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Pharmaceutical Anti-Counterfeiting: Combating the Real Danger from Fake Drugs
Pharmaceutical Anti-Counterfeiting: Combating the Real Danger from Fake Drugs
ISBN: 978-0-470-61617-8 July 2011 426 Pages
In Stock
DescriptionThis book overviews and integrates the business and technical issues that pharmaceutical companies need to know in order to combat the major global problem of counterfeit medicines. In addition to discussion of the problems, the author Davison addresses analytical techniques scientists use to detect counterfeits and presents some possible solutions to the threat of counterfeit medical products. Coverage moves from basic overview of the problem, costs / risks to consumers (toxic products, mistrust of drug companies) and business (revenue loss, public trust), government oversight and regulation, authentication strategies (packaging, analytical techniques), product tracking and supply chain, and case studies from around the globe.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xxiii
1 Introduction 3
Why Write This Book? 3
Doesn't This Book Just Help the Criminals? 4
Who Is the Book Aimed At? 5
2 Origins and Context of Counterfeiting in Healthcare 7
Background and Nature of the Threat 7
R&D Costs, Patent Life, and the Profit Imperative 9
A Low Cost, High Profit Business 10
Research and Development 10
Regulatory Approval 10
Manufacturing 11
Packaging 11
Marketing 11
Logistics 12
Permissive Legal Environment 12
Role of the Internet 13
Global Growth of Counterfeiting 14
3 A Snapshot of the Problem 15
Case Study: Malaria 18
4 Risks and Costs of Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals 21
Risks and Costs for Consumers 21
The Drugs Do Not Work 21
Toxic Products 23
Fear and Mistrust of the Medical Profession 24
Risks and Costs for Businesses 24
Revenue Loss 24
Brand Erosion 28
Litigation 30
Loss of Public Trust 30
Risks and Costs for Governments 31
Public Concern 31
Increased Social and Healthcare Costs 32
Tension between Affordability and Quality 34
Increased Regulatory Costs 34
5 Anti-Counterfeiting Definitions 35
Terminology and General Principles 36
Counterfeiting 38
Diversion 45
Parallel Trade and Re-Importation 46
6 Protecting and Educating Consumers 49
Consumer Behavior 49
Engagement with the Consumer 50
Engaging Through Social Media 51
Social Networking and Blogging as Anti-Counterfeiting Tools 52
Consumer-Focused Authentication Technology 54
Cultural Sensitivity 55
7 Business Risks and Strategy 57
Establishing a Baseline and Prioritizing At-Risk Products 59
Doing the Simple Things 60
Used Manufacturing Equipment 61
Layering of Countermeasures 62
Information Management and "Need-To-Know" 62
Integration with Corporate Strategy 63
8 Government Issues 65
Legal Framework 66
Link with Reimbursement and Social Healthcare 68
Law Enforcement Issues 69
Data Mining 69
Money Transfer and Credit Cards 70
Internet Service Providers and Search Engines 71
9 Intellectual Property and Anti-Counterfeiting 73
Establishing Ownership of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) 74
Patents 74
Patenting of Security Technologies 75
Trademarks 75
Online Intellectual Property 78
Criminal Prosecution Versus Civil Suit 79
10 Traceability or Authentication? 81
11 What Is Authentication? 87
Digital Versus Sensory Authentication 88
Types of Authentication Technologies 89
International Standards and Norms 91
12 Authentication of the Person 93
13 Authentication of Bulk Products 97
14 On-Dose and In-Dose Authentication 103
On-Dose Features 104
In-Dose Features 106
Regulatory Reporting 109
Labeling and Disclosure of On-Dose and In-Dose Approaches 110
Concealment of Identity 110
On-Product and In-Product Approaches Aimed at Consumers 111
Formulation Additives in Products other than SODFs 112
15 Analytical Detection of Counterfeit Dosage Forms 113
Simple Chemical and Physical Analysis Methods 114
Colorimetry 115
Hardness and Dissolution Tests 115
Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) 116
Ultraviolet and Visible Spectroscopy 117
Laboratory-Based Methods 118
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) 118
X-ray Techniques 119
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy 119
Mass Spectrometry (MS) 120
Gas Chromatography (GC) 120
Liquid Chromatography (LC) 121
Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) 121
Forensic Palynology 121
Non-Destructive Methods 123
X-ray Diffraction 123
Infrared Spectroscopy 123
Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy 124
Near-Infrared (NIR) 125
Raman Spectroscopy 125
Terahertz Imaging 126
Conclusions on the Analysis of Dosage Forms 126
16 The Role of Packaging 127
Packaging Design 128
Being Just Slightly Better than the Opposition 130
Security Features on Packaging 131
Integration into Packaging: Bulk Packaging Material at Source 131
Integration into Packaging: By Design Complexity 132
Addition to Packaging: Labels, Printed Packaging, etc. 132
17 Printing Technologies 135
Offset Lithography 135
Flexography 136
Gravure 136
Screen Printing 137
Laser Printing 137
Clichéor Pad Printing 138
Embossing and Debossing 138
Laser Engraving 138
Inkjet Printing 138
Some Technical Considerations 140
How Much Surface Area Is Available
for the Feature? 140
What Is the Budget? 141
Is the Product Surface Flat or Curved? 141
Is the Product Orientation Predictable and Constant? 142
How Much Time Is Available? 142
Direct Application onto Packaging Versus Use of Labeling 143
18 Security Labels 145
Adhesive 146
Frangibility 147
Security Cuts and Perforation 148
Voiding 148
Alignment 149
General Considerations 149
Label Reconciliation and Storage Conditions 151
19 Holograms and DOVIDs 153
Types of Holograms 154
Other Optically Variable Devices 156
20 Specialty Inks 159
Colorshift Inks 160
Other Security Inks 161
Iridescent 161
Metallic 162
Fluorescent 162
Bi-fluorescent 162
Thermochromic 163
Photochromic 163
Coin Reactive 163
Microstructured Taggants 163
21 Covert Taggants and Forensic Markers 165
Infrared-Absorbing Inks 165
Forensic Markers 166
Isotopic Tags 167
DNA Markers 167
Antibody Systems 168
X-Ray Detection of Specific Added Elements 168
Other Markers 168
22 General Conclusions on Printed Packaging and Security Labels 169
Layering 169
Guidelines 170
Flexibility and Vigilance 170
23 Security of Primary Packaging 173
Contact with Dosage Form 173
Types of Primary Packaging 175
Blister Packs 175
Wallets, Carded Blisters, Compliance-Prompting Packaging, etc. 179
Strip Packs, Sachets, and Pouches 180
Bottles or Jars 181
Tubes 183
Vials and Ampoules 184
Other Dosage Forms 187
Syringes 187
Inhalers and Related Devices 187
Implantable Drug-Containing Devices 189
Equipment and Consumables for Diagnostic Products 189
Medical Devices 190
Analytical Considerations for Primary Packaging 191
24 Security of Secondary Packaging 193
Role of Secondary Cartons 193
Outsourced or In-House Application 196
Outsourced Security Features 198
In-House Security Application 198
Planning Ahead 199
Tamper-Evidence: Seals, Shrink Wraps, Pack Closures, and Adhesive 200
Definitions 200
Snap-Off Caps 200
Glued End-Flaps 201
Seals 201
Induction Seals 203
Shrink Wrap and Tear Tape 203
25 Analytical Methods for Packaging 205
Visual Inspection (Visible Light) 206
Other Optical Methods (UV, IR, Polarized Light) 207
Other Methods 207
26 Security of Other Packaging Types 209
Drug–Device Combinations 209
Patient Information Leaflets and Labels 211
Other Documentation 212
Certificates of Analysis, Import Licenses, etc. 212
Prescriptions 213
Reimbursement 213
27 Bulk Packaging and Transport Security 215
Theft of Cargo from Trucks and Warehouses 216
Vigilance 218
Information Management 218
Training 218
Other Factors 219
Technology Approaches: RFID and GPS 219
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology 219
Global Positioning System (GPS) Technology 220
28 Rationale for Pharmaceutical Tracking 225
29 Tracking Technologies 231
Serial Numbers 232
Linear Bar Codes 234
Matrix Codes 234
2D Codes and Mobile Phones 236
Technical Issues with 2D Codes 237
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) 238
Mobile Phones 242
Other Tracking Technologies 244
Applicability of Tracking Systems Worldwide 245
30 Data Format, Generation, and Storage 247
Serialization 247
Randomization 250
Pedigree/ePedigree 251
Track and Trace 253
Fingerprinting 254
Physical Authentication + Digital Tracking = Enhanced Security 256
31 Management of Packaging Hierarchy 257
Inference Approaches 257
"Bookend" Approaches 262
Batch Level Traceability Versus Full Serialization 266
Digital Signatures 266
Supply Chain Benefits 266
32 Geographical Perspectives 269
U.S. State Laws 269
California 270
Federal Initiatives in the United States 271
Europe 273
The Concept of "Medicrime" 275
European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC) 275
Purpose 276
Scope 276
Definitions 276
Manufacturing of Counterfeits 278
Supplying, Offering to Supply, and Trafficking in Counterfeits 278
Falsification of Documents 279
Similar Crimes Involving Threats to Public Health 279
Aiding or Abetting and Attempt 279
Jurisdiction 280
Corporate Liability 281
Sanctions and Measures 281
Aggravating Circumstances 282
Criminal Investigations 282
Cooperation and Information Exchange 283
Measures for Prevention 283
Measures for Protection 284
International Cooperation 284
Monitoring Mechanism 284
EFPIA Pilot Coding Project 285
India 287
Malaysia Meditag System 288
Turkey 289
Brazil 290
33 Product Tracking in Other Industries 291
Excise Products: Tobacco and Alcohol 291
Food and Beverage 292
Toys 293
Conclusions 294
34 Supply Chain Security Processes 295
General Security 295
Forward Logistics 296
Reverse Logistics: Returns and Customer Complaints 297
Insider Fraud 298
Security of Security Materials 301
Security of Evidence 302
35 Implementing Anti-Counterfeiting Initiatives—Practical Issues 303
How to Work Together: Getting the Best from Security Partnerships 303
What Do Pharmaceutical Companies Need? 304
What Do Security Suppliers Need? 305
What Do Print and Packaging Suppliers Need? 306
General Observations on Business Models for Product Security 307
Unit Fee Pricing 308
Commodity Pricing 308
Insurance Premium 309
Other Pharmaceutical Service Industries 309
36 Where Do We Go from Here? 313
Future Scenario: Risk of Inaction 313
Future Scenario: Risk of Incomplete Action 314
Future Scenario: Risk of Inappropriate Action 314
Future Policy Approaches 315
Future Authentication Approaches 317
Future Traceability Approaches 318
Global Standards, Worldwide Tracking 318
37 New Models, New Approaches 321
Non-Technological Approaches 322
Lack of Availability of Genuine Drugs 323
Huge Profit Potential 323
Low Entry Costs 324
Law Enforcement Issues 324
Legal Approaches 324
Conclusions 325
38 Selected Examples from Around the World 329
Argentina 329
Brazil 330
Canada 330
China 330
European Union 331
India 331
Laos and Southeast Asia 331
Nigeria 331
Russia 332
Uganda/East Africa 332
United Kingdom 333
United States 333
Do I Need This Particular Medication? 337
Is My Desired Drug Approved and Available in My Country? 338
Are My Drug Sources and Methods of Purchase Safe? 338
What Does the Packaging Look Like? 339
What Does the Product Itself Look Like? 340
When Taking the Drug 341
After Taking the Drug 341
General Readership 379
Specialist Readership 380
News 381
Education 381
Organizations 381
"The book is an excellent resource and I would recommend it to anyone with either an interest in anti-counterfeiting technology or pharmaceutical counterfeiting in general." (International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice, 26 April 2012)
"Pharmaceutical Anti-Counterfeiting" covers the key concepts and explains the available options in pharmaceutical anti-counterfeiting including a mix of policy, strategy, tactics and practical implementation tips. A must-read for those determined to do something about counterfeit pharmaceutical and healthcare products, and will prove useful to brand protection professionals in other industries." (Chemanager, 24 January 2012)
"For those determined to take an action against counterfeit pharmaceutical and healthcare products, will find the book useful." (The Holography Times, 1 December 2011)
"Using accessible and interesting language, Mark Davison talks the reader right the way through the issue of drug counterfeiting - its origins and context within healthcare , the risks presented to companies and consumers alike, anti-counterfeiting strategies and technologies - the result being a definitive guide to the inner workings of the counterfeit industry and a myriad of ways to stymie the counterfeiter's every step ... Reading this book will provide any pharmaceutical brand owner with a solid and informed grounding for making any decisions related to anti-counterfeiting strategy." (Notofakes.com, 16 November 2011)
"In writing this book Davison has made a great contribution to the global fight against counterfeit drugs. For the first time we have a single reference that collects explanations of every significant anti-counterfeiting technology and approach used around the globe, including both sensory authentication and traceability technologies." (RxTrace, September 2011)
"Best Pharma Anit-Counterfeiting Book Ever...Davison does not back away from or avoid pointing out conflicts and disagreements that exist between approaches to solving problems (digital vs. physical authentication), but he is quick to help the reader find the strongest solution by seeing the ways that solutions and technologies can work together." (Randall Burgess, Pharmaceutical AntiCounterfeiting Blog, October 5, 2011)
"Pharmaceutical Anti-Counterfeiting: Combating the Real Danger from Fake Drugs by Mark Davison succeeds in providing a handbook for professionals involved in product security and brand protection. . . Davison has a great deal of industry experience in pharmaceuticals as well as product security and is well positioned and qualified to be the one to write this book. The industry owes him a debt of gratitude for committing himself to this effort." (Pharma AntiCounterfeiting News, 1 August 2011)
"Cambridge-based consultant and entrepreneur Mark Davison, CEO of Blue Sphere Health Ltd, has written a comprehensive guide for drug company executives, technology vendors, healthcare professionals and policy-makers. . . This newly-released 426pp volume is a must-read primer for those determined to do something about counterfeit pharmaceutical and healthcare products, and will prove useful to brand protection professionals in other industries." (Cambridge Network , 6 September 2011)


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G1886, Reviewed December 1999
The movement of crop protection materials away from their intended target poses several possible problems. Besides the economic damage to nearby susceptible crops, possible problems include less effective weed control, airborne contamination of streams and lakes, and the social and financial costs resulting from the accidental damage that drift can cause to a neighbor's ornamental or commercial plants.
Minimizing drift is a moral responsibility to neighbors and it is in one's own ethical and financial interests to protect neighbors from the potential for damage to their crops, landscape plants, gardens, lawns, and other vegetation. Drift damage to neighboring vegetation can be a serious problem depending on how that vegetation is valued and whether the damage is permanent or temporary. Crop protection materials are also poorly understood by the public, which causes anxiety and sometimes overreaction to a problem. Drift can lead to litigation, financially damaging court costs and appeals to restrict or ban the use of crop protection materials.
The most serious consequence of drift is the long-term effect it can have on the legal restrictions placed on the use crop protection materials. Applicators have both a legal and ethical obligation to minimize the chance of off-target placement of herbicides. Controlling drift is a win-win activity. Properly placed crop protection materials reduce costs, protect the environment and preserve the use of these materials to provide for a safe, healthful and abundant food supply.
Drift is the movement of crop protection materials from their intended target to any other area. Drift is sometimes referred to as off-target placement.
Drift can be classified broadly into two categories — vapor drift and particle drift. The more common problem is particle drift, which occurs when small droplets are blown off-target by the prevailing wind. Damage to nontarget susceptible vegetation from vapor drift is a less common problem, but can have devastating effects on areas remote from the application site.
A small amount of vapor is formed during any spraying application and usually disperses into harmless concentrations. A concentration of vapors sufficient to cause serious damage to nontarget plants is most likely to occur when winds are calm. The surprising conclusion is that light winds also warrant special precautions.
The classic example of vapor drift is herbicide damage to plants not adjacent to the application area. Vapor drift has been known to affect areas as remote as several miles from the target. Hence, the source and cause of damage to areas affected by vapor drift can be difficult to resolve and vapor drift is suspected when all other logical explanations have failed.
Although serious problems due to vapor drift are somewhat rare, the cause of vapor drift is associated with a common atmospheric condition known as a temperature inversion, where surface air is cooler than air immediately above. The stability of an inversion reduces mixing and allows concentrations of vapors to form above the ground. These concentrations may move slowly across the landscape until they encounter more unstable air, where they may be deposited in a large enough concentration to damage susceptible nontarget plants.
Temperature inversions, as the name implies, are a reversal of normal daytime temperature gradients in the atmosphere. During daylight hours, especially under full sun, temperatures decrease at higher altitudes. Radiant energy from the sun warms the earth by warming the soil and other surfaces. Hence, the usual condition is for air temperatures to be warmer near the ground. Because warm air rises, this condition causes the air below to mix with the air above. The mixing air causes vapor to disperse and become dilute.
A temperature inversion occurs when heat is radiated away from the earth during the night to the relative darkness of space. Surface air becomes cooler and denser than air in the upper atmosphere. When cool air is already lower than warm air, the air is stable and doesn't mix well. The stable air of an inversion causes the air to stagnate and allows vapors to become concentrated near the surface.
Temperature inversions are most likely to occur whenever the sun is low or at night. Recognize the potential for an inversion when winds are light or undetectable, especially during early morning hours after a clear night. Use caution when you suspect an inversion. A smoke trail provides good visual evidence of how vapors will behave. Light a smoke bomb and note the direction and behavior of the smoke. Smoke that rises and disperses is a good sign. Smoke that travels slowly near the surface indicates that conditions are favorable for vapor drift. An hour of bright sun or a 5- to 10-degree temperature rise in the morning is usually enough to break up an inversion. Heavy cloud cover during the night acts as a blanket, which reduces radiant cooling of the earth's surface and reduces the potential for an inversion.
Vapor drift can occur with all product formulations, but is generally higher for more volatile spray formulations, e.g., esters as opposed to amines. A volatile formulation readily evaporates into small particles that are affected more by air movement than by gravity.
That old saying often heard when small rains come when it's hot and dry — "That little amount of rain we got evaporated before it hit the ground" — has some truth to it. Hot, dry air increases evaporation rates and quickly reduces droplet size, increasing the risk of drift. Spraying when temperatures are cool and humidity is high, such as during the morning hours minimizes volatilization. Wet soil increases the rate of volatilization and decreases the effectiveness of soil incorporation; both effects increase the risk of vapor drift of soil-applied volatile herbicides.
Particle drift is the most recognized type of drift. Although drift can't be eliminated, particle drift can be reduced to very low levels through proper nozzle selection, equipment operation and other management choices.
Nozzle selection affects practically every aspect of particle drift. Various nozzles are available providing many choices of droplet size and spectrum. Ideally, nozzles should produce only a narrow range of droplet sizes. However, in addition to droplets about the right size for good coverage for a particular application, nozzles generally produce a few larger droplets and many smaller droplets that are prone to drift.
The term volume median diameter (VMD) is used to indicate the relative droplet size of a volume of spray from a nozzle. Droplet size is measured in microns. A micron is one millionth of a meter. A human hair is about 100 microns thick and not too difficult to see because it has length. Without a magnifying glass, though, particles or water droplets less than 100 microns in diameter are practically invisible.
A VMD of 400 microns means that half the volume of spray will be droplets that have a diameter of less than 400 microns and the other half of the volume of spray will be droplets larger than 400 microns. Because smaller droplets have much less volume than larger droplets, most of the droplets will be smaller than the VMD (Figure 1).
Figure 1Many droplets in any given volume of spray have a diameter similar to the volume median diameter, or VMD (the dark droplets). Because the majority of droplets are smaller than the VMD, choose a relatively large VMD to minimize the number and volume of small droplets.
The best droplet size for a particular application is a compromise between drift reduction and adequate coverage. Particularly, droplet size should not be smaller than that adequate to obtain good coverage, because droplets that are too fine typically never reach the target anyway. The generally accepted values for various products are shown in the following table.
While smaller droplet sizes are required for good coverage of some fungicides and insecticides, the nozzle must be positioned close to the foliage for the spray to reach the target. Droplet trajectories are affected by their initial velocity and momentum; gravity; the frictional force imposed by traveling through the air; and the temperature, humidity, direction and speed of the air. Small droplets lose their momentum quickly to the frictional force imposed by traveling through the air. Droplets less than 20 microns in diameter decelerate within an inch of the nozzle and then depend primarily on the direction of the air to determine the rest of their journey. Droplets less than 200 microns in diameter decelerate within 19 inches of the nozzle.
Droplets with a diameter of 200 microns are generally considered the smallest droplets useful for herbicide applications. This threshold is determined in part by the practical setup of a spray boom with operating characteristics that provide uniform coverage. For booms with nozzles on a 20- or 30-inch spacing and with fan angles of 80 or 110 degrees, a boom height of 18-19 inches above the target is generally recommended for ideal overlap. The smallest droplet that has a reasonable chance to reach the target is about 200 microns in diameter.
Although boom height can be logically determined using information about proper overlap (100 percent for fan nozzles), nozzle spacing, and fan angle, no exact recommendations about boom height are usually made. Besides, when spraying in a canopy, just what is the target? — the top — the middle? It's not even clear that there is a single best recommendation for nozzle spacing, fan angle and boom height. For nozzle selection, one philosophy for minimizing drift favors producing larger droplets and concludes that the 80-degree fan operated at the proper height is superior. Another philosophy for minimizing drift favors moving the boom closer to the target and concludes that the 110-degree fan operated closer to the target for correct overlap is the superior choice. It is sufficient to say that when you are measuring from the top of the canopy, it is almost always better to be a little bit closer than your calculations indicate. This minimizes the distance that a droplet must travel before it reaches some part of the target.
Most nozzles can provide an acceptable range of droplet sizes when operated within their rated pressure range and especially when operated near the low end of that range. Still, some nozzles have superior operating characteristics. Select a nozzle based on its intended use and the rate of flow that the nozzle is expected to supply. Select a nozzle large enough that the operating pressure is near the low end of the rated pressure range. Environmental Protection Agency registration labels for some herbicides specify nozzle type and sprayer pressure range, as well as which additives may be used and maximum wind speeds in which applications can be made.
The usual forces that determine the course and final destination of a spray droplet are the initial momentum of the droplet, the resistance encountered as it travels through the air, and gravity. New technologies designed to improve spray deposition or reduce drift either add a new force or control an existing force.
Drift can be controlled by:
Following are specific strategies for achieving those goals.
NoteFollow label guidelines. Higher carrier rates allow the use of larger nozzles, which produce larger, less drift-prone droplets when operated at the correct pressure.
Order publications online at http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/shop/ or call toll-free 800-292-0969.

subset: commoncrawl


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They also link us, often through important but weak ties, to other humans. Their origin is biological: going back to quorum-sensing, swarming, flocking, social grooming, gossip, etc. Yet, as we have connected our social networks to traditional human institutions (markets, justice systems, education, etc.) through new technologies, the underlying biology has become obscured, but not dormant.
Economic markets also look much more like networks than anonymous marketplaces. Firms interact with the suppliers and customers in a Web-like supply chains. Systemic risk in financial markets often results from the counterparty risks created within this financial network.
This course will introduce the tools for the study of networks. It will show how certain common principles permeate the functioning of these diverse networks: e.g., issues related to robustness, fragility, and interlinkages etc.
(1) Introduction to networks (Social, Economic and Communication)
(2) Biology of Social Networks
(3) Graph theory and social networks
Directed and undirected graphs, paths, cycles, diameter, clustering, bipartite graphs. Applications: the web as a directed graph, homophily.
(4) Random graph models
Review of branching processes, Erdos-Renyi graphs, degree distributions, 0-1 Laws, connectedness, and giant component. Applications: tipping, six degrees of separation, and disease transmissions.
(5) Preferential attachment, power laws, and small worlds
Preferential attachment, degree distributions, generalized random graphs, and clustering. Applications: firm size distributions, link analysis and web search, PageRank, decentralized search, and navigation.
(6) Game theory
Games, strategies, payoffs, extensive and normal forms, and Nash equilibrium. Applications: tragedy of the commons and coordination games.
(7) Communication and Signaling
Evolution of Languages in Network, Decoding. Applications: Language of Twitter.
(8) Decisions in groups
Decision making in organizations and societies, social choice, Condorcet jury theorem, and political economy. Application: committee decisions.
(9) Macro-Economic Models and Supply-Chains
(9) Case Studies:
Facebook, ATTAP, Twitter, Wikileaks, Bit-coins, Arab Spring, Occupy Wallstreet


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Slide Into Microsoft's Vienna Headquarters
Who wouldn't want to work in a space with its own slide, an indoor live wall of plants, spacious commons to sip coffee and socialize between projects, or cozy meeting spaces that evoke the feeling of being underwater or inside the hollow of a tree trunk? Microsoft's new headquarters in Vienna, Austria is vibrant and playful, reflecting the company's push to shed its reputation as a company with "business as usual" solutions...
Innocad emerged as winners in the architecture competition for Microsoft's new headquarters in Vienna, held on the basis of the WPA concept.
Working in close collaboration with the Microsoft project team during the subsequent project realisation phase, the team of architects assumed responsibility for the overall design of the new Microsoft working environment as construction supervisors and project managers. The architects commented: "Our aim is to intertwine and harmonise physical, virtual and social working environments."
Via Innocad via Contemporist
(Images: Paul Ott)


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Lightning Fire Burning in Wilderness Near Gold Creek Northeast of Missoula
Inciweb reports that firefighters are responding to a new fire approximately 17 miles northeast of Missoula and three miles east of Boulder Lake in the Gold Creek area on the Missoula Ranger District.
Boyd Hartwig with the Lolo National Forest said the fire was reported to Missoula Interagency Dispatch about 5:30 P.M. on Monday and is likely a lightning holdover ignition. The fire is approximately 20 acres and burning in timber in a remote area.
Two engines have been dispatched to the fire area to assess potential road access. Two helicopters are en-route to make water drops and slow the spread of the fire. Air tankers have been ordered for retardant.
Boyd Hartwig, Lolo National Forest


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Reviewed by YL (age 6)
I really like the part where the mice fall down. We had Valentines at our school. This book reminds me of our Valentine party. The pictures were drawings with nice colors. They were like cartoons.
This story is make believe because mice really could not make Valentines. I think that people who like Valentines should read this book.


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A complete set of the four colors in our Crystalline Range of WineWeavers. Each aerator comes with a clear chalice and matching spout and non-drip stand.
Offering easy to use handsfree technology, WineWeaver ensures that a wine poured through it is delivered directly to the contours of your glassware, combining the size, shape and curve of your glass in an integral step of the aeration process, whilst the perforations in the spout naturally weave air into your wine, helping to unlock its full potential.
Our Single Glass and Decanter wine aerator is specially crafted from a super-lightweight FDA and EEC approved polycarbon. WineWeaver® ensures safe and direct contact with fine glass and stemware and is dishwasher safe. Simply raise the spout up for a Single-glass setting or lower for use with a decanter. Enjoy using red and white wines.


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The CyanogenMod team is finally releasing test builds of CyanogenMod 10 to the masses! These "Nightlies," as they're known, are alpha/beta versions of CyanogenMod's customized variant of Android 4.1.1, code-named "Jelly Bean." If you're feeling adventurous and are familiar with flashing ROMs, hit up the download link to check out the bleeding edge of CyanogenMod, AKA CM10!
Builds for certain devices have been failing, such as the Verizon Galaxy Nexus ("Toro" variant)*, but keep checking–Team Douche will no doubt solve these issues quickly to serve up some Jelly Bean goodness.
Source: CyanogenMod on Google+
Download Link: CyanogenMod Downloads
* I happen to have a Toro phone–I can barely contain myself waiting for a successful build!


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Xiamen Open | 7 - 12 October 2014
Lausanne, Switzerland, January 22, 2014 – The FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour will once again be the centrepiece of the international beach volleyball calendar in 2014.
From Long Beach in California to Shanghai in China and many places in between players will compete for their share of the $10.2m in prize money on offer from 10 Grand Slams, an inaugural FIVB Grand Slam Final and 10 Open tournaments. The Grand Slams conclude with the first ever FIVB Grand Slam Final, which will offer $500,000 in prize money.
Last year the men's tournament went down to the wire as Latvia's Janis Smedins and Aleksandrs Samoilovs held off the challenge of Brazil's Pedro Salgado and Bruno Schmidt at the Durban Open in December. Brazilian fans did have something to celebrate though as Talita Antunes and Taiana Lima won the women's crown after dominating all season.
It means that both sides will be pushing hard to retain their titles, while the depth of the teams chasing them grows ever deeper.
Initially nine Grand Slam events were named, but in recent weeks the total went up to the maximum of 10 when the Klagenfurt returned as a host following a year off the Tour when the Austrian venue hosted the CEV Beach Volleyball European Championships.
The lake-side resort will once again welcome the crème-de-la-crème of the beach volleyball world as the Austrian city gets set to host the ninth double-gender Beach Volleyball Grand Slam of the 2014 season from July 29 to August 3.
This year will mark the 17th time that the Lake Worthersee site has hosted a stop on the international circuit. With the exception of last season, the men's World Tour has stopped in Klagenfurt every year since 1997 and the women's since 2001. In 2001 Klagenfurt also hosted the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships and this year's tournament will make Klagenfurt the most experienced host in the World Tour's history with 16 men's and 12 women's tournament to its name.
"Beach volleyball players and fans have come to expect the best from Klagenfurt," said FIVB President Dr. Ary S. Graça F°. "I am proud to have the opportunity to now build on the previous successes of this stop on the World Tour and look forward to once again experiencing all that this excellent venue has to offer."
"We are very happy to organise the A1 Beach Volleyball Grand Slam in cooperation with the FIVB at Lake Worthersee in Klagenfurt, Carinthia again this year," said Hannes Jagerhofer of the ACTS Group, the official promoter of the event.
"The dates for the Grand Slam are hereby confirmed and official. We are sure that this year's Grand Slam will exceed all the expectations of all athletes, fans, sponsors and partners by offering an exceptional week in Carinthia."
Earlier in the month, the organisers of the Moscow Grand Slam announced a date change to June 11 to 15 so as to accommodate Klagenfurt's inclusion in the 2014 beach volleyball calendar.
The ever-popular Stare Jablonki, returns as a Grand Slam after hosting the World Championships last year. The venue on the banks of Lake Mazury will now welcome beach volleyball players and fans from August 19 to 24.
Through the year there are a host of familiar cities hosting Grand Slams; Long Beach in the USA continues for a second season after a successful debut in 2013, while The Hague in the Netherlands is planning on spreading the tournament over four different cities in preparation for their hosting of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in 2015.
There are also Grand Slams in Fortaleza in Brazil, Berlin, Moscow and Gstaad in Switzerland before the FIVB Grand Slam Final.
The participants in the FIVB Grand Slam Final, for
which the location and dates are still to be confirmed, will be made up of the
top eight nations on the FIVB Beach Volleyball Grand Slam ranking with a
maximum quota of two teams per country, per gender. The newly conceived Grand Slam Final has yet to be assigned and the FIVB
is in negotiations with the promoters who have shown an interest in staging
this event.
Fuzhou in China, Anapa in Russia, Xiamen in China and Phuket in Thailand will once again host Open tournaments with a further five organised in Puerto Vallarta in Mexico, Czech capital Prague, Parana in Argentina and Qatari capital Doha with Durban in South Africa once again bringing the season to a close in December.
The newest addition to the 2014 beach volleyball calendar, the FIVB U17 Volleyball World Championships will be held in Bahia Banderas in Mexico, providing yet another opportunity for young beach volleyball players to come to the fore and gain international experience in their sport.
Polish town Myslowice will once again do the honours of hosting the FIVB Beach Volleyball U23 World Championships while Oporto in Portugal will put its previous experience of hosting the FIVB Beach Volleyball U19 World Championships to practice yet again in 2014. Cypriot resort Larnaka will host the U21 World Championships.
The second edition of the Youth Olympic Games are set to take place from August 16 to 28, 2014 in the Chinese city of Nanjing and it will be the first time beach volleyball will be included in the sporting line-up.
2014 Beach Volleyball Calendar
12.10.2014 13:54:23
Juliana/Antonelli clinch first gold at Xiamen Open
Xiamen, China, October 12, 2014 – Juliana Felisberta Silva and Maria Antonelli from Brazil clinch their first gold together at the 2014 FIVB Beach Vol... More...
11.10.2014 17:22:03
Arvaniti/Tsiartsiani secure semifinal spot at Xiamen Open
Vasiliki Arvaniti and Maria Tsiartsiani from Greece performed two spectacular comebacks to reach the semifinal at the 2014 FIVB Beach Volleyball World... More...
11.10.2014 15:05:42
France's Krou/Rowlandson go all the way to gold at the Xiamen Open
Xiamen, China, October 11, 2014 – Youseff Krou and Edouard Rowlandson from France claim their first ever FIVB medal winning the final of the 2014 FIVB... More...
10.10.2014 12:43:31
Spaniards Marco/García storm through to Xiamen Open semifinal
10.10.2014 10:01:12
Czechs Bonnerova/Hermannova triumph over top seeds Juliana/Antonelli at Xiamen Open
09.10.2014 10:45:11
USA's Day/Hochevar on top after day one of Xiamen Open main draw
09.10.2014 10:24:13
Greece's Kotsilianos/Zoupanis top pool at Xiamen Open in first main draw of 2014
08.10.2014 10:36:29
Frenchmen Krou and Rowlandson on track at Xiamen Open
08.10.2014 09:54:14
Australia's Jordan and Justine Mowen proceed to main draw for first time at Xiamen Open
07.10.2014 13:13:41
2014 FIVB World Tour leaders Juliana/Antonelli prepare to take on Xiamen
06.10.2014 21:32:15
FIVB World Tour returns to China for $150,000 FIVB Xiamen Open
01.10.2014 17:23:23
Talking Stats: 2014 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour - Oct 1
30.01.2014 16:51:24
2014 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour ready for more highlights in record-breaking year


text:
ICD-10 Diagnosis Code S93.491S
Sprain of other ligament of right ankle, sequela
Diagnosis Code S93.491S
Short Description: Sprain of other ligament of right ankle, sequela
Long Description: Sprain of other ligament of right ankle, sequela
This is the 2019 version of the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code S93.491S
Valid for Submission
The code S93.491S is valid for submission for HIPAA-covered transactions.
Code Classification
Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00–T98)
Injuries to the ankle and foot (S90-S99)
- Disloc & sprain of joints & ligaments at ankl, ft & toe lev (S93)
- Injuries to the ankle and foot (S90-S99)
Information for Medical Professionals
The ICD-10 and ICD-9 GEMs are used to facilitate linking between the diagnosis codes in ICD-9-CM and the new ICD-10-CM code set. The GEMs are the raw material from which providers, health information vendors and payers can derive specific applied mappings to meet their needs.
- 905.7 - Late effec sprain/strain (approximate) Approximate Flag
The approximate flag is on, indicating that the relationship between the code in the source system and the code in the target system is an approximate equivalent.
Present on Admission (POA) Present on Admission
The Present on Admission (POA) indicator is used for diagnosis codes included in claims involving inpatient admissions to general acute care hospitals. POA indicators must be reported to CMS on each claim to facilitate the grouping of diagnoses codes into the proper Diagnostic Related Groups (DRG). CMS publishes a listing of specific diagnosis codes that are exempt from the POA reporting requirement.
The code S93.491S is exempt from POA reporting.
Information for Patients
Ankle Injuries and Disorders
Your ankle bone and the ends of your two lower leg bones make up the ankle joint. Your ligaments, which connect bones to one another, stabilize and support it. Your muscles and tendons move it.
The most common ankle problems are sprains and fractures. A sprain is an injury to the ligaments. It may take a few weeks to many months to heal completely. A fracture is a break in a bone. You can also injure other parts of the ankle such as tendons, which join muscles to bone, and cartilage, which cushions your joints. Ankle sprains and fractures are common sports injuries.
- Ankle arthroscopy (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Ankle fracture - aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Ankle pain (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Ankle replacement (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Ankle sprain - aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Foot, leg, and ankle swelling (Medical Encyclopedia)
[Read More]
Sprains and Strains
A sprain is a stretched or torn ligament. Ligaments are tissues that connect bones at a joint. Falling, twisting, or getting hit can all cause a sprain. Ankle and wrist sprains are common. Symptoms include pain, swelling, bruising, and being unable to move your joint. You might feel a pop or tear when the injury happens.
A strain is a stretched or torn muscle or tendon. Tendons are tissues that connect muscle to bone. Twisting or pulling these tissues can cause a strain. Strains can happen suddenly or develop over time. Back and hamstring muscle strains are common. Many people get strains playing sports. Symptoms include pain, muscle spasms, swelling, and trouble moving the muscle.
At first, treatment of both sprains and strains usually involves resting the injured area, icing it, wearing a bandage or device that compresses the area, and medicines. Later treatment might include exercise and physical therapy.
NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
- Ankle sprain - aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Elbow sprain -- aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Foot sprain - aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Hamstring strain - aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Hip flexor strain -- aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Sprains (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Strains (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Tendon repair (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Wrist sprain - aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia)
[Read More]


text:
I just recently bought a PS3, and in the little time that I've found not playing games I've managed to install Gentoo on it. This is my first real time to have Gentoo installed... there were other times years ago when I was first learning how to use Linux that I decided to jump in with Gentoo of all distributions (so I didn't get far). This time I hope having this distribution installed will show me what's so good about Gentoo, and hopefully the support it provides on Power architecture as well. Has anyone else installed Linux on the PS3? If so what distro did you go with and how is it running for you? The main problem I have right now is the complete lack of wireless drivers, which causes a problem since I have to run a cable all through my house to get the Gentoo install on the network. I was thinking of ndiswrapper, but I am under the impression that this package only works for x86-based systems. I'd be surprised if wireless isn't working at all under Linux on the PS3... but I haven't found anything that tells me otherwise.
No announcement yet.
Linux on PS3 Anyone?
new posts
Linux on PS3 Anyone?Tags: None
Gentoo on PS3?
hmmmm can you post some benchies? even though the PS3 is running only 512MB RAM I would be very interested on how it performs against a Big HUGE intel/AMD system pimped to the gills, vs the Cell's power processing elements and eight synergistic processing elements. thanks in advance
thhings I would like to see
$cat /proc/cpuinfo $free #time make -j18 {kernel-version} $uname -a as wellLast edited by smp-freak; 01-12-2007, 10:10 PM.
Give me a break... absolutely not true. One major thing to consider is what architecture the software is compiled for. I'll run the above commands on the system at some point and post them here.
Oh...excuse me, you're right, I forgot, it's comparable to an 800 MHz Pentium !!!, a whopping 200 MHz extra. Boohoo. FTR, I did mention "IIRC", so my estimate was not too far off anyway.
Here's some actual facts on the current state of Linux on the PS3, and also some information and benchmarks that anyone with a PS3 can verify at home:
While the performance given in the above link shows that the PS3 is on par with a Powermac G5 after initial testing (which in itself is much better than an 800MHz Pentium processor), there are some important things to keep in mind:
1. Altivec optimization is not being done for this processor in the benchmarks given, which makes a huge difference in performance. There will be a noticeable change once this optimization is implemented (I personally have no idea how much... that's better left to someone else to comment on). Here's a quote from the above article:Originally posted by GeekbenchI can?t comment on Altivec performance, unfortunately, since Geekbench for Linux PPC doesn?t measure Altivec performance yet.Originally posted by GeekbenchGeekbench also isn?t able to exploit the eight vector processors on the Cell processor. Any program designed and optimized for the Cell processor should be a lot faster than one designed for a generic processor (like, say, Geekbench). So while the Geekbench results might seem disappointing, keep in mind that Geekbench can?t exercise the PlayStation 3 to its full potential.
The above benchmarks show how the PS3 actually compares to a G5 while running unoptimized applications. As far as how it 'feels' while running a whole desktop environment under the same situation, it is like running Linux on a slower system that needs a memory upgrade. Programs (like Gnome's web browser) are fairly fast and responsive once they are opened, but the action of opening the applications takes longer than normal.
On to another topic besides benchmarks and performance comparisons: I'm actually a huge fan of the Power architecture. Not necessarily of Sony or the PS3, but I do like the PS3 more than other gaming consoles by extension due to the advanced chip it is making available to consumers like me. I've been waiting for over two years to get a desktop system based on the Power architecture, and my initial hopes were on Genesi (a company who sells Power-based developer workstations among other things) to release their answer to Apple's old Quad G5 Powermac. While they are still planning to release that system, I got tired of waiting and decided to go with the PS3 instead. My main reasons for buying the PS3 (in order) are: the great Square Enix and Koei games, the great architecture to run Linux on, and backwards-compatibility with PS2 games. I'm sure the games I bought the machine for will be released soon, but one thing that is a little more uncertain to me is how long it will take for developers to optimize Linux for this new hardware. Once that is done, this system will be a very nice desktop system. Hopefully it will happen soon.Last edited by joshuapurcell; 01-15-2007, 01:39 PM.
There's been some more information on current benchmarks recently. These benchmarks were taken after the Geek Patrol benchmark (posted above), and basically it confirms everything in that benchmark and in this thread. The added information is news on IBM's upcoming gcc compiler for the Cell processor:
Some other links for information:
Best Instructions I've found for installing Gentoo on the PS3
PhD Project using PS3
IBM's Octopiler... what will make the PS3 really run Linux.


text:
(AP) — Four Wichita residents have pleaded guilty in a mortgage fraud scheme that cost lenders hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Wichita announced Tuesday that the four defendants admitted to conspiring with another man to make false statements in prepared loan applications. That allowed money to be transferred to buy homes in Wichita.
The four are Christopher Ginyard; Henry Pearson Jr.; Janice Young and Henry Pearson Sr.
In their pleas, the four admitted to conspiring with co-defendant Manjur Alam, who prepared the loan applications.
Sentencing is set for Nov. 25. They each face a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million.


text:
Ex Tax: $79.98
- Availability:
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- Product Code:
- Fleshjack
- Brand:
- Fleshlight USA
Pink Mouth with Original inner texture
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Can I use my Fleshlight products in the shower/tub?
Yes, you can use the Fleshlight in the shower/tub. In fact, we offer the Fleshlight Shower Mount to make your experience even more enjoyable. While there is no problem with soaking the Fleshlight sleeve in water, make sure soap does not come in contact with the removable masturbation sleeve. The soap may damage your Fleshlight sleeve.
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text:
The April Fools' Day Defense Kit
This year, don't be taken for a sucker by the media.
By Jack Shafer
As April 1 approaches, prudent observers will be on the lookout for the media's latest hoaxes. Last year, in anticipation of April Fools' Day, Jack Shafer offered advice on how to avoid becoming the victim of the media's shenanigans.
You don't look gullible, but you are. Year after year, the media take advantage of your naiveté and humiliates you with an April Fools' Day prank.
You're probably still kicking yourself for being fooled by the April 2000 Esquire feature about "Freewheelz," an Illinois startup that promised "self-financing, free cars" to consumers. Every time you spot Discover magazine on the newsstand, you growl because you fell for its April 1995 article about the discovery of the ice-melting, penguin-eating hotheaded naked ice borer. Your father probably still gripes about Sports Illustrated's April 1, 1985, article about Sidd Finch, the New York Mets prospect who could throw a baseball 168 mph.
The Museum of Hoaxes Web site catalogs these greatest hits to complete its Top 100 list of the greatest April Fool's hoaxes of all time. There's the BBC's legendary segment on the Swiss spaghetti harvest (1957), Phoenix New Times' story about the formation of the "Arm the Homeless Coalition" (1999), and PC Computing's report on legislative efforts to ban the use of the Internet while drunk (1994), just to name a few classics.
April Fools' hoaxes succeed because the victims, conditioned by a stream of implausible but true stories in the press, aren't expecting the sucker punch. If you don't want to be anybody's fool this year, assume a guarded crouch, especially as the countdown to April 1 progresses. Some April Fools' Day pranks arrive in your mailbox a couple of days before the holiday in the form of a monthly magazine. Remember, to be forewarned is to be forearmed.
Beware strange animals. If a story whiffs even remotely of the hotheaded naked ice borer, it's likely to be a hoax. Technology Review hoaxed its readers with an April Fools' story in 1985 titled "Retrobreeding the Woolly Mammoth." In 1984, the Orlando Sentinel did the same with a piece about the cockroach-devouring Tasmanian mock walrus. In 1994, London's Daily Star sports pages reported that invading superworms might destroy the Wimbledon green.
Turn off your radio. Deejays love to pull practical jokes on April Fools' Day. In 1989, KSLX-FM in Scottsdale, Ariz., broadcast the claim that the station had been taken hostage by Pima Indians, prompting calls to the police. WCCC-AM/FM in Hartford, Conn., told listeners on April 1, 1990, that a volcano had erupted not far away. San Diego's KGB-FM alerted listeners on April 1, 1993, that the space shuttle Discovery had been rerouted from Edwards Air Force Base to a local airport. Thousands showed up to view the landing despite the fact that the spacecraft was earthbound that day. It's not just shock jocks pulling the pranks—you can't trust NPR, either. Its "humorists" have aired pieces on portable zip codes you can take with you when you move (2004), federal health care for pets (2002), and advertisements projected onto the moon (2000).
Shun the British press. The British tabloids make stories up all the time, but on April Fool's Day, everybody on Fleet Street fabricates. The Times used the day to run a spoof ad announcing an auction of "surplus intellectual property"—various patents, trademarks, and copyrights. The Daily Mail announced the postponement of Andrew and Fergie's wedding because of a clash with Prince Charles' calendar. He was going to be butterfly-hunting in the Himalayas. The Daily Mail told readers that nuclear submarines were now patrolling the Thames. The Independent published a scoop about skirts for men at a fashionable shop. The Guardian declared it would replace the women's page with the men's page. In 2000, the Times complained that the surreal quality of the news—Labor turning right wing, for example—had taken the ease out of cracking a good April Fools' joke.
If they pranked before, they'll prank again. In addition to the British press and NPR, the weekly chain formerly known as New Times Inc. (now Village Voice Media) loves to hoax its readers.
Google has established a reputation for silly hoaxes with pages hyping its Google MentalPlex and PigeonRank technologies. It once posted openings for its Googlelunaplex office on the moon and introduced a smart-drink called GoogleGulp!
Too good to be true. News organizations sometimes fall for the April Fools' Day pranks perpetrated by outside hoaxsters, so don't expect every clue to be obvious. If an April 1 article declares that something valuable is now "free" or purports to break news about "hidden treasure," you're being had. Does an organization's acronym or abbreviation spell April Fool?
Also, scan copy for anagrams of "April Fools'" or some similar play on words. Discover's story on the hotheaded naked ice borer cited as its authority wildlife biologist "Aprile Pazzo," which is Italian for April Fool.
Alex Boese, curator of the Museum of Hoaxes and expert on all things April Fools', advises that you finish reading articles before rushing into the next cubicle to spread the incredible news.
Many hoax articles end with an obvious clue or an explanation that it's all a joke. Double-check all radio warnings of disasters—volcanic eruptions, floods, killer bee invasions—and question any story uncovering a new, onerous tax (say, on Linux).
New-product announcements that arrive on or near April 1, such as the left-handed Whopper, should be approached with skepticism, Boese says, but he cautions against reflexive hoax-spotting. On March 31, 2004, Google released the beta version of Gmail, which featured 1 GB of free storage, cavernous compared to other e-mail provider offerings. That was the same day the company unveiled its Googlelunaplex plans. The moon joke and the generosity of Gmail's 1 GB storage caused some nerds to sense a con and insist—wrongly—that Gmail was a giant April Fools' Day hoax.
For a GoogleGulp of hoaxes, check out Alex Boese's book Hippo Eats Dwarf: A Field Guide to Hoaxes and Other B.S. What hilarious media-generated April Fool's Day hoax have I missed? Send your nominations to firstname.lastname@example.com.
(E-mail may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise. Permanent disclosure: Slate is owned by the Washington Post Co.)
Labels: April, Foolsm Defense, Hoax, Kit, Museum


text:
BCAP, REAP still on chopping block, but some hope remains
The House Appropriations Committee didn't break from the vote of the Ag Appropriations Subcommittee to eliminate 2012 funding for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program, but new developments are stirring hope for the Rural Energy for America Program.
Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, added an amendment during the appropriation committee's May 31 meeting that restored $1.3 million to REAP funding, according to the Environmental Law & Policy Center. Although a small amount, it would allow the USDA to operate the program in 2012 and plan for 2013. REAP provides grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for a wide range of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
"This is another step in Re. Kaptur's leadership for REAP and agriculture-based clean energy," said Andy Olsen, senior policy advocate at the Environmental Law & Policy Center. "Keeping REAP alive will benefit greenhouse growers, dairy farmers, solar manufacturers and other businesses in the heartland." Olsen added that Kaptur was able to locate the money in a USDA administrative account.
In the Senate, another glimmer of hope remains, as Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, wrote a letter to his colleagues urging them to preserve funding for both programs. The issue has gotten no vote yet in any Senate subcommittees or committees.
The outcome for BCAP in the House, however, is more uncertain. With no amendments in its favor, the budget will proceed to the full House floor with no funding for the program, which provides matching payments to producers of nonfood dedicated energy crops. USDA Inspector General Phyllis Fong said her office found wide-ranging problems with the initial administration of the program by the Farm Service Agency, caused by hasty implementation. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., who initially supported the program and chaired the House Agricultural Committee when it was authorized in the Farm Bill, has since said the program is worthless and he does not support an extension, according to the Farm Service Agency.
Thus far, any support for the maintenance of the programs, both aspects of the 2008 Farm Bill, has come from Democrats, but Olsen hopes support from the other side of the aisle will begin to trickle in. "This year, we cannot get the vocal Republican support," he said.
Exactly when the full House will vote on the budget is anybody's guess and Olsen said it's a wild card. "We've got this looming issue of the debt limit," he said. But one thing is clear: the country will not succeed in its clean energy push with such roller coaster support. Without consistency in incentives, the U.S. cannot progress with its renewable energy goals, Olsen said.


text:
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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Mar. 18, 2005) - Georgia Southern scored six runs in the top of the ninth to take control of a close game, then went on to defeat East Tennessee State Friday night in the opener of a three-game Southern Conference series, 14-8, from Cardinal Park in Johnson City, Tenn.
With the win, the Eagles raise their record to 11-7, 4-0 in SoCon games while the Bucs fall to 11-3, 2-2 in league play.
Both teams were scoreless in the first three innings before scoring single runs in the fourth. Brent Stephens hit an RBI single for
The Eagles took a 5-1 lead with four runs in the top of the fifth. Stephens walked with the bases loaded to drive in the first run and Brett Pelphrey followed with a two-run double to left-center. Derrick Smith then drove in Pelphrey with an RBI infield single.
ETSU cut a run off the Eagle lead as junior designated hitter Josiah Glafenhein (
The Bucs rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth to make the score 7-5 in favor of the Eagles. Glafenhein hit a two-run single with one out, then later scored on an error on a failed pickoff attempt.
The Eagles came right back, scoring a run in the top of the seventh on a solo home run to left-center by Flint Wipke.
ETSU scored their final run in the bottom of the ninth as Hargis walked with the bases loaded, scoring junior centerfielder Matt Traylor (Knoxville, Tenn.).
Josh Lairsey (4-1) earned the win for the Eagles, allowing four earned runs on five hits in 5.1 innings of work. He also struck out five and walked four. Steve Cogswell worked the final 2.1 innings to earn his fifth save of the season.
Buccaneer junior righty Jeremy Hall (
The Bucs were led at the plate by Glafenhein, who went 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs.
Payne and Smith each had three hits for the Eagles, leading a 16-hit attack. Stephens paced the team with four RBIs while Dowling and Payne each scored three runs in the win.
The Bucs and Eagles return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon at for the second game of their three-game weekend series from


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Simon Rock
The next generation of sodium metal halide batteries is being developed by an industry /academic consortium, which includes Clarkson University and others. The consortium, led by GE Global Research, was awarded a $ 2.5M grant by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to enhance battery reliability, cycle life, and performance. The new batteries are designed to fuel hybridized long haul trains and augment the electric grid. Physics professors Dip Roy is participating in this project through a $277 K research grant received from General Electric.
Physics graduate student Simon Rock, a Research Assistant on the metal halide battery project with General Electric, is setting up his experiment inside a high-performance glove box.


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Snares On!
|20th Century
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Snares On! by De Forest, Arthur. For concert band. Instructional; Original Works. Concert Band. 20th Century; American. Grade 1. Condensed score. Composed 1972. Published by Edwin F. Kalmus (MT.B3925-CSC).
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Tool: Alto-Shaam
Photo: Anonymous
The best way to cook meats so they retain their moisture and flavor is with an Alto-Shaam cookand hold oven. The patented HALO-HEAT heating process provides a large surface area of heat to the cooking cavity that reduces energy consumption and local hot spots. The advantage of low temperature, even-heat applications are: optimum enzyme action to naturally tenderize or "age" meats; improved flavor, color and nutrition; more tender and juicier meats. Roasts shrink less resulting in significantly greater yield and increased number of servings. Over-production of beef, pork, and lamb, after overnight refrigeration, can be reheated to required temperatures in these ovens with only minor deterioration to the product. HALO HEAT equipment can hold foods for extended periods of time without bacteria growth, no additional cooking, and with minimal dehydration to the product. HALO HEAT equipment will save money on electric bills because the units require only one-half to one-third the energy of conventional ovens. Tests conducted by the Wisconsin Electric Power Company have proven conclusively that HALO HEAT low temperature cooking consumes the lowest known amount of electrical energy per pound of cooked meat. This equipment produces no smoke, heavy fumes, or combustible gases, which eliminates the need for exhaust hoods and outside venting. This not only simplifies and lowers or eliminates installation costs, but also gives the foodservice facility the continuing flexibility to roll units wherever needed. The secret to cooking juicier, tastier meats with less energy is an Alto-Shaam cook and hold oven.
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I have used Alto-Shaam ovens in my restaurant for over 20 years and can honestly say they hold up and produce the best product from any oven I have tried before. BH in Santa Fe
Not only does Alto-Shaam make a great oven but their warming cabinets are the best money can buy also. Ryan in Utah
My Prime Rib business is based off of Alto-Shaam cookers. My customers consistantly compliment the texture and taste of their prime rib. I could't be happier. Karen in Arizona
Anyone looking to buy an oven that makes a great finished product needs to try an Alto-Shaam oven. I did and haven't changed since. Makes my life alot easier and profitable. Keep up the good work. William, Arhus Denmark
May 26, 2009
Is this oven available in India....... VK from Mumbai


text:
316 East 63rd Street
New York, NY 10065
Stay at Furnished Quarters at 316 East 63rd Street on the Upper East Side between First and Second Avenues. This six-story building has on-site superintendent (business hours). Whether you're in the mood to see an exhibit or bike in Central Park, this neighborhood is perfect for extended stay in Manhattan and has it all. This residence is within walking distance to Central Park, Bloomingdales, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and numerous restaurants and boutiques that the Upper East Side is famous for. This location does not have a fitness center.
230 West 55th Street
305 W. 50th Street
60 East 12th Street
105 Duane Street
...and more
New York City, NY
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Hawaii has been a source of great pleasure for visitors for many years — now there are a host of ways to give back to the islands.
Volunteering provides the opportunity to engage with residents in meaningful ways to share values, stories and friendships made in the most authentic ways possible. Here are just a few of the ways to add meaning to your Hawaiian vacation:
Restore a taro patch
Spend a morning at one of Oahu's most beautiful off-the-beaten-path locations and join a community workday at Kakoo Oiwi. Clearing invasive vegetation, weeding and maintaining existing taro, or building auwai (irrigation ditches) for new taro will give you a new appreciation for Hawaiian culture, farming, and ecology. www.kakoooiwi.org
Clean the coastline
A group of surfers, divers, sunbathers and ocean lovers formed Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii (SCH) to give back to the coastlines that inspired them so much. The organization's members organize fun beach cleanup days around various parts of Oahu, promoting community service and education along the way. www.sustainablecoastlines.org
Stewardship at the Summit
In addition to the state's only active volcano, not many people know that Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii Island) features endless acres of impressive rainforests. Volunteers can help keep these rainforests in pristine condition by signing up for the Stewardship at the Summit program. Tropical birds will provide a sweet serenade as you help clear invasive plants for a half-day. www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm
Help animals
The Maui Humane Society's "Helping Paws" is a volunteer program for pet-deprived visitors who want to interact with and help homeless animals. The Helping Paws Visitor Program takes place at the Maui Humane Center shelter every Wednesday and Thursday afternoon and involves pre-planned activities such as walking dogs, bathing puppies, brushing cats, or playing with puppies and kittens — an important part of their socialization. www.mauihumanesociety.org
Count whales
A conservation group needs your help monitoring humpback whales from the shores of Oahu, Hawaii Island and Kauai. Not only is this a fun volunteer activity, but it also helps provide population and distribution information on humpback whales around the Hawaiian Islands. Upcoming Sanctuary Ocean Count dates are Feb. 22 and March 29. www.hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov


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By Joe Rodgers
Big 12 Campus Correspondent
Kansas State senior outside hitter Lilla Porubek has been playing volleyball since she was six years old. She spent her early years around the sport since her mother, Virag Nyari, was a professional volleyball player in Europe for over 20 years.
Porubek, a native of Hungary, quickly learned the fundamentals of volleyball by attending Nyari's practices in Hungary and France. By the time she was 10 years old, Porubek was playing competitively in her hometown of Budapest.
"I understood the game just by watching my mom's practice," Porubek said. "Her coach would toss me some balls after practice and provided me with ways to improve my game."
As a teenager, Porubek dominated the competition as a member the Vasas Sport Volleyball Club in Budapest, compiling a reputation as a fierce striker with unmatched vision and skill. She quickly became one of the best young volleyball players in Hungary and was selected as a member of the Hungarian Junior National Team in 2009.
"There was great competition growing up," Porubek said. "I surrounded myself with great friends and teammates who turned me into the player that I am today."
Porubek was faced with a tough decision; stay in Hungary and become a professional volleyball player or move over 5,000 miles to the United States and become a Division I student-athlete.
Porubek decided on the latter, choosing Kansas State over South Carolina and New Orleans. Her decision was greatly influenced by her mother's beach partner, Vali Hejjas, a former Wildcat volleyball player herself.
"Vali is the reason I came to K-State," Porubek said. "She got in touch with coach Fritz and was telling coach all about me and my game."
Hejjas graduated from K-State in 2006 and left in third place in school history with a kills per game average of 3.72. She was an All-American in 2004 and became only the fourth Wildcat to post 30 kills in a single match.
As a freshman, Porubek missed the first 10 games of the season because she was leading her Hungarian National Team to a fifth-place finish at the 2009 European Junior Championship in Amsterdam. It didn't take long however to get acquainted with the coaches and her teammates, who made her transition to the U.S. a painless one.
"Coach [Suzie] Fritz is such a great coach, but also a wonderful person," Porubek said. "She can make everything better just by the way she handles herself and puts her players' first."
Porubek had her breakout season in 2011. As a sophomore, she recorded a career-high 26 kills in a win versus Kansas to close out the regular season. She also finished the season ranked eighth all-time for the Wildcats with 124 games played. She finished the year being named to the All-Big 12 Team after she ranked seventh in the conference in kills per set with 3.39.
"When the ball is in the air and I am going up for a kill, I have less than a second to survey the defense to find an opening," Porubek said. "My teammates do a great job passing it to me and I just try to get my feet to the set and make a play."
Porubek's proudest collegiate moment also came in 2011 when K-State beat then No. 2 Nebraska in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Lincoln, Neb. The Wildcats knocked off their former Big 12 rival in five sets, marking the highest ranked team the squad has ever defeated.
"That was a really big moment for all of us," Porubek said. "To go into Lincoln and upset the Cornhuskers in the NCAA Tournament and make it to the Sweet 16 is something I will remember forever."
Porubek was recently named the Arkansas Invitational MVP on Sept. 21, after she registered 15 kills, eight digs and two aces in the team's 3-1 (25-19, 25-11, 20-25, 29-27) win over Saint Louis.
"Lilla plays with so much experience," Fritz said. "She takes smart swings and sees things at such a high level. She plays like a really experienced player, like a senior should. That's what we need from her."
Porubek enters her final season looking to join fellow senior, Kaitlynn Pelger, in the school's 1,000-kill club. She began the 2013 Big 12 schedule with 904 career kills.
"Lilla is a very smart player, she uses her power when necessary, but she also understands how to use her experience and range to create kills," redshirt freshman setter Katie Brand said.
Porubek, an economics major and French minor, has been named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team for two straight years helping the Wildcats secure the most academic all-conference first team selections in Big 12 history.
"Besides being great on the court, I am constantly impressed by Lilla off the court" Brand said. "I couldn't imagine going to school in a different country that speaks a different language, but she handles it beautifully."


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If you look at Colin Cunningham's resume, you will see the American actor has been in just about every TV show that filmed in Canada.
He's done guest spots or recurring roles on "Flashpoint," "Sanctuary," "Psych," "The 4400," "Eureka," "Smallville" and "The X-Files," among others. Some fans might know him as Major Paul Davis in "Stargate SG-1," or as Det. Brian Curtis in "The Da Vinci Inquest."
But soon viewers will know him for his latest role as John Pope, an opportunistic survivor of an alien invasion in TNT's hit drama "Falling Skies." The brash, unpredictable and quip-happy Pope, who in the series premiere took Noah Wyle's Tom Mason hostage, is quickly becoming the breakout character of the show.
In "Grace," airing at 8 p.m. July 3 on TNT, Pope continues to run afoul of the Mason and the 2nd Mass resistance group. He just can't stay out of trouble, but Cunningham thinks that he's more than just a bad guy.
"There is a real intellectual behind all the leather," he said, "and I think that's where he and Tom Mason … understand each other in a way. So that's why I found him fascinating and a little bit different than your cookie-cutter bad guy.
"I had an absolute blast playing him."
Cunningham, who had to park on the side of a California highway to get cell reception to do this interview, talked more about his character, the series and how he didn't even know the specifics of the part when he auditioned for "Falling Skies," or that Steven Spielberg was one of the producers.
I was looking over your resume and I noticed something that made me wonder if, when you met Steven Spielberg, you said, "Hey, I'm an award-winning director too."
[Laughs.] You know what? I wish I could say I've had that privilege but not yet, because I haven't actually met the man. He was very hadns-on for the pilot, on the set every day. But when it came time for the series he was on set in Australia. He was still hands-on, but a lot of the stuff he did was at arms-length.
But I know, totally, how cool is that? I actually have a screen cap from iTunes of a Top 10 list of features that shows the film I did, "Centigrade," that was actually a short film, is up their with "Indiana Jones." I'd love to tell him that one day; I hope I get the chance.
Congratulations on that. I hear you're developing it into a TV show.
Yes. We did some great stuff with it and I think it would make a fantastic TV show. We're jumping through all the hoops to make that happen. It's all a matter of funding and the logistics. Scheduling is a big part of it because we're waiting to see what happens with "Falling Skies."
How did you get to "Falling Skies?"
Well I wish I could say that I'm such an incredibly popular actor that they mailed me the script and I said "no" 50 times and then I finally relented. But there wasn't anything to interesting about the process. I know they were having trouble casting the part originally. Then I was called to do it.
I never ask what I'm reading for, because if it's a little thing then I don't want to get lazy. I want to take it dead seriously. Or if it is a big deal, I don't psyche myself out or get to nervous and freak out. I never ask what it is or who's involved so that way I can just concentrate on the work and just do the work.
Yeah. If it's a little thing you get lazy, and if it's a big thing you freak out, right? So instead, just work on the scenes and do the best you can without any of that other stuff getting involved. And then, of course, it was later on that I found out that Spielberg was attached and I flipped out. But I'm really glad I didn't know, really glad, because it would be somebody else playing the part, not me.
Did you have to do a lot of auditions?
I think because we were under a bit of a rush I did one read for tape. It was my friend, Madison Graie, and myself in the room. She's like my acting coach and a brilliant actor in her own right, and she helped me through the audition. And then they gave me some notes for a callback. I went back and the next thing I know I got it. And it was then that my agent said [I got it]. And I'm like, "All right, what did I get?" I asked him before what it was and he said, "Oh, it's an alien thing."
OK, well, there are a lot of alien things, but cool. And then he said "Dreamworks," and I was like, "You mean Steven Spielberg Dreamworks?" And he said, "Yeah. And it would actually be Steven making the call as to whether you get the part or not."
I've been joking for 20 years in this business and it's like, "I'm busy, unless of course Steven Spielberg calls." And I've got to say, it was actually Steven Spielberg calling. It's one of those things, man, you just can't—I mean truthfully, how many actors in a lifetime will be able to put that man's name on their resume. So it's pretty cool.
You pretty much nail the part.
Thanks, but that's more than me. With a bit of luck [we stick around]; cross our fingers. It's like any series; it took a little while to find its legs. But it's just so ambitious man. It's huge. … Sometimes you'd show up on set and the set had—it was like a Walmart parking lot—and you've got buses flipped over, on fire. There are 300 extras; 200 of them are military and they've got military outfits, and they've got weapons. And everybody is made up with blood and dirt and grime. And the civilians are cooking food over fires in trash bins. And there's all this hardware. And that's just for a scene that might be three or four lines of dialogue.
You just walk on the scene and you think it's just not a TV show. This was not a frigging TV show; this was epic. We knew immediately it was big. This is not your normal show, you know?
Give me your take on John Pope.
John Pope, he's an ex-con. I guess you'd call him a bit of a bad guy, but not entirely; he's too smart to be a bad guy. I think John would normally be a loner and an opportunist. But I think he gets together with a bunch of bad guys because once all the stuff hits the fan, it kind of becomes every man for himself. Yet 98 percent of humanity may have been eradicated, but there's still two percent of humanity left. Now even within that two percent there are going to be good guys and there are going to be bad guys. I think John would be a bit of a bad guy. But he's also an incredibly intelligent bad guy and I think that's what makes him different.
How would you, Colin, react to an alien invasion?
Oooh, yeah. Well I don't know; God forbid the time ever comes. But I will say that the neat thing about the show is, as much as we love to focus on peace, love and all that kind of stuff and that we're all the same; and, you know, there's an assumption that being from outer space, should they exist, would be not a whole lot different from us. Well, if that's the case, then there are probably some bad aliens out there as well. It's not kind of a '60s hippie-dippy love, everybody-is-wonderful kind of stuff. Sometimes there are entities out there that want you dead; they want to take over and you've got to fight back.
So that was another interesting thing about the show, it doesn't really pull too many punches. I mean you've got child soldiers, you've got kids with guns, because you need them; you're fighting for your very survival. So as much as it would be nice to all sit down and talk to the aliens, you've got to pick up a gun, man, and you've got to fight back, otherwise you're dead and everything you care about is gone.
Well John realize he doesn't need to be a baddie?
I think it's in his core to be who he is. I don't think he's entirely bad, but I think John Pope will always be John Pope. I think the change, or the arc—if I can use such a term—for John would be not to become a good guy but just to show a bit of light on the parts of him that are good. Maybe there is a little redemption in all of us. Because I think he does make decisions throughout the show that even though he is who he is, it's a small change I think that happens to John over the course of the season. But it's a significant change and that's what's important.
Redemption through cooking.
[Laughs.] Yeah, there you go.
In that first episode you're in, there's the scene where you get into the car with the big gun and it almost gets blasted. Did you get to do some of those stunts?
I was able to do as much as I possibly could. I love giving credit where credit is due, but I can't remember the guy's name who's essentially my stunt double. This guy was amazing. So everything that I did stunt-wise, like motorcycles and stuff like that, I will say he was able to do better. But I'd say it was about 50/50. I was able to do about half of my own stunts.
Do you find that a good time?
Oh yeah man, it's an absolute blast. In fact, I had one stunt cut from the final episode. It was basically a 50-calibre gun mounted on the back of the GTO, the convertible, and I was all strapped in and firing that thing at full blast, and the car was doing big old slides. I mean we were moving 60-70 miles an hour. And I think we'll save it for another episode because it didn't make the final episode, but that was pretty wicked man, it was really great.
I'm no Tom Cruise, man. That kid does some insane stuff. I mean seriously, that guy does stuff that stunt guys won't do. I'm not too much of a thrill junkie but I'll do any and as much as I possibly can. I love it.
So how was it working with the skitters?
It was very cool, man. It's weird. I'm trying to remember, it took either six or eight guys to control one skitter. Very cool. I remember the first time because we shot for a number of weeks just doing different scenes before, at least me, before I finally got to see one. And when you do see one, it's like, "Holy crap, man, that's awesome."
That's another great thing about the show is that they're not humanoid, you know what I mean? The aliens aren't gorgeous blondes with big boobs—you know what I mean—and in spandex pants. These aliens, they're pretty gross-looking man, and they're really wicked, the way they move and the six legs. It's pretty cool man.
Tell me how it is working with Noah and Will?
Fantastic, man. I'll tell you, Most people know Noah from "ER" and he did a brilliant job in "ER;" the guy's definitely got chops. With "Falling Skies," yes, it was epic; yes, it's gigantic. We were lucky to get one take sometimes. We'd get one take and he blew me away with some of the stuff that he did. Not only were the performances absolutely bang-on, but he was able to do them in the most chaotic circumstances, I mean ridiculous stuff. We were getting behind and people are like, "We gotta to go, we gotta go, we gotta get this." … Everybody's screaming but it's OK, "Noah, go, action!"
And he's got to do a scene with regards to his son who's missing, or almost is about to get killed, and he just nailed it. Nailing something like that can be difficult, but to be able to do it in one take because we're all rushing … There were many days I stood there just absolutely blown away by what he can do and how fast he can do it. And and to still give it the integrity, the depth and the weight of what it should be. He impressed me immensely.
And then, of course, Will Patton, who doesn't need any more accolades, the guy's just phenomenal. So I'd say both Noah and Will Patton without a doubt set the tone on that show and set it with ease. They're great guys; there's no prima donna bullshit about these guys. They're absolute professional artists and I take my hat off to them. I count myself incredibly blessed to be able to play with these guys on camera.
You've directed porjects, so how is it to just act in this show?
I will say for a show like "Falling Skies," it's no problem, bro. When I directed it was on a much smaller level and as difficult as it can be, it's certainly rewarding. Well, you show up and you've got to wrangle 200 or 300 people, and weapons, and explosions, and all this kind of stuff.
These guys, they know what they're doing, they really do. And Greg Beeman, I've just got to tip my hat off to all these guys. To even try and wrestle something like this and put it in a way that's logical and to get through a day, it's amazing. There wasn't a single director there that had ever done anything on this scope before, not in terms of a TV show. TV shows just don't do this, so I'm amazed that Spielberg and all these guys even had the nads to think that they could make a TV show like this. It's huge. So it's only the best of the best, I think, who are only able to pull it off.
It's almost unfortunate the actors are going to be the face of this thing and take a lot of credit if at face value when the people behind the camera are, oh my God, some of the best I've ever worked with.
This is one of many, many, many, many post-apocalyptic stories and they're big, popular, and they seem to come back all the time in different forms. Why do you think that is?
I don't know, but I can tell you what makes this one different. What makes this one different is the people. It's about the characters. It's not about the visual effects; it's not about the explosions. It's about the people.
And what's neat for "Falling Skies" is we literally have kids carrying weapons because they have to; they've got to grow up. There's little time for innocence or anything like that. They grow up really, really fast. So, you know, birthdays and celebrating and that kind of stuff is not on the priority list. What's high on the priority list is finding your next meal, duck and cover, and it's really rough. Again, it's about making the good choices in a tough world.
I heard that you started acting on a dare?
Yeah, that's the truth. A buddy of mine, Mark Rickerby in Burbank, he was going to Los Angeles Valley College, which Kevin Spacey and a couple of other noteworthy actors came out of. And he was a theater major and I was like, "Acting? Ah, acting schmackting; anybody can do that." And he said, "Really, OK. Well, I dare you. There are auditions coming up and they've opened it up to the public. I dare you to do it."
So we both auditioned; we both got parts. And I was bit, man; I was bit in a way I've never been bit by anything before. If anything, it scared the crap out of me because I realized either you're going to bury this thing way down deep inside you and you'll never bring it up again, or you're going to spend the rest of your life trying to do it; trying to make a living at it, trying to do it, whatever you've got to do.
And I decided well, I can't bury this, I've got to go for it. It's one of the hardest things to do in terms of money and success. And if you do get any kind of success it doesn't last any more than a couple of weeks if you're lucky.
So hey man, right now I'm just so happy to be doing what I love to do and no complaints. If anything, things are going so well I'm just waiting to be diagnosed, you know, because it can't stay this good for very much longer. I've been so blessed because I'll walk to Starbucks in the morning and I'll pass six or seven actors that are better than I'll ever be and I'm working and they're not. But by the grace of God go I, you know?
But you're living in Vancouver now, right?
I split my time between Vancouver and LA. I come down to LA for the sun and unfortunately, most of the work is north of the border. It wasn't that way when I was growing up as a kid, but there are taxes and all this ridiculous nonsense in California. Unfortunately, Hollywood now has to go to Canada.
Right. And it looks like you've been in practically every single show that has ever shot in Vancouver or Toronto.
I'm lucky. Sometimes I'll look at my resume and I'm like, "Holy crap." I mean sincerely and with all humility. And I'm just as grateful for the crappy stuff I've done as [I am for] the good stuff.
Well, you learn from everything, right?
Yeah, totally, you do learn. I used to think when I was younger, "Oh man, I'm a good actor, I could do that. And all I needed was an opportunity or whatever. I'm just as good as anybody." Whereas the older I get I realize no, I'm lucky. I maybe thought I was, but no, I've learned a hell of a lot, I really have.
When you were auditioned when you got that dare, did you end up then going to school for acting?
No, no, I never did. I went to one acting class and I found it to be one of those, I guess it was a method acting class and that's not my thing. It was all this kind of teacher workshop. It seemed more like a psychotherapy class than did an acting class. I went straight to a repertory theater company. I was one of the founding members of a company called The Open Fist Theater in Hollywood, which is still there. In 1990 is when we started it. We probably had 50 actors in the company. You'd audition and whoever didn't get the parts would build the set, or work the soundboard or the lights, or take tickets at the front door. My whole learning process was working on those productions as opposed to taking classes.
You did go to directing school.
I went to the Vancouver Film School. It was great. It got me out of Los Angeles and it got me working. You're surrounded by your peers and that's probably the most important thing. There's nothing in terms of learning film and how to make a movie, you can learn it all in about three days and I'm not kidding. But what you can't get any other way is your peers. You need to surround yourself with people that share the same things in common. And so after school, when school was finished you still got to hang out with all those people and make more movies together and that was probably the most important thing to me.
You were in the pilot for "Perception" for TNT. Is that going to be a full-time gig?
It got picked up. I'm really happy it got picked up. Eric McCormack, who's a great guy; another Vancouver kid, right? So it was great working with him, and that's been picked up and I play an alter-ego of Eric's. Eric plays a functioning schizophrenic and I play one of his personas, which is really kind of neat.
And will that be a regular gig?
It's going to be a full-blown TV series. Right now I'm locked in to "Falling Skies" and that's what I'm contracted to. So I'm crossing my fingers that it's picked up. But who knows?
But you're the TNT man now, it seems.
[Laughs.] And I've also got an HBO show, HBO Canada's "Living in Your Car." I'm a lead on that as well, so waiting to see if that gets picked up. So the next couple weeks there's going to be a lot of nail-biting, you know?


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