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Some Things I've Learned So Far
Already my dream is coming true. We've slept on several mattresses so far (a DWR Sonno — our old one, the Hastens Excelsior — September's test mattress, and also recently a Sealy Posturpedic). I've begun to collect information as to how this whole mattress and bed world works. Today I wanted to share with you our new bedroom out in the country and some things I've learned so far from this project.
1. Reassembling Our Min Bed — Platforms Need Softer Mattresses
- Above you can see my reassembly this past Saturday of our Min Bed from the city. We had to move it out to make way for the Hastens, and it's going to be interesting moving beds in and out every month. At least this one will now stay here. I love the Min frame. It's a simple, well made design that's easy to assemble and creates a nice profile close to the floor. You can put stuff under it, but it's still low.
The mattress I put on top of it was an old Sealy Posturpedic, which was always my go-to mattress since I graduated from futons in college. The Posturpedic is not expensive and has always been — for me — a good standard American mattress. That said, as I've gotten older, I find it a bit unforgiving and it really, really needs a mattress topper to soften it up.
In addition, I'd say that putting it on a platform is not a great idea. Platforms are really solid and provide very little give to a mattress. While I'm not a big box spring fan, I think this mattress needs one, as I woke up with a sore back again after Saturday night.
2. Americans Prefer Firm Beds
- According to many of the mattress manufacturers I've spoken with, we — Americans — generally ask for firmer beds. I guess it's the deep Puritan stock in the American culture. I've always done it, so I don't doubt that it's true, but I've recently learned that Firm is not good for everyone and that there's a real case for Softer for some people.
3. Heavier People Need Firmer Mattresses/Lighter People Need Softer Mattresses
- This is what I've heard from folks in the industry. The amount that you sink into a bed — i.e. your weight — is the real determinate for whether you should sleep on a softer or a firmer mattress. Since heavier people will sink into a mattress more easily, a firmer mattress is better for their sleeping position. The opposite is true for lighter folks. When you think of the often large weight differential between your typical man and woman, there is a real case to be made — if you follow this logic — for a different firmness on either side!
4. There's A Lot of Foam in Mattresses These Days!
- After working on sourcing a dozen good mattresses for this year, it's surprising how few of them DON'T contain some type of foam, so I did a little digging to find out more about foam. Right now, the only bed that has no foam in it on my agenda is The Hastens. Everybody seems to be using foam these days.
5. There are Two Types of Foam: Latex & Memory Foam
- Natural foam is called "natural latex" and comes from rubber trees. It is expensive, challenging to work with, and firmer than the man-made version, which is called "memory foam." Memory Foam is made of "polyurethane with additional chemicals increasing its viscosity and density.... Memory foam was developed in 1966 under a contract by NASA's Ames Research Center to improve the safety of aircraft cushions." (– quote via Wikipedia.) Memory foam is the lovely soft one that you sink into and which was first branded by Tempur-Pedic.
Latex you tend to sleep "on."
Memory foam you tend to sleep "in."
Due to the qualities of both, they are often mixed into a hybrid foam that combines their strengths.
From what I understand, even though natural latex could be considered a "green" product, it is not currently recyclable in any way, so that both foams are really cradle to grave products — i.e. they create bad waste at the ends of their lives.
So, there's what I've learned so far. I'll continue to update you as I try out new mattresses and learn more from industry folks and from my own experience. Stay tuned!
• Follow daily progress on Twitter at #yearinbed


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As the economy continues to sputter and construction work remains slowed to a near halt, local agencies that help those in financial need have had their hands full.
At the McHenry County Housing Authority, the waiting list for Section 8 vouchers continues to grow, and people find themselves waiting 2½ to three years for housing assistance.
With the economy struggling, people are staying on housing assistance longer than before, said Julie Biel Claussen, executive director of the housing authority.
For someone to receive a voucher, someone else has to come off the assistance, Claussen said. "It can make that wait even longer."
The housing authority periodically will purge its waiting list to make sure whoever is on the list still needs the help. However, about 100 families a month ask for assistance, Claussen said.
To help keep the current housing stock in good shape, Habitat for Humanity is promoting its A Brush With Kindness program, where the agency and its volunteers do repairs on houses, such as fixing roofs. That program now has a waiting list.
Townships, which offer financial assistance for those who qualify, also have been seeing an increase in requests for help.
At McHenry Township, the demand for general assistance has grown.
"We knew five years ago we were heading for some sort of crisis," said Donna Schaefer, the township supervisor.
Schaefer has to look through people's finances, mortgages and credit card bills when they request help.
"With what they made, how will they ever pay this back?" Schaefer sometimes thought.
She said most of the people she had to help were somehow affiliated with the housing industry, whether contractors or material suppliers for contractors.
Schaefer said many people were responsible and saved money for a rainy day.
"But no one expected the rainy day to last for two years," Schaefer said.
Schaefer said the township has to refer people to other agencies for help, as well.
McHenry Township has seven people on general assistance, and their financial situation is reviewed monthly.
Each person on general assistance receives $245 a month.
"It's meant as a stopgap between finding employment and often applying for Social Security or getting unemployment benefits," Schaefer said.
In 2008, 25 people received General Assistance in McHenry Township. In 2009, it was 30 people. In 2010, it was 37 people. So far in 2011, 34 people have received general assistance. The number of those applying for and receiving emergency assistance also steadily has risen.
"Hopefully, there's a light at the end of the tunnel," Schaefer said.
The township also has had to help many people with utility assistance, because people will use their money to pay their mortgage and leave the electric or gas bill unpaid.
Help with a utility bill is emergency assistance, which is an additional service McHenry and other townships offer. People are eligible for that assistance once every 12 months and they need to have an eviction or shut-off notice to qualify.
Food pantries, too, have witnessed ever greater numbers coming through the doors.
The Neighbors Food Pantry of Wonder Lake has had trouble keeping up with demand as food donations have dropped and the number of families asking for help has risen.
At the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Interfaith Food Pantry, it has become common for 15 new families to ask for help each month, said Mary Terese Piemonte, the volunteer manager of the pantry.
In July, the pantry served 250 families, who can visit twice a month. That meant serving 700 people, including 318 children, Piemonte said. But that wasn't a record. In July 2009, the need spiked to 964 people.
"We have definitely seen an increase," Piemonte said. "Unfortunately, the economy hasn't gotten better."

subset: commoncrawl


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That's a bit of a weak analogy since 1) what remains the same is the basic rules since they are meant to be computer versions of real-world sports and the game is aimed at fans of those real-world sports, 2) the actual game mechanics do change over time, they just continue to focus on approximating what is happening in the real-world sport. Board games are not a real world sport that needs to be updated yearly to better approximate the game on the computer. There's no yearly "Chess" update.I suspect the makers of the FM series, and probably the Madden series as well as FIFA and WES, would disagree. Yes, there were elements which were different, but they were largely the same game. The big differences were in the player stats and who they played for.
Is that what real-time mode and blitz were? Oh, sorry... I forgot... if you don't care about those parts then they effectively don't exist! Why don't you open the game and click the single player button, or direct IP game, etc... and see which option (blitz or classic) someone who isn't a TT player would gravitate toward. That's a deliberate UI decision right there, to have blitz on the left, with text that promotes it over classic, and with the animated guy instead of the greyscale guy who lacks animation. Cyanide/Focus wanted blitz and realtime to be the product's focus, it just didn't work out for them because their realtime mode was terrible and incoherent.You seem to be forgetting that this is a port of a board game.
The current product has become focused on classic mode, because everything else failed to get the non TT people. There's no reason the next product has to be like that. BBSC isn't. Dawn of War was, theoretically, a "port" of WH40k, it just didn't use the minis rules to do so, because it aimed to entice RTS players into buying it as well as fans of the WH40K franchise... and it did exactly that. Know what Dawn of War 2 wasnt? The same game as DoW 1.
They also have the option to play without CPoMB, so I have no idea what all the fuss is about. They can play without the Block skill, too. It is a ridiculous argument to claim Khorne is an optional change to the game in so much as there is no mechanic forcing you to play as Khorne. There's nothing that prevents you from playing against Khorne unless you convince everyone else to never play it, voluntarily. The AI in single player is notoriously hard to convince... unless you think going in and editing the DB to remove Khorne altogether also counts as it being inherently optional.I don't disagree it shouldn't be done better, and I know how I'd do it. That doesn't change the fact that the leagues online - the ones who play LRB6 as far as possible - still have the option to play without Khorne.
Khorne's addition forced everyone who wants to play anything but a secluded private league, to deal with it. This includes people who play in the public MM leagues (which represent the vast majority of play as far as we know) and didn't even buy CE! To say they're optional in this product is silly beyond measure.
The composition of communities change, always. At any given time a community is always "these people" by definition.But then that community won't be these people.
First... this is rich coming from one of the guys involved in making the Khorne roster. Second, deciding that you'll hate change before you know what change is just makes you an old fart and a luddite. While there's nothing inherently wrong with being an old fart, there are no old farts that help build the future... they just get in the way of the future.I, for one, will not buy a game which does not give me the opportunity to play LRB 6 BB. I'd rather play direct-IP or on FUMBBL, frankly.
Also, you know what's more useful to Cyanide and Focus than you are? 10 new customers who aren't you. Obviously they have to decide if they can actually appeal to those 10 new customers, first... if not, they might as well stick with you. If so.. well... as important as you feel you are, money talks and old farts walk.
As a developer myself I LOVE how easy things are in the minds of non-developers. "All you have to do is...." develop a second game that I want alongside the game you're actually making, to make me and your actual target demographic happy at the same time! If the game they're making is already sufficiently close to the existing CRP game then sure, make an option to play straight CRP. If it's not particularly close to CRP then its not some "little toggle" to make it into CRP, it's writing an entire second product to do that.... which is totally rational since they already sell a product that lets you play CRP with the exception of that Khorne roster you're partially responsible for.Don't get me wrong: Chaos League was a fun game. But it wasn't Blood Bowl. All I'm suggesting is that the option is there to change the community in the way you suggest and keep the current members of the community happy: all you have to do is make things optional.
Who knows... maybe BB2 is just another excuse to sell people another copy of the same game, just like LE and CE were. We know that sales of those subsequent versions required steep discounts to get anyone who had previous editions to upgrade, which makes me wonder why they'd bother doing it yet again under that diminishing returns model. Given that everyone involved in the current product no longer works for the company, I'm inclined to think otherwise, but I don't have a functional oujia board or crystal ball, so....


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These Are The Good Old Days
Carly Simon and her household played the Pub last night to celebrate the release of her new album. Nancy flew in all the way from Ohio just to be there and Jimmy Webb sat up front and played on a couple of songs to make the night all special and the like.
Ben Taylor sat in with the band, which shows you what good connections can get a person. Katie Marie liked that he asked about her hair color, but I pointed out that if being the offspring of two of the most successful singer/songwriters of the seventies doesn't breed sensitivity then nothing will.
Peter Callo, Carly's guitarist, wandered over to my drawing booth during a break and talked to me about meeting Klaus Voormann. "Have you ever heard of him?" he asked.
"Oh, yeah," I replied. "He was such an elemental influence on me, it wasn't even conscious."
Then he told me about hanging out with him during the making of Carly Simon's album and I found the only other person I know who could have geeked out with me about both Klaus Voorman's art and bass-playing. Later, when Chris Collingwood was on stage in his Yellow Submarine t-shirt, I asked Kelly if she knew who Klaus Voormann was; her answer supports my theory.


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Name: Karli Sal
Location: Toronto, ON., Canada
Check out Karli on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Birthday: April 22
Zodiac Sign: Taurus
Height: 5'6
Weight (lbs): 120
Measurements: 32D-25-32
Ethnicity/Nationality: Spanish
Are you currently working outside of modeling?
Yes, when I'm not modeling and finding shows to go to I'm working part-time at a fun animal pets store in Toronto!
Do you go to school?
I am applying to Seneca, Sheridan and Georgian college for Vet tech! I love animals!
Does your personality match your Zodiac sign?
Yes very much, as a Taurus I am very stubborn and love to be a leader haha!
What would you say are your strengths as a model?
My super flat stomach is always what people comment me on as well as my eyes. People say I have an exotic look which makes me different then others so I don't look like any other girl! Also I'm very laid back and easy to get along with, making people always want to work with me again!
What is your best beauty secret?
The best thing you can do is eat healthy, and smile through to work to what you want to be :) Thats my tip... work hard until you are happy with yourself...
Do you have your own car? If so what do you like/ dislike about it?
I drive a blue 2007 Pontiac g5 with 17 inch wheels and a decent sound system that I've been working on myself. Next thing tinted windows. I love my car's color and how light it is as well as the drive, but I wish it had a black interior instead of grey, and comfier too!
Do you have a dream car?
White Audi r8 .... Just gotta love german exotic cars. every time I see one I end up groaning or squealing! They just do things to me.
Do you have any interesting stories of any car problems you've had?
This one time after work, my wheel locked and I had no clue how to fix it. I waited hours before I asked the pizza guy across the street to fix it!
Any future plans or long term goals?
I want to go as far as I can with modeling, to have people know who I am. That would be amazing, but other then my dream of becoming a known supermodel I want to work with animals, and be a vet tech and help all types of animals.
Do you drink, and if so what's your best drink?
I drink socially sometimes, but when I do... Tequila is my best friend. It's the best because I don't wake up feeling sick in the morning!
Where do you like to eat, and what do you order when you go?
I love greek food, feta cheese, the salad, beef souvlaki... yum! Oh I also love sushi and Japanese Teppenyaki. Oh also Korean bbq... I just love food in general.
Are you saving up for anything at the moment?
I'll always be saving for a new car for the future! I'm aiming for an Audi s5 or a7 if possible, I will see as time goes on.
What are your hobbies? Describe what you do.
Oh boy, the list starts now... I love painting and drawing. I'm an artist at heart. I also love playing and being with my animals... I have tons of animals from a horse to a scorpion and tarantula. I also love going out dancing to any good fast beat.
How do you stay in such excellent shape?
I would say genetics, I only work out when I need to be extra firm and toned before a show or photo shoot. I generally always eat healthy so that's probably why I stay the way I am.
Are you big on first impressions? What do you first notice in a man?
I usually am, I always notice how a guy talks...words he uses. How he smiles and how he uses his eyes. Watch out fella's I'm really good at reading body language.
Are you big on traveling? What's on your travel itinerary?
I haven't gone to many places before, I've been to my moms country Nicaragua a couple times. And also to California where I have some family. I really want to go party it up in Cuba though.
Do you have a dream wedding??
Not really, I'm not rushing into that ever. So when the time comes then I'll think about what I want. All I do know is that my honeymoon better be insane...
Who is your favorite music artist or band?
?I love Avicii. His music always makes me want to go out and dance. But other then that I usually don't have favorites.
Who motivates and inspires you??
The girls who motivate me are usually other models that I know are slowly getting to be where they want to be. They make things happen... so I feel I can do that too.
What else can you tell us about yourself??
I'm a girl that likes to come over my fears and do things that most girls don't. I'm not your average female. That's all I can say.
Any shout-outs or last words?:
Thanks so much for all your time guys, feel free to follow me on my social networks! Much love! Mwah!
Model Submissions: Click Here


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9:30 pm
Simply Ming "Ganache with Guest Joanne Chang" On this week's episode of Simply Ming, learn the art of making ganache, the simple mixture of chocolate and cream that's the heart of so many great desserts. Ming is joined by the James Beard nominated chef, Joanne Chang who shows how ganache can be whipped up into two mouth watering desserts: Chocolate Mousse Napoleon and Flourless Rum Nut Chocolate Cake. D
10:00 pm
Kimchi Chronicles "The Noodle and Dumpling Chronicles" Like an Italian with a bowl of spaghetti or tortellini, nothing satisfies a Korean more than eating a bowl of noodles or dumplings. In Korea, slurping is not only permitted, it is considered a compliment to the cook. This episode features a restaurant in Seoul known for its nenngymyun, an unusual dish of elastic buckwheat noodles served with ice-cold beef broth. D
10:30 pm
Rick Steves' Europe "Budapest: The Best of Hungary" Capitalism has taken hold in the city laced together by bridges across the Danube. Gypsy orchestras and venerable mineral baths are the rage.G
11:00 pm
Habitable Planet, The "Many Planets, One Earth" The early Earth was a much different planet than the one we know today. Ancient rocks provide evidence of the emergence of oxygen in the atmosphere and of a frozen Snowball Earth. Scientists Paul Hoffman and Andrew Knoll look at these clues to help explain the rise of complex animal life. D
11:30 pm
Habitable Planet, The "Atmosphere" The atmosphere is what makes the Earth habitable. Heat-trapping gases allow ecosystems to flourish. While the NOAA Global Monitoring Project documents the fluctuations in greenhouse gases worldwide, MIT's Kerry Emanuel looks at the role of hurricanes in regulating global climate.G


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Priests for Life National Director Fr. Frank Pavone released the following statement this morning in response to the US Senate's action yesterday in passing the Unborn Victims of Violence Act:
"This victory is another sign that our legal system is experiencing a new moment of awareness in regard to the unborn child. Our history has been marked with such moments regarding civil rights, the rights of workers, the rights of women, and the rights of children. Now we are reaching the "embryonic moment," reflected in medicine (with fetal surgery and new imaging techniques), in popular opinion (with polls showing more people calling themselves pro-life), and in law (with more recognition given to the status of the unborn child.)
"We are grateful to have a President who will sign this legislation. The recognition of the unborn child as a second victim of violent federal crimes will increase the cognitive dissonance created by the fact that abortion permits the destruction of the very same child. Day by day our culture is being forced to face this contradiction, and day by day it is being resolved in favor of the unborn. Our votes this November will help resolve it further."
More information: www.priestsforlife.org


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An ounce of prevention ... often adds up to a pound of malarkey. Whether it's a tablet to take with alcohol to prevent a beer belly, or a chocolaty, sweetened breakfast cereal that's fortified to "support" your child's immune system, experts say most preventive health products are of little, if any, value.
"If there were 'prevention' products they'd be bottled and sold by drug companies," said Canadian obesity expert and family medicine physician Yoni Freedhoff. "The only one I know is diet and exercise."
There's no shortage of products where you should think twice before laying out money, but here are 10:
BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES The claim: A natural way to boost energy, mood and libido and prevent menopause symptoms. Buyer beware: Doctors currently advise against any kind of long-term hormone therapy for menopause. Although marketers allege that plant-derived bio-identical hormones are just like hormones that circulate in women's bodies, there's no way to know if that's true. There's also no independent oversight of their manufacture; most are individually prepared for customers by pharmacies that customize ingredients and doses. In January 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned seven companies that marketing claims about bio-identical hormones are "unsupported by medical evidence" and "false and misleading." Companies wrongly tout the plant-derived hormones as superior to prescription medications, the FDA said. "Just because they're natural doesn't mean they're good for you," said Dr. Cora Lewis, professor of preventive medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine. "No one has studied these bio-identical products. What's in them, we don't know, and there's no data about safety or efficacy."
RESVERATROL CAPSULES The claim: Slows the aging process and may help prevent heart disease and cancer. Buyer beware: The evidence is mixed on resveratrol, a chemical that is found in grapes, peanuts and blueberries and is abundant in red wine. Though it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties in lab animals, the benefits haven't been proved for humans. Oddly, the chemical sometimes acts as an estrogen-like agent -- possibly raising the risk of certain cancers -- while at other times it has anti-estrogen properties, according to the University of California at Berkeley's Wellness Letter. Resveratrol also can either protect cells from oxidative stress or harm them, depending on the circumstances. "It appears, so far, to be safe, but its long-term effects are an open question," wrote Wellness Letter editors. "Until more is known, get your resveratrol from your diet" or a glass of wine.
FLU FIGHTERS The claim: Supplements, pills, inhalers, lozenges, vitamins, air sterilizers, ultraviolet lights, etc., ward off swine flu. Buyer beware: Only two prescription antiviral drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, are approved for use in people at risk of contracting swine flu. Some knockoff versions marketed on the Internet lack a crucial active ingredient, oseltamivir, or contain insufficient levels, according to the FDA, which recommends using "extreme care" when buying any purported flu-fighting products online. The government has warned dozens of Internet outfits to stop selling products that promise to prevent swine flu without any backup proof. Scams will likely continue throughout the flu season, warns the Federal Trade Commission, which is also monitoring the situation. The best way to ward off swine flu is to be vaccinated against the H1N1 virus. Also, avoid contact with sick people, wash your hands frequently and follow healthy practices: Eat well, drink lots of liquids and get plenty of sleep.
VITAMIN E The claim: Can help prevent heart disease and cancer. Buyer beware: Experts no longer believe supplementing diets with Vitamin E might protect against heart disease and cancer after studies failed to show benefits and noted possible harms, such as a slightly higher risk of death. It's possible that certain subgroups -- for instance, older adults -- may be aided by Vitamin E supplementation, but that isn't clear yet. For that matter, taking any single vitamin isn't such a good idea, said Linda Van Horn, professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. The body needs a finely tuned balance of vitamins and minerals; taking just one can disrupt the metabolic system and lead to unanticipated health consequences. Of course, people with vitamin deficiencies may need supplementation and should consult their doctors, Van Horn said.
COLON CLEANSING The claim: Flushing warm water -- sometimes infused with herbs, probiotics or coffee -- through the lower bowel removes stagnant, toxic waste and can enhance overall health, preventing a variety of conditions. Buyer beware: For starters, the colon doesn't need cleansing. Specialized forms of colonic irrigation might be used before bowel surgery. And there's some graphic evidence that colonics rid the bowel of stool. But while you might feel better after a colonic, it's a pretty invasive therapy to treat what's probably constipation, said gastroenterologist Linda Lee, director of the Johns Hopkins Integrative Medicine and Digestive Center. "Claims that colonics rid the body of toxins have not been proven," said Lee, adding that there's no evidence yet that colon cleansing has health benefits. If you really think your colon is slacking, get more fiber into your diet -- Americans eat woefully low levels -- or take a laxative "to stimulate movement in the direction your bowel was designed to move in," Lee said.
DETOXIFYING FOOT PADS The claim: Wrapping a special detoxifying patch on the soles of your feet at bedtime will help unleash toxins from your body to prevent disease and "promote better health and longevity." The patch also claims to improve quality of sleep, enhance blood circulation and strengthen the immune system. Buyer beware: Consumers seem impressed that the Kinoki foot pads turn brown or black after being worn on the soles of the feet overnight; however, they also change color when exposed to water, and pads tested have contained no toxins. As with cleansing diets, products that promise to remove toxins are pointless, and some can be dangerous if used for long periods, experts say. The body comes equipped with a liver, kidneys and a gastrointestinal tract that can eliminate toxins within hours, even as environmental assaults increase. The FTC has accused the marketers of the foot pads of deceptive advertising, but the products are still widely available.
ANTIOXIDANT BEVERAGES The claim: Exotic drinks from fruits with high levels of antioxidants, including goji berry, mangosteen, acai, aronia, yumberry and pomegranate, will keep cell-damaging free radicals in check. Buyer beware: Marketers are trying to capitalize on antioxidants and have co-opted a method used to measure them: the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) scale developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is true that plant-based foods contain phytochemicals with antioxidant properties, and people who eat large amounts have a lower risk of developing chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, "just because a food or beverage scores well with the ORAC test doesn't guarantee that it can cure, treat or even prevent disease, though it certainly warrants further investigation," said Diane McKay, an antioxidant researcher at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. The ORAC assay "appears to have no direct relevance to the health effects of the products," she added. "Even if one beverage ranks higher than all the others, that doesn't necessarily mean it will increase the antioxidant capacity of your cells, for example."
FULL-BODY CT SCANS The claim: Computed tomography (CT) scans, or three-dimensional pictures of the inside of the body, can help detect a disease early enough to be managed or cured. Buyer beware: In healthy people, CT scans have no known benefit and can be potentially dangerous, according to the FDA. They deliver high doses of radiation -- several hundred times the amount of a chest X-ray -- and the tests aren't standardized, meaning they can deliver varying amounts of radiation. The American Heart Association has urged limits on use of the scans because of cancer risk. Then there are the potential results: Normal findings may be inaccurate or carry false reassurance. Or, the tests can find apparent abnormalities when there's really nothing wrong, leading people to undergo expensive and invasive follow-up tests. "We know people are bombarded with radiation exposures and it's cumulative, ratcheting up your risk of developing cancer," said cardiologist Michael Ozner, head of prevention at Miami's Baptist Hospital. "Unfortunately, there's not a shred of evidence that getting scans will prevent future heart attack or prolong your life. These tests show people down that slippery slope leading to more and more unnecessary intervention."
BRAIN TRAINERS The claim: Brain-training software and books can help keep your noodle young and prevent memory loss . Buyer beware: The more active your brain is, the better. Puzzles such as Sudoku "can help you get good at a specific skill, like memorizing grocery lists or hand-eye coordination," said Dr. Sam Wang, an associate professor of neuroscience and molecular biology at Princeton University. But "most evidence suggests that practicing a task only helps you get better at the same or very similar tasks," said Wang, the co-author of "Welcome to Your Brain." If you really want to improve your mental acumen, it's better to move your body rather than sit in front of a computer. Regular fitness training is good for everyone's brain, but it's "especially effective in the elderly, who may suffer from gradual problems with executive function," including planning ahead and abstract thinking, said Wang. Juggling has also been shown to boost brain function. Wang's recommendation? "A sound (and engaged) mind in a sound (and active) body."
ABDOMINAL TRAINERS The claim: Prevents belly bulge by strengthening ab muscles. Buyer beware: Strong abs can help prevent injuries, ward off back pain and improve your posture. But no exercise -- or machine -- will prevent you from gaining weight in a targeted area if you're eating more calories than you're burning, according to the Mayo Clinic. Using popular ab equipment such as the Ab Rocket is among the least effective ways to train your abs, in part because "they won't prepare the muscles to generate the force they actually need during the dynamic movements of walking or running," said Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise. In addition, he said, "the potential result from strengthening your abs from the shortened 'crunched' position could be a hernia or sports hernia -- which is a tear of the ab at the attachment to the pelvis." To really work your core, get in a push-up or plank position and hold it for a minute.
Preventive Health Care Week Sunday: Changing the system Monday: Screenings for seniors Tuesday: Boosting immunity Today: Buyer beware Thursday: Healthy families Friday: Making changes stick Saturday: A local initiative Full coverage at chicagotribune.com/preventivehealthcare On TV: Julie Deardorff cautions consumers about preventive health products at 11:15 a.m. on WGN-Channel 9's Midday News, and on CLTV at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. The Medical Watch Team reports on the best sources of vitamins and nutrients on WGN's News at 9.


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Universal Billet "Vendetta" Bar Ends
These Bar Ends are machined out of solid Billet Aluminum, Anodized for a Durable Finish.
These Bar Ends are Slim, they will give your bike a smooth look.
Fitment Guide
Fits All bikes that have 7/8" hollow bars similar to many GSXR's and Honda CBR 600 F2/F3.
Please check your bars before purchasing.


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"Despite the protests of other countries, the 2002 farm bill did not break our country's World Trade Organization commitment," he told members of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association at their summer meeting at Branson, Mo.
Greene, himself a ginner at Courtland, Ala., said the "current situation gives us cause for serious concern" as negotiations continue on the WTO's Doha Round, a Central American Free Trade Agreement, a Free Trade Area of the Americas, and several other bilateral agreements, including Australia and possibly Taiwan.
In recent contacts with Washington officials and in trade testimony before the U.S. Senate, Greene outlined the council's position on the type of Central America Free Trade Agreement that can benefit the U.S. cotton industry.
"We strongly communicated the view that good farm policy and good trade policy are interrelated; that U.S. farm subsidies and U.S. farm/textile tariffs must not be unilaterally eliminated or reduced; that Congress should insist that the Bush administration demonstrate that existing agreements are aggressively enforced before approving new agreements; and that any trade agreements that may be negotiated with other countries in this hemisphere must include provisions to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. interests in the global trade economy."
The council is also working with the administration and Congress, Greene said, to address China's continued refusal to comply with its WTO commitment to open its markets to raw cotton imports. "We've also registered serious concerns about U.S. negotiations with Vietnam for apparel quotas and have worked with the administration for the release of China safeguard rules with respect to import surges."
Observes commitment
In recent testimony before the House Agriculture Committee, Greene said the council's statement served as a reminder that "despite the protests of other countries, the 2002 farm bill did not break our country's WTO commitment, and its expected spending levels are well within WTO ceilings."
Pointing to the "unprecedented number" of trade negotiations currently under way, he said the council also urged the United States "to devote necessary resources to insure compliance with agreements already negotiated — for example, with China, where the U.S. cotton industry has tried without success for over a year to get them to comply with the terms of their WTO agreement."
The council has joined with 13 other fiber and textile organizations in a coalition effort to persuade the Bush administration to initiate the China safeguards, Greene said. "Coalition members will be making contacts with congressional leaders to build support for this effort," as well as urging the administration to maintain U.S. textile tariffs under the WTO until other countries reduce their tariffs to U.S. levels.
And he said, the United States should refuse to accept tariff preference levels in the Central American Free Trade Agreement, and other similar agreements, to keep China and other countries from trans-shipping textile components into the United States duty-free.
Although it is related to farm bill defense, Greene said the council's effort to oppose Brazil's WTO complaint against the U.S. cotton program "is primarily considered a trade issue, and we're working closely with the USDA and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to coordinate our defense."
'Positive relationship'
Despite this, he noted, the U.S. cotton industry continues "a positive relationship" with members of Brazil's cotton industry, and a U.S. delegation recently participated in 10-day mission to Brazil's cotton and textile industries. The trip, in which Greene participated, "was designed to foster relationships between our countries and to obtain information about Brazil's production and manufacturing industries.
"There is tremendous production capacity in Brazil, and fashioning a policy to incorporate them in a free trade agreement will be a challenge."
Greene said the council continues to deal with "an incessant media attack" on U.S. farm policy, with "allegations that our cotton program is responsible for depressing the cotton prices of many producing countries in Africa. This stream of articles and editorials is supporting the call by these countries for a reduction and the eventual elimination of cotton subsidies by developed countries.
"We're providing a strong response to these media attacks," he said, including a fact sheet for key congressmen to use during the appropriations debate that "clearly explains that our nation's agricultural subsidies are not responsible for declining world prices."
The media claims, Greene said, "ignore a number of important facts, including the negative effects of some African marketing systems on their growers, and that the combined effect of U.S. programs has had a very positive impact on world cotton prices."
Members of the Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Arkansas-Missouri Cotton Ginners associations attended the Branson meeting.


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Joyful, comfortable, positive, dreamy atmosphere. Ideal for describing peaceful, happy and animated situations. It has a kind of magic and a gentle touch also. It's inspired to lounge music but it has a lot of pop-rock elements. It features a lot of instruments, including drums loop, electric bass and guitar, resonating harp, organ, a soft electric guitar solo with delay and some distortion.
Zip file contains a full version (2:40 min.) and a loop-ready file (1:01 min.).


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For the Leipzig Jubilee, Moleskine has designed a special City notebook, featuring the logo of the Alma Mater Lipsiensis and a timeline of its most historical moments over 600 years of activity on the cover and paper band.
It is a one-stop guidebook, encompassing several precious elements produced especially for this edition: 50 pages on the history of the University; a street map indicating public transport routes (day and night timetables) and the various university departments (specifying their details and indicating them on the map); a wide range of stickers, chosen in collaboration with the Tourist Board.
The special edition was presented for the event "How do I love thee, Leipzig" at Leipzig Café Neubau /Paris Syndrom, during the Leipzig Book fair, from March 13th to March 16th 2009.
The event involved important figures such as the writer Ulrike Almut Sandig , the Brand Eins journalist Mathias Irle, the author of the city notebook text e German Literature Professor Claudius Nießen , Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH's Marit Schultz .


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Collection Items
Photo, Print, DrawingOshkosh, Wis. From H.L. Cottrill's Block Bird's-eye view of Oshkosh, Wisconsin showing streets with horse-drawn carriages and pedestrian traffic.
- Contributor: Kurz, Louis
- Date: 185u
Photo, Print, DrawingWaukesha, Wis. Bird's-eye view of Waukesha, Wisconsin.
- Contributor: Kurz, Louis
- Date: 1857
Photo, Print, DrawingMilwaukee, Wisconsin Bird's-eye view of Milwaukee, Wisconsin with Lake Michigan in the background.
- Contributor: Moody, David William
- Date: 1854


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The Hot Stove is allegedly on, though you wouldn't know it on the North Coast with the combination of the icy wind off of Lake Erie and the lack of warmth coming from the Winter Meetings in Orlando. Thus, as the rest of MLB lines up to overpay (in most instances) the FA baseball players on the open market, we are left in Cleveland to parse though talk of Jeff Francouer (now thankfully a Royal) and whether he was self-aware enough to be useful for the Tribe (in that he is only useful to face LHP...but is deluded enough to think that he's worthy of an every day spot) and think about Louie the Fifth (who I'm curious as to where he'd play in 2011 if he remains in the Tribe organization with Donald at 2B in Cleveland and Kipnis at 2B in Columbus) perhaps going back to Seattle. With all of this "news" emerging for the Tribe at the Winter Meetings, I keep coming back to something in this boring off-season for the Indians and their fans - what should the Indians be doing this off-season?
An urban poet asked that question in different terms a number of years ago but I think that it's instructive to review the question that he posed. And while his...ahem, thrust may have been different in posing the query, in all seriousness, "How Do You Want It" this off-season if you're talking about the Indians?
Watching mid-level FA come off the board with high numbers associated with their signings and with top(pish) FA going for absurd rates, do you want the Indians – as they currently stand – to get involved in the spinning-out-of-control world of MLB FA?
Given the names and the numbers that we've seen so far this off-season, do you prefer the Indians throwing money at bad players to pacify the masses and watching guys like Tejada or Uribe or Peralta cashing in $5M to $6M next year while making the steady decline to obscurity or is looking for little pieces like they did with Austin Kearns last year and squirreling money away to be spent on going overslot in the draft and earmarking money for the talent currently on the roster when they're due pay raises the more prudent strategy?
Supposing an argument could be made that the Indians should be doing both – being active on the FA market to improve the team in the here and now AND paying draftees overslot money to improve the team in the future – isn't it fairly apparent that overpaying on the FA market simply isn't a path the team should be exploring, particularly right now?
Do we all not remember Dellucci and Michaels and how paying FA veterans the "going" rate (which is to say "too much") on the FA market is akin to throwing money away when suitable alternatives can be found and have been found by this team in years past?
Are these FA "out of their price range" or are they simply not worthy of the contracts that are being awarded to them?
Is Jeff Francouer worth the $2.5M the Royals are going to pay him in 2010 or would you like to see Matt Diaz added with a two-year deal worth $4.25M? Given that less expensive alternatives (who may be more productive) probably exist, were Frenchy and Diaz really "too expensive" for the Indians or can the Indians find comparable production from a RH bat at a lower cost?
To bring this into the topic that everyone in town is discussing (and it isn't the Indians), people are begging for the Cavaliers to blow it up in the wake of last Thursday's debacle and the ensuing slide into the NBA gutter. The most common refrain among those in the know (and count Brian Windhorst among them at the end of this interview) is that the worst place to be is an organization stuck in neutral, close to .500 year after year, getting no better or worse. The refrain for the Cavs that keeps emerging is that they should trade their useful pieces for youngsters or draft picks and get into the lottery, which is the only way that a team in Cleveland is going to compete is by getting lucky in the draft and by developing their own. Needless to say, it will be interesting to see if an impetuous owner like Dan Gilbert is going to do in an attempt to build a contender on the fly or if he's going to make the hard – and correct – decision for the long-term health of the franchise.
That being said, does this "hard decision" sound familiar? Isn't the hard decision that is staring the Cavs in the face the same one that the Indians were looking at when CC was traded in 2008 and when Clifton Phifer and El Capitan were traded in 2009?
Does the effect of "The Decision" come into play here and did the Indians make mistakes from the end of 2007 to where we sit today...no question. That's why the demise (or coming demise) of both franchises isn't that easily compared as a homicide and a self-inflicted wound are two entirely different manners of death or near-death.
But isn't the conventional wisdom about the Cavs that they should start from scratch and that the only way that they're going to be competitive again is to do what the Thunder or the Blazers or the Hornets have done, by drafting wisely and trading shrewdly after effectively tearing it down.
Is this not the same path that the Indians took in 2002, then again over the last 2 ½ years? By no means am I here to assert that they have drafted wisely and traded shrewdly in the last 2 ½ years as we have no idea about too many of these guys...but that IS what they did from 2003 to 2007, did they not?
Lest anyone forget, the 2003 team went 68-94, "good" for 4th place in the Central. For context here (in case you've forgotten), the 2010 team was 69-93, again "good" for 4th place in the Central. After the 2003 team went 68-94, the 2004 team went 80-82 and was 63-55 on August 14th, just 1 Game Back in the AL Central, only to fall apart down the stretch but with the building blocks in place for a 93-win season in 2005 and, eventually, a division crown in 2007.
So what, you may ask, happened between 2003 and 2004 that allowed the team to improve that dramatically?
Well...after the Indians had 5 players selected in the 2003 Rule 5 Draft, they signed Ronnie Belliard as a place-holder 2B and Lou Merloni as a veteran utility player, they traded for or signed retread/injury risk relievers like Bobby Howry, Jose Jimenez, Scott Stewart, and Matt Miller, and they added Jeff D'Amico to their starting rotation.Those were the off-season moves that "catapulted" the team to 17 more wins...no, really.
With those "moves" listed, it's fairly obvious that their improvement from 2003 to 2004 had nothing to do with pieces added or money spent in December of 2003 or January of 2004 as the development of the young players (Martinez and Hafner) and young pitchers (CC and Jake) is what allowed the team to improve appreciably, with the likes of Lee, Sizemore, and Peralta still struggling in 2004.
Is the 2011 team going to contend in August as the 2004 team did?
You're not going to find me out on that limb just yet, but it speaks to how more interest should be paid this off-season to what can reasonably expected of those acquired in-house options like Matt LaPorta (the subject of the latest "Jon & Paul Plus Baseball", which is worth a look), Carlos Carrasco, and Justin Masterson and how the long-term success of the Indians' organization is tied much more closely to the development of those players than it is to the addition of a couple of marginal FA.
I know, I know…that discussion about internal options is not interesting and that doesn't warm anyone on the Hot Stove and in this Brave New World of Twitter and MLB Trade Rumors, where any mention of the Indians is dissected to the smallest detail and where roster machinations that once occupied a line in a "Transactions" column in the local fishwraps cause more consternation than humanly possible.
To wit, every time they are linked to Nick Punto or CM Wang or Adam Everett, the bleats that they're not spending any money are deafening and while that may come from a very vocal portion of the fans, they're not helped when the hometown paper runs a headline that says, "Cleveland Indians looking for (surprise) bargains at winter meetings" with that snarky parenthetical thrown in for no other reason than for more clicks (which I won't provide as no link is contained there...and, trust me, it's with your best interest in mind) and more rabble-rousing in an attempt to maintain relevancy…for the paper, not the team.
To get back to the inactivity of the off-season, isn't it obvious to most that the team already did make their moves from July of 2008 to August of 2010 to add the young players that are being counted upon to lead the team back into contention? Aren't they supposed to be building from within and stockpiling as much young talent as possible (by any means necessary) in an attempt to recreate the 2004 to 2007 "window" WHILE keeping it open for a period longer than four seasons?
Once these youngsters reveal themselves more fully in 2010, perhaps it will present the opportunity for the Indians to add a piece like they did prior to 2005, when they added Millwood, but now simply isn't the time…as poorly as the Indians have articulated that fact. Thinking about Millwood, even he was seen as "dumpster diving" and the only time that they've dipped their toe in the big kid's pool was when they they...wait for it...overpaid on the FA market for the services of Kerry Wood, adding a closer a year too late.
If you want to argue that the Indians failed in adding pieces when they needed to after the 2005 season and prior to the 2008 season in an attempt to capitalize on the momentum created in 2005 and 2007 (that was promptly put to an end)…have at it, there's certainly an argument there to make.
However, if we're talking strictly in the here and now – shouldn't the focus be on seeing what the team has and using money on the draft, as they did last year?
Maybe what comes out as a result and certainly the strategy of building through spending in the draft is not going to bear any immediate fruit, but what does adding an Aaron Harang for $6.5M (and he would have wanted more to come to Cleveland as he took that number from his hometown Padres) do for the 2011 Indians?
More to the point, what satiates the fan base with moves that are going to be made on the FA market this Winter?
Last off-season, they turned Kelly Shoppach into Unleash the Fury and signed a bunch of castoffs (Kearns, Duncan, Redmond, and Branyan) to deals that for the most part worked out even if they did little to generate any excitement, with more optimism being generated by a couple of months of Santana or the second half of Perez than anything they did in acquiring pieces last Winter.
If you're looking that developments that would generate interest among the fanbase, it has nothing to do with adding a Matt Diaz or a Jeff Francoeur or a DJ Carrasco in December (all of whom have now signed elsewhere) as we're talking about anciallary pieces and depth that probably isn't going to be around the next time the Indians find themselves in contention.
Rather, if you're wondering what would generate the interest once more among Tribe fans, you have to wait until the events on the field in April and May as it bears asking whether anything that would be done this off-season would reverse the current feelings on the Tribe and the perception that has pervaded the team?
The only thing that is going to make people feel better about the Dolans and Antonetti is going to come from performance on the field and no contract signed in Orlando at the Winter Meetings or later in the off-season is going to change that fact.
The way that the Indians achieve relevance and interest once more is by winning on the field in 2011…a fact that is easily forgotten in the "boring" off-season that we find ourselves in the midst of.


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On "Gauley Bridge"
Robert Shulman
At the beginning of "Gauley Bridge" (pp. 16-17), by viewing the city from the point of view of the camera"camera at the crossing sees the city"Rukeyser reinforces the organizing idea of a series of documentary photographs. The scene is a familiar one from thirties documentaries,
a street of wooden walls and empty windows,
the doors shut handless in the empty street,
and the deserted Negro standing on the corner.
Rukeyser uses a stripped down style to focus on the harsh, empty details, emphasized by the twist of "deserted Negro, " not "deserted corner, " but doubly deserted, both as part of a desolate urban scene and as a black man in a West Virginia town.
Rukeyser meticulously uses the vantage point of the camera "fixed on the street" at the railway crossing to record what comes into view:
The little boy runs with his dog
up the street to the bridge over the river where
nine men are mending road for the government.
He blurs the camera-glass fixed on the street.
Rukeyser then turns the camera inside, to the hotel owner "keeping his books behind the public glass" and, behind the postoffice window,
a hive of private boxes,
the hand of the man who withdraws, the woman who reaches her hand
and the tall coughing man stamping an envelope.
To reinforce the sense of meticulous documentary notation, Rukeyser records the details inside the post office and bus station in a series of incomplete sentences. In this randomly observed scene a man coughing, the symptom of the fatal silicosis, is simply taken for granted as part of the flow of routine details.
After "the yellow-aproned waitress" in the bus station, in the next frame Rukeyser gives us
The man on the street and the camera eye;
he leaves the doctor's office, slammed door, doom,
any town looks like this one-street town.
In her self-reflexive use of documentary, for Rukeyser the camera eye, like the earlier rapids of the mind, is as much a part of the scene as the man on the street. In a context of precise physical notation, the phrase "the man on the street" records a physical presence but in a way that generalizes him into the representative "man on the street, " a connotation that contributes to the irony of "any town looks like this one-street town. " "Any town" may look like this town but this town is also special because of "the tall coughing man" and this "man on the street" who leaves the doctor's office, the "slammed door" and "doom" conveying a sense of emotional disturbance and finality, presumably for the same reason the man in the post office is coughing. Everything about the town of Gauley Bridge is ordinary and recognizable but slightly heightened because, whereas people everywhere get sick and die, in Gauley Bridge some of them suffer and die from silicosis.
Rukeyser continues to develop the simultaneously special and representative quality of Gauley Bridge by accumulating the common objects that, along with the coughing man and the man on the street, give this American place its precisely rendered look and meaning. "The naked eye" and the "camera" are again part of a scene that includes
Glass, wood. and naked eye: the movie-house
closed for the afternoon frames posters streaked with rain,
advertise "Racing Luck" and "Hitch-Hike Lady."
The figures who have peopled the earlier part of the poem or photograph reappear, familiar now as
Whistling. the train comes from a long way away,
slow, and the Negro watches it grow in the grey air,
the hotel man makes a note behind his potted palm.
The rain, the wish fulfillment movies, the "grey air, " and the approaching train
And in the beerplace on the other sidewalk
always one's harsh eyes over the beerglass
follow the waitress and the yellow apron
"the yellow-aproned waitress" noted earlier in the bus stationthese unglamorous, commonplace details are the backdrop for Rukeyser's concluding stanza:
What do you wanta cliff over a city?
A foreland, sloped to sea and overgrown with roses?
These people live here.
Abruptly, "what do you want"the picturesque details of the conventional guidebook or landscape painting, a pretty, comforting scene, "a foreland, sloped to sea and overgrown with roses?" Instead, "the empty street, / and the deserted Negro, " the "posters streaked with rain, " the "red-and-white filling station" and, unremarkably, the coughing man and the man on the street: "these people live here, " in a place that has value and a claim on our attention because of them.
In "Gauley Bridge" Rukeyser brings alive a documentary aesthetics of precise observation and self-reflexive involvement. The language is stripped down, the sharply focused details are noted, and the reader or viewer is invited to fill in, as with the elliptical scene of the man on the street leaving the doctor's office. Rukeyser uses this aesthetic to render an American subject matter of the ordinary made luminous through accurate recording, understated revelation, and implied protest. The deserted Negro, the yellow-aproned waitress, the bus station, the "Racing Luck" and "Hitch-Hike Lady," the men dying of silicosis, the "one-street town," the railroad tracks and the whistling train, the "grey air" and the red-and white filling station, the "beerplace" and the underpassall are familiar objects and characters in the iconography of the Popular Front, with its special attention to blacks, ordinary workers, and the abuses of capitalism. As she does throughout The Book of the Dead, in the political art of "Gauley Bridge" Rukeyser draws energy from, works within, and contributes to the political culture of the Popular Front.
Like the long poem it is an integral part of, "Gauley Bridge" derives part of its meaning from this cultural context. When the poem appeared in the April 1, 1939, issue of Scholastic, this context of Popular Front political culture did not have to be supplied but was alive as part of the general culture a magazine like Scholastic emerged from and transmitted. What is problematic, however, is how the poem fared removed from the context of The Book of the Dead. Dorothy Emerson, the editor of Scholastic's "Poetry Corner," intelligently addressed the problem any anthologist faces, how to make one or two poems from a long work accessible. She tactfully established that "Gauley Bridge" was part of The Book of the Dead, "a group of poems dealing with the Gauley tragedy, in which several thousand workers toiled under such bad conditions that they died from having breathed in silica, fatal as fine glass-particles." She states that as one of these workers "the man leaving the doctor's office will die here, in Gauley Bridge, West Virginia." She also introduces the poem by way of "The Road," the camera, and the gaze of the tourist. But even with her helpful, sympathetic commentary, does "Gauley Bridge" by itself really convey the full implications of Rukeyser's documentary aesthetic and the organizing role of documentary photography as a vehicle of witnessing and of political exposure and protest? These questions also bear on the issue of the role of anthologies in making poems from the past available to contemporary readers. "Gauley Bridge" gains its full meaning and impact as part of a larger composition but The Book of the Dead is not a candidate for anthologizing. A group of representative poemsRukeyser's for her Selected Poems or summaries like Dorothy Emersonscan nonetheless make a difference. To her credit, in her Rukeyser selection, Out of Silence: Selected Poems, Kate Daniels faces up to the problem by reprinting the entire Book of the Dead.
from The Power of Political Art: The 1930s Literary Left Reconsidered. Copyright © 2000 by The University of North Carolina Press. Reprinted with the permission of the author.
John Lowney
The narrative journey of "The Book of the Dead"from "The Road," to "West Virginia," to "Gauley Bridge"documents not only the wasted lives of the miners but also the documentary poet's process of gathering, recording, and reporting information. The poets initially self-conscious stance becomes more assertive only when additional voices provide collective support for her point of view. "Gauley Bridge," the fourth poem in this twenty-poem sequence, underscores how tentatively the narration begins, as it makes us aware that the presence of the camera is especially intrusive. This section develops the poems major trope, the trope of glass, which is at first the documentary photographer's medium for exposingand correctingthe touristic commodification of place: the photographer "follows discovery / viewing on groundglass an inverted image" (OS 10). Yet glass is also the very medium through which everyday commerce is conducted: "the public glass" behind which the owner of "the commercial hotel" keeps his books; the "postoffice window" with its "hive of private boxes"; the bus station restaurant with its "plateglass window" and "April-glass-tinted" waitress; the "beerplace" where this waitress is herself objectified by "one's harsh night eyes over the beerglass" (OS 13-14).
As a medium for reification, glass also exposes how the social relations of Gauley Bridge are racialized. Furthermore, the camera's "groundglass" exposes how representations of Gauley Bridge are necessarily racialized as well. Before reaching the town's "many panes of glass / tin under light," "Gauley Bridge" begins with a bleak, almost blank image of "empty windows" on an "empty street," with a "deserted Negro standing' on the corner" This image of the "deserted Negro" takes on further significance only with the testimony of these very people that the camera initially objectifies. Nearby, however, where "nine men are mending road for the government," a boy running with his dog "blurs the camera-glass fixed on the street" (OS 13): this blurring suggests that the camera cannot neatly frame the lives it is documenting. This foregrounding of the photographer's interaction with her subject, which indicates how the camera eye can evoke but not contain the lives it documents, is reiterated in the subsequent contrast of visual perspectives, between the "eyes of the tourist house" and the "eyes of the Negro" (OS 14).
As the initial tour of Gauley Bridge concludes, the narrative lens is pointed directly at the reader:
What do you wanta cliff over a city?
A foreland, sloped to sea and overgrown with roses?
These people live here. (OS 14)
Immediately following this interrogation of the reader's position as consumer of this travel narrative, we are presented with the testimony of the first witness, Vivian Jones. His is not a story of glass as a medium for consumerism but one of glass literallyinvoluntarilyconsumed: "hundreds breathed value, filled their lungs full of glass" (OS 15). This "glass" eventually consumes the workers who breathe it. Valuable for corporate investors, deadly for the workers who mine it, this "white glass" (OS 14) becomes the medium for revealing the racist social system that underlies the negligent labor practices of Union Carbide. The first mention of the silica's whiteness conspicuously reminds us that the historical remnants of slavery, if barely visible, have hardly disappeared; immediately juxtaposed with the "white glass" showing "precious in the rock" is the image of an "old plantation-house (burned to the mud)," now a "hill-acre of ground" where a "Negro woman throws / gay arches of water out from the front door" (OS 14). As "The Book of the Dead" subsequently proceeds through the "eyes of the Negro" rather than "the eyes of the tourist house," the local stories and songs of witness form a composite narrative of countermemory that transforms Gauley Bridge into a "nation's scene" (OS 37) that otherwise would have remained obscured.
from "Truths of Outrage, Truths of Possibility: Muriel Rukeyser's 'The Book of the Dead'" in "How Shall We Tell Each Other of the Poet?": The Life and Writing of Muriel Rukeyser. Ed. Anne F. Herzog and Janet E. Kaufman. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1999. Copyright © 1999 by Anne E. Herzog and Janet E. Kaufman.
Leslie Ann Minot
The motion of the sequence is what moves "Gauley Bridge" forward, through shifting points of view, refusing to validate any particular point of view over the others:
Glass, wood, and naked eye: the movie-house
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Whistling, the train comes from a long way away,
slow, and the Negro watches it grow in the grey air,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Eyes of the tourist house, red-and-white filling station,
the eyes of the Negro, looking down the track,
hotel-man and hotel, cafeteria, camera.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
always one's harsh night eyes over the beerglass
follow the waitress and the yellow apron. (OS 14)
Even the camera is not the ultimate point of view, the source of all seeing, since it too is seen. These images are repeatedly structured like a cinema cutwe see eyes, then see what those eyes see. The reader is given the task of drawing these varying points of view together, of synthesizing them and also of recognizing the differences these different lines of vision represent, of which race and gender are only the most obvious. The act of looking, in itself, does not necessarily overcome separationthe people in the poem watch one another, without necessarily interacting. The poem, however, may be the "bridge" of its title, the place where these different viewpoints, these different ways of seeing, can be brought together, although it does not automatically follow that they will be. The camera, similarly, can be said to be located at a metaphorical "crossing" of points of view, as it is located at a physical "crossing" in the town. The reader, too, is called upon to occupy the place of that bridge and that crossing, since the reader's consciousness is crossed by these different lines of vision.
"How Shall We Tell Each Other of the Poet?": The Life and Writing of Muriel Rukeyser. Ed. Anne F. Herzog and Janet E. Kaufman. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1999. Copyright © 1999 by Anne E. Herzog and Janet E. Kaufman.
Return to Muriel Rukeyser


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Whom have you met from Wetpixel?
Posted 17 August 2004 - 02:36 PM
I thought it would be fun to put together a thread tracking all of the new friends we have made and met through Wetpixel. I have met a bunch of you at various shows and have even gotten a chance to dive with some. I'll post a list and I think it would be great if you could post yours too.
Wetpixel Members I've met in person:
Craig Ruaux
Alex Mustard
Karl and Kimberly Dietz
Mooner (Eric)
Mark R.
Larry (Lionfish43)
Tio Loco (Richard Perry)
Larry (from Ikelite)
Digitallywet (Giles)
Berkeley White (berk)
I'm sure there are about a million people I have forgotten in this list. So if I haven't put you in here and you've met me, don't get mad - get even...:-) By posting in this thread.
Here's a list of folks that I have dove with before:
Alex Mustard
Mooner (Eric)
Berkeley White (berk)
All right - your turn folks.
Dual Ikelite Strobes
Photo site - www.reefpix.org
Posted 17 August 2004 - 03:40 PM
The only ones I can think of now are James Wiseman, Eric Cheng and Rob Mcmahon. I also know a good crowd of Brits who use wetpixel (but I already knew them before), and I have met quite a lot of people on my travels who have said that they know me from wetpixel, but they are not regular posters - just use the site for info and news.
This reminds me that I should chase up a few more of the Brits on the site that I don't know and catch up with them for a pint of bitter and some photo-banter.
Alexander Mustard - www.amustard.com - www.magic-filters.com
Nikon D5 (Subal housing). Nikon D7200 (Subal housing). Olympus EPL-5 (Nauticam housing).
Posted 19 August 2004 - 12:06 PM
Posted 24 August 2004 - 01:16 PM
But if you ever pass by Hurghada, Egypt let me know and we might be able to meet for a beer at Papas or even go diving together... Will be there from 13/9 until ---> the future Well at least 6 months... ;-)
D200 / Ike housing / Subtronic Gamma
Posted 24 August 2004 - 03:37 PM
Jack, if you are reading this, did you dive in Fethiye, Turkey in September 2000? If so then Hi! Whenever I go out there I still get reminded how we ruined a search and recovery dive by picking up the coke bottle when looking for Seahorses at Sari Yallar (Yellow Stones ). :roll:
Posted 12 January 2005 - 12:58 PM
James Wiseman
Alex Mustard
Lucinda Hoffman
Stephen Frink
and more than likely a few others having worked at Fisheye of Cayman .. infact a lot of names are familiar when i see them .. but all i mostly see on here is usernames. I do remember people coming up to me when diving with me and saying they had seen my posts on here. But those are the guys i dived with and know the names.
Posted 12 January 2005 - 05:37 PM
Nikon D2X in Subal housing.
Tabula Int'l Ltd.
Posted 12 January 2005 - 06:07 PM
Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together. ~Carl Zwanzig
Posted 12 January 2005 - 07:13 PM
Thats about it i guess.
Get your butts out to Yap and i am sure to meet all and everyone, tis rather a wee small place...
Join us for an Underwater Photography Workshop in the Lembeh Strait at NAD Lembeh with Doug Sloss in 2018
Blog and Photo Archive/Portfolio Site www.mikeveitchblog.com
Learn underwater photography in the ultimate classroom, Bali! or join us on a trip www.underwatertribe.com and www.baliuwphoto.com
Join us for a trip in Indonesia in Komodo or Raja Ampat
Posted 12 January 2005 - 07:43 PM
Guess I'm located a bit far from where most of you are lurking (down here in the land-downunder). As far as I can tell there aren't too many of us.
I gather whitey comes from the land of Aus in the sandgroper state, but that's about it.
If you're ever in Melbourne, drop me a PM
Posted 12 January 2005 - 09:28 PM
There actually seems to be a few Aussies floating around this board.
I'm actually a Melbournian myself, I just got stuck up here in the dusty northwest during a roadtrip in late 2003 and sort of haven't made it back to Melbourne yet. I'm getting used to the warm water now
Rob Whitehead
Shooting with Phase One and Canon. EWA-Marine Factory Test Pilot.
Posted 12 January 2005 - 10:15 PM
Fancy you being a Melbournian - whatcha doing all the way over there??
Somehow I'm a little suspicious of your profile listed occupation (EOS 1Ds on the dole :?) - I guess with rent assistance...
Have you (or ike) managed to perform a resurrection of your poor old DS50 yet? I feel for you.
We'll have to jump in the drink if you drop over this way.
Posted 17 January 2005 - 10:47 AM
Have you forgotten about some of us Houstonians? Do me and Maria (sharkdiver00) count? [edited by mod]
Posted 17 January 2005 - 12:14 PM
Dual Ikelite Strobes
Photo site - www.reefpix.org
Posted 17 January 2005 - 12:57 PM
Posted 26 January 2005 - 08:42 PM
Have you forgotten about some of us Houstonians? Do me and Maria (sharkdiver00) count? BTW, Maria (you met her at the xmas gig) is engaged to Chris Bangs - he proposed on New Years Eve....
c'mon christa!! what about me , and james, you didnt mention me either!!
met Eric at seaspace, and know james, christa and maria.
Posted 27 January 2005 - 05:06 AM
Dual Ikelite Strobes
Photo site - www.reefpix.org
Posted 27 January 2005 - 06:36 AM
c'mon christa!! what about me , and james, you didnt mention me either!!
Well - I thought you were just a "Digital Diver".... Glad to see that you are finally showing your face over here!
Posted 27 January 2005 - 08:29 AM
Guess I'm located a bit far from where most of you are lurking (down here in the land-downunder). As far as I can tell there aren't too many of us.
Hey there anth... I'm as 'strine as they come, even flew the flag on Orstrelia Day here in central Texas.
(Now I see a black van sitting opposite the house with antennae on it :? :wink: )
I grew up in FNQ, learnt to dive in Brisbane. Been to Melbourne twice for a couple of days each time.
I'm going to be back in Oz in late July, but plans at the moment don't have me coming down Melbourne way (it would be too damn cold anyway ).
D300, D200, D70, 12-24 f4 AFS DX, 60mm f2.8, 70-200 f2.8 AF-S VR, 105 f2.8 AF-S VR, Tokina Wunderlens.
Photo galleries @ Ruaux.net
Posted 06 February 2005 - 05:15 AM
Seriously, a 5-3mm. seems to be just right for a couple of tanks in the morning.....a thermos of hot liquids isn't a bad idea either.....


text:
- MFLS Forums
Forums : MFLS Central Forum Thread : The Masters
from Redneck SC
on Tue 5/26 14:41 ET
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Count me in, if it is not too late from cYber warriors
on Wed 5/27 0:03 ET
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if it is not to late please include me from Arrows SC
on Wed 5/27 5:20 ET
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Let's set the deadline to end of day midnight on Tuesday, June 2nd. from Arrows SC
on Mon 6/1 20:10 ET
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I've updated the invitation list:
We have twenty-six golfers so far, out of over eighty eligible. Unfortunately, one team posted here that was not eligible to participate (sorry!). If you want to participate please post here by midnight Tuesday evening (about twenty-eight hours from now).
from Arrows SC
on Wed 6/3 5:24 ET
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The deadline has passed. I will set up the tournament soon. from Arrows SC
on Thu 6/4 8:14 ET
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Get your clubs out, lads and lasses. Scrape the grass off your shoes, and make sure you have plenty of new balls in your bag, as you�re going to need them. The course is long and tight this year. The Masters kicks off with twenty-six teams. It�s a very small field, but packed with powerhouse players. The first hole has already started, beginning on MFLS week 14.
from Dynamo Salem
on Thu 6/4 11:12 ET
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Hmm, "Address the ball."....Scratches head..."Hello, ball!" from Seattle SC
on Thu 6/4 15:37 ET
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Typical, I dominate the practice round (week 13) then I tee off for the tournament and in to the bunker I go ... from Arrows SC
on Mon 6/8 18:31 ET
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All twenty-six golfers have teed off. The first hole of the 2015 Masters is in the books. It was a very long par five, one of those holes where you hit, and you hit again, and you just keep hitting, and somewhere out there is the green. The distance was no problem for Mohawks, using that oversized driver, and finished in the cup in two strokes for a double-eagle. Last year, Mohawks failed to make the cut, and finished last on the front nine. The first hole from this year is certainly a statement hole.
The Laws Of Lalas posted an eagle and sits at two under. Laws finished a distant third last year. Grass Pitch Please also finished two under on the first hole. GPP is making its first Masters appearance this year.
Last year�s runner up, Top Shelf, had all sorts of problems on the first hole. It started with a complete whiff on the tee. How embarrassing. When he finally landed on the fairway, things didn�t get much better. When all was said and done, Top Shelf was left staring at a triple bogey. cYber warriors and Damn Dirty Apes also started slowly, each with a double-bogey.
One hole down. Boy, the sun is hot today. Time for a break. Where's the drink cart? We'll sit out next week and pick it up on MFLS week 16.
from Seattle SC
on Mon 6/8 19:01 ET
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Only one person is going to miss the cut this year, right? That will be embarrassing for whoever that is. Think it was the same last year, only one, or maybe two?
Glad this has started, though a week too late for me
from Mohawks
on Mon 6/8 20:55 ET
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I typically struggle in the Masters so hopefully this will be a
new year for me. I wish it started a week earlier though so out
up back to back great weeks!
from C�nicas AC
on Thu 6/11 13:14 ET
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No mention of my clean sheet in the comments? I think I am finally
getting a grasp of how this works. It's all about defense.
from Arrows SC
on Mon 6/22 18:18 ET
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After a stop by the pool and a trip to the hot dog cart in week 15, the duffers were back in action in MFLS week sixteen. The second hole was a short par four, but it had a nasty bend in it. Take out your long club on the tee and you�ll find yourself deep into the woods. Too short, and you won�t get a good look at the pin. Just nasty.
SDFC Macross turned in a bogey on the first hole, but played the second masterfully to score a hole in one. The stroke put him within two of the leader. And it is still Mohawks, who chipped in for a birdie and remains on top with a score of four under par. Sitting comfortably between the two is El f�tbol es as�. El F�t landed in the cup in two for an eagle, and is three under for the round. The Spaniards were hot this weekend, with C�nicas AC also scoring an eagle, lifting his score to two under and a share of third place.
Arrows SC didn�t get the message on the hole, and walloped his tee shot thirty yards into no man�s land. By the time the bleeding stopped, they Arrows carded a triple-bogey, and fell to three over for the round.
Make sure your carts have plenty of gas, as the third hole is a long one.
from SDFC Macross
on Wed 6/24 12:45 ET
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I spent a lot of time practicing this hole. You
basically need to ignore the fairway and take a
blind shot over the trees to the putting green.
You designed this course, didn't you Dan? Why
didn't you play hole 2 the same way?
from Arrows SC
on Thu 7/2 6:53 ET
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Mohawks continue to lead the pack, putting up another birdie on the long par five. Mohawks is five under par after three holes, and has a two stroke lead. Wierder Bremen made its move with a smashing double-eagle. Beginning the hole at one over, WB is now two under and within striking distance of the top spot. Top Shelf scored an eagle on three, its first sub-par score on the front nine, lifting itself away from the cut line. FC Byrd Turgler also eagled the third hole, and is tied with six other golfers for third place at three behind the leader. El f�tbol es as� two-putted for a clean par and remains in second place.
Damn Dirty Apes finds itself in early trouble again, and will struggle to avoid a repeat of 2014, when it got into early trouble, barely survived the cut, but never drifted far from the bottom. The Apes were one of three teams with a double-bogey on three, the other two being cYber warriors and The Busdrivers. The warriors and Busdrivers are tied on the cut line.
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WASHINGTON— The woman whose complaints sparked an FBI investigation that led to CIA Director David H. Petraeus' resignation was identified Sunday as an unpaid social liaison to MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa, Fla., where Petraeus formerly was stationed.
Military sources identified her as Jill Kelley, who had complained about harassing emails that investigators traced to Paula Broadwell, a married Army reservist who was Petraeus' biographer, according to military sources.
U.S. officials say the FBI's investigation of Broadwell's emails led them to discover explicit messages between her and Petraeus suggesting they were carrying on an extramarital affair.
Also Sunday, members of Congress demanded a fuller explanation of how and when law enforcement agents learned that Petraeus was having the affair.


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Exhibits and more...
Complejo: The Art of M. Tony Peralta
A thought-provoking exhibit of mixed-media silkscreens exploring race and physical appearance, created by New York-based artist-designer Manuel Antonia Peralta. Through Nov. 2. Nassau Community College, Firehouse Plaza Art Gallery, 1 Education Dr., Garden City. 572-0619.
The "Iranian Schindler"
An exhibit of photograhs and artifacts honoring Abdol-Hossein Sardari, the Iranian envoy stationed in Paris who rescued thousands of Jews from the Nazis. Through December. Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, 100 Crescent Beach Rd., Glen Cove. 571-8040 ext. 100 or www.holocaust-nassau.org.
Marc Chagall
A major exhibit that includes a significant selection of Chagall's 1957 series of hand-colored etchings of Bible stories. Through Nov. 4. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. 484-9337 or www.nassaumuseum.org.
Monumental Drawings of Michael Ryan
A showcase of works by the Brooklyn-based artist who uses old photographs in his creative process. Through Oct. 26. Frank and Gertrude Kaiser Gallery, Molloy College Public Square, Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. 678-5000 ext. 6549.
Political Slant: Editorial Cartoons
Original sketches and digital prints of contemporary cartoons by five editorial cartoonists: Walt Handelsman of Newsday, Mike Keefe, Steve Kelley, Jimmy Margulies of The Record (North New Jersey) and Signe Wilkinson of the Philadelphia Daily News. Works by the late 19th century political artist Thomas Nast provide historical perspective. Through Dec. 21. Hofstra University's David Filderman Gallery, Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library, South Campus, Hempstead. 463-5672.
Toward Greater Awareness: Darfur and American Activism
This exhibit, featuring large-scale sculptures by American artist Mitch Lewis, focuses on the genocide that occurred in Darfur and Sudan from 2003 to 2006, as well as the American response to the crisis. It is presented in conjunction with Oct. 16 Presidential Debate. Through Dec. 16. Hofstra University's Emily Lowe Gallery, Emily Lowe Hall, South Campus, Hempstead. 463-5672.
Using the Lessons of the Holocaust to Teach Tolerance
This contextualized history explains the 1930s' increase of intolerance, reduction of human rights, and lack of intervention that enabled the persecution and mass murder of millions of Jews and others. Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, 100 Crescent Beach Rd., Glen Cove. 571-8040 ext. 100 or www.holocaust-nassau.org.
Sydney Chastain-Chapman/Julie Tremblay
This exhibition pairs Julie Tremblay's sculptural work with paintings and works on paper by Sydney Chastain-Chapman. Through Nov. 4. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. 484-9337 or www.nassaumuseum.org.
Village Art Club Fall Membership Show
Varied works in assorted mediums are on view. Through Nov. 2. Rockville Centre Library, Downstairs Meeting Room, 221 N. Village Ave., Rockville Centre. 766-6915.
Max Gottfried's 'Good To The Last Drop'
The Long Beach-based artist exhibits acrylic on canvas paintings, silkscreen images and 3D constructions. Through Nov. 7. Coffee Nut Gallery, 250 E. Park Ave., Long Beach. 897-6616.
Village Art Club Meeting
Artist/teacher Howard Rose demonstrates an oil landscape, at the monthly meeting, Thursday, Oct. 25, 7 p.m. Admission is free and open to nonmembers. Rockville Centre Library, 221 N. Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information, call Anne Bailey at 887-1770.
Afternoon Movie
See the the dramedy "People Like Us,," Friday, Oct. 26, 2 p.m.; also the Halloween comedy "Practical Magic," based on Alice Hoffman's novel, with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as New England witches, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2 p.m. Elmont Memorial Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. 354-5280.
At the Movies
Watch "Snow White and the Huntsman," a modern version of the classic tale, Friday, Oct. 26, 1 p.m. Baldwin Public Library, 2385 Grand Ave., Baldwin. 223-6228.


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Find a great sale price on this 2001 Jaguar XJ Base at Scarff Ford in Auburn Washington. This 2001 Jaguar XJ is located at our Ford dealership in Auburn. We also serve the cities of Federal Way and Seattle. So if you're looking for a great price on this 2001 Jaguar XJ8 4dr Sdn or just looking to get an auto loan for the vehicle you want... you've come to the right place! Scarff Ford Auburn.


text:
High-Speed 3D Imaging System holds potential for cancer screening.
Press Release Summary:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers developed imaging system that enables high-speed, 3D imaging of microscopic pre-cancerous changes in esophagus or colon. As described in OSA's open access journal Biomedical Optics Express, system is based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) that provides means to see below surface with 3D, microscopic detail. System can capture data at 980 fps while imaging microscopic features less than 8 millionths of a meter in size.
Original Press Release:
New High-Speed 3-D Imaging System Holds Potential for Improved Cancer Screening
Optical coherence tomography technology developed by MIT team enables endoscopes to see below surface of colon, esophagus
WASHINGTON-Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a new imaging system that enables high-speed, three-dimensional (3-D) imaging of microscopic pre-cancerous changes in the esophagus or colon. The new system, described in the Optical Society's (OSA) open access journal Biomedical Optics Express, is based on an emerging technology called optical coherence tomography (OCT), which offers a way to see below the surface with 3-D, microscopic detail in ways that traditional screening methods can't.
Endoscopy is the method of choice for cancer screening of the colon or esophagus. In the procedure, a tiny camera attached to a long thin tube is snaked into the colon or down the throat, giving doctors a relatively non-invasive way to look for abnormalities. But standard endoscopy can only examine the surface of tissues, and thus may miss important changes occurring inside tissue that indicate cancer development.
OCT, which can examine tissue below the surface, is analogous to medical ultrasound imaging except that it uses light instead of sound waves to visualize structures in the body in real time, and with far higher resolution; OCT can visualize structures just a few millionths of a meter in size. Over the past two decades, OCT has become commonplace in ophthalmology, where it is being used to generate images of the retina and to help diagnose and monitor diseases like glaucoma, and has emerging applications in cardiology, where it's used to examine unstable plaques in blood vessels that can trigger heart attacks.
The new endoscopic OCT imaging system reported by OCT pioneer James G. Fujimoto of MIT and his colleagues, works at record speeds, capturing data at a rate of 980 frames (equivalent to 480,000 axial scans) per second-nearly 10 times faster than previous devices-while imaging microscopic features less than 8 millionths of a meter in size.
At such high speeds and super-fine resolution, the novel system promises to enable 3-D microscopic imaging of pre-cancerous changes in the esophagus or colon and the guidance of endoscopic therapies. Esophageal and colon cancer are diagnosed in more than 1.5 million people worldwide each year, according to the American Cancer Society.
"Ultrahigh-speed imaging is important because it enables the acquisition of large three-dimensional volumetric data sets with micron-scale resolution," says Fujimoto, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science and senior author of the paper.
"This new system represents a significant advance in real-time, 3-D endoscopic OCT imaging in that it offers the highest volumetric imaging speed in an endoscopic setting, while maintaining a small probe size and a low, safe drive voltage," says Xingde Li, associate professor at the Whitaker Biomedical Engineering Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, who is not affiliated with the research team.
In OCT imaging, microscopic-scale structural and pathological features are examined by directing a beam of light on a tissue and measuring the magnitude and echo time-delay of backscattered light. Because the amount of light that can be recaptured and analyzed decreases quickly with depth in tissue due to scattering, the technique can generally only be used to visualize sub-surface features to a depth of 1 to 2 millimeters. "However these depths are comparable to those sampled by pinch biopsies and unlike biopsy, information is available in real time," Fujimoto says. By using miniature fiber optic scanning catheters or probes, either on their own or in combination with standard endoscopes, colonoscopes, or laparoscopes, OCT imaging can be performed inside the body.
In collaboration with clinicians at the VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, the team is investigating endoscopic OCT as a method for guiding excisional biopsy-the removal of tissue for histological examination-to reduce false negative rates and improve diagnostic sensitivity.
"Excisional biopsy is one of the gold standards for the diagnosis of cancer, but is a sampling procedure. If the biopsy is taken in a normal region of tissue and misses the cancer, the biopsy result is negative although the patient still has cancer," notes Fujimoto, whose team is one of a number of research groups-including at Johns Hopkins University; the University of California, Irvine; Case Western University; and Massachusetts General Hospital-that are actively pursuing the development of smaller, faster endoscopic OCT systems.
Endoscopic OCT requires miniature optical catheters or probes-just a few millimeters in diameter-that can scan an optical beam in two dimensions to generate high-resolution 3-D data sets. Scanning the beam in one transverse direction generates an image in a cross-sectional plane, whereas scanning the beam in two directions generates a stack of cross-sectional images-that is, a 3-D (or volumetric), image.
"This device development is one of the major technical challenges in endoscopic OCT because probes must be small enough so that they can be introduced into the body, but still be able to scan an optical beam at high speeds," Fujimoto says. "Increasing imaging speeds has also been an important research objective because high-resolution volumetric imaging requires very large amounts of data in order to cover appreciable regions of tissue, so rapid image acquisition rates are a powerful advantage."
The optical catheter developed by the MIT researchers and their collaborators uses a piezoelectric transducer, a miniature device that bends in response to electrical current, allowing a laser-light emitting optical fiber to be rapidly scanned over the area to be imaged.
So far, the device-which must be further reduced in size, Fujimoto notes, before it can be deployed with the standard endoscopes now used-has only been used in animal models and in samples of human colons that had been removed during surgical procedures; further development and testing of the technology is needed before it can be tested in human patients. "The ultimate clinical utility of new devices must be established by large clinical studies, which assess the ability of the technology to improve diagnoses or therapy," he says. "This is a much more complex and lengthy task than the initial development of the technology itself."
The paper, titled "Piezoelectric Transducer Based Miniature Catheter for Ultrahigh Speed Endoscopic Optical Coherence Tomography," was also coauthored by Tsung-Han Tsai, Benjamin Potsaid, Martin F. Krauss, Chao Zhou, Yuankai K. Tao, and Joachim Hornegger, and appears in the Aug. 1 issue of Biomedical Optics Express (vol. 2, issue 8, pp. 2438-2448).
EDITOR'S NOTE: A high-resolution image of a 3-D OCT volumetric data set from an excised human colon specimen is available upon request. Contact email@example.com.
About Biomedical Optics Express
Biomedical Optics Express is OSA's principal outlet for serving the biomedical optics community with rapid, open-access, peer-reviewed papers related to optics, photonics and imaging in the life sciences. The journal scope encompasses theoretical modeling and simulations, technology development, and biomedical studies and clinical applications. It is published by the Optical Society and edited by Joseph A. Izatt of Duke University. Biomedical Optics Express is an open-access journal and is available at no cost to readers online at http://www.OpticsInfoBase.org/BOE.
About OSA
Uniting more than 106,000 professionals from 134 countries, the Optical Society (OSA) brings together the global optics community through its programs and initiatives. Since 1916 OSA has worked to advance the common interests of the field, providing educational resources to the scientists, engineers and business leaders who work in the field by promoting the science of light and the advanced technologies made possible by optics and photonics. OSA publications, events, technical groups and programs foster optics knowledge and scientific collaboration among all those with an interest in optics and photonics. For more information, visit www.osa.org.


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The boys on the Surrey Midget Thunder hockey team played and won Monday night, but with heavy hearts after teammate Cailean Paskall's mother was placed on life support due to injuries suffered in a brutal robbery.
Julie Paskall, a 53-year-old mother of three, was attacked outside the Newton Wave Pool and Recreation Centre Sunday. She died of her injuries Tuesday.
Some tears were shed before Monday's game, said coach Darwyn Shawara.
"Some of the boys were in rough shape and we were missing Cailean in the dressing room, so that was difficult," he said.
Shawara spoke with the referees and the coach of the KPHA Ice Hawks of Alaska about the team's emotional state before the game.
"The Ice Hawks were all class, their team captain came over to our bench and thanked us for playing and afterwards their goalie came and thanked us, too," he said. "We won 2-1 and it was well-played, everyone knew there wasn't going to be any shenanigans."
The team is still recovering from the loss of manager Keith Renton, who died of a heart attack days before Christmas. Renton's son Luke plays for the Thunder.
"We were in Prince George for four days and when we came home we were setting up for Christmas and [Keith] had a heart attack and passed," said Shawara. "That was bad, but the new manager Curtis Murphy also had a funeral to go to when a family friend's child died of meningitis and over the Christmas holiday we had four players' grandparents pass away."
"December has just been one big black cloud and now this, with Julie," he said.
Shawara and Murphy are organizing grief counselling for the boys on the team, but more importantly, the coaches, the boys and their parents are supporting each other, sharing their pain at team meetings and helping the Renton and Paskall families.
The coaches the players and their parents were still in the process of fundraising and cooking meals to support the Renton family, when Julie Paskall was attacked.
"We will be helping the Paskalls," said Shawara. "We are getting through it as a team."
The Thunder are regular users of the Newton rec centre where Paskall was attacked, a place that also holds memories of former team manager Keith Renton for the team.
"A lot of these kids grew up around that rink and, the ice, that's their good place," Shawara said. Outside is a different story, with the threat of violence, especially after dark.
The coach plans to hold a team meeting at another location before putting the boys back on the ice.
"I just want to check on their emotional status and talk about how to help Cailean's family," he said. "This team came together to help the Rentons and it will give them some purpose to decide what we are going to do for the Paskalls."
The team attended Keith Renton's funeral in uniform, presenting an honour guard at the door, and have played their last few games with a helmet patch inscribed with Renton's initials.
"I'd like to have a big patch made for their jerseys with the initials of both parents," said Shawara, a 34-year veteran hockey coach.
The Thunder — one of the least penalized teams in Surrey minor hockey — is an extraordinarily tight-knit group; many of the boys have played together for most of the past seven years.
"These boys really stick together in the dressing room and out," he said. "They are always on social media together and checking on each other if someone is sick, it's the closest team I've seen, ever. I'm very proud of this group."


text:
December 28, 2012
"Haiti may have many problems but until 2010 cholera was not one of them. In fact, the country had no known history of the disease at all," the Al Jazeera host explains. In October 2010, the first of now 8,000 Haitians died of cholera introduced to Haiti by U.N. peacekeeping troops from Nepal and the U.N.'s negligence in allowing their untreated waste to poison a major river.


text:
Guam Advises Residents: Don't Look at Fireball
By Jenn Gidman
August 11, 2017
The residents of Guam are trying to keep their nerves in check as tensions rise between the White House and Pyongyang.
The latest fact sheet to come out of the territory's Homeland Security department may either soothe those nerves or worsen them, as it lists what one should do in case of a nuclear missile attack, the Pacific Daily News reports.
"Do not look at the flash or fireball—it can blind you," is one piece of advice from the fact sheet, which was pieced together with info from the national Department of Homeland Security's disaster-preparation site. Other nuggets include lying down on the ground with your head covered (or even better, seeking immediate shelter underground or in a concrete or brick building), staying indoors for at least 24 hours, and not rushing to pick up your kids at school—they're better off inside the building than in a car.
Read the full story on Newser.com