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Construction of the 205 MW White Creek Wind Project in Klickitat County, Wash., was completed at the end of November 2007, ahead of schedule and under budget. The project, which was initiated by four Washington utilities, became a reality with the help of a unique power prepay arrangement that both accesses tax credits from the project and reduces the price end users will pay for the project's power output. While the power prepay helped White Creek's utility sponsors combine their resources to develop the project, 100% of the resulting utility-scale capacity cannot count toward the state's renewable portfolio standard (RPS).
'The financing of the project was set up in such a way that the utilities, on their balance sheets, floated bonds and prepaid for the power that is going to be delivered to their customers by this wind farm,' says Maura Schoenfeld, president of Meridian Companies' subsidiary Meridian Clean Fuels, a Massachusetts-based renewable energy tax credit advisor. 'I believe this is the first time financing has been done by utilities with the power prepay.'
As nonprofit organizations that are unable to take advantage of production tax credits, the original utility sponsors of White Creek – Tanner Electric Coop. (TEC), Lakeview Light & Power (LL&P), Cowlitz County Public Utility District (PUD) and Klickitat County PUD – sold the project to White Creek Wind I LLC, a pass-through entity arranged by the broker-dealer arm of Meridian Companies. Meridian acted as owner of White Creek Wind I during construction, which was financed by HSH Nordbank.
'[HSH] provided construction financing for $350 million,' says Schoenfeld, 'and that was paid in full by the utilities and the tax equity partners.' When construction was completed, White Creek's equity sponsors – Lehman Brothers and Prudential Capital Group – became official owners of White Creek Wind I in order to receive the project's tax credits.
Several components make up the price the utilities pay for White Creek's power.
'A level of generation was established at [predictive value (P)] 99, and that sized the amount of their prepayment for the wind power that is going to be generated over a 20-year period,' says Schoenfeld. 'The prepayment is part of the purchase price of the power over 20 years, that's tier one. The prepay is set at P99 to give everyone comfort over the 20-year period because that is a guaranteed delivery.'
If first-tier power is not delivered, alternate power must to be delivered to the utility. A second tier covers any power delivered from the wind farm over the P99 level of generation.
'In some years, the project will deliver much more than the P99 level, so there is an additional payment for tier-two power,' Schoenfeld says. 'In addition, there is a pass-through of operating costs to the utility. All three combined are taken in context for the price of power for the utilities.'
The actual price the utilities pay is confidential, but Schoenfeld says it is less than they would have paid under a traditional power purchase agreement (PPA). Ultimately, she adds, 'the power prepay brings down the price customers would pay for that wind power.'
The sponsoring utilities also hold an option to buy back the project after 10 years.
'The repurchase option is at fair market value,' says Schoenfeld. 'And, it's still a more beneficial pricing structure with that fair market buyout than if they did the project with the 20-year PPA.'
Although the power prepay structure allowed these small utilities, which have a combined total of about 71,000 customers, to develop Washington's second largest wind farm, the entire project capacity will not be applied to the state's 15% by 2020 RPS. Of White Creek's four sponsoring utilities, only Cowlitz County PUD serves the requisite number of customers stipulated for qualifying utilities under the RPS. Consequently, the power that TEC, LL&P and Klickitat County PUD purchase from the project will not count toward the renewables mandate. Snohomish County PUD signed a traditional PPA with White Creek Wind I for 10% of the project's output. As Washington's second largest publicly owned utility, Snohomish County PUD qualifies for the RPS and can apply its White Creek purchase to the mandate.
Schoenfeld believes the financial paradigm that supports White Creek likely will become a popular option for other utilities seeking alternatives to traditional PPAs in regulated markets.
'We're starting to see utilities that, prior to this, felt their only way to access renewable generation was to buy it on a long-term agreement with a developer,' says Schoenfeld. 'Now, we're seeing more interest from these utilities in developing projects up to a point and then using the [power prepay] structure to finance projects in order to benefit from the lower price of power.'


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Ok, Ok, I have to admit, these are some of my favorite stamps EVAH!!! Seriously, to create something so sweet and cute, one must thing the designer is the nicest gal in the world! I imagine her visiting her garden in between walking her dogs - reading a book while the butterflies fly by her head. What is this Sarah Kay like anyway, well... a little of the mystery revealed:
Sarah Kay
Often imitated, never equalled.
With her unique and authentic style, Sarah Kay is the artist who made millions of girls worldwide dream during the 70s and 80s: girls who are now mums…
Sarah Kay depicts a romantic and naïve universe, a childhood filled with happiness, sweetness and tenderness. Her drawings cover all subjects children love: friendship, nature, animals, play….
An art school graduate, Sarah Kay began her career working for an advertising agency in Australia. When her daughter became very ill, Sarah Kay needed something to entertain her. She began drawing happy children, set in peaceful and natural backgrounds, which were recollections of her own childhood spent on her own grandparents' farm.
Success Begins
When her first 20 drawings were ready, Sarah Kay offered them to one of the biggest Australian greetings cards publishers. Sarah Kay's success began there and then. Sarah Kay is discreet by nature; she avoids advertisement and interviews, and works in the utmost secrecy. This makes each of her drawings a little more precious. The success of Sarah Kay's greetings cards spread very fast around the world, particularly in Europe. Soon Sarah Kay's drawings grew beyond the realm of greetings cards. In the early 80s, many Sarah Kay products appeared on the market: books, dolls, puzzles, bed linen, tableware….
Stories are coming from all over the world and Hemma Publishing, Sarah Kay's historic publisher, is submerged by mails urging Sarah Kay to come back. All evokes Sarah Kay as being the artist of their childhood, who awakes happiness, emotion, recollections, and especially desire to have her back and to make their children discover this wonderful world.
Sarah Kay's universe can extend in all sectors for licensing including but not limited to apparel, footwear, ceramics, tableware, bed linen, dolls, toys, soft furnishings, bags, accessories, toiletries, stationery.
Her newest 10 stamps are featured above! The stamps are available for preorder at Simon Says Stamp now! Visit www.SimonSaysStamp.com as we carry the complete Sarah Kay collection! We are even selling the complete new 2010 Spring Collection as a LOT.
I am curious, what do you think? I am just crazy in love, are you? I cannot WAIT to get these stamps in my hand, ink them up and color in the beauty!
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The freshman most likely to ________
This dysfunctional Congress has often looked like an unruly schoolyard, with cool kids, nerds, bullies and outcasts all vying for their own piece of turf.
And while we wouldn't want to diminish the massive, consequential issues that Congress is struggling with by comparing the hardworking lawmakers to schoolkids, let's be honest, it often looks like one big popularity contest.
Story Continued Below
With a slate of 84 House rookies being sworn in on Thursday, the freshmen are already angling for their spots in the pecking order. POLITICO has jumped ahead with predictions for freshmen superlatives for the incoming 113th Congress, identifying the people whose names you'll see in the headlines in the coming year.
Most likely to succeed
Tom Cotton (R-Ark.): Thirty-five-year-old political newcomer Tom Cotton is already lauded as one of the GOP's fastest-rising stars. Cotton handily put the Arkansas district of retiring Democrat Rep. Mike Ross into Republican hands, has an impressive résumé and a growing list of fans on the Hill. The 6-foot-5 Harvard Law graduate left a law practice in 2004 to enlist in the Army, served in Iraq and Afghanistan and won a Bronze Star. Between tours, he was part of the Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. During his campaign, Cotton was cheered by everyone from Sen. John McCain to the fiscally conservative Club for Growth to Mike Huckabee. Cotton's widespread appeal across GOP circles already has many buzzing he'll quickly move up the ranks in the House. Recently, Cotton penned an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal from a "soldier's eye view" slamming the could-be nomination of former Sen. Chuck Hagel for secretary of defense, and he's been one of the loudest voices against the sequester — a signal he's more than ready to be his party's voice on the Pentagon and defense spending.
Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.): Getting three degrees from Harvard and becoming a successful emergency room doctor just wasn't enough for Raul Ruiz. In fact, the average three-day workweek of the Hill will probably seem like a vacation for Ruiz. Before he ran for Congress, the doctor was running a mentorship program, working in an ER, opening health clinics and running health education seminars for poorer communities. Ruiz, who unseated longtime Rep. Mary Bono Mack, figures to bring the same nonstop work ethic to Capitol Hill. Ruiz told POLITICO in November he has plans to work with everyone to get things done. "I'm a doctor, we work in teams," he said. "I'm very committed to problem solving." Expect him to be an outspoken and important voice for the party on immigration issues.


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Recess appointments are, in and of themselves, constitutionally dubious. But at least prior administrations have had the decency to make such appointments when Congress actually was in recess. This administration doesn't even bother with such quaint formalities.
White House attorneys have concluded they have the legal authority to make a recess appointment despite Republican efforts to block the move, Democrats said Tuesday, and administration officials say they reserve the option to install Richard Cordray as head of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau without Senate approval.
Some expect that appointment to come as early as Wednesday, when PresidentBarack Obama goes to Mr. Cordray's home state of Ohio to talk about the economy. He'll be at Shaker Heights High School outside Cleveland.
Mr. Cordray's nomination has stalled in the Senate due to opposition from Republicans, who say they will not confirm anyone to the post until changes are made to the bureau's structure. Mr. Obama and his aides have signaled for weeks that he would use his authority to bypass the Senate by giving Mr. Cordray, former Ohio attorney general, a recess appointment. Last month, the Senate voted 53-45 to take up the Cordray nomination, falling short of the 60 votes needed to move ahead.
Senate Republicans have tried to prevent the White House from acting by keeping the Senate technically in "pro forma" session until senators return to Washington later this month.
One way around the GOP maneuvering would have been for the White House to appoint Mr. Cordray during the short window in between congressional sessions. That window was open Tuesday morning, and some expected Mr. Obama to act then. But he didn't, and administration officials maintained that they still have all options on the table.
That's because the White House has concluded that it can make the appointment even if the Senate has not formally recessed, said one Democrat familiar with White House thinking. "They have decided no one can stop them."
Sadly, as infuriating as that last part is, will anyone really bother to stop them?
The fact that Obama eschewed an opportunity to make a legitimate recess appointment today in favor of this grandstanding gesture indicates that he's basically just taunting Congress now. As Drew M points out, this is nothing more than a political ploy.
Obama would love it if the GOP House actually tried to impeach him. Failing that, his sticking it to the GOP will please his base.
The challenge for the GOP in Congress will be to fight enough to please the base and check Obama but not give him the mud slinging fight he wants/needs. I doubt it's something they will be able to pull off.
Ultimately this is the small ball politics Obama will have to play since he can't actually run on his record. And if has to shred the Constitution in the process? What's the Constitution compared to a God Who Walks Amongst Us?
Remember how the left cried about Bush "shredding" the Constitution? Crocodile tears.


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I'd like to thank everyone for their comments, both online and "offline" about my recent "Placebos as Effective as Antidepressants" article. Some very good questions were raised in a comment from Stephan, author of the highly recommended Whole Health Blog that I would like to address in today's article.
The tricky thing about doing scientific research, as I explained in last week's article, is that conflicts of interest between doctors, researchers and pharmaceutical companies have become so prevalent that the results of even studies published in prominent, peer-reviewed journals cannot be taken at face value.
One must ask: was the study designed properly? Do the author's conclusions match their own data? Have the authors reported all of the relevant results? Who funded the study, and what role did they have in choosing the subjects, overseeing the methodology and publishing the results?
When looking at a body of research, one must also consider whether there are unpublished studies on the topic and what the effect of those studies might be. This is particularly true in the case of antidepressants, where it has been estimated that approximately 23% of studies have not been published. Why? Because those studies had even less favorable results than those studies that have been published, and the drug companies who paid for them are under no legal obligation (currently – hopefully this might change in the future) to publish study results.
With that in mind, let's consider Stephan's comment and each of the points he brings up in turn:
"I fully agree with you about the "chemical imbalance" thing; it's incredibly dense. They try to spin it like you were born with depression and there's nothing you can do about it but take a drug. I have a friend who's into mood disorder research and I've talked to him about that meta-analysis showing no significant effect of ADs.
First of all, he has no dog in the fight because his interest in mood disorders is purely academic. I can vouch for his lack of bias toward antidepressants. Here's what he told me. Basically, what we call "depression" is actually a collection of related disorders. Antidepressants only work on a subset of them.
There are "responders" and "non-responders" in any group of people who receive antidepressants. For responders, antidepressants can be very effective. When you do a meta-analysis where you're averaging everyone with "depression" together, the effect of an antidepressant will be small or nonexistent because of the heterogeneity. So this is a problem with saying that antidepressants aren't effective based on that analysis.
I don't have a problem believing that antidepressants work for some people. They certainly work in animal models of depression, where there is no placebo effect. I don't think we should banish them from planet Earth. But I do think the fact that we use them so much points to a bigger problem that we should be addressing by other means."
I want to thank Stephan again for his comment and for raising these important issues.
Let's start with the parts that I agree with. Certainly, depression has become so broad a term that some have argued that it is an essentially meaningless clinical designation.
In their book The Loss of Sadness, Horwitz and Wakefield point out that the diagnosis of depression has now come to include transient and completely appropriate responses to life such as sadness after the passing of a loved one, disappointment after the loss of a job or anxiety about financial troubles. They argue, very convincingly, that the DSM IV criteria for depression do not adequately distinguish between what they call "normal sadness" and depression, and the result has been the almost complete medicalization of our emotional response to life. I will be writing an article on this very soon, as I believe it's a critical perspective to understand in our exploration of depression and antidepressants.
Secondly, I certainly cannot argue with the statement that "antidepressants work for some people". However, the important questions to ask in relation to that statement are:
- Why do antidepressants work<?/li>
- How do antidepressants work?
- Whom do they work for?
Why are these questions important? Because if it turns out that antidepressants do not have any specific drug effects (raising serotonin, for example), and work only because people expect or desire them to work (like placebos), or because of non-specific drug effects (such as sedation or stimulation), then the logic behind prescribing antidepressants at all becomes quite tenuous to say the least – especially when their side effects and risks are taken into consideration.
Now let's consider each point in turn.
"Basically, what we call "depression" is actually a collection of related disorders. Antidepressants only work on a subset of them. There are "responders" and "non-responders" in any group of people who receive antidepressants. For responders, antidepressants can be very effective. When you do a meta-analysis where you're averaging everyone with "depression" together, the effect of an antidepressant will be small or nonexistent because of the heterogeneity. So this is a problem with saying that antidepressants aren't effective based on that analysis."
What Stephan says about the dangers of meta-analysis are true. However, the same danger applies to overestimating the efficacy of antidepressants. There may be some people who are "responders" who have a response to the drug that is significantly higher than placebo; however, there may also be "nonresponders" whose response to the drug was significantly lower than placebo. There is no indication that antidepressants work on a particular subset of people, and no one has identified who this subset is and why they are helped by antidepressants when others are not.
Kirsch's analysis that antidepressants do not have a clinically meaningful advantage over placebo ("The Emperor's New Drugs") has been almost universally accepted within the scientific community. Kirsch and his colleagues invoked the Freedom of Information Act to obtain access to the FDA database of controlled trials used in the initial approval for the most popular antidepressants. According to researcher David O. Antonuccio in his article "Antidepressants: A Triumph of Marketing Over Science?", it is difficult to imagine a database that would offer a more fair opportunity to evaluate the efficacy of antidepressants.
The fact that Kirsch found that antidepressants were no more effective than placebo is surprising, in a way, because these results come from studies that were underwritten and designed by the drug companies themselves under conditions most favorable to the active drug condition. In other words, the deck was stacked from the start in favor of the drugs, and they still didn't come out ahead.
Since a drug must be shown to be superior to placebo in order to be approved, placebo effects are incredibly annoying to drug companies and they do everything they can to minimize the impact of placebo in their studies. The fact that the FDA allows them to use these techniques is, in my mind, blatant corruption. Consider the following methods used in the studies Kirsch analyzed (and most studies, for that matter):
- Placebo washout period: During the first two weeks of the study, everyone is on a placebo. The subjects that respond best to placebo are eliminated from the study. This potentially removes both antidepressant nonresponders (i.e. those that were on an antidepressant before the study starts who get better when they are taken off of it) and placebo resopnders (i.e. those that are not on antidepressants before the study and who respond to placebo). Imagine the converse: an antidepressant washout procedure that eliminates all of the antidepressant responders before a study begins! Such a procedure would surely be considered bias.
- Penetration of the blind: the double-blind in these studies (where neither the patients nor doctors are supposed to know who is taking the drug and who is taking the placebo) is likely to be unintentionally broken because of the pattern of side effects in the active and inactive drug conditions (Greenberg & Fisher, 1997). When efforts are made to ensure the integrity of the blind, drug effects are diminished. For example, a recent review of the Cochrane database of antidepressant studies using "active placebos" (making side effects more difficult to detect) found very small, non-significant differences between drug and placebo, suggesting that trials using inert placebos overestimate drug effects (Moncrieff, Wessely & Hardy, 2001)
- Replacement of non-responders: at least six of the studies Kirsch reviewed (of 38) allowed replacement of nonresponders. This means that during the first two weeks of the study, those that were not responding to the drug were removed from the study!
- Use of sedative medication: Most studies allowed the prescription of a sedative concurrent with the antidepressant. Since other studies have shown that sedatives are as effective in treating depression as antidepressants, how can we possibly know whether the antidepressant effect obtained (if there was one) in these studies was due to the antidepressant drug or the sedative? There are at least 6 points on the 52-point HAM-D scale that the doctors use to determine whether a patient is depressed or not that are related to sleep and favor medications with sedative properties. Since the mean difference between patients taking drugs and patients taking placebos in the studies Kirsch analyzed was only 2 points, it is entirely possible that this small difference is only due to the effects of the sedatives used in the studies and has nothing to do with a true antidepressant drug effect.
- Reliance on clinician ratings: Given that patients tend to report smaller differences than clinicians (Moncrieff, 2001) one certainly wonders how the pattern of results would change using self-report measures like the Beck Depression Inventory.
Frankly, considering the bias against placebo described above, it is simply amazing that placebo still nearly matched the effects of the drug. Imagine what the results might look like if the trials had been performed without these "anti-placebo" measures!
Also, Kirsch et al. pointed out that the overall active drug effects may have been further inflated because mean results were not reported from several studies that found nonsignificant differences between placebo and active drugs.
The advantage to using the FDA database for analysis is considerable. It contains all of the data from initial trials, published or not, and therefore is not subject to the usual publication bias. (As I mentioned earlier in the article, drug companies simply don't publish negative results. This is known as the "file drawer" phenomenon, since they probably just stuff those studies in some file drawer hoping they will never be found). Antidepressants are significantly more effective than inert placebos in about two-thirds of published trials. However, in the FDA database which includes unpublished trials, Kirsch found that medication outperformed placebo less than half of the time (in 20 of 46 trials).
Although Kirsch's study is a meta-analyses, he is also looking directly at the results of individual trials. When less than half of individual trials show any advantage for the active drug over placebo, one must really wonder whether these drugs have any specific "antidepressant" effects.
Now on to the next point.
"I don't have a problem believing that antidepressants work for some people. They certainly work in animal models of depression, where there is no placebo effect."
Actually, it's not the case that antidepressants work in animal models. According to Joanna Moncrieff in her book The Myth of the Chemical Cure, it is rarely mentioned that all animal models of depression produce variable results according to where they are conducted. "In other words," she says, "they are unreliable." In addition to this, they fail to select specifically for antidepressants and responses are obtained with drugs that are not generally considered to be antidepressants (i.e. amphetamines, opiates, antihistamines, antipsychotics, atropine, pentobarbital, zinc and antibiotics).
Also, the SSRIs (the most popular class of antidepressant drugs) typically fail to have any response in the forced swim test, which is one of the most common antidepressant screening tests. In this test, rats are placed in a tank of water from which they cannot escape. The time until they give up trying to escape is measured, on the assumption that the state of giving up is akin to depression. It is thought that antidepressants should prolong the time to giving up. However, the SSRIs have no such effect.
Finally, other tests for depression also frequently show that non-antidepressant drugs (sedatives, stimulants, antihistamines, etc) yield "false positive" results.
"I don't think we should banish them from planet Earth. But I do think the fact that we use them so much points to a bigger problem that we should be addressing by other means."
I'm not so sure we shouldn't banish them from planet Earth, to tell you the truth.
Longitudinal follow-up studies (which study the effects of antidepresants over the long term – not just the 6-8 week periods the clinical trials look at) show very poor outcomes for people treated for depression both in the hospital and in the community, and the overall prevalence of depression is rising despite increased use of antidepressants (Moncrieff & Kirsch, 2006). Two studies that assessed outcome in depressed patients treated with and without drugs found that people prescribed antidepressants had a slightly worse outcome than those not prescribed them, even after baseline severity had been taken into account (Brugha TS et al, 1992; Ronalds C et al., 1997). No comparable studies exist that show a better outcome in people prescribed antidepressants.
Depression is more common today than before antidepressants were introduced and the outcome has not improved. Epidemiological trends show that the more antidepressants are prescribed, the more prevalent depression is. Sharply rising levels of antidepressant prescribing since the 1990s have been accompanied by increased prevalence of depressive episodes (Patten 2004) and by rising levels of sickness absence for depression (Moncrieff & Pomerleau 2000).
Finally, there is a growing body of research suggesting that antidepressants worsen the chronicity, if not severity, of depression in many patients. Even relatively short-term exposure to antidepressants has been shown to cause chemical and even anatomical changes in the body and brain that could predispose patients to further depressive episodes (Jackson, "Rethinking Psychiatric Drugs")
Some might argue that antidepressants are important to stave off suicide in very depressed patients. However, there is no evidence that antidepressants reduce the risk of suicide or suicide attempts in comparison with a placebo in clinical trials (Kahn et al. 2000). In fact, rates have actually increased in some age groups and in some countries despite increased antidepressant prescribing (Moncrieff & Kirsch 2006), and when antidepressant trials have been re-analyzed to compensate for erroneous methodologies, the SSRIs have consistently revealed a risk of suicide (completed or attempted) of between two to four times higher than placebo (Jackson, "Rethinking Psychiatric Drugs")
And we haven't even talked about side effects yet! Since this article is already very long, I'll save that for another day. Suffice to say that these are not harmless drugs and the side effects can be severe and potentially fatal.
So I ask you, fair readers, when you add all of this up, should doctors continue to prescribe antidepressants? Let's see what researchers who have been studying antidepressants and depression for decades have to say:
The SSRIs produce no effects that look likely to be useful in depression. They cause unpleasant agitation in a proportion of patients and, although it is difficult to prove conclusively, an increase in suicidal and violent tendencies may be associated with this effect. Therefore, I can think of no good reason to prescribe them at all. – Joanna Moncrieff, 2008
Moncrieff has actually suggested that the term "antidepressant" is a misnomer, because the drugs have not been demonstrated to have a consistent and specific effect against depression.
There is no doubt that antidepressants have a biochemical impact on the brain, but the valence of that impact is open for considerable debate, and whether it corrects a chemical imbalance is in grave doubt… One day we may look back and marvel at the stroke of marketing genius that led to calling these medications antidepressants in the first place. Kirsch et al. have demonstrated that just because a pill is called an antidepressant, it doesn't necessarily make it so. – David Antonuccio, 2002
If antidepressant drugs were the only option for treating depression, one might still be able to make an argument for their use in spite of their lack of efficacy and risks. However, it has repeatedly been shown that aerobic exercise, light therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, St. John's Wort, bibliotherapy (prayer) and perhaps acupuncture (more studies are needed) are just as effective for treating depression as antidepressants – with few, if any, adverse effects. In fact, in the case of exercise many of the side effects produced are beneficial (e.g. better overall health and wellness).
Considering that antidepressants are likely no more effective than placebos, have not improved (and perhaps worsened) long-term outcomes, may increase the risk of suicidal and violent behavior and have significant many other significant side effects and risks, including potentially permanent changes in the brain which predispose patients to further depression… and considering that there are well-established alternatives that are just as effective, if not more so, in treating depression with almost no adverse effects and significantly fewer costs, I see no compelling reason to continue prescribing antidepressants.
Obviously many other people are posing this question, particularly in the medical community. Kirsch's research has been so widely accepted that the debate has not centered around his conclusions, but on the implications of those conclusions. Ironically, it has been suggested by more than one commentator that although we now know that antidepressants aren't effective, we should continue to prescribe them – if only in an attempt to elicit a placebo effect.
Huh? Let me explain. One major reason people respond to placebo in antidepressant trials is that they expect the drug to work. They expect it to work because of all of the promotion they've seen, newspaper and magazine articles they've read, and personal testimonials they've heard. What would happen if it became known that antidepressants are, in fact, not effective and that they could actually make depression worse. Bye bye placebo effect.
So some researchers and doctors have actually suggested that we should go on promoting the delusion that antidepressants are effective so that people who are taking them will continue to believe that they are working, which of course significantly increases the chance that they will work.
If these drugs were not so potentially dangerous and harmful, and if there were not proven alternatives, I could almost go along with this deception – although it does raise some very interesting ethical questions. However, the drugs are potentially dangerous and harmful, and there are proven alternatives, so I cannot agree with this approach.
In closing, I just want to remind anyone who is currently taking an antidepressant and thinking about stopping that it is essential you do so under your doctor's supervision. You will have to gradually taper off of your medication – do not stop abruptly!
As always, I welcome your comments and questions.
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Table of Contents
Normal Office Hours/Fund Drive Hours
2nd Floor Lambeth Commons
P.O. Box 400811
Charlottesville, VA 22904
Click here to see our location in Google maps.
Regular Office Hours
Monday-Friday: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM or by appointment.
Fund Drive Office Hours
Monday-Friday: 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday: Noon to 5:00 PM.
Note: Lambeth Commons and all interior areas of WTJU are accessible to the disabled. In addition, the doors to the Lambeth Commons building and WTJU will be auto-locked between 6:00 PM and 8:00 AM. Access to WTJU during those times is possible if you have made previous arrangements.
If you or your group would like to experience the inner workings of a radio station, call WTJU to schedule a tour of our facility.
Brief Tours:
We are happy to conduct brief tours of our facility during fund drives or during your impromptu visits to WTJU if someone is available. It is best to schedule a visit in advance.
Specialty Tours:
WTJU will conduct hands-on tours for special groups including elementary, high school and home school students, girl- and boy-scout groups, and other youth groups. Tours may include a small recording project executed by the group members. Specialty tours should be arranged at least one week in advance. To make arrangements, contact Nathan Moore at email@example.com
Information for Performing Artists/Groups
If you would like to arrange a performance, please visit the staff webpage and contact the appropriate department. For bands who have already arranged to perform, general guidelines can be found here. These guidelines may vary depending on the individual group and show. Questions or concerns should be sent to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Detailed Directions
WTJU is located on the 2nd Floor of Lambeth Commons in the Lambeth Residency Area at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. Guests of WTJU may obtain a parking pass when they visit and park in spaces reserved for WTJU near our facility.
Lambeth Commons and all WTJU spaces are handicap accessible.
For a copy you can download: please click here.
If the small WTJU parking lot is full (as is sometimes the case), there are other parking options in the area, depending on the time of day you arrive. See the map above for details.
Directions to the Station
Directions from North Charlottesville
- Go South on Route 29 North/Emmet Street toward the University of Virginia
- From the intersection of Emmet Street and Barracks Road go through four lights (including the Barracks Road light): approximately one mile.
- When you are at the fourth light at the intersection of Emmet Street and Massie Road move immediately into the left lane (you will see the John Paul Jones Arena and University Hall to your right)
- Continue about 100 yards beyond that light and turn left into the Lambeth Residency Area (note sign) parking lot: If you go under the Railroad Underpass, you've gone too far.
Directions from the University of Virginia
- From the light and intersection of Route 29/Emmet Street and the Ivy Road/University Avenue go 300 yards North on Emmet Street and under the railroad underpass
- Turn right into the Lambeth Residency Area (note sign) parking lot
Directions from Parking Lot of Lambeth Residency Area
- Once in the parking lot, turn LEFT immediately and drive about 100 yards up the alley that runs behind the residence halls
- There are 7 parking spaces with signs indicating WTJU Restricted Parking on your left
- Park in one of these spots and either walk East on the Grounds Walk to the rear of Lambeth Commons building and walk down the steps. You may also take the "scenic" route down the alleyway that parallels the Grounds Walk. Our building is straight ahead of you as you walk down the alley. A Convenience Store on the first floor and signs to our studios on the second floor from this point onward
- Enter through the front door and either take the elevator (to your immediate right) or the stairs (straight ahead) to the 2nd Floor.
- Walk through the lounge and to the reception area of WTJU, obtain a parking pass, place it on your dashboard and return to WTJU (this pass is not required during the fund drives: please call WTJU for special instructions during those times)


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Man and Van for Moving services Higher End
When people take final decision for their shifting and want to move their house or office from one location to another location they become depressed and tensed that how easily they can make their shifting more easily and secure. There are many questions arises in their minds. We have all answers of your questions and are here to make your moving more secure and easy. Contact Man and Van for moving services Higher End and hire our most reliable services. We have every solution of your moving and have vast experience in this field.
Why we are no1 moving service providers?
- We offer cheap rates
- Our work is up to standard
- Our workers are well trained
- We have vast experience in this field
- Offering our services since many years
- Strong transportation system
- Efficient and quick in our tasks
- Prefer to complete our tasks in time
- Start our tasks after proper time table
- Offer reliable services
- Well renowned services
- Competent
You will also feel proud on us after just hiring our services. We have grip on all the important areas. We know well how to pack and unpack the goods with great safety and how to look after the goods during shifting. We are expert in loading and unloading the goods and use latest tools which minimize the chance of damage of the goods. We have big transport network equipped with latest tools. We up dated it time to time. Our expert drivers drive carefully and deliver the goods safely at proper place. For detailed information you can contact us. You can also visit our website for checking rates of our reliable services. Call Man and Van for moving services Higher End, WN5 and enjoy your moving journey with us.
- No need for a large cash deposit
- No need to collect and return the vehicle
- No need to drive a large unfamiliar vehicle
- No need to worry about damaging the vehicle
- No need to fill the tank back up with fuel
- No insurance excess
- No age restrictions
- Our vehicles are designed to secure all items during transit unlike rental vehicles.
- The driver will bring the van to you in Higher End and load and load the van and can also give you a FREE lift to your delivery address
With Higher End Man and Van, you can relax on your moving day as our men will take care of all your moving needs from start to finish. Give us a call and see for your self how cheap and professional Higher End Man and Van can be on the date and time of your move.
Man With A Van hire
House Clearance
Furniture Move
IKEA / EBay Pick Up
Student Removals
Multi Drops
Flat / House Removals
Urgent Deliveries
For further information about removal service please call us on 07886 071 206 or email us at email@example.com
There is a 2 hour minimum on all jobs. After 2 hours, rates are charged in half hour increments.
Parking must be arranged and is the responsibility of the customer. Any parking fines incurred will be added to the cost of the final bill. Job arrival times are estimated. Although we do our best to be on time, circumstances out of our control may cause delays, we do not offer discounts for lateness. Extra payment of £10 required if travelling through the congestion charge.
Man With Van Hire covers can help you move to the following areas of the County of Greater Manchester without any problems:
Bury, Prestwich, Radcliffe, Ramsbottom, Tottington, Whitefield
Bolton, Blackrod, Farnworth, Horwich, Kearsley, Little Lever, South Turton, Westhoughton
Manchester, Blackley, Cheetham Hill, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Didsbury, Ringway, Withington, Wythenshawe
Oldham, Chadderton, Shaw, Crompton, Failsworth, Lees, Royton, Saddleworth
Rochdale, Heywood, Littleborough, Middleton, Milnrow, Newhey, Wardle
Salford, Eccles, Clifton, Little Hulton, Walkden, Worsley, Irlam, Pendlebury, Cadishead, Patricroft, Monton
Stockport, Bramhall, Bredbury, Cheadle, Gatley, Hazel Grove, Marple, Romiley, Woodley
Tameside, Audenshaw, Denton, Droylsden, Dukinfield, Hyde, Longdendale, Mossley, Stalybridge
Trafford, Altrincham, Bowdon, Hale, Sale, Urmston, Stretford, Ashton-under-Lyne
Wigan, Abram, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Aspull, Astley, Atherton, Bryn, Golborne, Higher End, Hindley, Ince-in-Makerfield, Leigh, Orrell, Shevington, Standish, Tyldesley, Winstanley
You Local Higher End Man and Van is the right service to choose whether your moving locally or long distance.
Quotes: 07886 071 206
Man with van - House Moves, deliveries, No matter how small or your job is!
You have landed at this page then you much be looking for either man and van hire or want to hire a moving company for to move your household goods, or it could be you're the employee or business owner and you want to move your office, if so you need to look no further because the Man with van company has now expanded to provide its services to anyone in theUK, with a local head office and branches in Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Sheffield, Peterborough, Bradford, Leicester, London and Coventry we are now known to be one of the biggest moving company that can do all from single item move to office removals, and this is due to the man power and the facilities we have for the moving.
We also have a team of dedicated movers other than a Man and Van in Higher End that you will find helpful:
The good thing about our moving company is that we don't only focus on just man and a van hire service, we indeed do more than just small removals, we have recently upgraded or company to enable us move big house and offices as well as small moves such as eBay delivery, moving to storages and student relocations.
We cover all of Higher End and the surrounding areas!
With a Man and Van in Higher End, we can provice you with a quick and smooth moving service Higher End that will make your moving process a success.
We cover all of Wigan including Abram, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Aspull, Astley, Atherton, Bryn, Golborne, Higher End, Hindley, Ince-in-Makerfield, Leigh, Orrell, Shevington, Standish, Tyldesley and Winstanley.
We are able to do removals & man and van hire for all the above areas as a local move if you move within 20 miles radius
Man With Van Higher End Delivery Services, Van With Man Hire, Van With Driver, Local Collection & Deliveries, eBay Deliveries, Small Removals, Flat Removal
Quick contact
For further information about removal service please contact Man with Van hire:
Tel: 0800 488 0032
Mob: 07886 071 206
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Follow us on Twitter!


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Bipolar Dx in Mom Makes Pregnancy Risky
Action Points
- This study found that untreated pregnant women with bipolar disorder had a number of complications compared with women without the disorder.
- Note, however, that treated bipolar disorder in women during pregnancy also was associated with increased risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Women with bipolar disorder had a significantly increased risk of adverse outcomes in pregnancy, regardless of whether the psychiatric condition was treated, investigators reported.
Bipolar was associated with almost a twofold increase in the frequency of induced or planned C-section and a 50% higher risk of preterm birth, according to Robert Bodén, MD, of Uppsala University in Sweden, and co-authors.
Microencephaly, small for gestational age, and neonatal hypoglycemia all occurred more often among infants whose mothers had bipolar disorder, they reported online in BMJ.
"Our findings of increased risks for several of the investigated outcomes also in the untreated women suggest that mood-stabilizing treatment is probably not the sole reason for the increased risk of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes," the authors wrote in conclusion.
"The role of treatment is, however, still unclear as the overall analyses of variation in outcomes generally did not support a significant difference between treated and untreated women. The possibility of an anabolic drug effect with increased risks of gestational diabetes and reduced risks of fetal growth restriction should be noted."
Bipolar disorder has been associated with a small increase in the risk of pregnancy complications, preterm birth, and delivery of small-for-gestational-age infants. Previous studies had not separated the effects of the condition from potential effects of treatment for bipolar disorder, the authors noted in their introduction.
Mood stabilizers remain a cornerstone of therapy for many patients with bipolar disorder. Knowledge about these drugs' effects during pregnancy is limited. In particular, studies have yielded inconclusive results regarding the effects of antipsychotics during pregnancy.
The limited information and its lack of consistency provided a rationale for exploring the relationship between treated and untreated bipolar disorder and adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes.
Bodén and colleagues analyzed data from Swedish national registries for prescription drugs, birth data, and patient information. Data from the drug and birth registries encompassed the period 2005 to 2009, whereas the patient information registry provided information from 1997 to 2009.
The analysis included 332,137 women who had an estimated last menstrual period after July 1, 2005 and gave birth to a single child by Dec. 31, 2009. The study population included 320 women with treated bipolar disorder and 554 with untreated bipolar disorder.
Women with bipolar disorder more often smoked, were overweight, and more likely to have a history of alcohol or substance misuse. In the subgroup 0f patients treated for bipolar disorder, the most commonly used agents during pregnancy were lamotrigine (40%), lithium (40%), and antipsychotic drugs (39%).
The proportion of women ever admitted to a psychiatric hospital was substantially greater in the subgroup of patients with treated versus untreated bipolar disorder (67.5% versus 48.0%), as was admission to a psychiatric hospital within the past year (31.5% versus 9.8%), and admission during pregnancy (2.7% versus 0.7%).
As compared with patients who did not have the psychiatric condition, women with bipolar disorder had increased odds for:
- Instrumental delivery -- 24.7% (no bipolar), 33.0% (untreated bipolar), 34.1% (treated bipolar), P<0.001
- C-section -- 16.8%, 23.5%, 25.6%, P<0.001
- Nonspontaneous start of delivery -- 20.7%, 30.9%, 37.5%, P<0.001
- Preterm (<37 weeks) birth -- 4.8%, 7.6%, 8.1%, P=0.03
- Apgar <7 at 5 minutes -- 1.1%, 2.0%, 1.3%, NS
- Neonatal hypoglycemia -- 2.5%, 4.3%, 3.4%, NS
- Small for gestational age -- 2.3%, 3.4%, 2.5%, NS
The author of an accompanying editorial wrote that the study shows "it is clear that prophylactic treatment with psychotropic drugs should be actively encouraged for all pregnant women with bipolar disorder."
"The question is not 'to treat or not to treat?' but 'how to treat optimally?'" said Salvatore Gentile, MD, of ASL Salerno in Italy. "Because no drug is without risks, clinicians cannot hope to identify a 'safe choice,' but merely a 'less harmful' one."5 comments


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The toilets in your Marietta home are not only a necessity, but can create a bathroom that makes a statement. The toilet and fixture designers at Atlanta Plumbing can assist you in the selection of a high-quality toilet.
Toilet Installation
The professional plumbers at Atlanta Plumbing Septic and Drain are there whenever you have any Plumbing problem that happens with your toilet. Our experienced technicians can repair problems from a leak to the complete installation of a new toilet. We have been doing Marietta toilet installation and toilet repair since 2002.
Toilet Repair
Like it or not, toilets are one of those things that you just have to live with, so when yours goes on the fritz, you'd better take care of it right away! At Atlanta Plumbing Septic and Drain, we offer a variety of services that will let you get the most out of your toilet, including toilet repair, toilet replacement and new toilet installation. So for all your toilet repair and replacement needs, call the experts at Atlanta Plumbing Septic and Drain!
• Toilet Installation
• Running Toilets
• Unclogging a Toilet
• Toilet Leaks
• Repair a Poorly Flushing Toilet
• Quiet a Noisy Toilet
• Replacement of Poorly Working Parts
Brands of Toilets and Fixtures Installed by Atlanta Plumbing Septic and Drain
Atlanta Plumbing Septic and Drain provides high-quality toilet products for your home. Here are a few of the quality brands installed and serviced by Atlanta Plumbing.
• American Standard
• Kohler
Besides these fine quality toilets that we install, we can make repairs to any brand of toilet that you may have in your Marietta home.
To find out more information about our high-quality plumbing service, call Atlanta Plumbing Septic and Drain at (404) 239-3917. If you're ready to experience a better Marietta plumber, then choose Atlanta Plumbing Septic & Drain today. We'll be happy to discuss all of your residential plumbing needs with you, and give you an accurate and affordable quote for your repair needs. Browse our website to find local plumber in Georgia, or for questions or comments please contact us.


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Issues and questions regarding use of Spring.NET on the mono platform.
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Speaking with a mesothelioma law firm is an important step for many. If you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, you may be entitled to compensation from a company that manufactured and/or sold asbestos-containing products. To find out if you have a case, and how much money you could receive, it's essential that you discuss your situation with the right mesothelioma law firm.
Call Sokolove Law or request a free legal consultation to learn more about the legal process and our firm's experience in mesothelioma and asbestos related diseases.
Sokolove Law has been fighting for the victims of mesothelioma and asbestos exposure for more than 40 years. We are the first truly national law firm with a licensed attorney in nearly every state. Our Founder Jim Sokolove's passion and commitment has helped bring justice and compensation to over 5,000 victims of mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases.
Our nationwide network of mesothelioma law firm attorneys helps provide equal access to our nation's court system — regardless of a potential victim's location, income, or race.
More than $3.6 Billion recovered for victims and families of mesothelioma and asbestos exposure.
Did you work at an asbestos-related company? Consult our list to see if your employer overlooked your safety.Learn More
Learn more about the process and how an experienced legal team can take the worry out of your hands and fight to get you the justice you deserve.Learn More
Certain workers run a higher risk of being exposed to asbestos. See our list to learn if your line of work is one that is associated with high-risk of exposure to asbestos.Learn More
Are you a proud U.S. veteran? Unfortunately, our nation's heroes also have a long history with asbestos exposure. Learn more about this trend and about what you can do to stop it.Learn More
The national reach of Sokolove Law allows us to help victims in any state, and to maximize the value of their cases and potential settlements.
Our goal is to maximize the compensation that a mesothelioma victim may be entitled to. What makes Sokolove Law unique is that we are not restricted to filing lawsuits in certain states. As a national law firm, we will file wherever a mesothelioma or asbestos-related claim can be best litigated, in order to increase the value of a case.
For more information, we recommend reading: 5 Tips for Finding the Right Mesothelioma Lawyer for You
A mesothelioma law firm, or a law firm that specializes in asbestos cases, files claims on behalf of those suffering from diseases triggered by asbestos, which includes mesothelioma. These firms develop a deep understanding of the nitty-gritty details involved in bringing justice to the victims and families impacted by these devastating diseases.
"Torts," as they're known, or, more commonly, "civil actions," are part of an extremely complex area of the law. This is the area where asbestos litigation falls. All U.S. states have their own unique statutes, and these statues can vary on things like burden-of-proof, meaning one state's requirements could be different – or even more demanding – than another's.
That's why it's best to work with an experienced lawyer. Firms like Sokolove Law have for years prioritized keeping up with the latest mesothelioma research and asbestos-related legal developments. Sokolove Law maintains massive databases containing information related to virtually every aspect of the asbestos industry.
Whenever you're considering legal action, it's vital that you interview a potential law firm and check their past experience in mesothelioma claims, settlements and specialized legal experience.
Here are some questions you might ask if you were looking to partner with a mesothelioma law firm:
– How many years of experience does your mesothelioma law firm have?
– Will you take my case on a contingency basis?
– What are the typical outcomes of your mesothelioma cases? Out-of-court settlement? Win? Loss? Appeal?
– Will I be able to speak with members of your law firm as needed? Will my calls be returned promptly and your questions answered clearly?
– How many mesothelioma (not just asbestos) cases or claims has your law firm handled?
– Will my case be handled on an individual basis, or "bundled" with several other similar cases? (This may hurt you if your case is a strong one, but could be helpful with "weaker" cases.)
– Does your mesothelioma law firm have a nationwide network of attorneys and lawyers who will share their research and expertise in order to build a solid case on my behalf?
– Will your law firm be handling my case personally? (At times law firms may refer your case to another firm that may be better suited to help in your situation — often providing you with the services of both their firm and another at no extra cost to you.)
Remember, it's in your best interest to be comfortable with the mesothelioma law firm and attorneys that handle your case.
Sokolove Law's staff of experienced mesothelioma paralegals is here to help you and to answer any questions you might have about filing a mesothelioma lawsuit. Don't wait — request a free legal consultation today.


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Cruise Ship recruitment agency listing
Cruise ships are floating hotels and have a range of roles in entertainment, hospitality, marketing, management, health and beauty, guest relations, and management and maintenance of the ship.
Entry requirements
The travel benefits of these positions are a major attraction. Office or land-based jobs at headquarters or port may still offer travel privileges. The recruitment process is highly competitive, and employers and recruitment companies will assess language skills, experience and qualifications. The successful applicant may be appointed to a tipping (small basic plus specified tip amounts) or non tipping job. Tipping jobs have direct contact with guests, and require native English as a language as well as the required experience. Many positions may offer commission, or other perks, like inclusive flights to port.
The work can be demanding, with long hours and all weathers. Contracts are typically 6 months long, with a break of 6-8 weeks before renewal. Earnings can be good, with the opportunity to meet and befriend people from all over the world. Accommodation, whilst free, is shared. Average starting salaries vary from £200 per week to £2000 per month, but management positions and senior placements like head chefs on luxury liners may be offered upwards of £45k plus benefits.
Press "Search Agencies" when your new query is ready.
Displaying 16 of 68 Agencies that recruit for Cruise Ship jobs in the Travel industry.
View your closest or specialist recruiters by using the Agency Search above.
Juice Hospitality Ltd
Ellis Mack Catering, Hospitality & Retail Specialists
KSB Recruitment Consultants Ltd - Catering & Hospitality
Are you an employer looking for a recruitment agency?


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Spring Jamboree - Let's start the European kitesurfing season in Egyptian climate!
5-12 April 2013!
Take part in the international event opening the kitesurfing season! Of course we're talking about the European season, because you have to remember - in Egypt you can kite WHOLE YEAR ROUND!
Spring Jamboree is an event which has been created for our clients - let's meet each other for a warm up before the long weekend in May. Spring Jamboree is a new event which hopefully will start to appear in RedSeaZone's calendar regularly.
Date: 5 – 12 April 2013
Free Pro Camp:
Led by RedSeaZone instructors - it's time to jump to the next level! We can help you - for FREE!
Phosphorus Pyramida Freestyle Jam:
...freestyle competition in which you can win an amazing prize - a phosphorous pyramid - the most famous Egyptian souvenir. Thanks to the pyramid you will never be surprised by Egyptian darkness... This is a laid back contest with the best trick and the best crash winning. Tricks and crashes can be presented by everyone! In addition, the winners will receive "a gold box" - a RESCUE PACK in RedSeaZone for FREE - forever!
Galabija Kite Race:
A kitesurfing race in the traditional Egyptian outfit. Take up the challenge because you can win another RedSeaZone "gold box".
Match: Poland – Egypt:
Join the "kite football team" and play against our Egyptian instructors and beach boys on a grassy pitch in El Gouna.
Go Carts RedSeaZone Cup:
Are you ready for a real competition? Forget about any crash tests. There will be time for the real race only.
Grand Ja'Mondays:
"Every Monday is Ja'Monday" in RedSeaZone – weekly live concert. Can you play or sing? Join our musicians on stage - you will have the possibility to create music together - live!
PRO photo sessions:
Our photographer will be present on the spot every day. Isn't it a unique opportunity to have some cool "kitesurfing photos"? Of course it is! For free!
Latest equipment tests:
Try for free the latest kites and boards from Gaastra and Crazy Fly 2013!
A one-day Kitesafari trip to the islands:
Cruise with us on the turquoise lagoons! We will get to the island by a fast RIB boat!
Remember - KITE IS RIGHT so join us and sign up today for the Spring Jamboree!


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LAS VEGAS -- Walking around the Consumer Electronics Show on Tuesday, nothing stood out quite as much as watching a woman stick her hand behind a TV and then seeing her hand through the set's transparent screen.
No, it wasn't a magic trick. The Hisense employee was showing off the company's see-through 3-D concept, which is a very thin TV with a transparent display. Many walking by the unusual TV made double takes as they couldn't quite figure out what they were seeing.
The transparent TV sits about a foot away from a wall with a bright light behind it, which is necessary in order to see the images that appear on the set's display.
In between the transparent screen and the light was an open space where Hisense had placed a small model of a village to demonstrate the TV's transparent capabilities.


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Reunion Weekend 2014
More than 900 alumni returned this year for Oswego's Reunion. They celebrated their alma mater with good friends, great memories and some of the best sunsets in the world. Let's make next summer's party even bigger! Join your friends and classmates at Reunion 2014! Everyone is welcome, but special events are planned for these milestone classes and groups: 70th


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Images | August 10, 2012
Hitting the Marks
This graphic shows the times at which NASA's Curiosity rover hit its milestones during its entry, descent and landing on Mars. The times the events actually occurred are shown in red. The times that Earth received confirmation that the events occurred appear in blue. All times are listed in Pacific Daylight Time.


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As you probably already know, I've been working on Maps, geolocation and geocoding apart from Boxes in 3.9 development cycle. Although there is still a lot of work to do in all these, I'm really happy with what we achieved in a short amount of time:
- Maps: There was desire and design page for a map application for GNOME but I didn't see any implementation. I looked around and found out that Mattias Bengtsson had already a repository so I helped him start the project. Currently it only allows you to some basic things you expect from a map application, like searching for places and finding your location but for a preview application that was developed in a few months by a few people, its a big achievement that everyone involved should be proud of. We still have plenty to do for 3.12, where its supposed to be a useful and stable application and not just a preview. Unfortunately, I myself won't have a lot of time for Maps in this cycle, so if you are interested in maps (lots of fun guaranteed!) and are looking for a way to contribute to GNOME (or Free Software in general), here is your chance to change the world for better.
Since Maps use the awesome OpenStreetMap project (through libchamplain), another way to contribute is to edit maps directly in OpenStreetMap itself. This is ideal for technology enthusiasts who lack programming skills or interest in it. That is not to say that almost everyone would enjoy this kind of contribution. My good friend, Federico tells me that it could easily become an addiction. OpenStreetMap has several editor clients for different platforms so you can choose the one that suits your needs.
- Geoclue2: So we basically started a re-write of Geoclue some months back. Rationale could be found here. Currently we only have IP-based geolocation and that unfortunately is limited to city-level accuracy at best. While this is not enough for some applications (e.g Maps) its already serves well for some important applications like Clocks and gnome-settings-daemon. So in GNOME 3.10, your local clock is automatically added to Clocks and your system timezone automatically updated (if you choose so) as you travel around with your laptop.
In 3.12, I would like to first address the privacy concerns: Users should be given control over which applications should be allowed to access their location. This will be done through per-user agents running in desktop sessions. I already have implemented the geoclue side of this and have implemented a demo agent but I gotta implement an agent in at least GNOME Shell before Geoclue by default requires all apps to be authorized. KDE (every linux-based OS) folks will also have to implement an agent if they intend to use Geoclue2.
Once privacy in place, I would really want to add more geolocation sources: GPS, 3G and WiFi-based geolocation. The first two, I'm told should be easy to add w/ latest ModemManager.
WiFi-based geolocation will most likely be based on Open WLAN Map project. I have not yet looked at the API their library provides but I'm hoping its not too hard. Implementation difficulty aside, one big issue is that their database is hardly comparable to that of Google, Nokia, Microsoft etc so in most cases (unless you are in Germany) we'll not be able to rely on this source to locate you. That is a pity since this is the only option we have for wifi-geolocation, being open database of this type. On the bright side, they provide easy ways to improve their database using your smartphone. I'm hoping that by making use of this service, we'll further encourage contributions to this database and in a few years, this database will have enough data from many different areas around the globe.
- Geocode-glib: As I said, Maps already allow you to search for different places on the planet. This is done through a process called geocoding. This process translates a string, which could be the place name or part of it, and gives you details about all places that match such a string. The most important part of these details are coordinates. Another small feature you might notice in Maps is the "What's here" item of the context menu, which shows you details about the place where you cursor currently is on the map. This is done through a process called reverse-geocoding. Simply put, given the coordinates of a place, you get details (especially name) about it.
Bastien had been working already on a library for geocoding and reverse-geocoding called geocode-glib. Since I needed this for Maps, I helped clean it up. While doing so I realized that it used Yahoo Places service, which not only is a closed/proprietary service, it doesn't have enough data and most importantly is not designed to be used for geocoding. Turned out that OpenStreetMap folks provide an open service for geocoding, Nominatim I ported geocode-glib to use Nominatim instead of Yahoo Places. Since Nominatim shares the same database with OpenStreetMap, contributing to Nominatim is the same as contributing to OpenStreetMap and vice versa and you use the same clients/tools to do that.
All this would not have been possible without help from our awesome community. Special thanks goes to my Google Summer of Code students, Kalev Lember and Mattias Bengtsson, and my colleague and friend Bastien Nocera. For Maps, I was also very lucky to get help from an awesome new contributor, Jonas Danielsson. Maps wouldn't look any good without his work.


text: Why Aren't Markets Reacting to Iowa's Crop Conditions? July 23, 2013 04:22 AM Tweet TAGS: Marketing, Overseas December 18, 2014 By Pam Fretwell Farm Journal Media Multimedia; Farm Journal Special Projects Editor Email A lot of farmers are facing a challenging summer in terms of weather. But the markets seem to be ignoring Iowa's crop conditions. No question, Iowa is a vital state when it comes to corn production. This year, around 15% (13.5 million acres) of the U.S. corn crop will be grown in Iowa, per USDA's June estimate. Currently the corn crop is not looking too promising. Here is the current corn condition report for Iowa: Excellent: 12% Good: 43% Fair: 31% Poor: 10% Very poor: 4% Chris Barron, AgWeb's margins expert and an Iowa farmer, says the markets seem to be ignoring the less-than-ideal conditions in Iowa and focusing on other areas. On Straight from the Heartland, he provides this take on the current situation: "This market has a mind of its own right now," he says. "We have a lot of risk factors at play on the production end." He says that in 1993, a year with similar weather challenges, it took until October before anyone had a true diagnosis of the damage done to the corn crop. "I would venture to say it will take us until October to December to figure out how much production we really have out there." Since other areas of the country are experiencing good weather conditions, Barron says, it is discounting the situation in Iowa. But, that will likely change. "The market will eventually have to recognize this reduction in acres and what the yield realistically comes in at." .................................. Have a question for Chris? Email him at firstname.lastname@example.com. Hear more audio reports with Chris in AgWeb's Profit Center. Back to news


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makar is a valid word in this word list. For a definition, see the external dictionary links below.
The word "makar" uses 5 letters: A A K M R.
Direct anagrams of makar:
Words formed by adding one letter before or after makar (in bold), or to aakmr in any order:
k - markka s - karmas makars
Shorter words found within makar:
aa am ama ar arak ark arm ka ma maar mar mark ram
List shorter words within makar, sorted by length
Words formed from any letters in makar, plus an optional blank or existing letter
Try a search for makar in these online resources (some words may not be found):
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Other words with the same letter pairs: ma ak ka ar
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Engaging the public with European cultural works is a priority for the European Commission, as well as for most cultural organisations and public authorities in Europe. This year's Culture in Motion Conference focused on the topic of Audience Development as a central aspect of Creative Europe, the future funding programme for supporting the creative sectors in Europe (2014-2020). Audience development is a strategic, dynamic and interactive process of making the arts widely accessible. It aims at engaging individuals and communities in experiencing, participating in and valuing the arts through various means, from digital tools to volunteering, from co-creation to partnerships. It brings cultural, social and economic benefits. Audience development as a concept may be relatively new, but cultural organisations have already been engaged in a dialogue with their audiences for a long time. The conference was the occasion to present a snapshot of projects supported by the EU's current Culture and MEDIA programmes, other EU programmes or without direct EU funding, to provide inspiration for our work ahead.


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1930's Retro Candy
Items 1-15 of 68
Times were tough in 1930's America, but candy from the 30's was fantastic. Several superheroes (like Superman and Batman) emerged in the 30's, but we should also count 3 Musketeers, Kit Kat, and Snickers, who have had decades of opportunity to save the day in more subtle ways.
Old-fashioned candy favorites like Boston Baked Beans, Licorice Snaps, and Red Hots make a splash with kids who have probably never tried them. For a real treat, buy a sampling and give them a retro candy experience to celebrate a special occasion.
Wait. There's more. Just because you haven't heard of some of the lesser-known retro candy from the 1930's, doesn't mean they aren't equally fabulous. In fact, Valomilk Candy Cups and Choward's Violet Mints could make you a superhero with those with whom you share.
Old-fashioned candy like this does more than satisfy a sweet tooth. It connects us to a little bit of the nostalgic American experience.


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About three weeks back (maybe further) Mr CC requested something with pastry that could be served hot with custard. Inattentive wife that I am, I've only just got round to it. He requested apple and blackberry so the recent fruity theme of the blog continues for another week!
By placing some of the blackberries underneath the frangipane sponge, the finished tart is similar to a bakewell i.e. almond sponge hiding fruitiness beneath; however, the apple slices on top differentiate it. I left my apple slices quite chunky so that they contributed texture as well as flavour.
Here's what lies beneath the frangipane, apple puree and blackberries:
Initially, I planned on placing only blackberries under the sponge, but when Mr CC came home with a huge bucket full of Bramley apples grown by a work colleague, I made apple puree and put some of that in too:
I made a huge batch and only used some of it in these tarts. The leftover puree went in the freezer and will be used in a future apple crumble! My method for apple puree uses more water than those I found online; having followed these in the past I find them too dry. Using more water seems to make a lighter, fluffier puree.
I decided to revisit the pastry from Raymond Blanc's apple tart. It worked so well with apples and had the time saving bonus of not needing to be blind baked in advance of baking the filling.
My flan tins were called "mini flan tins", but as you've probably noticed they were actually quite large – about 10cm across. Anything called 'mini' instantly means a single serving to me...I don't tend to use my eyes in such situations. In truth, half a tart would've been plenty!
Pastry, fruit and custard together are the holy trinity of puddings, as far as I'm concerned; add almond sponge into the mix and I'm in heaven! Whisper it softly, but I actually prefer the thicker, darker…dare I say, lower end, type of custard, the kind that coats the back of the spoon with a viscous layer of yellow goodness. The soft vanilla aroma that wafts up from a jugful of custard surely contains endorphins (or something, I'm not a scientist) as it makes everyone happy!
I end with a confession. Having admitted half a tart would've been a generous portion I still dished up a whole tart each. The following is photographic proof of why I am The Caked Crusader G.G. Hons (Greedy Guts) – my bowl is on the left; a mortal's is on the right:
For the pastry:
250g plain flour
125g unsalted butter, diced
1 teaspoon milk or water (I used milk)
1 egg
For the apple puree (puree is never an exact science so make whatever quantity you wish – it freezes brilliantly):
Bramley apples
Sugar – to taste
For the filling:
200g blackberries
140g unsalted butter, at room temperature
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
1400g ground almonds
50g plain flour
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/8s – I used Granny Smith apples
Start by making the pastry: pulse the flour and butter in a food processor until you have crumbs.
Add the egg and milk and pulse again until the pastry clumps but does not form a ball – be careful not to overwork it.
Tip the dough onto a sheet of clingfilm and kneed it just enough to form a ball. Flatten, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the apple puree. Take a saucepan of appropriate size – roughly so that the apples will half fill the pan.
Cover the bottom of the pan with water – ideally about 2cm deep.
Peel, core and thinly slice the cooking apples.
Slowly simmer until the apples break down and you have a puree; if the pan looks dry add some more water. You can speed this up placing the pan lid 3/4s over the pan.
Personally, I like my puree with some apple chunks still in it; if you don't cook until smooth.
Add the sugar right at the end – this is totally to taste so add gradually until you have the right sweetness for you.
Roll out the chilled dough between two sheets of clingfilm. I didn't need to add any extra flour. Use one sheet of the clingfilm to lift the pastry to line a 20cm loose bottomed flan tin or 4 individual tart tins (mine measured 10cm across). Press the pastry into the tin and use the rolling pin to roll over the top and cut of any excess pastry.
Preheat the oven to 200˚C/fan oven 180˚C/390˚F/Gas mark 6
Spoon 2 tablespoons of the apple puree into the pastry case and arrange the blackberries on top.
Place back in the fridge to chill while you make the filling.
Beat together the butter and sugar until it's pale and smooth.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, if it looks like it might curdle add some of the flour.
Stir in the almonds, flour and, if using, the extract.
Spoon into the pastry case and level the surface; take care not to disturb the blackberries too much as they need to be evenly distributed.
Arrange the apple slices on the top.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until the almond sponge is cooked – test with a skewer, the same way you would for a cake. If the skewer comes out clean it's ready.
Leave to cool, in the tins, on a wire rack.
Serve either at room temperature with thick cream, or warm with custard.
Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.


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This is an activity about coronal mass ejections. Learners will calculate the velocity and acceleration of a coronal mass ejection, or CME, based on its position in a series of images from the Large-Angle Spectrometric Coronograph (LASCO) instrument... (View More) on NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft. This is Activity 2 of a larger resource, Exploring the Sun. The NASA spacecraft missions represented by this material include SOHO, TRACE, STEREO, Hinode, and SDO. (View Less)
Audience: Middle school, High school, Informal education
Materials Cost: Free
Materials Cost: Free


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Welcome to the CRG Discussion Forum!Forum registration problems: Make sure you enter your email correctly and you check your spam box first. *Then* email KurtS2@gmail for help.Classified ads are not allowed on the forum.
I'll look today and add what I find.
Also the official Reproductions do not have the Helm order form at the rear.


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In some promiscuous species, sexual conflict runs in reverse, reveals a new study. Among African topi antelopes, females are the ones who aggressively pursue their mates, while males play hard to get.
The classical view of sexual conflict holds that males, for whom reproducing is cheap, will mate as much as possible. On the other hand, females, who must pay a heftier price, are choosier about their mating partners.
Mother nursing baby topi antelope in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania,
East Africa. (Credit: iStockphoto/Bruce Block)
"When biologists talk about the 'Battle of the Sexes,' they often tacitly assume that the battle is between persistent males who always want to mate and females who don't," said Jakob Bro-Jørgensen of University of Jyväskylä in Finland. "However, in topi antelopes, where females are known to prefer to mate with males in the center of mating arenas, we've found a reversal of these stereotypic sex roles."
Such role reversals may occur in species where females benefit from mating multiply, either because it increases their chances of conception with high-quality males or simply because it increases the probability that they conceive at all, Bro-Jørgensen added. He noted that this reversed sexual conflict might not be a rarity in the animal kingdom, as topi are "in many ways a very typical mammalian species characterized by male mate competition and female choice."
In promiscuous species--those in which individuals mate with multiple partners within a short time period--Bro-Jørgensen's group suspected that females might sometimes have higher optimum mating rates than their mating partners. Topi antelope offered an ideal opportunity for studying the dynamics of sex roles in promiscuous mammals, Bro-Jørgensen said, because over a month and a half, individual females become receptive to mating for roughly one day, when they mate several times with each of about four males on average. Females prefer to mate with those males who have succeeded in acquiring territories in the center of "mating arenas," known as leks. But the majority of females also mate with other males as well, resulting in intense sperm competition.
Indeed, they have now shown that aggressive female topis compete with one another for a limited supply of sperm from the most desirable members of the opposite sex, even attacking their fellow mating pairs. Meanwhile, resistant males grow choosier about their mating partners, deliberately selecting the least mated females and launching counterattacks against aggressive females with whom they've already mated.
The bottom-line of the findings, according to Bro-Jørgensen: "We should not regard coyness as the only natural female sex role just as we should not expect that it is always the natural male sex role to mindlessly accept any mating partner," he said. "Nature favors a broader range of sex roles."
This research was published online on November 29th in Current Biology.
The researcher is Jakob Bro-Jørgensen, of the Department of Biological University of Jyva¨ skyla, Jyva¨ skyla¨, Finland; and the Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society, Regent's Park, London, UK.
SOURCE : Cell Press


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Crime simulation: targeting cross-border trafficking in South-East Asia
From 15 to 19 October 2012 in Vienna, the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime will hold its sixth session. This event will bring together the international community to address some of today's core criminal threats, including environmental crime and the smuggling of migrants.
12 October 2012 - It's 2 p.m. in a remote town in Kampong Cham province on the border between Cambodia and Viet Nam. In a small restaurant, a police officer on surveillance in plain clothes slowly sips his ice tea and waits. A few blocks away, the operation head radios his arrest team. The suspected traffickers have already crossed the border, he tells them.
When the traffickers' cars stop at the meeting point, the surveillance officer surveys the traffickers' rendezvous. A suspected wildlife trader removes a large rhino horn from the trunk of one car and deposits it into the second. The whole transaction is recorded on camera by the surveillance officer hidden in a building close by. Once the illicit transfer is complete, an informant among the traffickers removes his hat - a signal. In a matter of seconds, it's all over: the arrest team blocks the two cars and swiftly places the two suspected traffickers under arrest.
This is not a movie scene. It is part of the latest anti-smuggling training course organized by the PATROL project (Partnership Against Transnational crime through Regional Organized Law enforcement). Established in 2010 and funded by the Governments of Australia and the United States, PATROL seeks to improve border security at land borders, seaports and airports in the Greater Mekong subregion by working with frontline officers in Cambodia, China, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam.
During two separate five-day PATROL seminars in Cambodia, 45 Cambodian border law enforcement officers were taught anti-smuggling techniques and provided specialized support to investigate migrant smuggling and environmental crimes. The training is aimed at assisting in curbing crimes such as these, which pose particularly acute problems for developing regions where Governments often lack the capacity to regulate the exploitation of natural resources and people.
Trafficking in wildlife in South-East Asia, for instance, has had devastating effects. Widespread poverty and a lucrative overseas market for exotic animal products have resulted in the poaching of animals on a massive scale. In addition to the impact this has had on endangered animal populations and the damage it causes to natural ecosystems, poaching also affects the tourism trade, which represents a key part of many national economies.
The role of criminals in irregular migration also poses a particular danger for people. Smugglers take advantage of the large number of migrants who are willing to take risks in search of a better life when they cannot access legal channels of migration, making them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Their safety and even their lives are often put at risk: they may suffocate in containers or drown at sea while being smuggled by profit-seeking criminals who treat them as goods.
With this in mind, the objective of the course was to train border officers to help them better tackle these and other forms of cross-border criminal activities. UNODC selected a unique set of trainers, comprising national experts from Immigration, Police, Customs, and Forestry Administration and international speakers from the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Department of Environment and Conservation, the Freeland Foundation, the United Nations Environment Programme and UNODC.
As one participant commented, "This is the first time that I have taken part in a training course like this. I learned many new things during the classes, and really enjoyed the crime simulation that we used to plan and execute the arrest of the two suspected traffickers of wildlife and people."
Jointly organized by Cambodia's National Authority to Combat Drugs and the UNODC Regional Centre for East Asia and the Pacific, this training activity was aimed at 45 border liaison officers through the support of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship of Australia and the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). Similar activities will be organized over the next months in Viet Nam and Thailand.
In 2010, UNODC joined forces with five other organizations to launch the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime, which works to bring coordinated support to national wildlife law enforcement agencies and related subregional and regional networks that act in defence of natural resources.
Related Information:
Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime
International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC)
PATROL (Partnership Against Transnational crime through Regional Organized Law enforcement)


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Determinant, in linear and multilinear algebra, a value, denoted det A, associated with a square matrix A of n rows and n columns. Designating any element of the matrix by the symbol arc (the subscript r identifies the row and c the column), the determinant is evaluated by finding the sum of n! terms, each of which is the product of the coefficient (−1)r + c and n elements, no two from the same row or column. Determinants are of use in ascertaining whether a system of n equations in n unknowns has a solution. If B is an n × 1 vector and the determinant of A is nonzero, the system of equations AX = B always has a solution.
Given a system of
For the trivial case of n = 1, the value of the determinant is the value of the single element a11. For n = 2, the matrix is
and the determinant is a11a22 − a12a21.
Larger determinants ordinarily are evaluated by a stepwise process, expanding them into sums of terms, each the product of a coefficient and a smaller determinant. Any row or column of the matrix is selected, each of its elements arc is multiplied by the factor (−1)r + c and by the smaller determinant Mrc formed by deleting the rth row and cth column from the original array. Each of these products is expanded in the same way until the small determinants can be evaluated by inspection. At each stage, the process is facilitated by choosing the row or column containing the most zeros.
For example, the determinant of the matrix
is most easily evaluated with respect to the second column:


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Boy, it's been a while. Almost half a year. About enough time to break the silence, I suppose.
When I wrote my last blog post, we had already done an IUI and I was on all sorts of fertility drugs to help ensure and maintain a pregnancy. I'd been seeing a chiropractor for months and was doing acupuncture.
And of course I repeated the pineapple trick to help soften up my lining for optimal implantation if there was a baby.
Toward the end of our endless two-week-wait to find out if the IUI was successful, I ran across this photo in my Facebook memories and shared it for Saint Patrick's day.
I found these beautiful four-leaf clovers when I was newly pregnant with Joshua, after a lifetime of searching for them, and trying to conceive him. I mentioned on my share and that I was waiting again to find out if I was pregnant, and a friend said I should go see if I could find another. So I did, and my heart was beating wildly the entire time. Like this was the pregnancy test or something, LOL! And I did find one. The awe and joy I felt, you would have really thought I was looking at a positive pregnancy test.
I was astounded and overjoyed when I got my first positive test soon after finding that little clover. So excited! I tested early on a dollar store cheapie test, and the line was so light I practically sprained my eyes trying to see it, but it was there, and a line is a line!
I dressed Joshua up and took pictures and made cards to tell Dennis and our close families about the baby. I surprised him the next day with this card on the fridge, with a darker positive test inside. He was just as astounded as I was. Because while we were taking actions to achieve this pregnancy, having been disappointed so many times, it's hard to really believe it's true when it actually works.
I was in bliss for about a week. Until the day before Easter, and I started cramping and spotting just a teeny tiny bit. But a bit is still blood and it was scary. I didn't feel well. We were travelling for the holiday and I was so upset, thinking that I might miscarry while we were at my in-law's home. I was scared but still hopeful, as I remembered cramping a lot with Joshua in the first weeks of pregnancy.
When I woke up the next day, I felt much better, I wasn't cramping any more and while spotting a little more, it was really very little. Like a dime-size amount at the end of the day. Not enough to spell disaster, or so I hoped. We had a very nice Easter with Den's family. We came back home that evening and the next morning, I went in to get my second beta to see if my numbers were doubling properly. My first beta number was a lot lower than with Joshua so I had already been scared before the cramping and spotting. I was on pins and needles to know what was going on.
Before we left, Joshua touched my stomach and said "baby." We hadn't breathed a word to him about the pregnancy and it caught me by surprise. I now feel like it was a special moment between siblings, where he recognized the child at the end of its life. He hasn't mentioned a baby since.
After my beta, then the more than just spotting happened. I bled more than a normal period, but since there was hardly any cramping, I still managed to hold out hope that all was well. I got a call with the beta results, and the number had increased, but had not quite doubled. Depending on the standard being followed, it still fell into a normal range, but they wanted to see it completely doubled. So I had to return in two days.
I was in complete denial at this point and was convinced that the bleeding did not mean a miscarriage, and that our baby was still hanging on for dear life. I couldn't imagine or accept that the thing we'd wanted so much and had done everything we could to get, could be gone after only having it a few weeks. But it was. At my next beta, my HCG had dropped from 234 to 40. And that's when I knew, I really had lost the baby on Monday. And I still had to go back to get another beta because they monitor the number back to zero. Going in just to watch the number go back to zero, the number I've been at most of my life, was really hard.
Losing that baby, despite only being just shy of 6 weeks pregnant, was really hard. It wasn't only losing something I really loved and wanted, that was hard enough. It was also losing something that we put SO much into. Our hopes, dreams, energy, prayers, and money. Money that we'd worked months to raise, along with a lot of our own money. We weren't the only ones invested in this dream, our friends and family now knew so much about our journey and our struggle, and they were following the journey, praying for us, and had donated money to help us.
It was also knowing it was our last shot that made it difficult. Saying goodbye to the only chance we had for a sibling for our son. We put so much extra into this single attempt, things like a $500 prescription for Crinone that I barely touched, that by the end, we had nothing left for another try. While my brain frantically raced to figure out a way to try just one more time, feeling that I could bury the pain of loss with another pregnancy, we both knew we were done pouring money into the attempt, that we had to stop.
In the depths of my grief, I cried to Dennis, "I wish we'd never tried. Why did we have to go through all this just to lose a baby? If we hadn't tried, this never would have happened, and we could have done something practical with the money, like get new carpet. "
Dennis replied, "But if we had given up years ago, we never would have had Joshua."
So true. So true.
We decided to name the baby, as friends who've suffered miscarriages advised that it helped the healing process. Of course, we can't know the sex of our baby, but we felt it was a girl. I've wanted a girl since I was a little girl myself, and losing this chance makes the loss all the more difficult. I lost my dream. The one I've had almost my entire life. Gone. I'm fairly dogged about achieving my dreams, so this is possibly the hardest part of losing our daughter. That we were so close, and I was grasping the dream, until it turned into smoke in my hands and disappeared.
While we probably wouldn't have given the name to a living child, the name Clover Joy came to mind immediately. For the tiny little tattered four-leaf clover I found that felt like a whisper from God, before I even knew I was pregnant. And Joy for for Dennis's Grandma, and also because of the Joy she brought us for a short time.
A group of dear friends pooled their money together and bought me this necklace, which rests against my chest while I type now. It's so special to me to have this reminder of the baby that I never got to meet. To have this necklace close to my heart, when I can't have her. A physical thing that says she existed. And she mattered.
Our beloved church family gave us a pink rose bush to remember her by which is just as special to me. I don't know that many would even consider losing a baby at five weeks a real loss, but they never questioned my grief. They empathized and validated my feelings, and I'm thankful for that. To have this rose bush grow year after year when I can't watch my daughter grow, it's a comfort. It's not a replacement, but it's a comfort. Validating her life is a huge comfort as well. She was real, and she mattered.
My sweet mother-in-law, who I can't say enough good things about, brought me these wind chimes to remember our angel baby by.
I don't know why we got to have her only to lose her so quickly. I don't know why. But her brief existence has helped me find a peace with having an only child that I couldn't find before. Her life brought a sense of finality to our journey. Without her, I would have felt unbearable unrest for the rest of my life. I would have always wondered, "what if?" if we hadn't tried. And felt uneasy that we didn't give it our all. But we did. I wish down to my down marrow that I could have kept her and held her and watched her grow up, but her life was not in vain. And she will not be forgotten.


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Taxachusetts" no more? A recent Patriot Ledger story ("Study finds state business taxes are among the lowest in the nation," March 29-30) reported that a new tax study shows Massachusetts is business-friendly. Maybe so, but residents are still suffering in "Taxachusetts."
According to The Tax Foundation, Massachusetts' state and local tax burden is above the national average. Our 2010 tax burden ranked eighth-highest out of 50 states. Figures for 2010:
– Taxes paid by residents as a percentage of income: 10.4 percent.
– Total state and local taxes collected: $33.48 billion (10th-highest).
– Percentage of total taxes paid by residents: 76.5 percent (12th-highest).
The Tax Foundation's report also found that the 10.4 percent tax burden on Massachusetts residents was up from 10 percent in 2009. Income per capita fell from $53,029 in 2009 to $51,991 in 2010.
Individual income taxes are a major part of the state's tax burden. Massachusetts collected $1,549 per capita in income taxes from the 2010 tax season, the third-highest amount in the country. Property taxes collected of $1,845 per capita were the eighth-highest of all states. And recent tax increases on gas, tobacco and general sales have exacerbated our tax burden.
Don't be fooled. For residents, "Taxachusetts" still lives up to its name.
Here's one opinion. What's yours? Click here to write a letter to the editor or leave a comment on the story. Read more columns, editorials and letters