text:
Vajra Foundation Nepal
this wiki
Last updated: December 9, 2014
The Vajra Foundation Holland (Stichting Vajra) has worked in the Bhutanese refugee camps in Nepal since 1995 to bring solar cooking and heat-retention cooking to the refugees there. By 2013 some 85,000 refugees were cooking their meals using these methods. The on-the-ground work is done by Vajra Foundation Nepal and financing is provided by the Dutch Lottery and the Dutch NGO Stichting Vluchteling.
Bhutanese exiles have sought refuge in Nepal since 1990. Today, more than 100,000 Bhutanese refugees live in seven camps in southeastern Nepal. Cooking fuel shortages have led to rising deforestation in the areas around the camps. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has provided cooking kerosene to the refugees, helping to discourage the collection of firewood. But as kerosene prices rose, its delivery became uncertain. Each year, kerosene claimed a larger portion of UNHCR's shrinking budget. Alternatives to cooking with kerosene had to be found. The Vajra Foundation Nepal has worked tirelessly to promote an alternative: solar energy.
In 1996, biologist Maarten Olthof launched a few small-scale solar box cooker projects in Nepalese villages. After initial enthusiasm among the local users, the cookers were neglected.
Looking for advice, Olthof attended the third international conference on solar cookers, held the following year in Coimbatore, India. Ramkaji Paudel, a Nepalese citizen, accompanied him. With advice from former Solar Cookers International Executive Director Bev Blum, as well as other conference participants, Olthof and Paudel drafted a plan to teach solar cooking to Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal and formed the Vajra Foundation Holland in the Netherlands.
In 1998 VFH received funds from the Dutch Refugee Foundation for a pilot refugee project. Vajra Foundation Nepal was established to monitor the activities locally, and several Nepalese engineers were selected to teach the refugees to build solar box cookers. Two hundred thirty-four box-type solar cookers and 14 parabolic-type solar cookers were distributed in Beldangi-I, one of the seven Bhutanese refugee camps in southeastern Nepal. To receive a solar cooker, refugees had to pay a symbolic fee and sign a use and maintenance agreement.
By 1999 Vajra Foundation had determined that the box-type solar cookers they were promoting were not holding up well — hinges were rusting, reflectors and glazing were breaking. Other solar cookers were tried, including cardboard CooKits and solar cookers made of earthen materials, but they were also vulnerable to damage and not as efficient as hoped. In the end, EG-Solar's SK14 parabolic-type solar cookers proved to be a good combination of durability and efficiency, and a good match for traditional Bhutanese foods.
Parabolic cookers are generally more expensive, but their efficiency allows for sharing among families, which lowers the per-family cost somewhat. Though the reflectors were imported from Germany, the stands were manufactured locally, also helping to keep costs down.
The cookers proved popular, and demand quickly outgrew supply. Families that didn't use their cookers, or didn't maintain them according to signed user agreements, had to return their cookers to Vajra Foundation to be redistributed.
While exploring ways to expand the project, VFN worked on an awareness creation campaign that included regular solar cooker demonstrations and lunches for refugees, government officials, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) including UNHCR, Lutheran World Federation, Oxfam, and the Nepal Red Cross Society. Continued solar cooker use was encouraged through participation in cooking groups, as well as contests.
To keep food warm after sundown, when evening meals are commonly eaten, VFN introduced insulated "hay boxes" in which pots of food can be stored. These devices not only keep food warm for up to eight hours, but can also be used to continue the cooking process after pots have been removed from the heat source. [See Retained-heat cooking.
From 2001 to 2003 several hundred solar cookers, hay boxes and black painted pots were distributed, covering the main sectors of Beldangi-I camp. EG-Solar provided some of the cooker materials free of charge.
To reduce variations caused by the manual nature of the cooker construction process, two Dutch mechanical engineering students developed an assembly system using molds for production of the cooker stand, ultimately reducing production time as well.
Napalese locals began to take more interest in the project, as did UNHCR officials, and Vajra Foundation won awards in both Nepal and the Netherlands. This recognition paved the way for a future donation from the Dutch Refugee Foundation. During this period improvements were made in the training procedures for new solar cooks and refugee supervisors.
Three hundred SK14s and twice as many hay boxes were distributed in 2004. By the end of 2005 about 12,000 refugees were benefiting from the solar cookers. In eastern Nepal, UNHCR began to consider supporting the project to help offset the rising cost of kerosene and their own shrinking budget. Two Dutch students from Utrecht University surveyed 100 refugees about their solar cooker, kerosene and firewood usage, and found that solar cookers could save 3.14 kilograms of CO2 per meal compared to cooking with firewood, and 0.64 kilograms compared to kerosene. (Average firewood usage was 2.25 kilograms per meal.) Solar cookers could be used for approximately seven months each year in the camp, and their purchase cost could be recouped in kerosene savings in just over two years.
In 2006 both UNHCR and the Dutch Refugee Foundation asked Vajra Foundation to submit a proposal to expand the solar cooker program to the other six Bhutanese refugee camps in the area. Ultimately, the Dutch Postcode Lottery and the Dutch Refugee Foundation will provide nearly $1 million for the program, enough to disseminate 6,300 solar cookers and 12,000 hay boxes to families in the camps as well as provide extensive use and maintenance training. (Each cooker will be shared by two families.)
Project leaders Maarten Olthof from the Netherlands, and Dor Bahadur Bhandari and Ramkaji Paudel from Nepal, estimate that 100,000 refugees will benefit from the solar cookers by 2008. A new parabolic solar cooker from the German company Sun and Ice will be used to meet this large demand. The cooker — called the "LongLife Premium 14" — uses less material and simpler construction equipment than the SK14. Vajra Foundation considers five factors as having been essential to its successes:
- Unwavering belief that solar cookers can improve lives and environments: From the start Vajra Foundation has considered solar cookers to be an appropriate technology for the Bhutanese refugees. Whereas other solar cooking projects have folded after minor setbacks, Vajra Foundation has fully supported the project from day one. As stated in a Vajra Foundation report, "How can one expect local people to be in favor of solar cooking when the NGO introducing it does not support it fully?"
- Continuous drive to adapt and improve the technology: As the program has progressed, adjustments have been made to the solar cookers to better meet the needs of the users and assemblers. Local materials have been used when possible to help lower costs. Design modifications — like cooker frame adjustments — have been incorporated as needs were assessed. Perhaps most importantly, the hay box was introduced as a compatible technology, addressing the need for warm food after sundown as well as the need to share solar cookers between families. Vajra Foundation believes strongly in pairing hay boxes with solar cookers, stating, "They are two sides of the same coin: one cannot go without the other."
- Willingness and ability to incorporate user feedback: Refugees have been involved in the project from the start, setting up user meetings, trainings, etc. Feedback from the users is incorporated into the project plans, helping to identify technological and programmatic areas for improvement.
- Strong teamwork between cooperating partners: The relationship between the Holland branch and the Nepal branch of the organization was critical. While VFH had access to funds and specialist knowledge, VFN knew how to best incorporate solar cooking into lives of Nepalese and Bhutanese refugees. While VFH solicited and organized volunteers, VFN hosted them with great care and was eager to learn from them. he chairmen of both foundations, Ramkaji Paudel and Maarten Olthof, were the backbone of the project. Jointly, the two visited partner agencies, refugee camps, workshops, etc., and solved issues that arose. Importantly, responsibilities were given to staff members, such as Dor Bahadur Bhandari, and to the refugees, who did the fieldwork and organized solar demonstrations and lunches that ultimately convinced authorities that the project was worth supporting.
- Monitoring, follow up, and evaluation: With proper monitoring, follow up, and evaluation, useful program adjustments are made continuously. Regular visits with the new solar cooks highlighted areas of need, as did feedback from user group meetings. Weather records were kept for purposes of determining actual solar cooker use versus potential solar cooker use. Funds were tracked and adjustments made to maximize their use.
Most significant projects
- 85,000 refugees from Bhutan have solar cooked their meals in Nepal - The Vajra Foundation Holland (Stichting Vajra) has worked in the Bhutanese refugee camps in Nepal since 1995 to bring solar cooking and heat-retention cooking to the refugees there. By 2013 some 85,000 refugees were cooking their meals using these methods. The on-the-ground work is done by Vajra Foundation Nepal and financing is provided by the Dutch Lottery and the Dutch NGO Stichting Vluchteling.
- See other Most significant solar cooking projects worldwide.
News and recent developments
- October 2013: The Vajra Foundation Nepal reports that recently approximately one third of the Bhutanese refugees have left the camps and found new homes in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and the European Union. They have left their solar cookers behind, thus freeing these up to be made available to the Nepali families who live around the camps. Devi Maya Kadariya, a resident of the village of Garamani, reports that she and her neighbors had seen the profile of the solar cookers in the distance and they knew that the refugees were able to cook with the sun. She now considers herself lucky to have a solar cooker for herself. She says she saves a lot of wood and especially saves the time that she used to spend gathering wood, and she feels that her life is better now.
Audio and video
- July 2014: Alan Bigelow's presentation "Solar Cooking on a Trek in Nepal" delivered at the SCInet convention in July, 2014 included the video below.
- February 2010:
See also
External links
- November 2006: Ten years on, nearly 100,000 Bhutanese refugees going solar
Ramkaji Paudel (Director)
Vajra Foundation Nepal
Tel: +977 9841710478
Maarten Olthof
Oudegracht 246-BIS
3511 NV Utrecht
Tel: 030-2316266
Email: Use the form provided here.
Web: http://www.vajra.nl (English version)


text:
When compared to more traditional DNS name servers, what are the benefits / drawbacks of using a Windows 2008 R2 as a public
ns record for a company.
What limitations, or security issues would I encounter?
Does the answer change if the in-house skillset is limited only to Windows based products?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
10 Jan 2012 8:13 AM #1
New UI Features Feedback.
First of all, I love the expansion of the components, Data, and Events over all the versions I have seen.
It is great to be able to get an app 90% done within Designer.
That said, I think the additional features for the UI (Categories and Toolbar) are a little annoying.
I like to have the screen space to expand the Inspector and still see the full app (ex: iPad).
Maybe if these features were collapsible so you could hide just the categories and toolbar, but leave the Toolbox open with the current category list?
How about a slimmer Toolbox with Categories in a drop down (select field) under the Filters (i love the filters too, by the way!)
The Toolbar (with the ginormous icons) could just go away IMHO.
Under Actions you could have an on/off switch for both Toolbox Categories and Toolbar.
Last, but not least...
I would like to be able to drag from toolbox to Inspector while in code view, I have run into this a few times while setting up stores, fields, and such.
Hope this is helpful, thanks.
10 Jan 2012 9:59 AM #2
11 Jan 2012 11:23 AM #3
I 2nd having the toolbox usable when in code view especially while working with controllers, models, stores. This will happen
I like the idea of adding a preference to show hide the toolbar. We now have a cleaner way to collapse the toolbox categories and this is remembered across sessions.Phil Strong
19 Jan 2012 6:14 AM #4
19 Jan 2012 2:39 PM #5
It would be great if the Size and Orientation settings could be saved for a project also.


text:
News Releases
WHO: Small business journalist and expert, award-winning entrepreneur, best-selling author, media personality and attorney Susan Wilson Solovic '80. Her latest bestseller is "The Girls' Guide to Building a Million-Dollar Business."
As CEO and co-founder of sbtv.com - Small Business Television - the first and only video news and information site for America's small businesses, Solovic is a popular keynote speaker and has spoken to more than 250,000 small businesses in the past several years. In 2002, Solovic was recognized with a Columbia College Professional Achievement Award.
For more information, visit www.susansoloviconline.com.
WHAT: Women in Business Luncheon, for Columbia College alumni. Lecture and signing will follow the luncheon.
WHEN: Wednesday, August 18, 2010, noon to 1:30 p.m. Solovic will be available for interviews from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Jane Froman Studio, third floor, Dorsey Hall, Columbia College 1001 Rogers Street, Columbia, Mo.
Media, please RSVP to email@example.com or at (573) 875-7283.
Event sponsored by the Columbia College Alumni Association (CCAA). Columbia College, a private, regionally accredited, nonprofit institution founded in 1851 in Columbia, Mo., educates more than 28,000 students each year and has more than 64,000 alumni worldwide. For more information, visit www.ccis.edu.


text:
When deflect arrows is used it says you take no damage from it. If a thrown AOE weapon (Such as a flask of acid or an Alchemist bomb) is thrown at a target with deflect arrows, what happens to the thrown weapon? Does it vanish and do nothing? Does it scatter and still perform AOE damage and ignore the deflecting target? Does it do something else?
Sign up
- Anybody can ask a question
- Anybody can answer
- The best answers are voted up and rise to the top
As Pathfinder has a basis largely in simulation, I rule in this case (I have a monk PC in my game and it's come up) that he can deflect the full effect of the weapon but still takes any splash damage.
For my game I rule that the player is allowed to deflect an AOE weapon. They get to role a reflex save against the attack role that was used to hit them. If they succeed they can choose which direction they deflected the attack to; if they fail it gets randomly deflected (d8 roll for direction).
I then have the attack hit the square that it was deflected too, and then figure out splash damage from there. If there's a creature in the deflected square I use the original attack roll to see if it hits that creature.
This can lead to some interesting strategies. One game saw our monk deflecting a flaming oil onto a summoned fire elemental in order to heal it from the fire damage.
By RAW, a character hit with a splash weapon also receives the splash damage.
The target is, in fact, a creature within 5 ft. of itself.
However, a character using the Deflect Arrows feat, explicitly receives no damage from the ranged attack. The feat does not force the attack to miss: it simply negates the damage. In fact, the splash weapon doesn't misfire and it still deal splash damage to adjacent creatures.
That said, what @mxyzplk wrote:
stands true, and I'd take no offense nor scandal from house ruling that a deflected alchemist's fire still deals splash damage to its target.


text:
New York pushes RGGI carbon tax initiative for big cuts in emissions
The proposed regulations lower the emissions cap under the nine-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and will serve as a national model for reducing harmful emissions from power plants.
Post a comment
You must sign in before you can post comments. If you are experiencing issues with your account please e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Brera Orologi
Eterno Chrono Watch
Product Actions
Crafted with a stainless steel 45mm case, Brera Orologi's Eterno Chrono watch features a handcrafted black enamel dial and brown leather strap.
- Date function between 4 and 5 o' clock
- 24mm strap secures with buckle clasp
- K1 anti-reflective, scratch-resistant crystal
- Miyota quartz 0S20 movement
- Water resistant to 10 ATM (100 meters)
Style # 500174903
Need Help? Have Questions? Contact Us.
Please call 1.888.222.7639 to speak with a Customer Service Representative.
We're here to help you:
Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 9 PM (ET)
Saturday - Sunday, 10:30 AM - 7 PM (ET)
If you prefer email, we can be reached anytime at email@example.com.
Free Shipping & Returns on all U.S. Orders. See Details.


text:
Badger uses only pharmaceutical grade non-nano Zinc Oxide.
This product has been tested & approved biodegradable.
This sunscreen provides Broad Spectrum protection from UVA & UVB rays.
This product has been Certified Natural by the Natural Products Association.
Badger complies with the Leaping Bunny Standard and our products and ingredients are never tested on animals.
This sunscreen is water resistant for 40 minutes.
This product has no added scent and is 'Fragrance-Free' or 'Unscented'
Product InfoIngredientsRating & ReviewsVideoDirections For UseProduct FAQs
Learn more about Badger's All Natural Sunscreens
Safe, Effective, & Responsible. Badger's Certified Natural SPF 15 sunscreen is a great sunscreen for use during times of minimal sun exposure. Made with uncoated, non-nano Zinc Oxide for the safest, most effective sun protection for the whole family. Badger's cream sunscreens are rich in Certified Organic ingredients, naturally water resistant for 40 minutes, safe for children of all ages, block both UVA and UVB rays, and thoroughly moisturize while they protect you from the sun. Our tubes are made of BPA- and Phthalate-free #2 recyclable plastic. Previously sun-shy Badgers can now be sighted around the world with their noses happily pointed towards the warm, luxurious sunshine! We'll meet you at the beach!
Active Sunscreen Ingredient:
Non-Nano, Uncoated Zinc Oxide 10%
Inactive Sunscreen Ingredients:
*Helianthus Annuus (Organic Sunflower) Oil, *Cera Alba (Organic Beeswax), Tocopherol (Sunflower Vitamin E), CO2 Extract of *Hippophae Rhamnoides (Organic Seabuckthorn).
* = Certified Organic.
Directions for use: Knead tube before each use. For full protection, apply liberally (2mg/cm2 of skin) to all exposed skin 15 minutes before sun exposure, then rub in to reduce whitening effect. For children under 6 months of age: ask a doctor. Reapply: After 40 minutes of swimming or sweating. Immediately after towel drying. At least every 2 hours.
Sun Safety Tips:
Spending time in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. To decrease these risks, regularly use a sunscreen with a broad spectrum SPF value of 15 or higher and practice other sun protection measures including:
Learn more great sun safety tips with Badger's Slow Sun Movement!
Enter your email to receive our newsletter and get a 15% off coupon code.


text:
Home > Food > Recipes > Pork Kebabs with Chile-mango Salad
Pork Kebabs with Chile-mango Salad
Categories: Low-fat, On the Grill, Quick to fix, Spicy
Type: Main Dishes
Type: Main Dishes
Chile-mango salsa gives this dish a deliciously tropical taste.
Prep Time: 20M
Cooking Time: 10M
Serves: Serves 4
- 2 pork tenderloins, 9oz (250g) each
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 small fresh hot red chiles, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the chile-mango salad
- 2 large mangoes (see Cook's Notes)
- grated zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1 small fresh hot red chile, finely sliced
Save Recipe
Add to shopping list
- Soak 12 wooden or bamboo skewers in cold water for 1 hour. Using a sharp knife, trim any excess fat from the pork. Cut each tenderloin in half lengthwise, then cut each half across the grain into bite-size pieces.
- To make the marinade, mix together the garlic, chiles, ginger, and olive oil in a shallow dish. Add the pork, and turn to coat in the marinade. Season with sea salt and black pepper, and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Heat the barbecue or charcoal grill until hot. Thread the pieces of pork evenly onto the soaked skewers, and brush the grill with a little oil. Grill the pork kebabs over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until cooked to your liking, brushing lightly with a little of the marinade while they are cooking. Transfer the kebabs to a plate, cover with foil, and leave to rest in a warm place for 15 minutes.
- To make the chile-mango salad, peel the mangoes and cut in half (as close as possible to the pit as you can). Cut each half lengthwise into thin slices. Put the mango slices in a bowl, add the lime zest and juice and the chile, and season with black pepper. Stir gently to mix. Arrange 3 kebabs in the center of each of 4 serving plates, on top of the chile mango salad, or with the salad spooned beside them.
excerpted from:
Excerpted from The Illustrated Quick Cook.
Copyright © 2009 Dorling Kindersley Limited.
Buy this book now!
Sign-Up Now!
Sign up to save recipes or create shopping lists online.
Already registered? Login here
Cooking Tips
Loading the player...
More Videos:


text:
I'm playing Arkham Horror for the first time and I randomly drew Bob Jenkins as my investigator. With some of the other players' characters, their "purpose" is pretty clear. There's the guy with high fight who starts with a sweet weapon, the guy with high lore and tons of spells, etc. With Bob, I'm not seeing a clear path to how I can best contribute. What type of strategies or tactics should I be employing to make the best use of my turn?
Sign up
- Anybody can ask a question
- Anybody can answer
- The best answers are voted up and rise to the top
Bob Jenkins is:
When playing Bob, you should be aggressive. Bob has the stats and should have the items to allow him to survive most bad things. If you get lucky and start with an Elder Sign, go off world as quick as you can. If not, see if you can buy an Elder Sign, or start grabbing clue tokens. Favor the locations where common items are found to take advantage of the Shrewd Dealer ability. Bob may not be the best investigator at any particular thing, but odds are, he is the second best at most things in a normal group. Use him to fill in for whatever your team is lacking.
According to the Arkham Horror Statistics Report, Bob has the 7th highest winning percentage (out of 48 characters) in October 2010. For November, he has moved to 6th.


text:
The reminders are everywhere. Candy hearts and roses displayed prominently in grocery stores, while radio and TV ads for jewelry and chocolates are broadcast daily. They're reminders that it's time to spoil your sweetheart on Valentine's Day.
But what if you're single and feeling left out? How do you handle Valentine's Day alone? The answer? Find others just like you and do something fun together, says CU-Boulder counselor and psychologist Glenda Russell.
© Regents of the University of Colorado
Contact Us • Privacy • Legal & Trademarks • Accessibility • Student Consumer Information


text:
Are there some numbers on how much vertical distance can people make in a day's hike? I know that greatly depends on fitness and other factors, but I'd be happy with some statistical curve that would say something like 80 % of people should make 1000 meters up and so on.
It Depends.
Actually, it depends on pretty much everything: Weather, terrain, fitness, group size, and of course, how long a day is.
It's better to think of 'How much can I do in an hour, and how many hours do I want to walk/climb for?'.
I'd start using Naismith's Rule. But, as you get experience about your own group's speed and fitness, adjust it up or down as appropriate.
Here's one data point, also based on the Grand Canyon.
I'm a 40 year old male, of average fitness and slightly overweight (5'10", 215 lbs.), and ascending the Grand Canyon (4320', ~1300 m) took me almost exactly one day. By contrast, the descent took me 3 hours. (The rule of thumb at the Grand Canyon is that every hour down takes two hours up.)
Later that same trip, an elevation change of 2100' (from the base of Zion Canyon to past Observation Point, ~640 m), took me a little less than 4 hours - from 4:30 in the afternoon until just before sunset around 8. In my 20s, I trekked from Pokhara to Jomsom (in Nepal), and ascended Poon Hill (elevation gain = approx 1200m). The climb up took a day, the climb back down, about half a day. (The stairs at Ulleri are killer!) The elevation to Tukche is then about the same, but the straight line distance means that it takes another two days.
In my 30s, it took about 4 or 5 hours to climb to the top of Yosemite Falls, approximately 3000' (~900 m) to the top. It then took about 2 hours to climb back down.
I give these data points not as an average, but to illustrate a few points:
Figure how much this guy covers in a day:
Here's one I didn't know about until today:
Speechless. O_O
Since people's capabilities vary enormously, I'm going to answer in terms of AMS - altitude sickness. Although susceptibility to AMS also varies, there are some general rules of thumb for how much a person "should" climb in a given day which are worth knowing.
For starters, at up to about 3000 meters, you don't have to worry about it too much. What I mean by this is that theoretically, you could ascend from 0 to 3000 in a day and not be at excessive risk. An example of this would be hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back up - 1700 meters each way - which, if you're in great shape, is possible without risking AMS (but crazy for all the regular physical reasons).
At higher altitudes you pretty much have to go gradually to let your body acclimate. If you're planning a trek to the Everest Base Camp (5380 meters) in Nepal, a rate of 300 meters per day is generally suggested. Less than that means that though you might be fine for a while, eventually the change will catch up to you and then you'll need to stop until you're better.
I know that some people climb Mount Whitney (4421 meters, in the US) in a single day, but I wouldn't recommend it - at 4000 meters changing altitude rapidly is very likely to make you sick. They manage to do it because they both ascend to the summit and descend in a single day (AMS symptoms usually begin after a few hours delay) and therefore are back at lower altitudes before the symptoms kick in.
I'll close with some personal experiences. On the way to the Everest Base Camp, I decided to "skip" a day and walk to segments back to back- 600 meters change, at around 4200 meters altitude- and I became sick that evening, although my companion was fine. In a later trek (a few years later) my companions and I averaged about 500 meters/day to a maximum altitude of 4000, and all of us were fine.
Like many other things in the "Great Outdoors", it's best to plan conservatively until you feel comfortable with the subject and have more experience.
In good terrain, I use the thumb-rule: 10 minutes per km of distance + 10 minutes per 100m of altitude. This works on easy trails in moderate conditions (no heat, no high altitude, etc.), and often translates to roughly 400m/hour. This does not include breaks; at this pace, I need a ~15 minute break every two hours. I've never done more than 2000m in a day, though.


text:
Recent Toy Recalls
Toy recalls have been in the news lately, with a rash of defective kids' products posing a danger in the home. As is usually the case with matters of your kids' safety, the best defense is to stay informed. Here's a look at some of the most recent product recalls, as well as ways you can stay on top of safety issues as they occur. For the most up-to-date recall information, visit our Children's Product and Toy Recalls page.
1 of 28
Fisher-Price Trikes with Protruding Keys
Fourteen models of Fisher-Price Trikes and Tough Trikes toddler tricycles have been recalled because the protruding D-shaped or disc-shaped fake key could seriously injure a child who falls on it. The recall includes some Barbie, Kawasaki, Thomas, Dora, and Diego trikes, as well as other models. For more information, parents can call the Fisher-Price recall hotline at (800) 432-5437, or visit the company's recall website.
Next: Fisher-Price Little People Wheelies Stand 'n Play Rampway
More on: Childhood Safety


text:
CTI is a community of young people who combine their common passion for music with their mutual desire to share the love of Christ, and a vehicle through which these young people are trained, equipped and mobilized into ministry opportunities where they can use their gifting to impact their generation.
CTI helps ministry organizations around the world reach young people with the gospel by providing the unique resource of a well-trained music team - strengthening and challenging Christians in places where they gather, and bringing the light of Jesus to places where He may not be known.
CTI works to make disciples of all nations by developing Christian leadership and character in young musicians, training them in servanthood, awareness, and the active sharing of their faith, and mobilizing them in partnership with the Church and other established Christian organizations worldwide to support mission and ministry through the impact of music.


text:
PCI DSS isn't a law. Why can I be prosecuted for not being compliant?
First, IANAL. Secondly, this is entirely dependant on your local laws and regulations.
PCI-DSS is a guideline, but adherence to the guideline may be a requirement as part of certain laws. I'm not aware of any countries that do this, but in such a case you could be prosecuted if you violate a law that makes PCI-DSS adherence mandatory.
The more common case is not prosecution, but rather a civil suit. PCI-DSS is commonly a requirement as part of a contract between a merchant and a payment provider or bank, as part of their payment processing services contract. Violation of PCI-DSS results in a breach of contract, which allows them to sue you. Penalties and other terms are usually stated in such contracts.
You can't be charged with not complying with PCI DSS, it's not a law. You can be charged with crimes like negligence if it is determined that you willfully ignored your duty of care, and not following PCI rules could be one instance of that. It's unlikely that would happen though, more likely you or your company would get sued for monetary damages, and not following PCI would be one of the pieces of evidence used to show culpability.
Compliance with PCI DSS is required by law in Nevada (Nev. Rev. Stat. Ch. 603A) and Washington (Wash. H.B. 1149 (2010).


text:
Hawking Dire Projections
One of the most damaging effects of the current deficit hysteria is that it distracts our attention from the more serious problems our elected officials should be trying to solve. A recent New York Times column by David Brooks, titled "Why Hagel Was Picked," is a good example of this deficit fixation, which has become common not only on the right but among self-described centrists.
Instead of focusing on the important foreign-policy challenges America faces and whether Senator Hagel is qualified to face them as Secretary of Defense, Brooks explains Hagel's nomination as the natural consequence of the federal government's unwillingness to rein in expensive entitlement programs. Brooks argues that the defense budget is being "squeezed by the Medicare vise" and that America will cease to be a world power if it has to provide decent medical care and social protection to the elderly and the poor. "Oswald Spengler didn't get much right," Brook writes, "but he was certainly correct when he told European leaders that they could either be global military powers or pay for their welfare states, but they couldn't do both."
The first problem with Brooks's analysis is the assumption that Medicare and Medicaid are themselves the cause of our future fiscal problems. While Brooks is right that the rise in Medicare and Medicaid costs is unsustainable, the reason these costs are rising so fast has nothing to do with bureaucratic waste or profligacy. These federal programs are getting too expensive only because health care in general is getting too expensive. If health-care costs were to keep rising as fast as they have over the past two decades, spending on health care would eventually take over the entire economy: we would all be working solely to pay for our insurance. Obviously this can't happen. Sooner or later, we will have to fix our health-care system so that it won't.
As a percentage of GDP, the United States pays more than twice as much for health care as most other rich countries do, and most of these countries have better health outcomes. Clearly, we still need to reform our health-care system. By itself, "Obamacare" will not be enough. The goal of the Affordable Care Act is to extend health-care insurance to as many people as possible. It does this partly by expanding Medicaid but mostly by arranging for more Americans to get private insurance. But simply adding more policy-holders to the ranks of the privately insured will do nothing to curb the cost of health care. We currently pay too much, and receive too little, because the health-care industry has been taken over by Wall Street, whose major goal, with health insurance as with banking, is maximal short-term profit. Its goal is not to make the health-care system cheaper, more efficient, or more just. The insurance industry, which is merely a branch of Wall Street, is itself one of the main causes of out-of-control health-care costs. A system that is both affordable and effective will be possible only when we tame the insurance industry, either by regulating it much more like a public utility, or, better, by taking it out of the equation and replacing it with a single-payer system. You don't have to look far for evidence that a reasonable and efficient (if not very profitable) health-care system is well within the means of a country as affluent as ours. Countries less affluent have already achieved it.
Brooks may be right that most Americans are unwilling to pay for America to remain the world's policeman. I suspect most Americans are quite willing to pay enough for the country to defend itself. Today the U.S. military budget is bigger thant the twelve next largest military budgets combined. We account for 45 percent of the world's military spending even though we have only 5 percent of its population. We spend almost five times as much as China or Russia. Budgeting is about choosing what we value most, and, pace Brooks, it is surely a good sign if Americans decide to stop fighting wars we don't need to fight so that our government can afford to take care of the elderly and the poor. As Dwight Eisenhower (a Republican) put it, "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."
But the biggest problem with Brooks's analysis is its premise that the federal government's out-of-control spending will sooner or later cause it to go bankrupt, turning us into the next Greece. It's true that the aging of our population will require adjustments in how we spend our money (just as the postwar Baby Boom did). But these adjustments will be quite manageable as long as we make intelligent and evidence-based policy decisions. To see what happens when policy-makers disregard evidence in favor of panicked intuition, one need only look at what's happening right now in the European Union, where harsh austerity programs designed to reduce debt levels have only succeeded in inhibiting economic growth.
Like most deficit hawks, Brooks is worried by dire long-term debt projections. Yet such projections are not a good basis for policy-making, for two reasons. First, they are notoriously inaccurate. Remember the 2000 forecast of federal government surpluses as far as the eye could see? Long-term forecasts are inaccurate because the future is essentially unknowable. All such forecasts are based on the assumption that the future will be just an extension of present trends.
Economists call this the "ergodic axiom." But all economic history since the advent of capitalism shows that we live in a nonergodic world. This, by the way, is why most economists didn't foresee the financial meltdown: housing prices had never plunged before, and this was taken to prove they never would. When social scientists make predictions, they often hedge them with the Latin phrase ceteris paribus—"all other things being equal." But in the long run all other things are not equal. The variables change. Circumstances that are unforeseen and unforeseeable render our old projections moot, or current trends hit a natural limit that the projections disregard.
To give just one example: Most of the long-term projections for federal debt are based on the assumption that health-care spending will continue rising at the rate or near the rate it has in the past twenty years. Yet, as I mentioned before, this is impossible. Frequently the assumptions underlying the projections are chosen to produce a desired outcome, especially for political documents like Paul Ryan's budget plan. But even if the smartest, best-informed people produce them without any political agenda, long-term forecasts are not very helpful. If people paid more attention to the performance record of past long-term forecasts, they'd take current ones less seriously, or at least more cautiously.
The second reason policy-makers should not allow themselves to be cowed by long-term debt forecasts is that debt does not constrain the U.S. government the way it constrains a business or a household. This is because the U.S. government—unlike, say, the Greek government, which is chained to the euro—pays its bills in its own money and so can always pay for what it wants. The real constraint is future production: Will the economy produce enough goods and services in the future to satisfy the demands of the American people and their government? What government programs we can afford in the future will depend on both demographics and advances in technology—as well as on noneconomic factors like wars, natural disasters, global warming, irrational politicians, and others things beyond the expertise of an economist.
Most analysts look only at demographics when they consider the long-term future of Social Security and Medicare, and this leads them to erroneous conclusions. We are often told that Social Security is unsustainable because the number of workers per retiree is falling. At first glance, this analysis seems to make sense. In 1960 there were 5.1 workers for every retiree; by 2010 that number had fallen to 2. Worse, it is projected to fall to 1.9 in 2086. This looks ominous indeed. But let's look at another example. In 1940 there was one farmer for every fourteen people. By 1960 the percentage of the population working in agriculture had been cut by more than half, so that each farmer was feeding thirty-four people—more than twice as many as just two decades before. Today each farmer feeds more than 138 people. Yet that fact does not make us worry about a coming food shortage because we all know that, thanks to advances in technology, the average farmer now produces much more food than farmers did in 1960 or 1940.
And what is true of food production is true of economic productivity more generally. The best way to ensure that Social Security will still be around for future generations is to continue supporting government investment in things that will make the economy more productive— above all, in education and research and development.
The budget hawks' baleful warnings of "unfunded liabilities" is finally meaningless. If we applied the logic of "unfunded liabilities" to food (surely our most important future liability), we'd find that we have an unfunded liability of $359.3 trillion over the next seventy-five years (assuming a modest 3 percent growth rate). Should we then worry that our children are going to starve, as the budget hawks now worry that our children won't have Social Security? How are we going to pay for all the food people will need? Should we start saving now so we can pay for food in the future? No, of course not: the food we will eat in the future will be food grown in the future, and we will pay for it with future incomes. In the same way, future economic activity will pay for future retirees.
The major economic problems we now face are high unemployment, income inequality, an economy dominated by Wall Street, and a government under its whip. The fact that many House Republicans now appear to be unwilling to let the federal government carry out its basic responsibilities is also a real problem—a real problem based largely on an imaginary one. The irrational fear of debt will become a self-fulfilling prophesy if it leads to austerity policies that make us collectively poorer and therefore less able to produce the goods and services the country will need in the future. The prophets of austerity are like someone who asks us to starve ourselves now so that there will be enough food left for future generations. In fact, the best way to prepare for the future is to take care of the present.
About the Author
Charles Michael Andres Clark is a senior fellow at the Vincentian Center for Church and Society and professor of economics at St. John's University in New York.
16 comments
- All
- Editor Featured
Thank you for the article Dr. Clark. I generally agree with your assertions about health care and the ACA. I am aware that we spend much more on health care than other first world nations, and that we receive much less for out money. I also believe that the ACA was a step forward in terms of extending health insurance to millions more Americans, yet it fell short in reducing the rising cost of care. I was disappointed that the ACA did not include the public option, which I believe would have kept insurance rates down. I would have even welcomed the Republican idea of tort reform had it been included in the ACA. I would seriously consider any other ideas from either side of the aisle that might possibly contain the rising cost of care, so long as they don't include the premise that we must abandon our social responsibility to extend health benefits to the greatest number of Americans.
The major economic problems we now face are high unemployment, income inequality, an economy dominated by Wall Street, and a government under its whip. The fact that many House Republicans now appear to be unwilling to let the federal government carry out its basic responsibilities is also a real problem—a real problem based largely on an imaginary one. The irrational fear of debt will become a self-fulfilling prophesy if it leads to austerity policies that make us collectively poorer and therefore less able to produce the goods and services the country will need in the future. The prophets of austerity are like someone who asks us to starve ourselves now so that there will be enough food left for future generations. In fact, the best way to prepare for the future is to take care of the present
Well Mr. Clark, once again I'm sorry to say, you are missing the mark. The debt crisis is real, as too is our demise as one of the greatest nations on planet earth.
Again I remind you, that what you list are mere "symptoms" of our root problem: a morally bankrupt and God less nation; unfixable by "politics" and short-lived government entitlements, which BTW, just so happen to be "funded" by the hard working people of America.
Only when, and if, as a nation we return to God with irrational exuberance, will our solution(s) be found.
Our problem is not a bunch of Republicans " unwilling to let the federal government carry out its basic responsibilities." It's a country unwilling to live by God's commandments.
Being that just yesterday was witness to the first US POTUS taking a "not under God" innovocation from laity, elected by a majority of "non God fearing Americans", and elected on a platform of intrinsic evils, my only quesiton is why so many defy basic and historical "logic."
It is simply a question of "guns or butter." We blithely and with almost no detailed questioning or debate approve $660 billion in defense spending and then fight tooth and nail over pennies on the dollar in Agricultural policy, food stamp support, care for the aged, support for the unemployed, repairs to our own infrastructure at home, housing policy and now, the favorite sport, healthcare. This huge disconnect explains all the wastage of public spending for wars and invasion and all the neglect of desperately needed programs at home. Our local National Guard unit is this week returning after a year of assignment to bridges and roads in Afghanistan. Several received purple hearts but thankfully none were killed. Now, what are their prospects for living wage employment here at home? Dang poor, as the local unemployment rate is 13.1%. And that's on the official rate.
This should be treated as the national emergency that it is. Continuing the fight over austerity versus stimulus is just silly and shameful. It only postpones the ultimate collapse of our economy unless we can put people to work building rather than destroying. That would be a vision!
Patricia: If all we have to do as a nation is return to God with "irrational exuberance" and "our solution(s)" will be found, how do you explain the economic collapse of 2008, the unrivalled debt and deficits -- not to mention terrorist attacks -- and wars the nation experienced under the regime of George W. Bush? After all, it could be argued that Bush 43 exhibited more "irrational exuberance" for God than any US President in history. Yet, in my humble opinion, what Bush wrought at least throws enough doubt on your theory to make a wise nation search for future solutions well beyond Godly exuberance, irrational or otherwise.
PS I guess it would be more precise to qualify what happened in 2008 as a "fiscal collapse." The whole economy didn't blow up, although it could have.
Hi Beverly
You ask a good question(s) and one that can be answered quite easily, as wars, debts, deficits, and terriorist attacks are all mere symptoms of sin. None of these could have possibly occured if all involved simply lived by God's commandments. Wars simply cannot exisit between peaceful hearts. As for our current debts and deficits, most is a result of greed and and self-power driven agendas, all under the guise of "social justice."
The Catholic Church has always taught that one of the consequences of sin is war, be it between our brothers (as we see in our current politics), or against nations. In fact, for the most part, it's what the the (church approved) Fatima Miracle of the Sun is based upon; our need to repent or face another war. It accurately predicted WW II, and most likely, WWIII.
God has sent many prophets since that time, from CS Lewis to holy Popes to A Huxley to name a few. A more recent one was nobel prize winner Alexander Solzhenitsyn, once booed after giving the advice to Harvard Grads.
No one likes to say it, but the truth is, sin is the real enemy. Today, as one of my business associates proudly twitted, we "celebrate" 40 years of Roe V Wade. Yet, she far from alone.
Forty years today Roe v Wade was passed. Fifty Five MILLION aborted babies later, we elected a president on an intrinsic evil platform, the National Cathedral proudly announces they will perform same sex 'marriages', and Fifty Shades of Grey, "mommie porn", not only out sells the bible, but has relgated women to the same slavery of pornography as men.
And we think it's the Republicans? It's ALL of us. It's sin!
In conclusion of my response Beverly, I leave you with a quote from A Solzhenitsyn:
Over a half century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of old people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: "Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened." Since then I have spent well-nigh 50 years working on the history of our revolution; in the process I have read hundreds of books, collected hundreds of personal testimonies, and have already contributed eight volumes of my own toward the effort of clearing away the rubble left by that upheaval. But if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous revolution that swallowed up some 60 million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: "Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened
Hi Patricia.
I think that we would agree that our country fails to meet many ethical standards. In our previous conversation we both agreed that abortion is a serious problem, and a problem primarily found within the ranks of Democrats. However, I believe you fail to see the immorality and amorality within the ranks of Republicans. There are serious Christian ethical considerations to be made when we choose between global domination and health care, tax cuts for the wealthy and food from the tables of struggling families, weaponry and shelter for those who lack it.
I also think Beverly Bailey makes the point that economic fluctuations have occurred and will continue to occur regardless of where we put God in this country. How we choose to respond to as a nation to those most affected by those fluctuations is a serious moral choice.
Hi Jeff:
If I gave any impression that I was giving the Republicans a pass, well, then I apologize for my poor writing. Save for " a few good men" on both sides of the aisle, all of congress, for the most part, are dispicable, self-serving cowards. Trust me, the only reason the "intrinsic evils of the dems" aren't in the Republican platform is that they know they can't win without the social conservatives. FWIW, I'm not a member of either party.
I really don't want to get into political debates Jeff. If we could just agree that both sides have plenty to go around, we can then agree that as a nation, we are spiritually bankrupt, "out of wine" as last Sunday's Gospel teaches. Only God can replenish us at this point.
As for normal "economic fluctuations", that isn't what we are facing, nor, based on yesterday's speech by our president, even a concern worth mentioning.
We can agree to disagree on social welfare, but as a Catholic, there is no room for disagreement on the intrinsic evils. And that Jeff, we DID respond to as a nation, and even worse, by a majority of the Catholic Vote.
We reap what we sow.
Patricia You don't want to get into a political debate? You could have fooled me. It seems that your biggest problems with Professor Clark's article are the intrinsic evils within the Democratic Party platform; something he says nothing about. Maybe that's what the problem is - that he doesn't mention them. But, why would he? This article is about the economy, unemployment, the deficit/debt, and the rising cost of health care. Abortion and contraception are far beyond the scope of discussion. The only reason I saw your comments as bearing any relevance to the matter at hand is because you made the claim that the problems Professor Clark mentions are symptoms of a greater underlying problem, namely, the removal of God from the public square and immorality. As of yet, you fail to offer any evidence to make the case for that claim, nor do you point us in the direction of any research that may have already done so. If your problems with Professor Clark's article are that the intrinsic evils of abortion and contraception are the causes of unemployment and inequality then I think you need to make a case for that claim. We can agree that both sides have plenty to go around. However, I strongly disagree with your statement that the current debt level is a result of greed and power driven agendas under the guise of "social justice". You make the attachment that America's demise as the greatest nation on the planet is a problem. Would you purport that funding to maintain America's global dominance should take priority over funding for the basic human rights of food, shelter, and health care?
Professor Clark mentions are symptoms of a greater underlying problem, namely, the removal of God from the public square and immorality. As of yet, you fail to offer any evidence to make the case for that claim, nor do you point us in the direction of any research that may have already done so.
Jeff, really?
Try studying human history and the bible.
I digress, except to say, you just made my case!
There is some wisdom in Dr. Clark's argument that David Brooks oversimplifies America's budget dilemma as a simple choice between defense cuts and Medicare cuts. But Dr. Clark's central thesis is incorrect: "We currently pay too much [for health care] and receive too little, because the health-care industry has been taken over by Wall Street, whose major goal, with health insurance as with banking, is maximal short-term profit...The insurance industry, which is merely a branch of Wall Street, is itself one of the main causes of out-of-control health-care costs."
A few minutes of research leads to the following: In 2010, the U.S. spent $2.6 trillion on health care. In the same year, profits at the ten largest health insurance companies totalled less than $15 billion. If we eliminated ALL those profits, total ealth care spending would be reduced by one half of one percent. In the same year, Medicare fraud was estimated at $48 billion, and costs of defensive medicine were estimated at $100 billion. In 2009, Peter Orszag, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, told NPR that as much as $700 billion a year in health care costs do not improve health outcomes. These and other points are brought together in a white paper, Where Can $700 billion in Waste be cut Annually from the U.S. Healthcare System prepared by Thompson Reuters, one of the most respected news agancies in the world. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation report Health Care Costs--A Primer (May, 2012) comments that "Health care experts point to the development and diffusion of medical technology as primary factors in explaining the difference between health spending and overall economic growth...Increases in disease prevalence such as diabetes, asthma, and heart disease, coupled with the growing ability of the health system to treat the chronically ill, contribute to the high and growing levels of health spending."
If we are to make effective policy choices, we must first rely on facts, not popular axioms.
Joseph J. Dunn Author of After One Hundred Years: Corporate Profits, Wealth, and American Society
Mr Dunn:
I agree we need to rely on facts, but they should be the right ones.
The profits that the healthcare sector generates mostly do not go to healthcare companies, many of which are non-profit hospitals, but instead go to the insurance industry, which is a part of financial services industry (wall street), and which mostly are run by the logic of wall street, as well as to Big Pharma (also run to maximize investor profits and not health. So you are looking in the wrong place.
If running hospitals was profitable the Church wouldn't be forced to close so many down.
And of course, profits are an accounting creation, and calculating them in healthcare sector is particularly hard, as the assignment of costs is less than objective (look at a hospital bill and you should be able to see this, or you'll get a headache, but bring your own aspirin, its cheaper). Having a for profit insurance industry rule over health care means that medical costs are much higher than they need be, just look at how much USA spends on paperwork. Frontline had a show awhile back that compared a Canadian and a New York hospital that were equal in size and scope. The Canadian hospital had 12 people taking care of all the billing, the New York Hospital had 800. None of this would be seen by looking at the profits. As anyone who has studies the economics of industries learns, when there is an oligopoly (like with health insurance) and the ability to set prices, there will be substantial cost inflation. Add to this that the health insurance industries incentive to minimze paying out, you get both high costs and poor outcomes.
There are of course many factors that make health cost high in USA and private insurance is only one, but I don't see making it a bigger part will reduce costs. As for cronic illnesses you mentioned, many public health researchers are finding lots of evidence that income inequality is a ajor contributor to these and early mortalities. There is lots of evidence that racism and other forms of discrimination make people sick as well. What I almost never see is a public health expert who is not being paid by wall street say we need more profit motive in health care.
Charley Clark
The numbers I presented above directly respond to the statement that "The insurance industry, which is merely a branch of Wall Street, is itself one of the main causes of out-of-control health-care costs." Addressing the broader issue of other corporations in the health care industry, the return on equity of health insurers, pharmaceutical companies, and device manufacturers measured over five-year averages, does not differ from the ROE typically earned by such firms as Anheuser Busch-InBev, Kellogg, H.J. Heinz, General Mills, etc. Those ROEs are the incentive that draws investors to put money into long-term drug research and production, new medical devices, hospital buildings and management, etc. We rely on the for-profit sector precisely because the capital needed for these ventures is not available elsewhere. As for "Wall Street" influences, such as "maximal short-term profit" let us recall that whatever profits are made are accruing to the benefit of the shareholder-investors. These "Wall Street" investors include union pension funds, charitable foundations, university endowments, and mutual funds that cater to many of the 47% of American households that own stocks or mutual fund shares--obviously including many middle class households. And some of these health care corporations have served their customers and shareholders for over one hundred years. This might just be a system that contributes to the common good.
Without falling too much into anecdotes, let's also acknowledge that a large number of those 800 billing personnel are dealing with Medicare, and others are dealing with non-profit insurers. The need to convert billing formats, and incentives, away from "pay per treatment" is well known, and for-profit insurers and hospitals have long been active in such movements. All of us can become more knowledgeable consumers of health services, and make better health choices. Insurers are also major providers of programs that reduce costs and improve the health of their customers, including incentives for health club activity, call centers staffed by registered nurses, quit-smoking programs, and on-going review of research into best practices and evidence-based protocols. These, too, serve to advance the common good.
In summary, there are improvements to be made to our health-care system, and all of us have roles to play. But profits and incentives are not the problem--they may be a large part of the solution. Cheers,
Joe Dunn
I'm sorry Patricia, but I don't know what case you think I made.
Mr Dunn:
You wrote:
"Addressing the broader issue of other corporations in the health care industry, the return on equity of health insurers, pharmaceutical companies, and device manufacturers measured over five-year averages, does not differ from the ROE typically earned by such firms as Anheuser Busch-InBev, Kellogg, H.J. Heinz, General Mills, etc"
These are all Large Corporations, the comparison should be with firms that face real competition.
Back in the day I used to teach Industrial Organization, and we did the Pharmacetical Industry as a case study, and the evidence is that the Big Pharma has much higher than average profits for even large corporations. Just doing a quick google search I found a study that had the Drug companies that are in the Fortune 500 with an average return on equity of 33.2% for 2001, while the rest of the Fortune 500 has a return on equity of 9.8%, over 300% larger.
A quick look at Yahoo finance shows that the healthcare sector is very profitable, with a net profit margin of 15.6% and only one other sector is above 10%, with the average for all non healthcare sectors (without Healthcare) being just under 8%.
The increased profits of healthcare have not provided better health outcomes, as USA is consistently at the bottom of most rankings of healthcare outcomes of rich countries.
Maybe some day I will write a post on what a sham the shareholder model is, but don't have time for that now. Just one quick point. The Finance Industry's share of all corporate profits has gone from the 8-12% range before deregulation, to 30-40% range. They haven't made the economy three times more productive. And at the same time real wages have not risen. This is a major reason for the rise in income inequality. James Galbraith has an excellent book on this, "Inequality and Instabiity" which Ihighly recommend.
Charles Clark
Dr. Clark,
Thanks for the recommendation on Galbraith's book. I believe there is a great need to explore our history, to understand our options for the future in terms of promoting the common good, with a preferential option for the poor. Knowing you share my concerns, but not my views, I invite you to read my recent book, After One Hundred Years: Corporate Profits, Wealth, and American Society. The topics we have addressed over the last few days are covered there in 400+ pages. I wrote it to point to the most powerful levers available to those who share our concern for economic justice.
Briefly responding to your points above, "These are Large Corporations, the comparison should be with firms that face real competition." No firm, no matter how large, is exempt from competition. Consider that early in the 1920s Ford Motor Company's market share ranged from 40% to 60%, but by 1929 that share had dropped to 34%. General Motors (organized five ears after Ford Motor Company) had overtaken Ford, and GM went on to acquire the lead market share, which it held throughout the rest of the century. The same process of competiton for customers allowed upstart Wal-Mart to unseat Sears, Roebuck and Company as the leading retailer. It explains the passage of RCA, which once dominated the elecronic entertainment (radio) industry. The greatest threat to any established firm is the new competitor, the innovator, the one who focuses 100% of its resources on meeting the customers' need.
"I found a study that had the Drug companies in the Fortune 500 with an average return on equity of 33.2% for 2001, while the rest of the Fortune 500 has a return on equity of 9.8%, over 300% larger." I don't have readily at hand statistics for 2001, but in any given year the competitive forces (customers making decisions) produce some Fortune 500 companies with low or negative ROEs and others with high ROEs. In the five year period 2002-2006, General Motors produced a net loss of almost one billion dollars per year, resulting in a negative ROE for the five-year period. In 2007 (before the Great Recession and financial crisis), GM lost another $39 billion. I am confident that the ROE differences you reported for 2001 existed for similar reasons. Since all firms face competition an in any year there are big ROE winners and big ROE losers, I used the five year averages discused earlier.
"A quick look at Yahoo finance..." Profit margin and dollars of profit, and hence ROE, are very different, as you know. Some high-margin products produce low profits and ROE, and the opposite can be true. Not enough space to get into all that here, as you can appreciate. But nothing you write here weakens my position.
"The increased profits of healthcare have not provided better health outcomes, as USA is consistently at the bottom of most rankings of healthcare outcomes of rich countries." The diparities in healthcare outcomes are documented in numerous studies. They point to differences in infant mortality, some of which sadly results from in utero exposure to illegal drugs and alcohol, and some of which ironically arises from live delivery of very fragile infants who might not have been born alive except for the highly advanced maternity and neo-natal care facilities in the US. As to adults, the US suffers far more than other advanced countries from abundance of calories and insufficiency of exercise, neither of which have much to do with our professional healthcare system, but have a lot to do with our individual lifestyle choices. The Thompson Reuters and Kaiser Foundation reports I pointed to earlier are worth reading, and the Kaiser website has a wealth of information on health issues.
"Maybe some day I will write a post on what a sham the shareholder model is..." One anecdotal bit of information: one of the largest fortunes in America today (and it is funding one of the largest charitable donations of this decade) was built by Warren Buffett buying, on the public market, stocks of companies that any of us could have purchased, at the same price. Every year, he discussed his stategy in his Chairman's Letter to his shareholders. These are available at the Berkshire Hathaway webste. The strategy is simple and anyone could have followed it. But the self-discipline was unique. Much more info on the shareholder model available in After One Hundred Years.
The research and converstaions that can move us to a more just society are vital. As Paul VI wrote in Populorum Progressio, "...the individual who is animated by true charity labors skillfully to discover the causes of misery, to find the means to combat it, to overcome it resolutely." Let us move forward in that spirit.
Best regards,
Joe Dunn


text:
Let $\varphi : A \to B$ be an isogeny between 2 abelian varieties of dimension $g$. Are there known conditions for the $\ker\varphi$ so that this induces an isomorphism between $A$ and $B$? For example, if $\ker\varphi \cong (\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z})^{2g}$, then $A \cong B$, because $\varphi$ factors through the multiplication map $A \xrightarrow{\times n} A$ followed by an isomoprhism $A \to B$. I wonder if there are other cases that induce isomorphisms.
Kevin's comment is right on the money, but here it is in more detail: I will give a general criterion for an isogeny $\varphi: A \rightarrow B$ of abelian varieties to induce an isomorphism upon passage to the kernel.
Let me work over an unnamed algebraically closed field. Suppose that $A = B$ and $\eta \in \operatorname{End}(A)$ is a surjective endomorphism of $A$. (N.B.: If $A$ is simple -- i.e., contains no proper nontrivial subvariety -- then any nonzero endomorphism is surjective. In particular this holds for all elliptic curves.) Then $\eta$ is also an isogeny: i.e., its kernel is a finite subgroup scheme, say $K$ and -- essentially, by the first isomorphism theorem for groups, as Kevin says -- it follows that there is an induced isomorphism
$A/K \stackrel{\sim}{\rightarrow} A$.
This condition is also necessary: if $\varphi: A \rightarrow B$ is an isogeny such that $B \cong A$, then composing with this isomorphism gives a surjective endomorphism of $A$ and the resulting map factors through an isomorphism $A/(\operatorname{ker}(\varphi)) \rightarrow B$. Thus all examples arise from a surjective endomorphism of $A$ as above, well-defined up to isomorphisms on the source and target.


text:
WEIRTON - The Weir High School theater department will present a production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" this week.
The three-act play, written by Joseph Kesselrig, will begin with a performance at the Milton Weinberg Theater at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Additional performances will take place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Admission is $5 per person at the door.
The story follows the Brewster sisters who help older gentlemen to a peaceful and comfortable "rest."
The cast includes Emily Little as Abby Brewster; Jakob Hartley as the Rev. Dr. Harper and Mr. Gibbs; Dustin Bailey as Teddy Brewster; Abigail Peters as Officer Brophy; Kiara Cimperman as Officer Klein and Mr. Hoskins; Kvanna Diaz as Martha Brewster; Caelen Crowley and Ella Jennings as Elaine Harper; Nicholas Campbell as Mortimer Brewster; Nicholas Vandruff as Jonathan Brewster; Conner McCoy as Dr. Herman Einstein; Lanisha Anderson as Officer O'Hara; Samantha Hayes as Lieutenant Rooney; and Mr. Spenalzo, and Abigail Crago as Mr. Witherspoon.
Peters also serves as the production's stage manager. The set design and play direction is by Ray Seifert, theater director.


text:
May 29, 2013 - 12:14pm
Thrawn's Revenge is a large-scale mod for Empire at War: Forces of Corruption. It includes the events of the Galactic Civil War after Palpatine's death at Endor, up until the signing of the Pellaeon-Gavrisom treaty. If you own the Steam version of EaW, you will have to complete extra steps to run the mod after installation. Please see the manual for these steps.


text:
Way beyond my knowledge or skill level. My feeling? If Reid or Dorsey want a shiny new assistant coach then Clark Hunt should go out and buy it for them.
The following is far-fetched, I know, but bear with me just for spits and giggles:
There are some headcoaches who are on increasingly hot seats. One, Gary Kubiak, has already been burned. Which of said coaches or their coordinators would you predict to be fired and if so you would like them on the Chiefs roster replacing a KC coach you are sour on?
Throw out names and discuss.
|Thumbs Up
|Received: 764
Given: 1,365
Way beyond my knowledge or skill level. My feeling? If Reid or Dorsey want a shiny new assistant coach then Clark Hunt should go out and buy it for them.
Unknown commodity here. I highly doubt they could improve their Special Teams coach Dave Taub, for sure.
I can't truthfully say that I'm sour on any of them. Maybe the OC, Doug Pederson early in the season, but these last three weeks, things have improved and they are starting to incorporate more play-action passing and with Jamaal fully healthy, they need to employ this tactic on a steady basis as it will help spring receivers open and help the O-Line a lot, as well, and force opposing Defenses to play honestly.
Pederson, I always looked at as a work in progress. With experience, he could end up being a damn good OC and a possible heir-apparent to Andy, or total garbage. That's how wide the range is on him until further observation.
The way this team is responding this year, I would be afraid to replace anybody on the coaching staff. Even if I'm not 100% satisfied with some of the asst. coaches, I don't want to upset the chemistry and continuity and bring in someone that might be worse instead of better.
There will be enough upheaval as it is when we have to let some good players go (salary cap) and bring in some new players through free agency and the draft. I wouldn't want to add to that with any coaching changes. Reid has a staff he trusts and they just got here. Give him another year or so to see what he can do with it.
***Official Chiefs Crowd Game Thread Starter***
MatthewsChiefs is an okay guy ... I guess.
|Thumbs Up
|Received: 171
Given: 222
The only positions that I am disappointed in are OL and WR. More so with the WR, than OL. The drops have me frustrated, so if there was a good WR coach available, I'd be interested. The OL seems to have been improving, so I am not as critical about those coaches.
That having been said, Reid seems to be a very loyal coach, and it takes a lot for him to fire someone, so I would be surprised if he fired someone for another coach.
My fear is that someone is going to steal him away and make him an OC or even a head coach. I don't know if he has the skills for anything other than special teams, but we need to pay him whatever he wants (within reason). Chiefs have had the best average starting field position in the NFL this year. That's partly defense but mostly special teams that is responsible for that.
***Official Chiefs Crowd Game Thread Starter***
MatthewsChiefs is an okay guy ... I guess.
|Thumbs Up
|Received: 506
Given: 1,449
|Thumbs Up
|Received: 111
Given: 93
Anybody know the numbers of chicago's special teams since taub left?


text:
K9 Advantix® II for Dogs
K9 Advantix II, a relatively new innovation in flea and tick protection for dogs, combines imidacloprid plus permethrin for total once-a-month topical protection from fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. In addition to killing flea larvae, K9 Advantix II kills adult fleas before they can lay eggs, and stops them from biting within 5 minutes of application. K9 Advantix II is also effective on ticks - repelling and killing up to 98.5% of them before they can attach. Mosquitoes are also no match for K9 Advantix II; it repels and kills them before they can bite. This topical treatment, available for various sizes of dogs, is excellent for dogs who love to swim, and those who require frequent bathing - it resists water and can be effective up to six weeks. K9 Advantix II is designed for dogs only, and SHOULD NEVER BE USED ON CATS.
Advantage® II
Advantage II is an excellent product to use in situations where the focus is on flea control alone. While it is not designed to kill ticks, Advantage II kills adult fleas rapidly and also kills flea larvae in only 20 minutes, preventing them from developing and reproducing. Because Advantage II is water-resistant, this is another good product for water dogs.
Bio Spot® ACTIVE CARE SPOT ON® for Dogs
Bio Spot® ACTIVE CARE SPOT ON® for Dogs is an excellent spot-on flea and tick preventive that offers complete protection against all stages of the flea life cycle. In addition, Bio Spot® ACTIVE CARE SPOT ON® for Dogs effectively kills and repels ticks (carriers of Lyme disease), and also repels mosquitoes (potential carriers of Heartworm and West Nile Virus). What we like most about Bio Spot® ACTIVE CARE SPOT ON® - besides the fact that it provides such complete protection - is that it is significantly less expensive than other alternatives. This is one example where you get a lot more than you pay for.
Frontline® Plus
Frontline Plus is a well-known, highly effective flea and tick preventive with a high margin of safety. Frontline Plus kills ticks (carriers of Lyme disease) and adult fleas for a full month. Frontline Plus also contains an insect growth regulator (IGR), which prevents flea eggs and larvae from developing. Frontline Plus provides water-proof protection, making it the perfect choice for dogs that swim or are bathed frequently.
Capstar® Capstar is another oral flea product, fast acting, and starts killing adult fleas on your dog in 30 minutes. Available in tablet form, one dose lasts for only 24 hours and is especially useful in situations where pets are more likely to be exposed to fleas, such as in dog parks or at shows. May also be used prior to surgery, boarding, or grooming.
When to START and END flea prevention
The time to start your flea prevention program depends on where you live. In the Midwest and north, we recommend starting your pet on a prevention program in early March and stopping after the first hard frost. In warmer climates, such as in the South, use flea prevention year round. Talk to your veterinarian if you're not sure if you should use flea prevention throughout the year.
Products such as flea and tick collars, shampoos, and sprays can be used with oral or topical solutions to ensure your pet, your home, and your yard remain flea and tick free. In areas where tick infestation is heavy, for instance, the
Preventic Tick Collar can be used to protect your pet from transmission of tick-borne illnesses and flea infestations, or environmental products such as sprays can be used to eliminate fleas and ticks indoors. Other products, like lawn sprays, can be used to eliminate fleas outdoors where they live. Before using more than one flea and tick product on your pet, refer to our Flea & Tick Product Compatibility Chart and speak with your veterinarian.
Start here:
Vaccinate your pet at Home and SAVE!
Watch 100s of expert How to's & reviews.
Browse our library of pet care articles.
Sign up for FREE pet care emails.
Request your FREE pet supply catalogs.
Fun games & pet info just for kids!
+Details: Use Promo Code 15FAMILY during Checkout to see savings. Promo valid through Saturday, July 30, 2016 @ 11:59 pm [CST]. Excludes items already on sale, certain manufacturer items not eligible for promo offers and coupons (as indicated on product pages), horse supplies, all dog and cat foods, and Prescription Foods.
*FREE economy ground shipping to 48 connecting states only on orders $19 or more. No promo code needed. See full shipping rates here.
Copyright © 1997-2016, Petco Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved. 2253 Air Park Road, P.O. Box 100, Rhinelander, Wisconsin 54501
Terms of Use|
Privacy Policy|
Your CA Privacy Rights|
Copyright Claims|
Pet Medical Records Policy|
Social Media Policy


text:
Convert Your 4L60E To 4L65E SpecsWritten by on November 1, 2007 Worried About Scattering Your GM Overdrive? Upgrade Now and Avoid the Implosion.
'The 700-R4 has long been a mainstay in the General's arsenal of late-model automatic overdrive transmissions. In 1993, OBD-II brought electronic controls and the introduction of the 4L60E. At the same time the 700-R4 was renamed the 4L60. Although the two transmissions have a similar name and share cases and some parts, they are different. In 2001, the 4L60E became the 4L65E when GM upgraded some key internal parts that were failing behind the increasingly powerful Gen III powerplant. The improved transmission utilized a stronger five-pinion rear planetary and a hardened input shaft and sun shell that increased its torque capacity to 380 lb-ft. The nice thing about all of this is that the modern parts are easily swapped into the 4L60E, leaving you with the ability to upgrade your existing tranny without having to buy a new unit.
Since the upgrade requires a complete teardown, a full rebuild with some extra performance pieces is a good idea. We used a Trans-Go reprogramming kit, a Sonnax billet Fourth gear Super Hold servo, a Raybestos Z-Pack clutch kit, and Red Eagle red oxide clutches. We cherry-picked the clutch kit, using the Z-pack for the 3-4 clutches. These are specifically designed to not bow and to have superior holding power. The red oxide clutches have better hold for 1-2.
This is not the most difficult tranny to build, but it is certainly not the easiest. And there are a few specialized tools needed to correctly complete the job. To get an expert's assistance we went to Tony Straughn of Budget Transmission in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The total package including labor priced out at about $1,300, not including the torque converter. We used an ATI High-Stall Street Master lockup converter, which had a pretty hefty price tag of $640.
Upgrading to the 4L65E is advisable in towing applications and where horsepower numbers are up to 500. The 4L60E also uses a four-pinion front planetary carrier, which is more expensive than the rear unit. For cars making over that number, there is a front planetary upgrade as well. Our '96 Impala makes just under 500, so we upgraded the rear planetary only. After the upgrade, the car has a nice, snappy shift under part-throttle, and the full-throttle shifts are supersharp, much better than the stock slush box and more reliable, too.
|Trans-Go reprogrammer
|Sonnax billet servo
|Red Eagle rebuild Kit
|Raybestos Z-pack
|Beast sun shell
|Budget Transmission
|Five-pinion carrier
|Budget Transmission
|High-intensity band
|Budget Transmission
|ATI torque converter
|ATI Performance
|Budget Transmission
More Photos From This Article View Slideshow
If you want to find a 4L60E in the wrecking yard and upgrade it to 4L65E specs, find one that was built after 1995, when GM converted the 4L60E converter lockup circuit to a pulse-width-modulated circuit. This type of lockup circuit offers a smoother transition, as it pulses the signal instead of jolting the driver with a sudden converter lock. These transmissions will be marked with "PWM" on the front of the pump. The important thing to remember here is that whatever the type, PWM or non-PWM, it must match the computer in the car; otherwise it will not function properly.The pump pressure relief is the number one cause of failure after overhaul. It is very easy to forget to clean this little ball and spring, and it tends to get gummy and start to stick. Even going a few miles down the road can cause a failure, because the converter can't release its pressure, leading to overheating.The stock sun shell (left) has a tendency to crack and then shear off the gear at the neck in high-performance applications. The Beast sun gear (right) is made of thicker material and is particularly beefy where the problems occur. The Beast also comes with a new Torrington thrust bearing.With the First and Reverse clutches installed, Straughn suggests using a block saver. This $6 clip keeps the low/Reverse overrunning clutch from rotating and breaking the case.Cleanliness is a virtue, especially when it comes to transmissions. The case for the 4L60E was washed for a few hours in a hot bath. Since hot tanks have pretty much been outlawed by the EPA, 250-degree water and soap had to do.The clutches were soaked in a bucket of Dexron III before being installed in the tranny. Forget this step and you may as well throw it all away.The high-intensity band was installed after the drum was dropped in. It took a little massaging to get the band to snap in place. For the 2-4 band, Straughn suggests using a late-model high-intensity band over a wide band. The wide band has little more hold, but the high-intensity band grabs and releases faster, which is more important in a high-performance application. The wide band is better suited for towing or in cases where the drum is worn in the center and replacement is cost-prohibitive.The servo pin was checked for clearance and was in spec, so the washer was installed.The Z-pack clutches were installed in the drum and checked for clearance. The clutches should be stacked in this order: friction clutch, steel clutch, friction clutch, and so on. The final clutch is the brown clutch. The clutches have been stacked correctly when the brown clutch is even with the snap-ring groove. Then the five anticentrifugal rev springs are installed, followed by the pressure plate and another snap ring.The Sonnax servo was installed with a snap ring to hold it in place. This unique piece offers 40 percent more surface area for better holding power in Fourth gear. This helps eliminate band failure in high-performance applications. It is simple to install with only a set of snap-ring pliers required. Just be sure to use the supplied steel washer. There is some adjustment to be made here, though: The typical travel of the servo pin is 0.125 inch; if it is greater than that, the pin should be changed or carefully ground down to achieve the desired travel.
The pump assembly received a new main pressure regulator and boost valve, which came with the Trans-Go reprogramming kit. The separator plate rests between the transmission case and the valvebody, and has 10 holes that require additional drilling. These are the pressure-apply and relief ports. Opening these up to 0.093 inch increases shift firmness and adjusts the timing of each shift. Straughn also suggests drilling out the solenoid A and B ports to 0.040 inch. He has found that this slightly increases shift time, which makes for a nice shift pattern on the street.With a 3M coarse surfacing pad, the entire outer surface of the drum was cleaned of any glazing. The drum must be flat and smooth. If the surface is concave, it should be replaced. This drum was in good shape so it did not need replacement.A new filter and cork gasket finished off the internals of the build. Straughn says to never use silicone sealant on a tranny pan; there are several small ports on the gasket rail that will get plugged if silicone is used, which will smoke the transmission.The second gear accumulator body was modified with the springs supplied in the Trans-Go kit. Using two springs gives the trans a very firm shift; using all three is for full-race applications only and will probably be too harsh for the street. We used two for the Impala.After the shift kit was installed, the valvebody was bolted down to the case and the electrical plugs were once again connected.


text:
Screening for colon cancer; Colonoscopy - screening; Sigmoidoscopy - screening; Virtual colonoscopy - screening
Colon cancer screening can detect polyps and early cancers in the intestines. This type of screening can find problems that can be treated before cancer develops or spreads. Regular screenings may reduce the risk of death and pain caused by colorectal cancer.
There are several ways to screen for colon cancer.
Stool test:
Other tests:
There is not enough evidence to say which screening method is best. Talk to your doctor about which test is right for you.
Both men and women should have a colon cancer screening test starting at age 50. Some health care providers recommend that African Americans begin screening at age 45.
Screening options for patients with an average risk for colon cancer:
People with certain risk factors for colon cancer may need earlier (before age 50) or more frequent testing.
More common risk factors are:
Screening for these groups is more likely to be done using colonoscopy.
Itzkowitz SH, Potack J. Colonic polyps and polyposis syndromes. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds.Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Pathophysiology/Diagnosis/Management.9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Saunders; 2010:chap 122.
Levin B, Lieberman DA, McFarland B, Smith RA, Brooks D, Andrews KS, et al. Screening and surveillance for the early detection of colorectal cancer and adenomatous polyps, 2008: a joint guideline from the American Cancer Society, the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer, and the American College of Radiology. CA Cancer J Clin. 2008;58:130-160.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines): Colorectal cancer screening. Version 2.2013. Available at: http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/colorectal_screening.pdf. Accessed October 24, 2013.
Rex DK, Johnson DA, Anderson JC, Schoenfeld PS, Burke CA, Inadomi JM; American College of Gastroenterology. American College of Gastroenterology guidelines for colorectal cancer screening 2009 [corrected]. Am J Gastroenterol. 2009;104:739-750.
On a mission to heal body, mind and spirit


text:
MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW) -- As they took turns sitting behind the wheel of their new car for the first time, Sgt. Kevin Donahue and his wife Jan were overcome with gratitude.
The Donahues were presented with a new van Tuesday at Manhattan Area Technical College that's been refurbished by students in the college's Automotive Collision Repair Program.
"This is just a great family that has been involved and worked hard together for the benefit of our country and they've had a couple of difficult things happen to them and they are truly in need of a vehicle." said Chuck Sulkala, Executive Director of the National Auto Body Council during a ceremony and presentation.
"We're very honored to represent all military families and we know firsthand what they all go through. So we appreciate it," Jan Donahue said.
It's all part of the National Recycled Rides Program, helping needy families across the country. The 2004 Honda Odyssey was donated by State Farm Insurance.
Manhattan's technical college is donating the revamped cars to local veterans with Fort Riley's Wounded Warrior Program. Each qualified soldier, whose situation dictates the need for assistance above and beyond the system's capability, submits an essay to "tell their story".
Sgt. Donahue has been deployed several times and is recovering from a number of injuries. He has been in the Army National Guard for 20 years.
In addition, both he and his wife lost their jobs due to the recession, had to file bankruptcy and lost their home and vehicle as a result, officials said.
"I just want to thank them for having the program and working so hard and putting so much effort into making it so successful. I appreciate it so much," Donahue told WIBW.
Manhattan Area Technical College also honored students, faculty members and staff who have served our country as part of their annual Veterans Day celebration.
"We are here, this day, to recognize and appreciate what veterans do for our country… There are so many people that have given of themselves and continue to give of themselves day in and day out that have not gotten the recognition that they deserve for having served our country. So your efforts here today have been fantastic and I really applaud the work that you have done," Sulkala added.
As for the Donahues, the show of support from the community is something that they will never forget.
"What an honor and what a nice vehicle and what a nice thought and to be appreciated as a military family- how huge is that," Jan Donahue said.
MATC is one of only two educational institutions participating in the Recycled Rides program nationally. The only other institution is Washburn Institute of Technology.


text:
Reigniting Passion
In This Article:
It Wasn't Always Like This
Many people get married because they say they have fun together. After they are married for a while, they realize they got married for more valuable reasons: shared values and shared commitment.
It's very common for married couples to get caught up in the day-to-day grind. There are bills to pay, schedules to arrange, and chores to do. It seems like a waste of energy to plan fun activities with your spouse. It's easy to assume he or she will be around to grab a bite to eat or to see a movie with you. Creating special "date time" together makes us feel like we're just adding one more thing to our never ending to-do list.
Think Twice
Don't be passive! You have the power to bring passion into your relationship. It's not something that happens to you; it's something that you do.
There are many reasons to make a date with your spouse. First of all, because it's fun. Everyone deserves to have fun and a break from routines. Second, doing enjoyable things together gives you energy to tackle your responsibilities. And last, every time you do something fun with your spouse, you strengthen your relationship.
Close your eyes and think back to your first date with your spouse. Were you excited? Did you have butterflies in your stomach? What were you wearing? What was your spouse wearing? Did you go to a nice dinner and get to know each other? At the end of the evening, did you make plans to get together again? Did you talk about the date with any of your friends?
Once you think about it, you can remember really enjoying going out with your spouse. You looked forward to seeing him or her and talking on the telephone to-together. Where did all of that fun and excitement go? You can get back the excitement of your first date. How? Read on.
Soul Mates
Every once in a while be sure to take out your photo albums and review them together. You'll have a great evening ahead of you. This is valuable for reinforcing the bonds you have.
Good Fun Takes Good Planning
What made those first months of dating so much fun? Both of you put a lot of time and energy into the date. You chose an outfit with special care. Sometimes you bought tickets to a special event or ate dinner in a romantic restaurant. You were thoughtful of the other person and presented yourself at your best. You practiced good dating etiquette.
Bring back those skills. All of these things are important even after being married. The forethought as well as the adoring attitude you brought to your dates then can be re-created. The atmosphere of specialness and excitement made them so much fun!
More on: Marriage and Divorce
Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Marriage © 2001 by Hilary Rich and Helaina Laks Kravitz, M.D. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
To order this book visit the Idiot's Guide web site or call 1-800-253-6476.


text:
Researcher Guide
The Methodist Library is a research library containing the non-circulating Methodist collections of the Drew University Library and of the General Commission on Archives and History.
Methodist Library Collections
The Methodist Library houses a large collection of books on Methodism, Methodist agency minutes and conference journals, Methodist magazines and newspapers, dissertation on microfilm, biographical and genealogical materials, and artifacts relating to Methodist history.
The University Library has duplicate copies of many of the materials in the Methodist Library. These copies are available for circulation to those with Drew Library borrowing privileges. This Methodist collection of "B" and "BY" call number books is located on Level E of the Library.
Using the Materials
Our collections are available to the Drew University community and to the general public. The Wilson Reading Room of the Methodist Library contains a selection of current periodicals, a small reference collection of bibliographies, encyclopedias, standard editions of Wesley works, basic texts in history, doctrine, polity and worship, and Methodist conference journals and theological school catalogs. The remainder of the collections are held in closed stacks.
Archival material from the collections of Drew University and the General Commission on Archives and History may also be used in the Wilson Reading Room. Although walk-in researchers are always welcomed, those wishing to use archival collections are encouraged to consult with the staff of the General Commission regarding access to and proper use of these materials. Information on archival research material can be accessed through the online inventories web page.
Because the Methodist Library contains one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of Methodist materials in the world, certain security measures are followed. Materials do not circulate outside the building. Upon request staff members will retrieve materials for use in the Wilson Reading Room. Briefcases, backpacks, etc., are prohibited in the Wilson Reading Room. Lockers are provided for the temporary storage of such items.
Searching the Collections
Cataloged materials in the Methodist Library are searchable through the Drew Library Catalog. There are two computer workstations available for public use in the Wilson Reading Room. Conference journals and annual minutes and reports of the various Methodist denominations do not appear in the online catalog. Please consult the staff for access to these materials.
Services Available
A photocopier and a digital microfilm reader/printer are available, although not all materials may be copied. Please consult reading room staff regarding photocopying of a particular item. Payment for photocopies is by cash or check. The fee for digital images is $10 if an image is in public domain, regardless of whether the intended usage is personal or commercial. If the image is under copyright, the fee is $10 for personal use and $40 for commercial/trade publication. For images under copyright, researchers must fill out our permission-to-publish form. For use of personal digital cameras or scanners, please consult with the Methodist Librarian. The same fees may apply.


text:
click images to enlarge
Artist: Jane Haskell
Title: "Let the Waters Teem with Living Creatures and Let Birds Fly Above the Earth"
Medium: Sculpture - Fiber optic
Size: 4' x 220' x 1"
Year Installed: 1994
Venue: Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport
A grouping of three sets of fiber optic light sculpture depicting themes of Bird, Fish and Dolphin. The fiber optic medium with its constant changing of colored light enlivens the long back wall of the Baggage Claim to welcome travelers. The artwork is installed at Terminal 2, Arrival Level.
"The images which I have chosen for the installation, "Let the Waters Teem with Living Creatures, and Let Birds Fly above the Earth", are universal, yet evoke the spirit of Southern Florida. Although the work is abstract, its theme is specific to the site and to its function of welcoming travelers. The horizontal and curvilinear design relates to the scale of the wall. Heretofore, I have worked in both fluorescent and neon light, emphasizing the interaction of the light and color with the painted surface. In this installation, I have chosen to use fiber optics rather than neon or fluorescent light. With fiber optics, I have been able to create a continuous flow of light and changing colors surrounding the silhouettes of the fish and the fowl. This flow accords with the functional flow of the baggage conveyor. Fiber optic cable is, as well, a safe source of light and therefore, is particularly appropriate for a site- specific installation physically accessible to the public."
Click on thumbnails to enlarge images:


text:
Enter your Email Address and click 'Continue' Example: firstname.lastname@example.com For further assistance in retrieving your
password, please call:
(800) 770-3387 Submit Cancel Forgot Password Close /TravelSmith/US/Global/Popups/forgot_password Enter your email address:
false pdp {"scheme":"product1_cr"}
false pdp {"scheme":"product2_cr"}
Rated 4.5 out of 5 by 2 reviewers.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Ran5cher Great summer shirt My husband really likes the fabric and the chest pocket. July 3, 2014
Rated 4 out of 5 by Buzzard You'll Love it Fit is very roomy but fabric feels good! Anxious to see how it will look & feel after several washings. July 8, 2014
1-2 of 2
Product:71440-Tori Richard Squared Hawaiian Shirt