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What Time Is It, Again?
There are many challenges a crew faces when they deploy. Today's challenge is changing time zones. As we travel west, we'll have to set our clocks back nine or ten times, depending upon where we finally end up. Then of course, the opposite will be true as we return. Even operating in the same fleet area can require time changes every few days or weeks.
One tricky bit is planning when to execute a time change. Since the ship operates around the clock, no matter when you schedule a time change, it's going to be a source of consternation to someone. If you move clocks back during the day, some will complain about the extra hour of work. If you move them back at night, others will complain about the extra hour of watch during what can be a long, slow night.
Another tricky bit is communicating to the crew when the change will happen. Every path of communication must be used. The Plan of the Day must include a schedule item. Word must be passed and reiterated through the chain of command at morning quarters and the evening operations brief, and announcements must be made over the 1MC. Still it seems there's always somebody who doesn't "get the word".
Finally, events scheduled near the time change demand extra planning. For instance, if we decide, or the staff tells us to turn back the clocks at 2000 and we have a regular meeting scheduled at 1930, when is the meeting - on the first 1930 or the second? Decisions, decisions.


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A jumble of vintage cameras and other cinematic treasures that date to the magical beginnings of moving images fills Greg MacGillivray's upstairs corner office.
Next to a staircase in the hallway to his office at the MacGillivray Freeman Films company is a row of cameras, more modern and personal ones that have defined the stages in the Laguna Beach filmmaker's life and long career.
There is his first camera, a Kodak, which MacGillivray acquired at age 10, along with the 8-millimeter camera he used to make his first films during his days as a teenager growing up in Corona del Mar and surfing at Big Corona. And, of course, there's the 16-millimeter Bolex. He and his late buddy and business partner, Jim Freeman, used it to make "Five Summer Stories," a cult classic among the surfing set, and other surfing films in the 1960s and 70s.
Freeman died in a helicopter crash in 1976, but MacGillivray went onto become a filmmaker known for his mastery of bulkier cameras that make films in the high-resolution IMAX documentary format.
On Friday, MacGillivray, now 66, will reach another highway mile marker in his career with the release of "To The Arctic," the first film in an ambitious campaign to make 20 IMAX films in as many years.
Combined with planned television programs and related content presented through different media, the so-called One World One Ocean campaign aims to reach a billion people and raise public awareness about what MacGillivray and other marine conservationists see as an urgent need to safeguard planet Earth's oceans and their animal and plant life.
The campaign will unfold under the auspices of an umbrella group, the One World One Ocean Foundation, a nonprofit co-founded by MacGillivray and his wife, Barbara, two years ago.
The goal, he explained, is to communicate "to the public through entertainment, through things that are easy to do why the ocean is important and how we can make a big difference at home: how we can choose seafood more carefully, how we can reduce our plastics' use and how we can help support what we like to call fish banks — areas that are set aside to regenerate fish stocks that used to be there, and will rebound and be there again if we just give it a rest for a while."
In his view, for the campaign to be effective, it's critical that it be a sustained and consistent one that engages people in such a way that they continue to pay attention to this environmental cause.
For MacGillivray, the cause is a personal one that he lives daily. The filmmaker has seen the ocean environment change in the coastal waters right in front of his seaside home on Thalia Street, where he has lived and surfed for decades.
"I've noticed a huge change in the environment under the water," he said. "You don't see the large schools of corbina and California perch, which are nice, big fish of 12- to 14-inches long. You don't see the same number of crustaceans. It's a changed environment, and the water is not as clean as it used to be. It's not as clear."
"The animals in the sea are super important to us because plankton and algae and sea weeds and all kinds of organic material, creates oxygen for us to breathe," MacGillivray added, when pressed on why people should concern themselves with protecting fish and other species of marine life. "Anywhere from 50% to 70% of the oxygen that we breathe comes from the ocean."
His new, G-rated film, which is narrated by 2012 Oscar winner Meryl Streep and features songs by Paul McCartney, takes viewers on a 3-D journey to the harsh land and seascape of the world's most vulnerable ocean, the Arctic, where climate change threatens to melt away the ice of the northern polar cap.
The film's climax show the real-life consequences of climate change for polar bears that roam the Svalbard Islands onNorway's Arctic rim.
Because the ice is melting, the bears have less room to maneuver on land while preying for seal meat, the film explained during its April 14 pre-screening for the local media at the Irvine Spectrum. As a result, bears grow hungry and desperate to the point that male polar bears have started to develop a cannibalistic liking for cubs from their own species.
The dramatic final sequences, which show a mother polar bear protecting her cubs from a hungry adult male, were captured toward the end of the actual filming, when the crew stumbled upon this family of polar bears.
Shaun MacGillivray, Greg's 32-year-old son and the film company's producer and managing director, said it took six years to make the film. Four of those years were spent in the production phase alone. The crew made five trips to the Arctic Circle to film over the course of eight months.
Not only was it a challenge to lug around the 400-pound IMAX cameras amid harsh conditions, but the film is 10 times larger than conventional 35 mm film and only lasts about 30 minutes per roll.
There were physical dangers as well.
On two occasions during the shoot, while divers from the crew were filming underwater footage, the water was so cold that that the air regulators on their scuba gear froze up. The divers had to scramble up to a hole in the ice's surface to avert disaster.
Twitter: @ImranVittachi
If You Go
What: Orange County screenings of"To the Arctic" (in IMAX 3-D format)
Where: IMAX cinema at the Irvine Spectrum, 65 Fortune Drive, Irvine
When: Starting at 11 a.m. Friday
To see a trailer: Go to http://www.macgillivrayfreemanfilms.com/site/our-films/film-library/to-the-arctic.html
Information: For more about the One World One Ocean campaign, visit http://www.oneworldoneocean.org.

subset: commoncrawl


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Dec 18, 2012 | 256 Pages
Praise for Relentless
"John Bevere has a mandate on his life to serve the body of Christ. His desire to see everyone find and flourish in their God-given destiny is evident in his teachings. His love for Christ and deep revelation of the Word of God will have you pursuing the cause of Christ, relentlessly."
—Brian and Bobbie Houston, senior pastors, Hillsong Church
"It's one thing to write on a subject; it's another thing to be a living demonstration of what you share. In word and in his life, John Bevere reveals the powerful effect that the relentless pursuit of God's purpose produces. He inspires readers to move from spiritual passivity to a passionate pursuit of God's will…a challenge worth embracing!"
—James Robison, president, LIFE Outreach International, Fort Worth, Texas
"John Bevere captures the premiere criteria for navigating through the vicissitudes of this life. He challenges every believer to go beyond the goal of stability into the much needed attribute of becoming Relentless. People who achieve great goals in life did it in part because they were relentless. I encourage you to take the time to read carefully this necessary word."
—Bishop T. D. Jakes, The Potter's House
"There are far too many one-hit wonders in the church. So few finish faithfully. But it doesn't have to be that way. John Bevere, one of the most inspiring men in the body of Christ today, compellingly challenges us to believe that our lives are not destined to be cautionary tales of what could have been. Your faith and passion don't have to flame out or fizzle. You can be Relentless."
—Steven Furtick, lead pastor, Elevation Church and author of Sun Stand Still
"Each book John Bevere writes is a worthy contribution to building a solid, healthy, and fruitful life in Christ and for Him! Thanks John, for another brick!"
—Jack W. Hayford
"Relentless is what the enemy is toward us. It is time we were likewise, relentless in both our faith and actions. God is raising up a tenacious people who will not rest until His will is done. This book is an invaluable tool in this pursuit."
—Christine Caine, director, Equip & Empower Ministries, and founder, The A21 Campaign
"A few years ago I was given a bracelet with the words RELENTLESS on it…and I have worn the bracelet ever since, to remind my heart about my pursuit of Christ and His purpose for my life. This book, by the awesome John Bevere, continues to tell the great unfolding story of our passion and pursuit of Jesus and His incredibly great love for us. I know that this teaching will open the space of your heart that yearns for more."
—Darlene Zschech, worship leader and singer/songwriter
"Relentless is one of the most spiritually provoking books I've read. John compels us to go beyond just enduring in life to overcoming with God's authority in every area of our lives. It is a timely message of empowerment for the body of Christ that will propel you into the call of God on your life in a fierce and bold way. If you truly have a desire to finish strong and live relentlessly in every area of life God is calling you to, you've got to read this book."
—Stovall Weems, lead pastor, Celebration Church, Jacksonville, Florida, and author of Awakening
"John Bevere's new book Relentless is a must read for those who have experienced a stumbling block of adversity. Relentless will walk you through God's grace as He uses the valleys and storms in life to equip us for His destined purpose. John reminds us that God never gives up on us and we should never give up on Him."
—Jentezen Franklin, senior pastor, Free Chapel, and New York Times best-selling author
"Let John Bevere become your spiritual personal trainer as you read through these inspiring pages. Relentless is packed full of wisdom and insight to help you run your race of faith with both passion and perseverance. If you want to finish well, then get started with this book now!"
—Matt Redman, worship leader and songwriter


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Black Rectangular Plastic Table Cover
Product Info
|54 Inches Wide x 108 Inches Long
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Buy this Black Plastic Table Cover for your party table rentals. Get these easy to use one time plastic table covers which make it easy to setup and cleanup. Add some nice colors and clean covers to your table rentals. Good for 6' tables and can work for 8' tables as well.
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|Sales Tax: Price shown is the purchase price for the Table Cover, in which case local Orange County 8.75% sales tax will apply. Shipping Information: If you HAVE A RENTAL with Magic Jump Rentals Orange County then there will be no delivery fee for Table Cover purchases to our local delivery areas. However, if you DO NOT HAVE A RENTAL order with us and are only buying the Table Cover, then standard delivery charge through UPS will be applied after checkout has been completed. Cancellations must be done within 72 hours before the event date or else a cancellation fee up to the entire amount may apply.
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Use Coupon Code: ConMacP
For Cash Discount, write CASH DISCOUNT in the special instructions upon checkout and we will refund your deposit, update invoice with 5% discount, and email new confirmation back. For Facebook Discount, click on the image, LIKE our Facebook page, and you will get a coupon code to use during checkout for the $5.00 off. You can combine these offers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does sales tax apply? Yes sales tax applies to sale items, therefore, current local county sales tax percentage will apply.
Do you deliver and set up? Delivery of table covers is included if you already have a rental with us, in which case, it will be delivered during the same time. If you do not have a rental with us then delivery charges will be applied after checkout has been completed. Setup of these items is the customer's responsibility.
Are the products cleaned? The table covers are brand new and never used before and will be yours to keep after, we do not pick them up.
Do I need to place a deposit? Yes, we require a deposit to secure your purchase.
What is your cancellation policy? You must cancel 3 days (72 hours) prior to your rental date to avoid any cancellation fees.
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A lot of information is available about planning backup and restore strategies, as well as using the BACKUP and RESTORE commands. Although most DBAs are familiar with these commands' standard options, many don't realize that some of the lesser-known options can be really useful. With that in mind, I'll introduce you to some of these infrequently used options and explain how they can benefit you.
I'm going to assume that you're familiar with concepts such as backups, restores, data and log files, and transactions. If you want a refresher, take a look at the training videos on backup internals and restore internals that I recorded for Microsoft last year.
Verifying Backup Integrity
One of my wife's favorite sayings is, "You don't have a backup until you've restored it." I have to agree. Verifying backup integrity is something that's woefully neglected by the DBA community. When helping out with corruption cases on various forums, I'm often told that the backups are also corrupt.
It's a little-known fact that you don't have to actually restore a backup to make sure it isn't corrupt in some way. SQL Server 2005 introduced page checksums as a way of allowing SQL Server to detect whether data file pages have been corrupted when outside of SQL Server's control (most commonly by the hardware or software comprising the I/O subsystem). Page checksums are enabled by default for databases created on SQL Server 2005 and later. You need to enable them when upgrading databases from an earlier version.
The page checksum is checked whenever a data file page is read into memory for processing. This doesn't mean that all corruptions will be detected, however. Many workloads don't regularly read all allocated pages in the database, except for consistency checks and full backups. Consistency checks cause page checksums to be checked. However, by default, full and differential backups don't cause page checksums to be checked.
You need to use the BACKUP command with the CHECKSUM option to make sure page checksums are checked. This option is extremely useful, because it notifies you when your backup has corruption in it. Furthermore, if a page corruption is found, the backup will fail (again by default) with a message similar to that in Figure 1. When you use this option, the backup process will also calculate a checksum over the entire backup and store it in the backup header.
Figure 1: Error message noting a failed backup due to page corruption
Alternatively, some DBAs use the RESTORE command with the VERIFYONLY option to check the integrity of a backup. Unfortunately, this approach only looks at the backup header and not the data in the backup. You need to use the RESTORE command with both the CHECKSUM and VERIFYONLY options. Only then will the restore process recheck all the page checksums and recheck the checksum for the entire backup. Note that you can't verify the page checksums of a backup that didn't use the CHECKSUM option when the backup was performed.
Using the CHECKSUM option during backups and performing backup verification should be a regular part of testing your backup strategy—except if you actually restore your backups to test them. The extra CPU usage from generating the page checksums is miniscule and shouldn't increase the backup operation's duration. You can quickly ascertain whether backup checksums are being used by looking at the has_backup_checksums column in the backupset table in msdb or in the HasBackupChecksums field in the output from the RESTORE HEADERONLY command for any single backup. Check out my blog post for more information and examples.
Minimizing Data Loss When a Disaster Occurs
When a disaster occurs, the first reaction of a DBA is often to fail over to a redundant system or start restoring from backups. As soon as an in-place restore operation is started, the possibility of backing up the very last portion of the transaction log disappears forever. This kind of backup is known as a tail-of-the-log or tail-log backup because the portion of the log that hasn't been backed up is known as the log tail.
Unless you're using synchronous database mirroring or some form of synchronous SAN replication, restoring a tail-of-the-log backup is the only way to get the absolute minimum amount of data loss following a disaster. Tail-of-the-log backups are always possible in the full or bulk-logged recovery model, with one exception: when a minimally logged operation has occurred since the last log backup and the data files are damaged or missing. In that case, because the log backup would require also reading the data file extents changed by the minimally logged operation, a tail-of-the-log backup isn't possible. This means that any time there are user transactions that can't be lost, you should avoid the bulk-logged recovery model, because you might encounter a situation in which the log backup isn't possible, which means you've lost data.
If you try performing a tail-of-the-log backup and the data files are missing or damaged, you'll get an error message similar to the one that Figure 2 shows. In that case, you can use the NO_TRUNCATE option with the BACKUP statement, which will allow the log backup to proceed. This works because the database metadata that tracks backups is mirrored in the file header page of the log file. Even if the entire SQL Server instance is unavailable, you can take the surviving log file to another SQL Server instance, attach the log file to that instance, then perform a tail-of-the-log backup. I explain how to perform normal and instance-unavailable tail-of-the-log backups in my blog post "Disaster 101: Backing up the Tail of the Log".
Figure 2: Error message noting a failed backup due to missing or damaged data files
Note that in SQL Server 2005 and later, a database that has a log tail that hasn't been backed up can't be overwritten by a restore operation unless you use the REPLACE option. This is a great feature for preventing accidental data loss.
Improving Backup Performance
Most DBAs don't realize that they can substantially improve the performance of backup operations. This is beneficial for multiple reasons, including:
- It reduces the time that the extra I/O workload (and potentially CPU workload for compressed backups) is present on the system.
- It reduces the potential for the transaction log file to have to grow to accommodate the transaction log generated while a backup operation is running, especially for long-running full database backups.
The easiest way to improve backup performance is to allow the backup operation to parallelize, which is known as backup striping. By default, there's a single data reader thread for each drive letter or mount point being read from and a single data writer thread for each backup device being written to. In general, having more reader and writer threads should improve performance up to the point where the I/O subsystem becomes a bottleneck either for reads or writes. This saturation point will vary, depending your system. The SQL Server Customer Advisory Team (SQLCAT) article "Tuning the Performance of Backup Compression in SQL Server 2008" contains a comprehensive discussion of backup striping, along with a wealth of test data and graphs showing the gains possible.
A more advanced way to improve backup performance is to manually specify the number of backup I/O buffers to use (with the BUFFERCOUNT option) and the size of each buffer (with the MAXTRANSFERSIZE option). Again, the best combination of these options is going to vary by system, but significant gains can be made. Care must be taken when modifying these values, because the amount of virtual address space required (in addition to that used by the buffer pool) will be BUFFERCOUNT ´ MAXTRANSFERSIZE, which can lead to out-of-memory errors on 32-bit systems.
There is obviously a trade-off here, which Jonathan Kehayias covers in-depth in his blog posts at "An XEvent a Day (17 of 31)" and "An XEvent a Day (18 of 31)". He includes links to even more material from Microsoft Customer Service and Support (CSS).
Minimizing Downtime When a Disaster Occurs
One of the usual goals of a restore operation is to restore as little as possible to reduce the amount of downtime required. With the advent of piecemeal restores, this became much easier. Online piecemeal restores help even more. The phrase piecemeal restore means restoring only a subset of the database, such as a single-page restore (using the PAGE option) or a single-file restore (using the FILE option). Online piecemeal restores allow restoring a portion of a database while the rest of the database is online. Partial database availability makes online piecemeal restores possible.
One feature I see few people using is single-page restore. With the exception of database-wide allocation bitmaps and unique pages such as file header and boot pages (the same restrictions that limit automatic page repair with database mirroring), all pages can be single-page restored as long as there's a way to bring the restored page up to the current time. This means you must have transaction log backups available. Some pages (like those storing table metadata) might fail with an online restore but succeed with an offline restore.
If your consistency checks tell you that you have a single corrupt page (or even a small number of corrupt pages), it will be far faster to restore them using page restores than to restore the file or file group that they're part of. You can read more about page restores in the SQL Server Books Online (BOL) topic "Performing Page Restores" and in my MSDN blog "Fixing damaged pages using page restore or manual inserts".
Sometimes it might be necessary to restore an entire very large database (VLDB), but even then you can reduce the amount of time it takes to bring that database online by architecting for partial database availability and using online piecemeal restores. In this case, you're restoring just a portion of the database and bringing it online so that you don't have to wait for the entire database to be restored.
Introduced in SQL Server 2005, partial database availability and online piecemeal restores are available only in the Enterprise Edition. Partial database availability is the technology that lets you have parts of the database offline and continue processing using the online portions. Online piecemeal restores let you restore the offline parts while keeping the database online.
For example, suppose a VLDB storing current and historical sales data is destroyed. If the VLDB has a single data file, restoring the database to a point that the sales application can work properly requires restoring the entire VLDB. However, if the VLDB has been architected to store different portions of data in different file groups (e.g., current sales in one file group, 2010 sales in another, 2009 in another, and so on), the database can be partially restored and brought online without requiring all the data to be restored. This involves restoring the PRIMARY file group using the PARTIAL option, then restoring the current sales file group, after which the database can be brought online. Later, online piecemeal restores can be performed to restore the other file groups containing historical data. As you can imagine, this can lead to some huge savings in application downtime.
You can read more about partial database availability in the SQL Server BOL topic "Performing Piecemeal Restores". I provide a sample script for this type of restore in the SQL Server Questions Answered blog "Using Partial Database Availability for Targeted Restores".
Restoring to a Point in Time
Occasionally you might need to restore a database to a particular point in time that isn't the most recent time possible. A sample scenario is when someone has deleted some data and you need to restore the database from a log backup created right before that deletion. If you know the time the deletion occurred, you can simply use the STOPAT option to specify that the log restore shouldn't proceed past the time specified.
If you don't know when the problem occurred, you can perform an operation I call "inching through the log." This restore operation uses both the STOPAT and STANDBY options to progress through the log by a small amount each time to see whether you've reached the correct point. The webcast "Part 10: Recovering from Human Error (Level 200)" walks through this scenario (as well as a few more).
An alternative is to use marked transactions. A marked transaction creates a log mark in the transaction log. An example is
BEGIN TRANSACTION PaulsTran WITH MARK;
You can then use this known point when restoring a database. If you want to restore the database up to and including the marked transaction, you use the STOPATMARK option. If you want to restore the database up to but not including the marked transaction, you use the STOPBEFOREMARK option.
To use either option, you need to know the name of the log mark. If you haven't manually recorded them, they're stored in the logmarkhistory table in msdb—which is one more reason to make sure you have backups of the msdb database. If you lose the information in the logmarkhistory table, it's difficult to find the log mark names manually. You'd have to use a third-party tool or use undocumented log and log backup commands.
If you used the same log mark name multiple times, you need to tell SQL Server which one you want to stop at with the AFTER
Typically, marked transactions aren't used when only a single database is involved. However, it's the only reliable way of being able to restore multiple databases to the same transactionally consistent point, either on one instance or multiple instances. If all the databases are on a single instance, the log mark will be automatically inserted into the transaction log for each database. For databases on remote instances, a distributed transaction must be used to force the log mark into each transaction log. Details of this procedure are in the SQL Server BOL topic "Using Marked Transactions (Full Recovery Model)".
Restoring all necessary databases to the same point can be done by specifying the same log mark name (and AFTER
Restarting an Interrupted Restore Operation
One the RESTORE command's least-known options is WITH RESTART, which lets you restart an interrupted restore operation. Periodically, a restore operation writes a checkpoint file that describes the point to which the restore has progressed. Checkpoint files (which have nothing to do with regular database checkpoints) are written to the \InstanceName\MSSQL\Backup folder.
A checkpoint file is updated when:
- Database file creation and zeroing is completed
- After each backup set is processed
- The redo part of a recovery is finished
If the checkpoint file exists and you use the WITH RESTART option, whatever steps have already been completed will be skipped. If you use the WITH RESTART option and there isn't a checkpoint file, you'll receive a message similar to the one in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Error message noting that a checkpoint file wasn't found
This option is really meant for large backups that span several tapes; it lets you restart a restore operation without having to go back to the first tape. However, it can also be useful for restoring disk-based backups. For instance, if your restore operation successfully created and zeroed the data and log files but was interrupted before copying could be completed, the WITH RESTART option will prevent the restore from having to go through the earlier operations again, saving precious time.
The Most Beneficial Option
I'm often asked which of the lesser-known BACKUP and RESTORE options is the most beneficial. You can get tremendous performance gains by using the BUFFERCOUNT and MAXTRANSFERSIZE options to tailor the I/O buffers. Using the PAGE and PARTIAL options to perform single-page and piecemeal restores can dramatically reduce downtime when disaster strikes. However, if I had to select only one option, I'd single out using the NO_TRUNCATE option to perform tail-of-the-log backups. It's the only way to ensure that you can recover right up to the point of the disaster if the data files are unavailable.
I hope that you're now curious about some of these lesser-known BACKUP and RESTORE options. Investigating them further could be advantageous to you and your company.


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March 3, 2010
Listen to Audio (8 min.)
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Below is the transcript of a press conference held at CROI 2010 on Feb. 18, featuring Soumya Swaminathan, M.D., of the Tuberculosis Research Center in Chennai, India. She discussed the outcome of a trial comparing a six-month course of tuberculosis (TB) prevention therapy to a three-year course among people with HIV.
Soumya Swaminathan: I presented data that was done at the Tuberculosis Research Center, which is in Chennai in South India. This was a randomized clinical trial to look at the efficacy of two different regimens to prevent tuberculosis [TB] in HIV-infected persons.1 TB is one of the biggest killers of HIV-infected people in India and other TB-endemic countries, so preventive therapy for TB would go a long way in reducing both morbidity and morality. However, though many trials have been done in the past, the issues have always been with programs taking up this as policy. The Indian government felt we needed to generate data in our own country and really look at the optimal duration of drugs that you need to give to prevent TB in a TB-endemic country.
In our study, we looked at a six-month regimen, where we gave two drugs -- ethambutol [EH] and isoniazid [INH] -- daily. The other regimen was three years of isoniazid daily, in lieu of a continuous, or lifelong, regimen. We had a cutoff of three years for this. Patients were initially screened thoroughly for TB, and were only admitted to the study if they did not have active TB. Then they were followed very closely over a period of three years. The outcome measures were the development of TB, as a primary outcome measure, and death. We also looked at the efficacy in those who were skin-test positive, versus those who were skin-test negative for TB, indicating latent infection and a different level of CD4 count.
We had very low incidence of adverse events. Deaths occurred equally in both arms, and occurred mostly in patients at very low CD4 counts, because this trial was started in an era prior to availability of free antiretroviral treatment [ART]. So for the three or four years of the study, there was no ART available, and patients died. After that, as ART became available, patients were started as they became eligible.
Our results have policy implications for countries like India, that want to implement TB-preventive therapy for HIV-infected persons, because we've shown that six months of two drugs was very safe and was as effective as continuous therapy. Obviously, this is easier to do, would probably have higher acceptability and adherence by patients, and very low levels of adverse events and toxicity. I think the challenges now are to take this from a clinical, randomized trial setting and implement it in a programmatic setting, and do some operational research on that.
Reporter #1: Standard therapy in the U.S. for patients with latent TB infection for prophylaxis is six months of INH. I was wondering why you were studying INH plus ethambutol vs. a 36-month regimen of only INH. Is it a question of resistance? Why were you choosing to look at those more enhanced regimens for prophylaxis?
Soumya Swaminathan: One of the hypotheses was that we're living in a TB-endemic country, so the situation in the U.S. is a little different. You're not exposed to TB in the environment as much as you would in endemic countries. That six months perhaps was not enough, and you might need continuous lifelong prophylaxis -- something like cotrimoxazole -- and maybe you just have to take it forever to have the protections. That's why it was important for us to compare. The three years was really was in lieu of a lifelong regimen. So do people really need to be on it all the time to protect them, or is six months good enough?
The reason we selected ethambutol was that about 15% to 20% of people who developed TB in India have INH resistance at baseline. In many countries, INH resistance varies between 10% and 20%. We thought the second drug might help to deal with those organisms that are resistant to isoniazid. We chose ethambutol because it's quite safe. It's cheap. It's widely available -- and we did not want to use rifampicin for prophylaxis. We wanted to reserve rifampicin for the treatment of patients who actually developed TB. So that was the thinking behind this.
In the same session, there was another paper that was from the CDC [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] on the BOTUSA [Botswana-USA] trial that was done in Botswana, where they looked at the same thing, but they looked at six months of INH alone versus 36 months of INH.2 In that population, they actually found that 36 months of INH conferred extra, additional benefit compared to six months. Among patients who were tuberculosis skin-test [TST] positive, the continuous INH arm was 92% more effective than the six-month arm. We did not observe that difference.
We're not exactly sure what the reason is for the different findings in these two trials, which had very similar designs and very similar kinds of followup. Possibly, one aspect is the TB epidemiology and transmission rates in the community. Another difference, of course, is that we used two drugs for six months, while they used just the INH alone, so perhaps that made the difference.
Reporter #2: Dr. Carr, I was wondering if you could comment on the two studies on TB prophylaxis, if there are any implications for treatment in the U.S., a non-endemic country. Have these longer regimens been studied in the U.S. and is it likely to apply?
Andrew Carr: I'm not an infectious disease specialist. My answer would be a little limited by that. My understanding is that the longer regimens haven't been well investigated in a resource-rich setting like the U.S. And with TB not being an endemic disease, most TB in a resource-rich country like the U.S. is a reactivation of TB that the patient already has, rather than recently-acquired TB from the community. So that argues against longer prevention, but that doesn't mean it might not work. I don't believe those studies have been done.
Soumya Swaminathan: I think the longest regimen that's been tried in a resource-rich setting is up to 12 months of isoniazid. It's just marginally better than six months, so that's why the six months is a standard course of treatment.
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Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
Included under the executive director's direct supervision is the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute with headquarters in St. Petersburg. FWRI's statewide research programs focus on obtaining data and information needed by natural resource managers and stakeholders. The legislatively approved agency-wide reorganization of the FWC in 2004 integrated parts of the Division of Wildlife, Division of Freshwater Fisheries and the Florida Marine Research Institute to create the FWRI. In addition to fulfilling the functions previously provided by three groups, FWRI has added focus areas in spatial analysis, biostatistics and modeling, wildlife forensics, and socioeconomic research.
Florida Statute charges the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute with these responsibilities:
- Monitoring marine and freshwater resources, wildlife and habitats.
- Developing and implementing techniques for restoring plant and animal species and their habitats.
- Providing technical support when oil spills and human-related or natural disasters occur.
- Monitoring red tides and providing technical support for state and local government public health concerns.
- Providing fish and wildlife research technical result to state and local governments.
FWRI programs are diversely funded from user fees, grants, state general revenue and specialty license plates. User fees include charges from items such as hunting and fishing licenses. Over half of the more than 600 FWRI staff members work at the downtown St. Petersburg headquarters. The other employees operate out of field laboratories at key inland and coastal locations throughout the state. The largest concentration of freshwater fisheries staff is located in Eustis, and most wildlife research staff are located in Gainesville. The institute's annual operating budget of approximately $50 million supports about 300 research projects.
The groups that form the institute have been generating quality science in support of resource management for over 50 years. The Florida Marine Research Institute was founded in 1955; the Division of Wildlife's research-oriented programs date from the 1940s, as do the research efforts of the Division of Freshwater Fisheries. FWRI continues the ongoing collaborative partnerships these groups have established with other government, academic, non-profit, and private fish and wildlife research institutions.
As Florida's human population and the associated environmental stresses have increased, the need for information about our natural resources has become urgent. FWRI strives to fill that need by providing the scientific foundation for management of Florida's fish and wildlife resources. FWRI is organized into five broad, interrelated science sections: Marine Fisheries Research, Freshwater Fisheries Research, Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration, Wildlife Research, and Information Science and Management. The principal liaison between the Institute and the public is our Outreach Coordination office.
Outreach Coordination office
Office of the Director
The Director of FWRI supervises the major scientific sections, the Research Operations section and the Outreach Coordination Office.
The Office of the Director is responsible for all programs and operations of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, including the entire budget and all FTE and OPS staff. FWRI is headquartered in downtown St. Petersburg on the Bayboro campus of the University of South Florida. Field stations are located throughout the state. The Director of FWRI supervises the major scientific sections, the Research Operations section, and the Outreach Coordination Office.
The Research Operations section consists of small work groups that support the scientific activities of the FWRI. Facilities management staff oversee maintenance of all FWRI facilities and equipment, and computer and network employees manage computer operations. The budget office, administered by RO, carries out financial operations and coordinates grants, which support much of the FWRI's research activities.


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I am completely floored by the sudden influx of new people and comments on my Nouveau series
A great big shoutout thanks to ThinkGeek (i love that site. I want EVERYTHING on it), The Mary Sue (geek girls!), and even the Cheezburger for bringing people here WELCOME!
Thanks to popular demand and finally getting my rear in gear, I was able to set up a store at Society6 for prints, shirts, totes and other various awesome things. This is an amazing thing for me, especially with the christmas season coming on (and my own little babby geek on the way) and will be an ENORMOUS help to us. So if you're interested (yay!) please do check it out!
Also, as for my Nouveau series, if there was a character you loved in the 80's and 90's movies that has not been included, fear not. I have a nice growing list of more that I plan to do. The series is not complete, and I will be adding more as I finish them
Thankyou thankyou THANKYOU to everyone! The love has been humbling and so very, very wonderful to see. <3 You are all amazing.


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David Beckham Goes out with a Bang, Helping the LA Galaxy Win the MLS Cup
CARSON, Calif. – Add yet another title to the every-expanding resume of the David Beckham: recruiter.
Even before the former English international midfielder played his final game for the L.A. Galaxy on Saturday, there was speculation as to which soccer superstar would replace him in Major League Soccer.
Regardless of who it will be, Beckham will be a tough act to follow, given his world-wide celebrity and ability to attract crowds.
Still trying to convince players of high stature to join the league, don't be surprised if players from Spain's La Liga, England's Premier League, and Italy's Serie A find their way to MLS.
"Just because I'm not playing here anymore after the weekend, my commitment stays the same," Beckham said.
"And I will do anything to keep these players coming over like Robbie Keane, like Thierry Henry...Because I want to see this league continue to grow. I think and I know it's the number one sport in the world. I believe that it can compete with basketball, I believe it can compete with American football and baseball."
The name of Brazilian midfielder Kaka came up as a possible replacement even before the Galaxy defeated the Houston Dynamo 3-1, in the MLS Cup on Saturday.
"I think most clubs would like to have him come into their team," Beckham said. "He's obviously a great talent, a great person, a hard worker. He's one of the most professional players that I've ever come up against that I've played with. So, of course, if there was any slight chance of bringing him to the Galaxy, I'm sure the owners would do anything possible."
I want to see this league continue to grow. I think and I know it's the number one sport in the world. I believe that it can compete with basketball, I believe it can compete with American football and baseball.
While Beckham was not directly involved with any of the Galaxy goals, he did play a solid and forceful game, setting up several teammates. He created a fabulous opportunity with the match only 13 minutes old, when he found Robbie Keane on the left flank. The Irish international raced toward the Houston goal before finding an open Landon Donovan on the right side. Donovan, however, somehow just missed the right near post. It looked like Donovan had to go out of his way to miss his shot.
MLS gave Beckham a unique hat-trick as he has won the league's title in his final game with the Galaxy. He also accomplished the feat with Manchester United and Real Madrid.
"It never gets old," Beckham said. "I'm 37 and I've been able to play in finals and championship games. I still love it like I did my first."
Beckham was brought to the Galaxy and MLS to help expand the fan base beyond the die-hard soccer devotees. After six years in a Galaxy uniform, he certainly has done it, becoming a household name.
MLS commissioner Don Garber said that Beckham came to the U.S. to help the sport grow and make the league more popular here and abroad.
"I do not think that anybody would doubt that he has over delivered on every one of those measures," he said. "There is arguably not a soccer fan on this planet that does not know the L.A. Galaxy and Major League Soccer. David played a significant role in helping us make that happen."
Asked about his impact, Beckham was ever-so-humble.
"I just hope I brought more interest to the game because I think that was why I decided to come here," he said. "I kind of raised a little bit of interest. If that's the single thing that I've done, then great. But I think the foundations are there now in this year. It's a 17-year-old league. And the foundations are great. It will continue to grow."
The 37-year-old Beckham decided to leave the Galaxy for what he has called one last challenge. There are reports he wants to play with a high-profile European team that is involved in the UEFA Champions League, which narrows the list down considerably.
"It could be a really nice way to bow out, but I do believe I've still got another challenge inside me," he said. " I don't know how many years left but I do feel like I can still play."