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An official website of the United States government
Advance copies of this statement are made available to the press under lock-up conditions with the explicit understanding that the data are embargoed until 8:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Statement of Keith Hall Commissioner Bureau of Labor Statistics Friday, October 8, 2010 Nonfarm payroll employment edged down (-95,000) in September, and the unemployment rate held at 9.6 percent. Private-sector employment continued to trend up modestly (+64,000). Government employment continued to fall (-159,000), partly reflecting the loss of 77,000 temporary Census 2010 jobs. In September, 6,000 temporary decennial census workers remained on the federal government payroll. Elsewhere in the government sector, local government employment fell by 76,000. Within the private sector, health care employment continued to expand (+24,000) in September, primarily in ambulatory health care services. Employment services added 28,000 jobs; most of the gain was in temporary help services. Employment in food services rose by 34,000 over the month. Other major service- providing industries showed little change. Manufacturing employment was little changed (-6,000) in September and, on net, has shown essentially no change since May. In the first 5 months of this year, factory job growth had averaged 27,000 per month. Elsewhere in the goods-producing sector, construction employment edged down by 21,000 in September but, on net, has changed little since February. Mining employment continued to trend up in September. Average hourly earnings of all employees on private nonfarm payrolls were up by 1 cent over the month to $22.67. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have risen by 1.7 percent. From August 2009 to August 2010, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased by 1.2 percent. Most measures from the survey of households showed little or no movement over the month. The jobless rate was unchanged at 9.6 percent. Of the 14.8 million unemployed, 41.7 percent had been jobless for 27 weeks or more in September, about the same as in August. The employment-population ratio held at 58.5 percent in September. Among the employed, however, the number of involuntary part-time workers rose by 612,000 over the month to a series high of 9.5 million. In keeping with standard practice, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is announcing the preliminary estimate for the next benchmark revision to payroll employment. The benchmark process annually revises the payroll survey�s sample-based employment estimates to incorporate universe employment counts derived primarily from unemployment insurance tax reports. Preliminary tabulations indicate that the estimate of total nonfarm payroll employment for March 2010 will require a downward revision of approximately 366,000, or three-tenths of one percent. The average of the absolute values of the benchmark revisions over the prior 10 years is three-tenths of one percent. The final benchmark revision will be incorporated into the payroll survey with the publication of January data on February 4, 2011. Historical data series will be revised at that time. In summary, total nonfarm payroll employment edged down in September. Private-sector employment continued on a modest upward trend, while government employment decreased. The unemployment rate remained at 9.6 percent.


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Environmental exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a widespread chemical found in plastics and resins, may suppress a gene vital to nerve cell function and to the development of the central nervous system, according to a study led by researchers at Duke Medicine.
The researchers published their findings, which were observed in cortical neurons of mice, rats and humans, in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"Our study found that BPA may impair the development of the central nervous system, and raises the question as to whether exposure could predispose animals and humans to neurodevelopmental disorders," said lead author Wolfgang Liedtke, M.D., PhD, associate professor of medicine/neurology and neurobiology at Duke.
BPA, a molecule that mimics estrogen and interferes with the body's endocrine system, can be found in a wide variety of manufactured products, including thermal printer paper, some plastic water bottles and the lining of metal cans. The chemical can be ingested if it seeps into the contents of food and beverage containers.
Research in animals has raised concerns that exposure to BPA may cause health problems such as behavioral issues, endocrine and reproductive disorders, obesity, cancer and immune system disorders. Some studies suggest that infants and young children may be the most vulnerable to the effects of BPA, which led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ban the use of the chemical in baby bottles and cups in July 2012.
While BPA has been shown to affect the developing nervous system, little is understood as to how this occurs. The research team developed a series of experiments in rodent and human nerve cells to learn how BPA induces changes that disrupt gene regulation.
During early development of neurons, high levels of chloride are present in the cells. These levels drop as neurons mature, thanks to a chloride transporter protein called KCC2, which churns chloride ions out of the cells. If the level of chloride within neurons remains elevated, it can damage neural circuits and compromise a developing nerve cell's ability to migrate to its proper position in the brain.
Exposing neurons to minute amounts of BPA alters the chloride levels inside the cells by somehow shutting down the Kcc2 gene, which makes the KCC2 protein, thereby delaying the removal of chloride from neurons.
MECP2, another protein important for normal brain function, was found to be a possible culprit behind this change. When exposed to BPA, MECP2 is more abundant and binds to the Kcc2 gene at a higher rate, which might help to shut it down. This could contribute to problems in the developing brain due to a delay in chloride being removed.
These findings raise the question of whether BPA could contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders such as Rett syndrome, a severe autism spectrum disorder that is only found in girls and is characterized by mutations in the gene that produces MECP2.
While both male and female neurons were affected by BPA in the studies, female neurons were more susceptible to the chemical's toxicity. Further research will dig deeper into the sex-specific effects of BPA exposure and whether certain sex hormone receptors are involved in BPA's effect on KCC2.
"Our findings improve our understanding of how environmental exposure to BPA can affect the regulation of the Kcc2 gene. However, we expect future studies to focus on what targets aside from Kcc2 are affected by BPA," Liedtke said. "This is a chapter in an ongoing story."
Notes about this neurodevelopment and neurology research
In addition to Liedtke, study authors include Michele Yeo and Ken Berglund of the Liedtke Lab in the Division of Neurology at Duke Medicine; Michael Hanna, Maria D. Torres and Jorge Busciglio of the University of California, Irvine; Junjie U. Guo and Yuan Gao of the Lieber Institute for Brain Development and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.; and Jaya Kittur, Joel Abramowitz and Lutz Birnbaumer of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, N.C.
The research received funding from Duke University, the Klingenstein Fund, the National Institutes of Health (R21NS066307, HD38466 and AG16573), and intramural funds from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Contact: Rachel Harrison – Duke Health
Source: Duke Health press release
Image Source: The image is licensed as public domain.
Original Research: Full open access research (PDF) for "Bisphenol A delays the perinatal chloride shift in cortical neurons by epigenetic effects on the Kcc2 promoter" by Michele Yeo, Ken Berglund, Michael Hanna, Junjie U. Guo, Jaya Kittur, Maria D. Torres, Joel Abramowitz, Jorge Busciglio, Yuan Gao, Lutz Birnbaumer, and Wolfgang B. Liedtke in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Published online February 25 2013 doi: 10.1073/pnas.1300959110

subset: commoncrawl


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Sunlight represents the cleanest, greenest and far and away most abundant of all energy sources, and yet its potential remains woefully under-utilized. High costs have been a major deterrant to the large-scale applications of silicon-based solar cells. Nanopillars – densely packed nanoscale arrays of optically active semiconductors – have shown potential for providing a next generation of relatively cheap and scalable solar cells, but have been hampered by efficiency issues. The nanopillar story, however, has taken a new twist and the future for these materials now looks brighter than ever.
"By tuning the shape and geometry of highly ordered nanopillar arrays of germanium or cadmium sulfide, we have been able to drastically enhance the optical absorption properties of our nanopillars," says Ali Javey, a chemist who holds joint appointments with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC) at Berkeley.
Javey, a faculty scientist with Berkeley Lab's Materials Sciences Division and a UC Berkeley professor of electrical engineering and computer science, has been at the forefront of nanopillar research. He and his group were the first to demonstrate a technique by which cadmium sulfide nanopillars can be mass-produced in large-scale flexible modules. In this latest work, they were able to produce nanopillars that absorb light as well or even better than commercial thin-film solar cells, using far less semiconductor material and without the need for anti-reflective coating.
"To enhance the broad-band optical absorption efficiency of our nanopillars we used a novel dual-diameter structure that features a small (60 nanometers) diameter tip with minimal reflectance to allow more light in, and a large (130 nanometers) diameter base for maximal absorbtion to enable more light to be converted into electricity," Javey says. "This dual-diameter structure absorbed 99-percent of incident visible light, compared to the 85 percent absorbtion by our earlier nanopillars, which had the same diameter along their entire length."
Theoretical and experimental works have shown that 3-D arrays of semiconductor nanopillars – with well-defined diameter, length and pitch – excel at trapping light while using less than half the semiconductor material required for thin-film solar cells made of compound semiconductors, such as cadmium telluride, and about one-percent of the material used in solar cells made from bulk silicon. But until the work of Javey and his research group, fabricating such nanopillars was a complex and cumbersome procedure.
Javey and his colleagues fashioned their dual diameter nanopillars from molds they made in 2.5 millimeter-thick alumina foil. A two-step anodization process was used to create an array of one micrometer deep pores in the mold with dual diameters — narrow at the top and broad at the bottom. Gold particles were then deposited into the pores to catalyze the growth of the semiconductor nanopillars.
"This process enables fine control over geometry and shape of the single-crystalline nanopillar arrays, without the use of complex epitaxial and/or lithographic processes," Javey says. "At a height of only two microns, our nanopillar arrays were able to absorb 99-percent of all photons ranging in wavelengths between 300 to 900 nanometers, without having to rely on any anti-reflective coatings."
The germanium nanopillars can be tuned to absorb infrared photons for highly sensitive detectors, and the cadmium sulfide/telluride nanopillars are ideal for solar cells. The fabrication technique is so highly generic, Javey says, it could be used with numerous other semiconductor materials as well for specific applications. Recently, he and his group demonstrated that the cross-sectional portion of the nanopillar arrays can also be tuned to assume specific shapes – square, rectangle or circle — simply by changing the shape of the template.
"This presents yet another degree of control in the optical absorption properties of nanopillars," Javey says.
Javey's dual-diameter nanopillar research was partially funded through the National Science Foundation's Center of Integrated Nanomechanical Systems (COINS), and through Berkeley Lab LDRD funds.
A paper describing this research appears on-line in the journal NANO Letters under the title "Ordered Arrays of Dual-Diameter Nanopillars for Maximized Optical Absorption." Co-authoring the paper with Javey were Zhiyong Fan, Rehan Kapadia, Paul Leu,Xiaobo Zhang, Yu-Lun Chueh, Kuniharu Takei, Kyoungsik Yu, Arash Jamshidi, Asghar Rathore, Daniel Ruebusch and Ming Wu.
Berkeley Lab is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory located in Berkeley, California. It conducts unclassified scientific research for DOE's Office of Science and is managed by the University of California. Visit our Website at www.lbl.gov


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Repost from Chico News & Review
[Editor: This article is well-written and documents gutsy analyses by a regional firefighter and County officials who understand that local safety is at the mercy of federal regulators. Three years of Russian roulette – and more. A "must read." – RS]
Russian roulette on the railways
Butte County train tracks are Bakken-free for now, but emergency responders fear a return of the volatile fuel
By Evan Tuchinsky, 05.21.15What is 'Bakken'?
The light crude oil known as Bakken comes from fracking a geologic formation of that name under North Dakota, Montana and Canada. Less dense and with less carbon, light crudes yield more gasoline than heavier crudes, but also are more volatile.
Trains crash. That fact hit home last week when a passenger train derailed in Philadelphia and also last year, on Nov. 26, when a cargo train derailed in the Feather River Canyon.
The risk of devastation multiplies when the derailed train carries volatile crude oil. A recent spate of those accidents has garnered national attention, too, prompting the U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) to release new regulations governing the conveyance of flammable liquids. The measures have drawn near-unanimous opposition, though, and done little to assuage lingering local fears.
"My constituents have raised concerns and the Board [of Supervisors] is concerned," said Butte County Supervisor Maureen Kirk, who represents Chico. "We're hoping that some of the legislation and some of the discussion that comes forward will make even stiffer requirements on the transport of this Bakken oil."
The DoT regulations came out May 1. Five days later, another oil train crashed, in North Dakota. By last Friday (May 15), both the petroleum industry and environmentalists had filed legal challenges to the DoT's so-called "final rule."
The International Association of Fire Fighters also has voiced objections. Representing more than 300,000 firefighters in North America, the IAFF protested a provision that allows railroads to keep the contents of their trains confidential—under the banner of national security.
Russ Fowler, battalion chief with Cal Fire Butte County and coordinator of the local Interagency Hazardous Materials Team, has additional concerns. DoT regulations phase out tank cars that are not up to the current safety standard, rather than pull them off the rails for retrofitting or retirement. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has argued that the alternative would result in increased oil-tanker traffic on highways.
Fowler says one particular railcar commonly used to carry volatile Bakken crude oil, the DOT-111, "just [wasn't] designed for that product." Since railroads have until 2018 to get those cars up to standard, "we have three years of potential Russian roulette on our hands if light crude oil is transported down the Feather River Canyon like it was done last fall."
Cal Fire has communicated with BNSF Railway, Fowler said, and has been told no crude oil deliveries have come through Butte County this year. "I have no reason not to believe them," he added, though he's seen DOT-111s riding on Chico tracks.
Lena Kent, BNSF's spokeswoman for California, confirmed by email that "we are not currently transporting Bakken crude in your county." She also wrote: "We do provide information to the Office of Emergency Services in California."
That's in contrast with last year, when train cars carrying millions of gallons of the explosive oil, reportedly around one shipment per week, did make their way way along the Feather River Canyon. Experts tie the reduction of imports to a reduced demand for the fuel, a lighter type that's similar to gasoline and thus extremely volatile.
While Cal Fire dreads the prospect of an urban crash, the Feather River Canyon presents a distinct set of frets.
Train tracks head into remote areas that are difficult for emergency responders to reach. Access roads don't always run adjacent to the rail route—not even parallel in certain spots. Depending on where a crash occurred, spilled oil could contaminate the Feather River and Lake Oroville—a major source of water for California—or could start a forest fire should it ignite.
Even without a blaze or river release, "it would make an ugly, oily mess in the canyon," Fowler said. "It would be a terrible environmental disaster."
Butte County supervisors articulated such concerns to the California Public Utility Commission and the Governor's Office of Emergency Services, before the DoT released its regulations. OES responded by saying the state is investing in "purchasing new Type II hazardous material emergency response units" and in "local training specific to … rail safety incidents."
For Supervisor Doug Teeter, the board chair who represents the Ridge, that's little assurance. He has a powerless feeling—believing "it's just a matter of time" before an accident happens locally, yet knowing "as a county we have no control" over the rails.
"We're at the mercy of the federal regulators," he continued. "All we're really getting is a little response on improved training and equipment. That is not nearly enough to handle a 100-car spill."
Either in populated or unpopulated areas.
"We as a hazmat team plan for worst-case scenarios," Fowler said. "Just because you plan for a worst-case scenario doesn't mean you can mitigate the worst-case scenario, because there are things that can happen that are so catastrophic that it would overwhelm local resources until more regional or statewide resources could come in to help."
Should legal challenges fail, and in the absence of local authority, a remedy to the DoT regulations remains: Congress. Teeter recently met with a representative of Sen. Barbara Boxer. Meanwhile, North State Congressman John Garamendi has introduced legislation to make light crude safer for rail transport.
Teeter encourages constituents to write congressional representatives and senators. He finds encouragement even in the controversial DoT regulations, which arose amid an uproar.
"Maybe now we'll have a voice," Teeter said. "Maybe something can happen."


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Saint Louis University School of Law is committed to providing an innovative curriculum and top-notch legal education, while assisting our students with the cost. Advancing SLU LAW in these areas lies at the heart of the Loyal to Law Annual Fund, which was established to ensure that alumni dollars go to the School of Law's most pressing needs and priorities.
When you give to the Loyal to Law Fund, you help SLU LAW faculty provide a world-class academic environment that fosters intellectual openness, rigorous scholarship and service to others. Gifts to the Annual Fund provide essential support for the law school and enable us to:
- Attract the best and brightest students with financial aid;
- Support the law journals, Moot Court and Trial Advocacy programs;
- Fund colloquia and seminars for students, faculty and alumni; and
- Enhance student activities and support student organizations
- Your investment will directly impact today's most promising law students. A gift to the Loyal to Law Annual Fund, in any amount, will allow us to move forward and advance the mission of SLU LAW.
To make a gift to the Loyal to Law Annual Fund, view the Online Gift Form or mail your contribution to:
Saint Louis University School of Law
Office of Development and Alumni Relations
Scott Hall, Room 1050
100 N. Tucker Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63101


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"The Aaronic Priesthood—A Sure Foundation," Ensign, July 1972, 89
The Aaronic Priesthood—A Sure Foundation
My dear brethren, my spirit is subdued and my heart is full tonight as I stand before this great body of priesthood and realize that there are thousands upon thousands in other gatherings throughout the Church, and as I contemplate the responsibilities that have been placed on my shoulders.
After receiving my call the other day, I was asked by President Lee if I was shocked. I had difficulty replying. Being shocked was an understatement. I might say that the aftershocks have been much more severe than the original. Notwithstanding this, I have faith and look forward with great anticipation and enthusiasm to the future.
I do this because I know that God lives. I know that his Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind, is the head of this church and that he is actively directing the affairs of this, his church today, through his prophet, President Joseph Fielding Smith, who has just borne witness in such a powerful way of his calling and also of mine.
I also know I have been called by the Lord through his prophets, as President Smith announced, and that if I will repent of my sins, He will bless me and strengthen me for the tasks ahead. If I did not know these things to be true, I would not have the courage nor the temerity to accept such a call. Even knowing this, it is frightening to contemplate assuming such a sacred trust.
The last ten and one-half years under the direction of a great leader, Bishop John H. Vandenberg, have been wonderful indeed. I have been associated with him as a member of my stake presidency when I served as bishop of the Denver Fourth Ward, as a fellow counselor in the Denver Stake presidency, and now for more than ten years as one of his counselors in the Presiding Bishopric. I want him and you to know that I love and appreciate him. He is a man of great ability. I am deeply grateful for having had the privilege of being his counselor.
Bishop Simpson, as first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, has made a great contribution to the Church, as evidenced by the love the people everywhere have for him. He is a man without guile.
And now I am deeply grateful to two wonderful high priests for their dedication and total commitment to the Lord, which caused them to respond to the call to complete the Presiding Bishopric as my counselors.
In approaching the task of selecting counselors, I sought the inspiration of the Lord in prayer. I reviewed hundreds of names of worthy brethren, any of whom could have been called. The two who were called were the ones the Lord wanted. You witnessed confirmation of this truth as you listened to their testimonies in the first session of this conference.
We recognize our dependence on our Heavenly Father in assuming the responsibility as your Presiding Bishopric. We have but one desire and that is, to accomplish the work of the Lord in his own way and in his own time, for we recognize that this is his church. We are his servants called to assist him in accomplishing his purpose, which is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39.)
The Presiding Bishopric functions under the supervision and direction of the First Presidency, who constitute the presidency of all the priesthood throughout the world. Under their direction and through their delegation, the Presiding Bishopric presides as the presidency of the Aaronic Priesthood throughout the world.
The Aaronic Priesthood is the lesser priesthood. It is a preparatory priesthood preparing its holders for the greater or Melchizedek Priesthood. Therefore, the Presiding Bishopric's responsibility is to support and sustain the presidency of the Melchizedek Priesthood by assisting in the preparation and qualifying of young men to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood.
In this regard we sustain the inspired prospective elders program that has just been introduced. There are tens of thousands of wonderful adult male members of the Church who hold the Aaronic Priesthood or who have not been ordained whose spiritual welfare has now been assigned to the elders quorum presidencies of the Church. This program is, and will become even more so, a great blessing to these brethren.
As I now reflect on the responsibility that has come to me as the president of the Aaronic Priesthood, I recall some of my feelings as a boy. I am humbled by the many blessings the Lord has granted me through the Aaronic Priesthood.
I remember with some clarity the thrill of passing the sacrament as a deacon in the Cardston Second Ward, Alberta Stake, in Canada. That same thrill returns each time I am invited to pass the sacrament to the General Authorities in our monthly meeting in the Salt Lake Temple.
I remember how I considered it an honor to participate in such a sacred service. I remember so well how my parents taught me that my hands and heart should be clean and pure so that I would be worthy to participate in this ordinance.
The greatest of all lessons was the example my father and mother set for me. Next was the example of my deacons quorum adviser, who was also my Scoutmaster. Brother Ben Wood was the epitome of what leaders of boys should be. Every boy under his leadership felt his great love. His influence was not limited to Sunday morning or Tuesday evening; it was felt all through the week. I shall ever be grateful to my deacons adviser for the lessons of life he taught me as a twelve-year-old deacon, lessons that have helped me from that day until now.
Many young men throughout the world are having experiences today similar to those I had as a twelve-year-old boy. All of you, whether you are twelve years of age or older, have the opportunity to experience these wonderful things.
The foundation on which each boy begins is recognition that he is in very deed a son of God, with something of the divine in his soul. All men are children of God, but you have something more. You have the authority to act in his name. This sets you apart from the rest of the world. It does not automatically make you better than others, but it gives you the responsibility to live a better life than others.
Because you know you are a child of God and hold his priesthood, more is expected of you than of those who do not have this great blessing.
I have been thrilled as I have met young men of the Aaronic Priesthood throughout the Church who have a comprehension of the great blessing and honor that is theirs by virtue of this priesthood and who have consequently begun to build their lives on a sure foundation.
I was in the Pago Pago Stake in American Samoa. President Peters, the stake president, invited me to accompany him to one of the ward sacrament meetings. We arrived unannounced, so there were no special arrangements made.
It was a hot, humid day. As we approached the humble, one-room chapel with no air-conditioning, I suggested it might be appropriate to leave our jackets off. President Peters was quick to tell me that they wore jackets in sacrament meeting in their stake—no matter what the temperature—as a means of showing the Lord that they not only worshiped him but they also honored and respected him by being dressed in their very best.
As I took my place on the stand, there sat the priests and deacons at the sacrament table. Each had on a shirt, tie, and jacket. It was so hot and humid.
The normal dress of the islands is very casual, as you know, but in the eyes of these wonderful Samoan leaders and their Aaronic Priesthood boys, participating in the sacred sacrament service was not a casual experience. It was a sacred duty. They felt that their appearance helped show the respect and reverence they had for the Lord. I shall never forget their influence of reverence in that meeting. Surely their understanding of their relationship with Heavenly Father is an important step in magnifying their priesthood.
One day several years ago, I attended the finals of an Aaronic Priesthood scripture contest in Sao Paulo, Brazil. These were the finals in a mission-wide contest held under the direction of President Wayne Beck. Sitting on the stand, acting as judges, were the district counselors. Gathered in small groups through the chapel were the contestants. As they were called up before the judges, they were challenged to repeat from memory scriptures selected at random by the judges and then to explain the meaning of each scripture.
I witnessed as much enthusiasm and excitement among these teams of young men of the Aaronic Priesthood as one normally sees at a basketball or soccer game. Because of the location, it was not as vocal, but it was just as intense. It was fun for them to make the scriptures become a part of themselves.
After a meeting with some of our servicemen in Da Nang, South Vietnam, one man in battle dress came up to me and asked if I would write a letter to his parents, who were nonmembers, explaining to them the great honor that had come to him that day. He said they knew nothing about the Church and asked, "Bishop Brown, would you mind telling them what a great honor it was for me to be ordained a priest in the Aaronic Priesthood today?"
Some time ago in New York City a fine-looking young man said to me, "It isn't easy to be a Jew and a Mormon." When this young man was baptized, his parents were so displeased they held a formal funeral. As far as they are concerned, their son is dead.
How important it is that all young men of the Aaronic Priesthood recognize their responsibility as priesthood holders and, as President McKay used to say, act accordingly.
And now a word to fathers, bishops, and other Aaronic Priesthood leaders, with emphasis for the fathers. With a feeling of brotherhood and love, we the Presiding Bishopric lock arms with you in the great causes of youth. Never has there been a finer generation of young people.
I have a conviction that the spirits of this generation were held back by the Lord to come forth at this time because they are special spirits. And yet the world into which they have come is filled with evil and temptation. Satan is at work with his legions. We who have been called—in the home and in the Church—to lead the youth have a sacred responsibility to them.
Regarding the home, the Lord has said in the Doctrine and Covenants:
"And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents.
"And they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord." (D&C 68:25, 28.)
The first responsibility rests with the parents. The position of the Church is to aid the parents and the family, not to replace them.
Bishops, you are the presidents of the priests quorums, and with your counselors you are the presidency of the Aaronic Priesthood in your wards. These young men need your leadership. They need your attention, for you have a special calling with a special blessing. You have the power of discernment. You are common judges in Israel.
If you will take the time to become involved with these young people and see that they become involved with you, you can become saviors on Mount Zion to many. You are the ones, along with the other leaders in the wards and branches, who make the difference.
We want you to know of our love and support for you. We are grateful to the Lord for each of you and pray our Heavenly Father's blessings upon us all that, through our united and devoted leadership, we may help every young man in this church honor his priesthood so that not one of these precious children of God will be lost. I pray this humbly in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.


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On Saturday I went on a photography tour that is a great way to experience Buenos Aires, and I strongly recommend that everyone place Fota Ruta high on a list of things to do in Buenos Aires. I put tour in italics since this turned out not to be a guided tour at all. Plus, it's not just for photographers.
Every Saturday afternoon Foto Ruta has a gathering that explores a different neighborhood of Buenos Aires. This past weekend focused on San Telmo. The meeting location was a small restaurant on Balcarce. When I first got the email indicating the starting point I knew this was going to be slightly different from other encounters with touristic operations. Balcarce is one of my favorite streets in San Telmo but absent the large crowds that stream down Defensa. A few people were mingling in front of the resto when I arrived and a couple more soon joined. I was expecting Joss, one of the people who runs Foto Ruta, to appear, chat with us a for few minutes, and then lead us down the street. After all, that's the typical walking tour routine.
Instead, we went into the restaurant where Foto Ruta staged a much bigger production than I imagined. On a table were nicely spread out several photography books for us to browse and an abundance of handouts, even including a lanyard (which doubled as a camera strap). I had to inquire who was their graphic designer since all the Foto Ruta publications were extremely well designed as is their website. Turns out the credit goes to Joss, who has a background in graphic design and photography. Her photographic understanding became even more evident as the afternoon went by.
The first forty-five minutes of the tour is spent sitting in the restaurant, which offered a good opportunity to get to know the others who have come on the tour that day. In my group were a guy from Iceland living in Sweden, two young women from the UK, and two other expats residing in Buenos Aires. Joss presented an overview of Foto Ruta, explained the concept of the tour, a brief history of the barrio, and then proceeded with a wonderfully illustrated presentation (on a large screen) about ways to compose better photographs that was filled with really useful advice and examples.
The innovative approach of Foto Ruta is that it's not a guided tour showing you a dozen picture perfect spots for taking those quintessential photos of Buenos Aires. Rather, Foto Ruta is about helping you see beyond the touristic surface of a barrio and along the way you find the wonderful images that resonate with you. On a Foto Ruta excursion you go off on your own or with a small group if you so choose, then meet back at the restaurant in a couple of hours to review a selection of photos that everyone took that afternoon. To aid that process of discovery Foto Ruta provides a map, a list of useful phrases in Spanish, and, most importantly, a set of ten clues to stimulate your visual thinking. These clues are not the mundane "Find the old bar at the corner of Plaza Dorrego", but a brief phase: Dorrego Daydreams. The interpretation is yours. And isn't that the key to a great travel experience? We're each internalizing our own encounters with a place. And photography can help express that in imagery.
On Saturday I teamed up with Oli, the Icelander residing in Stockholm. That's also the great benefit of Foto Ruta: a chance to make new friends. Over a couple of hours of wandering a neighborhood you have a lot of time to talk, maybe sit down in a cafe for a coffee. Oli turned out to have a fantastic eye for photography (not surprising that he carried two film cameras and one digital). Here's a photo Oli took for the clue "A pigeon's picada".
Even though I know San Telmo incredibly well, having lived in that barrio from 2005 – 2008, I still encountered new sights. And the neighborhood has changed in the last few years but much has remained the same. We wandered in a bookstore filled with old books. No other customers in the store but in the back was an old man with long white hair. After glancing at him I had to turn and look again at the object in his lap. He was making shoes. After a conversation it turned out that he's a custom shoemaker who will measure your feet and craft a pair of shoes by hand. Stumbling across that type of encounter makes for a memorable afternoon.
Oli and I returned to the restaurant where Joss and her Finnish assistant Sari had bottles of wine waiting. The others soon arrived and everyone selected a photo that best matched each of the ten clues. Even if you're not so into photography this made for a wonderful Saturday afternoon. You don't even have to take photos; you can team up with another. And there's no wrong answers when seeking out photos for the clues. You can be quite abstract and conceptual, plus most clues are quite broad and open to interpretation. As we're sitting around drinking wine and chatting Sari copies the photos from everyone's digital cameras and then Joss turns on the large screen monitor so that we can see the photos. Joss provides an excellent but gentle critique of the photos. This is not a graded exercise and she deftly finds something good to say about every photo. Indeed, some of the photos are quite remarkable. Check out the gallery page on Fota Ruta.
Seriously, if you're into photography and you're in Buenos Aires or visting the city then you're going to enjoy the Foto Ruta experience. In addition to the Saturday excursions Foto Ruta also offers half-day and full-day workshops on street photography, a half-day on iPhoneography, plus a full-day post production workshop. That's an exciting set of opportunities for anyone interested in photography.
I love Fota Ruta's concept for getting people to truly experience the streets of Buenos Aires. You won't learn anything about the history of a 19th century military leader and politician named Manuel Dorrego, but you'll surely come away with lasting memories and new insights in photography.


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James Hampton
- Born
- Elloree, South Carolina, United States
- Died
- Washington, District of Columbia, United States
- Biography
Little is known about James Hampton, despite the grandeur of his self-chosen title, "Director, Special Projects for the State of Eternity." He was born in 1909 in Elloree, South Carolina, a small community of predominantly African-American sharecroppers and tenant farmers. His father, a gospel singer and self-ordained Baptist minister, left his wife and four children to pursue his itinerant calling.
In 1928, when he was nineteen, Hampton moved to Washington, D.C., to live with an older brother. Drafted into the Army in 1942, he served with a segregated unit that maintained airstrips in Saipan and Guam during World War II. Hampton returned to Washington in 1945, and began working a year later as a janitor for the General Services Administration until his death in 1964. Although he expressed interest in finding "a holy woman," to assist with his life's work he never married and had few close friends.
Hampton was raised as a fundamentalist Baptist, but he disliked the concept of a denominational God and attended a variety of the city's churches. As early as 1931, Hampton believed that he began receiving visions from God, and by 1945 it appears he had made one small, shrine-like object while stationed on Guam. This piece became part of his larger work, and is now placed in front of the center pulpit.
His work on The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations Millennium General Assembly probably began in earnest around 1950, when he rented a garage in his northwest Washington neighborhood, which was also the city's center of African-American business, religious, and night life.
Although a humble man, Hampton often referred to himself as "St. James." He may have considered himself a prophet like John, the author of The Book of Revelation, the biblical writing that inspired Hampton's belief in the Second Coming of Christ and his desire to build The Throne as a monument to the return of Christ to earth.
Hampton worked almost every day on his project, often starting his work at midnight after completing his janitorial duties. He continued his efforts until he died in 1964. The Throne was discovered and brought to the public's attention after his death. It is most likely Hampton's monument to his faith was never completely finished.
Exhibition Label, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2006
- Artist Biography
The artistic gifts of James Hampton were virtually unknown until shortly after his death. Hampton was born in the small rural community of Elloree, South Carolina. His father was an itinerant, self-proclaimed Baptist minister and gospel singer who deserted his wife and four young children to follow his calling.
When Hampton was around nineteen years old he moved to Washington, D.C., to join an older brother. From 1939 to 1942 Hampton worked as a short-order cook in several local cafes, and later joined the federal government labor force. Details concerning Hampton's educational background are sketchy. Presumably he attended the local schools in Elloree, South Carolina. On an application for federal employment in Washington, Hampton claimed to have attended an African-American high school in the District of Columbia through the tenth grade. There are no records, however, of Hampton's attendance at such a school.
In 1943 Hampton was inducted into the United States Army and served with the 385th Aviation Squadron in Texas, Hawaii, and the jungles of Saipan and Guam. His unit was noncombatant, and drew duties that consisted largely of carpentry and maintenance of air strips. Following his honorable discharge from the army in 1945, Hampton returned to Washington. In 1946 he was hired by the General Services Administration as a janitor. He remained in that position until his death.
Additional facts concerning Hampton's life are scarce. He never married, lived alone in a small apartment in a row house in northwest Washington, and was described as a small, bespectacled, soft-spoken recluse with few friends. James Hampton was totally dedicated to his "vision", a "vision" that almost defies artistic classification yet produced an outstanding example of religious sculpture. In November 1964, Hampton died of cancer in Washington at the age of fifty-three.
Regenia A. Perry Free within Ourselves: African-American Artists in the Collection of the National Museum of American Art (Washington, D.C.: National Museum of American Art in Association with Pomegranate Art Books, 1992)


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It is possible that some of the readers may like to know the origin of the myth of 'Gharaniq', which has been quoted by some Sunni historians, and may incidentally become aware of the hands which have been busy in inventing and propagating falsehoods .
The Jews, and especially their religious leaders, have been and are sworn enemies of Islam. A group of theirs like Ka'b Ahbar who had ostensibly embraced Islam was continuously busy in concealing the realities of Islam by coining falsehoods and publicizing baseless things by ascribing them to the Prophet, and some of the Muslim writers, reposing confidence in all their co-religionists, accepted most of their forgeries without proper scrutiny and compiled them in the shape of tradition and history.
Nowadays, however, more opportunities are available to the scholars for scrutinizing such matters and particularly a set of rules and methods has come into existence as a result of the efforts of the Muslim research scholars for distinguishing historical facts from myths. In the circumstances it is not at all proper for a writer, who is well-versed in religious matters, to accept as final whatever he comes across in a book and to quote it without verification.
It is said that the chiefs of Quraysh like Walid, 'As, Aswad and Umayyah met the Prophet and proposed that, in order to remove their mutual differences, both the parties should acknowledge the gods of each other. At that moment 'Surah al-Kafirun' was revealed in reply to their proposal and the Prophet was ordered to speak thus: "I do not worship that which you worship, nor do you worship Him whom I worship."
Nevertheless, the Prophet was fiery keen to reconcile with his people and wished that an order might be revealed which should lessen the gap between him and his kinsmen. One day he was sitting near the Ka'bah and reciting Surah al-Najm in a sonorous tone. When he reached these two verses. "Have you thought on al-Lat and al-Uzza and thirdly on Manat?" Satan suddenly made him utter another two sentences viz. "These are 'Gharaniq' [190] who are high in position and their intercession is acceptable", and then he recited the remaining verses. When he reached the verse of sajdah (the last verse of the surah) the Prophet himself as well as all others present, whether Muslims or idolaters, performed sajdah before the idols, with the exception of Walid who was too old to do so.
There was tumult and rejoicing amongst those who were present in the mosque and the idolaters said that Muhammad had spoken well of their gods. The news about the reconciliation of Muhammad with Quraysh reached those who had migrated to Ethiopia and consequently some of them returned from their place of residence (Ethiopia). However, on their return they found that once again the conditions had undergone a change and the angel had brought revelation to the Prophet and had asked him again to oppose the idolaters and had told him that Satan had made him utter those words and he (the angel) had never spoken them!
This is the gist of the fiction of 'Gharaniq' which the orientalists are very keen to quote with much grandiloquence. [191]
You may suppose that Muhammad was not one of the chosen ones of the Almighty, but his wisdom and intelligence cannot be denied in any case. Now how can a wise man resort to such an act? Is it possible that an intelligent person who observes that the number of his followers is becoming larger day by day and the split in the ranks of the enemy is increasing, should, at such a juncture, do something which may lower down his position before his friends as well as of his enemies?
Can you believe that the person who refused all offers of status and wealth by Quraysh for the sake of the Divine religion should once again introduce polytheism and idol-worship? Not to talk of the Holy Prophet, we cannot expect any such thing even from a reformer or an ordinary statesman.
1. According to the verdict of intellect the Divine teachers are always immune from all sorts of errors on account of the strength of innocence they possess. But if it be agreed upon that they too are liable to commit mistakes and errors in religious matters the very basis of the confidence, which people repose in their words, crumbles down. Hence, it is necessary that we should test such historical events with the touchstone of our rational beliefs and should solve these ambiguities of history with our firm faith. And it goes without saying that the uprightness of Muhammad in propagation of the Divine religion would not allow the occurrence of such events.
2. The myth rests on the assumption that the Prophet was tired of the responsibility which Allah had laid on his shoulders and was very much perturbed on account of the deviation and remoteness of his people. He was therefore, anxious to find out ways and means to improve their condition. However, wisdom ordains that the prophets should be very patient and forbearing, their fortitude should be proverbial amongst all and they should never think of abandoning their mission.
If this myth be a true and confirmed incident it would mean that the hero of our narrative had lost his fortitude and patience and his spirit had become depressed and tired. This thing is not, however, in consonance with the verdict of wisdom and does not also accord with the Prophet's past and future life, as we know it.
The inventor of this story has ignored the fact that the Qur'an bears testimony to the falsehood of this story, because Allah has given him good tidings that falsehood would not enter his path. This is a Mighty Scripture. Falsehood cannot reach it from before or behind. (Surah al-Fussilat, 41:42) Allah has also given an absolute promise that He would protect the Qur'an from every harm throughout human history. Surely we have revealed the Qur'an and We will most surely be its Guardian. (Surah Hijr, 15:9)
Hence, could it be possible that an outcast (Satan) should overpower the chosen one of Allah, insert falsehood in his Qur'an and make the Qur'an, whose very foundation is laid on campaign against idol-worship, a promoter of the system of idolatry.
It is strange that the inventor of this myth has sung a tuneless song and has calumniated the Oneness of Allah at that spot where a few moments earlier the Holy Qur'an has itself contradicted this calumniation, because in the second and third verses of the same Surah the Almighty Allah says: He (the Prophet) does not speak out of his own fancy. This is an inspired revelation. He is taught by One who is Powerful and Mighty. (Surah al-Najm, 53:3 - 5)
In spite of this positive tiding how could He leave His Prophet unprotected and allow that Satan should take possession of his mind and thoughts?
We are sorry to discuss this myth to a greater extent than it deserves. But the fact is that our remarks are based on rational arguments and are useful for those who believe in the prophethood of the Prophet. However, these arguments are not sufficient for the orientalists, whose hearts have not yet been illuminated by faith in the Prophet and who quote and explain such myths to prove this religion to be of no consequence. With them, therefore, we should discuss the matter in another manner.
History tells us that when the Prophet was reciting Surah al-Najm, the chiefs of Quraysh, most of whom were great poets and men of letters, were present in the mosque. One of them was Walid who was a sage and poet of Arabia and was well known for his wisdom and intelligence. And all of them heard the surah up to its end and performed sajdah when it ended with the verse necessitating sajdah.
The question, therefore, arises as to why these persons, who were great poets and scholars, were satisfied with only two sentences in praise of their gods, when the verses preceding and succeeding these sentences consist totally of admonition and condemnation of their gods.
It is not known what opinion the inventor of this white lie had formed about those persons, whose mother-tongue was Arabic, who were considered to be the champions in the field of eloquence in the entire Arab society, and who knew the allusions and metaphors (not to speak of explicit things) of their language better than anyone else. Was it proper for them to be satisfied with the two sentences in praise of their gods and ignore the preceding and succeeding sentences? Not to talk of others, it is not possible to deceive even ordinary persons by fascinating sentences which are placed in a context which consists entirely of condemnation of their beliefs and conduct.
Now we write down the relevant verses and place dots instead of these two sentences. You can very well decide whether these two sentences can be accommodated in the verses which have been revealed in condemnation of the idols:
Have you thought on Lat and Uzza, and, thirdly on Manat?....... [192] Is He to have daughters and you sons? This is indeed an unfair division! They (The idols) are but names which you and your fathers have invented. Allah has vested no authority in them.
Can even a common man agree, on the basis of such contradictory sentences, to give up his enmity against, and to come to terms with a man whose religion he has endeavoured to uproot for ten years, and has placed his very existence in danger for that cause?
The distinguished Egyptian scholar Muhammad Abdoh says: The word 'Gharaniq' has never been used for 'gods' in the Arabic language and poetry. The words 'Gharnuq' and 'Gharniq' are found in the lexicon and they mean a particular aquatic bird or a fair and handsome young man, and neither of these conveys the meaning of 'gods'.
Sir Willian Muir has considered the myth of 'Gharaniq' as an established fact of history and the evidence relied upon by him is this: "More than three months had not yet passed since the migration of the Muslims to Ethiopia and they were leading a peaceful life under the protection of the Negus. They would not have returned to Makkah to see their kith and kin if they had not received news about the reconciliation of Muhammad with Quraysh. It was, therefore, necessary that Muhammad should provide a means for peace and that means was the very story of 'Gharaniq'.
However, one may very well ask this noted orientalist firstly as to why it should be necessary that the return of those people to Makkah was the result of a correct news. In every day life self-interested persons circulate thousands of false news amongst the people every now and then. It is, therefore, quite possible that some persons coined the news of reconciliation between Muhammad and Quraysh with a view to make the Muslims return to their own country from Ethiopia and consequently some of them believed in the news and returned, whereas others were not deceived and stayed on in Ethiopia.
Secondly, even if it is supposed that the Prophet wanted to make peace with Quraysh why should the foundation of that peace be laid on these two spurious sentences? As a matter of fact it would have been sufficient to win their hearts if he had made a solemn promise to keep absolutely quiet about their beliefs.
In short the return of the migrants is no proof of the correctness of this myth and peace and reconciliation do not also depend upon uttering these two sentences.
[190] 'Gharaniq' is the plural of Gharnuq or Gharniq which means a sort of aquaic bird or a handsome youth.
[191] Tarikh-i Tabari, vol. II, pp. 75-76.
[192] lf you fill in the blank by inserting the translation of the two sentences in question ('These are gharaniq, who are high in position and their intercession is acceptable') you will certainly observe they will be contradictory to the verses preceding and succeeding them.
source : http://www.al-islam.org


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Quality assurance schemes for compost and digestion residuals established themselves in the last 20 years successfully in various European Member States and contributed well for the sustainable recycling of organic waste. Nevertheless the running revisions of various environmental and agricultural directives at the Commission and the EU's free trade principle advice to develop consistent quality standards for compost and digestion residuals.
The example of the advanced countries clearly shows that effective biowaste treatment has to include quality standards and their control in order to guarantee environmentally safe application and successful marketing and markets. On the basis of existing experiences in countries with running quality assurance schemes the European Compost Network ECN developed a European Quality Assurance Scheme (ECN-QAS) for compost and digestate.
Targets of ECN-QAS
The targets of ECN-QAS are:
- to harmonise the requirements for compost and digestate across Europe to build up an European-wide market for quality compost and digestate,
- to harmonise the existing quality assurance schemes across Europe and
- to support national quality assurance organisations (NQAO) establishing quality assurance schemes for compost and digestate
Structure of ECN-QAS
With this project ECN e.V. takes the initiative to build up an European-wide Quality Assurance Scheme (ECN-QAS). In the first stage national quality assurance organisations (NQAO) should be certified by ECN-QAS. Secondly, composting and anaerobic digestion plants - monitored by national quality assurance organisation (NQAO) and recognised by ECN-QAS - should have the possibility to apply for the quality label of ECN-QAS in addition to their product quality label or certificate of the national quality assurance organisation (NQAO).
Contents of ECN-QAS
The ECN-QAS presents an independent quality assurance scheme and includes fundamental requirements for national quality assurance organisations (NQAO) for compost and digestate and basic requirements for an European compost and digestate standard in the first instance. Besides a positive list for suitable input materials and requirements for process quality also quality criteria for compost and digestate are laid down in the scheme.
The European quality assurance scheme includes the following elements:
- The requirements for conformity assessment of national quality assurance organisations (NQAO) to the ECN-QAS.
- Regular assessment of the production in the plants by the national quality assurance organisation (NQAO) by means of process requirements.
- Regular sample taking and analysis of the final product from independent, acknowledged labs and additionally the evaluation of the results by the national quality assurance organisation (NQAO).
- Documentation by the national quality assurance organisation (NQAO) with information about the quality properties of the product, legal requirements, the necessary compost and digestate declaration and information about use and application rates according to good practice.
- Awarding of the ECN-QAS Conformity Label to national quality assurance organisations (NQAO).
- Awarding of a quality label for composting and digestion plants and compost and anaerobic digestate products by a conformity assessed national quality assurance organisation (NQAO) in respect to ECN-QAS.


text: John Nese is the proprietor of Galcos Soda Pop Stop in LA. His father ran it as a grocery store, and when the time came for John to take charge, he decided to convert it into the ultimate soda-lovers destination. About 500 pops line the shelves, sourced lovingly by John from around the world. John has made it his mission to keep small soda-makers afloat and help them find their consumers. Galcos also acts as a distributor for restaurants and bars along the West Coast, spreading the gospel of soda made with cane sugar.


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Horse Rhythm Balance Beads - Navajo Style - Brown / Tan / Ivory / Black / Silver
Our Rhythm Beads hang over the horse's neck and secure to the horse's mane with small aligator clips. You have a choice to add bells to create a soft calming jingle sound when riding.
Matching accessories are available upon request.
Custom Orders Welcome! CLICK HERE for other Color and Pendant Options
IMPORTANT - Rhythm Beads should NEVER be left on when turned loose or unattended.
Take an adjustable measuring tape, string, or twine, and drape around horse or pony's neck. Measure from in front of the withers and follow down the shoulder to lowest point of the neck where it meets the chest and back up to the withers. (See picture below) If measuring with a string or twine remove from neck, lay flat and then measure with a solid ruler.
The beads should sit comfortably on the horse, not tight or too loose that they hang low on horse's chest. If using a breastplate or martingale it is suggested to measure with tack on.
The Rhythm Beads are adjustable by approximately 6 – 7 inches larger if needed, but cannot be adjusted to make smaller.
Please refer to picture below for proper placement.


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With consumer interest in new electric vehicles running high, local governments are gearing up to prepare their communities for the new generation of zero-emission vehicles.
To help local governments and other organizations plan for electric vehicles and charging stations, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), the Western Riverside Council of Governments, the San Bernardino Associated Governments and the Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region hosted the EV 101 Workshop for Local Governments.
More than 100 attendees participated in the day-long workshop at the Riverside Convention Center in Riverside, Calif.
"The coming wave of electric vehicles is great news for the Inland Empire," said Ron Loveridge, AQMD Governing Board Member and Riverside Mayor. "These zero and near-zero emission vehicles will be important in helping us achieve our clean air goals in the Southland."
In a ceremony held before the EV 101 workshop, a Toyota representative gave AQMD the keys to three Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. Toyota is lending the vehicles to AQMD for one year as part of a worldwide demonstration program.
A fully charged Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid vehicle is capable of running on electricity for approximately 13 miles at speeds of up to 62 mph. For longer distances, the Plug-In Hybrid vehicle reverts to conventional hybrid mode, operating as a regular Prius. The Prius Plug-In Hybrid vehicle can be fully charged in approximately three hours from a standard 110-volt electrical outlet, or in 90 minutes with a 220-volt connection.
"With a shared goal of reducing emissions, Toyota looks forward to working with AQMD during the Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicle demonstration program," said Mary Nickerson, national manager, Advance Technology Vehicles, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. "AQMD will play a valuable role as a program partner by collecting real-world driving data that we will utilize in preparation for bringing this advanced technology to customers in 2012."
During the workshop, attendees heard from electric vehicle manufacturers, utilities and others on needed infrastructure, available government incentives and green jobs. Information on resources available to help communities plan and build an electric vehicle program also was available.
"It's expected that most vehicle charging will take place at residences and many EV drivers will get where they are going by charging only at home," said Loveridge. "However public charging stations will also play a vital role in encouraging consumers to use electric vehicles. Local governments need to begin planning today for that future."
This free educational webinar will provide a detailed process for climate-driven "pre-response" in a variety of key areas including: Supply Chain Disruptions, Employee Safety and Productivity, Regulatory and Compliance Risks …and many more areas.


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When it comes time to plan a concert for the Lander University Jazz Ensemble, associate professor of music Robert Gardiner has two goals: entertaining his audience and challenging his musicians. The group's Thursday, Dec. 8, show, he thinks, will do both.
The program includes not only standards like "In the Mood," by Joe Garland; "Rockabye River," by Duke Ellington; "Mary Ann," by Ray Charles; "Jeru," by Gerry Mulligan, "St. Louis Blues," by W.C. Handy; "Hay Burner," by Sammy Nestico; "Cry Me A River" by Arthur Hamilton and "Why Don't You Do Right," by Joe McCoy, but also "Sun Goddess," popularized by Earth, Wind and Fire; Steely Dan's "Josie" and Carlos Santana's "Soul Sacrifice."
Gardiner said the concert will have "tons of variety." His personal favorite is the blues-drenched "Rockabye River." He praised Ellington, calling him "one of the greatest composers to ever live."
In some ways, said Gardiner, it will be the most difficult show the ensemble has done in the nine years he has been director. He is confident that his musicians will be up to the challenge, asserting that "this is the most talented group I've had since I've been here."
Featured vocalist Tanisha Tolliver, who will perform with the ensemble for the fifth and final time, singing "Why Don't You Do Right" and "Cry Me A River," is a prime example of what Gardiner means.
A music major from Greer who will graduate in December, Tolliver sang the national anthem at the South Carolina 3-A state championship basketball game in Columbia in 2007, and has sung before large audiences in Charlotte and elsewhere as well.
A composer in the genre of rhythm and blues, who has also performed with the Lander University Singers and Old Main Singers, Tolliver hopes to make a name for herself as a solo artist. Her goal, she said, is "to record a great single that could be played on the radio."
Tolliver said she appreciates the opportunity the jazz ensemble has given her "to learn and grow as a musician." She will have another opportunity to distinguish herself as a performer when the group takes the stage of the Josephine B. Abney Cultural Center Auditorium, to begin its 8 p.m. show.
The concert is free and open to the public.


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Health & Wellness
Chemical Peels and Dermabrasion Can Be Safe, Effective Wrinkle Treatments
Chemical Peels and Dermabrasion Can Be Safe, Effective Wrinkle Treatments
October 5, 2012
Dear Mayo Clinic:
Are wrinkle treatments like dermabrasion and chemical peels safe? Do they actually work?
Chemical peels and dermabrasion work by removing layers of skin. The skin that grows back is often smoother, with fewer wrinkles and less discoloration. Chemical peels and dermabrasion can cause side effects. In general, however, when performed by experienced and knowledgeable providers, they are safe.
Your skin has three layers. The outer coating is the epidermis. Its main purpose is to serve as waterproofing for your skin. On your face, this skin layer is very thin. The second layer, called the dermis, is thicker. The connective tissue and collagen that gives skin its strength is located in the dermis. The third and deepest layer of skin, known as the subcutaneous layer, contains fatty tissue, muscles and blood vessels.
Chemical peels involve putting acid on the skin. The goal is to cause a controlled first- or second-degree burn that makes the skin peel. When the old skin comes off, new tissue forms that is tighter and smoother.
Mild chemical peels include salicylic acid peels or glycolic peels. These are the kind of chemical peels done at a salon or spa, and sometimes in a dermatologist's office. They typically take off the epidermis, and results are not as long-lasting. Side effects are usually skin reddening and some skin peeling.
Medium-depth peels are applied in a dermatologist's office. The most common contains trichloroacetic acid. These chemical peels not only remove the top layer, they also remodel the second layer of skin. As that second layer heals, new collagen forms and the old collagen tightens.
Recovery following medium-depth chemical peels usually takes several weeks. During that time, the old layers shed and the new skin looks badly sunburned. People with moderate wrinkling and some sagging often see considerable improvement in the appearance of their skin following a medium-depth chemical peel. In general, those results can last from several months to several years. Skin discoloration may reappear more quickly, though, with some darkening coming back within six months.
Stronger chemical peels are available, too. For example, a peel using phenol is very strong and causes an even deeper chemical burn. These peels can be helpful for severe acne scars or deep wrinkles. But they are not widely used because recovery time is longer, and side effects can be more serious, including permanent skin discoloration, and an increased risk of heart rhythm problems.
In general, chemical peels work best for people with mild to moderate wrinkles and sagging. Usually included in that group are those in their 30s, 40s or 50s. For someone 60 or older who has deeper wrinkles or more sagging, a chemical peel may not be as effective. That's because, in addition to skin damage, at that age many people also have some loss of skin's underlying soft tissue that a chemical peel cannot fix.
As with a chemical peel, the purpose of dermabrasion is to remove layers of skin. The difference is that in dermabrasion, the skin is sanded away, usually with a small tool that looks like an electric toothbrush.
A benefit of dermabrasion is that the depth of its effect can be precisely controlled. Dermabrasion is most helpful for correcting isolated irregularities in the skin, such as a single, raised scar, acne scars or other abnormalities that require delicate changes in a small area.
Before you decide to get a chemical peel or dermabrasion, talk to a dermatologist about the possible risks and benefits. Be aware that people who are prone to keloids — an overgrowth of scar tissue — or skin discoloration, as well as those who bruise or bleed easily, may not be good candidates for these procedures.
Make sure your health care provider understands what you are hoping to achieve. When expectations are reasonable and people are screened carefully, these procedures often provide pleasing results.
— Christopher Arpey, M.D., Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.


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Jun 07, 2011 | |
Innovative quantum simulator prototype replicates structure of graphene |
(Nanowerk News) A team of researchers from Columbia Engineering, the Italian National Research Council, Princeton University, University of Missouri, and University of Nijmegen (Netherlands) has developed an artificial semiconductor structure that has superimposed a pattern created by advanced fabrication methods that are precise at the nanometer scale. The pattern is similar to the honeycomb lattice that occurs in graphene. The device, called "artificial graphene" (AG), simulates quantum behavior of strongly interacting electrons. The research team sees the AG-device as a first step towards the realization of an innovative class of solid-state quantum simulators to explore fundamental quantum physics. | |
The research is reported in the June 3rd, 2011, issue of Science ("Two-Dimensional Mott-Hubbard Electrons in an Artificial Honeycomb Lattice"). The work is co-authored by Vittorio Pellegrini and Marco Polini of the NEST Laboratory of Istituto Nanoscienze-Cnr and Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa; and by Aron Pinczuk, Applied Physics Professor at The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science and Physics Professor at the School of Arts and Sciences, Columbia University; along with researchers from the Universities of Nijmegen, Missouri, and Princeton. | |
In order to study quantum phenomena that are difficult to be directly observed, scientists use artificial ad-hoc designed systems — quantum simulators — that can be controlled and manipulated in the laboratory. Researchers have only just begun to develop quantum simulators using different technologies. The AG-device is the first quantum simulator to be based on a semiconductor material that is designed with the goal of uncovering quantum behavior of electrons. | |
Phenomena such as high-temperature superconductivity, ferromagnetism, and exotic states of matter such as quantum Hall liquids and spin liquids originate from mutual interactions among many electrons. Exact calculations of the behavior of these complex systems are an impossible task even for the more sophisticated and powerful computers. Quantum simulators help bypass the problem by replacing the "uncomputable" quantum system with a controllable artificial one that is able to emulate the dynamics of the original system. | |
"Quantum simulators based on novel artificial semiconductor structures are at the crossroads of quantum science and innovative technologies," says Aron Pinczuk, Applied Physics Professor at The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science and Physics Professor at the School of Arts and Sciences, Columbia University. "While the frontiers of quantum physics are being explored with giant accelerators, in this branch of condensed matter science we employ advanced methods that expand the state-of-the-art in growth and processing of semiconductors. We could describe our work on quantum simulators as 'probing quantum weirdness in a nano-nut-shell.' | |
The simulator developed by the researchers consists of a honeycomb lattice realized on the surface of a Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) heterostructure using advanced nanofabrication methods. The artificial honeycomb lattice structure replicates that of graphene, a material in which electrons behave in a peculiar way because of the crystal-lattice geometry. With the ability to modify key parameters such as the lattice constant of the artificial lattice, the researchers are in the position to explore different regimes of electron-electron interactions in graphene-like systems. | |
Vittorio Pellegrini and Marco Polini from NEST Laboratory of Istituto Nanoscienze-Cnr and Scuola Normale Superiore note that the AG-device has been tested with a "first run" trial that generated an unexpected peculiar quantum state . "The early data we collected are quite promising and show the great potential our device has," they say. "The next step in this research is a fine-tuning of the AG-device". The researchers are excited about the potential of creating venues for the uncovering of novel quantum states that could, eventually, lead to new device concepts and eventually to an array of applications, for instance, in advanced information processing or in cryptography. | |
Pinczuk added that they hope next to achieve new breakthroughs through the creation of smaller nanofabricated structures reaching limits in which individual units in patterns have lengths of five nanometers. "This is a state-of-the-art that should open access to physics and materials science that has not yet been explored!" |
Source: CNR-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche |


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Water is essential to all life, and humans have a responsibility to protect and preserve our water resources. Limnology, the study of inland waters, stems from this basic responsibility to maintain water quality for all forms of life that depend on it, and assess its resilience to the pressures we are constantly placing on it. Although freshwater represents only a few percent of all the water on Earth, it represents all the water we drink and all the water suitable for irrigation and growing food on land, not to mention every terrestrial and freshwater species in the world that rely on it for their survival. Canada's freshwaters are facing multiple threats, including chemical releases from industrial, urban and residential sources, climate change, invasive species, pathogens, algal toxins, and many more. Limnology is a science at the forefront of finding solutions to some of the greatest environmental threats facing Canada and the world. So go ahead, hug a limnologist.
Limnology is the study of inland waters - lakes (both freshwater and saline), reservoirs, rivers, streams, wetlands, and groundwater - as ecological systems interacting with their drainage basins and the atmosphere. The limnological discipline integrates the functional relationships of growth, adaptation, nutrient cycles, and biological productivity with species composition, and describes and evaluates how physical, chemical, and biological environments regulate these relationships.
The word limnology is derived from the Greek limne - marsh, pond and Latin limnaea - thing pertaining to a marsh. Stated simply, limnology is the study of the structural and functional interrelationships of organisms of inland waters as their dynamic physical, chemical, and biotic environments affect them.
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