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The statistics are sobering. Newark, N.J., has a murder rate double that of the Bronx. A third of its residents live in poverty. Only 40 percent of its students graduate from high school. Behind those numbers, though, are people trying to beat the odds.
In his new book, "A Chance to Win: Boyhood, Baseball, and the Struggle for Redemption in the Inner City," reporter Jonathan Schuppe chronicles that effort through the story of a fledgling Little League team, its improbable coach and inspiring players.
At the center of the narrative is Rodney Mason, a drug-peddling ex-con left paralyzed from a drive-by shooting who decides he can make a difference by starting a baseball team in a city where America's pastime holds little allure.
Below is an excerpt from "A Chance to Win," published May 7 by Henry Holt:
For weeks, Rodney had been combing the neighborhood for recruits, but now it was late March, a couple of weeks before the start of the 2008 Little League season, and he had only a handful of completed registration forms.
Baseball just didn't seem to be on many people's minds. Some kids had actually told Rodney that they hated baseball, recoiling as if it were some kind of social disease. He couldn't understand it. This was the national pastime, the game everyone played when he was growing up.
And today was the day. If kids didn't show up this morning, then they never would.
Rodney hoisted himself out of the tub and dried off. He slipped on a condom, fitted to a urine collection bag, and strapped the contraption to his right leg. He ironed his jeans and white T-shirt and switched to a battery-powered scooter that the family of an elderly neighbor had given him after the old man died.
Then he rode a lurching elevator to the lobby and rolled out in the gray chill. The neighborhood was just starting to come alive, people stepping onto their stoops, assessing the weather, waving to neighbors, retreating inside.
The field was empty. So was the parking lot. Rodney pulled up to the dugout, jammed his hands into the pockets of his Yankees windbreaker, and waited. Please god, he prayed. Help me make this happen.
Sometimes, when he was not working and his children were at school, Thaiquan Scott stopped by the Jackie Robinson South Ward Little League's old field at the St. Peter's Recreation Center to catch a game.
The diamond was lousy with lumps and the quality of play was terrible, but he occasionally noticed a gifted athlete who, if he found the right coach and stuck with it, could probably go on to play in high school or college. Thaiquan wondered why more black kids weren't interested in baseball.
Thaiquan and his family lived on the second floor of a narrow three-family house with cream-colored vinyl siding on Peshine Avenue. Their block was not what you'd call kid-friendly, though there were many children.
Dope fiends and drunks puttered around in the abandoned lot across the street. Brash young drug dealers played noisy games of dice on the stoops of homes, the tenants too frightened or too complacent to complain. A few days after the Scotts moved in, a thirty-nine-year-old woman was killed in a drive-by around the corner.
Thaiquan and his wife wanted to leave Peshine Avenue, but their house was one of the only places they could find that was cheap and large enough for the seven of them. So they made the best of it by keeping the kids busy and trying to expose them to the world outside the city.
Thaiquan saw baseball, and sports in general, as a bulwark against the streets; the more his kids played, the less chance that something bad would ever happen to them. His father had been an amateur player – a damn good one, he'd heard, but drinking got in the way, and the old man left home without ever passing the game on to Thaiquan.
Now he wanted to give his two oldest children – Nasir, his biological son, and Kaneisha, his stepdaughter – that chance he never got. He pledged that as soon as they reached playing age, he'd sign them up for Little League.
In late March, Thaiquan got word that Nasir and Kaneisha had been assigned to a team. They went to meet their coach and were surprised to see that he was in a wheelchair. Thaiquan introduced himself and felt like he understood Rodney immediately.
"He's from the struggle," Thaiquan said later. "But that don't mean he's not about the kids. He's a product of his environment, so he knows how the kids are and how they grow up. I could tell right away that he was doing it from the heart."
It began with a trickle: a child here, another there, and soon there was a crowd. Among the first arrivals was Derek Fykes, who arrived with his grandmother Irene. He was ten but had the face of a tired man: eyes narrowed, brow rumpled, lips slack.
He had just been removed from his father's apartment by the state child welfare agency. This wasn't the first time he'd been abruptly pulled from one home and placed in another. Probably wouldn't be the last, either. Irene worried about the lasting damage of an unsettled childhood. But baseball was one of the few things that helped Derek regain his footing.
Derek was an anomaly in that he'd played Little League before. Just one other boy, a heavy trash-talker named William (who went by "Pooh"), had any experience. The others were young and scrawny and clueless; most didn't have gloves, and some didn't know if they threw right-handed or left-handed.
DeWan Johnson, a magnetic 10-year-old with a gap-toothed grin and nubby dreadlocks that poked from his head like spring shoots, was one of the most promising recruits. No one had taught him how to swing a bat or throw a ball or encouraged him to play baseball at all, for that matter. What little he knew about the game came from watching kids in the park and the Yankees on TV. He had an untethered rocket of an arm and bravely planted himself in front of hard-hit grounders. Rodney assigned him to third base.
The kids were arriving in packs now. A pickup game began. Rodney suddenly looked overwhelmed. A couple of fathers offered to hit grounders, keep the books, whatever they could do to assist. Another man showed up and said he, too, wanted to coach.
By that afternoon, Rodney figured that he'd talked to about a hundred people. When Kelley, the league president, stopped by to see how things were going, she found dozens of kids calling themselves Eagles. They threw like shot-putters, swung bats like axes, ran shrieking through the infield with little clue what they were doing.
It was hard not to chuckle, watching them swirl around Rodney as he tried to figure out what to do next. His sister Darlene showed up and was startled by the sight.
"Where did you get those kids?" she said, aghast. "They cannot play baseball."
Rodney didn't care. The hardest part, in his mind, was over; he now had something to work with, something that he could shape into a team. It would not be pretty. But it would happen. Finally. He couldn't wait to get started.
"That's all right," Rodney told his sister. "I'm-a teach them."
Copyright © 2013 by Jonathan Schuppe
Jonathan Schuppe is a national enterprise reporter for NBC's local news websites and a former staff writer at the Newark Star-Ledger


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The road over the first three months has been unexpectedly uneven, but the Patriots have proven to be remarkably resilient while building an 8-3 record that includes signature wins over the Saints and Broncos.
They hold a three-game lead in the AFC East with five games to play, making it all but a given they'll win the division and claim the automatic postseason invite that comes with it for the 11th time in 13 seasons.
The Patriots are also well positioned to land a first-round bye and are in contention with the Broncos and Chiefs for home-field advantage throughout the conference playoffs.
So it's all coming together.
"They're loading up for a run for a championship," said coach Gary Kubiak, whose Texans will host the Patriots today in Houston. "You can just see it."
The Texans (2-9) are the start of a season-ending stretch that includes the Browns (4-7) and Bills (4-7) at home and Dolphins (5-6) and Ravens (6-6) on the road. The Patriots have had their problems in Miami over the years, and everyone has issues in Baltimore, but overall it's a pretty soft schedule in December.
While the first job on the to-do list — qualifying for the playoffs — is nearly complete, there remains plenty of work to be done.
"We're not satisfied with where we are right now," perennial Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins said. "We're still trying to get better."
For the defense, it's getting the secondary healthy and finding some way to stand its ground against the run with some regularity.
The Patriots rank 26th in the league in yards per carry (4.5) and 31st in yards per game (139.7). The league averages are 4.1 and 111.1.
"We have to do a better job of defending the run," coach Bill Belichick said. "We have to keep doing a better job defensively on third down and the red area. Those areas weren't as good as what they need to be, either."
The Patriots get off the field on third down 44 percent of the time, a mark bettered by 29 teams. They are in the middle of the pack once backed inside the 20-yard line.
The offense also isn't where it wants to be, but it has made substantial strides since the return of All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski in October.
The Patriots averaged 20.8 points in the first six games of the season while Gronkowski remained on the physically unable to perform list. They were held to 23 points or less four times.
They're averaging 32.6 points in the five games he's been available. They scored at least 27 points in four of those outings. The increased production can be traced to the red zone.
The Patriots converted 9 of 22 opportunities (41 percent) inside the 20-yard line into touchdowns without Gronkowski. They're 16 of 25 (64 percent) with the 6-foot-6, 265-pound target at quarterback Tom Brady's disposal.
In addition, Brady was completing 56.9 percent of his passes pre-Gronk. He has connected on 60.1 percent with the big guy around.
"He's a big presence for us," Brady said. "Red area and third down, made some big plays on first and second down so you really don't need to string together a bunch of good plays, you can kind of make some big plays. He's done a good job coming back."
Gronkowski leads all tight ends in catches (31) and yards (433) since making his debut in Week 7.
Having running back Shane Vereen, who has caught eight passes in each of his first two games back from an extended absence due to broken wrist, also hasn't hurt.
The main concern is whether running back Stevan Ridley, who has lost a fumble in each of the past three games, can get a grip.
Ridley is by far the best back on the team, someone who can run between the tackles and run away from the defense once he reaches the second level.
As Brady noted last week, "We're going to need him down the stretch."
That would be on the field, not the bench. It all starts today in Houston.
"I don't think we've really performed to our level of what we need to," Brady said. "We're still building and trying to figure out what kind of team we're going to be. This will be a good week to see if we can finally put together 60 good minutes."
The Patriots have endured a number of ups and downs over the first 11 games. With the playoffs looming, now is the time to smooth out the wrinkles in hopes they'll add to their list of signature wins come January.
Contact Rich Garven at email@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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These ideas will go more than approaches health and fitness can be practiced far more efficiently. Prior to you start off obtaining in condition, you require to know what you are carrying out so that you do not injure oneself or do the mistaken workouts. Find out a little something before you hit the fitness center!
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Welcome to Project Car Hell, where you choose your eternity by selecting the project that's the coolest... and the most hellish! Last time, we watched in disbelief as the insanely complicated agglomeration of iron oxide shaped vaguely like a Jensen FF got shellacked in the Choose Your Eternity poll by the much simpler- yet more glamorous- Aston Martin DB5. Today we're going to take a trip back to the era of Synanon and presidential resignations, with a couple of innovative Detroit V8-powered machines you rarely hear about these days.
You hear a lot about the De Tomaso Pantera- especially after Vince Neil couldn't even drive one to the liquor store without incident- but the little Italian car company with a love for Ford Cleveland power built other fine automobiles as well. For example, the De Tomaso Longchamp, a mean-looking coupe with 351 snarling Dearborn horses under its hood. Only 409 were ever made, so you're probably
breathing a sigh of relief despondent that you can't get one for your personal Hell Project. Not so fast, sport! Jalopnik is on the case, and we've unearthed- yes, that's the word- this 1974 De Tomaso Longchamp with a starting bid of just one dollar... and that's with no reserve, we might add. Some of you who harbor dreams of getting a last-second acceptance into the 24 Hours of LeMons New England race might be taking note of the New Hampshire location of this car, but how could you let a jewel like this get all beat up on a race track? Why, that rust might not be as bad as it looks! And rest assured that this is a numbers-matching car, so you can bank on making a huge profit at Barrett-Jackson after you restore it.
What's your favorite Canadian car company? For us, it's got to be Bricklin. Yes, the man responsible for bringing Subarus and Yugos to our continent also built his own sports car, the Bricklin SV-1. Back in the 70s, the man at the wheel of an SV-1 didn't have to worry about where his next STD would be coming from, because all the ladies were eager to dish up the spirochetes to a Bricklin-equipped gent. While we could have gone with a 351 Cleveland-powered SV-1, this AMC 360-powered '74 model has nine more cubic inches and a big helping of Kenosha Kool. And look- a 4-speed! Jack up the Malaise power output to, say, 500 horsepower and you'd have the best of Early Malaise style coupled with modern-day acceleration. The seller's description would work a lot better without the photographs, we think; words like "excellent" and "beautiful" don't seem to fit the
utter basket case challenging project pictured. It appears that the fiberglass has rusted somehow. But hey, the engine runs and the car drives- how hard could it be?


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Early HIV treatment: Tackling HIV among injecting drug users in Vietnam
Nguyen Trong Hoa has been injecting heroin for 19 years but in January he finally knew he had to get help. He began methadone therapy to help break his habit and also had an HIV test at an outpatient clinic in Thanh Hoa City on Viet Nam's north central coast.
Hoa, 36, was worried when he learned that he was HIV-positive. But the clinic that tested him is participating in a pilot study supported by WHO to start HIV-positive drug users on antiretroviral therapy as soon as they are diagnosed – in line with the Organization's recommendation to give people treatment before HIV weakens their immune system.
The aim of the study is to assess the impact of targeting people like Hoa with the "test and treat" approach, both on their own health and on reducing new HIV infections. Hoa didn't hesitate when he was asked to take part.
An estimated 257 000 people are living with HIV in Viet Nam, many of them drug users. "HIV-positive people who inject drugs face heavy stigmatization. They are intent on keeping their HIV status secret from family and community, which often results in their seeking testing and treatment at a very late stage of infection," says Dr Loc Thanh Hai, Chief of the Outpatient Clinic at the Thanh Hoa City Health Centre.
Real world challenges
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) slows the spread of HIV. So delaying treatment too long may leave an individual more vulnerable to infections such as tuberculosis, and render any eventual treatment less effective. Studies indicate that starting ART early not only benefits the patient but can reduce the risk that they will pass the virus to someone else if they share needles or have unprotected sex.
The study, launched in April 2014, will enrol some 300 HIV-positive drug users at 13 outpatient clinics in Thanh Hoa and Thai Nguyen provinces. Participants will be provided with information about the study and will receive ART and voluntary HIV testing and counselling. The study will also track how well participants adhere to treatment, and researchers will interview medical staff and patients to assess how feasible and acceptable the programme would be in the long run.
WHO is involved in advocating, convening and supporting studies to inform Government policies for effective HIV programmes on the ground, especially for groups that are hard to reach because their behaviour is often stigmatised or criminalised, such as injecting drug users, men who have sex with men, and sex workers.
"It is of vital importance to understand, how earlier treatment, proven effective in reducing HIV transmission in serodiscordant couples in clinical trials, can be implemented in the real world, above all with regard to these key populations," says Dr Ying-Ru Lo, HIV specialist at WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific.
Brighter future
Thanh Hoa and Thai Nguyen provinces were chosen for the Viet Nam study because a joint WHO and UNAIDS initiative, known as Treatment 2.0, is being simultaneously rolled out there. These programmes provide HIV testing, counselling and treatment closer to where people live and work, usually at a communal health stations. The aim is to make it easier, and cheaper, for people to be checked, get medication and continue treatment.
"Our hope is that by prioritising these people with early ART while continuing an optimal mix of prevention methods, we will be able to see a huge reduction in HIV new infections and AIDS deaths, that is not only cost-effective over the long term but prevents a huge amount of individual suffering," says Dr Bui Duc Duong, Deputy Director General, Viet Nam's Authority for HIV/AIDS control.
"Viet Nam has been very progressive in tackling HIV by promoting needle-syringe programmes, methadone maintenance therapy and condom use among high risk groups and it is now time to accelerate access to HIV testing and treatment, especially for people who inject drugs," says Dr Masaya Kato of WHO Viet Nam office.
For Hoa, the future is already looking brighter. "Since being on ART, I feel more confident and worry less about dying. I can look forward to continuing my life with my wife, who knows my HIV status and is very supportive," he says.
Fact box: CD4 count
Testing how many blood cells known as CD4 a person has can give an indication of the strength of their immune system. Viet Nam's guidelines say HIV-positive people whose count is 350 or below should get ART. Often drug users seek help when their count is below 100. Another factor is a patient's viral load, which means how much HIV there is in a body fluid.
When to start ART depends on a number of factors and WHO is continually evaluating its guidelines. The current recommendation is to start ARVs when the CD4 count is 500 cells/mm


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The Shiner Enterprise (Shiner, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 10, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 16, 1914
Description: Weekly newspaper from Shiner, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with advertising.
Date: September 16, 1914
Creator: Denham, S. P.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Newspaper
Partner: The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History


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hi all,
i recently read an coverstory about Ray in the outlook with regards to his 50th aniversary of Pather Panchali. One thing i came accross and that really made me get fascinated about his movies(even though i have not got to see any till this day) was his style of editing. It was mentioned that his style of editing was so well in place that you really did not feel the transition and what really mattered to the audience was his story or so that is how he edited them to communicate his ideas. i would like to know a little technical information on what kind of editing technique he used and how he played around with editing to give life to his movie. i would really like to have some technical info about how he worked with his movies and created magic. hope to get a reply soon. thank you


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Sullivan necesitaba un nuevo diseño de otro y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 218 diseños de 42 diseñadores freelance.
Our most popular red wine deserves to get more attention, and we're hoping a new label will help us achieve that. We're looking for something that will stand out and say "Buy me!". If the label can lure people into buying the wine and tasting it once, the wine has proven it will bring them back for more.
We launched our small winery five years ago here in the Hudson Valley of New York where it co-exists with our fruit farm. We grow our own grapes and do most everything related to the winery ourselves including original design of a pretty nondescript label. Two years ago we conducted a local contest for original artwork and the result was a fabulous label (for our Jumpin Jazz wine). This time around we'd like to see what this worldwide design community can do for our best selling wine. We want a label that's not too serious but not too silly. We would like you, the designer, to create your interpretation of our delicious, semi-dry red wine blend, Red Quartet. The wine is a blend of four grape varieties, and we describe it as a good starting point for the red wine novice and a nice break from the monster reds for the red wine expert. Again, it's not too serious; it's a red wine for the "red wine drinker wannabe" if you know what we mean. What image does "Red Quartet" bring to your mind? (For more about us, visit http://www.gloriewine.com.)
- Be certain the design is a reflection of the name "Red Quartet."
- Your label design will cover an area 3.5" wide x 4" high.
- Include the trade name "GLORIE" in a font of your choice. (We have traditionally used Harrington which is found in MS Word & Publisher. Sorry, we know designers hate Publisher.)
- Include the wine name "Red Quartet" also in a font of your choice.
- The color palette is up to the designer, but it must include red.
- The file format must be Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop.
- We don't want a black background. We might like a white background (it would reduce the ink used). We're pretty open. Surprise us and we'll talk!


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Mitt: Obama has made U.S. less safe
LEXINGTON, Va. — Using his harshest language yet, Mitt Romney charged Monday that President Barack Obama has made America less safe during his time in office, citing the recent attacks on the U.S. Consulate in Libya as a case in point.
In a tough foreign policy speech at the Virginia Military Institute here, Romney linked the attacks in Benghazi — including the killing of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens — to a broader critique of Obama's foreign policy as naïve and weak.
Story Continued Below
"When we look at the Middle East today — Iran closer than ever to nuclear weapons capability, with the conflict in Syria threatening to destabilize the region, with violent extremists on the march and with an American ambassador and three others dead likely at the hands of Al Qaeda affiliates — it is clear that the risk of conflict in the region is higher now than when the president took office," Romney told 500 cadets and local supporters in a 23-minute speech. "America's security and the cause of freedom cannot afford four more years like the last four years."
( PHOTOS: 10 slams on Obama and Benghazi)
He mentioned the killing of Osama bin Laden – Obama's biggest overseas triumph – but Romney credited "military and intelligence professionals."
The former Massachusetts governor also criticized Obama for ending the war in Iraq, one of the president's proudest accomplishments.
"America's ability to influence events for the better in Iraq has been undermined by the abrupt withdrawal of our entire troop presence," he said. "The president tried — he tried, but he also failed — to secure a responsible and gradual draw-down that would have better secured our gains."
( Also on POLITICO: Experts pan Romney's speech)
Romney also outlined what he'd do as president in a host of hot spots, trying to fill in a foreign policy vision that has been criticized as opaque.
He said he would draw clearer red lines regarding Iran's drive to develop nuclear weapons: "I will not hesitate to impose new sanctions on Iran and will tighten the sanctions we currently have. I will restore the permanent presence of aircraft carrier task forces in both the Eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf region — and work with Israel to increase our military assistance and coordination."
As a counterweight to Iranian influence, Romney supports the arming of rebels to defeat the Syrian regime and building relationships with the insurgents so that they can eventually become allies: "I will work with our partners to identify and organize those members of the opposition who share our values and ensure they obtain the arms they need to defeat Assad's tanks, helicopters and fighter jets."
( See also: Romney's foreign policy speech (full text, video))
Romney explained that America has friends and enemies, but that some exist in a gray area in between. He would make foreign aid to Egypt conditional on the new Islamist government building democratic institutions and maintaining peace with Israel.
In Afghanistan, Romney reiterated his support for a "a real and successful transition" to Afghan security forces by the end of 2014, but he kept the door open to an indefinite U.S. military presence if the country becomes a terrorist sanctuary.
"I will evaluate conditions on the ground and weigh the best advice of our military commanders," he said. "And I will affirm that my duty is not to my political prospects but to the security of the nation."
( Also on POLITICO: 6 keys to a Romney revival)
Romney also maintained that he supports a two-state solution in Israel; video of a closed fundraiser in May found him suggesting that the peace process was doomed because the Palestinian government is not serious about a peaceful solution.
"In this old conflict, as in every challenge we face in the Middle East, only a new president will bring the chance to begin anew," he said.


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Last night, Lifetime premiered two episodes of the reality series that brings Roseanne Barr back to TV. In the teasers, it was made clear that the show, Roseanne's Nuts (GET IT?), would be focus on both Barr's newfound passion for nut farming and her mental stability — or lack thereof.
In less than one hour of television, we see Roseanne gun down pigs on her farm, take down a tree with a tractor, get her chakra realigned as a healer burps out her inner demons, fight with her boyfriend and son, do yoga with her hippie friend who lives in a tent on her property, and kick the entire television crew off of her property on account of having a bad day. Enjoy.


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Colorado Creative Industries doles out nearly $1 million in grants
Colorado Creative Industries today unveiled 132 grants to the tune of $922,000 for arts organizations and government agencies across 32 Colorado counties.
Colorado Creates, the agency's largest grant program, is a lifeline for frequently cash-strapped nonprofit cultural organizations and government agencies producing and presenting arts and cultural activities. Each of the 132 organizations received between $4,000 and $10,000.
The grants cover events and activities taking place between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012.
"There are over 186,000 jobs in our state's creative sector, making it the fifth largest employment cluster," said Elaine Mariner, Director of the Creative Industries Division, in a press release. "By investing in this sector's vitality, the state builds its reputation as a premier creative hub and reaps significant economic returns."
The state's Creative Industries Division — formerly known as Colorado Council on the Arts — was established in July 2010 by merging the Colorado Council on the Arts, the Office of Film, Television and Media, and the state's Art in Public Places program.
A full description of this year's funded activities will be posted soon at coloradocreativeindustries.org. Click below to see the massive list of organizations receiving funds.


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If you're rich enough, you don't have to worry about anything. You can buy an expensive car and little winged fairies will hold it upon hillsides for you with a golden net while you're at the club.
Well, ok, in reality, even the very wealthy have to observe the laws of physics, like this BMW M6 driver who forgot to apply the parking brake.
A motorist cruising through an affluent neighborhood in Bath, Ohio spotted this M6 — whose hapless owner (or valet) appears to have left it in neutral next to some hilltop mansion — took a picture, and sent it to us. Even though the car is at least a couple years old, it's still worth about $60,000.
Oh well, chances are good that the repairs won't cost quite that much. Maybe next time he should try a bag.
(Hat tip to Walter!)


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IUCN and Shell are working with a wide range of stakeholders to gain a shared understanding of how to mitigate the impacts of biofuel production caused by indirect land use change.
IUCN and Shell organized an ILUC workshop at Chatham House in London, convening a range of stakeholders including regulators, agricultural commodity producers, biofuels producers and suppliers, research institutes and environmental NGOs. The objective was to gain a shared understanding of how to effectively mitigate against ILUC risks from biofuel production. The workshop concluded that viable options to mitigate ILUC risks currently exist for feedstock producers (e.g. choosing appropriate feedstocks, use of co-products, residues, integrated land use), elsewhere along the supply chain (e.g. sourcing low-ILUC feedstocks, conversion optimisation, new conversion technologies), and at broader levels (e.g. performance-based policies, strategic land use planning). Appropriate policy frameworks are then required to ensure that these opportunities are realised and ILUC is addressed on the ground.
The workshop outcomes (see workshop report) are being used to inform IUCN's recommendations for the European Commission's public consultation on indirect land use change and biofuels, taking place until October 31st 2010.
Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) refers to changes in land use that arise from the displacement of an existing land use practice as a result of the adoption of a new land use practice. This can occur at the local level with the displacement of human uses of a given resource or ecosystem service; or at the global level via increased demand for agricultural commodities which then triggers increased supply in national, regional or global markets.
As a small but expanding contributor to increased agricultural demand and associated production, biofuels have come under scrutiny for their potential to cause ILUC. Pre-existing land uses (cropping, grazing, or other) may be displaced by crops for biofuels to other lands that, in some cases, may be forested lands, peatlands, or grasslands. This displacement impacts on people and biodiversity, in addition to potentially altering the greenhouse gas emissions balance of the biofuel.
Assuming that biofuels-related ILUC is caused by increased demand for agricultural commodities for biofuels markets, the main ways of mitigating against the ILUC risk involve increasing supplies of those commodities without displacing existing production and uses to other lands. The best outcome is to ensure proactively that ILUC does not occur, as a result of biofuels, or any other agriculture expansion activities likely to take place as populations grow towards 9 billion. We urgently need to find ways of mitigating against ILUC risks and promote these measures in biofuels policies and practices.
For more information see IUCN webpage and video on ILUC.
IUCN and Shell signed a five-year agreement in 2007 to collaborate more effectively on conservation-related projects. More information on IUCN Shell partnership.


text: Scarlett Johansson, the face of Mango's fall/winter collection, celebrated the line's launch in Munich, Germany yesterday. The Vicky Cristina Barcelona star stepped out in a sexy, versatile look by the brand that consisted of a tan pencil skirt, bow blouse, and peep-toe pumps. The actress, who recently celebrated her first anniversary with Ryan Reynolds and is set to star in Iron Man 2 , continues to win praise for Break Up, the new album on which she collaborated with singer-songwriter Pete Yorn.


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Father and son buggy crew Ian and Shannon Rentsch win Finke Desert Race, motorcycles division has a close finish
A buggy crew has won Central Australia's Finke Desert Race, beating the trophy trucks over the line to be crowned kings of the desert.
Victorian father and son combination Ian and Shannon Rentsch also won the race between Finke and Alice Springs in 2005 and 2006.
Shannon Rentsch says they have raced consistently since then but found it a challenge to take out the race, known as Australia's most gruelling off-road race, again.
"We came second here last year, so we got close," he said.
"But it's just one of the races that we haven't been able to take out for a few years.
"It's a big relief - this is the race we want to win ... it's an awesome feeling."
This long weekend marked the 39th running of the two-day off-road race from Alice Springs to the small community of Finke, with cars, buggies, motorbikes and quad bikes taking part.
Toby Price, who was forced to drop out of last year's race due to injury, claimed victory in the motorbike division.
He completed two stages of the track between Alice Springs and a remote Aboriginal community in a combined time of just over three hours and 56 minutes.
It was a return to form for Price after he severely injured his neck training for last year's race and could not compete.
It was the first time he claimed the king of the desert title after sustaining injuries in the race in 2010 and 2012.
Just two minutes behind him, David Walsh took out second place and a mere 11 seconds behind him was Ivan Long in third.
Topics: human-interest, motor-sports, nt, alice-springs-0870, vic
First posted


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Senate approves plan to send BP fines to Gulf restoration
WASHINGTON — The Senate approved a highway bill Wednesday that includes a long-sought provision for the Gulf Coast: A guarantee that 80 percent of the fines collected from the April 2010 BP oil spill — an amount that could reach $20 billion — would be distributed for coastal restoration to the five states along the Gulf of Mexico: Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Alabama.
While the bill faces an uncertain outlook in the House of Representatives, Gulf state lawmakers are anxious for Congress to adopt the amendment on the so-called RESTORE Act before a settlement is reached with the Department of Justice and BP.
"I am hopeful that the Senate's overwhelming support for helping Gulf Coast states address long-term environmental and economic damages will be fairly considered by the House of Representatives," said Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss. "The nation needs an extended highway bill, and Gulf Coast states need assurance that Congress will allow them to have resources to recover from the oil spill."
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said, "As we approach the two-year anniversary of the Gulf oil spill, I am glad to have helped pass a bill to direct funds to coastal communities that were impacted."
Under the Senate bill, the five states would divide 35 percent of the money equally, 60 percent would be directed to the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council and 5 percent would go to a new Gulf science and fisheries program. The House-passed version of the amendment doesn't specify how the money would be distributed. If Congress doesn't act, the fines collected would go to the Treasury.
"I join with our senators in celebrating the fact that a majority on both sides of the Capitol have now committed to bringing most of the Clean Water Act fines back to the states affected by this tragedy," Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., said in a statement.
"These BP fine monies are vital in ensuring the long-term environmental and economic recovery of the Gulf Coast."
Bill to steer BP oil spill fines to Gulf states passes committee
Following complaints from Gulf, Congress seeks audit of BP oil spill fund


text:
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Hi, please I am looking for a human cDNA library cloned into a yeast expression vector, preferentially with a Gal1 promoter and URA3 or HIS3 marker. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Sincerely, Daniel Espinoza -- Daniel O. Espinoza Biology-CUNY (718) 494 5197 lab (718) 494 5287 fax


text:
Geico Gecko Campaigns
Geico's Gecko won the most popular icon at Yahoo's Advertising Week in September after a long campaign by the insurance company and its advertising agency, The Martin Agency. Read on to find out more about the Geico Gecko campaign, launched in 1999 with the voice of Kelsey Grammar.
Geico the green Gecko was launched on USA television in the 1999-2000 season. The first campaign featured the gecko, voiced by Kelsey Grammar, answering 'wrong number' calls from consumers looking for cheaper insurance from Geico.
Without any explanation, the second series of Gecko ads presented the green reptile trying out as the new mascot of Geico. At the Geico audition the gecko met the former Taco Bell Chihuahua mascot who says, "Oh, great, a talking gecko". Obviously the gecko gets the job.
Creatives at the Martin Agency, Richmond, Virginia, came up with the campaign concept when they played with the common mispronunciation of the word, "Geico". Why not make something of it. Geico became Gecko and with a few strokes of a pen the new character was brought to life.
Five years later the Geico gecko graces every page of the company web site. He works for the fourth largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States, plays with beautiful women and gets rides on bikes, in cars, even in his own custom van. It's something like the rise of Kermit the Frog.
In 2004 Geico promoted their sponsorship of outdoor shows around the country with Geico's custom van. The first two spots, aired in March, were titled "Getting Ready" and were followed with two "Driving" spots: "Extraordinary Events Demand An Extraordinary Individual" and "Four Legs. Eight Cylinders. Can You Say Road Trip". Both spots conclude with the appearance of the GEICO Gecko saying, "Well, hello!" in an affable British accent.
So where do you find the ads online?
Geico in their video library feature Geico dancing the Robot and travelling to New York to kick off voting for the 2005 advertising icon of the year.
"This was a fun project," comments 804 Creative Director /Composer Bill Grishaw. "The first spot was shot and cut to look like a movie trailer, so I just got to go full out, high impact, orchestral Hollywood -style with the music. The second spot was like an MTV 'Road Rules' type vibe, so I wrote an up-tempo, ska-meets-alt rock track. It was an added bonus that I got to hang out with the GEICO gecko during the whole session. He is a really great guy."
"The footage was beautiful and made for an easy cut," says Scott Witthaus, Senior Editor and Post-Production Supervisor for Greybox. "The entire process was enjoyable with the Martin Agency and all involved. Both spots had unique sensibilities, one being a movie trailer and the other a more quirky 'travelogue' feel and everyone was very happy with the end product. The hardest part of the post process was getting a flight out of New York in a blizzard after our Spirit transfer!"
Voice of Geico Gecko Updated
Kelsey Grammar, of Frasier fame, provided the voice for the first ad. From there on the British accent was provided by Dave Kelly. For the most recent Geico Gecko campaign the accent is Cockney. There's some debate about who the actor now is. I believe it would be impossible to pick the actor from the accent as a 'voice' can be developed to suit the demands.
At Frametore, the animation/visual effects company responsible for the latest Geico look, there's an explanation behind the new Cockney accent.
Lead CG Animator/Effects Supervisor Dave Hulin says, "Our role was similar to that of an acting coach. We used our CG experience to train the new Gecko guy to act cheekier and show a lot more 'sales savvy.' Ultimately we honed an East End geezer type performance, and his cockney accent and mannerisms make for tons of fresh comedic possibilities."
The Geico Gecko campaign was developed at The Martin Agency, Richmond, VA by copywriter Steve Bassett, art director John Ryland, producer Brad Powell and assistant producer Emily Moore.
Filming was shot by director/DP Sunny Zhao via Dreams Factory, Richmond, with producer Tim Dowdle and executive producer Clara Lee.
Editor was Scott Witthaus at Greybox, Richmond.
Music was composed by Bill Grishaw at 804, Richmond, with executive producer Kristin O'Connor.
Colorist was Billy Gabor at Company 3, New York.
Post production/VFX was done at Rhythm + Hues, Los Angeles, by online editor Mike D'Ambrosa, animation director Craig Talmy, digital supervisor Chris Romano, lighting director Debbie Pashkoff , Flame artists Yukiko Ishiwata and Tim Miller, executive producer Amy Hassler and producer Peggy Regan.
Audio post production was done at Play, Santa Monica, by mixer John Bolen, with assistant mixers Matt Downs and Chris Hildrew.
Filed under: Commercials, Geico
Tagged: 804, Company 3, Dreams Factory, Framestore, Greybox, Play, Rhythm & Hues, Sunny Zhao
Location: USA


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NEW YORK - Get ready for more stage versions of your favorite movies - 20th Century Fox has formed a new joint venture to turn the studio's vast arsenal of films into musicals.
The studio said Thursday it has joined up with Tony Award-winner producer Kevin McCollum, film producer John Davis and entertainment executive Tom McGrath to develop at least nine musicals based upon the studio's films over the next several years.
The three will continue to work on other projects while collaborating with Fox.
The move takes 20th Century Fox from a licenser of films into a player on Broadway, adding its heft to already established film studios operating in Times Square, including Disney, Warner Bros., Sony and MGM.
But 20th Century Fox - which includes the units Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox International Productions and Twentieth Century Fox Animation - has a mouth-watering list of films that range from "Cocoon" and "Carmen Jones" to "Zorba the Greek" and "There's Something About Mary."
McCollum put together the Broadway hits "Rent," "Avenue Q" and "In the Heights." Davis was behind the movies "Predator," "The Firm," "Grumpy Old Men" and "I Robot." McGrath, a former executive with Viacom Entertainment Group, currently helps lead Crossroads Media, Inc.
They will be aided by Isaac Robert Hurwitz, the executive director and producer of The New York Musical Theatre Festival, who will act as a consultant.


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text:
When it's too hot and sticky to head outdoors, creating family fun inside is essential.
Playing games together as a family is a bonding experience. Children get to spend time with their parents and build learning and life skills, all while having fun.
When choosing family friendly games, it's important to consider if the game is age-appropriate and can be played at your child's developmental and skill levels. The following games are geared towards preschoolers and toddlers, but are fun to play for the entire family.
Roll & Play. Designed for children 18 months and up and 2 or more players, Roll & Play is the perfect first game for young families to play together. Players roll a big, plush, color sided cube and whatever color they roll, they identify and choose a coordinating card. The cards say fun things like "Moo like a cow!" or "Make a scary face". There's a pocket in the cube to hold the durable cards, which makes the game super portable and easy to cleanup. Roll & Play reinforces the learning of colors, shapes, sounds and emotions while teaching kids to take turns, follow rules and cheer other players on.
S'Match! Designed for children ages 4 and up and 2-6 players, S'Match! puts a spin on the classic game of memory. Players spin the S'Match! spinner and find a match based on the attribute the spinner lands on. Players can find matching shapes, colors or numbers. S'Match! boosts language development and memory skills and reinforces the learning of shapes, colors and numbers. Since the cards have both words and pictures, it's great for readers and pre-readers alike.
Zingo! Designed for children ages 4 and up and 2-6 players, Zingo! Encourages pre-readers and early readers to match the images and words on a tile with the images and words on the Zingo! cards. The Zingo! tiles are stored and dispensed in the Zingo! Zinger. Players slide the box over and tiles are dispensed. An innovative take on Bingo, the first player who fills their card and yells Zingo! wins. Zingo! helps build children's language development, vocabulary, memory and matching skills, all while having fun.
Snack Attack. Designed for children ages 4 and up and 2-6 players, Players use the Stack Attack Spinner to dispense food tokens which players match to the foods on their plates. The player who stacks the most food on their plate wins. Snack Attack builds memory and concentration skills, as well as teaches children to take turns and win and lose graciously. Snack Attack seamlessly mixes education and entertainment to create hours of fun.
Thank you to ThinkFun, the makers of Rush Hour and other popular mind challenging games who sent my family a box of games to review. Abby, 4, and Luke 2, enjoyed playing each of the games. Roll & Play and Zingo! are their favorites, as well as mine.


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centip3de wrote:I feel like we get one of these threads once a year and it always ends up the same way (Ahem). Anyway, I've yet to comment on one and am feeling slightly masochistic, I suppose, so I'll bite.
I'm an atheist (I assume this will be the trend of most people on here), though I have no issue with religion. In fact, I believe that about 30% of the population requires their religion to function on a daily basis, it's essentially their drug. They aren't ready to give it up and quite frankly, religion is dying out on it's own so I see know need to go out and battle it.
xor402 wrote:Daer xTractatorix, what is a Deist ? could you please explain it to me, i am not familiar with it.
xor402 wrote:I am a christian as a start.
xor402 wrote:Dear WallShadow , i didn't realy understand that you have seen enough evidence to state that there was Jesus Christ, since you don't know nothing about him, funny isn't it. Unless you mean another Jesus and another Christ than what Christianity believe in!
xor402 wrote:Dear centip3de, i hope that moslems would see as you that religion is dying out on it's own, they intend to erase all other religions in the world, since islam only believes in 2 other religions only Judaism and Christianity, any other non islamic beliefs is pure evil, to be accurate they only believe in the religions names but they do not believe in their books or teachings or in their GOD.
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text:
MalachiGroup necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 203 diseños de 48 diseñadores freelance.
Fulcrum Mobile
We are team of mobile marketing specialist that work with national brands and agencies. Fulcrum Mobile marketing systems has done work with major brands like Toshiba, Panasonic and even Presidential Candidates.
We provide major marketing agencies with systems and strategies to connect them to mobile phone users. We like to think of ourselves as mobile thinkers. We use our knowledge of marketing and mobile to leverage how people will connect via mobile phones .
We want to distinguish the our power of the mind and ideas yet still we have systems to get the job done.
Our thinking,
Our mobile marketing text system,
Our mobile web development. Apps alone wont build a mobile brand presence.
Think of a major branding agency we do the mobile side.
You can find simular technology but very few can think like we do!
Our target audience is major brands that directly want to connect to mobile phone users.
Marketing agencies that currently work with major brands.
We have partners that sell our system to brands of all kinds.
Our main clients work with millions and billions
(Screw the 800lb gorillas) (David can still beat Goliath)
We are looking for a logo to represent Mobile Marketing and Communications Fulcrum Mobile.
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Web file format - .jpg and layered .psd (RGB)
Be creative, simple, yet memorable
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
Phillies can't complete rally, drop opener in desert
PHOENIX -- The Phillies rallied for three runs in the seventh inning and put the tying run in scoring position in the ninth, but it wasn't enough to get by the D-backs in a 5-4 loss Friday night at Chase Field.
Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg pointed to baserunning as the main reason for the loss.View Full Game Coverage
PHOENIX -- The Phillies rallied for three runs in the seventh inning and put the tying run in scoring position in the ninth, but it wasn't enough to get by the D-backs in a 5-4 loss Friday night at Chase Field.
Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg pointed to baserunning as the main reason for the loss.View Full Game Coverage
In the eighth inning, Ryan Howard and Marlon Byrd hit back-to-back singles with one out. Byrd's hit looked deep enough to allow pinch-runner John Mayberry Jr. to get to third base, but left fielder Tony Campana got to the ball quickly and prevented Mayberry from taking the extra base.
The play likely saved a run, as D-backs reliever Brad Ziegler got both Domonic Brown and Carlos Ruiz to ground out to first base and end the inning.
Ziegler has 10 straight scoreless appearances, a total of 9 2/3 innings.
"For me, that's a first-to-third play, and it might have even been a double for Byrd, really," Sandberg said of Mayberry on the bases. "With his [Campana's] arm strength and being up on the warning track, we have a pinch-runner in there to go first to third."
With Howard out of the game, Sandberg didn't have his bat in the ninth, when Mayberry -- batting in Howard's spot -- struck out looking with runners at first and second to end the game.
"We're trying to get runs in the eighth. We've got to score," Sandberg said. "I put a runner in there to try and tie the game up in the eighth on a double or a first-to-third type of play."
The D-backs got a big insurance run in their half of the eighth on A.J. Pollock's solo home run off reliever Jake Diekman to give them a 5-3 lead. The Phillies came back with a run off Arizona closer Addison Reed in the ninth, as Rollins singled in Ben Revere from second base with two out.
After Rollins stole second base, Reed intentionally walked the hot-hitting Chase Utley and struck out Mayberry. It was Reed's sixth save.
"Once again, if we have some better base running, then Diekman won't even be in there with a tie game, potentially," Sandberg said.
Three singles and a walk to Cody Asche plated the Phillies' first run of the game after they were unable to advance more than one runner past first base in the first six innings. Pinch-hitter Tony Gwynn Jr. hit a sharp ground ball to short that bounced off the D-backs' Cliff Pennington and into shallow center field, allowing two more runs to score.
Pennington was charged with an error and Gwynn was credited with one run batted in. The Phillies had runners on first and second with one out after manager Ryne Sandberg challenged an out call at second on Asche and the call was overturned with replay.
Asche overslid the bag on Gwynn's hit but umpires ruled that he got his hand in under the tag from second baseman Aaron Hill after Asche was originally called out.
However, D-backs reliever Randall Delgado retired the side on a fielder's choice and a fly out.
"I'm going to go out there and put it in the umpire's hands, and he was willing to check it out right away," Sandberg said when asked why he challenged the call. It was late in the game and his team trailed, another reason Sandberg took a chance.
Philadelphia (11-12) had won four of its previous five games to get back to .500. The Phillies struggled against Arizona starter Josh Collmenter (1-2), who blanked them on four hits over six innings with five strikeouts and no walks.
"We don't have a lot of history with him. He's a little funky, over the top [with his delivery]," Sandberg said. "He was throwing cut fastballs, both sides of the plate. But our guys really didn't get a look at it until the third time through the order."
Hill hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning and ripped a ground-rule double for another RBI in the fifth to pace the Arizona offense against Phillies starter Roberto Hernandez (1-1).
Hernandez got through six innings and allowed four runs on seven hits. He walked two.
"I tried to keep that one down," Hernandez said of the ball Hill hit. "It just got up."
Howard said Collmenter executed his game plan.
"He stuck to it pretty well and made pitches, hit his spots. That was key," Howard said.
The D-backs won their third straight game to improve to 8-18.
"They're all important," manager Kirk Gibson said. "We haven't played well. We know we're capable of playing better. We all expected better so it's good to have a little streak going right now."
Jose Romero is a contributor to MLB.com.


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Thursday, June 12, 2014
Sports News
beat Kings in thriller to extend Stanley Cup
Send a link to a friend
[June 12, 2014]
By Julian Linden
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Henrik Lundqvist
pulled off 40 saves as the New York Rangers held their nerve to edge the
Los Angeles Kings 2-1 on Wednesday and avoid being swept in the Stanley
Cup Final while reviving slim hopes of winning their first championship
in two decades.
Needing a victory to extend the best-of-seven series, the Rangers
survived a ferocious fightback from the Kings to win a
heart-pounding Game Four at Madison Square Garden and send the teams
back to California.
Roared on by their long-suffering fans, New York got goals from
Benoit Pouliot and Martin St. Louis while their inspirational
Swedish netminder succeeded in stonewalling the Kings' offense after
he conceded a breakaway goal to the Kings' captain Dustin Brown.
"They threw everything they had at us. Our goaltender stood tall,
gave us a chance," said a relieved New York head coach Alain
"He had to make some huge saves in the second and the third. He got,
and we got, a few bounces. You need those. Maybe the luck is
changing a little bit."
The odds are still heavily stacked against the Rangers winning
another three consecutive elimination games to capture their first
NHL title since 1994 with the series headed to Los Angeles on Friday
for Game Five.
The Kings clinched their first Stanley Cup title on home ice two
years ago and defenseman Drew Doughty said he was confident his side
could finish things off at home this time.
"We would have liked to finish it tonight but having the next game
back at home, that is where we are comfortable," he said.
"We are in front of our home fans, we are at the Staples Center, we
are on good ice. I'm looking forward to it."
The Blueshirts did at least give themselves a shot when they finally
got some breaks to go their way after losing the first two games in
overtime despite leading each by two goals.
They outshot the Kings by a ratio of 2-1 in Game Three on Monday but
still lost 3-0 with one goal coming off a wicked deflection, but
their fortunes took a change for the better on Wednesday.
This time, the Kings outshot the Rangers 41-19, including 15-1 in a
tense final period, and twice got the puck past Lundqvist only to
see it stop right on the red line before being swiped to safety by
"I've been in the game a long time to know that sometimes the hockey
gods are there," Vigneault said. "They were there tonight."
[to top of second column]
New York's opening goal came off a deflection when John Moore rifled
a shot from near the blue line that was redirected by the edge of
Pouliot's raised stick, giving Los Angeles goalie Jonathan Quick no
real chance of stopping it.
The Kings almost tied the game when Alec Martinez got the puck past
Lundqvist only to see it stop on the line before defenseman Anton
Stralman knocked it away.
"We had a little puck luck tonight but you take those," said St.
Louis. "We didn't play a perfect game but we found a way...and we
got rewarded with our first win."
The Rangers doubled their lead in the second period when St. Louis
stuffed in a rebound but the Kings struck back two minutes later
when Dustin Brown picked up a loose puck and pulled a nifty deke on
The Kings, who won each of their first three rounds in seven games,
showed why they remain the most difficult team in the NHL to finish
off as they launched wave after wave of attack.
The tension escalated in the final period when the puck slid past
Lundqvist and on to the line again before a sprawling Derek Stepan
tapped it back into his team mate's pads to avert the danger after
another goal mouth scramble.
"It was a good hockey game. I thought both teams played really
well," said LA coach Darryl Sutter.
"We had a lot of good opportunities, but you've got to finish a
couple of them."
(Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Frank Pingue)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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text:
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text:
Consensus Report
BioWatch and Public Health Surveillance: Evaluating Systems for the Early Detection of Biological Threats: Abbreviated Version (2010)Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology
Each report is produced by a committee of experts selected by the Academy to address a particular statement of task and is subject to a rigorous, independent peer review; while the reports represent views of the committee, they also are endorsed by the Academy. Learn more on our expert consensus reports.
Following the attacks of September 11, 2001 and the anthrax letters, the ability to detect biological threats as quickly as possible became a top priority. In 2003 the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) introduced the BioWatch program--a federal monitoring system intended to speed detection of specific biological agents that could be released in aerosolized form during a biological attack.
The present volume evaluates the costs and merits of both the current BioWatch program and the plans for a new generation of BioWatch devices. BioWatch and Public Health Surveillance also examines infectious disease surveillance through hospitals and public health agencies in the United States, and considers whether BioWatch and traditional infectious disease surveillance are redundant or complementary.
About this Report
Authoring Body:Committee on Effectiveness of National Biosurveillance Systems: BioWatch and the Public Health System
Primary Board:Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology
Collaborating Unit(s):Board on Life Sciences
Health and Medicine Division


text:
Kmart's new review policy, which places customer game reviews on their store shelves, recently went live with some important tweaks.
The US store chain says that they want to pick reviews that are "honest, constructive and well written - regardless of perspective".
So far, there are four reviews up on store shelves nationwide. The games reviewed are Crackdown 2, Madden 11, NCAA Football 11 and StarCraft II. Three of the reviews come from customers, one comes from Kotaku, which I OK'd.
Here's the new run down of what a review needs to be to be considered for those many, many store shelves:
Helpful and constructive Unique and well written Written for an audience that may be made up of non-gamers; your review will be read by gamers and non-gamers of all ages About a title released in the last month or so, or a more "evergreen" title (Example: Red Dead Redemption or NCAA Football 11) that will be prominently featured on store shelves for several months. Abide by the MyKmart terms of service We won't post reviews that simply say whether a game is good or bad. Reviews that describe gameplay, graphics and storyline are more likely to be featured. (This way, we can cut down on any potential abuse of our program.)
Kmart also appears to be paying, sorta, for reviews. There's a deal on the site write now that gives you a $US5 Kmart gift card for writing five reviews. If you write more, you are entered for a chance to win a $US500 gift card. Not much, but something I suppose.
As I've said before, it's a really neat idea with potential for abuse. Though, looking at this first run of reviews, it appears that Kmart is headed in the right direction. So far, they seem to be choosing reviews for games that are good, which makes sense for a retailer. As long as they don't start plugging crap games with shifty reviews, I think it's a win, win.
The first round of customer game reviews are up in stores! [Kmart]


text:
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text:
12-Inch Nonstick Skillets
How we tested
Nonstick skillets are big business: According to Hugh Rushing of the Cookware Manufacturers Association, 70 percent of all skillets sold in this country are nonstick. In the test kitchen, we reach for our nonstick skillets when we're cooking delicate foods that stick, like eggs or fish. We also like these pans for stir-fries because the brown bits (or fond) don't stick to the pans as much, so there's less chance of their burning.
Our ideal nonstick skillet is easy to handle, is durable, has great release, and cooks food evenly with appropriate browning. We evaluated the market and chose the top seven pans from major manufacturers, including our past winner from T-fal. We prefer 12-inch skillets, but we included two 11-inch models because they were the largest skillets offered by two major manufacturers. We set a $60 price limit because nonstick pans wear faster than other pans, so we don't think they're worth a major investment.
We started by cracking eggs into each preheated pan—with no fat added—to assess their nonstick ability. We kept cooking consecutive over-easy eggs in each pan until they started to stick; we repeated this test at the end of testing (after cooking fish fillets, stir-fries, and frittatas in each pan) to gauge how the nonstick coatings held up over time. Along the way, we intentionally broke every rule we could think of for nonstick pans. We cut food in the skillets with knives, used metal spatulas and abrasive sponges, stacked the skillets, repeatedly shocked them in cold water, and washed them in a dishwasher. We also took them outside and banged them on a sharp concrete ledge to simulate years of rough handling.
What did we learn? First of all, size, shape, and design matter. The two smaller pans were a bust. While we looked at each pan's rim-to-rim diameter (the metric used by manufacturers and retailers) initially, it was the diameter of their flat bottoms—their cooking area—that proved more important; we needed at least 9.5 inches of flat surface or fish fillets rode up the sides and cooked unevenly and anything we sautéed was crowded and browned poorly.
Heavy pans were taxing to move and maneuver, as were pans with sharp handles or handles that got hot. We preferred lightweight pans with rounded, grippy handles that stayed cool. We also preferred lower, flared sides to taller or straighter ones; their more open design made it easier to maneuver the food in and out of the pan.
As for the nonstick coatings, most cookware manufacturers purchase them from large chemical companies. They choose from a range of options, from cheap to premium. The composition of the coating, how well it's applied, and how many layers are applied all affect performance and durability.
Two pans we tested had raised patterns, ostensibly for durability and better heat transfer, but they weren't very nonstick and mangled eggs. Only two pans (both with smooth surfaces) aced all of our nonstick tests, culminating with flawlessly releasing 50 eggs in a row after weeks of testing. By contrast, one low-ranked pan failed to flip a single egg at the end of testing.
The skillets in our lineup had from two to five layers of nonstick coating; the top performers had at least three. The pan with five layers was our past winner from T-fal; the extra layers offered superior durability in the coating, but this skillet had other construction issues. It dented readily when we struck it on the concrete ledge and domed slightly in the center of its cooking surface when it was heated. This meant that oil ran to the pan edges, so the fish fillets browned irregularly and the eggs were misshapen—they sprouted legs where the whites had leaked toward the edges. We still think it's a good pan, but it's no longer best in show.
Of the seven pans we tested, we can recommend only two. Our top pan, from OXO Good Grips, had a broad, smooth, flat surface that cooked and released food perfectly. It had a darker finish for better browning and was light and maneuverable, with an excellent grippy, stay-cool handle. Its flared sides allowed us to easily move food in and out of the pan. It's a little more expensive than our past winner, but it was the only skillet that earned our "highly recommended" rating.
We tested seven skillets, ranging from 11 to 12.5 inches in stated diameter, priced from $32.02 to $59.99, and purchased online. To evaluate their nonstick coatings, we used each pan to cook eggs over-easy with no fat, one after another, at the beginning and end of testing, stopping when they began to stick. Between egg tests, we used the pans to cook fish, pork and broccoli stir-fries, and frittatas; we sliced the latter in each pan with a metal knife and removed the wedges with a metal spatula to assess wear and tear. We also toasted a thin layer of flour in each pan to look at how evenly they heated.
To test their overall construction, ease of cleanup, and durability, we took each pan directly from the hot stove and plunged it into cold water after every test to check for warping. We also washed the skillets by hand 10 times with a moderately abrasive sponge and ran them through the dishwasher five times. Finally, before our closing egg test, we bashed each pan five times on a concrete ledge.
We weighed and measured the skillets. Pan and handle materials, number of layers of nonstick coating, and heat safety parameters were reported by manufacturers. Scores were averaged, and the pans appear in order of preference.
NONSTICK ABILITY: We monitored how many eggs the pans cleanly released at the beginning and end of testing, as well as how well they released other foods between egg tests; pans that arrived and stayed nonstick rated highest.
FOOD QUALITY: We rated each pan on the food it produced. Pans that produced evenly browned, properly cooked food rated highest.
MANEUVERABILITY: We rated each pan on how easy it was to load and unload with food, as well as how comfortable it was to move and hold. Lightweight pans with flared sides and comfortable, grippy handles rated highest.
CAPACITY: We rated each pan on how well it held recipes designed for large skillets. Pans with enough room to fit the food as the recipes stated, without overcrowding or overflowing, rated highest.
DURABILITY: We rated each pan on how pristine it remained throughout testing. Pans that stayed intact rated highest.


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Attention sneezing, sniffling, coughing cold- and flu-sufferers: As miserable as you are, at least you're not alone.
So far, 2011 has been a bad year for colds and flu, worse than the past two years, at least according to a new survey from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.
In January, 10.2 percent of Americans reported that they had a cold the day before the survey, up from 10 percent in December, according to Gallup. That's higher than the 8.4 percent of people who reported colds last year, and the 9.2 percent who had colds in January 2009.
At the same time, people reporting flu is on the rise, climbing to 3.1 percent in January, down from 2.4 percent last year and 2.9 percent in 2009, according to the poll, which asks 1,000 Americans each day whether they had a cold or flu the day before.
The season has been particularly nasty in the Eastern U.S., where reported colds have jumped 3.1 percent and flu climbed 1.8 percent since November, the study said.
That jibes with more formal accounts kept by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which reported that flu activity for the week ending Jan. 29 was elevated in seven of the country's 10 surveillance regions and that widespread influenza was logged in 30 states.
Nearly 33 percent of specimens taken from patients with respiratory illness and reported to the CDC labs tested positive for influenza. In Region 5, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin, nearly 58 percent of specimens tested positive for flu. About 25 percent of flu cases were caused by H1N1, the virus that spawned a pandemic last year.
So far, 19 people from 13 states have died from flu-associated illness this flu season, including six children.
As of November, about one-third of the U.S. population had been vaccinated against the flu from a supply of 160 million doses. CDC officials say they'll check again at the end of the season.


text: I am considering getting a PRS but don't have a huge budget. I own a Les Paul, Strat, and Tele so I'm looking for something else to compliment the collection. Tried a Korean made one briefly and thought it was pretty good. Never tried and american to compare. Would you compare it to a MIM Strat vs and American? Or Epiphone vs a Gibson? Would love to hear your thoughts and opinions.


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This is the second in a series of EMR and EHR interviews that will be done on EMR and HIPAA and EMR and EHR. The full EMR interview with Dr. Muir can be found on the new EHR and EMR interviews website. The following is a summary of that interview written by Kathy Bongiovi.
If you're a doctor, nurse, practice manager, EHR consultant, CEO or executive of an EHR vendor, etc with EMR experience that's interested in being interviewed, let us know on our http://www.emrandehr.com/contact-us/">Contact Us page.
Dr. Peter Muir of Springfield Center for Family Medicine was interviewed recently concerning his acquisition of the maximum Medicare Incentive for showing Meaningful Use of a Certified EHR. The Ohio based primary care practice has been using NextGen Ambulatory since 2003 and NextGen Management since 2006.
Dr. Muir stated that their practice chose NextGen EHR because the company focused on clinical offices. Dr. Muir and NextGen EHR share the philosophy of always searching for ways to improve the product. Dr. Muir not only believes in this philosophy but also attended a development think tank along these lines at NextGen's headquarters. He was also drawn to NextGen because he wanted the capability of customizing his templates.
Having demographics, scheduling, clinical and billing information all on one database has had a huge impact on Muir's practice. He feels that having a centralized database "makes reporting much easier and more comprehensive than those EHRs with separate databases or separate vendors". The doctor admitted the conversion from paper charts to EHR was stressful for the first year but well worth it in the long run.
Since Muir's office has been using EHRs (since 2003), there have been relatively few changes needed for Meaningful Use and any required upgrades to the system came as part of the standard NextGen maintenance fees. There was data that had to be added which was not normally collected by his practice as it had little relevance to his patients but from the patients' perspective, there was no change in the attention patients received from Springfield Center.
The family practitioner Muir credits the CMS web site and NextGen Healthcare for not only the upgrades to their EHR software but also for their pathway documents and webinars which helped them show meaningful use. He also credits GBS of Youngstown, Ohio (his NextGen vendor for hardware, software) who also helped them implement security upgrades in 2010 in anticipation of the process.
Additionally, being a part of the ONC Meaningful Use Vanguard Program was a benefit to Dr. Muir because "it provides recognition which may allow a greater input in system design and operation." Muir is concerned, though, that the Program's flow of information may be difficult if multiple database silos remain in service and a lack of standardization isn't addressed.
Especially with respect to Meaningful Use Stages 2 and 3, the doctor believes it is critical to have professional health providers utilizing some form of regional system – versus individual systems – in order to have a seamless flow of information. Muir has begun such a system within his own state of Ohio.
The doctor was intricately involved in starting CCHIE (Collaborating Communities Health Information Exchange) in Springfield, Ohio. CCHIE chose HealthBridge as their data engine and together they have partnered with other healthcare providers to provide electronic access to patients' lab and radiology results as well as to admissions, discharges and transfer information. They have added regions in Southern Indiana and two regions in Northern Kentucky.
Dr. Muir's advice to fellow doctors is that unless they are planning to retire within the next couple of years they should not delay in the implementation of an EHR. The longer they wait, the more difficult and time consuming the transition will be because, with time, the activities of daily practice will be much broader and more demanding. Additionally, he suggests providers select a system that does not just meet Meaningful Use requirements. His advice is to "select a system that assists you in providing better medical care".
Read the full transcript of Dr. Muir's interview.


text:
The Premier Silica Sand Provider for Today and Tomorrow
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- Oil and gas wells are more productive because our high-quality proppants improve flow rates and recovery from unconventional wells
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- Electronic devices are more scratch resistant because of the specially sized sand we offer
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At U.S. Silica, our devotion to remaining on the cutting edge of technology helps improve the quality of every day - at home, at work and at play.
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text:
Where the heck is everyone? Oh. I get it.
So … here's a tale to share, OK? Yours truly, this intrepid, Down Easterner editor-in-chief for the ASHA Leader news magazine, is attending his first ASHA Health Care & Business Institute. It's Vegas (baby!), glistening with probabilities and paradox: palm-tree-lined streets press against yellow-brown desert; a chiming, smoke-filled casino perches an escalator-ride above a bustling, professional conference. And there's me, all nimble-like, sprinting the gauntlet of one-armed bandits, dashing down the escalator, caught up in a dizzying quest to nab an interview or two. It's the perfect time, ay-uh. Sessions are running now, but—if my experience at hundreds of other professional conferences holds true—there'll also be a fair number of folks milling and networking outside the meeting rooms or chatting up the exhibitors.
Nope. The hallway stands silent. I duck into the exhibit hall.
Nada. There be tumbleweeds a' blowin'. Heck, even a fair number of exhibitors are nowhere to be found.
My goodness—everyone's in the meeting rooms. Yes, folks, the sessions at the ASHA Health Care & Business Institute are that darn good.
Packed with more sessions and CEU opportunities than ever (hey, check out the awesomely convenient and affordable PLUS Package recorded courses CE option), the 11th ASHA Health Care & Business Institute attracted a near-record-breaking crowd from April 11—13. It's not difficult to understand why.
- Tons and tons of practical advice. Interested in the most effective strategies for contracting with employees and third parties? How about the six principles of influence to best leverage yourself and your brand? The impact of using mainstream versus less mainstream speech on your career? Tips for reading the body language of your clients and colleagues? Want candid advice from an entrepreneur on how to build your own practice? The sessions on business management and strategies were packed!
- Up-to-the-minute coverage and tips. Want to learn the best way that your program or practice can thrive under the Affordable Care Act? What about the latest, greatest apps for pediatric populations and adults? Need to know about Medicaid for children in 2014 or this year's billing procedures and codes for SLPs? What about the newest requirements for securing health information? Attendees had at their fingertips the most recent goings on affecting communication sciences and disorders at these popular sessions!
- The latest advances from the frontlines of treatment. Session after session, many featuring legendary CSD researchers and clinicians, showcased the latest approaches to assessment and treatment for clients affected by a wide range of communication disorders—aphasia, dementia, dysphagia, childhood apraxia of speech, and autism spectrum disorder, among others. Some of these sessions were so well attended that folks were sitting in the aisles and on the floor in the hallway outside—I gave up my chair many times…
So, with such a gang buster conference going on, what was this editor-in-chief supposed to do? When in Rome….I immediately jettisoned the interview-heavy approach to coverage and swore a courageous but ultimately foolhardy vow to cover the sessions as completely as possible through the Leader's social media channels.
Picture this: It's early Friday morning, and I begin hopping like a killer rabbit (beloved Holy Grail reference required) from one session to another, tweeting and posting photos at #ashaigers on Instagram. Listen, snap and tweet; listen, snap and tweet. Whew! By lunch I was stretched rather thin, and then I had to do it all again that afternoon, the next day, and the morning of the third day. I didn't waver. My grandmother was right—when a notion takes my noggin', I get as set and fixed-purposed as an old New England stone wall.
And now it's time for a slice of humble pie. In the end, I must admit that the Great Social Media Effort was nobly conceived but executed imperfectly, because 1.) there were so many wonderful sessions going on that I simply could not do justice to all of them; and 2.) in many cases, I found myself so drawn in by a presenter, subject, and/or an audience's enthusiasm and engagement that it was very difficult to leave the room. Grrrr. I. Just. Couldn't. Cover. It. All.
At long last, with the Luxor and its Strip kin fading behind, I had time on the flight back to reflect on an outstanding conference. The attendees LOVED it and learned much. Those I spoke with were uniformly excited about the sessions; many pronounced the meeting as the best yet. They'll be back next year, I reckon. Come hell or high water, I'll be there, too. Perhaps leading an army of Leader editors to help cover it ALL next time. Ay-uh.
Gary Dunham, PhD, is ASHA publications director and editor-in-chief of The ASHA Leader.


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Iraq service helped define Gabbard
A veteran of the Iraq War, newly elected Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is eager to play a key role in defense and veterans issues in the new Congress.
A Democrat from Hawaii's 2nd District in Honolulu, she's one of the first two female combat vets elected to Congress, having deployed to Iraq in 2004 with the Hawaii National Guard. She'll be joined in the House by Illinois Democrat Tammy Duckworth, who lost both legs when her helicopter was attacked in Iraq.
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Committee assignments haven't been handed out yet, but Gabbard has made it clear she wants to be a prominent voice on defense, veterans affairs and foreign policy.
"There's no question that I will be taking a leadership role on those issues regardless of what committee I sit on, and that's something I'm very excited to do," Gabbard told POLITICO in an interview at the Capitol.
And as the Defense Department focuses its strategy toward Asia and the Pacific, Gabbard said lawmakers from Hawaii will be a crucial part of the pivot.
"Not only the Department of Defense, but the president, secretary of state have all stated in the past several months [that] the focus [is] on Asia and the Pacific, and Hawaii's role in being at the forefront and kind of the focal area [of that strategy]," she said. "I look forward to being able to contribute and provide leadership as we look forward to what's next for our country and Hawaii's unique place in that strategy."
At 31, Gabbard is no stranger to making history. She's also the first Hindu elected to Congress. At 21, she was the youngest person to be elected to the Hawaii state Legislature.
Then she set her sights on the military.
"In 2003, I felt the need to do more with my life and to do more in the way of service," she said. "I remember sitting in my office watching the Saddam Hussein statue topple [in Baghdad]. That was shortly before I enlisted. I shipped off to basic training at the end of May 2003 to Fort Jackson, S.C."
Eventually, she became a platoon leader and a company commander.
"I never looked for easy," Gabbard said. "The question of easy or hard never entered my thought process."
Gabbard's father, Mike, who serves in Hawaii's state Senate, has been a big influence on her life.
"There was no push toward the military or politics or any specific line of work," she said. Instead, her parents told her, "Whatever you do, do it with the heart of service and making a positive impact on other people's lives."
After a 12-month tour in Iraq, and then another in Kuwait, she went to work for Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii). In 2011, she was elected to the Honolulu City Council. And it wasn't long before she was eyeing a run for Congress.


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Hundreds of lives are being saved every year thanks to a change in the way trauma patients are cared for, a new review suggests.
Since the introduction of regional trauma centres patients in England have a 30 per cent better chance of surviving severe injuries, the Trauma Audit and Research Network said.
This equates to around 600 lives since the centres came to being in April 2012.
Experts said that more people are surviving because they are taken straight to specialist teams who know how to treat such injuries.
As well as a reduction in the number of deaths, thousands more patients are walking away from severe injuries without permanent disabilities.
There are 25 of these centres dotted around England. Before their introduction, trauma patients were taken to their local hospitals but concerns were raised that these organisations did not always have the specialist care that these patients urgently need.
NHS England boss Simon Stevens is to applaud the centres when he speaks at the Age UK annual conference in London today.
"This is a major success story - more people are surviving serious injuries because they are taken straight to specialist trauma teams who identify life-threatening problems quicker and perform life-saving operations earlier," he will say.
"That's about 600 fewer lives cut short, 600 fewer bereaved families.
"The NHS of the future will be one where more support for frail older patients is provided locally, but where for really major conditions, patients get quick access to centres of excellence. We need both - not either/or.
"This reminds us that healthcare is constantly changing and the NHS needs to adapt with it. Sometimes we need to centralise in order to save lives, at other times we need to make services more local to meet the needs of patients."


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'Blue water' Navy veterans' long waits often end in denials at VA
Bob Bauman is waiting.
Bauman, of Baltimore, remembers the orange-striped barrels sitting on a pier off Subic Bay in the Philippines. He's convinced that they were filled with Agent Orange that leaked into the water where he and his fellow sailors went swimming.
Now 65, Bauman has diabetes, Parkinson's disease, colorectal cancer and essential tremor. He blames the orange-striped barrels, but he hasn't received disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA grants benefits only to Agent Orange-exposed veterans who served on the ground or in the rivers of Vietnam. Bauman and his fellow sailors – known as blue water Navy veterans – served off the coast of Vietnam and aren't covered.
The fight between veterans such as Bauman and the VA has resulted in a cycle of denied claims and a lack of benefits for the majority of blue water veterans that can stretch several years, advocates say. Legislation to extend compensation to these veterans was introduced in the House of Representatives in February, but getting it through will be difficult: Five previous attempts to secure benefits have been unsuccessful.
"Fixing the VA is going to take more than this bill," said John Wells, the director of legal and legislative affairs for the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association. "Until the VA is purged of its bureaucratic resistance to facts, nothing's going to get any better."
Bauman receives some care from a VA medical center, but he's counting on Agent Orange disability benefits to pay for his medications. His claims for benefits were denied twice because he didn't have "boots on the ground," meaning he didn't step onto land or in inland rivers.
He then took his case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, which he won this past summer. Now the Board of Veterans' Appeals is looking for proof that Bauman was directly exposed to Agent Orange during the war. If he eventually receives benefits, he said, that might set a precedent for other blue water veterans.
"It's a bit frustrating, but at least it's still going," Bauman said. "I'm still fighting for it."
Agent Orange contained the toxic chemical commonly known as dioxin, which has had harmful health effects on Vietnam veterans for decades. The World Health Organization said short-term exposure to dioxin could lead to skin lesions and long-term exposure could cause damage to the nervous, endocrine, immune and reproductive systems.
Blue water veterans were compensated under the Agent Orange Act of 1991, but in 2002 the VA started limiting coverage to those who'd served on land and inland waters after the agency's general counsel recommended that it do so. The Agent Orange Equity Act to extend compensation was introduced yearly from 2008 to 2010 and twice in 2011, but it died in committee all five times.
The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association estimates that if the bill eventually does pass, about 50,000 to 60,000 blue water veterans will apply for benefits, said John Rossie, the association's executive director. He said he was confident that funding for the legislation wouldn't exceed $2 billion over 10 years.
The lack of official details of each veteran's activity during the war makes formulating a concrete number of blue water Navy veterans impossible, especially when narrowing data to a very specific group of Navy veterans. Rossie estimates that about 100,000 or fewer veterans served in the blue water Navy.
"There was no one particular place that was required to keep track of it all," Rossie said.
VA spokesman Randy Noller said he couldn't comment on pending legislation and had no way of estimating projected costs and participants. The agency hasn't responded to McClatchy's request for comment on cases of specific veterans' claim denials.
Under VA policy, the department grants "presumption" in Agent Orange cases, meaning that it assumes veterans who served on land or in Vietnam's inland waters were exposed to the chemical.
However, it lacks evidence that Agent Orange could have harmed the blue water veterans, who were at least a few miles offshore, said Jim Sampsel, an official in the VA disability division.
Several studies, including a 2011 report from the independent, nonprofit Institute of Medicine, have been unable to confirm that blue water Navy veterans were exposed.
The institute, which is the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences, reported that Agent Orange was sprayed at low altitudes when the wind was blowing toward the shore to minimize contamination; any runoff would have been extremely diluted, Sampsel said. During the Vietnam War, the Navy refrained from using water for drinking or showering unless at least 10 miles offshore, Sampsel said.
Sampsel noted that Agent Orange isn't always the cause of a Vietnam Veteran's diabetes or cancer. Millions who didn't serve in Vietnam also contract these diseases, especially as they age.
"There's no evidence that it got anywhere offshore in any significant way," Sampsel said.
There are 14 diseases that the VA assumes were caused by Agent Orange exposure, including Type 2 diabetes and prostate cancer. In 2008, the Institute of Medicine recommended that three diseases be added to the list, which the VA did: ischemic heart disease, Parkinson's disease and leukemia. The VA has paid nearly $4.3 billion to veterans who'd previously been denied benefits for those diseases or to their survivors, according to Sampsel.
Rossie said that most blue water veterans he knew had received at least some VA benefits for other illnesses, even if they hadn't yet received Agent Orange compensation. Blue water veterans have their claims evaluated on a case-by-case basis and must prove that they were contaminated by Agent Orange, a process that can take years.
The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2013, which went to committee in the House on Feb. 6, would extend coverage by 12 miles to include those who served off the coast of Vietnam, Wells said.
Rep. Chris Gibson, R-N.Y., sponsored the bill, which has bipartisan support from 81 co-sponsors as of March 19. Gibson, who's an Army veteran, said he was optimistic that the bill would pass this time.
Lloyd Granaas, a blue water veteran who lives in Marion County, Fla., had sent in claims for diabetes, heart disease and neuropathy, but he didn't receive compensation until he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma last year. For that, he received 100 percent disability, as the VA assumes that exposure to Agent Orange caused this type of cancer regardless of where the veteran served.
He said the VA's logic of contamination frustrated him. Granaas, who's now 71, sometimes was so close to shore that he could watch as a sailor on his ship walked onto land. That sailor would receive benefits. But as long as Granaas was on the ship, he wouldn't receive benefits.
"I never knew Agent Orange was selective," he said.


text: There are two parts to acclimation and both must be met. The first is temperature. The second is chemistry, as the first will be satisfied if you do the second we will offer only a brief explanation on the first. Temperature is important as most fish can only handle a 3 to 5 degree temp change, less is always better in this case. Chemistry is the most important part of the acclimation procedure. The water chemistry they are kept in here is different than the water chemistry in your tank, also the water chemistry that they are shipped in is always changing over time due to waste and osmoregulation, therefor just floating a bag in your tank is not the correct procedure. Its like jumping in a snow bank naked its shocking and you will most likely get sick. We strongly advise that you acclimate your stock into a quarantine/hospital tank and hold for 5 to 7 days for observation before acclimation (yes, you must do it again) into your show aquarium.