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➷ The Great Pretender Free ➭ Author Susannah Cahalan – Peakpopa.info
I m a big fan of Susannah Cahalan s first book Brain on Fire, and was super excited to learn that she had another work of nonfiction coming out later in 2019 The Great Pretender is about a group of people who went undercover in the 1970s as patients in America s asylums to see what the mental health system was like from the inside Cahalan tells the story of this experiment and its impact on treatment of mental illness, and also reflects on its significance and the way we remember it now Elizabeth excerpted from Bookish s Staff Reads I received a free ARC from the publisher at BookCon As a school psychologist who sees rampant misdiagnoses of mental health conditions and autism I found this book to be such an interesting read I was familiar with some of the history she covers but I had never heard of this study The book is written in such a way that you share in her journey from respect for the researcher to skepticism of the results to disappointment Studies like this and researchers like Rosenhan do so much damage to the public s trust of anything related to psychiatry and mental health treatment and I found myself so mad at him and anyone who defended him The saddest part of this book is that you realize so little has changed in this field and diagnosing is still problematic My hope is that this book will get the APA to develop better systems for diagnosis and treatment maybe require doctors and psychiatrists to meet with people for than 15 minutes before giving a diagnosis Unlikely, but this book inspired me to dream of better days. From One Of America S Most Courageous Young Journalists NPR Comes A Propulsive Narrative History Investigating The Year Old Mystery Behind A Dramatic Experiment That Changed The Course Of Modern Medicine For Centuries, Doctors Have Struggled To Define Mental Illness How Do You Diagnose It, How Do You Treat It, How Do You Even Know What It Is In Search Of An Answer, In The S A Stanford Psychologist Named David Rosenhan And Seven Other People Sane, Normal, Well Adjusted Members Of Society Went Undercover Into Asylums Around America To Test The Legitimacy Of Psychiatry S Labels Forced To Remain Inside Until They D Proven Themselves Sane, All Eight Emerged With Alarming Diagnoses And Even Troubling Stories Of Their Treatment Rosenhan S Watershed Study Broke Open The Field Of Psychiatry, Closing Down Institutions And Changing Mental Health Diagnosis Forever But, As Cahalan S Explosive New Research Shows, Very Little In This Saga Is Exactly As It Seems What Really Happened Behind Those Closed Asylum Doors, And What Does It Mean For Our Understanding Of Mental Illness Today Susannah Cahalan and her family didn t want to accept her diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder even though her symptoms easily fit Instead they continued to search for what was happening to her, what was causing the symptoms she was living with Finally she was diagnosed with the medical condition of autoimmune encephalitis, received treatment and recovered Coming that close to such a huge misdiagnosis caused her to wonder how doctors in the field of psychiatry could tell which patient was sane and which insane Friends suggested she might be interested in reading an article published in the journal Science in 1973 titled On Being Sane in Insane Places by Stanford University professor David Rosenhan Reading the article ignited her desire to find out who the pseudopatients were that participated in Rosenhan s project, to know how they got themselves admitted to twelve hospitals and, just as interesting, how they managed to convince staff that they were cured or sane enough to be released Commitments ranged from 7 to 52 days with seven participants plus Rosenhan himself The first portions of this book were not terribly interesting to me but the writing is very well done and the whole question of how to reliably tell sanity from insanity was what had initially triggered my interest so I decided to read on Once Cahalan began to research who the pseudopatients were and which hospitals they chose the story began to change completely for me and I became thoroughly involved The research into the questions surrounding Rosenhan s article soon became can t stop reading for me, a real life mystery spotlighting not just his article, but the man himself The answers Cahalan found were unexpected, especially when considering the world wide changes the article had on the field of psychiatry One man made such a difference to an entire branch of medicine Find out here how he did it and what the consequences have been.I received a review copy of this book. From Susannah Cahalan, author of the eye opening memoir Brain on Fire , The Great Pretender seeks to shed light again on the mental health world This one focuses on a pretty infamous study done in the 70 s where 7 perfectly healthy people get themselves committed to various mental hospitals, claiming to have serious mental illnesses The point of the experiment was to see how doctors diagnosed mental illness the way that the industry perceives patients with mental illness.I mean, I don t know about you, but that sounds hella interesting to me I will say this If you can t get into nonfiction unless it reads 100% like a story, you ll probably find this book kinda dry This book doesn t really read like a narrative, unless you consider following Cahalan s thought process during her research a kind of narrative BUT, I thought it was so so interesting Cahalan s research took some really surprising turns, and I never found myself without something interesting to chew on.I know many loved Brain on Fire for its addicting quality the rapid page turning while you re asking yourself what s going to happen next The Great Pretender definitely takes its time a bit But that s not to say it s not as good of a read This book reiterates things we all knew about the system, and it teaches us even new things about it In researching this study, Cahalan has revealed the whole field, with all its triumphs and flaws So while it s not as addicting as Brain on Fire, it s an equally important and eye opening book with a message that touches everyone in one way or another I received an ARC for free from Hachette in exchange for an honest review. Author Susannah Cahalan was diagnosed with schizophrenia except she had autoimmune encephalitis Like many, including myself, with autoimmune diseases, she was presumed to have a severe mental illness Luckily, during her hospitalization a different doctor ran a different test and found out the truth.In the mean while, Cahalan was subjected to the kind of treatment that far too many people receive in mental health environments Take the meds and be cooperative When she was sufficiently recovered, Cahalan began to wonder whether we can really tell the difference between sanity and insanity in the traditional sense and started to do some research This led her to the work of David Rosnahan, a Stanford researcher whose paper entitled On Being Sane in Insane Places exposed some of the behavior inside mental institutions.Rosnahan s paper states that he sent eight pseudopatients undercover, one of them himself, complaining of identical auditory hallucinations, and seeking voluntary commitment Some of the data and information didn t make sense to Cahalan, so she sought out Rosnahan s colleagues and became determined to find out who the pseudopatients were so that she could interview them as well.Cahalan not only learned about institutionalized life, but also the degree to which social psychology research could be and was influenced by the researcher s personal bias.This book not only lays out Cahalan s journey to research the researcher, but also shows just how little we still know and understand about mental illness and how Big Pharma tends to influence diagnostic outcomes for purposes of convenience Read alongside Gary Greenberg s Manufacturing Depression, this book creates a scathing picture of what can only be called the mental health industry rather than treatment Highly recommended. The Great Pretender, by Susannah Cahalan, is one of the most extraordinary, best written works of nonfiction I think I ve ever read I have so much to say about it that I m honestly not sure where to begin This book takes on our existential fear of mental illness, our cultural dread of asylums, and the possibly unsolvable problem of where mental illnesses come from and how to cure them Cahalan uses all her skills as a journalist to dig deep into a contentious scholarly and societal argument about the the legendary Rosenhan Experiment Read the rest of my review via A Bookish Type I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for view consideration. I found this a very interesting read, this study led to some major shifts in how mental illness was thought about, diagnosed and treated and so it s important that the study be real and accurate This is a well written and well put together account of what happened If you are interested in psychiatry, then I would encourage you to take the time to read this book. Back in the early 1970s, Dr David Rosenhan published the results of a study wherein he and several other people so called pseudopatients , none of whom had ever had mental health issues, attempted to get admitted to psychiatric hospitals by showing up and claiming they heard a voice in their head saying empty, hollow, and thud All of them got admitted on this basis, most of them receiving a preliminary diagnosis of schizophrenia Once admitted, they behaved like their normal selves, but no one seemed to notice they were actually not mentally ill The resulting article, On Being Sane in Insane Places, purported to show that 1 diagnosis of mental health issues was unreliable at best and 2 patients in psychiatric hospitals were in fact not treated in ways that might actually be therapeutic.When Susannah Cahalan heard about this study a few years ago, she was fascinated Girl, me too Rosenhan s study put me in mind of Nellie Bly s groundbreaking undercover investigation of an asylum, which she published in the 1880s as Ten Days in a Mad House, and which I was obsessed with as a kid Bly s investigation is detailed in The Great Pretender, but Cahalan s own interest was based on something personal Her harrowing experience of having her brain inflammation misdiagnosed as mental illness If a determined doctor hadn t discovered what was actually ailing her, her life may have turned out very differently.Cahalan decided to find out everything she could about Rosenhan s study, talking to his associates and even attempting to track down some of the other pseudopatients who took part in it Without spoiling anything, what she discovered was very interesting, and The Great Pretender itself should have been similarly interesting Unfortunately, this book had so many structural problems it was ultimately much frustrating than fascinating.Simply put, Cahalan should have made the Rosenhan study, how it was received, and her investigation into it the main plotline of the book But she clearly did a ton of research and didn t want any of it to go to waste, so there are many, many detours, for paragraphs, pages, or even entire chapters, into topics that are peripheral the history of the Esalen Institute, for example and or can t be discussed adequately here overdiagnosing replicability issues in research imprisoning the mentally ill Some of these details actually undermine the points she is trying to make for example, she wants to claim that Rosenhan s study caused the closure of psychiatric hospitals, resulting in a lack of support for the mentally ill, but a long detour into John F Kennedy s efforts to help the mentally ill shows that this was a problem well before Rosenhan came on the scene All of this extra information not only makes the reading experience a slog it also dulls the impact of the discoveries Cahalan herself makes I truly wish someone had edited this book with an eye toward making it sharper and concise it would have made the book a informative and memorable reading experience.Cahalan understandably takes issue with the vague misdiagnosing that caused the pseudopatients to end up hospitalized, but she seems equally opposed to the much detailed diagnostic criteria provided by DSM volumes that have appeared subsequent to the Rosenhan study Does Cahalan offer her own solution to these problems In a word, no in the penultimate chapter of The Great Pretender she rails against the psychiatry and psychology professions in a way that s nearly incoherent, and in the final chapter she purports to offer hope for the future, but some of the advances she names seem like quackery and pseudoscience, and the fact that psychiatrists are making money than ever before hardly seems like the good news she thinks it is.The book is also sloppy with facts in a way that gave me pause She misuses the word metastasize, for example, and indicates that mammograms prevent breast cancer they don t, of course She also makes much of the fact that Rosenhan published his article in Science rather than a specialized journal, implying that Science would be less rigorous in its review and that its quick turnaround times necessarily meant its peer review process cut corners This implication struck me as irresponsible it seems equally likely that Rosenhan wanted to be in Science because it was a prestigious and popular journal, and that its faster peer review process might be a result of its large number of resources compared to other journals I was left with the feeling that Cahalan, a former New York Post reporter, didn t know much about scientific publishing, and it made me wonder what else was mere speculation on her part.Some criticisms with the presentation of the book The Rosenhan article itself wasn t included here neither were the responses to the study that other researchers published Sure, it would have cost money for the publisher to obtain these reprint rights, but it would have made the entire experience of reading The Great Pretender much informative Additionally, Cahalan urges readers to educate themselves on these issues, but she doesn t include a list of recommended reading instead readers are expected to wade through the end notes for pertinent material None of this adds up to a satisfactory learning experience.As I said, this topic is fascinating to me, and it saddens me that I can t recommend this book In short, the whole thing should have been way incisive The less pertinent info should have been edited way down Cahalan s unfocused screeds should have been shortened and made, well, focused and resources should have been provided for the reader It seems that The Great Pretender is meant to be some kind of challenge to the field of psychiatry to do better, and while that s a worthy goal, Cahalan hasn t done much here besides meet their fuzzy thinking with fuzzy thinking of her own.I received this ARC via a Shelf Awareness giveaway Thank you to the publisher. Instagram Twitter Facebook PinterestI was so excited to read this book because I loved her first book, BRAIN ON FIRE, which was her own journalism style memoir chronicling her experience with autoimmune encephalitis that manifested itself with symptoms similar to schizophrenia Had she been misdiagnosed, she could have ended up with permanent brain damage or dead Given that close call, it s understandable that the author might have some skepticism about psychology A lot of people do, and like a lot of sciences, its beginnings seem backwards and barbaric Of course, since psychology is one of the newer sciences, those beginnings are far recent than most.THE GREAT PRETENDER is about the Rosenhan experiment, a study in which volunteers including the psychologist leading it pretended to have vague symptoms and see if they would get checked in to a mental health facility Spoiler according to the researcher s notes, all of them did, and all of them except for one ended up with diagnoses of schizophrenia the other was diagnosed as borderline, I think, or manic Also spoiler they found the conditions pretty horrible, too Staff were unsympathetic and liable to treat even normal behaviors such as journaling as mentally ill.Cahalan manages to get access to the psychologist s notes and even interview some of the participants in the study Her findings, through supplementary research and some historical context, are pretty grim on both sides Yes, clinical psychologists have, historically, done some pretty awful things in the name of medical science, whether it s treating patients like circus acts 19th century Bedlam or doing gratuitous surgeries assembly line style, to those who are willing and not lobotomies Cahalan talks about a Victorian journalist who checked herself in to a psychiatric facility and was horrified by the results Rosenhan and his experimenters, while finding themselves in conditions nowhere near as horrifying, were still shocked at their cold and impartial and sometimes unhygienic treatment.When the study came out, people immediately sought to riposte it Psychology is an oft villainized field and I think there was probably a concern that a distrust in the industry might dissuade people from seeking the treatment they might need Less philanthropically, I m sure they were also concerned for their careers and the cash money said careers brought in As Cahalan notes, the study may not have been as truthful as it could have been, as there were some factual disputes that arose when his data was cross referenced with interviewees and other sources.I wanted to like this book a lot than I did, being that I was a psychology major in school and actually contributed to active research studies Supposedly, there s even one floating around out there with my name on it Initially, I was very interested in the subject of the experiment, but it quickly wore thin as it was much drier than I was expecting and the whole time I was reading, I kept comparing THE GREAT PRETENDER unfavorably to the author s first book I do think if you want to read a book that goes into depth about what psychiatric clinics are like, as well as the ethics of psychology and treatment, you might enjoy it, but those who aren t interested in psychology and have only scant interest in the topic will be disappointed, as this is hardly titillating and textbook dry.Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review 2 to 2.5 stars


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The design challenge was to fashion a vessel that could transit the intricate waters of the Caledonian Canal as well as the sheltered waters around Scotland's hauntingly beautiful fretted west coast. The result of these endeavours being the splendid, not to say unique, 'MV Lord of the Glens' - and if its elegant appeal calls to mind that of a luxury yacht, this is no accident since the 'Royal Yacht Britannia' was very much in mind when it came to deciding the exterior livery with its 'Mauritius' deep blue hull, complemented by an all-around band and resplendent eagle motifs all in gold, together with a brilliant white superstructure.
Sister vessel to the 'MV Lord of the Glens'.
Magna Carta Steamship Company Ltd. 136 Hamilton Terrace, London. NW8 9UX - Tel: (call back) 0207 372 2077 - Fax: +44(0)20 7604 3634
Company Number: 3760533 - Registered Office: 843 Finchley Road, London NW11 8NA - Registered in England

subset: commoncrawl


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Florida's embattled Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll (R), the first African American elected statewide and first woman to serve as lieutenant governor, has resigned amid a gambling, racketeering, and conflict-of-interest scandal.
"Effective immediately, I hereby resign the Office of Lieutenant Governor of the State of Florida. It has been an honor to have served the State of Florida in this capacity," Carroll wrote in a brief letter to Gov. Rick Scott (R).
Carroll had been seen as a rising Republican star before a rash of bad headlines. She served as one of the national chairmen for 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney's "Black Leadership Council" with ex-Rep. Allen West (R-FL) and now-Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).
Both West and Scott are featured speakers at CPAC 2013, which kicks off tomorrow in the Washington area. Carroll spoke at CPAC Florida in 2011, but was not invited to the national conference this year.
The Tampa Bay Times:
"Tuesday she was interviewed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, who is assisting in a national probe of Allied Veterans of the World, a Florida-based non-profit that operates a chain of internet cafes. Carroll once owned a public relations firm that represented Allied Veterans, and she did work for the company at the same time she served in the Florida House. Scott will address the media after an afternoon press conference on the matter conducted by law enforcement."
"The resignation comes two days after Florida Law Enforcement officers interviewed Carroll about her involvement with Allied Veterans of the World, a non-profit that operates internet cafes in Florida. Officials from Allied Veterans and Nelson Cuba, the president of the Jacksonville Florida Order of Police, were arrested on racketeering charges after an investigation by the IRS and Secret Service. ...
"Rick Scott tapped Carroll, a Navy veteran, to be his running mate during a 2010 news conference outside Jacksonville Naval Air Station. Allied Veterans is accused of money laundering, using money from a nonprofit for personal gain and misrepresenting the amount donated to charities. Authorities say the group donated just 2 percent of its $290 million in proceeds to charities over about five years. They also say the former president received more than $1.5 million and the national commander got $250,000 from the organization. A firm Carroll owned, 3N & JC, did consulting work for Allied Veterans, and she starred in a commercial for the nonprofit in 2010. ...
"In 2011, the Times-Union reported that Carroll used falsified documents to make her firm eligible for a Jacksonville program that offers grants to minority-owned companies. Her firm was located in Clay County, but relied, in part, on falsified lease documents to appear based in Jacksonville, which was a program requirement. Additionally, former Carroll aide Carletha Cole was arrested after being charged with giving a reporter a recording of a secret conversation between her and Carroll's chief-of-staff. The case has brought a lot of unwanted attention to the Scott administration. In court filings, Cole has accused Carroll of having an inappropriate relationship with another female staff member."
Scott's office confirmed both stories to First Read.
This story was originally published on Wed Mar 13, 2013 9:44 AM EDT


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NEW YORK — Johnny Football just got himself a way cooler nickname: Johnny Heisman.
Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, taking college football's top individual prize Saturday night after a record-breaking debut.
Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o finished a distant second and Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein was third in the voting. In a Heisman race with two nontraditional candidates, Manziel broke through the class barrier and kept Te'o from becoming the first purely defensive player to win the award.
Manziel drew 474 first-place votes and 2,029 points from the panel of media members and former winners.
"I have been dreaming about this since I was a kid, running around the backyard pretending I was Doug Flutie, throwing Hail Marys to my dad," he said after hugging his parents and kid sister.
Manziel seemed incredibly calm after his name was announced, hardly resembling the guy who dashes around the football field on Saturday. He simply bowed his head, and later gave the trophy a quick kiss.
"I wish my whole team could be up here with me," he said with a wide smile.
Te'o had 321 first-place votes and 1,706 points and Klein received 60 firsts and 894 points.
Just a few days after turning 20, Manziel proved times have truly changed in college football, and that experience can be really overrated.
For years, seniors dominated the award named after John Heisman, the pioneering Georgia Tech coach from the early 1900s. In the 1980s, juniors started becoming common winners. Tim Tebow became the first sophomore to win it in 2007, and two more won it in the next two seasons.
He's the second player from Texas A&M to win the Heisman, joining John David Crow from 1957, and did so without the slightest hint of preseason hype. Manziel didn't even win the starting job until two weeks before the season.
Who needs hype when you can fill up a highlight reel the way Manziel can?
With daring dashes and elusive improvisation, Manziel broke 2010 Heisman winner Cam Netwon's Southeastern Conference record with 4,600 total yards, led the Aggies to a 10-2 record in their first season in the SEC and orchestrated an upset at then-No. 1 Alabama in November that stamped him as legit.
He has thrown for 3,419 yards and 24 touchdowns and run for 1,181 yards and 19 more scores to become the first freshman, first SEC player and fifth player overall to throw for 3,000 yards and run for 1,000 in a season.
Manziel has one more game this season, when the No. 10 Aggies play Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 4.
The resume alone fails to capture the Johnny Football phenomena. At 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Manziel is master of the unexpected, darting here and there, turning plays seemingly doomed to failure into touchdowns.
Take, for example, what he did in the first quarter against the Crimson Tide. Manziel took a shotgun snap, stepped up in the pocket as if he was about to take off on another made scramble and ran into the back a lineman. On impact, Manziel bobbled the ball, caught it with his back to the line of scrimmage, turned, rolled the opposite direction and fired a touchdown pass — throwing across his body — to a wide-open receiver.
Manziel came out of spring practice as the backup, and went to work with a private quarterback coach in the summer to better his chances of winning the job in the preseason.
It worked, but still nobody was hailing Manziel is the next big thing.
Then he started playing and the numbers started piling up.
Still, Manziel was still something of a mystery man. Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin's rules prohibit freshmen from being available to the media. Johnny Football was off-limits, but not exactly silent.
After the season, Texas A&M took the reins off Manziel and made him available for interviews, allowing Johnny Football to tell his own story.
Though in the end, his play said it all, and he made Heisman history.
Heisman Voting
Voting for the 2012 Heisman Trophy, with first-, second- and third-place votes and total points (voting on 3-2-1 basis):
Player 1st 2nd 3rd Total
Manziel, Texas A&M 474 252 103 2,029
Te'o, Notre Dame 321 309 125 1,706
Klein, Kansas St. 60 197 320 894
Lee, Southern Cal 19 33 84 207
Miller, Ohio St. 3 29 77 144
Clowney, S.C. 4 13 23 61
Lynch, N. Illinois 3 8 27 52
Austin, West Virginia 6 4 21 47
Barner, Oregon 1 12 15 42
Jones, Georgia 1 10 18 41


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Tech News
Microsoft users and non-users are all mourning the loss of Paint
(TECH NEWS) With Microsoft's announcement that their paint program is now deprecated, internet users lose their collective minds.
RIP Paint
If you're a Millennial or older, your very first experiences creating or editing digital images were probably on Microsoft Paint. Compared to most image editors nowadays, Paint seems incredibly basic.
Nonetheless, it was a mainstay of Windows, and deserves a nod for being one of the first of its kind.
Deprecated feature
After a 32-year run, Paint is finally on the chopping block. In anticipation of the release of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, Microsoft has officially designated the application as a "deprecated feature."
RIP MS Paint. RIP our childhoods pic.twitter.com/UpNYEDe4cA
— Ramsha (@Economistaken) July 24, 2017
While Paint hasn't been removed from the update, the program will "not be in active development and might be removed in future releases," according to Microsoft's blog.
The Microsoft program was born in November 1985 and released with Windows 1.0. It was originally only available in 1-bit monochrome.
The program was always short on features, rarely updated, and the source of a lot of laughable digital "art." For much of its early life, Paint could only save in BMP and PCX formats. It wasn't until Windows '98 that you could finally save your images as JPEG.
Children of the future will never know the joy of spending hours doing this on Microsoft Paint #MSpaint pic.twitter.com/IY6kDxPdc4
— Fiona (@McDoFi) July 24, 2017
There was a major update when Windows 7 was released, but the update still didn't add a ton of features.
As improved image editors like Photoshop became available, it became a conscious choice to use Paint, and the word has become synonymous for the particular aesthetic of the program. The program always felt a little bit like giving a toddler a bottle of puffy paint. The lines, drawn with a mouse, are inevitably wiggly, and the color selection is limited.
Nonetheless, even modern users seem to harbor a nostalgia for Paint.
The latest Windows update introduced Paint 3D alongside the regular application, which includes features for creating both 2D and 3D images.
RT if you're one of those people who's going to do this just to save MS Paint pic.twitter.com/JSFD2sb4f4
— Magnus Lewis (@magnuslewis263) July 24, 2017
Paint 3D was never meant to be an update and is likely to replace it as Microsoft will continue improving it.
Other on their way
Along with Paint, Outlook Express, the Reader app, and Reading list have all been marked as deprecated.
There's no telling exactly when these programs will officially get the chop, but it's safe to say that they're on their way out.
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Tech News
Google Maps will soon display traffic lights
(TECH NEWS) The addition of traffic light positions to Google Maps promises to boost navigation accuracy. Now you won't run a light while looking at navigation.
At over 150 million monthly users, Google Maps' value is not to be understated. With a new feature that shows traffic light positions rolling out to select devices and locations soon, one can expect that trend to continue.
A common issue with navigation via an app–especially when navigating solo–is a lack of precision that can lead to confusion, missed exits, potentially dangerous driving, and, worst of all, spilled coffee. By adding the location of traffic lights, Google Maps will improve both landmark recognition and automated navigation by providing drivers with more accessible information.
It's worth noting a couple of arguing points, the first of which is the assertion that Google is starting from scratch on this feature. They aren't. In fact, Japan-based Google Maps users have had access to traffic light positioning for years; Google is simply expanding the feature to include a larger number of cities and population density.
In a similar vein, Google also isn't the first company to implement an ease-of-access feature such as this. Apple Maps has incorporated traffic light recognition since the release of iOS 13, and while its use is hit-or-miss (my iPhone 11 fails to pick up most traffic lights in my admittedly rural town of residence), the option to have Siri direct users to the nearest traffic light rather than saying "in 213.7 feet, turn left" is helpful.
That said, Apple Maps is a service which sees a little over 20 million monthly users–a far cry from Google Maps' monthly base. For Google, accuracy and speed of updates will be paramount for a successful, routinely helpful launch.
At the time of this writing, Google plans to release the traffic light feature in New York, San Francisco, and a few other United States cities. The feature will be available on Android devices–sorry for now, Apple users–and will ideally expand to encompass most of the country if the initial release is successful.
It will be interesting to see how comprehensive Google's coverage is and how quick the company is to adjust positioning of lights as cities do what cities do best. For now, if you have an Android device, keep an eye on your Maps app–good things are coming your way.
Tech News
How Microsoft plans to upskill millions of workers during COVID-19
(TECH NEWS) Microsoft is providing affordable and accessible resources to upskill workers during the COVID-19 economy.
While the undeniable amount of job loss in the Unites States, thanks to COVID-19, may have lost some steam in the news, there are many people out of work and job searching. As of June 6, 2020, "Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 4.8 million in June, and the unemployment rate declined to 11.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today."
This means many Americans are quietly pondering their next move. Some are freaking out over what their next place or type of employment will be, while others are taking a minute to pause and re-design their life's path. Both may be hopeful that their career is aligning with their ultimate goals or ways in which they would prefer to live their life via professional pursuits and family preferences. There may be an optimistic outlook as well if they have been able to score interviews and feel some excitement about new opportunities amongst the angst and uncertainty.
However, as you may likely know, after a job loss, the job seeker has some extra time to think and this can be scary for some. They may catch themselves with extra worry or spinning in the what ifs? What if I don't have the skills for the jobs in demand? What if I'm too old? What if they are not looking to hire someone with my credentials? What if I am unable to replace my salary?
Let's look at the data when we cannot get out of our heads. What are jobs that are in demand and will be growing? According to VentureBeat and Microsoft, here are the top 10 jobs that are in demand and likely to grow over the next decade:
- Software developer
- Sales representative
- Project manager
- IT administrator
- Customer service specialist
- Digital marketing specialist
- IT support / help desk
- Data analyst
- Financial analyst
- Graphic designer
In tandem, Microsoft is providing access to "learning paths" and resources for users to develop skills for these jobs, which will be available from today until the end of March 2021, and includes a series of videos to help jobseekers start off on the right foot for each role. Microsoft will also connect more technical roles with other resources and tools, including its bot-powered GitHub Learning Lab where budding coders can practice new skills. And feeding into this, Microsoft said that it will join the dots through to qualifications, by offering "low-cost access" to industry-recognized Microsoft certifications "based on exams that demonstrate proficiency in Microsoft technologies," Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a separate blog post."
Venture Beat goes on to say that "Microsoft has announced a slew of new initiatives designed to open up access to new digital skills, including cash grants, providing access to data, affordable certifications for Microsoft products, and a new learning app baked directly into Microsoft Teams."
Looks like those software developers aren't going away and you can hate on sales all you want, but those are needed for companies to keep their doors open and sell their products or services.
It seems apparent that the tech giant is looking to make a positive impact and help upskill workers to be able to explore and gain the skills they need to pursue these available and growing job opportunities. They are utilizing the data available within the LinkedIn platform to provide insights on job postings, as well as pledged to support access to learning and non-profit organizations. Microsoft is also making smart moves to grow and expand in an area where they see some major growth opportunities (within the LinkedIn Learning platform and MS Teams). Microsoft CEO mentioned that we have seen a 2-year digital shift in about two months due to COVID-19.
However, this does pose a question – how long will it take for hiring managers to catch up on reviewing resumes of those that had to make a job switch and may not have the previous experience they typically look for when hiring? There is fair room for a discussion that those reviewing resumes will also need to be informed of the career shifts of candidates due to COVID-19 and may need to spend a little bit more time making sure they are not dismissed for looking to make a switch after their upskill experience.
There may also be some questions from employees if they do not feel they resonate with any of those jobs listed as growing over the next decade. We may see a spike in entrepreneurial activity and people setting out to create and design their own work-life harmony – especially if the remote work opportunities are only going to grow exponentially.
Tech News
Study finds 1,000 phrases that accidentally activate smart speakers
(TECH GADGETS) Don't worry about accidentally activating your nosy smart speakers… unless, of course, you utter one of these 1,000 innocuous phrases.
It's safe to say that privacy concerns, especially in today's digital era, are unquestionably valid. With new video recording technology making it easier to identify people at a glance (whether they like it or not) and concerns that your smart speakers are eavesdropping on you, it may feel like you're bordering on slightly paranoid around modern technology.
After all, even though there have been cases of smart speakers picking up on intimate conversations, there's absolutely no risk of them overhearing private things without your consent, right? Even though it's been documented that these devices — including Cortana, Alexa, Siri, and Google Home — have listened in relationship spats, criminal activity, and even HIPAA-protected data, you're totally in the clear.
Oh yeah. The thing is, everything that gets broadcast into your smart speaker? There's a completely random chance that someone back at headquarters may decide to sift through it in order to improve AI learning.
And while most of the time these conversations are totally benign, it doesn't change the fact that a complete stranger is getting an earful of your private life. In fact, these transmissions? Are actually completely admissible in court, as several murder cases have already demonstrated. Their key evidence was none other than poor Alexa herself.
But wait, wait. These smart speakers can only get your information if you activate them, and that requires you to clearly enunciate their names. Right? Um. Not exactly. Even though you may think that you need to speak crisply into the speaker to activate it, it turns out that these devices are highly sensitive to any suggestion that you might be talking to them. It's almost like your dog when you even remotely glance at his bag of doggie treats in the corner: one crinkle and Fido comes running, begging for some kibble and ready to serve you.
It's the same for your smart speakers. As it turns out, there are over a thousand words or phrases that can trigger your device and invite it to start recording your voice. These can range from the perfectly reasonable (Cortana hearing "Montana" and springing to attention) to the downright absurd (Alexa raising her hackles over the words "election" and "unacceptable"). Well, crap. Now what?
It's no secret that someone is listening in on your conversations. That's been clearly documented, researched, dissected, and even accepted at this point. However, if you thought that they'd only listen to it if you gave them implicit permission by activating your device (which, to be fair, should not even count as permission in the first place), you were wrong.
So what's a privacy-loving person to do? Just suck it up and try to choose between the lesser of two evils? On one hand, yes, these smart speakers are super convenient and can make your life easier. On the other?
Well, if you're a fan of your privacy, then perhaps these devices aren't meant for you. At this point, you've got little recourse. These companies will continue to use your data, and there's nothing stopping them from spying on you. That is, unless you prevent them from doing it in the first place.
If you want to keep your private conversations private, either unplug your smart speaker when you're not using it, or don't get one in the first place. Otherwise, you'll continue to give your implied consent that you're totes cool with them butting in on your personal life, and they'll continue to be equally totes cool with using it without your permission.
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Every Chicago Cubs Player Remains Available in the Right Deal
A recent article by Dave Kaplan has been blowing up (in part because Kaplan sold it on Twitter as "Breaking Cubs news: Cubs to completely rebuild," which is such a doubly-loaded phrase that the link would spread like wildfire even if it pointed to a picture of grizzly bears wearing eye patches (actually, that would spread like wildfire anyway…)) about the offseason plans of the Chicago Cubs.
The article offers a sobering perspective on the roster and the prospects of competing in 2012, and cites three MLB sources – including at least one executive – who all believe the Cubs should and probably will trade away many valuable pieces this Winter in order to lay the the ground work for a rebuild.
"There is no doubt that the Cubs need a major overhaul and with that comes a couple of seasons of teams that will have more than its share of struggles. However, if Theo and Jed can make astute deals for the few pieces that they do have the rebuild can get off to a very good start. In the addition, the farm system is not in good shape in terms of nearly major league ready starting pitching so if they can make some very solid deals they can reload in the minor leagues as well," [a Major League executive] said ….
Two other sources confirmed to me today that the Cubs are not players in the Prince Fielder negotiations and are not preparing to make a major offer to land him. In fact, the same major league sources expect the Cubs to try to move most of their valuable assets before spring training and that a complete overhaul of the team will definitely happen. As one current NL executive told me it is about time that it happened. "The Cubs have never had the guts to completely blow up their roster and build it the right way. They have to have a plan for sustained success instead of always trying to patchwork a roster for a surprising season. They should have done that when Andy MacPhail took over but for whatever reason they couldn't or wouldn't. By the time Jim Hendry became the GM they had some young starting pitching and a mandate from management in 2006-09 to try to buy their way to a championship. It never worked out so the rebuild is the right way to go," he said.
Other than the Fielder bit – which would be disputed by many other media members (and I still say if Fielder will take five years, the Cubs would be very interested) – this is the kind of thing most of us have been saying for years. It's interesting to hear it from folks around MLB, but it doesn't take much more than a Web search to know that something is rotten on the North side of Chicago.
I want to be clear on something. This isn't about blasting Kap. His sources have been as good as any, and he certainly communicates things in a lively and interesting way. The article is well-said, interesting, and worth reading.
I just wish he hadn't blasted it out there as though it wasn't something we've known for more than a month, and let it stand for the interesting article that it was.
As to whether it is "breaking news," I can only offer what I reported back on November 16:
According to multiple sources, the Cubs are telling other teams that they'll listen to offers on everyone on the roster this Winter. The front office reportedly recognizes a long rebuild is in the offing, and doesn't want to rule out the possibility of bringing in a number of young pieces this offseason in the hopes of being competitive in the longer term future.
Privately, I've been hearing this for some time, but because Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer's public statements contradicted the idea that the Cubs will shop their more valuable pieces, I've taken them at their word. Now that so many other sources are confirming what I've heard, it's time to take the gloves off. The Cubs might not ultimately unload all of their talent, but they'll consider trades that build for the future ….
The return on Garza could be enormous, and the return on Marshall could be impressively large. Would the Cubs be raising the white flag on 2012 if they dealt those two pitchers? I think it depends on the return. If a few ML-ready youngsters with breakout potential come back the Cubs' way, you never know what might happen. Couple that with some strategic free agent signings…
That the Cubs would be willing to move anyone this Winter is simply the confluence of two things: (1) Theo and Jed's standard operating procedure: rule nothing out, leave every door open; and (2) it was going to take a herculean amount of turnover to make the 2012 Chicago Cubs a reasonable playoff threat.
The Cubs are, always were, and always should have been listening to offers on their most valuable pieces with an eye toward "the future." I don't need a source to tell me that (although, I've been hearing it regularly from sources for months). The 2011 Cubs featured a poorly-constructed roster, which would have doomed the season regardless of injuries. To date, the 2012 squad is even worse on paper, having lost Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Pena, having the rest of the roster age a year, and having only added David DeJesus and Ian Stewart. If the Cubs sell off valuable pieces, the 2012 team could look even worse still. "Rebuild" was always going to be a word tossed around.
But Theo and Jed aren't in the business of throwing a season away. That's why there are still rumors about guys like Hiroki Kuroda and signings like David DeJesus. Even if the organization moves valuable older pieces for younger players, Theo and Jed still want to win in 2012.
It's just that they also want to win in "the future." When those two aims conflict, the latter will win out. Theo said as much. And that's why some Cubs fans disconnect from others when they hear that loaded word: rebuild. A "rebuild" for one organization is bound to look quite different from a "rebuild" in another organization. For the Cubs, it's just a word. It doesn't mean selling off everything for young prospects. It doesn't preclude adding free agents. It means wisely making a series of moves that make the Cubs better in "the future," and in 2012, with a deference to the former, if a particular prospective move conflicts with the latter.
Moves like signing Yu Darvish or Prince Fielder, or trading Sean Marshall for Travis Wood all work toward the same goal: making the team better in "the future." They just happen to also potentially make the team better and more balanced in 2012. That's why those are the kinds of moves I still talk about frequently, and why they come up frequently. For a team that wants to improve long-term, and as much as reasonably possible in 2012, those are the kinds of moves – together with dealing valuable pieces for a net increase in young, ML-ready talent – smart guys like Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer look to make. Are they "rebuilding" moves?
Call them what you want, but, again: it's all about making the Cubs better in "the future," and in 2012, with a deference to the former, if a particular prospective move conflicts with the latter. "Rebuilding" is just a word.
Kaplan's piece was interesting and important, even if it wasn't anything we didn't already know.


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DEAR ABBY: I'm engaged to someone I love very much. I am 36, and he is 44. We get along great, but he's in a rush to get married. It will be my first and his second. We got engaged three months ago, and he wants the wedding to be in February. The date he picked is his father's birthday.
My other problem is, he is always pawing at me. He always needs to be touching me or calling me his "beautiful angel." It's good to hear that once in a while, but not five times a day.
I love being with him, but sometimes I need my own space. If I say no, he gets defensive and worried I'm going to leave him. We spend practically every waking (and non-waking) moment together. I am almost at a breaking point. Help!
DEAR OVERWHELMED: I hope you realize the behavior you are describing is not an indication of love, but of extreme insecurity. His need to constantly touch you, his defensiveness if you say you need some space, and his fear you will leave him WON'T CHANGE if you marry him. I am also concerned about the way your wedding date was chosen, because the decision wasn't arrived at mutually.
Ask yourself this: If he makes what should be joint decisions, and you have no space for yourself because of his insecurity, is this the way you want to spend a LIFETIME? These could be symptoms of an abuser.
DEAR ABBY: I'm 25, have an associate's degree in health management, completed a CRMA (Certified Residential Medication Aide) course, and I'm now on my way to obtaining my bachelor of science in health management. It sounds like I'm heading toward a great future, right?
My problem is I have zero confidence in myself. I'm scared to death of making mistakes as a CRMA and equally scared of being successful. Everybody says how "proud" they are of me and that I'm headed toward great things, but I'm not sure I can do this. I am struggling to find self-confidence because if I don't believe in myself, I won't achieve anything. What can I do to put myself out there and take the steps I need to accomplish my goals?
DEAR NEEDS A BOOST: Self-doubt can be an asset if it causes you to strive harder to master the skills you will need in your profession. However, because you are afraid of both failure AND success, the surest way to conquer your fears would be to talk about them with a counselor at your school or to a psychologist. What you are dealing with is not as unusual as you may think.
DEAR ABBY: My husband insists wearing a white T-shirt when out and about is the same as wearing a colored one with a design on it. I think he's wearing underwear as outerwear and is being too casual.
We do not live in a rural community. We are in a suburb of San Diego. Life is relaxed here, but not THAT relaxed. Do you have an opinion?
DEAR DRESSING UP: I do have a thought or two on the subject. If your husband is comfortable this way, leave him alone. Because you are the one concerned with appearances, continue dressing up to create the impression you want and let him dress down and suffer the consequences - if there are any, which I doubt.


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Palm Tree EarWish in 14ct yellow gold
Sold individually.
2 in stock
What are you looking for?
Coronavirus Update
Robinson Pelham online shop remains open as normal.
Our Flagship store in Chelsea is open for appointments only and will fully re-open on Wednesday 1st July 2020. Government guidelines advise us not to have more than one customer in the shop at a time. It is therefore advisable to make an appointment 0207 828 3492.
We look forward to seeing you again
RP x Dismiss


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(AP) – Bloomington police cited a 29-year-old man for disorderly conduct for tossing 1,000 dollar bills over an upper floor railing at the Mall of America.
Serge Vorobyov, of Apple Valley, admitted throwing the money as a choir performed "Let it Snow" Friday. He had stamped the bills with his YouTube address to direct people to it. He was cited and released at the scene.
Vorobyov said Sunday he's going through a divorce and lost his business and hoped the positivity of throwing the money would come back to him. He says he threw his last $1,000. Vorobyov posted a video on YouTube to explain himself. Watch it here.
He says he invited his estranged wife to win her back but she didn't show up.
Mall of America spokeswoman Sarah Schmidt says Vorobyov disrupted the performance and could've caused a serious situation.


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Phyllisia - L'Union Fait La Force "Unity is Strength" (Haiti Tribute For The 1 Year Anniversary Of The Deadly Earthquake In Haiti Last Year)
"Phyllisia - L'Union Fait La Force - "Unity is Strength" (Remembering Haiti on the 1 year anniversary of the massive earthquake that took so many lives. They need your continued support to help Haiti in its recovery efforts. Text "Save" to 501501 to donate $5 to Project Medishare.) Includes excerpts from Inside Disaster Documentary. Produced by Gee Futuristic & X-Plosive Beats. Written by Phyllisia Ross. Special thanks to Cozy Piano Bar & Lounge." - Label
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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Millikin University MBA program to hold information session June 19
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[June 13, 2014]
- Millikin University's Master of Business Administration (MBA)
program will be hosting an Information Session on Thursday, June 19
at 5:30 p.m. in Room 212 of ADM-Scovill Hall on Millikin's campus.
Millikin's MBA
Information Session will provide details on Millikin's graduate
program in the Tabor School of Business. The 17-month program meets
two nights per week and features expert faculty members, executive
lecture series speakers and a two-week international business trip.
The Information Session will give prospective students the
opportunity to meet Dr. Anthony Liberatore, MBA program director,
and receive answers to questions regarding the program.
Millikin's MBA
program is fully accredited by the Association of Collegiate
Business School Programs. The program is team based, results
oriented, and designed for today's working professionals.
[to top of second column]
Millikin's next
MBA class starts in January 2015 and the program is now accepting
For more
information on the benefits of a Millikin MBA degree or to register
for the session, contact the MBA office at 217.424.3503 or e-mail
firstname.lastname@example.com. Information on the graduate program is also
available online at
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text:
Everything and Nothing / Re: Need Suggestions for Sound Table Music« on: November 06, 2013, 09:14:56 PM »
I have had the table for about 10 years and purchased it here http://vibroacoustic.org/ from Stephen Duel. I have gone through thousands of tracks and gathered a library of tunes that work well. Sometimes I run low frequency swells along with music that wont really drive the table well. I have not tried Koner, so I will give him a try and let you know. I thought there might be a bit more response here with fellow ambient heads. Thanks for any and all responses!


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Thursday, 15 September 2011
US declares Indian Mujahideen a Foreign Terrorist Organisation
8 comments:
Why dont you guys merge and run one blog
- 15 September 2011 at 23:42
Well done US. Now include world's largest terrorist org in your list, ISI.
- 16 September 2011 at 01:52
A truly commendable act on the part of US.
- 16 September 2011 at 03:30
All Mujahideen organizations that call for war as HOLY and to protect the sancity of religion should be declared as TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS.
All entities such as the ISI that actively promote, arm and provide intelligence and logistics should not only be branded as rogue establishments even if it is an integral arm of a nation but all effort should be taken to see that it is dismantled. ISI actively promotes global terrorism and the US is well aware of this fact. When the US condones and at times connives with it, what is the point in just declaring IM as a FTO.
The US and its allies should use everything in their power to cut off the hydra head of the ISI and put a stop to global terrorism.
- 16 September 2011 at 07:14
- Chandan said...
@ Any 23:42...
Yarr agar yeh do alag alag rahenge to Lockheed martin aur BOEING ki tarah kam karenge ...competitive ..aur agar merge ho gaye to AIR INDIA wala hal ho jayega ..Zero competion leading to who cares attitude ..you decide !!!
- 16 September 2011 at 09:08
Well well well.
The IM has now got its first aspiration... recognition. Terrorists succeed when they are recognized for what they do. That's when it becomes easier for them to recruit and grow. As for freezing assets, the ISI has great experience in the multiple avatars of JEM and others and how to have a public face and how to ensure that all financial and other transactions are done via organizations many times removed.
So, set 1 for the IM, the Great Satan has recognized them!!
- 16 September 2011 at 10:43
This is 1300 years old war of expansion....you are calling them terrorist now, after they claimed half of our country (read as Pakistan & Bangladesh). Secularism can only exist if all practice (means everybody including islamic countries)and funds, men, material and strategy used generously to expand Islamic civilization through violence ceases for all eternity. Problem at hand will not get solved by even putting full stop to such activities by Pakistan. This is for entire Islamic Umah to ponder and decide. China, Japan and Korea are really blessed they have never been troubled by expansionist islamist ever in past and today too they are far away from islamic influence....thus they have progressed and they practice indigenous culture.
- 16 September 2011 at 11:39
Can there be a possibility that Pakistan itself gets de-recognized by one and all for once and forever.
BTW, till then if USA declares ISI as terrorist agency, then India should purchase 50 F-18 without concern for cismoa which may be developed with the help of Israel.
- 16 September 2011 at 14:11


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Crown Seat Belt
Get your quality Crown Seat Belt here at very low prices. Expert customer service and fast delivery are also guaranteed. Shop now! The lowest prices and the best deals on your needed Crown Seat Belt are offered here. Browse our extensive selection of auto parts and accessories and order now.


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Transfer news: AC Milan & Everton target Keisuke Honda for sale at right price
CSKA Moscow are ready to sell star midfielder Keisuke Honda this summer if the right offer comes along.
By Edwin Chong
Last Updated: 07/07/13 3:56pm
Club general director Roman Babaev is aware of interest from AC Milan for the Japan international, while Everton have also been linked with a move.
But as it stands Honda, whose contract expires in January 2014, will remain a CSKA player until a club makes a formal approach for his services.
Babaev told Russian newspaper Sport Express: "[The situation] has not changed. Honda could be speaking to another club at the moment, because the rules allow it.
"But our position is clear. We are ready to let him go if we receive a reasonable offer.
"We are pleased that Milan are interested but we also have to be realistic. Yes, his expiring contract affects his market value but there is a limit as to how low we can go.
"We are not worried if he ends up leaving the club on a free transfer.
"It is a difficult decision to make - part ways with Honda now or keep him until his contract expires.
"We are interested to know how this progresses. The ball is in Milan's court now."


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Exhibition "Toys & Games Fair" 2018
January 2018. Hong Kong. One of the largest in the world – Exhibition-Fair Toys & Games Fair. 2500 companies from 40 countries. Our electronic kit «Super kit №1» takes a prize
n the nomination "Best electronic & amp; radio-controlled toys"! The set was included with the animated educational cycle of practical works "Lighting". We were even given a "sign of the winner" so that we could put it on the stand
|Within the framework of the exhibition, solemn presentation of prizes was held (there were 14 in total).
The next day, a breakfast was held with representatives of the world press, in which, in particular, the coffee temperature of the Japanese correspondent was measured from a set of digital thermometer, after which he said that he would wait until he cooled down. We talked with correspondents from the United States. We do not know yet what they wrote, but what the TASS correspondent wrote is here: http://tass.ru/obschestvo/4862405 . Then the head of the exhibition and the Hong Kong Toy Association joined our table, and we talked with him until after breakfast.
|After lunch in the Congress Hall, the winners held a presentation of their products.
This exhibition-fair is only for professionals, children and parents are not allowed to enter. Moreover, it was pleasant to see a huge number of visitors at our stand.
We are very satisfied and are making new plans!
And there was also a cultural program, acquaintance with Chinese cuisine, peculiarities of Hong Kong … For more information, see our social networks.


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There doesn't seem to be one, and as I have been guilty of mentioning the sport in other threads, I thought maybe a dedicated place for any Broncos fans to chat about the sport might be good, instead of idiots like me going off-topic in other threads.
Personally (see signature pic), I'm a lifelong fan of Scottish club St Mirren. We are from Paisley, 5 miles west of Glasgow, and play in the Scottish Premier League, Scotland's top league. I'm born and bred in Paisley, they are my local team. Soccer in Scotland is dominated by our two largest clubs, Celtic and Rangers, with both clubs coming from Glasgow. Rangers are in an area of Glasgow called Ibrox about 5 miles away from Paisley, Celtic in an area called Parkhead about 9 miles to the east. For us then, it is a major battle to have a successful and well-supported side, given our geographical proximity to the two 'giants'. Down the years though, we've done pretty well as a small 'underdog' team, and at the time of writing this, we have just reached one of Scotland's two major cup final competitions, where we will play Rangers in the final.
I also like following soccer in other leagues. My favourite English team is Newcastle United, and in Spain, I follow the results of Real Madrid.
Let battle commence.....


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Claybrook: All Your Data Are Belong to U.S.
I was pleased last week to testify in Congress about a draft bill that would mandate "event data recorders" in all new cars. Automobile black boxes or "EDRs" are an issue that found me a few years ago when I commented on their privacy consequences to a newspaper and heard from concerned drivers across the country.
My testimony to the House Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection had three main themes:
1) The Constitution doesn't give Congress authority to design automobiles or their safety features;
2) Only a relevant sample of crash data is needed to improve auto safety—overspending on a 100% EDR mandate will keep the poor in older, more dangerous cars and undermine auto safety for that cohort; and
3) The privacy protections in the bill help, but consumers should control the existence and functioning of EDRs in their cars.
A co‐panelist taking a different view was Joan Claybrook, President Emeritus of Public Citizen and a former administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In her testimony, Claybrook called for a near quadrupling of NHTSA's budget to $500 million per year. She also called for the construction of what might be called "Total Auto Awareness" infrastructure.
"[T]he bill should require that the data collected by the EDR be automatically transmitted to a NHTSA database," Claybrook wrote. She probably meant only crash data, and she paid lip service to privacy, but this represents a probable goal of the auto safety community. Our money, our cars, and our data are instruments for them to use in pursuit of their goals.
If this auto surveillance infrastructure is mandated, what EDRs collect, store, and transmit to government databases will grow over time.
They're going to keep you alive, damnit, if it burns up all your freedom and autonomy to do it! It's the beating heart count that matters, not the reasons for living.


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DIXON – Good I Will Be, one of the prize horses sold last year in the federal auction of former Comptroller Rita Crundwell's assets, had to be euthanized by its new owner Sunday.
The bay stallion successfully underwent surgery for kidney stones Saturday, but never fully woke up from the anesthesia, said manager Stephen Stephens of Dry River Ranch in Weatherford, Texas. The horse started to show signs of discomfort about a week earlier and was taken to the Texas A&M University Veterinary Hospital for treatment, Stephens said.
Kidney stones are rare for horses because of their regulated diet, Stephens said. Good I Will Be was "100 percent" healthy, he said, when purchased by Stephens for Sandra Morgan of Vancouver, British Columbia, who won $35 million in the Canadian lottery in 2011.
The horse, which was purchased for $775,000 plus an additional 10 percent buyer's premium, had already started to perform as a sire for its owners, bringing in at least $100,000 in its first year, Stephens said.
"He was probably the up and coming sire of the industry," he said. "He was the head honcho."
The horse's offspring had been "dominating" competitions for showhorses, Stephens said.
Good I Will Be was one of more than 400 horses seized from Crundwell's estate and sold by the U.S. Marshals Service, said Jason Wojdylo, chief inspector of the Marshals Asset Forfeiture Division.
If the horse had died before the auction in 2012, like eight of the horses did, the city wouldn't have the more than $800,000 from its sale, Wojdylo said, included in the now nearly $9.2 million "restoration." The horse's death won't affect the money the city expects to receive, he added.
"It will in no way impact that," Wojdylo said. "With the sale of this particular horse, the funds were transferred to the marshals already. The money is in the bank."
Wojdylo expects the estimated $9.2 million to be transferred from the U.S. Marshals to the clerk of the U.S. District Court's Northern District of Illinois within 30 days. The clerk's office will then transfer the money to the city.
The U.S. Marshals made selling the horses, located on 22 farms in 13 states, a priority because as live animals they were a "high risk asset," Wojdylo said, adding that the marshals had never had to sell so many animals.
"It was unprecedented," he said. "It had never occurred in the U.S. Marshals history."
The majority of the horses were sold in an online auction, in order to reduce the cost and risk of transferring them to Dixon for the live auction, Wojdylo said.
Crundwell is serving a sentence of 19 years, 7 months in a federal prison in Waseca, Minn., after pleading guilty to stealing nearly $54 million in city funds over two decades.


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|Grundfos' advanced disinfection systems and accurate dosing pumps ensure that the water in open as well as closed loops is clean.


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Washington Family Scholar Returns to Cedars-Sinai 4 Years Later as Neurosurgical Resident
Los Angeles - Feb. 6, 2013 – The first time Lindsey Ross worked in the Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, she was a medical school student and the 2008 recipient of the Pauletta and Denzel Washington Family Gifted Scholars Program in Neuroscience award.
Now she is a doctor, having earned her medical degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. Again she is working with and learning from some of the most respected doctors and research scientists in the nation, this time as a first-year resident in Cedars-Sinai's Neurological Surgery Residency Program, designed to help new surgeons excel in the operating room, research laboratory and patient bedside by providing a well-rounded, wide-spectrum experience.
"One of the great things about Cedars-Sinai is that you can see it evolving in real time. I believe in Cedars-Sinai and the Neurosurgery Department, I see it being an even stronger force in the future, and I'm very excited to be part of it," says Ross, a Los Angeles native and the oldest of three children. She attended elementary school at The Center for Early Education in West Hollywood, blocks from the medical center.
Her interest in medicine was influenced by her parents – her mother is an obstetrician-gynecologist; father an internist – and by family medical crises. Her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when Ross was a senior in high school, and a brother had a neuroblastoma – a nerve tissue tumor – at birth. She says these crises and another event that occurred while she was in the Washington Scholars program profoundly affected her career path.
Scheduled to watch an early morning surgical case, Ross stayed home one evening when friends went out to a few favorite places in Hollywood. One friend, an excellent college athlete, was struck by a car driven by a drunk driver, suffering fractures of the neck and extremities and other serious injuries. He was rushed to Cedars-Sinai's Neuroscience Critical Care Unit where he lay in a coma for more than two weeks.
"This was the first time I had seen somebody in a coma, and I was really fascinated by everything I learned," says Ross, who at that point in medical school had been exposed to more classroom instruction than patient contact. "I think that experience inspired me and I said, 'This is definitely what I would like to do.' It was amazing to see him wake up after two weeks, open his eyes, breathe on his own and move on to the rehab unit. He's not playing basketball like he was in college, but he is walking again and he's still the same person I knew."
As a Washington Scholar in 2008, Ross worked in the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute laboratories of Julia Y. Ljubimova, MD, PhD, director of drug delivery and nanomedicine in the Department of Neurosurgery. Ljubimova's research is developing an innovative delivery system that uses a combination of drugs to target important mechanisms in cancer cells.
In her residency, which started on July 1, 2012, Ross was introduced to neurosurgery before entering rotations in neurocritical care and subspecialty areas of neurology. She says she was especially touched by encounters she had in the Neuro ICU.
"Every day, there would be family meetings where the residents would learn to talk with families about end-of-life matters and making challenging decisions for loved ones," she recalls. "The attending physician would usually be the leader in these discussions and we would watch how they presented the information. Everyone has their own style, but it was interesting to see that it can still be emotionally painful to deliver bad news after 20 or 30 years of experience. I knew this profession would be mentally difficult, and I knew it would be physically difficult, but I probably didn't fully understand how emotionally difficult it is."
In February, Ross rotated back to neurosurgery, gradually taking a more hands-on, decision-making role, although still with the guidance of chief resident Sunil Jeswani, MD. She says she aspires to work in an academic setting to participate in research and contribute to the education of residents and medical students. And she has developed a strong interest in pediatric neurosurgical oncology.
"I'm a very upbeat and positive person, and even working with people who are the sickest of the sick with the most devastating diseases, I can find something positive. I think that helps make me an empathetic and relatable physician," she says. "Nobody knows how much time they have. That's not really determined by us. I think while we're here, we do the best we can with what God has given, and I think staying positive is an important part of healing."
The Neurosurgery Department, chaired by Keith L. Black, MD, the Ruth and Lawrence Harvey Chair in Neuroscience, started funding the Washington scholarships in 2004 to support students who demonstrated the desire, initiative and aptitude to make significant contributions in the sciences. Pauletta and Denzel Washington, strong advocates for the strength of family and the power of education, gladly lent their names and continue to take an active role in the program.
"One night when I left the hospital pretty late and it was dark outside, and I had come in that morning when it was dark, I thought, 'This is a complete dream come true,'" Ross recalls. "When my family once asked what my absolute dream position would be – what specialty – I said definitely Cedars-Sinai's Neurosurgery Department. At that point a few years ago, it seemed so far away and never obtainable. Now every time I leave the hospital really, really late, or it was a hard day, I look back on that and am just very happy. I feel very privileged and grateful to be in this position."


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Perhaps most important, Medtronic isn't recommending that the leads be taken out unless they are actually fractured. And cardiologists overwhelmingly agree with that advice. Surgical removal of a lead is potentially deadly itself. The lead sits in the patient's vein. Scar tissue forms there and at the point in the heart where the lead attaches. So extracting it can trigger bleeding, which can be lethal.What most agree, again, is that if a patient does not have an actual fracture, that leaving the lead alone is probably the most prudent advice and to continue close monitoring. Every time a device pocket is opened to revise the system, there is also a small but real risk of infecting the defibrillator system.
If a lead is found to be fractured, patients may have a choice of intervention. Doctors differ as to whether lead extraction or adding a new lead threaded through the same vein is a better approach. But many patients will have to have it extracted because there isn't room for a new lead in the vein.
Should a lead become fractured and the defibrillator system require revision, however, one other option exists that was not mentioned in the WSJ article: a new lead (or even a new system), could be implanted from the contralateral (opposite) arm. In some cases of lead fracture, this might be the safest route to take.


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Nokia has revealed that it plans to work with Microsoft, using the Windows Phone operating system as its 'primary smartphone strategy'.
In an open letter to Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's CEO, Stephen Elop spoke of mutual benefits, and how Nokia will help Microsoft in areas such as mobile imaging.
The letter also talks about how the Finnish company will help "drive and define the future of Windows Phone" with a nod to widening the range of price points suggesting a budget Windows Phone from Nokia is on the way.
Search and apps
Bing will now be the default search engine on Nokia handsets across devices, suggesting it's a partnership that stretches beyond Nokia manufacturing Windows Phone handsets.
Nokia's app stores will also be integrated with Microsoft Marketplace, presumably incorporating the Ovi Store and all its content.
Echoing thoughts in his memo to staff which leaked earlier in the week, Elop notes that, "Success requires speed. We will be swift."
But will they be swift enough to reveal a new Nokia Windows Phone handset at Mobile World Congress?
Elop ended the letter saying, "Today, the battle is moving from one of mobile devices to one of mobile ecosystems, and our strengths here will be complementary.
"There are other mobile ecosystems. We will disrupt them."


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A cloud hangs over the summit of Japan's Mount Fuji in this picture from space, captured by DigitalGlobe's WorldView 2 satellite on Sept. 20.
It may look as if a cotton ball is floating over Mount Fuji in this satellite image, but it's actually a cloud — the kind of cloud that's known to give an otherworldly look to Japan's highest peak.
This picture was snapped by DigitalGlobe's WorldView 2 satellite on Sept. 20, and it's currently the front-runner in the company's contest to select the year's top image. Cast a vote for your favorite on DigitalGlobe's Facebook page, and check back in January to find out which picture wins out.
DigitalGlobe started out with 20 satellite pictures from the past year, and winnowed them down to five finalists. Last week we showed you a different picture from the 20-picture set: a shot of the Tokyo Skytree casting its long shadow on the city. I can understand why the Fuji picture is favored: That cloud definitely adds an air of mystery to the scene. But it's not really all that mysterious: Weather conditions on the mountain lend themselves to strange-shaped lenticular clouds. (This one looks totally fake.)
The perspective from above — 478 miles (770 kilometers) above, to be exact — just adds to the eerieness.
This cottony mountaintop picture is today's offering from the Cosmic Log Space Advent Calendar, which serves up a fresh image of Earth from space every day from now until Christmas. Click on the links below to gather up the goodies you may have missed:
- 2012 Cosmic Log Space Advent Calendar
- Day 1: A fantastic Chinese fan
- Day 2: Satellite shows a Grander Canyon
- Day 3: Typhoon stirs awe — and alarm
- Day 4: Glittering nighttime view of Riyadh
- Day 5: Night lights shine on 'Black Marble'
- Day 6: Holy sites seen at night
- Day 7: Blue Marble still leaves its mark
- Day 8: Satellites look into a volcano's hell
- Day 9: Jack Frost nipping at Alaska's nose
- Day 10: Cosmonaut looks down on peaks
- Day 11: Earth looms above moonwalker
- Day 12: Skytree casts shadow on Tokyo
- Day 13: Aurora sets stage for meteor show
- Day 14: Apollo's last look at Earthrise
- Day 15: A sobering moment from space
- Day 16: Middle Earth spotted from orbit
- Day 17: Mount Etna erupts ... in 3-D!
- Day 18: Gaze into the Great Blue Hole
- 2011 Cosmic Log Space Advent Calendar
- 2010 Cosmic Log Space Advent Calendar
- The Atlantic: Hubble Advent Calendar
- Zooniverse Advent Calendar
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other science and space news coverage, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered via email. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about dwarf planets and the search for new worlds.


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Hannay Live Electrical Cable Reels
Hannay live electrical cable reels are used for rescue and HAZMAT operations, agriculture, grounds maintenance and MRO, electric tools, portable lighting, broadcast/entertainment, auxiliary leads for power generation, hoist and crane operations, static grounding, utility grounding, and video inspection.
We offer Hannay live cable reels in manual rewind, power rewind as well as spring rewind configurations. Reels come with 3-conductor, 45-amp, 600-volt collector assemblies with 8 gauge wiring. The reels contain double brushes per circuit that are copper graphite with copper alloy rings. Additional conductors or higher amperages up to 100 amps are available. Please contact us for a price. Up to 300 amps are possible via custom design.
There are many features that make Hannay Reels the number one choice. The multi-position roller assembly features dual arms that give maximum support from each side. They heavy 14-gauge disc has rolled edges that add rigidity and strength. There is a one-piece hub assembly for stellar strength. An externally mounted spring motor and ratchet pawl lock for most serviceable reel is also available. The drums are 304-grade stainless steel for top corrosion resistance. The 11-gauge steel modular frame bolts easily to standard footprint patterns. There are also sealed axle bearings to provide superior wear and effortless operation.
The best part about working with us? If you are not sure exactly what you need, we can help! Our team is trained to know exactly the right reel for the job. Call or contact us today and let us find the perfect solution for you.
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If you haven't already, visit the main Festival post for information about all the categories, and how to win!
I'm excited to share that Baby Lock is generously giving away a Melody machine, just like mine! To enter to win, leave a comment on this post!
The Viewer's Choice winners will win one of these four great prizes :
-Winner's choice of THREE Stash Packs, and a 10 yard package of Mistyfuse, from Vicki Welsh!
-A $100 Gift Certificate from Pink Chalk Fabrics!
-A Trace 'N Create Quilt Template – Dresden Collection and Lone Star Collection designed by Nancy Zieman for Clover Needlecraft, from Quilt Expo!
-A fat quarter bundle of Lulu Magnolia, from Find Your Lula!
Quicklinks to categories : Mini, Small, Large, Applique, Art, Hand Quilted, Home Machine Quilted, Modern, Original Design, ROYGBIV, Scrappy


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The CAN-8 VirtuaLab Improves Language Learning
The CAN-8 VirtuaLab is an integrated suite of network-based products that focuses on oral production by students for the purpose of language learning, assessment or pronunciation coaching.
Surpassing the capabilities of CD-ROM and DVD based language learning packages, the CAN-8 VirtuaLab represents the extension of the learning experience via the Internet with oral comparative excercises and tests that can be remotely monitored by an instructor, scored and feedback provided to the student in real-time.
Read more...
VirtuaLab Applications
|Support and Downloads
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The Sounds Virtual Cloud is like having your own datacenter without having to purchase or manage it:
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Golf & The City of Hartford
In the fall of 2013, after nearly twenty-five years of leasing the City of Hartford golf courses to private, for-profit management firms, the City of Hartford decided to move the operational ownership back to City Hall and under the supervision and direction of the Department of Public Works.
An ad hoc committee was formed of city residents and officials to research various business models and potential partnerships with local non-profits. After extensive review, the City decided to partner with both the Connecticut Section PGA and KNOX Inc.
The PGA and the City signed a consulting agreement, through which the PGA would help the City set up its new business model. The PGA hired a dedicated employee to serve the City, and used the expertise of additional PGA Professionals to serve as subject matter experts.
KNOX Inc., which has a horticultural based job training program for City residents, was invited to provide its program graduates as members of the golf course maintenance crews. This way, the courses are a source of employment to city residents as well as improved amenities in the City's park system.
Goodwin Park Golf Course reopened in June of 2014 and the City has invested over a million dollars in equipment, repairs, and proper maintenance practices. This has resulted in a steady improvement in course conditions over the 2014 and 2015 golf seasons, and more improvement will continue in the future.
Keney Park Golf Course had to be closed for a complete restoration and the City has invested close to six million dollars in this project. The restoration project, overseen by Dusenberry Design, has now been completed and the course will reopen in May of 2016.


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A terminally ill Star Wars fan got his wish fulfilled.
Daniel Fleetwood's wife Ashley confirmed on Thursday that his dream to see the upcoming Star Wars film, "The Force Awakens" was granted.
"Today the wonderful Disney, Bad Robot and Lucasfilm teams made his final dream come true, Daniel just finished watching an unfinished version of Star Wars: The Force Awakens!!!" she said on Facebook.
U.S. & World
Wanted to edit something: To all our wonderful supporters, friends, family and awesome strangers: Daniels final dream...Posted by Ashley Fleetwood on Thursday, November 5, 2015
Daniel Fleetwood, 32, of Spring, Texas, was diagnosed two years ago with a rare connective tissue cancer called spindle cell sarcoma. On Sept. 2, doctors gave him two months to live.
Ashley shared a photo of her husband on Twitter with the caption, "#forcefordaniel help my man get his last wish, to see a screening of Star Wars before cancer takes him. @bad_robot."
It caught the attention of the film's director, J.J. Abrams.
NEWS: Star Wars stars spill movie secrets
"We would like to thank the awesomely talented JJ Abrams for calling us yesterday to tell us Daniel was getting his wish granted! We also would like to thank Lynne, Ben and Anahuac for coming to our home and screening the movie for Daniel. Lastly I want to thank ALL the amazing people who helped make this happen, thank you beyond words!!! May the force be with you all smile emoticon #forcefordaniel !!!!"
The screening took place at Daniel's home, but he can't say anything about the movie. But Ashley told Entertainment Tonight, "It was an amazing experience!"
Actor Marc Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker, also tweeted about the screening.
The film opens on Dec. 18.


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Timing is everything, right? Bachelor couple Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson break up, the two are thrust back into the media spotlight, and Ben announces a new TV project… coincidence or good planning?
According to Wetpaint Entertainment, Ben and the E! network are teaming up to bring us a new reality series about Ben's Sonoma-based winery, Envolve. "It will be about the day-to-day business of the company," Wetpaint's source said. "Both from the wine-making and the marketing angles."
The source added, "Right now, the show is in the very early stages.Contracts haven't even been signed but things are moving along."


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dr. andrea
Executive Director
Dr. Andrea F. Warren came to the School after serving twenty years in Virginia Beach City Public Schools where she taught Health and Physical Education, coached basketball and track, served as the Assistant Principal at Bayside Middle School and High School, and was Principal at Plaza Middle School. She is married to Rev. Samuel Warren, the Supervisor of Custodial Services of Chesapeake City Public Schools. Rev. and Dr. Warren have a daughter, Adrienne, who is a 2005 GSA graduate.
Dr. Warren became involved with GSA in 2002 as a member of GSA's Foundation and served on the parent committee. In 2008 she became the Assistant Director. She has seen, first hand, what GSA does in developing young artists and believes her daughter's success is due to the training she received in the GSA Musical Theatre Department.
Dr. Warren is very proud of her daughter, who has made her Broadway debut in "Bring It on The Musical" originating the role of Danielle, the queen bee of Jackson High School and who is a TONY nominee for her role in "Shuffle Along" on Broadway.
Assistant Director/Foundation Director
Deborah Thorpe earned her BA degree in Dance and Education from Goucher College and her M.Ed degree in Dance Education from Colorado State University. Her professional modern dance career ranged from regional dance companies in Colorado, Baltimore and New York City. In 1984 she assisted in forming GSA, and from 1985- 2011 she was Chair of the GSA Dance Department. Her position of Assistant Director and Foundation Director began in the fall of 2011. She has been an integral part of the arts community in Hampton Roads and has served as a panel member for the Virginia Commission on the Arts, was President of the Board for Todd Rosenlieb Dance for 8 years, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Downtown Norfolk Council and chairs the NEON district committee. She was a member of WHRO Community Advisory Board and the Horizon Circle of CHKD. She is the Founding Director of the Regional High School Dance Festival and received the Outstanding Service Award from the National High School Dance Festival in 2002. She is married to Brad Thorpe and has two sons, Greg and Alex.


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Martha Stewart CEO Wenda Harris Millard: I'm Not Going to Microsoft, or Anywhere Else
Wenda Harris Millard sat down for an entertaining question-and-answer at paidContent's "EconWomen" conference today.
And while the co-CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSO) insisted that her relationship with founder Martha Stewart was just fine, I wanted to be clear: Was there any truth to a recent New York Post report that said she was feuding with Martha, and would end up running Microsoft's online unit?
So I asked her.
"There's nothing to it. I'm not going to Microsoft or anywhere else," she told me.
Fair enough. Anybody want to take issue with that?
If you're willing to use your real name, you can leave a comment below. If you want to be more discreet, you can email me: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Meanwhile, a question still left unanswered: Who is going to run digital for Microsoft (MSFT), anyway?