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Sun-Ju Ahn eagled the short par-5 18th hole to join Morgan Pressel and Melissa Reid at -6, 1 shot up on Song-Hee Kim and M.J. Hur in the 1st round of the Evian Masters. The leaders got to the top in different ways. Ahn hit only 11 greens in regulation but took only 23 putts. Pressel, who hit her drives 15 yards shorter than Ahn but hit 2 more greens, also had a great putting day, making birdies in 5 of her 1st 7 holes. Reid, who like Ahn drove the ball around 260 yards off the tee, hit 16 greens and made 7 birdies in a 9-hole stretch in the middle of her round. Hur made a pair of consecutive birdies to close out her front, then birdied 3 of her last 4 holes on the back. Kim, who like Hur averaged around 250 yards off the tee, shot the only bogey-free round among the leaders.
This is what's so cool about the Evian course: it doesn't favor any one type of player. You could bomb your way around the course and get any number of results, as Michelle Wie (who averaged 281 yards off the tee and was +2 in her 1st 6 holes of birdie-less golf, then -6 over her last 12 holes of bogey-free play), Ya Ni Tseng (271.5 yards, 68, -4 in her last 12 holes of bogey-free golf), Alexis Thompson (286 yards, bogey-free 32 on the front, 3 bogeys in 4 holes mid-way through the back, then 2 consecutive closing birdies), Brittany Lincicome (272.5 yards, 70), Maria Hjorth (270 yards, 71), Amanda Blumenherst (270.5 yards, 73), and Tamie Durdin (269.5 yards, 73) discovered. Or you could play the precision game, as Jeong Jang (232.5 yards, 12 fairways, 16 greens, 68), Mika Miyazato (11 fairways, 16 greens, 68), Meena Lee (238.5 yards, 11 fairways, 14 greens, 68), Ai Miyazato (243.5 yards, 11 fairways, 14 greens, 69), and Ji-Yai Shin (234.5 yards, 10 fairways, 14 greens, 70) did--just not as well as Pressel. And you could go anywhere in between, as Suzann Pettersen (261 yards, 13 fairways, 16 greens, 69), Angela Stanford (257 yards, 11 fairways, 16 greens, 69 with a walkoff double), Momoko Ueda (258.5 yards, 13 fairways, 15 greens, 69), Mi-Jeong Jeon (256 yards, 68), and Na Yeon Choi (255 yards, 68) each did in her own way.
In addition, there were many different stretches of holes where players could go low--or not. You could get off to a strong start and finish weakly, as Sun Young Yoo, who shot a 31 on the front and was still bogey-free through 15 holes but ended her round bogey-bogey-par, and Sakura Yokomine, who was -2 after 12 holes of bogey-free golf, but who needed a walkoff birdie to salvage a 72, did. You could get in trouble in the middle of your round and salvage it at the end, as Kristy McPherson, who doubled 11 and 13, then birdied 4 of her last 6 holes, and Amy Yang, who like McPherson birdied her last 3 holes in a row, did. You could start weakly and finish strong, as Anna Nordqvist (+1 over her 1st 8 holes of birdie-less golf and -3 over her last 10 holes of bogey-free gold), did. Or you could never really fall into a clear rhythm or pattern, as Paula Creamer (71), In-Kyung Kim (71), and Cristie Kerr (62) did.
The bottom line is that nobody ran away from the field on the 1st day of play and very few players shot themselves out of the tournament. LET Rookie of the Year race leader Kristie Smith (80) was one of the unlucky latter bunch, while LPGA ROY race leader Azahara Munoz (70) was in the former. And Brittany Lang (76), Jee Young Lee (76), Katherine Hull (76), Eun-Hee Ji (75), Hee-Kyung Seo (75), Inbee Park (74), Christina Kim (74), Karrie Webb (73), and Natalie Gulbis (73), among others, will be fighting just to make the cut tomorrow. With 51 golfers under par and 25 below 70, the ones who persevere and find ways to make birdies in bunches, no matter how their rounds had been going previously, will be the ones playing--and perhaps contending--on the weekend.
[Update 1 (1:46 pm): I can make my overviews as scattered as they are because Hound Dog's are so organized!]
[Update 2 (1:51 pm): More on Reid at Waggle Room and Golf Babes.]
[Update 3 (4:04 pm): Friday's pairings are the same as Thursday's, with the players who went out early today going out late tomorrow.]
[Update 4 (6:22 pm): Here are LPGA.com's notes and interviews from Day 1.]
[Update 5 (7/23/10, 9:34 am): Mike Southern looks at the Evian leaderboard in a comprehensive overview of this week's professional golf schedule.]
[Update 6 (7:12 pm): Here are day 1 highlights:
Evian Masters TV 2010 - Best Golf Moments of Day 1 #15
Uploaded by evianmasters. - Basketball, baseball, pro wrestling and more sports videos.]
[Update 7 (7:24 pm): Golf Channel's highlights are more professional but less good.]


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Want to enjoy your Thanksgiving? Make sure this is on your DON'T list!
Thanksgiving can be stressful, but it can be good stress instead of bad stress if you plan accordingly (and pray often 😉). What's one thing on your must-do list?
Forgiveness – it's more complicated than we think.
Holding onto bitterness doesn't hurt the person you haven't forgiven, it poisons your own heart and can turn you into someone you don't even recognize. You may not even realize how much hurt you are holding on to until you really stop to think about it.
Our Financial Journey
We were buried in debt and barely making enough to survive. We literally lived off rice and beans. Our weekly grocery budget was $25 with just enough money to pay our bills, let alone money to do anything fun.
Your YES is precious.
We live in a culture that glorifies busyness. It's seen as a good thing when you can't participate because, "my goodness, I'm just so busy these days!" We laugh and make jokes, all the while stressing out behind closed doors, wishing we could catch up with all of the things on our to do list.
The 10 Minute Tidy
Systems are going to be our saving grace here. It will take training and practice, but it is totally possible to have a tidy home with small people living underfoot. How are we going to do this? With the 10 minute tidy.
Take the first step.
I'm sure you've heard it said that all journeys start with a single step - well, it's true. No matter what you are working towards, those small steps will get you where you want to go. The mom whose kids graduated in May started with newborns, the business who has 100,000 followers started with just one, and the gal who lost 200 pounds lost it all one pound at a time.
5 Things You Should NOT Do When Your Kiddo is Throwing A Tantrum
You know what a tantrum looks like, you can identify the warning signs before your child knows it's coming. The way they shift their feet, the slight whine their voice develops, the squinted eyes and tilted head. Take a deep breath and try to prepare, because here it comes...
How Can Scents Add a Boost to Your Daily Routines?
Our sense of smell is one that is closely linked to our memories, including habits. Scents can trigger a routine that's already in place, or help you create a new routine.
New Recipe Alert!
Let's expand our view of what it means to eat a sandwich.
Quick Fixes, Band-Aids, and Wounds That Go Deeper Than We Know
There's no getting around it - we live in an age where comfort is king and inconvenience is infuriating.

subset: commoncrawl


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You are here
Cochrane Review: Governments Wasted Money Stockpiling Tamiflu
According to an updated Cochrane evidence review, published April 10 by The Cochrane Collaboration and the British Medical Journal, the antiviral drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir, Genentech/Roche) shortens symptoms of influenza by about half a day, but there is no good evidence to support claims that it reduces hospital admissions or the complications of influenza.
Evidence from treatment trials confirms an increased risk of nausea and vomiting. Moreover, when Tamiflu was used in prevention trials, there was an increased risk of headaches, psychiatric disturbances, and renal events.
Although the drug — when used as a preventative treatment — can reduce the risk of people having symptomatic influenza, there is no proof that it can stop people carrying the flu virus and spreading it to others, the report says.
The latest updated Cochrane Review is based on internal reports of 20 trials of oseltamivir and 26 trials of zanamivir (Relenza, GlaxoSmithKline), which involved a total of more than 24,000 people. The review's findings challenge the historical assumption that neuraminidase inhibitors are effective in combating influenza. The evidence also suggests there are insufficient grounds to support the use of Tamiflu in preventing person-to-person spread of the flu. This raises further questions about the most effective way to support drug regulation and public health policy decision-making, the authors suggest.
Claims about the effectiveness of Tamiflu against complications were a key factor in decisions made by governments around the world to stockpile these drugs in case of a pandemic. The U.S. has spent more than $1.3 billion buying a strategic reserve of antivirals, while in the U.K. the government has spent almost £424 million for a stockpile of about 40 million doses.
In 2009, a lack of access to available trial data hampered the efforts of Cochrane researchers to verify the safety and effectiveness of Tamiflu — and led to questions about decisions to stockpile the drug while its risks and benefits remained uncertain. Now, the BMJ and Cochrane have issued a joint call to government and health policy decision-makers around the world, asking: in light of the latest findings from the Cochrane Review, would you make the same recommendations today, choosing to stockpile Tamiflu?
Compared with placebo, taking Tamiflu led to a quicker alleviation of influenza-like symptoms of only half a day (from 7.0 days to 6.3 days) in adults, but the effect in children was more uncertain. There was no evidence of a reduction in hospitalizations or in serious influenza complications, confirmed pneumonia, bronchitis, sinusitis, or ear infections in either adults or children. Tamiflu also increased the risk of nausea and vomiting in adults by approximately 4% and in children by 5%. There was a reported increased risk of psychiatric events of around 1% when Tamiflu was used to prevent influenza. The evidence also suggests that Tamiflu prevented some people from producing sufficient numbers of their own antibodies to fight infection, the report says.
According to the Cochrane researchers, the worldwide use of Tamiflu has increased dramatically since the outbreak of the H1N1 virus (swine flu) in April 2009. It was initially believed that Tamiflu would reduce hospital admissions and the complications of influenza, such as pneumonia, during influenza pandemics. However, the original evidence presented to government agencies around the world was incomplete, the researchers claim.
The Cochrane Review has benefited from recent access to more complete reports of the original research, made available by Roche and GlaxoSmithKline. Although the authors confirmed small benefits on symptom relief, there was little to justify the belief that Tamiflu reduces hospital admissions or the risk of developing confirmed pneumonia, the new data suggest. Along with the evidence of harms from the medication, it raises the question of whether global stockpiling of the drugs is still justifiable given the lack of reliable evidence to support the original claims of its benefits, according to the authors.
Dr. David Tovey, Editor-in-Chief, Cochrane, said: "We now have the most robust, comprehensive review on neuraminidase inhibitors that exists. Initially thought to reduce hospitalizations and serious complications from influenza, the review highlights that Tamiflu is not proven to do this, and it also seems to lead to harmful effects that were not fully reported in the original publications. This shows the importance of ensuring that trial data are transparent and accessible."
The review recommends that guidance on the use of both neuraminidase inhibitors — oseltamivir and zanamivir — in the prevention or treatment of influenza should be revised to take account of the evidence of a small benefit and an increased risk of harm.
Source: Cochrane Collaboration; April 10, 2014.


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David Caute, Isaac & Isaiah:
The Covert Punishment of a Cold War Heretic
In "Issac & Isaiah: The Covert Punishment of a Cold War Heretic," David Caute seizes upon a seemingly banal episode in university hiring in the 1960s to take his readers on an intellectual tour of post-World War II Britain at the height of the Cold War, roughly from 1945 to 1970, a time when "scarcely any branch of thought and learning . . . remained unaffected by the schism between the 'Free World' and the Soviet sphere of influence" (p.37). Caute shows his readers debates and differences within elite British intellectual, academic and political circles over such matters as the Soviet Union and communism, the Anglo-American alliance, Judaism, Zionism, and Israel. The catalyst for this tour was the refusal of Sir Isaiah Berlin, one of the 20th century's greatest philosophers – or, as he began calling himself in the latter portion of his career, an historian of ideas — to endorse Isaac Deutscher for a position at Sussex University, where Berlin served as an external advisor to the university's academic board. Berlin's refusal to endorse Deutscher, a self-proclaimed Marxist and highly respected journalist and author – albeit one without academic degrees — does not appear to have been based on the quality of Deutscher's scholarship. Deutscher's study of Joseph Stalin was widely acclaimed, even by stringent academic standards. Nor was it based on Deutscher's lack of academic credentials.
However, in 1955, Deutscher reviewed unfavorably one of Berlin's best known works, Historical Inevitability. Caute concludes that "[w]ithout doubt" this review was the "killer event in Berlin's attitude to Deutscher" (p.64). Berlin wrote subsequently that he suffered "from profound, perhaps exaggerated antipathy to all his [Deutscher's] writings – I think him specious, dishonest, and in any case possessed of some quality which causes some kind of nausea in me" (p.152). Berlin's writings are laced with similarly vitriolic references to Deutscher, which Caute has amassed here, all of which post-date Deutscher's 1955 review of Berlin's book. Yet, the two men had little personal inter-action, and there is nothing in the written record to suggest that Deutscher reciprocated Berlin's personal animus or was even aware of that animus. Rather, Deutscher appears to have regarded Berlin as an "ideological opponent whom he scarcely knew . . . not a figure to be despised and loathed" (p.36). After Deutscher died prematurely in 1967, his wife confronted Berlin, asking why he had refused to endorse her husband's candidacy at Sussex. Berlin's obsequiously disingenuous response was little more than "I did no such thing."
Caute has a personal stake in the effort to shed light upon Berlin's animosity to Deutscher. As a graduate student at Oxford University in March 1963, Caute had an exchange with Berlin in the commons room of All Souls College, in which Berlin declared that he could never recommend Deutscher for a university position, or any other, for that matter. Berlin told Caute that Deutscher was the "only man whose presence in the same academic community as myself I should find morally intolerable" (p.4). In that conversation, Berlin contended that Deutscher's adherence to Marxism was not the issue for him. "To be a Marxist is a legitimate stance for an academic," Berlin told Caute (p.4), adding that he was an admirer and on friendly terms with E.H. Carr, a Marxist and Russian history specialist. But if not Deutscher's Marxism, what was Berlin's problem with Deutscher? The conversation danced around that question, without answering it. A half century later, with both Deutscher and Berlin deceased (Berlin died in 1997), Caute tries to find an answer to the question that eluded him in his conversation with Berlin in the All Souls Commons in 1963, a question that only sounds biblical: why did Isaiah so despise Isaac?
* * *
Caute's protagonists, Isaac Deutscher and Isaiah Berlin, were:
of the same generation, both refugees, both British by adoption, both multi-lingual, opinionated Jews, one Latvian-Russian, the other Polish. Both came to exercise influence not only in academic circles but among the wider British and American public. Both can be viewed as missionary spirits in contention to convince or convert the ideologically naïve English and American natives (p.36).
In addition, both lost close relatives to the Holocaust — both parents in Deutscher's case. Early in their careers, each published a biography of a leading communist figure, Berlin on Marx, Deutscher on Stalin, with Deutscher later writing a widely acclaimed three volume biography of Trotsky.
Berlin was born in Latvia in 1909. His family left Latvia for St. Petersburg in 1916, then left Russia for Britain with his family in 1920, after the Bolshevik Revolution. Although only 11 years old at the time of his family's departure from St. Petersburg, the deleterious effect of the Revolution on his family shaped Berlin's thinking and world view for the remainder of his life. In Britain, Berlin became more than just a revered philosopher and historian of ideas. He was also the quintessential academic establishment figure, well-known in the media and a familiar face in the halls of power, in Whitehall, Westminster, and Washington.
Caute describes his portrait of Berlin as "somewhat revisionist" (p.xiii) and, true to his words, the Berlin who emerges from these pages is an "impeccably conforming British citizen" (p.39) and far from an endearing figure. "[O]utgoing, gregarious and socially ambitious" (p.15), Berlin plainly enjoyed the company of the rich and well-born. Further, Caute observes, the more one digs into Berlin's writings, the more one finds a "passionate defense of the status quo, an extended plea that the things we enjoy and value should not be taken from us" (p.15). Berlin seemed to regard active political commitment as the "enemy of clear thinking" (p.40), and left little public record of his views on most of the social and political issues that dominated Britain in the quarter-century after World War II, such as capital punishment, homosexual law reform, rules governing divorce, immigration into the United Kingdom, or rising racial tension.
Deutscher was a near contemporary of Berlin, born in 1907. He fled his native Poland for Britain in 1939, at the time of the Nazi invasion. Seven years earlier, in 1932, the Polish Communist Party expelled Deutscher after he had published The Danger of a New Barbarism in Europe, which called for a common front between communists and socialists in opposition to Nazism and the Pilsudski dictatorship in Poland. Deutscher's sin was that, as the party's indictment read, he had "exaggerated the danger of Nazism and was spreading panic in the communist ranks" (p.21). Deutscher did not enjoy Berlin's fame or insider access in Britain, but nonetheless became a successful journalist for mainstream and elite media outlets, building a "remarkably respectable" image for an avowed Marxist (p.24).
Deutscher also became a highly-respected scholar whose work drew praise from those who did not share his Marxist world view. His biography of Stalin was greeted on both sides of the Atlantic as a "deeply researched and compellingly written objective study, the first definitive study of the most powerful man in the world" (p.27). As Caute emphasizes, however, there was a scrappy, polemical side to Deutscher. He enjoyed a good intellectual fight and loved to goad those he considered knee-jerk anti-communists and apologists for capitalism, of which Berlin was surely one. In this capacity, Deutscher was a "speaker of spellbinding power and a debater of great argumentative force" (p.33). But the polemicist Deutscher had a "tendency to overlook what he had written as a historian – or to count on his readers overlooking it" (p.175). Was it Deutscher's Marxism that rendered him insupportable to Berlin?
* * *
Caute describes the differences between Marxists and anti-Marxist liberals in post-War Britain as an "intimate family quarrel akin to that of Catholics and Protestants at war over Christ's heritage" (p.38). Both camps were "children of the European Enlightenment. . . [who] subscribed in the abstract to education, justice, freedom" (p.38). Berlin's childhood experience with the 1917 Russian Revolution led him to an unabated opposition to the Soviet Union and communist ideology throughout his adult life. He reserved special ire for Lenin, whom he found worse than Stalin – worse than Hitler, Caute argues at one point. For Berlin, Lenin was the "great contaminator, the self-confident doctor of poisonous medicine, who had in effect chased the Berlins from their family home, their roots" (p.74). Thus it was only natural that Berlin would become a leading Cold War warrior in the post-war period, very comfortable with the Anglo-American alliance and its firmest anti-communist stands. Throughout the entirety of the Vietnam War, for example, Berlin supported the United States, while most of his academic peers adopted anti-war positions. Berlin's "heartbeat belonged to the Anglo-American alliance," (p.199), Caute writes.
If Berlin was a consistently anti-communist intellectual, Deutscher remained conflicted by the realities of Russia and the Soviet socialist experiment throughout his professional life. For Deutscher, Lenin was the "builder of the Soviet Republic, the originator of the New Economic Policy, the revolutionary turned into a supreme diplomatist" who embodied the "salvation and consummation" of the Russian revolution (p.83). Slowly, and reluctantly, however, Deutscher recognized that Stalin had committed unspeakable crimes. Yet, in Russia after Stalin, which Deutscher wrote shortly after Stalin's death, he contended that Stalin nonetheless remained the "guardian and the trustee of the revolution. He consolidated its national gains and extended them . . .[E]ven his opponents, while denouncing his autocracy, admitted that most of his economic reforms were essential for socialism" (p.72). Deutscher "insisted that Stalinism rescued subjugated peoples of Eastern Europe from feudalism, 'savage poverty and darkness'" (p.161). In a high-powered seminar at Harvard in 1959, Deutscher argued that Western students of Soviet affairs, including his critics, had tended to "overrate the totalitarian aspect of the Soviet system and its capacity to resist popular pressures" (p.190).
Caute notes that Deutscher made many private concessions, for example that most German workers would prefer American capitalism to East German socialism. But he could never bring himself to state these concessions publicly because, as he once wrote, "disclosure would not serve 'peace' or 'socialism'" (p.163). Even as Deutscher modified his apologetics for Stalin, he remained largely enamored of Lenin – Berlin's bête noire—Trotsky and, later, Mao Zedong who, he contended, stood for the "inevitability of gradualness" (p.189). Throughout the Cold War, Deutscher was a harsh critic of both Great Britain and the United States, "intransigently" rejecting the "entire Western system and its international policies, [and] dismissing the 'Free World' as the cosmetics of an expansionist, colonialist monopoly capitalism" (p.37). Deutscher's perspective on the Cold War was that "an exhausted and depleted Russia had no intention of expanding or attacking anyone. America, by contrast, emerged from the war unscathed, buoyant and spoiling for a global fight" (p.159). Deutscher "never modified his analysis of the Cold War, repeating the same phrases and arguments across twenty years" (p.162).
Berlin expanded his hostility to Bolshevism into a theoretical opposition to utopian ideologies of all sorts. Berlin's professional legacy revolves in no small measure around his abhorrence of systems of thought that purported to spell out how a society should be structured or how individuals can attain a moral life. Individual liberty to do what one wants to do, without harming others, and what he called "value pluralism" were at the heart of Berlin's political philosophy. He argued that society can be structured in any number of different ways, consistent with respect for individual liberty, and individuals can pursue any number of different paths to a moral life. Berlin warned against the "claims of philosophers, social engineers and revolutionaries who professed to understand men's objectives needs and aspirations better than they did themselves" (p.110). But, as Caute cheekily points out, few have been "more dogmatic about the perils of dogmatism [than Berlin]. No one has more clearly insisted that historical outcomes are inevitably not inevitable" (p.43).
It was this insistence that Deutscher pounced on in his 1955 review in the Observer of Berlin's Historical Inevitability. Under the title "Determinists All," Deutscher noted much dogmatism in Berlin's attack on dogmatism and termed his work a "tirade" (p.64). Berlin "protests on almost every page against the generalizations and abstractions of others, but he himself sins in this respect to quite an extraordinary extent," Deutscher wrote. He "lumps together scores of philosophical ideas and systems, determines in a few sentences of sweeping generalization what is the 'common denominator,' and then roundly condemns them all. . . Mr. Berlin does not analyze. He does not even argue his case. He proclaims and declaims [and] . . . is not over-scrupulous or over-precise in his statements" (p.64-65).
Deutscher's review of Historical Inevitability is plainly Exhibit A in answering the book's fundamental question, why Isaiah detested Isaac. But the chapters on communism and the Cold War fail to yield anything close to an Exhibit B. The two men saw Marxism, communism and the Soviet Union in diametrically different terms but, as Berlin says on several occasions in this book, he would never judge another on this ground. In the final chapters of the book, on Judaism, Zionism, and Israel, Caute comes closer to pinpointing an Exhibit B.
* * *
Caute suggests that the Jewish heritage which the two men shared "exacerbated their antagonism, imparting a fratricidal intimacy to their wider ideological quarrel" (p.235). Neither Berlin nor Deutscher came close to being religious in any conventional sense, but Jewish identity was plainly a significantly stronger force in Berlin's life and world view that it was for Deutscher. Berlin was a strong Zionist and proponent of Israel in its early years, the only two political issues which he regularly addressed publicly. Deutscher, in contrast, opposed both Zionist tendencies and establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine. Although his opposition to the State of Israel softened in his later years, Deutscher's view was that after the calamities of World War II, the last thing the post-war world needed was another nation-state fueled by patriotic national fervor. He once described his "intellectual opposition to Judaism" as part of an overall "opposition to all forms of theological thinking" (p.155). On another occasion, however, Deutscher described himself as a Jew "by force of my unconditional solidarity with the persecuted and exterminated" (p.241).
Berlin maintained a particular aversion to Jewish Marxists who, as Caute phrases it, sought to "escape from their pariah status as Jews by inventing an alternative, more universal allegiance" (p.47). Berlin criticized Marx himself on this ground in his biography. Caute also highlights a snobbishness that Berlin shared with his well-to-do Anglo-Jewish friends, leaders in financial, banking and media circles, who tended to look down on less refined Jews. Berlin acknowledged his aversion to large crowds of Jews and, on one occasion, expressed his disdain for "Jews with colossal noses" (p.237). In 1959, a friend requested that Berlin reply to an article which Deutscher had written on Lenin. Berlin declined with a venomous ad hominem attack on Deutscher. "I hate him [Deutscher] too much," Berlin wrote. "I cannot be sure that it is only his hateful personality. . . his Communism (which is that mean, dead talmudical 'parshivy yevrey" type) . . . I am sure I shall find fault with whatever he does" (p.88). The Russian phase "parshivy yevrey," Caute indicates, means "mangy Jew."
* * *
In the last chapter, "The Sussex Papers," Caute comes full circle to Deutscher's non-appointment at Sussex University – we're at Sussexgate! The "smoking gun" was Berlin's letter to Sussex University's Vice-Chancellor, written the same month that he had his conversation with Caute in the All Souls Commons. Without mentioning Deutscher by name, Berlin declared that the "candidate of whom you speak is the only man whose presence in the same academic community as myself I should find morally intolerable" (p.279). Berlin's statement effectively killed the Deutscher appointment. A few weeks later, with no news from Sussex, Deutscher – who had recently turned down an offer for a tenured position at the University of Wisconsin — told the university that he was "disappointed at your being unable to make any offer, especially as I was given to understand that what was under discussion was only the particulars of the offer" (p.281).
In 1969, two years after Deutscher's death, a leftist publication, Black Dwarf, published an anonymous article in which it alleged that Berlin was responsible for Deutscher being refused a university post at Sussex. Black Dwarf quoted Berlin as saying "You can't have a Marxist teaching history" (p.282). Berlin considered a libel suit over Black Dwarf's allegations. But with these allegations in the public domain, he crafted an argument that he would have preferred to have seen Deutscher appointed to a department where there would be another, more politically correct, colleague to balance him.
In response to an inquiry from Deutscher's wife after the Black Dwarf article, Berlin explained to Mrs. Deutscher that her husband's "remarkable gifts would benefit the [Sussex] University if he were not called on to create a field of studies but to reinvigorate an existing discipline. . . I know nothing of the circumstances; the only point I wish to make is that if the University had wished to appoint Mr. Deutscher to be Professor of Soviet Studies, they could have done so, in the knowledge that no opposition to this would come from me" (p.284-85). Berlin reiterated for Mrs. Deutscher that her late husband's Marxism was for him an irrelevant consideration, writing that it "would have been a betrayal of every intellectual value in which I believe if I had allowed this to sway my judgment consciously in judging his fitness for an academic post" (p.285).
* * *
Readers may conclude that Caute provides at best only a partial answer to his initial question. Deutscher's dogged Marxism was plainly a major contributor to Berlin's antipathy to Deutscher, notwithstanding his protestations to Mrs. Deutscher, Caute himself, and others. To this, one could add Deutscher's unfavorable 1955 review of Historical Inevitability and Berlin's intra-Jewish prejudices. The rest of the explanation seems to lie somewhere in the deeper recesses of Berlin's psyche and is unlikely to be discovered. But this book is only partially about Sussexgate.
For those who relish the academic equivalent of "inside baseball" — and I must confess that I include myself in this eccentric group, especially when the academic is someone of Berlin's stature – Caute's look at the non-hiring decision at Sussex University half a century ago makes for entertaining reading. Caute also adds good overviews of Berlin's thinking, as well as a peek at the darker side of Sir Isaiah. How brilliant minds like that of Deutscher could cling stubbornly to Marxism is also fascinating subject matter and Caute's portrayal of Deutscher convinced me that this lesser-known figure deserves a full length biography. Moreover, as a depiction of the zeitgeist of post-war Britain and the country's polarization over such matters as the Soviet Union and communism, the Anglo-American alliance, Judaism, Zionism, and Israel, Caute's book is erudite and engaging, even for readers who may not care why Isaiah so despised Isaac.
Thomas H. Peebles
Cotonou, Benin (West Africa)
December 6, 2014


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Saturday, May 15, 2010
Muddy returns from Paris
Is it ever okay to lie to your animals? I think it is, if it means keeping a youngster's nerves calm. Say what you will, here at Apifera when a young man needs his cowabungas removed, he doesn't go to the vet, he goes to Paris.
"How was it, Mud?" I asked, as he hopped into the car.
"Je suis Muddy. Pommes frites, s'il vous plait?"
And so it went on like this for most of the day, a 6 month old lab asking me politely for French Fries. Huck stood by with a very empathetic look on his face, his large brown eyes showing he knew exactly how his younger brother felt. For he too had been to Paris back four years ago. He too hopped into the car thinking he was off to Paris for one night, to see poodles, and great art, and then be back at the farm for dinner the next night. He too thought it odd that on the way to Paris he had to stop at the vet, "For your special Passport," we told him. The next thing he knew, he had dozed off, and when he awoke, he somehow felt changed.
"You look good, Muddy, did it all go well, were the accommodations pleasant?" I asked.
"Pommes Frites, s'l vous plait, " Muddy repeated in his best French accent. "The people were nice. It all looked quite American though."
Huck rolled his eyes.
"Mud, mon cherie, you weren't in Paris. They just said that so you wouldn't freak out when you found out they were going to take the old cowabungas off." Huck said, still brotherly.
"What? My cowabungas?!" Muddy shrieked, as he looked down between his legs. "They were just getting somewhere, and now they,re...they're..."
"Gone, deflated, zip, nada, " said Huck.
"Wow...." Muddy pondered. "Does this mean there won't be any pommes frittes for dinner?"
That night we had grilled potatoes.
5 comments:
- DollZandThingZ said...
Sacrebleu! The cowabungas!
Pauvre chien!
- Kathy said...
Poor Muddy!! This was one funny post. After this ordeal he deserves his Pommes Frites.
So cute...poor guy, it's for the greater good, though :)
- Sharon Stanley said...
....there are very few things fries cannot fix...great post...really funny...the whole paris thing...so funny!
- Cathy said...
HA! Now he's an official grown-up dog. Bravo, Muddy.
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Thank you for reading! The farm and my art/writing keep me hopping, so might not respond immediately. Thank you for understanding. ~Katherine & Apifera ~


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Logo Design
Where Innovation Replaces Tradition
There is a fine line between bad logo design and great logo design.
The grey area in the middle is filled with inexperienced graphic designers, a million free images and a million more free tools. However, if you feel the image which will embody the very ethos and spirit of your company is not important, well in truth we have bigger problems and I am probably not the graphic designer for you.
I take logo design extremely important as Logo Design is usually the first step in the birth of a company. As I specialise in brand management my job is to help businesses grow. It is easier for me to set up this growth when involved from the start. Developing a company identity from the beginning allows me to set the foundation of a company in terms of future marketing and brand identity.
Logo design is not about making a unique mark. It's about confidently seeing where your company will sit in the future and designing a unique relationship between your companies services and future demographic.
Large Format Printing | Exhibition Design | Banner Design | Cork Printing | Design Agency, Cork


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Quality Recruiting. Established Experts.
Associate Director/Director, Clinical Development (PhD or PharmD)
Reference Number: 3904
Location: MD
Our client is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in biologics research and development. They have asked us to assist them in their search for an Associate Director / Director Clinical Development (PhD or PharmD).
Major tasks and responsibilities will include:
- Contributes to and supports department and clinical initiatives to improve the quality and content of all clinical programs.
- Develops novel immuno-oncology therapies for cancer patients.
- Prepares key product documentation.
- Assists in the creation of the Protocol Concept Sheet (PCS) and the full protocol with support and input from other key team members such as the clinical development physician, Clinical Operations, Biostats, Translational, PK, and Regulatory.
- Assists in the creation and maintenance of the Clinical Development Plan (CDP) for assigned programs ensuring alignment with the Target Product Profile (TPP).
- Assists in the development of key documents to support the components of a regulatory submission.
- Maintains familiarity with the latest thinking regarding mechanism of disease, diagnostic tests, treatment, drug development trends, and regulatory requirements in assigned disease and therapeutic areas.
- Collaborates with Data Management team to develop the key elements of data review plans for clinical studies and performs medical data review during study execution to ensure integrity of accruing study data.
- Leads the collection and analysis of Serious Adverse Events under supervision of the Medical Monitor. This includes, but is not limited to, real-time collection and review of SAE information received from clinical sites; interaction with study sites to complete the medical data on the SAE; preparation of SAE narratives for inclusion in Clinical Study Reports and regulatory submissions; ensuring the SAE assessment, including source data, is fully documented in the TMF; facilitation of the reconciliation of clinical and safety databases.
- Provides Clinical Development input into the tactical execution of clinical protocols by working collaboratively with colleagues in relevant functions.
- Involved in the selection of clinical research sites and service providers.
- Interacts with project managers and CRAs from CROs or the company's Global Monitor Network.
- Works with third party vendors to ensure protocol end-points are collected appropriately.
- Participates in Investigator meetings and other scientific committees as required by the protocol.
- Study risk mitigation and highlighting of potential issues and solutions.
- Trains personnel and investigational sites to ensure protocol requirements are met.
- Establishes and approves scientific methods for design and implementation of clinical protocols, data collection systems (eCRF), and final reports.
- Ensures study level activities are conducted to allow implementation of the study protocol in a manner consistent with the current objectives and CDP.
- Reviews and interprets study results.
- Assists in preparing publication of study results.
- Establishes a solid network between company experts in relevant departments, including regulatory, bio-pharmaceutics, discovery, translational medicine, and pharmacology/toxicology sciences, to initiate and expedite clinical studies.
- Collaborates with translational medicine to optimize the approach to study target neutralization, understand mechanism of action and deploy Personalized Health Care (PHC) strategies.
- Coordinates with pharmacovigilance personnel in developing the Development Risk Management Plan in conjunction with the company's Safety Monitoring Committee and other external groups as appropriate.
- Assists with the management of Scientific Advisory Boards convened to develop CDP strategies as needed.
- Assists efforts to obtain external scientific and clinical validation of clinical research protocols by establishing links with outside experts to initiate and expedite clinical studies.
We seek candidates with the following qualifications:
- Advanced degree (PhD, PharmD, MD, or equivalent) in a health science field is required.
- Requires a minimum of 2 years of experience in clinical research and/or drug development, preferably in oncology or immune-oncology.
- Must have clinical or research experience related to the design and/or conduct of clinical studies in oncology and/or hematology.
- Global pharmaceutical experience highly preferred.
- Requires excellent oral and written skills, strong interpersonal and listening skills; and the demonstrated ability to interact collaboratively in a cross-functional environment.
- The incumbent must be results driven to achieve creative and sound outcomes.
- Proven leadership skills required.
- Requires the ability to make sound and timely decisions.
- Must be skillful in negotiating organizational boundaries and hierarchy.
- Experience managing and developing others highly preferred.
If interested, please email your resume as a Word attachment to us, reference 3904. No calls or faxes, please. Include your daytime phone number and we will contact you confidentially or reply to your email.
Fairway Consulting Group is included in Hunt Scanlon's list of Top 50 Healthcare & Life Sciences Search Firms.
I enjoyed working with the staff at Fairway Consulting Group because they were professional, thorough, efficient and courteous in all communications.
- Senior Clinical Research Associate with a growing drug discovery and development company
An area where they deserve tremendous praise is the area of negotiation of a fair package for all parties concerned.
- Director BioOncology Business Unit Operations, Leading Biotechnology Company
The process was also made a lot easier with the small number of touch points at Fairway Consulting Group, where I worked with two consultants for the entire process and never had to explain my story to different people.
- Associate Manager Market Planning, Leading Biotechnology Company
I am eternally grateful to Fairway Consulting Group. They are a class-act, and I wish them every success in the future.
- Director BioOncology Business Unit Operations, Leading Biotechnology Company
I've worked with John Wiener and his staff for almost ten years and they've helped me secure two attractive positions with leading pharmaceutical companies during this time.
- Director New Product Commercialization, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
...thank you for all of your insights and coaching during my placement process... I'm delighted to be joining such a wonderful team.
- Manager Field Analysis, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
I have worked and dealt with a number of recruiting companies, but I have to say this has best my best interaction ever.
- Medical Director Imaging, Major Global Diagnostic Imaging Company
Christopher is highly professional, energetic and efficient. He knows the pharmaceutical industry and was great at understanding my needs...
- Manager Outcomes Research, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
Dan… Now that I interacted with several head hunters, I think it is easy for me to say you are the best. You are sincere in finding a perfect match rather than making numbers and you do a very good job selling the truth about the position to the candidate and prepare the candidate for the interview. So keep doing what you do, you are very good at it.
- Director Drug Product Technology
Jan is a true partner in the talent acquisition business. She is genuinely interested in making certain her clients are positioned to ensure long-term success for both parties. As a candidate, in preparation for the interview process, Jan was quickly able to provide me information about the position, the company, their culture, and key leadership profiles, ensuring I could best represent myself and critical skills and experiences that I brought to the table. Jan made sure all of my questions were immediately answered with quick and responsive communication. After accepting the position, Jan and I remain in contact today and she is always available to provide continued support and employment advice. She now provides me with recruiting assistance for my department and continues to remain true to form in assisting in the process on the employer's side, while identifying the best talent for our needs.
- Senior Director Clinical Operations, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
Dear Jan, I cannot thank you enough for all the help and support you gave throughout the selection process, and most recently the hiring and relocation process with [name of company]. I have enjoyed working with you and am very grateful to you. I am extremely excited to start next week!
- Director Strategic Start Up & Patient Recruitment, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
Just wanted to take a quick moment to say thank you for all of your insights and coaching during my placement process at Novartis. I'm delighted to be joining such a wonderful team.
- Manager Field Analysis, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
Dan, I want to thank you for the work you have done with me for this position. It has been a great pleasure working with you. I have worked and dealt with a number of recruiting companies, but I have to say this has best my best interaction ever. And this is independent of the happy conclusion that should happen shortly with the signature of the offer letter. If someone needs an excellent professional in your field, your name will be at the top of my list.
- Medical Director Imaging, Major Global Diagnostic Imaging Company
Dear Jan, I cannot thank you enough for all the help and support you gave throughout the selection process, and most recently the hiring and relocation process with [name of company]. I have enjoyed working with you and am very grateful to you. I am extremely excited to start next week!
- Director Strategic Start Up & Patient Recruitment, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
I enjoyed working with the staff at Fairway Consulting Group because they were professional, thorough, efficient and courteous in all communications. They listened to what I was looking for in my next career move and contacted me once they found something that fit my description. I would highly recommend using Fairway Consulting Group to any of my colleagues.
- Senior Clinical Research Associate, a Growing Drug Discovery and Development Company
Jan was a true asset in helping me make my latest career transition. Her industry connections, sound guidance, and dogged determination proved invaluable for exploring/pursuing job opportunities. She proved an ally even after placement in navigating a particularly challenging situation during organizational realignment
- Director, Clinical Planning & Resource Management, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
Jan recruited me to my current position and always conducted herself in the most professional manner. She was a pleasure to work with through a time of transition. I highly recommend Jan.
- Medical Director, Drug Safety, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
Jan Platnick recruited me and helped place me at Genzyme Corporation. Jan is an excellent professional recruiter. She has an optimistic attitude and the tenacity required to succeed in her role. I am very pleased with the way Jan handled my placement and would recommend her unequivocally to anyone seeking to fill open professional positions.
- Director-MTS Technical Project Management, Leading Biotech Company
I really enjoyed working with Jan, she is professional, focused and results orientated. I highly recommend her for the industry knowledge she has and the high level of personalized customer care she provides.
- VP Pharmacovigilance, CRO
I wanted to thank you for initial contact and support through the selections process with AbbVie. I greatly appreciated you championing me and submitting me for consideration. I am very excited to start my new job!
- Director Strategic Start Up & Patient Recruitment
Thank you for managing my recruitment to AbbVie for the Associate Director, Global Project Management position. I appreciate all the efforts that you and your company accomplished in helping me secure this new opportunity. Please know that I would never have known about this opportunity or pursued it without the persistence of Chris. It was your ability with Human Resources and the hiring manager at AbbVie that expedited and helped secure this position for me—I could not have done this without you. Thank you very much!
- Associate Director Project Management
I have had the pleasure of working with Ilanna. She expresses incredible knowledgeable of the pharmaceutical industry. Ilanna has deep understanding of the jobs she recruits for and consistently provides feedback. Her honest, detailed, direct, and sincere approach is what makes her stand out from the rest.
- Manager Product Development
Lee Golodny was the recruiter who eventually placed me at my new job. I was looking for a new career opportunity but had not had any success on my own with my networking. Lee contacted me through LinkedIn about a potential job at a small biotech firm. We discussed at length what I was looking for and he walked me through the process. He was very professional and I was impressed with him during the entire process. He followed up with me after every phone call, informal meeting, prepped me for the interview and helped me land a really great opportunity. Looking for a new job can be stressful but he made the process much easier for me. I hope others who may need that extra help will approach Lee to assist them in their job search.
- In vivo Pharmacology and Biomarker Scientist


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Posts Tagged 'Bad Boy Records'
This is the Remix!: When the Remix is Better than the Original (Part 2)
A couple weeks ago we were successfully able to determine that Diddy did not in fact invent the remix.
Thus, the dastardly album cover at left — by the way, is Diddy wearing leather pants? — represents a complete fallacy.
Shame on you, Sean.
There is, however, admittedly significant evidence pointing to Diddy's influence and accomplishments as a remixer — at least within the Hip Hop/R&B community. Many of the examples I gave of songs whose remixes turned out to eclipse their respective originals in terms of either quality, popularity, or both, are indeed the work of Diddy and his Hitmen production crew over at Bad Boy Records. So I'll definitely give him his fair share of credit for bringing us remixes of "Only You" from 112, "Fantasy" from Mariah Carey, and Usher's "I Need a Girl."
All three of these remixes far surpassed their original versions in their measure of street cred and mass appeal, if not in actual chart performance. Yet given today's differing musical climate, one hot with digital downloads, highly-targeted Satellite radio broadcasts, more music channels than ever, and the overall increased accessibility of music, I would wager that all three remixes would fair far better by Billboard's measurements today than when they were originally released. Simply put, more people would know about them, more people would hear them, and more people would be able to obtain them, giving the remixes a much broader reach.
In the television industry, viewers are often known simply as "eyeballs" — the more eyeballs your advertisements have on them, the more they are worth. The same should hold true in the music industry: the more "eardrums" a certain song attracts, the more valuable it becomes and the higher it rises on the music charts. For example, as of this writing Lil Wayne's "Lollipop" is the number nine song on iTunes' top downloads. Song number ten? The remix of "Lollipop" featuring Kanye West. Similarly, the album version of Usher's hit "Love In This Club" sits at number forty-eight. The remix, "Love In This Club Part II," sits at number forty-nine. In both cases the original versions were officially released well ahead of their respective remixes, so given enough time, it's entirely possible that the remixes will end up being downloaded as much, or more, than the original songs.
Okay that's enough outta me.
I promised a second installment of songs whose remixes eventually became more popular than the originals, so let's get to part two of this ever-expanding list:
This is the Remix!: When the Remix is Better than the Original
Okay so P. Diddy didn't actually invent the remix.
No shit.
He was probably not even born yet when Tom Moulton began doing dance remixes in the late 1960s, and wasn't even ten years old by the time pioneering DJs and producers like Walter Gibbons, Tee Scott, Larry Levan, Shep Pettibone, and François Kevorkian were already deeply ensconced in remixing disco records. So, sorry, Diddy.
But it's true that over the next fifteen to twenty years, particularly in the 1990s, Diddy and his Bad Boy Records production crew (aka The Hitmen) would have a hand in some truly great remixes, many of which were major improvements upon already popular songs from artists like 112, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Total, Usher, and Jennifer Lopez.
And it's not just Diddy either — far from it. The remix has been prevalent in hip hop music since the genre's inception, as DJs would essentially "re-mix" tracks (sometimes without even knowing what they were doing) by extending the breaks or most danceable portions of the records in order to satisfy the breakdancers and b-boys of the day. And the tradition of remixes in hip hop has stayed strong to this day — only growing stronger and more common with the advent of the mixtape (thanks DJ Clue, Green Lantern, Whoo Kid et al.) — as almost every track released seems to be followed by an "official" remix, along with a few other "unofficial" remixes (often just the same beat with a different rapper spittin' on it) from various mixtapes and websites.
But what I'm most interested in is when the remix clearly becomes better and more popular than the original track itself, and not solely in the world of hip hop. Sometimes this means a complete overhaul of the track, as with Usher's "Love In This Club (Part 2 Remix)" or "Everyone Nose" by CRS & Pusha T., and sometimes it just means adding some guest verses, as in Day26's "Got Me Going" remix, which simply adds verses from Fat Joe and Rick Ross. (Note: the song is still lame, but not as lame).
So even though we're not gonna hit them all — and they definitely won't all come from the Bad Boy camp — I'd like to throw out some of the best examples of what I'm referring to, some classic, some current. Hopefully y'all can add some more to this list. Now this is not to say that the originals were bad in any way, most were already hot, just that they were eventually eclipsed by their respective remixes.


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By John Shea of the Sporting Green
Another version of the Bay Bridge Series opened Monday night and the Giants were the clear winners.
Not just because they beat the Rockies 4-1, but because they drew 35,726 compared with the 18,092 who watched the A's lose to the Blue Jays in 12 innings 6-2.
In a scheduling quirk, both Bay Area teams are playing home games this week. Both of your pocket schedules show night games Monday and Tuesday and a Wednesday matinee.
Clearly, both announced attendances were higher than the actual crowd counts for two meaningless games in late August.
The big question is: Which team had more no-shows on Monday night? Does anyone out there who went to either game have a guess on no-shows?
Both the A's and Giants are hoping contending teams will take some of their pricey veterans before Friday's deadline. If acquiring teams don't beat the deadline, the new players will not be eligible for postseason play.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy started all veterans again on Monday — except for Kevin Frandsen spelling injured second baseman Ray Durham — perhaps in a last-ditch effort to showcase someone like Ryan Klesko to a contender.
Across the bay, Esteban Loaiza had his second solid start againt the Blue Jays. The Dodgers, after adding veteran lefty David Wells last week, are said to be interested in adding Loaiza to their rotation for the final month.


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Hello Dear Ones,
We come to you this month in a rush of excitement and love! We are so very proud of you and all that you have accomplished this year. We understand that you are coming to the end of your earth year, and as such we want you to take a break, slow down, and savor all that you achieved this year. To often you scurry around so quickly without taking a moment to allow yourself to see how wonderful you truly are. You rush from one task to the next, never pausing to fully enjoy the moments just past.
Now is the time to pull up a chair, settle in and assess all that you have accomplished and achieved this year. See the bounty of what you have planted, nurtured and prepare to harvest the best and allow some to go to seed. You should be feeling secure and hopeful about your future and you should be proud. You are the guardian of this rich fertile life. It can be hard to let go of something that you have invested your precious energy towards, however the time has come to assess if you will continue putting your energy into the situations, people and things you are already involved with, or spend your time and energy trying to bring something more bountiful to your life. Let the weariness slip away and fade out with the ending year and dream of a more abundant, bountiful year ahead.
Remove the illusions, fears and anxieties and delve deep into your heart and soul. Trust that you know exactly what you want and don't want, and don't wait for the issue to be forced. Take action. Know that when you close a door another one opens, and renewed good times lie ahead. You hold the key right now as the doorway to this year closes and the door to the new opens. This is the magical time when wishes can come true.
The future is assured and there will be bounty ahead. Remember, you are the guardian of your life. You are the one who toils to ensure ideas are planted and lovingly tended until they reach maturity. And just like seeds in a garden, not all of them will bear the fruit you want, but each will nourish you and provide for your sustenance as you meander your way through the new year.
Hold fast to the joy that is abundant this month. Celebrate your wonderful year, all of the events, even those that made you sad or angry for they nurtured you and allowed us to be ever present with you in support. Then when the bells ring in the new year, hear us sing as we celebrate all that you will create in the coming year.
By the power of three so shall it be.
Leave a Reply.
Always thinking, always observing, always wondering and pondering the things that make life go round.
June 2017


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Halloween pictures wishes
Halloween is one of the best occasions of the year. On this day people change their face looks and wish to each others with horrible ways. Now this occasion is coming and it is come once in the year. If this year you want to wish your dear ones with pictures wishes then stop your search here and get through us huge collection of Halloween pictures wishes.


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Gluten Free Solutions
According to the Gluten Intolerance Group and the Celiac Disease Foundation the following grains & flours are allowed:
• Rice
• Corn and Masa Harina
• Soy
• Potato
• Tapioca
• Beans (Garfava and Chickpea flour)
• Sorghum
• Quinoa
• Millet
• Buckwheat
• Arrowroot
• Amaranth
• Teff
• Nut Flours
• Hemp
Although all of these foods are technically gluten free (GF), some people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance may have negative reactions or sensitivities to any of these foods. Foods that appear to be free of wheat or gluten can become contaminated if they are produced in a processing plant that also processes wheat or gluten products.
Gluten Free Flours
•Rice flour is probably the most commonly used flour. White rice flour is bland and is an excellent thickener. Brown rice flour and rice bran are good for quick breads.
•Soy flour has a strong flavour, but is nutritious and excellent if blended with other flours. In small amounts, such as in thickening, it can be used straight across for wheat flour.
•Corn meal, corn flour and cornstarch are all excellent substitutes for wheat flour in quick breads and for thickening.
•Tapioca flour is good for thickening: Substitute 2 teaspoons of quick-cooking tapioca for 1 tablespoon of wheat flour.
•Potato flour has a strong potato taste, but is good blended with other flours.
•Potato starch has a bland taste and is good for thickening and baking.
•Arrowroot can be used for puddings, but it does have a chalky flavour. When used for thickening, only use half as much as wheat flour.
•Xanthan gums can be purchased in specialty stores and used in baking as binders.
One of the nutritional issues that celiac sufferers often face is getting enough fibre in their diet. Glutenous grains make up a large percentage of dietary fibre in the non-gluten free diet and although many other foods contain sufficient amounts of fibre, for celiacs the lack of grains is enough to reduce their total fibre intake. This may be due to eating too many processed foods, meat products, a possible unfamiliarity with different food options or not enough focus on whole foods. It is suggested that the healthy adult consume at least 25 grams of fibre per day, and more with age. It is important for everyone, especially those with CD, to eat as much whole, organic food as possible in order to get maximum nutrient absorption, for example, using organic brown rice as opposed to refined white rice. Whole foods are always preferable.
Beans are an inexpensive way to get both protein and fibre. Bean salads are delicious and can include peas, lentils, nuts and seeds. Psyllium or milled, organic flax seeds also add fibre to salads, muffins, cookies, cereals, and fruit smoothies. Becoming more familiar with different food options, such as amaranth, quinoa and nut flours and varying the diet are essential.
Gluten Free Fibre Sources:
(Fibre content in grams per 1 cup of flour or grain)
Amaranth 18
Brown Rice 7
Buckwheat 12
Chickpea/Garbanzo 20
Flax Meal 34
Quinoa 6
Soy 12
Oat* 10
Amaranth Seed 30
Brown Rice 7
Buckwheat Groats 17
Cornmeal 10
Flax Seed 43
Millet Seed 17
Wild Rice 10
Oatmeal* 10
Chart sourced from the Gluten Intolerance Group website


text: I thought i'd share one of the best beauty skincare secrets I know, ice facials. It's affordable, available to everyone and very effective. Simply, wash your face, and apply the ice cube all over the face until it has melted away completely, or just to the affected area. Ice is incredibly effective in reducing swelling (that of a pimple in particular), as well as to help even out the skin tone, reduce puffiness, and help in anti ageing. Depending on how your skin is, I like to ice my face every night, after I cleanse and before I go in the shower. I find that it really helps to reduce swelling of pimples, as well as to keep them at bay. Another trick, is to place the ice cube under the eyes to reduce puffiness, as well as to act as a natural anti ageing treatment to really prevent wrinkles. I would really recommend you try this quick and easy beauty trick, as I know how well it has worked for my skin and hope that it makes a difference to yours!


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Huaxin Cement Company, China has announced that its foreign shareholder Gaoling Fund, bought an additional 155,300 US dollar denominated B shares or a 0.04% stake in the company through the trading platform of the Shanghai Stock Exchange on December 28.
After the deal, Gaoling Fund lifted its ownership in Huaxin Cement to 5.01% or 20.220347 million shares from 4.97%, according to the Wuhan-based cement and concrete maker.
Gaoling Fund said that it intended to continue the share purchase in the following 12 months, describing the purchase as a normal investment. The fund bought a total of 2.0239 million shares in Huaxin Cement at USD 2.0357-2.7386 each from June 28 to December 27.
Gaoling Fund is an Asia focused fund managed by Hillhouse. Hillhouse manages capital for world-class institutional investors, concentrating on making equity investments over a long term investment horizon. As at late-2010, Hillhouse has approximately US$4 billion (HK$31.2 billion) in invested and committed capital under management.
Published under Cement News


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Investing the time and effort to build smooth labour relations is good business, but even with best intentions on both sides, dealings between unions and management can still break down. When that happens, mitigating harm and keeping an eye on the company's future become high priorities.
The Canada Post strike of 2011 cost the crown corporation $100-million in revenues, and while last year's Air Canada strike was contained via government intervention, a two-week walkout by the airline's pilots in 1998 took a $130-million toll on the business. How leaders handle tense negotiations, threats of job action, and strikes can make the difference between a short-term challenge and a crisis with long-lasting effects.
"Conflict will always be present," says Jason Foster, academic coordinator for the industrial relations stream at Athabasca University's business school. "The goal isn't perpetual harmony, because workers will always want something management can't give, and vice versa. The challenge is to manage conflict."
When conflicts flare up, he points out, there are two strategies that are essential to achieving a workable resolution. The first is to identify and address the disagreement at the root of the specific conflict.
You can't ignore that grievance and have a pizza party and think it'll be better
"You can't ignore that grievance and have a pizza party and think it'll be better," says Mr. Foster. "People might come and eat the pizza, but they still won't be happy, they'll still be grumbling and unproductive and unhappy when they deal with customers."
The second element of any successful resolution involves a willingness to put the conflict in the past and move forward. "If the employer shows a willingness to rebuild trust and advance the relationship, the workers will be much quicker to come around themselves," says Mr. Foster.
How management behaves during a period of conflict plays a significant role in how successfully all the parties involved will be able to put it behind them once a resolution has been found.
Entrenched problems arise, he says, when both sides broaden the conflict beyond the core disputes. Typically, unions will invoke issues such as executive compensation, which trigger complaints of inequality and unfairness. Management can cast aspersions on the motivations of union leaders and the quality of representation they provide to union members. When these issues aren't germane to the current job action, they serve only to fuel rhetoric and flare tempers all around.
All marriages have fights, but what makes it work is a commitment to working it out
"Both parties should see it as a marriage, not a boxing match," Mr. Foster suggests. "All marriages have fights, but what makes it work is a commitment to working it out in the long term and fighting clean, rather than just landing body blows or winning a particular round."
The classic example of how not to handle a clash with the workforce, in his view, is the 2005 strike at the Lakeside packing plant in Brooks, Alberta. After a union certification drive succeeded, contract negotiations progressed slowly, and relations between management and the union deteriorated.
"Eventually, there was a strike with a fairly ugly picket line, and ultimately it led to two of the plant's management in a high speed chase driving the union president off the road," says Mr. Foster. "The consequences of that ugliness are still there, even though the plant's on its third owner since then."
At the other end of the spectrum, the CBC's ongoing relationship with its union represents a model for getting beyond serious conflict to build a more productive relationship, according to Richard Chaykowski, professor and director of Queen's University's Masters of Industrial Relations program.
"The CBC had a very acrimonious relationship with their workforce. They had a highly dysfunctional relationship with their major union, and in the wake of the grievances and actions that occurred between 2005 and 2007, both parties realized that it just wasn't sustainable. It was costing everyone. It involved not only strikes and lockouts but an ongoing level of hostility that just couldn't continue," Dr. Chaykowski relates.
Throughout 2008, a series of meetings involving representatives from the union and CBC management were scheduled. The relationships at all levels had to be rebuilt from the ground up, in light of the years of bitter and often public conflict, but both sides agreed to the appointment of a mediator to facilitate the process. The most senior leaders spent considerable personal capital bringing their teams on board, with the CBC's vice-president of human resources describing his plan as a "peace initiative" to his management colleagues, and union leaders pushing their membership to accept that, in an effort to move forward, no CBC senior staff would be fired for their roles in past conflicts.
The question is, do you fight it out, or do you work it out?
"They don't agree on everything today, but they can work out the issues that inevitably come up now," says Dr. Chaykowski. "The question is, do you fight it out, or do you work it out? And this is an example where the parties reconstructed their relationship in a way that let them work out these issues, in spite of the history between them."
Building relationships between management and unions is crucial to the final resolution of labour disputes, but in the short term, more pragmatic challenges can arise, cautions Kenneth Cahoon, vice-president of CKR Global, a risk mitigation and investigation company with offices across Canada.
"It can be necessary to have extra help to act as eyes and ears of the employer when there's a strike or lock out, and should the need arise, it's important to have problems documented, particularly by a third party," he says. "We've worked with many Canadian Fortune 500 businesses during a labour dispute, often with logistics and security consulting, to help keep the business running. We're also there to help mitigate the risk as it relates to human safety during periods of stress or conflict."


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MP3: Big Boi - Tangerine (Remix) f/ Rick Ross, Fabolous & Bun B
Legendary rapper and producer Big Boi released his first solo album Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty in July to widespread critical acclaim. One of the record's catchier songs is new single "Tangerine," and this remix throws on Rick Ross, Fabolous and Bun B to add to Boi's own verses. It's built on an alternative-radio guitar lick that, at first listen, leaves you wondering "How is anyone going to rap over this?" These four manage in spades: that "shake it like a tambourine" chorus is irresistible, and each guest leaves a concrete footprint in the form of a killer verse.


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Addit! Pro For Flight Simulator X
Download Version 7.6.5
Addit! Pro is packaged in a zip file called apxv765.zip. To download and install the program, follow these instructions:
1. Download
2. Create an installation folder on your hard drive. For example, C:\APFSX.
3. Use an unzipping utility to unzip apxv765.zip to that installation folder.
4. Go to the installation folder and run Setup.exe.
5. Follow Setup's instructions to complete the installation.
If you are updating an existing copy of Addit! Pro For Flight Simulator X, Setup may offer to upgrade you automatically. If, however, Setup does not find your current installation of Addit! Pro, please install this release to the same folder as your existing copy.


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Sound Advice
By Don Lindich
Week 15, 2017
Q. I am looking for a new Bluetooth speaker. I am familiar with your usual recommendations, anything new to talk about before I start shopping?
-K.C., Atlantic City, NJ
A. I have come across some especially great products lately, all with something that makes them stand out in a very crowded marketplace.
Kicker Bullfrog JUMP, $399: The weatherproof "amphibious" Kicker Bullfrog JUMP speaker is so heavy and solid it would not seem out of place riding on the back of military vehicle in a combat zone. It has speakers on both sides so it radiates sound far and wide and is perfect for tailgate parties, picnics, camping, boating, and the beach. It has a 20-hour battery and a USB connection to charge phones, which should make it especially popular at such social gatherings and it can even tune FM radio. A separate app can be used to adjust the sound and quickly tune radio stations. Like the sleeper hit Kicker Amphitheater speaker I wrote about last year, the Bullfrog JUMP has rich, natural sound quality you would associate with a high quality Hi-Fi system, not a portable device. Kicker Bullfrog JUMP on Amazon
Soundcast VG1, $149: A $149 price tag for a small speaker like the Soundcast VG1 may seem like a stretch, but let me assure you it is not. The Soundcast VG1 offers a high-end experience from the moment you pick up the box, with luxurious packaging that reeks of quality to the rugged feel of the waterproof speaker itself.
As for the sound, I was floored. No matter the music genre I tried, the Soundcast VG1 brought it to life with its full sound, tremendously crisp definition and impressive dynamics. It's absolutely the best sounding speaker in its size class, and possibly in its price class too. Highly, highly recommended. Soundcast VG1 on Amazon
iClever BoostSound BTS-09, $65: The iClever BoostSound BTS-09 speaker looks like a cross between a small table fan and a shower head. This may not sound like a particularly attractive combination, but I showed it to a woman I know to have particularly good taste and she immediately exclaimed, "I like the way it looks!" The sound is competent at the price point, though it lacks some stereo depth.
When you factor in the great looks, variable intensity blue LED nightlight, and its ability to play music from a MicroSD card slot, the iClever BoostSound BTS09 is a fantastic value. For some reason it is not on iClever's website, but it is easy to find on Amazon.
Q. I have some old photos (1930's & 40's) that I want to get scanned at the absolute highest resolution and quality available so I can get high quality prints made suitable for framing. What scanner would you recommend for that? Maybe you know of a service I could use, rather than a scanner?
-J.R., San Jose, CA
A.I don't know that getting into an expensive scanner would make a difference for an amateur if you are looking for superior results. It is not just the initial scan quality, it is more about having a color corrected monitor and software (which non-pros will not have) and doing a good job tweaking and restoring the photographs in software. You were on the right track when you asked about using a service. Your best bet is to find a pro photo lab that will do both the scanning and printing for you. Look for "photo restoration" services online or at a pro photo lab near you. Be picky, and don't be afraid to pay more for someone who really seems to know what they are doing.


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Children pushing a wagon of coal along an underground railway. Working in mines was just one of the dangerous and exhausting jobs done by British children during the 19th century. As well as sweeping chimneys, young children also worked long hours in textile factories, they worked at home doing piece-work, and hawked goods and shone shoes in the streets. Young people continue to be exploited in this way in developing countries. Illustration from 'Underground life, or, Mines and miners' by Louis Simonin (1830-1886), published in London in 1869.
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© Science Museum / Science & Society Picture Library


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It was a great time to catch up with Steve Hutchinson on SCHOOLED with The Professor. It's hard to believe Hutchinson has been out of football for five years, but he's still heavily involved in the league, working in the personnel office of the Tennessee Titans. He's also in his first year of eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A seven-time Pro Bowler, Hutchinson and former Seahawk Kevin Mawae have chances of making the Hall this year.
Hutchinson gives a Hall of Fame performance on Schooled. He discusses how the offensive line grew and helped take the Seahawks to the Super Bowl in Detroit. He goes in depth explaining his strange departure to the Minnesota Vikings via the transition tag. Hutch also goes in depth discussing the state of the offensive line in the NFL now. He looks at the current offensive line problems both as a former player and a current personnel evaluator.
Former Seahawks owner John Nordstrom joins us this week on SCHOOLED with the Professor and he gives us great insight on the NFL franchise he started, and how he and others reached out and got billionaire investor Paul Allen involved in buying the Seahawks to save football in Seattle.
The timing of this podcast is perfect. On Sunday, the Seahawks celebrated the 20 years Allen has owned the franchise. Nordstrom goes into great detail on what was needed to bail the Seahawks out of a bad ownership situation with former owner Ken Behring, who was trying to move the team to Los Angeles. Nordstrom tells us his favorite memories of being the owner of the team, reveals how closely he follows the team now, and tells us about one of the former Seahawk players who lived near him: Marshawn Lynch.
I know I'm The Professor, but I sure gained a lot of knowledge about NFL offenses through the years listening to Brian Billick, former Baltimore Ravens coach - and one of the great offensive minds in the game - who now works for the NFL Network.
Class is in session in this week's edition of SCHOOLED with The Professor. Brian gets into why offenses got off to such poor starts in the first week of the season, why it's hard for teams to develop quality offensive lines, and we spend some time on the Seahawks own offensive issues.
Brian also gives us his opinions on some of the best defenses in the NFL. He likes what he sees with the addition of Sheldon Richardson.
Long time Raiders beat reporter Steve Corkran educates us on Schooled With The Professor about Al Davis. He wrote the book, "Al Davis, Behind the Raiders Shield," which just came out this week. Cork tells us plenty of the inside stories about Davis' successes and his failures. He goes into the selection of Marcus Allen in the draft. He details the hiring of Jon Gruden and how Davis consulted his employees about trading Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Corkran also discusses some of the struggles he had in his final years hiring coaches. Most importantly, he talks about some of the highlights of how Davis made the Raiders one of the best and most dominant franchises in the NFL.


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How We Partner with Transit Authorities
As the global leader of in-tunnel advertising technology, adtrackmedia partners with metro transit authorities in the world's top markets to increase overall revenue. With our patented technology, we work with the leading metros of the world to transform the rider experience, improve operations, and drive new revenue streams.
How We Work with Global Brands
adtrackmedia provides a cutting-edge platform that allows our advertising clients to network their campaigns, while also maintaining valuable industry insights and the ability to utilize a novel marketing medium.
How We Enhance Rider Experience
With our high-resolution in-tunnel display technology, adtrackmedia transforms the traditional subway experience. Our engaging media captivates and entertains subway riders during their daily commutes.
Our Global Advertising Clients
High impact advertising medium offering unique creative opportunities.
Our Global Metro Partners
Our proprietary in-tunnel system meets the highest safety and engineering standards.
"Our riders reactions oscillated between surprise and curiosity. It certainly brought a positive experience to our riders, bringing some fun and making the trip more pleasant."
"The technology being used by Digital Underground Media is amazing. The ability to change content is simple and quick. It allows advertisers to be culturally and socially relevant in a very timely manner. "


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My car's registration sticker says "11" on it. But November came and went without my getting my car inspected. My car's old; I expected it to fail. I'm trying to nurse it through old age. I don't want to pay a few hundred bucks to get through reinspection.
But now it's January, and I always fear getting a ticket for not getting inspected on time. Today was the day! I greatly feared being stopped by a policeman on the way to inspection and getting that $65 ticket.
"I'm going to get inspected right now," I would say to the policeman.
"Yeah. Right," he would say.
So in hope of getting, at worst, a warning, I printed a page on my printer that said I was going, on Jan 15 at noon, to inspection. I signed it with a magic marker in my kitchen. I have NO magic markers in my car, so if a policeman stopped me, I would really look like I was on my way to inspection!
I drove all back roads to the inspection station. Fortunately – VERY fortunately, as you will see – the line was short.
I got up to the inspection guy. He looked at my car and did a mild double take. Then he walked over.
"Do you want the good news or the bad news?" he asked.
"What's the good news?"
"Your inspection sticker is good till November 2008. You're good!"
"What's the bad news, then?"
"You have to leave."
I left.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The Skulking Scofflaw:
Posted by firstname.lastname@example.com at 2:27 PM
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Initial resolution determining to issue general obligation bonds of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County in an aggregate principal amount of not to exceed Twenty-One Million Dollars.
WHEREAS, it is necessary and in the public interest of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County (the "Metropolitan Government") to issue general obligation bonds in an aggregate principal amount of not to exceed $21,000,000 (the "Bonds") for the purposes hereinafter provided; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 9-21-205, Tennessee Code Annotated, prior to the issuance of any general obligation bonds, the governing body of the local government proposing to issue said bonds shall adopt a resolution determining to issue the same; and
WHEREAS, for the purpose of complying with the requirements of said statute, the Metropolitan County Council of the Metropolitan Government adopts this Resolution.
Section 1. Purpose. For the purposes of financing (a) all or a portion of the costs of school technology equipment and equipment for the fire, public works and parks departments and the Metropolitan Action Commission; (b) acquisition of all property, real and personal, appurtenant to the foregoing; (c) legal, fiscal, administrative, architectural and engineering costs incident to all the foregoing, (d) all other costs authorized to be financed pursuant to Section 9-21-109, Tennessee Code Annotated, including without limitation, costs of issuance of the Bonds, and (e) the payment or reimbursement of the payment of principal of and interest on any bonds, notes or other debt obligations issued in anticipation of the Bonds, the Metropolitan County Council hereby determines to issue the Bonds in an aggregate principal amount of not to exceed $21,000,000.
Section 2. Authorization. The Bonds described herein shall be issued pursuant to the Charter of the Metropolitan Government and/or the Local Government Public Obligations Act of 1986, as amended, codified as Title 9, Chapter 21, Tennessee Code Annotated, and no referendum or election shall be required for the issuance of the Bonds unless a petition for an election relating to their issuance is filed within the time and in the manner provided for in said statute.
Section 3. Interest. The maximum rate of interest of the Bonds shall not exceed seven and one-quarter percent (7.25%) or the maximum rate permitted by applicable law.
Section 4. Source of Payment. To the extent eligible to be paid from available general fund reserve monies of the Metropolitan Government, debt service on the debt obligations described herein is expected to be paid from said reserves, but in the event the debt obligations are not paid from said reserves, debt service shall be payable from and is secured by ad valorem taxes on all taxable property in the General Services District and Urban Services District, fully sufficient to pay all such debt service falling due prior to the time of collection of the next succeeding tax levy; provided, however, taxes so levied in the General Services District shall be levied in an amount sufficient to pay that portion of such debt service attributable to school projects and projects in the General Services District financed by the Bonds; and the taxes so levied in the Urban Services District shall be levied in an amount sufficient to pay that portion of such debt service attributable to projects in the Urban Services District financed by the Bonds; provided, further, however, that the Metropolitan Government shall be unconditionally and irrevocably obligated to levy and collect ad valorem taxes without limit as to rate or amount on all taxable property within the Metropolitan Government to the full extent necessary to pay all debt service on the Bonds, and the full faith and credit of Metropolitan Government shall be irrevocably pledged to the payment thereof.
Section 5. Publication of Resolution. The Metropolitan Clerk is hereby directed to cause this Resolution, upon its adoption, together with the statutory notice required by Section 9-21-206, Tennessee Code Annotated, to be published in full once in a newspaper published and having general circulation in the Metropolitan Government.
Section 6. Effective Date. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of the Metropolitan Government requiring it.
Sponsored by: Ronnie Steine, Erica Gilmore
|Referred to:
|Budget & Finance Committee
|January 21, 2014
|Substitute Introduced:
|January 21, 2014
|January 21, 2014
|February 4, 2014 - Roll Call Vote
|February 5, 2014
Requests for ADA accommodation should be directed to the Metropolitan Clerk at 615/862-6770.


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ear Friend,
Good day and sorry for the way this email came to you as I'm in
desperate need of your help to transfer the sum of $5.5 Million
Dollars belonging to an aid to Colonel Gadahafi whose name I cannot
mention for security reasons who also died in the fierce fighting in
Sirte Libya and before his death I was his personal accounts Manager
here in Burkina Faso where He secretly lodged this money without
anyone else knowledge except me and the Bank.
I want you to apply to my Bank as the next of kin hence I can provide
you with all the informations that can lead to the release of the
money into your account as long as you can bear the cost of procuring
certain legal certificates that will be needed to change the fund in
your name which must be presented to the Bank before the fund is
released to you as the nearest person and in confrmation of your
interest, I will like you to furnish me with the below informations as
60% of the fund will be for me and 40% for you :
Your Name......................
Your occupation....................
Your Country of origin..............
Your age and contact number..........
I shall furnish you with the details of the deal once I receive the
above requirements and please feel free to delete the message if you
are not interested and do keep the secret for me so that I can look
for another reliable person.
Thanks in Anticipation.
Fellahi Hamza.
sábado, 11 de agosto de 2012
Hello My Beloved
Hello My Beloved,
I am writing this mail to you with due respect trust and humanity, Honestly, I must first ask for apology to burden your respected life and for the surprise this letter may be seen to you because we have not been in much communication. But I want you to bear with me that it is because of the ugly situation one fine herself into which lead me to open up to you. I will also like to tell you more about myself, family and the important reason why i have contacted you.
My names are Miss.Hasina Suleman Hassan. 24yrs old female from Southern Sudan in Africa. Honestly i am writing this email to you now with pains, tears and sorrow from my heart, I feel quite safe dealing with you and reviling this important information s to you.
My father Dr. Suleman Hassan was the former Minister for SPLA Affairs and Special Adviser to President Salva Kiir of South Sudan for Decentralization. My father Dr. Suleman Hassan, my mother including other top Military officers and top government officials where on board when the plane crashed on Friday May 02, 2008. You can read more about the crash through the below site:
Some months after the burial of my father, my uncle conspired with my step mother to give sale my father's properties to a Chinese Expatriate. One faithful morning I decided to run away with the documents inside the portfolio box of my late father. to a nearest country Burkina Faso where I resided as a refugee,
To bring you more closely to what I m writing or speaking to you, I have original documents proofs that cover the sum worth US$8.5 million United State dollars. I saw this document in the portfolio box of my late father. The contents in the portfolio box are so many documents of my late father's properties and values.
The fund US$8.5 million United State dollars was the one written in my names as the next of kin, it was a surprise to me because I never knew of such documents exist since the life time of my beloved late father. I travelled to Burkina Faso to withdraw the fund so that I can start a better life and take care of myself.
But the Branch manager of the Bank whom I met in person told me that my present status does not permit me by the local law to clear fund or make a transfer of fund into an account, he advice me to provide a trustee who will help me and invest the fund or I should wait till when I get married as it demand by their Authority. I have chosen to contact you after my prayers and I believe that you will not betray my trust. Well, I will say that my mind convinced me that you are the true person to help me. More so, I will like to disclose much to you if you can help me to relocate to your country because my uncle has threatened to assassinate me.
However, you will help me by recommending a nice University in your country so that I can complete my studies. It is my intention to compensate you with 25% of the total fund for your services and the balance shall be my capital in your establishment.
As soon as I receive your interest in helping me, I will put things into action immediately. In the light of the above, I shall appreciate an urgent message indicating your ability and willingness to handle this transaction sincerely. Please do keep this only to your self. I tell you not to disclose it till i come over to join you because I am afraid of my wicked uncle who has threatened to kill me.
Sincerely yours,
Miss Hasina Suleman Hassan
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A costly 'gray divorce' can upend your retirement plans. The problem with divorce and a hefty retirement package is that now it needs to be divided. And if it is a long term marriage that means a long term investment with lengthy growth in the financial investment. I means all that time and energy saving your money to only see it go out the door to a soon to be ex wife in the waning years of your life after all that work and effort. All gone. It seems so sad, but according to the statistics people are doing it and are doing more than every. Age and long term marriages dont last I guess and no matter how gray you might be and how old people would rather be single and separated and poorer.
Among U.S. adults ages 50 and up, the divorce rate has roughly doubled since the 1990s.
When divorce becomes part of the financial equation, funding retirement can become more difficult for both parties.
Seeking a financial professional and/or an experienced marital mediator may help couples headed for divorce court navigate financial difficulties.
Among U.S. adults ages 50 and up, the divorce rate has roughly doubled since the 1990s. In 2015, for every 1,000 married persons in that age category, 10 divorced — up from five in 1990, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau. Among those ages 65 and older, the divorce rate has roughly tripled since 1990, reaching six people per 1,000 married persons in 2015.
Of course, when it comes to retirement, whatever money the divorcing couple has needs to be divided — often after an expensive legal bill.
A variety of studies have been done to explain this gray divorce trend. But the reality is that years spent raising kids often transforms parents into very different people from who they were when they first got married. Couples discover they have nothing in common, and their children were the glue holding them together. They can only relate to each other in their roles as Mom and Dad and not as romantic partners.
So now that the kids are gone, so apparently is the magic in the marriage. Therefore, it is not unusual for couples to leave the marriage after the children leave home.
With no one to take care of, not happy with the marriage and often without a plan, couples find they may have done right by their kids but have failed to do right by each other. With no projects to keep them together anymore, they turn to divorce as an answer, hoping they will be happier in the next phase of life.
So what happens when people divorce at an older age? Many of the same things that occur at younger ages: emotional upset, change of residence, loss of savings and property, etc. Although men may be responsible for making the phone call to the therapist or mediator, it is often the wife who is calling it quits. In an age where we no longer need to depend on our partner for money regarding our basic needs, we strike out on our own, choosing freedom rather than a life where our emotional needs aren't met.
But what about our financial needs? When divorce becomes part of the financial equation, retirement can be more difficult than simply choosing what time to play golf.
Gray divorce potentially endangers retirement for both parties, since they may be living on half the income they'd expected to have and may feel resentful about their change of plans. Fortunately, these divorces do not involve child custody fights, but they can still be emotionally and financially draining.
To that point, whatever money the couple has in 401(k) plans, individual retirement accounts, 457 or 403(b) accounts and pensions will usually need to be divided — often with that pricey legal tab, which may include a Qualified Domestic Relations Order, or QDRO.
Some points to remember that apply to all divorces:
IRA transfers need to be done trustee-to-trustee. In other words, you cannot just write a check to your ex-spouse — if you do, you will be subject to taxes and penalties.
The IRA division must be specified in the divorce decree and is considered a "transfer incident to divorce."
A QDRO is not needed to transfer an IRA; be careful, however, not to transfer anything out of your IRA until your divorce is final, or it will be considered a taxable distribution by the IRS.
You will need a QDRO if you need to divide any non-IRA retirement plan. If you don't, the amount you transfer to your ex-spouse will be considered taxable income to you if done improperly.
Be sure to hire an attorney who specializes in QDROs if you need one written; this is a specialty, and your divorce attorney is not necessarily an expert in this area.
Mistakes can be very expensive and time-consuming. An inexperienced QDRO writer's work may need to be redone if found to be defective.
Your financial planner will need to analyze the after-tax effect of offsetting property divisions (half a 401[k] in exchange for half a house, for example).
After divorce and any distributions, make sure all of your beneficiary designations are updated.