text:
Who is ultimately responsible for the school lunch deaths of twenty-three innocent children between the ages of 5 and 12 years old on the 16th of July, 2013 in the village of Gandamal in Bihar, India? Rightfully, investigations are in progress to discover how this meal became contaminated and who is responsible for the contamination. The bigger questions are who is manufacturing this toxic venom and who is allowing the sale and use of it? Those are people to be included as guilty of 23 counts of murder. Remember, we have successfully held the tobacco manufacturers responsible for tobacco related deaths. But let's start with what was responsible for the untimely and unjust fatalities: Monocrotophos (mǒn-ō-krō-tō-fǒs)[i].Monocrotophos is the highly toxic organophosphate pesticide responsible for their deaths. Organophosphates inhibit an enzyme necessary for nerves to work. They work as a pesticide by paralyzing the nervous system of insects we think of as pests. The trouble is they also work on the birds and the bees in the same way. On humans too. Symptoms of organophosphate poisoning in humans include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, dizziness, blurred vision, excessive tearing, excessive salivation, sweating, confusion, incoordination, slurred speech, weakness, twitching, tremors, muscle spasms, involuntary urination and defecation, psychosis, irregular heart rhythms, seizures, coma, and as is evident by this horrific tragedy, even death. Monocrotophos is especially toxic; ingesting 120 mg, the weight of five to ten grains of rice, can be fatal. These poor kids were made to eat a meal laced with this poison.
This neurotoxin, monocrotophos, was developed by Ciba- Geigy (now Novartis) in 1965. Novartis
has now stopped making it. Let's take a moment to name some other former and current manufacturers: Agrolinz, Inc. Bharat Pulverizing Mills Ltd. (India), Cia-Shen Co. Ltd. (China.), Comlets Chemical Industrial Co. Ltd. (R.O.C.), Cyanamid (Brasil), Hindustan Ciba Geigy ltd (India), Lupin (India), Nantong Pesticides Factory (China), Hui Kwang (China), National Organic Chemical Industries Ltd. (India), Quimica Estrella S.A.C.I.el (Argentina), Quingdao Pesticides Factory (China), Sudarshan (India), United Phosphorus (India), Sundat (S) Pte. Ltd. (Singapore), Novartis, DowElanco, NOCIL Ltd. (India). This list is not intended to be exhaustive.
The use of monocrotophos has been banned in 27 countries including the United States, the European Union, and Canada. The import of the insecticide is not allowed in 46 countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations has been urging for a global phase out of this nerve poison. The Rotterdam Convention, an international treaty to ensure proper information disclosure about dangerous chemicals in the international marketplace, has monocrotophos on their list of highly toxic substances. Keep in mind there are at least 70,000 synthetic chemicals in use today with about 1500 new substances joining the sludge each year. Of this stew of compounds there are only 43 chemicals on the Rotterdam Convention list and only 32 of them are pesticides. As an aside, asbestos still hasn't made it on to the list. Clearly the list is not to be used as assurance about unlisted substances.
India not only has ignored recommendations by the WHO urging a ban on monocrotophos, it has gone ahead with becoming a major manufacturer of this toxic substance. There are at least 40 manufacturers of monocrotophos in India. It is a very common pesticide easily available in India. It is cheap. It is also one of the most common causes of accidental occupational poisonings. The WHO has said "Pesticides whose handling and application require the use of personal protective equipment that is uncomfortable, expensive or not readily available should be avoided, especially in the case of small-scale users in tropical climates." Monocrotophos qualifies as this sort of pesticide and India qualifies as this sort of setting. India does not have a culture of safety or prevention. People think you are weird if you wear a seat belt in a car. You rarely see anyone wearing a bicycle helmet. Fat chance a poor farmer is going to spend money on boots, protective clothing, gloves, masks, or a respirator. And even if he or she had the spare cash, there is no way in burning hell that he or she is going to wear that personal protective equipment while working in the fields under a sun that's scorching the air to a barely tolerable 110°F/ 43°F. You try it. You wouldn't last 5 minutes at rest in the shade, much less doing the arduous physical labor of agriculture by hand. Not only that, in India many people refer to agricultural chemicals as davai, medicine, that helps plants. Many of the farmers cannot read the labels on the containers and have not been properly informed about their dangers. Given the situation, it wouldn't be surprising to find out cooking oil was being stored in an empty monocrotophos container at the ill-fated school.
Monocrotophos is one of the main agents used in the current epidemic of farmer suicides. According to the National Crime Records Bureau in India, every year since about 2006 approximately 17,000-18,000 poor Indian farmers have been taking their own lives by ingesting an insecticide. Farmers are lured by the promises of higher yields through genetically modified seeds and chemically intensive farming methods. They despair under the weight of the debts incurred by the costs and the failed assurances. The lives of 23 innocent children have been sacrificed to bring the world's attention to the scourge of death by pesticide ingestion in India, accidental or intentional. But life is cheap in India. There are so many people that the accidental deaths of 23, or more than 20,000 people (the current estimates for the cumulative death toll due to the 1984 Union Carbide Gas Disaster in Bhopal), doesn't cause the government to take a strong stand or make a meaningful move. My guess is it is because most of the victims and survivors are poor.
Nevertheless, according to a 2012 report by Research and Markets, India is emerging as the sixth largest producer of pesticides worldwide. India, the land that developed the ancient science of Ayurveda, the art of health and longevity through natural food and living, is now one of the top producers of poisons. The report actually laments that due to farmers' financial inability to buy the "required" (quotations mine) pesticides, consumption of these chemicals per hectare in India is far below the global average. I guess this is one instance in which poverty could save your life. The Pesticides Manufacturers and Formulators' Association of India (PMFAI) is up in arms about the European Union's ban on endosulfan. They'll likely do their best to make sure monocrotophos doesn't get banned in India. The market within India itself is too large, even if the rest of the world is on the bandwagon to ban the stuff. The Indian domestic market itself is US$1.36 billion. PMFAI is also committed to promoting the export of pesticides of Indian origin. The president of PMFAI stated in an interview with Business Standard this week that since 1997 pesticide exports from India have gone from US$50 million to US$1.32 billion. The entire global market for pesticides is worth around US$ 44 billion and is projected to grow to US$65 billion in the next few years.
One must understand the strength of the Indian Pesticide Industry. Remember Bhopal. Over twenty-thousand dead to date. With second generation neurodevelopmental injuries being suffered by the kids of the survivors. The committee responsible for issuing the license for Union Carbide to use the dangerously toxic chemical methylisocyanate in the manufacturing of a pesticide, carbaryl (trade name Sevin), had denied permission three times before it was finally granted. It has never been made clear why they changed their decision. The members of the committee who finally conceded to Union Carbide should be held responsible for their acts of commission and omission. The Central Insecticide Board of India was in charge of ensuring that safety standards are adhered to in the pesticide manufacturing plants in India, including the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal. The Board failed in regulating the plant and should be liable for criminal negligence for their role in the largest industrial disaster in history. The Government of India needs to get it together and act to protect its people from harm.
While the police and the media are pointing fingers at the head mistress of the school where these children ate their last meal, and harshly criticizing the invaluable school lunch program, let's not forget the responsibility of the people making the murderous chemical agents, the government that allows its ubiquitous use, and our collective responsibility for allowing it all to take place right under our noses.
"..the person who for his own purpose brings on his lands and collects and keeps there anything likely to do mischief, if it escapes, must keep it in at his peril, and if he does not do so, is prima facie answerable for all the damage which is the natural consequence of its escape." – Rylands vs. Fletcher, UK, July 17, 1868
[i] In case you were curious, or have difficulty pronouncing monocrotophos, there are various trade or brand names for this deadly chemical including Azodrin, Bilobran, Crotos, Crisodrin, Glore Phos36, Monocil 40, Monocron, More-Phos, Monocrotophos 60 WSC, Harcros Nuvacron, Nuvacron 600 SCW, Pillardrin, and Plantdrin, and Red Star Monocrotophos. These names aren't necessarily any easier to say.
Note: A version of this article appeared as an Op-Ed piece in The Hindu on 10 Sep 2013.


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The Forest Hills Chapter's October 4th fashion fundraising event is a wonderful venue for business owners to showcase their products and/or services and for everyone to support a very worthy cause,
Garden City, NY (PRWEB) October 02, 2013
Members and guests of the NAPW Forest Hills, NY Local Chapter gathered on September 16th for a professional networking meeting at the Kew Gardens Community Center.
The group of professional women heard expert marketing tips from business coach, speaker and author Michelle Gill Newton, a former marketing manager in the publishing industry. Final plans for the Chapter's upcoming fashion fundraiser on October 4th were discussed.
The meeting commenced with a welcome note from Anjali Chugh, Forest Hills Chapter President and was followed by a lively networking session.
The President made a few announcements about the upcoming fashion fundraising event to be held October 4th and gave an update about ticket sales to the attendees.
She encouraged members to contribute to the event's raffle segment, participate as an exhibitor and to purchase tickets to the event. A significant number of attendees offered to volunteer at the event and to give away some attractive items as raffle prizes.
"The Forest Hills Chapter's October 4th fashion fundraising event is a wonderful venue for business owners to showcase their products and/or services and for everyone to support a very worthy cause," said President Chugh.
All of the proceeds from the event will benefit S.H.A.D., a nonprofit that provides healthcare services, support and education to low income, impoverished Haitian women, and their unborn babies, infected with the HIV/AIDS.
The Chapter President then introduced guest speaker Michelle Newton.
"Michelle Gill Newton is a wife and mother, home-based business coach, speaker and published author of Direct Sellers Secrets to Staying Inspired- Your SSI and e-book Sales in the Social Media Age: It Isn't Just Door to Door Anymore, said President Chugh, as she invited the speaker to take the floor.
Ms. Newton told the group of professional women that she worked as a marketing manager for Time Warner Cable of New York City, Time Warner Inc. and then Doubleday Book Clubs.
In 2004, she was introduced to the industry that she fell in love with and where she found her passion: direct sales/network marketing. After the downsize of her corporate job and the abrupt closure of two direct sales companies she was a part of, Ms. Newton said she was inspired to write her first book.
Ms. Newton is now an independent sales consultant for Mary & Martha, a direct sales company. She regularly speaks at companies throughout New York City about how to stay motivated in business. She combines her passion for marketing, events and sales in her order to effectively run her business today.
The speaker's presentation focused on creating different streams of income and identifying the right customer base for a business. Ms. Newton offered valuable tips to members and guests for achieving success in the business world, namely, the importance of branding a business, identifying target customers, understanding the needs and behaviors of potential customers, creating a niche, writing books, creating CDs or e-books, speaking at events and joining a networking organization of like-minded people such as NAPW.
"The easiest and fastest source of earning supplemental income is the Direct Selling Association (DSA)," said Michelle. "It's a national trade association of some of the leading firms that manufacture and distribute goods and services directly to customers."
Michelle became a part of DSA after she became a part of Mary & Martha as an independent business consultant. For details, visit her website http://www.mymaryandmartha.com/MGNEWTON/.
"Members and guests enjoyed the presentation very much. All agreed the interactive session was very helpful," said President Chugh.
Meeting attendees included Michelle G. Newton, Alvertis Alexander, Dana Linton, Camelia Pruteanu, Donatellah Horvath, Cheryl Williams-Meggett, Carol Slotkin, Susan Myers, Marie Glennon, Juliet Williams, Cassandra Greene, Florence Robinson, Caroline Clement, Margaret Thomas, Cindy Francis and Anjali Chugh.
The National Association of Professional Women (NAPW) is the largest and most recognized network of female professionals. NAPW provides a forum where women can interact, exchange ideas, educate, network, and empower. NAPW Local Chapters allow members to maximize their experience through meetings, networking opportunities, and professional events.
For additional information regarding the NAPW Forest Hills, NY Local Chapter and/or NAPW, please visit http://www.napw.com.
Follow NAPW on Facebook and Twitter.

subset: commoncrawl


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Peggie Hall has the 8 ounce solution
Fresh water system problems–foul odor or taste–are typically caused by allowing water to stagnate in the tank and especially the lines, creating the ideal environment for molds, fungi and bacteria that thrive in damp dark places. Here's the recommended method for recommissioning fresh water systems; this should be done at least annually:
Fill the water tank with a solution of 1 cup (8 oz) of household bleach per 10 gallon tank capacity. Turn on every faucet on the boat (including a deck wash if you have one), and allow the water to run until what's coming out smells strongly of bleach. Turn off the faucets, but leave the system pressurized so the solution remains in the lines.
Let stand overnight– at least 8 hours–but NO LONGER THAN 24 hours. Drain through every faucet on the boat (and if you haven't done this in a while, it's a good idea to remove any diffusion screens from the faucets, 'cuz what's likely to come out will clog them). Fill the tank again with fresh water only, drain again through every faucet on the boat, repeating till the water runs clean and smells and tastes clean.
Cleaning out the tank addresses only the least of the problem…most of the problem occurs in the lines, so it's very important to leave the system pressurized while the bleach solution is in the tank to keep the solution in the lines too.
People have expressed concern about using this method to recommission aluminum tanks. While bleach (chlorine) IS corrosive, the effect of an annual or semi-annual "shock treatment" is negligible compared to the cumulative effect of holding chlorinated city water in the tank for years. Nevertheless, it's a good idea to mix the total amount of bleach in a few gallons of water before putting it into either a stainless or aluminum tank.
To keep the water system cleaner longer, use your fresh water…keep water flowing through system. The molds, fungi, and bacteria only start to grow in hoses that aren't being used. Before filling the tank each time, always let the dock water run for at least 15 minutes first…the same critters that like the lines on your boat LOVE the dock supply line and your hose that sit in the warm sun, and you don't want to transfer water that's been sitting in the dock supply line to your boat's system. So let the water run long enough to flush out all the water that's been standing in them so that what goes into your boat is coming straight from the water main.
Finally, while the molds, fungi and bacteria in onboard water systems here in the US may not be pleasant, we're dealing only with aesthetics…water purity isn't an issue here–or in most developed nations…the water supply has already been purified (unless you're using well-water). However, when cruising out of the country, it's a good idea to
know what you're putting in your tanks…and if you're in any doubt, boil all water that's to be drunk or used to wash dishes, and/or treat each tankful to purify. It's even more important in these areas to let the water run before putting it in the tank–wash the boat, whatever it takes…because any harmful bacteria will REALLY proliferate in water hoses left sitting on the dock.
Peggie Hall
Peggie Hall is the author of "Marine Sanitation: Fact vs. Folklore"


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Matsue(松江)[60] is an old castle town at the heart of Izumo Province (present-day Shimane Prefecture), and with a population of approximately 207,000 is its largest city.
This laid back samurai city is home to one of the few authentic wooden castles in Japan, and is also famous for its sunsets and traditional "wagashi" confectionery. Situated between the shores of Lake Shinji and an inner sea, the city is rich in canals and is often called "City of Water". Matsue and its surrounding area is rich in cultural assets and historical sites, and many of Japan's most ancient legends are set in the area.
Matsue has been the political, economic, and cultural capital of the region for much of the past two millennia. At the time of the agriculture-based Yayoi civilization, between the third century B.C and C.E., and even earlier, during the Jomon civilization, much of whay is now Matsue was underwater. A large inland sea covered much of the area. As a result, most of the archaelogical sites associated with the ancient Izumo tribe and the origins of Japanese civilization are found on higher ground, on the city's southern edge. The younger city center developed from 1607 with the construction of Matsue Castle.
Land of Myths
Many of the myths compiled in the Kojiki, Japan's oldest collection of Myths, dating from the early 8th century take place in the province of Izumo. All the gods of Japan descend upon Matsue before going to their annual meeting at the Grand Shrine of Izumo (in neighboring Izumo). The entrance to the Underworld, ruled over by the god Susanoo can also be found in Matsue.
Lafcadio Hearn and the Irish connection
Irish journalist Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904) was an author of many books about Japan. He came to work as a teacher in Matsue in 1890, and although he spent only 15 months there, during that time he married a Japanese woman, became naturalized Japanese citizen (adopting the name Koizumi Yakumo). Hearn wrote about his life in Meiji Era Matsue and chronicled many local legends and ghost stories he has become Matsue's favorite son, and the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum and his former residence are among the city's most popular attractions. Matsue's Hearn connection led the national government to proclaim it one of Japan's three top international tourist cities, along with the ancient capitals of Kyoto and Nara. Because of Hearn's Irish roots there are cultural connections between Matsue and Ireland and an Irish festival and parade is held yearly.
Most visitors to Matsue will arrive at Matsue Station. Matsue city center is split into two parts by the Ōhashi River(大橋川). The river forms a natural division between the ancient and modern parts of Matsue. Matsue Station, most hotels, shops and restaurants are clustered in the southern part, while most historical sites and attractions are found in the northern part. The city center is not too big and most attractions are at walking distance.
Matsue Tourist Information Center, (Just outside Matsue station on the north side). Has maps and pamphlets in English and can offer advice on what's happing around town. Matsue History Museum Tourist Information Office, Tonomachi 279, Matsue (At the Matsue History Museum, close to Matsue Castle), ☎ +81 852 26-2011. Apr-Sep 8:30AM-6:30PM, Oct-Mar 8:30AM-5PM, closed 3rd Tu of every month. Matsue Goodwill Guides, ☎ +81 090 8998-5746 ([email protected], fax: 0852-27-2503). An organization of English speaking volunteers which shows visitors around in Matsue. Also helps out at international events like sporting events and conferences. Please call or email several days in advance to book a guide. Free of charge.
The northern side of the Chugoku area of Japan on which Matsue lies is called the San'in and the southern part (on the Hiroshima side) is called the San'yo.
Get in
By plane
Matsue is serviced by two nearby airports: Izumo Airport (IZO) and Yonago Airport (YNG)[61].
Izumo Airport has flights by JAL to Tokyo Haneda, Osaka Itami, Fukuoka and the Oki Islands. Shuttle buses to Matsue Station are scheduled to connect to every arriving flight. A one way trip takes 30 minutes and costs ¥1000.
Yonago Airport has flights by ANA to Tokyo Haneda and Asiana flies to Incheon International Airport in Korea three times a week. Shuttle buses to Matsue Station are scheduled to connect to every arriving national flight. A one way trip takes 45 minutes and costs ¥960. Trains operated by Japan Rail depart from Yonago Airport station approximately once every hour. To get to Matsue travellers should transfer at Yonago station. A one way trip to Matsue costs ¥740 by regular train (90 minutes) and ¥2180 by express (70 minutes).
By train
When coming by Shinkansen high speed train get off at Okayama and take the "Super Yakumo" express train to Matsue. The "Super Yakumo" express train runs between Okayama to Matsue, departing every hour from 7PM until 9:40PM daily. The trip takes approximately 2hr 30 mins.
Matsue is also on the San'in Main Line, which runs along western Honshu's sea coast between Kyoto and Shimonoseki.
Japan Rail also operates a daily "Sunrise Izumo" night train between Tokyo and Matsue. Prices vary depending on the accomodation booked, which range from simple berths to private cabins.
By bus
Highway buses connect Matsue and Tokyo (nightbus only), Osaka, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Okayama, Kobe and Nagoya (nightbus only). The ticket office is outside Matsue Station behind the Lawson convenience store.
By car
Coming from Kansai:
By boat
Overnight ferries depart twice a week from Sakaiminato DBS Ferry Terminal to Donghae, Korea and then onwards to Vladivostok, Russia a day later.
Get around
On foot
Matsue city center is not that big, and most attractions are at walking distance. The Matsue International Tourist Information Office in front of the station has a free umbrella loan system where abandoned umbrellas are put to good use, so do pick one up in case the weather changes!
By bike
Bicyles are a quick and convenient way to get around Matsue. They can be rented at several locations.
Around Shinjiko Onsen station (Ichibata Railways):
By bus
By train
Three Day Combination Ticket
The Enmusubi Perfect Ticket[66] (¥3000 for adults, ¥1500 for children) allows free unlimited travel for three consecutive days on a wide range of train and bus services in Matsue and neighbouring Izumo. The ticket includes full use of the following:
Note that Japan Rail services are not included.
By taxi
Taxis can be found waiting on both sides of Matsue Station. Ichibata Taxi is the largest taxi company. Tel: +81 852 21-4334 (English not spoken). The easiest way to get a taxi when not around the station is to ask a hotel or shop operator to call one. As in any every city in Japan taxis are a very expensive way to get around, even when travelling short distances.
By car
A car is not really needed inside Matsue city, but might be an option if when planning to venture out to places further out which are not easily reachable by public transport.
Matsue Castle and Shiomi Nawate Samurai Street
Central Matsue
Further out
Events and Festivals
Many festivals and events are held yearly. Note that most official English Matsue tourism websites are rarely updated and will often show the dates and times of events held in previous years. It would be best to call the Matsue Tourist Association (tel: +81 852 26-2011) to verify the dates if you're planning your trip to Matsue to coincide with any events or festivals.
Local foods, crafts and souvenirs
Wagashi Japanese sweets
Matsue, as one of Japan's three largest centers for the tea ceremony, has been nurturing the art of Japanese-style wagashi confectionery for several hundred years.
Clothing and accessories
Malls and supermarkets
Currency Exchange
Other cuisines
Around Matsue Station
Matsue Shinjiko Onsen, and around Matsue Castle
Further out
Sleeping at an Internet Cafe
Overnighting in a lounge chair in a private booth at an internet cafe might not be very glamorous but is an option if you're travelling on a tight budget. Showers, food and parking are available. Most internet cafes in Matsue are clustered around Shimane University, a bit of a walk northwards from Matsue Station. See the Contact section of this article for more information.
All phone numbers displayed on this page are in international format. To dial using local format substitute "+81" with "0".
Post Offices
WiFi Hotspots
Most McDonalds restaurants in Japan offer complimentary WiFi internet
Internet Cafes
Get out
Day trips
Further out


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MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (Jun. 29)
Anti-Semitism in the public schools in Argentina, which culminated in the segregation of Jewish children on separate benches as a result of the government decree making the teaching of the Catholic religion compulsory, today brought a sharp warning to school teachers in Buenos Aires to abstain from inciting Catholic children against Jewish.
The warning, published by the Buenos Aires Catholic daily newspaper El Pueblo, is believed to be inspired by church authorities who are said to fear public reaction against the ultra-Catholic spirit now prevailing in the Argentine school system following the introduction of compulsory teaching of Catholicism. Thousands of copies of this warning are being reprinted from the newspaper for distribution among school teachers.
"The segregation or the displaying of contempt against Jews, atheists, or those who are indifferent to the Catholic religion is not a Christian act," the warning says. "It is equally un-Christian to proceed so as to provoke their justified protests, and them denounce them as being rebellious. If religious teaching results in contempt of others on religious and racial grounds, it means that the teaching is not being conducted in the spirit of true religion. If it results in persecutions, then it is simply treason against religion and is to be considered nothing but a conspiracy to undermine religion.
Pointing out that history knows of despots who tried to impose "unity of faith" upon others, the article says: "To pursue such unity today in Argentina would be impossible, since we opened our doors during the last century to people of all races and religions. It is necessary that all officials in our school system realize this. Intolerance in political life and lack of understanding in religious life are the major enemies of the patriotic motives which underly our present national regeneration."


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Adobe Lightroom Folders
The second topic I will touch on for using Adobe Lightroom 4 is the use of Folders.
Last time I introduced Catalogs, the database files which store everything that you do in Lightroom. The foundation for the Catalog and your editing is the set of Folders and the images held within them.
When you import images into Lightroom you are essentially bringing their parent Folders with them. You can choose to import one, some, or all images in a folder, but in any case the folder itself comes with them into the Catalog database.
Pretty much everything else that you do in Lightroom is "virtual" in the sense that it only exists within the realm of the Catalog database. But the Folders you have are your true links to the physical (which drive) and logical (where on that drive) location of your base image files.
My Lightroom Folder strategy is very simple:
- Create new folders for each roll of film I scan or digital series of images (ex. one day or event of shooting)
- Name the folder on the disk in the format "yyyy mm dd topic camera film" where the day and film are optional (see above screenshot)
- Keep the folders in one of two places: initially a local drive Library location, and then once my edits and online publishing are done I move it to a Library location on my network storage drive
You can freely move your Folders around on the drives of your computer, network storage, etc. However, when you do so Lightroom indicates via greying out the folder name that it has lost track of where it is.
When that happens simply right click on the folder in Lightroom, select "Find missing folder…" and the browse to and select its new location. This will update the Folder and all images within it to its new location and is pretty painless.
I keep my Folder strategy to essentially a linear timeline of rolls/shoots, even if the images in those folders are split into multiple purposes. My next topic will be Collections which is really where all the magic happens in organizing your images inside Lightroom.


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DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. (NYSE: FBHS), an industry-leading home and security products company, will release first quarter 2017 financial results after the market close on Wednesday, April 26, 2017.
At 4:30 p.m. ET, Chris Klein, chief executive officer, Lee Wyatt, chief financial officer, and Brian Lantz, senior vice president of communications and corporate administration, will host a conference call to discuss first quarter 2017 results. A live Internet audio webcast of the conference call will be available on the Fortune Brands website at http://ir.fbhs.com/events.cfm. It is recommended that listeners log-on at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the call.
A recorded replay of the call will be made available on the Company's website shortly after the call has ended.
About Fortune Brands
Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. (NYSE: FBHS), headquartered in Deerfield, Ill., creates products and services that fulfill the dreams of homeowners and help people feel more secure. The Company's four operating segments are Cabinets, Plumbing, Doors and Security. Its trusted brands include more than a dozen core brands under MasterBrand Cabinets; Moen, ROHL and Riobel under the Global Plumbing Group (GPG); Therma-Tru entry door systems; and Master Lock and SentrySafe security products under The Master Lock Company. Fortune Brands holds market leadership positions in all of its segments. Fortune Brands is part of the S&P 500 Index. For more information, please visit www.FBHS.com.


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Before I decided to go to Pacific Lutheran University, I learned about all the adventures and study away opportunities available to students. The programs at PLU are top-notch too. In 2009, PLU won a national award for its study away programs, and it frequently lands in the top 10 on lists like the one from the Institute for International Education. PLU was the first university to have students abroad on all seven continents simultaneously.
However, about 50 percent of PLU students don't study away during their time at PLU. Sometimes this is because of course schedules, or maybe they have extracurricular activities or jobs that require they stay. For me, the combination of cost, time and the lack of options that really fit my schedule led me to stay on campus for all four years.
Realizing as a senior that I won't be able to take advantage of these trips is a bit of a disappointment. One of the reasons I was so excited to come to PLU was for the travel opportunities. However, what I've also come to love about PLU is that the emphasis on global education permeates every level of the university, from physical trips, programming and entertainment to coursework.
Even though I wasn't able to pick up and go to a country to experience another culture firsthand, I was still exposed to these new ideas that taught me to value cultural differences and practices. In an even bigger way, PLU recognizes traveling and studying abroad is a privilege, not a right. Besides the financial burden of traveling abroad, there is a level of environmental privilege as well, and PLU is trying to proactively offset the carbon and other environmental footprints of its programs.
Ideally, yes I would be able to travel the world and experience things firsthand. However, when that isn't an option, PLU does a pretty good job of making sure I'm not missing out entirely, and it gave me the skills and sensitivity to make my way into that big world to experience it on my own.


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|Oracle FAQ
|Your Portal to the Oracle Knowledge Grid
Home -> Community -> Mailing Lists -> Oracle-L -> Re: Sql Developer
You are absolutely right about philosophy and design, where I am coming from the appropriate level of privileges is an application design decision. Production DBA staff should *not* be defining application security levels, though they might audit them, any more than they should define what objects or relationships are implemented. *Developers* should be doing that (so that when they say user HR wants alter session or drop any outline as in the output below) they should be doing so deliberately.
1* select privilege from dba_sys_privs where grantee='HR' USER @ clone >/
On 6/12/07, Kerber, Andrew W. <Andrew.Kerber_at_umb.com> wrote:
> To a certain extent I disagree with Niall. His issue with extra
> privileges in development is the reason you need at least a 3 tier
> environment, In development, the developer should have any privileges that
> are helpful for him to get his job done. In the prod-cert environment, or
> qa environment, or whatever you want to call it is where you make sure it
> runs in the reduced set of privileges that the application is allowed in
> production. Its more a matter of design and development philosophy than
> anything else.
> -----Original Message-----
> *From:* oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org [mailto:
> oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org] *On Behalf Of *Niall Litchfield
> *Sent:* Tuesday, June 12, 2007 1:15 PM
> *To:* rgravens_at_gmail.com
> *Cc:* DennisCutshall_at_mail.und.nodak.edu; oracle-l_at_freelists.org
> *Subject:* Re: Sql Developer
> On 6/12/07, *Rumpi Gravenstein* <rgravens_at_gmail.com> wrote:
> What a user can browse is more a reflection on the privileges you've given
> the user than insight into a tool's capabilities. In the case you've
> described, any user that can logon as Scott will be able to browse the same
> objects. What the tool is doing for you is shining some light on the
> privileges the Scott account has been granted. I would think that in a
> development setting this would be a good thing as many of the system objects
> should be helpful in the building of your applications. In production the
> privileges should be limited to what is needed.
> An old curmudgeon disagrees. My take is that in development privileges
> granted to the development schemas should only be what is needed as well,
> and moreover that those privileges should be explicitly granted to the
> development schema either directly or through a role as appropriate (how I
> wish PL/SQL understood roles!). If you don't do this the following will
> happen and be resolved in one of two ways.
> The production schema will not be granted sufficient rights.
> 1. It will be resolved by granting blanket rights (CONNECT, RESOURCE as
> per a lot of Oracle Corp code). or
> 2. It will be resolved by the dba determining appropriate rights (possibly
> iteratively) and granting them in production.
> Put another way what I am saying is that if it isn't done right in dev
> then it will either not be done right in production or a different version
> of the app will be being run in production.
> Meanwhile someone originally asked about sqldeveloper! I think it's a
> great tool but one that badly suffers from being an online development
> environment and not a file based environment (that is the paradigm is that
> you edit objects, don't create scripts), I don't mind an online environment
> so long as it generates a repeatable, bulletproof build process.
> sqldeveloper doesn't do that yet. (at least not straightforwardly). It is
> however my third favourite IDE which isn't bad considering how long the
> others have existed.
> --
> Niall Litchfield
> Oracle DBA
> http://www.orawin.info
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any attached files are
> confidential. The information is exclusively for the use of the individual
> or entity intended as the recipient. If you are not the intended recipient,
> any use, copying, printing, reviewing, retention, disclosure, distribution
> or forwarding of the message or any attached file is not authorized and is
> strictly prohibited. If you have received this electronic mail message in
> error, please advise the sender by reply electronic mail immediately and
> permanently delete the original transmission, any attachments and any copies
> of this message from your computer system. Thank you.
> ==============================================================================
-- Niall Litchfield Oracle DBA http://www.orawin.info -- http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-lReceived on Tue Jun 12 2007 - 14:14:01 CDT
Original text of this message


text:
|site map · index a-z · search
Laptop and NoteBook Manufacturer - OEM/ODM Relation Matrix
OEM is the abbrevation for Original Equipment Manufacturer. The following survey tries to show the relations between the original laptop manufacturers and their derivated brand names. Please note these relations seem to change continously and are difficult to detect. So this survey is only an estimation.
Sources [modified by WH]: CT 17/2002 p. 135., Heise Online 14.01.2004.
How to Identify Laptop and Notebook Manufacturers
Sometimes it's difficult to know what manufacturer has built the machine or parts of it actually. Linux provides different means to gather information about the manufacturer.
Besides the means provided by Linux, often the FCC ID lets you retrieve information about your original laptop or notebook manufacturer.
Linux Tool: lspci
The command
Linux Tool: dmidecode
To read out the information provided by the Desktop Management Interface - DMI, you
may use
dmidecode made by Alan Cox and Jean Delvare. Here
is an example for an ACER TravelMate 430. The command
[..] Handle 0x0001 DMI type 1, 25 bytes. System Information Manufacturer: Acer Product Name: TravelMate 430 Version: TravelMate 430 Serial Number: LXT0000000000000000000 UUID: 7642065F-E741-1D5A-740B-000000000000 Wake-up Type: Power Switch Handle 0x0002 DMI type 2, 8 bytes. Base Board Information Manufacturer: COMPAL Product Name: BBQ12 Version: Null Serial Number: 0123456789AB Handle 0x0003 DMI type 3, 17 bytes. Chassis Information Manufacturer: COMPAL Type: Other Lock: Not Present Version: N/A Serial Number: None Asset Tag: ................................ Boot-up State: Safe Power Supply State: Safe Thermal State: Safe Security Status: None OEM Information: 0x00001234 [..]
Comparing Accessories: e.g. Battery
Another method is to look for models which are constructed in the same way, e.g. which are using the same accessories. For example laptops or notebooks which use a compatible battery model.
Other Resources
print · i-mode · WAP · PDA
contact · imprint · privacy (P3P) · sponsors · RSS
© Werner Heuser 1997-2015 · http://tuxmobil.org/laptop_oem.html · last change Thu Jun 23 2011


text:
Hey guys!
Today we celebrate Poliwager Forums turning 7 years old! It's been a crazy ride; some of you have been here for years and others are just beginning to get to know us, but I'm glad you're all here!
If you're on the Poliwager Adoptables as well, today you can redeem an Event Ticket for Birthday Poliwag, and there is a 3x multiplier for interactions and views all day too! Enjoy!
Finally, if you have anything at all, anything, that you think might make Poliwager Forums a better, more fun place to hang out, post it in the Sugggestions forum to let us know! Also, be sure to share the love of Poliwager on Facebook and Twitter and invite your friends to join in the fun here!
Thanks you guys for another great year, let's make this next year even better! Let's party!
Poliwager Forums Turns 7 Years Old!
Read these for announcements concerning the forums!
Also be sure to read the rules of the forums here! Last updated on April 7, 2015.
Also be sure to read the rules of the forums here! Last updated on April 7, 2015.
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text: Josip Rodin <firstname.lastname@example.com> writes: > > The requested URL /debian/indices/override.unstable.main.gz was not > > found on this server. > > Ah, damnit, s/unstable/sid/. Apparently that has changed, too. Err, no. The override files have always used the codename. The only change is to force the main in whereas it was previously assumed (this is mostly to bring it in line with apt-ftparchive's expectations). BTW, why do these commands even exist? The override files are readily available in indices/ on any mirror; I don't see why we need to add any pointless burden (however trivial) to the already struggling BTS. -- James


text:
I wonder where Miami (Fla.) will find motivation heading into spring drills. I wonder…
Oh, right. Miami's motivation comes from within, coach Al Golden said on national signing day.
"We're not just fighting the opposition, we're fighting the term 'sanctions' all the time," Golden said. "It's sanctions and opposition versus us."
SPRING FOOTBALL: Updates with news, notes and analysis throughout the spring
There are not many silver linings to be found in Miami's ongoing battle with the NCAA – though public opinion is on the Hurricanes' side – but one, perhaps, is how the situation has only brought closer together a team and program recently defined by its mental fortitude. With no postseason berth on the line, Miami has reached bowl eligibility in each of the last two seasons, Golden's first with the university.
What's next? While waiting for the NCAA to make its final ruling on sanctions, the Hurricanes have the talent and experience needed to make headlines for its on-field product, not the off-field drama. For Miami, staying focused remains the key.
Spring dates: Miami kicks off practice on Mar. 2 and holds its spring game on Apr. 13.
MARYLAND: Terrapins look to avoid the injury bug and personnel depth
2012 record: 7-5 (5-3). The Hurricanes were outclassed only twice, in losses to Kansas State and Notre Dame. A loss to rival Florida State wasn't pretty, but Miami simply had a meltdown late.
Returning starters: 19 (10 offense, 9 defense). Yes, 19.
Five players to watch: OT Seantrel Henderson, TE Clive Walford, DE Anthony Chickillo, LB Denzel Perryman, K Matt Goudis.
Spring questions:
1. What to love? You can focus on sophomore running back Duke Johnson; I wouldn't blame you. You can pay attention to senior quarterback Stephen Morris, who went from an injury-related question mark to one of the most productive quarterbacks in the ACC. Here's what I love: Miami is big, strong and experienced on both lines. The offensive line is a behemoth, one led by a trio of seniors and pair of juniors with all-conference potential. The defensive line will start two seniors and two juniors, with more experience on the second level. Miami's matching fronts will win more battles than they lose in 2013.
HOUSTON: Down year doesn't change Cougars' expectations for 2013
2. How much will change? On offense, former Florida State assistant James Coley was hired to replace NFL-bound Jedd Fisch as Miami's coordinator. Coley is a wonderful recruiter – and he'll be a weapon for the Hurricanes – but he's only called plays once, for Florida International in 2007. Is Coley (and by extension, Miami) in line for a steep learning curve? In his defense, Coley soaked up all he could learn from Jimbo Fisher over his time with the Seminoles. Will Miami retain last year's explosiveness with him running the show?
Position battles:
1. Backup running back. Sublime as a freshman, Johnson will be more physically equipped to handle a larger workload in 2013. But he'll need to be spelled by a bruiser, which makes Miami's springtime search for a productive secondary option vital. Fellow sophomore Dallas Crawford will get his touches, but redshirt freshman Danny Dillard's size (210 pounds) will give him the opportunity to become the Hurricanes' change-of-pace option.
GEORGIA: Loaded on offense, Bulldogs must reload on the defensive side
2. Cornerback. Miami's pass defense made a substantial improvement in 2012, though the secondary will remain an area of concern until the group begins playing with more consistency during ACC play. Replacing cornerbacks Thomas McGee and Thomas Finnie will be a key task; Miami will also need to develop depth. While it would be a surprise to see anyone but sophomore Tracy Howard and junior Ladarius Gunter earn the starting nods, will Miami be too reliant true and redshirt freshmen to add depth at the position?
3. Kicker. Miami will audition sophomores Matt Goudis and Ricky Perez (and perhaps fellow sophomore Zach Costa) for the kicking job left vacant by Jake Wieclaw, who hit on 19 of his 26 field goals as a senior. There's something I've learned over the years, and it's simple and easy to follow: When it comes to kicking competitions, always bet on the guy who's on scholarship. That's Goudis, in this case.


text:
Tell me 5 things about YOU!
I'm a SAHM.
I love to shop.
I like to do cross stitch.
I have one 5 year old dd.
I'm a working mom
I've been married twice
I have a 9 year old DD
I have 6 pets
I am blond
1. I am Christian
2. I have two wonderful kids
3. I am a SAHM
4. I am short.
5. I am kinda a smart ass.
I love my kids more than anything in this world
I am a single mom
I love to exercise
i love to laugh
I live in Oklahoma
I'm a Christian
I'm married to my HS sweetheart ( been married for 17 years this December, together for 21)
I'm an adoptive parent and have a bio kiddo as well
I'm huge into fitness and going for my Personal Trainer Certifications
I'm a long distance runner
Moderator: Healthy Weight Loss & Adoptive Moms
" I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phillipians 4:13
I have 4 boys
I love watching my kids play sports!
I love my in-laws
I'm addicted to Pinterest
I've lived in the same city my whole life.
I have 2 dogs.
I like to read.
I lik to excercise.
I've lived in NY my whole life
I have a 2 year old DD
I work full-time
I love the city, but secretly wish I lived on a farm
I love to read and tv - it's my escape
-I am very close with my family
-I am young at heart
-I love chocolate
-I have few friends
-I need a job
I have been working for Bank of America for almost 5 years.
I love birds and bird watching.
My highest bowling score is a 245.
I love Coca Cola!


text:
Two legendary Port Arthur rap artists take their place in history.
The duo Bernard "Bun B" Freeman and the late Chad "Pimp C" Butler, better known as the "Underground Kingz" were inducted into the museum of the Gulf Coast Sunday.
They started UGK in 1987.
Freeman and Butler introduced the world to a style of rap music it had never seen before.
It took the globe by storm and the success has finally led back to one place, home.
Joining other musical greats Sunday, UGK were inducted into Port Arthur's museum of the Gulf Coast.
"Many people haven't been blessed to make it this far, I take it in strides," Freeman said.
Starting in the late 1980's, UGK quickly became an influence in rap music.
Together the group released seven albums. Apart Freeman and Butler released even more albums as solo artists over those 20 years.
With the latest honor being in the very place where it all began, Freeman hopes the success can inspire the youth of his city.
"There's so many people that I looked up to in this area. Hopefully we can be the people that future generations can look up to us," Freeman said.
Butler was unable to attend Sunday's induction. The rapper passed away almost five years ago.
"Even though he's not here physically, he's here spiritually. I can see him up there grinning right now saying "yeah mama"," Wes Monroe, Pimp C's mother, said.
With their raspy southern drawl and raw lyrics, UGK made their name known over the airwaves and now that name is forever imbedded in Port Arthur history.


text:
How to say WAD in Japanese wɒd
Would you like to know how to translate WAD to Japanese? This page provides all possible translations of the word WAD in the Japanese language.
- 束, 固まりJapanese
Discuss this WAD Japanese translation with the community:
Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:
"WAD." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2018. Web. 24 Feb. 2018. </translate/WAD/JA>.


text:
'I Love It' hitmakers Icona Pop appearing at Turner Hall Sept. 11
Fast-rising Swedish synthpop duo Icona Pop have just given Milwaukee fans good reason to scream "I Love It"—the group, featuring Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo, will perform at Turner Hall Ballroom Sept. 11.
Thanks to bouncy hit single "I Love It" from last year's debut full-length album, Icona Pop has seen its popularity increase rapidly in recent weeks, thanks to placements on "Girls," "The Vampire Diaries," "Dancing with the Stars" and a Samsung Galaxy commercial.
Tickets are $20 in advance, $22.50 day of show, and are available for purchase beginning at noon Friday at the Pabst Theater box office (144 E. Wells St.), the Riverside Theater box office (116 W. Wisconsin Ave.), by calling (414) 286-3663 and visiting the Turner Hall Ballroom website.
'Bachelorette' recap: Jordan Rodgers called 'entitled'
Ray Jivoff, Norman Moses to star in Skylight's 'La Cage Aux Folles'
Theater Review: At its best, 'An Ideal Husband" serves smorgasbord of Wildean wit
New DVD releases for June 28: 'Whiskey Tango Foxtrot,' 'Kung Fu Panda 3'
On Tap Today: Get ready for Summerfest
2016 Milwaukee Film Festival unveils first 8 movies
Chef aims high at new Kimpton hotel's restaurant
Judge says no hurry in determining Prince claims
Summerfest 2016: Which emerging country acts you should catch at Summerfest
Justin Timberlake apologizes for tweet after backlash
Grace Kelly's childhood home is up for sale in Philadelphia
BET Awards full of Prince tributes and political moments
Lynn Sprangers to become Wilson Center president and CEO
Director Rafaeli finds the haunting music of love in APT's 'Eurydice'
E-mail Newsletter
Ready for the weekend? The Journal Sentinel's Kathy Flanigan offers some options for what to do around Milwaukee and Wisconsin in this weekly newsletter.
Enter your e-mail address above and click "Sign Up Now!" to begin receiving your e-mail newsletter Get the Newsletter!
E-mail Newsletter
Journal Sentinel music writer Piet Levy tells you about the week's must-see shows, hot concert tickets on sale and more. Look for it in your inbox every Thursday at 4 p.m.
Enter your e-mail address above and click "Sign Up Now!" to begin receiving your e-mail newsletter Get the Newsletter!
What to Do in Milwaukee Blog
Your first look at what's happening around Milwaukee and all of the latest events you can't miss.
Tuned In: Local music writers share the latest news and views about music in Milwaukee and beyond
Hip-hop Takeover: Milwaukee's DJ Bizzon brings you the authentic spin on Milwaukee's DJ and hip-hop scene


text:
Search Events
Roger Waters at Hyde Park
Roger Waters began his musical career in 1965 with the band that eventually became the legendary Pink Floyd. After the departure of Syd Barrett from the band and the inclusion of David Gilmour, Waters became their principal songwriter. He was a central part of Pink Floyd's massive success in the 1970s and to their eventual fracture in the 1980s after Water's last album with the band, The Final Cut. In 1984 he released his first solo album, The Pros And Cons Of Hitchhiking, to mixed reviews and began to tour. Further solo albums followed throughout 1980s and 1990s, whilst in 1989, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Waters staged a huge live performance of Pink Floyd's The Wall with an all star cast. Throughout the 1990s and into 21st century, Roger Waters has continued to perform live. He has also ventured into classical music, composing the music and writing the English libretto, for a work entitled Ca Ira which was released in 2005. Since his contentious departure from Pink Floyd, rumours have circulated constantly about the band reforming. Waters has always played these down, citing his differences with David Gilmour. However, he has performed with members of Floyd at a number of charity events, including Live 8 in 2005 and with Gilmour at the Hoping Foundation Benefit Evening in 2010. Roger Waters is a major figure in the history of British progressive music, a reputation that is based on a vast and varied body of work of enduring quality.
|Adult Ticket
|From £65.00 (USD 90.94) per ticket
Venue Details & Map
Hyde Park
- Address
Hyde ParkLondonW2 2UH
- Telephone:
- 0300 061 2000
- email@example.com
- Website
- http://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde-park
- Public transport:
- Tube: Hyde Park Corner or Marble Arch.


text:
Brooklyn, NEW YORK
Polish Art Gallery was created in 2000 as an online gallery focused on the famous Polish School of Poster, its best artists and their posters. In addition to our great collection of posters we will present here world famous Polish contemporary artists, many of them New York based. We will be adding new artists and their works every week.
Polish Art Gallery is located in Greenpoint section of Brooklyn in New York.
CALL 1-800-277-0407 or EMAIL firstname.lastname@example.com if you want to purchase any of the presented artworks or have any questions or comments.


text:
Due to the building restrictions and environmental protection laws, Jeri is growing in a positive way. Business owners, who are compliant and wish to match Jeri's beauty and simplicity, have been creating small, cozy pousadas, which offer charm and sophistication rather then immensity or extravagance.
Another reason that ables Jeri to maintain its unhurried and peaceful way of life is the exceptional journey one takes to get here. Because of Jeri's remote location, the last hour of the journey has to be done by vehicles with 4x4 traction along rugged dirt roads and then along the final sandy stretch of beach. It's a thrilling ride that adds beuty to the experience. It is still possible to watch the fishermen head out to sea in their traditional Jangada boats, just like they have done for so many years before and hopefully henceforth.
With streets paved with sand, life takes on a much slower pace. No traffic, no line ups, no honking, no stress. Sometimes that simplicity comes with a cost, at some point you might find out that the grocery store has run out of diet coke, forcing you to take a fresh juice instead, or while wandering back to your pousada you may have to share the road with a meandering mule or a cow, and evetually you might have to dine by candle light due to a brief power out. However, if you think can deal with these trifles; you're in for a treat. But beware, if you are anything like most of our visitors, be sure to book more days then you expect, since you'll surely want to extend your stay.


text:
NonProfit Easy
Running under the slogan of "Do more with less," NonProfitEasy is data management software designed to help nonprofits juggle all of their responsibilities in a cost-effective way. Software capabilities include task and integration capabilities, pledges and grants, donor and member management, events and programs management, communication and reporting. NonProfitEasy starts at $20 per month for a single user up to an "Easy Pro" version for $300 per month for an unlimited amount of users.


text:
Find training and education courses, including CPD
Monitor progress towards your CPD requirements
Find out how the APS advocates on issues in the interest of community wellbeing and social justice
APS members get exclusive access to the logging tool to monitor and record accrued CPD hours.
The 2018 APS Congress will be held in Sydney from Thursday 27 to Sunday 30 September 2018
Access thousands of psychologists across Australia
Psychlopaedia™ is an APS online publication devoted to psychology.
Take your place in the leading professional organisation for psychology in Australia
Stay up to date with the latest news from the APS
The 2017 Annual Report highlights the significant achievements of our organisation over the past financial year
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Professor Alan Hayes FAPS, Ruth Weston PSM and Dr Lixia Qu Australian Institute of Family Studies
The personal is constituted by the relation of persons.
(Macmurray, 1961)
Mental health problems represent an increasing contribution to the global burden of disease (World Health Organization, 2009, 2010). Relationships and family factors may underpin and/or exacerbate these. In turn, mental health challenges have profound impacts on couple and family relationships. Intimate couple relationships are prime sources both of protection and risk. The pressures on couple and family relationships reflect forces from within and beyond the family unit. Distal and proximal factors lead to life events that bring into stark relief human vulnerability and resilience. For example, many of the pressures increasingly flow from the rapid pace of social change - along with unpredictable events such as disasters and economic downturns - on a national scale, and conflicts, accidents, illnesses and loss on the personal side. This article seeks to explore some of the pressures on couples and families and sketches the implications for psychologists faced with addressing the growing prevalence of mental health problems and behavioural disorders.
The widespread floods that marked the start of 2011 across five states of Australia broke the drought in a catastrophic way. Like the Victorian bushfires, the floods illustrate how events beyond the family can have profound impacts on persons and their relationships. On the one hand, the courage and compassionate responses of individuals, families and communities within and beyond Australia highlight the best of humanity. On the other, these immediate responses tend to be short-lived, and some of the multi-faceted problems faced by victims can remain with them across a lifetime. Furthermore, the more widespread the problems are, the greater is the likelihood that support is eroded, given that many others are also engulfed by the same tragic circumstances, and other events progressively overtake those not as directly involved (Kaniasty & Norris, 1995).
It is all too easy to lose sight of the fact that such disasters do not displace the more commonplace pressures that Australian families face. Many couples face ongoing, everyday problems that place their relationships under pressure. Demographic, social and economic factors form the backdrop to many of the daily dramas that play out in households across the nation. Psychologists are well placed to see the ways in which events that impact on families, and the human relationships at their heart, leave indelible impressions if left unaddressed. The prime role of therapeutic and behavioural supports can too often be overlooked. After all, familiarity can breed acceptance, apathy, or at worse, contempt for the commonplace but personally significant problems that beset many relationships. The very word 'familiarity' highlights the fact that so much that is familiar, for good and ill, is learned in the family (Skynner & Cleese, 1993).
The inexorable elongation of human life spans has exerted one of the most dramatic influences on family lives and relationships. ''Til death us do part' has a very different meaning in the 21st century than at any other time in human history. The personal and relational implications of the changing age structure of modern societies are profound.
As is the case for all developed countries, Australia's population is ageing, with the key drivers being low fertility rates and increased life expectancy. One important question is whether or not there will remain a sufficient labour force to support the elderly, taking into account the fact that the proportional representation of the other main dependent group, those too young to work, is shrinking. As a result, today's taxpayers are likely to inherit a heavier tax burden. The issue is becoming increasingly critical, given that the first of the baby boomers - those born between 1946 and 1966 - are turning 65 years old this year.
One key response of governments, including the Australian Government, is to increase labour force participation rates through various policies, including the removal of barriers to participation of older people (Commonwealth of Australia, 2010). We are seeing a reversal of the trend for men to retire 'early' and a continuing increase in the proportion of middle-aged and older women remaining in paid work (Qu, 2008). This means that the proportion of grandparents who can care for grandchildren during work hours will decrease, placing added pressures on parents in paid work who also have dependent children. As such, families will lose a valuable source of support, as will the wider community. While the new paid parental leave scheme will help families with infants, care needs to extend over childhood and into adolescence. Leaving children and young people to 'fend for themselves' while both parents are in paid work has its risks.
The ageing of the population also means that the demand for services will change, given the different needs of the burgeoning elderly population and those of younger generations. For example, there will be a growing demand for geriatric psychologists to address the problems of dementia and other mental health concerns that attend increasing frailty. Psychologists may also be increasingly called upon to assist families to manage the emotional effects of the pressures that caring for elderly relatives places upon them.
The prolonged pursuit of education along with developments in contraception have contributed to a progressive delay in marriage and childbearing, and to increased diversity in life course trajectories. In the 1950s and 1960s, women were typically dependent first on their fathers and later on their husbands. They tended to leave home to marry, with children being an inevitable outcome for most. Those who 'failed' to achieve these milestones were pitied and for the most part, loss of a husband meant poverty, with divorce itself attracting considerable social censure. Women's options for alternative lifestyles were severely constrained.
Since this period, first unions have increasingly begun with cohabitation rather than marriage. Cohabitation is not only the typical pathway to marriage, but is an increasingly common context for childbearing, with marriage occurring later or not at all. The proportion of partnered people who are cohabiting rather than married has increased across all age groups, and marriage rates, along with overall partnership rates, have fallen across all ages over the last few decades.¹
Unlike marriage, the meaning of cohabitation is uncertain. Couples may decide to cohabit early in their relationship when first 'going steady', or they may embark on cohabitation as a trial marriage, as a replacement for marriage, or they may see marriage as something to enter should they decide to have children. Still others may construe cohabitation as a 'no strings attached' arrangement. Partners may disagree on how their cohabitation should be interpreted and the meaning of the relationship for each may either merge or diverge. The various interpretations of the relationship can generate a great deal of pressure on these couples.
The increased life course options that young adults have today have created a different set of pressures. The emergence of choice about pathways that were once considered inevitable, such as marriage and having children, opens the way for difficulties in making personal decisions that may close off options and generate disagreements between partners on relationship priorities. Such disagreements are particularly problematic given that their likely timing is now occurring later in the life course. That is, with advancing age, the female partner's more restrictive 'biological clock' places her in a very vulnerable position should she want children and should her partner remain undecided on this issue. In other words, keeping some options open inevitably leads to the closure of others. Opportunities that are lost may turn out to be those most treasured. Along with relationship breakdown, dashed hopes and unmet expectations are fertile fields for the emergence of mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression.
Community attitudes can be a further source of pressure that complicates relationship choices. Some relationships confront the challenges of community ambivalence and antipathy. Cross-racial, age-disparate and same-sex relationships are still likely to be subject to negative stereotyping and stigmatisation. Same-sex couples, for example, may be forced to conceal their relationship from their families, friends and colleagues to avoid potential rejection and discrimination. Concerns about acceptance can have a negative impact on relationship quality, parenting decisions and mental health.
In the 1950s and 1960s, many women became mothers in their early 20s. By contrast, women today tend to begin childbearing in their late 20s and early 30s.² Large families are disappearing, while two-child families have become the norm. Smaller family sizes and increased wealth, coupled with concerns about job security, may lead parents to invest heavily, in terms of time, energy and money, in providing experiences that will enhance their children's life chances.
Technological change, including the advent of the mobile phone and social media, has contributed directly to changes in parenting, as well as in the peer relationships of children. Some parents attempt to continually monitor their children, over-schedule them and protect them from problems both great and small. This is not without cost. Various terms have been created to describe such parents such as 'helicopter parents', who hover over their children, and 'lawnmower parents', who smooth the terrain by mowing life's bumps. Attempts to enhance the life chances of their children may be counter-productive, however, in that they restrict children's opportunities to develop the skills required for adult autonomy. Along with increased expectations for the few children most couples now have, over-protection may be contributing to the rising prevalence of anxiety disorders among children and adolescents. Psychologists again have a vital role to play in addressing the consequent mental health needs of less than positive parenting practices.
Our living standard has never been as high as it is today. The gross household disposable income per person in Australia increased by 72 per cent between 1998 and 2009 (from $21,300 to $36,600) (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], 2010). On average, household consumption expenditure grew two per cent annually between 1960-61 and 2005-06 (ABS, 2007).
However, this overall picture masks the diversity of financial circumstances that families face. Some families are particularly disadvantaged financially, for example, families headed by single mothers. The direct and indirect negative impact of low income and its correlates - including parenting practices, neighbourhood disadvantage and social exclusion - on the physical, cognitive and socio-emotional development of children has become clearly apparent as data from Growing Up in Australia: the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) accumulate (Gray & Smart, 2008).
As psychologists will well be aware, the experience of financial pressure is not entirely based on objective circumstances. Perceptions can have pervasive influences. Changing norms can generate a sense of financial pressure and can also encourage parents to take decisions and actions that increase time pressures, work-family balance issues, and their associated guilt. For example, some of 'yesterday's luxuries' have become 'today's necessities' for many current or prospective parents (e.g., one bedroom for each child) - and some of today's 'necessities' had not even been invented 'yesterday' (e.g., advancing generations of mobile phones) (Weston et al., 2004). The more affluent parents become, the more likely are they to revise their material ambitions upwards, the achievement of which can create quite severe financial pressures on relationships. For example, the basic need for shelter can be translated into an imperative to own a 'McMansion'. Psychologists may have an increasing role in assisting parents and children to appreciate the difference between 'needs' and 'wants', to explore appropriate priorities in life and to see the impacts of these symptoms of 'affluenza' on mental health and wellbeing.
Regardless of whether they are based on objective factors or changing social norms, economic pressures and opportunities tend to be important drivers of family trends. Low-skilled yet relatively high paid jobs for early school leavers have virtually disappeared, having been replaced by jobs entailing fixed-term contracts and part-time or causal hours, thereby providing limited economic security for many people. McDonald (2001) argues that this era of job insecurity has been accompanied by a strong economic cycle of 'booms and busts' and fluctuating house prices, which have not only led young adults to invest in their education and career development, but have also encouraged couples to maintain dual incomes. The global financial crisis highlights the growing uncertainties that frame the economic context for families, bringing relationships under pressure and contributing to a changed context for family formation and other transitions.
Over the last few decades, the extent to which women participate in the labour market has reached an unprecedented level. In couple families with children, there has been a significant departure from the male-breadwinner and female home-maker model that characterised much of the 20th century.³
Unsurprisingly, meeting the competing demands from both work and family has its downside. Analyses of LSAC data (2004) show that many employed mothers and fathers with pre-school children reluctantly miss out on family activities because of their work commitments. In addition, around one-quarter indicated that their work made family life less enjoyable and more pressured. Further, the great majority of mothers who were working full-time reported that they often or always felt rushed or pressed for time (Baxter, et al., 2007). While families have always developed strategies to deal with the competing challenges they face, some may falter under this continued work-family strain. The spillover from work to family and from family to work can seriously erode individuals' capacities to cope, and result in relationship difficulties and impaired work performance that can either create or exacerbate mental health problems. Again, industrial and organisational psychologists, as well as family-focused practitioners, have a clear role here.
As noted above, cohabitation has become increasingly prevalent. The proportion of children born outside marriage has increased dramatically, largely as a result of increasing cohabitation rates (Qu & Weston, 2008). However, cohabitation tends to be a fragile arrangement; most such arrangements end in either separation or marriage within the first five years of their commencement (Weston, Qu & de Vaus, 2008).
Although separation rates for marriages are lower than those for cohabitation, marital separation became considerably more common after the introduction of the Family Law Act 1975. Divorces became easier and faster to achieve. Relationship breakdown, separation and divorce create new sets of pressures. These include increased financial pressures (especially for women), distress associated with negotiating property settlements and care-time arrangements, the need to manage dashed hopes, grief and loss, the impact of the separation on the children, other parent, extended family and friends, and the possible need to relocate. Relocation itself is a major life strain that places considerable pressure on families, and especially on children.
Several authors have suggested that women's changing priorities have contributed to the fragility of relationships - changes that have their basis in an interaction of many factors, including weakening of the stigma attached to sole parenting, improved welfare payments, ability to maintain some level of financial independence, child support payments and so on. According to this argument, increasing importance is now placed on the quality of the relationship (see Qu & Soriano 2004). Maintenance of the couple relationship rests with its continuation to meet the emotional needs of the partners.
Many relationships, however, face other serious challenges. The 'toxic trio' of family violence, mental health problems and substance misuse (and other addictions, such as gambling) place enormous pressures on relationships, often resulting in separation and divorce (e.g., see Kaspiew et al., 2009). These issues have profound effects on relationship quality, parenting behaviours and the psychological wellbeing of family members. They are by no means restricted to couples that separate. Similar issues have an impact on those who remain in dysfunctional relationships. Arguably, the latter group can be at greater risk than those who manage to leave the relationship. Again, psychologists have a clear role in addressing the complex problems confronting such couples, whether intact or separated. In considering the area of child protection, for example, Bromfield et al. (2010) conclude:
Families with multiple and complex problems are no longer a marginal group in service delivery. In fact, they have become the primary client group of modern child protection services. The challenge for child protection services is to respond holistically to address inter-related problems in order to better support families to make and sustain changes to better meet the needs of children. (p.1)
While these authors focus largely on child protection, the complexity they highlight regarding parenting and children's experiences and developmental outcomes has clear implications for practitioners, including those working in the areas of clinical, relationship and family psychology. Assisting clients to overcome or manage their psychological problems is a key element in helping them to move on.
For those who have separated, 'moving on' often involves re-partnering and step-parenting. While re-partnering of either parent can provide parents and children with many positive opportunities across a range of domains, it can also create complex relationship dynamics and be a trigger for conflict. In some cases, the demands for adjustment not only erode the wellbeing of all concerned, but also increase the risk of further relationship breakdown - and subsequent re-partnering. Overseas studies suggest that such circumstances create a great deal of complexity in children's lives and can seriously compromise their immediate and long-term adjustment and mental health (see Cherlin, 2008; Teachman, 2008). There is evidence that 'serial partnerships' are increasing (Cherlin, 2008; Weston 2008), with obvious implications for psychologists. These include assisting parents to avoid 'rushing into' a new relationship that carries similar fragilities to the one just left; helping those in step-families to adjust on many fronts; and facilitating non-resident parents to 'cope' with the fact that their children now have another parent figure in their lives.
Pressures on families arise from many fronts and occur on a range of scales. They may reflect major external events, such as droughts, floods, or financial crises; less obvious but inexorable demographic and social changes; or more proximal, but no less important, issues that crop up in everyday life. Irrespective of their source and scale, they leave relationship residues.
Contemporary family life is more complex than in the past, reflecting the evolution and progress of societies. In advanced societies, meeting material needs is now easier than in earlier eras and each generation has become wealthier than the one that preceded it. While this may not always remain the case, it highlights the extent to which the problems confronting families extend to the relational and emotional, although money worries often lie at the heart of relationship difficulties and amplify psychological vulnerabilities.
Patterns of family transitions also point to an increasing role for psychologists in helping couples to cope with the pressures that change itself brings. Again, this highlights the need for more sophisticated supports for individuals and their relationships, including education, counselling and clinical interventions at multiple points in life. There is evidence that couples increasingly seek support from relationship services to help them resolve the difficulties they confront.4
Family law reform now frames the key issues as relational rather than merely legal. Given the 'toxic trio' of violence, mental health and substance misuse that characterises many relationships that struggle or falter, therapeutic responses would seem to be more effective than either turning a blind eye or seeking an eye for an eye. Again, psychologists have a key contribution to make in breaking the cycle of relationship difficulties which, if unaddressed, will lead to further exacerbation of the patterns of mental health problems that now underpin the global burden of disease.
¹ For example, 60% of first unions for those born in the early 1970s or more recently began with cohabitation, compared with 56% of those born in1962-71, and 40% of those born in 1952-61. Of those who married in 2006, 76% indicated that they had cohabited before registering their marriage, compared with 65% in 1997. Of all women aged in their late 30s, 74% were partnered in 2006, compared with 77% in 1996, and 63% were in a registered marriage in 2006, down from 70% in 1996.
² For example, 67% of new mothers in 1963 were under 25 years old, compared with 27% of new mothers in 2007. By contrast, 58% of new mothers in 2007 were aged 25 to 34 years and 14% were at least 35 years.
³ For example, almost 50% of all couple families with children relied on a single breadwinner in 1983, whereas in 2009, 61% of couple parents had two jobs between them, with one full-time and one part-time being more common than two full-time jobs (applying to 36% and 25% respectively). In total, 30% of all couple parents had only one job between them.
4 In the General Population of Parents Survey 2009 undertaken by the Australian Institute of Family Studies, over one-quarter of parents who were living with a partner reported that they thought their relationship was in trouble at one stage and around half of these parents reported that they had turned to professionals for their relationship difficulties (Kaspiew et al., 2009). At least one in ten parents who had not experienced relationship difficulties with their current partner had sought professional help to support or strengthen their relationship
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2007). Trends in household consumption. In Australian Social Trends 2007 (Catalogue no. 4102.0). Canberra: Author.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2010). Australian Social Trends 2010 (Catalogue no. 4102.0). Canberra: Author.
Baxter, J., Gay, M., Alexander, M., & Strazdins, L. (2007). Mothers and fathers with young children: Paid employment, caring and wellbeing (Social policy research paper, no. 30). Canberra: Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Australian Government.
Bromfield, L., Lamont, A., Parker, R. & Horsfall, B. (2010). Issues for the safety and wellbeing of children in families with multiple and complex problems (National Child Protection Clearinghouse Issues Paper no. 33). Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Cherlin, A. (2008). Multiple partnerships and children's wellbeing. Family Matters, 80, 33-36.
Commonwealth of Australia (2010). Intergenerational report 2010: Australia to 2050: future challenges. Canberra: The Treasury, Australia.
Gray, M., & Smart, D. (2008). Growing Up in Australia: the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children is now walking and talking. Family Matters, 79, 5-13.
Kaspiew, R., Gray, M., Weston, R., Moloney, L., Hand, K., Qu, L., & the Family Law Evaluation Team. (2009). Evaluation of the 2006 family law reforms. Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Kaniasty, K., & Norris, F.H. (1995). Mobilization and deterioration of social support following natural disasters. Current Directions in Psychosocial Science, 4(3), 94-98.
McDonald, P. (2001, June 17). What do we know? The Sunday Age.
Macmurray, J. (1961). Persons in relation. London: Faber and Faber Ltd.
Qu, L. (2008). Work and family balance: Issues in research and policy. Family Matters, 80, 6-8.
Qu, L., & Soriano, G. (2004). Forming couple relationships: Adolescents' aspirations and young adults' actualities. Family Matters, 68, 43-49.
Qu, L. & Weston, R. (2008). Parental cohabitation and children's wellbeing. Paper presented at the 14th Biennial Conference of the Australian Population Association, 30 June-3 July 2008, Alice Springs.
Skynner, R. & Cleese, J. (1993). Families and how to survive them. London: Methuen.
Teachman, J. (2008). Complex life course patterns and the risk of divorce in second marriages. Journal of Marriage & Family, 70(2), 294-305.
Weston, R., Qu, L., Parker, R., & Alexander, M. (2004). "It's not for lack of wanting kids": A report on the Fertility Decision Making Project (Research report no. 11). Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Weston, R. (2008). Families through life: Complications, risks and opportunities. Keynote address at the 10th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Families Through Life, 7-9 July.
Weston, R., Qu, L., & de Vaus, D. (2008). Cohabitation: Level of stability and post-cohabitation pathways. Threshold Magazine, 92, 18-20.
World Health Organization (2009). Global health risks: Mortality and burden of disease attributing to selected major risks. Geneva: WHO Press.
World Health Organization (2010). Mental health and development: Targeting people with mental health conditions as a vulnerable group. Geneva: WHO Press.
Disclaimer: Published in InPsych on February 2011. The APS aims to ensure that information published in InPsych is current and accurate at the time of publication. Changes after publication may affect the accuracy of this information. Readers are responsible for ascertaining the currency and completeness of information they rely on, which is particularly important for government initiatives, legislation or best-practice principles which are open to amendment. The information provided in InPsych does not replace obtaining appropriate professional and/or legal advice.


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By Jacob Montgomery (Texas)
Another year, another dozen horror films.
Dark Skies will most likely be the one this year that will be forgotten the fastest. There's nothing flat out awful in it, but the experience as a whole feels underwhelming and that makes it very unmemorable.
The plot of the film is that strange and bizarre things seem to be happening to the Barrett family, that isolate them from the townsfolk, and as the phenomena escalates, they discover some horrifying secrets about the universe, and what these supernatural beings are after.
Now, true to a horror film, there are some frights. A standout scene involves hundreds of birds flying directly toward the house at full speed. But a few seconds of fright doesn't have enough impact to be a good horror film. A good horror film really gets under your skin and makes you think about what you've just seen long after the film is over. That is not the case with this film.
It feels like the writers had a checklist of what were in scary movies in the last few decades and tossed them in because they felt they should; creepy kids, unlikable characters, characters doing stupid things, characters (especially cops) who won't listen to the protagonists, taking forever for the characters to figure out about the supernatural, giving the creatures an "innocent" name and the obligatory twist ending.
I am starting to get sick of horror films with "shocking" twist endings that pretty much make the entire proceedings of the film pointless. It is so often used as an obvious attempt to try to make their horror film stand out, but since there are dozens of films with endings like that, the result is that it ironically makes them blend in. It's become so expected of horror films, that we are hard-wired to expect them, which makes the ending less of a surprise. It's okay to do endings like this every once in a while, but not when the majority of horror films are doing this.
That's not to say the plot is bad; quite the contrary. The idea of unseen beings making a family look psychotic is actually an intriguing plot, but the film feels like an overlong prologue to a real horror film, stretched way beyond the breaking point. There are scenes that go nowhere, like Jesse (the oldest son) hanging out with his friend Kevin (who is a despicably unlikable character, by the way). These scenes seem to have no purpose since they're not scary, unsettling, or give us insight into his character. And if it's supposed to be insightful, the film makes it inconsequential. If it's supposed to garner sympathy for the character that would be much better spent with scenes with his family.
Perhaps I'm being too hard on this film. This isn't an awful horror film. It has some creepy moments, and you can tell the filmmakers are trying to make a scary film, but my advice would be to wait around for a better, more frightening horror film.
Rating: 5/10


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Canonical, Ubuntu developer just revealed a new version of the Linux-based Ubuntu, promising to run across platform from PC to Smartphone, Tablet, TV, etc…The mobile version also allows the smartphone when docked, can power a laptop with mouse and keyboard.
The mobile market is dominated presently by Android, iOS and new contenders such Windows Phone 8, and the upcoming Blackberry 10.. It is doubtful that the world needs another mobile platform.
The Ubuntu phone UI is aimed to be far more simple and complete than the likes of Android which Mark Shuttleworth, Canonical CEO.
Users can install the new Ubuntu mobile OS on top of Android based devices. The mobile version of Ubunto is said to arrive sometime in 2014.
Take a look at the below video teaser produced by Canonical.


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Jason Marquis wants to pitch again this season and Padres manager Bud Black said he wouldn't be surprised if the right-hander made at least one more start before the season ends.
Marquis went on the 15-day disabled list Thursday after suffering a fracture to the trapezium bone at the base of his left thumb. He was in a cast that was almost to his elbow Friday night in the clubhouse at Chase Field.
"Only time will tell," Marquis said when asked if he'll try to pitch again this season. "If I am able to pitch, I will. If it makes no sense, I won't"
Marquis has been told it will take four to six weeks for the fracture to heal. If the pain and swelling go down, Marquis said he wants to give it a shot.
"I can throw right now," said Marquis. "But I need someone to catch the ball for me when it comes back from the catcher. Let's see what happens when the swelling goes down."
Marquis said he thought the bone was broken Tuesday as soon as the second-inning liner off the bat of Pittsburgh's Pedro Alvarez struck the right-handed pitcher below his glove. X-rays taken Tuesday night didn't show the fracture, which became evident in a CT-scan made Wednesday afternoon.
"I know my body pretty well," said Marquis. "I thought during the game that it was broken."
But Marquis continued and threw 66 more pitches. "I'm stubborn," he said.
Which is why Black believes Marquis might pitch again this season.
"He wants the ball," said Black. "He wants to compete. But it makes sense to let it heal some before he decides to throw again."
Alvarez's liner caught all hand and no glove. Marquis wears a shorter glover that doesn't completely cover the hand.
The Padres had a scary flashback moment in the first inning Friday night in Phoenix.
Arizona lead-off hitter hit a sharp one-hopper that caught Chase Headley on the inside of his left forearm as he made an attempt at a leaping catch. Headley was in obvious pain, but stayed in the game following a visit by Black and Padres assistant trainer Paul Navarro.
Nearing record
Andrew Werner Wednesday became the 51st player employed by the Padres this season.
The franchise record for players used in a season is 59 set in 2002 and tied in 2008. The Padres have used 56 players twice.
The 51 number, however, is sure to grow with September callus as well as next Monday's starting pitcher.
Calling Casey Kelly
Look for 22-year-old Casey Kelly to make his major league debut Monday when the Padres return to Petco Park to play the St. Louis Cardinals.
Kelly, who was acquired along with Anthony Rizzo from Boston in the 2010 trade that sent Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox, missed most of this season with an elbow strain.
But he is 0-1 with a 3.78 earned run average in three rehab starts with Double-A San Antonio.
Kelly, the 30th overall pick by Boston in the 2008 draft, threw 83 pitches Tuesday night for the Missions, allowing four runs on five hits and a walk while striking out seven in 6 2/3 innings. That was the same night that Marquis faced the Pirates.
Kelly had a 2.25 ERA over 12 innings in two starts in April for Triple-A Tucson when he suffered the elbow strain.
As for two other rehabbing Padres pitchers . . .
--Anthony Bass had a strikeout in two perfect innings for Triple-A Tucson Thursday night. He threw 22 pitches, eight fewer than Andrew Cashner threw in his first, two-inning rehab assignment with Tucson on Tuesday. Both could make two more starts before the Pacific Coast League season ends on Sept. 3.
Padres notes
--Closer Huston Street is suddenly walking without a limp and stretching his strained left calf muscle. "I believe he has turned the corner," said Black. "The next thing is go get him on the mound." Black believes Street might be ready for a rehab assignment before the minor league seasons end.
--The Padres recalled left-handed reliever Josh Spence from Tucson Friday when right-hander Dale Thayer went on paternity leave. Thayer's wife gave birth to the couple's third daughter at 3 a.m. Friday morning. The baby weighed five pounds and 11 ounces. Spence hadn't been with the Padres since May 13.
--Footnotes on the Werner-Tommy Layne win-save scenario Wednesday. The combined signing bonuses for the pair: $1,000. Total time in the major leagues: 10 days (Layne 9, Werner 1).
--By the way, left-hander Layne prefers to be known as Tommy Layne.


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County eyes plan to reduce insurance costs
Published 8:00 pm, Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Last fall, commissioners received results from a post retirement health care cost study done by consultant Fred Todd of Public Employee Benefits Solutions. The results of that study were difficult for the Huron County Board of Commissioners to digest. The cost of providing health care for employees and retirees under the current system would amount to $83 million over the next 40 years. At the time, commissioners called the number "staggering" and "mind-boggling."
Tuesday morning Todd returned, with consultant Cathy Snyder, to deliver a set of recommendations for the board to follow and find its way out of the health insurance hole in which more and more counties are beginning to be buried.
"Your people should be commended for setting up a committee and being pro-active about this," Todd said.
In January of 2003 an ad hoc committee was formed to address the rising costs of health care to the county. The committee is comprised of one person from every county union, a non-union employee, a commissioner, an elected official and a department head. After several meetings, the committee hired Todd to conduct a study and deliver recommendations.
Huron County Clerk Peggy Koehler has been active on the committee. She said Tuesday the group has met once a month since the first of the year, and at its last meeting decided unanimously to present Todd's recommendation to commissioners.
"We feel very pleased we have done the best job we can do in order to maintain the coverage we have for employees and retirees," Koehler said Tuesday.
The recommendation put forth Tuesday by Todd and Snyder calls for a three-tiered level of coverage that would give employees the option of taking a basic package that covers preventative care or paying the difference for more coverage.
Todd said a rule of thumb has been that 20 percent of a work force is responsible for 80 percent of insurance claims. He said if the county has 70 or 80 employees who don't need the most comprehensive plan, it's wasting money offering only one plan.
"You are basically overinsured if you offer (only) one coverage level," he said. "That's the concept, give people a choice."
Todd said the county currently is paying about $1.85 million annually - that's about $154,000 a month - to insure about 160 current employees and retirees.
Since every employee doesn't need the level of coverage provided by the current plan, Todd and Snyder gave commissioners a table detailing the costs of three different plans which could be offered to employees and retirees. Option C establishes a baseline rate for the county regarding the cost of coverage for preventative care. Exams, screenings and immunizations are among the procedures completely covered under this plan. More specialized procedures, such as chemotherapy, organ transplants, ambulance services and medical equipment are covered up to about 80 percent.
For employees who need more of those specialized services two other options would be available. Option B would require an employee contribution of 6 percent and would cover specialized procedures like the ones listed above at a rate of about 90 percent. Option A, the most expensive and complete option, would require an employee contribution of about 13 percent. Under Option A almost any procedure is covered 100 percent.
Todd said Option C is designed to establish a baseline cost for the county's health insurance. Where the packages differ, he said, is beyond preventative care.
"Employees (would be) paying the difference to buy up to a better plan," he said. "If they want better insurance, they can pay for it - and some people need it, really, truly need it. But not everybody needs it. The bottom line is something needs to be done."
Option C could be secured by an employee or retiree at no additional cost. The county would be responsible for the full annual bill, projected to be approximately $1.568 million per year. Employees wishing to buy up to Option B would pay an additional 6 percent, while those wishing to buy up to Option A would pay an additional 13 percent. All of those fees, Todd said, should be paid by employees in pre-tax dollars.
Todd said the county's non-union employees and retirees could be switched to the new health insurance structure as soon as the county was ready. Union employees would have to wait until the current bargaining agreement runs out in December. Should the county decide to go with this plan, Todd and Snyder would be available to help employees figure out which coverage package would best suit them.
Todd and Snyder presented their recommendation to commissioners during the committee meeting of the whole, which meant no action could be taken.


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