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Electromagnetic fields
- What are electromagnetic fields?
- Static and low-frequency fields
- What are static and low-frequency electric and magnetic fields?
- Direct and alternating voltage
- Application/occurrence
- Effects of static and low-frequency fields
- Protection
- Reports & Evaluations
- Radiation protection relating to the expansion of the national grid
- Basics transfer of electrical power
- Effects
- Protection
- High-frequency fields
- What are high-frequency fields?
- Applications high-frequency fields
- Effects
- Protection
- Radiation protection in mobile communication
- What is mobile communication?
- Effects
- Protection
- Reports and evaluations
Optical radiation
- What is optical radiation?
- UV radiation
- What is UV radiation?
- Sun but safe!
- Sunbeds
- Effects of UV radiation
- Protection against UV radiation
- UV index
- Infrared radiation
- Laser
Ionising radiation
- What is ionising radiation?
- Radioactivity in the environment
- Where does radioactivity occur in the environment?
- What is the level of natural radiation exposure in Germany?
- Air, soil and water
- Radon
- Foodstuffs
- Building materials
- Relics
- Industrial residues (NORM)
- BfS laboratories
- Applications in medicine
- Diagnostics
- Radiotherapy
- Radiation protection in medicine: international activities
- Applications in daily life and in technology
- Radioactive radiation sources in Germany
- Register high-level radioactive radiation sources
- Type approval procedure
- Cabin luggage security checks
- Radioactive materials in watches
- Ionisation smoke detectors (ISM)
- Effects
- What are the effects of radiation?
- Effects of selected radioactive materials
- Consequences of a radiation accident
- Cancer and leukaemia
- Genetic radiation effects
- Individual radiosensitivity
- Epidemiology of radiation-induced diseases
- Ionising radiation: positive effects?
- Risk estimation and assessment
- Radiation protection
- Basic information
- Occupational radiation protection
- Nuclear accident management
- What is an emergency?
- What happens in an emergency?
- Federal and state tasks
- In the event of an emergency
- Measuring networks
- Exercises for emergency situations
- Defence against nuclear hazards
- Service offers
- Radon measurements
- Incorporation monitoring
- Biological dosimetry
- ProZES
Media centre
Media centre
- Multimedia
- Brochures
- Reports
- Online library
The BfS
The BfS
- About us
- Science and research
- Research concept
- Scientific collaborations
- EU research framework programme
- BfS research programme
- Third-party funded research
- Departmental research
- Selected research projects
- Selected research results
- Professional opinions
- Science Council
- Laws and regulations
- BfS Topics in the Bundestag
- Links
This page contains the location of the dose-rate measuring network node of BfS in Bonn with map and directions.
The office of the Commission on Radiological Protection (SSK), which is affiliated to the BfS, is also located in Bonn.
Arriving by car
From all directions
Whatever the direction of approach cross the Rhine on the A 562 (Südbrücke) and take the Rheinaue exit.
Head towards Plittersdorf / Bad Godesberg on Ludwig-Erhard-Allee, take the first right into Heinemannnstraße, then the second right into Jean-Monnet-Straße, and then the next right through to the turning circle.
Hamburg - Würzburg autobahn
Coming along the B9 from Koblenz it is possible to turn off directly to the Federal ministries (Heinemannstraße), taking the first left into Jean-Monnet-Straße, then the next right through to the turning circle.
Arriving by train
Bonn main station - BfS
Take the underground line 66 in the direction of Bad Honnef or line 68 in the direction of Ramersdorf; alight at Robert-Schuman-Platz.
SWB Bus und Bahn in Rheinland-Pfalz
For more travel details courtesy of German Rail (DB)
Arriving by plane
Cologne/Bonn airport - BfS
Take the airport bus no. SB 60 to Bonn main station, then take the underground line 66 in the direction of Bad Honnef or line 68 in the direction of Ramersdorf; alight at Robert-Schuman-Platz.
Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS)
Robert-Schuman-Platz 3
53175 Bonn
53175 Bonn
Monitoring Network Station of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS)
Phone: +49 (0) 3018 305 3761
Fax: +49 (0) 3018 305 3765
homepage: Federal Office for Radiation Protection
State of 2018.05.02


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Manchester United will be looking to capitalise on title rivals Manchester City's failure to beat basement boys Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road last night, when they welcome Southampton to Old Trafford on Wednesday evening.
The Premier League leaders will be looking to maintain their impressive home record, which has delivered nine wins out of ten games on their own patch this season, scoring 30 goals along the way.
Robin van Persie is set to lead a host of big names back into Sir Alex Ferguson's starting line-up, after a number of first-team regulars were rested for last weekend's FA Cup victory over Fulham.
Club captain Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand are likely to be restored to the centre of defence, but the Red Devils boss will face a selection headache up front, after Javier Hernandez scored twice again on Saturday to stake his claim for inclusion from the start.
Ashley Young (knee) and Jonny Evans (hamstring) remain sidelined but Manchester United have no other injury concerns going into tonight's game.
Southampton meanwhile, could welcome back crocked captain Adam Lallana for new manager Mauricio Pochettino's second game in charge of the Saints, in what could prove to be a baptism of fire for the Argentine.
January signing Vegard Forren is in line to make his debut, but the south coast side will be without Jose Fonte and Guly do Prado, with both players sidelined by respective knee injuries.
Predicted Manchester United starting XI:
De Gea; Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Carrick, Cleverley Scholes; Valencia, Rooney, Van Persie.
Predicted Southampton starting XI:
Boruc; Clyne, Yoshida, Forren, Shaw; Schneiderlin, Cork; Puncheon, Ramirez, Lallana; Lambert.

subset: commoncrawl


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SOURCE: Catalyst Repository Systems
November 19, 2012 14:51 ET
Bringing Enhanced E-Discovery Processing, Hosting, Predictive Coding and Analytics to the Multinational Marketplace
Bringing Enhanced E-Discovery Processing, Hosting, Predictive Coding and Analytics to the Multinational Marketplace
DENVER, CO--(Marketwire - Nov 19, 2012) - Catalyst Repository Systems, Inc., a pioneer in providing cloud-based document repositories for e-discovery and other complex legal matters, and Rimkus Analytics, LLC, a specialist in electronic discovery and digital forensic consulting, have partnered to deliver a full suite of enhanced e-discovery products and services for processing, hosting, predictive coding and analytics to the multinational marketplace. The combined offerings of the two companies span the entire e-discovery and litigation spectrum, from information management to production.
"There are a number of key benefits to Catalyst's partnership with Rimkus Analytics," said John Tredennick, CEO of Catalyst. "By integrating Catalyst's next-generation e-discovery platform Catalyst Insight with Rimkus consultants' professional services, we offer a comprehensive client experience that includes award-winning, secure technology and proven, defensible processes."
"Catalyst is a recognized leader in the e-discovery market," said Robert Kocher, COO of Rimkus Analytics. "Combining the talents of Catalyst and Rimkus Analytics allows us to deliver our clients a complete e-discovery solution with the most powerful and flexible platform in the industry."
Rimkus Analytics has 39 offices in the U.S. and London providing litigation support, digital forensics and a variety of other consulting services to clients worldwide. The partnership allows Rimkus Analytics to offer clients the unprecedented speed, power and scalability of Catalyst Insight. Insight is a new cloud-based, XML platform offering end-to-end automation of the e-discovery lifecycle, from processing through search, review and production. By integrating Catalyst technology into its top-tier professional consulting services, Rimkus Analytics provides e-discovery clients with defensible, cost-effective methods for handling large amounts of client data, simply and securely.
To learn more about Catalyst's partner programs or to become a Catalyst partner, please contact Christopher Toomey, Catalyst's Director of Alliances and Channel Development at email@example.com or 1.303.824.0831.
About Catalyst
For over 14 years, Catalyst has pioneered innovative, reliable e-discovery technology and services for professional law firms and in-house counsel from many of the largest organizations in the world. Catalyst's intuitive, secure cloud-based e-discovery platform, Insight, is built for tomorrow's big cases today, helping corporations save money, gain control of their data and easily manage the complexities of matters involving multiple jurisdictions, languages, law firms and parties. Insight's unprecedented scalability allows legal teams to manage big data discovery efficiently, control litigation costs and achieve more accurate and cost-effective review. Please visit Catalyst at www.catalystsecure.com for more information.
About Rimkus Analytics, LLC (www.rimkusanalytics.com)
Rimkus Analytics, LLC is a worldwide digital forensics and e-discovery services provider to insurance companies, law firms, corporations and government agencies. Rimkus Analytics assists clients in the responsive and timely resolution of claims and disputes. The company's team of professional engineers, information technology specialists, certified financial experts and computer specialists is recognized for its commitment to service excellence by local, national and international business communities.
Shana Graham
Account Manager
206-661-6336Email Contact
Catalyst Repository Systemswww.catalystsecure.com
877.557.4273 Email Contact
Rimkus Analytics, LLC, contact:
Lorie Y. Varnas
Marketing Manager, Digital ForensicsEmail Contact
Shana Graham
Account Manager
206-661-6336Email Contact
Catalyst Repository Systemswww.catalystsecure.com
877.557.4273 Email Contact
Rimkus Analytics, LLC, contact:
Lorie Y. Varnas
Marketing Manager, Digital ForensicsEmail Contact
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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — On a night they summoned memories of the Four Horsemen, they were delivered only the Apocalypse.
Instead of winning one for the Gipper, they lost one for the ages.
On a night when myth and magic were punched in the face by McCarron and Lacy, Notre Dame's return to glory became a return to gory after a 42-14 beating by Alabama in the BCS championship game.
It was a sweet story until it started. It was a nice idea until the Irish attempted it. The thousands of clover-clad fans who descended upon Sun Life Stadium to witness the ending of a 24-year championship wait by America's most traditional college football program were thrilled until they actually took their seats.
Then Forrest Gump ran circles around Rudy.
Thunder shook down from the sky, but it was Alabama offensive linemen trampling over helpless Irish defenders.
Echoes were awakened, but in the form of repeated shouts by Alabama wide receivers who were open from here to the Everglades.


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The evolution of the auto
The influence of Control Engineers is something that cannot be overlooked. We have made incredibly complex processes so easy, that they are finding their way into most every product we use. Thanks to engineers, these technologies can be found in our home computers, the cell phones we use daily, even in what we drive to work each day.
Let's start with the past… okay, not that far back. In the late 1970s, car manufacturers began to include circuit boards to control ignition timing and spark. Due to the age of the technology being installed, these circuit boards would burn out within several years and weren't really utilized until the mid-1980s, when the technology grew a bit more reliable and actually became a standard to integrated circuit controlled fuel injection systems.
Throughout the late 1980s and 90s, the onboard computer's tasks seemed to grow yearly: provide on-board diagnostics, control most of the electrical processes in automobiles, tweaking engine performance, and covering braking systems, climate controls, and even the odometer.
In the 2000s, cars have been tasked with handling even more to make life easier for its' passengers. The addition of navigation, music streaming, and pairing of mobile phones has made more complicated onboard computing necessary. In recent years, major automobile manufactures have added voice control to further assist our everyday tasks. Even receiving diagnostics, which once required an external computer, can now be done so with our cell phones!
Watch the Model T in action
Watch the evolution of the aesthetics of cars
Learn more about how car computers work
Read other Engineering at 30 Frames posts or contribute to the discussion.


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- Inside Athletics
- Tickets
- Fan Zone
- Media Zone
- Social
- Shop
- Donate Now
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (April 14, 2011) - Head East Tennessee State University women's basketball coach Karen Kemp and her staff announced the signing of two more recruits for the 2011-12 season on Thursday evening as Maria Bond (Macon, Ga.) and Amy Duke (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) have inked their national letter of intent to play for the Lady Bucs this upcoming fall.
Bond and Duke join a stellar class which also includes point guard Brianna Bogard (Georgetown, Texas) as well as local product Cara Bowling (Elizabethton, Tenn.). Overall this class adds a lot of depth and will help contribute to the Lady Bucs' success.
"We are extremely excited to have these two young ladies come play here at ETSU," commented Kemp. "It's rare you get players of this quality in the late signing period, because I really feel they can both come in as freshman and contribute to our success both on the court and in the classroom."
Bond, a 5-foot-10 guard/forward, hails from Northeast High School where she lettered in both basketball and cross country for the Raiders. For her career, Bond not only broke three school records, but she also averaged a double-double as she posted an impressive 21 points and 10 rebounds in four years of play. Bond, the Raiders all-time leading scorer with 1,925 career points, also set school records for three-pointers made in a game (7) and most points scored as a freshman in a single game (27). After averaging more flashy numbers as a senior - 22 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks - Bond was named Player of the Year in her region, while also guiding the Raiders to the regional championship in both her sophomore and senior seasons.
Not only can Bond produce on the hardwood, but she also ranks tenth out of 153 students in her class and is a member of the National Honors Society. During her four-year stint at ETSU, the Macon, Ga. native will plan to major in biology.
"Maria comes from a very established program in Georgia, which also has a lot of tradition," said Kemp. "I have known her coach (Alvin Copeland) for many years and he does a tremendous job teaching the fundamentals, so Maria will come in and be ready to play. She is a versatile player who can score from the inside and around the perimeter, so that's something we were really looking for. Like Destiny (Mitchell), she's not afraid to crash the boards and is such a competitor. Not only is she talented on the court, but she also excels in the classroom. The end result, Maria knows to focus both on academics and athletics."
Meanwhile, Duke is a 6-foot forward who spent her senior year playing at Blackman High School in Murfreesboro. Duke averaged 10.0 points, grabbed 7.6 rebounds, and forced 2.5 steals for Blackman in her senior season, while also guiding the Blaze to an upset win over Riverdale in the District 7 AAA Finals. The Murfreesboro, Tenn. native netted 17 points in the 40-37 win and was named District Tournament MVP after snapping Riverdale's 55-game winning streak. Duke, who tallied a team-leading 310 points and 236 rebounds for the Blaze, was also selected team Offensive and Defensive MVP, while being tabbed All-Region.
"Amy can give us the 10 to 12-foot jump shot, but she is more comfortable around the basket," Kemp said. "She really came on strong toward the end of her senior season. Fortunately for us, we were able to get on her and she decided to come to ETSU after her visit. With the departure of Latisha (Belcher), she will be counted on to replace her scoring and rebounding."
For more information on Lady Buccaneer hoops, visit www.ETSUBucs.com.


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Africa needs stronger fisheries management, ministers told
Posted on 24 September 2010
African countries need to take fisheries management seriously, the first ever continental meeting of fisheries ministers has been told.Banjul, Gambia: African countries need to take fisheries management seriously, the first ever continental meeting of fisheries ministers has been told.
The Forum of South West Indian Ocean Civil Societies reminded the inaugural Conference of African Ministers on Fisheries and Aquaculture (CAMFA) that 200 Million Africans were dependent on fisheries for food and livelihood.
"But despite the significant contribution of the fisheries sector, fisheries management in most African countries has been marginalized," said Dr. Amani Ngusaru, from WWF.
"Most coastal African countries remain poor despite the vast resources in their respective Exclusive Economic Zones," added Dr. Ngusaru.
However, the fisheries sector has low priority in national development programmes and in many cases is grossly underfunded. Governance failure in national and regional fisheries management bodies, the forum said.
Open access has denied most countries and indeed local communities the right to sustainably manage and benefit from their fisheries resources.
In its statement to ministerial conference which concluded Thursday in Banjul, Gambia, the forum said that "the meeting was a timely opportunity to canvass the common issues facing African fisheries and we firmly believe that this meeting should herald the beginning of a new era in management of fisheries resources."
However, if the fisheries sector is to contribute towards the 6% annual growth of the agricultural sector in Africa, the sector needs to implement an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries and work rapidly to ensure fisheries access agreements are sustainable and equitable.
"Countries also need to mainstream climate change adaptation and mitigation, improve fisheries data (including stock assessments), and actively involve civil societies in decision making," said Edward Kimakwa of the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA).
"The fisheries sector has greater potential if well developed to spur economic development, offer more employment opportunities and reduce poverty among the local population in Africa," Dr Ngusaru said.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Gold futures finished higher Wednesday to reclaim the $1,730-an-ounce level, as disappointing U.S. economic data and developments in the Middle East boosted the metal's safe-haven appeal, and as concerns about the fiscal cliff weighed.
Gold for December delivery GCZ2, -0.86% rose $5.30, or 0.3%, to settle at $1,730.10 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. It traded between $1,720.50 and $1,734.
December gold on Tuesday fell $6.10 an ounce, as worries over Greece's next bailout installation sent the euro lower against the dollar, pressuring dollar-denominated commodities.
On Wednesday, "news from the Middle East that Israel has bombed Gaza targets today while killing [a] Hamas military chief," provided support for gold, said Jason Rotman, president of Lido Isle Advisors, a Newport Beach, Calif.-based alternative-investment firm. "The inherent safe-haven status of gold comes back into play … when crisis events are perceived to be more imminent."
Also in play for gold, two days ahead of his first formal post-election meeting with congressional Republicans, President Barack Obama held a news conference Wednesday that began shortly before Comex floor trading for gold ended.
Traders were looking for signs of the White House's strategy for the so-called fiscal cliff — the billions in automatic tax hikes and spending cuts that will take effect unless the Obama and Congress take action. No strategy was apparent in the news conference as of the Comex close. See: MarketWatch's blog of President Obama's news conference.
"Positive comments about the 'fiscal cliff' may lead to downward pressure on gold bullion," said Dublin-based Mark O'Byrne, executive director at GoldCore. "However, the scale of the fiscal challenges facing President Obama and Congress mean that any weakness will likely be short-term."
Data, dollar give gold a lift
Gold traders also digested the latest data on the U.S. economy.
Retail sales dropped a seasonally adjusted 0.3% last month, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had expected a 0.1% decline. See: U.S. retail sales retreat in October.
The producer price index fell a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in October, the Labor Department said Wednesday. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had predicted a 0.2% increase. See: U.S. wholesale costs decline in October.
In the currencies market, the ICE dollar index DXY, -0.06% which measures the greenback against a basket of six rival currencies, was lower at 80.954 from 81.097 late Tuesday. That helped gold move higher because a weaker dollar makes the metal cheaper for holders of other currencies to buy.
A tumble in the U.S. equities market also buoyed interest in gold. See: U.S. stocks turn lower on 'cliff' uncertainty.
Other metals finished mostly higher.
December silver SIZ2, +0.00% added 39 cents, or 1.2%, to settle at $32.88 an ounce.
December palladium US:PAZ2 closed up $4.95, or 0.8%, at $641.55 an ounce.
And platinum for January delivery US:PLF3 rose $5.20, or 0.3%, to $1.591.60 an ounce. Johnson Matthey's Platinum 2012 Interim Review said on Tuesday the platinum market likely will see a deficit of 400,000 ounces due partly to a recent string of labor strikes that disrupted mining activities in South Africa. See The Tell: Platinum market set for supply deficit: report.
Copper was the outlier among metals. Copper for December delivery HGZ2, +0.00% finished down nearly 2 cents, or 0.5%, at $3.45 a pound.
Providing critical information for the U.S. trading day. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Need to Know newsletter. Sign up here.


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Columnist Claims Italy's Google Verdict Makes Sense
from the someone-edited-that? dept
Rall's reasoning once again defies logic. He seems unable to comprehend the difference between a publisher and a tool or service provider. Instead, he just insists that Google (and any other online service provider) should be forced to carefully review and fact check every piece of content uploaded before it can be available. Apparently, he doesn't quite recognize what he's asking for. On YouTube alone, more than 20 hours of video are uploaded every minute. And that's just YouTube. Rall also suggests that every blog post, every Tweet and every Facebook message should first be reviewed by an editor before it can be posted.
I think this really goes back to Rall's previous clueless column. He can't stand competition, so his solution is to put in place ridiculous free speech destroying rules and regulations to effectively kill off the internet, because someone might misuse it. His argument is based on the scenario that what if he ran a story falsely accusing you of being a drug-addicted child pornographer. He claims -- falsely -- that if he just published it online, there's nothing you can do about it. He later admits he's lying by saying you could sue him, but he brushes that off by saying no one would sue him because he has no money. Of course, people sue for libel all the time -- even those with no money.
But the really scary thing is that Rall seems to think that basically destroying the freedom to communicate and to express yourself online makes sense, just because the tool might possibly be used to spread a false statement. Does he not recognize the unintended consequences of this? Does he not realize that his "suggestion" for fixing the internet is effectively how much of China's internet censorship program works? Does he not think there might be more effective ways of dealing with such situations? For example, if Rall were to falsely accuse you of being a drug-addicted child pornographer, and it's clearly bogus, then you have an opportunity to fight back, and point out that Rall is wrong, destroy his reputation, and make sure he never gets another job again. Why not let free speech combat free speech?
Instead, Rall seems terrified of free speech, and would prefer that it only come from the "professionals" like himself.


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Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about.
October 14, 2017, 1:00 PM - January 28, 2018, 4:00 PM @ Dublin Heritage Park & Museums
This new exhibit explores Dublin's beloved building through local artists' watercolors, oil paintings, and photographs. Gain a new appreciation for Dublin's most iconic sites - the Gothic Revival-style Old St. Raymond Church (1859) and the Craftsman-style Kolb House (1910), to the ranch houses of 1960s suburbia. After being inspired, stop at the makers' station to create your own "Ode to Dublin" in mixed media, or take our new tour, "The Kolb House: A Craftsman Classic."


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Until then, the GamePad is no use for Virtual Console titles.
The Wii U will be receiving its own Virtual Console service in the future, Nintendo's Satoru Iwata confirmed. Until its arrival, however, players cannot expect to be playing Wii and Wii Virtual Console titles on the Wii U GamePad.
As confirmed by our Japan correspondents, a post on NeoGAF's gaming forums quoted Iwata to say "We understand that there are people who were looking to playing Wii games, Virtual Console games, and so forth on the GamePad, but unfortunately we cannot accommodate those users' expectations."
As it stands, Wii Virtual Console titles are only available to play on the Wii U by putting the system into Wii Mode. From there, only accepted Wii controllers are allowed for use.


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Developers new to the BlackBerry® platform need not worry about where to begin. We've compiled a list of handy links and resources from the BlackBerry Developer Zone for some light reading so you can avoid those Thursday work blues!
BlackBerry Developer Resource Page: This would be the second choice for your browser home page after the BlackBerry Developer's Blog.
BlackBerry Developer Getting Started Page: The home portal for new BlackBerry developers. Provides access to general and specific development guides, support programs and other fun stuff.
BlackBerry Java® Development Environment and BlackBerry Simulator Download Page: A must-visit page providing the tools necessary to code for BlackBerry smartphones.
Search Page for the Developer Knowledge Base: A great resource to mine the wisdom available on the BlackBerry Developer Zone.
BlackBerry Developer Tutorials: A selection of step-by-step tutorials to get you started with developing for the BlackBerry platform.
BlackBerry Developer Documentation Portal: Find sample applications and code, API documentation, and development guidelines to help you create apps for BlackBerry smartphones.
BlackBerry Developer Video Library: 10-15 minute instructional videos designed to provide tips and tricks on specific problems developers may face.
Experienced BlackBerry developers: if you have any additional resources that might be helpful to new BlackBerry developers, post about them in the comments section!


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Car Review
2012 Toyota Highlander: New Car Review
Pros: Excellent optional V6; three standard rows of seating; drives like a big car; Highlander Hybrid is both frugal and fast
Cons: Base inline-4 is barely more fuel efficient than the V6; so-so interior quality; third-row seat is pretty tight
The most surprising fact about the 2012 Toyota Highlander is that it begins life as a Camry. That's right-this tough-looking ute with available all-wheel drive is based on an extensively modified Camry platform.
But, hey, don't laugh. Since pioneering the use of carlike underpinnings in a mid-size SUV more than a decade ago, the Highlander has spawned legions of imitators. Toyota knew that most Americans didn't want a pickup truck disguised as a family vehicle; they wanted a practical, safe people hauler that wasn't a chore to drive. For 2012, the Highlander continues to make that vision a reality.
Available in three distinct flavors - four-cylinder, six-cylinder, and Hybrid - the Highlander has something for everyone, and you can also choose between front- and all-wheel drive to fit your climate. Moreover, the Highlander comes standard with three rows of seats, making it a natural for carpooling duty. But perhaps the best thing about the Highlander is its pleasant driving character. There's nothing truckish here; just smooth, predictable responses as you glide down the road.
Competition has certainly heated up since the Highlander's groundbreaking debut, but we still put this Toyota at the head of its class.
Comfort & Utility
The 2012 Toyota Highlander is offered in three main trim levels: base, SE and Limited. The base non-hybrid model is nothing to be ashamed of, featuring standard niceties like 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, Lexus-like Optitron instrumentation, climate vents for all three seating rows and a six-speaker stereo with an auxiliary audio jack. Optional here and standard on the rest (including the base Hybrid) are desirable add-ons like iPod/USB and Bluetooth connectivity, a 3.5-inch "multi-information display" with a rear-view camera and a power-adjustable driver seat. The SE and Limited add a sunroof, a power liftgate and leather upholstery (perforated on the Limited), while the Limited and Hybrid are eligible for an upgraded JBL sound system and a touchscreen navigation system.
The Highlander's front seats are forgettable in terms of contouring, but they're perched up nice and high, so you get that expansive view of the road that SUV drivers appreciate. Dashboard materials are just average, with plenty of hard plastics to differentiate the Highlander from its more luxurious sibling, the Lexus RX. The sliding and reclining second row features an innovative 40/20/40 design with a removable Center Stow middle seat (the "20" section), which converts the three-row bench into two captain's chairs with an aisle in between. The standard 50/50 split third-row seat is one of the more cramped you'll find in this class, but it's fine for kids, and limber adults can squeeze back there on short trips.
Cargo space is a measly 10.3 cubic feet behind the third row, but if you fold that seat into the floor, there's a healthy 42.3 cubic feet available behind the second row. With the second row folded as well - a task made easier by standard one-touch levers on every model except the base non-hybrid model - there's a whopping 95.4 cubic feet (94.1 for the Hybrid), a truly impressive figure for a vehicle that doesn't feel especially large from behind the wheel.
We're a bit disappointed that the base non-hybrid Highlander, which starts at over $28,000, doesn't have standard iPod/USB or Bluetooth integration. It's easy to add via a package, though, and it's standard across the rest of the lineup. The optional navigation system works well enough, but it isn't hard drive based, so you can't store music on it. Also, the Highlander currently can't be equipped with Toyota's new smartphone-based Entune interface, although that's subject to change as Toyota broadens Entune's availability.
Performance & Fuel Economy
The Highlander's entry-level engine is a 2.7-liter inline-4 with 187 horsepower, 186 lb-ft of torque and a six-speed automatic transmission. This engine delivers acceptable thrust, but its fuel economy isn't so hot at 20 mpg city/25 mpg highway, and front-wheel drive is the only layout offered.
A better choice is the 3.5-liter V6, which can be had with either front- or all-wheel drive and accelerates with real gusto thanks to its 270 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque. Remarkably, the V6 isn't much worse on gas, checking in at 18/24 mpg (17/22 mpg with AWD) despite the extra power and its older five-speed automatic transmission. It can tow up to 5,000 pounds, too, versus 3,500 pounds for the inline-4.
As for the Highlander Hybrid, it's AWD only and features a 3.5-liter V6 that teams up with an electric motor and a battery pack to produce 280 net hp. The Hybrid has a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), meaning you won't feel it shift because it doesn't have separate gears. Instead, there's just one long surge of acceleration as the electric motor supplies extra power off the line and then the V6 comes on in full force. It's a pretty fast SUV. Oh, and it gets 28/28 mpg to boot-not bad for something this large and swift. Note that the Highlander is a dual-mode hybrid, meaning that the gasoline engine actually shuts off when it's not needed; you'll notice this when you're coasting to a stop accompanied by nothing but an electric hum.
The Highlander comes with standard stability control and seven airbags, including front and side airbags for front passengers, a driver knee airbag, and full-length side curtain airbags. The front seats also have active head restraints.
The Highlander received an overall rating of four stars out of five in government crash testing, including four stars for the front passengers, five stars for side impact, and four stars in the rollover test. The independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Highlander its top rating of Good in almost every category.
Driving Impressions
The Highlander drives exactly like what it is: a really tall Camry wagon. Yes, you sit up high, but the ride and handling are, well, Camry-like. That means the Highlander rides softly, taking bumps in stride. The handling pales in comparison to a Mazda CX-9's, for example, but it's not sloppy; there's some decent precision and control here by SUV standards. Road noise is more pronounced than in a family sedan, but that could just be due to the Highlander's relatively cavernous interior. If you're used to driving cars, you won't feel out of your element at the Highlander's helm.
Other Cars to Consider
Chevrolet Traverse - If you don't mind a crossover that's large and in charge, the Traverse delivers more passenger and cargo space than the Highlander, and its safety ratings are a smidge better.
Mazda CX-9 - With a more adult-friendly third row than the Highlander and superior handling, the CX-9 is a formidable foe. There's only one engine, however - a thirsty V6 - and the ride might be too firm for some.
Kia Sorento - The Sorento is technically one class down, but it still has an available third-row seat (kids only, though) and strong engine choices. A loaded-to-the-gills Sorento won't run you much more than a base Highlander.
AutoTrader Recommends
We'd go with the V6, since the inline-4's fuel economy isn't significantly better, and the Hybrid's $38,000-plus starting price is awfully steep. Regarding feature content, we'd just make sure that our Highlander had the optional stereo with USB and Bluetooth integration.


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Sweet on Walla Walla Onions
On a recent trip to Washington state's hottest wine country (both in terms of temperature and explosive growth; the "next Napa Valley" is home to more than 100 vintners), I tasted some great wine, but that's not what I came home with. My trunk was loaded with 55 pounds of Walla Walla Sweets.
Before world-class cabernet, merlot and other Euro-riffic varietals were being produced in this corner of the state, Walla Walla was all about the onion. Many of the small Mom-and-Pop farms started by Italian immigrants are still in operation today, the fruits of their labors for sale in roadside stands heading east of the town so nice, they named it twice. I bought my big bags of onions at Cavalli's Onion Acres Farm and Castoldi's.
While visiting, I wondered why more restaurants didn't give the Sweets star treatment they richly deserve. I enjoyed a French onion soup at Brasserie 4, but the local veg connection wasn't mentioned on the menu. There was a Walla Walla Sweet Onion Tart on the menu at Whitehouse Crawford, but by the time I wandered in after dinner, I was in the mood for dessert. And, drat, there was no Walla Walla Sweet Onion sorbet offered.
The very best dish I tried featuring local onions was the Walla Walla taco at La Monarca, a truck that routinely parks at the corner of Rose and 11th. Vibrantly seasoned carne asada, grilled onions, and a fat slice of avocado were piled on top of a couple of corn tortillas. The ingredients tasted so fresh and the single taco was just $1.50. (Reinforcing the reason we all love the best taco trucks, right?)
During this year's Walla Walla Sweet Onion Festival, organizers have added a new attraction called the Sweet Skip, where onion lovers can wander around downtown July 18 and graze on savory stuff made from Sweets. Wonder if anybody plans on churning some Walla Walla Sweet Onion Ice Cream with a sprinkle of candied bacon on top? I'd eat that!
In the meantime, I'd love some onion-centric recipes. I've still got about 40 pounds.
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Nearly a decade has passed since the doors of the Saint Frances Cabrini Catholic Church were shut and its holy water dried up.
With the Archdiocese of Boston strapped for cash, it was one of dozens of churches in the area to be closed and sold off. At the time, the archdiocese was in the throes of the clergy sex abuse crisis. It had agreed to pay nearly $85 million to more than 500 people who said they were abused by priests.
The closing of the church took parishioners in Scituate, Mass., about 30 miles south of Boston, by surprise. The locks were changed in the middle of the night, but a side door of the church had not been properly closed.
That's when parishioners decided to take back "their" church. They sneaked in.
Since October, 2004, followers have continuously occupied the building. Turns are taken sleeping in the church as part of their 24-hour, seven-day-a-week vigil. They've kept the candles lit, the heat on and the lawn mowed. With no priests, parishioners hold services themselves.
"For the last 50 years, every priest from the pulpit has told us this is our church," parishioner Jon Rogers tells NPR's Rachel Martin in an interview. "It was our church up until the time they said now we need to liquidate their asset, to basically pay for the horrific crimes of sexual abuse."
Despite the financial crisis, Rogers says the Catholic Church can't just tell them to get out. The church was built on land given by the community and built with their donations.
"Well, guess what?" Rogers asks. "We are not going to give it up. We truly believe it is ours."
The Archdiocese of Boston does not see it that way. It has stood its ground, patiently outwaiting nearly all of the churches that initially refused to close. Nearly 10 years on, worshipers in this seaside town are the last holdouts.
A resolution, however, could be imminent. The parishioners' appeals have worked their way through the Church's legal system. The Vatican's highest court is set to rule this spring.
If the decision does not go their way, this might be the last Easter celebrated in this church.
That would be a huge shame, Rogers says. With its service and the Easter egg hunt, it's the most exciting day of the year. The entire parish gathers, he says, with upwards of 800 people attending.
Even if the Vatican decides against them, it's not entirely clear the protestors would give up their church. "We bought, paid for it, and today maintain it," says Rogers. "So we're keeping it."
And on this Easter morning, a Catholic Church outside Boston may be holding its final Easter mass. Nearly 10 years ago, the Cardinal Sean O'Malley, the archbishop of Boston, told St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church that it had to close its doors along with dozens of others in the area. At the time, Boston was in the throes of the clergy sex-abuse crisis, which resulted in a nearly $85 million settlement to some 550 people who said they'd been abused by priests in the archdiocese.
Parishioners at this church say it's being sold to help defray the cost of that settlement. The Archdiocese cites other things - falling attendance, shifting demographics, lack of priests, and the deterioration of the buildings. I visited St. Frances Cabrini in Scituate, Mass. about seven years ago. Parishioners were taking turns sleeping on the church floor in a 24-hour vigil to keep it open. There were no priests so they were holding services themselves.
And that is how is it has been for years. I spoke with longtime parishioner Jon Rogers again yesterday, and he told me St. Frances is now waiting for the Vatican to render a final decision on his church's future.
JON ROGERS: We're anticipating a May ruling from the Vatican's highest court. After 10 years, it would be nice to basically get a resolve to this. Because we're not going to leave our church, the one that we bought, paid for, and today work hard to maintain, I think we find ourselves in a situation where the Archdiocese of Boston will have no other recourse but to come and sit down in front of us, face-to-face, and hammer out a resolve for this. And that's what we've been praying for from day one.
MARTIN: What's the importance of this building, though? Because a religious community, a spiritual community, I think there's even Scripture that says when there are just a few people gathered together in prayer, that that's enough, that there doesn't need to be a specific structure to hold that kind of sanctimony.
ROGERS: You know, I couldn't agree with you more. But literally, the facts remain that it was the people of this parish that donated the land. It was the people of this parish that came up with the funding to construct this. It was people of this parish that actually helped work on this church. And yeah, I understand the Scriptures, I truly do. But this is our spiritual home. It sits in the center of our community. And it is the gathering point from which we all take strength.
MARTIN: Can you tell us what Easter service is going to be like at your church?
ROGERS: It - well, it's the most exciting service of the year, and this will be a packed house. And it is our way to show the world that we are still a Christian community and will remain so as long as we stay together. But this is the day that the whole parish gathers as a group, followed by an Easter egg hunt, which is, you know, it's a blast. The kids have a blast and just everybody dressed up, and it really is the most exciting of all the services throughout the year.
MARTIN: Jon Rogers. He's a parishioner of St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church in Scituate, Mass. Thanks so much for talking with us, John. Happy Easter.
ROGERS: Happy Easter to you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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Economic and logistical efficiency will once more be critical factors for Brazilian farmers in the 2006-07 season.
"Those who expanded too much will have to scale back. It's imperative to improve the risk management," says José Roberto Mendonça de Barros, from MB Associates, who is supporting the systematic use of private bonds and rural credit — which until June totaled only $297 million — and the implementation of rural insurance.
According to Barros, the exchange rate should also be cause for concern among farmers. He doesn't expect a significant devaluation of the real (the Brazilian currency) versus the dollar in the short run. "We're not going to see a R$2.80 per dollar rate anymore, unless there's a major financial crisis in the international market."
Barros stressed that in the past two years, unfavorable exchange rates, weather and sanitary issues have eaten a large share of the agricultural sector's capital. According to the National Confederation of Agriculture (CNA, in Portuguese), the major farmers association in Brazil, the sector income has fallen by $11.3 billion down to $70 billion in the past two years, an average loss of 12.9 percent in farm income.
Barros expects an improvement in the sugarcane and soybean economy in 2006-07 thanks to demand for biofuels. "There also could be some improvement in the beef business, with the end of some embargoes and the return to exports."
The analyst believes the center-south states, which include Goiás, Paraná, and São Paulo, could recover quicker than other regions, due to better logistics and proximity to ports.
The improvement of the logistical structure in Brazil is also noted by specialists as a huge challenge for farmers in the near future.
About 80 percent of Brazilian roadways are in either poor or bad condition. To repair them would require an investment of $4.37 billion. The federal government has plans to invest only $681 million a year in road recovery until 2009. The total would amount to less than half of what is needed right away to keep the grain trucks rolling.
In the 1960s, when the Brazilian economy was beginning to grow into the ninth largest world economy, the country's leaders invested in new asphalt roads throughout Brazil instead of more costly — but much more efficient — railroad tracks. This led the country to its present dependence on road-based transports rather than trains.
The lack of funding and the use of heavier and heavier trucks on old roads not designed to support them have led to the poor conditions all around the country. The only exceptions are a few roads in the south and southeast regions, which represent less than 30 percent of the distance trucks must travel from some major producing states as Mato Grosso.
According to specialists, the condition of Brazil's ports is not much better. To cope with increases in production and exports, the present storage capacity of about 90 million tons needs to be increased by 45.5 million tons. The total capacity needed for storage in ports, should be of 135.5 million tons until 2011.
There's an immediate demand for $3.4 billion in investments to increase port storage capacity. "The government is taking its time raising this funding," said Paulo Manoel Protasio, president of the National Association of Freight Users.
Currently, there is no ongoing measure in federal or state governments to solve either the road or port challenges. Continuing delays could, once more, cost farmers international market share, lead them to more insolvency and, continue to hurt Brazilian agriculture — which surely would be welcomed by Brazil's international competitors.


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In reference to a subject somewhat more important than a dozen fellows chasing a hunk of vulcanized rubber, Martin Luther King once talked about the "hearts and minds" stage of progress. In other words, once legal segregation was toppled, the more difficult task of influencing people's convictions and thought processes could begin.
The comparison might be bordering on blasphemous, but we're being led to believe the Flames are at precisely that hearts-and-mind stage in regards to the de-Keenan-ification of the hockey club. All the systemic obstacles to their success have allegedly been removed and all that remains is for the members of the squad to embrace the change and liberate the more well-rounded player within them. Or, in plain-speaking hockey terms, the guys simply have to "buy in."
It's not easy to judge the validity of the hypothesis but it makes for a pretty good working cover story as the Flames try to get their game order seven games into the Brent Sutter Era. In addressing the team's shortcomings this week, Sutter suggested that his players all have good intentions but their ability to precisely carry out the coaching staff's wishes needs plenty of work. Robyn Regehr made reference to the slow, painful process of exorcising all the bad habits acquired during the free-for-all Keenan administration.
Those are all effective time-buying explanations for a team that is getting routinely outplayed for long stretches of hockey games despite a more-than-respectable 4-2-1 record. And while hopeful Flames fans point to the clunky start by the Devils during Sutter's first year in the Swamplands (7-10-2 after 19 games; 39-19-5 the rest of the way) as reassurance that the best is yet to come, no one is willing to declare a date when all the 60-watt bulbs over the heads of the Flames' slower learners will start glowing and there will once again be light at the Saddledome.
At the risk of venturing into the same old "it's-time-to-break-up-the-core" chorus that breaks out every time the Flames' wagon starts wobbling, what if this team and its abundance of 30-something-year-old clay is beyond the remoulding stage? What if we get to the stage where the players are wholeheartedly willing to play Sutter's way but realize they simply can't?
Those are all questions that can't and shouldn't be answered after seven games, but the questions will keep being asked anyway.
With all the uncertainty that currently surrounds the club, here's one near-sure thing — that gawd-awful minus-9 figure notwithstanding, Daymond Langkow will NOT be viewed as one of the major reasons for the Flames' failures in the final analysis of this season.


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In Deficits saved the world you read that a Nobel Prize winner not previously associated with Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) is starting to come round. The article by Paul Krugman highlights some of the basic elements of the sort of macroeconomics that I have been writing about for years and which forms the basis of this blog. It shows definitively the point I make about the macro balances – that a government surplus will squeeze the non-government sector into deficit and vice versa. It also addresses the current policy debate which is getting swamped a bit by idiots who are saying that fiscal policy is not working and should be constrained to get the government budget back into surplus.
Paul Krugman's work in international trade which won him the Nobel Prize is thoroughly orthodox (neo-classical). His work in economic geography hardly could be described as progressive. He was part of the Reagan Administration and also a consultant to Enron before they crashed in a ponzi heap. He has also written articles that advocated wholesale deregulation of the labour market (for example).
I also noted in my blog recently – Balance sheet recessions and democracy – that Krugman has not always been a fiscal policy sort of a guy. During the Japanese "lost decade", he dramatically failed to understand the nature of their problem and recommended a reliance on monetary policy.
His prior writings do no suggest that he really understands how a MMT actually functions although it is true that in recent months he has advocated increasing use of fiscal policy. I place him in the deficit-dove camp, which means he doesn't eschew the use of deficits but still operates largely in a gold standard (convertible currency-fixed exchange rate) mentality.
So his latest Op Ed in the New York Times (July 15, 2009) entitled Deficits saved the world is a welcome change. Perhaps things are percolating out there in ideas land as the Modern Monetary Theorists (though small in number) keep hammering out the message. It is clear that we are gaining more circulation via the blogosphere and other network modes that have dramatically increased the capacity of academics to communicate with the world outside our ivory towers. More people read this blog each day than read my academic papers and books that is for sure.
As a (relevant) interlude, I was a keynote speaker at a financial markets workshop in St Croix (US Virgin Islands) last year. The event is a bi-annual affair and brings the major investment bank economists (mostly US-based) and related bond traders etc together. It is the second time I have been invited and it gives me a chance to talk at length to (and with) the characters that are moving the billions around – "the wealth shufflers" (as I call them). The organiser, who is a big player in the bond markets but also a strong advocate of MMT uses the meeting to spread the word to the rest of his profession. It is a good strategy. Forget the academic economists who largely refuse to engage and, instead, get the ideas directly into the financial market traders, managers and analysts.
At the last meeting in January 2008, the Chief Economist of Goldman Sachs Jan Hatzius was one of the attendees. What his reactions (in terms of theory) were to ideas presented during the two days of workshops is unknown to me. I got the impression from the workshop that he was not antagonistic and clearly he was smart enough to get the major points being made each day about how a fiat monetary system operates and the implications of that for fiscal policy managing the economy when private sector agents do not want to spend all their income.
Anyway, back to Krugman. He starts off with this:
Jan Hatzius of Goldman Sachs has a new note … responding to claims that government support for the economy is postponing the necessary adjustment. He doesn't think much of that argument; neither do I. But one passage in particular caught my eye:
The private sector financial balance – defined as the difference between private saving and private investment, or equivalently between private income and private spending – has risen from -3.6% of GDP in the 2006Q3 to +5.6% in 2009Q1. This 8.2% of GDP adjustment is already by far the biggest in postwar history and is in fact bigger than the increase seen in the early 1930s.
That's an interesting way to think about what has happened – and it also suggests a startling conclusion: namely, government deficits, mainly the result of automatic stabilizers rather than discretionary policy, are the only thing that has saved us from a second Great Depression.
Krugman then offers the following diagram. The diagram is a little ambiguous as it stands. It depicts the private and public balances. To understand it, note that the vertical axis is the state of the balance so for the private sector and depicts a surplus above zero and a deficit below zero. For the public sector it depicts a deficit above the zero line and a surplus below it. The horizontal axis is GDP (level of activity).
The upward sloping private sector balance reflects the fact that savings are a function of GDP and so when economic growth is strong, saving rises (not all the growing income is spent). The downward sloping public deficit line reflects the automatic stabilisers – such that when GDP falls, tax revenue falls and spending on unemployment benefits (and other welfare-related items) rises. As a consequence, without any discretionary change in fiscal policy being made, the public budget balance will move towards deficit (or higher deficits) depending on where it started from. That is an upward movement along that line.
Krugman then describes his graph like this:
In equilibrium the private surplus equals the government deficit (not strictly true for any one country if you add in international capital flows, but think of this as a picture for the world economy). To make the figure cleaner I've shown an initial position of balance in both sectors, but this isn't important.
What this means in MMT terminology is that the government balance will always equal the opposite of the non-government sector (can be construed in this diagram as the private sector for simplicity) balance – $-for-$. So if the government sector is in deficit then the non-government sector is in surplus (net saving) and vice-versa.
In a behavioural sense, the income adjustments (that is, movements in GDP) will ensure the two balances conform to this accounting requirement. Krugman has fudged the diagram a bit (as he notes "to make the figure cleaner") by constructing the initial equilibrium as a point where both sectors are in balance. That is, there is a balanced budget and the non-government sector has no saving (they are spending all they are earning). It is an unrealistic starting point and I will come back to it soon. But for now we can work with this as a starting point because it serves to make the point nicely.
He argues that in the current downturn there has been "a sharp increase in the desired private surplus at any given level of GDP, due to a combination of higher personal saving and reduced investment demand. This is shown as an upward shift in the private-surplus curve."
So the shift upwards that is depicted in the upward sloping private balance captures this "autonomous" shift in the curve. Economists talk about movements along a curve and shifts in the curve. The movement along depicts the functional relationship between private saving and GDP and shifts in the curve happen when behaviour changes (so saving at every level of GDP is higher).
The impact of this shift is clear. The new equilibrium which is established by shifts in GDP occurs when the two lines (the new private balance line) and the public balance (budget deficit) line intersect. You can see that this occurs at lower levels of income because the fall in aggregate demand (from the rising saving) also drives the public budget into deficit (assuming this artificial starting point of perfect balance in both the government and non-government sectors).
Krugman says that:
In the 1930s the public sector was very small. As a result, GDP basically had to shrink enough to keep the private-sector surplus equal to zero; hence the fall in GDP labeled "Great Depression"
So what he is saying (and he is being simple for ease of exposition by assuming there is no public sector of note) is that once there was a behavioural shift towards high saving preferences (driven by pessimism etc), which is denoted by the shift in the private (non-government) sector balance, then GDP starts to fall.
He then goes on to say that:
This time around, the fall in GDP didn't have to be as large, because falling GDP led to rising deficits, which absorbed some of the rise in the private surplus. Hence the smaller fall in GDP labeled "Great Recession."
What Hatzius is saying is that the initial shock — the surge in desired private surplus — was if anything larger this time than it was in the 1930s. This says that absent the absorbing role of budget deficits, we would have had a full Great Depression experience. What we're actually having is awful, but not that awful — and it's all because of the rise in deficits. Deficits, in other words, saved the world.
So there you have it … the deficits provided the spending impulse that served to "finance" the increased desire to save by the non-government sector and without the automatic stabilisers the situation would have been much worse.
I reconstructed the diagram to allow you think more about where we started this crisis from and where we need to head. The following diagram can be interpreted in the same way as Krugman's except it has some additional features.
First, note I have now specified the full employment level in the economy. GDP has to be at this level, given labour productivity to generate enough employment to satisfy the preferences of the available workforce.
Second, Point A is where we started this crisis from. Output (GDP) is deficient because it is below that required to generate full employment. So at Point A there is some unemployment (we started with 3.9 per cent) and underemployment (we started with 5.7 per cent). Note that the government budget balance is in surplus and the non-government sector is in deficit at Point A. This is where the economy is at rest. Aggregate demand is not sufficient to support full employment. The only way the economy is growing at all is that the non-government sector is in deficit (growing indebtedness) because the government sector (running surpluses) is in net terms contracting demand at each point in time.
Third, now the non-government sector seeks to restructure their precarious balance sheets because at Point A they were highly indebted (been forced into deficit by the budget surpluses) and so they change their behaviour and start increasing their desired saving at every level of income (GDP). So the private balance line shifts upwards to the red line (say). As aggregate demand falls (because saving rises), firms start laying off workers and cutting hours or work as they reduce output (GDP) to match the declining levels of demand.
The economy shifts up the red arrow and will settle eventually at the new Point B where the budget balance (now in deficit) equals $-for-$ the non-government balance (now in surplus). The automatic stabilisers are depicted by the movement along the budget balance because at this stage there has been no stimulus package (discretionary change in fiscal policy). This budget deficit is what I call a "bad deficit" because it has arisen through the automatic stabilisers and represents a failure of the government to act to support high employment levels.
You can see we are now further away from full employment than before but the plunge in demand is arrested by the operation of the automatic stabilisers. If nothing else happened (policy wise or private sector behaviour wise) the economy would sit at B forever and we would endure a prolonged recession.
Fourth, discretionary fiscal policy changes are depicted by shifts in the public balance line. So an expansionary fiscal stimulus package will shift the line out to the right because it means the budget balance = 0 point will be associated higher levels of income (higher taxes can support higher spending and still get a balance = 0). Now look at Point C (which is green because I only ever advocate expansionary measures that satisfy our other needs for environmentally sustainable growth).
An expansionary stimulus package (that is, explicit new measures designed to increase net government spending) will move the economy along the red saving line via the blue arrow. How large the stimulus package is determines how far GDP will increase and how close you get to full employment. Note that the private balance line cuts the full employment (green) line at Point C. This means that at higher levels of activity (GDP) the private surplus will be bigger because saving rises with income. People don't spend all of their increasing income.
So to get full employment, discretionary fiscal policy has to stimulate aggregate demand sufficiently to support GDP levels at Point C which will also generate increases in saving. In this case, the rising saving is not destructive because the fiscal policy is filling the "spending gap". The increasing budget deficits as the economy expands are "good deficits" because they support ("finance") the increased saving and the rising income levels that generate that saving.
Fiscal policy should not expand beyond Point C because then GDP > capacity (or potential GDP) and inflation will result. Up to Point C, it is highly unlikely that inflation will be a problem although some sectors might experience cost pressures. Specific asset price bubbles might also arise but that is not inflation and can be dealt with in a way that does not compromise the policy goal of full employment.
So a Nobel Prize winner is now thinking in terms of sectoral balances which are a basic analytical construct used by Modern Monetary Theorists like me to understand what is going on in the economy and what should be done about it.
In terms of the second diagram, imagine what would happen if the debt-deficit hysteria conned the government into cutting discretionary net spending. The fiscal balance line would shift to the left of Point B and GDP would plunge further and the saving intentions of the private sector would be thwarted by the falling output (income) levels. Then if the private sector tried once again to increase their saving ratio (Saving to GDP) the private balance line would shift further to the left and a major depression would be heading our way.
The analysis shows that automatic stabilisers put a floor in the decline after the non-government sector resumes saving. The deficits that arise are generated purely as a result of the cycle. But to restore full employment would require discretionary expansion in fiscal policy.
You can also see that starting off from Point A, the economy had to go back into deficit to get back to full employment even with the previous saving preferences of the non-government sector (that is, moving along the initial private balance line). An expansion at that time would have also pushed the private sector back into surplus with lower public deficits being required (because the desired private saving ratio would have been lower).
Either way, whenever the non-government sector desires to net save the government has to be in deficit. The choice then is whether we have "good" or "bad" deficits. Good sounds better to me every time!


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Oct. 14, 2006
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Jess Paladino's unassisted goal with 9:31 left to play proved to be the game-winner in Babson College's 2-1 win over MIT in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) field hockey game on Saturday. The victory lifted the Beavers' ledger to 7-7 on the year and 3-2 in conference play while the Engineers dropped to 4-10 overall and 1-5 in the NEWMAC.
The first half was a defensive battle as both teams combined for seven shots. Although Babson had a 4-1 edge in penalty corners, MIT turned away any scoring threats for a scoreless opening frame.
The Engineers controlled the ball for the majority of the second stanza, but the Beavers converted both of their shots for the first goals of the game. Brittany Stevens ended the shutout at the 58:15 mark with an unassisted goal. Paladino then extended Babson's lead just over two minutes later.
MIT cut its deficit in half on Hee Jay Kang's goal with 1:53 remaining in regulation. In a two-on-one situation with the Beavers' netminder, Elissa Slovin, Amanda Hunter took a shot that bounced off Slovin's chest. Hunter gathered the rebound and pushed the ball to Kang for the score. The Engineers continued to attack but they could not post the equalizer.
In net, Alexa Herman collected three saves for MIT while Slovin made five stops.
The next opponent for both squads will be NEWMAC foe Clark University. Babson will host the Cougars on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 7:00 p.m. while MIT will do the same on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 1:00 p.m.


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11th Dodge Viper Owner Invitational 2010
The Eleventh Viper Owner Invitational (VOI) was held in Salt Lake City, Utah from September 30th to October 3rd, 2010. If you love Vipers this is as close to heaven as you'll get! Our friends were kind enough to let us take a look at the weekend events and many of the out of this world Dodge Vipers. The main theme behind this Utah gathering is to celebrate the passion and unbridled enthusiasm of Viper Nation and it's hosted by Viper Club of America. The turnout was strong with more than 350 Vipers, 750 guests, and a special SRT performance driving experience with the Challenger SRT8 and Charger SRT8 on an autocross course.
Word out here is that the Dodge Viper brand will live on after a short hiatus. Loyalists and competitors worldwide anticipate a resurgence shortly after, bringing the raw power and sleek design of the Viper's namesake back into spotlight! Enjoy the photos!
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Posted in: Cars
Tags: challenger srt8, charger srt8, dodge viper, srt, srt8, viper, viper owner invitational, viper srt8


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Pearls Of Wisdom - Who In The Hell Is Tom Jones by Charles Bukowski - Poetry Reading
Who In The Hell Is Tom Jones -- A poem by Charles Bukowski. About the poet -- Henry Charles Bukowski (1920 -- 1994) was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. He was born in Andernach, Germany. American lifestyle was the core of his work. In his lifetime, he penned over sixty books. For more videos log onto http://www.youtube.com/pearlsofwisdom Also find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pearlsofwisdomchannelSubscribe & Stay Tuned - http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=pearlsofwisdom
Length: 01:43


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The Skippers got four hits from Tommy O'Brien and three RBI from Tim Cavanaro on Thursday to post a 14-9 home win.
COHASSET – The Cohasset High baseball team is heating up at the right time. After losing five of six games during a mid-season stretch, the Skippers won their third game of the week on Thursday, a 14-9 slugfest against Norwell.
The Skippers banged out 14 hits, including four singles and two RBI from right fielder Tommy O'Brien and three RBI from senior designated hitter Tim Cavanaro.
"We've had a pretty big week so far in beating Abington on Monday and then taking care of Carver on Tuesday," said Cohasset coach Pete Afanasiw. "We were struggling a bit in the middle of the season, but the guys are turning the corner. We weren't exactly playing good baseball, but we're minimizing our mistakes now."
Cohasset (8-6) has six games remaining and needs to win two more to qualify for the state tournament. The loss dropped Norwell to 7-7. The Clippers need to win three of their final six games to qualify.
Norwell jumped on Cohasset for three runs in the first inning, taking advantage of some early wildness by starting pitcher Ryan McKeon, who beat the Clippers for the second time this season and earned his fourth victory of the season. McKeon settled down after the second inning, and freshman Mike Cohen pitched a scoreless seventh inning to close the game for Cohasset.
"We don't have one particular pitcher who is going to dominate and strike out 15 guys," said Afanasiw. "We ask them to throw strikes and give us a chance to win the game."
With Norwell leading 4-2, Cohasset sent 13 batters to the plate in the second inning, with seven consecutive batters reaching base. Cavanaro, Terence Doonan, O'Brien, Mickey Barry, Brendan O'Connell and Nick Hall all had hits in the frame. O'Brien is now batting .409 on the season, while Doonan (3 for 4) is at .377.
"We knew that (Norwell starter Cam Labadie) is a quality pitcher," said Afanasiw. "He kept us off balance the first time we faced him, so the kids knew they had to be locked in and disciplined at the plate. It was good to see those hits coming."
Norwell tried to get back in the game with a three-run sixth inning, highlighted by a towering two-run homer to left by junior Tom Larason and a run-scoring double from Liam Kennedy.
"We got up on them early but no lead is ever safe here," Norwell coach Tom Jacobs said. "We got off to a good start and my pitchers threw strikes, but Cohasset just hit the ball great."


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My Liberty Bombshell dress
Added Jan 31, 2013
by katya
London, United K...
I recently complete the sew-retro Bombshell dress course and this is the dress I made! It's my first big project like this and I love it! It was a bit tricky to fit the bust as I have a huge bust compared to the pattern (the pattern is for a B cup, and I'm a G cup), but I think I did ok in the end. I made it for a spring wedding of a friend, so now I have some time to make some accessories!
I've recently started by new blog charting my venture into the world of sewing, it gives tips on this dress – especially the fitting round a larger bust! Sleek Silhouette
Material Notes
Liberty Lawn Cotton, underlined with muslin (bodice) and silk organza (skirt), spiral steel boning, seam binding, grosgrain ribbon for the waist stay and zipper guard.
10 Comments Sign in to add a post
Feb 4, 2013, 01.00 PMby macaescudero
me gusta!
Feb 1, 2013, 01.57 PMby Ivanamania
beautiful dress (you lucky girl)!
Feb 1, 2013, 11.22 AMby katya
Thank you so much for the lovely comments!
Feb 1, 2013, 01.42 AMby vinia789
Nice….great job,I love it.
Jan 31, 2013, 09.16 PMby AC1972
Well done, it's turned out really well! Wear it with pride :) xxxx
Jan 31, 2013, 08.52 PMby peipe
Wow – I am impressed. The dress looks fantastic and it fits perfectly. Be proud!
Jan 31, 2013, 01.56 PMby taracat
Gorgeous! Just started the muslin for my Bombshell dress, I'll be happy if it looks half as good as this.
1 Reply
Jan 31, 2013, 09.52 PMby katya
Thank you! That's so kind, good luck with yours! I really enjoyed it. I'll be posting about fitting the muslin on my blog in the morning, check it out if you think it'd be useful Sleek Slihouette.com
Jan 31, 2013, 01.35 PMby kisses
Nice dress…you did an amazing job with the finishing
Jan 31, 2013, 01.24 PMby gelbegardinen
Wow. It's amazing.
Jan 31, 2013, 12.06 PMby Mary Athey
Add to Favorites 14 people added it


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Meridian Pacific Partners John Peschong, Matt Rexroad, and Tom Ross combined bring more than 60 years political and public affairs experience.
Headquarters: Sacramento, California with offices on the Central Coast and in Los Angeles
At West Meridian, Partner Cary Evans provides strategic leadership for corporate public affairs and political campaigns throughout the Northwest and is pioneering the role of social media integration into traditional public affairs.
Headquarters: Seattle, Washington
Led by Partner Sam Fischer, Meridian Central has filled the role of senior strategist and general consultant for numerous races including Governor Dave Heineman, U.S. Senator Mike Johanns, Congressman Lee Terry, and Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert.
Headquarters: Omaha, Nebraska
East Meridian Partner Jon Seaton is a seasoned political strategist — advising presidential, U.S. Senate and congressional campaigns throughout the country.
Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
Meridian Southwest is partnered by three of the most respected political strategists in the country. Gordon James, Lisa James, and Kim Owens have decades of experiences winning tough races.
Headquarters: Phoenix, Arizona


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Mumbai, Feb 19:Actress Monica Bedi, who will be seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's debut TV show, the grand Saraswatichandra, says that with this opportunity in hand, her wait for the right role is over.
"My wait is over. I was waiting for the right role and the right banner to work with. I am now working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and I feel I am on the right track.
The character is very powerful and there is scope for acting," the 35-year-old said here in an interview.
Monica, who was a participant in the second season of reality show Bigg Boss, says television has proved to be lucky for her.
"I had made a comeback with Bigg Boss and it did something for me, which 25 of my films could not do. So television was (has been) lucky for me.
You never know what might change your fate. This break that I have got, will be a unique thing," she said.
Monica plays lead actor Gautam Rode's mother in the show, which goes on air on February 25.
Before her comeback, Monica had faced tough times in jail after being deported from Portugal along with mobster Abu Salem.
She was earlier seen in films like Jodi No 1, Jaanam Samjha Karo and Pyaar, Ishq Aur Mohabbat in her short-lived Bollywood career.


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Hi All,
We have recently moved our database from one host to the other and now i am trying to connect to the new database. However the move was not carried in CQ rather the physical database was moved and now i am trying to create a new connection through the maintenance tool.
Points to note: This is a DB2 server and the previous box had a older version of the database and the current box has a upgraded version. The drivers also have been upgraded.
I can connect to the web client and run pdsql queries as well, but when i try to connect via the maintenance tool, the system displays an error "connection to application server XXXX would exceed the installation-defined limit".
I checked the maxappl value on the database server but that seems to be set to automatic and we even tried setting it to 500 but it does not work.
Any help is greatly appreciated.


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This rugged plastic "Caution — Machinery" Roadway Warning Sign alerts traffic to upcoming potential machinery hazards
Alert drivers of potential hazards with this "Caution - Machinery" warning sign. This sign is visible day or night and is designed to last for years. This sign is screen printed on stout, .110-ga. (about 1/8"), outdoor-grade, high-density, polyethylene plastic material and is ideal for roads, driveways, parking lots — anywhere a warning is needed. This sign is UV-resistant and non-cracking for many years of outdoor service. Pre-drilled with 1/4" holes for easy mounting. Yellow and black diamond-shape measures 18" x 18".See all Safety and Hazard Warning Signs and Labels


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A fundamental of smart grid policy
On the same day that Cisco unveiled a new touch-screen gateway device to manage home energy usage, the U.S. Department of Energy held a public forum Tuesday examining a critical set of policy issues raised by a smart grid. The focus? "Empowering Consumers and the Smart Grid: Data Access, Third Party Use, and Privacy."
At the forum, Cisco's Jeff Campbell made our perspective clear: Electricity consumers should have secure access to their energy usage information and should have the power to choose which technologies will give them control over managing their home energy use in a way that reflects their personal preferences and priorities.
Other panelists agreed: Government should not pre-determine through policy or regulation what consumers want to do – or not do – with their home energy use data.
All agreed that government can – and should – play an important role in making sure that utilities and third-parties protect the privacy of consumer information, and in sharing policy frameworks and best practices to ensure that customers have access to energy usage information, if they want it; to enforce privacy protections, if needed, and; to educate consumers about how the benefits of smart grid ultimately flow to the consumer.
Clearly, giving consumers the tools to participate in smart grid will go a long way towards engaging consumers and earning their support for smart grid.
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.


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About First Buy Sell
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Students who major or minor in sociology ordinarily begin by taking the introductory course in either sociology or anthropology, but there are several other 200-level courses students may take to begin with such as social problems, cultural anthropology, criminal and deviant behavior, among others.
The advanced courses in sociology deepen the student's understanding of the discipline. The development of sociological theory explores the broad range of ideas which have been developed over the centuries by social thinkers and which gave birth to sociology in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Social research provides an overview of how sociologists collect and analyze data and requires students to carry out an actual research project. Finally, the capstone course gives students an opportunity to work closely with the sociology faculty in doing research and reviewing what they have learned in the major.
Other advanced courses examine disciplinary specialties, including several courses in anthropology such as ecological anthropology and medical anthropology. There are also opportunities for independent study and special topics courses from a sociology faculty that has wide interests.
Career Possibilities
A major in sociology can prepare students for a variety of careers. Wofford sociology majors are now lawyers, police officers, businesspeople, social workers, counselors, ministers, soldiers, teachers, urban planners. They also include the former academic dean of Wofford and other college professors.


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Age 6 months is a good time to begin teaching your baby how to drink from a cup – although you can start even earlier if you'd like. Some infants who won't take a bottle will drink from a cup.
One benefit of switching to a sippy cup sooner rather than later is that the longer a baby drinks from a bottle, the harder it is to wean him. If you're breastfeeding, you can even bypass the bottle altogether and go straight to a sippy cup.
When switching to a sippy cup to feed your baby breast milk or formula, pay careful attention to make sure he's getting enough. Drinking from a sippy cup is slow going at first.
"He might have better luck using a cup with a spout and two handles rather than one that doesn't have anything for him to hold on to," says Rachel Brandeis, a registered dietitian in Atlanta.
The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend switching your child to a cup around his first birthday to help prevent tooth decay.
For tips on how to introduce a cup, see our sippy cup do's and don'ts.


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HARTSVILLE, S.C.— The Coker College men's basketball team was unable to complete their series sweep of the Limestone College, as the Saints defeated the Cobras 76-69 on Monday night in Conference Carolinas men's basketball action. With the loss the Cobras slide to 10-13 on the year and 7-10 in the conference, while Limestone moves to 15-7 overall and 11-6 in conference play thanks to the win.
Thomas Wright (Sydney Australia) scored a career high and game high 21 points for the Cobras, with five rebounds, while Delonte Doles (Roswell, Ga.) recorded 13 points. Liam Kyle (Cleveland, Ohio) nearly had a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds, he also added a trio of assists and four blocks to his stat sheet for the night.
Four Saints scored double digits to lead Limestone to victory, with Stewart Clark (Atlanta, Ga.) pacing the group with 19 points, followed by Jarrell Douglass'(Leesburg, Fla.) 17 points and five assists. Tyron Evans (Leesburg, Fla.) and Anthony Middleton (Holly Hill, S.C.) had 14 points apiece, rounding out the four Saints with double figures.
Limestone shot a perfect 50.0 percent from the floor, but an astonishing 52.9 percent from beyond the arc was the difference maker in the game. In contrast, Coker shot just 40.0 percent from the floor and 26.3 percent from 3-point range.
Coker and Limestone both hit the hardwood again on Saturday, with Coker traveling to Queens University of Charlotte and Limestone heading to Belmont Abbey. Both games are scheduled for 4:00 p.m. tip-offs.


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Bay Area Hospital strives to improve the health of our community every day.
Bay Area Hospital is a tobacco-free campus.
We provide some of the most advanced and compassionate care in the region.
Whether you are receiving care or visiting a loved one, our goal is to make your stay with us a positive one.
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We are continually looking for opportunities to improve our organization and keep our community informed.
BRCA gene test — Overview covers definition, results of testing for specific breast cancer genes.
The BRCA gene test is a blood test that uses DNA analysis to identify harmful changes (mutations) in either one of the two breast cancer susceptibility genes — BRCA1 and BRCA2. Women who have inherited mutations in these genes face a much higher risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer compared with the general population.
The BRCA gene test is offered only to people who are likely to have an inherited mutation, based on personal or family history, or who have specific types of breast cancer. The BRCA gene test isn''t routinely performed on women at average risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
Having a BRCA gene mutation is uncommon. Inherited BRCA gene mutations are responsible for about 5 percent of breast cancers and about 10 to 15 percent of ovarian cancers.
From a BRCA gene test, you learn whether you carry an inherited BRCA gene mutation and receive an estimate of your personal risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Genetic counseling is an important part of the BRCA gene test process.
Mutations to either breast cancer gene — BRCA1 or BRCA2 — significantly increase your risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer when compared with the cancer risk of a woman without a BRCA gene mutation. Men with inherited BRCA gene mutations also face an increased risk of breast cancer. BRCA mutations may increase the risk of other types of cancer in women and men as well.
You might be at increased risk of having a BRCA gene mutation — and a candidate for BRCA gene testing — if you have:
Ideally, in a family that might carry a BRCA mutation, a family member who has breast or ovarian cancer will have the BRCA gene test first. If this individual agrees to genetic testing and doesn''t carry the BRCA gene mutation, then other family members won''t benefit from taking the test.
There''s no medical risk associated with being tested for a BRCA gene mutation other than the slight risks — including lightheadedness, bleeding or bruising — of having your blood drawn. Risks are associated with the emotional, financial, medical and social implications of your test results.
If you test positive for a BRCA gene mutation, you may face:
On the other hand, if you test negative for a BRCA mutation or your results aren''t clear-cut — say you have a genetic mutation, but one that hasn''t been associated with cancer in other people — you may experience:
The first step in the BRCA gene testing process is to meet with a genetic counselor. As soon as you consider having any genetic test, meet with a genetic counselor to determine whether it''s appropriate for you and to discuss the potential risks, limitations and benefits.
The genetic counselor takes a detailed family and medical history, assesses your risk of developing cancer, discusses risks and benefits of genetic testing, and outlines your options.
To prepare for your meeting with a genetic counselor:
Proceeding with genetic testing after you meet with a genetic counselor is up to you.
If you decide to have a BRCA gene test done, prepare yourself for the emotional and social implications that learning your genetic status might have. Test results could also fail to provide you with clear-cut answers regarding your cancer risk, so you prepare to face that possibility, too.
The BRCA gene test is most often a blood test. A doctor, nurse or medical technician inserts a needle into a vein, usually in your arm, to draw the blood sample needed for testing. Your blood sample then goes to a lab for DNA analysis.
In some cases, other sample types are collected for DNA analysis, including saliva or skin biopsy samples. If you have a family history of cancer and are interested in pursuing a saliva DNA test, discuss it with your doctor. He or she can refer you to a genetic counselor who can determine the most appropriate sample type for genetic testing.
It takes several weeks before test results are available. You meet with your genetic counselor to learn your test results, discuss their implications and go over your options. Federal and state laws help ensure the privacy of your genetic information and protect against discrimination in health insurance and employment.
Your test results may be positive, negative or uncertain.
A positive test result means that you have a harmful mutation in one of the breast cancer genes, BRCA1 or BRCA2, and a much higher risk of developing breast cancer or ovarian cancer compared with someone who doesn''t have the mutation. But a positive result doesn''t mean that you''ll ultimately develop cancer.
Follow-up care after a positive test result might include taking specific measures to reduce your cancer risk. What you choose to do depends on many factors — including your age, medical history, prior treatments, past surgeries and personal preferences.
To reduce your cancer risk after a positive test result, you might:
Increase screening (surveillance). Surveillance for breast cancer if you have a BRCA mutation means having clinical breast exams every six months and mammograms and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams every year. Some experts recommend alternating mammogram and breast MRI every six months. These tests don''t prevent breast cancer but may help detect it early. A study assessing survival found that substituting mammography plus MRI screening for prophylactic mastectomy offered comparable survival.
You may also choose to perform monthly breast self-exams to become familiar with the normal texture of your breast tissue. Potentially worrisome breast changes may be easier for you to detect earlier if you know what''s normal.
Surveillance for ovarian cancer with available tests has not been found effective in early detection of cancer, nor has it shown a survival benefit. The tests include having semiannual pelvic exams and yearly transvaginal ultrasound imaging and a blood test to measure your cancer antigen 125 level.
Use oral contraceptives. Oral contraceptive use has been shown to reduce ovarian cancer risk in BRCA mutation carriers. Your risk of breast cancer goes up slightly if you use oral contraceptives for more than five years, however.
Take a medication to reduce your risk of cancer (chemoprevention). Tamoxifen reduces the risk of developing breast cancer by about 50 percent in women who are at increased risk of the disease. Some small studies have shown that tamoxifen may help lower the risk in women specifically with a BRCA 2 gene mutation.
Another preventive medication is raloxifene (Evista), which also helps reduce the chance of breast cancer in postmenopausal women at high risk, though it hasn''t been studied specifically in women with BRCA mutations.
Undergo preventive surgery. Preventive (prophylactic) mastectomy — surgical removal of healthy breast tissue — reduces breast cancer risk for BRCA gene carriers by about 90 percent, according to several studies. Removal of healthy fallopian tubes and ovaries (preventive salpingo-oophorectomy) reduces breast cancer risk by as much as 50 percent in premenopausal women, and it reduces ovarian cancer risk by as much as 90 percent in both pre- and postmenopausal women.
Preventive surgery doesn''t eliminate all cancer risk. It''s possible for cancer to develop in any tissue that couldn''t be removed through surgery.
A negative test result means that no BRCA gene mutation was found. However, assessing your cancer risk is still difficult. The test result is considered a "true negative" only if it finds that you don''t carry a specific BRCA mutation that''s already been identified in a relative.
An ambiguous result occurs when the test finds a genetic mutation that hasn''t been associated with cancer in other people. This is known as a variant of uncertain significance, and it is helpful to meet with your genetic counselor to understand how to interpret this finding and decide on appropriate follow up. New models are being developed to help determine risk of cancer with ambiguous results.
Keep in mind that a negative test result doesn''t eliminate the chance of developing a nonhereditary breast cancer. You still have the same cancer risk as that of the general population.
Although the BRCA gene test can detect the majority of mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, you could have a gene mutation that the test wasn''t able to detect. Or you may be at high risk of hereditary cancer if your family carries a high-risk gene mutation that researchers haven''t yet identified.