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Nanosheet catalyst discovered to sustainably split hydrogen from water
(Phys.org) -- Hydrogen gas offers one of the most promising sustainable energy alternatives to limited fossil fuels. But traditional methods of producing pure hydrogen face significant challenges in unlocking its full potential, either by releasing harmful carbon dioxide into the atmosphere or requiring rare and expensive chemical elements such as platinum.
Now, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energys (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a new electrocatalyst that addresses one of these problems by generating hydrogen gas from water cleanly and with much more affordable materials. The novel form of catalytic nickel-molybdenum-nitride described in a paper published online May 8, 2012 in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition surprised scientists with its high-performing nanosheet structure, introducing a new model for effective hydrogen catalysis.
We wanted to design an optimal catalyst with high activity and low costs that could generate hydrogen as a high-density, clean energy source, said Brookhaven Lab chemist Kotaro Sasaki, who first conceived the idea for this research. We discovered this exciting compound that actually outperformed our expectations.
Goldilocks chemistry
Water provides an ideal source of pure hydrogen abundant and free of harmful greenhouse gas byproducts. The electrolysis of water, or splitting water (H2O) into oxygen (O2) and hydrogen (H2), requires external electricity and an efficient catalyst to break chemical bonds while shifting around protons and electrons. To justify the effort, the amount of energy put into the reaction must be as small as possible while still exceeding the minimum required by thermodynamics, a figure associated with what is called overpotential.
For a catalyst to facilitate an efficient reaction, it must combine high durability, high catalytic activity, and high surface area. The strength of an elements bond to hydrogen determines its reaction level too weak, and theres no activity; too strong, and the initial activity poisons the catalyst.
We needed to create high, stable activity by combining one non-noble element that binds hydrogen too weakly with another that binds too strongly, said James Muckerman, the senior chemist who led the project. The result becomes this well-balanced Goldilocks compound just right.
Unfortunately, the strongest traditional candidate for an electrocatlytic Goldilocks comes with a prohibitive price tag.
Problems with platinum
Platinum is the gold standard for electrocatalysis, combining low overpotential with high activity for the chemical reactions in water-splitting. But with rapidly rising costs already hovering around $50,000 per kilogram platinum and other noble metals discourage widespread investment.
People love platinum, but the limited global supply not only drives up price, but casts doubts on its long-term viability, Muckerman said. There may not be enough of it to support a global hydrogen economy.
In contrast, the principal metals in the new compound developed by the Brookhaven team are both abundant and cheap: $20 per kilogram for nickel and $32 per kilogram for molybdenum. Combined, thats 1000 times less expensive than platinum. But with energy sources, performance is often a more important consideration than price.
Turning nickel into platinum
In this new catalyst, nickel takes the reactive place of platinum, but it lacks a comparable electron density. The scientists needed to identify complementary elements to make nickel a viable substitute, and they introduced metallic molybdenum to enhance its reactivity. While effective, it still couldnt match the performance levels of platinum.
We needed to introduce another element to alter the electronic states of the nickel-molybdenum, and we knew that nitrogen had been used for bulk materials, or objects larger than one micrometer, said research associate Wei-Fu Chen, the papers lead author. But this was difficult for nanoscale materials, with dimensions measuring billionths of a meter.
The scientists expected the applied nitrogen to modify the structure of the nickel-molybdenum, producing discrete, sphere-like nanoparticles. But they discovered something else.
Subjecting the compound to a high-temperature ammonia environment infused the nickel-molybdenum with nitrogen, but it also transformed the particles into unexpected two-dimensional nanosheets. The nanosheet structures offer highly accessible reactive sites consider the surface area difference between bed sheets laid out flat and those crumpled up into balls and therefore more reaction potential.
Using a high-resolution transmission microscope in Brookhaven Labs Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, as well as x-ray probes at the National Synchrotron Light Source, the scientists determined the materials 2D structure and probed its local electronic configurations.
Despite the fact that metal nitrides have been extensively used, this is the first example of one forming a nanosheet, Chen said. Nitrogen made a huge difference it expanded the lattice of nickel-molybdenum, increased its electron density, made an electronic structure approaching that of noble metals, and prevented corrosion.
Hydrogen future
The new catalyst performs nearly as well as platinum, achieving electrocatalytic activity and stability unmatched by any other non-noble metal compounds. The production process is both simple and scalable, Muckerman said, making nickel-molybdenum-nitride appropriate for wide industrial applications.
While this catalyst does not represent a complete solution to the challenge of creating affordable hydrogen gas, it does offer a major reduction in the cost of essential equipment. The team emphasized that the breakthrough emerged through fundamental exploration, which allowed for the surprising discovery of the nanosheet structure.
Brookhaven Lab has a very active fuel cell and electrocatalysis group, Muckerman said. We needed to figure out fundamental approaches that could potentially be game-changing, and thats the spirit in which were doing this work. Its about coming up with a new paradigm that will guide future research.
Additional collaborators on this research were: Anatoly Frenkel of Yeshiva University, Nebojsa Marinkovic of the University of Delaware, and Chao Ma, Yimei Zhu and Radoslav Adzic of Brookhaven Lab.
More information: Scientific Paper: Hydrogen-Evolution Catalysts Based on Non-Nobel Metal NickelMolybdenum Nitride Nanosheets
Journal information: Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Provided by Brookhaven National Laboratory


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A judge has ruled that Twitter must reveal the identity of the man who threatened to rape Minnesota Congresswoman and former Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann using the microblogging service on the grounds that legally, saying you're going to sexually assault a Presidential candidate on an internet forum isn't protected speech, even if you very strongly dislike them. Trending topics in this man's life include #ohshit and #attorneyplz.
The problems started when the user, known thus far as "Mr. X," threatened sexual violence against Bachmann using a "Vietnam-era machete." Federal Judge Royce Lamberth ruled that talk like that isn't guaranteed by the Constitution, especially when accompanied by some of the other turd nuggets this user presented to the world. In the words of Royce, "Mr. X's body of tweets is extremely crude and in almost incomprehensibly poor taste."
And so one person's cheeky South Park tagline is another's damning legal judgment.
Judge Royce clarified that he didn't believe that Mr. X was a threat, but that investigators needed the authority to examine possible threats against Presidential candidates in order to ensure the integrity of the electoral proces both now and in the future. Mr. X hasn't been charged with anything yet, but his life's likely to get 1000% more Secret Service-y.
This man deserves a prize for reminding America that no matter how whackadoodle we find our politicians, there will always be someone willing to out-nut them. And often, that person is on the internet.
Twitter must ID user who threatened Michele Bachmann [Mashable]

subset: commoncrawl


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So what have you resolved to do in the new year? Get yourself organized? Lose those Christmas pounds that somehow seem to have already attached themselves to the pounds you gained last Christmas? Spend more time with the family? How about finally taking a vacation (presumably with that family you just resolved to spend more time with)? It's the thought that counts, right?
Believe it or not, there is a story, if not a history, behind the idea of making resolutions at the start of a new year. According to legend, the mythical Roman King Janus, for whom the month January is named, could both look to the past and see into the future and had the power to forgive minor transgressions. At the end of the year, Romans would exchange gifts or promise to atone for the year's mistakes in order to win Janus' forgiveness and blessings.
And thus the act of gift giving and the New Year's resolution were born! As we look back on the year that was 2011, some folks in Washington and in capitals around the globe may have more than a little atoning to do for their previous year's misdeeds. But before we resolve to do better in the new year, and in keeping with the tradition started by those Romans, let's take a quick look at the recent past to remember some of the events, people and images that have shaped our lives.
And what a year it was — from the tragic (the January shooting of Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz.) to the sublime (her return to the House floor to vote on raising the debt ceiling in August) to the ridiculous (President Obama having to release his long-form birth certificate, Harold Camping's doomsday predictions and Casey Anthony's not-guilty verdict); from the politically brave (Rep. Paul Ryan introducing a comprehensive overhaul of the nation's budget and Saudi Arabia granting women the right to vote) to the politically stupid (Rep. Anthony Weiner, IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Herman Cain resigning their posts or quitting their campaigns because of scandal) to the politically important (the killing of Osama bin Laden, Anwar al-Awlaki and Muammar Qaddafi; the Arab Spring protests and Occupy Wall Street).
Not to mention the floods, earthquakes, tsunamis and budget talks; the final mission of the space shuttle; the rebirth of the labor movement; and Lady Gaga dethroning Oprah Winfrey from the No. 1 spot on Forbes magazine's top 100 celebrities list! Yes, it was quite a year.
Of course, no reflection upon the past year would be complete without some superlatives:
The Best Political Move: Restructuring the Republican Primary Process
By making late primaries relevant again, the GOP has ensured that it will nominate the strongest candidate who demonstrates his or her mettle over the long run. Granted, Florida bucked the new rules and the current Republican National Committee leadership blinked instead of standing firm, but given the current jumbled field, if the old system was left in place and the earliest contests determined the race (which is why Florida cut in line), Republican voters would risk a severe case of buyer's remorse and the 2012 presidential election would become a mere formality (for some it already is).
The Most Underrated Person: Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.)
He is the most effective governor in America, period. He also may be the smartest and the most politically adept — in what was once a solid Democratic state, no serious Democrat even bothered to challenge him for re-election. Just because some pundits claimed that Jindal once walked stiffly to the podium to deliver a speech — hardly a capital offense — and because he does his work far from the dysfunction of Washington, he does not get the attention he should. But he will.
Honorable mention: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). The toxic political atmosphere in Washington is like the weather — everyone talks about it, but no one does anything about it. Wyden is a rare exception. A liberal Democrat, he has the courage to work with conservative Republicans like Paul Ryan and Dan Coats to fix our entitlement and tax mess, and doesn't care what Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid thinks or how it will affect his fundraising. Smart and brave. A dangerous combination for the D.C. crowd, but a welcome one for the rest of us.
The Most Underreported Story: The Consequences of China's Power
Many news stories refer to China's economic growth, but few address what that will mean to the world. For more than 200 years, economic growth in America has been based on a model of political freedom, personal liberty, rule of law, democratic institutions and free markets. China presents a new model that is based on repressing individuals, not empowering them.
Within decades, the world's biggest economy may be a place where there is no elected government, no freedom of speech, no freedom of religion and no property rights of which to speak. We need to figure out how to avert that outcome, or at least understand what China's power means and how to deal with it.
Time magazine got it right. As I wrote in this space in December, "The truth is, both the grass roots of the right and the left in America are no longer pawns to be moved into position by the mere shouting of a word or pointing of a finger by a leader. Instead, these activists have become an inconvenience to those who think they hold the power." The same is true for those protesters emerging around the world — from Tunisia and Egypt to Bahrain, Libya and Yemen — who have grown weary of brutal dictatorships.
The Biggest Loser of the Year: America's Youth
During the partisan bickering, finger-pointing and backbiting (and stabbing) on the budget, the debt, extensions of unemployment benefits and taxes, youth unemployment rose to near post-World War II highs. Lost in the noise is the reality that our children are the ones who will have to pay off more than $15 trillion of U.S. debt. Their lives will be fundamentally changed for the worse as a consequence of the decisions that this president and this Congress are making today. In short, our children will be working to build productive capacity and improve standards of living — not here in America, but for foreign creditors.
Now that we've reflected on 2011, here are some hopes and resolutions for 2012:
That the people of North Korea not be abandoned to a fate of oppression and starvation under a new leader who could very well rule for 60 years.
That the world comes to know who Chinese Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo is, and why he and others like him matter.
That our policy goals reflect the desire of moms and dads to provide an excellent education for their children.
That the sanctity of human life at all stages be respected.
That we cherish our children, and that they, just once, clean their rooms without being asked.
That when we sit on the couch, we reach for the phone to call a friend rather than for the TV remote.
That we exercise!
That the government stops meddling in housing markets, allowing them, and the economy, to heal.
That you go to the zoo; if you don't have kids, take someone else's.
That South Sudan thrives, and its people live amid peace and plenty.
That we continue to thank our troops as they return safely home.
Michael Steele is the former chairman of the Republican National Committee and served as lieutenant governor of Maryland from 2003 to 2007. He is currently a political analyst for MSNBC and can be found online at steeleforum.com.


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Visual field: The entire area that can be seen when the eye is directed forward, including that which is seen with peripheral vision.
The visual field can be tested to measure the extent and distribution of the field of vision. The test may be done by a number of methods including what are termed confrontation, tangent screen exam and automated perimetry. Many diseases can adversely affect the visual field including glaucoma, strokes, high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, multiple sclerosis, overactivity of the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism). Medications can also affect the visual field, some of which include the antimalarial medicines chloroquine (ATABRINE) and hydroxychloroquine (PLAQUENIL).


text: SOS Children's Village Kaolack Life in rural Kaolack is extremely difficult; often, families come to the city in search of opportunity. But in the city, too, basic infrastructure and services are not available to everyone. These circumstances endanger the healthy development of children. Preventable diseases still cost lives in Kaolack At the SOS Hermann Gmeiner School (photo: S. Houalet) Kaolack, capital of the region of the same name, is a city of roughly 200,000 inhabitants situated in western Senegal, just to the north of The Gambia. The region is often referred to as the "peanut basin" as much of the local economy is based on the trading and processing of peanuts. Unfortunately, Kaolack is also notorious for being one of Africa's most polluted cities. There is no system of garbage collection in place and clean water is not available to all. There are large rubbish dumps on the outskirts of the city, and the stench can be unbearable, particularly in the summer months. This also leads to regular outbreaks of diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and cholera. Prostitution is legal in Senegal for women over the age of 21. They must register with the police and hold a valid sanitary card, which shows that they carry no sexually transmitted diseases. They must have regular check-ups at a health centre, where they also receive free condoms. These measures have helped to keep HIV infection rates relatively low in Senegal, as compared to other countries in the region. However, there are also many girls below the age of 21 who work as prostitutes. These young girls do not benefit from any of the services provided by the Ministry of Health, since their activities are illegal. They are thus particularly vulnerable, putting themselves and their clients at greater risk of contracting diseases. Children and young people need hope for the future Overall, the Kaolack Region has one of the highest levels of poverty in the country, with up to 60 per cent of the rural population living in conditions where their basic needs are not met. The economy of Senegal has grown over the past decade, but the life of subsistence farmers is as tough as ever. Economic and social infrastructure is not sufficiently available, and young people often feel there is a lack of opportunity for them in the countryside. But it is precisely the younger generation that needs prospects for the future in order to contribute to the long-term development of the country. The work of SOS Children's Villages in Kaolack focuses, on the one hand, on providing assistance to families so that their stability is not endangered by precarious socioeconomic conditions. In cases where parents are no longer able to look after their children, we provide a secure and loving home for these children. Another important facet of our work here focuses on supporting young people in their transition into adulthood. What we do in Kaolack An SOS mother with two little girls in their home (photo: R. Fleischanderl) SOS Children's Villages began its work in Kaolack in 1983. The SOS Social Centre here offers family strengthening programmes to the local community. One of the main goals is to ensure that children have access to essential material, educational, health and social services. The programmes also support families from the local community in building their capacity to care for their children, for example by providing guidance on income-generating activities and parenting skills. In addition, the SOS Social Centres provide health services, counselling and psychological support, as well as care and support for families affected by HIV/AIDS. The SOS Medical Centre here in Kaolack is run as a mother and child clinic. It provides general medicine, paediatric care, and obstetrics to around 200 patients from the community each day. Another important function of the medical centre is providing preventive care, such as vaccinations, to the local population. For children from the region who can no longer live with their parents, twelve SOS families can provide a loving home for up to 120 children. In each family, the children live with their brothers and sisters, affectionately cared for by their SOS mother. The children attend the SOS Kindergarten together with children from the neighbourhood. This ensures that children from SOS families make friends and are integrated into the local community from a young age. The children then go on to complete their primary education at the SOS school, which is attended by up to 600 pupils. When young people reach an age where they are ready to move out of the family home, the SOS Youth Programme makes shared accommodation available. Qualified SOS co-workers accompany and support the young people on their journey to becoming independent adults, for example by providing guidance and support in finding employment or training opportunities.


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Commercial access to space on holdThursday, January 22nd, 2009
As widely reported, Russia has closed commercial public access to Soyuz seats for flights after the US shuttle is retired.
Now that the ISS has the capacity for a larger full-time crew, the seats are more likely to be devoted to long-duration ISS crew rotation than short-term ISS visits, whether visits by professional EU / US astronauts or folks flying privately. I've no doubt that there are economics attached to the Russian seats that are similar for both cases – the EU and US have to pay for the lift just like us ordinary folks.
There are a couple of interesting twists to the story.
One is that, when the Shuttle is retired, the Russians will have the only manned access to orbital flight in the ISS partnership. Russia and China will be the only nations with manned orbital capabilities, and the US huffishly refuses to welcome China into the ISS club. Expect the price of a seat to rise substantially while that's the case.
Another is the EU's plan to evolve their autonomous cargo vessel (ATV) into a manned capability, something that's perfectly feasible and quite sensible IMO.
And the third twist is that the Russians have long been open to commercial offers for a long-duration flight (six month ISS crew rotation). That woudl require substantially more training (12-18 months minimum depending on who you ask) but would certainly include the Soyuz lift to get there and back.


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What is ichthyosis?
Here is some information from the ichthyosis website. You can read more about ichthyosis there, too.
Ichthyosis (ick-thee-o-ses) is the name of a rare genetic skin disorder. Since it's a genetic mutation, it isn't contagious--you can't "catch" it. Ichthyosis causes the skin to build up and scale, causing it to be extremely dry, among other problems.
Most types of ichthyosis are present at birth, and are life-long. Currently, there is no cure, only treatments.
I am red and scaly. My skin gets itchy and sore. My face is the reddest part of my body because it is exposed to the elements. I get infections easily - generally on my legs, but sometimes on my face. Sometimes my infections result in hospital stays where I am bandaged up like a mummy. Infections can make me very sore.
My skin condition affects lots of other things in my body. My eyes, ears, digestive system, temperature and metabolism are all affected to a degree. I see lots of doctors!
While it is medically challenging, the social challenges can be even more difficult. I am stared at, commented on and teased every day. I try to deal with peoples' questions and rudeness the best way I can, with a smile and a polite answer (most of the time). Sometimes all I can do is laugh at the stupidity of some people!
I hope this blog educates you about ichthyosis and the challenges of living with a chronic illness.
If you have any questions, please ask.
Please visit my Ichthyosis and appearance diversity resources page for more useful links that may help you!
You can help to raise money for Netherton's Syndrome research here - this cause is run by Jack Oldacres' family and friends.
44 comments:
- Jade (StarCupPeach)Friday, July 09, 2010 10:22:00 PM
I'm sure you get this All THE TIME but you are an inspiration, not only to others living with Ichthyosis but also to readers of your blog in general.ReplyDelete
The way you provide a voice with your positive yet entertaining writing is amazing and I am honestly so inspired by your willingess to love your life in a bubbly, outgoing way despite the discomfort you endure. That in itself is very moving. It would probably be so easy to isolate yourself into a shell.
You seem like such a nice person. I wish I had more friends like you. Keep smiling girl! :D
Oooooh I'm the first to comment, how exciting! :P
- AnonymousFriday, October 08, 2010 10:26:00 PM
Hi there Carly,ReplyDelete
I was really happy to stumble on your blog. It's great. Life is hard and great and too short and sometimes painful, and you are great to reach out to others who may be feeling isolated. Well done you.
I know that I'm so fortunate in my husband, children and friends. I try and reach out to others who may be feeling low or isolated. If we are all more inclusive, it gets more of us smiling!!
I love your attitude about all this! You seem to be handling the cards you have been dealt with grace and class. I have eczema myself and while it is not as severe, it has been spreading to my face more and more. As a teacher, who has people looking at her all day long, it can be hard to deal with. Sometimes I get so frustrated and want to hide out at home. I am so impressed with you and your attitude! You are an inspiration!ReplyDelete
The Auspicious Life
Both my mother and sister have ichthyosis, so I have a better-than-average understanding of the difficulties you are going through. Hats off to you and your bravery and press on in what you are doing.ReplyDelete
It may not impress you, but check out 'Sleep Talking Man' if you're looking for a pick-me-up (pardon some of the language), it always works for me. :)
Hi Carly,ReplyDelete
I have Ichthyosis Nethertans type also and looking through your various blogs inspired me. I feel so similar to you without even knowing you personally. I think it's great to use something as most people would see negative to your advantage. I hope I can do the same because at least then we can feel content about having this disease. It happens for a reason, and I can tell you were chosen to help others along the way. Keep it up, and if you ever feel like talking to someone who knows EXACTLY what you are going through, feel free to write me back or anything. I don't see many people with the same type of Ichtyosis as me unfortunately.
I just jumped on over here via Busichic cos I was curious, and I think I've met you... and then I read this entry, which was very interesting and inspirational... coincidentally, I've just finished reading a book where the heroine had ichthyosis (The Crimson Petal and the White)!ReplyDelete
Hope to bump into you again in the near future, visit if you like at http://stylewilderness.blogspot.com/
Hi Carly!ReplyDelete
Thank you for visiting my blog! I decided to check yours out as well. I just wanted to say you're so incredble! I can tell immedately that you give joy to yourself and you bring joy to others. No pity party for you. You're very matter of fact without feeling sorry for yourself, and that's a wonderful thing. I was diganosed with Cebreal Palsy (which affects the muscles in your body) at 2 after a brain hemmerage. I know what you mean about the stares and the social challenges. Sometimes people can be too nosy at best, and downright rude at their worst. With me, I'll have a completely normal conversation with someone while I'm sitting down, then when I stand up and start to walk, I'll get the "Why do you walk like that?" question sometimes. Once, while I was walking my dog, I even had a complete stanger ask me if I was able to have sex. You just roll your eyes and go about your day, and keep a good attiude, which is what you seem to be doing daily! :)
I'll be checking out your blog often, I'm hooked. Enjoy your weekend! :)
- AnonymousMonday, March 28, 2011 3:37:00 PM
I have been looking at a lot of information on Nethertons Syndrome as 2 years ago my daughter was born 4 weeks preemie by emergency csection.
She spent 10 days in special care and was diagnosed with Ichthoyis.
When she was 4 weeks old she passed away, we found out 14 months later ( yes 14 months) that she passed away because her lungs had collapsed because she had pneumonia, due to having Nethertons Syndrome.
It is amazing to see someone else in Australia that has the condition as I have been following a lot of case studies in the UK and hadn't found anything in Australia.
I would love to talk to you more but must admit I don't have a lot to do with blogs, though I have saved the address of your blog so I can check how you are going
My email address is firstname.lastname@example.com if you would like to contact me at all.
Thanks so much for your time
Blair Jones
- AnonymousSaturday, April 23, 2011 5:21:00 PM
Hey Carly,ReplyDelete
Congratulations on what you are doing here. You should be very proud. I cant believe how much courage you have shown your whole life and how absolutely sad and stupid some of these people you have talked about in your blog are.
You know that you have done more in your life than those idiots ever will,
- AnonymousTuesday, May 10, 2011 2:07:00 PM
Hi there, I love your site, you ar every insiprational. I have a six year old boy who was diagnosed last year with netherton's syndrome. I would love some advice on if there is anything I could do to make his life journey easier. Feel free to contact me at 'octavia (at) occipocci.com'.ReplyDelete
Hi Carly, just stumbled along your blog and I have to say that I just LOVE your attitude to life - you're so positive and brave and a huge role model to women everywhere to live their dreams.ReplyDelete
Can't wait to see what you do next,
xx Denise DT
You are amazing. That is all..ReplyDelete
Hi Carly!ReplyDelete
I stumbled across your blog and all I can say is that you are a very strong person and I wish you all the best! Be proud of who you are, and don't pay attention to some negative comments you might hear sometimes. People should learn from you! You're BEAUTIFUL and SMILING!!!! Congratulations for everything you do and keep on doing it!
Hi Carly. I came to your blog through Faux Fuschia but was very interested to read your comments about Ichthyosis. My husband has it and I can relate to all you say. What he was told, and perhaps there are different versions, is that only men can get it and the women in the family carry it. So our daughter, if she has a son, has a 50% chance of the son being born with it. My husband finds it is much better in humid conditions - a good reason to move north as it is not very humid in Melbourne!!!!! So I didn't know women could get this too and know through my husband what you go through. You have my commiserations but as you say there is no cure so you just have to do what you can. Well done on educating people on this condition as it can be hard to live with and most people have never heard of it.ReplyDeleteReplies
- AnonymousWednesday, June 06, 2012 12:54:00 PM
I believe your husband would have x-linked ichthyosis which impacts males only. Females are carriers. I'd love to chat more as my son will be born next month with x-linked ichthyosis. It so difficult to find other Australians with th condition, especially in Melbourne.Delete
PS your daughter has a 50% chance of being a carrier therefore may not pass it on at all. Fingers crossed!
That you are teased daily is a testament to just how poorly evolved we are as apes. People are terrible people. I'd like to hope your blog work goes some way to raising awareness. Maybe it won't help the idiot on the street who will always tease you, but it will help people like me raise my voice more stridently in silencing those who would seek to tease people with a disability. As someone who is actively involved with paralympic athletes, I see this kind of frankly mind-melting bigotry and stupidity happening daily. As someone who is an outspoken critic of anyone who opposes societal equality, I have become a rather loud, rather rude, rather scary voice in my community when it comes to making sure that those who would choose to mock a person for a disability are quickly shuffled back into the deck and given a lesson in how best to, you know, not be a total dickhead. Keep opening eyes and ears with your vibrant writing and your ability to inspire. :)ReplyDelete
Hi Carly,ReplyDelete
I just found your blog after reading the profile piece on Blogchicks. Here's cheers to 2012 being your year! (and hopefully mine). I'm fairly new to the blogging space but it's so inspiring to see women who are succeeding within it and sharing their stories. Thank you for your honesty. :)
- AnonymousSunday, January 08, 2012 3:34:00 PM
Hi Carly,ReplyDelete
You used to catch the train at the same station as me, and I remember how lovely and friendly you were to everyone.
Hi Carly,ReplyDelete
I came across here from The Australian Woman's Bloggers Directory and have spent ages skipping around various posts from you. Fascinating reading all around.You are a very inspirational lady and a great writer to boot. Thanks.
- AnonymousMonday, February 27, 2012 3:01:00 PM
Hi Carly,ReplyDelete
I am listening to you on 666 ABC radio and am absolutely stunned and disheartened to hear how you have been treated by the general public. I often marvel at people who think they have a right to comment on another person's appearance. I'm sorry that you have to endure such bias. My wish for society is that people develop maturity, compassion and a curiosity for learning about others and how they live. Unfortunately it often takes people living with 'difference' to show others another way of viewing the world. Thank you for sharing your story.
I am Very inspired by your blog (: i also have ichthyosis and was born with it all over my body, but luckily i only have it on my hands and feet and in other areas not so visual to the eye these days i feel very fortunate. I agree it is superbly difficult at times.ReplyDelete
I have met Carly on her visit to the UK. She knocked on my door one morning, looking to find 2 famous bears, but thats another story. She caught me on the with an unusual request( for me anyway.ReplyDelete
It took a nano second to see past Carly's disability. I saw a bubbly lady with a warm personality.
Thanks Carly for sharing your story.ReplyDelete
Hi Carly - so lovely to "meet" you and thanks for leaving a comment on MrsSabbatical. I saw your piece in The Age and it stayed with me, and now here we are!ReplyDelete
off to read more on your blog, hope to chat soon....emily x
- AnonymousMonday, October 29, 2012 12:08:00 AM
Hi Carly, WOW, I am shocked that you, or anyone, would get teased! I'm deeply sorry that you have to endure that. Thank you for providing an understanding of what it is like for YOU. Hopefully those teasing neanderthals stumble across your great page and great works. :)ReplyDelete
Hi Carly, what an inspiration you are. True beauty comes from within the heart. You sound like a truly beautiful person. I loved your interview with Paul De Gelder!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousWednesday, June 12, 2013 11:04:00 AM
Hi Carly! I happened upon your blog from pinterest. I have 3 boys that all have varying degrees of ichthyosis. My oldest being the worst. He started high school last year and it was the worst year of him having to deal with this. Their ichthyosis is genetic, I believe x chromosome. So it is passed through girls only to boys they give birth to. Other boys in my family, including my dad also have it. He(my dad) was heart broken when he realized it was the same thing he grew up with. His was never diagnosed growing up. I know no one else with ichthyosis besides my family. Your blog is inspiring and happy you are educating people on humanity and compassion. Thank you!! A mom of 3ReplyDelete
Hi Carly, good on you for telling the cabbie to f... off! Quite rightly. I am 60 tomorrow and have had facial eczema since the age of one. People do stare, I've even had people ask if I have been burnt in a fire. I admire that you bravely confront the world as I find it difficult to leave the house when my face is at its' worst. Keep up your fabulous attitude.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSunday, October 27, 2013 8:57:00 PM
You are AMAZING!!! xxReplyDelete
- AnonymousFriday, December 20, 2013 7:37:00 AM
Carly: I have ichthyosis, too. But I must be a mild version - had it all my life and seemingly my kids have not followed suit. My case has been manageable, luckily. Since I don't walk in your shoes, it's hard for me to offer support other than please know that some of us are out here cheering for you. God Speed.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFriday, December 20, 2013 2:29:00 PM
People can be so cruel!! I have just read your article though Mumamia..thankyou for standing up to these ridiculous people xxReplyDelete
- AnonymousFriday, December 20, 2013 8:48:00 PM
Keep up the awesome! You are truly an inspiration!ReplyDelete
YOU ARE AMAZING! I have learned something new today and a heartfelt Happy Birthday and keep up the good work coming from Maryland!ReplyDelete
Hi, Carly! I don't even know how I came across your blog -- I was Googling something, I don't even remember what it was, when I saw your photo and read your caption about conquering the internet with AWESOME. Well, as much awesome as you have, may God bless you with even more awesome. I SO hope that you have a year (the rest of your life, ideally) free of infection, pain, and all that horribleness that goes with ichthyosis. (I even said a prayer for you as much, for what it was worth!) Hugs from Pennsylvania. : )ReplyDelete
Hi, Carly! I don't even know how I came across your blog -- I was Googling something, I don't even remember what it was, when I saw your photo and read your caption about conquering the internet with AWESOME. Well, as much awesome as you have, may God bless you with even more awesome. I SO hope that you have a year (the rest of your life, ideally) free of infection, pain, and all that horribleness that goes with ichthyosis. (I even said a prayer for you as much, for what it was worth!) Hugs from Pennsylvania. : )ReplyDelete
love your blog! i have severe eczema, its has ups and downs, some of the bad times is when it is flared up on my face, then i go red intensley drya nd scaley no matter how much cream i put on and then evenutally it all sheds off, i feel ya for the numerous infections and such like, ive got crazy food allergies/ environment. even tho it affcets my confidence, ive not let it affect my life. im married 2 kids im a community trainer and ive took teh stance that if someone doesnt like me/ judges me cos of appearence well they aint worth knowing :)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousThursday, March 20, 2014 2:09:00 PM
I had never even heard of your condition. I saw a picture of you on another site and couldn't fight my curiosity and had to find out what the deal was. Honestly, at first glance, your picture caught me by surprise, because you do look different from the norm, but after finding out more about you and looking at your picture a few more times, I don't find you to be at all off putting. Please don't mistake others' curiosity for cruelty. I'm sure it's hard to deal with the stares, but maybe some people are like me; maybe they've never seen anyone like you and just want to find out more. I don't pretend to understand how you must feel, but I do hope that you find the happiness in life that you seek. Good luck with everything.ReplyDelete
just stumbled along your blog and I have to say that I just LOVE your attitude to life - you're so positive and brave and a huge role model to women everywhere to live their dreams.ReplyDelete
I just wish all the girls had had your attitude. Your inner beauty is astonishing and as a man I can see it. I would have zero problems in my relationship if you were my wife.
A man from the other side of the world,
Carly, I love your incredibly positive attitude. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, you are channeling your energy into educating people about Ichthyosis. I'd never heard of it before I visited your blog for #1000Speak. You are truly an inspiration.ReplyDelete
Thank you again for educating me and others on your condition. I hope I will let it help me in my interactions with others, whatever struggles they have.ReplyDelete
I love this: "Sometimes all I can do is laugh at the stupidity of some people!" You and me both, sister! When I am in a strong place emotionally, I just remind myself that people usually say and do stupid and unkind things because they don't understand, not because they're trying to be mean. Other days I just cry.
- AnonymousFriday, March 13, 2015 3:22:00 PM
I look forward to learning more about your journey through life with this condition. I have a 1 year old daughter who has Down Syndrome so I too am learning to advocate for her. Initially I only read blogs by people who have family with Down syndrome but now I am interested in anyone who is a little "different' from the typical as they too will know what it is like. Thank you for sharing your stories. You certainly have a lot to contribute to this world. That is something special xReplyDelete
- AnonymousSunday, April 05, 2015 9:29:00 PM
Hi Carly!ReplyDelete
I am humbled by your experience. Mine is milder than yours and hearing your story made me think that indeed mine is not a problem at all but a challenge to live life despite this appearance. Although cure is out of reach , yet, I am coping well with the help of a new found moisturizer SR Lotion which at least control my skin condition. I know someday, a cure will find its way to people like us, waiting endlessly to finally be free from ichthyosis.
Hi Carly,ReplyDelete
So glad I found your blog what an inspiration! I'll definitely be signing up for updates. Have I seen you around the Kensington Market before?? I often have a stall there. Keep inspiring people and being awesome xx
Thank you for reading my blog. I love receiving comments :)
I really appreciate the time you've taken to write to me, and to share something about yourself.


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Uğur DiNLER - Head Professional
He began caddying at Istanbul Golf Club and started playing golf in 1992 at the age of 12. He progressed into the top amateur player in Turkey. He was the Turkish Amateur Champion in 1998-99. He was also a member of the Turkish Amateur Team from 1998 – 2000. With 20 Amateur titles to his name, the natural progression was to turn professional in 2001. He moved from Istanbul to Belek. Since being in the area he has taught at the Gloria Golf Club, the National Golf Club and also for Millenium Golf in Antalya.
Ulas KARATAS - Teaching Professional
He began golf at Kemer Golf & Country Club in Istanbul and started playing golf in 1994 at the age of 14. In a short period of time he progressed into the top amateur player in Turkey. He was the; Turkish Amateur Champion in 2000&2001, Turkish Masters winner of years 2002&2004, Turkish Republic Cup winner in 2002. He was former Turkish National Golf Team member between 2000 – 2004 and played Mediterranean Games in 2000, in Tunisia and World Amateur Team Championship in 2002, in Malaysia.


text: The Calinda is a dance with roots tracing back to African martial arts. It appears to have made its way to the American South with the slave trade where it intermingled with Creole and Cajun cultures and developed a new reputation as a bawdy, forbidden dance with implications of Voodoo practice. In sidelong reference to the Calinda dance, a girl named Colinda occasionally appears in Louisiana folksongs - the popular Cajun tune "Allons Danser Colinda" among them.


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End of the day, factory whistle cries, Men walk through these gates with death in their eyes.
— Bruce Springsteen, "Factory"
Bring us the living dead. People no one will miss.
— Fukushima official's request to Yakuza
TEPCO's involvement with anti-social forces and their inability to filter them out of the work-place is a national security issue … Nuclear energy shouldn't be in the hands of the yakuza. They're gamblers and an intelligent person doesn't want them to have atomic dice to play with.
— Japanese Senator ((Atlantic Wire))
The technological issue of nuclear energy is intertwined with the exploitation of human labor in a hierarchy of interests, and how human labor is expended is an economic and moral issue. The Grand Scientific Project from the time of Francis Bacon up to the Manhattan Project of Oppenheimer and Fermi has been a dangerous gamble for humanity even though the advertised purpose is that progress is good.
The exploitation of labor at nuclear plants depends on the tools of social engineering, of government, mass media and schools. This is the hidden and shameful side of today's materialist society and belies our complicity in a criminalized culture.
Inefficient and corrupt employment practices at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) are prolonging the disaster. Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) outsources 90 percent of the work to subcontractors, mainly utilizing Japan's criminal syndicates, "the Yakuza." Japan is still a middle class society and most people will not volunteer for nuclear work. Japan risks running out of workers who have not exceeded their legal radiation limits.
Considered to be "Japan's largest organized crime group" — who are on the radar of the US Treasury Dept. (another big crime group) — the Yakuza offer a service to society by sopping up its losers and giving them a dodgy occupation.
Journalist, Jake Adelstein, an expert on the Yakuza, risked his life as a reporter on the crime beat in Japan. Not because of shoot outs or knife fights, but because he had to take up smoking cigarettes in order to fit in with police and Yakuza! These short video interviews offer a useful introduction into how the Yakuza operate. Tepco's relationship with the Yakuza is a cesspool of corruption from the highest to the lowest levels in its organization. "A senior National Police Agency officer, speaking on grounds of anonymity said, 'TEPCO has a history of doing business with the yakuza that is far deeper than just using their labor.' " ((Atlantic Wire))
Adelstein notes that the Yakuza has 86,000 members in Japan, of the 22 major organizations the "Yamaguchi" has almost half of all members. The Yakuza are:
[c]riminal trade associations legally recognized by the Japanese government … They exist out in the open. The Japanese government regulates them and there are laws restricting their behavior but as criminal organizations themselves they are not banned. It is very difficult for the police to do an investigation that goes all the way up to the top. It's problems within the Japanese law itself. There's no plea bargaining, very limited wire tapping, no witness protection program … no undercover work allowed. The Japanese police are never able to destroy the Yakuza.
[T]he nuclear business-industrial-political and media complex in Japan known as the 'nuclear mafia' … [the nuclear industry] is a black hole of criminal malfeasance, incompetence, and corruption' …. The government tacitly recognises their existence, and they are classified, designated and regulated. Yakuza make their money from extortion, blackmail, construction, real estate, collection services, financial market manipulation, protection rackets, fraud and a labyrinth of front companies including labour dispatch services and private detective agencies. They do the work that no one else will do or find the workers for jobs no one wants …. The Fukushima plant is located in the turf of the Sumiyoshi-kai, which is the second largest yakuza group in Japan with roughly 12,000 members.
Without the dregs of society to do the dirty work, modern society could not exist its present, most hypocritical form. Most people do not want to get dirt under their fingernails and prefer to apply nail polish or chat on their iPhones.
Working in nuclear power plants in Japan is not considered an honorable and elegant trade, like cabinet making or industrial design, but a brutal, labor intensive experience. While the Yakuza organization itself is an evil, the workers themselves can be considered heroes. The amount of excruciating heat, hard work, physical and mental stress and radiation they endure is inhuman. Even working at a normally functioning reactor is not easy or safe work but the FNPP is highly radioactive.
Fearless Reporter Tells All
Adelstein reviews an astounding new book, The Yakuza and the Nuclear Industry, by undercover Japanese reporter, Tomohiko Suzuki. Suzuki risked his life, due to radiation exposure and possible threats, to bring us the details from the Nuclear Hell Zone. The book reveals scandalous information such as that mentally handicapped people are recruited to work in the nuke plants by the Yakuza. Suzuki compares the Yakuza with Tepco:
Yakuza may be a plague on society … but they don't ruin the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and irradiate the planet out of sheer greed and incompetence.
Having lived in Tokyo for many years, I concur. I am not a fan of Yakuza culture and can see in my daily experience that the Yakuza have a degrading effect on society. But as long as you don't mess with them — they won't mess with you. In this way, the streets of Tokyo remain fairly safe.
Suzuki points out that "Japan's nuclear mafia … [is a] conglomeration of corrupt politicians and bureaucrats, the shady nuclear industry, their lobbyists" with the Yakuza at the center. Is Suzuki implying that the Yakuza run the Nuclear Mafia? It is certainly true that Tepco could not fulfill a nuclear workforce without them. According to Adelstein:
As the scale of the catastrophe at Fukushima became apparent, many workers fled the scene. To contain the nuclear meltdown, a handful of workers stayed behind, being exposed to large amounts of radiation: the so-called 'Fukushima Fifty.' Among this heroic group, according to Suzuki, were several members of the yakuza …. 'Almost all nuclear power plants that are built in Japan are built taking the risk that the workers may well be exposed to large amounts of radiation …. That they will get sick, they will die early, or they will die on the job. And the people bringing the workers to the plants and also doing the construction are often yakuza.'
The very workers who are attempting to shore up the situation at FNPP, many of whom are Yakuza, are being blamed by local people in Fukushima for the disaster. A recent survey reported that 30 percent of 1,495 workers at the site suffer from severe mental health issues. The survey does not even include the most exploited workers at the site.
Nuclear Situation
Prime Minister Noda recently rejected protester's requests to shut down the nuclear reactors. As the Metropolitan Coalition Against Nukes told Noda in a face to face meeting, "[w]e the people do not believe you" regarding his empty promises to phase out nukes in the future. The Nuclear Mafia are restarting reactors even though they are unnecessary for electricity production. An overwhelming majority of people want to abolish nuclear power. Having contaminated the world with quadrillions of becquerels of radiation (petabecquerels), Tepco is under a pseudo nationalization process that funnels tax money into their pockets yet maintains their autonomy.
Worker Shortage
A common practice among workers in nuclear plants is to hide their real exposure rate of radiation. Because there are legal limits of radiation exposure, workers will take off their dosimeters, or cover them with lead. In normal times in Japan workers could also migrate from one plant to the other without indicating previous work experience, and work "under the table." How long it takes to get sick and or die from such a practice is anyone's guess.
If the "living dead," the people "no one will miss" and the dregs of society can't be coerced into sacrificing themselves, how about top Tepco executives or pro nuclear professors from Tokyo University for a helping hand? Good idea! But first you will have to chase them down on the golf course. NHK reports that:
[M]any workers crucial to the effort are reaching the limit for radiation exposure …. University of Tokyo Professor Kazumitsu Nawata warns of the consequences of losing nuclear plant workers with necessary expertise. He says young workers must be trained due to the need for massive manpower to fully bring the Daiichi plant under control.
Is Professor Nawata volunteering other's children for this dirty job, or maybe his own children would prefer to work in the High Sievert Zone? Tokyo University bears a heavy responsibility for the current catastrophe for its role in legitimizing the Nuclear Mafia.
A notable percentage of workers are leaving once they have reached the legal radiation limits. Of the 3,000 daily workers, "[s]ome of the firms have adopted stricter exposure standards … so that they do not breach the limit and become unemployable."
A number of recent incidents have highlighted the scandal over worker safety, including:
- Over 140 workers have been found to have used fake names when getting jobs doing reconstruction work and are presently unaccounted for.
- Workers have purposely left integral dosimeter off their person while at work. "Tepco is pushing the responsibility to their sub-contract companies but has no solution for the shortage of nuclear workers" which indicates "major staffing problems" at the plant.
- Some workers themselves think the only solution to shoring up the plant will be "human wave tactics" as were employed at Chernobyl. If that is the case, where will the necessary workforce come from? In order combat the dwindling labor force, Tepco and subcontractors are knowingly telling workers to fake their radiation data. The practice is "believed to be part of a widespread practice at the plant."
Former General Electric nuclear plant inspector, a whistle blower who previously exposed dangers at the Fukushima plant–that were ignored–Kei Sugaoka, admitted that he had heard of young workers in the Taiwan nuclear industry dying from cancer due to radiation. When he worked in Taiwan he says "[t]hey made us wear lead vests to falsify radiation exposure … All the lead did was cover our dosimeters."
Despite the need to quickly resolve the situation, workers are given weekends off, but are also being recruited for decontamination in the 20 km zone. Speculation is that restart of other reactors in Japan will worsen the worker shortage. Japan seems to be going in too many directions at once.
The Nuclear Workforce
French sociologist, Paul Jobin, "began research on Japanese and Taiwanese nuclear plant workers in 2002, mainly at Fukushima Daiichi," and he did follow up interviews after the Fukushima disaster in 2011.
Jobin notes that:
* Subcontracting labor at nuclear plants in Japan began shortly after their creation, in the mid-1970s. "In France, this trend would develop after 1988, reaching a rate of 80% by 1992."
* "According to NISA's data, in 2009, Japan's nuclear industry recruited more than 80,000 contract workers against 10,000 regular employees."
* Part time employment is carried out in order to limit labor costs "whether in France or Japan, the nuclear industry nurtures a heavy culture of secrecy concerning the number of irradiated workers."
* Before the Fukushima disaster, "only 9 former workers received compensation for an occupational cancer linked to their intervention in nuclear plants." This number is probably far lower than the real number of those who suffered from working at NPPs.
* "[S]tatistics from TEPCO (dated November 30, 2011) reported 3,745 workers on the site in March (about 1700 TEPCO employees and 2,000 subcontractors), and 14,000 for the time from April to October. The overwhelming majority … were subcontractors." But even these figures may not include many low level but highly irradiated workers.
* Radiation exposure depends on one's status in the hierarchy. Tepco executives and high or mid level engineers are spared exposure, while "there is systematic camouflage of the collective radiation of the most exposed front line workers."
* Since March 11, 2011, Jobin estimates "that around 30,000 workers have been exposed to significant levels of radiation, some for a few days, many for more than one month." How many of these workers are desperate or "mentally handicapped" to begin with? No wonder they are being used by the Nuclear Mafia as disposable work-bots. Hiroaki Koide, nuclear reactor specialist at Kyoto University says "[t]he truth of the matter is that the subcontract workers don't really know the dangers of radiation and they don't know how to protect themselves." For example, wearing protective masks are so uncomfortable that many workers remove them during their work shift. How many health issues have been caused as a direct result of the work? In one case, the worker had been exposed in less than a year to levels far beyond what is considered normal lifetime background radiation. He suffered a heart attack.
Worker Rights Advocates Fight For Social Justice
Hifumi Okunuki is an expert in labor law and spends much of her time fighting for the rights of Fukushima's forgotten heroes. She notes that "the working conditions at Fukushima No. 1 are an emergency within an emergency" and that "special laws should be promulgated to guarantee the safety and fair treatment of the workers."
Japan's Labor Standards Office has thus far recognized only 10 cases of radiation sickness caused by working conditions due to the inherent difficulty in proving causation in individual cases …. Management faces quite serious, possibly criminal, liability if while understanding the risk radiation exposure poses, they endanger those working on-site through a complicated web of outsourcing. Article 87 of the Labor Standards Law holds firms that outsource responsible for workplace safety and sanitation for workers employed by their subcontractor …. Illnesses caused by radiation exposure from nuclear power plants are covered by Japan's Act on Compensation for Nuclear Damage.
Unsurprisingly, the Japanese justice system which plays an integral role in siding with the Nuclear Mafia has "yet to see a major court case over radiation-related deaths."
A new report from the venerable non governmental organization, Citizens Nuclear Information Center (CNIC), in Tokyo, highlights the FNPP worker issue. One whistle blower reported that in years past:
"Worker accidents are usually covered up inside the nuclear plant. Even if workers suddenly fall ill, they are not allowed to call an ambulance. In my case, after having been left unattended for three hours, I was taken to hospital in a colleague's car. I therefore suffered aftereffects later and became physically handicapped. Of all accidents occurring in the nuclear power station, 90% were concealed."
However, thanks to growing international attention, some of the conditions at FNPP have slightly improved. "Currently, ambulances are allowed to come into the nuclear power station and there is a doctor onsite 24 hrs a day."
Tepco's Blind Eye
According to CNIC (Ibid.), the system for employing nuclear workers relies on an economically pyramid shaped, "multi-layered structure" of contractors and subcontractors which makes profits for executives and employees. Investigations have revealed the "[p]resence of subcontractors affiliated with crime syndicates and their employees." In the year 2000 it was known that "350 companies were involved" at the FNPP and that many of the Yakuza employees or subcontractors are presently involved in the clean up operations.
* "Under the utility, there are plant makers, subsidiaries of TEPCO and the plant makers, large, medium- and small-sized construction and repair companies, independent master carpenters and plumbers."
* The Yakuza enforce a severe hierarchy "between the group leader and the members" which is akin to the military and effective for getting dangerous work accomplished.
* "[I]n 2006, TEPCO reportedly attempted to drive the gangsters … out of the plant." The Yakuza said: "Do it if you think you can." Tepco blinked.
* '[P]olice arrested leading members of a gangster group affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate based in Nihonmatsu, Fukushima Prefecture' who were 'charged with violation of the Temporary Staffing Services Law.' A president of a local company who 'was deeply involved in the staffing of the nuclear power station and was the president of the local chamber of commerce and industry, as well as a member of the Fukushima Prefecture Nuclear Power Plant Town Information Council' was arrested on suspicion of 'illegally possessing a gun.'
* "Workers hired by the lowest-level subcontractors were paid only around 5,000 yen [$60] per day, and were not covered by social insurance or employment insurance …. the current average daily wage is said to be 8,000 yen, although TEPCO pays 60,000-70,000 yen per capita to the principal subcontractor." Everyone in between 'takes a cut from the worker's wages.'
In other words, it's an economic racket. Although an "effective" system, "[i]llegal acts, such as the forgery of health reports … and not allowing workers to subscribe to health insurance and employees' pension plans, are rampant," but are tolerated by Tepco. This draws into question how effective such workers can be given the intimidation of violence from Yakuza bosses and the poor working conditions. The "problem is still beyond TEPCO's control because the subcontractor system is deeply multi-layered and complex, and because the yakuza are so deeply entrenched in the system."
Destroying Democracy
The 1995 documentary film, Nuclear Ginza, is valuable for its historical perspective on nuclear workers in Japan. Corruption, payoffs and coverups were the norm, then and now. As one worker whose health was damaged said,
"The big companies treat workers like objects or tools to be thrown away when no longer needed. Japan is considered a rich advanced and democratic country but its just an illusion I think."
A Buddhist monk, Mr. Nakajima, who had worked for years to help the plight of workers noted that "[u]nfortunately in Japan, the sad reality is that democracy has been destroyed in the areas where nuclear power exists."
Streets Of Fire
Adelstein and Suzuki supply additional information of a particularly lurid and grim nature:
* Yakuza have a saying: "When a man has to survive doing something, it's the nuclear industry; for a woman, it's the sex industry."
* One mid-level executive in the organization even defends the role of his members in the Fukushima disaster. "The accident isn't our fault," he said. "It's TEPCO's fault. We've always been a necessary evil in the work process. In fact, if some of our men hadn't stayed to fight the meltdown, the situation would have been much worse. TEPCO employees and the Nuclear Industry Safety Agency inspectors mostly fled; we stood our ground."
* "Organized crime groups from Kyushu are bringing workers as well. Many of the workers are homeless people, debtors to yakuza loan sharks, or former yakuza who have been expelled from their group."
* Tepco refuses "to name the companies they use for outsourcing labor, background security checks, and general security at the nuclear power plants." Recall Tepco's feigned ignorance about government investigator's accusations against them for "collusion." Such bland dismissals on the part of Tepco are curious in light of the voluminous evidence to the contrary. The Tepco president's denials of any collusion is an obvious lie.
* "Suzuki discovered evidence of Tepco subcontractors paying yakuza front companies to obtain lucrative construction contracts; of money destined for construction work flying into yakuza accounts; and of politicians and media being paid to look the other way."
* "His fellow workers, found Suzuki, were a motley crew of homeless, chronically unemployed Japanese men, former yakuza, debtors who owed money to the yakuza, and the mentally handicapped."
* "Suzuki claims the regular employees at the plant were often given better radiation suits than the yakuza recruits. 'Almost every day a worker would keel over with heat exhaustion and be carried out; they would invariably return to work the next day. Going to the bathroom was virtually impossible, so workers were simply told to 'hold it.' ' "
* "According to Suzuki, the temperature monitors in the plant weren't even working, and were ignored. Removing the mask during work was against the rules; no matter how thirsty workers became, they could not drink water."
* "The risk of radiation exposure was 100 per cent. The masks, if their filters were cleaned regularly, which they were not, could only remove 60 per cent of the radioactive particles in the air."
* "Suzuki found people who'd been threatened into working at Fukushima, but others who'd volunteered. Why? 'Of course, if it was a matter of dying today or tomorrow they wouldn't work there,' he explains. 'It's because it could take 10 years or more for someone to possibly die of radiation excess. It's like Russian roulette. If you owe enough money to the yakuza, working at a nuclear plant is a safer bet. Wouldn't you rather take a chance at dying 10 years later than being stabbed to death now?' "
Faced with an ongoing radioactivity which is contaminating Japan's food and water supply, what should be done? The Nuclear Mafia's ethos is silken sewn into the socio-political Kabuki theater of a post modern Japanese society, which seems helpless to save itself. Maybe Ambassador Matsumura, with his international political connections of good will, and the Skilled Veterans for Fukushima would be good people to turn to for advice.


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Amazon and Best Buy have started taking advance orders for Chromebooks, lightweight laptops running Google's Chrome OS. The Chromebooks are set to start shipping June 15, and orders are limited to the U.S. right now, but Google promises to release them in other countries this year.
The first Chromebooks available for pre-order come from Acer and Samsung, with Wi-Fi-only versions starting at $380 for the Acer Cromia, or $450 for the 3G version. Samsung's Series 5 Chromebooks start at $430 for the Wi-Fi-only version, and $500 for the 3G model.
My PCWorld colleague Jason Cross reviewed the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook, giving it only 2.5 out of 5 stars, highlighting fast boot and resume time, but poor performance and severely limited utility.
Samsung's Series 5 Chromebook has a 12.1-inch screen, powered by an Intel Atom processor, with 2GB of RAM and 16Gb solid-state storage. The keyboard and clickpad are where Chromebooks seek to improve the general netbook experience. The Samsung Series 5 has well spaced-out keys and a roomy trackpad, making it comfortable to type and scroll through Web pages.
Software-wise, the novelty with Chromebooks is, of course, Chrome OS, which can be summed up as Google's Chrome browser on steroids. As Jason Cross puts it, "Just launch the Chrome browser, maximize the window, and try to live your entire computing life right there." There is however a rudimentary file browser and media browser, but most of your experience is limited to what you can do through a browser window.
The limited capability of Chromebooks will probably be the biggest hurdle for the category. Their price is so close to tablets and even higher-speed cheap laptops, that Chromebooks are going to face a tough battle for customers' hearts.
Follow Daniel Ionescu and Today @ PCWorld on Twitter


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Other New Jersey Senate candidates get crack at Booker
MONTCLAIR, N.J. — The three other Democrats running in New Jersey's special U.S. Senate election finally got their crack at Newark Mayor Cory Booker in a debate that showed their differences seem to be more in outlook than in policy.
Booker, the overwhelming leader in polls on the Aug. 13 primary, smiled frequently, sometimes counterattacked and occasionally ignored criticism from other candidates Monday in the first of two debates in which he's agreed to participate.
They jabbed him for ducking debates, supporting vouchers to send children to private schools, working closely with Republican Gov. Chris Christie and for not publicly supporting a health insurance system run by the government.
( QUIZ: Do you know Cory Booker?)
Three other experienced politicians — U.S. Reps. Rush Holt and Frank Pallone and state Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver — are also in the race to fill the final 15 months of the term of Frank Lautenberg, who died in June at 89.
The August primary has meant a compressed campaign schedule.
Monday's debate at Montclair State University gave each of the candidates a chance to make their cases.
Oliver described Washington as a boys' club and said that change requires electing women. All 13 members of the state's Congressional delegation are men.
Holt talked about his background as a scientist and a teacher and said he'd bring a fact-based approach to the Senate.
Pallone boasted about being an author of President Obama's health insurance overhaul.
And Booker, who told of growing up in suburban Harington Park then moving into some of Newark's roughest neighborhoods, talked about an economic resurgence in his city, and said he's been willing to take steps, such as running health programs and investing in the city's ports, that he said state and federal lawmakers haven't.
"We need people who can bring folks together in Washington," he said. "It's time for action and getting things done."
Both congressmen criticized Booker's support for school vouchers, saying that approach siphons money from the public school system. Booker said he thinks the program could expand educational opportunity and said both congressmen had voted for bills that included similar programs for Washington, D.C.
He didn't respond to the barbs about skipping three earlier debates — including one last week during which he attended a fundraiser that featured Oprah Winfrey.
On many issues, the differences between the candidates' positions were difficult to discern. All expressed concerns about Russia but said that the U.S. should not risk its relationship over that nation's granting asylum to Edward Snowden, who leaked details of a National Security Agency program that gathers data on citizens' phone records. They expressed varying degrees of wariness about the program that Snowden divulged.
One of the most contentious parts was over health insurance.
Oliver and Pallone said they support a government-run insurance system but that it can't get passed now.
Holt told them that their approach is "another way of saying we can only do things that we clear with the tea party."
Booker called for controlling health care costs but avoided the single-payer debate.
The winner of next week's Democratic primary will face a conservative Republican in the Oct. 16 general election — either Franklin Township physician Alieta Eck or former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan.
New Jersey hasn't elected a Republican to the Senate in 40 years.


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WEDNESDAY, July 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Safeguarding athletes from concussion is a moral duty for doctors, according to the largest neurologists' group in the United States.
In a newly released position statement, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) said that doctors have an ethical obligation to educate and protect athletes from concussion in order to preserve their future mental and physical health.
"With nearly 4 million sports-related concussions in the U.S. each year, it is imperative doctors are educated and protect these athletes who may have sustained a concussion," statement lead author Dr. Matthew Kirschen, a neurologist with The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said in an AAN news release.
"Concussions can have devastating effects such as short-term impairments in athletes' cognitive and athletic performance. Repeat concussions have been linked to long-term impairments in brain function, such as problems with learning, memory and behavior," he explained.
If an athlete has suffered a concussion, doctors should ignore pressure from players, coaches or parents and give the athlete the go-ahead to resume playing only if he or she is medically ready.
Doctors must also alert athletes and their families about the risk of concussion in any sports they are involved in, the statement said.
The statement appears in the July 9 online issue of the journal Neurology, ahead of an AAN sports concussion conference being held in Chicago July 11-13.
The AAN also called for wider use of baseline mental testing of athletes, the addition of concussion evaluation and management training to neurology residency programs, and the creation of a national concussion registry with mandatory reporting.
The statement also said the doctors who care for athletes who've suffered a concussion should have the training and experience to recognize and evaluate both the presence and severity of concussion.
"These strategies could help identify the threshold at which the number and severity of head injuries leads to irreversible brain injury. They may also help to clarify how concussion risk varies with factors like age, gender, puberty stage and ethnicity so athletes and parents can make informed decisions about playing contact sports," Kirschen said.
More information
The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about concussion.
This article: Copyright © 2014 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


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Nautical trade routes stretch like so many lengths of string in this arresting visualization of intercontinental commerce in the 1800s. The map that emerges highlights not only several continents and their busiest ports, but the various trade winds that cycle through the lower reaches of Earth's atmosphere.
The map is the work of Ben Schmidt, assistant professor of history at Northeastern University. Like many of our favorite visualizations, Schmidt's creation sprang from a publicly available data set: ship's logs, originally compiled by 19th Century oceanographer Lt. Matthew Fontaine Maury, that were later catalogued by NOAA. Schmidt calls the map an exercise in the "Digital Humanities," where tools from the 1990s are used "to answer questions from the 1960s about 19th century America."
Complement with "A Map of U.S. Roads and Nothing Else."
[Ben Schmidt via Unified Pop Theory via Chris Hadfield]


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In the full throes of realization that their top-down, heavily subsidized energy-sector transition from fossil fuels and nuclear power to renewable sources has directly resulted in energy prices around three times higher than those in the United States — not to mention a resurgence of coal to close the practicality gap left by those renewables — the German government has been looking for a way to steeply revise the Energiewende program of which they were once so loud and proud. On Thursday, a group of German government officials submitted their recommendations to Chancellor Merkel for saving Germans some of the tens of billions of dollars they're losing in renewable energy "investments" every year, including ideas for just getting rid of entire facets of the program. Via Bloomberg:
Germany should scrap its clean-energy subsidies because the system has driven up electricity costs for consumers and hasn't spurred innovation or reduced greenhouse gases, a group of government advisers said.
Adding renewable-energy plants in Germany doesn't cut Europe's emissions because they're released elsewhere, the Commission for Research and Innovation said in a report handed to Chancellor Angela Merkel today. The uncapped aid provided by the system known as EEG — about 23 billion euros ($31 billion) last year — doesn't encourage new technologies, it said.
"The EEG isn't a cost-efficient instrument for climate protection nor does it have a measurable impact on innovation," the commission said in the report. "That's why there is no basis for the continuation of the EEG." …
The European Commission, the EU's regulatory arm, is pressing Germany to auction off aid instead of granting fixed, uncapped subsidies, Merkel said today, according to a transcript sent by the government's press office. "The EEG in its current form will be replaced by an auctioning system and will therefore also qualitatively change," she said.
A similar industry report also came out this week, recommending that Germany stop cutting itself off at the knees by eschewing heightened natural gas production and instead jump on the bandwagon that's helping to keep costs so much lower in the United States, via Reuters:
Germany's current policy of rapidly deploying renewable energy should be redesigned to prevent its industry from losing global market share because of high power costs, a report by international think-tank IHS said on Thursday. …
The report said that if the policy was changed to focus on domestically produced gas and the expansion of technologically mature renewables such as onshore wind and solar power, Germany could still shift to low-carbon energy while reaping more benefits from exports, jobs, incomes, tax and royalties.
"Germany's current path of increasingly high-cost energy will make the country less competitive," Dan Yergin, IHS vice chairman who headed the study, said in a phone interview. …
Germany's industrial power prices have risen around 60 percent since 2007, while those in the United States and China have risen less than 10 percent.
This has hit manufacturers that accounted for 21 percent of Germany's economic output last year, one of the highest shares for a developed country, IHS said.
Despite Germany's relatively strong manufacturing and export performance compared to the rest of the European Union, the report estimates that their mandated shift to renewables has cost them "€52bn in net export losses for the six-year period from 2008 to 2013." Dang. That translates to a huge loss of competitiveness for the nation currently ranking as the economic leader of the EU, and if they'd like to keep it that way, they have some serious rethinking to do.


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WOOD TYPE: SycamoreDIMENSIONS: 13 x 13mmBACKS: Rhodium platedPREVIOUS LIFE: CelloFREE POSTAGE WITHIN THE UKAlong with each collection we make a selection of cufflinks that match the Man Pins. Hand made and finished from sustainable sourced hardwoods making each pair unique.Perfect for those folks who have no buttons on their cuffs!Man Pins are a collaboration between jeweller Islay Spalding and wood worker Louise Forbes. A shared workshop, love of wood, clean lines and letter pressed greyboard led to the invention of the Man Pin brand.


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Nottingham, city and unitary authority, geographic and historic county of Nottinghamshire, England. The city lies along the River Trent.
The original site, on a sandstone hill commanding a crossing of the Trent, was occupied by the Anglo-Saxons in the 6th century. Colonizing the area by river, they gave their settlement the name of Snotingaham, meaning "the ham, or village, of Snot's people." Peaceably occupied by the Danes in the 9th century, the community became one of the five towns of the Danelaw. After the Norman Conquest (1066), new rulers founded a borough that existed side by side with the older Saxon town, both communities being separately administered until about 1300. In 1449 Henry VI confirmed all previous privileges, instituted the office of sheriff, and granted that the town (excepting the castle and jail) should function as a county in itself.
A marketplace, mentioned in the charter of 1155, was established in the small valley between the Norman and Saxon settlements. The old market square, 5.5 acres (2 hectares) in area, is now one of the major features of the townscape in central Nottingham. Dominated on the eastern side by the Council House (opened 1928), the square is flanked with shops, but the central area is reserved for pedestrians.
The old Saxon town is now marked by Nottingham Castle on Standard Hill, so named because there, in 1642, Charles I raised his standard (flag) at the outbreak of the English Civil Wars. The present castle, after renovation by the corporation (1875–78), houses a museum and art gallery. The link between Nottingham and the legendary outlaw Robin Hood is commemorated by a statue on Castle Green.
University College was opened in Nottingham in 1881 and moved to its present site west of the city in 1928. The land was given by Lord Trent, otherwise Jesse Boot, founder of Boots Company, Ltd., who subsequently financed much of its development. It was incorporated as the University of Nottingham in 1948. The Nottingham Trent University was established as a polytechnic in 1970 and gained university status in 1992. The city has two important theatres—Theatre Royal (1865) and the Playhouse (opened 1963). Literary figures associated with Nottingham include the poet Lord Byron and the novelist D.H. Lawrence.
The city's diversified economic structure has resulted in sustained prosperity. Nottingham lies at the heart of the East Midlands coalfield and is a major transport centre. It is also traditionally associated with the hosiery trade and the lace industry. There are pharmaceutical and tobacco industries, but a bicycle-manufacturing plant closed in the early 2000s. The service sector of the economy provides the major proportion of employment. Area 29 square miles (75 square km). Pop. (2001) 266,988; (2011) 305,680.


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Blue Pottery Handmade White & Blue Design Tile 4×4 Inch
Blue Pottery Tiles are unique and handcrafted by our skilled artists. Floral Motifs these can be used for kitchen, Bathroom, Table Tops, Walls. Furniture etc.
Size – 4×4 Inch
Colour – White
Design – Floral
- Description
- The Making
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Blue Pottery Handmade White & Blue Floral Design Tile is beautiful and elegant made with love. Unique in design and handcrafted with love.
Blue Pottery Products are Perfect for your home decor.
Floral Motifs these can be used for kitchen, Bathroom, Table Tops, Walls. Furniture etc.
Blue Pottery is widely recognized as a traditional craft of Jaipur, though it is Turko-Persian in origin. The name 'blue pottery' comes from the eye-catching Cobalt blue dye used to color the pottery. It is one of many Eurasian types of blue and white pottery, and related in the shapes and decoration to Islamic Pottery and, more distantly, chines pottery. It is relatively unusual as a type of quality or luxury Indian Pottery, most Indian types being functional and though often highly decorated, relatively low prestige wares.
Blue Jaipur is all about showing this world the blue shades of pottery. At Blue Jaipur, we believe in art and artists its beauty and appreciation.
Blue Pottery is completely handmade Jaipur blue pottery, made out of a similar frit material to Egyptian faience, is glazed and low-fired. No clay is used: the 'dough' for the pottery is prepared by mixing quartz stone powder, powdered glass, Multani Mitti (Fuller's Earth), borax, gum and water.
Additional information
|.200 kg
|4 × 4 × .25 in
Blue, White
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It's a New Day in Public Health.
The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.
CRC Resources
Contact the Florida Cancer Program
- 850-245-4144
- email@example.com
Mailing Address
Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida - Cancer Program
4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin C-23
Tallahassee, FL 32399
These links are provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only. They do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the Florida Department of Health of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation, organization or individual. The Florida Department of Health bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
Data Resources
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides data from 2019 on colon and rectum cancers in the US by all ages, races and ethnicities in the US by gender.
Screening Resources
Some of the County Health Departments in Florida offer primary care services and may be able to help you get a colorectal cancer screening test.
Federally Qualified Health Centers may offer colorectal cancer screening tests. These include a take home stool sample test, which are available at low cost clinics in the state. You can find the clinic closest to you by going to the Health Resources and Services Administration website at www.findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC.aspx.
The Center for Change offers the FIT test (Fecal Immunochemical Test) which is a colorectal cancer screening test at no cost. If you are interested in this option, you may find out more by contacting the Center at 407-271-4452.
The National Center for Farm Workers Health operates a toll free bilingual health information and referral service. The Call for Health Program can provide assistance in locating health care and can provide some financial assistance once all other resources have been exhausted. For information call 1-800-377-9968, email firstname.lastname@example.com, or visit the website at www.ncfh.org.
CancerCare is a national nonprofit organization that provides free, professional support services including referrals for financial assistance, insurance co-pays, medications as well as information on cancer for those diagnosed with cancer. For more information call 1-800-813-HOPE (4673), email firstname.lastname@example.com, or visit the website at www.cancercare.org.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has information on the CDC Colorectal Cancer Control Program in Florida. Call 1-800-232-4636 or visit theCDC website at www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/sfl/.
Clinical trials may be available in your area. For more information about clinical trials, please call 1-239-316-3086 or visit the Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute website at https://flcancer.com/clinical-trials/
National Cancer Institute
Learn more about clinical trials, the potential benefits, processes, care costs and more: 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) or visit the website at www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials.
Referral Resources and Benefit Programs
Finding Health Insurance coverage has information on affordable health coverage for uninsured Floridians. To find the plans available in your area, call 1-844-USA-GOV1 (1-844-872-4681) or visit the website at https://www.usa.gov/finding-health-insurance
Volunteer Health Services Program
The Florida Department of Health has a Volunteer Health Services Program with statewide coordinators that help locate quality healthcare for medically underserved and underinsured residents. For more information locating the coordinator in your area, call 1-850-245-4009
The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) has a website that has information on health conditions, health insurance, and health care provider locations. For more information go to www.FloridaHealthFinder.gov or call 1-888-419-3456.
The Florida Department of Children and Families has information on several medical assistance programs and other benefits. They also have a list of many other services that are available in Florida. You can call 1-866-762-2237 or view these on the website at https://www.myflfamilies.com
Additional helpful information may be available at Medicaid Options. You can call 1-850-300-4323 or visit the website: www.myflorida.com/accessflorida.
The Department of Elder Affairs
The Department of Elder Affairs is the primary state agency responsible for administering human services programs for older adults over the age of 60. The Department of Elder Affairs' website lists the services available to the seniors in this state including health insurance information. For information call 1-850-414-2000, email firstname.lastname@example.com or visit the website at: https://www.elderaffairs.org
The Florida Department of Financial Services, Consumer Assistance Division can answer general insurance and financial questions through a toll-free helpline, 1-877-693-5236. They will be able to verify what your health insurance should cover and the deductibles involved. To learn more about ways to control and manage healthcare costs visit the Consumer Health Guides at http://www.myfloridacfo.com/division/consumers/.
Educational Materials and Support Services
The American Cancer Society has staffed health professionals that are available 24 hours a day to provide information to cancer patients and their families. They provide many educational materials on cancer topics and cancer screenings, day to day help and emotional support. For more information call 1-800-ACS-2345 (1-800-227-2345) or visit the website at www.cancer.org.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Screen for Life Campaign has many fact sheets, brochures and posters on colorectal cancer screening. For more information call 1-800-232-4636 or visit the website at www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/.
The Colon Cancer Alliance provides education on colorectal cancer screening also support and education for those diagnosed with colorectal cancer. They can make referrals for financial support for those diagnosed. For more information call 877-422-2030 or visit the website at www.ccalliance.org/.
The C3 Colorectal Cancer Coalition has information on resources for diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer, coping with the emotional and financial stresses of cancer and facing life as a colorectal cancer survivor. Call the Answer Line at 877-427-2111 or visit the website at www.fightcolorectalcancer.org/awareness and click on the patient tab.
The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has information on cancer and cancer prevention as well as information for cancer survivors. For more information call 800-843-8114 or go to https://www.aicr.org/
The National Cancer Institute has information on many types of cancers and screening guidelines. There are many educational booklets and fact sheets available to print or order. For information call 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) or visit the website at www.nci.nih.gov.
The Lance Armstrong Foundation provides free, confidential, one-on-one support to anyone affected by cancer. This includes those who have cancer or are a loved one, friend, health care professional, or caregiver of someone diagnosed. They provide support through education, referrals and counseling. This includes help in finding financial assistance for medical treatments. For more information call 1-855-220-7777 or go to www.livestrong.org/.
211, an information and referral service sponsored by the United Way, is available in many areas throughout Florida and can share with you, information on services available in your community. Call 211 or visit the website at www.211.org.
The Patient Advocate Foundation is a national non-profit organization that seeks to safeguard patients through effective mediation assuring access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of financial stability relative to their diagnosis of a life threatening or debilitating disease. They also have a program that provides co-pay assistance to insured Americans who qualify as well as several other programs. For more information call 1-800-532-5274 or visit the website at www.patientadvocate.org.
Colorectal Cancer Screening Fact Sheet was developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are below in English and Spanish. The fact sheet was also translated into Haitian Creole through Florida Department of Health. These documents are available in PDF format and can be printed from the links below.


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This week in OtherWords, Fredric Rolando describes how letter carriers often serve their customers across the country in unexpected ways and Sam Pizzigati discusses how Utah's distinction as one of the most economically equal states is fading.
Do you want to make sure you don't miss the latest from OtherWords? Then subscribe to our free weekly newsletter. Do you value our sharp analysis and bold ideas? Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today to keep this valuable service running.
- The False Choice between Security and Liberty / Aimee Thomson
How much of our privacy and how many of our constitutional rights are we willing to give up to protect this country from violent attack?
- When Postal Workers Double as First Responders / Fredric Rolando
They're often the only watchful eyes in a neighborhood when most residents are at work or school.
- The Un-American Way / Wenonah Hauter
The Trans-Pacific Partnership deal threatens food safety and public health.
- Et Tu, Buddhist? / Donald Kaul
In every war, both sides claim that God's on their side.
- In America's West, Equality Takes a Hit / Sam Pizzigati
Utah may be losing its egalitarian advantage.
- The Fake Thing / Jill Richardson
With a newfound exercise obsession, Coca-Cola and other companies are trying to shift the blame for what they're doing to our health.
- Wall Street's Fix for Homelessness / Jim Hightower
A former hedge fund manager believes that charity causes poverty.
- The Medical-Industrial Complex / William A. Collins
Our health industry's big players focus on making as much money as possible.
- Patients vs Profits / Khalil BendibEmily Schwartz Greco is the managing editor of OtherWords, a non-profit national editorial service run by the Institute for Policy Studies. OtherWords.org


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Oracle is weeks away from moving thousands of Sun Microsystems customers over to its My Oracle Support portal, a relatively new system that experienced significant hiccups and negative user feedback during its early days.
The migration will be completed during the weekend of Dec. 10-12. Sun's legacy support services, such as SunSolve and Goldstar, will be retired at that time.
It is "critical" that customers register for My Oracle Support (MOS), or else they could find service interrupted, according to an official blog post on Monday. Oracle has already been allowing users to do so in order to familiarize themselves with the system.
Oracle is also holding dozens of advisory webcasts in multiple languages and time zones over the next few weeks.
The aggressive outreach efforts show that Oracle clearly wants to avoid major disruptions to customer service. For one thing, Oracle has made it a point to stress that Sun customers will receive the best support in the industry under its ownership.
In addition, veteran Oracle executive Charles Rozwat was recently tapped to oversee support services. Rozwat reports to Oracle co-president Mark Hurd, who is also fairly new to his role. Both men undoubtedly want no high-profile flare-ups like that which occurred last year, when Oracle moved customers from the older Metalink support system to MOS.
Many customers reported a range of issues at the time, including login failures, system performance and difficulty logging service requests.
However, there haven't been any major public problems since then regarding MOS, which is supposed to help customers avoid problems as well as fix them. For example, the portal can use information about a company's system configurations to provide notifications for patch suggestions as well as deliver "proactive health checks."
A FAQ document on Oracle's website runs through the details of the switchover for Sun customers.
Customers will no longer be able to submit service requests via e-mail. Instead, they must either speak with a support representative or enter them through the MOS portal.
Native language support will be available only during regular local business hours in most countries, but around-the-clock support in English will be provided.
Oracle intends to migrate historical service request data over to MOS. Any open service requests should be available without disruption, according to another Oracle web page.
Chris Kanaracus covers enterprise software and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Chris's e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com


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Apple offers a range of support options. Visit www.apple.com/support/products/ for more information.
Compressor 4 User Guide
Get the searchable user guide directly in Compressor 4, online, or from the iBooks Store.
- View the in-app help by clicking the Help menu and choosing Compressor 4 Help.
- View the online Compressor User Guide at https://help.apple.com/compressor/.
- Download the Compressor User Guide from the iBooks Store.
Compressor 4 Support Page
Apple's Compressor 4 product support page is filled with the best support information for Compressor 4 users. Visit the Compressor 4 Support page.
Compressor 4 Support Community
Join the conversation. Share tips and solutions with fellow Compressor 4 users from all around the world. Visit the Compressor 4 Support Community.
Mac App Store Support Page
Get information about finding your purchased apps, resuming interrupted downloads, backing up your app purchases, troubleshooting the Mac App Store and more. Visit the Mac App Store Support page.
Apple Consultants Network
The Apple Consultants Network features independent professional service providers and technology consulting firms that specialize in Apple and third-party solutions. Certified on Apple technologies, our members deliver on-site technology services and support to home users and businesses of all sizes. Visit the Apple Consultants Network website.