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Wednesday, 18 May 2011
The pregnancy competition
Today, I had my 30 week appointment with my midwife and I couldn't help feeling - "I am not only still running this marathon, but I am in the lead." (personality disorder? perhaps) I am, of course aware, it is uncharming to compare oneself to other pregnant women. And, truth be told, I wish everyone felt as good as I do. But I can't pretend for a second I believe that the fact that I feel a lot better than most women at 30 weeks is due to luck. But is the fact that nearly all of my measurements and vitals are on the verge of normal or abnormal possibly dangerous for the baby?
First in the exercise dept:
- in no part of my body do I feel injured or have pain
- still able to do a back bend, can hold myself in a plank for about 2 minutes
- have recently gotten close to cycling times comparable to prepregnancy times on the same routes
- feeling ready for the marathon on Sunday
- blood pressure was 99/48? (I always forget the diastolic), but the systolic has continuously dropped throughout pregnancy
- Pulse 68
- Baby's pulse around 110. (This had me worried for a second when we listened to the doppler and I thought the baby was me) But this is just barely within "normal" (nl. 110-160 bpm) and actually makes me think the baby has a very strong and healthy heart that it's pulse can dip so slow when he's sleeping. A very reliable sign of a healthy heart at any age is pulse variability. Plus the baby's heart rate should be just a little under double the mother's.
-Weight gain 13 lbs (just below current recommendations for normal weight women)
- Fundus measurement 24 cm (just below normal, but my midwife fudged on the sheet and called me 25 cm at 29 weeks to make it fit into the pretty "normal" gray bow)
So my weight gain, fundus measurement and baby's pulse are outside of the range of 95% of pregnant women. But despite this, neither I nor the midwife in any way got the impression that anything was wrong. But should we be worried? There is a lot that is unknown. But, then again... does it need to be known? Can the fact that I am otherwise healthy be the only reassuring factor needed? Well, threre is almost always a point at which things become dangerous. For example, one recent study from 2011 (a small study of 95 patients by William To in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology) showed low weight gain in pregnancy to be associated with not returning to prepregnancy bone mass two years later (regardless of whether or not one breastfeeds). That can definitely be a concern, for athletes in particular, and is one reason I am NOT complaining or worried about being a bit ahead of my weight gain this pregnancy compared to last.
At the end of my visit, my midwife, however, asked the very poignant question: "Will you be able to get yourself to calm down enough for the birth?" Ha. "Calming down" has never been my forté and it didn't take her long to figure that one out. I guess the plan is to try giving birth in water (I tried it last time, but it didn't work out) and she's trained in acupuncture for pain control, so that will probably also come in handy. But yeah, getting an epidural and falling asleep seemed to be what it took last time, but it sure would be nice to experience labor naturally.
In other news, I have mastered the art of peeing with shorts on and not getting wet. Now that I pee approximately every 9 minutes during my first hour of running, this will be extremely practical at the Copenhagen Marathon (where there is a sad paucity of bushes and trees!).
Running song of the day: Naked Kids by Group Love (a nice summer song)
But an even better sound is Natali reading to The Lorax right next to me. These are happy days...
25 comments:
- Diana said...
I will tell you, I am very happy for you (and a little jealous) that you feel so amazing at 30 weeks. At 20 weeks, my running has slowed to barely a jog, and I have a lot of pain. What I wouldn't give to feel normal during a run. I think that means I'm losing in that department. ;)
And I think it's so sweet that Natali is reading to the Lorax. What great kids you have!
- 18 May 2011 at 22:39
- cherelli said...
Fingers crossed this pregnancy continues to proceed just as smoothly as it has so far...have fun at the Copenhagen marathon!
- 18 May 2011 at 22:42
- Karen said...
You'll have to share your tricks on peeing with shorts on, I always seem to pee directly on myself when I try anything sneaky like that.
Good luck on the marathon this weekend! I'm sure you'll have tons of fun! :)
- 19 May 2011 at 01:48
- Kirsten said...
Yes please, we want to know the trick of peeing with the shorts!!! In finland they will most possibly lock you up if you pee behind a bush or a tree......
Good luck on Sunday!!!
- 19 May 2011 at 11:01
I think you needn`t be worried. In Germany no one checks how you "measure" (probably we have more frequent ultrasounds) as it doesn`t tell much. "Measuring" depends so much on how the individual woman is build (tall, short, lean, big etc.). I would, however, have the bloodpressure checked again. In pregnancy an increase in blood pressure is desirable for it makes sure that the baby/placenta are nourished properly. Do you eat enough sodium? Against what some doctors still recommend you should never ever be on a low-sodium diet when pregnant as sodium helps fluid to remain in the bloodstream (protein does so as well) as opposed to leaking into the tissue (and possibly creating swelling). Your blood pressure might increase accordingly if you add some salt (in case you need to).
- 19 May 2011 at 11:55
- Marathon Mom said...
You sound so much like me with the calming down and relaxing, no wonder why my child is constantly on the move!
Sounds like a great pregnancy so far, hope things continue to go so smoothly including the birth. I hear you on the epidural and sleep, that was my trick too as much as I fought an epidural it was the answer in the end.
Good luck with the marathon and have fun :-)
- 19 May 2011 at 14:50
- sea legs girl said...
Hey Anon
Thanks for the comment. I totally agree about the measurement and I'm not worried, though my husband said "oh, God, so he's going to be a REALLY little squirt??".
Regarding blood pressure. First of all, I like your idea of eating salt and boy do I. Just because I crave it. I add salt to my sandwiches every day and douse my dinner in soy sauce. Mmmmm.
BUT, I very much disagree that having a low blood pressure while pregnant is unhealthy for the baby. ABSOLUTELY disagree. My systolic blood pressure has not been over 110 all pregnancy and that is because there is very little resistance in my blood vessles because I exercise so much and am not overweight (just had the elasticity of my blood vessels checked and have the blood vessels of a 19 year old woman). A woman's body is oh so finely tuned to deliver the right amount of blood to the baby. If a woman's blood pressure goes up later in pregnancy, it is a sign of increasing resistance in blood flow getting to the uterus and it is a BAD sign. And if the blood pressure is high enough, it is called preeclampsia, of course, and can get so high that the mother has seizures after giving birth (eclampsia). But just goes to show our bodies are MADE to get the right about of blood to that baby, regardless of the resistance.
Of course if I had heart failure or sepsis as the reason for my low blood pressure, we would be talking about a completely different (and almost opposite) scenario, in which the baby would be in danger.
There is absolutely no danger in a healthy pregnany woman having a systolic blood pressure of 99. And if you show me a study stating otherwise, it is a flawed study.
- 19 May 2011 at 14:54
- Jacqueline said...
Hey there. My blood pressure is always really weirdly low during pregnancy, right up until like 35 weeks, when I get antsy, ha ha!
I would wonder a bit about the fundal height -- like you, I always measured small, which didn't matter since I stayed on my own curve. But then I started measuring even smaller, falling off my curve, if that makes sense, and it was a low amniotic fluid issue (and got bad enough for inductions with both pregnancies -- it was below a 5).
I'm not saying you have low fluid, but I would wonder about it.
You are in the home stretch now, mama!
- 19 May 2011 at 16:29
- Kate said...
um, congrats. I guess you win.
I'm very happy for you, your health, and the expected robust health of your baby.
I just think something about the beginning of that post struck me as a little smug. Maybe you did not mean it that way.
I get where you're coming from. I had 2 extremely easy pregnancies and couldn't help but feel almost giddy that my body was so "good at" the whole process. This third one has been smooth sailing for the most part, but I've developed skin issues requiring dermatological care, and I'm seeing a physical therapist for chronic tailbone pain. It has humbled me a bit and reminded me to thank my lucky stars for my general lack of pregnancy symptoms, and reminded me that for the most part, those who experience them are certainly not to blame. So, I applaud your continuing exercise, but I sense a tinge of looking down on others in there that's distasteful. If I'm imagining it, then nevermind, and I sincerely apologize for undue criticism.
- 19 May 2011 at 19:25
- Tracizzle said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- 19 May 2011 at 21:26
- sea legs girl said...
Jacqueline, I had the same measurement at this time with the first pregnancy, so I'm not about to start worrying yet. But it is a good point!
I really love honest comments. Just as I love writing honest blog posts :). Things can go wrong in a pregnancy despite doing every possible thing "right". And it doesn't make me happy one bit to hear about your tailbone. I really do feel about it like I feel about a race, you can train and prepare and do everything and still have a relatively crappy race- BUT there are a bunch of things one can do to increase the chances of things going well. And that was my point. Had I not exercised and gained a ton of weight, I'd be feeling like crap now and would have had a much higher chance of developing problems and the same goes for every woman. I in no way think my body is better made for a good pregnancy than any other woman. No way! I'm just feeling right now like all of the careful training I have put in paid off and I feel great- just like one might feel when they run a big PR.
Would you believe me if I told you that one of the big reasons I love writing this blog is because maybe, just maybe I'll encourage/help other women to have a happy, healhty pregnancy?
But if I came off as smug, that wasn't my intention but simply must be the way I write. Plus I hate the idea of saying things in a delicate and pretty way so as not to offend - might as well just tell it like it is.
- 19 May 2011 at 21:27
- Kate said...
thanks for your reply. and I do think that you are succeeding in encouraging other women to have healthier pregnancies -- even me! Because while I'm no ultra runner (while pregnant or not), I can always think of you and remember geez, I've got no good excuse to not get out there and get off my duff (despite the bowling ball I'm carrying around in my stomach). : ) So kudos for that.
- 19 May 2011 at 22:26
- The Chapples said...
I will be honest, it did come across slightly smug. I feel lucky that I have had easy pregnancies too but I do think some of it is exactly luck. Yes, I take good care of myself and haven't gained a lot of weight either (exactly the ame as you, in fact) and have very low blood pressure but I think part of it is just what my body does in pregnancy. I don't take responsibility for the majority of it. I guess I have had plenty of friends who felt terrible during pregnancy and would have loved to be more active or gain less weight but that doesn't mean they "failed" at pregnancy. I think it is a weird way to look at it- who is "better" at being pregnant. Just do your thing because you love it, not because you want to show up the next pregnant woman.
- 20 May 2011 at 02:52
- Stefanie Schocke said...
Awesome post. You should be proud of your body. As someone who did well (until 37 weeks!)...I never felt better than any other woman...just proud of my body. I always had low blood pressure in pregnancy, too. Measured small and she was 7lbs 9oz.
I am SOOOO happy you aren't experiencing pain like I did. I hope you don't and hope you continue to run awesome and pain free!
- 20 May 2011 at 04:18
- sea legs girl said...
Hi the Chappels,
Well, I don't believe in luck. But it's very, very complicated. If a woman wins a gold medal at the Olympics in Gymnastics, is it luck? Well, most people would say no. There are, however, a lot of factors that were out of that woman's control, as there are with everything in life. She just worked hard with what she had - and would anyone blame her for feeling happy upon winning? No! So why are people mad at me when I had one pregnancy where I was sidelined at 26 weeks with terrible pain and then one that ended in miscarriage, that I am happy now? Just as the last two pregnancies, there are a number of things that have been totally out of my control - but the fact that it worked out well this time is not a simple matter of luck. And it's not a matter of luck for you either, Allison. If you went around saying "well, I feel so good simply because I'm lucky", you're ignoring all of the things you have worked hard to do right. So way to go and I don't take YOUR comment as bragging or smug - of course you should be happy you are healthy and things are going well.
- 20 May 2011 at 07:18
- sea legs girl said...
Let me add one thing. I would never look at a pregnant woman and think "she failed". Our lives are so amazingly different. We can never know the whole story - or what the woman wanted from the pregnancy (if she wanted it).
People who work in Ob-Gyn can at times be very good at thinking a woman has failed. I remember a 24 year old woman who was pregnant for the 9th time. She had AIDS and was addicted to heroine and cocaine. She did not use birth control. Out of the nine pregnancies, she had 4 kids that survived, all with health problems, all in foster care. Again, there is no unlucky or lucky here. But I wouldn't look at her and say she failed and judge her. It simply made me extremely sad to watch her give birth at 16 weeks and see that tiny baby take a few breaths and die. It made me extremely sad for her. The best way to look at it for everyone who has a bad outcome is - what can be done different, not "she failed". That's my extreme example.
- 20 May 2011 at 07:42
- Heather said...
So glad you are feeling happy and healthy! I am almost 20 weeks pregnant and starting to wonder, however, how much of our own pregnancy well-being is really in our control? Like you, I was super-fit at the beginning, low body fat, lots of running, and I kept it up until a week ago Wednesday, when I was suddenly slammed with some virus that has kept me in bed, feeling terrible, since (oh, and now I have a bacterial ear infection as well). I felt GREAT up until then and was a bit self-congratulatory as well, feeling that it must be some combination of luck and my own awesomeness in keeping up my running and workouts. I even ran a race (slowly). Now I am sitting here, having left the house exactly twice in the last week, deaf in one ear and wondering where the heck I went wrong :)Ok, I guess virus/infection is not quite the same as deciding to quit exercising, start eating, and gain 100 lbs and ending up with high blood pressure and lots of other problems. My point is just that luck seems to play a large role. You might feel just as good if you didn't run quite so much, you know?
I had also understood that lower blood pressure is more desirable during pregnancy. Mine was 95/55 at my last appointment and the doctor seemed happy!
btw, it's a boy here, too :D
- 20 May 2011 at 09:49
- Heather said...
P.S. The story in your last comment about the AIDS patient made me so, so sad. 16 weeks? I can't even imagine :(
- 20 May 2011 at 09:57
- sea legs girl said...
Hi Heather
Sorry about that virus! I have also had way more viruses while pregnant than I normally do - but nothing like you describe.
Your comment made me realize I should make something clear - just because I don't believe in "luck" doesn't mean I believe we can control everything. There are SO many factors that are out of our control in a pregnancy - and a lot of those things have just worked in my favor and are not related to my own actions. Some might call it luck, I'll just call it "external factors".
- 20 May 2011 at 10:57
- The Chapples said...
Truly I think it it's just the way it sounds when you write it, I highly doubt you are truly arrogant or smug in person. I thought about it last night and I suppose I should take some credit for having a healthy pregnancy but again, I almost feel guilty for that fact since many friends have had a rough time and just couldn't be that active for no fault of their own.
I should say that i do think it is great that you have felt so good. I can't believe that I am sitting here at 29+ weeks and feel so good. I definitely am not running like you are but doing some intervals still and hard group exercise classes without any pain. I was totally sidelined at this point last time with the pubic bone pain and am overjoyed that I missed that this time.
No doubt you inspire a lot of pregnant runners but I also worry that there are women who might read your blog and think badly about themselves because they cannot be active or have gained more weight than planned or have higher BP. There will always be someone at either end of the continuum and you are luckily (yep, still think some of it is luck along with your hard work) at the "good" end. I just think the humble approach comes across less abrasively. None of this was meant as attack, of course, just giving you some thoughts. :)
- 20 May 2011 at 13:01
- sea legs girl said...
Allison - I think we agree. A lot of both of our good fortune is due to factors beyond our control - so in that way we are "lucky". I just don't call it luck because luck implies some large, unidentifiable force. But to a scientist, everything is potentially identifiable. Maybe we're 50% responsible for things going well? Maybe less, I'm not sure. But we both did a lot to make a happy, healthy pregnancy more likely!
- 20 May 2011 at 13:07
- Kate said...
I just want to clarify, (and I shouldn't speak for anyone else but will go out on a limb here and do so anyway) -- I don't think anyone's "mad" at you for being happy now. You should be, and we are happy for you!
- 20 May 2011 at 23:47
I am pregnant too. I also run. Not as far as you, of course (because you are the "leader" in the pregnancy race), but I still run. I ran with my last pregnancy too. Pregnancy is horrible for me. I battle morning sickness and vomiting for months even well into the middle of my second trimesters. Despite all of this, I still manage to gain an upper level of normal amount of weight. And guess what? My blood pressure is healthy. It's lower than yours, even. Guess you aren't the leader in everything ;)
See how ridiculous that sounds? Pregnancy is not a competition.
- 21 May 2011 at 05:12
- sea legs girl said...
Read the first two lines of the blog post again:
"The title is misleading. I don't look at my pregnancy as a sort of competition with other women."
Anon, I am so sorry you are still not feeling well. I really hope it gets better. How far along are you? I felt like absolute crap the entire first trimester and it gradually got better over the second and now I feel really good (finally!). I'm just guessing it has something to do with persisting in exercising and keeping the weight gain down. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy :).
- 21 May 2011 at 07:21
- sea legs girl said...
Anon (again)
My point with brining up the blood pressure was more to pose a question - IS a very low blood pressure necessarily better? Well, probably, but we don't know (so many of these parameters simply lack research). So it's hard to point out a "leader" and, of course, it is absurd to do so.
- 21 May 2011 at 07:30


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subset: commoncrawl


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ATLANTA - Attorney General Thurbert E. Baker announced today that on Saturday, August 15, 1998, a DeKalb Superior Court jury found Rickie Lewis and Psychologist Edwin P. Hall, Jr., guilty of conspiracy to defraud the State, Medicaid fraud, and theft by taking. Sentencing will be determined later.
Between April 1994 and April 1995, Rickie Lewis owned and operated We Care Family Service, Inc. We Care provided tutorial programs, after-school care, computer classes and GED classes to Medicaid recipients. In addition to enrichment programs, We Care offered psychotherapy provided by Dr. Hall. However, the investigation revealed that nearly all of the recipients who attended the program participated only in the enrichment programs. Most of the Medicaid recipients who attended We Care were unaware that they and their children had been diagnosed with mental disorders and that Medicaid had paid Lewis and Dr. Hall over half a million dollars for providing this alleged psychotherapy. In addition, the investigation revealed that Lewis billed Medicaid for children who did not even attend the program.
The case was investigated by GBI Special Agent Debbie Garner and Auditor David Walker. Prosecutors in the case were Assistant Attorneys General D. Williams-McNeely, Nancy B. Allstrom and Harrison Kohler. Throughout the prosecution, the State prosecutors received assistance and support from DeKalb County District Attorney J. Tom Morgan.


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As a generation that has little or no memory of a time without PCs and MTV, young adults looking to buy their first home are likely to care more about cable and Internet access than a big backyard. When it comes to distributing audio, video, and data throughout the home, structured cabling (also know as low-voltage wiring) is still recognized as the most reliable method for home networking, period. In response to growing demand, 68% of homebuilders are offering structured cabling in their new homes, according to a 2004 survey of more than 250 builders conducted by Parks Associates, a digital and home networking research firm based in Dallas. And the majority of them expect electrical contractors to install it.
"As builders start to offer additional technology amenities, it's natural for them to look to the [electrical] contractors that they have been working with — and that are already on the jobsite — to do some of the work for them," says Bill Ablondi, home systems analyst for Parks Associates.
For electrical contractors that choose to participate in the structured cabling market, experts predict big financial gains in the near future. Spurred by the pervasive availability of broadband Internet access, the U.S. structured cabling system market is predicted to grow from $580 million in 2005 to $900 million by 2008, Ablondi says.
Larry Dashiell, whose Santa Rosa, Calif.-based companies, Summit Electric and Summit Electronic Systems, are involved in residential electrical and structured wiring installations, says that electrical contractors can earn 5% to 6% net profit on a structured cabling installation job, as opposed to 2% to 4% on a typical electrical wiring job.
A competitive edge
Many large commercial electrical contractors have been involved in the structured cabling market for years. But for small firms struggling to keep up with the booming housing market while dealing with a major labor shortage, installing structured cabling may feel more like a hassle than a great business opportunity.
Dashiell says that many electrical contractors installing structured cabling in homes today are not prepared and properly trained (see Sidebar at right), mainly because it's not a job opportunity they are purposely pursuing. "They're doing it [installing structured cable] because their builders are telling them they have to, but I definitely don't think they want to," he says. "Then they realize, 'Hey, I can make a little money at this,' and they just kind of throw the wiring in real quick, but they don't ever try to pursue more opportunities in that kind of channel of business."
Electrical contractors that do install structured cabling without a solid knowledge of the process may be putting both the home's network and their own professional reputation at risk. However, refusing to take part in the structured cabling market may not be the best move for an electrical contractor either.
The vast majority of builders believe structured cabling will soon become standard in new homes. When this happens, electrical contractors with structured cabling installation training may have a strong edge over their competitors bidding for new jobs.
Handle with care
There are some important differences between pulling electrical wires and pulling structured cabling that electrical contractors need to be aware of to provide quality work and earn a good reputation in this growing field. One of the biggest differences between electrical wiring and structured cabling is the fragility of the latter. "In the installation of structured cabling, you can easily destroy the performance of the cables if they're not handled right," says home and building systems consultant Ken Wacks.
For example, the maximum pulling tension for low-voltage cable is much less than that used for electrical cables. Each manufacturer has its own standard, but less than 25 pounds is typically recommended. What will happen if more force is used? "One improper tug at a wire, and you can pull out the twist that is so carefully put in by the manufacturer, degrading performance," Wacks says.
It is also important to note that the low-voltage cable, such as fiber optic cable, cannot bend at a 90 angle, so it must form a loop in order to turn in a different direction. The radius of this loop also depends on manufacturer specifications. If there is too sharp of a bend in the cabling, some of the cable fibers could break or kink and also degrade the signal.
There are three major cable types typically bundled together to make up a structured wiring system: Cat. 5e, RG-6, and fiber optic. Cat. 6 is also now available, allowing an even greater data rate than Cat. 5e. These cables are usually installed after all of the electrical wiring is in place. You must install low-voltage cables at least 12 inches away from electrical wires, and run them parallel to one another. They must not be closer than this for more than 6 feet. If electrical wires and low-voltage cables cross, they must do so at a 90° angle.
The entire home's structured cabling runs to and from the low-voltage distribution panel. The distribution panel has cable running to it from demarcation points, where cable television, Internet, and telephone signals enter the home. Each structured cabling bundle starts at the distribution panel and runs directly to its given room and outlet in what is called "star wiring." Typical set-ups call for one structured cable outlet per bedroom, family room, and kitchen.
Keeping up with the competition
Though many builders seem willing to give their structured cabling work to electrical contractors, some are still not sure they will perform at the level of electronic systems contractors, alarm system installers, and even home entertainment installers — all specifically trained in low-voltage installations.
"I think the electrical contractors have a ways to go to prove that they know what they're doing in this area [structured cabling]," says Frank Murawski, market analyst and president of FTM Consulting, Hummelstown, Pa. "Their background and experience is on the electrical side, which is totally different than on the communications side."
Still, many homebuilders like Craig Lawson of Santa Rosa, Calif.-based Pinnacle Builders prefer to use one contractor to install both the electrical and structured wiring. Lawson says having that single point of contact is easier for him logistically and saves him about 10% to 20% on the installation cost.
Beyond competition posed by other cable installers, electrical contractors breaking into the structured cabling market will also be competing with other home networking technologies, such as powerline communication (PLC) and wireless systems. Though these systems may not be as reliable as structured cabling yet, they are generally much cheaper and require little or no professional installation. As these other home networking technologies evolve, the number of builders installing structured cable systems may start to decline.
Despite the obvious competitive challenges, most experts believe electrical contractors can go head to head with their cable installer counterparts — the key is saving builders time and money while providing quality work. "There's a business opportunity here," Wacks says. "But you have to learn how to do it right, or else you're ultimately going to have unhappy customers."
Training Resources
To learn how to install structured cabling correctly, electrical contractors can look to manufacturers and trade organizations, both of which offer training and certification programs. The following list outlines several good resources.
CompTIA (www.comptia.org)
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) certification exam is a cross-industry, vendor-neutral credential. The CompTIA HTI+ certification is based on a set of standards designed to measure the mastery of core competencies regarding the installation, integration, and troubleshooting of the following automated home sub-systems: Home Security, Audio/Video, Computer Networks, Electrical Wiring, HVAC (Heating/Air Conditioning Systems), Cable/Satellite, Broadband, Telecommunications and Structured Wiring.
CEDIA (www.cedia.org/education)
The Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA) offers two levels of professional certification for installers. Level 1 is designed for installers, and Level 2 is designed for supervisors of installers. Certification must be renewed every 36 months. CEDIA also offers a three-day long electronics system electrician residential "boot-camp," which focuses on the fundamentals of cabling.
Consortium for Electronic Systems Technician Training (www.hightechjobs.org)
The Consortium for Electronic Systems Technician Training was formed in February 1998 to find solutions to the labor shortage. The electronic systems contracting companies then partnered with the National Center for Construction Education and Research to offer education and training for electronic systems technicians. The consortium developed a three-level curriculum used in vocational schools and community colleges across the nation.
After receiving the proper training and/or certification, it is important to stay abreast of any changes made in the U.S. standard for residential structured cabling, TIA-570B, which mandates such things as how many outlets are needed, what kind of cables should be used, and how to properly terminate these cables. The NEC also contains some guidelines about structured cabling, found primarily in chapters six through eight.


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2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity, and people all over the world are working to safeguard our irreplaceable natural wealth and reduce biodiversity loss. This is vital for current and future human wellbeing. We need to do more. Now is the time to act.
Biodiversity conservation is central to IUCN's work in Asia. IUCN, its Members, Commissions and Partners spearhead innovative and challenging initiatives such as Mangroves for the Future, the Mekong Region Water Dialogues, the Livelihoods and Landscape Strategy, and the Hindu Kush-Karakoram-Himalaya initiative. IUCN's Red List, a powerful biodiversity monitoring tool, is a global contribution to the region. In addition to the global Red List, a number of Asian countries have developed their own National Red Lists. IUCN is proud to provide continued support to governments on these and other conservation actions.
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Achieving Convention on Biological Diversity targets in Lao PDR
IUCN Lao is working to strengthen the Lao delegation at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP 10 in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010. Drawing on a capacity assessment, participants to the Lao COP 10 delegation will be selected and provided with training and preparation for the international meeting. Lao's past, current and future conservation targets will be identified and analyzed.
Securing tenure for communities in Indonesia
In Indonesia, critical decisions about forest management and oil palm conversions have largely ignored local tenure claims. The IUCN Livelihoods and Landscapes initiative is working with stakeholders to secure appropriate recognition of local forest tenure, implement community managed timber certification with links to markets, and provide a platform for the participation of local stakeholders in planning, regulating and managing provincial land use.
Promoting corporate environmental responsibility in India
IUCN works with Dhamra Port Company Limited to mitigate the impact of port development on the olive ridley turtles of Orissa and to develop an environmental management plan for the port. The partnership promotes much needed positive industry-conservation relationships and has the potential to contribute significantly to environmental standards for new mega-development projects in India and elsewhere.
Enhancing biodiversity in the Juniper forests of Pakistan
To conserve biodiversity and increase the Juniper forest ecosystems contribution to sustainable development, IUCN Pakistan is working to improve the condition of the forests and initiate production activities that promote biodiversity. In addition, opportunities for biodiversity benefits from sustainable tourism, controlled hunting and watershed and ecosystem services are being identified.
Conserving medicinal plants for better health in Bangladesh
In a remote area of south-east of Bangladesh, IUCN Bangladesh is assisting the revival of traditional health practices in ethnic communities. This project is promoting awareness and conservation of medicinal plants among local communities and in turn, creating opportunities for improved livelihoods.
Saving sea turtles in Viet Nam
In Viet Nam, IUCN and partners are working to support the implementation of the Viet Nam Marine Turtle Conservation Action Plan 2010. The programme promotes community-based conservation of marine turtles and their habitat, works to reduce illegal trade in marine turtles, mitigates unsustainable fishing practices, and supports implementation of national, regional and international agreements on sea turtle conservation.
Elephant foster parents in Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, three elephants are killed every week as a result of human-elephant conflict, leaving behind defenseless orphans. To address this, the Department of Wild Life Conservation has launched a novel foster parent scheme, where contributions from donors are used to shelter helpless young elephants in a transit home until they have regained their health and reached an age appropriate to be released into the wild.
Communities in Thailand monitor and manage biodiversity
IUCN supports communities on the north Andaman coast of Thailand to monitor their biodiversity. Through this process, communities have been assessing seagrass ecosystems, rainforests, and freshwater ecosystems. On the island of Thung Nam Dam, the local conservation group has identified about 30 species of orchids. These activities have resulted in local communities developing action plans for conservation of these species.
Ensuring sustainable trade between Asia and Africa
IUCN China is building multistakeholder coalitions linking China and West and Central Africa in support of Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade initiatives. Through this initiative China, as a key consumer of Central and West African forest products, is engaged in discussions about forest governance in Africa to combat the trade of timber and timber products from illegal sources.
The path ahead - 2010 and beyond
It is time to act with more passion and rigor if we are to halt the loss of our world's biodiversity and restore the populations, habitats and ecological cycles that enable ecosystem services to flourish. In October this year, the Convention of Biological Diversity 10th Conference of Parties will take place in Nagoya, Japan. Setting up post 2010 biodiversity conservation targets will be a major area of focus at the conference. IUCN is and will continue to work with Members, Commissions and partners to contribute to the post-2010 framework
IUCN Asia welcomes the International Year of Biodiversity and looks forward to working closely with its Members, Commissions and many partners to conserve life in our communities, landscapes and regions. We particularly look forward the supporting Asia's critical work at the Convention of Biological Diversity in Nagoya and the many events leading up to it.
Contact IUCN Asia at: [email protected]


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It was two weeks ago when a small group of influential Black pastors in Chicago launched a radio and robo-call campaign to oppose Illinois' marriage equality bill. The robo-calls and radio spot feature the voice of Sen. James Meeks—the outspoken anti-gay mega-church pastor and former state senator—who has become the de facto leader of the Black opposition to the bill.
Another coalition of inclusive, Black Chicago-area clergy members announced their support for the marriage bill yesterday, report the Chicago Sun-Times, Tribune and Northwest Herald. The pastors called the bill "a bold step forward for equality."
The Rev. Carlton Pearson, a Pentecostal minister, called the issue a win-win situation and said there are far more black pastors in Chicago who support the bill but are afraid to come forward. "I think no one here is worried about whether there's going to be backlash or not, or we wouldn't be here," [said the Rev. Richard Tolliver, pastor of St. Edmund's Episcopal Church on the South Side] said. "There will be people who are supportive. There will be people who are not supportive. Our hearts are where they are."
The Rev. Phyllis Pennese, the openly gay pastor of two south suburban churches, said she's not worried about pastors opposing the bill: "There are more people behind justice than Rev. Meeks could ever drum up to be against justice regardless of what their faith tradition or what their faith commitment is."
One of the strongest statements in support of equality came from the Rev. L. Bernard Jakes of West Point Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago , who noted that many Black LGBT are "active in the African-American church", reported the Tribune. West Point MBC was once the home of gospel legend Albertina Walker.
"Many of the same-gendered loving couples love Jesus as much as I, and they believe in Scripture with the same fervor by which I believe.Their only legal lot in life is they are prevented from sharing in a life-long legal commitment with their partner — many of double-digit years. This is what makes it a matter of civil rights," he wrote.
The Illinois Senate approved its marriage bill by a 34-21 vote on Valentine's Day. The bill awaits a floor vote in the House. Speaker Michael Madigan has acknowledged that passage will be "very difficult.
Illinois' Black civic and political leadership was firmly behind the landmark 2010 vote on civil unions. Rev. Meeks was the only Black in the General Assembly to vote against that bill. Will the narrative change? Of the 20 members of the Illinois House Black Caucus, "only one of the 14 House co-sponsors is Black," notes the Tribune. Many Black politicians have reportedly said they "fear political repercussions."
Ministers opposed to same-sex marriage have warned legislators who vote for it to never come back to their churches, where politicians traditionally campaign on the final Sundays before an election. "It's a little disheartening," said Democratic state Rep. Will Davis, a Black caucus member who has not made up his mind as he works out whether gay marriage is a moral or public policy issue.
"There are so many large-scale issues important to the Black community, but you've never heard from them," Davis said of the churches opposed to gay marriage. "This doesn't create jobs. It doesn't create opportunities and, for the most part, they are silent on helping African-Americans getting job opportunities in this state. They are silent on the increasing prison population."
"When I saw that the lawmakers were excited about passing legislation about same-sex marriage, it's a slap in the face of the Bible," said Rev. Lance Davis, bishop of New Zion Christian Fellowship Covenant Church in Dolton."I didn't see that kind of enthusiasm about stopping children from killing children in the streets."
A December 2012 Public Policy Poll showed that "60% of African Americans surveyed [in Illinois] supported same-sex marriage," reports Illinois Unites. "A recent Crain's/Ipsos poll shows Illinoisans supporting marriage equality, with 50 percent in favor and only 29 percent opposed."
Illinois would become the second state after Iowa to approve equal marriage in the nation's heartland. Same-sex couples can now legally marry in nine states—Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington—and the District of Columbia.
You May Have Missed ...
Black Clergy Launch Radio Ad Against IL Marriage Bill
Anti-Gay Meeks Withdraws from Chicago Mayor's Race
WATCH: Meeks Explains NO Vote on Civil Unions
Hendon Slams "Down Low Brothas" Who Opposed CUs
Anti-Gay Mayoral Hopeful Rev. Meeks Courts Gay Votes
Anti-Gay Mayoral Hopeful Meeks Clarifies Anti-Gay Past
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn to Fast Track Civil Unions?
Pro-LGBT Davis, Anti-Gay Meeks Launch Bids for Mayor
Black Leaders Reject Anti-Gay Rev. James Meeks
Rev. Meeks Will Consider Gay Rights if He's "Bored"


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Jeffrey J. Cain, MD, FAAFP, Assumes Role of Board Chair
Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013
Megan Moriarty
Public Relations Strategist
American Academy of Family Physicians
(800) 274-2237 Ext. 6052
SAN DIEGO — Jeffrey J. Cain, MD, FAAFP, a family physician in Denver, Colo., today assumes the role of board chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Previously, he served one-year terms as president and president-elect, and three years as a member of the AAFP Board of Directors. Cain was elected to these positions by the Congress of Delegates, the AAFP's governing body. The AAFP represents 110,600 physicians and medical students nationwide.
As board chair of the AAFP, Cain will advocate on behalf of family physicians and patients nationwide to inspire positive change in the U.S. health care system.
In addition to his duties as AAFP board chair, Cain serves as the chief of family medicine at Children's Hospital Colorado. He has been in this role since 2001. He also practices the full scope of family medicine, including obstetrics, at the AF Williams Family Medicine Center in Denver. Additionally, Cain serves as an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Throughout his 25 years of practice and teaching, Cain has been instrumental in creating a unique environment reflecting family medicine's role in providing patient-centered care and a medical home to Colorado residents of all ages.
At the state level, Cain has been an active member of the Colorado Academy of Family Physicians since 1985, where his roles have included president and chair of the board. He currently serves on Colorado's Medical Services Board, which oversees the state's Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus program. In this role, he was influential in passing and implementing legislation defining the medical home in Colorado and improving access for the underserved.
At the national level, Cain has demonstrated his dedication to public health through his co-founding of the Tar Wars tobacco-free education program that has reached more than 8.5 million children in 50 states and 16 countries. What began as an inspiration during his family medicine residency is now one of the AAFP's most respected outreach programs.
Cain was named as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare magazine in 2013. He is a former member of the national board of directors of the Amputee Coalition, where he also served as chair of its Advocacy Committee and as a member of its Medical Advisory Board. His leadership and advocacy efforts with the Coalition have resulted in passage of prosthetic fairness laws in 22 states as well as introduction of bipartisan federal prosthetic insurance legislation. An amputee himself, Cain has competed and taught nationally in adaptive sports. He holds the first gold medal in adaptive slalom snowboarding from the US National Snowboarding Championships and introduced a new adaptive ski device — the ski-bike — to North America.
Cain graduated magna cum laude from Willamette University in Salem, Ore., with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and chemistry. He earned his medical degree from the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, Ore., and completed his family medicine residency at the Mercy Family Medicine Residency program in Denver, Colo., where he was chief resident.
Cain is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. He also has the AAFP Degree of Fellow, an earned degree awarded to family physicians for distinguished service and continuing medical education.
# # #
Founded in 1947, the American Academy of Family Physicians represents 134,600 physicians and medical students nationwide, and it is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.
Family physicians conduct approximately one in five of the total medical office visits in the United States per year – more than any other specialty. Family physicians provide comprehensive, evidence-based, and cost-effective care dedicated to improving the health of patients, families and communities. Family medicine's cornerstone is an ongoing and personal patient-physician relationship where the family physician serves as the hub of each patient's integrated care team. More Americans depend on family physicians than on any other medical specialty.
To learn more about the AAFP and family medicine, visit www.aafp.org/media. Follow us on Twitter,(twitter.com) and like us on Facebook. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, visit the AAFP's award-winning consumer website, www.familydoctor.org(familydoctor.org).
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text: KINGSTON -- Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said on Thursday that he'll decide after the November elections whether to run for governor. But addressing Ulster County Republicans at their annual dinner later in the evening, he drew plenty of contrasts between himself and Democratic Gov. David Paterson. Speaking at the Hillside Manor, Giuliani told county Republicans the party should stand for "fiscal discipline" and "a strong national defense" above all and not "frighten people away with extreme stands on other issues." More broadly, Giuliani, citing the problems facing the financial sector and housing market, said the nation's economic woes are the result of overspending. "People are spending money they don't have at the lowest and highest levels of society," he said. Taking aim at Paterson, Giuliani said that in the current fiscal climate, increasing state spending more than 9 percent this year was "totally irresponsible." In a brief question-and-answer session with reporters prior to his address, Giuliani said there's a difference between talking about making cuts and actually making them. He said Paterson has not done his job as a chief executive in controlling state budget growth. A short-lived 2008 Republican presidential candidate, Giuliani said controlling spending requires making politically unpopular cuts. "No one wants to offend the special interests," he said. When he took over as mayor of New York City, Giuliani said, he faced a $2.4 billion deficit and 11 percent unemployment. But instead of raising revenues with new taxes and fees, he said, he cut spending, which, in the long run, allowed him to lower taxes and raise extra revenue through income tax receipts -- even after cutting the sales tax. Giuliani said he was picketed every day for making those cuts. He acknowleged he even "cut things that quite frankly shouldn't have been cut," but he said he knew the cost of government had to be lowered. Constantly spending more, he said, creates a cycle in which more money has to be raised in taxes, leading people and businesses to leave, and requiring taxes to be raised again. Giuliani said the state's chief executive cannot count on the state Legislature to make cuts. As mayor, he said, despite the fact that his department commissioners were the reason for his success, none of them ever approached him to ask for his or her budget to be cut. Earlier Thursday evening, Republican James Quigley, who is running for town of Ulster supervisor against incumbent Democrat Nick Woerner and ran an unsuccessful campaign for Ulster County comptroller last year, said the packed house waiting to hear Giuliani showed the county Republican Party is not dead. State Sen. John Bonacic, R-Mount Hope, said Giuliani's presence "energizes the party" and that party members will bring that enthusiasm to county and town elections. Bonacic attributed Giuliani's popularity to his "heroic acts post 9/11" and described him, as other have, as "the mayor of America." Former Ulster County District Attorney Donald A. Williams, who is running against Democratic incumbent Deborah Schneer for the Ulster County Court judgeship, called Thursday "an exciting night" for the local GOP and said he "has great respect" for Giuliani. Williams added, though, that he could not say anything about Giuliani as a potential political candidate, noting county Democrats have filed a complaint against him with New York State Office of Court Administration and the State Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics for comments he made about Republican County Clerk Nina Postupack, who is seeking a second four-year term.


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These are the five we included in our poll on Sunday. As of this writing, Roseanne Barr's version is the "worst anthem" clubhouse leader by a substantial margin (she has nearly 50 percent of the vote, with Carl Lewis checking in at 28). Facebook users can vote here.
Steven Tyler (2012):
Roseanne Barr (1990):
Carl Lewis (1993):
Michael Bolton (2003):
Christina Aguilera (2011):


text: A few moments with Jackie Mason Posted on February 5, 2012 by RichStevens Three quick clips of the great Jackie Mason… And another… and the last one… Get on The Official Rich List! ... it's FREE! I promise not to send you junk, only the good stuff and it's only available if you are on the list! ..................................... Get Rich, Weekday Mornings 9a-Noon Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. If you're new here, how about taking a second to LIKE me on Facebook. Rich Stevens on Facebook. Oh and I love when you leave comments and share my posts with your friends too...Thanks for visiting!


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CAIRO, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood called for a mass demonstration in Cairo on Tuesday to show support for President Mohamed Mursi, who is facing a storm of protest for issuing a decree that expanded his powers.
In a statement published on its website, the Brotherhood also called for shows of support in public squares across Egypt after early evening prayers on Sunday to show support for Mursi's decisions.
Parties opposed to the decree have also called for a protest on Tuesday in Cairo, though in a different square from the one where the Brotherhood called on its supporters to gather.


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Super-Slim ThinkPad Sneak Peek
Only a month or so after Apple announced its MacBook Air laptop, which it calls the world's thinnest laptop, Lenovo is about to spring its own super-skinny machine: the ThinkPad X300. Here's a sneak peek. My full review will appear after I have fully tested this unusual new laptop, which I expect to be of great interest to road warriors.
Like the MacBook Air, this is a rare small laptop that is built around a full 13-inch-wide screen display and a full keyboard, rather than the little screens and cramped keyboards common in subnotebooks. And, like the Air, it offers a fast, rugged solid-state drive instead of a hard disk.
But, unlike the Apple, Lenovo's new skinny ThinkPad comes with a hefty complement of ports and features, some of the very things critics complained Apple left out. It has a built-in DVD drive, removable battery, three USB ports, and a wired Ethernet networking jack. Inside, in addition to Wi-Fi, it can be ordered with a built-in cellphone modem and even GPS. It comes with either Windows Vista or Windows XP.
Sporting the traditional ThinkPad black slab design, the X300 isn't as skinny or sexy as the Apple, but it's still very slender and attractive, at under an inch thick. Also, unlike the Apple, most of the ThinkPad's configurations are a bit heavier than the 3-pound weight that traditionally denotes a subnotebook. But it still feels very light to carry around, at 3.12 pounds with the standard battery and DVD drive.
The biggest downsides to the new ThinkPad X300 are price and limited storage capacity. Unlike the Apple, which can be ordered with a higher-capacity, lower-priced hard disk, the new ThinkPad will only be available with the expensive, limited capacity solid-state drive. So it will start at between $2,500 and $2,800–up to $1,000 more than the Apple's base price–and will be limited to a paltry 64 gigabytes of storage.


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The body of former Syrian Prime Minister Mahmoud al-Zu'bi who committed suicide as he awaited trial on charges of corruption was transferred Monday to his hometown for burial, the day after he died.
Zu'bi's body was taken from Muasat Hospital in Damascus by ambulance to Khirbit Ghazaleh, in Deraa province near the border with Jordan, for burial, an AFP correspondent saw.
His two sons, Muflah and Humam, as well as several relatives accompanied the former prime minister to his last resting place.
"We will bury him today (Monday) after prayers are said at the village mosque," a relative of the deceased man told AFP.
Political sources told Reuters that Zu'bi's sons, who were also accused of taking advantage of their father's position to amass considerable wealth, were under protective arrest.
"They are mainly being protected against doing any harm to themselves," one source said.
The investigation against Zu'bi came as part of an increased campaign against corruption that is expected to cover several ministers and other senior officials.
A spokesman for the justice ministry said on Sunday that former transport minister Mufeed abdul-karim was also arrested on Sunday, said Reuters.
Zu'bi, 65, shot himself in the head Sunday in his home in Dummar, a residential area of Damascus where he was under house arrest and awaiting trial, two weeks after he was sacked from Syria's ruling Baath Party on charges of corruption, hospital sources in Damascus told AFP.
One source quoted witnesses as saying Zu'bi fired twice in the air before turning the gun on himself, after police arrived to seize his possessions on orders from the ministry of finance.
A Syrian interior ministry spokesman confirmed the death late on Sunday.
On May 10 the Baath Party expelled Zu'bi and announced he would be put on trial for corruption after finding "irregularities and abuses" in his administration during his time as prime minister.
Zu'bi, who served as prime minister from 1987 until two months ago, was replaced March 13 by Mohammed Mustafa Miro, who has pledged to "modernize the administration." – (Several Sources)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)


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Have you read the Similar Threads below?
Student or Learner
Which one is correct?
- we can meet at anytime
- we can meet anytime
- we can meet at any time
Thank you
************************************************** *********
The above thread were closed and only 2 and 3 were commented as correct.
1. Does it mean the usage of at anytime is totally wrong in English or it's only inapproriate in the above sentence?
2. What are the differences between anytime and at any time at the above situation?
Thank you.
Have you read the Similar Threads below?
Hi Rover,
I did read the following links regarding my questions and it did my questions anytime is the same as at any time. But I still don't understand anytime.
Please help.
Thank you


text: Find this wine Find this wine Gunderloch Jean Baptiste Riesling Kabinett 2002 2002 Gunderlach Jean Baptiste Riesling. Beautiful aged wine from a gr8 vintage Pin It Tweet 7 years ago by Ron Edwards MS More posts Gunderloch Jean Baptiste Riesling Kabinett 2010 Crisp, electric inviting Reisling. Lime zest, green apple skin, minerals 6 years ago by Ron Edwards MS Gunderloch Riesling Kabinett 2008 2008 Riesling Kabinett from Gunderloch Jean-Baptiste. Dry and a little sweet. Legal Seafood. 8 years ago by Kabachinski


text: San Marino Homes Lake Mission Viejo 1 by Jackie GibbinsApril 26, 2016April 26, 2016 San Marino Custom Homes Lake Mission Viejo Written by Jackie Gibbins I live and work in Mission Viejo as a Real Estate Agent. Born in Santa Monica, CA and grew up in Westminster and Huntington Beach. Middle child of five and mother to two awesome sons, now grown. An artist, nature lover, observer, geek and people person, I love the area, love what I do and enjoy sharing any info and insights so others can find their dream as well.


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A more relaxed and simple flowing class that focuses on strength, length and alignment. Modifications for all levels offered as we focus on calming, restoring and balancing the body and mind. Suitable for all levels.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: 26 JanuaryYOGA - Vinyasa - 75 mins
Later Event: 28 JanuaryYOGA - Gentle Flow - 75 mins


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Moderate refugee return from Pakistan expected in 2018
Moderate refugee return from Pakistan expected in 2018
PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): The return of Afghan refugees to their homeland is expected to remain modest next year, says the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
But despite the slow pace of return, the UN refugee agency said it could not reduce the impact that the 2018 general elections in Pakistan might have on Afghan refugees.
In a statement, UNHCR said the refugee-affected and hosting areas (RAHA) programme will continue to support host communities and promote peaceful coexistence.
A multi-year regional framework, SSAR seeks solutions for Afghan refugees living in a protracted situation. It offers a comprehensive and integrated framework for joint interventions aimed at facilitating voluntary repatriation and sustainable reintegration.
More than 1.3 million registered Afghan refugees living in Pakistan. The number of refugees returning from the country declined from 370,000 in 2016 to around 50,000 in the first three quarters of 2017.
In Pakistan, the UNHCR expects to disengage from its protection cluster responsibilities in relation to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 2018, after building the capacity of the authorities.
The protracted Afghan refugee situations in Iran and Pakistan need long-term solutions, with a focus on the creation of conditions conducive to voluntary repatriation to Afghanistan and support for refugee-hosting communities.
In mid-2017, a delegation of 160 Afghan refugees travelled from Pakistan to Afghanistan to advocate for measures to be taken to ensure return is sustainable, including in relation to land, employment, shelter, health and education.
In 2018, data from the UNHCR's protection-based monitoring in Afghanistan will continue to help address protection issues in the country, support the transition between humanitarian assistance and development work, and inform government-led reintegration activities.
Related Article
Download "Pajhwok" mobile App, on your smartphone to read and access latest news, features, interviews, videos and photos about Afghanistan.


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Ron Paul
March 18, 2011
Mr. Speaker: I rise to introduce a resolution expressing the sense of the Congress that the President is required to obtain in advance specific statutory authorization for the use of United States Armed Forces in response to civil unrest in Libya. As many in the administration, Congress, and elsewhere clamor for the president to initiate military action to support those seeking to overthrow the Libyan regime, Congress sits by, as usual, pretending that Article I, Section 8 of the US Constitution does not exist. According to this long-ignored section, ��The Congress shall have Power To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water.�
This is black letter law, not some aspirational statement by our Founders. Their intent was indisputably clear: Congress alone, not the Executive Branch, has the authority and the obligation to declare war if hostilities are to be initiated against a foreign state that has not attacked the United States.
Let us be clear about one thing: for the US to take action to establish a "no fly� zone over all or part of Libya would constitute an act of war against Libya. For the US to establish any kind of military presence on the sovereign territory, waters, or over the airspace of Libya is to engage in a hostile action that requires Congressional authorization.
Whatever we may think about the Gaddafi regime, we must recognize that this is a coup d'etat in a foreign country. What moral right do we have to initiate military action against Libya? Libya has not attacked the United States. Neither the coup leaders nor the regime pose an imminent threat to the United States and therefore, as much as we abhor violence and loss of life, this is simply none of our business.
I would remind my colleagues that we have been here before. In the 1990s we established "no fly� zones and all manner of sanctions against Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq in attempt to force him from power. When that did not work � at a high cost in Iraqi lives � the US ultimately went to war to achieve these ends. The costs of this war, I do not need to remind my colleagues, was much higher even, in US military lives, in Iraqi civilian lives, in our diminished moral standing in the world, in our economy. Yet none of us seem able to learn from an enormous mistake made only a few years ago. Once again a bad man is doing bad things thousands of miles away and once again irresponsible voices are demanding that the US "do something� about it. Will we ever learn? We continue to act as the policemen of the world at our own peril, and as we continue we only accelerate our economic collapse.
Let the supporters of yet another war in the Middle East come forth to make their case for a US attack against Libya. I will strongly oppose such a move, but it should be very clear that if a war against Libya is to be initiated it must be declared by the proper Constitutional authority: the US Congress.


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IPHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE is for the picture-taker, the picture-lover, the Instagramer, the Flickr fan, the dedicated aficionado—beginning or advanced—who who wants to learn more, take more, app more, see more, make better, and share more pictures as a part of the digital phenomenon of that has conquered the globe. iPhone photography, iPhoneography, mobile photography, whatever you wish to call it!
Beautiful regional and city galleries from around the world, video interviews, audio to delight and educate, detailed tutorials, expert gear reviews, an advice column, the best of Instagram galleries in every issue. Add to this the always amazing art selection and curation, along with informative articles, at times off-beat and funny, always geared to enriching your life as both a maker and lover of great pictures, and you have the most exciting photography, art, and lifestyle magazine.
Free issue!
iPhotographer Magazine is available on the Apple Newsstand for both iPhone and iPad!
Don't forget there is a SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION OFFER
$3,99 per issue, $19,95 per year, in six bimonthly issues.
Don't forget the first iPM Cover Contest for the July issue
The theme for the cover contest for our July Issue is …
Water, Summertime Beaches, Pools, Rivers, and Lakes
Great prizes and low low low entry fee, the way contests should be!
iPhotographer Magazine is for anybody who loves taking pictures with a phone, anybody who loves beautiful pictures and is interested in the people making them, anybody who is interested in the cutting-edge technology of photography, and anybody who is interested in cultural movements, societal trends, their genesis, evolution, and flow, and what they signify for our common human experience! Alright, a little deep there, but we are serious students of it all, as well, underneath all the fun.
Please download iPhotographer Magazine and subscribe and please tell your friends about it!
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text: DC Don't assume that she's "gone" for good. She may have flown into the hive. I have heard of this happening with others also. The chance (from what Michael Bush has said) is about 50/50 that she'll fly back. He leaves the hive open and allows them to fan for about 20 minutes or so.


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November 18, 2014 | 0 comments
November 18, 2014 | 0 comments
Surviving Fibromyalgia, Bipolar Disorder & Poor Gut Health
Discovery Tours of Paris by Corey Frye
You decide who wins the Golden Halo
Finding Beauty and Laughter Everywhere
A place to share insight and information about the many forms of writer's resistance (writer's block, procrastination, distractions, looking for answers in the fridge, keeping yourself too busy to write, etc.) so you can stop resisting and start really enjoying your writing.
A daily selection of the best content published on WordPress, collected for you by humans who love to read.
what else is there to live for?
Listen to your inner self..it has all the answers..
Where God is Real, Love Abounds, and Life is Lived Out Loud!
A little writing, travel, photos and lots of fun with a wandering spoonie
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pretty, sick. chick.
A journey through the seasons with two adopted whippets, a poet and a camera
On becoming extraordinary
We are here to inform and inspire.
An Archive of Curious Facts for the Curious
On becoming extraordinary


text: Dorothy Leigh Sayers (Oxford, 13 June 1893–Witham, 17 December 1957) was a renowned British author, translator and Christian humanist. She was also a student of classical and modern languages. She is best known for her mysteries, a series of novels and short stories set between World War I and World War II that feature English aristocrat and amateur sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey. However, Sayers herself… (more)


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Another day, another update to the website. Here's what's new:
<Ctrl><Alt><Bkspc>'s new sidebar
Website: http://www.markkb.com/stuff/cab/
When I updated the sidebar for my website last spring, one section that didn't get the treatment was my webcomic, <Ctrl><Alt><Bkspc>. Part of that was because I was having trouble configuring it so it looked reasonably OK, and I didn't want to hold up the update for all the other pages.
A few months later, and it's here! Every page contains handy links to the RSS feed, my Twitter account, and the comic's Facebook page, and the front page contains links to various voting portals (because TopWebComics isn't the only one out there.)
(Oh, and <Ctrl><Alt><Bkspc> now has a Facebook page!)
There's a few more things in the pipe for <Ctrl><Alt><Bkspc> (including actual comics :p ), so hang tight!
Bug Reports layout update
Website: http://www.markkb.com/stuff/bugs/
Let's face it, the various pages in the Bug Reports section were looking pretty terrible and bland. So with some generous tabling (what, it's tabular data!) and a sprinkle of CSS (see below), the pages are certainly looking a lot better than before.
24 new bug reports submitted
I've just submitted twenty-four new bug reports into the system, and updated information for two more. Why would I voluntarily do this, you may ask?
- Transparency: I want to keep people who use my products in the loop, and to let them know that yes, I know about these problems, and yes, I'm fixing them.
- Encouragement: I hope that by submitting bug reports myself, I can encourage others to do the same. I want to know about your problems with the product, so I can fix them – but I can't do that if you don't tell me!
Tables style update
Tables now look a heck of a lot better, with borders, blue headers to match the headings on the rest of the site, and a whole lot more padding than before.
New RSS icon
The old one was in pretty dire need of a makeover, so there's now a new icon to take its' place.
Over the next few weeks I plan to do more (and potentially bigger) updates. I'll let you know when that happens.
Updated 14/07/2013 to fix broken links.


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The Natural Affinity of Law and Accounting
by JOHN W. QUEENAN Partner, Executive Office
Presented before Joint Meeting of the Oregon Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Multnomah County Bar Association, Portland, Oregon—April 1962
COÖPERATION, TEAMWORK, AND NEGOTIATION are the methods by which our society has been able to achieve rapid scientific, social, political, and economic advancement. The professions of law and accounting are demonstrating that they, too, have adopted such measures in order to render improved services to their clients and to the public in general.
I have had an unusual opportunity to study the relations between our two professions. As co-chairman of the National Conference of Lawyers and Certified Public Accountants I have had the privilege of working closely with distinguished members of the American Bar, such as Judge William J. Jameson, a past president of the American Bar Association, and Dean Erwin N. Griswold of the Harvard Law School, both of whom have served as my fellow conference co-chairmen.
We have had many long talks about how lawyers and CPAs can work together for the great advantage of their common clients. I am convinced that no two professions have a greater natural affinity than these two. I also am convinced that no professions have a greater opportunity for growth and useful service in the expanding U. S. economy, and I believe that their growth and opportunities will be the greater if they work closely together than if they do not.
Accounting is essentially the measurement and communication of financial and other economic data. But the financial and economic data that have to be measured and communicated are largely determined
by legal processes. They include titles to property, contracts, and rights and obligations of all sorts that are determined by the law.
CPAs accept these legal determinations. This is where they start. If there is any question about the validity of a legal instrument, or a legal structure, the CPA will not attempt to resolve it. He will require an opinion of competent legal counsel on the basic questions before attempting to determine how the economic right or obligation should be treated from the accounting point of view. Consequently, CPAs are constantly raising questions with their clients that require consultation
with, and advice of, lawyers.


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Existing to arouse torture-happy conservatives, 24 is going green to stop damaging the world the show is trying to protect. This could be a new plot twist: Jack Bauer realizes the global terrorist is himself.
Fox hired a group of consultants to measure how much carbon-dioxide is released from the production of the television show, including the spectacular car chases and crashes, so they can buy offsets. They're also using B20 biodiesel fuel in trucks and generators and paying more for wind and solar power. How much does 12 hours of 24 release? Approximately 1,291 tons of carbon-dioxide.
Though the message won't be a large part of the actual show, we like the idea of Jack Bauer torturing someone in an environmentally friendly way like, maybe, making someone listen to the An Inconvenient Truth soundtrack repeatedly.
[Photo: Fox, via NYTimes]


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Dating discreet online site web
11-Feb-2015 16:46
With the use of modern technology, people can date via telephone or computer or meet in person.
This term may also refer to two or more people who have already decided they share romantic and/or sexual feelings toward each other.
These people will have dates on a regular basis, and they may or may not be having sexual relations.
This period of courtship is sometimes seen as a precursor to engagement or marriage.
Neurobiologist Robert Sapolsky constructed a reproductive spectrum with opposite poles being tournament species, in which males compete fiercely for reproductive privileges with females, and pair bond arrangements, in which a male and female will bond for life.
These species-particular behavior patterns provide a context for aspects of human reproduction, including dating.
Dating is a stage of romantic and/or sexual relationships in humans whereby two or more people meet socially, possibly as friends or with the aim of each assessing the other's suitability as a partner in a more committed intimate relationship or marriage.
The protocols and practices of dating, and the terms used to describe it, vary considerably from country to country and over time.
While the term has several meanings, the most frequent usage refers to two or more people exploring whether they are romantically and/or sexually compatible by participating in dates with the other.
Dating as an institution is a relatively recent phenomenon which has mainly emerged in the last few centuries.
From the standpoint of anthropology and sociology, dating is linked with other institutions such as marriage and the family which have also been changing rapidly and which have been subject to many forces, including advances in technology and medicine.
As humans have evolved from hunter-gatherers into civilized societies and more recently into modern societies, there have been substantial changes in the relationship between men and women, with perhaps one of a few remaining biological constants being that both adult women and men must have sexual intercourse for human procreation to happen.Humans have been compared to other species in terms of sexual behavior.


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Events Calendar
First Friday Lecture: Bridges Across Generations
Two professors at St. John Fisher College, Dr. Marta Rodríguez-Galán and Dr. Jonathan Millen, will offer a look at their "Bridges Across Generations" project as a part of the First Friday Lecture.
Date: May 3, 2019 - May 3, 2019
Time: 10 a.m. lecture (9 a.m. Mass and breakfast)
Location: Cleary Family Auditorium, Kearney Hall
Office of Institutional Advancement
The aim of the project, funded through a grant from the Council of Independent Colleges and the AARP, is to expand and integrate two pre-existing intergenerational outreach programs that serve the needs of older adults: the Elder Experiences Project (sociology) and the Longevity Games (biology).
With grant funds, the programs are integrated into a two-semester program and offered to approximately 50 seniors residing within the low-income EMMA-Beechwood neighborhood in Rochester, New York.
The Elder Experiences Project, which emerged from a gerontology service-learning course taught by Rodríguez-Galán, involves pairing Fisher students with seniors so that they can interview them and record their life history. The Longevity Games, developed by Millen, draws from theories in the science of aging to promote healthy aging. Fisher students enrolled in Millen's Science of Aging course partner with seniors to track physical and cognitive biomarker data to create and implement an individualized plan for improving health outcomes.
Both the Elder Experiences Project and the Longevity Games serve seniors who regularly attend programming offered at the Community Place of Greater Rochester located in EMMA-Beechwood, as well as seniors from a pre-existing service-learning partnership with Valley Manor (Episcopal Senior Life).
The Elder Experiences project took place during the fall 2018 semester and led into the Longevity Games in spring 2019, allowing the two programs to complement one another and create a stronger impact on the individuals being served.
The First Friday Lecture Series, sponsored by the 1948 Society, is designed for individuals who are interested in hearing learned perspectives on a variety of topics from members of the St. John Fisher College and greater Rochester community. Parking is available in Lot A or in Lot S (shuttle service will be provided to and from the Mass and lecture locations).
Optional Mass at 9 a.m. in the Hermance Family Chapel of St. Basil the Great, followed by breakfast treats in Cleary Family Auditorium in Kearney Hall


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The Hangover Part III
Item #: IB40015
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(16 Total)
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Getting , please wait.
|This time, there's no wedding. No bachelor party. What could go wrong, right? But when the Wolfpack hits the road, all bets are off.
|Directed by:
|Todd Phillips
|Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong, John Goodman, Melissa McCarthy, Jeffrey Tambor, Heather Graham, Mike Epps, Sasha Barrese, Jamie Chung, Sondra Currie


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Indy is on a Roll.
See everything that makes Indianapolis great on a Segway® Personal Transporter (PT) …the most fun you can have on two wheels! Glide almost soundlessly through beautiful Indy scenery over varying terrain—and gain real world knowledge and insights into the architecture, history, and iconic sites that make our great city one that people love to visit time and time again. It's a fun experience that few forget. Come glide with us!


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PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a former suburban Philadelphia teacher fired two years ago over a blog in which she called students 'disengaged, lazy whiners.'
Teacher Natalie Munroe had accused the Central Bucks School District and some administrators of violating her free-speech rights by 'harassing and retaliating against her' over the blog.
The Bucks County Courier Times (http://bit.ly/1rHcEQN) reports that U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe on Friday granted the defendants' motion to dismiss the suit.
The judge ruled that Munroe's blog posts didn't provide enough value to the debate over educational reform to outweigh the district's right to maintain an 'efficient' educational environment.
Munroe's attorney, Steve Rovner, said his client disagreed with the ruling and they would appeal to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Information from: Bucks County Courier Times, http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com


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Evidence-Based Respiratory Medicine, with CD-ROM
Evidence-Based Respiratory Medicine, with CD-ROM
ISBN: 978-0-470-98737-7 October 2007 BMJ Books 608 Pages
Download Product Flyer
- First major evidence-based text in adult respiratory medicine
- Comprehensive, authoritative summary of the best treatments for the major respiratory diseases
- Compiled by specialists from the Cochrane Airways Management Group
- Easy-to-use format, with key clinical implications summarised in each chapter
- Kept up-to-date online
Compiled by specialists from the Cochrane Collaboration Airways Management Group, Evidence-based Respiratory Medicine is the first major evidence-based text in adult respiratory medicine.
Providing a comprehensive summary of the best treatments for the most important respiratory diseases, some of the world's leading physicians review the evidence for a broad range of treatments using evidence-based principles. Essential information is presented in an easy-to-understand format, with the most important clinical implications summarised in each chapter.
Evidence-based Respiratory Medicine tackles the big clinical questions in diagnosis and treatment, presenting treatment options which take into account the individual patient's needs.
Evidence-Based Series: Evidence-based Respiratory Medicine, part of the acclaimed series BMJ Evidence-based medicine textbooks that have revolutionised clinical medicine literature, comes with a fully searchable CD-ROM of the whole text.
Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.
Table of contents
Acknowledgement to Cochrane Library.
1 Practising evidence-based respiratory medicine.
1.1 Introduction.
1.2 Diagnostic strategies.
1.2.1 Presenting symptoms.
1.2.2 Lung function testing.
1.2.3 Chest radiographic and CT patterns.
1.2.4 Diagnostic strategies in pulmonary embolism: an evidence-based approach.
1.2.5 Screening for lung cancer.
1.3 Therapeutics: general issues.
1.3.1 Adherence and self-management.
1.3.2 Corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis.
1.3.3 Helping people to stop smoking.
2 Asthma.
2.1 Acute exacerbations.
2.2 Chronic therapy: beta-agonists – short-acting, long-acting beta2-agonists.
2.3 Inhaled corticosteroids in the treatment of asthma.
2.4 Anti-leukotrienes.
2.5 Asthma education.
.2.6 Non-pharmacological and complementary interventions to manage asthma.
2.7 Difficult asthma.
2.8 Novel therapies in asthma: long-acting beta2-agonists/inhaled corticosteroids.
3 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
3.1 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – acute exacerbations.
3.2 Anticholinergic bronchodilators in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease therapy.
3.3 Inhaled corticosteroids in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
3.4 Combination of inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta2-agonists in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
3.5 Systemic corticosteroids in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
3.6 Lung volume reduction.
4 Infection.
4.1 Bronchitis and sinusitis.
4.2 Community-acquired pneumonia.
4.3 Pulmonary tuberculosis.
4.4 Influenza: vaccination and treatment.
4.5 Bronchiectasis.
4.6 Adult cystic fibrosis.
4.7 Antibiotics in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis.
5 Respiratory failure/sleep disordered breathing.
5.1 Respiratory rehabilitation.
5.2 Non-invasive ventilation in acute respiratory failure.
5.3 Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation in stable patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. What is the evidence?
5.4 The treatment of the obstructive sleep apnoea–hypopnoea syndrome.
5.5 Long-term oxygen therapy for chronic respiratory failure in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
6 Diffuse lung disease / pleural disease / thromboembolism.
6.1 Diffuse lung disease.
6.1.1 The treatment of cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis.
6.1.2 Evidence-based approach to treatment of sarcoidosis.
6.1.3 Hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
6.2 Pleural disease.
6.3 Therapy of pulmonary thromboembolism: an evidence-based approach.
6.4 Pulmonary hypertension.
- First major evidence-based text in adult respiratory medicine
- Comprehensive, authoritative summary of the best treatments for the major respiratory diseases
- Compiled by specialists from the Cochrane Airways Management Group
- Easy-to-use format, with key clinical implications summarised in each chapter
- Kept up-to-date online at: www.evidbasedrespiratorymed.com


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California Police Look for Rogue Ex-Cop Suspected in Double Murder
An ex-cop with a stockpile of weaponry is being sought by police in Los Angeles after being implicated in a double murder in Irvine, and the police searching for him seem to have pretty itchy trigger fingers of their own. I'm staying inside today.
Los Angeles (CNN) — A former Los Angeles cop who allegedly warned he would target law enforcement in retribution for being fired is now suspected of shooting three officers early Thursday, killing one, authorities said.
The shootings — which come a day after Irvine, California, police named Christopher Jordan Dorner as the suspect in a double slaying there Sunday — sparked a huge manhunt in Southern California.
It also left officers extremely jittery. According to a senior law enforcement source, two people were wounded when officers in Torrance, California, opened fire on a blue pickup truck after it pulled up in front of a house where they were guarding a fellow officer Dorner had allegedly named as a target.
The truck — which turned out to be a newspaper delivery vehicle — resembled the truck Dorner is believed to be driving, the source said. Police also shot at another blue pickup in that city, but no one was injured in that incident, the source said.
The right wing blogosphere immediately leaped into action on this news, desperately trying to blame this rogue cop's violent actions on "liberals." I won't link to these morons; you can easily find them raving in unison all over the wingnut blogs this morning.


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People take courses online for all sorts of things--and now, cake is one of the subjects! My Cake School is an online cake decorating school with all sorts of tutorials, message boards, and other goodies (and a new CakeSpy sponsor). Now, without knowing too much detail, I'd go so far as to say that this schooling is far funner (and more delicious) than, say, required Math credits! But how does it all work? I got in touch with owner Melissa Diamond to find out. Here's the interview:
CakeSpy Note: Melissa has also kindly offered a free 1-year membership to My Cake School to one lucky reader! Find the details at the end of the post.
CakeSpy: First things first. Who exactly are you, Melissa Diamond? And what is your relationship with cake?
Melissa Diamond: I am a wife and a mom -- and I LOVE cake decorating. I started a home-based cake decorating business years ago so that I could work from home--- now, I love to teach! Cake decorating is so much fun-- anyone can learn!
CS: OK. Now that we've figured that out...what exactly is My Cake School?
MD: MyCakeSchool.com is my new cake decorating website. I have a cake Blog that is open to everyone, and then other parts of the site that are for members. Membership is $30 for a year-- With this, you can access my cake decorating video tutorials (over 100 so far). There are Message Boards available for members to share their experiences, ask questions, and request videos!
CS: What are some of the advantages of an online cake school versus taking a course in a physical classroom or kitchen?
MD: I think that both have their advantages---but what I like the most about MyCakeSchool is that you are able to see a close-up view of the skill being demonstrated as many times as you like. Videos are permanently posted and available 24 hours a day--so, there are never any scheduling conflicts! Finally, it is so much more affordable! $30 may buy a 4 class course in decorating.....or a cake decorating dvd-- but with my site, you have access for a year to sooo many more videos--there is always something new to see!
CS: What is your first cake memory?
MD: Hmmmm.. I think that it was my 5th birthday-- My mom made me a cute cake with clowns on top----the giant swirls of buttercream with the plastic clown heads!! Do you know the ones? They still sell them!
CS: As a professional cake decorator, what are your thoughts on cupcakes?
MD: I love cupcakes! My favorite kind are just very simply decorated with a big swirl and a cute little topper or sprinkles! Or maybe the ones injected with cream.... or dipped in ganache.....
CS: Please, tell me something that people might not know about you.
MD: I love decorating to LOUD music! I can't do this in my videos though!
CS: What cookbook could you simply not live without?
MD: BakeWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking by Shirley Corriher. Such a great book--she gives you the science behind baking.
CS: Morbid curiosity time: if you could envision your last meal, what would you have for dessert?
MD: This is so hard! I'm going with banana pudding!
But wait, there's more! You can experience the magic for yourself at MyCakeSchool.com. And one lucky winner will win a year-long subscription for free! How do you put yourself in the running? Simply leave a comment on this post saying what cookbook you simply could not live without! One winner will be chosen at random--the giveaway will close on Friday, July 31 at 12 pm PST. The winner will be announced shortly after!
UPDATE: THE WINNER! We have a winner, friends, and it is Judy R., who says "My favorite cookbook is Confetti Cakes for Kids. Also the cake decorating blogs online". Congratulations, Judy!


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Please select your location for the most relevant information on products, pricing, promotions and local events:
Baby Bottles
These rounded teats are designed for the Beaba Biboz bottles and are suitable for sterilisation.
- 2nd stage variable flow
When it was founded in 1989, BEABA immediately delighted mothers who were looking for quality, easy of use, and genuinely innovative products, and all of that with contemporary lines.
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BEABA has shown that it is an expert in innovative concepts, with consistently original designs, ergonomic shapes, and colours which brighten or soften spaces.
A BEABA solution for every problem, mothers love them because, at last, they are understood.
We ship to the Middle East and offer free delivery in Dubai on and above 150 AED.


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We're into the sixth week here, and have just three more shows before heading home, starting tonight in Valladolid, Spain; then Friday in Cascais, Portugal (just outside of Lisbon); finally wrapping it up in Albufeira, Portugal. It's been a hell of a journey and we're all looking forward to that flight home.
I've been uploading a few more large galleries on the near-reasonable internet connection here in Valladolid, so again here's a sample shot from each show, and just click the image to open the full gallery. And as always, the up-to-date galleries are on seal.com