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29 August 2011
Impact of NULLs and Analyzing Choice Correctness (5926)
The quiz asked the following question of the plch_employees table:
We want to retrieve the total earnings (i.e. salary + commission) of an employee. Which queries give us the correct result?
The rows in the table included some NULL values for commission, while none of the salary values were NULL.
Players questioned our scoring as correct any of the choices, because all the queries assumed that the salary will never be NULL.
I will make a few comments, and then invite both our SQL author/reviewers and players to offer their own perspectives. My comments:
1. It would have been better if we'd put a NOT NULL constraint on the employee_salary column. That would avoid the issue altogether (in fact, I plan to do this after we finish this discussion).
2. It is important to draw a distinction between answering a quiz and developing "bullet-proof" code that handles all possible scenarios.
When you take a quiz, you answer the question in the context of the information provided in that question - and nothing else. In this case, none of the salaries were NULL and so the issue of the impact of NULL on a formula like "salary + commission" only affects the commission "side" of the formula.
So I do not believe that any change in scoring needs to take place. But, as noted earlier, I do think we should add a NOT NULL constraint on the salary column.
Your thoughts?
13 comments:
I would argue that the problem is not just the fact that employee_salary might be null, but also that every answer scored as correct assumes that an employee_comm value of NULL should be interpreted as 0. Nowhere in the instructions did it indicate this, so I don't think that assumption can be made.ReplyDelete
More simply put, if MILLER has an employee_salary of 1300 and employee_comm of NULL then her total earnings (employee_salary + employee_comm) are NULL. None of the answers give that result so none of them are correct.
- Anonymous29 August, 2011 19:42
Hello All,ReplyDelete
The issue here is to define what is the meaning of
"total earning". If it is a "life common sense"
meaning, then the scoring is correct.
If it is the "SQL" meaning, then it is not.
Anyway, adding the NOT NULL is welcome.
On a more general plan, this also relates to the missing of an ORDER BY clause from a SELECT.
In my opinion, NOT specifying it where it is supposed to be specified also renders a choice as incorrect, even if it might happen that for the given sample data, the output itself could be correct anyway.
So, maybe we can all agree upon the fact that
a correct choice means a "correct solution"
and not just a "correct result" .
Of course, if the solution is correct then
the result is also always correct .
Thanks & Best Regards,
This sounds to me like the question: "Is the following table with the presented data in third Normal Form"? The correct answer can only be given in the light of the present data. And off course if you add new records, the answer could change. It is not really valid to say that a specific example could be there. The real world domain must be taken into consideration. And while it is probable that the NULL value could be there and must be considered for all possible values in the table. It is not part of the question.ReplyDelete
Ok, I admit, I've studied mathematics, database theory and logistics. And just saw "The Big Bang Theory" for three hours and Sheldon is my favorite.
- Goran Stefanovic30 August, 2011 10:06
Dan Kennedy:ReplyDelete
"More simply put, if MILLER has an employee_salary of 1300 and employee_comm of NULL then her total earnings (employee_salary + employee_comm) are NULL. None of the answers give that result so none of them are correct."
I strongly disagree with this. If you (in real life) have a salary of 1300, and did not recieve any commission (which means you literally recieved nothing; you DID NOT recieve 0!), your total earnings are definitely 1300.
Translated to SQL/PLSQL: in this case NULL should be treated as 0 - it is logical assumption based on real life experience. If you do not do that, you lose all the money from the programming language's point of view. I do not think MILLER would agree with that. :-)
Steven Feuerstein:
"Players questioned our scoring as correct any of the choices, because all the queries assumed that the salary will never be NULL."
It does not matter how the salary will change over time (although it is logical to assume it will never be null, right?) because you gave us INSERT statements with the snapshot of salaries and commissions at that precise moment. These values are world of their own for this quiz, and other possible values should not be considered (in my opionion).
Of course, in the real world domain this could be fatal, and nullable columns should always be treated as "could be NULL". If you did not give us INSERT statements it would have been completely different story, but in this case I think it is the right way to answer questions based ONLY on the specified data.
Goran: "If you (in real life) have a salary of 1300, and did not recieve any commission (which means you literally recieved nothing; you DID NOT recieve 0!), your total earnings are definitely 1300."ReplyDelete
How can you say MILLER didn't receive any commission? My point is that, lacking any other documentation of what NULL means in this environment, we don't know what MILLER's commission was.
So if I told you that your salary next year was going to be $100k but I don't know what your commission is going to be, you tell me: what is your total compensation going to be?
Btw, this is a SQL test not a real life test, right? I (strongly) think the answers should be driven not by assumptions made in real life but only by what is provided in the question.
When salary is null a man is a volunteer not an employee.ReplyDelete
Adding NOT NULL constraint will stop strange objections.
- Goran Stefanovic30 August, 2011 14:44
Dan Kennedy:ReplyDelete
"How can you say MILLER didn't receive any commission? My point is that, lacking any other documentation of what NULL means in this environment, we don't know what MILLER's commission was.
So if I told you that your salary next year was going to be $100k but I don't know what your commission is going to be, you tell me: what is your total compensation going to be?"
My assumption was that the commission is past value for that precise moment (in the MILLER's example, I assumed that his salary up to this moment was 1300, and that his commission up to this moment was NULL, meaning "nothing" and not "undefined value"). I am pretty confident that I can say MILLER's commission WAS nothing. Now, what MILLER's commission WILL BE is clearly undefined, as is his future salary. I don't think potential future values should have an impact on what was asked in the quiz, which is basically what were the total earnings for these people based on the provided data.
Of course, this is just a matter of opinion. It could be said that both our statements are correct - it is logical that NULL commission means nothing, but it is also a fact that NULL commission means undefined commission, unless described differently. It is, as usual, on Steven to decide. :-)
I have added NOT NULL to all columns except commission.ReplyDelete
The question said nothing about past value for that precise moment and that's not one of the standard assumptions. I think the question was too ambiguous, and the "correct" answers were based on unstated assumptions. Just my opinion...ReplyDelete
Dan's argument has merit. NULL is not a value. It is not unusual for NULL to be treated as zero in some domains; however, there was nothing in the wording of this quiz to indicate that such a convention was to be applied. Because there were candidate choices that replaced NULLs with zeroes, I guessed that the author intended a NULL commission to mean "no commission" and answered accordingly; however, those options could also have been intended to be traps for the unwary. The semantics of NULLs are ambiguous without explicit direction regarding their interpretation.ReplyDelete
It is important to understand the methods available to handle NULLs in SQL. It is even more important to understand the meaning of a NULL so that one may choose an appropriate method.
- Anonymous01 September, 2011 08:13
Hello All,ReplyDelete
The issue here is to decide whether the term "total earnings" DOES or DOES NOT imply the assumption that a NULL commission is to be considered as a ZERO commission, that is, one that contributes by zero to the "total earnings".
This quiz, including its sample data is maybe the first or even almost single example of
NULL usage used in SQL beginner's classes,
so this exact example is probably the one that makes everybody consider ONLY ZERO to be a correct "replacement" for a NULL.
Maybe the quiz could have stated it explicitly,
instead of just relying on the common meaning of the "total earnings" term, but then the quiz would have probably lost its main point.
Anyway, what we clearly can infer from such cases is that problems, especially SQL problems,
are better to be formulated IN WORDS, not just in sample data terms.
"Tell me in plain English what do you try to achieve" is what Tom Kyte always asks from his site visitors who are asking questions ...
Thanks & Best Regards,
- Anonymous02 September, 2011 07:55
I must say that I totally disagree with Dans point here. The way I understand, all quizzes are "as is" quizzes, which I interpret in such way that when you start the quiz you have a fully set up database that has no user generated tables, procedures etc. Hence the quiz is about the data that you have before you and nothing else. In my mind, in this particular quiz NULL means nothing and hence is zero. In another quiz it can mean something else, but that would be indicated by something else.
The way I read the quiz first, I saw the NULLs more like N/A, this person does not receive commission at all. Hence null should equal 0.
And I am not sure it was neccessary to put not null on the other columns for the quiz in question, even though in the real world it is a good practice, as none of the data entered there had null anywhere else than in commission column.
Ingimundur K. Gudmundsson
@Ingimundur: I'm sorry, but if all quizzes are "as-is" and "the quiz is about the data that you have before you and nothing else" then how can you possibly conclude that, in this case, "NULL means nothing and hence is zero"? I completely disagree.ReplyDelete
Have a look at this Oracle Magazine article (http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/issue-archive/2005/05-jul/o45sql-097727.html) which, funny enough, discusses this very example of salaries and commissions. It says: "Does a null commission mean 'no commission,' or might it mean 'commission unknown'? The answer depends on your application, and there might not be a clear answer at all."


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Shumlin meets with Grafton group to discuss wind turbines
GRAFTON -- Gov. Peter Shumlin met with six members of the public last week to hear their concerns about the potential industrial wind turbines in their town.
The governor was at the Grafton Inn on state business and allotted 22 minutes to the group of residents -- all long-time residents and representing nearly 100 town citizens -- to listen to their thoughts on wind power and its role in the area.
Iberdrola Renewables, operating as Atlantic Wind LLC, is one of the world's largest energy companies and received permits to erect three test towers -- two in Windham and one in Grafton on land owned by New Hampshire-based Meadowsend Timberlands Limited. The towers (the one in Grafton was installed in April) could be a precursor to Windham County's first commercial wind turbines, depending on the weather data they produce.
The project has considerable opposition from the town and resident Liisa Kissel hosted last week's meeting with Shumlin to express the disapproval many citizens are feeling.
"We're very pleased that we had a chance to voice our concerns. We don't know if the governor was previously aware of how much concern there is in Grafton about this," she said in a telephone interview. "We wanted to tell the governor directly."
Kissel has previously told the Reformer that commercial wind turbines would have devastating effects for Grafton.
"This would change the nature of it and probably take away its best asset, which is the unspoiled nature of the environment," she said in November 2012. "That's the reason a lot of people come here, whether to live or visit. And we feel it is just totally inappropriate.
"It also, economically, does not make any sense," she continued.
Kissel added that local ratepayers will actually see costs increase instead of decrease, as some are claiming. She said the development would take away more in terms of money and environmental destruction than what it would offer.
According to a statement from Kissel, resident Carol Lind told Shumlin she fears the turbine platforms and roads would destroy the ridgeline and contribute to flooding down the three brooks that flow toward Grafton. Also at the meeting was Skip Lisle, a local wetlands and wildlife expert who extended upon Lind's point about the three brooks that form a pristine watershed unique in Vermont. He said an industrial development should not be allowed in the largest undeveloped tract in private ownership in Vermont.
Susan Allen, a spokeswoman for Shumlin, said the governor has met with numerous groups on this issue but has not formed an opinion because the project is still under review. She said Shumlin is, however, generally a strong supporter of wind power.
Kissel is among several residents who feel the town plan should provide clear language prohibiting large-scale industrial installations. She and others are volunteering to work with the Grafton Planning Commission to revise the town plan, which has expired.
"That is an on-going process and at the same time we continue to keep in touch with legislators to raise awareness around this issue," she said. "Part of our statewide efforts was to have that meeting with the governor."
Kissel also said she has learned it will be one to three years before Atlantic Wind submits an application to the Vermont Public Service Board, which is responsible for permitting or not permitting the commercial wind turbines.
Domenic Poli can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com, or 802-254-2311, ext. 277. You can follow him on Twitter @dpoli_reformer.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.

subset: commoncrawl


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The following crimes are from the week of Oct. 21 to Oct. 27, 2012.
Oct. 22. 7700 block Stenton Ave. Complainant states that he came home around 6:20 p.m. and discovered his house had been burglarized. Taken was a Movado watch with a silver band and a black face and a silver Rolex watch.
Oct. 23. 7700 block Germantown Ave. Complainant states that an unknown person came into store and took several items off shelf and put them in a bag and left store without paying. Taken were miscellaneous skin products, Eucerin lotions, Lubraderm lotions, Body wash and Dove soap. Offender, black male, 5'2" – 5'10" tall, 190 pounds, wearing a white Hoody.
Oct. 23. 8000 Crefeld Street. Complainant came home about 8:10 p.m. and discovered his house had been burglarized. Entry was made through front door which might have been left unlocked. Taken from master bedroom were several gold bracelets, one gold fraternity ring "PHI-MU" with initials FLV engraved.
Oct. 23. Unit block W. Abington Ave. Complainant states that an unknown person broke the passenger side window to a gray 2004 Honda Pilot and stole a white iPod, CRA charger and one screen car divider.
Oct. 26. 8100 block Germantown Ave. Between 8:40 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. an unknown person entered apartment by pushing in glass window pane and stole various costume jewelry and an HP laptop computer.
Oct. 26. 200 block W. Evergreen Ave. Complainant states that he heard footsteps on stairs and then going out through kitchen door. Nothing appears to have been taken.
Oct. 27. Unit block E. Willow Grove Ave. Complainant states that an unknown person stole one black iPod, Global Positioning System and a pair of Ray-Ban glasses. Reported at 1 p.m.
Summary – Seven crimes for week: four burglaries, one retail theft and two thefts from vehicles.
Town Watch.
If you have been the victim of a crime and would like information, service or support, call Northwest Victim Services, 6301 Germantown Ave., Second Floor, Suite One, 215-438-4410. The service is free.


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- Taking Care of Your Body
- Food for Thought
- Do's and Don'ts
- Bonding with Baby Now
- Childbirth Classes
- Prenatal Tests
- Breastfeeding Preparation
- Taking Care of Your Body
- Food for Thought
- Do's and Don'ts
- Bonding with Baby Now
- Childbirth Classes
- Prenatal Tests
- Breastfeeding Preparation
Born for Breastfeeding
Just as your body is designed for pregnancy and childbirth, so too you were made for breastfeeding your baby. (And you don't have to do anything to prepare for it!)
By Rachel Levine, BFA, FLC, IBCLC
You may not have realized it, but you've been preparing for breastfeeding all your life, and never more so than during these months of pregnancy. All you have to do is understand the process and trust that your body will know what to do when your baby is born.
Budding Breasts
When you were just a fetus inside your mother, your breasts began as "buds." Inside each bud, a basic mammary duct system, which produces and delivers breast milk, formed and grew along with you as you progressed through childhood.
When you reached puberty, hormones released during your menstrual cycle triggered breast development. Estrogen produced during the first part of the cycle helped the breasts to develop milk ducts, and progesterone released during the second part of the cycle stimulated the development of the milk-producing glands. This growth continued throughout puberty.
Now that you're pregnant, your body is quickly preparing for breastfeeding. Between weeks 16 and 22 your breasts begin to make colostrum, the super-concentrated first milk produced for your baby. The areola (dark area of skin surrounding the nipple) usually darkens even more and gets larger, as does the nipple. Even now, you may notice some clear, yellow or white drops of colostrum leaking from your nipples, particularly when you take a warm shower or bath.
Once your baby is born, breast milk develops in stages, taking about 2 weeks to full production. First, it is pure colostrum. This highly nutritious, concentrated food is packed with antibodies that are key to your baby's health and are not present in his system until his first breastfeed. The colostrum coats his stomach, creating a barrier through which most bacteria and viruses cannot pass and decreasing your newborn's risk for many types of infections. It helps protect his digestive tract, mucous membranes, throat, lungs and intestines, and helps prevent him from becoming sensitive to the food you eat. In turn, it lessens his risk for future food allergies. This coverage remains for as long as you are breastfeeding him.
Your breasts will produce about 3 to 4 tablespoons of colostrum in the first 24 hours after birth. Since a newborn's stomach can only hold about 2 to 3 teaspoons of milk, this amount will be plenty for breastfeeding your baby during his first day of life. With frequent feedings (at least every 2 to 3 hours), the volume of milk that you are producing will increase, so there'll always be enough to feed your baby.
A Good Start
Research has shown that breastfeeding benefits continue throughout your child's life, including decreased risk of diabetes, obesity, juvenile leukemia, heart disease, asthma and ear infections. Breastfed children have also been found to have better jaw and eye development than those who are not breastfed. It benefits you, too: Directly after childbirth, breastfeeding helps your uterus return to its normal size. It may help you lose your pregnancy weight, and studies have shown that it reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
Want to see all of this in action? Tell your health-care provider that you'd like to have your newborn with you right after birth (any tests can be done later or while your baby is in your arms). Have him placed on your chest, skin-to-skin, and you'll be amazed as he latches on to your breast and starts feeding. Don't worry if he is not interested in having a big meal just after birth, especially if you had medical interventions during your labor. Sometimes the first feed looks more like a nuzzle, graze or taste. If you and your baby need to be separated for a period of time after birth, begin skin-to-skin as soon as possible. Continue to practice skin-to-skin as much as possible over the next few days, you may find that you both take to breastfeeding with ease.
But if you do experience problems, you're not alone. Talk to a lactation consultant (ask for one at your place of birth) or contact your local La Leche League (www.lalecheleague.org). Consider enrolling in a prenatal breastfeeding preparation class to help you understand the process and get ready for that first special feeding.
Additional important information:


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On Denial After an HIV Diagnosis
Part of the Series Day One With HIV
April 1, 2014
It was September 1986. I just moved back from NYC to start a new job with the state of NY. My car insurance was purchased from a friend of mine who suggested I get a life insurance policy. It was so convenient; they came right to the office. Not long after, I received the dreaded letter from the insurance company: I was not eligible due to health reasons. Please call your doctor and arrange to have an HIV test!
Well, that was my confirmation! I was positive! My then doctor responded, "Well, you aren't the only one!"
I knew full well I was positive all along, from the early 80s. Two of my former partners were quite ill and I wondered how it could not have affected me. I had essentially stopped having sex after their diagnosis. Then two years later, safe sex. So, from this, I determined it had to be the early 80s.
This led to drug and alcohol abuse. I was assuming I was going to be dead shortly.
Well, time went on and I was in deep denial until the day I developed pneumonia and was admitted into the hospital with a T-cell count of 3 and a viral load of over 250,000. Once again, I thought this was it. My time had come. This was the year 2000. I thought, "Hey, not bad, I had a few good years." This is where I found one of the best HIV doctors you can imagine. He put me on something that nearly killed me and immediately took me off. I then went on a combo for a few years, then to Sustiva [efavirenz, Stocrin]. Once a day, how could you beat it?
So now it is 2014 and I have been undetectable for 14 years! My T cells are in the 900s and my ratios are through the roof! So, looking back, what a fool I was! All those wasted years of drugs and alcohol. I have to ask myself, "Why?" But I must say, if I had gotten on AZT [Retrovir, zidovudine], I would probably be dead today.
I have been a very lucky man. I am still living and trying to live well. I still socialize, but never have I forgotten to take my meds. For some reason, I am alive. I don't know why; my story must not be finished yet. We will just have to see.
Want to share your own "Day One With HIV" story of finding out your diagnosis? Write out your story (1,000 words or fewer, please!), or film a YouTube video, and email it to firstname.lastname@example.com. In the coming months, we'll be posting readers' "Day One" stories here in our HIV/AIDS Resource Center for the Newly Diagnosed. Read other stories in this series.
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Kim Kardashian's engagement ring is worth almost HALF as much as her Beverly Hills mansion ... sources close to the diamond tell TMZ the rock is valued at $2 MILLION!!!!!!
The ring -- designed by Lorraine Schwartz -- features a 16.5 carat emerald cut center stone flanked by two 2-carat trapezoids ... for a grand total of 20.5 carats.
We're told the stones are all "the highest clarity and color."
So, we gotta ask ...
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Wendy Frost's curator insight, November 30, 2015 5:15 PM
With the amount of pressure and standards being put on our teachers the least we can do is offer them adequate training and superior tech support!
Wendy Zaruba-Lundene's curator insight, December 2, 2015 9:02 AM
Great article, how much technology is going unused in your classroom? Tell us where we can help in PD to assist you in using the technology in your classroom.
Deyanira Sequeira's curator insight, August 18, 2015 11:02 AM
Va más en el tema de juegos educativos
Dinky Diana Kay Smith's curator insight, August 20, 2015 5:22 AM
Children are not inspired to learn by repeating the same processes over and over. Children develop an interest in a variety of subjects because of interest. This interest can lead to a better understanding. Of a topic of interest when they are asked to research or are inspired to research to learn more about something. By allowing a child to delve into a topic allows for greater understanding in the sense of accomplishment.
Elaine J Roberts, Ph.D.'s curator insight, July 11, 2015 5:08 PM
Those of us familiar with the KWL chart recognize its value. Still, it's good to reminded and to see again how powerful this simple tool can be to support students in their learning.
Kathy Lynch's curator insight, July 31, 2015 8:54 AM
Thx Nik Peachey
Check out this formative assessment system for BYOD. Compare it to Socrative and Kahoot
Carmen Chavez, Ph.D.'s curator insight, July 31, 2015 10:37 AM
Nice backchannel tool designed specifically for education.
Craig Van Ham's curator insight, March 24, 2016 9:09 PM
Nice backchannel tool designed specifically for education.
FaHim Far's curator insight, April 4, 2015 10:54 AM
The best way is using interesting items and topics to help students enjoy learning English. For Example by using online learning strategies learners become motivated to study English.But unfortunately the time is limited and all English teachers are not able to apply technology in their classroom.


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'Sexy Felon' Jeremy Meeks Lands Modeling Contract
It looks like "Sexy Felon" Jeremy Meeks may be walking into a legit modeling career once he gets out of jail!
From New York Mag:
According to TMZ, Jeremy Meeks just landed a $30,000 modeling contract from Blaze Modelz in Santa Monica and representation in the form of Gina Rodriguez, agent to Patricia Krentcil, a.k.a. Tan Mom.
Here's where you can find the clip from TMZ:
Do you think we'll be seeing Jeremy Meeks on runways and in print campaigns soon, Instincters?
Should we??
Oh please. If this guy was White he would have all kinds of sympathy and invitations to be the houseboy.
The guy has a record but is married, employed, and waited to have a kid when his life was stable.
We should also wait for the final disposition of his case. It may come as a surprise to some people but you cannot trust the police in some areas. I'll wait for him to have his day in Court instead of trying to read tattos.
Im sorry I dont really like the phrase "less likely to end up in jail". I know for some people it is just bad luck or not having the right skin color unfortunately but for others like the above its a choice. A choice they repeatedly make weather rich or not. There are bad people and I believe he is one of them. Capable of manipulating people into believing his wrongs are not his fault. Its sad that there are probably much better people that desrve a chance like he got because of his fleeting good looks.
I never said that I didn't respect "Our Veterans" but if you think that they are somehow magical defenders of our freedom, your mistaken. They are indeed tools of the greater government agenda and their deployments are not always meant to defend our freedom. And I don't see why someone would rather see a veteran specifically get a modeling contract over a convicted felon. When both parties are perpetrators of violence.


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When someone announces plans to open a barbecue restaurant in Lexington, people are skeptical at best. But when the restaurant's name is Speedy Lohr's, then you are talking about a totally different situation.
When someone announces plans to open a barbecue restaurant in Lexington, people are skeptical at best. But when the restaurant's name is Speedy Lohr's, then you are talking about a totally different situation.
Randy Lohr and his wife, Amy, have partnered with Ricky Myers and his wife, Allison, to reopen the former Whitley's Restaurant on N.C. Highway 8 in south Lexington. The restaurant, which opened June 3, has a familiar name in remembrance of Randy's father, Sherman "Speedy" Lohr, whose original restaurant was a fixture in Southmont for many years. That location closed when the State of North Carolina bought it to expand N.C. Highway 8 in 2005.
"It's a family tradition to cook pig," Lohr said. "We've been doing it for years and years, so we know what we're doing."
Lohr's brother owns the popular Speedy Lohr's on N.C. Highway 150 in Arcadia.
Myers, who worked for Lohr's dad at the old place at High Rock Lake in Southmont, said he was excited to start a new partnership with an old friend.
"When Randy asked if I would be interested in opening up the restaurant, I jumped at the chance," he said. "We both have been eyeballing that place for awhile.
Whitley's first closed in April 2010 when co-owner Mark Thompson died in a motorcycle accident. Robert Morris, owner of the C's Barbecue restaurant chain in Mocksville, operated it until November of that year. More recently the location operated as Hendrix Barbecue, co-owned by brothers Billy and Timmy Garris of Salisbury, until closing several months ago.
Both owners agree that the family name and familiar location has worked to their advantage.
"We have gotten a lot of support from the people of Southmont," Lohr said. "We've had lots of hugs and kisses, and one person even broke down and cried. I guess they've missed us."
Myers said that even though there is still competition in Lexington when it comes to owning a barbecue restaurant, he has no worries about their success.
"They might come for the name," he said, "but they stay for the food. We've got the best pit-cooked barbecue in town."
Speedy Lohr's is located at 3664 N.C. Highway 8 and is open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday. The phone number is 242-9195.
Sharon Myers can be reached at 249-3981, ext, 228 or at email@example.com.


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Print this fun Halloween Cat who says Boo 2 You. Print image on transfer paper and make your own t-shirt for Halloween fun!
Items needed:
- Printable t-shirt Transfer paper
- Scissors
- Iron
- T-shirt
- Print design on transfer paper (Choose REVERSE for light color transfer)
- Cut out around each image to remove excess blank space.
- Iron transfer onto t-shirt, following manufacturer's directions.
*Parental assistance required
General Transfer Info
- Wash item before applying transfer
- Always wash item inside-out after transfer has been applied
- We recommend "Dark" color transfers for vivid colors


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heathrae needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 21 designs submitted by 9 freelance designers.
Street Smart Methods
Business and wealth creation training courses offered in person and online in the form of audio, video and ecourses. The overall brand of Street Smart Methods will have different courses offered such as Street Smart Business Methods, Street Smart Money Methods and Street Smart People Methods.
Our target market are people with beginning to intermediate business skills and understanding of finance. Our demographic is "mom and pop" businesses, entrepreneurs and the personal development industry so the logo can't look too corporate and should look approachable and friendly. It should not look cheap or cartoonish or too young. We like clean lines and a logo that is bold and easy to read that is vibrant so perhaps upward strokes would work well. Use a combination of text with an icon or symbol. We will maybe use the icon separately for some branding. Also design the logo in a way that we can add our own font below like "for business" or "for wealth" to market the different courses. Use bright colours that signify life and energy.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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VIDEO: Carter and Obama, Mirror Images
Hope and Change… Isn't this all just a page from Jimmy Carter's playbook?
The Perpetual Campaign Continues
Obama's visit on "The View" yesterday just illustrates how uncomfortable he is being president.
Judge Bolton: Judicial Activist
Federal Judge Susan Boltons ruling that blocked parts of Arizonas immigration law is severe judicial activism.
Kagan's Lying Her Pearls Off
And those are some really big pearls!
Kagan Refuses to Answer Whether Marriage is a State Issue
Kagan just said she wouldn't answer whether marriage was a state issue … wait for it … because there's a case coming down the pike. This is a load of horsepucky. It is perfectly legitimate to answer whether the federal | Read More »
Kagan Refuses to Answer Whether Marriage is a State Issue
Kagan just said she wouldn't answer whether marriage was a state issue … wait for it … because there's a case coming down the pike. This is a load of horsepucky. It is perfectly legitimate to answer whether the federal constitution mandates man-horse marriage, even if Mr. Ed's human lover is filing a case.
Then she said she wasn't going to use the 1972 case of Baker v. Nelson as precedential value — a case that stated that the question of marriage was not a federal question under the Constitution — and she followed that whopper up by saying "there is a question about the precedential weight to be given to summary disposition … what most people think is that these summary dispositions get some precedential weight, but they don't get the full weight."
Unreal. Grassley rightly asked her if the 14th Amendment has suddenly changed since 1972. She doesn't answer, and just says she thinks she might want to hear argument.
In other words, she's pro-gay marriage mandated by the Constitution.
Kagan: Kelo Destroyed Property Rights In Order to Save Them
Senator Grassley just grilled Kagan on Kelo, the case that suggested that states can simply grab land from A and hand it to B if B generates more tax revenue. Kagan actually said that the goal of Kelo was to "kick it back to the states" — in other words, Kagan was saying that the Court okayed the Kelo project in order to incentivize states to pass anti-Kelo laws.
Well, put me in a dress and call me Shirley if that explanation didn't just explain away the problem with Plessy v. Ferguson. That judgment said that segregation didn't violate the Fourteenth Amendment. By Kagan's logic, this was actually an attempt to incentivize states to avoid segregation laws.
This is backward thinking at its finest.
The Ass-Kissing Begins
Diane Feinstein reminds me of a scene from Jaws in which Robert Shaw describes a shark: "Dead eyes. Lifeless eyes." That's Feinstein all over.
Just moments ago, the shark went soft. Feinstein went off on a tangent praising Kagan's "well-ordered mind." Blah blah blah. Then she got to her point: just 48 of 163 active appeals court justices are women. Women are just 191 of 794 district court justices. And Kagan is a feminist hero. "We're making progress, but every advance has really been hard fought," intoned Feinstein. Then she commented on the Ledbetter case, saying that she found it shocking that the court held to a technicality. Finally she stated, "You're a wonderful role model for women … you're reasoned, you have a commitment, you have a dedication and a staying power, and you do us all well."
How does this forward the constitutional process, exactly? The Ledbetter case was clearly rightly decided, and should be a test case for justices — it's a case of "hard cases make bad law," a phrase used to mean that even if a party is sympathetic, ruling in their favor may create crappy precedent.
Feinstein seems to be saying that female justices would be more likely to push law aside in favor of sympathy. Isn't that sexist?
Kagan Lies Again About Her Abortion Views
Elena Kagan was just asked whether she wrote a note on a memo from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Here is the relevant text of the ACOG memo:
"Terminating a pregnancy is indicated in some circumstances to save the life or preserve the health of the mother. Intact D&X is one of the methods available in some of these situations. However, a select panel convened by ACOG could identify no circumstances under which this procedure, as defined above, would be the only option to save the life or preserve the health of the woman. Notwithstanding this conclusion, ACOG strongly believes that decision about medical treatment must be made by the doctor, in consultation with the patient, based upon the woman's particular circumstances. The potential exists that legislation prohibiting specific medical practices, such as intact D&X, may outlaw techniques that are critical to the lives and health of American women. The intervention of legislative bodies into medical decision making is inappropriate, ill advised, and potentially dangerous."
Kagan wrote on the memo, "This would be a disaster." What, exactly, would be a disaster? Presumably, the sentence reading that ACOG could find "no circumstances under which this procedure, as defined above, would be the only option to save the life or preserve the health of the woman."
Kagan was just grilled on this, and at first, she refused to acknowledge that the note was written by her. She said it was "in my handwriting," then began to say that it may have been the product of several people telling her what to say. Finally, she settled on the defense that what she was labeling a "disaster" was the articulation of the paragraph, not the underlying science. She claimed that she was merely trying to square the text of the ACOG statement with the positions it had articulated to the Clinton Administration.
The final statement from ACOG kept similar language, but heavily played up situations in which partial-birth abortion might in fact be the best medical situation, leaving the text a laborious and conflicting thicket: "A select panel convened by ACOG could identify no circumstances under which this procedure, as defined above, would be the only option to save the life or preserve the health of the woman. An intact D&X, however, may be the best or most appropriate procedure in a particular circumstance to save the life or preserve the health of a woman, and only the doctor, in consultation with the patient, based upon the woman's particular circumstances can make this decision."
That statement is much more convenient for a woman who believes wholeheartedly in a right to partial-birth abortion. It at least gives a shout-out to the radical abortion left.
But hey, it was just in her handwriting.
Kagan's Grand Theory of Constitutional Interpretation
Elena Kagan just admitted, "I have no grand theory of constitutional interpretation. I'm a pragmatist and rely on various sources." This IS a Constitutional theory. It is a constitutional theory in which the Constitution is utterly irrelevant. When you say | Read More »
The Truth on OCS
Elena Kagan was grilled this morning on her opposition to allowing the military to use Harvard's Office of Career Services to recruit students. Her response was less than solidifying; she said that students at HLS had access to military recruiters "every single | Read More »
Putting the Show in Show Trial
The Senators Start Babbling, Kagan Obfuscates.
Putting the Show in Show Trial
The Senate hearings on Supreme Court nominees always resemble the World Cup: a great deal of sound a fury signifying nothing. Only the vuvuzelas are the mouths of the Senators. Today's opening hearing was no exception. Kagan led off by | Read More »
Kagan Was My Dean at Harvard
She'll be a lousy judge.
Obama to the World: Damn America, Full Speed Ahead
Obama is busily Yalta-ing the United States and her allies knowing full well that the free world will suffer for it.
Is this Kristallnacht or the Reichstag Fire?
One week after the passage of President Obama's quasi-socialized health care scheme, 54 percent of likely voters support repeal. And according to Frank Rich, each and every one of those voters is a budding Nazi. "How curious that a mob | Read More »
It's Over — The Fat Lady has Sung
Meet Donna Simpson, of Old Bridge, N.J. Donna is a 42-year-old, presumably unemployed single mother with specific medical issues related to obesity. It is unclear whether she has health insurance. Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid probably | Read More »
Obama Wags the Dog with the Obama Intifada
President Obama's health care plan is swirling the drain. Americans don't like it — the latest Rasmussen poll has just 43 percent of Americans in favor, with 53 percent opposed — and that dislike has the Obama administration suggesting that | Read More »
Vanessa Williams: Looking a White Gift House in the Mouth
On Sunday night, Sandra Bullock won Best Actress at the 82nd Academy Awards for her portrayal of gun-toting Republican Leigh Anne Tuohy in "The Blind Side." "The Blind Side" is essentially a high-class, made-for-TV movie based on the true story | Read More »
You Have No Right to my Property
Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) is the most unpopular man in the Senate, according to his colleagues. "Today we have a clear-cut example to show the American people just what's wrong with Washington, D.C.," said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash). "He's hurting | Read More »


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NSA collected non-terrorism-related emails
The National Security Agency began improperly collecting Americans' electronic communications that had no connection to terrorism in 2008, but the government didn't learn of the problem until 2011, senior administration officials said Wednesday.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper will release three documents that reveal the extent of the error, posting them on a new tumblr page.
Story Continued Below
The NSA revealed the improper collection of emails to the FISA court in 2011, which demanded a halt to the practice. The officials said the problem was technological and not malicious.
( PHOTOS: Pols, pundits weigh in on NSA report)
Congress, the administration officials said, knew when it authorized the surveillance programs in 2008 that some Americans would inadvertently have their communications intercepted.
Lawmakers "clearly knew that there would be inadvertent collection of U.S. person communications," an official said. "This is not a back door or a surprise. That is why they put in a requirement that there would be minimization procedures, because they knew that if you're targeting foreign people, those foreign people are occasionally going to be in contact with U.S. people. So this is not some back door or anything."
( Also on POLITICO: Obama can't get ahead of NSA story)
The problem began as soon as the program launched, officials said on a background conference call with reporters Wednesday. The NSA would collect broad batches of e-mails that were to, from or mentioned an e-mail address of a foreigner NSA was tracking. One official said the NSA would collect entire inbox screengrabs of emails even though the targeted e-mail address may have appeared in only one of the messages.
"For technological reasons, NSA was not capable of breaking those down, and still is not capable, of breaking those down into their individual components," the official said. "So if you had a situation where one of those emails may have referenced your targeted email in the subject line, you'd nonetheless collect the whole inbox list. Its like a screenshot, you get whatever is popping up on your screen at the time."
( Also on POLITICO: Dismay at latest NSA reveal)
The NSA gathers the emails as part of a program known as upstream collection, which an official described as "communications that are transiting the Internet, as opposed to communications that collected at either end by the Internet service provider."
Upstream collection amounts to about 10 percent of all electronic communications the NSA gathers under Section 702 of the Patriot Act, the official said.


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As capable as most computers are today, typical OEM systems have fairly limited gaming prowess since it isn't their market. Enthusiasts need more memory, more video card, more processor, more something beyond the basics that usually ship with the average pre-built box. And selecting your own components to fill your exact needs is much more fun and often cheaper once you start talking $1,000+ systems. The various enthusiast System Guides around the Internet can help, but here in our Gaming Boxes Guide, we aim to provide a little more gaming focus than we do in our main three-box System Guide.
Price compression
About this time last year, we saw significant increases in 3D performance as AMD launched their Radeon HD 4800-series (based on the RV770 GPU) cards at very attractive $199 (Radeon HD 4850) and $299 (Radeon HD 4870 512MB) price points. This forced NVIDIA to respond, slashing prices on both their older G92-based parts (8800-series and 9800-series) as well as their new, high-end GT200-based GTX 260 and GTX 280. The realm of single-GPU (graphics processing unit) $400+ video cards was therefore very short-lived.
This time around, we see something similar, yet even more dramatic in some ways. It's especially important because of the effects on the Value Gaming Box end of the spectrum: the Radeon HD 4850 has fallen in price by almost 50% to $100-115, the Radeon HD 4870 has dropped by a similar amount or more to $125-$150, and the somewhat newer Radeon 4870 1GB to $150-170. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260's newer Core 216 version has also plunged to $165-180. If you can stretch a little more, the Radeon HD 4980 is about $200, which is even faster growth than we would have expected in the Value Gaming Box.
Effects are similar on the higher-end products that go into the Performance Gaming Box, but not nearly as dramatic. Minor tweaks to both of AMD and NVIDIA's high-end GPUs result in the RV790 and GT200b, respectively, allowing lower power consumption and/or higher clock speeds. Additional price cuts this June bring the highest-end single-GPU Radeon HD 4890 OC to $250 or less, $50 less than the Radeon HD 4870's original price. NVIDIA's high-end single GPU part, the GeForce GTX 285, is significantly cheaper than the GTX 280 used to be at $315-330, while the GeForce GTX 275 is $210-260.
For the Value Gaming Box and the Performance Gaming Box, this means we get a lot more performance for the same money; breaking things down this time around shows savings all around are significant enough to let us adjust our price points.
needs wants
Resolution and budget temper most gamers' desires. SLI, Crossfire, quad-core CPUs, SSDs (solid state disks), they're all nice, but not everyone can afford them, and moreso, not everyone needs them.
In the past, where titles such as Origin's Strike Commander pushed even the fastest systems available at the time, today is somewhat different. More than a few games do push the envelope, but if you're gaming only 1680x1050 then odds are good you don't need the highest-end hardware available. At 1920x1200 the most demanding titles can still eat all the hardware you can throw at them, but that all depends just how much the individual user maxes out the quality settings.
If you can afford a monitor capable of 2560x1600 for gaming then you'll probably want all the GPU power you can get, be it from one, two, three, or even four GPU's. You'll also want to make sure it's low input lag, as discussed by Anandtech very recently.
Define your needs and wants, combine them with your budget, and that will help things considerably. Aside from just the video card and the processor, some gamers may want the fastest load times possible, which means going to a SSD—this option is more affordable than before, but it's still a serious investment for a gaming box.
Today's landscape
Previous Gaming Boxes were designed to fit in-between the boxes in the main three-box System Guide (Budget Box/Hot Rod/God Box) at about the$1200 and $2500-$3000 price-points. To reflect current price compression, we've adjusted the price range accordingly. The modern Budget Box in the main System Guide has gotten a little cheaper as well, complimenting the Value Gaming Box's new -$1000 price point. The Performance Gaming Box ends up around $2000-2500 as opposed to $2500-3000 before.
The Value Gaming Box is what a budget-oriented gamer would do if he had a few extra bucks over our main three-box System Guide's Budget Box. Considerable tweaking beyond what we spec is very possible, but we choose to focus on not getting too carried away. A few extra bucks generally go to the video card and the processor, which pay considerable dividends in light of AMD's price cuts this summer.
The Performance Gaming Box is aimed at higher resolutions with multiple GPU's and a fast processor, but we keep things relatively toned-down in this update. Prices on high-end video cards have gone down considerably, giving us room to flirt with SSD's while still reducing the budget compared to the last update. Individual Performance Gaming Box builders will want to carefully evaluate what they plan to play, because not every game scales equally with multiple GPUs or loads significantly faster with a SSD. A nice S-IPS 26" LCD has grabbed our attention as well, but that might be a little too much money to easily justify, even for demanding gamers, as you generally aren't too worried about viewing angles or marginally superior color reproduction in most games.
Think about what you need, and what you can afford, and adjust things accordingly. We aim for the best performance and best value possible in our eyes, and rejoice in the fact that fast video cards just keep getting cheaper!
Gaming gadgets
Potentially necessary accessories for the Gaming Boxes include steering wheels, joysticks, and for the truly elaborate, entire seats. Many gamers live by the mouse and keyboard combination, but a few types of games cry out for their own joystick or yoke or steering wheel.
For steering wheels, Logitech's G25 remains a top choice for the most demanding, along with the Saitek R660GT and the Logitech MOMO for somewhat more reasonable enthusiasts. Joysticks remain a dull part of the market as modern flight sims are relatively few, although there are still quite a few choices.
Joysticks are a much less popular item today. Despite a seemingly large number of choices on the market, we've only really used a handful of the current ones. We still have fond memories of the old 15-pin gameport and the CH Flightstick Pro, Thustmaster F-16, and Logitech Wingman Extreme. Current products exist from Thrustmaster, CH Products, Logitech, and Saitek. The Logitech Extreme 3D Pro, Saitek Aviator, and Thrustmaster T.16000M are all available at fairly reasonable prices. Higher-end, the array of products is far better than the state of today's flight sim market would suggest: the CH Fighterstick, CH Eclipse Yoke, Thrustmaster HOTAS Cougar, Saitek X52 Pro, and a lot more occupy the high end.
Gamepads generally remain reasonably priced, even at the high end. The Logitech Rumblepad 2 and the Logitech Cordless Rumplepad 2 all have their fans, while the Microsoft Xbox 360 Controller for Windows (also in Wireless) is also a solid recommendation. Personal preference probably matters mrore than anything else in gaming controllers, so opinions are probably all over the map.
The last area is mousepads. Some swear by fancy ones, others are less picky. The XTrac Ripper, SteelSeries SP, Nova Raider Game, Razer Goliathus, and a ton of others are on the market. Pair them with the old standby in gaming, the Logitech MX518 for many hours of gaming bliss, or with newer mouse competitors such as the Razer Lachesis, Razer Diamondback 3G, or Microsoft Sidewinder X5. To be honest, many of us are fairly ambivalent as long as we find something we like, or we tend to stick with the MX518.
Hop on over to the Gaming forum on the Ars Openforum for more discussion about what goes well with games.
Recommended operating systems
The only practical choice for a gaming box is Windows. The various flavors of Linux and other OSes will run well on these boxes, but face it: PC gaming is a Windows thing. XP Professional is going the way of the dodo, but that's okay as Vista runs games just fine. To take full advantage of your 4GB of memory, we recommend the 64-bit versions, which seem to be as solid on drivers as the 32-bit version.
While Windows 7 is on the way, it's not too different than Windows Vista is for gaming, at least until we start thinking about future versions of DirectX. Still, with a free upgrade for recent retail purchases of Windows Vista, it is something you should pay attention to.
Windows Vista Home Premium
Vista Home Premium has Aero Glass, Windows Media Center, and a whole host of nice features. Being the latest version of Windows means it gets all of the latest driver updates for gaming goodness.
Cost: $99.99 (7/7/2009) [Comparison shop for this item]
Windows Vista Ultimate
The fully loaded edition of Vista brings Aero Glass, Windows Media Center, Windows Complete PC Backup, Remote Desktop Connection, and a host of features not seen in lesser versions of Vista. Gaming Box users may not need all of these features, but they're nice to have.
Cost: $174.99 (7/7/2009) [Comparison shop for this item]
The amount of gaming hardware you can buy today is bloody amazing. We choose to slim down the budget this time around, yet we can still pack an increasing amount of capability into the gaming boxes. We realize some decisions may be controversial, but things are constantly changing; the best thing to do is to stay current and be aware of the games you're going to play to better match your hardware purchases to your gaming desires. We happen to think SSDs are worth the money, others may not—they're welcome to disagree! Things change fast, so pay a little attention before you build!
Knowing that the Value Gaming Box has a more powerful 3D card than most high-end systems had eighteen months ago brings a smile to our faces.


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Objectivity in Research Under Public Health Service Grants, Cooperative Agreements, or Contracts
1. Introduction.
1.1. Consistent with, and in supplement to, UNC Policy 300.2.2 Conflicts of Interest and Commitment, 300.2.2[G] Guidelines on Implementing the UNC Conflict of Interest and Commitment Policy, and ECU Faculty Manual Part VIII-Section II Conflicts of Interest and Commitment and External Activities of Faculty and Other Professional Staff, this Regulation implements the Public Health Service's regulations on Financial Conflicts of Interest, including that entitled, "Promoting Objectivity in Research" located at 42 CFR 50 and that entitled, "Responsible Prospective Contractors" located at 45 CFR 94.
1.2. Applicability and Designation of Institutional Official. This Regulation applies to all East Carolina University Investigators engaged in activities funded or proposed to be funded, in whole or in part, from the Public Health Service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (whether directly as a primary recipient or indirectly through a subaward/subcontract) and to each grant, cooperative agreement, and contract with an issue date of the Notice of Award that is on or subsequent to the first issue date of this Regulation. The Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies is the Institutional Official and is responsible for ensuring implementation of this Regulation and the PHS Financial Conflicts of Interest Regulations. The Director of the Office of Research Compliance Administration has delegated authority to implement the requirements of this Regulation on behalf of the Institutional Official.
1.3. Administrative Action and Sanctions. The Institutional Official may suspend all relevant activities until a Financial Conflict of Interest, as defined below, is managed or other action deemed appropriate by the Institutional Official is implemented. Violation of any part of this Regulation or other applicable policies on Conflicts of Interest or federal law also may constitute cause for disciplinary or other administrative action pursuant to applicable Institutional policy, including, and up to, termination from employment or expulsion from enrollment. (See Section 6).
1.4. Conflicts of Interest. This Regulation is predicated on the expectation that Investigators should conduct their affairs so as to avoid or minimize conflicts of interest, and must respond appropriately when conflicts of interest arise. To that end, this Regulation informs Investigators, including, but not limited to, faculty and students, about situations that generate conflicts of interest related to research, provides mechanisms for Investigators and the Institution to manage those conflicts of interest that arise, and describes situations that are prohibited. Every Investigator has an obligation to become familiar with, and abide by, the provisions of this Regulation. If a situation raising questions of conflict of interest arises, an Investigator should discuss the situation with the supervisor or the Institutional Official or designee.
2. Definitions
2.1. Conflict of Interest Committee means the Institution's committee that advises the Institutional Official on conflict of interest matters. If a committee advises the Institutional Official, it will consist of at least the Director of the Office of Research Compliance Administration (ORCA), the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies, and the appropriate Associate Dean for Research or other administrator designated by the Dean within an academic college or the Investigator's supervising department head (or comparable position, if Investigator's appointment resides outside of an academic department).
2.2. Family means any member of the Investigator's immediate family, specifically, any dependent children and spouse.
2.3. Disclosure of Significant Financial Interest means an Investigator's disclosure of significant financial interest to the Institutional Official or designee.
2.4. Financial Interest means anything of monetary value received or held by an Investigator or an Investigator's Family, whether or not the value is readily ascertainable, including, but not limited to: salary or other payments for services (e.g., consulting fees, honoraria, or paid authorships for other than scholarly works); any equity interests (e.g., stocks, stock options, or other ownership interests); and intellectual property rights and interests (e.g., patents, trademarks, service marks, and copyrights), upon receipt of royalties or other income related to such intellectual property rights and interests. For Investigators, Financial Interest also includes any reimbursed or sponsored travel undertaken by the Investigator and related to his/her institutional responsibilities. This includes travel that is paid on behalf of the Investigator rather than reimbursed, even if the exact monetary value is not readily available.
Financial Interest does NOT include:
a) salary, royalties, or other remuneration from the Institution;
b) income from the authorship of academic or scholarly works;
c) income from seminars, lectures, or teaching engagements sponsored by or from advisory committees or review panels for U.S. Federal, state or local governmental agencies; U.S. institutions of higher education; U.S. research institutes affiliated with institutions of higher education, academic teaching hospitals, and medical centers; or
d) equity interests or income from investment vehicles, such as mutual funds and retirement accounts, so long as the Investigator does not directly control the investment decisions made in these vehicles.
e) travel reimbursed or sponsored by U.S. Federal, state or local governmental agencies, U.S. institutions of higher education, research institutes affiliated with institutions of higher education, academic teaching hospitals, and medical centers.
2.5. Significant Financial Interest means a Financial Interest that reasonably appears to be related to the Investigator's Institutional Responsibilities, and:
2.5.1. With regard to any publicly traded entity, the value of any remuneration (including salary and any payment for services not otherwise identified as salary (e.g., consulting fees, honoraria, paid authorship)) received from the entity in the twelve (12) months preceding the disclosure and the value of any equity interest (including any stock, stock option, or other ownership interest as determined through reference to public prices or other reasonable measures of fair market value) in the entity as of the date of the disclosure, when aggregated, exceeds $5,000; or
2.5.2. With regard to any non-publicly traded entity, the value of any remuneration (including salary and any payment for services not otherwise identified as salary (e.g., consulting fees, honoraria, paid authorship)) received from the entity in the twelve (12) months preceding the disclosure, when aggregated, exceeds $5,000; or
2.5.3. With regard to any non-publicly-traded company, the Investigator or his or her Family holds any equity interest (at any time); or
2.5.4. Intellectual Property Rights (e.g. patents, copyrights, etc.) and Interests, upon receipt of income related to such rights and interests, provided, however, income derived from intellectual property rights assigned to the Institution and agreements to share in royalties related to such rights are not a Financial Interest (See Section 2.4, above).
2.6. Financial Conflict of Interest means a Significant Financial Interest (or, where the Institutional official requires disclosure of other Financial Interests, a Financial Interest) that the Institution reasonably determines could directly and significantly affect the design, conduct or reporting of Institutional research.
2.7. Financial Conflict of Interest Report means the Institution's report of a financial conflict of interest to a PHS Awarding Component (i.e., the organizational unit of the PHS that funds the research that is subject to the PHS Financial Conflicts of Interest regulations).
2.8. Institution means East Carolina University.
2.9. Institutional Official means the individual within the Institution that is responsible for the solicitation and review of disclosures of significant financial interests including those of the Investigator's Family related to the Investigator's institutional responsibilities. For the purposes of this Regulation, the Institutional Official is designated as the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies.
2.10. Institutional Responsibilities has the same meaning as "University Employment Responsibilities" as defined at UNC Policy 300.2.2(I)(E) and includes "Primary Duties" and "Secondary Duties." Primary Duties consist of assigned teaching, scholarship, research, institutional service requirements, patient care, administrative duties and other assigned employment duties. Secondary Duties may include professional affiliations and activities traditionally undertaken by Investigators outside of the immediate University employment context. Secondary Duties may or may not entail the receipt of honoraria, remuneration or the reimbursement of expenses, including membership in and service to professional associations and learned societies; membership on professional review or advisory panels; presentation of lectures, papers, concerts or exhibits; participation in seminars and conferences; reviewing or editing scholarly publications and books without receipt of compensation; and service to accreditation bodies. These activities, which demonstrate active participation in a profession are encouraged, provided they do not conflict or interfere with the timely and effective performance of the individual's Primary Duties or University Policies, Rules and Regulations.
2.11. Investigator means any individual who is responsible for the design, conduct, or reporting of PHS sponsored research, or proposed for such funding. This definition is not limited to those titled or budgeted as principal investigator or co-investigator on a particular proposal, and may include, but is not limited to, postdoctoral associates, scientists, clinical and technical staff regardless of classification, or students. The definition may also include collaborators or consultants as appropriate.
2.12. Manage means taking action to address a financial conflict of interest, which can include, but is not limited to, reducing or eliminating the financial conflict of interest, to ensure, to the extent possible that the design, conduct, and reporting of research will be objective and free from bias.
2.13. PI/PD means a project director or principal Investigator of a PHS-funded research project; the PD/PI is included in the definitions of senior/key personnel and Investigator, as defined herein.
2.14. Public Health Service or PHS means the Public Health Service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and any components of the PHS to which the authority of the PHS may be delegated. The components of the PHS include, but are not limited to, the Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Aging, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Federal Occupational Health, Food and Drug Administration, Health Resources and Services Administration, Indian Health Service, National Institutes of Health, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
2.15. Research means a systematic investigation, study, or experiment designed to contribute to generalizable knowledge relating broadly to public health, including behavioral and social-sciences research. The term encompasses basic and applied research (e.g., a published article, book or book chapter) and product development (e.g., a diagnostic test or drug). Further, the term includes any such activity for which research funding is available from a PHS Awarding Component through a grant or cooperative agreement or contract, including, but not limited to, a research grant, career development award, center grant, individual fellowship award, infrastructure award, institutional training grant, program project, or resources award.
2.16. Senior/key personnel means, with regard to PHS funding by means of a grant or a cooperative agreement, the PD/PI and any other person identified as senior/key personnel in the grant application, progress report, or any other report submitted to the PHS by the Institution, and, with regard to PHS funding by means of a contract, the PD/PI and any other personnel considered to be essential to work performance in accordance with the HHS Acquisition Regulation subpart 352.242-70 and identified as key personnel in the contract proposal and contract.
3. Disclosure of Financial Interests. All Investigators are required to disclose their significant financial interests to the Institution on an annual and ad hoc basis, as described below. The Institutional Official, or his or her designee, is responsible for the distribution, receipt, processing, review and retention of disclosure forms. Regardless of the disclosure requirements, the Investigator, in his or her own best interest, is encouraged to disclose any other financial or related interest that could present an actual conflict of interest or be perceived to present a conflict of interest.
3.1. Annual Disclosures. All Investigators must disclose their Significant Financial Interests and those of their Family to the Institution, through the Institutional Official, on an annual basis. All forms should be submitted to the Institutional Official or designee by June 30 for the previous year.
3.2. Ad hoc Disclosures.
3.2.1. In addition to annual disclosure, certain situations require ad hoc disclosure. All Investigators must disclose their Significant Financial Interests and those of their Family to the Institution, through the Institutional Official, within thirty (30) calendar days of their initial appointment or employment.
3.2.2. Prior to applying for PHS funded research, where the Investigator has a Significant Financial Interest, the Investigator must submit to the Institutional Official an ad hoc updated disclosure of his or her Significant Financial Interests and those of the Investigator's Family. The Institution will not submit a research proposal unless the Investigator(s) has(have) submitted and appropriately managed such ad hoc disclosures. Further, there may be no expenditure of funds under a new PHS-funded research project until the Institutional Official has reviewed all Investigator disclosures of significant financial interests and managed any Financial Conflicts of Interests.
3.2.3. In addition, all Investigators must submit to the Institutional official an ad hoc disclosure of any Significant Financial Interest they or their Family acquire during the course of the year within thirty (30) calendar days of discovering or acquiring the Significant Financial Interest. This requirement includes Investigators who are new to participating in a PHS-funded research project as well as Investigators who are already participating in the project. Such disclosures shall be reviewed, and any associated financial conflicts of interest shall be managed, in a timeframe and manner compliant with the federal regulations on Financial Conflicts of Interest (i.e., within sixty (60) days). Depending on the nature of the Significant Financial Interest, the IO may determine that additional interim measures are necessary with regard to an Investigator,s participation in a PHS-funded research project between the date of disclosure and the completion of the review of that disclosure. The IO has authority to implement such measures.
3.3. Travel.
3.3.1. Investigators also must disclose reimbursed or sponsored travel related to their institutional responsibilities, as defined above in the definition of Financial Interest. Such disclosures must include, at a minimum, the purpose of the trip, the identity of the sponsor/organizer, the destination, the duration, and, if known, the monetary value. The Institutional Official or his or her designee will determine if additional information is needed (e.g., the monetary value if not already disclosed) to determine whether the travel constitutes a Financial Conflict of Interest with the Investigator's research.
3.3.2. Note that not all University-related travel must be disclosed. Exclusions from this requirement may be found in Section 2.4(e), above.
4. Review and Decision of the Institutional Official.
4.1. Guidelines. The following guidelines shall be used by the Institutional Official to determine whether an Investigator's significant financial interest is related to PHS funded research and, if so related, whether the significant financial interest is a financial conflict of interest:
4.1.1. If the disclosure form reveals a Significant Financial Interest, it will be reviewed promptly by the Institutional Official or designee for a determination of whether it is related to PHS-funded research and, if so, whether it constitutes a Financial Conflict of Interest. If a Financial Conflict of Interest exists, the Institutional Official will take action to manage, reduce, or eliminate the conflict, as appropriate and consistent with the PHS FCOI Regulations.
4.1.2. An Investigator's significant financial interest is related to PHS-funded research when the Institution, through its designated official, reasonably determines that the significant financial interest:
22.214.171.124.Could be affected by the PHS-funded research; or
188.8.131.52.Is in an entity whose financial interest could be affected by the research
188.8.131.52.The Institution may involve the Investigator in the designated official's determination of whether a significant financial interest is related to the PHS-funded research.
4.1.3. A Financial Conflict of Interest will be deemed to exist when the Institutional Official or designee determines that a Significant Financial Interest could directly and significantly affect the design, conduct, or reporting of PHS-supported research.
4.1.4. If the Institutional Official determines that there is a Financial Conflict of Interest that can be managed, he or she must require and approve a written management plan before any related research moves forward. The affected Investigator or the COI Committee is responsible for developing and submitting a proposed management plan, in consultation with the Institutional Official.
4.2. To address complex situations, oversight committees may be established by the Institutional Official to periodically review the ongoing activity, to monitor the conduct of the activity (including use of students and postdoctoral appointees), to ensure open and timely dissemination of the research results, and to otherwise oversee compliance with the management plan.
5. Reporting to PHS.
5.1. Should any Financial Conflict of Interest or instance of non-compliance be required to be reported to PHS/NIH, the Institutional Official will report in accordance with applicable PHS regulations (See e.g., 42 C.F.R. § 50.605 and 45 C.F.R. § 94.5). If the funding for the Research is made available from a prime PHS-awardee, such reporting shall be made available to the prime awardee such that they may fulfill their reporting obligations to the PHS.
6. Investigator Non-Compliance.
6.1. Retrospective Review.
6.1.1. If the Institutional Official determines that a Financial Conflict of Interest was not identified or managed in a timely manner, including but not limited to an Investigator's failure to disclose a Significant Financial Interest that is determined to be a Financial Conflict of Interest, or failure by an Investigator to materially comply with a management plan for a Financial Conflict of Interest, a committee appointed by the Institutional Official will complete a retrospective review of the Investigator's activities and the research project to determine whether the research conducted during the period of non-compliance was biased in the design, conduct or reporting of the research. Such review shall be completed in a manner and within a timeframe compliant with the PHS Financial Conflicts of Interest regulations (i.e., within 120 days).
6.1.2. Documentation of the retrospective review shall include the project number, project title, PI, name of Investigator with the Financial Conflict of Interest, name of the entity with which the Investigator has the Financial Conflict of Interest, reason(s) for the retrospective review, detailed methodology used for the retrospective review, and findings and conclusions of the review.
6.1.3. The Institutional official will update any previously submitted report to the PHS or the prime PHS-awardee relating to the research, specifying the actions that will be taken to manage the Financial Conflict of Interest going forward. If bias is found, the report will include a mitigation report in accordance with the PHS regulations, including a description of the impact of the bias on the research project and the plan of action to eliminate or mitigate the effect of the bias.
6.1.4. In any case in which the United States Department of Health and Human Services, or any component thereof with delegated authority, determines that a PHS-funded project of clinical research whose purpose is to evaluate the safety or effectiveness of a drug, medical device, or treatment has been designed, conducted, or reported by an Investigator with a financial conflict of interest that was not managed or reported by the Institution as required by the PHS Conflicts of Interest regulations, the Investigator involved shall disclose the financial conflict of interest in each public presentation of the results of the research and to request an addendum to previously published presentations.
6.2. Disciplinary Action.
6.2.1. In the event of an Investigator's failure to comply with this Regulation, the Institutional Official may suspend all relevant activities or take other action as appropriate until the matter is resolved or other action deemed appropriate by the Institutional Official is implemented.
6.2.2. An Institutional Official's decision to take remedial action because of an Investigator's failure to comply with this Regulation, or failure to comply with the decision of the Institutional official, will be described in a written explanation of the decision to the Investigator as well as the Investigator's immediate supervisor and appropriate other administrators.
6.2.3. In addition to those remedial actions undertaken by the Institutional Official pursuant to Section 6.2.1, the Institutional Official may refer any instance of Investigator non-compliance to the appropriate Vice Chancellor or other administrator for disciplinary action in accordance with applicable University policies.
7. Training. Each Investigator, including any Investigator new to the Institution, must complete training on this Regulation and on the PHS Financial Conflicts of Interest regulations prior to engaging in research funded by PHS, and at least every four years thereafter. Investigators also must complete training immediately in the event that this Regulation is substantively amended in a manner that affects the requirements of Investigators (typically within sixty (60) days), or if it is determined that the Investigator has not complied with this Regulation or with a management plan related to their activities (typically within thirty (30) days), or if an Investigator is new to the Institution (typically within sixty (60) days). "Immediately" is defined to be within a reasonable timeframe that reflects that it is a priority that Investigators comply with the requirements of this Regulation and applicable law. The Institutional Official may specify an appropriate timeframe for training where immediate training is required. For purposes of this Regulation, all PHS-funded Investigators must complete the on-line PHS-COI training utility made available through the Office of Research Compliance Administration (and which may include PHS training modules available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/coi/tutorial2011/fcoi.htm). Self-directed training is offered by Public Health Service agencies and is highly encouraged as a supplement to the required on-line training.
8. Subrecipients. If PHS funded research is carried out through a subrecipient (e.g., subcontractors or consortium members), then the Institutional Official shall take reasonable steps to ensure that any subrecipient Investigator complies with requirements of the PHS Financial Conflicts of Interest regulation in a manner consistent with 45 CFR 50.604(c). This includes providing FCOI reports to the PHS Awarding Component regarding all financial conflicts of interest of all subrecipient Investigators prior to the expenditure of any funds and within sixty (60) calendar days of any subsequently identified FCOI. The Office of Sponsored Programs shall ensure that any subrecipient agreements comply with the requirements of 42 CFR 604(c).
9. Record Retention. The Institutional Official will retain all disclosure forms, conflict management plans, and related documents for a period of three (3) years from the date the final expenditure report is submitted to the PHS or to the prime PHS awardee or, where applicable, from other dates specified in 45 CFR 74.53(b) and 92.42(b) for different situations.
10. Confidentiality and Personnel File. To the extent permitted by law, all disclosure forms, conflict management plans, and related information will be confidential. However, the Institution may make such information available to an agency funding research of the faculty member, to a requestor of information concerning financial conflict of interest related to PHS funding, or to the primary entity who made the funding available to the Institution, if requested or required. If the Institution is requested to provide disclosure forms, conflict management plans, and related information to an outside entity, the Investigator will be informed of this disclosure. The confidentiality of personnel files is governed by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-22.
11. Public Accessibility. Prior to the expenditure of any funds under a PHS-funded research project, the Institution will respond to any requestor within five (5) business days of the request, and provide information concerning any Significant Financial Interest disclosed to the Institution by senior/key personnel that meets the following criteria:
a) The Significant Financial Interest was disclosed and is still held by the senior/key personnel;
b) A determination has been made that the Significant Financial Interest is related to the PHS-funded research; and
c) A determination has been made that the Significant Financial Interest is a Financial Conflict of Interest.
The information to be made available shall be consistent with the requirements of the PHS regulation.
Requests should be submitted to the Director of the Office of Research Compliance Administration at:
Director, Office of Research Compliance Administration
2200 South Charles Blvd.
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858-4353
12. Regulatory Authority. This Rule implements the requirements of 42 CFR 50 and 45 CFR 94; where there are substantive differences between this Rule and the requirements, the requirements shall take precedence.


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Australian International School, Singapore
Questioning where our knowledge comes from is something we almost never do. The 'butterfly effect' refers to small variations in the initial conditions of a system and their ability to greatly impact its long-term nature. This idea has been expressed through my film, as the sequences of aesthetically manipulated footage are symbolic of the potential for numerous variations of the truth and the unavoidable effect of time on their reliability.


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It Pays To Plan: Why You Need A Career MapTop Careers for PhDs Outside AcademiaScience Careers Top 5 Reasons to Do a PhD IDP Career Bliss
What is Science Policy?Science Policy: Establishing Guidelines, Setting PrioritiesInternships and Careers in Science Policy
Pursuing a Career in Science and Law
What is Biotechnology?Pursuing a career in Biotechnology
www.nationalpostdoc.org/ www.phds.org/postdoc/choosing-a-postdoctoral-position/
www.phds.org/jobs/job-listings/higher-education-jobs/ Academic Job Searchwww.academiccareers.com/
Careers in Regulatory Affairs: A Sure Bet! Scientists in Regulatory Affairs Careers in regulatory affairs: from practitioner to professional REGULATORY AFFAIRS: Drug industry relies on those who navigate the ground between development and approval Working at the FDA Center for Disease Control and Prevention Careers
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"Find a Job" (searchable by location including international, and field, keyword, etc.)
CV & Resume clinic
Career Fair Preparation
Public Speaking Club (Einstein Toastmasters)
Einstein PhD Alumni Career Video Archive
Read Testimonials
Opportunities Archive


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Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia is a statutory body formed under the Sustainable Energy Development Authority Act 2011. The key role of SEDA Malaysia is to administer and manage the implementation of the feed-in tariff mechanism which is mandated under the Renewable Energy Act 2011.
We seek talented, dedicated, passionate, relentless, innovative and highly motivated individuals to join us in energy efficiency and conversation efforts. If you value a fast-paced atmosphere in an emerging low carbon environment that is gaining importance with outstanding colleagues dedicated to developing and driving the sustainable energy development, this may be an opportunity for you.
Candidates should be passionate about growing the energy management agenda in the country, have relevant technical knowledge, strong communication and analytical skills. The core values of the candidate should align with SEDA's guiding principles such as being accountable, upholding quality governance which includes integrity, openness and trust in expending duties, and being efficient.
Program Manager for Component 2 – Awareness and Institutional Capacity Development, Green Technology Applications for Low Carbon Cities (GTALCC) Project, Energy Demand Management Unit (Responsible to the National Project Manager and Head of EDM Unit, SEDA Malaysia)
Please visit www.seda.gov.my for further details of the recruitment. Application can be made by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com or via postal mail to the address below. Please states the position applied for and kindly attach your resume or personal details with the application.
Chief Executive Officer
Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia
Galeria PjH, Level 9, Jalan P4W, Persiaran Perdana
Presint 4, 62100 Putrajaya
(Attn: Director of HR&A)
Closing date: 22 July 2018


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Maybe I'll Become an Orchestra Musician...
by Rebecca Winzenried
The Dallas Symphony's Young Strings Program allows minority students to imagine the possibility.
Some fifteen students from the Dallas area are now studying music performance or music education at the university level, one at the graduate level. The numbers wouldn't be particularly impressive if it weren't for the fact that the fifteen are among a mere 24 who have graduated thus far from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's Young Strings program--students who otherwise might not have thought of music as a possible career.
Young Strings has been part of the Dallas scene since 1992, when DSO musicians Dwight Shambley and Marion Davies started a program to offer lessons, free of charge, to gifted young African-American and Hispanic students. Shambley, a DSO bassist, had been inspired by a music conference he'd attended, where he'd learned that African Americans represent less than two percent of orchestral musicians. He returned to Dallas, determined to find a way to give minority students in his city classical music training, and thus access to a career in music. Young Strings was born.
The initial promise of Young Strings led it to become a full-fledged program of the DSO in 1994. Additional funding from corporations such as 7-Eleven, the program's major sponsor, and from the community gave Young Strings license to grow. It expanded quickly from serving fewer than 20 students to the approximately 150 who now enroll each year. The program draws students from the minority-majority Dallas Independent School District, which is 57 percent Hispanic and 34 percent African-American. (The city of Dallas, with a population of just over 1 million, is 36 percent Hispanic and 26 percent African-American.)
Young Strings is a three-tiered program, designed to recognize potential talent at a young age and then offer students the opportunity for instrument lessons at more advanced levels. In the first tier, the Prelude Division, kindergarten students participate in classes that introduce musical concepts such as pitch, rhythm, notation, and instruments. Interested students can continue at the second level, the Overture Division, with twice-weekly semi-private lessons. Students can then audition for weekly private lessons in the Finale Division. A Young Strings Instrument Loan Bank insures that all have access to quality instruments.
About ten DSO musicians are among the teachers who offer private lessons and a bit of mentoring to Finale Division students. "We almost spend more time with life issues--telling them that they can do this--as we do teaching," says Shambley. "Sometimes it's about overcoming the attitudes and barriers that can hold them back." The co-founder has remained with Young Strings over the years, choosing to focus on the teaching and nurturing aspects that he knew would be critical to keeping young musicians motivated.
Young Strings encourages musical education beyond weekly lessons by providing free tickets to concerts and offering students opportunities to participate in master classes and to meet DSO guest artists. Academic endeavor is a built-in part of the program, as students and their parents must sign an annual agreement for continued participation. Students agree to make measurable improvement in music lessons, participate in concerts and activities, and maintain a minimum grade-point average.
DSO violist Kay Gardner got involved with the program early on and is now its artistic coordinator. She remembers being a little concerned at first that students who received free lessons wouldn't necessarily be very serious about them. "But that hasn't been the case at all," she says. Quite the opposite, students in the program "have become more serious about their studies, about going on to college. They have more pride in themselves."
In operation for a decade now, Young Strings is beginning to fulfill its promise of preparing students for serious music study that could lead to a possible career. Cellist Derrick James, now a music performance major at Texas Tech University, is a contracted musician with the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. Violinist Ashley Hunter played with the Shreveport Symphony while working on her degree in music composition from Centenary College. One student violist, Catalina Aguirre, who is now a music performance/education major at Texas Christian University, auditioned in 2002 for the Sphinx Competition for young black and Latino string players. Several others, including violist Richmond Punch, now a music performance student at Juilliard, are considering doing so this year.
Hunter, now a graduate student in business and music theory at Texas A&M, joined Young Strings in eighth grade. She credits the program with giving her a solid grounding in music theory, history, technique, and performance that served her well as she prepared for college. "It was the best experience. I was really prepared as far as ear training, the basics, far more than a lot of the students who were entering with me," she says. Hunter says the relationship she formed with other students and with her private teacher proved equally valuable in helping her get ready for auditions and make decisions about how best to direct her interests and abilities.
About 400 students have passed through the Young Strings program since it began. They've become visible in the community through annual concerts, playing to about 18,000 people during the 2001-02 season. The program has also garnered national recognition, winning a Coming Up Taller Award in 2001. The award, which recognizes exemplary community arts programs, is presented by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
And it seems Young Strings musicians plan to keep on giving back to the community. Gardner points out that a number of students have gone on to study music education in college, declaring their intentions to return to their community as teachers so a new generation of students can have the same opportunities they have had. Some of the students have even done so during their high school years, returning to their elementary schools to help out younger students.
Musicians now in the Young Strings Finale Division are the first to have gone through the program since kindergarten, and the benefit of their years of consistent music instruction shows, according to Binford. She notes that students now entering ninth grade are playing the same repertoire that those before them were using for college auditions. "These younger students will have the freedom to audition for Sphinx and other competitions because they aren't trying to 'catch up.'"
Rebecca Winzenried is managing editor of SYMPHONY.