bear no resemblance to the one in my heart. You have to evolve with your surroundings, find other ways to rub elbows with the Eternal. And, truthfully, sometimes I do here in Berlin. Sometimes I hear it like a summons in that immutable 4/4 entombed within graffitied walls of brick and concrete. I recognize this voice: bass pressure like the familiar call of the void washing over me, rattling my core, invoking that same powerful zen of cosmic indifference as once upon a time when immersing myself in the vast roar of the Pacific.
* * *
While I was in California, I was sleeping on a little air mattress in the office. Each night I went to bed, thoughts churning. There was a clock ticking thickly in the darkness nearby—used to be when I'd come back to visit my old childhood room I'd have to take the clock down off the wall and stow it in a cabinet so as not to hear it, but this being my grandmother's clock I felt it would be rude to move it. So instead I just listened to it ticking each night, surrendered to its cadence and to that of the distant foghorn sounding its soft trumpet call, a diffuse synaesthetic fuchsia glow against the subtler rhythm of the waves on the beach down the road.
I needed to keep this feeling and take it with me, this soundscape which encapsulated, for me, the very essence of waiting and uncertainty, of relentless progression, and of that silly but tender mortal desire to shape the course of things while knowing there is nothing to be done except simply be present. Rhythms take their own courses.
By Eileen Carelock
Images © Eileen Carelock
Eileen is a Berlin-based freelancer and tentative explorer of a tiny segment of the human experience. She ends up hanging out with her dog a lot; she also writes things.


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Whatever Happened to Melissa Harris-Perry?
by GAIL DINES
Last week, midway through a leisurely Saturday afternoon, I got an email from MSNBC asking me to be on the Melissa Harris Perry Show a week later (July 7th). I was delighted to accept, as MHP is not your usual American journalist. A professor of political science at Tulane University, she is an outspoken African American feminist and a progressive voice in a media landscape dominated by right-wing talking heads. MSNBC is a rare media oasis in the U.S. where one gets to hear some actual critical analysis, so I—mistakenly, it turned out—thought this was going to be one of the few positive experiences I've had working with corporate-controlled media. In all honesty, after many years of being on talk shows in the U.S., I have come to expect very little in terms of integrity from the media. Their job is to boost ratings by making stories entertaining and light, and God help anyone who gets in their way.
I spent a long time on the phone with MHP's producer talking about my research on the harms of porn and the ways women in the industry—especially women of color—are financially exploited and physically and emotionally dehumanized and debased. Given MHP's feminist politics and her scholarly work on the representation of African American women in U.S. history, I was excited to do a show with an interviewer whom I expected would be engaging and thoughtful, in contrast to the usual adolescent sniggering I get from the male journalist who suddenly finds himself in the awkward position of interviewing a feminist who doesn't think porn is fun. Read full article here.


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Growing up in a family that camped, hunted and fished, the outdoor lifestyle has very much become a part of who I am. For me, I cannot think of anything more therapeutic than disconnecting from the everyday world and taking in the wonderful benefits that Mother Nature has to offer.
On any given weekend when I'm free, you will most likely find me in the bush hunting or on a river or lake fishing. There is nothing better than eating organic foods and it is even more satisfying when you harvest that food yourself! Spending the day in the bush not only has the potential to provide food for the freezer but has many health benefits that go along with it. It is not unusual to spend hours hiking or walking when you're hunting (and that's just the easy part! The real work doesn't begin until you have shot your animal!). Not only am I doing something that I love, but I am getting exercise while doing it – it's a win-win!
There are so many benefits to spending your free time outdoors (in my case, hunting and fishing) and being active:
- Fresh air. This is #1 for me!
- Organic food. It doesn't get much more organic than something you've hunted yourself!
- Vitamin D. Soak up that sunshine!
- Quality time with loved ones. To my little family, hunting is who we are, and as hunters, we often associate time in the bush with people we care about.
- Better mental health. Goodbye, stress!
As a bonus, the photography opportunities are endless! Northern B.C. is home to some of the most beautiful outdoor scenery and wildlife in the province. With moose, deer, elk, bear and numerous other animals living at your doorstep, it's not uncommon to see these spectacular animals while going about your everyday life. We "northerners" often take these amazing sights for granted.
I always try to be grateful for everything in life, but when I'm on the river, in the bush or at the top of a mountain, breathing in that fresh, outdoor air and having monster bull elk come towards me, it's an extra reminder of how blessed I am to be a hunter!
Are you a hunter or an outdoor enthusiast? What outdoor activities do you take part in to help maintain a happy and healthy lifestyle?
About Laurel Traue
Laurel Traue is the Regional Administrative Support for Public Health. She was born and raised in the Cariboo and loves being able to call this beautiful part of B.C. home. Laurel's passion is her family, and she loves to connect with them while spending time in the great outdoors. In her spare time, Laurel enjoys hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, spending time on the river, exploring new parts of the beautiful North and travelling!


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This web page describes my experiences with a really fast pulse generator that I built. I used a schematic from Linear Technology App Note 47 (pages 93 & 94) [1]; I assume that they may hold some sort of rights to this design. I feel, then, that I should explicitly state that I am not attempting to infringe on anyone's rights here; I am not selling anything or claiming that this design is in any way mine.
So. There are many reasons that you might want a really really fast-rise-time pulse. Jim Williams, author of LT App Note 47, can write much more eloquently [2] on this matter than I, so I will only give my reason - signal chain speed verification. I use a lot of Tektronix 7000-series scopes, which have mainframes (rated to a given speed), and plug-in amplifiers (rated to (often) another speed). Then you plug in a probe, with another frequency response. And, all of this stuff is both fairly old, and originally built to a higher quality (ie, faster speed) than guaranteed by the spec sheets.
Basically, I wanted a pulse that will drive a given signal chain (probe -> amp -> mainframe) to the limit of its rise time, so that I can measure that. There is a direct relationship between rise time and bandwidth, at least for a gaussian system like an analog 'scope. This relationship is somewhat different for some digital scopes - check your manuals.
Freq = 0.35 / Trise
This means that the one can evaluate the -3dB point of a system (like a scope) thusly:
3.5nS -> 100MHz, 1.75nS -> 200MHz, 350pS -> 1GHz (etc.)
(Click the image for a more readable version.)
Mr Williams gives a good bibliography (in the aforementioned app note) on transistor avalance-mode operation, which is how this circuit works. I will not attempt to descibe it, other than to say that it is elegantly simple. I initially used two bench supplies in series to get the 90V needed, which meant that the whole deal was only three resistors, a capacitor, and a transistor! The simple 1.5V -> 90V switcher added to the part count, but made it easier/safer to use (and much more portable!). While using the power supplies, I found that my assembly would begin to pulse at under 70V, but only slowly (less than 100KHz). Increasing the voltage sped up the rep rate, until at 90V I am seeing about 200KHz.
You can get the transistors at Digikey; they are not true 2N2369's (which come in a TO-18 metal can, or maybe TO-39), but will work fine (in my experience). I used the PN2369 (a Fairchild Semi part), in a TO-92. There are two others you may want to try, the MPS2369 (by ON Semi), or the PN2369A (again by Fairchild). I tried the latter (briefly, just curious if it would avalanche), and it appeared to work. These are all under 50 cents US in onesies (at Digikey). Also, I used a random 150uH inductor, I think it was rated for a few hundred mA. As the switcher only draws <5mA, I think many small inductors should work (but Your Milage May Vary).
If you are building one of these, and want a nice professional finish, I'd recommend one of the small, blue metal boxes that Pomona makes, with their high-quality BNC hardware attached. Put the whole deal in there, replace one of the bulkhead connectors with a toggle switch, and you're good to go. Try P/N 3605 (PDF datasheet). They're a little pricey, but very nice. Sometimes Digikey (there's a theme here) has them in stock.
And here are some results:
This is an early version of the assembly. I was aiming for fast rise only, and the abberation at the trailing edge is a result. The rise time appears to be approximately 350pS, which is the rated rise time for the mainframe. This implies that the entire signal chain is rated for at least 1GHz.
This is on a 7104 (1GHz analog) scope, with a 7A29 (nominally 1GHz, 50 ohm) vertical amp. The pulser is directly connected [3] to the vertical amp (no cable). The dual timebase shown is 10nS/div and 500pS/div. I used a 7M13 to do the custom text.
The camera used for all these pictures is a C5-B, loaded with whatever Polaroid film I could find that they still make, that fits. These are all ~1.5 sec exposures, using the scope's graticle illumination (no flash), developed for 45 seconds. You can see that the CRT of this scope is somewhat smaller than the camera's max image size (especially compared to the next shot).
7A29, 7B92A, in a 7104 (click for larger)
This shows the pulse shape (only), with the circuits' final configuration. I ended up using a 5pF capacitor to get the smoothest trailing edge.
Here I am using a system with _way_ less bandwidth. This is a 7D20 digital sampling unit (a whole 20 Megasamples), mounted in a 7403N (a little-known mainframe, possessing the same (large) size CRT as the common 7603). I have the timebase turned all the way up, and the 10x HMAG engaged, _and_ the maximum amount of averaging (256 sweeps), as well as the 'vector' mode (which fills in the distance between dots with a guess). If you look closely, you can see the individual dots that make up the pulse. The two bright points are the cursors, positioned as best as can be done - they need to be on actual samples, not interpolated lines, and there aren't many of them in this pulse!
Using the formula I gave earlier, a rise time of 2.5nS works out to 140MHz. Interestingly, there is a small sticker on the front of this plugin that says '-3dB @ 145MHz'. So I guess we're all in agreement.
Note that I had to use an external 50 ohm terminator, as this plugins' inputs are 1 Meg only.
7D20 in a 7403N (click for larger)
This scope is clearly not up to the task at all, though it's trying hard. The TPS2024 is a 200MHz-rated scope, running at 2G/S per channel. This waveform should be the same as that shown by the 7D20, but shows some interesting trailing-edge abberations.
The built-in rise-time measurement was used to get a figure of 1.85ns. It is not shown here because the scope cannot tell, when you have more than one 'rise' on a screen, which one you intend for it to measure.
Calculating the bandwidth from rise time (using the traditional, gaussian (analog) formula) gives approximately 190MHz. OK.
The exact circuit used to generate this pulse is the same as that used for the first, 7104-derived picture. It is interesting that the trailing-edge of the pulse is here much cleaner. I wonder what's really going on here. This sort of thing makes me think of Hiesenberg's Uncertainty Principle - it's not often that it really comes into play, but fast stuff like this is one of those times!
I borrowed a little time on a super-duper HP 1500MHz (only 4G/S, though) scope, and put it into single-channel max-averaging mode, to get the cleanest measurements I could. You can click on the image to the right, and get a larger, readable version.
[1] Variations of this circuit appear in other LT app notes; they are all recommended reading if you are interested in analog (real world) electronics.
[2] See the app note in question.
[3] I had to double-terminate this one (using an external 50 ohm terminator as well as the plugins' internal 50 ohm termination), as I had not yet put the internal attenuating resistor in place, and the pulse amplitude too high to get it all on screen at once.
|Last updated February 2, 2006
Original content copyright © Christian Weagle unless otherwise indicated.


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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia startled reporters in Boston just minutes after attending a mass, by flipping a middle finger to his critics. A Boston Herald reporter asked the 70-year-old conservative Roman Catholic if he faces much questioning over impartiality when it comes to issues separating church and state."You know what I say to those people?" Scalia replied, making the obscene gesture and explaining "That's Sicilian." The 20-year veteran of the high court was caught making the gesture by a photographer with The Pilot, the Archdiocese of Boston's newspaper."Don't publish that," Scalia told the photographer, the Herald
Given how highly Scalia is regarded by the Catholic Church, we suspect the photographer won't be giving up his smoking gun evidence. Scalia was already under fire from the left for pre-judging a case before the Court pertaining to the detainees at Guantanamo Bay and other federal facilities which are housing suspected terrorists. It sounds like Scalia just doesn't give a damn anymore what anyone thinks of him after being passed over for Chief Justice by President Bush. Americablog reports:
This week, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether the special military commissions created by the Bush administration to try Guantanamo detainees violate national and international law, as human rights groups charge. But Justice Antonin Scalia doesn't have to wait for arguments — his mind is already made up. Newsweek reports that in a controversial unpublicized March 8 speech, Scalia "dismissed the idea that the detainees have rights under the U.S. Constitution or international conventions."
"War is war, and it has never been the case that when you captured a combatant you have to give them a jury trial in your civil courts," he says on a tape of the talk reviewed by NEWSWEEK."Give me a break" - challenged by one audience member about whether the Gitmo detainees don't have protections under the Geneva or human-rights conventions, Scalia shot back: "If he was captured by my army on a battlefield, that is where he belongs. I had a son on that battlefield and they were shooting at my son and I'm not about to give this man who was captured in a war a full jury trial. I mean it's crazy."
Scalia was apparently referring to his son Matthew, who served with the U.S. Army in Iraq.


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310S Auto Technician Bolton 2084948
Bolton, ON
We have one of the largest used car departments in the GTA and is one of the highest volume dealerships in Ontario as well as nationwide and provide a high potential income for our team of technicians.
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We truly believe in building a positive environment strong and long-term partnership with our team in order to provide a mutual growth opportunity. We are growing and your growth means our growth
We are currently hiring highly skilled and qualified service technicians to join our growing team.
Job Responsibilities
- Routine inspections and maintenance
- System diagnostics
- Full automotive trouble shooting and testing
- Continuously expanding your knowledge for new technologies and practice
Job Qualifications
- Red Seal Certification / 310S
- Must be eligible to work in Canada
- Must have tools
- Mechanical skill
- Trade School diploma
- Prefer at least 3-5 years of experience as an auto technician
- Ability to identify problems quickly
- Good attention to details
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