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Brand Name Zeldox Common Name ziprasidone
The content of this page:
How does this medication work? What will it do for me?
Ziprasidone belongs to the class of medications called antipsychotics. It is used to control the symptoms of schizophrenia and the manic phase of bipolar disorder. It works by adjusting the balance of chemicals in the brain that are involved in schizophrenia.
This medication may be available under multiple brand names and/or in several different forms. Any specific brand name of this medication may not be available in all of the forms or approved for all of the conditions discussed here. As well, some forms of this medication may not be used for all of the conditions discussed here.
Your doctor may have suggested this medication for conditions other than those listed in these drug information articles. If you have not discussed this with your doctor or are not sure why you are taking this medication, speak to your doctor. Do not stop taking this medication without consulting your doctor.
Do not give this medication to anyone else, even if they have the same symptoms as you do. It can be harmful for people to take this medication if their doctor has not prescribed it.
How should I use this medication?
For the treatment of schizophrenia, the usual adult starting dose of ziprasidone is 40 mg twice daily, although a lower dose may be used. The dose can be increased gradually every 2 days up to 80 mg twice daily, as recommended by the doctor.
For the treatment of the manic phase of bipolar disorder, the recommended adult starting dose is 40 mg twice daily for 1 day, then increased to 60 mg or 80 mg twice daily.
For maintenance treatment, your doctor will recommend an appropriate dose for you.
The capsules should be swallowed whole with a glass of water. Take this medication with food at the same time every day.
Many things can affect the dose of a medication that a person needs, such as body weight, other medical conditions, and other medications. If your doctor has recommended a dose different from the ones listed here, do not change the way that you are taking the medication without consulting your doctor.
It is important to take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you miss a dose by only a few hours, take it as soon as possible and continue with your regular schedule. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. If you are not sure what to do after missing a dose, contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
Store this medication at room temperature and keep it out of the reach of children.
Do not dispose of medications in wastewater (e.g. down the sink or in the toilet) or in household garbage. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medications that are no longer needed or have expired.
What form(s) does this medication come in?
20 mg
Each size No. 4 blue or white opaque hard gelatin capsule, imprinted in black with "Pfizer" and "ZDX 20", contains ziprasidone hydrochloride, monohydrate equivalent to 20 mg of ziprasidone. Nonmedicinal ingredients: lactose monohydrate, pregelatinized starch, and magnesium stearate.
40 mg
Each size No. 4 blue or blue-opaque hard gelatin capsule, imprinted in black with "Pfizer" and "ZDX 40", contains ziprasidone hydrochloride, monohydrate equivalent to 40 mg of ziprasidone. Nonmedicinal ingredients: lactose monohydrate, pregelatinized starch, and magnesium stearate.
60 mg
Each size No. 3 white or white-opaque hard gelatin capsule, imprinted in black with "Pfizer" and "ZDX 60", contains ziprasidone hydrochloride, monohydrate equivalent to 60 mg of ziprasidone. Nonmedicinal ingredients: lactose monohydrate, pregelatinized starch, and magnesium stearate.
Each size No. 2 blue or white-opaque hard gelatin capsule, imprinted in black with "Pfizer" and "ZDX 80", contains ziprasidone hydrochloride, monohydrate equivalent to 80 mg of ziprasidone. Nonmedicinal ingredients: lactose monohydrate, pregelatinized starch, and magnesium stearate.
Who should NOT take this medication?
Ziprasidone should not be taken by anyone who:
- is allergic to ziprasidone or to any of the ingredients of the medication
- is taking medications such as dofetilide, sotalol, quinidine, mesoridazine, thioridazine, chlorpromazine, droperidol, pimozide, moxifloxacin, halofantrine, mefloquine, pentamidine, arsenic trioxide, levomethadyl acetate, probucol, tacrolimus, or any other medication that can cause QT prolongation
- has or has a history of QT prolongation (including congenital long QT syndrome)
- has recently had a heart attack
- has severe heart failure
What side effects are possible with this medication?
Many medications can cause side effects. A side effect is an unwanted response to a medication when it is taken in normal doses. Side effects can be mild or severe, temporary or permanent. The side effects listed below are not experienced by everyone who takes this medication. If you are concerned about side effects, discuss the risks and benefits of this medication with your doctor.
The following side effects have been reported by at least 1% of people taking this medication. Many of these side effects can be managed, and some may go away on their own over time.
Contact your doctor if you experience these side effects and they are severe or bothersome. Your pharmacist may be able to advise you on managing side effects.
Although most of the side effects listed below don't happen very often, they could lead to serious problems if you do not check with your doctor or seek medical attention.
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
- abnormal movements of the face or tongue
- abnormal walking
- changes in body temperature, or feeling very hot and unable to cool down
- chest pain
- dizziness, especially when standing from a lying down or seated position
- fainting, losing consciousness, or feeling a change in the way your heart beats
- feeling very hot and unable to cool down (usually after exercise, dehydration, or being in a warm place)
- high blood pressure
- muscle twitching
- new or worsening constipation
- painful eye movements
- signs of a blood clot in the arm or leg (tenderness, pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in the arm or leg) or lungs (difficulty breathing, sharp chest pain that is worse when breathing in, coughing, coughing up blood, sweating, or passing out)
- signs of high blood sugar (e.g., frequent urination, increased thirst, excessive eating, unexplained weight loss, poor wound healing, infections, fruity breath odour)
- signs of infection (symptoms may include fever or chills, severe diarrhea, shortness of breath, prolonged dizziness, headache, stiff neck, weight loss, or listlessness)
Stop taking the medication and seek immediate medical attention if any of the following occur:
- abnormal heart rhythms (e.g., fast or slow heart rate, palpitations), fainting, or seizures
- painful erection lasting longer than 4 hours
- peeling or blistering skin
- seizures
- signs of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (e.g., confusion, reduced consciousness, high fever, or muscle stiffness)
- symptoms of a severe allergic reaction (e.g., itching or skin rash; shortness of breath; swelling of the face, lips, or tongue)
- symptoms of a stroke (e.g., sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arms, or legs [especially on one side]; slurred speech; vision problems)
Are there any other precautions or warnings for this medication?
Before you begin using a medication, be sure to inform your doctor of any medical conditions or allergies you may have, any medications you are taking, whether you are pregnant or breast-feeding, and any other significant facts about your health. These factors may affect how you should use this medication.
Abnormal heart rhythms: This medication can cause abnormal heart rhythms. Certain medications (e.g., sotalol, quinidine, thioridazine, chlorpromazine, droperidol, pimozide, moxifloxacin, mefloquine, pentamidine, arsenic trioxide, probucol, tacrolimus) can increase the risk of a type of abnormal heart rhythm called QT prolongation, and should not be used in combination with ziprasidone. You are more at risk for this type of abnormal heart rhythm and its complications if you:
- are female
- are older than 65 years of age
- have a family history of sudden cardiac death
- have a history of heart disease or abnormal heart rhythms
- have a slow heart rate
- have congenital prolongation of the QT interval
- have diabetes
- have had a stroke
- have low potassium, magnesium, or calcium levels
- have nutritional deficiencies
People with any of these risk factors should discuss with their doctor how this medication may affect their medical condition, how their medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed.
Blood clots: Ziprasidone may increase the risk of blood clots, especially in the lower leg. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have risk factors for developing blood clots (e.g., a family history of blood clots, recent major surgery, immobility due to air travel, or other reason).
Blood sugar: This medication may cause high blood sugar levels. People with diabetes should discuss with their doctor how this medication may affect their medical condition, how their medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed. If you experience weakness, increased thirst, increased urination, and increased appetite while taking this medication, contact your doctor.
Body temperature: This medication, like other antipsychotic medications, can disrupt the body's ability to control body temperature. People who exercise vigorously, who are exposed to extreme heat, are dehydrated, or are taking anticholinergic medications (e.g., benztropine, oxybutynin) are more at risk. Contact your doctor as soon as possible if you feel very hot and are unable to cool down while taking this medication.
Drowsiness/reduced alertness: Ziprasidone may interfere with activities requiring mental alertness. People taking this medication should not drive or operate machinery until they know how this medication affects them.
Low blood pressure: Ziprasidone may cause low blood pressure when rising from a sitting or lying down position. If you feel dizzy, lightheaded, feel your pulse racing, or if you faint, call your doctor. While you are taking this medication, get up slowly after you have been sitting or lying down.
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS): Ziprasidone, like other antipsychotic medications, can cause a potentially fatal syndrome known as neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). If you notice the symptoms of NMS such as high fever, muscle stiffness, confusion or loss of consciousness, sweating, racing or irregular heartbeat, or fainting, get immediate medical attention.
Seizures: Ziprasidone may increase the risk of seizures, especially in people who have had seizures in the past. People with seizure disorders or a history of seizures should discuss with their doctor how this medication may affect their medical condition, how their medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed.
Tardive dyskinesia (TD): Ziprasidone, like some other antipsychotic medications may cause tardive dyskinesia (TD) to develop. TD is a potentially irreversible syndrome of involuntary, repetitive movements of the face and tongue muscles. Although TD appears most commonly in seniors, especially women, it is impossible to predict who will develop TD. The risk of developing TD increases with higher doses and long-term treatment. If you experience muscle twitching or abnormal movements of the face or tongue, contact your doctor as soon as possible.
White blood cells: As with other antipsychotics, ziprasidone can lower the number of infection-fighting white blood cells in your blood. This can increase your risk of infections. If you experience frequent colds or other infections, contact your doctor. Your doctor will monitor your white blood cell levels with blood tests during treatment with ziprasidone.
Pregnancy: This medication should not be used during pregnancy unless the benefits outweigh the risks. If you become pregnant while taking this medication, contact your doctor immediately.
Breast-feeding: It is not known if ziprasidone passes into breast milk. If you are a breast-feeding mother and are taking this medication, it may affect your baby. Talk to your doctor about whether you should continue breast-feeding.
Children: The safety and effectiveness of using this medication have not been established for children under 18 years of age.
Seniors: The safety of using this medication has not been established for adults 65 years of age or older. The increased risk of liver, kidney, and heart conditions increases the risk of side effects with the use of ziprasidone.
There may be a higher risk of strokes, heart attacks, and deaths associated with the use of ziprasidone by seniors with dementia. Seek medical attention immediately if you notice the signs and symptoms of a stroke (e.g., sudden weakness or numbness, speech problems, vision problems, dizziness, confusion, sudden severe headache) or a heart attack (e.g., discomfort or pain in the chest, back, neck, jaw, arms; sweating; shortness of breath; nausea; lightheadedness) or infection (e.g., pneumonia). Ziprasidone should not be used by seniors with dementia.
What other drugs could interact with this medication?
There may be an interaction between ziprasidone and any of the following:
If you are taking any of these medications, speak with your doctor or pharmacist. Depending on your specific circumstances, your doctor may want you to:
- stop taking one of the medications,
- change one of the medications to another,
- change how you are taking one or both of the medications, or
- leave everything as is.
An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of them. Speak to your doctor about how any drug interactions are being managed or should be managed.
Medications other than those listed above may interact with this medication. Tell your doctor or prescriber about all prescription, over-the-counter (non-prescription), and herbal medications you are taking. Also tell them about any supplements you take. Since caffeine, alcohol, the nicotine from cigarettes, or street drugs can affect the action of many medications, you should let your prescriber know if you use them.
All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2018. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/drug/getdrug/Zeldox


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Whuhmp, Whuhmp, Whuhmp, Whuhmp…..nee-naww nee-naww, nee-naww nee-naww……..rat a tattattatrat a tattattat, rat a tattattat……..
Those 'words' are my attempt to describe the sounds the MRI made yesterday.
I want you to take those noises and make them obnoxiously loud, five inches from your face and ongoing for repetative four minute segments.
Plus, you are in a tunnel where you are essentially strapped down and are not allowed to move…..for like 45 minutes.
And don't swallow because that causes movement and then the image is blurry and you have to do it again.
But, I did it. For the first minute when they slid me into the machine, I thought I was not going to be able to stay in there but I focused on a scratch on the top of the tunnel and thought, we need to see what is going on in your neck right now Jen so make it happen.
One deep breath later and I gave them the thumbs up.
I was dizzy afterwards and my neck was in pain from keeping my head still and a bit arched all that time but I did it. So now we wait and go on with the daily beauty of our lives. This week Gymnastics team starts and soccer practice continues so the constant need for food and energy is in high demand.
Today I share another Linner/Dinner #1/Dinner #2 ideas to keep those kids going between the after school snack and the main dinner. You didn't miss the first Linner idea did you?
1 slices of whole grain bread (customize to your diet)
1 tablespoon nut butter (peanut, almond, sunflower seed etc)
1/3 banana, sliced
A handful of trail mix (I used Nature's Promise mix but remove dhte cashews and almonds)
A drizzle of honey or agave nectar
Compile and chow down
Are the photos too repetitive? Ah, what the heck, it reminds me of the repetitive sounds of the MRI. Whooka, Whooka, Whooka….

subset: commoncrawl


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Mount Mayon or Mayon Volcano is very much active and is located in the in the Bicol Region, in the province of Albay, on Luzon Island, Philippines.
Located just fifteen kilometers from Albay's busy city of Legazpi, Mount Mayon is famous for it perfect inverted cone shaped appearance which is instantly recognizable because it is probably the most photographed volcano in the country.
Mount Mayon's most devastating eruption happened on the 1st of February 1814. Though lava flowed, it did not flow as much as it did in 1766. The volcano instead belched black ash and ultimately bombarded the town of Cagsawa with tephra (dust and ashes) and eventually buried it. Only the town church's belfry tower was left on the surface. All vegetation in the area was burned and waterways were predictably damaged.
Donsol is probably one of the few places in the world that can offer an almost assured whale shark sightings during the season. In the months of November through June whale sharks converge in the Donsol bay and stay for 6 to 7 months feeding on the rich nutrients coming out of the mouth of the Donsol river. With simple snorkelling equipment, you will be awestricken by the grandeur of these animals. If you doubt your swimming skills, do not fret – just slip on a life vest or request for a personal guide before you head out to sea.
The Whale Sharks swim from surface to mid-water and with their size, they are hard to miss. The Whale Sharks are friendly to human beings and they will love your admiration. Just remember not to scare them away by touching or harassing them. Give them the respect they deserve, and they will make sure that your visit will be one that is worth a lifetime!
Caramoan Island is located in the lower eastern part of Camarines Sur in the Bicol region of the Philippine archipelago. It is defined by lush, green coastal mountains stretching all the way from Sabang to Caramoan, amidst deep blue, aquamarine Pacific waters, rich in marine and aquatic life.It was also recently chosen as one of the 10 best islands and beaches in the Philippines by CNNGo – a television and online travel magazine of CNN.
What to Do in Caramoan Island Island hopping is given a new meaning by this magnificent island. Caramoan is the perfect island hopping get-away with its 10 beautiful islands in the peninsula, all of which offer unique experience and adventure with snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, limestone cliff / rock climbing, caving or just wading and swimming in their glorious fine white sand beaches.


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I have had a lot of people ask me this question, Where do I start a Blog? How hard is it? Do I need A website. Well I know this is A little off topic but I thought I would address it quickly for people out there that are interested. You do not need a website to start a Blog. The easiest place to go is Blogger.com. They have several niche's for you to chose from and formats that you can chose from for free. This is what I would recommend.
Where do I start a Blog?
You certainly can use a website to start a blog and from there you would just use WordPress, but that is a little more complicated. If you want to learn more about WordPress and starting your own website that way, just do a google search and there are tons of free learning tools for WordPress. I have also had people asked me about my blog , yes I did design it myself through WordPress, but I do have a website. My website is www.babysheart.com. I use WordPress through my hosting server,which is hostgator. It took some practice and I am still learning. Buy your own domain name, which is not very expensive about $10.00 and then get your hosting account through hostgator.
Where do I start a Blog?
So for beginners I still would recommend Blogger. I actually started my first blog there for practice and then moved to WordPress. So, I would just start with Blogger.com. I hope that helps all the writers out there that want to get started. It is super easy and you can get set up in minutes. Good Luck!


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The Post's Mike DeBonis reports that Marion Barry was tweeting Monday from a hospital in Las Vegas, where he was taken after developing a blood clot while on a flight there. He was part of a D.C. delegation traveling to a shopping center convention. Barry's latest tweet indicated that he's cleared to leave the hospital today. NBC-4 was the first with the news.
Local governors Robert McDonnell and Martin O'Malley might not be superstars, so to speak, but the two have carved out quite the legacy, respectively. And neither one of them has done things particularly smoothly. McDonnell, a Republican, put himself out there with his stance on women receiving ultrasounds before abortions. And O'Malley, a Democrat, has hitched his wagon to marriage equality rights. The Post's Aaron C. Davis and Laura Vozzella look at how the two are doing at the midway points in their terms.
When you hear of the National Museum of Health and Medicine, it sounds like something educational and scientific. And while it is those things, it's also quite ghoulish and slightly gory. The facility that houses much of the physical history of medical oddities from our nation's military is opening anew in Silver Spring today and it's free to the public. The Post's Michael E. Ruane profiles the space that houses some of the most famous skulls, bones and bullets in U.S. history.
We're coming up on Memorial Day, which means it's officially okay to unplug for a weekend at a time. And while there are numerous getaways all along the East Coast, sometimes getting to them can be more trouble than it's worth. There's nothing worse than what is supposed to be a relaxing outing getting ruined by a nightmarish trip that only adds to your overall stress level. Luckily, The Post's Robert Thomson has put together a list of the roads less traveled to some of your favorite spots.
The Nats staved off a sweep by the Orioles yesterday and did it in oddball fashion. Stephen Strasburg, the wonderkid pitcher who's been the center of the Nationals' baseball universe for some time, got things done with a different tool of the diamond Sunday at home. He hit a homerun. It was the first of his career and the first time many Nats fans have ever seen him smile. The Post's James Wagner has the story from the team's final game before they head off on a road trip that starts in Philly.
Extra Bites
• I went to the George Washington University commencement yesterday to see my sister walk, and Carlos Slim was one of the speakers. Honestly, his speech seemed more germane to the grads than what Brian Williams said, but the newsman was super funny.
• If you haven't seen the new trailer for the Bond movie "Skyfall," here it is. I think I'm finally officially on board with Daniel Craig playing James.
• Also, if you missed the solar eclipse last night, check this out. Breathtaking.
Here's how to get at me. There's Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and you can e-mail me at email@example.com.
Read more on The Root DC
Chuck Brown, a cultural movement
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Carl L. Farlow, 88,
WINCHESTER, Ind. -- Carl L. Farlow, 88, of Winchester, died Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007, at Meadowbrook Care Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Born June 21, 1919, in Winchester to Roy and Ruth Jervis Farlow, he worked for General Electric Co. for 27 years in the Aircraft Engine Group.
Survivors include children, Jean Ashley, Ron Farlow and Carol Patrick; brother, Ralph Farlow; sisters, Virginia Wiist and Judith Porter.
Service will be 3 p.m. Sunday at Thayer Funeral Home, Winchester, where visitation will be 1-3 p.m. Sunday.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.
Originally published August 4, 2007


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Shrove Tuesday Pancakes
If you like it, save it!
Save and organize all of the stuff you love in one place.Got it!
If you like something…
Click the heart, it's called favoriting. Favorite the stuff you like.Got it!
Author Notes: In New Orleans, the Tuesday before the beginning of Lent is called Mardi Gras. In Dublin, it is Pancake Tuesday, because it is the last day to use up eggs and butter before Ash Wednesday marks the start of 40 days of Lenten fasting. In the Catholic calendar it is Shrove Tuesday because the devout attended confession on that day to be shriven of their sins before beginning their Lenten practice. My mother made us these pancakes for dessert or an after school snack usually with orange juice and powdered sugar. There is no law against eating them for breakfast or with a midmorning cup of tea. —Phillippa Cannon
Serves 4
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 lemon or orange freshly squeezed for juice.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add eggs, milk, 1 tbsp. melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla and salt to a blender. Blend. Gradually add the flour and blend until smooth. Let stand 15 minutes.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Brush the pan with some of the remaining melted butter. When the pan is hot, pour a third of the pancake batter into the center of the pan. Tilt the pan immediately to spread the batter thinly over its entire surface. Cook for about 2 minutes until the bottom of the pancake starts to brown, then flip and cook the other side. Lift the pancake out onto a paper towel. Continue with the steps with the remaining batter, adding more butter as needed.
- Butter an oven proof dish. Dust the speckled side of each pancake with powdered sugar. Sprinkle lightly with lemon or orange juice. Fold each pancake into quarters and overlap them in the buttered dish. Heat in the oven for about 10 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle with more powdered sugar and juice.
More Great Recipes:
Eggs|Breakfast & Brunch|Desserts|Pancakes


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Aren't we all asking that question? Tell me if you get an answer.
OH My Dear!! WHY DO YOU OPEN YOUR CHEST TO RECKLESS MEN TO CARE ABOUT, SOMEONE ELSE HEART WHEN THEY HAVE ONE NOT OF THERE OWN.Why give a wedding dress to the swines to walk all over, and tear in to little pieces as by there nature mud is the best they will be.Put your heart up for safe keeping show it to no-one who as not shown you a heart first,,,,,its called ''HEART TO HEART'' HOLD YOUR TEARS BACK FROM THE WEAK HEARTED MEN BECAUSE IF THEY SEE ANY WEAKNESS THEY WILL ONLY BRING YOU MORE TEARS,LIKE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST WHO WAS A LOVE STORY WITH A SAD ENDING.Not a good
I call sexism.
Don't be so weak expecting others to dry your tears. Develop self confidence and dry your tears by yourself. Always self help is the best help. When you can withstand by yourself the entire world will be with you.
Young lady, that is entirely up to you. Don't be so anxious. Take your time and find the right person for you. You deserve the best and never settle for less
i know its hard when people betray you, but you cant wait till someone comes and fills that hole or wipes your tears, its your life, if you are able to let go of the past and take care of yourself you should find a great guy, as they say, we accept the love we believe we deserve
Just be careful when you do find one. Sometimes their past is so much worse than yours could ever be, and that's why they aren't worried about yours.
In 5 years. After three boyfriends.
Kleenix is your friend
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Archive for December, 2011
The Top 10 of 2011
Because I'm just that much of a music geek, I try every year to put together a list of my 10 favorite albums of the year. Too often, I get bogged down and never actually winnow my list of, say, 23 albums down to 10. Other times, I manage to pick a Top 10 but then never actually finish writing the post, er, announcing them. This year, though, I was disciplined, and my list—of, hey, an actual 10!—is ready for you.
If you're here, you probably already know that I enjoy country music, especially music on the Americana fringes. But you'd definitely know it after you see the list. It was certainly a good year for Americana.
So, in reverse order, here are my Top 10 albums of 2011.
10. Here We Rest, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit – "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's this bar and this cover band, trying to fake their way through 'Castles Made of Sand.' That's one thing I can't stand." That's how the year's best (really!) song, Jason Isbell's "Codeine," begins. The narrator's complaints go on, culminating in a story about his drug-addicted ex, his broken heart, and, well, beautiful fiddle sounds. I find Isbell's bluesy vocals almost irresistible, but I'm not resisting—especially when they're paired with such a well-written, well-structured song. Also highly recommended: "Alabama Pines," a complicated story of nostalgia for, and alienation from, one's birthplace.
9. Hayes Carll's KMAG YOYO (& other American stories) – When I grow up, I want to be a songwriter like Hayes Carll. The title track is written from the point-of-view of a 19-year-old soldier. It's Carll's appealing voice, sure, but he's somehow channeling an entirely different being—a kid caught up in the manic craziness of one of our current wars. The superb "Another Like You," a duet with Cary Ann Hearst, immediately follows. The back-and-forth between Carll and Hearst—playing two wildly incompatible honky-tonkers who are nevertheless about to hook up—makes me smile every time. And when I get to "Grateful for Christmas," an earnest appreciation of getting together with aging family, I'm just downright impressed with Carll's emotional range. So good!
8. Oh Fortune by Dan Mangan – Canada's Dan Mangan first grabbed my attention with "Robots" ("robots need love, too," you know?), a quirky, upbeat folk-pop song from his 2009 release Nice, Nice, Very Nice. So when I heard that Mangan's follow-up was darker and moodier, I wasn't sure I'd like it. But, oh, I did. With its lush orchestration, moody sounds, and brooding vocals about war and death, Oh Fortune demanded my attention. I'd be hard-pressed to pick just two or three songs to call to your attention; this is really an album that you should consider as a whole. But if you twisted my arm, I'd play the opening ("About as Helpful as You Can Be…") and closing ("Jeopardy") cuts for you before pronouncing Oh Fortune a real artistic breakthrough.
7. Gillian Welch's The Harrow & The Harvest – In the eight years since her last release, Soul Journey, Gillian Welch's work hasn't changed all that much. The neo-Appalachian instrumentation, the masterful harmonies (with longtime partner David Rawlings), the strong songwriting—they're all still there. Thank goodness! Even if I'd forgotten—just a little, I promise—how much we needed Welch, I'm grateful now for this album of small-scale gems. Standouts: "The Way It Will Be" and "The Way the Whole Thing Ends."
If you're on Spotify, you can listen here to The Harrow & the Harvest.
6. Blessed by Lucinda Williams – Confession: I've been taking Lucinda Williams for granted. I played Blessed at my first opportunity and liked it immediately. But when it came time to pick my favorite albums of the year, I just sort of assumed Blessed wouldn't make the list. Williams's best work occurred more than a decade ago, right? Why would it be in this list? Well, as I listened to this year's contenders again (and again!), I kept nudging Blessed higher and higher. Williams's voice is as strong as ever, and this is an album of songs, each one full of content and emotion. Blessed deserves to be on the list. I'm particularly drawn to the title track—and, on the other end of the emotional spectrum, "Buttercup," a song of angry heartbreak.
5. Rip Tide, Beirut – At one time, Beirut was just another way of saying Zach Condon's name. He was Beirut. But Condon has become a bandleader along the way, and Beirut has become a real band. It's no ordinary band, of course. It's a Balkan brass band gone Mariachi. Or vice versa. Or something. Nothing sounds quite like Beirut, anyway—which, of course, means I love it. You've surely heard "Santa Fe" by now. If you liked it, you'll like "East Harlem" and "Vagabond," too. (P.S. For what it's worth, the best concert I found myself at in 2011—and I managed to attend a lot of concerts—was Beirut's. See this band in person.)
On Spotify, listen here to Looping State of Mind.
3. Chief by Eric Church – I'm genuinely surprised that a mainstream country album is so high on my list, but it's hard to deny the quality of Chief. And I sure won't. Admittedly, there's some silly country-music posturing here—ok, we get that Church wants to be an outlaw!—but even the worst of that (maybe on "Keep On," about a drinker who's ready to fight for a woman he just met) is done with style and charm. What's most appealing are the slow songs—of love and respect for staples as diverse as "Jack Daniels" and "Springsteen." It's a shame there isn't more honky-tonk in today's country music, but at least we fans have Eric Church.
2. Portugal. The Man's In the Mountain in the Cloud – I'm not really sure why the reviews of Portugal. The Man's In the Mountain weren't more consistently positive. Maybe there was some sense that the long-established band's major-label debut would necessarily have to be inferior or, at least, show telltale signs of selling out. That kind of thinking is hogwash, of course. What matters, anyway, is that In the Mountain contains gorgeous psychedelia, some of the best work ever by the band. And In the Mountain truly holds up as an album, with each track flowing naturally and logically into the next. The album sets a mood right away and sticks with it. I've been playing the heck out of it since the summer, and I won't be stopping anytime soon. Favorite tracks: "So American" and "Senseless."
1. Indestructible Machine by Lydia Loveless – You probably haven't heard of Lydia Loveless, and that's a downright shame. Barely 21, she already sounds like the second coming of Loretta Lynn. Loveless's songs, anyway, are about the same kinds of things—womanizers, booze, men who won't take the hint—that Lynn built a career on. But this Loretta Lynn has gone (cow)punk. "Bad Way to Go" starts off the album at breakneck pace, and the album barely lets up for the next 40 minutes. Along the way, there's a stretch of three songs that, I guarantee, will pretty much take your breath away. Those songs—"How Many Women," "Jesus Was a Wino," and "Steve Earle"—are among the year's absolute best. And the fact that they're on the same album, one following the other, is stunning. Hands down, Indestructible Machine is the year's best.
On Spotify, you can listen to Indestructible Machine here.
Honorable mentions: Brooklyn Rider Plays Philip Glass, Brooklyn Rider; Go-Go Boots, Drive-By Truckers; The Party Ain't Over, Wanda Jackson; Little Red Boots, Lindi Ortega; New History Warfare Vol. 2, Colin Stetson; and Sleep with One Eye Open, Chris Thile & Michael Daves.


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It's about time I feature another baby shower…it's been awhile! Today's winning party goes to this ABC BABY SHOWER submitted by Pink Pistachio. One word- Adorable. The party theme was centered around jumbo alphabet flash cards found at a local toy shop. Love them! Everything is just so sweet.
"Celebrating the soon-to-be birth of a baby is so very special. And welcoming Motherhood with your 1st child only happens once. I was so honored to throw this baby shower for my friend Autumn & her lil' bun in the oven, Cooper."- Missy {Pink Pistachio}
Chocolate Mint Brownie Recipe
Summer Salad Recipe
Cheese Sticks
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
Caprese Kabobs {cherry tomatoes, marinated mozzarella balls, & basil}
- Vendors:
- ABC Cards – Children's Mercantile {Ft Collins, CO}
- Fabric Buntings – Custom Collaboration with Jaimemancilla
- Invitation, Mad Lib, Straw Flags, Oh Baby Bunting, Math Facts – Custom Collaboration with Pretty Little Study
- Blue Mason Jars – Down Vintage Lane
- ABC 123 Cookies – Trader Joe's
- Candied Apples – c/o Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
- Primary Stripe Plates – Michael's Craft Store
- Mini Chalkboards – Amazon
- Chalkboard Stands – Scrabble Trays with Chalk
- Dishtowels {bread basket, under drink jars} – Anthropologie
- Grapefruit cups & spoons – Pier 1 Imports
- Mini Wood Blocks – Melissa & Doug


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By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist
About 15 million Americans have age-related macular degeneration or AMD, and more than 1.7 million Americans have the advanced form of the disease, known as wet AMD. This is more than the cases of glaucoma and cataracts combined.
About 200,000 new cases of wet AMD are diagnosed each year in North America. As a result of the aging baby boomer population, the National Eye Institute estimates that the number of people with advanced AMD will grow to nearly three million by the end of the next decade.
More than two-thirds of Americans aged 55-plus had an eye exam in the last year to maintain their vision, but 80 percent don't know that AMD is a leading cause of vision loss in people age 60 and older, according to a recent survey.
Arthur Fu, M.D., San Francisco ophthalmologist, offered the following information about ADM in an e-mail interview for the Boomer Consumer:
Q. Rita: What is macular degeneration?
A. Arthur: Macular degeneration is a disease affecting the central retina, known as the macula. This part of the eye is essential for central vision. Macular degeneration results from multiple causes, including genetics and environment, but age above 55 is the major risk factor. When AMD results in abnormal blood vessel growth under the retina, it is defined as wet AMD. Wet AMD, if untreated leads to permanent, severe visual loss.
Q. Rita: What are its signs and symptoms?
A. Arthur: Many patients with early forms of AMD are asymptomatic with normal vision. However, patients with advanced forms can develop distortion and eventually a central blind spot, known as a scotoma. As AMD worsens, the scotoma can enlarge and encompass most of central vision.
Q. Rita: What are the risk factors for macular degeneration that baby boomers should know about?
A. Arthur: The big associated risks are genetic and environment. The genetics and how best to assess what specific genes are associated with AMD are still being elucidated, but it's best to say that a combination of genes really defines baseline risk. On top of that, smoking and hypertension are known to influence whether AMD is more severe. Additional things being investigated include whether a low omega-3 diet influences AMD.
Q. Rita: How often should baby boomers get their eyes checked?
A. Arthur: A yearly dilated retinal exam with attention paid to the macula is all that is needed. I tell patients that if there is a family history of AMD, close attention should be paid for the detection of yellow deposits in the macula known as drusen, which are the early signs of AMD.
Q. Rita: Why is early diagnosis of macular degeneration important?
A. Arthur: Early detection can lead to a change in behavior, for instance, treating some of the risk factors, such as cessation of smoking [and] initiation of anti-oxidant vitamins known as the AREDS formulation. When wet macular degeneration occurs, if treatment is not given promptly, permanent visual loss or scotoma can quickly occur.
Q. Rita: How is macular degeneration treated?
A. Arthur: Dry macular degeneration currently has no treatment. AREDS vitamins have been shown to reduce the risk of wet AMD in dry AMD patients. Once a patient is confirmed to have wet AMD, treatment with monthly intraocular injections of FDA approved Ranibuzumab (Lucentis) given indefinitely is required. Bevacizumab (Avastin) may also be used off label.
Rita: Thank you, Arthur, for providing this important information for baby boomer consumers.
For more information for boomer consumers, see my blog The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide.


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These versatile cottage style doors are ideal for a variety of projects from barn conversions to new builds, The aesthetically pleasing boarded style appearance, gives these doors top selling status.
Many of our River Oak Cottage doors are also available with full varnish finish, please refer to the individual product details for confirmation.
At first glance, the differences between the Thames Original, Thames II and Yoxall may not be obvious. It is all in the construction and the close up images on the individual products highlight the variances.
Real oak veneered cottage style doorPremuim quality construction and a perfect partner for the YoxallSix clear bevelled safety glass panelsIndividually boarded bottom panelAvailable fully finished and unfinished ready for stain or varnishSolid core constructionRebated door pairs can be ordered from stock
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Lawsuit filed.
The New Hampshire Republican State Committee is filing a lawsuit against the New Hampshire Secretary of State, William Gardner, claiming that Republican election officials are purposefuly [sic] being kept away from new registration tables. Both Republicans and Democrats appoint election officials to ensure that neither party tries to tamper with votes or registration.
"The problem is that our observers in the polling places have been denied reasonable access to the same-day registration tables," said GOP attorney James Merrill told the Union Leader moments ago.
What is it that they don't want the Republicans to see? If this were an isolated incident, that would be one thing. But when it's systemic…


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© ® The Nobel Foundation
IPCC honoured with
2007 Nobel Peace Prize
Phone: +41-22-730-8208 /84/54
Better management practices are needed to compensate for possible climate-related increases in nutrient loading to aquatic ecosystems from cultivated fields in northern Europe (Ragab and Prudhomme, 2002; Viner et al., 2006). These practices include 'optimised' fertiliser use and (re-)establishment of wetland areas and river buffer zones as sinks for nutrients (Olesen et al., 2004). New wetlands could also dampen the effects of increased frequency of flooding. A higher level of treatment of domestic and industrial sewage and reduction in farmland areas can further reduce nutrient loadings to surface waters and also compensate for climate-related increases in these loadings. Practical possibilities for adaptation in northern wetlands are limited and may only be realised as part of integrated landscape management including the minimisation of unregulated anthropogenic pressure, avoiding the physical destruction of surface and applying appropriate technologies for infrastructure development on permafrost (Ivanov and Maximov, 2003). Protection of drained peatlands against fire in European Russia is an important regional problem which requires the restoration of drainage systems and the regulation of water regimes in such territories (Zeidelman and Shvarov, 2002).
In southern Europe, to compensate for increased climate-related risks (lowering of the water table, salinisation, eutrophication, species loss) (Williams, 2001; Zalidas et al., 2002), a lessening of the overall human burden on water resources is needed. This would involve stimulating water saving in agriculture, relocating intensive farming to less environmentally sensitive areas and reducing diffuse pollution, increasing the recycling of water, increasing the efficiency of water allocation among different users, favouring the recharge of aquifers and restoring riparian vegetation, among others (Alvarez Cobelas et al., 2005).


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Jordan, with a total area of about 89 210 km², lies to the east of the Jordan river and is divided into eightgovernorates: Amman, Zarqa, Irbid, Mafraq, Balqa, Karak, Tafileh and Ma'an. It is bordered in the north by Syria, in the north-east by Iraq, in the south-east and south by Saudi Arabia, in the far south-west by the Gulf of Aqaba (northern shores of the Red Sea) and in the west by Israel.
The country can be divided into four physiographic regions:
TABLE 1 - Basic statistics and population
|Physical areas:
|Area of the country
|8921 000
|Cultivable area
|381 740
|Cultivated area
|214 767
|- annual crops
|120 077
|- permanent crops
|94 690
|Total population
|5 463 000
|Population density
|Rural population
|Water supply coverage:
|Urban population
|Rural population
The cultivable land was estimated at 381 740 ha in 1992, or 4.3% of the total area of the country. In 1991, the total cultivated area was estimated at 214 767 ha, which is about 56% of the cultivable area, of which 120 077 ha consisted of annual crops and 94 690 ha consisted of permanent crops. In addition, each year up to 50 000 ha of rainfed land can be left fallow due to fluctuating and unevenly distributed annual rainfall.
The total population is almost 5.5 million (1995), of which 29% is rural. The population growth is estimated at 3.4% not including fluctuations caused by international political events. Currently, about 90% of the population is concentrated in the north-west quadrant of the country, where rainfall is highest and where most of the water resources are located. Agriculture accounted for 6% of Jordan's GDP in 1992 and for 12% of its exports earnings, mainly fruits and vegetables, in 1991. In 1992, 10% of the labour force were employed in agriculture.
TABLE 2 - Water: sources and use
|Renewable water resources:
|Average precipitation
|Internal renewable water resources
|Total (actual) renewable water resources
|Dependency ratio
|Total (actual} renewable water resources per inhabitant
|Total dam capacity
|106 m³
|Water withdrawal:
|- agricultural
|106 m³/yr
|- domestic
|106 m³/yr
|- industrial
|106 m³/yr
|Total water withdrawal
|106 m³/yr
|per inhabitant
|as % of total (actual) renewable water resources
|Other water withdrawal
|106 m³/yr
|Average groundwater depletion
|106 m³/yr
|Wastewater - Non-conventional water sources:
|- produced wastewater
|106 m³/yr
|- treated wastewater
|106 m³/yr
|- reused treated wastewater
|106 m³/yr
|Desalinated water
|106 m³/yr
The climate in Jordan is characterized by a long, dry, hot summer, a rainy winter and a drier-thanspring autumn. The temperature increases towards the south, with the exception of some southern highlands. Rainfall varies considerably with location, due mainly to the country's topography. Annual rainfall ranges between 50 mm in the eastern and southern desert regions to 650 mm in the northern highlands. Over 90% of the country receives less than 200 mm of rainfall per year. Average annual rainfall for the country as a whole gives a total volume of 8.43 km .
Surface water resources
Surface water resources are unevenly distributed among 15 basins. The largest source of external surface water is the Yarmouk river, at the border with Syria. Originally, the annual flow of the Yarmouk river was estimated at about 400 million m (of which about 100 million m³ are withdrawn by Israel). Total flow is now much lower than 400 million m³ as a result of the upstream Syrian development works which have been done in the 1980's. The Yarmouk river accounts for 40% of the surface water resources of Jordan, including water contributed from the Syrian part of the Yarmouk basin. It is the main source of water for the King Abdullah canal and is thus considered to be the backbone of development in the Jordan valley. Other major basins include Zarqa, Jordan river side wadis, Mujib, the Dead Sea, Hasa and Wadi Araba. Internally generated surface water resources are estimated at 400 million m /year.
TABLE 3 - Irrigation and drainage
|Irrigation potential
|85 000
|1. Full or partial control irrigation: equipped area
|64 300
|- surface irrigation
|20 300
|- sprinkler irrigation
|5 700
|- micro-irrigation
|38 300
|% of area irrigated from groundwater
|% of area irrigated from surface water
|% of area irrigated from non-conventional sources
|% of equipped area actually irrigated
|2. Spate irrigation area
|3. Equipped wetland and inland valley bottoms (i.v.b.)
|Total irrigation (1 +2+3)
|64 300
|- as % of cultivated area
|4. Flood recession cropping area
|Total water managed area (1 +2+3+4)
|64 300
|- as % of cultivated area
|- increase over last 10 years
|- power irrigated area as % of water managed area
|Full or partial control irrigation schemes: Criteria
|Large-scale schemes > 1 000 ha
|6 400
|Medium-scale schemes
|Small-scale schemes < 10 ha
|57 900
|Total number of households in irrigation
|Irrigated crops:
|Total irrigated grain production
|28 000
|as % of total grain production
|Harvested crops under irrigation (full or partial control)
|68 910
|- permanent crops: total
|27 220
|- annual crops: total
|41 690
|. vegetables
|28 960
|. cereals (wheat and barley)
|8 890
|. potatoes
|3 840
|Drainage - Environment:
|Drained area
|4 000
|as % of cultivated area
|- drained areas in full or partial control irrigated areas
|4 000
|- drained areas in equipped wetland and i.v.b
|- other drained areas
|- total drained area with subsurface drains
|- total drained area with surface drains
|Flood-protected area
|Area salinized by irrigation
|2 277
|Population affected by water-borne diseases
Groundwater resources
Jordan's groundwater is distributed among 12 major basins. Total internally produced renewable groundwater resources have been estimated at 500 million m³/year, of which 220 million m³ constitute the base flow of the rivers. Groundwater resources are concentrated mainly in the Yarmouk, Amman-Zarqa and Dead Sea basins.
The safe yield of renewable groundwater resources is estimated at 275 million m³/year. Most of it is at present exploited at maximum capacity, in some cases beyond safe yield. Of the 12 groundwater basins, 6 are being overextracted, 4 are balanced with respect to abstraction and 2 are under-exploited. Average groundwater depletion was estimated at 190 million m³/year in 1990. Over-extraction of groundwater resources has degraded water quality and reduced exploitable quantities, resulting in the abandonment of many municipal and irrigation water well fields, such as in the area of Dhuleil.
The main non-renewable aquifer presently exploited is the Disi aquifer (sandstone fossil), in southern Jordan with a safe yield estimated at 125 million m³/year for 50 years. Other nonrenewable water resources are found in the Jafer basin, for which the annual safe yield is 18 million m³. In total it is estimated by the Water Authority of Jordan that the safe yield of fossil groundwater is 143 million m³/year.
Dam capacity
Total dam capacity in Jordan is estimated at 143 million m³, including the desert dams. The largest dam (the King Talal dam on the Zarqa river) has a total capacity of 80 million m³. The other main dams are located on the Wadis Araba (20 million m ), Ziglab (4.3 million m³), Kafrein (3.8 million m³) and Shueib (2.3 million m³). The proposed design of the Wahda (Unity) dam on the Yarmouk river, following a treaty between Jordan and Syria, allows for a dam of 100 m in height with a gross storage capacity of about 230 million m³. Another proposed dam is the Karameh dam on Wadi Mallaha with a gross storage capacity of 55 million m³. Following the signature of the Peace Treaty with Israel (1995), investigations have been initiated to assess the need for future storage facilities on the Jordan and Yarmouk rivers.
The produced wastewater was estimated at 232 million m³/year in 1993 and the quantity of reused treated wastewater reached 50 million m³, of which 48 million m³ for irrigation and 2 million m³ for industrial purposes. The reuse of treated wastewater in Jordan reaches one of the highest levels in the world. The treated wastewater flow in the country is returned to the Search river and the King Tall dam, where it is mixed with the surface flow and used in the pressurized irrigation distribution system in the Jordan valley. The importance of reused wastewater is an essential element of Jordan's water strategy.
Figure 1 - Evolution of water withdrawal by sector
Water withdrawal
In 1993, total annual water withdrawal was estimated at 984 million m³, up from 619 million m³ in 1986 (Figure 1). Agricultural water withdrawal accounted for 75 % of the total water withdrawal, including the use of treated wastewater (Figures 2 and 3). Due to limited and widely scattered sources of water, the construction of important waterconveyance facilities was undertaken between 1962 and 1987 in order to meet the demand of the population which is concentrated in some areas. Some shortages have been observed during recent years, but they are generally limited to less than 10% of the demand. However, during the dry year of 1990, the water shortage affected 17% of the water demand.
Figure 2 - Water withdrawal (total: 984 million m³ in 1993)
Figure 3 - Origin of water used by sector (total: 984 million m³ in 1993)
The level of the Dead Sea falls each year by 85 centimetres due to extensive water use in the Jordan basin. Irrigated soils along the Jordan valley are showing signs of salinization since natural floods are no longer available to flush the irrigated land and leach salts.
International rivers
Most of Jordan's water resources are shared with other countries. The Jordan river is the largest river of the country, where water allocation to riparian countries is one of the most difficult regional issues. Failure so far to develop a unified approach to managing these water resources has encouraged unilateral development by the various riparian countries. Other important shared water resources are the groundwater resources of North Jordan (the Azraq, Yarmouk and Amman-Zarqa basins), where a significant percentage of the natural recharge probably occurs in Syria. Additional Syrian development of groundwater in these basins would endanger current Jordanian development and greatly reduce the safe yield available to Jordan.
The Yarmouk/Jordan river system is the main surface water resource. Given the extreme scarcity of water resources in the region, the importance of developing acceptable water resources allocation strategies was recognized as early as the 1930s. Although no comprehensive agreement exists on sharing the jointly-owned water resources, eleven plans for water use were prepared between 1939 and 1955. The last one was the Johnston Plan of 1955, allocating water between Jordan and Syria.
The potential for irrigated cultivation is estimated at around 840 000 ha. However, taking into consideration potentially available water resources, the irrigation potential is about 85 000 ha, including the area currently irrigated.
Although irrigation has been reported in Jordan for a very long time, particularly in the Jordan valley, intensive irrigation projects have been implemented since 1958 when the Government decided to divert part of the Yarmouk river water and constructed the East Ghor canal (later named King Abdullah canal). The canal was 70 km long in 1961 and was extended three times between 1969 and 1987 to reach a total length of 110.5 km. The construction of dams on the side wadis and the diversion of the flows from other wadis has allowed the development of irrigation over a large area. At the same time, wells were drilled in the Jordan valley to abstract groundwater, not only for domestic purposes but also for irrigation.
Apart from in the Jordan valley, irrigation is also reported in the highlands, mainly dependent on groundwater resources. The irrigation system here relies on wells, from 100 to 5 000 m deep, and pumps which deliver water to the agricultural land. There are three types of irrigated farming entities in these areas:
In 1995, the total area equipped for irrigation was estimated at 72 850 ha; in 1991, it was 64 300 ha (38 300 ha under micro-irrigation, 5 700 ha under sprinkler irrigation) (Figure 4). One of the main sources of water is the King Talal dam on the Zarqa river from which water is diverted into the King Abdullah canal. Irrigation water was originally distributed by open canals. This design was changed to reduce losses and all new developed zones have been provided with pipe systems. The techniques used by farmers have gradually changed from surface irrigation (furrow and basin) to microirrigation.
Figure 4 - Irrigation techniques f/p {total: 64 300 ha in 1991)
In 1992, it was estimated that about 55% of the area was irrigated from groundwater, 39% from surface water and 6 % from treated wastewater (Figure 5). The Disi irrigation project, one of the largest schemes in Jordan covering a total area of 3 000 ha, is supplied with fossil groundwater.
In 1991, two different types of schemes coexisted in Jordan (Figure 6):
The total number of beneficiaries is 250 000 households considering only the Jordan valley. The price charged for irrigation water has been $US 11.4 every 1 000 m³ since October 1994 (it was only $US 8.6 previously). The average cost of irrigation development for the production of vegetables varies between $US 6 000 and 9 000/ha and the annual average operation and maintenance costs are about $US 4 800/ha.
The main crops grown in Jordan are wheat and barley (used largely as animal feed), which are generally rainfed. In 1991, irrigated cereals covered an area of 8 890 ha, of which 6 320 ha was wheat and 2 570 ha barley. The average yield for irrigated wheat was 3.5 tons/ha in the case of supplementary irrigation and up to 6 tons/ha under permanent irrigation in southeastern areas. The yield of rainfed wheat varied between 0.7 and 1.4 tons/ha. The yield of irrigated barley was 2.5 tons/ha as against 0.6 tons/ha for rainfed barley.
The major irrigated crops are vegetables, fruit trees and olives (Figure 7). The cropping intensity of irrigated annual crops is 112%. Vegetables covered a total area of 36 120 ha in 1991 of which 80% was irrigated. They contributed on average 30% to the total gross value of agricultural production during the period 1980-90. They also remain the highest contributor to food exports, providing 58% of total food exports in 1990. In 1991, olives occupied 67 880 ha with about 20% irrigated, and fruit trees occupied 26 810 ha with over 50% irrigated. Irrigation covers 80% of the total agricultural production.
Figure 5 - Origin of irrigation water f/p (total: 64 300 ha in 1992)
Figure 6 - Types of irrigation schemes f/p (total: 64 300 ha in 1991)
Figure 7 - Irrigated crops (total: 68 910 ha in 1991)
In 1992, drainage existed on about 4 000 ha of the irrigated area, mainly through open drains, and all by gravity. The average cost of drainage development is estimated at $US 2 000/ha.
The following ministries/institutions are involved in the water sector in Jordan:
The Ministry of Water and Irrigation is the body responsible in Jordan for the formulation and implementation of water and wastewater development programmes. A policy package, covering all aspects of the water sector, was in preparation in 1995.
Municipal water use was made more systematic with the creation of the Water Authority in 1985. Prior to that, many agencies and municipalities were responsible for the production and distribution of municipal water.
A land and water settlement law (No. 40) was enacted to distribute water among farmers. Water is distributed by shares, with each dunum (equivalent to 0.1 hectare) situated on a source having one share. In some cases, water is broken into time units known as fasl. The fasl allows the farmer to use the entire flow of water from a channel for a fixed time, usually 3, 6 or 12 hours.
Jordan's past economic development plans reveal that surface water resources have been extensively developed by the Government, with priority given to the construction of dams and irrigation projects in the Jordan valley in order to maximize the utilization of this resource before its drainage to the Dead Sea. Limited additional untapped surface water resources could be developed in the Jordan valley side wadis and in the Mujib, Zarqa, Ma'an and Zara basins, subject to specific conditions.
It is no surprise that future trends in irrigation are closely linked to water development possibilities. Aquifers in the Disi-Mudwara, Jafer and Hamad areas are prime fresh water sources, able to supply an additional 80 million m³/year of water for 100 years. Full utilization of these resources would require adequate management practices to avoid salinization and should be accompanied by reducing extraction from over-utilized aquifers. Plans are under way for a better assessment of the Hamad and Al-Sarhan basins' potential.
Jordan, Israel and the West Bank are presently over-exploiting their water resources by between 10 and 20%. Water levels are dropping, groundwater resources are being mined, salinization and salt water intrusion are observed and the domestic water supply does not reach adequate standards. The following actions are envisaged to remedy this crisis:
As part of the efforts towards joint management of water resources, the Jordanian-lsraeli Peace Treaty includes the following arrangements:
Although the potential for irrigation development in the highlands is great, a very small increase in irrigated agriculture is anticipated due to the unavailability of water resources. The average water consumption for irrigation in the Jordan valley and southern Ghor is less than 10 000 m³/ha per year, which is much less than in the highlands where it reaches on average 16 000 m³/ha per year. This may be due to the fact that in the highlands irrigation water is mostly groundwater pumped individually by farmers with less supervision than in the Jordan valley where the Jordan Valley Authority controls the delivery of water.
Some of the water resources which would be made available for irrigation purposes are recycled water from municipal wastewater treatment plants. The total quantity of reused treated wastewater is expected to grow from 50 million m³ in 1993 to about 89 million m in 2000 and 237 million m in 2020.
If the Jordan valley plans to improve water use efficiency through conversion from surface to pressurized irrigation networks, it is expected that this will increase the available water resources by 25 million m /year. Future development of water resources in order to meet the increasing demand for water for agriculture will require the implementation of expensive projects for the development and conveyance of water to the land. These projects would place a heavy burden on the national budget and would seriously affect the national economy.
Future projects include the construction of storage facilities on major river and side wadis (the Wehdad, Karameh, Walah, Tannur, Mujub and Yabis dams) to alleviate part of the water shortages for agricultural activities. The total yield of these darns for agricultural purposes will be about 200 million m³/year. The total cost of water development projects for the decade 1995-2005 is estimated at around $US 1 860 million, for an estimated yield of between 385 and 475 million m³ of water.
Water harvesting techniques have not yet been developed in Jordan. However, small research pilot projects are trying to see whether this technique would suit the country's characteristics.
A revision of the National Water Master Plan (NWMP), first prepared in 1977, began in 1993, with the assistance of GTZ.
Bani Hadi, Mohammed A. 1995. Water policy reform in Jordan. Paper prepared for the 12th FAO Regional Land and Water Commission, Beiruth, December 1996.
Department of Statistics. 1991. Statistical Yearbook 1990.
El Naser, H. and Elias, Z. 1993. Jordan's water sector. Country paper presented at the regional symposium on water use and conservation, organized by ESCWA and CEHA.
ESCWA/FAO/Ministry of Agriculture. 1993. National Farm Data Handbook, Jordan. Amman, Jordan.
FAO. 1992. Agricultural sector programming mission. Rome, Italy.
FAO/ESCWA. 1994. Land and water policies in the Near East Region. Case studies on Egypt, Jordan and Pakistan. Amman, Jordan.
PRIDE and Chemonics International. 1992. A water management study for Jordan. USAID/Ministry of Water and Irrigation.
Qasem, S. and Shatanawi, M. 1993. Policies and strategies for the optimization of development and performance of irrigated agriculture in Jordan. Ministry of Agriculture.
Salameh, H. 1991. Jordan's water resources and their future potential. Proceedings of the Symposium 27-28 October 1991. Published by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. 1992. Amman, Jordan.
World Bank. 1993. Jordan River Basin Study. The Regional Office for Integrated Development.


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Product Features
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Key Features of the Patagonia Advocate Stitch Shoes:
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- Construction: Soft Flex and Strobel
- Last characteristics: medium width, full toe box, medium arch/instep
- 120 g (4.23 oz)
- Made in China.
All Gear by: Patagonia


text:
Stories Left Unspoken:
A literacy narrative on letting projects go
by Erin Kathleen Cahill
This multimodal literacy narrative is a chaotic kaleidoscope of learning from setbacks, layers of remediation, and at least a little bit of fun.
The events of this narrative span about ten months, from January to October of 2013.
It all began in a digital media seminar with Dr. Scott DeWitt, during which a partner and I composed an iMovie "book trailer" to promote
Stories That Speak to Us
, a publication from Computers and Composition Digital Press released in March 2013.
This is the "book trailer"that my project partner and
I composed for the digital media seminar. The credits
have been edited for his privacy.
Since my partner and I are both avid comics lovers, we decided to collaborate on a Prezi-hosted webcomic for our seminar final project. We envisioned this comic as a reflection on what we'd learned in composing this "book trailer" together. As students who are also teachers, we hoped that our insights might be useful for other instructors who'd like to incorporate similar projects into their own curriculum.
Life gets busy, however, as we all know, and later that summer my partner informed me that he would unfortunately have to bow out of the comic due to other commitments. I tried to continue with our original vision as best I could, but the project was so firmly grounded in collaboration that all my solo attempts seemed to spiral out of control.
As I struggled to re-theorize our original artifact, it became clear that I could not tell the story of what I learned from composing the book trailer without adding what I've learned from failing to compose the comic.
This Prezi webcomic, then, has two main layers: the game board-like comic narrating our "book trailer" composing process (created Spring 2013); and the paper airplane trail reflecting on what I've learned in letting this project go (created Fall 2013). My hope is that this layered literacy narrative will bring some satisfactory closure to an experiment that never quite reached completion.
Reality can be messy, but in stories, at least, there's always hope for "happily ever after."
We originally chose to compose our reflection as a graphic narrative because comics were a point of common interest. Mediating an idea as a comic is often an attempt to make the topic more accessible and even enjoyable (see for example Alexander and Losh's
Understanding Rhetoric
, a graphic narrative textbook intended as a textbook for an undergraduate writing course). We wanted to compose a text that would both be fun to engage and spark new connections for readers by presenting our insights in an unusual way.
Why Comics?
Furthermore, since
Stories That Speak to Us
is an online publication incorporating many textual formats, such as alphabetic texts, images, video, and audio files (and since in creating our book trailer we used iMovie to showcase some of these elements), it seemed natural to mediate our response in a similarly media-rich environment such as Prezi.
Digital composition frequently offers unique opportunities for collaboration. The Digital Archive of Literacy Narratives (DALN), which Stories That Speak to Us seeks to theorize, is a chorus of thousands of literacy narratives. Eleven of the eighteen "exhibits" (essays) in
Stories That Speak to Us
featured two or more authors; and the collection itself is credited to three chief editors, an associate editor, a site designer, and countless more individuals behind-the-scenes without whom this webtext would not have been possible. My partner and I composed our "book trailer" not only between the two of us, but also in conversation with our colleagues in the seminar. When all goes as planned, collaboration opens up new composing possibilities that would otherwise swallow a lone individual whole.
When collaboration unravels, however, it quickly reverts from a project's greatest strength to its greatest weakness. Up to my partner's departure we'd discussed every step in our Prezi comic, but my primary task was to create the comic itself, while he was responsible for writing the text to theorize our narrative. When he was unable to continue with the project, I was left with a constellation of images and speech bubbles, but no scholarly framework that would legitimize our playful narrative for an academic, pedagogically-minded audience.
Remediation is one of the key motifs woven through this process, and the driving factor at the heart of our project from beginning to end. The DALN collects stories of literacy learning in individual lives, re-mediated from lived experience to verbal narrative in alphabetic or video form. The "curators" (authors and editors) of
Stories That Speak to Us
selected narratives from the archive, brought these stories into conversation with other narratives via a similar topic or theme, and presented their analyses as a collection of digital exhibits (Prezis, webtexts, traditional essays, etc.) under the aegis of a single online publication.
In composing our "book trailer," my partner and I complicated this remediation trail further still. We selected audio and visual elements from exhibits under the "Technology and Digital Composition" heading and remixed them using iMovie to create a new text altogether. And then, yet another layer: we created a Prezi comic to reflect on what we learned in composing our remix. Now, this metacommentary on composing the process brings the remediation process full circle: a literacy narrative about a comic about an iMovie "book trailer" about a webtext about videos and texts presenting literacy narratives. Scheherezade would be proud.
Perhaps the main thing I've learned from this reflection, this attempt at "project rehabilitation," is the vulnerability inherent in composing in conversation with other authors, other voices, other agents and perspectives. Collaboration requires a composer to give up at least some degree of control over how the final project will turn out—or whether it will even ultimately materialize. I also had to consider my partner's own privacy in sharing this story, and in attempting to present him in as fair and generous a manner as possible. Literacy narratives, too, require reflexivity and self-disclosure in reporting, concretizing, and recreating one's own lived experience for another reader to temporarily inhabit. A literacy narrative in comics form is especially revealing: in creating avatars of myself and my partner, I'm displaying my impression of our physical likenesses for a reader's eyes, a sort of physical self-disclosure not typical to academic writing.
There is especially vulnerability in creating images as an amateur for an audience: What will the readers/viewers think of my text? Will they empathize with my reflections on rehabilitating a failed project, or will they wonder why I wasted their time in writing about an experience with minimal productive yield? Will they smile at my playful attempts to compose graphic narrative, or will they scorn my images as primitive and unprofessional?
Above all, though, I've discovered the freedom of laughing at myself, learning from my failure, and letting go of what a project was "supposed to be" in order to re-imagine the possibilities of what it could be.
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Stories Left Unspoken
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Erin Kathleen Bahlon 10 October 2013
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The Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryThe Michael Faraday LaboratoriesNorthern Illinois UniversityDeKalb, IL 60115-2862(815) 753-1131
The Analytical Lab houses a Perkin–Elmer Lambda 19DM UV/Vis spectrometer using UV WinLab software.
The instrument is a double‐beam, double‐monochromator, ratio‐recording spectrometer operating in the ultraviolet and visible spectral ranges (total usable wavelength range: 175–900 nm).
The sample cells can be thermostated between 15 and 35 °C and the sample chamber can be purged with an inert gas.
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Three-wattled Bellbird
The Three-wattled Bellbird (Procnias tricarunculata) is a species of bird native to Central America from western Honduras south to eastern Panama. They are found primarily in the Costa Rican highlands in the breeding season and migrate to lower elevations in the colder months.
This bird is between 9.75 and 12 inches long. The body, tail, and wings of the male are mostly chestnut-brown. The head is white with a black eye ring, eye stripe, and bill. Its name comes from the three worm-like wattles of skin that hang from the base of the bill. The wattles can be as long as 3.9 inches. The female is smaller than the male and is less striking in appearance. The female also has no wattles.
This bird is shy and secretive and is usually only detected by its bell-like call given by the male. The vocalization can be heard as a three-part song with the final "bonk" giving this bird its name. The hollow "bonk" is considered one of the loudest bird calls in the world and can be heard by humans as far away as a half mile.


text:
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text:
About Me
My name is Miranda C. Parker and I am a Human Cenetered Computing PhD student at Georgia Institute of Technology. More specifically, I research Computer Science Education (or "CS Ed," as it is often referred to). I explore issues of privilege in the computer science classroom. I look at how a student's race, gender, socioeconomic status, and other aspects of their identity shape their computer science learning experience. I'm enthusiastic about teaching and I often find myself in a variety of leadership and outreach positions. When I'm not at work, I can be found running or backpacking or doing some sort of craft, like painting or crochet.
Check out a sample of my work below by scrolling-over and clicking on the tiles. Please find my CV at the bottom of this page.
Software Projects


text:
NORTON SHORES, Mich. (WOOD) — The woman who provided police with their biggest clue in the Jessica Heeringa disappearance — the description that led to the sketch of a possible suspect — has a close relationship with a person later identified as a person of interest in the case, Target 8 has learned.
They are brother and sister — and the brother, his family said, had recently dated Heeringa.
Their father told Target 8 that detectives harassed his son, who is not being named due to his connection to the investigation, early on in the investigation.
"They just kept calling him in, calling him in," said the father, who is not being named by Target 8. "At one time, I guess, he was the No. 1 suspect."
The brother, according to his father, had recently rented an apartment, hoping Heeringa would move in with him.
"And she didn't move in," the father said.
It's another twist in a case that has led to a dozen persons of interest but no solid leads, no sign of what really happened to Heeringa on April 26. 2013.
Inside woodtv.com: Timeline chronicling Jessica Heeringa's disappearance
The 25-year-old woman disappeared while working alone at night at the Exxon gas station on East Sternberg Road in Norton Shores. At the station, she left behind her purse, car, money, cigarettes — and a few drops of blood outside.
Police believe she was abducted, most likely by somebody she was familiar with.
At home, she left behind her son, Zevyn, who has since turned four and lives with his father.
The family of the key witness, who is not being named due to her connection to the investigation, said police quickly focused on the witness' 40-year-old brother because of his relationship with Heeringa.
They said detectives searched a hunting cabin on their property, just a few blocks from the Exxon station, searched their son's cellphone, and searched the family's silver minivan.
"He told them, 'Quit harassing me. If you're going to charge me, charge me. If you keep harassing me, you talk to my lawyer from now on,'" the father said. "They said, 'Well, that's what we wanted to hear,' and they never bothered him again."
His family said he has an alibi — that he was fishing when Heeringa disappeared. They said police confirmed that through phone records.
His parents said they were up north with their silver minivan on a gambling trip — and that police checked surveillance video at the casino to confirm it.
The family's van, the father said, is similar to the van his daughter and her husband described leaving the Exxon station about the time of Heeringa's disappearance.
"We happened to be driving the same color, same type of van that was used that night, but we were up north," the father said.
Norton Shores police refused to confirm the family connection, or discuss that part of the investigation.
"What I can tell you is that we did have one former boyfriend of Jessica's that we did investigate within the first day, and did talk to several times in the following weeks," Norton Shores Police Chief Daniel Shaw said. "And he's no longer considered, if you will, the focus of our investigation."
But Shaw told Target 8 that detectives haven't cleared anyone, and the former boyfriend is just one of a dozen persons of interest they've identified. Most of those persons of interest, he said, were known to Heeringa.
Also among them: the gas station owner, and Heeringa's fiancé, Dakotah Quail-Dyer, who is the father of their young son. However, Shaw said both have cooperated and neither is the focus of the investigation.
"We can't clear anyone at this point, until we find her and solve this case," Shaw said. "We have to leave our options open for anyone to be involved."
Quail-Dyer said he expected police to look at him.
"I'm always going to be kind of the center of attention, it's just the nature of the beast," Quail-Dyer said.
"But I cooperate with everything they ask, I jump through every hoop."
Quail-Dyer said he was aware of Heeringa's relationship with the former boyfriend.
"The police are doing their job, and that's all I can really say about that," he said.
The man identified as Heeringa's former boyfriend didn't respond to Target 8's repeated requests for interviews. Neither did his sister — the woman who provided the descriptions.
Her father said she cries whenever she talks about the disappearance.
"This has tore her up," he said. "I wish she wouldn't have witnessed it, you know."
Police said the woman and her husband were riding motorcycles about 11 p.m. on April 26 — about the time Heeringa disappeared.
The husband told Target 8 they were out on a late-night ride.
"It was a beautiful night," he said.
That was when they spotted a suspicious van in the nearby mini-mall parking lot, he said.
"We seen this van in the parking lot turn around with its lights off, and then we turned around to check it out to see what was going on," he told Target 8.
By the time they turned around, the van was directly behind the gas station, so they drove into the mini-mall parking lot to take a closer look, he said.
"We see a van sitting there and the hatch pops open, the light comes on, and then the van door closes like something's caught in it and he lifted it back up and shut it again," the husband said.
They never saw Heeringa, never saw a struggle. Then, the van drove past them, which is when his wife got a good look at the driver.
He said they followed the van in the parking lot to Grand Haven Road, where it turned north.
"All we had to do was look down at the plate number and neither one of us did," he said. "We've been kicking ourselves in the butt over that."
He said he's heard those who say they should have checked on Heeringa.
"I don't know. We didn't really know what was going on. They could have been doing anything in there, you know," he said. "I've never seen anyone get kidnapped before, and that was the furthest thing from my mind."
He said he and his wife drove home and didn't know anything was wrong until the gas station owner called to say Heeringa was gone.
The husband said he's a long-time friend of his wife's brother — the man identified as a person of interest. He said the brother had dated Heeringa only for a short time, a few months before the disappearance, and wanted to move in with her.
"He got the apartment and she ditched him," he said.
He said police considered that a possible motive.
"I told (detectives) it wasn't him because I've known him a long time, but they didn't want to believe that, so they just kept going after him and after him," he said.


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Last year, two High Desert food bloggers decided to participate in a traffic generating experiment. They decided challenge themselves for a 29 day period and increased the frequency and consistency of their blog posts. The purpose of this challenge, which was called Blog vs Blog, was to determine if consistent posts would significantly improve the number of visitors that was coming to their blogs.
The results were interesting. Neither website saw a significant increase in traffic; however, they have learned that with food blogs, it's not uncommon for traffic to drop off after the first of the year.
This year, the two bloggers are trying it again. Blogger friends, Angie and Patti, decided to challenge themselves for 30 days to see what would happen if they focused their blog posts for a 30 day period on only one topic. Part of the challenge is that they must publish a new post daily.
The challenge began on April first. Angie, at Kitchen Southern Hospitality, is focusing on meals for two for the month of April, while Patti, of Patty Cake's Pantry, is focusing on meals made from canned foods. It is anticipated daily blog posts should boost traffic to each website. At the start of April, both blogs had similar Alexa ranks with Patty Cake's Pantry ranking 14,579,812 and Kitchen Southern Hospitality rating 14,596.594. Everyone is anticipating that daily blog posts will improve website traffic as well as Alexa Rank. It is widely promoted that more frequent posting increases website visibility to search engines, too.
Both websites will continue to promote their posts on social media such as Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google plus, and Yummly, as these social networking sites help to direct new visitors to their blogs.
We can't predict the final results of this challenge, but we know it will be interesting to see what sort of recipes they come up with for the challenge. Visit their websites and see what they're dong. Check back here during the first week of May to see what effect, if any, daily blog posts have on improving traffic to a blog.


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Welcome back for part two in the MMO series where we bring you the depth charts for each position in the Mets minor league system. We started off last week with the First-basemen, and continue the series this week with the five best Catchers in the Mets organization.
It has been well documented that the Mets are thin in catching throughout the organization, but is there anyone already here that might be about to erupt onto the prospect scene? Or perhaps a player or two who are quietly putting together a solid start to their minor league careers? Or the one nobody is talking about? Keep reading to find out.
1. Cam Maron
The number one catching prospect in the Mets system is arguably the left-handed hitting back-stop, Cam Maron from Hicksville, NY. Maron was initially drafted by the Mets in the 34th round of the 2209 MLB first year player draft out of Hicksville High School. At first Maron was extremely raw behind the plate, but has worked very diligently on his footwork and receiving skills, as well as his throwing mechanics, and has made tremendous strides defensively.
His swing has always been a good contact stroke and he has exhibited very good plate discipline, although thus far the emphasis has been on developing his defensive game. Despite this, he had a very good year with the bat in 2012, placing second on the Savannah Sand Gnats in hitting with a .300 batting average in 343 at-bats. Thanks to a very good K/BB ratio of 73/53, he led his team in on-base percentage with a .403, while hitting five home runs and driving in 47.
Maron brings a lot of skills to the catching position. Since he was drafted out of high school, he has four professional seasons under his belt but is still only 21-years-old. He has a good eye at the plate, has hit .300 or better in each of his last three minor league seasons, and shows a definite feel for the nuances of the catching position. Expect him to meet the challenges of the advanced-A Florida State League in 2013 where his bat will be truly put to the test.
2. Kevin Plawecki
Some would say that the Mets 1st round sandwich pick from 2012, Kevin Plawecki is the Mets number one catching prospect, and I wouldn't argue too strenuously one way or the other. It's merely the difference between a 21-year-old catcher like Maron who was developed in the Mets system, and who has a sweet lefty line-drive swing, and a developing defensive game. Or a 21-year-old right-handed power hitter, who was developed at a major university, and can hit one out of any ballpark in any given at-bat, and has a developing defensive game.
Comparing Maron and Plawecki is like comparing apples and oranges. They both are solid back-stops. They both show a great deal of talent. They have both only played in low-A ball up to this point, and have a very long way to go. Where Maron is very selective at the plate and will take the walk, Plawecki is looking for something to drive, however unlike the proto-typical slugger Plawecki rarely strikes out.
In 216 at-bats this year with the Brooklyn Cyclones, Plawecki hit .250 with seven home runs and 27 RBI's. His K/BB ratio was 24/25, which raised his on-base percentage for the season to .345. As you can see Plawecki is a very pleasant combination of disciplined hitter, and slugger. If he can make the necessary adjustments to better pitching as he moves up the ladder, he could become a very intriguing prospect further down the line.
3. Francisco Pena
In writing this I am making the assumption that Pena will sign to play with the Mets organization again in 2013. You see he originally signed with them as an International Free Agent way back in July of 2006, and has now played six years in the Mets system. Since he has not been added to the 40-man roster, he is now an unrestricted free-agent. Hopefully the Mets need at catcher, his loyalty to the organization, and their desire to keep him in the fold will mean a return for him next season, but who knows?
The 23-year-old back-stop swung the bat pretty well for St. Lucie in the first half of 2012, going .254 with four home runs and 22 RBI's, and earned a promotion to Binghamton for the second half. He never really got the bat going on his first run through the Eastern League hitting only .198 with three homers and 17 RBI's in 126 at-bats.
I talked to Francisco shortly after he was called up to Bingo, in New Britain, CT towards the end of July. He told me the thing he was working the hardest on was getting in tune with the pitchers and what they were throwing since he hadn't caught most of them since the previous season. Always considered a very good defensive catcher, Pena platooned with Binghamton's starting catcher last year, Juan Centeno.
For his six year pro career, Pena has thrown out 30% of potential base stealers. He calls a very good game, receives the ball exceptionally well, and has a lifetime fielding percentage of .986. But the smart money would have Pena return to AA for the beginning of 2013. He needs to get the bat going at that level before he will be ready for AAA and the Las Vegas 51's out there in the desert. Besides Centeno clearly outplayed him in the second half last year, so if anyone has truly earned that promotion it would be Centeno, not Pena.
4. Blake Forsythe
The 23-year-old righty hitting catcher started his professional career when the Mets made him their 2010 3rd round pick (89th overall) in the MLB first year player draft out of the University of Tennessee. He was drafted just after the Mets took Matt Harvey, and just before they took Cory Vaughn and then Matt den Dekker.
It has been slow going for Forsythe as he still looks to get his bat going, but he has made significant defensive strides in his three years in the organization. He is a tireless worker and takes great pride in his defensive game and his ability to work well with the pitching staff. His hitting has made very small advancements each season to where he just completed his first full season in the Florida State League with St. Lucie.
It was an up-and-down year as he started the season with an outstanding April and May, hitting .283 with four home runs and 22 RBI's on June 1st. But a mediocre June and July where he hit just .244 with one home run and 12 RBI's, combined with a pretty poor showing in August where he hit just .197 with three home runs and eight RBI's, lowered his numbers for the season to .244/.339/.397, with eight home runs and 42 RBI's.
It is not beyond the realm of possibility for a player of Forsythe's pedigree to experience a quantum leap in any given season. But for it to happen with Forsythe in 2013 it will have to correspond to when he makes the big jump to AA. With Cam Maron, Alberto Cordero and Xorge Carrillo pushing their way up from Savannah, Forsythe will almost certainly be forced to open the year at Binghamton.
Forsythe still needs to cut down on his strikeouts before he can find success in the Eastern League next year. In 2011 in 370 at-bats at Savannah, he struck out 123 times, or roughly once every three at-bats. This past year at Lucie he batted 295 times, and managed to cut his strikeouts a bit to 89, or roughly once every 3.4 at-bats. He needs to keep making progress in that direction moving forward. The upcoming season will be a very important one for the young catcher from Tennessee, let's hope he can make the most of the opportunity.
5. Juan Centeno
Soon to be 23-years-old, the 5'7″ 175 lb. left-hand hitting Centeno was the first string catcher all season at AA Binghamton last year. He posted career highs last season in at-bats (281), runs scored (29), hits (80), doubles (12), 3B's (2), and RBI's (35). He was originally drafted by the Mets in the 32nd round of the 2007 first year player draft out of high school in Puerto Rico.
Centeno is a solid defensive catcher, and has a knack for making contact at the plate. His slash-line for the year was .285/.337/.342, and he threw out 41% of would-be base stealers, while posting a fielding percentage of .991. I look for Centeno to open next season in a catching tandem with a veteran player for Wally Backman at AAA Las Vegas. I would not expect any significant contributions to the big league club in 2013, but a strong season at AAA could propel him onto the 40-man roster for the start of 2014.
Organizational Grade Catcher: C-
Be sure to check back next week when we release the official Mets Minor League Depth Chart: Right-handed Pitchers. You won't want to miss that! Speaking of which, if you missed the Metsmerized Radio show from this week, then do yourself a favor and check it out in the archive, as it was probably our best show so far! And keep in mind that next week Metsmerized Radio will come to you on it's new day, Wednesday, which will happen to correspond with our very very special Halloween Show, and believe me you will rather be attacked by a horde of vampires rather than miss that!
Just to make it easy for you, here is this past Thursday night's show: Metsmerized Radio Oct. 25th, 2012.


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Clue: Galway "Golly!"
We have 1 possible answer for the clue Galway "Golly!" which appears 1 time in our database.
Possible Answers:
Related Clues:
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