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Content on this page was developed during the 2009-2010 H1N1 pandemic and has not been updated.
- The H1N1 virus that caused that pandemic is now a regular human flu virus and continues to circulate seasonally worldwide.
- The English language content on this website is being archived for historic and reference purposes only.
- For current, updated information on seasonal flu, including information about H1N1, see the CDC Seasonal Flu website.
10 Steps You Can Take: Actions for Novel H1N1 Influenza Planning and Response for Medical Offices and Outpatient Facilities
It is critical to assure that medical offices and other outpatient facilities (e.g., outpatient/ambulatory clinics, outpatient surgery centers, urgent care centers, physical therapy/rehabilitation offices or clinics) that provide routine, episodic, and/or chronic healthcare services can manage an increased demand for services in the midst of a novel H1N1 influenza outbreak. Ensuring a sustainable community healthcare response will be important for a likely recurrence of novel H1N1 flu in the fall. See CDC's H1N1 website for up-to-date information.
1. Develop a Business Continuity Plan – Novel H1N1 flu outbreaks will impact your organization, employees, suppliers of critical materiel, and your family. Identify your office/clinic's essential functions and the individuals who perform them. Make sure you have trained enough people to properly work in these essential functions and allow for potential absenteeism. Develop a plan that will sustain your core business activities for several weeks. Make sure you have alternate plans for critical supplies in case there is disruption in your supply chains. More information about planning is available:
2. Inform employees about your plan for coping with additional surge during pandemic – Provide clear and frequent communication to ensure that your staff are aware and understand the plan. Explain any policies and procedures that will be used to protect staff and your patients, and to manage a surge of patients. Improve the resiliency of your staff by advising that employees have a pandemic family plan or personal plans.
3. Plan to operate your facility if there is significant staff absenteeism – Are you ready for 20 to 40% of your employees not being able to come to work? Cross training your staff is key to resilience here. What else can be done to assure continuity of operations with reduced staff?
4. Protect your workplace by asking sick employees to stay home – Be sure to ask sick staff to stay home. All personnel should self monitor daily for signs and symptoms of febrile respiratory illness. Staff who develop these symptoms should be instructed not to report to work, or if at work, should cease patient care activities and notify their supervisor. Be sure to align your sick leave policies so ill staff can stay home. See What to Do If You Get Flu-Like Symptoms for more information.
5. Plan for a surge of patients and increased demands for your services –Consider using your telephone system to deliver messages to incoming callers about when to seek medical care at your facility, when to seek emergency care, and where to go for information about caring for a person with flu at home (see Interim Guidance for H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu): Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home). Consider extending your hours of operation to include telephone triage of patients during a community outbreak.
6. Care for patients with novel H1N1 flu in your facility – Make plans to screen patients for signs and symptoms of febrile respiratory illness at entry to the facility. If feasible, use separate waiting and exam rooms for possible novel H1N1 flu patients; plan to offer surgical masks to symptomatic patients who are able to wear them (adult and pediatric sizes should be available), provide facial tissues, receptacles for their disposal, and provide hand hygiene products in waiting areas and examination rooms. For information on caring for patients see: Interim Guidance for Clinicians on Identifying and Caring for Patients with Swine-origin Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection.
7. Take steps to protect the health of your workforce during an outbreak of H1N1 – All healthcare personnel who come in close contact with patients who may have novel H1N1 flu should take precautions to include use of respiratory and eye protection for all patient care activities (see: Healthcare Workplaces Classified as Very High or High Exposure Risk for Pandemic Influenza). For information on the use of infection control measures including use of personal protective equipment for staff, see Interim Guidance for Infection Control for Care of Patients with Confirmed or Suspected Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection in a Healthcare Setting. Plan now to stockpile sufficient PPE for your staff. (see: Proposed Guidance on Workplace Stockpiling of Respirators and Facemasks for Pandemic Influenza).
8. Provide immunization against seasonal flu at no cost to your staff – In the fall there may be several influenza strains circulating at the same time. Although seasonal flu immunization will not provide protection to novel H1N1 influenza, annual influenza vaccination is recommended for health care professionals and will likely protect against seasonal influenza strains. See: Influenza Vaccination of Health-Care Personnel.
9. Make sure you know about the pandemic planning and response activities of the hospitals, outpatient facilities and local public health in your community – Actively seek information from and coordinate with key medical, clinical facilities and public health departments in your community to learn about how they will manage patients during a pandemic. Medical offices, emergency rooms, urgent care centers and hospitals in communities with outbreaks will likely have difficulty managing a large influx of patients; a coordinated community response is important to manage surge and assure optimal patient care. Develop a plan to manage your patients who do not need to seek emergency services.
10. Plan now so you will know where to turn to for reliable, up-to-date information in your local community – Staff in healthcare settings should monitor the CDC H1N1 Flu website and local and State health department websites for the latest information. See these websites for contact information for local health departments and State health departments.
Be prepared for a range of situations. The true impact of novel H1N1 flu outbreaks in the coming months will not be known until it happens. Be prepared for a possibility that your facility will have significant increased demand for services and the possibility that the fall outbreak may have greater impact than the outbreak in the spring, 2009.
For more information see the Medical Offices and Clinics Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist.Also sign up to receive regular updates about novel H1N1 influenza, emerging infectious diseases, and other emergency preparedness and response information .
Includes medical offices and clinics as well as offices that provide psychological, dental, podiatric, chiropractic and other clinical services.
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Big Oil Looking Weak on Rising Costs, Weak Prices
Two of the world's largest oil amd gas companies have reported earnings in the past 12 hours or so, and two more will report before markets open tomorrow morning. Royal Dutch Shell PLC (NYSE: RDS-A) and ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) are already out with fourth-quarter earnings, while Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) and Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) are in the wings for tomorrow, and BP plc (NYSE: BP) is on tap for next Tuesday.
Both Conoco and Shell missed earnings estimates for the fourth quarter. Shell blamed rising costs and Conoco blamed its loss of refining income since the spin-off of Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) and lower prices as supplies grow.
Conoco faced a price drop of 31% in bitumen production from the Canadian oil sands, as well as pricing drops of 2.7% for crude and 18% for natural gas liquids. The company figures 2013 full-year production will average 1.475 million to 1.525 million barrels of oil equivalent a day, compared with 1.578 million barrels in 2012.
Shell plans to drill its way to profits. The company said today that it will boost its capital spending from about $30 billion in 2012 to $33 billion this year. By 2017 the company plans to produce 4 million barrels of oil equivalent a day, up from 3.3 million barrels in 2012. Capex spending will have to rise significantly every year in order for the firm to meet its 2017 goal.
Exxon reports quarterly and full-year results tomorrow morning and the consensus estimates call for quarterly earnings per share (EPS) of $2.00 on revenues of $115.22 billion, as well as full-year EPS of $7.91 on revenues of $459.12 billion. Exxon's production fell 7.5% year-over-year in the third quarter, and a similar drop this quarter could stifle earnings. The company has failed to meet EPS estimates in two of the past four quarters, and the estimate for the fourth quarter has dropped by $0.04 in the past three months.
Chevron also reports results tomorrow, and consensus estimates call for quarterly EPS of $3.04 on revenues of $68.64 billion, as well as full-year EPS of $12.48 on revenues of $245.89 billion. Chevron has fallen short of EPS estimates in three of the past four quarters. Production fell by 3% year-over-year in the third quarter, although the company expected production to rise in the fourth quarter. EPS estimates have dropped for Chevron over the past 90 days as well.
BP reports next Tuesday, and it is expected to post quarterly EPS of $1.11 on revenues of $82.63 billion, as well as full-year EPS of $4.91 on revenues of $331.54 billion. BP has its own unique issues, but it too has failed to meet EPS estimates in two of the past four quarters. The current estimate for the fourth quarter is 26% lower than it was three months ago. Third-quarter production was down about 3% year-over-year.
Filed under: 24/7 Wall St. Wire, Commodities, Earnings, Earnings Warning, Oil & Gas Tagged: BP, COP, CVX, featured, PSX, RDS-A, RDS-B, XOM

subset: commoncrawl


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Senate panel OKs controversial antipiracy bill
The Protect IP Act makes it through the judiciary committee, but before it can be passed in the full chamber, it is likely to be opposed by Sen. Ron Wyden. Can he stop the bill from becoming law?
As expected, the U.S. Senate's Judiciary Committee unanimously voted to approve a bill that targets Internet pirates based overseas.
The Protect IP Act looks to hand the U.S. Department of Justice the ability to seek a court order against allegedly infringing Web sites. The order could be served on search engines, certain Domain Name System providers, and Internet advertising firms--which would in turn be required to "expeditiously" make the target Web sites vanish from the Internet.
The bill was backed by leaders of both major political parties and is supported by a wide range of industries, including the film and music sectors. Backers of the legislation say that online piracy cuts deeply into their profits and kills jobs.
"The small businesses, artists, entrepreneurs, software designers, local journalists and every other segment of the creative community support the (Judiciary committee's decision) today," said Sandra Aistars, director of the Copyright Alliance, a group backed by varying copyright owners.
Related links
• Lawmakers want power to shut down 'pirate sites'
• Senate to try again on controversial antipiracy bill
• Senator who opposes antipiracy bill under pressure?
Critics, who include Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, have said the legislation threatens free speech by providing the government with a simple, effective way of silencing critics: brand them copyright pirates. Schmidt criticized the legislation in London last week and went as far as to suggest that Google could continue to fight it even it becomes law.
"If there is a law that requires DNS to do x," Schmidt told reporters, "and it's passed by both houses of Congress and signed by the president of the United States, and we disagree with it, then we would still fight it...If it's a request, the answer is we wouldn't do it."
Before the bill can be passed in the full Senate, it must overcome opposition from Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
"In December of last year I placed a hold on similar legislation, commonly called (the Combating Online Infringements Counterfeit Act)," Wyden said in a statement. "I felt the costs of the legislation far outweighed the benefits. After careful analysis of the Protect IP Act, or PIPA, I am compelled to draw the same conclusion. I understand and agree with the goal of the legislation, to protect intellectual property and combat commerce in counterfeit goods, but I am not willing to muzzle speech and stifle innovation and economic growth to achieve this objective."
Wyden could hold up the bill for an indefinite amount of time. The next move for the bill's backers would be to try to reach some kind of compromise with Wyden.
If a compromise can't be reached, the bill's supporters could try to put the bill up for a full vote in the Senate, where all they need is a majority. Meanwhile, a similar bill is expected to be introduced in the house and opposition there is said to be light.
Updated at 11:05 a.m. PT to include Sen. Wyden's comments.


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- Home
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Watershed FAQs
What is a watershed?
A watershed is an area of land within which all waters flow to a single river system.
What watershed is Amherst in?
The Town's water supply comes from reservoirs in Shutesbury and Pelham, and from town wells located in the Lawrence Swamp in Belchertown and South Amherst. Amherst works closely with these three towns in jointly protecting both surface and underground drinking water supplies.
Is the Town of Amherst connected to the Connecticut River?
Both the Mill River and the Fort River and their tributaries flow into the Connecticut River. Click here for a map showing mill and fort river watershed.
Are the town watershed lands connected to drinking water?
Yes, in fact, the Town of Amherst first started protecting land in order to preserve drinking water in the 1940s. Town owned lands provide a protective buffer around our reservoirs and wells. This buffer helps ensure drinking water quality by filtering rain and ground water.
Why are we protecting land in local watersheds?
Protected land ensures clean water for wells and reservoirs supplying Town drinking water.
Who manages town?owned land in the watershed?
The Conservation Department works in cooperation with the Department of Public Works to manage all town watershed lands in Amherst, Shutesbury, Pelham, and Belchertown. The town employs a Land Manager who is a Licensed Forester and is responsible for management and long-term forest health.
How long have we been protecting watershed land?
Since 1940, the Town of Amherst has maintained significant watershed forest holdings to protect its reservoirs and underground water supplies. In 1941, the Town purchased the Amherst Water Company real estate, which included four reservoirs and considerable acreage in Pelham and Shutesbury, with additional parcels added in succeeding years. The Town now owns approximately one third of the 7,600 acres of land that drain water into the reservoirs, and hopes to increase that percentage when necessary to prevent development that might have a negative impact on the water supply.
Is the land permanently protected?
Yes. All land purchased for watershed protection is covered under Article 97 of Amendments of the State Constitution. To remove such protection, takes a 2/3 vote of Amherst Town Meeting and a 2/3 vote in both the Massachusetts House and Senate.
What guides the town's approach to watershed protection?
Protected land is essential to Amherst's appearance, economy, and well-being. Conservation land helps maintain the town's rural character, provides adequate land area for traditional and modern forms of outdoor recreation, and protects important wildlife habitat for both game and non-game species. Protected farmland provides a permanent base on which present and future farm businesses depend, and helps farm supported (i.e. grain/dairy processing, equipment repairs) businesses maintain a significant presence in Amherst and adjacent towns. Protected land also ensures clean water for wells and reservoirs supplying Town drinking water.
Traditional resource-based economic activities such as agriculture and forestry, and traditional forms of recreation such as fishing and hunting, continue to play major roles in Amherst. The Conservation Commission and Conservation Department need to continue to help keep those traditions and their associated cultural practices viable by working closely with farmers and farmland owners to encourage the farm economy; carrying out ecologically-sound forest and open land wildlife habitat management on Town watershed lands in the three adjacent communities of Belchertown, Pelham, and Shutesbury;
What committees are involved in watershed protection?
The Conservation Commission and the Agricultural Commission are the two bodies in Amherst most involved in land conservation. Land conservation projects are brought to these bodies by staff for their review and ultimate recommendation to town meeting. Other boards and committees may weigh in. Request for funding for land preservation go through the community Preservation Act Committee and Water Supply Protection Committee.
How many acres are preserved as watershed land?
The town watershed holdings are 2,662 acres, with a total of 690 acres in Shutesbury, 1,537 acres in Pelham, 140 acres in Belchertown, and 300 acres in the Lawrence Swamp in South Amherst.
Could I donate my land for watershed protection?
Yes, the town is always open to considering donation of land for watershed protection. For more information on donating your land please call Dave Ziomek, Director of Conservation and Development at 413-259-3122.
Watershed Protection Frequently Asked Questions - Recreation
Are Amherst watershed lands open to the public for recreation?
Amherst does not encourage active recreation on our watershed properties. However, activities like hiking and cross-country skiing are not prohibited. With the exception of the Robert Frost and a short section of the M&M Trail, no other formal hiking trails exist on the watershed forest. Fishing, swimming, and boats of any size in the reservoirs are also prohibited. No motorized vehicles are allowed.
What are the watershed rules and regulations?
Motorized vehicles and all formal recreation areas such as trails and playing fields are prohibited on watershed lands. The only exception is the well-traveled and historic route of the Metacomet & Monadnock Trail as it crosses through the Pelham Reservoir System watershed. Watershed lands are considered restricted open space and allow only informal passive or traditional consumptive forms of recreation such as walking, bird watching and hunting which do not threaten the integrity of the water resource.
Can I use an ATV or boats?
Who do I call if I think there is a problem?
I you have questions, concerns, or discern an emergency situation in the watershed please call the Land Manager at 413-259-3045.
Watershed Protection Frequently Asked Questions – Water Quality/Drinking Water
Where can I find water quality info?
The Department of Public Works publishes an Annual Water Quality Report. The report can be accessed by clicking here.
Where does my drinking water come from?
The Town water supply system currently has seven sources that include:
- Atkins Reservoir in Shutesbury and Amherst
- The Pelham Reservoirs: Hills, Hawley, and Intake
- The South Amherst Wells: the Brown Well in Belchertown, the Lawrence Swamp Well and the Bay Road Well in South Amherst.
What activities impact water quality?
Boating, use of ATVs, septic systems, road run-off, road salt, pesticides, herbicides, and walking a pet and not cleaning up after them.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Evidence of accounting chicanery at Dell
Restatements possible
Dell says an audit committee convened to probe its bookkeeping has found evidence of misconduct and accounting errors that may result in restatements to previous financial results. The preliminary finding, which also disclosed potential deficiencies in the company's financial controls, is the latest announcement to raise doubts about the accounting of the cut-rate PC maker.
As a result of the continuing inquiry, Dell said it would not meet an extension of April 18 for filing its Form 10-K for the fiscal year that ended last month. Dell previously secured the extension because it said the investigation was holding things up.
In addition to the internal audit committee, the SEC and the US Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York are also scrutinizing Dell's finances. Once upon the time, Dell said the investigations were unlikely to result in material changes to previously released financial results. It's unclear exactly what is causing Dell to change that assessment now, but a lawsuit filed last month may provide clues. The class action accused Dell of inflating profits by as much as $800m courtesy of kickbacks Intel paid for being the PC maker's exclusive provider of microprocessors.
It's fair to say the past 18 months haven't been Dell's best. In January the company's board ousted Kevin Rollins as CEO following a slow and painful slide in market share and customer satisfaction ratings. A recall of more than four million laptop batteries last year didn't help matters.
Earlier this month, Dell reported a 32-percent drop in annual net income as revenue from desktop and laptop machines declined. Suddenly, the company's direct model of manufacturing isn't looking like such a strategic advantage.
Dell's shares fell more than 2 percent in after hours trading following today's disclosure. They've slipped a little more than 8 percent since the start of the year. ®


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How to read out the text on the Android TV's screen.
Perform the following procedure.
- Press the HOME button on the remote.
- Select Settings.
- Select Accessibility in the System Preferences category.
- Select Services.
- Select Screen reader, then set to On.
NOTE: The Screen reader function is available with the latest software update. Update to the latest software .


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Ongoing Registered Programs
Year Round
Huckleberry Infant Toddler Centre ~ Monday to Friday, 8am – 5:30pm
Camas Early Years Centre ~ Monday to Friday, 8am – 5:30pm
September to June
Moss Rock Preschool ~ Monday to Friday, 9am – 1pm
Out of School Care ~ Monday to Friday, 7:30am to school start & school end to 5:45pm
Youth Zone ~ Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, after school to 5:30pm
See the specific web pages for current updates.
- This event has passed.
Iyengar – Beginner Friendly
April 28, 2022 @ 1:10 pm - 2:10 pm
Please join this beginner friendly Iyengar yoga class to learn the basics. Iyengar yoga is a practical philosophy and system of postures, promoting physical and mental wellbeing. It is an effective antidote to the stresses of modern life and encourages a fit & supple body. Not only does yoga tone the body and improve posture and alignment, but will stimulate the circulation, develop powers of concentration, and help with breathing. In turn, this will help control tension & calm the mind.
Thursdays, April 14 – May 12


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We rabble defended: The internet is unrepresentative, angry, lacking in critical depth, and needs to be kept in perspective- but it's better than silence [Paul O'Brien at Ninth Art]
When bands get bottled off or comedians die on stage, they don't get to lecture the audience for giving inadequate reasons.
A call for a comprehensive online resource listing only full-line comic shops- no Marvel/DC/superhero-only shops [Alan David Doane letter to Comics Reporter]
Arab superheroes leap pyramids in a single bound [Washington Post] [via WFC News]
Religion is downplayed, and the female superheroes don't get thongs and big breasts.
Optimus Prime Dies of Prostate Cancer [National Prostate Cancer Coalition] [via Polite Dissent]
"When it comes to prostate cancer, there's more than meets the eye," National Prostate Cancer Coalition CEO Richard N. Atkins, M.D. said... "Being a Tractor Truck, Optimus should have known the importance of check-ups- oil, anti-freeze, spark plugs- the works," said Atkins. "It comes as such a surprise- my kids loved that guy."
Posted 28 February 02005 - Permalink


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Danny DeVito joins limoncello market
NEW YORK The saying "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade" has been taken literally by celebrity Danny DeVito, who showcased his namesake label dedicated to the tart fruit yesterday.
Danny DeVito's Premium Limoncello, a 60-proof liqueur made from oval lemons from lemon trees cultivated in Sorrento, Italy, features a tart and sweet taste, and a "scratch and sniff" label. DeVito, an acclaimed actor, producer and director, decided to produce Limoncello in honor of a childhood dream.
"When I was a kid, I sold the best lemonade you ever tasted for a nickel a glass. Now I'm offering the best limoncello you ever tasted," Mr. DeVito said.
In collaboration with Harbrew Imports, Ltd., a Freeport, N.Y.-based importer and distributor, Limoncello is set to premiere nationwide this fall and sell for a suggested retail price of $23.99 for the 750ml bottle.


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Search New Ford F-750SD vehicles in Terrell
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*Manufacturer's Rebate subject to residency restrictions. Any customer not meeting the residency restrictions will receive a dealer discount in the same amount of the manufacturer's rebate
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What makes the F-150 such a great American pickup Truck in Terrell?
- The F-150 is a top-rated American pickup, and it has a legendary 70-year history. It is also the most frequently sold truck in the U.S.
- It's the top-rated truck on the market today, with a comfortable ride, a quiet cabin, and a range of engine options.
- No matter how much power you want the F-150 has an option, you can pick a 3.3-liter V-6 engine, a 2.7-liter twin-turbo, a Power Stroke diesel 3.0-liter V-6, a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6, or a 5-liter V-8.
- You can also add an optional touchscreen infotainment system, 4G LTE Wi-Fi, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking.
- High towing and payload ratings for any job or work site.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Asteroid miners hunt for platinum, leave all common sense in glovebox
El Reg metals expert drills into sci-fi biz
Analysis Isn't it exciting that Planetary Resources is going to jet off and mine the asteroids? This is every teenage sci-fi geek's dream, that everything we imbibed from Verne through Heinlein to Pournelle is going to come true!
But there's always someone, isn't there, someone like me, ready to spoil the party. The bit that I cannot get my head around is the economics of it: specifically, the economics of the mining itself.
In terms of the basic processing of what they want to do I can't see a problem at all, just as all those authors those years ago could see how it could be done.
Asteroids come in several flavours, and the two we're interested in here are the ice ones and the nickel iron ones. The icy rocks, with a few solar panels and that very bright 24/7 sunshine up there, can provide water. That's the first thing we need in abundance if we're going to get any number of people up off the planet for any appreciable amount of time. And we'd really rather not be sending the stuff up out of the Earth's gravity well for them.
It's also true that those nickel iron asteroids are likely to be rich in platinum-group metals (PGMs). They too can be refined with a bit of electricity, and they're sufficiently valuable (say, for platinum, $60m a tonne, just as a number to use among friends) that we might be able to finance everything we're trying to do by doing so.
All terribly exciting, all very space cadet, enough to bring tears to the eyes of anyone who ever learnt how to use a slide rule and, as the man said, once you're in orbit you're not halfway to the Moon, you're halfway to anywhere.
Except I'm not sure that the numbers quite stack up here. I'm sure that the engineering is possible, I'm certain that it's all worth doing and most certainly believe that we want to get up there and start playing around with other parts of the cosmos over and above Gaia. But, but…
Wrap your eyeballs around these fine figures
Start from the size of the platinum market. This is some 6.2 million ounces a year. 6.5 million ounces of virgin material, that is: given the value of the metal some to all of past usage is recycled as well. At our $2,000 an ounce price guide, that gives us a market value of some $13bn a year. That certainly seems large enough to keep a space programme running. (Do note, I'm ignoring palladium, a similar sized market, and rhodium etc, which are much smaller ones. They don't change the final conclusion by their inclusion or exclusion.)
Except that's not quite how markets work. There are demand curves as well as supply ones: sure, a nice high price will encourage new entrants like Planetary into the market. But in order to shift all this new material, prices will have to decline. The important question therefore is how elastic is the market? How far, if at all, will the price fall if a new supplier enters?
From a recent trade report we've seen recently, an extra 250,000 ounces has come onto the market. This has led to a 25 per cent fall in the price of platinum. Ah! Price is very sensitive to an increase in supply, then. Or, if you prefer, demand is very insensitive to a change in price. They're the same statement, really.
Now it's true that such sensitivities do not stay the same as you move up or down a supply or demand curve. As our little economics lesson for the day, think about the demand for water: if you're getting less than one litre a day you'll pay just about anything at all to get more. When you can have a swimming pool full just by turning on the tap then you'll not pay much for each marginal unit. And such demand curves can invert too: when that pool overflows into the basement you'll happily pay to have the water taken away, a negative demand for water.
But back to PGMs. We have something that we know the demand for, in the short term at least, is relatively insensitive to price. An increase in supply of as little as 250,000 ounces - seven metric tons - will drive the price down by a quarter. So instead of the $500m they were hoping for, our lads would only (yes, I know, "only") get $375m. Can we run a space programme on that? The more platinum they try to bring down from space the lower the price gets, and so even more has to be brought down to finance the whole shebang.
Given this problem I thought I'd go and ask Planetary what they thought about it. And I got the answer I was hoping not to hear attributed to the organisation's co-founder Eric Anderson:
If it turns out that we are able to bring back many times of the PGMs that are now used annually here, then we can create a situation of abundance. In this case, if the metals become a 100 times cheaper, then perhaps there will be annual sales quantities will be a thousand larger therefore both the market size of PGMs and their value to society will have gone up by a factor of 10.
The utility of PGMs is diverse from medical devices to catalytic convertors to micro-processors, and more - platinum and other PGMs have fabulous electrical properties and would have many, many uses, if only abundant.
You asked if the markets are large enough to support the mining costs - yes, especially if we are able to bring back so much that the price goes from $1,500/ounce to $15/ounce.
Ah, no, really not what anyone in the mining finance industry wants to hear at all. In fact, I ran this argument past a buddy who evaluates mining companies for inclusion in the London Stock Exchange's AIM. After the coughing and splutters had subsided to mere giggles he said that there is no way at all that he would agree to finance on this basis.
The point being that, yes, of course we all know that at some point in time having lots of platinum around will mean that lots of people will use platinum. There will almost certainly be societal benefits from this happening too. But that's not how you finance a company, from societal benefits. You finance a company from that fraction of those societal benefits you can capture.
An economist would go further: our calculation above about prices was looking at the short-term elasticity of demand. The long-term one will be very different indeed. But while we all recall Keynes saying "in the long run we're all dead", he also said "the market can stay irrational longer than you can stay liquid". The demand for thousands of tonnes of platinum at $15 an ounce may well come about, but it may well also take 20 to 30 years to arrive. And I'm seriously unconvinced that anyone can finance a space project for that length of time from private pockets while awaiting the arrival of that demand.
To sum up… in fact, I wish these numbers would sum up
As an aside, I know a company trying to finance the production of 80 tonnes a year of a different metal. There's currently demand for about 10 tonnes globally per annum. We can all see a possible further 20 tonnes of demand if supply were available. But they need to produce 80 tonnes at current prices to make the sums add up. Having 50 tonnes a year of oversupply would make the 30 tonnes they could possibly sell worth spit. It's not really a surprise that they are desperately struggling to find finance.
So, as I say, I'm all in favour of the Planetary Resources adventure going ahead. Private enterprise in space, sure! Explore the asteroids, get people up there? You betcha. But I don't think their numbers work at all so I'm very glad they're doing it with their money, not yours nor mine.
I did have one further question for them as well. Space law seems to be under the auspices of the United Nations. We've therefore, obviously, ended up with the normal sort of 1960s peace'n'love hippy nonsense. Anyone's allowed to make commercial use of the place.
But there is no concept of private property. You may discover a nice nickel iron asteroid, but you don't own it. You can't own it, stake it nor claim it. Anyone else who can get there is able to come and mine it with you.
Let's say Planetary is able to get to an asteroid worth mining, despite all of the above, and manage to make out in one piece. But as soon as they've proved it's possible (why, says Mr Apple, "how nice to see you here Mr Samsung!") then the plucky biz has no legal method of exclusion.
At which point we'll have several outfits shipping hundreds to thousands of tonnes of platinum back and that would really screw the economics of the project.
By the way, Anderson added:
We would welcome competition in the industry, and the legal structure will be evolving.
Guys, I wish you all the luck in this little blue marble of ours, but I do think this is best described as an adventure, not a business. ®


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Your Child's Immunizations: Chickenpox Vaccine
The varicella vaccine protects against chickenpox (varicella), a common and very contagious childhood viral illness. It also protects against shingles. It is a live attenuated vaccine, which means it contains a weakened form of the virus.
Chickenpox Immunization Schedule
The varicella vaccine is given as a shot when kids are between 12 and 15 months old. They get a booster shot for further protection at 4 to 6 years of age.
Kids who are older than 6 but younger than 13 who have not had chickenpox or the vaccine should get the 2 doses given 3 months apart. Kids 13 years or older should get their 2 vaccine doses 1 to 2 months apart.
Sometimes the varicella vaccine is given in combination with the vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella, in a vaccine called MMRV. Kids up to 13 years old can get this vaccine.
Why Is the Chickenpox Vaccine Recommended?
Chickenpox used to be common in the US, causing many hospitalizations and even deaths. Since the vaccine was introduced in 1995, it has prevented millions of infections every year. It prevents severe illness in almost all kids who are vaccinated. It's also very effective in preventing mild illness. Vaccinated kids who do get chickenpox generally have a mild case.
If a person with no immunity to the virus is exposed to someone with chickenpox or shingles, they are likely to get infected because the virus is so contagious. Giving the vaccine within 3 to 5 days after exposure can help to prevent the infection.
Possible Risks of Chickenpox Immunization
Possible mild effects are tenderness and redness where the shot was given, fever, tiredness, and a varicella-like illness. There is a very small chance of an allergic reaction with any vaccine.
A rash can happen up to 1 month after the injection. It may last for several days but will disappear on its own without treatment. There is a very small risk of febrile seizures after vaccination with MMRV.
When to Delay or Avoid Chickenpox Immunization
The varicella vaccine is not recommended if your child:
- had a serious allergic reaction to an earlier dose of varicella vaccine or its components, which include gelatin and the antibiotic neomycin
- has a disorder that affects the immune system (such as cancer)
- is taking steroids or other medicine that weakens the immune system
- is undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy
Talk to your doctor about whether the vaccine is a good idea if your child:
- is currently sick. Generally, simple colds and other minor illness should not stop your child from getting a vaccine.
- takes aspirin. People who take aspirin should stop for 6 weeks when getting the chickenpox vaccine.
- has gotten any other vaccines in the past month, or blood products in the past few months (such as from a transfusion), because some can affect how well the chickenpox vaccine will work
- has ever had a low platelet count
Your doctor may decide that the benefits of vaccinating your child outweigh the potential risks.
Pregnant women should not get the chickenpox vaccine until after they give birth.
Caring for Your Child After Chickenpox Immunization
Check with your doctor to see if you can give either acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain or fever and to find out the right dose.
When Should I Call the Doctor?
Call your doctor if:
- You aren't sure if the vaccine should be postponed or avoided.
- There are problems after the immunization.
How Vaccines Help
Vaccines keep millions of people healthy each year by preparing the body to fight illness. Learn how vaccines help and get answers to your biggest questions about vaccines.


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Ferris Wheel Press
Ferris Wheel Press Pumpkin Patch Ink Bottle 38ml
Ferris Wheel Press launched their ink collection over 10 years ago, and in that time have become famous for their equally beautiful colours and packaging. We are delighted to partner with another Canadian brand who share our love of fine stationery. Based in Markham, their inks take inspiration from many locations in and around Toronto. The Ferris Wheel Press inks are water-based and compatible with all fountain pens.
- 38ml
- Rich saturated tones with low sheen
- Glass bottle featuring the signature brass nut cap
- Made in Canada


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Canada's economy contracted slightly in October, with real gross domestic product down 0.1 per cent from September.
Statistics Canada says that October's decline in GDP was the first in eight months.
Economists had projected a flat GDP report for October compared with September, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.
Statistics Canada says the month included the biggest decline in retail trade since March 2016.
There were also declines in wholesale trade and manufacturing.
Those declines were only partly offset by an advance in the mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction sector as well as transportation and warehousing services.
The Canadian Press
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Anti-virus hacking contest polarizes vendors
Race to Zero intolerance
Security firms have split over the merits of a hacking contest aimed against anti-virus packages planned for August's Defcon conference.
Anti-virus firm Sophos reckons the exercise will serve only to increase the volume of malware in circulation, further taxing the resources of already hard-pressed security firms. However, net security services firm MessageLabs reckons the proposed Race to Zero competition has some merits as an exercise. It compared the wheeze to penetration testing against corporate networks.
During the proposed Race to Zero contest, delegates to the Defcon hacker conference will be invited to develop techniques to modify supplied virus samples so that these variants are able to evade detection by anti-virus packages. The contest will progress in difficulty leading to awards at its conclusion including "most elegant obfuscation" and "most deserving of beer" as well as an overall winner.
Contest organisers said that the exercise will help to demonstrate shortcomings in signature-based virus detection. They also want to highlight weaknesses among anti-virus vendors exposed by the testing process, which will involve passing modified samples through a number of antivirus engines housed on a closed portal. Modified samples will not be released into the wild, the organisers explain. Results of the contest, a fringe event planned outside the main Defcon conference programme, are due to be presented during the annual Las Vegas-based hacking jamboree.
Despite these assurances some security vendors are less than impressed. Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos, said: "The last thing the world needs is more malware. It's really disappointing to see that Defcon appears to be condoning the creation of malware in this way.
"If people really want to test the quality of different anti-virus products there are well established ways of doing it - and testing industry initiatives like AMTSO [Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organisation] are working hard at improving standards," he added.
Anti-virus firms will be obliged to add detection for malware variants created during the Race to Zero contest in order to ensure that they are not "dinged" in future tests which may include them, Cluley added. "That means that anti-virus researchers will be working at detecting malware that needn't have ever been created in the first place - analysing code inspired by the Race To Zero competition rather than working on detecting the latest malware written by criminal hackers.
"The end result is that detection databases grow in size, require more memory and take up more space on users' computers - all because Race to Zero thought this was a good idea."
Would-be participants in the contest are being encouraged to practice prior to the contest. Another bad idea, according to Cluley. "Race to Zero's website is linking to known virus exchange websites and suggesting that interested parties 'hone their skills' by practising on malware based on those sites. The opportunity for amateurs to make mistakes and release malicious code into the wild is worryingly high."
Other security experts are more sanguine. Alex Shipp, a researcher at web security firm MessageLabs, said at least some of the six stated aims of the contest are likely to be realised.
"I have found research along similar lines to the contest to be valuable in the past, so although the results of this particular contest might not be useful to me, the general idea of investigating my own product by trying to find and fix its weaknesses is valid and seems to me similar to the concept of pen testing," Shipp told El Reg.
Plans to mount the first Race to Zero contest were announced last week in a posting to a security mailing list. Organisers of the contest are yet to respond to a request for comment on the merits of the exercise.®


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Mounira Al Solh & Bassam Ramlawi, Halil Altindere, Rossella Biscotti, Chto delat?, Every Man is a Curator / Jeder Mensch ist ein Kurator. An archive as a tool, Fokus grupa (Iva Kovač & Elvis Krstulović), Siniša Ilić, Sanja Iveković, Janez Janša, Janez Janša, Janez Janša, Lutz Krüger, Marina Naprushkina, Hila Peleg in collaboration with Tirdad Zolghadr & Anton Vidokle, Cesare Pietroiusti, Public Library (Luka Prinčič, Marcell Mars, Tomislav Medak, Vuk Ćosić), Greg Sholette, Mladen Stilinović, Wendelien Van Oldenborgh
curated by: What, How and for Whom/WHW
"Dear art," Mladen Stilinović wrote in 1999, "I am writing you a love letter to cheer you up and encourage you to come and visit me some time". Always acutely aware of his own complicity and involvement, in his address to art Stilinović intimates a set of troubled, poetic, enigmatic and modest observations on the standing of art in the contemporary world, its reception and distribution. But he also questions the value of art, which far too often is translated exclusively in monetary terms, or as he puts it: "quick manipulation, quick money, quick oblivion".
As in several previous shows curated by WHW, "Dear Art" takes its title from a work by Mladen Stilinović, and once again its wager is set on the "classical" exhibition format. Amidst the disillusionment created by the persistent feeling of failure (coming from the fact that attempts for a radical reconfiguration of art and cultural production in general always become almost immediately spectacularized), "Dear Art" insists on the obstinate repetition of what has become the curatorial method. Obsessed with the interconnectedness of art and politics and plagued by the nature of art's "inefficiency," it attempts to ask necessary questions: Why do we still need art, and what is it that we expect to get from art today? What is its promise, and what do we promise it in return? And what happens when this promise is broken, betrayed, and just plain exhausted?
"Dear Art" approaches questions of the artist's autonomy and art's necessity through works that deliberately blur the relationship between engagement, self-referentiality and aesthetics. Engaged with a range of contradictory, heterogeneous methods that affirm endurance, endure indecisiveness, face misunderstandings and reassert allegiances, the works included address the ways in which misunderstanding, confusion, regret, possession, appreciation and devaluation, support and solidarity play out in contemporary art practice, and in defining one's practice in relation to discussions on reconfiguring the field of art and its relationship to the political.
The exhibition is accompanied by a publication, with texts by Mladen Stilinović, WHW and Stephen Wright, which is available for download in the attachment bellow.
The project is supported by:
Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Slovenia
City Office for Culture, Education and Sport - City of Zagreb
Ministry of Culture of Croatia
ERSTE Foundationbr


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Size, comfort & therapeutic
Water Volume:
375 US Gallons / 1420 litres
Height: 99cm / 39″ / 3′
Width: 231cm / 91″ / 8′
Length: 231cm / 91″ / 8′
Seats: 4
Lounger: 1
Capacity: 6
The Grizzly model has room for 6 and features a lounge seat, two captains seats and bench seating for 3 more.
This model is a very good combination of size, comfort and therapy.
Platinum Swirl
*Models displayed are representative of colors ONLY and may not be the model described.
Designers Corner
Check out the technical specifications of this model:
Standard Features
Arctic Spas® come with a range of features as standard!
Click any of the features below to find out more about them!
Optional Features
The ability to customize an Arctic Spas® is one of the best features of the brand.
Choose exactly what you want and need.


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A couple months ago I received an email from Kevin Schraer, a doctoral student at Grand Canyon University in Arizona. Kevin told me that earlier in the year as he was bouncing around the room trying to come up with a dissertation topic he happened upon AJW's Taproom and my column on Grit from back in January. Upon reading the column he was so intrigued with the concept that he decided to devote his research to it. At the time he had no idea what the specific dissertation topic would be but he knew he wanted to write about Grit.
From there he got in touch with Dr. Angela Duckworth at the University of Pennsylvania and they began exploring topic ideas. Given that Duckworth had, through her Grit Scale Instrument, determined the importance of Grit for West Point Graduates, Special Forces candidates, spelling bee champs, and gifted teachers, Kevin knew that she could help him find a topic. He decided to focus his exploration on one key question: Can Grit be taught, learned, and developed or is it more of an innate characteristic? Kevin was zeroing in on a classic nature vs. nurture dilemma. Ultimately, he chose to focus his research on education at the high school level and, at present, is engaged in a thorough research exercise to determine the answer to his essential question.
Subsequent to receiving Kevin's correspondence, I began to think about what ultrarunning could teach us about Grit. As I discussed in the January column, I firmly believe that Grittiness is more common in long-distance runners than in your average person in society, but I also wonder whether Grit is something that can be learned, nurtured, and developed through ultrarunning and, if so, are there ways that ultrarunning can be used to develop Grit in non-runners?
When I think about my own personal situation, I am quite certain that ultrarunning has made me gritty. Prior to beginning my running career in the mid-'90's, I was decidedly less gritty than my score on the Grit Scale suggests I am now. In fact, when I think back to my youth, I was a bit of a wuss! That said, conversely, I know many people who are in the sport today who basically came out of the womb gritty. Has ultrarunning made them even grittier or is it just the natural place for them to be?
So, in this context and based on the fact that I do not have the time or the inclination to commission an actual scientific study, I thought we'd try a non-scientific Grit study right here on iRunFar. Here's the idea:
To participate, please begin by thinking back on your life before you began running long distances and rank yourself on a "Grit Scale" of 1-5 (1 being total wuss, 5 being Chuck Norris tough guy). Then, pick a time in your running career when you feel like everything clicked. It could be in a race, a training run, or even something in your life outside of running. How gritty were you in that moment (1-5 scale)? Finally, how gritty are you right now (1-5 scale)? Enter your ratings in the comment section below the column and if you could also provide a bit of narrative context to your ratings as well as a very short running bio (how old you are, how long you've been running ultras, etc…) we can compile the data and come up with some unscientific, but perhaps enlightening, conclusions about grit, ultrarunning, and personal development.
Bottoms up!
AJW's Beer of the Week
This week's Beer of the Week comes from one of my favorite breweries and one that's been recommended in this space before. Michigan's Bell's Brewery has been pumping out great beer for a while now and their Best Brown Ale is a great choice for these shortening days of autumn. A toasty, malty brown ale with a super-smooth finish, Best Brown Ale is a nice complement to a warm bowl of chili around a crackling fire.
Call for Comments (from Bryon)
AJW spelled things out pretty well. Get to it!


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Over 500 million users world-wide make WinRAR the worlds's most popular compression tool today.
There is no better way to compress files for efficient and secure file transfer, faster e-mail transmission and well organized data storage.
RAR and WinRAR are Windows 7 (TM) compatible, available in over 50 languages in both 32bit and 64bit and several operating systems (OS) and the only compression software that is fully accepted in all countries using Unicode.


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Looking for a new way to power your Raspberry Pi? The raspberryHy project aims to develop a small fuel cell designed for powering the credit card sized computer. It adds a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, a battery, and custom control electronics to the Pi.
The system takes hydrogen in from a compressed hydrogen cartridge and feeds it through a regulator. This passes the hydrogen into the PEM fuel cell at the correct pressure, and creates a potential. The control electronics boost that voltage up to the 5 V required on the Pi's USB port. There's also an electronically controlled purge valve which periodically exhausts the fuel cell.
There's a few reasons you might want to run your Pi with hydrogen. Run time of the fuel cell is limited only by the amount of hydrogen you can store. In theory, you could connect a large cylinder for very long run times. Combined with a battery, this could be quite useful for running Pis in remote locations, or for long-term backup power. The raspberryHy will be presented at Hannover Fair 2014 this month.


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Online Resumes with "Inventory Management"
Aviation Enthusiast
consistent, honest, hard working, enthusiastic, team player, outgoing, willing to learn
Ideal Companies: Airlines, Private companies. I always give my best effort and am willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. I am willing to work for any company who will see my potential and help my advance my career. I Love aviation but am willing to go into other fields.
Melanie Richardson's Profile
resource management
Ideal Companies: bass pro shops, cabelas, usaa, chase, nissan
Tags for this Online Resume: dispatcher
Dynamic in Business Management
Ideal Companies: Motorola, Verizon, Lockheed, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines
Tags for this Online Resume: Business, Management, Manager, Administrative
The top dog of inventory management
Ideal Companies: not sure
Tags for this Online Resume: inventory control
Veteran Educator looking for Challenging Career
I have taught math at the junior high and high school level for 11 years. I have taught everything from 7th Grade Math to Calculus, with extensive experience in Geometry. I currently teach Geometry, Pre AP Geometry, and Statistics. I would like to use my quantitative, analytical, and management skils in a challenging career in the business world.
Ideal Companies: Chesapeake Energy, Dell, Devon Energy
Tags for this Online Resume: Quantitative, Training
purchasing/inventory control
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inventory gurue
Results Driven Purchasing Manager
Solution oriented purchasing manager with exceptional leadership and interpersonal communication skills. Loyal and well respected.
Ideal Companies: University of Richmond, Philip Morris, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Virginia Commonwealth College, Hunton and Williams
Tags for this Online Resume: Purchasing Manager, Procurement Manager, Education Teacher, Buyer, Sourcing Manager, Purchasing and Inventory Manager
Warehouse Management Specialist
High Level Management with an Inventory Managment capabilty
Ashly Paul~ Smart High School Senior with a 4.1 GPA who is an aspiring Corporate lawyer and willing to learn and work!!!
I have been an on-campus intern in a Math and Science educational research program.
Ideal Companies: Legal/ Business/ Counseling
Tags for this Online Resume: Internship, Law, Business, Counseling
Purchasing Mangement
Emphasis on Purchasing/Inventory Management for Electrical Utilities
Ideal Companies: Electrical Utilities, Industrial Manufacturing, Consulting Specialty Firms, Electrical/Utility Distribution.
Tags for this Online Resume: Account Management


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Jay Gruden still loves the read option, but the new Washington coach reiterated that he has no plans on making it the meat and potatoes of the Redskins' offense.
Battista: As the calendar turns
Judy Battista digs into the 2014 NFL schedule to find the patterns that will make a difference when the games are played. **READ**
"We'll have sprinkles here and there," Gruden said in an interview with WSPZ-AM, per The Washington Post. "It's not going to be a major part. I want to make sure that we have other things that we can do besides the read option, because it takes a toll."
As Gruden explains, the toll isn't just on quarterback Robert Griffin III being hit often -- which is an issue unto itself -- it also hurts a team's game planning.
"You have to practice it a lot to be very good at it," he said. "It kind of takes away from the defense's ability a little bit. It takes away from other plays that you need to work on, your protection schemes, your running game, all that stuff. It just takes away from that.
"So we want to make sure that we work on the core running game that we have, the core dropback passes we have. And then once we get going, we get those implemented, maybe sprinkle in some read option."
Last season with the Cincinnati Bengals, Gruden ran some of the better under-the-radar read option plays with quarterback Andy Dalton. Part of the success of those plays stemmed from defenses not being prepared for Dalton scampering. Another was the infrequency with which Gruden utilized the quarterback run.
Dalton is no RGIII, but sometimes you only need a sprinkle of a good thing to make the whole experience sweet.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" breaks out the crystal ball and predicts the potential surprises that could shake up the NFL Draft.


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CBS to Offer March Madness Online On Demand
CBS SportsLine in partnership with CBS Sports, CSTV and the NCAA today launched NCAA March Madness on Demand, an online video player that will stream the first 56 games of the 2006 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship as they are broadcast by CBS Sports beginning on March 16th. The broadcasts will be available on NCAASports.com for free. Users can also access MMOD via links on CBS SportsLine and CSTV.com.
CBS thinks MMOD will attract one of the largest audiences in the history of live streaming events on the Internet. Capacity will be available to provide millions of video streams over the course of the Tournament but to manage the anticipated demand during Thursday and Friday, March 16th and 17th, access to the MMOD video player will be managed using a "virtual waiting room." When demand exceeds peak capacity virtual lines will form. Viewers need to apply for a VIP status to insure quicker access.
Umm...wouldn't it be a hell of a lot easier to just turn on the TV?


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• cosmogony •
Pronunciation: kahz-mah-gê-nee • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: 1. The scientific study of the origin of the universe. 2. A specific theory (explanation) of the origin and evolution of the universe.
Notes: Today's word covers a lot of space, so to speak. I will not have time here to get into all the theories of the universe, just the major ones, which are (1) God created it and (2) the Big Bang Theory. The first of these leaves open the question, who or what created God? The second is that the universe resulted from an enormous explosion of a small ball of compressed matter 10-20 billion years ago. It leaves open the question: where did the small ball of matter come from? Today's word comes with the usual derivational accessories of Latinate words: two adjectives, cosmogonic and cosmogonical, and a personal noun, cosmogonist.
In Play: After a lecture, perhaps on the changes in human perceptions of the world, the famous American psychologist, William James, was met outside the classroom by a little old lady who told him she believed the Earth in fact was flat and was supported by a huge turtle. "But, my dear lady", Professor James asked, "what holds up the turtle?" "Ah", she said, "He is standing on the back of another turtle." "Oh, I see", said Professor James. "But what holds up the second turtle?" "It's no use, Professor", said the little old lady, seeing the logical trap into which she was being led, "It's turtles all the way down!" This is the logical problem of all cosmogonies: infinite regression.
Word History: Today's Good Word ultimately comes from Greek kosmogonia "creation of the world". This compound noun was put together from kosmos "order, decoration, the world" + gonia "begetting". We borrowed kosmos directly, changing only the initial letter: cosmos. Cosmetics comes from the same source. We borrowed it from the Latinized version of Greek kosmetike technike "the art of dressing beautifully", from the second meaning of kosmos. Gonia comes from a particularly prolific ancient root, gen-/gon- "beget, give birth to", found in many words borrowed from Latin and Greek: generate, genus, genetic among them. English received this root via its Germanic ancestors, too, as kin, king, and kind. (We owe a note of gratitude to Susan Ardith Lee, a Lexiterian in the Alpha Agora, for suggesting today's cosmic Good Word.)
P.S. - Register for the Daily Good Word E-Mail! - You can get our daily Good Word sent directly to you via e-mail in either HTML or Text format. Go to our Registration Page to sign up today!


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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Bureau of Prisons has rejected the Army's request to accept the transfer of national security leaker Pvt. Chelsea Manning from the military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to a civilian facility where she could get better treatment for her gender-identity condition. The military will instead begin the initial treatment for her.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has approved the Army's recommendation to keep Manning in military custody and start a rudimentary level of gender treatment, a defense official said Thursday. The initial gender treatments could include allowing Manning to wear some female undergarments and also possibly provide some hormone treatments.
The decision raises a number of questions about what level of treatment Manning will be able to get and at what point the private would have to be transferred from the all-male prison to a female facility.
Manning has been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, the sense of being a woman in a man's body. Civilian prisons can provide treatment, and the Defense Department has argued repeatedly that it doesn't have the medical expertise needed. As a result, the Army tried to work out a plan to transfer Manning to a federal prison.
Officials said Thursday that federal authorities refused the proposal. Officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly by name.
Manning's lawyer, David Coombs, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he was encouraged that the Army will begin medical treatment.
"It has been almost a year since we first filed our request for adequate medical care," Coombs said. "I am hopeful that when the Army says it will start a 'rudimentary level' of treatment that this means hormone replacement therapy."
If hormone therapy is not provided, he said he will have to take "appropriate legal action to ensure Chelsea finally receives the medical treatment she deserves and is entitled to under the law."
In May Coombs had also contended that civilian prisons were not as safe as military facilities.
In a statement, he had said, "It is common knowledge that the federal prison system cannot guarantee the safety and security of Chelsea in the way that the military prison system can."
The Army sends an average of 15 to 20 prisoners a year to civilian prisons. But Manning's appeals have not been exhausted, she's still in the military and her case is of national security interest. Those are factors that normally could prevent a transfer.
According to a complaint filed by Manning, she asked that a treatment plan consider three types of measures: "real life experience," a regimen in which the person tries dressing and living in the new gender; hormone therapy, which changes some physical traits such as breast and hair growth; and sex reassignment surgery. Manning has not publicly said whether she wants surgery, and the proposed plan was not released.
Manning's treatment request was the first by a transgender military inmate, and it set up a dilemma for the department of how to treat a soldier for a diagnosed disorder without violating long-standing military policy.
The former intelligence analyst was sentenced in August for six Espionage Act violations and 14 other offenses for giving WikiLeaks more than 700,000 secret military and State Department documents, along with battlefield video, while working in Iraq in 2009 and 2010.
After the conviction, Manning announced the desire to live as a woman and legally changed her name to Chelsea Elizabeth Manning from Bradley Edward Manning.
Manning cannot be discharged from the service while serving her 35-year prison sentence.


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Just a word to recall Rev. Shu-un Mitsuzen Lou Hartman, a Zen priest and husband of Zenkei Blanche Hartman, the former Abbess of the San Francisco Zen Center, and very much loved in the Zen world in his own right, who left this visible world today.
Our Zazenkai on Saturday will be dedicated to Mitsuzen.
Here is a lovely talk by Rev. Mitsuzen, living on ...
http://www.sfzc.org/zc/display.asp?cati ... ageid=1553
Endless Bows, J


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Edinburgh, UK, 22, Edinburgh College of Art, BA (Hons) Drawing and Painting, graduated July of this year., www.matthewdanielswan.com
That's a tough one; I'd say I make images, mainly through painting and drawings. My work is all character driven and I draw inspiration from a massive range of sources. For my Degree Show, I wrote this about my work... Recent works play on the frenetic visuals of heavily costumed live-action Japanese serials, pulp cartoons and the detritus of consumption as a manifestation of database culture and non-narrative. My work exists through an unapologetic embrace of the above and equally through the spontaneity of the mark making process as an embodiment of a fictitious and absurd arena.... I wrote that right after doing my dissertation (on designer toys and consumerism), It does the job but it's quite heavy on the rhetoric.
Trenton Doyle Hancock is a massive influence. He had a show in Edinburgh a few years back ('The Wayward Thinker' at the Fruitmarket Gallery) and it was incredible. I'm really into the work of Todd Schorr, and Nigel Cooke too, and I've been watching a lot of power rangers recently, the really old stuff from the 70's. I want to reference that in my work, it's so good!
Cheese Burgers all the way, with bacon on top, and chocolate/raspberry milkshake on the side.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Three to offer Sony Ericsson Arc
Curvy phone Blighty-bound
Updated UK network operator Three is to get its mitts on Sony Ericsson's next major smartphone release, the Xperia Arc.
The skinny, curvy Arc packs in a 1GHz processor, a 4.2in touchscreen, an 8Mp camera and runs Android 2.3 - aka Gingerbread. It'll come with an 8GB MicroSD card for storage.
Three didn't say how much it'll charge for the Arc - or when, other than "soon". And it's worth noting that it didn't claim the Android phone as an exclusive, so You'll undoubtedly be able to pick it up on other networks too. ®
And, indeed, Vodafone has now said it too will offer the Arc. Again, no word on availability, but the smart money appears to be on April.


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U.S. Families Learn Truth About Adopted Cambodian Children
Woman at Center of Adoption Scandal Talks to '20/20'
ALAN B. GOLDBERG and DEB APTON
When Judith Mosley decided to adopt a Cambodian child, she thought she was offering a better life to an orphaned child in an impoverished land. She later learned that the woman who arranged the adoption, and hundreds of others like it, failed to share vital information about her daughter -- specifically, that she had family members in Cambodia.
The American woman who arranged the adoptions, Lauryn Galindo, is now facing an 18-month prison sentence for visa fraud and money laundering. "20/20's" Elizabeth Vargas traveled to Cambodia to investigate and meet the women and children at the heart of the story.
"They were commodities to Lauryn Galindo, she created the very market that existed, and she's responsible for that. There are enough orphans in this world to go around without recruiting children that are from happy families," said Mosley, who adopted her daughter, Camryn, through Galindo.
Galindo, an adoption facilitator in Cambodia for 13 years, admits to poor recordkeeping but insists that she was not involved in trafficking children. "I have never been involved or charged with anything other than paperwork errors. And that's what I pled to, that's what I'm going to go to prison for," she told Vargas.
But the U.S. government insists it was more than simple errors, citing what it says is evidence that her adoption business paid Cambodian mothers for their babies, sometimes for as little as the cost of a bag of rice.
Last year, Galindo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit visa fraud and money laundering in 17 cases. She denies baby trafficking but admitted falsifying documents that wiped out the identities of Cambodian children in those cases.
From 1997 to 2001, Galindo facilitated 800 adoptions for American families -- more than half of all Cambodian adoptions. No one knows how many of those orphans were in fact real orphans. Galindo insists it was the responsibility of the Cambodian government, orphanages and her own staff to make sure children were legally abandoned. She says she never checked to make sure they were really orphans.
Galindo told Vargas, "I never wanted to hurt anyone. You have to understand my motivation was pure in helping these children."
"What I pled to was knowing that there was additional information elsewhere to be had. And indeed, I did. And as I said, I made some mistakes," she said.
But her actions caused wrenching emotional pain to women who are grappling with the idea that they are raising another woman's child.
"I went in to adopt an orphan. I didn't go in to adopt a purchased child from a vulnerable woman," said Carol Rauschenberger, who adopted her son, Sam, using Galindo's services.
By all accounts, Galindo's work started with good intentions. In 1990, she traveled to Cambodia. Decades of war and the genocidal murder of nearly 2 million people had destroyed Cambodia and left it one of the poorest nations on Earth. Stories of selling children were common -- whether for prostitution, slave labor or adoption. With thousands of children in need of homes, Galindo set up the first U.S. adoptions from Cambodia. And American couples turned to Galindo for a quick adoption.
Michelle Goff of North Carolina also adopted a child through Galindo. "We got a phone call that said we've got referrals of some little girls out in Cambodia. And our daughter was one of them," Goff said.
But when these adoptive parents arrived, eager to meet the child they had only seen in pictures, they sensed something was wrong.
Rauschenberger said she was rushed straight from the airport to the orphanage, and then brusquely given the child. "They ran out to the car with my son in the nanny's arms and just handed him to me. And they told me just to get in the car and go to the hotel," she recalled.
Mosley had a similar story. "You're whisked in and whisked out of places," she said. "If you want to get home with your child, then just do as you're told and question nothing."
Parents passed the days waiting in hotel rooms for their babies' exit visas and for Galindo to show up to collect, in cash, what she called an orphanage donation fee.
'I Have Another Mother's Baby'
Galindo directed some families back to the orphanage if they wanted more information about their child. At Sam's orphanage, Rauschenberger was told Sam's mother had relinquished him because she had five other children and no husband.
But on the paperwork Galindo had given her just before they left the country, Sam's birth parents were listed as "unknown." Rauschenberger thought it was odd, but she believed that Sam was a legitimately abandoned child and left Cambodia with him.
Then last year, Rauschenberger read a newspaper article that described a guilt-ridden birth mother in Cambodia who told how she was coerced into giving up her baby boy, and she realized the boy referred to in the article was her adopted son, Sam.
"At first, you know, it's almost like your blood runs cold. So I have another mother's baby, that I didn't mean to have. I have the worst-case scenario," Rauschenberger said.
Rauschenberger struggles with feelings of guilt over the adoption, "I think that I was part of a process that I'm not proud of," she said.
Despite Reservations, Americans Take ChildrenGoff became suspicious when the documents of her 16-month-old child showed the birth parents as "unknown." But at the orphanage, she was shocked to learn that for a price she could look into a book of records that contained photos of children and the names of mothers and fathers. Goff saw more details about her daughter's background in the book -- names of her parents and the village where she was from. Goff took her concerns to the U.S. Embassy. But, despite the appearance of fraud, an official cleared Goff and her new daughter to leave Cambodia.
Goff acknowledged she had reservations. "It's like being split in two. You want to be a mother, but you don't want to do something wrong," Goff said. "When you look in the eyes of a child that you think needs to have a parent, and you want to be a parent so very badly again, you can't separate the heart strings."
'Baby Recruiters' Approach Villagers for Children"20/20" visited Liang Kout, a remote and desperately poor border village, to learn more. Villagers there told "20/20" that reports of babies being mysteriously abandoned were false. Instead, they had been sold to an orphanage funded by Galindo in Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh. The children were located by what U.S. authorities call "baby recruiters," who offer young mothers cash for their children -- often as little as $15.
"20/20" spoke with one of the recruiters,
Chea Kim, who said she brought about six children to the Phnom Penh orphanage.
Posters showing pictures of happy Cambodian babies adopted into American homes, were used to entice families to offer up their children. Chea Kim said mothers in her area knew they could receive money for their children. She convinced some them that they could not take care of their children; others brought their babies to her. She never told mothers that their babies would be going to America. The orphanage would pay Chea Kim $50 for a baby. She, in turn, would give a mother about $15 for a child, she said.
One of the mothers who was given $15 for her child was Main Dim, whose child became Rauschenberger's son. He was the youngest of five children and his mother was desperate to feed her family.
"Someone came and told me that if I give the baby to the orphanage, they give you money. I cried when I gave away the baby. I cried," she said. She said she was told her child would stay at the orphanage.
"20/20" also found
Moung Thy, a former orphanage director, who claims Galindo's assistant paid him more than $300 for each of the 10 children he delivered.
Galindo claims that none of her staff ever approached women to purchase their children. But the U.S. government uncovered receipts that it says lists the expenses for the trafficking of babies. One cost was $200 for "nurse care." A U.S. investigator told "20/20" he interviewed two Cambodian baby recruiters who worked for Galindo. Both independently said the "nurse care" fee was code for paying off birth mothers.
Galindo said the fees were paid on her behalf to ensure that the children were well cared for. U.S. agents also found a note in Galindo's home, in her handwriting that says "freelance locators are in the countryside." And just above it, Galindo had written "who brings kids in."
Galindo says she was simply documenting her concern and planned to report this to authorities. "I was, in fact, the watchdog and trying to do my best to help bring the problems to the attention of the Cambodian government," she said.
But a young Cambodian mother, Meas Bopha, told "20/20" Galindo came to her home in 1997 and tried to convince her to sell her three babies for $700. Galindo says she is a liar.
Mosley and her daughter, Camryn, today know the painful truth that Camryn was never the orphan she was alleged to be, but a child recruited from a poor, yet happy family. Although her parents had died, she was living with a sister and had an extended family.
Recently, they made a pilgrimage to Camryn's hometown. "I just miss my country and just want to go back and see my family just to visit," said Camryn.
In 1999, Mosley arrived in Cambodia to adopt what she was told was a 6- or 7-year-old orphan named
Songkea. Mosley met her new daughter for the first time at Galindo's apartment in Phnom Penh. When Mosley asked to visit the orphanage where the girl she renamed Camryn had supposedly been living for four years prior to the adoption, she says Galindo discouraged them from going.
Against Galindo's advice, Mosley says, she took Camryn back to the orphanage at Siem Riep. Once there, Camryn suddenly ushered her mom back to the car and in her native tongue directed their driver down dirt roads and out into the countryside.
"And so I just followed along," Mosley recalls. "And we pulled up outside of a house. And down the stairs came a lady who had a baby in her arms. And the translator said, 'This is Camryn's sister. And, that's her nephew." This was the first time that Mosley realized that Camryn had a family.
The scene was surreal. How could Camryn have a family if she was an orphan? Returning to Phnom Penh, Mosley says she confronted Galindo and told her Camryn had a family. Galindo, she says, responded, "Oh that's nice."
Mosley says it wasn't until she was leaving Cambodia with Camryn that Galindo handed her the English translation of Camryn's documents. On the plane, Mosley was surprised to read that the documents stated that Camryn had lived in an orphanage for four years and oddly, listed her parents as unknown. The information did not match what Mosley had just witnessed.
Later, Mosley would learn the truth -- that Camryn was recruited and that a baby locator was allegedly paid $300 to deliver her to Galindo. Galindo says that she regrets "anything that has been done that brought any pain" to the Mosley family. And insists that to her knowledge Camryn had been properly abandoned. Mosley was the one who continued with the adoption despite her concerns of wrongdoing.
It's been five years since Camryn, 14, has been in Cambodia. But Mosley felt the time was right for her and Camryn to return to Cambodia to visit the orphans left behind and reunite with her family.
As "20/20" followed the Mosleys to the orphanage in
Siem Reap, Mosley was shocked and saddened by the conditions she saw at the orphanage where Camryn had once lived. She questioned where each adoptive family's cash "orphanage donation" of $3,500 had actually gone.
"They are living day-to-day with no money for medicine, barely enough money for food. Where did all that money go?" she asked.
That's exactly what U.S. investigators wondered when, three years ago, they inspected several orphanages sponsored by Galindo and found deplorable conditions. According to the U.S. government, Galindo received approximately $2.8 million in orphanage donations.
Galindo showed "20/20" an extensive list of humanitarian causes and programs she claims she generously funded. But Galindo's list was based on her memory. She was unable to supply sufficient proof to the government or "20/20" to back up her claims. Galindo says she regrets not keeping better records.
U.S. prosecutors say Galindo used part of that money to buy beachfront property in Hawaii and other luxury items. They found off-shore bank accounts and that she even paid for a child of a Cambodian official to go to college in America.
Children's True Identities ErasedNo one knows how many of the hundreds of adoptions Galindo arranged were fraudulent. Adoption advocates like Trish Maskew, who promote ethical adoptions, are outraged.
"We have hundreds of children who've had their identities erased. They can't find out who their birth families are. They can't go back and trace them. They have nothing. They've erased their identities," she said.
Maskew also noted that Galindo wasn't charged with child trafficking because the United States doesn't have a child-trafficking law. While there are laws against trafficking for the purpose of sexual and labor exploitation, they don't apply to adoption.
Despite the pain the families involved in the adoptions expressed to "20/20," Galindo said she feels she was simply helping children. "If I could even save one child from the fate of being in a pedophile ring or ending up on the street sniffing glue, then everything I've done is worth it just for one child. And I have done that for hundreds of children. Hundreds," she said. Nearly two dozen adoptive families offered video testimony to the court, insisting Galindo has been made a scapegoat for a foreign adoption system riddled with corruption.
And if the Cambodian women weren't forced to give up their children, were the adoptions perhaps in the children's best interest? Maskew told Vargas, "If Bill Gates came to your door tomorrow and said, 'I can give your kid everything you can't,' would you hand your child over to him? That isn't what makes families."
Goff wants to know if her daughter, now 4 years old, was a true orphan or a victim of baby trafficking. So with only fragments of information, "20/20" was able to track down her daughter's birth parents. Both of her daughter's biological parents had died of AIDS. Her paternal grandmother gave her up for adoption when her son become very ill and couldn't care for the baby.
The grandmother says she never received money from the orphanage.
Goff was saddened but relieved. "I feel bad for the grandmother. But at least I know it was done out of love, and that Lauryn didn't purchase my daughter," she said.
Moratorium Leaves Children VulnerableSince 2001, the United States and other countries, responding to trafficking allegations, have imposed a moratorium on all adoptions out of Cambodia.
Dr. Nancy Hendrie, who runs the Sharing Foundation, says the effect has been devastating for true Cambodian orphans awaiting homes. "I think for many children all over Cambodia, it has almost been a death sentence. There are children who deserve homes who probably will never have homes," she said.
Maskew acknowledges the moratorium's negative consequences. "I think for children, moratoriums are damaging. But sometimes they're the only thing that keeps more damage from happening," she said.


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No Magic Bullets!
Would that all who will be emailing me for answers with this mentality would read this: There are NO magic bullets! There is no one answer that totally destroys a belief system or answers a point that all will see and be receptive to anymore than there is one wrestling maneuver that will counter all kinds of attacks all of the time from all types of opponents. It is foolish to expect so. There will always be points, counterpoints, and counter-counterpoints, ad nausium. Anyone in any belief system can always put their spin on something and make a claim make sense no matter what the issue. If someone looks diligently enough for answers to the hard questions that trouble their belief system, they will find them. The Mormon finds "evidence" of Jesus having come to the Americas and witnessing to Native Americans regarding himself. The literal creationist finds "evidence" that the earth is 6,000 years old. Even the geocentrists and flat-earthers (rare as these may be) manage to come up with clever ways to respond to even the most sensible debaters who represent true science. Tons of information and misinformation is out there in a tremendous sea, waiting to be preferentially cyphened out by an individual. Psychology is involved in adopting the positions we hold and the lifepaths we choose to walk, factors beyond simple deductive and inductive reasoning. Humans have ways of making even the simplest of things complicated. The search for truth is never a simple one unless you are a gorilla...
1. Here are bananas.
2. I like bananas.
~ Therefore, I will eat them!
Nope! We humans just don't get off that easy! Our 3 pound brains bring us lots of heavy considerations, and there's no way to escape them and live.
The only way to get to the bottom of an issue and "prove" a conclusion is by being able to draw a demonstrable conclusion from an assortment of facts, and this usually requires a good level of knowledge. But this still does not guarantee everyone will accept it, and it shouldn't have to. Instead of getting discouraged at the fact that the hallway of truth is so dimly lit, at times making us uncertain of our own conclusions or whether we can really "know" anything, we ought to realize that the discovery of truth is first a deeply personal thing, then a collective thing. People will not automatically change their views, but one at a time, those individuals will change and come to form a new consensus.
So while it may say a lot to convince someone who does not agree with you, by sidestepping their objections and belief barriers, and leading them down the logical path to clarity of thought, this rarely, if ever, happens. Human nature always gets in the way. A paradigm shift is an arduous process. It takes time and reflection to occur if it ever does, and when it happens, no one ends up being able to take home the bragging rights for it's accomplishment. I have learned through the years to rejoice in the fact that the discovery of truth is of such a personal nature. Indeed, this is the biggest benefit of being able to call myself a freethinker: I don't have to agree with anyone! In the search for answers to the meaning of life, I came to find myself and contentment in the conclusions I draw. This means I am not terribly eager to fall on my face to hear what the "big guns" say about this or that subject. I am not aching to believe something just because someone smart or well known in a field believes it. I am only eager to believe something that rings of truth in my mind, as it "clicks" along the way of inquiry. For most of us, the seed of investigation can only be planted, and in time, may grow into the tree of knowledge that becomes our new world view. The search for truth is a journey, and journeys take time. Sensibility dictates that I must neither expect, nor look for magic bullets to complete the journey for anyone. There are no magic bullets!


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Alexander Wang, batman inspired? There is just something about Alexander Wang that makes me jump for joy every time I see new handbag styles. This time around, it's no different. When I saw the new Alexander Wang Studded Mini Emile Cross Body Bag I instantly fell for it.
This Alexander Wang Mini Emile Handbag is part of an entire collection of similarly studded pieces. I love the bubble-y round studs and the unique batman-esque pattern. I think the pattern has a great edgy vibe to it. Plus there are bonus points to be had for silver tone studs on black leather. I think it's a gorgeous combination. Out of all of the bags in the collection, I think the pattern looks best on the Mini Emile (also available in a regular size Emily). I think it has to do with the contour. It matches with the pattern quite well, rather than fighting it. This bag is super cute and trendy. I love the cross body styling and the tiny satchel-like appearance. It would be great for when you don't need to carry a lot. Perhaps paired with black skinny jeans and a white t-shirt. That would be the perfect tough girl look to showcase this piece.


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2010's top idioms and slang that helped English learners
Source: physorg.com
Cambridge Dictionaries Online have revealed that the top searches by English learners were generally English idiomatic phrases and slang – which are so often hard for learners due to old or strange origins. As such, they are difficult to teach, but if a foreigner can master a handful of them, it can make a great difference in how fluent their English seems.
Phrases such as "eat your heart out" (used in jest to say that someone is better), "right you are" (expressing agreement), "catch a few rays" (to sunbathe) and "no mean feat" (a worthy or great achievement) were among the most searched idioms.
Strangely enough, the top search term was the word "dictionary" – you'd think that people would have had a hard time finding the CDO site without knowing what that word meant!
You can read the full article from physorg.com here.


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
Yes, if you are interested in becoming an approved adoptive family, contact the Child Welfare unit at (434) 799-6540 and speak with an adoption social worker.
Show All Answers
Foster Care is a temporary living arrangement for children who are not able to remain in their home. The goal is for the children to return to their home or to a relative's home. The Court is involved until permanency for the child is achieved.
Some children are unable to safely remain in their home and there are no relatives able to provide a safe living environment.
Raising a child who is or was in foster care is different from "regular" parenting. It can be more challenging; kids in care have experienced many hardships. It can be more complex, but foster and adoptive parents are supported as a part of a team; they receive special training, help to meet children's individual needs, access to medical care for the child and reimbursement for certain expenses.
Good foster and adoptive parents know that, above all, this is about selecting families for children who need them, not just about putting children into families who want them. It takes a village to raise a child—our village, more than ever, needs families to help do this.