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Subject: I have found a DVD that I think you would enjoy
|From Russia With Love
THX Edition
Genres: Action & Adventure, Indie & Art House
Directed with consummate skill by Terence Young, the second James Bond spy thriller is considered by many fans to be the best of them all. Certainly Sean Connery was never better as the dashing Agent 007, whose latest miss... more »
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Come For The Movie, Stay For The Extras
Michael K. Beusch | San Mateo, California United States | 12/01/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"From Russia With Love, the second James Bond film, is one of the best (in my view, second only to Goldfinger). Unlike the later films in the series, From Russia With Love is extremely faithful to the Ian Fleming novel with only slight variations on the story. In order to obtain a Russian decoding machine, 007 must travel to Istanbul, Turkey to aid a beautiful Russian defector ... even though he and the British Secret Service know it's probably a trap. But unbeknownst to Bond SPECTRE is playing the Russians and the British against each other. This is the most realistic of the Bond films with a story that could probably happen in the real world of espionage. The film does contain a gadget -- a trick briefcase (also in the Fleming novel) that contains throwing knives, ammunition, a folding sniper's rifle, 50 gold sovereigns and a tear gas cartridge that explodes when the case is opened improperly. The film, however, takes a very realistic approach to the story with none of the cartoon antics present in many of the later Bonds.
Terence Young, who also helmed Dr. No and Thunderball, does an outstanding job of directing. He makes wonderful use of the locations, especially in Istanbul. As with his other two Bond efforts, Young eschews a cartoon approach to the action in favor of a more brutal, realistic approach. And unlike many later Bond directors, Young concentrates on developing characters, making them real people with real emotions. The audience feels for the characters emotionally -- something unheard of with the cardboard cutout characters of the later films.
Peter Hunt's editing is a marvel. The action scenes are tightly edited and the film's pacing and continuity are flawless. In addition, the DVD documentary shows just how much Hunt helped shape the final project. He went beyond simply editing the film and actually helped shape and improve the story.
However, the best thing about the film is the casting. Young must have taken great care to properly cast From Russia With Love because every part matches their novel counterpart down to the last detail. Sean Connery, of course, is, and always will be, the best James Bond. Newcomer Daniela Bianchi is terrific as pseudo defector Tatiana Romanova. She is beautiful, sexy and appealing. It's too bad she didn't have more of a screen career. Lotte Lenya (Threepenny Opera), the famed German musical star, does a wonderful villainous turn as Rosa Klebb, former SMERSH agent who is now working for SPECTRE. Robert Shaw (A Man for all Seasons, Black Sunday, Jaws) is chilling as SPECTRE assassin Red Grant. And Pedro Armendariz, in the performance of his career, plays Ali Karim Bey, the head of Station T, Turkey. Aremedariz's performance is especially poignant because he was dying of cancer during the filming. He shot himself while in the hospital soon after he was through filming.
From Russia With Love is not only a good Bond film, but a good film alone, apart from the series. Along with Dr. No and Goldfinger, From Russia With Love represents a high point that the later films never quite matched.
The DVD transfer is spectacular, with terrific sound and picture quality. What makes the DVD special, however, are the special features which include three documentaries, trailers, TV and radio spots and cast & crew profiles. The main documentary is especially interesting as it details how the filmmakers drastically changed the story progression during the shoot. As with all of the Bond DVD's, MGM has done a superb job, giving the buyer much, much more than just the film to view."
Among the Finest in the Series
Mark Wylie | Spokane, WA United States | 09/06/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"From Russia With Love ranks among the top three films in the durable James Bond series. As in many of the best films in the series, the tone is relatively serious. Rather than the fantastic schemes of some of the later Bond films, the plot is a fairly straightforward espionage story, dealing with Bond's attempts to get his hands on the obligatory MacGuffin, a coding machine. The story is believable and there is an atmosphere of genuine tension throughout the film.From Russia With Love's greatest strength is its superb cast. Sean Connery, in his second outing as Bond, is very good, handling both dialogue and action adeptly. Daniela Bianchi is a beautiful heroine, and her onscreen relationship with Bond is very plausible. Other roles are also cast from strength--Lotte Lenya and Robert Shaw, as the principal villains, and Pedro Armendariz, as Bond's fellow MI-6 agent, are the most notable performances.While From Russia With Love cannot be considered a classic movie--it owes too much to North By Northwest for that--it is a very enjoyable movie to view again and again. I watch it several times a year."
Connery's Favorite 007 Film
Scott T. Rivers | Los Angeles, CA USA | 01/08/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Bonds come and go, but "From Russia With Love" (1963) is a screen classic in its own right. The second 007 adventure makes the most of its increased budget with expansive locales (Turkey, Italy and even Scotland), ruthless villains (memorably portrayed by Robert Shaw and Lotte Lenya) and Sean Connery in terrific form. Terence Young directs this Ian Fleming adaptation with a firm hand. "From Russia With Love" remains Connery's favorite Bond film . . . and it's easy to see why."
Easily one of the greatest in the James Bond series
Robert Moore | Chicago, IL USA | 03/07/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Most James Bond fans have their personal favorites among all the films in this forty-year series: FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE is mine. In many ways, this was actually the first film with the full James Bond formula in tact. DR. NO was enjoyable, but Sean Connery's Bond was very different in that film than in the subsequent films. In DR. NO, Bond was a serious, unironic, humorless secret agent, very much like the character in the Ian Fleming novels. In FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, Bond departed from the character in the novels, and became witty, ironic, and very much tongue-in-cheek. In short, he became the Bond we all know and love. This is also the first film in which Desmond Llewelyn appeared as Q, who went on to play in all the remaining films (excepting Sean Connery's comeback with a different studio). Q provides Bond with his trick attaché case, the first of the many gimmicks we associate with Bond. The story is a great improvement as well. On top of this, the villains in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE represented a huge leap forward from DR. NO. In the list of the great Bond villains, both Robert Shaw's Donald 'Red' Grant and cabaret legend Lotte Lenya's Rosa Klebb rank near the top. Shaw comes across less as a human being than a highly programmed cyborg, and Lenya's sadistic turn as a poisoned-knife-in-shoe harpy has been often imitated.The setting for the film, Istanbul, is one of the best in the entire series. It perfect set the international tone for all subsequent Bond films. The city is used as a perfect backdrop for much of the film. Among all the other distinctions of this film, it also belongs on the short list of the great train films, with much of the film taking place on the train that travels along the route of the former Orient Express. The only film that I think rivals this one in the James Bond series is the immediate sequel, GOLDFINGER, which is my second favorite Bond film.By the way, this is one of the few films in which Bond does NOT say, "Bond, James Bond.""


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"Keara, Ethan, wake up! Quick!" the urgent sound of their grandfather's voice cause both Keara and Ethan to sit bolt upright.
"Why Grandpa Jim? Why did you wake us up? Is it morning?" Keara always full of questions peppered her grandfather with this series of questions.
Grandpa Jim was moving quickly around the room gathering clothes and shoes for each of them so they could dress quickly. Since Grandpa Jim usually moved at a slower pace, both children knew something important was happening.
"A fisherman from the village was just here, he found a whale tangled in a fishing net. If we cannot help the whale, it could die." (Excerpt from "Set Me Free," Said the Whale, a cell phone novel by: KJL)
If the Classics don't seem to get your students excited about reading and writing, why not try a cell phone novel?
Recently while reading, "I ♥ Novels:Young women develop a genre for the cellular age"—a New Yorker article that discusses the rising popularity of the cell phone novel genre throughout Japan—I thought it would be fun to look for kid/teen-friendly English language cell phone novels…
My search quickly brought me to the kids section of the website textnovel—"a social network for authors and readers of serial fiction and the first English language cell phone novel website, allowing members to write and read fiction with their cell phones or computers, using text messaging, email and online tools". What I like about the site is that it not only welcomes users to contribute stories, but that it encourages them to rate stories, become fans and leave comments—digital literacy skills that are increasingly important for students (and teachers) to cultivate in a hypermedia and social media age.
With a new year (and new decade) around the corner, how about teaching a cell phone novel in January?
If you're looking for ideas on how to incorporate this new genre into your unit of studies, take a look at the m4Lit Project—a cell phone novel project and research study based out of South Africa that aims to support student leisure reading and writing in both English and isiXhosa and to understand whether cell phones can be used as effective tools for developing literacy and a love of reading amongst teens. While browsing through the project site, make sure to visit the cell phone story Kontax—"about the adventures of 4 cool teenagers".
Happy texting!
Anna (@bon_education)
P.S. For more ideas on how to incorporate cell phones into your classroom, take a look at the post Using cell phones as teaching and learning tools.

subset: commoncrawl


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Emachine T2862 Realtek LAN Driver Does not Work
I had a emachine T2862 in the shop today which needed a XP reinstall. The owner didn't have the disks so I had to use a generic disc to install XP. This means that I have to go out on the net and find all the drivers for the box. This is generally fairly painless since most major PC manufacturers have fairly good driver download sites. This is not always the case though. In this situation I went to the Emachine website and grabbed the drivers for the correct model and all of them worked except for one. The LAN driver didn't install and gave a error saying the device did not exist.


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NRA softens approach in new ad
In a tacit acknowledgment that their ad spotlighting President Obama's daughters was a mistake, the NRA is going up tonight with an online ad that makes a policy-based argument instead of raw provocation.
The new commercial cites a Department of Justice memo stating that an assault weapons ban is unlikely to affect gun violence without "buybacks" of the same weapons already in the hands of people. The memo also stated that universal background checks wouldn't work without gun registration.
Story Continued Below
( PHOTOS: Will these guns be banned again?)
"Still think President Obama's proposals sound reasonable?" asks Chris Cox, the NRA's chief lobbyist, at the end of the spot.
The ad will be posted on news websites and other sites that are frequently trafficked by residents of South Dakota, Colorado, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alaska — all states home to Democratic senators up for reelection next year. The ad comes as the president is expected to address gun control in his State of the Union Address and victims of gun violence will be in the House chamber.
It's most striking for its tone – a head-over-heart approach citing the opposition's own research that is far more in line with traditional political advertising than the commercial the NRA ran last month asking, "Are the presidents kids more important than yours?"
That spot was widely panned and put the NRA on the defensive at the very moment it was gearing up for its biggest lobbying effort in decades following the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn. The massacre left 20 children dead and caused considerable unease among those inside the organization and its allies.
( PHOTOS: Politicians speak out on gun control)
Veteran NRA lobbyist James Baker told Reuters the ad was "ill-advised" and a number of sources told POLITICO that the dissension over the ad ran deep in the organization.
"Are there differences of opinion on strategy?" said one source familiar with the inner workings of the NRA. "Sure."
It wasn't just the initial ad that angered some in and around the organization. It was seen as a quickie job spearheaded by NRA executive vice-president Wayne LaPierre and it blindsided some in the NRA's orbit.


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Elk County takes proactive approach to inmate medical fees
Each year Elk County budgets a set amount to cover medical fees incurred by inmates. Greg Gebauer, warden at the Elk County Prison, explained that once a person is admitted to the county prison, their care, custody and control is the responsibility of the county, and the same is true for states and the country for inmates in the state and federal prison systems. The issue recently became a hot topic in Meadville when the Meadville Tribune published an article on Jan. 26 highlighting how the suicide of an inmate in the Crawford County jail in December 2010 may end up costing that county over $290,000 in medical bills. According to reports, the Crawford County Commissioners indicated that they do not have enough money in their general fund to pay the fees and will have to utilize money in the county's capital improvements fund. Both Gebauer and Elk County Commissioner June Sorg indicated that the scenario is one that could play out in any county throughout the state. "Anyone, once they're admitted to our prison, then the county is responsible. Even if they have a medical card from the welfare office, they lose that and the county is responsible to pay all their medical bills," Sorg said. Gebauer noted that the only way that the cost of an inmate's medical expenses would not be incurred by the county is if the individual had his or her own valid medical insurance plan. He added that while the county seldom runs into that scenario, it has happened on occasion in the past. "Maybe a younger inmate is on their mother's or father's medical insurance and we have used that medical insurance for things," Gebauer said. "But when they come to jail, if they're on the medical card, the minute they come to jail the medical assistance stops paying."Occasionally inmates' medical fees are covered by Social Security. "It all depends on the inmate's status. It depends if they're pre-trial or if they're convicted or sentenced, because if they're convicted or sentenced for certain crimes, then Social Security will also stop," Gebauer said. The county does include line items in its annual budget for hospital costs, doctor fees, medical prescriptions for inmates and other related expenses. The annual budget also factors in the cost of inflation.


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Effortless Power
Naked Street
Powerful Versatility
Lean and Mean
Stealthy Supermoto
The Zero XU is an innovative, lightweight, electric motorcycle that blends industry leading technology, performance and practicality to deliver the ultimate urban-crosser. A low seat height, no-shift operation, removable power pack and optional onboard storage allow riders of all kinds to negotiate the city with a new kind of freedom.
Ride the way you want. Twist the throttle, relax and leisurely wind your way from one destination to the next. Or…hop curbs, fly around corners and cut through traffic. Designed for utility and pure enjoyment, the Zero XU transforms the city into a motorcycle amusement park. It is ideal for the day-to-day…but built for dynamic individuals who may want to occasionally push the limits.
Built around Zero's rigid aircraft grade aluminum frame, the Zero XU is styled to be minimalistic, strong, eye-catching and comfortable. With a removable power pack, and the option of a stand-alone charger, riders who live anywhere can now charge anywhere.
Zero Motorcycles offers the Zero XU in a limited speed configuration (LSM) to allow riders in designated areas to operate it without a full motorcycle permit. The requirements to operate the Zero XU LSM are typically that the rider have a 49cc license and be at least 14-16 years of age. However, age and other requirements differ by province. Contact your nearest Zero Motorcycles dealer to learn more about the license requirements in your area.
The Zero XU is new for Zero Motorcycles in 2011 and marks the fifth model to be added to the product line. With instant torque from zero rpm, a low weight, a low seat height and a removable power pack, the Zero XU is the ultimate electric motorcycle for those who live in the city. Designed to be incredibly robust and durable, it leverages the time tested Zero X platform and features a complete set of specialized street gear that is highlighted by a stylish body. In addition, its comfortable riding position and no-shift operation allows riders of any experience level to feel both comfortable and confident.
Bringing Zero Motorcycles product offerings to a completely new population, the Zero XU is the world's first street motorcycle that enables owners to essentially charge anywhere by way of a removable power pack and optional stand-alone charger. This opens the doors to interested buyers who do not have access to garage or street-level charging at their homes or apartments. The removable pack also allows for essentially non-stop usage by enabling individuals, or fleets, to quickly swap power packs. As with all Zero Motorcycles products, the Zero XU is offered with a quick-charge option that cuts the recharge time down by around fifty percent. The additional charger that enables quick-charging can also be used to charge the power pack separately from the motorcycle. Those who own a 2011 Zero X or Zero MX can use their power packs interchangeably with the new Zero XU.


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Weeknights are hectic, whether you are a Mom (or Dad) who works outside of the home, or a WAHM (work at home Mom) or a SAHM (stay at home Mom). Before you know it, it's the dinner hour and everybody's hungry and you need a plan of attack so that your family doesn't lose it. Here are a few tried and true tips:
1. Sit down on the weekend and create a menu plan. Decide on your meals for the next seven days and then write them in a visible area (wall calendar, chalk board, anywhere that you can see it). Knowing what's on the menukeeps you from finding yourself driving home from work and wondering what you might be having for dinner.
2. Do a big grocery shop based on your meal plan. Create a large list for weekend shopping and a mid-week list to stock up on things like milk, fruit and vegatables.
3.Prep as much as you can on the weekend. Items such as broccoli and cauliflower can be cut and washed and are then ready to throw into your dinner or munch on as a snack.
4. Have a "big batch cooking party." Get together with a group of friends on a Saturday, prepare a boatload of casseroles, and have a nice stash of healthy meals to pull out of the freezer and throw into the oven and onto the table.
5. Take a few minutes to regroup. Your family has been farflung throughout the day and then come colliding together. Get dinner started and then sit down and talk about your day or read a book together.
6. Get your kids to help as much as they can. Your four-year-old may not be able to work a wok, but she can surely fill water glasses and set the table.
7. Make clean-up time into a party. Turn the music up (WAY up) and have a dance party in your kitchen. Ten minutes of booty shaking and laughter can go a long way towards relieving stress and breaking up the cooking/cleaning monotony.


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Mr. Immortal and Zman
Well, I just finished having lunch with Zman; he had to jet off somewhere but he commented on last week post and we got some comments from it. But hell I really admire Zman that guy he is a tough guy that has had to put up with a lot of bullshit. He will make it through; in the meantime I am the voice of this theatre. I read all your complaints and let me tell you I don't give a rat's ass. I mean really where would people be if there was no TV or video games or cellular phones. Stupid ass Americans would have to learn to read. I believe most idealistic Americans just go through the motions. Ozzy and Harriet my ass, Dad is working late giving it to his secretary and telling his dumbass wife oh honey I have a late meeting. Meanwhile Harriet at home is taking care of Little Bobby and Sara, not too mention the plumber and his crack pipe friend. It's so fucking pathetic, I almost hope the lights go out what would you all do. No cellular phone, TV or media. Learn to read, ha don't make me laugh. Americans would freak out and think it's the end of the fucking world. Really, what majority of sad asses around here have ever read a classic? Moby Dick, Oliver Twist or the Count of Monte Cristo. No Americans are too busy collecting there 92 weeks of unemployment while they are still hitting the fucking pipe. Keep up with the mean comments, I like it. Maybe I will make a video of me burning the flag then we will really have something to talk about….In case you are guessing, which is what Americans do most of the time…I was not born here..I was sadly naturalized later in life by family. Where I come from citizens actually read and finish college……….so move the fuck on planet earth.


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Finding your next Caravan and camp holiday sites with in Fife.
Caravan Sites, Campsites and Holiday Parks in the Fife area.
The site listings are to the nearest town. Click on the map in the area you would like to visit. All listed caravan and camping sites will be displayed.
|Special Offer this Week
|From the CaraSites Camp Shop.
CaraSites Number 1 in the UK for Best Deals.


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- track order
- customer service
Customer Care 1-800-6-TTCKIT
"What bloggers are saying"
Mommy Blogger"...after 3 years I was ready to give up, but on bottle two, the mira cle finally happened!"
Mama Chocolate "...TTC Kit is a great solution to increase your fertility and help you get pregnant faster."
A Gnomes Mom "...it is a great deal, especially since I go through pregnancy tests like crazy."
Shop With Me Mama"...my friend is certainly happy with the results so far, in taking the ConceiveEasy"
A Mom's Take "...having the TTC Kit will definitely be helpful when we start trying again!"


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Every Tuesday, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: The First Cathedral, 1151 Blue Hills Avenue, Bloomfield, CT US 06002
Your Children Will Love Awana!
Kids represent the greatest opportunity to make a long-term impact on our world for Christ. Awana establishes welcoming, supportive environments where kids, from every background and cultural setting, learn how a personal relationship with Christ affects their everyday lives.
Awana offers a fun, proven approach for early evangelism and discipleship for your children. Scripture-based programs and exciting games attract families, promote Bible literacy and help kids develop lifelong faith in Christ. God is changing the world through the ministry of Awana by equipping leaders to reach kids with the gospel and engaging them in long-term discipleship.
Awana impacts and shapes the lives of millions of kids and adults worldwide through proven resources and expertise that help churches and families develop lifelong disciples of Christ.


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I don't know about you, but I'm feeling fairly comfortable with what the Dolphins are doing so far in this draft -- assuming the players they are picking become instant contributors.
I expect Jared Odrick to be a starting DE in 2010. I expect Koa Misi to be a starting OLB in 2010 -- the Dolphins obviously do also based on the tact they've taken this offseason. I expect John Jerry to be the starting LG in 2010.
The Dolphins desperately need all three to be starters.
The Dolphins need to find one more starter today to make this draft a resounding success. They need to find a starting free safety somewhere in rounds 4-7. One guy in seven picks. That's all I'm asking for.
Six safeties were drafted in Day 2. Nate Allen, T.J. Ward, and Taylor Mays went in the second round. Morgan Burnett, Major Wright and Chad Jones went in the third round.
The fourth round begins in earnest at 10 a.m. The Dolphins can still land:
Reshad Jones (my prediction, if he's there), Robert Johnson (another Utah player whose selection wouldn't upset me).
After the fourth round, the value picks at safety are East Carolina's Van Eskeridge, Nebraska's Larry Asante, a former junior college linebacker who plays with that mentality. He seems more like a strong safety to me but, well, whatever.
The darkhorses? Virginia Tech's Kam Chancellor, a freak at 6-3 and 230 who has played some free safety for the Hokies or Gobblers or whatever they call themselves these days. He is thought to project as a strong safety but the Dolphins might have other plans. Michigan's Stevie Brown is a great hitter who actually played some linebacker for the Wolverines. He's another option.


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wardrobe_remix(ers) o' the week
wow, thursday again?stay stunning, you stylish sweethearts. *kiss kiss!*
this here is the ORIGINAL and OFFICIAL weekly wardrobe_remix recap of the latest and the greatest from the wardrobe_remix community, from yours truly, the creator of wardrobe_remix!
any wardrobe_remix photos that find themselves here showcase great style + great photography = the two meet and merrily marry to make a perfect expression of YOU and your singular personal style! and i've said it a million times before, it's not what you wear, it's how you wear it...the ticket is the confidence and sureness you exude when you express yourself the way that makes YOU feel most comfortable. that confidence shines through and is captured on film. so whether you're wearing couture clothes from the finest designers, mass market threads, thrifted stuff, or even a shirt you found on the side of the road...rock it! it's ALL GOOD and it's ALL WELCOME in wardrobe_remix!
Liz Marie:
sunshine loves you:
kasia wska:
thanks to everyone who's been posting about wardrobe_remix or featuring fashions and folks from the group in their own blogs or websites. thanks for getting the word out. i am glad that wardrobe_remix inspires you! remember to give credit to the people in the aforementioned photos (if you use them in your blog posts, etc.) and to wardrobe_remix itself. it's good internet/blogging karma! (plus it actually goes with flickr's terms of service and a little thing called copyright!)
remember: you can click on the photo of any of these terrific wardrobe_remix(ers) to learn more about their photo or outfit, explore their flickr photostream, and beyond. all of the photos are owned by the awesome people who are depicted in them, of course!
join us over at wardrobe_remix and show off your awesome EVERYDAY trendbusting and trend-SETTING personal style!
spread the word!
and see you there!


text: Our torsion arms are machined from 2024 aluminum for superior strength. Rear torsion arms are measured from the center of the splined torsion bar hole to the center of the shackle mount hole. Squeeze bolt is included. Send us your old torsion arms or a sketch and we will offset torsion arms to your specifications at no charge.


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Home >> Course Descriptions >> College of Education
Measurement and Assessment in Education
Three semester hours.
Course examines educational assessment; issues involving reliability, validity, and bias; construction of different types of tests, performance assessments, and portfolios for specific purposes; use of assessment data for defined purposes; and best practices in educational assessment. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
Home - General Information - Student Services -
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Undergraduate Degrees - Academic Graduate Regulations -
Graduate Degrees - Course Descriptions - Faculty -
Appendix A - Appendix B - Appendix C - Appendix D


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Yelena and Sergei Bochkov are frantic. Their 25-year-old son Sergei was among the hostages held by Chechen terrorists for three days in a Moscow theater, and then freed in a dramatic rescue by Russian special forces Saturday morning.
But almost two days later, they can't find him.
"We have eight of Sergei's friends mobilized, going around to every hospital where the hostages are being treated, begging police to go inside and ask about him," says Ms. Bochkova. "No one has any information."
The Bochkovs were among the forlorn knots of relatives waiting in the freezing rain Sunday outside every Moscow hospital where nearly 650 freed hostages were being held "under observation" by Russian special forces.
The initial wave of relief and praise for President Vladimir Putin that swept over Moscow is now turning to suspicion and anger as the death toll of the hostages continues to rise. Breaking a news blackout Sunday evening, a Moscow health official admitted that the gas used by Russian forces killed 115 of the 117 hostages that had died. The official said that 150 people were still in intensive care.
"The number of dead given by authorities has suddenly doubled, and people are at a complete loss to understand why. Why do the authorities never seem to give us reliable information?" asks Alexander Vainshtein, a leading Moscow theater producer who has many friends among the hostages.
This latest report confirms suspicions that the world may not have been told the whole truth about the daring Russian spetznaz rescue, especially about the use of a secret "sleeping gas" that was deployed to immobilize Chechen hostage-takers.
Russian authorities announced Saturday that they had killed most of the 50 heavily armed and explosive-laden Chechen terrorists and freed about 750 of the theater goers seized Wednesday night. On Saturday afternoon, Interior Ministry spokesman Vladimir Vasilyev announced a "definitive" death toll of 67 hostages, who he said were killed by Chechens during the 40-minute melee as special forces stormed the building. The terrorists had threatened to start killing hostages Saturday morning if their demands weren't met. "We had no choice. The decision to storm the building was correct," he said.
But by Sunday evening, Andrei Seltsovsky, chairman of the health committee of the city of Moscow, admitted 117 had died from the gas. The released hostages were still being held incommunicado in Moscow hospitals, and desperate relatives were not permitted to see them. Dr. Seltsovsky said that 646 of the freed hostages were still in the hospital, 150 were in intensive care, and 45 "in a grave condition."
President Putin met with released hostages in Moscow's Sklifisovskovo Hospital on Saturday, and later declared Monday as a national day of mourning for victims of the tragedy.
"I would like to address primarily the relatives and friends of those killed: We could not save everyone," Mr. Putin said in televised remarks later. "Please forgive us."
Olga Zhabatinskaya, waiting outside the gates of Sklifisovskovo Hospital Sunday afternoon, said she just wanted some news of her mother, Tatiana, who was among the hostages. Many of the freed hostages are confined inside a wing of the hospital, guarded by special forces who have orders not to let anyone in. "We've checked everywhere, even in the morgue," says Ms. Zhabatinskaya. "We can't find out anything."
Russian medical authorities at first suggested that some hostages may have expired after their release from heart trouble, stress, depression, and hunger, but offered no further details. A reporter for the online newspaper Gazeta.ru claimed to have seen scores of bodies in two Moscow hospitals, only four of which had bullet wounds. And the liberal daily Kommersant said early Sunday that "many unofficial sources say the majority of hostage deaths were caused by toxic effects of the gas and not gunshot wounds, though the authorities continue to deny this."
Russian authorities have refused to name the gas used in the theater, explaining only that it was an experimental "neuroparalytic" agent developed by the FSB security service for use in hostage situations. Unofficial sources, quoted by Echo Moskvi independent radio, say the gas may contain the powerful tranquilizer Valium, or a nerve agent such as sarin or VX. On Sunday, the US government officially requested information about the substance used, noting that at least one American citizen is among those still hospitalized and suffering from the gas.
The US Embassy in Moscow told news agencies that it can't locate one of the two known American hostages. Russian authorities Sunday said they've been questioning some of the freed hostages, and promised to begin releasing those who felt well enough to go home.
If true, the allegations of toxic gas will badly tarnish what Putin supporters have called a "breakthrough" for the Kremlin leader. Putin has brought three years of relative political stability to Russia, but failed so far to lift the country from its post-Soviet demoralization or to generate sustained economic growth.
His actions in the hostage crisis have their defenders. Galina Spirina, a political adviser to Kremlin human rights commissioner Sergei Mironov, says: "Even if it is proven that some people died from the gas, it should not change the public attitude. Storming the building was the only way to handle that situation, and the casualties were minimal."
Others disagree. Irina Flige, head of the St. Petersburg chapter of the human rights group Memorial, said her group was organizing peace demonstrations on Sunday because the episode has shown that Russians are equally terrorized by terrorists and their own authorities. "No one can justify terrorism, but circumstances show that the Chechnya war gave rise to the hostage-taking in the theater. President Putin and the security services acted with negligence and extreme disregard for the lives of Russians when they ordered the building stormed. How can anyone say we are more secure today?"
Even without the controversy over the gas, the sudden appearance of the brutal three-year old Chechen war in downtown Moscow has produced what may be an abiding change in the Russian psyche. "What we've learned is that we cannot behave in Chechnya as if we were in a state of war and in Moscow as if we were in a state of peace," says Viktor Shenderovich, a Russian TV personality. "The war is where you are."


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Please be aware that lead times for back ordered products are 3-4 weeks. It is worth the wait as everything is hand crafted and you will receive your bag as soon as the last stitch is snipped….
It's arrived and I love it!
It's arrived and I love it! Thank you so much Neil. I love all the details on it. Thank you again, regards, Joan
amazing talent!
For the record having watched every episode of the above series, the response you got from Sarah when she was in tears was priceless and shows just what an amazing talent you have. - David
professional camera bag commission
I have my camera & lenses in it already, love it! The lining is wonderfully plush & you've clearly put much thought & a great deal of time into it. I'm pleased as punch that I've now got my own Ragsto classic! - Jon
looks and feels great!
My order arrived earlier this week so in plenty of time for my daughter's birthday and it looks and feels great so I am sure she will love it - great idea to include a note to say where the material came from. Thanks very much. Steve
I've just picked my bag up from the post office. It's gorgeous, thank you very much. Liz
beautifully made
Just to let you know the bag has come ? Thank you so much it's beautifully made and my son will be delighted, I don't think he will want to wait until Christmas. Kind Regards Phyl
Remembering Lyn - a memorial
the bag arrived and it had Lyn written all over it. It even had her initial embossed into the flap. A practical, tough and waterproof exterior – rather like her own – gives way inside to a glorious panoply of colours, cheerfully ruled over by the Technicolor turtle. Read more about this touching memorial here
absolutely love it
Received my bag this morning, I absolutely love it, thank you so much...!!!! Rachel
It's beautiful
I love my back pack. Thank you very much. It's beautiful. Kind regards, Alexandra
Thanks again, thrilled. - Julia
fantastic product 10/10
Just a quick email to confirm safe receipt of of the messenger bag in black, fantastic product 10/10 it really is first class - David
I love it
I love it ! Stephanie
from suede skirts to handbags
The two handbags are lovely: many thanks, Neil! Federica
the bag is a work of art
My bag has just arrived and I wanted to tell you how pleased I am with it. It is even better than I had hoped and is a lovely colour and the lining is perfect. Thank you very much indeed. Your hard work is much appreciated - the bag is a work of art. Thanks again Regards Ros
we love the bag you made!
we love the bag you made from our surplus leather. It has been used for a fair few overnight trips and is just the right size and shape for this. Many Thanks, Rachel
love it
Bag arrived " love it " thank you x Susan
he loves it!
I just want to thank you for the bag you recently made for my son, he loves it! Helen
your skill and professionalism have made this fantastic product
I thought I would email you quickly to say how wonderful my bag is. I absolutely love it. The quality is excellent despite the fact that it's been upcycled and it's evident that your skill and professionalism have made this fantastic product. ... Justin
a fabulous present
I've received the messenger bag & I'm delighted, it's going to make a fabulous present so thankyou very, very much! Kim
truly amazing
Hi Neil My bag just arrived and it is truly amazing.. Thank you very much ..I am so pleased. - Jan
such excellent quality man bag
The bag is of such excellent quality. I would thoroughly recommend you to anybody who is looking for an ideal bag for whatever purpose. Mine is a 'man bag' which I use to carry my Surface Pro 3 tablet as well as many other things. Justin
workmanship is wonderful
Just a quick note to say thanks for the bag. It arrived safely on Friday. I'm really impressed with it. Your workmanship is wonderful. Looking forward to using it this weekend. Many thanks Rob
it's just fabulous
My bag just arrived and it's fantastic! Even my husband was really impressed (just as well since I don't normally spend this much on a bag lol!) I really love the 2 pockets on the front, the size and depth is just right for reaching stuff from the bottom. I like it that I recognise the marks and wear from my jacket – it's just fabulous. Also it smells nice :)
so pleased!
I received my bag today. Thankyou it is even better than I thought it would be, I am so pleased! - Linda
amazingly good
it's amazingly good x Avril
I will keep it for ever
Wow ! Just got in. Opened my bag. I love it. . . I collect bags, and this is one of my new favourites. Thankyou very much. I will keep it for ever. All the best , Jo
absolutely wonderful
I had a beautiful pigskin in my textile stash and wasn't sure what I was going to do with it. We picked our bag up today and it is absolutely wonderful and we are so pleased with it. I am so glad we found you. Kathie
absolutely delighted
my wife is absolutely delighted with the design and quality of it. Your note giving details of the origins is a terrific idea and makes the bag seem even more special! Finally I must thank you so much for ensuring that I received the bag in good time. - Regards Richard
fantastic stuff!
OMG what fantastic stuff! you a have magnificent talent! :)
exceptional workmanship
Just like to say my messenger bag arrived today and I am thoroughly thrilled with it,exceptional workmanship and worth every penny. Many thanks again I will treasure this for hers to come. Yours faithfully John
detail and quality is amazing!
my wife is very happy with her birthday present. The detail and quality is amazing. Thanks R
I am interested in having a bag made from my fathers large black leather jacket as a way of remembering him as he passed away 10 years ago this year and I have kept his jacket since. The bag arrived safely and is fantastic !!! I love it. Thanks for everything - Chris


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- Table of Contents
- Full Issue in PDF
- Business Opportunities in Iraq Explored During Trade Mission
- Baltimore-Area Businesses Hear About Opportunities in Iraq
- In Seven Emirates, Many Opportunities for U.S. Exporters
- Trade Calendar
- Featured Trade Event: Clean Tech and Health Care Technologies Trade Mission to Israel, Jordan, and the West Bank
- World Trade Week 2014
- World Trade Month 2013
- World Trade Week 2012
- National Export Initiative Anniversary
International Trade Update
International Trade Update is published monthly by the Office of Public Affairs of the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration. Subscribe for updates by email.
November-December 2010
Download full issue in PDF format.
Business Opportunities in Iraq Explored during Trade Mission
Iraq is making strides to reestablish itself as a center of commerce in the Middle East. Recently, representatives from 14 U.S. businesses explored business opportunities firsthand during a three-day trade mission to Iraq that was led by officials of the International Trade Administration.
Baltimore-Area Businesses Hear about Opportunities in Iraq
Current and potential U.S. exporters interested in doing business in Iraq don't need to travel thousands of miles to do so. Thanks to the efforts of the Department of Commerce and its partners, information on Iraq is being made available closer to home.
In Seven Emirates, Many Opportunities for U.S. Exporters
The United Arab Emirates, a federation of seven states on the Arabian peninsula that was formed in the 1970s, is the largest single market for U.S. goods in the Middle East and North Africa. With new, large-scale infrastructure projects coming on line, this market will continue to provide opportunities to U.S. exporters.
International Trade Calendar:
- Listing of Upcoming Events for December and January
- Featured Trade Event: Clean Tech and Health Care Technologies Trade Mission to Israel, Jordan, and the West Bank
The International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, manages this global trade site to provide access to ITA information on promoting trade and investment, strengthening the competitiveness of U.S. industry, and ensuring fair trade and compliance with trade laws and agreements. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. This site contains PDF documents. A PDF reader is available from Adobe Systems Incorporated.


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Recently, ESA's Mars Express delivered photos of the famous 'Face on Mars' in the Cydonia region. The DLR-operated High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) images are some of the most spectacular views of the Red Planet ever taken. Now, there's a stunning 3D animation of the area.
The High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) science team have produced a dramatic 3D animation that beautifully simulates a flight over the Cydonia's 'Face on Mars', one of the most famous surface features on the planet.
The movie sequence was produced through a 'mash-up', or combination of digital data, from the DLR-operated HRSC and NASA's Mars Global Surveyor camera (MOC), in a technique similar to that used to create the Cydonia 'Face' 3D still images published on the DLR web portal in September 2006. The 3D animation starts looking towards the East, and finishes with a still image looking South.
The Cydonia region lies at approximately 40.75 degrees North and 350.54 degrees East, and is located in the Arabia Terra region on Mars, in the transition zone between the Southern Highlands and the planet's northern plains.
The famous 'face' - actually a remnant massif - was first observed in a photo taken on 25 July 1976 by the American Viking 1 orbiter. Shortly afterwards, a NASA press release said the formation "resembles a human head." At the time, NASA scientists had already correctly interpreted the image as an optical illusion caused by the illumination angle of the Sun, the formation's surface morphology and the resulting shadows, giving the impression of eyes, nose and mouth. The new HRSC images confirm again the natural origin of this geological feature.
The High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) experiment on ESA's Mars Express mission is led by the Principal Investigator (PI) Prof. Dr Gerhard Neukum, who also designed the camera technically. The science team of the experiment consists of 45 co-investigators from 32 institutions and 10 nations.
The camera was developed at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) under the leadership of the PI, G. Neukum, and built in cooperation with industrial partners (EADS Astrium, Lewicki Microelectronic GmbH and Jena-Optronik GmbH).
The experiment on Mars Express is operated by the DLR Institute of Planetary Research, through ESA/ESOC. The systematic processing of the HRSC image data is carried out at DLR. The scenes shown here were processed by the PI Group at the Institute for Geosciences at the Freie Universitaet Berlin (Free University of Berlin) in cooperation with DLR's Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin.


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LeTourneau University will stream live video of a debate on evolution vs creationism between Bill Nye, "the Science Guy," and Ken Ham, CEO of Answers in Genesis, free of charge and open to the public at 6 p.m., CST, Tuesday, Feb. 4, in Berry Auditorium in the Glaske Engineering Building on the LETU main campus, 2100 S. Mobberly Ave. in Longview.
The highly anticipated evolution/creation debate will take place at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Ky., where tickets sold out online in two minutes for the 900-seat theatre. The debate will seek to answer whether creation is a viable model of origins. The debate is also available live and online free of charge at www.debatelive.org.
"With our unique emphasis on both science and faith, LETU is an important venue for this conversation," said LETU President Dr. Dale A. Lunsford. "It's vitally important to understand that you do not have to choose faith or science. God is leading us to truth using both. The key is to look at today's cutting-edge science with a Christ-centered perspective and that is our mission at LETU."
In light of that mission, nearly two weeks later, at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17, LETU will host a panel discussion response to the debate in Room 117 in the Education Building on the LETU campus. The response will feature local theologians and a biologist to provide a thoughtful and constructive discussion on the topic of science and faith.
Panelists will include Wilson Cunha from LETU's theology department, Karen Rispin from LETU's biology department and J. Warren Johnson from ETBU's theology department and former naval oceanographer. The panel will be moderated by Matthew Henry, dean of Innovative Education at LETU.
Each panelist will prepare a 5-minute response to the Nye-Ham debate, followed by 10 minutes for panelists to discuss the responses before answering questions from the audience.
Pro-evolution guest Nye is the former host of a television program for children called "Bill Nye the Science Guy." He currently is executive director of the Planetary Society. Nye asserts that Creationism is not appropriate for children.
Ham is a leading creation apologist, the founder of the Creation Museum , CEO and founder of Answers in Genesis, and a best-selling Christian author.
LeTourneau University Dean of Arts and Sciences Dr. Larry Frazier said the university embraces the opportunity to host these educational events.
"At LETU, we want our students to be engaged with the discussions and debates that are relevant to our world," Frazier said. "Through the use of technology, we can bring this debate right to our students, and the community, and then our faculty members can help them think through these questions in an informed, yet critical fashion."
LETU physics professor Dr. Steven Ball said both Nye and Ham have been successful in communicating their respective messages about how to view the input of science and biblical faith, however when Bill Nye charged that creationism negatively affects young people, Ham challenged Nye to a debate.
"While the debate may not achieve much consensus or agreement, it should serve to highlight their differing vantage points," Ball said. "LETU is an institution of Christian education committed to the integration of faith and learning, and supports bringing science and faith together without hindering one or the other.
"We hope to encourage Christian believers to carefully consider the premises of both debaters, particularly to examine whether conflict is a necessary approach to origins questions," Ball said. "Rather than rooting for one or the other debater to win the debate, we want people to learn from the debate and hopefully identify pitfalls that can and should be avoided. Our goal is to help people find that both science and the Scriptures offer us valuable information on how to understand origins and that these can be mutually supportive."
About LeTourneau University
LeTourneau University is a Christ-centered, interdenominational institute of higher learning offering more than 90 undergraduate and graduate degree programs across a range of academic disciplines and delivery models. Students are enrolled in programs on ground at LETU's residential campus in Longview, Texas, as well as hybrid and fully online options at educational centers in Dallas and Houston.
Academic majors include aviation, business, communication, computer science, criminal justice, education, engineering, health care administration, health science-nursing, human services, kinesiology, the liberal arts, psychology, the sciences and theology.
Claiming every workplace in every nation as its mission field, LeTourneau University graduates are professionals of ingenuity and Christ-like character who see life's work as a holy calling with eternal impact. For additional information, visit www.letu.edu.
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Feodor Stepanovich Kolychev was born approximately 100 miles from Moscow in the city of Galich. He had the good fortune of being associated with royalty and he joined the royal court of Grand Prince Vasili III. Vasili had a son named Ivan who Feodor developed a friendship with. However, conspiracy and deception were afoot and soon Feodor was forced to flee Moscow because of his benefactor's involvement in a plot that gathered unwanted attention. So, Feodor fled from Vasili and his friend Ivan. He escaped to the mountains and spent some time consider what had transpired. The wounds perpetrated against him by political powers had driven him to painful reflection and as he stood inside a monastery, he heard the liturgist proclaim: "No man can serve two masters." At these words, he made the decision to become a monk. So, around the age of thirty, he became a monk and left the political world behind--for a while. He took the monastic name of Philip and devoted himself to prayer and discipline.
At the age of forty-one, Philip became the hegumen of his monastery and lived into the leadership role exceedingly well. It may be that his childhood in the imperial courts had trained him well in leadership and management because soon the monastery had built an impressive array of buildings and improvements and kindled a spiritual revolution in the surrounding countryside. Philip was especially notable because of his personal involvement in the projects. Instead of relaxing and allowing power to soften him, he joined in with the brothers and did the exact same work he asked of the them. Though he was the hegumen, he was unafraid to pick up a shovel. The spiritual revival was largely a work of Philip's careful work under a new and more demanding monastic rule. Contrary to the movement of so many other powers, Philip had high expectations of people and was confident that they could reach them if given time and assistance. Philip's leadership at the monastery became legendary and attracted the attention of his boyhood friend Ivan. But this time Ivan was not known as Ivan son of Vasili but as Ivan the Terrible.
Ivan wanted his friend to come to Moscow and fill the position of metropolitan but Philip had one condition: the end of Ivan's practice of oprichnina. Oprichnina had started when Ivan's paranoia over revolution had gripped him so terribly that he had fled Moscow with many Church possessions and refused to return. He returned to Moscow on the condition that he be allowed to create a secret police with power to sweep away treason from Russia. The clergy consented and Ivan returned. Soon, the secret police (known as "oprichniki") were scouring the country atop black horses and wearing black cowls. Their power was, for the most part, unchecked and they did as they pleased. If somebody became an enemy of Ivan then they often died at the hands of one of the oprichniki. The other powerful Russian people--and the Church in Russia--were held at bay by threat of men in black cowls who had a hound and broom imprinted upon the pommel of their saddle to symbolize their task: seeking out and sweeping away all who opposed the centralization of power in the hands of Ivan the Terrible. Philip agreed to become metropolitan only if Ivan would cease and desist from his politically sponsored campaigns of death. Ivan agreed and Philip was made bishop and metropolitan.
Yet, Ivan did not stop his manipulations. At first, he tried to hide the workings of the oprichniki but their murderous works were hard to conceal. Philip found out and so when Ivan came to the cathedral for a Lenten service, he publicly rebuked Ivan for his bloody works and refused to give him his blessing. Ivan was irate but it did not deter him from yet more slaughter and so he authorized the oprichniki to execute a massacre at Novgorod because of fear of treason and defection. Philip denounced Ivan again and it became increasingly apparent that Ivan could not buy the loyalty of the Church through his childhood friend. So, he decided to exercise his power and ruin Philip.
Philip was deposed and Ivan was able to manipulate various clerical professionals into arresting andimprisoning him in a monastery. Stripped of power and reputation, he spent the remainder of his life chained to a wall with less and less food every day. He was abused and punished for refusing to be bought. Then one night, shortly after taking communion, one of Ivan's most trusted minions--Malyuta Skuratov--crept into his cell and strangled him to death. Though Ivan had modeled his oprichniki after the monastic orders and even hinted at times at wanting to become a monk, it was through the manipulative work of the Empire that he put to death his childhood friend and spiritual superior--Philip of Moscow.
Monday, January 9, 2012
January 9 - Philip of Moscow, Martyr, Victim of the State, Opponent of the Empire
Posted by Joshua Hearne at 7:00 AM
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Early detection and treatment can improve the prognosis of most cancers. Certain screening tests have been developed to help with early detection, such as mammograms for breast cancer and colonoscopies for colon cancer . However, for some cancers, like ovarian cancer , effective screening tests are unknown. The symptoms of ovarian cancer will often only occur in later stages and can easily be confused for more benign problems. As a result, about 70% of ovarian cancer cases are not found until the cancer has already spread and the possibility of a cure is remote.
The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial was designed to examine the effectiveness of established and potential cancer screening tests. This portion of the study was focused on the use transvaginal ultrasound and a blood test called CA 125 to screen for ovarian cancer. The study, published in Obstetrics and Gynecology , found that the tests were more likely to create false positives than to find early ovarian cancer.
About the Study
The ovarian cancer portion of the study included 34,261 healthy women 55-74 years of age. The women all received four annual screenings. One half of the group received usual gynecological care. The other half of the group also had CA 125 and transvaginal ultrasounds done every year. Of the women that had the transvaginal and CA 125, 3,388 women (10%) had one or more positive screening tests. Of these women 1,170 (35%) had biopsies done to confirm the presence of cancer. In only 60 cases (5%) did the biopsies show invasive cancer of the ovary or nearby tissue. Furthermore, 72% of the cancers that were found were already late stage on diagnosis. Study results published earlier showed that out of the 570 women that had surgery after a positive screening test, 541 had no evidence of cancer.
Screening tests are not perfect and can give false positive and false negative results. A false positive means the test indicated a disease was present when there was in fact no disease. A positive predictive value (PPV) helps to determine how accurate the results are. In this case, over the four years of the study, the PPV for the transvaginal ultrasound and CA 125 was 1%-1.3%. This means that out of all the positive tests, cancer was actually present in only about 1% of the cases.
How Does This Affect You?
Doctors often use test results as a tool to help them reach a diagnosis, but the two tests examined here appear to be more stressful than successful. A false cancer diagnosis can cause a significant amount of distress for the person diagnosed and can lead to unnecessary, invasive procedures like biopsies. Screening for ovarian cancer has yet to come of age.
Although a reliable screening test for ovarian cancer remains unavailable, it is still worthwhile to see your primary care doctor and gynecologist on a regular basis. Screening tests for breast and cervical cancer (mammography and Pap smears , respectively) as well as other health conditions have been shown to the lower the risk of death. Although an effective screening test for ovarian cancer will have to wait, there is some comfort in knowing that it is a relatively rare condition in the general population. However, if you have a family history of ovarian or breast cancer—particularly in young, first-degree relatives (mother or sister)—your personal risk of these cancers could be considerably higher. If this is the case, you may wish to speak with your doctor about the possibility of genetic testing .
- Reviewer: Richard Glickman-Simon, MD
- Review Date: 06/2009 -


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I read this article, and since all I've ever known is America, I was wondering what is it like in other countries? All our media shows us is wars, bombings and sweatshops.
Also, are there any online news sites that could be recommended? I no longer bother watching the news on TV, it is obviously biased at best. I'd especially like to be able to read about advances in medicine. I know for a fact American medicine is held up by greed (I know researchers who have shared some breakthroughs they made but cannot release because their sponsors have no way to profit from them), and I'm curious how the rest of the world fairs.
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Hey that's a great article - I think it's probably a bit biased (the ex-smoker syndrome) but it is well written. I'm a Brit living in Vermont, USA so if you like, I'm in the opposite ferry. I also do not get newspapers here. You ask for an online news site. Have you tried BBC news?
Yeah, it is definitely a biased article, but I agree with it from what I've seen. I cannot verify what he says about other countries myself, though.
I do like BBC news, though I try to keep a skeptic's eye when reading anything from a major news provider. It is well-funded and well-known, so I worry it may be almost as bad as our major news providers here in the US.
The BBC has proven to me through the years to be a very excellent source of information and the least biased of news outlets. Plus, their website has some excellently written articles. As far as American TV goes, local stations and newspapers are probably best for most people. CNN (despite what most conservative Americans say) is fairly neutral I can't even watch Fox or MSNBC anymore. They are both just too virulent in their political stances.
Al Jazeera gives a different slant, Fark gives an odd collection of news,
Hi Jennifer,
[On Americans having worst quality of life]… I know this because I am an American, and I escaped from the prison you call home.
I doubt this. I think this author has lived in the United States but is not from here. I say this because of my own experience and the idioms and words the author uses, like "university" as opposed to "the university" or "a university", as but one example of many. Outside the United States universities are almost always referred to without other parts of speech, regardless of country.
I have lived all around the world, in wealthy countries and poor ones, and there is only one country I would never consider living in again: The United States of America. The mere thought of it fills me with dread.
So have I and he/she is misrepresenting the true situation. Other countries like Portugal, Germany, Malta, Netherlands, Cyprus and on and on are much more enlightened than the United States and have far more liberties … in reality. But economically they are either poor or largely equivalent (some exceptions, like Netherlands and Norway might be applicable as they are very wealthy countries) by comparison. Some countries like Kashmir, Russia and Iran are just very different, but not nearly as materialistic as the United States. That is not a bad thing, but that puts it in perspective. The common denominator overseas is that their focus is not as materialistic, and that is the key point. Our materialism here is very unhealthy. And even the wealthier nations like Netherlands are not nearly as materialistic, they are just successful.
Consider this, you are the only people in the developed world without a single-payer health system. Everyone in Western Europe, Japan, Canada, Australia, Singapore and New Zealand has a single-payer system. If they get sick, they can devote all their energies to getting well. If you get sick, you have to battle two things at once, your illness and the fear of financial ruin. Millions of Americans go bankrupt every year due to medical bills, and tens of thousands die each year because they have no insurance or insufficient insurance. And don't believe for a second that rot about America having the world's best medical care or the shortest waiting lists: I've been to hospitals in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Singapore, and Thailand, and every one was better than the "good" hospital I used to go to back home. The waits were shorter, the facilities more comfortable, and the doctors just as good.
I think he/she is slowly moving toward the real issue here, which is the differing focus vis-à-vis materialism.
This is ironic, because you need a good health system more than anyone else in the world. Why? Because your lifestyle is almost designed to make you sick.
Let's start with your diet: Much of the beef you eat has been exposed to fecal matter in processing. Your chicken is contaminated with salmonella. Your stock animals and poultry are pumped full of growth hormones and antibiotics. In most other countries, the government would act to protect consumers from this sort of thing; in the United States, the government is bought off by industry to prevent any effective regulations or inspections. In a few years, the majority of all the produce for sale in the United States will be from genetically modified crops, thanks to the cozy relationship between Monsanto Corporation and the United States government. Worse still, due to the vast quantities of high-fructose corn syrup Americans consume, fully one-third of children born in the United States today will be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at some point in their lives.
The health discussion is fairly accurate because deception, cons and schemes are used constantly to gain profit … for materialism. Other countries don't tolerate these extremes.
If you think I'm making this up, check the stats on average annual vacation days by country:
Finland: 44
Italy: 42
France: 39
Germany: 35
Japan: 18
Again, materialism.
Of course, you don't have any choice in the matter: the system is designed this way. In most countries in the developed world, higher education is either free or heavily subsidized; in the United States, a university degree can set you back over US$100,000. Thus, you enter the working world with a crushing debt. Forget about taking a year off to travel the world and find yourself – you've got to start working or watch your credit rating plummet.
Up to this point what the author is describing is a gigantic Ponzi scheme that has less to do with the hard numbers of economics as it does with basic liberty … keep reading.
All this begs the question: Why would anyone put up with this? Ask any American and you'll get the same answer: because America is the freest country on earth. If you believe this, I've got some more bad news for you: America is actually among the least free countries on earth. Your piss is tested, your emails and phone calls are monitored, your medical records are gathered, and you are never more than one stray comment away from writhing on the ground with two Taser prongs in your ass.
And this is becoming more and more the case as materialism spirals out of control and it becomes more valuable as a public commodity than liberty and civil rights.
And that's just physical freedom. Mentally, you are truly imprisoned. You don't even know the degree to which you are tormented by fears of medical bankruptcy, job loss, homelessness and violent crime because you've never lived in a country where there is no need to worry about such things.
But it goes much deeper than mere surveillance and anxiety. The fact is, you are not free because your country has been taken over and occupied by another government. Fully 70% of your tax dollars go to the Pentagon, and the Pentagon is the real government of the United States. You are required under pain of death to pay taxes to this occupying government. If you're from the less fortunate classes, you are also required to serve and die in their endless wars, or send your sons and daughters to do so. You have no choice in the matter: there is a socio-economic draft system in the United States that provides a steady stream of cannon fodder for the military.
If you call a life of surveillance, anxiety and ceaseless toil in the service of a government you didn't elect "freedom," then you and I have a very different idea of what that word means.
If there was some chance that the country could be changed, there might be reason for hope. But can you honestly look around and conclude that anything is going to change? Where would the change come from? The people? Take a good look at your compatriots: the working class in the United States has been brutally propagandized by jackals like Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity. Members of the working class have been taught to lick the boots of their masters and then bend over for another kick in the ass. They've got these people so well trained that they'll take up arms against the other half of the working class as soon as their masters give the word.
If change can't come from the people or the media, the only other potential source of change would be the politicians. Unfortunately, the American political process is among the most corrupt in the world. In every country on earth, one expects politicians to take bribes from the rich. But this generally happens in secret, behind the closed doors of their elite clubs. In the United States, this sort of political corruption is done in broad daylight, as part of legal, accepted, standard operating procedure. In the United States, they merely call these bribes campaign donations, political action committees and lobbyists. One can no more expect the politicians to change this system than one can expect a man to take an axe and chop his own legs out from underneath him.
Individual liberties in the United States are contracting, but the money being made here is phenomenal and it has reached virtually every corner of the economy. The problem is a lack of management of this wealth and the manner in which the wealth is being created. The profiting schemes thus far described are accurate descriptions of a system that is based on lies, fraud and cheating in order to profit. Yes, they are contracting, eviscerating, individual liberties in the United States for profit. We are selling freedom for money.
While the United States was running up crushing levels of debt, it was also busy shipping its manufacturing jobs and white-collar jobs overseas, and letting its infrastructure fall to pieces. Meanwhile, Asian and European countries were investing in education, infrastructure and raw materials. Even if the United States tried to rebuild a real economy (as opposed to a service/financial economy) do think American workers would ever be able to compete with the workers of China or Europe? Have you ever seen a Japanese or German factory? Have you ever met a Singaporean or Chinese worker?
This, once again, is reflective of a superficial understanding of global economics. Americans don't need to work, to put it bluntly, because they can rob the rest of the world, which is the paradigm in play right now. It is not sustainable, though.
His/her discussion about "collapse" is, imo, off. What is going to cause a collapse is when USG can no longer control the population. And now he/she gets into the large economic analysis which parrots a common set of public myths. The reason why is that most people discussing this don't really understand global economics. "Lending" money to the United States is a little deceptive. Countries like the PRC cannot simply "dump" the U.S. dollar since their buying of bonds and other instruments is an investment on their part in speculation of the profitable future performance of the U.S. economy. So, it isn't that simple. I've written much about this on kirkomrik.wordpress.com and you can read about it there.
On top of all that you've got vast factory farms, sprawling suburbs and a truck-based shipping system, all of it entirely dependent on oil that is about to become completely unaffordable. And you've got guns. Lots of guns. In short: the United States is about to become a very unwholesome place to be.
Yes, but the United States is holding and increasing its hegemony on the remaining petroleum supply, starving all other countries of it; also discussed in detail at kikromirk.wordpress.com. Do a search there in the search box.
Right now, the government is building fences and walls along its northern and southern borders. Right now, the government is working on a national ID system (soon to be fitted with biometric features). Right now, the government is building a surveillance state so extensive that they will be able to follow your every move, online, in the street and across borders. If you think this is just to protect you from "terrorists," then you're sadly mistaken. Once the shit really hits the fan, do you really think you'll just be able to jump into the old station wagon, drive across the Canadian border and spend the rest of your days fishing and drinking Molson? No, the government is going to lock the place down. They don't want their tax base escaping. They don't want their "recruits" escaping. They don't want YOU escaping.
I am not writing this to scare you. I write this to you as a friend. If you are able to read and understand what I've written here, then you are a member of a small minority in the United States. You are a minority in a country that has no place for you.
Now he/she gets to the meat of the issue. The problem is that we are selling our liberties for money; plain and simple. The United States is not going to economically collapse anytime soon, unless it does so because it becomes so repressive that the government can't control the population.
The reality is that the oligarchy here is engaging in repressive policies globally on account of its obsession with materialism.
- kk
Well written!
As long as Americans keep convincing themselves that they live in the best country in the world, there is no need for change.
Hey Dr. Grixis,
Thank you and I agree, it is a bit of a delusion. I think the best way to fight this is to expose these truths so that people will wake up. Most people have no clue that all this is going on.
- kk
The think the most telling evidence that it wasn't written by someone from the US is the distinct and almost total lack of the use of first person pronouns. It's almost totally written in the second person of You or Your. The only time it switches to first person is at the end when talking about where the author currently lives.
On top of it, the author's name is Lance Freeman. Freeman, really? The dude is going to write an article about how America doesn't have much in the way of freedom saying things like, "All this begs the question: Why would anyone put up with this? Ask any American and you'll get the same answer: because America is the freest country on earth. If you believe this, I've got some more bad news for you: America is actually among the least free countries on earth." And then he's going to name himself Freeman. That just smacks of purposeful, poetic irony.
I seriously doubt if the man has ever even visited our country. By the by, I think the article is mostly trash consisting of hyperbolic facsimiles of American life.
Hey Sagacious Hawk,
It's almost totally written in the second person of You or Your.
Yea, that kind of stood out to me as well. I hadn't thought about the Freeman name, interesting.
- kk
Thank you for this detailed reply. I wish I could come up with an eloquent response, but I've had a migraine for a few days now and can't think straight. I wanted to let you know I've read it and appreciate it. =)
Hey Jennifer B,
No worries, and thank you
- kk
As I sit on the overstuffed couch with my feet propped up high, barely able to see out over my bulbous belly and view the six foot wide high definition idiot box, I wonder if Mr. Freeman's accusations and observations contain any truth. Well, maybe. Let me polish off another bag of Doritos and think about this some more.
Materialism and obesity may be our eventual downfall. Or are we already on the slippery slope and don't realize it?


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Teacher resources and professional development across the curriculum
Teacher professional development and classroom resources across the curriculum
3: Delivering the Message
Put It Into Practice: Choose an Activity
Choose an Activity | Activity A | Activity B
In this section, you will apply what you have learned to your own teaching. The following activities are designed to assist you in developing effective presentational tasks. Choose one or both of the activities below.
Activity A: Designing a Presentational Writing Task
Using backward design, develop a presentational writing task that incorporates the stages of prewriting, drafting, revising, and publishing.
Activity B: Designing a Presentational Speaking Task
Using backward design, develop a presentational speaking task that incorporates the stages of prewriting, drafting, revising, and publishing.
Next > Action Research Project
|3: Delivering the Message >
Introduction | Before You Watch | Analyze the Video
Examine the Topic | Put It Into Practice | Action Research Project | Reflect on Your Learning
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Laura Sanders
Neuroscience writer
Based in Corvallis, Oregon, Laura Sanders reports on neuroscience and writes Growth Curve, a blog about the science of raising kids, for Science News. She earned her Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where she studied the nerve cells that compel a fruit fly to perform a dazzling mating dance. Convinced that she was missing some exciting science somewhere, Laura turned her eye toward writing about brains in all shapes and forms. She holds undergraduate degrees in creative writing and biology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where she was a National Merit Scholar. Growth Curve, her 2012 series on consciousness and her 2013 article on the dearth of psychiatric drugs have received awards recognizing editorial excellence.


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By Sue Ann Rybak
The recent rash of robberies and burglaries in Chestnut Hill and Mt. Airy has drawn concerned residents to the Police Service Area (PSA) 4 meeting on Aug. 29 at the Chestnut Hill Library.
Sgt. Nicholas Tees introduced himself and welcomed about 20 residents of Chestnut Hill and Mt. Airy. He said that in August, 21 burglaries occurred in the PSA 4 area with the majority occurring in Chestnut Hill.
Tees said Captain Joel Dales has created a special unit called a "burglary team" made up of police officers who are trained to investigate and gather evidence such as finger prints. He said the unit's efforts have been successful in helping police apprehend criminals.
He advised everyone to lock their doors and windows and "to light it [their residence or car] up."
"I lock my house up like it's Fort Knox," Tees said.
Addressing 911 calls
Tees said that in August PSA 4, which covers Chestnut Hill and Mt. Airy, had over 246 "unfounded jobs." Unfounded jobs are incidents where residents called 911, but when police responded no one was at that location to file a report.
Tees drew the ire of one attendee when he asked callers to remain at the scene. A Chestnut Hill resident became very upset and said it was insulting to ask kids to "stick around after they have been robbed."
Tees quickly replied, "I would never want any child or adult to stay where they were just robbed."
He said he was only referring to situations such as car thefts or reports of suspicious behavior. He said victims need to go to a safe location then call police. He advised callers to ask police to meet them at a different location. Reporting suspicious behavior or thefts from automobiles helps police establish "hot zones" or crime patterns.
A Chestnut Hill resident, who preferred not to be identified, said was a victim of a burglary. She said it took police more than two hours to respond to a call when she thought someone was inside her house.
Tees said in that incident the dispatcher failed to enter the call correctly. He said the dispatcher should have entered it as a burglary in process.
"The way you word things makes the dispatcher determine the severity of the situation," Tees said. "I am sorry you had to go through that experience."
Tees reported that four robberies occurred in daylight in Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill in August.
Police Captain Dales, who arrived late to the meeting, said he was asking the community to be "our eyes and ears."
"If you see something suspicious call us," Dales said. "Try to get a good description of the offenders and relay the information to the police department."
Dales shared two recent success stories. He said one woman used the latest technology to catch a criminal. She saw a man dressed as a muslim woman enter the bank, and she took a picture of his license plate. Thanks to her, the police were able to apprehend the robber the same day.
"A lot of people like to catch the police in action on their cell phones," Dales said. "Let's catch the bad guys, too."
The second success story was the recent robbery at Delphine Gallery, 8435 Germantown Ave.
"Thanks to the people in the community who reached out to us and gave a good description, we were able to apprehend three guys," Dales said. "We can't do it by ourselves. We need the public to get involved."
Dales said several robberies targeted teenagers with cell phones.
"We cracked down on it," Dales said. "Cell phones are a hot item."
He encouraged parents to talk to their kids about being aware of their surroundings before talking on the cell phone.
Thefts from autos
Dales reminded attendees not to leave items in their car. Laptops are another hot item. The total thefts from vehicles in the 14th District was 60. Half of them were in PSA 4, said Dales. He added that property crimes were up 80 percent.
"The easiest one to prevent is theft from autos," Dales said.
Dales recommended residents invest in an alarm system and security cameras.
"I am a victim of burglary myself," he said. "It is not a nice feeling. I have eight cameras around my home. I do believe it prevents crime."
Dales also encouraged residents to start a Town Watch group.
"Town Watch is very effective in preventing crime," Dales said. "When you see a group of people walking down the street with their Town Watch gear on, people think twice about breaking into cars."
Town Watch can cover one or ten blocks – there is no set requirement." Dales said. "You can sit on your porch and monitor your block," he added.
Anyone interested in Town Watch training can call Officer Johns at 215-685-2147. Training is scheduled to begin around Sept. 17.
"We're out there trying hard," Dales said, "but we can't do it alone – we need people to get involved."
This article has been updated. An earlier version of this story mistakenly reported the police officer as Lt. Anthony Buchanico.


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Kingston Cocktail
(6 People)
3 Glasses Jamaica Rum. (1 1/2 oz Appleton V/X)
1 1/2 Glasses Kummel. (3/4 oz Gilka Kaiser Kummel)
1 1/2 Glasses Orange Juice. (3/4 oz fresh Orange Juice)
1 Dash Pimento Dram. (Very Little St. Elizabeth's Allspice Dram)
Shake carefully and serve whilst, frothing.
The unique taste of this cocktail is due to Kummel mixed with a liqueur known as Pimento Dram (a Jamaican Liqueur) without which it would lose all its direction.
I had feared this might be rather over sweet. But it isn't really. Perhaps due to some nicely tart Valencia Oranges. I liked it quite a bit, but then I am fond of caraway flavors. I was enjoying it so much, I gave a taste to Mrs. Flannestad, who got a very puzzled look on her face. So perhaps it isn't a crowd pleaser.
This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.


text: No news from ANYBODY since Sunday. I'm expecting all the bad stuff that's going around here fairly soon. A rejection at Harvard and Columbia, a waitlist at Chicago, etc.But why in the world have I not heard a thing from Virginia and Berkeley? I've been complete long enough to have received some word. And what's the deal with USC and UCLA?


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I found a real simple dandelion wine recipe that calls for 6 cups of sugar. I would rather use honey instead, how much honey should I use? Will it work? Thanks
Dandelion Wine
Dandelion wine does not require any special equipment to make. Just dandelions, some sugar and yeast, oranges and lemons, and pots to boil water in. This recipe uses cloves, which I think give it a nice touch. If you have dandelions around, give it a try!
1 package dried yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 quarts dandelion blossoms
4 quarts water
1 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
8 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped orange peel
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped lemon peel
6 cups sugar
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Set aside. Wash the dandelion blossoms well. Put them in the water with the orange, lemon and lime juices. Add the cloves, ginger, orange and lemon peel, and sugar. Bring to a boil and continue to boil for an hour. Strain through filter paper (coffee filters work great). Cool. While still warm (but not hot), stir in the yeast. Let stand overnight and pour into bottles. Allow uncorked bottles to set in a darkened place for three weeks. Then cork and store bottles in a cool place. Makes about 4 quarts


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The Tech
When you're on a Google website (like right now), you're accessing one of the most powerful server networks in the known Universe. But what does that actually look like? Here's your chance to see inside what we're calling the physical Internet.
The People
Who's behind the doors of the vast global web we call the Internet? Rocket scientists? Sure. But also zombie marathoners, board game enthusiasts and classic car fanatics.
The Places
What makes a good hometown for the Web? Whether it's the Finnish waters of Hamina or the factory town of Lenoir, North Carolina, we look for locations that will help make our data centers as efficient as possible.
Douglas County
Google has been working for years to optimize our data center designs in order to minimize our environmental footprint. A good example is at our Douglas County, Georgia facility where we built a water processing facility and treatment plant in order to make sure our water usage didn't take fresh water away from the local community.
Mayes County
At our data center in Pryor, Oklahoma, we've built strong ties with the Cherokee community. We've created over 100 jobs and awarded grants to local schools to help them upgrade their equipment so students can stay ahead of the curve.
One of the reasons Google chose the city of Lenoir, North Carolina is its roots as a factory town in the furniture industry. Since furniture mills used a lot of power, we were able to reuse much of the existing power infrastructure. Lenoir is now home to the Internet, but also to our data center employees. Because of this, we've awarded more than $350,000 in grants and provided over $2M in free advertising to local nonprofits. We've also invested in several green initiatives, including a project to turn hog waste into renewable energy.
St Ghislain
Our data center in Belgium is notable for being the first to operate without water chillers. That's because we're able to use the climate to cool water without electricity in a process called "free cooling." Also, the St. Ghislain center has an on-site water purification facility that allows it to use water from a nearby industrial canal rather than use the city's water supply.
The Dalles
Here among Oregon's rolling hills, snow-capped peaks and brisk Columbia River, we make Google products and services available to the entire world. The Dalles data center location was chosen for its mild climate and access to hydroelectric power. Our staff has continued this green thinking by starting a community garden on one corner of the site.
We had the unique opportunity to salvage an old paper mill in Hamina, Finland and use the pre-existing infrastructure to build a data center there. The large site sits on the beautiful Baltic Sea and is able to use raw sea water, piped through a pre-existing tunnel, to cool our servers naturally. After the cooling process, we dissipate the remaining heat and mix it in with more seawater before using it for cooling again.
Berkeley County
Here in Berkeley County, we've tried to give back more than jobs to the community. We've made an investment of over half a million dollars to local schools and nonprofits and introduced free Wi-Fi to downtown Goose Creek. In June 2012, we hosted Googlefest in nearby Charleston to help nonprofits, small businesses, and educators use the full range of Google's tools.
Council Bluffs
We're always looking to improve the way we run our data centers by pursuing innovation in efficiency and quality control. Here in Council Bluffs, Iowa, we found a way to use renewable energy by purchasing power from a nearby wind farm. This helps support local green initiatives as well as shrink our footprint overall.
On average, two gallons of water is consumed for every kilowatt-hour of electricity produced in the US. By using less electricity to power our computing infrastructure, we also save fresh water. Every year our efficient data centers save hundreds of millions of gallons of drinking water simply by consuming less electricity.
Tieg Weathers
Data Center Operations
Maintaining the right temperature inside our data centers is a crucial part of what keeps them stable. Here Tieg Weathers, who works in water maintenance in Council Bluffs, Iowa, cuts a piece of pipe to patch into a new cooling system.
Tieg worked as part of our data center operations team while he put himself through college. He says, "I'm not a techy guy, but I'm astounded at how we use energy at each stage in the data centers. I'm proud that we do it efficiently and are the best stewards of the energy that we can be."
Denise Harwood
Hardware Operations
Surrounded by the deep blue lights of our servers, Denise Harwood diagnoses an overheated CPU. It's half of her job as a repair technician to help keep equipment up-and-running at all times. The other half is working on the data security team, making sure what goes into our centers is thoroughly protected.
Denise discovered her Google job in a unique way. "It was through playing Dungeons and Dragons," she says. While playing the game, she met a Google employee and discussed future work plans. "I had originally planned to get a degree in literature, but later changed my major to Computer Science," she says. After graduating, she applied to our data center in The Dalles, Oregon, where she now works as part of a 150-person team.
Mike Barham
Hardware Operations
As an operations technician, Mike Barham receives alerts multiple times a day when servers need new parts. After getting the notification, Mike accesses an interactive software tool to pinpoint the problem. Sometimes the fix requires that he swap out a hard drive or, in this case, a motherboard.
Mike came to work with Google from the Navy, where he worked as an information system technician in charge of communications with ground troops. When asked about the feeling of working inside the Internet, he comments: "The sheer scale of the data centers blows my mind."
Mounir Ben Moussa,
Ray Coss
Data Center Operations
It takes teamwork to keep Google running. Here technicians Mounir Ben Moussa and Ray Coss conduct generator maintenance. Mounir and Ray are part of a team that works on keeping the power and cooling systems operational at our center in Belgium.
Patrick Davillier
Data Center Operations
Patrick Davillier does a visual inspection of the water pipes running below the floor. Our maintenance standards require us to constantly monitor the functionality of our cooling systems. This ensures our servers are properly cooled, all the time.
Patrick Davillier
Data Center Operations
The water used for cooling our data centers doesn't need to be drinkable, so when possible, we use recycled water (greywater) instead of drinking water, and we save that valuable resource for those who need it.
Norman Martin
Data Center Operations
As Norman Martin describes matter-of-factly: "The Internet never sleeps—we keep it going!" So, what happens when the power goes out? Our data centers quickly switch over to emergency back-up generators to prevent any downtime. (That then turn off when power is restored.) These special batteries (pictured) ensure that the generators start up quickly. Workers like Norman make visual inspections to ensure these batteries are charged and ready to be activated at any time.
Norman Martin
Data Center Operations
"Working here is like taking an extended field trip to a toy store. We get to see and play with all the new toys. The ones that are broken, we fix, and the ones that work fine, we make better. We push technology and efficiency to the max."
Ash Williams
Data Center Operations
Here, Ash Williams removes the lid of a storage tank to check its interior lining. Our data center in Douglas County, Georgia utilizes an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), which uses recycled water to keep equipment at the optimum temperature. Ash points out: "Working here has shown me how important the infrastructure is, from the location to utilities, weather and most of all, people."
Ash Williams
Data Center Operations
Both our Georgia and Belgium data centers use Water Treatment Plants which allow us to utilize recycled water in the cooling towers.
Jeff Hajer
Associate Facilities Manager
Associate Facilities Manager Jeff Hajer burns some wire in a fabrication area at our Lenoir center. Welding is one of Jeff's many jobs, which include performance evaluations, managing technicians and coaching. He's proud to manage this data center and says he loves the sense of accomplishment it gives him. Outside of Google, Jeff restores classic cars and loves to fish.
Jeff Hajer
Associate Facilities Manager
Jeff is using metal inert gas welding, also known as MIG welding. It's a welding method preferred for its versatility, speed and the relative ease of adapting the process to robotic automation. And, it creates a strong weld.
Rachel Mitchell
Hardware Operations
When Rachel Mitchell isn't repairing the servers that store Google's corner of the Internet, she's rocking out to Aerosmith and getting around on a scooter through our Lenoir, North Carolina data center's floor. "It's so big, we ride from end to end," she says. "I love that I'm a part of something so huge."
Rachel Mitchell
Hardware Operations
In her free time, Rachel likes to participate in zombie marathons, 5k runs through the mud where you encounter zombies (other people) who chase after you. "You can be one of three runner groups: the appetizer, the main course (that's me) or the dessert (the slowest runners)."
Jon Rogers
Environmental Health and Safety Technician
Environmental health and safety technician Jon Rogers applies a floor-tile-grabber (he promises that is the actual name) to the floor to check the status of pipes underneath. Besides making sure the North Carolina center complies with all safety regulations, Jon is involved in the community and has helped award several grants to local schools.
Jon Rogers
Environmental Health and Safety Technician
"What amazes me about our data centers is that they power Google for the world, and they never turn off!"
Mitch "Mikke" Fleming
Data Center Operations
Mitch Fleming tightens a valve coupling that ensures we contain seawater from the Gulf of Finland in the appropriate cooling pipes. Mitch is no stranger to making adjustments. He once designed a 2-piece plate to go inside the cooling units to better regulate airflow and save energy when we switch the units on and off. "You look at things as open-ended problems. I can basically stop what I'm doing and develop something at will. You are allowed to think outside the box here." he says.
Neal Menkus
Hardware Operations
"As part of Google's security plan, when we remove a storage drive from the data center floor, we send it to a team that includes Neal Menkus. Inside the data security cage, Neal and other workers use special equipment to completely erase all of the data. After erasing the failed drive, we physically destroy it an industrial shredder. (This is Neal's favorite job.)
When Neal's friends ask him what he does for a living, he answers "Imagine you walk into a large warehouse and there's nothing there except aisles of computer motherboards, thousands of them, stacked on top of each other in racks the size of refrigerators." Then he asks his friends to think about how often they have a problem with their computer at home. "The same things happen to our servers, and guess who gets to fix them?"
Neal Menkus
Hardware Operations
Neal stands in front of storage lockers for the data security cage inside our Moncks Corner center. Many employees wear headphones like these to block out the low-hum of server noise.
Justin Hobbs
Data Center Operations
This is the inside of the command center at our Mayes County, Oklahoma location, as manned by Justin Hobbs. This control station monitors the building and power with the ability to take calls from the field, validate repair tickets and authorize repairs. The wide range of responsibilities is something Justin welcomes. "I enjoy not being pigeonholed," he says.
Justin Hobbs
Data Center Operations
Thanks to this data center in Oklahoma, Google has been able to create 100 new jobs. In a recent Oklahoma Magazine Mayor Jimmy Tramel called the data center's contribution "immense" and has been outspoken about Google's community support which includes several grants to local schools.
Roger Harris
Hardware Operations
Starting as a construction worker, Roger Harris helped build our Mayes County, Oklahoma data center and was given the opportunity to apply for an internal position. "I submitted a resume and got the job. Now I take care of the infrastructure that allows Google to do what it does," he says. In this picture, he's taking in a wider view of our Oklahoma center, while accessing a laptop that controls air flow for the whole facility.
Roger Harris
Hardware Operations
"I love the fact that I work for a company that truly wants to make the world a better place and make information accessible to all."