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Fox Wildly Inflates The Number Of Jobs Keystone XL Pipeline Might Create
Written by Andy Newbold
Fox News has claimed that TransCanada's proposed Keystone XL pipeline would create somewhere between 50,000 and a million jobs. In fact, even TransCanada acknowledges that the total jobs created would be far fewer, and an independent report has found that the project could actually destroy more jobs than it creates through higher fuel costs and environmental damage.
Fox Claims Keystone XL Pipeline Could Create Up To One Million Jobs
Bolling: Keystone XL Pipeline "Could Provide Up To A Million New High-Paying Jobs." From the November 2 edition of Fox Business' Follow The Money:
ERIC BOLLING (host): While new oil and gas jobs could help the recovery, protesters are trying to stop the expansion of multi-million dollar Keystone pipeline. Activists planning to hold hands and surround the White House to protect the project.
Garland, this is another story -- this is the Keystone XL pipeline that some estimates, even Senator Barrasso, who's been on this show before, said could provide up to a million new high-paying jobs if it just gets signed off by Obama. Yet here we are, protesters locking arms around the White House saying don't do it. [Fox Business, Follow The Money, 11/2/11]
Journal Editorial Report: Keystone XL Pipeline Would Create "20,000 New Construction Jobs" And "About 118,000 ... Indirect Jobs."* During the October 29 edition of Fox News' Journal Editorial Report, host Paul Gigot and Wall Street Journal editorial board member Mary Anastasia O'Grady suggested the Keystone XL pipeline would create over one hundred thousand "indirect jobs ... from feeding and housing"* the construction workers. From Journal Editorial Report:
PAUL GIGOT: So, Mary, before we get to the politics, what are the economic merits of this pipeline?
MARY ANASTASIA O'GRADY, COLUMNIST: Well, let's start with 20,000 new jobs, probably -- just about immediately after they begin construction.
GIGOT: Shovel ready.
O'GRADY: And the company estimates another -- well, in total about 118,000 indirect jobs that would come just from feeding and housing all of these people who are ganna work on the pipeline. You also have $7 billion of investments coming into --
GIGOT: Wow. $7 billion.
O'GRADY: From TransCanada.
GIGOT: All private, not government. [Fox News, Journal Editorial Report, 10/29/11]*
Fox Guest Bernie Marcus: Keystone XL Pipeline Would "Create 120,000 Jobs." During the November 4 edition of Fox News' Your World With Neil Cavuto, Bernie Marcus, co-founder of Home Depot, called for Obama to sign an executive order that would allow TransCanada to build the Keystone XL pipeline. He then claimed the project would "create 120,000 jobs." From the show:
BERNIE MARCUS, CO-FOUNDER, HOME DEPOT: I have a suggestion for the president. All he has to do is take a pen. He`s lefty, OK? Take a pen and sign one order and let the Keystone XL pipeline go through. He will create 120,000 jobs, no money on the part of the taxpayers and it is private industry that will do it, and why in God`s name is he not doing that? Do you have a solution for it? Do you have an answer for that, Neil? [Fox News, Your World with Neil Cavuto, 11/4/11, via Nexis]
Kelly: Keystone XL Pipeline "Would Create At Least 50,000 Jobs." During the November 7 edition of Fox News' America Live, host Megyn Kelly hyped the number of potential jobs that would be created by the Keystone XL pipeline:
MEGYN KELLY: Well, a high stakes debate is heating up now over President Obama's pending decision on the Keystone pipeline. It's an enormous pipeline that would transport millions of barrels of oil from Canada down to Texas. It would create at least 50,000 jobs, according to estimates, and help generate bills of dollars in revenue.
KELLY: Why, you know-- if you just look at it as a political matter --
LOU DOBBS (Fox Business host): Right.
KELLY: You've got the labor unions on one side and the environmental groups on another. I mean, aren't the labor groups much bigger in terms of power and donations to the Democratic causes than the environmental groups? I mean, and you're talking about the creation potentially of up to 50 thousand jobs. Why wouldn't, as a political matter, the president just go with the labor groups, because they're such supporters and jobs. Jobs, jobs, jobs. [Fox News, America Live, 11/7/11]
But The Company Behind The Pipeline Claims It Will Directly Create About 13,000 Jobs
TransCanada Said In 2010 That Keystone XL Pipeline "Is Expected To Create Over ... 13,000 New Jobs For American Workers." In a 2010 press release by TransCanada, the company funding the Keystone XL pipeline, touted their connection with various unions and claimed they would "create over seven million hours of labor and over 13,000 new jobs for American workers." From the press release:
TransCanada Corporation (TransCanada) (TSX, NYSE: TRP) today is pleased to announce a Project Labor Agreement for a significant portion of U.S. construction of the proposed US$7 billion Keystone Gulf Coast Expansion Pipeline Project (Keystone XL). The agreement will provide TransCanada with a capable, well-trained and ready workforce in the U.S. to construct Keystone XL. During construction, the project is expected to create over seven million hours of labor and over 13,000 new jobs for American workers. [TransCanada, 9/14/10]
Wash. Post: Based On TransCanada's Numbers, "The Number Of People Employed" Would Actually Be 6,500. A November 5 article in The Washington Post reported that TransCanada CEO Russ Girling "said Friday that the 13,000 figure was actually not a true job number, but actually accounted for "one person, one year."" The Post went on to state that "if the construction jobs lasted two years, the number of people employed in each of the two years would be 6,500." From the article:
Girling said Friday that the 13,000 figure was "one person, one year," meaning that if the construction jobs lasted two years, the number of people employed in each of the two years would be 6,500. That brings the company's number closer to the State Department's; State says the project would create 5,000 to 6,000 construction jobs, a figure that was calculated by its contractor Cardno Entrix. [The Washington Post, 11/5/11]
Fox's Numbers Are Based On Flawed Industry-Funded Study
TransCanada-Funded Study Says Keystone Pipeline Will Directly Create 118,935 "Person-Years" Worth Of Jobs. A report by the Texas-based Perryman Group, funded by TransCanada, says that the pipeline would create 118,935 "person-years" of jobs, and that the economic effect would be between 250,000-500,000 "person-years" of jobs. That figure included not only direct jobs from the pipeline but also jobs in the "apparel" industry and the "tobacco" industry:
- Under "normal" oil price assumptions equivalent to the average for all of 2007, The Perryman Group found the gains in US business activity stemming from a permanent increase in stable oil supplies to include $100.144 billion in total spending, $29.048 billion in output, and 250,348 permanent jobs.
- In the high-price case in which costs per barrel reach the peak levels observed in the summer of 2008, The Perryman Group measured the annual impact of an increase in stable oil supplies associated with the Keystone XL Pipeline Project to include $221.305 billion in spending, $64.193 billion in output, and 553,235 jobs. [The Perryman Group, 6/10/10]
Independent Experts: Industry-Funded Study Seriously Flawed
Council On Foreign Relations Expert: Study's Analysis Is "Dead Wrong." Council on Foreign Relations' Michael Levi wrote that the Perryman report is based on analysis that is "dead wrong." Levi noted that the report ignores that oil prices are set on a global market -- which makes a more realistic estimate of the jobs impact of the Keystone XL pipeline "barely 10 percent of what Perryman projects." Levi concluded that the "entire approach of the Perryman study" is "suspicious." [Council on Foreign Relations, 10/27/11]
Expert: Study Is Based On Flawed Assumptions. Environmental economist Andrew Leach wrote that "many of the benefits" that the Perryman study "tied to the project are really benefits tied to broad access to reliable (and/or cheaper) sources of oil, and not specifically to Keystone XL." [Andrew Leach, 9/9/11]
Cornell University Global Labor Institute: Study Is "So Opaque As To Make Meaningful Review Impossible." From Cornell University Global Labor Institute's report:
Perryman states that he received this data from TransCanada, but nowhere in the report does he provide the TransCanada input data (for construction expenditures and sourcing of inputs). Perryman does not even present summary detail as to the essentials regarding inputs (such as a breakdown of expenditures into major categories and assumptions regarding whether major inputs such as steel pipe are imported or sourced domestically or imported). Nor does the Perryman report provide adequate detail as to the nature of the job impacts estimated (such as a breakdown between direct, indirect, and induced). In fact, the lack of adequate data and detail render the report so opaque as to make meaningful review impossible.[Cornell University Global Labor Institute, September 2011]
Cornell University Global Labor Institute Director Says "Person-Years" Is An "Inappropriate Way To Talk About The Economic Impact" Of Keystone XL. Sean Sweeney, the director of the Cornell University Global Labor Institute, said that people would "confuse" "person-years" of employment for the total jobs that the Keystone XL pipeline would actually create, according to the Michigan Messenger. From a September 26 Michigan Messenger article:
The Cornell Global Labor Institute recently published an analysis of the Keystone jobs claims that criticizes the methodology of the Perryman report.
"Person-years," said Institute Director Sean Sweeney, is an inappropriate way to talk about the economic impact of the project because people will easily confuse that for the total number of jobs the project would create. And that is exactly what is happening. [Michigan Messenger, 9/26/11]
Others Peg The Number Of Jobs At A Much Lower Level Than TransCanada Or Its Industry-Funded Report
State Department: "The Construction Work Force Would Consist Of Approximately 5,000 To 6,000 Workers." The U.S. Department of State's Final Environmental Impact Statement for the pipeline stated that a "construction work force would consist of approximately 5,000 to 6,000 workers." The contractor who conducted the study had financial ties to TransCanada; the inspector general has launched an investigation into the matter. From the report:
During construction, there would be temporary, positive socioeconomic impacts as a result of local employment, taxes on worker income, spending by construction workers, and spending on construction goods and services. The construction work force would consist of approximately 5,000 to 6,000 workers, including Keystone employees, contractor employees, and construction and environmental inspection staff. That would generate from $349 million to $419 in total wages. An estimated $6.58 to $6.65 billion would be spent on materials and supplies, easements, engineering, permitting, and other costs. [U.S. State Department, 8/26/11]
Cornell University Global Labor Institute: Based On TransCanada's Numbers, "The Project Will Create No More Than 2,500-4,600 Temporary Direct Construction Jobs." From Cornell University Global Labor Institute's report:
A calculation of the direct jobs that might be created by KXL can begin with an examination of the jobs on-site to build and inspect the pipeline. The project will create no more than 2,500-4,650 temporary direct construction jobs for two years, according to TransCanada's own data supplied to the State Department. [Cornell University Global Labor Institute, September 2011]
Cornell University Global Labor Institute: "Based On The Figures Provided By TransCanada For The Canadian Section Of The Pipeline, The New Permanent US Pipeline Jobs In The US Number As Few As 50." From Cornell University Global Labor Institute's report:
[T]he potential job impacts associated with KXL construction are quite small, both absolutely and certainly relative to the employment levels estimated by the Perryman study. In comparing these results with those from the Perryman study, it is useful to keep in mind that even results based on the Perryman study would be much lower, once they are adjusted for more realistic project cost assumptions.
Starting with the Perryman study total employment estimated for project construction (119,000 person-years), the Perryman results can be adjusted for more realistic project cost assumptions. Also starting with the $6.6 billion in project costs assumed by Perryman, and adjusting for the $5.4 billion project cost for KXL in the US, the adjusted Perryman result is about 97,000 person-years. Next, instead of assuming a $4 billion KXL US project cost not yet spent, the adjusted Perryman result drops to about 72,000 person-years. And finally, assuming a $3 billion KXL US cost not yet spent or committed, the adjusted Perryman results drops again to 54,000 person-years.
So even if it is assumed the Perryman study provides a reasonable estimate of job impacts per dollar spent on pipeline construction (i.e. 18 person-years per $1 million), total job impact will be much lower than the Perryman results once a more realistic budget is assumed for project construction. And whatever is estimated for total employment impacts, it must be spread over the relevant period in order to meaningfully estimate annual impacts. For KXL construction, the relevant period is at least two and perhaps more likely three years.
In this context, it is also important to consider that almost all of the jobs (direct, indirect and induced) associated with Keystone XL will, of course, also be temporary. The operating costs for KXL are very minimal, and based on the figures provided by TransCanada for the Canadian section of the pipeline, the new permanent US pipeline jobs in the US number as few as 50. [Cornell University Global Labor Institute, September 2011]
Cornell University Global Labor Institute: "The Effects Of KXL Construction Could Very Well Lead To More Jobs Being Lost Than Are Created." From a section of the Cornell University Global Labor Institute report titled "Four Ways Keystone XL Could Be A Job Killer":
The industry-generated jobs data are highly questionable and ultimately misleading. But this is only part of the problem. These industry-generated data attempt only to tell the positive side of the KXL jobs story. There is evidence to suggest that the effects of KXL construction could very well lead to more jobs being lost than are created. In this section, we show four ways that jobs can be destroyed or prevented by KXL -- higher petroleum prices, environmental damage such as spills, the impact of emissions on health and climate instability, and the chilling effect KXL approval could have on the emerging green economy.
Put simply, KXL's job creation potential is relatively small, and could be completely outweighed by the project's potential to destroy jobs through rising fuel costs, spill damage and clean up operations, air pollution and increased GHG emissions. [Cornell University Global Labor Institute, September 2011]
ThinkProgress Chart Reveals "TransCanada's Wildly Inflated Jobs Promises." On November 4, ThinkProgress published the following chart based on the high-estimate of Cornell Global Labor Institute's report and the TransCanada commissioned Perryman Group's report:
[ThinkProgress, 11/4/11]
* Quote corrected.


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Mariam Mokhtar
Feb 25, 2013
This is Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's first experience in calling a general election, but waiting for the announcement is as bad as an expectant mother's wait for an overdue birth. After a gestation of 42 weeks, it is recommended that labour be induced.
Unfortunately, Najib is acting like an overanxious, elderly primigravida, who prolongs the gestation period because he fears both the birth and the progeny. He also displays all the symptoms of a mother carrying a post-mature foetus; sleepless nights, backache, sweating and anxiety.
It is highly probably that elections have been rigged in Malaysia, for many decades. Recently, the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into immigrants in Sabah provided ample proof that citizenship was awarded in exchange for voting rights. In addition, the opposition has unearthed much evidence of cheating at the polls.
Yesterday, Najib announced that GE13 would be held only after the rakyat had derived full benefit from the success of his government's national transformation policies (NTP).
He said, "That is why we wait until we are exhausted to hold the general election, we wait because I want to prove that the national transformation policy can truly succeed."
Najib should have no reason to delay the announcement of the date for GE13, if he knows that Umno has cheated in the elections since the 1980s and he also knows that this cheating will secure a win at GE-13 – unless he has been warned by his intelligence services that he will still lose. despite the cheating.
Cheating can influence the outcome of an election to a certain extent and it does not help Najib that the electorate has been alerted to the possibility of cheating. The opposition and internal election monitors are also aware of the tactics that have been used to cheat, and foreign countries are observing the fairness of GE13.
In fear of Mahathir's warning
Najib is afraid of the reports from his own intelligence services, which state that BN will lose in GE13. He is mindful of the warning from former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad that he will be replaced if BN does not win back two-thirds majority in GE13.
The damage from Mahathir's 'Project M' is inestimable. Mahathir deliberately allowed foreign elements to move freely in Malaysia. Background checks were rarely done and it is possible that terrorist elements have slipped into the country.
The police have no reason to challenge these "newly minted Malaysians" if they have not broken the law. The MyKad allows them to work, buy property and live in Malaysia.
What would happen, if at some point in the future, the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos-cum-Malaysians in Sabah, demanded cessation from Malaysia to either join the Phillippines or be an independent nation?
The same could be said of states bordering Thailand or the peninsular states with close ties with Indonesia. What if the terrorist sleeper cells are activated and ordered to begin an armed offensive? If 100 men can slip into the country, supposedly undetected, there may be arms caches stored in and around Sabah.
Najib refuses to take a break from campaigning and focus on the Sulu mess. Najib, his Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and the Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi are passing the buck from one person to another.
No one responsible, no one accountable
And, as in most scandals involving the Malaysian government, no one is responsible, no one is made accountable and as usual, no one will be given the sack.
Contrast this with the Falklands war in 1985 when the British PM Margaret Thatcher sent an armada to defend the Falklands from an Angentine invasion. The islands were 8,000 miles from England, it was approaching winter and the seas off the Falklands were treacherous.
The logistics of planning the Falklands intervention and its eventual execution were difficult, but Thatcher pulled it off. Lahad Datu is just 1,200 miles from Putrajaya, but Najib's response to this invasion has been lacklustre.
Prolonging the date for GE13 is just buying time for Najib to find more methods to cheat at the polls.
He said, "We should be proud because the nation has achieved much success. If Ulu Temiang is to have its name changed to Seremban Utara, but the government should not be changed." (sic)
What is there to be proud of when our alternative papers are full of accounts of corruption, abuse of power and crimes committed by the government, its cronies or its agents? Najib is afraid of losing the election and he does not realise the damage he is inflicting on the nation.
Najib also said, "Yesterday, I was in Terengganu, I rode the trishaw and asked the pedaller how the present government was, and he said he would support the BN because PAS was ridiculous, only knows how to talk but does not know how to implement."
The pedaller would say that, wouldn't he? Does Najib really understand what being prime minister is all about? So far, he has displayed a breathtaking amount of stupidity and ignorance.
With the system of governance breaking down in Malaysia, we are entitled to ask whether Najib has benefited from his privileged education. The man who was born with the silver spoon in his mouth has no clue how to run a country.
At the time of independence, Malaysians fought hard for democracy but Najib and Mahathir have allowed Malaysia to regress. Both men have a chronic inability to comprehend the damage they have wrought on our institutions.
BN is indeed panicking. Tanda Putera was screened to Felda settlers despite the cabinet ruling on the film last year. Violence against students and members of the opposition has increased.
Taxpayer's money is being given away recklessly. Companies are being sold to cronies, in what amounts to the biggest sale of the century. How is it possible that one man, Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary can have a monopoly in every industry in Malaysia, from padi to planes?
Najib selectively screens foreigners entering Malaysia. It is alleged by Sarawak Report, that fomer British PM Tony Blair's public relations company, Centreground Political Communications, is advising Najib on election planning and yet, an indepenedent Australian senator, Nick Xenophon, was deported because he was a threat to Najib's form of democracy.
When S Vell Paari admonished the MIC president G Palanivel and threatened to lead the Indians to vote for the opposition if Palanivel did not act against Ibrahim Ali and Ridhuan Tee Abdullah for their scathing remarks about the Indians, it was another sign of desperation.
Is Vell Paari's outburst just a response to the bid by Hindraf's P Waythamoorthy to usurp the MIC as the champion of Indian rights? Vell Paari has many skeletons in his cupboard and if BN were to lose, he would have to face the music. Some people have suggested that Vell Paari joins the opposition, but why do we need more frogs?
Like any pregnant mother, Najib should realise that prolonged pregnancies may not harm the mother but will place the foetus in grave danger. After the 42nd week of gestation, the placenta, which supplies nutrients and oxygen, will deteriorate. If GE13 is further delayed, who knows how the rakyat will react?
MARIAM MOKHTAR is a non-conformist traditionalist from Perak, a bucket chemist and an armchair eco-warrior. In 'real-speak', this translates into that she comes from Ipoh, values change but respects culture, is a petroleum chemist and also an environmental pollution-control scientist.

subset: commoncrawl


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Lab Course in Physics for Students of Education
Module PH9112
Module version of SS 2011
There are historic module descriptions of this module. A module description is valid until replaced by a newer one.
Whether the module's courses are offered during a specific semester is listed in the section Courses, Learning and Teaching Methods and Literature below.
available module versions | |
Basic Information
PH9112 is a semester module in German language at Bachelor's level and Master's level which is offered in winter semester.
This Module is included in the following catalogues within the study programs in physics.
- Physics Modules for Students of Education
If not stated otherwise for export to a non-physics program the student workload is given in the following table.
Total workload | Contact hours | Credits (ECTS) |
180 h | 60 h | 6 CP |
Responsible coordinator of the module PH9112 in the version of SS 2011 was the Dean of Studies at Physics Department.
Content, Learning Outcome and Preconditions
- Ten experiments
- The ten experiments are selected so that in total the following physics topics are reflected in a well-balanced manner: mechanics, thermodynamics, electrodynamics, optics, atomic and nuclear physics
- Data analysis according to scientific practice
- Error analysis and error propagation to a calculated final result
Learning Outcome
After passing the module the student is able to:
- comprehend the procedure of basic physics experiments and apply the technique to unknown experiments of similar complexity
- record measuring results and observations clearly
- write scientific reports of experiments with limited complexity in a self-dependent and comprehensible manner
- master the mathematical methods of error calculation and therefore estimate the significance of the obtained results
- compare experimental data with theoretical predictions
Courses, Learning and Teaching Methods and Literature
Courses and Schedule
Type | SWS | Title | Lecturer(s) | Dates | Links |
PR | 4 | Basic lab course for students of education |
Saß, M.
Responsible/Coordination: Kienberger, R. |
dates in groups |
eLearning |
Learning and Teaching Methods
Students have to carry out ten experiments in groups of two students with the given instructions. A supervisor is permanently present for assistance. At suitable points of the experimental process the supervisor stimulates short discussions to recapitulate the already completed experimental parts and to think about the overall context of the experiment.
lab experiments: experiment-specific equipment and standard measuring devices of science / engineering
manual und electronic data acquisition
- Manuals to the experiments (online available)
- Standard textbooks for experimental physics
- W. Walcher, Praktikum der Physik, Vieweg+Teubner Verlag
Module Exam
Description of exams and course work
Students have to carry out ten physics-experiments successfully according to the following requirements:
At any of the 10 experiments:
- during an oral introduction interview each participant has to proof a sufficient preparation concerning the physics topic of the experiment.
- the experiment has to be carried out successfully and completely.
At five experiments selected at the beginning of the semester by the supervisor:
- accompanying to the experiment a lab report containing the measurement readings has to be written. After the experiment each group has to write a detailed report containing all calculations and the mathematical treatment of errors. This report has to be handed in at the next lab course date and must be graded by the supervisor with passed. Criteria for the evaluation are the comprehensible description of the experimental procedure, the measurement readings, the correct treatment of measuring errors and the consequential results.
At the remaining five experiments:
- accompanying to the experiment a lab report without the mathematical treatment of errors has to be written successfully.
Exam Repetition
There is a possibility to take the exam in the following semester.


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I'm always struck by the number of people who complain about the amount of email they receive and how much they despise their inbox—not because their complaints aren't valid but because my own view couldn't be more different.
This post originally appeared on LinkedIn. Follow Jeff and 300+ other business luminaries on the LinkedIn Influencer program.
By design, my inbox has essentially become the central hub of my workflow—it's the way I routinely communicate and exchange information with our 4,300+ employees operating in 26 cities around the world. That's not to say I've always been a fan of email, or that I haven't had my own Sisyphean inbox experiences. However, over the years I've developed several practical guidelines that have enabled me to manage my inbox effectively and ensure it's not managing me.
If You Want to Receive Less Email, Send Less Email
As ridiculously simple as it sounds for such a pervasive problem, I've found this to be the golden rule of email management: Send less of it. This rule first occurred to me during my experience at a previous company where two of the people I worked most closely with ended up leaving the organization within the span of several weeks. They were both highly effective communicators, worked long hours, and as it turned out, sent a lot of email. While they were at the company, our email cadence seemed absolutely normal. It wasn't until after they left that I realized my inbox traffic had been reduced by roughly 20-30%.
Turns out, it wasn't just their emails that were generating all of that inbox activity—it was my responses to their emails, the responses of the people who were added to those threads, the responses of the people those people subsequently copied, and so on. After recognizing this dynamic, I decided to conduct an experiment where I wouldn't write an email unless absolutely necessary. End result: Materially fewer emails and a far more navigable inbox. I've tried to stick to the same rule ever since.
Mark as Unread
When hovering over any individual email in your Outlook inbox, a simple right mouse click results in a series of subsequent options you can take. One of those, "Mark as Unread," has fundamentally changed the way I work.
Having the ability to mark an email unread enables me to quickly glance through my inbox, respond to things that are most time pressing, delete the things that are irrelevant, and mark unread those items I'd like to return to once I have the time. This alleviates the pressure of feeling I have to do everything right now for fear if that one important email falls "below the fold" of my screen, it will be lost forever under the looming avalanche of prospective incoming messages. It also essentially serves as a to-do list of items to be addressed later.
I try to end each day with as few items marked unread as possible, with the goal of having none. If I'm unable to get to everything that night, I'll start the next morning by addressing the unread emails received the prior day.
Establish a Routine
Over the last several years, I've settled into a very specific daily routine during the work week: Wake between 5am and 5:30am; spend roughly an hour on my inbox; catch up on the day's news; have breakfast and play with the kids; workout; go to the office; carve out roughly two hours for buffers each workday; come home; put the girls to bed; have dinner with my wife; and then decompress, typically while watching tv (sporadically cleaning up my inbox via mobile during commercials and the boring parts of whatever we're watching.)
Turns out, my inbox is very manageable when I stick to this schedule. However, every time I've tried experimenting with even the slightest change to this routine, travel for more than a few days at a time, or have a particularly hectic couple of days back-to-back, it never ceases to amaze me how quickly clearing my inbox ends up feeling like this.
In this case, it's the compounding effect that's particularly troublesome, i.e. the rate with which unread emails from the previous day start to mount and the accompanying pressure that generates. It gets so bad for some that they actually go as far as declaring email bankruptcy. The most compelling way I've found to avoid this state is creating a routine and closely sticking to it. If it worked for Benjamin Franklin, it can work for you.
Be Precise with Your Words
Remember the telephone game you played in elementary school where the teacher got the class in a circle, turned to the student sitting next to them, whispered a line like "Do you want to play kickball at lunchtime?" and then asked each subsequent student to whisper what they heard to the child sitting next to them? By the time it came back around to the teacher, it would inevitably be revealed as something akin to "I want to eat a kickball for lunch." While this was laugh out loud funny in third grade, in business it's anything but.
Words matter. Choose them carefully in email to avoid ambiguity and misinterpretation. The more precise you are upfront, the less likely you'll see subsequent emails generating confusion and asking follow up questions seeking additional clarity—and the more you and your team will be able to focus on the work at hand.
Give Some Thought To: The Recipients
It seems like for many people, the To: and Cc: fields in email have become largely synonymous. They're not. Use them to draw a clear distinction between who the email is being sent to and from whom you expect a response from (the To: field); and who is being copied so they have the appropriate context (Cc:).
One of the fastest ways to have an email thread blow up in terms of downstream volume is to be less than clear about who you expect to respond. Six people in the To: line will oftentimes have the unintended consequence of generating six different email responses (and up to six different new threads) when one person's response is all you needed.
Acknowledge Receipt
Here's an easy one: If the email sender has taken the time to address you in the To: line (and it really was intended for you vs. what should have been a Cc:), take the time to acknowledge you received it. The response doesn't need to be a diatribe. To the contrary, the fewer words the better, e.g. "Thanks," "Got it," "Makes sense," etc. This lets the sender know you received the message, don't need any additional information or context, and thus they can check it off their list.
If you don't respond, they'll have no idea whether or not they've been heard. Not only will this create worry about whether or not you received it, it is likely to generate another email with fundamentally the same content, but this time a number of additional people in the To: line in the hopes they'll respond given you didn't. The more people addressed, the more crowded your inbox is likely to become.
Take the Combustible Stuff Offline
Email can be a valuable productivity tool when used properly. It can also be equally destructive when it's not. One of the most egregious examples of the latter is using email to communicate highly nuanced, sensitive subjects that are bound to generate controversy if not a flat out aggressive response. It never ceases to amaze me what people will convey in an email when they get triggered by something—words they would never choose to use when in the presence of the same audience. One former colleague of mine described this dynamic as "going strong to the keyboard."
If you find yourself in the throes of what is clearly becoming an antagonistic discussion online, do yourself a favor: Stop. Then either pick up the phone or head over to the person's office to have the discussion in person. Face-to-face interaction will reintroduce all of the important sub-text that will be completely lost in email and help prevent unnecessary arguments or douse heated flame wars before they begin.
These are some of the most valuable inbox practices I've learned and incorporated over the years. Anytime I veer too far from these habits, I inevitably find myself running faster and faster just to feel like I'm standing still. However, when implemented regularly, these rules have resulted in email playing an essential role in my daily work routine.
7 Ways to Manage Email So It Doesn't Manage You | LinkedIn
Jeff Weiner is the CEO at LinkedIn. Follow him on Twitter @JeffWeiner.
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Personal Listening Profile® (Paper)
DISCONTINUED ONLY 3 Available
Successful organizations know that effective communication bolsters employee morale, boosts performance, and increases the bottom line. They also know that the strongest influence on the quality and outcome of all communications is the ability to listen well. Only by listening effectively can people respond appropriately.
Learn to Listen and Respond with Purpose
Listening is more than hearing. Listening is the ability to receive, attend to, interpret, and respond to verbal messages and other cues, like body language, in ways that are appropriate to the purpose. If the message is entertaining, our purpose is to enjoy, so we listen and respond in a relaxed manner. If the message is intended to persuade us, our purpose is judgment, so we listen and respond critically. It is estimated that people screen out or misunderstand the intended meaning or purpose of a message in over 70 percent of communications, making listening the biggest contributing factor to miscommunication.
Discover the Impact of Different Listening Approaches
The Personal Listening Profile helps individuals identify which of the five listening approaches they use to process, organize, store, and retrieve information:
- Appreciative: Listens in a relaxed manner, seeks enjoyment, entertainment, or inspiration.
- Empathic: Listens without judging, is supportive of the speaker, and learns from the experiences of others.
- Comprehensive: Listens to organize and make sense of information by understanding relationships among ideas.
- Discerning: Listens to get complete information, understand the main message, and determine important details.
- Evaluative: Listens in order to make a decision based on information provided and may accept or reject messages based on personal beliefs.
The Personal Listening Profile also helps people understand when their most natural listening approach may not be appropriate, and how to adopt another approach for more successful communication.
Enhance Individual and Team Listening Performance
Organizations use the Personal Listening Profile to:
- Enhance communication
- Strengthen customer relationships
- Improve management effectiveness
- Reduce conflict
- Develop leaders


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Guatemala denies asylum for McAfee
The Guatemalan government declines to offer the millionaire fugitive a safe haven. And then McAfee was rushed to the hospital after having two heart attacks, according to reports.
The Guatemalan government has denied the asylum request of tech entrepreneur-turned fugitive John McAfee, the Associated Press reported today, which means police in Belize expect the eccentric millionaire to be flown back to Belize soon.
Update, 12:30 p.m. PT: ABC News is reporting that McAfee, who complained about chest pains earlier, had a possible heart attack while at the detention center. Two ambulances were seen outside the center, and medics are attending to him after he was reportedly found unresponsive on the floor of his cell.
Update, 1:45 p.m. PT: McAfee's lawyer tells Reuters that McAfee had "two mild heart attacks" earlier in the day. He's been rushed to a hospital, according to the report. McAfee's blog posted an update about him being taken to the hospital, but had no information beyond what news outlets reported.
Police have been searching for McAfee -- who recently crossed the border into Guatemala in hopes of seeking asylum -- in connection to a murder. The 67-year-old founder of the company that bears his name has been on the run since November 12, when his neighbor Gregory Faull, a contractor and restaurant owner, was discovered with a bullet in his head.
According to the Associate Press, Belize police don't have a warrant for McAfee's arrest, so they may not be able to detain him for long in Belize.
Guatemalan authorities didn't say why McAfee's request was denied, but McAfee has asked his supporters to email and tweet Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina to plea for McAfee to stay in Guatemala.
"Please email the President of Guatemala and beg him to allow the court system to proceed, to determine my status in Guatemala, and please support the political asylum that I am asking for," the blog post reads. "Please PLEASE be very POLITE in your communications, and I thank you."
The Associated Press also reported that McAfee told the wire service that he suffered chest pain in the night but he didn't want to go to the hospital because he prefers using Chinese herbal medicine.
Guatemalan police arrested McAfee for crossing the border illegally, shortly after he announced he would be holding a press conference. McAfee has been chronicling his journey -- and his detention -- through his blog.


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TSA has been introducing full-body scanners to perform a virtual strip search of air travelers. Although technically travelers have the right to opt out, the TSA discourages this behavior with aggressive and invasive pat-down searches. Initially, TSA denied punitive pat-down searches. Then they acknowledged testing a "more aggressive pat-down technique." TSA began a more widespread implementation of this tactic at the beginning of November, and TSA agents have reportedly been quite open about that fact that the "enhanced" pat-down searches are specifically aimed to be so offensive as to coerce passengers into the scanners. In a blog post otherwise bluntly supportive of full-body scanning (the title, "Shut Up And Get In The Scanner," gives a good idea of the tone of the writing), one former TSA screener writes:
It is a terror tactic by TSA to get you to walk through the more thorough body scanner. I can't defend TSA on this one. I have talked to the TSA officers and it is no more effective than the old pat down procedure. They tested it out with trainers and each other. It is purely a terror tactic by TSA.
Other bloggers (with sharper tongues and stronger stomachs than I) have exhaustively documented the steaming mass of epic fail that is the TSA's new policy. The aim of this post is to explain how full-body scanners work – and fail (after the break).
There are two kinds of full-body scanners: those based on backscatter X-ray technology and those based on millimeter wave technology.
Unlike conventional transmission X-ray, which passes X-rays through an object to image its interior, backscatter X-ray scanners use low power X-rays to illuminate your body and catch the reflected energy to generate an image. The lower the atomic number (or "Z"), the stronger the reflection. Organic matter, like your body, is made of relatively low Z matter like carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen. This strongly reflects the X-rays yielding a brighter image. Lithium would also be a strong reflector. High Z materials, like most metals, will reflect poorly, showing up as dark splotches. Certain skin creams, like zinc oxide (used in sunscreen or baby diaper rash treatment), or titanium dioxide (also used in sunscreen) should reflect poorly. Iodine would also tend to be fairly absorptive. Lead should be particularly dark in an image. Here's a really good technical discussion from one of the manufacturers' web sites.
The other full-body scan approach is millimeter-wave technology. As you might guess from the name, it employs very short wavelength radio signals – with wavelengths on the order of a few millimeters. This RF technology – originally developed by Jagadis Chandra Bose in the 1890s (and no, that date is not a typo) – reflects strongly from conductive objects. The body is a weak to moderate reflector while metallic objects reflect strongly. In looking at the host of millimeter wave images available online, I suspect some have been mislabeled. A millimeter wave image should show a relatively dark body with bright guns or knives. Images showing a bright body with a dark gun are probably backscatter X-ray or may have been digitally processed in some way. A large difference in dielectric constant will also tend to reflect strongly. Glycerin, titanium dioxide, or other high dielectric constant materials are likely to contrast strongly against the body, particularly if they are a substantial fraction of a wavelength thick.
The effectiveness of full body scanners has been called into question. Liquid explosives and other organic contraband contrast poorly and are difficult to spot. And full-body scanners are completely useless for detecting contraband embedded inside the body. As security expert Bruce Schneier observed: "Full-body scanners: they're not just a dumb idea, they don't actually work."
What to do? Vendors are already selling X-ray modesty garments of one form or another. And I wonder how long it will be before some enterprising vendor takes advantage of contrasting X-ray and millimeter-wave reflectivity to offer T-shirts with anti-TSA messages designed to show up in the scans. While potentially cathartic, such tactics will probably backfire, however, only drawing increased scrutiny and harassment. Ultimately, the best solution is to pursue a remedy through the political arena, pressuring our lawmakers to rein in the TSA. A good place to start is by letting your senator know exactly how you feel in advance of tomorrow's TSA oversight hearing.
Previously on ÆtherCzar: Full Body Scans – An Offer You Can't Refuse?
Update: TSA Communication creates laser cut pieces of stainless steel that spell out short messages for the benefit of TSA screeners. Hat Tip: Steven J. Crowley


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This is the final 1.2 release, which brings a lot of improvements and new features. The main ones are:
- Improved performances
- Better Interoperability with Confluence
- Cleanup and improvements to the XMLRPC interface
- Recycle bin feature for deleted documents
- Minor edits and edit comments
- New users, groups and rights management UI
- Mail sender plugin to send emails from Velocity
- Watchlist feature to be notified of pages in documents or spaces
- Scheduler plugin and application to schedule Groovy scripts to be executed at given times
- New macro to display panels inside pages
- JODA Time plugin to perform dates computations in Velocity scripts
- Lucene search stabilized and now works in multiwiki setups
- New statistics API and UI
- Add automatic database migrations for easier XWiki installs
See the release notes for full details.
We would like to thanks Google and their Summer of Code program, which sponsored several of these features, like the XmlRpc improvements and Confluence integration (Catalin), the Recycle bin feature, minor edits and edit comments, automatic database migrations (Artem), various UI improvements (Evelina), and others.
Big thanks also to the XWiki community, which tested XWiki and reported bugs, and sometimes provided patches, too, and bugged us with lots of questions
-The XWiki Development Team


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Occupy Portland is a nonviolent movement for accountability in the United States government. At 12PM on October 6th, 2011 we will assemble at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, North Waterfront Park and Ankeny Plaza, at The Pavilion in Portland, OR where Saturday Market touches the river, just south of the Burnside Bridge. If you are coming from the MAX, get off at Skidmore fountain and walk east to the Waterfront. We will be near the fountain.
We will gather in solidarity with the ongoing protest in New York City, Occupy Wall Street, and the growing number of cities whose people will no longer sit back watching corporate and special interests run their government. We are citizens of the United States, and this country is ours. We will take it back.
It is no longer enough to vote and to participate in the political system because our political system has been altered drastically from its intended and proper function. Currently, we are allowed to pick from a few candidates whose campaigns are funded more and more by large organizations, corporations, and special interests. The success of their campaigns depends largely on how the corporate mass media presents them. When our elected officials enter office they then pander to the small groups responsible for their election. Even good men and women cannot make real improvements that benefit the American people.
We are one city in a growing national movement of people who no longer feel that their government works in their best interest. We will assemble on October 6th to demonstrate peaceful, substantive democracy and work for real change.
Our government is divided. We, the people, are united.
A note from the Morale Team and Occupy Portland Organizers regarding posts on this page, the forum, the facebook group or any other gathering place virtual or otherwise in Occupy Portland's name: Occupy Portland WILL NOT tolerate calls to violence, drugs or illegal activity (property destruction etc). Please find a different place to debate those topics, and if you become aware of any topics of this matter PLEASE let us know so we can take the proper actions against instigators. Thank you so much!
Sierra Club Rally at Occupy Portland- Today at noon!
November 1st, 2011 · OccupyPDXkip · Events, General Assembly, March Preparation 4 comments
The following event was approved by the Occupy Portland General Assembly. The Actual event text below was not.
Sierra Club Rally at Occupy Portland Date: Tuesday, November 1st Time: 11:30am (Rally at noon) Location: Chapman Square @ 3rd and Main, Downtown Portland Sponsor: Sierra ClubJoin the Sierra Club at Occupy Portland on Tuesday to support the Occupy Wall Street protests and highlight the need to end our reliance on coal, oil and gas corporations. Sierra Club has issued support of Occupy Wall Street, saying "corporations that pollute our air, land and water, that put greed ahead of community good, public health and the nation's economic well-being must be held fully accountable". In our work around the country we have seen first-hand how international coal and oil companies have wrecked communities, polluted our environment and dominated the political process.
On Tuesday, November 1st, Sierra Club will stand in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street protesters in saying "enough". There will be a press conference and rally with Occupy Portland. Come grab a sign and a mask to show the press and passerby that corporate polluters are profiting off of risking our health! Afterwards, Occupy Portland will be hosting a march to Bank of America in protest of their support and funding of coal companies. Come join us, be loud and take a stand!


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Although Cuba may have violated United Nations sanctions barring military trade with North Korea, the infraction could result in little more than a slap on the wrist as the Soviet-era weaponry appears unrelated to international concern over proliferation of nuclear weapons by Pyongyang.
"Based on what we know, the military impact seems to be negligible," said Philip Peters, a Cuba expert at the Virginia-based Cuban Research Center. "This material has nothing to do with the international community's core concern about North Korea, which is nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles."
The shipment included two anti-aircraft missile batteries, nine disassembled missiles, two MiG-21 aircraft, and 15 MiG engines, all Soviet-era military weaponry built in the middle of the last century.
The Cuban military was "using weapons and equipment of staggeringly old vintage" and the Pentagon had long since written off the island as a military threat, said Hal Klepak, professor of History and Strategy at the Royal Military College of Canada and author of a book on the Cuban military.
At the same time, Cuba's military doctrine was designed to deter any attack, and its defensive capacity was badly in need of an upgrade, he said.
"Nothing Cuba has, as the Pentagon has repeatedly made clear in its own analyses, constitutes a threat to the U.S. or other neighbors, but if Cuba cannot keep any limited air-defense capability in being at all, then it cannot convince anyone that its conquest would not be easy to achieve," he said.
In a 1998 report, the Pentagon concluded that the collapse of the Soviet bloc in 1991 had seriously eroded the size and power of Cuba's military, which was left posing "a negligible threat to the U.S. or surrounding countries."
The report said Cuba's army could no longer mount "effective operations" due to mothballed equipment, and it's air force had fewer than two dozen operation MiGs.
Despite the possible violation of U.N. sanctions, the Obama administration has reacted cautiously to the Panama seizure.
It went ahead on Wednesday with scheduled migration talks with Cuba, and rather than lash out at Havana, U.S. officials have taken a wait-and-see approach, saying they plan to speak to the Cubans about the incident once all the facts are known.
Cuba says the "obsolete" weapons were being sent back to North Korea for repair and has insisted it remains committed to international law and nuclear disarmament.
Klepak termed the MiG-21, which first flew in the 1950s, "hopelessly out of date," as were the anti-aircraft radar systems reportedly on the ship.
"Cuba cannot afford to buy anything newer and does not have repair facilities of its own for such needs. Thus if it is not to scrap, for example, the aircraft entirely, it must repair and potentially update them in some areas," he said.
Cuba's dire financial situation most likely led it to turn to North Korea, allowing Havana to enter a barter arrangement, perhaps for sugar, Klepak added, noting that the North Koreans had repaired similar weaponry in the past in exchange for food.
While Russia and China could repair the systems, or perhaps modernize them, they would only do so for cash, he said.
The surreptitious nature of the cargo, and the ship's route with its transponder switched off when it left the Panama Canal to collect the Cuban weapons, indicated that Cuba knew it was violating the U.N. sanctions, but was willing to take the risk of being caught, according to some analysts.
Despite official U.S. caution so far, the weapons shipment could hurt Havana's efforts to rekindle relations with Washington, given that Cuban-American members of Congress have already called for tougher action from the Obama administration.
"Weapons transfers from one communist regime to another hidden under sacks of sugar are not accidental occurrences, and reinforces the necessity that Cuba remain on the State Department's list of countries that sponsor state terrorism," U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement.
Peters called Cuba's action a political blunder. "Cuba deserves to be criticized for violating a U.N. resolution, but it's a long leap to then take this action and spin it into some big security threat emanating from Cuba because it just doesn't exist," he said.
"The Cuban military has never been an offensive threat to the United States and for the past 20 years it's been a shell of its former self."


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Example 6 Inch – Flint & Denbighshire
Below is a sample from the Flintshire & Denbighshire – Ordnance Survey 6-inch first edition 1869 – 1875, this example map is sheet 2. Maps covering the whole of Flintshire & Denbighshire are available, the maps on each cdrom are viewed using a PDF viewer
Ordnance Survey 6-inch first edition 1869 – 1875
Maps of Flintshire & Denbighshire
This DVD contains all of the first edition 6-inch maps of Flintshire & Denbighshire. Also included are the first edition 25-inch maps of the towns and larger villages.
The 6-inch maps are in two forms on the DVD. The first version presents the maps in sheet form as they were produced. This version is accessed by Adobe Acrobat via a graphical index. In the second version the maps have been stripped of their borders and joined together to form a single composite map of Flintshire & Denbighshire approximately 25ft square. You can zoom in to the smallest detail or out to see the whole county. Printing is possible from both versions.
The images were scanned from maps held at the Flintshire and Denbighshire Record Offices and the A N Palmer Centre for Local Studies and Archives, Wrexham. The maps measure 1m x 0.7m. The 6-inch maps were scanned at 300dpi in gray scale and the 25-inch maps were scanned at 150 dpi in colour.
The introduction to the CD is written by C J Williams, Consultant Archivist, Marford, Wrexham


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Hubbard Radio Washington DC, LLC. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
Hubbard Radio Washington DC, LLC. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee members pressed Katherine Archuleta on her qualifications, how she will address the retirement claim...
wfedstaff | April 17, 2015 5:15 pm
The nominee to be the next director of the Office of Personnel Management faced tough questions yesterday about her experience in managing large health care programs.
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee members wanted to know how Katherine Archuleta would implement OPM's part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and handle other issues related to managing the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP).
Archuleta, the former chief of staff at the Labor and Transportation departments, said she'd manage OPM's role in the ACA like she's managed any other program: by depending on and, if necessary, bringing in qualified people to advise her.
"OPM has on board right now the experts in healthcare implementation, and the long experience that OPM has in implementing healthcare is one that I will rely on as the leader of OPM if I am confirmed," Archuleta said. "My experience is one in which I will utilize the experiences I have had as a leader of major institutions, working with mayors, secretaries and would utilize the teams I have put in place to bring that expertise to OPM."
Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said in response to Archuleta's description of her qualifications, "So, I kind of read between the lines here. You don't have the experience in healthcare, but you believe you can put together a team that does have it. I would suggest this is probably your biggest challenge."
That exchange with Portman was probably the toughest set of questions Archuleta faced throughout the mostly hospitable hearing.
By the end of the day, committee members expressed support for her nomination, and Archuleta appeared to be on track to be approved. She would replace John Berry, who served four years as OPM director. He left in April, and President Barack Obama has nominated Berry to be ambassador to Australia.
Multi-state exchanges deadline coming
Portman and other lawmakers pressed Archuleta several different times on the ACA, but mostly areas that would be out of her control as OPM director, such as if federal employees should move off the FEHBP and onto the healthcare exchanges, and whether members of Congress and just their personal staff or all staff members have to obtain insurance through the exchanges.
Under the ACA, OPM must create a multi-state plan by contracting with private health insurance issuers. The plan must offer at least two providers in each state through the Health Insurance Marketplace that are available to eligible individuals and small businesses.
The status of that effort came up several times during the hearing. Archuleta said OPM has been working on the multi-state plan piece of the ACA for about two years. During her briefings in preparation for the hearing, all signs point to the agency making the Oct. 1 deadline.
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), ranking member of the committee, said OPM has yet to publish the rules that would affect members of Congress and their staffs in moving off of FEHBP and to the health exchanges. He wanted to know if Archuleta knew the status of those rules and whether they had come back from the Office of Management and Budget. Archuleta said she hadn't been briefed on where the rules are in the process.
New IT plan in 100 days
One area where Archuleta was more sure of was how she would improve OPM's technology, especially around modernizing the retirement claims system and reducing the backlog.
She would be at least the fourth OPM director to try her hand at this long- standing problem — a challenge she recognizes upfront.
"I will also prioritize the improvement of the agency's IT systems. In past attempts to transition retirement services into a digital system, OPM fell short," she said. "[I will] identify new IT leadership, using existing agency expertise and seeking advice from experts inside government and the private sector, I believe OPM can successfully update its IT systems. If confirmed by the Senate, I will work with my senior management team to create a plan within 100 days of assuming office on modernizing IT at OPM. I will add a chief technology officer position specifically focused on assessing and improving the technology products OPM uses."
Previous Director Berry decided to throw people at the problem of reducing the backlog and improve the IT systems in small segments.
OPM has found moderate success in reducing the claims backlog. It's unclear how much progress it has made on the technology side.
Coburn said Archuleta wants to put the new CTO on an equal footing as the agency's chief information officer. At the hearing, he warned Archuleta about that set up.
"You have a CIO who is responsible for the information. Technology is the way you get it. But it is the tool. I would caution you to think long and hard that the CTO be brought under the CIO," he said. "The reason you want a technology officer is for the information. You don't want the information officer to have technology. You want that in reverse. Where we've seen that work in other agencies, it's been highly effective. Where we've seen it done like you are suggesting, it's not as effective."
Other committee members also were concerned about the backlog. Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) said OPM processed 25 percent fewer claims in June than it planned to process. He asked Archuleta how she would ensure OPM meets and exceeds its goals.
"The most important part of my leadership style is to hold individuals accountable and to hold all individuals responsible for the mission of the agency," she said. "It's one that has been successful for me over the last 35 years."
Sen. John Tester (D-Mont.) asked why can't OPM give annuitants full payment on the front end instead of receiving 50 to 60 percent of their total pension until OPM finalizes the claim? Tester said if the initial amount is too much, the retired federal employee would have to pay the money back later.
Archuleta said she would be happy to look into Tester's suggestion, but the key is for the retiree's last agency to put together all the information before sending it to OPM for final processing. OPM has been working with agencies to improve that process.
Official time under scrutiny
Another hot button issue Archuleta will have to deal with if confirmed is the use of official time in government. Official time measures how much time federal employees spend on " target="_blank">OPM tackles retirement backlog with more staff, better technology
" target="_blank">Work time spent on union activities at a 7-year high for feds
Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
Jason Miller is executive editor of Federal News Network and directs news coverage on the people, policy and programs of the federal government.
Follow @jmillerWFED


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NORD gratefully acknowledges James W. Wheless, MD, Professor and Chief of Pediatric Neurology, Le Bonheur Chair in Pediatric Neurology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Director, Le Bonheur Comprehensive Epilepsy Program & Neuroscience Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, for assistance in the preparation of this report.
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a severe form of epilepsy that typically becomes apparent during infancy or early childhood. Affected children experience several different types of seizures most commonly atonic, tonic and atypical absence seizures. Children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome may also develop cognitive dysfunction, delays in reaching developmental milestones and behavioral problems. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome can be caused by a variety of underlying conditions, but in some cases no cause can be identified. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome can be difficult to treat because it is resistant (refractory) to many kinds of antiseizure medications. Research is ongoing to identify and assess new therapies for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
There is no consensus in the medical literature on the exact definition of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Generally, three findings are necessary for the diagnosis: multiple generalized seizure types; a slow spike-and-wave pattern (less than 2.5 Hz) on EEG; and cognitive dysfunction. The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) Task Force most recently classified the disorder as an epileptic encephalopathy. Epileptic encephalopathies are a group of disorders in which seizure activity leads to progressive cognitive dysfunction.
The symptoms of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome usually begin during infancy or childhood, most often between 3 to 5 years of age. Multiple types of seizures, which are basically electrical disturbances in the brain, affect children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Most affected individuals experience multiple types of seizures, multiple times throughout the day. As affected individuals grow older, the types and frequency of seizure activity may change.
The most common types of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome are tonic and atonic seizures. Tonic seizures cause increased muscle tone and muscle stiffness. They are characterized by sustained muscle contractions that can cause mild abnormalities such as a slight bend of the body and brief interruption of breathing or more significant problems such as muscle spasms of the face and flexion or extension of the arms and legs. Affected children may extend their arms over their heads similar to a ballet dancer. Tonic seizures are usually brief (lasting between a few seconds and a minute) and are especially prevalent at night during sleep, but can also occur during the day. There is usually a brief loss of consciousness during a tonic seizure. Tonic seizures that occur when awake can cause affected individuals to fall.
Atonic seizures cause a sudden loss of muscle tone and limpness. They can cause the head to drop or nod, problems with posture or sudden falls. Atonic seizures are also known as drop attacks. Atonic seizures can lead to injuries of the head and face because of sudden, unexpected falls. When sitting, affected individuals may collapsed forward or backward at the waist. Atonic seizures may only partially affect consciousness and usually last only a few seconds.
A third type of seizure commonly associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is atypical absence seizures. This type of seizure is associated with a period of unconsciousness usually marked by unresponsive staring. Absence seizures usually begin and end abruptly and the affected individual usually resumes activity with no memory of the episode. Absence seizures do not cause convulsions and may be so mild that they go unnoticed. They usually last only a couple to several seconds. If the child is developmentally delayed, the parents may only notice a subtle change in function or responsiveness.
Additional types of seizures can affect individuals with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome less often. These include myoclonic seizures, which are characterized by abnormal, jerky movements and may occur alone or in conjunction with atypical absence seizures; tonic-clonic seizures (once known as grand mal seizures), which last a couple of minutes and are characterized by stiffening of the limbs and then jerking of the limbs and face; and partial or focal seizures, which involve electrical abnormalities in a limited area of the brain and come in a variety of forms. Some individuals with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome experience prolonged, uninterrupted seizure activity that lasts for more than 30 minutes (nonconvulsive status epilepticus). Nonconvulsive status epilepticus may be associated with a child being unaware or inattentive and, in some cases, may be so subtle that it goes unnoticed. Nonconvulsive status epilepticus requires medical intervention.
Intelligence is usually, but not always, affected in children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Affected children may experience varying degrees of cognitive dysfunction and delays in reaching developmental milestones such as sitting, crawling or walking. Children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome may develop normally before the onset of seizures, and then lose previously acquired skills (psychomotor regression).Because the seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome are usually resistant to treatment, intellectual impairment and learning problems may worsen over time. Children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome may also develop behavioral problems ranging from hyperactivity and irritability to autistic symptoms and psychosis.
In some cases, individuals with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome may have been initially affected by infantile spasms. Infantile spasms, which are also known as West syndrome, are characterized by sudden, involuntary contractions of the head, neck, and trunk and/or uncontrolled extension of the legs and/or arms. (For more on West syndrome, please see the Related Disorders section below.)
In approximately 70-80 percent of patients, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome has an identifiable cause. These cases may be referred to as symptomatic Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Examples of conditions that can cause Lennox-Gastaut syndrome include abnormal development of the brain cortex (cortical dysplasia), congenital infections, stroke, trauma, reduced oxygen supply that occurs before birth (perinatal hypoxia), infections of the central nervous system such as encephalitis or meningitis and a rare, genetic disorder called tuberous sclerosis. Approximately 17-30 percent of individuals with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome have a previous history of West syndrome. In general, these cases tend to be more severe.
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome may also be classified as cryptogenic, in which the cause is unknown or cannot be determined after evaluation. Cryptogenic cases are presumed to result from an unidentified condition (secondary Lennox-Gastaut syndrome). Individuals with cryptogenic Lennox-Gastaut syndrome do not have a previous history of seizure activity, prior neurological problems or cognitive impairment before the development of the disorder. Cryptogenic cases generally have a later onset than symptomatic cases.
In some cases of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome no associated condition is present or presumed and the cause of the disorder is unknown.
Although the cause of Lennox-Gastaut is known in most cases, the exact underlying mechanisms that ultimately bring about the various seizures that characterize the disorder are unknown. Researchers have not discovered any genes that are associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, although the disorder may have a genetic component that contributes to its development. More research is necessary to determine the specific factors, including any potential genetic factors that are involved in the development of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome affects males slightly more often than females. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is estimated to occur in .1-.28 people per 100,000 and is believed to account for 1-4 percent of all cases of childhood epilepsy. The annual incidence in children is estimated to be 2 per 100,000 children. Onset of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is usually between 2-7 years with a peak onset between 3 to 5 years.
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is defined as having a clinical triad that must be identified for a diagnosis. This triad consists of multiple seizures of different types, a distinctive EEG brain wave pattern (slow [1.5- to 2.5-Hz] spike-and-wave pattern)(Note this pattern may not be present on every EEG.) and some degree of cognitive impairment and behavioral abnormalities. However, these symptoms may not all be present at the onset of the disorder, making an accurate diagnosis of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome difficult. The wide variety of potential causes of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome also complicates the diagnosis.
A diagnosis of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is usually made based upon a thorough clinical evaluation, a detailed patient history and a complete physical and neurological evaluation including advanced imaging techniques, such as electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). During an EEG, the brain's electrical impulses are recorded. In individuals with LGS, such EEG testing typically reveals the distinctive brain wave pattern (slow [1.5- to 2.5-Hz] spike-and-wave pattern). During a MRI scan, three-dimensional images are produced that reflect the brain's anatomy; such scanning helps physicians examine brain structure and potentially locate the cause of the seizure activity. Epilepsy gene panels that assay for multiple genetic causes are starting to become part of the evaluation process.
No specific therapy for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is effective in all cases and the disorder has proven particularly resistant to most therapeutic options. The three main forms of treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome are anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs), dietary therapy (typically the ketogenic diet) or device/surgery (VNS therapy or corpus callosotomy). Rarely, resective surgery is an option.
Treatment may require the coordinated efforts of a team of specialists. Pediatricians, neurologists, pediatric neurologists, surgeons, and/or other healthcare professionals may need to systematically and comprehensively plan an affected child's treatment. Families need to work with healthcare professionals to develop a treatment plan that covers various potential situations such as seizure emergencies, routine medical illnesses, or what to do if an affected individual misses a dosage of medication. Families should also keep a list of which medications can possibly worsen Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. An affected individual's treatment regimen will need repeated revisions throughout a person's life as the types and frequency of seizures may change and the effectiveness of a particular therapy can lessen. Other healthcare providers are frequently consulted, including social workers, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists and rehabilitation services (occupational, physical and speech therapy).
AEDs are usually given to individuals with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, but the individual response is highly variable. In some cases, it is possible that treatment with AEDs may help reduce or control various types of seizure activity associated with LGS. However, because individuals with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome have different types of seizures, they often require therapy with multiple types of AEDs. Such medications may include clonazepam, sodium valproate, topiramate, lamotrigine, felbamate (closely monitored), clobazam,rufinamide or cannabidiol. However, such drugs may have limited success in treating seizure activity in some individuals with the disorder. In addition, AEDs may be associated with significant side effects, especially in individuals who receive multidrug, high-dose regimens. AEDs can also become less effective over time. Being on multiple medications, which may cause sedation, can sometimes worsen seizure control.
Valproate (valproic acid) is generally considered the first-line therapy for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome because it is effective against a wide spectrum of seizures. Valproate is usually first given alone (monotherapy) and if ineffective another drug such as lamotrigine, topiramate, rufinamide, clobazam or cannabidiol may be added.
A variety of specific drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome including topiramate (Topamax). Topiramate has been approved as an add-on (adjunctive) therapy for children and adults. The drug is manufactured by Ortho-McNeil Neurologics.
The FDA has also approved the anticonvulsant drug felbamate (Felbatol) for the treatment of seizures in children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Due to the occurrence of rare but serious side effects from the drug, physicians should become familiar with the medication and know how to monitor for side-effects before prescribing the medication. This drug, while effective, is not typically first or second line because of the side-effect concerns. The drug is manufactured by Meda Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
In addition, the FDA has approved the lamotrigine (Lamictal) as an add-on (adjunctive) therapy (i.e., as a medication to be used in association with other appropriate anticonvulsant medications) for the treatment of generalized seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. For more information, contact GlaxoSmithKline Inc.
In 2008, the FDA approved rufinamide (Banzel) for the use as an adjunctive (add-on) treatment for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Rufinamide decreases seizure frequency in some individuals and seems to be particularly effective for atonic or drop attack seizures. Banzel is manufactured by Eisai Inc.
Clobazam (Onfi) was approved by the FDA in 2011 to treat the seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Onfi is manufactured by Catalent Pharma Solutions LLC for Lundbeck.
In 2018, Epidiolex (cannabidiol or CBD) was approved to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in patients two years of age and older. This is the first FDA-approved drug that contains a purified drug substance derived from the Cannabis plant. Epidiolex is manufactured by Greenwich Biosciences.
Additional therapies that have been used to treat individuals with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome include the ketogenic diet, VNS Therapy and various surgical techniques. These options are generally reserved for individuals who have been treated with at least 2 – 3 approved medications without an adequate response, and are typically combined with drug therapy (The exception is dietary therapy, which is typically added to drug therapy, but rarely maybe successful by itself in this population.).
The ketogenic diet may reduce seizure activity in some individuals with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. The ketogenic diet is a high fat, low carbohydrate diet that makes the body burn fat for energy instead of sugar (glucose). It is a strict diet that requires rigid compliance and commitment. The ketogenic diet can have side effects and individuals following the diet should be routinely monitored by their physicians and a trained nutritionist. The effectiveness of the ketogenic diet varies from one individual to another. Researchers do not understand why the diet is effective in treating seizures or why it is effective for some people, but not others.
Some individuals with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, especially those who have not responded to other forms of therapy, may be treated with surgical therapies including complete corpus callosotomy or vagus nerve stimulation.
A corpus callosotomy is a surgical procedure in which the cerebral hemispheres are disconnected by cutting the corpus callosum, which is a large bundle of nerves that connects the two halves (hemispheres) of the brain and allows them to share information. This procedure does not include the cutting of brain tissue. This procedure is generally reserved for individuals who suffer from intractable seizures that lead to injuries (e.g., drop seizures or frequent generalized tonic-clonic seizures) or are potentially life-threatening. It is most effective for atonic, tonic and tonic-clonic seizures.
Vagus nerve stimulation is a procedure in which a device called a pulse generator is inserted into the chest and a wire is run underneath the skin to the vagus nerve in the neck. The pulse generator is similar to a pacemaker and transmits mild, electrical impulses to the brain via the vagus nerve. These impulses prevent seizures from occurring. The intensity and timing of the nerve impulses are determined based upon each individual's needs. This is combined with drug therapy and most effective for drop seizures and generalized tonic-clonic seizures.
Information on current clinical trials is posted on the Internet at www.clinicaltrials.gov. All studies receiving U.S. government funding, and some supported by private industry, are posted on this government web site.
For information about clinical trials being conducted at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD, contact the NIH Patient Recruitment Office:
Toll-free: (800) 411-1222
Email: [email protected]
Some current clinical trials also are posted on the following page on the NORD website:
For information about clinical trials sponsored by private sources, in the main, contact:
For more information about clinical trials conducted in Europe, contact:
Contact for additional information about Lennox-Gastaut syndrome:
James W. Wheless, MD
Professor and Chief of Pediatric Neurology
Le Bonheur Chair in Pediatric Neurology
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Director, Le Bonheur Comprehensive Epilepsy Program & Neuroscience Institute
Le Bonheur Children's Hospital
49 N Dunlap Avenue, FOB 3rd Floor
Memphis, TN 38105
901-287-5207 (Wilhelmina Alfonso)
901-287-5325 (fax)
[email protected]
Pellock JM, Nordli DR, Sankar R, Wheless JW (ED's.) Pellock's Pediatric Epilepsy, 4th Edition.Demos Medical. NYC, NY. 2017: 451-466.
Acosta MT, Pearl PL. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. NORD Guide to Rare Disorders. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Philadelphia, PA. 2003:549-550.
Gresham J, Eiland LS, Chung AM. Treating Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in epileptic pediatric patients with third-generation rufinamide. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2010;6:639-645.
Wheless JW. Managing severe epilepsy syndromes of early childhood. J Child Neurol. 2009;24:24S-32S.
Arzimanoglou A, French J, Blume WT, et al. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome: a consensus approach on diagnosis, assessment, management and trial methodology. Lancet Neurol. 2009;8:82-93.
Stafstrom CE. Update on the management of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome with a focus on rufinamide. Neurophyschiatr Dis Treat. 2009;5:547-551.
Wheless JW, Clarke DF, Arzimanoglou A, Carpenter D. Treatment of pediatric epilepsy: European expert opinion, 2007. Epileptic Disord. 2007;9:353-412.
Markand ON. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (childhood epileptic encephalopathy). J Clin Neurophysiol. 2003;20:426-441.
Trevathan E. Infantile spasms and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. J Child Neurol. 2002;17:2S9-2S22.
Frost M, Gates J, Helmers SL, et al. Vagus nerve stimulation in children with refractory seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Epilepsia. 2001;42:1148-1152.
Cherian KA, Glauser TA, Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. Medscape. Updated: Nov 09, 2018. Available at: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1176735-overview Accessed June 2, 2020.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome Information Page. Last Update 2019-03-27. Available at https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Lennox-Gastaut-Syndrome-Information-Page Accessed June 2, 2020.
The information in NORD's Rare Disease Database is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of a physician or other qualified medical professional.
The content of the website and databases of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is copyrighted and may not be reproduced, copied, downloaded or disseminated, in any way, for any commercial or public purpose, without prior written authorization and approval from NORD. Individuals may print one hard copy of an individual disease for personal use, provided that content is unmodified and includes NORD's copyright.
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text: On Wed, 24 Jun 2009, Gus Correa wrote: > the "master" processor reads... broadcasts parameters that are used > by all "slave" processors, and scatters any data that will be > processed in a distributed fashion by each "slave" processor. > ... > That always works, there is no file system contention. I beg to disagree. There is no file system contention if this job is the only one doing the I/O at that time, which could be the case if a job takes the whole cluster. However, in a more conventional setup with several jobs running at the same time, there is I/O done from several nodes (running the MPI rank 0 of each job) at the same time, which will still look like mostly random I/O to the storage. > Another drawback is that you need to write more code for the I/O > procedure. I also disagree here. The code doing I/O would need to only happen on MPI rank 0, so no need to think for the other ranks about race conditions, computing a rank-based position in the file, etc. > In addition, MPI is in control of everything, you are less dependent > on NFS quirks. ... or cluster design. I have seen several clusters which were designed with 2 networks, a HPC one (Myrinet or Infiniband) and GigE, where the HPC network had full bisection bandwidth, but the GigE was a heavily over-subscribed one as the design really thought only about MPI performance and not about I/O performance. In such an environment, it's rather useless to try to do I/O simultaneously from several nodes which share the same uplink, independent whether the storage is a single NFS server or a parallel FS. Doing I/O from only one node would allow full utilization of the bandwidth on the chain of uplinks to the file-server and the data could then be scattered/gathered fast through the HPC network. Sure, a more hardware-aware application could have been more efficient (f.e. if it would be possible to describe the network over-subscription so that as many uplinks could be used simultaneously as possible), but a more balanced cluster design would have been even better... > [ parallel I/O programs ] always cause a problem when the number > of processors is big. I'd also like to disagree here. Parallel file systems teach us that a scalable system is one where the operations are split between several units that do the work. Applying the same knowledge to the generation of the data, a scalable application is one for which the I/O operations are done as much as possible split between the ranks. IMHO, the "problem" that you see is actually caused by reaching the limits of your cluster, IOW this is a local problem of that particular cluster and not a problem in the application. By re-writing the application to make it more NFS-friendly (f.e. like the above "rank 0 does all I/O"), you will most likely kill scalability for another HPC setup with a distributed/parallel storage setup. > Often times these codes were developed on big iron machines, > ignoring the hurdles one has to face on a Beowulf. Well, the definition of Beowulf is quite fluid. Nowadays is sufficiently easy to get a parallel FS running with commodity hardware that I wouldn't associate it anymore with big iron. > In general they don't use MPI parallel I/O either Being on the teaching side in a recent course+practical work involving parallel I/O, I've seen computer science and physics students making quite easily the transition from POSIX I/O done on a shared file system to MPI-I/O. They get sometimes an index wrong, but mostly the conversion is painless. After that, my impression has become that it's mostly lazyness and the attitude 'POSIX is everywhere anywhere, why should I bother with something that might be missing' that keeps applications at this stage. -- Bogdan Costescu IWR, University of Heidelberg, INF 368, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany Phone: +49 6221 54 8240, Fax: +49 6221 54 8850 E-mail: bogdan.costescu at iwr.uni-heidelberg.de


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If you're English, then Geoff Hurst's shot that hit the underside of the bar during extra time in the 1966 World Cup final clearly crossed the line. If you're German (or Scottish), it's equally evident that the ball didn't entirely cross the line (for a goal to be counted, all of the ball must cross the line). The referee wasn't certain, so he deferred to his Azerbaijani linesman, Tofik Bakhramov, who said the goal was good. This gave England a 3-2 lead (the game eventually ended 4-2). Forty-four years on, the truth is that nobody can say with any certainty whether the goal should have stood. But when a memorial was unveiled in Baku to Bakhramov in 2004 (he died in 1996), one of the grateful guests was Hurst. As far as he was concerned, Bakhramov made the right call.
Top 10 Blown Calls
It was the perfect game that wasn't. Umpire Jim Joyce mistakenly ruined Armando Galarraga's perfect game with a bad call. TIME takes a look at other refs who changed the course of sports history with bad calls


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A few weeks ago (ok, nearly a month ago), my grandma turned 98 years old! We kind of make a big deal about her birthday, because, well, how many 98 year olds do you know?
We had a party for her at my parents' house, and of course there was cake. She brought her collection of birthday cards to share with us- she must have received over fifty cards. (PSA: Send birthday cards to the elderly people in your life! They love them!)
We had a lovely afternoon together, and as the day went on, she began to reminisce. As she gets older, her memories go back further and further. She used to talk about the sixties, now she talks about the thirties. She surprised us all by reciting, word for word, the opening monologue to the radio program, Our Gal Sunday. As she began to talk about the show, I started Googling for more details. She was wondering the exact year it began, and how long it ran for.
Between websites devoted to old time radio and Wikipedia, I was able to help her fill in the blanks. It was a fun way to share some time with each other.
Smart phones and the Internet, bringing generations together!


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