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Sunday, November 16, 2008
All Kids Need Help--Not Just The Ones With IEPs
I just checked. It is only November and I have already written 25 individual letters of recommendation for my students. I'm only counting the letters, each letter has at least 3 or 4 applications attached so the amount of work involved is incredible. There have also been countless forms filled out for the college office. That number will increase once scholarship applications begin.
Before I write a letter of recommendation, I read over the student's resume and personal statement. I also question them as to their goals and interests and try to find the one or two things that will make the subject of the recommendation stand out from all the others.
As I was writing this post an e-mail came from Macaulay Honors Program. They are collecting all their recommendations online this year. So that is another thing I must do. Since I have no computer access at work, those are done at home.
As for brighter kids not needing attention, think again. Would you be happy if your honor child came home from school saying the teacher had no time to help him with a problem? Or, how about, forget that scholarship, Johnny needs me more and I don't have time to fill out your recommendation. Bright kids are just as time consuming, albeit in a different form.
So, all you parents out there with kids with special needs--I feel for you but I feel for these other kids too. They are just as entitled to help and special treatment as everyone else. Too bad there is no federal law protecting them. Don't judge me without having a clue as to what I do! And, as for telling me what I would do if your child was in my class, SORRY, THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!
10 comments:
- 17 (really 15) more years said...
It's a lose-lose situation as far as I'm concerned. In my school, we spend so much time catering to the needs of kids with IEPs, that the higher functioning kids are frequently and consistently overlooked. What about the gifted and talented child? Education law escapes me at the moment, but I seem to remember that they qualify as "special needs" as well. If I were the parent of a truly gifted child, I'd want to be damned sure that he or she was being challenged by the teacher, not simply left to languish because he "gets" it while other kids don't.
The point is- in classes as large as we teach in NYC, somebody is going to be left behind- and it's simply not our fault, because G-d only knows, we're all trying.
- 9:26 AM, November 16, 2008
- Anonymous said...
it's tough... you have 6 classes with 34 students - all which are entitled to the best education that can be provided for them. You are only one person doing the best job you possibly can.
I think just as long as you make the effort and accommodations for these students you are doing what they are entitled to. It is up to the system to support you in your efforts. I think the real thing is for those teachers who show no empathy or even bother to check and follow up on which kids have IEPs in their classes. You clearly don't fall in that category.
However, those students are entitled to the services prescribed and should not be denied. But many of those students who have been mainstreamed don't want "special" treatment, but those caring and nurturing educators who provide the Human Touch should know who has an IEP because it may help explain why a student seems to certain types of math problems well but always gets word problems wrong.
I really do see how this how data can provide insight.
So.... what's your take on the who DATA thing anyway?
- 12:12 PM, November 16, 2008
- Anonymous said...
Hi- miss the other blog- are you letting former readers of your blog get to read the new one?
- 12:27 PM, November 16, 2008
- Anonymous said...
This is perfect, and something I feel I've been saying a lot. We don't have the systems in place to truly address and assess in this school system (or many other ones for that matter).
- 1:27 PM, November 16, 2008
- Pissedoffteacher said...
I forgot to mention all my kids that should have been diagnosed years ago, but fell through the cracks. They have plenty of special needs also.
Rho--I am only letting people who I am familiar with or can verify their identity into the new blog. I don't want anyone to read anything that might be incriminating or negative about anyone on staff anymore. Sorry. Tomorrow is a departmental meeting. I'm sure their will be some juicy stuff to write about.
- 1:41 PM, November 16, 2008
- Pissedoffteacher said...
I don't believe in all that data stuff, sorry. I believe in what I see with my own eyes.
I've seen kids with diagnosed math phobias who have succeeded in my class. And, I've seen kids who show no diagnosis fail miserably.
Mark Twain said, There are lies, damn lies and then their are statistics. Data can be used for anything you want it to be used for!
- 1:46 PM, November 16, 2008
- Chaz said...
I do feel for the special needs students. However, their attached paperwork is mind-boggling! As for college letters of recommendation, I only give them out for students who deserve them, about ten per school year. I don't believe in giving a college letter of recommendation to "C" students or ones who don't work at it.
- 5:53 PM, November 16, 2008
- Pissedoffteacher said...
Since I teach the AP calculus class and have over 60 kids in both classes, I have lots of deserving kids. And, there are the kids I had several years ago that did well, are in the other sections of calculus or decided not to go ahead in math. One of the problems with a good school is many good kids. (A problem I gladly accept.)
- 5:59 PM, November 16, 2008
- Rachel Grynberg said...
First of all, as a former Gifted and Talented kid, I can tell you that Gifted and Talented programs fall under Special Education. So, you are very right that smart kids need lots of attention. Ask any of the teachers my classmates at Stuyvesant and I TORMENTED over everything from why we got 96's instead of 97's to trying to THOROUGHLY understand what was being taught. Sometimes, being intelligent doesn't mean that you don't have quirks in the way you learn things or that you learn them quickly. And a lot of us can't rest until we fully understand what we are doing, which often means knowing history and mechanics far beyond the reach of the course. Brooklyn Comprehensive also used to be situated in Midwood High School and I would see these teachers worn to the bone working on lessons to enlighten and meet the needs of their gifted kids. It's hard work and work I don't think I would be good at. My mind is happier solving problems which don't require as much labor, frankly. I work hard but I am not always challenged by every student in the way teachers at Midwood and Stuyvesant were. (I didn't mean to put them in the same sentence for those Stuy grads who are as snobbish as I am.)
Second of all, you can give recommendations to kids who are not "A" students -- sometimes a student's good qualities are outside the classroom. That student might still be a positive contributor to a college campus. Many a "C" student turns around in college because the challenge and style of education is different. You just don't have to say the student is academically strong -- it will be evident on the transcript anyway. You say, "Although he didn't excel in my class, he has made a positive contribution to our school environment..." Also, some kids went from an "F" to a "C" and you want to acknowledge the hard work that took. Being able to develop also makes you someone who may do very well in college.
Bravo, Pissed Off, for doing so much work for your kids. I know they seem ungrateful -- I know some of my classmates and I did. But, we really appreciate it, especially when we know that the teacher is intelligent and hard working. We know it's an honor to get those recommendations, even if we don't show it. We're too absorbed in being "promising".
And then we hit the real world, of course.
- 11:18 AM, November 18, 2008
- JUSTICE not "just us" said...
Federal law does "protect" the rights of special needs children it is just that that the DOE does not follow the law!
- 5:23 AM, November 21, 2008


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A collection of scholarly works about individual liberty and free markets. A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.
John Trenchard (1662-1723), one of the author's of Cato's Letters, warned in 1722 that a new war with Italy would allow "many princes (to) warm their hands at it, whilst their subjects will be burnt to death," and reward many jobbers and courtiers who stood to personally benefit from increased taxes and debt:
We find by woeful experience, that three shillings in the pound has not maintained the current expence of the government, but we have run still in debt. The money given for the Civil List has not defrayed that charge, but new and large sums have been given to pay off the arrears; which, it is said, are not yet paid off. New salaries and new pensions have been found necessary to satisfy the clamours of those who will never be satisfied; and the greater occasions which the courtiers have, and the greater necessities which they are in, the more will still be found necessary: for it is no news for artful men to engage their superiors in difficulties, and then to be paid largely for helping them out of them again.
About this Quotation:
John Trenchard was a trenchant critic of the British Empire and the political and financial elites who benefited from it. A number of interesting points are made in this passage: there is the listing of those groups who stand to benefit from the additional revenues raised in order to fight a spurious war in Italy; the recommendation that Britain not be involved in this dispute but sit back and look for trading opportunities to emerge; and then there is the powerful "fire" metaphor with the great powers "kindling" a fire in Italy, the Princes who will "warm their hands" at the fire, while their subjects "will be burnt to death", with Trenchard urging Britain to stay well back so not to be "scorched" by the flames. The phrase "how wars are 'got up'" was chosen deliberately in order to evoke memories of a famous essay by Richard Cobden, the great English anti-war and free trade campaigner, called "How Wars are Got Up in India" (1852). Cobden makes similar arguments as Trenchard about the origins of wars, especially on the colonial frontier.

subset: commoncrawl


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Annapolis woman arrested in murder-for-hire plot
Police: Woman helped plan, fund scheme to kill man's wife
An Annapolis woman was arrested Friday in connection with a murder-for-hire plot, involving a Virginia man, who police said she was having an affair with.
Cynthia Lisa Mills, 47, turned herself into police at the Southern District after Anne Arundel County Homicide officers received an arrest warrant on Friday charging her with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, solicitation of murder and attempted first-degree murder.
Mills is being held without bond.
In August, Wendell Mansel was arrested by Leesburg, Va., police in connection with a murder-for-hire plot. Police said Mansel tried to solicit an undercover officer to kill his wife. Investigators said they discovered that Mansel and Mills were having an affair.
Investigators from Anne Arundel County and from Virginia interviewed Mills as part of the follow-up investigation. They said Mills helped in the planning and provided some of the funds paid to the undercover officer, who posed as a hit man. The money exchanged happened in Anne Arundel County.


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Jane Anderson's THE QUALITY OF LIFE Runs 9/11-10/18 At Arena Stage, Stars O?Toole, O?Rourke, Day & More
Arena Stage presents The Quality of Life, written by playwright and Emmy Award-winner Jane Anderson and directed by Lisa Peterson (Arena's The Rainmaker). In this "magnetic work of theater" (San Francisco Chronicle) filled with compassion, honesty and humor, we find two couples dealing very differently with devastation. Academy Award-nominated songwriter, TV and film actress Annette O'Toole is joined by JohAnna Day (Broadway's August: Osage County and Proof and Helen Hayes Award-winner for The Rainmaker at Arena Stage), Kevin O'Rourke (Broadway's revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with Kathleen Turner) and Stephen Schnetzer (Voltaire in Arena's Legacy of Light and Broadway and Arena's The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?).The Quality of Life runs September 11-October 18, 2009 at Arena Stage in Crystal City. The press opening performance is Thursday, September 17, at 8:00 p.m.
"One of the many reasons I am excited about bringing The Quality of Life to Arena audiences is just how much this play makes you feel and think," shares Arena's Artistic Director Molly Smith. "It makes you laugh and cry, and it draws you to deeply empathize with these richly crafted characters. With two previous productions on the West Coast, this play-with Jane's new revisions-needed a third production, and this powerful cast under Lisa's direction is ideal."
In The Quality of Life, Dinah and husband Bill, still reeling from the loss of their daughter, find comfort in spirituality. Good, Midwestern folks, they decide to meet one weekend with distant cousins, who are camped on the burn site of their home that was lost to a wild fire in Northern California. Cousins Jeannette and Neil-who are a wildly irreverent, left-leaning couple, still in love after all these years-are also facing a devastating loss with healthy doses of red wine, alternative practices and fiercely defiant good cheer. With their widely differing political and religious backgrounds, the couples attempt to join together to confront their physical and emotional challenges as they both deal with grief and survival. This "remarkable and completely engrossing new play" (TheaterMania) harnesses spirit and fortitude while exploring the promise of love, the pride of endurance and the quality of life.
"Jane has a gift for looking at something dark and finding the light without losing the valuable meaning within," remarks Peterson. "This play is a love story, a radical one that wants to challenge the rule of 'til death do us part. It is striking how funny and uniquely beautiful it is, and though it challenges us with difficult questions, I believe that is the reason theater exists."
The Quality of Life received its world premiere at The Geffen Playhouse in fall 2007 under the pen and direction of Anderson, where it earned 10 regional theater awards. The following year Anderson directed the play again at American Conservatory Theater. Anderson's work has received acclaim across theater, television and film audiences including The Baby Dance, Defying Gravity, AMC's second season of Mad Men and HBO's Normal among many other titles. Now for Arena audiences, Peterson is the first director to take the script work Anderson has continued on The Quality of Life and stage it with a new cast and creative team.
Anderson adds, "I knew after the last production this play was not finished, and I am so grateful to have another run with this team of artists at Arena. The Quality of Life leads audiences to think about their life and question their positions on morals, societal injustices and humanity. I hope audiences recognize that in the face of opposing ideals, there is always the possibility of finding a common human connection."
The Quality of Life is produced by Arena Stage in association with Jonathan Reinis Productions and Stephen Eich.Images and further information are available upon request.Jane Anderson (Playwright) is a multi-award-winning writer and director whose plays have been produced Off-Broadway and around the country, incl. Actors Theater of Louisville, Williamstown, McCarter, Long Wharf, and Pasadena Playhouse. Published plays: Looking for Normal (2001 Ovation), The Baby Dance, Defying Gravity, Food & Shelter, Smart Choices for the New Century, Lynette at 3 a.m. and The Last Time We Saw Her. Other works: The Pink Studio, Hotel Oubliette. Her most recent, The Quality of Life (2008 Ovation), premiered at Geffen Playhouse and later at ACT, both directed by MS. Anderson. Film & TV: wrote/directed The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio; wrote/directed Normal for HBO (six Emmy, three Golden Globe, Directors Guild and Writers Guild noms); wrote HBO's groundbreaking The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom (Emmy, PEN, and Writers Guild awards). Other TV films: When Billie Beat Bobby and The Baby Dance (Peabody Award; Golden Globe and three Emmy noms). She wrote/directed the first segment of If These Walls Could Talk II, which starred Vanessa Redgrave and earned MS. Anderson an Emmy nom. Other screenwriting: How to Make an American Quilt and It Could Happen to You. MS. Anderson resides in West Marin and L.A. with her spouse, Tess Ayers, and their son, Raphael. Lisa Peterson (Director). Arena Stage: The Rainmaker. NY credits include: Shipwrecked and The Model Apartment (Primary Stages); End Days (EST); The Poor Itch, The Square, Tongue of a Bird (Public); Trestle at Pope Lick Creek, Bexley Oh, Slavs, Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, Traps, The Waves (NYTW); The Fourth Sister and The Batting Cage (Vineyard); Sueno (MCC); Birdy and The Chemistry of Change (WPP); Collected Stories (MTC). Regionally, Ms. Peterson has worked at La Jolla (assoc. artistic dir., 1992-95), Mark Taper (resident dir., 1995-2005); Guthrie, McCarter, Huntington, Hartford, Yale, Baltimore Center Stage, Actors Theater of Louisville, Intiman, Berkeley, South Coast, California Shakespeare, Oregon Shakespeare, and Philadelphia Theater Company. She's received Obie and Drama-Logue awards, Drama Desk noms, and an NEA/TCG grant. A graduate of Yale College, Ms. Peterson is a member of EST and the executive board of SSDC.The Quality of Life Cast: JohAnna Day (Jeannette). Arena Stage: Culture Clash in the District (dir. Charles Randolph-Wright), American Daughter (dir. Molly Smith), Rainmaker (Helen Hayes Award, dir. Lisa Peterson). Other theater: August: Osage County, A Midsummer Night's Dream (dir. Lisa Peterson), Ethan Coen's Almost an Evening (dir. Neil Pepe), The Evildoers by David Adjmi (dir. Rebecca Taichman), Edward Albee's Peter and Jerry (Drama Desk nom, dir. Pam McKinnon), Satellites by Diana Son (dir. Michael Greif), David Auburn's Proof (Tony and Lortel noms), Carol Mulroney by Stephen Belber (dir. Lisa Peterson), Noah Haidle's Vigils (dir. Kate Whoriskey), Ellen McLaughlin's Helen (dir. Tony Kushner), How I Learned to Drive by Paula Vogel (orig. cast, dir. Mark Brokaw), Craig Lucas' Three Postcards and Blue Window. Film/TV: Law & Order (recurring), Judging Amy (recurring), The Fringe, The Exonerated, The Making of..., Unbreakable, The Trap. Annette O'Toole (Dinah) has appeared Off-Broadway in Kindness (Playwrights Horizons) and The Seagull (CSC); Magnolia (Goodman); Yankee Wives and Sun Bearing Down (Old Globe); Merton of the Movies at Ahmanson, Los Angeles; Vanities at Westwood/HBO, Los Angeles; and Love Letters at Canon, Beverly Hills. Her film and TV credits include 48 HRS, Superman III, Cat People, Smile, One on One, Smallville, Law & Order, Nash Bridges, Stand by Your Man and The Kennedys of Massachusetts (for which she received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations). Ms. O'Toole was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song with her husband, Michael McKean, for "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow."Kevin O'Rourke (Bill). Broadway: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with Kathleen Turner and Charles Durning, Spoils of War, Alone Together. Off-Broadway: Stuff Happens (Public); The Radical Mystique, Joined at the Head (MTC); Hurrah at Last (Roundabout); Breaking Up (Primary Stages). Regional: Baltimore Center Stage, Long Wharf, Yale Rep, Seattle Rep, Williamstown. Film: The Aviator, Turbulence, Bedroom Window, Vice Versa, Tattoo. TV: Remember WENN (SAG nom), Law & Order, Cashmere Mafia, The Sopranos, NY Undercover, Damages. Artistic director: Williams College Summer Theatre Lab. Stephen Schnetzer (Neil) has appeared in Arena Stage's Legacy of Light, Noises Off and The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? On Broadway, he was in The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?; A Talent for Murder and Filumena (dir. Laurence Olivier). Off-Broadway credits include Romeo and Juliet (Playhouse 91); Timon of Athens and Cymbeline (New York Shakespeare Festival); Miss Julie (Roundabout) and the original production of The Lisbon Traviata. Other regional theaters include American Shakespeare Theatre, McCarter, Boston's Lyric Stage, PCPA, Mark Taper Forum in The Tempest with Anthony Hopkins and 20 productions over four seasons with American Conservatory Theater. He also toured with Sir Michael Redgrave in Shakespeare's People. TV: Damages, The Wite, all the Law & Order's, New Amsterdam, Cosby Murder Mysteries, Days of Our Lives, One Life to Live and Another World.The Creative Team for The Quality of Life includes Set Designer Neil Patel, Costume Designer Ilona Somogyi, Lighting Designer Alexander V. Nichols, Sound Designer John Gromada, Fight Choreographer David Leong, Stage Manager Susan R. White, Assistant Stage Managers Amber Dickerson and Kurt Hall and Production Dramaturg Janine Sobeck.
The Quality of Life is sponsored by Gina and John Depres and by Joan and David Maxwell.
Quality of Life Special Events, Ticket Information & Performance Calendar:
The Salon - Monday, October 7, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.
In the spirit of artistic and literary salons of the past, The Salon features artistic leaders from Arena Stage in a series of lively, in-depth conversations with the playwrights, actors, directors, designers, dramaturgs and audiences that make Arena Stage unique. The Salon is free to Arena Stage subscribers and donors ($75+) and only $3 for the general public. Reservations must be made through the Arena Stage Sales Office at (202) 488-3300.
An invitation is extended to our Southwest D.C. neighbors to buy $20 tickets, plus applicable fees, for one designated Friday evening performance of each production. Proof of Southwest D.C. residency, or continued employment, for each audience member of each party must be presented at the time of purchase. Tickets are limited to four per person and are based on availability. To purchase tickets, call (202) 488-3300 or stop by the Arena Stage Sales Office. TICKETS: Tickets for Quality of Life are $22-$66 with applicable fees. Discount tickets are available for patrons purchasing tickets for multiple shows, students and groups. A limited number of $10 tickets for patrons ages 30 and under go on sale beginning each Monday for performances that week. (All patrons must present valid ID.) HOTTIX, a limited number of half-price, day-of-performance tickets, are available 90 to 30 minutes before curtain prior to every performance. Tickets may be purchased online at www.arenastage.org, by phone at (202) 488-3300 or at the Arena Stage Sales Office at 1800 S. Bell Street, Arlington, VA 22202.Sales Office/Subscriptions (202) 488-3300
TTY for deaf patrons (202) 484-0247
Group Sales Hotline (202) 488-4380
Info for patrons with disabilities (202) 488-3300Tuesday, Wednesday & Sunday at 7:30 p.m. (6:00 p.m. curtain on 9/27)
Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. (no matinee 9/12)
Weekday matinees at noon on 10/7 & 10/13Sign-interpreted performances: 10/8 at 8:00p.m. & 10/11 at 7:30 p.m.
Post-show discussions: 9/29, 10/1, after the evening show; 10/13 after the noon show
Audio described performances: 10/10 at 2:00 p.m. & 10/14 at 7:30 p.m.
Open captioned performance: 10/14 at 7:30 p.m. ABOUT ARENA RESTAGED
With construction well underway on the 48-year-old Southwest D.C. theater campus, Arena Stage has launched ARENA RESTAGED, a two-year festival celebrating the rich mosaic of our nation's voices. ARENA RESTAGED, which will lay the foundation for a new home for theater artists and audiences, will take place throughout the time it takes to finish the expansion of the new theater complex, Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. At the Center, the two existing performance spaces-the Fichandler Stage and the Kreeger Theater-will be fully renovated and a new 200-seat space dedicated to premiering American theater, The Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle, will be added. Arena Stage at the Mead Center is scheduled to open for the 2010/11 season.Under the leadership of Artistic Director Molly Smith and Managing Director Edgar Dobie, Washington, D.C.-based Arena Stage is the largest theater in the country dedicated to American plays and playwrights. Founded in 1950 by Zelda Fichandler, Thomas Fichandler and Edward Mangum, Arena Stage was one of the nation's original resident theaters and has a distinguished record of leadership and innovation in the field. With the opening of the new Mead Center for American Theater in 2010, Arena Stage will be a leading center for the production, presentation, development and study of American theater. Now in its sixth decade, Arena Stage serves a diverse annual audience of more than 200,000. For more information please visit www.arenastage.org.
Photo credit Walter McBride


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3M Molecular Detection Assay Salmonella Certified by AFNOR Certification
3M Molecular Detection Assay Salmonella Certified by AFNOR Certification
-International validations achieved within first year of launch-
ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- 3M Food Safety today announced its 3M™ Molecular Detection Assay Salmonella received an NF VALIDATION mark from AFNOR Certification. The Salmonella assay was among three pathogen test kits the company introduced alongside its novel 3M™ Molecular Detection System less than a year ago. In April, AOAC Research Institute granted PTM SM certification of the Salmonella assay, another important confirmation of the technology's effectiveness in detecting the bacteria.
3M(TM) Molecular Detection Assay Salmonella Kit (Photo: 3M)
"Salmonella has been responsible for multiple foodborne illness outbreaks in the U.S. as well as Europe this past year, so being able to offer such a simple and rapid assay for that pathogen that stands up to the rigor of AFNOR Certification criteria is a key development for food processors based throughout the world," said Marie-Pierre Copin, 3M Food Safety's European regulatory affairs specialist.
The 3M Molecular Detection System and its assays provide food processing businesses, third-party laboratories, universities and government agencies a rapid, qualitative method to easily and accurately detect pathogens in enriched food and food process samples. Designed with early input from 3M's worldwide clientele, the system and its assays have already been sold in 33 countries. The system targets and amplifies nucleic acid in enriched samples through a unique combination of isothermal DNA amplification and bioluminescence detection technologies.
To obtain NF VALIDATION certification for egg, meat and dairy food products (excluding milk powders), performances of the 3M Molecular Detection Assay Salmonella for those products were validated in comparison with results of the ISO 6579 worldwide standard for detecting Salmonella spp. The NF VALIDATION study was done according to ISO 16140 standard. An expert laboratory initially confirmed the technology's effectiveness versus the reference method. Subsequently, 18 different labs spanning seven countries conducted collaborative testing to confirm method robustness. Additional NF VALIDATION studies of the Salmonella assay on seafood and vegetables as well as processing environment samples are anticipated in 2013.
"We're proud to offer this important international validation to our worldwide clients," said Niki Montgomery, 3M Food Safety global marketing manager. "It's a big milestone in our continued effort to systematically chart the path toward comprehensive scientific validation."
For more information, visit www.3M.com/3MMolecularDetectionSystem/SALAFNOR
3M Food Safety is a leader of innovative solutions that help the food and beverage industries optimize the quality and safety of their products to enable consumer protection. At every step, 3M Food Safety provides solutions that help mitigate risk, improve operational efficiencies and impact the bottom line. For more information, visit www.3M.com/foodsafety or follow @3M_FoodSafety on Twitter.
3M captures the spark of new ideas and transforms them into thousands of ingenious products. Its culture of creative collaboration inspires a never-ending stream of powerful technologies that make life better. 3M is the innovation company that never stops inventing. With $30 billion in sales, 3M employs 84,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 65 countries. For more information, visit www.3M.com or follow @3MNews on Twitter.
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Kohnstamm Communications
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On Pledging my Allegiance to a Totalitarian Regime
[Originally published at The Libertarian Liquidationist]
On this Independence Day, in addition to watching fireworks, attending the neighborhood barbecue, and having a good time with those who matter most, as well as actually remembering the purpose of the celebration, that is, political independence from a tyrannical empire, I would like to continue being my contrarian nonconformist self and bring something dark and uncomfortable to my readers' attention.
What could possibly be more (in)appropriate on this day — this Holy and Sacred Day — than to call into question — nay, to utterly denounce — one of this country's most valued traditions, the recitation of the loyalty oath; the offering of blind, faithful obedience to a contract I did not sign, written by men I neither know nor necessarily respect, and interpreted by men even less worthy of governing than they? Yes, the Pledge of Allegiance, second only to the Constitution and the Declaration (the Compact and the Articles long since forgotten) in the vast library of hallowed patriotic texts! Are there many other things so dear, so familiar, so comfortable (let alone more so) to the assembled children and to the huddled masses? No, I say! There are few. Very few. Especially today, this Glorious and Celebratory Day!
The Pledge of Allegiance, in it original form, was written by one Francis Bellamy, an early member of the Progressive Movement and an ardent admirer of Abraham Lincoln. It was at the request of the magazine The Youth's Companion, which was at that time the sole seller of American flags (for which it charged handsomely) to public schools. From the start it is clear that the pledge was born not of patriotism but of monopolistic rent-seeking.
The original text,
I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,
makes no allusion toward God, despite being written by a Baptist Minister (defrocked), Francis Bellamy. Mention of God was later added by Congress and signed into law by President Eisenhower, at the behest of various pressure groups (fortunately, none of these seems to have been particularly nefarious). I suppose that adding the words "Under God" somehow makes this already-tainted prose seem more American, more acceptable to those whose first inclination should have been to cast it aside as nothing short of idolatry or submission to tyranny.
The pledge incorporates several ideas that should be considered thoroughly disgusting to lovers of liberty. The symbolism of the "Nation" is more important than the actual principles it was supposedly founded upon. Individuals owe everything they are and everything they have to the collective entity referred to as the "Nation." The states are not Constitutionally sovereign and the self-determination of the people living in them is undesirable. The right of the pledgee to separate himself from something he had no say in, no part in, no matter how evil or corrupt, is explicitly denied. "My Country, Right or Wrong," as Stephan Decatur once put it.
It is arguable that its one truly positive line, "Liberty and Justice for all," when written by such a man as Bellamy means something entirely different from what most people mean when they say it. Bellamy, you see, was inspired by the French Revolution's "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité," not the American Revolution's "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."
He was a proponent of civic religion, not unlike what was instituted during the First French Republic just prior to the Reign of Terror, and an apologist of tyrannies and promoter of lies. Especially those of Lincoln, by Lincoln, and for Lincoln. He was also a cousin to Edward Bellamy, a the author of Looking Backward: 2000-1887, a novel of a future socialist utopia.
But this should come as no surprise. Egalitarianism and authoritarianism often go hand in hand. Our man Francis Bellamy may not have identified himself as a fascist, but, as with most progressives and socialists, this did not stop him from actually being one.
The original salute to the flag, also created by Bellamy was based on the old Roman gesture of unconditional fealty to the Emperor. Similar (or rather, identical, both in appearance and in purpose) salutes were later incorporated into the civic religions of Italian Fascism and German National Socialism. The American variant of the Hitlergruß was not dropped by the progressives running the public schools until 1942. The same people who introduced it in the first place knew that their purposes would be better served going forward by erasing history. They didn't want to be perceived as fascists, a perception which would be logical when considering the economic, war, and propaganda policies of the Roosevelt Administration as well as the nationalistic ideas of early progressives such as Francis Bellamy, John Dewey (who provided the education model for Fascism), Theodore Roosevelt (who provided the governing model for later Fascists), and Woodrow Wilson (who provided the propaganda and censorship models for later Fascists).
So the next time you are at a gathering with a bunch of ignorant (but perhaps well-meaning) flag-worshippers, don't be afraid to sit down or leave the room in protest. I'm not often in that situation, but the last several times I was, I either left the room, stood up with my arms at my side, or remained seated, moving my eyes around, avoiding the flag. It was awkward the first few times, but I do not regret it. For me, personally, this was originally about my political philosophy. But the more I think about it, it is also consistent with my theological perspective. The Pledge is idolatrous.
I do not mean to be accusatory by this. Certainly, those who have not given clear thought to it may not be intending to say the Pledge in this way. But once they have thought it through, if they still think it is alright to say the Pledge, or are afraid not to say it for fear of embarrassment, I would find it hard not to judge them. If not on the level of their conscience, then on the level of their intellect or their ego.
In addition to the charge of idolatry I add that of blasphemy. The "under God" addendum makes the Pledge a form of taking the Lord's Name in vain. Quite possibly one of the worst forms, in fact. I think it is much better to curse out of anger or surprise, than it is out of high-mindedness or groupthink. The sin is more forgivable when it is a spontaneous, thoughtless, and forgettable remark than when it is required recitation for all right-thinking Americans.
To paraphrase The Most Interesting Man In The World: I don't always take the Lord's name in vain. But when I do, I prefer to just say "God Damn It."
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I'm remaking my alts. So far I have Roseria (an undead hunter), Annanda (an orc mage), and a couple other level 1 alts that I need to weed out. I love making alts. And I love to level alts. I'm going to make a blood elf warrior so I can see the starting zone there again. I really haven't played it since BC. It will be a nice change of pace for me.
In two days, husband and I capped our guild rep for the week. It took us 50 dailies, 2 Elders and 2 dungeon runs. (I was actually done before the dungeon runs, I think.) However, husband has to build up a ret set for his pally. (He had been healing with our old guild.)
I'm not good with change. I'm really excited to be here and to move forward but I miss my friends. I miss my bestie. I still see her out of game but I miss seeing her name on my RealId and having the option to send her a message when I want. I suppose I could text her but that's just not the same. I've relied on this game to interact with people for so long, I don't know how to do it out of game.
My last post, I cried while writing. I tried to read it to my husband (the man who doesn't read my blog) but I kept choking up and sobbing. I finally made it through the post but he had to come stand behind me, with his hand on my shoulder as I cried. (I don't accept traditional comfort when I'm crying. I don't want to be held, I don't want someone to talk to me. I want to be left alone where I can cry/grieve in peace.)
So. Now I'm in a new place, with new people. I'm hopeful and I'm generally happy. I miss people but that is normal. There will be new people. I need to remind myself that I don't have a set number of people I can be friends with. I can be friends with more. It's not like Blizz's ignore list. I can befriend more then 50 people!
I spent some time reading Cynwise's lastest post. And I loved it. This is exactly it. Cynwise GETS it. And he has the eloquence to get it through to other people.
Characters weigh on my mind. Leveling characters, especially, but character in general. They take up mental space. They have ... presence, even when they're not doing things. I like having them around, I like having them available, I like trying out new things, but ...
Digital things can take up space.
That's it. Right there. My brain is filled with my characters. Each of them are unique and I feel different when I play them. My druid is the most comfortable but if I'm feeling sassy, I log my priest on. Who I'm playing says a lot about my mental space. It is like a canary in a mine. You can look at it and be 'ah, she's feeling alone or sad or anxious or happy or sexy'. I love that.
And now I get to start it over and find out what my new characters will bring to me. What will my undead hunter be like? My orc mage? That baby blood elf warrior? Who will be my favorite? And do I really need to decide now?


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"The Switch" might span seven-years of two friends' relationship, yet both Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman never age onscreen during that seven-year span time. Amazing!
While some films would have noticeable changes to show time has passed, Bateman and Aniston -- two supreme physical specimens in real life -- look exactly the same after the seven years pass.
"When we first did the movie, we knew there was this seven-year thing," co-director Will Speck tells PopcornBiz. "We did subtle things. It was a conscious choice."
At the film's press day, Bateman said he was all for simply keeping his seven-year look the same, though he added subtle "grey temples" and more mature clothing. Aniston piped in that she had "longer hair" in her older incarnation.
In Bateman's view, it's all about the story. "Don't remind me (seven years have passed) with some cheap make-up appliance in every scene," he says.
Besides, we are dealing with Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman. "The truth is if you look at these people they are anomalies," says Speck. "They look incredible. And they look exactly how they've looked over the past 20 years."
Aniston pointed out that she has known Bateman for 15 years. "He doesn't look any different," she says.
Nor, amazingly, does Aniston. She has managed to maintain a level of Hollywood hotness that has many many suspect she is might be immortal or a Twilight vampire.
In fact, PopcornBiz asked the directors to speculate on their two leads -- are they immortal or vampire?
"They are vampires actually," Gordon assures us. "When you go back to the last century there are pictures of them on stage in London."
They apparently look exactly the same. Freaky.


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185 Posts
Discussion Starter • #1 •
Just thought i would let people know that this kit is worth the money to me. i used it on my silverados some what dull looking head lights and this kit brought them back to show room glory! i forgot to do b4 and after pics but trust me. this kit is really easy to use you could prob do it in the house if you wanted over some news paper or something. i have even added it to my light black out routine minus the last step of the kit. so if you wondering about it get it


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I am sitting in the kitchen of my dear friend Jen (you can see her in the archives of October) . We have done several things that we enjoy doing together: We've shopped and talked and went to the gym together. We have had a great visit together and now we are getting ready to make our trek east to Dallas for a night with the old Mom's group.
Yesterday I spent time with Lara. You would remember her from the last post. We had fun talking and laughing and doing alot of what we love to do together most: hanging out! It was perfect.
Yesterday in the late evening I had the opportunity to spend time with my friend and mentor Jane, drinking coffee and learning what we could pray for one another in the weeks to come.
When we arrived here in the Lone Star State I had the most glorious evening at the Law "Ant" Ranch. A lovely, warm, and best of all, fun home full of teenagers and the awesome couple trying to raise them. In the next week I will post pics of the spectacular sunset and sunrise at the Law "Ant" Ranch and my first time solo ride on their quad racer thingy.
Now I get to spend the next 24 hours with some women whom I have had the pleasure to share the experience of young motherhood with...only tonight we will get together with only photos of our precious tots (most of whom aren't really tots but bigger than we would like to admit).
So that is the update. I wish I could post some pics but time is short and a Texas storm is brewing outside...so I better get off the computer!
La Vida Dulce!
Friday, April 28, 2006
The Lone Star State
I am sitting in the kitchen of my dear friend Jen (you can see her in the archives of October) . We have done several things that we enjoy doing together: We've shopped and talked and went to the gym together. We have had a great visit together and now we are getting ready to make our trek east to Dallas for a night with the old Mom's group.
Posted by Unknown at 3:06 PM 3 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Laundry Wars!
I have recently been challenged to a duel.
My dear friend Lara, over at www.frommytexaswindow.blogspot.com has posted her own laundry woes. In comparison to my post on March 17th, I think she may have won. Only because she didn't organize her pile of laundry and make it look "nice" therefore making it look much larger than mine. I spent quite a bit of time making my pile look "just so".
So Lara, here are my hints for dealing with laundry:
1.Close the door and run
2. Blame it on the kids.
About Folding: My friend Becky says that you should just attack it all at once and fold, fold, fold. But she does something completely weird...if the t-shirt is inside out...she doesn't make it right. She just folds it and moves on.
I, for one, cannot do that. Not with T-shirts, nor underwear, nor socks.
Now, I can let it sit on the guest bed for a couple of weeks, but I absolutely cannot put things away when they aren't correctly right side out. Unless, she (Becky) comes over (which has been twice this year) and does the folding for me. Then she can do anything she wants short of burning it (which is sometimes appealing) and I am fine with that.
Thanks for the great post Lara, now I don't feel so alone.
I actually feel slightly better. ;)
Posted by Unknown at 3:56 PM 2 comments Links to this post
Tomorrow I am leaving for a much anticipated trip.
You'd think I would be excited to get ready to go...and truly, I am.
And yet I keep finding silly useless things to do (not that blogging is silly and useless)...I keep calling all my friends (of whom I am about to see) over and over again so that I can waste their precious time as well.
When it comes to packing...I am the queen of procrastinators! The only thing worse than packing is unpacking!
Truth be told I have gotten a few things done. I have packed my toiletries bag so as to make sure I look, and most importantly smell, good while being guests in the homes of friends. I have also taken care of unsightly facial which, in all honesty was becoming quite a problem. This endeavor took up quite a bit of time especially since recently I have had to include the chin.
I also packed 6 pairs of shoes...you know sandals, casual, running, dress and of course flip flops. One extra pair of red shoes...just in case. Seven if you include slippers. I contemplated others but since this is a short trip (and I might buy a pair of shoes while I am there) I thought this would be sufficient. Of course, I could always change my mind.
I have eaten an apple. And a handful of granola. I've called my mother. I've laid out more clothes on my bed than I could possible need for a little trip. I have reloaded my MP3. I got the mail.
Now I must go pack my bag and get ready.
I may not have the opportunity to blog in the next few days. (Maybe on Thursday for a bit of an update) Until then...
The stars at night are big and bright...
(clap, clap, clap, clap)
Deep in the heart of Texas!
Posted by Unknown at 2:24 PM 2 comments Links to this post
Sunday, April 23, 2006
After the Rain
I can hardly believe I live here.
These are pictures of my front and back yards.
This is what I get to wake up to with a hot cup of coffee and the smell of wet grass and fragrant flowers and enjoy the latest and greatest feature of the spring season.
I have been trying to figure out how to get video on this website. Especially this morning when I took these pics. There was a flock of geese that noisily flew overhead in anticipation of the lake that is down the street. There are huge (like the size of a large grape) bumblebee's eating their breakfast out of the damp azaleas. There are birds singing exuberantly as they flutter around in the cool morning air. The squirrels are romping around from tree to tree. It's is just very, very neat.
The fog rolled in this morning which makes everything look magical and the smells it produces off of the wet earth (mixed with the fabulous aroma of coffee) are indescribable.
Just thought I would share...
Posted by Unknown at 7:55 AM 1 comments Links to this post
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Today I did something I very rarely do...
I took a nap.
I have had a long(ish) week. Nothing bad, but this week felt very full and a little long. This is not unusual coming off of a 5 day weekend!
I had a full and busy morning in the house because it was raining outside. We had all the windows open and the Whole House Fan on (which is a massive fan upstairs in the ceiling which pulls crisp air in from outside and makes a fabulous whirring noise that makes sleeping very, very nice) so the air was very cool.
It was the most amazing, beautiful, lovely sleep I have had in years. A true siesta where I woke up not feeling groggy and sad I laid my head down...but feeling genuinely rested and ready for the night.
Now the true test...
I am notorious for suggesting a Saturday night movie...then falling asleep on the couch promptly at 9 p.m. We'll see if my nap (and a diet Coke) holds me over!
Siesta's....La Vida Dulce!
Posted by Unknown at 6:09 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Yesterday after we all arrived from work and school we decided to go to our favorite store in town: R.E.I.
We went to grab a few essentials for the old S.S. Pina Colada and while we were there I wanted to investigate a couple of items that I had been "researching" on the www.rei.com catalog. One of the items was a cute brown skort that is made for hiking. Because when you are on a trail in the the middle of the wilderness and you haven't had a shower in 2-3 days you still must remain fashionable.
I found the skort in question. There were actually only two skirts left. One in a size 4 and one in a size 16. But for $42 dollars I was glad they didn't have my size.
I did find the second item on my list...the brown hat pictured above. Even though I spent many a day in my youth lying out in the backyard in the Arizona sun, usually with Tropic Sun tanning oil or Crisco slathered all over, I now have become ultra concerned about my face being too sun-kissed. Let's be honest here...I am trying to ward off wrinkles. I had worn a sun hat i bought for our excursion through the country of Montana for the last few years, but last summer it bit the dust. So I wanted to try this beautiful brown hat on for size.
I of course loved it and when I showed that Better Half of Mine he said, "That's cute....I'll buy it for you." I married him 11 years ago cause I thought he was cute and a man of character...but I have to admit his generosity is an amazing perk. I like to joke (fairly often) that I married him for his money...but he'd tell you that I'd spent it long ago...which is a joke that is basically the truth. But I digress...
I Love my new hat! I asked the clerk in the store to cut off the tag so i could wear it out. I did take it off briefly while we went into a restaurant to have dinner....but only because my son gave me that Please-Don't-Embarass-Me-Like-You-Did-The-Other-Day-When-You-Sang-That-Crazy-Fiber-Song-In-Front-Of-My-Friends look. But After we ate I got in the car, put it on and wore it all the way home and didn't take it off until after the kids had been read to and put to bed. It was only when I announced that I was going to go brush my teeth that that sweet man of mine asked, "Are you going to sleep in that hat?"
To which I replied, "I'm thinking about it."
I woke up this morning still happy about my new hat. i like it because it is fun, and it is brown with blue stitching and the inside is lined with fabric in tiny pink, yellow and maroon lines. It will be great for summer weekends at the lake in the kayak.
But, secretly, I also like it because when I put it on I feel like a cross between Audrey Hepburn and Gilligan.
Well...maybe just a very fashionable Gilligan.
La Vida Dulce!
Posted by Unknown at 1:59 PM 3 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
True Confessions
Posted by Unknown at 1:58 PM 3 comments Links to this post
Monday, April 17, 2006
Happy Easter
I Love Easter for so many reasons.
As a child I loved it because it was the begining of a new time. The winter was over and the world was coming to life again. Even in the desert there are a subtle changes between winter and spring. The signs of change weren't just left to the landscape and the weather. Every year I got to purchase a new dress and some shoes.
As an adult I love this time of year because I have a deeper knowledge of why Easter is spiritually important. This is the second Spring I have experienced in my home in the east and yet the new-ness of spring is just as exciting...
The trees outside only 4 weeks ago looked dead and lifeless without their leaves.
Those beautiful flowers I posted three days ago were non-existent a month ago. The ground where they now are firmly planted was nothing...literally, nothing but dirt. I had forgotten they had been there last year.
Which is why I love Easter...because it is a celebration of Christ. Who chose to die on the cross to save me from the certainty of death. Going from winter to spring reminds me that there will be a time when i am no longer alive in this world, but will arrive in Heaven like the glory of spring time.
But, in the meantime, he has made me new right now in this place. I no longer have to be bound in those things that so easily bind me. I can be free like those emerging Iris buds....one morning they are wound tight in a bud that couldn't be pried open if I used my own hands, but when the time is right it springs open. Free and beautiful.
I love Easter because Christ didn't do this just for me; but for anyone who believed that God sent Him. We need only to admit that we need Him and invite Him into our lives.
You can be new too.
What I love the most about springtime and Easter time is that it gives us insight into who God is and why we can trust Him: He isn't flashy. He isn't loud. He is majestic. He is real. He is fragrant. He is approachable. He is trustworthy. He has a plan. His timing is perfect. He is stong, yet He is gentle.
He cares for me. He cares for you. (1 Peter 5.7)
He makes us new.
There is a song by Bethany Dillon that is my favorite right now I wish you could hear it instead of just read it but if you want to hear a bit of it you can go to www.bethanydillon.com to listen to it:
Posted by Unknown at 7:25 AM 1 comments Links to this post
Saturday, April 15, 2006
The year of the Kayak!
Posted by Unknown at 7:46 PM 0 comments Links to this post
This blog is far from being a lesson in horticulture, but there isn't anything that makes me more happy and thankful than going out side on a spring Saturday morning, with a good cup of coffee, for a walk around my yard.
This morning at 7am the birds woke me up and I could smell my coffee all the way upstairs. I sleepily poured the java and looked out my kitchen window to see that my iris's had all opened up! They are almost 3.5 feet tall with the most beautiful fragrance...it is just amazing to me.
The white zinnia's are also opening and the baby pink ones are on the way.
And, of course, with the good comes the bad...
...poison ivy...growing within 30 feet from our house...
Posted by Unknown at 10:25 AM 1 comments Links to this post
Thursday, April 13, 2006
The Dreaded Day
Last night I looked out the window and saw a flash of light. It had been a long day and I had just put the kids in bed. Being tired I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.
It flashed again...and again... and I realized that I had witnessed the first fire-fly of the spring/summer season. He is out a little early but it was a sign of the warm days to come. Which means that the Dreaded Day is fast approaching.
I start to anticipate the Dreaded Day around January 1st. Through February and March it is what motivates me to keep up the work-out routines, even though it is frigid in the mornings.
But no amount of running or pilates can ever make the Dreaded Day easier...
Because nothing makes shopping for a bathing suit fun.
I don't care what size you are or how many stomach crunches you have done...if you have popped out 9 and a half pound babies or are approaching middle age, there is some loose skin and some cellulite somewhere on that body. I am no exception.
For several years now I have uttered great praises for the tankini. It's a two piece, which allows for the descrepency in size between the "top half" that's apparently fallen and taken up residence in the "bottom half", giving you the option to buy different sizes between pieces.
In the search for the perfect suit your mind tells you it must be flattering, and yet not too revealing, and you shouldn't have to sell you first born to afford it...it should be reasonably affordable so when your husband gets the credit card bill he doesn't have a heart attack (cause ladies, it doesn't matter how good it makes you look...if he looks at you and has flash backs of the day he paid that bill...the effect is lost).
The Tankini is great because you get the coverage of a one peice with a modest style of the two piece. But there is a catch.
It will cost you twice as much.
This is highly irritating and adds to the stress of the entire day.
After you have tried on 122 different bathing suits, and picked the 2nd one you put on (you wanted to buy the 1st becasue it was perfect, but at that price you could put a pool in the backyard), you are physically exhausted. Triple this exhaustion if you mistakenly brought your children with you. The stress is so great that you decided to head for the food court and find the nearest Cinnabon store...Which makes you feel guilty since your new suit only fits just right, but only as long as you don't go on a chocolate binge or are PMS'ing.
Lastly, the thing that makes this experience even tougher is that this is a task that must be done alone.
I laughed when I was talking to the hubby several years ago when he was on the way to a retreat, his sleeping bag in his hand. I asked him why he was bringing the bag if there were going to be double beds in each room. His simple answer: Kellie, men don't sleep together.
I really couldn't understand that because women do everything together...but now I do. When it comes to buying a bathing suit: Women don't shop together.
As I have shared the vast array of insecurities and hang ups in my life: from fear of spiders to dysfunctional laundry problems, I thought I would share this issue with you as well. Mostly becasue I know that I am not alone...I've heard you crying in the dressing room next to mine.
On a positive note: Exactly one month from today I will be celebrating 11 years of marriage. Last night that sweet hunk of man approached me and said he had a "thought". Let me tell you that when he approaches me with a "thought" I always give my full attention because it means it is something BIG. This is no exception. Last summer we became fast friends with a family that owned a couple of kayaks. It was a blast to go to the lake and paddle around with the kids. On Sunday we had seen a kayak for a reasonable price and (not to count my chicks before they hatch) we are thinking of purchasing that as this years gift to each other.
The really good news: IT is generally known that life jackets make you look chunky no matter how great the suit is...so if you accidently indulged too much in that Cinnabon trip or on that chocolate frenzy just throw on that life jacket and blame it on safety.
Posted by Unknown at 7:15 AM 4 comments Links to this post
Monday, April 10, 2006
A Mr. Rogers Kind of Day
It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. The new flower of the week is the Azalea. The hot pink ones have been blooming like crazy and now the light pink and white are starting to wake up.
And like a good southern woman I went out and watered them this morning with a cup of coffee in my hand and fuzzy pink "house shoes" on my feet.
Kona didn't like being left outside and so she risked getting into big trouble by sitting at a window in a room where she isn't really allowed...but look at that sweet face!
La Vida Dulce!
Posted by Unknown at 1:48 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Friday, April 07, 2006
Inter Blog Memo
Agenda: Gingko, Slugworth, and Phyto Chemicals
Item of Business 1:
You know it has been along time since the last blog when you can't remember your own computer password! I would take gingko to help my memory but I can't remember to take it.
Item of Business 2:
Do you remember Slugworth from the old Willie Wonka movie. He was that bald "bad" guy who would go around to the golden tickets winners and whisper in their ears. Well I am beginning to think that there is a Slugworth type of person lurking around the halls of elementary schools across the nation. And he is whispering old jokes to our kids.
My kids come home everyday and tell me stories, jokes and silliness that I learned almost 25 years ago...really you'd think some new material would go around. For instance, The Boy got in the car a couple of months ago chanting "I got you where I want ya, Now I'm gonna eat ya!" If you remember there was a "scary" story about kids being in a house alone at night. Upon arrival at this house they here a distant voice chanting the words above. In the end it turns out that a monkey has picked his nose and is chanting at his "find". This to me is truly a scary story...Because I don't like mucus of any kind. And I don't want to see, hear, or think about anybody (even a monkey) eating it.
Two weeks ago The Boy got in the car with a sheepish look in his eye and said, "Mom, how do you spell 'I Cup'?"
I, not paying a whole lot of attention because I was just trying to get out of the carpool line alive, spell, "I-c-u-p"
He says, "Get it! Get it!...I-c-u-p !"
Yes, yes, I get it.
Yesterday he gets in the car and looks kind of serious. He says "Mom will you remember me in 20 years?"
This tugs at my heart strings and I say " Oh Sweety Yes! I will remember you in 20 years! I could NEVER forget you!"
Then there was quiet.
"Will you remember me in 1 year?"
"Absolutely"...although I was wondering what was going on in that little brain of his since he is acting quieter than usual.
About 30 seconds later he says "Knock Knock."
I say, "Who's there?"
"I thought you said you would always remember me!"
And he laughs so hard I think he might actually pee in his pants.
He was incredibly happy that he had played a joke on me and I told him that was the oldest joke on the planet...that they even had those jokes when cavemen existed.
He said that if I had heard them before then why did I fall for them...how come I couldn't remember them....refer to Item of Business 1.
Item of Business 3:
As you know I have been teaching music to 2-5 years olds at a local pre-school. I have been doing lots of research on different things especially to find music ideas on the unit themes the school plans for each month. One of the themes for this month is the Five Food Groups.
So in my research I found that at www.dole5aday.com in the teacher section you can download some pretty entertaining songs about fruits and veggies. My favorite one is entitled Phytochemicals. Although Fiber and Salad Sisters come in a close second.
Happy Friday!
Posted by Unknown at 12:46 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Monday, April 03, 2006
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Saturday, April 01, 2006
And Baby Makes Five...
But i did survive the 5K and that isn't a joke.
The hills weren't as bad as I thought they would be and I made good time.
The picture above was taken before the race.
This is at the finish line. I was happy with the my time finishing at 29:10.
Now the good part of the day...hanging out with the 'fam'.
Happy Weekend!
Posted by Unknown at 9:54 AM 0 comments Links to this post


text:
Spatial Analysis Along Networks: Statistical and Computational Methods
- Published: 27 July 2012
- Author(s): Atsuyuki Okabe, Kokichi Sugihara
- View full details
- Buy the book
Each chapter illustrates a specific technique, from Stochastic Point Processes on a Network and Network Voronoi Diagrams, to Network K-function and Point Density Estimation Methods, and the Network Huff Model. The authors also discuss and illustrate the undertaking of the statistical tests described in a Geographical Information System (GIS) environment as well as demonstrating the user-friendly free software package SANET.
Spatial Analysis Along Networks:
- Presents a much-needed practical guide to statistical spatial
analysis of events on and alongside a network, in a logical,
user-friendly order.
- Introduces the preliminary methods involved, before detailing
the advanced, computational methods, enabling the readers a
complete understanding of the advanced topics.
- Dedicates a separate chapter to each of the major techniques
- Demonstrates the practicalities of undertaking the tests
described in the book, using a GIS.
- Is supported by a supplementary website, providing readers with a link to the free software package SANET, so they can execute the statistical methods described in the book.
Students and researchers studying spatial statistics, spatial
analysis, geography, GIS, OR, traffic accident analysis,
criminology, retail marketing, facility management and ecology will
benefit from this book.
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 What is network spatial analysis?
1.1.1 Network events: events on and alongside networks
1.1.2 Planar spatial analysis and its limitations
1.1.3 Network spatial analysis and its salient features
1.2 Review of studies of network events
1.2.1 Snow's study on cholera around Broad Street
1.2.2 Traffic accidents
1.2.3 Road-kills
1.2.4 Street crimes
1.2.5 Events on river networks and coastlines
1.2.6 Other events on networks
1.2.7 Events alongside networks
1.3 Outline of the book
1.3.1 Structure of chapters
1.3.2 Questions solved by network spatial methods
1.3.3 How to study this book
Chapter 2 Modeling events on and alongside networks
2.1 Modeling the real world
2.1.1 Object-based model
126.96.36.199 Spatial attributes
184.108.40.206 Nonspatial attributes
2.1.2 Field-based model
2.1.3 Vector data model
2.1.4 Raster data model
2.2 Modeling networks
2.2.1 Object-based model for networks
22.214.171.124 Geometric networks
220.127.116.11 Graph for a geometric network
2.2.2 Field-based model for networks
2.2.3 Data models for networks
2.3 Modeling entities on and alongside networks
2.3.1 Objects on network space
2.3.2 Field functions on network space
2.4 Stochastic processes on network space
2.4.1 Object-based model for stochastic spatial events on network space
2.4.2 Binomial point processes on network space
2.4.3 Edge effects
2.4.4 Uniform network transformation
Chapter 3 Basic computational methods for network spatial analysis
3.1 Data structures for one-layer networks
3.1.1 Planar networks
3.1.2 Winged-edge data structures
3.1.3 Efficient access and enumeration of local information
3.1.4 Attribute data representation
3.1.5 Local modifications of a network
184.108.40.206 Inserting new nodes
188.8.131.52 New nodes resulting from overlying two networks
126.96.36.199 Deleting existing nodes
3.2 Data Structures for nonplanar networks
3.2.1 Multiple-layer networks
3.2.2 General nonplanar networks
3.3 Basic Geometric Computations
3.3.1 Computational methods for line segments
18.104.22.168 Right-turn test
22.214.171.124 Intersection test for two line segments
188.8.131.52 Enumeration of line segment intersections
3.3.2 Time complexity as a measure of efficiency
3.3.3 Computational methods for polygons
126.96.36.199 Area of a polygon
188.8.131.52 Center of gravity of a polygon
220.127.116.11 Inclusion test of a point with respect to a polygon
220.127.116.11 Polygon-line intersection
126.96.36.199 Polygon intersection test
188.8.131.52 Extraction of a subnetwork inside a polygon
188.8.131.52 Set-theoretic computations
22.214.171.124 Nearest point on the edges of a polygon from a point in the polygon
188.8.131.52 Frontage interval
3.4. Basic computational methods on networks
3.4.1 Single-source shortest paths
22.214.171.124 Network connectivity test
18.104.22.168 Shortest-path tree
184.108.40.206 Extended shortest-path tree
126.96.36.199 All nodes within a prespecified distance
188.8.131.52 Center of a network
18.104.22.168 Heap data structure
3.4.2 Shortest path between two nodes
3.4.3 Minimum spanning tree on a network
3.4.4 Monte Carlo simulation for generating random points on a network
Chapter 4 Network Voronoi diagrams
4.1 Ordinary network Voronoi diagram
4.1.1 Planar versus network Voronoi diagrams
4.1.2 Geometric properties of the ordinary network Voronoi diagram
4.2 Generalized network Voronoi diagrams
4.2.1 Directed network Voronoi diagram
4.2.2 Weighted network Voronoi diagram
4.2.3 k-th nearest point network Voronoi diagram
4.2.4 Line and polygon network Voronoi diagram
4.2.5 Point-set network Voronoi diagram
4.3 Computational methods for network Voronoi diagrams
4.3.1 Multi-start Dijkstra method
4.3.2 Computational method for the ordinary network Voronoi diagram
4.3.3 Computational method for the directed network Voronoi diagram
4.3.4 Computational method for the weighted network Voronoi diagram
4.3.5 Computational method for the -th nearest point network Voronoi diagram
4.3.6 Computational method for the line and polygon network Voronoi diagrams
4.3.7 Computational method for the point-set network Voronoi diagram
Chapter 5 Network nearest-neighbor distance methods
5.1 Network auto nearest-neighbor distance method
5.1.1 Network local auto nearest-neighbor distance method
5.1.2 Network global auto nearest-neighbor distance method
5.2 Network cross nearest-neighbor distance method
5.2.1 Network local cross nearest-neighbor distance method
5.2.2 Network global cross nearest-neighbor distance method
5.3 Network nearest-neighbor distance method for lines
5.4 Computational methods for network nearest-neighbor distance methods
5.4.1 Computational methods for network auto nearest-neighbor distance methods
126.96.36.199 Computational methods for network local auto nearest-neighbor distance method
126.96.36.199 Computational methods for network global auto nearest-neighbor distance method
5.4.2 Computational methods for network cross nearest-neighbor distance methods
126.96.36.199 Computational methods for network local cross nearest-neighbor distance method
188.8.131.52 Computational methods for network global cross nearest-neighbor distance method
Chapter 6 Network K function methods
6.1 Network auto K function methods
6.1.1 Network local auto K function method
6.1.2 Network global auto K function method
6.2 Network cross K function methods
6.2.1 Network local cross K function method
6.2.2 Network global cross K function method
6.2.3 Network global Voronoi cross K function
6.3 Network K function methods in relation to geometric characteristics of a network
6.3.1 Relationship between the shortest-path distance and the
Euclidean distance
6.3.2 Network global auto K function in relation to the level-of-detail of a network
6.4 Computational methods for the network K function methods
6.4.1 Computational methods for the network auto K function methods
126.96.36.199 Computational methods for the network local auto K function method
18.104.22.168 Computational methods for the network global auto
K function
6.4.2 Computational methods for the network cross K
function methods
22.214.171.124 Computational methods for the network local auto K function method
188.8.131.52 Computational methods for the network global cross K function method
188.8.131.52 Computational methods for the network global Voronoi
cross K
function method
Chapter 7 Network spatial autocorrelation
7.1 Classification of spatial autocorrelations
7.2 Spatial randomness of the attribute values of network cells
7.2.1 Permutation spatial randomness
7.2.2 Normal variate spatial randomness
7.3 Network Moran's I statistics
7.3.1 Network local Moran's I statistic
7.3.2 Network global Moran's I statistic
7.4 Computational methods for network Moran's I statistics
Chapter 8 Network point cluster analysis and clumping method
8.1 Network point cluster analysis
8.1.1 General hierarchical point cluster analysis
8.1.2 Hierarchical point clustering methods with specific intercluster distances
18.104.22.168 Network closest-pair point clustering method
18.104.22.168Network farthest-pair point clustering method
18.104.22.168 Network average-pair point clustering method
18.104.22.168 Network point clustering methods with other interclaster distances
8.2 Network clumping method
8.2.1 Relation to network point cluster analysis
8.2.2 Statistical test with respect to the number of clumps
8.3 Computational methods for network point cluster analysis and clumping method
8.3.1 General computational framework
8.3.2 Computational methods for individual intercluster distances
126.96.36.199 Computational methods for the network closest-pair point clustering
220.127.116.11 Computational methods for the network farthest-pair point clustering
184.108.40.206 Computational methods for the network average-pair point
8.3.3 Computational aspects of the network clumping method
Chapter 9 Network point density estimation methods
9.1 Network histograms
9.1.1 Network cell histograms
9.1.2 Network Voronoi cell histograms
9.1.3 Network cell-count method
9.2 Network kernel density estimation methods
9.2.1 Network kernel functions
9.2.2 Equal-split discontinuous kernel functions
9.2.3 Equal-split continuous kernel functions
9.3 Computational methods for network point density estimation
9.3.1 Computational methods for network cell histograms with equal-length network cells
9.3.2 Computational method for equal-split discontinuous kernel density functions
9.3.3 Computational method for equal-split continuous kernel density functions
Chapter 10 Network spatial interpolation
10.1 Network inverse-distance weighting
10.1.1 Concepts of neighborhoods on a network
10.1.2 Network inverse-distance weighting predictor
10.2 Network kriging
10.2.1 Network kriging models
10.2.2 Concepts of stationary processes on a network
10.2.3 Network variogram models
10.2.4 Network kriging predictors
10.3 Computational methods for network spatial interpolation
10.3.1 Computational methods for network inverse-distance weighing
10.3.2 Computational methods for network kriging
Chapter 11 Network Huff model
11.1 Concepts of the network Huff model
11.1.1 Huff models
11.1.2 Dominant market subnetworks
11.1.3 Huff-based demand estimation
11.1.4 Huff-based locational optimization
11.2 Computational methods for the Huff-based demand estimation
11.2.1 Shortest-path tree distance
11.2.2 Choice probabilities in terms of shortest-path tree distances
11.2.3 Analytical formula for the Huff-based demand estimation
11.2.4 Computational tasks and their time complexities for the Huff-based demand estimation
11.3 Computational methods for the Huff-based locational optimization
11.3.1 Demand function for a newly entering store
11.3.2 Topologically invariant shortest-path trees
11.3.3 Topologically invariant link sets
11.3.4 Numerical method for the Huff-based locational optimization
11.3.5 Computational tasks and their time complexities for the Huff-based locational optimization
Chapter 12 GIS-based tools for spatial analysis along networks and their application
12.1 Preprocessing tools in SANET
12.1.1 Tool for testing network connectedness
12.1.2 Tool for assigning points to the nearest points on a network
12.1.3 Tool for computing shortest-path distances between points
12.1.4 Tool for generating random points on a network
12.2 Statistical tools in SANET and their applications
12.2.1 Tools for network Voronoi diagrams and their application
12.2.2 Tools for network nearest neighbor distance methods and their application
184.108.40.206 Network global auto nearest-neighbor distance method
188.8.131.52 Network global cross nearest-neighbor distance method
12.2.3 Tools for network K function methods and their application
126.96.36.199 Network global auto K function method
22.214.171.124 Network global cross K function method
220.127.116.11 Network global Voronoi cross K function method
126.96.36.199 Network local cross K function method
12.2.4 Tools for network cluster analysis and their application
12.2.5 Tools for network kernel density estimation methods and their application
12.2.6 Tools for network spatial interpolation methods and their application


text:
Conceal & Carry Permit Requests on the Rise in 2013
BOONE COUNTY - The Boone County Sheriff's Department said the number of conceal and carry permit requests are on the rise in 2013.
In the past four months, the amount of permit requests has doubled.
Currently Missouri lawmakers are talking about changing which state departments will have access to conceal and carry permit holder information. Missouri lawmakers are also considering making the job of printing the cards a local job instead of a state job.
With the potential changes, people requesting permits may no longer have to go to the Department of Revenue to receive an addition to their drivers license or non drivers license. Instead conceal and carry permit holders might have to go to their county sheriff's department and obtain a physical permit that is separate from their drivers license.
Boone County Sheriff Deputy, Tom Reddin said the reason for the increase in permit requests is unknown. "We do not analyze the reasons people are obtaining permits, we don't ask them because there are a variety of reasons they may be obtaining it," Reddin said.
All of the states, except Illinois, allow conceal and carry permits but not all will recognize Missouri's permits. Reddin doesn't know the exact reason but said it may have to deal with the fact that the requirements for permit applications and approval differ from state-to-state.


text: Home Quiz Asian Games 6.3 Amal John_11169 22 August, 2018 17:00 IST Amal John_11169 22 August, 2018 17:00 IST Support Sportstar Dear Reader, Support our journalism — where text and pictures intermingle so seamlessly — and help us scale up your experience as the world changes around us. Your contribution is vital to our brand of uninfluenced, boots-on-the-ground reportage that's worth your while. Clickbait sensationalism is not for us, but editorial independence is — we owe it to you. Support Quality Journalism Latest updates IPL Interviews IPL Videos Fixtures IPL Pictures IPL Features IPL Quiz My IPL Subscribe to our daily newsletter Get your daily dose of Sportstar with handpicked stories delivered right to your inbox! SUBSCRIBE Please enter a valid email address.


text: The diagnostic image functionality provided by the WebLogic Diagnostic Service gathers the most common sources of key server state used in diagnosing problems and packages that state into a single file, or "diagnostic image." In the Administration Console, you can specify the default destination directory where diagnostic images for a server are saved, and you can initiate an immediate capture of an image for a server. You can also define a notification to save a diagnostic image based on a watch rule. See the following:


text: May seem silly, but to follow up on Aditya's helpful tip make sure to download Visual C++ that corresponds to the version of PHP you installed or else you will have failure. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30679. The link he posted took me to a 64-bit version of the install ( I assume it was 64 bit because my OS is 64 bit).


text:
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text:
An investigational drug that appears to offer a survival advantage in cases of infection by free-living amebae is available on an expanded access basis from the CDC, the agency announced.
Miltefosine (Miltex) is used to treat leishmaniasis, the agency said in the Aug. 23 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, but has not been readily available in the U.S.
But it appears to have activity against Naegleria fowleri, which causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis, as well as granulomatous amebic encephalitis caused by Balamuthia mandrillaris and Acanthamoeba species, the agency said.
The announcement comes as physicians in Florida and Arkansas are treating two children with primary amebic meningoencephalitis -- the so-called brain-eating disease -- caused by N. fowleri.
Such infections are rare, difficult to treat, and almost always fatal: According to CDC data, only one person out of 128 known infected individuals in the U.S. from 1962 to 2012 has survived.
The CDC announcement said that miltefosine has not led to successful therapy in cases of N. fowleri infection because it has been hard to import the drug in time to treat a fulminant case.
But there is some evidence from a small number of cases that the drug "does offer a survival advantage" for patients with infections caused by B. mandrillaris and Acanthamoeba species, the agency announcement said.
Meanwhile, the two children, both 12, remain in the hospital after infection with N. fowleri.
In late July, Kali Hardig of Arkansas was diagnosed with primary amebic meningoencephalitis after swimming in a sand-bottom lake at a water park in Little Rock.
According to a published report, physicians at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock treated her with several drugs, including miltefosine, and cooled her body in an attempt to reduce the damage to brain tissue caused by the ameba.
She appears to be recovering, according to a Facebook page set up by her parents.
Zachary Reyna, of LaBelle, Fla., apparently contracted an N. fowleri infection after kneeboarding in a ditch near his home and is now in intensive care at Miami Children's Hospital.
On a Facebook page, his father said antibiotics have apparently cleared the infection, but the child has had extensive brain damage and "the battle is not over."
N. fowleri invades the central nervous system through the cribriform plate and can be found in the subarachnoid and perivascular spaces. The subsequent inflammation progresses rapidly to the cerebral hemispheres, brain stem, posterior fossa, and spinal cord.
The ameba is commonly found in warm freshwater and soil, and patients usually get infected when the pathogen enters the nose while swimming or playing in water.
However, in two fatal cases in Louisiana in 2011, patients were infected after flushing their sinuses with contaminated water.
Physicians who have a suspected case of infection by a free-living ameba can call the CDC to consult with an expert. The agency added that gastrointestinal symptoms are the most commonly reported adverse effects of miltefosine and it is generally well-tolerated.
Primary Source
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Source Reference: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "Investigational drug available directly from CDC for the treatment of infections with free-living amebae" MMWR 2013; 62: 666.


text:
Rio Ferdinand may face action for his sarcastic applause of the referee Cuneyt Cakir following the end of Manchester United's 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid after the Turkish official had sent off Nani.
Uefa will wait to see if Cakir or the match delegate include the incident in their reports on the game and then decide what, if any action, may be taken. There is a 48-hour deadline for the files to be lodged with the governing body.
Cakir ruled that the winger's 59th-minute high challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa, in which he seemed to touch the ball first before landing a boot in the full-back's ribs, was a red-card offence.
Roy Keane, the former United captain, insisted the decision was correct in his role as a pundit for ITV. He said: "I think the referee has actually made the right call. Everyone's upset about it and it's slightly unlucky, but it's dangerous play. Whether he meant it or not is irrelevant. It's dangerous play – it's a red card.
"You have to be aware of other players on the pitch. Does he [Nani] think he's going to have 20 yards to himself? It doesn't matter if he knows there's somebody there or not, it's irrelevant. I don't think the referee actually made the decision because he waited a couple of minutes while the player was getting treatment. I think it might have been the assistant that made the decision, and I actually think he's made the right call. Any time I was sent off in my career I always thought: 'Did I give the referee chance to send me off?' And if the answer is 'yes', then it's out of your hands."
He added: "Whether it's [a brave decision] or not, it's the right decision. Whether he meant it or not doesn't matter. Nani's a quick boy to go down anyway. He's not the bravest player on the planet."
Gary Neville, another former United captain, was shocked by the decision. He tweeted: "Been going to OT since age of 5 and I've never seen the whole ground as in disbelief as they were last night at a decision! Nani is a player who regularly tries to control a pass like this over his shoulder and its never a red card! Changed the whole game! Poor ref. The crowd actually weren't angry/weren't shouting they were just open mouthed and in shock!"
Neville questioned why Real's goalkeeper, Diego López, was not also sent off for a first-half challenge on Nemanja Vidic at a corner. "The Madrid keeper on Vidic looked a similar type of incident. Anyway it won't be the first time or last! Just ruined a fascinating match and didn't feel right to Utd or Madrid people in the stadium!"


text:
Morgan Stanley (MS) said late Tuesday that it recruited one advisor and one team from UBS (UBS) recently with close to $4.5 million in combined fees & commission and $750 million in total assets.
Kevin Cooper joined Morgan Stanley in Boca Raton, Fla. He has had $1.6 million in yearly production and prior assets of $400 million, and now reports to complex manager Bert White.
The Ryan Group — John Ryan, David Nelson, James Gallagher and Philip Martinho – came on board Morgan Stanley in Shrewsbury, N.J. The team, which now reports to branch manager Todd Sacks, has combined production of $2.84 million and prior assets of $350 million.
In mid-January, Morgan Stanley — which is led by James Gorman — said it would cut 1,600 jobs, mainly in its investment banking and other institutional-services operations in the United States and overseas.
In the fourth quarter, the firm said it had 16,780 FAs, down 29 reps from the prior quarter and off 4% from last year's tally of 17,512. Average annualized revenue per rep, though, was $824,000, an improvement of 4% from the prior quarter and 13% from last year.
UBS is set to report its latest quarterly and annual earnings on Feb. 5. In late December, it agreed to pay more than $1.5 billion to authorities in the United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland over LIBOR manipulation and related charges. It also disclosed that the resolution of these regulatory and legal issues should result in a fourth-quarter net loss of up to $2.7 billion.
Despite these setbacks, UBS recruited a team with four advisors and about $2.8 million in production from Morgan Stanley in mid-January.
And Raymond James (RJF) grabbed two Morgan Stanley teams over the past week with a total of nearly $1.64 million in yearly fees and some $216 million in combined assets.


text:
This website will provide you with all the information you need about the HPS2-THRIVE trial and its results. You can view or download a copy of our Results Press Release, and we have prepared a series of Questions and Answers on the results. You can also download a Slide Set of the results that were presented at the American College of Cardiology meeting on 9 March 2013.
All participants stopped study treatment prior to October 2012. However, in the UK we will continue to collect information on health outcomes via registries and NHS sources. See the Document Download section for the THRIVE Data Privacy Notice for participants.
Results of the HPS2-THRIVE main trial have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Follow the links below to read the full article and the editorial. Please note you will need to be a NEJM subscriber to see the full article.
HPS2-THRIVE (Treatment of HDL to Reduce the Incidence of Vascular Events) concluded that adding ER niacin/laropiprant to current standard treatment did not produce worthwhile reductions in the risk of heart attacks, strokes and operations to open blocked arteries. The study also found that using ER niacin/laropiprant did cause side-effects.
HPS2-THRIVE involved over 25,000 volunteers aged between 50 and 80 with a history of heart disease, stroke or other circulatory disease recruited from almost 250 hospitals in 6 countries (China, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom). All volunteers took simvastatin (with or without ezetimibe) to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol. In addition to this, volunteers were randomly allocated to take either ER niacin/laropiprant or matching dummy "placebo" tablets for an average of 5 years. Niacin has been used as a treatment for over 50 years because of its potentially beneficial effects on cholesterol. It increases "good" HDL cholesterol and also reduces "bad" LDL cholesterol which is why doctors have thought it would be a useful treatment.
The study was sponsored by the University of Oxford and funded by Merck, Sharp & Dohme Co. Inc.
Professor Jane Armitage:
"This is a clear result that is very important for patients. For many years doctors had believed that niacin would reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes because of its effects on cholesterol. However, this trial showed that adding ER niacin/laropiprant on top of statins was not helpful for people with circulatory problems. All treatments have good and bad effects. This time the unwanted side-effects outweighed the benefits. This is important information for all the people who have been using this or similar medicines for many years."
Dr Martin Landray:
"The HPS2-THRIVE study has shown that ER niacin/laropiprant does cause side-effects. It has long been known that niacin treatment causes skin irritation and gastrointestinal disturbances (and other side effects). However, HPS2-THRIVE has shown that ER niacin/laropiprant also increases the risk of other side effects including bleeding and infections which were not known about before the study. We are very grateful to the participants who have helped answer this important clinical question."
The following pdf documents describe the Data Analysis Plan for the THRIVE study.
You can download a copy of the study Protocol from the Document Download page.
Protocol pre-specified, interim safety and tolerability analyses from the 25,000 patient HPS2-THRIVE study
of ER niacin/laropiprant 2g daily were presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Munich
in August 2012 and have been published in the
European Heart Journal.
In addition, results of preliminary investigations into environmental and genetic risk factors for myopathy in Chinese participants in HPS2-THRIVE were presented as a poster. You can download the presented Chinese myopathy abstract and this can also be viewed from the European Heart Journal website, reference: Eur Heart J (2012) 33(suppl 1): 339-653 doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehs282.
The THRIVE trial is registered with the following bodies:
This website was last updated on 15th July 2020


text:
Has anyone played with these custom rackets? I am so tempted to buy one! The thing is that they don't have demos and you can return the racket....
Views: 2703
Replies to This Discussion
Ah, they have a major flaw already, no green! I wonder how truly customized these are. I'm thinking they probably have blanks with a specific stiffness rating, and add weight based on the customers' specs. That, of course, requires that you know what you want as far as static weight, swing weight, balance, etc. If you do order one of these, let us know what you think by posting an official review, he he he!
yeah I know .. i was looking for green too...make it look like a POG...hahahha
Just buy a POG, ha ha ha! Tried a 93" for a bit, but too difficult to use in a match setting against good players.
i already played with 93.. sold all of them... I have POS OS too .. played with those for 10 years but got those stolen.. I play with EXO3 Graphite 100 customized...I hate when I get this racket hunting itch..
Switched to exo3 Graphite, eh? When did you do that? You weren't using that when we played at my place with Dennis. I still have two, but just switched to Dunlop 400 Tour. What did you alter?
man i forget when i switched back.. i think it was a couple months after we played with dennis..
I added about 20 grams of lead at top of the handles to get my spec... actually get it closer to POG OS Tour..I also use the string inserts instead of the ports for more feel...
Dude, I definitely would not buy the racquet without having a demo. Unless you are willing to gamble that money away. It looks like it would just play like a Pro Kennex old school. j/k lol
You also gotta ask yourself, why isn't a pro using them? Not the top pros, but any pro?
i hear ya Tim... I really think this guy could have demos..that's why I haven't pulled the trigger I think it would improve sales for him....
the whole thing with rackets and pros is another i$$ue that we can go on with..hahahah
Have you demoed the Head IG Radical Pro or IG Prestige Pro? How about the Tecnifibre 325 VO2 max? The last two I recommend. The Radical Pro is very good too.
Go with what you know, not what you see. No demo, no moolah. lol
If you know what you like regarding weight and balance, there is a program to morph existing frames......ahhh for technology.
So I was able to get a demo of this racket on ebay. Angell Sports used to Vantage Custom rackets but that's another story... I leaded up the racket almost to my specs ( i ran out of lead tape) and I played a quick set with a friend.... preliminary this rackets are pretty sweet.. they are foam filled and feel pretty solid...hope to get buy more lead and play with the racket more... i like the feel of it and the spin potential is pretty good...
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