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My too-dry-dried figs sat on my desk for quite a few days before going into storage. So I had a lot of time to look at them. And it came to me one day that they looked like small mean vaginas with teeth. I put them away the next morning.
Can I offer you a fig?
I didn't photograph my Thanksgiving dinner. I cooked for three people. I missed having my sister with us. Needless to say – we kept our meal simple and we watched Miss Marple while we ate. Here's what we had:
Casserole: poblano peppers stuffed with tofu, corn, and zucchini on a bed of green rice (rice with pureed tomatillos, cilantro, and lime juice) and topped with a cashew cream sauce.
Mashed sweet potatoes: plain for my mom but for ours I added salt, pepper, and butter.
Salad: romaine lettuce, apples, walnuts, and cranberries with a vinaigrette.
The salad and yams were predictably good.
The casserole was an experiment – something I thought up to use the last of the summer peppers and tomatillos and summer squash. It turned out really good – it was delicious! Except that I have come to realize once again that I really don't like peppers and can't eat them. Except for pickled jalapenos, crushed red pepper, and cayenne – peppers do NOT agree with me. They made me burp for hours. So if I did this casserole again I would not use the peppers. I would just do a bottom layer of the green rice, then do a layer of the tofu and vegetables, topped with the cashew cream. I'd eat that again in a second. I don't love rice, as you may have observed from the lack of it in my recipes. I don't hate it but I never crave it and generally speaking – I'd be fine never eating it again. Even so – the rice layer of the casserole was really good! I think what I liked about it was the tanginess of the tomatillos and because I precooked the rice and then mixed it with the puree – it was a little bit like risotto – not fluffy and dry – but not soupy either. It was perfect.
About cashew cream: it's really good stuff! I have discovered that you need a blender that doesn't suck to get it really smooth and creamy. If you have a blender that has issues with blending things you may have to do small batches and add a little extra water to it. I could smell my blender motor burning. Nice. But it managed to get the job done with a lot of coaching. Cashew cream is rich without being heavy and it browns nicely like cheese does. I definitely want to play with this again. It's certainly not a low fat food so using it won't be less fattening than using cream or cheese – but it is a really nice vegan option and it is full of good protein and nutrition. Biggest problem is that cashews cost a fortune. So I won't be using this a lot – but it's worth experimenting with some more.
Over all we had a really nice Thanksgiving. If you want to hear all about my thankfulness you can read my post Gratitude for All of You over at Better Than Bullets.
So how was your Thanksgiving? I hope you all had a good time with people you love!

subset: commoncrawl


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While I love the charm of wood floors, I confess that I think of them as a blank canvas just waiting to be dressed up with the right area rug.
Areas rugs are a key component of a well-designed room. They must be the right size to anchor the room's furnishings and the right style to complement the room's decor. Plus they must be tough enough to withstand lots of abuse and still look lovely. Picking a rug that can accomplish all that is not an easy feat.
If you're on a quest for a new rug, read on for tips on how to pick a rug you'll love.
I think of area rugs as artwork. They bring loads of color, texture, style and personality to a space. So when I'm on the hunt for a new area rug, I only consider those that capture my heart. Don't ever purchase an area rug just because it has the right colors for your room or is the right size. Rugs can be very expensive, so chances are you'll be living with your choice for many years. Hold out for a rug that captivates you and complements the room.
Right now I have two favorite styles. The first is a Persian rug reproduction by Kalaty Rug Corp., which is located in the heart of the rug district in New York City. I'm head over heels in love with its Soumak collection because these classic beauties look just like the old Persian rugs I fawn over in antiques stores but can't afford.
I stock several Soumak patterns in my stores, and each one looks like it has a history, a story to tell. I've also been impressed by the workmanship and affordability of the Kalaty rugs.
Each rug is made with high-quality wool and features a harder, thinner weave that doesn't easily crush or show wear.
My other top pick? Natural-fiber rugs. They look great with just about any decorating style, from traditional to modern. Their subtle texture and subdued color work with any color scheme.
They wear like iron so they are family-friendly. And they are so affordable you don't feel like you're making a lifetime commitment when you purchase one.
For my living room, I picked a large sisal that covered most of the floor. In the winter, I layer Persian rugs on top to warm up the two distinct sitting areas. But during the summer, I roll up the wool rugs so I can enjoy the crisp look of the sisal. I'm so crazy about the effect that I may install wall-to-wall sisal in my bedroom.
If you're considering a natural-fiber rug for your home, here's a quick look at the most popular types:
Sisal is made from the same cactus plant used to make tequila.
The pulp is spun into ropes, which are then woven into mats. With its clean, bright appearance, sisal is a great choice for those who want a transitional or contemporary feel.
Seagrass rugs are made from a reed that grows in marshy areas. As a result, the grass has a natural coating that allows it to more easily repel moisture.
A friend swears by seagrass rugs after her teen boys spilled a cola on one and, the morning after, the liquid was still beaded on top of the rug and wiped up easily.
Dragongrass is simply seagrass that's grown in more arid soil, giving it a slightly darker color. Often, dragongrass rugs are available in a wider variety of patterns, some of which have a more refined appearance, making them a better pick for formal rooms.
Coir rugs are made from coconut husks and are the roughest of the vegetable-fiber rugs. It's best to use them for walk-off mats by your door or on a screened porch. While these are some of the most common vegetable-fiber rugs, you can also find rugs made of hemp, jute, bamboo and even woven paper.
You'll also need to pick how the edges of your new rug will be finished: surged or bound in cotton tape.
I'm a fan of cotton tape, but picking the right color can be tricky. Light-colored tapes look marvelous and are so versatile you can move them from room to room.
However, they will show dirt more readily. Dark-colored tape hides dirt, but when you pick a distinct color, like navy or red, you limit your design options.
Adapted from nellhillsblog.com. Mary Carol Garrity can be reached at email@example.com.


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Two FBS transfers join Montana
Missoula, MT – University of Montana football coach Mick Delaney announced the addition of two FBS transfers to his program on Tuesday.
Wide receiver Jamaal Jones arrives at Montana from the University of Washington, while fullback Jamal Wilson is a transfer from Boise State. Both are redshirt sophomores who have three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Jones, a 6-foot-1, 188-pounder from Spanaway, Wash., saw action in three games at Washington last season.
"Jamaal Jones will definitely help our wide receiver crew because of his experience at the FBS level," Delaney said. "He has the speed to potentially be a big-play guy for us."
Wilson, a 5-11, 238-pounder from Fontana, Calif., played in three games for Boise State last season.
"Jamal Wilson is an outstanding fullback, who is transferring from Boise State because they are not going to employ a fullback in their new offense," Delaney said. "He's the type of player who can make a difference in a two-back set."
Montana, from the Big Sky Conference, is coming off a 5-6 season - its first losing mark since 1985. The Grizzlies kick off their season on Aug. 31 against Appalachian State.


text: Dang fellas... I was going to post up a bunch of gear but not seeing much use in it. For those still around hope all is well. Sold my N1K to Ben and Marc is picking up the track bike. Haven't thrown a leg over in a couple of years. Meth head plaid chicken with me on the back roads ruined the fun. ..proverbial straw.. Bought a Miata with an LS3 in it for back road carving. But most the free time is now spent in a Jeep rock crawling. Just upgraded to a beast with an LS1, Atlas, and one ton axles on beadlocked 37's. ...anyhow... stay safe and happy 4th!


text:
Dyslexic I am not.
I just want to know the best way to find previous questions that may answer mine (on SO).
I try to search but I tend to get too many irrelevant results.
What's your best method for researching a SO topic, before posting a question?
Dyslexic I am not.
migrated from stackoverflow.com Sep 3 '09 at 18:36
This question came from our site for professional and enthusiast programmers.
You can use Google with the site limited to Stack Overflow.
For example:
site:http://stackoverflow.com "Python IDE".
When you type in your new question, watch the suggested topics that come up. Phrase it a few different ways before you're sure that nothing already has you covered.
But, redundancy is OK. Think of it like Google -- if you try a few different sets of search terms and nothing comes up, then there needs to be an entry with those terms. So go ahead and ask the question.
Search Google
Switch to searching Google Groups if you don't find anything on the web
Search Google with:
site:stackoverflow.com searchterm(s)
Use stackoverflow's search and restrict your search to specific tags by enclosing them in square brackets:
searchterm(s) [tag1] [tag2]
- type just keywords into the Ask Question Title input and press tab to see suggestions
(currently this will search just the topic titles for those keywords)
When I have a problem (almost always C# .net related due to my line of work) I usually google search first. Blogs are good, msdn can be quite good. Those question/answer sites that make you pay are horrible, newsgroups are pretty bad too.
If that fails, this site can be pretty awesome. If the search and tags fail you, just post, I suppose. Not many other options.
Now that we're public, you could try googling for your search terms with
site:stackoverflow.com on the end.
Google often does a better job than the built-in search - it's their core business after all.
Currently search and browsing by tags are your only option. (How else do you "find" something besides searching?)
If you clarify your question with an example, we might be able to help you use the search better.
If you're looking for more sophisticated filtering, for example a search like
answered:today votes:10+ (asp OR vbscript)
Then you will want to post that feature on stackoverflow.uservoice.com
When I can't find something on google because I either don't know the correct terms to use or the terms are way too braod for an effective search, I jump on irc.freenode.net and join the official chatroom for what ever language/framework I'm having issues with.
The problem with freenode is you are talking to people so you have to be slightly more communicative than when you're talking to a search engine. The great thing about freenode is you are talking to a person that can probably grasp your problem better than a computer could. It's hit or miss on whether you get someone helpful but I've had good results on some of my more bizarre questions.


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Life first evolved about 3.5 billion years ago, at the beginning of the Precambrian Eras. At first, life was made up of simple microbes (bacteria) that could survive horrible conditions, including acid oceans and no oxygen in the air or water.
For 2.7 billion years, the sea bottom remained (mostly) peaceful, quiet and flat. Microbes built wide mats that sealed the mud surface, stabilizing the sediment. Advanced microbes like blue-green algae began pumping oxygen into the atmosphere and ocean. The microbes had few enemies — no big, energetic animals disturbed the bottom. Day after day, week after week, year after year, bits of sediment kept falling down through the ocean water. The clay and silt continued to make layer after layer of sediment, and the ecosystem was stubbornly two-dimensional — all life lived on the surface or the bottom. The subsurface was empty.
Then, around 700 million years ago, the Vendian Period began. A few life forms like Charnia and its kin got up to a half a foot tall, acquiring the shape of bloated feather plumes. Still, no one was churning up the mud or otherwise disturbing the microbial mats.
Life in the Pre-Cambrian still was lovely, idyllic and BORING!
Today's oceans teem with life forms that burrow through the bottom mud and live in cleverly constructed holes. Thousands of creatures, large and small, plow through the sediment looking for food. Plowers and burrowers include snails and bristle worms, long-necked clams and sea-cucumbers, plus a bewildering variety of groups without common names. The Precambrian world was totally devoid of all this action.
Finally and suddenly 540 million years ago, the Precambrian peace was broken. The Vendian Period ended when the microbial mats were attacked and ripped apart. Holes were excavated down into the mud. Bottom sediment was churned up. The long reign of the soft, quiet, two-dimensional world at last was terminated.
The Cambrian Explosion had begun.
From this moment on, the rules of life were changed, and the ecosystem went into 3D. Dozens of new species evolved to take advantage of living deep in the mud. Other species hunted the species in the mud. Still more species swam above the surface looking for prey hiding below. Trilobites appeared and flourished. Fishy-things evolved.
Who destroyed the Precambrian mats? Who released the potential of evolution? Where do we send the thank-you note?
The fossil burrows are clues. At the end of the Vendian and the beginning of the Cambrian Period, U-shaped burrows appear all over the globe wherever shallow seas existed. Something was diving down through the mats and coming back up, again and again. This was the burrower who was destroying the ancient system of mats.
There are suspects alive today that make U-shaped burrows quite like the ones that ripped apart the Vendian bottom. Usually these critters are no bigger than a small pickle. Under the microscope, these burrowers look as fierce as the man-eating worms in the movie Tremors — the beasts have stout, muscular bodies with a face that carries a scary array of hooks and barbs. When they bump into prey, the hooks snag on their victim and the whole face inverts, dragging the meal into the throat.
You can find these mini-monsters in the mud in most oceans. Technically, they are called "Priapulida," but they have many nick-names. Our favorite is "cactus worms." Because they have no bones or hard shells, cactus worms have almost zero chance of being fossilized unless there are very special conditions. The cactus worm would have to be buried instantly by an underwater landslide that killed the worm and sealed it under a thick blanket of sediment, keeping out any scavengers.
For the first century of paleontological explorations, up until 1909, no one could find such an avalanche bed. Then Dr. Charles Doolittle Walcott, Cambrian expert from the Smithsonian Institution, hiked up into the Canadian Rockies near Burgess Peak in British Columbia. He was looking for Cambrian trilobites, his specialty. He found what he was looking for flattened in dark slabs of clay, but there were other species, too — animals with no shell or hard parts at all.
Most exciting were the worms. Dozens of kinds of worms. Worms that ate microbes. Worms that ate trilobites. Worms that ate other worms ("Lutheran Worms"). Walcott had found the Holy Grail of Cambrian history.
But was there evidence of cactus worms? Yes!
Now we knew for certain that cactus worms had thrived in the transition from Vendian to Cambrian. We could be sure that these worms had overturned the Precambrian peace and begun the Cambrian Explosion.
They may be ugly, but remember these little creatures; they were the dynamos that restructured the oceanic world.


text:
Home Living Room Guide to Choosing Dining Room Sets Oak Dining Room Chairs Chair Set Rectangle Pedestal Tables Buy Couch Breakfast Room Long Dining Table Rustic Set Kitchen
The alternatives in lounge area sets are about boundless once you start investigating and looking for these furnishings. Get your work done before you make a buy to guarantee that you adore what you purchase for a long time.
Think about Shape.
dining room sets wood dining room sets glass top universal furniture dining room sets contemporary cabinetluxury dining room sets art van dining room sets showrooms designdining room sets 8 seats dining room sets with china cabinet 1970s dining room sets dining room sets counter height value city dining room sets 4 piece dining room sets dining room sets new jersey round table dining room sets landscape conceptdining room sets under 200 french country dining room sets
You have a few shapes from which to pick. The two most normal shapes are rectangular and roundabout. A few people lean toward a circle shape, trusting that this shape encourages better discussion. It's less demanding to fit more individuals around the table with a rectangular shape. On the off chance that you add leaves to a round table, it will end up being an oval. An octagonal table is another alternative.
The manner in which you utilize these furnishings will figure out what you require. For instance, on the off chance that you like to have substantial family social affairs, yet your close family is little, you should have a table that will grow with additional leaves to suit visitors. An extra alternative could be a roundabout drop-leaf table that grows out for more individuals and overlap down for littler gatherings. In the event that you like the closeness of a round surface for little social events around a feast, pick a roundabout plan.
Measure Choices
- 72 inches will situate six individuals.
Standard Sizes for Rectangular Shapes:
The extent of lounge area furniture is a standout amongst the most critical subtleties to consider. Two components will influence the size you pick: the span of the room and the quantity of individuals you wish to oblige at the table. The principal thought will be the components of the room since this will decide the span of the furnishings. The state of the room is another thought since limited measurements may display a test for a few sets. Select furniture that permits no less than 36 creeps between the external edges and the dividers. For much more solace, permit somewhere in the range of 42 and 28 crawls between the furnishings and dividers. Each individual lounging around the surface ought to have no less than 24 crawls of room for solace. In the event that you truly need everybody to feel quiet, give everybody 30 crawls of feasting space. Individuals will welcome an additional 12 crawls at the edges of rectangular tables.
Style Features
Picking furniture for your house is a profound choice. While investigating lounge area sets, it's vital to locate the one that meets your requirements while coordinating the other stylistic layout in your home. Numerous individuals likewise need to guarantee that the pieces they buy will stay solid and wonderful for a long time.
Styles differ over contingent upon the producer. For instance, you may pick a trestle table while making a nation look in your home. These lounge area sets are regularly built out of recovered wood to give them a natural and crude appearance. Seats may line this sort of furniture for casual seating. Progressively conventional choices incorporate wood with a rich and polished completion and lavish carvings on the legs. For lounge area sets with present day claim, think about metals and glass for the two legs and tops.
- 120 inches will situate 10 individuals.
- 96 inches will situate eight individuals.
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text:
A new Mix of yello music will be posted in the not so far future.
Will be about 30 minutes long and is made of only stuff not posted in my first MegaMix.
Im very happy with how the "Yello 2012 MegaMiX" have been going since posting it 17 June 2012. 16516 views on Youtube so far
Hope the next will be well recieved too
New Yello Mix Comming Soon...2013
These are songs or DJ tracks that have Yello samples in them or
Yello songs that have been remixed by other artists
Yello songs that have been remixed by other artists
1 post • Page 1 of 1
1 post • Page 1 of 1
Return to "Yello Mixes By Other Artists"


text:
Jane McGonigal: How Games Can Change the World main content.
by AMNH on
On Wednesday, February 2, Jane McGonigal, author of Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World, will discuss why games are engineered to maximize human potential and how they can change and influence life in the real world. She recently answered a few questions about her research.
How popular is gaming? What's behind this popularity?
Currently there are more than half a billion people worldwide playing online games at least an hour a day — and 183 million in the U.S. alone. The younger you are, the more likely you are to be a gamer: 97% of boys under 18 and 94% of girls under 18 report playing videogames regularly. And the average young person racks up 10,000 hours of gaming by the age of 21. That's 24 hours less than they spend in a classroom for all of middle and high school if they have perfect attendance. It's really a remarkable amount of time we're spending playing games. Five million gamer in the U.S., in fact, are spending more than 40 hours a week playing games — the equivalent of a full time job!
Why is this happening? According to my research, it's because games do a better job of provoking our most powerful positive emotions, like curiosity, optimism, pride, and a desire to join forces with others to achieve something extraordinary. Games are also a particularly effective way to bond with our friends and family, strengthening our real-life and online social networks in ways that no other kind of social interaction can.
You see games as a powerful tool for doing good in the world. How so?
When we play a good game, especially multiplayer games, we become the best version of ourselves: the most optimistic, most creative, most focused, most collaborative, the most likely to set ambitious goals, the most resilient in the face of failure. What I'm interested in is bringing this gamer mindset to our real lives and to our efforts to tackle the world's most urgent problems: everything from curing cancer to slowing climate change to ending global poverty and hunger. Partly, this means just teaching gamers how to translate their gamer skills into real life. It's a way of thinking, acting and leading. We can also make new systems that combine game design with real-world collaboration and real social action.
What do you see as the biggest misconception about gaming?
That it's escapist. Gaming is not escapist. Gaming is a productive part of our lives. It produces positive emotion, stronger social relationships, a sense of accomplishment, and for players who become a part of a bigger game community, a chance to build up a sense of meaning and purpose. Scientific research shows that all of these feelings and activities can trickle into our real lives and impact our real-life confidence, ambition, likability and willingness to help others.
Are there any risks, any downsides, to gaming?
Yes, of course. There can always be too much of a good thing. Research shows that playing games up to 21 hours a week can produce positive impacts on your health and happiness, especially if you're playing games face-to-face with friends and family, or playing cooperative games rather than competitive games. But when you hit 28 hours a week of gaming or more, the time starts to distract you from real life goals and other kinds of social interaction that are essential to leading a good life. So we start to see some negative impacts at that point. Many studies have shown it's the 21-hour mark that really makes the difference, which is good news, I think. It means we can still spend a lot of time playing our favorite games — and powering up our ability to engage whole-heartedly with difficult challenges — but also notice when it's time to stop playing in virtual worlds and bring our gamer strengths back to real life.


text:
America's 10 most dangerous cities
A new study of local and national crime numbers produced this week ranks the Park City as one of the 10 most dangerous cities in the country -- but that ranking is lower than in previous studies and comes as other crime numbers show that Bridgeport is getting safer.
Washington-based CQ Press ranks Bridgeport as the ninth-most dangerous city with at least 75,000 residents, putting it between Newark, N.J., at No. 8 and Birmingham, Ala., at No. 10.
CQ Press said it took the 2012 rates of murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft for each of the cities it studied and compared them to the national average to come up with its list.
Bridgeport Police Department spokesman William Kaempffer said that the 2012 numbers for the city are skewed by two cases in which two suspects were charged with approximately 250 counts of assaulting victims known to them over the course of years.
Another outlet, Business Insider, put out a similar study last year that ranked Bridgeport as the fourth most dangerous city in the country. That study also used the 2012 crime numbers but used a different methodology to create its rankings.
Bridgeport's statistics for 2013 show that major crimes were down last year, with most notable decrease being the number of homicides, which fell from 22 in 2012 to 13 last year.


text:
Object #1001275 from MS-Papers-0032-0726
2 pages written 5 Mar 1870 by Sir Donald McLean in Auckland Region
From: Outward drafts and fragments, Reference Number MS-Papers-0032-0726 (53 digitised items). Names of identified correspondents entered in Name Field. Also Miss Manning of Onoke; Edwin Smith Esq of Melbourne (late of Hawke's Bay), 1870; Captain Johnstone; Mr Hunter; Major Jackson; Mrs Symonds (wife of Captain Symonds) and letter to Tukairangi ? for administrative assistance.
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Part of:
Outward drafts and fragments, Reference Number MS-Papers-0032-0726 (53 digitised items)
Series 4 Drafts and fragments of outwards letters, Reference Number Series 4 Drafts and fragments of outwards letters (889 digitised items)
McLean Papers, Reference Number MS-Group-1551 (30238 digitised items)
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text:
Amazon has purchased the book-oriented social networking site Goodreads for an undisclosed sum. Speculation from Bloomberg Businessweek based on other social media properties (like Instagram and LinkedIn) puts the market price close to $1 billion. Other reporting puts the price closer to $150 million. Not bad coin, either way.
Maybe we should stop worrying about the death of books if a site 100 percent dedicated to people cataloging their personal libraries and writing reviews of books they read is attractive enough to Amazon to pay even $150 million for it.
This piece first ran in Printers Row Journal, delivered to Printers Row members with the Sunday Chicago Tribune and by digital edition via email. Click here to learn about joining Printers Row.
Or maybe we should worry about how much of the book world Amazon has swallowed.
Goodreads has become one of the leading spots for people to discuss and discover books, so Amazon's acquisition is not so mysterious. Though, as a personal note to Amazon, if you're looking for a much cheaper alternative in expert book discussion and recommendation, you can acquire the Biblioracle for significantly less than $1 billion.
The genius of Goodreads is in the ease with which it draws readers together. While we readers are legion, we are not necessarily proximate, and Goodreads erases any distance with its discussion forums. There is a group for every possible reading interest. Titles and authors are discussed in exhaustive and spirited detail. Friendships and bonds are formed over things that matter, the books we love.
Authors make appearances for special discussions with members. Advance copies of books are given away. Goodreads is an amazing virtual playground for book nerds.
While Goodreads management is pledging that the users' experience will be unchanged, the community of Goodreads members is not so happy with the Amazon acquisition news. They worry about Amazon's influence over what has previously been viewed as a largely independent, user-centric community. They seem to have forgotten that Goodreads was started as a business with venture capital money and that this result was likely the goal all along.
The dominant response of members in the Goodreads thread announcing the news is betrayal. Members, I believe, had been viewing Goodreads under a Wikipedia model, a community largely centered around a common good — book culture — and not oriented toward commerce or profit. The concern is that Goodreads will simply turn into a sales arm for Amazon. They worry about Amazon taking ownership of their reviews or deleting content Amazon deems inappropriate. Goodreads members who have reached "librarian" status are especially upset, having spent countless hours refining the database of book and author information the site relies on.
I think we can read this as another cautionary digital age tale. I would like to believe that the human element is what makes Goodreads so appealing and so meaningful, but the 21st century marketplace wants not our hearts or minds but our data.
I worry about Amazon's hold over these things that have given my own life such meaning. If they are to be the dominant publisher and purveyor of books in the world, what is that going to mean? In Jeff Bezos should we trust?
The Goodreads interface was a great idea from the moment it appeared, but it wasn't worth anything until it proved it could get many millions of people to share their information. Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads are all examples of businesses that have grown and prospered largely on the backs of free labor, willingly supplied by the "users."
It's the Tom Sawyerification of the economy. We aren't users, though. We're the used.
Goodreads members have painted a heck of a lot of fence.
Biblioracle John Warner is the author of "Funny Man." Follow him on Twitter @Biblioracle.
The Biblioracle offers his recommendations
1. "Caleb's Crossing" by Geraldine Brooks
2. "Geography of the Heart" by Fenton Johnson
3. "The Flight of Gemma Hardy" by Margot Livesey
4. "The Borrower" by Rebecca Makkai
5. "Moloka'i" by Alan Brennert
— Robin T., Chicago
Robin likes high quality, carefully crafted prose. She's going to read "Crossing to Safety" by Wallace Stegner — and then start recommending it to others. So sayith the Biblioracle.
1. "Before I Go to Sleep" by S.J. Watson
2. "The Buddha in the Attic" by Julie Otsuka
3. "Straight Man" by Richard Russo
4. "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
5. "One Last Thing Before I Go" by Jonathan Tropper
— Cheryl B., Chicago
I think Cheryl will enjoy the mix of comedy and pathos in Francine Prose's "Blue Angel."
1. "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side" by Agatha Christie
2. "In the Garden of Beasts" by Erik Larson
3. "Nate in Venice" by Richard Russo
4. "The Uncommon Reader" by Allan Bennett
5. "Midnight's Children" by Salman Rushdie
— Trish T., Myrtle Beach, S.C.
I'm tempted to go mystery with those top two titles, but a mystery is what a computer algorithm would recommend, and the Biblioracle is no algorithm. I'm going with "Excellent Women" by the heir to Jane Austen's comic voice, the criminally under-read Barbara Pym.


text:
Promises about Pensions on Linc-O-Meter
Reform state employee pension plan
Reform pension plans: Reamortize pension; create hybrid 401(k), audit existing plan, develop long-term plan to coordinate retirement age with Social Security age.
Reform municipal employee pension plans
Move aggressively on the municipal level to curb future pension costs, avoid protracted litigation, ensure employment stability, be fair to workers, older workers in particular, and honestly address all the critical issues facing the state with respect to pension benefits.
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text:
David Byrne readies 'Here Lies Love' in London
NEW YORK (AP) — David Byrne has gone more than an extra mile to ensure his immersive show "Here Lies Love" about Filipino ex-first lady Imelda Marcos is as authentic as possible as it goes international: He's just finished casting in Manila.
The Talking Heads frontman went to the Philippines over the July Fourth holiday to add potential names to the Britain-based talent pool as he gears up to open the show in London this September at the Dorfman Theatre.
"We think we might have some important slots filled, but we won't know which they are until we see the London actors in the next few days," Byrne wrote Wednesday in an email from the airport in Dubai en route to London.
This image released by The O and M Co. shows Ruthie Ann Miles as Imelda Marcos in "Here Lies Love," with concept and lyrics by David Byrne, music by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, at The Public Theater in New York. Byrne, the Talking Heads frontman went to the Philippines last week to add potential names to the English-based talent pool as he gears up to present the show in London this September. (AP Photo/The O and M Co., Joan Marcus)
Byrne's 90-minute show about Marcos' rags-to-riches-to-exile journey is also playing at the Public Theater in Manhattan and talks are underway to mount the show in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle and Denver.
Producer Joey Parnes said he and his team are also looking at potential venues in the Australian cities of Sydney and Melbourne and have had interest from Tokyo, Singapore, South America and even Manila.
The project began as a concept album, performed in a handful of live concerts including a 2007 engagement at Carnegie Hall, before it was developed into a full-blown theater piece directed by Alex Timbers with 360-degree staging. Byrne wants to as many Filipinos as possible to star in "an episode from their own history."
The energetic, catchy musical begins with Imelda as a poor girl who gains fame as a beauty pageant winner. Following a whirlwind courtship, she marries up-and-coming politician and soon to be president, Ferdinand Marcos. The lyrics are mostly taken from speeches or interviews from all sides during Marcos' era and the standing-only audience moves around the space with the 15 actors.
The Marcoses ruled the Philippines from 1965 to 1986 — the last 14 years of that under martial law — before being driven into exile in Hawaii during a 1986 popular revolt, leaving the country's economy faltering under huge debts. Ferdinand Marcos died in 1989 and Imelda has since returned to her homeland and entered politics.
Byrne, who teamed up with Fatboy Slim on the disco-influenced music, waved away any notion that 85-year-old Imelda Marcos was being wooed to play herself in the London production. He said he hadn't met her and "we are not interested in involving her in our show."
He did reveal that one night in Manila he visited some friends — writers, filmmakers, artists and poets — at a bohemian residence he likened to the Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan. "One of Imelda's nieces was there — amongst the bohemians, which tells you how much Philippine culture differs from our own," he wrote.
Follow Mark Kennedy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
Online: http://www.herelieslove.com
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Banner-Savaysa for Afib
SAVAYSA for AFib
The Only Once-Daily Blood Thinner That
SAVAYSA for AFib
SAVAYSA for AFibSAVAYSA® (edoxaban) is a prescription medicine used to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots in people who have atrial fibrillation (AFib) not caused by a heart valve problem. Based on how well your kidneys work, SAVAYSA may not be a treatment option for you. Your doctor should check your kidney function before starting treatment.
SAVAYSA works differently than warfarin
SAVAYSA works differently than warfarin
In a clinical study that compared it to warfarin (a blood thinner that has been used for years to treat AFib), SAVAYSA was shown to be just as effective at reducing the risk of stroke and blood clots, and it caused less major bleeding than warfarin; however, it was more likely to cause gastrointestinal bleeding (e.g. stomach and intestinal bleeding). How else is SAVAYSA different?
You don't need to have routine blood tests
There are no special food restrictions—you can eat a normal, healthy diet
Once-daily dosing
SAVAYSA is just one tablet taken at the same time each day. You choose what time of day you'll take it—so you can pick a time that fits conveniently into your daily routine. Also, you can take SAVAYSA with or without food.
One tablet
Same time
Each day
Take SAVAYSA exactly as prescribed
Take SAVAYSA exactly as prescribed.
Your doctor will decide how long you should take SAVAYSA.
- Do not change your dose or stop taking SAVAYSA unless your doctor tells you to. If you are taking SAVAYSA for atrial fibrillation, stopping SAVAYSA may increase your risk of having a stroke
- If you miss a dose of SAVAYSA, take it as soon as you can that same day, and do not take more than one dose at the same time. Take your next dose at your usual time the next day
- Refill your prescription so you do not run out of SAVAYSA
- If you take too much SAVAYSA, go to the emergency room or call your doctor right away
- Call your doctor right away if you fall or injure yourself, especially if you hit your head. Your doctor may need to check you
- Common side effects in people who take SAVAYSA include bleeding and anemia. Talk to your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
See below for Important Safety Information
SAVAYSA for AFib Story Navigation
Savaysa Support
SAVAYSA Support+TM: Savings plus support!
Eligible patients can potentially start saving on SAVAYSA.START SAVING
Important Safety Information
SAVAYSA® (edoxaban) is a prescription medicine used to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots in people who have atrial fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem. Based on how well your kidneys work, SAVAYSA may not be a treatment option for you. Your doctor should check your kidney function before starting treatment.
SAVAYSA® is a prescription medicine used to treat blood clots in the veins of your legs (deep vein thrombosis) or lungs (pulmonary embolism), after you have been treated with an injectable blood thinner medicine for 5 to 10 days.
What is the most important information I should know about SAVAYSA?
People with atrial fibrillation are at an increased risk of forming a blood clot in the heart, which can travel to the brain, causing a stroke, or to other parts of the body. SAVAYSA lowers your chance of having a stroke by helping to prevent clots from forming.
Your doctor should check your kidney function before you start taking SAVAYSA. People whose kidneys work really well should not receive SAVAYSA because it may not work as well as other medications to prevent stroke.
Do not stop taking SAVAYSA without first talking to the doctor who prescribed it for you. Stopping SAVAYSA increases your risk of having a stroke.
SAVAYSA can cause bleeding which can be serious, and sometimes lead to death. This is because SAVAYSA is a blood thinner medicine that reduces blood clotting. While taking SAVAYSA you may bruise more easily and bleeding may take longer to stop. You should call your doctor or get medical help right away if you experience bleeding that is severe (for example, coughing up or vomiting blood) or bleeding that cannot be controlled.
You may have a higher risk of bleeding if you take SAVAYSA and take other medicines that increase your risk of bleeding, including: aspirin, long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), blood thinners (warfarin, heparin, or other medicines to prevent or treat blood clots), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Tell your doctor if you take any of these medicines. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure if your medicine is one listed above.
SAVAYSA is not for people with mechanical heart valves or people who have moderate-to-severe narrowing (stenosis) of their mitral valve.
Spinal or epidural blood clots (hematoma). People who take a blood thinner medicine (anticoagulant) like SAVAYSA, and have medicine injected into their spinal and epidural area, or have a spinal puncture have a risk of forming a blood clot that can cause long-term or permanent loss of the ability to move (paralysis). Your risk of developing a spinal or epidural blood clot is higher if: a thin tube called an epidural catheter is placed in your back to give you certain medicine, you take NSAIDs or a medicine to prevent blood from clotting, you have a history of difficult or repeated epidural or spinal punctures, and you have a history of problems with your spine or have had surgery on your spine.
If you take SAVAYSA and receive spinal anesthesia or have a spinal puncture, your doctor should watch you closely for symptoms of spinal or epidural blood clots. Tell your doctor right away if you have back pain, tingling, numbness (especially in your legs and feet), muscle weakness, loss of control of the bowels or bladder (incontinence).
Who should not take SAVAYSA?
Do not take SAVAYSA if you currently have certain types of abnormal bleeding.
What should I tell my doctor before taking SAVAYSA?
Before you take SAVAYSA, tell your doctor if you: have liver or kidney problems, have ever had bleeding problems, have a mechanical heart valve, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
- It is not known if SAVAYSA will harm your unborn baby. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment with SAVAYSA
- It is not known if SAVAYSA passes into your breast milk. You and your doctor should decide if you will take SAVAYSA or breastfeed. You should not do both
Tell all of your doctors and dentists that you are taking SAVAYSA. They should talk to the doctor who prescribed SAVAYSA for you, before you have any surgery, medical or dental procedure. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some of your other medicines may affect the way SAVAYSA works. Certain medicines may increase your risk of bleeding or stroke when taken with SAVAYSA.
How should I take SAVAYSA?
Take SAVAYSA exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor will decide how long you should take SAVAYSA. Do not change your dose or stop taking SAVAYSA unless your doctor tells you to. You can take SAVAYSA with or without food. If you miss a dose of SAVAYSA, take it as soon as you remember on the same day, and do not take more than one dose at the same time. Take your next dose at your usual time the next day. Do not run out of SAVAYSA. Refill your prescription before you run out.
If you take too much SAVAYSA, go to the nearest hospital emergency room or call your doctor right away. Call your doctor right away if you fall or injure yourself, especially if you hit your head. Your doctor may need to check you.
What are the possible side effects of SAVAYSA?
Common side effects in people who take SAVAYSA include, bleeding and low red blood cell count (anemia). Talk to your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see the U.S. Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS and Medication Guide.
Savings Card Terms & Conditions
SAVAYSA® (edoxaban) Savings Card:
Eligibility Criteria and Terms & Conditions
Eligibility Criteria: Residents of US or Puerto Rico, 18 years of age or older, with valid prescription for SAVAYSA. Not valid if enrolled in state or federally funded prescription benefit program, including but not limited to Medicare Part D, Medicaid, Medigap, Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Defense (DoD) or TRICARE programs, or if prohibited by law. Patients who move from commercial to state or federally funded prescription insurance will no longer be eligible.
Terms & Conditions: For patients with commercial insurance, or patients without insurance, this savings card is applied after the following out-of-pocket expenses are met: $4 for a 30-day prescription or $12 for a 90-day prescription. This card is not insurance and does not cover deductibles. The maximum benefit is $270 per 30-day prescription or $810 per 90-day prescription. For patients with commercial insurance or without insurance, card activation must occur by 12/31/18 and program expiration is 12/31/19. This offer is not conditioned on any past, present, or future purchases, including refills. Patients, pharmacists, and prescribers cannot seek reimbursement from health insurance or any third party for any part of the benefit received by patients through this offer. Patient acceptance (use) of this offer constitutes an acknowledgement that it is not prohibited by the patient's insurance, and that patient will report the value received if required by the insurance provider. This offer is non-transferrable and no substitutions are permissible. Offer cannot be combined with any other rebate/coupon, free trial, or similar offer for the specified prescription. Reproductions of the card are void.
If your pharmacy does not accept the SAVAYSA Savings Card, visit www.patientrebateonline.com for instructions on how to obtain the savings benefit or call the number below. This is not insurance.
By using this card, you certify you meet the Eligibility Criteria and Terms & Conditions.
Pharmacist & Patient Questions:
Call 1-844-SAVAYSA (1-844-728-2972), 8 AM–8 PM EST, M–F.
Pharmacist Conditions: By using this card, you certify that the Eligibility Criteria are met. Submit transaction to McKesson Corp, using BIN #610524. If primary coverage exists, input card information as secondary coverage and transmit using COB segment of NCPDP transaction. Applicable discounts will be displayed in the transaction response. Acceptance of this card and your submission of claims for the SAVAYSA Savings Card program are subject to SAVAYSA Savings Card program Terms & Conditions posted at www.mckesson.com/mprstnc.
Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., reserves the right to rescind, revoke, or amend this program, at any time, without notice.


text:
BOSTON, Mass. – Brandeis seniors Kate Warwick (Boxborough, Mass./Acton-Boxborough) and Chris Brown (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford) moved one step closer to a berth at the NCAA Division III Championships later this season with a pair of performances at the 2012 Boston University Valentines Invitational that leave them among the top five in the nation in their respective events.
Warwick had Brandeis's top finish at the meet, placing 10th in the 5,000-meter run. She was sixth among collegiate runners and second among Division III competitors. Her time of 17:03.44 was 17 seconds faster than her previous season- and lifetime-best in the event. Warwick now owns the fastest time in the UAA this season and the fourth-fastest in all of Division III.
Brown was 21st overall in the mile run with a time of 4:05.98, 13th among collegiate runners and second in Division III. His time was just under two-and-a-half seconds better than his previous lifetime best and ranks him first in the UAA and third in all of Division III this season.
Brandeis's other top performance on the men's side was turned in by sophomore Vincent Asante (Bronx, N.Y./High School for the Arts Imagination and Inquiry), who was 27th overall in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.16 seconds, sixth among Division III runners at the meet. His counterpart in the sprints on the women's side, junior Brittany Bell (Setauket, N.Y./Hotchkiss School), placed 26th in the 60 with a time of 8.05 seconds, fifth best in DIII at the meet. Classmate Kim Farrington (Shirley, Mass./Ayer) was 20th in the triple jump with a distance of 10.60 meters (34 feet, 9 ½ inches), also fifth in DIII.


text:
BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//184.108.40.206//NONSGML kigkonsult.se iCalcreator 2.16.1// CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-FROM-URL:https://bestbits.net X-WR-TIMEZONE:UTC BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:UTC X-LIC-LOCATION:UTC BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:00001130T000000 TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:UTC END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT UID:firstname.lastname@example.com DTSTAMP:20190717T071559Z CATEGORIES;LANGUAGE=en-US:Best Bits CONTACT: DESCRIPTION:
The past 18 months have seen unprecedented public u nrest over proposed new laws and policies for the Internet that would both undermine its functioning as an open\, neutral communications medium\, an d threaten the human rights of its users. At the national level instrumen ts such as the United States' SOPA and PIPA\, and India's Internet Interme diary Guidelines\, are seen as uninformed and/or unduly influenced by indu stry lobbyists protecting outdated business models. At the global level\, agreements such as the secretively-negotiated ACTA\, Trans-Pacific Partne rship and International Telecommunications Regulations (ITRs)\, are rightl y seen as democratically deficient and therefore illegitimate in light of norms of multi-stakeholder participation to which governments pay lip serv ice.\n
At the same time\, civil society has also recently been at th e nexus of a flourishing of interest in a positive agenda for Internet gov ernance\, such as the development of broad statements of shared principles (including the Declaration of Internet Freedom)\, ad hocnetworks for engagement on current policy processes (such as the ITU's World Confe rence on International Telecommunications (WCIT) at which the ITRs are bei ng renegotiated)\, and new institutional innovations that could channel pu blic interest inputs into policy development processes either in a reactiv e (eg. the Internet Defence League) or a proactive (eg. the Enhanced Coope ration Task Force) fashion.\n
Some of these civil society initiative s are so new that those leading them have not yet had time to adequately a llow for the input of other NGOs who may have a long background working on ICT issues in their own countries\, with important perspectives to contri bute. In fact there is much scope for all of the NGOs working on Internet governance issues\, from North and South alike\, to gain valuable practic al knowledge from each other. In advance of the upcoming meetings of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and the ITU's WCIT\, we have an important opportunity to share such knowledge\, to deliberate on issues of differenc e\, and to produce tangible outputs to further objectives that we share. p>\n
Inter net governance history and review\n
The ITU and the International Telecommunications Reg ulations\n
Drafting a civil society statement to WCIT\n
Declarat ions of Internet rights and Internet governance principles\n< div id='magicdomid59'>\n
Process towards enhanced cooperation on Internet public policy iss ues\n
Lunch and networking break< /p>
Drafting civil society IG princip les for the IGF\n
Next steps\n
"We call on the IGF to develop an IGF-level multistakeholder statement on Inte rnet governance\, drawing on existing statements of rights and principles developed by various stakeholders\, for presentation to the 2013 meeting o f the IGF in Indonesia.\n


text:
This FRIDAY, May 6, at Tara McPherson's "THE COTTON CANDY MACHINE", a new boutique & art gallery in New York that's cooler than photoshopping dragon wings and a cowboy hat on a centaur, myself, Dave Correia, and the Zerofriends crew will be having a fun art & print show alongside a little pop-up Zerofriends retail store!
"Paper View"
At COTTON CANDY MACHINE
Friday May 6th
235 South St
Brooklyn, NYC 11211
"Paper View" will feature a ton of limited edition prints from myself, Dave Correia, Robert Bowen and Skinner, along with a handful of some of my original ink drawings from some of my recent images.
Also, I will be debuting a brand new super limited print for the show. Here's the new piece, called (aptly) "The Cotton Candy Machine"
Colorway #1
And Colorway #2
There are an extremely limited edition of 25 of each colorway.
Each print measures 17" x 22"
$60 each
Here's a couple details of the "Cotton Candy Machine" Print:
BUTT WEIGHT, there's MOAR!
So, I have a new art book called "Awful / Resilient" from Gingko Press & Upper Playground coming out in a month or so. And I am releasing both regular editions in June, and then sometime later on in the year (I am not sure when I am receiving them) I will be releasing a limited edition, hand-painted-cover version of the book. The regular edition will be about $30 and the limited one will be about $100.
Well, I got an advance copy of the limited one in the mail yesterday, so I decided that I want to give it away at the show. I haven't quite figured out if I want to do a raffle, or some kind of drawing, but I will figure it out. Either way, this picture shows the un-embellished cover on the left and the version that I am giving away on the right, which I painted on with my face and neck.
And….the back of this one:)
Now, part 2 of BUTT-WEIGHT!
We are also releasing 2 brand new VERTIGO shirts at the "Paper View" show too.
Check it
And some hand-embellished Dave Correia books & prints will be available too (And Dave will be there in person with me as well.)
Here's Tara Mcpherson, who is not only a tremendous artist, but also owns The Cotton Candy Machine and talked about the gallery on Mtv.com this week:
See you thereeeeeeeeeeeeeee!


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Apple has recently released the developer beta version of its iOS 5 mobile operating system, now featuring a number of bug fixes and stability enhancements. Key among the new features are the iCloud Storage APIs, which will enable developers to create apps that store user data and wirelessly push any changes to all a user's computers and devices at the same time.
Apple has asked developers to wipe their devices between version installs in recent times, a move it has taken to address what it describes as "compatibility issues" between iterations — although this caution does not appear to apply to installs that are executed via iTunes.
According to Apple, "This version of iOS is intended only for installation on development devices registered with Apple's Developer Program. Attempting to install this version of iOS in an unauthorized manner could put your device in an unusable state, which could necessitate an out of warranty repair."
New in this version of the OS is Notification Center, a new service to display and manage app notifications without interrupting users. Notification Center in iOS 5 builds on the existing notification system, and provisioning of push notifications is now built right into Xcode making it even (in theory) easier to implement.
As well as updating iOS 5, Apple also issued updates to beta developer versions of XCode, iTunes, and Apple TV. First unveiled in June during Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference, iOS 5 includes over 200 new user features and an updated SDK with over 1,500 new APIs and powerful new development tools.
Detailing the operating system's Twitter integration capabilities, Apple has said that it wants to provide a way for developers to enable users to Tweet directly from inside apps using the new Tweet sheet. "It provides all of the features available to built-in apps, including URL shortening, attaching current location, character count, and hosting photos on Twitter. If your app is a Twitter client, it's easy to tie into the single sign-on service using the Twitter APIs. It's even possible to migrate existing accounts to iOS," said Apple.


text:
Have fired up my development Webserver (Freesco) a couple days ago and found it was not working properly. Have tried sorting out what is going wrong but am now not making progress.
Believe it was working OK last time I used it back in 2007.
Mysql appears to be throwing up errors and Apache does not appear to run as php files not displaying.
The Alt F1 Screen shows mysql starting, phpmyadmin starting, but no sign of apache.
When I run my FTP application it is defaulting to /mnt/bootdev/router/pkg/home/root/ on the server when I am expecting it to go to /mnt/bootdev/router/www/
Attached is a report file.
Any clues greatly appreciated.


text:
Health Care Fraud and Abuse
Health care fraud occurs when a person or business intentionally misrepresents facts to receive reimbursement for health care services or supplies. It's a criminal offense under state and federal laws and can result in hefty fines, loss of health care coverage, and/or criminal penalties — including jail time. It also results in higher costs for all HMSA members.
Types of fraud and abuse
Members, employer groups, providers, and other individuals commit health care fraud and abuse. Examples include:
- False statements on claim or billing documents.
- Claims for services that weren't performed.
- Misrepresenting services sought or provided.
- Providing services that aren't medically necessary.
- Using another person's HMSA membership card or subscriber number, or allowing someone to use yours.
- Changing claim and billing documents.
- Making false statements on a health plan application or adding someone who isn't eligible for coverage to a health plan.
- Withholding information about additional health care coverage.
The price of fraud and abuse
Everyone pays the price for health care fraud through higher health plan dues and out-of-pocket costs. It also results in reduced health plan benefits and coverage to make up for higher costs.
Health care fraud costs an estimated $68 billion to $226 billion annually. According to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, each family in the U.S. pays more than $800 extra in health care costs every year because of health care fraud.
Penalties for fraud and abuse
Your health plan coverage will be canceled immediately if you are fraudulently enrolled due to misrepresenting or concealing facts on your enrollment form. You must reimburse HMSA for all claims HMSA paid on your behalf. HMSA also has the right to initiate a civil action to recover losses based on fraud, concealment, or misrepresentation.
HMSA's anti-fraud efforts
HMSA takes all types of health care fraud very seriously. Our Benefits Integrity staff works to prevent fraud and recover money resulting from fraud. HMSA's anti-fraud efforts save our members about $8 million a year. Also, the Affordable Care Act passed last year calls for stricter enforcement and penalties to combat enrollment fraud.
Prevent health plan enrollment fraud
You can help prevent enrollment fraud. Contact your employer or health plan if you need to remove a dependent from your health plan who is no longer eligible for coverage. For example:
- If you get a divorce, your former spouse may not be eligible to remain on your health plan.
- A child who is no longer considered your legal dependent may not be eligible to remain on your health plan.
Combat fraud and abuse
- Keep accurate records of all health care appointments and treatments.
- Carefully review your medical bills and HMSA Report to Member statements.
- Contact HMSA with any questions about payments or services claimed but never received.
- Never sign blank insurance claim forms.
- Ask your health care provider if the services you receive are medically necessary and if alternatives are available.
- Talk to your doctor if a treatment plan seems questionable or excessive. If you still don't agree with the plan, don't hesitate to get a second opinion.
- Protect your HMSA and Medicare membership cards and membership numbers. Give them only to those who provide you medical services.
- Report any suspicions of fraud to HMSA.
Report suspected fraud and abuse
If you suspect health care fraud or abuse, report it to HMSA's confidential fraud hotline:
Submit a secure report here.
By telephone:
808-948-5166 on Oahu
1-888-398-6445 toll-free on the Neighbor Islands and the Mainland
By mail:
Benefits Integrity, 10600 BI
P.O. Box 860
Honolulu, HI 96808


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Jim Douglas is doing what only one other governor has done in the last 47 years: He is leaving office from a position of strength.
Every governor since 1962 – except for Deane Davis – stayed at least one term too many. The only problem was that no one knew it was too many until it was over.
Phil Hoff's third and final term – he served 1963-1969 – was an absolute disaster, by his own admission. He was distracted by the national unrest and was exhausted by his first two terms.
Then came Deane Davis, who had a tough first term but a strong second. Every governor since Davis has seen a sharp drop in popularity at the end of his or her tenure. For Tom Salmon (1973-1977) it was brought on by misguided attempts to raise taxes and the severity of the energy crisis. For Dick Snelling (1977-1985) the raid on Island Pond cost him a lot of political capital. Madeleine Kunin (1985-1991) saw her popularity fall off sharply because of her push for local planning (Act 200) and the poor economy. Snelling returned briefly in 1991, but died in August of that year, when Howard Dean took over. Dean's push for school funding reform (Act 60) and civil unions made him unpopular when he stepped down.
Read more coverage of the governor's announcement
And now Douglas: He has been unpopular with some Vermonters since his inauguration, and is clearly more conservative than many Vermonters, but his favorability remains high as he announces his retirement.
Douglas won election in 2002 with a clearly articulated and effective message: From his campaign kickoff in May to Election Day in November, the Douglas message never wavered: JIM EQUALS JOBS.
In politics timing is everything and Douglas was perfectly in sync with the events of 2002. One month after he formally launched his campaign, IBM laid off 988 workers. Layoffs occurred regularly around the state through Election Day: Bombardier, in Barre; Wyeth, in Georgia; EHV Weidman, in St. Johnsbury; the closing of the Ames stores statewide. Every layoff reinforced the Douglas message that the state needed to do more to attract and hold industry.
Douglas also ran a perfect campaign. He threw his opponent, Democratic Lt. Gov. Douglas Racine, on the defensive from the start by running a series of ads portraying Racine as a "flip-flopper" on major issues. Douglas also painted Racine as a tax-and spend liberal, a perception reinforced by newspaper endorsements around the state.
Douglas' 2002 win was a remarkable accomplishment, but it also fit a pattern I had first noticed in 1984, and one that I have written about regularly since then. Without fail, Vermont since 1962 has alternated Republican and Democratic governors. In doing so, voters have done more than just alternate between parties: They have chosen governors so that a period of expansion follows a period of retrenchment, which, in turn, follows a period of expansion.
This unusual 40-year political pulse, an ebb and flow as voters used the ballot box to guide the direction of state government, began with the watershed election of Democrat Hoff, who broke the GOP's century-long hold on the governor's office by ousting F. Ray Keyser, Jr.
Hoff served six high-energy years, transforming just about every aspect of the state's life. In 1968, however, when voters faced a choice between a Hoff protégé, his own lieutenant governor, and a conservative Republican business executive, the voters chose the GOP candidate, Deane Davis, in large part because they feared Hoff's expansion of state programs were leading to fiscal problems.
Davis cleaned up the state's fiscal affairs, primarily by instituting a state sales tax. He then began reorganizing state government and tackling concerns about overdevelopment by championing passage of the pioneering Act 250 review process. When Davis stepped down in 1972, voters again had a choice between a candidate pledging to continue the governor's policies and one promising change. This time they went with change, choosing Democrat Tom Salmon.
Salmon was followed by Republican Richard Snelling, a businessman in the Davis mold, who was succeeded by Democrat Madeleine Kunin, who had campaigned as an activist. Snelling returned to office following Kunin's retirement and then Democrat Howard Dean became governor upon Snelling's death.
By the time Dean stepped down in 2002 Vermonters were exhausted by passage in 1997 of Act 60, a new system of financing schools, and the passage in 2000 of a system extending the benefits of marriage to gays and lesbians.
So the political landscape – and the pulse of history – favored Jim Douglas in 2002.
And now we will see what the pulse of politics is in 2010.
Chris Graff is the former bureau chief of the Associated Press in Montpelier.


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WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis volleyball team earned a split on the first day of action at the 2012 Brandeis Invitational. The Judges topped Babson, 3-1, in the opener, but fell to Tufts by the same score in the second match. The Judges are now 4-2 on the season, while Babson was 2-1 after their match and Tufts was 2-0.
In the first match, the two teams split the first two sets, 25-18 for Brandeis and 25-21 for Babson. After another tight set in the third in which the Judges prevailed, 25-22, a fast start to the fourth put the Beavers away, 25-13. Brandeis scored 11 of the first 12 points – including six in a row on the serve of senior Susan Sun (Acton, Mass./Acton-Boxborough) - of the set en route to the victory.
Offensively, Brandeis was led by junior outside hitter Liz Hood (Albuquerque, N.M./Albuquerque Acad.), who tied for match-high honors with 13 kills. Hood had just two errors in 27 attempts for a .407 hitting percentage. Senior middle blocker Becca Fischer (San Antonio, Texas/Clark) was the squad's most efficient player in the match with a .467 percentage (9 K-2 E-15 TA). Junior setter Yael Einhorn (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) had 35 assists and quarterback the team to a .244 hitting percentage, including .379 in the third set and .524 in the fourth, when the Judges had 11 kills and no errors in 21 attempts.
The team's defensive leaders were sophomore libero Elsie Bernaiche (Plantsville, Conn./Southington), who had 29 digs, and middle blockers Maddie Engeler (Sandusky, Ohio/St. Mary Central Catholic) and Lauren Berens (Boulder, Colo./Fairview), who had six and five blocks each. Bernaiche also had a team-high four service aces.
Babson rookie Mary Donohue (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) tied Hood with 13 kills, while senior setter Kathleen Lynch (Quincy, Mass./North Quincy) had 30 assists for the Beavers. Junior libero Karla Flores (San Juan, P.R./Academia Perpetuo Socorro) had 15 digs.
In the nightcap against Tufts, Brandeis survived a long first set, 27-25, with Hood kills leading to the final two points. The Jumbos were able to go on a 7-1 run in the second, turning an 11-10 deficit into a 17-12 lead en route to a 25-22 win. The second set was tied at 20 when Tufts senior defensive specialist Natalie Bruck (Inverness, Fla./William Friend) served the final four points to give the visitors a 25-20 win and a 2-1 lead. Tufts opened up a 9-3 lead early in the fourth set and never trailed, closing out Brandeis, 25-19.
The Judges were not as efficient hitting the ball, committing 29 errors, compared to the 16 they had against Babson. Hood finished with 12 kills to lead the team, while sophomore outside hitter Si-Si Hensley (Fullerton, Calif./Troy) had nine. Engeler hit for a .462 percentage (7 K-1 E-13 TA). Einhorn finished with 30 assists, while Bernaiche had a match-high 26 digs.
Tufts had two players with double figures in kills, sophomore Kelly Brennan (Burr Ridge, Ill./Fenwick) with 16 and classmate Hayley Hopper (Carlsbad, Calif./La Costa Canyon) with 11. Brennan also topped the Jumbos with 19 digs. Senior setter Kendall Lord (La Jolla, Calif./The Bishop's School) also had a double-double with 41 assists and 12 digs.
- 30 -


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Friday, October 30, 2009
My First Class Journal...
The class is super fun and I can now show you my first finished journal. Well, at least finished as in: printed, designed, cut and assembled. I haven't actually added any photos or anything to it yet but I feel there's no need to rush that. At least I have finished my journal and got a cool book to show for it :)
I loved the papers and brushes that Karla supplied with the class and I'm really enjoying the orange and grey colour combination which might not normally have been my first choice. That really proves that you should venture outside your colour comfort zone sometimes.
The inside pages are quite random. Some are stamped with swirly brushes and some are left completely blank for just adding a photo or two...
...while others are stamped with some really cool journaling brushes that also were supplied in the class materials.
Above are just a few examples of the inside pages in my journal.
Right I'm off as I'm working on the journal for week 2 now. This one is more complicated, has lots more steps to it and will take me longer to make. I'm really enjoying the process and trying out something I have never done before :)
15 comments:
- Sharyn said...
Very lovely journal! Thanks for sharing!
- 10/30/2009 1:32 pm
- Anne said...
Gorgeous. I love the orange and grey colour scheme.
- 10/30/2009 1:35 pm
- Robyn said...
This is really pretty. I love how quiet and open it is inside.
- 10/30/2009 2:22 pm
- Liberty :) said...
ooh thats lovely anso it makes me wish I had signed up! Will you be using one of these journals for your xmas journal this year? I cant decide what size to do! Hope you are on the mend :)
- 10/30/2009 3:05 pm
- Mary said...
Oooohhh I love that journal Anso ~ gorgeous colour scheme!
- 10/30/2009 3:56 pm
- Jay said...
That is la lovely journal, gorgeous colours.
- 10/30/2009 4:52 pm
- Maria Ontiveros said...
Beautiful and what a neat idea for a class. Is it all digital? I assume, given your reference to brushes.
(from Shimelle's class)
- 10/30/2009 7:27 pm
- Linda said...
love the orange and grey colour scheme!
- 10/30/2009 7:37 pm
- humel said...
Oh, it's gorgeous - I wouldn't have thought of orange and grey either, but it looks fab! I love making mini-books and journals, I must investigate this class... In between doing all of Shimelle's, of course! Se you in BFS ;-)
- 10/30/2009 7:51 pm
- RachelB said...
Wow gorgeous journals, the colours are fab.
- 10/30/2009 8:37 pm
- Gemma* said...
orange and grey is a new one on me too but it looks cool - orange seems to be the in thing at the mo :) see you in BFS :)
- 10/30/2009 10:10 pm
- ComfyMom~Stacey said...
That is really pretty! I love the colors!
- 10/31/2009 12:31 am
- Jessica said...
Great Job!! Are you going to uses your copics on the next journal?
- 11/01/2009 1:28 pm
- Kirsty said...
Your week one book is awesome! Love the ribbon you added to it.
I finished week 2 today :) It's pretty straight forward although it took mine longer than the suggested half hour for the first coat to dry lol. I look forward to seeing yours :)
- 11/01/2009 9:27 pm
- SarahLP said...
Wow, Anso, this is beautiful! So simple and classy.
- 11/06/2009 1:40 pm


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Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States.
According to current estimates, 40 to 50 percent of Americans who live to age 65 will have skin cancer at least once. Melanoma is the most serious of the skin cancers, and the number of people who develop melanoma is increasing at a faster rate than that of any other cancer.
The skin is the body's outer covering which protects us from heat, light, injury and infection. It regulates body temperature, and stores water, fat and vitamin D. It is the body's largest organ. It is made up of two layers called the epidermis and the dermis. The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin and it is mostly of flat, scale-like cells called squamous cells. Under the squamous cells are round cells called basal cells The deepest part of the epidermis contains melanocytes which are cells that produce a pigment called melanin which gives the skin its color.
When skin is exposed to the sun, the melanocytes produce more pigment causing the skin to tan or darken. Clusters of melanocytes and surrounding tissue form common noncancerous growths called moles.
The dermis is the inner layer of the skin, which contains blood and lymph vessels, hair follicles and glands that produce sweat (to regulate body temperature), and sebum (an oily substance that helps keep the skin from drying out). Sweat and sebum reach the skin's surface through tiny openings called pores.
What is Skin Cancer?
Cancer is a group of many related diseases that begin in cells, the body's basic unit of life. The body is made up of many types of cells, and normally, cells grow and divide to produce more cells only when the body needs them. Sometimes, however, cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed. These extra cells form a mass of tissue, called a growth or tumor. There are two types, benign and malignant.
Benign tumors are not cancer. They can usually be removed by surgery, and in most cases, they do not come back. Cells from benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body and are not a threat to life.
Malignant tumors are cancer. They can invade and destroy nearby healthy tissues and organs. Cancer cells also can spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body and form new tumors.
Two common kinds of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (also called nonmelanoma skin cancer). Carcinoma is cancer that begins in the cells that cover or line an organ. Melanoma is a malignancy of the melanocytes and is the most serious form of skin cancer.
Basal cell carcinoma is a slow-growing cancer that seldom spreads to other parts of the body.
Squamous cell carcinoma also rarely spreads, but it does so more often than basal cell carcinoma. It is important that skin cancers be found and treated early because they can invade and destroy nearby tissue.
Melanoma occurs when melanocytes become malignant. When melanoma starts in the skin (it may also start in other parts of the body such as the eye) the disease is called cutaneous melanoma. When melanoma spreads (metastasizes), cancer cells are also found in the lymph nodes, and it may mean that the cancer has also spread to other parts of the body such as the liver, lungs or brain. The cancer cells of the new tumor are still melanoma cells, and the disease is called metastatic melanoma rather than liver, lung or brain cancer.
What causes Skin Cancer?
Although anyone can get skin cancer, the risk is greatest for people who have fair skin that freckles easily, and often those with red or blond hair and blue or light-colored eyes.
Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer. Artificial sources of UV radiation, such as sunlamps and tanning booths, can also cause skin cancer. The risk of developing skin cancer is affected by where a person lives.
People who live in areas that get high levels of UV radiation from the sun are more likely to get skin cancer. In the United States, for example, skin cancer is more common in Texas than it is in Minnesota, where the sun is not as strong.
Worldwide, the highest rates of skin cancer are found in areas that receive high amounts of UV radiation such as South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
The risk of developing skin cancer is related to lifetime exposure to UV radiation. Most skin cancers appear after age 50, but the sun's damaging effects begin at an early age. Therefore, protection should start in childhood to prevent skin cancer later in life.
Whenever possible, people should avoid exposure to the midday sun (from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. standard time, or from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daylight saving time). Protective clothing, such as sun hats and long sleeves, can block out the sun's harmful rays. Sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 to 30 or higher block most of the sun's harmful rays.
What are the risk factors for Melanoma?
Family history of melanoma -- Having two or more close relatives who have had this disease is a risk factor because melanoma sometimes runs in families
Dysplastic nevi -- Dysplastic nevi are a certain type of mole, more likely than ordinary moles to become cancerous. The risk of melanoma is greater for people with a large number of dysplastic nevi.
History of melanoma -- People who have been treated for melanoma are at a high risk for developing a second melanoma.
Weakened immune system -- People whose immune system is weakened by certain cancers, by drugs given following organ transplants, or by AIDS are at increased risk of developing melanoma.
Large numbers of ordinary moles (more than 50) -- Because melanoma usually begins in the melanocytes of an existing mole, having many moles increases the risk of developing this disease.
Exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) radiation -- UV radiation from the sun causes premature aging of the skin and skin damage that can lead to melanoma. Artificial sources of UV radiation, such as sunlamps and tanning booths, also can cause skin damage and probably an increased risk of melanoma.
Severe, blistering sunburns -- People who have had one or more severe, blistering sunburns as a child or teenager are at increased risk for melanoma. Sunburns in adulthood are also a risk factor for melanoma.
Fair skin -- Melanoma occurs more frequently in people who have fair skin that burns or freckles easily (these people also usually have red or blond hair and blue eyes).
People who are concerned about melanoma should talk with their doctors about the disease, the symptoms to watch for, and an appropriate schedule for checkups. The doctor's advice will be based on the person's personal and family history, medical history, and the other risk factors described above.
Symptoms of Skin Cancer
Basal and Squamous cell cancers are found mainly on areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun such as the head, face, neck, hands, and arms however, skin cancer can occur anywhere. The most common warning sign of skin cancer is a change on the skin, especially a new growth or a sore that doesn't heal. Skin cancers don't all look the same. For example, the cancer may start as a small, smooth, shiny, pale, or waxy lump. Or it can appear as a firm red lump. Sometimes, the lump bleeds or develops a crust. Skin cancer can also start as a flat, red spot that is rough, dry, or scaly.
Symptoms of Melanoma
Melanomas are usually first noticed because of a change in the size, shape, color or feel of an existing mole. Other frequent findings are newly formed fine scales or itching in a mole. Thinking of "ABCD" can help you remember what to watch for:
- Asymmetry -- the shape of one half does not match the other.
- Border -- The edges are often ragged, notched, blurred, or irregular in outline; the pigment may spread into the surrounding skin.
- Color - -The color is uneven. Shades of black, brown, and tan may be present. Areas of white, gray, red, pink, or blue also may be seen.
- Diameter -- There is a change in size, usually an increase. Melanomas are usually larger than the eraser of a pencil (5 mm or 1/4 inch).
Melanomas can vary greatly in the ways they look. Many show all of the ABCD features but some may show changes or abnormalities in only one or two of the ABCD features.
Melanoma can be cured if it is diagnosed and treated when the tumor is thin and has not deeply invaded the skin. However, if a melanoma is not removed at its early stages, cancer cells may grow downward from the skin surface, invading healthy tissue. When a melanoma becomes thick and deep, the disease often spreads to other parts of the body and is difficult to control.
Changes in the skin are not sure signs of cancer; however, it is important to see a doctor if any symptom lasts longer than 2 weeks. Don't wait for the area to hurt -- skin cancers seldom cause pain.
Detection of Skin Cancer
The cure rate for skin cancer is very high if detected early. It is important to examine the skin regularly to check for new growths or other changes in the skin. Any new, colored growths or any changes in growths that are already present should be reported to a doctor without delay
Doctors should also check the skin during routine physical exams. People who have already had skin cancer should be sure to have regular exams so that the doctor can check the treated are of skin and other areas cancer may develop.
How To Do a Skin Self-Exam
The best time to do a skin self-exam is after a shower or bath. The skin should be checked in a well-lit room using a full-length mirror and a hand-held mirror. It's best to begin by learning where birthmarks, moles, and blemishes are and what they usually look and feel like. Check for anything new, especially a change in the size, shape, texture, or color of a mole or a sore that does not heal.
Check yourself from head to toe. Don't forget to check all areas of the skin, including the back, the scalp, between the buttocks, and the genital area:
- Look at the front and back of your body in the mirror, then raise your arms and look at your left and right sides.
- Bend your elbows and look carefully at your fingernails, palms, forearms (including the undersides), and upper arms.
- Examine the back, front, and sides of your legs. Also look between the buttocks and around the genital area.
- Sit and closely examine your feet, including the toenails, the soles, and the spaces between the toes.
- Look at your face, neck, ears, and scalp. You may want to use a comb or a blow dryer to move hair so that you can see better. You also may want to have a relative or friend check through your hair because this is difficult to do yourself.
By checking your skin regularly, you will become familiar with what is normal for you. It may be helpful to record the dates of your skin exams and to write notes about the way your skin looks. If you find anything unusual, see your doctor right away.
Diagnosis of Skin Cancer
Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are generally diagnosed and treated in the same way. When an area of skin does not look normal, the doctor may remove all or part of the growth. This is procedure is called a biopsy. The tissue is examined to check for cancer cells
Doctors generally divide skin cancer into two stages: local (affecting only the skin) or metastatic (spreading beyond the skin). Because basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas rarely spread beyond the skin, a biopsy often is the only test needed to determine the stage.
In cases where the growth is very large or has been present for a long time, the doctor will carefully check the lymph nodes in the area, and additional tests, such as special x-rays, will be used to find out whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Knowing the stage of a skin cancer helps determine the treatment plan.
Diagnosis of Melanoma
A biopsy is also the only way to make a definite diagnosis of melanoma. Usually, attempts are made to remove the entire growth. If the growth is too large to be removed entirely, a sample of tissue will be taken.
If melanoma is found, various tests and procedures will be conducted to determine the extent or stage of the disease. Removal of nearby lymph nodes is sometimes necessary. The treatment plan is dependent of the location and thickness of the tumor, how deep and whether it has metastasized.
Treatment of Skin Cancer
The main objective of treating skin cancer is to remove or destroy the cancer completely with as small a scar as possible.
Treatment of skin cancer usually involves some type of surgery. In some cases, treatment will involve radiation therapy, chemotherapy or a combination of both.
Surgery -- Many skin cancers can be cut from the skin quickly and easily. In fact, the cancer is sometimes completely removed at the time of the biopsy, and no further treatment is needed.
Curettage and Electrodesiccation involves numbing the area with a local anesthetic and scooping the skin cancer out with a sharp spoon shaped instrument called a curette. The area is then treated with an electric current from a special machine (a procedure called electrodesiccation) to control bleeding and kill any cancer cells remaining around the edge of the wound. Most patients develop a flat white scar.
Moh's Surgery is a special type of surgery performed by specialists. The aim is to remove all of the cancerous tissue and as little of the healthy tissue as possible, and is particularly useful when the shape and depth of the tumor is unknown. This method is also used to remove large tumors, those in hard-to-treat places, and cancers that have recurred. The procedure is performed under local anesthetic, and the cancer is shaved off one thin layer at a time. Each layer is checked under a microscope until the entire tumor is removed. The degree of scarring depends on the location and size of the treated area.
Cryosurgery is the use of extreme cold to freeze and kill the abnormal cells. Liquid nitrogen is used to treat precancerous skin conditions such as actinic keratosis, and certain small skin cancers. After the area is thawed, the dead tissue falls off. More than one treatment may be necessary to remove the growth completely. Pain and swelling may be present after the area thaws, and a white scar may form in the treated area.
Laser Therapy uses a narrow beam of light to remove or destroy cancer cells. This procedure is sometimes used for cancers that only involve the outer layer of skin.
Skin Grafts are often needed to close the wound and reduce the amount of scarring, especially if a large cancer is removed. The procedure involves taking a piece of healthy skin from another part of the body to replace the skin that was removed.
Radiation Therapy (radiotherapy) uses high-energy rays to damage cancer cells and stop them from growing. This treatment is often used for cancers in areas that are difficult to treat with surgery (example eyelid, the tip of the nose, or the ear). Several treatments may be necessary. Radiation therapy may cause a rash or make the skin in the area dry or red. Changes in skin color or texture may develop after the treatment, and may become more noticeable many years later.
Topical Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drug in a cream or lotion applied to the skin. Fluorouracil (also called 5-FU) is used to treat precancerous conditions such as actinic keratosis and cancers limited to the top layer of skin. Intense inflammation is common during treatment, but scars usually do not occur.
Treatment of Melanoma and Side Effects
Surgery -- The standard treatment for melanoma is removal (excision). It is necessary to remove not only the tumor but also some normal tissue around it in order to minimize the chance that any cancer will be left in the area. The amount of healthy tissue removed depends on the thickness of the melanoma and how deeply it has invaded the skin. In cases where the melanoma is very thin, enough tissue is often removed during the biopsy, and no further surgery is necessary.
If the melanoma was not completely removed during the biopsy, the remaining tumor is removed. In most cases, additional surgery is performed to remove normal-looking tissue around the tumor (called the margin) to make sure all melanoma cells are removed. This is necessary, even for thin melanomas. For thick melanomas, it may be necessary to do a wider excision to take out a larger margin of tissue. Where large areas of tissue are removed, a skin graft may be performed.
Lymph nodes near the tumor may be also removed during surgery. If cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes, it may mean that the disease has spread to other parts of the body.
Surgery is generally not effective in controlling melanoma that is known to have spread to other parts of the body. In such cases, doctors may use other methods of treatment, such as chemotherapy, biological therapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of these methods. When therapy is given after surgery (primary therapy) to remove all cancerous tissue, the treatment is called adjuvant therapy. The goal of adjuvant therapy is to kill any undetected cancer cells that may remain in the body.
The side effects of surgery depend mainly on the size and location of the tumor and the extent of the operation. Pain and discomfort after surgery can be controlled with pain relieving medicine. It is also common for patients to feel tired or weak for a while. The length of time it takes to recover from an operation varies for each patient. Scarring may also be a concern for some patients.
Chemotherapy is the use of one or more drugs to kill cancer cells. It is generally a systemic therapy, meaning that it can affect cancer cells throughout the body. Anticancer drugs are given by mouth or by injection into a blood vessel. Chemotherapy is usually given in cycles: a treatment period followed by a recovery period, then another treatment period, and so on.
Side effects depend largely on the specific drugs and the dose (amount of drug given). Common side effects of chemotherapy include nausea and vomiting, hair loss, mouth sores, and fatigue.
Biological therapy (immunotherapy) is a form of treatment that uses the body's immune system, either directly or indirectly, to fight cancer or to lessen side effects caused by some cancer treatments. Biological therapy is also a systemic therapy and involves the use of substances called biological response modifiers (BRMs). The body normally produces these substances in small amounts in response to infection and disease.
Using modern laboratory techniques, scientists can produce BRMs in large amounts for use in cancer treatment. In some cases, biological therapy given after surgery can help prevent melanoma from recurring.
For patients with metastatic melanoma or a high risk of recurrence, interferon-alfa and interleukin-2 (also called aldesleukin) may be recommended after surgery.
The side effects caused by biological therapy vary with the type of treatment. These treatments may cause flu-like symptoms, such as chills, fever, muscle aches, weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Patients may also bleed or bruise easily, get a skin rash, or have swelling. These problems can be severe, but they go away after treatment stops.
Radiation therapy (radiotherapy) is the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. In some cases, radiation therapy is used to relieve some of the symptoms caused by melanoma. Radiation therapy is a local therapy, as it affects cells only in the treated area. Radiation therapy is most commonly used to help control melanoma that has spread to the brain, bones, and other parts of the body.
Side effects of radiation therapy depend mainly on the part of the body that is treated and the treatment dose. Common side effects of radiation therapy include fatigue and hair loss in the treated area.
Developments in Treatment of Skin Cancer
There are a number of new treatments in development for the treatment of skin cancer. Photodynamic therapy is a treatment that destroys cancer cells with a combination of laser light and drugs that make the cells sensitive to light.
Biological therapy (also called immunotherapy) is a form of treatment to improve the body's natural ability to fight cancer. Interferon and tumor necrosis factor are types of biological therapy under study for skin cancer.
Drugs used in the Treatment of Skin Cancer
Developments in Treatment of Melanoma
One method of giving chemotherapy drugs currently under investigation is called limb perfusion. It is being tested for use when melanoma occurs only on an arm or leg.
In limb perfusion the flow of blood to and from the limb is stopped for a while with a tourniquet. Anticancer drugs are then put into the blood of the limb. The patient receives high doses of drugs directly into the area where the melanoma occurred. Since most of the anticancer drugs remain in one limb, limb perfusion is not truly systemic therapy.
A new procedure for the treatment of melanoma is sentinel lymph node biopsy, which may eventually reduce the number of lymph nodes that need to be removed for biopsy. The procedure involves injecting a blue dye or a small amount of radioactive material near the area where the tumor was. This material flows into the sentinel lymph node(s) (the first lymph node(s) that the cancer is likely to spread to from the primary tumor).
A surgeon then looks for the dye or uses a scanner to find the sentinel lymph node(s) and then removes it for examination by a pathologist. If the sentinel lymph node(s) is positive for cancer cells, then the rest of the surrounding lymph nodes are usually removed; if it is negative, the remaining lymph nodes may not need to be removed.


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Venetian Quattrocento - Mural painting in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Measures: 230 x 230 cm
Technique: Oil on stucco base
Depository: Kunsthistorisches Museum, ViennaThe Kunsthistorisches Museum (English language|English: "Museum of Art History", also often referred to as the "Museum of Fine Arts") is an art museum in Vienna, Austria. Housed in its festive palatial building on Ringstraße, it is crowned with an octagonal dome. The term Kunsthistorisches
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Gender Studies Minor
The gender studies minor is an interdisciplinary minor housed in the history department consisting of 17 to 18 credits that incorporate gender into each course.
An emphasis on the experiences of women brings out voices often neglected in the academy; theories of gender, masculinities and intersections with race and class are also part of the curriculum. Gender studies minors will:
- expose how contemporary constructions of gender offer constricted models of identity, calling, and Christian discipleship
- explore how historical and modern Anabaptist beliefs and practices may have produced gender constructions that both vary from and mimic the dominant culture
- embrace gender equality as an essential component in promoting social justice and peacebuilding
- equip students planning to serve in the global context with sensitivities to gender realities in different cultures and societies around the world.
Course info
Students select courses ranging from history, sociology, literature, and theology to popular culture and the arts. Sample courses:
- Race and Gender
- Family in Social Context
- History of Women
- Multicultural History of Washington D.C.
- Pop Culture and Mass Communication
- Cultural Anthropology
Several special topics courses are offered each year by different departments, such as "Women in Islam," "Ethnic Women's Literature of the Americas," and "Women in the Bible."
Faculty advisors
Co-advisors for this minor are Mary Sprunger, chair of the history department, and Kimberly Schmidt, director of the Washington Community Scholars' Center (WCSC) in D.C.
Complementary programs
Faculty recommend this minor when participating in the following academic programs:
- WCSC in D.C.
- Seminar by the Sea: students travel to coastal Maine for a faith-based, three-week seminar with Eastern University faculty. (Students earn three credit hours in either psychology or English.) Students live in community and explore what it means to be a man or woman in today's society, with a focus on the ways in which gender informs and affects our lives. Visit the website.
More info
Contact faculty advisors (listed above) for more info on the gender studies minor.