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How the EPA's Inaction on Bee-Killing Neonicotinoids Cripples Our Economy
As pesky as you might find bees, they play a vital role in our food supply and the agricultural jobs that go along with it.
They're dying rapidly, leaving many of our essential crops without a key pollinator. In its latest episode, the investigative team at Earth Focus reveal that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allowed neonicotinoids—nerve toxins used on most of the country's crops—on the market without adequate tests to determine their impact on bees.
"Bees really are the underpinning of an entire agricultural system," said Paul Towers, organizing and media director for the Pesticide Action Network. "When you pull out that underpinning, or that pin, you begin to see the collapse of an entire agricultural system."
The episode exposes the conundrum created by the government's inaction; billions in neonicotinoid sales for the chemical industry; and the death of bees, which strains the U.S. economy.
EARTH FOCUS airs every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT) on Link TV—channel 375 on DIRECTV and channel 9410 on DISH Network. Episodes are also available to watch online at linktv.org/earthfocus.
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
By Alexandra Rowles
Oregano is a fragrant herb that's best known as an ingredient in Italian food.
However, it can also be concentrated into an essential oil that's loaded with antioxidants and powerful compounds that have proven health benefits.
- Essential Oils: 7 Common Questions Answered - EcoWatch ›
- 9 Ways to Boost Your Immune System - EcoWatch ›
- 15 Impressive Herbs with Antiviral Activity - EcoWatch ›
Brazil's Bolsonaro Tests Positive for Coronavirus
Far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who has presided over the world's second worst coronavirus outbreak after the U.S., said Tuesday that he had tested positive for the virus.
- Brazil Using Pandemic as Smokescreen for New Attacks on the ... ›
- In 'Totalitarian' Move, Brazil's Bolsonaro Removes Death and Case ... ›
- Brazil Passes 50,000 Coronavirus Deaths as Global Cases Top 9 ... ›
Renewable Natural Gas Isn't a Green Solution for Climate Change
By Emily Grubert
Natural gas is a versatile fossil fuel that accounts for about a third of U.S. energy use. Although it produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants than coal or oil, natural gas is a major contributor to climate change, an urgent global problem. Reducing emissions from the natural gas system is especially challenging because natural gas is used roughly equally for electricity, heating, and industrial applications.

What RNG Is and Why it Matters
Most equipment that uses energy can only use a single kind of fuel, but the fuel might come from different resources. For example, you can't charge your computer with gasoline, but it can run on electricity generated from coal, natural gas or solar power.

Natural gas is almost pure methane, currently sourced from raw, fossil natural gas produced from deposits deep underground. But methane could come from renewable resources, too.

Two main methane sources could be used to make RNG. First is biogenic methane, produced by bacteria that digest organic materials in manure, landfills and wastewater. Wastewater treatment plants, landfills and dairy farms have captured and used biogenic methane as an energy resource for decades, in a form usually called biogas.

Some biogenic methane is generated naturally when organic materials break down without oxygen. Burning it for energy can be beneficial for the climate if doing so prevents methane from escaping to the atmosphere.

Renewable Isn't Always Sustainable
If RNG could be a renewable replacement for fossil natural gas, why not move ahead? Consumers have shown that they are willing to buy renewable electricity, so we might expect similar enthusiasm for RNG.

The key issue is that methane isn't just a fuel – it's also a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Any methane that is manufactured intentionally, whether from biogenic or other sources, will contribute to climate change if it enters the atmosphere.

And releases will happen, from newly built production systems and existing, leaky transportation and user infrastructure. For example, the moment you smell gas before the pilot light on a stove lights the ring? That's methane leakage, and it contributes to climate change.

To be clear, RNG is almost certainly better for the climate than fossil natural gas because byproducts of burning RNG won't contribute to climate change. But doing somewhat better than existing systems is no longer enough to respond to the urgency of climate change. The world's primary international body on climate change suggests we need to decarbonize by 2030 to mitigate the worst effects of climate change.

Scant Climate Benefits
My recent research suggests that for a system large enough to displace a lot of fossil natural gas, RNG is probably not as good for the climate as is publicly claimed. Although RNG has lower climate impact than its fossil counterpart, likely high demand and methane leakage mean that it probably will contribute to climate change. In contrast, renewable sources such as wind and solar energy do not emit climate pollution directly.

What's more, creating a large RNG system would require building mostly new production infrastructure, since RNG comes from different sources than fossil natural gas. Such investments are both long-term commitments and opportunity costs. They would devote money, political will and infrastructure investments to RNG instead of alternatives that could achieve a zero greenhouse gas emission goal.

When climate change first broke into the political conversation in the late 1980s, investing in long-lived systems with low but non-zero greenhouse gas emissions was still compatible with aggressive climate goals. Now, zero greenhouse gas emissions is the target, and my research suggests that large deployments of RNG likely won't meet that goal.

- Solar Employs More Workers Than Coal, Oil and Natural Gas ... ›
- The Truth About Natural Gas: A 'Green' Bridge to Hell - EcoWatch ›
- Why Natural Gas Is a Bridge Fuel to Nowhere - EcoWatch ›
EPA Approves Two Lysol Products to Kill Coronavirus on Surfaces
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued a list of 431 products that are effective at killing viruses when they are on surfaces. Now, a good year for Lysol manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser just got better when the EPA said that two Lysol products are among the products that can kill the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
- Here's How to Clean Your Groceries During the COVID-19 Outbreak ... ›
- EPA Warns Against Fake Coronavirus Cleaners - EcoWatch ›
- What to Do if There's a Disinfectant Shortage in Your Area - EcoWatch ›
Will the Democratic Party's Climate Platform Address Injustice?
For all its posturing on climate change, the Democratic Party has long been weak on the actual policies we need to save us from extinction. President Barack Obama promised his presidency would mark "the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow," and then embraced natural gas, a major driver of global temperature rise, as a "bridge fuel." Climate legislation passed in the House in 2009 would have allowed industries to buy credits to pollute, a practice known to concentrate toxic air in black and brown neighborhoods while doing little to cut emissions.
- Trump Neglects Climate Change in State of the Union While ... ›
- House Democrats Hold First Climate Change Hearings in More ... ›
- If the Democratic Party Is Serious About Climate Change, They Must ... ›
Roundup Cancer Settlement Hits Snag Over Future Plaintiffs' Rights
Bayer's $10 billion settlement to put an end to roughly 125,000 lawsuits against its popular weed killer Roundup, which contains glyphosate, hit a snag this week when a federal judge in San Francisco expressed skepticism over what rights future plaintiffs would have, as the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
- Judge Blocks California From Putting Cancer Warning on Roundup ... ›
- Bayer Settles Roundup Cancer Suits for Over $10 Billion - EcoWatch ›
By Charli Shield
When an elephant dies in the wild, it's not uncommon to later find its bones scattered throughout the surrounding landscape.
Elephant Burial Grounds
Highly social creatures that form deep familial bonds, elephants have long been observed gathering at the site where a peer or family member has died — often spending hours, even days, quietly investigating the bodies or the bones of other dead elephants.

Although the popular idea that dying elephants are instinctively drawn to special communal graves — so-called "elephant graveyards" — is a myth, their tendency to go out of their way to visit the bones and tusks of the deceased isn't unlike human rituals at graveyards, says animal psychologist Karen McComb.

"They spend a lot of time touching and smelling skulls and ivory, placing the soles of their feet gently on top of them, and also lifting them up with their trunks," McComb, who's been studying African elephants for 25 years in Kenya's Amboseli National Park, told DW.

The most striking part of watching an elephant experience loss, Poole recalls, is the quietude. She still remembers one of the first elephant deaths she witnessed; a mother who birthed a stillborn calf. That elephant stayed with its baby for two days, trying to lift it and defending it from vultures and hyenas.

"I was so struck by the expression on her face and her body. She looked so dejected. It was really like, 'Oh God, these animals grieve…'. It was just so different," Poole told DW.

Witnessing Emotions in Animals
Not all scientists are comfortable concluding that elephants grieve. Among the more than 30 reports of elephant reactions to death that Wittemyer co-reviewed in a study published in November 2019 were accounts of "enormous variation and nuance" he says. "It can be incredibly involved and intricate for extended periods or can be relatively cursory checks."

In Wittemyer's own experience, it can be difficult not to attribute some kind of emotional experience to the more involved interactions between elephants and their dead.

He shares the story of an "extraordinary event" involving the death of a 55 year-old matriarch in Kenya in a protected area that happened to be near his place of work. She was visited by multiple unrelated families while she was dying, including another matriarch that exerted such enormous effort attempting to lift her to her feet that she broke her tusk, which Wittemyer says, is "like breaking a tooth."

"It was a remarkable example of this heightened emotional state, it was very clearly a very stressful interaction," he says.

A Different Sensory World
One factor that limits our ability to fully grasp the way elephants process and respond to loss is our markedly different sensory experiences of the world.

An elephant's world is fundamentally olfactory — based on smell. Ours is visual. Previous research has shown elephants possess the most scent receptors of any mammal, and can use smell to discern the difference between different human tribes from the same local area.

That could explain why elephants exhibit such interest in sniffing the bones and tusks of others, as a 2005 study from McCombs highlighted. When presented with the skulls and ivory of long-dead elephants and those from other large herbivores, including rhino and buffalo, McCombs and her team found elephants approached and were specifically attracted to the remains of their own species.

Without access to the smells an elephant picks up on, Wittemyer says "an enormous amount of stuff" could be missed by humans when studying these behaviors.

- Elephant Poaching Is on the Rise in Botswana, Study Confirms ... ›
- In 'Conservation Disaster,' Hundreds of Botswana's Elephants Are ... ›
- Botswana Auctions Off First Licenses to Kill Elephants Since Ending ... ›


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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) _ Republican Michele Bachmann says scrutiny of her husband is out of bounds as she seeks the Republican presidential nomination. But her rules have changed since she attacked Democrat Barack Obama over comments his wife made three years ago.
At the National Press Club on Thursday, Bachmann sidestepped a question about her views toward reparative therapy, a disputed treatment that seeks to help patients overcome homosexual urges. Bachmann co-owns with her husband Marcus a Christian-oriented counseling clinic where the treatment is offered.
``I am running for the presidency of the United States. My husband is not running for the presidency. Neither are my children. Neither is our business. Neither is our foster children,'' Bachmann said, standing a few feet from Marcus and two of their daughters.
The Minnesota congresswoman hasn't always adhered to the same wall of separation for candidate spouses, however.
Bachmann raised doubts about now-President Barack Obama's patriotism in 2008 and used comments from the candidate's wife, Michelle, to do it.
Michelle Obama drew conservative scorn over her assessment of America while campaigning in Wisconsin in February 2008.
``For the first time in my adult life,'' she said at the time, ``I am really proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback.''
The remark caught on over the Internet and lingered throughout the campaign. During an MSNBC interview that October, Bachmann used the comment to make her point.
``Remember, it was Michelle Obama who said she's only recently proud of her country. And so these are very anti-American views,'' Bachmann said then.
Bachmann was a freshman in Congress at the time, and her comments ignited a liberal backlash. Nevertheless, she scraped out a narrow re-election victory against a Democratic challenger who cashed in on the controversy. Her national profile soared during that race and she launched her White House run after a convincing re-election win last year.
With polls showing her as a strong 2012 GOP contender, Bachmann has come under increased scrutiny.
Questions about the Bachmann clinic surfaced after a gay activist covertly taped sessions with a counselor who said the treatment would help build up the patient's desire for women. Marcus Bachmann was not shown in the video, but told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that such treatment is done ``at the client's discretion.''
In the presidential campaign, Bachmann has tried to keep her campaign focus on economic issues that resonate with her tea party base.
She mentions her record of backing abortion restrictions and opposing gay marriage. But she hasn't pushed such social issues with the same zeal as when she was a state senator. Bachmann's meteoric rise in Minnesota politics coincided with her forceful push for a gay marriage ban.
To be sure, the line of engagement with political spouses can be fuzzy.
Bachmann tangled with Michelle Obama earlier this year over public policy when the first lady promoted tax breaks for breast pumps for nursing mothers.
Bachmann argued that the IRS decision to classify breast pumps as deductible medical-care purchases was using the tax code ``as social engineering'' and labeling it part of a ``nanny state'' mentality. Bachmann noted that she breastfed her five children without help from the government.

subset: commoncrawl


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Pure Delight recently announced the release of their new product – Aqua Delight – a bottled water that is free from the metallic, acidic, bitter, or otherwise bad taste associated with chemotherapy treatments. Metallic taste in the mouth is a common side effect of chemotherapy drugs, often making it difficult for cancer patients to eat or drink, leading to dehydration ranging from mild to life-threatening. Aqua Delight provides relief from this, making it easy for patients to drink water, thus optimizing their recovery.
So, how does it work? We don't know. It's a secret. The company has signed non-disclosure agreements that keep the technology behind this water confidential. However, there is a 100 percent money-back guarantee, and several testimonials on Pure Delight's website indicate that most people are happy with the results this water provides.
The bottles are made from PETE 1 plastic, which exceeds FDA standards for safety, and there are no known issues with chemicals leaching into the water. However, it seems ironic that the company would choose to manufacture bottled water, rather than a specialized water filter that improves metallic taste instead. In general, bottled water is not sustainable, even though the plastic is recyclable. Non-sustainable living may contribute to the growth of disease – such as cancer. In the interest of sustaining life, you'd think Pure Delight would opt for a more sustainable product that lines up, thematically, with the company's ultimate goal.
Metallic taste has also been reported as a side effect of pregnancy, allergies, dental disease and kidney disease, making the market for Aqua Delight even wider. What about you? Would you try it?


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"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" might have opened with huge numbers at the box office and had the biggest November & Friday openings for any movie ever – but teen sensation Miley Cyrus wasn't one of the Twi-hards pledging their allegiance to Team Edward or Team Jacob. In fact, the teen star considers the whole "Twilight" world to be "a cult."
"I think it's like [a] cult… I think it's a cult," Miley told Sirius XM's The Morning Mash Up in an interview that aired on Tuesday. "I think it's bad. I think it's like, just people get too into it."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: She's Just Bein' Miley!
The "Hannah Montana" star goes on to compare people's obsession with "Twilight" to the public's fascination with models.
"For me, I think it's like when guys look at supermodels and they're like, 'That's the perfect girl,' … That's what those kind of movies do to us," she continued. "They're like thinking that's what girls should be like and not everyone is going to be Edward, hate to say it."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Stars Declare Themselves 'Team Edward' Or 'Team Jacob'
Miley might be anti-vampire, but she's very pro-pirate.
"Johnny Depp is way hotter than Robert Pattinson, for sure," Miley said when asked about the actor nabbing People magazine's coveted "Sexiest Man Alive" title.
And if the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star hadn't been honored with the award, Miley would have liked to see it go to one of her former Disney pals.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Robert Pattinson - Hollywood's Hottest Vampire!
"There's not many things about me that are like a normal teenage girl. But the one like normal teenage girl thing is that I think Zac Efron is the hottest person in the world," Miley said. "I really, really like him. And it's weird… it's weird because he's my friend. I think also the reason that he is so sexy is because he and Vanessa [Hudgens] have been together since the first 'High School Musical' and… I think that's really cool."
And Miley said she has no problem mixing it up with other celebs like Zac.
"No, I'm pretty cool," she joked when asked if she ever gets star struck. "I'm pretty much the coolest person ever… no, I'm pretty cool. I'm pretty much the coolest person ever."
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: Robert, Taylor & Kristen Hit The New York 'New Moon' Premiere (Part I)
PLAY IT NOW: On The Scene: Miley Cyrus Tour Bus Crash (November 20, 2009)
MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Miley Cyrus - Johnny Depp - Zac Efron - Robert Pattinson - Twilight


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Posts tagged with "censorship"
Lessons for Community Networks
I had the good fortune to run into Isaac Wilder from the Free Network Foundation and a couple folks from Guifi.net at the Oakland mesh meetup a couple weeks ago. Isaac and I have gone back and forth on the viability of mesh networks, so it was nice to finally put a face with the name.
We had a great discussions on their respective networks and about the cellular network we've been working on in Papua. There's obviously good work being done by both projects; I was particularly impressed by Guifi.net's scale (thousands of really operational nodes!). One thing that I was really glad about was the recognition by all parties that "building mesh networks" isn't really the end goal; it's about building free-as-in-freedom decentralized community networks. Guifi for example is planning on building out fiber links to augment their backhaul.
There were a few points I took away from our discussion that I think are important guidelines for people building these decentralized community networks.
Embrace commerce. Our network in Papua is explicitly for-profit, and one of the most remarkable aspects of it is that it has been profitable for the local operators since soon after going live (we'll have a paper out about this soon). I think this has aligned incentives between users and the local operator to ensure reliable operation is a long-term goal. Paying for service and demonstrating a clear business model I think also conveys to users that the network is for real, and there to stay. In Guifi.net's network, they have independent agents ("Guifi Professionals") who provide installation service for nominal fees. In my experience one of the hardest problems in keeping a network operational is maintaining adequate involvement from experienced people who can fix problems when the arise; providing income to those people is an excellent answer.
Don't automate everything. One of the guys from Guifi explained that they had made explicit decisions against automating certain aspects of their network operations, like firmware updates. While they make impressively extensive use of automation for many common network activities, keeping a human in the loop is a great way to avoid accidentally messing up large parts of a network. In Papua, we rely on human intervention for handling certain faults; while it's inefficient (and we do in fact want to automate this process eventually) it's given us a core set of people who are capable of basic debugging of the system and who can fix certain problems on their own, without our intervention. In short, having a human in the loop can improve resilience of the network, not to mention the positive side effect of improving peoples' understandings of how networks work.
It's a social problem. Isaac said something I really liked. Paraphrased, it was "a big part of our innovation is social." Obviously there is technical innovation still occurring within the free networking community, but like Isaac I agree that building large wireless networks is essentially a solved problem (in my survey of WISPs I conducted last year I spoke with dozens of operators who had thousands of subscribers, some spread across territories spanning hundreds of miles). To me, a more interesting question than what mesh routing protocol to use is what are other, more democratic, methods of building and operating communications infrastructure? The answer we've explored in Papua is to distribute control to local entrepreneurs who are more responsive to community needs than national-scale telcos; this is analogous to what rural WISPs have done worldwide. Guifi and the FNF are really pushing the limits on what's possible with building fully horizontal networks -- in the language of my recent paper, networks that are truly decentralized from a management perspective. Our friends at Rhizomatica are taking a similar approach in Oaxaca with their cellular network, though due to the fundamental nature of phone networks it's a bit harder to make them truly decentralized (phone networks' first design imperative is the ability to bill and control usage, after all). While I personally believe the "small entrepreneur" model we're using in Papua strikes the right balance between equitable operation and practicality, I'm excited to see work on other models.
Now, all this said, I still firmly believe that for blackout circumvention a la Egypt 2011 mesh networks are a poor answer and inefficient use of resources. I also think it's important for anyone working in the space to have a firm understanding of the fundamental reasons why real mesh networks don't scale so they can design around that [1]. But it's a good thing in my mind that projects like the FNF and Guifi exist because they give us practical examples of alternatives to traditional top-down models of telecommunications. That's a cause I support and I look forward to exciting developments from both of these projects.
[1] There was a comment at the mesh meetup that night that there's no such thing as scarcity of bandwidth in a mesh network since you can always add more nodes or use more frequency. This is of course not true: radios in practice have limited bandwidth, regardless of spectrum regulation, and channel contention and forwarding load impart fundamental limitations on the capacity available in a mesh. There's also the practical problem that devices have a limit on their forwarding capacity. If a builder of a community network starts with this expectation, they're setting themselves up for failure.
Why Mesh Networks Still Aren't the Right Answer: The Paper
A while back I wrote a blog post about why wireless mesh networks aren't a viable answer to censorship. I've been wanting to write a more rigorous followup to that post for a while, and I'm happy to say that such a paper has finally been written and will appear at the FOCI 2013 workshop. You can take a look at it here: Building Dissent Networks: Towards Effective Countermeasures against Large-Scale Communications Blackouts.
The tl;dr is that systems for dissident communication need to prioritize user safety and scalability, and mesh networks (and many other currently proposed systems) don't fit the bill.
This is joint work with my colleagues Yahel Ben-David, Giulia Fanti, Eric Brewer, and Scott Shenker.
Syrian Internet Cut Off
Well, it's happened again: a country's been cut off the Internet. This time it's Syria.
There's good coverage of the technical details of this outage on the Renesys and CloudFlare blogs. The short version is that all Internet traffic into and out of Syria flows through a single, government-owned ISP, the Syrian Telecommunications Establishment (AS29386). This ISP withdrew their BGP routes from their providers, disabling access for all Syrian IP's (since every ISP in Syria relies on AS29386 for their international connectivity). This is effectively the same network structure that exists in Iran, and it makes it trivial to shut off an entire nation's Internet access: all traffic flows through a single point, and the government controls that point.
My TIER colleague Yahel Ben-David brought up the great point a couple months ago that it's kind of odd that method of choice for country-scale Internet blackouts seems to be withdrawing BGP routes, as opposed to just unplugging cables or powering off routers. The Syrian government tried to blame a cable cut for this blackout, but it's pretty hard to say all your BGP routes just "accidentally" got withdrawn. Withdrawing a BGP route is literally broadcast publicly around the world, so it's not particularly subtle either. I don't have a good explanation of why this is done: maybe the engineers tasked with implementing the blackout are just familiar with BGP? Maybe they don't want to disrupt their consecutive days of uptime numbers? If you're a network engineer who's implemented a national Internet blackout and has the answer, get in touch.
Why wireless mesh networks won't save us from censorship
Or "why the reddit 'Darknet Plan' is a fun but misguided solution to the wrong problem".
It's exciting to see so much interest of late in the Darknet Plan hatched by redditors to build a second, people-owned, censorship-free Internet using a large-scale wireless mesh network. Freedom of speech on the Internet is an important issue and it's important for all of us to take it seriously. Additionally, as someone who thinks wireless networks are the bee's knees (and who does research on wireless networks in his day job), it's exciting to see so much interest in using wireless to circumvent censorship.
That's why it's painful for me to say, "hey guys, this isn't going to work".
I got into this space about five years ago to build a community-owned Internet using solar power and wireless mesh networks -- censorship circumvention wasn't an explicit goal, but it was part of the broader vision. I actually wound up building a couple sizable networks using equipment like this (Orangemesh grew out of this work). After a couple years I developed a pretty good understanding that wireless mesh networks aren't actually a good way to build a real network. These are a few of those reasons.Read More »


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So I figure, while I'm embracing this forced hippie life, why not dive in even further. Let's take up canning! Because obviously, I needed a new hobby. (Right.) Now trust me, I had no interest in canning. At all. The thought had never even crossed my mind. But then I made my own barbecue sauce. And then Boyfriend raved so much about it, he wanted to give some to his brother and coworker for them to try.
It's one thing to make a batch and put it in my fridge to use. I have a very high tolerance for expiration dates (I mean, those are really just suggestions, right? As long as it smells fine..), and if I make myself sick, well it's my own fault for being stupid. And it's fine to give it to Boyfriend who used it on nearly everything almost immediately. It's a completely different thing to give it to someone else who may or may not use it in a timely manner. And I don't want to kill anyone with spoiled food. So I started Googling how to can homemade barbecue sauce. And found out just how easy it really is. Boiling water, a big pot, and some Mason jars. That's really about all you need. Obviously there's a bit more to it than that, but if you've got those, you're nearly ready to can!
After my first BBQ attempt, I was hooked. I wanted to can everything in sight! With my aversion of all things veggie, the next obvious step was to make jam. Lots of jam. Blackberry, strawberry, cherry.. Jam, jam, jam! And it's all so easy! I may never, ever buy jam at the store again. At this very moment, I have 4 different types of hanging out in my pantry. Which is perfect, since I'm living on a PB&J budget with my hippie ways.
Making and canning jam isn't as scary as it seems. I went from thinking about canning, to reading books about canning, to actually canning my own jam in the course of an afternoon. 1 afternoon! The next morning I had toast and jam for breakfast. My own jam. That I made. Jam that spread just like Smuckers. And tasted just as good! If I can figure it out in my tiny little kitchen (and win a 1st place Blue Ribbon at the Ohio State Fair for my first attempt at Cherry Jam!), I have all the faith that you can too.
I wish I could go into all the details and specifics of the canning process for you, but honestly, I don't really know them all. Which is why I haven't progressed much past jam. (And because of that whole veggie aversion thing.) I will say that it's very important to know the difference between water bath processing and pressure canning, and which you should use for your creations. Water bath processing is simply boiling the jars in water for a period of time. This method of processing is fine for fruit based products, such as jam, because the majority of fruit is high in acidity, which bacteria generally don't like to hang out in. Boiling the jars will kill off what bacteria might still be hanging around. Pressure canning requires special equipment that uses pressure (obviously) to heat the jars to a temperature higher than boiling. Unlike fruit, veggies are generally low in acidity, which makes them perfect playgrounds for all kinds of yuckies that can make you sick. To kill the bacteria and prevent spoilage, you need heat that's well above temperatures that boiling alone can reach, which is where the pressure canner comes in. There's a bit more to canning than that, so I definitely recommend doing a little research before diving headfirst into it.
Canning & Preserving with Ashley English. This is the one I read nearly cover to cover before I started. It's easy to read and understand, especially that science-y part about the pH levels (high vs low acidity). And of the 6 books I got from the library on canning, this is the one I liked the most. There's also the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, which is written by the experts of all things canning, so you know they know what they're talking about. If you're more into the web surfing thing, check out the Ball website for quick reference on the basics of canning, as well as tons of recipes to get you started. So what are you waiting for? Go forth and jam!
The fantastic thing about this recipe is that you can use it with any fruit or combination of fruit you want--as long as the fruit measures 1 1/3 cups. The other great thing--it only makes 2 half-pints, so you don't have to use a truckload of fruit, and you're not left wondering what to do with a dozen jars of jam.
Strawberry Peach Jam
Adapted from Ball Classic Pectin package
Makes two half-pint jars
8 oz strawberries, stemmed, hulled, and quartered*
1 large peach, peeled, chopped*
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, divided
3 teaspoons bottled lemon juice, divided
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped, or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
1 ½ tablespoons Ball RealFruit classic pectin
*Note: Once pureed, fruit should measure 1 1/3 cups. Add a few more strawberries or a couple more slices of peach if you come up a little short.
1. In a large stockpot or waterbath canner, place clean half-pint jars in water, allowing water to cover jars completely, and bring water to a gentle simmer. In a small saucepan, place lids and rings in water to cover and bring to a slight simmer. Place a small clean plate into the freezer to chill.
2. Place strawberries, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a large bowl, stirring to combine. Allow to macerate for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to distribute juices.
3. Place contents of bowl, including all juices, in a blender or food processor with peach, pulsing to puree.
4. In a large saucepan, combine fruit puree, remaining 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, and vanilla bean, stirring to combine. Gradually add pectin, stirring well to combine. Bring mixture to a rolling boil over high heat that cannot be stirred down. Add remaining 1 cup of sugar, stirring to combine, and bring mixture back to a rolling boil, boiling for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam.
5. Remove plate from freezer and drop a teaspoon of jam onto the plate. Return to freezer for about 2 minutes, or until jam has cooled. When jam has cooled, push it with your finger. If the jam wrinkles, it is done. If it is too runny, return to a boil and boil for another minute before removing from heat and testing again.
6. Once set, remove jars, lids, and rings from waterbath. Pour hot jam into jars, leaving ¼-inch of space at the top of each jar. Wipe any drips from the rims. Center the lid on the jar, and tighten the ring around the jar. Return jars to the canner, making sure jars are covered completely and bring to a boil. Once water has come to a boil, process jars for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn heat off and let jars stand for 5 minutes in water. Remove jars from the water and allow to cool to room temperature. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Any jars that have not sealed should be used immediately or reprocessed in the same manner using new lids.


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"fished the entire lake with a buddy of mine for about 4 hours and caught several bream and a few crappie. the earlier in the morning the better the fishing they are in..." Hornor Neck
"Bream are biting crickets. Some good crappie have been caught on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is good on chicken livers...." Peckerwood Lake
"Crappie are biting well on black/chartreuse jigs fished in brush piles. Bass are biting well on green pumpkin and orange jigs fished around rocky areas near the channel..." Arkansas River
"Crappie should be holding near structure such as fallen trees and fishing piers. Try using jigs or minnows around the outside edge of the fishing piers, or try trolling..." Lake Beulah
"Catfishing is good on rod and reel and trotlines baited with just about anything...." Maddox Bay
"Crappie are biting fair on minnows around brush piles and tree tops...." White River
"Crappie are biting fair on minnows around brush piles and tree tops...." Old White River
"Catfishing is good with stink bait and chicken liver...." Storm Creek Lake Dam
Tips, tactics, gear reviews for everything from bass and bluegills to stripers and bluefish - if it's fishing related, we cover it.
Get the latest outdoor news regularly.


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Press Release
State Acts Promptly to Safeguard Alaskans Against Potential Identity Theft
January 28, 2010
Juneau, Alaska - Attorney General Dan Sullivan announced today that the State of Alaska has reached a settlement with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to provide credit protection for about 77,000 former and current public employees whose names and confidential information were misplaced by the professional services firm.
The lost personal information is for the public employees and retirees who were participants in the Public Employees Retirement System and the Teachers Retirement System in 2003-2004.
"In this settlement, PricewaterhouseCoopers has accepted responsibility for this security failure," the attorney general said. "Most importantly, the firm has agreed to protect Alaskans by paying for identity theft protection and credit-monitoring, or a security freeze, for each of the 77,000 Alaskans who are potentially affected by this failure and by ensuring that Alaskans are reimbursed for losses that they might incur as a result of ID theft caused by this breach."
Sullivan also noted that other provisions of the settlement protect the state's finances by, for example, requiring PricewaterhouseCoopers to pay for up to $100,000 of the cost of notifying affected individuals.
"However, our overriding goal has been to make sure that our citizens who might be at risk are protected," he said. "We have achieved that."
The information on Alaska public employees and retirees originally was maintained by Mercer, the former longtime actuary for the state, who provided financial projections for the state's retirement systems. The state is suing Mercer in connection with the services it had previously provided the state.
As part of the discovery process in the lawsuit, a law firm representing the state requested Mercer's modeling and analysis of the state's future retirement obligations. This modeling information contained the personal data.
In the ongoing litigation, the law firm then turned that information over to the state's experts, PricewaterhouseCoopers, for use in evaluating Mercer's actuarial models. In early December, PricewaterhouseCoopers discovered that the information was missing.
The state was notified of PwC's security failure last week and obtained the data files containing specific information about the Alaskans involved Friday. As soon as officials in the Department of Law became aware of this breach, they began intensive discussions and negotiations with PricewaterhouseCoopers regarding efforts to locate the missing information and to put in place protections for Alaskans.
The Alaska Department of Administration is preparing notices that will go out to affected individuals with details on how to obtain the protections afforded through the settlement with PricewaterhouseCoopers. In the meantime, public employees and retirees who have concerns can contact the Department of Administration at 1-800-821-2251 during normal business hours.
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|How many pennies are in your jar?
Sexual desire and sexual frequency do tend to decline over the course of a relationship. Several large-scale surveys have found evidence for this, and one study even found that the link between sexual frequency and relationship duration was stronger than the link between sexual frequency and age (Johnson et al., 1994). So young or old, sexual desire is likely to peak at the beginning of a new relationship and steadily decline from there.
But is that the end of the story? Once we enter into a long-term relationship, do we have to sit back and accept that our hottest days are behind us? According to recent research, not necessarily.


text:
We are happy when we learn new SEO tip a day. It may be a designer, developer, webmaster, SEO guy or a entrepreneur. Yes, here you can find a FREE SEO Tip of the day Google gadget, bug free one which will display a SEO tip per day. It's just simple to add either to the web page or to the iGoogle, don't miss the SEO Tips.
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text: Cool Blue! - Comfort and sleek design come together in a mouse- Stay accurate on every surface with 1000DPI control Shop Modal header Cool Blue! You're stylish and fast, so get the suave mouse that makes a statement. It's a perfect complement to your laptop. The cool blue light says it all – this is a mouse that's accurate and a fashion icon. It works everywhere and fits your hand comfortably no matter the location. Complete your experience with the device to remember. Effortless USB 2.0 Simple design that works with every PC in total plug and play every time. Precise Optics Quality lenses and tracking ensure true to form input in every application and on all surfaces - no more mouse pad dependence. Accurate 1000 dpi Hi-res control never skips a dot, cutting delays, frustration and errors in worry-free computing.


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L'Adventure – MyState Student Film Festival 2014
http://youtu.be/L0MM4J7HmQY This film was made by Launceston Church Grammar School. Help this film win the People's Choice Award by watching it, sharing it and giving it your 'thumbs up'! This will all count toward its score and increase the film's chance of winning the People's Choice Award. For more information, visit: mystatefilmfestival.com.au Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/mystatefilmfestival


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How to Help People Stay Regular Without Laxatives
- 9/29/2008
- Categorized in: Specific Health Problems
Many years ago, I remember Ed Bashaw telling people that if they went to several "experts" for nutritional advice each "expert" would tell them different things. He was right, of course, and his solution to this "problem" is the same as mine—"Learn all you can but trust yourself. Learn what works best for you. It may not be right for anyone else, but if it works for you, that's great!"
It's very good advice. Don't take anyone's opinion as gospel truth, even mine. Nothing makes me more nervous than people who act like Steven Horne can do no wrong. The fact is, that I've been wrong plenty of times, and from time to time, I've had to "unlearn" things I thought I knew.
One of the things I had to "unlearn" was about stimulant laxatives like cascara sagrada. I first learned about cascara sagrada from Ed Millet, who had worked with Dr. John Christopher. Both of these men believed that cascara acted as a tonic to the colon and was not habituating. So, I actually taught this myself for a while, until I started to observe people who couldn't "go" without taking stimulant laxatives.
Cascara is one of several herbs that contains anthraquinone glycosides. These compounds are yellow-brown dyes found in herbs like cascara, buckthorn, turkey rhubarb, the green part of the aloe vera leaf, butternut bark and senna. Plants which contain anthraquinone glycosides are helpful for occasional constipation. Acted upon by intestinal bacteria they increase peristalsis and inhibit water and electrolyte absorption in the intestines. This results in a laxative or purgative action.
Anthraquinone-bearing herbs are great for doing colon cleanses when combined with fiber and other herbs to tone the bowel, clean out the liver and lymphatics and aid kidney function. They are also important to use as part of parasite cleansing. They stimulate bile flow to help digest fats and can be helpful for relieving fevers and acute congestion.
Contraindications of Laxative Herbs
However, anthraquinone laxatives do have some contraindications. First, they should be used with caution with people with inflammatory bowel disorders as they can cause diarrhea. They should also be used with caution during pregnancy and while nursing. The pregnancy warning is erring on the side of caution, as I have used these herbs safely during pregnancy and so have many herbalists and midwives. However, there is some concern that the "downward" energy of these herbs might interfere with pregnancy. The caution with nursing is real, however, as the anthraquinones are passed into the breast milk and can cause diarrhea in infants.
Stimulant laxative are also not a good choice for extremely weak and depleted people. Like anything which works by stimulation, they actually can exhaust the bowel to a certain degree, causing the colon muscle to become weaker.
My favorite herbalist, Samuel Thomson, didn't seem to rely on laxatives for cleansing. In fact, he didn't think it was a good idea. He said, "Physic [laxatives] I would by no means choose, to have you first or last to use; for if you use it much in course, it will disorder reinforce." Also, we just had this discussion on Herbal Hall, the professional herbalist news group, and all the professional herbalists in the group felt the same way about laxative herbs that I do.
Another contraindication for stimulant laxatives is spastic bowel conditions. People with a tendency to spastic bowel can experience severe gripping (intestinal cramps) and pain with the use of anthraquinone laxatives. I have a spastic colon and I had never taken cascara or any other laxative for anything but the occasional cleanse because I absolutely hated the taste of the herb, and not just because it's bitter. I don't mind goldenseal, which is also bitter. I assumed that if I hated the taste that much, it was my body's way of telling me it wasn't good for me. It's not that I haven't taken formulas containing laxative herbs (I have), but I've tended to use enemas or other approaches when I got constipated, and leave the laxatives alone except when I've been doing a cleanse.
Fortunately, the tendency these remedies have to cause cramping can be counteracted by the use of antispasmodic herbs. Lobelia is a good choice, but kava kava works, too. Another help for spastic bowel is magnesium.
There's one more caution I have about using stimulant laxatives on a regular basis. I did mention that anthraquinones are a dye, didn't I. Well, taken over the long term they dye your colon—black. While there is no known harm in this, it does alarm many doctors when they do a colonoscopy.
Now don't go misquoting me and saying that Steven Horne says Cascara Sagrada, Senna or other laxative herbs are bad. I don't think that at all. I don't think they are "dangerous" either. It's just that they are "band-aids" for the problem of constipation. So, just like I don't think that taking pain-killers is going to be a permanent solution to anyone's headaches, I don't think laxatives are a permanent solution to anyone's bowel problems. Both work, they just don't get to the cause. Remember that my favorite quote from Samuel Thomson is, "Remove the cause and the effect will cease." If we want to really correct constipation permanently, we need to first find the cause.


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Living with health problems and managing them can be hard. We offer special services and programs for adults and child members who need extra help with health issues. The programs are offered at no cost to you.
Molina Healthcare staff can help you:
How do members enroll?The Care Coordination programs are voluntary but a member must meet certain requirements. You can also be referred to one of the programs through:
Who do I contact for more information? Please call our Health Management Department at (866) 891-2320 (TTY/TDD: 711). Our staff can give you more information. They can also let you know what programs you are currently enrolled in. You can also ask for a referral or ask to be removed from a program.


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SAN DIEGO (AP) — If Norv Turner wanted to stir things up in the Raiders-Chargers rivalry, he could sneak over to his neighbor's house in upscale Del Mar and stick a "Go Chargers" sign in the front yard or even paint a lightning bolt on the garage door.
Carson Palmer could get back at Turner in the offseason by putting a Raiders sticker on Turner's car, or maybe paint his mailbox silver and black.
This long, bitter rivalry has seen many things over the years, from the Holy Roller to brawls in the stands to LaDainian Tomlinson tormenting the Black Hole.
But a neighborly touch?
It'll have one Thursday night at Qualcomm Stadium thanks to Palmer getting jolted out of his semi-retirement in Southern California via a trade from the Cincinnati Bengals to the Raiders.
"We're not very far from each other," Turner said. "They can hear our dogs bark and I can every once in a while hear their kids either laughing or crying."
After promising starts, the Raiders and Chargers are tied at 4-4 with Kansas City atop the mediocre AFC West. The Raiders are 0-2 since getting Palmer, who will be making his second start and third appearance. The Chargers have lost three straight after the fastest start in Turner's five-year tenure with San Diego.
After Thursday night, either Turner or Palmer will have bragging rights in their seaside burg. However, those could ultimately go to another Del Mar resident, Aaron Rodgers, whose undefeated Packers beat the Chargers 45-38 on Sunday and face the Raiders on Dec. 11 in Green Bay.
Then again, Palmer could yell, "Dude, mow my lawn," at Turner at any point Thursday night, since he led the lowly Bengals to a shocking victory in December that crushed the Chargers' playoffs hopes. Palmer threw four TD passes that day, including one that led Turner to turn to then-defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and say, "What happened?"
Palmer, though, has been anything but sharp with the Silver and Black, throwing three interceptions in each of his last two games. San Diego's Philip Rivers has had a shocking run of turnovers that now totals an NFL-high 17, including 14 interceptions.
"It's a great opportunity for somebody this Thursday," Palmer said. "It's great to be in the thick of it, and be in the hunt, and our team understands where we are and the opportunity that is in front of us. We expect to go out and play good football."
That would be a change for both teams.
The Raiders became desperate for a quarterback after Jason Campbell broke his collarbone during a win over the Browns. They lost badly to division rivals Kansas City and Denver after getting Palmer, who was sitting out after demanding a trade from Cincinnati.
"In my mind, I was semi-retired," Palmer said. "I was still working out. I was only throwing a couple times a week, but I was hanging out with the family a lot, running around doing kind of honey-do things around the house that I hadn't gotten done. I wasn't really sure. It was tough to focus on working out and training when you think it's kind of for nothing, because I thought I might not be playing this year. So it was just a weird time."
Coach Hue Jackson estimates that Palmer has grasped about 70 percent of the playbook.
"I feel like I've been cramming for a final exam for about three weeks now," Palmer said. "It's been a ton of info in a short amount of time and really trying to kind of weed through some things and figure out what fits me best and our team best. Trying to figure out how to exploit my strengths and the guys around me, (their) strengths. It's been fun. It's been a huge challenge, and right now I'm really starting to feel comfortable and good in what we're doing."
Center Samson Satele has another take on it.
"I am mad. The team is mad. We got our butts whipped last two games, gave away the last one ... but it should come out fine if we win this next one," he said.
And then there are the bumbling Chargers, who looked sharp at times in the loss to the Packers, only to be undone by Rivers' three interceptions. Two were returned for touchdowns and the third killed their final drive.
The Chargers are still smarting from being swept by the Raiders last year, including a punishing 28-13 loss on Dec. 5 in which Oakland ran for 251 yards.
"We lost both of them last year and obviously that had a big impact on us not making the postseason. So it's a huge game for both teams," Rivers said.
Prior to the Green Bay loss, the Chargers had meltdowns at Kansas City and the New York Jets.
"Regardless of what happened thus far, good or bad, we can't change it," Rivers said. "We've got an eight-game season that starts Thursday night. There's three teams deadlocked in the division and Denver's spotting us all a game. They're right there in the thick of it. All four teams are alive. We've got eight to go. We'll see what happens."
If the Chargers think their injury situation is bad, the Raiders had 11 players miss practice Tuesday.
Darren McFadden, who gained 97 yards in the game at San Diego in December, hasn't practiced since spraining his right foot Oct. 23 and will not play. Same for cornerback Chris Johnson (groin, hamstring).
The Chargers will be without LG Kris Dielman (concussion) for the third straight game. Outside linebacker Shaun Phillips (foot) is expected to miss his third straight game while wideout Malcom Floyd (hip) could miss his second. Oft-injured running back Ryan Mathews is expected to be back after missing the Green Bay game with groin injury.


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Godonomics (Paperback)
How to Save Our Country--and Protect Your Wallet--Through Biblical Principles of Finance
Multnomah, 9781601424792, 256pp.
Publication Date: July 15, 2014
Other Editions of This Title:
Hardcover (7/16/2013)
"Godonomics is an incredible comparison of biblical economics and the culture. A real eye-opener."
—Josh McDowell, coauthor of Undaunted and The Unshakable Truth
God's Solution to Every Financial Crisis
Those who fail to learn from history may not get a chance to repeat it. Some economists have said the years of robust economic growth and expanding opportunity are gone for good. But are they reading the right text?
Godonomics explores the core biblical teachings that provide the only practical, dependable solution to economic uncertainty. And now this innovative approach is enhanced by a new guide to help parents mentor their children from grade school to young adulthood. Every season of parenting gives you a new opportunity to equip your children with the vision and tools they need to lay the foundation for financial success.
By following Scripture's guidelines we can ensure the financial well-being of our families—no matter what might happen on the national or global stage. Let Godonomics show you why a strong work ethic, saving over borrowing, generous giving, and the reduction of entitlements combine to form the only path to economic stability and financial health.
About the Author
Chad Hovind is lead pastor of Horizon Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is creator of and contributor to the Fast Track Bible video series, as well as the Godonomics, Moneywise, and Living Proof DVD series. Hovind speaks frequently at conferences and events sponsored by marketplace ministries. He holds degrees in communication and pastoral ministries from Moody Bible Institute.
Praise For Godonomics: How to Save Our Country--and Protect Your Wallet--Through Biblical Principles of Finance…
Praise for Godonomics
"Godonomics is a thoughtful critique of the theories that control the world of commerce and shape the lives of men and nations. Chad Hovind challenges us to reassess doing business as usual."
—Dr. Peter A. Lillback, president of Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia
"Chad Hovind offers a creative and compelling case for the constitutional framework for government. He also provides practical financial principles that will help you make wise decisions with your money."
—Shane F. Krauser, author of Your Nation to Save, director of the American Academy for Constitutional Education
"A truly brilliant breakdown of what the Bible says about the economy. Godonomics touches on everything from profit and charity to capitalism and taxes. Everyone should get a copy."
—Governor Mike Huckabee, host of television's "Huckabee"
"Godonomics is an incredible comparison of biblical economics and the culture. A real eye-opener."
—Josh D. McDowell, popular speaker, coauthor of Undaunted and The Unshakable Truth
"Simple enough to teach kids but researched enough for The Wall Street Journal. Godonomics is the truth project of economics."
—Bob McEwen, former six-term member of Congress and popular lecturer on free-market economics
"Chad Hovind brings a reasonable voice to the convinced and the unconvinced. Godonomics applies God's wisdom on economics both to individuals and nations. You will learn about the Bible's prescription to secure our nation's future economic health."
—David Barton, founder and president of WallBuilders
"Godonomics helps us understand economics by taking us back to the source and the reason for our wealth: God Himself. You will come away understanding money and God better, and understanding better why money makes such a lousy god."
—R. C. Sproul, Jr., author of Biblical Economics: A Commonsense Guide to Our Daily Bread
"Chad Hovind is sharp, bold, courageous, and he gets it. Godonomics is superbly done."
—Jim Garlow, author of How God Saved Civilization, lead pastor of Skyline Church, San Diego
"Using God's Word regarding financial principles, you can now be bold in speaking out against false teachings. Your entire family will learn from this important book."
—Mark Whitacre, PhD, president of operations and COO of Cypress Systems, Inc.
"Godonomics is thought-provoking, courageous, and relevant. Pastor Hovind, in this brilliant work, causes us to remember that 'In God We Trust'."
—Reverend C. L. Bryant, former NAACP chapter president, FreedomWorks fellow, creator of the documentary film Runaway Slave
"Chad Hovind reveals how the Bible supports free enterprise and entrepreneurship. You'll laugh and learn as he weaves together biblical history, philosophy, and a passion for business with references to Adam Smith, C. S. Lewis, Milton Friedman, and even Steve Martin."
—Glenn Beck, host of The Glenn Beck Program, author of Cowards: What Politicians, Radicals, and the Media Refuse to Say
"Godonomics reveals an approach to money and our country that is common sense, not just another attempt to politicize the gospel. Unlike Christian leaders who use biblical knowledge to advance political agendas, Chad Hovind is politically aware but biblically motivated. The Kingdom-first approach is evident."
—Jerry Robinson, economist, author of Bankruptcy of Our Nation, radio host of Follow the Money (FTM)


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Java recognizes two forms of object identity: numeric identity and
qualitative identity. If two references are
numerically identical, then they refer to the
same JVM instance in memory. You can test for this using the
== operator. Qualitative
identity, on the other hand, relies on some user-defined criteria to
determine whether two objects are "equal". You test for qualitative
identity using the
equals method. By default,
this method simply relies on numeric identity.
JDO introduces another form of object identity, called JDO identity. JDO identity tests whether two persistent objects represent the same state in the datastore.
The JDO identity of each persistent instance is encapsulated in its
JDO identity object. You can obtain the JDO
identity object for a persistent instance through the
getObjectId method. If two JDO identity
objects compare equal using the
method, then the two persistent objects represent the
same state in the datastore.
Example 4.4. JDO Identity Objects
/** * This method tests whether the given persistent objects represent the * same datastore record. It returns false if either argument is not * a persistent object. */ public boolean persistentEquals (Object obj1, Object obj2) { Object jdoId1 = JDOHelper.getObjectId (obj1); Object jdoId2 = JDOHelper.getObjectId (obj2); return jdoId1 != null && jdoId1.equals (jdoId2); }
If you are dealing with a single
PersistenceManager, then there is
an even easier way to test whether two persistent object references
represent the same state in the datastore: the
== operator. JDO requires that
PersistenceManager maintain only one
JVM object to represent each unique datastore record. Thus, JDO
identity is equivalent to numeric identity within a
PersistenceManager's cache of managed
objects. This is referred to as the uniqueness
The uniqueness requirement is extremely important - without it, it
would be impossible to maintain data integrity. Think of what
could happen if two different objects of the same
PersistenceManager were allowed to represent
the same persistent data. If you made different modifications to
each of these objects, which set of changes should be written to
the datastore? How would your application logic handle seeing two
different "versions" of the same data? Thanks to the uniqueness
requirement, these questions do not have to be answered.
There are three types of JDO identity, but only two of them are important to most applications: datastore identity and application identity. The majority of JDO implementations support datastore identity at a minimum; many support application identity as well. All persistent classes in an inheritance tree must use the same form of JDO identity.
Kodo supports both datastore and application identity.
Datastore identity is managed by the JDO implementation. It is independent of the values of your persistent fields. You have no control over what class is used for JDO identity objects, and limited control over what data is used to create identity values. The only requirement placed on JDO vendors implementing datastore identity is that the class they use for JDO identity objects meets the following criteria:
The class must be public.
The class must be serializable.
All non-static fields of the class must be public and serializable.
The class must have a public no-args constructor.
The class must implement the
method such that passing the result to
creates a new JDO identity object that
compares equal to the instance the string was obtained
The last criterion is particularly important. As you
will see in the chapter on
PersistenceManagers, it allows you to
store the identity of a persistent instance as a
string, then later recreate the identity object and
retrieve the corresponding persistent instance.
Application identity is managed by you, the developer. Under application identity, the values of one or more persistent fields in an object determine its JDO identity. These fields are called primary key fields. Each object's primary key field values must be unique among all other objects of the same type.
When using application identity, the
hashCode methods of the
persistence-capable class must depend on all of the primary key
Kodo does not depend upon this behavior. However, some JDO implementations do, so you should implement it if portability is a concern.
If your class has only one primary key field, you can use single field identity to simplify working with application identity (see Section 4.5.3, "Single Field Identity"). Otherwise, you must supply an application identity class to use for JDO identity objects. Your application identity class must meet all of the criteria listed for datastore identity classes. It must also obey the following requirements:
The class must have a string constructor, or a constructor
that takes a
argument pair. The optional
Class argument is the target persistent class,
and the string is the result of
toString on another
identity instance of the same type.
The names of the non-static fields of the class must include the names of the primary key fields of the corresponding persistent class, and the field types must be identical.
equals and
hashCode methods of the class
must use the values of all fields corresponding to
primary key fields in the persistent class.
If the class is an inner class, it must be
All classes related by inheritance must use the same application identity class, or else each class must have its own application identity class whose inheritance hierarchy mirrors the inheritance hierarchy of the owning persistent classes (see Section 184.108.40.206, "Application Identity Hierarchies").
Primary key fields must be primitives, primitive wrappers,
Strings, or
Dates. Notably, other persistent instances can
not be used as primary key fields.
For legacy schemas with binary primary key columns, Kodo
also supports using primary key fields of type
These criteria allow you to construct an application identity
object from either the values of the primary key fields of
a persistent instance, or from a string produced by the
toString method of another identity
Though it is not a requirement, you should also use your application identity class to register the corresponding persistent class with the JVM. This is typically accomplished with a static block in the application identity class code, as the example below illustrates. This registration process is a workaround for a quirk in JDO's persistent type registration system whereby some by-id lookups might fail if the type being looked up hasn't been used yet in your application.
Though you may still create application identity classes by
hand, Kodo provides the
Example 4.5. Application Identity Class
/** * Persistent class using application identity. */ public class Magazine { private String isbn; // primary key field private String title; // primary key field /** * Equality must be implemented in terms of primary key field * equality, and must use instanceof rather than comparing * classes directly. */ public boolean equals (Object other) { if (other == this) return true; if (!(other instanceof Magazine)) return false; Magazine mag = (Magazine) other; return (isbn == mag.isbn || (isbn != null && isbn.equals (mag.isbn))) && (title == mag.title || (title != null && title.equals (mag.title))); } /** * Hashcode must also depend on primary key values. */ public int hashCode () { return ((isbn == null) ? 0 : isbn.hashCode ()) ^ ((title == null) ? 0 : title.hashCode ()); } // rest of fields and methods omitted /** * Application identity class for Magazine. */ public static class MagazineId { static { // register Magazine with the JVM try { Class.forName ("Magazine") } catch (Exception e) {} } // each primary key field in the Magazine class must have a // corresponding public field in the identity class public String isbn; public String title; /** * Default constructor requirement. */ public MagazineId () { } /** * String constructor requirement. */ public MagazineId (String str) { int idx = str.indexOf (':'); isbn = str.substring (0, idx); title = str.substring (idx + 1); } /** * toString must return a string parsable by the string constructor. */ public String toString () { return isbn + ":" + title; } /** * Equality must be implemented in terms of primary key field * equality, and must use instanceof rather than comparing * classes directly (some JDO implementations may subclass JDO * identity class). */ public boolean equals (Object other) { if (other == this) return true; if (!(other instanceof MagazineId)) return false; MagazineId mi = (MagazineId) other; return (isbn == mi.isbn || (isbn != null && isbn.equals (mi.isbn))) && (title == mi.title || (title != null && title.equals (mi.title))); } /** * Hashcode must also depend on primary key values. */ public int hashCode () { return ((isbn == null) ? 0 : isbn.hashCode ()) ^ ((title == null) ? 0 : title.hashCode ()); } } }
An alternative to having a single application identity class for an entire inheritance hierarchy is to have one application identity class per level in the inheritance hierarchy. The requirements for using a hierarchy of application identity classes are as follows:
The inheritance hierarchy of application identity
classes must exactly mirror the hierarchy of the
persistent classes that they identify. In the example
pictured above, abstract class
Person is extended by abstract
Employee, which is extended
by non-abstract class
FullTimeEmployee, which is extended by
non-abstract class
The corresponding identity classes, then, are
an abstract
PersonId class,
extended by an abstract
EmployeeId class, extended by a
class, extended by a non-abstract
ManagerId class.
Subclasses in the application identity hierarchy
may define additional primary key fields until
the hierarchy becomes non-abstract. In the
aforementioned example,
defines a primary key field
Employee defines additional
primary key field
userName, and
FullTimeEmployee adds a final
primary key field,
Manager may not define
any additional primary key fields, since it is a
subclass of a non-abstract class. The hierarchy of
identity classes, of course, must match the primary key
field definitions of the persistent class hierarchy.
It is not necessary for each abstract class to declare
primary key fields. In the previous example, the
Person and
Employee classes could declare
no primary key fields, and the first concrete subclass
FullTimeEmployee could define
one or more primary key fields.
All subclasses of a concrete identity class must
equals and
hashCode-compatible with the concrete
superclass. This means that in our example, a
ManagerId instance and a
FullTimeEmployeeId instance
with the same primary key field values should have the
same hash code, and should compare equal to each other
using the
equals method of
either one. In practice, this requirement reduces to
the following coding practices:
instanceof instead of
Class objects
in the
equals methods
of your identity classes.
An identity class that extends another
non-abstract identity class should not override
equals or
Single field identity is a subset of application identity. When
you have only one primary key field, you can choose to use one
of JDO's built-in single field identity classes instead of coding
your own application identity class. All single field identity
classes extend
This base type defines the following methods:
public Object getKeyAsObject ()
Returns the primary key value as an object. Each
SingleFieldIdentity subclass also defines a
getKey method to return the primary key
in its primitive form.
public Class getTargetClass ()
The target class of a single field identity object is the persistent
class to which the identity object corresponds. Note that the
target class is not part of the serialized state of a
SingleFieldIdentity instance. After an
instance has been deserialized, calls to this method return
public String getTargetClassName ()
Returns the name of the target class. This method returns the correct value even after a single field identity object has been deserialized.
The following list enumerates the primary key field types supported by single field identity, and the built-in identity class for each type:


text:
Note-taking for Consecutive Interpreting: A Short Course (2nd Edition) by Andrew Gillies
A must-have book for anyone who wishes to develop a robust, efficient, and reliable note-taking system, or who aims at training interpreters to do so.
- Publié
- Mis à jour
- Paperback: 302 pages
- Publisher: Routledge; 2 edition (May 25, 2017)
- Language: English
Before looking in detail at the second edition of Andrew Gillies' book, let's state things clearly from the start: This comprehensive and practical course is undoubtedly one of the best resources to be recommended to any interpreting student, any interpreter trainer or any practitioner interested in improving their note-taking skills and techniques by clearly understanding the place and the role played by note-taking in consecutive interpreting.
The author is well-known to most interpreter trainers and educators, as well as to professionals trained during the last decade. The main reason is that the first edition of this book (2005) was very well received and has been used in many interpreting courses since, but also because his recent book Conference Interpreting: A Student's Practice Book (2013, Routledge) deservedly gained its place in lists of prescribed or suggested books in many courses. Both books bear his signature style: they are easy to read and follow, they respond to a need for practical exercises, and they provide students, educators and professionals with very valuable ideas and techniques to be applied in a self-directed way. The second edition of this Short Course is no different.
The debate about the development of note-taking skills in the training of interpreters has always occupied an important place in the academic and education field. Ilg (1996) pointed out that as the technique remains highly personal and individual, some instructors and practitioners are sceptical or neutral about the necessity to teach note-taking, while others tend to promote its systematic instruction as a kind of code superimposed on language. Whether it is taught systematically or not, practitioners know that an effective note-taking technique is a necessary tool for any consecutive interpreter to perform well, and that it must be viewed as a crutch whose function goes beyond that of a simple summarized reproduction of an utterance on paper, and which really works as a memory reinforcer.
One major problem in the debate on teaching note-taking systematically or not lies in the difficulty to find a clear answer to the question about the system being a too personal one or not. As Ilg pinpointed, "The consensus among those who have taught note-taking in a systematic manner is that any system should be highly individual but based on common-sense rules of efficiency and economy". Gillies' Short Course is a very good illustration of how to apply such common-sense rules and of the fact that it is possible to teach - and therefore to learn – how to take "clear, consistent and efficient" notes (p.12).
To make the point that "note-taking is a mechanical activity" and that "therefore it can be made automatic, internalized" (p.10-11), the author has designed the course in such a way that readers will develop a personal system of notes that will prepare them for most eventualities, based on Gillies' proposed "flexible system" (p.13). As stated on page 12, "This book seeks to 'show' readers clear examples of the skills described and 'involve' readers by asking them to think for themselves and to come up with their own answers by completing a number of tasks". This metacognitive approach, allowing readers to acquire the skills and techniques by reflecting on their own learning process, is also what the author must be praised for. Despite his broad experience, his knowledge of the subject, and his status as an authority, Gillies is never prescriptive in his recommendations.
The content of the book is developed from the author's vast experience in the practice of consecutive interpreting but also in training future professionals and prospective EU interpreters. The course has well-explained learning outcomes; it is well-structured and well-balanced; it has a clear progression along clear pedagogical lines; and it relies on real-life examples of speeches and resources. Suggested notes are clearly displayed and properly justified, which makes it easy for the reader to better understand Gillies' analysis and adhere to his recommendations.
As in its first iteration, the second edition of the Short Course is split into three distinct parts. In each part, all example speeches and related notes have been updated.
Part One, The basics step-by-step, "takes the reader through a series of stages towards a framework system of consecutive notes" (p.8), and does so by devoting a chapter to each stage (i.e. principle or practical component of note-taking): Speech analysis; Recognizing and splitting ideas; Diagonal notes; Links; Verticality and hierarchies of values; Symbols; and Noting less. Each component or stage is deconstructed, explained, and illustrated with examples, tasks and exercises. In this new edition, the chapter on analysis has been updated and includes only types of analysis that impact on note-taking.
The teaching principle underpinning this part is to learn to separate what the interpreter is doing when taking notes and "add incremental layers of difficulty" (p.14), a perfect illustration of the chosen metacognitive approach mentioned earlier whereby the trainee is given an opportunity to "learn how to learn" (Orlando, 2016) by reflecting on and tailoring their own learning curve.
What I particularly like in this part is the advice given to start taking notes from transcripts first (i.e. from the written word) to separate the note-taking task from the listening task and better measure what can overload the interpreter's intellectual and cognitive capacity. As explained by the author: "When we start doing [note-taking] from the spoken word, the note-taking itself is less of a novelty", is more "internalized" and more capacity can then be dedicated to listening (p.15).
One could even go as far as inviting trainees to read speeches and write their own speeches on a regular basis, paying attention to the macro-structure more than the micro-elements of the text, and thus gaining the ability to produce what any consecutive interpreter is required to produce: a logically structured speech.
Part Two, Fine-tuning, complements Part One and "is a collection of tips and ideas" that "have been tried and tested successfully by many interpreters" (p.8). Here, the different chapters (Clauses; Rules of abbreviation; Verbs; The recall time; Uses of margin; More on links; Comparisons; Pro-forms; Noting sooner, or later; How you write it; More on symbols; Things you didn't catch; The end) can be taken in any order, once again inviting the learner to somehow be involved in their own learning process. The section on comparisons and the second chapter on links are new to this edition and add to a higher clarity and logic of the course.
Part Three, The back of the book, is a collection of "sample speeches, notes taken from them, and commentaries on those notes", together with versions of the recommended tasks set in the chapters of the previous parts. A new element included in this second edition is an interesting and handy compilation of note-taking recommendations and guidelines made by several other authors, useful for comparison and reference.
As was the original book, this new edition is very well written, very logically organised, user-friendly, and highly readable: it undoubtedly provides all the right exercises, examples and explanations needed by anyone interested in undertaking a self-directed short course on this topic.
My only caveat would be of a pedagogical nature. I tend to believe that any constructivist student-centred course, especially when it is designed as this one was and is underpinned by metacognitive considerations, should include some feedback mechanisms. In the case of the Short Course, this could have been achieved by integrating the use of digital technology in the learning process. Today's digital pen technology, as well as note-taking apps and styluses for phones or tablets, provide the instrument trainers need to integrate feedback and remediation strategies in the scaffolding and progression of their courses. The possible access to the process of note-taking that digital technology allows with such tools today could have been recommended by the author as a means for trainees to capture their notes 'live' and to replay and assess them through self or peer-assessment strategies. This, in my view, would have perfectly completed the metacognitive approach developed throughout the book. The use of such technology could also have been used to present authentic handwritten examples of notes instead of typewritten ones. However, and despite this unique reservation, I consider this second edition of Andrew Gillies' book a must-have for anyone who wishes to develop a robust, efficient, and reliable note-taking system, or who aims at training interpreters to do so.
Allow me to close this review by also saying that given the quality of the author's previous books, I will really be looking forward to reading and using his forthcoming new publication on consecutive interpreting, announced for 2018.
Ilg, G. & Lambert, S. (1996) "Teaching consecutive interpreting", Interpreting 1(1), 69-99.
Orlando, M. (2016). Training 21st century translators and interpreters: At the crossroads of practice, research and pedagogy, Frank&Timme, Berlin.
Marc Orlando is an AIIC Member based in Melbourne, and the current director of Monash University Translation and Interpreting Studies program.
Le présent article n'engage que les opinions de l'auteur et ne reflète pas nécessairement le point de vue de l'AIIC.
Recommended citation format:Marc ORLANDO. "Note-taking for Consecutive Interpreting: A Short Course (2nd Edition) by Andrew Gillies". aiic.net October 31, 2017. Accessed July 6, 2020. <http://aiic.net/p/8355>.
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Home >> Course Descriptions >> College of Arts and Sciences
Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Art.
Three semester hours.
Selected areas of study in the arts of Europe and North America from about 1660 to about 1860. The evolving cultural and economic roles of art, artists, and audiences in the modern era will provide an organizing theme. Prerequisite: ARTS 1301 or 1304, or consent of instructor.
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FBI, hazmat crew swarm S.F. building
(06-01) 08:33 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- More than two dozen FBI agents, hazardous materials crews, police and fire fighters swarmed around a building at Polk and Jackson streets in San Francisco on Saturday morning while FBI agents served a warrant, police said.
Police blocked traffic on Jackson Street for several hours between Van Ness Avenue and Polk.
The building is a two-story, gray 1970s-era structure with commercial space on the ground floor and apartments upstairs. Hazmat crews leaving the building were hosed down.
An FBI representative at the scene declined to discuss the reason for the law-enforcement activity but said there was no threat to the public.
Carolyn Jones and Pete Kiehart are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. E-mail: email@example.com and email@example.com


text:
Judy Chu on Technology
Proponent's Argument for voting Yes:
Opponent's Argument for voting No:
[Rep. Waxman, D-CA]: This bill will cripple National Public Radio, public radio stations, and programming that is vital to over 27 million Americans. We are now voting to deny the public access to one of our Nation's most credible sources of news coverage. This bill does not save a penny. This legislation does not serve any fiscal purpose, but it does serve an ugly ideological one. This legislation is not about reforming NPR. It is about punishing NPR. It is vindictive, it is mean-spirited, it is going to hit the smallest stations in rural areas particularly hard. Public radio is indispensable for access to news that's hard to get, especially where broadband service is limited.
Congressional Summary:Stop Online Piracy Act or SOPA (in the Senate, Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act or the PROTECT IP Act, or PIPA) :
OnTheIssues Notes: SOPA and PIPA, proponents claim, would better protect electronic copyright ("IP", or Intellectual Property). Opponents argue that SOPA and PIPA would censor the Internet. Internet users and entrepreneurs oppose the two bills; google.com and wikipedia.com held a "blackout" on Jan. 18, 2012 in protest. An alternative bill, the OPEN Act was proposed on Jan. 18 to protect intellectual property without censorship; internet businesses prefer the OPEN Act while the music and movie industries prefer SOPA and PIPA.
Congressional Summary: Revises the definition of "widow" concerning the transfer of a copyright to an author's spouse following the author's death. Declares that an individual is the widow of an author if they were legally married at the time of the author's death, even if they could not marry in their home state. (Currently, only the author's surviving spouse under the law of the author's domicile at the time of death is considered a widow.)
Supporters reasons for voting YEA: (by Human Rights Campaign, hrc.org): This bill would fix wording in the Copyright Act that currently prevents some same-sex couples from receiving inheritance rights. Because of restrictions in current law, some agencies--including the Copyright Office and the Social Security Administration--do not recognize same-sex couples living in states without same-sex marriage equality.
Background: (Wikipedia.com on "U.S. v. Windsor"): Edith Windsor and Thea Spyer, a same-sex couple residing in New York, were lawfully married in Canada, in 2007. Spyer died in 2009, leaving her entire estate to Windsor. Windsor sought to claim the federal estate tax exemption for surviving spouses. She was barred from doing so because the IRS said the exemption only applies to heterosexual couples under the federal Defense of Marriage Act, and compelled her to pay $363,053 in estate taxes. The Supreme Court rules 5-4 to overturn DOMA as unconstitutional. [This bill applies that Supreme Court ruling to copyright law].
Opponents reasons for voting NAY: (PopVox blog postings on H.R.238 & S.23):
|2012 Governor, House and Senate candidates on Technology:
|Judy Chu on other issues:
CA Gubernatorial:
Antonio Villaraigosa
Eric Garcetti
Hilda Solis
Jerry Brown
Jerry Sanders
Neel Kashkari
CA Senatorial:
Dianne Feinstein
Newly-elected Democrats taking office Jan.2015:
AZ-7: Rep.-Elect Ruben Gallego
CA-11:Rep.-Elect Mark DeSaulnier
CA-31:Rep.-Elect Pete Aguilar(R⇒D)
CA-33:Rep.-Elect Ted Lieu
CA-35:Rep.-Elect Norma Torres
FL-2: Rep.-Elect Gwen Graham(R⇒D)
HI-1: Rep.-Elect Mark Takai
MA-6: Rep.-Elect Seth Moulton
MI-12:Rep.-Elect Debbie Dingell
MI-14:Rep.-Elect Brenda Lawrence
NE-2: Rep.-Elect Brad Ashford(R⇒D)
NJ-12:Rep.-Elect Bonnie Coleman
NY-4: Rep.-Elect Kathleen Rice
PA-13:Rep.-Elect Brendan Boyle
VA-8: Rep.-Elect Donald Beyer
Seated in special elections 2013-2014:
AL-1: Bradley Byrne(R)
FL-13:David Jolly(R)
FL-19:Curt Clawson(R)
IL-2: Robin Kelly(D)
LA-5: Vance McAllister(R)
MA-5: Katherine Clark(D)
MO-8: Jason Smith(R)
NC-12:Alma Adams(D)
NJ-1: Donald Norcross(D)
SC-1: Mark Sanford(R)
VA-7: Dave Brat(R)
Newly-elected Republicans taking office Jan.2015:
AR-2: Rep.-Elect French Hill
AR-4: Rep.-Elect Bruce Westerman
AL-6: Rep.-Elect Gary Palmer
CA-25:Rep.-Elect Steve Knight
CA-45:Rep.-Elect Mimi Walters
CO-4: Rep.-Elect Ken Buck
FL-26:Rep.-Elect Carlos Curbelo(D⇒R)
GA-1: Rep.-Elect Buddy Carter
GA-10:Rep.-Elect Jody Hice
GA-11:Rep.-Elect Barry Loudermilk
GA-12:Rep.-Elect Rick Allen(D⇒R)
IA-1: Rep.-Elect Rod Blum(D⇒R)
IA-3: Rep.-Elect David Young
IL-10:Rep.-Elect Robert Dold(D⇒R)
IL-12:Rep.-Elect Mike Bost(D⇒R)
More newly-elected Republicans taking office Jan.2015:
LA-5: Rep.-Elect Ralph Abraham
LA-6: Rep.-Elect Garret Graves
ME-2: Rep.-Elect Bruce Poliquin(D⇒R)
MI-4: Rep.-Elect John Moolenaar
MI-8: Rep.-Elect Mike Bishop
MI-11:Rep.-Elect Dave Trott
MN-6: Rep.-Elect Tom Emmer
MT-0: Rep.-Elect Ryan Zinke
NC-6: Rep.-Elect Mark Walker
NC-7: Rep.-Elect David Rouzer(D⇒R)
NH-1: Rep.-Elect Frank Guinta(D⇒R)
NJ-3: Rep.-Elect Tom MacArthur
NV-4: Rep.-Elect Cresent Hardy(D⇒R)
NY-1: Rep.-Elect Lee Zeldin(D⇒R)
NY-21:Rep.-Elect Elise Stefanik(D⇒R)
NY-24:Rep.-Elect John Katko
OK-5: Rep.-Elect Steve Russell
PA-6: Rep.-Elect Ryan Costello
TX-4: Rep.-Elect John Ratcliffe
TX-23:Rep.-Elect Will Hurd
TX-36:Rep.-Elect Brian Babin
UT-4: Rep.-Elect Mia Love(D⇒R)
VA-10:Rep.-Elect Barbara Comstock
WA-4: Rep.-Elect Dan Newhouse
WI-6: Rep.-Elect Glenn Grothman
WV-2: Rep.-Elect Alex Mooney
WV-3: Rep.-Elect Evan Jenkins(D⇒R)
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Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for nearly four hours a day, Carmen Morales kills time to save her life.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for nearly four hours a day, Carmen Morales kills time to save her life.
The single mom from Taunton, Mass., is one of 350,000 dialysis patients nationwide.She has good days and bad days. On her bad days, she feels trapped.
She tries to pass the time reading magazines and doing crossword puzzles, but there she is, a tube sticking out of her arm, the other end connected to a large machine that is fixed in place. It's not like those portable intravenous units that follow a patient around. As long as she's hooked up, Morales is tethered to her chair.So, she waits as the clock ticks.
She tries not to focus on the 300 cubic centimeters of her own blood outside her body at any one time as it circulates through the machine and its tubing.
In one sense, something extraordinary is taking place, a highly sophisticated medical procedure. In another, it's as mind-numbing as watching laundry spin in a drier.
"With me, it's anxiety. By the end, I get to the point where I just want out," Morales said.On her good days, she feels lucky.
Until three or four decades ago, end-stage renal disease was a death sentence. That was before dialysis and kidney transplants.
When the kidneys failed, there was no backup system, like an airplane with just one engine."If we didn't have dialysis, I would be dead," Morales said.
A person can't live without the filtering function the kidneys perform.
But the filtering doesn't need to take place round-the-clock, unlike the vital work of the heart and lungs. That means dialysis machines, which are basically artificial kidneys, can do their job on a part-time basis.
"The science has developed to the point where people can come in, get treatment and go home shift after shift, day after day, year after year with so few complications," said Dr. Allan Lauer, director of the Taunton Kidney Center, where Morales is a patient.
"It's amazing."
Morales, 49, first learned she had kidney disease 19 years ago when she was pregnant with her daughter Alexandra.But she felt fine and didn't think much of it. Until 2004.
That's when her doctor dropped the bombshell: Her illness had progressed to the point her kidneys could shut down at any time and she might suddenly need dialysis to save her life.
In 2005, Morales, whose daughter is her only child, was the community coordinator for the WIC program at Citizens for Citizens. She was on a waiting list for a new kidney but had not yet started dialysis and was hoping it would never come to that.
She is still waiting for a kidney. A potential donor has come forward but is still undergoing testing. Morales is afraid to get her hopes up, she said. She has had some promising prospects fall through in the past.
In the meantime, she was unable to stave off dialysis. Morales started the treatment on July 11, 2006.
She does not need to look up the date. Dialysis not only saved her life. It changed her life.
She is no longer able to work due to the demands of the treatment coupled with the debilitating effects of her illness.
Early on, she asked one of her fellow patients, a young woman who's been on dialysis about 10 years, "How do you cope with this?"
"She said, 'If you want to live, you just do,'" Morales recalled."Now that I've started dialysis, I see she's right."
A couple of years ago, Morales never imagined she'd have ribbons of scars on her right arm from dialysis needles, artificial grafts and surgeries.
But she also never imagined she'd find a reserve of strength and humor to help her through.They are the scars of a warrior.
When one of her sisters found out about her illness, she asked, "Why you?" Morales said her siblings always seemed to view her as the fragile one.
"They definitely can't say that now," Morales said.
Tough medicine
After her first dialysis treatment, Morales already felt better. The toxins were leaving her system. She felt healthier, less worn out.So, she knows she needs it. But it hasn't been easy.
In addition to the anxiety and boredom, there is the thorny issue of the need for repeated access to her blood system.The human body resists all that poking and prodding.
In the past few months alone, Morales underwent five procedures to deal with that challenge.
The artificial graft of synthetic tubing in her forearm had to be declotted twice.
The day after Thanksgiving, she was in Massachusetts General Hospital to have the graft repaired. Then in December, doctors inserted a catheter in her chest as a temporary access point.
The catheter was no fun at all, she said. She couldn't get it wet, so regular showers were out of the question. It was a relief to get back to the needles. And that's saying a lot for someone who's had a lifelong fear of sharp, shiny objects.
Finally, in February, her doctors created a new access point in her upper arm using her own vein. So far, that seems to be working.Then there are the dietary restrictions. And let's not forget all the pills she is required to take. Sometimes, she feels sore. Sometimes, she feels nauseous.
Morales would like to be the kind of person who never gets discouraged, she said. Instead, she's the kind of person who has highs and lows but just keeps picking herself back up and moving forward.
She admits there have been days when she couldn't make herself sit through three hours and 45 minutes of dialysis.
One time, when she had a bad cold, she signed herself out early. She just wanted out.But usually, she's able to muster the grit to stick it out
"I think it's like this for a lot of people on dialysis. We're thankful there's a treatment to keep us alive. But it's just so draining. I feel all these things are taking over my body," she said.One for all
Dialysis has a built-in support group because the patients receive their treatment together.
At the Taunton Kidney Center, they sit at their stations in a circle in a big room with a nurses station in the center. The patients go in shifts, almost as if it were a part-time job.Morales said it helps to know she's not alone.
Many dialysis patients are older, at least in their 60s. Morales is the youngest on her shift, which starts at 11:30 a.m.
She said it's hard to get to know the other patients, since they can't get up and walk around.But she's very fond of several of them.
Stanley Szteliga, an 87-year-old incurable optimist, is an inspiration, she said.
And then there's her "dialysis buddy," a married father of two."He's wicked funny," she said.
They sit next to each other when they can, so they can chat and cheer each other on.
"It makes the time go by quicker. You're talking, so you're not focusing on the dialysis," she said.Holding on
Morales' sisters and mother all wanted to donate a kidney to her, but they have high blood pressure and are not eligible. High blood pressure and diabetes, two of the main risk factors for renal disease, run in her family.
Alexandra also wanted to be tested for compatibility, but Morales was against it. She reacted with the protective instincts of a mother. One day Alexandra might face a similar condition.
Alexandra loves Broadway and was accepted at New York University but decided to go to the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, where she is a freshman, to stay closer to her mom.
When Morales feels herself slipping into a dark place, she thinks of her daughter.
"It keeps me going. To me, she's still my baby. I'm the only parent involved in her life," Morales said.
Morales has always done social work but isn't sure she'll return to it when she's well enough to work.
"I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up," Morales said.
She tries to enjoy her life but often feels like it's on hold.
"I want to travel and live life differently. I still don't feel like I'm living life to the full," she said.
She'd like to spread the word about the importance of checking off that box to become an organ donor. She wasn't always one herself.
"People aren't aware of how much difference they can make," she said.
Taunton Call