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By now it is safe to assume that we all know the health benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids. But how important are they really?
Well, pretty important.
People who have more Omega 3 in their system have larger, more functional brains. This is a scientific fact. In context, our brains have around 100 billion neurons, their total mass is comprised of approximately 8% Omega 3 fatty acids!
In 2007, researchers released the findings from a landmark study in the elderly which found that those who consumed Omega 3 had larger brain volumes and increased grey matter (the part of our brain that pretty much does everything; including controlling our muscles, interpreting sensory information, storing memories, making us think, talk and have emotions). But possibly the greatest finding of all was that the researchers noticed that Omega 3 increased cellular development in those parts of the brain associated with happiness! How amazing is that?
The common consensus used to be that pregnant women should limit their fish consumption during pregnancy. Then three years ago the medical journal Lancet published a study conducted in 12 000 pregnant women who obtained Omega 3 fatty acids through consuming fish versus those who hadn't, and the results were staggering: They showed that the children of those women who hadn't eaten fish, consistently scored lower on IQ tests than the children from the Omega 3 cohort. During the development of the foetus, Omega 3s accumulate in the brain and are vital in its development.
Our brains are literally dependent on Omega 3
These polyunsaturated fatty acids are important for healthy brain, heart and liver function as well as aiding other parts of our anatomy to operate optimally. They support the structure of brain cells, decrease the damage done by inflammation and oxidisation in the brain and also upregulate the production of important neurotransmitters (like serotonin – our happy molecule). In fact, Omega 3 consumption is so vital for human health, that according to a meta analysis conducted by Harvard University in 2009, it was estimated that nearly 100 000 mortalities in the US could be prevented if people ingested more Omega 3!
Our bodies cannot naturally make Omega 3 fatty acids. We obtain these from our diet. There are 3 different types of fatty acid used by the human body (this is where the '3' comes from). These are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). EPA and DHA are the ones most widely used in the body, in fact, once ingested ALA is converted into EPA and DHA. ALA is the plant version of EPA and DHA.
Humans derive their essential Omega 3s from Krill oil, cod liver oil, phytoplankton, salmon oil, flaxseed oil, kelp and on and on. The shelves are now saturated with products containing this beneficial fatty acid.
But how do the different formulations/sources measure up against each other?
First, let's take a closer look at what Omega 3 fatty acids actually are.
EPA and DHA – what's the difference?
As mentioned, there are two types of Omega 3 fatty acids used by the body. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Whilst these may be a mouthful to say, it is important to understand what makes them distinct from each other – as different sources contain varying ratios of these two fatty acids
Both EPA and DHA are the principal by-products of alpha linolenic acid (or ALA, the type of fatty acid itself- derived from seed consumption) metabolism, it appears that the conversion process happens at a more optimal rate (15% higher) in women than in men.
DHA is important. A deficiency in DHA has been linked with cognitive decline, as its absence promotes increased neuronal cell death (apoptosis.) Decreased levels of DHA have been observed in the brain tissue of severely depressed patients.
Humans obtain DHA naturally from their mother's milk and throughout life by consuming certain food groups, mainly marine organisms (fish, krill and algae/phytoplankton) though flax seeds contain a high percentage of DHA.
The structural integrity of our cerebral cortex (the part of our brain that deals with information from our sensory organs and also controls all voluntary muscle movement) relies heavily on the presence of DHA (it makes up 40% of all polyunsaturated fatty acids in the cortex – half the weight of the plasma membrane of a nerve cell is made of DHA.) This fatty acid is also important for the development of sperm in the testes and also the retinal layer of the eye and the structure and make-up of our skin (our largest organ.) In the retina, DHA comprises up to 60% of all polyunsaturated fatty acids.
DHA helps modulate the synapses that communicate electrical pulses into chemical messages between neurons. It also facilitates the transport of the essential nutritional compounds taurine, choline and glycine.
As you can see from the above graphic, EPA has a longer chain than DHA. EPA is often referred to as a longer chain (20 carbon bases) Omega-3 fatty acid. Sometimes it is also called timnodonic acid. EPA is also a natural precursor to DHA, and is metabolically difficult for us to synthesise – so in many ways it is more important for us to get high concentrations of this fatty acid than DHA – because even though the EPA can be converted into DHA, the reverse is not true.
Clinical studies have shown that EPA has the ability to reduce symptoms in people with depression and schizophrenia. People who consumed Omega-3 with a higher EPA:DHA ratio showed greater reduction in the severity of their symptoms. It also has positive, measurable, effects on healthy liver functioning.
In our diet it EPA found mostly in fatty fish, in eggs, and in smaller amounts in seaweed and phytoplankton/algae.
Fish Oil Omega 3
In terms of Omega 3 supplementation, fish oil was what started it all off (the 'alpha'). Omega 3 used to be derived from fish livers (most of us can probably remember being forced to ingest yucky cod liver oil as children) but the extraction techniques have now become so sophisticated, that modern fish oil derives it from the whole fish.
It has been measured that fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, and sardines) provide about 1 g of Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA:DHA ratios alter depending on species) for every 100 g of fish. Recently, suppliers of fish oil supplements are attempting to improve the purity of the Omega 3's obtained from fish, as well as increasing the EPA:DHA ratio.
It is important to note that if you obtain your Omega-3's from fish, that frying the fish in other oils has the ability to cancel the protective properties of the Omega-3 ingested. Nutritionists recommend that you either bake or boil the fish (or eat raw) as opposed to frying it.
As opposed to krill and phytoplankton (which have seasonal variations of Omega 3 concentrations,) fish oil has a standard concentration all year round.
Phytoplankton Omega 3
Phytoplankton (alternatively, algae) are marine microbes that live in nitrogen-rich parts of the sea. Usually phytoplankton live fairly close to the surface as they utilise UV radiation from the sun to manufacture many important nutrients (including EPA and DHA). Incidentally, phytoplankton are one of the longest surviving multicellular life forms on this Earth – they gave birth to all land plants about 500 million years ago.
Compared to fish, phytoplankton have a much higher Omega 3 content per gram of body weight. In fact staggeringly, in one species, the thraustochytrids, Omega 3 fatty acids make up over half of the body weight!
In general phytoplankton's omega-3 content is nearly twice as high (per 100 g) as that of any species of fatty fish. Fish and all other marine organisms obtain their Omega-3 fatty acid content from ingesting phytoplankton.
So it appears that sourcing omega 3's from phytoplankton makes sense from a sustainability point of view (getting it directly from the source.) However, phytoplankton has a much lower ratio of EPA:DHA than Omega 3's obtained from fish oil.
Krill Oil Omega 3
Krill form the basis of the Antarctic food web. They are tiny marine crustaceans (resembling shrimp) that are found in all oceans of the world.
But because these smaller creatures are the main food source for larger fish (some whales and dolphins, for instance, feed exclusively on krill), harvesting these smaller varieties is depriving entire species of their food supply.
Krill oil offers some advantages over fish oil. Krill are much smaller than fish and as such they cannot store toxins such as mercury, hence krill oil is free from some of the contaminants found in larger fish. It also has a higher antioxidant content, including vitamins A and E and astaxanthin. Krill oil also has a higher ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 essential fatty acids, so can help redress the disproportionate level of Omega 6s often present in the modern diet.
Furthermore, krill contain phospholipid liposomes (natural pouches that bind cellular receptors and bring Omega 3 and antioxidants directly into the cells) and this enhances the absorption of these important nutrients when compared to triglyceride carriers found in standard fish oils.
Flaxseed Oil Omega 3
The first advantage of this formulation is that it is vegetarian. Flaxseed oil is sourced from the flax plant Linum usitatissimum, commonly known as Linseed. Flaxseed oil has the highest ALA content of any vegetarian source (plant). It is the most stable form of ALA because flaxseed oil contains high amounts of the protective antioxidant Vitamin E, compared with fish oil Omega 3s which do not.
One flax seed is made up of nearly 40% oil (by weight) and of this oil, 55% of it is Omega 3 fatty acid. Every tablespoon of flaxseed oil contains around 8 grams of ALA.
Interestingly, some clinical studies have shown that people who suffer from irritations in the gut (Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disorder) benefit from flaxseed oil as it appears to have a soothing effect on the mucosal lining of the gut.
How does the Food Chain factor into all this?
In biology class we learned that all animals on earth exist in a subtle interconnected 'hierarchy' organised via an intricate web of animals that are dependent on the presence of other animal species for survival (mainly as a food source). The relationship is complex and calling it a 'hierarchy' is a little misleading – even 'chain' does not describe what the reality looks like. A web would be the most apt descriptor. Let's look at the ocean as an example:
Phytoplankton would be at the very base of the chain (or web – where it all starts) – Sharks and Orcas would sit at the top. They regulate the whole ocean food web. Reducing krill and fish populations to obtain Omega 3 removes a vital connection in this web and the knock on effects can be drastic.
Furthermore, taking the lifespan of a fish into account, we learn that fish can accumulate a lot of environmental contaminants and pollution in their life time, whereas phytoplankton and algae have a much shorter lifespan and hence don't accumulate these toxins.
On top of this, our fish stocks have already been taxed the world over, due to their popularity in most cultures as a major food source. 1.4 billion hooks (laden with 1.4 billion fish) are cast every year by commercial fishermen. Trawl nets with catch depths of over 23 000 m² bring in over 500 tons of marine life (think 4 rugby pitches filled with marine life) with each haul – shockingly, most of the marine life is 'unusable' by-catch that just gets tossed over board again. Adding supplement derived omega-3 from fish to this industry is argued by some to be unsustainable.
In the USA alone, consumers spend over $1 billion dollars every year on fish oil! That's a lot of fish.
So which Omega 3 to choose?
This depends on what you are trying to achieve, how highly you value sustainability and whether you are vegetarian or not. You can increase your Omega 3 naturally by ingesting foods with high concentrations. Besides fatty fish, great dietary sources of Omega 3s are chia seeds, walnuts, flaxseeds, canola oil, olive oil and pumpkin seeds.
Hopefully this article has helped outline the subtle differences between the varying Omega 3s out there. The ultimate choice remains yours however.
But choose. You must. For your brain, your heart, your liver – indeed, your whole body!
by Christopher von Roy BSc, MSc, DCP Immunology
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2667673 "The Preventable Causes of Death in the United States: Comparative Risk Assessment of Dietary, Lifestyle, and Metabolic Risk Factors"
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Have you been taking omega 3 supplements? If so, where was it sourced? If you have tried different formulations please let us know which one you liked best.


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The other day, I rediscovered (ie. remembered) this track I put together some time ago. It comes from a time where I listened to and made mostly electronic music.
There were ambitions for this track to be part of something bigger – maybe someday it will – but for now, enjoy.

subset: commoncrawl


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On May 5, 2015 at the Port of Dar es Salaam, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), along with the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism announced the launch of a new "Canine Detection Program" in Tanzania. Through this program, Tanzanian police officers with specially-trained dogs will be posted at the Dar es Salaam Port and the airport to help detect heroin and ivory.
CBP Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske was joined at the Port by Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism Lazaro Nyalandu, Acting Director General of Tanzania Ports Authority, Aloyce Matei, and U.S. Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. Virginia Blaser in describing the innovative new cooperative program. Over the coming months, Tanzanian police officers will attend highly specialized training at a CBP facility in the United States. They will return to Tanzania with dogs trained to detect heroin and ivory. These officers and their assigned dogs will be stationed at the Port and the airport, and will be a critical element in the fight against the trafficking of illegal drugs and wildlife products.
"Canine programs provide a valuable addition to detection capabilities at ports of entry," said CBP Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske. "We are pleased to work with our partners in Tanzania to provide CBP's canine expertise in expanding their program and, for the first time in CBP history, extend the canine detection capability to ivory."
U.S. Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Virginia Blaser noted "The canine detection program we're launching today is a great example of what we can achieve with all the right people working together through a whole-of-government approach to fight illicit trafficking. One organization, one agency, one ministry, one country, can't do it alone. To catch and stop poachers and drug traffickers, we must all work together."
In addition to the initial training of police officers and providing dogs, CBP will assist in other aspects of the program, such as the development of an effective administrative management system, continued training, and a health program for the dogs. This new collaboration builds on a long-standing partnership between Tanzania and the United States in security and law enforcement operations. For example, CBP has trained more than 200 Tanzanian police and wildlife personnel through the Regional Rural Border Patrol Unit, and this year ten Tanzanians will participate in an upcoming Instructor Program that will equip them to teach the Regional Rural Border Patrol curriculum.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of U.S. borders at and between the official ports of entry.
To request more information, please email Japhet Sanga (firstname.lastname@example.com), Senior Information Specialist at U.S. Embassy Dar es Salaam.


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Human Resources Management System (HRMS)
The PeopleSoft HRMS module allows managers to review employee job information.
This includes:
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- Leave Balances
- Additional Pay
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- Responsibility Review data
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- Emergency contact information
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PeopleSoft Logins
Production Environments:
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- HRMS (Includes Query and Employee Self-Service)
Other Environments:
Trouble Logging In?
Contact the NDUS Help Desk to submit an online help ticket or call 1-866-457-6387.


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So you guys know I will shop any and every where right? I personally think that any self-respecting Fashionista should be able to. I haven't been in K-Mart in a looooooong time because for one, there aren't many around anymore and two, I just really haven't had a justified reason to. Well that is until now. K-Mart has definitely stepped their game up as far as their clothing options are concerned. They have improved their in-store brand "Attention" as well as added celebrity brands such as The Sofia Vergara Collection and I must say that I'm pleasantly surprised.
When I saw LaLa in this dress on The Fashion Bomb a few weeks ago, I was like that is a really cute dress and I LOVE the print. I had no idea where it came from until it was updated in a later post and I found out that it came from K-Mart. I was like, WHAAAAAAAAATTT!!! That's a K-Mart dress???? There was even some buzz over twitter about it, so I was very intrigued.
Later on that day, I was in my local K-Mart and Yes, I DID buy it, LOL!!! It was originally priced at $24.99 and they were having a 30% off sale! I paid $17.99 for this baby and I really LOVE it.
Before I go I wanna let you guys know that I'm on Instagram now, so please follow me (7eventhLetter) there. If you're anything like me, you'll be HOOKED on it!
So Dolls tell me, are you savvy enough to shop EVERYWHERE? Chime in!


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Learn How to Rock Your Social Strategy With NJSA and Haley Marketing Group
If you have ever wished your team could leverage social media more effectively, you have a unique opportunity coming your way this Wednesday. The New Jersey Staffing Alliance will be hosting a webinar entitled, "A Step-By-Step Guide to Social Media Success" on March 28 at 12:00 p.m., EDT. Haley Marketing Group's own Jenny Keller Yesilevskiy,… Continue reading


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Bell metal is a hard alloy used for making bells and related instruments, such as cymbals. It is a form of bronze, usually in approximately a 4:1 ratio of copper to tin (e.g., 78% copper, 22% tin by mass). Bell metal ore is a sulfide of tin, copper, and iron called stannite.
In India, in the state of Assam, it is called kanh while in West Bengal and Odisha, kansa, and is used for cooking and eating utensils. Sarthebari in Barpeta district of Assam holds a unique place in the production of kanh utensils. In Assam, utensils of kanh have many religious uses and the most unique utensils, bata and banbati, are used to give offerings and puja or to show respect to honored guests and dignitaries. Belaguntha in Ganjam district, Kantilo in Nayagarh, and Balakati near Bhubaneswar are well-known for this craft in Odisha.
Most commonly, and as per its colloquial name, bell metal was used for the casting of bells (see Bellfounding). Functional bells, with the intention of producing sound, are usually made by casting bell metal, a high-copper alloy of bronze, with approximately a 4:1 ratio of copper to tin (78% copper, 22% tin). Both tin and copper are relatively soft metals that will deform on striking (though tin to a lesser extent than copper), but alloying the two elements creates a metal which is harder and less ductile and also one with more elasticity than the use of just one of the metals alone.[1] This metal combination produces a tough, long-wearing material that is resistant to oxidation and subject only to an initial surface weathering. Verdigris forms a protective patina on the surface of the bell which coats it against further oxidation.[2] Bell metal of these ratios has been used for more than 3,000 years, and is known for its resonance and "attractive sound."[1] This allows for a better bell resonance and causes the bell to "vibrate like a spring when struck", a necessary quality as the clapper may strike the bell at speeds of up to 600 miles per hour. The forces holding the tin and copper together cause vibrations rather than cracks when the bell is struck which creates a resonant tone.[1]
In Russia, church bells are commonly cast with a unique mixture of copper and tin, often with silver added, to produce their unique sonority and resonance, mastered early in Russian Christian history.[3]
In esoteric Buddhism (e.g., Vajrayana), bells (both hand bells and singing bells) may be cast with a special 5-Metal alloy. Each of the metals represents one of the 5 Buddhas / Wisdoms:
There is no standard proportion to the metals used in this alloy (although it is often around 75% copper and 20% tin with low proportions of the other metals). A 7-Metal alloy containing trace amounts of silver and gold (representing Absolute and Relative Truth) is also sometimes used.
Bell metal was used to cast many early Spanish, Portuguese and Malay[nb 1] cannon, most notably the Javanese cannon known erroneously as lantaka.[nb 2] In Java, bell metal mixtures including tin were used not only for the manufacture of figurines, objet d'art, sculptures and household goods for the wealthy, they were employed for the gongs, saron, demung and numerous other struck glockenspiel-like instruments of the Javanese gamelan ensemble. This material was also adopted by the Javanese influenced cultures of Thailand, Khmer and Myanmar. Bell metal is particularly prized for its excellent sonorous qualities, also found in bell metal cannons which produce a distinct, loud ring when fired.[4]
The Javanese lantaka was first cast in bell metal under an Empu of the early Majapahit Empire and spread into the surrounding islands of the Nusantara, Javanese skill in gunsmithing and cannon-founding affording military dominance over the surrounding area. Later, disaffected smiths and noble entourages emigrating from Java brought these cannon-founding skill to Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Myanmar.[5][6] When Ternate was captured by the Spanish, they were astounded to find over 3000 very finely cast bell metal cannon in the walled compound, although humorously to the Spaniards these were tied upright to veranda poles, used as phallic-lingam household decorations rather than weapons.[4] The Spanish and Portuguese were equally astounded to find their European bronze cannon offerings to the Javanese rejected as inferior in quality, as they rightly were.[5]
After the Dutch victories, Javanese smithed cannons of Makassar, Ternate, and the surrounding islands were taken as reparations, considered by the Dutch as made of bronze superior to their own, and subsequently melted down and recast in Dutch standard calibres and bores.[6][7]
Culturally, Javanese bronze cannons and their regional derivatives were traditionally part of a dowry, and offering a poor quality cast bronze cannon was a supreme insult. Brunei and Malaysia retain the tradition of a token cannon as dowry for weddings, and many celebrations are opened with a celebratory shot.
Lead, Germanium, Periodic table, Indium, Antimony
Gold, Silver, Aluminium, Nickel, Zinc
Bhubaneswar, Odia language, Cuttack, India, Rourkela
Jakarta, East Java, West Java, Central Java, Banten
Thailand, Myanmar, India, Yangon, Mandalay
Tin, Copper, Zinc, Silicon, Greek mythology
Copper, Mughal Empire, Tin, Bronze, Uttar Pradesh
Copper, Pitch (music), Tin, Gold, Bell (instrument)
Italy, Gamelan, Devon, Unesco, Mathematics


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Demazin Cold Relief Blue Syrup
Effective relief from:
- Runny nose
- Blocked nose and sinus
- Sneezing
- Watery, itchy eyes
Suitable for: Children 6 years and over and adults.
Use in children 6-11 years old only on medical advice.
Flavour: Vanilla/Peach
Children 6–11 years: 8–15 mL every 6–8 hours; Maximum daily dose: 32-60 mL
Adults and children 12 years and over: 15 mL every 6 hours; Maximum daily dose: 60 mL
Each 5 mL of syrup contains:
Chlorphenamine maleate 1.25 mg
Phenylephrine hydrochloride 2.5 mg
Available in 200mL
Does not contain:
Lactose, gluten, aspirin or paracetamol.
Please read the label for other ingredients.


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Big jumps. Big hang time. Big wind range. Designed from the ground up, this kite will rocket you upwind fast, with anti-gravity boosting capabilities. Optimised for all conditions, the North Orbit is a predictable kite that can be flown in the unpredictable. Light bar pressure allows effortless and precise steering with a massive sweet spot. A stiff frame provides a stable platform to help with overpowered airs and megaloops in gusty conditions. Tested by nature and proven by our athletes. Jesse Richman trusted the Orbit to win the crown, Nick Jacobsen to take out the highest score and Marc Jacobs for the highest jump at the 2020 Red Bull King of the Air.
Wide flat 2-stage arc supported by a reinforced exo-skeleton frame for precision boosting capabilities. The Orbit boosts and loops with ease and is guaranteed to take your breath away. The flattened 2-stage arc design enables a smooth curved efficient central region of the kite to produce power, with straighter wing tips for a more dynamic steering response. The Orbit makes the most use of its area, so it has the best hangtime and best power delivery for its size.Powerful 5-strut performanceIncredible upwind performanceHigh aspect sweep designControlled response
"Megaloops on a 12? I'd never done that before. I have so much trust in this kite, in every condition."– Nick Jacobsen
Recalibrated for more direct response, more command and performance, and striking the perfect balance between clean lines and aerodynamics. Our kites all have a wide, flattened two-stage arc design, guaranteeing the best hang time and power delivery for their size, with more dynamic steering.MORE KITE TECH
We've added an extra panel that connects to the leading edge seam to ensure a precise lateral profile shape is maintained as close to the leading edge as possible, creating a smooth transition from the segmented leading edge to the curved canopy. This results in a more aerodynamic and efficient airflow and less turbulence.
Lightweight reinforcement to protect from chafing and abrasion along the struts to the leading edge. Thin foam padding is inserted underneath to form a lightweight durable buffer which lifts the kite slightly off rough surfaces, and protect the stitching along the struts and leading edge seams.
Bar pressure / steering impulse wing tip tuning options let you fine tune the kite to your personal preference.
Spliced, pre-stretched bridle lines with less parasitic drag for greater aerodynamic performance. Our new manufacturing method to pre-load and measure the bridle lines before cutting improves accuracy and consistency. This combined with quality materials, results in reduced shrinkage, reduced elongation and improved longevity.
High volume single point inflation system with larger diameter hose for rapid inflation and deflation. Bayonet style main inflation valve compatible with most pumps. No adapter needed.
Simplified. Less breakage. Removing the plastic pulleys from within the load-bearing part of the kite improves safety and your connection to the kite. The result is lower drag, more accuracy and a more direct feeling as the kite powers more evenly through the turn.
For the most accurate and durable connection between the strut and the leading edge.
A durable frame around the perimeter of the kite made from stretch-resistant Techno Force 160gsm Dacron material. It adds durability, strength and elongation control, protecting the lighter inner main canopy body and making the kite more responsive in the steering and depower. The result is a durable kite that can hold its profile for increased performance and lift, but is also dynamic, flexible and can twist to turn.
D2 Ripstop Fabric by Teijin. Premium high-density canopy material made in Japan, using high tenacity polyester yarn for lightness, high tearing strength and endurance. Teijin Techno Force has the highest strength to weight ratio and longest durability in the industry.
"This kite does just everything, from super strong winds in Cape Town to chilled light winds in the Caribbean. It feels smooth, powerful, and has more lift than any kite I've ever ridden."– Graham Howes


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Sugar prices declined further by Rs 50-60 on Vashi spot market on Tuesday due to increased selling pressure of producers. To complete the sales of current month's non levy quota in time, mills started selling at lower price, while local demand eased in middle of the month. Mills sold sugar at Rs 40-60 lower which dragged down naka rates by Rs 60-80 a quintal. With routine volume sentiments remained weak at the end of the day, said traders.
Sources said increased selling pressure at mill level and weak futures market dragged down market sentiment further. Secondly, stockists have covered sugar at higher price in the first week of the month since then prices have came down by more than by Rs 250 hence they prefer to stay away from fresh bulk as retail demand also generally ease in middle month time. Recent monsoon rains allaying concerns about the poor crops also weighed on prices.
In Vashi market, arrivals were 57-58 truck loads (each of 100 bags of quintal each) and local dispatches were about 55-56 truck loads. On Monday about 16–17 mills offered tenders and sold about 80,000-85,000 bags (each of 100 kg) sugar to local stockists in the range of Rs 3,410-3,480 (Rs 3,470-3,520) for S-grade and Rs 3,510-3,570 (Rs 3,550-3,620) for M-grade.
Bombay Sugar Merchants Association's spot rates: S-grade Rs 3,536-3,632 (Rs 3,591-3,676) and M-grade Rs 3,601- 3,791 (Rs 3,651- 3,811). Naka delivery rates: S-grade Rs 3,480 -3,520 (Rs 3,540-3,580) and M-grade Rs 3,550-3,640 (Rs 3,600-3,730).


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Frequent Links
HD 209458 b
|Extrasolar planet
|List of extrasolar planets
| 300px
| Parent star
Star
HD 209458

Constellation
Right ascension
(α)
22h 03m 10.8s

(δ)
+18° 53′ 04″

Apparent magnitude
(mV)
7.65

Distance	154 ly
| Orbital elements

Semimajor axis	(a)
0.045 AU
| Physical characteristics

Mass	(m)	0.71 MJ

Radius	(r)	1.35 ± 0.05 RJ

Density	(ρ)	370 kg m−3

Surface gravity	(g)	18.46 m/s² (1.88 g)

 Temperature	 (T)	 1,130 ± 150

| Discovery information
Discovery date
November 5, 1999

Discoverer(s)
D. Charbonneau
|Other designations

Database references

Extrasolar Planets
HD 209458 b (sometimes though unofficially named Osiris) is an extrasolar planet that orbits the Solar analog star HD 209458 in the constellation Pegasus, some 150 light-years from Earth's solar system. The radius of the planet's orbit is 7 million kilometres, about 0.047 astronomical units, or one eighth the radius of Mercury's orbit. This small radius results in a year that is 3.5 Earth days long and an estimated surface temperature of about 1,000 °C (about 1,800 °F). Its mass is 220 times that of Earth (0.69 Jupiter masses) and its volume is some 2.5 times greater than that of Jupiter. The high mass and great volume of HD 209458 b indicate that it is a gas giant.
HD 209458 b represents a number of milestones in extraplanetary research. It was the first of many categories:
- a transiting extrasolar planet
- the first planet detected through more than one method
- an extrasolar planet known to have an atmosphere
- an extrasolar planet observed to have an evaporating hydrogen atmosphere
- an extrasolar planet found to have an atmosphere containing oxygen and carbon
- one of the first two extrasolar planets to be directly observed spectroscopically
- the first extrasolar gas giant to have its superstorm measured
- the first planet to have its orbital speed measured, determining its mass directly.[2]
Based on the application of new, theoretical models, as of April 2007, it is alleged to be the first extrasolar planet found to have water vapor in its atmosphere.[3][4][5][6]
In July, 2014, NASA announced finding very dry atmospheres on three exoplanets (HD 189733b, HD 209458b, WASP-12b) orbiting sun-like stars.[7]
- 1 Detection and discovery
- 2 Rotation
- 3 Physical characteristics
- 4 Magnetic field
- 5 Possible tests of fundamental physics
- 6 See also
- 7 References
- 8 Further reading
- 9 External links
Detection and discovery
Spectroscopic studies first revealed the presence of a planet around HD 209458 on November 5, 1999. Astronomers had made careful photometric measurements of several stars known to be orbited by planets, in the hope that they might observe a dip in brightness caused by the transit of the planet across the star's face. This would require the planet's orbit to be inclined such that it would pass between the Earth and the star, and previously no transits had been detected.
Soon after the discovery, separate teams, one led by David Charbonneau including Timothy Brown and others, and the other by Gregory W. Henry, were able to detect a transit of the planet across the surface of the star making it the first known transiting extrasolar planet. On September 9 and 16, 1999, Charbonneau's team measured a 1.7% drop in HD 209458's brightness, which was attributed to the passage of the planet across the star. On November 8, Henry's team observed a partial transit, seeing only the ingress.[8] Initially unsure of their results, the Henry group decided to rush their results to publication after overhearing rumors that Charbonneau had successfully seen an entire transit in September. Papers from both teams were published simultaneously in the same issue of the Astrophysical Journal. Each transit lasts about three hours, during which the planet covers about 1.5% of the star's face.
The star had been observed many times by the Hipparcos satellite, which allowed astronomers to calculate the orbital period of HD 209458 b very accurately at 3.524736 days.[9]
Spectroscopic analysis had shown that the planet had a mass about 0.69 times that of Jupiter.[10] The occurrence of transits allowed astronomers to calculate the planet's radius, which had not been possible for any previously known exoplanet, and it turned out to have a radius some 35% larger than Jupiter's.
Direct detection
On March 22, 2005, NASA released news that infrared light from the planet had been measured by the Spitzer Space Telescope, the first ever direct detection of light from an extrasolar planet. This was done by subtracting the parent star's constant light and noting the difference as the planet transited in front of the star and was eclipsed behind it, providing a measure of the light from the planet itself. New measurements from this observation determined the planet's temperature as at least 750 °C (1300 °F). The circular orbit of HD 209458 b was also confirmed.
Spectral observation
On February 21, 2007, NASA and Nature released news that HD 209458 b was one of the first two extrasolar planets to have their spectra directly observed, the other one being HD 189733 b.[11][12] This was long seen as the first mechanism by which extrasolar but non-sentient life forms could be searched for, by way of influence on a planet's atmosphere. A group of investigators led by Jeremy Richardson of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center spectrally measured HD 209458 b's atmosphere in the range of 7.5 to 13.2 micrometres. The results defied theoretical expectations in several ways. The spectrum had been predicted to have a peak at 10 micrometres which would have indicated water vapor in the atmosphere, but such a peak was absent, indicating no detectable water vapor. Another unpredicted peak was observed at 9.65 micrometres, which the investigators attributed to clouds of silicate dust, a phenomenon not previously observed. Another unpredicted peak occurred at 7.78 micrometres, which the investigators did not have an explanation for. A separate team led by Mark Swain of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory reanalyzed the Richardson et al. data, and had not yet published their results when the Richardson et al. article came out, but made similar findings.
On 23 June 2010, astronomers announced they have measured a superstorm (with windspeeds of up to 7000 km/h) for the first time in the atmosphere of HD 209458 b.[13] The very high-precision observations done by ESO's Very Large Telescope and its powerful CRIRES spectrograph of carbon monoxide gas show that it is streaming at enormous speed from the extremely hot day side to the cooler night side of the planet. The observations also allow another exciting "first"—measuring the orbital speed of the exoplanet itself, providing a direct determination of its mass.[2]
As of August 2008, the most recent calculation of HD 209458 b's Rossiter-McLaughlin effect and so spin-orbit angle was that of Winn in 2005.[14] This is −4.4 ± 1.4 degrees.[15]
Physical characteristics
It had been previously hypothesized that hot Jupiters particularly close to their parent star should exhibit this kind [clarification needed] of inflation due to intense heating of their outer atmosphere. Tidal heating due to its orbit's eccentricity, which may have been more eccentric at formation, may also have played a role over the past billion years.[16]
Stratosphere and upper clouds
The atmosphere is at a pressure of one bar at an altitude of 1.29 Jupiter radii above the planet's center.[17]
Where the pressure is 33±5 millibars, the atmosphere is clear (probably hydrogen) and its Rayleigh effect is detectable. At that pressure the temperature is 2200±260 K.[17]
Observations by the orbiting Microvariability and Oscillations of STars telescope initially limited the planet's albedo (or reflectivity) below 30%, making it a surprisingly dark object. (The geometric albedo has since been measured to 3.8 ± 4.5%.[18]) In comparison, Jupiter has a much higher albedo of 52%. This would suggest that HD 209458 b's upper cloud deck is either made of less reflective material than is Jupiter's, or else has no clouds and Rayleigh-scatters incoming radiation like Earth's dark ocean.[19] Models since then have shown that between the top of its atmosphere and the hot, high pressure gas surrounding the mantle, there exists a stratosphere of cooler gas.[20][21] This implies an outer shell of dark, opaque, hot cloud; usually thought to consist of vanadium and titanium oxides like M dwarf stars ("pM planets"), but other compounds like tholins cannot be ruled out yet.[21] The Rayleigh-scattering heated hydrogen rests at the top of the stratosphere; the absorptive portion of the cloud deck floats above it at 25 millibars.[22]
Surrounding that level, on November 27, 2001 the Hubble Space Telescope detected sodium, the first planetary atmosphere outside the Solar System to be measured.[23] This detection was predicted by Sara Seager in late 2001.[24] The core of the sodium line runs from pressures of 50 millibar to a microbar.[25] This turns out to be about a third the amount of sodium at HD 189733 b.[26]
In 2003–4, astronomers used the Hubble Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph to discover an enormous ellipsoidal envelope of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen around the planet that reaches 10,000 K. The hydrogen exosphere extends to a distance RH=3.1 RJ, much larger than the planetary radius of 1.32 RJ.[27] At this temperature and distance, the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution of particle velocities gives rise to a significant 'tail' of atoms moving at speeds greater than the escape velocity. The planet is estimated to be losing about 100–500 million (1–5×108) kg of hydrogen per second. Analysis of the starlight passing through the envelope shows that the heavier carbon and oxygen atoms are being blown from the planet by the extreme "hydrodynamic drag" created by its evaporating hydrogen atmosphere. The hydrogen tail streaming from the planet is approximately 200,000 kilometres long, which is roughly equivalent to its diameter.
It is thought that this type of atmosphere loss may be common to all planets orbiting Sun-like stars closer than around 0.1 AU. HD 209458 b will not evaporate entirely, although it may have lost up to about 7% of its mass over its estimated lifetime of 5 billion years.[28] It may be possible that the planet's magnetic field may prevent this loss, as the exosphere would become ionized by the star, and the magnetic field would contain the ions from loss.[29]
Presumed atmospheric water vapor
On April 10, 2007, Travis Barman of the Lowell Observatory announced evidence that the atmosphere of HD 209458 b contained water vapor. Using a combination of previously published Hubble Space Telescope measurements and new theoretical models, Barman found strong evidence for water absorption in the planet's atmosphere.[3][30][31] His method modeled light passing directly through the atmosphere from the planet's star as the planet passed in front of it. However, this hypothesis is still being investigated for confirmation.
Barman drew on data and measurements taken by Heather Knutson, a student at Harvard University, from the Hubble Space Telescope, and applied new theoretical models to demonstrate the likelihood of water absorption in the atmosphere of the planet. The planet orbits its parent star every three and a half days, and each time it passes in front of its parent star, the atmospheric contents can be analyzed by examining how the atmosphere absorbs light passing from the star directly through the atmosphere in the direction of Earth.
According to a summary of the research, atmospheric water absorption in such an exoplanet renders it larger in appearance across one part of the infrared spectrum, compared to wavelengths in the visible spectrum. Barman took Knutson's Hubble data on HD 209458 b, applied to his theoretical model, and allegedly identified water absorption in the planet's atmosphere.
On April 24, the astronomer David Charbonneau, who led the team that made the Hubble observations, cautioned that the telescope itself may have introduced variations that caused the theoretical model to suggest the presence of water. He hoped that further observations would clear the matter up in the following months.[32] As of April 2007, further investigation is being conducted.
On October 20, 2009, researchers at JPL announced the discovery of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane in the atmosphere.[33][34]
Magnetic field
In 2014, magnetic field around HD 209458 b was reported. It is the first detection of magnetic field on exoplanets. The magnetic field is suggested to be about one tenth of Jupiter's.[35]
Possible tests of fundamental physics
Given the exquisite accuracy with which its orbital period was measured, it was proposed to use HD 209458b to test general relativity. Indeed, the Einsteinian correction to the third Kepler law would be, in principle, measurable.[original research?]
See also
- ^ Jackson, Brian; Richard Greenberg; Rory Barnes (2008). "Tidal Heating of Extra-Solar Planets". Astrophysical Journal 681 (2): 1631. Bibcode:2008ApJ...681.1631J. arXiv:0803.0026. doi:10.1086/587641.; Gregory Laughlin; Marcy; Vogt; Fischer; Butler et al. (2005). "ON THE ECCENTRICITY OF HD 209458b". The Astrophysical Journal 629 (2): L121–L124. Bibcode:2005ApJ...629L.121L. doi:10.1086/444558.
- ^ a b Ignas A. G. Snellen; De Kok; De Mooij; Albrecht et al. (2010). "The orbital motion, absolute mass and high-altitude winds of exoplanet HD 209458b". Nature 465 (7301): 1049–1051. Bibcode:2010Natur.465.1049S. PMID 20577209. arXiv:1006.4364. doi:10.1038/nature09111.
- ^ a b Water Found in Extrasolar Planet's Atmosphere - Space.com
- ^ Signs of water seen on planet outside solar system, by Will Dunham, Reuters, Tue Apr 10, 2007 8:44PM EDT
- ^ Staff (December 3, 2013). "Hubble Traces Subtle Signals of Water on Hazy Worlds". NASA. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- ^ Deming, Drake et al. (September 10, 2013). "Infrared Transmission Spectroscopy of the Exoplanets HD 209458b and XO-1b Using the Wide Field Camera-3 on the Hubble Space Telescope". Astrophysical Journal 774 (2): 95. Bibcode:2013ApJ...774...95D. arXiv:1302.1141. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/774/2/95. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- ^ Harrington, J.D.; Villard, Ray (July 24, 2014). "RELEASE 14-197 - Hubble Finds Three Surprisingly Dry Exoplanets". NASA. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
- ^ Henry et al. IAUC 7307: HD 209458; SAX J1752.3-3138 12 November 1999, reported a transit ingress on Nov. 8. David Charbonneau et al., Detection of Planetary Transits Across a Sun-like Star, November 19, reports full transit observations on September 9 and 16.
- ^ Castellano; Jenkins, J.; Trilling, D. E.; Doyle, L.; Koch, D. (March 2000). "Detection of Planetary Transits of the Star HD 209458 in the Hipparcos Data Set". The Astrophysical Journal Letters (University of Chicago Press) 532 (1): L51–L53. Bibcode:2000ApJ...532L..51C. doi:10.1086/312565.
- ^ Notes for star HD 209458
- ^ NASA's Spitzer First To Crack Open Light of Faraway Worlds
- ^ Richardson, L. Jeremy; Deming, D; Horning, K; Seager, S; Harrington, J et al. (2007). "A spectrum of an extrasolar planet". Nature 445 (7130): 892–895. Bibcode:2007Natur.445..892R. PMID 17314975. arXiv:astro-ph/0702507. doi:10.1038/nature05636.
- ^ Rincon, Paul (23 June 2010). "'Superstorm' rages on exoplanet". BBC News London. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- ^ Winn, Joshua N. (2009). "Measuring accurate transit parameters". Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 4: 99. Bibcode:2009IAUS..253...99W. arXiv:0807.4929v2. doi:10.1017/S174392130802629X.
- ^ Winn, Joshua N. et al. (2005). "Measurement of Spin-Orbit Alignment in an Extrasolar Planetary System". The Astrophysical Journal 631 (2): 1215–1226. Bibcode:2005ApJ...631.1215W. arXiv:astro-ph/0504555. doi:10.1086/432571.
- ^ Jackson, Brian; Richard Greenberg; Rory Barnes (2008). "Tidal Heating of Extra-Solar Planets". ApJ 681 (2): 1631. Bibcode:2008ApJ...681.1631J. arXiv:0803.0026. doi:10.1086/587641.
- ^ a b A. Lecavelier des Etangs, A. Vidal-Madjar, J.-M. Désert and D. Sing (2008). "Rayleigh scattering by H in the extrasolar planet HD 209458b". Astronomy & Astrophysics 485 (3): 865–869. Bibcode:2008A&A...485..865L. arXiv:0805.0595. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:200809704.
- ^ Rowe, Jason F.; Matthews, Jaymie M.; Seager, Sara; Sasselov, Dimitar; Kuschnig, Rainer; Guenther, David B.; Moffat, Anthony F. J.; Rucinski, Slavek M.; Walker, Gordon A. H.; Weiss, Werner W. (2009). "Towards the Albedo of an Exoplanet: MOST Satellite Observations of Bright Transiting Exoplanetary Systems". Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 4: 121. Bibcode:2009IAUS..253..121R. arXiv:0807.1928v1. doi:10.1017/S1743921308026318.
- ^ Matthews J.,(2005), MOST SPACE TELESCOPE PLAYS `HIDE & SEEK' WITH AN EXOPLANET; LEARNS ABOUT ATMOSPHERE AND WEATHER OF A DISTANT WORLD
- ^ Hubeny, Ivan; Burrows, Adam (2009). "Spectrum and atmosphere models of irradiated transiting giant planets". Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 4: 239. Bibcode:2009IAUS..253..239H. arXiv:0807.3588v1. doi:10.1017/S1743921308026458.
- ^ a b Dobbs-Dixon, Ian (2009). "Radiative Hydrodynamical Studies of Irradiated Atmospheres". Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 4: 273. Bibcode:2009IAUS..253..273D. arXiv:0807.4541v1. doi:10.1017/S1743921308026495.
- ^ Sing, David K.; Vidal‐Madjar, A.; Lecavelier Des Etangs, A.; Désert, J.‐M.; Ballester, G.; Ehrenreich, D. (2008). "Determining Atmospheric Conditions at the Terminator of the Hot Jupiter HD 209458b". The Astrophysical Journal 686: 667. Bibcode:2008ApJ...686..667S. arXiv:0803.1054v2. doi:10.1086/590076.
- ^ I. A. G. Snellen, S. Albrecht, E. J. W. de Mooij, and R. S. Le Poole (2008). "Ground-based detection of sodium in the transmission spectrum of exoplanet HD 209458b". Astronomy & Astrophysics 487: 357–362. Bibcode:2008A&A...487..357S. arXiv:0805.0789. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:200809762.
- ^ Seager; Whitney, B. A.; Sasselov, D. D. (2000). "Photometric Light Curves and Polarization of Close‐in Extrasolar Giant Planets". The Astrophysical Journal 540 (1): 504–520. Bibcode:2000ApJ...540..504S. arXiv:astro-ph/0004001. doi:10.1086/309292.
- ^ Sing, David K.; Vidal‐Madjar, A.; Lecavelier Des Etangs, A.; Désert, J.‐M.; Ballester, G.; Ehrenreich, D. (2008). "Determining Atmospheric Conditions at the Terminator of the Hot Jupiter HD 209458b". The Astrophysical Journal 686: 667. Bibcode:2008ApJ...686..667S. arXiv:0803.1054v2. doi:10.1086/590076.
- ^ Seth Redfield, Michael Endl, William D. Cochran and Lars Koesterke (20 January 2008). "Sodium Absorption from the Exoplanetary Atmosphere of HD 189733b Detected in the Optical Transmission Spectrum". The Astrophysical Journal Letters 673 (673): L87–L90. Bibcode:2008ApJ...673L..87R. arXiv:0712.0761. doi:10.1086/527475.
- ^ Ehrenreich, D.; Lecavelier Des Etangs, A.; Hébrard, G.; Désert, J.-M.; Vidal-Madjar, A.; McConnell, J. C.; Parkinson, C. D.; Ballester, G. E.; Ferlet, R. (2008). "New observations of the extended hydrogen exosphere of the extrasolar planet HD 209458b". Astronomy and Astrophysics 483 (3): 933–937. Bibcode:2008A&A...483..933E. arXiv:0803.1831. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:200809460.
- ^ Hébrard, G.; Lecavelier des Étangs, A.; Vidal-Madjar, A.; Désert, J. -M.; Ferlet, R. (2003). Jean-Philippe Beaulieu, Alain Lecavelier des Étangs and Caroline Terquem, ed. "Evaporation rate of hot Jupiters and formation of Chthonian planets". Extrasolar Planets: Today and Tomorrow. ASP Conference Proceedings 321: 203–204. Bibcode:2004ASPC..321..203H. ISBN 1-58381-183-4. arXiv:astro-ph/0312384. 30 June - 4 July 2003, Institut d'astrophysique de Paris, France.
- ^ Semeniuk, Ivan (September 1, 2009). "Can Magnetism Save a Vaporizing Planet?". Retrieved Oct 30, 2014.
- ^ Barman (2007). "Identification of Absorption Features in an Extrasolar Planet Atmosphere". The Astrophysical Journal Letters 661 (2): L191–L194. Bibcode:2007ApJ...661L.191B. arXiv:0704.1114. doi:10.1086/518736.
- ^ First sign of water found on an alien world - space - 10 April 2007 - New Scientist Space
- ^ J.R. Minkle (April 24, 2007). "All Wet? Astronomers Claim Discovery of Earth-like Planet". Scientific American.
- ^ "Astronomers do it Again: Find Organic Molecules Around Gas Planet". October 20, 2009.
- ^ "Organic Molecules Detected in Exoplanet Atmosphere". October 20, 2009.
- ^ Kislyakova, K. G.; Holmstrom, M.; Lammer, H.; Odert, P.; Khodachenko, M. L. (2014). "Magnetic moment and plasma environment of HD 209458b as determined from Ly observations". Science 346 (6212): 981. Bibcode:2014Sci...346..981K. PMID 25414310. doi:10.1126/science.1257829.
Further reading
- Charbonneau, D. (2003). "HD 209458 and the Power of the Dark Side". In Deming, Drake; Seager, Sara. Scientific Frontiers in Research on Extrasolar Planets. ASP Conference Series 294. San Francisco: ASP. pp. 449–456. ISBN 1-58381-141-9..
- Deming, Drake; Seager, Sara; Richardson, L. Jeremy & Harrington, Joseph (2005). "Infrared radiation from an extrasolar planet". Nature 434 (7034): 740–743. Bibcode:2005Natur.434..740D. PMID 15785769. arXiv:astro-ph/0503554. doi:10.1038/nature03507..
- Fortney, J. J.; Sudarsky, D.; Hubeny, I.; Cooper, C. S.; Hubbard, W. B.; Burrows, A.; Lunine, J. I. (2003). "On the Indirect Detection of Sodium in the Atmosphere of the Planetary Companion to HD 209458". Astrophysical Journal 589 (1): 615–622. Bibcode:2003ApJ...589..615F. arXiv:astro-ph/0208263. doi:10.1086/374387..
- Holmström, M.; Ekenbäck, A.; Selsis, F.; Penz, T.; Lammer, H. & Wurz, P. (2008). "Energetic neutral atoms as the explanation for the high-velocity hydrogen around HD 209458b". Nature 451 (7181): 970–972. Bibcode:2008Natur.451..970H. PMID 18288189. arXiv:0802.2764. doi:10.1038/nature06600..
External links
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to HD 209458 b.
- "European astronomers observe first evaporating planet". Hubble Space Telescope. ESA/NASA. 2003-03-12. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
- Hogan, Jenny (2005-03-22). "Glow of alien planets glimpsed at last". NewScientist. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
- "Hubble Makes First Direct Measurements of Atmosphere on World Around another Star". Hubble Space Telescope. NASA. 2001-11-27. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
- McKee, Maggie (2004-02-03). "Oxygen seen streaming off exoplanet". NewScientist. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
- "NASA's Spitzer Marks Beginning of New Age of Planetary Science". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. NASA. 2005-03-22. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
- "Oxygen and carbon discovered in exoplanet atmosphere 'blow-off'". Hubble Space Telescope. ESA/NASA. 2004-02-02. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
- Peplow, Mark (2005-03-23). "Light from alien planets confirmed". Nature. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
- AAVSO Variable Star Of The Season. Fall 2004: The Transiting Exoplanets HD 209458 and TrES-1
Coordinates: Sky map 22h 03m 10.8s, 18° 53′ 04″
Unknown extension tag "indicator"


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Bishop's Invitation to Grow 10 in 2017
Dear Friends and Coworkers in Christ,
An Invitation to Grow in Generosity and Mission
As your congregation begins planning for ministry in 2017, I would like to invite your congregation into prayerful conversation about growing your generosity and gift for Mission Support (benevolence). This year, as we consider giving in generosity as our response to God's free gift of grace in Christ, please prayerfully consider growing gifts for mission support in 2017 by 10 percent over your 2016 Mission Support Statement of Int ent. This would mean growing your gift of Mission Support in 2017 by $1,000.00 for a total gift for Mission Support of $11,000.00 in 2017.
A Thank You!
Thank you for prayerfully considering this invitation to grow your generosity and gift for Mission Support in 2017. Thanks be to God for your congregation's generosity in sharing gifts for ministry and all that you do in proclaiming God's rich and abundant grace in Christ Jesus.
Serving Christ Together,
Bishop Jeffrey Clements


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|Health Services
A note from your School Nurse
Unwashed or poorly washed hands are a very common way of spreading many diseases, such as: colds, flu, ear infections, strep throat, diarrhea, and other intestinal problems.
Germs and viruses causing these diseases are passed by such routine things as handling food, touching doorknobs, shaking hands, and putting your mouth on a telephone receiver. The spread of many germs and viruses can be reduced by hand washing with soap and water.
When should I wash my hands?
-After using bathroom
-After blowing nose, sneezing, or coughing
-Before eating or handling food
-After handling uncooked meat
-After taking out the trash
-After changing a diaper
-After handling money
-After playing with a pet, especially reptiles, iguanas, turtles, snakes
Also, try not to touch your mouth, eyes, or ears when hands are unwashed.
How do I properly wash my hands?
-Use hot or warm running water
-Lather hands with soap (any kind)
-Rub hands together for at least 10 seconds.
-Wash the back of hands, between fingers, and under fingernails
-Rinse with warm water
-Pat hands dry, beginning at the wrist and moving down
-Turn off water, using paper towel.
How can hand washing help protect me and my family?
-Poor hygiene, usually unwashed or poorly washed hands on the part of the food handler often cause food-borne illness outbreaks. Many diarrheal illnesses (salmonellosis, hepatitis A, shigellosis) can be passed from person to person when someone doesn't wash his hands after using the bathroom and then passes it along to someone else by handling food, shaking hands, or touching something. The organism gets into the otherperson's mouth and he gets sick. Unwashed or poorly washed hands are responsible for 1 in 4 food borne illnesses.
Hand washing is the single most important way of preventing the spread of infections, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Please talk to your children about the importance of hand washing!
Kathy Martin, District School Nurse
Marsha Stipp, District Nurse Assistant
MaryEllen Smedley, CES Nurse Assistant


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New Bay Bridge span will open with party
The long, arduous and expensive task of building the new east span of the Bay Bridge will end with one final bridge closure that includes plans for a bash featuring a public bridge walk, 10-kilometer and half-marathon runs, a bike ride and fireworks launched from both San Francisco and Oakland.
"As opposed to opening it to cars, we're going to open it to people," said Randy Rentschler, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which also serves as the toll authority.
The $6.3 billion new span will open to cars, trucks and motorcycles on Sept. 3, the day after Labor Day, bridge officials said Wednesday. But people will get to walk, run and bike across the bridge, and possibly hear a concert on Treasure Island and ooh and ahh at fireworks a day or two earlier. Under a plan outlined in a memo to the Bay Area Toll Authority, the bridge would close beginning at 8 p.m. Aug. 28 to allow for four days to reconfigure and construct the connection from the toll plaza to the new span, and a day and a half for the public opening festivities.
Private effort
The events primarily would be funded with private donations and sponsorships collected by a new nonprofit, the Bay Bridge Alliance, but the Bay Area Toll Authority on Wednesday will consider spending about $5.6 million in toll revenues to pay for transportation to and from the bridge walk and to cover public safety expenses and amenities for the event.
The celebration will be the first time the bridge has been open to the public - outside of their cars.
Bobby Winston, president of the alliance and a shop owner at the Ferry Building, said the group has been battling red tape and getting permission to stage a big celebration for the east span's opening.
"We really thought it was important to organize something for the new Bay Bridge," he said. "There was quite a hootenanny when the bridge opened in 1936, and there was a big party for the Golden Gate Bridge's 75th anniversary. We thought the Bay Bridge should have its own celebration."
Seeking sponsors
The alliance's board, which includes a list of Bay Area business and transportation leaders, has hired Hartmann Studios of Richmond, producers of the Giants' victory parade and other big events, to plan the festivities. They've also hired professional fundraisers to try and raise $4 million to $5 million to pay for the events. Fundraising efforts started only late last year, but the group is talking with potential sponsors.
"We are racing against the clock," Winston said. "This is still a hope; it's not real yet. But there is good reason to hope."
The toll authority estimates that perhaps 200,000 people would participate in the east span festivities, and it is planning to provide free transportation to and from the bridge for about 125,000. The agency would also provide security and public necessities such as portable toilets, drinking water, first aid stations and recycling and waste disposal.
Learned from history
The last time a big Bay Area bridge was turned over to pedestrians, however, far more people appeared and chaos ensued. When the Golden Gate Bridge celebrated its 50th birthday in 1987, 800,000 people flocked to the span but only 300,000 could crowd onto it. Still, that was enough weight to flatten the slight arch of the bridge, causing many in the crowd to feel claustrophobic. Winston said that's why the toll authority will pay for security and support services, which the event organizer will coordinate.
Bay Area residents have been waiting a long time to celebrate the new east span. The need to replace the existing trestle and cantilever span was made evident when the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake shook it enough to cause sections of the upper deck to collapse. The bridge was quickly repaired and reopened, but it took more than a dozen years to decide on how to replace the seismically fragile span. Construction started in 2002 but has been slowed by controversies and stalled by funding problems.
But it's now on schedule to open Labor Day weekend, and Winston thinks that's cause to celebrate.
"The Bay Bridge is the people's bridge - the Main Street of the Bay Area," he said. "The Golden Gate gets all the attention; it's the pretty girl at school. But the Bay Bridge is the major artery."
Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Twitter: @ctuan


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Mental Health Channel
Topics & Medications
Related Channels
Kava and Breastfeeding
It is currently recommended that breastfeeding women avoid taking kava. No studies have been conducted on kava and breastfeeding, so it is not known whether the supplement passes through breast milk or whether it is safe for breastfeeding women (or their babies). Since everyone is different, however, you should talk to your healthcare provider about kava and breastfeeding in your particular situation.
It is not known whether kava (Piper methysticum) supplements are safe for use in breastfeeding women. Kava is an herbal remedy often used to treat anxiety, although it is claimed to be useful for other conditions as well. Until more information is available, you should not take kava while breastfeeding.
It is not known whether kava passes through breast milk, and it is not known whether kava is safe for breastfeeding women. Although it is a "natural" product, this does not necessarily mean that it is safe for use during breastfeeding.
Many women try to avoid medications while breastfeeding and turn to herbal remedies as an alternative, assuming that "natural" automatically means "safe." However, natural products can be quite toxic. For instance, many poisons and toxins are natural products. In fact, there are significant concerns about the safety of kava, due to numerous reports of serious liver damage. Kava has been banned in several countries (although it is still available in the United States).
You should talk with your healthcare provider about kava and breastfeeding. Each woman's situation is different, and you and your healthcare provider understand your situation best. After considering what you want and expect, as well as your current health situation, you and your healthcare provider can make a shared decision about kava and breastfeeding that is right for you.
Kava Extract Information
List of references (click here)
Jellin JM, editor. Pharmacist's Letter/Prescriber's Letter Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Web site. Available at: http://naturaldatabase.com/. Accessed February 21, 2008.
National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine. National Institutes of Health. Herbs at a glance: kava (May 2006). NCCAM Web site. Available at: http://nccam.nih.gov/health/kava/. Accessed February 21, 2008.
Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Kava-containing dietary supplements may be associated with severe liver injury (3/22/2002). FDA Web site. Available at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/addskava.html. Accessed February 21, 2008.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD


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16.0 in. Largemouth Bass caught by Dennis Huskins fishing in New Jersey on 04/09/19
Posted by Dennis Huskins about 1 year ago
Beautiful day! Back to this very productive area. Caught 6 Bass and 4 Pickerel. Lost just as many. The Bass wanted the weighted Texas hooked paddle tail soft swimmers. The Pickerel wanted the Gold Mepps #5 with all its flash. Weeds were a big issue, but they were feeding in the midst of weed clumps.
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Unless you're a die-hard Condé Nast fan and pour over its mastheads with the same keen eye you give their editorial spreads, you might not have noticed any changes to the list. However, upon close examination, you'll see that many titles — W, Vanity Fair, and Lucky — have started reflecting Anna Wintour's recent promotion to artistic director within their pages. Other publications like Allure and even Wintour's own Vogue are waiting until July to make the addition.
A spokesperson for the company says the discrepancy in mastheads is due to each publication's schedules, and that by July, everyone will be caught up. Which is a good thing, because we hear Wintour's been shaking up 4 Times Square (in a good way, most of the time). And as any good publication will note, credit must be given where credit is due. (WWD)
Image: via WWD.


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If you're planning a wedding abroad then you've come to the right place. The weddings abroad section on hitched.co.za can help you find the ultimate location for your dream wedding.
If you plan on getting married on the beach under the hot sun, or you're simply after a wedding venue away from home, then be sure to check out the wide variety of hotels and resorts that are available for couples planning on getting married abroad.
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If you are planning on getting married abroad then look no further.
We have carefully selected some of the best locations around the world that cater for your wedding abroad.
Your wedding abroad will be one of the most romantic and exciting times of your life, so making sure you choose the right location is key.


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Schmidt: 'It should have been 5-0, and that's no exaggeration'
Cologne - Another weekend of Bundesliga action has come and gone and the league table is now starting to take a more familiar shape.
Three of last season's top four have assumed the front-runner positions once again while Hamburg, who avoided relegation via a play-off in 2013/14, are right back in the thick of a relegation battle.
bundesliga.com listened in to what the coaches had to make of the Matchday 3 performances...
Bayer 04 Leverkusen 3-3 SV Werder BremenRoger Schmidt (Leverkusen): I think we should have decided this game already in the first half. It should have been 5-0, and that's no exaggeration. To go in at the break at 1-1 is a joke. But football's not always fair and we just wasted too many chances. We didn't reward ourselves for our performance.
Robin Dutt (Bremen): The way my team is improving is fantastic. It's a mistake to let us play and breathe. Up until they made it 1-0, we were fantastic and were freeing ourselves well from their pressure. We then lost our way after they took the lead.
FC Bayern München 2-0 VfB StuttgartPep Guardiola (Bayern): You're always happy when you win. We lost the ball a few times early on, but in the end we controlled the game with our style of play. With Xabi [Alonso], we had a lot of the possession. He knows what he has to do in this position. He's got an eye for the short and long passes. We need to look after him; help him. If he has to do everything all by himself, then he's dead. He can't play every game with such an extreme workload.
Armin Veh (Stuttgart): We were pretty well organised and didn't let much past us in open play. We tried to get at them early and that worked well to begin with. I was annoyed with their goal because we had a counter right before it and had a corner. When it's only 1-0, then you always have the chance of getting back into it, but if you want to get anything, then you also need luck. Overall, Bayern's win was deserved.
Borussia Dortmund 3-1 SC FreiburgJürgen Klopp (Dortmund): We started with a line-up which had never played together before and was only all together on Friday. Not everything worked, but it was a deserved win. It was hard for everybody today, which is why what Kagawa did was sensational.
Christian Streich (Freiburg): We wanted to defend deeply to start with and it was working well for us, but in the end Dortmund were better than us and they deserved to win.
Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-1 FC Schalke 04Lucien Favre (Gladbach): I'm very happy. It was a great game with plenty of chances. We've beaten Schalke 4-1 and that's super. I was pleased with the chances and the movement of the team.
Jens Keller (Schalke): We weren't that much worse than them in the first half. We're just not finding it easy to cope with the number of players we're missing. But it's no use having a go at them. We've got to work hard these next few days, lick our wounds and then move on. We want to give a good impression of ourselves at Chelsea.
Eintracht Frankfurt 0-1 FC AugsburgThomas Schaaf (Frankfurt): Of course we're not happy with this game and we're going to analyse it, without letting it knock us off course. We didn't use our brains and didn't get into the tackles when we had to. Augsburg did a good job, on the other hand, throwing everything they had into it and that's why they won. We've now got to move on.
Markus Weinzierl (Augsburg): It was a great fight from the team. We created five gilt-edged chances and that's why we deserved this win. This will give us self-confidence and that will give us a boost for the game against Bremen.
Hannover 96 2-0 Hamburger SVTayfun Korkut (Hannover): It was important to make a good start to this game. We wanted to put them under pressure from the beginning because we knew that, with so many new players, Hamburg would not be settled straight away, and we managed that with the early goal. The second half wasn't easy for us because Hamburg are a really good team and we're not perfect either. Every game gives us more self-confidence and we've got a lot of that right now.
Mirko Slomka (Hamburg): Hannover were very clever to start with and we needed time to settle, but 25 minutes are definitely too long for that. Hannover obviously had a different level of self-confidence compared to us, having gone so long without losing, and you do take a few more risks when things are going well for you. What was positive was that we didn't let our heads drop when we were 2-0 down and we had some good chances in the second half. All we're lacking at the moment is the luck we need to take these chances, but we're working on that and we'll keep working on that in the coming days.


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Chewing Gum in Hair Leads to Hollywood Hop-On-Hop-Off to Santa Monica Pier
Dec 1, 2012 Southwest, USA
With Josh still in Portland for business our third day got off to a rough start. A friend from Australia was visiting and we wanted to meet up. It never happened. We missed him by a few hours Why? As I was getting the kids dressed I started to brush Mia's…
Top 7 Things To Do in Penang
Nov 22, 2012 Penang, Malaysia
We have been to many places in Penang. It seems we have been the busiest we have ever been in this supposedly small Malaysian state. We have made friends, we have enjoyed beaches, played on playgrounds and had a "semi-normal" life… followed by an abnormal…
A Tropical Birthday on Monkey Beach
Oct 11, 2012 Penang, Malaysia
That was an absolutely amazing day. 3 boats, 30 people all headed to Monkey Beach. We had a 5 year old's bday party there with fairy bread (Americans never heard of it!), we swam, we fed monkeys, and we talked for hours. You ever have one of those days th…
No Hop Offs On Our Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tour
Aug 27, 2012 Hong Kong, China
With kids a Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tour is the perfect solution for seeing all the sights... You might not make a lot of stops, but you can still see everything from the open top view and hear a great commentary too.
Ever Wanted To See Noah's Ark?
Aug 25, 2012 Hong Kong, China
Noah's Ark is the newest attraction located on Ma Wan Island in Hong Kong. it is an evangelical Christian theme park and the world's only full size replica of Noah's Ark. Never heard of it? Come take a look!
Corregidor Teaches Me Love Languages
Aug 19, 2012 Manila, Philippines
Corregidor is a small rocky island in the Philippines about 48 kilometres west of Manila located strategically at the entrance of Manila Bay. This island fortress stands as a memorial for the courage, valour, and heroism of its Filipino and American defen…
Meeting Fellow Travellers In Bali: We're Not So Crazy After All
Jun 24, 2012 Bali, Indonesia
While in Bali we joined many Facebook groups and read many blogs of fellow travellers. It was our honour to meet a handful of like-minded families travelling the world just like us, but happened to be in Bali just like us. Here you can meet them too.
Jimbaran - Road Trip, Waterbom & Shopping
Jun 19, 2012 Bali, Indonesia
Another week wrapped up in a single blog. Here you will find details on jet-skiing in Bali, cliff side dining in Uluwatu, surf outlet shopping and more on Waterbom.
Our Spontaneous Hotel Stay at Peninsula Beach Resort, Nusa Dua
Jun 5, 2012 Bali, Indonesia
Our day and night spent in Nusa Dua at the Peninsula Beach Resort.
Hiring A Car In Ubud & Our Daytrip To Sanur
May 14, 2012 Bali, Indonesia
Price of a hire car in Bali, fuel costs & what to see in Sanur with kids.
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Strength training for runners is an outdoor group training session, taking place in Vondelpark, Amsterdam and lasts an hour. Classes are designed for runners who want to add value to their training this season and aim for a new Personal Best.
Questions and Answers
Do I have to be able to run far?
No, if you are training for your first 5km or if you are training for a marathon, you are welcome.
Do I need to bring anything?
It would be useful to bring a yoga mat. Be prepared to share it. Also, bring some water.
And what about valuables?
Please leave all valuables at home.
What if the weather is bad?
It is an outdoors class so we continue anyway. Only in severe weather will the class be cancelled.
Where is the class?
The class in is in the Vondelpark. We will meet at the children's play area just beside Kattenlaan. If the area is being used then we will have to move once we have met up.
Who is the trainer?
The trainer is Lorna Wilson. You can find out more information here.
I am a bit nervous to come on my own.
Let me know and I will endeavour to team you up with someone who has done the class before so you don't feel left out.
What do I do if I have other questions?
Please email me at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Posted on 13 December 2011, in General Info, Social Media, Videos and tagged Audio, Hippocampus, Review, Script, Video. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
What a great sharing across curriculum. This link may appear on the MS/US Library page soon to allow for greater access. Thank you.
I took a little time to explore hippocampus.org today. I was pleased to see that the Khan Academy is one of their resources. I'm familiar with KA and like that it is there along with other great resources–all at one site. It saves moving around so much across disciplines. Thanks for sharing.


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The SADC special forces training programme code-named 'Exercise Mahombekombe' begun in Kariba on Tuesday and will run until the 26th of next month.
Eight regional member states' defence forces are taking part in the exercise which is part of SADC's efforts to sharpen the forces inter-operability and strengthen its rapid intervention capacity.
Officially launching Exercise Mahombekombe at Charara Estate in Kariba, Zimbabwe National Army Commander, Lieutenant General Philip Sibanda said the joint programme helps further promote prevailing peace and enhance cooperation among SADC member states.
He noted that the conduct of the exercise is in fulfillment of Article 13 of the African Union Protocol on Peace and Security which calls for the establishment of regional stand by forces to deal with destabilising situations.
About 900 troops from participating member states are taking part in the exercise which is focusing on combat survival, anti-hijack and anti-terrorism.
Source: ZBC


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More from what Buffett said in the 1990 Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa) Shareholder Letter about Wells Fargo (WFC):
Of course, ownership of a bank - or about any other business - is far from riskless. California banks face the specific risk of a major earthquake, which might wreak enough havoc on borrowers to in turn destroy the banks lending to them. A second risk is systemic - the possibility of a business contraction or financial panic so severe that it would endanger almost every highly-leveraged institution, no matter how intelligently run. Finally, the market's major fear of the moment is that West Coast real estate values will tumble because of overbuilding and deliver huge losses to banks that have financed the expansion. Because it is a leading real estate lender, Wells Fargo is thought to be particularly vulnerable.
None of these eventualities can be ruled out. The probability of the first two occurring, however, is low and even a meaningful drop in real estate values is unlikely to cause major problems for well-managed institutions. Consider some mathematics: Wells Fargo currently earns well over $1 billion pre-tax annually after expensing more than $300 million for loan losses. If 10% of all $48 billion of the bank's loans - not just its real estate loans - were hit by problems in 1991, and these produced losses (including foregone interest) averaging 30% of principal, the company would roughly break even.
A year like that - which we consider only a low-level possibility, not a likelihood - would not distress us. In fact, at Berkshire we would love to acquire businesses or invest in capital projects that produced no return for a year, but that could then be expected to earn 20% on growing equity. Nevertheless, fears of a California real estate disaster similar to that experienced in New England caused the price of Wells Fargo stock to fall almost 50% within a few months during 1990. Even though we had bought some shares at the prices prevailing before the fall, we welcomed the decline because it allowed us to pick up many more shares at the new, panic prices.
When the above was written the extensive use of derivatives was not in vogue yet. Their current prevalent use create systemic risks and risks unique to each institution that is difficult to gauge.
From the 2002 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letter:
...derivatives severely curtail the ability of regulators to curb leverage and generally get their arms around the risk profiles of banks, insurers and other financial institutions. Similarly, even experienced investors and analysts encounter major problems in analyzing the financial condition of firms that are heavily involved with derivatives contracts. When Charlie and I finish reading the long footnotes detailing the derivatives activities of major banks, the only thing we understand is that we don't understand how much risk the institution is running.
The shares of Wells Fargo have increased in value well over 1,800% including dividends since Buffett wrote about the bank in the 1990 letter (though Buffett has bought many shares since with lesser gains). I doubt many banks will produce those kind of returns over the next twenty years or so but some of the better ones will certainly do quite well.
It's an example of what high return on equity (or preferably high return on capital for a non-financial) bought at 5x earnings, what Buffett paid for Wells back then, can produce in value when compounded over 20 years.
Yesterday's post covered this. Pay a lot less than what a business is worth now and make sure it is capable of producing a high return on tangible capital in the future. The cheap price provides a margin of safety in the near term. The high return on capital drives value long-term.
Joel Greenblatt on Stocks
Still, as I said in the earlier post, with so many inexpensive non-financial businesses available I'm not certain any bank is worth the trouble (considering the unique risks involved with owning shares of a bank) for most investors.
Long WFC
Share on :
Buffett on Wells Fargo - Part II: Berkskhire Shareholder Letter Highlights
Reviewed by Pisstol Aer
Published :
Rating : 4.5
Published :
Rating : 4.5


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When I was a wee small little boy of a wee small little age, I grew up with two teenage girls in the house; my sister and my cousin. So that meant I got to watch a lot of horror and teen flicks with them. The latest VHS rental of the day was a movie called Truth or Dare?: A Critical Madness but since my parents were in the house, Sis and Cuz had to pretend to be responsible and told me that I couldn't watch it. At one point I sneaked into the den and managed to catch a quick scene where a dude was about to slice his own chest with a combat knife, but I was caught and shooed away.
I forgot about that movie until much later, in my own teen years when I started getting back into the horror and gore flicks hard. I watched or revisited a lot of stuff from that wonderful mom-and-pop era of video, but could never find a copy of Truth or Dare?. It wasn't until fairly recently that I happened to come across the movie once again. I finally watched it last night, and, uh, hmm...the best way I could describe my feelings about it is to just shrug. But before I get further into my thoughts about the movie, I'll just go ahead and tell you the whole movie since you're not going to watch it anyway.
Truth or Dare?: A Critical Madness (really, man -- just pick a fuckin' name and save the subtitles for the sequel) opens with a average looking white dude named Mike arriving home from work in his Trans-Am. Some guys (usually married with kids) tend to wait in their car for a while before getting inside the house. It's too bad Mike didn't do the same, because then maybe he would've been spared the sight of watching his wife gettin' it on with his best friend, Jerry. Through the use of flashbacks, we find out that Mike has been taking crap as far back as childhood. We see him play Truth or Dare with a bunch of kids and they dare him to slice his arm open with a razor blade. He does so (in the hope of winning their approval, I suppose) and when he comes running to mommy with a bleeding arm, she just sighs and tells him he needs to hang out with better friends.
Back to the adult Mike. Finding out about his wife's infidelity sets him off and he takes off in his Trans-Am to who the fuck knows where. Along the way, he picks up a busty hitchhiker and off they go to live a new life or something. Actually, he ends up taking her to a campsite where they set up a fire. The hitchhiker gets Mike to play Truth or Dare, and it starts out rather tame but then takes a turn for the WTF? when she dares him to pull his own eyeball out. Of course, Mike says no. I guess to prove that she's a happy camper, the hitchhiker grabs a corkscrew, pulls her OWN eyeball out and hands it to him.
She then dares Mike to cut his own finger off, and since at this point Mike appears to be unable to control himself or tell the bitch to go fuck herself, he goes ahead and chops that sucker off. But that's not good enough for the lady, because she then makes him slice his chest open with his Rambo knife. Once again, he complies. I guess it would be no surprise to you if I told you at this point that the hitchhiker is just a figment of his imagination and that he's gone completely nuts. By the time a park ranger shows up to cite Mike for setting up a campfire after hours, Mike has managed to rip his own tongue out of his mouth.
Mike is taken to a mental hospital and we then jump forward to 13 months later. Mike has since had his tongue reattached and his speech restored, and the doctors in charge believe he's now fully rehabilitated. Well, maybe not "fully" rehabilitated, but budget cuts have forced them to make room by letting loose some of the lesser nuts from the joint.
Mike picks up his Trans-Am and heads straight for his old place, where his ex-wife is still living at along with her new man, Jerry. Mike doesn't waste time fucking around; he fillets that motherfucker Jerry and makes a move for the ex-wife, but she manages to shank his ass. Now Mike's stumbling out of the house, bleeding profusely and just looking assed-out in general. We get this long take where he falls onto the sidewalk, a couple drives up to him and one of them goes to call the police, we then WAIT for the police to show up until finally an old man in a suit arrives. I first thought the old man was just some nosy dude, but it turns out he's a cop. It's just that this shit is so low-budget we didn't see or hear sirens when he arrived.
We then jump forward 13 days, with Mike fully recovered and back at the mental hospital. He's wheelchaired into a waiting room and left all by himself. We cut back and forth between him alone in the room and a couple of the doctors feeling sorry for themselves for being the kind of dumbasses that let a psycho killer out on the streets.
Mike can't have too much time alone, it seems, because next thing you know, he's hallucinating two other inmates inside the room with him. He ends up playing a game of Truth or Dare with his imaginary playmates, and he plays just as hard as the imaginary hitchhiker. He pulls out a combat knife and dares one of them (an old man) to slice his arm and leg off. Mike then pulls out a fucking GRENADE and dares the silent inmate to put it in his mouth and blow his head off. Both comply, and we now have one inmate bleeding all over the place and another inmate minus a head.
By the time the orderlies come back to the room, Mike has sliced half of his own face off, and it's there that you just have to accept the fact that this murdering loon wasn't searched properly and was able to sneak a big combat knife inside. Mike maniacally laughs as blood runs down his face and we go "Ooohhh, scary", or at least that's the idea. I think it's safe to say most of us are laughing our ass off.
Five months pass. Mike has since gone completely mute and taken to wearing a copper mask he made himself. One of the orderlies, a big former wrestler type, shows the nice black orderly a gift he intends to give to Mike; it's a framed photo of his ex-wife. That's a real dick thing to do, and also an incredibly stupid thing to do, considering Mike is a noted murderer who also practices self-mutilation. Plus, he can lose his job if his bosses' find out, and that's not good. But it doesn't stop the wrestler orderly, and he leaves it in Mike's room.
The nice black orderly talks to a nerdy white orderly, telling him how much Mike gives him the creeps. The white nerd angrily responds to the black dude with "Will you STOP runnin' your MOUTH? That's all you could do is FLAP your lips all night long! Give me a break, why don't you listen to your JIVE-ASS MUSIC!" and rather than grabbing this fuckin' cracker and giving him the business, the nice black orderly calmly takes a Walkman out and puts on the headphones. He then begins to bob his head to what I'm guessing is that "jive-ass music" Honky the Nerd was talking about.
Mike looks over the framed photo of his ex-wife, and that sets him off again. He starts trashing his room and beating up the wall. Honky the Nerd hears this and angrily demands that the nice black orderly go and check it out. Seriously, man -- there's being a strict boss and there's being straight-out disrespectful, and Honky is totally playing the latter. Punk ass motherfucker. You figure maybe the movie is setting us up and Honky will get his, but nope that never happens. Honky never gets his and neither does the wrestler who had the dumbass idea of bringing the photo. But you know who DOES get brutally murderized? The Nice Black Orderly, that's who. Mike sticks a pencil into homeboy's eyeball and I guess that's the filmmaker's way of saying to expect the unexpected and that life is unfair. Either that, or HA HA WE KILLED DA BLACK GUY! WHITEY RULES! TAKE DAT, DARKIE! THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN!
So Mike escapes from the nuthouse, jacks a ride, and begins a killing spree:
-- He runs over a baby carriage with a baby in it, then backs up and runs over the mother. I guess that's his way of sparing her the suffering of living without her child.
-- He gets into a car chase with some angry drunk asshole, ending with the angry drunk asshole's car exploding and the angry drunk asshole running around on fire. Mike then PULLS OUT A FUCKIN' HECKLER & KOCH MP5 (where the fuck did he get THAT?!) and shoots the burning body with it.
-- He pulls up to a bus stop bench and shoots up the innocent people that were waiting there with his submachine gun.
-- He drives up to a little boy and does a drive-by with a CHAINSAW, ending the poor boy's dreams of becoming a baseball player.
There's this cop; a man with a huge gut and what looks to be a real hunch on his back, and he thinks he's found Mike hiding out in a shack. So the cop ends up shooting up the shack and then setting it on fire. This motherfucker must really like his job, because he's cheering and hooting and hollering at the sight of the flaming shack. Oh, I forgot to mention, this cop is wearing a cap on his head and a floral-patterned shirt that's about three sizes too small.
The chief of police or head detective or whatever the fuck he is, shows up at the scene and gives Hunchy shit about burning up the shack. Hunchy doesn't care; as long as this psycho is dead, that's all that matters. Except it turns out that the charred body inside isn't Mike's -- it's the town drunk. Whoops! There's a lot more "comic relief" like this in the entire movie, by the way.
Mike ends up going to his old house again, with the intention of taking care of the ex-wife once and for all. He must really want this chick dead, because along with his trusty chainsaw he also takes a handgun, nunchucks, a grenade, machete and an old-fashioned mace. His neighbor is some dumb old broad who must suffer from cataracts because she's giving him shit the whole time when he gets there, and doesn't seem to notice all the weapons he's got on him. Eventually he shuts that old crow up with a mace to the face. Nice!
He then chainsaws the front door open and steps inside. The shower is on, so Mike figures he can take his ex-wife out Psycho-style. But alas, it was all a ruse -- there's a cop behind that shower curtain, and Mike ends up taking three shots to the chest. (It's here that I noticed that Mike's copper mask kept moving with every breath he took. Must've been that really soft type of copper.) So Mike is down for the count, and all appears to be well. The cop goes to the bedroom closet and tells Mike's ex-wife that it's all over and that she can come out now. Only problem is, she isn't coming out. The cop opens up the closet door, and the little lady's body lifelessly flops down onto the floor. Why, that crafty Mike! He took care of business before taking care of business!
Before the cop has any time to react, Mike shows up with a gun and gives the pig one straight to the dome. Mike then stumbles into the hallway and runs into the main detective or chief of police or whatever the fuck that dude is supposed to be. Rather than finish the murdering psycho off, this cop decides to play Truth or Dare with him. He dares Mike to put the gun down, and sure enough, Mike does it. He's a slave to that fuckin' game, this Mike.
Mike is then taken away in a stretcher and we're left with a shot of his next stop, once he recovers: the mental hospital! The credits roll and we're then treated to an awesome song by a gospel choir that's all about our main character and how life fucked him up AND it plays with audioclips of Mike freaking out in the background! The End.
Truth or Dare?: A Critical Madness is filled with everything that makes for an awesome trash movie; low-budget gore, terrible overacting, cheesy synthesizer music, bad taste, and the occasional titty. There's just one big problem, and it nearly sinks the whole experience -- it's way too protracted and filled with the worst kind of padding. This is a thirty-to-forty minute short film mercilessly stretched out to ninety, making it a chore to get through sometimes. Maybe it's because I saw it by myself, and this flick would probably play a hell of a lot better with someone to chat with during the boring parts. If you don't have company, booze, or both, get comfortable with the fast-forward button on the remote.
But I'll definitely give props to the writer and director of this flick. His name is Tim Ritter and at 18-fuckin-years-old he not only managed to get a movie made, he also got it distributed to video stores, where it later became a cult favorite to many a gorehound and trash movie enthusiast. You know what my biggest accomplishment was at 18? Getting hired and then fired from a convenience store in the same week.
2 weeks ago


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Cancellation Policy
A valid credit card is required to guarantee your reservation. Credit Cards will be debited for reservation deposits and if one or more of the following conditions occur.
Non-Holiday Reservations
Cancellations more than 15 days prior to arrival - $25.00
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