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Today was a day I have at times feared might never come, but I've just emerged from a packed press conference in Jakarta for the launch of Asia Pulp & Paper's new 'Forest Conservation Policy' aimed to end its involvement in deforestation.
I've personally invested, along with many of my colleagues, endless hours into our campaign to persuade APP to make this step. After a great deal of blood, toil, sweat and tears, today the company did just that – announcing an immediate moratorium on further forest clearance and a range of measures to stop its role in deforestation.
We could not have got to this point without many of you, around the world, who helped to persuade dozens of well-known brands to suspend contracts with APP.
The decisions by these companies led to more pressure being applied on APP. This sent the message to the company that simply spending more on PR efforts was not going to change its reputation or bring back lost customers.
Other NGOs working on both environmental and social issues have also played a critical role in bringing about this important change, through their own campaigns both here in Indonesia and abroad.
Following the recent meetings we've had with APP, actually seeing the company's new commitments being announced publicly makes me breathe a little more easily today. But this really is just the beginning of change for a company that has heavily relied on deforestation for too long.
We will be watching very carefully to ensure that APP is delivering where it really matters – on the ground, in the rainforests. Our advice to former customers of APP reflects that: policy commitments will not be enough – it's only through their delivery that APP can start to win back the business that it has lost in recent years.
In the last few days there have been two questions that have dominated most of my discussions around these commitments – why now and what is different this time?
Why now? It's clear that the commercial pressures and reputational impact of losing major customers around the world is very important. The commitments introduced by APP's sister company Golden Agri Resources (GAR) are almost certainly a factor too. When GAR started to implement strong no deforestation commitments, the company started to win back its customers and mend its own damaged reputation.
But there is another factor that we need to keep in mind and it's one that means that we need to keep today's decision in perspective.
The reality is that APP has already cleared the majority of forests in its supply chain to make way for plantations. A lot of forest has been lost for that expansion, tens of thousands of hectares per year in recent years.
So while I am hopeful that things are changing at APP and am happy about what this could mean in future for Indonesia's rainforests, we cannot forget that these are changes that ought to have come many years ago.
So what's different this time?
The chairman of the company spoke at today's event and endorsed the new company policies, which is an important distinction from previous commitments. The company is also working with several external organisations, including The Forest Trust and Asia Pacific Consulting. And critically, the commitments include an immediate commitment to suspend all forest clearance across its supply chain.
However, it all boils down to APP demonstrating that it can turn policy into practice. The company knows it has an awful lot of work to do to demonstrate that things are truly different now.
No one is under any illusion that making commitments is going to be enough. APP will need some time and space to show that its new policies are being implemented.
We very much hope that the company will use this time to also work with other stakeholders to find solutions which both protect forests for the long term and which can help resolve social conflicts.
Greenpeace has, for now, taken the decision to suspend its campaign against APP. We will be reviewing progress by the company and reviewing this decision at regular intervals.
If APP achieves its no deforestation goals, it's a really significant milestone for our campaign to save Indonesia's forests. It sends an important challenge to others in the pulp industry, such as APRIL,who we have written to today.
I am cautiously optimistic about today's announcement and these changes at APP – they are critical if we are to succeed in ending deforestation in Indonesia and beyond.
Bustar Maitar is Head of Greenpeace's Forest Campaign in Indonesia
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Now that they burn down National parks (leuser) in Sumatra, where are actually stil healthy rainforest left in Indonesia.
June 25, 2013 at 23:56
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Check out our Mini Cooper S John Cooper Works photo gallery
with HQ pics.
Last update in Cooper S John Cooper Works gallery: 2018-12-21
In September, the MINI brand will showcase two models at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The MINI officially declassified the Cooper SE electric hatch.
MINI spread the teaser of their own first commercial electric car Cooper SE.
On the 60th anniversary of the Mini Cooper model, MINI decided to create the original appearance of a 3- and 5-door models series.
MINI slightly simplified the model line by removing a number of modifications from it.
The British company will launch MINI E at the end of 2018. Let's remind, BMW Group will put on company MINI a new task - to create only electric cars.
We select only big size mini cooper s john cooper works photos
for our photogallery.

subset: commoncrawl


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AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Georgia College men's tennis program was recently honored by the Peach Belt Conference (PBC), as Jerome Leborgne (Coordimanche, France) earned a PBC All-Academic Team selection.
Already finished with his undergraduate degree in mathematics with a 3.82 GPA, Leborgne completed a one-year Master's program in Business Administration in May.
The No. 27 singles player in the country, Leborgne was a two-time All-Peach Belt Conference (PBC) singles player and a one-time doubles honoree as well. He recently received the school's top honor as Senior Male Athlete of the Year and was chosen the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Southeast Region Arthur Ashe Award winner.
Leborgne went 32-27 in spring singles action during his career, including a 38-28 mark in spring doubles as well. He is now a two-time PBC All-Academic selection. In the four-year history of the program, the Bobcats have put five student-athletes on the PBC Men's Tennis All-Academic lists.
The teams are part of a season-long program recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of PBC student-athletes in the classroom as well as on the field. To be eligible for the All-Academic team, a student-athlete must 1) participate in at least half of his/her team's events and be either a starter or significant contributor; 2) achieved a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) and 3) completed at least one full academic year at his or her current institution. The PBC Sports Information Directors oversee and select the teams.
The Bobcats have wrapped up a 2012 season that saw GC go 12-9, earn the No. 5-seed in the PBC Tournament, and eventually fall in the Southeast Region No. 1 final. The Bobcats put a pairing on the All-PBC first team in doubles and added a second team singles player. The GC men have now made five straight trips to the NCAA Tournament.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at www.twitter.com/BobcatSports and www.facebook.com/gcbobcats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCBobcats.com for more information.


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U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Commission Obtains $365 Million for Victims of Workplace Discrimination; Reduces Charge Inventory by 10 Percent for Second Consecutive Year
WASHINGTON-The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today announced that it received 99,412 private sector workplace discrimination charges during fiscal year 2012, down slightly from the previous year. The year-end data also show that retaliation (37,836), race (33,512) and sex discrimination (30,356), which includes allegations of sexual harassment and pregnancy were, respectively, the most frequently filed charges. The fiscal year runs Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. The fiscal year 2012 enforcement and litigation statistics, which include trend data, are available on the EEOC's website at http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics/enforcement/index.cfm.
Additionally, the EEOC achieved a second consecutive year of a significant reduction in the charge inventory, something not seen since fiscal year 2002. Due to a concerted effort, the EEOC reduced the pending inventory of private sector charges by 10 percent from fiscal year 2011, bringing the inventory level to 70,312. This inventory reduction is the second consecutive decrease of almost ten percent in charge inventory. Also this fiscal year, the agency obtained the largest amount of monetary recovery from private sector and state and local government employers through its administrative process - $365.4 million.
In fiscal year 2012, the EEOC filed 122 lawsuits including 86 individual suits, 26 multiple-victim suits (with fewer than 20 victims) and 10 systemic suits. The EEOC's legal staff resolved 254 lawsuits for a total monetary recovery of $44.2 million.
EEOC also continued its emphasis on eliminating systemic patterns of discrimination in the workplace. In fiscal year 2012, EEOC completed 240 systemic investigations which in part resulted in 46 settlements or conciliation agreements. These settlements, achieved without litigation, secured 36.2 million dollars for the victims of unlawful discrimination.
"These remarkable achievements are a credit to the commitment of the EEOC's staff and the product of strategic and efficient investment of critical budget resources in recent years, said EEOC Chair Jacqueline A. Berrien. We look forward to building on these accomplishments and further advancing the agency's mission as we implement our new Strategic Enforcement Plan in the coming year."
As part of its Open Government efforts to make the greatest amount of useful data available to the public, the EEOC introduced several new features in the fiscal year 2012 data tables. The Commission released new tables showing sex harassment, harassment generally, and pregnancy discrimination which contain only those charges filed with the EEOC. In the past, tables for these three categories, which are subsets of other bases, had listed all charges filed with both the EEOC and its state and local Fair Employment Practice Agency (FEPA) partners. Since no other charts include both FEPA and EEOC filings, these categories will now be harmonized with all the other data charts.
Additionally, in response to requests for this data, the Commission released a new table indicating the type of discriminatory action alleged by statute. In fiscal year 2012, discharge was the most frequently-cited discriminatory action under all statutes, followed by "terms and conditions" of employment and then discipline.
Overall, the agency secured both monetary and non-monetary benefits for more than 23,446 people through administrative enforcement activities - mediation, settlements, conciliations, and withdrawals with benefits. The number of charges resolved through successful conciliation, the last step in the EEOC administrative process prior to litigation, increased by 18 percent over 2011.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the Commission is available on its website at www.eeoc.gov.


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African medical traditions
In Africa around 80% of people use traditional medical systems for much or all of their health care. It is impossible to summarise the diversity of traditions used by the many cultures. Local traditions have grown and changed over thousands of years in response to culture, religion and migration. The influence of Islamic medicine can be seen in many traditions, particularly in north Africa. From the 1500s medical knowledge passed with enslaved Africans to the Americas for many centuries. Inoculation came to North America through an enslaved man called Onesimus.
Despite their diversity, many African traditions share characteristics which distinguish them from biomedicine. For instance, spiritual and physical aspects of the body are equally important to health. Causes of illness include spirit-world intervention, or family or community conflict. The whole community is involved in treating illness. Treatment is through medicines, physical treatments or divination by the traditional healer. In divination, ancestors are asked to reveal the meaning of an illness and ways to resolve it. Diviners may suggest a ceremony in which the community sings, dances and performs rituals together.
Healing knowledge is passed down verbally from generation to generation, frequently through stories. Knowledge about plants or medicine was often secret, and only passed to the next generation of practitioners. Today there are organisations such as the International Development Research Centre, which works with traditional healers, scientific researchers and governments to integrate traditional medicine into public health.
Traditional African remedies are a rich source of potential medicines. They have sometimes been turned into pharmaceutical products. Bioprospecting, or looking for chemically active substances in traditional remedies, is an ongoing, controversial process.
Sub-Saharan Africa has been hit hardest by the AIDS epidemic. Consequently it gets lots of biomedical attention. A better understanding of local African medical traditions has helped design prevention programmes and treatments that make sense to ordinary people. These are more likely to save lives.
Related links
Techniques and Technologies:
BibliographyG M Waite, A history of traditional medicine and health care in pre-colonial East-Central Africa (New York: E. Mellen Press, c1992)
S Feierman and J M Janzen, (eds), The social basis of health and healing in Africa (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992).
J M Janzen, Ngoma: discourses of healing in central and southern Africa (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992)
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a disease caused by infections resulting from a weakened immune system due to the HIV virus. It leads to failure of the immune system and is usually fatal. It is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids.


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One of the principal facts of South Dakota politics over the past twenty-five years has been the enduring popularity of Bill Janklow, currently the state's lone Congressional representative. But Janklow's career appears to be over; he has been charged with second degree manslaughter in connection with a fatal car accident in rural South Dakota. Janklow ran a stop sign while driving 70 or 75 mph in a 55 mph zone and collided with a motorcycle, the driver of which was killed.
There is a lot of history here. Janklow has a terrible driving record. He has received numerous speeding tickets over the years, many of them while driving his own motorcycle. His propensity to ignore traffic laws contributed to his populist, maverick image. But now that he has caused a fatal accident, his record is cast in a different light.
I'm no expert in South Dakota criminal law, but it appears likely that Janklow may go to jail. His political career seems clearly over, with the only question being whether he will be able to serve out his term.
Janklow's demise eliminates one of the Republican Party's most talented Midwestern vote-getters. It clears the way for John Thune to oppose Tom Daschle when Daschle runs for re-election next year. (Actually, Daschle is already running; well over a year before the election, recognizing that he is in trouble, he is blanketing the air waves with campaign ads.)
South Dakota Politics has had good coverage of the accident, for those looking for more information.
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"Arise and take our stand for freedom as in the olden time." Winston Churchill
"Proclaim Liberty throughout All the land unto All the Inhabitants Thereof." Inscription on the Liberty Bell


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Siirtolaisuusinstituutti Hämeenkatu 13, 20500 Turku
(+358) 2 2840 440 firstname.lastname@example.com
Avoinna 9.00 – 16.00
Unaccompanied refugee minors in Finland – Challenges and good practices in a Nordic context
The number of unaccompanied or separated refugee children is on the rise worldwide. Almost 13,000 asylum applications were submitted by unaccompanied minors in the EU-countries in 2013. Finland received less than 200 applications, while 3850 applications were submitted in Sweden. Most of the unaccompanied minors come from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Eritrea, Somalia and other African countries.
On the one hand, these asylum seekers are children and thus should be treated as migrants in a vulnerable situation requiring special care according to their needs, but on the other hand, the receiving countries seek to limit the number of asylum seekers, including minors. Attempts have been made to harmonize policies and procedures in Europe, but they still vary significantly between EU-countries.
This research shows that all Nordic countries have fairly well functioning reception systems based on the principle of the best interest of the child, but there are problems: fragmented organizational structures with insufficient cooperation between different administrative sectors and problems with placing unaccompanied children in municipalities which often are unwilling to receive them. There are shortcomings in providing adequate language training and education, in access to health care, especially mental health services and in following up adolescents coming of age with supporting measures. The case of Finland is highlighted by interviews with caretakers, teachers, administration professionals and former unaccompanied minors.
The project has been funded by the European Refugee Fund.
Download Pdf-version here.
ISBN 978-952-5889-88-8 (printed)
Migration Studies – C26
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tel. 02-2840 440
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text:
Artist description:
This is Sri Lanka " Suramba " drumming. This drummers take part in Sri Lanka's religious ceremonies.
Canvas Draw Created Sep 27, 2012 460 x 640px Unless noted Copyright 2012 Githal Wijeratna.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
Post a comment
I'm a big fan of B&W,, this piece is so unique, great angle and the shading is awesome, fav
Great job! 5/5 coll
excellent draw ! sir
very beautiful drawing..love the details..5h
exellent work , well done 5
Awesome work! 5 hearts :D
wow! i love this drawing :D 5h
Fantastic! Great shading and perspective! 5/5


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Some friends of mine decided to support the Movember charity this year. I would try and explain what Movember is but the charity website does a much better job than anything I could put together:
"Movember challenges men to change their appearance and the face of men's health by growing a moustache. The rules are simple, start Movember 1st clean shaven and then grow a moustache for the entire month. The moustache becomes the ribbon for men's health, the means by which awareness and funds are raised for cancers that affect men. Much like the commitment to run or walk for charity, the men of Movember commit to growing a moustache for 30 days."
The team was put together by lloyd Bayliss and as such he is the team captain, the rest of the team are made up of (in no particular order):
Chris Unsted
Michael J Elvy
Ian Treasure
Mike Larner – always has The Mo but has kindly shaved it off and is growing it again for this good cause.
Mark Edwards
Ian Smith
Graham Atwick
Christian Dadswell
Adrian Morris
Neil Carless
We hope to raise as much money as possible for Movember and Men's cancer charities, if you would like to support us and have a laugh at our new facial master piece's then follow along here, I will try to provide weekly updates and pictures here.
If you would like to donate then you can do so here: http://uk.movember.com/mospace/570732/


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Justin Bieber Breaks Silence as Mack Maine Defends Him After Racism Scandal [PHOTO]by Michelle McGahan | PopCrush
Justin Bieber has taken to Instagram to post a Bible passage in the wake of his racism controversy.
After a second old video leaked yesterday showing a 14-year-old Bieber singing a shockingly racist parody of his hit 'One Less Lonely Girl,' the singer sought comfort in religion, posting a passage about God and forgiveness.
"When your sins weigh heavily upon you, come to Me. Confess your wrongdoing, which I know all about before you say a word," an excerpt of the passage reads. "Stay in the Light of My Presence, receiving forgiveness cleansing and healing. … Whenever you stumble or fall, I am there to help you up."
"Man's tendency is to hide from his sin, seeking refuge in the darkness," it continues. " … Come close to Me and let my light envelop you, driving out darkness and permeating you with Peace." You can see the entire passage in Bieber's Instagram pic below.
And in addition to his own forgiveness, Bieber's friends at Young Money Entertainment (an imprint of his record label) are also defending him.
According to TMZ, rappers Lil Wayne, Birdman and YME president Mack Maine are all sticking by the star, who they believe has "legitimately adopted the culture of hip hop, African American culture."
Maine also points out that the majority of Bieber's crew is black, saying that the 20-year-old singer "does not have a slave mentality. He treats people with respect."
Maine also feels that Bieber's age at the time is a big factor that should be taken into account, remembering that when he was that age he told a racist joke to impress his friends.
"…I told it to my friends because I thought they'd think it was funny," he said, also explaining that Young Money will continue to work with Bieber.
In addition to the parody video, Bieber is also facing serious criticism earlier this week after the release of another old clip that showed the 'Baby' singer telling a racist joke and saying the N-word at the age of 15. Bieber's manager Scooter Braun has also addressed the controversy on Instagram, posting a telling quote about learning from your mistakes.
Bieber himself addressed the first video in a lengthy, heartfelt apology which you can read here.
Update: Gawker reports that TMZ had possession of Justin Bieber's racist joke video for more than three years and was using it to get news from the singer's team. According to Gawker, a TMZ spokesperson has denied the allegations, calling them "completely not true."
See Justin Bieber's Most Adorable Baby + Childhood Photos


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Before the Open - Aug 27
Today's Before the Open
This week's Economic Numbers and Earnings
by Jason at Leavitt Brothers
Stock Market News, Breakouts, Swing Trades, Stocks in Play, Mojo plays, Position Trades, Options and Daytrades
Disclaimer: This website may include stock market analysis. Any ideas or opinions expressed by us is for informational purposes. Trade at your own financial risk as we assume no responsibility for your investing decisions in the markets.


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Turner eager to step up in Marlins' rotation
Young righty shooting for No. 2 starter spot heading into Spring Training
MIAMI -- Reaching the big leagues at age 20 is a pretty tall order. Jacob Turner was able to accomplish the feat with the Tigers in 2011.
Now entering his first Spring Training with the Marlins, the 6-foot-5 right-hander is being counted on to become a top-of-the-rotation starter. The job description requires a heavy workload, like making roughly 30 starts and logging close to 200 innings. The composed, poised Turner is ready to shoulder the task.
"As far as expectations, I think I put higher expectations on myself than anybody ever will," said the now 21-year-old. "I've worked really hard this offseason in order to be prepared. I'm definitely ready to go."
Turner is hoping a stringent workout program -- along with tacking on about 10 pounds to be around 220 -- will pay off.
"I'm just really excited," Turner said. "I put in a lot of work this offseason in order to be ready for Spring Training. Whatever they need me to do ... Whatever spot they put me in, I'm prepared for it."
With only 13 total big league starts, Turner may find himself as the No. 2 starter on an overhauled Marlins roster. Exact slots in the rotation have yet to be determined. Other than veteran Ricky Nolasco, projected to be the ace, competition in Spring Training will determine the other four starters. Turner, Nathan Eovaldi and Henderson Alvarez will be vying for the second, third and fourth positions. The fifth starter will be open to a number of candidates, including Wade LeBlanc, Alex Sanabia, Tom Koehler and Brad Hand.
For Turner, just having a position entering the season is rewarding.
A year ago at this time, he was a touted prospect in the Tigers' system. Detroit took Turner with the ninth overall pick out of Westminster Christian Academy in St. Louis in 2009. He made his big league debut in 2011, and he was traded to the Marlins in July of last year as part of the deal for Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante. Miami also acquired catcher Rob Brantly in the trade.
This will be Turner's first Spring Training with the Marlins, and he will already be getting to know a new staff and many new players. Ozzie Guillen has been replaced as manager by Mike Redmond, and Chuck Hernandez is the new pitching coach, taking over for Randy St. Claire.
Turner will be a big focus when Miami opens Spring Training workouts in Jupiter, Fla., on Tuesday.
"I'm super excited," Turner said. "Obviously, I know with everything that happened in the offseason, it's kind of a fresh start for everybody. I think a lot of people are excited to see what they can do. There will be a lot of competition in the spring, which I think will be exciting for a lot of players."
Turner spent time this week in South Florida taking part in the Marlins Ayudan Week 2013. A number of players and team officials have been making stops around South Florida, promoting the beginning of baseball.
On Thursday night, the Marlins and the Marlins Foundation are hosting the 7th Annual BaseBowl charity event at Lucky Strike Miami Beach. Funds raised at the event benefit the Marlins Charity Partner program.
The week of events will be capped on Saturday with the MetroPCS Marlins Winter Warm Up, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET at Marlins Park. It is free and open to the public, providing a chance to purchase season tickets and get players' autographs.
Even though Turner spent the second half of last season with the Marlins, it's a new beginning for him. After being called up by Miami late last year, Turner made 10 starts, posting a 2-5 record with a 4.42 ERA.
But the season ended on a positive note, as Turner stepped up in September. Although he was 1-2, he posted an impressive 2.63 ERA, and a 1.13 WHIP in 24 innings.
"Building confidence at the big league level is important," Turner said. "I think every level going up, whether it's Class A ball, Double-A, Triple-A, there is definitely a learning curve. I feel like being able to go out every fifth day and just pitch, that really helped me.
"At every level, you learn to pitch deeper into the games. It was really good to pitch that last month and just kind of get acquainted with everything."


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[pullquote quote="One thing that really appeals to me is this idea of music being a living thing that has an evolution." credit="Peter Gabriel"]We've often said there's nothing better than live music, but when a performer decides to beef up their back catalog with orchestral elements, they run the risk of taking themselves way too seriously. Example: Symphony & [lastfm]Metallica[/lastfm].
Tonight [lastfm]Peter Gabriel[/lastfm] pulled off a tasteful transformation with his New Blood Orchestra. Two words — added emotion.
Listeners nationwide were were treated to brand-new orchestral reinventions of classic tracks and lesser-known gems spanning the GRAMMY winner's solo career in this Live on Letterman webcast. It's not every day you get to see a 46-piece orchestra take the stage of the Ed Sullivan Theater — let alone, an orchestra fronted by a progressive rock pioneer.
If you missed tonight's spectacle, it's available on-demand right here, so continue on and embrace Gabriel on a deeper level.
Watch Peter Gabriel perform Live on Letterman with the New Blood Orchestra:Vodpod videos no longer available.
Tonight the New New Blood Orchestra added a richness and emotion to these blockbuster hits, taking them to an entirely new place while Gabriel's smokey voice hovered above.
Gabriel performed his remodeled tracks for nearly an hour, kicking off with "Red Rain" set against a dramatic backdrop at the Ed Sullivan Theater. He spoke briefly (thanks for the shout-out to us bloggers, by the way) and stuck to what he does best — delivering the goods.
Peter Gabriel At United CenterGabriel has not just pasted an orchestra over top of his more popular songs — swapping guitars, electric bass, drums and keyboard for orchestral power and beauty. The 61-year-old is reshaping familiar tunes to match his maturity.
"Intruder" was full of menace, the orchestra adding to the slow, building tension.
Introducing "Signal to Noise," he talked about 'connecting the dots' during the recent Arab Spring uprisings, which gave the song's slow, haunting arrangement all the more immediacy and power ("turn up the signal/wipe out the noise").
And "Rhythm of the Heat," a song Gabriel introduced as being about Carl Jung in Ethiopia, stepped out of its '80s-era shell and into a new dimension–it was a complete and beautiful transformation.
With the New Blood Orchestra, Gabriel has indeed injected 'new blood' into the far reaches of his back catalog — as far back as "Solsbury Hill" from his first solo album. Coming near the end of the set, it was still a lively, catchy song, even with orchestra backing.
For an encore, he brought the house down with "Biko," his tribute to the late South African activist. Or rather, he brought the house up–to their feet, fists in the air. "This is for all the people who have the courage to stand up for themselves, whatever the cost," he said.
Gabriel may have been playing well-known songs from decades past, yet this concert was anything but a nostalgia trip. With these dramatic rearrangements, the melodies we all know and love live on, and at the same time, his music–and, you could say, popular music as a whole–takes a big step forward.
Set List
Red Rain
Signal To Noise
San Jacinto
Mercy Street
Rhythm of the Heat
Solsbury Hill
20 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About Peter Gabriel
Five artists influenced by Peter Gabriel


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MRSA: The bug drugs can't cure
It started with something that looked like a spider bite.Mollie Logan barely noticed it. She was focused on 15-day-old Isabella, the baby she and her husband had longed and tried for since their marriage four years earlier. The new mom was too happy, and far too sleep-deprived, to pay much attention to the small, hard red bump on her inner thigh.
The bump hurt, and it itched; Logan, then 24, absently scratched it. And it grew: In three days, the dime-sized pimple spread into a hot red band that encircled her leg. She headed to her primary care doctor, who drained the swelling and gave her an antibiotic mild enough to let her keep breast-feeding. Relieved the episode was over, she hurried home to Isabella.
That evening, while the baby was nursing, Logan felt an unfamiliar warmth. She rolled Isabella gently outward and froze: The baby's right chest was as flushed and swollen as her mother's thigh. Logan and her husband, Brian, rushed the feverish, limp infant to a pediatric emergency room in their section of Omaha, Nebraska, where doctors hooked Isabella to an IV of fluids to keep her hydrated.
It took 48 hours to find the right mix of drugs that could force down the baby's 103.5-degree fever, while the Logans and their extended family fretted sleeplessly in hospital chairs. And it was another day before tests pinpointed the source of the problem. Isabella and her mother were both infected with an organism no one in their family had ever heard of, a bacterium known as community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus—CA-MRSA for short.
The doctors explained that the bug was an aggressive staph infection with an ugly twist: Only a few drugs worked against it. Mother and baby needed much stronger antibiotics. Logan would have to stop breast-feeding, because her milk could pass even more drugs to Isabella, throwing off the baby's treatment. Worse, 3-week-old Isabella required immediate surgery to clean out the angry abscess that was spreading across her chest. Two years later, Logan still weeps when she talks about it. "They told me, 'We have only one chance to get this right,'" she says. "It was the toughest thing ever, to hand her over."
Isabella sailed through the surgery; the swelling quickly subsided, and her color and energy improved. After 10 days in the hospital, Logan brought her home. She had lost much of the first month of her daughter's life but assumed the crisis was over.
She had no idea that this was only the beginning of her odyssey to the limits of medicine.
Bacteria and the drugs we deploy to kill them have been locked in an arms race since penicillin, the first mass-produced antibiotic, was first given to a patient in 1941. The first penicillin-resistant organism was found only one year later. Now a broad array of scientists and health authorities worry that the bacteria are gaining an edge in the race: Germs with built-in protection against antibiotics, such as the one that attacked the Logans, become more common every year.
"Every known bacteria capable of infecting humans has developed resistance to some antimicrobials," says Robert C. Moellering Jr., M.D., professor of medicine and medical research at Harvard Medical School in Boston who has studied the issue of antibiotic resistance for more than 35 years. The overuse of antibiotics exacerbates the problem, Dr. Moellering says, because the more we expose germs to the drugs, the better they become at building resistance. Researchers suspect that the use of antibiotics in animal feed plays a role; drug-resistant bacteria may develop in animals such as cows, chicken and salmon and then infect humans who eat them.
For the past few decades, the perpetual struggle between bugs and drugs took place mostly in hospitals, among the most medically fragile patients. Almost 2 million people contract infections in U.S. hospitals every year, and about 90,000 of them die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Now the problem has begun to appear outside hospital walls, with resistant organisms causing a wide variety of infections in otherwise healthy people.
In 2001, for example, one in four children in day care centers studied in Michigan had a resistant form of a bacterium that causes ear infections, a scourge of toddlers. The same year, a study in The New England Journal of Medicine found that 22 percent of women treated for urinary tract infections at two college health centers in California and Minnesota had a drug-resistant form of E. coli. And in March of last year, the CDC reported finding a strain of the almost-vanished disease tuberculosis that is immune to at least five drugs, making it virtually impossible to treat except with the 19th-century method of cutting out pieces of lung.
The drug-defying bug that attacked Mollie and Isabella Logan unnerves researchers perhaps more than any other. In less than 10 years, CA-MRSA has soared from a barely noticeable blip on disease charts to a major cause of widespread, devastating and sometimes fatal infections. A strain of it has been linked to rare illnesses that were almost never caused by old-fashioned, nonresistant staph: severe infections of the bloodstream that cause multiorgan failure, for instance, and pneumonia that kills by destroying the tissue of the lungs. It has even triggered necrotizing fasciitis, the "flesh-eating" infection associated with several types of bacteria.
Some CA-MRSA victims had preexisting health problems that might have made them vulnerable to the bacterium, such as a paraplegic woman in Fort Worth, Texas, who may have been infected during a salon pedicure and who died after complications from the infection triggered a heart attack. But others were strikingly healthy: Emory University in Atlanta has been battling an outbreak in its athletic department for the past two years; four female athletes, including swimmers and volleyball players, were among those mysteriously infected.
A study published last August in The New England Journal of Medicine made clear how aggressively MRSA has proliferated in communities: Nearly 60 percent of people who came to emergency departments in 11 different cities with skin infections had it. Cases have sprung up in every area of the country, and most of them cannot be linked to a larger CA-MRSA outbreak. "This is widespread," says Henry M. Blumberg, M.D., professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. "And everybody is potentially at risk."
Isabella's early brush with illness deeply frightened her parents. Once she came home from the hospital, they agreed that Brian would go back to work as an auto mechanic, but Mollie, who had been working as a nanny, would become a stay-at-home mom. The origin of the family's infection remained a mystery: Isabella had clearly contracted the bug from her mother at birth, but doctors could not identify the source of Logan's infection. Because she had the community version of MRSA, not the type confined to hospitals, it was impossible to know for sure where she picked it up.
To her parents' relief, Isabella thrived—she had no more signs of illness and no indications that the potent drugs had affected her. But in November 2005, 15 months after her first scare, Logan found a hard, red pimple on her own right breast. Oh no, she thought. I know what this is.
Tests confirmed her suspicions. The bacteria had lurked somewhere in or on her body and recurred. A second set of doctors, from Infectious Disease Associates of Omaha, ordered lab tests to make sure the bug was vulnerable to the kind of antibiotics that can be taken at home in pill form—the very strongest tend to be given only by IV—and put her on a 20-day course of pills. Then they recommended a grueling 30-day cleansing called decolonization, which would wipe out any staph lingering on the Logans' bodies or in their home.
Logan changed their sheets and towels every day, laundering each batch with a cup of bleach, which kills bacteria. She bought new hairbrushes, toothbrushes and combs. All three of them washed daily with Hibiclens, a harsh antibacterial soap used in hospitals. After they showered, Mollie and Brian sprayed the bathroom with Lysol; they did the same thing after either one of them used the toilet. They regularly wiped down every surface in the house with Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. And three times a day, they painted the inside of their nostrils with Bactroban, a thick antibacterial ointment. "If this was what we had to do to make sure our daughter didn't have to fight for her life again, we were going to do it," Logan says.
New tests showed that Mollie and Brian were clear of infection. But baby Isabella was carrying CA-MRSA in her rectum. Neither drugs nor the decolonization ritual had knocked it out. She could reinfect herself, or them, at any time.
The bacteria known as staph were discovered in the 1880s, but researchers guess that they are one of mankind's oldest companions because they display such skill at living with and on us. According to the CDC, about one third of the U.S. population carries staph around on the outside of the body or on mucous membranes, usually in the nostrils; most of us will go unharmed, unless the bug happens to slip through a cut or break in the skin. Because it is one of the most common causes of infections, staph was one of the first targets for antibiotics. In fact, penicillin was discovered because the mold that produced it grew on, and killed, a petri dish full of staph.
But a mere two decades after penicillin's debut, 80 percent of staph germs had become resistant to the drug. So chemists engineered a chemical cousin, called methicillin, as a substitute. They hoped the latest formula's protection would last for decades, but the first evidence that staph could resist it appeared within two years. Then staph demonstrated a new trick: It developed additional resistance to a huge class of drugs, called beta-lactams, that share similar chemical structures. Beta-lactam antibiotics (not only penicillin and methicillin, but amoxicillin and cephalexin as well) are the drugs that doctors prescribe routinely for things such as urinary tract infections, pneumonia, ear infections—and staph. With a simple genetic change, MRSA had taken that entire class of drugs out of the physicians' arsenal.
Drug-resistant staph appeared mainly confined to hospitals until around 1998. "We began seeing perfectly healthy kids with no risk factors coming in from the community with serious infections," says Robert S. Daum, M.D., professor of pediatrics and chief of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Chicago. "So we put together a study and found that in five years, the incidence of CA-MRSA infections had increased 25-fold." The next year, a CDC report revealed that four children in Minnesota and North Dakota had died of overwhelming infections, all of them caused by staph resistant to beta-lactams.
Suddenly, outbreaks of community MRSA seemed to be everywhere. Disease detectives found it in a prison and in jails, and among military trainees; among Native American users of traditional saunas and gay men who frequented bathhouses; in healthy newborn infants, methamphetamine users and tattoo recipients; and among high school and college athletes and players in the National Football League. Some of the victims shared common characteristics: They lived in settings such as correctional institutions, where hygiene was hard to maintain, or spent time in hot, wet places such as sweat lodges, where bacteria often thrive and where surfaces might transfer the bug to bare skin. The athletes were more likely to share clothes and equipment and to have contact with each other's cuts and abrasions. The meth addicts sometimes wounded themselves by scratching their skin raw while they were high. But some had no risk factors at all. And the victims' sheer diversity made the case that MRSA was spreading faster in the community than it could be tracked.
Studies revealed that the MRSA that was infecting people in the wider world was not the same as the strain that threatened patients inside hospitals: The hospital strain had grown resistant to almost all drugs except for two or three very strong ones, but the community variety was still susceptible to medications outside the beta-lactam class. Molecular analysis showed that the two types of MRSA were genetically different as well, having acquired their drug resistance in different ways.
The two types had an additional, crucial difference. Hospital MRSA still attacked its victims via staph's traditional route, by slipping into wounds such as surgical incisions and cuts made to accommodate catheters. But the community-associated type had learned something new: It was breaking through skin that appeared healthy and intact. The germ may have the power to slip through tiny abrasions people haven't noticed, or, some doctors speculate, it might be penetrating skin on its own. The first sign of trouble often looks like an insect bite. And it is often misdiagnosed that way: An outbreak of more than 900 cases in the Los Angeles County jail was discovered when inmates complained about spider bites even after the jail had been doused with insecticide.
An insect bite was Cathy Thrasher's first thought when the teacher and mother of three from Henderson, Kentucky, spotted a quarter-sized welt on the back of her thigh in August 2005. Thrasher, then 38, had just begun teaching seventh grade, and she was reluctant to interrupt her day to go to the doctor until her school's nurse insisted.
Thrasher's physician, James Buckmaster, M.D., had seen CA-MRSA before. He told her there was no way to know how she had acquired it; all he could do was send off a sample to be cultured for the bacteria and start her on the right drugs. The bug demonstrated its tenaciousness: Thrasher, her husband, Jobee, and her 11-year-old son, Clint, all popped up with boils before antibiotics brought things under control.
Or so she thought. Two weeks after Thanksgiving, she woke up at midnight unable to move the left side of her face. She was alone in the house, as Jobee had taken the children to visit family. "My father had just had a stroke, and now I thought I was having one," she says. "I was terrified." She called her best friend, a nurse, who rushed her to the emergency room. Doctors there suspected her illness was an especially serious sinus infection, and a CAT scan revealed that about 70 percent of her sinuses were blocked. "I remember saying to the doctor, 'I feel so bad coming in for just a cold,'" Thrasher says. "And he said, 'Oh, sweetheart, you have so much more than a cold. You are probably the sickest person we have seen today.'"
The hospital put her on the strongest IV antibiotics and placed her in strict isolation. Her family had to don masks, gowns and gloves before entering her room. But after four days, the drugs weren't helping. Doctors punctured and drained her sinuses in surgery, which finally revealed the cause of the blockage: a CA-MRSA abscess. After Thrasher recovered, it took four rounds of strict decolonization, including twice-daily showers with antiseptic soap and weekly baths in water laced with bleach, before the family quelled the outbreak.
Thrasher says the experience left her family with medical bills of more than $50,000—about $5,000 of it not covered by insurance—along with an awestruck respect for germs. "For our family," she says, "it was life-altering."
The Logan family, meanwhile, thought their ordeal was over by the spring of 2006. They had slogged through the punishing decolonization process twice, enduring itchy skin, endless laundry and the ever-present faint scent of bleach. Isabella's body was containing her infection: Periodically her bottom would swell with angry-looking pimples, but they would subside without breaking open or making the toddler ill.
And then, last March, Logan found a boil low on her abdomen. She hoped it was an ingrown hair—but fearing for Isabella and Brian, she showed it to her primary care doctor. He lanced the swelling, ordered a culture and sent her back to Infectious Disease Associates. They delivered the bad news: It was CA-MRSA once again. The prescription was 30 more days of decolonization, along with a 30-day course of two stronger antibiotics. "We went so many months without an outbreak," Logan says. "Now I'm wondering, What is the magic number?"
The virulence of community-associated MRSA has troubled the physicians who are aware of its advance, in part because they've feared that many of their fellow doctors are not. In a study coauthored by Dr. Blumberg in Atlanta, about two thirds of the patients with CA-MRSA in one hospital had initially been given one of the antibiotics that no longer work against the bug. That is not surprising, says Elizabeth Bancroft, M.D., a medical epidemiologist with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, who has investigated MRSA outbreaks. Diagnosing the infection correctly requires ordering a bacterial culture to find which drug will work against it, but doctors are not accustomed to routinely culturing skin infections because the standard drugs worked so well for so long. "In my mind, this is similar to what happened when HIV was first discovered," Dr. Bancroft says. "A new bug comes to town, and people at first do not think of it when they are making diagnoses."
Because CA-MRSA can destroy tissue so rapidly, the consequences of starting treatment with the wrong drug can be dramatic. Dee Dee Wallace, a 46-year-old mother of two in Nashotah, Wisconsin, discovered that in late 2004. She noticed a painful boil on her rear end in the midst of an 800-mile Thanksgiving car trip. When she saw her primary care doctor the following week, she was given a common penicillin-based antibiotic. The infection seemed to heal, but then recurred on her left knee around New Year's Day. By the time it was cultured, identified as CA-MRSA and targeted with the correct drugs, it had developed into necrotizing fasciitis. To clean out the infection, surgeons had to remove more than five square inches of flesh from the inside of Wallace's knee. Two years later, after an ICU stay, skin-graft surgery and months of recovery, she still lacks full use of her leg. "I had never heard of MRSA," she says. "Until my husband got online and looked it up, I had no idea how serious it was."
Physicians lack experience with the remaining antibiotics that do work against CA-MRSA. "Are they not very effective, or are they just as good? I don't think we know," says Henry Chambers, M.D., chief of infectious diseases at San Francisco General Hospital. And that menu of alternate drugs may be shrinking. Several recent studies suggest that community MRSA, which originally could be distinguished from the hospital variety because it was vulnerable to more drugs than the hospital strain, is losing that vulnerability. And even as existing drugs cease to work, few new antibiotics are being developed. "The pipeline is just skimpy," says John Bartlett, M.D., of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. "We are already starting to use drugs that we shelved because they were too toxic."
Adding to their concern is a troubling discovery that researchers have only recently pieced together. More and more, CA-MRSA infections nationwide are caused by a single strain, known as USA 300, which emerged in 2001 and has become linked with horrific infections, including flesh-eating disease. As it spreads, USA 300 is squeezing out other MRSA strains, including the long-standing hospital variety—a sign, researchers say, that a pathogen already demonstrating a talent for survival of the fittest may have become super fit.
CA-MRSA's emergence as a potent health problem is so new that authorities are scrambling to get the message out about it. The CDC has launched an educational campaign and convened a caucus of experts to discuss strategies for physicians to follow. Among the experts' recommendations: Doctors should be aware of the extent of MRSA in their communities. A skin infection that staph might have caused should always be cultured to see which drugs will work against it. Complaints of spider bites should always rate a second look. "It is a change in practice," admits Rachel Gorwitz, M.D., a CDC epidemiologist who tracks CA-MRSA. "We are asking them to do something that they may not have done before."
Physicians with experience treating MRSA urge patients to act in their own defense. Simple precautions such as washing your hands, covering any wounds and showering immediately after contact sports can help ward off germs. (See "Beat Back the New Bugs") If a suspicious boil does pop up, never be afraid to ask a doctor to culture it. Be especially concerned about skin problems that rise or spread rapidly or become red, swollen and painful. But doctors also concede reluctantly that the public may have to learn a hard lesson: For many infections, the time of easy, uncomplicated treatment is over.
Mollie Logan has already come to that realization. She was declared free of CA-MRSA in May 2006, after three sets of tests to prove it had been eliminated. She has had no more recurrences, and Isabella—who turned 2 years old last August—remains healthy. The family is moving on: Logan will give birth this spring to their second child. As she nears her due date in April, her obstetrician will test her again, and if she comes up positive, she will get antibiotics during labor and delivery. "But I don't know if they really know what will happen," she says. "It is very scary." Meanwhile, the family continues to shower weekly with antiseptic soap, keeps a supply of prescription antibiotic ointment on hand and takes nothing for granted.
In what may eventually be the postantibiotic era, that is the only sensible attitude, says Darcy Jones, the physician's assistant who cared for Mollie Logan at Infectious Disease Associates. "Hopefully, we have eradicated the MRSA from her, but it is not something that will last forever," she says. "She could get this again. Any of us could."
Photo Credit: Nathan Perkel


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"In Bridget Hoida's So L.A. […] One woman juggles the five stages of grief in this novel's cutting portrait of a marriage's slow-motion deterioration. […] Prone to embellishment, melodrama and laugh-out-loud set pieces, Hoida gives her [protagonist] a sure and steady voice, full of caustic wit and raw emotion. With bright similes and shining epigrams, she gleefully mines Tinseltown tropes while skewering class, consumerism and body image. Revelations are punctuated with punch lines that land squarely in the gut. Although the ending is abrupt, it's as clever as the rest of the book. Best of all, it leaves hope that readers haven't seen the end of Magda. In this razor-sharp debut, grief and loathing beget a juicy tragicomedy."
-Julia Ann Charpentier, ForeWord Clarion Review
"Electric, funny, lively, edged prose illuminates the pages of So L.A.– Hoida knows how to write sentences and characters that bite right into you."
-Aimee Bender, author of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
"Bridget is a rare thing — an original writer with a unique voice. Her writing is ironic, satirical, smart, sexy and deeply tender. This is a book Joan Didion will wish she'd written!"
— Chris Abani, author of The Virgin of Flames and Song For Night
Magdalena de la Cruz breezed through Berkeley and built an empire selling designer water. She'd never felt awkward or unattractive… until she moved to Los Angeles. In L.A., where "everything smells like acetone and Errol Flynn," Magdalena attempts to reinvent herself as a geographically appropriate bombshell—with rhinestones, silicone and gin—as she seeks an escape from her unraveling marriage and the traumatic death of her younger brother, Junah. Magdalena's Los Angeles is glitzy and glamorous but also a landscape of the absurd. Her languidly lyrical voice provides a travel guide for a city of make-believe, where even Hollywood insiders feel left out.
A California native, Bridget Hoida peers past the high-gloss veneer of her home state to illuminate the inhabitants of the Golden State via a dystopian lens. From the parched grape farms of the San Joaquin Valley to the scuffed cement of the Sunset Strip Hoida offers a glimpse of Los Angeles that is as painful as it is pretty. Praised by fellow writers, journal editors, and prized juries as a distinctive and noteworthy new voice, Bridget Hoida makes her novel debut with So L.A.
Bridget Hoida grew up in Northern California on an eight-mile road. Flanked by grapevines and asparagus. Hoida was determined to escape her agrarian upbringing. Armed with a BA from UC Berkeley and a MA in fiction writing from San Francisco State, Hoida filled her tank with gas (and her trunk with books) and set off in a stick shift for Los Angeles. "I don't know what I was thinking," Hoida admits. "Perhaps I was channeling a B-movie cliché, but I really did take my first steps on the streets of Los Angeles in a pair of Birkenstocks and a tie-dyed sundress."
Like her main character, Magdalena de la Cruz, Hoida had trouble reconciling her Northern California roots with the strict beauty code of Los Angeles. Newly enrolled in the innovative Literature & Creative Writing PhD at USC, and teaching an undergraduate course called: "Social Issues in Sex & Gender," Hoida decided to explore the L.A. Woman as an academic and literary subject. "They were everywhere," Hoida states, "these tanned and toned beauties sipping seltzer water at Chin Chins; queued up behind the velvet ropes at Area; walking across the USC campus in three inch Jimmy Choos, void of any imperfection and smelling like cocoa butter with a hint of cinnamon toast. I wanted to be them and yet I also wanted to wipe off their mascara, deflate their implants, and give them a hug." That's how Magdalena, the main character of Hoida's novel, So L.A., was born.
A transplant like Hoida, Magdalena de la Cruz struggles to navigate the blinding glare of perpetual sunshine in the southland. Escaping the traumatic and sudden death of her twin brother, Junah. Magdalena uses her body as a canvas of reinvention. "When Junah died I stopped wanting to be me" Magdalena says as she literally cuts any resemblance between herself and her brother "out with sleek scalpels." In Magdalena's own words she "refashion[ed] myself in skin temporarily scarred with puffy red staples. I doused my face in designer tonics to erase the light brown spots of San Joaquin sun. I surrender[ed] to filthy, exorbitant whims…". As Magdalena takes refuge in boutiques and Botox—seeking desperately for something to fill the void her brother has left—her marriage to Ricky, a socially conscious first-generation Mexican-American, is in jeopardy; her few friendships begin to unravel; and Diamond Myst, her booming designer water business, is drying up.
Like a lane change on the 405 freeway during rush hour, Bridget Hoida skillfully navigates the impossible. In So L.A. Hoida offers both a satirical and sympathetic portrait of contemporary Los Angeles through the penetrating prose of her female protagonist. Evoking a dynamic and materialist landscape, So L.A. introduces readers to the unforgettable voice of an extremely talented new writer.
To purchase your copy of So L.A. from the publisher, click here:
Lettered Press
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Obama's New Japan Team
While American President Barack Obama looks set to be back for a second term, key members of his foreign policy team — including his main Japan advisors — likely won't be.
Mr. Obama's secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, is widely expected to leave at the end of his first term. That is likely to set off a domino effect of personnel changes in the State Department, including some key officials in charge of Asia and Japan policies.


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Giants stymied by Dodgers ace in opener
LOS ANGELES -- The season opener between the Giants and Dodgers very well could have provided scenes from coming attractions, courtesy of baseball-minded folks from neighboring Hollywood.
The traditional rivals play 18 more times this season, and the sense grew during Los Angeles' 4-0 victory that many of the rematches will follow Monday's script: dominant pitching disrupted by a sudden outburst of offense.
"There'll probably be a lot of tight games," Giants catcher Buster Posey said. "I think that'll probably be the theme with us."
Fortunately for the Giants, they'll probably face Clayton Kershaw only four or five more times this season. The Giants' status as reigning World Series champions meant nothing against Kershaw, their biggest nemesis, who slugged and pitched the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-0 triumph.
Kershaw outdid himself before a jam-packed crowd at Dodger Stadium. Not only did he limit the Giants to four hits in his third career shutout against them, but the 6-foot-3 Texan also shattered a scoreless tie by leading off the eighth with his first career home run. That clout also launched a four-run uprising.
Kershaw became the first pitcher to homer and pitch a shutout on Opening Day since the Indians' Bob Lemon in 1953, against the White Sox. He also was the first to shut out a defending Series champion on Opening Day since the Yankees' Rick Rhoden beat the Twins in 1988.
With 161 regular-season games remaining, conclusions are risky. But onlookers at least had to consider that the Dodgers, with their horde of high-priced talent and an ownership group bent on success, intend to close the perceived gap between themselves and the Giants by bringing fresh intensity to their confrontations.
"With the whole scenario of what's going on with Opening Day and a lot of expectation and excitement around our club, the Giants [being] world champions, I think it puts a lot of emphasis on the game," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.
Asked if he thought that the Dodgers are "targeting" the Giants, Posey said, "You'll have to ask them, but I'm sure [they are], really, with the success we've had over the last few years."
If that's the case, the Giants are ready for a staredown.
"We knew they made some big [personnel] moves last year and in the offseason, so we're looking at those guys as well," right-hander Matt Cain said.
Except for Cain and Pablo Sandoval, who collected two hits, the Giants might want to avert their gaze from this game as quickly as possible. They did not move a runner past first base against Kershaw, whose career 1.28 ERA against the Giants is the best ever (minimum 50 innings pitched). San Francisco could only lament a couple of close calls: Hunter Pence flied out to deep left field leading off the fifth inning and Posey lined out to third base after Sandoval drilled a one-out single in the seventh.
"He hides the ball really well, and he's similar to the kind of guys we have on our staff," Posey said of Kershaw, who's 9-4 lifetime against San Francisco. "He's going to give you all he's got."
Cain did exactly that in his first Opening Day start by working six combative innings. The right-hander constantly pitched out of trouble, holding the Dodgers hitless in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position. He thoroughly enjoyed the experience of pitching the opener.
"You've seen some guys do it, and you always kind of wonder what it feels like," he said. "There definitely is a lot of hype going on with it, a bit of overreporting, kind of. But that's the fun part leading up to the first game."
Having thrown 92 pitches, Cain yielded the mound to George Kontos, who was temporarily a worthy successor. Kontos pitched a perfect seventh and figured to have an edge entering the eighth, since Kershaw was due to lead off.
But Kershaw reminded the Giants that every man with a bat is dangerous by clobbering Kontos' first pitch over the center-field barrier.
"He's a big strong guy," Kontos said. "If you make a mistake, he's going to put a good swing on it."
Kershaw connected with a sinking fastball that didn't sink enough.
"I knew when he hit it, he hit it well," Posey said. "I didn't know that it had enough to get out. But he's an athlete. ... I think the ball ran back to the middle a little bit, and he was all in. He was swinging no matter what."
Until then, Kontos, the Chicago-area native, was basking in Chavez Ravine's splendor. Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax threw the ceremonial first pitch, sunshine fought through the clouds and, regardless of your team loyalty, you didn't have a pulse if you didn't get goosebumps when Vin Scully intoned, "It's time for Dod-ger baseball."
Said Kontos, "It was very exciting. It was a great day. Great atmosphere at the ballpark and it was an experience before my outing that I definitely will never forget. I just wish the results were a little bit better."


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Nintendo breaks App Store stage fright, releasing first official iOS app
Nintendo has finally begun to embrace Apple's app store following a string of clone and unofficial releases have attempted to ride its name. Pokédex for iOS will launch in Japan soon, marking the start of what could perhaps branch out into something bigger.
Imagine just how much money the original Super Mario Bros. would make if it were released on iOS. It would sell like mad, so it's always been a puzzle as to why Nintendo has shied away from this potentially lucrative marketplace.
GI.Biz reports that Nintendo's reluctance has come to an end, as The Pokémon Company will publish Pokédex for iOS app in Japan at 170 Yen, and offer additional creature packs for 500 Yen a pop.
Developed by Game Freak subsidiary Creatures Inc. the app could be a big hit among Pokémon fans, considering the new Pokédex Pro on 3DS is rather. Should the app sell well, there's no telling how far Nintendo's dabbling in the iOS market could go.
Here's a screen of the app, courtesy of GI.biz:
What's your view on a theoretical influx of Nintendo games on iOS? Would you buy in to the idea? Let us know below.


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Come hungry…close a loan electronically within 15 minutes and with doughnuts. Not like it took any longer the paper route!
Providing all the 'errors' and 'mistakes' currently happening in foreclosure land, just hope your eNote/eMortgage doesn't get deleted by accident.
via Housing Wire:
Harry Gardner, president of SigniaDocs, said the perfect infrastructure is one that manages all mortgage documents electronically, but the number of loans in the Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems' eRegistry is about 200,000, or "a small fraction of mortgages written in the last 10 years."
"And by eMortgage, we mean truly paperless not some hybrid of some paper and some electronic documentation," Gardener said. "Ten years ago, we were saying mainstream eMortgage documentation was three to five years away, and I'm happy to say that mainstream eMortgage documentation is now three to five years away."
continue reading…. Housing Wire


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Berkman Not Optimistic About Friday Return
ST. LOUIS -- Though Lance Berkman said it remains a possibility that he'll be ready to return from the disabled list on Friday, he did not sound overly optimistic about such a timetable.
Friday is the first day that the veteran first baseman, who is recovering from a strained left calf, would be eligible to come off the DL. That day also coincides with the team's first trip to Houston, where Berkman spent the first 12 years of his Major League career.
"It's just one of those things, when you're dealing with a muscle injury -- it can make rapid improvement and then hit a plateau," Berkman said. "You don't know how long it's going to take to get it back to 100 percent. Right now I'd say it's probably 85 percent. But before I'm going to go back out there, I'm going to get it as close to 100 percent as possible, because what I don't want to have happen is go out there too soon and end up right back here again. The whole point of this DL stint is to get this totally behind us."
Berkman did resume running on Monday, though it was not a strenuous test of his leg, and he continues to hit in the batting cages. It is unknown whether Berkman would need to go on a Minor League rehab assignment before being placed back on the 25-man roster.
"We'll see how the next few days play out," he said. "I've got to run. I've got to really push it. I've got to go full speed and have it not feel bad the next day. That's what the next step is."


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Charting progress in the modern classroom can be a major dilemma for teachers—especially when the only assessment tools and strategies available are for a traditional setting with a traditional report card and grading system. There has to be a fair and valid way to assess and report progress! During this two-day workshop, Rick Wormeli shows you how you can manage evidence-based assessment and grading, using innovative strategies designed to meet your state's standards as well as your students' unique needs.
Join us to discover how to dramatically impact teaching and learning in your classroom! Learn the "how's" and "why's" of assessing and grading diverse learners in all subjects in a standards-based world!
Monday, February 25, 2019 - Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Four Points by Sheraton Lexington1938 Stanton WayLexington, KY 40511USA859-259-1311
Copyright © 2017 Staff Development for Educators


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|Mufti condoles death of 11 persons in accident near Karnah
|Jehlum Post News | Srinagar| August 12, 2015| Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Tuesday expressed grief over the death of 11 persons, including three women and a child, in a sumo accident, near Sadhna Top, in Kupwara district today. The accident occurred when the ill-fated vehicle, which was on way from Kupwara to Tangdhar, rolled over and fell down into a gorge. In his condolence message, the Chief Minister conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families in their hour of grief and prayed for peace to the departed souls.
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The controversy around Nestle's Maggi noodles has caused panic throughout the nation and it doesn't look like it will die down any time soon.
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An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.
You will be asked to lie down. The health care provider will clean several areas on your arms, legs, and chest, and then will attach small patches called electrodes to those areas. It may be necessary to shave or clip some hair so the patches stick to the skin. The number of patches used may vary.
The patches are connected by wires to a machine that turns the heart's electrical signals into wavy lines, which are often printed on paper. The doctor reviews the test results.
You will need to remain still during the procedure. The provider may also ask you to hold your breath for a few seconds as the test is being done.
It is important to be relaxed and warm during an ECG recording because any movement, including shivering, can alter the results.
Sometimes this test is done while you are exercising or under light stress to look for changes in the heart. This type of ECG is often called a stress test.
Make sure your provider knows about all the medicines you are taking. Some drugs can interfere with test results.
DO NOT exercise or drink cold water immediately before an ECG because these actions may cause false results.
An ECG is painless. No electricity is sent through the body. The electrodes may feel cold when first applied. In rare cases, some people may develop a rash or irritation where the patches were placed.
An ECG is used to measure:
An ECG is often the first test done to determine whether a person has heart disease. Your provider may order this test if:
Normal test results most often include:
Abnormal ECG results may be a sign of:
Some heart problems that can lead to changes on an ECG test include:
There are no risks.
The accuracy of the ECG depends on the condition being tested. A heart problem may not always show up on the ECG. Some heart conditions never produce any specific ECG changes.
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Last year, I posted this under my Faith Living tab. I am currently in the middle of a CFIDS flare and need a ton of extra sleep and rest. Since I haven't been able to spend much time on my computer, I thought I'd share this again.
The Gift of Emptiness
"[Then said Jeremiah] O Lord, my Strength and my Stronghold, and my Refuge in the day of affliction, to You shall the nations come from the ends of the earth and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, emptiness, and futility, worthless things in which there is no profit!" (Jeremiah 16:19, AMP)
I've been pondering this phrase I read the other day: the gift of emptiness. What contradictory terms! How could emptiness be a gift?
We have all received gifts from family and friends for various occasions. Every so often someone will give us something special 'just because'. Those are my favorite gifts – a card for no reason at all, a special book from a friend who knows my taste in reading, a hug, a fistful of flowers my husband picked from the side of the road just for me…. all of these make me feel special and loved.
Recently my daughter gave me a purse she hadn't used in a while. It is the perfect size and color for me (bright pink!) and I love the feel of the soft patent leather. There was no special reason for this gift; she simply thought I might enjoy using it, and oh, I definitely do!
On top of my desk is a sweet teddy bear wearing a dress and pinafore, with a bow and headband around her head. A close friend gave me this gift because she saw it and thought of me.
I was away for a week and before I drove straight home I stopped at the car wash to surprise my husband with the gift of a brightly clean truck. A couple of days later, as a surprise gift to me, he completely cleaned out the inside of the truck. How's that for mutual gifting?
As special as touchable gifts are, there are some intangible ones that are special too. Last month my son renewed his commitment to the Lord and was baptized. As the tears streamed down my face, I thanked God that He had allowed me to witness this extraordinary event in my son's life.
We all struggle with sleep at times. Insomnia has dogged me for many years but these days I seem to need more sleep than normal because of health problems. Still, there are nights when I wake up with too many thoughts swirling through my mind to be able to get right back to sleep. This is when I pray for God to help me empty my mind of all thoughts but those of Him so that I can get right back to sleep. To me, this is a good kind of emptiness.
Emptiness is defined as an unfilled space; a total lack of ideas, meaning, or substance; a desolate sense of loss. On the other hand, a gift is "something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort by the recipient or without its being earned." How can two such different words occupy the same sentence or thought?
Ecclesiastes 5:7 says "For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God." The fear of God is not that cowering kind of dread but rather a total awe, wonder and reverence for a perfect, holy, righteous and just Creator. When we truly "fear God," we bow to His awesome power, complete knowledge, overwhelming faithfulness, and unfailing love and mercy for us.
God is our strength when we feel weak, our fortress when people try to overpower us, and our refuge when we need to pull back from the pressures of life. In fact, God is our ultimate security and protection. There is nothing He is not able and willing to help us with. No matter how far we may stray from Him, He is always ready to take us back with open arms because His love for us is immeasurable. All of these are intangible gifts from God — gifts we experience from Him but cannot touch or feel with our hands. We know these gifts are from Him because:
"…by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8, ESV).
Pastor David Strem, in his sermon "Easter: Emptiness that Fulfills," shares this:
"The empty tomb is about the power of God to overcome death…[and] is God's promise that physical death is not the end. It displays His power over death and satisfies our hope for eternal life. The world is full of empty promises, but God is different. Instead of promises full of emptiness, God gives us emptiness that is full of promise. Emptiness because He poured Himself out for us."
Beloved, God's ultimate gift to us is the reality of that empty tomb where Jesus had been placed after He died for our sins. God bestows many gifts on us because He loves us so much, but His "gift of emptiness" tops everything else. If Jesus had not conquered death, leaving us that empty tomb, we would not have the reassurance of His coming back for us. It is this reassurance that comforts and upholds me during my worst days because I know without a shadow of doubt that God has my back. His gift of emptiness keeps me from losing heart. How about you?
"But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn't find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, "Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day." Then they remembered that he had said this." (Luke 24:1-8, NLT)
"The education of our faith is incomplete if we have not learned that there is a providence of loss, a ministry of failing and of fading things, a gift of emptiness." (F.B. Meyer)