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To find out how much attitudes about finances differ by age, we asked Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X, Baby Boomer and Silent Generation respondents about their saving strategies and debt decisions. It turns out that no matter the age, most of us need sound financial advice.
We asked Millennials, Generation Xers and Baby Boomers around the world to tell us how satisfied they are with everything about their jobs. Across a sample of respondents from 60 countries who said they are currently employed, satisfaction levels highlight workplace trends worth paying attention to.
Unless you provide quality product information, you're not going to reap the benefit of the vast amounts of money you spend on physical and virtual purchase points.
With a wide array of pastimes available, respondents in a recent Nielsen global survey were asked to select their top three spare-time activities. While certain activities skew younger than older and vice versa, if you think technology-driven younger people don't read anymore, think again.
To better understand how younger respondents view the importance of dietary considerations, we asked six Millennials from different parts of the globe to explain how their eating habits differ from those of their parents.
The convenience offering in Asia is more relevant now than ever. But convenience stores of the future will be more than a place to pick up a beverage or quick meal. Convenience will become a way of life, and the convenience store will be a physical delivery point for an array of needs driven by the click of a mouse.
Which generation is distracted most by technology at mealtimes, and which eats their meals away from home most frequently? The findings may surprise you.
Supporting both the core business and adequately growing innovations are equally critical to sustained growth. So how should companies optimally slice their media investment to support both?
For multinationals and other companies looking for opportunity in China, look no further than to connected spenders, a young, affluent and connected group eager to engage with brands and their conversations.
Our outlook on life is often shared with others who have similar traits—and age is no exception. But many of today's consumers are bucking yesterday's preconceived generational notions. In fact, many older people are embracing a more technology-driven world, and sizeable numbers of younger people are turning to more traditional values.
Consumer confidence throughout the European region continued its steady, uphill climb in the third quarter, as 21 of 32 markets (66%) showed index score improvements from the second quarter.
U.S. consumer confidence jumped 18 index points in the third quarter of 2015 to a score of 119 after a six-point decline in the previous quarter. The score marked the biggest quarterly increase and the highest index for the country in Nielsen's 10-year consumer confidence history.
Our perception about personal finances is one factor that contributes to our confidence in the economy, which can impact our willingness to spend and save. Mirroring the rise in global consumer confidence in the third quarter, immediate spending intentions also increased, rising to 43%, up from a low of 30% in 2008 during the Great Recession.
Despite the fact that Millennials are coming of age in one of the most difficult economic climates in the past 100 years, a recent Nielsen global online study found that they continue to be most willing to pay extra for sustainable offerings—almost three-out-of-four respondents in the latest findings, up from approximately half in 2014.
Global consumer confidence increased three index points in the third quarter to 99. Optimistic sentiment for job prospects, personal finances and spending intentions increased in nearly half of all measured markets, but uneven growth continues around the world as confidence stabilizes or grows in many advanced economies and declines in many emerging markets.
For businesses today, corporate social responsibility is no longer an option. So what does it take to resonate with consumers who care?
In 1990, 57% of Southeast Asia was in poverty and access to daily necessities one could afford was not to be taken for granted. Today, so much has changed that a new niche at the high end of the affordability spectrum has emerged to fan the aspirations of consumers – premiumization.
As concerns about the environment and corporate sustainability continue to build momentum around the world, understanding the connection between sentiment and purchasing actions has never been more important. Have companies risen to meet consumer expectations?
Reaching your audience is an important component of any ad campaign, but what good is ad reach if it doesn't resonate with the audience? Effective campaigns require more than identifying the right channel for reaching consumers. It's also about delivering the right message.
Many FMCG sales teams in emerging markets are lacking in knowledge about the traditional trade landscape. And if you don't know the where, what and how of your market, how likely is your strategy to be successful?
Whether watching TV, checking emails, or flipping through a magazine, it seems like everywhere we look there's an opportunity for advertisers to connect with us, earn our trust and deliver their message. So has all this media proliferation watered down the resonance of their messages?
In a world of choice, social responsibility is increasingly a factor for purchasing one product over another. In fact, 66% of respondents say they're willing to pay more for products and services that come from companies who are committed to positive social and environmental impact.
Across any type of format, trust is an important component of advertising message resonance. But no matter the format, the desired end result is the same—action.
E-commerce offers a compelling proposition for busy parents: the convenience of shopping whenever, wherever they desire, often with free delivery to their front door.
The most credible advertising comes straight from the people we know and trust. And it should come as no surprise that more than eight-in-10 global respondents (83%) say they completely or somewhat trust the recommendations of friends and family.
For both baby food and diaper brands, 70% of global respondents say they have switched brands. Their reasons for switching baby food, however, are somewhat different than their reasons for switching diapers.
When it comes to learning about which diapers are best, 44% of global respondents go direct to the people they know and trust for recommendations, which is the top source of information in every region.
Wall Street is concerned that increasing numbers of cable subscribers are cord-cutting and investors are worried that media companies aren't earning enough from SVOD platforms to compensate. So do the worries have merit?
When it comes to keeping babies comfortable and clean, diapers are a top priority for parents—and one for which they spare no expense. In fact, Nielsen estimates diaper sales around the world will exceed $29 billion in 2015.
Becoming a parent can be a daunting endeavor, full of many "firsts." But before first words and steps, come first foods. So who do new parents turn to most for advice about the best baby food/formula to buy for the first time? While friends and family rank highest, consumers don't just rely on their circles for guidance.
In the emerging age of tap and go, mobile payments offer the promise of greater convenience and security for consumers, as well as entirely new ways for consumers and brands to engage with one another. What are the opportunities for consumers and brands from the connection of payments to a range of other digital activities on their phones? Louise Keely offers key insights.
Digital is gaining momentum, which has many clients asking: Should I move to an all-digital plan? "All digital" is a bold move for any marketer, with multiple factors to consider. But before you take the plunge, answer these 10 key questions.
From the pureed food on spoons to the formula in bottles, you'd be hard pressed to find a parent who didn't want the best for their baby. And they're willing to spend for it. But for baby care manufacturers, there's plenty at stake in the battle for baby bucks.
U.S. consumer confidence decreased six index points in the second quarter to a score of 101, but it remained at an above-the-baseline optimistic level. Consumer confidence in Canada increased two points to 98 after declining six points in the first quarter. Despite these declines, confidence in both markets remained above the global average of 96.
The slowing pace of Chinese economic growth underscores the country's need to transition from an investment- and export-led growth model to one powered by consumption. But how long will that transition take? The answer is crucial to companies looking to ride what will eventually be the next extraordinary surge in consumer spending in China.
Though global consumer confidence declined one index point in the second quarter of 2015 to a score of 96, the European region increased two points to 79—the highest regional score in five years. In fact, 21 of 32 European markets (65%) were more optimistic than at the start of the year.
The way we view the economy and what's in our wallets can have a direct impact on our willingness to spend and save. As such, it's no surprise that changes in consumer confidence can influence the actions consumers say they take to save on household expenses. And as global consumer confidence declined in Q2, saving strategies continued to permeate the mindset of consumers around the world.
Global consumer confidence declined one index point in the second quarter to a score of 96. Regionally, confidence continued to rise in Europe, increasing two points to 79. Confidence held stead in Asia-Pacific, but fell in the three remaining regions.
As the media landscape evolves, so too do the sources consumers use to find out about new products. Globally, shoppers' reliance on earned media is growing while their attention toward some paid media sources are declining.
Globally, more than six-in-10 respondents (63%) say they like when manufacturers offer new products. But while consumers across the globe are enthusiastic about new products, their purchasing patterns vary widely.
Brand building can be costly and time consuming, so the ability to grow via line extensions—the use of an established product brand for a new item in the same category–can be extremely advantageous. In fact, line extensions are approximately three to four times more common than "new manufacturer" and "new brand" launches combined.
In about four months, we'll have officially made it to "the future"—at least according to the time-stamp on Doc Brown's DeLorean in the "Back to the Future" movie series. So now that we're there, what will 2020 look like?
When it comes to taking a risk on a new product purchase, why do consumers choose one product over another? What needs and desires drive new product purchasing, and which attributes are most influential in the path to purchase?
At Nielsen's annual Consumer 360 Conference, Nielsen CEO Mitch Barns and Daniel Zhang, CEO of China-based Alibaba, sat down to discuss how global companies are leveraging digital and big data for commercial gains amid growing fragmentation, technological developments and evolving consumer demand.
Protecting and building store loyalty is no easy task. To keep customers coming back for more, you need to know what drives them to switch from one store to another.
Innovation matters. In the consumer product realm, it can drive profitability and growth, and it can help companies succeed—even during tough economic times. On the opposite side of the sales counter, consumers have a strong appetite for innovation, but they're increasingly demanding and expect more choice than ever before.
Does the lowest price always win? In Europe's sluggish economy, it can certainly seem that way. But a recent Nielsen study found the three things topping consumers' shopping lists were convenience, shopping experience and quality products.
Dr. Robert Heath is a professor at the University of Bath and a pioneer in establishing the value of emotion in advertising. We recently talked to him about emotional resonance, its importance and how it can be used in improving the effectiveness of advertising.
There's very that little pet owners won't do for their furry friends. In fact pet owners' willingness to open their wallets for them is often unwavering. Even in times of economic strife, worldwide pet food sales have been steadily growing over time, but the pockets of potential in this category are narrower than one might expect.
By mid-century, the U.S. will be a "majority minority" nation. By 2060, fewer than five in 10 will be white non-Hispanic. This level of demographic change represents a remarkable challenge for retail real estate investors, developers, advisers and retailers. It's also a remarkable opportunity.
Despite evidence that the rise of digital shopping has become an influential factor in the changing retail landscape, consumer shopping channel preferences continue to shift. A review of sales trends for select FMCG around the world reveal that when it comes to trade channel importance, there is no single answer that's right for all.
Recession-minded Europeans found a silver lining in the first quarter of 2015 for, despite the fact that the region remained the least optimistic globally with an overall consumer confidence index score of 77. And Nielsen's Global Consumer Confidence and Spending Intentions Survey showed that job confidence rose quarter-over-quarter in 15 of 32 European markets measured.
Consumer confidence in Asia-Pacific increased in nine of 14 markets measured by Nielsen in Q1, compared to only three that rose in Q4 2014. Nine markets in the region remained at or above the 100-baseline level of optimism. At 130, India reached its highest level since 2011—up one-point from Q4. Confidence in India has been on the rise for six consecutive quarters.
In Q1, Millennial respondents were more eager to spend—especially those in the 25-29 age range. In fact, their spending intent for holidays/vacations, new clothes and out-of-home entertainment exceeded the global averages by as much 10 percentage points.
Starting the year positively, global consumer confidence saw an increase of one point from fourth-quarter 2014, with an index score of 97. After a slight dip at the end of last year, when all regional confidence scores declined, it was a more upbeat start to the year, as confidence increased slightly or remained stable in every region except Latin America.
Spend more than a few minutes in a conversation with someone in the CPG industry and you'll almost inevitably find yourself discussing the spiraling cost of trade promotion. In Europe, decent returns on trade promotion spend are increasingly hard to generate. So how can we turn things around?
For retailers, e-commerce is only one part of the digital picture. A complete digital strategy includes interaction at every point along the path to purchase. Digital touch points occur both in and out of stores, and consumers are increasingly using technology to simplify and improve the process.
While the appetite for buying groceries online is at high levels around the world—more than half of global respondents are willing to give it a try—digital natives are leading the charge. These consumers have an unprecedented enthusiasm for—and comfort with—technology, and online shopping is a deeply ingrained behavior.
Imagine a grocery store where you can receive personal recommendations and offers the moment you step in store, your checkout takes seconds and you can pay for groceries without ever taking out your wallet. Sound far-fetched? It's closer than you think.
From search engines to social networks, people around the globe mostly use electronic devices for three primary purposes: relationship building/maintaining, information gathering and entertainment viewing. But what does the future use of electronic devices look like, and where are the best opportunities for growth?
Advertisers try to make their ads hit home with audiences as much as possible—but there's room for improvement. Investing a little more heavily in determining how much ads resonate and working to improve campaigns accordingly have the potential to dramatically improve overall advertising effectiveness.
Globally, consumers largely favor TV as the device of choice for watching video programming. However, there are a few regional and generational differences in how we watch.
Any multinational looking for solid growth should be taking a hard look at India. In 2015, India's economy will grow faster than China's for the first time in 16 years. In fact, the IMF forecasts India's GDP growth to expand by 7.5% this year and next.
What's your go-to device of choice for watching your favorite show? Device proliferation has afforded more choice than ever before, but TV remains the preferred device—and by a wide margin according to global online respondents in Nielsen's Digital Landscape Survey.
What are today's Future Talent—students close to graduating or college-educated, newly working professionals—looking for when seeking employment or making purchases? A recent study on corporate reputation explores the factors these young future leaders consider.
As China began its meteoric rise, multinational companies from Europe and America established beachheads in the country, and did very well bringing Western products to the East.
We're living in a world of 24/7 connectivity, accessing our content on our own terms, and we like it that way. Around the globe, 76% of respondents in a Nielsen online survey say they enjoy the freedom of being connected anywhere, anytime. While consumers love this flexibility, it represents a huge challenge for brands and content providers vying for our attention in a fragmented viewing arena.
What traits lead to a strong corporate reputation? Is it thought leadership? A diverse product line? Innovation? Corporate social responsibility efforts? While many are divided on specifics, most would likely agree that reputation is built on a smattering of all of these, along with a few others as well. The one characteristic that might not be as expected, however, is location.
Advertising, although inherently a creative process, offers many opportunities for greater efficiency. Advertising Process Control highlights the many non-creative areas that advertisers, publishers and agencies could and should work to control better to consistently improve their performance across advertising campaigns.
Millennials comprise about one-third of "Opinion Elites," an influential subset of the public who are highly informed, engaged and active when it comes to social and business issues. And just as Millennials' shopping, dietary and financial decisions differ from those of older generations, younger Opinion Elites (aged 18-34) focus on different qualities than their older peers when assessing a corporate reputation.
Nearly half (49%) of global respondents in Nielsen's Global Health & Wellness Survey consider themselves overweight, and a similar percentage (50%) is actively trying to lose weight. But men and women are not necessarily aligned with the steps they take in the battle of the bulge.
Advertising Process Control is an advanced state to achieve. Before you can start managing your advertising production process, you need to accurately assess where your organization is on the Advertising Process Control continuum.
Reliable genius is what you really want from your advertising. Why aren't you getting it? Probably because you don't take your advertising production process as seriously as you take many of the other processes in your company.
People who are more informed, engaged and active when it comes to social and business issues around the world are increasingly inquisitive and knowledgeable about the companies they choose to buy from. In fact, there are signs that they've never been more interested in the reputation of companies they do business with.
If we know that consumers are engaging more with brands that are going green, producing sustainable products and giving back, do we have insight into which causes resonate the most? And are there discernible preferences between men and women? The short answer is yes.
While global sentiment about personal finances and the costs of living has been trending up for about two years now, men and women aren't exactly on the same page when it comes to what's in their pockets. Generally speaking, women see a bright side, but men are seeing an even brighter side.
Digital audience measurement is getting better: measurers are on the lookout for "fraudulent" views, are working to include only "viewable" impressions, and are measuring what percentage of people reached by a campaign actually belong to the group the advertiser was paying for. So what's next?
Half of consumers around the world say they're actively trying to lose weight, and 75% of them plan to achieve that goal by changing their diet. But the road to good health isn't always paved with good intentions. So do desires materialize where it counts—at the point of sale?
Not everyone agrees on the best methods to lose weight, but nearly three-fourths (74%) of global consumers believe they are what they eat. So what do we look for in the foods that fuel our bodies?
Despite our best intentions to eat healthily, the contents of our shopping carts don't always align with our objectives. And when we look around the globe, not everyone places health attributes atop their list of important considerations when they shop for food.
The question that marketers and retailers in Russia need to answer is: How do I win with the new Russian consumer who suddenly has far less disposable income than a year ago? Winning today will definitely be difficult, given the environment, which means that assortment and price are more important than ever.
We've just completed a year of transformation in the retail industry, and looking at 2015, it looks like change will remain constant. But change brings opportunity, even within the familiar. Where to begin? Look to the shelf.


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Laced With Arsenic
Poisoned Waters
Bangladesh, Desperately Seeking Solutions
Bangladesh has both too much water and not enough of it. On the one hand, this poor and densely packed nation-130 million people in an area the size of New York state-is laced with the great Ganges and Jamuna rivers and countless lesser streams. Rainfall totals about 80 inches a year. The country is largely flat, and immense tracts of floodplain become lakes during the monsoon season. Water is nothing if not abundant.
Finding water that is safe to drink is another story, however. It has long been a constant challenge for millions, especially the isolated rural poor. Now, drinking water is the villain in what CBS television once called "the greatest poisoning in human history."
In Nilkanda village, in the Sonargaon subdistrict about two hours from the capital, Dhaka, housewife Monwara Begum tells how her tragedy began to unfold. "Hand pumps helped us to avoid the diseases in the pond," she says, referring to the contamination of surface waters by human and animal waste. "But after drinking from the hand pump over many years, my husband fell ill with arsenic poisoning. We use a filter system now for all we drink, but I'm not convinced it is safe."
"More than 60 percent of the wells in this subdistrict are contaminated with arsenic and unsafe to drink from," explains Sayed Ershad, a development worker who has spent the last several years grappling with the disaster. "Many people still drink the poison water from the wells. The alternatives cost them time and money, and people here face extreme poverty."
Across the village, a thin and listless middle-aged man sits quietly in his ramshackle bamboo and thatch home. His skin is discolored and his hands and feet are pocked with callous-like growths, telltale signs of arsenicosis. "He continues to drink from the contaminated well," says Ershad. "He doesn't use a filter because he's convinced he doesn't have many more days to live."
The Best of Intentions
Bangladesh's high population density and lack of sanitation infrastructure keeps surface waters perpetually contaminated, and waterborne diarrheal diseases have long been a leading cause of widespread illness and premature infant death. In response, the government began installing shallow tubewells (sealed pipes extending down into the groundwater and equipped with simple hand pumps) when Bangladesh was still East Pakistan. Following the independence struggle and subsequent famine in 1971, international aid agencies (UNICEF, the World Bank, the UN Development Programme) and private interests joined the effort. Since then several million tubewells have been sunk into the shallow water table, and hand pumps have become an icon of a better life for the rural poor. World Health Organization (WHO) reports suggest that the tubewells helped slash infant and child mortality by half over the last 40 years.
The discovery of high concentrations of naturally occurring arsenic in the groundwater is thus a bitter irony. Heavy-metal contamination was not even considered in Bangladesh until evidence of arsenicosis began to emerge in the neighboring Indian state of West Bengal in the late 1980s. Arsenic-contaminated wells were first confirmed in Bangladesh in 1993 and it wasn't until 2000 that the first comprehensive program of well testing was completed, when the British Geological Survey (BGS) surveyed a sample of about 3,500 wells nationwide.
The results were shocking. Of the BGS-estimated 6 to 11 million shallow tubewells in Bangladesh (those less than 150 meters deep), at least 1.5 million are heavily contaminated, with concentrations exceeding the national drinking-water standard of 50 parts per billion. Some 35 million people are believed to be exposed beyond the national standard, and 57 million are exposed to arsenic concentrations above the WHO standard of 10 parts per billion.
Local patterns of contamination and resulting sickness are more difficult to circumscribe. Neighboring villages and even households may be consuming well water with vastly different levels of contamination. Some villages with high levels of contamination do not show much evidence of widespread arsenicosis, which generally reveals itself first as dark spots on the skin and nodules on the palms and soles of the feet. Over 5 to 10 years or more, these symptoms become more pronounced. In many cases, internal organs, including the liver, kidneys, and lungs, are also affected. Strong evidence links arsenic poisoning with cancer, but it remains difficult to ascertain how heavy and prolonged the exposure must be to trigger the disease.
The potential human toll in Bangladesh is thus uncertain, because some cancers take as long as 20 years to emerge. According to a recent report from the WHO, in parts of southern Bangladesh where arsenic concentrations are very high, one in ten adult deaths could be due to some form of arsenic-induced cancer of internal organs stemming from long-term exposure. These risks fall heavily on the rural poor, who are rendered more vulnerable to illness by malnutrition and the large volumes of water they drink. They may also ingest additional arsenic by eating rice irrigated with poisoned water and then boiled in it. (The relatively few city dwellers get their water from largely arsenic-free deep aquifers.)
Getting to the Bottom of the Problem?
With almost half the country's population under threat, it is crucial to understand the root causes and patterns of contamination. But there are other dimensions to the problem besides the geographic distribution of arsenic. For instance, "we know it's not the depth of the well alone that determines its safety now or in the future," says M. Khaliquzzaman, an environmental scientist working with the World Bank. Moreover, "tapping a deep well may supply sufficient water for a village, but is it safe and sustainable for a city of a million? That's what we still don't know." And in any case it is still necessary to find ways to quickly, cheaply, and repeatedly test water quality in millions of specific locations.
One major initiative for addressing the arsenic problem is the Bangladesh Arsenic Mitigation Water Supply Project (BAMWSP), run by the government and backed by over $35 million from the World Bank and the Swiss Agency for International Development. Launched in 1998, BAMWSP sought to provide water supply relief for large numbers of rural people and to enhance scientific analysis of the scope of contamination. The project was deliberately set up to be independent of existing government institutions, but its work has nevertheless been delayed by bureaucratic mismanagement, lack of coordination with other water sector efforts, and insufficient scientific and technical information.
"Finding solutions to the contamination that can be implemented at the community level has been a complex process," explains the former BAMWSP director, Abdul Quader Choudhary. "It took nearly 30 years to get universal coverage of drinking water supplies using hand pumps. Now we've identified mitigation technologies that can work and are affordable by the poor. But we've still got a long way to go in solving the problem in a systematic way." Indeed, four years after launching its project with much public relations fanfare, the World Bank may be ending its participation in the BAMWSP. If so, nearly 80 percent of the total project budget would be left unspent.
Technology Gap
Politics and bureaucracies aside, at least one part of the overall problem remains technical: determining arsenic concentrations in water at the village level. Test kits produced by the U.S. drug giant Merck began to be used to measure village well contamination in the mid-1990s, but these kits only provide a rough, and sometimes misleading, measure of contamination levels. "Testing and analysis of arsenic contamination is technically complex, difficult, and expensive," explains Dr. Abul Hasnat Milton, chief of the arsenic unit of the NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation. With assistance from the Danish Embassy, Dr. Milton's water quality testing laboratory in Dhaka has become one of the country's most sophisticated, and has analyzed more than 25,000 samples for the government and aid organizations.
Unfortunately, that standard of excellence is difficult to reproduce everywhere. "There is still a great need to improve arsenic testing," says Mr. Khaliquzzaman. "There are 26 laboratories doing tests across the country, but only a third of them are capable of delivering results of an acceptable standard." To address this obstacle, the WHO and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have been providing vital technical help through a laboratory quality assurance program over the past two years.
Compounding uncertainties in the measurement of arsenic levels is a lack of basic knowledge about the movement of groundwater, and the location and mobilization of arsenic in water supplies. "The geology and hydrology of Bangladesh are very complicated due to the nature of its underground structures," explains M. Nazrul Islam, director general of the Geological Survey of Bangladesh. "Try to imagine multiple layers of Himalayan sediments deposited over tens of millions of years by shifting rivers, tides, and floods. The sediment layer is up to 20 kilometers thick near the Bay of Bengal. Aquifer movements within these layers remain poorly understood."
According to S.K.M. Abdullah, who chairs a national expert committee advising the government, "the Bengal Delta is more complex than the Mississippi, the Rhine, or the Senegal River deltas. It's really a composite of three deltas in one. We know that water older than 20,000 years is largely uncontaminated with arsenic, but you can't just drill down to a certain depth and assume it is arsenic-free."
Science, Deep and Wide
Bangladesh clearly needs more and better science for identifying water supply solutions. "What's really called for is analysis of deep aquifers on a country-wide basis," says Mr. Khaliquzzaman. Because of its potential for quickly and accurately enhancing this knowledge, "isotopic analysis can play a critical role in understanding and addressing the arsenic contamination problem." This technique takes advantage of the fact that most elements are mixtures of isotopes distinguished by differing numbers of neutrons in the atoms' nuclei. The oxygen in water, for instance, is about 98 percent O16 (atoms with 16 neutrons each), but trace amounts are in the form of O17 and O18. The isotope mixture varies in known ways, allowing water to be "fingerprinted" and tracked through the hydrological cycle. Isotopic analysis can be used to determine the movement of groundwater, where an aquifer is being recharged, how it connects and mixes with other groundwater bodies, and how vulnerable it is to contamination.
Since 1999, IAEA has been working with the World Bank's team to deploy isotope hydrology techniques in constructing a complete model of groundwater and aquifer dynamics and arsenic mobilization. The investigators are trying to understand whether deep aquifers will remain arsenic-free over the long term if they are developed as alternative sources, and how other deep aquifers may have been contaminated through mixing of deep and shallow reservoirs.
"Until very recently, the hydrogeological characterization in Bangladesh was being conducted through multiple institutions and agencies using primarily non-isotopic techniques," explains Pradeep Aggarwal, head of isotope hydrology for the IAEA in Vienna, Austria. "The integration of isotope techniques has provided the required information rapidly and at a much lower cost than previously possible. Now we are expanding the application of isotopic techniques countrywide." In particular, Dr. Allen Welch of the U.S. Geological Survey is using isotopic and conventional tools to investigate deep aquifer samples in the most heavily affected regions of the country. The results are expected in early 2003.
Meanwhile, the people of Bangladesh desperately need safe drinking water. The earliest response, initiated by the United Nations Development Programme in the mid-1990s, was an emergency initiative covering 500 of the most heavily affected villages. It screened all water sources for arsenic contamination and all the villagers for arsenicosis, and conducted a community awareness program.
More recently, UNICEF has supported the country's largest development NGO, the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), and seven other NGOs in evaluating more than 161,000 tubewells supplying several million people. Contaminated wells and pumps have been marked with danger-signifying red paint. BRAC has also been field-testing low-cost water treatment systems and supply alternatives in Sonargaon and eight other subdistricts. These include arsenic filtration devices, rooftop rainwater harvesting, hand-dug ring wells, and deep tubewells. Each technology offers partial relief. Filtration systems, for example, lose their effectiveness over time as the filtering mechanism is saturated, and the captured arsenic then must be suitably disposed of without environmental contamination. Deep wells that have been tested and found safe offer an alternative source, although the associated piped water distribution systems are quite expensive. Catching the rain offers some promise during the wet season, but even simple capture and storage systems are unaffordable by many villagers.
The efforts of BRAC, UNDP, and other bilateral, private, and international aid organizations are slowly mitigating this public-health calamity. But far more extensive and effective aid will be required to find a lasting solution to the poisoned water and bring an end to the widespread suffering. "Arsenicosis is hard to diagnose and there is no known cure or treatment," says Han Heijnen, a WHO environmental health advisor in Dhaka. "We know that continuous exposure is a sure cause of early death. Arsenic poisoning at the levels we're seeing in Bangladesh will take 10 or 20 years off a person's life, without any doubt."
Moreover, arsenic-contaminated water is not limited to Bangladesh, and the scientific work now under way-if it is allowed to continue-could be a critical investment for both Bangladesh and the Asia-Pacific region. "We are only now uncovering the true extent of arsenic poisoning in India, China, and other Asian countries," says Heijnen. "The contamination could reach 100 million people in Asia-more than the numbers affected by HIV-AIDS."
David H. Kinley III is a communications advisor working with the Technical Co-operation Department of the IAEA in Vienna. Zabed Hossain is an environmental researcher in the Environment Department of BRAC in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

subset: commoncrawl


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Bernard O'Callaghan has recently joined the Oceania Regional Office as its new Programme Coordinator. Formerly Programme Coordinator for the IUCN Vietnam Country Programme, Bernard brings with him a wealth of experience in wetlands and marine conservation in the Asia-Pacific region.
During his seven years with the IUCN Vietnam Country Programme, Bernard also served as Chief Technical Advisor to the World Bank/Global Environment Facility/IUCN initiative to establish the first comprehensive Marine Protected Area in Vietnam. His work has also involved providing technical assistance in the establishment and operation of national systems of protected areas and site management in Australia, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Bernard has a degree from Melbourne University and post-graduate degrees from Deakin University and University of New England in Australia. He is particularly interested in environmental management models that seek to involve local communities in the management process.
Bernard, in his role of Programme Coordinator, will be working with governments, partners, donors and communities to develop an integrated approach to the delivery of IUCN's programme in Oceania. He firmly believes the IUCN Oceania Regional Office offers the opportunity to better synergise and strengthen conservation activities in the region, particularly through IUCN's unique facility to convene innovative partnerships across sectors and between governments and non-governmental groups.


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A man and woman have been charged with breaking into a home on Robertson Street in Mount Clemens and stealing a television set.
Macomb County sheriff's deputies arrested Tyler Joseph Rosinski, 20, of Clinton Township, and Kyrra Johann Quick, of Chesterfield Township, and charged them with breaking into a house. A person living in the area called 911 saying a robbery had just occurred and provided deputies with a description of the clothing the suspects were wearing.
Deputies arrested Quick walking on Miller Street and later found Rosinski in a backyard in the area, Michalke said. Both people matched the description of the man and woman seen breaking into the home, according to Michalke.
Both suspects were arraigned on Thursday by 41B Court District Magistrate Daniel Goulette. Both were charged with home invasion-2nd degree and are being held in the Macomb County Jail on $10,000 cash or surety bond.
Quick has a record dating back to 2007. Michalke said deputies have had prior contacts with her.
Deputies quickly responded to Robertson Street on Wednesday when they received the 911 call from an area resident. Deputies were in the downtown section directing traffic on Cass Avenue and Main Street due to a fire at the old Macomb County Building.
'Our deputies quickly responded to Robertson Street and caught Quick walking down the street and found him (Rosinski) in a neighboring back yard,' Michalke said. 'The homeowner who saw what was going on and contacted our agency must be commended because that call resulted in an arrest.'


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Award for Jimmy Carter fuels outcry at Jewish university
NEW YORK – An award for conflict resolution has created a conflict of its own as former President Jimmy Carter, a persistent critic of Israel, was honored Wednesday by students at a Jewish university.
The event at Cardozo Law School, part of Yeshiva University, has drawn a harsh response from alumni, who called on graduates to withhold donations to the school.
Carter received the International Advocate for Peace award from the student-run Journal of Conflict Resolution. The journal cited Carter's brokering of the 1979 peace accord between Israel and Egypt and the SALT II nuclear weapons treaty with the then-Soviet Union. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
But Carter's criticism of Israel for allowing Jewish settlements in the West Bank, and his meetings with the Palestinian group Hamas, have angered supporters of Israel – as did his 2006 book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. Last year, Carter said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not committed to a two-state solution for the Palestinian conflict, contrary to Netanyahu's official position.
"Jimmy Carter has an ignominious history of anti-Israel bigotry,'' a group called the Coalition of Concerned Cardozo Alumni posted on a website created to protest the event.
Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz offered to debate Carter on his human rights record. "He's never met a terrorist he didn't love, and never met an Israeli whom he did," Dershowitz told The Jewish Press.
The university on Wednesday barred media from the event, though it previously had solicited coverage.
Maria Chickedantz, 32, a Cardozo alumna now working as a labor lawyer, came to support Carter's appearance. "Not all Cardozo alumni support bullying of public figures for making a critique of Israeli policies. We don't equate that with an attack on Judaism or on the existence of the state of Israel."
Yeshiva's president, Richard Joel, and the university's board of overseers, said in statements that they object to Carter's views on Israel, but that the university is a "free marketplace of ideas,'' as Joel put it, and the students had the right to invite the former president.
Gary Emmanuel, a securities lawyer who organized the alumni opposition, called Carter's appearance at a Jewish school "unconscionable'' and "a slap in the face'' to alumni. Citing academic freedom as a rationale for continuing with the event is "disingenuous,'' Emmanuel said.
If students invited former Klan member David Duke, he said, "You can be sure they would say, 'Absolutely not.' There is a red line somewhere and it's a matter of where you draw it. That's where the disagreement lies.''


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How to Turn Your Old Calendar Into a Gift Bag
What you'll need:
1. A calendar
2. Scissors
3. Glue
4. Hole punch
5. Ribbon or cord.
1. Remove two pictures from your calendar. The pages should be the same size. You may also want to choose pictures with similar symmetry—both centered or slightly to the right or left. This will help preserve the central focus of the pictures as you fold them.
2. Choose which picture you like better, and imagine the picture cut in thirds vertically. Approximately two thirds will form the front, and the remaining third will form a side. The thirds do not have to be exact. Crease that picture where you have decided to divide the front and side, then unfold. Use the fold you have made as a guide to make the exact same fold for the other picture.
3. Turn both pages picture side down, with the hole at the top. On both pages, fold down the top edge of the picture side about a half-inch onto the calendar side. The resulting flap will form a neat edge on the bag opening.
4. Repeat the same fold along the right side edge of each page. Make sure the resulting flap is the same size and on the same side of both calendar pictures. Place one page on top of the other so that the bottom picture is face down and top picture is face up. Keeping all flaps closed, slip the side flaps under the top flaps in the corners where they overlap. Glue along each side flap to attach the pages. Lay a book on the pages to keep them flat until the glue dries.
5. With the front picture facing up and the back lying flat against your work surface, pull the pages open so that the sides of the bag are vertical. Vertically crease the sides of the bag by pushing them inward and pressing the bag flat.
6. The calendar edges that have not been folded yet will be the bottom of your bag. With the bag lying flat, grab both pages and fold the bottom edges up and crease horizontally about a quarter of the way from the bottom. Open the bag and vertically cut the four corners up to the crease you just made. Turn the bag upside down and fold down the smaller flaps. Glue the larger flaps on top of them and hold for a minute to set. Cut two equal lengths of ribbon or cord, long enough for handles, plus extra. Punch equally spaced holes at the top of the bag. Thread the ribbon or cord through and tie on the inside.


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Pedal Chain and Crank Hand Screen Printed on 100% Organic or Fair Trade Denim Blue Cotton T-shirt
We only use the following blank garments
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It has been calculated that a single EarthPositive T-shirt saves around 7 kilograms of CO2, whereas a hooded sweatshirt saves up to 28 kgs of greenhouse gases. These are actual reductions achieved in the manufacturing, without any carbon offsetting.
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Fair Wear Foundation verifies that member companies implement a Code of Labour Practice along their supply chain and checks compliance by monitoring audits and remediation efforts. Annual reporting by member companies and by FWF itself promotes transparency at all levels.


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Bespoke collection of wooden lighting, furniture and décor from Triboa Bay. World-class furniture, just for your home.
Triboa Bay has an exhaustive collection of cabinets and book shelves. Whether you prefer the minimalist designs or the sturdy, hard wood furniture, we bring you classic forms blended with contemporary sensibility. Our collection of wooden cabinets and shelves is about bringing utility, function, earthiness and warmth that nothing else but wood brings. We make storage units in their basic, elegant forms, reduced to the purity of thought so that your home looks organized and decluttered with a resort-like ambience.
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The University Hospital of North Staffordshire Trust has suspended and reviewed the work of a consultant surgeon who used an unproven technique for face and head operations, allegedly exposing 88 patients to unnecessary risk.
The trust said it was reviewing treatment by one of its oral and maxillofacial consultants and had written to the patients affected.
The surgeon had been suspended by the trust since February 2013, pending the outcome of an internal review at the hospital, after concerns were expressed by colleagues.
The trust said it was offering special appointments to former patients who were operated on by the surgeon. The consultant is not being named by the trust.
All the cases under review involved either the treatment of fractures to the lower eye socket or involved patients who underwent surgery when "a more conservative, non-surgical approach" should have been tried first.
In independent advice to the trust's investigators, the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) said: "The patients in the review have at least not been helped, and at worst have come to harm due to the standard of care provided."
It recommended that a wider review of the consultant's practice should be carried out by the trust, which has now been concluded, prompting the contact of former patients.
The consultant was suspended from working at the hospital in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, after the RCS delivered its opinion.
Robert Courteney-Harris, the hospital's medical director, apologised to those patients affected.
He said: "I should like to express my sincere regret and apologies to any patients who have, or may have, been harmed.
"The trust has a clear protocol in place governing the use of new and unproven procedures and techniques.
"We took immediate action as soon as serious concerns about specific aspects of this consultant's practice were brought to our attention and the consultant has not worked at the trust for more than a year."
Former patients who have been contacted by the trust fall into three categories, including 33 who suffered severe eye socket damage and were then operated on by the consultant using an artificial bone substitute which in some cases could have led to excess scarring.
The RCS review said the use of the bone substitute was "a new technique diverging from current standard practice" and therefore the trust's own protocols and National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines should have been adhered to.
A further 19 patients may have undergone potentially unnecessary eye socket surgery, while the remaining 36 patients could have had operations on their jaw joint when a more conservative approach should have been adopted, in line with recommendations from the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
Mr Courteney-Harris said the process of confirming whether actual or potential harm had been caused, over and above the natural consequences of disease or the normal complications of surgery, was "a difficult and complex decision".
He added: "I should like to reassure patients who have been invited to attend a review that they will have a thorough assessment by one of our highly experienced oral and maxillofacial consultants of their past treatment and any possible side-effects or complications.
"I would strongly urge all patients who have been invited for review to attend their appointment during which they will be given a full explanation of their past care and treatment.
"Their questions will be answered honestly and openly and options for those patients who may require further treatment will be fully discussed with them."


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Dr Bob,
I will apologize ahead of time as I have a feeling you will not like what I have to say to you. 1st off please understand my words are mixed with frustration and confusion. Regardless I still respect everything that you have done thru-out the years and I have a feeling will continue for many, many more.
Now how dare you Dr. Bob? How do you call yourself and HIV specialist or even an immunologist and yet continue to provide inaccurate information to people that write to you looking for an honest opinion to their current status. I do understand that being that your answering people thru email and not actually face to face it is hard to make a complete and accurate diagnosis. But how dare you tell some of these people (including myself) after they had a clear and confirmed exposure to HIV and since then have experienced either ARS or even after several years continue to have declining health. How do you tell these people that HIV is not their problem? What makes you so sure that HIV is not their problem? I myself have experienced HIV associated lymphadenopathy after a risky exposure yet tested out to 6 month and still negative. But tell me doctor what else can cause full body, non-painfull lymphadenopathy all over ur body after a risky exposure. In case you havent looked at the list of possible infections all of them seem impossible when just 1 or 2 weeks prior to getting symptoms our only exposure was a sexual one. So tell me, do you think I am mentally causing all my glands in my body to become swollen? Is my mind really that strong? Are you going to tell me to seek mental help? Why not tell me the truth. Tell my why doctors now in days are so lazy to get their heads out of their butts and think outside of the box and realize that if someone had a clear exposure, then all the sudden they get all the symptoms such as white tongue, fatigue, rash, headaches, swollen glands, and these symptoms continue past the time a normal cold/flu would last. However all the doctors I have seen look only at my test and due to all being negative they continue to ignore all my real symptoms. Worst of all they cannot give me an answer to why after never experiencing a swollen node, now I have them all over my body. Thats the scary thing. There was a time when all this started that I was so scared of testing poz and now its gotten to the point were the only thing that makes sense is HIV. And worst of all its a strand of HIV that the current US test are not even picking up. Yes I know it sounds crazy right? Thats impossible you say. Well then how did we go from having 1 strain of HIV at the start of this epidemic to now having close to 20 different strains. And worst of all these strains are from different places of the world. So dont we now live in a world were people travel all the time and some of these people could have possibly been infected from one of these strains and are just not yet being recognized by our current test? Is that so hard to believe? After reading so many post from this site and many others from people with real symptoms, I can only imagine how many of them are going undiagnosed.
Now youre always advising everyone to read the post for previously answered questions. Well guess what I read the previous posts and not just yours but the ones from some of the other doctors that answer questions on this site. Now why is it that when someone would post a similar question to Dr. Bruce Dezube about unexplained lymphadenopathy after a risky exposure even with negative test results past the window period he doesnt tell them it cannot be HIV, no way no how. But instead advises to have a biopsy on the lymph node. Is it because he just sees enough of these patients with unexplained lymphadenopathy n negative test to realize that the test are just not picking up HIV on everyone that is infected. Again I ask you, as a doctor what else could cause lymphadenopathy after a risky exposure, maybe even to someone that is known to be HIV+. What would be your next step as a doctor. Would you do what all the doctors have done in my case and send me home with all my negative test results but still suffering from PGL and maybe hope I dont die from an undiagnosed HIV/AIDS OI because you wouldnt second guess an HIV test. I have tried to be as proactive as possible in trying to catch this disease and have had a cd4 done every month for the past 3 months. Now keep in mind my exposure was in Nov 09.
March 2010 cd4 837, cd4% 39, cd8 544 cd8% 26, cd4/cd8 ratio 1.50 April 2010 cd4 824, cd4% 42, cd8 570 cd8% 27, cd4/cd8 ratio 1.50 May 2010 cd4 1003 cd4% 38, cd8 729 cd8% 28, cd4/cd8 ratio 1.37
Do you see that my cd8 is currently elevated and the cd4/cd8 is on the really low side of normal. Doesnt a high CD8 mean our body is fighting an infection? And my cd4/cd8 is close to being inverted. You see Dr. Bob here you have in front of you how the HIV test that you and many other doctors worship are not as accurate or specific as believed. There is something out there. Yet no one seems to pay attention to those of us with real HIV symptoms because of the result of a simple test. So what do we do. Honestly should we just wait till PCP hits us and then docs might think ok this could be an undiagnosed HIV infection. I want know because I have a 6yr old that I would like to make future plans for without having to worry about how much time I have remaining. And if HIV is our problem we should not be denied the advantage of getting the same meds that are currently available to those that have tested positive.
In conclusion Dr. Bob I respect you, please dont take this as an assault as again I have seen 5 HIV specialist. So this is in general for all doctors that are too afraid to try 2nd guessing. Now I offer again I am willing to go to San Francisco and have you inspect my swollen glands so you can tell me what ur honest opinion. I am not asking for charity as I have very good health insurance that will cover me for seeing a specialist, most specially the renown Dr. Bob. And please dont insult me by telling me to seek mental help because I am far from needing one. Patiently waiting ur reply.
First of all, had you not begun your rant with an ernest apology and the very accurate self-assessment "my words are mixed with frustration and confusion," I would have deleted your post, as I've already responded to your concerns in the past and I have not changed my assessment.
Next, if you have so little respect for my medical expertise, why are you contacting me again? You stated that I would not like what you had to say. Although I'm not elated when anxious, frustrated wrecks attack my credibility, it really reflects much more on the writer than me. You have chosen not to accept my analysis of your problem. Fine. That is your prerogative. Interestingly you report you've seen five other HIV specialists who have come to the exact same conclusions and assessment. You have chosen not to accept their expertise as well. You feel we are "lazy" and have our "heads up our butts." Don't you find it rather remarkable that you've managed to hit now six HIV specialists in a row who are so dreadfully incompetent?
Now it's my turn to say a few things that you won't like. And please note these comments come without an apology.
You are HIV negative whether or not you choose to accept that reality.
There was absolutely no indication for obtaining T-cell subset analyses. Your three sets of tests are all normal by the way. (I am a board certified clinical immunologist. You are not.)
I will not comment on out-of-context advice given by other physicians. Such advice, I should add, was not directed at your specific situation.
If indeed you had significant unexplained lymphadenopathy (not self-diagnosed swollen glands), a lymph node biopsy may be clinically indicated to rule out conditions such as malignancy (lymphoma, etc.). However, since you've been evaluated by at least five HIV specialists, I tend to doubt you have clinically significant lymphadenopathy.
It's unfortunate your sexual activity placed you at risk for HIV, as it obviously has had a profound effect on your psyche as demonstrated by such comments as "there was a time when all this started that I was so scared of testing poz and now its gotten to the point where the only thing that makes sense is HIV" and ". . . we should not be denied the advantage of getting the same meds that are currently available to those that have tested positive." WOWZA! And you still insist you don't need a shrink. Trying to obtain antiretrovirals when you have overwhelming and irrefutable evidence you are HIV negative plus the unanimous opinion of six HIV specialist physicians that you are not HIV infected speaks volumes about the depth of your psychopathology.
As I have told you before, should you fly to San Francisco I would have nothing to offer you, as I am not a psychiatrist and you do not have HIV disease. I have given you the benefit of my expertise, despite your insults, and offered you the path back to both physical and psychological well-being. Whether you choose to follow that path is totally up to you.
Good luck. I think you'll need it. Finally, apology accepted.
Dr. Bob
lymphadenopathy after risky exposure = HIV Mar 17, 2010
Dear Dr. Bob
I write to you again (100% hiv infected 2010) because I have a problem. So I know you are a busy man. And I really do think u deserve so much for all the great work that u always provide to people living with HIV and WW regarding there questions and understanding. Well I was reading previous post on thebody.com and type in search = Lymphadenopathy. So I was amazed at how many people have written in describing their symptoms that included swollen/tender lymph nodes. I was also amazed that a lot of them continued to test negative on there AB and other more specific HIV test out to 1yr after exposure. But I was more amazed at the fact that you would advised them that HIV is not there problem, no way - no how! However Dr. Bob while I greatly respect all that u do I somehow think ur wrong on some of these peoples issues. Lets start off by stating that HIV was once called LAV because it was a disease that caused Lymphadenopathy there for the name LAV came around. Then it was changed to HIV because of the 2 docs from the US and France that had the little dispute about who discovered the disease. Ok so we can agree on that much. Now if Lymphadenopathy is associated with primary HIV infection and a lot of these people including myself have experienced this since our last risky exposure whether it be occupational needle stick, condom breakage or just not wearing protection during sex but the test still continue to show negative.
Would it be ok to say that HIV test are not as accurate or as specific as we believed to be. I think when it comes to a lot of these online forums we come to look for answers and to be made to feel better by being advised that after testing out of the 3 month or 6 month or even 1yr period that HIV is not the problem. Then what else could explain such a coincidence. I mean in my whole entire life that has been a short 28yrs long I had never experienced 1 swollen lymph node. I didnt even know we had them to begin with. And I have been sexually active since I was 13yrs old and have had plenty of women in my life with which I have gone both protected and unprotected during sex. However this last time I made sure that I always wore protection. I was very careful when pulling out to make sure the condom was always on. But unfortunately the condom broke and I wasnt aware that it was ripped or how long it was ripped for and now I fear that I am infected with HIV even after all the negatives that I have received for the past 16wks. I have been to 1 GP and 2 HIV specialist and somehow they all feel my lymph nodes and decide that since there is no lymph node that is bigger than a marble or even a bit smaller than that, that I do not have swollen lymph nodes or HIV. I find this hard to accept and also feel like I have been misdiagnosed. I feel these uncomfortable feeling on both side of my abdominal area, my back, my forearms, back of the knees, back of elbows, groin area while my lymph nodes may not be swollen in size they are very palpable to the touch in all areas of my body, lately more so on my abdominal area. And I am loosing weight while eating nothing but mcdonalds or other fast food. How is that when combined with occasional night sweats and white tongue not diagnosed as HIV only because no test has been able to pick it up. Even a ultra sensitive RT HIV RNA test was not able to detect HIV @ 48 copies, but on this website there is a story about a person that was infected and was positive on AB test but always undetectable on viral load test. Then someone thought of using a bdna test for viral load and they were able to pick up a viral load due to the person having a non - B strain. So you see how there is a lot to this disease that is not yet understood as shown by test that only detects antibodies to HIV disease and not the virus itself. And even the test we do have to detect the virus cant be used as diagnostic tools. So what will happen when 5yrs from now me and other who have similar stories with negative HIV AB test, PCR test, NAAT test all the sudden show up to emergency rooms with signs and symptoms of AIDS? I know there is nothing you can do aside from what ur already doing for us. But I am still sure that I am infected or there is something else out there or also either HIV is hiding in the lymph nodes and not circulating in the blood including no AB. Or there is a new strain of HIV that is not yet discovered or the current HIV AB are just not as specific and accurate as we want to believe they can be. I mean even now some docs say 3, 6/months or even 1yr for testing. I my self as much as it would suck and change my whole life, would rather know now that I have been recently infected then wait till my immune system is destroyed, but how can I do that if all my AB test are negative and even the test taken by the person that I had the exposure with tested negative. If a lymph node biopsy is to be performed would that be able to locate HIV? I have recently ordered an HIV bdna even after my doc declined to order the test and also have a cd4 count order as well, results not yet available. Something is going on in my body and it started 7 days after risky incident. Since then I have not been the same physically and my health is less than 100%. I dont know what else to do. I am even willing to go to San Francisco and have u examine me to determine what u think could be causing my lymphadenopathy, so what do u think. I am concerned and I hope u post this and answer as u have to other post that I have sent u. I pray every night that someday either better treatment or less stigma is associate with these disease and that it could be accepted just like other chronic disease. Take care.
Response from Dr. Frascino
Dear Sir,
You can continue to "believe" whatever you wish; however, your beliefs do not change reality.
You have been to your general practitioner and two HIV specialist physicians. All three have advised you that your lymph nodes are not swollen. However, you "find this hard to accept." What are the odds all three doctors, including two HIV specialists, would be wrong about a simple physical finding???
You have had numerous HIV-antibody tests and an undetectable quantitative ultrasensitive RT HIV RNA. Plus, the person you were exposed to (via broken condom) has tested HIV-antibody negative. However, you refuse to believe all these results as well. That's quite amazing!
HIV, whether you believe it or not, is not your problem. No way. No how. No additional HIV tests are warranted. (Your totally unnecessary HIV bDNA will be undetectable and your equally unnecessary CD4 count will be normal.) Most likely you won't believe these results either. It's painfully obvious to everyone, except you, that your problem is not virologic, but rather psychiatric. You don't have HIV, but you do have a significant medical problem: irrational fear of being HIV infected.
I urge you to see psychiatric help. Flying to San Francisco will not help, as you are not HIV infected and I am not a psychiatrist.
Good luck.
Dr. Bob


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Crisis Management Lessons: How Two Asian Airlines Responded to Disasters
The airline and the Malaysian government's handling of the crisis were criticized for a lack of urgency in the initial hours, transparency in releasing information and coordination on where to search. The hunt for MH370 is the longest in the history of …
Read more on AdAge.com
There are currently 678 accommodations in the area Lincolnshire. The popularity of this weekend has only 115 of them available.
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For your next trip we have met the four best hotels, B & Bs and holiday homes in and around Lincoln.
Porter Airlines plane spotted at tiny Pennsylvania airport
One of the Canadian airline's Bombardier Q400s landed at the Williamsport Regional Airport on Sunday, giving the tiny airport in north-central Pennsylvania a rare international arrival. The plane was flying from Toronto's Billy Bishop Airport to …
Read more on USA TODAY
Iran examines Ukraine Int'l Airlines ownership for Israeli links
The IRNA news agency says the imbroglio broke out when the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization (IrCAO) granted Ukraine Int'l Airlines (UIA) Kiev Borispol to Tehran Mehrabad traffic rights early last year. Several "hardliner" MPs reportedly objected to …
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Be Specific when it comes to Destinations
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Be it a city or country, there can be hundreds of attractions worth visiting; hence, it is advised that tourists make their mind regarding destinations before leaving their city. It will not only make the trip chaos-free, but advance booking of flights may save them a great deal of money also.
6. Ask all the questions. Ask any remaining questions you may have regarding the policies or the property- don't leave anything up to chance!
7. Book your rental home. Congratulations! If you've made it this far you have successfully found a vacation rental in which to enjoy a great trip with your family and friends. Now it is time to put down your security deposit and get ready for a host of great memories. Make sure to confirm how you are sending your payment to the owner, as some methods of payment are more secure than others.
8. Last and certainly not the least, enjoy your vacation rental!
About the Author:
Peter Thomas works for Aruba Villa Vacation Homes and loves to travel. He loves to write, Aruba Vacation and Accommodation are his topic of interest and he finds immense pleasure in writing article about vacation rentals Aruba and luxury villa rental Aruba.
ba.com cheap airways
The number of international as well as domestic flights has doubled in the last few years. With increasing demand, carriers are increasing their capacity and new entrants are trying to capitalize this opportunity. This has led to the regulation of market, which in turn has drastically changed the face of the aviation industry. From a luxurious affair,
top US airlines
boarding a flight has become a regular affair for many people in this cyber age. Earlier, communicating relatives in another country took weeks, but now people can make video calls in just a few seconds. Breakthroughs in technological development and its implication are among most vital reasons behind the increased need to travel.
official site After communication, business in foreign countries has also increased, and the world has turned into a global village. This is the reason that booking air tickets international has increased significantly.
Apart from business in foreign countries, enthusiasts travel miles to pursue the objective of their life. Hundreds of students live thousands of miles away from their families in order to get the best education in their core field. In order to encourage them, a number of carriers offer discounts and deals. They may be asked to provide their identity number and other documents, which is a part of the authentication process. People can crack a great deal by following some simple tips given by frequent travellers.
book cheap flights of continental
If you are a frequent business traveler, staying at hotels on a regular basis is nothing new. While the location of a facility is probably one of the most important features, you also want to make sure that the hotel you're staying in provides the services and amenities that'll suit both your business as well as personal needs. Here are some things to consider when arranging your next business trip.
book your vacation
The location of your accommodations is often determined by your trip itinerary and meeting locations. If you are going to be meeting with different clients over several days, consider facilities that are centrally located to those meetings. If you're just seeing a customer for the day, an airport facility may be the better option. Many popular hotel and travel search engines allow you to locate accommodations near landmarks, such as an airport or a downtown attraction.
If you enjoy staying at a particular chain, browse their website for your destination and click on a map of their location relative to where you'll need to travel for your business.
There are, however, plenty of attractions to tempt you back on land, such as the magnificent Royal Château d'Amboise. This castle is built on a spur above River Loire, and became the favourite residence of several French kings. You can also visit the Château du Clos Luce, the home of one of the world's greatest thinkers and artists, Leonardo Da Vinci. Need to stretch your legs a little?
international and domestic flights There are plenty of hiking and biking trails to explore, as well as several world-class golf courses in the area, such as the Tours Ardrée Golf Club, which features an 18-hole golf course nestled in more than 350 acres of park and woodland. There are also plenty of restaurants specialising in regional cuisine to help keep your strength up during your adventures if you feel like a break from the five star dining on-board.
Paul Newman is the Marketing and E-Systems Executive for European Waterways. We can provide you with a luxury, all-inclusive French barge cruise. Cruises are also offered in Holland, Italy and the UK.
A Gulet is a traditional wood-masted sailing vessel taking off from the Southwestern coast Turkey. The vessel is popular among tourists who love Gulet cruises, which are nothing short of enjoyable. It offers an exciting way of exploring a holiday spot and seeing many other attractive features.
Dublin Airport
Vacationers enjoy exciting experiences through Gulet trips which are equipped with modern and highly sophisticated navigational tools. They also come complete with engines to offer trip conveniences, especially in terms of time for those with limited time to spare. Even thought there are models fitted with the engines, sails are still largely used on Gulet charter cruises.
american charters have added benefits such as experienced sailors for the crew and well maintained ships. The boats go through regular inspections to make sure that they remain safe for all users. They come in a huge variety of sizes to suit different holidaying groups.
delta air Whether you are going on a honeymoon cruise or a family cruise for a vacation, you will find a Gulet size that is just right for you. There is something most suitable for groups of friends or families on holiday to make sharing those precious moments easy. The charter services also offer travel itineraries for Gulet cruise enjoyment matching your available time during the vacations.


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After you check out Bob, view out the other Weekly musicians, top MP3 downloads and our list of local bands.
|Bob's Role in the Band
|About the Band
|Grocery Store Reject
|Saxophone, Vocals
A revolution has started. An army has risen from the darkness and formed into one united form. The Reject Army has started its march onto the music scene. Lead by ......more.


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Does your boomerang slice or sweeping hook have you feeling down? Then it's time to turn that frown upside down.
Taking golf lessons from a PGA Professional is the single best way to improve your game. The PGA Professional is uniquely skilled at evaluating your game and can help you:
- Hit the ball longer and straighter
- Play better on and around the greens
- Improve your course management skills, and
- Make sure your equipment properly fits you
All of this can lead to lower scores and a more fun.
There are three primary types of instruction – private lessons, group lessons and clinics. In a private lesson, you're the only student working with the PGA Professional. Group lessons may provide a more comfortable learning environment.
If you're not sure if you're ready for a lesson, consider attending a golf clinic hosted by a PGA Professional. Golf clinics are typically offered during group golf outings and usually focus on a single topic, such as bunker play, chipping, putting, or the full swing. A big difference between a clinic and a lesson is that during a clinic, you're watching the PGA Professional explain how he/she would hit certain shots, rather than you actually hitting the shot yourself.
This can also be a non-intimidating way to socialize with other golfers.
In short, if you want to play better golf … take a lesson. Playing better golf will make the game more enjoyable and allow you to experience hitting more shots exactly the way you envision it.


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Find schools and get information on the program that's right for you.
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Guillaume de MachautBiography
Born near the year 1300, possibly in Rheims, very little is known of Machaut's first two decades, except that early in life he took holy orders (we do know that he never advanced to the priesthood). The Machauts may have derived their name from a town in Champagne.
From about 1323 to 1340, he was employed by the John of Luxembourg, King of Bohemia, Though Guillaume was awarded several benefices within the decade, his function at John's court seems to have been chiefly literary and scribal - his posts included almoner, notary, and secretary.
However, John fancied himself a rather dashing soldier, and dragged his secretary from one campaign to the next; Machaut's writings suggest that years of following John resulted in gout, general debility, and a bad eye. It is no wonder, then, that in 1337, Machaut traded in his other livings for the position of canon at Rheims Cathedral and bought a house nearby. In his later years this house was frequented by the great, including King Charles V himself.
After King John's death in 1346, Machaut continued to serve France's most illustrious nobility. In 1349 he took service with Charles II of Navarre, then he became a member of the musical household of Charles V, King of Navarre. At other times (there are not details) he probably served John II and John, Duke of Berry, and perhaps Peter I of Cyprus and Amadeus of Savoy.
One of the truly significant creative figures of the fourteenth century, Guillaume was greatly admired by the cognoscenti of his day for his poetic gift. It is as a composer, however, that he stands unchallenged as the greatest of his era, and must be regarded as one of the supreme creative musicians of all time. Although relatively little is known about Machaut's personal life, more than 130 of his musical works have survived, and the manuscripts speak eloquently for his creative genius. Guillaume can be seen as a pivotal figure that summed up the chief musical developments to his time and then looked ahead to new ones.
Machaut was a leading exponent of "Ars Nova", the "new art" that flourished in the late 1300s. The so-called "old art" - Gregorian melodies and plain chants - had been developed by the "Notre Dame" Gothic School of composers headed by Leonin and Perotin in the 12th century. "Ars Nova" in general - and Machaut in particular - built a new musical structure on these old foundations. The greatest single change effected by "Ars Nova" was in rhythm, which now acquired variety for the first time. Machaut was one of the first composers to use extensively a new technique in rhythm: the "isorhythmic" (or equal rhythm) device in which a rhythmic pattern of notes and rests was repeated at fixed points throughout a composition, sometimes in the tenor voice, sometimes in all the voice parts.
Unlike many of his contemporaries, Machaut saw his music not as a mere prop for his verse, but as an art important in itself. Machaut's manuscripts are clear on this point, for he even established the sequence in which he wanted the works presented: the pure poetry first - seventeen titles, mostly of long works, prefaced by a special prologue; then the musical compositions by categories - lais, motets, ballades, rondeaux, virelais, the Mass and the "David" instrumental hocket.
Machaut is perhaps best remembered for his Mass - apparently written for Rheims Cathedral. It is not only a monumental work but also a landmark. Other Ars Nova musicians wrote isolated Mass movements, but Machaut's appears to have been the first Mass composed as such by one man - and there would be no other for a half century. It is not unified, like later polyphonic Masses, by being based on a single cantus firmus, but it is clear that Machaut meant it to be performed as one work. It is one of the earliest works in musical history in which the music suggests some of the emotional or spiritual content of the text. In the "Et Incarnatus Est" section, for example, the music broadens majestically to suggest the awe, mystery, and mysticism of the Virgin birth.
Guillaume de Machaut died in Rheims, on 13 April in the year 1377.
contributed by Gifford, Katya


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About RobShaver
My iPod shuffle has no glowing screen at all. I pretty much wear it all the time and have worn it to moves. I listen to podcasts instead of the pre-movie advertising.
So I think I might try this out. Think they'll let me stay to watch it twice on one ticket? If not then I'll just wait until it's out on disk and rent it at a RedBox for $1.20. Of course they will have stripped the bonus features, but I'll have it on my iPod.
Darren Aronofsky put a downloadable audio commentary file out on the Internet to go with "The Fountain". He said he didn't have time to get it onto the DVD so he was putting it out later.
"The Fountain" is one of about a half dozen DVDs I own and I did listen to it with his commentary track. I loved it.
I use bittorrent every time I take classes from http://fxphd.com
Each term all the students have to download the class videos for each class. There's a minimum of four classes times ten weeks or 40 videos. Then there's often supplements and extra materials depending on the class.
By having all the students use bittorrent they can keep their bandwidth requirements reasonable and keep the class costs lower.
If you want to blame the technology for the all the ills then outlawing cars would save 15 or 20 thousand lives every year.
I think I do see the point. I'm just sad to see the "first sale" principal being attenuated by everyone.
Why not just limit sales to the box office an hour before the show? (Yes, I know that causes other problems too.)
Again, don't like scalpers ... don't buy from them. Don't like prostitutes, don't buy from them. Don't like pay-day loans, don't buy from them.
To me it is simple.
We had tickets to a show that is now sold out. Some friends came in from out of town that day. The choice was to not go, go without our friends or buy in front of the venue from a scalper.
We bought two tickets from a scalper in front of the venue for 15% above face value and were glad for the service they provided.
Here's a very simple test to tell if scalper are providing a service: if people buy from them then they ARE providing a service.
Same goes for any service, legal or illegal, if there's a market someone will provide it.
So the only question is, should it be legal. Think of prostitution or pay-day loans or political super PAC.
So if I show up to one of Louis CK shows with a ticket and they say I can't come in, I think that I have been harmed (is tort the right word?) and have the right to a refund plus damages.
Of course for $45 even small clams court is too expensive to make it worth the effort.
Just my opinion.
This sound a lot like Omega using copyright to stop the sale of watches in the USA that were not bought through the "official" Omega channel. I understand that in some cases people want to have total control over what they used to own.
How's this different from the original architect writing into the contract on a house he designed that he (and his estate) get's 0.1% of the sale price EVERY TIME IT SELLS?
We can wipe out scalpers any time we want ... if nobody buys from then then they will be gone. Simple as that.
Look what happened to Arthur Anderson after Enron ... nobody would use their services after it was reveled that they couldn't be trusted. (The same should have happened to Ford when it came out they made the corporate decision to pay off the families who had members die in the exploding Pintos because it was cheaper than fixing the problem.)
The same should be true for software and games and anything ... if you bought it you should be able to resell it. A willing seller and a willing buyer, right?
Film at 11.
"That sucking sound you hear is our human/constitutional rights getting drained away by the people YOU put in office."
I don't hear much talk in these pages about the NDAA that Obama already signed which effectively repealed the Habeas Corpus Act. (Read The NDAA: a clear and present danger to American liberty in The Guardian where it says The US is sleepwalking into becoming a police state, where, like a pre-Magna Carta monarch, the president can lock up anyone)
Now CISPA is pushed through is another nail in our coffin.
I remember that too.
So I ordered a mug with this on it:
"Now I just know that Zazzle sucks, and I'll never do business with them again." - Marco Arment
Who will hold the copyright on the portrait? Portrait with one person, two people, family, baby on bearskin rug. Can dance be copyrighted? How about fashion runway walking style?
"Big money knows how to align their interests with government ..."
Here's another video ... well, movie (1.5 hours so watch it in the living room using your Google TV) that talks about this and other subjects.
CORRECTION: ... should NOT reduce free speech ...
SOPA & PIPA are the symptom, not the problem. We need to get out in front of this problem and proactively get the IP laws overhauled. We at least need fair-use to be a defined right so that I, as an amateur filmmaker, can know exactly what the limits are, not wait until I'm sued.
Yes, I think IP creators should be compensated but I think we should reduce free speech and encumber innovation and creativity.
Rather that working against what we don't want, why don't we start working together for what we do want?
I'd suggest that we need a concerted effort to get real changes in the IP laws in the USA. How about making fair-use a well defined right just to start?
I pledge to not go to a single movie in the theater this year, 2012. Care to join me watching NetFlix?
Something put together by people on an assembly line does not, in my book, count as hand made. The cars that rolled off of Henry Ford's assembly line were factory made ... not hand made.
Hand made is when a craftsman takes raw materials and creates a finished product. Parts are often not interchangeable and each finished product is a little different from the others.
What politicians say doesn't matter. Only pay attention to what they actually do. That's where I think I went wrong when I voted for Obama.
Oh, and "Note that Google's terms of use prohibit the use of their services by any automated means or any means other than through the interface provided by Google. These restrictions would make use of GmailFS a direct violation of the Service agreement."
As we know from reading TechDirt, violating any companies terms of service is now a criminal offence ... so maybe it's good that GmailFS doesn't work any more.
"Unfortunately the GmailFS project has come to an end. libgmail has ceased being maintained by its developers, and as a result libgmail no longer works with the latest Gmail interface (and has not done so for many weeks). Without a working libgmail, GmailFS does not function, so the end of libgmail also spells the end of GmailFS."


text: Jobs for LifeName: Jobs for LifeDate: January 21, 2020Time: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM ESTEvent Description:Love INC of Allendale offers a program twice a year called Jobs for Life. This program is used internationally and strives to engage local churches and businesses with those who are unemployed, unhappy with their job, or struggling to keep a job by helping them find meaningful work and building the skills to succeed. By the end of the course you will have a resume and cover letter that are ready to be handed out. You will also network with local business professionals in your desired feilds, who will help conduct different styles of practice interviews! This is a program for anyone of any age! Graduating highschool soon and need a job? Been a stay at home mom and ready to get back to work? Felon, who stuggles finding work? Jobs for Life can help all of you!


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Who should take this class
Experienced digital shooters and photo novices alike are invited to try their hand at the traditional black and white darkroom process. Even if you're not a photographer and just have a box of old negatives at home, with this Crash Course you can start examining and printing those negs onto true photographic paper.
What you will learn
We've teamed up with Bushwick Community Darkroom to offer these classic analog classes. In three hours, we'll show you how to take a developed 35mm black-and-white film negative and print it using an enlarger and traditional chemistry. You'll learn how to make test strips, contact prints, enlargement prints and how to properly develop, fix, wash and dry your print. This is a very basic introduction to the darkroom, covering only the printing phase. For a more detailed workshop covering the full process from capture to print, try our full-day Analog Film Lab.
What to bring
PLEASE NOTE: We won't be processing film into negatives in this class. If you have developed black & white negatives at home, bring them with you and we'll show you how to make prints from them. You can also bring undeveloped (still in the canister) 35mm film to the Bushwick Community Darkroom at least 2 days in advance of class and they can process your film for you at $6.00/roll, or bring the film to your lab of choice. Just in case, we'll have sample negatives for use in class if you just want to learn the process.
Materials provided (included in cost of class)
10 sheets of resin-coated photographic paper
All development chemistry