text:
Behind the scenes peak. So this is my June 2012 photos folder for the blog in Photoshop.
The only food I've taken photos of in all of June were these Chicken Pineapple Kebabs. And I'll confess that Steve assembled them and cooked them. And I just took the photos.
So why haven't I been cooking?
There's really only one reason that a food blogger (who really really really really really loves to share fun food ideas and recipes with everyone, as I do!) doesn't blog about food.
- She's tired.
- Her taste buds aren't working right.
- She finds herself in bed for upwards of 12 hours a day.
- Her stomach isn't functioning normally.
- She can't bring herself to even look at Pinterest, because there is food everywhere.
- She can't eat some days and is ravenous other days.
And all these symptoms point to one thing.
First trimester of pregnancy.
That's right.
We are expecting #4 in mid-January. That puts me at about 11 weeks pregnant…which hopefully means only 1-2 more weeks of the "blech" feelings…then we'll be back to normal, back in the kitchen, back to cooking and back to blogging!
In the meantime, I'm counting on my amazing contributors and some guest posts to get us through this phase!
So maybe that wasn't really 72 reasons that I've been MIA…but it feels like I have 72 reasons!
Now for the FAQ that I know you're thinking about (and I've already been asked quite a few times since sharing with family, church family and friends)…
So you have three boys, are you hoping for a girl?
No gonna lie. Yes.
I would LOVE a little estrogen around my house. I would love some girl drama. And I would love for the boys to have a little sister.
But, at the same time…it would certainly be easier to have another boy, as we've got all the clothes, toys, decor and rough and tumble kinda household already going on. So adding a little more testosterone wouldn't be terrible!
In the end, we are thrilled to be expecting "Cuatro" (as we've started calling baby until we find out if it's a boy or girl) and pray for a healthy baby and delivery!
Is this pregnancy similar to past ones, does it feel different?
Yes and no. It's amazing how you forget what it feels like and how miserable it can be at times, but it's all come flooding back now that I'm in the middle of it. I have very similar nausea, cravings and aversions…but the fatigue this time around is kicking my tail. The part about upwards of 12 hours in bed…total truth. I'd say that 5 of 7 days each week, I'm flat on my back for at least 12 hours. Usually 10 at night and 2 hours rest or nap in the middle of the day. This has obviously done a number on my productivity, work and blogging…but it will not last much longer and I'm taking care of myself and baby…which is utmost importance! But, I long for the day when the "light switch" will flip and I'll get that boost of energy and won't have to take my nausea medicine any longer! Shouldn't be too much longer…
Are you planning on having more?
No. My husband and I have always wanted 4 children and we are so blessed by the three we have and Cuatro on the way too. We feel this will be it for our family.
Your third book is coming out in September, are you still gonna travel around and do book signings?
You bet! Big travel months for me will be in September and October to promote the book, and I'll be all over the place. We are just starting to plan the locations and stops (feel free to make requests below!). Seeing as how I traveled with Tyler when he was 2 and 3 months old for my second book, I'm thrilled that I can travel this time around with Cuatro safely tucked inside. Much, much easier this time around!
So have at it…guesses on boy or girl? Name suggestions? Cities for my book tour? Would love to know your thoughts!!!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Off The Pity Pot
21 comments:
- Cat said...
Reading this made me so happy!
- January 26, 2012 at 7:18 PM
- susan said...
Thank you Cat! ;)
- January 26, 2012 at 8:43 PM
- Sharon Pernes said...
I am so happy and proud of you!
- January 26, 2012 at 9:41 PM
- Ruth said...
Seeing where you are going and not liking it is a great step to decide to go in a new direction. Congratulations on stopping drinking. Sounds like you are the one giving yourself that swift kick. Good for you.
- January 27, 2012 at 1:08 AM
- Rossa Forbes said...
I didn't read yesterday's post for the reasons you point out. I didn't want to go there with you. But I am thrilled when I read your post today. Hooray! Is it my turn to poke you on Facebook or yours?
- January 27, 2012 at 3:04 AM
- Med said...
Sounds like you have discovered a new seam of motivation deep beneath the surface. That's good to hear. Even better is that you are using that renewed energy to do something different to before. Otherwise we are no more sophisticated than flies whose only strategy is to throw themselves repeatedly at the glass.
I also think that living amongst the well can make us focus on what we can't do, rather than accepting aspects and pattern of our condition and learning what we can do with what we have, on our own terms, not bound by old routines, conventions and expectations.
So, no pity. Some excitement at the possibilities and plenty of compassion. X
- January 27, 2012 at 3:04 AM
- Mary LA said...
I'm glad you feel stronger today and I've had those 'wake-up calls' from my blog posts too. Love to you, my dearest friend.
- January 27, 2012 at 5:21 AM
- Spanner said...
Morning Sue (and Holly),
What a good post. You might want to have a look at this,
The bloke is seriously positive, I think I might have to kill him lol but there's some interesting stuff on there and it did give me abit of a lift after reading it :-)
Be lucky x
- January 27, 2012 at 5:34 AM
- Neil | Butterfield said...
Kudos to you for making this decision. It takes guts to make the kinds of decisions that you have made. Keep it up!
- January 27, 2012 at 7:41 AM
- Adam Glenn said...
Good luck in your newfound direction! This was a great post to read, especially after yesterday's.
- January 27, 2012 at 6:30 PM
- susan said...
@Sharon- thank you!
@Ruth, I agree. It's hard to take the first step. The drinking step, done 15 years ago, that was easy. This seems to be a lot harder, now that I am older and what not. I'll keep you posted how I do.
@Rossa- stop poking me! I'm ticklish!
- January 28, 2012 at 11:16 AM
- susan said...
@Med, I'm excited too. Having a clean apartment makes me feel happy. I know I will never be Martha Stewart, nor would I like to be, but at least the dust bunnies are gone, and I have a load of clean laundry- or at least I did until the cat thought it was a nice warm place to nap in! ;)
@ Oh Mary! I read your blog every day... I never caught that. You keep thinking your are anonymous on the internet, and maybe you are, but there is a close line between laying your heart out here and emotional flashing. I was guilty of the latter.
- January 28, 2012 at 11:20 AM
- susan said...
@Spanner- thanks for the linky. It was very very good! I just added it to my reader.
@ Neil, thank you. I looked at your blog, very well written. Thank you.
@ Adam, thank you. I don't like that person I was last week when I wrote it .I really don't. I hope she goes away and I become a better person.
- January 28, 2012 at 11:21 AM
- Tery said...
That is the beuty of blogging. You remind your self of how you should be by writing about how you do not want to feel.
It's like giving your self a little pep-talk and it's not some random thought that will disappear between all the other random thoughts. It is in black and white and you can't dispute having written it...
- January 28, 2012 at 3:54 PM
YAY for you!!!! You are a fighter and a survivor, and that's just one of the reasons I admire you so much!! GO SUSAN!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh yeah--I know all about the Pity Pot, I think I invented it, lol!
- January 30, 2012 at 2:28 AM
- Noch Noch said...
good for you! :)
i wish i can say the same when i'm in the downs
Noch Noch
- February 1, 2012 at 10:22 AM
- Mark p.s.2 said...
"So I made a list for tomorrow." you wrote. Congrats.
I also make a list before every day.
Keep a routine going.
- February 3, 2012 at 10:21 AM
- Rian said...
Your comment about being better than yesterday really stood out for me. As I'm sure you'll remember from that fellowship you spoke of, a day at a time, makes all the difference in the world. I have some really rough days, but my pillow always tells me, to leave it there, and wake up and just see what happens ;)
I am enjoying your blogs, and I hope that each day is better than yesterday!!
- February 6, 2012 at 4:37 PM
Thank you for the inspiring article! I have suffered from bipolar for many years and have found it a constant challenge to deal with my mood changes. I have found help through http://onlineceucredit.com/edu/social-work-ceus-ba . It offers a lot of great information about treating bipolar symptoms.
- February 20, 2012 at 7:52 PM
- WillSpirit said...
I love your description of how we can take action despite the fact that we feel badly. Behavior doesn't have to be driven by emotion, we can choose to act in the face of pain and lethargy. By doing so, we often find that the negative feelings dissipate. You describe the process so perfectly. Thank you.
- March 31, 2012 at 12:12 PM
- Receiving Grace said...
I lost my job last week and yesterday I broke down after almost a week and just had a good cry. The cry wasn't because of my lost job but instead it was about how I was not able to enjoy the people around me that I love so much. I was missing them and they were right in front of me but I couldn't feel them because of how I was feeling. Yesterday I got sick and tired of being sick and tired and decided enough is enough. Only thing that went wrong was when I lost my job I stopped having my God time. He can't help me if I don't ask Him to. Anyway I love your comment of "I still feel blue. I just don't feel helpless anymore. I don't feel like I did yesterday. That's saying a lot." That is me today and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Best wishes for the next "blues" bout and I hope you recover quicker than you thought you could.
- February 3, 2014 at 10:58 AM


text:
Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010 | 5:20 p.m.
So you're finally playing Vegas ...
I think it's the one major city we haven't played in the country. I'm excited to finally play there; that's going to be interesting because you know, Vegas is kind of a notorious place, right? I don't know what to expect — what we've seen in movies and what not.
- The Avett Brothers
- September 2, 8 p.m., $35
- Silverton, 263-7777
How was it working with producing legend Rick Rubin on latest album I and Love and You?
It was an honor, simply put. Rick moved in organically, naturally — he's not big on getting in the way. He knows how to lead a situation by subtly controlling [it]. I'd [also] be lying not to say that it didn't have some sort of validating feeling to it, that somebody of his experience would want to share some with us.
I read that the title track is actually about your relationship with your fans.
We started touring in 2002, and we played in very small places for very small crowds. We were very, very close to the people we played with — we hung out with them before and after shows and we knew everybody. As years passed, as crowds grew, we learned that we couldn't maintain the same relationship. So there's been a growing distancing between us and those fans, [but] at the same time, a growing closeness, as we make more music and touch more people with it.


text:
No-fault compensation following adverse events attributed to vaccination: a review of international programmes
Clare Looker a & Heath Kelly a
a. Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Locked Bag 815, Carlton South, Vic., 3053, Australia.
Correspondence to Clare Looker (e-mail: email@example.com).
(Submitted: 10 August 2010 – Revised version received: 01 February 2011 – Accepted: 03 February 2011 – Published online: 21 March 2011.)
Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2011;89:371-378. doi: 10.2471/BLT.10.081901
The public health benefits of vaccination are clear. The World Health Organization estimates that, in 2008, more than 2.5 million deaths were prevented by vaccination.1 Immunization programmes have led to the eradication of smallpox, the elimination of measles and poliomyelitis in many regions, and substantial reductions in morbidity and mortality from Haemophilus influenzae type b, diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus. However vaccines are not without risks and it is commonly accepted that, regardless of proper design, manufacture and delivery, adverse events occur following vaccination although serious adverse events are rare.2
At a population level, it is considered that these small risks are balanced by the benefits of widespread population immunization. However this means that an individual occasionally bears a significant burden for the benefit provided to the rest of the population. Although these vaccine-related adverse events occur occasionally due to negligence, more often there is no clearly attributable fault.
Without evidence of clear negligence, it is difficult to obtain compensation through traditional legal mechanisms. Recognizing this, several countries have implemented vaccine-injury compensation programmes.3 These programmes reflect a belief that it is fair and reasonable that a community that is protected by a vaccination programme accepts responsibility for and provides compensation to those who are injured by it. In 1999, Evans conducted a thorough review of 13 compensation programmes.3 We aimed to update this review examining similar programme elements to those described both by Evans and by Mariner in her 1985–6 study.4
Search strategy
We used a meta-search engine (Supersearch MetaLib®) to identify key published resources on vaccine-injury compensation schemes. Databases searched were: Web of Science®, Scopus v.4 (Elsevier), Medline (ISI), CINAHL®Plus (EBSCO), PsycINFO® (CSA), PubMed, Academic Search Premier (EBSCO), Expanded Academic ASAP (Gale), JSTOR, LegalTrac (Gale) and Law Journal Library (Hein).
Keywords entered were vaccine AND injury AND compensation; "vaccine injury"; vaccine AND damage AND compensation; vaccine AND compensation; "vaccine policy"; "vaccine injury" AND international; and "vaccine injury" AND [country name]. We scanned reference lists of key full text papers. We used citation tracking in PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect and EBSCOhost to forward track key papers and identify articles cited in mainstream journals. We performed a grey literature search in Google using the same keywords. We searched web pages of international organizations, bilateral agencies, nongovernmental organizations, consultancy firms and universities involved in funding, delivering or evaluating immunization services. We perused national government web sites to find details of specific country's schemes. Finally we contacted key individuals involved in vaccine compensation programmes throughout the world.
Evolution of programmes
We identified 19 countries with current vaccine compensation schemes (Fig. 1). In 1953, the German Supreme Court ruled that people who were injured by compulsory vaccination (in this case smallpox) were entitled to compensation. Germany enacted a compensation programme in 1961.5 France implemented a similar scheme in the 1960s.6 Concern over injuries caused by medicines and the inadequacies of traditional litigation processes increased after the thalidomide tragedy in the 1960s. In the 1970s, concerns over adverse events related to diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis vaccination led to programmes being established in Austria,7 Denmark,8 Japan,9 New Zealand,10 Sweden11 Switzerland12 and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK).13 In the 1980s, Taiwan (China),14 Finland,15 the United States of America (USA)16 and Quebec (Canada)17 implemented programmes. Italy,18 Norway19 and the Republic of Korea20 followed in the 1990s. The most recently implemented programmes are those in Hungary,21 Iceland22 and Slovenia.23
Fig. 1. Countries and provinces that have introduced vaccine-injury compensation schemes (including year of introduction)
Since Evans' review3 there have been several political and socioeconomic shifts that have affected vaccine-injury compensation. Thirteen of the schemes reviewed in this paper are based in Europe, where many countries have since integrated vaccine liability as part of a more comprehensive no-fault approach to medical accidents.24 Furthermore, there is interest in harmonizing health policy within the European Union, illustrated by a recent proposal for a pan-European compensation scheme for injuries caused by defective products.25 France has moved away from a court-based compensation scheme to an administrative system and, in the United Kingdom, there has been discussion of an alternative general medical accidents' liability scheme.26,27 There has also been significant public pressure in other countries, including Australia,28,29Canada30 and Ireland,31,32 to establish similar schemes. Recently, China has shown interest in a no-fault compensation scheme for vaccine injuries.33 To date there are no schemes that cover developing countries.
Arguments for schemes
Arguments supporting vaccine-injury compensation include political and economic pressures, litigation threats, increasing confidence in population-based vaccine programmes and ensuring sustainability of vaccine supply. However, compensation schemes are also based on underlying principles of fairness and justice.
If there is no formal compensation scheme, the only source of compensation is through the courts, usually under the law of tort. Tort law requires a claimant to prove that he or she has suffered a wrong due to another person's negligence or deliberate harm. The problem with this process, in the case of vaccination, is that there is often no clearly negligent party. A court-based approach to compensation can be inequitable and unpredictable, resulting in high monetary awards for some, while those who do not seek legal recourse receive nothing.
In the USA, before 1987, those injured by vaccines had no choice but to take their chances in the court system and seek recovery for their injuries directly from the manufacturer.34 Without a compensation system, it became difficult for vaccine manufacturers to predict their exposure to lawsuits. Accordingly, manufacturers and their insurers increased prices based on worst-case estimates.35 This led to exponential price rises, vaccine shortages and a reduction in vaccine research. Furthermore, several small vaccine manufacturers left the market.35
A vaccine-injury compensation scheme removes the uncertainty of tort liability for manufacturers and provides a more fair, efficient and stable approach for injured parties. Litigation is an expensive and restricted avenue that is inaccessible for many vaccine recipients. Furthermore, compensation schemes avoid the polarization of drug companies against vaccine recipients through litigation and the associated negative media coverage.36
Many countries that have implemented compensation schemes have done so as an expression of community solidarity.4 Ethicist Michelle Mello argues that solidarity means members of a community do not bear the risks of vaccination alone.37 Vaccine injuries can be severe and complex, and are often suffered by children who require a lifetime of care and may not qualify for other benefits under accident insurance schemes.3 In a vaccination programme, the injured and uninjured pay unequal shares of the social cost of producing the social good of herd immunity.37 Mello argues that, in line with principles of fairness and solidarity, mechanisms are needed to prevent the uninjured (unintentionally) "free-riding" on the injured.
Common programme elements
From our review of current schemes, we identified six elements common to all schemes: administration and funding, eligibility, process and decision-making, standard of proof, elements of compensation and litigation rights. These elements are similar to those used by Evans in his 1999 review.3 Key aspects of these elements are summarized in Table 1 for six developed countries with established compensation programmes, selected to demonstrate the variety of approaches to these programmes.
Administration and funding
Most compensation schemes are government enacted and run. This usually occurs at a national level, but in Germany and Switzerland the programme is administered by the state (or canton). Quebec, the only province in Canada with a vaccine-injury compensation scheme, administers its programme through the Provincial Ministry of Health and Social Services.
In Scandinavian countries, vaccine-injury compensation is part of broad no-fault compensation schemes for both medical treatment and medicines. In Denmark and Norway, this is administered by the Department of Health, whereas the Finnish and Swedish schemes are voluntary for pharmaceutical companies and are not operated by the government. After the thalidomide disaster in the early 1960s, the international pharmaceutical industry, operating in Sweden, collaborated with the insurance industry and government to establish a Swedish vaccine-injury compensation scheme, to which pharmaceutical companies and importers voluntarily pay contributions.36,39 Similarly, in Finland concerns about litigation and justice led to the government proposing a statutory scheme, even drafting an Act, but pharmaceutical manufacturers instead formed the Finnish cooperative for the indemnification of medicine-related injuries and negotiated with the insurance sector to establish its own voluntary scheme.15 In Norway, although the scheme is government run, it is also funded by contributions from the pharmaceutical industry. In New Zealand, there is no separate administrative entity to address vaccine injuries. Instead these are covered by the broad Accident Compensation Corporation,40 which is a statutory corporation that provides no-fault compensation for any personal injury and death caused by accident.
The source of funding for vaccine-injury compensation schemes largely reflects where decision-making power lies. Several countries finance their programmes from national, state or municipal treasuries or, in the case of Japan, a mixture of each. Finland, Norway and Sweden use a manufacturers' levy. New Zealand's scheme is financed from several sources including levies on employers, employees and motor vehicle owners, government funding and investment returns.
Taiwan (China) and the USA retain centralized government control over their schemes, which are funded from a vaccine tax. In Taiwan (China), a tax of one New Taiwan dollar (US$ 0.034) per vaccine dose is paid by the manufacturer or importer of the vaccine. In the USA, the tax is US$ 0.75 per dose.
In most countries, the compensation schemes are a secondary source of funding for medical and disability expenses. In general, patients receive primary support from the national public or private insurers. The compensation schemes can be relatively modest in size and not need to cover the full range of expenses that might be considered in a tort or product liability case.
As noted previously by Evans, there is considerable variation in the vaccines covered by compensation schemes. Some schemes cover only mandatory or recommended vaccines, while others cover all licensed medicines. The United Kingdom and USA cover childhood vaccines, adult influenza and vaccines given to the armed forces.41,42 In Italy, compensation is only payable for injuries from one of five mandatory vaccines or from non-mandated vaccines required for travel or employment.18 Other countries determine eligibility based on occupation (e.g. health care worker), indication (e.g. travel), citizenship and time elapsed between the vaccine and a claim.
All the schemes have threshold injury or disability criteria that need to be met before claiming compensation. In New Zealand, an injury has to be "severe" to be eligible for compensation.40 In England, compensation is paid when there is greater than 60% disability.41 Similarly, in Finland to be eligible for compensation an injury must result in a loss of functional ability for at least 14 days.15 German law only specifies that the injury must exceed a "normal post-vaccinal reaction", however supplemental payments are conditional on disability existing for at least 6 months.7
Evans describes four broad categories of benefits that are provided by vaccine-injury compensation schemes.3 These are: medical costs, disability pensions, coverage for noneconomic loss and death benefits. With the exception of the United Kingdom with its lump sum payment of 120 000 British pounds sterling, all schemes cover medical expenses, disability pensions and death benefits.41 These payments are usually proportional to the severity of the vaccine injury. Some countries also cover noneconomic loss including "pain and suffering" and compensation to family. The USA also compensates both successful and unsuccessful claimants for reasonable legal costs.
All countries, except Finland and Sweden, have passed legislation to enact their compensation schemes and government departments operate the programmes in most countries. Most schemes require claims to be filed with an administrative body that makes initial eligibility and compensation decisions on claims. Many countries use an administrative process for deciding compensation eligibility and payment amounts. These schemes usually have an internal review process, with the option of external review if a claim is deemed complex or contentious. Proponents of these schemes believe this administrative approach is less adversarial, has lower costs, lessens the need to apportion blame and maximizes the opportunity for those with genuine vaccine injuries to receive just compensation.
While the procedures for filing a claim in the USA are modelled quite closely on the civil litigation process, the scheme includes a process for pre-determining causation if a vaccine injury is included on its vaccine injury table.42 This process presumes causation if any injury listed in the table occurs within a specified time frame after vaccination. For example, if anaphylaxis occurrs within 4 hours of hepatitis B vaccine administration, it is presumed due to the vaccine. While an alternate mechanism exists for injuries which fall outside the table specifications, most claims have been for "on-table" injuries.43 All countries examined have a formalized appeal process for claimants. In some places, including Scandinavia and the USA, appeals can be lodged disputing the size of the compensation payment. Some countries impose time-limits on lodging an appeal.
Vaccine-injury compensation schemes aim to streamline the process of receiving compensation. Most countries prioritize the timely resolution of claims, although the processing time varies depending on the size of the scheme and whether the scheme is part of a broader no-fault programme. In New Zealand, the Accident Compensation Corporation has 9 months to make a decision.10 In the USA, a claim decision takes an average 2–3 years.44 In France, the Office National d'Indemnisation des Accidents Medicaux has a statutory responsibility to process claims within 6 months.27
Standard of proof
No-fault vaccine-injury compensation programmes are based on the premise that the adverse outcome is not attributable to a specific individual or industry but due to an unavoidable risk associated with vaccines. A problem for all compensation schemes is determining whether there is a causal relationship between a vaccine and a specific injury. The method by which causation is proven in tort law can be quite different from the accepted method of establishing causation in science and epidemiology. The most commonly accepted criteria for establishing epidemiological causation are the Bradford Hill criteria.45 While they do not provide a definitive checklist for assessing causality,46 these criteria provide a framework for separating causal and non-causal explanations of observed associations. Despite its importance, there is no single, clear consensus on the definition of causation.
In tort litigation the defendant, or defective product, is on trial for "causing" a specific individual's or group's adverse outcome. A direct link must be established between the particular action of that defendant or product and the adverse outcome. Legal causation is deterministic and requires proof of an allegation.
In general, most compensation schemes offer a more liberal approach to standard of proof than the legal standard. For instance, the Swedish general drug injury compensation scheme requires a "preponderant probability" that an injury was caused by a drug. While apparently reluctant to define this specifically, commentators interpret this as a "slightly more than 50%" chance of a drug having caused an injury.36
In New Zealand, vaccine injuries were previously considered "medical misadventures".47 This was taken in practice to mean a "medical error" or "medical mishap". Although both forms of accident were eligible for compensation, the distinction required the Accident Compensation Corporation to investigate whether a vaccine injury was caused by an error or was an adverse outcome of a correctly delivered vaccine. This concept of "medical misadventure" was later replaced with the concept of "treatment injury".10 This reflects a more genuine no-fault system, ensuring compensation for injured vaccine recipients regardless of whether the injury is judged avoidable or not. Similarly, in the USA, proof of the level required in the law courts is not necessary to access compensation. One of the key goals of the scheme was simplification of the compensation system for all parties. It was felt that requiring legal causation to be proved would be overly time consuming and laborious.
Litigation rights
To ensure that compensation schemes remain attractive to claimants, they must offer a compensation payment and process that is more appealing than the tort or litigation system. Most countries legislate that claimants can seek either damages through the courts or a compensation scheme payout but not both. Other countries, such as Denmark and the United Kingdom, adjust compensation payments if damages have been received through the courts.
Vaccine-injury compensation programmes are increasingly regarded as an important component of successful vaccination programmes. They have been used for the past 50 years to ensure that individuals who are adversely affected in the interests of protecting the whole community are adequately compensated and cared for. There are a variety of schemes with different structures and approaches in use throughout the world. The schemes function most efficiently when they operate alongside well established, comprehensive national social welfare systems. In these countries, vaccine-injury compensation schemes have been found to have a relatively low administrative cost, especially compared to civil litigation cases.36,48
In the first decade of the 21st century, acceptance of vaccine-injury compensation has grown. Schemes are being enacted beyond industrialized Europe and North America. The importance of these schemes, based on ethical principles, has been stressed by parent groups, and claimants have reported satisfaction in having received compensation through a streamlined process.49,50 Apart from the reluctance of governments to move away from the adversarial approach to providing compensation, we believe there is a strong argument for widespread implementation of these programmes in other developed countries.
Competing interests:
None declared.
- State of the world's vaccines and immunization, 3rd ed. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2009. Available from: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2009/9789241563864_eng.pdf [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Collet JP, MacDonald N, Cashman N, Pless R. Monitoring signals for vaccine safety: the assessment of individual adverse event reports by an expert advisory committee. The Advisory Committee on Causality Assessment. Bull World Health Organ 2000; 78: 178-85 pmid: 10743282.
- Evans G. Vaccine-injury compensation programmes worldwide. Vaccine 1999; 17: S25-35 doi: 10.1016/S0264-410X(99)00291-1 pmid: 10559532.
- Mariner WK. Compensation programmes for vaccine-related injury abroad: a comparative analysis. St Louis Univ Law J 1987; 31: 599-654 pmid: 11650844.
- Protection against infection act (Infektionsschutzgesetz - IfSG), 1045; 20 July 2000. Berlin: Federal Law Gazette; 2000. Available from: http://www.rki.de/cln_162/nn_217358/EN/Content/Prevention/Inf__Dis__Surveillance/inf__dis__down.html?__nnn=true [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Dispositif de règlement amiable des dommages imputables à des vaccinations obligatoires (in French). Paris: Office National d'Indemnisation des Accidents Médicaux; 2004. Available from: http://www.oniam.fr/vaccinations.php [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Act for the compensation of vaccination damages (Impfschadengesetz, BGBI nr. 371/1973) (in German). Vienna: Bundeskanzleramt; 1973. Available from: http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Ergebnis.wxe?Suchworte=371%2F1973&x=0&y=0&Abfrage=Gesamtabfrage [accessed 15 March 2011].
- The Danish Liability for Damages Act. Copenhagen: Patientforsikringen; 2010. Available from: http://www.patientforsikringen.dk/en/Love-og-Regler/Lov-om-klage-og-erstatningsadgang/Behandlingsskader.aspx [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Cabinet order no. 197 on implementation of immunization law (in Japanese). Tokyo: National Diet Library; 1948. Available from: http://hourei.ndl.go.jp [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Accident Compensation Act 1972, s.2 § amended by Accident Compensation Amendment Act 2001. Wellington: New Zealand Legislation; 2001; Available from: http://www.legislation.govt.nz [accessed 15 March 2011].
- The Undertaking (Indemnity rules). Stockholm: Lakemedelsforsakringen (LFF);2009; Available from: http://www.lakemedelsforsakringen.se/default.asp?id=10822&ptid= [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Federal law from 18 December 1970 on communicable disease control (Epidemics act) 818.101. Berne: Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation;1970. Available from: http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/c818_101.html [accessed 15 March 2011].
- The Regulatory Reform (Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979) Order 2002, Statutory Instrument 2002 no. 1592. London: Office of Public Sector Information; 2002. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/20021592.htm [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Communicable Disease Act, article 30: Regulations governing revenues and expenditures, safeguarding and utilization of the compensation fund for vaccine injuries. Taipei: Department of Health of the Executive Yuan; 2001. Available from: http://dohlaw.doh.gov.tw/Chi/EngContent.asp?msgid=46&KeyWord= [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Finnish Pharmaceutical Insurance Pool [Internet site]. Helsinki: Finnish Pharmaceutical Insurance Pool; 2011. Available from: http://www.lvp.fi/www/page/lvp_www_2090 [accessed 15 March 2011].
- National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act. 1986; 42 USC 300aa-11 et seq. Washington, DC:Department of Health and Human Services; 1986. Available from: http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/authorizinglegislation.pdf [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Public Health Protection Act, RSQ, chapter S-2.2. Quebec City: Government of Quebec; 2011. Available from: http://www2.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/dynamicSearch/telecharge.php?type=2&file=/S_2_2/S2_2_A.html [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Law no. 238 of 25 July 1997, modifications and additions to the Law no. 210 of February 25 1992, relating to compensation to those harmed by mandatory vaccinations, blood transfusions and blood products (in Italian). Rome: Ministry of Health; 1997. Available from: http://www.normattiva.it [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Patient Injury Act of 15 June 2001 no. 53 (in Norwegian). Oslo: Ministry of Health; 2001. Available from: http://www.lovdata.no/all/nl-20010615-053.html [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Prevention of Contagious Diseases Act, Law 6162 (in Korean). Seoul: Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2009. Available from: http://www.glin.gov/view.action?glinID=70100 [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Boncz I, Sebestyen A. Compensation for vaccine injury in Hungary. Lancet 2006; 367: 1144- doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68504-8 pmid: 16616556.
- Act on patient insurance no. 111/2000. Reykjavik: Ministry of Welfare; 2000. Available from: http://eng.velferdarraduneyti.is/acts-of-Parliament/nr/20366 [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Zanoni G, Berra P, Lucchi I, Ferro A, O'Flanagan D, Levy-Bruhl D, et al., et al. Vaccine adverse event monitoring systems across the European Union countries: time for unifying efforts. Vaccine 2009; 27: 3376-84 doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.01.059 pmid: 19200851.
- Dute J, Faure MG, Koziol H, editors. Tort and insurance law, vol 8: No-fault compensation in the health care sector. New York: Springer; 2004.
- Calderini M, Cantamessa M, Palamigiano A. Analysis of the economic impact of the development risk clause as provided by directive 85/374/EEC on Liability for Defective Products. Rome: Fondazione Roselli; 2004 Available from: http://www.fondazionerosselli.it/User.it/index.php?PAGE=Sito_en/centri_ricer1&unit_id=14&rice_id=231 [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Donaldson L. Making amends: a consultation paper setting out proposals for reforming the approach to clinical negligence in the NHS: a report by the Chief Medical Officer. London: Department of Health; 2003.
- Gromb S, Dupon M. L'indemnisation des accidents de vaccination. Med Mal Infect 2009; 39: 809-14 doi: 10.1016/j.medmal.2009.09.002 pmid: 19819656.
- Isaacs D. Should Australia introduce a vaccine-injury compensation scheme? J Paediatr Child Health 2004; 40: 247-9 doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2004.00357.x pmid: 15151575.
- Report of the Select Committee on Immunisation and Vaccination Rates in Children. Perth; Parliament of Western Australia; 1999.
- Kutlesa NJ. Creating a sustainable immunization system in Canada - the case for a vaccine-related injury compensation scheme. Health Law J 2004; 12: 201-42 pmid: 16539082.
- O'Halloran M. Harney supports a no-fault compensation scheme. Irish Times, 3 March 2009. Available from: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2009/0303/1224242142398.html [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Vaccine Damage Steering Group. Report of Vaccine Damage Steering Group. Dublin: Department of Health and Children; 2009. Available from: http://www.dohc.ie/publications/vaccine_damage.html [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Gourley S, Chen Y, Bass S, Austin S. China - compensation for drug and device-related injuries. In: PLC Cross-border Life Sciences Handbook 2008/09. London: Practical Law Company; 2009. Available from: http://www.sidley.com/files/Publication/44f59dfe-70d9-4a9a-8554-bf25e4589885/Presentation/PublicationAttachment/a6c89483-8f6b-46b1-992e-c16c8ec946e6/PLC_China_Compensation_Dec2008.pdf [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Hensen R. Inoculated against recovery: a comparative analysis of vaccine-injury compensation in the United States and Great Britain. Tulsa Journal of Comparative and International Law. 2007-2008; 15: 61-.
- Evans G, Levine EM, Saindon EH. Legal issues (chapter 75). In: Plotkin SA, Orenstein WA, Offit PA, editors. Vaccines, 5th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier; 2008.
- Hodges C. Nordic compensation schemes for drug injuries. J Consum Policy 2006; 29: 143-75 doi: 10.1007/s10603-006-9003-4.
- Mello MM. Rationalizing vaccine-injury compensation. Bioethics 2008; 22: 32-42 pmid: 18154587.
- National Vaccine Injury Compensation Programme. Statistics Reports, 20 October 2009. Washington, DC: Department of Health and Human Services; 2009. Available from: http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/statistics_report.htm [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Oldertz C. Security insurance, patient insurance and pharmaceutical insurance in Sweden. Am J Comp Law 1986; 34: 635-56 doi: 10.2307/840326.
- Accident Compensation Corporation [Internet site]. Available from: http://www.acc.co.nz/index.htm [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Vaccine Damage Payments Unit [Internet site]. Available from: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Disabledpeople/DG_10018714 [accessed 15 March 2011].
- National Vaccine Injury Compensation Programme. Washington, DC: Department of Health and Human Services; 2011. Available from: http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/covered_vaccines.htm [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Evans G. The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Programme (VICP): what's new? In: National Immunization Conference, Nashville, Tennessee,14 May 2004. Available from: http://cdc.confex.com/cdc/nic2004/recordingredirect.cgi/id/1495 [accessed 15 March 2011].
- National Vaccine Injury Compensation Programme. Statistics Reports, 3 January 2011. Washington, DC: Department of Health and Human Services; 2011. Available from: http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/statistics_report.htm [accessed 15 March 2011].
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- Royal Commission to inquire into and report upon workers' compensation. Compensation for personal injury in New Zealand: report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry. Wellington: Government Printing; 1967. Available from: http://www.library.auckland.ac.nz/data/woodhouse/ [accessed 15 March 2011].
- Plotkin SA. Lessons learned concerning vaccine safety. Vaccine. 2001 Oct 15; 20 Suppl 1:S16-9; discussion S1.
- Balinska MA. Vaccination in tomorrow's society. Lancet Infect Dis 2003; 3: 443-7 doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(03)00674-1 pmid: 12837350.
- Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines. Transcript of meeting notes, 18 November 2008. Washington, DC: Department of Health and Human Services; 2008. Available from: http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/accv.htm [accessed 15 March 2011].


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Thank you, UCF for your presence in the Central Florida Community!
Will you join us in bringing the arts to the residents and visitors of Central Florida as a Promotional Sponsor at $2,500?
Not only will you help enliven Downtown Orlando with unexpected, culture-shaping artistic encounters. You'll also receive :
- 5 free tickets to our VIP experience to experience IMMERSE 2017 in all of its splendor.
- $250 of your $2,500 sponsorship will go to a co-branded social media marketing campaign reaching up to 50,000 people including your Facebook and/or Instagram followers (see details below).
- Your brandmark on our website and app.
Social Media Reach and Engagement Strength
Here's an example of our reach with a $252 social media campaign in 2016.
Facebook reports that our ads are highly effective -- performing more successfullly than 90% of ads in our category.
By partnering with the Creative City Project, you become part of transforming Orlando as a world-class, cultural destination through our three fold mission.
Cultivate a thriving arts community in Orlando.
We do this by :
- Paying emerging artists to create work at our annual event
- Connecting new audiences to existing and established arts organizations.
- Providing training for artists through workshops and seminars.
Nurture a deeper sense of ownership of and care for Orlando amongst its residents.
By creating meaningful shared experiences in the public spaces of our city, we transform the way its residents see and experiences its people and places.
We do this by :
- Making the arts accessible to all through our free annual event.
- Encouraging artists to consider how architecture and environment affect the relationship between artist and audience – creating unique and meaningful experiences.
We do this by :
- Promoting excellence and high production value in all we do.
- Creating experiences audiences can't have anywhere else.
- Encouraging gross-genre artistic collaboration.
- Highlighting and recruiting world-class artists innovating in their field.
Shape the global perception of our city as one known for innovation and creativity.
When you give, you join the ranks of these world class organizations.
And these high profile individual donors.
Harriet Lake
Ford Kiene
Craig Ustler
Hal Kantor
Donna Dowless
Jennifer Quigley
Gregg Pollack
Ted NeSmith
David Nelson
Bill Neighbors
And so many more!
Your gift brings to life performances and installations from more than 1,000 artists.
- Professional Arts Organizations like Cirque du Soleil, and the Red Bull Bboys
- Non-Profit Professional Organizations like Orlando Ballet, Orlando Philharmonic, CityArts Factory, and The Gallery At Avalon Island
- Educational institutions like the University of Central Florida, Full Sail University, Orange County High Schools, and The Human Experience Middle School
- Community Arts Organizations like Central Florida Community Arts Orchestra, the Maitland Stage Band, Bach Festival Society, and the Afro-Cuban Dance Company
- Professional artists like Baltimore fine artist, Michael Owen; Local Flamenco and Mexican Folk Dancers
- Emerging artists including UCF Performance Art Students, and interactive visual arts installations.
You can help platform and showcase the diversity of artists who call Orlando home.
Creative City Project 2016 featured performers from over 25 ethnicities and cultures, including a celebration of Latin American culture. The performances brought together musicians and dancers from Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.
Creative City Project 2017 will feature compelling art from even more of Central Florida's diverse offerings.
Your gift makes compelling art accessible to more than 20,000 people.
As a free, artistically significant Signature Event, the Creative City Project makes art accessible to all. Built on the European style of festivals, we're sharing and shaping the culture of our city.
And you're shaping your city to become a global, cultural destination.
What Art Basel has become for the visual arts and Miami
And SXSW has become for music and Austin
The Creative City Project is becoming for performing and installation art and Orlando.
These festivals have
- become global destinations for professional and emerging artists in their fields
- and have shaped the cities they call home.
As the Creative City Project grows, there is increasing interest from national and international artists. And artistic synergy and energy is bursting amongst our performing arts community.
So we're making Orlando great together, what part do you play?
Single, Named Central Florida Presenting Sponsor $50,000
Naming Sponsor for the event, Broadcast Campaign, Logo on App Splash Page, Sponsored Social Media Campaign, Logo on front page of Website, Presence at the event, Logo on all print and digital flyers and ads, Recorded Voice Over recognition at all stages during event
- Example : Creative City Project 2016, presented by Your Organization or Name
or Multiple Presenting Sponsors (up to 3) $20,000
Naming Sponsor for the event, Broadcast Campaign, Logo on App Splash Page, Sponsored Social Media Campaign, Logo on front page of Website, Presence at the event, Logo on all print and digital flyers and ads, Recorded Voice Over recognition at all stages during event
- Example : Creative City Project 2016, presented by Your Organization or Name
Area Sponsors (up to 5) $15,000
Naming sponsor on themed performance areas, Social Media Campaign, Logo on App Sponsor Page, Presence at the event, Logo on all print and digital flyers, Logo on Website
- Example : Your Organization or Name Interactive Village
- Example : Your Organization or Name Visual Art Experience
VIP Sponsor (1) $15,000
Naming sponsor for VIP Event, Presence at the event, Logo on all printed and digital flyers, Logo on Website
- Example : The Creative City Project VIP Experience Presented by Your Organization or Name
Stage Sponsors (up to 4) $10,000
Naming sponsor for a main stage on maps, website, and in the app, Presence at the event, Logo on App Sponsor Page, Logo on all printed and digital flyers, Logo on Website, Recorded Voice Over recognition at your stage at the event
- Example : The Your Organization or Name Stage featuring Orlando Ballet and Cirque du Soleil
Promotional Sponsors (unlimited) $2,500
Logo on App Sponsor Page, Logo on all printed and digital flyers, Logo on Website, Logo on all printed and digital flyers
Downtown Business Sponsors (unlimited) $1,000
Logo on App Sponsor Page, Logo on Website, Business highlighted on event program
As we continue to expand our reach beyond Central Florida, the Creative City Project is also seeking national and international brands who want to create irresistible creative experiences that draw customers into your story like never before.
Global Partner : $550,000
National Partner : $350,000
Regional Partner : $200,000
Statewide Partner : $100,000
For more information on these partnerships, please click here.
The media love the Creative City Project and all of our photo-worthy moments, which means your sponsorship appears pervasively and regularly in the public eye.
So let's transform our city together. It's simple. Just press one of these buttons!


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Around the world in 180 characters
Every weekend USA TODAY takes a bite-sized look in approximately 180 characters per item at the past week's top stories from around the world.
Year of the Horse
China and other nations across Asia virtually shut down as the region began Lunar New Year celebrations.
Queen, can you spare a dime?
A report found that the royal household budget of Britain's Queen Elizabeth — which covers buildings maintenance, staff wages and other costs — was running at a "historically low level."
Don't drink and Russia
The risk of dying before age 55 in Russia for those who said they drank three or more half-liter bottles of vodka a week was a shocking 35%.
Peace on hold
Syria's government refused to commit to a date for the next round of peace talks and roundly dismissed the opposition's demand to transfer power away from President Bashar Assad.
Knox will 'fight this to the very end'
Amanda Knox said that that she would "never willingly go back" to Italy, where an appeals court has declared her guilty of the 2007 murder of her roommate.
Good, but not good enough
Ukraine protesters praised President Viktor Yanukovych's signing into law an amnesty for protesters and a repeal of anti-protest laws but said they still want him to step down.
Cover pope
Pope Francis officially became the first pontiff to grace the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. His photo is captioned with the words, "The times they are a-changin."
Ousted and on trial
Egypt's deposed President Mohamed Morsi went on trial on charges related to prison breaks during the 2011 uprising against veteran strongman Hosni Mubarak.
Second time lucky
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto overhauled a decades-old election system for legislators that forbid second terms.


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We took eight popular sedans, six automotive journalists, a family of four and three days to determine: What's the best family sedan you can buy for $25,000 or less?
We asked automakers for cars that stickered out at $25,000 or less (not including destination charges). Eight chose to participate. We put their cars through a mileage challenge and two days of real-life road tests to choose a winner.
Our experts in the Shootout were: David Thomas, Jennifer Newman and Kelsey Mays of Cars.com; James Healey and Chris Woodyard of USA Today; and Brian Robinson of "MotorWeek."
On the family front, Jill and Ben Tiernan and their two daughters were good enough to put these cars through their paces for us.
Each car was scored from 1-10 in 10 categories, with a maximum score of 1,000 points. Reviewers accounted for 60 percent of the total; the parents accounted for the remaining 40 percent.
2010 Ford Fusion - 669 points
Reviewers got a great first vibe from the Fusion, but feelings waned the more time was spent in the car.
Pros: The Fusion's exterior got an "I think it's sexy" from mom Jill Tiernan, a point of view echoed by several of the journalists. Healey liked its combination of ride and handling; Robinson said its "interior fit and finish is one of the best," while Thomas enthused: "Looks, leather and Sync for under $25K?! I'll take it."
Cons: "It's great that the Fusion has leather for under $25K," Robinson noted, "but it's not very nice leather." That seems to capture the overall tone: As Woodyard noted, the "Fusion did everything fine but didn't seem to stand out in any particular category." It means well and it looks good, but the devil is in the details.
2010 Chevrolet Malibu - 697 points
The family and the reviewers found the Malibu attractive but lacking in the power department. "Looks better than it drives," was how Healey dryly described it.
Pros: Room, and lots of it. Mays noted: "The back seat is wide enough to fit three small child seats, and the Malibu is our only contender with an additional set of Latch anchors for the center seat." Mom Jill loved the seatback storage pouches, while Healey said the easy-to-read gauges were a plus.
Cons: The word "plasticky" was tossed around by more than a couple of reviewers (and dad Ben) when describing the interior. Although the Malibu won raves when it was last redesigned, "it is in dire need of an update," Thomas said.
Note: A group of cars, starting with the sixth-place Altima through the third-place Kizashi, was neck-and-neck; only 20-odd points separate third and sixth place. That shows both how competitive the class is and why shoppers should focus on how well each car handles the task most important to the primary driver, whether that's driving, roominess, fuel economy or trunk space.
2010 Nissan Altima - 711 points
Nissan's entry also suffered from a lack of enthusiasm, although dad Ben did note that the competitors were evenly matched: "They're all pretty much the same car."
Pros: Simplicity worked for Newman: "There aren't a lot of bells and whistles in the Altima, but its center stack looks good and has an easy-to-use layout." Others raved about its comfortable seats and how roomy it was, and Healey enjoyed the Altima's ride and handling: "Fun to fling," he said, "yet never a harsh moment."
Cons: For all the praise of its interior's simplicity, almost no one liked its looks. "The model seems like it's getting a little long in the tooth," Woodyard said, "at least on the outside." Mays noted that its strong engine couldn't "make up for its unrefined suspension." Robinson was likewise down on it: "It's the only one that feels cheap."
2010 Honda Accord - 723 points
The Accord is very familiar to buyers in this segment: It has long been the No. 2 seller. It's that benchmark status that our reviewers and family split over.
Pros: It definitely seemed like a driver's car, especially a driver looking for room for passengers. While Newman praised the Accord for having "plenty of power for quickly getting up to speed," Robinson raved: "BIG!" Mays concurred: "Kids and adults alike will find it commodious." Whatever that means.
Cons: "A benchmark just a few years ago," Healey noted, "it now seems among the bottom feeders in the segment." What's changed? Poor seating, poor interior quality and road noise were the top complaints. Mom Jill also was put off because "it's not as good looking as the others, and everyone has one." Woodyard found it "just OK."
2010 Mazda Mazda6 - 724 points
The Mazda6 won a lot of praise for its looks, both inside and out, as well as for its ginormous trunk. However, it was dinged for not living up to its Zoom-Zoom vow.
Pros: The Mazda6 has a good set of features "with few sacrifices," Thomas said. It has a "blind spot monitoring (system) for under $25K!" Robinson noted. In addition, Newman appreciated its styling: "It shows that midsize sedans don't have to be boring." Healey liked its "crisp turn-in and excellent rotation of the car through tight corners."
Cons: Several reviewers felt the Mazda6's acceleration and handling weren't as good as the Accord, which it beat by a single point. The seats drew fire from Healey, who labeled them "lumpy," and Robinson, who called the fabric "awkward." Newman thought it'd be difficult for a child in a booster seat to buckle himself independently.
2010 Suzuki Kizashi - 731 points
The newest entrant was also the smallest. Despite its size, the Kizashi won fans for its "zippy" handling and peppy drive. And it was the only one with all-wheel drive.
Pros: Healey called it the "let's rock" car in the test, a motion that was seconded by several reviewers and the family. Dad Ben called it "the driver's car" while mom Jill called it "the youngest car" of the bunch. Mays noted: "Sorry, GM, the Kizashi outplays the Malibu at its own game." Robinson said it had the "best-looking wheels."
Cons: Being small can be a hassle for a family with kids. Newman noted that, with the passenger seat set for her 5-foot-8-inch frame, she couldn't get a rear-facing infant-safety seat to fit correctly, so "the front passenger will have to compromise on legroom" to make the car seat fit. Several also commented that the back seat was small and narrow.
2010 Toyota Camry - 752 points
Here, the leaders start pulling away from the pack. The Camry has been one of the best-selling vehicles (recall issues aside). Despite its troubles, it still won everyone over.
Pros: Thomas said it was the complete package: "Acceleration, handling and ride were in perfect balance." Dad Ben said it had a "dignified interior." Woodyard said, "Even though it's the car your grandma might drive, it was very comfortable on the road. Quiet. Sure-footed." Healey liked its "roomy, useful trunk."
Cons: Bland styling was an issue for several people, and the seatback pockets are "made out of a hard plastic that would make it difficult to store sippy cups," Newman said. Finally, the brake response was poor for a couple of our drivers, or as Mays put it, "a brake pedal that feels about as responsive as Congress." Ouch.
2011 Hyundai Sonata - 794 points
Hyundai got a leg up by having the redesigned Sonata ready for the Shootout. Its striking design won over most, but it was the whole package that grabbed the title.
Pros: "Standout" styling moved Newman, while Robinson liked its "very modern styling" and Healey enjoyed its "upscale look and feel." But it's more than just a pretty face, as Thomas said: "Value, value, value. $22,745 for navigation and all the other goodies in such an attractive wrapper. None of the competitors came close."
Cons: While the value proposition was good, the handling faltered. "On curvy roads, even the Camry out-handles it," Mays said. For dad Ben, the sporty look "didn't pay off." For Healey, the looks didn't offer enough: "I was expecting to be impressed with this car, and I was, but maybe not as much as I was expecting."
(C) 2010, Cars.com; distributed by Tribune Media Services
We took eight popular sedans, six automotive journalists, a family of four and three days to determine: What's the best family sedan you can buy for $25,000 or less?


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In gearing up for Miami Super Bowl spectacular in the winter of '07, one of the first emails Deadspin received from the overeager Lt. Winslow was this one:
do you think Deadspin would be interested in having AJ interview Mr. Kimbo Slice while AJ is in town for the Superbowl? if you guys are unfamiliar with Kimbo, i am including some links so you can see who i am talking about (i think you will understand why discretion and confidentiality are of importance to me). Long story short, Kimbo's employer is a very old friend of a mutual friend of me & Pot Roast. Pot Roast thought it might be a good idea, let me know what you think and if you're interested, i'll talk to my friend and see if this can be arranged.
Lt. Winslow proved invaluable in so many other facets of that week, it is not surprising that he would be so forward-thinking to offer Deadspin a ride on Kimbo's comet tail long before ESPN gave him the cover and he became the uber-popular sideshow power-punching freak he is today. We both passed on the offer. Neither of us were that intrigued by MMA at the time and thought that only the most maladjusted readers would be interested in an interview with what appeared to be, a deranged, violent homeless person who had some sort of connection to a pornography studio. Hindsight mocks us.
Even though Kimbo didn't quickly destroy James Thompson with the scary backalley haymakers that have thus far paved his way to stardom, the fight did nothing to diminish his popularity. Plenty of mainstream sports pages are weighing in on the Kimbo spectacle, confused at what they're watching or why they're watching. Will Kimbo single-handedly destroy the business of MMA — or enhance it.
Kimbo has miles to go before he can conceivably be thought of as an elite technical fighter (James Thompson proved how vulnerable he can be if you get him on the ground), but if he continues to train and challenge himself with better fighters he can only get better. The one thing Saturday night's fight proved more than anything else is Kimbo's supreme marketability; he will fight again — and people will watch.
Mixed martial arts show with Kimbo Slice scores big in Los Angeles [LA Times]
Pulling No Punches, Brawler Wins His Prime-Time Debut [NY Times]
The Legend Of Kimbo Slice Takes 38 Consecutive Blows To The Head [Deadspin]
World, Meet Kimbo [Lt. Winslow]


text: We're taking a break from our normally scheduled programming to tackle a more burning issue: Is the Wiesmann GT sexy? Or a badly cribbed Frankenstein? Or, a sexy Frankenstein? The more we look, the more we have no idea. In no particular order, the BMW-powered two door looks like a Jaguar S-Type, A Morgan Aero 8, a late 90s TVR, an M Coupe, an Alfa 8C Competizione and a Bugatti Type 57 "Imaginaire." Oh, and the headlights come straight from an after market WRX tuner. None of which are a bad thing (except for the S-Type), but does all the design pilfering make the diminutive German GT a redheaded step child? Or Padma Lakshmi? Mmmmm, Padma Lakshmi... You know, since talking about the appreciation of beauty and all, we're going to employ the system Hustler uses for rating "film."


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Whereas: The safety, welfare and well-being of our youth players are the primary concern and responsibility of NCFC Youth.
All members, employees, volunteers, and contractors acting as a representative of or on behalf of NCFC Youth, in the course of doing business with NCFC Youth, or attending a NCFC Youth event will adhere to the following:
1. All children will be equally treated with respect regardless of sex, gender, race, religion, and culture.
2. Children will not be touched in ways that make them feel uncomfortable, and their right to say no will be respected.
3. At no time during a NCFC Youth game, practice or other NCFC Youth event will any employee, volunteer, or contractor be alone with a single child where they cannot be observed by others.
4. Children will not be left unsupervised.
5. Children will not be dropped off and left at any field before that child is under adult supervision.
6. Coaches/team personnel will not leave any child unsupervised until the child is picked up.
7. Any type of abuse will not be tolerated and may be cause for immediate dismissal.
8. No player will ever be subjected to:
i) Physical abuse – including but not limited to: striking, spanking, shaking, slapping, etc.
ii) Verbal abuse – including but not limited to: humiliation, degrading comments, threats.
iii) Sexual abuse – including but not limited to: inappropriate sexual touching or exposure or conduct which creates a sexually hostile environment.
iv) Mental abuse – including but not limited to: shaming, cruelty, or neglect such as withholding food, water, basic care, etc.
9. Use of positive techniques of guidance is encouraged, including redirection, positive reinforcement and encouragement rather than comparison and criticism. Staff, volunteer coaches, and team officials will have age appropriate expectations and set up guidelines and environments that minimize the need for discipline.
10. Physical restraint will be used only when necessary to protect the child or other children from harm. When physical restraint is administered, the situation must be immediately documented in writing to the NCFC Youth CEO.
11. The use, possession, or being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs immediately before and during NCFC Youth events involving NCFC Youth players is prohibited. Employees, volunteers, and contractors may be subject to drug screening.
12. Intimate displays of affection will be refrained from.
13. Smoking or the use of tobacco is prohibited.
14. The use of profanity in the presence of NCFC Youth players is prohibited.
15. Inappropriate jokes and sharing intimate details of one's personal life are prohibited.
16. Social Networking between adults and individual NCFC Youth Players is discouraged. Electronic and phone communications with NCFC Youth players should be limited to soccer specific topics.
North Carolina FC Youth5017 Memory Road Raleigh, North Carolina 27609
North Carolina FC Youth, North Carolina FC, NCFC,
and the North Carolina FC logo are trademarks of Carolina FC LLC and are being used by Capital Area Soccer League, Inc. under license.
North Carolina Courage, NC Courage and the North Carolina Courage logo are trademarks of the National Women's Soccer League,
LLC and are being used by Capital Area Soccer League, Inc. under sublicense.


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Motorcycle Dealers in Waltham, MA
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Luna Peanut Honey Snack Bar a Snacking Escape For Women Only
Emeryville, Calif.-based Clif Bar & Co. rolls out Luna Peanut Honey Pretzel, a salty sweet snack made specifically for women. It combines complementary flavors, the smooth sweetness of honey layered with the salty crunch of peanuts and pretzels, for a sophisticated sensory experience to delight taste buds.
At only 190 calories, the low glycemic snack bar is 70 percent organic, contains 9g of protein, 3g of fiber, a good source of vitamin D, and is high in calcium (35 percent), folic acid, and iron.
Snacks play an important role in a woman's healthy lifestyle, so Luna and the Institute for the Future, an independent non-profit research organization, reinforced these notions with findings from a collaborative study, "The Power of Snacking: The Next Decade of Women's Changing Nutrition Report," which forecasts generational trends in women's snacking over the next 10 years. The study found that women are no longer adhering to traditional eating patterns, but rather are choosing to snack when and where most appropriate for their busy schedules. Additionally, the findings confirmed that women value their snack time immensely, and use this time as a way to escape, rejuvenate, and enjoy being with friends. (learn more at www.thepowerofsnacking.com)
"Loaded with protein-rich peanuts, Luna's latest offering keeps any on-the-go woman satisfied and satiated without the unnecessary guilt that is often accompanied with indulging in a tasty snack," says Tara DelloIacono-Thies, R.D. and nutrition strategist for Luna. "We are committed to delivering quality products that fulfill the taste women crave while supplying the body with key nutrients women need such as calcium, folic acid, iron and vitamin D."
Suggested retail price per bar is $1.39.


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Ladies Comme des Garcons PLAY Gold Foil Play Logo T-Shirt in white. The iconic Comme Des Garcons PLAY logo is printed in gold foil across the front of this ladies white cotton T-Shirt. With a straight cut fit and round neck this T-Shirt is a great piece to wear day or night. Comme des Garcons logo is printed in the same gold beneath the PLAY design.
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Green fingered gardeners may find it difficult to get children sharing their...read more
Last week the inquest into the death of Nasar, a 14-year-old boy from North London, who died from an allergic reaction to his school dinner, revealed teachers had his Epipen in their hands, but did not know how to use it! The inquest concluded that despite having an EpiPen available, and a history of severe asthma and food allergies, the school neglected their duty of care by failing to use his Epipen.
Nasar's tragic death should be seen as a reminder of the potential severity of conditions such as asthma and anaphylaxis, which are often dismissed because they are so common. You could be working with someone with an acute allergy or have a child round to tea! Please ensure everyone knows how to administer an EpiPen.
First Aid for Life provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. First Aid for Life is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken based on this information.
May 2017
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Great Experience with Tony Sun and Dev Khare at Venrock
Fund: Venrock Associates
Posted by JFlynn10 on 2009-01-09
I met with Tony Sun and Dev Khare at Venrock in late 2007 looking to fund a SaaS model business. Deal was funded within 3 months from first meeting.
During the process I met with numerous Venrock partners and although they did not know our offering as well as Tony and Dev they always acted like professionals and treated me with respect.
Since funding, Tony has been a valuable member of my Board of Directors, always happy to be supportive with 'World-Class' advice and direction. Additionally, Dev Khare has been attending board meetings as well and has made many valuable contributions.
On more than one occasion I have contacted Tony or Dev and received help from them in the form of research or advice. They have never been too busy.
On the whole I must say that the contributions that Dev Khare has made have far exceeded my expectations. In truth, I did not know what to expect from Dev but since funding he has become an extremely valuable member of our team.


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Joann Sfar Draws from Memory
|Episode Description
|Sunday, Aug 12, 2012 - 3:00 PM
At just 39 years old, the prolific Joann Sfar has published 150 graphic novels, including the French best-seller Rabbi's Cat and the New York Times best-seller Little Vampire, and recently crossed over into feature films with Gainsbourg: Vie Heroique and the adaptation of Rabbi's Cat. JOANN SFAR DRAWS FROM MEMORY tracks the graphic artist's odyssey through the Algerian and Eastern-European Jewish heritage that serves as the wellspring of his work. Filmed over a two-year period, the camera follows the passionate and perceptive Sfar around his adopted home of Paris - observing the artist at work and capturing his thoughts on family life, Algeria's past, creativity and his improvisatory method, the inspiration for his alter-ego cat and his dislike of being pigeonholed as a "Jewish" artist. D
|More Joann Sfar Draws from Memory on WORLD (MT)
Sunday, Aug 12, 2012 - 3:00 PM


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Your questions and comments are important to us. Select a topic and fill in the contact form. We´ve everything covered for your needs!
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Lionel Coca Cola Vat Car 6-26660
The Best-Known Taste in the World
In Atlanta, Georgia, on May 8, 1886, Dr. John Stith Pemberton, a local pharmacist, produced the syrup for Coca-Cola®, and carried a jug of the new product down the street to Jacobs Pharmacy, where it was sampled, pronounced excellent and placed on sale for five cents a glass as a soda fountain drink. Carbonated water was teamed with the new syrup to produce a drink that was at once Delicious and Refreshing, a theme that continues to echo today wherever Coca-Cola is enjoyed. Lionel celebrates the 125th Anniversary of Coca-Cola
The Coca-Cola Company 2011
Die-cast metal sprung trucks and operating couplers
Gauge: Traditional O Gauge
Dimensions: Length: 11.25 Inches
RailLine: Coca-Cola
Minimum Curve: O-27
Most Recent Catalog
Lionel 2011 Ready-To-Run
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Hey guys,
I have a question regarding the quality of the following releases:
-Blind Guardian - Live picture disc 3-LP box
-Demons and Wizards - Demons and Wizards 2-LP picture disc
I know that picture discs often have a subpar soundquality and that some wear quite easily. But how do these releases fare? Sound quality/ build quality wise. I have no experience with picture discs at all as I usually buy the classic black ones. Is it safe to spin them once in a while?
(I just want to check them out and then display the best looking ones at my wall, I bought them in new condition both. Demons and Wizard was still in it's original foil and the BG ones look untouched)
I know that the Nuclear Blast releases are not exactly well made (ATEOT picture discs, ATITM), but these are from different labels (I am expecting the Red Mirror to be pretty good though, considering the popularity of vinyl and other NB releases seem pretty fine).
Blind Guardian on vinyl (and Demons and Wizards)
All talk about Blind Guardian, including discussion about tour dates, etc.
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text: Advertisement Advertisement 2012 in recalls: Trader Joe's, Red Vines, baby seats, coffeemaker Dec 03, 2012 | 1:27 PM Consumers saw some popular brands hit by recalls this year. Trade Joe's had to pull dozens of peanut, cashew and almond butter products due to salmonella fears, followed by a recall of nearly 5,000 pounds of its Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice offering amid listeria concerns. Safety worries also bedeviled brands such as Red Vines, Bumbo baby seats, Mr. Coffee brewers and Pfizer birth control pills. Here, a look at some major scares in 2012. (By Tiffany Hsu) Advertisement Advertisement


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In today's rough world, you can never be too safe. That's why Bestop has developed its under seat Locking Storage Box to securely lock away your valuables. This handy device conveniently mounts out-of-sight beneath the driver's seat. The under seat… Read More
Posts Tagged 'mounts out-of-sight'
Benefits of a Bestop Under Seat Locking Storage Box
- November 29th, 2011
- Posted in Bestop Under Seat Locking Storage Box, Interior Truck Parts and Accessories, Truck Accessories, Truck Parts
- Tags:
Tags: 16 gauge carbon steel, Benefits of a Bestop Under Seat Locking Storage Box, benefits of the Bestop Locking Storage Box, Bestop, Bestop Underseat Locking Storage Box, Bestop Underseat Storage Container, Delaware, full service installation, Heavy-duty plated drawer slides, high-tech, Install, latest accessories, Locking Under Seat Storage Box, Maryland, mounts out-of-sight, OEM seat riser bolts, pick-resistant lock, Professionally installed, securely lock away your valuables, storage space, Trick Trucks, truck parts and accessories, under seat Locking Storage Box, under seat storage container, Virginia, West Virginia


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Civil War Sailors Buried at Arlington National Cemetery
(ARLINGTON COUNTY, Va.) -- Two unidentified sailors from the USS Monitor were buried Friday at Arlington National Cemetery on the 151st anniversary of ironclad's famous battle with the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia. The descendants of the 16 sailors who perished aboard the ship when it sank in a New Year's Eve storm in 1862 are grateful for the considerable interest in Friday's interment.
A decade has gone by since the ship's turret was raised from the ocean floor in the waters off Cape Hatteras in 2002. Efforts to identify the two sailors have proved unsuccessful so far, though it has been determined that they were Caucasians who stood about 5'7" tall, one was in his late teens to early 20's, the other in his 30's.
Andrew Bryan from Maine told ABC News earlier Friday that the graveside ceremony would be an emotional event for him. His great grandfather William Bryan served as a yeoman on the Monitor when the ship sank. Based on Bryan's age and stature it was believed he could be the older of the two sailors identified through forensic work.
The DNA results from samples Andrew Bryan provided to investigators, however, have proven inconclusive. But he is hopeful that a positive ID could be around the corner now that a female relative in Australia has agreed to provide a DNA sample, making a mitochondrial DNA match possible.
"He spent his life on the ocean so if he's still there that's fine, but if this is him I want him to be recognized," said Bryan.
Bryan is gratified by all the attention the burial has generated and says this may be the last time the Monitor sailors are honored on the national stage, "but as for our family it's a continuance ... it helps keep the story going, there's an interest to it, people will better understand the roots of our country."
Another descendant has also been heartened by the interest the Monitor burial has generated. William Finlayson had two ancestors who served on the Monitor, one of whom was John L Worden, the Monitor's first captain, who was injured in the battle with the Virginia. The other ancestor was Worden's nephew who served as Worden's aide.
Finlayson is also grateful. He says that you get a sense among the descendants of the 16 who perished that "you can only feel in your heart if you're directly related to it by blood and to see so much interest and so many people turn up, it's just incredible."
Noted Civil War historian James McPherson called the recognition for sailors who fought for the Union long overdue as they deserve as much recognition as soldiers who died at Gettysburg. He pointed out that every sailor aboard the Monitor was a volunteer, just as every sailor in the Navy was at the time. However, he said they were undertaking a hazardous duty because of speculation at the time the ironclad was being put into service that it "would be a coffin for the crew and that it would sink, not float."
He describes Friday's burial as "our chance as a nation to pay our respects and say goodbye" the Monitor's sailors. The attention is "fully deserved" and recalling Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, he says, "they did pay their last full measure of devotion and in turn we ought to recognize and acknowledge that."
The remaining 14 sailors who perished aboard the Monitor are likely contained aboard the rest of the ship's wreckage which lies in waters 250 feet deep.
The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary contains about 85 percent of the ship's structure.
David Alberg is the superintendent of the NOAA Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, which he describes as hallowed ground. "We treat it as a gravesite, it is hallowed ground. It is a place where tremendous sacrifice was made in defense of our country." He says between 15 and 20 divers a year undertake the difficult dive to the ship's wreckage and they all come back saying the same thing. "It's history and they're coming face to face with something that everybody learns about in history books."
Alberg accompanied the remains Thursday as they were flown to D.C. He's struck by the interest in their burial and thinks it's a unifying event. He thought it was ironic that the sailors were fighting to preserve the union and that it was appropriate that their final trip took them over a country they had helped to create.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio


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October 20, 2006
orkut Doesn't Require Invitation
The invitation was one of the reasons behind orkut's failure to compete with MySpace. Now that Facebook is also public, the competition will start to become interesting.
orkut has around 30 million users, and more than 60% of its users are from Brazil. It was launched in 2004, the same year Google unveiled Gmail.
Update: this page should let you join orkut. Unfortunately, the link doesn't work for everyone.
7 comments:
Here's a screenshot from Dreamchaser's blog.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 20, 2006 at 9:34 AM
You're link didn't work for me and when I tried to login from google, I was told that I needed an invitation. Can you post clearer steps to performing this task?ReplyDelete
You still need an invitation. It insists on linking your Google Account to your Orkut Account, but you can't get a damn Orkut Account without an invitation.ReplyDelete
What is behind this silly insistence on invitations at Google? At least that was diluted for Gmail by allowing 100 per user, and my supply there seems to be replenished every time I give one out.
yeah, still need an invitation.ReplyDelete
nowdays, google just wants to integerate the gmail and orkut. I am thinking the gmail account will be a single id in the future.
that's awesome, but we have to wait now
orkut has around 30 million users, more than 60% of its users are from Brazil, and almost 50% of its brazilian profiles are fake.ReplyDelete
People made orkut to fail as a reliable social network and orkut keeps failing to improve its reliability.
Brazil - 61.68%
India - 11.20%
18-25 - 61.53%
26-30 - 12.28%
Using orkut for:
friends - 73.74%
business networking - 25.04%
activity partners - 23.67%
dating - 18.04%
Relationship status:
single - 39.52%
no answer - 34.41%
married - 12.17%
committed - 11.85%
No of users: 32,256,221
Official demographics as of November 11 2006.
Brazil - 53.23%
India - 16.00%
18-25 - 61.10%
26-30 - 10.23%
Using orkut for:
friends - 63.01%
business networking - 19.12%
activity partners - 18.95%
dating - 19.05%
Relationship status:
single - 42.57%
no answer - 36.17%
married - 10.67%
committed - 8.18%
No of users: (more than 70,000,000?)
Official demographics as of November 2nd, 2007.


text:
(AP) — Airports have begun mounting a legal challenge to the FAA's decision to shut down 149 air traffic control towers under federal budget cuts.
They are arguing in lawsuits that the agency has violated a federal law meant to ensure major changes at airports do not erode safety.
The Central Illinois Regional Airport is among the latest to file suit with the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C.
The other airports are Spokane International Airport in Spokane, Wash., and three airports in Florida. The court has combined the suits into a single case.
Central Illinois airport director Carl Olson says they are asking the court to compel the FAA to more carefully study the potential safety impact.
FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown says the agency can't comment on pending litigation.


text:
As the Navy's corporate laboratory, the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) draws on the powerful resources of a combination of scientific expertise and modern facilities. It is the mission of the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) to facilitate the implementation of the NRL's innovative technologies in products and services to benefit the public. To carry out this mission, TTO engages with commercial entities to develop strategic partnerships building a collaborative bridge between government and industry.
There are two primary mechanisms by which the NRL TTO transfers its technologies to the public sector: Patent License Agreements and Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs).
NRL has an extensive portfolio of patents covering important technological developments in a wide variety of scientific and engineering disciplines. NRL is authorized by the Navy to negotiate licenses for the commercial use of NRL's patented technologies. To learn more about NRL's patent licensing program, go to Licenses.
Under the scope of a CRADA, NRL scientists work with non-Federal parties on research and development projects of mutual interest and benefit. Often, such an effort precedes a Patent Licensing Agreement to implement NRL's patented technologies in a particular commercial product or service. To learn more about CRADAs with NRL, go to CRADAs.
Learn more about the laboratory by downloading the NRL Fact Book. Learn how NRL technologies are commercialized or how your business can benefit from collaboration with some of the world's most respected scientists by exploring the NRL Technology Transfer Office website or contact the TTO. You can also stay up to date on what is going on at NRL by subscribing to NRL's newsletter.