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bee turns five
Bee had several ideas for her birthday party this year, but we decided on a pink pajama party. Bee's birthday is a little before Valentine's day, so hearts were the perfect motif. Invites were simple cards with a sewn on heart slipped into envelopes we made following this tutorial. Bee personally delivered them to all her friends (these envelopes are awfully cute, but I wouldn't try to mail them!).
We blew up a ton of balloons to throw around the house, which is much easier if your husband takes over and blows them up with his air compressor. I usually get a dozen or so helium balloons for a party, but you can about 5 dozen unfilled balloons for the same price, and when it comes to balloons... I say the more, the merrier.
Our party started at 9 AM, and we asked the kids to come in their pajamas (and bring their pillows with them). The kids seemed to get a kick out of showing up in their pjs, and they looked awfully cute all together. Bee requested a number shirt like I always make C for his birthday, so I freezer paper stenciled a 5 in a heart. One benefit of an early party is that it forces you to have everything ready the night before, there's no time to rush around and finish things in the morning, which is great if you are a procrastinator like myself.
When the kids first arrived we sat at the table and made valentine's... kind of like a kid version of Martha's crafternoon. We had punches and crayons and paper and stickers and the kids did a great job all on their own (I thought it was sweet that most of the kids chose to make cards for their moms).
We spread blankets out and had the kids lie down on their pillows while we read a few of Bee's favorite picture books... JR makes a very convincing pigeon.
During the stories, I took one girl at a time and painted their nails. Bee is a nail biter and I have NEVER let her paint her nails... I said that would be her reward if she could stop biting her nails. A few weeks before the party she showed me her hand so I could see that she had stopped, and much to Bee's delight, we got to paint fingernails at the party!
We used some old pillowcases for sack races in the backyard. We did several heats since the kids were much faster than I thought! We also played "musical pillows", which is just like musical chairs except you jump on a pillow when the music stops.
One game that we made up on the spot was the pillow long jump, seeing how far each child could jump in one jump.. and if they fall, they land on a bunch of pillows! We also played pin the heart on Bee (instead of pin the tail on the donkey).
We kept the food simple: little pink pancakes with strawberry jam and whipped cream, fruit skewers, and orange juice. (It gets busy trying to serve nine five year olds pancakes all at the same time, so forgive me for not having a photo!) I think pancakes are the perfect kid party food.. they all love pancakes and it's nice to be able to make one thing instead of sandwiches where I feel I need to make three varieties to make everyone happy.
We had blueberry muffins for "dessert" so Bee could blow her candles out, it just seemed a little early to be giving kids cake! All in all, a really fun party.. and one of the easier parties we've done in terms of planning. Happy birthday little Bee..


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Whether you love Mardis Gras or simply enjoy colorful parties, Treetopia will show you how to plan a FUN-tastic Carnival party
You may have missed the festivities during this year's Mardis Gras Parade but that doesn't mean you have to wait another year to experience the glorious festive atmosphere that comes with it. Read on below for tips on how to organize your very own Mardis Gras, whether you're planning for next year or you just want to host a carnival-themed party any time of the year.
Food, Glorious Food!
Mardis Gras is not the English translation of "Fat Tuesday" for nothing. Since this day of celebration is held before Lent and fasting begin, it's only natural to gorge on glorious food. So if you really want a carnival-inspired celebration, it is a must for your party to be filled (if not overflowing) with food. You can start off with a simple appetizer like this scrumptious shrimp canapé recipe from Leslie Styles' blog. Caryn Ross also shares a couple of easy-to-make Mardis Gras recipes on her blog, Cooking with Caryn. Follow it up with three or four types of main dish until your guests reach the delicious moon pie dessert or traditional king cake. You don't have to worry because there's always room for dessert.


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NEWPORT BEACH – Ruby Cavanaugh was not a big fan of her first name, which her grandmother gave her.
Until she saw it lit up in red at the edge of the Balboa Pier.
It was 30 years ago that her son Doug Cavanaugh, after closing down his somewhat-seasonal enterprise in Nantucket Island, left for an early morning jog by the Balboa Pier and came back home with the idea of transforming a dilapidated shack on the pier into a 1940s-inspired diner named after his mother.
Ruby's opened its first diner on Balboa Pier on Dec. 7, 1982, with three employees and a dinner menu of hot dogs, hamburgers and malts. The décor was complete with bright-red vinyl booths, white Formica tables, soda fountains and colorful Coca-Cola posters.
Today, all Ruby's restaurants will harken back to the early 1980s, when Ronald Reagan was in the White House and the Original RubyBurger sold for $2.15. From 7 a.m. to closing – just today – the restaurants will offer its opening-day menu items at 1982 prices. The Balboa Pier restaurant will close at 4:30 p.m. for a private celebration. The John Wayne Airport location and the Shake Shack will not participate in the promotion.
Ruby Cavanaugh says at the heart of its success is the restaurant's effort to recreate simpler, happier times.
"It's amazing that when you walk into Ruby's, everything is so cheerful," says Cavanaugh, now 90. "The 1940s was a time when people seemed to be more at ease, but it was also after the war when people were working together to get back on their feet."
Doug Cavanaugh, founder and CEO, likens a visit to Ruby's to a visit to grandma's house.
"Our world today is so complex and challenged," he said. "Ruby's is anti-hip and as square as they come. We're happy to be stuck in a time warp."
Today, Ruby's has 38 restaurants nationwide. Doug Cavanaugh says they have found a new niche in airports. He plans to expand with other airports as well as smaller restaurants that cater to a take-out clientele.
Looking back, Cavanaugh says, the restaurant has been appropriately named.
"Ruby is an old-fashioned name," he says. "It has character and color, just like my mom. She is an amazing mother, a member of the Greatest Generation. This restaurant is a reflection of my mother and her wonderful spirit."
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A Center Township man will be heading to state prison after being sentenced in Butler County Court on Wednesday to more than four years on allegations that he sexually assaulting a young girl between 2003 and 2013.
Michael D. Hedglin, 45, was sentenced to 4� to 11 years in a state correctional institution by President Judge Thomas Doerr. He was also ordered to pay court costs and restitution.
Hedglin previously pleaded guilty to felony involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of person less than 16 years old before Judge Timothy McCune on Nov. 8.
He was initially charged after he was accused of sexually assaulting a young girl when she was 3-years-old in 2003, and again in 2013, when she was 13.


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The program provides a unique opportunity to compare a large number of scorers with varied levels of experience to determine sleep stage scoring agreement. The objective is to examine areas of disagreement to inform future revisions of the AASM Manual for the Scoring of Sleep and Associated Events.
The sample included 9 record fragments, 1,800 epochs and more than 3,200,000 scoring decisions. More than 2,500 scorers, most with 3 or more years of experience, participated. The analysis determined agreement with the score chosen by the majority of scorers.
Sleep stage agreement averaged 82.6%. Agreement was highest for stage R sleep with stages N2 and W approaching the same level. Scoring agreement for stage N3 sleep was 67.4% and was lowest for stage N1 at 63.0%. Scorers had particular difficulty with the last epoch of stage W before sleep onset, the first epoch of stage N2 after stage N1 and the first epoch of stage R after stage N2. Discrimination between stages N2 and N3 was particularly difficult for scorers.
These findings suggest that with current rules, inter-scorer agreement in a large group is approximately 83%, a level similar to that reported for agreement between expert scorers. Agreement in the scoring of stages N1 and N3 sleep was low. Modifications to the scoring rules to improve scoring during sleep stage transitions may result in improvement.
A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 89.
Rosenberg RS; Van Hout S. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine inter-scorer reliability program: sleep stage scoring. J Clin Sleep Med 2013;9(1):81–87.
Standardized scoring of sleep stages became possible with the publication of a manual by Rechtschaffen and Kales in 1968.1 R – K, as it came to be known, standardized terminology, recording techniques, and the rules for sleep stages for normal, young adult research volunteers. In 2007, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) developed a Manual for the Scoring of Sleep and Associated Events.2 The goal of the AASM Manual was to expand R – K to a patient population. This included standards for scoring of sleep stages, respiratory and limb movement events, as well as rules for scoring of pediatric recordings.
Grigg-Damberger, in a recent review,3 noted that there have been few complaints about the new scoring system. Moser and colleagues4 found significant differences in stage scores with the AASM Manual. Stages N1 and N3 were increased, whereas stage N2 was decreased with the new scoring as compared to the old. Scorers were drawn from a pool of 30 experienced sleep experts. Danker-Hopfe and colleagues found that use of the AASM Manual resulted in slightly improved inter-rater reliability to 82.0% compared to 80.6% using R – K rules.5 Her study was based on 72 recordings that were scored with both methods by a pool of 7 experienced scorers.
The AASM inter-scorer reliability (ISR) program was developed to aid sleep centers in fulfilling accreditation standards. The standards require that a sample of randomly chosen records be scored by the center director and each of the technologists involved in record scoring. As a means of achieving this standard, the AASM ISR program provides a record each month, scored independently by 2 board certified sleep specialists replacing the center director scorer. Program scorers are compared and differences resolved, leading to a final "correct" answer. All participants score the same record sample using a web-based program, and scores are compared to the "correct score." This allows instantaneous feedback to the scorer and the center manager. Feedback includes percentage agreement with the "correct score" and scores relative to all users. The intent of the program is to add standardized measurement to the quality assurance cycle. Center directors evaluate technologist performance, identify areas of weakness, provide additional training and experience in scoring, and then re-evaluate performance to close the quality assurance loop. The program began in April 2010 and has grown in use since then. At the time of this writing, approximately 2,500 technologists and physicians use the AASM ISR program. This initial review covers only sleep stage scoring, but the program also requires scoring of respiratory events, periodic limb movements, and arousals.
Most studies of sleep study stage scoring agreement evaluate differences between expert scorers, at times from the same laboratory or after an intensive training process to improve agreement. Other studies have compared expert human scorers with automated scoring systems. Some of these studies employ large numbers of epochs to be scored, but none have evaluated more than a handful of scorers. The AASM ISR program provides a unique data set. Instead of a large number of epochs scored by a relatively small number of technologists, the program provides relatively few record fragments scored by a large number of scorers. Most of the program users had passed a national certification examination and most had 3 or more years of experience in the field. We hypothesized that the large number of scorers would result in lower agreement than in previous studies of scoring experts. We also hypothesized that the majority of disagreements would occur in epochs in the transition from one stage to another.
The AASM ISR program employed 200 epoch record fragments from de-identified recordings provided to the AASM by a variety of sleep centers. Polysmith reading software (provided free of charge by Nihon Kohden America) was used to create static images of 30-sec and 120-sec epochs. Users were able to access the epochs and answer 4 standard questions regarding sleep stage, the presence or absence of respiratory events, and the number of arousals and limb movements in a 30-sec epoch. Amplitude markers at ± 37 μV were provided for rapid measurement of slow wave activity. This methodology differs somewhat from the typical scoring system, but for sleep staging is essentially equivalent to that provided by most sleep recording systems. Beginning in January 2012, a new version of the program automatically maximized epoch display size based on available display and allowed keypad scoring. These improvements increased the speed of scoring but did not alter the nature of the task.
Table 1 provides demographic information for the 9 record fragments under consideration. Records were posted between June 2011 and February 2012. All patient information was removed with the exception of age and sex. Records were available for 3 months; data was therefore collected between June 1, 2011, and April 30, 2012. An attempt was made to include only records with minimal artifact. A variety of sleep disorders and levels of abnormality were used. Diagnostic and PAP titration studies were included. Studies were limited to adult patients.
Clinical studies used in the analysis
(more ...)
Although individual user information is provided to the center manager for quality assurance purposes, the AASM does not retain individual identification of users participating in the program. Some indication of the training level of users was considered important for this analysis. Therefore, a survey was sent to all users in July 2012. The survey included questions about the experience level of the users and whether or not they had formal training in sleep technology. Unfortunately, there is no way to connect the scoring data with the survey responses.
Table 2 provides information about the users of the ISR program. More than 90% of users had at least 3 years of experience. Most (87%) were registered polysomnographic technologists. Fewer than 10% had completed a formal education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program. Less than 5% of users were physicians.
Results of user survey
The ISR program instructed scorers to follow the rules of the AASM Manual in assigning a sleep stage to each 30-sec epoch. Data were saved with each keystroke and stored on a file server in the AASM office. The current aggregate data do not include individual scorer information. The score chosen by the most scorers was used as the "correct" score. This means that for most epochs, the minimal level of agreement with the correct score was 50%. A few epochs had scores evenly divided over 3 stages; these epochs were assigned the plurality score as the correct score.
Aggregate data were collected for each epoch used in the analysis. For example, 2,246 users scored epoch 41 from the February 2012 record. Of these, 12 scored stage W, 801 scored stage N1, 1,414 scored stage N2, 1 scored stage N3, and 18 scored stage R. N2 was therefore the majority score and was used as the correct answer. The percentage of scores for each stage was calculated for each epoch, then summed by sleep stage and subsequently summed over all of the epochs scored. This provided a percentage correct for each sleep stage as well as percent scored for each of the incorrect possibilities.
A second analysis focused on common transitions. This arbitrarily used transitions where 3 consecutive epochs of 1 stage were followed by 3 consecutive epochs of another stage. In the 9 records used, there were 7 instances meeting this criterion for a transition from stage W to stage N1, 9 instances of stage N1 to stage N2, 6 transitions from stage N2 to stage R, 7 transitions from stage N2 to stage N3, and 9 transitions from stage N3 to stage N2. Epochs were analyzed relative to the stage change, ranging from the third epoch before the change to the third epoch after the change. As with the previous analysis, the percentage scored for each stage in each of the epochs was calculated.
Overall agreement is shown in Table 3. Majority scores are shown on the left. Scorers in agreement with the majority score are shown in bold type. The first row shows the epochs scored as stage W by a majority of scorers. The sample of 9 records included 150 such epochs. For stage W a total of 84.1% agreed with the majority score. Stage N1 was scored by 10.8%, stage N2 by 3.8%, stage N3 by 0.3%, and stage R by 1.9%. The overall agreement with the majority score for all scores for all epochs was 82.6%. Agreement for stages W, N2, and R were above this average, whereas agreement for stages N1 and N3 were below average. The sample is weighted heavily toward stage N2 sleep (58.1% of all epochs), which is consistent with normal stage percentages encountered in a sleep center patient population.
Percentage agreement
The number of decisions used in the calculation of each of the boxes in Table 3 is shown in Table 4. This shows that 3,296,905 individual scoring decisions contributed to the findings. The number of users of the ISR program increased over time. This resulted in slightly increased weighting of the more recent records as compared to the older records. However, weighting each month's record equally by averaging the monthly agreement percentages resulted in an overall agreement of 82.4%, very similar to the overall agreement using the aggregate method.
Number of scores used to calculate percentages in Table 3
As expected, most of the disagreements occurred with the scoring of "adjacent" sleep stages. For example, the overall agreement with the majority score for stage N1 sleep was 63%. Nearly all of the disagreements were with stage W (10.9%) and stage N2 (21.7%). Scoring of stage N3 sleep also had low agreement at 67.4%, with virtually all of the scorers who disagreed scoring these epochs as stage N2 sleep (32.3%).
The fact that disagreements occurred with adjacent stages did not systematically translate into higher disagreements at sleep transitions. Figure 1 shows the transition from stage W to stage N1 sleep. Percentage agreement is shown in Figure 1A. The majority scores for these 6 epochs were W, W, W, N1, N1, N1. The first 2 bars indicate scoring agreement at about 90% for stage W. In the final stage W epoch, 21.9% of scorers shifted to stage N1 sleep. In the first epoch of stage N1, 25.5% of scorers continued to score stage W. The final epoch of stage N1 shows a substantial number of scorers (18.3%) had already switched to stage N2 sleep. The next question asked was whether the scorers did better or worse than the average agreement in these transition epochs. Figure 1B shows variation from the average agreement for each of the epochs in the W to N1 transition. The average score for stage W was 84.1% and for stage N1 was 63%. Agreement with the majority score was above average for the first 2 epochs of stage W in Figure 1B (90.8% and 89.5% vs. the average of 84.1%), but dropped to 73.6% in the epoch just before the shift to stage N1. Agreement with the majority score was better than average for the 3 epochs of stage N1 sleep.
Transition from stage W to stage N1 sleep (n = 7)
Figure 2 shows the transition from stage N1 to stage N2 sleep. Again, results were above average for the epochs scored as stage N1 by the majority of scorers. Stage N2 epochs at the transition were scored with below-average agreement. One possible explanation for the transition data for stage N1 is bout length. The average bout length for stage N1 in this sample was 2.03 epochs. Only 12% of N1 bouts were 3 epochs or longer. Thus, the requirement that there be 3 epochs of a stage for inclusion in the transition analysis meant most of the epochs of stage N1 were excluded. There was lower scoring agreement for the common bouts of stage N1 than for the bouts that lasted 3 or more epochs required to be included in the transition analysis. In contrast, the average bout length for stage N2 was 10.1 epochs, and 47% of N2 bouts were longer than 3 epochs. Low agreement on the first epoch of stage N2 suggests some disagreement on the recognition of the first K complex or sleep spindle as required by the scoring rules.
Transition from stage N1 to stage N2 sleep
The transition from stage N2 to stage R is shown in Figure 3. This was the only transition that showed the expected pattern in that scoring was below average for stage and the greatest disagreement occurred at the border between stages. The epochs at the beginning and the end of the graph were nearly at the average level for stage in agreement. Some scorers begin stage R a bit earlier, whereas other scorers continued to score stage N2. Disagreements occurred on both sides of the transition, with the stage R disagreements appearing larger because the average agreement was higher. Agreement improved as stage R sleep was established, presumably due to the appearance of rapid eye movements and "definite" stage R.
Transition from stage N2 to stage R sleep
Systematic variations were less evident in the scoring of stage N3. The transition from stage N2 to stage N3 is shown in Figure 4A, and the transition from stage N3 to stage N2 is shown in Figure 4B. None of the scores improved as the distance from the transition increased; stage N3 was never "established." This suggests that there is no real transition to stage N3, and that scoring criteria need to be reevaluated on an epoch-by-epoch basis rather than entering a stage for an extended period of time. This is further illustrated by the graph in Figure 5, which shows stage scoring for 15 consecutive epochs in a 26-year-old man undergoing a PAP titration study. None of the epochs in this series have more than 70% agreement for either sleep stage. Virtually all of the scores were either stage N2 or stage N3, but there was no transition into or out of stage N3. Further, there was no confusion with other sleep stages.
Transitions involving stage N3 sleep
Stage scores during a CPAP titration study
Nine sleep recording samples of 200 epochs each were scored by a large pool of sleep scorers using the scoring methodology of the AASM Manual. The overall agreement for sleep stages between scorers in the AASM ISR program was 82.6%. This is remarkably similar to the 83% agreement reported by Ruehland and colleagues6 using the AASM Manual scoring methodology, a study that compared 2 experienced scorers and 1 scorer with a single year of experience. Danker-Hopfe and colleagues5 reported 82% agreement using a pool of 7 experienced scorers scoring 72 records. This provides encouraging news in that agreement among a large group of scorers is similar to agreement between small samples of experienced scorers. Head to head comparisons of the R&K vs. AASM Manual scoring methods by Danker-Hopfe5 found an increase in overall agreement from 80.6% to 82%. Ruehland found no improvement with the new methodology.6 The improvement in scoring agreement is more impressive when compared to historical values for R&K scoring, such as the 73% agreement among 5 experts from different centers reported by Norman and colleagues.7 Our data, like those of other researchers, indicates that the best agreement is achieved with stages W, N2, and R. Disagreement with the scoring of stage N1 includes scoring of stage W and scoring of stage N2 sleep. Disagreement with the scoring of stage N3 sleep is almost entirely based on confusion with scoring stage N2 sleep.
We expected that scoring agreement would be low in the epochs at the transition from one stage to another due to differences in recognition of key waveforms. This was not the case. An exception to this was the transition from stage N2 to stage R, which relies on complex scoring rules from the AASM Manual. The agreement on epochs in the transition from stage W to stage N1 was above average, with the exception of the final epoch of stage W before the change. The AASM Manual instructs the scorer to score stage N1 sleep when "alpha rhythm is attenuated and replaced by low amplitude mixed frequency activity for more than 50% of the epoch."2 Attenuation of alpha rhythm often occurs prior to its replacement with low amplitude mixed frequency EEG. Using one or the other definition might improve agreement in scoring of the transition to sleep. The transition from stage N1 to stage N2 again showed higher than average agreement for the epochs of stage N1. Scoring of stage N2 in this transition was less than average. This may reflect disagreement in the waveforms that define stage N2. Low amplitude or poorly formed K complexes or sleep spindles may lead some begin to score stage N2, whereas others wait for more definitive waveforms before making the change. In the absence of amplitude criteria for K complexes or spindles, this type of disagreement is inevitable.
Rules for the transition from stage N2 to stage R were developed by consensus.8 The rules hinge on the scoring of epochs with low amplitude mixed frequency EEG without K complexes, spindles, or rapid eye movements. These epochs may be stage N1, stage N2, or stage R, depending on the scoring of epochs that precede or follow them. The rules tip the scales in favor of stage R; epochs between definite stage N2 and definite stage R are scored in most cases as stage R. Agreement in this transition might be increased by making the onset of stage R similar to the onset of stage N2. That is, stage R sleep might be defined as starting with the first epoch of rapid eye movements, low amplitude mixed frequency EEG, and low chin EMG tone. This would also simplify the scoring of stage N2. Stage N2 would end when the first epoch of any other sleep stage is scored. However, it could be argued that this would provide a less accurate reflection of underlying physiology.
The average agreement for epochs where the majority scored stage N2 sleep was 85.2%. Only 6.6% of scores for these epochs were for stage N3. However, the average agreement for epochs scored stage N3 by the majority was only 67.4%, and virtually all of the disagreement (32.3%) was with stage N2. The pattern at the transitions (Figure 4) does little to explain this disagreement. Consider the sample of 10 consecutive epochs shown in Figure 5. This record is from a 26-year-old man undergoing CPAP titration. With the age of the patient and conditions of the study, high amplitude slow waves and prolonged bouts of stage N3 sleep were expected. The pool of scorers, however, failed to agree on scoring of this sample. None of the epochs had more than 70% agreement for either stage N2 or stage N3. The high level of disagreement between scorers occurred despite the fact that the rule for scoring stage N3 sleep includes amplitude and frequency requirements, and is therefore more precise than most stage definitions. Slow waves must account for more than 20% of the epoch. But the measurement of wave duration and amplitude may be too complex and onerous for visual scoring. An alternative would be to use frequency analysis or some other automated method to perform this task. This would greatly increase reliability of scoring and might provide a better measure of the hypothetical process "S" as promoted by Borbély and colleagues.9
Table 5 summarizes the 5 types of epochs with significant disagreement and provides possible causes and potential changes to scoring methodology that might result in improved agreement. The table points out the inherent contradiction of encouraging additional criteria for amplitude of spindles and K complexes, while at the same time acknowledging the inaccuracy of scorers in measuring slow wave amplitude.
Epochs of highest disagreement and potential solutions
Perhaps the most interesting finding of this analysis is that in terms of agreement, a large group of scorers with varied backgrounds fared just as well as small groups of highly trained scorers. One interpretation of this finding is that a basic understanding of the rules for scoring is sufficient to produce competence, and additional training in a search for excellence may not be fruitful. Ambiguities in the scoring rules and variations in waveforms both across and within subjects may make further improvements in agreement difficult. Returning to the issue that prompted the development of the AASM ISR program, center managers may wish to set a relatively low cut point (such as 75%) that reflects basic stage scoring competence. A consistent score above this threshold could be used as a criterion for entrance to the pool of scorers. It is not recommended that a high threshold, such as 95%, be used as a criterion for promotion or bonuses. Such a criterion would be in excess of the agreement between expert scorers and is likely to occur only as a result of chance. It is important to note that this percentage agreement applies only to stage scoring. The other aspects of the ISR program (arousals, limb movements, and respiratory events) may have different levels of agreement. Further changes to the scoring rules, such as those proposed here, may also result in modest additional improvements.
A unique data set from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Inter-scorer Reliability program was explored. More than 3 million individual stage decisions were analyzed.
Overall agreement was 82.6%, a finding similar to published literature comparing expert scorers with each other. Sleep stage transitions where there were at least 3 epochs of a sleep stage followed by at least 3 epochs of another stage were examined. Scoring of stage N1 sleep was better than average at these transitions. Only the last epoch of stage W prior to the onset of stage N1 had reduced agreement. The transition from stage N2 to stage R showed progressive disagreement prior to the shift of stage and gradual improvement after the shift. Disagreements in the transition from stage N2 to stage N3 and vice versa were high, with most of the disagreement in scoring of stage N3 occurring due to confusion with stage N2.
The authors propose changes to the scoring rules that might improve agreement: (1) changing the definition of stage N1 to require either the attenuation of alpha rhythm or the onset of low amplitude mixed frequency EEG but not both; (2) providing more objective criteria for key waveforms including alpha rhythm, K complexes, and sleep spindles; (3) changing the onset of stage R sleep to the first epoch of "definite" stage R; and (4) using alternative methods for analysis of slow wave activity, such as frequency analysis.
This is not an industry supported study. Richard S. Rosenberg and Steven Van Hout are full time employees of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine developed the inter-scorer reliability program and provides salary support for the authors.
The authors appreciate the careful reading of the manuscript by Drs. Michael Silber, Joan Fisher, and Douglas Kirsch. The authors acknowledge the support of Jerry Barrett, the Executive Director of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Rechtschaffen A, Kales A, authors. A manual of standardized terminology, techniques and scoring system fo sleep stages of human subjects. 1968. Washington, DC: US Department of Health, Education and Welfare Public Health Service -- NIH/NIND;
Iber C, Ancoli-Israel S, Chesson A, Quan S, authors; for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.. The AASM manual for the scoring of sleep and associated events: rules, terminology and technical specifications. 2007. Westchester, IL: American Academy of Sleep Medicine;
Grigg-Damberger MM, author. The AASM scoring manual four years later. J Clin Sleep Med. 2012;8:323–32. [PubMed Central][PubMed]
Moser D, Anderer P, Gruber G, et al., authors. Sleep classification according to AASM and Rechtschaffen – Kales: effects on sleep scoring parameters. Sleep. 2009;32:139–49. [PubMed Central][PubMed]
Danker-Hopfe H, Anderer P, Zeitlhofer J, et al., authors. Interrater reliability for sleep scoring according to the Rechtschaffen – Kales and the new AASM standard. J Sleep Res. 2009;18:74–84. [PubMed]
Ruehland WR, O'Donoghue FJ, Pierce RJ, et al., authors. The 2007 AASM recommendations for EEG electrode placement in polysomnography: impact on sleep and cortical arousal scoring. Sleep. 2011;34:73–81. [PubMed Central][PubMed]
Norman RG, Pal I, Stewart C, Walsleben JA, Rapoport DM, authors. Interobserver agreement among sleep scorers from different centers in a large dataset. Sleep. 2000;23:901–8. [PubMed]
Silber MH, Ancoli-Israel S, Bonnet MH, et al., authors. The visual scoring of sleep in adults. J Clin Sleep Med. 2007;3:121–31. [PubMed]
Borbely AA, author. From slow waves to sleep homeostasis: new perspectives. Arch Ital Biol. 2001;139:53–61. [PubMed]


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As I described in that column and in my book, HONEST MEDICINE, when Tim's doctors weren't at all interested in this treatment, I wrote an article about our success for SEARCH, the newsletter of the National Brain Tumor Foundation. Many patients read my article, and begged their doctors to use Silverlon for their relatives with non-healing, post-surgical head wounds. But none of those doctors was interested, either.
I began to suspect that something was seriously wrong with our medical system.
For 3-1/2 years after Tim came home, I dedicated myself to taking care of him, and to obtaining financial coverage for the caregiver services we desperately needed. I also kept my home-based public relations business afloat so that I could afford to keep Tim at home. Even though he was very disabled, he was still Tim, and we were able to have some wonderful times.
Tim died in November 2005. Following his death, our difficulties in dealing with the healthcare system kept gnawing at me. The more I thought about it, the more it became obvious to me that our Silverlon story was not unique. In fact, I was sure that it was probably part of a larger picture of a dysfunctional medical system. I had a strong suspicion that there were other similar, lifesaving treatments like Silverlon that doctors also weren't telling their patients about. I was sure there were other treatments that were quietly saving lives once patients discovered them on their own. I suspected that these treatments were being under-publicized, or not publicized at all.
If I was right, why weren't treatments like these better known? In other words, what was it about our medical system, and our doctors, in particular, that made them so resistant to learning about (not to mention, trying) anything that was different, no matter how promising.
Secretly, I often wondered, and still do, whether these doctors have forgotten their Hippocratic Oath, and if so, how this has happened.
So, I decided to first create a website in Tim's memory and in his honor. I wanted to educate others about the flaws in our medical system. I also wanted to inform people about other promising (and often lifesaving) treatments, like Silverlon, which I knew their doctors probably wouldn't tell their patients about.
Thus, HonestMedicine.com was born.
Finding other similarly lifesaving treatments turned out to be far easier than I had thought it would be. I didn't have to look very far. I decided to set the bar extremely high, so that no one could call them "anecdotal." They were all what I have come to refer to as "patient-evidence-based" treatments.
The "patient-evidence-based" treatments I discovered all have similar, compelling, characteristics:
1) They have been around for many years, ranging from "only" 25 to over 90 years, and have benefited hundreds, sometimes thousands, of patients.
2) These treatments have all benefited extremely sick patients, with life-threatening illnesses ranging from epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and even HIV/AIDS and cancer. The results have been clear (i.e., seizures stopped, MS patients being able to walk, etc.).
3) The treatments all have medical practitioners, and in most cases MDs, who prescribe the medications, and openly champion them.
4) In most cases, the patients who have benefited from these treatments are extremely passionate about helping others to learn about them. The patients often devote a great deal of their time -- unpaid -- to doing this, holding fundraisers and educating the public through online forums and social networking sites like Facebook.
5) And finally, some are natural treatments, such as diets or supplements. Others are off-label uses of generic drugs. But they all have one thing in common: No one is making large amounts of money from these treatments, especially when compared to the money that is made from the treatments championed by Big Pharma.
For many reasons, I decided that the time was finally right for me to speak up about this problem.
One of the main reasons I decided that the time was right was that, for the last several years, Big Pharma's duplicity had been making headlines, with many exposés about pharmaceutical companies appearing in the media; articles about pharmaceutical companies:
Because of the media attention given to Big Pharma's behavior, and also because of many excellent, best-selling books being published on the topic, I decided that our country was finally ready to be open to the treatments I wanted to write about, even though they might not have multi-million dollar, Big Pharma-funded studies behind them. I decided that the public finally understood that such Big Pharma "studies" do not necessarily result in safe, effective treatments.
The time was right for my article for HonestMedicine.com, which I titled "Four Lifesaving Medical Treatments: Not So 'Anecdotal' After All" ( http://www.honestmedicine.com/2008/05/four-lifesaving.html). That article was the precursor to and foundation of my book, also titled HONEST MEDICINE.
In future Healthy.net columns, I will discuss the three other treatments I profile in HONEST MEDICINE: Low Dose Naltrexone, the Ketogenic Diet and intravenous alpha lipoic acid. As you will see, one of these treatments has been in use since the 1920s; and many patients have used the other two successfully since the 1980s. I hope you'll enjoy learning about all of them. Please stay tuned.
Note: This column has been adapted from Julia Schopick's Amazon.com best-selling book, HONEST MEDICINE: Effective, Time-Tested, Inexpensive Treatments for Life Threatening Diseases (http://www.honestmedicine.com/2008/05/four-lifesaving.htmlhttp://www.amazon.com/dp/product/0982969007/). She continues to write about treatments like these on her website, HonestMedicine.com.


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Product Details
- beautifully hand made product
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Product description
This beautifully distressed chair is not so simple as its description implies. Bent wood and metal make up a pleasing frame which is complemented by a woven seat pad. Available in five colours, these chairs are a popular choice. You can customise your look by mixing the different shades.
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I have a TiVo Series 3 HD Recorder purchased in Dec 2006. For the past few years, when I have wanted to archive something from the TiVo to my Macintosh, I used iTiVo. However, this application has many issues (crashes, freezes, very, very slow) and has not been updated in almost 2 years. My frustration with its "quirks" has prompted me to seek another solution. The only other Macintosh OS X software I have found via google is a Dashboard Widget (ick) called TiVo NowPlaying. This widget (versioned 2.51) has not been updated since Oct 2007. It's usable, but not ideal (slow, sometimes needs to be restarted and doesn't support mpeg4).
I am using fairly modern Macintosh (intel) computers, updated to the current version of Mac OS X (Snow Leopard).
What are other Macintosh + TiVo owners using to move content from their TiVo to the Macintosh?
I am hoping someone has some information on something better to use than the options I have listed above.


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From The Band Perry to Willie and Waylon, the notes struck a chord with everyone who came out to listen to the 33rd annual K-Country Showdown last Thursday. Part of Campbellsville's Fourth of July Celebration, the event is popular among country music fans and supporters of local talent.
John "Bam" Carney
State Representative
We are only a day away from marking the 238th anniversary of our Declaration of Independence, when a young nation stood up against the oppression of the British monarchy and sought to create a country "for the people, and by the people."
She sits among several of her fellow residents at the long-term care facility I visit, ensconced in her wheel chair, sometimes napping, sometimes staring.
I suppose I've walked past her dozens of times, greeting her with a casual "Hello," or "How are you?" I can't say I've taken the time to wait for a response. I've felt her tired eyes following me as I've quickly disappeared around the corner and down the hallway.
But this day, she stopped me cold in my tracks.
Taylor Countians are pretty lucky.
Our community is full of people who pitch in to help others, and most of the time for nothing monetary in return, only the satisfaction of making a difference in someone else's lives.
There are three specific examples I can give you of this happening just in the past few days.
First, a committee of people put together last Friday night's annual Relay for Life events to raise money to fight cancer.
I made a challenge for myself, and as badly as I hate to say it, I failed.
As Taylor County's annual Relay for Life event kicked off on Friday evening, I had set a goal for myself to walk 100 laps around the high school track to raise money in memory of my friend and co-worker, James Roberts, who died of cancer last year.
The money-raising efforts were supported by many of you, either in the form of a donated amount or in the form of a pledge made for each lap I walked.
To that very first class of students who sat in his classroom more than 34 years ago, he said he was sorry.
"I had no clue what I was doing," William Wallace Evans said.
Yet every person who attended the retirement celebration for Taylor County High School's longest-serving agriculture teacher on May 31 will readily vouch for Evans' value as an educator and leader in the Taylor County community.
As many of you know, the Central Kentucky News-Journal lost a close friend last year when James Roberts, a reporter for the newspaper, lost his battle with cancer. He was 36 years old.
I got to know James while I worked at the Springfield newspaper. When I came to the CKNJ, we quickly became even closer friends, and we discovered that we had similar interests in books, movies, music and more. Few knew it about him, but he was even a hockey fan.
They gathered to remember and say thank you.
Even in the pouring rain, more people turned out this year than in several past years to attend the community's annual Memorial Day service.
If you haven't been to the service, I recommend you go next year. Several local dignitaries speak, American Legion members perform a flag ceremony and there are moments of prayer and song. It's a touching ceremony, simply put.
The way I see it, in many ways this country is headed down hill fast; it's in high gear and nobody's touching the brakes.
I would never have dreamed it in 1975, when in the dead of winter, I moved from South Carolina to Campbellsville and rented a farmhouse from Bess and Clement Whitlock.
But here I was in late April and early May at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, N.C., working as a volunteer - as I have for the past seven years - for the Wells Fargo Championship.
This year, however, proved to be extra special at the fabulously beautiful and lush green golf course that some say rivals even Augusta National and the Masters as THE tournament on the PGA tour.
Copyright © 2019
The Central Kentucky News-Journal is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Campbellsville, KY and the surrounding area.


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TORONTO — On the 25th anniversary of his business, the owner of Aleph Bet Judaica says he feels like he doesn't work.
Originally from Israel, Moshe Joseph, a husband and father of three, moved from Montreal after buying the store in 1987.
"I've come to the store every day since, but I'm not working, I'm enjoying every minute," he said.
Joseph, 57, met his wife, who is from Montreal, while she was on an ulpan in Israel. He worked at Rodals Judaica in Montreal, and when the opportunity arose to buy this store, located on Bathurst Street south of Wilson Avenue and formerly known as Zucker's, the family moved.
"The 25 years have flown by. I love the customers, the products and the atmosphere," he said.
His day starts early. "I come to the store, eat breakfast, look at the news in Israel, call my parents in Israel [his father works in the store when he visits] and then open up. It is a routine I don't change."
There's no secret to the success of his business, he said. "We're friendly here, so people like coming in. There is always Israeli music playing, there is a lot of choice in books and Judaica, and the prices are good."
A member of the Iraqi Jewish Association, which holds services in the Sephardic Kehila Centre, Joseph said he carries books for every denomination.
If a customer is looking for a product that's not in the store, he's happy to order it, he said.
Looking back on his 25 years in business, Joseph said Judaica stores are not what they used to be.
"These stores used to be the only place to buy Judaica and Jewish books. Now, [the items] are available online or even in supermarkets," he said.
"When customers come in here, though, they get the personal touch. They can ask questions, get advice, and shop in an Israeli atmosphere. It's a different feeling.
"Mine is a life-cycle store. Many customers have grown up with me. They've bought wedding, bar mitzvah, housewarming and baby presents, and these are items that are rooted in Judaism."


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About A Transmission
A transmission is a machine in a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Often the term transmission refers simply to the gearbox that uses gears and gear trains to provide speed and torque conversions from a rotating power source to another device.
In British English, the term transmission refers to the whole drivetrain, including clutch, gearbox, prop shaft (for rear-wheel drive), differential, and final drive shafts. In American English, however, the term refers more specifically to the gearbox alone, and detailed usage differs.
The most common use is in motor vehicles, where the transmission adapts the output of the internal combustion engine to the drive wheels. Such engines need to operate at a relatively high rotational speed, which is inappropriate for starting, stopping, and slower travel. The transmission reduces the higher engine speed to the slower wheel speed, increasing torque in the process. Transmissions are also used on pedal bicycles, fixed machines, and where different rotational speeds and torques are adapted.
Often, a transmission has multiple gear ratios (or simply "gears") with the ability to switch between them as speed varies. This switching may be done manually (by the operator) or automatically. Directional (forward and reverse) control may also be provided. Single-ratio transmissions also exist, which simply change the speed and torque (and sometimes direction) of motor output.
In motor vehicles, the transmission generally is connected to the engine crankshaft via a flywheel or clutch or fluid coupling, partly because internal combustion engines cannot run below a particular speed. The output of the transmission is transmitted via the driveshaft to one or more differentials, which drives the wheels. While a differential may also provide gear reduction, its primary purpose is to permit the wheels at either end of an axle to rotate at different speeds (essential to avoid wheel slippage on turns) as it changes the direction of rotation.
Conventional gear/belt transmissions are not the only mechanism for speed/torque adaptation. Alternative mechanisms include torque converters and power transformation (e.g. diesel-electric transmission and hydraulic drive system). Hybrid configurations also exist. Automatic transmissions use a valve body to shift gears using fluid pressures in response to speed and throttle input.


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Opening remarks by Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-General
25 February 2010, OECD HQ, France
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure to welcome you here today. It has been a long while since Agriculture Ministers met at the OECD. That was back in 1998!
You are right to have chosen to meet again at Ministerial level and your timing is perfect! This is an important time for our societies, as we move from crisis resolution to, hopefully, sustained growth. This is the time to ask the questions we are always too busy to ask: what kind of world are we building? What kind of world we should be building?
And what role can Agriculture have in helping us solve some of the most important common challenges we are facing today, from the economic to the social and environmental spheres? I believe Agriculture has a major role to play and look forward to hearing your views.
But before we discuss those weighty issues, let me take a moment to celebrate and toast the diversity of participants in this meeting.
Today we are delighted to have with us the first representative of Chile at a Ministerial meeting since the OECD Council invited Chile to become a member. Welcome!
We also have Ministers from four accession countries: Estonia, Israel, the Russian Federation, and Slovenia. Welcome to you, with special wishes that you will join the OECD before long. I also welcome participants from Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, Romania and South Africa, Your presence here, together with those of the FAO and the WTO, will ensure that our debates benefit from a broad perspective, better reflecting the globalised and complex world in which we live.
But let's go back to the unprecedented challenges the global economy is facing.
Following the worst recession in the post-war period, the present recovery is still fragile. News on the employment front will continue to be bad throughout this year. The drop in potential output growth is probably more permanent than most governments care to admit. And the fiscal position is difficult in almost all of the OECD area. Meanwhile, we know that we are not going to meet the MDGs, and climate change and ageing challenges are looming.
The challenges are daunting, and if we are to solve them, we need to work together. If there is one silver lining in all of this, is that people realise, more than ever, the benefits of common action.
And that's true for agriculture, as much as for other policy areas. Nobody has all the answers and nobody lives in splendid isolation. We are all inter-connected and any given change in a country's policies can have a major impact elsewhere around the globe.
You are gathered here to discuss how as Ministers of Agriculture – and many of you have other areas of responsibility too – for the environment, natural resources, water, forestry, fisheries, and consumers – you can make sure that agriculture delivers what society expects from it. And the list is getting longer. Beyond concerns about environmental impacts, in many countries, the public is expressing new needs and expectations concerning the quality and safety of their food, and where and how it is produced. And there are the ever-present concerns about the income and well-being of farm households.
But what are the prospects for agriculture within this overall context?
I would argue that they are quite good. Resource constraints affecting water, land, and climate change pose major challenges, but booming demand from population growth, increased affluence in emerging markets, as well as increasing use of agricultural raw materials for producing energy are opportunities for the sector.
And what are the policy implications?
Let me first say that farmers in the past have shown a most extraordinary ability to respond to growing demand. One of the first things we can do today is to make sure that they continue to be able to do so. But it will also be the role of government to put in place the right incentive structures to make sure any increase in output is being produced sustainably and does not conflict with efforts to tackle climate change or with fiscal sustainability needs. Farmers in some parts of the world will need help to boost output. But we must make sure that the help they get is effective – that it works for them, and allows them to improve their prospects without continued reliance on public support.
Let me briefly address the question of what we can do to prepare the sector for the coming decades.
Innovation has been and will be a key contributor to solving the problems faced by the sector.
Innovation in my view is key – both wider application and dissemination of what we know already and new technologies and processes. For example, we already know the great potential of precision irrigation, minimum tillage, new improved seed varieties, and processes that lengthen the shelf life of foods, etc. I am sure we will talk a lot about this in the coming days, including this evening at dinner. The challenge to you is to ensure that innovation keeps flowing and that means getting the conditions right so that both private and public research and development can provide the solutions we need.
The OECD is focusing its attention on new sources of growth and job creation in the medium and long term. It is in this context that we will deliver the OECD Innovation Strategy to the Ministerial Council Meeting in May, and that we are working on a Green Growth Strategy to present to Ministers next year.
There is a key link between the flow of ideas and the flow of goods and services. And this brings me to the need for a strong, rules-based, and reliable multilateral trading system.
All the forecasts suggest that climate change will hit hardest in areas where production conditions are already difficult and food security already precarious. Trade is obviously part of the solution but we must make sure that trade is a reliable source of supply. The best multilateral trading system is a strong, rules-based one with a diversity of buyers and sellers which will be much less vulnerable to supply or demand shocks. But more open markets alone are insufficient. Policies also need to ensure that farmers around the world have the means to improve their supply capacity in response to new market opportunities. Again, I am sure this will be much discussed over the coming days.
We are all concerned about the income and well-being of people who farm. With demand growing, the long-term decline in real agricultural prices is slowing and may even be reversed. But farmers will also have to cope with new demands and constraints. We should reflect further on the specific problems they will face and how they can be helped to overcome these problems. Will they face more uncertainty or volatility in prices and incomes? Do they need help to understand and apply the techniques and methods that will reconcile increased production with environmental and resource constraints? What types of relationships along the food chain would work best?
Ministers, ladies and gentlemen,
This meeting is a unique opportunity. You represent a huge share of the world's producers and consumers of food and agricultural products. We are not here to go over old debates and quarrels or negotiate what has not yet been agreed elsewhere. We are here to define what we can do as policy makers to create a thriving, responsive, competitive agro-food sector capable of feeding a growing world and conserving natural resources for future generations. This is an exciting challenge. I look forward to your deliberations.
Related Documents


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ATLANTA - The longtime spokesman for fast-food chain Chick-fil-A has died.
The Atlanta-based company said in a prepared statement that vice president for corporate public relations Donald A. Perry died Friday. The cause of death was not released by the company.
Perry worked at Chick-fil-A nearly 29 years.
The privately owned company known for putting faith ahead of profits by closing on Sundays sparked a new skirmish in the culture wars when president Dan Cathy recently took a public position against same-sex marriage. Cathy said the company is "guilty as charged" in support of what he called the biblical definition of the family unit.
Gay rights groups called for a boycott, a Muppets toy was pulled from kids' meals and politicians weighed in.
Christian conservatives, however, threw their support behind the company.


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Fair Use Protection For Learning Should Be Applauded, But Not Limited To Universities
from the good-news deptFollowing the recent pro-fair use rulings concerning Georgia State's e-reserves and book scanning efforts by a bunch of colleges and universities in the HathiTrust case, Siva Vaidhyanathan has a good article pointing out that these two rulings recognize that universities are "vast copy machines" and that's a very good thing.
...these cases strengthen the claim that universities and their libraries have a special place in copyright law because they have a special place in society. Courts and even Congress have long acknowledged the essential role of copying in the educational process. That's why the preamble to the section of the 1976 U.S. Copyright Act that outlines "fair use" specifies "teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research" as examples of "fair uses"—uses that, although they involve the copying of protected material, are considered noninfringing because they enable essential public goods.I actually think that Siva underplays the importance of learning in copyright -- as that was its original intent. The Constitutional clause concerning copyright talks about "promoting the progress of science" -- which at the time it was written meant "learning," and the very first Copyright Act in the US was actually entitled "An Act for the Encouragement of Learning."
Universities are not copyright-free zones—far from it. But they do perform special services that often demand flexibility and liberties that enable them to "promote the progress of science and useful arts," the core mission of copyright as declared by the U.S. Constitution.
That said, I'm a bit disappointed that Siva then takes that storyline even further to suggest that universities deserve special protections against copyright enforcement that should not apply elsewhere. For example, he insists that while the HathiTrust ruling finds fair use for universities in scanning books (even if the scanning is done by Google) it should not apply to Google scanning books itself:
In any event, we are never going to see that operatic courtroom showdown between Google and publishing industry over whether the sweeping scanning of millions of books for explicitly commercial purposes constitutes a fair use by Google. I have written many times over the years that I am dubious of the strength of Google's argument, and nothing in either the settlement news or the HathiTrust case has undermined my conclusion.I have long argued exactly the opposite, that Google's book scanning project should absolutely be seen as fair use as well. The use is clearly transformative and most of the evidence suggests it increases, rather than harms, sales. But, more importantly, it really is creating a tremendous library index that will help people find information and learn. I think Siva is going way too far in suggesting that universities should get special treatment. People learn from all sorts of places, not just universities. And we shouldn't carve out special rules for universities that, by default, harm those who do not attend or cannot afford to attend those universities. Part of the wonder of something like Google's book scanning project (and other similar projects, such as the one by the Internet Archive) is that it helps make these works accessible to all -- and we should be encouraging that for the sake of learning across the board, rather than just for a few institutions.
... Google is not a library. It is not a university. It is not a public service. It is a business. Too often we forget those distinctions. The project of creating, maintaining, and offering vast collections of digital material should be something that universities and libraries control, not something we depend on one company to handle.


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While we are all taught to use good manners when answering the telephone, not everyone who calls you necessarily has good intentions.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a recent spate of lottery scams or advance fee frauds originating in Jamaica are targeting seniors and other Americans by telephone.
While the Jamaican and U.S. governments have teamed to tighten laws and combat the problem, it's important to guard against becoming the next victim.
Every year, the Palmetto Poison Center receives thousands of calls from South Carolinians regarding their medications. Many of these callers are elderly persons who have questions about their prescriptions or recommended dosages. This specific sector of our population is oftentimes prone to uncertainty, which can stem from a number of sources, including loss of memory or confusion resulting from a large volume of prescribed medications.
South Carolina residents are encouraged to cast their vote for the state's Outstanding Senior Volunteer.
The recognition is part of the Salute to Senior Service program, sponsored by Home Instead Inc., the franchisor of the Home Instead Senior Care network. The program honors the contributions of adults 65 and older who give at least 15 hours a month of volunteer service to their favorite causes.
Individuals with arthritis are often stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Doctors want people to exercise to keep up the range of motion in affected joints. However, even some limited movements can cause pain and suffering to those with arthritis. Furthermore, individuals with arthritis may shy away from the activities they once enjoyed because the pain is simply too overwhelming.
For Americans 65 and older, falling down can be the worst thing to happen to them, according to statistics:
Senior Circle is a non-profit resource program offered by Springs Memorial Hospital. The mission of Senior Circle is to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle for seniors by providing programs that encourage continued learning, wellness, health, volunteer opportunities and social activities at our hospital and throughout the community. We also provide a forum for fellowship and member-only discounts and privileges.
A poll of ASE-certified automotive technicians indicated that drivers over 60 are among the most conscientious when it comes to taking their vehicles in for routine maintenance and repair.
The experts at the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) remind consumers that good communication between shop and customer can help make the repair process go smoothly.
The family of John Hill will have a fundraiser event beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday, April 20, at the Tradesville Community Center. Proceeds benefit Hill, who is suffering injuries after falling from a tree stand in December 2012.
The event includes a yard sale, a 50/50 drawing, a silent auction and cornhole tournament. Barbecue chicken plates are available for $8. For more information, call (803) 320-1194.
I was at a local gym the other day and noticed a sign on the wall. The sign read, "One hour of exercise is four percent of your day."
That made me think; if we're doing the exercise wrong, what percentage will we end up with? To gauge that from an efficient and exercise productivity stand point, I would say zero percent.
The 6th Annual Great Falls Rescue Squad Pro Rodeo, sanctioned by the International Professional Rodeo Association, will kick off with a performance by The Tams.
The Tams will perform from 6 to 10 p.m. on June 7 at the Old Republic Ballfield behind the Great Falls Presbyterian Church at 500 Dearborn St., Great Falls.
Gates open at 4 p.m.
"Dancing will be allowed/expected," Great Falls Rescue Squad Captain Terry Sims said. "And concessions will be available."
Age: 70
Address: Clearwater Drive
Family: Son, Mitchell Allen; daughter, Porsha Mungo; daughter-in-law, Brenda Allen; grandchildren, Danielle, Justin and Kotera Allen and Anaiya and Darius Brice
Pets: Fish
Job: Retired
Church: Mt. Carmel AME Zion
Hobbies: Sewing, gardening and cooking
Favorite books: The Bible
Favorite movie: Tyler Perry movies
From release
Beginning March 23, the University of South Carolina Lancaster's Native American Studies department will host its eighth annual Native American Studies Week.
Since 2005, USCL has hosted a week of events each spring focused on the rich history and cultural traditions of South Carolina's indigenous peoples.
This year's program focuses on issues surrounding Native Americans and law and justice, and includes lectures by regional and nationally-recognized scholars, screenings of films and exhibits highlighting the topic.
The friendship between a rat, mole, badger and toad is tested in the musical "The Wind in the Willows," a production of The Community Playhouse of Lancaster County that opens Friday, March 1, at the Barr Street auditorium.
The production, which runs until March 9, has catchy songs, plenty of comedy and audience participation that children and adults will enjoy, theater officials said.
Opera has come to Indian Land.
Opera Experience Southeast presented Puccini's "La Boheme" to a full house Jan. 7 and 8 in the Lake House at Sun City Carolina Lakes.
Excitement and drama filled the theater from the opening scene to the final curtain. "La Boheme" tells the timeless story of a shy young woman who meets and falls in love with a passionate poet on a cold evening in Paris. Love, jealousy, forgiveness – all the necessary ingredients were neatly wrapped in music, with subtitles conveniently displayed.
Have you ever thought of buttermilk as being mysterious? Does its mere mention make you shake in your oven mitts, the James Bond theme song playing in your head?
Oh wait, maybe it's just me.
For years, this humble ingredient has had me stumped.
What do you do with it? Is it for baking or am I supposed to put it in savory dishes?
The answer, it turns out, is a simple "yes."
Chris McGinn
For The Lancaster News
Add a little cheer to your holiday season by seeing the Community Playhouse of Lancaster County's "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" this weekend.
This year's performances feature 28 local actors, most of whom are children. Indian Land residents Sandy McAlister and Sydney and Sally Strader are among the cast.
From release
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is the oldest African American service organization for professional women in the U.S. It was founded at Howard University in 1908.
The Lancaster chapter, Iota Theta Omega, was chartered in 1972. The sorority's legacy of sisterhood, education, service to humanity and support of numerous non-profit organizations continues today. The local chapter has given over $100,000 in scholarships to local youth.
Wilma Faile
Special to The Lancaster News
My husband, Ronnie, and I finally completed our dream vacation(s).
We've always wanted to go out west. Ronnie retired from Springs of 42 years and I retired from Wilma's Daycare in Monroe, N.C., after 40 years.
We've been married 20 years and live in the Taxahaw community.
Ronnie said we were not getting any younger and needed to go on our trip. Ronnie has health problems, so it was now or never.
Our first adventure to the American west was two years ago.
This Thanksgiving, mix up tradition with a new twist on stuffing.
Home cook Karen Figgatt puts an ooey gooey spin on this Turkey Day mainstay that's just downright delicious!
The zucchini makes it extra moist while baking mix adds heft.
Shredded American cheese ties it all together.
This is one new recipe we're sure you'll be thankful for!
See step-by-step photos of Karen's recipe plus thousands more from home cooks around the country at:
By: Beverly Lane Lorenz
For The Lancaster News
The Sun City Carolina Lakes Pickleball Club made October a month of fun events devoted to raising funds to benefit an organization called Hope for the Warriors.
The club was supported by the entire community in its efforts, which included races, a 24-hour marathon, silent auction, Wall of Honor and a grand tournament.
The club wanted to exceed last year's goal and, in doing so, managed to exceed the $10,000 goal it set for this year.
Copyright © 2019
The Lancaster News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Lancaster County and Lancaster, South Carolina, and the surrounding area..


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Puzzle Levels
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The U.S. Capitol - 3D Jigsaw Puzzle
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|Put together the jigsaw puzzle.
|3D, 101-499 Pieces
|20 in x 9.2 in x 7.6 in / 51 cm x 23.3 cm x 19.5 cm
|Cardboard Box
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Puzzle Pieces: 132
Maker: CubicFun
Size When Completed: 20.07 in x 9.17 in x 7.6 in / 51 cm x 23.3 cm x 19.5 cm
The United States Capitol building is located in Washington, D.C. on top of Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall. It is among the most sybolically important buildings in the nation. In 1792 Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson and President George Washington proposed a design competition to solicit designs for the Capitol. The prize was to be $500 and a city lot. Unfortunately none of the plans submitted within the time frame of the competition were satisfactory and as such none were chosen. A late entry made by William Thornton, an amateur architect was praised by both Thomas Jefferson and Presiden Washington who was enamored with its "Grandeur, Simplicity, and Beauty".
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33113 Lakeview Avenue
Dowagiac, Mi 49047
Listing Office: Kermath Realty LLC
Disclaimer: The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Broker Reciprocity Program of SWMRIC, LLC. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than @properties are marked with the Broker Reciprocity thumbnail logo and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers.
The City of Dowagiac is known for its beautiful woods, flowing rivers and sightings of Big Foot. We don't know if Michigan Bigfoot (aka Dewey Lake Monster) was just visiting or made this a second home, as many do. Reported…Learn More
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West Virginia
West Virginia
State Parks
USA Parks
West Virginia
Potomac Highlands Region
Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park
USA Parks
West Virginia
Potomac Highlands Region
Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park
© stateparks.com
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© stateparks.com
HC 64 Box 189
Hillsboro, West Virginia 24946
Phone: 304-653-4254
Toll Free: 800-225-5982
History of the Area
Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park is located in the Greenbrier River Valley north of Lewisburg and is the site of West Virginia's last significant Civil War battle. On November 6, 1863, the federal army of Brigadier General William W. Averell, in his second attempt to disrupt the Virginia-Tennessee Railroad at Salem, Virginia, faced again the Confederate troops of Brigadier General John Echols. Throughout the morning, Echols' smaller confederate army held the high ground and blocked the highway with artillery, but in the afternoon was overwhelmed by the crushing advance of federal infantry on his left flank. Following the collapse of his lines, General Echols retreated south into Virginia with the remnants of his command. Federal Troops occupied Lewisburg on November 7, but being burdened with prisoners and captured livestock, General Averell elected to return to his headquarters in Beverly, West Virginia, waiting until early December to lead a third and ultimately successful attack on the vital railroad. Operations in the Shenandoah Valley in the spring of 1864 drew remaining confederate troops out of west Virginia, thus leaving the new state securely under the control of the federal government for the remainder of the war.
Nearby Parks
Beartown State Park
Watoga State Park
Calvin Price State Forest
West Virginia State Fish Hatchery
Big Spring Trail - The trail begins at the west overlook and ends at a mountain spring. This is a dead-end trail down the mountain side which offers pure spring water and a strenuous climb back. Length: 1/3 mile with very steep grades. Travel time: 20-30 minutes.
Cranberry Bogs Trail - Hikers can start at the park office and end at the south picnic area. This is the most popular trail in the park, winding through a mountain bog where interesting plants, tall pines, and wildlife can be seen. This trail is suitable for cross-country skiing in the winter. Length: 1/2 mile mostly level, easy walking. Travel: 30-45 minutes
Horse Heaven Trail - This trail starts at the pump house near the cannon and ends at the south picnic area. The trail follows a series of small cliffs and gives access to Horse Heaven Rock, where horses killed in the battle of Droop Mountain were disposed of. Length: 1/4 mile with a moderate grade. Travel Time: 15-20 minutes.
Minnie Ball Trail - This is the most rigorous park trail, located in a ravine where Union soldiers climbed the mountain to attack the Confederates waiting above. The trail begins at the first sharp curve in the road near the office and ends at the tower. Length: 1/2 mile with very long, steep grades. Travel: 30-45 minutes
Musket Trail - Originating near the park office this trail follows a steep hillside. Stumps of American Chestnut trees alive during the time of the battle remain. The trail ends at the lookout tower. Length: 1/2 mile with a moderate grade. Travel: 20-30 minutes
Old Soldier Trail - This easy trail follows an old road grade which passes near the spot where Major Robert Augustus Bailey was shot while trying to rally his men around the Confederate Flag. The trail begins near the battlefield monuments and ends at the stone shed near the tower. It is an excellent cross country ski trail in the winter. Length: 2/3 mile trail is level throughout and easy walking. Travel: 45-60 minutes
Overlook Trail - The trail begins at the pump house near the cannon and ends at the park office. The trail follows a series of rock cliffs. Following the cliffs visitors can observe several small caves, an old bear den, a scenic overlook and Civil War trenches. Length: 1/2 mile with moderate grade. Travel: 20-30 minutes
Tower Trail - This trail begins at the park office and ends at the stone shed near the lookout tower. This is the shortest route from park office to the lookout tower. Length: 1/2 mile, level to moderate grades. Travel: 10-15 minutes.
Area Attractions
The Civil War Discovery Trail links more than 300 sites in 16 states to inspire and to teach the story of the Civil War and its haunting impact on America. The Trail, an initiative of the Civil War Trust, allows visitors to explore battlefields, historic homes, railroad stations, cemeteries, parks and other destinations that bring history to life. For more information on the Civil War Discovery Trail and other programs of The Civil War Trust,call 1-800-CWTRUST.
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Located in the southeastern part of the state, Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park is located on Route 219, 15 miles south of Marlinton and 27 miles north of Lewisburg.
West Virginia
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State Parks
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West Virginia
Potomac Highlands Region
Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park
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The Bureau of Reclamation has issued an important new report on the future of the Colorado River. The Colorado supplies drinking water to 40 million people and irrigation water to nearly 5.5 million acres of land. The report projects decreases in supply over the next fifty years, including a 9% decrease in average flow and a 50% increase in droughts lasting five years or longer. In the meantime, demand for the water is projected to rise and will probably exceed supply.
As this graph shows, there is considerable uncertainty about both predictions, but the overall situation seems clear:
There are possible solutions to the water shortfall, but they are expensive (see here). A reasonable guess is that part of the solution will come on the demand side. Price increases and supply uncertainties may reduce projected growth in the large chunk of the American West that relies on the Colorado. The resulting decrease in demand could help balance the water books.


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Sixty-fourth World Health Assembly
The Sixty-fourth World Health Assembly opened in Geneva on May 16th, as officials from 193 Member States began their annual review of the activities of WHO and set new priorities for the future. The Health Assembly discussed specific health topics like child health, chronic diseases, malaria and maternal health, as well as the programme budget, administration and management matters of WHO.
Daily notes Summaries of each day's proceedings
Photographs Selected photographs from each day, high-resolution available
Dr Christos Patsalides Minister of Health, Cyprus President of the Sixty-fourth World Health Assembly
- Provisional agenda [pdf, 140kb]
- Complete documentation
Journal, Number 8 [pdf, 147kb]
24 May 2011: programme of meetings


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|MLBPA Press Release
Scholarship awards are based on the volunteer activities, academic achievements and leadership abilities of high school students serving as Action Team Captains -- those students responsible for planning and organizing Action Team-related volunteer events and encouraging their peers to heed the call to get involved. This school-year, more than 50 Major Leaguers and 250 Action Team Captains in 22 locations across the country are working together to inspire and train a new generation of volunteers.
It is an honor to recognize the outstanding efforts of our Action Team Captains by presenting them with college scholarships, said Cleveland Indians second baseman, Josh Barfield, a member of the Cleveland Action Team and scholarship review committee. It was quite inspiring to read all of the scholarship applications, and Im truly amazed at how committed these young people are to helping those in need. They prove that you dont have to be a celebrity to make a difference in the lives of others.
The Action Team has expanded its reach every year since its launch in 2003, and, to date, has inspired more than 17,000 students to serve over 70,000 people in need. Beginning in September 2009, virtually every high school in America will be able to join the Action Team by participating in a new Internet version of this unique service-learning program. Action Team applications and additional information can be received by sending an e-mail request to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Additionally, an Action Team, school-based curriculum developed by the Players Trust, in partnership with The Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition, carries the message of volunteerism and teaches valuable community service skills to 700,000 high school students in more than 5,000 classrooms across the United States. The Association of Educational Publishers named this innovative service-learning program a finalist for a 2009 Distinguished Achievement Award.
Action Team Captains receiving scholarships from the Major League Baseball Players Trust:
Shahab Azizi, Hercules Middle High School, Hercules, CA
Genevieve Bolinao, Immaculate Conception Academy, San Francisco, CA
Taurus Brackett, St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School, Alexandria, VA
Brittany Clay, Baldwin County High School, Bay Minette, AL
Luis Espinoza, Queens Vocational and Technical High School, Queens, NY
Christopher Goins, Elder High School, Cincinnati, OH
Citlalli Gomez, YES Prep North Central, Houston, TX
J. Koury Hajjar, Boston College High School, Dorchester, MA
Mackenzie Hammon, Sultan High School, Sultan, WA
Victoria Lane, Waverly High School, Lansing, MI
Kimberly LeClair, Thornton Academy, Saco, ME
Aileen Mokuria, Skyline Center, Dallas, TX
Jessica Munoz, Mt. Eden High School, Hayward, CA
Kristen Orth, St. Anthony Junior Senior High School, Wailuku, HI
Elizabeth Othmer, St. Michael's High School, Santa Fe, NM
Jacob Ott, Lakewood High School, Lakewood, OH
Kevin Patterson, Denver School of the Arts, Denver, CO
Julianne Pilla, Gloucester Catholic High School, Gloucester City, NJ
Vanessa Sanchez, William Jones College Preparatory High School, Chicago, IL
Brooke Supan, New Palestine High School, New Palestine, IN
Aaron Sykes, Plant City High School, Plant City, FL
David Tranvik, Benilde-St. Margarets, St. Louis Park, MN
Anderson Vasquez, Colegio Nuestra Señora de Belén, San Juan, Puerto Rico


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PARIS, FRANCE — Olivier Theyskens caused a veritable fashionista frenzy in New York earlier this month when he launched a capsule collection for American contemporary brand Theory, which is known for its accessible prices and well-fitting trousers, but not necessarily for its fashion aesthetic or production quality. It was a surprise move for Mr. Theyskens, a designer who has been criticised in the past as being out of touch with the commercial side of the business during his time at Rochas and Nina Ricci.
The new capsule collection — dubbed Theyskens' Theory — put that criticism to rest, for once and for all. Suzy Menkes, the fashion critic for the International Herald Tribune, wrote that "if Theory succeeds in raising the quality, while keeping an acceptable price for the workmanship, Mr. Theyskens may be able to express himself even better than when he was at couture's giddy heights." Menkes' colleague and counterpart at the New York Times, Cathy Horyn, said the clothes were "remarkable because they reflect Mr. Theyskens's signature drainpipe style, but also look like Theory's urban wardrobe." And Style.com's Nicole Phelps concluded that Theory CEO Andrew Rosen "made Olivier Theyskens fans into some very happy girls," with high-quality fabrics from Italy and Japan, manufactured into desirable garments in America and China, keeping most of the garments well below $1,000.
But don't let this newfound pragmatism fool you into thinking that Theyskens is out of touch with his more creative, esoteric side. I had the privilege of sitting alongside Mr Theyskens on the graduate jury at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts last year, and witnessed first hand his passion for the raw creativity on display at one of the finest fashion schools in the world. And today, The Business of Fashion can exclusively bring to you an excerpt of an extensive, candid interview with Theyskens by Stephen Todd, kindly provided to us by SOME/THINGS magazine, which was featured in BoF last year.
Photographed by the magazine's founder Monika Bielskyte in an intimate one-on-one photo shoot, Theyskens reveals himself to be an alluring subject for the camera, distinctly different from the somewhat ethereal images we have seen of him in the past, and shares his love of cats, the creative process, and the role of drama in his life.
Stephen Todd: In a previous conversation, when I mentioned to you that you'd fallen asleep curled up in a ball on a tiny couch at Jacky's (co-founder of Shirtology & one of Olivier's best friends) place, you said you were like a kitten!
Olivier Theyskens: I'm very cat! I love all animals, but cats are particularly beautiful. A cat is everything more than we are: more supple, more streamlined, more independent, faster, more agile. Everything! I have a chat sauvage, a once feral cat, that I had to leave in Belgium because she is in her habitat there. She's incredible: blacker than black, with enormous whiskers, truly extraordinary. She's a fantastic hunter, a real feline creature.
ST: I find it interesting that you give yourself so easily to being photographed. I always think of you as someone who keeps a distance, solitary. You've never struck me as the kind of guy who allows easy access to himself.
OT: Solitary? I can be, and I certainly have been during different periods of my life. But I can also be extremely social, although I'm very conscious not to allow myself to grow tired of that. Tired of people. I can see people non-stop and then, all of a sudden, have an almost visceral need to be alone. Often that corresponds with a great flood of creativity, when I feel this incredible need to isolate myself and think, and dream and draw. But then, after a few days of that, I feel the need again to be social, to see friends, or colleagues to chat, to reflect on what I've done, to input their points of view.
I really admire people who have that incredible discipline to draw all alone every morning. But that's not me. I'm too sporadic in my desires. That said, when I began in fashion, I believed as a designer you had to draw all alone, to be isolated in your creative space, à la Yves Saint Laurent. But it's not true. Not even for Saint Laurent, he had Loulou and all these other little satellites revolving around him, showing him fabric, accessories, saying 'What do you think of this, of that?' and that, would it look good… So, in fact, despite the myth, he never really worked completely alone. Sure, sometimes he found himself alone in the room, him and his solitude. He had a kind of mini Court of Versailles nonetheless. And the thing with having a little court is that from time to time you feel the impulse to escape, the need to be alone in order to breathe.
ST: Your aesthetic has a distinctly dramatic side. What role does drama have in your life?
OT: I've always liked drama, that's for sure. But on the podium, not in my QUOTIDIaN! I always like it when behind first appearances there is an undertow of drama, a potential for an explosion of emotion or an extravagant gesture that will make everybody stop and pay attention. If you need to have strength in life, it's because something out there could harm you. Or at least make you feel fragile, vulnerable, so you have to be constantly on the look-out.
It's that tensile feeling that I find both compelling & repelling. There is nothing that inspires me less than someone who is completely happy in the face of life, who goes about life completely content with all that is thrown in their path. The person who just floats along, with no idea where they're going, no engagement with the world. Let's just say, she would not be my muse! I appreciate people who are conscious, awake, who are alive to what's going on around them. Who, when they see something cruel, cry. I find that really important. For me, beauty could never function in conjunction with a stance that is beyond reality.
The complete interview with Olivier Theyskens appears in ISSUE003 of SOME/THINGS, available in select fashion stores and art galleries in 20 countries around the world. The magazine will be hosting a launch party to close out Paris Fashion Week on 6 October 2010. For further information, please contact email@example.com.