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A palette of 'tough' materials to help draw in male visitors was key to Cullinan Studio's design for Newcastle Maggie's Centre, writes Laura Mark. Photography by Paul Raftery
'When I walk in here, I feel like I'm in my mother's arms,' said one cancer patient, describing the Cullinan Studio-designed Maggie's Centre in Newcastle. It is the 12th Maggie's Cancer Care Centre to be completed in the UK, one of a legacy of centres designed by architects such as Zaha Hadid, Richard Rogers, Richard Murphy and Rem Koolhaas. Conceived by Maggie Keswick Jencks before she died of cancer in 1995, the centres use architecture to bring hope to those suffering from cancer.
At 285m², Maggie's Newcastle is one of the smaller centres. OMA's in Gartnavel was 534m², Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners' in London 370m², and CZWG's in Nottingham 360m². Like other Maggie's Centres, the interior of Cullinan's building is designed to be home-like, an alternative to the clinical wards often encountered by those suffering from cancer. The building nestles within the large, almost forbidding, grounds of Newcastle's Freeman Hospital. Situated on what was once a car park, the centre is close to the hospital's existing cancer ward but far enough away to feel distinct from the clinical ambience of the hospital.
When I visited, it was busy, not just with cancer patients, but also their friends and families. The kitchen table, central to the Maggie's Centre brief, was a hub of activity. This was Keswick Jenck's idea - a place for people to come together regardless of their circumstances to chat over a cup of tea.
In fact, Maggie's Newcastle is one of the busiest yet, welcoming more than 5,000 people through its doors in its first four months, when the original estimate was for 5,000 in the first year. This level of popularity brings its challenges and has really tested the facilities and layout of the centre.
The building is entered through a discreet entrance within the Cor-ten facade. 'This was designed as a fortified enclosure, protecting and separating the inner spaces,' says Cullinan Studio director Johnny Winter. The concealed entrance is unexpected, but it works. Once you enter, the all-important kitchen table is visible through an internal glass window. Then the space opens up and light floods in.
There is clearly a degree of competitiveness between the heads of each centre, as I found when I bumped into Bernie Byrne, head of the Rogers-designed Maggie's, during my tour. Byrne was critical of the Newcastle plan: 'Mine has a kitchen right as you come through the main entrance door. It makes it easier to use than this one - easier to keep an eye on who is coming and going.
'In this centre [as a member of staff] you would have to position yourself in the right place. You can see the door from the kitchen, but you would have to be in a particular seat. I like this one, though. It is very light and airy. The best thing about it is the garden. When I've seen photos of this building it looks like it is in an open space, but it is actually surrounded by other buildings but, once you're inside, you don't feel it. You see the gardens, rather than the buildings.'
Cullinan Studio has orientated the building carefully. Its L-shaped plan forms a courtyard facing south-west to catch the sun. All the larger spaces: the meeting room, the library, smaller counselling rooms and the kitchen face out onto this space. It is these courtyard rooms which make this building: they offer a connection with nature while providing a buffer zone between the centre and the world outside. This is a building bounded by earth and hugged by landscaping - designed by Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal winner Sarah Price - that creates a protective wall.
Some elements of the building are less successful. As centre head Karen Verrill points out, the mezzanine at the moment is unused. It contains a further library space with computer desks but additional seating is missing, so there is nowhere to sit if you are not at a computer, meaning people don't linger, despite its vantage point providing views down to the ground floor. Verrill says this will be adjusted, with additional benching proposed. But, with such a large, central library with ample seating below, and little space for comfortable seating on the mezzanine, I wonder whether benches will make much of a difference.
The mezzanine is accessed by a staircase off the library space below. Small seating areas within alcoves placed at intervals up the stairs offer a place to perch for those who can't manage the whole flight in one go. This is thoughtful design and looks good, but in reality they are little used, their height, having to fit in with the stair flight, being either too low or too high to be comfortable. What the mezzanine does provide is access onto the building's green roofs. These offer a place to sit, to exercise, to picnic or to play, surrounded by a perimeter beech hedge. Once this has become more established, the space will feel sheltered and private.
Key to Cullinan's ambition was making the centre inviting to male visitors. Verrill says: 'Cullinan wanted to create a manly centre. He didn't want it to be too girly. That is what the concrete is about.' Internally, fair-faced concrete walls are juxtaposed with softer timber edges while outside, Cor-ten cladding panels complete the 'manly' aesthetic. The rooftop outdoor gym was also included to attract male visitors. The stratagem seems to have worked: while visits from men to Maggie's Centres overall stand at 34 per cent of the total, at Maggie's Newcastle 45 per cent of the total visits are from men.
The Maggie's programme has been influential in challenging the architecture of care. Speaking at an AJ100 Breakfast Club, Laura Lee, chief executive of Maggie's, said: 'The separation from main hospital buildings allowed the structures to challenge conventional approaches to designing oncological care environments.' This continues to be seen in each new centre. Maggie's Newcastle feels nurturing. It is a delight to be in, offering a connection with nature and the outdoors so often lacking in typical hospitals.
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Join Supervisor Cook on Wednesday, Sept. 4 at 2 p.m. to talk about the dangers of neighborhood speeding and his proposals to help stop it. You can learn more about the issue and Supervisor Cook's plan by going to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/braddock/slowdown.htm. Questions can be submitted now or during the chat.
John Cook
Sitting here with my buddy, Master Police Office J.T. Frey from the West Springfield station. We're talking about a subject that is a big priority of mine, and that is addressing speeding cars in neighborhoods. Taking your questions and hoping to get the word out that we need to address this issue.
We have a major crosswalk behind Lake Braddock that the kids from a neighborhood of about 800 homes use but the drivers completely ignore it and they do about 40mph down the street. If the police monitor one day, the drivers go back to the norm the next week. What can we do?
John Cook
Police have done some speed enforcement there. The goal of the police department is voluntary compliance. This is gained by enforcement, education, and follow up. My neighborhood speeding initiative is based on these same concepts. We need to make a cultural commitment to ourselves and our neighbors to drive safely. Don't wait for the police to give a ticket. We need to speak out in our civic and homeowner associations, our schools, at soccer games, and wherever else we gather as a community to slow down. When I was civic association president we used this same concept with considerable success with zoning enforcement. Educate ourselves on the rules and make a personal and community commitment to follow them. Officer Frey tells me the police will be back to that street to issue more tickets, but we need your community to join us in a voluntary compliance effort.
Americana Dr
Please help the parking on Americana Dr in Annandale VA. Ares park on the crub and grass.. Please help.
John Cook
Officer Frey and I are well aware of the issues on Americana Drive. The police often ticket there. We have had discussions with the community about making one side of the road no parking, but that impacts the ability of residents to park. Again, we need residents to commit to parking legally.
Kim Sandino
We need more enforceable traffic calmings in our neighborhoods, specifically Canterbury Woods where cut-throughs to NOVA and access to Braddock Road endanger our kids getting to school. We keep being told that this is a very complex issue, involving mainly insufficient funds and/ or manpower. While I realize it's not so cut-and-dry, wouldn't more stop signs (and the subsequent funds generated from the ridiculous amount of tickets police could issue) help solve both the speeding and the lack of county funds? If not, PLEASE offer a tangible, concrete, measureable solution to the neighborhood speeding problem.
John Cook
Very aware of this area. Some traffic calming is in place - two four-way stop signs on Woodland Way, for example. Very heavy traffic in part due to more enrollment at NOVA. We continue to discuss various traffic calming measures and will work with the Canterbury Woods, Stone Haven, and other civic associations on more measures. State funding for traffic calming ended about two years ago for budget reasons. (Remember these are state roads, not county roads.) I have asked the Board of Supervisors to commit $200,000 in the upcoming Carryover budget toward traffic calming, and am hopeful the Board will agree. I also hope with the new state transportation bill we will see renewed funding for traffic calming measures in the future.
You have not presented any data regarding the actual extent of unsafe speeding in neighborhoods. Peoples perceptions of speeding may not correspond to actual unsafe speeding--how fast are cars going; how many crashes have occurred due to speeding above the speed limit? You have only shown that police are writing speeding tickets, which they can easily do by setting up their radar at the bottom of hills, for example. High visibility enforcement is costly and has little long term effect. Adding stop signs only affects speeds in the vicinity of the sign. Drivers then speed up to make up for lost time. You have to be careful that unrealistic programs don't backfire by creating a general disrespect for traffic regulations leading to non-compliance and reduced safety. Even worse, residents may have a false sense of security. Why don't you do more research on the nature of the problem instead of relying on public perception and seat of the pants solutions? For example, who are the drivers who speed in neighborhoods? Where does unsafe speeding occur? Should our limited resources be focused on speeding in residential areas or the arterials where the safety impact is the greatest? What countermeasures have been undertaken in other municipalities that have been cost-effective?
John Cook
We have a lot of data. We have done periodic traffic data gathering and the large number of tickets written show us that a large percentage of drivers are speeding. Officer Frey tells me that it is not a standard practice for police to put speed traps at the bottom of any hills to catch speeders (unless a particular location has been identified and approved by station command). Fairfax County does NOT use speed enforcement as a revenue generator. We use it for safety. We do have research on who these drivers are - police officers notice when they write tickets that the addresses on the licenses are often from the neighborhood. You do make a good point that people's perception of speeding sometimes differs from the data, but the data and experience of our police officers shows this is a significant concern. I agree that speeding on major roadways is also a concern and this is a priority for state troopers. In neighborhoods we have a particular concern for the safety of children and pedestrians.
Concerned Resident
Is traffic calming a possibility on Commonwealth Blvd. in Kings Park West? It has been successful in other area communities with a similar set-up (Braeburn Dr.). Speeding is a real problem, and many children live along Commonwealth. Thanks.
John Cook
Traffic calming is only permitted on roads where the speed limit is 25 mph unless VDOT makes an exception. There are other criteria as well - traffic volume and average speeds, etc. If a road meets those criteria, then the civic association may ask that traffic calming be considered, and there is a petition process. As noted above, the state stopped funding traffic calming a couple years ago but I am trying to get some county funds put into the pot, and hope that the new state transportation bill will allow state funding to resume soon.
Anonymous User
Besides requesting speed bumps what else can citizens and HOAs do? Thanks.
John Cook
Start a community campaign asking residents to voluntarily comply. The power of one neighbor talking to another is great.
Forest Merrill
The Proposal is over a year old and has expired. I'm for it, but it needs to be the present and future
John Cook
Thanks for your support. County staff has developed a three-part plan. I am trying to get the Board of Supervisors to fund the first two parts next Tuesday as part of our Carryover review. One part is for a public education and awareness effort. We need to get citizens and neighborhood associations to make the commitment to slow down. The second part is traffic calming funds. The third part is a more long-term enforcement effort that would require purchasing more speed enforcement devices, more officers on the street, etc.
Anonymous User
I live in the Wakefield Forest neighborhood and my question concerns Wakefield Drive which links Little River Turnpike to the Truro neighborhood. At the intersection of Virginia Avenue and Wakefield Drive, we need to create a four way stop like all of the other intersections on this main neighborhood exit route. There is even a cross walk at the intersection and cars do not slow down for pedestrians waiting at the crosswalk. Additionally, this road is in need of speed bumps as cars are consistently speeding well above 35 miles per hour on this road. I called the county to see how we can achieve these two above objectives after almost being hit by a car when on a walk with my baby, and was told nothing can be done to slow down traffic on this road as the primary goal for the county is to get cars quickly out of the neighborhood since it is a primary exit route. This statement conflicts with your goal to combat speeding and unsafe driving in our neighborhoods. My question is this. What advice and process can you provide to truly affect change on driving conditions in our neighborhood? The county website is unclear on how we can achieve either of the above objectives and does not provide a primary point of contact to address neighborhood concerns. Help?
John Cook
VDOT looked at this a couple years ago and the various intersections on Wakefield Chapel Road did not qualify. We are going to look at this again in the coming year as part of our Wakefield-Community forum. It is NOT the county's goal to move traffic quickly. That is a VDOT priority for arterial roads. Certainly we all want to move traffic, but we need to do so safely. Please contact my office or the West Springfield police station (email@example.com) to report specific intersection problems or with more detailed suggestions. And please come out to my next Wakefield Community forum on Oct. 15. Check my Braddock Beacon for the time and location (not yet set).
DeeAndra Shuemaker
As a mother of 2 small children, I have a great concern for the need for speed humps on Southampton Drive, right off Braddock where it intersects with Canterbury Drive. We get a enormous amount of traffic off of Braddock road with the turn only lane ending at our side of Southampton drive. My kids are constantly awaken from the noise of loud music coming from the cars turning around at all hours of the night. Not too also mention this is where there is a school bus stop for all schools in our area. I would hope there is a very well thought out reason as to why there isn't already a speed hump here and would appreciate the answers as well.
DeeAndra Shuemaker
John Cook
We share this concern. There are VDOT restrictions on placing speed humps too close to a major road such as Braddock. If the civic association makes a formal request to my office, we can present it to VDOT for consideration. Traffic calming can be controversial within neighborhoods so the ordinance requires petition signatures and endorsement from the local association as ways to gauge community support.
Concerned in Kings Park
Traffic on Burke Lake Road between and including the intersections of Rolling Road and Braddock Road regularly fails to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalks. Is there anything that can be done to enforce crosswalk rules?
John Cook
As I live in Kings Park, I know that problem well. The police department has recently reviewed the situation and will continue to monitor. As we start to plan the widening of Braddock Road, we will need to review how these intersections are working.
We live across the street from GMU. We own and maintain our own roads throughout the neighborhood. We have posted speed limit signs of 15mph, speed bumps throughout and stop signs. Speed is still an issue with cars flying over the speed bums, not stopping at the posted stop signs. How do we as a community keep our speed limits maintained without police presence, since we own and maintain our roads, county police do not come into the neighborhood for traffic issues.
John Cook
This is a great example of where we need the voluntary compliance piece. If the Board adopts my proposal to fund this, the county will develop a public awareness campaign to work with your HOA to provide education, data, and further support so neighbors can help convince other neighbors to make the commitment to slowing down.
Anonymous User
With the start of school, is there a plan to have an increased enforcement presence around schools during the beginning and end of schools?
John Cook
Yes. The police department's blue guardian initiative is in effect, providing speed monitoring and enforcement around schools. The program also includes watching for cars illegally passing stopped school buses and other pedestrian safety concerns.
Charles Viars
Does your request for funding cover the salary of any new police officers who participate in this program? Fairfax County police officers monitor the traffic on Random Hills Road from Waples Mill Road to Grey Finch Drive but only during the hours of school being let out. Before and after these hours speeding is constant in the 35MPH, $200 additional fine area. Could be a lack of employed officers that will not allow for additional hours of monitoring.
Also, there is very little if any monitoring of speeders coming from Fairfax Corner to Grey Finch Drive.
Appreciate your efforts to slow down traffic!
John Cook
The long-term portion of the plan would look at more traffic enforcement officers and greater use of new technology for speed enforcement.
John Cook
Thanks for tuning in. More to come as we push forward with this initiative. Please contact your local supervisor and urge him/her to vote in favor of speed enforcement in next Tuesday's Carryover budget. Learn more on my web page at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/Braddock/slowdown.htm. Thank you to Office Frey for joining me today.
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In January, Washington will welcome a record number of women to Congress exceeding the storied Year of the Woman of 1992 when five women were elected to join two other women serving on Capitol Hill. The opportunity to elect female legislators arrives every 10 years with redistricting when new seats open up. A record 20 women (17 Democrats and 3 Republicans) will serve in the Senate, according to the Center for American Women and Politics. At least 76 women (56 Democrats and 20 Republicans) will serve in the House. Three more seats are still undecided.
But the story is less rosy in state legislatures, suggesting it will take more work to keep female candidates heading toward the halls of Congress in years to come. Nationwide, women gained 1 percent of the seats in state legislatures in this election. "We would have liked to have seen more," said Anne Moses, founder of the Oakland-based IGNITE. "There needs to be a sustained effort at the state level. We've got to build a pipeline of women behind them." IGNITE, which also has offices in Texas, is a nonpartisan organization that seeks to close the gap in electoral politics by building political ambition in young women.
There are some notable successes, such as New Hampshire, where no-nonsense New England voters elected an all-female congressional delegation and a female governor. The state had already notched a place in history as the first state to have a female majority in its state Senate.
California, however, has backslid. Women represent 28 percent of the Legislature now but come January the percentage will be 25.8 percent. The Assembly lost one seat held by a woman (Democrat Fiona Ma pictured above) and the state Senate lost two, leaving 21 women in the Assembly and 10 in the Senate.
Despite the need to have women's voices in our democratic processes, it remains difficult to get women to run for office. The reasons? They feel too encumbered by family roles; they don't get recruited as often as men and women feel less qualified when they are objectively more qualified. "We encourage the women who come to IGNITE for training to examine those feelings — and get over them," Moses said.
Why is gender parity in elected office important? Two reasons: process and policy. Women are more productive, that is, they will work together and compromise to get stuff done. They take up issues of concern to everyone but typically ignored by male legislators, for example, equal pay, reproductive rights, immigration. "If we can get to a tipping point of equal representation of women in all of our elected bodies, then we have a different kind of conversation," Moses explained.
Moses' program, IGNITE, works with high school and college students to give them the know-how, confidence and goal-setting skills to encourage them to run for office while they are still young. "We say — start moving now, don't wait until you are 38. Get involved with your community, build your network, be explicit about your goals."
Her 3-year-old program has some young women who are positioning themselves for elective office and some who are discovering they have a stake and a voice in civic activities, even if they never enter politics. One of her high school students started following the campaign around Proposition 30, the California governor's successful bid to raise more revenues for the state's programs. "She Tweeted about it," Moses said. "She's following the process. That's an enormous success, and she is just one of many."
Interested in IGNITE's programs to build political ambition in your women? Contact Moses at igniteca.org


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Anastasia On Her Own
Feeling in desperate need of psychotherapy, seventh-grader Anastasia buys a plaster bust of Sigmund Freud at a garage sale and consults him as her life takes a series of twists and turns. Freud remains enigmatic and unjudgmental as Anastasia's science project goes hopelessly awry and even her usually unflappable mother, Katherine Krupnik, loses her cool.
"With wonderful wit, emotional honesty and humor's saving grace, the Anastasia books artfully offer an education in understanding the world." --What's So Funny? Wit and Humor in American Children's Literature, by Michael Cart


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I'm doing on one open-source application. Now I'm choosing it's license and I'm thinking about GPL.
But there I've got few questions:
- Is anyone allowed to share modified program using same name?
- Do I have any ownership on software?
- Do I take any responsibility for program usage, unexpected behavior,...?


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Getting nasty: So much for that debate about big ideas and sharp contrasts… The strategy (and danger) for Romney calling out Obama for engaging in a campaign of "division and anger and hate"… Will the GOP's 2010 playbook on Medicare work in 2012?... Ryan ducks question on tax reform… Good Biden vs. Bad Biden… Team Romney's newest Spanish-language TV ad… Panetta: Don't forget there's a war going on… And wrapping up last night's primaries: Tommy Thompson won in Wisconsin, but it doesn't necessarily signal that the GOP establishment is back.
The Paul Ryan pick was supposed to kick-off a high-minded campaign on the issues. However, over the last 24 hours, the attacks from both sides have reached a new level of vitriol. The Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd reports.
*** Getting nasty: So much for that debate about big ideas and sharp contrasts. Just days after Mitt Romney picked Paul Ryan as his running mate, the presidential campaign yesterday devolved into nasty charges and countercharges. Tuesday began, according to NBC's Carrie Dann, with Vice President Joe Biden assailing Romney and the Republicans for wanting to end the new regulations on Wall Street. "Unchain Wall Street," he said. "They're going to put you all back in chains." The Romney campaign took offense to the comment, which Biden later clarified was a reference to the GOP's rhetoric about the "unshackling" of economic forces. And Romney unloaded on President Obama in his final event on his four-day bus tour, accusing his opponent's campaign of engaging in "division and anger and hate." The Obama camp fired back at Romney, calling his remarks "unhinged" and "particularly strange coming at a time when he's pouring tens of millions of dollars into negative ads that are demonstrably false." And Obama himself capped things off by twice making reference to the Romney dog that endured a family vacation on top of the Romneys' car. So just when we thought last week's third-grade insults ("Romney Hood" and "Obama-loney") couldn't get any lower, yesterday felt like the moment that both campaigns dug in and truly started hating each other.
The presidential candidates and their running mates take swipes at one another while campaigning in the Midwest, criticizing the other's fiscal and energy plans. NBC's Peter Alexander reports.
*** The strategy here (and danger) for Romney: What's fascinating is the Romney campaign's decision to bring a gun to a knife fight yesterday. It could have knocked Biden for making yet another gaffe or another odd statement. But instead, it decided to step on the gas and use the harshest language possible -- "anger" and "hate" -- against Obama. And there seems to be an obvious strategy here: The Romney camp seems intent on muddying the Obama brand to narrow the likeability gap; it's too hard to bring Romney up to Obama's favorability levels, so they want to drag him down instead. But there also is a potential danger here for Romney: For one thing, he opens himself up to criticism that he can dish out the attacks (see those constant references to Obama apologizing for America or not understanding America), but that he can't take them. And two, the entire conversation about negativity distracts from Romney's message. After all, we're no longer talking about the economy or Romney's plan, or now even his new running mate.
*** Will the GOP's 2010 playbook work in 2012? In addition to those charges and countercharges, the Romney campaign unveiled a new TV ad, attacking Obama for making cuts to Medicare. "You've paid into Medicare for years -- every paycheck," the ad goes. "Now that you need it, Obama cut $716 billion from Medicare. Why? To pay for ObamaCare." The Romney campaign is trying to do two things here: 1) make it clear they're playing on offense on the dicey topic of Medicare, and 2) signal to the rest of the Republican Party that they're going to provide air cover in this battle that's traditionally been on Democratic turf. As NBCNews.com's Mike O'Brien writes, this ad suggests that Republicans are taking a page out of their 2010 playbook on Medicare, and it worked for them during the midterms. But here's the question: Does that playbook work AFTER House Republicans passed the Ryan budget in 2011 and 2012? After all, the Ryan budget doesn't just make cuts in Medicare; it substantially transforms the program. Here's another question: Can Republicans win by attacking their own ideology (that Medicare cuts need to be made!)? We're getting numb to campaigns launching disingenuous TV attack ads. But this one is amazing because it pretty much undermines the GOP's own belief system on entitlements.
DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz tells TODAY's Matt Lauer that Mitt Romney decision to run with Paul Ryan, who she said has a record of slashing spending and offering the rich tax breaks, threatens middle class families.
*** Ryan ducks question on tax reform: One of the strengths of Ryan's selection as Romney's running mate is that he isn't perceived as your typical politician -- he's willing to stand up for his beliefs and plans. But what did Ryan do in his first big TV interview yesterday? He sounded like a typical politician. When FOX's Brit Hume asked Ryan to identify the tax loopholes he and Romney would close to pay for their big tax breaks, the Wisconsin congressman ducked the question. "That is something that we think we should do in the light of day, through Congress," Ryan said. "So no, the point I'm trying to say is, we want feedback from Americans about what priorities in the tax code should be kept, and what special interest loopholes we want to get rid of." In other words, Ryan said we'll do this in the light of ANOTHER day, not this one. It's what a typical politician says -- not a truth teller
Travis Long / AP
Vice President Joe Biden speaks to campaign supporters Monday, Aug. 13, 2012, during a rally at the Durham Armory in Durham, N.C.
*** Good Biden vs. Bad Biden: The good with Joe Biden (his appeal with white working-class voters, his middle-class roots) also comes with the bad (the gaffes, the ability for him to put his foot in his mouth). And yesterday, as we mentioned above, there was some of the bad. Biden blasted Romney and the Republicans for wanting to end the new regulations on Wall Street. "Unchain Wall Street," he said. "They're going to put you all back in chains." The Romney campaign took offense to the comment, which Biden later clarified was a reference to the GOP's rhetoric about the "unshackling" of economic forces. It's still hard for us to ascertain if Biden's "chains" comment was referring to Romney and the Republicans or to the banks. But it was typical Biden: His mouth sometimes moving faster than his brain. And it's why you'll continue to see the Obama campaign keep Biden in safe places.
*** Team Romney's newest Spanish-language TV ad: The Romney camp is up with a new Spanish-language TV ad. It begins with Obama declaring "Yes we can," but then a narrator asks (in Spanish): "Can we accept that half of our youth cannot find work upon finishing college? Can we continue with more than 10% unemployment among Hispanics? Can we tolerate that with Obama and Democrats there are two million more poor Hispanics?"
*** Panetta: Don't forget there's a war going on: As the campaigns battle over the economy, Medicare, and the negativity of the race, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told reporters yesterday that there's still a war going on – one that the candidates rarely talk about. "I realize that there are a lot of other things going on around this country that can draw our attention, from the Olympics, to political campaigns to droughts, to some of the tragedies we've seen in communities around the country," Panetta said a press briefing yesterday, per Politico. "I thought it was important to remind the American people that there is a war going on."
*** On the trail: Obama -- joined by the first lady -- concludes his three-day bus tour through Iowa with stops in Dubuque (at 1:25 pm ET) and East Davenport (at 6:25 pm ET)… Romney raises money in Alabama and North Carolina… Biden continues to campaign in Virginia, while Ryan stumps in Ohio… And Romney surrogates across the country hold "Obama Raiding Medicare" events.
*** Wrapping up last night's primaries: In last night's most-watched primary, former Gov. Tommy Thompson won the GOP Senate primary in Wisconsin. But before we proclaim that the "GOP establishment is back," do note this: The longest-serving governor in Wisconsin history won a GOP primary getting just 34% in a four-person race. If anything, Thompson proves that the establishment can win – if three other folks are dividing up the anti-establishment/Tea Party/Club for Growth vote. In other primaries last night, Connie Mack won the Florida GOP Senate primary, and he'll face off against Sen. Bill Nelson (D) in the fall. And in Connecticut, the Senate contest there will be Linda McMahon (R) vs. Chris Murphy (D).
Countdown to GOP convention: 12 days
Countdown to Dem convention: 19 days
Countdown to 1st presidential debate: 49 days
Countdown to VP debate: 57 days
Countdown to 2nd presidential debate: 62 days
Countdown to 3rd presidential debate: 68 days
Countdown to Election Day: 83 days
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Agoura Hills, CA 91301 — Agoura, Los Angeles County
This charming Fountainwood home has lots to offer with it's cul-de-sac location and close proximity to coveted Las Virgenes schools and parks. You'll enter to the living room with vaulted ceilings and cozy fireplace. The kitchen is open to the family room offering a functional and open layout perfect for entertaining. The home has 1,924 sq/ft and is comprised of 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The master bedroom is complete with private en-suite bathroom. Outside you will love the the grassy yard, patio and privacy. There is also an area for gardening. Other features include: copper plumbing (including water main), newer hvac condenser and newer garage door.
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Sports Injury Treatment near Reservoir
Get back in the game now with a sport injury treatment plan.
As one of Melbourne's leading injury clinics, we aim treat your sports injury or pain as effectively and efficiently as possible, being conveniently located near Reservoir. Our team of allied health professionals including Osteopaths, Chiropractors, Physiotherapists & Podiatrists offer professional care to address the source of your problem and pain.
What are sports injuries?
Sports injuries can be caused by direct impact or force that is greater than the body can withstand. The two types of sports injuries are acute and chronic. Acute is when an injury is caused suddenly, such as a sprained ankle.
Chronic injuries are caused by repeated overuse of muscle groups or joints. Seeking medical help for a sports injury treatment plan is important as the injury may be worse than you think.
Common sports injuries:
- Ankle sprain
- Tennis elbow
- Side stitch
- Plantar fasciitis
- Hamstring injury
- Knee joint pain
- Dislocated shoulders
- Jumpers Knees
- Rotator cuff tears
- Stress fractures
If you experience any sprains, strains or joint injuries, seek immediate treatment such as rest, ice, elevation, compression and seek a referral to a doctor as soon as possible.
Treatments can vary depending on your injury and can include exercises.
At our sports injury clinic, our experienced sports injury team will ensure you receive the most appropriate and effective treatment to help you achieve:
- Pain relief
- Reduce muscle tension
- Prevent injury
- Improve heart rate and blood pressure
- Increase blood circulation and lymph flow
Sports injury care is a drug-free and surgery-free path to relieve your aches and pains caused by sport. Call and make an appointment with one of our fully-qualified sport injury experienceds to see a difference.
Book in to see one of our highly skilled experienceds if you require treatment for any of the following:
Sports Injury Types:
• Sprains and strains
• Muscle tension
• Gym injury
• Shin splints
• Corked thigh
• Joint pain
• Tennis/Golfers elbow
• General tightness
For more information on how our team can help you, or to book an appointment contact us on (03) 9470 1010.


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Download The Civil War: Ironweed American Newspapers and Periodicals Project Study Guide
The Civil War
(Critical Survey of Contemporary Fiction)
This interesting volume collects news reports and editorial comment from four Civil War newspapers, the Richmond Daily Dispatch, the Charleston Daily Courier, the New York Tribune, and the Boston Evening Transcript from 1861 to 1865 to provide a journalistic overview of the sectional conflict. Taken from the issue of each newspaper that appeared on the third Saturday of the month, the items reflect both the changing fortunes on the battlefield as well as the ideological divisions that brought on the war itself.
Editor Brayton Harris provides timelines and editorial notes to orient the reader to the flow of events and the personalities on both sides whose names appear in the various stories. The result is a series of sectional vignettes that reveal how the war developed from the perspective of the sectional rivals. A particular value of this method is to disclose the central role that slavery played in the war itself. Few readers will doubt, after experiencing these pages, that human bondage was at the core of the war and the dispute about the nature of the American experiment.
The volume may have most appeal to the ever-growing number of Civil War devotees who will respond to having source material presented in an accessible and readable manner. Non-specialists in the field could perhaps have gained from somewhat more explanation of the historical context of these first rough drafts of Civil War history. The immediacy of the story will capture most readers and return them to a time when the destiny of the nation hung in the balance and Americans, North and South, defended their beliefs with what Abraham Lincoln called "the last full measure of devotion."


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All new support staff employees who are eligible for staff benefits are required to attend. Orientation includes PowerPoint presentation by Human Resources and the Support Staff Council and requires completing paper work for Employment, Payroll, and staff benefits.
Mentors are assigned to new employees to provide support during and after the introductory period. The mentors will also take new employees on a short tour of campus at the end of orientation. Orientation is generally conducted from 8:00 a.m. until noon on Monday.


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GAMSAT Test Preparation
For GAMSAT Candidates discuss the GAMSAT syllabus, form GAMSAT study groups, discuss GAMSAT study resources, review of GAMSAT preparation material, discuss anything that will help achieve a better GAMSAT score.
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Are Des O'Neills questions too Hard?
GAMSAT Test Preparation Forum Index
Reviews of GAMSAT Courses, Books
Corrin Baker
Joined: 27 Aug 2009
Posts: 11
Location: Adelaide
Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 7:57 pm
Post subject: Are Des O'Neills questions too Hard?
Here is advice from someone who has tutored students in Chemistry for the GAMSAT for the last four years, and has seen both successful and unsuccessful candiates.
(I would first like to declare my involvement in the Chemistry Bridging Course, Adelaide, advertised on this forum, which you can find more information about in the Marketplace section.)
All of the students I taught owned copies of Des O'Neills books, and many had attended the three day Science Revision course.
I think these MCQ Books are great, they have a great range of questions covering all areas of the test.
However, you really need to have some sort of background to be able to tackle these questions, they are designed to really practice using the science knowledge you already have, in the style of the MCQ's used in the GAMSAT.
Many people make the comment that the GAMSAT Science questions simply test problem solving skills and do not require any science background. However with only a few minutes to answer each question, it becomes merely a guessing game without a solid science background of the concepts being tested.
I am currently completing a PhD in Chemistry (organic&inorganic) and this combined with years of teaching at the University means I have come to see that the capacity of students with minimal science background is limited.
Many of my students have also attended Des O'Neills three day Science Revision Course, and stated it was way over their heads, and that they would have really liked to have had Chemistry Tutoring beforehand to receive maximum benefit.
I would welcome feedback on this opinion/advice, either post a reply or feel free to contact me by email or via my website, (google "Corri Baker GAMSAT").
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Joined: 06 Feb 2011
Posts: 4
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 3:47 pm
Post subject:
Totally agree. Not specifically on whether the material in a prep course is too hard, but moreover that the concepts dealt with in Section III require *at least* 3 months of solid, conventional study.
The GAMSAT (and therefore prep material) takes these concepts to whole other level. I've also found that most of the prep material, official and unofficial, do not actually include all of the information/facts you need to solve the problem using reason alone. Much of key elements to a solution seems to be intentionally omitted, perhaps to give advantage to those candidates with a science background over those who don't.
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Joined: 12 Jan 2011
Posts: 4
Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 4:30 pm
Post subject:
Would have to agree with both of you - I guess there are so many of us wanting to study medicine, that they have to limit the competition somehow. It just annoys me that overseas doctors with sub-standard practices are able to practice here, when we have a lot of potential in Australia. Please do not misinterpret this as a racial comment as we still have Aussie-born doctors here with skills that leave a lot to be desired
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Joined: 20 Nov 2010
Posts: 9
Location: Sydney
Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 5:18 am
Post subject:
I agree that understanding the science quite deeply is essential for section 3 particularly because so little time can be spent on each question. Understanding how to read strange graphs and charts and feeling comfortable manipulating equations is very important.
Re prep courses, I think no one course does everything well. I think Medprep has the most clearly explained science course material by far. Their questions are OK. I find Des O'Niel's questions for physics and chemistry good but not for biology. Prepgenie's questions seem to vary in quality from question to question and can be frustrating to use for this reason. Gold standrd online questions seem more mcat-like to me and I don't like doing questions online. Can't comment on other prep courses.
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Joined: 05 Nov 2010
Posts: 21
Location: Brisbane
Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:53 am
Post subject:
nursetodoctor wrote:
Would have to agree with both of you - I guess there are so many of us wanting to study medicine, that they have to limit the competition somehow. It just annoys me that overseas doctors with sub-standard practices are able to practice here, when we have a lot of potential in Australia. Please do not misinterpret this as a racial comment as we still have Aussie-born doctors here with skills that leave a lot to be desired
Just because there are sub-standard foreign doctors out there, it doesn't mean they have to lower the entry barrier for locals. You wouldn't want to lower the standard for the locally trained as well do you?
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Joined: 12 Jan 2011
Posts: 4
Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 1:10 pm
Post subject:
If you refer to my initial comment, I did agree with previous comments that the GAMSAT is aimed at those with a scientific background, as it should be. Thus I do not believe the standards should be lowered for foreign or local doctors, as we need to draw the line at some point. In the past I have worked with some doctors and students with sub-standard practices and have heard the horror stories (think Patel in Bunderberg), and just wondered how they are able to get through the GAMSAT or UMAT.
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Joined: 05 Nov 2010
Posts: 21
Location: Brisbane
Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:53 pm
Post subject:
Gamsat is an
test. That's clearly stated in the title.
It's not meant to be a test of science knowledge like university degree. It's testing whether a person has the capacity to learn science/medicine.
The level quality of doctors out there has nothing to do with gamsat. It's the medical schools that turn students into doctors. I can get 100 in gamsat but if my attitude is reckless, I won't be a good doctor.
It's misplacing to blame sub-standard practices on gamsat.
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Joined: 12 Jan 2011
Posts: 4
Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 11:16 pm
Post subject:
I think you have misinterpreted the point I am trying to get across (ahh the perils of blogging,
). GAMSAT is a means to control the number of candidates that get through to medicine, I totally get that. I am just wandering how these sub-standard doctors get to practice here, as it is no secret that the GAMSAT is challenging. I guess they are super intelligent, but lack good practice.
You are right - it is an aptitude test, however, it still is a test of scientific knowledge as not any average lay person could answer a lot of those science questions and those candidates with a science background are definately more advantaged than us without. Believe it or not, knowledge of physics and science is paramount in understanding the human body and pathophysiology.
But no, just to be clear, I am not sprouting that GAMSAT produces sub-standard doctors. I guess I am just resentful at those doctors out there that put the practice to shame, knowing the multitude of of candidates that fail the GAMSAT, have the potential to be amazing practitioners.
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Joined: 05 Nov 2010
Posts: 21
Location: Brisbane
Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 7:03 pm
Post subject:
I think there's a contradictory argument being made here.
Since Gamsat only tests a low level of scientific knowledge and scientific knowledge is important in medicine, then surely those that didn't pass doesn't have enough science to be a practitioner.
Now how would those who fail gamsat, i.e, does not have enough science for medicine, have the potential to be amazing practitioners?
Generally, substandard doctors exist because they don't care about their career, not because of what they don't know.
As for foreign doctors, most of them already have earned their degree overseas, it's the medical board who let them practice here. That has nothing to do with gamsat.
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Joined: 25 Mar 2012
Posts: 3
Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 5:01 pm
Post subject:
Just thought I'd throw in my 2 cents on Des O'Neil's material. I wouldn't say the science section is too hard for the most part. The biology and chem sections were right on the money, and pretty similar to the actual questions you get in GAMSAT.
The physics in the Des papers may be a little too hard. Like the real GAMSAT, they aren't conceptually hard; just very complicated applications of basic principles. In the Des papers, they may have been a bit over the top, which probably isn't as useful as it could have been- better to be closer to the reality and get people used to that, than be so hard many people can't follow them.
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Texas Rangers and Jack Daniels announce naming rights agreement for Diamond Club at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Season ticket club to be called Jack Daniels Club; Rangers detail 2014 ballpark upgrades
The Texas Rangers today announced a three-year partnership with Jack Daniels that includes the naming rights to the Diamond Club at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. That facility is being completely renovated as part of the ballpark construction upgrades for the 2014 season.
The Jack Daniels Club will be open to all Rangers season ticket holders before and during all home games and will include a full buffet and bar. Jack Daniels also has club naming rights at American Airlines Center.
In addition to the Jack Daniels Club, off-season construction at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington includes the replacement of over 1,000 seats in the Upper Level suites and a complete overall of the Sportservice suite kitchen on the club concourse level behind the press box. The Rangers are also installing LED lighting on the relief panels on the exterior of the park.
It marks the fourth consecutive off-season in which the club has made renovations to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, a period in which the Rangers will have allocated approximately 40 million dollars in ballpark improvements and upgrades. Manhattan Construction is the general contractor for the project.
A summary of the 2014 Rangers Ballpark in Arlington upgrades:
Jack Daniels Club (formerly Diamond Club): The space which measures 14,381 square feet is being completely renovated. The existing half walls and a reception desk at the entry will be removed to open the access into the space. A new bar will be built near the center of the room, with dining and casual seating clusters becoming part of the dining room space. The railing along the top of the main room will be modified to create a plate rail for dining or casual seating. The tiered dining areas will also receive new furniture to include spaces for dining and seating. The entire area will receive new carpet and paint.
Upper Suite Level Seats: All 1,098 seats in the 69 suites on the Upper Level will be replaced with new padded seats. The seat type will be the same as was installed on the ballpark's Lower Suite Level last winter.
Suite Kitchen: A complete overhaul of the kitchen which supports food and beverage for all 126 ballpark suites is being done. The 3,600 square foot kitchen is located in the back of the press box on the Club Level. This will be the first major upgrade of this space since the park opened in 1994 and will allow Sportservice to provide expanded menu options and faster service to the suite customers.
Exterior Lighting for Bas Reliefs: The original neon lighting under the Bas Reliefs on the exterior of Rangers Ballpark will be replaced with white LED lighting. Much of the neon lighting has failed over the past few years due to exposure to weather. The bas reliefs were created by sculptor Michael Curtis of Washington, D.C. for the opening of the new park in 1994 and illustrate the rich history of Texas, including the arrival of professional baseball, oil, and ranching. Curtis created ten different bas relief subjects out of clay that measure four by 19 feet each. Located in the granite work near the park's smaller arches, each relief was reproduced nine times to fully wrap around the building. The new lighting will significantly enhance one of the signature features of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington during the park's 20th anniversary season.


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Food Bank provides help to South Shore families
The Food Bank of El Dorado County handed out meal provisions to hungry South Shore locals on Wednesday in an effort to battle what the organization is calling Tahoe's "hidden hunger epidemic."
It was the fifth time the Mobile Food Pantry has made it out to the area, which is experiencing a widespread hunger problem, said Mike Sproull, founder of the El Dorado County nonprofit.
"South Lake Tahoe is hurting," he said, "and we are coming to help."
The Food Bank typically feeds about 150 families when it distributes food on the west slope of the county, Sproull said. However, it fed about 286 families during the pantry's fourth visit to South Lake Tahoe.
On Wednesday, families and individuals in need lined up in front of the large vehicle at American Legion Post 795. They grabbed a number and waited to the side as volunteers loaded shopping carts with food.
About 143 families showed up for event. It wasn't the 280 Sproull was expecting, but he said more people may have come if they knew about the event.
Bonnie Clarke, a Food Bank recipient, heard of the Food Bank's arrival after someone at the Tahoe Senior Plaza brought back frozen chicken. She went to the distribution site because money is tight, she said, and her husband has medical issues.
"It helps me out a lot," she said of the donations.
Mike Smith, of the Tahoe Food Closet, said it's been difficult spreading the word about distribution locations because South Lake Tahoe receives new transients frequently.
"Everyone keeps sending their homeless around the state like a big revolving door," he said.
But even without word spreading as much as the Food Bank would have liked, the organization managed to unload 11,800 pounds of food at Wednesday's event. Remaining food was used to stock other food distribution centers in the area, Sproull said.
"There's not enough food in South Lake Tahoe to feed all of these people," he said.
The Food Bank is teaming up with other agencies — such as the Network for a Healthy California — to serve the area more effectively. It also plans on conducting a study in South Lake Tahoe to better identify the hunger problem, he said.
The study will start in about 30 days.
Sproulls said he would like to continue to fight South Shore's hunger problem, but food distributors will need the community's support.
"We need the community," he said. "This isn't going to work unless the community buys into it."


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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A $40 million wind turbine factory in northeast Arkansas that opened in 2010 with plans to employ more than 700 people announced Friday it would end production and lay off 40 workers.
Germany-based Nordex SE, parent company of Nordex USA, said the company had not received enough orders due to an uncertain U.S. market, overcapacity in the industry and an unstable outlook for a federal tax production credit.
The company said factory workers would be let go after existing orders have been filled. The layoffs are expected to start in October.
"This is a sad day for all of us at Nordex USA. We will lose valued colleagues, who have done their very best for us, but the decision was inevitable considering the underutilization of our plant," Nordex USA President and CEO Ralf Sigrist said in a news release.
The company will keep open its sales and service business in Jonesboro and Chicago.
Just a few years ago, wind energy appeared to be an important sector for growth in the Arkansas economy. It began when LM Windpower, then known as LM Glassfiber, opened a windmill blade factory in Little Rock. But the company has had several rounds of layoffs since it opened, the most recent last summer when about 230 workers got pink slips.
Mitsubishi Power Systems America had to put on hold a $100 wind turbine plant planned for Fort Smith due to a patent dispute with General Electric Corp.
Nordex had planned to open a windmill blade component manufacturing operation but the market didn't grow enough to do so.
Germany-based Beckman Volmer North America LP opened a $12 million factory in Osceola, also in northeast Arkansas, in part to supply the Nordex plant with steel parts.
Nordex said it will provide turbines for markets in North America and Latin America from its one remaining factory, which is in Germany.
The chief executive officer for Nordex SE, Jürgen Zeschky, said in a news release that the company has long-term intentions in the U.S. and Latin American markets, which he said have "great potential."
"With this decision we also increase our flexibility to react to U.S. demand for our turbines out of one single plant in Rostock, Germany. We will be maintaining the extensive expertise in sales, engineering, service, project management, training and support which we have built at our Chicago and Jonesboro locations to continue the growth we have achieved through these challenging times," Zeschky said.
Nordex has offices and subsidiaries in 22 countries and employs more than 2,500 people globally.
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