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We begin today with a satirical rant, which will, I promise, eventually wend its way around to some possibly useful advice.
Used stuff is gross. I mean think about it, someone else sat on my couch before I owned it. Someone else petted my dog before I adopted her. Someone else WORE my clothes. My cars were driven by another. Even my cloth napkin was pre-dabbed.
Therein lurks a very real threat to many a would-be frugal person: the fear of the used.
Sitting as I am at this very moment, in a deluge of used items, I contemplate this peril. Indeed, I'm perched on a used chair, at a used table, drinking from a used coffee mug, glancing over at a used high chair. A second-hand sideboard haunts the corner. Pre-owned baby toys are tangled in my feet (thanks to Babywoods' current interest in putting things on our feet). Used is the shirt I wear. Used, even, is my home.
What dangers might skulk in this entirely used ephemera?
A Brief Quiz
We will now enjoy a short quiz to ascertain our threat level vis-à-vis used items.
1) Have you ever eaten a meal at a restaurant?
- a. Yes
- b. No
- c. Unsure
- d. All of the above
2) Have you ever tried on clothes at a store?
- a. Of course
- b. No, I don't believe in clothes
- c. Yes, but I didn't let them touch my skin
- d. No, I am afraid of dressing rooms (confined space, questionable locks, mirrors everywhere)
3) Have you ever stayed in a hotel?
- a. Most definitely
- b. Do motels count? (yes)
- c. I'd rather not say
- d. I'd rather camp in my car
If you answered A to any, or all, of these questions, now would be a good time to panic. For you, my friend, have touched used objects. The fork you naively fondle in a restaurant has graced the mouths of hundreds–perhaps thousands depending on how popular the restaurant is/if you live somewhere more densely populated than my town of 700 people–of others. Some of whom don't brush their teeth. Or who possibly have beards.
That hotel bed you fling your coach class-weary body onto? A multitude of humanity has flung before you.
I alert you to these scenarios not to alarm you, but to pre-arm you. Touching used can be prevented: it's up to you. I recommend taking all of your own utensils, not to mention a water glass, plate, soup bowl (if you're a soup orderer), and also napkin to your next dining experience. As for the hotel situation, it's not too much of a hassle to BYO mattress. Pretty sure Jet Blue will let you do it as a carry-on. Simply roll the mattress à la a log and explain to wary airport personnel that it's a medical device.
Other People: They Are Used Too
Alas, despite our afore-outlined measures to ward off touching things previously touched by other humans, we will find ourselves periodically required to touch other humans. Problematic for many reasons.
We can work to establish the wave as an appropriate greeting and do away with handshakes, hugs, kisses and other undesirable contact points (pats on the shoulder!). I've enacted "how to wave 101" with Babywoods, so the next generation will be indoctrinated. But until the wave is more permanently enshrined, we may be subjected to occasional skin contact.
Real Talk (aka here stops the satire)
As if we weren't phobic enough about the germ prospect, some folks feel shame over procuring used paraphernalia. To which I ask, what is there to be embarrassed about? Not sure why it's more socially acceptable to have debt and new stuff as opposed to savings and used stuff. And if you'd rather people didn't know you sport an entirely used entourage, the solution is simple: don't tell the whole internet like I do. In fact, you don't have to tell a single person. It's not like anyone is going to require you to produce a receipt for your coffee table. If they do, methinks you have bigger problems.
Soap and water are also efficacious partners in the pursuit of used. I wash all of my used clothing in hot water before donning it for the first time, which alleviates any lingering concerns about the purity of the garb in question. If you're curious how I maintain our clothes such that we don't need to buy them very often, you might like: Clothing Care For People Who Don't Buy Clothes. As for other objects, they too are often washable–especially if they're for babies. Everything for babies is designed as washable. So wash away.
Furthermore, I'll capitulate that there are potential pitfalls to sourcing used. However, these pitfalls are easily avoided by employing a remarkable tactic: common sense. Think of this as the Occam's Razor of frugality: if something looks gross, it probably is gross. This approach has served me well in many an encounter with the outside world. Except in the case of dried prunes. Look gross, are actually delicious.
Additionally there are several levels, and origins, of used items and I do recommend applying one's five senses to assessment of potential goods for one's home/self. Although now that I think of it, taste is not relevant unless you're a baby and feel the need to gum everything. Including mommy's toes. Also, not sure what we're listening for. Ok, just three senses: sight, smell, and touch (I recommend going in that order).
Ways To Obtain Used Stuff
1) Free Stuff On the Side Of The Road (aka hardcore frugal)
This is by far my favorite means of stuff appropriation for three reasons: 1) it's free; 2) you're recycling items that would otherwise clog a landfill; 3) there are few experiences in this world a frugal weirdo loves more than receiving a compliment on a material possession and responding, "Why thank you, I found it in the trash." This makes our day.
However, this is also the method of procurement that requires the highest application of discernment. One must exercise constant common sense. First rule: see something, say something. This is relevant if you are not the one driving the stuff-toting vehicle. Mr. FW is forever on my case for not delivering adequate notice with regards to an object on the roadside. Many a U-turn is performed. But once you identify a found object, what's worth saving from certain garbage fate?
I don't advocate taking every single free item plunked on the roadside. Nay, fair reader. Because some of it is nasty. As a general rule, I am not inclined towards fabric items left on the roadside: couches, armchairs, beds, chaise lounges, as I fear rain, bugs, dogs, detritus are all possibilities. I have, however, found stellar clothes on the side of the road. I am more inclined towards roadside clothes because they are easily assessed: I can pick up a shirt (such as the one I'm wearing in the above photo) with the merest of pinchy-fingers and peruse it for bugs or bizarre odors. Finding neither, I'll take it. Finding either, I'll leave it.
Here is a short–and certainly not exhaustive–list of roadside items that adorn our abode: Babywoods' dresser, my winter coat, the nicest shirt Mr. FW owns, Babywoods' exersaucer, coffee mugs, wine glasses, our apple peeler/corer, a fondue pot, lots of other stuff I've forgotten about, but will surely recall if you compliment me on it. Want to trash hunt like the pros? Here you go.
2) Hand-me-downs
Another excellent free avenue, hand-me-downs promote a virtuous cycle of reusing and neighborly cooperation. Short-term use items–such as baby clothes and moving boxes–are ideally suited to hand-me-down life. We also have hand-me-down quilts from my family, furniture, clothes, and more. Let it be known you're a taker of hand-me-downs and suddenly, thoughtful items will find their way to you. We've accepted hand-me-downs from family, friends, co-workers, and yes, random individuals we met on the internet.
3) The Buy Nothing Project
A frequent recipient of praise from me, the Buy Nothing Project harmoniously aligns the ethos of local community, reusing, anti-consumerism, and kind heartedness. It's an international organization with local branches that facilitate giving away items to one's neighbors, all via Facebook groups. Check here to see if there's a Buy Nothing branch in your area. If there's not, consider starting your own.
4) A Used Store (aka Goodwill or a Thrift Shop)
This is not as cool because the stuff is not free, but it is a fraction of the cost of new items. I primarily purchase clothing from thrift stores as their furniture and housewares are generally either: 1) in terrible condition, or, 2) overpriced.
There are levels of thrift store: at the bottom is your Goodwill, which I find most applicable for Mr. FW's outdoor work shirts and other utilitarian garb. Also, costumes. I personally haven't ever found gorgeous clothes at Goodwill, but this is really quite dependent upon your local Goodwill. Utilize your senses to determine the cleanliness/desirability of the clothes you view. This is a simple test folks, you can handle it.
Next up is a thrift shop, which is typically smaller and slightly more curated than Goodwill. Commensurately, their prices are a tad higher, but usually still quite reasonable. Much of my closet stems from such a shop.
And finally, you have the premier top-shelf thrifting option: the consignment store. The consignment store must be carefully assessed for actual value. I have, personally, been to consignment stores with prices higher than I would ever spend on a new piece of wardrobe. Hence, don't assume that used is always cheaper.
Most of my fancy and/or festive sartorial effects are from a fabulous consignment store in the suburbs of Boston (Revolve for you locals) that strikes that chord between thrifty and fashionable. Their wares are not dirt cheap, but they're far more reasonable than new items. Plus, the quality is fabulous. If you ever see me wearing J Crew, Banana Republic or that ilk, be assured it came from this consignment store.
I did find, however, that I had to check prices like a greyhound with a magnifying glass. Once I experienced shortness of breath over a $40 price tag on a pair of jeans. In case you're wondering, buy jeans new from Kohl's for $20 instead. And don't tell me that Kohl's jeans don't last because, ladies, I've been wearing mine for years. Years. And don't tell me that Kohl's jeans aren't fashionable (see photo at right: shirt from the trash, jeans from the Kohl's). Or do. I don't actually care. Remember I'm the person who hasn't purchased any clothing in over 2.5 years. Want to up your thrifting game? My tips are all here.
5) Craigslist
We find Craigslist imminently useful when we're in search of specific high-ticket items. Most of our furniture found its way to us via Craigslist and, in my experience, it's valuable for locating precisely what you need at the higher end of the used market.
When we needed a kitchen table, for example, I searched for a specific size and style of table to meet our needs. Craigslist is also a source that I mine for fabric furniture and mattresses. Why? Because I have the opportunity to view the previous owners and their environment (aka their house).
In the case of our Craigslist couch and armchair, we purchased them from a lovely young couple in downtown Boston. Their apartment was spotless and it was clear this furniture lived in their living room–not stashed away in a spider-mottled garage.
Similarly, the bed we purchased used (mattress, box spring, and frame) came from a very friendly older couple who were downsizing–the bed had been their daughter's, but she'd gone off to college. Knowing the provenance of all used items is unnecessary, but for things like beds and couches, I enjoy meeting the previous owners. Our comprehensive Craigslist hacks are here.
6) Garage Sales and Flea Markets
I put garage sales and flea markets last only because they're extraordinarily hit or miss. And, unless in a fit of kismet you stumble upon a sale in progress, you must plan ahead and drive/commute to the sale. Mr. FW and I do attend garage sales with regularity, but we certainly don't find gems at every sale. Far too often, it's simply stuff we don't need.
But when the stars align, we walk away with three trash bags crammed with baby clothes for $10. Or a pair of winter boots for 5 bucks. With garage sales, flea markets, and Craigslist, I try to follow the bundle-and-sale route. I like to make a discounted offer on several items that I want (for example our couch and armchair), knowing my price cap ahead of time.
Haggling–politely, of course–in used sales is par for the course. The seller will expect you to do so, unless they've explicitly stated prices are firm in advance. Since garage sale operators are actively seeking to rid themselves of their stuff, I've never had anyone not accept my offer. They've gone through the trouble of hauling their old rakes, axes, and chains out of the barn–they're delighted for Mr. FW to cart them off for $15. Along with a baby hiking backpack that we bundled into the sale.
I frequently ask if folks are selling anything else. Often, they'll say, "oh yeah, since you were interested in this side table, you might also like this matching end table over here, which I meant to bring out to the sale." Happens to me all the time.
It's also true that Mr. FW and I enjoy the process of garage sale-ing, especially out here in rural Vermont. We make conversation with the sellers, learn their (always) interesting story, peruse their (always amusing, sometimes useful) stuff, and occasionally walk away with a few items we need. We view garage sale-ing as a sport–it's free entertainment for the whole family–so we're never disappointed if the goods don't quite pan out.
Get Over It
I once wrote that perfection is the enemy of frugality. While that is true, I find that perfection is actually the enemy of basically everything: personal contentment, parenting, dog care, washing dishes, harvesting apples, cooking, my hair, entertaining friends, and my overall enjoyment of life.
Finding pleasure in used items–which aren't perfect and aren't, uh, new–is an integral aspect of a happy frugal life. You cannot beat the price of used (ok except for those Kohl's jeans… ) and you also can't beat the incredible feeling of community that sharing/bartering/handing-down fosters. Life's full of risks, but it's also full of minor miraculous moments–like when Babywoods needed a new carseat and our friend gave us the one her daughter had outgrown. Sometimes, you just have to get over it and get used.


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Talinda Bennington + Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda Appear in Suicide Prevention PSA
Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington's widow Talinda have both participated in a new PSA for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. The ad aired following the Sept. 26 premiere of A Million Little Things on ABC.
Talinda and Mike Shinoda lost Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington to suicide in 2017. Both Chester's widow and the Linkin Park MC have dedicated their time to suicide prevention causes since Bennington's passing. Shinoda's debut solo album, Post Traumatic, dealt with the death of his Linkin Park bandmate directly through tracks like "Crossing a Line."
A Million Little Things actor James Roday starts the PSA with, "We lost our fictional friend to suicide," referencing a plot point in the show's pilot episode. "And we lost our very real friend," continues Shinoda.
Talinda Bennington speaks next, adding, "Over a million people have thoughts of suicide each year" and "Know the signs of emotional suffering." According to the CDC in 2015, 9.3 million American adults experience suicidal thoughts each year, while the National Institute of Mental Health reported numbers closer to 10 million in 2016. Either way, statistics from leading health organizations suggest a much higher rate than conveyed by the National Suicide Prevention Hotline's message.
The ABC series centers on a group of friends whose lives are changed when one of their own decides to take his own life, surprising all of those around him. The series stars Roday, David Giuntoli, Romany Malco, Ron Livingston, Stephanie Szostak, Allison Miller, Christina Marie Moses and Grace Park.
Watch the PSA above and if you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal thoughts, the 24-hour hotline can be reached at 1-800-273-8255.
Chester Bennington: A Photographic Look Back Through the Years
10 Unforgettable Chester Bennington Moments

subset: commoncrawl


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In this second installment in our series on leading women in cleantech and sustainability sectors, we offer up our top picks for the sustainability sector. Quite often this category is dominated by women working in Corporate Social Responsibility, as it's a sector where women have made great strides to gain leadership roles in the last few decades. However, for our series, we are saving those women of CSR for a later post. This let's us focus more on those women doing unique sustainability work that might otherwise not be noticed. Stay tuned for our Women of CSR post, it's not far behind!
1. Nikki Pava – Co-founder, Eco Tuesday & Founder of Alegria Partners
Nikki Pava is both the co-founder and president of EcoTuesday and part of the organization's Ambassador team in San Francisco. EcoTuesday is a renowned networking event for sustainable business professionals that takes place every fourth Tuesday of the month in cities across the US. The organization's 5-year anniversary celebration takes place on February 21st with special guest speaker Brian Black, president of the Sustainable Industries Magazine.
Most recently, Nikki launched Alegria Partners, an integrated marketing and sustainability consulting firm that helps to manage and grow businesses. Clients include Technology Forecasters, Blue Coat Systems, Maestro Conference and Greenopolis. As an independent consultant, Nikki has also worked in a strategic capacity with Williams-Sonoma on a project to decrease waste in their stores and played a key role in implementing Burning Man LLC's five-year sustainability plan. She also helped Morrison & Forester (one of the country's largest law firms) establish its Cleantech Practice Group. Nikki has an MBA in Sustainable Business from the Presidio School of Management and has worked in a strategic capacity with Fortune 500 companies, small- and medium-sized businesses, and non-profits to develop strategic plans and coordinate teams to reach specific and measurable goals.
Follow her on Twitter>>
2. Elizabeth Sturcken – Director of Corporate Partnerships, Environmental Defense Fund
Elizabeth Sturcken is the Managing Director of the Corporate Partnerships program at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). There she develops and implements joint projects with leading companies in order to create environmental change. Elizabeth currently works with Wal-Mart to create a broad environmental change in crucial areas of its business, including climate change, China, seafood, and packaging. Additionally, she has worked with FedEx to develop environmentally advanced heavy-duty delivery vehicles. With UPS she helped implement innovative changes in their express delivery packaging.
3. Karen Flanders – Senior North American Representative at Prince of Wales's Business and Sustainability Programme
Karen Flanders is a Senior North American Representative at Prince of Wales's Business and Sustainability Programme where she contributes to the organization's mission to draw on world-leading research and networks of Cambridge University to help business leaders address the critical global challenges they face today. Karen is also a Senior Associate (Fellow) with the University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership (CPSL). In her 20 years of experience working on the sustainability field, both domestically and internationally, Karen has become an important member of several major corporations, NGOs and intergovernmental organizations.
Prior to joining CPSL and working with PWBSP, Karen served for eight years as the director of sustainability for the Coca Cola Company. Prior to that, she lead the European and global advocacy campaigns for WWF for 12 years. She is also part of the board of the Women's Network for a Sustainable Future.
4. Bonnie Nixon – Executive Director, Sustainability Consortium
Formerly an executive with Hewlett Packard, Bonnie Nixon is known for her ability to inspire and serve as a catalyst for transformation in the field of sustainability and social and environmental responsibility. As Executive Director for The Sustainability Consortium (TSC), Bonnie is responsible for providing strategic direction and executing on the TSC's bold vision for independent global product standards. TSC works to help set the standards and develop transparent methodologies, tools and strategies that will drive a new generation of products and supply networks that address environmental, social and economic imperatives. Some of the Board of Directors representatives are companies and organizations of the caliber of Arizona State University, the University of Arkansas, The Walt Disney Company, Wal-Mart, PepsiCo, Proctor & Gamble, Dell and more.
With her more than 25 years of experience in social and environmental responsibility for large corporations, Bonnie serves on many multi-industry consortiums, including global retailers, footwear and apparel, toy, pharmaceutical, chemical, automotive, consumer goods and mining. She is also the Board Chair for Sustainable Silicon Valley and Board Member of Blue Planet Network.
5. Marianna Grossman – Executive Director, Sustainable Silicon Valley
Marianna Grossman leads Sustainable Silicon Valley, who's mission is to create a more sustainable future within the Valley by collaborating with local government agencies, businesses, and community organizations to identify and address the most pressing environmental issues of the area. Marianna's goal is to catalyze innovation and action to produce economic value, while at the same protecting the environment. She brings more than 25 years of business and leadership experience with knowledge of climate change, sustainable technologies, Total Quality Systems and transformation management. All of this aims to create value for clients across the different sectors of the industry, including the entrepreneurship, computer hardware and software, semiconductors, automotive, educational and civic organizations. Marianna has also both developed and led training courses from executive to individual contributors on four continents. She is an expert in increasing revenues while at the same time taking advantage of both new market opportunities and improved use of energy.
6. Diane MacEachern – Author, Big Green Purse
Diane MacEachern is the founder & CEO of Big Green Purse, the award-winning environment-focused website. She is also the author of the best-selling book Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World as well as Save Our Planet: 750 Everyday Ways You Can Clean Up The Earth. She's also a a regular commentator on Martha Stewart's Whole Living radio program.
In addition to writing, Diane is a founding member of Green Moms Carnival, one of the most reputed green lifestyle blogging networks on the web. During her career, her main focus has been to empower consumers – especially women – to use their marketplace clout to protect the environment. Due to her passion in these endeavors, Diane has garnered a series of awards and recognitions, including the Best Green Website of the year 2007, being the finalist in the Books for a Better Life award 2008, being featured in the Top 100 Environmentalist Blogs from Design Sprout and much more.
Follow her on twitter here>>
7. Nina Simons – Founder, Bioneers
Nina Simons is a social entrepreneur, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Bioneers, a national nonprofit that helps highlight, gather and disseminate breakthrough solutions to the most pressing environmental and social challenges. Nina's life and work have been shaped by her passion for the natural world, women's leadership, systems thinking, and the arts' capacity to shape culture and consciousness.
Throughout her career, Nina has served as president of Seeds of Change and as director of strategic marketing for Odwalla, being instrumental to the success of each of these companies nationwide. Since beginning Bioneers in 1990, she and her partner and husband Kenny Ausubel have collaborated to grow the organization and its influence. Bioneers now reaches many millions through its annual conferences, satellite conference partners, award-winning radio series, broadcast and print media, interactive website and book series.
Nina Simons has also been vital in restoring the "feminine" to a balanced place in our culture. In 2006, she began offering Cultivating Women's Leadership, a five-day intensive for diverse women with the passion and capacity to effect change in their communities. This intensive training emphasizes skillful collaboration across differences, and the creation of relationships and networks to cultivate leadership, build alliances and encourage mutual support.
Follow her on Twitter here>>
8. Pamela Gordon – Author, Lean and Green: Profit for Your Workplace and the Environment
Pamela J. Gordon is the President and Founder of Technology Forecasters Inc. (TFI), as well as being the Lead Consultant for TFI Supply Chain and TFI Environment. TFI is an organization that helps technology companies create more efficient supply chains while at the same time reducing their environmental impact. She specializes in sustainability and is a popular keynote speaker, having presented at high-tech conferences in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Before founding TFI, Ms. Gordon was a senior analyst at McGraw Hill's electronics industry market-research firm Gnostic Concepts Inc. She is also the author of the influential 2001 book, Lean and Green: Profit for Your Workplace and the Environment. It features 17 electronics companies from around the world and has been required reading at the University of California Haas School of Business.
On top of all of these achievements, Ms. Gordon has received the 2011 Sustainability Summit Community Award which was given in recognition of "the person who has most generously dedicated time and effort to support the development of a legacy of environmental stewardship in the [electronics] industry."
9. Astrid Lindo – Co-founder, The Living Seed Company
A native of Colombia and raised in Miami Beach, Astrid Lindo always lived close to the earth. This led her early on to understand modern human's disconnection with the natural world and contributed to her desire to found The Living Seed Company and inspire people to live more harmonious lives with their environments. The organization specializes in providing people with the best possible choices for food diversity.
With her formal training as an interior designer from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, she has also built a career as an ecological interior designer. Astrid holds a Certificate in Green Building and Permaculture, as well as an LEED accreditation. Her firm Astrid Design Studio supports more sustainable practices in the design field.
Follow her on Twitter here>>
10. Stacie Shepp – 2011 Executive Director, San Francisco Green Chamber of Commerce
In 2011, Stacie Shepp was the fearless leader the San Francisco Green Chamber of Commerce. The organization empowers businesses to achieve economic, environmental, and social sustainability. Members benefit from increased visibility, educational tools to improve operational performance, and extensive networking opportunities.
Stacie is also co-founder of Earthsite, a Digital Consultancy for Sustainable Brands that specializes in building web strategies, design and social media marketing campaigns that are sustainable and optimal. Stacie is a graduate of the Green MBA program at Dominican University of CA.
Article by Lisa Ann Pinkerton.
About the author:
Lisa Ann Pinkerton is founder of Women In Cleantech & Sustainability, a San Francisco Bay Area group dedicated to the advancement of women in various environmental and technology sectors. She is also Founder and President of Technica Communications, where she handles marketing and public relations strategies for cleantech and biotech companies. Lisa Ann is a former award-winning broadcast journalist who reported for National Public Radio, PBS Television, WPXI-NBC, American Public Media, and Free Speech TV.


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Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®
Busulfan injection is used in combination with cyclophosphamide as a conditioning regimen prior to allogeneic hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia.
Busulfan belongs to the group of medicines known as alkylating agents. It seems to act by interfering with the function of the bone marrow. Since the growth of normal body cells may also be affected by busulfan, other effects will also occur. Some of these may be serious and must be reported to your doctor. Other effects may not be serious but may cause concern. Some effects may not occur for months or years after the medicine is used.
Before you begin treatment with busulfan, you and your doctor should talk about the benefits this medicine will do as well as the risks of using it.
This medicine is to be given only by or under the direct supervision of your doctor.
This product is available in the following dosage forms:
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of busulfan injection in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.
Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of busulfan injection in the elderly.
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine in a hospital. This medicine is given through a needle placed in one of your veins.
Busulfan must be given slowly, so the needle will remain in place for 2 hours. You may also receive medicines to help prevent seizures after using busulfan.
It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.
Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control to keep you or your sexual partner from getting pregnant during or after treatment. If you think you have become pregnant while using this medicine, tell your doctor right away.
Busulfan can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the chance of getting an infection. It can also lower the number of platelets, which are necessary for proper blood clotting. If this occurs, there are certain precautions you can take, especially when your blood count is low, to reduce the risk of infection or bleeding:
This medicine may cause hepatic veno-occlusive disease (HVOD). This usually occurs if you receive too much busulfan, or receive this medicine before radiation treatment, or have a prior progenitor cell transplant. Call your doctor right away if you have a bloated abdomen or stomach, upper right abdominal or stomach pain, weight gain, or yellow eyes or skin.
While you are being treated with busulfan, and after you stop treatment with it, do not have any immunizations (vaccinations) without your doctor's approval. Busulfan may lower your body's resistance and there is a chance you might get the infection the immunization is meant to prevent. In addition, other persons living in your household should not take oral polio vaccine since there is a chance they could pass the polio virus on to you. Also, avoid persons who have taken oral polio vaccine within the last several months. Do not get close to them, and do not stay in the same room with them for very long. If you cannot take these precautions, you should consider wearing a protective face mask that covers the nose and mouth.
Before you have any medical tests, tell the medical doctor in charge that you are using this medicine. The results of some body tissue studies may be affected by this medicine.
Talk with your doctor before using this medicine if you plan to have children. Some men who use this medicine have become infertile (unable to have children).
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Portions of this document last updated: June 01, 2024
Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/zh-hans/drugs-supplements/busulfan-intravenous-route/description/drg-20067303


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I've been reading your blog with considerable interest for the past few months. I'm an empath, but I have a strong interest in understanding the sociopath purely because I find the idea of them interesting, so I've read most of the texts I could find. What I would be interested to grasp is the sociopaths response to discipline. Much of what I've read suggests sociopaths typically would avoid pursuits which require impulse control/dedication etc. such as a diet, goal setting, pursuing a degree or working hard generally. It would be great if you can provide some idea of how a sociopathic individual perceives discipline, and delayed gratification. I find it hard to reconcile the idea that sociopaths will do anything to get what they want, with the idea that they are very poor at controlling impulses and dealing with delaying gratification. I ask this question as I'm fairly sure I've encountered a few sociopathic individuals in work settings that have been extremely hard working, disciplined and dedicated to the task.My response:
Good question. I think your intuition is right, that some sociopaths are clearly able to discipline themselves enough to accomplish longterm goals. I myself always brag about having fully funded my retirement by the time I was 30. I didn't do it as a feat of self control, though, I did it because I love making money and my employment and community has various benefits to incentivize retirement savings that would be silly to not take advantage. The pleasure in retirement savings for me then is to play the game so much better than everyone else is -- and so seemingly effortlessly! In fact that's my main interest/love about money: that so many people want it but can't figure out how to get/keep more of it. It makes any wealth making you do look almost like magic -- very powerful image to project!
So maybe then the real distinction is not that sociopaths are more weak-willed than empaths or vice versa, but that they're both weak-willed in their own unique and predictable ways. Empath weaknesses appear egregious to sociopaths because they seem so obvious and easy to avoid, whereas sociopath weaknesses seem abhorrent to empaths because they find it so shocking that anyone would even consider behaving in that way. It makes perfect sense then that empaths would look weak to sociopaths and sociopaths look like monsters to empaths.


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Donate to Marie Curie Cancer Care
A girl asks her boyfriend to come over Friday night to meet, and have a dinner with her parents. Since this is such a big event, the girl announces to her boyfriend that after dinner, she would like to go out and make love for the first time. The boy is ecstatic, but he has never had sex before, so he takes a trip to the pharmacist to get some condoms. He tells the pharmacist it's his first time and the pharmacist helps the boy for about an hour. He tells the boy everything there is to know about condoms and sex.
At the register, the pharmacist asks the boy how many condoms he'd like to buy, a 3-pack, 10-pack, or family pack. The boy insists on the family pack because he thinks he will be rather busy, it being his first time and all. That night, the boy shows up at the girl's parents house and meets his girlfriend at the door. "Oh, I'm so excited for you to meet my parents, come on in!"
The boy goes inside and is taken to the dinner table where the girl's parents are seated. The boy quickly offers to say grace and bows his head. A minute passes, and the boy is still deep in prayer, with his head down. 10 minutes pass, and still no movement from the boy. Finally, after 20 minutes with his head down, the girlfriend leans over and whispers to the boyfriend, 'I had no idea you were this religious.'
The boy turns, and whispers back, 'I had no idea your father was a pharmacist.'


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I work for a large humanitarian organisation, on a project building software that could help save lives in emergencies by speeding up the distribution of food. Many NGOs desperately need our software and we are weeks behind schedule.
One thing that worries me in this project is what I think is an excessive focus on coding standards. We write in python/django and use a version of PEP0008, with various modifications e.g. line lengths can go up to 160 chars and all lines should go that long if possible, no blank lines between imports, line wrapping rules that apply only to certain kinds of classes, lots of templates that we must use, even if they aren't the best way to solve a problem etc. etc.
One core dev spent a week rewriting a major part of the system to meet the then new coding standards, throwing away several suites of tests in the process, as the rewrite meant they were 'invalid'. We spent two weeks rewriting all the functionality that was lost, and fixing bugs. He is the lead dev and his word carries weight, so he has convinced the project manager that these standards are necessary. The junior devs do as they are told. I sense that the project manager has a strong feeling of cognitive dissonance about all this but nevertheless agrees with it vehemently as he feels unsure what else to do.
Today I got in serious trouble because I had forgotten to put some spaces after commas in a keyword argument. I was literally shouted at by two other devs and the project manager during a Skype call. Personally I think coding standards are important but also think that we are wasting a lot of time obsessing with them, and when I verbalized this it provoked rage. I'm seen as a troublemaker in the team, a team that is looking for scapegoats for its failings. Since the introduction of the coding standards, the team's productivity has measurably plummeted, however this only reinforces the obsession, i.e. the lead dev simply blames our non-adherence to standards for the lack of progress. He believes that we can't read each other's code if we don't adhere to the conventions.
This is starting to turn sticky. Now I am trying to modify various scripts, autopep8, pep8ify and PythonTidy to try to match the conventions. We also run pep8 against source code but there are so many implicit amendments to our standard that it's hard to track them all. The lead dev simple picks faults that the pep8 script doesn't pick up and shouts at us in the next stand-up meeting. Every week there are new additions to the coding standards that force us to rewrite existing, working, tested code. Thank heavens we still have tests, (I reverted some commits and fixed a bunch of the ones he removed).
All the while there is increasing pressure to meet the deadline.
I believe a fundamental issue is that the lead dev and another core dev refuse to trust other developers to do their job. But how to deal with that? We can't do our job because we are too busy rewriting everything.
I've never encountered this dynamic in a software engineering team. Am I wrong to question their adherence to coding standards? Has anyone else experienced a similar situation and how have they dealt with it successfully? (I'm not looking for a discussion just actual solutions people have found)


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The Carousel
The Wild Geese Book 7
by Cynthia Owens
Genre: Historical Romance
Like the Wild Geese of Old Ireland, five boys grew to manhood despite
hunger, war, and the mean streets of New York
The War had left him blind to beauty…
Kieran Donnelly is a gifted artist who has sworn never to paint again. He
saw and did too many things during the war to extinguish the ugliness
that lies in his heart. But a chance to work with some of the most
magnificent paintings brings him close to the world he still
loves…and an extraordinary woman who sees his true heart.
Darkness couldn't extinguish the light in her heart.
Blind from the age of four, Emily Lawrence yearns to experience the outside
world. When she hires Kieran Donnelly to catalogue her father's
paintings, he offers her a glimpse at life outside her exquisite
home…and a chance for a future.
Can Kieran and Emily emerge from the darkness to find happiness and love?
**easily read as a standalone!**
I believe I was destined to be interested in history. One of my distant
ancestors, Thomas Aubert, reportedly sailed up the St. Lawrence River
to discover Canada some 26 years before Jacques Cartier's 1534
voyage. Another relative was a 17thCentury "King's Girl,"
one of a group of young unmarried girls sent to New France (now the
province of Quebec) as brides for the habitants (settlers) there. My
passion for reading made me long to write books like the ones I
enjoyed, and I tried penning sequels to my favorite Nancy Drew
mysteries. Later, fancying myself a female version of Andrew Lloyd
Weber, I drafted a musical set in Paris during WWII.
A former journalist and lifelong Celtophile, I enjoyed a previous
career as a reporter/editor for a small chain of community newspapers
before returning to my first love, romantic fiction. My stories
usually include an Irish setting, hero or heroine, and sometimes all
I am a member of the Romance Writers of America, Hearts Through History
Romance Writers, and Celtic Hearts Romance Writers. A lifelong
resident of Montreal, Canada, I still live there with my own Celtic
hero and our two teenaged children.
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!


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February - 17th - BINGO (its easy, just choose 3 in a row and place it on your card, scrapbook layout or other creation) Scroll to the bottom
to see the prize offered this challenge.
We have 2 fabulous guest designers this week
pink, flowers, lace
Amazing card Sigrid, thanks so much for being one of our
Guest designers and sharing your card with us.
Our next awesome Guest Designer is Miranda.
Thanks for sharing your beautiful card with us
today Miranda.
Our phenomenal My-Besties DT have created more
spectacular cards to share for inspiration this week below.
Please leave a comment here or at their personal blogs for them and let
them know how breathtaking their cards are.
Our permanent GDT - Gina
flowers, blue, lace
Our First Card by Our JR DT Member 10 Year Old Mya Côté...
Let's look at the prizes you girls can win this challenge:
Of course we have our Grand Prize again picked from random.org!
And we pick our DT favorite who will also win 5 digis
The DT favorite will also be invited to be one our Guest Designers in the upcoming challenges!


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Lovingly Handmade Cushions - Made by me!
Front of cushion - 100% Cotton, 'Columbia Road' Liberty London. Back of Cushion - 100% Silk deep blue. Handmade edging with Red silk.
Plump, lush quality inner pad included.
I try my best to get accurate photos of the fabric and their colours. However colours may vary due to the fact that every computer monitor has a different capability to display colours and that everyone sees these colours differently. :)


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I love New York City. I've returned many times since I moved back to California, but NYC will always be my other home.
It's been fun with Annabel. She loves the hustle and bustle of the city. She's an insomniac in the city that never sleeps. She was made for New York.
In the name of photos and fun, I dragged Annie and Mike around town. It was such a blast to see things through Annabel's eyes.
dancing on the giant piano (she's grown so much since her last picture on it!)
We went to the top of Rockefeller Plaza and I forced Mike and Annie to join me on the outdoor observation decks for pictures:
pretending to be happy about being in the cold
Despite the warmth, there is still snow in Central Park:
Mike wouldn't let me throw any snowballs, though. Such a spoilsport.
Our time in NYC is at an end and (despite all the damn gear) I am really bummed. I miss this city so much. It's one of my favorite places on earth.


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Healthcare costs are a key concern for most people with blood cancer. Many patients don't have health insurance, and for others, coverage is limited. If you have health insurance, it's essential that you know what your plan covers and how to maintain your benefits.
Where to Start
You and your family will need to decide how to pay for treatment while managing household finances. You probably also need to consider additional indirect costs, such as lost time from work, childcare and travel expenses.
Many excellent guides and tools are available to help you work through these challenges and explore available resources. Start by taking the following steps to manage your finances before, during and after treatment:
- Speak with your doctor and ask for a treatment timeline.
- Become familiar with your insurance plan's oncology benefits, mail-order pharmacy benefits, pre-authorization, referral and claims appeal rules.
- Assess your anticipated medical expenses and whether your income might be reduced.
- Reduce unnecessary expenses.
- Speak with creditors early if you anticipate difficulty making payments.
- Keep and organize copies of medical records, bills, receipts, and other important documents.
- Review disability and time off benefits from your employer.
- Check to see whether you have home mortgage or car payment insurance to help cover expenses during your illness.
- Take advantage of disability plans if needed during your treatment and recovery.
- Seek access to programs that help insured patients meet their pharmaceutical co-payment expenses.
Use these worksheets to help you stay organized: Click Here
Financial Support
For information about financial support, click here.
We're Here to Help
Call an Information Specialist at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) at (800) 955-4572 for guidance about health insurance, government programs, disability benefits, financial assistance programs and health advocacy. Your LLS chapter can help you connect with local LLS programs and community resources. Financial assistance may also be available through the LLS Co-Pay Assistance Program. For additional financial assistance resources, click here.
Related Links
- Financial Support
- Insurance Coverage
- Managing Insurance and Expenses During Illness
- Public Programs
- The Affordable Care Act
- Download or order The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's free booklet, Cancer and Your Finances.


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Obama: The Second Amendment Only Applies to Al-Qaeda
Kit Daniels
Source: Infowars.com
September 17, 2013
President Barack Obama accelerated firearm shipments to al-Qaeda on the very same day he demanded more gun control in the wake of the D.C. Navy Yard shooting.
A Nation In Distress
Image Credit: Aldaron via Flickr
Obama waived a provision in federal law specifically designed to keep the U.S. government from supplying firearms to terrorists such as al-Qaeda, according to the Washington Examiner.
Citing his authority under the Arms Export Control Act, the president declared Monday that he would "waive the prohibitions in sections 40 and 40A of the AECA related to such a transaction."
No longer will Obama need to rely on the CIA to give free guns to Islamic extremists in Syria; now he will make the transfers openly with this "transparent government" initiative.
On the same day as his overt approval for arms to al-Qaeda, Obama announced that he is drafting executive orders for more gun control.
"We have gone about implementing the executive actions that were part of the president's plan to take action to reduce gun violence," White House press secretary Jay Carney said after the Navy Yard shooting. "Obviously, he continues to support measures taken by Congress — that could be taken by Congress to reduce gun violence in a common-sense way, like improving our background-check system."
In essence, Obama will act on his own to force firearm restrictions onto the American people and if Congress would like to join him later, they are welcome to do so.
He already has allies in Congress drooling to disarm law-abiding citizens.
"When will enough be enough?" Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Cali.) asked. "Congress must stop shirking its responsibility and resume a thoughtful debate on gun violence in this country."
"We must do more to stop this endless loss of life."
Yet contrary to that statement, Feinstein approves of Obama's plan for war in Syria, which would place the U.S. military on the side of the Al-Qaeda rebels who are beheading Syrian Christians with cinder blocks and machetes.
Obama is not content with the rebels only being armed with knives, however, as his administration prepares to further arm terrorists with automatic weapons which he does not believe law-abiding citizens should own.
Federal agencies are already drying up gun supplies in America with massive firearm and ammunition purchases which drive private gun owners out of the market.
This is essentially back-door gun control.
In a recent purchase, the Department of Defense bought millions of rounds of Soviet 7.62x39mm ammo and nearly 600,000 AK-47 magazines.
AK-47s, which are chambered for the 7.62x39mm round, are commonly used by American gun owners but not the American military.
They are also used regularly by al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups around the world.
In his "effort" to reduce violence, Obama is arming Al-Qaeda extremists while disarming peaceful Americans.
Tags: al-Qaeda, Obama's Scandals, Impeachment, Treason, Obama's Rebels, Disarm, Americans, Syria, Constitution, news, Crazy Times


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About avuncular testing
Results will be emailed to you within 7-14 working days from receipt of your samples at our Laboratory.
Aunt or uncle DNA testing is an alternative to paternity testing for when the alleged father of a child is unavailable for the test. Comparing the DNA of the child to that of their aunts or uncles can help confirm whether they are blood relatives. If the child is unrelated to their uncles and aunts, it indicates that the child's father is also not the child's biological father. The lab cannot perform this test if the aunt / uncle is NOT a full sibling to the alleged father in question.
Avuncular tests are done in the place of paternity test. The alleged father of the children in these cases is unable to carry out a paternity test and thus, seeks to establish paternity indirectly by testing his relatives (brothers or sisters). An avuncular test will not provide the same conclusive results one would expect from a paternity test and test results are intended to provide a statistical likelihood that gives evidence to support the tested relationship in question.
Testing the alleged father and child in a paternity test will provide extremely accurate results (in excess of 99.99%) in cases where the tested father is the biological father. When carrying out an aunt/uncle test the results will only show a probability of relationship. Adding the mother's sample will help provide a more accurate result. This is because testing an alleged father's siblings will only allow us to determine half of his genes. Having the mother's sample enables scientists to quickly eliminate her share of genetic inheritance in the child's DNA. The price for the Aunt & Uncle Test is From 4,750 HKD.
We strongly suggest including the sample of a known parent to provide stronger results.
As with all relationship DNA testing, the inclusion of the sample of the other known parent (usually the mother) is recommended to strengthen the results. The result of the test indicates the probability of relationship; we normally take >80% to indicate the existence of a relationship and <20% to indicate there is no biological relationship.
Note: We can only guarantee standard result turnaround time when testing takes place solely using oral swab samples. Using a discreet sample for your test may lead to an increase in turnaround time.
Testing for male relatives: Y chromosome test
Y chromosome testing is strongly recommended when those individuals involved in the test are males. This is because any males who descend from the same paternal line will have a copy of the same Y chromosome. If a DNA test shows that two or more males share the same Y chromosome, it means that they also share a common paternal relative. Get more information about our Y chromosome testing.


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Paper and report design and layout templates
Pen perfect looking papers and reports every time when you start your assignment with a customizable design and layout template. Whether you want your paper to pop off the page or you need your report to represent your data in the best light, you'll find the right template for your next paper.
Perfect your papers and reports with customizable templates
Your papers and reports will look as professional and well put together as they sound when you compose them using customizable Word templates. Whether you're writing a research paper for your university course or putting together a high priority presentation, designer-created templates are here to help you get started. First impressions are important, even for papers, and layout can make or break someone's interest in your content. Don't risk it by freestyling, start with a tried-and-true template. Remember, though: Papers and reports don't have to be boring. Professional can still pop. Tweak your favorite layout template to match your unique aesthetic for a grade A package.


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Please read this page carefully before using this website.
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The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by GWB and while we endeavor to keep the information up-to-date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of or in connection with the use of this website. Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of GWB. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
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SCHOTT NG Absorptive Neutral Density (ND) Filters consist of NG4, NG9, or NG11 SCHOTT glass types and provide even light attenuation through absorption in the visible spectrum. These filters are manufactured to achieve a specified optical density, ranging from 0.15 to 5.0, to simplify integration into optical systems. SCHOTT NG Absorptive Neutral Density (ND) Filters are available in a standard 50 x 50mm size and multiple filters can be stacked to achieve custom optical densities. Custom sizes from 5 to 160mm as well as custom optical densities or transmission values for specific wavelengths are available on request; for more information, visit our Colored Glass Filter Manufacturing capabilities webpage. SCHOTT NG Gray Glass Filters are also available.
Each filter lot is measured and thickness is adjusted to meet the specified transmission value at 546nm. Each filter is then polished with a ±0.05mm thickness tolerance to guarantee consistent performance. Variations in filter lot performance can result in variations in nominal thickness; however, the transmission variations between lots will be minimal.
Click here to download SCHOTT's colored glass filter calculation program which can be used to calculate the internal transmittance and external transmission of each SCHOTT glass type. The program can simulate the performance of individual filters with user specified thickness or of stacked filters with varying glass types and thicknesses.


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With its teeming islands and endless coastline, Greece is a hundred holiday destinations in one. Choose from the best Greece holidays and get planning your big fat Greek break right now.
Choose the Greek haven for you. You could begin in Athens, the capital – a city that will regale you with ancient tales and legends. Perhaps you could take in Greece's second-largest city, Thessaloniki, where the wonderful old town soon gives way to fantastic beaches of the Halkidiki region. Are the islands calling you? Corfu, Greece's westernmost outpost, is green and mountainous, and famous for gorgeous resorts. Then there's Greece's biggest island: Crete. Once a fierce empire, its Venetian port towns and wild Minotaur legends make it arrestingly beautiful and incurably interesting. Visit curious coves, caves and tranquil whitewashed sanctuaries on your legendary journey, or just lay prone on a beach at one of the country's wonderful resorts. Book flights to Greece to start a legendary trip, whether you island hop – or 'fly and flop'.


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ANGOLA, N.Y. - Thousands of dead fish are washing up on the Lake Erie shoreline in the Buffalo area, but state Department of Environmental Conservation officials say it's nothing to be alarmed about.
Residents living along a stretch of shoreline in the Angola area of the town of Evans tell YNN cable television news that the fish jump out of the water and die by the thousands along the beaches lining the southern Erie County shoreline. Dead fish are also being found farther north to where the lake empties into the Niagara River at Buffalo.
DEC officials say the gizzard shad typically die in large numbers each winter and don't surface until the lake temperature begins warming up in the early spring.
Another large gizzard shad die off occurred on Lake Erie during the winter of 2011.


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Bhole Se Haryana Ke – Masoom Sharma Ringtone Download
Disclaimer This is a promotional website only, Where We Provide Latest Ringtones, Tamil Ringtones, Pagalworld Ringtones, Reels Ringtones, etc. All files placed here are for introducing purposes only. All files found on this site have been collected from various sources across the web and are believed to be in the "public domain". If Have Any Other issue then Feel Free To Contact Us


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Parents play a vital role in their child's academic success. Find information and resources to support your child's education.
Visit the PCS Families websiteThe mission of Pinellas County Schools is to Educate and Prepare Each Student for College, Career and Life. Find information and resources to support students education.
Visit the PCS Students websitePinellas County Schools establishes partnerships and builds relationships between families, communities, schools and the district to support 100% student success.
Visit the PCS Community websiteAs the governing body of the Pinellas County School District, the School Board is responsible for the control, operation, organization, management and administration of schools.
Visit the PCS School Board website


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Going to church in Second Life
Second Life, the much-hyped online virtual reality world, is home to a growing Unitarian Universalist congregation.
Second Life is a popular virtual reality program, an interactive game of sorts that plays out in what appears to be a lavishly detailed, animated three-dimensional world. People who take part represent themselves with an avatar, an animated graphic figure of their choosing. The avatars can fly, change appearance, interact with other avatars, and modify the Second Life landscape. Avatars can shop, build, learn, play games, sightsee, and, yes, go to church—or have virtual sex. Nearly everything in this virtual world has been created by other "residents."
The world may exist only in computers, but for some users Second Life meets real and even religious needs. Marie Harriman, 43, of Shelton, Conn., says she has been disabled with chronic illnesses for four years. But in Second Life her avatar, Aesir Agenomen, can do things she cannot. "My husband and I were able to dance in Second Life for the first time in several years," she says. "It's been a real positive thing for me and for us." She joined Second Life a few weeks after her husband joined. He's the one who found the Unitarian Universalist church in Second Life. "I instantly went there because I'm a UU as well," she says. "Both of us are."
The church they found looks nothing like a typical "real life" UU church. People sit in three rows on round cushions around a pond. (Some look more or less like regular people in casual clothes; others wear exotic costumes or look like furry creatures or the aforementioned dragon.) A waterfall and a large flaming chalice frame a stone pulpit. A quilt interpreting the Seven Principles hangs amid the trees, and there's a painting that becomes a video screen. An animated giraffe and several ostriches roam near the church. And the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Second Life is quickly attracting a congregation that takes its church quite seriously.
It holds biweekly worship services (on Thursday nights and Saturday mornings), and sponsors covenant groups and discussion salons. Services include opening words, a chalice lighting (the chalice flame erupts like a bonfire from the pond!), music, a period of silence, joys and concerns, and a topical discussion. An offering plate is passed, there's more music, closing words, and then, of course, a lively coffee hour. People also come and hang out at the church at other times.
The church site was designed and built last fall by Bizarre Berry, the avatar of 37-year-old real estate broker George Byrd of Columbus, Ohio.
After exploring Second Life in the summer of 2006, Berry—who quickly developed an "in-world" reputation as a creative builder—says he started looking around for churches. He found a few, but they seemed built for show. "I thought, I want to create a real live UU church and see if anyone shows up. I want to make it real and I want to have services. I want it to be a place where people come and they hang out and congregate and they can make friends and find other people to talk to, basically something that will draw and attract people and keep them interested in Second Life instead of logging in and seeing a couple of shopping malls and casinos and sex clubs and then leaving."
As Berry was building the church in August, other users were forming an affinity group for Second Life users interested in Unitarian Universalism. "Unitarian Universalists in Second Life" has grown to 180 members since August 2006—too many to attend a single service. The technology behind Second Life limits the area to 40 people at a time. The church is working to buy a different space that can accommodate more than 40 people.
Berry compared the church he built to his real life congregation: "It's very similar in many ways, except in real life my church has 700 people. You show up and there's lots going on and lots of people are involved. There's a whole machinery that's working around you, whereas I started this one from nothing and saw it grow. I can't say I grew the church. It grew on its own, which is the most amazing thing to me."
One member of the church in Second Life, Jonathan Ayres, has maintained his Unitarian Universalist connections through online forums for many years. Ayres is the avatar of Jon Angel, a 55-year-old information technology specialist for the US Public Health Service from Rockville, Md., who grew up UU, but agreed to raise a Jewish family when he married in 1990. He says he "hungered for the old UU contacts" and started participating in Unitarian Universalist email discussion groups in the late 90s. He appreciates having a virtual UU community when he cannot participate in a real-life congregation.
Ayres says the virtual worship services aren't as compelling as real-life services. "There's a real difference in goal and result," he says. "In real life . . . it's possible to come away with the glow of community, of whatever it is you've heard or absorbed, in music and reading and sermon. You can't come away with as much from a virtual service. It really has to rely on the sense of community more than anything that might reach you through music or even poetry or ambience."
Ayres also expresses some ambivalence about Second Life itself. "It's so obsessive for me that I think it inevitably is taking away from what I'm doing in real life," he says. "I feel sometimes enervated by that."
Another member of the church started out skeptical but says she has been pleasantly surprised. "I was just intrigued with the idea of a virtual church," says Cathryn Cleanslate, "and how it might meet people's religious needs, which I didn't actually think was possible when I started [in Second Life]. But now, I do."
In real life, Cleanslate is the Rev. Christine Robinson, 54, minister of the First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque, N. Mex. During her visits to the Second Life church, she met people who grew up UU, people who were actively involved in real-life churches, and "quite a few people who knew UUism and were attracted to it but didn't go to church in real life." Some were disabled, poor, or disaffected. She says she was intrigued by the virtual church's outreach potential, "especially to people I assumed were young adults." (The average Second Life user is 33, according to Linden Labs, the company that created it. Teenagers are restricted to a teens-only area.) But the worship services and covenant groups convinced her that the online church does meet some people's spiritual needs. "They have some very special moments," she says.
Cleanslate says she thinks of her involvement with the Second Life church as "my own little radical welcome project."
"I hope that it helps teach others about us, and bring new folks to us—our real congregations, that is—and that it will function as a healthy religious community and opportunity for some who can only participate here," she says.
Bizarre Berry, the dynamo of the church, has large ambitions for Unitarian Universalism in Second Life. Other people have built religion-oriented places in Second Life for Buddhists, Mormons, and Jews. (My avatar, Otenth Paderborn, built a Quaker meetinghouse for members of the Religious Society of Friends.) But the UU community is perhaps one of the largest congregations holding worship services in Second Life. "We have the opportunity to be a first mover and be in there early," Berry says, "and we were."
"Unitarian Universalism allows you the opportunity to feel connected to people on a greater and deeper level," Berry says, "and you're allowed to define that how you want. I want to spread that message to people. My ultimate goal for Unitarian Universalism in Second Life is to really help grow it as a religion itself, among the wider earth's population."
See sidebar for links to related resources.


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The Development and Effect of Games: From Amusement to Social Peculiarity
Games have been an integral part of human society since ancient times, serving as sources of entertainment, socialization, and even education. Over the centuries, games have evolved from simple pastimes to complex digital experiences that shape our culture and influence various aspects of our lives. In this article, we explore the evolution and impact of games, from their humble beginnings to their current status as a cultural phenomenon.
The history of games dates back thousands of years, with evidence thor138 link alternatif of board games like Senet and Mancala dating back to ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. These early games served as both entertainment and tools for teaching strategic thinking and decision-making skills. As civilizations developed, so too did the variety and complexity of games, with cultures around the world creating their own unique forms of recreation.
The 20th century brought about significant advancements in gaming technology, paving the way for the rise of electronic and digital games. The invention of the first electronic game, "Pong," in the 1970s marked the beginning of the video game era. This simple table tennis simulation captivated players with its intuitive gameplay and laid the foundation for the multi-billion-dollar video game industry we know today.
The 1980s saw the emergence of home gaming consoles like the Atari 2600 and the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), which brought video games into millions of households around the world. Iconic games like "Super Mario Bros." and "The Legend of Zelda" became cultural phenomena, shaping the childhoods of an entire generation and laying the groundwork for the modern gaming landscape.
The 1990s witnessed a rapid expansion of gaming genres and platforms, with the introduction of 3D graphics and CD-ROM technology. This era saw the birth of iconic franchises like "Final Fantasy," "Metal Gear Solid," and "Tomb Raider," which pushed the boundaries of storytelling and immersion in gaming. The rise of personal computers and the internet also gave rise to online multiplayer gaming, allowing players to connect and compete with others from around the world.
In the 21st century, games have become more than just a form of entertainment; they have become a cultural phenomenon that transcends age, gender, and nationality. Games like "World of Warcraft," "Fortnite," and "Minecraft" have amassed millions of players and created thriving online communities that span the globe. These games have become more than just games; they have become social spaces where players can meet, interact, and collaborate in ways that were previously unimaginable.
Moreover, games have also made significant strides in the fields of education, healthcare, and even scientific research. Educational games like "Math Blaster" and "Oregon Trail" have been used in schools to teach math, history, and other subjects in an engaging and interactive way. Similarly, games like "Re-Mission" and "Foldit" have been developed to educate players about cancer and AIDS research while allowing them to contribute to real scientific discoveries.
Despite their widespread popularity and cultural significance, games have also faced criticism and controversy, particularly regarding issues of violence, addiction, and representation. However, research has shown that the majority of players engage with games in a responsible and healthy manner, and many games offer positive benefits such as stress relief, cognitive stimulation, and social connection.
In conclusion, games have come a long way from their origins as simple pastimes to become a ubiquitous and influential force in our culture. Whether as sources of entertainment, tools for education, or platforms for socialization, games have the power to shape our lives in meaningful and impactful ways. As technology continues to advance and gaming evolves, it is clear that games will continue to play a central role in shaping the future of entertainment, education, and society as a whole.


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4 Yawkey Way Boston University, MA 02215 US | Fully Remote TELECOMMUTE US
Looking for your next career move in AV, but not sure where to start?
Who we are
J. Patrick & Associates focuses on recruiting for AV technical, sales and management talent.
We have continuous demand from our hiring firm partners for strong hands-on AV technical talent, and can connect you to the right opportunity to accelerate your career.
I'm ready! How do we get started?
Just apply to this role below and one of our recruiters will contact you to discuss your career needs in depth. The J. Patrick AV Recruiting team will work to identify suitable situations that meet your requirements.
Feel free to apply to other AV roles at https://www.jpatrick.com/av-vtc
Many of our AV Systems Integrator hiring firms are seeking CRESTRON PROGRAMMERS in BOSTON to service clients in the Metro region.
The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience with AV systems and gained relevant certifications in Crestron Programming, and other programming languages such as AMX, C#, and C++.
This position involves creating code for advanced control and audiovisual systems. Crestron certifications are REQUIRED. AVIXA Certified Technology Specialist (CTS or CTS-I) and experience with manufacturer equipment such as Planar, NEC, Cinemassive, Jupiter, Extron, Cisco, and Biamp and Tesira preferred.
SALARY: $90,000 - $120,000 On Target Earnings
Program, load, troubleshoot and update the software to optimize system performance, in addition to ease of access for non-technical users
Analyze and ensure the security and integrity of all audio and visual systems
Provide technical assistance and resolve related issues for users and personnel
Collaborate with internal assets and support team to ensure customer needs are met
Develop and implement system recovery protocols in the event of destruction of all or part of the system or components
Analyze, test, and implement system and software, ensuring operating system compatibility
Maintain current knowledge of Crestron and Biamp Products, and their applications across a variety of audiovisual equipment, digital signage and video conferencing
BS/BA - computer science, computer systems engineering, or related field
At least 3 years of recent experience as a Crestron & AMX Programmer
Crestron Master level Programmer & AMX ACE certifications preferred
Creston DMC-E required
CTS or CTS-I strongly preferred
Keen ability to install, troubleshoot and maintain Crestron & AMX electronic systems
Experience installing and testing code onsite
Experience working with clients in a professional manner
Must be able to effectively explain technical concepts to non-technical users
Outstanding oral and written communication skills – clear, direct, detailed.
Independent work ethic highly motivated to get a job done right
Must have an interest and aptitude for wiring, hook-up and installation techniques
Clean DMV record
Find what you're looking for? If not view all JPatrick openings https://www.jpatrick.com/av-vtc
2016 www.jpatrick.com


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Nancy Thorndike Greenspan has finally come out with an authoritative biography of Max Born. It is high time I say. Born is one of the most publicly underappreciated scientists of the century. Few people apart from historians of physics or physicists have heard about him. This is a little unfortunate, because not only was he a scientific great in a century of greats, but he was also one of the premier physics teachers of the century, an illustrious author, and a man of great and wide learning and conscience.
Born occupied the chair of physics at Gottingen University, which was the preeminent world center of theoretical physics during the century. Sojourning through Europe and Germany before, he had studied under some of the greats of the time, including David Hilbert. Born came to Gottingen, endowed with a deep understanding of not only science, but of literature, philosophy, and poetry. He fit the image of the dignified, intellectual professor in every sense.
A partial listing of Born's students, assistants and collaborators is essentially a list of the most important physicists of the century; Heisenberg, Pauli, Oppenheimer, Dirac, Teller, Maria Goeppert Mayer, and Pascual Jordan, to name a few. The fact that the man trained no less than nine future Nobel Laureates in physics is testament enough to his erudition as a scientist and teacher. Born came to Gottingen and almost single handedly made it into the Mecca of physics to which flocked the most remarkable men and women in the field. In this Mecca, the stampedes were only for satisfying the thirst for knowledge. The quiet, amiable pacifist, who loved science for its pure beauty, worked with a dozen of the physicists who contributed to the atomic bomb. He also worked with C. V. Raman in India for a year in Bangalore.
But Born was more than an outstanding physicist; he will always also be remembered as a very compassionate, conscientious, and kind man. Most of the premier scientists in the world were his personal friends. His relations with his students were always gentle and even deferential. His correspondence with Einstein, a special confidante, is well known and still in print in book form (although Einstein's disagreements with Born's quantum probability is also well-known). When Hitler came to power in 1933, Born, like most others, faced a series of crises. In a time when the doors of fate were shut in the face of the most talented scientists in the world, it was Born who made sure that his students found respectable jobs. It was he who wrote letters to Bohr, to Einstein, and to Robert Millikan (at Caltech) to recommend promising and needy Jewish researchers who could not have gotten jobs anywhere else; and in fact who would certainly have faced worse than simply lack of jobs.
Born himself had to emigrate to Scotland, to Edinburgh, where he worked and lived for the rest of his years.
As a scientist, Born would be remembered most as the progenitor of the concept of probability in quantum physics, a concept that is not only the bedrock of the science itself, but also that of the myriad and bizarre ramifications arising out of it. The most central entity in quantum theory, the wavefunction, is Born's invention. On it rests the entire edifice of atomic and nuclear and particle physics, as well as the many practical applications in our life that originate in quantum theory. It would not be an exaggeration to say that once we know the wavefunction for a system, we can calculate almost anything about it that we want to. It is the starting point for all forays into the domain of the small. From Newton's determinism to Born's indeterminism, we have come a long way indeed.
Born's Nobel Prize came extremely belatedly, in 1954, when all of his students had already gotten it. It seems fit to think that, as important as the wavefunction was, Born got it for a lifetime of scientific achievement. Apart from quantum theory, he made powerful contributions to atomic physics, to solid-state physics, and to optics. In each of these fields, Born penned a book that became the classic of its time. In addition to technical works, he also wrote insightful books on philosophy, the social impact of science, and popular science.
Nancy Greenspan's book is aptly and hauntingly titled The End of the Certain World, an allusion to the implication of Born's discovery; that we live in a non-deterministic universe where nothing is certain. Like electron waves embodied in their probability distributions, we are nothing but will o wisps in the vast expanse of the world, and of history. And yet, like the electron, we make a difference in the fabric of space-time due to our sheer existence; modern physics buffs may like to say that we hold the power to collapse the wavefunctions of uncertainty and unreason. I would also like to think that the title of the book refers to the ominous political atmosphere of the times that led to the bloodiest and most brutal century in all of history. That was the end of the certain time of trust that human beings knew.
Born has passed into history, but his work lives on. Nancy Greenspan has done us a service.
As an amusing side note, the singer and actress Olivia Newton John (of Grease fame) is Born's granddaughter.
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