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This is what a humanist hopes for By Goldwin Emerson
London Free Press, Saturday, February 16, 2013
A few years ago I was a member of a London inter‐religious group, composed mainly of Christians (both Roman Catholics and Protestants) some Bahai followers, a rabbi, several Unitarian/Universalists, and myself as a secular humanist. All members of our group seemed to be caring, compassionate and respectful of the differing views that emerged during our discussions. Over the course of our meetings, each of us was given an opportunity to express our personal ideas on a number of ethical questions. One of the common purposes shared by all of us was to avail ourselves of the opportunity to learn more about the religious thinking and the ideas and life‐stance of other inter‐religious group members.
On one occasion, I described some of the ways in which humanists arrive at ethical values. An Anglican priest turned to me and asked, "But what gives you hope?" Mostly when we talk about hope we are thinking about the future. Hope is often the expression we use to say what we would like to have happen as we look ahead in life. Hope describes the objectives we look forward to in our plans and ideas for the years that lie ahead. I thought it likely that my Anglican friend was thinking that if you can't look ahead to an afterlife, how can you remain cheerful and optimistic. He was probably thinking about the traditional Christian concepts of a heavenly eternal life.
Hope, like faith and belief, anticipate optimism, but they also convey some uncertainty. As we go through life, we soon learn that we cannot achieve all the desires that we hoped for, nor are we always able to maintain faith in all that we come to believe. But my Anglican friend asked me a sincere question and deserved a sincere answer. My response was as follows:
I hope that, when I die, I will be judged by those who knew me to have left this earth in at least as good a shape as I found it in my childhood. I hope that my wife and I have been able to pass this value along to our own children.
It is my hope that our governments and politicians within Canada may also share this same goal. This will be a much bigger hope than I can take responsibility for, because it will involve things that go far beyond what I can influence, except in small ways. That is, it will involve a healthy environment, good educational and health institutions, and a just and fair legal system. This hope includes media people who will regard freedom of the press with respect, and value
an ethical system that upholds truth, compassion and fairness – this despite whether these values are rooted in religious or non‐religious principles.
I hope too, that Canadians will value democracy as a system that honours both the opinions and the needs of the rich and the poor, the wealthy and the homeless, the hungry and the well‐fed. I am hopeful and optimistic that governments will develop systems enabling all those willing to work, to secure rewarding jobs producing respect, self‐worth and dignity.
I hope that Canada will return to the days I remember as a younger person, when our country was valued throughout the world as a peace‐keeping nation. When we travel we are, I hope, still regarded in foreign lands as friendly and welcome citizens from Canada. While I do not travel as much as I once did, I sense that, as Canadians, we are still warmly accepted in many parts of the world. As I age, and my everyday world becomes a little smaller, I value the friendships and warm greetings of neighbours and friends.
It is also my hope that governments, religions, and non‐religious people also, will learn to relate to each other in peaceful and caring ways, similar to the inter‐religious group members mentioned earlier. Finally, I hope that Canadians will continue to be proud of our country, and have just and fair reasons to be so. If we maintain our optimism about Canada, this may be one of the best incentives in making my hopes realized in the future.


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2015 World AIDS Day: Getting To Zero
'Getting to Zero' is the theme for this year's World AIDS day. The theme is further broken down to : Zero new HIV infections; Zero discrimination; Zero AIDS-related deaths...
The first world AIDS day was held about 27 years ago (1988) after health ministers from around the world met in London and agreed to such a day as a way of highlighting the enormity of the AIDS pandemic and nation's responsibility to ensure universal treatment, care and support for people living with HIV and AIDS.
The idea was conceived in 1987 by two public information officers, James Bunn and Thomas Netter, who were workers of the WHO's global programme on AIDS but the final approval was given by Dr Jonathan Mann ,former head of the Global programme on AIDS but now known as UNAIDS . It is observed annually on the first day of December. It is recognized by UNO and all her affiliate international organisations and member countries.
In 1981, medical practitioners in USA discovered a strange illness among a small number of gay men. The illness was given several names until it was finally called HIV AIDS. It is one of the leading causes of death globally. HIV progressively infects cells of the immune system(especially CD4 cells of the white blood cells), breaking down the body's ability to fend off some infections and other diseases .AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection, defined by the occurrence of any of the more than 20 opportunistic infections or related cancers.
HIV can be transmitted through: transfusion of contaminated blood and blood products; unprotected vaginal or anal sexual intercourse ; oral sex with an infected person; transmission between an infected mother and her baby during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding ; sharing of contaminated sharp instruments and the use of contaminated and unsterilized hospital equipment such as needles and syringes.
According to WHO, HIV remains a major global public health issue having claimed more than 34 million lives so far .At the end of 2014, about 37(34.3-41.4) million people were living with the virus with 2.0( 1.9-2.2) million people becoming newly infected with HIV . Sub-Saharan Africa is the most affected region ,with 25.8(24.0-28.7) million people living with HIV in 2014,accounting for about 70% of the global total number of new HIV infections .About 51% of people with HIV know their status. In 2014 alone,about 150 million children and adults in 129 low and middle income countries received HIV testing services .Also in 2014 ,14.9 million ,about 40%,of people living with HIV were receiving ART ( Anti-retroviral Therapy) of which 13.5 million were receiving ART in low and middle income countries. About 1.2(1.0-1.5) million people died from HIV related causes globally .
The symptoms vary according to the stage of the disease .About 49 % of the people living with the virus are unaware .This is worsened by the fact that the disease may be symptomless for a period of time or may present with influenza-like illness such as fever ,headache ,rash or sore-throat.
However,as the infection progresses ,it will affect the immune system adversely hence the person can show features such as swollen lymph nodes,diarrhoea and cough lasting for more than a month, unaccounted weight loss etc. When treatment is not started and the infection is allowed to progressed uncontrolled,the patient may develop opportunistic infections and other AIDS-related diseases such as Pulmonary Tuberculosis ,Cancers such as Lymphomas,Kaposi's sarcoma etc
The first requirement is for everybody to go for Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) in order to ascertain one's HIV status .When positive,the individual should leave positively and if negative,the individual should avoid being infected .For us to maintain an HIV free generation, the following must be considered and properly implemented:
Nigeria and other African countries should abhor some obnoxious cultural practices that help in the spread of the virus. On May 8th 2006, a Johannesburg High court acquitted Jacob G. Zuma, the current president of South Africa and current president of the governing political party,African National Congress (ANC) ,of rape charge brought against him in December 6th 2005. The accuser (the victim), a daughter of Zuma's deceased friend was known to Zuma to be HIV positive. President Zuma argued in court that he had shower immediately after having an unprotected sex with the known HIV patient to cut down the risk of contracting the dreaded disease .The court finally dismissed the case on the grounds that the sex was consensual but Zuma's defence of having showers after the unprotected sex with a known HIV patient was condemned by health experts, AIDS activists and the general public.
Also, a former president in that country once said that the happiest day in his life was the day he was circumcised. Although from medical perspectives, circumcision reduces the rate of HIV transmission but the way people were circumcised in South Africa where one sharp object was used for everybody present,really helped in the spread of the virus in other country .
I have witnessed,in the course of my medical practice, many lives that were lost due to the activities of these religious leaders. Some of them claim to have cure for HIV all other diseases hence anybody that is newly diagnosed with HIV will prefer wasting his/her time with these religious leaders only to come back to the hospital when the disease has reached an advanced stage,when the opportunistic infections and HIV related cancers must have been established. At that stage ,medical science may have little or nothing to offer to these individuals .
This situation occurs when one partner tested positive to the virus while the other partner remains negative. The partner that is positive must be placed on ART no matter the CD 4 count in order to protect the other partner that is negative from being infected . They should also use barrier method of contraception according to WHO standard unless when they are ready for conception .
When a particular group wants to embark on any strike,the group must ensure that an alternative arrangement is made so that these HIV patients can get their drugs as at when due .
Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) should make it compulsory for each vehicle to have a packet of medical hand gloves .This is because many Nigerians are getting enlightened that one can get infected through contaminated blood hence at times when a road accident occurred ,victims that would have been saved had they been rushed to the nearest hospital ,normally lost their lives because people would wait for FRSC officials to arrive with safety hand gloves. More unfortunate is the fact that it may take some time for the FRSC officials to arrive at the venue . I will certainly not blame those who refuse to help the accident victims without medical hand gloves .
Also, I think the National Agency for the Control of Aids ( NACA) should map out strategies to go to our rural settings to enlighten the masses because many people in those settings are still naive of this deadly virus .NACA can as well go to secondary schools in order to enlighten the fledgling students there and Sex education can also be included in our academic curricula .
People should be enlightened on the ways of transmission of the virus and how to avoid them through safe sexual and good hospital practices , Safe antenatal and postnatal care ,Proper use of uncontaminated sharp objects/instruments and safe disposal of contaminated objects etc .The Government,at the federal,state and local government levels, needs to do more in ensuring that not only the ART drugs but also other tests and services should be rendered free to the HIV patients .In some settings ,some of them are mandated to pay for laboratory services hence those that don't have the money for the tests may not be able access full medical treatment .If Nigeria is truly the Africa's largest economy ,I think we don't need to overemphasized on the need for all services and treatments to be rendered free to the victims of HIV infections .A legislation can also be enacted to ensure that each of these multinational companies contributes a particular percentage ( even if it is 1%) of their income to the HIV campaign . All forms of discrimination against people living with the virus must be discriminated at all costs .
Dr Paul John
Port Harcourt,
Rivers state.
(Member,Publicity Committee ,NMA ,Rivers state)

subset: commoncrawl


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Market Monday: There's More Where That Came From
This week, stories that continued unflattering trends in unadvertised ways...
JUMP CUT: In a slice heard round the art world, Donald Trump cut all funding to the National Endowment for the Arts from his preliminary 2017 federal budget. The proposal sparked widespread outrage, disbelief, and depression among observers both inside and outside the industry. According to Sopan Deb, Trump is the first commander in chief to suggest zeroing out the NEA since Lyndon Johnson signed the endowment into existence in 1965, leading many observers to label the move an(other) appalling break from American values for his nascent administration.
But while calling for the abolition of the NEA is extreme, I would argue that it's not the sudden 180 many in the arts and media are portraying it to be. It's not even as simple as a return to the funding threats posed during the culture wars of the 1980s and 90s. Since I'm a maniac, here's a chart I built on Saturday night from data compiled by the Congressional Budget Office, US Government Printing Office, and Open Government initiative. It tracks the annual size of the NEA as a percentage of total federal spending over the past 20 years.
The data reveal two important takeaways––one of them widely acknowledged in the coverage of Trump's fiscal hatchet-wielding, one of them not. The well-publicized point is that the NEA comprises only a sliver of the annual federal budget. Its two-decade apex came all the way back in 1996, when it comprised a still-paltry 0.064 percent of government spending. The under-reported point, though, is that the American executive and legislative branches—and by extension, the American voting public at large—have been steadily devaluing the arts year after year for at least a generation. The NEA constituted a sub-microscopic 0.036 percent of the federal budget in 2016. If we compare that figure to the just-mentioned 0.064 percent in 1996, the drop isn't 0.028 percent. It's 44 percent.
According to the trend line, then, Trump isn't flipping the script by proposing the end of the NEA. Assuming the long-running trend holds, he's just jump-cutting ahead to the plot's logical endpoint. And for Americans like myself, that fact raises far fewer difficult questions about this administration than about where our priorities as a culture have been for the past 20+ years. [The New York Times]
SHINY BUT HOLLOW: On Friday, Alexis Fournol and Victoria Stapley-Brown revealed an unexpected fact about the record-setting Jeff Koons retrospective held by the Pompidou Center in 2014-15: Despite drawing more visitors than any exhibition by a living artist in the institution's history, the show only managed to break even.
How did the writers uncover this surprise? By digging through the judicial filings in last week's preposterous copyright ruling against the artist and the Pompidou concerning the exhibition's inclusion of the 1988 Koons sculpture "Naked." Court documents noted that €1.25M of the show's €2.92M in combined gate revenue and catalog sales were devoured in advance by aloan fee paid to the Whitney, the retrospective's original venue. That's a 42-percent bite out of the bottom line. A Pompidou spokesman later verified that the exhibition was indeed revenue neutral, with the rest of the returns apparently being canceled out by the brutal overhead costs of any major international exhibition: packing/crating, shipping, insurance, installation, marketing, catalog production, and more. Put all those expenses together, and suddenly the show's 650,045 paying visitors formed the same long straight line in the Pompidou's accounting spreadsheet as in its galleries.
Much as I would have loved to parse through the public tax filings of major museums to see how many other blockbuster exhibitions reward their hosts with a piping-hot nothing burger, even I have my limits in a given week. Still, we can find an easy analogue for the Pompidou's Koons-related revenue vacuum if we look to the auction sector, where one of the dominant themes of this young century has been the shrinking profit margins on headline-making consignments. In many cases, competition-wary houses have felt it necessary to offer sellers such generous guarantees, reduced commissions, and other bonuses that even record hammer prices can't bust them out of the red. More broadly, then, it's fair to say that the price of sourcing star brands in our current era can now easily climb so high that the payoff never makes it back down the mountain. The Pompidou's results from the Jeff Koons experience simply clarify that the same principle now applies in the nonprofit sector, too. Exhibitor beware. [The Art Newspaper]
RICH COLLECTION, POOR TASTE: Finally this week: In the wake of director Thomas Campbell's recent resignation, a little more sunlight landed on the Met's ongoing fiscal debacle, and the improved visibility did the leadership no favors. By sorting through the Met's 2015 federal tax returns, Isabel Vincent and Melissa Klein revealed that the institution "doled out hefty pay raises and six-figure bonuses to top executives despite a looming deficit that threatened to reach $40M." Tallying only the select bonuses explicitly noted in their story, the Met transferred a congratulatory total of $1.6M to just four members of its brass, crowned by $624,828 to Senior VP and chief investment officer Suzanne Bremer. Had the institution put those bonuses––many of which were even meatier than their 2014 versions, by the way––toward just its $8.3M deficit for fiscal year 2015, the Met could have filled in nearly 20 percent of the hole it then faced. And the recovery would only have been more robust if decision-makers had pitched in some of the salary increases, housing allowances, and other extras given to them during the same period.
In fairness, it's not as if the Met is the only employer in the country, let alone the world, content to shovel cash out the window to its executives while the building burns below. Wall Street infamously paid millions in bonuses during the Great Recession, even in cases where the awarding banks had just been bailed out by taxpayers. The Harvard Business Review also recently made the case that golden parachutes have been getting ever bigger, more numerous, and more leniently distributed by corporate America since the 1980s.
But I would argue that the parallels are the point here. By adopting––or worse, maintaining––a similar compensation culture as too-big-to-fail banks and Fortune 500 companies, institutions like the Met create an incentive structure that attracts and rewards executives no matter their performance. I think that's bad business in the for-profit sector, too. But it's especially troubling in the NONPROFIT sector, where the entire mandate (on paper, at least) is to serve the public good, largely with public funds. So as much as I evangelize about the industry's pressing need to shape up and behave more professionally, this is one instance where it would be better for everyone if the arts stayed a permanent exception to the rule. [The New York Post]
That's all for this edition. Til next time, remember: The more things change, the more they stay the same.


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Finding Your Wonder of the World
Wonders of the world
They say are seven
All breath-taking,
A slice of heaven,
Yet, they always forget the most
Wonder of them all.
Deeper than the ocean,
Infinite, yet mortal, and
Reading this now.
That wonder is you.
Feeling lost? You can be found.
Don't keep going round and round,
Afraid of losing and finding you
You are amazing. Breath-taking
The eighth wonder of the world
You are the slice of heaven that you crave
Stop living with one foot in the grave
I pray you find professional counseling in your community. Meanwhile, I hope Mariah Carey's song "Hero" inspires you to follow your healing path.


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Exciting news! GoAbroad.com, one of the leading websites on meaningful travel and studying, living, and working abroad, has chosen to feature The Wanderlust Chronicles as their Blog of the Week. In honor of having my blog featured on GoAbroad.com, I want to tell you, Dear Reader, why I chose to, well, go abroad to Colombia. Continue reading
Why Colombia?


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I haven't written a word yet, and already I can tell you that this is not the blog post I intended to write. When I was fully engaged in the life of illness and laboring in the work of recovery, there is little I hated more than well-meaning friends (and even strangers) offering what they imagined to be words of comfort: this will make you a better rabbi. I still find these words theologically offensive. But I can't deny that they are true.
There's a line in a song by Carrie Newcomer I've always loved: "when I get healed, I'm gonna be a healer / that's just the nature of those things". I don't believe that everything happens for a reason, or that God only gives us what we can handle. I do believe that we can learn from our deepest and most painful struggles, and, sometimes, these wrestlings can make us better.
I suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm when I was 26 years old, halfway through Rabbinic school. I underwent eight hours of open-cranial brain surgery (but not before I demanded that someone read me the Psalm that asks, "I look to the mountains, from where will my help come?"), five weeks of inpatient rehabilitation, five months with my mother living on my couch to help me to cook, bathe, answer the telephone, and to press me to perform the endless cycle of physical therapy home exercises every day. Rather than Bible, Midrash, History, Talmud, and Liturgy, I studied occupational therapy, vision therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, psychotherapy, cranial-sacral therapy and practiced getting out of my wheelchair to use a walker and then to learn to walk with a cane.
I finger-painted profanity, cursed God, groaned when a classmate offered to put a note in the Western Wall to pray for my healing, and laughed ironically when my friends held hands around my hospital bed, tears streaming down their cheeks, in a healing circle.
I found solace only in the Book of Job and cherished the wisdom of crying out in pain, screaming at the God who Creates Everything. Job wisely asks, "Though I speak, my pain is not assuaged; and though I forbear, what am I eased?" But the Israeli poet, Yehudah Amichai, acknowledges, "I learned to speak from my pain".
Ultimately, Ecclesiastes feels most true to me: "to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven". In my case, there is a time for fury and a time for gratitude.
My professors at HUC were the greatest of my life. But the aneurysm was my graduate school. I learned Bible and Talmud and Liturgy and Theology from my hospital bed, in the physical therapy office, and on the acupuncture table. I know what I need to know as a rabbi because of how I've navigated through my own healing: how to sit with discomfort, with silence, with not knowing; how to be patient with the long process of healing (seeing healing as a verb, not a noun); how to allow the natural course of the developmental process to unfold its stages of grieving, healing, reconciling, and struggling. I've also learned how to fight for my health, how to work through a seemingly insurmountable challenge, to live through wanting to die.
In the Talmud, Brachot 5b, a wise and respected sage who has fallen ill is asked, "are your sufferings welcome to you?" The sage answers, "Not them, nor their reward". I hear in these words echoes of words I've heard throughout the past five years, this will make you a better rabbi.
Though neither my sufferings nor their rewards were (or are) welcome to me, I cannot deny that I am learning from them, nonetheless. In my rabbinic work, I encounter Jews with disabilities (some not unlike my own), I sit beside friends suffering the worst losses of their lives, facing illness and death, I see bad things happening to good people. And I am in love with the Torah as a source of healing wisdom (sometimes). For the first time since the aneurysm, I've restarted a dialogue with Shabbat, traditional ritual and prayer after many months of angry silence. When people ask me why bad things happen to good people, I know the weight of the question because I have held it with both hands. I find myself drawn to chaplaincy, to hospitals, to people wrestling with unthinkable pain, with full awareness that there is little I can do but offer to walk beside them. I know what I don't know, what I can't know, what it is impossible to know. And I, like Rainer Maria Rilke, live the question now.
I recently read the classic book, Illness as Metaphor and loved it. I loved the internal contradiction of understanding illness as a metaphor and, simultaneously, knowing that the premise is faulty. Illness is illness. And illness is metaphor. Both are true. As Carrie Newcomer reminds me in her song, "it's just the nature of those things".
Still, I never seem to want to take sick days (even when I have the flu); I hoard them like only a survivor might understand. More than I care to admit, I await the next tragedy, the next trauma, the next reason to need more help from doctors, specialists, and therapists than I can even imagine. I live every day balanced precariously on the edge of safety. And I know this, more than any certificate or graduate course, makes me a rabbi.email print


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Each year, the Financial Communications Society (FCS) celebrates excellence in marketing, advertising and public relations at their FCS Portfolio Awards Gala. At this year's event, Carpenter Group was recognized for our creative achievement in the business to business out-of-home advertising category.
On April 30, 2015, in New York City, Ross Ellis of SEI and Carpenter Group accepted the Gold Award for the "Evolve" campaign, which features highly adapted organisms from the natural world. The campaign promotes the innovative culture and technically advanced capabilities of SEI's Investment Manager Services.
Targeted at asset managers, the advertising stresses the need for businesses to evolve in order to achieve optimal operational performance in an environment of regulatory change and global expansion.
In addition to winning gold, the campaign was also awarded Silver in the out-of-home single advertising category.


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Written by Badminton AustraliaMonday, 16 April 2012 18:00
BATOC is responsible for the development and management of technical officials nationally. BATOC ensures there are qualified umpires, referees and line judges to officiate at local, State, National and International tournaments in partnership with the State/Territories Court Officials' Committees (COC).
BATOC objectives are to:
- achieve, improve and maintain uniformity and standards of umpiring and refereeing throughout Australia and in all matches under Badminton Australia's jurisdiction;
- assist in the provision of suitably qualified umpires, line judges and other court officials for international matches;
- liaise with other organisations on matters relevant to improving refereeing and umpiring standards and expertise in Australia;
- give branch committees the right to organise courses and training of umpires and referees within their own States/Territory contexts; and
- train and approve all State and National level technical court officials. All other technical court officials for Oceania or BWF level must be recommended to BA for endorsement, who will nominate to Badminton Oceania.
Who are the BATOC?
The BATOC consists of up to seven (7) members including the Chair. All are nominated by the State/Territory Associations and appointed by the BA Board annually.
The 2018 Chair is Sandra David. You can contact Sandra at email@example.com
BATOC must include among its number at least one practicing umpire and one practising referee.
Applications to be a member of the BATOC are made to BA Member Association on the appropriate nomination form by 30 September each year. The length of term for an BATOC member is two years.
BATOC member vacancies are filled via from nominations submitted by BA. The BATOC chair may co-opt a substitute member until the position is filled through the nomination process. The BA Board appoints all members of BATOC including the Chair. The Chair is appointed annually.
What do the BATOC do?
- Provide assessment and certificates for those who have achieved the BA State (accredited) and/or BA National (certified) Line Judge, Umpire and/or Referee status.
- Nominate technical officials for Badminton Oceania and BWF training and positions.
- Reviews and writes instructional material for technical officials' courses.
- Develops examination procedures and typical technical officials' examination papers.
- Develops all technical officials' training materials as are available.
- BATOC set the standards for all qualifications and assessment, both practical and written. BATOC has the authority to call for completed examination papers for review.
- Provides financial grants / assistance to support BA Member Association COC objectives, subject to the availability of funds.
- Report directly to the BA Board.
- Submits Annual Reports and Financial statements to the BA Office by 31 July each year
What role so the State or Territory Association Court Officials' Committee (COC) play?
- State or Territory Association COCs are responsible for the conduct of training courses and examinations for prospective umpires and referees.
- State or Territory Association COC members may also periodically assess courses or examinations being conducted, to ensure the maintenance of set standards.
- Each State or Territory Association COC is responsible for the provision of qualified umpires and referees required in the relevant State/Territory.
- The State or Territory Association COC may provide members with uniforms, at the members' cost, of a style and colour approved by Badminton Australia, whereon the member may affix his or her badges of status.
- Each BA Member Association COC submits an annual report on 30th June each year on the status of its umpires and referees.


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Election Pains or Gains?
How will the food industry fare depending on whether Barack Obama or Mitt Romney wins on November 6th?
If the State of the Union address in January 2013 were dedicated solely to the state of the food and beverageindustry, the incoming president would surely touch on the obesity crisis, food deserts and the continuing battles over school lunches and the size of soft drinks. He would discuss the drought-ravaged crops of 2012 and what they mean for farm policy, ethanol quotas and food prices. He would discuss regulations – needed or not needed – in regard to food safety, labeling of genetically modified foods (GMOs) and health claims. Maybe even overarching business issues such as worker safety, health care, the tax code, trade policy and the economic pressures that food companies face.
While Mitt Romney's "State of the Food Union" speech and calls to action would surely differ from Barack Obama's, the question is how much it will matter who's in charge as the rubber of political reality hits the road in the next four years.
Some food industry leaders say the performance of the Obama administration over the past term reveals stark differences in how he would continue to lead versus a Romney administration. But they acknowledge continued gridlock in Washington and struggles related to the economy that could water down efforts of either commander in chief. And they point to developments at the state and local levels that could be just as challenging – and perhaps even more influential – than pronouncements from the White House.
Food is increasingly political
When asked about differences between Romney and Obama, industry leaders note there clearly has been a trend toward more restriction on what food and beverage companies can do and say under Obama, and there might be less regulation and less pressure under Romney.
"Certainly on the regulatory front it will make a difference if Obama or Romney is in office," says Connie Tipton, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association. "This administration – as well-intentioned as it is on diet and obesity – is prone to take a prescriptive approach, which ends up limiting choice.
"There are a lot of things in the pipeline that could be affected, such as front-of-pack labeling and revision of the nutrition facts panel," she continues. "We don't know for sure where Romney would be on some of these issues, but it's a pretty sure bet that his administration would be less prescriptive."
"I've always been an advocate of less government," says Paul Kruse, president and CEO of Blue Bell Creameries, a Brenham, Texas, maker of ice cream. "I think the two nominees are very far apart in that respect."
Sue Pittman, who heads the Food & Nutrition Affairs Practice at FoodMinds LLC, agrees that regulators have weighed heavily on food and beveragecompanies in the past four years, but notes that she's seen an evolution in the Obama approach.
"The administration appears more aware of the issues the food industry faces. We see that even in Mrs. Obama's tone when she speaks," Pittman says, referring to the leadership role Michelle Obama has attained in discussing relevant food issues.
While what the First Lady says in the White House garden may seem a far stretch from what takes place down the road at the FDA or USDA, Pittman says that the language used in the "whole, fresh, local" efforts has a definite effect on policy discussions. And the end result is an assault on processed foods.
Pittman believes this broader food movement – particularly in terms of the engagement of local communities – has enough momentum that even under a Republican president the pressure toward more regulation would not subside entirely. She points to the proliferation of local food policy councils, attempts to tax soft drinks and GMO labeling ballot initiatives.
"I think with a Republican White House we would see more activity at the state level," she says. "There's so much momentum now in the states where the goal is to advocate for healthier food environments at the local level. That's not going to stop."
The New York Times Magazine food columnist Mark Bittman recently lamented that this local food movement was, in fact, not nearly strong enough and needed to be energized significantly to push for national policy changes.
"When Obama has been pressured on issues like gay rights, immigration and the Keystone XL pipeline, he's responded positively," Bittman wrote in an August column. "But he hasn't been pushed on food, and as a result has not followed up on campaign promises like his vow to label foods containing genetically modified ingredients, nor has he used his bully pulpit to try to protect SNAP (food stamps) from the ravages of Congress. Since there isn't a real food movement — yet! — progressives haven't made Obama do much."
Waning personal responsibility
It does appear, however, that consumers consider food issues to be politically relevant, and are looking to food companies and the government to do more to protect their health and prevent obesity.
A survey conducted by FoodMinds, "Food Temperance in America," tracks opinions on food policy topics among registered voters and opinion leader shoppers (a group of politically aware and socially active consumers). A key finding from the most recent survey conducted this spring demonstrates the political divide: 75 percent of Democrats think more time should be spent on food policy topics within presidential debates and in overall discussions about government policies, while only 39 percent of Republicans think so.
What's more, an increasing number of these opinion leader shoppers think Americans need support from their public institutions and the marketplace in their personal battle against obesity. Most (56 percent) said they believe that the individual holds primary responsibility for making healthy choices to prevent obesity. But the flip-side is that 44 percent believe that this primary responsibility lies somewhere else – not with the individual. Most startling, this is a 9-point increase over two years ago – when only 33 percent of respondents felt this way.
The other places increasingly saddled with the responsibility for helping us make healthy choices, in their opinion, are food companies (10 percent), U.S. government (14 percent), the health care system (12 percent) and the educational system (8 percent).
Further demonstrating the party divide, 67 percent of Republicans, but only 48 percent of Democrats, believe primary responsibility regarding healthy choices falls to the individual.
Dueling food platforms
Romney's campaign so far has been short on details, and food issues are no exception. One thing clear, however, is his distaste for regulations that hamper business.
"On his first day in office, Romney will order all federal agencies to initiate repeal of any regulations issued by the Obama administration that unduly burden the economy or job creation," reads a broad statement within Romney's economic plan.
The plan also says the rate at which agencies could impose new regulations would be capped at zero. "If an agency wishes or is required by law to issue a new regulation, it must go through a budget-like process and identify offsetting cost reductions from the existing regulatory burden."
As for Obama, regulation of the food industry under his watch has included stricter proposals on how foods are marketed and sold, including proposals – and in some cases new rules – involving marketing to children, menu labeling, competitive foods in schools and labeling reform – both on the front and back of pack. However, many of the regulatory rules behind these initiatives are on hold, likely due to the inevitable freeze-up caused by election year politics.
This has been particularly frustrating for some in regard to the Food Safety Modernization Act, a major piece of legislation signed by Obama in January 2011, and called the most ambitious overhaul of the nation's food safety system since the 1930s. While the bill passed with bipartisan support and backing by the Grocery Manufacturers Assn., the draft regulations to implement the law have been stuck at the Office of Management and Budget since early this year. Recent editorials in both the The Washington Post and The New York Times called for Obama to dislodge the stuck regulations.
Food companies beef that Obama regulators have been over-active and overly intrusive, and not necessarily in a consistent fashion.
"I think there has been a problem, both from the administration as well as Congress, in giving the business community predictability," says Kruse of Blue Bell Creameries. "We like to know the rules and that has been lacking. It does seem as though the regulatory area has been very active and consumes a good portion of our time and resources.
"As a lawyer and employer, it appears to me that the NLRB [National Labor Relations Board] has been making surprising pronouncements," he adds as an example. "I have no idea what is coming from them next."
Pittman agrees that the uncertainty in regulatory action has made it difficult for food companies, particularly as some try to modify their offerings to respond to obesity and health concerns. "If I make some changes to a product, will it matter?" she asks. "Industry tries to go some new direction, and the bar changes."
Another high-level executive who recently left a major U.S. food company, and who spoke on condition of anonymity, agreed that the Obama administration has been "much more inclined to impose regulation."
"They've been more willing to pull the trigger on action. The Bush administration was also very involved, but where they tended to ask for information, the Obama administration seems more inclined to take action that is anti-'Big Food,' " he said.
He pointed to the Dept. of Justice's antitrust efforts as a particular example, saying it brought growth and job creation to a "screeching halt". "The Obama Administration and some members of Congress have not been particularly good for companies that want to grow," he said.
It's not necessarily a matter of a Democrat or Republican in the White House, he added. "The industry thrived under Clinton for eight years. He was very pro-business, but Obama – or the people around him – have taken a different approach."
Going after Big Food
Another issue that could be impacted by who ends up in the White House is the proliferation of food litigation. The past four years have seen an increasing barrage of lawsuits against the food industry for everything from mislabeled products to misleading health claims. The New York Times recently reported that in the past few months alone, more than a dozen lawyers who used to work in the area of tobacco litigation have filed 25 cases against food companies including ConAgra Foods, PepsiCo, Heinz, General Mills and Chobani.
The Federal Trade Commission has likewise filed suits and won settlements from companies such as Dannon and Pom Wonderful, charging that the companies couldn't substantiate certain health claims on their products. This is another area, the Times article asserts, where state and local governments are being drawn into the battle due to the escalating costs of health care for people with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other health issues related to obesity.
It could be that an Obama administration would foster continued growth of such activities, including in the appointment of judges, while a Romney administration might prove a less hospitable environment to what many consider frivolous lawsuits.
"Our legal system, with its framework of litigation and liability, serves as another form of regulation faced by both individuals and businesses," reads Romney's economic plan. "As president, Mitt Romney will pursue reforms that respect the federal-state balance of power in our court system while creating a legal environment conducive to economic growth." Beyond issues focused on the food sector are broader concerns that have just as much – or more – impact on food businesses.
"Immigration, health care, taxes, entitlement programs – big things have to get dealt with," says IDFA's Tipton. "We haven't seen the leadership from Congress or the administration that we need."
Adds Kruse, "Commodity and food costs, the Farm Bill and energy policy are all items of concern for us. All are affected by the weak U.S. dollar. Let us hope we see a plan by the next administration to lead in these areas."
Still, there's no guarantee that either candidate could break the gridlock and acrimonious mood in Washington. Food industry leaders, who for years have lobbied successfully in a bi-partisan fashion, lament that there is no spirit of compromise, and that the overriding consideration isn't the issue itself, but "will it hurt or help the Republicans or the Democrats?"
"The word I get – and from visiting there myself – is that everyone is of the opinion that partisan politics have reached unseen heights and I think this is something very bad for the American people," says Kruse. "We need to find a new page to work from."
It's unlikely Romney or Obama could untangle Washington gridlock anytime soon, especially if the Senate and House majorities are not of the same party as the White House. This could spell trouble for some campaign pledges to move initiatives quickly through Congress.
So, as we approach Election Day, the picture is of a current Democratic president who might learn to soften his approach to business, and of a Republican contender who promises less regulation – all within a setting of contentious politics in Washington and a relentless drive for more regulation from consumer activists at the state, local and national levels.
Regardless of who wins, food companies will have to keep their guard up concerning the regulatory environment and – like every other industry in the world today – hope and work for leadership that brings better economic days ahead.


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The Standard
Microsoft's Office remains the most popular and powerful software suites available, and many of us spend a good part of each day using its applications such as Word, Excel, and Outlook. Here are some helpful ways to get the most out of your Office experience.
1. Set a reminder to reply to a message Right-click the message you want to set the reminder for, point to Follow Up, and then click Add Reminder. In the Due By list, click the date when you have to complete the reply. In the second list, click a time. In the Flag color list, click the flag color you want, and then click OK.
2. Display several days side by side in Calendar In the date picker (the calendar in the upper-left corner of the Calendar window), drag over the dates that you want to view.
3. Switch between time zones Add a second time zone and switch between time zones for all Windows-based programs. Click Swap Time Zones in the Time Zone dialog box (Tools menu, Options dialog box, Calendar Options dialog box). You can also label the time zones you use most often so that you switch quickly between them.
4. Add a new contact from an e-mail message Open the message. In the From field, right-click the name you want to make into a contact. On the shortcut menu, click Add to Outlook Contacts.
5. Jump to different sections of a document quickly To view a document's organization and jump to different sections, on the View menu, click Document Map.
6. Create a horizontal line or across the page Press and hold the hyphen key to make at least three hyphens, and then press ENTER. To create a thicker line, hold the SHIFT key down at the same time, making at least three underlines before pressing ENTER. If you'd rather just create a page break, press CTRL+ENTER.
7. Navigation Keystrokes To move to the previous or next word, press CTRL+LEFT ARROW or CTRL+RIGHT ARROW. To go to the beginning or end of a document, press CTRL+HOME or CTRL+END.
8. Compare and Combine. On the Review tab, in the Compare group, click Compare, and then click Compare again. Enter the documents in the dialog box, and click OK. you can then merge comments and changes from two documents into one document by clicking Combine.
9. Select the first or last cell in a worksheet or list Press CTRL+HOME to select the first cell on the worksheet or in an Excel list. Press CTRL+END to select the last cell that contains data or formatting.
10. Select the contents of a cell using the keyboard Press F2 to select the contents of a single cell without using the mouse — it's that simple. Use SHIFT+arrow keys to select and then edit or delete particular words or numbers within the cell.
11. Change rows into columns (and vice versa) Select the row or column you want to change, press CTRL+C to copy it (or CTRL+X to cut it), and then put your cursor in the top cell where you want to transpose the content. On the Edit menu click Paste Special and then click Transpose.
12. View two worksheets in the same workbook side-by-side (Excel 2007) On the View tab, in the Window group, click New Window, then click View Side by Side. In the Compare Side by Side dialog box, click the worksheets that you want to compare. To scroll both worksheets at the same time, click Synchronous Scrolling in the Window group on the View tab.
We hope these tips will make your Office experience faster, happier and more productive!
Happy computing!


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Plants Viewer
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This plant forms a mound of about 1 feet(30cm) in a pot in the pond. It will colonise a field and when in full flower the field looks like it is covered in snow or cotton. I think it needs a spell of dryness to initiate flowering, because when I keep it wet alll year round it does not flower. Found in abundance on acid peat on raised and blanket bogs. The plant is fairly inconspicuous in flower, but in fruit it produced plumes of white cotton-like hairs which give the plant its common name. For a grass it is spectacular and is native to Ireland.


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Three Generations of Balance at Learning 2 Asia
Learning 2 Asia at UWCSEA in Singapore was a phenomenal experience this year. As a Learning 2 leader I had a chance to completely engage with the topic of "Balance" preparing and leading my learning 2 talk, my 3 hour extended sessions, and a shorter nutshell session at this conference.
Not only did I have have a chance to pursue one of my own passions in earnest but at every turn I was greeted by other inspired and open international educators.
I was astounded by the level of interest in my topic of "balance". This suggests to me that now is the time to push deeply into this topic to flesh out the daily practices that enable us to tap into the collaborative power of technology yet at the same time, maintain the various aspects of our well-being that preserve our humanity and happiness.
Please find all the Learning 2 talks here. The line-up of other presenters
was outstanding and each 5 minute presentation is well worth watching.
It was a fantastic week of sharing and growth for me and, I imagine, all who attended. I am deeply thankful for all the support given by the other Learning 2 leaders and the conference committee who provided opportunities for us to push ourselves within our own areas of expertise and explore new areas of possibility and potential. – AC


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How to Become a Pedicurist in 5 Steps
Research what it takes to become a pedicurist. Learn about training and licensure requirements to work in this field, career outlook and salary information to find out if this is the career for you. Schools offering Nail Technology degrees can also be found in these popular choices.
What Is a Pedicurist?
Pedicurists specialize in foot and toenail care. They listen to clients' needs and help them maintain healthy and clean feet and nails. During a pedicure treatment, pedicurists will clean and trim nails, remove callouses, massage feet, and may paint nails if desired by the client. They can provide advice and product recommendations to clients and they are responsible for making sure their work stations are clean and sterile. Some pedicurists may own a salon, meaning they would also be responsible for a number of managerial and administrative tasks. The following chart gives an overview of a pedicurist's job.
|Training Required
|Cosmetology or nail technician program
|Key Skills
|Cleaning and filing nails, moisturizing feet, polishing nails, cleaning tools and work area
|Job Growth (2014-24)
|10% (faster than average) for pedicurists and manicurists*
|Median Salary (May 2015)
|$20,820 for pedicurists and manicurists*
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Step 1: Enroll in a Training Program
Some institutions offer programs focused specifically on nail care. These programs are often sufficient to become a licensed pedicure technician. However, you may want to consider a program in cosmetology, which covers a broader range of skills. Nail technician programs can be completed in as little as a year. Degree programs, such as an associate's degree in cosmetology, usually take two years to complete.
Step 2: Obtain a License
All states require personal appearance workers, including pedicurists, to obtain a license. State requirements vary, but most require completing a training program and passing an exam. Aspiring pedicure technicians should check with their state licensing board for requirements as well as approved training programs.
Step 3: Find a Job
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, manicurists and pedicurists held about 83,840 jobs as of May 2015. For the decade 2014-2024, employment of manicurists and pedicurists is expected to rise by 10%. The vast majority of manicurists and pedicurists are employed in the personal care services industry at places such as hair salons, nail salons or day spas. Pedicure technicians might also find employment at hotels and resorts, department stores or beauty supply stores.
Step 4: Consider Career Advancement
Pedicurists may advance their careers by creating a loyal client following and by expanding their range of services. Some pedicurists manage salons, open their own shops or move into sales positions.
Step 5: Complete Continuing Education
In most states, pedicurists must complete continuing education courses for license renewal. In some states, continuing education credits must be earned through approved providers.
What Are Some Related Alternative Careers?
Manicurists perform very similar duties as pedicurists, though they focus on hands rather than feet. Individuals may also be interested in cosmetology if they want to cut and style hair, or in becoming a skin care specialist, in which they would provide various face and body treatments to clients. Massage therapy is another similar career option.
To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below:


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It's not often that I write negative or emotional posts on my blog (not that I think it's a bad thing, I like reading about anything and everything!), but last night I participated in the Girls on the Run (GOTR) 5K. I want to say that this event was a positive one for me, but my experience made me really sad. I was paired with a girl from a local elementary school, and she came in dead last. Don't get me wrong – that isn't what made me sad at ALL. It was the circumstances that surrounded the situation just really bothered me.
The girl, who I'm going to call Suzie, was from a school in an underprivileged area, and she arrived with her grandmother. She was 11 years old, and seemed very shy when first introduced to me. No problem, I can break anyone out of their shell. I'm the friend you go running with that starts talking as soon as I start my Garmin and doesn't shut up until the last mile. When we began the run, it was a pretty congested field so we started off by walking. Once we were able to run, she would dash ahead for about 20 feet, and then begin to trudge along. I'm not talking a power walk here – I'm talking literally dragging her feet.
It wasn't the pace that made me sad – you could just tell that this was the last thing Suzie wanted to do. She had zero enthusiasm and it just seemed like she wanted to be anywhere else but at the 5K. It's totally okay if running isn't your thing, but she just had no interest in participating. If she was happy to be there or enjoying herself, she didn't let me know about it. We ran in the parkway, so if she saw something like a bird she would stop and look at it, or she would try to pick flowers if we passed by wildflowers or flowering trees. She would find anything she could to just stop, and I don't think she realized that by not moving, we would not get to the finish line.
When I realized that running the race might not be in the cards for Suzie, I tried talking to her and getting her to open up. Maybe I couldn't inspire her to run, but in our time together I might be able to have SOME sort of impact and get to know her a little bit. Unfortunately, she didn't want to talk and would answer my questions only about half of the time. I was really striking out: I couldn't motivate her to run, and she seemed to want no part of hanging out with me. I'm not used to that. As a high school teacher, I take a lot of pride in being able to relate to students and make them feel comfortable and relaxed in their surroundings, and I was not successful with this. I'm not known to be intimidating or unfriendly – I connect well with kids. But this was one kid that I was having a hard time getting to know. I think that's what bothered me the most.
I kept trying to give Suzie little goals to motivate her to just keep moving. First, I did time intervals. Once we were able to run, I suggested that we try to run for one full minute to see what she would do. We made it about 25 seconds before she began to walk. When I realized she didn't respond to that, I told her when we hit the first set of hills in the first mile that we would just try running down the hill. Who doesn't like running downhill? But we trudged up one of the first hills, and she stopped before we even got to the top because she got cinders in her shoe. At the top, I tried to get her to run down the hill with me but she completely ignored me and kept walking.
My next strategy was to pick a point and tell her we were going to run to it. As we approached the red covered bridge (the one mile marker), I tried to get her to run to the bridge. She started running and stopped about 20 feet later. My next attempt to get her moving was to challenge her to a "race". I'd pick a point- like a bench, or a tree – and tell her to race me to that point. Of all of my strategies, that seemed to work a little better. I would make sure that I stayed a good distance behind her so she could "beat" me every single time. Once we stopped running, she would slow down and walk slower than we were going before. I'd periodically challenge her to race me from this point forward, but she wouldn't always "accept" the challenge and just ignore me. Other times, she would start running and just stop a few feet later for no reason. When the last girl passed us, putting us in last place, I tried to use it as motivation to move. I'd say, "Okay, lets run to that girl and catch her"!
At the end of the race, a few of the volunteers on the course that were walking as the "sag wagon" walked us in. As we approached the finish line, she repeatedly asked where her grandmother was. I told her she would see her grandma as soon as we crossed the finish line. At this point, we hadn't run in quite awhile. Her teammates and one of her coaches were all there cheering for her, and she looked both confused and overwhelmed – almost like she wanted to cry, but it didn't seem like tears of joy. She looked more scared than anything, and saw her grandmother about 10 feet in front of the finish line. She stopped running and just walked to her grandma and wouldn't go any further. I was so confused. Both myself and the other volunteers were trying to pump her up and get her to cross, but she refused. It was like she didn't understand what was going on, or just really didn't care.
Eventually, her grandma walked her across the finish line with me. She got her medal, looked at me and smiled and waved and said "Bye!" I walked back to her team's coaches, where we all met before the event and one of the coaches asked me where Suzie was. I told her the story and how she was with her grandma, and she replied by saying, "Yeah, I wasn't sure about her. Did you get her to talk?" So it was apparent that they were completely aware that something wasn't right there.
I think it was great that Suzie participated in the event, but I feel like one of her coaches should have run/walked with her. Not because I didn't want to, but because she clearly was not comfortable with me regardless of what I did. I tried talking to her about anything and everything. At one point, we could hear the DJ and they were playing "Shut Up and Dance with Me" and I even started singing and dancing as we walked. Nothing. They only started the GOTR program at the school I was a buddy for in March, so I know the girls hadn't had a lot of training, but I just feel like the coaches should have either been there for this girl or maybe prepared me for what she might be like. They had to know she was a little more introverted and that she would really struggle with the distance – they've worked with her twice per week since March! Part of me is glad that I was paired with her, because I am a teacher and I know that kids respond differently to different people so I didn't take it personally, I was just really concerned.
I'm not really sure what I'm getting at. I just wanted to write about the experience to get it off of my chest. I know several of my other friends were buddies and had GREAT experiences with the girls. I was happy to hear that, and that the program really does help and empower girls to be better and want more for themselves. Just something about my girl made me sad – like she is only 11, and no one is teaching her to have a strong work ethic, to strive to achieve goals, and to want more for herself. No one is teaching her to take care of her body and be healthy, and no one is teaching her what it means to give something your best effort. I want to participate again next year. Maybe I didn't get through to Suzie yesterday, but maybe someday she will think of our 5K and it will light a fire in her to do something great.
Have you ever participated in a GOTR event? Ever dealt with a situation that just rubbed you the wrong way?


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The Four Horsemen post addressed the nature of humanity to attempt to dominate his neighbor, and that effort to conquer his fellow man will lead to death through the inefficient distribution of the human capital that we all have to offer this world.
Apply this to Obamacare. The supporters of the Affordable Healthcare Act are promoting a law that will conquer the patient, the doctor, and all the providers of healthcare services and equipment. This law tells everyone involved how they will spend their time and money, what type of services they can provide and how, and establishes an overbearing bureaucratic process.
On a daily basis the patient and provider will decide on the most optimal solution to a medical problem and then government regulations will interfere and prevent the execution of that expedient solution.
The patient must remain longer to have their problem solved after navigating the bureaucratic mess. Or the patient must leave without having their malady resolved.
The doctor must remain longer to help their staff navigate the bureaucratic mess until the problem is solved. Or the doctor must accept that the patient might not have their malady resolved.
Both patient and doctor will not be able to simply resolve the issue in the most expedient manner and then move on to the next item in their lives and practices. The patient has their productivity stolen from them. The doctor has his productivity stolen from him.
Then what?
What is the joy felt by the politician that has created this scenario? What accomplishment can they point to that will give them pride, allow them to crow their success and sleep easy at night?
The politician's role is to facilitate the maintenance of an environment where the patient and the physician are free to answer the question to the best of their abilities, knowledge, experience, and personal circumstances.
Obamacare is something much different than that.
That difference makes it worth while to consider the possibility that the people supporting Obamacare are sociopaths.


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No-Bake Cheesecake With Apricot Preserves
Time needed
30 min preparation
Serving Size / Yield
7 servings
- 1 jar apricot preserves
- 1 graham cracker crust
- 16 oz. cream cheese
- 1 pt. heavy whipping cream
- 1/3 C. sugar
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
Our Readers Also Loved
With an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, whipping cream, sugar, and lemon juice until thick and creamy. Pour and spread this mixture evenly into the graham cracker crust and spread apricot preserves over top. Refrigerate at least four hours to set before serving.
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Porlammi School Museum
Porlammi School Museum is housed in an old school building dating from 1872. The old classroom oozes with the school atmosphere of yore with its lectern, blackboard and harmonium.
There are more than 200 old educational pictures, including plant pictures created by Ebba Masalin and other pictures that were used in teaching natural sciences. The atmosphere is augmented by slates, a 19th century desk and chair and other desks from different decades. The classroom also exhibits old handicraft manuals with model drawings for girls and boys, dating from the early 20th century.
On the walls, presidents' photographs and an old map of Finland remind visitors of past times. Stuffed birds are part of the classroom paraphernalia. All that is needed to start the lesson are the teacher and the pupils.
Museum info
Kievarintie 2, 07820 Porlammi
+ 358 50 401 7966 / Mervi Vuorinen
Opening hours
During summer Sun in july
Entrance fee
Service languages
Service languages (advance booking required)
Porlammi School Museum


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The School Food Trust has partnered with The Children's Food Trust to share its vision – to provide children with a balanced diet, cooking skills and food education they need to reach their full potential.
The Children's Food Trust will have its formal launch at a Children's Food Conference on 7th March 2012, where speakers including Sir Michael Marmot and Dame Clare Tickell will join delegates to consider key issues facing families, food manufacturers and Government when it comes to helping children to eat well.
Chairman of the School Food Trust Rob Rees said: "Growing demand for our work has led to the creation of the Children's Food Trust and the need to widen our reach. Our years of experience of improving school lunchtimes for children, setting up the country's largest network of healthy school cooking clubs and of leading internationally-recognised research all mean that our support is now in demand on other children's food issues.
"What children learn about food as they grow up - right from their very early years through their school career and beyond - has a huge impact for their health, wellbeing and achievement as adults, and so for all of us as taxpayers. There are still far too many ways in which good food is not being used to help children reach their potential, and that's where we know we can help."
The Trust's new venture coincides with office moves for the charity in both Sheffield and London, and new contact details for all staff.


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M / Caché Technology Consultant Summaries
Henry Elliott & Company, Inc. has grown to 60+ Caché and M (MUMPS) Technical Consultants. We continue to grow as the Caché, M and Healthcare I.T. Software Industry expands. We have long been a business partner of InterSystems Corporation, the developer of Caché Database, Ensemble Systems Integration Product, and related Database, Web and Object-Oriented Technology. We also provide Caché Certified Experts who represent an elite level of knowledge of InterSystems Caché Technology. Caché Certified Experts are trained and measured by InterSystems Corporation. Henry Elliott & Company, Inc. also partners with large-scale professional services and U.S. based outsourcing organizations in support of Caché based technology implementations.
Our Consultants have extensive experience with InterSystems Caché, Ensemble, HealthShare, Caché Objects, Caché Server Pages, Zen and Caché based third party software including: Epic, IDX Flowcast (GE Healthcare Centricity), Veterans Administration (VistA), Indian Health Services (IHS) RPMS, Dept. of Defense - CHCS, Antrim/Sunquest, Ontario Systems CT Vision (CTV) and Artiva. Complementary technologies that our consultants have experience with include but are not limited to: .Net, Java, JavaScript, SOA & SOAP Methodologies.
Please contact Laurie Moynihan, 781-416-9900 ext. 231 or firstname.lastname@example.com for specific profiles of our Consultants or for more information.
You may also send us a requisition directly through our web site; just click here.


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With the introduction of Continuity for OSX Yosemite and iOS 8, not only has Tim Cook given Apple users a coherent platform from mobile phone and tablet to laptop and desktop, he has given Apple an opportunity to be number one in the battle for cloud storage and cloud computing services.
The top level statistics for OSX are impressive. The install base for Mac grew by 12% (compared to a 5% decrease for the PC market), and 40 million copies of OSX Mavericks have been installed. That's more than 50% of the potential audience, and drew a humorous comparison to Windows 8's 14% adoption.
After the expected recap, WWDC focused on the new version of OSX, 10.10, which will go by the name Yosemite. While Apple has kept OSX and iOS as separate code-bases (declining to follow the route that Microsoft is going down with the commonality between Windows and Windows Phone), the Cupertino-based developers are doing their best to merge the user experience between deskbound and mobile devices.
Apple's Senior VP of Software Engineering Craig Federighi took the keynote audience through a number of examples. Labelling this principle 'Continuity', he started off with a feature that many have been hoping for. AirDrop will work between OSX and iOS platforms. Then the demo went further.
Handoff allows someone's workflow to be shared between devices. Working on a presentation on your MacBook Pro? Just pick up your iPad and the lock screen will have an icon so you can take over the work on your tablet. Drafting an email on your iPhone and you have arrived at your desk? Your MacBook will let you know that you can pick up the editing in its Mail app. The fun didn't end there, with the ability of OSX to interact with the cellular connections in iOS demonstrated, including the integration of SMS texts into Messages, and the ability make and receive calls on your OSX machine using the iOS like a base station.
We're sure to hear more about the services this offers over the coming weeks, but for me the presentation had echoes of a previous presentation this year - the introduction of the Surface Pro 3 by Microsoft's Panos Panay. He took great care to show the integration, synchronisation, and benefits of cloud computing between the Surface Pro 3, Windows Phone, and other Windows 8 devices.
Confident that the target market understood the benefits of Windows' cloud-based offering, Microsoft focused on collaboration between users. Apple spent much of the OSX portion of the WWDC presentation showing how a single user could benefit from the cloud.
The battle lines for the rest of 2014 and the first half of 2015 are now set and it's a battle for the cloud. While there are some bridges at the application level (notably Office 365 and iCloud Drive), users are going to be asked to choose between Windows Live and iCloud, between iPhone and Windows Phone, and between OSX or Windows 8.
Google could also be considered as a contender, with the Chromebook movement acting as the desktop component, but I don't feel their Enterprise offering is as strong as that offered by Apple or Microsoft.
Those passive-aggressive slides about the adoption levels of OSX compared to Windows 8 (and Android 'Kit-Kat' compared to iOS 7) now look a lot less like comic asides and more like coded messages to Enterprise buyers as well as individual consumers. Apple has claimed pole position in the desktop market and claimed the lead role in the smartphone space.
Now Apple is ready to stake a claim as being the leader in cloud services.


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Quantico, the primetime hit drama about a group of Federal Bureau of Investigation recruits, has made headlines for multiple reasons: Priyanka Chopra, an established Bollywood mega star playing the lead role of Alex Parrish, the diversity of the recruits and the plot of terrorism.
But show's biggest success lies in creator Josh Safran's commitment to understanding and portraying correctly the backgrounds of his characters.
That's why his team of writer's room is staffed with eight writers, including those Palestinian, Jewish, Quaker and Muslim origin.
Sharbari Ahmed, a Bangladeshi American writer is part of the team, and plays a role in the depiction of the Muslim twins.
I am Muslim so I do harness that to contribute to the Raina and Nimah Amin story arc.
"So far, it's been focused on beautiful, elegant, thoughtful writing and creating authenticity for all characters and I am Muslim so I do harness that to contribute to the Raina and Nimah Amin story arcs," Ahmed says
She shares, "They have not used my 'South Asian-ness' yet but who knows? Maybe we'll explore the back-story of Priyanka's character's decade in Mumbai next season. And then it might come in handy."
Photos courtesy Sharbari Ahmed
Does Ahmed feel the weight of being a Muslim writer in today's world where Islam is being hotly debated and there is the additional burden of a presidential candidate like Donald Trump spewing hateful rhetoric?
"I think Muslims have to thank Trump," says Ahmed calmly.
"His presence on the national stage has turned the conversation to the intolerance and bigotry that is becoming more pervasive in America."
I think Muslims have to thank Trump... His presence on the national stage has turned the conversation to the intolerance and bigotry.
If she could spend five minutes with Trump, she says she would tell him that he has" gotten it totally wrong."
"Muslim immigrants are just like Americans. They wake up in the morning, thinking about their jobs and families. I guarantee you they are not thinking about causing harm to America," she said.
In fact, Ahmed credits Quantico for its "sheer brilliance" in the casting of the Muslim twins Nimah and Raina Amin, played by actress Yasmine Al Massri.
"We have been careful in staying away from stereotyping. We showed both sides of the coin in the twins. The hijab-wearing devout one and the liberal one without. They are meant to create a dialogue about Islam and its complexity," Ahmed says.
The instructions to the writers were very clear on that Muslims don't have to be presented in the clichéd role of terrorists. They have stayed away from demonising or caricaturing them as some other shows have done.
"But we will also not sacrifice a good, authentic story to be politically correct," Ahmed said. "Especially if it makes sense in the world Josh has created."
Ahmed has been writing for over a decade. She published a short story collection The Ocean of Mrs. Nagai and had a play Raisins Not Virgins adapted into a short film.
Priyanka works really hard at this role... It makes me very proud as a South Asian to see her succeed.
She was working on her novel when an actor friend emailed her to tell her that ABC was looking for a South Asian female writer. To cut a long story short, she was hired.
This is her first television gig and she spends all week writing with the staff in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
"At first it was intimidating and still is at times; it was difficult because they are all so much more experienced than me. But, with their help, I am learning and I hope we are picked up for another season," Ahmed says.
She has only met Priyanka Chopra over Skype and is filled with admiration for her work ethic.
"Priyanka works really hard at this role, which requires her to be both smart and sexy. Plus, it's physically gruelling. It makes me very proud as a South Asian to see her succeed."
Ahmed wishes for more representation for "South Asians, Muslims and women" in America.
"We have made some strides with Aziz Ansari, Mindy Kaling and Priyanka but that's not enough," she says.
Ahmed was born in Dhaka but immigrated to America when she was three weeks old. She lived in Chester, Connecticut for the first seven years of her life.
Her father Dr Manzoor Ahmed, now retired and living in Bangladesh, was a United Nations diplomat. For many years, he was based out of Ethiopia with his wife Anowara, a homemaker. Sharbari is the youngest of four kids Parveen, Nasreen, and Murshed.
I always knew I was going to be a storyteller. I kept writing and I got rejected but I never stopped.
Ahmed soaked in the "deeply spiritual vibe of the amazing, exotic country with its weather and its multicultural mix of Muslims, Jews, Christians and other cultures."
She spent two years in China, and went on to complete her education in New York, where she earned a bachelor's degree in English literature from Marymount College and a master's degree in Creative Writing from New York University.
Currently, Ahmed, who is divorced, lives in Darien, Connecticut, with her son Anjay, 16.
Travelling and living around the world helps her appreciate multiculturalism and it seeps into all her work.
"I always knew I was going to be a storyteller. I kept writing and I got rejected but I never stopped," she says.
The patience, the persistence and the perseverance has paid off and made her more determined to be a player in the world of entertainment.
When the writers get a break from the show in March, Ahmed plans to finish her novel, set in WWII Kolkata and turn it into a screenplay down the road. Keep an eye out for her first solo TV credit, episode 13, "Clear", which airs on 13 March on ABC.
Contact HuffPost India
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Here's a little peek at a project from start to finish.
Step 1
The original thumbnail that was submitted to the band, and some photos I printed out for reference.
Step 2
The final inks.
Step 3
Making the color separations in Photoshop.
Step 4
Film waiting to be exposed on the light table.
Step 5
Washing out an exposed screen.
Step 6
Color 1 is printed, color 2 (of 2) is up next.
Step 7
Ink mixed and ready for 2nd color printing.
Step 8
Finished prints on the drying rack.
Step 9
The finished poster.


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Indie film Another Earth: Pretentious twaddle and an ill-considered mixture of realism and science fiction
Another Earth (12A)
Verdict: More arty nonsense
Writer-director Mike Cahill's acclaimed American indie film is about a beautiful, gifted young scientist (co-writer Brit Marling) who causes a car crash that accidentally kills the wife and child of a middle-aged music professor (William Mapother).
She goes to apologise to him, but impulsively keeps her identity a secret and becomes his cleaner.
Sci-fi indie flick: A second Earth appears in the sky, you see, and it contains an alternate reality that"s a mirror-image of our own
This might be just another personal tale of personal redemption, except that it also dabbles in science fiction.
A second Earth has appeared in the sky, you see, and it contains an alternate reality that's a mirror-image of our own — an idea first explored in the 1969 British film, Doppelganger, also known as Journey To The Far Side Of The Sun.
Our heroine wonders if, by visiting this planet, she could erase her mistake.
The film needs an agonisingly slow 97 minutes to reach a point at which the story takes an interesting turn, whereupon it ends abruptly.
That makes it both long-winded and profoundly unsatisfying.
Pondering regrets: Our heroine, played by Brit Marling, wonders if, by visiting this planet, she could erase her mistake
The sci-fi element is annoyingly underwritten. No one explains how a large planet can suddenly appear so near Earth.
And wouldn't it have huge gravitational effects Even Lars von Trier's Melancholia had more grasp of science.
And don't get me started on the sentimental subplot about the heroine's only friend, a blind Native American janitor, who seems to have wandered in from an Oliver Stone movie, and a bad one at that.
This is the kind of miserabilist film that routinely wins respectful reviews because it's so un-Hollywood.
And it's true, you couldn't get further away from the feelgood banalities of New Year's Eve.
But just because Another Earth is an ordeal to sit through doesn't mean that it's deep.
This is pretentious twaddle and an ill-considered mixture of realism and science fiction.
They simply don't go together — not on this earth, at least.


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Andy Cloud is a 39-year-old family man from Carthage, MO. When he's not busy with his job, family, church, or other hobbies, he can be found running around southwest Missouri competing in everything from 5Ks to ultramarathons, but this wasn't always the case. About five years ago Andy was very overweight, pre-diabetic, and had other health issues such as sleep apnea. He realized that he needed to change something. Though his faith, community, and inspiration from the 2013 Boston Marathon, Andy found the courage and discipline to improve his lifestyle. Andy shares how changes in his eating habits, exercising and connecting with other people enabled him to make this significant change in his life, losing over 130 pounds. He encourages our listeners to lean on others and your community, reminding us that running and life are hard and we don't need to do it alone. Andy gives back to the running community by being a co-host of the Heartland Running Podcast and a race director for the Rallye 66 5K and Ranger Run benefiting Peterson Outdoor Ministries.
This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code "runified2017" at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our running podcast!
Runified's Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Heartland Running Website, Heartland Running Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Rallye 66 5K and Ranger Run, Peterson Outdoor Ministries
Read more at http://runified.libsyn.com/ep050-andy-cloud-run-grow-serve#vKS0DpIBi5AblLul.99


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5 questions with Anthony Pavese
Anthony Pavese was a first-year varsity starter for Highland last year and had a standout season as a cornerback, racking up about 60 tackles.
Pavese, a 5-foot-8, 160-pound senior, is back to lead the defense again this year, except he'll be doing it at his new position — linebacker.
Pavese wouldn't mind playing some offense, either. During training camp this summer, he held his own playing a little wing back and wide receiver.
How do you think your first year on varsity went? "I think I did pretty well. I got a lot of tackles, and I played a lot of goal-line defense."
Which position do you prefer, cornerback or linebacker? "I don't really have a preference. I just love playing defense in general. I do like playing cornerback. Linebacker is OK, I just have to get used to it. I think I'll do well in my new position."
Do you want to play some offense, too? "I do want to try to play some offense. At the camp, my teammates said I looked good."
What are your expectations for this year? "We're looking forward to this year. We want to go further. Last year, it was a shame we didn't go further?
Who's the one player on your team to watch? "Ryan Stafford (fullback). He's one of our top returners and one of our key players. I think he'll have a good season for us."
Mira Wassef


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Below are reviews by some of the readers of Goju Ryu Karate-Do: Fundamentals for Traditional Practitioners, Vol. 1, by Motoo Yamakura:
"It was a very good book. It explains in full detail the history of Goju-ryu karate. It also has step by step instructions for katas with black and white pictures. Almost every page has a picture. This book also has a glossary with the Japanese terms translated from Japanese to English and English to Japanese with the phoenetic pronunciation. Motoo Yamakura is a very good martial arts writer." - Taylor Munson, NJ
"This is the most informative series on Goju Ryu in print. Absolutely a must for all goju-ryu karate-ka." - Shawn M. Kidwell, OH
"Excellent book with lots of pictures and philosophy of karate. The spiritual side of karate is explored as well." - Sam P. Mom, NH


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Experient, the the Twinsburg, Ohio-based meeting and event services provider, has added content consulting and speaker services to its roster of offerings. The new service, called EngageTalent, is part of the Engagience family of services unveiled last week, with the objective to provide strategic and creative solutions beyond logistical support for meetings and events. Through an alliance with International Speakers Bureau, Experient now supports selection and coordination of speakers, celebrities or entertainment, as well as contract negotiations for talent. "On-the-mark content is critical to driving overall event return on investment for both attendees and event sponsors alike," said Gary Schirmacher, CMP, senior vice president, strategic account services, for Experient. "Creating great content is the prime attendance driver and greatly increases the chances that attendees will return year after year. When planners have the ability to really strategize on creating unique content but still have the comfort that they'll stay within budget with talent and entertainment, it can make a big difference in the success of a conference or meeting."
Ad unit code goes here
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New 60 day underground infrastructure locates
Effective April 1, 2016 the expiration date for Peterborough Utilities Services underground locates for hydro and water will be extended from 30 days to 60 days.
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I rarely curl my hair because being the fuss pot I am, I only want a certain style of curl. Having only owning a 38mm barrel, I wanted one something smaller and ended up purchase this Enrapture Encode Totem Styler. With all of the raved reviews (I've joined the trend a tad late) and the interesting concept, I caved in. A 25mm barrel consisting of 3 heat zones which are controlled by the dials, from 1 for loose curls through to 3 for tight curls.
For the curls above, I have used 1-2-2 and with the mini flipper and I love the outcome! Looser at the top and slightly tighter towards the bottom resulting in a volumous look. These are the exact curls I've been wanting. I cannot wait for my hair to grow even more then it'll be perfect. After each usage, I haven't actually noticed whether the titanium plating had left my hair looking shiny as I was "starstruck" with the outcome. I have noticed it hasn't tugged my hair and it took me 10 minutes to do my full head as I have thin hair. The curls lasted a good full working day or even slightly longer which is also helped by the use of styling products.
It heats up in around 50 seconds and I must admit, did burn myself whilst I was using it. Ouch newbie alert. An instruction booklet came with it containing a few look examples which you can create with this styler as well as instructions. Very useful for a beginner. You'll need to practice with it to get the hang of it like with other curlers. This is the perfect wand to create many many looks all in one without having to change to other tools.
I would start curling my hair more now that I have this. I definitely recommend it and I would experiment with more curling ideas. Random but don't you hate it when one side of your hair looks amazing whereas the other side is the total opposite?!
Have you tried Enrapture before?


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Tone language
A tone language or tonal language is a language in which saying words with different "tones" (which are like pitches in music but with a smaller number) changes the meaning of a word even if the pronunciation of the word is otherwise the same.
Many Asian languages are tone languages, such as Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Punjabi. Most languages, including Indo-European languages such as English, are not tone languages. Moreover, many African languages like Yorùbá, Igbo, Ewe and Zulu use tone as well.
In some languages, it is pitch accent that is important instead. That means that a word's meaning can be different if a different syllable is stressed. Examples include Greek, Hebrew, Swedish, Norwegian, Serbo-Croatian, Lithuanian, and some Asian languages like Japanese. However, pitch accent is not the same as tones.
Some tones may sound alike to people who do not speak a tone language. They are the most difficult part of learning a tone language for those people.
Example[change | change source]
In Mandarin, the sentence ma ma ma ma (麻媽罵馬) includes four different words. If numbers identify the tones, they can be written ma2 ma1 ma4 ma3, which means "the hemp's mother scolds the horse." Some ways of romanization write each tone with a different spelling; ma2 ma1 ma4 ma3 in Pinyin would be written ma mha mah maa in Gwoyeu Romatzyh romanization. Most use numbers or accent marks (mā má mǎ mà in Pinyin). There is a passage called Lion-Eating Poet in the Stone Den (施氏食獅史). It has 92 characters; all read the same way in Mandarin ("shi") but with different tones.
Mandarin does not have many syllables: the words for "mother," "hemp," "horse," "scold," and a word put at the end of sentences to make it a question are all pronounced "ma:"
- "Mother" is "ma" that is high and level.
- "Hemp" is "ma" that starts low and ends high.
- "Horse" is "ma" that starts fairly high, dips very low, and then goes back up again.
- "Scold" is "ma" that starts high and ends low.
- To make a question, "ma" is added at the end, but it is kept very soft and short and about the same level.
Mandarin has "first tone," "second tone," "third tone," "fourth tone," and "neutral tone." Other Chinese dialects have more tones, some as many as 12.
Tonal markings[change | change source]
Vietnamese and Pinyin use accents as the tone marks for the Latin alphabet. Each accent shows an altered sound for the syllable. Most syllables have only one tone marking, but the letters in the syllable can be altered by other markings. Syllables usually form one word in un-hyphenated compound words.
Pinyin may have style differences that break from actual use because its use is to help Westerners. Vietnamese, on the other hand, has a national script that always follows the uses the same style.


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Saviours – "We Roam" mp3
What do you expect from a band called Saviours whose record cover involves demons, naked devil chicks and general quasi-biblical mayhem? If you guessed stoner-metal meets speed-metal meets black-metal a'la Sabbath meets Exodus but completely contemporary and exquisitely executed, you win! This kicks buckets of ass. Saviours hail (Satan) from my hometown of Oakland, CA, which has (not so) quietly become the epicenter of a new metal renaissance. Go forth and bang thy head.
"We Roam" (mp3)
from "Accelerated Living"
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