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Egan takes back apology on local priest abuse, triggering outrage
Former New York Cardinal Edward Egan, who was at the center of the priest abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport when he was its bishop, has drawn criticism from a national victims' group and a local law firm that represented victims over an interview he recently gave.
In a recent edition of Connecticut Magazine, Egan said that while bishop here, he did nothing wrong regarding abuse allegations against priests in the diocese and, in fact, never had a case of alleged abuse while he was bishop.
In the interview, Egan also said he believes there is no legal requirement to report abuse cases in Connecticut and expressed regret for the apology he made regarding the priest scandal here.
"First of all, I should have never said that," Egan told the magazine regarding his 2002 statement of regret. "I did say if we did anything wrong, I'm sorry, but I don't think we did anything wrong."
Egan succeeded Bishop Walter Curtis, who had overseen the diocese from 1961 to 1988.
"Egan is obviously unrepentant, self-absorbed and painfully dismissive of the abject suffering of tens of thousands of deeply wounded men, women and children who have been sexually violated by priests, nuns, bishops, brothers, seminarians and other Catholic officials," said David Clohessy, director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "We can't help but believe that many other prelates feel exactly as he does, but are shrewd enough to avoid saying so outside of clerical circles."
Clohessy urged Egan's successors, Archbishop Tim Dolan of New York and Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, to denounce those statements.
"I believe it's not in the bishops' heart to condemn another bishop," said Bridgeport diocesan spokesman Brian Wallace, who was unaware of the Egan interview. "Bishop Lori stands on his own record. He came into a crisis, a most painful time in the local church's history, he responded in a way that not only addressed the crisis in our diocese, but set a model for the national church."
In the interview, Egan said many of his accomplishments were unfairly overshadowed by the priest sex abuse scandal. "I'm not the slightest bit surprised that, of course, the scandal was going to be fun in the news -- not fun, but the easiest thing to write about."
That statement also drew criticism.
"Cardinal Egan's statements in this article, including describing the sex abuse scandal as being `incredibly good' or `fun' for the news, confirms the extent to which he was out of touch with the reality of what occurred to the Catholic faithful within his diocese," said area lawyers Cindy Robinson, Jason Tremont and Douglas Mahoney. The three represented more than 90 people who received settlements from the Bridgeport diocese for claims of abuse from the 1960s through the mid-1990s. "For the cardinal to take back his apology is just another slap in the face of every victim who has endured the physical and emotional upheaval and betrayal of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of a priest."
Church documents obtained by the Connecticut Post during more than 10 years of reporting abuse allegations against priests here show that Egan was made aware of specific allegations of abuse by priests when he became bishop here in 1988. However, not only did Egan not report the abuse claims to police authorities, he covered up the allegations, moving offending priests around the diocese.
According to Senior Assistant State's Attorney Cornelius Kelly, under Connecticut law since 1971 clergy have been among those "mandated reporters" who are obligated to inform law enforcement agencies when they are aware of allegations of sexual abuse against children.
The Bridgeport diocese agreed to pay nearly $40 million in settlements to dozens of people who claimed their abuse at the hands of more than a dozen priests in the diocese since the 1960s was covered up by the church. Most of the settlements were reached just days after Egan left the diocese to become cardinal of New York.
In 1989, Egan assigned the Rev. Martin Federici, who according to church documents was accused of abusing several children, to the former Cathedral High School in Bridgeport. Federici was moved to another post in the diocese after complaints were made that he abused a child at the high school.
That same year, Egan was informed that the then-Rev. Joseph DeShan had impregnated a 14-year-old girl who was working at the rectory at St. Augustine Cathedral in Bridgeport. Church records show Egan had the girl fired from her job at the rectory and didn't inform police of the situation. Instead, DeShan voluntarily left the priesthood.
In January 1993, the first lawsuit was filed against the diocese claiming the Rev. Raymond Pcolka sexually abused two children in the early 1980s. When the lawsuit was filed, diocese officials adamantly denied they had ever before received a complaint of abuse against Pcolka. But court documents later showed that the diocese had been in negotiations since 1989 with a lawyer representing people who claimed they were abused as children by Pcolka.
A total of 16 people would later claim they were abused by Pcolka in the early 1980s but the diocese did not suspend the priest until March 1993.
In October 2003, Lori, named bishop in 2000, publicly apologized to those abused by priests in the diocese. Lori was in the forefront of church efforts nationally to develop policies to deal with priest sex abuse.
Egan, who retired in 2009, lives in New York City.
The closest Egan came to making an apology was in an April 2002 letter to parishioners at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.
"It is clear that today we have a much better understanding of this problem," Egan wrote. "If in hindsight we also discover that mistakes may have been made as regards to prompt removal of priests and assistance to victims, I am deeply sorry."


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Saudi Arabia's GDP growth is expected to slow down to 3.0% in 2015 following a growth of 3.6% in 2014.
Middle East and North Africa economies
Atradius STAR Political Risk Rating*:
Algeria: 6 (Moderate-High Risk) - Positive
Egypt: 6 (Moderate-High Risk) - Negative
Jordan: 5 (Moderate Risk) - Negative
Kuwait: 3 (Moderate-Low Risk) - Stable
Morocco: 5 (Moderate Risk) - Positive
Saudi Arabia: 3 (Moderate-Low Risk) - Negative
Tunisia: 5 (Moderate Risk) - Negative
United Arab Emirates: 3 (Moderate-Low Risk) - Positive
* The STAR rating runs on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 represents the lowest risk and 10 the highest risk.
The 10 rating steps are aggregated into five broad categories to facilitate their interpretation in terms of credit quality. Starting from the most benign part of the quality spectrum, these categories range from 'Low Risk', 'Moderate-Low Risk', 'Moderate Risk', 'Moderate-High Risk' to 'High Risk', with a separate grade reserved for 'Very High Risk.'
In addition to the 10-point scale, rating modifiers are associated with each scale step: 'Positive', 'Stable', and 'Negative'. These rating modifiers allow further granularity and differentiate more finely between countries in terms of risk.
For further information about the Atradius STAR rating, please click here.
Saudi Arabia
Political situation
Head of state/government: King and Prime Minister Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (since January 2015)
Form of government: Monarchy
Population: 27.3 million (est.) - immigrants make up more than 30% of the total population.
A more assertive foreign policy
The on-going political turmoil in the Middle East is a challenge for the Saudi rulers, with major security problems due to the current situation in neighbouring Iraq and Yemen. Saudi Arabia feels increasingly challenged by growing Iranian influence, its traditional rival for hegemony in the Gulf region. At the same time, Riyadh increasingly perceives the US policy in the Middle East as too reluctant and too focused on a rapprochement with Iran (recent closure of a deal over Teheran's nuclear programme).
Therefore, Saudi foreign policy has turned to become more assertive, mainly in order to counter Iranian influence, e.g. by supporting oppositional (Sunni) forces in Syria and, since March 2015, by a direct military intervention in Yemen against the advancing Houthi rebels, which as a Shia tribe is allegedly backed by Iran.
Domestically, the crown succession issue went smoothly, with Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud following his half-brother Abdullah on the throne in January 2015, after the latter passed away in December 2014. Any further political and social reforms are expected to remain cosmetic, as the ruling Saud family and the clerical establishment will remain in firm control.
Economic situation
A high fiscal deficit in 2015
Saudi Arabia has an oil-dependent economy with strong government controls over all major economic activities. Economic growth will be negatively affected by decreased oil prices, and GDP growth is expected to slow down to 3.0% in 2015 following growth of 3.6% in 2014.
Given that oil accounts for 93% of government revenues, it comes as no surprise that the decline in the price of oil will have a large negative impact on public finances. Since 2011 the government has increased its spending on public salaries, social services and investments, mainly in order to prevent the emergence of political opposition and social unrest. As a result, the fiscal break-even oil price to meet spending commitments has risen to almost USD 100 per barrel in 2014 (while in mid-2015 the oil price was down to USD 65 per barrel).
Nevertheless, the government passed another expansionary budget for 2015, with spending remaining at a high level. While this will strongly support non-oil related economic activities, it is expected to lead to a budget deficit of 14.3% of GDP in 2015 (after a 1.2% surplus in 2014). At the same time, the current account deficit is forecast to turn from high surpluses in previous years to deficit in 2015.
That said, due to its very large international reserves of more than USD 700 billion, Saudi Arabia is able to easily fund those deficits. Import cover amounts to almost five years in 2015. Due to this and a low public debt of 2% of GDP, Saudi Arabia is even able to sustain high spending for some years. However, a structural shift to a long-term period of lower oil prices would at last pose a risk for the economy.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
tragic love tale horror story that Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) has been authoring all season will come to what looks like a bloody conclusion on Monday's season finale of The Following.
Get the scoop on The Following and 38 other must-see finales
If that eye-gouging scene in the show's pilot episode had you shielding your eyes, then you might want to look away from this sneak peek trailer of the final episode, which features Claire (Natalie Zea) in a rather precarious position at the hands of her serial killer ex-husband. The teaser also has us concerned that Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) may be forced to choose between saving his FBI partner, Debra Parker (Annie Parisse) and his true love, Claire. Creator Kevin Williamson has already hinted that not everyone makes it out of the finale alive.
Check out a sneak peek below:
The Following's season finale airs Monday, April 29 at 9/8c on Fox.


text:
I was talking to a group of individuals from testing community. They were boasting of the things that they do as part of their testing assignments. I am posting the conversation that I had with them.
Me: What do you do to test a system?
Group: Validate all the requirements that are provided in the form of specifications, UI mockup, rules etc and certify the product for quality.
(I was a bit overwhelmed, smiled and congratulated them on their achievement because as a tester they are doing so much and also certifying the product for quality.)
Group: Why are you congratulating us. This is part of our job that is given to us as a testing team.
Me: If you are doing so much, your client might be delighted about the quality of work that you are doing.
Group (a bit nervous): NO
Me: Why?
Group: Our client does not value us and often says that the testing team is not able to identify bugs that are being reported by the actual customers. We are testing and certifying whatever is provided to us as requirements, still the bugs come.
Me: So you are not doing 'testing'
Group (confused): We are doing testing. We are verifying everything. We mostly achieve 100% requirement coverage in our testing.
Me: Wow. Then why are bugs coming in?
Group: Because the user can do anything. He sometimes go through the scenarios and does not know what are the right values to put in the fields. Hence it sometimes crashes the system.
Me: Didn't you tried out those scenarios?
Group: We tried some of them, but on discussing with the development team we were told that these are invalid scenarios and the user will never use that.
Me: Wow. So the developer was creating it for some particular users and they already collaborated with them and told them not to run those scenarios on the system?
Group: No. The system was being developed for the users who will use it on internet. The developers never had idea about who the actual user would be.
Me: Then why didn't you question that? Who are developers to decide that the user will not use the system in that form?
Group (Whispering): It is how it works.
Me: This is where the problem is. It is often seen that you, the testing team, is being driven by the development team. How can they know that user won't be using the system in the form that they could not think about or are not able to fix? This is where you as a tester can add value to your clients. Before proudly certifying the product for quality, which is not your job anyhow (Read post), be a tester first!
You should never
- Remove your thinking caps
- Be driven by documented requirements
- Be driven by developers
- Stop testing once you execute the already created test cases. Read Michael Bolton's Testing vs Checking series
Group: hmmm. But how should we convince the project manager on this. This might require extra time as well.
Me: Good point. It is not always easy to convince the stakeholders on time. There are two ways. Either you become rigid on implementing what I told above, which is definitely NOT the right approach or you can prove your point first. With proving I mean, show the benefits to the stakeholders that they can reap with the new approach. Showcase how the bugs are getting reduced post delivery. Practice the testing craft and keep on making the complete process more efficient with time. This will add value to what you do and will also be helpful in convincing others.
Group(thinking): Well we understand what you are saying but still not sure if the client will agree. We will try to practice what is suggested above.
Me: Thanks guys. This was a great transpection session that we had. At the end I will say
Think beyond boundaries. Take Control. Don't allow anyone to define boundaries that you should confine yourself in while testing. – @VipsGupta
P.S. Thanks to Michael Bolton and James Bach whose transpection on twitter inspired me to write this down.


text:
Welcome to the Always on Sunday website!
During the fifties and early sixties in the small town of Sharpsburg, outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Italian immigrants celebrated each day with love, family, and food (mamma mia, the food)!
Always on Sunday is a love story in which the author's passion for Sharpsburg shines through with memories of a childhood filled with magical summer days, cherished holidays, colorful neighborhood characters, and an unbreakable tie to family. The author also inclues the Pugliese family's treasured recipes from their proud Calabrian roots.
Take a heartwarming glimpse back in time to the author's simple and uncomplicated life in the small-in-size-yet-large-in love little town of Sharpsburg.


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The Fall 2019 Act Six application is now closed. You can stay updated by following the selection process timeline.
The Fall 2019 Act Six application is now closed. You can stay updated by following the selection process timeline.
Act Six is a leadership development and college scholarship program that brings together diverse, multicultural cadres of emerging urban leaders who want to use their college education to make a difference on campus and in their communities at home. Act Six uses a simple but powerful four-part strategy:
Act Six brings together diverse, multicultural cadres of young people who want to use their college education to make a difference on campus and in their communities at home. Scholars are actively recruited from across the region and chosen through a rigorous, three-phase selection process:
Timeline Details
As illustrated on the graphic timeline above, Act Six scholars are chosen through a rigorous, highly competitive, three-phase selection process that spans four months.
Online Application
Applicants complete an initial online application that includes a basic college admissions application as well as additional essay questions, letters of recommendation, and family financial information. All application materials must be submitted by 11:59 pm on November 5, 2019 .
Phase I
After an initial screening of written application materials, top applicants are notified by email on November 26 and invited to participate as candidates in Phase II.
Phase II
Candidates participate in a local half-day interactive event on December 7 where they demonstrate their academic and leadership potential while working together to address a complex community issue. Candidates learn more about Taylor University. A local community committee considers candidates' performance on both the written and interactive components to name between 15-20 semifinalists for Taylor. Decisions are emailed on January 9.
Phase III
Semifinalists travel to Taylor for a two-day event between January 24 to February 13. Phase III allows students to experience campus life as they participate in a four-part evaluation process that includes a personal interview, an on-site writing task, academic seminar discussions, and group problem-solving activities. A parent or guardian is invited to participate in a portion of the visit.
Taylor selects finalists and mails decision letters on February 19. Finalists are given a week to decide and commit to the Act Six program, agreeing to attend the college for which they were selected and to participate fully in the five-month training program. Applicants may withdraw from the process at any time prior to this commitment. The new class of Act Six scholars are formally announced to the public at a community celebration on March 6.
Who Should Apply
Act Six recruits diverse, multicultural cadres of Chicago's most promising emerging urban and community leaders. The Initiative seeks young people who want to use their college education to make a difference on campus and in their communities at home. Act Six scholars must be:
- passionate about learning
- eager to foster intercultural relationships
- willing to step out of their comfort zones
- committed to serving those around them
- ready to make a difference on campus and at home
The selection process also places high value on applicants':
- teamwork
- critical thinking
- communication skills
- academic potential
Applicants must be high school seniors planning to graduate in 2020 or must have previously graduated from high school in 2019 or 2018. Students enrolled at two-year colleges in the region may apply, but students currently enrolled at four-year colleges, including partner colleges, are not eligible to apply.
While ethnicity and family income are considered as factors in selecting an intentionally diverse group of scholars, there are no income restrictions, and students from all ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Selection Criteria
Selecting Act Six scholars is a complex and multi-faceted process that considers many factors. The selection committees use the following questions to guide their evaluation of Act Six applicants. These questions best summarize what we are looking for in Act Six scholars.
- To what extent will the student contribute to the ethnic, economic, and experiential diversity of an Act Six cadre?
- To what extent is the student prepared to succeed and thrive academically at the selected college?
- To what extent will the selected college be a good fit for this student?
- To what extent will the student eagerly engage in a year-long exploration and discussion of Christian perspectives on leadership, diversity, and reconciliation?
- To what extent does the student understand and desire to advance the stated mission of the selected college?
- To what extent will the student be a service-minded leader and an agent of transformation on the college campus?
- To what extent will the student be committed to serving others and to what extent will s/he view the Act Six initiative as an opportunity to reach out to those around him/her?
- To what extent will the student be committed to and effective in fostering intercultural communication and acting as an agent for social change on the college campus?
- To what extent does the student see a sense of purpose in his/her participation in the Act Six Initiative?
- To what extent will attending the selected college and participating in the Initiative align with and/or transform the student's goals and vision for his/her life?
- To what extent will the student be able and willing to persevere through hardship? How resilient is s/he to the challenges and struggles that life brings?
- To what extent does the student possess a depth and strength of character that will serve to encourage, support, and empower those around him/her?
Selection Committee
The Act Six Community Selection Committee represent diverse and talented teams of community leaders who work with young people from across our region and from a wide range of backgrounds as well as those working to increase college access in our state. The committees represent the kind of diverse cadre of talented leaders that they are working to select. Members of the selection committee are listed below.
- Solomon Dixon, Act Six Coordinator, Pursue Scholars
- Robert Rivera, PCM Coordinator, Moody Bible Institute
- Kira Travis, Music Therapist, Norwegian American Hospital
- Christian Walker, ESL/Test Prep Instructor/Actor, GT Education
- Grace Dadebo, Trainer, Ernst & Young Events
- Sheila Finley, Retired Teacher, Chicago Public Schools
- Patrick Schism, Marketing Manager, Rocket Mortgage
- Zack Strother, Police Officer, CPD
- Meagan Familara , Barista, Starbucks
- Danjuma Quarless, Senior Scientist, Abbvie
It's easy to start your online application, and important that you begin the process early to make sure your application is completed by the deadline. There is no application fee, and your completed Act Six application also serves as an application for regular admission at the colleges you select, even if you are not chosen as an Act Six scholar. You can check your eligibility and start your application now and then stop and return to the application whenever you wish.
Confirm Your Eligibility and Start Your App Today
Are you eligible to apply?
- Do you love your community and want to use your college education to make a difference as a leader on campus and at home?
- Will you graduate from high school in 2020, or did you graduate previously in 2019 or 2018?
- Do you live in the Chicago area and, if selected, could you arrange your own transportation to weekly evening trainings at Pursue Scholars?
- Do you want to attend Taylor University?
- Are you not currently enrolled at a four-year college? (Students at two-year colleges may apply.)
This year's selection window has closed but you can check back next year to see if you are eligible.
To complete your application, you will need to submit all of the following components by 11:59 pm on November 5, 2019.
Main Application
The first step of the application process is the Main Application form, where you provide detailed demographical, educational and extracurricular information, and indicate to which college(s) you wish to apply. Begin by creating a username and password to start your application. Be sure to complete at least the Getting Started form in your first session. All of your responses are saved once you submit each page, and you can return at a later point to keep working on the application.
Personal Essays
The personal essays are perhaps the most important part of your Act Six application. Therefore you should allow time to carefully consider, thoughtfully compose and thoroughly edit each essay. You will be evaluated on content, mechanics and style.
It is critical that you compose your essays in a separate word processor so you can use spell check and edit carefully. When you have a final product, copy and paste your essays into the online form.
Use plain text only, as no formatting or special characters will be preserved. Insert a blank line between each paragraph. Responses to each question must be no longer than 500 words. This is typically about one page, double-spaced. Use the word count feature of your word processor to check the length, then confirm that the complete essay is pasted into the form.
Please be aware that if you disclose information regarding child abuse, neglect or other harm to minors, readers may be required to report this information to the appropriate authorities.
The following four personal essay questions are required for all Chicago applicants:
- Act Six seeks to identify service-minded leaders who want to make their college campuses and their home communities better. This question has two parts: First, describe something that you appreciate and something you would like to change about your current community. Second, how will your college education equip you to bring about the transformation you hope for your community?
- Describe a concrete way that your ethnic or cultural background has shaped your life. Reflecting on that background, what unique perspectives and strengths would you bring to the college campus and how would you hope to grow personally as a part of a multicultural Act Six cadre?
- Describe any personal hardships, unusual circumstances you have had to overcome, or other aspects of your life story that you think we should consider in reviewing your application. How have these experiences shaped you as a person and how can they help you in the future?
- Describe your relationship with Jesus Christ, sharing experiences and/or influences that are contributing to your spiritual development. Include specific ways in which you have seen Jesus at work in your life in the past year. With this in mind, how do you hope to contribute to the campus community at the college you attend?
Financial Summary
You and your parent(s) must complete the FAFSA at fafsa.ed.gov, starting October 1, to estimate your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) and then submit four important numbers on the online Act Six Financial Summary form.
Because of the nature of the Act Six scholarship commitment and the desire of the program to select an economically diverse cadre, it is important that we have accurate information regarding each applicant's financial situation. Neither high nor low income levels will make applicants ineligible. However, in order to provide an accurate estimate of the actual Act Six award at the time of selection, it is critical that Act Six, partner colleges and each applicant's family have an accurate estimate of the applicant's Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
The following steps are required to complete the required "Financial Summary" section of the online application:
- In order to complete the FAFSA, both you and a parent you live with need to create a FSA ID, which will allow you both to access and sign your FAFSA. Visit fsaid.ed.gov/npas to create a FSA ID.
- Start your FAFSA at fafsa.ed.gov. Visit the FAFSA Help Page for an overview of the process and answers to many common questions. If you have further questions, ask a counselor at your school for assistance. Please ensure that you indicated on your FAFSA to have results sent to every college that you selected on your Act Six Main Application.
- Once you and your parent complete and sign the FAFSA with your FSA IDs, you will receive a FAFSA Student Aid Report that summarizes the information you provided and shows your Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
- With your FAFSA Student Aid Report in hand, complete this Act Six Financial Summary form. You cannot complete this form without your Student Aid Report. This form, along with all of the other required parts of the Act Six application, must be completed by November 5.
Official Transcripts and Test Scores
You must request that an official high school transcript and copies of ACT or SAT score reports be sent to Act Six by your high school registrar or counselor. If you have taken college classes, you should also request an official transcript from your college. You provide a name and email address for the registrar or counselor who you want to submit the documents, and an email invitation will be sent to that person, who can then either mail the documents or upload them online.
Scores from the ACT or SAT are required for admission to all partner colleges. Scores you have already received should be reported by your school in the High School Counselor Report form of your online application. If you are applying to any of these schools and your school has not received results by the application deadline, you may still apply for Act Six, but a copy of the exam score report must be received by the Act Six office no later than December 31.
High School Counselor Report
The high school counselor report must be completed by a school counselor who can access your academic records and ACT/SAT test scores as well as school and class GPA information. The applicant provides a name and email address, and an email invitation is sent to the counselor, who must then submit the form online by the application deadline. The following questions are asked on the counselor report:
- Applicant's cumulative grade point average.
- Applicant's class rank (If precise rank is not available, please indicate rank to the nearest tenth from the top).
- Senior class average GPA.
- Size of graduating class.
- Percentage of the class planning to attend a four-year college.
- In comparison to other college preparatory students at your school, the applicant's course selection is (very demanding, demanding, average, less than demanding).
- Please list all courses in which the applicant is currently enrolled.
- Applicant's anticipated or actual graduation date.
- Has the applicant ever been found responsible for a disciplinary violation at your school from ninth grade forward, whether related to academic or behavioral misconduct, that resulted in probation, suspension, removal or expulsion from your institution? If so, please give the approximate date of any incident and explain the circumstances.
- To your knowledge, has the applicant ever been convicted of a misdemeanor, felony, or other crime, or have a court case pending against him or her at this time? If so, please give the approximate date of any incident and explain the circumstances. Note that you are not required to answer "yes" to this question, or provide an explanation, if the criminal adjudication or conviction has been expunged, sealed, annulled, pardoned, destroyed, erased, impounded, or otherwise ordered to be kept confidential by a court.
Teacher Recommendation
The teacher recommendation must be completed online by a teacher who has taught the applicant an academic subject, for example, English, foreign language, math, science, or social studies. The applicant provides a name and email address, and an email invitation is sent to the recommender, who must then submit the form online by the application deadline. The following questions are asked on the teacher recommendation:
- Compared to other college-bound students you have worked with, how do you rate the applicant (below average, average, above average, very good, extraordinary) in terms of: leadership, academic achievement, intellectual promise, quality of writing, creative, original thought, productive class discussion, respect accorded by faculty, disciplined work habits, maturity, motivation, integrity, reaction to setbacks, concern for others, self-confidence, initiative, independence, and overall.
- How long have you known the applicant and in what context?
- List the academic courses that you have taught the applicant, noting for each the grade level (9th, 10th, 11th, 12th) and the level of course difficulty (AP, honors, IB, elective, etc.).
- Do you think the applicant is ready to succeed at college? Please provide an assessment of the applicant's academic preparation for college. Please explain any areas of concern.
- Why do you believe the applicant is a good candidate for the Act Six initiative? Highlight what you think is most compelling about the applicant.
- Describe a specific situation when the applicant stood out or impressed you. What was the challenge encountered and how did the applicant respond?
Community Recommendation
The community recommendation must be completed online by a mentor, employer, pastor or other adult (possibly at school) familiar with the applicant's leadership potential and involvement outside of school. The applicant provides a name and email address, and an email invitation is sent to the recommender, who must then submit the form online by the application deadline. The following questions are asked on the community recommendation:
- How long have you known the applicant and in what context?
- Please rate the applicant (below average, average, above average, very good, extraordinary) in each of the following five categories. Use the "extraordinary" rating only for truly exceptional performance. For example, an applicant who is the best you have seen in five years may rate as exceptional. Then, explain your rating by giving a specific example of the applicant's behavior.
- Leadership Experience and Potential
To what extent will the applicant be a service-minded leader and an agent of positive transformation on the college campus and his/her community at home? Consider the following:
- Has the applicant sought, found, and grown from authentic leadership experiences and other opportunities that have equipped him/her with leadership skills? (Keep in mind any possible limitations of time or opportunity imposed by family or circumstance.)
- Does the applicant demonstrate a level of insight and perception indicative of a leader?
- Does the applicant have a realistic awareness of the challenges of leadership? In light of these challenges does s/he posses a willingness to step out of his/her comfort zone to be a leader?
- Does the applicant see Act Six as an opportunity to be a part of something significant and important? Does s/he demonstrate a desire to make a real difference on the college campus and their community at home, to educate as well as learn from others?
- Heart for and Commitment to Service
To what extent will the applicant commit to humbly serving others and to what extent will s/he view Act Six as an opportunity to reach out to those around him/her? Consider the following:
- Is there evidence that the applicant's leadership and community involvement is motivated by a sincere desire to invest in the welfare of people, rather than to merely build a resume?
- Does the applicant's understanding of the benefits of leadership emphasize the rewards of empowering others more than the recognition and notoriety that comes with leadership?
- Does the applicant clearly articulate a long-term commitment to serving others?
- Personal Goals and Vision
To what extent will attending college and participating in Act Six align with and/or transform the applicant's goals and vision for his/her life? Consider the following:
- Can the applicant articulate ways that s/he hopes to change and grow through college?
- Does the student's discussion of his/her goals and desired personal growth complement the mission of the Act Six initiative?
- Perspectives and Insights on Diversity
To what extent will the applicant be committed to and effective in fostering intercultural relationships and acting as an agent for social transformation on the college campus? Consider the following:
- Does the applicant have a strong sense of their own identity?
- Does the applicant articulate the value of people from different backgrounds being together and building authentic relationships across their differences? Does s/he do so with perspectives and insights that penetrate beyond surface-level cliches and easy answers?
- Does the applicant have significant experience in multicultural settings and has s/he reflected on that experience in ways that suggest that s/he can carry it forward to the campus community?
- Does the applicant acknowledge that there are very real challenges in bringing people from diverse backgrounds together?
- Resiliency and Strength of Character
To what extent will the applicant be able and willing to persevere through hardship? How resilient is s/he to the challenges and struggles that life brings? Consider the following:
- Does the applicant possess a depth and strength of character that will serve to encourage, support, and empower those around him/her?
- Has the applicant demonstrated the ability to overcome adversity?
- Does the applicant possess motivation, creativity, relative maturity, integrity, independence, originality, passion for learning and capacity for growth?
Once selected, Act Six scholars participate in five months of intensive training with their cadre, equipping them to support each other, succeed academically and grow as service-minded leaders and agents of transformation. Starting in March, the cadres meet together weekly to:
- establish supportive friendships and grow as a team
- hone study and time-management strategies
- build intercultural and community leadership skills
- wrestle with important and challenging social issues
In addition to the weekly meetings, the program includes:
- week-end retreats and conferences
- family workshops and social events
- additional visits to the college campus
- an extended summer expedition
After five months of training with their cadre, Act Six scholars begin college ready to engage the campus and community with a built-in support system and a sense of purpose as service-minded leaders and agents of transformation.
Training Themes and Content
Blending practical college success skills, leadership training, self-discovery and cadre team-building, the Act Six training program revolves around the following seven themes:
- Identifying and aligning with our core values
- Understanding the vision, mission, and foundation of the Act Six program
- Exploration of various leadership styles
- Exploration and development of personal leadership strengths
- Practical tools for leadership
- Christian motivations for and perspectives on service
- Frameworks for understanding service and community development
- Connecting individual gifts and passions with community needs
- Exploring differing cultural lenses and their effect on intercultural relationships
- Understanding and communicating across differences
- Exploring race dynamics in America and on the college campus
- Identity formation in a multicultural environment
- Trust-building and nurturing of authentic relationships
- Acknowledging and supporting individual strengths and weaknesses
- Exploration of community and campus assets and needs
- Critical reading, writing, and discussion skill development
- Time and money management
- Anticipating and addressing the personal and social challenges of campus life
- Dynamics of personal and organizational change
"The training has been very important to me in that it has provided a means by which I can better myself. It has also introduced me to new ways of thinking about the world. The knowledge I have gained will aid me greatly in bettering myself and the world."
"My involvement with Act Six made me a better communicator and public speaker and has given me the confidence to be myself."
"I have felt stretched and encouraged to grow to the fullest extent. There were times when I was forced to think outside of the box and at times this was difficult. But now, I thank the program for this."
"This training has really helped shape my daily actions. I share what I learn with close friends and family and it's great to see them learning through me."
"These trainings have made a huge impact on my growth into a more mature and intellectual adult and I know that I will carry them with me when I go onto college and beyond."
"Learning about cultural climates and personality types has proven to me that there are so many different cultures and people in the world we live in. On a day-to-day basis we in Tacoma encounter things that many people never get a chance to experience."
"I learned that I am a leader, but even leaders have fears and struggles. I found that I am not the only one who struggles with the anxieties of what is to come in the future. I know I'll be okay because I'm surrounded by such great people and when we struggle, we'll overcome it together."
Act Six sends scholars together to college with the built-in support and encouragement of a cadre of fellow leaders who share a common mission. Act Six is an urban leadership award that offers unparalleled full-tuition, full-need scholarships.
This year, approximately seven Chicago students will be awarded leadership scholarships that cover at minimum the cost of tuition at our partner colleges, worth between $120,000 to $155,000 over four years. Depending on their family's financial need, most scholars' awards will also cover some or all of the cost of room and board, books and other expenses. Together, the awards for this year's class of Chicago Act Six scholars will total more than $3 million.
How the Full-Tuition, Full-Need Scholarships Work
Act Six offers Chicago students with a full-tuition, full-need urban leadership scholarship. Act Six works with colleges and other partners to guarantee that full scholarship recipients receive grants that, at minimum, cover full tuition at the college for four years.
Scholars with need beyond tuition (as determined by the FAFSA) will receive additional grant and work study to fully meet that need. For most scholars, the awards will therefore cover some or all of the cost of room and board, books, travel and personal expenses.
To retain the scholarship, scholars are required to remain active in the program and maintain satisfactory academic progress throughout their undergraduate studies.
Here's how the full scholarships work:
- Each year students and their parents must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which will determine the family's Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Students who are unable to complete the FAFSA will complete an alternative form to determine their EFC.
- The family's need is then determined by subtracting their EFC from the total cost of attendance (including tuition, room and board, books, travel and personal expenses).
- Act Six award packages begin with any government grant or private scholarships for which students qualify.
- After government grants and private scholarships have been applied, the college commits to providing scholarship aid that will meet full tuition for every Act Six scholar.
- If the family's need exceeds the cost of tuition, the college commits to providing additional scholarship aid and work study to meet full need.
- Each family will be responsible for covering their EFC.
Because Act Six awards meet full need without loan, scholars can be assured that they are receiving unsurpassed award packages.
Getting to college is just the start of the Act Six experience. Bound together by a shared mission and commitments, scholars learn to encourage and challenge each other while they receive ongoing support from their colleges and Pursue Scholars. After five years together, alumni graduate from college connected to each other and ready to lead in the community. Together, they will create a fabric of leadership that will shape the future of our cities.
Campus Support
On campus, faculty and staff mentors meet regularly with the cadres and with each individual scholar as needed. Mentors provide social support and connect students with campus resources. This support helps scholars thrive academically, but also empowers them to get involved and step out into leadership roles on campus and in the surrounding community.
Back in the neighborhood, Pursue Scholars staff provide additional support, ongoing leadership development and assistance connecting with internships and career opportunities.
Powerful Results
National data show that less than a third of all students from low-income families who start college ever graduate. The data are equally discouraging for students whose parents didn't attend college and those from most underrepresented ethnic groups.
But the statistics for Act Six scholars in the Pacific Northwest tell a much different story: Since 2002, Act Six has selected and trained 814 scholars from seven cities in 121 cadres for 17 partner colleges. They represent six continents of the world, speak 70 native languages, and represent the very best emerging urban and community leaders that these communities have to offer. While 90% of scholars come from low-income households or are the first in their family to go to college, they are defying the odds with graduation rates of 85%.
And along the way, Act Six scholars and alumni are creating a legacy of distinguished leadership, service and academic achievement on campus and in the community:
- 12 have served as student body presidents for their college
- two have been named Fulbright scholars by the US State Department
- two have earned national championships in athletics
- dozens have served in AmeriCorps, Teach For America, or Peace Corps
- scores have traveled and studied around the world
- nearly two-thirds have returned to live and serve in their home communities
We expect to see the same kind of powerful results from Chicago scholars over the coming years.
A Fabric of Leadership
When you think about moments of significant positive change that have happened in your community, you can usually point to a group of connected people who made it happen. Networks of effective leaders working together get things done. The problem is that those leadership networks don't always look like or represent the full breadth of a community, and as a result, some groups tend to get left behind. For our communities to thrive in the future, we need diverse networks of homegrown leaders who love their home and are committed to building vibrant communities where everyone thrives.
It is precisely this kind of diverse, committed leadership network that Act Six works to produce. In the second decade of Act Six in the Pacific Northwest, with 335 alumni, we are beginning to see the fruits of this fabric of leadership as alumni grow in their responsibility and deepen their connections in the community.
Where did the name "Act Six" come from?
In the sixth act (or chapter) of Luke's drama about the early followers of Christ (the New Testament's Book of Acts), we find a church that was confronted with the reality of ethnic inequality in the distribution of a critical resource. How the early church responded to inequality in food distribution can inform how we respond to the clear and disturbing inequality in the distribution of one of today's most critical resources: education. At the heart of the solution was the selection of a cadre of leaders from the affected minority group that was charged and empowered to work toward a solution. Provided with every resource they needed, this group created a solution that made way for dynamic growth in the church, and in the process produced two of the early church's most significant leaders. Get the full story in Acts 6:1-7.
Do I have to be a Christian to apply?
Applicants to Taylor are required to sign a statement that affirm their core evangelical Christian commitments and desire to participate in a Christian community with shared lifestyle expectations.
Act Six was born out of the conviction that division and inequity among people saddens God and that the leadership needed to bridge and heal those divisions requires a deep humility and commitment to service. Act Six believes that the Christian faith both demands and makes uniquely possible a bold and authentic reconciliation between people from across God's creation. Act Six staff operate out of deep Christian commitments—commitments that include genuine respect for those who do not share their convictions.
Regardless of their religious tradition, Act Six scholars should be open to exploring various Christian perspectives on leadership and service and should be aware that a significant portion of the training program will be dedicated to this exploration. In the midst of this exploration, disagreement and differing perspectives are welcomed and engaged.
Do I have to be a U.S. Citizen to apply?
No. U.S. Citizens, Dual-Citizens, and Permanent Residents are eligible to apply for Act Six at Taylor University.
Is Act Six only for students of color? Only for low-income students?
No. The goal of the program is to select an intentionally diverse group of students, both ethnically and economically. While the majority of students selected will likely be students of color, low income, or the first in their families to go to college, White students and students from middle-class families who have experience relating to people from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Selecting students from a range of backgrounds is critical to creating a cadre that will serve as a model of healthy and honest intercultural relationship that is at the heart of racial and economic justice and reconciliation.
Why do I need to provide my family's financial information?
Because of the nature of the Act Six scholarship commitment and the desire of the program to select an economically diverse cadre, it is important that we have an accurate estimate of applicants' financial situation. Further, in order to provide a good estimate of the actual Act Six award at the time of selection, it is critical that the program have an accurate estimate of the student's Expected Family Contribution.
The information provided in the Act Six application process is the same information that colleges will later receive through the FAFSA and gives both Act Six and families an early and reliable estimate of their EFC. All financial information is treated confidentially.
Are there any income requirements?
No. While family income will be considered in choosing an intentionally diverse group of students, neither high nor low income levels will make applicants ineligible.
Do I make any commitment to Taylor just by applying?
No. Applicants make no commitment to the program by submitting a Phase I application or by participating in Phase II or Phase III of the selection process. They may at any time remove themselves from consideration. Students who are selected as finalists will be given several days to accept the the award. If they decide to participate in the program, students are then required to participate fully in the six month training and preparation program throughout the remainder of the year in order to receive the scholarship.
Why is the application deadline so early in the year?
The primary reason for the early application deadline and selection dates is to allow for the six month training and preparation program throughout the rest of the year before the cadre heads off to campus. While the early deadline certainly adds some urgency to the beginning of the year, it also dramatically frees students who are selected from the stress that accompanies the rest of most students' senior year. By March, scholars who are selected will know where they are going to college and will know that they have the best financial aid possible. Gone is the stress of applications, decisions, and financial worries that typically clouds the spring of senior year. Instead, you'll be able to focus on preparing to be successful in college and on developing the skills to engage the campus when you arrive.
Another challenge with the timeline is the need for students who are selected to commit to a college before they have heard from all of their other college choices. While this early decision likely will come with a bit of uncertainty, what is certain is that Act Six scholars will be heading to a great liberal arts college with an unbeatable financial aid award, incredible preparation and an unparalleled support system.
What if I won't have an ACT or SAT score back before the application deadline?
Scores from the ACT or SAT Reasoning are required for admission to all partner colleges. Scores you have already received should be reported by your school in the High School Counselor Report form of your online application. If you are applying to any of these schools and your school has not received results by the application deadline, you may still apply for Act Six, but a copy of the exam score report must be received by the Act Six office no later than December 31.
Is there a minimum GPA?
No. However, Act Six is looking for talented students with strong scholastic potential who are passionate about learning and who will succeed and thrive in challenging academic environments. You can compare the academic profiles of each of the Act Six partner colleges to get a sense of the range of typical students at each school. Students with weaker high school grades must find ways to clearly demonstrate this passion for learning and potential for success.


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Over 3 million Canadians of all ages have a serious respiratory disease such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, tuberculosis (TB), cystic fibrosis, and respiratory distress syndrome. The numbers are likely much higher, however, given that data are unavailable for other respiratory conditions such as influenza, pneumonia, and bronchiolitis.1 After cardiovascular disease and cancer, respiratory diseases (including lung cancer) are responsible for the third-highest share of hospitalizations and deaths in Canada.2
Smoking is the main preventable risk factor for respiratory diseases like lung cancer and COPD. As more women became smokers after the First World War, the incidence (number of new cases) and prevalence (total number of cases) of respiratory diseases among women increased.3 Fortunately, the proportion of smokers has dropped significantly in the past several decades. About 16 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and older smoke cigarettes every day, which represents a 26 percentage point decrease since the early 1960s.4
Although the proportion of smokers has dropped, Canada, like many of its peer countries, is facing an increase in chronic respiratory diseases. As a report published by Health Canada explains, "since many of these diseases affect adults over the age of 65, the number of people with respiratory diseases will increase as the population ages. The corresponding increase in demand for services will pose a significant challenge for the health care system."5
Canada has reduced its death rate due to respiratory system diseases over time—from 59 deaths per 100,000 population in 1960 to an estimated 38 deaths in 2009. Germany has made the most progress since 1960, but most other countries have also reduced their mortality rates.
Ireland's respiratory system mortality rate has improved over the years, but it remains the worst performer on this indicator.
Use the pull-down menu to compare the change in Canada's mortality rate due to respiratory system diseases with that of its peers.
Relative to its peers, Canada has performed well on this indicator, scoring an "A" during four of the five decades.
Other strong performers are Australia, Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Ireland has been a consistently poor performer, with a "D" in all five decades.
Because Denmark's mortality rate increased over time, its grade fell from an "A" in the first three decades, to a "B" in the 1990s and a "C" in the 2000s.
The top two leading respiratory diseases contributing to the overall Canadian respiratory disease burden are asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Asthma is now the most common of all respiratory diseases in Canada, with about 2.7 million cases. More than 750,000 Canadians are believed to be living with COPD.7
Influenza vaccination rates have nearly doubled across Canada since 1996–97, according to a Canadian study from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES). Yet despite the increase, high-risk groups still fall short of national vaccination targets. The study, published in the October 2007 issue of Health Reports, examined the recent trends in influenza vaccination rates in Canada, identified what makes people more likely to get a flu shot, and looked at the effects of Ontario's universal influenza immunization program on vaccination rates.9
"Convincing people they need to be vaccinated and getting them vaccinated are the two biggest challenges we face in this country," says Dr. Jeff Kwong, the study's lead author and ICES scientist. "Not enough individuals who are considered to be high risk for serious complications, like seniors, those with chronic conditions, and young children, are getting the shot."10
According to ICES, a national consensus conference on influenza in 1993 "set target vaccination coverage rates of 70 per cent for adults aged 65 or older and for all adults with chronic medical conditions. The national target was raised to 80 per cent in 2005 and was reached by seniors aged 75 or older with chronic conditions. Just 56 per cent of individuals aged 50 to 64 with chronic conditions were vaccinated in 2005; the figure was about one-third for those younger than 49 with chronic conditions."11
1 Public Health Agency of Canada, Life and Breath: Respiratory Disease in Canada (Ottawa: PHAC, 2007), 2 (accessed January 13, 2012).
2 Ibid., 3.
3 Canadian Institute for Health Information, Canadian Lung Association, Health Canada, and Statistics Canada, Respiratory Disease in Canada (Ottawa: Authors, 2001), vii (accessed June 22, 2009).
4 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD Health Data 2011.
5 Canadian Institute for Health Information, Canadian Lung Association, Health Canada, and Statistics Canada, Respiratory Disease in Canada (Ottawa: Authors, 2001), vii (accessed June 22, 2009).
6 Missing data up to 2009 were obtained by projecting the most recent year of data using a 10-year average annual growth rate. This was done for Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.
7 Public Health Agency of Canada, Life and Breath: Respiratory Disease in Canada (Ottawa: PHAC, 2007), 2 (accessed January 13, 2012).
8 Public Health Agency of Canada, "Influenza" (accessed November 14, 2010).
9 Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Influenza Vaccination Rates More Than Doubled in Canada Over Past Decade: "Too Few People Who Need Them Get Them", News Release, October 2, 2007 (accessed September 23, 2009).
10 Ibid.
11 Ibid.
The annual number of deaths due to respiratory diseases per 100,000 population.
Please note:
The data on this page are current as of February 2012.


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Stanczyk is working out a rather difficult piece of analysis. This jester uses Social Network Analysis (#SNA) to assert a familial relationship or connection. It is labor intensive / data intensive process. Prior analyses have been very excellent at predicting valuable lines of research that have led to many further finds.
The moikrewni.pl tool for mapping names (shown in the image above) — shows that Pieszczochowicz is a rather rare name and only exists for some 20 people. The locales, I cannot draw conclusions from, but the numbers say that most if not all PIESZCZOCHOWICZ are closely related by its scarcity. So the name Pieszczochowicz enters my family tree in the following way:
Leon Pieszczochowicz (b. 7-NOV-1865 in Górek, Strożyska, Kielce Gubernia, Poland), son of Konstanty Pieszczochowicz & Maryanna Rzepała. Leon married Jozefa Leszczyńska (b. about 1861 in Biechów, Kielce Gubernia, Poland), daughter of Tomasz Leszczyński & Julianna Kordos. I am sur ethey many children, but I only know of one child: Edward Pieszczochowicz. Now, Edward, comes to the USA from his father Leon in 1910 (who was living in Busko) to his uncle Jan Pieszczochowicz in West Seneca, NJ. Edward, continues onto to Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio. He will move on to Lackawanna, Erie County, NY in later life. But while in Toledo, he becomes the God Father of my own uncle: Stephen Edward Eliasz (son of Joseph Eliasz & Waleriya Leszczynska) at St Anthony's Church on Nebraska Ave. in Toledo, OH in 1916. Edward Pieszczochowicz's own God Parents were: Wladyslaw Fras (husband of Agnieszka Leszczynska) & Antonina Leszczyńska (probably nee Sieradzka, married to Jan Leszczyński). So what we see from this one affiliated family is what I considered a very highly connected value to my LESZCZYNSKi research and even so far as to connect my own ELIASZ line as well. We also see the FRAS (aka FRASS) affiliated family and the I believe the SIERADZKI affiliated family.
When I first captured Edward Pieszczochowicz at the birth/baptism of my uncle Steve, I had no idea who Edward was and had thought him a family friend [not a family member]. So you see over the span of time the collected data and SNA analysis of other data can connect disparate data points and prove out relativity.
Let me end today's blog article, by returning to the fact that since PIESZCZOCHOWICZ is rather rare, that I am now seeking out Jan Pieszczochowicz and two others: Boleslaw & Stanley Pieszczochowicz (these two also show up in Toledo, OH at 3224 Maple Street). Will this family lead me to my LESZCZYNSKI roots? Time will tell.


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In happier times, the new couple took in some wholesome fun in Las Vegas. Only later would they realize they were riding a giant metaphor.
Writes Matt:
I was in Vegas for Presidents Day weekend in '05 with a few friends and rode the NY, NY roller coaster. No one else was there except for a group of french guys and some hot chick. Those french guys turned out to be Tony Parker and friends and the hot chick as Eva Longoria. Realizing this after riding the roller coaster my friends and I decided to buy their pic from the ride. This was just when they started dating and at the time I didn't even know who she was and barely knew who he was. Anyway glad I got it - so appropriate right now.
Related: Tony and Eva fricking loved roller coasters.


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La Jolla, CA – A scientist from The Scripps Research Institute has identified a new role for a natural signaling molecule in preventing blood clot formation. The molecule could become a target for the development of novel and cost-effective treatments for blood clotting diseases such as Hemophilia A.
The findings, from a study by Scripps Research Assistant Professor Laurent O. Mosnier, were published in a recent edition of Journal of Biological Chemistry.
The study focused on Platelet Factor 4 – a small cytokine (intracellular signaling molecule) released during platelet aggregation.
Based on Platelet Factor 4 effects on another coagulation protein, it was thought that Platelet Factor 4 could potentially stimulate activation of thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) – an enzyme (soluble protein) that protects clot longevity, making clots last longer and preventing excess bleeding; TAFI is like a hardener that is added to the mortar used between the bricks in a brick wall, without which the mortar would never completely solidify, and the wall would never be solid.
The new study, however, found exactly the opposite role for Platelet Factor 4—inhibition of TAFI activation.
For Mosnier, this finding led to a radical idea—sequestering Platelet Factor 4 using such molecules as heparin derivatives could improve clot stability. Heparin – a highly sulfated or negatively charged glucoseaminoglycan (polysaccharide or sugar derivative) – is a commonly used anticoagulant. Mosnier, however, was able to modify the compound to have the reverse effect and aid in blood clotting in laboratory tests.
"The idea of using heparin to prevent bleeding in kids [who have bleeding tendencies] would be outrageous because that would just greatly accelerate bleeding," said Mosnier, "Our trick, however, was to modulate heparin's anticoagulant properties. This opens up new possibilities."
Converting Heparin from an Anticoagulant into a Non-Anticoagulant
Heparin's anticoagulant activity is derived from a specific pattern of nitrogen- and oxygen-linked sulfation (or simply negative charges) that is recognized by anti-thrombin – the inactivator of coagulation. However, in addition to binding to anti-thrombin heparin also binds to Platelet Factor 4, which is glittered with positive charge, and they attract one another like magnets.
Mosnier found heparin's anticoagulant activity could be prevented, and its Platelet Factor 4 binding selected for, by selectively removing the N-linked sulfations (and further acetylation). This effectively prevented heparin from being recognized by anti-thrombin and allowed it to instead take the Platelet Factor 4 out of the equation. This resulted in prevention of clot breakdown (fibrinolysis), by allowing TAFI to do its job.
To test the effectiveness of the modified heparin derivatives in enhancing clot stability, Mosnier employed a functional assay called a "clot lysis assay." Using a light scattering technique, plasma was used to generate a clot, which was degraded. Further modulation of the conditions allowed measurement of clot stability via TAFI activation. Mosnier found that, indeed, the modified-version heparin promoted clot stability.
Toward a Cheaper, Cost-Effective Treatment for Hemophilia A
An optimistic Mosnier admits his new discovery is in its infancy, but hopes it may one day provide an alternative treatment for bleeding conditions such as Hemophilia A.
Hemophilia A, which affects 1 in 5,000 males, is an X-linked genetic bleeding disorder whereby there is a reduced amount or activity of factor VIII. This results in the unstable clots, lacking fibrin – a fibrous clot-forming protein. Currently, the treatment for Hemophilia A is prophylactically taking factor VIII as a medicine to improve clotting. Unfortunately, immunity against factor VIII is a significant side effect.
Mosnier hopes that modification of heparin – which is cheaper than factor VIII and already used clinically – could one day stabilize clots in these patients.
"The next step is to see if the modified compound will improve bleeding complications in the Hemophilia mouse," said Mosnier. "We are still a long way from claiming anything clinically."
His optimism is contagious, however, and it is an exciting time for science in the Mosnier lab.
Professor Laurent O. Mosnier of the Scripps Research Institute was sole author of the study, "Platelet Factor 4 Inhibits Thrombomodulin-dependent Activation of Thrombin-activatable Fibrinolysis Inhibitor (TAFI) by Thrombin." For more information, see http://www.jbc.org/content/286/1/502.full?sid=7795e622-9966-4a9a-b999-0eb4d69e474a .
This research was funded by a "Pathway to Independence Grant," which enabled the establishment of the Mosnier Lab, from the National Institute of Health (NHLBI Grant HL087618).
About The Scripps Research Institute
The Scripps Research Institute is one of the world's largest independent, non-profit biomedical research organizations, at the forefront of basic biomedical science that seeks to comprehend the most fundamental processes of life. Scripps Research is internationally recognized for its discoveries in immunology, molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, neurosciences, autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases, and synthetic vaccine development. An institution that evolved from the Scripps Metabolic Clinic founded by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps in 1924, Scripps Research currently employs approximately 3,000 scientists, postdoctoral fellows, scientific and other technicians, doctoral degree graduate students, and administrative and technical support personnel. Headquartered in La Jolla, California, the institute also includes Scripps Florida, whose researchers focus on basic biomedical science, drug discovery, and technology development. Scripps Florida is located in Jupiter, Florida. For more information, see www.scripps.edu
Mika Ono
10550 North Torrey Pines Road
La Jolla, California 92037
Tel: 858-784-2052
Fax: 858.784.8136
[email protected]


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September 2018
Recent Releases
Kiss of the Spindle
Nancy Campbell Allen
What it is:
This "Steampunk riff on Sleeping Beauty" (
Publishers Weekly
, starred review) is the stand-alone sequel to
Beauty and the Clockwork Beast
What happens:
To find the witch who cursed her, Dr. Isla Cooper heads to Jamaica aboard the airship of the dashing Captain Daniel Pickett.
Is it for you?
With its paranormal elements and a central romance that's more sweet than steamy,
Kiss of the Spindle
may appeal to fans of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series.
A Duke by Default: Reluctant Royals
Alyssa Cole
Portia Hobbs, whose quest for self-improvement leads to an internship at the Scottish armory of sexy swordsmith Tavish MacKenzie -- who's also the secret heir to a dukedom.
Read it for:
a sympathetic
heroine and her #swordbae.
Don't miss:
This sequel to
A Princess in Theory
features cameos by Naledi and Thabiso.
Wicked and the Wallflower
Sarah MacLean
Felicity Faircloth, who impulsively announces her engagement to the reclusive Duke of Marwick, whom she's never met; and "Devil," the Covent Garden crime lord who offers to help her woo and win the duke -- for a price.
Crossover alert:
Felicity first appeared in
The Day of the Duchess
, one of four young ladies competing for the hand of another duke.
Series alert:
Wicked and the Wallflower
kicks off RITA award-winning author Sarah MacLean's Bareknuckle Bastards series.
Cottage by the Sea
Debbie Macomber
Enjoy the last of summer:
Retreating to a Pacific Northwest haven after a tragedy, Annie bonds with a kindhearted local artist, her reclusive landlord and a troubled teen before an unexpected opportunity challenges her ambitions.
Described as:
Romantic, warm and a breeze to read," by Kirkus Reviews.
Ocean Light
Nalini Singh
In a world...
where humans serve as the bridge between the changelings and the telepathic Psy, BlackSea changeling Kaia Luna and Bowen Knight, security chief for the Human Alliance, fall in love.
It's complicated:
Bowen is a man with a built-in expiration date, and Kaia suspects that the Human Alliance is behind the disappearances of other BlackSea changelings.
Series alert:
Ocean Light
is the 2nd book in the Psy Changeling Trinity series, after
Silver Silence
; this series is a spin-off of the original Psy Changeling series.
Focus on: Romantic Suspense
The Charmers
Elizabeth Adler
What happens:
Writer Mirabella Matthews inherits a
villa in the South of France from her recently deceased aunt and attracts the attention of three men: a mysterious Russian billionaire known as "The Boss," a jet-setting plastic surgeon, and a very persistent police detective.
For fans of:
worldly heroines, exotic locales, and murder most foul.
You might also like:
Kitty Pilgrim's
The Explorer's Code
, also featuring a heroine whose unexpected inheritance draws her into a world of glamour, intrigue, and danger.
Virtue Falls
Christina Dodd
What it's about:
Geologist Elizabeth Banner grew up believing that her father murdered her mother. When an earthquake reveals evidence that suggests he's innocent, Elizabeth decides to search for the real killer -- with the help of her ex-husband, FBI Agent Garik Jacobsen.
Why you might like it:
Set in the Pacific Northwest, this atmospheric series opener boasts complex characters and a twisty plot.
Try this next:
Sharon Sala's
Going Once
, which similarly reunites ex-lovers as they brave extreme weather to hunt a serial killer.
Linda Howard
What it's about:
GO-Team operative Morgan Yancy survives a sniper's bullet and heads to Hamrickville, West Virginia, to recuperate in the home of police chief
Isabeau "Bo" Maran. But their budding relationship is threatened by Morgan's enemy, still in pursuit.
Reviewers say:
"combines top-notch suspense with a super-sexy love story" (
, starred review).
You might also like:
Katie Ruggle's Rocky Mountain K-9 Unit series.
The Girl Who Knew Too Much
Amanda Quick
What it's about:
When one of her sources turns up dead at the exclusive Burning Cove hotel, Hollywood reporter Irene Glasson realizes that she's dealing with more than celebrity scandal. But breaking the story means partnering with sexy former stage magician Oliver Ward.
Reviewers say:
"Neatly marries high-stakes suspense and a glamorous old Hollywood setting" (
, starred review)
Series alert:
If you enjoy your visit to Burning Cove, California, come back for
The Other Lady Vanishes
Come Sundown
Nora Roberts
What it's about:
As if running her family's Montana resort didn't present enough of a challenge, Bodine "Bo"
Longbow now faces unexpected reunions with her teenage crush, Callen Skinner, and
her traumatized aunt Alice, who's just escaped her captor of more than 20 years.
Read it for:
the surprisingly sweet romance that develops between Bo and Callen as they hunt for the bad guy.
Is it for you?
Come Sundown
contains scenes of captivity and torture that put it on the grittier side of Nora Roberts' oeuvre.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Hauppauge Public Library
1373 Veterans Memorial Highway
Hauppauge, New York 11788
(631) 979-1600


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Egypt's military announced on national television it had stepped in to secure the country and promised protesters calling for President Hosni Mubarak's ouster that all their demands would soon be met. The CIA director said Mubarak appeared poised to hand over his powers to his vice president, Omar Suleiman.
Tens of thousands of protesters packed in central Tahrir broke into chants of "We're almost there, we're almost there" and waved V-for-victory signs as thousands more flowed in to join them well after nightfall. But euphoria that they were nearing their goal of Mubarak's fall was tempered with worries that a military takeover could scuttle their wider demands for true democracy. Many vowed to continue protests.
State television said Mubarak will speak to the nation Thursday night from his palace in Cairo. Information Minister Anas el-Fiqqi said he would not resign, state TV reported, and Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq said, "everything is in the hands of President Hosni Mubarak and no decisions have been taken yet."
That raises the possibility that Mubarak could announce a half-measure, such as keeping his title while relinquishing his executive powers, a move unlikely to satisfy protesters.
The developments created confusion over who was calling the shots in Egypt. The military's moves had some trappings of an outright takeover long enough to shepherd a transition of power. But Mubarak's planned speech and his meetings beforehand with Suleiman and Shafiq suggested they wanted to give the appearance of an orderly, constitutional handover of authority.
The dramatic developments capped 17 days of mass anti-government protests, some drawing a quarter-million people, to demand Mubarak's immediate ouster. What began as an Internet campaign swelled into the stiffest challenge ever to Mubarak's nearly 30 years of authoritarian rule, fueled by widespread frustration over the regime's lock on power, government corruption, rampant poverty and unemployment.
The protests had escalated in the past two days with labor strikes and revolts by state employees that added to the chaos, and in a sign of the government's distress, top officials were warning of a coup or the imposition of martial law.
The military's supreme council, headed by Defense Minster Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, appeared to hold the reins of leadership.
Footage on state TV showed Tantawi chairing the council with around two dozen top stern-faced army officers seated around a table. Not at the meeting were Mubarak, the military commander in chief, or his vice president Omar Suleiman, a former army general and intelligence chief named to his post after the protests erupted Jan. 25.
"All your demands will be met today," Gen. Hassan al-Roueini, military commander for the Cairo area, told thousands of protesters in central Tahrir Square.
The protesters lifted al-Roueini onto their shoulders and carried him around the square, shouting, "the army, the people one hand." Some in the crowd held up their hands in V-for-victory signs, shouting "the people want the end of the regime" and "Allahu akbar," or "God is great," a victory cry used by secular and religious people alike.
Beyond suggestions that Mubarak would go, however, the military did not directly address whether it intends to carry out the protesters' wider demands for full democracy — or if it would demand that protests stop.
Protesters in the square began chanting, "civilian not military," a signal they do not want military rule, and many vowed not to end their demonstrations. At one entrance to Tahrir, thousands who turned out after the military announcement lined up to join in.
"If he steps down, that's positive, but that doesn't mean our demands have been met," said one protester, 27-year-old Kareem Nedhat. "Handing power to the army is acceptable for a transitional period, but there are still demands that still need to be met. We need to stay in the square." He said protests should continue until the army lifts emergency laws, dissolves parliament.
Another, Sheikh al-Sayed Abu Abdul-Rahman, warned, "This will amount to a coup. They want to turn it from a revolution into a coup. We want a civilian state with no discrimination and no military."
In the military's announcement on state TV, the council's spokesman read a statement announcing the military's "support of the legitimate demands of the people."
He said the council was in permanent session to explore "what measures and arrangements could be made to safeguard the nation, its achievements and the ambitions of its great people." That suggested Tantawi and his generals were now in charge of the country.
The statement was labeled "Communique No. 1," language that also suggests a military coup.
Protests on Thursday increasingly spiraled out of the control of efforts led by Suleiman to contain the crisis. Labor strikes erupted around the country in the past two days, showing that the Tahrir protests had tapped into the deep well of anger over economic woes, including inflation, unemployment, corruption, low wages and wide disparities between rich and poor.
In the past two days, state employees revolted against their directors, factories around the country were hit by strikes, riots broke out in several cities far from Cairo. Protesters angry over bread and housing shortages or low wages burned the offices of a governor and several police headquarters while police stood aside. Professionals and workers began joining the crowds of anti-Mubarak protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square.
On Thursday, hundreds of lawyers in black robes broke through a police cordon and marched on one of Mubarak's palaces — the first time protesters had done so. The president was not in Abdeen Palace, several blocks from Tahrir. The lawyers pushed through a line of police, who did nothing to stop them.
Tens of thousands were massed in Tahrir itself, joined in the morning by striking doctors who marched in their white lab coats from a state hospital to the square and lawyers who broke with their pro-government union to join in.
"Now we're united in one goal. The sun of the people has risen and it will not set again," one of the lawyers, Said Bakri, said before the series of military announcements.
Suleiman has led the regime's management of the crisis since he was named to the vice president post soon after protests erupted on Jan. 25. With his efforts failing to bring an end to protests, he and his foreign minister both warned of the possibility of a coup and imposition of martial law if the protesters do not agree to a government-directed framework of negotiations for reforms. The protesters demanded Mubarak step down first.
The protests were only gaining momentum, given a further push by the labor unrest. Strikes were flaring so quickly that protesters sent out messages to railroad workers not to halt trains with a strike because people in the provinces want to come to Cairo to join the Tahrir rallies.
Youth activists organizing the protests planned to up the pressure on the streets even further, calling for an expanded rally on Friday, hoping to repeat a showing earlier this week that drew about a quarter-million people. Friday's protest was to be expanded, with six separate rallies planned around Cairo, all to eventually march on Tahrir, said Khaled Abdel-Hamid, speaking for a coalition of groups behind the protests.
Strikes erupted in a wide breadth of sectors — postal workers, electricity staff and service technicians at the Suez Canal, in factories manufacturing textiles, steel and beverages and hospitals.
A bus strike launched Thursday snarled traffic in Cairo, a city of 18 million where many of its impoverished residents rely on public transport. Few buses were seen on the streets, which were jammed and slow moving because of the extra reliance on cars.


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Even though God in Heaven has prohibited man from directing both Star Trek and Star Wars at the same time—lest he be sent into a pit of tar and screaming—we've got (anonymous) two reports saying J.J. Abrams will make Star Wars VII. Seriously.
This doesn't make sense! And yet The Wrap and Deadline both say it's happening. We're skeptical. Abrams has explicitly denied that he's directing the impending Disney super sequels. He's also committed to the Star Trek franchise with rival studio Paramount. That said, Abrams is a geek god, having created the incoherent dream-jerkoff Lost, and the fan-beloved Star Trek reboot. But Super 8 was horrible. Is this good news? Can we really call something so far out news? No. The force is not strong with this rumour, wink. And come on, Disney, just do the obvious thing and hand Episode VII to Christopher Nolan, or else the sequels will end with the realization that the rebellion was just a dream and Luke Skywalker was in purgatory the entire time. [The Wrap & Deadline]
Photo by Joi Ito


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Behold the first footage from the new season of Mortal Kombat Legacy , the live action webseries inspired by the game your busybody neighbor called "filth." Check out Kitana, Scorpion, Mileena, and a super disaffected Liu Kang (who is drinking on the job!). Who do we have to pay to have the third season be a cross over series where the Mortal Kombat crew goes to Street Fighter world and just starts ripping spines?
No release date yet, but we'll keep you posted. Until then, here's the official synopsis:
"The Mortal Kombat Legacy continues in Season 2 as Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Kenshi, and Ermac join the ranks. The rivalries and histories of these fierce warriors will unfold as Raiden and his recruits clash against the dark forces of Outworld. The epic battle for Earthrealm has finally begun."


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import java.util.Scanner; import java.util.Random; public class demo { public static void main(String[] args) { Random rand= new Random(); // being able to use random object int[][] array = new int[3][9]; // print array in rectangular form for (int i=0; i<array.length; i++) { for (int j=0; j<array[i].length; j++) { for(int x=0;x<5;x++) { int k = rand.nextInt(9); array[i][k] = k*10 +rand.nextInt(9)+1; } System.out.print("\t" + array[i][j]); } System.out.println("");// } } }
I'm creating a bingo ticket. I need to respect these rules
The first column contains numbers from 1 to 9,
- The second column numbers from 10 to 19,
- The third 20 to 29 and so on up until the last column, which contains numbers from 80 to 90 (the 90 being
placed in this column as well)
- Each row contains five numbers and four blank spaces
I'm having a problem with the 5 numbers max per row, i created the array[3][9], then i made a loop so it would put 5 numbers in a random place in the row but the output show me that there is a number in everywhere ...
Did i made a mistake somewhere ?
thank you


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Google App, Gets Material Design - OK Google!
OK Google you got me!
If you got an Android device running android Lollipop, you will notice that the Google App is a bit, no a lot spiffier! Yes, Google is rolling out Material Design to search, with bold colors, fluid animations and simplified layouts.
Ok, Google! Yes I am sure you have seen the ad, and tried it with your phone :). Yes you can, if you have a Nexus 6, Nexus 9 or Samsung Galaxy Note4, now you can set up your phone so you can say "Ok Google" to ask a question even if your screen is off and your phone is unplugged. Like as goole say when your both hands are full and need some answers and you only have your Android near you!
Another feature with Google app and OK Google is that now it can help you search for exactly what you need—even if it's in another app.
This now works with a number of apps, so you can also research the best Maui hotels on TripAdvisor, listen to your jam on TuneIn, find a dream home on Trulia, or get tips on how to carve a turkey on YouTubeWith the new reminder feature, you can also rely more and more on the Google app to help you organize your life: you may notice a new card asking if you want to be reminded of plans you have made.
For those times you've gotten an email about something but forgotten to follow up, Google can now catch potential plans buried in your Gmail: it'll prompt you to add them to your calendar then serve up reminders, so you can stay on top of staying in touch.
As you scramble to get through the end of the year, the app will also help you keep track of your trips (whether you're seeing the family on Thanksgiving or jetting to Vegas for New Year's eve), to-do lists (did you pay your utility bill? pick up the wine for your Christmas party?) and more (the Bulls score, where you parked your car) with Now cards.And, your Google app now doubles as a virtual coin
Korean BBQ or pizza? Can't decide? just say "Ok Google, flip a coin" and make those decisions in a snap.
Google Inside Search


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Lawyer seeks mental health hearing for ex-Assemblyman Steven Brooks
The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS — The lawyer for ex-Assemblyman Steven Brooks asked a judge that his client be enrolled in a court program that will push him into mental health treatment.
Brooks appeared Tuesday in a Victorville, Calif., courtroom along with his public defender and was ordered to appear again Friday, according to court records. A decision could be made then about whether Brooks is eligible for the mental health court program, which diverts offenders into treatment programs and holds them accountable along the way.
Officials with the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office opposed the referral to mental health court, saying they hadn't received a diagnosis or other documentation to prove Brooks has a mental condition.
"We have nothing in our hands that would state that he's even a candidate," said DA spokesman Chris Lee.
Brooks has pleaded not guilty to charges of resisting an officer, felony evading and assault on a police animal that were filed after his arrest March 28 along Interstate 15 in Victorville.
The arrest, his third in a matter of months, came just hours after his fellow lawmakers voted to expel him from the Assembly. Legislators cited a pattern of bizarre behavior from Brooks that made them feel unsafe in the legislative building.
Brooks faces other cases in Nevada.
He was indicted last month on a felony charge of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. That charge, which stems from a January arrest in North Las Vegas after he purportedly voiced threats against a fellow legislator, alleges Brooks shouldn't have had a gun because he was an unlawful marijuana user.
He also was charged with a felony and three lesser counts in a Feb. 10 arrest that came as police responded to a domestic disturbance involving his estranged wife.
Brooks' lawyer, Mitchell Posin, told The Associated Press that the California case needs to be processed before the Nevada cases can move forward. At a hearing Tuesday, the court scheduled a July status check for charges from the Feb. 10 arrest.


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Place Your iPad Mini Bets
It's the first day of sales for a new Apple product, so that means lines, coverage of lines*, comparison of today's lines to other lines, etc.
Also: Sales guesses!
So, how many iPad minis will Apple move this weekend? Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster, perhaps the most widely quoted Apple analyst and a longtime Apple bull, predicts up to 1.5 million units.
But if Apple hits Munster's number, that won't be nearly enough to please BTIG Research's Walter Piecyk. He wants to see Tim Cook sell three million minis, because that's how many iPad 3's ("New iPads," in Apple's parlance) Apple sold during its March debut weekend.
His logic: "We believe 3 million units is an appropriate bogey given that the Mini is being launched in nearly 3x the number of markets than the iPad 3, is at a much lower price point and sold out of pre-ordered product deliverable this weekend."
If Apple follows form, we'll get some sort of number in the next few days, likely Monday. Then again, Tim Cook has been deviating from past practices a bit.
*As Nicholas Carlson points out, waiting in line to buy a tech gadget seems awfully weird in the New York area right now.


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Quickoffice Premier 6 - Mobile Office Suite
Quickoffice Premier 6 - Mobile Office Suite Features NEW! Language support for French, Italian, German, and Spanish. View & Edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint attachments on your device. Create & Save new Word, Excel and PowerPoint files on your device. Retain file formats with no data loss. Easy, intuitive desktop look and feel...Read more