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name | Macbeth |
image | |
image_caption | Cover of Updated Edition |
author | William Shakespeare |
country | England |
language | English |
genre | Tragedy |
publisher | Folger Shakespeare Library |
release_date | 1606 |
media_type | play |
pages | 249 |
isbn | 0743477103 |
The play opens with Macbeth and Banquo, two of the Scottish King Duncan's generals, returning from battle when they encounter three witches in the woods. The witches tell Macbeth of how he will become the Thane of Cawdor and then the King of Scotland. For Banquo, they prophesize that he will beget the line of Scottish Kings, though he will never become king himself. Macbeth and Banquo are sufficiently skeptical and continue their journey home.
However, when the two come closer to the encampment, they are presented with a messenger from King Duncan who announces that Macbeth has been made the Thane of Cawdor, immediately putting the prophecy into action and making Macbeth wonder how he might become king. He invites Duncan to dine at his castle that evening and goes ahead to tell his wife of the day's events.
Unlike Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is very sure of her husband's future, desiring the throne and telling him that they must murder Duncan to ensure Macbeth's ascension. Immediately upon returning to his castle, Lady Macbeth is able to convince her husband to take initiative and murder Duncan that very night.
The two plan to get Duncan's chamberlains drunk enough that they will not remember the evening and blame the poor chamberlains for the murder. When the body of Duncan is discovered in the morning, Macbeth quickly kills the "culprits" and assumes the kingship. All the while, Duncan's sons flee the country, afraid for their own lives.
Immediately, Macbeth's misgivings and trust in the prophecies force his hand in the murder of Banquo and his son Fleance as well, afraid that his heirs will seize the throne. Successfully killing Banquo, the murderers fail to kill Fleance.
The night of his murder, Banquo's ghost appears to Macbeth and sends him into hysteria, scaring his guests and angering his wife. His very presence as the king of Scotland has angered the other nobles and further incites Macbeth's misgivings and paranoia.
To ease his fears, Macbeth visits the witches again and they offer to him more prophecies. Macbeth must beware of Macduff, a chief opponent to his taking the throne. Macbeth also cannot be harmed by any man born of woman and he is safe until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Castle. Macbeth returns home and finds that Macduff has fled to England to join Malcom. In fear, Macbeth seizes Macduff's castle and orders the murder of Macduff's wife and children, inciting Macduff to further rage. With Malcom, the two raise an army and ride to Scotland to take on Macbeth with the support of the Scottish nobles who fear Macbeth's tyranny and murderous ways.
While Macbeth awaits his opponents, Lady Macbeth is in the process of going mad, unable to wash the blood from her hands. The news of her suicide reaches Macbeth directly before the arrival of the English forces and sends him into an even deeper despair. He awaits confidently as the prophecy foretold his invulnerability. However, Macduff's forces arrive under the cover of boughs cut from Birnam wood. When Macbeth is finally confronted by Macduff after his forces have been overwhelmed, Macduff announces that he was "ripped from his mother's womb" not born, and ultimately defeats and beheads Macbeth, handing the crown back to Malcolm, the rightful heir.
Character Summaries
As one of King Duncan's chief generals and closest military advisers, Macbeth is led to perform wicked deeds by the prophecies of three witches and the machinations of his wife. When he is pronounced Thane of Cawdor for his military victories – a prophecy come true before his ascension to the kingship – he is tempted into murder to fulfill the second prophecy. Once he is crowned king, his brutal plans are made all the easier as he begins killing indiscriminately to ensure his throne. He is not subtle, nor effective, as he riles the entire Scottish nobility against his tyrannous ways and ultimately falls before the combined might of his own psychological pressure and the strength of his opposition.
Lady Macbeth
As Macbeth's wife, Lady Macbeth is the early instigator of the atrocious plans that lead to Macbeth's Kingship. She is ambitious and power hungry and her machinations are as cold and vicious as her husband's actions. However, after the bloodshed begins she is incapable of bearing the weight of what she has done and soon falls victim to her guilt, eventually going mad and committing suicide. Despite the horrible nature of her and her husband's crimes, the two are a very close couple very much in love.
The Witches
There are three witches, plotting mischief against Macbeth through their prophecy and spells. Their predictions are responsible for prompting Macbeth to murder Duncan and Banquo, and give him cause to believe his is invincible later on. There are no details as to the origin or nature of the witches, other than that they serve Hecate. Numerous similarities between them and mythological beings have been drawn, but none are of clear relation.
A second of Duncan's generals, he is with Macbeth when the witches tell their first prophecy, foretelling that his children will inherit the throne. Banquo is equally ambitious as Macbeth, but does not take the action that his friend does in securing his ambitions. Rather, he is the path not chosen, that of inaction and decency. His ghost later haunts Macbeth accordingly for his murder, reminding Macbeth of the choices he has made.
Duncan is presented as the antithesis to Macbeth in terms of rulers. He is kind, virtuous, and a brilliant leader. His death at Macbeth's hands throws the nation into disarray until the throne can be rightfully returned to his family.
A nobleman who right away opposes Macbeth's ascension to the throne. After fleeing Scotland to find Malcolm, Macbeth murders his wife and son, creating a personal reason for revenge. He is a principle figure in removing Macbeth from the throne and giving it back to Malcolm and is the only man who can kill Macbeth.
The eldest of Duncan's two sons, Malcolm immediately flees Scotland after the murder of his father. With Macduff's help however, he is able to muster the forces he needs to take on Macbeth and regain the throne, thus restoring the order to Scotland that was lost when Duncan was murdered.
Important because of his role in the prophecy of the three witches, Fleance survives the murder of his father and attempted murder of himself by Macbeth and goes on to disappear through the play's ending.
A Scottish nobleman.
A Scottish nobleman.
The Murderers
The men hired by Macbeth to murder both Banquo and his son and Macduff's family. They fail to kill Fleance.
The drunken doorman of Macbeth's castle.
Lady Macduff
Macduff's wife and victim of yet another of Macbeth's atrocities. Her household is shown in sharp contrast to that of Lady Macbeth's, much more tranquil and less violent.
Duncan's son and Malcolm's younger brother.
Scene Summaries
Act 1
Scene 1
Quickly and without much ado, the three witches appear on a Scottish moor during a thunder and lightening storm and make plans to meet again after the battle to deal with Macbeth. They quickly disappear.
Scene 2
King Duncan is attended by a captain recently wounded while saving Duncan's son Malcolm from capture by the Irish. He tells Duncan of how Macbeth and Banquo, the two generals, have defeated the Irish and Norwegian armies and how Macbeth has vanquished and killed the traitor Macdonald.
The Thane of Ross soon enters and tells Duncan of how the Thane of Cawdor defected and joined the Norwegian forces to fight against the Scottish. Duncan announces that Macbeth shall take the role of Thane of Cawdor as a reward for having led the victorious army in battle. Ross departs to share the news with Macbeth.
Scene 3
The witches reappear on the moor, discussing their powers and the recent vile acts they've managed to complete, one describing her killing swine and another who has planned revenge upon a sailor whose wife did not properly share chestnuts.
Macbeth and Banquo soon appear and are addressed by the three witches. They address Macbeth at first as the Thane of Glamis and then as the Thane of Cawdor. Puzzled by their statements, Macbeth is further confused when they announce that he will one day be the King of Scotland. As a third prophecy, they announce that Banquo is at the same time lesser and greater than Macbeth and that his sons will sit on the throne but that he himself will not.
Macbeth and Banquo discuss the prophecies with each other, confused by the encounter until Ross arrives to bring them to the king. He announces to Macbeth that he has been made Thane of Cawdor. Immediately Macbeth begins musing on how the first prophecy came true, asking of Banquo if he would enjoy his sons as kings. Banquo's response is tempered more than Macbeth's, saying that these things are often only half truths. Macbeth begins to ponder exactly what the prophecy might mean and whether he could one day be king.
Scene 4
Duncan hears the news of the Thane of Cawdor's execution, of how he repented his crimes and died a noble death. When Macbeth and Banquo finally return, Duncan greets them as heroes and declares to Macbeth the reward for his deeds. He also announces that his son Malcolm shall be made heir to the throne, to which Macbeth notes that only Malcolm is in his way of the throne now.
Plans are made for Duncan to dine at Macbeth's castle that night and Macbeth goes ahead of everyone to inform his wife of the impending arrival of the king and what has transpired that day.
Scene 5
Back at Inverness, Macbeth's castle and home, Lady Macbeth reads a letter from her husband describing the events that occurred during the day, immediately believing and recognizing the potential of the prophecies. She decides that certain things must be done to make the rest of the prophecy come true and goes on to describe the weakness of her husband. She decides immediately that King Duncan must be murdered and when Macbeth arrives back home she goes about describing to him what they must do to ensure he never leaves Inverness Castle.
Scene 6
Duncan and the other Scottish nobility arrive at Inverness castle where he comments on how pleasant the castle and its surrounding environments are. Lady Macbeth comes out to greet him and tells him of how it is her duty to be hospitable and welcome the king to her home. Duncan then asks to be brought to Macbeth.
Scene 7
Macbeth goes about pondering the act that he has nearly decided to do. He thinks on the nature of the deed, wondering if it's right to kill a man who is his king and his guest. He thinks on how popular the king is and how virtuous he is and eventually decides that the only reason to kill the king is to serve his own ambitions.
When Lady Macbeth reenters the room Macbeth announces that he's decided against killing the King, to which she immediately attacks him and his manhood. He asks of the consequences and she declares that they will be fine so long as they remain resolute in their determination.
Her plan is to bribe the King's chamberlains with drink and get them drunk enough that they forget themselves and give up easy access to the King's chambers. After the chamberlains are sufficiently drunk, she and Macbeth will sneak in and kill the king, then smear the blood on the drunken chamberlains so as to lay the blame at someone else's feet. Finally, Macbeth consents, remarking that he hopes their children are male, lest another female such as Lady Macbeth with her "undaunted mettle" is born.
Act 2
Scene 1
Macbeth is on his way to the King's chambers and along the way is confronted by Banquo and his son Fleance. The two are up late, unable to sleep, and Banquo explains to Macbeth that his dreams are plagued by the witches and their prophecies. The two discuss the sisters and when Banquo asks if they have revealed some "truth" to Macbeth, Macbeth replies that he has not thought on their words at all. They once again agree to talk on the matter later and they part ways.
Macbeth proceeds carefully and immediately sees a dagger floating in the air pointing towards Duncan's bed chambers. The dagger appears to have blood on it and when Macbeth grasps at it, he cannot take hold. He decides that it must be a manifestation of his unease over killing the King and realizes how dark and foreboding the night around him is. Finally, he hears the bell rung by Lady Macbeth signaling that the Chamberlains are sufficiently drunk.
Scene 2
Lady Macbeth appears after Macbeth has left and comments on how clever she is. She ponders Macbeth's cry in the dark and the fact that he could easily have made a mistake. She muses on how she could have killed the King herself when preparing the daggers for the chamberlains, but could not because he looked so much like her father sleeping.
When finally Macbeth returns, his hands are bloodied and he is visibly shaken. He notes how he heard the chamberlains wake and say a prayer, unable himself to say Amen to that prayer. He also notes how he believed he heard a voice invoke his crime after he had killed the king.
At first Lady Macbeth tries to soothe her husband but soon becomes angry after realizing that he failed to leave the daggers on the chamberlains to frame them for the murder. He refuses to go back to the room again, forcing her to plant the daggers herself. He begins to hear knocking on the doors, sure that he's been found out and begins worrying of his horrible deed. She finally returns and takes him to wash the blood from his hands, stating ironically that a simple wash of the hands clears them of the deed.
Scene 3
The porter of the castle allows the knocking to continue for some time longer, musing on how he would porter the gates of hell and who he would let in. He finally opens the door to let in Lennox and Macduff, having arrived to prepare the King for departure. Macbeth is one of the few people in the castle still awake and leads the two men to the king's bed chambers where they discover that the King has been murdered and the news spreads quickly. Everyone arrives, including Lady Macbeth, Duncan's sons, and the other nobles and chaos ensues. Finally Macbeth arrives again and declares that he has killed the two chamberlains who are responsible in his rage.
Macduff declares his own wariness of the two new deaths, while Macbeth professes his fury at the death of his king as motivation for their execution. Lady Macbeth faints suddenly and is rushed off of the stage. Malcolm and Donalbian whisper to each other that they must flee to stay safe from the murderer as who ever killed their father will likely desire their deaths as well. Banquo and Macbeth gather the nobles and prepare to meet and discuss the matter of Duncan's death.
Scene 4
Ross, the thane from early in the play, and an old man walk outside discussing the matters of the last few days. He describes the owl that killed the falcon and the king's well-trained horses eating each other. The day itself is dark and the two are properly quieted by the mood. Macduff soon enters the scene and tells Ross that Macbeth has been made King and that he will soon ride to Scone to be crowned.
Because of the departure of the sons so soon after the king's murder there is suspicion that they may have paid off the chamberlains to kill the king. Macduff announces that he will return to his home in Fife and Ross sets out for Scone to see to the coronation.
Act 3
Scene 1
Banquo enters and muses on the prophecies of the three witches. The first two have come true now and so he wonders if the third might be a possibility and that his sons will some day sit on the throne. The stir of ambition begins to appear for Banquo as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in their royal attire appear, inviting Banquo to the feast for the evening. Banquo accepts and tells Macbeth of the ride he plans to go on later that day. Macbeth mentions to Banquo that they must discuss the matter of Duncan's sons who have fled and are likely plotting against the crown.
Banquo leaves the room and Macbeth discusses a few smaller matters of state with his servant before he departs as well. At this point, Macbeth begins a soliloquy on the matter of Banquo and the succession. He worries that he will not produce an heir and that Banquo's sons will overthrow him later, taking the throne as the witches foresaw.
Macbeth's servant reenters with the murderers he has hired, reminding them of the "wrongs" committed against them by Banquo. They agree once more to kill Macbeth's former comrade. He reminds them to also kill Fleance, Banquo's son and they depart.
Scene 2
Lady Macbeth is full of unrest and calls for Macbeth to attend to her. He announces his own misgivings and upon doing so, declares that he has arranged for yet another horrible deed to be undertaken to ensure the throne, and that there are too many more threats to the throne that must be dealt with. He asks his wife to be happier and kind to Banquo at dinner so as the he will be unsuspecting and that he will successfully be dealt with and eliminated as a threat to the throne.
Scene 3
The murderers await Banquo and Fleance in the woods outside the castle. When the two arrive and light a torch after dismounting the murderers attack. They quickly kill Banquo who urges Fleance to run and save himself, to avenge his death. After the torch is extinguished, Fleance flees and the murderers move to return to Macbeth with Banquo's body in tow.
Scene 4
Back at the castle, Macbeth and his wife welcome the Scottish noble persons to the feast. Directly before the feast, Macbeth is approached by the murderers and told of what has happened with Banquo and his son. He recomposes himself and returns to the feast where he raises an imaginary toast to his friend.
Macbeth then sees the ghost of Banquo and much like with the visage of the dagger, he starts to feel the pressure of the acts he has performed and their relevant effects on his life. He is at alternating times courageous and depressed, unsure of himself and losing his tenuous grip on reality. Lady Macbeth attempts to sooth him, sending away the noblemen and trying to calm him.
Macbeth however is already planning to murder Macduff and declares his intentions to go and see the three witches once more for advice and prophecies. He decides that Macduff's actions border on treason as he plans to stay away from court and keep his own counsel.
Scene 5
The witches appear on yet another stormy set, this time with the Goddess Hecate among them, scolding them for taking on Macbeth without her leave. She decides she will take over matters with Macbeth and tells the three witches to bring to Macbeth visions that will offer him a false sense of security when he visits them the next day.
Scene 6
Elsewhere in Scotland Lennox discusses matters with an unnamed lord, commenting on the murder of Banquo. The official position is that Fleance murdered his father and fled. However, the two men suspect Macbeth is the culprit and refer to him as a tyrant. The lord announces that Macduff has fled to England where he has joined forces with Malcolm in trying to convince England to offer aid against Macbeth. Macbeth for his part has raised his forces in preparation for war with Malcolm.
Act 4
Scene 1
Upon his return to the three witches, Macbeth demands a series of apparitions to help him discern his future. The witches comply by offering him three such visions. The first is a disembodied head, bloodied and reminding Macbeth of Macduff, warning Macbeth to beware the fled nobleman. The second is a blood-soaked child who comforts Macbeth that he cannot be killed by any man born of woman. The final apparition is a child wearing a crown who says Macbeth will be king until the Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane.
Macbeth is encouraged and lightened by this news and asks whether Banquo's sons will succeed him. The witches respond with an apparition of the procession of kings, with the final king carrying a mirror and the procession ended with Banquo's ghost. The witches then vanish and Lennox enters with news that Macduff has fled for England. Macbeth decides that he will capture Macduff's castle and kill his family.
Scene 2
In Macduff's castle, Lady Macduff questions Ross as to why her husband has fled. He tries to reaffirm for her that she must trust her husband. She tells her son that Macduff has died, though he does not quite believe her.
When a messenger arrives afterward, telling her she is in danger and warning her to flee, she argues that she has done nothing to deserve such danger. The murderers arrive afterwards and denounce Macduff. When his son calls them liars, they stab him and chase after Lady Macduff, assumedly to murder her as well.
Scene 3
Macduff and Malcolm stand outside of Edward's castle in England and Malcolm decides he must test Macduff to see if he is loyal to the crown and to him. He begins to declare how he is unfit for the crown, listing his vices and his issues with leadership. Macduff eventually breaks down and announces that Malcolm is indeed unfit to rule the country, proving that he is loyal. Malcolm then announces that he was lying to Macduff and that the latter has proven himself.
Soon afterward, Ross arrives and tells the two that everything is well with Macduff's family and that they should return to Scotland to see to the country since it has gone into such disarray with Macbeth as the king. When Malcolm announces that he will only return with 10,000 English troops, Ross breaks down and admits that Macduff's family has been murdered. Macduff, crushed with grief, is urged by Malcolm to turn his grief to anger and unleash it upon Macbeth.
Act 5
Scene 1
A doctor and a waiting-gentlewoman discuss Lady Macbeth's recent habit of sleepwalking. She enters in yet another bemoaned state and begins to wail about the deaths of Banquo and Lady Macduff. She claims there is blood on her hands and that she cannot wash it free. As she walks away, the doctor and waiting-woman discuss Lady Macbeth's descent into madness.
Scene 2
Beyond the castle gates, the Scottish lords are discussing the approaching English forces. The Scottish forces themselves will meet up with Malcolm and Macduff at the Birnam Wood. Macbeth, the tyrant as they refer to him, has gone into a rage, fortifying the castle at Dunsinane.
Scene 3
Macbeth appears with his doctor in tow, claiming he cannot die because no man born of woman can kill him and he cannot lose because the Birnam Wood cannot physically move. He insists on wearing his armor hours before the battle and raves madly at his servants when they announce the arrival of 10,000 English troops. When the doctor announces that Lady Macbeth is struck with delusions, Macbeth tells him to cure her of them.
Scene 4
In the Birnam Wood, Malcolm discusses the fortifications Macbeth has established at the castle. They decide that they should prepare for the battle by cutting boughs from the forest to disguise their numbers as they march on the castle.
Scene 5
While Macbeth is declaring the impenetrability of his fortress and preparing for the coming onslaught with banners and whatnot, an attendant arrives and declares that Queen is dead. Following a sudden depression and quietness on his part another attendant arrives and declares that the Birnam Wood is marching on Dunsinane. Macbeth recalls the prophecy about the wood and readies for the fight, preparing to die.
Scene 6
Malcolm orders the English men to throw down their boughs and the fight commences outside the castle.
Scene 7
Macbeth fights vigorously, pompous in the knowledge no man born of woman can kill him. He slays a lord's son and disappears into the fray.
Macduff appears from the battle, searching frantically for Macbeth, wanting to personally see to his death. He then disappears back into the battle.
Malcolm and Siward arrive again and enter the castle.
Macbeth and Macduff finally confront each other and fight. Macbeth announces that no man born of a woman's womb can kill him. However, Macduff announces that he was torn from his mother's womb (through surgery) and Macbeth immediately fears for his life, but will not surrender to Macduff. The two exit the stage fighting.
Malcolm and Siward enter the castle after conquering it and confront Ross with the news that Macbeth has killed Siward's son. Macduff soon after arrives with Macbeth's head on a pole and declares Malcolm King of Scotland. Honoring the English system of nobility, Malcolm names all of his Thanes as Earls and curses Macbeth and his queen. He then calls for all of his subjects to attend him at the coronation at Scone and the plays ends.


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Weekly Digest – 26 April 2023
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward.
Why the RBA should not use interest rates to target the housing market or debt
A panel reviewing the Reserve Bank of Australia RBA has recommended against using interest rates to target the housing market or address concerns about high levels of debt held by Australians.
Collaboration to bring more EV charging stations
The Australian government and NRMA are collaborating to install electric vehicle charging stations across the country along highways to prevent battery depletion, but the opposition has raised some concerns.
Local shares and the Australian dollar drop ahead of Anzac Day
The Australian share market has experienced a decline, primarily due to a drop in iron ore prices, while investors await the latest consumer inflation data, which is due to be released later this week.
Melbourne childcare company accused of "price gouging"
A Melbourne parent has accused Explorers Early Learning childcare company of "price gouging" after experiencing a series of "significant" fee hikes, with prices increasing by $29 per day in just two years.
2 in 3 Aussies believe it will never be possible to own a home
The concerning statistic highlights the cost of living crisis and is particularly pronounced among lower middle-class families.
Tradies set to lose instant write-off on utes under Budget changes
Tradies will no longer be able to immediately write off the cost of their utes as small businesses will have to pay more taxes under changes to the instant asset write-off measures that will take effect soon.
Review finds RBA board had "limited challenge" to executive, recommends overhaul
A review of the RBA has found that its board provided "limited challenge" to the RBA executive and had a skill set mismatched to the complex economic environment. The review recommended creating a specialist monetary policy board to set interest rates, which reflects its criticism of the existing board structure.
Popular Australian restaurant chains under threat due to cost-cutting measures
Rumours are circulating that several beloved restaurant chains in Australia, including El Camino Cantina, Fratelli Fresh, and Munich Brauhaus, may be in danger of closing as part of cost-cutting measures. See if your favourite is on the chopping block here.
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LAMIS uses the energy of a high-powered laser beam to ablate a tiny spot on a sample, creating a plasma plume for spectroscopic analysis that reveals chemical elements and their isotopes. (Image courtesy of Applied Spectra, Inc.) |
At some point this year, after NASA's rover Curiosity has
landed on Mars, a laser will fire a beam of infrared light at a rock or
soil sample. This will "ablate" or vaporize a microgram-sized piece of
the target, generating a plume of ionized gas or plasma, which will be
analyzed by spectrometers to identify the target's constituent elements.
Future Mars rovers, however, will be able to do even more. Researchers
with the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), in collaboration with Applied Spectra, Inc.,
have developed an advanced version of this laser technology that can
also analyze a target's constituent isotopes. This expanded capability
will enable future rovers for the first time to precisely date the
geological age of Martian samples.
Russo, a scientist with Berkeley Lab's Environmental Energy
Technologies Division and a pioneer in laser ablation spectroscopy, led
the development of LAMIS—for Laser Ablation Molecular Isotopic
Spectrometry. As with the earlier Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy
(LIBS) technology being used on rover Curiosity,
the basic premise is to use the energy of a high-powered laser beam
focused to a tiny spot on the surface of a sample to create a plasma
plume for analysis. Each species of atoms or ions within the plasma will
emit light with signature spectral emission peaks. However, whereas
LIBS only measures the optical emission spectra of atoms and ions, LAMIS
measures the emission spectra of molecules and molecular ions. This
enables LAMIS to identify the specific isotopes of a chemical element
within the plasma plume.
to atomic emission, molecular spectra can exhibit significantly larger
isotopic shifts due to the contributions of the vibrational and
rotational motion in the molecule," Russo says. "The trick is to be
patient and wait for the hot atoms and ions in the plasma to collide and
merge with the ambient environment to form an oxide, or a nitride or
fluoride, and then collect the molecular light emissions."
and his research group have been using LAMIS to study isotopes of
strontium, an alkaline earth metal commonly found in geological and
natural materials. Although strontium's major isotopes are stable
(strontium-90 being a notable exception), the percentage of strontium-87
will naturally increase over time as a result of the decay of
radioactive rubidium. Comparing the ratio of strontium-87 to
strontium-86 is a standard tool for age dating in geochronology,
oceanography and archeology. The ratio of these strontium isotopes is
also used to date the origin of historic or forensic samples. Currently,
the standard means of measuring strontium isotopic ratios is by mass
spectrometry technologies that involve time-consuming, labor-intensive
laboratory sample dissolution work with an extensive array of
instrumentation. This sample dissolution work generates substantial
chemical waste. LAMIS offers a green chemistry alternative that is
faster, less expensive and can be carried out from across vast
From left, Alexander Bol'shakov, Xianglei Mao and Rick Russo are part of the research team that developed LAMIS, a green chemistry laser spectroscopy technology that can be operated across vast distances. (Photo by Roy Kaltschmidt, Berkeley Lab) |
is not yet as sensitive or precise as mass spectrometry but unlike mass
spectrometry it does not require chemical dissolution sample
preparation, vacuum chambers and a laboratory infrastructure," Russo
says. "All we need is a laser beam and an optical spectrometer and we
can perform real-time isotopic analyses of samples at ambient pressures
and temperatures."
represents what may be the only practical means of determining the
geochronology of samples on Mars or other celestial bodies in the Solar
System. Current age estimates of such bodies suffer from uncertainties
in the billions of years. That said, LAMIS also has many important
applications here on Earth. Strontium isotope ratios have been a focus
in the field of medicine for both treatment and diagnostic purposes.
Measuring these ratios can also provide valuable information about
atmospheric chemistry. They also can be used to trace the origins and
movements of early humans. But perhaps the most immediate and important
application of LAMIS will be in nuclear forensics aimed at
non-proliferation and terrorism.
and plutonium, like every chemical element, has a spectral signature
that's as unique as every human's DNA or fingerprint," Russo says. "With
LAMIS, we can factor in isotopic ratios, giving us an additional level
of identification that could be critical."
example, "yellow cake," the powdered concentrate made from uranium ore
that is a main ingredient of nuclear fuel, can also be used to fabricate
a nuclear weapon. Measuring the elemental composition of yellow cake is
one way of identifying the geographic locale where the yellow cake was
produced, but because uranium ore is ubiquitous to our planet's surface,
being able to also measure isotopic ratios in a sample of yellow cake
can be a huge advantage for pinpointing where it originally came from.
natural ratio of uranium-235 to uranium-238 is defined by the geology
of our planet," Russo says. "If you find a modified ratio in a sample
then you know someone has been enriching that uranium. Other isotopic
ratios within a nuclear reaction chain also can tell you how a nuclear
weapon was made and where it might have originated."
of this research was done in collaboration with Applied Spectra, a
company Russo created in 2004 with the help of Small Business Innovation
Research grants, to bring laser ablation spectroscopy technology to the
Artist's concept of Rover Curiosity with LIBS technology firing a beam of infrared light at Martian rock for spectroscopic analysis. (Image courtesy of NASA) |
next step is to improve the sensitivity and precision of LAMIS," Russo
says. "Our immediate target is parts-per-million, which should be
relatively easy for us to reach, but ultimately we want to get to
parts-per-billion sensitivity, which will be a challenge. However, 50
years ago, the parts-per-billion sensitivity of today's mass
spectrometry technologies would have been thought impossible."
and his colleagues have described their work on LAMIS in several
papers, including one in which the technique was shown to be effective
for measuring isotopes of boron. The most recent paper appeared in the
journal Spectrochimica Acta Part B.
The paper is titled "Laser Ablation Molecular Isotopic Spectrometry:
Strontium and its isotopes." Co-authoring this paper were Xianglei Mao,
Alexander Bol'shakov, Inhee Choi, Christopher McKay, Dale Perry and
Osman Sorkhabi. Co-author Bol'shakov with Applied Spectra, says his
company is eager to commercialize this technology.
"We envision multiple applications for LAMIS in industry, medical diagnostics, nuclear safeguarding and other areas," he says.
for this research came from the Defense Threat Reduction Administration
of the U. S. Department of Defense, DOE's National Nuclear Security
Administration, and NASA through Applied Spectra, Inc.
More information about the research of Rick Russo and his group


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On March 11, 2011, an earthquake large enough to knock the earth from its axis sent a massive tsunami speeding toward the Japanese coast and the aging and vulnerable Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power reactors. Over the following weeks, the world watched in horror as a natural disaster became a man-made catastrophe: fail-safes failed, cooling systems shut down, nuclear rods melted.
In the first definitive account of the Fukushima disaster, two leading experts from the Union of Concerned Scientists, David Lochbaum and Edwin Lyman, team up with journalist Susan Q. Stranahan, the lead reporter of the Philadelphia Inquirer's Pulitzer Prize–winning coverage of the Three Mile Island accident, to tell this harrowing story. Fukushima combines a fast-paced, riveting account of the tsunami and the nuclear emergency it created with an explanation of the science and technology behind the meltdown as it unfolded in real time. Bolstered by photographs, explanatory diagrams, and a comprehensive glossary, the narrative also extends to other severe nuclear accidents to address both the terrifying question of whether it could happen elsewhere and how such a crisis can be averted in the future.
About the Authors
David Lochbaum is the head of the Union of Concerned Scientists' Nuclear Safety Project and author of Nuclear Waste Disposal Crisis.
Edwin Lyman is a senior scientist in the Global Security Program of the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Susan Q. Stranahan was the lead reporter of the Philadelphia Inquirer's Pulitzer Prize–winning coverage of the Three Mile Island accident and the author of Susquehanna: River of Dreams.
The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading science-based nonprofit working for a health environment and safer world.


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Monday, September 27, 2010
Space Museums Map
Space Map Update!
So last week I toyed around with Google Maps, and put together a visual view of all the NASA Facilities in the United States.
This week, I have researched and added all the major American space museums, or aviation museums where space flight is included in various public exhibits. Also included are space related novelties such as the John Glenn historic site, Space Walk of Fame, and tourist centers attached to NASA Space Centers.
Like any Google Map, you can view the landmarks with the Basic map default, labeled Terrain feature and/or Satellite View.
The second batch includes:
ALABAMA (Huntsville): US Space & Rocket Center
CALIFORNIA (San Diego): San Diego Air & Space Museum
CALIFORNIA (Downey): Columbia Memorial Space Center
COLORADO (Denver): Wings Over The Rockies
FLORIDA (Patrick AFB): Air Force Space & Missile Museum
FLORIDA (Cape Canaveral): Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
FLORIDA (Pensacola): National Aviation Museum
FLORIDA (Titusville): Space Walk of Fame
GEORGIA (Columbus): Coca-Cola Space Science Center
INDIANA (Mishawaka): P-H-M Air/Space Museum
KANSAS (Hutchinson): Cosmosphere & Space Center
MICHIGAN (Frankenmuth): Military & Space Museum
MICHIGAN (Kalamazoo): Air*Zoo
MISSOURI (St. Louis): Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum
NEBRASKA (Ashland): Strategic Air & Space Museum
NEW HAMPSHIRE (Concord): McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
NEW MEXICO (Alamogordo): Museum of Space History
NEW YORK (Long Island): Cradle of Aviation Museum
NEW YORK (NYC): Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
OHIO (Wapakoneta): Armstrong Air & Space Museum
OHIO (Cleveland): International Women's Air & Space Museum
OHIO (New Concord): John Glenn Historic Site
OKLAHOMA (Weatherford): Stafford Air & Space Museum
OKLAHOMA (Tulsa): Tulsa Air & Space Museum
PENNSYLVANIA (Philadelphia): The Franklin Institute
TEXAS (Dallas): Frontiers of Flight Museum
TEXAS (Houston): Space Center Houston
VIRGINIA (Hampton): Virginia Air & Space Center
WASHINGTON DC (Smithsonian): National Air & Space Museum
WASHINGTON (Seattle): The Museum of Flight
WISCONSIN (Sparta): Deke Slayton Space & Bike Museum
And no, that last one is not a typo... there really is a Deke Slayton Space AND BICYCLE museum! Click on each for a specific address or web site.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Postcard from the REAL Edge
There are postcards from the edge, and then there are postcards from THE EDGE. The new book from The Cosmic Diary encompasses the latter. Alert reader Oana Sandu of München, Germany sent this delightful gem from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) where she works in Community Outreach.
And believe me, this beautiful Fräulein knows her stuff! She is also Public Relations lead for the Space Generation Advisory Council, co-founder of the Children Universe Awareness organization, and an editor of VEGA Astronomy Magazine in Romania. (And I was under the impression that I was a busy lady).
From their website : "This book is based on the science carried out by a selection of the best bloggers from the Cosmic Diary, one of the 12 Cornerstone Projects of the International Year of Astronomy 2009. The contributions have been compiled into an edited anthology that gives a unique snapshot of contemporary astronomy. The science articles all have a personal flavour, as each contributor has selected their own favourite astronomical topic, giving the reader a personal insight into work on the frontline of astronomy."
Cosmic Diary consist of 8 bloggers from NASA, 4 from JAXA, 5 from the ESA and 14 from the ESO; a heaping handful of them got together to bring us an amazing visual extravaganza of all that we are learning from modern astronomical work from observatories all over the world, and in space.
The Flame nebula, miraculously clear galaxyscapes, interstellar clouds where stars and new planets are born, dust-devil tracks on planet Mars -- it's truly 120 pages of starry awesomeness. The hard copy version is on sale in the ESO shop, or you can download a PDF version from the "About the Book" page.
Also check out their "Send A Postcard" section, where you can email your friends some of their beautiful photography with a formattable message.
You will, at the very least, find a stunning new desktop background ;)
Monday, September 20, 2010
Pillownaut Space Map
New project! I am in the process of creating a SPACE MAP, and the first markers show all the field and research centers for the National Aeronautical and Space Administration. Of course, everyone is familiar with "Johnson" and "Kennedy", but there are well over a dozen facilities across 13 states that operate launches, oversee mission control, design crafts and technologies, manufacture components, conduct equipment and biological testing, plan payloads, and pioneer research across many scientific disciplines.
Wow, I sure wish I had thought of this before the summer vacation season this year, but, better late that never for us enthusiastic road-trippers!
Click on the map to go to the main Space Map page at Pillownaut.com, or click over to the main engine on Google Maps. In both of these spots, you'll see a larger screen where you can zoom in, zoom out, and examine precise locations.
Also, click on each marker for descriptions of each NASA center, including who it is named after, the year it was founded, and their main function(s) in the space agency.
In the future, I'll add space museums in the United States, and locations of all spacecrafts on display around the country. After that, perhaps I'll start adding world agencies, or even make the map an "open source" project where people can add sites to share. What do you think, should I add the NASA clinics and study facilities on the map too?
The first batch includes:
George C. Marshall Space Flight Center
Hugh L. Dryden Flight Research Center
Independent Verification & Validation Facility
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
John C. Stennis Space Center
John F. Kennedy Space Center
John H. Glenn Research Center
John H. Glenn Center Plum Brook Station
Joseph S. Ames Research Center
Langley Research Center
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
Michoud Assembly Facility
NASA Headquarters
Robert H. Goddard Institute for Space Studies
Robert H. Goddard Space Flight Center
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Wallops Flight Facility
White Sands Test Facility
Happy Mapping!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
The Winner!
On August 30th, I published a complete timeline of all animals put into space between 1946 and 2010. It detailed all the species and how they traveled, from the first fruit flies up to the most recent humans, with every dog, cat, rat and monkey in between!
The Space Animals Timeline HTML page connected to that blog post was pretty exhaustive... if you press "Print Preview", it comes out to 12 full pages! At the very bottom of page 12, I posed a trivia question... a pretty easy one, I thought... but mostly I just wanted to see if anyone would actually read that far, LOL!
The answer was inside the timeline, of course: In April of 1998, STS-90, a mission of Space Shuttle Columbia, set a biological payload milestone, when over 2,000 creatures resided aboard the orbiter for 16 days. Seven humans operated NEUROLAB, where they studied space adaptation syndrome, vestibular function, adaptation of central nervous systems and the ability to sense location in the absence of gravity. On board animal containment facilities held 18 pregnant mice, 1514 crickets, 135 snails, 233 fish and 152 rats.
This past Thursday, Rebekah Maral of Port Washington, Wisconsin emailed me with a perfect response... what a reader! She provided her address and will soon be the proud owner of a limited edition NASA employee T-shirt... good job, Rebekah, look for it in the mail!
The Space Animals Timeline HTML page connected to that blog post was pretty exhaustive... if you press "Print Preview", it comes out to 12 full pages! At the very bottom of page 12, I posed a trivia question... a pretty easy one, I thought... but mostly I just wanted to see if anyone would actually read that far, LOL!
The answer was inside the timeline, of course: In April of 1998, STS-90, a mission of Space Shuttle Columbia, set a biological payload milestone, when over 2,000 creatures resided aboard the orbiter for 16 days. Seven humans operated NEUROLAB, where they studied space adaptation syndrome, vestibular function, adaptation of central nervous systems and the ability to sense location in the absence of gravity. On board animal containment facilities held 18 pregnant mice, 1514 crickets, 135 snails, 233 fish and 152 rats.
This past Thursday, Rebekah Maral of Port Washington, Wisconsin emailed me with a perfect response... what a reader! She provided her address and will soon be the proud owner of a limited edition NASA employee T-shirt... good job, Rebekah, look for it in the mail!
Friday, September 17, 2010
Space Laundry
New Challenge! The General Services Administration (GSA) launched the Challenge.gov website, where cash prizes are awarded to participants who offer novel solutions or innovations in technology, defense, education, health, safety and various environmental concerns. The platform was developed in response to President Barack Obama's Strategy for American Innovation, calling for agencies to promote innovation through prizes and challenges.
Advocates of the approach say challenges generate ideas with relatively small investments, and of course, one of the benefits of the "prize-giving" model is that they only go to the people who demonstrate results (not for potentially lengthy or costly government research that may yield little more than red tape).
One interesting $25,000 challenge that just ended (awaiting the winning name!) was the call for a "Microgravity Laundry System." As with most other basic housekeeping chores in space, dealing with the astronauts' dirty laundry can be a real... pardon the repetition... CHALLENGE.
NASA says you can:
1. Wear the same clothes for months (happens all the time on the ISS).
2. Load onto a trash craft to burn up in the atmosphere (also frequent).
3. Make planters for seed experiments (less frequent, and a bit creepy).
4. Feed it to bacteria. Seriously.
The laundry issue is listed on Challenge.gov's NASA section, along with awards for solutions in green aviation, sample robots and night rovers, nano-satellites, power-beaming(???), and they also just added the "choose the last Shuttle Missions' music" that I mentioned last month.
Of course, there is no guarantee that such challenges will draw mass support or truly result in high-tech successes, but who's to say major cash incentives will hurt anybody?? We're an optimistic lot when it comes to technology, and we love it when hitherto untapped talent lurches forward à la Doc Brown and his ilk! Their instructional catch phrase is, "You are the secret ingredient!"
Other areas on the site detail everything from recipes for school lunches to resume-video production to digital forensic techniques, to name just a few of the current 50. You can also keep up with supporters and new challenges on their twitter feed: @ChallengeGov.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Mars Mission Milestone
The Mars500 experiment is cruising along nicely! On September 10th, French Astronomer and Graphic Designer Steve Légère presented a beautiful commemorative collage to the crew; many of us following the Mars500 closely added our names to the poster to congratulate all the Marsonauts on their 100th day. We were very gratified when the guys "inside" twittered their thanks for our support.
The ESA and Roskosmos were very happy yesterday, because the team officially reached Day #105 – matching the previous crew's duration. But me, I'm excited about TODAY! Day #106 makes the longest simulation ever completed by a Mars analog team. Now they just have to repeat this duration five more times...
Great job, Steve!
Live voice communications ceased on July 26th, leaving the men with a "time lag" for all audio and text transmissions. To make the simulation as real as possible, their com delays will always reflect where they are in space, on the way to Mars. Crew and mission controllers send messages to each other, but must now wait for replies, meaning no "real-time" communications – not even with family – and in any disaster scenarios, the crew must make crucial decisions for themselves. Simulated crises will test how they respond to emergency situations.
Needle humor. Getting punchy in there, guys?
Italian-Colombian Marsonaut Diego Urbina, worked in Operations at the European Astronaut Centre's Neutral Bouyancy Facility in Cologne, Germany before joining the Mars500 project, and when asked why he applied for the program, he replied, "Because this study... in isolation and reaction is not useful only for Mars, but also for life on Earth."
Unfortunately, 33 very isolated miners in Chile are discovering these phenomena right now, and under much tougher, less-controlled surroundings. While in isolation, you can become closely bonded to those around you, but it can also be a recipe for trouble and clique-behavior under stress, overwork or extreme environmental conditions. Studies and disasters, both voluntary and involuntary, teach us a great deal about human behavior.
Scratch that last question. We have our answer.
Very special thanks to the kind chaps on the Mars500 media team for granting permission to use some of their pictures on my blog for this Day #106 update! Большое спасибо!
Click here for my past posts on the Mars500, or here to join their Twitter feed or Facebook page. They also have an awesome YouTube Channel with a tour of the completed Mars ship facility.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Kooky Stuff Flown in Space
Each crew member of Space Shuttle mission is allowed to take one kilogram (about two pounds) of memento items along with them, provided they fit into a tiny compartment set aside for such use. This is how things like Buzz Lightyear action figures make it on board, despite strict weight restrictions. On each flight, many flags, patches, and medallions are also flown, along with nationally-sponsored specialty items, such as the recent banner from Yellowstone National Park.
Shuttle Discovery STS-120 flew the light-saber used by Luke Skywalker (actor Mark Hamill) in "Return of the Jedi." In honor of the 30th anniversary of the Star Wars film franchise, Chewbacca (actor Peter Mayhew) presented the famed movie prop to NASA, whereupon it was flown to Texas and displayed for a time at Space Center Houston. It continued it's journey to Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where it was packed into a Shuttle locker and spent two weeks in orbit. George Lucas attended Discovery's launch, and the light saber was later returned to Lucasfilm Ltd. for display in a traveling exhibit.
May the Mass-multiplied-by-Acceleration Be With You. And if you get that joke, you're a huge nerd.
Shuttle Atlantis STS-117 flew a lead cargo tag from "Yames Town", a 400-year-old artifact excavated by archaeologists in 2006. This particular item had made a trip across the Atlantic Ocean around 1611, along with European passengers destined for Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the Americas.
In honor of the 400th anniversary of the founding of this first colony of the New World, the metal plate was packed aboard Atlantis in 2007, and took 219 orbits around the Earth – this time crossing many oceans in a fraction of the time! The tag is now in the Archaearium, the historic Jamestown museum in Virginia.
In July 1961, Mercury astronaut Gus Grissom took a roll of 50 Mercury-head dimes with him aboard Liberty Bell 7, America's second space mission. He had initially planned to pass the currency to personal friends and their children, but his capsule lost its hatch and took on water, sinking in 15,000 feet of water. After a 14-year search southeast of Cape Canaveral, Liberty Bell 7 was found by Oceaneering International, Inc. in 1999... with Grissom's parachute and the roll of dimes still inside. One might have thought after 38 years, they would have dislodged and floated away! The Liberty Bell dimes are on display at the Cosmosphere and Space Center museum in Hutchinson, Kansas.
Less famous and quirky, but among my personal favorites, is how a rookie astronaut named Eileen Collins took Amelia Earhart's scarf on her first spaceflight aboard Shuttle Discovery STS-63. Colonel Collins would, of course, go on to become the very first female Shuttle pilot and the first female Shuttle Commander, on STS-84 Atlantis and STS-93 Columbia, respectively. She would also be Commander of STS-114 Discovery prior to her retirement.
Want to OWN something FLOWN? Many organizations, such as SpaceFlori, Farthest Reaches and The Space Store, sell metal craft fragments, pieces of shields and tiles, washers, nozzles, on board checklists, suit and seat materials from all eras of NASA missions. (Please note I am in no way affiliated with any of these organizations, and gain nothing for recommending their sales. Just tellin' ya what's out there!)
Monday, September 13, 2010
Space Updates!
NASA Goddard hosted TOP CHEF: GASTRO-NAUTS and if you missed the initial airing, you can watch the full episode over at the BRAVO TV website. Their teaser clip showed a recording of TJ Creamer and Tracy Caldwell Dyson on the International Space Station, displaying some onboard nutritional choices.
The surprises inside the episode were the three astronauts on the judging panel: Buzz Aldrin, Sandra Magnus and Leland Melvin! If you were ever curious about the guidelines for dining in micro-gravity, this is your show. A few chefs showed us how it's done… and a couple showed us what not to do. I had not seen any cooking shows since the early days of "Iron Chef" (talk about out of the loop!) but I found this program very enjoyable... even if some didn't really understand the guidelines, LOL...
Next update! In the grand worldwide search for the GOODWILL MOON ROCKS, new finds in Korea, West Virginia and North Carolina have filled in some blanks for missing lunar samples presented to all 50 states and over 100 nations by the Nixon administration in 1973.
Update #3!
Since the interesting announcement about how the Senate Put Off SPACE SHUTTLE RETIREMENT, and the exciting news in August that STS-135 had been added to the line-up of missions, the Space Centers have been all a-flurry with activity.
Originally, the new "retirement homes" of Atlantis and Endeavour were to be revealed in July, but this odd year of flux caused NASA to delay the announcement. No new date yet for the big reveals, but fully 21 bids from eight states have been launched in an increasingly competitive race that includes dedicated websites, Facebook fan pages, countless petitions with literally hundreds of thousands of names and incidences of congressional backing.
The Museum of Flight in Seattle even broke ground for the construction of a $12 million, 15,500-square-foot "Human Space Flight Gallery" designed to showcase a shuttle, if awarded. Think maybe they jumped the gun just slightly?!
If they lose their appeal for a genuine Shuttle orbiter, they and many other runners-up may be awarded one of the full-scale shuttle simulators currently used for astronaut training at Johnson Space Center.
Friday, September 10, 2010
9 minutes or 9 years later… doesn't matter. It won't matter in 20 or 40 years either -- everyone will still be able to tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing when the World Trade Center towers fell.
In the summer of 1976, my father took this photograph out of the glass-walled crown of the Statue of Liberty in New York.
America's Bicentennial Year
I look at my Dad's snapshot and I feel the weight of the years, the changes. It was a happy time for us as a family, and an interesting time for the country. We led the way. No one had heard of AIDS... and hello, war in the Middle East? We didn't even have a war on drugs yet. I saw Disney World for the first time on that trip, got my first glimpse of NASA rockets, and if I wanted to feel a sense of magic in life, I didn't really have to look much further than Arthur Fonzarelli.
Idyllic? Certainly not. I'm not even suggesting it was remotely tranquil. A president had been forced to resign, the Cold War was heating up, my parents were snarling about gasoline prices, a recession loomed, and for the first time in my childhood, I started hearing the term "gang warfare."
Same day at the United Nations.
Different time, different world.
Different time, different world.
While I think of those days as less cynical or dangerous, I'd hate to turn into one of those tiresome middle-agers who privately thinks: "My childhood was better than anyone who is unlucky enough to be a child today" because I didn't understand what problems existed across the Earth at large.
Really, when we compare eras with older eyes, we are not appreciating some elevated sense of majestic national innocence; we're just idealizing our own.
I couldn't have known, staring out Lady Liberty's crown, that those twin buildings would violently crumble and change my view of the world. I can only take comfort in the sense that many peoples' view of the world changed that day.
For me, the date September 11th has a secondary remembrance now. Two years ago today, I was part of the evacuation of Galveston before Hurricane Ike devastated the island. Ever seen 56,000 people try to get across one bridge? This day is just filled with things I hope none of us ever see again.
ISS Trivia
Sixteen nations are involved in building and supporting the International Space Station: Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
The call sign for the ISS is "Space Station Alpha."
With the installation of the final solar arrays, the ISS is now about equal to the length of a football field (including both end zones).
Space Station Alpha now weighs 435,592 kilograms (slightly less than one million pounds) and has, wait for it... eight miles of wiring on board.
Living space inside the ISS is about the equivalent of one and a half Boeing 747 jet liners.
Since October 2000, there have been 26 Expeditions to the ISS, where crew members have spent between 117 days and 6 months in weightlessness.
Each solar day, the space station travels a distance equal to that of a trip to the Moon and back.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Mission Controller Liz
All hail Lockheed Martin's ISS Medical Program Operations Lead! My newest "employee spotlight" shines upon Liz Warren, who is responsible for coordinating and overseeing the complement of Human Research Program science operations conducted on the International Space Station.
Liz is also Lead of the on-console operations team of engineers, planners, astronaut procedure writers and science support personnel. You may have noticed by now, after all my posts about various NASA contractors, that government titles can be a bit... involved ;)
ISS Mission Control
I first met Liz at an event at Johnson Space Center, but even before that had seen many photographs of her, acting as a test subject in the same spacy medical experiments I enjoyed (endured?). It's always interesting to speak with people who have experienced the same test programs, and seen the protocols change throughout the years.
Liz has also gotten her share of press, having been featured in Popular Science magazine, the New York Times, and most recently, the Daily Journal, which detailed her speaking engagement at the Show Me Science Festival near St. Louis, Missouri this past summer. She is now the only Mission Controller I know who has her very own DAY, as dedicated by the Bonne Terre mayor! Must be nice!
Liz didn't mind answering their questions, and I had a few more after reading the articles, so I asked if she would answer some for my blog…
You've been on weightless-parabola flights, and even tested exercise machines there... if given the chance to go into weightlessness in space, would you go? Think you'll be able to buy a ticket to space in our lifetimes?
Liz Warren: Absolutely. I'd go in a heartbeat! It's been a dream of mine since I was very young to be an astronaut and to perform science experiments in space. While I may not be selected as a NASA astronaut, I think that people will be taking leisure trips to space in out lifetime. Perhaps I'll be able to go to space after all! Floating is the most amazing, freeing experience and imagine that floating while gazing out the window at Earth is just breathtaking.
Have you ever used some of the things you describe in the Journal article as being available to astronauts? Rinseless shampoo, the vacuum hair-cutter, etc.? Do you play with things to understand how the astronauts use them?
Liz Warren: I have a personal philosophy that started in graduate school – I don't make someone to do something that I haven't done myself. I have tried astronaut food and I find it pretty tasty. People tend to think of the days of toothpaste tubes of pureed food. In reality, most of the food is thermostabilized, like MREs, and some of it is dehydrated.
Running in zero-g aboard NASA's Vomit Comet,
tethered to treadmill with bungees!
tethered to treadmill with bungees!
Cont'd: Some is canned and still other foods are off the shelf (like peanut butter and granola bars). I also try a lot of the medical and human research tests that astronauts perform: balance tests, neuro-vestibular tests, functional fitness and cardiovascular tests. I was never a bed rest subject [for micro-gravity simulations], but I've been tested on just about all of the bed rest testing protocols.
You mentioned studies and experiments done on the ISS… can you list a few?
Liz Warren: All of these experiments are described in detail on NASA websites. These are a few that I support...
Sleep – examines quality and duration of sleep, plus lighting conditions on ISS.
Integrated Cardiovascular – cardiovascular de-conditioning over time in spaceflight
Reaction Self Test – examines cognitive function and reaction times
Spinal Elongation – examines lengthening of spine during spaceflight
Integrated Immune – examines immune function during spaceflight
Nutrition – examines metabolism and nutrient use during spaceflight
Pro K – examines if ratio of protein to potassium alters bone metabolism
Biophosphonates – examines if bone resorption prevention drugs work
Keep up the great work, Liz! We all know that astronauts on the ISS are safer and healthier, thanks to all your knowledge and efforts!
Monday, September 6, 2010
Rhymes with Christmas. Because each one is a gift. And everyone has been keeping up with This Week In Space, right? Check out the 600-foot long flame! I am gratified that such huge crowds still turn up for rocket tests.
TWIS is usually hosted by Miles O'Brien, but a few now have been guest-hosted by up-and-coming celebrity David Waters, the show's producer, who also worked media relations at the United Space Alliance before founding his own production company.
Subscribe to their YouTube Channel to be notified each time a new episode becomes available, or you can also now subscribe to TWIS episodes on iTunes.
I know "fake NASA vomit" has practically been a meme across the internet this week (*stifling groan*), but it's really the least of what's been going on. Didn't George Carlin do a bit about artificial vomit? I'm so sorry he missed this… and the brief lesson in "How To Choose An Asteroid To Land On." I'll bet he could have had a field day on stage with that one.
In other news, the new NASA on the Commons Flickr photostream is the space agency's newest attempt to release more materials into social networks, showing both new and historical images from the NASA Image Archives. I had actually intended to do a whole post about this when I saw the press release, but it's better if you just click over there and blow a couple hours.
Rest In Peace, William Lenoir (center), 1939 – 2010
Also don't miss the memorial tribute to recently deceased shuttle astronaut Bill Lenoir, who flew the first operational shuttle mission, STS-5.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
The Dark Side
The downside of doing journalistic-type media reviews is that every time I promote a book or a movie I enjoyed, I get an onslaught of suggestions for other books and movies. Don't get me wrong, I love the email.... It's just that I get all bummed out that I don't have time to see even a fraction of what is available out there. Every now and then, however, something stands out for sheer shock value.
Alert longtime reader and friend Julian Rueben of London, England recommended Gerard J. DeGroot's Dark Side of the Moon: The Magnificent Madness of the American Lunar Quest.
Was the end of the Space Age the best thing that ever happened to science fiction? When the space age ended, DeGroot argues, the age of imagination began: warp speed, unlikely (and immune-to-zero-gravity) spacecrafts, exotic aliens, and fantastical laws of not-physics.
Also Not Real
We haven't gone anywhere beyond low Earth orbit for decades. When we stopped being pioneers into the great unknown, it became easier to invent extravagant tales of that great unknown. All the major movie studios, Disney in particular, are unequivocally on board. And IO9 just came right out and said what these geniuses were thinking: "Space Is More Fun Without Space Travel."
Somewhere, Buzz Aldrin's head just exploded. And I think he'd be more than happy to detonate DeGroot's for him too, given some of the book's choice excerpts:
"American people were fleeced - persuaded to spend $35 billion on an ego trip, being told that a step on the lunar surface was a giant leap for mankind."
"NASA's public relations machine portrayed astronauts as wholesome all-Americans, even as many behaved like rutting frat boys when off duty."
"Expressed in terms by the Soviets and Americans, the lunar race was shallow and trivial. The two superpowers behaved like two bald men fighting over a comb."
Pretty rough stuff. But is abandoning actual space travel for space fantasy the answer to the questions deep in our minds and souls?
"So what happens when the audience catches
on that we are completely full of it?!"
on that we are completely full of it?!"
Somehow, I don't think so. I disagree with DeGroot's fundamental premise that the heavens are always more impressive in the imagination than in reality. Had we as a species, in our quest for cultural development, ever truly listened to cynics along the way, we'd all still be sitting around a bonfire and sharpening spears.
I might still buy the book, since I appreciate healthy doses of humorous sarcasm. Call it a weakness, inflicted by early exposure to Oscar Wilde.
Here's my problem, Jules... when I go to Amazon to read the reviews and details about this book, it shows that used copies are available from various sellers for seven cents. That's right, SEVEN CENTS. Let me put that in your cross-the-pond Brit lingo: Um, FIVE CENTS.
Dude, seriously.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
TONIGHT, ON BRAVO! As I understand it, some tiny little show that has been airing for a mere 7 seasons won an obscure statue called an "Emmy" this past Sunday... but I've never watched it, so I won't presume to vouch for quality. All I can say is, they are now officially on the map of the cosmos because Top Chef will feature NASA in their latest episode:
The episode features astronauts Tracy Caldwell Dyson and TJ Creamer (@Astro_TJ) as well as NASA's own Top Chef, Vickie Kloeris. This "Julia Childs of Johnson Space Center" is an amazing lady who has been inventing micro-gravity meals since 1985. She currently holds the position of Manager of the Space Food Systems Laboratory, where she has developed 60 of the current 180 items that fly on the Space Shuttle and the ISS.
I will be very interested in the winning dish, because it's no small feat to design foods for space travel.
Any food item intended for micro-gravity must be nutritious, aromatic but stink-free, able to withstand freeze-drying and/or thermo-stabilization, and above all – still appetizing upon re-constitution after any packing and storing processes. It also cannot be messy, cannot be crumbly, and cannot cause nausea or allergic reactions. Quite a trick!
BRAVO Schedule shows: Top Chef Gastro-Nauts will air this evening at 10:00pm and 11:00pm, and again at 11:00am on Sunday, September 5th (all times Eastern).
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CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. – Phil Mickelson and Geoff Ogilvy were eager to get to Cherry Hills for the BMW Championship, for reasons more than just advancing to the third FedEx Cup playoff event.
Mickelson is part of the history at the fabled club in the Denver suburbs.
Ogilvy had only read about it. He took a day off from golf and spent more time with his nose in a book than with a club in his hand.
"I did a little more research on Cherry Hills. It's supposed to be pretty good," he said Tuesday night. "Hogan hit 34 greens in a row on Saturday playing with Nicklaus, and then he spins it off 17 with what was nearly a perfect shot. I just want to see how impressive that was, to be honest with you."
He was talking about the 1960 U.S. Open, the great convergence of three generations – Ben Hogan and his last good shot at a fifth U.S. Open title, Arnold Palmer's most celebrated charge that began with a driver onto the first green, and the debut of Jack Nicklaus, a 20-year-old amateur who easily could have won that day.
"Not many courses have the history of Arnold Palmer driving a par 4," Ogilvy said. "I just want to see it."
Mickelson has experienced it.
Of the 69 players who advanced to the BMW Championship, no one knows Cherry Hills better than Mickelson. He played six matches in 1990 on his way to winning the U.S. Amateur when he was a college kid with his collar turned up and even more bravado than he has now.
On the first hole in one of his matches, it was taking so long because of rulings that Mickelson conceded his opponent a 35-foot par putt, and then rolled in a short birdie. He could only recall four of the six players he beat that week, though he remembers trying to drive the first green every day because that's what Arnie did.
"I'm pretty excited to get back to Cherry Hills," Mickelson said. "There's an emotional tie there for me."
And for all of them, there is work to be done.
The BMW Championship, which starts Thursday after a Labor Day finish outside Boston, is the final chance for 30 players to advance to the Tour Championship with all its perks, from a mathematical shot at the $10 million FedEx Cup bonus to a spot in the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open next year.
Chris Kirk went to No. 1 in the FedEx Cup with his victory in the Deutsche Bank Championship, which assured him a clear shot at the $10 million even if it wasn't good enough for U.S. captain Tom Watson to select him for the Ryder Cup.
The more compelling stories are those on the bubble, and no one feels more at home there than Ogilvy.
He missed the cut in The Barclays and was certain he would not be among the top 100 who reached the second playoff event. But he made it to Boston – by two points – when Troy Merritt missed a 10-foot par putt on the final hole at Ridgewood, and hours later, Brendon Todd made a 15-foot par putt on the same hole.
"I thought I was going to be a week-and-a-half into my drinking season at this point," Ogilvy said.
He thought the same thing at the TPC Boston until he started making just about every putt he looked at over the last 27 holes. Ogilvy briefly was tied for the lead, and his 65-65 finish gave him a tie for second. But even that contained some drama.
Ogilvy was alone in third until Russell Henley made a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to tie him. Then, Billy Horschel missed a par putt after hitting into the hazard, and Ogilvy wound up in a three-way tie for second.
Because of the points distribution, Ogilvy went from No. 30 after Henley made his putt to No. 24 after Horschel missed his putt.
"I found myself quite interested in Billy and Russell," he said. "Normally, I wouldn't. At a normal tournament, you would finish and say, `OK, this was a good week and move on.' But the FedEx Cup makes you think about that stuff. In a 20-second period, I go from third on my own to tied for third and then tied for second."
And with that good fortune comes more pressure.
Given the breaks he required to get to Boston, much less Denver, Ogilvy felt he was playing with house money. Now, he is close enough to East Lake – and a return to the Masters for the first time in three years – that it has his full attention.
"Not only is it a realistic proposition, I kind of have to mess up not to get there," he said. "Before I said it was house money. Anything I did last week was a bonus. Now I'm back in the mix for the whole thing."
Another guy on the bubble is Canada's Graham DeLaet. The Weyburn, Sask. is the lone Canuck left in the PGA Tour's playoffs. He's currently 43rd on the FedEx Cup standings and will need a good finish to climb into the top 30 and advance to the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola.


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Tricon Precast offers a diverse product line "anchored" in a proven system of mechanically stabilized earth retaining walls. Our Retained Soil Wall System™, for example, is broadly accepted and widely available from Tricon Precast as well as our licensees throughout North America. Our prefabricated bridge systems, including Con-Struct™, Redi-Span™ and the Tricon Double-Tee are used in off-system roadway construction, commercial and residential developments, pedestrian crossings and more.
But there is much more to Tricon Precast than quality products. There's the proven ability to work closely with you on a wide range of public/private infrastructure projects and programs – from small county road bridges to classic D.O.T. highway construction. Only Tricon Precast offers the responsiveness necessary to meet the demands of today's largest design-build projects.
A network of precast concrete manufacturers, through licensing agreements, enables the Tricon systems to be available nationally and internationally. Tricon supports ongoing research and design of prestressed and precast concrete, along with construction and installation best practices. This, in combination with civil, structural and geotechnical engineering support from our Tricon Engineering Group, makes Tricon Precast the right choice for your next project.
Our innovative precast concrete solutions include:
Precast Bridge
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Tricon Precast: All Four Factors in One Precast Leader.
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Relationships. The support for customers that goes far beyond plant-produced precast systems.
Tricon Precast offers not only the highest level of precast product value, we also offer a total commitment to excellence and a shared company belief in the utmost quality in our work.


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Showing Collections: 1 - 1 of 1
Chester L. Wickwire Papers
Identifier: R0031-CLW
Chester L. Wickwire (b. 1913 – d. 2008) was a social and political activist who advocated for civil rights and social welfare and fought against segregation in twentieth-century Baltimore, Maryland, and who was a Chaplain emeritus of Johns Hopkins University. This collection documents his work with Levering Hall YMCA at Johns Hopkins University, his position as Chaplain, and his social advocacy work.
Found in:
Baltimore Studies Archives


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How about wrapping up the year with a finish,
Birdseye is done!
The last time I blogged about this project I showed you all my finished star blocks. I intentionally didn't photograph the alternate blocks because I think this is a a very clever pattern and don't want to spoil the surprise of how it all goes together.
Sometimes my finishes have to grow on me, I don't know if I get tired of working with them and they overstay their welcome or what, but I've loved this project from start to finish and am even a little sad to have it done. If I didn't have such a long list of other patterns calling my name I would make this one again and again, it was fun and easy. It's one of those patterns that looks like you spent forever working on but didn't.
I'm still calling my project Birdseye, generally I like to give my projects a different name but sometimes its first name, the pattern name, sticks. Maybe something new will come to mind after it gets quilted.
This project finished at 79" x 79" and has approximately 1,877 pieces.
Counting the number of pieces in each one of my finished projects is just a fun little thing I always do and add to my posts when blogging about my finish. I don't know why, I'm just a numbers girl at heart I guess. Since it's the end of the year, I thought it would be fun to add up all the pieces from all my 2011 finishes.....are you ready....
20,145 pieces !!
That averages out to 55 pieces a day!
The pattern Birdseye is by Carrie Nelson for Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. I love this pattern, I've said it before and I'll say it again, I think there should be more Birdseyes in this quilting world, if you've not already done so, put this pattern on your To Do List for 2012, you'll be glad you did!
This is my 13th finish for the year. One more than my arbitrary and completely random 2011 goal of finishing 12 projects. This time last year, when I was thinking about what I wanted to accomplish in 2011, I was training for a half marathon and not even thinking about running a whole marathon, the Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts show was months away, I had no idea I would be making a Red & White Tribute quilt, let alone one that would get in a magazine. I was thinking I would make Eventide, but hadn't really put together the notion of hosting an Eventide Sew Along. My year was full of wonderful unplanned surprises, thanks so much for following along.
I'm open minded about what I accomplish in 2012 but look forward to sharing it with you and hearing about what you accomplish too.
Cheers to you, quilters extraoedinaire, bloggers, lurkers and friends, let's all go out and have a happy and healthy 2012.
Added Later - I just asked my husband to guess how many pieces were in the 13 quilts I finished this year, his guess, 1,000!
No, he's not a quilter.


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Migration guide - ProductSearchWidget
Edit on GitHubUpgrading from version 1.* to version 3.0.0
In order to dismantle the Horizontal Barrier and enable partial module updates on projects, a Technical Release took place. Public API of source and target major versions are equal. No migration efforts are required. Please contact us if you have any questions.
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A folder is an organizational object. You can use folders to structure your polices and policy groups into a manageable hierarchy for your ZENworks system. For example, you might want a folder for each type of policy (Browser Bookmarks policy, Dynamic Local User policy, and so forth), or, if applications are department-specific, you might want a folder for each department (Accounting Department folder, Payroll Department folder, and so forth).
The following sections contain additional information:


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A Better Approach to Financial Planning
You may be trying to figure out how to fund your 401(k), save for a home, or fund an emergency account.
Maybe you're unsure how to build wealth while educating your children and starting a business.
Perhaps you're struggling with preserving your wealth while caring for aging parents, dealing with boomerang kids, and evaluating an early retirement offer.
Whatever your current situation, worrying about finances impacts your life and relationships. We can help you make the financial decisions that will make the most of what you have now and help you build a more secure, enjoyable future.
Fee-Only, Holistic Advice for Better Financial Decisions and Fewer Worries
Holistic financial planning is a process, not an event. It focuses on your goals, integrates all areas of your financial life, recognizes how your beliefs and attitudes impact the financial decisions you make, and makes adjustments as your circumstances change.
As fee-only financial advisors, we sell no products and receive no commissions. Instead, you pay us an annual retainer that covers all our meetings and full access to us at no additional charge whenever you have questions or your circumstances change. Knowing in advance exactly how much you are paying for advice and understanding that your advisor puts your interests first brings peace of mind.
Contact us to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation initial consultation to learn more about how we can help you make the financial decisions that lead to financial independence.


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One Small Change: What Makes Superfoods So Super?
Acai, pomegranate and goji, oh my! In honor of the recent Superbowl and an article recently published on learnvest.com entitled, "A Doctor Dishes: Which 'Superfoods' Are Worth the Cost?", I started thinking: where did the term "superfood" come from and what makes them so darn super? Here's what my research dug up:
There is speculation as to whether the research backing up some of these superfoods has been overstated. In other words, can pomegranates alone really prevent cancer just because they have high antioxidant levels? Since then it seems like every health food marketer is claiming their latest exotic "superfood" will make all the difference in our health and well-being, it's important to get to the bottom of these claims before spending our hard-earned money.
As a result of recent criticism of the lofty health promises, some legislation has occurred, with the European Union prohibiting the use of the term "superfood" unless accompanied by a medical claim supported by evidenced-based research. In the US, we still have no regulations on the use of the term.
So, that leaves us with our original definition: A nutrient-rich, healthy food. Let's consider what makes foods healthy for us:
- Moderate in calories
- High in fiber
- Rich in omega-3 or monounsaturated fatty acids
- High in vitamins and minerals
- Low in trans- and saturated fat
- Low in added sugars
- Rich in phytonutrients (such as antioxidants and other healthy compounds found in fruits and veggies)
Do we really need to spend $12.99 per pound (or more) on exotic foods that can provide us with these nutrients? Probably not. And in fact, the learnvest article indicates that some of the nutrients in these exotic foods may be lost during the packaging and shipping process. Yet another reason to buy local!
If you hadn't already guessed, the best superfoods are ones that we find at the grocery store every day like dark leafy greens, fruits, veggies, lean protein, legumes, nuts, whole grains and foods rich in omega-3's like flax and salmon. Consider one small change by adding a "superfood" to each meal that you eat.
Breakfast: Add a handful of blueberries to your morning cereal, some ground flax or chopped almonds to yogurt, veggies in your omelet or just enjoy some oatmeal with cinnamon.
Lunch: Pack some carrot, celery or cucumber sticks with lunch. Put a big handful of spinach on your sandwich. Make that sandwich with whole grain bread. Choose the soup and salad or a sandwich and salad. Finish of the meal with a sweet, but healthy ending: fruit. Choose beans instead of meat for lunch one day.
Dinner: Roast some salmon and top with a simple mixture of plain yogurt, dill and lemon juice. Make a big side salad with all the colors of the rainbow (including fruit!) and top with a moderate amount of vinaigrette. Steam or sauté your favorite veggies in garlic, ginger and/or cayenne for a kick. Cook a whole grain like quinoa (cooks in 15 minutes), barley or brown rice and top with some lean protein, like salmon, to let the juices drip down and absorb into the grain.
Snack: Pair a fruit or veggie with a healthy fat or protein such as nuts, low-fat string cheese, a hard-boiled egg or yogurt. Munch on a handful of pecans and dates -- it tastes just like pecan pie! Or have a couple or squares (not bars) of dark chocolate, 70% or more.
You Might Also Like:
Jason Machowsky, MS, RD, CSCS is a registered dietitian, certified personal trainer, author of Savor Fitness mp; Nutrition wellness blog and avid proponent of MyBodyTutor, a health coaching website dedicated to helping people stay consistent with their healthy eating and exercise goals.


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This blog post is co-authored by Heesob Nam, patent attorney, Intellectual Property activist, and a founder and board member of OpenNet Korea. This is also published on OpenNet's website.
The South Korean government has adopted an aggressive interpretation of their copyright law to block websites in the name of copyright enforcement. In practice, this emulates the kinds of extreme provisions that were in the defeated U.S. SOPA bill. Its takedown system mirrors the SOPA provision on copyright holders being empowered to compel Internet service providers (ISPs) to block foreign sites through a simple allegation of copyright infringing uses of their platform. Recent cases have revealed a blocking system where agencies now skirt due process and take down websites without even a prior warning to site owners.
In the fall of last year, the Korean Communication Standard Commission (KCSC) made a recommendation to Internet connection service providers to take down a number of websites, including music-streaming site, Grooveshark. This was at the behest of the Korean Copyright Commission (KCC) and copyright holders who sent notices to websites that were allegedly facilitating copyright infringement. Safe harbor protections enacted under the Korean Copyright Act of 2012 mandated that intermediary services, including ISPs and content hosting platforms such as Grooveshark, were not legally compelled to take action based on a mere suggestion of infringing activities taking place on the services. Safe harbors are meant to ensure that those services are safe from liability as long as they respond to a proper notice of infringing content that also specified the exact URL hosting the content. Even though Grooveshark removed content every time they received such proper notice that it was infringing, the site still ended up getting blocked.
Digital rights organization, OpenNet Korea, is now leading administrative litigation to challenge the blockage of Grooveshark. Their challenge points out the gross procedural unfairness, Grooveshark's lack of protection under the existing ISP safe harbor law, and the resulting censorship of the site. As previously mentioned, the most troubling aspect of this was that the KCSC, the KCC, nor any other responsible agency notified Grooveshark and the owners of the other sites that they would take down the site before they did so. Ultimately, Grooveshark did not even know that they were blocked in Korea until OpenNet alerted them of this fact. The KCSC has alleged that they had no way of notifying them because Grooveshark is a U.S.-based site—which is a shaky excuse, at best.
The government's policy for notifying site owners of a blockage is simply inadequate. The only way to find out about the disconnection is to visit the site from within South Korea, where users are confronted by a warning written in Korean. If you are from abroad or cannot understand Korean, it is highly unlikely you could even be aware of what is going on. Korean officials have not made any significant efforts to contact individual owners when their sites are getting blocked.
The KCC's authority to order the blockage of sites is questionable in the first place. Under the Korean Copyright Act, only courts are empowered to enforce takedowns, not administrative bodies like the KCC (even though they continue to claim to have this authority in the appeal process). Essentially they are arguing that if a law gives one government body the authority to block sites, it means other agencies are empowered to as well. This is clearly a distortion of the law, but it's not coming out of thin air.
Trade Agreements Pave the Way for Online Censorship
Korean officials started employing this policy only after the country completed its trade agreement with the United States. Although more recent figures are not available, the South Korean government took down 862 domain names between 2008-2011 over allegations of intellectual property infringement. The numbers of takedowns have steadily increased since it began, and officials still have not released any data on the type of infringement that allegedly occurred.
These types of blocking orders began in 2008, the year following the signature of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) in 2007. The trade agreement contained a sinister side letter that, among other things, bound Korea to agree to enact a policy directive within six months from the date the agreement would go into effect, to create a means to investigate and take criminal action for online piracy. This included empowering officials to shut down websites that permit "unauthorized downloading." Back in 2007 when KORUS was signed, the language was too vague to know if Internet connection providers could only be compelled to block sites by the order of a judge. Seeing this play out since 2012, we now know that the government has gone ahead to implement an enforcement regime that completely evades judicial oversight.
Meanwhile, South Korean officials are continuing to consider joining the TPP negotiations. This could be a grim path for Korean Internet users. If South Korea joined TPP, it would mean binding their country to an even more consequential trade agreement that may leave lawmakers with even less flexibility to enact copyright enforcement policies that balance the interests of users against copyright holders.
Given the negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the current situation in South Korea should serve as a stark example of how trade agreements with industry-backed copyright policies can lead to severe enforcement regimes that legitimize extrajudicial online censorship.
The problem is the fact that digital policy issues are included in these secretive trade agreements at all. These matters are decided in opaque negotiations with no public oversight. Users and digital entrepreneurs continue to be left in the dark about regulations that will restrict their ability to create and use new innovative platforms. What has happened in South Korea is that officials are picking and choosing copyright enforcement obligations written into their trade pacts, and relying on their vague terms to justify overreaches of the law to shutdown sites despite having no official mandate to do so. OpenNet's administrative litigation over peer-to-peer site blockages could successfully challenge the blocking procedure and pave the way for a better set of national policies around enforcement.


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Basketball Water Tag-Basketball Water Label-Basketball Birthday-Basketball Party-Basketball Water Bottle Label-Basketball Baby Shower
Regular price $10.00
Basketball Birthday Water Bottle HangTag
- If you don't see a theme or favor you're interested in, please message me for Custom Design Ordering.
-These will fit the standard sized water bottles
DIGITAL PDF FILE: You will receive a Digital File ONLY with your custom changes. The PROOF of your PDF file will be emailed to the email on file with Etsy within 2-3 business days. Your design will be EMAILED after proof has been approved. YOU PRINT AND YOU ASSEMBLE.
The PROOF of your PDF file will be emailed to the email on file with Etsy within 2-3 business days. Your tags will be precut and printed on heavy glossy cover stock. Your purchase will be MAILED OUT to you within 3-5 business days after approval.
-PROOFS are EMAILED to you 2-3 business days after your order is confirmed. Your approved Digital PDF File will be emailed 24hrs AFTER approval.
-You are allowed ONLY up to 2 text revisions after proofs have been sent. Please check your file IMMEDIATELY upon receipt. Please check for errors and misspellings. You must notify me within 24 hours after delivery if there is an issue. If there is no notice within the 24 hours, your file will be automatically emailed to you.
-Your order will be MAILED OUT within 5-8 business days, if not earlier, AFTER you have approved your proofs ONLY.
-PLEASE NOTE: Processing time for some custom orders may that longer because of size. I will be in constant communication with you about any issues.
-You can reach me through the message center or firstname.lastname@example.com
-Weekends and Holidays are not included in any time frames stated.
-If you place an order on Friday, your first business day is Monday.
You are free to print as many prints as you want with your file using a color inkjet or color laser printer. For best results, a laser printer is recommended. Your PDF file can also be printed at your nearest print shop (Staples, Office Depot, FedEx etc.) Please keep in mind, many print shops will not print licensed characters. I recommend either printing from home or use the self-service printers at the print shop. I DO NOT claim ownership of any licensed characters or graphics and WILL NOT provide a release form to have your items printed. NO REFUND will be given if your print shop refuses to print your purchased file.
There are NO REFUNDS, NO RETURNS or NO EXCHANGES for custom designs. Cancellations are by my discretion ONLY. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Recommended papers for best results is any glossy brochure/presentation paper.
Colors may vary due to variations of computers, printers and monitors. Colors printed may appear differently than what is seen on your screen. Paper choice can be a factor also.
I DO NOT claim ownership of any licensed characters or graphics and are not being sold. You are paying for my time and customizing services only. Items purchased are for personal use and may not be resold, shared or altered.


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Dental care is often delayed, or even ignored altogether, because of two main reasons: fear and finances. These two obstacles can make all the difference in whether or not a patient seeks proper care for dental ailments that will only worsen over time, leading to more complicated matters like teeth decay and loss.
Fearing dental appointments is more commonplace than one might think, but the fact remains that with the latest advances in medicine, dentists can make patients feel more comfortable by ensuring their visit is as painless as possible. And as far as finances are concerned, our Membership Plan is designed to help all our patients get the dental care they need without having to pay for things they don't.
We are working hard to address both of these obstacles to provide our patients with the quality care, comfort, and convenience they deserve.
Many patients who have medical insurance with dental coverage usually pay large sums of money in premiums. The biggest drawback is that you can end up paying for insurance benefits you never use.
Lots of patients just need their dental insurance for their biannual check-up and cleaning. With the absence of any major dental issues, paying top-dollar insurance premiums doesn't make sense. Other patients neglect to schedule these crucial appointments because their busy lifestyles keep visits to the dentist at the bottom of their list of priorities. This is also a cause of grave concern, because small issues that could be detected early may take a turn for the worse.
When these minor issues turn into major ones, some patients fear that their insurance may not cover the cost of treatment and they'll have to pay a large, out-of-pocket sum to get the dental care they need. We're well aware of all these issues. That's why we've put together a plan that's designed to address these concerns and provide every one of our patients with the solutions they deserve.
With our Membership Plan, patients will have options to treat their dental issues in a convenient manner. Dental care doesn't have to be complicated. That's why our Membership Plan offers the following benefits:
- Patients do not have to rely on benefit limits put forth by insurance companies.
- Dental services can be rendered at a discount, regardless of the total cost.
- Patients pay less ($17/month for an individual) for two check-up visits, cleanings, and more — for the entire year.
- No waiting period on services.
- No deductibles for the services rendered.
- Full transparency in regard to cost and care, as there is no third party between doctor and patient.
Our Membership Plan is another part of our commitment to providing you with comfort, care, and convenience. You deserve the best medical attention available without having to sacrifice your peace of mind or your bank account. "Patient care and health is of the utmost importance," says Dr. Dhaval Thakkar. "Membership plans are becoming common in dental offices as patients and providers are feeling that their care should not be dictated by what the insurance company will cover," he added.
If you'd like to learn more about our Membership Plan, do not hesitate to reach out. We're more than happy to provide you with all the information you'll need to take this crucial step in your dental care.