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Surgery cuts costs, improves outcomes for children with perforated appendicitis
Pediatric surgeons can lower health care costs if they remove a young patient's perforated appendix sooner rather than later, according to new study results published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Acute appendicitis, which can precede a perforated appendix, disproportionately affects young people ages 10 to 19. However, the condition is more likely to progress to a perforation in children younger than age 4, according to previous research findings.1 It is estimated that approximately 77,000 children are hospitalized for appendicitis and similar conditions each year, and one-third of them will have a perforation before having an appendectomy, the operation performed to remove the appendix.1
The study authors found that hospital charges for children who had a perforated appendix removed 24 hours after diagnosis were about $10,000 lower than charges for children who had the surgical procedure six to eight weeks later, after first being treated for abdominal infections and contamination from the perforated appendix. Further, hospital costs for the patients who were treated early were approximately $5,000 lower than those who underwent an appendectomy at a later time. One primary reason for the lower costs was that early appendectomy patients had better clinical outcomes and fewer adverse events.
Though both treatment approaches are common, "we hypothesized that the early surgical procedure would be better. In the trial, everyone is getting the same therapy they're getting the appendix out. It's just a difference of when the operation happens," explained Martin L. Blakely, MD, FACS, study author and associate professor of surgery and pediatrics at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tenn. "Initially, we said that even if the clinical outcomes turned out to be the same, we need to know if costs are different."
Between October 2006 and August 2009, Dr. Blakely and fellow surgeons randomized 131 pediatric appendicitis patients at LeBonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, Tenn., into two groups: One group was assigned to receive an early operation after diagnosis of perforated appendicitis, while the other would undergo the procedure up to eight weeks after diagnosis. The five participating surgeons performed the appendectomy according to the patient's randomization group. Each participating child's resource usage and cost data, including labor costs, supplies, facility services, and patient support services (ie: nutrition, social work, and family support) were then collected and analyzed. Analyses also included administrative and overhead costs, such as medical records management, information technology, admissions, and billing procedures.
Patients who underwent the later appendectomy (interval appendectomy) received more medical interventions than those who had the early appendectomy. Later appendectomy patients stayed in the hospital two days longer, and 87 percent received a central venous catheter, compared with only 44 percent of patients who had the early operation. Of all patients who received catheters, 43 percent of later appendectomy patients were discharged with it, compared with only 9 percent of early appendectomy patients.
Dr. Blakely said the biggest contributor to higher costs of delaying the operation was the increased likelihood of delayed appendectomy patients having an adverse event, such as an intra-abdominal abscess or an intestinal blockage. These adverse events, which led to emergency room visits and unplanned readmissions, more than doubled hospital charges and costs. The authors found that 30 percent of the early appendectomy patients had an adverse event, compared with 55 percent of those who had the operation at a later time.
These new study findings build on results from the same patient population that were published last year: Early appendectomy also reduced patients' recovery time by nearly six days. Additionally, approximately 23 percent of the patients scheduled to have the appen-dectomy later ended up having the surgical procedure earlier than expected because their condition failed to improve adequately or failed to resolve. 2
Dr. Blakely believes a larger, multihospital study is needed before surgeons and third-party payers should conclude that earlier is better than interval appendectomy. "That's where the surgeon comes in, to make the right choice," he explained. Currently, surgeons can freely elect to perform an appendectomy early after diagnosis, or after conservative medical therapy aimed at resolving the inflammatory process and doing the appendectomy weeks later, but the study's authors say their findings can help guide the decision beyond personal preference.
"Surgeons decide based on their training or what they are used to doing. Maybe one surgeon came from a place where they only did interval [later] appendectomies, but another surgeon only did early appendectomies. So, the specific surgical plan of care patients get can, to some extent, depend on what day they show up," Dr. Blakely said. "Currently, we're being stimulated to compare the available surgical therapies with regard to outcomes and costs by various regulatory agencies. As we move toward practicing evidence-based medicine and surgery, it's our responsibility to our patients to study the available therapies so we can tell families which approach is more clinically sound and cost effective," he concluded.
2 Blakely ML, Williams R, Dassinger M S, et al. Early vs. Interval Appendectomy for Children With Perforated Appendicitis Arch Surg. 2011;146(6):660-665.


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Added provisions help convince California's senators to approve bailout
WASHINGTON -- The Senate added hundreds of pages and unrelated sweeteners to an already massive financial rescue package.
It helped convince California's senators, both of whom said they would vote for the $700 billion bailout legislation Wednesday night.
But the revisions have not swayed San Joaquin Valley lawmakers one way or another.
The Valley's House members who supported the bailout plan on Monday still think it's necessary. The region's representatives who opposed the House's 110-page package think the Senate's new 451-page version is no better than the original.
"It's garbage," said Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia. "They're trying to put more decorations on the Christmas tree, but the problem is the Christmas tree."
On the flip side, Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa, said Wednesday that he believes the Senate bill is a "better package" that includes "some positive things."
Nunes opposed the $700 billion bailout Monday. Radanovich, after originally voting no, later switched to become one of 65 House Republicans to support the bill. On Friday, they will get another chance to reiterate their positions.
The House and Senate bailout fundamentals remain essentially the same. So does its unpopularity among voters. Through early Wednesday afternoon, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein's office reported receiving 91,004 e-mails, telephone calls and letters concerning the bailout legislation. Of these, 93 percent voiced opposition.
What's changed between the House and Senate bills, in part, is the addition of unrelated provisions. California's rural schools secure funding, farmers and filmmakers get tax breaks and, among other things, the manufacturers of "wooden arrows designed for use by children" save money under the revised Senate bill.
The rural schools provision, for instance, guarantees funding to counties like Fresno, Tulare and Tuolumne that have significant national forest holdings. The provision sustains a funding formula that in 2006 delivered $69 million for rural California counties.
"I think it will help with Republican votes," Radanovich said of the so-called Secure Rural Schools Act.
Boxer and Feinstein both stressed the importance of the underlying bailout bill, with Feinstein's press secretary, Scott Gerber, saying the senator "believes that the livelihood of Californians is threatened by the economic crisis, and this is much better than the original (three-page Treasury Department) proposal."
Boxer praised the Senate bill for increasing federal protection of bank deposits, among other revisions. She cited warnings that failure to approve the bill would cramp California's ability to finance its own public projects.
"California desperately needs access to short-term borrowing from banks," Boxer said.
The myriad Senate additions are also designed, in part, to convince at least 12 House members to change their minds and approve the bailout that was rejected Monday by a 228-205 margin. The Valley's congressmen are staying put.
Democratic Reps. Dennis Cardoza of Merced and Jim Costa of Fresno are sticking with the bailout that the White House and congressional leaders call economically essential. Cardoza said he still supports the package although he said it was "quite irksome" that the Senate added unpaid-for provisions.
"We've been hearing, 'You've got to get this done,'" Cardoza said. "(Constituents) are not supportive of any particular package, they're in support of Congress getting its act together."
Cardoza noted that his "BlackBerry was vibrating off of my kitchen table" and that he has been hearing from "everybody that has my personal e-mail address. Some constituent contacts have been spontaneous; others appear to have been mobilized."
Nunes said that although "90 percent of all my callers oppose" the bailout, he began hearing Tuesday from senior business leaders who were insistent that the bailout must pass. In some cases, Nunes said, he considered the calls part of an organized pressure campaign. Elsewhere on Capitol Hill, he said, congressional leaders were "breaking arms" in search of the votes they needed.
"They may get the votes," Nunes said, "but it's going to be a debacle."


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[UPDATE: Click here for our review/recap of The Walking Dead season 3 premiere: 'Seed'.]
While the news was to be expected, it has been confirmed by TV Line that more than one of our faithful Atlanta Survivors is going to end up as some lucky zombie's lunch in the upcoming third season of AMC's horror-thriller The Walking Dead.
So far, producers on the show aren't naming any names, but with season 3 expected to travel down a significantly darker path than season 2, it appears that all the characters will experience new forms of hardship and brutality.
[WARNING! The Walking Dead Season 2 Spoilers Below!]
If you're fan of writer Robert Kirkman's original The Walking Dead comic series (on which the TV show was based), you know all too well that not everyone makes it out of the West Central Prison alive - and the ones that do probably wish they hadn't.
Both the on-screen zombification death of little lost Sofia Peletier (Madison Lintz) in the Season 2 mid-season finale and the graphic gutting of Dale Horvath (Jeffrey DeMunn) should be a reminder that nobody is safe on this show.
Despite the many alterations that have already been made from comic book to the show, diehard fans of the comics need not worry that the TV producers are going to water down or erase the truly gruesome moments in the upcoming season. Earlier, executive producer Glen Mazzara reassured skeptical fans that he has no intention on deviating from the grizzly source material that has made the series so popular, saying:
"There's no place we won't go. Everything is on the table. This is a cutting edge cable drama. I'm comfortable with that material and we answered a lot of these questions on say the Shield and when I worked there, so I'm comfortable dealing with very, very edgy material. That being said, you want to make sure that things are not gratuitous, that things are not offensive for the sake of being offensive. I don't ever want the show to get too bleak. I think we've done a good job of creating characters that people care about. I think there's a heart to the show."
It should be noted that a character death will probably be the least dramatic thing to happen in season 3. This season, the group of survivors will not only be finally encountering the villainous Governor (David Morrissey) and the return of Merle Dixion, but the perils of the partially abandoned West Central Prison. What at first seem like an unlikely safe haven quickly turns into a living hell when the group learns that not all the convicts are in the mood for peaceful co-existence.
So who do you think is going to bite the big one on this season of The Walking Dead?
As always we will keep you posted on any new Walking Dead info that should arise and catch the season 3 premiere October 14th @ 9pm on AMC.
Source: TV Line


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MS prices up Xbox 360 Kinect console combo
250GB bundle
Microsoft has priced up the Xbox 360 Kinect bundle it's hoping will tempt console-less consumers when the motion control tech launches on 10 November.
An Xbox 360 250GB bundled with a Kinect sensor and a Kinect Adventures game pack will set you back £300.
It's $399 in the US, which is, give or take a pound or three, exactly equivalent to the VAT-less UK price.
MS has already announced a bundle pairing the Kinect kit with its 4GB Xbox 360.
Existing Xbox 360 owners can buy the Kinect sensor / Kinect Adventures bundle for £130. Kinect will also be bundled with the upcoming 4GB Xbox 360 for £250. Games cost £40.
You can read Reg Hardware's review of the Xbox 360 250GB here. ®


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By no means new to the production of smaller displacement, high output, multi-fractioned engines; on the heels of the 1975 208 GT4 Ferrari introduced the smallest displacement version of the 308 GTB – the 208 GTB and GTS – in 1980. The bodywork was identical to that of its berlinetta and targa sisters, while the new version of the sophisticated 90° V8 came in at just under 2,000 cc.
With the cessation of production of the 208 GT4 model in 1980, the 2 litre engine was dropped into the 2 seat body of the 308 GTB to bring about the 208 GTB Italian market model. Apart from its motive power, it was virtually identical to its larger engine capacity 308 GTB sister, although the gear ratios were altered to suit the characteristics of the smaller engine.Read more
The Pininfarina designed body had a pronounced wedge profile, with a rectangular egg-crate aluminium radiator grille below a slim full width satin black front bumper. A square section indent line ran along each body side between the front and rear bumpers, which was finished in satin black whatever the main body colour.
The doors featured scalloped intakes to the engine bay, the right one feeding the carburettor filter box, and the left one the oil cooler. At the rear there were twin circular light assemblies on the vertical recessed tail panel. A single piece lid hinged at the roof covered the engine bay and rear sited boot, whilst the vertical concave rear screen was bounded by buttressed sail panels. Options available were wider 7.5" rims, air conditioning, a radio, a deeper front spoiler, plus Michelin TRX or Pirelli P Zero tyres on special rims.
As with the exterior the interior was virtually identical to the larger capacity 308 GTB model, featuring a pair of leather trimmed bucket seats, whilst the main instruments were contained in a hooded nacelle in front of the driver, who was provided with a three spoke leather rimmed steering wheel. The clock and oil temperature gauge were mounted in a separate panel on the lower left edge of the dashboard. The gear lever in an open gate was mounted in the driver's side of the centre console, which also contained ancillary switchgear, the handbrake and an ashtray.
The 208 GTB models had a tubular chassis with factory type reference F 106 CB 100. Disc brakes, with independent suspension via wishbones, coil springs, and hydraulic shock absorbers, were provided all round, with front and rear anti roll bars.
All models were numbered in the Ferrari odd number road car chassis sequence, with only left hand drive available. Production ran from 1980 through to 1982, during which time 160 examples were produced in the chassis number range 31219 to 41329.
The transversely mid-mounted aluminium V8 engine was essentially of the same design as that used in the 308 GTB model. It was of a 90 degree configuration, with belt driven twin overhead camshafts per bank, having a total capacity of 1991cc, with a bore and stroke of 66.8mm x 71mm, bearing factory type reference F 106 CB 000.
The engine was coupled in unit with the all synchromesh five speed transmission assembly, which was below, and to the rear of the engine's sump. It was fitted with a bank of four twin choke Weber 34 DCNF carburettors, mounted in the centre of the vee, and had a claimed power output of 155bhp at 6800rpm.
|rear, transverse, 90° V8
|66.8 x 71 mm
|Unitary displacement
|248.83 cc
|Total displacement
|1990.64 cc
|Compression ratio
|9 : 1
|Maximum power
|114 kW (155 hp) at 6800 rpm
|Power per litre
|78 CV/l
|Maximum torque
|170 Nm (17.3 kgm) at 4200 rpm
|Valve actuation
|twin overhead camshafts per bank, two valves per cylinder
|Fuel feed
|four Weber 34 DCNF carburettors
|single spark plug per cylinder, single coil
|wet sump
|tubular steel
|Front suspension
|independent, unequal-length wishbones, coil springs over telescopic shock absorbers, anti-roll bar
|Rear suspension
|independent, unequal-length wishbones, coil springs over telescopic shock absorbers, anti-roll bar
|5-speed + reverse
|Fuel tank
|capacity 74 litres
|Front tyres
|Rear tyres
|two-seater berlinetta
|4230 mm
|1720 mm
|1120 mm
|2340 mm
|Front track
|1460 mm
|Rear track
|1460 mm
|1232 kg (dry)
|Top speed
|215 km/h
|Acceleration 0-100 km/h
|0-400 m
|0-1000 m


text:
Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
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Will be starting a 2nd RFF tribe. If you have not received an invite and want to join please PM me your email address & username you use at CBS. Kandace & Cinera I have your info. Phant0m & loverocked I need your info.Rory & skirk, glad to have you on board again.
The original RFF tribe was full, so s1 has kindly started a second.Hopefully phantom amd loverocked have joined Kandace there as well! If anyone wants to play along , please let s1 or me know your CBS username and your email asap BY PM...not on the board!!
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This study examines ways in which nitric oxide (NO), an important molecule that controls how
blood flows through the body's vessels, might be restored with a compound called sodium
nitrite. It is hoped that the result will reverse the effect of decreased flow of blood due
to sickled cells-that is, cells that have changed into the shape of a crescent or sickle.
Sickle cell disease is the most common genetic disease affecting African Americans. About 8%
of that population has the sickle cell trait. The changed cells can become attached to blood
vessels, decreasing blood flow to vital organs. There can be the loss of needed proteins,
including hemoglobin, that deliver oxygen throughout the body.
Adults at least 18 years of age who have the SS form of sickle cell disease or
S-beta-thalassemia, are in either a steady state or crisis, give informed and written consent
for participation, and have had a negative pregnancy test may be eligible for this study.
Adults with any other disease that puts them at risk for reduced circulation are not
eligible. Women who are breastfeeding are not eligible.
Participants will undergo a medical history, including family medical history, and a detailed
physical evaluation, to take about 1 hour. There will be a collection of blood;
echocardiogram, which involves taking a picture of the heart and its four chambers; and
measurement of exhaled carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and NO. A procedure called orthogonal
polarization spectral imaging will be performed. A small object the size of a Popsicle stick
will be placed under the tongue or on a fingertip. This procedure presents a picture of blood
flow and how the red blood cells appear as they circulate through blood vessels. The study
will be conducted in the Vascular Laboratory/Cardiovascular Floor or Intensive Care and will
last about 4 hours.
During the study, patients will lie in an adjustable reclining bed and chair. Small tubes
will be placed in the artery and vein of the forearm at the inside of the elbow. A small
pressure cuff will be applied to the wrist and a larger one to the upper arm. Both cuffs will
be inflated with air. A strain gauge, resembling a rubber band, will go around the widest
part of the forearm. When the pressure cuffs fill with air, blood will flow into the arm, and
information from the strain gauge will be recorded. Between administrations of each medicine,
there will be 30-minute rests. Normal saline will be put into the small tube in the artery.
Measurements of the blood flow in the forearm will be taken, and a small blood sample will be
taken to measure blood counts, proteins, and other natural body chemicals. Then a medicine
called sodium nitroprusside, which causes blood vessels to expand and increase blood flow,
will be placed into the forearm. It will be given at three different doses for 3 minutes
each, with measurements recorded after each dose. Then a medicine called L-NMMA will be
placed into the forearm. L-NMMA generally decreases local blood flow by preventing nitric
oxide from being produced in the cells lining the blood vessels. It will be given at two
different doses for 5 minutes each, with blood flow measured after each dose. Next, nitrite
will be placed in the forearm at three different doses for 5 minutes each. Before and after
nitrite is given, the researchers will measure the amount of the NO, carbon monoxide, and
carbon dioxide that the patients breathe out. Then the procedure for administering normal
saline, sodium nitroprusside, and L-NMMA will be repeated, as will a blood test.
This study will not have a direct benefit for participants. However, it is hoped that the
information gained from the study will help to develop treatment options for patients with
sickle cell disease.
Sickle cell disease is an autosomal recessive disorder and the most common genetic disease
affecting African-Americans. Approximately 0.15% of African-Americans are homozygous for
sickle cell disease, and 8% have sickle cell trait. Hemoglobin S polymerization leads to red
cell rigidity, microvascular obstruction, inflammation, and end-organ ischemia-reperfusion
injury and infarction. Our published data indicate that up to 50% of sickle cell patients
have endothelial dysfunction due to impaired bioavailability of endogenous nitric oxide due
in large part to scavenging of nitric oxide by cell-free plasma hemoglobin. These data
suggest that therapies directed at restoring NO bioavailability might prove beneficial. We
have recently discovered that the nitrite anion, available currently for human use as a
component of the cyanide antidote kit, is a vasodilator in vivo by generating nitric oxide
(NO) in tissues with lower oxygen tension and pH. The mechanism involves a novel
physiological function of human hemoglobin as an oxygen- and pH dependent nitrite reductase.
To date we have observed that nitrite infusions in animal models significantly reduce liver
and cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury and infarction in mouse models, prevent cerebral
vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage in primates, and decrease pulmonary hypertension in
newborn hypoxic sheep. The current protocol is designed as a phase I/II trial to address the
hypothesis that nitrite infusions will vasodilate the circulation in patients with sickle
cell disease at rest and during vaso-occlusive pain crisis, inactivate circulating cell-free
plasma hemoglobin, reduce pulmonary artery pressures and reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury
(measured by circulating markers of oxidant stress).
Must be at least 18 years of age
Homozygous sickle cell disease or S beta-0-thalassemia/alpha-thalassemia
Provides informed, written consent for participation
Patients with currently uncontrolled hypertension (diastolic blood pressures greater than
95 mmHg)
Hypercholesterolemia (LDL cholesterol greater than 130 mg/dL)
Diabetes mellitus (fasting blood glucose greater than 120 mg/dL)
Smoking within one month
Dietary ingestions of herbal medications, alcohol or caffeine within 12 hours of the study
Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease
Peripheral arteriosclerotic vascular disease
Treatment within the last 14 days with sildenafil, vardenafil, tadalafil, inhaled nitric
oxide, nitroglycerin or other NO-dependent drugs, such as arginine
Red cell G6PD activity below normal range (All subjects will be tested for red blood cell
G6PD deficiency; levels below the lower limits of normal will result in exclusion from
participation in the study)
Cytochrome B5 deficiency
History of reaction to a medication or other substance characterized by dyspnea and
Lactating females (Lactating females will not participate since nitrites cross into breast
milk and could cause methemoglobinemia in the infant)
Pregnancy testing (urine or blood) will be required of all women of reproductive age to
exclude current pregnancy
Principal InvestigatorJohn F Tisdale, M.D.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Bethesda, Maryland 20892United StatesThere is no listed contact information for this specific location.Site Status: N/A
| All trademarks are property of their legal owners. | All Rights Reserved
ClinicalConnection.com is a resource that provides information on clinical trials conducted worldwide.
ClinicalConnection.com does not conduct or endorse clinical trials. Please consult your physician before participating.
© All Rights Reserved.
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Rihanna Gets Risque New Tattoo in Honor of Her Grandmother
Usually when someone gets a tattoo in honor of a fallen relative, you they'll get it somewhere innocuous — an arm, a shoulder, a calf. But Rihanna isn't just anybody, and when she got inked in honor of her beloved "GranGran," she went big — and, almost predictably in her case, sexy.
Rihanna was devastated by the death of her grandmother, Clara "Dolly" Braithewaite, this past July. Braithwaite passed away following a bout with cancer, after which RiRi tweeted numerous photos of and with Dolly. It showed the rare, soft, oft hidden vulnerable side to the 'Hard' singer.
Rihanna got the Egyptian goddess Isis inked near the center of her rib cage, just below her breasts. The goddess' head and body are in the center of RiRi's chest, with her wings stretched and extending all the way across the singer's torso. It's a stunning visual and great artwork for sure, but we can't help but wonder if Rihanna was thinking too far ahead when she went under the needle for this. It's going to look pretty bizarre in a bikini as it is, but we're talking something worse: Without an eventual lift, at some point, she might not be able to see her own body art. Here's hoping she's got perky genes.
The 'We Found Love' singer has a slew of ink, ranging from various phrases to a gun to a trail of stars (which former and possibly current flame Chris Brown shares). However, this one may boast the most meaning for the starlet, who wrote, "Goddess Isis- Complete Woman – Model for future generations- #GRANGRANDOLLY – always in and on my heart #1love."
Here's hoping her new ink will help Rihanna memorialize, remember and gain closure on her GranGran.
Watch the Rihanna 'California King Bed' Video


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November 22, 2019 | 1 hr, 47 min.
Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Susan Kelechi Watson
A jaded magazine writer learns about empathy, kindness and decency while preparing a profile of Fred Rogers, aka Mr. Rogers. read more
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Chadwick Boseman, Sienna Miller, J.K. Simmons
After uncovering a massive conspiracy, an embattled NYPD detective joins a citywide manhunt for two young cop killers. As the night unfolds, he soo... read more
November 15, 2019 | 1 hr, 58 min.
Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, Ella Balinska
Elena Houghlin is a scientist, engineer and inventor of Calisto -- a sustainable energy source that will revolutionize the way people use power. Bu... read more
November 15, 2019 | 1 hr, 49 min.
Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen, Russell Tovey
Career con artist Roy Courtnay can hardly believe his luck when he meets well-to-do widow Betty McLeish online. As Betty opens her life and home to... read more
November 8, 2019 | 2 hr, 18 min.
Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Luke Evans
On Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese forces launch a devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. naval base in Hawaii. Six months later, the Battle of Midway... read more
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When straight-laced fire superintendent Jake Carson and his elite team of firefighters come to the rescue of three siblings, they quickly realize t... read more
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Nothing seems to go right for young Kate, a frustrated Londoner who works as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop. But things soon take a turn for... read more
November 8, 2019 | 2 hr, 31 min.
Critic Review:
3/4 stars
Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran
Struggling with alcoholism, Dan Torrance remains traumatized by the sinister events that occurred at the Overlook Hotel when he was a child. His ho... read more
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From her escape from slavery through the dangerous missions she led to liberate hundreds of slaves through the Underground Railroad, the story of h... read more
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In Mexico City, a newly modified liquid Terminator -- the Rev-9 model -- arrives from the future to kill a young factory worker named Dani Ramos. A... read more
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text: Boyzzzzz!!!! 'Sup ya'll its ya peoples DjSlab1, fasho!!! I 've been in tha streets, head first, Djing, producin' etc. for over 10years. I started out djing house parties, schools, colleges, large events, small events, weddings, funerals, barmitzfaz etc. I've been on tour djing for Cash Money records, Vicked out Recordings and tha Ghetto Twiinz to name a few. Right now I'm making noise with the Q93 boyz!!!! Well I write more when I can think of someskin!!!


text:
Charlie Krebs has a keen sense of humor and a booming laugh, and when the Lakeland College associate professor of theatre and speech thinks something's funny, it's pretty obvious.
If you take an evening stroll past Lakeland's Bradley Theatre these days, you might just hear the unmistakable sound of Krebs cracking up. With rehearsals for Lakeland's spring musical, Monty Python's "Spamalot," in full swing, laughter is definitely in the air.
"This play is enormously funny," says Krebs with a big smile. "There have been nights when I was working on the script at home, and I started laughing so hard I couldn't stop. It's especially funny if you're a fan of 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail,' but even if you're not, Spamalot is still very, very funny."
Lakeland Theatre's production of "Spamalot" debuts on Thursday, March 27, at 7:30 p.m. with additional shows scheduled for 7:30 p.m. March 27-29 and at 2 p.m. March 30. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for non-Lakeland students. They can be purchased in advance using the form below, by contacting Deb Fale at or 920-565-1536.
"Spamalot" is a musical parody of the monster 1975 comedy, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." "Spamalot," which debuted on Broadway in 2005 and won three Tony awards, is about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
"So many people know and love Monty Python, and 'Spamalot' has had a really good run (on Broadway)," says Krebs. "It's funny and irreverent, just a great show.
"'Spamalot' has never been performed in Wisconsin, outside of Milwaukee and Appleton," says Krebs, adding, "When I found out the rights were available, I almost passed out I was so excited."
By opening night, Lakeland's student-actors will have rehearsed for nine weeks, a couple more than usual.
"I think it's a really fun show," says Lakeland actress Katherine Zielsdorf, a sophomore from Kenosha. "It's got a lot of good British humor, and I think it's something the audience is really going to enjoy."
Most of Lakeland's plays over the past few years, including "Fiddler on the Roof," "Soli Deo Gloria" and "Equus," have been on the dramatic and serious side, Krebs says.
"And there's nothing wrong with that, but it's time to have some fun," Krebs says. "And that's exactly what this play is – enormously fun. We laugh together during rehearsal all the time."
Adds Zielsdorf: "It's more fun for me to do comedy. When you're doing a serious play, you're not getting a lot of audience reaction, so it's more fun to do a comedy so you can get reaction from the audience and up your performance a little more."
Fellow student actor Nathan Miller, a freshman from Marinette, agrees.
"I think the audience will love it," he says. "We're having a bunch of fun and that's going to show. It's funny … (people in the audience) will laugh their heads off."


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Moby Dick for the modern age
Moby Dick is one of those books you might have been required to read in high school or college, and afterward you scrape yourself off the deck, count yourself lucky to have survived, and like its narrator, Ishmael, you attempt to move on.
For others it is a truely pleasurable read, the only book they would want on a desert island, or "the greatest American novel ever written," to quote Nathaniel Philbrick, who argues the point in "Why Read Moby Dick?"
The novel, regardless one of the most respected books in English literature, was published 161 years ago today.
This fall, thanks to a project at the U.K.'s Plymouth University, the Moby Dick Big Read, you can listen to the entire novel read chapter by chapter by 134 different readers, including well-known celebs such as Tilda Swinton and Stephen Fry.
The big read kicked off in September, and readers will be adding a chapter each day through mid-January, when the novel will be finished. Each chapter is accompanied by lush graphics inspired by the ocean tale, many original creations made for the project itself.
Whether you are a devoted fan, have never read the work, or you read it once and wondered why everyone else seemed to enjoy it more than you, here is a new opportunity to connect with the great story of Captain Ahab and his fated crew as he single-mindedly pursued his heart's hate to the ends of the earth.


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Will a person become dependent on using a vibrator? Will they still be able to orgasm from, let's say, oral sex or vaginal sex? If that's your concern, then rest assured that there is nothing about vibrator use per se that will deny a person the ability to have orgasms any other way. I've worked on a number of research studies related to the use of vibrators and other sex toys and many women and men experience orgasm in a variety of ways.
That said, I do think it's a good idea for people to vary their sexual experiences, whether we're talking vibrators or other ways of enjoying sexual pleasure. When you masturbate, vary your hand and body position. Use lube sometimes but not other times. Include a vibrator sometimes but maybe not every time. If it's been a while since you've been open to receiving oral sex, consider inviting your partner to go down on you. By varying your experiences, you can help keep your mind and body receptive – and responsive – to diverse types of stimulation and sexual pleasure.
Generally speaking, many women and men find that orgasms occur more quickly and while using a vibrator, assuming one is using a vibrator (and intensity of vibration) that they like. Some couples using vibrators during foreplay or intercourse to ease orgasm for one or both partners. The We-Vibe is an intercourse-specific vibrator (it can be worn vaginally by a woman during intercourse). Other vibrators, such as the silver bullet, are small enough that they can be held to the clitoris, scrotum or other preferred parts during intercourse.
Dr. Debby Herbenick, author of Sex Made Easy and Great In Bed, is the Co-Director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion in the School of Public Health-Bloomington at Indiana University (IU) where she is a Research Scientist. She is also a sexual health educator at The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction where she writes (and hosts audio podcasts of) the Kinsey Confidential column and coordinates educational programming. She has a PhD in Health Behavior from IU, a Master's degree in Public Health Education (also from IU) and a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park. In addition, she is certified as a Sexuality Educator from the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists.


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With Philadelphia in the midst of another heat wave, many children seek relief in fountains, pools and spray parks. But local doctors are warning that the water is helping to spread a highly contagious disease that puts children, particularly infants and toddlers, at risk.
It's called hand, foot and mouth disease, and it's caused by the coxsackie virus. Symptoms of hand, foot and mouth include fever, headache, loss of appetite and painful blisters that form on the palms of hands, soles of feet and lips -- hence the name (not to be confused with foot-and-mouth disease, a virus that can cause lockjaw in cattle and be fatal).
Doctors say children spread it in fountains, pools daycares, playgrounds and at home. They also say it's extremely contagious among toddlers who haven't been exposed to the virus before.
"It's ubiquitous," said Dr. Wenonah Nelson, a pediatrician at Bryn Mawr Hospital. "It spreads all over the place. It's spread by respiratory droplet and probably spread by fecal route. So we ask people to be careful about hand wiping after diaper changes."
Brooke Mailhiot of Mount Laurel, NJ says her 9-month-old son Chase was diagnosed with the virus.
"He had a loss of appetite and was very fatigued," she said.
Mailhiot believes her son caught the virus after playing at a water park. Doctors also say however that children can catch it by picking up a shared toy that went from hand to mouth.
"The kids put everything in their mouth," she said. "I just carry anti-bacterial wipes and wipe everything down."
Doctors say the virus is rarely life-threatening and normally lasts about a week. They recommend parents follow Mailhiot's example and wipe toys down with anti-bacterial wipes. They also say it can be treated with over the counter pain relievers. Other than that, they say, it's best to just let it run its course.


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Reich: "warm late period" continues with Double Sextet
Reich: "warm late period" continues with Double Sextet
Steve Reich's "vigorous" Double Sextet has received performances in Ann Arbor, San Francisco, Costa Mesa, and New York City since the March 26 world premiere with eighth blackbird in Richmond, and the tour continues through Washington, DC, and Chicago next month before reaching the UK next fall. The 22-minute work has two performance options, either as a live sextet of flute, clarinet, violin, cello, vibraphone and piano playing against a pre-recorded sextet on tape, or as an ensemble of 12 instrumentalists. The result is "…the kind of explosion of fractured rhythms that never ceases to amaze the ear." – Los Angeles Times
"Six musicians are playing a duet with recorded versions of themselves. It is like looking into an electronic mirror. The mirror refracts the rapid, driving beat of piano and marimba; it adds a reflected gleam to long-held chords of strings and winds. The players, live and recorded, create layer upon layer of sound, a rich mille-feuille of music, while pinwheeling light-images create visual parallels on the wall behind them.
"Reich…seems to continue in a warm late period that verges on the downright romantic. Reich is a rare composer who moves in a clear, straight line, developing his thoughts from one piece to the next; "Double Sextet" is obviously in the tradition of his other live/taped pieces, such as "New York Counterpoint." But in this piece, his rhythmic patterns became a background against which he held up chords as if examining them under the light, replacing his characteristic spareness with something verging on melodic richness (the slow movement opened with a tune in the strings that was practically a pop song).
"Reich has said he does not want to write again for orchestra -- that it is not a sound that interests him -- but this strong sextet touched on timbres and harmonies and depths that nodded, at least, in that direction." – The Washington Post
The "'Double Sextet'" begins with Mr. Reich's signature chugging rhythms but quickly moves a fair distance, as intricate rhythmic counterpoint and thickening harmonies displace the repetitive opening figure. Parts of the score are almost episodic, with distinct shifts of mood set apart by percussive full stops. In one fleeting passage a lyrical violin-cello duet over a hazy accompaniment sounded like a lightly distorted glimpse into a 19th-century European ballroom. That didn't last long: Mr. Reich's insistent rhythms quickly returned, restoring the work to its contemporary moorings." – The New York Times
View the full Performance Diary for Double Sextet
> Further information on Work: Double Sextet
Photo: Alice Arnold/Nonesuch


text: Top 7 Passover Song Parodies Posted on April 6, 2016 | by Rabbi Robyn Frisch When I was growing up, I always looked forward to my family's Passover seders. One of my favorite parts of the seder was the songs—and not just the songs that were in the haggadah, like "Dayenu," "Chad Gadya" and "Who Knows One?" I also loved the silly song parodies we'd sing each year at our seder based on (somewhat) modern songs, like "Take Me Out to the Seder" sung to the tune of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," "There's No Seder Like Our Seder" sung to the tune of "There's No Business Like Show Business," and "The Ballad of the Four Sons" sung to the tune of "Clementine." (You can click here to find the words to these songs and others.) As corny as these all seem to me now, I can still remember how clever I thought they were when I was young—and how they didn't cease to amuse me each year. In recent days, with Passover approaching, some of my friends have posted Passover parodies of pop songs on Facebook, and they've reminded me of those parodies we used to sing at our seder when I was young. So, for fun, I thought I'd compile a list of my favorite Passover song parodies. Here they are, in no particular order: 1. Although Kristen Anderson-Lopez and her husband Robert Lopez probably didn't realize it when they composed the song "Let it Go" for the movie Frozen, they had written the perfect phrase to be parodied as a Passover song. And it was parodied—endlessly—in 2014. One of the better videos, in my opinion, was "Let Us Go," made by members of Congregation B'nai Shalom in Westborough, MA. 2. But my favorite Frozen parody by far was Six13's "Chozen (A Passover Tribute)." It even included an introduction with John Travolta flubbing the name of the group, just as he had mispronounced Idina Menzel's name when introducing her to sing "Let it Go" at the Oscars. 3. Just as 2014 was the year of the "Let it Go" Passover parody, 2015 was the year of the "Uptown Funk" Passover parody. Aish HaTorah's "Passover Funk" was a great parody of the Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars hit song. 4. But again, my favorite version of 2015's most-parodied song for Passover was by Six13. Their "Uptown Passover (An 'Uptown Funk for Pesach)" put them at the top of my Passover song parody list for the second year in a row. 5. Following up on the success of their 2014 "Let Us Go," members of Congregation B'nai Shalom in Westborough, MA, did a great job parodying Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass" in their 2015 "All About Those Plagues." Having noted in a blog that I wrote this past December that most Hanukkah pop song parodies that I liked were by all-male groups and that I hoped to see more women and girls coming out with some awesome parodies, I love that the B'nai Shalom videos feature more than just young men. I can relate to the woman who wrote on YouTube about "All About Those Plagues": "I must congratulate you. I'm so tired of these all-male Orthodox groups having a near-monopoly on Jewish holiday videos… [This video] features a wide diversity of ages, genders and even races. That's what Judaism is about…" 6. Felicia Sloin's Video "Batya—Floating in The Reeds" is a fun parody of Adele's "Rolling In The Deep." And again, it was nice to watch a video featuring a woman. 7. And finally, here's another video featuring a woman, this one a funny take on the foods that can and can't be eaten on Passover: Julie Geller's "U Can't Eat This," a parody of MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This" that you don't want to miss. With Passover less than a month away, I'm disappointed that I still haven't seen any good 2016 Passover pop song parodies. Maybe the Maccabeats (famous for their "Candlelight" parody of Taio Cruz's "Dynamite" and many other songs) will release a video before Passover. I can hope… and if they don't, I'll just have to watch "U Can't Eat This" a few more times… or break out signing "Take Me Out to the Seder." What's your favorite Passover song parody? About Rabbi Robyn Frisch View all posts by Rabbi Robyn Frisch →


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Politics & Government
GOP senators to Supreme Court: Uphold Defense of Marriage Act
Ten U.S. senators are urging the Supreme Court to overturn the rulings of multiple lower courts and to uphold a 1996 law that defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman and freed states not to recognize same-sex marriages from other states.
President Barack Obama said last year during his re-election campaign that he supported same-sex marriage, and gay voters overwhelmingly backed him in November. Obama equated gay Americans' push for equal rights to the civil rights movement in his inaugural speech last month.
Congress passed the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act by large majorities in both the House and the Senate, and President Bill Clinton signed it into law.
Each of the 10 senators now asking the Supreme Court to uphold the Defense of Marriage Act, known as DOMA, voted for it in 1996 either as senators or as House members.
In a friend-of-the-court brief filed Jan. 29, the senators said it is inconsistent for the Justice Department to have assured Congress the law was constitutional while it was being crafted in the mid-1990s but to raise questions now.
"The time to speak was in 1996, when Congress gave careful consideration to the need for DOMA," said the senators, all of whom are Republican.
But the senators acknowledged that public sentiment toward same-sex marriage has changed in the subsequent 17 years: "It is manifest that the traditional definition of marriage, which was overwhelmingly supported by bipartisan majorities in 1996, is more controversial today, both among the public and their elected representatives."
The law did not prohibit states from recognizing same-sex marriages, and nine states have enacted laws doing so since 1996. But law also doesn't require states to recognize those marriages from other states, which makes many couples ineligible for federal spousal benefits under Medicare, Social Security and other programs if they change residences.
Two different federal appellate courts last year upheld several lower courts' rulings that the law, often known as DOMA, is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court took up the case in December and has set oral arguments for March 27.
Obama two years ago instructed U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to stop defending the law in federal court, an unusual move that places U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Jr. in a difficult spot, because the solicitor general normally defends federal laws under challenge before the high court.
House Speaker John Boehner, on behalf of House Republicans, has hired prominent Washington lawyer Paul Clement to defend the law, in a move that House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi criticized for costing taxpayers $3 million.
In a related development, outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Monday extended some minor benefits to the same-sex spouses of service members, making available perks that the Pentagon previously had denied.
In explaining why he hadn't extended all military benefits to same-sex spouses of service members, Panetta made an indirect reference to the high court's pending review of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.
"I foresee a time when the law will allow the (Defense) Department to grant full benefits to service members and their dependents, irrespective of sexual orientation," Panetta said. "Until then, the department will continue to comply with current law while doing all we can to take care of all soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and their families."
The benefits Panetta extended are relatively minor, among them access to hospital child care services, hospital visits and military ID cards that will enable the same-sex spouses to visit grocery stores, movie theaters, gyms and other outlets on bases. More major benefits such as medical care, housing allowances and survivor allowances are still withheld.
Panetta said his extension of limited benefits resulted from a review prompted by the September 2011 repeal of the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy prohibiting gays from serving openly in the military.


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Rosendin Electric workers are trying out a new cable-feeding machine that requires half the manpower of traditional cable pulls. It almost seems like cheating.
The San-Jose-Calif.-based electrical contractor, one of the largest in the United States, is currently pulling cable at the San Francisco International Airport expansion. The $2.4 billion expansion is one of the largest and most complex U.S. construction projects underway; by 2003 the sizeof the airport will double.
Rosendin is responsible for the electrical contracting of Boarding Area A, one of the airport's two new international concourses. The $10 million (estimated) contract involves rough and finish overhead electrical installation throughout the boarding area. Rosendin workers are pulling power cable from utility service in the main terminal to transformers in two substations 1300 ft away. The transformers stepped the 12,000 V down to 480 V then to 120 V. The contract also includes pulling conduit raceways for public address, alarm, communications, and other special systems.
When the job is complete, Rosendin workers will have laid 100 miles of cable for power and lights in Boarding Area A. The company's longest single pull so far stretched for 870 ft; the largest diameter cable was 500 MCM. Of course, a job this big takes more than strong hands, good soap, and tight gloves. Rosendin General Foreman John Bloxsom and his crews have been using a prototype Greenlee Cable Feeder-a tool that speeds the cable pulling process. "What everyone installing cable knows is that the better you feed it the easier it is to pull," said Bloxsom. "The old 'grunt' way requires a man, sometimes two, on each reel trying to keep pace with the tugger on the other end. This has never been an efficient or particularly effective use of skilled manpower, but there was no other way."
As many as six people are required to do a typical pull the traditional way: one man operating a cable puller; one man each on four heavy 500 MCM copper conductors coming off Wemco (steel) or wood reels; and another man soaping and guiding the bundle into the conduit. Bloxsom said that with a cable feeder a pull requires just three people-one operating the cable puller, one operating the cable feeder, and one soaping the cable. So, workers don't have to leave other important jobs when its time to do a pull.
"With pulls of hundreds of feet, and going pretty much nonstop for hours, this is a physically demanding job that takes its toll after awhile," said Bloxsom. Pullers can deliver up to 8000 lbs of pulling force-enough power to pull thousands of pounds of cable through hundreds of feet of conduit. But if the feed isn't keeping pace with or matching the speed of the Tugger, tension can build; even exceeding allowable limits.
Cable feeders allow users to match the speed of cable coming off the reels with that of the pull. Here's how it works. The feeder is first positioned between the reels and the conduit. This is easy because the feeder is compact, comes with wheels, and can be wheeled into place by one person. Then, as many as eight 250 MCM cables, or up to five 750 MCM cables, are fed between the feeder's two traction wheels, which grip the cable top and bottom and provide the feeding power. Once operation starts, only two people are needed at the feed end of the pull: one to control the cable feeder, another to soap the "form" as it goes into conduit.
The cable feeder has a variable speed control capability that allows the operator to adjust to any pulling speed-from 4 ft to 36 ft per minute. Conceivably, just one person could be used to both operate the feeder and soap the cable because start/stop control can be done with an optional remote foot switch.
Another feature that Rosendin's people like is the feeder's ability to keep the feed "organized." According to Resident Forman Cary Lea, who has the most feeder experience, cable can often become tangled when it's fed manually off the reels. This causes frequent stops and the tiring process of untangling the cable and starting again.
"But the cable feeder has what I call a 'comb' that keeps the cable separated and prevents them from tangling," said Lea. "The bundle is better organized, so it can go into the conduit easier and faster in one straight, exact 'form.' Otherwise, the overall profile can be raised, making it impossible to feed it in. This, coupled with the variable speed feature, makes our job so much easier."


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Latest News
Obama nominates Sen. John Kerry as secretary of state
President Barack Obama on Friday nominated Sen. John Kerry for secretary of state in his second term, calling the Vietnam veteran and onetime presidential contender the "perfect choice to guide American diplomacy."
Kerry's nomination was all but assured after U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, once considered a shoo-in to succeed Hillary Clinton, withdrew her name from consideration amid intense Republican opposition that would've ensured an ugly Senate confirmation process.
Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat known for his gravitas and statesmanship, isn't likely to face such opposition, and Obama told him Friday that he was "confident the Senate will confirm you quickly."
Kerry's bigger challenge would come after confirmation, as Clinton's replacement will inherit a department that's just been slammed by an independent panel on the deadly Sept. 11 attacks on U.S. posts in Libya. He would be in charge of fixing the serious, systemic leadership problems the investigating panel found at State, while also finding ways to boost the morale of a diplomatic corps that's still reeling from the killing of a popular ambassador and the fallout from the report's harsh criticisms.
And then there's the Syrian civil war, North Korean posturing, Iranian nuclear ambitions, North African political transitions and strained relations with Russia, to name but a few of the urgent foreign policy issues he'll confront. Kerry also would have to manage the so-far unsuccessful effort to negotiate a political settlement to the war in Afghanistan, a conflict in which he has invested considerable personal attention.
Obama, speaking at the White House, said Kerry's military background, family ties to the Foreign Service, "extraordinarily distinguished" Senate career and chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee make him the ideal pick to serve as America's top diplomat.
"John's played a central role in every major foreign policy debate for nearly 30 years," Obama said. "As we turn the page on a decade of war, he understands that we've got to harness all elements of American power and ensure that they're working together – diplomatic and development, economic and political, military and intelligence, as well as the power of our values which inspire so many people around the world."
Obama was expected to have unveiled his full national security team Friday, but the administration has run into snags with former Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., a leading contender for defense secretary who's facing growing opposition related to his statements on Israel and gays. On Friday, Hagel issued an apology for remarks he made in 1998 about a gay ambassadorial nominee, saying they "do not reflect my views or the totality of my public record."
Analysts say that by announcing Kerry's nomination separately, Obama sets him apart from candidates who could face a thornier path to Senate confirmation. Kerry, 69, and his wife, Teresa Heinz, 74, stood next to Obama as the nomination was announced but didn't make any remarks. Kerry chuckled when Obama riffed that the two had become close during weeks of debate preparation – Kerry was the stand-in for Mitt Romney in mock debates during Obama's second presidential campaign.
One question that swirled as Kerry's name was put forth for secretary was: What happens to his Senate seat? Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick would appoint a temporary senator, and an election to fill the Kerry seat would have to be held later in 2013, probably in June. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., is expected to try to regain the seat he is leaving Jan. 3 – he lost in November to Democrat Elizabeth Warren. Brown had won his seat in a special election in 2010, after Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy died.
Several prominent Democrats could vie for the seat, including Reps. Edward Markey, Mike Capuano and Stephen Lynch. Actor Ben Affleck also has been mentioned.
Senate reaction to the Kerry nomination was overwhelmingly positive, hardly a surprise for a colleague who's been serving since 1985. Traditionally, the Senate confirms presidential appointees with strong bipartisan votes. Most senators believe that voters have spoken, elected a president, and therefore he's entitled to his team.
They often won't say how they're voting to confirm prior to hearings, but Friday, they came awfully close.
"We have known John Kerry for many years. We have confidence in John Kerry's ability to carry out the job," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. Kerry was the Democrats' 2004 presidential nominee – and routinely criticized by Republicans – and McCain was the Republicans' 2008 nominee against Obama, but the two have long been friendly.
Other conservatives had similarly warm words.
"I don't anticipate any surprises," said Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a Foreign Relations Committee member. "Sen. Kerry was a very, very solid choice by the president," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Kerry was a "popular choice with the Senate."
Kerry and Republicans clashed at times on policy, most notably over the Iraq war effort. Such disagreements, McCain said, hardly disqualify him.
"My view will not be based on differences of opinion," he said.
Kerry's nomination will be considered by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a panel he has led for the last four years. Likely to chair the panel during confirmation proceedings is Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J.
The top Republican will be Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, known for his temperate approach. Corker was one of the few Republicans recently who said Rice, the U.N. ambassador who withdrew from consideration, at least deserved a hearing should she be tapped for State.
The hearings are likely to involve the controversy over the U.S. role in protecting Americans at the U.S. consulate and CIA annex in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, where Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans died in Sept. 11 attacks. Republicans continued to raise major questions about security Friday, but they did not mention the turmoil when they pivoted and discussed Kerry.
Cynthia P. Schneider, a former U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands who's now a distinguished professor in the practice of diplomacy at Georgetown University in Washington, said the complex issue of diplomatic security is magnified now because of the Benghazi tragedy, but that it shouldn't overshadow other pressing U.S. interests.
Schneider said one priority should be trying to craft better policy toward the Arab and North African political transitions, which she said began with aspirations toward U.S.-style democracy and now are continuing with little or no U.S. leverage – a threat to national security as militants and hard-line Islamists drown out the moderate voices.
"It's tragic that, in these countries now, the United States is not only not the model, it's the enemy," Schneider said. "Losing our soft-power position of moral authority is really regrettable."
She added that she's counting on Kerry to address that with a "multi-layered approach" that draws on his record of engaging actors beyond just his governmental counterparts.
Only the day before his nomination, Kerry presided over a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Benghazi attacks. Though everyone in the room was aware that his nomination was likely imminent, it wasn't mentioned once as senators quizzed senior State Department officials on an independent panel's findings that security was "grossly inadequate" at the U.S. posts in Benghazi.
However, Kerry offered a preview of his vision for the State Department in opening remarks that focused on the necessity of striking a balance between a proudly "expeditionary" diplomatic corps and the need for greater security in high-risk posts around the world. He pointedly and repeatedly mentioned the need for Congress to approve sufficient funding for the State Department, one issue of contention as Republicans balk that too many resources there are squandered without enough oversight.
"There will always be a tension between the diplomatic imperative to get 'outside the wire' and the security standards that require our diplomats to work behind high walls, concertina wire and full body searches," Kerry said at the hearing. "We do not want to concertina-wire America off from the world. Our challenge is to strike a balance between the necessity of the mission, available resources and tolerance for risk."
Lesley Clark of the Washington Bureau contributed.


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PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The board of directors of PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG) yesterday declared a regular quarterly dividend of 61 cents per share, payable Dec. 12 to shareholders of record Nov. 11.
This marks the company's 461st consecutive dividend payment. PPG has paid uninterrupted annual dividends since 1899.
PPG Industries' vision is to continue to be the world's leading coatings and specialty products company. Through leadership in innovation, sustainability and color, PPG helps customers in industrial, transportation, consumer products, and construction markets and aftermarkets to enhance more surfaces in more ways than does any other company. Founded in 1883, PPG has global headquarters in Pittsburgh and operates in nearly 70 countries around the world. Sales in 2012 were $15.2 billion. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol:PPG). For more information, visit www.ppg.com and follow @PPGIndustries on Twitter.
Bringing innovation to the surface is a trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.


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The SuperElevated project proposes a new, more sustainable, transportation system for Chicago that incorporates train, electric car, bicycle and pedestrian modes of travel. Using the Loyola red line "L" stop as a testing ground, the project images a suspended monorail train system for Chicago employing magnetic levitation for speed and noise control. The upper surface of the rail structure supports a multi-lane surface conduit for bikers, runners, and other modes of personal transportation, making sustainable transit to and from the city center more enjoyable and efficient.
Adjacent to the tracks is a sixteen-story Car Share Tower, where residents and visitors can access electric-powered Smart cars for short-term rentals, returning them at other "L" stops throughout the city. Together the station and tower frame an urban public space for relaxation, spontaneous social events and street performances, proposing a new kind of public social space as part of Chicago's sustainable future.


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Airlines: Halt fines for furlough-fueled tarmac delays
WASHINGTON -- The nation's airlines want the Transportation Department to temporarily suspend the tarmac-delay rule that carries heavy fines for stranding passengers on planes while flight delays mount because of air-traffic control furloughs.
The landmark rule, which first took effect in April 2010 after a decade of lobbying by passengers who had been stuck on planes, says passengers cannot be stranded on domestic flights on airport tarmacs for more than three hours without being taken back to a terminal to get off.
If they are left stranded, airlines face fines of up to $27,500 per passenger. The rule later was extended to four hours for international flights.
Two major groups -- Airlines for America, which represents the largest airlines, and the Regional Airline Association, which represents smaller carriers that most fliers are on daily -- have asked the department to suspend the rule for 90 days or until the furloughs of controllers end.
Furloughs that began Sunday are scheduled to last through September because of federal spending cuts. And already, thousands of flights have been delayed.
The airlines contend that with thousands of daily flight delays, enforcing the rule will force even more cancellations and complicate airport traffic by urging planes back to gates.
"Flights have already been sold months in advance, planes will be full and delays and flight cancellations will result in turmoil for the traveling public," the airlines said in a 10-page filing from Dave Berg, general counsel for Airlines for America, and Roger Cohen, president of the regional group.
But consumer advocates fear that a temporary suspension would lead to a permanent repeal of the rule.
Paul Hudson, president of FlyersRights.org, said the rule stopped airlines from keeping passengers on planes rather than canceling flights and allowing travelers to make other plans.
"I think it's a back-door way to try and get repeal," Hudson said. "It would be a total step backward and it would hurt the transportation system and it would alienate passengers more than ever."
The department is collecting public comment on the proposal until 5 p.m. Friday.
Few fines have been levied since the rule took effect. But lengthy tarmac delays have become increasingly rare.
The first fine announced in November 2011 against American Eagle was for $900,000. Pakistan International Airlines was hit with a $150,000 fine in September 2012. Two fines in January 2013 were for $150,000 against Panama's Copa Airlines and $55,000 against Virgin America. And United Airlines was fined $130,000 in February 2013.
The department is investigating 34 tarmac delays in Charlotte during a snowstorm Feb. 16.
When Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Thursday possible flight delays from furloughs, he said there was flexibility to avoid fines if delays are caused by furloughs.
"There is language in the rule that allows us to take into consideration circumstances like this," LaHood said.


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TCAD Revisited, 2007: An Engineer's Point of View
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Constantin Bulucea joined National Semiconductor in 1990, and is currently asenior member of company's technical staff. He is engaged in the development of a series of IC manufacturing processes for high-performance VLSI devices such as analog-optimized CMOS FETs and SiGe-base BJTs. In 1998, he designed National's 0.18-µm CMOS device architecture. Prior to National (1987-1990), he worked for Siliconix, where he led the development of world's highest-current transistor switch, in trench DMOS technology.
During his 41 years in the semiconductor industry, Dr. Bulucea has published over 50 papers, most notable of which are his seminal contributions to the electronics of surface breakdown and hot-carrier-injection in silicon (1970-80), technology of power DMOS transistors (1987-90), and architecture of VLSI devices (1991-). In the above areas, he has 23 US patents, with several others pending.
Dr. Bulucea is a member of the editorial board of Solid-State Electronics. He serves on the Technical Committees of the Bipolar Circuits and Technology Meeting and VLSI Technology Symposium. In 2003, he was the chairman of the Advanced Devices and Technologies thrust of the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC). He is the founding chairman of IEEE's Region 8 Annual Conference for Semiconductors and the vice-chairman of the Santa Clara Valley chapter of the Electron Device Society of IEEE.
Sponsored by
The Center of Integrated Nanomechanical Systems (COINS)
The Molecular Foundry at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
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Researchers should cite this work as follows:
Bancroft Hotel, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA


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Apologies to all of our friends at Mini-Circuits for the omission of the company name from the front cover, as well as from the first figure of the Cover Feature article. Although the company name was not on the front cover, it did appear within the article beginning on p. 92 of the January 2012 issue. And to RF/microwave engineers, the name ??Mini-Circuits? has long been associated with frequency mixers, representing a company that has been innovative in the development of high-performance, high-quality mixers for affordable prices??among them, the new hermetic MAC series mixers.
Jack Browne
Technical Contributor
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The CAGE questionnaire is used to test for alcohol
abuse and
dependence in adults. It is not used to diagnose the
disease but only to show whether a problem might exist.
The CAGE questionnaire consists of four questions that relate to your
use of alcohol:1
If you answer "yes," "sometimes," or "often" to 2 or more of the questions, you might have a problem with alcohol. If you
think you or someone you care about has an
alcohol use problem, talk with a health professional.
Further evaluation by a trained alcohol abuse counselor might be needed.
CitationsSaitz R, et al. (2003). Addressing alcohol problems in
primary care: A cluster randomized, controlled trial of a systems intervention.
Annals of Internal Medicine, 138: 372–382.
Next Section:
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Last Revised:
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Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & Lisa S. Weinstock, MD - Psychiatry
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
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Sale Price £2.48
Reduced From £4.95
Price per frame reduces reduces the larger the pack
Nice quality purse frames with an attractive patterned brass finish. Ideal for a purse or clutch bag. These frames have loops you can clip one of our purse chains to. Or if you want to make your own strap see our small dog clips. Sew the fabric to the frame using the small holes running along the outside. No glue necessary.
See our lovely Party Bag pattern only £3.25, includes step by step instructions, photos and template.
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Today I feel like this…
So not much chit chat from me today – I have a big family day out to organise, a big birthday, and some disastrous odds and ends to tie up. Lots and lots to say but no time to say it.
One quick note – I did a small blog sale last week, thanks to all who shopped. I have since found a few more items to add to the sale and these will go live tomorrow (Tuesday 24th August) in the evening at 7.30pm. My stash is slowly becoming manageable, hurrah!
That's for now, hope you have a lovely day & week…. 🙂


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over-the-counter medicines can affect the blood sugar
level of people who have
diabetes. Some should be used with caution, and some
should be avoided. Follow all instructions on the label. If you give medicine to your baby, follow your doctor's advice about what amount to give. When you have a minor illness (such as a cold or the flu)
and need a nonprescription medicine, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before
buying one.
Cough and cold medicines may not be safe for young children or for people who have certain health problems. Before you use them, check the label. If you do use these medicines, always follow the directions about how much to use based on age and in some cases weight. These medicines may help with symptoms, but they won't help you get better faster. There are other things you can do that may work just as well or better.
Some medicines use artificial
sweeteners instead of sugar to improve taste or do not contain ingredients that
increase blood sugar in other ways.
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This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.


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Bangkok has them now
There is a lot of monkey business in this movie, and I see a trend developing. First, the little pirate monkey in "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," and now the cute primate that latches on to the lost boys of "H2." One thing is for sure: If the show's not funny, you can always cut to the monkey.
I'm not saying "H2" isn't funny, but it sure looks familiar even though our friends Phil, Stu, Alan and Doug have relocated their shenanigans to Bangkok. Frankly, I don't think any of them are welcome in Las Vegas anymore.
Two years have passed and Stu (Ed Helms) has replaced his tooth and is engaged to Lauren (Jamie Cheng). Their wedding is scheduled to take place in Thailand, and Stu wisely opts out of a bachelor party, settling for a pancake breakfast instead. But things have a funny way of happening with this group and on the eve of his wedding, the four, plus Lauren's younger brother, Teddy (Mason Lee), sit around a beach campfire at the Thai resort clinking their beer bottles and then — oops, it happens again.
This time, Doug (Justin Bartha) is back at the hotel, but the others awake to find themselves in downtown Bangkok in a filthy, trashed hotel room crawling with roaches. In an ice bucket they find a human finger, and under a blanket the inimitable Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong), the diminutive, foul-mouthed gangster from the first movie. Oh, and the monkey makes her entrance here, too.
From that point this plays almost the same as the original three try desperately to locate the missing Teddy. Using the familiar "let's retrace our steps" plot device, they ping from strip clubs to tattoo parlors as time ticks down and more than one character warns them, "Bangkok has him now."
Also returning to this second installment is director Todd Phillips, and if you thought the first one was raunchy, this one redefines the term. Admittedly, there was a lot at stake for this sequel. The first one was actually termed a risk for summer release because of its R rating. The general theory up to then was an R-rated comedy could not earn money, until this became one of the highest grossing comedies of all time.
So love it or hate it, moviegoers now have more than enough R-rated comedies to choose from. "Bridesmaids" is the latest example of the raunchy, bawdy, gross-out comedy taken to extreme, that is, until "H2," which pushes the limits right to the edge of good humor, not to mention taste. Oh, forget that good taste that took a hike in the original.
Nothing, I mean nothing, is off limits for this impromptu tour of Bangkok (as you can imagine, just the name of the city gets irreverent treatment). So much so that most of it is unprintable, but just imagine a Buddhist monk in a topless bar doing tequila shots, and you have an idea. Sticking to the formula, Phil takes the lead again and shepherds the hysterical Stu while Alan is just as off as he ever was.
If "H1" made Galifianakis a star, then "H2" will do nothing to tarnish it, even if it is entirely derivative. The pudgy, bleary eyed man-child can illicit laughter just by staring into the camera and only Jeong gets more laughs mainly because he is wisely given more screen time this second time around.
With Stu married in the finale, the only bachelor left is Alan, so the possibility of an "H3" is very real. Fair warning: just don't monkey around with it.


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Air launch, focus on vehicle and range costs promise lower prices for orbiting small satellites
Moore's Law may ensure small satellites will be increasingly capable, but the rule of thumb has not reduced the size and cost of the vehicles available to launch such miniaturized spacecraft into orbit.
So the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) has awarded Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Virgin Galactic contracts to design air-launch systems that can place sub-100-lb. payloads into low Earth orbit for $1 million, including range costs.
"Today the sub-100-lb. payload class is mostly rideshares, which impose constraints," says Mitchell Burnside Clapp, Darpa's Airborne Launch Assist Space Access (Alasa) program manager. Smallsats normally are carried into space as piggyback payloads on launches of much larger spacecraft, usually headed for geostationary orbit.
"They do not permit any propulsion, and the spacecraft is dropped off in an orbit of the primary payload's choosing," he says. The sub-100-lb. market, now around 10-12 payloads a year, "might be significantly greater if we could get into space affordably and without constraints."
While small payloads have increased in capability since air launch was last considered seriously in the 1950s and '60s, allowing cheaper spacecraft to complete bigger missions, range costs have escalated as the ground-based infrastructure has aged, Burnside Clapp says. Range services now account for up to 35% of launch costs, he says.
There have been many previous studies of air launch, including Darpa's own Falcon prompt global strike program of the early 2000s, which proposed using an aircraft to launch a booster carrying a long-range hypersonic glider. "Previous attempts at air launch did not focus enough on the rocket side," he says. "They over-invested in an aircraft that could only do one thing—support the launch."
Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Pegasus was the first air-launched rocket to put a satellite into orbit, in 1990, and launched NASA's NuStar X-ray telescope on June 13, but the heavily modified Lockheed L-1011 airliner is one of most expensive ways to launch small payloads. Alasa is focused on driving down the expense of manufacturing and operating the launch vehicle, including range costs, "while incurring only marginal cost to modify an existing aircraft," he says.
Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Virgin Galactic have been funded to explore different Alasa system concepts. Northrop Grumman, Space Information Laboratories and Ventions are working on enabling technologies that could be used by any or all of the system teams. The launch platform is to be a "fundamentally unmodified" aircraft. "We do not want an aircraft dedicated to the mission. That is key to the affordability of Alasa," he says. Apart from software, Darpa's goal is that the aircraft "does not have any modifications preventing it from performing its primary mission."
Boeing declines to detail its initial "point of departure" system concept, but Lockheed Martin says its design "uses a tactical aircraft to provide a high energy-state, reusable first stage, enabling launches from bases worldwide." Lockheed's team includes Alliant Techsystems Operations and Defense Propulsion System. "All three have different approaches to the basic problem," says Burnside Clapp, indicating that Virgin Galatic's Alasa concept is "what you might expect" given the company's plan to air-launch the SpaceShip2 suborbital passenger vehicle from the WhiteKnight2 carrier aircraft.
Darpa's goal is not only an air-launch system that can place a 100-lb. satellite in low Earth orbit for $1 million, but one that requires just 24 hr. from call-up to integrate and launch the payload, with the ability to replan the launch in flight and relocate the aircraft to a different airport on short notice. The aircraft must be able to operate from civil as well as military airfields, anywhere in the world, in a crisis.
"One million dollars to LEO including range costs is very aggressive. We will need lower range costs as well as [enabling] affordable manufacture of the launch vehicle," Burnside Clapp says. Instead of ground-based radar tracking, Alasa will use onboard GPS/inertial position reporting via satellite. And instead of completely separate flight-termination hardware, the launch vehicle will continuously compute its impact point and make its own decision when to self-destruct. Some of this technology could spin off to update current ranges, he believes.
Darpa has budgeted $46 million for the 18-month first phase through September 2013, when it plans another competition to select at least one team to conduct up to 36 launches in 2015 "to demonstrate [the Alasa system] at a persuasive scale," he says.
Alasa supports Darpa's System F6 fractionated satellite program, under which the functionality of a large, monolithic satellite will be provided by a networked cluster of smaller spacecraft flying in formation. "System F6 is disaggregating big satellites into their components to improve resilience. Alasa will do the same on the launch side," Burnside Clapp says. "We will be able to launch spacecraft constellations incrementally at lower cost and be less exposed to a launch catastrophe."


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State Governmental Relations
We serve as the primary university representative to state elected officials and agencies.
State Governmental Relations (SGR) serves to advance understanding and support for UC's tripartite mission of teaching, research and public service. As UC's principal representative to state elected officials and state agencies in Sacramento, we represent university positions on legislative, budgetary and policy matters.
Kieran Flaherty
Associate Vice President & Director
Budget & legislation
Contact Us
Phone: (916) 445-9924
Fax: (916) 445-1426
State Governmental Relations
University of California
Office of the President
1130 K St., Suite 340
Sacramento, CA 95814-3968
Become an Advocate
Learn about events, initiatives and resources that will help you support the future of UC.
Stay connected
"In my role as chief advocate for UC it's important you know what I'm doing and thinking.
I'll be reaching out to the UC community to share my thoughts and experiences and I'd love to have you join me."


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4 Reasons Joss Whedon deserves an Oscar for the Avengers (Spoilers)
Unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard of The Avengers. After Hulk smash puny wizard by knocking Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II from the top spot for domestic grossing opening weekend, The Avengers is headed for another record breaking weekend. The second weekend will be in the $95-105 million range pummeling current record holder Avatar, which earned $75.6 million in its second weekend.
No film has ever done it faster.
A moneymaker does not an Academy Award make, but Writer/Director Joss Whedon deserves a nod all the same. For at least three categories, including Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Picture, here's why I nominate Joss Whedon for the Academy Award.
1. He made the Hulk work.
When most people walked out of Avengers, the name playing across their lips wasn't Stark or Loki. It was Hulk. Whedon installed a personality upgrade to the big green rage monster. Hulk wasn't just fueled by the most brutal of human emotions, which seemed to be the trend of the Hulk's previous two films, Mark Ruffalo's CGI monster has a sense of humor.
There's even a moment when he saves Iron Man's life and practically shouts him back from the dead. There was plenty of concern pre-release on what role man's bestial nature would play and if Whedon and Ruffalo could pull it off. They did.
2. He got that cast to make that movie
Let's crunch some numbers.
Gwyneth Paltrow – Winner Academy Award Best Actress, 1999
Robert Downey Jr – Academy Award Nomination for Best Actor, 1992; Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actor, 2009
Mark Ruffalo – Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actor, 2011
Jeremy Renner – Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actor, 2011; Academy Award Nomination for Best Actor, 2010
Samuel L. Jackson – Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actor, 1995
That's six noms, 1 win.
If you're judged by the company you keep, the Avengers is a pretty good crowd to hang around.
What's even more impressive: find any interview featuring more than one Avenger and you might get an idea of what it was like to work with these guys day to day. They are impressive. They are hilarious. It's remarkable they got any work done at all. But, you can tell from the linked interview that Joss Whedon can take control and command the personalities.


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|Research and Conservation
|Public Programs
|About the J. Paul Getty Museum
|Museum Home Research and Conservation
Scholarly symposium at the Getty Center February 2, 2010
For centuries, scholars have struggled to discern the difference between drawings by Rembrandt and those of his pupils. Rembrandt maintained one of the most active studios of the 17th century—with more than fifty students passing through during its nearly forty years of operation.
In this one-day symposium, held in conjunction with the major loan exhibition Drawings by Rembrandt and His Pupils: Telling the Difference (on view December 8, 2009–February 28, 2010), an international panel of scholars will address the body of drawn work by Rembrandt and his pupils, the methodology of telling the difference, and the arc of scholarship in the field over the past thirty years.
The exhibition Drawings by Rembrandt and His Pupils: Telling the Difference has been organized by the J. Paul Getty Museum and has its sole presentation in Los Angeles. It is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and Humanities. Support for this exhibition and symposium has been provided by the Consulate General of the Netherlands.
$15 registration fee, includes lunch. Parking fee will be waived for conference guests. Advance registration is required, seating is limited. No refunds for cancellations. Call (310) 440-7300 or use the "Register" button below to sign up online. Please register by January 8, 2010.
Downloadable Schedule
Symposium Schedule (43 KB)
Accommodations with shuttle service to the J. Paul Getty Museum:
Hotel Angeleno, Brentwood: (866) 264-3536
Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard, Bel Air: (800) 468-3541
Ask for the Getty rate.


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AQUARELLE scarf
Beige color
Hand designed, oversize silk scarf.
100% Silk Habutai
Measures 47" x 54" (120cm x 137cm).
Made in Italy.
Made out of the finest silk, it's designed to be worn throughout the seasons, in variety of ways that makes the Aquarelle scarf the ultimate timeless and forever accessory.
See it on the Tutorial Video.
<-- Back to photo album "Ways Of Wearing Aquarelle Scarf".
<-- Back to photo album "Gentlemen wearing Aquarelle Scarf"
always close to your skin
Anna Maria La Bianca Lifestyle Collections


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Local School Council members, helped by the Chicago Teachers Union, are asking a Cook County court to intervene before the Chicago Board of Education votes on 17 proposed school closures and "turnarounds" later this month.
Members of nine local councils for schools slated to close or be subject to the CPS tunaround process filed a lawsuit Thursday morning, seeking to block the board's vote. The plaintiffs say the Chicago Public Schools' method for selecting schools to be closed, consolidated or turned around is discriminatory and has disproportionately affected low-income African-American students.
A previous version of this story that stated the Chicago Teachers Union filed the lawsuit was incorrect. The union is only providing legal help for the plaintiffs in the case.
The court action came one day after the teachers union filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Wednesday, alleging that layoffs last summer targeted tenured African-American teachers who represent a third of CPS teachers.
The complaint states that African-American teachers make up 29 percent of teachers in CPS, but comprised 43 percent of those laid off in 2011, which was about 1,000 teachers. While white teachers make up 47 percent of the district's total, they represented only 36 percent of those laid off. CPS officials dispute those statistics.
In addition, the union says, layoffs affected a disproportionately large percentage of teachers at schools with high numbers of low-income African-American students.
"(CPS) is illegally terminating and laying off African-American teachers who are highly qualified and excellent teachers," said union attorney Robin Potter. "This is not a question. It is a systematic effort to rid the Chicago Public Schools of tenured teachers who are African-American.
"To make it right they have to stop these layoffs, they have to step back and they have to put these good teachers back in the schools."
CPS officials disputes the union's findings. In a statement released Wednesday night, CPS spokeswoman Becky Carroll said "the layoff process was agreed upon by (union) leadership under the terms of our current collective bargaining agreement and is consistent with state law.
"CPS does not target any group for layoffs, and it is impossible to target any group for any such action. Most teachers subject to layoffs find another teaching position within CPS."
Regarding the lawsuit to halt the board's vote, Carroll said, "We can no longer accept a status quo that has failed our children year after year … it would be an injustice to not take action on these low performing schools."
The teachers union is embroiled in another lawsuit currently before the Illinois Supreme Court over the layoff of about 1,300 teachers, more than 60 percent of them tenured, in 2010. The teachers union has argued that the district broke state law in firing tenured teachers without due process. Both sides are awaiting the ruling.


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Since its start in 2001, the Midnite Show has provided an alternative, unique twist on improv comedy in Milwaukee.
The Midnite Show is Milwaukee's uncensored improv comedy troupe.
The shows are sometimes dirty, irreverent, silly or satirical, but one thing they always aim to be is funny.
Tickets go on sale at the door at 11:00pm. No reservations. First come, first served.
$5 per person, cash only.
18 years or older.
Please note that The Midnite Show is not a ComedySportz match, so all applicable coupons for ComedySportz will not apply.