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Faces Of Our Future
Youll find them in boardrooms and classrooms. They are cultivating the arts, healing racism and revitalizing neighborhoods.
Some were born here, while others were drawn here. These 20 individuals have numerous differences but at least two similarities: They are young and have the potential to help Grand Rapids evolve.
By Myrna Anderson and Lauren Befus Photography by Michael Buck
Certainly, there are more than 20 individuals who embody these characteristics, and Grand Rapids Magazine would like to continue to share their stories. Those with profile suggestions may contact our offices: (616) 459-4545 or email@example.com.
Les Allen, 34 Executive Director, Neighborhood Revitalization Corp.
Les Allen takes risks in uncharted territories. McDonalds, Churchs Chicken, Burger King, and Quick and Clean line the streets of South Division Avenue thanks to Allens entrepreneurial spirit and his eagerness to improve the city.
I take risks that benefit the normal citizenry of Grand Rapids. I do things that most people wouldnt think about doing, Allen said. I am helping to improve areas that have been forgotten about. Allen said his former company, L.H. Allen, was the first minority-owned construction company to build a McDonalds in Michigan. Allens other business ventures include The Lenox Room, a downtown club, and Spin City Laundry Center.
Les knows the inner city; he grew up in Grand Rapids, said Sharon Evoy, executive director of the Neighborhood Business Specialists Program. The program is an economic development partnership between Grand Rapids and the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce to provide support and services to the citys 20 neighborhood business associations. Hes one of the people who realizes that the inner city can be economically viable. Les has been able to tap into that.
With the Neighborhood Revitalization Corp. (NRC), Allen is working to establish quality homes for low-income residents. He builds houses and works to rehabilitate existing homes to meet city codes. The goal is to create safe and comfortable places for residents to live.
My hope is to make the NRC a well-respected and successful organization that will last for years to come, leaving a legacy in the nonprofit arena in the Grand Rapids community, Allen said. What you dont know about Allen: His ultimate business goal is to purchase the Oakland Raiders.
Brigid Avery, 24 Admissions Representative, Aquinas College
After spending a college semester in inner-city Chicago, Brigid Averys life was changed forever. Her eyes were opened to a world different from her own, and when she returned home to Grand Rapids, she was determined to make a difference.
Known as a woman of character who walks the talk and holds strong to her convictions, Avery is on a mission to increase diversity at Aquinas College and in the Greater Grand Rapids community. She developed a summer program for Detroit public high school students called Detroit Rewarding Youth Achievement, inviting them to experience college life at Aquinas.
I wanted to stop talking about diversity and decided to actually do something to help Aquinas, said Avery, who added that incoming freshmen students of color at Aquinas increased 6 percent in the 2002-2003 school year.
Avery is involved in the Racial Justice Institute of the Grand Rapids Area Center for Ecumenism. She and other members are advocating the name change of Franklin Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Ultimately, Avery hopes to become the dean of students at Aquinas, while also managing her own restaurant that is friendly to those who are on a diet.
What you dont know about Avery: I confess! I am such a mess! My car, my house, my office - all of them are messy. I am relatively disorganized, yet I somehow find order in the midst of my chaos.
Mark Davis, 38 Partner, Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett, LLP
In any environmental case Mark Davis takes on, his client is always the same: the environment. Davis, a 1990 graduate of Vermont Law School who also specializes in intellectual property law, began his career in environmental law as a prosecutor for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. I do like to go after those who fail to recognize their responsibility for the problem, he said. These days, he is just as likely to help corporations achieve sound environmental standards. I think one of my goals in representing clients is if theyre out of compliance to get them back in compliance and to stay in compliance. Any company who wants to stay around in todays market needs to stay out of environmental trouble. Davis also represents families whose health has been impaired by negligent corporations.
In his off hours, Davis serves on the boards of the West Michigan Environmental Action Council and Alternatives in Motion, which furnishes wheelchairs to people who cant afford them, and he coaches youth travel hockey. In 1999 he worked as the chairman, manager and treasurer for Judith Freys successful bid for the mayoralty of East Grand Rapids. It wasnt necessarily an interest in politics but more an interest in community, said the native East Grand Rapidian.
He certainly cares about his community and gets involved, Mayor Frey affirmed.
What you dont know about Davis: I dont like going to sleep.
Iliana Ordaz Jeffries, 37 Executive Director, Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids
Iliana Ordaz Jeffries spent her career in arts management pingponging from Miami to Toronto to Boise, Idaho, before landing atop the Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids in January 2002. So far, so good, she said.
Carol Black, the councils development director, is more effusive. Its really wonderful to see her in the role she was meant to play. It took her very little time to understand the arts community. She really has the potential to take us, as the arts council, to the next level: collaborating with other groups. Our mission overall is to make sure the community sees art as a core value, Jeffries said, who also prioritizes arts advocacy on a legislative level.
Her husband, John Peter Jeffries (Everybody knows him as Jeep. Jeep, like the car.), serves as executive director of Opera Grand Rapids. It was his position with the opera company that brought us here, she said. Its a metropolis compared to Boise.
The thing you dont know about Jeffries: I sing The Queen of the Night when I vacuum. And I cant sing. So you dont want to be within earshot.
Joe Jones, 32 Partner/Senior Consultant, Jones & Gavan, LLC
Recognized by Woodrick Institute Director Steve Robbins as a dynamic thinker who has the community in mind in everything he does, Jones is making moves in Grand Rapids. The first African American to serve on the Kent County Aeronautics Board, Jones deems wooing his wife Jessie and creating a family of four as his ultimate accomplishment.
Jones, serving on a total of five local committees/boards, is vice chairman of the Grand Rapids Urban League and second vice president of the Grand Rapids NAACP Executive Committee.
I want to continue to give of my time, talents and treasures for the benefit of Grand Rapids, said Jones, who provides public relations counsel through Jones & Gavan. This is my home and I want to be a part of Grand Rapids growing into an example of what cities across America can emulate when community, business, church, government and philanthropy come together and work collaboratively.
Jones has hopes of becoming an ordained minister and holding public office.
What you dont know about Jones: He is one of nine children, five boys and four girls. Whenever he calls his mother, she always has to guess who shes talking to because his siblings all sound alike. So he calls his mother Mooken Jones to distinguish himself.
Rock Kauffman, 39 Owner of Rock Kauffmans Urbanhouse
At his Ionia Avenue emporium, Rock Kauffman is widening the concept of retail furniture sales and celebrating the renaissance of downtown Grand Rapids all at the same time. A lot of design insight goes along with the couch you buy at Rock Kauffmans Urbanhouse because the stores on-staff interior designers stand ready to lend their expertise.
Kauffmans envelope-stretching furniture store has existed in the area adjacent to the Van Andel Arena since 1996, and its owner is enjoying downtowns new era: Weve survived the first wave, he said. With the new convention center coming, that will be the next wave of success downtown. Were in a good position to help that.
Sam Cummings, president of Second Story Properties and the developer of Ionia, said of the Urbanhouse team: It took quite an amount of vision to participate in what weve created around here. Its certainly a tribute to their creativity, vision and hard work that theyre doing so well. At times its been a challenge for them, and theyve risen to that challenge.
Kauffman started his career in design and related fields at Klingmans Furniture Co. in 1983 at the tender age of 21. In 1988, he and partner Kevin Einfeld began BDR Builders, pioneering the design-build concept of home construction in this area. The company designed and built eight houses featured in the Parade of Homes in a five-year span. Kauffman sold his interest in BDR by 1993 and concentrated solely on interior design.
In all his ventures, Kauffmans goal has been to establish good design within the city. The next five years downtown is going to be the place to be. Its going to be so huge that downtown Grand Rapids isnt going to be the same for 50 or 60 years.
What you dont know about Kauffman: Ive been known to be caught at Target having lunch.
Liz Keegan, 26 Partner, Program Management, Community Leadership Institute
Liz Keegan organizes dialogues on contemporary issues. She has worked to educate and equip neighborhood associations. She has planned fund-raisers for the Fair Housing Center. She manages grants. Liz Keegan makes community involvement a priority.
The connections you make are necessary for you to feel you belong here, said Keegan, who moved to West Michigan from Detroit.
After graduating from Aquinas College in 1998 with a major in Spanish and a minor in Japanese, Keegan was hired to provide administrative support for both the colleges Community Leadership Institute (CLI) and its Woodrick Institute for the Study of Racism and Diversity. They split me, is how she puts it. In January 2001, she moved full time to the CLI.
Keegan has spent her years since graduation working on healing racism and promoting diversity, attending several Institutes for Healing Racism. She is a member of the Summit on Racism: Community Action Team and serves on the board of directors of Hispanics Against AIDS.
Liz is one of these incredibly bright and dedicated young leaders who is, I think, breaking the mold or helping to break the mold of traditional leadership. Traditional leadership is white guys. Heres a young woman taking significant leadership roles in the community, said CLIs lead partner and mayoral candidate, the Rev. George Heartwell.
What you dont know about Keegan: She has a Star Wars calendar on her desk and confesses a partiality for Han Solo. Or is it a passion? Not so much anymore. Its admiration, she said.
Belen Ledezma, 33 Supervisor of Translation and Interpretation Services, Spectrum Health
The daughter of migrant workers, Belen Ledezma remembers translating for her Mexican grandmother in the emergency room when she was a mere 7 years old. Now she makes her living doing the same thing for myriad Spanish-speaking patients at Spectrum Health.
Ledezma, whose family settled permanently in the Fremont area (Im a Gerber baby!) when their house in Mexico burned down, pursued a triple major in political science, Latin and Spanish with a minor in history at Western Michigan University. I stayed in school for five years because I didnt know what to do, she confessed. In March 2000, a friend directed Ledezma to the job she now holds. She just thought it would be a natural fit for me because I did translation for Catholic Social Services.
Belen is wonderful. She is an expert in the field of interpretation and translation services. She really exudes a passion to patients and their families. She has lived with a foot in two different societies. She comes from a place of knowing rather than just a skill shes learned, said Kris White, Spectrum Healths director of patient relations and translation and interpretation services.
While working her way to a masters degree in public administration, Ledezma teaches in migrant camps and volunteers at Gildas Club. She is married to Hesham Sanour. I serve the Lord by serving others, is her credo.
What you dont know about Ledezma: I talk a lot with my hands, even when I talk on the telephone. Its like Im guiding an airplane. I feel like I need my hands to communicate everything I want to say.
Jeffrey Meeuwsen, 34 Director, Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts
Its a career change most wouldnt expect: from Amway to the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts (UICA). Yet Jeffrey Meeuwsen has recently found his niche.
He began his work at the UICA on Aug. 1 and is making strides. I think it would be to help West Michigan to realize what a gem they have in UICA, Meeuwsen said of his mission. Were not only the largest contemporary multidisciplinary arts center in Michigan, but were 25 years old and primarily volunteer-run for all those years. And that is extremely rare in the U.S. for that to exist.
Meeuwsen, pursuing a second degree in fine arts from Kendall College of Art and Design, has been affiliated with the UICA for 10 years, working on the board and several committees.
Sarah Joseph, Kendall College director of exhibitions, is sure that UICA has the right man for the job. I think he has a lot of great ideas to continue the great tradition of the UICA, to take it in new directions. I think hes really going to be reaching out to the community.
Odd fact from Mr. Meeuwsen: He eats his cake by flipping it upside down. The too-sweet frosting sticks to the plate and he can then enjoy hassle-free cakey-goodness from the bottom up.
Rusty Merchant, 30 Vice President of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
When the state divvied up its arts money, he ensured that Kent County received its fair share. He prevented the building of a casino in Wayland. Now hes working to get U.S. 131 finished to the Indiana border. Yet Rusty Merchant calls himself just another boring white guy.
The chamber is the only organization west of Lansing that has a full-time lobbyist in that capital every session, and Merchant is the man. He (Rusty) has worked to bring the Grand Rapids area chambers advocacy to the next level in Lansing. With Rustys help, the chamber has become one of the major players in the state Legislature, chamber President John Brown said.
Even his name is commerce-friendly, the lobbyist observed. Rusty Merchant is, like, the ultimate chamber name. The only thing better would be, like, Bill Enterprise.
Merchant earned his bachelors degree from Grand Valley State University and served as a legislative aide to state Sen. Doug Carl. Despite his frequent forays to the capital, he finds time to serve on the board of his church and the Grand Rapids Township Planning Commission. He, wife Jane and daughter Peyton are expecting a family addition.
Its a pleasure to go to Lansing and talk about Grand Rapids. Were a flagship city for the Midwest. I really believe it.
What you dont know about Rusty Merchant: I always eat my food in order and complete one item before moving on to the next. Theres no mixing.
Marci Michmerhuizen, 30 Community Administrator of Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center for Health Professions (MERC)
Some people have trouble keeping track of a cat. Marci Michmerhuizen tracks the academic progress and sundry needs of 60 third- and fourth-year Michigan State University medical students as they complete their clinical training in Grand Rapids hospitals and health facilities.
As community administrator, Michmerhuizen directs the medical student program for the Medical Education and Research Center for Health Professions (MERC). She is adept at finding creative solutions to unusual problems. Just one example of Ms. Michmerhuizens style is that when we were told that most visiting medical students expected free housing, the budget presented a problem. Ms. Michmerhuizens solution was to solicit volunteer free housing from the medical staff and volunteer organizations. And now we have a growing list of families in the Grand Rapids area who will be sponsoring visiting medical students who may well become the physician leaders of tomorrow in West Michigan, said Kent Bottles, MERCs president and CEO.
Michmerhuizen, who earned a bachelors degree in English from Hope College in 1994 and a masters from GVSU in education in 2000, states her mission simply: Do the best I can. Certainly we are aiming to become a world-renowned program for MERC and for the state.
Holland is home for Michmerhuizen and Marshall, her husband of a year and a half. Its worth the commute, she said.
The thing you dont know about Michmerhuizen: I love ketchup, salsa, French dressing and tomato soup, but I will not eat tomatoes!
Tamber Moore, 32 Community Outreach Manager, The Delta Strategy
Tamber Moore is movin and shakin at The Delta Strategy. She is working on initiatives to reduce poverty in the Grand Rapids area and daily tackling the citys toughest issues.
Moore also serves on the Minority Business Council, helping to ensure minorities of equal business opportunities in the area and to raise awareness of their presence. She is devoted to helping adults and children become more culturally aware.
I am passionate about healing racism because I am multiracial, Moore said. My father was born in the Philippines and my mother is Polish. I have had the opportunity to see the world through several sets of eyes.
Moore worked in television production for six years and served as a media relations consultant for the opening of the Van Andel Institute and the S-Curve.
Tamber is a dynamic, passionate woman, said Deb Bloom, Womens Resource Center business and community liaison. She strikes me as a strong woman with a great passion for what she does. She is young and someone who will continue to have a growing impact in Grand Rapids.
This is only the beginning for Tamber Moore. She looks forward to seeing the results of The Delta Strategy, the Healing Racism Institute and all of the Institutes working together in Grand Rapids. What you really need to know about Moore: She loves Michigan basketball: Go Blue!
Mark Peters, 38 President/CEO, Butterball Farms Inc.
Whether it is his connections at The Potters House Christian School, his work at In the Image (an organization that gives away clothes, furniture and housewares to people in need) or his desire to help his own employees flourish at Butterball Farms Inc., Mark Peters is enriching lives in Grand Rapids. Peters is a very positive person. He encourages people to reach their highest potential, Potters House Principal John Booy said. Mark has the ability to speak life into people, especially in urban communities. He is very committed to the city; he doesnt just give money, he gives his time as well.
Peters and his human resources staff are devoting their time to the development of Southwest Organizations Unifying Resources for Community and Employees, known as SOURCE. SOURCE, which is scheduled to launch Jan. 1, consists of 10 companies working together with businesses, nonprofits and government agencies to provide services to its members employees. English as a Second Language and budget classes, Family Independence Agency caseworkers and emergency child care will be accessible for member companies. We want to help move people from welfare to sustainability, to help promote people along a career path using these businesses, Peters said.
Aside from Peters involvement in the Grand Rapids community, he is looking to his companys future with anticipation of a new retail endeavor and the possibility of recycling all plastic waste at Butterball. What you dont know about Peters: I had my white truck painted like my boat. Its blue, yellow, orange and red! It is pretty wild!
Steve Robbins, 37 Director, Woodrick Institute for the Study of Racism and Diversity
His familys background as Asian immigrants living sometimes uneasily in the United States equipped Steve Robbins to lead Aquinas Colleges Woodrick Institute for the Study of Racism and Diversity. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, Robbins came to America when he was 5. He graduated from Calvin College in 1988. Five months after his marriage to wife Donna in 1991 Robbins mother committed suicide. From depression, Robbins explained, and from a lot of the way she was treated here as a Vietnamese person. Robbins followed a short career as a news producer with graduate school, earning a Ph.D. in communications from Michigan State University. After four years as a marketing consultant for a Fortune 500 company, Robbins started looking for a more enriching means of earning a living. I wanted my job to have life meaning, he said.
Robbins began studying issues of diversity. I became true to myself and realized I was an Asian person living in the United States. When my son was born in 1995, that was the final kick. He resolved to work to heal racism and promote diversity. The institute was founded in 1999 with Robbins as its first director; it holds workshops works to foster sensitivity in matters of race and diversity. In 2001, Robbins founded the Multiracial Association of Professionals (MAP) to promote a more diverse working community in the city.
Steve is doing a wonderful job, Aquinas College President Harry Knopke said. He is very creative. He has a broad perspective on the community - and not just Grand Rapids, but what a community means. Hes very creative and passionate about what he does.
When true understanding and communication take place, the issues we have around racism and exclusion will be greatly lessened, Robbins said. The Robbinses have three sons and a daughter. What you dont know about Robbins: He always wears two pairs of socks because he has skinny feet.
Chrissy Rozelle, 28 Director of Administration, Camp Blodgett
She answered an ad and found her lifes work. Chrissy Rozelle, director of administration for Camp Blodgett, finds the money to keep the camp serving the areas at-risk youths.
Basically, what I want to do is raise a ton of money so that people can do the great things theyre doing, she said.
After working as an accountant support coordinator for a public relations firm in East Lansing, Rozelle answered the fateful ad. Alongside her fund-raising duties, she is working on a marketing degree at Grand Rapids Community College.
Annette Guilfoyle, public information officer for the city of Grand Rapids, praised Rozelles can do, will do, its done attitude, and her willingness to tackle new tasks.
Rozelle explained her enthusiasm: Theres a real energy to your work when youre doing something for other people.
What you dont know about Rozelle: I cant type and talk at the same time.
Suzanne Schultz, 31 City Planner and Project Manager for the Grand Rapids Master Plan
She was just trying to stay home nights. In 1999 Suzanne Schultz left her consulting gig as an urban planner to work in the Grand Rapids Planning Department. To get away from meetings, she said. Upon her arrival at her new job, Schultz learned that she would be helping to redraft the Grand Rapids master plan, which had not been updated in almost 40 years. Over 100 neighborhood meetings and community forums ensued. Schultz was undaunted: Even though there were night meetings, I was only 10 minutes away from home anywhere in the city.
Schultz and her colleagues on the Plan Grand Rapids project listened to the community as though it were a giant committee to determine how a future Grand Rapids would grow, build, live, navigate and prosper. The feedback weve gotten back from the community has been very positive, she said. People feel that theyve been heard. The new master plan mixes the input from specific neighborhoods with that of hired consultants and city officials. Schultzs job was to coordinate the entire whirl.
Suzanne is terrific, said Bill Hoyt, city planning director. She is forward-thinking, organized and genuinely concerned about people and their views. She is largely responsible for the success of the master plan project.
Schultz earned a bachelors degree with honors in urban and regional planning from Michigan State University. She has worked on a study of state land use trends and on an environmental impact statement on U.S. 23. Its been my history at work. I get these giant projects. She is restoring a house in Heritage Hill, where she lives with her chef husband, Scott, and their two children.
What you dont know about Schultz: I sing my baby show tunes while shopping at Meijer. We like Porgy and Bess.
Dr. Bin Tean Teh, 37 Senior Principal Investigator, Van Andel Research Institute
Since his arrival at the Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) in January 2000, Dr. Bin Tean Teh and his research team have blazed a trail of discovery in the genetics and treatment of kidney cancer. The Malaysian-born Teh, formerly of Swedens Karolinska Institute, has forged partnerships with 11 area urologists from both Spectrum Health and Metropolitan Hospital and with DeVos Childrens Hospital to study the disease. Tehs research has identified the genes - different for adults and for children - that cause both hereditary and nonhereditary kidney cancer. The research also has determined that the genetic makeup, not the size or shape of a cancerous growth, determines whether it will spread. Tehs team has also fingered the targets for drug therapy in kidney cancer, allowing physicians to more intelligently direct their patients chemotherapy.
I work on kidney cancer because it has such huge impact in my life, said Teh, whose father died of the disease at age 35.
Bart Williams, a VARI investigator, said Teh had done a good job of integrating the local clinical research community with the institute. And since thats one of the long-term goals of the institute, its very important.
Teh, his wife Jane and their 8-month-old son are happy transplants to the area. My two biggest hobbies are golfing and fishing, so I suppose I come to the right place. We have many good friends here, he said.
What you dont know about Teh: When he is golfing, he thinks about work.
Dan West, 34 Design Director, Izzydesign
Dan West surely wont take all of the credit for his success at Izzydesign. It takes a team. Lots of people are involved with the success of design. I am just proud to be a part of a small, intelligent, acute group of individuals who help bring Izzy to life.
Wests design work honors include a 2001 Best of NeoCon Editors Choice Award and 2002 Best of NeoCon Silver Award. He is a terrific young designer and has played a significant role in the design of new products for Izzy, said Izzydesign President Chuck Saylor. I have known him for four years, and his creative thought process as well as his sincere commitment to this community and to making a difference are some of the qualities I have seen in Dan.
Previously a product designer at Haworth Inc. and a contract designer for Steelcase Inc., West takes great honor in working in the area he grew up in. Being from this area, its even more meaningful to be able to affect this community in a positive way; I enjoy bringing more opportunities for labor and helping the community thrive and grow along with my friends and family.
West hopes to transition from designing furniture to designing and constructing houses. His desire is to build homes as simply as possible, forcing himself to be more creative with fewer resources. People are overloaded; they need tranquility and trust. I want to build this into my furniture and my homes. A home is a sanctuary. I hope to create that for each unique individual I work for.
What you dont know about West: As a late teen-ager I had the honor of driving Bozo in the local parade.
James White, 38 Entrepreneur
James White, a former commercial banker, began in 1994 to focus his business acumen on neglected areas of this city. The kind of work Im doing is about changing lives and changing communities, he said.
Division Avenue was the first target for Whites effort at resurrection. Beginning with partners Les Allen and Stuart Ray, White planted a Burger King at the corner of Franklin Street and Division Avenue and followed it up in quick succession with McDonalds and Churchs chicken franchises. In 1996, White and Allen collaborated on the renovation of present-day Tillman Commerce Building, 1001 S. Division Ave. The partners are joined even on a personal level; their wives are sisters. Whites newest partnership, Development LLC, will do further development in the inner city.
He is a very knowledgeable man, having worked on the Planning Commission with the city. Hes interested in the residential neighborhoods around the business district, which is important. You cant have a strong business district without strong residential neighborhoods. We have already seen the benefits of that caring, said Anne Marie Bessette, development specialist with the Neighborhood Business Specialists Program.
White serves on the board of Young Life and, with his wife Sulari, is an active member of Messiah Baptist Church. He pursues his business course prayerfully. What I really love about it is to be able to control my own destiny. The issues I deal with - I have some say-so, he said.
What you dont know about White: He claims to be a really ordinary guy, but his wife claims he keeps the house at near-tropical temperatures and bundles up even in the summer.
Meg Miller Willit, 39 Volunteer
Since leaving the public relations field in 1998, Meg Miller Willit has made a second career out of volunteering. The 39-year-old mother of a 3½-year-old, who expects a baby this month, deftly champions education and the arts in Grand Rapids.
I was taught at an early age that it was our responsibility to contribute back to the world we live in, Miller Willit said.
While sitting on the board of directors of Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park for six years, Miller Willit pioneered Christmas Around the World, spending weeks crafting ornaments and trimming the various trees of the nations. She chaired the Gardens 1999 gala for Nina Akamus daVinci-inspired horse and the May 2001 opening of the Sculpture Park. She now divides her time between the board of the Grand Rapids Childrens Museum, the Grand Valley Foundation Board of Trustees, the Young Leadership Advisory Committee at Grand Valley State University, the Holland-Zeeland Community Foundation and the Grand Rapids Symphony.
I have only worked with Meg for about a year and a half, and in that time she has proved nothing less than a woman who gets things done, said Theresa Thome, executive director of the Grand Rapids Childrens Museum.
The thing you dont know about Miller Willit: Her treadmill is in constant use as a lectern for rehearsing speeches. I dont walk on it. Its never turned on - never. GR
Myrna Anderson is the Grand Rapids Magazine staff writer. Lauren Befus is an intern with Grand Rapids Magazine.


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While writing an article on tofu, I felt I had to come up with a healthy and tasty dinner option that would be tempting even to those wary of using tofu. My grandmother has been frying sticks of tofu for years and the sesame adds a nice flavor. Using the sesame oil and soy sauce gives this dish an Oriental feel
- Tofu
- salt - ½ tsp
- black pepper - ¼ tsp
- egg - 1 large
- breadcrumbs - 1 cup dry
- flour - ¼ cup all-purpose
- sesame seeds - 2 Tbsp
- tofu - 1 package firm (15-oz.), drained and cut into 18 sticks
- sesame oil - 2 Tbsp dark, divided
- Vegetables
- pineapple juice - 1 cup
- shallots - ½ cup chopped
- garlic - 1 clove, minced
- shiitake mushroom caps - ½ pound (about 10 mushrooms)
- scallions - 2 cups sliced (green onions)
- cherry tomatoes - 1 cup, halved
- thyme - 1 Tbsp chopped fresh
- soy sauce - 2 Tbsp
1. To prepare tofu, mix together salt, pepper, and egg in a shallow dish. Combine breadcrumbs, flour and sesame seeds in a second shallow dish.
2. Dip tofu, one piece at a time, in egg mixture, and then dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Return tofu to egg mixture then dredge in breadcrumb mixture again.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add half of the tofu sticks and cook for 4 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and tofu. Set aside and keep warm.
4. To prepare vegetables, pour pineapple juice into pan. Bring to a boil and cook until juice is reduced to ¼ cup (about 5 minutes). Remove from pan.
5. Heat a skillet coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Add shallots, garlic and mushrooms and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add green onions, tomatoes and thyme and cook 1 minute. Stir in juice and soy sauce. Cook for about 2 minutes on a low flame, just to blend the flavors.
6. Arrange approximately half a cup of vegetables on each of 6 plates and top each serving with 3 tofu sticks. Drizzle with ½ teaspoon sweet and sour sauce, if desired.

subset: commoncrawl


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Federal Security Service
Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation Федеральная служба безопасности Российской Федерации |
Common name | Federal Security Service |
Abbreviation | FSB (ФСБ) |
Emblem of the Federal Security Service
Flag of the Federal Security Service
Agency overview | |
Formed | April 12, 1995 |
Preceding agency | KGB |
Employees | around 200,000–300,000[1] |
Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
Jurisdictional structure | |
Federal agency | Russia |
General nature |
Operational structure | |
Headquarters | Lubyanka Square, Moscow, Russia |
Website | |
www |
The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB; Russian: Федеральная служба безопасности Российской Федерации (ФСБ), tr. Federal'naya sluzhba bezopasnosti Rossiyskoy Federatsii; IPA: [fʲɪdʲɪˈralʲnəjə ˈsluʐbə bʲɪzɐˈpasnəstʲɪ rɐˈsʲijskəj fʲɪdʲɪˈratsɨjɪ]) is the principal security agency of Russia and the main successor agency to the USSR's Committee of State Security (KGB). Its main responsibilities are within the country and include counter-intelligence, internal and border security, counter-terrorism, and surveillance as well as investigating some other types of grave crimes and federal law violations. It is headquartered in Lubyanka Square, Moscow's centre, in the main building of the former KGB. The Director of the FSB since 2008 is army general Aleksandr Bortnikov.
The immediate predecessor of the FSB was the Federal Counterintelligence Service (FSK) of Russia, itself a successor to the KGB: on 12 April 1995, Russian president Boris Yeltsin signed a law mandating a reorganization of the FSK, which resulted in the creation of the FSB. In 2003, the FSB's responsibilities were widened by incorporating the previously independent Border Guard Service and a major part of the abolished Federal Agency of Government Communication and Information (FAPSI). The two major structural components of the former KGB that remain administratively independent of the FSB are the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and the State Guards (FSO).
Under Russian federal law, the FSB is a military service just like the armed forces, the MVD, the FSO, the SVR, the FSKN and EMERCOM's civil defence, but its commissioned officers do not usually wear military uniforms.
The FSB is mainly responsible for internal security of the Russian state, counterespionage, and the fight against organized crime, terrorism, and drug smuggling. Since 2003, when the Federal Border Guards Service was incorporated to the FSB, it has also been responsible for overseeing border security.[1] The FSB is engaged mostly in domestic affairs, while espionage duties are responsibility of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service. However, the FSB also includes the FAPSI agency, which conducts electronic surveillance abroad. All law enforcement and intelligence agencies in Russia work under the guidance of FSB, if needed.[1]
The FSB combines functions and powers similar to those exercised by the United States FBI National Security Branch, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Federal Protective Service, the National Security Agency (NSA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, United States Coast Guard, and partly the Drug Enforcement Administration. The FSB employs about 66,200 uniformed staff, including about 4,000 special forces troops. It also employs about 160,000–200,000 border guards.[1]
Under Article 32 of the Federal Constitutional Law On the Government of the Russian Federation,[2] the FSB head answers directly to the RF president and the FSB director is the RF president's appointment, though he is a member of the RF government which is headed by the Chairman of Government; he also, ex officio, is a permanent member of the Security Council of Russia presided over by the president and chairman of the National Anti-terrorism Committee of Russia.
Initial recognition of the KGB[edit]
The Federal Security Service is one of the successor organisations of the Soviet Committee of State Security (KGB). Following the attempted coup of 1991—in which some KGB units as well as the KGB head Vladimir Kryuchkov played a major part—the KGB was dismantled and ceased to exist from November 1991.[3][4] In December 1991, two government agencies answerable to the Russian president were created by president Yeltsin's decrees on the basis of the relevant main directorates of the defunct KGB: Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR, the former First Main Directorate) and the Federal Agency of Government Communications and Information (FAPSI, merging the functions of the former 8th Main Directorate and 16th Main Directorate of the KGB). In January 1992, another new institution, the Ministry of Security took over domestic and border security responsibilities.[5] Following the 1993 constitutional crisis, the Ministry of Security was reorganized on 21 December 1993 into the Federal Counter-Intelligence Service (FSK). The FSK was headed by Sergei Stepashin. Before the start of the main military activities of the First Chechen War the FSK was responsible for the covert operations against the separatists led by Dzhokhar Dudayev.[1]
Creation of the FSB[edit]
In 1995, the FSK was renamed and reorganized into the Federal Security Service (FSB) by the Federal Law of 3 April 1995, "On the Organs of the Federal Security Service in the Russian Federation".[6] The FSB reforms were rounded out by decree No. 633, signed by Boris Yeltsin on 23 June 1995. The decree made the tasks of the FSB more specific, giving the FSB substantial rights to conduct cryptographic work, and described the powers of the FSB director. The number of deputy directors was increased to 8: 2 first deputies, 5 deputies responsible for departments and directorates and 1 deputy director heading the Moscow City and Moscow regional directorate. Yeltsin appointed Colonel-General Mikhail Ivanovich Barsukov as the new director of the FSB. In 1998 Yeltsin appointed Vladimir Putin, a KGB veteran who would later succeed Yeltsin as federal president, as director of the FSB.[7] Putin was reluctant to take over the directorship, but once appointed conducted a thorough reorganization, which included the dismissal of most of the FSB's top personnel.[1] Putin appointed Nikolai Patrushev as the head of FSB in 1999.[5]
Role in the Second Chechen War[edit]
After the main military offensive of the Second Chechen War ended and the separatists changed tactics to guerilla warfare, overall command of the federal forces in Chechnya was transferred from the military to the FSB in January 2001. While the army lacked technical means of tracking the guerrilla groups, the FSB suffered from insufficient human intelligence due to its inability to build networks of agents and informants. In the autumn of 2002, the separatists launched a massive campaign of terrorism against the Russian civilians, including the Dubrovka theatre attack. The inability of the federal forces to conduct efficient counter-terrorist operations led to the government to transfer the responsibility of "maintaining order" in Chechnya from the FSB to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) in July 2003.[8]
Putin reforms[edit]
After becoming President, Vladimir Putin launched a major reorganization of the FSB. First, the FSB maybe was placed under direct control of the President by a decree issued on 17 May 2000.[5] Internal structure of the agency was reformed by a decree signed on 17 June 2000. In the resulting structure, the FSB was to have a director, a first deputy director and nine other deputy directors, including one possible state secretary and the chiefs of six departments: Economic Security Department, Counterintelligence Department, Organizational and Personnel Service, Department of activity provision, Department for Analysis, Forecasting and Strategic Planning, Department for Protection of the Constitutional System and the Fight against Terrorism. In 2003, the agency's responsibilities were considered considerably widened. The Border Guard Service of Russia, with its staff of 210,000, was integrated to the FSB via a decree was signed on 11 March 2003. The merger was completed by 1 July 2003. In addition, The Federal Agency of Government Communication and Information (FAPSI) was abolished and the FSB was granted a major part of its functions, while other parts went to the Ministry of Defense.[5] Among the reasons for this strengthening of the FSB were enhanced need for security after increased terror attacks against Russian civilians starting from the Moscow theater hostage crisis; the need to end the permanent infighting between the FSB, FAPSI and the Border Guards due to their overlapping functions and the need for more efficient response to migration, drug trafficking and illegal arms trading. It has also been pointed out, that the FSB was the only power base of the new president, and the restructuring therefore strengthened Putin's position (see Political groups under Vladimir Putin's presidency).[5] On 28 June 2004 in a speech to high-ranking FSB officers, Putin emphasized three major tasks of the agency: neutralizing foreign espionage, safeguarding economic and financial security of the country and combating organized crime.[5] In September 2006, the FSB was shaken by a major reshuffle, which, combined with some earlier reassignments (most remarkably, those of FSB Deputy Directors Yury Zaostrovtsev and Vladimir Anisimov in 2004 and 2005, respectively), were widely believed to be linked to the Three Whales Corruption Scandal that had slowly unfolded since 2000. Some analysts considered it to be an attempt to undermine FSB Director Nikolay Patrushev's influence, as it was Patrushev's team from the Karelian KGB Directorate of the late 1980s – early 1990s that had suffered most and he had been on vacations during the event.[9][10][11]
By 2008, the agency had one Director, two First Deputy Directors and 5 Deputy Directors. It had the following 9 divisions:[5]
- Counter-Espionage
- Service for Defense of Constitutional Order and Fight against Terrorism
- Border Service
- Economic Security Service
- Current Information and International Links
- Organizational and Personnel Service
- Monitoring Department
- Scientific and Technical Service
- Organizational Security Service
Fight against terrorism[edit]
Starting from the Moscow theater hostage crisis in 2002, Russia was faced with increased levels of Islamist terrorism. The FSB, being the main agency responsible for counter-terrorist operations, was in the front line in the fight against terror. During the Moscow theater siege and the Beslan school siege, FSB's Spetsnaz units Alpha Group and Vympel played a key role in the hostage release operations. However, their performance was criticised due to the high number of hostage casualties. In 2006, the FSB scored a major success in its counter-terrorist efforts when it successfully killed Shamil Basayev, the mastermind behind the Beslan tragedy and several other high-profile terrorist acts. According to the FSB, the operation was planned over six months and made possible due to the FSB's increased activities in foreign countries that were supplying arms to the terrorists. Basayev was tracked via the surveillance of this arms trafficking. Basayev and other militants were preparing to carry out a terrorist attack in Ingushetia when FSB agents destroyed their convoy; 12 militants were killed.[12][13] During the last years of the Vladimir Putin's second presidency (2006–2008), terrorist attacks in Russia dwindled, falling from 257 in 2005 to 48 in 2007. Military analyst Vitaly Shlykov praised the effectiveness of Russia's security agencies, saying that the experience learned in Chechnya and Dagestan had been key to the success. In 2008, the American Carnegie Endowment's Foreign Policy magazine named Russia as "the worst place to be a terrorist" and highlighted especially Russia's willingness to prioritize national security over civil rights.[14] By 2010, Russian forces, led by the FSB, had managed to eliminate out the top leadership of the Chechen insurgency, except for Dokka Umarov.[15]
Increased terrorism and expansion of the FSB's powers[edit]
Starting from 2009, the level of terrorism in Russia increased again. Particularly worrisome was the increase of suicide attacks. While between February 2005 and August 2008, no civilians were killed in such attacks, in 2008 at least 17 were killed and in 2009 the number rose to 45.[16] In March 2010, Islamist militants organised the 2010 Moscow Metro bombings, which killed 40 people. One of the two blasts took place at Lubyanka station, near the FSB headquarters. Militant leader Doku Umarov—dubbed "Russia's Osama Bin Laden"—took responsibility for the attacks. In July 2010, President Dmitry Medvedev expanded the FSB's powers in its fight against terrorism. FSB officers received the power to issue warnings to citizens on actions that could lead to committing crimes and arrest people for 15 days if they fail to comply with legitimate orders given by the officers. The bill was harshly criticized by human rights organizations.[17]
In 2011, the FSB said it had exposed 199 foreign spies, including 41 professional spies and 158 agents employed by foreign intelligence services.[18] The number has risen in recent years: in 2006 the FSB reportedly caught about 27 foreign intelligence officers and 89 foreign agents.[19] Comparing the number of exposed spies historically, the then-FSB Director Nikolay Kovalyov said in 1996: "There has never been such a number of spies arrested by us since the time when German agents were sent in during the years of World War II." The 2011 figure is similar to what was reported in 1995–1996, when around 400 foreign intelligence agents were uncovered during the two-year period.[20] In a high-profile case of foreign espionage, the FSB said in February 2012 that an engineer working at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia's main space center for military launches, had been sentenced to 13 years in prison on charges of state treason. A court judged that the engineer had sold information about testing of new Russian strategic missile systems to the American CIA.[21] An increasing number of scientists have been accused of espionage and illegal technology exports by the FSB during the last decade: researcher Igor Sutyagin,[22] physicist Valentin Danilov,[23] physical chemist Oleg Korobeinichev,[24] academician Oskar Kaibyshev,[25] and physicist Yury Ryzhov.[26] Ecologist and journalist Alexander Nikitin, who worked with the Bellona Foundation, was accused of espionage. He published material exposing hazards posed by the Russian Navy's nuclear fleet. He was acquitted in 1999 after spending several years in prison (his case was sent for re-investigation 13 times while he remained in prison). Other cases of prosecution are the cases of investigative journalist and ecologist Grigory Pasko,[27][28] Vladimir Petrenko who described danger posed by military chemical warfare stockpiles, and Nikolay Shchur, chairman of the Snezhinskiy Ecological Fund.[20] Other arrested people include Viktor Orekhov, a former KGB officer who assisted Soviet dissidents, Vladimir Kazantsev who disclosed illegal purchases of eavesdropping devices from foreign firms, and Vil Mirzayanov who had written that Russia was working on a nerve-gas weapon.[20]
In 2011, the FSB prevented 94 "crimes of a terrorist nature", including eight terrorist attacks. In particular, the agency foiled a planned suicide bombing in Moscow on New Year's Eve. However, the agency failed to prevent terrorists perpetrating the Domodedovo International Airport bombing.[18] Over the years, FSB and affiliated state security organizations have killed all presidents of the separatist Chechen Republic of Ichkeria including Dzhokhar Dudaev, Zelimkhan Yandarbiev, Aslan Maskhadov, and Abdul-Khalim Saidullaev. Just before his death, Saidullaev claimed that the Russian government "treacherously" killed Maskhadov, after inviting him to "talks" and promising his security "at the highest level".[29] During the Moscow theater hostage crisis and Beslan school hostage crisis, all hostage takers were killed on the spot by FSB spetsnaz forces. Only one of the suspects, Nur-Pashi Kulayev, survived and was convicted later by the court. It is reported that more than 100 leaders of terrorist groups have been killed during 119 operations on North Caucasus during 2006.[19] On 28 July 2006 the FSB presented a list of 17 terrorist organizations recognized by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, to Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper, which published the list that day. The list had been available previously, but only through individual request.[30][31] Commenting on the list, Yuri Sapunov, head of anti-terrorism at the FSB, named three main criteria necessary for organizations to be listed.[32]
Foreign intelligence[edit]
According to some unofficial sources,[33][34][35] since 1999, the FSB has also been tasked with the intelligence-gathering on the territory of the CIS countries, wherein the SVR is legally forbidden from conducting espionage under the inter-government agreements. Such activity is in line with Article 8 of the Federal Law on the FSB.[36]
Targeted killing[edit]
In the summer of 2006, the FSB was given the legal power to engage in targeted killing of terrorism suspects overseas if so ordered by the president.[37]
Border protection[edit]
The Federal Border Guard Service (FPS) has been part of the FSB since 2003. Russia has 61,000 kilometers (38,000 mi) of sea and land borders, 7,500 kilometers (4,700 mi) of which is with Kazakhstan, and 4,000 kilometers (2,500 mi) with China. One kilometer (1,100 yd) of border protection costs around 1 million rubles per year.[38]
Export control[edit]
The FSB is engaged in the development of Russia's export control strategy and examines drafts of international agreements related to the transfer of dual-use and military commodities and technologies. Its primary role in the nonproliferation sphere is to collect information to prevent the illegal export of controlled nuclear technology and materials.[39]
Intimidation of foreign diplomats and journalists[edit]
The FSB has been accused by The Guardian of using psychological techniques to intimidate western diplomatic staff and journalists, with the intention of making them curtail their work in Russia early.[40] The techniques allegedly involve entering targets' houses, moving household items around, replacing items with similar (but slightly different) items, and even sending sex toys to a male target's wife, all with the intention of confusing and scaring the target.[40] Guardian journalist, Luke Harding, claims to have been the subject of such techniques.[40]
State-sponsored Doping scandal[edit]
Following allegations by a Russian former lab director about the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, WADA commissioned an independent investigation led by Richard McLaren. McLaren's investigation found corroborating evidence, concluding in a report published in July 2016 that the Ministry of Sport and the Federal Security Service (FSB) had operated a "state-directed failsafe system" using a "disappearing positive [test] methodology" (DPM) from "at least late 2011 to August 2015".[41]
2016 US presidential elections[edit]
On 29 December 2016, the White House sanctioned the FSB and several other Russian companies for helping the Russian military intelligence service, the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), to allegedly disrupt and spread disinformation during the 2016 US presidential election. In addition, the State Department also declared 35 Russian diplomats and officials persona non grata and denied Russian government officials access to two Russian-owned installations in Maryland and New York.[42]
This article needs to be updated. (September 2009) |
Below the nationwide level, the FSB has regional offices in the federal subjects of Russia. It also has administrations in the armed forces and other military institutions. Sub-departments exist for areas such as aviation, special training centers, forensic expertise, military medicine, etc.[5]
Structure of the Federal Office (incomplete):
- Counterintelligence Service (Department) – chiefs: Oleg Syromolotov (since Aug 2000), Valery Pechyonkin (September 1997 – August 2000)
- Directorate for the Counterintelligence Support of Strategic Facilities
- Military Counterintelligence Directorate – chiefs: Alexander Bezverkhny (at least since 2002), Vladimir Petrishchev (since January 1996)
- Service (Department) for Protection of the Constitutional System and the Fight against Terrorism – chiefs: Alexey Sedov (since March 2006), Alexander Bragin (2004 – March 2006), Alexander Zhdankov (2001–2004), German Ugryumov (2000–2001)
- Directorate for Terrorism and Political Extremism Control – chiefs: Mikhail Belousov, before him Grafov, before the latter Boris Mylnikov (since 2000)
- Federal Protection Service of the Russian Federation – Director: General of Army Yevgeniy Alekseevich Murov (from 8 May 2000)[43]
- President's regiment in the Service of the Commandant of the Moscow Kremlin of the Federal Security Service of Russia[44] (Russian: Президентский полк Службы коменданта Московского Кремля ФСО России) stationed in Kremlin. Was created on 8 April 1936 as a special regiment (Spetsnaz) for the security of the Kremlin Garrison.
- Economic Security Service (Department) – chiefs: Alexander Bortnikov (since 2 March 2004), Yury Zaostrovtsev (January 2000 – March 2004), Viktor Ivanov (April 1999 – January 2000), Nikolay Patrushev (1998 – April 1999), Alexander Grigoryev (28 August – 1 October 1998).
- Operational Information and International Relations Service (Analysis, Forecasting, and Strategic Planning Department) – chiefs: Viktor Komogorov (since 1999), Sergei Ivanov (1998–1999)
- Organizational and Personnel Service (Department) – chiefs: Yevgeny Lovyrev (since 2001), Yevgeny Solovyov (before Lovyrev)
- Department for Activity Provision – chiefs: Mikhail Shekin (since September 2006), Sergey Shishin (before Shekin), Pyotr Pereverzev (as of 2004), Alexander Strelkov (before Pereverzev)
- Border Guard Service – chiefs: Vladimir Pronichev (since 2003)
- Control Service – chiefs: Alexander Zhdankov (since 2004)
- Inspection Directorate – chiefs: Vladimir Anisimov (2004 – May 2005), Rashid Nurgaliyev (12 July 2000 – 2002),
- Internal Security Directorate – chiefs: Alexander Kupryazhkin (until September 2006), Sergei Shishin (before Kupryazhkin since December 2002), Sergei Smirnov (April 1999 – December 2002), Viktor Ivanov (1998 – April 1999), Nikolay Patrushev (1994–1998)
- Science and Engineering Service (Department) – chiefs: Nikolai Klimashin
- Investigation Directorate – chiefs: Nikolay Oleshko (since December 2004), Yury Anisimov (as of 2004), Viktor Milchenko (since 2002), Sergey Balashov (until 2002 since at least 2001), Vladimir Galkin (as of 1997 and 1998)
Besides the services (departments) and directorates of the federal office, the territorial directorates of FSB in the federal subjects are also subordinate to it. Of these, St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast Directorate of FSB and its predecessors (historically covering both Leningrad/Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast) have played especially important roles in the history of this organization, as many of the officers of the Directorate, including Vladimir Putin and Nikolay Patrushev, later assumed important positions within the federal FSB office or other government bodies. After the last Chief of the Soviet time, Anatoly Kurkov, the St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast Directorate were led by Sergei Stepashin (29 November 1991 – 1992), Viktor Cherkesov (1992 –1998), Alexander Grigoryev (1 October 1998 – 5 January 2001), Sergei Smirnov (5 January 2001 – June 2003), Alexander Bortnikov (June 2003 – March 2004) and Yury Ignashchenkov (since March 2004).
Directors of the FSB[edit]
On 20 June 1996, Boris Yeltsin fired Director of FSB Mikhail Barsukov and appointed Nikolay Kovalyov as acting Director and later Director of the FSB. Aleksandr Bortnikov took over on 12 May 2008.
- Nikolai Golushko, December 1993 – February 1994
- Sergei Stepashin, February 1994 – June 1995
- Mikhail Barsukov, July 1995 – June 1996
- Nikolai Kovalyov, July 1996 – July 1998
- Vladimir Putin, July 1998 – August 1999
- Nikolai Patrushev, August 1999 – 12 May 2008
- Alexander Bortnikov, 12 May 2008 – present
Criticism of FSB political role in Russia[edit]
The FSB has been criticised for corruption and human rights violations. Some Kremlin critics such as Yulia Latynina and Alexander Litvinenko have claimed that the FSB is engaged in suppression of internal dissent; Litvinenko died in 2006 as a result of polonium poisoning.[45] A number of opposition lawmakers and investigative journalists were murdered in the 2000s while investigating corruption and other alleged crimes perpetrated by FSB officers: Sergei Yushenkov, Yuri Shchekochikhin, Galina Starovoitova, Anna Politkovskaya, Alexander Litvinenko, Paul Klebnikov (US), Nadezhda Chaikova, Nina Yefimova, and others.[46][47]
The FSB has been further criticised by some for failure to bring Islamist terrorism in Russia under control.[48] In the mid-2000s, the pro-Kremlin Russian sociologist Olga Kryshtanovskaya claimed that FSB played a dominant role in the country's political, economic and even cultural life.[49][50][51] FSB officers have been frequently accused of extortion, bribery and illegal takeovers of private companies, often working together with tax inspection officers. Active and former FSB officers are also present as "curators" in "almost every single large enterprise", both in public and private sectors.[52][53]
Former FSB officer, a defector, Alexander Litvinenko, along with a series of other authors such as Yury Felshtinsky, David Satter, Boris Kagarlitsky, Vladimir Pribylovsky, Mikhail Trepashkin (also former FSB officer) claimed in the early 2000s that the 1999 apartment bombings in Moscow and other Russian cities were a false flag attack coordinated by the FSB in order to win public support for a new full-scale war in Chechnya and boost former FSB Director Vladimir Putin's, then the prime minister, popularity in the lead-up to parliamentary elections and presidential transfer of power in Russia later that year.[54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65]
In his book Mafia State, Luke Harding, the Moscow correspondent for The Guardian from to 2007 to 2011 and a fierce critic of Russian politics, alleges that the FSB subjected him to continual psychological harassment, with the aim of either coercing him into practicing self-censorship in his reporting, or to leave the country entirely. He says that FSB used techniques known as Zersetzung (literally "corrosion" or "undermining") which were perfected by the East German Stasi.[66]
Konstantin Preobrazhenskiy criticised the continuing celebration of the professional holiday of the old and the modern Russian security services on the anniversary of the creation of the Cheka: "The successors of the KGB still haven't renounced anything; they even celebrate their professional holiday the same day, as during repression, on the 20th of December. It is as if the present intelligence and counterespionage services of Germany celebrated Gestapo Day. I can imagine how indignant our press would be!"[67][68][69] In the same time, in 2007, during a memorial to the victims of the 1937 Great Purge at Butovo firing range Vladimir Putin honored the victims of the Stalin's purge and told the audience that the Great Purge was prepared by the years of the previous hostilities of the Soviet regime including extermination of entire strata of the society: clergy, Russian peasantry and the Cossacks. In his speech Putin mainly criticized the Red Terror under the lead of Felix Dzerzhinsky as the then Cheka head, which resulted in the deaths of thousands, including opponents of the regime and the clergy.[70][71]
See also[edit]
- Chronology of Soviet secret police agencies
- Numbers station, shortwave radio stations of uncertain origin thought to broadcast coded messages
- Okhrana
- Federal Protective Service, government protection agency
- SORM, law that allows the FSB to monitor communications
- Third Section of His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery
- Awards of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation
- ^ a b c d e f Sakwa, Richard. Russian Politics and Society (4th ed.). p. 98.
- ^ "Федеральный конституционный закон "О Правительстве Российской Федерации". kremlin.ru. 17 Dec 1997.
- ^ THE MILITARY AND THE AUGUST 1991 COUP McNair Paper 34, The Russian Military's Role in Politics, January 1995.
- ^ Gevorkian, Natalia (January 1993). 'The KGB: "They still need us"'. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. pp. 36–39.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Schneider, Eberhard. "The Russian Federal Security Service under President Putin". In Stephen White. Politics and the Ruling Group in Putin's Russia.
- ^ On Organs of the Federal Security Service in the Russian Federation Russian Federation Federal Law No. 40-FZ. Adopted by the State Duma 22 February 1995. Signed by Russian Federation President B. Yeltsin and dated 3 April 1995.
- ^ Mark Tran. Who is Vladimir Putin? Profile: Russia's new prime minister. Guardian Unlimited 9 August 1999.
- ^ Baev, Pavel (2005). "Chechnya and the Russian Military". In Richard Sakwa. Chechnya: From Past to Future. Anthem Press.
- ^ Фсб Закрытого Типа
- ^ "Mass Dismissals at the FSB – Kommersant Moscow". Kommersant.com. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
- ^ Елена Ъ-Киселева; Николай Ъ-Сергеев; Михаил Ъ-Фишман. "Ъ – Кит и меч". Kommersant.ru. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
- ^ "Russians claim killing of rebel Basayev, the Beslan butcher". The Independent. 11 July 2006.
- ^ "Chechen rebel chief Basayev dies". BBC News. 10 June 2006.
- ^ Biberman, Yelena (6 December 2008). "No Place to Be a Terrorist". Russia Profile.
- ^ Saradzhyan, Simon (31 March 2010). "Eliminating Terrorists, Not Terror". International Relations and Security Network.
- ^ Saradzhyan, Simon (23 December 2010). "Russia's North Caucasus, the Terrorism Revival". International Relations and Security Network.
- ^ "Medvedev expands FSB powers". Russia Today. 27 August 2010.
- ^ a b "Russia Busted 200 Spies Last Year – Medvedev". RIA Novosti. 7 February 2012.
- ^ a b Story to the Day of Checkist
- ^ a b c Counterintelligence Cases – GlobalSecurity.org
- ^ "Russia Convicts Military Officer of Spying For CIA". RIA Novosti. 10 February 2012.
- ^ "Case study: Igor Sutiagin". Human Rights Watch. October 2003. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
- ^ "AAAS Human Rights Action Network". Shr.aaas.org. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
- ^ Russian Scientist Charged With Disclosing State Secret
- ^ Oskar Kaibyshev convicted
- ^ Researchers Throw Up Their Arms
- ^ "Grigory Pasko site". Index.org.ru. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
- ^ The Pasko case Archived 4 January 2006 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Russia Used 'Deception' To Kill Maskhadov, 8 March 2006 (RFE/RL)
- ^ "17 particularly dangerous". Rossiyskaya Gazeta (in Russian). 28 July 2006. Retrieved 13 August 2006.
- ^ "'Terror' list out; Russia tags two Kuwaiti groups". Arab Times. 13 August 2006. Retrieved 13 August 2006.
- ^ "Russia names 'terrorist' groups". BBC News. 28 July 2006. Retrieved 13 August 2006.
- ^ Департамент оперативной информации (ДОИ) ФСБ
- ^ Наши спецслужбы - на территории бывшего Союза
- ^ Finn, Peter (15 January 2007). "In Russia, A Secretive Force Widens". The Washington Post. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
- ^ Putin Calls On FSB To Modernize Border Guards by Victor Yasmann for Radio Free Europe, December 2005.
- ^ "Status of the State Licensing System of Control over Exports of Nuclear Materials, Dual-use Commodities and Technologies in Russia: Manual for foreign associates in Russia", International Business Relations Corporation, Department of Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Fuel Cycle (Moscow, 2002).
- ^ a b c "Russian spy agency targeting western diplomats", Guardian, 23 September 2011.
- ^ "McLaren Independent Investigations Report into Sochi Allegations". WADA. 18 July 2016.
- ^ "FACT SHEET: Actions in Response to Russian Malicious Cyber Activity and Harassment". White House. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
- ^ "Murov biography (in Russian)". Fso.gov.ru. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
- ^ "Президентский полк". Ppolk.ru. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
- ^ "The sadistic poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko" - by Don Murray;- CBC News, 2006
- ^ Amnesty International condemns the political murder of Russian human rights advocate Galina Starovoitova
- ^ Yushenkov: A Russian idealist
- ^ Russia After The Presidential Election by Mark A. Smith Conflict Studies Research Centre
- ^ In Russia, A Secretive Force Widens – by P. Finn — Washington Post, 2006
- ^ "The making of a neo-KGB state". The Economist. 23 August 2007. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
- ^ "Предприниматель, бежавший из России, рассказал как ФСБ у него "отжимала" бизнес". tvrain.ru. Retrieved 2015-07-19.
- ^ Волчек, Дмитрий. ФСБ контролирует буквально все. Радио Свобода (in Russian). Retrieved 2015-07-19.
- ^ Blowing Up Russia: Terror from Within
- ^ Who was Alexander Litvinenko BBC, 13 December 2012.
- ^ Boris Kagarlitsky, a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Comparative Politics, writing in the weekly Novaya Gazeta, says that the bombings in Moscow and elsewhere were arranged by the GRU
- ^ "David Satter – House Committee on Foreign Affairs" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-29.
- ^ Felshtinsky & Pribylovsky 2008, pp. 105–111
- ^ Video on YouTubeIn Memoriam Aleksander Litvinenko, Jos de Putter, Tegenlicht documentary VPRO 2007, Moscow, 2004 Interview with Anna Politkovskaya
- ^ Russian Federation: Amnesty International's concerns and recommendations in the case of Mikhail Trepashkin – Amnesty International Archived 10 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Bomb Blamed in Fatal Moscow Apartment Blast, Richard C. Paddock, Los Angeles Times, 10 September 1999
- ^ At least 90 dead in Moscow apartment blast, from staff and wire reports, CNN, 10 September 1999
- ^ Evangelista, Matthew (2002). The Chechen Wars: Will Russia Go the Way of the Soviet Union?. Brookings Institution Press. ISBN 978-0-8157-2499-5., p. 81.
- ^ Did Putin's Agents Plant the Bombs?, Jamie Dettmer, Insight on the News, 17 April 2000.
- ^ ''The consolidation of Dictatorship in Russia'' by Joel M. Ostrow, Georgil Satarov, Irina Khakamada p.96
- ^ Harding, Luke (2011). Mafia State. London: Guardian Books. ISBN 978-0852-65247-3.
- ^ Article of Konstantin Preobrazhenskiy: "People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs and Gestapo: cooperation of friends"
- ^ History of creation of the FSB on the official website of FSB (English translation).
- ^ Russian holidays and celebrations info: "December 20 - The day of national security service workers (professional holiday)".
- ^ В. В. Путин в газете «Труд»
- ^ Путин против террора (30 октября 2007)
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. |
- Federal Security Service (FSB) Library of Congress Country Studies (Data as of July 1996)
- Russian Security Services AXIS Information and Analysis (AIA)
- Federal Security Service (FSB) FAS Intelligence Resource Program
- Power Ministries / Intelligence – Russian Federation Post-Soviet Newsletter
- Federal Security Service (FSB) Agentura.Ru
- Federal Security Service (FSB) GlobalSecurity


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Briarcliffe Inn bed & breakfast in Prince Edward Island is the perfect spot for those looking for a little solitude. Situated near the shore of Salutation Cove in Fernwood, PEI you'll hear nothing but quiet. Our guests tell us they've never felt more welcome, gotten such a sound sleep and been better fed.
In association with Experience PEI we will take you into places most tourists never see. Whether it's going out with a lobster fisher, digging clams, tonging oysters, making chocolate or owning a racehorse for an evening, we have designed more than 30 experiential learning moments that will weave a rich tapestry of memories.
And whether you go on one of our experiences or exploring on your own, Briarcliffe Inn is the perfect place to start your day. Every morning begins with the smell of fresh baking wafting up from the kitchen mingled with the intriguing aroma of our specially brewed coffee. Our breakfasts combine fresh fruit with homemade pastries followed by a tantalizing hot serving featuring gourmet dishes using free range eggs, locally produced preservative free meats and ingredients from our own organic garden. And no matter how long you stay with us, you'll never have the same breakfast.
Address: 274 Salutation Cove Road, RR #1, Bedeque, PE, C0B 1C0
Phone: 1-902-887-2333
Toll Free: 1-866-887-3238
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: briarcliffeinn.com


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Juventus will meet Serie A rivals ACF Fiorentina – the side they beat 3-1 on aggregate in the 1990 UEFA Cup final – in the UEFA Europa League round of 16 after overwhelming Trabzonspor AŞ in Turkey.
The Turin club are a step closer to playing in this season's final at their own Juventus Stadium after goals from Arturo Vidal and Pablo Osvaldo swiftly ended any hope of a Trabzonspor fightback amid a first-half onslaught by Antonio Conte's Serie A leaders.
If Trabzonspor had a right to feel a little aggrieved after losing last week's round of 32 first leg 2-0 in Italy, they could have no complaint as Juventus moved in for the kill from the off in Turkey. Goalkeeper Onur Kıvrak guided a Mauricio Isla shot onto the post, fended off efforts from Claudio Marchisio and Paul Pogba, and did brilliantly to block Sebastian Giovinco's 14th-minute attempt – but he could not prevent Vidal smashing the loose ball into the roof of the net.
The siege was not raised, with Onur having plenty more thankless work to do before Osvaldo scored his second European goal in as many games for his new team. The on-loan forward headed into an under-guarded net from close range after Giovinco's ball in from the touch line had the Trabzonspor defence chasing shadows once more. A huge crowd had gathered to urge Hami Mandıralı's men on, yet it was a hopeless task; by half-time Trabzonspor had no shots on target – Juventus had eight, plus two goals disallowed.
While Trabzonspor were better in the second period, Juve still fashioned the more meaningful openings. Aykut Demir intervened to deny Giovinco, before Onur saved from the same player. The keeper allowed Simone Padoin's strike to squirm through his legs but recovered to push the ball round the post, earning further kudos as he got a firm hand to a Giovinco free-kick.
©UEFA.com 1998-2011. All rights reserved.


text: WillyGoat.Com carries the broadest selection of ecr4kids products including Art Activities, Art Easels, Building Block Sets, Childrens Chairs, Childrens Tables, Childrens Tables, Gym Pads And Mats, Home Imagination, Inflatables And Tents, Plastic Playgrounds, Rocking Horses, School Classroom Storage, School Learning Furniture, Stand Alone Play Equipment. At WillyGoat.Com, we are here to help you with a friendly and informative customer service staff. In addition, if you do not see a product carried by a brand on our site, call us at 888.920.4628 and we will attempt to find the item for you. |


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BRAINIAC: Heavenly Vintage Nursery can trace its roots back to its predecessor
One of our favorite hidden spots in Westminster is a nursery – plants, not babies – tucked away on an old stretch of Edwards Street in the shadow of the 405.
Brainiac and the missus stumbled onto the quaint and whimsical spot to buy unusual flowers and hard-to-find plants and trees back in the '90s when it still was called Heard's Country Gardens, the name its late owner Mary Lou Heard gave it after opening it there in the early '80s.
There's a forest pansy redbud tree in our backyard that we bought there around the time Heard was closing up shop in 2002. The blue hydrangeas by the front door came from there, too, if memory serves.
It was always fun just to browse through the pea-gravelled pathways, admiring the lovely blossoms, the butterflies and hummingbirds that knew a good spot when they saw one, the occasional cat lazing amid the potted plants on wooden benches and tables.
After Heard died of cancer in 2002, only 57 at the time, the place changed ownership and operated as Cottage Nursery. A few years ago that venture ended, and until recently we'd not been by there since to see what was what.
Earlier this week, though, we did, and what we found made us – and no doubt the spirit of Mary Lou Heard – happy. Heavenly Vintage Nursery opened in 2012 under the ownership of Gina and Tristan Poudel. And while there are fewer large plants there, much of the rest of the area looks very much like it has for most of the past four decades.
A large gray cat stretched out on a wooden garden chair, hoping to have its belly rubbed. Bright yellow dahlias waved above concrete garden statues. Here and there random plants with unusual seed pods dangling from them attracted monarch butterflies.
We asked what they were. Hairy balls milkweed, we were told, and a check of the Internet back at the office proved we weren't being pranked.
The first Saturday of each month is Date Night, when the nursery stays open late and you're invited to come by for a bit of music and dessert and bring your own wine.
Heavenly Vintage Nursery is at 14391 Edwards St. in Westminster. Check their page on Facebook for upcoming events.
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In Sweden alone, 52 million tons of carbon dioxide is emitted every year. To mitigate the negative impacts of greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide sequestration has come to the fore as a hot new method. However, the process is hotly debated, and according to doctoral candidate Mårten Lind at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, it is of the utmost importance that energy companies not use the method as an excuse to delay conversion to more environmentally friendly energy forms.
Carbon dioxide capture and sequestration, abbreviated CCS, has been put forward by scientists, energy companies, and governments as a solution to climate problems related to the constantly rising use of fossil fuels.
What's more, several of Europe's largest energy companies are committing to the method, companies that are strongly dependent on coal as a fuel.
Mårten Lind, a doctoral candidate at KTH and the author of a new dissertation about the capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide, says that the method can be one of several ways to reduce emissions. But this is only on the condition that there is a responsible strategy in place so that the technology does not create more problems than it solves.
"The method must not used as an excuse for continued use of fossil fuels. Each crown invested in this method should be accompanied by much larger investments in long-term solutions, such as renewable energy sources," says Mårten Lind.
The dissertation concludes, among other things, that the development of CCS should continue, but that large-scale tests, involving all steps in the process from capture to sequestration, are needed in order for the method to gain acceptance and to assess whether the technology as a whole is an interesting alternative.
"At present, testing often focuses on only one link in the chain at a time and on a relatively small scale. This is not enough to shed light on the many uncertainties that exist," says Mårten Lind.
There are many different ways to use CCS. One method in particular has proven to be more popular and more commercially developed than the others.
"There's a method called post-combustion capture. It separates carbon dioxide from the smoke gases in industries and power stations and in principle be installed directly in connection with the smoke stack. However, this technology is often associated with many drawbacks, such as high consumption of energy and the use of toxic chemicals," says Mårten Lind.
In his dissertation he presents other methods that involve a higher degree of integration between the power station and the capture step, which enables the use of more compact and inexpensive facilities with more efficient and environmentally friendly capture.
Carbon dioxide capture and sequestration is a controversial method, and even if the capture could be carried out in a more environmentally friendly, efficient, and inexpensive manner, there would be strong resistance from the environmental movement. Many CCS projects around the world have had to be discontinued early owing to massive protests.
"There is justified concern that the technology will siphon off funding from wind power and other more sustainable environmentally friendly alternatives and that carbon dioxide sequestration, like nuclear waste, would create problems for future generations," says Mårten Lind.
Questions surrounding CCS involve both technological and societal perspectives, which the dissertation reflects.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Vetenskapsrådet (The Swedish Research Council). Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
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Field Training Officer Program
Last Updated on Tuesday, 10 September 2013 09:11
The Pullman Police Department Field Training Program is based on a proven, nationally recognized field training model, the San Jose Model. Police Officer Trainees graduating from the Basic Law Enforcement Academy are assigned to the Field Training Program for further training. The goal of the Field Training Program is to prepare Field Trainee Officers to perform the essential duties of a police officer and to enhance the professionalism of patrol divisions through continuous quality improvement.
The Field Training Program is supervised by the Patrol Commander and a Patrol Sergeant. There are five experienced officer assigned and trained as Field Training Officers.
Pullman Police Department uses a four-phase, 14 week training program. Ideally, the Trainee will spend 4 weeks on each patrol shift, assigned to a different Field Training Officer each shift. After 12 weeks, the Trainee will be reassigned with their original Field Training Officer for a two week evaluation only period.
After successful completion of the Field Training Program, the new officer will be assigned to a patrol shift and will be monitored for the remainder of their probation period.
Additional information about the field training program:
- An introduction describing in detail the field training program is given to each recruit.
- Trainees are evaluated daily using standardized evaluation guidelines.


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Vinta SS is a simple one page "Under Construction" template that allows you to keep your users informed while you are building a new website. This html template will allow you to quickly and easily create a landing page on a new domain or website project that tells the visitors what is going on and when the site will be completed.
Features include:- Valid XHTML/CSS Template
- All .psds
- Latest Site Updates Section
- jQuery Countdown Script – (see below)
- Modern and Clean Design
- Extensive yet simple documentation
A special thanks to Keith Wood and his jQuery Countdown
Design by EpicsDesign
Code by ReidKnorr
Thanks and enjoy!


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The lead protagonist from Karan Johar's Gippi who wants to become a hot babe, eventually ends up fiddling with just her name… Confused?
In the latest fun song Baby se baby doll from Gippi, child star Riya Vij is seen making every effort possible to lose those extra kilos and turn herself into a rapchik babe to impress the hunk played Tahaa Shah. Accordingly, she sets off on her mission and starts accomplishing it, as seen in the song. Like Gippi, we too set off on our mission to make you laugh – this time translating the funny lyrics of this Hindi-Bhojpuri fusion number. Enjoy!
Oh muniya kaisan julamwa dhaibe
Saadi khichdi pe tadka lagaibe
Oh baby how atrocity bestowed
Plain khichdi on add-ons hit
Oh besan ke laduaa pe chocolatewa rakhba
Laage oh zulmi tu makkhan butterwa
Oh Chana dal flour sweet balls on chocolate keep
Look oh ruthless you butter makkhanwa
Ho aisan remix aur thoda gudiya
Naam baby se, Naam baby se
Naam baby se baby doll hoi gawa
Naam baby se baby doll hoi gawa
Ho like this remix and little doll
Name Baby to, name Baby to
Name baby to baby doll happened
Name baby to baby doll happened
Find out the real reason when this Karan Johar's light-hearted movie releases on May 10.


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That's true, but I also think that being thin (for females) is important in ballet because of the male dancers who need to be able to lift dancers multiple times. They don't have the kind of leverage that male skaters get w/ speed, etc. on the ice.
For ladies single, it's something else because certain body types tend to do BETTER - rotate faster specifically. Then there's the height -- shorter = lower center of gravity & more stability. Mirai's latter body is not ideal in that she's thicker than she used to be and carries more weight in her bust/shoulders. This can be said for a lot of skaters who were basically destroyed by puberty. (BTW - I'm also of the opinion that skaters who actually learned proper technique tend to survive puberty much better than those who relied on their super skinny short body to land jumps.)
I'm convinced that if Tara Lipinski's hips were half an inch thicker, Michelle would've won the gold in Nagano.


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/ 2011 Annual Report WRP
The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is a voluntary program offering landowners the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on their property.
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service provides technical and financial support to help landowners with wetland restoration. The NRCS goal is to achieve the greatest wetland functions and values, along with optimum wildlife habitat.
This program offers landowners an opportunity to establish long-term conservation and wildlife practices and protection. Arkansas ranks second in the nation in number of acres enrolled with more than 200,000.
Data Source: PRS FY11, Oct. 1, 2011
Data Source: NEST/FFIS FY11, Oct. 1, 2011
Wetland Project Protects Archeological Site Success Story


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Injury-plagued Australia paceman Ryan Harris who was the silver-lining in Australia's sub-par performance against England in the recently concluded Ashes series said he is aiming to stay fit for the entire duration of the return Ashes series against England.
The pacer played in four successive Tests for the first time in his career and was easily Australia's best bowler. The fifth match though didn't go as planned for the right-armer as he injured his right hamstring during the latter part of the fifth match.
"When I went to England, I was aiming to get through five and I got through four," Harris, who will turn 34 next month, said. "Hopefully this time I'd like to get through five but we'll see how we go. Obviously, form will play a part in that as well - but I'm definitely aiming to play five."
Harris has so far had a career plagued by injuries and has never been able to hold on to his position in the side. He has managed 16 Tests since his 2010 debut during which has been blighted by a chronic knee problem, left ankle fracture, shoulder problem, back strain, hip pain and a tender Achilles.
However, his 24 wickets in England at an average of 19.58 underlined his importance in the Australian team which will attempt to win back the urn on home soil.
"I probably had two weeks off bowling and I've been back at the gym getting my strength back up, so everything's on target," Harris said.
"We're just in process of planning out exactly how many games I'm going to play and what the process is going to be leading into that first Test. There's plenty of cricket between now and then, which is great, so I've got a good chance to bowl lots of overs."
The 33-year old said he and the physios are working on a plan to get him fully fit before the return series against England.
"We're working out a plan as we speak. The physios are in charge of how much I go and what I do," he said. "We had a great lead up to the Ashes series in England and I think we're going to follow the same sort of path. We'll work out a plan and go from there."
Harris was kept out of Australia's squad for next month's India tour, where they will play one Twenty20 and seven one-day internationals, to give him ample time to get fully fit before the first Test in Brisbane starts on Nov. 21.
Hopeful of playing all five Tests: Ryan Harris
in Brisbane •
Ryan Harris was Australia's best bowler in the recently concluded Ashes series in England. © Cricbuzz
© Cricbuzz (with inputs from agencies)
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Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is an essential component required for telomerase activity and telomere maintenance. Several alternatively spliced forms of hTERT mRNA have been reported in human primary and tumor cells. Currently, however, there is no sensitive and accurate method for the simultaneous quantification of multiple alternatively spliced RNA transcripts, such as in the case of hTERT. Here we show droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) provides sensitive, simultaneous digital quantification in a single reaction of two alternatively spliced single deletion hTERT transcripts (α-/β+ and α+/β-) as well as the opportunity to manually quantify non-deletion (α+/β+) and double deletion (α- /β-) transcripts. Our ddPCR method enables direct comparison among four alternatively spliced mRNAs without the need for internal standards or multiple primer pairs specific for each variant as real-time PCR (qPCR) requires, thus eliminating potential variation due to differences in PCR amplification efficiency.
Humans synthesize ~150,000 different proteins from 25,000–30,000 genes by alternative splicing. It is estimated that more than 70% of human protein-coding genes produce multiple alternatively spliced mRNA transcripts (1). When these mRNAs are translated, they produce an array of proteins with diverse and even antagonistic functions. A large proportion of human genetic disorders are the result of abnormal splicing, with abnormal splicing variants thought to even contribute to the development of cancer (2, 3). Given the importance of alternative splicing in regulating cellular function, accurate quantification of multiple alternatively spliced transcripts could facilitate the discovery of new biomarkers for clinical applications and thus enhance our understanding of the role of alternative splicing in health and disease.
Using a single pair of primers and two probes for the telomerase enzymatic component hTERT, four alternatively spliced mRNA transcripts (single deletions α-/β+ and α+/β-, double deletion α-/β-, and non-deletion α+/β+) are simultaneously and accurately quantified using a novel methodology based on counting data from a single droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) reaction.
Next-generation sequencing seems to be the best approach for profiling expression patterns of alternative splicing variants, but its application is limited due to its high cost and the large amount of RNA required. Specific microarrays (e.g., Affymetrix exon microarray, ExonHit) have been developed for profiling splicing variants, but these platforms cannot distinguish transcripts containing either exon A or B alone from those containing both exons.
Approximately 20 alternatively spliced variants of human telomere reverse transcriptase (hTERT) have been reported, and 4 of these transcripts (α deletion: α-/ β+; β deletion: α+/β-; α + β double deletion: α-/β-; no-deletion: α+/β+) are commonly present in most tumor tissues and may serve as specific markers for cancer diagnosis, prediction of clinical outcome, or as drug targets (4-10). The α-deletion transcript has a 36 nucleotide deletion within the conserved reverse transcriptase motif and is a dominant-negative inhibitor of telomerase activity (5). The β-deletion transcript has a 182 nucleotide deletion, leading to a truncated protein lacking the conserved reverse transcriptase motifs and resulting in a catalytically inactive telomerase (6, 7). Only the full-length hTERT transcript has been shown to be associated with telomerase activity. Telomerase activation has been shown to be associated with carcinogenesis. Over 90% of tumor tissues have increased telomerase activity comparing to adjacent normal tissues (8, 9). However, the level of telomerase activity in the tumor tissues was not correlated with hTERT transcript levels, which may be due to post-transcriptional processing resulting in the formation of alternatively spliced mRNAs. This may serve as a mechanism for regulating telomerase activity, since the relative quantities of each mRNA may determine the overall enzyme activity. Several real-time PCR (qPCR)- based assays for the enumeration of common hTERT splice variants have been developed and used to study human cancer tissues to determine splicing patterns, but these assays failed to identify a consistent correlation between the level of telomerase activity and the level of hTERT transcripts (10-14). The qPCR methods used previously have limited sensitivity of quantification for some of the alternatively spliced forms that are expressed at very low levels. In general, normal tissues were shown to express very little or no hTERT, while tumor tissues only express low levels of hTERT transcripts. Among all of the transcript variants, double deletion and α-deletion transcripts are usually the lowest, if co-expressed. Another confounding factor was the use of multiple primer pairs for each variant where multiple qPCR reactions had to be carried out together with individual internal standards. Variations in PCR amplification efficiency in this case compromise the quantification accuracy, making the comparison less reliable. Here, we demonstrated a method based on droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) for the simultaneous quantification of the four major alternatively spliced forms of hTERT using just one pair of primers in a single ddPCR reaction that results in high sensitivity without the need for internal standards.


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Japan, U.S. Plan Nuclear Waste Storage In Mongolia
Date: 10-May-11
Country: JAPAN
Author: Kiyoshi Takenaka
Japan and the United States plan to jointly build a spent nuclear fuel storage facility in Mongolia to serve customers of their nuclear plant exporters, pushing ahead despite Japan's prolonged nuclear crisis, the Mainichi daily said on Monday.
A Trade Ministry official said Japan, U.S. and Mongolia officials, at a meeting shortly before Japan's March 11 earthquake, informally discussed possible construction of a nuclear waste storage facility for countries with nuclear power plants but no spent fuel storage capability of their own.
He said there were no concrete plans at this time but the ministry would consider such a project if Mongolia were interested.
The Mainichi said the facility would allow Japanese and U.S. nuclear plant exporters, which include joint ventures and units of General Electric, Hitachi and Toshiba, to better compete with Russian rivals that offer potential nuclear plant customers spent fuel disposal in a package.
Mongolia plans to have its first nuclear power plant by 2020 and to build nuclear fuel production capacity to tap its rich uranium resources, undeterred by the crisis at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power complex, a senior official at the state-owned MonAtom LLC said in April.
MonAtom represents the Mongolian government in mining and developing the country's uranium resources.
The trade ministry official denied the Mainichi's report that the three countries had originally planned to sign a deal on the spent fuel disposal project in February but it was postponed as Japan's Foreign Ministry opposed the schedule, citing a lack of consensus among Japanese ministries.
The Mainichi said a new date had not been set in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northeast Japan, which triggered cooling system malfunctions at Tokyo Electric Power Co's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and led to radiation leaks into the atmosphere and the sea.
Engineers are still struggling to bring the plant under control.
(Editing by Edmund Klamann)


text: Bronze Medal Ping Pong GOD Bravely Resigns From Goldman SachsDrew Magary3/14/12 10:05amFiled to: Balls DeepGreg SmithPing PongGoldman SachsNewsNew York TimesDeadspinxy46EditPromoteShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalinkBy now, you may have already heard of Greg Smith, an executive director at Goldman Sachs who resigned his post today, and did so the way all filthy rich people do: via New York Times op-ed. And the greatest thing about Smith's editorial is that he manages to tuck his entire resume into the column:AdvertisementTODAY is my last day at Goldman Sachs. After almost 12 years at the firm - first as a summer intern while at Stanford, then in New York for 10 years, and now in London - I believe I have worked here long enough to understand the trajectory of its culture, its people and its identity.So subtle! You'd hardly notice he was trolling for a new job! I like how he got the Stanford mention in right off the bat. Smith goes on to list his accomplishments at the firm: "I was selected as one of 10 people (out of a firm of more than 30,000) to appear on our recruiting video." "I managed the summer intern program in sales and trading." " My clients have a total asset base of more than a trillion dollars." All of those little tidbits scream out HUMBLEBRAG, but the crowning glory of this Grade A effort in replicating Don Draper's "We will NOT do any more cigarette advertising" letter is this:AdvertisementMy proudest moments in life - getting a full scholarship to go from South Africa to Stanford University, being selected as a Rhodes Scholar national finalist, winning a bronze medal for table tennis at the Maccabiah Games in Israel, known as the Jewish Olympics - have all come through hard work, with no shortcuts.BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!Holy shit, he really squeezed that in there. I can't believe it. Not only did he mange to get in every important point on his resume, he even managed to include his extracurriculars. "I hate what Goldman has become. Also, MY HOBBIES INCLUDE FREESTYLE SKIING AND MAKING FONDUE." Mel Gibson is gonna make a full-length about Greg Smith's brave run to third place in the Jewlympics. We'll call it SMITHSANITY, and it will be the most inspiring story ever told. No one grabs the bronze in ping pong by being a high-paid GLORY BOY. You gotta earn that shit yourself.SponsoredGreg Smith is awful. If only he had managed to slip his LinkedIn address into this thing, then I could contact him directly and tell him where he can put his bronze medal.Reply46 repliesLeave a reply


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Job (Number Reporting) | National Data | $0 | $26K | $52K | $78K |
See personalized reports about your job and company. Start survey. |
| $36,232 - $73,139 |
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Total Pay | $36,232 - $73,139 |
Country: United States | Currency: USD | Updated: 26 Mar 2017 | Individuals Reporting: 14 |
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Today's Lower-Earning College Grads Earn Less Although college graduates as a whole earn more than workers without degrees, many aren't much better off than new grads in the year 2000. A rec... |
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#BlackWomenAtWork Highlights the Racism Black Women Encounter in the Workplace On Tuesday, Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly claimed he couldn't concentrate on a clip of Rep. Maxine Waters speaking on the House floor, because he... |
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