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1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
1/4 tsp saffron threads, steeped in 100ml hot water
500g pumpkin, peeled and cut into large pieces
2 waxy potatoes, peeled and cut in half
half a 400g tin tomatoes [Saffron: I didn't need a spare half tin so I threw the whole lot in]
2 zucchini, sliced
1/2 a preserved lemon, chopped
cooked cous cous or rice, to serve
1/2 cup yoghurt
1/2 cup coriander leaves
Put the chickpeas in a pot with plenty of cold water and boil for 30 minutes. Drain.
In a large pot, heat the oil and butter and cook the onion and garlic until soft and lightly golden. Add the spices (except saffron), cook for a couple of minutes, then add the partially cooked chickpeas, saffron, pumpkin, potatoes, tomatoes and just enough water to cover. Season with salt and simmer gently until the potatoes are almost soft (about 30-40 minutes). Add the zucchini and preserved lemon and cook for 5 more minutes or until the potatoes and pumpkin are soft (but not mushy).
To serve
Serve with cous cous or rice and a dollop of yoghurt and some freshly chopped coriander. If you like it hot, serve a little harissa on the side (available at delis and some supermarkets).
Serves 6.


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When Mike Komisarek walked by Jake Gardiner's stall on Wednesday morning at the Air Canada Centre and uttered the words "Jake Gardiner is free," you can't help but think the veteran defenceman was feeling just a little freer himself.
Free that he won't have to answer the same old questions about being a healthy scratch, free that maybe he can get his NHL career back on track.
Komisarek certainly would have known at the time of his comment — referencing a tweet Gardiner's agent sent out last week — that he was about to be waived by the Maple Leafs. They couldn't have done it without him. But no one really took notice of the always affable New York native as he slipped out of his gear and into the back room. Everyone was more concerned with the young defenceman Gardiner, who had just been called up from the Marlies after a 25-game absence from the Leafs.
News of Komisarek waiving his no-movement clause, thereby allowing the Leafs to place him on waivers, didn't break until the doors on the team's dressing room had already been closed.
Komisarek, who has played in just four games for the team this season, registering no points and a plus-2 rating with two penalty minutes, comes with a hefty $4.5-million cap hit that continues for another season. That will certainly be too rich a price for most teams to pay for a player who has been a healthy scratch 21 consecutive times this season and 25 in all. Komisarek will be headed to the AHL Marlies where he can at least get some playing time and hope to either work his way back on to the Leafs' roster or be traded to another team.
Things haven't worked out for Komisarek in Toronto after he was acquired as an unrestricted free agent from the Montreal Canadiens to start the 2009-10 season. He was supposed to be a key piece in then-GM Brian Burke's blue-line plans, but it is hard to see how he was ever going to be a part of Randy Carlyle's team.
In parts of four seasons with the Leafs, Komisarek played 158 games, recorded two goals and 17 assists and was a combined minus-28.

subset: commoncrawl


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|Patrick Kindlon
|Antonio Fuso
|Action/Adventure, Military, Post-Apocalyptic, Black Mask Studios
Downtown Honolulu is a sniper alley, and Saheer runs it better than anyone. He's a local celebrity for transporting medicine and information across a no-man's land occupied by militias and street gangs. But what people say about you is never the full story, and when the cheers die out Saheer is left with just his anxieties... and his secrets. The first of a five-issue series that keeps its foot pressed on your adrenal gland. From Patrick Kindlon (We Can Never Go Home, There's Nothing There, S.H.I.E.L.D.: Quake) and illustrator Antonio Fuso (James Bond), Survival Fetish is a pulse-pounding thrill-ride that mixes political intrigue with deep characters and high octane action.
|Survival Fetish 1
|Survival Fetish 2
|Survival Fetish 3
|Survival Fetish 4
All Content is © to their respective copyright holders. Comicastle cannot be held responsible for any content or actions of its Users and Administrative team. Comicastle © 2017


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In this post I would like to show you the jacket from Romwe, which I love for its originality. The jewelry here is diva, it's so beautiful. I like how jewels look like on the red background. I also love to combine the red color with black – you can see it in my outfit. I needed a red top in my look and luckily I had the top Reebok (to be sincere this top is a piece of the blouse I showed you in my previous look).
Categories: Fashion Blog


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Parent involvement is an important part of your child's education! You can become involved by: displaying projects that they bring home, asking questions about friends or school activities that they enjoy, and setting aside a special homework or story time. Your child will LOVE sharing with you the knowledge they are gaining at school!
There are three ways to get involved:
1) Large Group Activities - These activities take place on Fridays or Jeffery Family Nights. We will offer opportunities throughout the year for you and your child to attend.
2) Classroom Involvement - Parents can spend time in the classroom as volunteers or be a Room Parent for the class.
3) Parent Visit - Parent/Teacher contact within the home or school. The parents and teacher discuss curriculum, daily schedule, and any questions/concerns happening in the home and/or school. Parent visits take place two times during the school year. The first visit is in September, and the second visits will be scheduled on a Friday in late Spring.


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Guide to Houston's Hottest Culinary Scene at River Oaks District
- Written by Susan Wilson
HOUSTON, TEXAS – River Oaks District, a curated collection of luxury and world class retail, dining and entertainment amenities set in a sophisticated open-air environment, invites Houstonians and visitors alike to indulge at The District's array of restaurants.
"Whether you're a foodie, happy hour enthusiast, wine connoisseur, celebrating a special occasion or traveling to Houston for work or play, look no farther than River Oaks District," shared Jennifer Rivera, marketing manager at The District. "We have exciting dishes, craft cocktails and beautiful outdoor patios at every restaurant unlike anything else in the city, designed to create a special meal with friends and family."
• Amorino Gelato, an international boutique featuring a signature selection of irresistible and organic gelato, frappe, sweet treats and hot drinks.
• Hopdoddy, known for its highly-acclaimed burgers, locally sourced ingredients and craft beers. The company's River Oaks District location serves cult favorites from the Austin-founded restaurant, including Classic and Ahi Tuna burgers, alongside a full menu of salads, shakes, cocktails and wine.
• Reminiscent of another time and place, Le Colonial is an upscale French-Vietnamese restaurant that vividly recaptures the beauty, romance and spirit of French Colonial Southeast Asia in the 1920's. The restaurant at River Oaks District features a 100-seat dining room with steel French doors leading out to al fresco dining and cocktails. Clients can also enjoy sipping hand-crafted cocktails in comfortable lounge chairs and couches in the seductive bar and lounge overlooking the District.
• The name says it all with Steak 48, a luxury, two-story steakhouse at River Oaks District. A concept from brothers Jeffrey and Michael Mastro, the menu features prime steaks, raw dishes, seafood, creative cocktails and wine. Additionally, the restaurant features a raw bar and inventive dishes to set the steakhouse apart such as ahi poke and burrata with stone fruit.
• By combining hospitality and farm-to-table cooking, Taverna reflects authentic Italian flavors in a rustic and welcoming interior. In Italy, a taverna is a special place where customers become friends and family, and the River Oaks District restaurant is just that – a truly Italian experience without having to leave Houston. The menu features seasonal ingredients and surprising entrees, from pan seared sea bass to delicate pasta and fabulous risotto.
• Toulouse Café and Bar transports diners to a Parisian Café located in River Oaks District, where friends convene and it is likely to strike up conversations with neighboring tables. The atmosphere, both sophisticated and contagiously inviting, offers imaginative and seasonal menus, including mouth-watering specialties a la Française, delicious desserts made from scratch and an extensive wine list. Visitors can enjoy the tastes of France for breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, with brunch options on Saturday and Sunday.
• The Tuck Room, an intimate gastro lounge featuring skillfully crafted cocktails and soulful social plates, located inside iPic Theaters.
Premiering soon is SumoMaya Mexican-Asian Kitchen, serving a fusion of tapas-style small plates that incorporate the big, bold flavors of Latin America and the Far East in a vibrant setting.
Many of the restaurants also provide romantic private dining for two or festive group dining, customized experiences, and events for visitors and MICE groups.
Out of area visitors to River Oaks District are eligible to receive a Global Access Card, which entitles the visitor to special offers, amenities and experiences offered by participating retailers and restaurants. Luxe experiences include complimentary champagne, hotel package delivery, hotel room fittings, alterations, beauty consultations and personal stylist sessions. In addition, for same day purchases over $500, visitors receive two complimentary tickets to The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
River Oaks District boasts a full-time dedicated concierge team that can provide every perk to elevate your experience, from making reservations and arranging car service to delivering packages to hotels and more?. They can be emailed online via the River Oaks District website or reached at 713-904-1310.
To view a complete listing of all shops, dining and entertainment, visit riveroaksdistrict.com. The site features a complete listing of store and restaurant information, in addition to a schedule of upcoming events. Followers can also keep up with the latest news and announcements via Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
River Oaks District is a curated collection of more than 50 luxury and best-in-class retail, dining, entertainment and living amenities set in a sophisticated open-air environment. From world-class brands with iconic storefronts to upscale restaurants and luxury entertainment, River Oaks District is a shopping and dining destination like none other. Set within walkable, tree-lined city streets with lush landscaping, the District evokes great worldwide shopping cities such as San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles, while remaining authentic to its Texas roots. Visit riveroaksdistrict.com for more information.


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CAMS primarily services the Northern California commercial market. Our clients include
- Office buildings
- Hospitals and medical
- Municipal, county and federal
- Retail
- Industrial
- Manufacturing
- Universities
- Museums
- Marine
We also have the ability to service out-of-town projects in Southern California and the other Western states.
Whether you're a single business storefront, a nationwide chain or a large corporation, we have a cost-effective solution for all your HVAC needs.


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Week of 9/11/2012
I'm excited to announce the kick-off of my weekly blog & newsletter !! Each week, I bring you recipes & info around a theme – should be fun !!
This week, to celebrate Grandparent's day (which was Sept. 9)….I have many recipes that will have you sharing both memories and delicious comfort food with your family !!
I recently lost both my grandparents from my mom side (only my dad's dad is left) and so I always try to keep their memories alive…. I thought I would share a few memories about my family : )
My family is VERY important to me.…and I love the foods that my Grandma make for me when I was growing up. Actually, at the age of 5, I accidentally set my grandma on fire – OOPS !! Maybe because I had my first glass of wine at age 5 too : ) My mom and dad (and most of my family) hoped I was going to become a Vet doctor – how wrong were they ?? In the 3rd grade I had braces and punched a kid that make fun of me….I got suspended & got my braces off all within 3 days.
When I was 8, I met the Pope with my Grandpa and told him "Nice hat dude".…I clearly was a rebel child. Then in my 5th year of elementary school, my music teacher pulled me aside during a performance & asked me to don't actually blow into the instrument…good thing I'm not a musician ; ) I guess it was all for the best because I LOVE being a Chef and being able to share my family memories with you all !!
I hope you enjoy these recipes to now share with your family : )
You can find them on my Twitter @fabioviviani AND my Pinterest:http://pinterest.com/fabioviviani/ each day of the week….. Ciao !!


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The 2016-2020 Strategic PlanTable of Contents List of Acronyms and Abbreviations President's Message Executive Summary Background CHAPTER I Overview
- Institutional Context
- Premise and Process for 2016-2020 Strategic Plan
- SWOT Analysis
- Vision, Mission, Values and Governing Principles
- Major Initiatives and Priorities
- Developing the First Long-Term Master Plan
- Mobilizing Resources for the New Campus
- Developing a Long-Term Financing Framework
- Pursuing NEASC Accreditation
- From Vision to Action – Implementing the Plan
- Two Enablers for Successful Implementation
- Process Owners and Task Assignment
- Prioritization and Timeline
- Measuring, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting
- Monitoring and Evaluation Framework
The 2016-2020 Strategic Plan – Background
The International University of Grand-Bassam (IUGB) emerged from an educational partnership (Project Link) between the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire and Georgia State University (GSU). Today, IUGB has fruitful partnerships with the following US universities: the University of Houston, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of Minnesota at Mankato and the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. We are looking forward to implementing more partnerships with other universities in the U.S., as well as in Africa and the rest of the world.
IUGB opened in January 2005 and was formally established as an accredited university in Côte d'Ivoire by Presidential Decree 2007-477 dated May 16, 2007. Article 3 of the decree charges IUGB with: (1) Capacity building and the promotion of excellence throughout the region; (2) Offering degrees at the bachelor's, master's, and doctorate levels; (3) Following the American model with English as the main teaching language; (4) Opening the West African region to the world's most well-trained experts; (5) Integrating and opening Côte d'Ivoire to the rest of the world; and (6) Diversification of the Ivorian culture. The University is an independently governed higher education institution organized under the laws of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire as a not-for-profit international organization.
IUGB's academic programs are delivered through two schools. The School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) offers degrees in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Mechanical Engineering Technology. The School is also preparing to offer specializations in Biotechnology, Geology and Geophysics as well as Environmental Science. The School of Business and Social Sciences (BSS) offers degrees in Business Administration, Computer Information Systems and Political Science.
In addition to these two schools, the University offers English-language courses and study skills through its University Preparatory Program (UPP). The Center for Continuing Education (CCE) provides professional development instruction and English-language courses for professionals as well as for students.
The IUGB Foundation, a US based non-profit, tax exempt organization based in Atlanta, Georgia was formally launched in on October 8, 2014. Since then, the foundation has raised nearly $200,000 for scholarships for students to attend IUGB.
Currently, IUGB enrollment stands at 664 students from 18 countries. By the end of 2015, more than 1,300 students had attended IUGB, many of whom transferred to US and other institutions and completed Bachelor's and/or Master's Degrees. In July 2015, IUGB held its first commencement ceremony, awarding Bachelor's degrees to four students who completed their academic programs at IUGB. In 2016, six more students graduated with bachelor's degrees from IUGB.


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The Motorsport Marketplace
We offer distinctively designed automotive posters, prints, publications, apparel and more.
What's more, we're brought to you by the same people behind the fine art gallery, Unique & Limited – which is why every single product we offer is of the very highest quality, with unrivalled attention to detail, and cutting-edge design.
It's also why everything is bespoke; carefully considered from conception to completion, and part of a limited edition.
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Campaigners have marked the second anniversary of the smoking ban in Scotland by calling for more action to stop youngsters taking up the habit.
ASH Scotland released figures suggesting more than eight out of ten Scots supported the ban.
The group wants retailers to have to apply for a licence, which could be taken away if they are caught selling to underage youngsters.
Scotland banned smoking in enclosed public spaces on 26 March 2006.
ASH Scotland chief executive Sheila Duffy hailed the legislation as a "great success".
But she added: "The next big challenge is to stop a new generation getting hooked on tobacco."
She said government figures show that every year, 15,000 13-24 year olds start smoking in Scotland.
The organisation said that between 2005 and 2006, only two retailers were fined for selling cigarettes to children and the penalties were both less than £200.
Ms Duffy said "ASH Scotland is calling on the government to take the next big step to improve the health of our young people."
What are these?
Most Popular Now | 56,514 people are reading stories on the site right now.";


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Hot on the heels of the series of lead paint-related recalls this summer, is something way out of left field. Aquadots/Bindeez have been recalled by the CPSC, and here in Canada Toys R' Us has followed suit. They are still for sale though, and although they have not been formally recalled, the federal government is looking at totally overhauling its toy safety protocols.
The last few month have made me wonder if I shouldn't go into business making wooden toys. My dad made Curious Boy some giant blocks out of untreated cedar - I bet those would be a hit.
As a chemist, this particular toy recall is very interesting. I'm still trying to find out what the compound in the product is.


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The State of Community Management 2014 from The Community Roundtable Thanks to Natalie for sharing.
best practice
Customer Service: Why Is It So Hard?
About 13 per cent of dissatisfied customers tell more than 20 people. Source: White House Office of Consumer Affairs, Washington, DC) Customer service is still not at the heart of every consumer business and it's something I just can not understand. There are many excuses, from the ground up – it's too difficult to get the […]
Darcie Life, people, review, social media 0 behaviour, best practice, brands, CRM, customer service, feedback, product support, reviews, service
Twitter lists best practice
Lists. I love lists. I love lists and I love Twitter. What this means is that, you guessed it – I love Twitter Lists. There are a few types of lists. The kind where you write down what you want to achieve and then have the amazingly simple satisfaction of 'marking one off' once you've […]
Darcie social media 0 best practice, How To, lists, orgainise, organize, twitter
Tweet sweet: Twitter best practice
Best practice how to's and why's for using Twitter as a person, orgainisation or as the face of a company.
Darcie social media 13 best practice, guidelines, social media, tips, twitter


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Maximum Volume - A Loaded Rock Rec
1 March, 2012
Time to ring in a new month - with a blast of pure, unadulterated rock action. Here is a heaping helping of garage rock joy, with a side of maddening exhilaration.
Jeffery Drag Records – Now, I know – the proper exposé for a record label should include a handful of full album reviews, and not this brief on a teaser. Yet the JDR Winter Mixtape that was released back in December is still making its rounds on the airwaves, and crystallizes quite definitively what Jeffery Drag's all about.
So, what's in the mix? It's loud, proud, 60s-inspired garage rock, baby, starting with the rambunctious "Mama Said" from Bad Cop. It's a fairly accurate indicator what awaits the listener – also Ghost Dance's "Nasty Nuevo" shortly blows the roof off that 60s veneer with scorching lo-fi madness. It's complemented perfectly by the sinister "Cool" by Talk Box Rodeo, which also blasts into the stratosphere with its dirty, dirty riff.
The talk of the town, though – and, inevitably, one of my favorites – is certainly Useless Eaters' "Addicted To The Blade", an infectiously rockin' track with echoey vocals and fabulously retro guitar tones. Furthermore, about half of the song is one glorious solo. Sweeeeet, right?
You might presume, then, from the first four tracks that the rest would be as riotous, but not quite. Elsewhere on the mixtape, Promised Land's "F*** Cancer" evokes a more folk-tinged sound, reminiscent of Crosby, Stills, and Nash's more electric numbers. It's a warm, mellow tune that's still rock solid. Another cool outlier is Magic Milk's "Coconut Dreams", which chugs on like an acid-infused fusion of garage rock and krautrock; after that, "Psychic Pain" is a lovely, hook-crossed number that channels a touch of the Animals. "Boom Boom" and "Bodysnatchers, Pt. II", however, round out the album with golden garage rock (the former evoking the Animals even more with a retro organ line).
In short, anyone who pines for the carefree and joyous rock of the 60s should download this mixtape. After all, it's completely free on Jeffery Drag Record's Bandcamp page.
Future of the Left – Explosive, punchy rock from Cardiff; boisterous, brazen, and highly addictive. Their last album from June, The Plot Against Common Sense, runs the gamut of rock's edgier side, ranging from the ridiculously ballsy "Sheena Is A T-Shirt Salesman", to the quirky "Cosmo's Ladder", to the rather pleasantly pop-suited "Goals In Slow Motion". Though not exactly a punk band, Future of the Left maintain the irreverence and anarchic attitude of the best of 'em throughout the album, ensuring a most entertaining listen. One noteworthy exception, though, to Future of the Left's gun-blazing style is the somewhat more cerebral "The City of Exploding Children", which traipses about with a chorus sung in rounds.
The richest lyrics – glorious as most of them are – are in "Sorry Dad, I Was Late For The Riots", an irony-laden track contrasting the rebellious punks of yesteryear with today's apathetic youth. Ambitious, perhaps. But my favorite track boasts the most ludicrous and hilarious lyrics on the album, "Robocop 4: Fuck Off Robocop", a blistering satire on Hollywood's tiresome tendency to make one too many sequels. ("If Michael Bay wants a bigger house, let's help him!")
Like most well-crafted albums, The Plot ends on its strongest note – Future of the Left soars to astral awesomeness on the closer "Notes On Achieving Orbit". The chorus is MASSIVE – and be sure to stick around for the little Cramps-esque hidden track at the end!
The whole album is available to stream through this Spin article; once you're sold, pop over to their shop to buy the CD for £10.
Nuclear Aminals – We return to the garage for our last feature – but not the same garage from JDR. Oh, no. Nuclear Aminals (and yes, I'm spelling that correctly) play a woozier, more bitter form of lo-fi rock, melding 60s aesthetics with 90s grunge. Their latest release from November, Start From An End, is a fairly homogenous record, but none the worse for its consistently on-par tunes. "Comeuppance" is a definite highlight, though, with its prowling bass, faint organ lines creeping from above, and a smashing, Nirvana-esque conclusion. The title track, too, is not one to miss, with its dirty, mammoth riffs, or "Red Rag", a broody track brightened by glorious surf guitar solos.
For a mind-numbingly good time, blast this album from your computer off of Nuclear Aminals' Bandcamp page. From there, of course, you can also purchase the digital release for $10.
For a mind-numbingly good time, blast this album from your computer off of Nuclear Aminals' Bandcamp page. From there, of course, you can also purchase the digital release for $10.


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Passsword: www.nvsoftwares.com


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In the two years that followed the release of Passive Me Aggressive You, The Naked and Famous have been a standard in my routine. Unquestionably, this album helped us survive the move to Seattle, and the subsequent months here. There hasn't been a week in which I didn't listen to that album from beginning to end. If nothing else, I was glad that they released a new album to supplement my collection of their music.
In Rolling Waves features a steady pace, marked by grand swells and lush crescendos, fitting to its name. It lacks the bass-heavy rhythms of the prior album, which gave it a modern, new-wave ambiance. Instead, this release relishes more in the subtleties possible in electronic synth-pop. Stand out tracks include the first single, "Hearts like ours," "I Kill Giants," and "We are Leaving." The album's closing track, "A Small Reunion," is a sentimental piece, incorporating strings and a somber motif. This track resorts to a number of archetypes, particularly as a final offering, but it does so in a deeply moving fashion, befitting the subject matter.
Admittedly, this album didn't keep my attention on the first run through. It lacked the dance rhythms and vocal intensity of its predecessor, but it has a lot of heart, and it still has the amazing musical quality that made PMAY a fun listen – it has simply been redirected. The result is an album that is, perhaps, less fun, but more fulfilling. It functions less as an in-ear party, and more of an experience for your whole being. Don't rush your enjoyment of the album, let it come to you, perhaps in waves of some sort.


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Partisan D.C.: Obama's broken promise
Candidate Barack Obama promised to transcend Washington partisanship.
President Obama plummeted into it.
Story Continued Below
As the House returns Tuesday for the final session of his first term, Obama's failure to fulfill this central claim of his 2008 campaign has never been more glaringly obvious.
The hard truth is that Washington next year will look indistinguishable from the one Obama warned against during his election-night victory speech, when he called on Republicans and Democrats to "resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long."
His relationship with Republican lawmakers is broken, the victim of grand expectations and hardball political tactics, irreconcilable policy differences and perceived personal snubs.
Obama's early promises to invite lawmakers to the White House for weekly cocktails and congressional leaders for monthly meetings sound oddly quaint. His days of personally courting rank-and-file Republicans for votes are long gone. The broad majorities that senior Obama aides once predicted for major legislation never materialized.
The degree of dysfunction may not matter much through November, but it will in a second term if Obama wants to build on a legacy that hasn't racked up a major legislative achievement since his first two years in office. At that point, Obama may very well find himself with a more Republican Congress than the one he struggles with now.
"I don't see anything changing," said Jim Manley, a former top aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and senior director at Quinn Gillespie & Associates, a lobbying firm. "Long term for the president, it is going to be very tough going. It is going to be very difficult to operate on Capitol Hill in the next couple of years because the legislative process has all but broken down. And anyone who thinks that the elections are going to change everything needs to get their head examined."
Obama issued the divorce papers to Congress this month when, in an unprecedented institutional snub, he unilaterally installed a new consumer watchdog and new appointees to the National Labor Relations Board over the objections of Senate Republicans. Obama already had decided to lash Congress from the campaign trail for the next year, and his aides made clear that the president has essentially given up on wringing any major legislation out of the place until after the election.
To his senior aides, the president had no other choice. To Hill Democrats, the breakup was painfully overdue after Republicans spent three years blocking much of what Obama put forward — even when they had supported the proposals in the past, even when he infuriated Democrats in pursuit of their votes — as part of a strategy of near-uniform opposition.


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Staying Put
by Leland Windreich
Published on CriticalDance.com
August 2003
Not too many years ago, the promising, ambitious dancer trained in the schools of America's regional ballet troupes had little choice but to move to New York for the challenges that only a mainstream ballet company could provide. American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and the Joffrey Ballet were the prime targets, and while employment was possible for many, only a few made it to the top. As the companies in the major American cities grew to become civic establishments, each flourishing with a rich and unique artistic product, the tide suddenly turned. Dancers began to desert the big three companies, looking for the opportunities of a more versatile repertoire and a chance to perform major roles in the ballet classics maintained locally. Thus, companies in San Francisco, Seattle, Houston and Boston became the lures for many dancers who had begun their careers in major troupes, both in America and abroad.
In the last two decades a new breed of ballerina has been developed in the regional schools, a wholly home-grown artist who has flourished in a constantly nurturing environment. For Lauren Anderson in Houston, Patricia Barker in Seattle, and the recently retired Evelyn Cisneros in San Francisco, no mainstream organization could have provided them with the repertoire and artistic challenges that they have enjoyed in their own home theatres.
Ms. Barker was particularly lucky. Starting her training in Kennewick, Washington, she was advised by her teacher, a former soloist with the Boston Ballet, to continue her education in the East. There she studied at the Boston Ballet's school for a year and took additional classes in various studios in Manhattan. But her training in a highly competitive environment and the harshness of big city life threatened the focus and structure she required to advance. She returned to Seattle, not defeated but determined to succeed on her own terms in a setting that could offer her the proper direction.
She continued her training at Pacific Northwest Ballet School and eventually became a Company apprentice. Her appointment as a regular member quickly followed. Ms. Barker's first role of significance was the Rose in Lew Christensen's version of The Nutcracker. As a member of the corps de ballet, she had a constant supply of splendid role-models in the principal dancers appearing with PNB--some staying only a few years and others performing until their retirement. Because of the demise of the touring companies, inspiration came not from fleeting impressions of celebrated visitors passing through the community, but from long-term, intimate exposure to the gifts of PNB resident artists. For the young Patricia Barker, perfection of the craft of dancing became an ongoing objective, with artistry achieved by observation and osmosis.
Ms. Barker's exposure to a spectrum of dance styles started almost immediately and continues to this day, affording her the chance to sample nearly 150 years of ballet expression. From the light, bouncy approach of the Bournonville Danish style, derived from the 19 th century French modes, to the lunge and thrust of the hard-edged, caustic ballets of William Forsythe, the range contains all the traditional and experimental manifestations of ballet popular in the 20 th century. In developing an eclectic repertoire for their company, directors Kent Stowell and Francia Russell have tapped many sources. As a result, Ms. Barker has had the opportunity to work with the world's major choreographers and their disciples.
From her earliest professional days, and as a result of Russell's particular affinity to the ballets of George Balanchine, Ms. Barker has emerged as one of the most sensitive living interpreters of his choreography. She now has 22 of his works in her resume. Equally at home in such dramatic creations as The Prodigal Son and A Midsummer Night's Dream, she tackles the sassy wit of Western Symphony and Stars and Stripes , and the taut, stringent figures of his Concerto Barocco, Agon , and Stravinsky Violin Concerto with a canny affinity to their purposes. She is currently unsurpassed in the embodiment of elegance required by Ballet Imperial, Divertimento No.15 and Theme and Variations.
She has served as a muse to Kent Stowell for nearly two decades. Early in her career he began making ballets to complement her emerging gifts. As her career moved forward, taking her into the roster of soloist and ultimately principal dancer, he devised more ambitious and challenging creations. Their relationship is symbiotic, and the growth of their individual creative powers has advanced in a parallel progression. Barker's wealth of talent has inspired Stowell to create new ballets of refinement and skill.
Staying put in Seattle has not restricted her accomplishments elsewhere. On tour with PNB to other American cities, she invariably becomes a press and an audience favorite. Critical response abroad abounds in high praise. Audiences in Melbourne, Edinburgh, London, Istanbul, Montreal, Hong Kong, Prague and Copenhagen have extolled her gifts, many citing her as one of the greatest living ballerinas. Starring in the 1986 commercially produced film of the Stowell/Sendak Nutcracker and appearing as Titania in the B.B.C. television production of George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream, she continues to reach and enchant audiences all over the world.
Barker's triumphant debut in Petipa's The Sleeping Beauty last year found her at the pinnacle of her career. Not only did she meet all the demanding technical challenges of the story-length ballet, but she conveyed a profound appreciation of the English style of classical dancing, passed on to her by Ronald Hynd and Annette Page in their staging for PNB. A few months later she demonstrated a mastery of the sassy, aggressive attack required for Hans van Manen's florid Five Tangos. Even in roles requiring fewer technical investments she is able to find new facets of expression and a fresh coloring in her assignments--capabilities common only to the mature artist.
Much of Ms. Barker's success is surely due to the stabilty of having a home in Seattle, a caring husband, and a safe and secure base for operation. As a "stay-at-home ballerina," she has no reason to believe that she might have had a livelier or more rewarding career anywhere else in the world.
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text:
McDonnell, unlike Obama, opposes mosque at Ground Zero
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, joining others across the country, said Monday that he opposes the construction of an Islamic complex near New York's Ground Zero.
His comments came in response to a question at a news conference at the state Capitol, days after President Obama told guests at a White House dinner that opposing the project is at odds with American values.
"I strongly believe in religious liberty. It's a tenet of America democracy,'' McDonnell said. "I also believe it is an issue for people of New York to decide. If it were my decision, I would not put that center there. It is a site where nearly 3,000 people lost their lives and I certainly would not locate that center there if I had a voice."
The proposal calls for the Islamic center, formally known as the Cordoba House, to rise 13 stories on land two blocks from the World Trade Center site. The nonprofit bought the property last year for $4 million and plans to spend $100 million on the complex.
Polls suggest that most Americans agree with McDonnell's position; a recent CNN poll found 68 percent opposed to building a mosque near the Sept. 11 site.
Some prominent Republicans joined families of those killed on Sept. 11 in opposing the mosque, saying it would inappropriately celebrate the religion that al-Qaeda leaders say inspired the terrorist attacks.
But Obama said that blocking the mosque would undermine the country's claim to respect the free practice of religious expression. The next day he said Muslims have the right to build the mosque but that doesn't mean he believes it is the right thing for them to do.
Anita Kumar
August 16, 2010; 4:53 PM ET
Categories: Anita Kumar , Barack Obama , Robert F. McDonnell , Sarah Palin
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Look, this "Islamic" center is a joke. Of all places in New York, why AT THAT EXACT SPOT?? It's very simple. To stick it in our faces! These Muslims feel that if they can flip us the bird by building this so called museum of peace across from a place they destroyed, they can get away with anything. These Muslims are using our own niceness against us, and the dumb liberals are falling for it as always! Besides, this Imam who's building this mosque does not denounce Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorists organizations. He's Pro-Sharia Law. He calls America an accomplice to 9/11!! After all that, he outright refuses to disclose where he's getting the money to build the site!! Where does this man get his balls?? How does this attitude "build" ties with the west???
Barack Obama suckered America back in 2008 and now this Imam is suckering us in 2010! It's time for America to stop getting suckered by a bunch of Muslim loving, terrorist enabling liars!
Posted by: emmitfitzhume | August 16, 2010 5:24 PM | Report abuse
I would like to thank President Obama for his courageous stand to protect Americans right and Liberty to practice their believe in the face of the HATEFUL comments against Muslims.
These Hateful comments are evident on FOX news and its friends.
President Obama, yes, this is how a President should run this great country.
Posted by: All-People-Made-Equal | August 16, 2010 5:45 PM | Report abuse
I bet he wouldn't have any problem putting a Baptist Church there, though.
Posted by: Anglo_Rider | August 16, 2010 6:22 PM | Report abuse
Dear Emmitfitzhume,
You my friend have much in common with the Islamic extremists that you hate so much, and your generalization of "muslim loving, terrorist enabling liars" proves how little you know about liberals, world history or really much of anything. America created and armed Al Quaida, these terrorists use religion as a mask for political and economic gains. Therefore Muslim does not equal terrorism. Your beef isn't with Islam but the terrorist that pervert it. Although I do believe that it would be best not to build the Mosque at that site and understand where the 9/ll victims come from, I will not agree with institutionalized religious persecution. Your obvious hatred of muslims aligns you and ties you to the terrorists, I hope you realize that. I would rather die than live in a country that condones persecution, and disallowing them to build there will do that very thing no matter what our personal feelings are. Once you start to pick and choose what you follow in the constitution that is when the America we all love is destroyed. America was set up on the principle that all people are welcome, Not just white christian males.
Posted by: jkrobe | August 16, 2010 6:49 PM | Report abuse
Last year I visited a mosque in France. It
was open to those who were curious. You could only go inside the door. Prayer was
done in separate rooms -- men in one, women in another. Remove shoes. This mosque in
New York will not be visited by anyone except Muslims. As for the pool, etc. How will that be handled. I am sure they do not bathe together. And, must women be covered on their heads and wear body coverings. Just curious. Anybody know?
Posted by: Naoma | August 16, 2010 7:00 PM | Report abuse
How far away from "ground zero" does a Muslim mosque have to be to no longer be considered "at the site"? The building in question is 2 1/2 blocks away, a couple of doors down from a strip joint, coincidentally. (No one's yelling about that being disrespectful!) Folks in Kentucky are protesting a mosque being built in that state. Is that not far enough away?
This is merely an opportunity for bigots to express their views comfortably in the presence of so many of their own kind.
Posted by: flameworker321 | August 16, 2010 7:40 PM | Report abuse
Baptist's didn't kill 3,000 people there, either.
Posted by: ladera | August 16, 2010 8:58 PM | Report abuse
McDonnell's not saying, "Let's rally to stop this thing!" He's saying, "Yeah, I wouldn't put it there, but we have religious freedom in this country, and it's not my decision as a Virginian anyways." His position is fairly close to Obama's.
Posted by: Simon23p | August 16, 2010 8:58 PM | Report abuse
Considering the grief that America suffered at the hands of muslim extremists nearly 9 years ago, I would have to say that this building of a mosque so close to where so many lives were lost is a definite and deliberate slap in the face to those who lost loved ones and those who lived through this horrific event! I myself grieved like I have never grieved before, and I will certainly NOT FORGET 9/11! America, we need to take back our country and stand up for what we know and believe our country was built on!!! May God have pity on us and continue to bless us!!
Posted by: jomartin1220 | August 16, 2010 9:48 PM | Report abuse
so should we burn down all the churchs in Israel because of the crusades?
Should we burn down all the churchs in Spain because of the Spanish inquisition?
Should we burn down all the churchs in America because of the missionaries who handed out small pox infected blankets to the native Americans?
Should we burn down all the churchs in Europe because of the Vatican going along with Hitlers Genocide against Jews, Gypsies, Gays and others?
Christianity is directly responsible for millions and millions of deaths.
Al Quaida would have to crash a thousand planes a day for the next 10 years to come close to the carnage and misery created by "Christians".
Posted by: MarilynManson | August 17, 2010 1:59 PM | Report abuse
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text:
- Research
- Open Access
Clinical and psychological correlates of health-related quality of life in obese patients
- Edoardo Mannucci†1,
- Maria L Petroni†2,
- Nicola Villanova3,
- Carlo M Rotella4,
- Giovanni Apolone5,
- Giulio Marchesini3Email author and
- the QUOVADIS Study Group
© Mannucci et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2010
- Received: 11 January 2010
- Accepted: 23 August 2010
- Published: 23 August 2010
Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is poor in obese subjects and is a relevant outcome in intervention studies. We aimed to determine factors associated with poor HRQL in obese patients seeking weight loss in medical units, outside specific research projects.
HRQL, together with a number of demographic and clinical parameters, was studied with generic (SF-36, PGWB) and disease-specific (ORWELL-97) questionnaires in an unselected sample of 1,886 (1,494 women; 392 men) obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2) patients aged 20-65 years attending 25 medical units scattered throughout Italy. The clinics provide weight loss treatment using different programs. General psychopathology (SCL-90 questionnaire), the presence of binge eating (Binge Eating scale), previous weight cycling and somatic comorbidity (Charlson's index) were also determined. Scores on SF-36 and PGWB were compared with Italian population norms, and their association with putative determinants of HRQL after adjustment for confounders was assessed through logistic regression analysis.
HRQL scores were significantly lower in women than in men. A greater impairment of quality of life was observed in relation to increasing BMI class, concurrent psychopathology, associated somatic diseases, binge eating, and weight cycling. In multivariate analysis, psychopathology (presence of previously-diagnosed mental disorders and/or elevated scores on SCL-90) was associated with lower HRQL scores on both psychosocial and somatic domains; somatic diseases and higher BMI, after adjustment for confounders, were associated with impairment of physical domains, while binge eating and weight cycling appeared to affect psychosocial domains only.
Psychopathological disturbances are the most relevant factors associated with poor HRQL in obese patients, affecting not only psychosocial, but also physical domains, largely independent of the severity of obesity. Psychological/psychiatric interventions are essential for a comprehensive treatment of obesity, and to improve treatment outcome and to reduce the burden of disease.
- Binge Eating
- Binge Eating Disorder
- Physical Domain
- Global Severity Index
- Somatic Disease
Obesity is associated with impairment of health-related quality of life (HRQL) in psychological, social, and physical domains [1, 2]. Improvement of HRQL is recognised as a relevant measure of treatment outcome in obese patients, both in medically- [3, 4] and surgically-treated cases [1, 2]. The specific HRQL concepts that relate to obesity are not clearly defined, although several aspects of patients' lives are relevant to obesity [3, 4]. Factors reported to be associated with greater impairment of quality of life among treatment seeking obese patients include female sex [5, 6], higher body mass index [7, 8], binge eating disorder [9, 10] and psychopathology [9]. They are often associated in the same individuals. For this reason, the assessment of the relative contribution of each condition to HRQL can only be attempted with a large sample size. In particular, the relative role of somatic diseases, psychological distress and previous unsuccessful dieting has never been clearly defined. A few studies found that psychological distress is also affecting physical domains to a greater extent than somatic disorders [9]. A correct identification of factors associated with poor HRQL is essential to develop strategies to improve outcome in these patients, and the association of poor HRQL with depressive symptoms is the rationale for intensive psychological support [11].
The QUOVADIS Study [12] is a multicenter, collaborative survey designed to assess determinants of quality of life in treatment-seeking obese patients. The survey collected a lot of patient-reported data, including those more frequently associated with poor HRQL [3], in a large sample of obese subjects seeking weight-reducing programs in 25 medical Italian hospital-based clinics for the treatment of obesity. Thus, the QUOVADIS database provides a unique opportunity to investigate the factors associated with poor HRQL, to be used as a guide for treatment outcome [13].
We aimed to identify the factors associated with poor HRQL in obese subjects, with special reference to the possible role of psychological distress and psychiatric comorbidity which might make psychological support essential to improve treatment outcome.
Sample and methods
Participating subjects with obesity
The philosophy of the QUOVADIS study and the general characteristics of the population have been partly published in a previous report [12]. Briefly, the study enrolled a representative sample of patients attending 25 hospital-based clinics for weight loss throughout the country. The centers were both outpatient and inpatient specialized obesity clinics, providing multidisciplinary programs for weight loss. The subjects were consecutively enrolled to exclude selection bias. At enrolment, they were interviewed as to weight history, previous somatic and mental diseases, hospital admission during the previous year, self-evaluation of physical activity and eating pattern, and completed a set of self-administered questionnaires. In addition, they were submitted to routine blood tests, but these data were not used in the present report, specifically based on self-awareness of previous disorders. We report an analysis based on 1886 subjects whose complete data on the Case Report Form and on questionnaires were available.
The weight history was checked according to a pre-defined structured interview [14]. Patients' answers were used to compute the total number of dieting programs, and the total weight loss induced by dieting programs. The number of dieting attempts was normalized for the time since first dieting; all other parameters of diet history were normalized for time since age 20.
To facilitate handling of data, the Case Report Forms were implemented in an extranet database provided by CINECA (Casalecchio di Reno, Italy), an Interuniversity Consortium of 15 Italian Universities, using the AMR (Advanced Multicenter Research) methodology, which allows the management of the whole research using standard web-browsers.
All subjects signed an informed consent to take part in the study, which was approved by the ethical committees of the individual centers, after approval by the committee of the coordinating center (University of Bologna)
Quality of life was measured using 3 different tools. The Obesity-Related Well-Being questionnaire (ORWELL-97), an obesity-specific tool, was used with the specific aim to collect data useful in a longitudinal evaluation of HRQL following treatment [15]. It measures the intensity and the subjective relevance of physical and psychological distress generated by overweight.
A score in the ORWELL-97 questionnaire ≥ 70, corresponding to the 75° percentile of the population, was considered indicative of a clinically significant burden of obesity on HRQL.
The Medical Outcome Survey Short-Form 36 (SF-36) was used as a generic measure of HRQL, with the specific aim to measure the extent of the defect in HRQL in both physical and mental domains [16]. The questionnaire is specifically constructed to measure the full range of health status and well-being by means of 36 multiple-choice questions. It measures 8 different domains, 4 in the area of physical health (Physical Functioning, Role Limitation-Physical, Bodily Pain, General Health) and 4 in the area of mental health (Role Limitation-Emotional, Vitality, Mental Health, and Social Functioning). It has been extensively validated worldwide and Italian normative values have been defined [17].
The Psychological General Well-Being (PGWB) questionnaire was used to score psychological distress [18]. The responses to 22 questions are arranged in 6 affective states: anxiety, depressed mood, positive well-being self-control, general health and vitality. The Italian version of the questionnaire has been recently validated and normative values are available to compare the results with population standards [19].
For both SF-36 and PGWB, the values of individual domains of each patient were compared to the age- and sex-matched Italian population norms [17, 19] using the Z-score (difference between patient value and control mean, divided by control standard deviation). According to Cohen [20], the average Z-scores (effect sizes) were rated as small (between 0.20 and 0.50), as moderate (between 0.50 and 0.80) or as large (> 0.80). This proposal is supported by clinical studies [21].
The Binge Eating Scale was used to detect binging [22]; values in the range 17-26 were considered suspect of binge eating, whereas values ≥ 27 were taken as predictive of Binge Eating Disorder. This classification was used to score binge eating on a scale from 0 (< 17) to 2 (≥ 27).
The Symptom Check List-90 questionnaire was used to identify subjects with a psychopathological profile [23]. A value ≥ 1 in the Global Severity Index (GSI) is suggestive of psychopathology, scored as mild (1.00 - 1.49), moderate (1.50 - 1.99), or severe (≥ 2.00). These results of SCL-90 were combined with clinical data to score the presence of mental disorder on a scale from 0 to 5. A previous diagnosis of psychopathological problems was valued 2 points, GSI values in the range 1.00-1.49 (mild distress) were given a score of 1, values between 1.50 and 1.99 (moderate distress) were given a score of 2, values ≥ 2.00 (severe distress) were given a score of 3.
The presence of somatic diseases was used to calculate a composite score, according to Charlson et al [24], with modifications. For this purpose, one point was added for the reported presence of any of the following states: diabetes, hypertension, other endocrine disorders, liver or biliary disease, hip or knee pain. The presence of cardiovascular disease (any condition, including angina, previous myocardial infarction or stroke, peripheral or carotid vascular disease) and a previous diagnosis of cancer were given 2 points.
Weight history was defined at interview on the basis of body weight at the age of 20 years, age at first dieting and the number of times patients had lost weight as an effect of dietary programs, and scored according to previously-published cut-offs [14]. One point was assigned for any value exceeding the 75° percentile in 3 items reflecting weight history: a) number of dieting attempts (cut-off, 0.56/year); b) weight gain since age 20 years (cut-off, 1.87 kg/year); c) cumulative weight loss (cut-off, 2.63 kg/year).
Statistical analysis
A first descriptive analysis was carried out on all tested variables. Scores of HRQL (and their relative Z-scores) were grouped according to sex, age, clinical status, complications of disease and eating behavior disorders, and the means and 95% confidence intervals for each patient group and for each domain were calculated.
Differences between obese classes were tested using unpaired t test or Mann-Whitney or Kruskall-Wallis test, due to non-gaussian distribution of data, as appropriate. Differences in the prevalence of categorical data were tested by R × C χ2 test.
Multivariate logistic regression analyses were run using dichotomized Z-scores on individual domains of SF-36 and PGWB as dependent variables. The cut-off value vas set at -1.0, but a sensitivity analysis, using the cut-offs of -0.5 and -1.5 was also performed, and the results were qualitatively confirmed (not reported in details). In the ORWELL-97 model, the dependent variable was an ORWELL score >70. Independent variables were BMI classes, the scores of somatic and mental diseases, the BES grade, and the score of weight history. All models were adjusted for age, gender and BMI.
The Variance Inflation Factor was calculated to assess correlation between independent variables and to exclude multicolinearity.
Clinical and psychological characteristics of the study sample
Prevalence of physical problems, as reported by patients entering a weight-reducing program. (prevalence and 95% CI)
Clinical data
Class I Obesity
BMI, 30-34.9 kg/m2
n = 723
Class II Obesity
BMI, 35-39.9 kg/m2
n = 529
Class III Obesity
BMI, ≥40 kg/m2
n = 634
5.5 (4.0 - 7.4)
8.2 (6.1 - 10.8)
14.4 (11.8 - 17.3)
< 0.001
25.9 (22.8 - 29.2)
38.6 (34.4 - 42.7)
46.9 (43.0 - 50.7)
< 0.001
24.0 (21.0 - 27.2)
22.5 (19.0 - 26.1)
21.4 (18.3 - 24.6)
Coronary heart disease
2.2 (1.3 - 3.5)
3.2 (1.9 - 4.9)
2.5 (1.5 - 4.0)
Myocardial infarction
1.5 (0.8 - 2.6)
1.3 (0.6 - 2.6)
1.3 (0.6 - 2.4)
Peripheral vascular dis.
0.0 (0.0 - 0.4)
0.9 (0.3 - 2.0)
0.2 (0.0 - 0.8)
10.3 (8.3 - 12.7)
13.3 (10.6 - 16.3)
18.0 (15.2 - 21.1)
< 0.001
6.6 (5.0 - 8.6)
8.1 (6.0 - 10.6)
11.6 (9.3 - 14.3)
Hip pain
27.5 (24.3 - 30.7)
30.7 (26.9 - 34.6)
35.0 (31.3 - 38.7)
Knee pain
35.9 (32.4 - 39.4)
38.4 (34.3 - 42.5)
47.9 (44.0 - 51.8)
< 0.001
Other endocrine diseases
14.1 (11.7 - 16.7)
17.4 (14.3 - 20.8)
15.5 (12.8 - 18.5)
Previous cancer
7.2 (5.5 - 9.2)
8.6 (6.5 - 11.2)
5.7 (4.1 - 7.7)
Psychological distress
17.2 (14.6 - 20.1)
18.3 (15.2 - 21.8)
19.0 (16.1 - 22.2)
Weight history, scores on the Binge Eating Scale and Symptom CheckList-90 by obesity classes.
Class I Obesity†
n = 723
Class II Obesity
n = 529
Class III Obesity
n = 634
Weight history variables
BMI at age 20 (kg/m2)
23.8 ± 3.4
25.7 ± 4.6
28.3 ± 6.1
< 0.001*
Extra weight since age 20 (kg/year)
1.1 ± 0.8
1.4 ± 0.9
2.2 ± 1.7
< 0.001*
No. of previous dieting (per year)
0.20 (0 - 2.6)
0.21 (0 - 4.0)
0.27 (0 - 2.5)
< 0.001*
Age at first dieting (years)
29.6 ± 11.7
27.1 ± 11.2
25.4 ± 10.4
< 0.001*
Maximum weight loss (kg)
13.0 ± 8.4
15.9 ± 9.1
21.1 ± 11.5
< 0.001*
Cumulative weight loss (kg/year)
1.4 ± 1.9
1.9 ± 2.4
2.7 ± 3.1
< 0.001*
Binge Eating Scale
12.9 ± 9.0
15.0 ± 9.5
16.8 ± 9.5
< 0.001*
Score in the range 17 - 26 (%)
24 (20 - 26)
27 (24 - 31)
29 (25 - 32)
Score > 26 (%)
11 (9 - 13)
13 (11 - 16)
15 (13 - 18)
Symptom CheckList-90
Global Severity Index
0.70 ± 0.53
0.79 ± 0.57
0.90 ± 0.62
< 0.001*
Mild distress (%)
15 (13 - 18)
14 (12 - 18)
20 (17 - 23)
Moderate distress (%)
5 (3 - 6)
9 (7 - 12)
10 (7 - 12)
Severe distress (%)
3 (2 - 5)
4 (3 - 6)
6 (5 - 8)
Health-related quality of life
Scores of health-related quality of life in the QUOVADIS population.
Class I Obesity†
n = 723
Class II Obesity
n = 529
Class III Obesity
n = 634
41.3 ± 25.7
50.0 ± 28.3
58.5 ± 29.4
< 0.001
Short Form-36
Physical Functioning
76.8 ± 19.5
70.5 ± 21.5
57.1 ± 24.4
< 0.001
Role physical
68.6 ± 35.6
60.3 ± 39.4
51.4 ± 39.9
< 0.001
Bodily pain
64.7 ± 26.7
61.7 ± 27.7
52.8 ± 27.9
< 0.001
General health
61.1 ± 20.9
57.8 ± 20.5
50.3 ± 21.6
< 0.001
53.4 ± 19.7
51.2 ± 20.4
47.2 ± 22.0
< 0.001
Role Emotional
65.0 ± 38.5
59.8 ± 39.7
56.4 ± 40.2
< 0.001
Mental health
61.2 ± 21.2
60.8 ± 20.6
58.9 ± 21.1
< 0.001
Social functioning
69.4 ± 24.8
65.5 ± 25.2
61.6 ± 26.9
< 0.001
Psychological General Well-Being
Depressed mood
11.9 ± 2.6
11.5 ± 2.7
11.0 ± 3.2
15.9 ± 4.9
15.4 ± 5.1
14.9 ± 5.3
< 0.001
Positive well-being
10.6 ± 3.8
10.2 ± 3.9
9.6 ± 4.0
< 0.001
11.1 ± 3.1
10.7 ± 3.2
10.3 ± 3.5
< 0.001
General health
10.5 ± 2.7
9.9 ± 2.8
8.9 ± 2.9
< 0.001
11.8 ± 3.9
11.3 ± 4.0
10.5 ± 4.0
< 0.001
Global index
71.8 ± 17.3
68.9 ± 18.3
65.3 ± 19.6
< 0.001
The Z-scores on SF-36 domains, reflecting the impairment of HRQL in comparison with sex- and age-specific population norms, showed that HRQL was particularly poor in the domain of Physical Functioning (-1.33), all other domains being in the moderate range (Role-Physical, -0.67; General Health, -0.61; Vitality, -0.61; Social Functioning, -0.57; Bodily Pain, -0.54) or in the small range (Role-Emotional, -0.47; Mental Health, -0.30). The Z-scores on all domains of PGWB, except Vitality (-0.51), were indicative of a small defect (Anxiety, -0.27; Depression, -0.30; Well-Being, -0.35; Self-Control, -0.41; General Health, -0.44).
Factors associated with poor HRQL
Association of clinical parameters with poor health-related quality of life.
% +ve
BMI Class
Somatic disease
Mental disease
Binge eating
Weight history
1.35 (1.03-1.75)†
1.17 (1.07-1.29)*
1.96 (1.74-2.21)*
1.64 (1.39-1.93)*
Short Form-36
Physical functioning
1.29 (1.00-1.66)†
1.22 (1.12-1.33)*
1.32 (1.18-1.47)*
1.38 (1.09-1.75)†
1.25 (1.14-1.36)*
1.54 (1.38-1.72)*
1.28 (1.10-1.49)†
1.20 (1.04-1.38)†
Bodily pain
1.31 (1.20-1.43)*
1.47 (1.32-1.64)*
1.18 (1.01-1.36)†
General health
1.36 (1.25-1.48)*
1.54 (1.37-1.72)*
1.29 (1.11-1.50)*
1.19 (1.04-1.37)†
1.17 (1.08-1.28)*
1.89 (1.69-2.12)*
1.32 (1.14-1.54)*
1.18 (1.08-1.28)*
1.89 (1.69-2.12)*
1.45 (1.25-1.69)*
Mental health
1.34 (1.03-1.74)†
1.20 (1.09-1.32)*
1.98 (1.76-2.22)*
1.29 (1.10-1.52)*
Social functioning
1.32 (1.04-1.68)†
1.15 (1.05-1.25)†
2.03 (1.80-2.28)*
1.33 (1.14-1.54)*
1.16 (1.01-1.32)†
Psychological General Well-Being
Depressed mood
2.12 (1.88-2.40)*
1.56 (1.31-1.84)*
1.35 (1.02-1.76)†
1.17 (1.06-1.29)†
2.10 (1.86-2.36)*
1.32 (1.12-1.56)†
1.62 (1.25-2.11)*
1.13 (1.03-1.24)†
2.00 (1.78-2.25)*
1.35 (1.15-1.58)*
2.05 (1.83-2.31)*
1.58 (1.35-1.85)*
General health
1.52 (1.18-1.94)*
1.30 (1.19-1.43)*
1.67 (1.49-1.87)*
1.46 (1.25-1.70)*
1.21 (1.11-1.32)*
1.95 (1.73-2.18)*
1.43 (1.23-1.67)*
BMI class was systematically associated with poor HRQL in the ORWELL-97 score and in the physical domains of SF-36, namely in Physical functioning, but it had almost no effect on PGWB domains with the exception of General health. This association was confirmed at multivariate analysis, after adjustment for concurrent somatic and psychiatric diseases. In correlation analysis, the highest value was observed between BMI and the Z-score of Physical functioning (r = -0.405).
A BES score above the selected cut-offs was associated with poor HRQL in nearly all domains of HRQL measures, whereas a history of weight cycling was associated with poor HRQL only in a few domains of SF-36, namely in Role-Physical, General Health and Social Functioning.
In all models the Variance Inflation Factor was < 5, indicating the absence of multicolinearity.
In our study sample, obesity was associated with a relevant impairment of HRQL, in comparison with population norms, standardized for age and sex. This result is in keeping with previous reports of overweight-induced deterioration of HRQL across a wide age range [7, 25–27]. The study sample was entirely composed of obese patients seeking medical treatment for weight loss and cannot be considered representative of the general population of obese subjects. In this respect, poor HRQL could be a motivation for referral and poorer scores are usually observed in clinic-based samples when compared with population-based surveys [27]. On the other hand, the study of these patients could provide a more accurate picture of obese individuals referring to specialized metabolic clinics, and provide relevant clues for treatment programs.
The study has several strengths. It was based on a very large sample of obese men and women in different centers, thus being representative of the "real world" of treatment-seeking obesity, outside specific research centers where a selection bias may be expected. As expected, obese women experienced a greater impairment of HRQL than their male counterparts. This confirms previous reports in clinic-based samples [6, 15, 25], among patients with chronic illness [5], and in population studies [28]. Gender differences in HRQL could be related to the higher prevalence of psychopathology among women [15, 25, 29], or to a greater cultural drive for thinness experienced by the female sex in Western societies [30].
Not surprisingly, subjects with higher BMI reported a greater impairment of HRQL, as previously reported [7, 8]. This phenomenon can be partly due to the higher prevalence of concurrent somatic diseases and psychopathological disturbances in morbidly obese patients, when compared to individuals with lesser degrees of obesity. However, a greater impairment of HRQL in those with higher BMI persisted at multivariate analysis even after adjustment for somatic diseases, mental disorders, binge eating and weight cycling. A higher BMI appeared to affect mainly physical, rather than psychosocial, components of HRQL, suggesting that the functional impairment and physical discomfort determined by extreme overweight can have a major role in poor HRQL.
Somatic comorbidities, assessed through a score derived from Charlson's index [24], were associated with poorer scores on physical domains of HRQL instruments, but had little effect, after adjustment for confounders, on psychosocial domains. Concurrent somatic diseases also had a small impact on scores of the ORWELL-97 questionnaire, confirming its validity for obesity-related quality of life [15]. Conversely, psychopathological disturbances were associated with impairment of both physical and psychosocial domains of quality of life, even after adjustment for confounders. The presence of depressed mood and/or high levels of anxiety, which are the most common psychological disturbances observed in clinical samples of obese patients [31], can increase subjective distress induced by disease-related physical symptoms and functional impairment [15]. In the present sample, psychopathology was the most important predictor of quality of life among obese patients, in both psychosocial and physical domains. This result is partly in contrast with a previous survey in a small sample of obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery, where mental disorders appeared to affect psychosocial, but not physical domains of SF-36 [32]. Conflicting results can be attributed to differences in sample size (the previous sample being 18 times smaller than the one described in this study) or type of referral (surgery in the previous report vs. medical weight loss programs in the majority of centers of the present survey). In addition, the present study included obese subjects belonging to the whole spectrum of obesity classes, including a large group of subjects with obesity class III. These individuals are scarcely represented in medical settings, and may have a different psychopathological profile [33]. Finally, the definition of psychological disturbances in our study included not only a formal diagnosis of mental disorders, but also high scores on a questionnaire for general psychopathology, which could provide a more accurate description of the psychological status of patients at the time of HRQL assessment.
Binge eating disorder was previously reported to be associated with poor scores on disease-specific HRQL questionnaires [10, 15]. This is consistent with the finding of a poorer perceived health status in patients with higher scores on the Binge Eating Scale. The association of binge eating with impaired HRQL can be partly mediated by higher BMI [34], a greater prevalence of mental disorders [31, 34] and more frequent weight cycling in these cases. After adjustment for these potential confounders, binge eating was only marginally associated with some, but not all psychological domains of HRQL, without any impact on physical scales.
Finally, weight cycling is known to be associated with binge eating [34] and psychopathology [14], and with higher long-term morbidity and mortality [35–37], but its relationship with HRQL has never been demonstrated. In the present study, weight cycling was only associated with a few domains of quality of life, after adjustment for BMI class, somatic diseases, binge eating and psychopathology. It can be speculated that previous unsuccessful attempts at losing weight can negatively affect patients' confidence in the possibility to treat obesity effectively, thus making the psychological burden heavier and heavier. Accordingly, physicians should carefully test patients' motivation at entry into weight loss programs, considering that any treatment failure may be accompanied by a further deterioration of their HRQL. A definition of weight loss expectation and realistic treatment outcomes is pivotal to reduce the burden of disease associated with treatment failure [38].
The broad spectrum of questionnaires used in the study may also help identify which instruments should be preferred to detect impairment in HRQL in different settings. It is noteworthy that scores on both generic (SF-36, PGWB) and disease-specific (ORWELL-97) questionnaires appeared to be affected by the very same factors and in a similar manner. As expected, PGWB appeared to be more sensitive to psychological disturbances, while SF-36 and ORWELL-97 could detect to a greater extent the impact of physical conditions on HRQL. The choice of questionnaires in different settings should take into consideration the domains of greater interest (physical vs. psychological) in individual studies. The choice of instruments for the assessment of the effects of treatment on HRQL should also consider reliability, which is assumed to be greater for generic questionnaires, and sensitivity to change, which is thought to be superior for disease-specific questionnaires; these characteristics were not assessed in the present study.
Our study has relevant clues to obesity treatment. HRQL is now considered a priority in the treatment of chronic diseases, and may be selected as clinical-relevant outcome in treatment programs [39]. The finding that psychopathological distress is the main determinant of poor HRQL makes psychiatric and psychological support essential in obesity centers. Only a multidisciplinary approach in weight management programs, addressing both mental and somatic disorders, is likely to reduce the burden of obesity in individual patients.
A complete list of the participants in the QUOVADIS study has been previously published (Diab Nutr Metab 2003, 16:115-124).
The QUOVADIS study was supported by an unrestricted grant from BRACCO Imaging, S.p.A, Milan.
Authors' Affiliations
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This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


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|Learning, Teaching, and Using FLASH for Composition and Collaboration
This half-day workshop, led by Eric Rabkin, considers the learning effects of estranging communication technology and offers training, with new online materials, in using Flash to communicate and collaborate. Flash enables all web media options, such as text, graphics, sound, animation, hyperlinking, and interactivity. There is no workshop prerequisite. All participants will produce their own Flash documents.
|The workshop will begin with a brief discussion of the positive pedagogic potential of estranging technologies, move on to an overview of a lab course called Technology and the Humanities in which Flash is a central technology for the students to master and use, and proceed to discussing and then using the online materials designed for teaching and learning Flash.


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I've finally found a few spare minutes to write + draw our veggie + flower garden plans this year!! Can I just say how excited I am for this after reading everyone else's posts on their gardens + drooling over seed catalogs since Februrary!?
We were originally talking about moving the vegetable garden beds this year but with so much already on our plate we have agreed that it will have to wait for next year. Hopefully this means we can finally focus on installing the picket fence + flower bed/retaining-wall with a strawberry bed along the back of our property (and separating it from the alley).
We had planned to do this over 2 years ago but we didn't want to block any necessary access for the construction of the home addition. Now that it is nearly complete(!) I'm super excited to get this project underway. We have so much planned for this property (house + yard) it will have undergone such a transformation from the day we purchased it. Maybe I'll post a Before + After this Fall…
Dan has made it a point since our first summer here that the front of our house needs to have flowers + nice landscape. Growing up, I never cared for flowers past planting them. But now seeing both the monetary investment + the beauty that is possible, I am eager to keep up with their care + maintenance (aka remember to water them daily). Curb appeal is definitely on my priority list for a happy home.
Notes: Re-side the house in grey | Remove shutters | Paint the mailbox teal?
Rebuild the stoop; Eventually build a front porch
As for the veggie garden, I have been trying to keep a garden journal longer than the planting stage. I am always so eager to plant + plan my patch but then I forget to record when we harvested what, for how long, and when it stopped producing.
My long term goals for our vegetable garden is companion planting, intensive rotation, and high yield for canning + freezing. I'd love to be able to dry our own berries (strawberries + blueberries) but I don't see our plants producing too much anytime soon.
Each year we try a new veggie to see how well it grows for us + to expand our recipe repertoire + to encourage ourselves to try new foods. I haven't found one for this year's garden yet, so if you have a suggestion I've love to hear it in the comments!
What are your plans for your yard, flower beds, and/or vegetable garden this year? Please feel free to share a link(s) in the comment section.


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Subject: I have found a DVD that I think you would enjoy
|Modern Warriors
Actors: Peter Aerts, Ron Balicki, David Carradine, Babatu Vita Casel, Joe Charles
Director: Peter Spirer
Genres: Action & Adventure, Documentary
UR 2002 0hr 56min
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Movie Reviews
What the martial arts is NOT about !
Evelyn O. Simon | 09/04/2002
(2 out of 5 stars)
"On the surface, "Modern Warriors" seems to be a documentary
celebrating the diversity, philosophy and techniques of the modern world of martial arts. However, about one third of the way through this film it becomes apparent that what you are really watching is really more propoganda in support of no-holds-barred fighting and glorification of the violent attitudes inherent in street-fighting.Although it features true legends of the martial arts such as
Furio Demura, Jet Li, Tak Kubota, Benny "the Jet" Urquidez,
Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Rorion Gracie, Bill "Superfoot" Wallace, Bong Soo Han,and Bas Rutten, it understates the importance of the philosophy of the martial arts and fails to provide the answer to the important question of what distinguishes martial arts from the simple bully mentality and sloppy tactics of street fighting. What's worse is that the video seems to cover traditional martial arts in the introduction only to later ridicule it when juxtaposed next to semi-realistic
footage of street fights and no-holds-barred matches.I'm not exactly sure what the point of showing miscellaneous home video style street-fighting footage is either. In covering this phenomena, the film itself seems to drop down to the level of its subject matter and even some of the martial artists who should know better such as Richard Norton and actor Louis Mandylor get caught up in the bashing of formal martial arts training. These comments contribute to the overall negative feeling of this film.If the point of this film is to present the emergence and evolution of the sport known as no-holds-barred fighting,
then it falls short here as well by neglecting to mention the fact that even in these so called "reality fighting" contests, good technique and disciplined training usually win out in the end.
The filmmakers fail to point out that one of the primary goals of martial arts is the _striving_for_perfection_ of technique, whether it be a technique of striking, blocking, throwing or grappling.The only saving grace of this video are the interviews and footage of Benny "the Jet" Urquidez, Don the Dragon Wilson and Bill "Superfoot" Wallace: three exceptional martial artists who successfully applied their martial arts training in the world of full-contact fighting without forgetting about their roots in traditional martial arts.Do you know the difference between Martial Arts and fighting ?
Unfortunately the filmmakers of "Modern Warriors" do not seem
to know. Instead of using the tremendous amount of wisdom and talent they had before them to create an inspirational documentary about the true meaning of the martial arts and the spirit and dedication of its practitioners, they decided to
edit the footage and interviews in such a way that ultimately
glorifies macho street violence and no-holds-barred fighting."
A possible History of Martial arts
John Ranold | NorthHollywood, CA United States | 01/17/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Im not going to list the martial artist since others have already done so. Instead, I'll describe the DVDs contents. It starts by tracing asian martial arts back to China from which it spread and changed as it entered different parts of asia. From their, it spread to America and Europe. As people became aware of the different styles of combat, a desire to find out which is the best naturally developed. Mixed martial arts events (MMA) were held and quickly techniques that worked and those that didn't revealed themselves. Today, do to contests like Pride FC and UFC, the modern martial artist is a mixture of styles using any technique from any style to win. Although I liked this DVD and recomend it, I disagree that tournaments are the testing grounds for real street fighting techniques. Even the "No holds barred" fights (NHB) have rules that prevent eye gouging, fish hooking, single-finger locks. Think about the above three, aren't they the most effective way to attack someone? Specially if his stronger than you?"
Great look at modern martial arts practice
Dm Deetlefs | Table View South Africa | 09/10/2004
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This is a highly enjoyable and informative look at some exceptional martial artists and the martial arts they practice. The footage from fights featuring the likes of Bill Wallace and Benny Urquidez is great value for money.
Some questions have to be asked though: Why on earth is there no mention of Bruce Lee? Even David Carradine gets to say his piece! Where is Dan Inosanto? They interview his daughter briefly, is all. Where is Joe Lewis? The complete absence of these three hurts the film. If it weren't for that I would give it 4 or even 5 stars, though those dodgy footage of real-life situations should have been left out.
As for the "bashing" of formal martial arts, all this film does is point out what Bruce stressed long ago: forms and kata don't work on the street. When Richard Norton and Sammo Hung say that you can believe them. So if you want your style to look dojo-good, good for you, and if you want to be able to survive on the street, good for you. I don't think this film bashes anything; it just points out that there is a difference between good form and practicality."
A true warrior comes from the heart.
Evelyn O. Simon | South Florida. U.S.A. | 02/25/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a documentary of karate and kung fu fighters and instructors, who explain how to train yourself in martial artistry. The experienced instructors are: (Jet Li, David Carradine, Rorion Gracie, Bas Rutten, Don "The Dragon" Wilson, and Benny "The Jet" Urquidez.) All give and demonstrate with old films, the art of self control as well as self defense. You'll see some karate kickboxing action as well. So if you like to learn some karate moves, or just watch; then this is the film for you."


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Your source for all questions about Mitsubishi Projectors & MonitorsProjector & Monitor Search »
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Mitsubishi's WD385U-EST and XD365U-EST projectors revolutionize visual communication and make learning more interesting and enjoyable. When used with integrated pens, these projectors turn any blank surface into a colorful, interactive and dynamic place to draw, write and annotate. Capture attention by using the pen as a mouse, paintbrush, and or simulated marker, and make teaching with technology fun.
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Here, we'll introduce you to the basic business and home theater projector technologies that make up our portable projector lineup, suggest some example uses, and explain some of the features that you might want to consider when purchasing a projector. The operation of today's business and home theater projector systems is based on receiving an electric signal (either analog or digital) from a data source (computer, VCR, DVD, etc.), transforming the signal into an image, and projecting the image onto a screen. To do this, the signal must first be converted into a digital signal. If sent as analog, it is passed through an analog-to-digital signal converter. The digital signal is now ready to be processed into an image for projection. Currently, there are two technologies used in business and home theater projectors to display images: liquid-crystal display (LCD Projector) and Digital Light Processing (DLP Projector).
For a LCD projector, the digital signal is processed to polysilicon panels. A light source is passed through a series of dichroic mirrors to separate the various color wavelengths and then through the polysilicon panels where activated pixels process the light into a final compiler before projection through the lens and onto the screen.
With a DLP projector, the digital signal is processed to a DMDT chip. The light source is passed through a color wheel and onto the DMDT chip, and is then reflected off the chip through the lens and onto the screen. The introduction of this rather new technology has led to the further miniaturization of business and home theater projector systems.


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Singing in space/
Search for the region "The Singer" in the space creator servers to see this technical demo of a fully automated avatar performer.
A music track streaming in the region is scanned for human voice frequencies which are used to animate the character's mouth across four blending shapes.
The body is animated with a combination of mocap and inverse kinematics.


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Archives New Zealand's guidance on information and records management
FYI - the Chief Archivist's 2015/16 annual report to the Minister of Internal Affairs on the state of government recordkeeping was presented to the House of Representatives today. It is availabe from the Archives New Zealand website - Report: State of Government Recordkeeping 2015/16
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Incentive Compensation Management
Available from Fox Lawson & Associates, a Division of GBS
An incentive compensation plan is an important addition to a company's employee relations program because it keeps workers motivated and is a powerful tool for attracting and retaining top-quality employees. The business world is a competitive place for employers, and businesses must set themselves apart from the crowd in order to capture the attention and interest of a professional workforce that expects employers to work for them just as much as they work for employers. While many companies offer meager incentive compensation plans in the form of small quarterly or annual bonuses, this type of plan is typically not enough to garner a potential applicant's interest (unless the bonuses are exceptionally large).
Instead, a unique, memorable and performance-based incentive compensation plan may be just what a company needs. When incentive compensation plans are performance-based, it increases motivation among employees. When the plan is both memorable and out of the ordinary, it will pique the interest of job seekers, and will attract the caliber of applicant most companies want. Some types of powerful incentive compensation plans that management may consider offering are pay-for-performance programs, stock options, executive compensation packages, gain-sharing and non-monetary rewards. In order to determine the correct plan for any particular business, the services of a compensation consultant should be retained.