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Cancer Disparity Research
Jump to research about:
- Multilevel CRC Intervention
- HCV Screening
- HBV Prevention - Vietnamese Americans
- HBV Program - Korean Americans
- Asian Americans with HBV
- CRC Screening - Korean Americans
- CRC Screening - Physician Communication
- CRC Screening - Vietnamese Americans
- Mammography Adherence - Chinese Americans
- Lung Cancer Screening
- Sleep, Smoking & Lung Health
- Cervical C - Korean Americans
- Twitter-Enabled Smoking Cessation
Asian Community Cancer Health Disparities Center (ACCHDC)
(U54, PI: Grace Ma, PhD funded by National Cancer Institute, NIH)
Representing 5.6% (17.3 Millions) of the total population and projected to reach 9.2% (40.6 millions) by 2050, Asian-Americans are the fastest growing, and second largest foreign-born, ethnic group in the United States (2010 US Census). Yet, Asian-Americans are the only group in the nation for which cancer is the leading cause of death.
Finding the answer to that question is the focus of a growing body of research. These disparities are the result of a complex interplay of multiple barriers within the Asian-American community, including socioeconomic, psychosocial, and cultural constraints. However, Asian-Americans are also put at risk by a lack of knowledge about cancer risks, prevention strategies, and the U.S. health care system in general.
The ACCHDC works toward the overall goal of reducing cancer health disparities throughout the Asian-American community by increasing knowledge of, access to, and utilization of beneficial biomedical and behavioral procedures.
By using community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles to guide all Center activities, the ACCHDC will finally begin to cast light onto a subject that has languished in the darkness for far too long.
Four Key Components:
- Administrative Core (Leader: Grace Ma, PhD)
- Community Outreach (Leader: Yin Tan, MD, MPH)
- Research Program (Full Study PI: Grace Ma, PhD), (Pilot Study PI: Wanzhen Gao, PhD)
- Training Program (Leader: Carolyn Fang, PhD)
The Community Outreach Program works to increase knowledge and access to cancer prevention and treatment programs within multi-ethnic and multilingual Asian communities.
The Research Program focuses on a large-scale controlled trial conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a CBPR colorectal cancer (CRC) intervention aimed at increasing screening numbers. The study evaluates the knowledge level of colorectal cancer, including perceived risks of CRC and susceptibility to the disease. Lastly, the trial identifies the benefits of screening and how we might reduce the barriers to obtaining that screening.
The RP also conducts a pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally appropriate education intervention in increasing knowledge of biospecimen research. The study also identifies and examines social and cultural factors that may affect overall Asian-American participation in biospecimen research.
The Training Program is aimed at developing and implementing a comprehensive research training program in CBPR methods and providing mentorship and key resources to junior researchers from racial/ethnic minorities and underrepresented groups.
Multilevel Colorectal Cancer Intervention Study
(UO1, PI: Grace Ma, PhD, funded by National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities, NIH)
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S. CRC incidence is rising rapidly in Asian American populations, but they have among the lowest rates of CRC screening and are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage disease.
This multilevel intervention study aims to address multiple barriers to improve colorectal cancer prevention and follow up care among medically underserved Vietnamese Americans. This theory-based multilevel CRC intervention addresses sociocultural, behavioral and environmental determinants and intervention strategies at individual, interpersonal, and community organizational levels.
This cluster randomized controlled trial aims to test the hypothesis that clinical preventive services guidelines plus a culturally and linguistically appropriate multilevel CRC intervention will lead to significant clinical outcomes and long-term impact at population level.
Hepatitis C Screening and Access to Care Intervention for High-Risk Ethnic Minority Populations (A Pilot Study)
(PI: Grace Ma, PhD, Clinical Co-I: Gina Simoncini, MD)
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is recognized as one of the main causes of liver diseases and poses an increasing challenge to health care systems locally, regionally and nationally. Chronic HCV disparities exist especially in the birth cohort of baby boomers, drug users, African Americans, and underserved high-risk ethnic minority populations.
Hepatitis C disproportionately affects the African American community. HCV diagnosis and prevention measures require access to information about HCV, prevention and treatment. It is clear that information and health services about HCV have not effectively reached the majority of African Americans and other high-risk racial/ethnic minority populations.
The purpose of this collaborative pilot study is to engage academic, community and clinical partners to improve HCV prevention and intervention of screening and access to care among high-risk racial/ethnic minority populations.
Vietnamese Hepatitis B-Liver Cancer Prevention and Control
(RO1, PI: Grace Ma, PhD funded by National Cancer Institute, NIH)
An estimated 2.2 million individuals in the U.S. live with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV or CHB). This represents more than 8% of the overall population.
Immigration from Asian countries such as Vietnam, China and Korea, which also make up the three largest domestic Asian-American subgroups, plays a large role in that total. While Asian-Americans make up 5.5 % of the total population in the U.S., they account for more than 50% of Americans living with CHB.
Screening rates for HBV are low. And, unfortunately, approximately 15%-40% of those with chronic HBV will develop serious liver diseases during their lifetime.
Barriers to HBV screening include:
- lack of access to health care
- cultural and personal reasons
- lack of health insurance
- not having a regular physician
- not knowing where to get tested
- not being able to afford co-pays
- lack of fluency in English
- difficulties getting appointments
Cultural values, and beliefs and fears about stigma are significant barriers to screening. Despite these high rates of HBV infection and low screening rates, very few interventions have been developed to overcome barriers to HBV screening in Vietnamese-Americans.
We are conducting one of the first largest randomized community-based intervention trials involving 36 Vietnamese community-based organizations. We evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based liver cancer prevention program on hepatitis B (HBV) screening among low-income underserved Vietnamese Americans at high-risk for HBV infection.
Sustaining an HBV Program in Underserved Korean Community
(R24, PI: Grace Ma, PhD, funded by National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparity, NIH)
46% to 68% of Korean-American adults have never been screened for HBV. However, our prior church-based randomized intervention trial (i.e. CBPR HBV intervention or HBVI), demonstrated that this can change. We showed the efficacy of a multifaceted culturally appropriate intervention using community health educator (CHE) and church health worker (CHW) led group education.
It is critically important then that we effectively disseminate this evidence-based intervention if we want to continue to improve HBV-related behaviors.
We will enroll 20 Korean churches in locations throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. The outcome, as well as any newly learned process evaluation approaches, will be used to comprehensively assess the impact of evidence-based HBV intervention implementation strategies in underserved Korean-American communities.
Intervention for Non-Compliant Underserved Asian Americans Infected with HBV
(PI: Grace Ma, PhD, funded by Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
According to the Centers for Disease Control, Asian-Americans represent over half of the 2.2 million chronic HBV (CHB) infections in the U.S. However, adherence to monitoring guidelines at 12 months is low. This study will compare patients who are using a Patient Navigator plus Mobile Phone Text Messaging Intervention to those who only receive standard care.
These patients will be compared based on a variety of factors, including:
- knowledge of CHB
- coping skills
- social support structures
- ability to find benefits
- quality of life
- overall level of anxiety
As access to HBV testing improves and patients receive routine care every six or twelve months, we expect to see better health outcomes among these patient groups.
Optimizing Church-Based Intervention to Improve Colorectal Cancer Screening in Underserved Korean Community
(PI: Grace Ma, PhD, National Cancer Institute, NIH)
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in Asian-Americans and its incidence in the Korean community is actually rising.
To combat this problem, the CAH study team used a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to work with 30 Korean church sites in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The study design is a randomized trial and was guided by an integrative framework of the Health Belief Model and Social Cognitive Theory, which addresses both individual and healthcare system barriers to care.
Key components of the intervention include:
- Bilingual community health intervention
- Patient navigation
- Health provider engagement in CRC screening and referral
Physician Communication About Colorectal Cancer Screening with Chinese-Speaking Patients
(RO1, PI: Judy Wang, PhD, Co-PI: Grace Ma, PhD, funded by National Cancer Institute, NIH)
Chinese-Americans have lower screening rates for colorectal cancer than any other ethnic groups in the country.
Like other groups, the likelihood of a Chinese patient being screened is strongly dependent upon a physician's advice. It is especially disturbing that as many as 50% of Chinese immigrants go unscreened because their doctor never recommend them to.
In response, we developed a culturally-targeted, physician-focused communication intervention protocol that promotes ethnic- and language-concordant physician-patient communication and assists physicians in their ability to address patients' screening concerns.
We adopted the concept of reciprocal learning from the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Physicians are taught how to ascertain their patients' cultural views and health beliefs about screening. The physician can then begin to develop a plan to discuss screening with the patient.
Increasing Cervical Cancer Screening Among Vietnamese Americans
(RO1, PI: Grace Ma, PhD, funded by National Cancer Institute, NIH)
Vietnamese women experience the highest incidence rate of invasive cervical cancer of any racial or ethnic group in the United States. This disparity may be attributed to the low uptake of screening, as screening for cervical cancer in Asian-American women lags far behind that of the general population.
Our recent study indicated that the average Pap test rate for Vietnamese women aged 21 and over is just 53%. This is compared to 85% for non-Hispanic White women. The national goal of cervical cancer screening for all women by 2020 is 93%.
The factors that contribute to such a poor screening rate are complex. Therefore, innovative strategies to address these barriers should be tested and implemented as a significant matter of public health priority.
Reaching this population requires a community-based approach. The multifaceted intervention we developed included CHE-led group education with culturally relevant visual aids, patient navigation assistance, client-physician communication, and continuous six-month screening reminders.
We are testing the approach as a randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted over five years at 30 Vietnamese community-based organizations (CBOs) in the eastern region of the United States.
Promoting Mammography Adherence in Chinese Immigrants
(R01, PI: Judy Wang, PhD, NYC Site-PI: Grace Ma, PhD, LA Site PI: Annette Maxwell, PhD, funded by National Cancer Institute, NIH)
Asian women living in the United States have higher breast cancer incidence rates than those living in Asian countries and studies have found that immigration is, without question, associated with increased breast cancer risk.
Chinese-Americans are the largest group of Asian-Americans and one of the fastest growing minority populations in the United States. Scientists have found that breast cancer rates among Chinese women who have been in the United States for more than ten years are 80 percent higher than their newly arrived peers.
This puts the rate of breast cancer in American-born Chinese women at almost the same rate as white women. Furthermore, breast cancer rates in China have jumped more than 20 percent over the past ten years.
Minority and immigrant women in the US consistently underutilize mammography screening as a way of detecting breast cancer. Thus, culturally targeted interventions focused on increasing mammography screening is needed for Chinese immigrant women.
Preliminary Studies on Disparities of Lung Cancer Screening in High-Risk African Americans and Underserved Ethnic Minority Populations
(MPI: Cherie Erkmen, MD; MPI: Grace X. Ma, PhD; Co-I: Larry Kaiser, MD)
Lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) saves lives yet remains underutilized, in the United States. Low-income eligible African Americans and underserved ethnic minority populations in urban areas are less likely to undergo lung cancer screening than Whites. Research reveals that these underserved populations experience disproportionately higher incidence and mortality of lung cancer and lower 5-year survival compared to Whites. Although prior research documented numerous barriers to lung cancer screening at individual patient level, the underlying determinants of disparities in lung cancer screening and follow up care for the high-risk underserved is not fully understood. Our multidisciplinary research team investigators are conducting preliminary studies to address these critical gaps by examining multilevel factors (e.g. patient, health providers and health care infrastructure) and social determinants that may influence the utilization of lung cancer screening, diagnosis and follow-up care.
Predicting Sleep, Smoking and Lung Health Disparities in at-risk African American Adults (R01)
(MPI: Aditi Satti, MD; MPI: Freda Patterson, PhD; Co-I: Grace X. Ma, PhD, funded by NIH)
African Americans are more likely to report insufficient sleep duration (<7 hours) and other sleep deficiencies (e.g., poor sleep quality), and to have advanced Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), than Non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) with similar smoking behaviors. Insufficient sleep has been related to: (1) continued cigarette smoking, and (2) impaired lung function in healthy adults. Thus, sleep deficiencies could be an "upstream" primary and/or secondary prevention target to address racial disparities in tobacco use and COPD onset and progression. To address these knowledge gaps, we will conduct a multi-disciplinary 5-year prospective observational study among African Americans who are current smokers.
Cervical Cancer Screening Program for Korean-American Community
(PI: Carolyn Fang, PhD, Co-PI: Grace Ma, PhD, funded by American Cancer Society)
Korean-American women continue to experience high incidence and mortality rates from cervical cancer. Failure to participate in doctor-recommended screening is one of the key factors contributing to these high incidence rates.
Studies consistently report that Korean-American women have the lowest rates of participation in cervical cancer screening in the country. Some have reported that up to 40% of Korean-American women have never been screened. In one California-based study, the proportion of Korean-American women adherent to current screening guidelines was just 63.4%; a number well below the Healthy People 2020 target of 93.0% screening compliance.
In light of these statistics, programs to enhance screening rates in this population are critically needed. In response, we launched a program that combined community education with navigation in services. The components of the intervention were designed to increase awareness of cervical cancer risks, as well as address both individual-level beliefs and barriers to access to proper healthcare.
A Twitter-Enabled Smoking Cessation Study Among Low-Income Ethnic Minority Women
(R21, PI: Kuang-Yi Wen, Ph.D., funded by National Cancer Institute, NIH)
An estimated 40% of women who smoke quit during their pregnancy, however, up to 80% of these women relapse in the postpartum period, despite the health risks for themselves and their children. The proposed study will develop and test an evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral twitter-enabled system-generated and participant-driven intervention (Tweet2commit) designed to reduce postpartum smoking relapse among low-income ethnic minority women who have quit immediately.
A pilot RCT will be conducted to explore the efficacy of the Tweet2commit intervention on reducing postpartum relapse rates, compared to a Usual Care control. The proposed research will be the first randomized controlled study that leverages the potential of Twitter for disseminating evidence-based smoking cessation strategies and harnessing the participatory nature of tweeting for live interactive mobile support groups among underserved postpartum women.


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Submitted by julia on
Mašta project is looking for a fundraiser to plan and implement a fundraising strategy for our network!We are an international collective of journalists, writers, artists, researchers and makers who multiply and report on creative acts that reflect the world we actually live in. We make publications and realize international projects to report on innovative ways to address social-political problems, to inspire old and mobilize new forces for social change. Our latest project is the Mašta handbook about creative activism.At the moment we are looking for opportunities to strengthen our network, maintain the contact with contributors and improve our online presence. We have the team, but need extra resources - and this is why we need you!You have:
- Successful experience with public funding (planning, application procedure, writing reports)
- A clue about the world of NGOs
- Basic knowledge about creative activism
- Good organizational qualities
- Excellent English skills
- Understanding of project management and PR
Its a plus if you also have:
- An insight in the publishing business
- Experience and knowledge about crowd funding and/or alternative fundraising
- High level of German/Spanish
- A social media magician inside your pocket
We offer;
- Opportunity to work with an international platform for creative activism
- Fixed compensation and a percentage of the money you raise
- Possibility to share our co-working space
- Opportunities for future cooperation
Send a mail with motivation, your CV and links to te projects you have worked for to firstname.lastname@example.com before the 10th of November, and we get in touch with you!

subset: commoncrawl


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A brilliant new lens attachment developed by researcher Thomas Larson promises to turn anyone with a smartphone or tablet into an armchair scientist. The Micro Phone Lens 150x, which was recently funded on Kickstarter, is the world's first device that can give any smartphone the ability to become a laboratory microscope.
The attachment is a second generation piece — a giant technological leap forward from the first Micro Lens model that magnified images just 15 times — but it's just as easy to use as the original. It fits snugly over the camera of your phone or tablet without being obstructive, and it attaches via an adhesive backing for easy installment. To make achieving sharp images really simple, the lens finds focus when you push the slide containing the specimen slightly against it. Since it's made from a pliable, platinum-catalyzed polymer, the lens is also scratch-proof and durable.
The device comes with a carrying case, a small lamp with a convenient flexible tail, and prepared laboratory slides so you can get started right away.
Larson hopes the lens can both aid scientists in the field and help kids get excited about science and exploring the world around them. It has the diversity and ease-of-use to be handy for professionals and amateurs alike. Scientists working in remote areas, where traditional devices are cumbersome, will find it particularly useful.
The current prototype offers a resolution of about 2 Microns, but the final production version is expected to be improved to 1.5-1.6 Microns. The greatest draw of the device, however, is probably its affordability; a $29 pledge can get you the device. Meanwhile, a professional microscope with comparable power could cost you more than $2,000.
You can view the Kickstarter video about the device below:
Related on MNN:
- The 5 science questions kids are most likely to ask their parents
- How to survive in the woods with only a smartphone
- 9 amazing kids who will save the world


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Are you among the third of men who have driven whilst under the influence? Or maybe you're one of the 71% of drivers who replace their car within five years?
Find out which part of the country gets in the most car accidents, which gender is most likely to get caught speeding, and many other exclusive motoring insights in our 2016 Driver Habits Report!
Driving Habits
Earlier this year, you may remember we created a brief public survey, with the intent of finding out as much as possible about how people from all over the country behave when they're behind the steering wheel.
We're pleased to reveal that the survey was a huge success, and the results have now been collected together and used to create a comprehensive report. As mentioned within the report, the survey covers everything from road rage, driving under the influence and accidents, to the frequency of car upgrades and general driving style.
You can download a copy of the report here, or read on to discover our top findings!
The Respondents
We surveyed a total of 1,174 people on their driving habits, quirks, and opinions; receiving responses from all over the country, with an almost 50/50 split between men and women.
The majority of people (50%) were aged between 45 and 65, with 47% of them having passed their driving test in their late teens or early twenties.
Not only did two thirds of the people asked owned two cars per household, a whopping 71% of those surveyed said that they would replace or upgrade their car at least once within 5 years of purchasing. Car leasing offers a flexible upgrade solution that could be of huge benefit to those looking for the latest transport at an affordable price.
71% of people upgrade their cars within five years of purchasing one. Tweet This!
Regional Differences
In terms of location, the highest number of responses were received from Southern England, whilst Northern Ireland provided the smallest amount of data (just 1%).
When it came to regional differences, you proved that behind the wheel we are not really that different. However, drivers in the Midlands reported the highest frequency of involvement in crashes, with over half of them having been involved in an incident before.
In terms of drink driving (within the legal limits), the north also proved to be better at driving sober.
Only 12% of people in Scotland said they'd driven after drinking within the legal limits, compared to 30% from Southern England and 32% from the Midlands.
Drivers in the South of England 50% more likely to drive after drinking than those in Scotland. Tweet This!
The survey report also breaks down the findings by gender and age, highlighting how men tend to be more aggressive drivers, and how those in their late twenties are much more likely to eat in their car.
For more statistics on gender and age differences in driving habits, download a copy of the report today, or contact our press office for a personalised summary.
So now we know who answered the survey. Let's take a look at what they get up to when they're driving.
Here in My Car – In-car Habits
Many of our questions were tailored towards discovering your in-car habits, from eating and smoking in your vehicle to driving whilst under the influence, we wanted to get a better understanding of just what it is you get up to when alone in your car.
Over a third of participants said they rarely ever eat in their car, whilst 34.3% admitted that they sometimes do eat whilst driving. Hot drinks also seemed to be a popular in-car refreshment, with more than 60% of respondents saying they have consumed hot drinks in their car before.
When it comes to smoking in your vehicle, we are pleased to report that the large majority (83%) of participants said they do not smoke whilst driving, and that support of the ban on smoking whilst driving with someone under the age of 18 is strong. However, we can reveal that Males and females between 25 and 33 years old are more likely to smoke while driving than any other age group.
28% of those questioned also admitted to cheekily checking their phone whilst their car is stopped, an act that is considered illegal here in the UK.
People aged 25-33 are more likely to smoke while driving than any other age group. Tweet This!
How's My Driving? – Driving Behaviour
Once we got a good understanding of what you got up to in your car, we wanted to see how that affected your driving style.
For example, we found that over a third of all our respondents had been caught speeding before, although more men had been caught than women.
Our survey also touched on drink driving within the legal limit, asking whether the respondents had ever driven after having a drink.
Rather shockingly, more than a quarter of people surveyed said they would drive after drinking alcohol, but within the legal limits. Drivers have strict alcohol limits here in the UK (although these differ in Scotland); however, these limits differ for each person, and are based on the milligrams of alcohol found in your breath, bloodstream and urine.
You could face serious consequences, including imprisonment and a ban from driving if you are found guilty of drink-driving, so please drink responsibly, and consider organising alternative transport home if you've been drinking.
We also uncovered that just under half of those who took the survey had driven whilst tired before, and can reveal that males are more likely to get behind the wheel whilst tired, especially younger males. Younger drivers said they drove whilst tired more often than any other age group: 63% of drivers aged 33 and under admitted to driving whilst feeling sleepy.
63% of drivers under the age of 33 have driven whilst tired. Tweet This!
Driving Me Crazy – Road Rage and Driving Style
According to our survey, the older you get, the more relaxed your driving style becomes.
We found that over 50s are the least aggressive drivers, whilst 18–24 year-old males tended to have the most aggressive driving style.
Reassuringly, only a quarter of our sample said they had been involved in road rage incidents before, and a very small minority of that group said incidents required emergency services to intervene. We did discover that drivers under the age of 25 were more likely to be involved in a road rage confrontation that any other group, especially male drivers.
Younger drivers are more likely to be involved in road rage than any other age category.Tweet This!
Almost half of those surveyed admitted to being in a car crash or collision, and nearly 40% of those people said that it had changed the way in which they drive. The report itself explores which region, and age group, is most susceptible to both road rage and collisions.
On The Road – A Summary of Your Driving Habits
We were overwhelmed with your response to our survey, and just wanted to say a huge thanks to all those who took part. We've managed to gather incredibly interesting statistics, and have gained a unique insight into how UK drivers feel and behave behind the wheel.
Download your free copy of our 2016 UK Drivers Habits Report here, and let us know what you think of the findings in the comments below.


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Please specify what exactly would you like to learn about


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"Each time is true, but the truths are not the same."I.
― Alan Lightman, Einstein's Dreams
A few days ago, Rob told me he had to de/institutionalize himself. He explained that when he came home he had to remember that food need not arrive at 7:30 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m. and it need not be delivered by someone in hospital garb or arrive on a tray.
You can eat when you're hungry.
Time need not be measured by the arrival of morning and evening meds.
|Rob resting at home.
It's the simple things--sunlight warming your face...the familiar landscape out the window--that hospitals fail to provide. There is nothing idiosyncratic in a hospital. Uniformity rules.
I try to recall the light in the many hospital rooms where Rob stayed these last 50 days and recall the harsh artificial lights that were more typical. More expected regardless if he was in a room in ICU, the oncology floor, or a step-down unit. Windows were absent in the ICU, small and oddly placed in the step-down unit, and a bit larger on the oncology floor. Nonetheless, the single window was far enough away from the bed that any warmth and light was greatly diffused, if felt at all.
Home helps us to recall what we like.
Home reinforces that we have interests, positions, purposes, preferences.
Home asserts our agency in pronounced and subtle ways.


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Good Practice Policy & Procedures
Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk
We work to the United Reformed Church Good Practice Policy and Procedures
Every Church is asked:
- To appoint a safeguarding coordinator
- Have a policy for safeguarding
- Ensure that all those working with children and young people are interviewed, know their role, are supported and have a DBS check
If we are to care for the children and young people we have, or hope to have, on our church premises, then all we do for their safety and well being helps us exercise that care.
Risk Assessment Tool - URC online engagement with children and young people
Two copies of the new Good Practice-4 Handbook for Churches, has been sent to all Churches. Further copies are available to purchase.
Below is a sample local church safeguarding policy for children and adults at risk, which can be used as a starting point to help your church put your own policy in place.
Good Practice 4 - Sample Safeguarding Policy for Churches
Good Practice 4 - Safeguarding Handbook for Churches is available to purchase here
Good Practice 4 - Safeguarding Comprehensive Guide for Synods and Assembly
Website: Good Practice and Safeguarding Procedures for more Information


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Large-format printing is now available to even the most modest of businesses and that means you can make eye-catching banners a potent part of your marketing arsenal. In order to get your money's worth, though, you need to exercise some care with the design of these marketing tools! This quick guide will get you thinking smarter about how to design your business's next banner.
Always Start With Clarity
Clarity has to be your watchword when you're designing a banner. Of course, the obvious meaning here is that your banner should be easily legible to its intended audience, but there are other issues to take into consideration. As with any marketing message, your banner should have a mission. You want to include only what is necessary and cut out anything extraneous.
Like online ads, most banners feature a call to action. This is the step you want your viewer to take after seeing your banner. In many cases, simply providing your contact information can serve as a call to action. If you want your audience to get in touch with you, making your phone number or web address as prominent as possible will serve your purpose. For announcing a sale, spreading information, etc., make sure that the information you're giving to the viewer dominates the banner.
Simplicity And Boldness
Hopefully, you will already know in advance where your new banner will be displayed. This is important because you want your graphics to stand out from background. Your color choices should favor strong, eye-catching hues, but there needs to be as much contrast as possible between elements.
If at all possible, stick to two or three colors that work well together while maintaining sharp contrast. This will help make your banner more legible and ensure that your viewers get your message quickly.
When it comes to picking elements to include in your banner, don't overload your audience's eyeballs. Every piece of information, every graphic, every photo, and every logo should contribute directly to your banner's intended purpose. For instance, banners that encourage the viewer to contact you, pick one preferred method of contact (phone, email, web URL) and use only that. One large method of contact will work much better than three equal ones.
Getting The Words Right
As far as the nuts-and-bolts design concerns of your banner, you need to hang on to the principles already described above. You should always strive for simplicity and clarity. Don't use fancy, delicate fonts. Banners need fonts that are legible from a distance. (This is particularly true of outdoor banners!)
Define a clear order for the information you put on your banner. The most important point (usually the call to action) should be dominant. Work to refine your message until you can get it across as succinctly as possible. Subordinate information like details and contacts need to be presented in a way that preserves their legibility but does not distract from your banner's main message.
Sorting Out The Technicalities
Even the world's best banner design is going to come out wrong if it's not sent to the printer in the right way. Make sure the final files you send to your printer are suitable for printing a large-scale banner. It's always a good idea to review format requirements carefully with your printer before making any commitment; they are after all the professionals.
Generally speaking, there are a few rules of thumb that apply to virtually all banner files. Raster graphics (e.g. photos) need to be provided at a very high resolution, ideally 100 dpi at the final size. If your banner design doesn't include photos, you should provide it to the printer in vector format. Vector files are ideal for large-scale printing because they can be scaled to any size without losing detail. Adobe Illustrator is the industry standard for vector file creation, but you can find plenty of cheaper alternatives. Finally, don't forget to check the color settings of your file. Your printer will need a CMYK file in order to make your banner properly. Many image editing programs default to RGB color; you should always convert you files prior to printing them.
Banner design can be a fun and creative part of the marketing process. By taking the time to learn some of the basic principles that go into this art, you'll stand a much better chance of creating a killer banner the next time you need one. This is by no means an authoritative guide to the topic; you can learn much more on the subject as you gain more banner-creating experience!
Stephanie Song is a freelance writer and self-proclaimed technophile, who loves keeping up with the latest gadgets and technology. You can check out her site, http://www.inktonerstore.com/ for all your quality ink and toner cartridge needs.


text: Responding to the Ugandan police's announcement that they have arrested 56 people for allegedly holding illegal meetings under the deeply-flawed Public Order Management Act (POMA), Muthoni Wanyeki, Amnesty International's Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes, said: "The Ugandan police are no strangers to making arrests in utter disregard for constitutionally-guaranteed rights, but this most recent case is patently absurd. These 56 individuals are guilty of nothing more than attending a peaceful meeting. They should be released immediately and unconditionally. "The Public Order Management Act is deeply flawed and has previously been used by the police to crack down on the opposition and civil society. This latest mass arrest is no exception."


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[This post is co-authored by myself and PJ Rey for our Cyborgology Blog. View the original post here]
The way in which information is shared in the digital age is headlining the news around many different issues. WikiLeaks is distributing thousands of classified State Department documents; the FFC Chairman is attempting to preserve net neutrality (i.e., the dictum that Internet service providers cannot limit the rate that users access different kinds of legal content); Facebook users are sharing more and more private details of their lives online. Arguably, the same cultural debate is playing out in all of these cases: Is society best served when all information is free, or are we better off if some information remains private?
Silicon Valley has become a magnet for evangelists of the "information wants to be free" movement, what has come to be known as "cyberlibertarianism." Supporters often argue that the free flow of information is fundamental to democracy. This is, in fact, the justification behind WikiLeaks' distribution of confidential, proprietary, or otherwise secret information.
However, it is important to note that many of the most high-profile supporters of a transparent society, where information is free, are Internet companies, like Facebook and Google, that seek profit by collecting and sharing information about their users. Alternatively, companies who would benefit from restricting the flow of information (ISPs like, Comcast and Verizon) tend to oppose the principle that information should be free.
Cyberlibertarianism has range of other critics. Clearly, the government has argued that state interests are threatened by the leaking of information. On a more micro level, many sociologists (including the authors of this post) are concerned that the pressure to constantly share more, and more personal information can be detrimental to individual users of Google, Facebook, and other social-networking sites.
Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, has stated,
Having two identities for yourself is an example of a lack of integrity.
And, Google CEO Eric Schmidt has stated,
If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place.
Building a culture where openness is prized creates problems particularly acute for members of groups that fall outside of society's privileged categories (e.g., non-whites, women, LGBT persons, or those with disabilities). For instance, earlier this year Facebook made one's friend-list and "likes" public overnight, effectively "outing" many users who wanted to keep their sexual orientation more private. As one blogger discussed, Google's decision to make public information about those with whom you email most (in their Buzz service) was especially harmful to a woman with an abusive ex-husband. Similarly, danah boyd, in a blog post titled "Transparency Is Not Enough," describes the potentially harmful consequences of "open government" when sex offender information is misused.
Against the notion of "information wants to be free" as a universal good, we should also consider the continuing importance of secrecy, especially for those most vulnerable.


text:
Blockchain, or distributed ledger technology, is attracting a lot of interest (and excitement) in the financial services community. And it's easy to see why. It promises, for example, to transform how transactions and trades are recorded and settled, cutting out many of the manual and slow processes that clearing and settlement require today. It could save the industry billions, and at the same time considerably enhance transparency and security.
Clearly, blockchain is potentially transformational. So how should revenue agencies be preparing for its impact? That was the subject for discussion at a session at the European Centre for Government Transformation roundtable that I recently moderated. CIOs from major financial services businesses joined senior figures from government revenue agencies and policy bodies to examine the potential impacts of the technology for revenue agencies.
One thing was clear: Revenue agencies need to make sure that they keep themselves informed about developments and, where appropriate, get involved in discussions with industry to understand blockchain's likely evolution. Those discussions are likely to center around three main topics: blockchain's maturity in enterprise settings; the opportunities it presents for businesses; and what the impacts could be for revenue agencies as the technology develops.
Adoption of blockchain is still at an early phase. Private sector firms are carrying out pilots, largely within their business's internal systems. Moving beyond those internal pilots to broader commercial deployments raises a number of issues. The challenges from a revenue agency point of view that struck me as particularly pertinent are the lack of natural governance structures and, longer term, the potential data security vulnerability.
Blockchain enables a number of different parties, including financial competitors, to add value to the exchange of data in a distributed ledger. That raises considerable governance issues that will require the creation of new standards. That process will, in turn, need to involve industry and regulators in, among other issues, agreeing the owners of the distributed ledger, standardizing use cases and resolving issues of, for example, competition.
Security is another area that will need close attention. Blockchain's inherent cryptography means it's currently very secure: "Unpicking" more than one record is more or less impossible. However, the consensus is that by 2020 advances in quantum computing will be able to "crack" single blockchain records. And, of course, the cracking of even one taxpayer record on a distributed ledger raises issues about the security of tax records in the long term, as well as the need to comply with data protection and other data standards.
But the reason for the huge interest in blockchain is the scale of opportunity it presents. Potential use cases—among many—include trade finance, notarization and reinsurance. One example that's particularly relevant for revenue agencies is identity. Being able to share accurate, consistent and timely identity information offers potentially significant value to taxpayers, government and industry, enhancing their ability to cooperate securely and transparently. But to take advantage of that potential will mean resolving key issues of data protection and identity.
So, given the challenges and opportunities blockchain presents, what should revenue agencies do next? Two foundational steps occur to me. First, increasing the use of APIs to exchange data with taxpayers and other government agencies will enable revenue authorities to reinforce the value of electronically sharing data on a timely basis between all parties. Recognizing the value of those data exchanges will, in turn, promote the strength and viability of related governance structures. And that could be a crucial first step towards establishing the rules and processes to support distributed ledgers.
Secondly, the adoption of blockchain will involve setting governance structures within the private sector—for example, across financial institutions and banks. Revenue agencies should seek to participate in these nascent governance exchanges, in order to ensure that the standards being created take into account agencies' requirements and make the most of the opportunities offered by revenue data.
Overall, I came away from the session with a clear sense that blockchain is a topic that revenue agencies need to pay close and careful attention. It may be relatively immature today, but it's growing up fast. Given the pace of technology change and adoption in our world today, failing to understand blockchain's likely impact could put revenue agencies on the back foot. The time for them to join the conversation is now.
For more related thinking and content click here
See this post on LinkedIn: Blockchain: how and when should revenue agencies join the conversation?


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I was shocked–shocked, I say–to learn today that Representative Rehberg is willing to lie to voters:
Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg spoke for many wolf-hunt supporters on Thursday when he said "there's something psychologically wrong" with a wolf that killed 55 of his goats but didn't eat any. But he also raised eyebrows with claims that Idaho wildlife officials aren't going to enforce federal wolf protections – something Idaho officials deny.
Maybe Rehberg can just sue the wolves.


text:
Lately I've been on a weird pizza kick.
Not that a pizza kick itself is weird. In fact, that's very normal for me.
But the types of pizza are weird. I'm not just interested in your everyday pepperoni & cheese folks.Remember my Supermom pizza I shared with you a couple weeks ago? Oh yeah, that's the kind of pizza I'm lovin' right now. And today, I have a new one to add to your to do list. This is a MUST do stat pizza. Like, your life depends on it! So so good! Try it and tell me what you think :-)
Ingredients1 yellow squash, sliced
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
2 tbs butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs basil, chopped
3 oz sliced mozzarella
1 ultra thin pizza crust (mine was store-bought but you can make your own if you want)
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a large skillet, I use cast iron, heat butter then add in squash & onions. Cook, stirring when needed, until it begins to brown 5-10 minutes. Then stir in the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Remove from the heat and stir in basil.
3. Spread the squash mixture over the pizza crush, & then stop with mozzarella. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve with extra basil.
4. Enjoy!


text:
Q&A with Nick Cave
Nick Cave transforms mundane, often-overlooked, and under-appreciated bric-a-brac into objects of undeniable aesthetic value that ask us, as viewers, to reconsider how we see the world we live in. In the spirit of this approach, we decided to pose a handful of questions to Cave that might seem at first to be simple or strange, but in the end yield surprising insights. Dozens of artworks that Cave created are on view in Nick Cave: Sojourn now.
Denver Art Museum: Do you have a favorite word? If so, what is it, and what do you like about it?
Nick Cave: Truth. It is what sets you free.
DAM: What sounds do you most love?
NC: The sounds from my Soundsuits.
DAM: Music and dance have played a major role in your life; did you have a favorite song when you were a kid?
NC: No, but as a kid I was very inspired by The Jackson 5.
DAM: In Kyle MacMillan's essay for the exhibition catalog, Nick Cave: Sojourn, you recount a childhood memory of you and your six brothers lying on the ground and feeling a sense of wonder when you'd find a constellation. Do you have a favorite constellation? Or is there one that "centers" you wherever you might be in the world?
NC: No, not a favorite, but I create my own from what I see on any given starry night.
DAM: What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
NC: My profession is already providing more for me than I ever imagined and that is to provide for the world experiences that make personal differences for anyone who encounters them. I feel grateful for the work that I do.
DAM: Playing in part on the idea of people rescuing real dogs from animal shelters, your self-standing sculptural works titled "Rescues" are built around life-size replicas of dogs you've rescued from flea markets and antique stores.
If any of your "Rescues" could talk, to either you or an exhibition visitor, what do you imagine they would say?
NC: "I matter."
DAM: If you don't already have a spirit animal, what would it be and why?
NC: Bald eagle, because it is strong, free and a symbolic leader.
DAM: If heaven exists, and the first thing God asked you when you arrived at those "pearly gates" was to create a new entrance, what would you make?
NC: It would be a fabulous repository for personal relics. Everyone who passes through could leave a symbol of themselves that would build the most magical collection of our unique selves.


text:
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Questions from Blacksburg
It just hit me. After nearly 24 hours of confusion, chaos and charging hard to get here and report, the gravity of what happened at Virginia Tech is starting to sink in. Journalists are not supposed to show their emotions, but in this case, how can you not? 32 innocent lives, snuffed out in fit of rage. Sisters, sons, sweathearts. Gone. What a waste.
I've done stories with ER docs about what happens in times of crisis. It's not chaos as is often portrayed on TV. It's actually more like an intricate dance. Everyone knows his or her part. Folks we've talked to say the emergency response here was top notch. I am sure the families and friends of the survivors are grateful to know that.
I was in Oregon in 1998 when Kip Kinkel, then 15, killed his parents and then opened fire at his school. At the time I couldn't help but wonder, why do people commit such horrible crimes? Are some people "evil," or are such crimes the result of mental illness? Is there another explanation? Or no explanation? I'd like to know what you think.
I think a lot of these incidents come out of our inability to deal with mental illness. Personal problems I have dealt with in regard to my brother, who suffered from bipolar disorder follow: 1) I was EXTREMELY close to him and thought he was doing okay. He wasn't and almost died as a result of a suicide attempt. His doctor had been unable to get him to communicate, but hadn't notified me (his primary caregiver). I thought I knew him and how he was doing but I had NO idea what was going on, 2) He was hospitalized and because of health insurance reasons (he'd used up all his days and they wouldn't pay for any more), had to be let out of the hospital when he was still too ill to be out. After several days out with almost constant supervision, they allow him to be admitted again, when the HEALTH INSURANCE allows it (pays for it), 3) His usual arrangement regarding ongoing treatment after being released from the hospital was to come in ALONE for a 15 minute appointment with his doctor, answer a few questions about how things are going, and get his prescriptions. The problem is (since I attended these appointments later) HE CAN'T TELL YOU HOW HE IS. If the medical community doesn't involve the family they are just kidding themselves. Their patients are on really strong medications, usually really depressed, have given up on ever getting any better, etc. How can they possibly call that treatment? Their patients are unable to communicate with them!!The whole system is really messed up. It simply doesn't work on about every level. After 25 years of dealing with this, it doesn't surprise me at all that this happens. And it's just such a shame, it doesn't have to happen. Proper treatment is the key, and the family members have to DEMAND it.
What happened in Blacksburg is really sad and horrific . I am an Indian immigrant to this wonderful country and have lived here for over 25 years. There were 2 people of Indian origin killed in this tragic act. Most probably the professor may be an American citizen as most of do apply for citizenship here. There was also a young Indian female student. There is no mention of this is any of your profiles of the victims. As a community we are also going thru this tragedy and mourning the loss of all the bright and wonderful souls.. These people of Indian origin have contributed to the American society. Dr. G.V. Loganathan was loved and respected by his peers and students. Please show him the respect by honoring his achievements too.
There is evil in the heart of everyone to a lesser or greater degree.We have all felt the desire to hurt or kill someone at one point in our lives. But doing it for real is made so much easier when guns can be bought from a pawn shop for a couple of hundrerd dollars.This is the price of freedom america..now pay up and shut up
My opinion is that people in the community need to develop coping skills and a good support system. I think a lot of the times troubled people keep their thoughts and feelings bottled up inside until they do the unthinkable.
Besides the coping skills, no one should look down upon anyone else anyways.
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text:
"The Three Musicians" by Pablo Picasso
I have always been a fan of Picasso's work and this particular painting hangs in the Philadelphia Museum of Art near where I live. It probably is my favorite piece they have in their collection and I always love looking at it when I'm there. I decided to do a screenprint of an updated jazz style version of the three musicians. Prints will be available at the opening and online, details about the piece below...
Title: "One, Two, Three..." inspired by Pablo Picasso's The Three Musicians
Medium: 3 color screenprint on Cougar Natural Paper, signed and numbered edition of 50
Size: 24"x 24" • Price: $50.00


text:
Rod Hutchinson Sceptre Carp Fishing Rod
Rod Hutchinson Sceptre Carp Fishing Rod
All the experience, all of the development, all of the knowledge of Rod Hutchinson applied to a rod for everyone, from beginners to experts alike.
Boasting the power and performance of rods four times it price, Sceptre brings the enjoyment of big carp fishing to all in a mouthwatering package.
Low diameter 24T reinforced carbon blank
Understated matt finish
Abbreviated handle with anodised collars and butt cap
EVA butt grip
DPS18 reel seat
Lightweight LTS SIC guides
Black whippings with emerald trims


text:
Monday, April 18, 2011
You Shall Not Turn Stones into Government Cheese
He adds that this last petition is not for his sake -- since he no longer has that particular weakness -- but "for the ones whom we have left behind." He has this, er, friend who, you know, kind of has problems in that area.
The latter souls trudge around in circles with weights on their backs, hoping to purge themselves of the world's impurities -- or, the terrestrial impurities they have assimilated and internalized.
"Lead us not into temptation" has obvious resonance with Jesus' forty days in the desert, just after his baptism. If baptism is the "purification," then temptation is the test of purity.
And as we have discussed before, the adversary never forces the issue; he does not operate through coercion, like some mid-level government functionary, but through temptation.
Temptation is the test of purity, and purity is the victory over temptation. The purifying "fire" that occurs in the space between these two poles is our phoenishing school, so long as you make ashes of yourselves.
Temptation is etymologically related to stretch, so that it implies a kind of centrifugal pulling of ourselves outward, from the center to the periphery, from cooncentration ("coon central") to dissipation. The world itself is a giant test, an opportunity to challenge our ability to resist its seductions.
According to Pope Benedict, Jesus' time in the desert is not for his sake per se, but for ours, both as archetype and as mission.
Jesus has to plunge down "into the drama of human existence, for that belongs to the core of his mission; he has to penetrate it completely, down to its uttermost depths.... He must recapitulate the whole history from its beginnings -- from Adam on; he must go through the whole of it, in order to transform it."
To put it another way, Jesus must retake the test that Adam FAILED, and this time obtain a passing grade. Please note that this is not so much a recapitulation of horizontal history as of the vertical history that is lived -- or relived -- by every man.
You might say that Jesus needs to come down and find out the exact nature of the problem by actually experiencing -- and undergoing -- it.
We are all dropped into history, just like Jesus. Indeed, if we weren't so dropped, then Jesus' own plunge into history 1O1 would have no meaning for us. For Man is the best judge of where his shoe pinches, and Jesus aims to walk a mile in our crockosins.
But Jesus skips the multitude of middlemen -- the multifarious manifestations of maya -- and goes straight to the source, for that is just the way He rolls. This way he can reduce the whole existentialida to a more digestible three-entree combo plate, confront the "quintessential human drama," and get on with it.
Benedict reminds us that the synoptics recount "three temptations of Jesus that reflect the inner struggle over his own particular mission," but simultaneously go to the question of "what truly matters in life."
Appropriately, the temptations all ultimately flow from the violation of the first Commandment, in which God is pushed aside "as secondary, if not actually superfluous and annoying."
With this primordial "act," man inverts the cosmos and places himself at the top, thus replacing the Abbasolute with a middling relativity. Doing so redounds to countless errors of every kind, e.g., cognitive, spiritual, philosophical, political, scientific, moral, etc.
This cosmic inversion cannot fail to result in epic falls, for no house can be built upon sand. In replacing God with man, we necessarily replace truth with opinion, virtue with convention, beauty with pleasure, and wisdom with tenure.
Now, "forty days" has a number of resonances, perhaps most especially the forty days Moses spent on Sinai and the forty years the ancient Israelights stumbled around in the bewilderness.
According to Ratzinger, this cosmic number is another symbolic hint that we are dealing with a totality -- with man's entire cosmic exodus and return, i.e, History as such.
Or, one might say that History has become derailed, and Jesus' mission is to get it back on track -- or at least show us where man has buried his tracks.
The three temptations of course have an exterior and interior meaning. They involve, 1) turning stones to bread, 2) taking a flying leap, and 3) the promise of worldly power and prestige.
Do we need to repeat the verticalisthenic exergesis? These three have so many dimensions and implications, that it would be difficult to explore them all in the space of a post. Besides, I believe we have discussed these in the past, in the context of our card-by-card series of posts on MOTT.
One popular way to try to turn stones to bread is through the apparatus of the welfare state. In its case, it attempts to transform money obtained through coercion into compassion. But the state has only enumerated powers, not innumerable feelings.
In the case of, say, the Palestinians, it tries to turn money into civilization and common decency, and we see how that has worked out. It is the same with Africa. It may temporarily relieve the guilt -- and inflate the self-image -- of liberals, but that's about it. The liberal temptation is always to turn stones to bread in one form or another.
But this temptation is rooted in the prior rejection of God (temptation one) and the subsequent consolidation of power (temptation three). So it's all of a piece for the liberal statist, who stands as a vivid example of how to fail Adam's test. And why God wanted a Word with Mary, since Eve wouldn't listen.
Liberals even tendentiously interpret the First Amendment to say that it is illegal for the state to traffic in bread, or to even acknowledge its existence. Rather, it insists upon a radical separation of stones and bread.
Which perhaps might not be so destructive if it didn't then pretend that stones are bread. The liberal fuses magical faith and raw power with an irony so thick that his mind cannot penetrate it.
For the leftist, taxes are his eucharist and entitlements his benediction. His appeal to "progress" is likewise an empty gesture in a world deprived of hierarchy. For how does the materialist measure progress except in the form of more and bigger stones?
Which generations to come will carry on their backs, trundling around in fiscal circles.
Obama's temptation in the desert: "if you are truly the One, then transform this stolen pork into prosperity!" (via American Digest):
28 comments:
- Van Harvey said...
"This cosmic inversion cannot fail to result in epic falls, for no house can be built upon sand. In replacing God with man, we necessarily replace truth with opinion, virtue with convention, beauty with pleasure, and wisdom with tenure."
Even if you don't build your own house there, you can't help but get sand in your shoes everytime you go walking around.
It is sooo annoying. Take a few steps, stop, empty them out; take a few steps....
- julie said...
Appropriately, the temptations all ultimately flow from the violation of the first Commandment, in which God is pushed aside "as secondary, if not actually superfluous and annoying."
I was watching a bit of a George Carlin routine last night, part of which was a shtick about how there were too many commandments, and he could narrow them down. Not the way Christ did, of course, but the way a "rational" person ought to do it, and the first step was to pitch the first three as oogedy boogedy talk meant to control the people. The rest was as enlightening as one could imagine.
Of course, when people choose stones over bread, that is the only way they could possibly see it: A request to love God as a horizontal power grab that just happened to have long-term consequences.
Poor George - he was funny sometimes, but by the end he was mostly just marinating in his own humorless bitterness, on the one hand lamenting man's inhumanity to man, and bemoaning how we would appear should we ever meet some higher (alien) life form, and on the other wishing horrible death upon those men of whom he frivolously disapproved.
- Mizz E said...
Even if you don't build your own house there, you can't help but get sand in your shoes everytime you go walking around.
It is sooo annoying. Take a few steps, stop, empty them out; take a few steps….
- Van Harvey said...
OT: Fair and balanced, though tardy, TIME is apparently now asking Is Hell Dead?
... which might be an even worse question.
I know for a fact that they have Time magazine in the waiting room of hell.
- Van Harvey said...
MizzE, sites blocked for me here... does it have anything to do with someone else carrying you across the beach?
- Van Harvey said...
Wouldn't surprise me a bit, seeing as having only TIME magazine on hand turns waiting rooms into hell here.
- julie said...
Off topic, I'd love to see the naked bike riding protesters or the topless lady protesters have the guts to organize an event there, where it might actually make an important statement. They love to stand up to non-existent faux persecution, but when the real deal is happening just down the street, they're resoundingly absent.
- Mizz E said...
"……..does it have anything to do with someone else carrying you across the beach?"
Not exactly, but it has a lot to say about oceans and fish….Hint: grace at work in the mind of a character played by Chris Cooper, who'd, no doubt, agree that "having only TIME magazine on hand turns waiting rooms into hell here." (Ha, good one, Van.)
- Mizz E said...
Re: Rob Bell
And the name of the boy in The Secret in the Matchbox is BOBBY BELL! "A droll tale of a mysterious Bobby Bell, whose secret is a tiny dragon that escapes from its matchbox dwelling and grows at an alarming rate."
I love reading this story aloud, which much drama, to my young art students. We then draw a fantasy image, with narration, and slip it inside a matchbox for safe keeping.
I enjoyed the the topic of temptation as a test of purity in your post.
For most people there is a certain failure rate in resisting temptation;
A failure rate of 25% or below is acceptable. A rate below 5% is exemplary.
On the contrary, rates above 25% are unacceptable, are rates over 75% are outrageous.
A 100% failure rate at resisting temptation implies debauchery.
My rate is: 25%. Yours?
- Van Harvey said...
More grunting from the black hole of
- julie said...
On the topic of bread and stones, there's something I've been thinking about a lot lately, which has me wondering.
For anyone paying attention to trends in healthy - or maybe "healthy," since often the expert advice we are given turns out to be completely wrong-headed - eating, there is a new scapedough on the scene in the form of all things bread. The Paleo dieters believe man wasn't evolved to eat grain, period, and do all they can to avoid it; the low carbers, not unreasonably, distrust it for glycemic reasons, and of course there's the whole "gluten-free" movement full of people convinced that gluten will kill us all.
In a sense, then, there is a movement to turn bread into stones, and I have to wonder whether that is wise.
While I agree that culturally, we probably eat too much of the stuff, especially overly-processed white breads, the fact that it is given such Biblical importance makes me think that for most people, a little bread is a good thing, literally and figuratively. If we take too seriously the argument from evolution, while objecting to the notion that the last five thousand years of human history could have played any significant role in our development, does that give an undue amount of weight to what we assume based on scientific theory? And doesn't that also then, for the vertically minded, too easily reject the blessings of agrarian cultures - the gifts of bread?
Maybe I'm being foolish and overthinking the issue. I just wonder...
Hi Julie:
It's logical to assume that bread is a mixed blessing.
For people who do hard physical labor or exert themselves, a moderate amount of bread will be burned off quickly without deranging the system.
Howevever, for people who are not moving around much, bread will slowly derange the glucose metabolism system, namely the insulin.
The resulting chaos leads to "Metabolic Syndrome X" which eventually kills by blocking the circulation to stratetgic organs such as the brain or heart.
The current advice is to severely limit bread; a little bit goes a long way. Think of it as an occasionsl treat, but not necessarily the "staff of life."
Unless you're poor. Then you're stuck with it and yer going to die.
- julie said...
Believe me, I am intimately familiar with insulin resistance/ syndrome x. Though I suspect that for most people, bread in general is less the issue than the insane amounts of sugar and hfcs added to pretty much everything these days, I know that once the damage is done regular bread becomes decidedly unhelpful.
That said, what we think of as "bread" these days, so I've read, more closely resembles what people historically thought of as "cake." If so, again it is not bread as such that's the problem, it's the essentially dessert-like nature of our version of bread.
And agreed, moderation is key.
- Anna said...
Julie -
Interesting connection. Maybe something to keep in mind without drawing immediate conclusions. ?
wv says: worsome
Shorthand for worrisome? Or... some Word?
- julie said...
Ya know, I bet I could get a government grant for an exploration of "the meaning of bread." I could start by parsing the original meaning, doing an exploration of different forms based on different types of flour, throw in the requisite condemnation of modern America's obsession with bleached flour and the evils of mechanized food production, wax rhapsodic about some obscure culture's use of manioc or coconut flour, chastise Western European agrarian culture, all while carefully coming to no conclusion whatsoever. I bet they'd give me millions.
- Anna said...
Ah ha! Well, eventually one could certain draw some conclusions upon further examination of the matter. :)
Remember - man does not live by bread alone! (Somehow had to toss that in there. Hmmm... Oh, and one must always remember to combine it with protein.)
Bread is even part of the Jewish patterns - Shabbat Challah.
Grateful for the Bread of Life... it really fills you up! No simple sugars there, always a complex carbohydrate.
- julie said...
Grateful for the Bread of Life...
Oddly enough, that's what got me going in the first place :) In the past couple of months, I've pretty much stopped eating bread. Which seems to be good for my health, but the down side is that, before, whenever I'd have a piece of bread I made it a habit to try and think of it as a small sort of communion, keeping in mind the Last Supper. But since I've stopped eating bread (and drinking much wine, for that matter), that small bit of conscientiousness doesn't come up.
On a larger cultural scale, what happens when people stop seeing bread as the stuff of life, and instead see it as something to be avoided? Maybe I'm wrong, but given that so much of the Bible revolves around bread so specifically, it seems at least a little relevant.
- julie said...
Then again, maybe I'm just being a dork about the whole thing. That's always a distinct possibility.
- Magnus Itland said...
Good point Julie. For comparison: What happened to Jesus' message of God as our Heavenly father, when earthly fathers became people who live far away and hopefully send money?
- phil g said...
Not to turn this into a diet thread but I follow diet and exercise info closely and have a couple of thoughts to share...
Forget about the paleo and other fads, they're too extreme and unnecessary.
Eat like your Grandmother used cook. High quality, home cooked meat, 'taters and veggies. Don't eat too much fruit = too much fructose. Basically flip the FDA's food pyramid upside down...this should be a familiar solution to fellow coons.
Avoid as much as possible HFCS and industrial seed oils (vegatable oils) as much as possible these act as poisons to our systems. Almost all processed foods and juices contain HFCS and/or hydrogenated oils...these should be consumed rarely if ever.
Balance your Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids. We're way too heavy on Omega 6 and typically deficient in Omega 3 which is manifesting as severe health issues in our population. Omega 6 comes from the vegetable oils we consume. Omega 3 primarily from wild fish that we typically don't. Eat wild fish (frozen is typically best way) and take quality fish oil supplements or cod liver oil. Today's cod liver isn't the same as the rancid stuff you were probably given as a kid.
Drink your wine/beer in moderation, exercise regularly even if it just walking and enjoy life.
A healthy lifestyle really isn't that complicated and would do wonders to reduce our health care costs.
"This cosmic inversion cannot fail to result in epic falls, for no house can be built upon sand. In replacing God with man, we necessarily replace truth with opinion, virtue with convention, beauty with pleasure, and wisdom with tenure."
Don't forget the great human effort known as the Reformation which replaced Catholicism with Protestantism.
- julie said...
this should be a familiar solution to fellow coons.
Oh, indeed. I'm taking it a little further because of the metabolic issues, but for most people I think that's the best route.
Well I think we SHOULD turn stones into Government cheese.
So what do you say to that?
And furthermore, Jimmy Carter is a swell fellow and so is Deepak Chopra.
I'm tenured and I think that's good.
So what do you say to all that? Huh?
An ill wind passes through...
- William said...
For the leftist, taxes are his eucharist and entitlements his benediction.
"This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor." (Romans 13:1-7)
More proof that Jesus was clearly a liberal socialist.
You know, Republican Paul Ryan, whose budget is designed to slash entitlements for the poor and disadvantaged? When Ryan was 16 years old , his 55 year old father passed away from a heart attack. After his father's death, Ryan started collecting social security benefits that paid for his college education. Like conservative hero Ayn Rand who smoked 2 packs a day and secretly took gov't assistance after her cancer surgery.
It's about time to realize we're all related.
You're a day late and a witticism short.
Re. The language link, well duh. Given that all living humans are descended from one very small group, it stands to reason that small group had one tongue.
Come to think of it, I believe some old Hebrews had a nice bit of mythos pertaining to that fact.
This does nothing to change the fact that charitable giving at gunpoint has nothing to do with caritas, and everything to do with greed and envy.


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About the book:
Without a shift in perception and perspective, the church is in horrifying danger.
Nearly two decades ago Hank Hanegraaff's award-winning Christianity in Crisis alerted the world to the dangers of a cultic movement within Christianity that threatened to undermine the very foundation of biblical faith. But in the 21st century, there are new dangers—new teachers who threaten to do more damage than the last.
These are not obscure teachers that Hanegraaff unmasks. We know their names. We have seen their faces, sat in their churches, and heard them shamelessly preach and promote the false pretexts of a give-to-get gospel. They are virtual rock stars who command the attention of presidential candidates and media moguls.
Christianity in Crisis: 21st Century exposes darkness to light, pointing us back to a Christianity centered in Christ.
My thoughts:
(Actually, they're my hubby's thoughts. He has several of Hank Hannegraaff's books on his bookshelves, so I figured he'd be more equipped to do the review of this newly released book.)
Hank Hanegraaff's Christianity in Crisis: 21st Century isn't a new book, but it has information on new (and old) Word of Faith preachers. Hank starts by giving his cast of characters, which includes the likes of Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, Joel Osteen, and Benny Hinn. Hank not only describes the teaching of these Word of Faith leaders, he also gives a brief history of how they came to be in the position they are now.
Hank spends a lot of time dissecting the false teachings of these people. He shows how these preachers twist Bibical scripture and inject falsehood and lies in place of the truth. After explaining the differences between the Word of Faith teaching and the essentials of Christian Doctrine, Hank shows you how to refute the teachings through acronyms and Scripture.
Hank does a great job of not only exposing the Word of Faith teachers, but also shows how these teachings are connected to New Age and Metaphysical beliefs. Hank's explanations are very clear and he doesn't try to go over anyone's head. Some might see Hank's words as bold, but honestly, he is laying the truth out for the reader to see.
I really enjoyed his book. This book does cover some of the same material that was included in Counterfeit Revival, but Christianity in Crisis: 21st Century goes into much greater detail. My only suggestion would have been to include a DVD or CD of the Word of Faith teachers as proof of their arrogant statements. In all, I would recommend this book to everyone as a very helpful resource.
4 Stars


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by Carl Strang
As recent posts have shown, I am transitioning into the singing insects field season. I will be spending less time at St. James Farm over the next four months, though I won't be ignoring that preserve completely. So here is a collection of recent photos from St. James Farm Forest Preserve.


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Coming from the latest "Southern" group show that opened just a bit back, Last Rites Gallery has released two new prints. "Dirtyland IV" by Brian Viveros and "Southern" by Brian Viveros and Matthew Bone. Both prints are about 18″ x 24″, signed and numbered in editions of only 12 for $200. These prints are also Last Rites Exclusives, these can be had no where else.
New print by Brian Viveros @ Last Rites GalleryPosted on May 28, 2009
1 Comment
lewMay 29, 2009 at 8:53 am
I need to get my hands on my first Viveros print!!! I love this guys stuff. With editions of 12, i cant believe these giclees havent sold out.
Plus there's a GWAR gig poster done by Jason D'Aquino?!?!?!? That must be his only gig poster. That thing is sick!!!!


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At the recent national biennial conference of the Association of Legal Writing Directors (ALWD), Professor Linda Berger received the Linda Berger Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Legal Writing Scholarship. This award celebrates those who have had a significant impact in the field of legal writing through their scholarly efforts. The award will be presented every two years at ALWD's biennial conference.
In remarks given before Professor Berger was honored, ALWD President Wanda M. Temm stated "…her prolific work established legal writing within the legal academy as a true discipline with a doctrinal foundation on which to build its own body of scholarly literature. Moreover, she has been generous in her efforts to support other scholars in the field, leading presentations and workshops about legal writing scholarship, and helping new scholars find their voice. There is perhaps no other individual in our community who has had the same profound impact on the discipline of legal writing as our recipient."
Our sincerest congratulations to Professor Berger on this incredible honor.


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Day Two of the Gwyneth Cleanse
L.A. Magazine's Mary Melton is on day two of Gwyneth Paltrow's detox regimen, and is finding out that it's a lot of work and a strain on her marriage:
Last night, with only one solid meal all day, I was famished—a bit weak in the knees and nowhere on my face was to be found even a hint of that wide beatific smile of a certain actress. Nonetheless, anticipating, like most normal working people without personal chefs, that I'd be unable to just whip up the "meals" that would constitute Day Two of my Gwyneth Cleanse, I got a head start on cooking. This would entail making two soups from scratch...
The kitchen was Armageddon—the Gwyneth cleanse makes an unholy mess of it at least twice a day—and I left this morning with [my husband] scrubbing pots and pans and muttering something along the lines of: "I bet Chris Martin doesn't have to clean up after this!"


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*Credit is subject to status and application.
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- Job Title: Assistant Sous Chef
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- Department: Nutrition Service RH/D
- Full/Part Time: Full-Time
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Position summary
Assistant Sous Chef (Job Opening 455864) - Scope of Position: Is a member of the food production team that supports patient and retail food services for the medical center.
Position Summary : Under the supervision of a Manager 3, the Asst. Sous Chef is responsible for the preparation of foods in support of patient and retail food operations. The ASC operates as part of a culinary team and is responsible for the complete knowledge of food preparation, presentation and applicable food code for their service area. Asst Sous Chef utilizes advanced understanding of food preparation techniques, garnishing, equipment operation and time management to meet service demands. Demonstrates the medical center values in their interactions with patients, customers, and staff and displays professional conduct at all times.
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Unresolved conflict in the workplace can get in the way of a work group's performance and, ultimately, impact organizational performance. Businesses benefit when everyone in the organization is able to use a common, proven approach to preventing and resolving conflict. Knowing the hidden dimension of conflict—how it shows up differently for different styles—enables organizations to adopt a common language and framework for recognizing and managing conflict.
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|Session Length:
|1/2 Day Programs available
|Participant Materials:
|Participant Guide & job aid card
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