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Race Video: Varsity | Second Varsity | Freshman
NEW LONDON, Conn.—The Crimson heavyweight crew put the finishing touches on a perfect dual season with its fifth straight sweep of the rival Bulldogs, including a 9.9-second win in the varsity race, at the 147th Harvard-Yale Regatta Saturday afternoon on the Thames River.
The Crimson (8-0) celebrated Harry Parker's 50th H-Y race day the same way it did Nos. 46-49, by winning all three races Saturday as well as Friday's combination event. Harvard won the varsity matchup for the 12th time in the last 13 years to extend its series lead to 93-54 and help Parker improve to 43-7 against the Elis. The second varsity cruised to a 31.7 second win, after the freshmen started the day with a win by 8.5 seconds in a race that was interrupted with a half-mile to go.
With only next weekend's Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships remaining in their collegiate season, Harvard's three competing eights concluded their dual campaign with a combined 23-0 record. It is the Crimson's 22nd perfect dual season under Parker. The Class of 2012 completed its H-Y career without participating in, or witnessing, a loss to Yale.
"It was a very good day," said Parker, the Thomas Bolles Head Coach for Harvard Men's Crew. "All our crews rowed well. The varsity race was a good race. We took control early, but Yale rowed a good, hard race."
The Crimson varsity asserted itself early on and gradually moved further away as the crews raced downstream toward the Gold Star Bridge. The Bulldogs pushed to stay close, but Harvard was able to lower its stroke rate to a more conservative rhythm without giving any ground. The Crimson crossed the finish line of the four-mile race in 19:41.3, rowing 33 strokes per minute, compared to the Elis' 36.5 for a time of 19:51.2.
Patrick Lapage, Michael DiSanto, Caspar Jopling, Matthew Edstein, Sam O'Connor, Parker Washburn, Andrew Holmes and James O'Connor rowed in the winning varsity boat, steered by coxswain David Fuller.
The second varsity race belonged to Harvard from the start. The Crimson led by a boat length after just two minutes and only increased that margin over the next 13 on the way to a time of 14:55.5 for the three-mile distance.
The freshman race was the closest and most unusual. Harvard built a hard-earned lead of a length of open water over the first three-quarters of the two-mile course before a power boat zoomed by on the side of the course, sending huge waves toward the racing shells and forcing officials to halt the race. The Bulldogs charged hard off the restart, but Harvard withstood their early push and went on to lengthen its lead and win in a combined time of 10:25.6.
The combination event Friday was raced in fours. Both Harvard entries defeated the lone Yale boat. The Harvard A rowers finished five seconds ahead of their teammates and 16 ahead of the Bulldogs.
The varsity event was the last head-to-head competition of the year between Harvard and Yale. The Crimson held a 34-12 edge in wins against Yale across all sports.
Varsity Eight
Harvard 19:41.3
Yale 19:51.2
Second Varsity Eight
Harvard 14:55.5
Yale 15:27.2
Freshman Eight
Harvard 10:25.6
Yale 10:34.1
Combination Fours (Friday)
Harvard A 11:22
Harvard B 11:27
Yale 11:48


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Sheldon Silver reacts to David Paterson's ethics thoughts.
Senator Dan Squadron is cool to Paterson's plan.
Chris Cox for Congress?
Michelle Goldstein is going to Washington.
State retirement checks got lost in the mail.
New York is still low on cash.
Paterson's ethics proposal would clip Tom DiNapoli.
Tourists still love New York.
New York City picked ES&S.
Assemblyman Jack McEneny is engaged.
Michael Mulgrew heats up the friction with Michael Bloomberg, with a lawsuit.
Queens Courier Person of the Year: Mary Pappas.
The AP moves a story about John Liu hiring Simcha Felder.
The real question now: Who hires Felder's (talented!) spokesman, Eric Kuo?
Republicans are hopeful about Felder's vacancy. "We must find a strong candidate that can win in a Special Election expected to be held in March. This is how Councilman Ulrich got a foothold in Queens."
Yehuda Drudgesein breaks news of Felder's vacancy, at 4:28 p.m.
Liz Benjamin looks at how this Liu benefits, politically.
Joe Lazar tells Courntey Gross he's running for Felder's seat.
And below, Chuck Schumer talked about airport security in Buffalo:

subset: commoncrawl


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A new website set up by Victor Gutenmacher; it contains his and Nikolay Vasiliev's papers from the legendary Quantum magazine. Strongly recommend. I hope it will be developed further.
Perhaps I should add that Lines and Curves by Gutenmacher and Vasiliev was one the book that made me a mathematician.


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- We have reverted the default font back to Verdana due to feedback.
We do wish there is a universal alternative to both Arial and Verdana in the land of browser typography. Verdana is nice and clear but extremely wide. Arial is compact and more traditionally pleasing but sometimes a little too squeezed with a lot of text. Verial font anyone?
Arial would now only be used in certain instances where spacing is critical. In addition, we are currently testing multiple web fonts for people to toggle/use for story reading pages.


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What event could bring together Steven Tyler, Ellen Pompeo, Jenna Ushkowitz, Dustin Hoffman and Ciara? Why, the 2011 NBA All-Star Game — a master-class in magenta-carpet style.
It's always interesting to see what the unofficial dress code for an event like this is. Clearly, when in doubt you go with jeans and a top — and do whatever Lisa Leslie's doing.
Maria Menounos goes for unstudied casual glam that's clearly totally studied...the Hollywood paradox!
I like to think these are the shoes Ciara just had by the door and threw on to go out.
Yes, this is what Lenny Kravitz wears to a basketball game. Shades and Rick Owens.
"Tell me about it, Stud."
I am really into how overdressed Nick Cannon is...he makes everyone else look too casual!
Ditto Gabrielle Union.
Isn't Steven Tyler sick of courting "Dude Looks Like A Lady" comments? Guess not.


text:
Main Content
Giorgio Gikas – Restoration and Repair
With the Greek goddess Nike being the historical basis for Victory figures, it seems fitting that the repair and restoration of Indiana's Victory sculpture be in the capable hands of Greek immigrant Giorgio Gikas. He learned the basics of metals by working in his grandfather's bronze art foundry in Athens. The foundry cast/produced commercial products for many years but eventually turned to artistic works. Thus, a bronze conservator was born.
Giorgio is the founder and president of Venus Bronze Works, Inc., Center for Conservation of Detroit, one of the handful of companies in the country that specializes in outdoor sculptural conservation. His repair and restoration of the Victory sculpture has required disassembly and reassembly of its components, welding, cleaning, waxing, and protecting the sculpture, inside and out, from future water damage.
Manitowoc Crane – Heavy Lifting
The ultra sophisticated Manitowoc 2250 supplied by Indianapolis-based R.H. Marlin drew its own fan base during the initial phases of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument Project. Photographers vied for specific angles and radio, as well as print media located adjacent to the site, asked for interviews. The giant red machine arrived in downtown Indianapolis in mid-March on multiple flatbed semis and was maneuvered into a specially made platform on the western side of the monument where it lifted workers and materials to build a scaffold surrounding the Victory sculpture prior to its removal on April 23.
When the time came to lift the sculpture from its perch for the first time in 117 years, the crane performed smoothly, delivering the sculpture to a soft landing on the bricks of the northwest quadrant of monument circle. The feat belied that the crane neared the upper edge of its capacity when Victory was found out to have gained a few pounds over the last century.
Lane Slaughter, Jim Kojetin – Primary Contractor Glenroy Construction
Detailed planning and hands-on problem solving are the responsibility of Glenroy Construction Company's Lane Slaughter and Jim Kojetin (pronounced Ko-teen). As primary contractor, Glenroy Construction Company assembled a team of 11 subcontractors with specialties ranging from bronze conservation, to scaffolding and rigging specially designed to manage the repairs at great height (284 ft.). There is also heavy erection equipment, steel manufacturers, masonry contractors, lightning protection specialists, hazardous materials abatement and roofing!
Glenroy Construction Company's 60-year experience in constructing Hoosier landmarks, taught company executives – among them, Slaughter and Kojetin - that almost any contractor can complete a project. The secret to succeeding in a competitive business is to complete each project for each client on time, for the anticipated cost and with the least possible interruption and interference to the client's activities. Glenroy Construction has had a successful record of taking charge of the most difficult projects for the state of Indiana and making them a reality.
Victoria Emery – Engineer, Arsee Engineers, Inc.
No matter the job, Victoria Emery is usually the only female on site. She is a registered professional engineer with 16 years experience in structural engineering and construction with Arsee Engineers of Fishers. She attended Purdue University, receiving both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in civil engineering.
Arsee Engineers Inc. was the lead engineer on the Victory project, designing the steel platform that supported the scaffold that was erected around the sculpture for rigging and other preparations, designing a new connection between the upper portion of the statue and the existing steel column inside the statue, and to design a new base plate for the statue to connect its base to the existing structural steel. "I am honored to have worked on a project with so much historical significance to the city of Indianapolis and the State of Indiana. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for an engineer, and it has been a pleasure to work with the group of talented individuals that have come together to make the project a success," she said.
Victory Project Supporting Cast
Project Contractors and Subcontractors


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I have a new Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 13. The onboard LAN/Bluetooth device is identified in Linux as 0bda:1724 (via lsusb). No network peripherals are reported from lspci.
Online, the vendor:product above looks to be RT2573, however, in Windows, the device is identified as RTL8723A.
I am trying to find a Linux kernel module (driver) for this WLAN card. I have tried rt2500usb, rt2x00usb, and rtl8723e, on 2.6.x and 3.x.x kernels, to no avail.
I've posted the output of
lspci -nn -v and
lsusb -v to: http://pastebin.com/dqvTSVjF


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Bill Kristol's culture of conservative victimhood
What do these four men have in common, other than their status as prosecutorial targets? Since 2001, they have been among the most prominent promoters of the conservative agenda of the Bush administration. For over four years, they have helped two strong conservatives, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, successfully advance an agenda for change in America. To the extent these four are sidelined, there is a real chance that the Bush-Cheney administration will become less successful...
Meanwhile, a kind of ideological criminalization of active, visible conservatives has become almost second nature to the left and the elite professions, including journalism and teaching, in which they predominate...
Why are conservative Republicans, who control the executive and legislative branches of government for the first time in living memory, so vulnerable to the phenomenon of criminalization? Is it simple payback for the impeachment of Bill Clinton? Or is it a reflection of some deep malady at the heart of American politics? If criminalization is seen to loom ahead for every conservative who begins successfully to act out his or her beliefs in government or politics, is the project of conservative reform sustainable?
We don't pretend to have all the answers, or a solid answer even to one of these questions. But it's a reasonable bet that the fall of 2005 will be remembered as a time when it became clear that a comprehensive strategy of criminalization had been implemented to inflict defeat on conservatives who seek to govern as conservatives. And it is clear that thinking through a response to this challenge is a task conservatives can no longer postpone.
The problem with Kristol's analysis lies in his own partisanship and his inability to look with disinterestedness at what are some fairly serious accusations. For him, the investigations reflect an atmosphere of "them" against "us" -- specifically of Democrats and liberals against Republicans and conservatives. That is, he and his friends on the right are the good guys promoting "the conservative agenda of the Bush administration" (whatever that means: is it really all that conservative?) and "successfully [advancing] an agenda for change in America" while his enemies on the left are engaging in "a kind of ideological criminalization of active, visible conservatives".
Call it Bill Kristol's culture of conservative victimhood: We are innocent victims of partisan persecution! We didn't do nothin'!
(Rather odd for a half-neocon, half-Straussian, no?)
But here's the question he dare not ask: What if DeLay, Frist, Rove, and Libby are (gasp!) guilty?
Yes, it does seem that something is rotten on Kristol's beloved right. There are ongoing investigations and much that is merely alleged, but could it really be that there's no fire behind all the smoke?


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The Tarantula
Hey guys.
Please check out my new score. It was just a bit of silliness that I wrote. I hope you enjoy! https://musescore.com/user/30771082/scores/5691515
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Hey guys.
Please check out my new score. It was just a bit of silliness that I wrote. I hope you enjoy! https://musescore.com/user/30771082/scores/5691515
This is where I will keep track of warnings.
About child growing up and parent conselig; intensional out of expected range notes to create a out of rythm pulse representing a child's instability; very descriptive thing, not too many sentiment here; please critique!!!
the glug: https://www.polyphone-soundfonts.com/en/files/24-sound-effects/479-glug
let me know if this works and then I can add more, thanks
Hey, I am currently super busy!! Before I start, I'll lay out what my week tends to be:
Monday: Double/triple up on schoolwork. Once a month is nursing home music night (which I can't miss, considering I'm the pianist)
Tuesday: Currently I'm going to my aunt's. Soon will be Piano & Choir (if I go, which I am leaning more towards not going)
Wednesday: Work in the morning, Omnibus in the afternoon, Skating at 3pm, and will be home only for supper
Thursday: I go to my aunt's all day.
Friday: School (double/triple up as needed), Youth in evening.
Saturday: House cleaning
Sunday: Depending on which Sunday is: play piano for both services, nursing home services (I can't miss, I'm the pianist), go to my grandparents for lunch, have company over.
My problem I'm almost too busy for myself to do school.
How do you guys live with being super busy and having heavy schoolwork to do!?!?!?!?
I need advice!!!!!!!!!!
Please message me or comment what tends to work for you.
P.S. with the nursing home service/music night, that are highlights of my month!!!!!! and I can't quit now, consider i leave without them having any accompainment, 'cept a clarinet.
anyone have ideas on how to improve the group?
i was hoping folks would share sound fonts and effects and more folks would share music with interesting effects.
ideas anyone?
hey, what's going on? except for Mozart Forever (yay!), no one wants to post to this group? did the bananas all turn brown?
anyone have ideas on how to improve the group?
This took me about a day to compose, Please provide feedback
Oh, I said it in the title. Anyone?
Starts with a solemn exposition; on 3 begins to evolve to dispointment; witch is completely healed on 10; on 13 the revisiting starts; the disapointment origin stil exists on 15; on 17 it's seen as just a new experince. that is finished on 20.
Make sure you read the rules of this group and the mission!
I'm challenging all of you to do this with me, it can take as short as 15 minutes of your day to put something together, and trust me, it'll help you zero in on a method to your own composing that will help you down the road!
like best friends brother, make it shine or shut up and dance
Thanks to all the new members for joining our banana party. There seem to be quite a few 'banana' composers here at musescore, whether ithe music is about the fruit banana or banana fish or banana fairies or whatever or if the music is just plain banana silly. Post your music, tell your friends. I even heard that some higher up in the government was thinking of joining since they have lots of experience in being completely bananas.
So my school is trying out a new program this year based off of a suggestion I brought forward, by starting a jazz choir. I figured I'd help cement it a little bit by bringing some arrangements and compositions forward so that they'd have something to sing. Tl;dr, here's my first choral composition, any constructive feedback is greatly appreciated!
Write a song about a lonely tarantula that lives in a banana bunch.
The grand price is a vierual bunch of ripe bananas. Now, for a limited time, as a added amazing bonus, a free virtual tarantula. No, I'm lying. Must be the toxin from the tarantula bite that's affecting me. Dizzy dizzy it's all going dark.
So, I had this idea going through my head- why don't we, the composers of MuseScore, collaborate on a "theme and variations" piece? People who want to collaborate to this piece will be given a month to add a variation of a theme that I have chosen to the overall piece. Once the month is over, every variation (including a few of my own that I create) will be compiled, an outro will be added to the piece, and I will submit the piece to be performed by my school string orchestra. Doesn't this sound exciting? :) (This is open to all of MuseScore, BTW)
I have already chosen the theme that everyone will be working with- Flowey's theme, "Your Best Friend" from Undertale. (plz no hate, thx). I have also already made an intro, arranged the theme, and have added a variation of my own to the piece.
YOU (the composers of MuseScore) have until 8/31/2019 to come up with an up to 5-minute variation of your own to add to the score. (The score can be accessed here- https://musescore.com/user/5088096/scores/5664927)
Once you have created your variation(s) and are ready to add it/them to the score, you have 3 ways to submit it-
1. Post a comment on the score (or on this thread) linking the variation to me.
2. Message me through MuseScore with the link (file?).
3. (most recommended) Email me at firstname.lastname@example.com with your link or MuseScore file. (DO NOT SPAM ME, HARRASS ME, OR COME TO ME WITH UNSOLICITED OFFERS. I WILL FLAG YOU AND REPORT YOU.)
Once your variation is in my hands, I MAY OR MAY NOT edit it so that it is clear, readable, involves enough members of the orchestra, and so that it links up with the preceding and forthcoming variations. I also will add some of my own variations to the piece.
Once the deadline is past, I WILL NOT accept any more variations to the piece. This is when I finalize the variations, add an outro, and submit the piece to be considered for performance. All people who entered their variations will be credited (person to variation- if you made the variation, you will be credited on that variation.)
1. DO NOT ADD ANY MORE INSTRUMENTS. This piece is for a string orchestra with a piano and 4 percussionists (1 mallet, 3 untuned)- NO MORE. I will not accept you adding any more instruments (i.e. woodwind, brass, keyboards/synths, more percussion lines, etc.) to the score. At the very most, I MAY allow you to add ONE *OPTIONAL* woodwind or brass instrument (or solo voice) that can be replaced by an instrument that I have already placed in the score (string or piano). Any more than that, and I WILL NOT accept it until you rewrite your variation so it fits in the already-existing score format.
2. KEEP IT PLAYABLE. I intend this piece to be played by real human beings, who have limitations that a computer doesn't. Therefore, PLEASE, for the love of GOD, don't give me a bunch of string block chords or insane 128th-note passages that would SHREAD someone's fingers if they even attempted to play it. That is an absolute NO-NO, and I will not accept your variation until you get serious and give me something that's actually GOOD.
3. IF YOU MAKE A VARIATION, LET ME KNOW. I have ways of finding out if you purposely tried to hide your variation and pass the entire piece off as your own. And if I find out that you intentionally tried to violate MY copyright, I WILL DEMAND that MuseScore take down your piece. (However, I can understand if you merely forgot, or problems came up with you sending it to me. But, if I find a variation that wasn't sent to me, I WILL assume that you tried to hide it intentionally, until I find out otherwise.)
So, what are you waiting for?! START COMPOSING and HAVE FUN! :)
Original piece: https://musescore.com/user/5088096/scores/5664927
My Email: email@example.com
OWO What happened here?
Please check this out if haven't already!
To listen
To print (due to musescore weirdness)


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For more than a decade, dental dams have been distributed to protect female inmates against HIV and STDs in some Canadian and Australian prisons. The authors noted, "However, we do not know whether they serve any useful public health purpose." They undertook the current study to learn how the products are used in women's prisons in New South Wales (NSW), using quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate women's sexual practices.
Of 199 female inmates interviewed, 71 (36 percent) reported having sex with another inmate. Most encounters involved oral sex, yet only eight women (4 percent) reported ever having used a dental dam.
Among the inmates, the main sources of STD risk were oral sex, manual sex, and sharing dildos. In addition, sharing razors could result in the transmission of blood-borne viruses, which also could occur during sex in the presence of cuts or menstrual fluid. High rates of hepatitis B and C among incarcerated women compound this risk, the authors wrote.
The results of the study indicate that dental dams are not commonly used by female inmates, "and we question their utility in women's prisons," the authors concluded. "Oral sex is an important risk factor of acquisition of herpes simplex virus type 1, but most women in NSW prisons (89 percent) are already infected. Condoms and latex gloves may have more use. Condoms could be used as a barrier on shared dildos and sex toys, while latex gloves could be used to protect cut and grazed hands from vaginal and menstrual fluids."


text: The thing that's been bugging me about this whole Bristol Palin pregnancy issue is that I think that the Republicans are right: It's a private matter and the pundits and the politicians should stay out of it. In fact, the pundits and the politicians should stay out of all issues concerning any woman's uterus. Too bad the Republicans are unable, or unwilling, to see the irony in this. Last night on The Daily Show, Samantha Bee knocked it out of the park when she did a segment interviewing conventioneers about Sarah Palin. (One woman likes her because "she makes Americans feel like anyone can be president.") The best, though, was when Bee asked around about Bristol's pregnancy, and the Palins' choice they had to make. Clip above.


text:
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To serve you better please select from the list of service areas below to see relevant CenterPoint Energy information.
Natural gas is a better value - even when considering the operating costs. Water heating is one of the largest fuel users in the home. Electric water heaters rely on the generation of electricity at a power plant, which may be burning coal, oil, lignite or other fossil fuels, and do not burn as cleanly as gas does. The chart below illustrates the cost difference between a comparable natural gas and electric
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text:
Adolescents constitute one of the most invisible populations affected by HIV disease in the U.S. The difficulty categorizing adolescents into pediatric or adult systems of care, the lack of access of many teenagers to medical services, and the fact that the young people most likely to become HIV-infected are often those who are the most disenfranchised are but a few reasons. All of these factors contribute to a disturbing current trend in the epidemic, which is that adolescents comprise an increasing percentage of new HIV infections both in developing and in developed countries.
This article concentrates on adolescents from 12-17, who often share features with HIV-positive young adults from 18-25. While prevention in youth populations is certainly of immense importance, the care and treatment of HIV-positive adolescents is the focus of this article.
Exact statistics on HIV infection for any particular population are difficult to determine because of the ways the disease is tracked. For example, AIDS diagnoses may be reported while the number of HIV infections may not. Nevertheless, the estimates of HIV infection among adolescents are sobering. As many as 25% of the estimated 40,000 new HIV infections in the U.S. each year occur in 13- to 21-year-olds. Current estimates are that as many as 50% of infections worldwide occur in those between the ages of 15 and 24.
At least one teenager in the U.S. is infected with HIV each hour. Given that it takes an average of ten years or longer for AIDS symptoms to appear when HIV is left untreated, and that many people with an AIDS diagnosis are in their late twenties or early thirties, it is obvious that many young adults with AIDS were infected in their teens. As of December 1998, 3,373 AIDS cases were reported in the U.S. among those 13 to 19 years of age. An additional 24,437 cases were reported in the 20-24 age group, the majority of them almost certainly infected as adolescents.
Of HIV-infected adolescents, approximately two-thirds are African-American or Latino, though these two groups represent less than one-third of that age group in the population at large. Youth of color, young gay and bisexual males, and homeless or runaway youth are at increased risk of acquiring HIV. Recent years also have brought a dramatic increase in HIV among young women, particularly young women of color. Between 1988 and 1993, HIV prevalence is estimated to have increased 36% among women 18 to 22. Among black women 18 to 27, the increase is estimated to be 60% for the same time period.
Many adolescents with HIV are unaware of their infection because they have not been tested for it. Many who do test positive do not follow up for medical care due to lack of money, insurance, or access to appropriate care, or because of denial or mistrust of the medical system. Before discussing optimal treatment of adolescents with HIV, it is critical to consider the significant barriers to medical care that many adolescents encounter.
Barriers to Care
Even when they know of their HIV infection, many adolescents do not receive the care they need. Adolescents frequently lack resources to pay for their own medical care, including most notably insurance, which severely limits their access to many types of care. Uninsured adolescents in some areas are left with the option of public clinics -- not always youth-friendly environments in the best of circumstances -- and in other areas may have no access to any health services. In some places, adolescents may be unable by law to consent to medical services on their own.
Many HIV-positive adolescents experience denial about their HIV disease, sometimes as a coping mechanism. Overwhelmed with the demands of school, work, chaotic home lives, depression, substance use, or homelessness, young people may decide that they cannot focus on their HIV disease until some point in the future (e.g., when school is over, or after they move away from home, or after they find a home). Adolescents typically are inexperienced and unfamiliar with the medical system, and often have difficulty navigating the complex systems of care associated with HIV. In addition to a lack of skills, a significant fear and a mistrust of the medical system prevent many adolescents from seeking care.
To provide care to adolescents with HIV, the barriers that separate them from medical services must be overcome. Individual clinics and providers can make a difference by offering care that is as youth-sensitive as possible.
Once HIV-positive adolescents are actively receiving care, the question of how best to treat them must be addressed. Frequently, the central question is whether adolescents with HIV should be treated like their adult counterparts or like pediatric patients, or whether they are a unique group requiring their own treatment guidelines. Pediatric treatment guidelines differ from adult guidelines because the pathogenesis (disease development) of HIV and therapeutic (anti-HIV and opportunistic infection [OI] prophylaxis) drug metabolism are different in pediatric patients than in adults, and adolescents may be regarded as falling into a gray area somewhere in between the two (although use of the Tanner scale, discussed later, provides a clear method for evaluating individuals).
Unfortunately, the differences in pathogenesis and response to treatment in adolescents have not been extensively studied. It is generally believed that adolescents who are infected through sexual behaviors or needle-sharing experience a course of disease similar to that of adults, as reported in the 1998 Report of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) To Define Principles of Therapy of HIV Infection.
Although there is some information, less is known about the disease course in those who were infected perinatally (by, at, or near the time of birth) or through the use of blood products as children (some of whom have now survived into adolescence), although it is hoped that long-term observational studies of perinatally infected children may provide some clues. One such project, the NIH-funded Women and Infants Transmission Study (WITS), has the ability to follow children born to HIV-positive mothers over many years, and will provide data on HIV-positive children as they mature into adolescence.
For the most part, pathogenesis and response to treatment among adolescents seem not to differ dramatically from those of adults. Subtle yet potentially important differences, however, such as the effects of HIV disease or medications on adolescent development, may be overlooked. The Reaching for Excellence in Adolescent Care and Health (REACH) study, a multisite, natural history cohort study of adolescent HIV infection, may provide some answers. Funded by the NIH, and a project of the Adolescent Medicine HIV/AIDS Research Network (AMHARN), the REACH study has recruited 300 HIV-positive adolescent participants and 150 high-risk HIV-negative participants between 12 and 19 in 13 cities nationally.
One preliminary finding suggests that there may be an increased potential for immune reconstitution among adolescents due to the presence of residual thymic tissue. The thymus gland is a necessary component of the immune system. Research reveals that the thymus becomes much smaller as humans age, beginning in the teenage years. While traditionally thought not to be active in the adult years, very recent research indicates the presence of some thymus activity even into late adulthood. This would provide a strong argument for treating HIV infected adolescents early, as their prospects for sustaining a strong immune response following treatment would likely be good.
Currently, adolescent treatment is addressed in both the adult and pediatric guidelines for treating HIV disease (published by the Centers for Disease Control [CDC] in their Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), and by the Health Resources and Services Administration and NIH, respectively. While the adult guidelines are called Adult and Adolescent Guidelines, it should be noted that adolescent is intended to refer to those in late puberty who could be considered adults developmentally. (Guidelines are also available online at the HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Service's Web site at www.hivatis.org.)
The pediatric guidelines break down treatment recommendations for adolescents based on stages of development called Tanner stages, which are a means of determining where along the spectrum of sexual development an adolescent stands, regardless of chronological age. For females, Tanner stages evaluate breast and pubic hair development. For males, genital and pubic hair development are rated. Each variable is rated on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 representing prepubertal development and 5 representing an adult level of development. The pediatric guidelines recommend that dosages for anti-HIV and anti-OI medications follow pediatric schedules for persons in Tanner stages 1 and 2, and adult schedules for those in stages 3 through 5, with particularly close monitoring for those in stage 3.
Many adolescents living with HIV in the U.S. today were infected as older children or teenagers and likely have been HIV positive for a relatively short period of time. The pediatric guidelines note that this makes them "ideal candidates for early intervention." It should be noted, however, that initiating HIV therapy in adolescents must be done by including the individual as part of the decision-making process.
Another, increasingly large group of adolescents living with HIV is composed of children who were perinatally infected; as more and more of these children enter adolescence, a host of new concerns present themselves, including adherence and treatment decision-making, which involve unique issues for children who have already been on life-long HIV-suppressive therapy and are now becoming more directly and authoritatively involved in their own care. If a teenager is not ready to begin therapy due to internal or external factors, he or she almost certainly will not adhere to a prescribed medication regimen. Increasingly, this applies to all HIV-positive people regardless of age, but it is especially true for adolescents and always must be kept in mind. This is in keeping with the trend toward a more conservative consideration of when to initiate therapy that recognizes the importance of beginning therapy when the patient is ready and when the regimen has the greatest chance for success.
A 1997 report produced by Special Programs for Youth, a service of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), iterated the main reasons adolescents and young adults in their clinics decided to start, or not start, antiretroviral therapy. The main reasons for not starting therapy included stable health and/or lab work, an unstable living situation, a lack of support, heavy drug use, a fatalistic attitude toward death, mental health issues, a lack of readiness, and simple refusal.
The main reasons for starting or considering therapy included adequate support, stability in one's life, a change in health status and/or lab work, familiarity with people responding well to similar therapies, familiarity with someone who is sick or who has died recently, and access to a clinician who repeatedly discusses options and is supportive and nonjudgmental about the adolescent's decision.
Clearly, once the decision has been made by both the HIV-positive adolescent and the provider to begin therapy, selection of a regimen that will fit as seamlessly as possible into the adolescent's life is of critical importance. Simplicity is key for younger persons; in general, twice-daily regimens are likely to work best.
Considerations that apply to adults about tailoring a regimen to the individual and encouraging adherence also apply to adolescents, only more so: adolescents are more likely to discontinue a regimen on their own if they encounter any difficulties, especially unexpected ones. In a survey conducted by the Community Prescription Service, 34% of people over age 35 were not adherent to their regimens, while 58% of those under 35 were not adherent. (Some preliminary evidence also suggests that older persons with HIV -- defined as those over 65 years of age -- also have poor adherence.) Regarding youth, the observed tendency underscores the need to explain to young people what to expect while on therapy and how to manage side effects and adherence problems.
Reflecting their lack of visibility in the epidemic as a whole, adolescents are one of the most underrepresented populations participating in HIV medical research. The result of this lack of representation in the research process is an overall dearth of information on HIV disease in adolescents, including whether disease progression or response to HIV medications differs in adolescents. While many research studies sponsored by the federal government through the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) and Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS (CPCRA) allow enrollment of those age 13 and older, many clinical trials still exclude anyone under 18. Occasionally, such exclusions have some scientific merit, but adolescent minors are often excluded simply because of the perception that they are too unreliable or problematic (i.e., their attitudes may increase the risk of nonadherence) to make good research participants. Also, because of potential legal complexities of including adolescent minors in research, many study sponsors choose to exclude them categorically rather than learn about the local, state, or Institutional Review Board (IRB) rules that govern inclusion of minors in their particular field of inquiry. In some areas, adolescent minors may be able to provide informed consent to participate in HIV research on their own, while other areas may require a parent's or guardian's consent.
Clinical trials offer HIV-positive adolescents the opportunity to access potentially effective treatments and to take a more active role in their health care while contributing to the existing knowledge about HIV. The Ryan White Title IV Program of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which oversees funding for programs serving women, children, adolescents, and families affected by HIV, has instituted a requirement that programs funded by Title IV expand efforts to connect their clients with research opportunities.
An Integrated Approach
To be truly successful, care for HIV-positive adolescents must entail a holistic, or multidisciplinary, approach that addresses young people's emotional and social needs, in addition to providing medical treatment. Adolescence is a unique and vulnerable time in the lives of most people. Many adolescents with HIV are dually or triply diagnosed with substance abuse and mental health problems that may need to be treated before their HIV disease can be dealt with adequately. (While reliable statistics on dual and triple diagnoses among HIV-positive adolescents are not available, 7% of females and 20% of males in the REACH study reported using "hard drugs" in the three months prior to questioning.) Referrals to youth-specific or youth-friendly support services must be made, either by clinicians or social service providers.
Information should be given proactively, as adolescents may not ask questions on their own. Such information also should be delivered to adolescents in appropriate language, and followed up with written information when possible. Instructions regarding medications and other services need to be given as specifically as possible, using real-life examples, as adolescents often think in concrete terms. For example, an adolescent on a three-times-daily drug regimen, who is told that he or she must carry pills during the day, may end up toting around three large pill bottles from the pharmacy, unless a specific suggestion is given to count out the day's pills in the morning and transport them in a smaller pill box.
In addition to involvement from medical and social service providers, peer counseling from other HIV-positive youth, who can give practical and emotional support, can be extremely valuable to the adolescent dealing with the enormous stress of being young and positive. Finally, consideration must be given to matriculating an adolescent with HIV into adult services when the young person approaches "aging out" of youth-specific programs, to ensure that a smooth transition is made.
Ideally, adolescents with HIV would be able to access facilities where appropriate medical care, social and preventive services, and research opportunities are available in one location. Comprehensive centers with youth-oriented HIV expertise already exist in some cities, two examples being the Adolescent AIDS Program at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City and the Larkin Street Youth Clinic in San Francisco. Where such facilities are not available, clinicians should take the initiative to ensure that the medical care of adolescents is well integrated into other social, mental health, and research programs.
Coping with a life-threatening illness during adolescence, a tumultuous and difficult period in life, can be overwhelming. As many of the young people most at risk of acquiring HIV also confront issues of poverty, sexual orientation, sexually transmitted disease (STD) co-infection, abuse, mental health, and substance use, the optimal management of HIV disease becomes extremely complicated for many teenagers and their providers. Adolescents with HIV should have the right to expect high-quality medical care provided with sensitivity to their needs, so that they may make the transition to healthy adulthood.
Greg Szekeres is the medical producer for HIV InSite (http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu), a Web site of the UCSF Positive Health Program, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, and AIDS Research Institute.
Selected Sources
Chabon, B. and Futterman, D. Adolescents and HIV. AIDS Clinical Care 11(2): 1. February 1999.
Grubman, S. and others. Older children and adolescents living with perinatally acquired human immunodeficiency virus infection. Pediatrics 95(5): 657-663. May 1995.
Health Resources and Services Administration, National Institutes of Health, and National Pediatric and Family HIV Resource Center. Guidelines for the use of antiretroviral agents in pediatric HIV infection. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 47(RR-4): 1-31. April 17, 1998, revised April 15, 1999.
Hoffman, N.D. and others. Treatment issues for HIV-positive adolescents. AIDS Clinical Care 11(3): 1. March 1999.
Rogers, A. and others. A profile of human immunodeficiency virus-infected adolescents receiving health care services at selected sites in the United States. Journal of Adolescent Health 19(6): 401-408. December 1996.
Rogers, A. and others. The REACH Project of Adolescent Medicine HIV/AIDS Research Network. Journal of Adolescent Health 22(4): 300-311. April 1998.
Rosenberg, P. and Biggar, R. Trends in incidence among young adults in the United States. Journal of the American Medical Association 279(23): 1894-1899. June 17, 1998.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Guidelines for the use of antiretroviral agents in HIV-infected adults and adolescents. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 47(RR-5): 42-82. April 24, 1998, revised May 5, 1999.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Report of the NIH panel to define principles of therapy of HIV infection. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 47(RR-5): 1-41. April 24, 1998, revised June 17, 1998.
Back to the SFAF BETA Winter 2000 contents page.


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Japanese artist Mika Aoki brings to light a world of microscopic organisms, solidified and illuminated in her exceptional blown glass sculptures. Drawing inspiration from spores, mold, fungi, viruses, and sex cells, she explores the concepts of life and death through the lens of the lab. "My inspirations come from observations and conversations with scientists," Aoki says of her work. Erupting from syringes or sprouting up atop dismantled cars, her "singing glass" sculptures remind us that we share our planet with forms that are both invisible and remarkable.
Taking a cue from nature, glass artist Mika Aoki transforms tiny grains of sand into flowing, organic forms reminiscent of spores, sperm, and viruses. For her pieces, Aoki frequently travels to labs for inspiration, using the equipment and research as visual references. In her choice to use glass for her sculptures, Aoki explains,
In some cases, we cannot see if window glass is there or not. Unless light shines on it, we can't confirm the existence of it because it is transparent. But once the light shines on it, glass truly emanates a special presence. Although it is solid and hard, it is quite easy to be broken. It connotes conflicting qualities: solidity and fragility. The interaction of light with this material reveals certain aspects of substance. We humans, with our limited imaginations and powers of recognition, call these aspects 'form' and 'color.' For the journey I'm taking, searching for 'terms' which express life itself, the interaction between life and the world around it, the network of life, and 'the forms that take the shape of those terms,' I needed material of a transparent nature and at the same time, completely meaningless.'
Also able to be easily and exactly manipulated, Aoki can use glass to craft her shining sculptures with a great deal of precision. Witnessing the carpets of sinuous, mushroom-like sprout from decaying cars in the piece entitled Her Songs Are Floating, it is easy to draw connections between our fleeting physical existence and our role in the grand cycle of life and death. Trapped in containers, her imaginary life forms in Fluctuation of Life seem suspended for a brief moment in time like preserved specimens. Eerie and beautiful, Aoki's installations inspire the same curiosity and wonder that compels scientists to seek to explain and explore.
Aoki is currently living in London and studying at the Royal College of Art.
Via Make


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That was such an epic drawing on the death reaper that I just submitted a moment ago wasn't it guys? Well, today I am going to upload another adorable looking forest critter that loves hopping around as it feeds on various foliage. Now, since the bunny I submitted a few days ago was obviously a big hit, I wanted to do another bunny version which is going to be called "how to draw a bunny rabbit", step by step. Rabbits have got to be one of the cutest animals that resides in the forest. This is going to be a simple tutorial to learn from because it is a cartoon type of drawing. It's nothing like the other bunny I drew which came out looking more like a cuddly stuffed animal version of a bunny, and this one that I am uploading now, is more realistic but cartoony at the same time. In general, this lesson should be easy enough for anybody to try out because I made sure to draw the steps as easy as possible. If there is another animal that you would to see a lesson on, just ask me and I shall deliver. Anyway, that's all I have to say for this description, have fun learning how to draw a bunny rabbit, and make sure you rate, comment, and upload your own artwork for all to see. I still have a lot more to submit for you all. Peace out people, and have a happy drawing day.
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


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I/P Engine, Inc. v. AOL, Inc. et al
Filing 723
ORDER granting 721 Motion for Pro hac vice, Appointed Jennifer Lynn Polse for AOL Inc., for Gannett Company, Inc., for Google Inc., for IAC Search & Media, Inc., for Target Corporation. Signed by District Judge Raymond A. Jackson and filed on 10/18/12. (jcow, )
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.


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Random notes and maunderings about writing, life, and whatever struck my fancy lately.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
"Not that I'm a feminist, or anything..."
I wonder how on earth that happened? How did it come about that women are embarrassed to be identified with an ideological movement committed to promoting women's equality?
A couple of days ago, I had a brief property line skirmish with a new neighbor. The guy has spent I don't even know how many hours with a hundred-foot measuring tape and a ball of twine and a handful of stakes, figuring out the edges of the lot he just bought. His lot sits right against the back of our lot.
The guy measures out his property line again a couple of weeks ago, about the same time I start constructing a dog run behind the house. We visit amiably about where he thinks his property line runs, and I set the fenceline on my side, by several inches. I set the posts in concrete because that's just the right way to set posts. He watches me do this.
A couple of days ago, the guy comes back with his measuring tape and other paraphanalia. Remeasures everything. Decides his line is actually not where he originally marked it. Decides my posts are actually on his property. Tells me so.
The really curious part of all this, though, is that it was so important to Mr. Wonderful that he could perceive himself as being in-the-right, to be justified in his anger, that he actually accused me of going back after he was gone and moving all those posts--posts he'd watched me set in concrete. The total difference? Less than six inches.
Now, I'm an extraordinarily competent woman. I'm not, however, an idiot. Nor am I an amazon. I'm pretty sure I would need a tractor to pull those posts out of the ground.
At this point in the conversation, I made a strategic error. I laughed at him. Then I might have, sort of, maybe accidentally, presented a logical false dilemma suggesting he was either a lunatic, or just not the brightest crayon in the box. I briefly considered asking him if this meant I was off the hook and he was going to finish building the fence--but was stopped by the purplish hue of his face and the veins bulging from his temples.
He demanded I move the posts the four or five inches, to comply with his newly-measured property line. I responded that he was welcome to solve the problem either by calling an actual surveyor, and presenting me with a legal property boundary--or he was welcome to pull the damn posts himself--I'd be happy to compromise and reset them, should he choose either option.
Actually, I may not have been quite that polite about it.
He opted to pull the posts himself. It was frankly a bit alarming. He started flinging himself against the posts to loosen them. The guy was literally running at these big posts, slamming his body into them, grunting and all but foaming at the mouth. I didn't stick around to watch him heave them out of the ground with fifty pounds of concrete clinging to each base.
My housemate managed to smooth it over, at least a bit. Much later.
She informed me that I could have handled the situation in a more calming manner. That seemed completely ridiculous, to me. Maybe that guy's poor wife has to calm his almighty temper, but frankly, I could friggin' care less if he strokes himself out having a tantrum like a two-year-old. She told me, "That's just how men are. You're not straight, so you've never really had to deal with it. But that's pretty much just how men are. Women learn to deal with it."
First of all, I honestly do not believe that's how all men are. Then I started thinking about a comment I would have sworn Kira left--but now I can't find it--to the effect that women engage in calming and affirming behavior towards inferior men, as a sort of culturally programmed response, to keep the peace.
The problem is, when bad behavior is rewarded with that kind of attention, it only reinforces the bad behavior. Why the hell would women want to participate in that crap? That brings us around full-circle, to the beginning thought: why do so many women reject a feminist identification?
Perhaps someone can explain this to me...
20 comments:
- Kira said...
I can't recall leaving a comment like that, but I'm going to agree with your housemate.
I've come across more men like that than I care to remember--but the ones I've had to deal with long-term have been family members and bosses.
Boyfriends like that didn't last a week with me.
Women do tend to calm men down by backing off in a situation like that, but I think your approach was better. No one, man or woman, should be able to behave like that and be tolerated by society. We allow it to continue when we console their overblown egos.
The trick is to calm them down, let them think they're right, and then outsmart them. It's not worth arguing.
You ought to get your own surveyor out there, pull the deeds from the courthouse, and if you're right, make the jackass re-set your posts under threat of lawsuit for destruction of property.
- Carrie Shanafelt said...
In response to your initial comment, Mac, I admit that I find myself saying something similar quite often. The thing young don't-call-me-a-feminists feel is that we reject (a) the a priori victimization of all women, as many of us under 30 were not patriarchally indoctrinated to the degree others have been, and (b) the embrace of the female gender as being either a meaningful category or one whose "values" either truly exist or are inherently desirable. I cringe at the word "feminism" because, as it is popularly used, it seems to mean a European feminism of, like, the rights to be pretty and have sexual pleasure and take lovers at will. That kind of feminism ruins lives and hobbles women. The feminism I align myself with is that of Frances Willard, who argues that women cannot separate themselves into a separate, victimized class. Rather, they must support one another to educate themselves, get jobs, and alter the meaning-making structures of religion and law from the inside. I think we rebel against the word "feminism" because it has been perverted. Some of these young women prefer the Latin American "mujerismo" -- more tied to class-consciousness or "feminisms," stressing the multiple ideologies possible. Of course, there might be others who just reject the term because they're, uh, not feminists, too busy reading celebrity mags to care about womankind...
- Carrie Shanafelt said...
And secondly, laughing at the guy was absolutely, without a doubt, the right thing to do. It's "easier" in the long run to appease and play nice and wheedle and bake cookies for thine enemy, but fakery is so tired these days.
- Erin M. Hartshorn said...
I hate the label "feminism" because of the women who go overboard with it. My previous roommate, who insisted that the word should be spelled "womyn" so that it wasn't taken as being derivative of "men" in any way, or those who want to use the word "herstory," as if the Greek root histor didn't predate the English pronoun by millennia. I don't want to be associated with this knee-jerk mentality; I want to be accepted as a human, not someone who insists that sides must be taken and anything that smacks even remotely of the masculine should be eschewed.
- Kira said...
Round here we call that femi-nazi-ism, and sadly, some of those women don't realize that knocking men doesn't make women equal citizens.
It makes them as wrong as the stereotypical make chauvinist--just as bad as the male boss that once called me a "smart cookie".
what a hilarious tale. the whole episode was worth it, i'm sure, just to see his little temper tantrum.
on the feminism issue... i think it may just come with a little too much political baggage. it's a shame, really — but like most -isms, it's been co-opted.
great post!
This really is a great post Mac. I waasn't quite sure how to put what I "think" into words. But, it has made me toss it around in my mind for a bit.
Hope you got some photos of him slamming into the posts?? The visual was hysterical!
I can relate to your reaction, at the same time, I can hear my mom whispering in my ear to talk softly-it difuses anger (your neighbors)
On the flip side, me being old and all that, I was taught being too strong a woman wasn't lady like. Go figure! I was told I had to find a balance. What does that mean? I'm supposed to pretend I'm sitting on a see-saw?
I don't have the answers, but, I have learned that I need to exercise balance in all areas of my life. Something I strive for on a daily basis.
- Ms M said...
I was just thinking about this question the other day walking around the park (which is a reclaimed tip by the way) with my girlfriend. Our reflections were along the lines that perhaps many women now are actually articulating a new form of feminism through their rejection of earlier forms of "feminism" that spoke to women of a particular political and cultural climate. This can actually be read as a positive development. What I think is quite sad though, and it frustrates me too, is that this process of defining a new ideology seems to necessitate a mass rejection rather than a mass critique of "feminism". A critique builds on old feminisms to generate a newer "version" that is more open, more inclusive, speaks to women and deals directly with the issues of the day. A rejection, on the other hand, seems to me to leave many women voiceless and also un-supported. In fact, these critiques of feminism have been going on for many years, by many women and men who identify as feminists. Within these communities of identified feminists (and it is true that not all) there is a recognition of at least three different "generations" of feminism and many different perspectives on those generations yet from outside this doesn't seem to come across. This is what really intrigues me.
- .:J.r.A.:. said...
I agree with what haskins said, about the political baggage. A lot of young women are trying so hard to exist without a label that they reject all labels. Also, possibly as a defensive reaction, our largely male influenced society has twisted something such as feminism to mean something derogatory. Funny how we have a way of doing that with words...
I wish I could have been there to watch... :)
- TillyLost said...
I'm young, and I do call myself a feminist. But many of my friends have been reluctant to do so, and far too many have only the vaguest notion of what feminism is.
I have little tolerance for the kind of aggression that guy was displaying, and in my experience people who behave that way expect it to work. It's kind of fun to watch when it doesn't. Scary when it does.
- shannon said...
ms. m, I think it's Julia Kristeva's "Women's Time" you're referring to when you mention the three generations of feminism. Whether we're discussing the absence of women's voices in the history of rhetoric, or threats of violence committed against innocent fence posts meant to intimidate a particular woman, the important thing to acknowledge is that sexism is alive, well, and dangerous on many levels.
You know what leap, the last sentence in your comment is, unfortunately true.
If I was faced w/ a guy like Mac's neighbor, I'd probably push it a little like she did...then, I'd run like hell!
Because underneath, I'd be frightened.
As Haskins said, feminism has become (is) political. I doubt that will change, which is sad.
- Mac said...
Kira, I'd do just that...but I'm a dyke, so the extra four inches means absolutely nothing to me. Heh. (I crack myself up.)
Carrie--yeah, it's much easier to appease, to play the game. I somehow didn't learn that I was supposed to do that, though. But even if I had, it would frankly seem obscene to do so.
More than that, I wonder if women's appeasing, calming behavior isn't a weird cultural catch-22 for men, not just women. That is, while perhaps biologically-driven by a very real atavistic fear that this furious primate might actually blow a fuse and kill me (or whichever woman is faced with a similar situation)--I wonder if letting our biological instincts drive our cultural behavior, sometimes we don't trap men into precisely that sort of behavior we abhor.
I'm not sure. Of course, guys certainly have free will too, but to a large degree, we're all controlled to some extent by both biology and culture.
Haskins, nice to see you here. The problem is, we should be smart enough to be able to reject externally-assigned political baggage.
Random, welcome! Yeah. Knee-jerk anything annoys the crap out of me, too.
Ms M--precisely. It worries me to see a wholesale rejection of what has come before. I'm deeply concerned that women are going to find themselves reinventing the wheel--and it's a damn shame. Also, many of the feminists previous to my generation not only worked very hard to improve our cultural situation--they were pretty good thinkers. I hate the idea of rejecting them. I want us to claim them--the clever, the brilliant, the dedicated--and yes, the crackpots. Because they are us.
leap-b4, what a great comment! The funny part is that you and Tillylost (Welcome to you, too, Tilly!) both interpret the guy's behavior as aggression with the intention to intimidate. I wasn't particularly intimidated, it just didn't occur to me to be intimidated--and that seemed to just escalate his behavior. I was trying to picture what it must be like for this guy's wife, though, when he has a tantrum like that behind closed doors. It was a very uncomfortable thought.
J.r.A--you're such an instigator. Heh. But yes, we'd have made merciless fun of him later, eh?
JM-right. Because fear is the absolutely appropriate response. We've all seen the statistics on how many women are killed by men they know. We've seen the statistics of domestic violence, date-rape, battering boyfriends and husbands. We've developed an entire sort-of underground infrastructure to try and help other women deal with those problems.
- Dawno said...
I was a teenager in the 70's and saw first hand much of the struggle that the middle class women with whom I was familiar (primarily my friends' moms)were engaged in during that time. They (at least the ones I knew) were seeing their way of life being overturned. I think many of them were worried and afraid of the changes; the company of other women who were embracing women's lib wasn't always an inviting place for them so they had reason to be worried.
Women they had thought were friends were dismissing them for having made the choice not to be vocal advocates of 'the movement'. I saw some women belittle others for wanting to continue in their roles as homemakers. They were called slaves and doormats.
Instead of empowering them in their choice, making it so all women were celebrated, the rhetoric painted them as weak, and an accusation was made that they were undermining progress for all women. This may be why although I believed in and supported the changes the movement was working for, I never accepted the label 'feminist'.
I revere the women who went to jail so I would have the right to vote, the women who went to court so that my classmates could go to military acadamies, the ones who broke the glass ceilings and took on the good ol' boys to end harassment and discrimination on the job.
However, I have often felt disappointed that so much of the rhetoric I read or heard from the leaders of the movement was still not embracing, empowering, encouraging and supporting the women who chose child rearing and home making over other work. Women who choose the 'mommy track' have to overcome many obstacles to success when they are ready to return to work.
Women who don't join the workforce at all until their children are grown must face overwhelming obstacles considering how challenging it is for women who have some kind of prior experience to come back and succeed. When I came back it was at the bottom reporting to women quite a bit younger than myself and unwilling to accept that any experience I'd had outside of the corporate world was worth recognizing. I have to say I resent that. I've done ok, I've overcome the odds against me and I'm pretty damn successful, but I also believe I've been lucky and managed to be in the right places at the right time.
I am truly grateful to the women who fought to create a reality where I had a choice, unlike that of my mother's generation where it was just expected of women. And today, my daughter has grown up with so much less sexism, so many more opportunities. I'm grateful for that, too. Feminism, though, it might be time for a new label, I think that one has too much baggage.
- Dawno said...
sorry for the serial drive by postings...Just heard a piece on Marketplace on my local public radio station. You can listen to it here if you didn't hear it. It's very on point when it talks about the attitudes of young women about the women's movement. http://tinyurl.com/bjzjr
- Mac said...
Dawno--don't apologize for posting here. :) I love that you do. Thanks for the info!
- harridan said...
I'm going to go against your friend here to a point. You did make a mistake in the confratation, but that was by telling the twit he could remove the posts himself.
No, NO, NOOOOO.
Your first response that you would remove them if he got a surveyor was the correct one.
I mean, come on. This ying yang is running around his yard with a hundred foot tape measurer. HELLO. He knows nothing about property boundaries and such.
Where did he start his measurements from? From the center of the surveyed road and then adding in where his actual lot starts no matter of the roads encroachment? Heck no.
He's got that, I mow here, so this here is mine attitude.
And not all men are not like this. These guys give the decent ones bad names. Does that mean you have to tolerate the twits? Heck no!
In fact, if you hadn't given the offer for him to remove the posts, if he'd touched them I'd have been on the phone to the cops. Who then would have told him to leave it alone until he got a proper survey.
Sure, he may be a new neighbor, but if you let him walk on you now he'll walk on you forever.
My lots and lots of cents.
(PS, found your blog from Miss Snarks blog)
- harridan said...
Hmmm, and I just realized I didn't address the topic of feminism and its evolution.
How weird is that, I'm thinking to myself.
Why? Because normally that would have put me on a soapbox years ago.
Mayhap with my wonderful hubster, I have achieved the true feminist ideal. I'm not required by anyone to be anything but the person I want to be.
I can freely state my opinions, freely decide what activities I want to participate in, freely decide what jobs I feel are right for me.
It goes much deeper than that, but I think you get the gist.
Honestly, it surprises me how many young women now-a-days are running head long from the whole feminist thing.
It's kind of disturbing to see them revert to the 50's in attitude. But hey, that's their choice, which is what the whole thing is all about.
- DD said...
While I do not think it is your job to appease strange people ranting about property lines. It sounds to me like you helped escalate the confrontation, you picked (subconsciously?) what you knew would push his buttons and pushed. Fun, but self-defeating, in the long run you have to live next to this jerk. Maybe he is the kind to keep doing jerk like things to get back at that *****.
As to feminisim, in the circles I travel, it has come to mean belittling men, putting them down, thinking or at least saying you are better than them, smarter etc.
So I am not a feminist but...
- Onsmi Welcol said...
I assure you that all men are NOT idiots with the mentalities of spoiled two year olds.


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By Maggie Roth
April 9, 2010
(This story appeared April 15 in the Boston Globe, Medford edition.)
MEDFORD, Mass.—After running eleven marathons, Edward Woods knows what it takes to be a successful runner. This is why, for the first time in five years, he will not be running the Boston Marathon.
Woods, 53, a general contractor at Raytheon Company, is a native and lifelong resident of Medford, having lived at his Gleason Street residence with his wife and five daughters for 20 years. But this year as hundreds of runners get ready for the April 19 event, Woods made one of the toughest decisions he says he has faced in a long time: the decision not to run the 2010 Boston Marathon.
After participating in so many races, Woods is well aware of the time, energy and mental exertion it takes to run the 26.2 miles, which starts in Hopkinton and finishes in Copley Square.
It started for him on Christmas Day 2000 when Woods began his initial marathon training, admitting that he had "no real intentions" of ever actually completing a race.
"All I wanted was to make it down the street a half of a mile," he said. "When I started I was badly out of shape. It's feels like such an achievement to make it a half mile down the street, and then a mile and then five miles."
What's best right now, Woods says, is to take a step back and let this year's race go until he says he is mentally prepared to run again. Because his life has been particularly demanding lately—his basement flooded recently with the rains, a family member passed away, work has been busy—Woods just felt too many things had kept him from focusing on the training routine he knew was required for a marathon. He'd experienced too many "distractions" from the race so he knew the right thing to do was not to run.
"I'll miss it the whole entire day," he said. "I'm missing it even right now."


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This luxury gift set combines an elegant Kew Royal Botanic Gardens Long Tom Pot, with a faux baby rose shrub.
Although the items will arrive as a combined gift, they can be easily separated, making two gifts in one.
The faux baby rose shrub comes ready planted in its very own small cement pot, which will look just as lovely if dispalyed separately to the Kew Gardens Long Tom Plant Pot.
Available in four Kew Gardens Long Tom Pot colourways:
Duck Egg Blue
Chartwell Green
Delivery estimated within 2-3 working days
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Choice of three sizes
Also available in Duck Egg, Chartwell Green and Ivory
Ideal for fuller bodied plants or shrubs that require a long root run
Suitable for in or outdoor
No drainage hole but they can be drilled (see our 'How To' guide on our blog)
Choice of three sizes
Also available in Duck Egg, Chartwell Green and Tiffany Blue
Available in a choice of colours and sizes.
Available in a choice of colours and sizes
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Seven things to look for in an unsecured business loan
Small Business Guides
6 min read
Growing a business often takes blood, sweat and tears. And sometimes you'll also need a loan to speed things up. But with so many lending options out there, how do you find the right one? We spoke to Moula, the unsecured business loan specialists, about what to look for.
Why you might need a loan to grow your business
Different business have different attitudes to loans, lending or finance. You may have borrowed money successfully before to reach your current position. Or maybe you feel like the time to borrow is now. Although a loan can be a risk for your business, sometimes it's one worth taking. Using a loan for the right reasons, at the right time, can take your business to the next level say the experts at Moula. Common reasons for business loans include to:
- Gain more space or a second site
Your business may have outgrown your original site, shop or office. Maybe your current location works well but it's time to expand into a second or third site.
- Improve your credit record
If you borrow once and borrow well this can open the door for larger loans in the future. It can improve your credit rating if you've proven you can pay off a loan – even a small one. Maybe in a few years you might want borrow a lot more. It may be harder to secure without a good repayment record.
- Get new or specialist equipment or inventory
Nearly every business needs new equipment, stock or gear at some point. Sometimes the only way to increase productivity or profitability is with newer, more efficient technology. Whether you're a manufacturer or a services business, the equipment you use today will almost certainly be different in a few years.
- Take advantage of an opportunity where the benefits outweigh the costs
Sometimes a new opportunity comes along that surprises you. A new market opens up, a new business relationship forms or a new discovery means you have to move fast. When opportunity knocks a loan can help you make the most of it.
- Hire new or better staff
Most business owners agree that their people are their greatest asset. And it's hard to find and retain good employees. Don't lose your best people because you can't afford to keep them. That could be a very big investment walking out the door!
- Cash flow
Sometimes it's not a lack of profit, but cashflow that tips small businesses over. If a lack of cash could put you out of business, use a loan to cover the shortfall.
Where to apply for small business loans
Until recently, the traditional sources for business loans were the high street banks. But banks are often slow, bureaucratic and difficult to deal with – especially for small businesses. Based on a recent survey, it can take up to 20 days for a bank to approve a small business loan and 80 percent of applications are rejected.
New lending products are disrupting the market
Because it's difficult for small businesses to access working capital, several alternative lending solutions have emerged in the market. They offer you a smarter online application processes. They quickly analyse your business data and can approve your loan within 24 hours. This gives you immediate access to the capital you need.
There are many online lending options to consider. But you need to proceed with caution. The wrong loan might be too costly. And if the loan amount is too much, or the repayments are structured the wrong way, it could be fatal for your business.
One of the modern lending options to consider is an unsecured business loan.
What is an unsecured business loan?
Unsecured business loans don't require any collateral from you or your business. Getting this type of financing, and how much, depends on your business's revenue or creditworthiness.
If you were taking out a normal bank loan, you'd need collateral – a business asset you could 'borrow against'. This means if you couldn't pay the loan back, the bank could take your asset(s) instead of payment.
Unsecured business loans aren't guaranteed by any type of property, so they're a bigger risk for lenders. They normally have higher interest rates than secured loans. But they can also provide bigger loan amounts and more flexibility.
Unsecured business loans can range from $5,000 to more than $500,000 depending on the size of your business and your credit rating. Here are the important things to look out for:
1. Interest rates you understand – with no surprises
Pricing is one of the most crucial factors to consider as many lenders charge more than most businesses can afford to pay. Beware of lenders who don't disclose their rates or give you pricing you can't understand. Look for a simple, transparent agreement which clearly shows the interest rate that applies to your loan balance.
2. A technology platform that fits your business
Look for a platform which can automatically review your business data and give you a decision in real-time. Traditional loan providers might use online forms to capture your details but this information is still processed manually. You could be waiting weeks for an answer. Find yourself an online loan provider who uses smart technology to make decisions. You won't waste time waiting for approval.
Find lenders that can approve your finance application online.
Because it's difficult for small businesses to access working capital, several alternative lending solutions have emerged in the market.
3. Excellent customer service
Business loans can be tricky to apply for and you don't want to waste your valuable time. Look for a loan provider who is informed and always available to answer your questions. You should be able to pick up the phone and have someone guide you through the process.
4. No penalties for early repayment
You might need an injection of capital to buy inventory before a busy season. Or you might just need a loan for a couple of months and be ready to pay it back straight afterwards. But many loan providers will charge you a penalty for early repayment. Look for companies who don't penalise you for being responsible and aren't out to punish you with sneaky fine print.
5. Hidden fees
When comparing loans, interest rates are important, but they're not the only factor. Beware of hidden fees such as establishment fees and direct debit fees. These are just extra costs. Choose loan providers who charge for what you owe plus the interest, and nothing else. And look for loan comparison calculators to help you see which lenders come out cheapest.
6. Credit checks
Make sure that your loan provider will get in touch with you before running a credit check. You must give your consent. And make sure they only run a credit check when you're ready to borrow.
7. A simple and transparent application process
Don't become stuck in a process which lasts weeks, only to end up being denied funding. Here's what you need to know about the application process:
- how long it will take
- what you're going to need
- who to talk to (get a regular contact – not a new person each time)
- how long it will take for the money to come in.
The business lending market has changed – make sure you're calling the shots
In the past, it was hard for a business to borrow money. Banks called all the shots. You had to complete lots of documents to prove your worthiness. And even then there were no guarantees. Other lenders emerged on the market, but they often hid behind unreasonable terms and conditions. And they hid the real cost of borrowing behind extra fees.
But things have changed. Unsecured business loans from lending specialists mean you can get quick, easy access to capital to help you grow. So you can focus on what you do best – running your business.


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Greg Hardy didn't get a contract today, but he did get a conviction.
According Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review, Hardy was found guilty on both counts of assault on a female and communicating threats.
Judge Becky Thorne Tin sided with the testimony provided by Hardy's accuser during the 10-hour trial, even though Nicole Holder admitted cocaine use the night of the incident.
He was given a 60-day suspended sentence, and 18 months of probation. He'll appeal to get to a jury trial.
The Panthers defensive end will be subject to punishment from the league under the personal conduct policy.
The Panthers used the franchise tag on him, and are hooked to his $13.1 million salary. But they obviously weren't working on a long-term extension prior to today's deadline, since agent Drew Rosenhaus sat with Hardy throughout the day's proceedings.


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Para-Aminobenzoic Acid, PABA
Para-Aminobenzoic Acid, PABA all dosage forms
What is PABA sunscreen?
PARA-AMINOBENZOIC ACID (PABA) is a sunscreen that prevents sunburn and protects your skin from the harmful effects of the sun. Para-aminobenzoic acid is a chemical sunscreen which absorbs ultraviolet (UV) and visible sun light. Limiting exposure to the sun and using sunscreen agents can help prevent early wrinkling and skin cancer. Para-aminobenzoic acid is only available in combination with other sunscreen agents. Generic sunscreen lotions containing PABA are available.
What should my health care professional know before I use PABA?
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
allergy to any local anesthetic
herpes infection
skin disease
an unusual or allergic reaction to PABA, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
How should I use PABA sunscreen products?
The sun protection factor (SPF) found on the product label tells you the minimum amount of UVB sunlight that is needed with that product to produce redness on sunscreen-protected skin as compared with unprotected skin. Products with high SPFs provide more protection against the sun than products with low SPFs. You should choose a sunscreen product based on the type of activity in which you are involved, your age, site of application, your skin condition, and your skin type. Ask your pharmacist or prescriber or health care professional about which sunscreen product is best for you.
Sunscreen products are for external use only. Do not take by mouth. Apply evenly and liberally to all exposed areas of the skin 30 minutes prior to exposure to the sun. Apply again every 1—2 hours and after swimming, excessive sweating or towel drying. Some sunscreen products contain alcohol and are flammable. Do not use near heat, open flames, or while smoking.
Contact your pediatrician or health care professional regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.
Elderly patients are more likely to have damaged skin through aging, and this may increase side effects.
What if I miss a dose?
If you forget to put on your sunscreen, apply it as soon as you remember.
What drug(s) may interact with PABA?
There are no known interactions between PABA sunscreen products and other drugs.
Tell your prescriber or health care professional about other skin products you are using. Do not apply PABA sunscreen at the same site as other skin preparations without advice.
What should I watch for while taking PABA?
Do not get the sunscreen in your eyes. If you do, rinse out with plenty of cool tap water.
Minimize your exposure to the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. (11 a.m. and 3 p.m. daylight savings time). Take extra precautions on cloudy or overcast days and around reflective surfaces such as concrete, sand, snow, or water. You should also wear protective clothing including a hat, long-sleeved shirt, and sunglasses and avoid sunlamps and tanning parlors.
Sunscreens containing PABA may discolor and stain light-colored fabrics yellow. Allow sunscreen to dry before covering the area to which the sunscreen was applied.
What side effects may I notice from using PABA?
Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible:
burning or itching of the skin
dark red spots on the skin
painful, red, pus-filled blisters in hair follicles
pain in hairy areas
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your prescriber or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
dry skin, irritation
Where can I keep my sunscreen?
Store below 40 degrees C (104 degrees F), preferably between 15—30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F), unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer. Store away from heat and direct light. Discard after expiration date on the bottle.
March 21, 2017
U.S. FDA-approved Package Insert


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Global shares stall, dollar up as more US budget fights loom3 min read . Updated: 03 Jan 2013, 06:57 PM IST
The dollar was up 0.3% against a basket of major currencies at a three-week high of 80.12 on Thursday
The dollar was up 0.3% against a basket of major currencies at a three-week high of 80.12 on Thursday
London: World share gains stalled and the dollar rose on Thursday as investors grew concerned about political battles looming in Washington over spending cuts, following this week's deal to avoid sharp US tax hikes.
The MSCI world equity index dipped from an 18-month high to be down 0.15% at 346.7 points, while the dollar hit a three-week peak against a basket of major currencies and oil prices fell.
Share index futures point to a weak start on Wall Street as well after stocks began the new year with their best day in over a year on Wednesday, when relief that lawmakers had reached a deal to prevent a fiscal crunch swept the markets.
President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans now face two more months of tough talks on spending cuts and an increase in the nation's debt limit as the hard-fought deal to avert the "fiscal cliff" mainly covered taxes and delayed decisions on expenditure until 1 March.
"Of the three key issues—tax increases, spending cuts and the debt ceiling—policymakers have tackled just one," said Mouhammed Choukeir, chief investment officer at Kleinwort Benson.
"The fiscal cliff issue is unresolved. This is likely to increase market volatility, supporting safe-haven assets such as gold and some commodities," he said. "Paradoxically, as the US debt and deficit issues continue to make investors jittery, the dollar can be expected to remain a safe-haven asset."
The dollar was up 0.3% against a basket of major currencies at a three-week high of 80.12 on Thursday, although it slipped 0.4% against the yen to 87.14.
The euro, which had touched an eight-and-a-half month high against the dollar on Wednesday, was down 0.2% at $1.3162.
"The reality is that budget talks will continue for the next two months and could get sour," said Jane Foley, senior currency strategist at Rabobank. "We see the dollar index reclaiming some ground."
The prospect of more bitter US political battles in the next few weeks over the spending cuts also halted a sell-off in US Treasuries and safe-haven German government bonds.
US benchmark 10-year T-note yields were unchanged at 1.837%, while 10-year German cash bond yields were flat at 1.44%
Across Europe the main share indexes in Germany GDAXI, Britain FTSE and France FCHI were flat to 0.5% lower, having hit their own multi-month highs on Wednesday as part of the global rally in riskier asset markets.
Oil slips
The dollar's strength and rising oil supplies pushed crude prices lower, with Brent slipping 0.5% to under $112 a barrel. US crude futures were down 53 cents at $92.59.
Analysts expect oil prices to drop in 2013 as supply outweighs demand especially after US crude production hit a 19-year high in 2012 and Russia pumped more oil to remain ahead of Saudi Arabia in production.
Gold followed equities lower to be down about 0.3% at $1,681 an ounce.
The precious metal hit its highest level in two weeks on Wednesday in the wake of the initial US fiscal deal adding to gains of around 7 percent in 2012—its 12th straight annual rise, marking one of the longest bull runs for a commodity.
"The deal to avoid a fiscal cliff has booted some problems into the long grass by a considerable distance, but there are still issues out there such as expanding the debt ceiling, which could prove to be difficult negotiations," said David Jollie, strategic analyst at Mitsui Precious Metals.
Growth outlook eyed
Thursday's retreat across riskier asset markets might have been sharper but for data showing activity in China's services sector and at US factories had expanded in December, brightening the outlook for global growth.
China's official purchasing managers' index for the non-manufacturing sector rose to a four-month high in December, adding to signs of a revival in the world's second-largest economy.
Investors will now turn their attention to the December US employment report on Friday. This is expected to show modest job growth of around 150,000 compared with 146,000 in November. Reuters
Anooja Debnath and David Brough also contributed to this story.


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If you only watch one movie where a robot army takes on a zombie uprising, make it Battle of the Damned, the new film starring the one and only Dolph Lundgren. We've already admired the insane-in-the-membrane trailer, and now here's your first clip.
Here's the official synopsis for Damned, which comes out on DVD Feb 18:
When a deadly virus is accidentally released into a major city, its population is quarantined by military blockade. And for a wealthy industrialist desperate to rescue his daughter from inside the rabid chaos, his only hope is former commando Max Gatling (Lundgren). Now Gatling has one day to bust in, blast through hordes of the undead, find the girl, and hunt for a way to get them both out alive. But will a small band of survivors and an army of killer robots turn his mission into maximum slaughter?