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After making a pitch to free agent Justin Schultz, the Vancouver Canucks homered and re-signed new starting goalie Cory Schneider on Thursday to a three-year deal worth $12 million.
Canuck general manager Mike Gillis made the announcement during an evening meeting with ticket holders, checking off the top item on the National Hockey League team's to-do list.
Despite both sides' assertions that there was no rush for a new contract, the Canucks badly wanted to re-sign Schneider before he became a restricted free agent on Sunday, subject to predatory offers from other teams.
"I wouldn't say we feared that, but it would have added a layer of headache that I don't think any of us needed," Gillis told The Vancouver Sun. "This removes a level of uncertainty.
"We're very pleased to have Cory signed. He's a young player who's a very good player, a good person and a good teammate. Why wouldn't you want to have someone like that to be part of your organization?
"Cory has been in this organization as long as I've been here. We've watched him develop ... into one of the top young players in the game. He's a very important part of our hockey team."
And veteran Roberto Luongo, replaced as starter by Schneider in the playoffs last April, is a little less important still.
Re-signing Schneider allows Gillis to more vigorously pursue a trade for Luongo, although the manager reiterated it remains possible that both goalies will be back with the Canucks next fall.
Although the Canucks have been seeking interest from teams willing to absorb the $53.3 million remaining on Luongo's contract, management was uneasy at the prospect of trading him until they had Schneider secured.
Schneider is expected to speak to reporters today.
The 26-year-old's new contract carries him two years beyond his initial eligibility for unrestricted free agency, which is likely why the Canucks had to pay a premium in salary above the $3.5-million Tuukka Rask received on a one-year extension from the Boston Bruins earlier Thursday.
Rask, 25, and Schneider are in remarkably similar situations, emerging goaltenders who are replacing established stars next season. Rask has been in the league three seasons, Schneider two. Schneider was drafted 26th in 2004, Rask 21st in 2005.
The key difference is Rask was not eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer. Schneider was, which is why the prospect of salary arbitration for the Canucks was risky. One way or another, Vancouver was going to get Schneider under contract, but an arbitrated salary would have allowed the goalie to leave the Canucks in 2013.
Arbitration also was a poor option for Schneider, whose $4-million salary is well in excess of what a goalie with his experience — two years as an NHL backup — would typically receive in arbitration.
Canuck assistant general manager Laurence Gilman, who worked through the day Thursday with agent Mike Liut to finalize the contract, conceded before negotiations started that Schneider would probably be paid more than market value due to his potential and the possibility he could replace Luongo.
In short, Schneider was getting handed the keys to the kingdom and he and Liut knew it. But a negotiated contract was always the best option for both sides.
Even at Schneider's new pay level, the Canucks will be saving $1.33 million on Luongo's cap hit if they trade the 33-year-old.
That money will be spent elsewhere in the lineup, possible on University of Wisconsin free agent defenceman Justin Schultz, the most coveted U.S. college product since football television rights.
The 21-year-old from Kelowna, who left school this spring to exercise a loophole allowing him to escape the Anaheim Ducks' organization as an unrestricted free agent, listened in Toronto the last two days to proposals from the hand-picked finalists among suitors, including the Canucks.
Gillis and Gilman made their pitch to Schultz, who is represented by Don Meehan and Wade Arnott.
The Wisconsin standout was No. 43 at the National Hockey League draft in 2008 but is No. 1 on everyone's free-agent list for July 1.
OK, a few people may have Nashville defenceman Ryan Suter at No. 1, but Schultz is no lower than No. 2 due to his tantalizing offensive skills and the NHL rookie salary cap that guarantees no one has to pay more than $925,000 US in base salary for one of the most exciting prospects in hockey.
The B.C. Hockey League grad had 16 goals and 44 points in 37 games last winter.
Some think Schultz to the Canucks is a done deal, but the Kelowna native can't sign until Canada Day.
The Canucks coped fine last season without puck-carrying blueliner Christian Ehrhoff, who left last July as a free agent, but need a defenceman who can skate and run a power play. They've got room in their lineup for Schultz, especially if loyal servant Sami Salo gets tired of waiting around for table scraps and goes somewhere he's worth more than one year and $2 million.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers are believed to be the other finalists for Schultz, although the Minnesota Wild is also in the field according to a report late Thursday. Teams can massage bonus offers a little, but for the most part what they pitch to entry-level players is opportunity and fit.
The Canucks have had Schultz targeted for a while, partly because it is a lean market this year for free agents.
"This July 1 is going to be very different," Gillis said at the entry draft last weekend. "For a team like ours, there are only a few players who make sense and I don't know if they'll be available. Historically, the [free agents] we felt would help our team, we've gone after hard and that's what we'll do again.
"We've planned for this. We've got most of our team in place. We've got all our core players."
And that includes Schneider.


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I talked to her briefly today - I didn't ask, but from what she mentioned about this and that it sounds like she's planning to pay off her car (which is in her name and she's making payments for out of her own money) and is going to spend some and save some of the rest. Paying off her car sounds like a good way to get rid of some debt her DH can't then just rack up again, so I'm glad she's at least thinking in that direction!
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Wonder why he was let go in Denver? Didn't they win a couple of SBs?
On the surface, it looks like Sundquist would be a fantastic hire
Wonder why he was let go in Denver? Didn't they win a couple of SBs?
The Jets had a plan, the guy stepped into a set team. They put no pressure on him at all. The team had a top 5 defense, oline and running game. They made sure he was not pressured by having ready back up looking over his shoulder.
All this baffle gab about them not developing Sanchez properly is simply ass covering for people who thought the guy was really good. Sanchez was a suspect Qb from day one, had about 3 really good games in his career and once the dominant D, oline and running game faltered he fell flat on his face.
No amount of developing was going to help an inaccurate turn over machine.
I'm not saying Sanchez would have been great, but he simply isn't a good enough QB to succeed without proper weapons.
Well if Tony Pauline over at the draft site is correct, and the Jets are looking for a "figurehead" for their GM, then Sundquist could be that guy. He was basically Shanahan's yes man in Denver and could assume that role here for Rex.
He's perfect.
Ex-Athlete = Knows what it is like to compete
Ex-Bobsledder = Likes speed. A risk taker, a little crazy even
Lost chance for life time dream by being injured = He knows what it's like to have your heart ripped out, so he's perfect for the Jets as they keep ripping out the heart of their fans
Apparently Sundquist spoke to Conor Orr and gave him his plan to fix the Jets!


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Study: CMU average student debt at $29,388, third highest rate in the MAC
Central Michigan University had the third-highest average debt of graduates in 2011 compared to other universities in the Mid-American Conference, according to website projectonstudentdebt.org.
CMU graduates in 2011 had an average debt of $29,388, while 73 percent of all graduates had some type of debt. The two MAC universities with higher average graduate debt in 2011 were Bowling Green State University with $33,083 and Kent State University with $29,842.
David Burdette, vice president of finance and administrative services, said in an email loans have been necessary to help many students invest in their futures. However, students have to begin paying back their loans after graduation.
Universities don't see a lot of improvement coming for student debt because of the economic situation in the U.S. and the lack of state and federal investment in helping offset student costs, he said.
"Consider that a decade ago, state funding amounted to 34 percent of CMU's budget. Today, it's less than 16 percent," Burdette said. "There's a role for governments to play if we want to make university degrees affordably available to more people."
In 2011, Bowling Green State University students had the highest average amount of debt in the MAC at $33,083, while students at the University at Buffalo had the lowest average amount at $17,760.
ProjectOnStudentDebt.org also reported that two-thirds of college seniors who graduated in 2011 had student loan debt, with an average of $26,600 per borrower.
Burdette said college affordability is a hot topic nationwide and a common theme for CMU's Board of Trustees, President George Ross and his cabinet.
CMU has taken action to keep education affordable, including adding more than $800,000 in work-study funding in 2011-12, bringing the total work-study funds to $1.1 million; adding an additional $1.1 million in financial aid in 2012-13; adopting the lowest overall cumulative tuition rate increase of any public university in Michigan for the past three years; and increasing the total institutional scholarships and financial aid budget by $14 million in the same three-year period.
One way students can minimize costs is to graduate in four years, Burdette said.
He said CMU has taken an active role to support students on the four-year path by strengthening the academic advising program and launching phase one of a digital planning tool that will help students track their academic progress and graduate on time.
"By graduating in four years, students start their careers sooner and pay less in living expenses, supplies, transportation and personal costs related to college," Burdette said. "This in turn reduces their college debt — by thousands of dollars a year."
Commerce Township senior Megan Yaldo said debt is a concern for many students preparing to graduate. She said student debt can prevent people from being able to afford to travel or move to a new city after graduation.
"It stops you from doing a lot of things you want to do," she said.
Yaldo, who is graduating in August and going into health care administration, said student debt has influenced her decision to wait to apply to graduate schools. She said financial issues can be a big struggle for graduate students because paid internships are hard to find.
"I don't want to add more debt," she said.
Shelby Township senior Chris Burch said his parents have always advised him to not let money be something that's always on his mind, but student debt is something he has been thinking more about as his graduation date gets closer.
"I'm not worried about it yet, but it's more on my mind now," he said.
Burch, who is graduating in May and pursuing a career in acting, said he is auditioning for graduate schools now. He said debt is something a lot of college students have to go through, and it forces some graduates to make compromises because they have to put aside money in order to pay off their loans. He does not want to let the cost of education stop him, however.
"Don't let it govern your future," Burch said.


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text: What's it like in Moberly? Wednesday Mar 27, 2013 at 7:00 AM Mar 27, 2013 at 7:36 AM Today's forecast Debbie Fitzpatrick Today's high will reach 48 with a 20 percent chance of rain and SSE winds at 6 mph in partly cloudy skies. Overnight lows will drop to 35.


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Mosley, St. Bonaventure defeat UMass 99-94
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. — For the second straight game, Eric Mosley set a career scoring high as St. Bonaventure set a season high for points, defeating Massachusetts 99-94 Wednesday night.
Mosley scored 39 points one game after scoring 30 in a loss to Richmond. The senior hit 12 of 18 from the field, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range, and made 10 of 10 free throws.
Chris Johnson added 22 points and Demitrius Conger 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Bonnies (12-13, 5-7), who snapped a two-game losing streak.
St. Bonaventure led 38-31 at halftime but UMass took a 57-56 lead with 12:43 left. Five lead changes and five ties followed, with Yousso Ndoye's layup putting the Bonnies ahead 91-90 with 1:12 left. St. Bonaventure led the rest of the way.
Chaz Williams led UMass (16-9, 6-6) with 26 points and 12 assists. Terrell Vinson added 20 points.


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Iraq, 1908-1921: A Socio-political Study
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O'Reilly Book Excerpts: Programming Visual Basic for the Palm OS
Building Palm Conduits, Part 2
Related Reading
Programming Visual Basic for the Palm OS
In this excerpt from Programming Visual Basic for the Palm OS, learn how to design conduits using VB for the Palm OS.
Conduit Design
There are several major design principles for a conduit. The first, and most important, is that the conduit runs as quickly as possible. No one wants to wait while synchronization grinds on and on. Honoring the fast and slow sync flags will help you to optimize performance. A fast conduit also minimizes the use of the Palm device's serial port. This is important, because serial port use can drain the PDA's batteries very quickly.
The second principle is that a conduit must always move application data in a natural way between the Palm device and the desktop. Your user relies completely on this behavior. She also relies on the conduit to restore all data in case of a disaster. If your conduit is not correctly implemented, or has bugs, user acceptance of your application will suffer greatly.
A third principle is that your conduit must be able to run without attention from the user. While this is a good design principle for software in general, it is especially important for a conduit. This is because the user might be synchronizing from a remote location, communicating with the HotSync manager over a modem or network connection. The user will not be able to respond to any prompts or dialog boxes that a conduit might display on the desktop. This will cause the entire HotSync session to hang.
Palm provides some more design guidelines in the C/C++ Conduit Companion; you should certainly study those before implementing your own conduit.
If you are building a mirror-image conduit, then follow the logic diagrammed earlier in Tables 4-2, 4-3, and 4-4, as they apply to your application. If you don't allow desktop editing of data in your application, for example, then your conduit doesn't have to support it, either.
Having a user interface and allowing the user to override the conduit's default behavior will help you achieve acceptance. If at all possible, support uploading or downloading all records from your user interface.
Note that if your Palm database design maps into a relational database, and you used the AppForge database tools described in Chapter 4, then you can likely use the Universal Conduit. We discuss the pros and cons of the Universal Conduit in Chapter 5, and show you how to use it to integrate SQL Server data into your applications.
When Not to Use a Conduit
Not all synchronization situations require you to implement a conduit. It is perfectly appropriate to make a new database from scratch and download it to the device, if you know that all or most of your application's data has changed.
Simply generate your database from the new data, and put it in the HotSync installation directory.[2] The database will be automatically deployed to the device with the next synchronization, overwriting any existing PDA data in the process. If your application has a database that is read-only, and that is periodically refreshed, you can use this technique. If your sales department produces a list of prices that changes monthly, then you don't need to execute a conduit every day.
In This Series
Building Palm Conduits, Part 4
Building Palm Conduits, Part 3
Building Palm Conduits, Part 1
Not having a conduit can greatly simplify the distribution of your application. You don't have to worry about developing an installation script for your conduit and its associated runtime objects.
If the Palm Desktop is configured properly, the Windows default shell action for PRC and PDB files is to call the Palm Instapp.exe program, which will copy the file into the Palm desktop installation directory.
This means that you can post your database files on the Web or in ZIP archives. When your user downloads or extracts your file and double-clicks it, it is queued for installation at the next HotSync.
Installing the CDK
The Conduit Development Kit (CDK) is freely downloadable from the Palm web site.[3] The CDK contains libraries and runtime bindings for VB and COM, as well as the C/C++ language. The InstallShield wizard puts everything into the directory you select (see Figure 4-3).
You can choose to install only the COM libraries, samples, and documentation by using the custom installation procedure and deselecting the C/API. We recommend performing a full installation, because the C/API contains some additional documentation you will find useful.
The Com folder contains the VB tutorial and sample projects, an installation tool, and another directory that simply contains links to the documents mentioned above. Most of the sample projects in the CDK are primers that focus on explaining at most one or two parts of the CDK. There is also a longer example, SyncSamp, which replaces the default Memo conduit and illustrates a complete conduit.
The Common folder contains the CDK programs and libraries used when developing conduits. This folder also contains the documentation, in both Adobe PDF and Microsoft Help formats. Earlier releases of the CDK runtime are supplied for backward compatibility; these won't help you, because only the most recent release supports VB development.
If you have the Palm desktop software installed on your development machine, as is required to run AppForge, there are some issues you should be aware of when you install the CDK. By default, your system uses the HotSync manager that was installed with the Palm desktop software. Unfortunately, the ActiveX objects needed to develop and debug conduits are not installed with earlier releases of the Palm desktop.
If you have the luxury of developing your applications and software on separate computers, the following step is unnecessary. Otherwise, you will have to alter the desktop configuration so that the new HotSync manager runs during the synchronization process. Use the Microsoft RegEdit.exe tool, and alter the two registry keys as shown in Example 4-1. Note that the location of the updated HotSync manager depends on where you installed the CDK on your filesystem.
Example 4-1: Registry settings for HotSync manager
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\U.S. Robotics\Pilot Desktop\Core
HotSyncPath = C:\CDK401\Common\Bin\C4.01\Hotsync.exe
Path = C:\CDK401\Common\Bin\C4.01
This is a good time to run the CDK tutorial SimpleDB, which shows how to run and debug a program under the control of the HotSync manager. This is how all conduits are executed, and it is important that you get comfortable with this environment. Running the tutorial also ensures that all of the CDK components are properly installed, and that the new HotSync manager is running correctly.
To run the tutorial, use the CondCfg.exe program to register the VB development environment as a conduit. Once the HotSync manager calls the VB IDE, you are in control and can test and debug your conduits with all the powerful VB features to which you are accustomed.
Let's walk through the steps required to configure the tutorial. Start the CondCfg.exe tool to show all the currently registered conduits, and to add, edit, and delete conduits. If you are developing on your own Palm desktop, be careful not to disturb the settings for the native Palm applications! We disable all conduits except those actually under development; this both increases the speed of the synchronization process and provides some security from data corruption. Press the
Add button to bring up the
Conduit Information dialog, into which you enter the settings for your conduit (see Figure 4-4). First, you must enter
ComConduit.dll in the name field. The HotSync manager uses this DLL to locate and instantiate COM conduits.
Because each conduit handles exactly one application on the Palm device, you must enter the unique Creator ID of your application. (There must be only one conduit registered for any Palm application. CondCfig.exe will not allow you to register a second conduit for the same application, or, more precisely, an application with the same Creator ID).
TIP: If there is no application on the Palm device with this ID, then the conduit will not run. You must install your Palm application first.
For our sample conduit, we entered
Ch4a as the Creator ID. In addition, we entered
Ch4aDB in the optional remote database field. As we'll see later, the HotSync manager provides the conduit with a more accurate list of databases during an actual synchronization session.
In the extra information group box at the bottom of the dialog, select the
Conduit radio option button. Enter the full path to the VB IDE in the COM client field.
Leave all the other fields blank or with the default values. These settings were shown earlier in Figure 4-4. Press the
OK button to register the new settings, and restart the HotSync manager. Then exit the configuration tool.
Now put the Palm device into the cradle and press the HotSync button. Although the synchronization process runs normally, the VB IDE doesn't activate. That is because the HotSync manager could not find an application on the Palm device with a Creator ID of
You will need to download our sample application for this chapter and install the application file Ch4a.prc. After the application is installed, perform a HotSync one more time. This time, the HotSync manager on the desktop displays the message
Status: Synchronizing COMConduit, and the VB IDE pops up.
Now you can test your environment by opening SimpleDB.vbp in the CDK Tutorial folder. This VB project opens the native Memo application, and reads all the records that match a search term. Set a breakpoint in the button click event, and press
F8 to step through the program. Note that Palm device displays
Synchronizing Memo Pad, because the Memo database has been opened during a HotSync session. You are now communicating as a conduit with the Palm device from VB!
If the VB IDE doesn't appear, put the HotSync manager into its verbose mode. First, stop the HotSync manager by right-clicking on its icon in the Windows system tray, and select
Exit. Next, restart the HotSync manager with the
-v option from the command line. After synchronizing, you can review the diagnostic log for errors. To do this, right-click on the icon and select
View Log.
If the SimpleDB project doesn't connect to the Palm, or exhibits other errors, check that the Palm conduit references are set correctly (these are shown later in this chapter in Figure 4-7). You do this from the VB IDE by choosing the
References option from the
Project menu. If these references are missing, try registering those ActiveX libraries by hand and restarting VB.
Nuts and Bolts
If you stepped through the SimpleDB CDK sample project, you saw that the VB code manipulated the Palm device's databases and records using COM objects. Let's dig a little deeper into the HotSync architecture to see how a conduit communicates with the Palm device.
Recall from Figure 4-1 that the COM Sync Suite provides the interface to the HotSync manager and the Palm device.
The Sync Suite itself has several layers to isolate its interface from the underlying details of the HotSync application and to support both VB/COM and C/C++ conduits. This layered approach frees the VB programmer from worrying about messy details such as which serial port the HotSync manager is using to communicate with the Palm device.
To simplify conduit development, the Sync Suite provides COM objects and classes that encapsulate the HotSync manager, the user, and databases on the Palm device. A utility class is provided to handle things like Motorola byte ordering and unique record identifiers.[4] These classes and their relationships are shown in Figure 4-5.
There are VB projects in the CDK that cover these objects and interfaces. Rather than enumerate all of them here, we will discuss the major ones we encounter as we develop our simple conduit. Once you understand the framework, you can use the VB Object Browser and the Conduit Reference manual to find the special properties you need for your conduit.
The HotSync manager expects your ActiveX conduit to implement the IPDClientNotify interface, which it calls when it needs your services, either to synchronize or to access configuration settings and preferences.


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Exercise in inefficiency leads to experience in engineering
November 21, 2012
As a member of St. Olaf College's 2012 Rube Goldberg team, Michael Paradis '13 helped create a contraption that used 191 steps simply to pop one balloon.
Ironically, this exercise in inefficiency provided Paradis with skills that have served him well throughout his mechanical engineering internship at Honeywell International, which manufactures everything from home thermostats to air traffic control computer systems.
"It's kind of funny that my experiences building a machine designed to perform a very simple task in the most inefficient way possible with a bunch of crazy friends would prove indispensable as a mechanical engineering intern at Honeywell," Paradis says.
Paradis, who is majoring in mathematics and physics at St. Olaf, began interning at Honeywell this summer. When the summer ended, he was given the chance to extend his internship into the school year. So this semester he's working part-time on engineering projects while also getting academic credit for the experience.
Throughout the summer Paradis helped fix design flaws in Honeywell's residential air duct systems by designing and performing mechanical tests on the existing systems. These tests helped show exactly how the air duct systems could be improved in future designs.
|Members of St. Olaf College's 2012 Rube Goldberg team — including Michael Paradis '13, far right — pose with faculty advisor Jason Engbrecht, associate professor of physics (holding trophy), shortly after winning this year's national championship. St. Olaf has earned two first-place finishes and a second-place finish since it began competing in the engineering competition in 2009.
Beyond making these engineering tests, Paradis also collaborated with a number of employees working in nearly every stage of the manufacturing process.
"I acted mainly as an intermediary between senior engineers, machinists, electricians, factory workers, and many other Honeywell employees from both Golden Valley, Minnesota, and Tianjin, China, to construct testing environments, equipment, and procedures," Paradis explains.
Working on the Rube Goldberg machine was probably the best training Paradis had for this internship, but his classes and labs in the Physics Department also helped prepare him for this hands-on engineering work. And, of course, many classes outside of his majors have given him the skills necessary to succeed at a place like Honeywell.
"Although it's a cliché to say this," Paradis says, "I found it very true that the broader skills of versatility and creativity learned on the Hill are just as important as the more specialized skills."
This fall Paradis is continuing to work with residential air duct systems, but this specific project has been moved from Minnesota to Tianjin, China, which has provided even more learning experiences.
"Although the communication and the time barrier can be a struggle at times," Paradis says, "it is a great experience to see the inner workings a multinational company like Honeywell."


text:
Blastomycosis is an infection caused by breathing in the Blastomyces dermatitidis fungus. The fungus is found in decaying wood and soil.
Causes of Blastomycosis
You can get blastomyocosis by contact with moist soil, most commonly where there is rotting wood and leaves. The fungus enters the body through the lungs, where the infection starts. The fungus then spreads to other parts of the body. The disease may affect the skin, bones and joints, and other areas.
Blastomycosis is rare. It is found in the central and southeastern United States, and in Canada, India, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Africa.
The key risk factor for the disease is contact with infected soil. It most often affects people with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV or who have had an organ transplant. Men are more likely to be affected than women.
Blastomycosis Symptoms
You may not have any symptoms if the infection remains in the lungs. The following symptoms can develop if the infection spreads to other parts of the body:
Lung infection may not cause any symptoms. Symptoms may be seen if the infection spreads. Symptoms may include:
- Bone and joint pain
- Chest pain
- Cough (may produce brown or bloody mucus)
- Fatigue
- Fever and night sweats
- General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling (malaise)
- Muscle pain
- Unintentional weight loss
Most people develop skin symptoms when the infection spreads. You may get papules, pustules, or nodules on exposed body areas.
The pustules:
- May look like warts or ulcers
- Are usually painless
- Vary in color from gray to violet
- May appear in the nose and mouth
- Bleed easily and form ulcers
Over time, these skin sores can lead to scarring and loss of skin color (pigment).
Tests and Exams
- Chest CT scan
- Chest x-ray
- Skin biopsy
- Sputum culture and examination
- Tissue biopsy
- Urine culture
Treatment of Blastomycosis
You may not need to take medicine for a mild blastomycosis infection that stays in the lungs. Your doctor may recommend the following antifungal medicines when the disease is severe or spreads outside of the lungs.
- Fluconazole
- Itraconazole
- Ketoconazole
Amphotericin B may be used for severe infections.
Follow up regularly with your doctor to make sure the infection does not return.
Prognosis (Outlook)
People with minor skin sores (lesions) and relatively mild lung infections usually recover completely. The infection can lead to death if not treated.
Potential Complications
- Large sores with pus (abscesses)
- Return of the infection (relapse or disease recurrence)
- Side effects from drugs such as amphotericin B
When to Contact a Health Professional
Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of blastomycosis.
Prevention of Blastomycosis
Avoiding travel to areas where the infection is known to occur may help prevent exposure to the fungus, but this may not always be possible.
Kauffman CA. Blastomycosis. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 342.
Related Images
|Review Date: 8/31/2014
Reviewed By: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Further information
Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.
© Copyright 1997- 2018 A.D.A.M., Inc.


text:
WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- Break out the rain boots, Westchester County, as the forecast calls for a wet and windy weekend -- with possible snow mixed in on Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service.
Temperatures will climb into the high 40's and possibly low 50's, but moderate to heavy rain will fall all day Saturday.
The rain will continue throughout Sunday as well, but temperatures will dip into the low 40's with windy conditions. Winds could gust up to 35 mph on Sunday.
Westchester County could receive nearly 3 inches of rain over the whole weekend.
Temperatures will hover around freezing on Sunday night and some snow could mix in with the rain, especially after 3 a.m. Monday morning. A mix of rain and snow is likely through 9 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Click here to see the National Weather Service forecast .
Click here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts.


text:
In a new twist on a centuries-old tradition, the Rev. Sheila McJilton of St. Philip's Episcopal Church offered Ashes to Go at the Laurel MARC station during the morning commute on Ash Wednesday.
"Ashes to Go is a way to bring the presence of God into the world," McJilton said in a release. "God is not found just withing church walls."
This is the first year St. Philip's is participating in a national movement that brings clergy out of churches and into public places, such as coffee shops and train stations, to mark foreheads with ashes, following the Christian tradition of starting the holy season of Lent.
"Others have found that folks on the street, at intersections, on train or Metro stations, really do want to make a connection between their spiritual lives and their daily lives," McJilton said. "St. Philip's hopes to help make that happen here in the community of Laurel."


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This new collaboration will kick off with Aksys Games distributing Rising Star Games' first U.S. title, Akai Katana, a side-scrolling bullet hell adventure for the Xbox 360. Akai Katana will be releasing later this spring, and places players in a parallel world resembling Japan's Taisho period. Utilizing the power behind the world's Blood Swords for leverage, schmup (shoot 'em up) fans will fight alongside their rebel warrior kin as they seek to regain peace and order by taking on a fierce empire of tyranny.
"I am excited to finally bring Rising Star Games compelling video games to the USA," said Martin Defries, president of Rising Star Games. "We have, in line with our approach to publishing in Europe these past years, decided to come to the market by partnering with experts in their field. Aksys Games offers an expertise and know-how that will define our success across 2012."
"We are also very excited to become an important role in introducing Rising Star Games' video games to the U.S. market," said Akibo Shieh, founder and CEO of Aksys Games. "We believe Rising Star Games can effectively launch and expand their business in the North American territory by utilizing our in-house sales and logistic resources. At the same time, we are very confident that our combined efforts will create a synergy and increase brand awareness for both Rising Star Games and Aksys Games."


text:
THE SQL Server Blog Spot on the Web
Data Explorer will speed up and simplify your data analysis by at least an order of magnitude. It makes data just work for me. No fighting or struggling, it just works. Step 1. Go here and download the Data Explorer Preview for Excel 2013 or Excel 2010.
Step 2. Install Data Explorer.
Step 3. Start Excel. Don't hold back, go all out and Enable Advanced Query Editing.
Figure 1. Check Enable Advanced Query Editing.
Step 4. Open a workbook.
Step 5. Click DATA EXPLORER.
Figure 2. New DATA EXPLORER tab in Excel 2013. Click Online Search to quickly find data.
Step 6. Click Online Search. Search for something that interests you. I picked one of my research interests, infant mortality.
Figure 3. Search results showing online data sources.
Until you do this, you will not appreciate how ultra cool this really is. When you do a mouseover on any of your search results, the Preview tab shows you what the data will look like when pulled into Excel. True WYSIWYG.
Notice that the search result that has mouse focus has a USE hyperlink. Click USE to actually bring the data into Excel. Again, until you do this, it's difficult to appreciate how well this feature works. Go take a look here at the data I selected. The text on the Wikipedia page was consumed and loaded into Excel. That is extremely powerful and useful.
Here's how to use Data Explorer to navigate data on the web.
Figure 4. Click From Web and enter the a URL of a web page containing data.
The Query Navigator appears. Notice that it provides navigation to all of the consumable data sources on the page.
Figure 5. Query Navigator.
Easy. Powerful. Quick. Once Data Explorer was added to Excel, it took me much less than 2 minutes to search for my data, preview it, select it, import it, and then examine it further with the Navigator.
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Subscribe to this post's comments using
Thx, that was what I was looking for ..I had sometimes difficult to bring it into excel..
Hey John,
Great article, Data Explorer is turning out to be a really interesting tool. Our DaaS platform, www.quandl.com has a lot of potential to work with it, as we have over 4 million datasets that can be pulled in through DE, or other tools and packages. We're currently trying to figure out how it can integrate best, but for any readers looking to try it out, any of our datasets can be used with it right now. As well, if anyone has any feedback, would love to hear it.
Nice and useful feature...thanks John for sharing this


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Bears coach Lovie Smith didn't shed any new light Wednesday afternoon on the condition of concussed quarterback Jay Cutler, except to say, "He's getting better."
Because they don't play the San Francisco 49ers until next Monday night, the Bears didn't practice Wednesday. But even when they return to the practice field on Thursday, Cutler isn't expected to participate after getting knocked out of Sunday night's game following a hit shortly before halftime.
"We're still evaluating him," Smith said. "He's meeting with people, seeing medical staff, our trainers and all of that."
Smith was unsure if Cutler would be treated differently because he has had concussions in the past, most recently 25 months ago when he was sacked nine times in the first half against the New York Giants.
"We will do everything possible to get him back up to par and all of that," Smith said. "Whether it's two (concussions) or whatever, he's not going to go back, he's not going to start practicing, until he is completely healed and ready to go. He won't play of course until there are no issues with that. It will all take care of itself."
The NFL fined Texans linebacker Tim Dobbins, whose helmet-to-helmet hit did the damage to Cutler, $30,000 on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Despite the severity of the collision, Smith said he wasn't focusing on any long-term concerns with Cutler.
"I'm just worried about the one (concussion) that he had the other night," Smith said. "You can't look into the future or anything like that. Every case is different. Jay's feeling a whole lot better, I just know that. It will all play out."
In the likely event that Cutler doesn't play, Smith says he's confident in backup Jason Campbell, who has started 70 NFL games in his previous seven seasons.
"We like our backup plan at the quarterback position," Smith said. "We like Jason Campbell; been saying that all along, and the reason why we like him is based on what we've seen from him in meetings, practice field, training camp, all those different situations.
"We brought him here for a situation like this, if it comes. If Jay can't go, we have a good backup plan, and that's the best position you can be in if your starter can't go. Jason Campbell has played good football in the NFL. He came in with a limited amount of reps Sunday night and did an OK job. If he has to play this week, he'll do an even better job."
Campbell's career passer rating of 82.8 coming into this season was only slightly lower than Cutler's 84.5. But he hasn't started a game in more than a year, not since Oct. 16, 2011, when he suffered a fractured collarbone against the Browns that ended his season with the Oakland Raiders.
Center Roberto Garza said the transition to Campbell wouldn't be difficult.
"We've been around him all off-season and training camp," Garza said. "We've heard his cadence. It comes down to just hearing the plays and going out there and executing. We don't have to do anything different; we just have to do it better."


text: Today is John Williams's 81st birthday. The Boston Pops is asking fans of the Oscar-winning composer and conductor to send him their best wishes at www.twitter.com/thebostonpops and www.facebook.com/thebostonpops. (Williams does not have his own Twitter account, but the Pops will pass on the messages). The Pops has also released a live recording of Williams's Oboe Concerto written for oboist Keisuke Wakao. This version of the piece was recorded at Symphony Hall in 2011. You can find it at BSO.org.


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On Queen and Country at 7 pm on Sunday, the queen visits some of the 16 realms that make up the Commonwealth.
When babysitter Jessica Lake is discovered dead, Lewis and Hathaway are drawn into diverse new worlds beyond the usual Oxford colleges — squats and swinging suburbia, monkey labs and fetish photography on Masterpiece Mystery at 8 pm Sunday.
When controversial American academic, Paul Yelland, is invited to speak at Oxford's Department of Criminology, it stirs up a lot of deep-seated emotions. And when he is found strangled in his room later that night, Lewis and Hathaway have several suspects who fall into the frame on Masterpiece Mystery! at 9:30 pm Sunday.
At 7 pm Monday, host Mark L. Walberg wraps up Antiques Roadshow visit to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a stop at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where he's joined by appraiser Alasdair Nichol.
On Market Warriors at 8 pm on Monday pickers encounter some southern hospitality at the Lakewood 400 Antiques Market just outside Atlanta to find vintage advertising.
At 9 pm Monday, host Mark L. Walberg meets appraiser Kathleen Bailey at Denver's Kirkland Art Museum to view its collection of wild-looking Art Deco glassware known as Ruba Rombic Antiques Roadshow.
Travel around the country with host Yul Kwon to understand its intricacies, its vulnerabilities and the remarkable ingenuity required to keep the electricity on, every day of the year on America Revealed at 10 pm Monday.
History Detectives explores the complexities of historical mysteries, searching out the facts, myths and conundrums that connect local folklore, family legends and interesting objects at 7 pm at Tuesday.
Ken Burns' The War, a seven-part series focusing on the many ways in which the Second World War impacted American towns and families, continues this week with episodes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 8 pm.
On Story takes a look at the creative process of filmmaking through the eyes of some of the entertainment industry's most prolific writers, directors and producers at Tuesday at 10:30 pm.
On Wednesday at 7 pm Nature looks into the precarious fortunes of the wolves, falcons, snowy owls, musk oxen, lemmings, and Arctic foxes.
M. Ward graduates from guest spots to his own headline Austin City Limits performance and Austin indie rock favorite Okkervil River follows on Wednesday and Friday at 10pm.
World-renowned classical guitarist Jorge Caballero performs the classic work Pictures At An Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky on Arts In Context at 7 pm Thursday. Additional performances by Miro Quartet and Classical Guitar Orchestra.
The Barnes Collection offers an exclusive look at thousands of magnificent works of art by Picasso, Cezanne, Renoir and Matisse on Friday at 9pm.
Get fire-wise tips for plants around your house on Central Texas Gardener Saturday at noon. Visit a native plant garden that restored wildlife in a wildfire-sensitive design.
Fresh and seasoned indie rock hits the Austin City Limits stage on Saturday at 7pm with the Seattle's the Head and the Heart and British veterans Gomez.
Julia McKenzie is back as Agatha Christie's detective with a gentle smile and probing mind in Masterpiece Mystery: The Pale Horse on Saturday at 8pm.


text:
FranklinCovey Sending A Trademark C&D Over '7 Habits' Appears To Violate A Few Of The '7 Habits'
from the seven-habits-of-highly-effective-legal-fluffery dept
That said, if you look at the actual Seven Habits, it looks like this action by FranklinCovey violates a few of them along the way (suggesting, perhaps that FranklinCovey isn't as "effective" as it would like you to believe). For example, habit four is "think win-win." That's sort of the opposite of sending a C&D. A win-win would have been to contact the comic author and talk to him and figure out an effective solution that worked for both parties, that didn't involve legal threats and the risk of having to pay lots of money for creating a simple parody. Habit five is to "Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood." And yet, FranklinCovey's lawyers did not appear to do this at all. They did not realize this is a webcomic, and not competitive. There is simply no likelihood of confusion here at all. None. And then there's the whole parody thing. Perhaps it's time to cross those habits off the list?


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Uwe Rosler invoked the Hand of God to explain Brentford's stunning performance against Chelsea after watching them go within seven minutes of one of the great FA Cup shocks at Griffin Park.
In what has been a season of amazing upsets in cup competitions, Rosler's Bees almost topped them all after pushing the holders to the brink of a humiliating defeat. The npower League One high-fliers twice led but were denied by Fernando Torres' late equaliser in the 2-2 draw, setting up a replay at Stamford Bridge next month.
Chelsea might have even snatched a stoppage-time winner had Harlee Dean been penalised for handling Juan Mata's cross in the area, but Rosler said: "We deserved that luck from what we have put in compared to what Chelsea put in over the 90 minutes. There is a football god up there and he is on our side."
Copyright (c) PA Sport 2013, All Rights Reserved.
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text:
NPR's business news starts with high debt and low wealth.
INSKEEP: Since the financial crisis, many Americans have been saving money and paying down debt. Many are in better financial shape than a few years ago. But when you look at the longer term, it is clear that Americans as a whole have not regained all the ground they lost.
The Census Bureau compared Americans in 2011 with their wealth and debt burdens in that seemingly long-ago year, 2000.
NPR's John Ydstie reports.
JOHN YDSTIE, BYLINE: The Census Bureau numbers put the median household wealth of Americans at almost $82,000 in the year 2000. That number rose to over $106,000 in 2005, as the housing bubble was peaking; then plunged to just under $69,000 in 2011, as home prices plummeted and wealth drained away.
CHRIS CHRISTOPHER: It's really a housing story.
YDSTIE: That's Chris Christopher, director of Consumer Economics at IHS Global Insight.
CHRISTOPHER: You know, that's what's sort of driving a lot of this on the wealth side. And then on the debt side, it's the student loans that has come out of nowhere and is, sort of, changing the game.
YDSTIE: The Census Bureau data show Americans under 35 had the biggest rise in unsecured debt, debt not backed by a home or car. Much of it is student loans.
Christopher says the average student loan balance, now, about $25,000 and it's will be a burden that follows the current generation of students and recent graduates.
CHRISTOPHER: You can't walk away from the student loan thing. It's going to be a problem in the upcoming years.
YDSTIE: The elderly also fared poorly in the past decade, seeing their medium debt more than double from $1,000 to $26,000.
John Ydstie, NPR News, Washington. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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|Keep It Simple, Stupid
Re^2: Improving Your Ability to Estimateby Takophiliac (Novice)
|on Feb 15, 2005 at 21:24 UTC ( #431338=note: print w/replies, xml )
|Need Help??
Beat your estimate and you are a hero, meet the estimate (through bad luck or unforeseen disaster) and you are a valued member of the team who delivers on time.
This is always a good standpoint. Where I work we call it underpromising and overdelivering. And it works out just like stated above. It's all too true that people will hold you to the first number out of your mouth. Especially if they dont like it. Beating that number will turn anyone's opinion upside down.
I am Takophiliac. The evil souls remind me and in the darkness find me.
In Section Meditations


text:
You are currently looking at Flamebate, our community forums. Players can discuss the game here, strategize, and role play as their characters.
You need to be logged in to post and to see the uncensored versions of these forums.
Log in to see images!
NOTE: This game has some major NSFW content
So for the past few months, I've been playing this game called HellMOO. Since I can get an award for advertising HellMOO in other places, I thought I'd make a thread about it. So first, an introduction:
HellMOO Posted:
In summary, HellMOO is a Fallout-esque MUD with a lot more violence and sex. Though people might not be thrilled by the idea of a MUD, this game is definitely worth checking out.
Some of HellMoo's many features-
*In-depth player economy
*A large range of vehicles, from skateboards to a giant flying male reproductive organ
*Over 40 mutations(traits) like zombie, ripper and stench
*A leveless character improvement system
*Limitless number of things to do (want to kill orphans with molotav male reproductive organtail? No one's stopping you.)
So if you're looking for a new game and want to try something different, try out HellMOO.
|Posted On: 10/07/2009 3:59PM
|View Damion's Profile | #
How come it's better than ADOM?
|Posted On: 10/07/2009 4:27PM
|View Inconnu's Profile | #
Inconnu Posted:
I don't know, I don't remember saying it was better then anything else, but can you dismember a kraken with a chainsaw in ADOM?
Wait, can you do that in ADOM? Because that would ruin my argument.
|Posted On: 10/07/2009 6:19PM
|View Damion's Profile | #


text:
Ledley King is brimming with excitement at the prospect of leading Tottenham out at Wembley once again when they face Chelsea in the semi-final of the FA Cup next month.
Spurs set up an all London affair at the home of football by beating Bolton 3-1 at White Hart Lane on Tuesday evening, with goals from Ryan Nelsen, Gareth Bale and Louis Saha sealing their progression.
The encounter on April 15 will not be the first time Spurs have met Chelsea at the revamped Wembley, with the former triumphed over the latter in a dramatic Carling Cup final that day.
King was the proud captain of Spurs on that occasion, and is relishing the thought of taking back to the hallowed turf in the famous white of Tottenham again.
"It's great to be going back to such a fantastic stadium and such an occasion against Chelsea," King told the official Tottenham website.
"We know all about the club's tradition in the FA Cup and it feels good to be going back there for another semi-final."
Spurs, meanwhile, face Swansea in the Premier League this weekend hoping to arrest their recent slide which has seen a place in next season's Champions League become far from certain.
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text:
The Football Association has restated its position that it cannot take action against Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore despite some calls for him to be charged for sending sexist e-mails.
FA chairman Greg Dyke met his counterpart at the Premier League, Peter McCormick, on Tuesday for talks over the issue after the top-flight clubs decided to take no action against Scudamore.
One member of the FA's inclusion advisory board (IAB), equality campaigner Edward Lord, has obtained a legal opinion that the FA could take disciplinary action but Dyke reaffirmed that will not take place.
Dyke said in a statement: "Last week, the FA made it clear that Mr Scudamore was not an employee of the Football Association and, as such, we had no position in terms of employment policy or taking disciplinary action.
"We were of the view that was a matter for the Premier League and we asked them to keep us informed of the actions they were taking.
"In terms of wider FA disciplinary action, we were advised that the FA does not as a matter of policy consider private communications sent with a legitimate expectation of privacy to amount to professional misconduct. The FA has applied this policy on an ongoing basis and in relation to numerous other cases."
IAB chair Heather Rabbatts, was also at the meeting with acting chairman McCormick, and she will take on the task of ensuring the Premier League keeps to its " undertaking to take further steps on inclusion and diversity".
Dyke said McCormick has assured him the league had followed "proper process under their own employment and disciplinary rules and had conducted a thorough investigation".
The FA chairman added: "We said last week that we considered the contents of the emails in question to be totally inappropriate and are still of that view, as is the Premier League.
"It is important to reiterate the significant focus the FA gives to equality, not least through the work of its Inclusion Advisory Board (IAB), and to tackling all forms of discrimination.
"FA board member Heather Rabbatts. joined me in this morning's meeting. I have asked her to follow up with the Premier League to discuss the wider issues around the inclusion agenda and see how the FA and Premier League can work together to make meaningful the League's undertaking to take further steps on inclusion and diversity."
Rani Abraham, the former temporary personal assistant who leaked the emails, said she was disappointed and surprised the Premier League had taken no sanctions against Scudamore.
She told BBC Radio Five Live: "I'm highly surprised the Premier League have decided to take no sanctions whatsoever against Richard Scudamore.
"I feel very disappointed, I think it sends out a damaging message about how we regard women in football."
Abraham said she had not been contacted as part of the league's investigation.
She added: "They haven't approached me, they haven't heard my side of the story so there has not been a thorough investigation. I honestly think they are not taking the sexism seriously."
Abraham said that she had been threatened with legal action by the Premier League after taking the emails to the Sunday Mirror and was herself now considering taking legal action against the organisation.
She added: "When I approached the Mirror I received a letter from the Premier League's lawyers threatening legal action. They said there had been a breach of trust, it was a very threatening letter, I have had a couple now, and I believe the Premier League are trying to scare me.
"I won't go quiet because I am standing up for what I believe in.
"I haven't taken legal action but I am speaking to a solicitor at the moment."
The Premier League would not comment on Abraham's latest claims. It is understood however that she was asked to return the copies of the emails she had taken as they contained confidential and commercially sensitive information, and that the contents of the emails should be treated as confidential.
Scudamore spoke of his "sincere contrition" after the top-flight clubs decided against any disciplinary action against him and vowed to hold a series of meetings across football's administration to reassure them of his commitment to promote women in the game.
Source: PA


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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Researchers plan to collar 52 adult moose in northeastern Minnesota starting this week in the second year of a high-tech study to determine why the iconic species is disappearing from the state.
The radio collars use GPS to transmit alerts when a moose dies. Biologists then try to rush to the carcass within 24 hours before it decomposes or scavengers destroy the evidence.
Michelle Carstensen of the Minnesota DNR says the idea is to replace the 22 adult moose among the 107 in the study that died over the past year.
She says DNR biologists plan to start collaring 36 moose across northeastern Minnesota on Thursday, while researchers for the Grand Portage Band of Chippewa began collaring the first of 16 moose on the reservation for their own study Monday.
(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


text:
The regional SEARCH project encourages discussions about climate change adaptive strategies and proposals on institutional measures, adaptation activities and funding opportunities localy, nationally and regionally.
The Social, Ecological and Agricultural Resilience in the face of Climate Change (SEARCH) project, is a 3 year project working in the region with 13 partners to use and create climate change adaption tools that will increase the resilience of the local community.
In Morocco, the project is being implemented in the Oued el Kebir Watershed by the IUCN - MED , University Abdelmalek Essaadi / Tetouan and the Talassemtane Association of Environment & Development (ATED). The project to date, has conducted a baseline survey that helps distinguish all present social, agricultural and environmental conditions in the watershed. It has also and formost connected local communities with descion makers inorder to comeup with a shared watershed vision that calls for sustainable natural resource management by 2025.
A seminar conducted in November 2012 by project partners in Morocco has called for all local and national stakeholders to discuss and brainstrom through scenario building excersises, ways to reach that shared set vioson for the Oued el Kebir Watershed. The seminar recapped and revisited the project objectives and plans in Morocco, followed by the sharing of information and data from previous project activities in the demonstation areas. Data about area climate change vulnerability has allowed open discussions about the present set vision and encouraged scenario building.
The seminar ended by setting a new project activity plan that was later shared & modified by the National Steering Committee in Morocco.
For more information, kindly contact:
Lahcen Taiqui
Faculty of Sciences of Tetouan University
Marcos Valderrabano
IUCN - Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, Malaga, Spain


text:
All the Handsome Ties Your Spring Requires
- Najib Benouar
As you might have noticed around these parts, we're excited about the impending onset of spring.
And one of our favorite things to watch during this season shift is the cottons, chambrays and linens replacing all that wool and tweed—something you can start doing immediately when it comes to your neckwear. To show you what we're talking about, we've rounded up a dozen of the finest examples of spring neckwear on the market right now.
Heralding spring, neck first.»


text:
Attorneys Ask Full Court to Hear Wis. Gay Marriage Case
Wisconsin attorneys want all 10 judges on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals to consider upholding the state's gay marriage ban.
U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb declared the ban unconstitutional last month. Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has appealed to the 7th Circuit.
A federal judge in Indiana has struck down that state's ban as well.
That state's attorneys also have asked the 7th Circuit to review the decision. The court consolidated the Wisconsin and Indiana cases on Friday and put them on the fast track.
Usually the 7th Circuit uses three-judge panels to decide cases. But Indiana attorneys filed a request late Friday asking all 10 judges to hear their appeal. Wisconsin attorneys joined that request Monday, saying the cases are exceptionally important.
Gay Marriage
This story is part of our special report titled "Gay Marriage." Want to read more? Here's the full list.


text:
I stumbled upon this beautiful, serene collection and wanted to share it with you.
Photos are high quality and free to use in both personal and commercial projects.
Check it out!
Zooll.com - Graphic Design, Ideas and Inspiration
Site by Photoshop enthusiast. Graphic designs, photography, quotes, timeline covers, printables, graphic resources...


text:
Located only 600 miles from Florida, Haiti's health infrastructure is severely limited. The earthquake in 2010 only created more challenges in an already struggling nation. This series of photographs shows how our local partner, Profamil, is addressing the struggles of everyday Haitians by providing family planning services and basic health care.
Photographs by Ani Kington


text:
Hi there,
I tried to install the Gentoo Linux from Oct '04. I wrote the .iso file that was generated when the batch file is run on the CD with K3B in RAW mode. Problem is, the CD doesn't boot. My cd drive perfectly boots other bootable CDs, including the MandrakeMove from the Feb '05.
Can you please assist!


text:
Jose Mourinho insists he is not focused on new recruits at present, and is happy with the players currently at his disposal.
The new Chelsea manager has already signed Andre Schurrle, Marco van Ginkel and Mark Schwarzer, and is content with his transfer dealings so far.
Arsenal's pursuit of Gonzalo Higuain has hit a snag after Real Madrid raised their asking price for the Argentina international.
The Gunners have agreed personal terms with Higuain, but Madrid have since increased their demands.
Michael Carrick claims Manchester United are benefiting from a more hands on approach in training from new boss David Moyes.
Moyes, says Carrick, has been actively involved in training sessions, whereas former manager Sir Alex Ferguson used to be more withdrawn on the practice ground.
David Villa has revealed he rejected interest from the Premier League to join Atletico Madrid, amid suggestions the Spain striker was wanted by Tottenham.
Villa secured a transfer from Barcelona to Atletico last week, joining the capital club for just €5 million.
Manchester City have reportedly edged closer to the signing of Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo.
City have focused their attention on Negredo after missing out on Edinson Cavani, and are reported to have agreed a fee for the Spain international.
Sergio Busquets has signed a new contract with Barcelona, the club have confirmed.
The 25-year-old has pledged his future until 2018, having already made 238 appearances for the Camp Nou club.
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text:
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Hank Mullany has resigned as CEO of The ServiceMaster Co. effective Friday, April 12.
Mullany's resignation was announced Friday along with the appointment of John Krenicki Jr. as the Memphis-based company's interim CEO.
Krenicki remains as chairman of ServiceMaster Global Holdings Inc, the parent company of ServiceMaster, and a senior partner of Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, the private equity firm that bought ServiceMaster in 2007.
Krenicki became chairman of the parent company earlier this year.
ServiceMaster provides residential and commercial services through seven brands and a franchise network that include Terminix, TruGreen, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean and Merry Maids.
Mullany became CEO in March 2011 from being executive vice president of Walmart U.S.
His first move – and his first challenge – was addressing ServiceMaster's TruGreen lawn care business.
Under his successor, Patrick Spainhour, ServiceMaster had already planned to sell off the TruGreen LandCare commercial landscaping business. That happened during Mullany's first month as CEO. Mullany followed that by replacing the TruGreen head with Tom Brackett from the Terminix division.
Mullany wanted Brackett to apply Terminix practices to give TruGreen more consistency and standardization. He also intended for Brackett to be a temporary leader of TruGreen. He pulled a vice president of sales from Terminix into TruGreen as well.
"Basically we're going around to homes and knocking on the door and talking about the service," Mullany said in an October 2011 interview with The Daily News. "We had expanded that beyond where it was optimal."
By contrast he praised Terminix operations for their consistency, which he touted as a key attribute in a service industry where the national economic ebb and flow has a less dramatic impact than it does on retail businesses.
"If we lose a customer, it's because we made a mistake," Mullany said.
Brackett became the permanent head of TruGreen as the division's makeover became more involved and quarterly results continued to show problems.
Brackett resigned in October and ServiceMaster overall results for 2012 showed an unaudited operating loss of $532.8 million on operating revenue of $3.1 billion.
When the year-end and fourth quarter results were announced in February, Mullany noted that excluding TruGreen, ServiceMaster operating revenue grew 5.2 percent over 2011.
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text:
The bug takes place in the game's third sector (aka the lava section) after squaring off a room of spiked enemies with purple legs. If, in this section, users decide to backtrack towards the area where the Ice Beam is obtained, a door that is supposed to unlock remains closed and will not allow players to continue through Samus' latest adventure. To avoid the issue, Nintendo recommends going through the door immediately after defeating the enemies and do any desired backtracking at a later time.
Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Japan have also set up an interesting approach to fixing the issue for players who have already been hit with the bug. Players are invited save their affected data on an SD card and send it to Nintendo for service. Sadly, snail mail is the only option available to users as the Nintendo Wii does not have the necessary online software framework in place to patch the glitch.
A video detailing the issue can be found after the break. Stamps can be found at your local post office.


text:
'Saturday Night Live' Recap: Zach Galifianakis Hosts a Star-Studded Show
Bring on the weird!
This season of "Saturday Night Live" was feeling a bit stale, but Zach Galifianakis once again freshened up the show last night with his delightfully oddball humor. And he got a little help from some famous friends, too.
Check out what made us laugh, wince, and groan.
BEST CAMEOS: Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms in "Jennifer Aniston Lookalike Competition"
Galifianakis was at his weirdest (best) as the outraged loser of the Aniston contest. "I've taken farts that look more like Jennifer Aniston," he scoffs at the people who placed above him. Meanwhile, Taran Killam's Aniston impression was insanely good. But the purpose of this sketch was to bring in Galifianakis's "Hangover" co-stars, and it was a treat to see them all in long, blonde wigs.
BEST: Monologue
Zach Galifianakis has got such a quirky, different style than most hosts, and a wonderfully wacky tone was set from his monologue. "Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving," Galifianakis said drily, to giggles and guffaws.
He went on to joke about playing charades with deaf people (they're great at it) and stumping Google ("How many candles does Dave Navarro own?") to answering a cell phone that was really an Altoids tin. Very absurd, and very funny.
BEST PAYOFF: "Darrell's House, Part II"
"Darrell's House, Part I" was a lackluster sketch, featuring Galifianakis as a nervous, antsy guy taping a public access show. He kept asking his cameraman to make various cuts and edits, and even insert Jon Hamm in place of his friend (Kenan Thompson). It felt a bit flat and unfinished.
It all made sense a few minutes later, when the sketch returned in its edited form -- with all the cuts, sound effects, and (yay!) the real Jon Hamm. It's so rare for "SNL" to do these delayed-payoff sketches (they did one during Kevin Hart's episode), and they're awesome every time.
[Video: 'SNL' Recap: Melissa McCarthy Trips in Heels, Likes to Eat Pizza]
BEST FAKE AD: "Match.com"
Again, "SNL" showed how well it can do these spoof commercials. They've had some really funny ones this season, from the Pope retirement ad to Nuva Bling, and this one also hits the mark. Kate McKinnon is becoming a master at impressions, and she was perfectly dry and no-nonsense as Martha Stewart, who apparently likes men "rough like a rustic burlap wedding invitation."
WORST: "Game of Game of Thrones"
We really wanted this to be good, as we're all big "Game of Thrones" fans. But another game show sketch? Really? Not only that, it was just one long "nerdy people don't know anything about real life" joke. Not even a cameo by Jaime Lannister himself, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, could turn it around.
[Infographic: 'Game of Thrones' Season 3, By the Numbers]
BEST COMEBACK: Bill Hader's James Carville on "Weekend Update"
Can't remember the last time Hader busted out Carville, but we were so happy to see this impression return. Hader looked like he was having a blast, and left us grinning with his manic card-dealing hand gestures and talking to Grandma Carville's ghost.
[Video: 'SNL' Icons Welcome Justin Timberlake to the Five-Timers Club]
BETTER THAN USUAL: "Cold Open: Fox & Friends"
"SNL" has done a pretty dreadful job this season of tackling current events, and they still don't really have anything witty to say about Jason Collins coming out or New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg's large soda ban. But Bobby Moynihan's zaniness turns this sketch from "blah" to "ha!" We seriously LOLed when he sucked down the comically large 16-liter soda. Plus, the corrections at the end are always funny (our faves: "Smurfs are not elected" and "Force-feeding is not how Jedis eat").
SURPRISINGLY EDGY: "M&M Store"
"SNL" doesn't really push the envelope much these days. It's stayed away from really edgy humor recently, but this sketch was surprisingly and pleasantly edgy. Galifianakis was a racist M&M store greeter who mistakes Nasim Pedrad as Indian (when she replies that she's Pakistani, he says, "Is that your tribe?") and faux-apologizes to Fred Armisen's Mexican employee for calling him dirty by saying, "I'm a total slob. Maybe I don't deserve to be in this country either." But even while he's saying sorry, he just keeps being racist, like telling Thompson, "Please don't talk over me. This is not a movie theater." The sketch will probably be divisive, but we're just glad to see "SNL" take some chances now and then.


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By Sam Mamudi
The news that Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (FCX) is buying McMoRan Exploration Co. (MMR) and Plains Exploration & Production Co. (PXP) has received what it's fair to call a mixed reception.
Shares of Plains and McMoRan Exploration are surging, up 25% and 82% respectively. But investors don't seem to like it so much for Freeport-McMoRan, whose stock is down about 15% at the latest.
It's not unusual to see an acquiring company's stock take a hit immediately after a deal is announced, but 15% is out of the ordinary.
A couple of thoughts: The acquisitions change what Freeport-McMoRan means for investors — it's gone from being a metal-mining play to an energy sector investment. That may or may not be good in the long term, but it's different. Also worth noting is that the deals will result in a 9.5% dilution of Freeport-McMoRan's stock.
It's also, simply put, a surprise, and investors, like curmudgeonly old men, often don't respond well to surprises. In a note following the deal, Anthony Rizzuto at Dahlman Rose & Co. wrote:
The trend in the [mining] industry has been more towards shareholder return and not large-scale investment. The move did surprise us.
Update: It also can't help Freeport-McMoRan's stock when one of the company's largest shareholders, Evy Hambro, joint chief investment officer of BlackRock's Natural Resources Equity group, blasts the deal. Dow Jones reports that Hambro is unhappy at Freeport's diversification into oil and gas, and the fact that Freeport's shareholders won't vote on the deal.


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Twenty-four hours of Relay For Life combined with a year of collaborative fund-raising has paid off.
As of Wednesday, June 26, the Relay For Life of Boyertown has raised $199,929 to benefit the American Cancer Society�a number which continues to grow following Boyertown�s Relay For Life held on Saturday, June 22.
Forty-five teams and more than 600 registered participants filled Boyertown High School�s Memorial Stadium beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday to walk, run and relay until 10 a.m. on Sunday.
Among the top fund-raising teams are Boyertown Jr. High West, the J-Walkers and �For the Love of Donna.� Cheryl Chinall-Sell, Brian Rohn and Jim Davidheiser are among the top individual participants.
One extra element to this year�s Relay For Life of Boyertown was the American Cancer Society�s Cancer Prevention Study � 3 (CPS-3) initiative. Individuals had the opportunity to enroll in a 20-year study which could result in major cancer research and/or cure breakthroughs.
According to Amy Miller, American Cancer Society staff partner, CPS-3 enrollment was maxed out and more than 1,000 luminaries were sold during the event.
Later this year, on October 6, the Boyertown area will kick off the first ever Bark For Life of Boyertown/Oley Valley at the Oley Fairgrounds; all proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society.


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FREDERICK, Md.— Hood College recently received a generous gift from the foundation of longtime Frederick philanthropists Henry P. and M. Page Durkee Laughlin.
The gift will be used for student scholarships and faculty achievement.
The Laughlins have supported the College with gifts since the 1970s. They founded the Dr. Henry P. and M. Page Durkee Laughlin Faculty Professional Award, presented annually to a faculty member who has made significant contributions to his or her profession through scholarship and exceptional service to Hood. In 2003 they established the Laughlins Scholars Program to recognize academic excellence.
"Hank and Page Laughlin continue to live a life of philanthropy, and Hood and many others have been beneficiaries of their generosity," said Ronald J. Volpe, president of the College. "The students, faculty and staff at Hood remain so very grateful."
The Laughlins were awarded honorary doctoral degrees during the College's 2003 commencement exercises as a tribute to their longtime support of and service to Hood.


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By: Mike Springer
March 22, 2013
Tallahassee, FL - A Tallahassee man is behind bars after being charged with attempted murder.
Tallahassee Police arrested John Cain Thursday night.
Cain and two friends had gone out to a popular West Tennessee Street bar to drink when police say Cain became drunk.
Police say the friends were driving Cain home when he began to scream and kick.
Police say they pulled off to the side of the road and one of the friends got out of the car to calm Cain down.
That's when police say Cain put him in a choke hold until the friend passed out.
The other friend then came out and did CPR until he regained consciousness.
Cain is being held at the Leon County Jail without bond. He's charged with attempted murder, criminal mischief and violating probation.
Tallahassee, FL - A man charged with attempted murder appeared in Leon County court today.
John Luke Cain was booked in the Leon County Jail this morning.
WCTV will bring you more information as it becomes available.


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BOSTON – There are a few marquee names missing from the rosters for tonight's Black and White scrimmage in Providence, but fans in the Ocean State should still see enough stars to satisfy their hunger to see the defending Stanley Cup champions.
Zdeno Chara (who took a shot of his left leg yesterday), Patrice Bergeron, Shawn Thornton and Chris Kelly are not listed for the game. However, there is still plenty of star power with Tim Thomas, Tyler Seguin, Milan Lucic and David Krejci among those scheduled to play at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.
Defenseman Andrew Ference thinks tonight's game is the perfect way to get ready for the upcoming exhibition schedule, which opens Wednesday night in Ottawa for Boston.
"It's a nice little buffer before a game against a different team," he said. "Obviously I think it's still competitive. Guys are scrapping for jobs and ice time and trying to make impressions. So I don't think anybody expects it to be a quiet little scrimmage. I think it's just another step before you get against someone wearing another jersey. So it's a good step for a lot of us but it's not one of those ones where you can skate around and expect it to be like summer hockey. I think it's going to be pretty competitive."
Head coach Claude Julien sees a lot of reasons this game will benefit more than just his team.
"I think some guys want to be evaluated and that's a way of doing it. But at the same time, I think having four straight days [of camp] before your first exhibition game and having had a long season last year, it's not a bad thing to not worry so much about drills and give them a chance to play [Tuesday], it should help get everybody more comfortable with each other," he said. "And when we go to Ottawa for our first exhibition game, you've got something under your belt; so it was something that was good in a lot of areas for us. I think the timing was good, and for those players to get that opportunity. It's a good way also to support our farm team and the city of Providence who supports our farm team and bring our big club over there and give them that type of game. I think there's a lot of things that go into it, whether it's marketing, but also it blended in well with what we were looking for in our training camp also as coaches."
Here's a look at the split squad roster:
Team Black
Goalies: Tim Thomas, Anton Khudobin
Skaters: Gregory Campbell, Tyler Seguin, Daniel Paille, Andrew Ference, Colby Cohen, Matt Bartkowski, Dennis Seidenberg, Nathan McIver, Steven Kampfer, Zach McKelvie, Rich Peverley, Johnny Boychuk, Kirk MacDonald, Lane MacDermid, Benoit Pouliot, Jamie Tardif, Jamie Arniel, Alexander Khokhlachev, Kyle MacKinnon, Calle Ridderwall
Team White
Goalies: Tuukka Rask, Michael Hutchinson
Skaters: Joe Corvo, Milan Lucic, Jordan Caron, David Krejci, Jared Knight, Ryan Spooner, Zach Hamill, Dougie Hamilton, Adam McQuaid, Marc Cantin, Carter Camper, Craig Cunningham, Josh Hennessy, Brad Marchand, Chris Clark, Max Sauve, Anthony Camara, Ryan Button, David Warsofsky, Kevan Miller
The game begins at 7 p.m. and is sold out.


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The workload challenge
Have mainframes still got a job?
Broadcast The mainframe was there first, but is it the dinosaur that many people assume?
For some workloads, it has never been bettered: many of today's business web sites store a production database on a mainframe host, for example.
For applications that rely on large-scale transaction processing, that support thousands of users, manage terabytes of information or handle large-bandwidth connections; for businesses that need high quality of service and resilient security, often the mainframe architecture is still the best choice, and offers the best return on investment.
But doesn't that type of heavy lifting describe more of our IT tasks? If so, could the Big Unit be due a renaissance?
In our Regcast Tim Phillips is joined by Ray Jones, IBM VP of Worldwide zSeries Software - translation, "Mr Mainframe" - and Freeform Dynamics' Dr Stats Tony Lock - a man who who knows all about the subject from many years of practical experience - to discuss where a mainframe is and isn't best, whether you might need one in the future, how you make the transition - and whether our preconceptions sometimes stop us from choosing the best IT architecture for the job.
The event is on the 7th of April at 11:00 BST.
If you've been wondering about how to manage your workloads efficiently, or about how you might get more from your mainframe, you can join us for free right here.
Sponsored: Minds Mastering Machines - Call for papers now open


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Imagine going out after hours of blowing snow and before the snowplows, but after the temperatures plummeted early last Monday morning.
Few did, but about 250 State Journal-Register carriers did. They were just doing their job in conditions like never before.
�I delivered after 18 inches of snow last February, but that was nothing. I could feel like a kid in snow,� said Cory Wilson, who delivers more than 100 papers on a Springfield route.
�But I never worked like this. This weather was wild, it was cold.�
Across town, Fatina Rice was delivering more than 100 papers and found the biggest challenge was walking through the snow and �trying to make it to the door� to drop off papers.
Subzero conditions plus snow made deliveries � and anything else you wanted to do outside � difficult here and throughout the Midwest the early part of last week.
In our case, papers arrived late Sunday night from the Peoria production facility and were sent to local distribution centers for pickup.
Carriers did a remarkable job in treacherous conditions, and by Monday morning about 35 percent of the papers were delivered to subscribers. Our staffers attempted to deliver more, but there was only so much that could be done on a Monday that was getting colder by the hour.
�We were very concerned about the health and safety of our staffers and carriers,� said Bryan Groves, SJ-R sales and marketing manager.
Overnight Sunday we made our e-paper, or electronic edition, free to everyone and let readers know about it online and on the SJ-R�s Facebook page.
For many, it might have been the first look at the electronic edition, which is great when you are away from home. It�s the entire paper on your computer or tablet, and daily access is free for any print subscriber. (Just visit sj-r.com and click on the words �digital access� at the top of the home page).
Deliveries didn�t get any easier overnight Monday, and we had a setback to begin with when three of the five trucks that go to Peoria to pick up the papers didn�t start.
The papers did get to our local distribution centers, but carriers soon found difficult conditions in every direction.
�Many of the problems were the cold temperatures, not the streets,� said Groves. �It�s more dangerous at 4 a.m. if you�re stuck in your car all by yourself and in danger of frostbite.�
Fatina, who completed her route both nights, said travel was more difficult the second night as roads were slick.
In all, carriers delivered 65 percent of the Tuesday papers.
Largely, readers understood the difficulties. Some were frustrated when the automated system to record a missing paper didn�t appear to work. It simply was overloaded with volume.
If a reader was missed for one or two days, the carrier delivered all of the papers the first day he or she could. That�s really what we can do in these cases.
Deliveries remained a challenge for the rest of the week, as was basic travel. But the subzero stretch will be remembered. I�m sure many readers will join me in thanking the carrier force.
Wilson, who completed his full route on the two toughest nights, had a sense of pride.
�I got it done,� he said Wednesday afternoon. �I�m dedicated. I love my job.�
New section debuts next week
Our expanded business section with a hot jobs theme is timely today, as the year begins with optimism. Enjoy it and perhaps get tips from it.
Also enjoy today�s Heartland section. It�s the last one, capping a great run of outstanding feature stories and photos.
The best of Heartland � including all of the puzzles � will become part of a new lifestyle section starting next Sunday in The State Journal-Register.
We�re calling it Sunday AM, a name you may remember from a popular lifestyle section of the past.
This new version of Sunday AM will feature content of interest as identified by readers in our ongoing readership survey. Don�t miss it next week.
Thanks for reading us and let me know what you think about anything in The State Journal- Register or sj-r.com.
Executive Editor Bob Heisse can be reached at 788-1505 or email@example.com. Read his �From the Editor� blog.


text: Disclaimer: The Woodland Public Library website has several pages with links to Internet sites. The staff has followed its materials selection criteria in linking to external websites. The Library has not participated in developing these other sites and does not have any editorial or other control over these sites. The Library does not monitor and has no control over the information available on the Internet and cannot be held responsible for the content, accuracy, or quality of the information retrieved or images viewed. The Woodland Public Library does not endorse any link from the Library's website to an external website. Additionally, the Library does not warrant that its website, the server, or any links from its site to other websites are free of viruses or other harmful elements.


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So I've run into a weird issue at work, and I can't find anything relevant round the interwebs.
We've got a set of tomcat instances, 1 dev and 2 prod servers. These machines were setup 4+ years ago by someone else, who's not available for questions at this time (no longer works for the company). Since starting to work on them, I've noticed that no JSP's run. It looks like the compiler is never generating the .java file based on the jsp. Anyone have any ideas?


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About a week ago, I was looking around pet stores for a gerbil. I have never had gerbils before but I had researched them extensively and felt like it was about time to put my toes in the water so to speak. After going to a few stores, I realized that gerbils were out of season (plus they just aren't common up here.) I was at the last store I planned on stopping at and was just about to go home when I noticed the cutest Russian hamster playing with a chew stick. The other two hamsters in the tank were sound asleep and pretty oblivious to my presence. This guy poked his head up from his chew toy and looked right at me and then kept playing. I knew right then and there I had found a new friend. He's already quite hand tame and isn't at all nervous around people he knows. His favorite things to do are burrowing under his bedding and eating, which is easy to tell from the pictures I've gotten of him. :D He's named after a character on the TV show Stargate Atlantis. So...without further adieu, meet Mr. Rodney McKay!
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TRENTON (AP) — New Jersey's Senate has passed a bill that would create an online marketplace for health insurance.
The Record of Woodland Park reported that the bill passed 21-17.
It aims to help small businesses and some consumers buy health insurance.
The state has until Nov. 16 to decide if it will create its own health insurance marketplace or join a federal program.
On Monday Gov. Chris Christie said he'd take the remaining time to consult with policy experts.
Christie vetoed a similar bill in the spring because the U.S. Supreme Court hadn't ruled on President Obama's health care reform law.
Since the court upheld the law, Christie has said he'd wait until after the election to make his decision.


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Our good friend David Murray of Seibei just released two new (and awesome) tees! I'm a big fan of Seibei and will probably be ordering at least one of these tees in the near future. My navy and white Sandwich Dinosaur tee is getting a little worn out so I think it might be time to upgrade to the brand spanking new Zombie Dinosaur design.
Although I never grew up as the prototypical fat kid, there was a time when I was referred to as being husky. Husky, hmmmmmm. Is that code for fat? Probably. And as such, I'd be proud to wear the new I'm Fat Let's Party Shirt.
Both of the new tees are available now for sale at Seibei for $22. Also, word on the street is that Seibei will be unleashing a brand spanking website redesign. I'm excited to see what he has in store for us.


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The following draft* budget planning timeline was shared at the January 13 meeting of the library's Board of Trustees.
- January: City reports on preliminary information regarding FY16 budget planning
- January 13: BPL Board of Trustees meeting; FY15 budget, FY16 potential costs
- Mid/Late February: Possible special Board of Trustees meeting on budget if needed
- March 4: Governor releases FY16 budget recommendation, including proposed Library for the Commonwealth funding and State Aid to Public Libraries
- March 17: BPL Board of Trustees meeting; vote on recommended budget
- April 8: Mayor's recommended FY16 budget is submitted to City Council
- Mid April: Massachusetts House of Representatives Ways & Means Committee releases FY16 budget recommendation
- May: City Council Ways and Means Budget Hearing
- Mid May: Massachusetts State Senate Ways & Means Committee releases FY16 budget recommendation
- May 14: BPL Board of Trustees meeting; update on FY16 recommended budget
- Mid/Late June: State's Conference Committee releases FY16 budget
- July 1: FY16 budget is in effect
*This bulleted list is for discussion purposes only and is subject to change.
At the Janaury 13 meeting of the library's Board of Trustees, David Sweeney, CFO for the City of Boston, provided an overall assessment of the City's financial picture. Mr. Sweeney stated that while there is a strong economic outlook, the City needs to proceed cautiously as fixed costs are growing more quickly than revenue. The City must also look to fund new initiatives within the current budget. Mr. Sweeney's office will work closely with library staff in the development of the FY16 budget. All city agencies must submit FY16 preliminary budget information to the City's Office of Management and Budget on January 20. The Mayor's budget will be submitted to the City Council's Committee on Ways and Means on April 8 as noted above.


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New York, NY (PRWEB) October 05, 2012
The Department of Neurosurgery at Mount Sinai School of Medicine is the first in the United States to use the NeuroTouch virtual-reality simulator designed to improve outcomes and reduce complications in patients undergoing brain surgery. The device uses 3D software coupled with handheld surgical controls providing tactile feedback to closely mimic an actual brain surgery. This allows neurosurgeons in training to practice and hone their skills, and neurosurgery faculty to continually assess their skills and potentially to rehearse their procedures in advance.
The brain surgery simulator was designed by the National Research Council of Canada and is an interactive virtual-reality technology that provides visual, touch, and sound feedback to enhance the training experience so that surgeon feels like they are in an actual operating environment. Progress is monitored via a computer-generated "score," which can evaluate measures like the amount of tumor removed, bleeding, and damage to healthy tissue.
Currently, there is no way for surgeons to rehearse brain surgery using patient-specific data in advance. By using the simulator, the Department of Neurosurgery will ultimately be able to take MRIs or other images from patients, enter data about comorbidities into the simulator, and create a 3D rendering of the patient's brain to practice the procedure using the patient's virtual anatomy, helping to reduce complications and improve surgery efficacy.
"We believe the new brain surgery simulator could potentially revolutionize the way we train and evaluate our surgeons," said Joshua B. Bederson, MD, Professor and Chair of Neurosurgery at Mount Sinai, and leader of the project. "By giving residents and faculty simulation training as well as the opportunity to rehearse surgeries in the future, we hope to improve the safety and speed of surgery and to reduce the duration of training. This could translate into better outcomes for our patients."
The simulator will be used initially as an educational tool for neurosurgery residents, training them on five different technical scenarios that range in difficulty: the placement of a ventricular drain to relieve pressure on the brain due to excess cerebrospinal fluid; endoscopic third ventriculostomy, a procedure that improves cerebrospinal fluid circulation; transnasal endoscopy, in which surgeons remove tumors through the nasal cavity; and transcranial removal of benign and malignant brain tumors.
The residents will practice these scenarios regularly over six months, both before they enter the operating room and throughout the rest of their seven years as residents. The department has established several outcome measures through which to assess them, including grading scales and interactive observational evaluations.
"This training will help our residents build a strong skill set and may help us further cultivate our outstanding neurosurgeons," Dr. Bederson said.
Mount Sinai will also review how well the simulator works as an assessment tool itself. "We want to learn how accurately the simulator measures various attributes of a surgeon," said Dr. Bederson. "We will be looking at confidence levels relative to experience and skill. For example, if a surgeon is highly capable but less confident, they may be too tentative in the OR and decrease their ability to remove all of a tumor, or take too long to do it."
Neurosurgery faculty will also be encouraged to use the simulator to self-evaluate surgical strengths and weaknesses. Speed, accuracy, delicacy, efficacy, completeness of resection, tissue damage and blood loss are all recorded. The department will also assess the simulator as a tool to help evaluate students who may be interested in neurosurgery training.
"The acquisition of this simulator reflects my commitment to implement the most innovative tools" said Dr. Bederson. "The new program will support our missions of training the next generation of superb neurosurgeons, research in developing new surgical methods, and the delivery of the nation's most advanced neurosurgical care."
About The Mount Sinai Medical Center
The Mount Sinai Medical Center encompasses both The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Established in 1968, Mount Sinai School of Medicine is one of the leading medical schools in the United States. The Medical School is noted for innovation in education, biomedical research, clinical care delivery, and local and global community service. It has more than 3,400 faculty in 32 departments and 14 research institutes, and ranks among the top 20 medical schools both in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding and by U.S. News & World Report.
The Mount Sinai Hospital, founded in 1852, is a 1,171-bed tertiary- and quaternary-care teaching facility and one of the nation's oldest, largest and most-respected voluntary hospitals. In 2012, U.S. News & World Report ranked The Mount Sinai Hospital 14th on its elite Honor Roll of the nation's top hospitals based on reputation, safety, and other patient-care factors. Mount Sinai is one of 12 integrated academic medical centers whose medical school ranks among the top 20 in NIH funding and by U.S. News & World Report and whose hospital is on the U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll. Nearly 60,000 people were treated at Mount Sinai as inpatients last year, and approximately 560,000 outpatient visits took place.
For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org/.
Find Mount Sinai on:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mountsinainyc
Twitter @mountsinainyc
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/mountsinainy
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