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Merry Brook School Museum– Woodbine, IA
in Lincoln Highway
The portion of the Lincoln Highway that runs through Woodbine contains a mile of original brick from this historic road, the longest stretch found in the state. One impressive site to visit is the Merry Brook School Museum.
posted by: wildernessmama
location: Iowa
date approved: 4/9/2011
last visited: 6/10/2014
Carnegie Public Library – Woodbine, IA
The portion of the Lincoln Highway that runs through Woodbine contains a mile of original brick from this historic road, the longest stretch found in the state. One impressive site to visit is the Carnegie Public Library.
last visited: never
47 Miles to Philadelphia - Gap, PA
Hard to believe these original stone, mile marker jewels which predate the Lincoln Highway by more than a hundred years still exist. It was placed a full fourteen years before Lincoln was even born! This stone post is roadside and hard to miss.
posted by: Math Teacher
location: Pennsylvania
Battery A, 2nd US Artillery - US Regulars Tablet - Gettysburg, PA
A beautiful Army of the Potomac tablet on the Lincoln Highway recalls the men and movement of the Battery A, Cavalry Corps. The monument is flanked by two cannons. The Battle begun on this patch of land so it is fitting this marker should be here.
date approved: 1/23/2011
last visited: 9/9/2011
Gettysburg Campaign - Gettysburg, PA
The Battle of Gettysburg started on the Lincoln Highway, in these parts, called the Chambersburg Pike (U.S. 30).
last visited: 11/17/2012
Lincoln Highway Original Bricks - Omaha NE
Thi Lincoln Highway historic marker which is near a mile of the original brick highway. This is at the corner of the Old Lincoln Highway and N 180th St on the west side of Omaha,
posted by: Peter and Gloria
location: Nebraska
date approved: 1/8/2011
last visited: 6/5/2014
34 Miles to Philadelphia - Thorndale, PA
Part of a series of late 18th century markers which were installed when this, the nation's first major toll road was constructed. Later, this became part of the Lincoln Highway, almost 125 years later.
date approved: 12/28/2010
35 Miles to Philadelphia - Coatesville, PA
The most unique late 18th century milestone you'll ever find. This one, established in 1794, is built into a stone wall and is located 20 feet or so from the famous and historical Lincoln Highway, of course.
149th Pennsylvania Infantry Monument - Gettysburg, PA
A huge monument and statue of an infantryman immortalize and memorialize this famous and well-known PA regiment. Once again, the Lincoln Highway plays host to a larger than life monument to war.
John G. Parke - Coatesville, PA
Another official Pennsylvania Historical Marker Program site along the Lincoln Highway. Seems like anything historical which happened in this country, happened here on an equally historical road.
Philadelphia & Lancaster Turnpike Road - Coatesville, PA
This historic marker is especially relevant to the Lincoln Highway as it traces back in time the origins of this road which was originally a late 18th century turnpike.
date approved: 12/27/2010
"Men who don't often weep wept then"/Prelude to Gettysburg - Gettysburg, PA
This two-sided sign of history is part of a wonderful interpretive series called PA Civil War Trails. This beautiful interpretive is located on historic Lincoln Highway, the same highway on which the Confederates marched over 150 years ago.
date approved: 12/26/2010
last visited: 12/13/2015
First National Thanksgiving - York, PA
One of the nicest....and oldest, historical markers one will find in the York Historic District along East Market Street, aka, the Lincoln Highway.
date approved: 12/22/2010
last visited: 2/1/2016
Union Pacific Depot - Evanston Wyoming
The Evanston Union Pacific Railway Depot was an interchange point for travelers of the Lincoln Highway and passengers on the Transcontinental Railroad.
posted by: brwhiz
location: Wyoming
date approved: 12/5/2010
last visited: 7/3/2012
George Westinghouse Bridge, East Pittsburgh, PA
Bridge over the former Westinghouse Electric industrial complex. It rerouted the Lincoln Highway over the Turtle Creek valley in 1932, eliminating one of the most dangerous and congested sections of the Lincoln Highway in the state.
posted by: kbarhow
date approved: 11/2/2010
last visited: 12/6/2013
New Oxford Train Station/Museum & Lincoln Highway Interpretive - New Oxford, PA
Beautifully redone for the 21st century, this station is now a museum, has a couple of neat interpretives and has a few trains as well. Located, like all great historic sites, on the Lincoln Highway (Route 30). Built 1892.
last visited: 8/22/2015
Conewago Chapel - New Oxford, PA
Another important Lincoln Highway roadside marker brought to you once again by the Pennsylvania Historical Marker Program
date approved: 10/31/2010
There is an entire string of these Gettysburg historic markers strewn over the Lincoln Highway starting near York and ending here in Gettysburg. This marker is a mile from the epicenter of this Lincoln Highway 'trail' of history.
date approved: 10/26/2010
last visited: 7/23/2017
Emory United Methodist Church - New Oxford, PA
Beautiful 19th century church along the Lincoln Highway and situated at the town's center square. As the lure, popularity and of course traffic grew, so did the church, which was only about 25 years old when the highway first passed through here.
Abbottstown Rotary - The Center of Town - Abbottstown, PA
If there was anything which truly typified the lure and old-fashioned charm of the Lincoln Highway, it would be here in possible the most beautiful center of town of this small, quaint, beautiful town.
date approved: 10/24/2010
Banta Inn - Tracy, CA
The Banta Inn in the small town of Banta on the east side of Tracy, California, was a stop on the historic Lincoln Highway and is still in business as a restaurant.
posted by: DougK
location: California
date approved: 10/22/2010
Royal Fire Company No. 6 - York, PA
There are many historic sites along the Lincoln Highway in this part of town but none quite as beautiful and unique as this former firehouse turned museum. The Lincoln Highway is called Market Street in this part of the historic district.
Lincoln Highway Mosaic - York, PA
A very attractive mosaic featuring a tree scape graces the Lincoln Highway.
Manor of Maske - Gettysburg, PA
This is an official PHMP roadside marker along the Lincoln Hwy.
last visited: 4/18/2015
P 100 M 14 G 14 - Abbotstown, PA
Another neat, little mid-19th century mile marker on the old Lincoln Highway, predates the Father of All Roads by about 50 years but still characterizes the culture of the road. There are a few of these separated by of course, a mile.
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Cathy Terepocki
Cathy Terepocki (Chilliwack, BC) graduated in 2004 with a BFA in ceramics from the Alberta College of Art + Design. Since then she has been selling and exhibiting her work at galleries and shops across Canada. She has taught several workshops at art centers and post-secondary institutions. In 2008 Cathy began Very Hush Hush, a repurposed 1964 Airstream gallery which travels through Western Canada in the summer months.
Her pieces have been featured in major exhibitions such as Canada's Unity and Diversity Exhibition at the Cheongju International Craft Biennale and at the Vancouver Museum as part of the 2010 Cultural Olympiad.
She lives in Saskatoon with her husband and three children.
ACC Exhibitions: Coming Up Next (2007), Coming Up Next (2009), Unity & Diversity (2009), The Bents Cup Project (2012)

subset: commoncrawl


text: Hello, Werner Baumann wrote: > I'm using Debian for about ten years now and I use it because "Debian > is different". > While I appreciate the intention to "position Debian better" I am > concerned about the general direction, I am missing what I think the > most important values of Debian. +1 our web pages need an overhaul. We have an interest to explain ourselves to the non-Debian world and guide ourselves through the ongoing Debian-associated activities. That communication is happening via the web and such genuine interest should be driving development of the pages. We can certainly learn from the success that Ubuntu has, but we should not try to mimic or chase them. In the contrary, we should be happy about every Debian package that is brought to a wider audience with it (2.5:1 ratio in in favour of Ubuntu on popcon for my packages). And I think we are happy. I liked some of the redesign posters, and they should possibly be sold as geekware. But they could substitute Debian with everything else, even with the Redmond OS. However, when attracting some teenagers or so, of which some will only learn about computing, it may be lovely to have some more spiritual messages for them that go beyond "free". For instance I suggest to mention education, world-wide contacts, fun and doing something good for the world. Steffen


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Gujarat Election 2012
Gujarat Election 2012 coverage
Gujarat Election 2012
January 08, 2013
Court denies bail to Gujarat BJP MLA in firing case
A court on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of jailed Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Legislative Assembly Jetha Bharwad, who had been charged with attempt to murder in a case related to firing during the last month's assembly elections.
Six Nagaland parties want election deferred
Political parties in Nagaland barring the ruling Naga People's Front is rooting for deferment of the next assembly election in the state till a final solution is arrived at in the ongoing Naga peace process.
January 02, 2013
Maya declares ban on rapists as BSP nominees in elections
Any person facing charges of rape would not find place in the Bahujan Samaj Party list of nominees at any future election. This announcement was made by former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati in Lucknow on Wednesday.
SC disapproves remarks against Modi by Gujarat high court
Judges must not use strong and carping language and pass derogatory remarks against anyone, the Supreme Court said and asked them to act with sobriety and restraint.
December 27, 2012
HC upholds life term to 5 in 2003 Gujarat gang-rape case
The Gujarat High Court on Thursday upheld life imprisonment to five persons, who gang-raped a 24-year-old city girl after a New Year night party in 2003, at a hotel, where she was lured by her boyfriend Sajal Jain.
December 26, 2012
Modi sworn in Gujarat CM, ally JD-U, opp boycott ceremony
Narendra Modi, who powered Bharatiya Janata Party to an emphatic victory in Gujarat, was today sworn in as chief minister for the fourth time at the head of a 17-member ministry, in a ceremony boycotted by Opposition Congress and National Democratic Alliance ally Janata Dal-United.
December 25, 2012
57 criminals, 134 crorepatis in 2012 Guj assembly
There are 57 members with criminal background, one with even charges of rape, and 134 crorepatis (74 per cent) in the newly-elected Gujarat assembly, according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms, a non-political group aiming at governmental and electoral reforms. Vicky Nanjappa reports.
Modi has arrived. But is India ready?
Modi has arrived. Probably the country is not yet ready. Modi knows it. If Modi destroys the existing political consensus he will have to quickly replace it with another, notes M R Venkatesh.
December 22, 2012
Top BJP leaders to attend Modi's swearing-in ceremony
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday said its top leaders will attend the oath-taking ceremony of Narendra Modi as Gujarat chief minister on December 26.
December 21, 2012
Keshubhai's party dented BJP prospects in Saurashtra
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's march towards a two-third majority was halted by the presence of Keshubhai Patel's party in Saurashtra and the saffron outfit suffered reverses in Chief Minister Narendra Modi's own backyard of north Gujarat.
Nitish yet to congratulate Modi on victory
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is yet to congratulate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and refused to say anything on Modi's hat-trick victory on Friday.
Modi to be sworn in as chief minister on Dec 26
Narendra Modi, who posted a resounding victory in the assembly elections, will be sworn in as Gujarat Chief Minister for the fourth time on December 26.
Newly-elected Gujarat Congress MLA passes away
A newly-elected Congress MLA on Friday passed away in a private hospital in Vadodara after suffering brain haemorrhage.
Why Modi of 2012 is a triumph of secularism
Narendra Modi of 2002 couldn't change Hindustan into Modistan; it is Hindustan which has changed Modi of 2002 into Modi of 2012, notes
View: Why Narendra Modi spoke in Hindi
To assume that Narendra Modi chose Hindi only to reach out to a national audience because he had prime ministerial ambitions was more than a stretch, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
Modi vs Mahatma: What is Gujarat's message to India?
'Unless he engages with the darkness within, unless there is remorse for what happened within his rule, I don't think he is going to be my leader,' says filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt in his forthright style.
Why Modi was not so triumphant at his Vijay Sabha
Instead of a steamrolling 150 seats tally, terrifying the Bharatiya Janata Party high command into an abject surrender and hailing him as a prime minister-in-waiting, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra got 115 seats, 2 short of his 2007 score(117), enabling his party rivals to deny him what he covets the most, says Arvind J Bosmia
Modi is an engine beginning to stall. Is BJP awake?
If the Bharatiya Janata Party's own chances of returning to power are so weak, where is the question of Narendra Modi assuming its leadership and becoming the next Prime Minister. B Raman examines
115 seats. Is this the best Modi can do?
Now that the numbers are out and it is nowhere near as spectacular as expected/feared by some or hyped by many -- it is Narendra Modi's lowest in three elections -- it is a sobering thought. Is this the best he can do, wonders Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Modi's a man in a hurry, and there's no stopping him
With the tide in favour of Narendra Modi, his shift to Delhi is inevitable. Aditi Phadnis examines
Mr Modi, state politics is not a national game
Invincible as he appears in his western stronghold, can Narendra Modi sweep forth from it and take New Delhi for an insurgent BJP? The good news for Modi's rivals in his party is that these results don't even begin to suggest he can.
December 20, 2012
Modi supporters hold election watch parties in US
Elated over the hat-trick by Narendra Modi in the Gujarat Assembly elections, the supporters of Bharatiya Janata party in Washington on Thursday hoped that the impressive victory would pave the way for his larger role at the national level.
I will surely go to Delhi: Modi tells Gujarat
Fresh from the hat-trick in the assembly polls, which pitch-forked him in the BJP's prime ministerial candidates' race, Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said if he had committed any mistake, he seeks forgiveness from the people.
How Narendra Modi's propaganda won out in Gujarat
The proactive engagement with business and corporate leaders and the reciprocation in turn indicate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's ability to exploit the superficiality and lack of ideological depth on part of those preoccupied with profit and business isolated from a larger world view, feels Jatin Bhatt
Misery mounts for Congress in Gujarat
Gujarat is a tale of woes for the Congress, out of power for over twenty long years, with Narendra Modi performing an electoral hat-trick.
'Modi didn't let politics interfere with progress'
'In India people want progress, development, they don't want politicians to hamper progress. If that is what Mr Modi has done, that is what will happen. If this is not true, why would the people of Gujarat, which is such a progressive, developed society, vote for Mr Modi?' asks Devang Nanavati.
Gujarat win emphatic, BJP not united in HP: Jaitley
Hailing the party's poll performance in Gujarat, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday gave credit to Narendra Modi for the victory and said that had the organisation been similarly united in Himachal Pradesh, it would not have been voted out.
Narendra Modi at the doorsteps of New Delhi
A 125 plus verdict would have given Narendra Modi automatic advantage to move to New Delhi. But now he will maneuver his way because the third consecutive victory makes him more impatient than ever, says
Five of Narendra Modi's ministers bite the dust
Even as Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is well on the road to make a hat-trick in Gujarat, five incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party ministers lost the electoral battle. Among those defeated are three Cabinet ministers and two junior ministers
Flush with win, Modi calls on arch-rival Keshubhai Patel
Modi drove to the residence of Patel, who fell out with the BJP stalwart and floated his own party ahead of the election, in Gandhinagar to meet him. "Modiji had come to seek blessings after his win in the elections. I congratulated him for the win," Patel said after Modi's visit.
Adore or abhor, but you cannot ignore Narendra Modi
Narendra Modi, whose hat-trick in Gujarat could possibly pitchfork him as a prime ministerial candidate of BJP in 2014, has always remained a leader with a difference, a personality you may love or hate but cannot ignore.
It's for India to decide if they want Modi as PM: Brother
Narendra Modi's elder brother tells rediff.com's Sonil Dedhia that by electing Modi for the third time the people of Gujarat have given their answer to the Congress.
Gujarat Congress chief quits following election debacle
"Our state president has sent his resignation letter to party president Sonia Gandhi taking the moral responsibility of the defeat," state Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said.
BJP thanks people, accuses Cong of communalising Guj polls
With the election results pointing towards a convincing victory for Narendra Modi in Gujarat, party president Nitin Gadkari thanked the people of Gujarat for the success.
Gujarat diary: '110 cr Indians want Modi in PM post'
While BJP workers gleefully celebrated the victory of the party and its leader Narendra Modi for a third time, Congress workers could barely hide their feeling of dejection. Sonil Dedhia and Prasanna D Zore were present at the BJP and Congress headquarters to witness the celebrations as well as the disappointment.
View: What Narendra Modi needs to do now
Chief Minister Narendra Modi needs to win over either the RSS or his rivals in Delhi to emerge as the undisputed leader within the Sangh Parivar. Without one or the other, he cannot win. This triangular contest is what constrains Modi's emergence as a national leader in his own right, feels Sonali Ranade.
IN PIX: The big winners in Himachal Pradesh
IN PIX: The big WINNERS in Himachal Pradesh
Gujarat 2012 tells us a larger story beyond Modi
'This victory effectively applies closure to 2002. It is unlikely that Modi will offer anything more than a purely symbolic doffing of his cap to heal the hurts of that calamitous year in his pursuit of greater glory,' says Shreekant Sambrani.
How South Gujarat saved Narendra Modi
Modi will have greater satisfaction to see that Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel's Bharuch Lok Sabha constituency is also going the Bharatiya Janata Party's way.
Blog: What the Gujarat results tell us
The results have shown that the voters of Gujarat have rejected the state Congress as an alternative and a workable option for Modi.
In PHOTOS: The big winners and losers in Gujarat
Rediff.com brings you the results of the heavyweights in the Gujarat elections.
Guj election proves it is not open skies for Modi: Cong
Congress leaders on Thursday conceded defeat in Gujarat, but said it was "not open skies" for Chief Minister Narendra Modi, nursing national ambitions.
Time to move forward: Modi on Gujarat poll trends
Amid talk that he could be the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate with another victory in Gujarat, a buoyed Narendra Modi on Thursday remarked it was time to move 'forward'.
BJP evasive on question of Modi running for PM's chair
As Narendra Modi appeared set for a hat-trick in Gujarat, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday parried questions on whether he will be the party's prime ministerial candidate in the next Lok Sabha elections.
First pics: Party begins at BJP HQ as Modi set for win
The Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters in Khanpur, Ahmedabad, is buzzing with party workers and news reporters.
At BJP hq in Ahmedabad, it's celebration time
BJP vice-president Purshottam Rupala tells the media, "The initial results are in favour of the BJP, I am sure of our victory. Though we expect a lot more seats, still there is an hour to go before the final results are declared."
Trends indicate people are rejecting Cong: BJP
With early trends indicating that the Bharatiya Janata Party was leading in Gujarat, the BJP on said it is a vote for corruption-free good governance and showed that the people are rejecting Congress.
Gujarat poll: Modi beats odds, scores a hat-trick
Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday led the Bharatiya Janata Party to a decisive win in Gujarat for a third time in a row with the party securing majority clinching 103 seats of the 162 results declared for the 182-member assembly and leading in 13 seats.
Gujarat assembly poll results to be out TODAY
Counting of votes for the 2012 Gujarat assembly elections, which witnessed a historic 71.32 per cent voter turnout, will be held today for all the 182 constituencies across the state.
December 19, 2012
'If Modi wins, he will stake claim for PM's post'
BJP appears likely to win its third consecutive election in the state, although it faces newfound opposition, says Milan Vaishnav.
Exclusive interview! Ahmed Patel, Sonia's trusted aide
Ahmed Patel, the most powerful man in the Congress party after the Gandhis, speaks to Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt in a rare and exclusive interview.
It is actually Modi vs Modi in Gujarat
The Gujarat elections 2012 are not a contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress and the Gujarat Parivartan Party. It is not between Narendrabhai and Keshubhai. Nor is it between Modi and Rahul or Sonia Gandhi. It is a contest between Modi that is seen as a symbol of Vibrant Gujarat, and a Modi that is deeply resented Parakala Prabhakar.
December 18, 2012
He may or may not win. Why are we feting Modi already?
Urvish Kothari wonders why the political experts who had earlier expressed doubts about whether Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will return to power this time have suddenly started assuming that his victory is a foregone conclusion
Never wanted him to join politics, says Modi's brother
Somabhai Modi talks to
about his famous younger brother, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi
Exclusive! Not even a tiny taint on my kurta: Amit Shah
Amit Shah, the prodigal leader of Gujarat and the man who knows Modi like no one else, shares some interesting insights with Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.
December 17, 2012
'Maninagar's strongman will soon be India's PM'
On the final day of the Gujarat election, Rediff.com's
takes a day-long tour of Juhapura in Vejalpur (dominated by India's biggest minority), Naroda Patiya in Naroda (with an explosive mix of the majority and minority communities) and Maninagar (dominated by the majority community) in Ahmedabad. This is what he discovered.
Gujarat: The election that wasn't
A democratic set-up is a necessary instrument to choose rulers, but it cannot always provide a roadmap to a good society. That needs a moral compass, which is prominent by its absence in the current campaign, says Dr Shreekant Sambrani.
PROJECTION: Will Mehsana give Modi a boost?
Narendra Modi had worked superbly in 2007 in north Gujarat. It's important for Modi that Mehsana and other parts of north Gujarat give a thumping victory to the Bharatiya Janata Party to counterbalance any possible losses in Saurashtra.
Guj poll: 4 injured in firing by BJP MLA's bodyguard
Four persons were injured on Monday when the bodyguard of BJP MLA and candidate from Sahera in Panchmahal district, Jetha Bharwad, opened fire in Tarsang village after some stones were pelted at the leader.
PIX: Cong cries foul over Modi's election day 'V' sign
Gujarat Congress unit on Monday filed a complaint against Chief Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly violating the model code of conduct by 'campaigning' on the election day at the polling station where he cast his vote.
Guj: How technology is being used for a fair election
Real time monitoring of all the 23,000 booths where polling will take place on Monday will ensure a free and fair election, Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer Anita Karwal tells Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore.
Rediff projections: Can Cong stop BJP in Banaskantha?
Shandilya Trivedi turns the focus on Banaskantha, a BJP stronghold where the Congress is trying hard to put up a decent fight
Rediff Projection: Which way would Vadodara tilt?
Our assessment is that BJP is clear winner in seven out of 13 seats in Vadodara, while the Congress is strong in two. In four seats both the Congress and BJP are finding the battle tough.
'It's not difficult for Modi to convince Muslims'
Zafar Sareshwala tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt why Muslims are better off under Narendra Modi's rule than they were under the Congress.
PIX: 70 pc turnout in 2nd phase of polling in Gujarat
Amidst tight security, voting is underway on Monday in 95 constituencies in the second phase of Gujarat assembly elections which will decide the fate of 820 candidates including Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Exclusive: SECRET behind Gujarat's super voter turnout!
Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer Anita Karwal tells Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore about the amazing ways state electoral officers boosted voter sentiment, and the likely reasons behind the high turnout in the first phase of the assembly election. An exclusive interview!
December 16, 2012
Modi is like Lord Shiva, he is a lion: Paresh Rawal
At a campaign rally in Patan in northern Gujarat on Friday, actor Paresh Rawal was at his sarcastic best as he spewed venom on the Congress and urged the voters to "perform Congress's last rites" on December 17, when Gujarat votes in the second phase of the state elections.
December 15, 2012
At Kapadvanj, Jaitley tears into Sonia, Manmohan
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley on Saturday showed an uncharacteristic discomfort in using Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's name as well as taking on Congress candidate and chief ministerial-hopeful Shankersinh Vaghela in his public address at Kapadvanj constituency in Gujarat's Kheda district. Rediff.com's
reports from the ground.
Unlike Modi I don't have one bit of anger in me: Rahul
In a veiled attack on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, All India Congress Committee General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused him of practising "politics of anger" and said it was time people switch to the power of "love", preached by the Mahatma, to ensure progress of Gujarat.
Haren Pandya's widow in 'revenge' battle against Modi
As the widow of slain BJP leader Haren Pandya fights a 'revenge' battle seeking "justice" for her husband for whose murder she blames Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Elliis Bridge seat is witnessing a poll contest where Jagruti Pandya expects her emotional appeal to triumph over the cold logic that favours her saffron rival.
December 14, 2012
5,000 voters from Mumbai plan to vote in Gujarat: BJP
About 5,000 voters, with dual registration in the electoral lists in Mumbai and Gujarat's Sidhpur assembly segment, are all set to vote against Bharatiya Janata Party's Jay Narayan Vyas in the second phase of polling in Gujarat on December 17, claimed Dilipbhai Patel, a BJP corporator in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
Modi's six desperate campaign strategies
on the Gujarat chief minister's desperate search for tangible issue that could swing the voters his way.
UPA govt sanctioned more funds to Guj than NDA: Sonia
Rebutting Chief Minister Narendra Modi's claims on development in the state and Sir Creek issue, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said in Kalol on Friday that the Gujarat government is making false promises to electorates.
Who benefits from Gujarat's higher voter turnout?
What does the high voters' turnout of 68 per cent in first phase of Gujarat election mean? Sheela Bhatt tries to find out.
Deeply divided Godhra braces for poll
A decade after Godhra provided the spark that ignited almost the whole of Gujarat into a communal cauldron, this relatively underdeveloped constituency in the prosperous state remains deeply divided along religious lines.
December 13, 2012
SAURASHTRA PROJECTION: BJP 20, Cong 10, 16 too close
Rediff editors on the field speak with experts, common people, media personalities and others to project how the election will go in Saurashtra which voted on Thursday.
Modi taking undue credit for common man's toil: Rahul
In an apparent attempt to invoke the Gujarati pride in the poll bound state, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi took potshots at Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, saying the Bharatiya Janata Party stalwart is pursuing his personal agenda at the expense of the common people.
Keshubhai gets EC notice for violating election code
Election Commission on Thursday slapped a notice on former Chief Minister and Gujarat Parivartan Party president Keshubhai Patel for violating election code of conduct while going to a polling booth with a pilot car.
PIX: 67 pc voter turnout in first phase of Gujarat polls
Voter turnout of 67 per cent was recorded on 87 seats across Gujarat during the first phase of state assembly elections on Thursday.
Narendra Modi will go this time: Keshubhai
Gujarat Parivartan Party supremo Keshubhai Patel on Thursday said the people would vote for a change in the state, and added that Chief Minister Narendra Modi would be thrown out of power after the assembly polls.
How Saurashtra has rattled Modi, made him insecure
For the first time since the riots of 2002, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi finds himself on uncertain territory in Saurashtra, where the intense caste politics of Patels is now intertwined with the water problems of all the farmers of the region, reports
'Modi is a Raktabij -- he gets stronger when hurt'
Senior Gujarati journalist
explains Chief Minister Narendra Modi's 10-year rule through his own experiences.
December 12, 2012
Stop dialogue with Pak on Sir Creek: Modi writes to PM
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to stop dialogue with Pakistan at once on the Sir Creek issue and demanded that it should not be handed over to the neighbouring nation.
'Narendra Modi is a politician not a saint'
speaks to the popular Gujarati writer Gunvant Shah, who holds some strong and firm views on Narendra Modi.
Irfan Pathan bats for Narendra Modi
Cricketer Irfan Pathan on Wednesday shared the stage with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the campaign rally of BJP, which is trying to appease minority community voters in the state.
Gujarat: In Godmother's den, her son roars like a tiger
Santokben Jadeja's son Kandhal, contesting from Kutiyana assembly segment in Saurashtra, is all set to carry forward his family's legacy with no fear of his opponents or shame about his criminal record, reports
December 11, 2012
War of words heats up as Modi takes on Rahul 'baba'
Rahul Gandhi attended thee public speeches in Jamnagar, Amreli and Sanand on Tuesday, but his careful attitude made them bland, says
Modi only hears his own voice, not people's: Rahul
Making his first appearance in the Gujarat assembly election campaign, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday unleashed an attack on Chief Minister Narendra Modi calling him a "marketeer" who does false propaganda claiming progress in the state.
Campaigning for Phase 1 of Gujarat polls ends today
A total of 87 constituencies spread over 15 districts from Saurashtra and south regions of the state will go for poll on December 13.
Will Rahul make an impact in Modi bastions today?
He will address meetings at Sanand in Ahmedabad in central Gujarat and at Jamnagar and Amreli in Saurashtra regions.
'Muslims feel secure in Modi's Gujarat now'
Can Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi ever wash away the taint of the 2002 anti-Muslim riots?
spent five days in Ahmedabad meeting several Muslims across the socio-economic-caste divide, to find out what the community feels about Modi.
December 10, 2012
Gujarat Blog: Why vote for Modi if he's Delhi-bound?
Is there any chance of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi losing this election?
Renowned Gujarati novelist Ashwini Bhatt no more
Ashwineee Bhatt, 76, a best seller novelist of Gujarati, passed away in Dallas (US) on Monday.
Modi's anti-people govt indulging in 'hera-pheri': Sonia
Dubbing the Narendra Modi-led government as "anti-people", Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Monday raised the poll pitch alleging the Bharatiya Janata Party-led dispensation in Gujarat is indulging in "wrong-doings".
Exclusive! Congress is in awe of Modi, says Jaitley
While speaking to
about Narendra Modi and the Congress's media strategy, Jaitley deliberately and subtly downplays Modi's projection as a prime ministerial candidate and the BJP leaders' endorsements of Modi for the top job as if it is a routine affair
Narendra Modi is part asset, part liability
Narendra Modi has not yet shown signs of being a likely statesman or leader of vision and wisdom. We must avoid a judgement on his suitability till we have seen more of him as a leader outside Gujarat, says B Raman
'More Modi appeals in Gujarat, less he appeals outside'
Author and historian Ramachandra Guha tells Rediff.com's
that Narendra Modi's victory in Gujarat won't be a turning point in Indian politics because he is far too polarising.
Modi to address 53 rallies today, Sonia 2
Campaigning for Gujarat elections has entered the fast lane as Tuesday is the last day for the parties to woo voters for the first phase of state assembly polls to be held on December 13.
December 09, 2012
BJP won elections with money from Naxalites: Digvijaya
Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh has alleged that Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh won the last two assembly elections by using money received from Naxalites.
December 08, 2012
Modi hits out at Sonia for 'inciting' people of Gujarat
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused Congress President Sonia Gandhi of inciting the people against his government and dared her to get the Centre act against him if he has done anything wrong.
Gujarat polls: Narhari Amin slams Cong for defection
Former Congress leader Narhari Amin, who recently crossed over to the Bharatiya Janata Party, has alleged that senior leaders of the faction-ridden Opposition party in Gujarat subverted ticket distribution process for elections, which prompted party cadres to defect.
Now, BJP's Amit Shah backs Modi as PM
After top central Bharatiya Janata Party leaders endorsed Narendra Modi as the future prime minister, former Gujarat minister on Saturday backed the state chief minister saying he has "all the qualities" required for the top post. Earlier, Sushma Swaraj and Gopinath Munde, during their visit to Gujarat, had said that Modi was fit and competent to be the prime minister.
'Letter to Clinton on Modi interference in poll process'
Writing a letter to United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton against granting a visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi when he has neither applied nor has any intention to do so is an attempt by US lawmakers to interfere in India's democratic election process, Overseas Friends of the Bharatiya Janata Party-USA has alleged.
Sonia's rally in Keshod a bigger hit than Modi's show
While a massive crowd gathered of 25,000 thronged Congress President Sonia Gandhi's rally in Keshod, only 3,000 showed up when the Gujarat chief minister campaigned in the Junagadh town.
Sonia Gandhi spreading lies against Guj govt: Modi
Countering Sonia Gandhi's charges that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's promises were "hollow and false", Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Friday attacked the Congress president saying she was "spreading lies" against his government.
December 07, 2012
Congress leads crorepati pack contesting Gujarat election
If the first phase of Gujarat election will have 147 crorepatis in fray, the second will see another 150 contesting, says National Election Watch
Modi's development promises hollow, false: Sonia
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Friday sought to tear into Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's claims on development accusing the state government of completely ignoring the welfare of poor and wondered where all the central funds for the state had vanished.
'M for Modi' is actually 'M for Mr Moneybag' for BJP
looks beyond the myth of Narendra Modi and highlights the chinks in the Gujarat chief minister's armour.
Sonia Gandhi to campaign in poll-bound Gujarat today
Congress president Sonia Gandhi is scheduled to address two rallies in poll-bound Gujarat on Friday.
Nobody is invincible, not even Modi: Shweta Bhatt
After completing a hectic day of campaigning among the voters of Maninagar, Shweta Bhatt answers
's posers with the ease of a master politician. Read on to know why she decided to take on Narendra Modi, how campaigning has changed her and how she copes with all the stress that comes with fighting against a chief minister as powerful as Narendra Modi.
Mining scam tainted Janardhana Reddy to fight election
Jailed former Karnataka minister G Janardhana Reddy's is likely to contest the elections in Karnataka on a BSR Congress ticket, reports Vicky Nanjappa
'People know of Gujarat because of Modi'
It's going to be Narendra Modi all the way believes Gujarat's aam janta . Sonil Dedhia finds out as he speaks to a cross-section of people in the state ahead of the upcoming polls.
Modi dares Sonia to name Gujarat Cong CM candidate
Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday dared Congress president Sonia Gandhi to announce her party's Gujarat chief ministerial candidate before visiting the poll-bound state
December 06, 2012
Gujarat polls: Blow to Congress as Narhari Amin joins BJP
With central Congress Party leaders turning down Gujarat leader Narhari Amin's request to be allowed to contest assembly polls from the Gandhinagar South constituency, the senior party loyalist on Thursday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, asking his supporters to ensure victory of Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
'This election is like a semi-final match for Modi'
Political analyst Viduyt Thakar tells Rediff.com's
the importance of the 2012 Gujarat assembly elections, why Chief Minister Narendra Modi is so popular and why he thinks that this is the last chance for Congress to come back to power in Gujarat.
Soniaji has no knowledge about Gujarat, says Modi
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday night targeted Congress President Sonia Gandhi, saying she should not come to the state "without doing proper home work".
Modi's Patel card will be Congress rebel Narahiri Amin
"The Congress is in the hands of a few people. Rahul Gandhi, C P Joshi, Mohan Prakash, Ahmed Patel, Shaktisinh Gohil and Arjun Modhwadia have decided on all the 182 seats. Once again, our leaders are plotting to defeat each other. They have made a mess of the Congress's improving fortunes. Like 2007, the Congress will lose both the election and prestige."
December 05, 2012
Dalit Killings? Not an issue in Gujarat poll
Leaders are believed to go on promising spree in the election season, but clearly there are exceptions.
Gujarat government refutes Kejriwal's charges
The Gujarat government on Tuesday refuted Aam Admi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal's charge that it favoured certain industrial groups in the state.
No justice for riot victims if Modi becomes PM: Zakia
Victims of the Gujarat riots will not get any justice if Narendra Modi becomes India's prime minister, the wife of former Member of Parliament Ahsan Jafri, who was killed by a violent mob during the post-Godhra riots in Ahmedabad a decade ago, told United States lawmakers.
Gujarat poll: Five factors that go against Modi
'Through his Election 2012 campaign Narendra Modi has not shown any signs to suggest that he is confident enough to take the risk to set new standards to don the national leadership. His attempt to stoop low to conquer is avoidable, entirely, in view of his comfortable position in the ongoing election campaign.' Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt identifies the factors that are not going well for Modi.
'Modi a political salesman, marketer and hypnotist'
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is a dictator, lying is his style and his development propaganda is completely fake. These are some of the claims made by Professor Hemant Shah, head of the department of economics at H K Arts College, Ahmedabad.
December 04, 2012
Rahul not campaigning in Guj to avoid defeat slur: Modi
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is not campaigning in Gujarat because he does not want to take responsibility of his party's likely defeat in the assembly polls, Chief Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday night.
Congress woos Gujaratis with free laptops, 16 pledges
Terming Chief Minister Narendra Modi's claims of impressive development as 'blatant lies' and 'misleading', the Congress on Tuesday released its poll manifesto promising 'real development along with safety' if it is voted to power in the upcoming assembly elections.
No cash transfer scheme in Gujarat, Himachal now: EC
Voicing concern over the announcement of direct cash transfer scheme after the Model Code of Conduct had been implemented, the Election Commission has directed the government to keep in abeyance its implementation in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh where the poll process is going on.
Gujarat Phase 1 election: 104 criminals, 147 crorepatis
The first phase of the Gujarat assembly elections will have 104 candidates with a criminal record, says a data analysed by the National Election Watch.
BJP's manifesto misguiding people: Gujarat Cong
Opposition Congress on Monday said there was nothing new in Bharatiya Janata Party's election manifesto, dubbing it as "anti-poor and anti-middle class" and an attempt to "misguide" the people of Gujarat.
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Zac Efron was once left stunned after a fan literally sunk her claws into him, leaving behind a fingernail.
Crowds of screaming girls regularly besiege the "High School Musical" heartthrob at red carpet events.
And he'll never forget the day a very enthusiastic female admirer managed to catch hold of him and refused to let go until she had left a reminder of herself behind.
He tells Britain's Hello magazine, "I was at a premiere when a barrier broke. Fans came rushing over and grabbed me. The security guards stopped the commotion and no one was hurt, but later that night I found a fingernail stuck in my back. You have to have a sense of humor about it."
Now the actor has learned the best way to avoid causing hysteria is to simply be himself.
He adds: "I make a half-[bleep] attempt at disguise, but sometimes no disguise is best because, if you wear shades inside a shop, everyone thinks, 'Who's that?'
"The best thing is to look normal and avoid eye contact. But I do have to sneak around and hide when I go to the supermarket. It's ridiculous."


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Overcoming Shyness
Some people who have a natural shyness can often by mislabelled as having a social phobia, although the symptoms can be very similar, they are separate things. Shyness can affect all ages of people, but it is usually more prominent in younger people.
Shyness usually starts in childhood and adolescence, often when people are finding their feet. This shyness can continue into adulthood. Shyness is linked to self esteem, self confidence and self consciousness, it usually goes as a person gets older, but for some people it can be a big problem for them to deal with. Usually when a young person has been bullied/abused their confidence can be shattered and the young person becomes wary of people and their motives.
While for young people the shyness can be uncomfortable, it doesn't usually cause too many issues as long as it doesn't get out of hand and develop into a more serious problem. This is when shyness and social phobias can begin to overlap, if the shyness begins to have a detrimental effect such as interfering with normal day-to-day living.
Meeting people for the first time can cause a natural anxious feeling, but if the nervousness and anxiety levels rise to a point that a person begins to make excuses to not be in certain situations or around people they may need help.
Tips to help overcome basic shyness.
* When having a conversation try to put yourself deep into it, by asking questions and listening carefully to the answers.
* If you're good at socialising, people will pick up on your confidence and will be more comfortable around you. Try to remember you may not be the only nervous person, the people you're meeting may be as nervous as you.
* Don't focus the conversation on yourself by using too many pronouns, conversations that continually start with "I" can get pretty boring for the person listening and focus attention on you
* When looking at events and situations, try not to look at them with utter dread, see it as an opportunity and a good step forward in dealing with the shyness. Try to imagine what things would be like if you overcame your shyness and enjoy meeting new people, how that would make you feel.
The symptoms of shyness.
Being shy can cause the sufferer a wide variety of problems most of which are related to anxiety and stress, the symptoms of shyness can be felt in varying degrees, the more common symptoms of shyness include:
* Excessive sweating
* Sticky hands or sweating hands
* A bright red flush to the cheeks
* A shortness of breath
* A tight feeling in the chest
* A feeling of dread
* Tension headaches
* A feeling of terror
All of these symptoms of course relate to other conditions such as anxiety and panic attacks, therefore if the symptoms are severe enough to cause you to avoid situations then it is advisable to visit your Doctor, as you could need medication to help you deal with the attacks and the symptoms.


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Are you wondering if one of our services is right for you?
Call us at 877-292-1571 or fill out this form and a staff member will contact you to schedule a phone information session at no cost.
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15 years!
Fifteen years ago today, Freddie Mercury died in his home. I'm not going to write much concerning it, because I feel like my eyes are getting ready to start flooding any minute now...I miss Freddie so much...
Well, RIP Freddie.
Here are some random ramblings of a girl that will probably end up in an insane asylum sometime in her near future...Kookookachoo. She loves her Queen, she loves her Beatles and her Who and her Zeppy and her music in general. She loves her writing. She loves love. And she loves you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.


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Back in December 2006, Fujitsu announced it had pushed the capacity of 2.5-inch hard disks—the kind used in notebook computers and other mobile platforms—all the way up to 300 GB. Now, Fujitsu has bundled the drive into an external enclosure with security features aimed at mobile professionals, touting the unit as the world's largest capacity, secure 2.5-inch portable external hard disk drive.
"Fujitsu has almost forty years of experience in the hard disk drive industry, and we have successfully expanded our 2.5-inch HDD business over the last fourteen years," said Lorne Wilson, Fujitsu Computer Products of America's senior VP of sales and marketing, in a statement. "As a result of our focus and commitment to R&D, we have been able to leverage our expertise in this field to create an ideal solution for portable backup and storage solutions."
The drive includes an integrated USB 2.0 cable for easy connection to a notebook or desktop system, and the drive runs off USB power so there's no need for a separate power adapter. Fujitsu i also bundling the drive with Apricom Inc.'s EZ Gig II for Windows, which enables complete system backups via disk cloning along with single-file compressed backups. The drive also offers Cipheriz's Cryptainer software to encrypt drive contents using AES 256 or Blowfish 448 encryption, and Second Copy 2000 synchronizing software.
Fujitsu's 300 GB external drive should be available in the third quarter of 2007 with a suggested price of $229; a 120 GB version will be priced at $129.99.
Editors' Recommendations
- Screen-sporting LaCie DJI Copilot hard drive enables on-site backups sans laptop
- The best portable chargers for quickly juicing your device
- The magnificent six: These awesome laptop deals can save you up to $1,273
- Samsung Notebook 9 Pen review
- Nintendo Switch vs. Xbox One: Can the new hybrid best the established console?


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Woman Wiggles Pinkie Toes While Singing Duet With Blue Bunny & Getting Kitteh Loves
Rooftop Yodeling, Videos | Posted by Jannie on 25 October 2010 @ 2:14 PM 40 Comments
Hay, that was Blue Bunny singing the higher "Texas," and the whole last part! He's got a great range, eh?!
Can you wiggle your pinkie toes independently of your others?
And if so, will you post a video of it on your blog?
In other news…
I'll do the drawing for the The Seventh Letter winner on video soon (when my hair looks fluffy and fun) and let you know this weekend who gets That Fabulous Prize.
Also on my list…
— Blog reading
— "Do You Dream" verse 3 lyrics
— "Drink Up The Stars" guitar
— lots of other stuff.


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This resource is no longer available
Securing Your Company – Where Do You Start?
With the increasing number of cyber-attacks and data threats in today's IT environments, organizations must take a proactive stance on data security. But how can companies keep their business assets and intellectual property protected while still retaining the agility they've worked so hard to achieve?
Tune in to this informative podcast to gain crucial information about managed security solutions, and how they can help you monitor threats and prevent data breaches in your enterprise. Listen now to get industry insights on the best practices for streamlining and maximizing your IT security solution.


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I have to admit, it seems kind of out of left field to get so geared up for fall. I mean, we live on a Caribbean island and all. It's the land of perma-summer.
But a tree … yes, a tree … totally caught me off guard yesterday and it had me coming up with fall centerpiece ideas … and then creating a little front door decor. It's like my personal welcome to fall. With love, summer. 🙂
I think it looks like eucalyptus.
The leaves are velvety to the touch. With these neat little, draping balls.
I thought they were the perfect touch of fall for the door.
It's not much, it's pretty simple. But to me, it feels like fall … and that makes me smile
as I'm sweating my a$$ off. 🙂
Now … time for me to head back to the beach. 😉
But feel free to stick around and see how to make your own little trough out of just one pallet slat, the tutorial is here.
And the image transfer is a super easy technique using just your ink jet printer and some white glue, check it here.
And here are my 5 fall centerpiece ideas that were inspired by this same tree.
And Happy Fall Y'all!!


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Part of the update to the new Invoice2go includes integrating previous features into the core experience. Because of this, Apps2go will look different in the new Invoice2go. Here's what you can expect:
Expenses: upgrade your receipt experience. You can take photos of receipts and add your expenses directly to your invoice.
Sign: make your invoices official. Add your signature during the invoice or estimate and leave a spot for customers to electronically sign and approve.
Statements: know who owes. Using the Statement feature you can click on any client in your list and see a snapshot of what they owe. Create a statement and email it to them straight from the client list.
Based on customer feedback our less popular features, inputting calendar entries (Calendar2go), adding location data for clients (Maps2go), scanning barcodes (Scan2go) and business activity statement previews (BAS2go) will not be available in the new Invoice2go.
You will still be able to add time entries during the invoice creation process and export a report that will give you all the information you need for your BAS, see Getting data for your Business Activity Statement for more information.


text: Stay at the remarkable Hilton Beirut Metropolitan Palace and enjoy stunning views of Beirut from all guest rooms. Enjoy authentic Italian cuisine at Venezia, sample all-day dining in Al Shindagah offering an international selection, savor a Asian dishes in Summer Place or retire for the evening in the hotel's lobby lounge Tea Garden. Situated in the heart of Sin El Fil and overlooking the city skyline, this Beirut hotel has a health club and spa. Visit Beirut's attractions like the Mohammad Al-Am Mosque and the National Museum or take a stroll in the famous Beirut Souks. Shopping is easy at Le Mall which is within walking distance of the hotel offering a wide range of shops and entertainment. The Mediterranean beaches are just a short drive away and the ski slopes of Faraya can be reached within an hour. Jeita Grotto and many historical sites are in easy reach too. Hilton Beirut Metropolitan Palace has 9 function rooms for 2-800 guests, including 6 multi-purpose meetings rooms practically located on one floor, a 24-hour business center and a dedicated Meetings Manager. The hotel boasts an Executive Lounge and wireless internet access in all public areas. All Hilton Beirut Metropolitan Palace hotel rooms are equipped with the very latest facilities, including wireless high-speed internet access and flat screen televisions. This Beirut hotel offers 20 elegant suites ranging from one-bedroom suites to the ultimate in luxury the four-bedroom Penthouse Suite boasting spacious lounges, dining room, kitchen and a private terrace. All suites and Executive Rooms have exclusive access to the Executive Lounge with complimentary food and beverages served throughout the day.


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February 13
5:13 a.m. Motor vehicle accident on Clark Road
2:24 p.m. Harassment on Long Pond Road
4:15 p.m. Fraud on Long Pond Road
February 15
7:48 a.m. Motor vehicle accident on Route 3
2:47 p.m. Fraud on Pinehills Drive
3:17 p.m. Suspicious activity on Beach Street
4:45 p.m. Fraud on Long Pond Road
5:34 p.m. Threats on Taylor Avenue
6:38 p.m. Police with ambulance on Shore Drive
A woman, 60, reportedly overdosed at her home. Police described her as conscious, but "out of it." She was given a dose of Narcan and taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth. According to police, she has a history of heroin use. The incident was called in by her mother.


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PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – Great employers need great talent all year long, and while your competition surfs and eats hot dogs this Memorial Day, you can get prepared and positioned for a job.
The Career Engineer Francina Harrison shared some summer job search tips to close the deal:
*BBQ Networking 101: Breaking bread with family, friend and vetted peers. Let them know you're in the market.
*The Career Engineer Tip: Keep the smartphone with resume or USB drive handy/or resume/business cards in the car
*Myth: No one hires in the summer – Totally NOT TRUE! Use this mythical downtime to get prepared, networked, interviewed and hired.
*Getting interviews but not offers: Revisit your SALES closing techniques. Demonstration and declaration are the secret weapon to interviewing.
*While you are waiting: Volunteer, de-clutter, engage & REALationship network. Don't let the NOs reduce your value.
(Tips provided by The Career Engineer)
The Career Engineer
Francina Harrison


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Indian B-schools see a 40% increase in applications
Candidates appearing for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) are increasingly applying to Indian business schools. Bhavya Dore reports.mumbai Updated: Feb 23, 2013 02:31 IST
Candidates appearing for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) are increasingly applying to Indian business schools. In 2012, 24,877 GMAT scores were sent to Indian B-schools, a 40% increase compared to 2008, when 17,760 scores were sent. Sending a score is equivalent to sending an application.
The US is still the number one destination but the proportion of scores sent to business schools there fell from 64% to 51%. India, which has increased its share from 14% in 2008 to 18% in 2012, is in the second position.
Most of this growth is driven by Indian test takers. The number of GMAT candidates from India has grown by 41%, with 30,213 Indian citizens having taken the test in 2012, up from 21,481 citizens in 2007.
"More Indians are looking to study in India with more job opportunities and more Indian schools accepting the GMAT score," said Michelle Sparkman-Renz, senior market analyst at Graduate Management Admission Council, which conducts the test.
More than 180 programmes and 82 business schools in the country accept GMAT scores. The top five destinations for business school applicants from India in 2012 were the same as in 2008, with US schools however losing some share.


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Precision Components
Product Announcement from CGI, Inc.
Since 1967, CGI has consistently been providing for its customers exceptional craftsmanship and outstanding customer service. This unwavering commitment is what makes CGI the reliable choice for precision components and sub-assemblies.
Our capabilities in precision manufacturing feature a careful blend of cutting edge technology and renowned reliability.Yet, perhaps most important is our commitment to providing your design and engineering team with a seamless connection to our manufacturing capabilities.
We are able to provide our customers with an engineering team that is talented, knowledgeable and eager to help. We can work with your concept from the prototype stage all the way through to full production.
With CGI you can count on us to provide the highest levels of manufacturing capability and expertise while delivering it with the customer service you deserve. Our goal is to be the most trusted partner in your supply chain.
CGI continues in its commitment to provide the latest technology with innovative new products and with ongoing investments in millions of dollars in state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment.
Our manufacturing facility is broad in its capabilities and features high end machinery aimed at providing excellent quality and rapid turnaround. Because of the technology we have available, we're able to work you in product development from blueprint to prototype to full cycle production.
CGI's Engineering, Manufacturing and Quality departments employ the latest systems available, such as Solidworks with FE analysis, AutoCad, CAD/CAM, Visual Manufacturing with ERP inventory management and CMM technology. We continually strive to improve standard products as well as minimize the time from the design stage to completion of your new and custom products.
|More Info


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Might Savita Halappanavar have survived had she live in Northern Ireland
The Republic of Ireland's 'world-class' hospital care failed Savita Halappanavar. But would the outcome have been different north of the border, asks Michael Wolsey
When Savita Halappanavar and her husband, Praveen, walked through the doors of Galway's University Hospital they strayed into a territory where the borders are unknown and there are no written rules – a territory defined by Ireland's non-existent abortion laws.
Ms Halappanavar was in the 18th week of pregnancy and, it soon became clear, in trouble. Her baby was unlikely to be born alive and had no chance of survival if it was. To Ms Halappanavar, a Hindu, this was a tragedy best mitigated by abortion.
She found it extremely upsetting to be carrying a baby who could never live. But the Republic's legal code does not permit abortion, unless there is a substantial threat to the life of the mother.
By the time such a threat was recognised, it was too late. Ms Halappanavar died an agonising death from septic shock and acute respiratory illness.
Praveen Halappanavar's distress at the death of his wife has been compounded by his difficulty in understanding the rules which governed her treatment.
Why did Savita have to carry a child who couldn't live? Why did she have to wait until her own life was endangered to receive a termination that might have saved her?
Mr Halappanavar is not alone in asking these questions. They are being asked by a great many people in the Republic as they listen to disturbing evidence from the inquest into Ms Halappanavar's death. They should also be asked in Northern Ireland, where our approach to abortion is not so very different from the Republic's.
If Ms Halappanavar had gone to a hospital in, say, Derry, instead of Galway, would the outcome have been any different? The answer, like everything to do with abortion on this island, is unclear.
The Halappanavar inquest has undermined one of the arguments frequently used by those opposed to the introduction of abortion legislation in the Republic.
Ireland's maternity hospitals are among the best and safest in the world, they say, therefore there is no need for legislation to underpin the constitutional position that abortion is permissible when there is a substantial threat to the life of the mother.
Doctors, they argue, will always act to save the mother's life and, if the foetus dies as a consequence, so be it. Such practice squares with the teaching of the Catholic Church and, as a Galway midwife told Ms Halappanavar, Ireland is a Catholic country.
Opponents of legislation argue that those who favour it want to open the door for abortion on demand.
The inquest has demolished this argument.
The Republic may, indeed, have some of the world's best maternity hospitals and health staff, but they failed Savita Halappanavar.
The coroner has pointed to "system failures" at the hospital, which began on October 21 when Ms Halappanavar sought treatment for severe back pain.
She was seen by a senior house officer, given paracetamol and told she could go home.
When she came back the "system failures" included failure to recognise that severe shivering was caused by more than the cold and failure to act on the discovery of a "foul-smelling discharge".
Had it not been for these "system failures" Ms Halappanavar might have been diagnosed as needing an abortion to save her life. Or maybe not.
A foetal heartbeat was still detected, so the decision on whether there was a serious threat to the life of Ms Halappanavar would have been left to a doctor or doctors, as indeed it would have been in Northern Ireland.
In 2007, the UN Committee on Human Rights criticised Ireland's failure to clarify its abortion laws. In response the Irish government said that, although legal in the Republic, no statistics were available on the number of abortions taking place.
No statistics are available because no one cares to ask.
Abortions are recorded as some other medical procedure necessary to save the mother's life.
They are lawful, but no one knows who is carrying them out, how many are performed, or which hospitals are performing them.
Northern Ireland has a law on its statute books permitting abortion in limited circumstances, but otherwise the situation is not very different.
Many procedures conducted to save the life of a mother are not listed as abortions.
Our Department of Health, whose minister, Edwin Poots, opposes liberalisation of the law, does not record reasons for the abortions that are listed.
Anecdotal evidence suggests some of these abortions are for reasons of foetal abnormality, which would make them illegal.
On the other hand, many of the women who go to England for an abortion are motivated by extreme mental pressure, which might possibly have justified a legal abortion in Northern Ireland.
Might? Possibly? We are back in that territory where nothing is clear – except that women are not trusted with decisions about their own bodies.
The Irish government has promised to introduce limited abortion legislation this year.
It will, in effect, put the Republic's abortion laws on the same basis as those in Northern Ireland.
So obfuscation will rule throughout the island, women like Ms Halappanavar will still be forced to carry babies that cannot live and their own lives will depend on which clinic they attend and which doctor they see.
Belfast Telegraph


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Archive for December, 2012
Mastery for New Years?
In the Thanksgiving and Christmas posts I focused on optimism and mindfulness. For New Years I want to focus on the complementary concept of mastery. Together they operate like a "three legged stool" and can provide a balanced approach to almost any challenge.
Benny Goodman (1909-1986) was one of the all-time great clarinet players. He was also a leader in the emergence of jazz as a respected and mainstream art form. Beyond that he integrated his band in the 1930s more than 10 years before institutions like professional baseball or the U.S. military were integrated. Underneath all of this innovation and personal excellence was an obsessive devotion to practicing the fundamentals of the clarinet. In fact, during the 1950s at the height of his fame, Goodman started taking lessons again to improve elements of his playing so he could master classical music as well as jazz. How many of us who are really skilled and famous at something would seek out a teacher or coach to branch out and get better in middle age? One overriding lesson in all of this is that Goodman's mastery of and focus on the basics served as a platform for him to break new ground and take chances in multiple arenas.
The clip below shows Goodman and his band playing "Sing, Sing, Sing" in the late 1930s as part of the movie "Hollywood Hotel". Note how relaxed he and the band are. Note that he lets the great drummer Gene Krupa and trumpet player Harry James get plenty of attention. At the end of the clip he is playing with the equally gifted Lionel Hampton and Teddy Wilson who were black which would have been inconceivable pre-Goodman.
click here for video
Are there larger lessons from Benny Goodman? It seems to me that we have entered into a world of mindless standardization and metrics that inhibit change in the name of stability and predictability. Our ability to measure all sorts of things that might be called outcomes and then manage the world in an effort to get more of the "desired" outcomes in a sort of linear way has never been greater. However, life is unpredictable and perhaps what is missing in all of these metrics is the recognition that improvisation and novel solutions are what move our messy world forward. So, do we mindlessly focus on metrics or do we use metrics as a way to ensure we have mastered the fundamentals of whatever we are doing? We can then use our mastery as a platform to innovate and take chances like Goodman did.
Perhaps the best example of metrics gone bad comes from the Vietnam War when things like body counts were used by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara as a substitute for insight about the nature of the war. If you want to see a chilling example of a leader who does not understand the importance of culture and the non-rational elements of life, the documentary film "Fog of War" by Errol Morris is an extended interview with McNamara at the end of his life. He went to his grave not getting it and thinking that everything could be subject to metric driven analysis and decision making.
On the flip side is the W.L. Gore Company that makes Gore-Tex and other interesting products. Gore has rejected the top-down metric driven world view and things like economies of scale. Instead they focus on a few key values and trust their employees to move the company forward. They keep their work units small (less than 200 people) and intimate on purpose. One size rarely fits all and this idea is now getting more play by the people who study long term organizational success. Mindless adoption of best practices merely accelerates the arrival organizational monocultures and dogma that limit our ability to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. In medicine many of the key guidelines and best practices I learned in the 1980s and 90s have been turned on their head. Best practices are only best for now.
What would Benny say? The clip below is from an interview Goodman did late in life with Diane Sawyer……my take on what he said is that it is all about mastering the fundamentals to do unique and challenging things. Being a slave to metrics and standardization are easy and tempting ways to limit your ability or the ability of your organization to move forward. The next time you hear someone tell you they are managing to metrics, ask them what they might be missing!
click here for video
Indoor Exercise: Tips for the New Year!
This is the time of year where people in colder climates do more indoor exercise. People also make New Year's resolutions to get in shape. Some serious athletes use indoor training year round because it is possible to better control the exercise intensity and the overall effort of the training session on a treadmill or bicycle ergometer. All of this is easier now than it was 20-30 years ago before the widespread availability of well-equipped fitness centers.
However, indoor exercise can be boring and it is easy to lose fitness this time of the year. Getting to the gym can be a hassle and short days along with the urge to sort of hibernate during the winter can make finding time to train a bit harder. So the question is how to get the most bang for your training buck until it gets warmer and the days get longer?
One thing I do is interval train on the Treadmill 2-3 times per week. I start slowly about 6.1 miles per hour (mph) and then use a saw tooth pattern of increasing speed. I go up 0.5 mph on the even numbered minutes and down 0.2 mph on the odd numbered minutes. After about 10 minutes I get to a pace of around 7.7 mph and then do 10 repeats of 1 min at 7.7 mph followed by two minutes of running in the 8.5-9.5 mph range. The goal is for each of the two minute repeats to be at a faster speed. In interval training lingo that is known as "descending" the workout. A Lot of times I increase my pace by 0.1 mph every 10 breaths, so I pick it up during the fast part of the cycle. Counting your breaths is also a good way to learn to relax while you are running fast. Using this pattern, the first mile is almost exactly 9 minutes and then I try to do a bit over 4 miles in the next 31 minutes. The total session takes 40 minutes.
Along these lines there is an excellent recent paper from colleagues in Denmark on the efficacy and efficiency of this type of training strategy. They asked moderately fit people in their 30s who had been running about 15-20 miles per week to either keep doing more or less the same thing or do three sessions a week of interval training for seven weeks. The intervals consisted of three or four 5 minute intervals with two minutes of jogging in between. However, during the fast part of the intervals low-, moderate-, and high-speed running (<30%, <60%, and >90% of max) for 30, 20, and 10 seconds was used each minute. This is pretty complicated to describe but the figure below shows a typical heart rate pattern for such a training session. The heart rate shown with dashed lines is higher during 5 minute intervals and lower during the recovery period than during a steady state training session shown with the solid line. The slight variations in heart rate during the intervals are due to the 30-20-10 changes in running speed.
Key findings included:
- The interval training group reduced training volume by 54% (14 vs. 30 km/wk about 9 vs 18 miles/wk) while CON continued the normal training.
- After seven weeks VO2max (a key marker of fitness), and performance in a 1,500-m and a 5-km run improved by 21 and 48 s, respectively.
- Blood pressure and cholesterol values also improved more in the interval training group.
The authors concluded that:
"The present study shows that interval training with short 10-s near-maximal bouts can improve performance and V̇O2max despite a ∼50% reduction in training volume. In addition, the interval training regime lowers resting systolic blood pressure and blood cholesterol, suggesting a beneficial effect on the health profile of already trained individuals."
Relatively brief but high intensity interval training is a great way to maintain and even improve your fitness in the winter. For people with competitive goals it means that you will be ready for more and harder training as the days get longer and warmer and you head outside in March or April. There is also a growing body data about the value of higher intensity exercise for people of every ability level and age group. A New Year's resolution that includes interval training might be a good way to start.
Mindfulness for Christmas?
In my post around Thanksgiving I made the case for optimism as a justifiable approach to the world. The general idea is that many things have gotten better and many seemingly unsolvable problems have been addressed in the last 40 or so years. Part or my motivation was reminding people that life goes on and things frequently get better no matter how crazy the world seems at any given moment. In the past few weeks a number of things have led me to think that optimism and something called mindfulness go hand in hand.
First, what is mindfulness? One way to look at it is just simply paying attention or being more engaged in what you are actually doing. In other words stop distracting yourself. Tough to do in a world full of electronic and other goodies and interruptions. Based on personal experience and chatting with others, I think a major reason people who are committed exercisers stay with it is because their exercise time is something they "own" and includes a chance to focus and get into what is usually called the "zone". The elite athletes do it and so can you. When it happens you too can be a religious mystic………
Below is a little brain candy about mindfulness that you can give yourself for Christmas:
- Here is a link to an interesting article on mindfulness and the need to sometimes let things percolate. There is a saying in medicine "don't just do something stand there!" Wise advice to consider before you push the overreact button, or respond too quickly to an irritating e-mail. There is no retrieve button, and part of life is learning what to ignore.
- The book "Finding Flow" has a number of ideas about how to get more "Flow" into your life. From what I can tell flow, mindfulness and the zone are different names for the same thing. A quick summary might be the internal satisfaction associated with engagement in a challenging activity and doing it well for its own sake independent of an external outcome. Not too different from the definition of success and other ideas promulgated by legendary basketball coach John Wooden. Wooden learned in his early 50s that shorter practices devoted almost exclusively to a limited number of fundamentals and simple plays paradoxically made his teams better. At the same time he stopped scouting the other team preferring instead to devote his energy (and the energy of his team) to what they had total control over…….their focus, effort and execution. Coach Wooden had learned to ignore or maybe how to focus by ignoring.
- There are some good resources about how to use what might be called micro breaks to do a little deep breathing and refocus throughout the day. My colleague and collaborator John Schmidt, a psychologist at the University of Pittsburgh, has used these techniques to help people with chronic pain move forward and get more out of life. John tells me they can work for us all and he recommends the short book "Wherever You Go, There You Are". Here is a handout he uses with his patients.
- In some of my posts around the Olympics I highlighted what the great coaches know and how they help the athletes they supervise "relax and win". In other words put forth seemingly super human efforts effortlessly. These very same approaches can help us all.
- My friend Terry Laughlin, who is one of the great coaches, has two interesting recent posts on his blog. One is related to mindfulness, adult learning and successful aging. Terry started off many years ago trying to help people swim faster and now he helps them understand that the fastest swimmers swim slower (fewer strokes to cross the pool) using less force. His second post is about how a video of one of his disciples became the most watched swimming video ever. In e-mail conversations with Terry he has taught me that to streamline your swimming stroke you must first streamline your mind (just like Coach Wooden streamlined his approach). Perhaps there is a more general principle here to streamline your life……your organization……your whatever, perhaps you must first streamline your own mind.
So maybe give yourself the gift of mindfulness this Christmas. And remember the words of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry who wrote the "Little Prince" and was also a pioneering aviator. His advice below might seem counter-intuitive, but less truly is frequently more and the examples highlighted above are just a few that prove the point. Enjoy the process of streamlining your mind in 2013.
"…perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away…"
On Killing
The massacre of first graders in Newtown, Connecticut along with other recent mass shootings is going to re-start the discussion on gun-control and violence in the United States. When people ask me what I think about these topics, I tell them to read the books by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, who is both a paratrooper and Ph.D. psychologist and wrote the classic book "On Killing" in the 1990s. Grossman essentially predicted and explained how and why these tragedies happen. Grossman also has a website on "killology" that offers resources to prevent and deal with these catastrophes. Here are some caveats I have gleaned from following Professor Grossman's work over the years.
- Many of us are far removed from death and killing by modern society. We have never killed anything, butchered the meat we eat, seen a person die either slowly at the end of life or violently in an accident or conflict.
- Without direct experience what we know about death and violence comes to us indirectly via the media. So we experience a false version of violence via cartoons, in action movies or video games for example. Whatever the source, it is a caricature of real violence and death. This experience of pseudoviolence also sends us messages about the role of violence in problem solving (e.g. kill the bad guys) and personal empowerment.
- Most humans are extremely reluctant to kill and have to be trained or desensitized to do it. Grossman sees parallels between video games and techniques used to train soldiers to kill in combat. These are classic psychological conditioning paradigms designed to reward a specific behavior and overcome inhibitions.
When you add all of the above together and put real firepower – assault weapons, high capacity ammo clips, and specific types of bullets — in the hands of an unbalanced person you can get a volatile mix that ends in tragedy. Here is a link with statistics on the larger issue of gun deaths in the United States. Gun deaths are almost as common as traffic fatalities. Clearly we should be able to come up with laws and regulations that protect the rights of hunters and sportsman but at the same time limit gun violence and gun deaths in the U.S. Through regulation we have reduced yearly traffic deaths by about 40% and deaths per passenger mile driven by about 90% since WW II. With a little common sense and we could probably do the same for gun deaths in the U.S. in a way that protects the rights of responsible citizens to own weapons. Whatever you think about gun control, the work of Dave Grossman offers real insight into the magnitude and many facets of the problem exemplified by Newtown. I urge you to read his work so you can contribute to the discussion in a thoughtful way.
Gridlock vs. Brainlock in Washington?
Why there is so much political gridlock in Washington related to the country's finances?
It is pretty clear that there are plenty of policy solutions out there. Here is information from the Peter G. Peterson Foundation Solutions Initiative. This comes from a program in 2011 that asked six think tanks across the political spectrum to suggest approaches to the long term financial challenges facing the United States. So, the first thing everyone needs to recognize is that there are plenty of ideas out there.
Then why are our political leaders having so much trouble finding middle ground, compromising and "cutting a deal"? The standard arguments go something like this:
- The country is more polarized than ever so there is little middle ground.
- There are not enough moderates in either party who can cross party lines to make a deal happen.
- There is a media echo chamber so that each side has their position constantly reinforced.
- The current political leaders lack the political and negotiating skills that were once common in Washington that made deals possible.
I have another take and it comes from brain scanning studies and what parts of the brain are activated in people who are interested in politics. A technique called functional MRI is used in these studies. Here is a summary of the results from one such study:
"Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we scanned individuals (either interested or uninterested in politics based on a self-report questionnaire) while they were expressing their agreement or disagreement with political opinions….Behavioral results showed that those political opinions participants agreed with were perceived as more emotionally intense and more positive by individuals interested in politics relative to individuals uninterested in politics. In addition, individuals interested in politics showed greater activation in the amygdala and the ventral striatum (ventral putamen) relative to individuals uninterested in politics when reading political opinions in accordance with their own views. This study shows that having an interest in politics elicits activations in emotion- and reward-related brain areas even when simply agreeing with written political opinions."
The take home message for the authors was that:
"…..increased amygdala activity in individuals interested in politics for political opinions in accordance with their views may be related to an increased emotional intensity associated with the sense of belonging to a social group and/or the importance of their beliefs to constructing a positive sense of self."
If you think about these results and the explanation above, perhaps they explain why it is so hard to compromise and negotiate. Activation of emotional parts of the brain might make it hard to get past your own world view. There are other interesting findings about how brain structure differs in conservative vs. liberals and how they process political information differently.
Finally, motivated reasoning is a term used to describe biased information processing when people have an emotional stake in the outcome. It is interesting to note that there is also brain imaging evidence to suggest that political thinking activates specific areas of the brain involved in motivated reasoning distinct from the areas involved in cold or unbiased reasoning.
Based on the ideas presented above it seems to me the issue in Washington is Brainlock and not Gridlock. I wonder if there are training programs or other techniques that politicians and pundits on both sides could use to increase their mental flexibility.
Progress Against Obesity?
The obesity epidemic and what to do about it has been a major focus of this blog. Plug in OBESTIY to the key word search tool and a large number of links show up on many elements of the obesity problem. Except for the ideas that exercise can modulate the negative health consequences of obesity, limit the impact of obesogenic genes, and play a key role in helping real biggest losers, there is not a lot of good news on the obesity front.
However, there were reports earlier this week that childhood obesity is dropping in some cities in response to comprehensive nutrition and physical activity programs. Here is a link to a longer report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The report concludes:
"Growing evidence suggests that strong, far-reaching changes—those that make healthy foods available in schools and communities and integrate physical activity into people's daily lives—are working to reduce childhood obesity rates. More efforts are needed to implement these types of sweeping changes nationwide and to address the health disparities gap that exists among underserved communities and populations."
There are also new ideas about how social media might be able to help fight childhood obesity. This is an important idea because evidence from the Framingham Study shows that weight gain in our friends is a critical risk factor for weight gain in us! They followed social connections between and among about 12,000 people for over 30 years and found that:
"Discernible clusters of obese persons (BMI>30) were present in the network at all time points, and the clusters extended to three degrees of separation. These clusters did not appear to be solely attributable to the selective formation of social ties among obese persons. A person's chances of becoming obese increased by 57% if he or she had a friend who became obese in a given interval."
The idea is that the same social forces that make obesity "contagious" might also be used to make healthy choices and behaviors contagious. There is also increasing evidence that food pricing strategies (e.g. sugar and fat taxes) will work to improve nutrition and combat obesity especially in low socio-economic groups. This is important because these groups have been relatively resistant to other public health efforts directed at obesity.
When you look at the data and ideas described above and discussed previously, it seems to me we need to do the following to turn the obesity epidemic around:
- Adopt the strategies outlined in the Robert Wood Johnson Report nationally. Like smoking, if we stop obesity early in life it will pay off in middle age.
- Develop comprehensive programs to promote physical activity. Some of this is about urging people to exercise more. Some of this is about urban design and planning to make the world friendlier to physical activity. Most of us live in places that are car friendly but not walking or biking friendly. This is critical because weight loss is hard and physical activity can prevent weight gain, help with weight loss, and blunt the negative health consequences of obesity.
- Increased public education programs.
- Interventions that increase the cost and/or reduce the portion size of obesogenic foods like sweetened beverages. This would include so-called sin taxes.
- Use social networking tools to define what is normal and reduce the "contagious" elements of obesity. They could also be used to increase the contagious elements of fitness and normal body weights.
Summary: the news on obesity is not all bad and strategies that work are beginning to emerge. If they are applied widely over the next 20 or 30 years perhaps the obesity epidemic can be stopped. It is a matter of both our individual and collective cultural will power.
Creativity and Longevity?
The recent deaths of the legendary jazz musician Dave Brubeck just short of his 92nd birthday, and the great Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer at 104 got me thinking about the relationship between creativity and longevity. These men were among the most creative people of the last 100 years and they remained productive and engaged into old age. Was there a connection?
In a U.S. Veterans administration study on personality traits, aging and mortality in 1349 men, a 1 standard deviation increase in markers of creativity was associated with a 12% reduction in mortality risk. The figure below is from a study on personality traits and all-cause mortality in the Edinburgh Artery Study which included 1035 subjects in their 60s or older who took a personality survey in the middle 1990s. It shows that the subjects who scored highest on markers of openness to new experiences, which is one element of creativity, had much higher survival rates than people who scored lower.
The authors of conclude:
"During follow-up, 242 (37.1%) men and 165 (24.6%) women died. For the whole sample, there was a 28% lower rate of all-cause mortality for each 1 standard deviation increase in openness and an 18% lower rate of all-cause mortality for each 1 standard deviation increase in conscientiousness. In men, the risk of all-cause mortality was 0.63 for a 1 standard deviation increase in openness and 0.75 for a 1 standard deviation increase in conscientiousness. In women, none of the personality domains were significantly associated with all-cause mortality. Well fitting structural equation models in men (n = 652) showed that the relationships between conscientiousness and openness and all-cause mortality were not substantially explained by smoking, or other variables in the models."
These observations are certainly consistent with life stories of Brubeck and Niemeyer. It is also interesting to note that the protective effects of openness and creativity seem to be more pronounced in men. They also seem to interact with conscientiousness which can be seen as an ability to take good care of yourself by paying attention to your health. As more research on personality and healthy aging emerges it will be interesting to see if these divergent results for men and women are confirmed. It will also be interesting to learn if we can train people to be more open and creative to promote healthy aging. Last week I reviewed the data on what happens when elite endurance athletes remain highly active into their 80s, and in earlier posts I have reviewed the positive effects of physical activity and exercise on longevity. Maybe fitness and exercise interact with openness and creativity because older fit people are able to try new things and live in what might described as a bigger and more stimulating world.
Enjoy the classic video clip below from the 1960s showing the Brubeck and band playing his signature composition "Take Five". Brubeck is on piano and Paul Desmond is playing the sax.
click here if needed for video
Health Care Costs and Physical Activity
Today's post is brief and shows data on health care costs and physical activity in Medicare patients from about 10 years ago.
The figure shows average annual total health care costs for adults over age 65 who had either worked for General Motors or were spouses of former GM employees. The subgroups in the figure are based on body mass index (a marker of obesity) and also those who were inactive (0/wk), active 1-3 times per week and active more than 4 times per week. Over 40,000 people were involved in the study. For each body mass index subgroup, health care costs were lower and there seemed to be a dose response effect. In other words the most active people had lower costs than the moderately active people who had lower costs than the least active people.
While this data is interesting and certainly suggests that more activity equals lower health care costs, there are limitations. For example, perhaps the most active people were simply healthier to begin with and as a result could be more active. In future posts I will explore what is known about the effects of interventions that promote physical activity on overall population health and also health care spending.
You are currently browsing the Human Limits blog archives for December, 2012.


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Tim Wilkin and Mike Jarboe were each given an imaginary $1,000 bankroll to spend as each sees fit during the Saratoga season.
Well, it's looking more and more like I am the Tampa Bay Devil Rays or the Pittsburgh Pirates of the picks box. The way some of these people are picking up here, they must be getting advice from Barry Bonds. Jarboe saw former Gov. George Pataki downstairs. I think he asked for his autograph. For Saturday, $20 win Oedipus O'Neal (4th), $40 win J'ray (8th) $20 straight exactas with Sabellina and Nedjma underneath; $40 win Octave (9th).
Saturday's bets: $120
Friday's results: Hit first race best bet on Al Basha but he only paid $3.00. Exacta didn't come in. Story of the meet for me.
Losses: $10
Bankroll: $454.10
Know how you feel when you've had a real beating at the track and go through your pockets later on and find an overlooked $10 bill? That's how I felt when an e-mailer pointed out I cheated myself out of 10 bucks in my bankroll. Bank error in my favor, like Monopoly. $10 exacta box, first race, Speedball Howie and Nerve. $20 win, Commandeered, second race, and $20 win on Beneath the Crown, third. $10 box, seventh, Nationbuilder/Dynaski, and $20 win and place, Latitude Forty, eighth.
Saturday's bets: $120
Friday's results: Al Basha had a rough trip, but still managed to get the job done at a stomach-churning 50 cents to the buck. Poker God got going too late to complete the exacta. Double clicked at a short $19.20, but at least it clicked.
Winnings: $26
Bankroll: $791.50


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The finalalert097a3.exe file you have requested: Tools and Utilities / Tools / Final Alert 0.97 alpha 3 - 1.01mb is not available. Perhaps try browsing all files for the game C&C: Red Alert 2 and upload any files you want to share or are missing. This is the only information we could locate:
New Features:- Compression for maps - Automatic map transfer for RA2 (in Internet and LAN games!) - Very good trigger and teamtype tuturials made by Thalassicus added - New RA2 specific triggers (thanks DeeZire for some) - Support for disab New Version of Final Alert 0.97 alpha 3! An editor.
We recommend you return to the download list and browse the links from there. If the problem persists, contact us with the details.