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Insurance is a tricky topic, especially when it comes to business insurance. The products are complex, and it's easy to feel intimidated by the jargon.
On the other hand, insurance is an important way to protect your business, and if you ever end up relying on commercial insurance, it can be the difference between an unfortunate situation and a total disaster.
Getting the lay of the insurance landscape before you sit down to talk to a professional can help you both understand the process, and understand which insurance products your business might need as it grows.
And if you're still feeling intimidated at the thought, remember: When it's used correctly, commercial insurance is just another product you buy, and what you need depends entirely on your business. And you already know and understand your business.
So let's dive in.
Who needs commercial insurance?
One of the big fears when you don't understand financial products is that you're going to be sold something you don't need, simply because you don't understand what you're buying.
While there's no definitive one-size-fits-all answer to whether you need business insurance, or which kinds, we spoke to Stephen Rischall, CFP®, a financial planner for business owners and entrepreneurs at 1080 Financial Group, to find out who might need to think about commercial insurance.
"If you're a small business owner and you have revenue coming in from the products and services you sell, you should think about commercial insurance," says Stephen. "When your business grows and starts to bring in significant revenue, that's when you really need to think about the next level of protection."
Revenue is a good way to evaluate if you're ready to think about commercial insurance, but there are other factors to consider as well.
Insurance, at its core, is a way to minimize risks in your business.
Insurance, at its core, is a way to minimize risks in your business, and there are some risks that wouldn't be covered through your existing, personal insurance policies—like protecting your inventory in a worst-case scenario.
"Whether you have all your inventory in your garage, or you have an office or a warehouse somewhere, you need to make sure that inventory is insured," says Stephen. "Your homeowner's policy is not going to insure inventory sitting in your garage if it's for your business."
Insurance isn't the only way to handle those risks, so at small levels of inventory and equipment, it becomes a judgement call. Could you really replace all of your inventory if it was lost in an accident, or get new equipment if yours was stolen? We can't answer that for you, but it's an important question to ask.
It's also important to bring up your business with your personal insurance policies. If you run a business out of your home, it might not be covered, but it could impact or change your policies anyways. A good rule of thumb is that when anything major changes (like starting a business from home) you should tell your insurance broker.
In some cases, insurance is clear-cut
At certain stages of your business, you'll know without a doubt that you need commercial insurance, because you'll be faced with contractual obligations to buy it. If you're working with a fulfillment centre or selling to a major retailer, they might specify you need a certain amount of liability insurance, property insurance, or other types of commercial insurance.
Whether it's a clear-cut choice or not, if you decide you need commercial insurance, your next step is to figure out where and how to buy it.
Scaling up to work with big-box retailers?
There's a lot you'll need to know ahead of time, so we spoke with a business owner who's been through it to help guide you on your way.Read more about working with retailers
How do I buy commercial insurance?
Buying insurance is one of those purchases that can be much easier with the help of a trusted professional. While it can be tempting to apply a bootstrapper mentality to your insurance purchases, Stephen shares that it may not even save you money in many cases.
"In general, if you got a policy online, and then you went to a broker and got the exact same policy, the cost to you should be the same. The difference is the agent will get a commission of a portion of your premium, but if you didn't work with an agent, then the whole amount just goes to the insurance company."
There are some places where brokers can add additional charges on top of the products they sell, called "broker fees," so it's important to do your research and understand how insurance sales are regulated in your area. However, even if additional fees are legal in your area, your broker has to clearly disclose their commission structure and fees in writing.
It's important to do your research and understand how insurance sales are regulated in your area.
To find the right insurance broker for you, it's time to do a bit of legwork.
- Ask business owners and mentors in your field for recommendations. When you're asking for recommendations, your best sources will be people who have been through a similar stage of business, and in a similar line of business. If you can't find anyone who fits the bill, you can expand to your broader network of business owners for recommendations.
- Find companies that specialize in commercial insurance. Ideally, you want someone who really understands the products and the scope of what you need, so the person who sold you personal insurance like your car insurance likely isn't the best fit.
- Ask key questions as you interview potential brokers. You'll want to find out if they've worked with and understand the needs of ecommerce businesses, and whether they can only sell products from certain companies. You'll be able to find the best options if your broker can provide quotes from multiple companies, not just one or two.
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What are the common types of commercial insurance?
Once you've found a broker to work with, they'll sit down with you to look over your business and help you figure out where your business is exposed to potential risks, and help you find the right amount of insurance coverage to mitigate those risks.
However, being an informed consumer of financial products is important, especially when it comes to your business.
For ecommerce businesses, especially ones who are just getting started, here are three types of insurance that you'll need to consider—although there are others you'll need as well, and your broker will be able to help you determine which ones are a fit for you.
Liability insurance
When you get homeowner's insurance, it protects you if someone gets injured while they're on your property—that's an example of liability insurance.
When it comes to your business, liability insurance usually covers you in case someone gets injured while using your product, no matter where they are. And before you think that no one could possibly hurt themselves using your products, Carl Niedbala, Co-founder and COO at Founder Shield, shared that liability coverage is important for almost every type of product business.
"Liability insurance protects you if a third party gets injured either by interacting with your people at your company or your product. The classic example is a young child choking on a component part of the plastic toy that you sell," says Carl.
But it doesn't just apply to toys and products with small parts.
"Another prime example would be an allergic reaction to whatever material you're using in your clothing, or an injury from certain makeup components interacting badly with someone's skin," says Carl.
Liability isn't something that's limited by product category. Even if you think there's no basis for someone claiming they were harmed by your product, that's not a good reason to skip liability insurance.
"The thing you have to remember about this is that even if a legal claim is not well-founded, someone still has to pay for those legal fees for the claimant to go away, right? That's where insurance kicks in," says Carl.
How is liability insurance priced?
Your next question is probably "but how much is this going to cost me?" Liability insurance is usually priced based on your volume of sales and the products you're selling. Higher risk products like fireworks are probably going to come with a higher liability insurance price tag, as will a higher volume of sales.
Property insurance
If you sell physical products, you also need to insure those physical products just in case something goes wrong—but property insurance doesn't just cover inventory.
"Property insurance covers any theft, loss, partial or complete damage or destruction of your business inventory and business property," says Carl. "Just picture if you're doing $30,000 in sales, if your house burns down and all of your inventory is in there, that's a devastating loss. That's where property insurance kicks in."
In that case, property insurance would also cover any equipment that was damaged as well, and cover the full cost of replacing those items.
It's important to note that your existing homeowner's policy would cover your personal items, but likely won't cover anything related to your business. If you run your business from home, it's important to have both aspects covered unless you could replace all of the inventory and equipment out of pocket.
The other important thing to remember is that your property insurance will cover the replacement cost of your items, not the retail value.
"It'll cover whatever you paid to get that property. You just need to show proof of the replacement cost. A classic example we deal with all the time is where people have laptops for their business and someone breaks into their office or home and steals the laptop. If you have a 2016 Macbook, you can't buy a 2018 Macbook Pro. Insurance will cover the cost of replacing what you have."
Luckily, since part of bookkeeping for your ecommerce business is keeping accurate records of what you spent to acquire your inventory and your equipment, you should have no problem supporting any insurance claims that come up.
How is property insurance priced?
When you buy property insurance, your broker will work with you to tally up the total value of the property you're insuring. That number is the primary variable that will impact your insurance premiums, so you'll pay less to insure $5,000 worth of inventory and equipment than you would to insure $50,000.
Transit insurance (also called inland marine insurance)
While the first two types of insurance have some grounding in concepts you might be familiar with from your personal policies, transit insurance or inland marine insurance is a type you'd only need in a business context—and only in fairly specific contexts as well. However, it's a type of insurance that can become highly relevant to ecommerce and physical product businesses as they grow.
Let's say you've got a big batch of inventory, and you're sending it to a fulfillment warehouse to streamline your shipping process.
You send it out, and you're happy to have checked that item off of your to-do list, but the next day you get word that there was an accident en route, and 75% of the inventory that you shipped is damaged beyond repair.
Inland marine coverage protects your inventory when it's being shipped in large batches like that. It's not something every business will need, but if you do, it's important coverage to have.
"If you're getting large batches of inventory from distributors first, or if you're shipping large batches out to a warehouse, inland marine insurance protects it en route. If your inventory is in transit and there's no other contractual protection, it's a risk you need to manage."
The key words there are contractual protection. When you're working with suppliers, warehouses, or distributors, as basic as it sounds, you need to read and understand your contracts to figure out where you're covered by their insurance, and where you aren't.
"Generally speaking, warehousing companies will require their customers to get their own coverage," says Carl. "It's very rare that I see a warehouse say 'Yeah, we'll totally cover your property, no need to buy your own insurance.'"
Knowing where the gaps are in your coverage can be a make-or-break piece of information as your business scales. This applies broadly to all contracts you have, because there are terms involved in all contracts that will determine who is liable if something goes wrong. If it's you, that's a case where an insurance broker can help you find coverage to manage that risk if you need it.
They'll also be able to work with you to determine other coverage you need as an ecommerce business. Founder Shield, which works on insurance for ecommerce companies, lists 11 different types of insurance you may need to consider.
Smart business planning takes risk into account
While buying insurance might not seem like a strategic activity, working with a broker who understands the specifics of your industry can be a good time to sit down and plan for the next phase of your business.
"Going through the insurance process is actually very good for young companies, because the questions that are asked in the process are important ones that aren't always prioritized, like 'What's the model? What's our future plan?'," says Carl. "It's actually a healthy process look at your company from a risk management perspective, even at an early stage."
There are always going to be some risks involved in running a business, but identifying and mitigating them is something that you do on a daily basis as an entrepreneur. Working through the process of buying commercial insurance with an informed broker can help you find and manage risks you might not have planned for in the first place, and take those worries off your plate.
There's a big difference between putting your all into a business and realizing it won't work out, and shutting your doors because of a preventable issue with damaged inventory, after all.
This post is for informational purposes only, and does not constitute legal or financial advice.


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Capture Mode
In a proper Grand Theft Auto twist on classic capture the flag, Capture Mode brings territory infiltration and a new form of team-versus-team treachery into GTA Online. Up to four squads battle to steal contraband, trucks, buses and more from opponent's bases using high-speed vehicles, explosive weaponry and cunning teamwork. Shared Capture Mode pits teams against each other in the fight over valuables located throughout the world. In Vehicle Capture, teams battle to collect coveted vehicles from their rivals' base and make a successful getaway. Craft, cooperation and team tactics are key. This free Capture Mode also brings a host of new jobs to GTA Online, accessible via the open world and also directly through your phone. Update content. The latest title update is required to use this content. Grand Theft Auto V required to play.
- 18/12/2013
- Action & Adventure

subset: commoncrawl


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Participating Organization(s)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Funding Opportunity Title
Mental Health Research Dissertation Grant to Increase Diversity (R36)
Activity Code
R36 Dissertation Award
Announcement Type
Reissue of PAR-09-132
Related Notices
Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number
Companion FOA
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s)
FOA Purpose
The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), issued by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), is to increase the diversity of the mental health research workforce by providing dissertation awards in all areas of research within the strategic priorities of the NIMH to individuals from diverse backgrounds underrepresented in mental health research to support the completion of the doctoral research project.
Posted Date
February 14, 2012
Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)
February 14, 2012
Letter of Intent Due Date
Not Applicable
Application Due Date(s)
April 23, 2012, August 22, 2012, December 21, 2012, April 22, 2013, August 22, 2013, December 23, 2013, April 22, 2014, August 22, 2014, December 22, 2014, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.
AIDS Application Due Date(s)
Standard dates apply
Scientific Merit Review
Standard dates apply
Advisory Council Review
Standard dates apply
Earliest Start Date(s)
Standard dates apply
Expiration Date
January 8, 2015
Due Dates for E.O. 12372
Not Applicable
Required Application Instructions
It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.
Part 1. Overview Information
Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Section II. Award Information
Section III. Eligibility Information
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
Section V. Application Review Information
Section VI. Award Administration Information
Section VII. Agency Contacts
Section VIII. Other Information
The goal of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), issued by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), is to increase the diversity of the mental health research workforce by providing awards to support the completion of the doctoral research project and dissertation for individuals from diverse backgrounds underrepresented in mental health research. Recent national data on U.S. citizen/permanent resident recipients of the doctorate demonstrate a continuing need to enhance diversity in the disciplines from which current and future mental health researchers are anticipated, e.g., the neurosciences, genetics, and clinical psychology (Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities; http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/sed/ ). Of those earning a neuroscience doctorate, <1% were Native American, 3.9% were Black/African American, and 5.6% were Hispanic/Latino. Of those earning a doctorate in genetics, <1% were Native American, 5.3% were Black/African American, and 3.9% were Hispanic/Latino. Similarly, among those earning a doctorate in clinical psychology, <1% were Native American, 5.6% were Black/African American and 7.7% were Hispanic/Latino.
The Mental Health Dissertation Research Grant to Increase Diversity allows for budget requests to cover full-time salary support and modest research funds for up to two years, but no less than 12 months, for eligible students to facilitate completion of their doctoral research project and dissertation in a research area relevant to the NIMH mission and strategic research priorities (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/research-priorities/strategic-objectives/index.shtml). These awards are available to predoctoral students who are enrolled in good standing at accredited domestic or foreign institutions and who have an approved dissertation proposal at the time of the award. Applicants must have the goal of becoming successful researchers in areas of biomedical or behavioral science relevant to the mission of the NIMH.
The NIMH, as part of the NIH, recognizes a unique and compelling need to promote diversity in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical and social sciences research workforce. A workgroup of the National Advisory Mental Health Council issued a report (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/advisory-boards-and-groups/namhc/reports/investing-in-the-future.pdf) in 2008 that highlighted the need for increasing the diversity of the mental health research workforce. For a detailed description of diversity categories see "Eligible Individuals" below.
The NIMH encourages applications for dissertation research support across all research areas supported by NIMH. The mission of the NIMH is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery and cure. In support of this mission, the NIMH encourages research and research training that addresses the strategic research priority areas (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/research-priorities/strategic-objectives/index.shtml) within the four objectives of the NIMH Strategic Plan:
Programmatic Evaluation
This FOA targets the timely awarding of the doctoral degree. In the Final Progress Report the PD/PI must provide information on the status of his/her dissertation research project, the actual or anticipated dissertation defense date, the actual or anticipated graduation date, and post-doctoral career plans (e.g., if he/she has accepted a job or post-doctoral research position, and if so, what it is.) Within five years of publication of this FOA, NIMH will assess the program's overall outcomes and gauge its effectiveness in enhancing diversity of the mental health research workforce. The overall evaluation of the Mental Health Research Dissertation Grant (R36) program will be based on metrics that will include, but are not limited to, the following:
Upon the completion of this evaluation, the NIMH will determine whether to (a) continue the program as currently configured, (b) continue the program with modifications, or (c) discontinue the program.
Funding Instrument
Application Types Allowed
The OER Glossary and the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on these application types.
Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards
The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.
Award Budget
Total allowable costs per year are the current fiscal year National Research Service Award (NRSA) predoctoral stipend level (https://grants.nih.gov/training/nrsa.htm#policy) and up to $15,000 for additional expenses such as fringe benefits (including health insurance for self and family members), travel to scientific meetings, and research costs of the dissertation in accordance with institutional policies.
With the exception of costs associated with the dissertation (i.e., dissertation credits), no funds may be used to pay tuition or fees. Other specific costs not allowed on dissertation research grants are equipment, alterations/renovations, space rental, contracting or consortium costs, dissertation defense or deposit fees, membership fees and faculty/advisor mentor supervision. This listing is not exhaustive, and the applicant institution should contact NIMH staff regarding any other cost item being considered.
F&A costs are limited to 8% of the modified total direct costs for this program.
Award Project Period
The total award project period may not exceed two years, but must be no less than 12 months.
NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this FOA.
Higher Education Institutions
The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:
In addition, eligible institutions must have an accredited, doctoral degree-granting program in the candidate's area of study. The applicant institution must be the institution at which the PD/PI is pursuing doctoral studies.
Both domestic and foreign sponsoring institutions must have staff and facilities available on site to provide a suitable environment for performing high-quality research. The research-training should occur in a research-intensive environment that has appropriate human and technical resources and is demonstrably committed to research training in the research area proposed by the PD/PI. The sponsoring institution may be private (for-profit or not-for-profit) or public, and must be a doctoral-granting institution.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply.
Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
Applicant organizations must complete the following registrations
as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply
for or receive an award. Applicants must have a valid Dun and Bradstreet
Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number in order to begin each of the following
All Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s))
must also work with their institutional officials to register with the eRA
Commons or ensure their existing eRA Commons account is affiliated with the eRA
Commons account of the applicant organization.
All registrations must be completed by the application due date. Applicant organizations are strongly encouraged to start the registration process at least 4-6 weeks prior to the application due date.
Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support.
Eligible PD/PI include predoctoral students at the dissertation stage of training with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research.
Multiple PD/PI are not allowed.
By the time of the award, the individual must be a citizen or a non-citizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence (i.e., possess a valid Permanent Resident Card USCIS Form I-551 or other legal verification of such status).
The NIH expects efforts to diversify the workforce to lead to the recruitment of the most talented researchers from all groups; improve the quality of the educational and training environment; balance and broaden the perspective in setting research priorities; improve the ability to recruit subjects from diverse backgrounds into clinical research protocols; and to improve the Nation's capacity to address and eliminate health disparities.
For the purpose of this announcement, institutions are encouraged to identify applicants who come from backgrounds underrepresented in mental health research who will increase diversity on a national or institutional basis. As indicated in Section I, the NIH is particularly interested in encouraging the recruitment and retention of the following classes of candidates:
A. Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (see data at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/showpub.cfm?TopID=2&SubID=27 and the most recent report on Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering). The following racial and ethnic groups have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders. In addition, it is recognized that underrepresentation can vary from setting to setting; individuals from racial or ethnic groups that can be convincingly demonstrated to be underrepresented by the grantee institution should be encouraged to participate in this program.
B. Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
C. Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who are defined as:
1. Individuals who come from a family with an annual income below established low-income thresholds. These thresholds are based on family size; published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census; adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index; and adjusted by the Secretary for use in all health professions programs. The Secretary periodically publishes these income levels at HHS - Poverty Guidelines, Research, and Measurement. For individuals from low income backgrounds, the institution must be able to demonstrate that such participants have qualified for Federal disadvantaged assistance or they have received any of the following student loans: Health Professions Student Loans (HPSL), Loans for Disadvantaged Student Program, or they have received scholarships from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the Scholarship for Individuals with Exceptional Financial Need.
2. Individuals who come from a social, cultural, or educational environment such as that found in certain rural or inner-city environments that have demonstrably and recently directly inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a research career.
Recruitment and retention plans related to a disadvantaged background (C1 and C2) are most applicable to high school and perhaps undergraduate candidates, but would be more difficult to justify for individuals beyond that level of achievement. Under extraordinary circumstances the PHS may, at its discretion, consider an individual beyond the undergraduate level to be from a disadvantaged background. Such decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, based on appropriate documentation.
Potential applicants are encouraged to contact the appropriate Scientific/Research Contact listed in Section VII to gain more information on the relevance of their proposed application topic to NIMH's mission and strategic research priorities.
Eligibility related to predoctoral and dissertation-eligible status:
Individuals are eligible to apply for this award provided that they:
Level of Effort: It is expected that the doctoral candidate will devote 12 person months to the dissertation. Any level of effort that is less than full time must be fully justified, and the candidate's salary must be prorated accordingly.
Note that individuals supported under Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) mechanisms, including F30 and F31 predoctoral fellowships and predoctoral trainees on NIH institutional research training awards, are eligible to apply for a dissertation award. Such candidates may not receive concurrent support from a NRSA fellowship or traineeship and an R36 Dissertation Award.
This FOA does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct.
NIH will not accept any application in response to this FOA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial peer review unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. NIH will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. Resubmission applications may be submitted, according to the NIH Policy on Resubmission Applications from the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide.
Applicants must download the SF424 (R&R) application package associated with this funding opportunity using the "Apply for Grant Electronically" button in this FOA or following the directions provided at Grants.gov.
It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed in this funding opportunity announcement to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.
For information on Application Submission and Receipt, visit Frequently Asked Questions – Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.
The forms package associated with this FOA includes all applicable components, mandatory and optional. Please note that some components marked optional in the application package are required for submission of applications for this FOA. Follow all instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide to ensure you complete all appropriate "optional" components.
All page limitations described in the SF424 Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.
All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:
Preliminary data are not required but may be included if available.
Letter of Certification. The faculty advisor, dissertation committee chair, or university official directly responsible for supervising the dissertation research must submit a letter certifying that the applicant meets the eligibility criteria for this award. As only one .pdf file is allowed for the Letter of Support item in the PHS Research Plan Component, combine this letter with Letters of Support (below) into one file.
Letters of Support. The faculty advisor and at least one other member of the dissertation committee must submit letters, each no longer than 2 pages, that address (a) their assessment of the doctoral candidate's progress to date; (b) the candidate's commitment to mental health-related research and her/his prospect of becoming an independent investigator in this area; and (c) the institutional commitment to ensuring completion of the dissertation in a timely manner.
Senior/Key Person Profile Component
Biographical Sketches. Biographical Sketches must be provided as attachments for each Senior/Key Person. Follow the recommended format in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. For the doctoral candidate, the Biographical Sketch should contain a personal statement that serves as a scientific autobiography, indicating the candidate's career goals, describing his/her interest in mental health/mental disorders-related research relevant to the dissertation project, and describing his/her intended career trajectory.
Other Project Information Component
Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research. A detailed plan for the Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research must be included (see NOT-OD-10-019). Applications without plans for training in the responsible conduct of research will be considered incomplete and may be returned without review. No award will be made if an application lacks this component. For additional information, see the US DHHS Office of Extramural Research, NIH on Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research (http://grants1.nih.gov/training/responsibleconduct.htm) or the USDHHS Office of Research Integrity (http://ori.dhhs.gov/). The description of the plan for the Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research is limited to one page and must be placed in the Other Attachments section of the Other Project Information Component, not in the Appendix.
Transcripts. The application must include a transcript of the student's record to date in the doctoral program of which the dissertation is a part. The transcript must be placed in the Other Attachments section of the Other Project Information Component, not in the Appendix.
Resource Sharing Plan
Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans (Data Sharing Plan, Sharing Model Organisms, and Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS)) as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following modification:
Do not use the Appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
Foreign (non-US) institutions must follow policies described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, and procedures for foreign institutions described throughout the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
Part I. Overview Information contains information about Key Dates. Applicants are encouraged to submit in advance of the deadline to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission.
Organizations must submit applications via Grants.gov, the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies. Applicants must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH's electronic system for grants administration.
Applicants are responsible for viewing their application in the eRA Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission.
Information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.
All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted.
Applicants must complete all required registrations before the application due date. Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration.
For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit Applying Electronically.
All PD(s)/PI(s) must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile Component of the SF 424(R&R) Application Package. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH.
The applicant organization must ensure that the DUNS number it provides on the application is the same number used in the organization's profile in the eRA Commons and for the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). Additional information may be found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
See more tips for avoiding common errors.
Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the Center for Scientific Review, NIH. Applications that are incomplete will not be reviewed.
In order to expedite review, applicants are requested to notify the NIMH Referral Office by email at firstname.lastname@example.com when the application has been submitted. Please include the FOA number and title, PD/PI name, and title of the application.
Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in NOT-OD-10-115.
Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. As part of the NIH mission, all applications submitted to the NIH in support of biomedical and behavioral research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.
The purpose of this program is to facilitate completion of a doctoral research project and dissertation in a research area relevant to the NIMH mission and research priorities, as articulated in the NIMH Strategic Plan. Because the Research Plan component is restricted to 6 pages, a dissertation research grant application will not have the same level of detail or extensive discussion found in an R01 application. Accordingly, reviewers should evaluate the conceptual framework and general approach to the problem, rather than methodological details and preliminary data. Appropriate justification for the proposed work may be provided through literature citations, data from other sources, or from investigator-generated data. Preliminary data are not required.
Overall impact should be evaluated within the context of a doctoral dissertation. Reviewers will provide an overall impact/priority score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to make a contribution to the field, and the extent to which it exemplifies the current state-of-the-art of the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the project proposed).
Reviewers will provide an overall impact/priority score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the project proposed).
Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact. For example, a project that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.
Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved? How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field? Significance should be evaluated within the context of a doctoral dissertation: how will the successful completion of the aims help the applicant to advance his/her career goals?
Are the PD(s)/PI(s), collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the project? If Early Stage Investigators or New Investigators, or in the early stages of independent careers, do they have appropriate experience and training? If established, have they demonstrated an ongoing record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)? If the project is collaborative, do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise; are their leadership approach, governance and organizational structure appropriate for the project? Does the student show promise as a research investigator in areas relevant to the application, as evidenced in his/her Biographical Sketch and reference letters? Are the faculty advisor/dissertation chair and other doctoral committee members appropriately qualified to provide guidance as needed, that is do they have sufficient experience and resources to provide the necessary supervision and mentoring? Have the faculty advisor/dissertation chair and any other participating members of the committee indicated that they will allocate sufficient time to guide and support the PD/PI so that he/she will complete the dissertation in a timely manner?
Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Are the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel to one field of research or novel in a broad sense? Is a refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed? Innovation should be considered within the context of the doctoral dissertation: Is the level of innovation appropriate for the PD/PI's career stage?
Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses
well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project?
Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success
presented? If the project is in the early stages of development, will the
strategy establish feasibility and will particularly risky aspects be
If the project involves clinical research, are the plans for 1) protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion of minorities and members of both sexes/genders, as well as the inclusion of children, justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?
For all projects, not just those involving clinical research: Does the project reflect the student's grasp of scientific principles and adequate knowledge of other research related to the proposed research question?
Will the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the institutional support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the project proposed? Will the project benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or collaborative arrangements? Is there sufficient institutional support to foster completion of the project in a timely manner, as evidenced by the letters of support?
Additional Review Criteria
As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will evaluate the following additional items while determining scientific and technical merit, and in providing an overall impact/priority score, but will not give separate scores for these items.
Protections for Human Subjects
For research that involves human subjects but does
not involve one of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR
Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for involvement of human
subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their
participation according to the following five review criteria: 1) risk to
subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3) potential benefits to the
subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and 5) data
and safety monitoring for clinical trials.
For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate: 1) the justification for the exemption, 2) human subjects involvement and characteristics, and 3) sources of materials. For additional information on review of the Human Subjects section, please refer to the Human Subjects Protection and Inclusion Guidelines.
Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children
When the proposed project involves clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for inclusion of minorities and members of both genders, as well as the inclusion of children. For additional information on review of the Inclusion section, please refer to the Human Subjects Protection and Inclusion Guidelines.
Vertebrate Animals
The committee will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following five points: 1) proposed use of the animals, and species, strains, ages, sex, and numbers to be used; 2) justifications for the use of animals and for the appropriateness of the species and numbers proposed; 3) adequacy of veterinary care; 4) procedures for limiting discomfort, distress, pain and injury to that which is unavoidable in the conduct of scientifically sound research including the use of analgesic, anesthetic, and tranquilizing drugs and/or comfortable restraining devices; and 5) methods of euthanasia and reason for selection if not consistent with the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia. For additional information on review of the Vertebrate Animals section, please refer to the Worksheet for Review of the Vertebrate Animal Section.
Reviewers will assess whether materials or procedures proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.
For Resubmissions, the committee will evaluate the application as now presented, taking into consideration the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group and changes made to the project.
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items, and should not consider them in providing an overall impact/priority score.
Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research
Taking into account the circumstances of the PD/PI, including level of experience, the reviewers will address the following questions. Does the plan satisfactorily address the format of instruction, e.g. lectures, coursework, and/or real-time discussion groups? Does the plan include a sufficiently broad selection of subject matter, such as conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, and laboratory safety? Does the plan adequately describe the role of the sponsor/mentor or other faculty involvement in the student's instruction? Does the plan meet the minimum requirements for RCR, i.e., eight contact hours of instruction every four years? Plans and past record will be rated as ACCEPTABLE or UNACCEPTABLE, and the summary statement will provide the consensus of the review committee. See also: NOT-OD-10-019.
Applications from Foreign Organizations
Reviewers will assess whether the project presents special opportunities for furthering research programs through the use of unusual talent, resources, populations, or environmental conditions that exist in other countries and either are not readily available in the United States or augment existing U.S. resources.
Select Agent Research
Reviewers will assess the information provided in this section of the application, including 1) the Select Agent(s) to be used in the proposed research, 2) the registration status of all entities where Select Agent(s) will be used, 3) the procedures that will be used to monitor possession use and transfer of Select Agent(s), and 4) plans for appropriate biosafety, biocontainment, and security of the Select Agent(s).
Resource Sharing Plans
Not Applicable
Budget and Period of Support
Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.
Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s) convened by the NIMH,,in accordance with NIH peer review policy and procedures, using the stated review criteria. Review assignments will be shown in the eRA Commons.
As part of the scientific peer review, all applications:
Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines to the appropriate NIH Institute or Center. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the National Advisory Mental Health Council . The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
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Information regarding the disposition of applications is available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH
will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant as
described in the NIH Grants
Policy Statement.
A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization for successful applications. The NoA signed by the grants management officer is the authorizing document and will be sent via email to the grantee's business official.
Awardees must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.5. Funding Restrictions. Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs.
Any application awarded in response to this FOA will be subject to the DUNS, CCR Registration, and Transparency Act requirements as noted on the Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants website.
All NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General and Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities. More information is provided at Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants.
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When multiple years are involved, awardees will be required to submit the Non-Competing Continuation Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
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In the Final Progress Report, the PD/PI must provide information on the status of his/her dissertation research project, the actual or anticipated dissertation defense date, the actual or anticipated graduation date, and post-doctoral career plans (e.g., if he/she has accepted a job or post-doctoral research position, and if so, the position title and the employer).
The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for awardees of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All awardees of applicable NIH grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over $25,000. See the NIH Grants Policy Statement for additional information on this reporting requirement.
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This class is an introduction for woodworkers interested in learning how to sharpen their own handsaws and backsaws. The curriculum will cover jointing, filing teeth to uniform size and gullet depth, setting, and final sharpening. Topics discussed in depth will include the geometric and functional distinction between rip and crosscut teeth and how fleam and rake are combined to maximize the function of cutting along or across wood fibers. Proper file selection, filing technique, and saw vise requirements will also be discussed. No prior knowledge of saw sharpening is required. The class will be hands on with each student learning to sharpen a rip and crosscut saw. Students are encouraged to bring one or two saws only. These saws must be in decent shape. This is a sharpening class- not a saw rehab class!
Matt Cianci is a professional saw doctor. His website and blog are at http://thesawwright.com Sign up today- This is always a fun class! Tuition: $165.00 plus materials ($20 paid directly to instructor)


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HONOLULU (AP) -- Tsunami waves hit Hawaii in the early morning hours Friday and were sweeping through the island chain after an earthquake in Japan sparked evacuations throughout the Pacific and as far as the U.S. western coast.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said Kauai was the first island hit early Friday by the tsunami. Water rushed ashore in Honolulu, swamping the beach in Waikiki and surging over the break wall in the world-famous resort but stopping short of the area's high-rise hotels.
Waves at least 3 feet high were recorded on Oahu and Kauai, and officials warned that the waves would continue and could become larger.
Roadways and beaches were empty as the tsunamis struck the state, which had hours to prepare. Residents in coastal areas of Hawaii were sent to refuge areas at community centers and schools while tourists in Waikiki were moved to higher floors of their high-rise hotels. People waited in long lines stocking up on gas, bottled water, canned food and generators, and officials told residents to stock up on water and fill their cars with gas.
Sirens woke residents in the middle of the night in Hawaii, where the governor ordered the evacuation of coastal areas and warned residents to take the threat seriously. People waited in long lines stocking up on gas, bottled water, canned food and generators, and officials told residents to stock up on water and fill their cars with gas.
The tsunami slammed the eastern coast of Japan, sweeping away boats, cars, homes and people as widespread fires burned out of control. It's traveling at 500 mph - as fast as a jetliner - and likely won't change speed until it hits a large area of land, said Kanoah Koyanagi, a geophysicist for the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
Waves are predicted to hit the western coast of the United States between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. EST Friday. People near the beach and in low-lying coastal areas of Point Conception in Santa Barbara County were told to move immediately inland to higher ground.
While the tsunami is likely to go around smaller islands, the size of Hawaii's islands will amplify the waves, which will crash hardest against harbors and inlets.
"They're going to be coming in with high currents, they can pick up boulders from the sea floor ... they can pick up cars, they can pick up fuel tanks, those things become battering rams and so it just amplifies the destruction in a big tsunami," said Chip McCreery, director for the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
Waves almost 5 feet high hit Midway, a tiny island in the North Pacific about 1,300 miles northwest of Honolulu.
"We're preparing for the worst and we're praying for the best," said John Cummings III, spokesman for the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management.
The Honolulu International Airport remained open but seven or eight jets bound for Hawaii have turned around, including some originating from Japan, the state Department of Transportation said.
All harbors are closed and vessels were being ordered to leave the harbor.
The warnings issued by the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center cover an area stretching the entire western coast of the United States and Canada from the Mexican border to Chignik Bay in Alaska.
In Alaska, a dozen small communities along the Aleutian Island chain were on alert. In Oregon, county officials in Oregon were assessing whether to sound sirens; waves in Brookings in southern Oregon could also hit 6 feet.
The tsunami was expected to hit the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory at 4 a.m. EST, but no big waves came. Waves about 2.6 feet high hit the beach in Saipan, and sirens still sounded in the empty streets.
Maria Mettao, who works at the front desk of the Hyatt Regency Saipan in the Northern Marianas, said hotel staff has been given the all-clear. Mettao said the hotel has allowed guests to leave from the higher floors where they had been evacuated.
In the Philippines, officials ordered an evacuation of coastal communities along the country's eastern seaboard in expectation of a tsunami following the 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Japan.
Disaster management officials in Albay province southeast of Manila say they ordered residents to move to designated evacuation sites that are at least 15 feet above sea level.
In Guam, authorities advised people to evacuate low areas of the U.S. territory and seek ground higher than 50 feet above sea level and 100 feet inland.
Australia was not in danger because it was protected by island nations to the north, including Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, that would largely absorb any wave activity, said Chris Ryan, a forecaster at the National Meteorological and Oceanographic Centre, the Australian government agency that monitors the threat.
The warning was issued Thursday at 9:31 HST p.m. Sirens were sounded about 30 minutes later in Honolulu alerting people in coastal areas to evacuate. About 70 percent of Hawaii's 1.4 million population resides in Honolulu, and as many as 100,000 tourists are in the city on any given day.
Honolulu's Department of Emergency Management has created refuge areas at community centers and schools, and authorities on Kauai island have opened 11 schools to serve as shelters for those who have left tsunami inundation zones.
Streets cleared out across Hawaii with usually bustling Waikiki mostly free of any foot traffic, with police ordering every one into the hotels. At the hotels, visitors were evacuated to the third floor and higher.
"The situation we're confronting right now is unpredictable. We do not know how many waves are going to be coming," said Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle. "We do not know which wave, if any wave, causes the most damage and how long the series of waves can last. As a result of that, it is our responsibility to do those things which are absolutely essential to ensure that human life is saved."
A small 4.5-magnitude earthquake struck the Big Island just before 2 a.m., but there were no reports of damages and the quakes weren't likely related, a geophysicist with the United States Geological Survey said.
U.S. Coast Guard rescue crews were making preparations throughout the Hawaiian Islands to provide post-tsunami support, with cutter and aircraft crews positioning themselves to conduct response and survey missions.
Dennis Fujimoto said the mood is calm but concerned on the island of Kauai while people readying for the tsunami.
There's long lines at gas stations, and at the Wal-Mart, one of the few places that was open to midnight, people were stocking up on supplies.
"You got people walking out of there with wagonloads of water," he said.
The worst big wave to strike the U.S. was a 1946 tsunami caused by a magnitude of 8.1 earthquake near Unimak Islands, Alaska, that killed 165 people, mostly in Hawaii. In 1960, a magnitude 9.5 earthquake in southern Chile caused a tsunami that killed at least 1,716 people, including 61 people in Hilo. It also destroyed most of that city's downtown. On the U.S. mainland, a 1964 tsunami from a 9.2 magnitude earthquake in Prince William Sound, Alaska, struck Washington State, Oregon and California. It killed 128 people, including 11 in Crescent City, Calif.
Associated Press Writers contributing to this report include Mark Niesse and Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu, Denise Petski in Los Angeles, Kathy McCarthy in Seattle, Michelle Price and Carson Walker in Phoenix.


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by Jesse Hajer, Lynne FernandezMarch 31, 2021 | Manitoba Office
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COVID-19's impact on Canada's precarious child care sector
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Priorities for supporting women and the economy
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75 years of income inequality in Canada
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The Capacity of Eleven Municipal Housing Departments Across Canada
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A complete accounting of federal and provincial COVID-19 measures in 2020
by David MacdonaldJanuary 26, 2021 | National Office


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Ant antennae carry internal GPS
Minuscule magnets found in ant antennae could help to explain why these insects seem to always know where they are going, according to researchers.
While human global positioning systems rely upon receivers that pick up information from a network of satellites, the probable ant system weighs next to nothing, requires little energy to operate and appears to be mostly built out of dirt.
"The ants we studied dwell in tropical soils that are full of very fine-grained iron minerals, so there is plenty of material available," says researcher Dr Jandira Ferreira de Oliveira of the Technical University of Munich and the Brazilian Center for Physics Research.
"The incorporation of minerals probably starts as soon as ants start getting in touch with soil," she says.
Her team found ultra fine-grained crystals of magnetic magnetite, maghemite, hematite, goethite, and aluminum silicates in ant antennae. These particles could make a "biological compass needle" that drives ant GPS.
For the study, published in the latest Journal of the Royal Society Interface, Oliveira and her colleagues collected worker ants from the species Pachycondyla marginata in Sao Paulo.
Magnetic influence
Prior studies found these ants tend to always migrate at an orientation of 13 degrees relative to Earth's geomagnetic north-south axis, and that the ant's strongest magnetic signal comes from its antennae.
High-powered microscopes and chemical analysis revealed the presence of the dirt-acquired magnetic particles in the antennae, intriguingly next to a body part called the Johnston's organ that may also be part of the ant's GPS.
Oliveira explains how the system might work.
Our planet is magnetised, likely due to rotational forces of liquid iron in earth's core. Although the resulting magnetic field is one-twenty thousandth as strong as a refrigerator magnet, ants appear to "perceive the geomagnetic information through a magnetic sensor (the dirt particles), transduce it in a signal to the nervous system and then to the brain," she says.
Not all ants may use this particular system. Desert ants, for example, appear to have evolved special eyes that detect skylight polarisation, which they then use to find their way around their sandy habitat.
Other animals
Magnetic particles, however, have been detected in many fish, birds, butterflies, flies, bees, bats, mole rats, newts, sea turtles and spiny lobsters, suggesting these animals find their way like the Brazilian ants do.
An almost identical GPS system might operate in rainbow trout, which have magnetic material in their noses, and homing pigeons.
Dr Gerta Fleissner of the University of Frankfurt and her colleagues discovered maghemite and magnetite in the skin lining the upper beaks of these birds famed for their directional skills.
Fleissner believes this "pigeon-type receptor system ... might turn out to be a universal feature of all birds."
The University of Oxford's Dr Robert Srygley, one of the world's leading insect experts, says the new study "is a major advance toward finding the magnetic compass in this nomadic ant."
Nanotechnologists have their eye on such ant, bird and other nature-made GPS systems, as they could in future lead to more accurate drug targeting in humans, and might even serve as tiny data storage devices.
While insects and animals seem to either get their magnetic materials from dirt or otherwise produce them, the crystals apparently aren't so easy to recreate in a lab.
According to Fleissner and her team, "Even though birds have been producing these particles for millions of years, the main problem for scientists who want to find benefits from their use will be the technical production of these particles."


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Yesterday marked the anniversary of the publication Edgar Allan Poe's classic, creepy poem "The Raven." Although there is some dispute, the first publication of the work is generally attributed to The New York Mirror. The poem made Poe a star, but sadly, not a fortune.
In the poem, a raven continuously visits a man who has been unlucky in love. The object of his affections, a woman named "Lenore" has been lost to him evermore. The poem's internal rhymes and alliteration, along with its spooky, supernatural content made its lines easy to remember and it soon became incredibly popular.
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore —
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visiter," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door —
Only this and nothing more."
to render it manifest that no one point in its composition is referrible [sic] either to accident or intuition — that the work proceeded, step by step, to its completion with the precision and rigid consequence of a mathematical problem.
Let us dismiss, as irrelevant to the poem per se, the circumstance — or say the necessity — which, in the first place, gave rise to the intention of composing a poem that should suit at once the popular and the critical taste.
Poe's formula obviously worked, as it is still popular with both critics and the public alike to this day.
Feeling like you want a little fright? Take a listen to the perennially creepy Christopher Walken read the poem in its entirety:


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Growing up in Alaska taught me to love snow, to play hard outdoors, to be safe in the wilderness, and to work hard. And that is also all about snowboarding.
Winter comes to Fairbanks the first of October and we still find snow in the fjiords where I grew up fishing in Southeast Alaska into June. I can't think of a winter when I wasn't riding on sleds or skis or inner tubes or my snow boots, but when I strapped into my first snowboard at age 12 I knew I had found IT! Since then I've put in my time, 110 + days straight in '07-'08 and '08-'09, I ride Squaw Valley in the winters, and Haines and Juneau in the spring.
Back in Fairbanks where my family spent our winters we hiked Cleary Summit and Ester Dome as often as we rode the areas, but one fall the owner at local Moose Mountain said we could build our own jumps. For two weeks as the snow readied to fall, my friends Morgan and Erik and I hauled hay bales and shaped kickers. By morning the moose would have eaten half our ramp and we'd start again. That was the early hard work I've put into boarding. Now the split board has opened a whole new world for hard work, hiking, climbing, winter camping and riding.
Summers I still work in Alaska out of a village called Elfin Cove, though now I captain my own boat. Repeated 20 hour days, hauling, cleaning, and icing salmon and halibut are grueling work. I learned early to look up from the grind whenever a humpback swims by, to watch the Peregrin falcons dive and the orcas breach, and the shape of the waves. I feel it is important to enjoy nature. It's like that when I put in that extra training run even though my quads are screaming or when I'm slogging behind Jeremy up another rise of the mountain even steeper than the last.
I am currently sponsored by: Jones snowboards, Patagonia, Anon, Now Bindings, Spark R&D, Aurora Projekt, Alaska Powder Descents, One Ball Jay,Candygrind and dedicatebrand.com.
I placed multiple podiums in The North Face Masters of snowboarding, the north american big mountain competitions between 2008-2013. In 2010 I took 3rd in the Freeride World Tour Tram FAce at Squaw VAlley, CA; and in 2013 I took 1st place in the Kirkwood, CA Freeride World Tour stop.
Putting smooth clean riding at high speed with tricks interlaced is what I am all about. I had a cameo in Standard's Films' movie, "Draw the Line", in 2007, and film roles in two of Sweetgrass films ski movies, SOLITAIRE,and VALHALLA. In 2013 I joined Lucas Debari and crew to shoot in "GO Boarding". Some of my favorite and most challenging times in the mountains have been filming for Jeremy Jones' trilogy by TGR; the DEEPER, FURTHER, HIGHER
Mendenhall Towers 2011 photo: Abe Blair
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Dubrovnik offers numerous adventures within a three-day visit.
If the reason for your visit to our city is culture, youd better prepare yourselves because culture, arts and architecture are inseparable parts of Dubrovnik. Do not miss a visit to the Franciscan Monastery Museum with the artefacts of the Friars Minor Pharmacy from 1317.The Dominican Monastery houses inspiring works by the members of the Dubrovnik 15th and 16t century school of painting and a canvas by the great Titian. The Cathedral treasury comprises silver and gold relics made by Dubrovnik goldsmiths from the 11th to 19th century. At the Rectors Palace try to conjure up the way the city was governed in the course of centuries and how freedom was guarded as the greatest treasure of the Dubrovnik Republic. Visit the Rupe Ethnographic Museum and learn more about the granary and storage of the state grain and wheat reserves in deep pits cut into the rock. Acquaint yourselves with the customs and folk costume of the Dubrovnik region. Walk the city walls, and make sure to visit the Maritime Museum in order to learn about the centuries-long seafaring tradition of the Dubrovnik Republic. Discover more about the famed seamen, and the mathematician Getaldić and the physicist Ruđer Bošković who calculated the loading capacity of the merchant ships karaka, galijun and nava.Climb Fort Lovrjenac, the Dubrovnik Gibraltar, and conjure up scenes from Shakespeares Hamlet, Macbeth and Julius Caesar. Do not miss the opportunity to visit the small museum of the Dubrovnik Synagogue with numerous exhibits which testify to the life of the Jews in Dubrovnik.At the Dubrovnik Defenders Museum at Fort Imperial on Mount Srđ, reminisce about the recent past and suffering of Dubrovnik. In addition to doing the city walls tour, climbing the Dubrovnik steps, walking the narrow streets with clothes drying in the breeze, charming restaurants and shops, a cocktail sipped by the walls, the murmur of the sea at Buža, and a concert or play at some of the Dubrovnik festivals, make sure to save some time for visiting the places in the Dubrovnik surroundings.The Island of Lokrum, also called the Island of Love, is in close vicinity to the Old City. Centuries of rich history, legends, tales and the magic of the sea and nature will revive old loves, or inspire new ones.
The Arcadian idyll of the Trsteno Arboretum - where one of the most beautiful women of the European Renaissance, the red-haired Dubrovnik poetess Cvijeta Zuzorić wrote her verses and loved - invites you to take a walk in the shade of ancient trees and see your reflection in the Neptune and Nymphs Fountain.
Allow yourselves to enjoy swimming in the miraculously clean Adriatic, and take along a pebble from one of the white Dubrovnik beaches…
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Switzerland is ready to consider taking in detainees from the U.S. prison for terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba if that helps to shut it down, the Swiss government said on Wednesday.
"For Switzerland, the detention of people in Guantanamo is in conflict with international law. Switzerland is ready to consider how it can contribute to the solution of the Guantanamo problem," the government said in a statement.
Switzerland said it welcomed the expressed intention of U.S. President Barack Obama to close the prison and would investigate security and legal implications of possibly taking in detainees.
Hours after taking office on Tuesday, Obama ordered military prosecutors in the Guantanamo war crimes tribunals to ask for a 120-day halt in all pending cases.
The camp is widely seen as a stain on the United States' human rights record under the administration of George W. Bush.
European governments, which for years have called for the camp to be closed, are under pressure to help find a home for around 245 remaining detainees. The camp has held more than 750 captives since opening in 2002, most without trial.
Under Bush, Washington tried in vain to persuade its allies, in particular in the 27-nation European Union, to take in inmates who cannot go back to their home country and who the United States does not want to accept either.
Switzerland, which is not a member of the EU, has historically attracted refugees from trouble spots around the world and is home to international humanitarian organisations like the Red Cross and U.N. refugee agency.
But its reputation for tolerance has been threatened by the rise of the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP), and its campaigns against immigration. The SVP condemned the government overture as giving "free rein for terrorists".
Portugal was the first EU state to say it would accept detainees and France has said it is ready to do so as well, but others are less enthusiastic. EU foreign ministers will discuss the issue at a meeting on Jan. 26.
EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot welcomed on Wednesday Obama's plans to freeze military trials at Guantanamo.
"I am delighted that one of the first actions of President Obama was to turn the page on this sad episode of Guantanamo prison," he said in a statement. "For me, this is very symbolic. In a lawful state, everybody should enjoy the right to defence."


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Jacob Isaacksz. van Ruisdael
Road trough Grain Fields near the Zuider Zee
Jacob van Ruisdael is documented in Amsterdam in 1657, the date when he applied to be baptised into the Reformed Church. It has been suggested that his reasons for moving to Amsterdam included purely commercial ones related to the art market, as the city offered artists more opportunities and chances of success. Once there, Van Ruisdael widened his range of motifs and started to paint rushing streams, woodland scenes, windmills, winter landscapes and marine views. Between the 1650s and early 1660s the artist devoted himself most actively to exploring the visual possibilities of rushing streams, cascades in forests, rocky areas and windmills, whose forms he had painted against the skyline in his earlier works.
Cultivated fields are a motif to be found in Van Ruisdael's work from an early date, reappearing in a variety of forms and in different contexts throughout his career. He depicted fields on areas of low land, on hills, on the edges of woods, near the seashore or near the still waters of ponds. These fields of ripe wheat, bathed in a warm light, frequently include (as we see here) figures walking along paths or resting along the edges. Various art historians have drawn attention to the parallels between figures of this type and those that are to be found in the traditional series representing the months of the year or the seasons. Although it might be possible to see Van Ruisdael's depictions of ripe wheat fields as relating to summer or to the month of August, the idea has been rejected as his views are not particularly similar to those of the earlier type nor do they include figures engaged in any type of agricultural activities.
In the present canvas Van Ruisdael created the pictorial space through the light, achieving a harmonious organisation of the area nearest to the foreground through delicate, balanced contrasts of light and shade. The perspective, as in many of his compositions, is emphasised by the winding path on which we see a herd of cattle and figures, leading the eye into the middle distance. Further into the pictorial space is a village set among the leafy trees whose tops break the horizon line. The particular location depicted in this work has not been identified but it is thought to be close to Naarden with the Zuider Zee visible in the background. The canvas has been dated to the 1660s and has been compared to a painting in the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam.
Mar Borobia


text: Tidbit candy machines come in all shapes and sizes. Some are little enough to hold tight a divider and some are the full size floor models like the one I had. Some are electronic that you plug into an electric divider attachment. Some are physically worked that don't require any power whatsoever.


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What's New
Minor bug fixes and update to 'More Games' functionality.
App Description
"Glowfish is aquatic exploration nirvana. It's got absolutely everything going for it. It plays like a dream, looks and sounds like a dream, and fills you with a real sense of wonder. There's no other word for the whole package other than 'magical.' Glowfish is a must have for every single iPad owner." - Gamezebo.com (iPad version)
"The game's gorgeous, even by MumboJumbo standards, and the whole experience is just pleasant. Check this one out." - Snackbar-Games.com (iPad version)
"... A glowing visual feast masquerading as a fun underwater adventure game for your iPad. If you've played and enjoyed games like Osmos, then you'll love what GlowFish has to offer." - AppAdvice.com (iPad version)
"The sound is perfect for the gameplay and sounds great with or without headphones. The music is moody and atmospheric without being overwhelming or overbearing. Did I mention that the game is gorgeous?" - BulletProofPixel.com (iPad version)
"With over 50 levels, you'll be constantly surprised and pleased by everything that Glowfish HD throws at you." - Square-Go.com (iPad version)
The evil Dr. Urchin has kidnapped Coralline! It's up to Glowfish to free his lady friend and sea pals everywhere from his clutches in this underwater platform adventure.
50 vibrant, colorful ocean landscapes await in this arcade-style underwater adventure game. Filled with charming sea creatures, you must navigate your way through the twists and turns of each maze level with a fluid joystick control system.
Beware—while you scour the ocean floor in search of lost friends waiting for rescue, a host of enemies is lurking! Each level takes you deeper in the unique ocean world with new challenges and enemies at every turn. Gather your friends to make Glowfish bigger and better at challenging the boss on each level. Set the captive friends free by surrounding Glowfish with a powerful ring of friends, or circle the enemy to fire your blasting bubbles and win each arcade battle.
Add to your team by collecting powerful Glow Chums to help you along the way, and upgrade them by collecting coins to give you even more of an edge in each boss battle! Dive in and be prepared to be dazzled by Glowfish.
· 50 A-Maze-ing platform adventure levels
· Unlock all 8 Glow Chums
· Collect coins to upgrade your Glow Chums
· Dominate in each Boss Battle
· Get 4 Stars on each level
· 25 Achievements
· Hours of family-friendly entertainment
Search for MumboJumbo on the App Store and the Mac App Store, or visit www.mumbojumbo.com to find more great games from MumboJumbo!!!
7 Wonders
Chainz Galaxy
Everyday Genius: SquareLogic
Luxor: Amun Rising
Luxor 2
Midnight Mysteries: Devil on the Mississippi
Midnight Mysteries: Salem Witch Trials
Samantha Swift and the Fountains of Fate
Unlikely Suspects
Find us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MumboJumboGames
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MumboJumboGames
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Due to an error Glowfish can presently be installed on an iPod Touch Gen 2 and iPhone 3G. Glowfish was designed for the iPod Touch Gen 3 and iPhone 3GS and newer devices and will therefore run unacceptably slow on iPod Touch Gen 2 and iPhone 3G and older devices. We are working on a fix for this problem right now and would suggest that owners of these older devices await the next update.
App Changes
- August 18, 2011 Initial release
- August 27, 2011 Price increase: $0.99 -> $2.99
- November 03, 2011 New version 1.1.0
- November 24, 2011 Price decrease: $2.99 -> $0.99
- December 09, 2011 Price increase: $0.99 -> $2.99
- February 16, 2012 Price decrease: $2.99 -> $0.99
- March 16, 2012 Price increase: $0.99 -> $2.99
- July 13, 2012 New version 1.1.1
- August 03, 2012 Price decrease: $2.99 -> $0.99
- August 31, 2012 Price decrease: $0.99 -> FREE!
- September 19, 2012 New version 1.2.1
- September 21, 2012 Price increase: FREE! -> $2.99
- October 12, 2012 Price decrease: $2.99 -> FREE!
- November 02, 2012 Price increase: FREE! -> $2.99
- December 21, 2012 Price decrease: $2.99 -> FREE!
- January 05, 2013 Price increase: FREE! -> $0.99
- December 06, 2013 Price decrease: $0.99 -> FREE!
- February 28, 2014 Price increase: FREE! -> $4.99
- December 24, 2015 Price decrease: $4.99 -> $0.99
- January 09, 2016 Price increase: $0.99 -> $4.99


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Fridays with Fred: Blue Moon, the trail-blazing, student-founded literary journal
Beloit College students have a remarkably long tradition of activism and entrepreneurship. Whenever students want to try something new or different, Beloit often provides the opportunity, regardless of official sanction. Student funds and backbreaking labor built our first gymnasium in the 19th century. Back then, students also formed literary societies, banjo clubs, social fraternities, and a "base ball" team, sometimes without the approval of college faculty and administration. In the 20th and 21st centuries, student organizations frequently appeared with a splash and then disappeared when the founders graduated. Some groups, such as BSFFA—the Beloit Science Fiction and Fantasy Association—proved long-lived, while others, such as the Cannabis Club of the mid-'90s, flamed out in a proverbial puff of smoke after only a year or two.
Students have always craved outlets for their creative work. The Beloit College Monthly, and later, the Round Table, provided ample space for budding journalists and essayists and occasionally printed special "literary" issues, but the newsprint format seemed too ephemeral for serious literary writing. In early October 1929, just a few weeks before the Wall Street stock market crashed on "Black Tuesday," Beloit College senior Kenneth B. Arrington hatched out a plan. As Round Table editor he found it easy to broadcast his idea on the newspaper's front page:
A literary quarterly is probable for the future in Beloit. Most colleges of the size of ours have publications which present typical work of both students and faculty…The need of just some such magazine has been felt in Beloit for quite some time…It is believed that the field for a literary journal in Beloit is vast and its prospects are bright…
Rather than going an entirely independent route, editor-in-chief Arrington and his nascent editorial staff sought official approval by way of the college's Committee on Activities. The committee liked the plan and the staff of the as yet unnamed publication conferred in dorm room "bull sessions," huddled outside on crisp autumn afternoons, and whispered much too loudly in the study rooms of the Carnegie Library. By the end of October they had a budget, a deadline for submissions, and at long last, a name: Blue Moon.
Plans called for a 48 page staple-bound magazine with quality paper and an attractive cover. The staff organized a subscription drive, offering three issues for one dollar, while charging 35 cents per single copy. Editors also sent out a call for submissions:
Anything of a literary nature, from very free verse to deeply philosophical essays will be acceptable…In addition to containing essays, stories and poetry [the magazine] will be illustrated with wood-cuts and pictures.
Over the next several weeks, the Blue Moon staff continued to ask for submissions. Possibly in order not to discourage contributors, by early November, their request for "very free verse" had evolved into "extremely free verse." They also specified interest in linoleum block prints and line drawings. In time, such distinctive artwork became one of the magazine's outstanding features.
Meanwhile, Managing Editor Arthur Henry Glanz and his staff sought paid advertisements from community businesses, many of which were happy to oblige. Blue Moon's first issue featured, among others, Wisconsin Power and Light ("To Electrify is to Satisfy"), Murkland's Shoe Store ("Shoes Correctly Fitted with X-Ray"), and the Hotel Hilton, announcing its new coffee shop. In a special "Chapel Campaign," Blue Moon staff managed to snag 200 student subscribers, and the resultant promotion attracted even more subscriptions.
By early December, Blue Moon seemed about ready to go to press as planned. Unfortunately, on Dec.18, the Round Table announced that readers would have to wait until after Christmas vacation: "However, practically all the material for this issue is now prepared…The magazine will be very attractive and contain interesting contributions by Professor Clancy [and] Professor Crawford." The same issue noted that the 25-year-old literary magazine published by the University of Wisconsin had gone defunct due to lack of support by students and faculty. "We fail to 'view with alarm,'" the columnist wrote, "for we feel that Beloit will make it succeed."
In the tradition of most literary magazines, there were further delays before publication. Then, one frigid January day in 1930, providing some needed literary warmth, Blue Moon appeared in all its glory, prose and poetry set in venerable Caslon type between a richly hued, appropriately blue cover.
Blue Moon continued as a venue for campus literature and artwork until 1934, when it ceased publication. Perhaps the ever-deepening financial woes of the Great Depression did it in. Over the next 80 years, student writers and artists founded other distinguished literary magazines, including Satyre, Avatar, and Pocket Lint, but Blue Moon, with its stunning Art Deco covers, was the trailblazer.
Of no concern my momentary clay,
Flaming with fevers, fall in a day
To baleful broken coal of pain and sorrow –
The flesh of yesterday, today, tomorrow.
The coddled bone and sinew, these shall pass
Down to dead embers, as any blazing mass.
Small consequence the body of the pyre,
The crackling boughs, the smoldering ash, the fire
But paramount the wistful flame, serene,
Nurtured by embers; the spirit, tremulous, clean,
And sinewy blue like the shadow of a soul
Eerily dancing on the dying coal.
As any blazing birchwood falls apart,
Groaning, consumed, and flings up from its heart
An essence that goes winding to a cloud
In a ghostly flame within a smoking shroud –
So may I go, when my burning boughs crash
And nothing remains but feebly glowing ash,
And wisp of spirit spiraling and bending
Starward in tenuous flame and smoke ascending.
"Flame and Smoke" by Lew Sarett, class of 1911, published in the second issue of Blue Moon, April, 1930.


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West Point Graduation 2013
The United States Military Academy Class of 2013 graduation and commission ceremony on Saturday, May 25, 2013 in West Point's Michie Stadium where Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel was the commencement speaker.Read More
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The Sunset Limited
Based on the play of the same name by Pulitzer Prize Winner Cormac McCarthy, this searing two-character drama mixes humor and pathos while examining the relationship between strangers who are brought together by desperate circumstances. Set in a New York tenement apartment, the story focuses on two very different men – a deeply religious black ex-con who thwarts the suicide attempt of an asocial white college professor who tried to throw himself in front of an oncoming subway train, 'The Sunset Limited.' As the one attempts to connect on a rational, spiritual and emotional level, the other remains steadfast in his hard-earned despair. Locked in a philosophical debate, both passionately defend their personal credos and try to convert the other.
Views: 19
Genre: Drama
Director: Tommy Lee Jones
Actors: Samuel L. Jackson, Tommy Lee Jones
Duration: 90
Release: 2011
IMDb: 7.4