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Three perspectives: careers in China
A xinren ("recent arrival"), a zhongguo tong ("old hand") and a zhongjian ("in-between") discuss the ups and downs of doing physics research in China
Gareth Jenkins, xinren
I came to Xiamen University, in the Fujian province of China, in early 2011 as part of a one-year programme called the UK–China Fellowship for Excellence, which is funded by the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Since March I have been a postdoc in Yang Chao Yong's group at Xiamen, working on a biophysics project that involves separating proteins by charge or size for use in genetic analysis, as well as using biosensors for the early detection of disease.
Earlier in my career, I worked in the UK for various start-up companies, developing microfluidic systems that separate molecules of different compounds according to their size-to-charge ratio – a technique known as capillary electrophoresis. Then, in 2009, I returned to academia, driven by a desire to follow my own research ideas and develop my commercial ambitions.
Initially, I worked at Imperial College London, where I had done the first part of my PhD research (my supervisor, Andreas Manz, moved to Germany when I was partway through, so I finished my PhD there). I also started my own consultancy business offering services in microfluidics, for which I have several Chinese partners, and I have engaged in a number of projects alongside my academic activities. But because the environment at Imperial is very competitive, it was hard to find students who wanted to become involved with my academic research. Also, since I spent time working for start-up companies, my publication record is shorter than that of academics of the same age who have not worked in industry. This lack of publications is a prohibitive barrier when applying for competitive UK funding. But as I had always been interested in working abroad, and since my wife is originally from Nanjing and has family in Xiamen, China seemed like the natural choice.
My first impressions of China were probably fairly typical. Clearly, the country is developing fast, as can be seen by the numerous construction projects visible in every city. The various universities I have visited have seemed to have rather chaotic and messy labs, filled with activity 24 hours a day. I was also a little overwhelmed by the bureaucracy, a problem that is exacerbated by the language barrier. However, after a few months and with the help of my group at Xiamen, I now find it possible to get things done quickly, and I can access other labs and equipment freely, with little hassle.
Although salaries for new lecturers in Chinese universities are still low, at around £400 a month, the openness and willingness I see here to form new partnerships and explore unknown areas of research has fitted in very well with my career plans. I have also found that there are a lot of people here who are eager to learn, and as a foreigner it has been relatively easy to get assigned my own research students.
Because I am a xinren or "recent arrival", it is too early to tell how my time in China will enhance my career. But as someone who is re-entering academia after working in industry, my hope is that working at Xiamen will allow me to rapidly develop my research ideas. I believe extending my publication list while I am here and having experience of working in China can only help my prospects for future career development. In addition, making contacts and finding partners from both industry and academia may well lead to exciting new business opportunities.
Stefan Metzger, zhongguo tong
I first came to China in 2004, when I had just finished my undergraduate studies in geoecology at the University of Bayreuth, Germany. Almost seven years later, some Chinese people have begun flattering me by calling me a zhongguo tong, or "old hand", in their country. As an undergraduate, I had studied Mandarin for three years, fitting this language training in between more "typical" courses in maths, physics, chemistry and earth sciences. Thanks to this experience, I was able to spend a year in Qingdao, eastern China, on a language course funded by my university's international office.
By spring 2005 I was doing an internship at National Dong Hwa University in Hualien, Taiwan. Then, my supervisor at Bayreuth, Thomas Foken, invited me to do my diploma (master's) project on assessing the quality of sites for measuring eddy-covariance (EC) flux – a technique that uses atmospheric turbulence statistics to quantify the exchange of heat and greenhouse gases at the Earth's surface. Since I had already used some of my free time to explore China's remote corners by foot, bike and bus, this project sounded ideal.
After finishing the diploma project, I began my PhD in a Sino-German research collaboration called MAGIM that studies how livestock grazing in the Chinese province of Inner Mongolia is affecting climate. The group's underlying motivation is to determine the right balance between the ecosystem stability of semi-arid grasslands and cattle and sheep herding. I worked primarily on a sub-project that aimed to improve our understanding of the region's heat-exchange patterns, again using the EC technique.
As part of this work, our sub-group performed about 50 flight-days in a microlight aircraft packed with instruments. During preliminary studies in Germany and a six-week stint in Inner Mongolia, we accumulated a total of 15 000 km of airborne data. As it is unusual for foreigners to do airborne research over Chinese territory, we had to go through a lengthy process to obtain the right clearances. Also, due to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Chinese airspace was closed to us throughout that year, so we completed our data collection in summer 2009, a year late.
This story illustrates one of the difficulties of pursuing science in China: a certain unpredictability that challenges your patience. It has also been my experience that you need to know the right people to get your science done. For example, we were able to access some of the areas we studied only because we had influential senior Chinese scientists as part of our international team. And even then, we had our own personally-assigned military representative with us most of the time to make sure we did not lose our way.
The good news is that Chinese funding for joint projects nowadays seems to be easier to get, especially in climate-change-related disciplines. However, the funding is often for capital assets such as cutting-edge instruments rather than for personnel. Consequently, it is not always possible to complete the proposed tasks. On the bright side, I have come to appreciate the flexibility of my Chinese colleagues, coupled with their ability to implement projects under the most adverse circumstances, including both physical and bureaucratic stresses.
After almost seven years travelling between Germany and China, this summer I am relocating to the US, where I will work as a postdoc at the National Ecological Observatory Network. This network is funded by the US National Science Foundation, and is designed to detect and forecast ecological change at the continental scale over several decades. I will be responsible for assessing and controlling the quality of a network of eddy-covariance stations – the same technique I applied in Tibet and Inner Mongolia. This time I will be working on transferable evaluation methods for up to 60 ground-based stations throughout the US, so it will be a big challenge.
Ian Broadwell, zhongjian
I last wrote for Physics World a little over two years ago, shortly after I had arrived in China to do a postdoc at Xiamen University as part of the EU Science and Technology Fellows programme (STF). When that article was published in May 2009 (p46), I had begun formal Mandarin training at Beiwˆi (Beijing Foreign Studies University), China's most famous language university, and was still feeling my way around the country's system of research funding. Today I consider myself a zhongjian, someone with an "in-between" level of experience in China, and I believe that doing a postdoc here has given me a welcome alternative perspective on doing scientific research.
During my two-year stint at Xiamen, where I work on developing an implantable biofuel cell for powering micro-electronic devices fuelled by blood glucose and oxygen, I have learned that China is a highly competitive society. Students here are eager to succeed, in part because having a chance at higher education is viewed as paramount. PhD students here must publish at least one research paper before they can graduate and this, I believe, is one of the driving forces behind China's increased output of publications. As a consequence of my time here, I believe I have become more driven and more focused on using the opportunities around me.
Many of these opportunities have come from the extensive networking I have done, beginning with the China representatives of well-established UK organizations such as the Royal Society of Chemistry, Research Councils UK (RCUK) and the Institute of Physics (which publishes Physics World). With all three groups now having set up offices in China, such networking has opened some unexpected doors. In particular, I was able to competitively obtain funding from RCUK and Xiamen University's graduate school to run a joint summer school between Xiamen and Southampton universities. During the first week of August 2010 some 25 lecturers and nearly 100 students came to Xiamen as part of the summer school, attending series of lectures and workshops on biofuel cells and micro-energy devices.
This type of internationally funded, collaborative project has become more common in China since the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, which did a lot to raise the country's profile internationally. Since then, funding bodies in the UK and other EU countries have been increasingly willing to partner the Chinese government to support joint research projects. Even the US has a Fulbright programme dedicated to Chinese academic exchange.
On the Chinese side, one very important new development has been the Research Fund for International Young Scientists, which was set up in 2010 by the NSFC, China's main scientific funding organization. This fund provides generous levels of short-term funding (6–12 months) for international researchers under the age of 35. The picture is not all rosy, however; anyone considering applying to this fund should understand that foreigners face an average six-month wait to find out if their application has been successful, and that finding supporting electronic documentation in English is almost impossible. However, the NSFC's director-general, Han Jinguo, stated at an STF networking event in September 2009 that proposals submitted in English would receive the same fair treatment as proposals in Chinese.
In December 2011 I will be moving to ƒcole Normale SupŽrieure in Paris, where I will continue working towards an implantable biomedical power supply thanks to a two-year Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship. Although I have decided not to stay in China beyond the end of my two-year fellowship, coming here has certainly been a positive and uplifting experience, one that has given me opportunities that I could only have had by moving to the East. In the future I believe that many more Western academics will – like Gareth, Stefan and me – choose to spend part or all of their careers in China.
This article appears in the August 2011 issue of Physics World
last edited: September 11, 2018


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About COMPASS Test
COMPASS stands for College Placement Tests. It is a
computer adaptive test that helps in appropriate positioning of
students into courses according to their abilities. It is conducted by ACT.
ACT is a not-for-profit independent organization that provides
evaluation, research, information and program organization services.
ACT gains its reputation due to its 50 years long history in the field.
The test is not a competitive test and in fact acts as an assessment of capabilities of applicants. The purpose of conducting the test is to help educational institutions admit students into different courses according to their abilities. Some colleges require you to take one or more tests after they have selected you for admission. The test evaluates the skills of applicants and highlights the areas they are weak and strong in. Accordingly, they can be placed in courses as per their skill levels.
Besides, this process of testing enables you to take up a course that you can successfully complete by making optimum use of your potential. It also helps colleges in ensuring that their courses are made best use of and their institution functions smoothly.
The benefits of the exam are thus multiple. It serves colleges as well as students. The test also gives counsel on which courses should be taken and how one should register for them.
Key Features of COMPASS
The key features that make it a remarkable test are
- Accurate and Quick Assessment: The test is computer adaptive and untimed. A computer adaptive test is one in which each applicant is administered the testing items according to his ability level. The test 'adapts' itself according to the test taker and ensures that he is not given items that are too easy or difficult for his level. The items are scored instantly and hence the results are available as soon as the test is over.
- Customized: The test can be customized according to the requirements of an institution. The institution can choose test packages for administration, adjust cutoff scores, write placement messages corresponding to cutoff scores and add local items.
- Comprehensive Reports: Institutions can create reports that give information about the institution's requirements, obtain demographic information about their students and research reports for evaluation of their programs.
- ATB Approval: The exam is an ATB (Ability-to-Benefit) test approved by US Department of Education.
- Remote Testing: The COMPASS Internet National Remote Testing Network helps to administer the tests in more than 550 testing centers. This feature is useful for testing distant students in a quick and easy manner.
To register for the exam and inquire about the fee, contact an ACT office near you, if you are in US, Canada or US Territories. For international testing, registration and fee information can be acquired by contacting ACT International. Visit the website www.act.org for more information.
COMPASS Tests
There are separate placement tests and diagnostic tests administered for helping place students in suitable courses and identifying areas where students need help respectively.
The subject areas tested through the test are:
- Reading: Reading Placement Test is a multiple-choice test meant for estimating reading abilities required for college courses. Practical Reading, Prose Fiction, Humanities, Social Sciences and Natural Sciences are the content areas tested.
Reading Diagnostics Tests judge specific skills in Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary and Reader Profile.
- Writing Skills: Writing Skills Placement Test is a multiple-choice test that contains items on finding errors of usage and mechanics and rhetorical skills.
Writing Skills Diagnostics Tests cover the areas of punctuation, spelling, capitalization, usage, verb formation/agreement, relationships of clauses, shifts in construction and organization
- Writing Essay (e-Write): You shall be presented with a writing prompt defining a problem or a matter along with two points of view. You have to take a position on the issue and justify it. The essay is tested for focus, content, organization, style and conventions.
- Mathematics: Math Placement Test contains multiple-choice questions
that test the basic skills, application skills and analysis skills of
students. The five areas of knowledge tested are Pre-algebra, Algebra,
College Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry.
Math Diagnostics Test checks knowledge of students in Pre-Algebra and Algebra.
- English as a Second Language (ESL): These tests are meant for non-native English speakers. They test knowledge in Reading, Listening, Grammar/Usage and Essay.
Score Reporting
Comprehensive reporting is one key feature of this test. The reporting pattern is such that students and institutions gain a lot through the reports. The results are reported in different types of score reports.
- Standard Individual Report: This report is also called the Student Advising Report. It contains information about the educational background and plans of the student, local demographic items, help requested by the student, choice of programs, assessment results and recommendations and mathematics results and recommendations. Besides, Reading and Writing Skills' results and recommendations appear on the report.
- Student Demographics: This helps schools obtain demographic information about students. This information is helpful for advising students about academics.
- Reporting Options: These options allow generation of customized list reports, placement summary reports and mailing labels.
- Research Reports: These are of different types and help institutions in recruitment, retention and evaluation of their programs.
One needs to understand that the test is not meant to act as a competitive test. It is meant to help you and institutions identify the best course for you. Hence, it is a skill-assessment test.
Though it tests your skills, you need to prepare for the testing experience in order to perform to the best of your abilities. You need to hone your skills and revise concepts already learnt so as to put your best foot forward in the test.
In case you are not able to perform up to your level best, you shall not be able to prove your capabilities to placement panels. Performing well in the exam is the only way to get admitted in a course of your choice.
For preparation of the exam, you can go through the sample questions available on the website www.act.org. The sample questions of each test shall help you understand how to prepare for it. Other sources of preparation include coaching classes, preparation software, books, flashcards, online coaching classes etc. Choose the sources that best suit your needs and put in the required hard work.
There are times when a student's skills do not match his interests. However, once you are interested in a course, you can certainly develop the required skills to successfully complete the coursework. Though it would be foolish to try to achieve something that you are not skilled enough to achieve, there is no such skill that one cannot master with preparation. Hence, preparation for the required skills coupled with thorough determined efforts shall certainly bring you success.

subset: commoncrawl


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A proposed zoning rule that would reduce the number of liquor outlets in Baltimore is garnering increased support among community members who believe it will make neighborhoods healthier and safer.
The zoning change, part of the city's first zoning overhaul in 40 years, would force some retailers in residential areas to either alter what they sell or close their doors. That has prompted vocal opposition to the rule from the business owners, who say it's not fair and possibly illegal.
But at a hearing Thursday evening, many city residents — armed with placards, including one reading "Less Liquor, Less Crime" — were unsympathetic. An organized group of community leaders is rising up to counter the store owners' lobbying efforts and threats of legal action.
"Let them sue. Because justice in the long run will prevail," said Julius Colon, president and CEO of community development group Park Heights Renaissance.
His strong stance in support of the legislation was met with mixed reaction from the crowd of several hundred people at the War Memorial building near City Hall. While liquor store owners waved him off, eager for his speaking time to run out, others nodded their heads in agreement.
City planning and health officials, with the blessing of Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, want to reduce the density of stores that sell alcohol, using the sweeping overhaul of the zoning code, which was introduced to the City Council in October and has largely been met with a shrug.
"The over-concentration of these outlets has really led to significant adverse health outcomes for these communities," said Baltimore Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot, who worked with the Planning Department to develop the liquor-related zoning rules, before the hearing. "What we also see is there is increased crime in these areas."
The Planning Commission scheduled a series of public hearings on the proposed code, including Thursday's — the only one set aside for particular provisions of the legislation. The City Council begins its own hearing process on the bill in early April. So far, the liquor store issue has generated the largest outcry.
About 1,300 establishments can sell alcohol in Baltimore. About 300 are liquor stores and roughly 500 are classified as taverns, which are supposed to primarily serve beverages for consumption on their premises.
If the bill passes, about 100 liquor stores that don't conform with the zoning of an area — a liquor store in the middle of a residential block, for instance — would be phased out within four years. All of the threatened stores have been operating since at least the early 1970s, according to the planning department.
The code would also redefine what qualifies as a tavern. To qualify, more than 50 percent of a store's average daily alcohol receipts would need to come from sales for on-premises consumption. Plus, more than half of the store's public floor space must be dedicated to areas where customers could consume their beverages.
"Is there something special that goes into their beer that doesn't go into my beer?" wondered Doug Jung, questioning the difference between his family's "non-conforming" store in Bolton Hill and stores that meet the zoning requirements.
The city isn't worried about how conforming stores affect neighborhood health, he said.
But there's not much the city can do, through zoning, to cut back on stores that sell alcohol if they meet the code requirements. And city officials believe they're on solid legal footing instituting a phase out of non-conforming stores.
City Solicitor George A. Nilson told the crowd Thursday that the city took similar actions before when it phased out check-cashing stores, massage salons and tire storage facilities that didn't meet standards.
The phase out of non-conforming stores is "legally defensible" and would be "absolutely upheld by the courts if challenged," Nilson said. Based on city precedent, a two-year phase-out — with an additional two years if a business owner said they were facing "hardship" — is a long enough period of time to meet legal tests, he said.
Owners of the non-conforming stores, however, don't even think the city has the authority to regulate liquor licenses through zoning. The Maryland State Licensed Beverage Association, on behalf of the liquor store owners, submitted a letter to the Planning Commission arguing that only local liquor boards, established by the state government, may regulate liquor licenses.
Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler disagrees with that assessment. The city's move would not be pre-empted by state law, Gansler said in a letter to Sen. Joan Carter Conway, of Baltimore, who inquired about the legality of the phase-out.
The owners are challenging that conclusion and asking for second analysis, said Lisa Harris Jones, an attorney for the liquor store owners.
Jung also called the proposed phase-out short-sighted, saying the city needs the taxes it receives from stores like his family's. He had a slew of supporters with him at the hearing who agreed with his thinking.
"It's going to be hard for the seniors," said Flo Foster, president of the tenant association of the large apartment building where Jung's family's liquor store is located. Older people rely on the groceries and ATM in the store, she said.
City officials believe those concerns may be overblown. The city doesn't expect the reduction in liquor stores will reduce alcohol consumption and therefore tax revenue, said Laurie Feinberg, head of the city's comprehensive planning program. Plus, she said, the city is willing to provide assistance to help transform non-conforming liquor stores into other types of businesses, where residents will still be able to do errands.
"It's sort of like a witch hunt," said Karin Tiffany, who attended the hearing with her husband, Bud Tiffany. They own Peter's Inn tavern in Fells Point. Their business won't be affected, but if this is approved, she said, who knows what's next?
The idea that the city could eliminate some business owners' livelihood rubs many the wrong way, even supporters of the proposal.
The Rev. Todd Yeary, a pastor at the Douglas Memorial Community Church in the Madison Park neighborhood of West Baltimore, recognized at the start of his testimony that there are valid arguments on both sides of this debate. But, he said, "there's fairness in the proposal" — giving the owners up to four years to change their business models or move — and the potential for cleaner, safer communities outweighs individual desires.
"The question is, what kind of Baltimore do we want?" Yeary said.
Many community leaders have started to see the zoning overhaul as an opportunity to have a say over what businesses are in their neighborhoods, said Mel Freeman, executive director the Citizens Planning & Housing Association Inc., which supports community associations throughout the city. Over the past few days, he has reached out to these associations, urging them to speak out in favor of the legislation.
Baltimore City Councilwoman Sharon Green Middleton, an enthusiastic supporter of the legislation who represents a swath of northwestern neighborhoods, sees the zoning overhaul as another way to chip away at blighting influences.
"You can't just make plans to build new homes. You have to restructure what is going on in the environment," she said. "The community is 100 percent for this."
Not all council members say the same for their districts.
Councilman Edward L. Reisinger, who represents the southwestern part of the city, said he only knows of one non-conforming liquor store in his district, and it hasn't caused problems. He called it an example of why there shouldn't be a blanket phase-out.
"We should use the law enforcement procedures currently in existence" to deal with liquor stores that are neighborhood nuisances, said Councilman Carl Stokes, whose largely East Baltimore district contains many non-conforming stores. Most of the owners of non-conforming businesses didn't realize their stores didn't meet zoning requirements, he said, and they should not be penalized for that.
"Many are well run and many are well-received," Stokes said, and shutting them "if not unconstitutional, is certainly un-American."
There are not many non-conforming stores in Councilman Brandon Scott's district in the far east of the city, he said. But his constituents feel for their neighbors whose only options for groceries are stocked next to alcohol, he said.
So he said he supports the zoning change because he remembers growing up in Park Heights, where liquor stores flourish.
"When they have the Juicy Juice right below the forties, it psychologically affects young people," he said.
Baltimore Sun reporter Andrea K. Walker contributed to this article.


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Serie A Wrap: Roma, Napoli win again
Roma remained three points clear of the San Paolo side thanks to an 3-2 win over Udinese at Stadio Olimpico.
The capital club took the lead as early as the 22nd minute as captain Francesco Totti scored his sixth league goal of the season.
Totti pounced after Gervinho was played through on goal and had his shot saved, with the veteran expertly tucking away his chance from 15 yards.
Gervinho was involved again as Roma doubled their lead just eight minutes later, with his pass setting Mattia Destro free.
Destro showed good composure to round Udinese goalkeeper Simone Scuffet and tap into the unguarded net on the half-hour mark.
Roma's inspirational captain Totti was perhaps to blame for the visitors' second as he was robbed of the ball in his own half by Giampiero Pinzi, who ran forward and scored an excellent left-footed effort six minutes into the second half.
Roma's response was emphatic though as Greece defender Vasilis Torosidis thrashed past Scuffet from 25 yards to restore their two-goal lead.
Udinese kept fighting and Serbian defender Dusan Basta netted from a corner with 10 minutes to play, but Roma did enough to hang on.
Earlier, Napoli claimed a last-gasp 1-0 win at Torino thanks to Gonzalo Higuain's 90th-minute goal.
Torino looked lively in the first half, with Cesare Bovo hitting the post with a powerful long-range strike.
And the woodwork also denied Torino eight minutes into the second half, as Riccardo Meggiorini - who had tested Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina in the first half - also hitting the post.
Ciro Immobile had a pair of good chances for Torino but failed to take advantage, and although Dries Mertens had a late effort saved, there was still time for Higuain to net a dramatic winner.
The Argentina forward latched onto a long ball and his effort was too hot to handle for Torino goalkeeper Daniele Padelli.


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On Thursday, July 19, the PA Breast Cancer Coalition's 5th Annual Take a Swing Against Breast Cancer® traveled all the way to Jerry Uht Park in Erie, Pa with 13 teams, 3 individual batters and a handful of energetic volunteers. The day began bright and dry, but gave way to a little rain in the afternoon. That didn't stop 5 determined batters from rolling up their sleeves and hitting it out of the park for breast cancer! Thanks to everyone who came out to cheer on the teams and to our great volunteers who even stood out in the rain to shag balls and clean up the field with us! Your support truly made for a successful home run derby! Congratulations to all of the teams and batters, check out their scores below:
- TESCO Tools Team 2 — 1,760 points (Erie Winners!)
- Icing on the Lake Team 2 — 1,575 points
- Icing on the Lake Team 1 — 1,210 points
- UPMC — 1,110 points
- Erie Times News — 1,095 points
- Enterprise Bank Team 1 –1,065 points
- Enterprise Bank Team 2 — 1,050 points
- TESCO Tools Team 1 — 1,015 points
- Marquette Savings Bank Team 1 — 885 points
- Best Buy Team 2 — 850 points
- Best Buy Team 1 — 815 points
- Go Erie.com — 805 points
- Marquette Savings Bank Team 2 — 740 points
- Individual Batter Blair Beer — 400 points
- Individual Batter Adam Edmonds — 350 points
- Individual Batter Jeff Ebersole — 280 points
Congratulations as well to all of our home run hitters:
- Brian King from TESCO Tools Team 2 — 1
- Eric Harpster from Icing on the Lake Team 2 –1
- Dustin Coleman from Icing on the Lake Team 2 — 1
- Jordan Bergado from Icing on the Lake Team 1 –2
- Blair Beer, Individual Batter –1
View all of the day's photos at the Erie SeaWolves here. It was a fantastic day despite the weather as we raised awareness and funds for breast cancer survivors throughout the state. Special thanks to the great staff and management at the Erie SeaWolves, the PBCC staff loves their pink SeaWolves hats! Check out coverage of the event on GoErie.com and stay tuned for our next blog update! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter (@PBCC) for live updates from each derby. Until next time!
Tags: #PBCCderby, Awareness, baseball, batter, breast cancer, Erie, Erie SeaWolves, event, survivor, swing, teams, Volunteer, women


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Grandparents draw the short straw when it comes to family Christmas presents, with people spending half the amount on their granny or grandpa's gift than they spend on their mother's present, research has found.
The typical Brit spends just £16.67 on a Christmas present for a grandparent compared to £32.65 on their mother.
The findings are contained in a report into spending habits by Sainsbury's, the supermarket.
Meanwhile people spend £27.68 on their fathers. When it comes to siblings, people on average spend £20.98 on their brothers and £20.42 on their sisters.
The survey found that - unsurprisingly - people lavish the most money on their own children when it comes to Christmas presents. The typical Briton with children will spend £104.40 on presents per child.
One in five parents said they plan to spend over £200 on presents for each child this year, almost 12 times the amount they spend on their grandparents.
The survey found that after children the second most money that people spend goes on their partner. People on average spend £78.54 on their other halves.
Family pets and work colleagues are not left out. People with pets spend an average of £8.21 on presents for the animal, while they spend an average of £8.86 on work colleagues.
The cost of 'Secret Santa' - a game in which a group of people give presents to each other anonymously - is around £8.36 per person, the survey found.
Sainsbury's also said that four in ten people are likely to buy a gift for someone they know will not buy them one in return.
Sarah Warby, marketing director at Sainsbury's said that people appear prepared to spend this Christmas despite the sluggish economy.
She said: "This research shows that although pressures on household budgets continue, customers are still able to enjoy moments of indulgence and treat their friends and family.
The survey also asked people what makes a memorable Christmas.
Six in ten people said that spending quality time with friends and family gets them most excited. For a quarter of people, going for drinks with friends on Christmas Eve is one of their top three favourite moments.
Meanwhile a third of families said that playing games was their favourite activity.
The survey was carried out for Sainsbury's by YouGov, which polled over 2,000 people.


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Staff writer
About 300 Westar Energy customers between Marion and Hillsboro were still without power Thursday morning.
Gina Penzig, director of corporate communications for Westar, said power outages were first reported between 2:30 and 3:30 a.m. on Dec. 19. in northern and central Marion County. The combination of snow, ice, and wind caused downed power lines and in some cases downed poles.
"You add wind gusts and it creates problems," Penzig said.
Penzig said that members of the local Westar crew that operates in Marion and McPherson counties had been working since about 3:30 a.m. Power had already been restored to 200 customers in Marion County by 8 a.m. Penzig said the order of priority importance for Westar is to first restore lines supplying power to hospitals, police stations, and other emergency services.
Then crews go to power outages that affect the most customers. She said of the eight active outages Thursday morning in Marion County, one affected 50 or more households. The other seven, in locations such as south of Florence and north of Walton, affect fewer than 50 households.
Penzig stressed if customers spot a downed line, to assume it is live, leave it alone, and then call 911. To report outages to Westar, call (800)-544-4857.


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FEATURES:Our quintessential style in the Diesel denim collection, and the most traditional and spacious fit in the season's collection. Our only denim with a 3D eagle embroidery on the back pockets, they provide spacious room for the thigh that fit a wide range of body structures. The leg falls perfectly straight from knee to bottom. With all that space giving them a relaxed look. REASON TO WEAR:Regular fit and straight leg. Ideal for when you want to put on a classic and easygoing fit. One of our oldest styles in the collection. And yet, still a style that can be worn by anyone today.
Absolutely everything you would expect to find in a Diesel denim collection. The washes you expect, demand and desire to find in any denim collection worth its salt.Truly a denim for every occasion. From clean to treated. From dark to light. A denim for everyday. For everyhow. But not everybody.
? Model is wearing a size 31 and is 182 cm / 5'10''? Fits true to size, take your normal size.
Prodotto 47/62


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Can you still catch a sexually transmitted disease (STD) if you are pregnant? The answer is yes. Being pregnant does not protect you or your unborn child from STDs. If you are sexually active during your pregnancy, it is important to take proper precautions against STD transmission. Not doing so may put you and your child at risk for serious, even life-threatening, complications.
Harmful Effects
STDs can affect pregnant women the same way they affect women who are not pregnant. A pregnant woman who acquires an STD can have complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic hepatitis, and generalized infections. In addition to general health problems, there is also a greater chance of problems with the pregnancy, such as early labor, premature rupture of the membranes surrounding the fetus, and stillbirth. Moreover, babies born with an STD may suffer from low birth-weight, eye infections, bloodstream infections, blindness, deafness, pneumonia, liver disease, or severe birth defects.
From Mother to Child
A mother can pass an STD to her child in several ways. If the child is still in utero, the disease can cross the placenta and infect the unborn child. STDs can also infect a baby as it passes through the birth canal during delivery. Chlamydia, hepatitis B, and gonorrhea are some STDs that may infect a baby this way.
Protecting You and Your Baby
The best way to protect you and your baby from STDs is not to have sex, or to be in a relationship where both you and your partner only have sex with each other and no one else. Just as you are checked for STDs routinely during pregnancy, you may also want to make sure that your partner has been tested for STDs.
If you do choose to have sex and are uncertain of your partner's STD status, protect yourself by using condoms. Latex condoms, in particular, are quite effective in reducing the transmission of several diseases such as HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Condoms must be used correctly and consistently to be effective.
Getting proper prenatal care is also important. Since many STDs do not have symptoms, testing for STDs during your routine prenatal exams can help you and your healthcare provider monitor the health of you and your baby. And if an STD is detected, it can be treated promptly. Even if you were tested in the past, you should be retested once you become pregnant. The latest guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise that pregnant women be screened for the following STDs early in the pregnancy:
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Hepatitis B
- HIV infection
- Syphilis
- Hepatitis C (if you are at increased risk)
If you are at high risk for STDs, your healthcare provider may recommend that you also be tested closer to your delivery date, such as during the third trimester. Talk to your healthcare provider to learn more about your screening options.
Treating STDs
If you are pregnant and have certain STDs, there may be ways to treat them. STDs caused by bacteria, such as syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, can be cured with antibiotics. There are antibiotics that are safe to take during your pregnancy. STDs that are caused by viruses, like genital herpes and HIV, cannot be cured. However, pregnant women with STDs caused by viruses may receive antiviral medications to keep the disease from worsening or being passed to the child. In some instances, your doctor may also consider performing a cesarean section instead of a vaginal birth when it is time to deliver your child. This will prevent the disease from being transferred to the baby when the baby passes through the birth canal.
When it comes to protecting you and your baby from STDs, be proactive. Attend your prenatal exams and talk with your healthcare provider about STD screening. If you choose to have sex while pregnant, make sure both you and your partner have been tested and are in a monogamous relationship. Also remember that using condoms correctly and regularly can decrease your risk of getting many types of STDs. Taking these steps will ensure a successful pregnancy and a healthy newborn!
- Reviewer: Michael Woods, MD, FAAP
- Review Date: 02/2017 -
- Update Date: 02/03/2017 -


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Support of kids' cancer charity goes beyond donation
CHICAGO -- The past year's work with Chicago-based Ronald McDonald Houses truly sums up the all-encompassing philanthropic nature of White Sox Charities.
"It encapsulates all the elements that we are all about in making a meaningful difference," said Christine O'Reilly, White Sox senior director of community relations and executive director of White Sox Charities.
CHICAGO -- The past year's work with Chicago-based Ronald McDonald Houses truly sums up the all-encompassing philanthropic nature of White Sox Charities.
"It encapsulates all the elements that we are all about in making a meaningful difference," said Christine O'Reilly, White Sox senior director of community relations and executive director of White Sox Charities.
Four Ronald McDonald Houses exist in the Chicagoland area, with a fifth breaking ground in 2014. White Sox Charities made a significant, six-figure contribution to the Ronald McDonald House associated with Lurie Children's Hospital and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in support of pediatric oncology research and families impacted by cancer, but their support goes well beyond this important donation.
A White Sox-themed area was built inside this particular House, which is the largest of its kind in the nation, featuring 15 stories and 86 guest rooms for families of hospitalized children. That focus fell upon a two-part design on the roof area, with a healing garden for the parents and a mini-U.S. Cellular Field for the kids.
"Just to create a little bit of a place where families can go up and have a respite from the tough thing they are facing," O'Reilly said.
A field was dedicated June 11, with pitchers Chris Sale, Jesse Crain and Gavin Floyd joining White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and senior executive vice president Howard Pizer on hand for the ceremonial first pitch. Improving the quality of life for these children and their families stood as an uplifting result coming from an unfortunate situation.
"I don't think we can imagine what these people go through," said Reinsdorf at the time of the dedication. "It's great that McDonald's started the Ronald McDonald House. What we do is a pittance compared to what needs to be done."
"Definitely makes you be thankful for what you have," said Sale, also speaking at the event five months ago. "It's kind of how I live my life and even playing baseball. Don't get upset about what you don't have or what you could have. But appreciate the days you do have and the fun times you are having. Not everyone gets to live their life that way."
Some of the players' wives returned to the Lurie House and did cookie decorating with families. Making cookies had that homey feeling for a place that is designed to be a home away from home.
Three groups from the White Sox Volunteer Crops visited the House to put up holiday villages and lights. There are 30 sponsor trees on the rooftop at the Lurie House, per O'Reilly, and the White Sox have one of them. Staff members decorated that tree last Thursday.
Another volunteer staff of 12 White Sox employees went to the Ronald McDonald House near the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital and created a home-cooked meal in the house kitchen.
"We did make a six-figure gift to the Ronald McDonald House, Lurie Children's Hospital," O'Reilly said. "But certainly while our funds were directed to that house, we wanted to make sure we offer outreach to all the Houses in the Chicago area."
Overall fundraising this year for White Sox Charities nearly reached the $1 million mark, and O'Reilly added the White Sox are still committed to having a "robust grant distribution." O'Reilly also was appreciative of the fans' support.
Part of that support comes from the Volunteer Corps, which just completed its fifth year. The White Sox have a holiday party on Dec. 10 where 500 people from the Boys and Girls clubs were invited, and put a call out for help from their Corps.
Thirty volunteers were needed. Within minutes, all 30 slots were filled and 50 people remain on the waiting list. That reaction shows the Volunteer Corps' passion to jump on every opportunity.
Their Amateur City Elite baseball program recently had a signing day in which 13 team members (12 in attendance) officially signed collegiate letters of intent. Not only are these accomplished young men becoming role models for other inner-city kids, but O'Reilly believes it's not an overstatement that college coaches and scouts are now coming back into Chicago baseball because of the ACE program.
All of these contributions add up to another strong year of White Sox community outreach. Their work with a great organization such as Ronald McDonald House, ranging from financial support to players' appearances to families staying at the House coming to games and meeting players on the field, sums up their outreach goal.
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Merk's Works, and follow him on Twitter @scottmerkin.


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This is the wiki for the Molecular Diagnostics is a mandatory course of the MSc in Health Biochemistry on ESTSP. The official language for this course and wiki is Portuguese.
Before molecular diagnostics, clinicians categorized cancer cells according to their pathology, that is, according to their appearance under a microscope.
Borrowing from two new disciplines, genomics (gee-no-micks) and proteomics (proh-tee-oh-mics), molecular diagnostics categorizes cancer using technology such as mass spectrometry and gene chips. Genomics is the study of all the genes in a cell or organism, while proteomics is the study of all the proteins. Molecular diagnostics determines how these genes and proteins are interacting in a cell. It focuses upon patterns--gene and protein activity patterns--in different types of cancerous or precancerous cells. Molecular diagnostics uncovers these sets of changes and captures this information as expression patterns. Also called "molecular signatures," these expression patterns are improving the clinicians' ability to diagnose cancer. Soon all cancers may be diagnosed this way.


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AmeriCorps Announces Ongoing Commitments to Help Joplin Rebuild
Jefferson City, Mo. -- The Missouri House of Representatives today will pass a resolution honoring AmeriCorps members from across the country who have played an indispensable role in helping the city of Joplin recover from the devastating tornado that struck the city on May 22, 2011.
Led by State Representatives Bill White (R-Joplin) and Charlie Davis (R-Duquesne), the resolution commends AmeriCorps members from 20 organizations from seven states who served in Joplin in the wake of the tornado, the nation's deadliest in more than sixty years.
"The members of the Missouri House of Representatives join unanimously to applaud the history, goals, and accomplishments associated with the AmeriCorps program and to convey to all of those involved this legislative body's most heartfelt commendation of their efforts in Joplin and Duquesne following the devastating EF-5 tornado," states Missouri House Resolution 244.
The first AmeriCorps members arrived within hours after the tornado struck, and more than 300 have served since then, providing vital services and mobilizing more than 60,000 volunteers who have been essential to the city's recovery. AmeriCorps members deployed to Joplin from programs based in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Texas, and Washington.
"In a time of great need, AmeriCorps members rushed to the scene and have stayed for the long haul, providing vital hope and help to the people of Joplin," said Robert Velasco, Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), AmeriCorps parent federal agency. "Our commitment to the people of Joplin will continue through the work of additional AmeriCorps members who will serve over the coming year."
Kate Raftery, Director of AmeriCorps NCCC, will join Missouri House members, AmeriCorps members, and representatives of FEMA, the Missouri Community Service Commission, and AmeriCorps programs active in Joplin in a ceremony at the Capitol this morning to announce the agency's commitment of more than 30 additional AmeriCorps members who will serve in Joplin over the coming year. Over the past seven months, AmeriCorps NCCC has deployed more than 200 members who have given 49,000 hours of service, gutted or mucked 725 homes, and served more than 20,000 meals.
The new AmeriCorps members who will be serving in Joplin over the coming year include:
- 8 additional full-time members serving with AmeriCorps St. Louis, the primary coordinating body of the massive volunteer response; supported through a new AmeriCorps grant from the Missouri Community Service Commission;
- 18 AmeriCorps VISTAs serving full-time for the next year in conjunction with the PAVE Eldon Schools - Joplin Schools Bright Futures program and other area non-profits, who will implement and expand programming to improve the health, academic performance and well-being of the children and their families in the Joplin area;
- 1 or 2 AmeriCorps NCCC teams of 8-12 members each that will be deployed through July 2012 to bring hands on assistance to the ongoing recovery operations.
The House resolution highlights AmeriCorps' immediate and ongoing response to the tornado, which killed 161 residents and destroyed more than 7,000 homes, apartments, churches, schools, and businesses. The first members from AmeriCorps St. Louis and AmeriCorps NCCC arrived in Joplin hours after the tornado and immediately began working with local authorities to assist in search and rescue and establish a missing person's hotline.
Since then, AmeriCorps members have performed vital services including managing the volunteer reception center, providing homeowner assistance and casework, removing tons of debris, supporting the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Joplin Police Department with missing person inquiries, offering legal services, operating donation and distribution warehouses, and coordinating donations in conjunction with the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency.
The resolution commends AmeriCorps members for managing a large-scale volunteer operation that has recruited, facilitated, and supervised more than 60,600 volunteers who have given more than 579,000 hours of service and provided disaster assistance to more than 2,000 Joplin households.
Joplin city officials recently reported to FEMA that the city received donated resources and volunteer hours totaling $17.7 million dollars, the largest amount in Missouri's history and the largest amount ever recorded in FEMA's region seven, which includes Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska. AmeriCorps members were instrumental to mobilizing this influx of volunteers and donations, which saved the city more than $17.7 million that it otherwise would been required to pay as part of its share of the reimbursement for federal disaster funds.
The House resolution recognizes the following AmeriCorps programs for their indispensable role in Joplin recovery efforts: AmeriCorps St. Louis Emergency Response Team, AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, AmeriCorps VISTA, the Washington Conservation Corps; American YouthWorks; Minnesota Conservation Corps; Iowa Conservation Corps; HEAL AR AmeriCorps; Southwest Conservation Corps; Habitat for Humanity; Missouri Community Rivers Network; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Missouri (Colombia); Grace Hill AmeriCorps Trail Rangers; the Purdy R-II School District/Purdy Reading Coaches; the American Red Cross: Prevent, Prepare, Respond; the Eldon R-I School District/PAVE AmeriCorps Tutoring Program; the Waynesville R-6 School District/AmeriCorps Waynesville; Equal Justice Works, and the St. Bernard Project.


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Smokers will pay higher price under Obama's health care
Dayton, Ohio - Smokers hoping to breathe a little easier under new health care reform laws that prohibit insurers from discriminating based on health conditions might get choked up when they discover the tobacco penalties included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
The law, which prevents health insurers from rejecting people with preexisting conditions, still allows insurers to charge higher premiums based on risk factors such as age, location and family composition and tobacco use.
Tobacco use carries the heaviest penalties, allowing insurers to charge premium rates as much as 50 percent higher for smokers than non-smokers under the law.
"Why smoking?" asked Nathaniel Kesting of Bellbrook, Ohio, a 33-year-old student at Sinclair Community College. "If you smoke, somebody's always trying to tax you. I don't know much about the health care law, but I thought it was supposed to be affordable. Isn't that the name of it? Why do they want to tax smokers and nobody else? I think there's a little bit of discrimination there."
Beginning next year, someone such as Kesting, who is single, unemployed and uninsured, will be required under the health care act to buy an individual health insurance policy independently or through the new state-based health care exchanges expected to go online Jan. 1.
With income of about $15,600 a year in unemployment benefits, Kesting's premium would be about $3,800, but government subsidies provided for low-income individuals in the health care law would cover almost 90 percent of that premium, based on calculations using the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation's online Health Reform Subsidy Calculator.
The maximum smoking penalty, however, would tack on another $1,916 to his premium -- or more than 10 percent of his total income. At the high end of the spectrum, penalties could total more than $5,000 a year for smokers 60 or older, according to Kaiser, which has a website devoted to health care reform.
And since most smokers tend to be low-income residents, the surcharge could price many smokers out of the market and encourage them to pay the less-than-$100 penalty for not signing up for health insurance in the first year under the law, rather than paying thousands of dollars in premiums they cannot afford.
"The smoking surcharge can be a lot of money for some people, and that has prompted a debate in some states about whether they will allow the smoking surcharge for the very reason that they expect it to keep a lot of people from getting covered," said Karen Pollitz, a health policy analyst at Kaiser.
Most people with employee sponsored coverage won't face such a dilemma because individual market operates differently than the large group market in which employers pay most of the premium to provide coverage for their workers, said Mike Suttman, president of Dayton-based employee benefits brokerage McGohan Brabender Inc.
In general, tobacco use isn't used to determine rates in most large-group plans, although employers can impose their own penalties as a matter of policy, Suttman said.
Wal-Mart, for example, said last year it would charge tobacco users higher premiums but also offer free smoking cessation programs, which would allow employees who smoke to avoid the penalty.
Still, employer surcharges for smoking are rarely enforced, Suttman said.
"There are provisions that allow the employer to charge a smoker surcharge," he said. "But employers are kind of hesitant to do that in that it might affect a key employee that they don't want to lose."
The individual market raises no such considerations, and, in fact, is likely to encourage insurance carriers to charge the maximum penalty allowed so their plans don't become magnets for smokers, whose high health care costs can drive up rates for everyone.
Last year, tobacco use resulted in $96 billion in direct health care expenditures and $97 billion in lost productivity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"If all the carriers but one charge the full 50 percent surcharge for smoking, and one only charges 20 percent, all the smokers will run to that carrier," Suttman said. "It would be difficult not to charge the full premium, otherwise you would be a destination for smokers. Ultimately, it's a business decision for the carrier."
Faced with such high costs for coverage, some smokers seeking health insurance under the new health care law might simply deny their tobacco use.
But Kaiser's Pollitz warned: "It's always scary to lie to an insurance company."
While it would be difficult for insurers to determine whether new enrollees lied about their tobacco use on an application for coverage, once they're admitted to a hospital or emergency department with a smoking-related illness, insurers could simply deny coverage and even prosecute them for fraud, Pollitz said.
"My guess would be that insurers in the health exchanges are going to be on the lookout for that kind of fraud, and those cases will probably be investigated," she said.
Bruce Barcelo, who manages smoking cessation programs for Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County, said the financial burden of the tobacco penalty may ultimately have a silver lining.
"I think the trend will be very much what we've seen whenever federal or state taxes go up on tobacco products; there's always a decline in usage," said Barcelo, who pointed out several national surveys that show the majority of tobacco users say they want to quit.
"The question is what's going to motivate them and help them quit," he said. "For some, the financial incentive is an important factor."
Still, despite widespread cessation campaigns and the high cost of tobacco products, statistics suggest that tobacco use hasn't waned.
About 23 percent of adult Ohioans smoked in 2010, up from about 20 percent in 2009, according to the CDC, which found that was the largest jump in the state's smoking rate since 1996, when it rose to 28.4 percent from 26.1 percent.
The smoking rate for adult Ohioans last year was 25.1 percent, but the numbers were not comparable to the previous year because of new data collection methods that may have included people who were missed in previous surveys, said Tessie Pollack, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Health.
"This new survey was the first time cellphone numbers were included, so it gave us a much more complete look at Ohioans," she said.
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Spicy Roast Beef
Submitted by Ezzie B.
This is one of our favorites and so easy in the Instant Pot on the slow cook setting!
- 3 lbs roast (I use London Broil)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp minced dehydrated garlic or two cloves fresh garlic
- 3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons prepared mustard *
- Slow cook setting 4 hours
- Make several slits in the roast. I like to smother the roast in the mustard then place the roast in the cooking pot. If using fresh garlic you can stuff pieces of garlic in the slits.
- Mix all the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Pour the mixture over the roast in the pot.
- Put lid on securely and set slow cook on the Instant Pot to 4 to 5 hours. I've found 4 hours works just fine.
* I use my own homemade mustard that can be found here: http://brewmaven.blogspot.com/2009/11/nut-brown-mustard.html
One Response to "Spicy Roast Beef"
InstaPot set to fours hours… !! ThAnK YoU !!


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#moonbearmonday is staying on hiatus for one more week as we introduce you to brown bear Iris.
Iris is a Eurasian brown bear rescued from a horrific bear bile farm in Shandong province in April, 2010. She had been through the worst torture imaginable, incarcerated with a "full metal jacket" which held an open fistula to constantly drain the bile out of her gall bladder. To this day, she still bears the scars where the jacket disfigured her body.
Despite her hideous past, Iris is now making the most of life in our Chengdu bear sanctuary. She is one of five brown bears living in the China Bear Rescue Centre and the species is noticeably different from their moon bear cousins as Heidi Quine, Bear Manager at the CBRC explains:
"Of course each brown bear has a distinct personality, just like the moon bears. However, I do think there is a noticeable difference in the behaviour of the brown bears and the moon bears. In general, the moon bears seem far more laid back, perhaps even gentler. Brown bears are also much more solitary. While the moon bears happily share enclosures, the brown bears aren't so keen – except for sibling Tibetan brown bears Poupouce and Benji. Iris doesn't dig as much as other brown bears but I have not seen a log that is a match for her claws – she just loves shredding and chewing wood!"
As these pictures and video show, there's no end to the amount of entertainment a powerful brown bear like Iris can get out of a log.
Happy brown bear Monday everyone!


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Thank Auto Sales for 2012′s Improving Economy
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As I've written in the past few weeks, auto sales been improving this year, and the uptick has been good enough to help companiesbeyond automakers such as Ford (F) and General Motors (GM), for example Sirius Radio XM (SIRI) and Johnson Controls (JCI).
But maybe it was even more than that -- Brad Plumer argues today that car sales were what powered the entire U.S. economy in 2012:
If cars hadn't been flying out of dealerships, the year would have looked considerably bleaker. Vehicle purchases by consumers alone accounted for roughly 30 percent of all economic growth in the first half of the year, according to Credit Suisse.
Plumer notes that this year's 13% rise in sales happened despite some pretty large car recalls, which should have put consumers off. The fact they didn't may suggest that consumers don't care about recalls -- or it may just be reflection of how much belt-tightening and financial hardship we've seen in recent years.
Back in January, the typical car on the road was a record 10.8 years old. Most people had put off replacing their vehicles during the downturn, and their cars and trucks were becoming ancient. Auto analysts referred to this as "pent-up demand," and 2012 was the year the dam finally burst. Americans were bound to start buying cars en masse sooner or later, and a wave of recalls wasn't going to stop them.
If that's true, then next year should be even better, because despite the 2012 sales the length of time a typical car has been on the road has actually gone up, to 11 years. Good reason, perhaps, to start 2013 feeling good (well, at least okay) about the economy in general and auto industry stocks in particular.


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Former team founder, now BBC pundit, Eddie Jordan believes F1 teams should be 'more careful' when criticising Pirelli.
The Italian tyre supplier has had a difficult 2013 as some teams have strongly criticised their high degrading rubber and now are embroiled in the 'testgate' saga and are due at the International Tribunal on June 20.
But speaking to Austrian TV the Irishman believes more respect should be shown to Pirelli or they could leave the sport without a tyre supplier in the future.
"Pirelli openly submitted its tender, they also paid money for it, and now they're criticised or ridiculed by some teams," he said. "I think some teams should be a bit more careful. Who is going to give them tyres if Pirelli is not there?
"Do we see anyone else willing to do a better job? I think we should really be a little more friendly to Pirelli."
He also believes it is right that Pirelli has not caved into pressure to make strong revisions to its 2013 tyres after the criticism of some major teams.
"You can't punish someone who's done everything right," added Jordan, referring to those teams who "built their cars correctly" for the 2013 specifications.
He also pointed to the lack of criticism, indeed lack of mention of Pirelli at the Canadian Grand Prix where the tyres played much less of a role and produced exciting racing.
"I didn't hear a word about the tyres (in Canada)," he continued. "Sebastian (Vettel) said nothing, Alonso and Hamilton said nothing, and these were the top three.
"They complain if it doesn't work out for them."
Meanwhile, on the 'testgate' saga, Ferrari has revealed it said "no" to conducting a test with its 2013 when the marque Italian tea conducted its test with Pirelli in Bahrain earlier this year.
"Of course we said no," Ferrari spokesman Renato Bisignani told Brazil's O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper. "The regulations prohibit the use of a car from this year," he added, clarifying the point Ferrari has used a 2011 car when conducting it's test with Pirelli."
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Casanova Valentine and a rowdy bunch of no-ring wrestlers took over Our Wicked Lady for The Great American Trash 4th of July Extravaganza. | read
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Prayer efforts are underway across the nation in the 40 days leading up to Election Day.Posted on October 3, 2012
Tyndale House Publishers celebrated its golden anniversary last week, officially marking 50 years of publishing.Posted on October 3, 2012
Joyce E. Hart, the wife of the late Dr. B. Sam Hart, passed away on Sunday, September 23 – one day after celebrating her 84th birthday.Posted on October 3, 2012
Listeners of Walk in the Word are being encouraged to pray for the wife of Pastor James MacDonald, who was involved in a serious ATV accident in North Carolina last week.Posted on October 3, 2012
A new documentary film based on the book Never Surrender by Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jerry Boykin hit the Web and Christian bookstores nationwide last month.Posted on October 3, 2012
Goforth Media serves the upper Gulf Coast tri-state area from Pascagoula, MS, to Pensacola, FL, with three Christian radio stations, each with its own unique format.Posted on October 3, 2012
With the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) poised today to initiate the formal proceeding towards a new auction of television spectrum for broadband use, a number of voices, including Members of Congress and NRB, are urging...Posted on September 27, 2012
Another business, Hobby Lobby, is taking a faith-based stand in court against the federal mandate that all new health plans cover contraception, sterilization, and abortion-inducing drugs. As a private business...Posted on September 27, 2012
The U.S. Supreme Court begins its new term on Monday, October 1. Marriage advocates are waiting to see if the Court will choose to take up the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) or even the issue..Posted on September 27, 2012
As the U.S. Department of Justice dropped its legal pursuit of an indecency fine against FOX stemming from a nudity complaint in a 2003 episode of "Married by America," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski signaled an adjustment in FCC actions against...Posted on September 27, 2012
Only a few days remain for NRB members to submit their nominations for the 2013 Annual Media Awards.Posted on September 26, 2012
NRB leaders and a team of media experts helped train over 100 Christian media professionals and college students in Allahabad, India...Posted on September 26, 2012
Tens of thousands of Christians from across the country will gather at the Independence Mall in Philadelphia this Friday to pray...Posted on September 26, 2012
Ministry leader, preacher, and apologist Dr. Ravi Zacharias recently spoke at the United Nations' annual International Prayer Breakfast, marking his third appearance at the venue.Posted on September 26, 2012
Jay Flowers, Director of Communications for John MacArthur's Grace To You ministry, recently paid a visit to the NRB staff in Manassas, VA.Posted on September 26, 2012
Precept Ministries International is opening an office in Cairo this year to serve the growing ministry in Egypt.Posted on September 26, 2012


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As America's cattle market continues to defy historical trends, cattle feeding margins have benefited with solid profits most of the year. So far, June has produced weekly increases to per head feedyard profit margins, a rare occurrence in historical feedyard closeout data.
Last week saw cattle feeding margins increase $8 per head to an average of $172. The modest increase in profitability was due to $1 higher cash fed cattle prices and a slight decline in the average cost of gain, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.
Profit margins for pork producers recorded slight gains last week at $74.74 per head. Negotiated cash hog prices were reported at $1.50 per cwt. higher for the week while feed costs declined slightly. Pork packers recorded average profits of $9.56 per hog last week, up from the $3 profits they earned the week before. Both beef and pork margins are calculated by John Nalivka, president, Sterling Marketing, Vale, Ore.
Cattle feeders' profits last week were $306 per head more than at the same time last year when $133 per head losses were recorded. Beef cutout values declined $1.44 per cwt. last week, and packer margins declined $14 per head, leaving packers with per head profits of $47. A month ago packers recorded losses of $47 on every animal processed, while profits totaled $61 per head at the same time last year.
Farrow-to-finish hog margins are about $6 per cwt. below where they were a month ago, though significantly better than last year's $7.35 per head profits. The spike in both cattle feeding and farrow-to-finish profits this spring is due to significantly higher cash prices and lower overall feed prices. Cash prices for fed cattle are nearly $24 per cwt. higher than last year, and negotiated hog prices are more than $14 per cwt. higher than last year.


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Since we launched our first robot in 2010, people have been talking about the Neato. Take a look at what others are saying about our revolutionary robotic floor cleaner. Then find out what's new by checking out our Neato press releases.
Aparna Aswani
Director of Global Communications
510.795.1351 ext. 8151


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Duravit Foster Back-To-Wall Bidet
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Norman Foster has created a style-forward bathroom range befitting of his design credentials. The sanitaryware is modelled on the archetype of two cupped hands scooping fresh water, and is characterised by a sweeping oval silhouette and delicate rims. Lord Foster describes the collection as, "Architecture in miniature."
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This is for the person or persons who stole from my husband's grave and for anyone else that steals from someone's grave. Not only did you steal from my husband, but you stole from me and a couple of friends of ours as well. I had put a large wrought-iron heart with a pot of flowers on his grave. The heart was about 3 feet high and about 2 feet wide. That heart had been on my husband's grave for over a year and nobody bothered it. Whoever did this also took the picture that the funeral home puts out on the grave plus flowers that two of our friends had put on it.
The man that takes care of the cemetery told me that I should call the police and file a report, which I did.
You probably don't even know me and thought this was good for a laugh. Believe me, I'm certainly not laughing. But, if you did know me and Kenny-what did we do to you to make you so vindictive?
It's hard enough losing someone you love, but it really makes me sad that someone would do something like this. I do hope someday you and others like you will develop a conscience.
Dixie Bishop,


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The Friends of the Cape Coral Library had one of the most successful book sales ever in April - with almost $8,000 in sales to fund library programs for children as well as adults and to fulfill wish lists for the Cape Coral Library.
The Friends fill those needs that county budgets disallow, so a sincere "thank you" to those in the community who came out to help make this event another "deep pocket" event for the library.
The summer programs, many sponsored by the Friends, will soon begin in earnest, the first at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 11, with "Coastie the Safety Boat" - all about boating, water safety and pollution. What better way to start youngsters who live in this wonderful waterland thinking about their environment?
Registration is required for this important program so check the website or register at the library. It is free. All that is required is the registration.
The big summer reading program kicks off Wednesday, May 29, from 11 a.m. 'til 3 p.m. This is a special balloon program from "Balloon Man" Jonathan Simpson. Add your artwork and color to the wall mural for "dig into reading" for the summer and begin a craft for the lazy days ahead.
Congratulations to 8-year-old Kaylee Fern, 9-year-old Sierra Edelstein (Gulf Elementary) and 11-year -old Elizabeth De La Cruz-Ortiz (Edgewood Elementary), first-place winners in the "Coloring the Earth" Art Contest May 1. Sponsored by the Friends of the Cape Coral Library and spearheaded by Alessia Leathers, this year's theme, dolphins and how to protect them, produced some incredible art-work and ideas.
All winners will be exhibited in the Gallery at the Cape Coral Library for the month.
Ongoing activities at the Cape Coral Library for the month of May include:
Tuesdays at 6 p.m.
and Fridays at 10 a.m.:
These 90-minute sessions provide adults a venue to practice English with the natives. Sponsored by the Friends of the Cape Coral Library.
Mondays at 3:30 p.m., the CRAFT CORNER hosts a knitting
and crocheting opportunity
Materials are provided or bring your own materials if you have a project in progress. Sponsored by the Friends of the Cape Coral Library.
Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m.,
Learn the tricks of the game in this weekly program. The Friends sponsor this, too.
Check other programs as well as read down fine times at the Lee County Library web page (see below).
In the library art gallery
Alicia Schmidt: A resident of Cape Coral since 1966, Schmidt graduated from Edison State College in 1968, Ringling College of Art and Design in 1972 and the Instituto Allende, Mexico, in 1973 (MFA). Shown in numerous solo, group and juried competitions, Schmidt's work has received many awards. She recently had a 40-year retrospective exhibit in the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers (December 2011). Her primary focus is the minimal style, capturing the essence of a subject through limited form and simple color palette. The paintings in this exhibit feature a series of works interpreting the colorful koi fish.
Megan Kissinger: A freelance illustrator and fine artist since 1996, Kissinger works in a wide range of media. Graduating magna cum laude from Florida Gulf Coast University with a bachelor's degree in art, Kissinger has worked at universities, businesses and newspapers in both illustration and fine art. Currently working as an exhibit specialist at Edison and Ford Winter Estates, she is also busy there creating an ongoing "Illustrative Botanical Catalog of the Historical Plants of Thomas and Mina Edison." Her work is shown at WildChild Gallery in Matlacha.
Angela Aradia: This clay artist lives on Bokeelia. Working mainly on the potters wheel, Aradia also sculpts and hand-builds pieces. Studying fine art at the University of New York, Stoney Brook, Aradia worked for years as a graphic designer. Although she began as a two-dimensional artist, she found her way to clay, her obsession. She's taught pottery classes at Edison College and shown and sold her work in many galleries, shows and internationally, with on-line exhibitions.
Cape Coral Library hours
9 a.m. 8 p.m., Monday Wednesday; 9 a.m. 6 p.m., Thursday; 9 a.m. 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday. If you don't have a library card, getting one is free and easy. Just visit library.lee-county.com to apply online or stop by your library.
All Lee County Library System programs are free and open to the public. A sign language interpreter is available with 48 hours' notice. Call the Deaf Service Center at 461-0334 (voice) or 461-4348 (TTY). Assisted living devices are available. The Lee County Library System also offers free access to books, DVDs, videos, books on CD, electronic resources and other items from a vast collection.
The Lee County Library System makes it possible for people who ordinarily couldn't visit the library to enjoy reading through the Bookmobile, Books-by-MAIL, Talking Books and Literacy programs.
All of the money the Friends of the Cape Coral Library raise is through book sales, dues and other events used to purchase materials, furniture and other items that can not be included in the county library budget. Books, CDs, DVDs, etc., are accepted throughout the year for the book sales, the major fund-raisers. (Next one beginning November 21st.) Small quantities can be delivered to the library circulation desk. Books can also be picked up at your home if you have a large donation which is tax deductable. (A receipt can be provided.) Leave a message on hotline: 349-2572 or e-mail capefriends.org.
Patty Duncan for the Friends of the Cape Coral Lee County Library; 921 SW 39th Terrace, Cape Coral 239-533-4500; TTY 485-1141.


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