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My Doctor Used the "I" Word - Should I Consider Insulin?
Ryan Bradley, ND, MPH March 2008
Despite efforts to exercise frequently, eat a healthful diet of nutritious, low-glycemic index foods, and taking medication and supplementation, many people with Type 2 diabetes remain poorly controlled. Although pharmaceutical companies would like you to believe otherwise, there are relatively few medications that are effective at controlling blood glucose for longer than a few years; most medications in the prime of their action still only reduce hemoglobin A1c by 1-2%, and this effect may not last. In addition, no medication is without side effects, and recent reports suggest some medications may actually increase the complications we are trying to prevent through the use of the medications in the first place. This precarious balancing act - of glucose reduction balanced with safety and tolerability - leads to a dilemma for patients and doctors alike. Suffice it to say, I think all doctors, regardless of their credentialing, would like to be able to provide patients with treatment options that are well tolerated, improve function, increase lifespan, and are easy to take. Unfortunately neither you nor I have a portfolio of these treatments available. In this article I will present my thoughts on when insulin therapy is the best option for the treatment of diabetes.
Few patients are eager to use insulin to control their blood sugar (at least until they give it a try). Although oral insulin is in development (inhaled insulin has been approved by the FDA and since removed due to low prescribing rates by physicians), insulin doses still require self-injection and frequent blood sugar checks to ensure safety. It is understandable to wish to avoid finger sticks and needles. As a result, insulin has a certain taboo about it - almost as though the battle feels lost. I would suggest that the battle is over, but not lost - rather you have won. Let me explain…
Diabetes is fundamentally a condition created and continued by concurrent insulin resistance and insulin deficiency. The statistics suggest that upon diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, the pancreas's insulin producing capacity is 35% of normal; Type 2 diabetes does not routinely occur overnight (some forms of diabetes, like latent autoimmune diabetes and perhaps virally-initiated Type 1 diabetes do develop rather quickly) but rather is a continuation of cellular processes that have been ailing for some time. The chicken vs. the egg argument applies here: does insulin resistance cause an increased need for insulin, causing the pancreas to fail? Or does reduced insulin lead to higher blood glucose leading to oxidative stress causing damage to insulin receptors? The answer is debated heatedly by diabetes researchers and physicians alike, but once the cycle begins it certainly perpetuates. The result at the time of diabetes diagnosis is the same: a known reduced capacity for the pancreas to produce and secrete insulin in response to food. So it makes sense medically and logically to replace the missing hormone. In other conditions of reduced hormone production, thyroid disease for example, patients are typically thrilled to be able to replace the missing hormone - and as a result feel better, have reduced pain, increased energy and improvements in lab values like cholesterol. So what's different about insulin?
What's The Big Deal?
The obvious answer is the needles - both the lancets needed to check blood sugars and the needles required to give insulin. Another contribution to this issue is the perceived inconvenience of taking insulin. Allow me a few words to convince you otherwise.
Let's start with the lancets. Improved technology in glucometers now allows patients to use a very small drop of blood to check their sugars - which means finer lancets and less pain for you. If you are still using a glucometer that requires a slice rather than a fine poke, then ask you doctor for an improved meter. Most medical insurance will cover periodic meter replacement, and some clinics even provide free meters (the meter companies make more money on the test strips!). Finally, this is an area where brand names are best; generic lancets from the pharmacy may be cheaper to purchase, but are larger gauge than brand name lancets and therefore more painful.
Now onto the insulin needles. Similarly to the lancets, insulin syringes are now available with very fine needles and insulin pen systems use even finer needles. Since insulin is given right under the skin - and not into the muscle - with new needles there is very little, if any, pain. Admittedly injection sites do need to be rotated to avoid bruising and reduce the risk of infection. So although there is some potential discomfort from using injectable insulin, the pain can be minimized by 1. Selecting the right meter and lancets 2. Using an insulin pen system and 3. Rotating injection sites. An important point is that the pain from the injection goes away rather quickly (I recognize sore fingers take longer to recover- so use the smallest lancets possible!). For any of you who have experienced the chronic nausea that can accompany metformin, or the swelling and weight gain from medications like rosiglitazone, the brief pain of insulin may be a welcomed exchange! Similarly if insulin can help prevent painful complications like neuropathy (which it can, based on the findings of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial), short term pain can translate into less pain in the long term.
Now let's discuss the inconvenience. I do not have diabetes, but I do spend a lot of time with people with diabetes and their families and I can empathize with how tiring it must be to be thinking constantly about what to eat, not to eat, when to check, when to inject, when to take medications, etc. However I would suggest the short-term inconvenience of insulin can translate into a lot less inconvenience down the road. Similarly to my argument on the pain of insulin, the inconvenience of measuring and injecting sure beats the inconvenience of daily dialysis, hospitalization or more doctor visits due to worsening health from poor control.
What's the Difference Between Insulins?
Insulins are broadly categorized based on how quickly they begin action; the categorization is long-acting, short-acting and rapid-acting. The reason for choosing one insulin versus another is best left up to your doctor (who has the best understanding of the history of your diabetes, its expected progression...and your willingness to follow instructions!), however some general rules apply.
At every moment, regardless of how long it has been since you have eaten, there is some insulin in your bloodstream; depending on the balance between your insulin production capacity and your level of sensitivity to insulin, this amount of background, or basal, insulin may be a lot or may be very little. The other time we need insulin is after we eat because, as you likely know by now, insulin is necessary to move the sugar (really carbohydrate, not just refined sugar because I know you are never eating refined sugar) you just absorbed from your meal - now in your bloodstream - out of your blood and into the tissues that need fuel for energy. So therefore, you really have need for a background, or basal insulin, and a meal-time insulin.
You can probably already guess which insulins are used when, but for clarity, long-acting insulins are used to replace the background (basal) insulin, while the short-acting or rapid-acting insulins are used to replace the insulin needed around the time of your meals. Whether a short - or rapid - acting insulin is right for your is really best left to your doctor.
How Do I Know Which Insulin I Need?
Background or basal insulins are typically used when your fasting blood sugar remains too high even when your blood sugar after meals is well-controlled. This usually implies more insulin resistance in the liver, which helps control your fasting sugar levels, and a reduced insulin production capacity. Basal insulins can be used alone, or with a short-acting insulin depending on your insulin production capacity and your control.
Shorter-acting insulins are used to correct elevations in your blood sugar after you eat; usually these insulins are used together with basal insulins, however sometimes people do have isolated elevation in their blood sugar after meals even though their fasting sugars are to target.
Pre-mixed insulins are also available and these combine longer-acting and shorter-acting insulins into one syringe in order to reduce the number of daily injections. While theoretically this sounds great, pre-mixed insulins are more difficult to titrate and using them often leads to periods of time with too much or too little insulin. However, pre-mixed insulins can be a good choice for people who simply cannot stand more injections or for those who have a very consistent meal pattern.
When I Recommend Insulin
I prefer using as many other options as possible (although not as many drugs as possible) to keep blood sugar at a healthy level before I recommend insulin. However, I do think using insulin is a safer approach than using every medication possible all at the same time in order to try to avoid insulin. Insulin is a hormone we all have and need, and therefore I consider it a more "natural" treatment than many of the medications available (as many of you may have heard, there is currently a big discussion in the world of diabetes care as to the best A1c goal for people with diabetes to get to- and the best approach using medications for how to get there; I hope to write an article soon on this topic, but we all need a little more information before I can form a clear opinion).
So I recommend insulin in the following situations:
- For patients who are already following a healthy lifestyle, are on metformin and a medcation like glyburide or glipizide and are still not well controlled
- For patients who have persistent elevations in their fasting blood sugars despite using oral medications and appropriate supplementation
- For patients who have persistent elevations in their blood sugars after meals despite eating a low glycemic load diet and using appropriate oral medications and supplements
- For all patients who have an hemoglobin A1c greater than 10% at the time of diagnosis despite healthy lifestyle choices (most medications will only lower A1c 1-2%, so even with many medications it is very difficult to achieve control when blood sugars are this high at diagnosis)
- For patients who grow tired and frustrated of following a very restrictive diet to control their blood sugar
Interestingly, for many people, a low dose of a background, or basal, insulin can make all the difference in their quality of life. In my observations, for someone who follows a low glycemic index/load diet, a single nighttime injection of insulin can provide a little more flexibility and freedom in their day-to-day life allowing less stress if good food choices are not available or an exercise session gets missed. In many cases, a little bit of insulin to replace the background insulin can do wonders for reducing blood sugar after meals. The extra insulin seems to help the pancreas preserve some of the insulin it makes for use with meals, rather than struggling to keep up with the demand for more background insulin and the insulin needed for meals.
Insulin Should Not Replace a Healthy Lifestyle
Unfortunately, when some people begin using insulin they find it controls their blood sugar so well, they are tempted to use more insulin to compensate for less healthy food choices or use more insulin to compensate for a lack of exercise. While this flexibility is an advantage of insulin every now and then, it should not be used to enable complacency about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Insulin resistance can continue to develop even when using injectable insulin - requiring higher and higher doses of insulin. This trend should be avoided at all costs as it becomes very difficult for your doctors to help you control your blood sugar when this happens - and it is not healthy for you either!
How Have I Won the Battle?
So you are probably still scratching your head a little regarding how exactly using insulin translates into your "winning the battle". In my mind you have won the battle because you have chosen to replace a hormone that your body desperately needs (and may be the true cause of your diabetes), rather than filling your body with medications your body has never made and that may cause more harm than good (See Complementary Corner June 2007). In addition, you add flexibility in your diet and exercise while still ensuring your blood glucose is well controlled. Also, a little bit of extra insulin can be extremely effective at giving your pancreas a rest, helping your sugar stay controlled throughout the day. Finally, insulin can actually help you feel better by providing the signal necessary to get that sugar out of your blood, into your muscle tissue to be used more normally.
In Health - Ryan Bradley, ND, MPH


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As I sat down to enjoy my morning coffee, I began thinking, again, of what I've been thinking about all week. With each anti-secession post, I can't help but reflect on my third great-grandfather, John Shuler (who, incidentally, was the same age, in 1861, as I am now… just a casual observation… no more) who, 150 years ago, made his rounds in Page County, with at least two others, speaking out against the folly of secession.
So, there I was, this morning, sitting and looking out my bedroom window at the sun cresting the hill just beyond my backyard. I looked out at the grass getting greener and my orchard beginning to bud, and forgot for a little while, about all the other issues that plague us in the daily headlines. It made me also think how similarly (or, really, more intensely) Shuler may have felt, this time, 150 years ago, watching the world (his world) go insane in the midst of the irony of he earth renewing itself.
More about Shuler, later today.
*The word "parallel" is used a bit loosely here, considering, not exact, but, at best, only remote comparability.

subset: commoncrawl


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Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
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Ok, here is the distribution map for the CBS NFL games this Sunday. Remember, for much of the Eastern and Central Time Zones, there will be an early game.But there is a significant portion in the East and Midwest that will get the Cleveland/Arizona game. The following areas face a potential delay in TAR:Atlanta (sorry, Peach)Western North CarolinaPortions of South CarolinaSt. Louis including surrounding areas in IllinoisMinneapolis including most of MinnesotaUpper WisconsinEastern North DakotaEastern MichiganAll of OhioParts of IndianaParts of KentuckyMost of West VirginiaMost of Pennsylvania including Pittsburgh and Philadelphia (sorry, puddin)South Jersey
I miss snow......
talks to self, about at 20 minute or so delay for me---------not bad at all!!
LOL i could see it now puddin!why don't you just run to an airport and come to toronto, you can watch it with me!
I'm here! And I'm also keeping an eye on the BCS Selection Show to see who's playing for the national championship. Should be interesting.
Quote from: TARAsia Fan on December 02, 2007, 07:01:14 PMI'm here! And I'm also keeping an eye on the BCS Selection Show to see who's playing for the national championship. Should be interesting. Hello Ken --color me stupid, whats BCS?
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IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, 14 January 2005 - Officials at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) announced the coming publication in the December 2005 issue (volume 26, no. 6) of the International Journal of Primatology the discovery of two new species of Sportive Lemur. The species are described by Dr. Edward Louis, head of the Genetics Department of the Grewcock Center for Conservation and Research Center at the zoo.
The two new species are located in very different forest types – in the rain forest of the east coast and in the dry forest of the west coast. The west coast species, Mitsinjo Sportive Lemur or Lepilemur mitsinjonensis, is named after the region. The east coast species, Seal's Sportive Lemur or Lepilemur seali, is named in honour of Ulysses S. Seal III, former chairman of the Species Survival Commission's Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG). This is a wonderful tribute to a man who had such a positve impact on so many people. His death nearly two years ago was a great loss, but during his lifetime he inspired many people in the CBSG and beyond by his passion for nature conservation, his belief in people and his commitment to applying the best science and social processes to solve important conservation problems.
Dr. Louis, Project Coordinator of HDZ's Madagascar Biodiversity and Biogeography Project has been leading an extensive collaboration in conservation genetics with Madagascan wildlife agencies, conservation organizations and the University of Antananarivo since 1998. Dr. Louis and his team have taken genetic (DNA) samples from over 1,800 lemurs that were captured and then released back into the wild.
Madagascar is considered one of the most diverse and ecologically important regions in the world. Lemurs are only found in Madagascar and are considered extremely endangered due to the pressures of human encroachment and loss of habitat. Madagascar has lost approximately 11 million hectares (27 million acres) of its forest cover in the last 20 years. However, President Marc Ravalomanana has pledged to increase the amount of protected forest area over the next five years from approximately 1.5 million hectares to 5 million hectares.
Dr. Lee G. Simmons, Director of Omaha 's Henry Doorly Zoo said "The discovery of any new species is noteworthy, the discovery of two new primate species is extraordinarily significant to science and conservation. We are very proud of Dr. Louis and his team's accomplishments."
For further information contact
Dr. Lee Simmons, Director of Omaha Doorly Zoo: Tel: ++1 402-733-8401
Andrew McMullin, IUCN Species Programme Communications Officers
Tel: +41 (0)22 999 0153
Email: [email protected]


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Actress Shruti Haasan, who featured in a cameo in recently released Telugu action-drama "Ramayya Vasthavayya", says she doesn't give importance to the length of a character but its impact.
"I knew my character was very important in the film. What matters to me is the impact of a character, but not its length. This is why I agreed to do the role," Shruti told reporters here.
She was speaking at the success meet of "Ramayya Vasthavayya", which released Friday worldwide, and has reportedly raked in over Rs.20 crore in its opening weekend.
Shruti was paired with Junior NTR in the film, which also featured Samantha Ruth Prabhu in the lead.
Directed by Harish Shankar, the film was reportedly made on a budget of Rs. 35 crore.
Producer Dil Raju is extremely happy with the response to the film.
"We have already collected Rs.20 crore in the first three days. I'm sure I will be able to break even by next weekend. I'm extremely happy as a producer as well as distributor," Raju said.


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20 U.S. Code § 7255f - Definitions
§ 7255f.
DefinitionsIn this subpart:
(1) Educational institution
The term "educational institution" means an institution of higher education, a local educational agency, or a State educational agency.
(2) Eligible entityThe term "eligible entity" includes any of the following that is organized on a Statewide or multistate basis:
A public agency or corporation established for the purpose of developing and operating telecommunications networks to enhance educational opportunities provided by educational institutions, teacher training centers, and other entities, except that any such agency or corporation shall represent the interests of elementary schools and secondary schools that are eligible to participate in the program under part A of subchapter I of this chapter.
(B) A partnership that will provide telecommunications services and that includes three or more of the following entities, at least one of which shall be an agency described in clause (i) or (ii):
A local educational agency that serves a significant number of elementary schools and secondary schools that are eligible for assistance under part A of subchapter I of this chapter, or elementary schools and secondary schools operated or funded for Indian children by the Department of the Interior eligible under section 6331(d)(1)(A) of this title.
An institution of higher education or a State higher education agency (as that term is defined in section 1003 of this title).
(v) A teacher training center or academy that—
A public or private entity with experience and expertise in the planning and operation of a telecommunications network, including entities involved in telecommunications through satellite, cable, telephone, or computer; or
(3) Instructional programming
The term "instructional programming" means courses of instruction and training courses for elementary and secondary students, teachers, and others, and materials for use in such instruction and training that have been prepared in audio and visual form on tape, disc, film, or live, and presented by means of telecommunications devices.
(4) Public broadcasting entity
The term "public broadcasting entity" has the same meaning given such term in section 397 of title 47.
(Pub. L. 89–10, title V, § 5477, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title V, § 501, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1836.)
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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House GOP banking on Plan C
House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy is thinking about taking some of his members to see the new thriller "Prisoners" this weekend.
But the California Republican, along with Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), might feel like the ones getting locked up after their attempt to tie a one-year debt-ceiling hike to a laundry list of popular conservative policies — including a delay of Obamacare — fell flat Thursday, victim to continuing skepticism over the leadership's strategy within GOP ranks
Story Continued Below
Even when they hurled everything at the wall, it wasn't enough for House Republicans.
Boehner and his team have now cycled through three fiscal strategies in about as many weeks, as rank-and-file Republicans jump from one approach to another in a so-far losing effort to emerge victorious from a budget showdown with President Barack Obama and the Democrats.
( PHOTOS: John Boehner's life and career)
Now it's on to "Plan C," or whatever Republicans call this third iteration of government funding-debt ceiling strategy.
The result could be a government shutdown in just a few days on Oct. 1 if the House and Senate can't agree on a government funding bill.
At this point, it's difficult to conclusively determine where all the House GOP's maneuvering and false starts will end. In one sense, the developments might help Congress avoid a government shutdown. Most House Republicans now seem to recognize that they will likely have to swallow a funding resolution that leaves Obamacare intact.
Yet, the ups-and-downs also dramatically increase the stakes in the debt-ceiling fight. The borrowing cap must be raised by Oct. 17, or the nation will default on its debts.
( WATCH - Debt ceiling showdown: By the numbers)
The ever-shifting House GOP strategy started with passing the so-called "Cantor Plan," which funded the government, defunded Obamacare, but allowed the Senate to revise a continuing resolution or CR without House approval. Conservative Republicans could get their vote on Obamacare without the threat of a government shutdown. Leadership planned to use the debt ceiling as a backstop — whatever Republicans couldn't achieve on a CR, they hoped they could accomplish when the nation reached its borrowing limit in mid-October.
That plan, which even Democrats privately called clever, was scrapped in the face of conservative opposition.
Plan B involved Boehner and his top lieutenants accelerating action on the debt-ceiling package, taking up the measure before the government-funding bill to try to show just how committed Republicans were to scuttling Obamacare.
And on Thursday, that plan was set aside too in the face of unyielding GOP opposition.
( WATCH: Ted Cruz seizes Senate floor)
As McCarthy's deputy whips shuffled around the House floor counting potential votes, Republicans said the leadership's debt ceiling plan — which the White House and Democratic Senate already announced they'd reject — might not be enough. Senior GOP lawmakers and aides admitted they didn't have the votes to move ahead with a tentative Saturday vote on the debt package.
A risky Plan C is about to unfold.
Hardline conservatives, wary about their own leadership, want to see how the fight over the CR plays out before voting on a debt-ceiling package. In this scenario, unified Democratic opposition forces Republicans to swallow a government funding bill they deem less-than-satisfactory, House Republicans will certainly counter by increasing their demands for reform when it comes to the debt-ceiling legislation.
For the moment, House Republicans will take up the Senate-passed CR — which will arrive in the House at some point Friday — amend it, and send it back across the Capitol. They will likely attach language to prohibit a federal payments for health care for members of Congress and their staff. Also under under consideration are provisions to delay Obamacare's individual mandate for a year or repeal the medical device tax, which was part of the Affordable Care Act.


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The prison system in the United States is a profit-making industry.Private corporations operate over 200 facilities nationwide and are traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
Prison privatization in its current form began in 1984 as a result of the War on Drugs. While crime rates otherwise remained steady dating back to 1925, the number of arrests quickly exploded. While the War on Drugs initially had a small impact on incarceration, it was President Reagan's Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 that kickstarted the prison boom.[1]
From 1970 to 2005, the prison population rose 700 percent, while violent crime remained steady or declined.[2] Between 1990 and 2009, the populations of private prisons shot up 1,600 percent.[3] Today, the US has the highest incarceration rate in the world – 754 inmates per 100k residents as of 2008.[1] This is roughly 600% that of the rest of the civilized world, with England and Wales having 148, and Australia 126 inmates per 100k residents.[1] As of 2010, private corporations house over 99,000 inmates in 260 facilities nationwide.[4]
Corrections Corp. of America and other private contractors became members of the American Legislative Exchange Council, a non-profit 501(c)(3) association that advocates "tough on crime" legislation.[5] In their 2010 report to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Corrections Corp. of America discussed how drug policy reform threatens their business model:
The demand for our facilities and services could be adversely affected by the relaxation of enforcement efforts, leniency in conviction or parole standards and sentencing practices or through the decriminalization of certain activities that are currently proscribed by our criminal laws. For instance, any changes with respect to drugs and controlled substances or illegal immigration could affect the number of persons arrested, convicted, and sentenced, thereby potentially reducing demand for correctional facilities to house them.[6]
To ensure those pieces of legislation aren't passed, Corrections Corp. of America spent $970,000[7] and GEO Group spent $660,000[8] lobbying Congress in 2010 alone. In Corrections Corp. of America's Feb 2011 press release, CEO Damon Hininger stated, "...we are pleased our populations have remained strong, in excess of the 80,000 inmate milestone we surpassed late in 2010."[9] With the 3.2% increase in inmate population over the previous year, Corrections Corp. of America was able to make $511.26M profit, earning their CEO over $3,000,000 in compensation.[9][10]
Private prison proponents claim that private corporations are able to provide the same service more efficiently than the government. However, according to the Department of Justice's "Emerging Issues on Privatized Prisons" report, private prisons offer at best a 1% cost savings over their government operated counterparts, while at the same time having 49% more assaults on staff and 65% more assaults on other inmates.[11]
Phoning in Profit
Corporations owning correctional facilities is not the only way that prisons and the War on Drugs have been used as a source of income. For instance, even in government-ran facilities, inmates and their families are regularly subject to price gouging by phone carriers.[12][14] While the average cost of a phone call in the United States is 3 cents per minute[15], inmates and their families end up paying between 16 cents and $5.00 per minute.[13] The profits are then split between the carrier and the government body who awarded the contract. In fact, it is not uncommon for the government body to receive a signing bonus from the carrier, like $17M in the case of Los Angeles County.[14] Unlike the public, the Federal Communications Commission has no safeguards against price gouging when it applies to those behind bars.
In the federal prison system, all able-bodied inmates who are not a security risk are forced to work for UNICOR or another prison job.[17] UNICOR, also known as Federal Prison Industries, is a government-created corporation that provides many products and services, including clothing, electronics, furniture, data entry and military hardware.[16][18] UNICOR enjoys a "mandatory source clause" that according to US laws & regulations, forces all federal agencies with the exception of the Department of Defense to purchase products offered by UNICOR instead of the private sector. However, despite the Department of Defense not being required to purchase its products, many defense contractors take advantage of the cheap labor offered by prisons.[18] For example, inmates make as little as 23 cents an hour manufacturing components used in Patriot missiles, which then sell for $5.9 million apiece. Prisoners also made helmets for the military, until 44,000 defective units were recalled due to their inability to stop bullets.[19] Despite its shortcomings, UNICOR generated $854.3M in sales for fiscal year 2008 – of which 4% went to inmate salaries.[16] Much of this money later ends up in the hands of the local government, as the inmates use their salary to pay for phone calls home. In New York, inmates refusing work assignments have been known to be placed in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day until work is resumed.[20] At the same time, it is illegal to import products made using prison labor into the United States.[21]
- Wikipedia: Incarceration in the United States http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarceration_in_the_United_States
- Raw Story: US prison population to add 200,000 convicts by 2011: study http://www.rawstory.com//news/2007/US_prison_population_to_add_200000_0215.html
- Salon: How private prisons game the system http://www.salon.com/2011/12/01/how_private_prisons_game_the_system/
- Wikipedia: Private prisons in the United States http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_prison#Private_prisons_in_the_United_States
- NPR: Prison Economics Help Drive Ariz. Immigration Law http://www.npr.org/2010/10/28/130833741/prison-economics-help-drive-ariz-immigration-law
- Thomson Reuters: Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-K (CCA) http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9NDE5MTEwfENoaWxkSUQ9NDMyMjg1fFR5cGU9MQ==&t=1
- OpenSecrets: Lobbying Spending Database - Corrections Corp of America, 2010 http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?lname=Corrections+Corp+of+America&year=2010
- OpenSecrets: Lobbying Spending Database - GEO Group, 2010 http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?lname=GEO+Group&year=2010
- Corrections Corp. of America Press Release: 2010 fourth quarter and full-year financial results http://ir.correctionscorp.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=117983&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1527174&highlight=
- Forbes: Damon T. Hininger - President, Chief Executive Officer and Director, Corrections Corporation of America http://people.forbes.com/profile/damon-t-hininger/23397
- US Dept of Justice: Emerging Issues on Privatized Prisons https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/bja/181249.pdf
- Detroit Free Press: Hike in prisoner phone rates will cut off many family ties http://www.freep.com/article/20111013/OPINION05/110130444/Opposing-points-view-Hike-prisoner-phone-rates-will-cut-off-many-family-ties?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s
- The Guardian: The cynical world of America's private prisons http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/feb/03/cynical-world-americas-private-prisons
- USA Today: Inmate families paying high phone rates in California jails http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-08-21-jail-calling_x.htm
- NationMaster: Media Statistics > Average cost of local call (most recent) by country http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/med_ave_cos_of_loc_cal-media-average-cost-local-call
- Wikipedia: Federal Prison Industries http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Prison_Industries
- Congressional Research Service: Federal Prison Industries http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL32380.pdf
- Wired: Prisoners Help Build Patriot Missiles http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/03/prisoners-help-build-patriot-missiles/
- ArmyTimes: Inmate labor used to make recalled helmets http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/05/gns_army_helmet_recall_labor_052710/
- Businessweek: There's Prison Labor In America, Too http://www.businessweek.com/archives/1992/b325228.arc.htm
- US Government Printing Office: 19 U.S.C. 1307 - Convict-made goods; importation prohibited http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2009-title19/html/USCODE-2009-title19-chap4-subtitleII-partI-sec1307.htm
- The Guardian: This revolting trade in human lives is an incentive to lock people up http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/mar/03/prison-population-titan-jails


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Subscribe To Dwayne Johnson In Talks To Return For Journey 3 Updates
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While certainly an upgrade talent wise, it was a strange franchise decision when it was reported that Dwayne Johnson would be replacing Brendan Fraser as the adult lead in the Journey franchise that began with Journey To The Center of the Earth. While I've discussed this before, the title of Journey 2: The Mysterious Island had a lot of people confused simply because it was hard to tell that the movie was actually a sequel to the Fraser starring one and a big part of that was the switching of the male lead. The studio won't be making that mistake again for Journey 3.
According to The Wrap, Johnson is now in talks to return for the next sequel in the franchise. While the project doesn't yet have a title, the end of the second film suggested that the Jules Verne novel they will be tackling next is From the Earth to the Moon, meaning that The Rock could be heading into orbit. In Journey 2, Johnson played Hank, an ex-Navy man who is the new step-father to Sean Anderson, the character played in both previous films by Hunger Games star Josh Hutcherson. In its opening weekend Journey 2 brought in $27 million in the number three spot and has since gone on to make $272 million internationally ($185 million of that coming from international audiences). Screenwriters Brian and Mark Gunn have already come on-board to write the sequel and Brad Peyton will return as director.
Much like the Resident Evil and Madagascar franchises, it looks like Journey is going to be one of those series where it will have some appeal in the states but be a monster internationally. I guess that's just the nature of the business now and Dwayne Johnson is taking advantage.


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Parties Weigh Risk of Blame In Partial Federal Closure
A looming government shutdown has sent both parties scrambling to deflect blame amid fear that voters will disapprove of any jolt that cuts off government services and roils the economy.
Both sides agree Republicans are running the bigger risks, at least for now. Worry runs deep within GOP ranks that their brand could suffer if voters hold them responsible for a shutdown—or, worse, a debt default next month.


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It's a simple question, really. Which do you prefer: Candy corn, or Mellowcreme Pumpkins?
Weigh in by commenting on this post or on my facebook page, and you could win a *signed* copy of my amazing book, CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life. There's a recipe for homemade candy corn in the book, by the way.
You don't have to leave a reason, but I would be interested in hearing it if you're so inclined.
This giveaway will be open for one week; I will close it for entries on Tuesday, October 23rd at 5pm EST. Due to high shipping rates overseas, I am only able to offer this giveaway to residents of US and Canada. If you leave a comment on this site, don't panic if it doesn't show up right away: comment moderation is enabled. Good luck!
Update: The winner!
A winner has been chosen at random: Becky from Plainfield, IL! Becky says that for her it's Candy Corn all the way, and asks that I not judge her for eating it strangely: each color separately. It's not so bad Becky, it won you a book! :-)
Congratulations and til next time stay sweet!


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|Mac OS X
Released May 4, 2010.
This patch adds compatibility with MATLAB 2010a. The Macintosh patch also adds compatibility with Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. The patch is cumulative and replaces any earlier 3.5a patches for MATLAB support.
COMSOL programs are distributed in accordance with U.S. Export Administration regulations. They may be subject to U.S. Export Control laws or other (U.S. and non-U.S.) governmental export and import laws. It is the licensee's responsibility to comply with the latest U.S. or other governmental export or import regulations. Export or import in violation of applicable export control laws is prohibited. If you wish to submit materials to COMSOL in connection with any support request that must be restricted to U.S. persons under applicable export control laws, then you must submit such materials by email to: email@example.com.
Before You Begin
Make sure you have applied the COMSOL 3.5a hotfix 1 before applying this patch. On the Help menu, click "About COMSOL Multiphysics" and make sure you have version 188.8.131.528. If you do not, you need to apply the hotfix 1 before you continue.
Download the patch file
comsol_22.214.171.1248-p3_linux.patch. Connect to the COMSOL
installation directory, for example,
/usr/local/comsol35a (type
/usr/local/comsol35a). Type the following commands:
patch -Rf -p1 < [download file path]/comsol_220.127.116.118-p3_linux.patch > /dev/null
patch -p1 < [download file path]/comsol_188.8.131.528-p3_linux.patch
Mac OS X
This update also adds support for Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.
- Download the file comsol_220.127.116.118-p3_mac.dmg.
- If it does not mount automatically, double-click the dmg file to mount it.
- Double-click COMSOL Installer to launch the installer. If your COMSOL installation is not in the default location in the Applications folder, the installer will ask you to locate the COMSOL installation folder.
- When the installation is selected, click Install to start the installation.
Download and run the file comsol_22.214.171.1248-p3_win.exe. Unzip the contents in the COMSOL installation directory, for example C:\COMSOL35a.
Check the Installation
This patch does not increment the build number. On Macintosh Snow Leopard, start COMSOL and make an arbitrary plot. Connect to MATLAB 2010a. On Linux or Windows, connect COMSOL to MATLAB 2010a. If no error messages are displayed you have successfully updated the software.


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Crazy Person Victoria Jackson Has Some Opinions about Todd Akin and 'Legitimate Rape'
Former Saturday Night Live star and current raving lunatic Victoria Jackson has some thoughts on Todd Akin and the controversy surrounding his "legitimate rape" comments. They are, of course, very scientific and well-researched. Here are some of her coherent opinions on the matter:
She thinks the whole controversy is funny:
"The Todd Akin thing was so blown out of proportion — it's a joke," Jackson said at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., when interviewed for mySiriusXM OutQ radio program. "How many times do people get pregnant from rape? It's point zero zero one percent. It's a joke."
She's old and can read, so therefore has meaningful anecdotal evidence:
"I read lots of articles. I know people, because I'm 53. I've know a lot of people, and I've actually never known anyone who got pregnant from being raped."
She understands basic anatomy:
"If there's a boy baby inside of me, he has a penis. That's not my body."
She has a nuanced understanding of sexual identity:
"I don't think people should identify themselves by their sexual life. My identity is in Christ. Some people's identity is in what country they come from. But I don't think people should make their identity about their sex life. That should be private. Why are they in the middle of the street in a parade? Why don't they just have sex in their bedroom alone?"
This has been your biannual update on Victoria Jackson's craziness. Check in again in six months or so.
[Image via AP]


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WALTHAM, Mass. - Three Brandeis University student-athletes have earned University Athletic Association Athlete of the Week honors. Sophomore Anna Hanley of Medford, Mass., was selected for women's fencing for the third time this season. Junior Terrell Hollins of Springfield, Mass., earned the honor for men's basketball for the second time in his career, while sophomore Paul Norton of Amherst, Mass., of the men's indoor track and field team was recognized for the second time in 2008-09.
Hanley, a saber fencer who transferred from Sacred Heart University, led the Judges to a 3-1 record at the Brandeis Invitational on Dec. 7. The Judges had four one-point matches, defeating Cornell, Brown and St. John's by 14-13 marks and losing to Yale by the same score. Hanley had the team's best all-around effort, going 10-2 overall and leading the saber squad to wins over Cornell (8-1) and Yale (6-3). Hanley was 3-0 in those matches and 2-1 against Brown and St. John's.
Hollins, a forward who is one of four team captains, guided the Judges to a 3-0 week, improving their record to 4-3 overall after an 0-3 start. Overall last week, he averaged 18.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, four assists and two steals per game, setting three career-highs in the process. Hollins opened the week with 10 points and two rebounds in 20 minutes against Babson in a 70-60 win on Dec. 2. In a 75-61 win over No. 25 Rhode Island College on Dec. 4, Hollins led all players with 18 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists, the last two career-bests. Finally, in a 97-70 win at Emerson College on Dec. 6, Hollins recorded his second-straight double-double with a career-high 27 points along with 14 rebounds and four assists. He shot 11-17 (.647) from the field and 5-6 (.833) from the line against Lions. Overall for the week, Hollins connected on 53.7 percent from the floor (22-41) and 68.8 percent from the line (11-16).
Norton, a sophomore who previously earned All-UAA and All-New England honors in the cross country season, earned a win in the 5,000-meter run at the Northeastern Husky Invitational, an unscored meet that was the Judges' first of the season. His time of 15:08.47 bested the runner-up - an unattached competitor - by five seconds and was 43 seconds ahead of the next collegiate runner.
Hanley is a 2007 graduate of Lexington Christian Academy. She is the daughter of Tim and Terry Hanley, Medford, Mass.
Hollins is a 2005 graduate of Longmeadow High School. He is the son of James Hollins and Karen Hollins, Springfield, Mass.
Norton is a 2007 graduate of Amherst Regional High School. He is the son of David and Claire Norton, Amherst, Mass.


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10 Questions with Paul Marion, Lowell's unofficial poet laureate
Poetry emotion
By David Perry
The Lowell Sun, Lowell, MA
March 2, 2007
Paul Marion is the director of community relations at UMass Lowell. He is also a published poet whose verses present his visions of Lowell. His latest book of poems, What is the City?, is currently available. By day, Paul Marion is director of community relations for UMass Lowell.
But at night, and other hours when he punches in on a different clock, he is a poet. At 53, Marion writes vignettes that showcase Lowell as a city of characters, and a city of character. He has published several previous collections of poetry, but his newest, What Is The City? (Evening Album Media), is his jigsaw vision of the city, featuring Dith Pran, Pinky, Manny and Maria, the Golden Gloves, Bob Dylan, mills, the river, the neighborhoods. Not to mention a first-person account of Johnny Depp's visit to Lowell in 1991, when he famously bought Jack Kerouac's raincoat. (Marion also edited Atop An Underwood: Early Stories and Other Writings by Jack Kerouac.)
The job of a poet is at once simple and terribly complex. "Paying attention and doing the work," says Marion. "Writing."
He lives in Lowell with his wife, Rosemary Noon, and son Joseph, 12.
Q: What attracted you to poetry?
A: Really it was the compressed form of the composition. The power in that compression. And maybe because I grew up listening to three-minute singles.
Q: If one wanted to become a poet, what would one do?
A: Read. Read poetry. Read literature. Somehow get in your head the sound of words. If it helps to listen to music, that could work, too.
Q: How many are able to make a living of poetry?
A: If you define making a living as being paid for writing or reading your poetry as opposed to teaching poetry ... those who make a living off their own poetry, it's an infinitesimal number. Almost no one.
Q: What kind of effect does your day job at UMass Lowell have on your poetry?
A: Work takes up a lot of mind space every day. A full-time job crowds out what might be time for creative work. But the word "universe" is in university, and one hour I'll be dealing with nanotechnology, the next ice hockey, the next literature, or health care. It's a kind of microcosm of life here. And there are a lot of intellectually curious people doing innovative and creative things. It's a great setting. It's not like I'm making widgets every day down by the river.
Q: What do you think of Boston City Councilor John Tobin's proposal for a poet laureate for that city?
A: I think it's a sign of a lively community if they do that. It's a symbolic gesture toward arts and culture. If the right person is doing it, it could add a little texture to city life.
Q: What does poetry add to the life of a city?
A: Stories, meaning, a kind of reflection of the community's life. It's a sort of alternative kind of preservation. We preserve a lot of buildings, and poetry has a sort of documentary quality to it.
Q: In what way does Lowell lend itself to the poet?
A: The whole world is in Lowell. One of the great things about Lowell is that it is so various. Every drama you could imagine, every human condition, is here. And Lowell is of a scale you can get your mind around. It's not like Cleveland or L.A. But you have a shot at it with a city like Lowell.
Q: When poets get together, do you all speak in iambic pentameter?
A: (Laughs) When I get together with friends of mine who write poetry, we talk about life, the news, baseball. Years ago, I was doing a reading at a school and one of the kids asked, "Do you write all of your poems sitting under a tree?" There's this danger of stepping out on the poetry plank. Then again, if you walk up and down a typical street and asked people to name a living American poet, I don't think most people could name one.
Q: So, are poets undervalued in our society?
A: Underknown, maybe. You can't be undervalued if you're not known. People aren't aware of the amount of poetry that gets written in this country. The Def Jam poetry thing has had an impact in terms of exposing people to a certain brand of poetry and breaking through mainstream media. The overlap is the style, in the form of rap, and people being more attuned to the lyrics.
Q: People talk about pop musicians as poets. Is that ever true?
A: I think so. It goes back to lyric poetry. The idea of a voice and instrument coming together in some kind of compositional expression. And good lyrics will stand up to good poetry. I think some of the people, certainly in my lifetime, working in pop music can stand up on the page. And that's a key, something I struggle with all the time. Can it stand up on the page as opposed to the experience of just going in the ear? Bob Dylan, Lennon and McCartney, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell do it well.
Back to Top Copyright© 2007 - Lowell Sun and David Perry
Last updated: April 2, 2007


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|EC Software Consulting, Inc.
|Android 1.6 and up
Today I want to share a great andriod game that name is Enigma - Cryptograms (latest version) Andriod Game.
Dust off your old decoder ring and sharpen your code breaking skills. Solve cryptograms with Enigma using patterns, letter frequencies, and common sense as you attempt to break the code. There are over 0 puzzles included with more coming in future updates. (Im typing as fast as I can.) A Trial Version is available too. What is a cryptogram? A cryptogram is a block of text that has been encrypted using a substitution cipher. In a substitution cipher, each letter is replaced with a different one. For example: All letters A are changed to the letter Q
All letters B are changed to the letter R
etc. This mapping of letters is different for each game. Using patterns, letter frequencies, and common sense you attempt to determine the letter for which each of the encrypted letters stands. Application Features The application provides several features to help you if you get stuck. - On-Screen Navigation - Use the on-screen directional arrows to move around. Helpful if you dont have a d-pad or trackball
- Pressing Space or Delete will clear the current letter
- Save Game - You can save your game and come back to it if you need a break
- Show/Hide Source - The source of the quote/text block is hidden by default. This hint will expose the source for you and hide it again to open up more screen space
- Show Letter - When you really get stuck, this will expose the letter of your choice in the cryptogram
- Show Puzzle - When all hope is lost, this will show you the answer to the puzzle youve been working on
- Letter Frequency Table - Shows you the number of times a coded letter appears in the text
- Used Letters - Shows in the keyboard display which letters are used and still available
- Showing Duplicates - Duplicate letters are shown as italicized. So, if you enter the same letter for two different codes, Enigma will show all occurrences of that entered letter italicized
- If you complete the puzzle without using the Show Puzzle option, you will be given the opportunity to email the quote to yourself or someone else. Customization Options Enigma can be customized to your personal tastes by choosing the Preferences menu item and selecting the appropriate options. Color Preference Select from different color schemes. Feel free to contact me with suggestions for more. - Original - Reminiscent of the old green screen monitors
- The Blues - Blue is the basis of this color scheme
- Scarlet Letters - Deep reds make this a pleasing choice
- Black, White, and Read All Over - A simple black and white color scheme. Font Sizes Select from different Font sizes. This can be very helpful on tablets where you might want the puzzle to take up more room and be easier to manage. - Small - Useful for smaller devices
- Medium - The original size and still the default
- Large - Tablets will work well with this or the next size up
- Extra-Large - Tablets will work well with this or the next size down. Next Letter Preference After entering a letter the focus will change based on your choice from the following options: - Dont advance to the next letter. (Current/Default Behavior)
- Advance to the next letter
- Advance to the next empty letter
* When at the end of the puzzle, it wont wrap to the beginning. Keyboard Preference Select from different keyboard styles. - Normal Keyboard - This is the traditional QWERTY keyboard
- Gallery Keyboard - The Gallery Keyboard works by listing the letters in a gallery display such that you fling them left or right to choose the letter you want to place.
Sourse: Google Play - Enigma - Cryptograms
Game Features:
No change log.
Download Enigma - Cryptograms Unlimited Version
- Download the file.
- If the file is archived (rar or zip) to extract data.
- Install the Enigma - Cryptograms.apk and place the "com.ecsoftwareconsulting.enigma" folder in sdcard/Android/obbacted folder.
- Launch the app 100% offline compatible google play installation and online data verification is not required.


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ROUYN-NORANDA, CANADA--(Marketwire - Dec. 18, 2012) - Explor Resources Inc. (the "Corporation") (TSX VENTURE:EXS)(OTCQX:EXSFF)(FRANKFURT:E1H) is pleased to announce that it has closed a non-brokered private placement for a total amount of CDN $1,000,000.
The placement consists of 6,666,666 flow-through shares at a price of $0.15 per share and each flow-through share is accompanied of one half common share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant allows the subscriber to purchase one (1) common share of the Corporation at a price of $0.23 per share for a period of 24 months, expiring on December 17, 2014.
The securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement are subject to a hold period of four months and a day from the date of closing. This placement is subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
Explor Resources Inc. is a publicly listed company trading on the TSX Venture (EXS), on the USA Pink Sheet (EXSFF) and on the Frankfurt and Berlin Stock Exchanges (E1H).
About Explor Resources Inc.
Explor Resources Inc. is a Canadian-based natural resources company with mineral holdings in Ontario, Québec, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. Explor is currently focused on exploration in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt. The belt is found in both provinces of Ontario and Québec with approximately 33% in Ontario and 67% in Québec. The Belt has produced in excess of 180,000,000 ounces of gold and 450,000,000 tonnes of cu-zn ore over the last 100 years. The Corporation was continued under the laws of Alberta in 1986 and has had its main office in Québec since 2006.
Explor Resources Flagship project is the Timmins Porcupine West (TPW) Project located in the Porcupine mining camp, in the Province of Ontario. The TPW mineral resource includes: indicated: 212,800 ounces of gold (1,371,000 tonnes at 4.83 g/t Au) and inferred: 814,800 ounces of gold (7,122,000 tonnes at 3.56 g/t Au (Press Release dated June 06, 2012).
This document may contain forward-looking statements relating to Explor's operations or to the environment in which it operates. Such statements are based on operations, estimates, forecasts and projections. They are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and may be beyond Explor's control. A number of important factors could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements, including those set forth in other public filling. In addition, such statements relate to the date on which they are made. Consequently, undue reliance should not placed on such forward-looking statements. Explor disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, save and except as may be required by applicable securities laws.
This press release was prepared by Explor. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the Policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Contact Information:


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I'm pleased to announce that my 9 month old babe is officially OFF THE BOTTLE!! WHOhOOO! Even with a couple of weeks to spare before the one month deadline before surgery! I'm pleased with that. I really didn't think that she was ready. Just one day she ate a sippy for me and then again for Hal and we haven't stopped since then. Bottles got bagged up and put away and she's officially on a sippy cup! I'm super excited! She was drinking juice for a long time in her sippy, a full bottle worth in fact. But she wouldn't drink her formula. Then all of a sudden..poof she wasn't so stubborn! :) I'm happy cuz this means there is no chance that they have for needing to reschedule her palate surgery. They said she had to be off the bottle for a month prior to surgery. Well, we beat this. :) YEAH!
Friday, June 4, 2010
Exciting stuff!
Posted by Embarking on a New Journey at 9:02 PM 0 comments
Monday, May 31, 2010
What's going on with us?
Just figured I would give an update of how things are going around here. It's been a long couple of weeks with all the festivities of the weekend and the fact that I'm working a bunch. Which is a good thing!
So here goes...
Almost done with Kindergarten and has only 2 weeks left of school. Bitter sweet moment as I know we are getting old and Owen is growing up too quick.
He has his very first loose tooth. About time as he is 6 1/2 and now just starting the tooth loss process. :)
He's addicted to his Nintendo DS. It's basically all he wants to talk about.
He's playing T ball and enjoys it. Not sure if he's doing it next year or not. I don't think it's his favorite thing to do.
He starts soccer soon. That is his favorite thing to do!
We are still waiting to see if Maddie gets into Pre-k. She is on the list but we are not sure what's going on yet. I may or may not call sometime soon to find out.
Maddie caught a HUGE 12 inch Crappie all by herself the other day. Daddy swears he didn't help her at all.
We are still deciding if we are going to send Maddie to dance class in the fall. She is looking forward to it but we are not sure of scheduling yet. :( poohey!
Paige started speech a couple of weeks ago. I think it's pretty worthless at this point as she can't really do much until after surgery but I'm all for at least giving it a try.
Paige has 5 teeth. One of which is sitting on the site where when she was born there was a cleft there. With the help of that wonderful NAM, she now has a tooth there! Pretty great stuff!
Paige crawls! She was army crawling for a long time but now she's crawling like a pro. She's also starting to pull herself up on things!
Paige is a sweetie!
Hal graduated college and we are still waiting to hear from the hospital on a position. Right now there just isn't one. So he will be working as a floater at this point until a position becomes available. Pretty much sucks but it's something at least.
Still working as a Behavioral Specialist. Love my job but would like a straight 8-3 teaching position in the near future. Sent out applications but haven't heard anything this soon into the summer.
So that's a wrap up of how we all are. Life goes on even when I don't blog. :)
Posted by Embarking on a New Journey at 8:17 PM 0 comments


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Smooth on Top for your Parrots Comfort & Rough on Sides to Trim your Birds Claws! In the jungle, birds are exposed to a wide variety of textured surfaces that is Mother Nature's way of keeping their nails and beaks conditioned. In this same way, the Safety Pedicure Perch is designed to simulate such textures for birds in a domestic environment. Unlike conventional perches, the Safety Pedicure Perch trims nails and beak, stimulates leg muscles, and promotes healthy feet. These perches are easily installed and removed for fast cleaning with soap and water.
Choose the perfect size for your bird's needs.
Copyright © 2019 Feather FantasyPowered by osCommerce


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A Bunnell police sergeant who once worked as an after-hours school cop in Jacksonville is charged with soliciting high school boys for sex and sexual images by posing as a teenage girl on a fictitious Facebook profile.
Michael Gerard Stavris II, 30, of Palm Coast is charged with two counts of computer pornography and child exploitation prevention act and one count of criminal use of personal identification information, according to an charging affidavit. The third-degree felonies carry a maximum prison sentence of five years.
Stavris, who is 6-foot-3 and 400 pounds, is accused of stealing a 16-year-old girl's identity and using it to solicit teenage boys, including sending them pictures of female breasts. After the conversations turned sexual, Stavris requested sexual photos from the victims, police said.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents arrested the eight-year police veteran Tuesday night. He was later released from the Flagler County jail on a $125,000 bond and has been placed on unpaid leave. He couldn't be reached to comment.
The affidavit accuses Stavris of staging the ruse from at least November 2012 until November 2013. As many as 40 students younger than 18 were listed as friends on the Facebook page. Some were from Flagler Palm Coast High School, where Stavris graduated from in 2002.
About a half dozen victims mentioned in the affidavit were from Flagler County. FDLE officials said it's uncertain if there are other victims in Flagler or elsewhere.
FDLE officials made a public plea for anyone with information to call their office at 360-7111.
"We will do everything in our power to see that all potential victims are identified and this person is charged with each crime that's committed," said Dennis Bustle, special agent in charge of the FDLE's Jacksonville regional office.
Stavris joined the Bunnell Police Department near Palm Coast in 2011 after working at three other police agencies, said newly hired Bunnell Police Chief Tom Foster.
Stavris worked as a patrol officer for the Duval County school system from October 2009 to July 2010, school officials said. His job began after school hours were over and involved patrolling and responding to school-related calls citywide, said School Board spokeswoman Marsha Oliver.
He also worked as an Edgewater cop from January 2008 to October 2009 and with the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services from February 2006 to January 2008. His departure from those agencies had nothing to do with misconduct, FDLE records show.
Before becoming a police officer, Stavris worked for the Flagler County school system from 2000 to 2006 teaching activities and safety to children through the eighth grade, said his Duval County school board personnel file.
Foster said he was disappointed by the allegations against Stavris, but he declined to comment on the investigation. Stavris is one of 11 full-time officers with the agency.
"This is not a reflection of the other fine officers we have in Bunnell," Foster said.
FDLE agents began investigating Stavris in December after a teen complained about his actions to a police officer, said Mike O'Neal, an FDLE special agent who supervises the cyber crime unit. Neither Bustle nor O'Neal would reveal further details.
The affidavit said that in one case, a student was asked to meet behind the school to get oral sex if he would send the requester a picture of his genitals. The picture was sent and the student was then asked to send a picture of him masturbating, the affidavit said.


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Brussels, 20th February 2002
Proposal for a Directive on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions - frequently asked questions
(see also IP/02/277)
What are the main features of the proposal?
The central requirement of the proposal is that, in order to be patentable, an invention that is implemented through the execution of software on a computer or similar apparatus has to make a contribution in a technical field that is not obvious to a person of normal skill in that field. This is essentially a legal question of a kind which is answered all the time by patent offices and practitioners.
What is the current situation in the EU concerning patents on computer-implemented inventions?
Inventors currently have two possible routes for obtaining protection for their inventions. Patents may be applied for, processed and granted either at the European Patent Office (EPO) under the centralised system of the European Patent Convention (EPC), or via national patent offices in the Member States purely according to national law. However whichever route is chosen, national law applies in all cases after grant. Thus, granted European Patents become a "bundle" of national patents which have to be validated, maintained and litigated separately in each Member State.
Legally speaking, the patent laws of the Member States are in principle supposed to be consistent with the EPC and uniform among themselves. However, in practice there is no unifying structure with binding effect on national courts and there is therefore the potential for differences to appear over the interpretation of particular aspects of patent law. The EPC is entirely separate from the Community and the EPO is not subject to Community law. The EPC currently includes among its membership all Community Member States plus five other countries (Switzerland, Turkey, Cyprus, Monaco, and Liechtenstein). Several more are expected to join later in 2002.
The patentability of software and related inventions is currently determined principally by Article 52 paragraphs (2)(c) and (3) of the EPC, according to which computer programs "as such" (as well as business methods and certain other entities) are excluded from patentability. However, since the EPC came into force in 1978, more than 30,000 software-related patents have been granted, and a considerable body of case law on the subject has been built up by the appellate bodies of the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Member States' courts. Many of these patents have been granted for devices and processes in technical areas, but the majority now relate to digital data processing, data recognition, representation and information handling. This has fuelled debate on whether the limits of what is patentable are still sufficiently clear and applied properly.
This is moreover an area in which some differences have appeared in practice under national patent laws. This has led to uncertainty over the legal position especially in Member States where less extensive litigation has taken place.
This is therefore an opportune time to propose EU legislation. In its absence, Member States may feel obliged to act outside the Community framework. In addition, if no action is taken at the Community level, the scope of what is patentable may be defined on the basis of individual decisions on particular cases by the European Patent Office's (EPO) judicial bodies, without the opportunity for coherent political reflection based on wide consultation and the overall picture. The proposed Directive therefore sets clear borders to what would be patentable in the EU and what would not.
Does this proposal follow the principles established by the European Patent Convention?
Broadly, yes. The European Patent Convention says that patents should not be granted for computer programs as such. However computers are themselves machines like other technological devices. Over the years, national courts have decided that there is no reason why a patent should not be granted for a machine programmed to carry out some technical function, or a technical process carried out using a computer or similar machine. But in common with all other inventions, it still needs to be new and not obvious. The proposed Directive has followed this approach.
Won't extending patents to cover computer programs reduce competition?
The Directive will not make it possible to patent computer programs "as such". In broad terms, nothing will be made patentable which is not already patentable. The objective is simply to clarify the law and to resolve some inconsistencies in approach in national laws.
So why do we need a Directive?
The present legal situation has essentially been built up by national courts and the EPO. They have had to develop interpretations to cope with a technology whose subsequent development could not have been imagined when the European Patent Convention was first drafted at the beginning of the 1970s. They have done a very good job, but the lack of harmonisation and the existence of different legal traditions has meant that some differences have arisen with the potential for more serious divergences in future if action at the Community level were not taken. Consultations undertaken by the Commission on this issue have indicated very clearly that the lack of legal certainty in this field is widely regarded as very damaging to European interests.
What consultations has the Commission undertaken on this issue?
There has been a series of consultations on this subject beginning with the 1997 Green Paper on the Community Patent. Most recently, a discussion document was published on the Europa website on 19 October 2000 (see http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/en/indprop/softpaten.htm, which invited comments by 15 December 2000 on the basis of a number of proposed "Key Elements" for a harmonised approach to the patentability of computer-implemented inventions in the European Community. These "Key Elements" broadly reflected the present state of development of European case law under which it is estimated that at least 30,000 patents for computer-implemented inventions have already been issued.
The consultation produced 1447 responses, the overwhelming majority by e-mail. An analysis of these responses is available at:
Many of the responses supporting a more restrictive approach than at present, with fewer patents being granted, were transmitted through an open forum set up by the "Eurolinux Alliance", a group of companies and other entities supporting the development of open source software such as Linux. Although this group numerically dominated (90%) the response, the major sectoral bodies representing the information and communication technology industries, as well as many of the Member States, all supported the approach put forward by the discussion paper. Some responses argued for eligibility for patents to be widened in line with the practice in the US.
How does the proposal reflect responses to consultation?
The proposal takes account of all responses, which covered a huge spectrum of opinion and interests. The objective is to achieve the right balance between making patents available where appropriate in order to reward and encourage innovation, while avoiding stifling competition and open source development. The Commission received some submissions arguing that patents tend to restrict innovation in fields like software development. We also received submissions from organisations representing many thousands of companies arguing that computer-implemented inventions should remain patentable or even that patentability should be extended. The Commission's proposal reflects the balanced interests of the EU's economy and society as a whole.
Why are patents good for innovation?
From the perspective of the owner of a patent, the limited exclusivity provides an opportunity to generate income. This in turn provides an incentive to invest in research and development. And a successful business will use income from patented inventions to fund further innovation. Patents can also be used as security to obtain loans and as a means of negotiating for licenses on technology owned by others.
It is a condition of obtaining a patent that there should be disclosure of how the invention works. If the disclosure is not sufficient to enable the invention to be reproduced, the patent can be revoked. Patents are therefore an important source of technical information for others to use.
EU industry has built itself up in the very legal environment which we are now seeking to harmonise. Other countries which are successful in the information technology sector (such as the US and Japan) also grant patents for computer-implemented inventions.
Isn't software different to other technologies in that patents can be used to block legitimate independent innovation?
The Commission has seen little evidence that this has been a problem in practice in the present environment. This would be the case only if the scope of protection granted by patents were extended to software as such and, for instance, blocked the use of an algorithmic idea in other technical fields from the one in which a patent is granted. Since the proposed Directive would not extend the scope of what can be patented, nor the scope of the protection granted by a patent, there should be nothing to fear on this front.
Would the proposed Directive restrict the interoperability of computer programs?
No. In fact, Member States' patent laws, while not fully harmonised, do not in general extend to acts performed privately and for non-commercial purposes, or to acts carried out for experimental purposes related to the subject-matter of the invention. Nor is it likely that the making of a back-up copy in the context of the authorised exploitation of a patent covering a programmed computer or the execution of a program could be construed as an infringement. The proposed Directive will not change this situation. Thus, because of the differences between the subject-matter of protection under patent and copyright law, and the nature of the permitted exceptions, the exercise of a patent covering a computer-implemented invention should not interfere with the freedoms granted under copyright law to software developers by the provisions of the existing Directive on the legal protection of computer programs (91/250/EEC).
Indeed, the proposed Directive makes specific reference, inter alia, to the provisions on decompilation and interoperability in the Directive 91/250/EEC, in terms that ensure that the different scope of protection granted by patents would not undermine the possibility to carry out the acts that are permitted under that existing Directive. Directive 91/250/EEC includes specific provisions (Articles 5 and 6) to the effect that copyright in a computer program is not infringed by acts which under certain circumstances would otherwise constitute infringement. These exceptions include acts performed for the purposes of studying the ideas and principles underlying a program and the reproduction or translation of code if necessary for the achievement of the interoperability of an independently-created computer program. It is also specified that the making of a back-up copy by a lawful user cannot be prevented. Such provisions are necessary in the context of copyright law because copyright confers the absolute right to prevent the making of copies of a protected work. All the acts mentioned involve making copies and would therefore infringe in the absence of any exception.
Does the proposal include rules about business methods?
The proposal does not deal directly with the patentability of business methods. This is because the consultations have indicated clearly that there is general satisfaction with the current situation, whereby "pure" business methods (that is, methods which have no technical character) are not currently patentable.
However, in practice some inventions involving business methods could fall within the definition of "computer-implemented inventions". These inventions would be dealt with in accordance with the proposed Directive, and in particular patents would only be granted for inventions that made a "technical contribution".
What is meant by "technical contribution"?
The proposed Directive defines a "technical contribution" as "a contribution to the state of the art in a technical field which is not obvious to a person skilled in the art". If an invention implemented through the execution of software did not make a technical contribution it would be considered to lack an inventive step and thus would not be patentable.
It would not be possible for a legal text such as a Directive to attempt to spell out in fine detail what is meant by "technical", because the very nature of the patent system is to protect what is novel, and therefore not previously known. In practice the courts will determine in individual cases what is or is not encompassed within the definition. However, earlier court decisions have indicated that a technical contribution may arise if there has been some improvement in the way that processes are carried out or resources used in a computer (for example an increase in the efficiency of a physical process), or if the exercise of technical skills beyond "mere" programming has been necessary to arrive at the invention.
What are the main differences between the approach of the proposed Directive and the situations in the US and Japan?
The main difference lies in the requirement for "technical contribution". Japanese law does not have this as such, but there is in Japan a doctrine which has traditionally been interpreted in a similar way: the invention has to be a "highly advanced creation of technical ideas by which a law of nature is utilised".
In the US on the other hand, a patentable invention must simply be within the technological arts. No specific technological contribution is needed. The mere fact that an invention uses a computer or software makes it become part of the technological arts if it also provides a "useful, concrete and tangible result". Among other things, this has meant that in practice in the US, restrictions on patenting of business methods (apart from the requirements of novelty and inventive step) are negligible.
Practice in both the U.S. and Japan is to allow patent claims to software that implements patentable inventions.
The need to maintain and improve standards of patent examination for computer-implemented inventions is one of the most important challenges facing patent offices world-wide. The EPO, which is widely recognised as a world leader in patent search and examination, is, together with its colleagues in the US and Japanese patent offices, studying this question as one of its highest priorities.
Why would claims to computer programs on their own not be permitted under the proposed Directive?
In recent decisions, patents have under certain conditions been allowed which contain claims for computer programs on their own, for example on a disk or even as a signal transmitted over the internet. In the course of consultations, fears were expressed that if enforced, patents including such claims may be used to prevent "reverse engineering" and other activities considered legitimate in respect of computer programs already protected under copyright law. Moreover, such claims could be said to be contrary to the EPC, which does not allow patents for computer programs "as such". In response to these concerns, the Commission has decided not to follow the direction taken by case law in this important respect. Accordingly, the proposal would not allow claims of this type to be considered valid.
What is the difference between a patent and copyright? Can an invention be protected by both?
Patent and copyright protection are complementary. In very general terms, patents protect new technical ideas and principles, while copyright protects the form of expression used. For example, a new sort of paper might be protected by a patent, while the printed content of a newspaper would be protected by copyright. In computer terms, the actual code (whether machine-readable or in a form which is intelligible to human readers) would be subject to copyright protection, while underlying technological ideas may be eligible for patent protection.
Patent law gives the holder of a patent for a computer-implemented invention the right to prevent third parties from using software incorporating any new technology he has invented (as defined by the patent claims).
On the other hand, a computer program will be accorded copyright protection where the form of expression is original in the sense of being the author's own intellectual creation. Third parties would not be able to produce substantially the same content material as the original author has produced, even if they used different technical principles to do so.
Accordingly, the same program may be protected by both patent and by copyright law. That protection may be cumulative only in the sense that an act involving exploitation of a particular program may infringe both the copyright in the code and a patent whose claims cover the underlying ideas and principles of the invention using the program.
What about the BT "hyper-text" patent case - can this patent really be valid when hyperlinks are common-place?
This is a very old patent. It has expired everywhere else in the world, but is still in force in the US by virtue of the old US patent law which counted the patent term from the date of grant (10 October 1989) rather than from the date of application. This happens from time to time and is nothing to do with being in the field of computer programs. It of course remains to be seen whether the US courts will find in favour of the patentees.
A related patent was granted in the UK and remained in force until it expired in 1997. Patents were also granted in many other countries including Japan and the main European countries. The test for whether a patent is allowable is whether it was inventive at the time of application. Although hyperlinks are commonplace today, it is clear that several different patent offices all took the view that the patent described a valid invention at the time of the application.
Would the Amazon "one-click" shopping cart ordering model be patentable under the Commission proposal?
The European Patent Office has yet to come to a decision on the related European application, so it would not be appropriate to comment on whether there is any patentable subject-matter in the application as a whole. However, a patent with the breadth of claims which has been granted in the United States would be highly unlikely to be considered to make a "technical contribution" in the EU under the terms of the proposed Directive.
When would the proposal become law?
Once the proposal has been adopted by the EU's Council of Ministers and the European Parliament under the so-called co-decision procedure, the Directive would have to be implemented in national law by the Member States.
Will there be further consultations?
There have already been extensive consultations since 1997 and no more are planned now that the proposal, reflecting the results of these consultations, has been presented. However, there is plenty of opportunity for further input and comment on the proposal during the process of its adoption by the EU's Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.
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KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Coming into the second leg of the Eastern Conference Championship, the Houston Dynamo knew that the midfield battle would be one of the most important on the field.
On Saturday night, that battle went to the home team, and it was the main culprit in Houston's demise.
Down an important cog in Ricardo Clark, Houston made a move to a three-man central midfield to pack the battle with numbers and hopefully gain the advantage. But Sporting Kansas City got the better of the touches in the middle of the park and used that advantage to produce a 2-1 come-from-behind victory.
"It's always a battle in midfield, especially against KC," said midfielder Giles Barnes, who moved into central midfield. "They work hard, they turn over the ball, they rattle you and a lot of the time a lot of the stuff is done in the engine room in the middle of the park. It was a very frantic game."
The battle in midfield was what most expected: hard-nosed and physical. It was the type of battle Houston normally comes out on the winning end of, especially with Clark in the lineup.
But with Clark sidelined with a left knee sprain, Houston struggled to gain a foothold for long stretches of the match.
"I never talk about this, but I don't know how many times I was fouled in the first half," said captain Brad Davis. "I felt it was a definitely a battle going on. It was chippy, but we knew it was going to happen. We knew they were going to pressure high, pressure tight and there wasn't going to be a lot of room to play."
While the play was physical -- each side was whistled for 14 fouls -- it was SKC's passing ability that did Houston in. The Dynamo conceded space in the midfield for stretches of time, including on Dom Dwyer's 63rd-minute game winner where Benny Feilhaber dribbled down the middle of the field to chip a ball into the English forward for the winner.
"It was Feilhaber on the breakaway and I think everyone's gone to close the space. It's just a good ball from Benny and a composed finish from Dwyer," Barnes said. "You can't knock it. It's a good goal. Who knows what you could've done for it not to happen.
"Margins in football is inches and we knew that was what was going to decide it and it went their way today."
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.


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Zack Dupre will celebrate his 17th birthday in Pinehurst on Tuesday. He hopes the celebration will include a state championship.
Zack Dupre will celebrate his 17th birthday in Pinehurst on Tuesday. He hopes the celebration will include a state championship.
New Bern�s junior golfer is preparing for his third straight trip to the 4A state championships.
Dupre will have a practice round on Sunday at 12:57 p.m. He will tee off at 7:30 a.m. on Monday at Pinehurst No. 8 to kick off the first of the two-day tournament.
�I�m going to try and stay focused,� Dupre said. �(My birthday) is going to be in the back of my mind. I hope I can win the state championship on my birthday.
�That would be a great birthday present.�
Dupre carded an even par 71 at Monday�s regional at Pinehurst No. 6. His fourth-place finish qualified him for state.
New Bern came in fourth with a score of 317, which wasn�t quite good enough for the entire team to play in the state championships.
�I�m expecting to go out and win it,� Dupre said. �That�s what I want to do is win. I want to represent New Bern and do well for them.
�I want a state championship ring like the football team.�
Dupre didn�t fare too well in his previous two state championship appearances. As a freshman, he finished in 54th place. As a sophomore, he came in 55th place.
This time, he is a much more confident golfer.
�Now that I am hitting the ball straight off the tee and hitting greens, I feel like if I can get my putting going, I can win it,� Dupre said.
Dupre scored his lowest round of the season at regionals. He is hoping to extend his momentum into next week.
Last year�s state championship was also at Pinehurst No. 8.
�I�ve been hitting my driver straight and hitting greens and I am keeping it in play,� he said. �I�m practicing every chance I get on putting and chipping.�
Dupre will conclude his season on Tuesday. With another strong year, next season as a senior, he could be the first New Bern golfer to qualify for states in four-consecutive years.
�I�m not really thinking of next year yet. I�m just trying to do well this year,� Dupre said. �If I have the chance next year, I will try to be the first person in New Bern history to make it four years in a row.�
As a team, New Bern finished in second place -- seven shots behind Mideastern Conference winner Laney.
�We got off to a really bad start in that first conference match,� Dupre said. �We started off 22 shots behind and ended up losing by seven.
�I would have liked the team to go (to state). It�s always fun with the team.�
Adam Thompson can be contacted at 252-635-5669 or at email@example.com. Follow Adam on Twitter @Adam_matic.


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Decision : CONF 010 VIII.43
Review of Nominations to the World Heritage List
In this connection, reference was made to Article 11 (1) of the Convention which stipulates no limit for the number of nominations by a single State Party. However, in recognizing this stipulation the Committee, for purely practical reasons, authorized the Chairman to convene, if necessary, a special Bureau meeting after the closing date for submission of nominations in order to examine, together with the advisory organizations and the Secretariat, the possibility of evaluating all new nominations and to adopt a procedure which would take into account the capacities of all parties involved in the processing of nominations.
DocumentsDecisions Report
Decision Code: CONF 010 VIII.43
Themes: Inscriptions on the World Heritage List, Working methods and tools
Year: 1978


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|Site Map | Home | Mazes For Kids | Simple Mazes | Easy Mazes | Medium Mazes | Hard Mazes | Crazy Mazes | How To Play Online | How To Print a Maze
Hard Maze #2
The maze shown below is one of our hard mazes. This maze can be played online by simply using your mouse. Click and hold down your left mouse button to draw a line and navigate through the maze to reach the end. If you make a mistake or just want to start over, click the "Restart Maze" button below the maze game to refresh the screen and erase all of your markings. Also, you can print this maze on your printer by simply clicking the "Print This Maze" button below. After clicking this button, a new window or tab will appear containing the maze as shown below, but without any other type, advertisements, etc. Also, a printer dialog box will pop up allowing you to select your printer and print the maze.
Please note that at the bottom of the maze below is a message which will recommend which orientation, portrait or landscape, will give you the best results when printing.
Also there is a link below each maze which will open a new window or tab containing the solution for that particular maze. This link is labeled "Click Here For Maze Solution."
For additional information on printing your maze or playing the mazes online, please select the appropriate link shown above. Enjoy your free hard maze games!
|(Hold down left mouse button to draw)
|Click Here For Maze Solution
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The Pack is a little collection of mods and tweaks for Aliens Colonial Marines (PC / post update)
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Like many people, you don't want to simply throw books away. You feel that someone will want to read them. And you think that the best place for your books is the public library.
St. Louis Public Library in fact gets offered numerous book donations. So many, in fact, that we simply cannot take them all. This does not mean we don't think your books are valuable. Of course we do. We are a library! We truly want to help you find a home for your books. A number of organizations in the St. Louis area accept book donations. Some of them can be found here.
As the St. Louis Public Library, we are interested in preserving the history of St. Louis; in building collections that document its history. So we are interested in getting materials about or related to the St. Louis region. An example--we get many requests for St. Louis City high school yearbooks. We have many for various City high schools (past & present) but we have gaps. We would love for people to contact us to see if they have just the ones we need to fill these gaps.
Do you have other St. Louis books or materials? St. Louis neighborhood material, books by local authors, works on St. Louis businesses are other categories that we look for. If you have St. Louis books or materials, check with us.
We also know that some of you may have collected on specific subjects for years, carefully compiling a collection that cannot be found elsewhere. The Library will also consider donations of such unique collections that can complement items we already have. Examples are African-American materials, sheet music, architectural subjects, and family and county histories.
To find out if you can help us-–or if we can help you--call our Collection Development Department (314-539-0330) or Special Collections (314-539-0399).
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Just read an interesting article, from the NY Times online, which names the top ten "Internet Moments" of the decade! As could be expected, Wikipedia and the iPhone made the list alongside Facebook and Craigslist. But the three I found most interesting were the mention of President Obama's 2008 campaign, the use of Twitter during the Iranian election protests this past year and what they call the "online video revolution" of 2006. These three really stood out to me as being the most important "moments" because they were events which happened because of the groundwork laid down by social networking websites and informational websites like Facebook and Wikipedia. It cannot be questioned that YouTube has greatly influenced much of our popular culture in the last five years, it's colorful internet stars often parodied in other online videos and major television programs. Obama's campaign utilized just about every site the internet had to offer during his presidential campaign. By using Twitter as a political forum, people were able to organize political protests and share experiences and information with people across the world, giving us in the U.S. an incredible insight into their 2009 election rather than getting our information through more conventional and perhaps less authentic news sources.
Our children will undoubtedly be taught a course on history of the internet or perhaps the evolution of information technology. And the top ten moments of the next decade may include LBS friendly gadgets, online voting or perhaps even a total reinvention of the internet itself!