text:
This is Tom Krieglstein's Typepad Profile.
Join Typepad and start following Tom Krieglstein's activity
Tom Krieglstein
Interests: I try not to ever limit my interests cause there is just too much I am interested in, but just in case you are wondering here is a short list. Reading, Skiing, Hiking, Chess, Computer Games, Business, Entrepreneurship, Skydiving, Horseback Riding, Farming, Writing, Biking, Walking, Swimming, Oceans, Gadgets, Gadgets and more Gadgets, People, Friends, Healthy Food, Weather, Ants, Cats, Dogs, Computers, Politics, History, Slam Poetry, Camps, Youth, Clothes, Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Helping, Old People, Parents, Pens, Free Food, Sushi, Peanut Butter and Jelly... and so on.
Recent Activity
Entrepreneurs try to solve problems. Some hope to turn a profit in the process and others are content to leave money making out of the equation. Either way, they are still just trying to solve problems. But I've noticed that beyond the problem solving lies another, deeper, motivation. A motivation that drives entrepreneurs to want to successfully solve problems in the first place and put up with the daily stress and bipolar emotions of starting a business. The reasons seem to vary and I'm not going to claim to know even a small fraction of them. For some it's to... Continue reading
Posted Sep 17, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
Confidence as an entrepreneur is a funny thing. In a conversation with an executive coach, I mentioned how, at times, I just don't know if what I'm doing is the right way to do it or not. I didn't get an MBA, I've never worked for anyone else beyond waitering/bartending in school, and business owners just don't get the same type of daily feedback that employees get. So I've had to make up many of my own processes to accomplish goals. For example, after I establish a goal, my process to completion works like this... Run through my past experiences... Continue reading
Posted Sep 10, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
Posted Aug 28, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
Matisyahu - One Day (h/t @goaltribe) Continue reading
Posted Aug 22, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
I want to be proactive in my work and life. A few weeks ago, I dedicated myself to being proactive by strategically mapping out my week, month, and quarter ahead of time. In doing so, my weeks are more effective, I'm focusing on what is most important, and I'm clearer on what needs to get done. All in all, I'm on the right track. I've run into one problem however... While I may have a great plan for my week, I'm forgetting to disseminate my plan to the rest of team ahead of time. So even though I'm more proactive... Continue reading
Posted Aug 18, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
h/t @anniecolbert Continue reading
Posted Aug 18, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
"We like to think of ourselves as a Customer Service Company that happens to fly airplanes." - Southwest Airlines Zappos made a fortune off the same motto. Wonder how many other companies could take a clue from this quote and stop putting their least qualified people (or machines) on the front lines of their business in customer care. Continue reading
Posted Aug 16, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
After our honeymoon phase, my relationship with Firefox turned into one of abuse with benefits. I loved the addons. The more I added, the harder I thought it would be to leave Firefox. But abuse, in the form of crashing and glitches, was constant. Chrome kept flirting with me through blog posts and friend recommendations, but I was too committed to Firefox to ever think about leaving. Then, and this is where the analogy gets awkward, my wife decided to switch from Firefox to Chrome. She quickly fell in love. Taking her cue, I snuck away from Firefox for a... Continue reading
Posted Aug 15, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
p.s. I couldn't stop tearing up. Continue reading
Posted Aug 15, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
Posted Aug 14, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
Having something on your blog go viral should be awarded with some sort of Boy Scout merit badge. Or maybe teated like music album sales where a governing body awards you a gold, silver, or double platinum plaque. What ever the award, last week I experienced my first viral post. Because I love numbers, I geekly watched, probably too obsessively, where the traffic came from day by day. As stated in the beginning of the post, I only re-purposed the content from the original source. It took me longer to read the original post than it did for me to... Continue reading
Posted Aug 13, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
I am frustratingly good at making a pretty good "product" last minute. The value in such a skill is I can be thrown into any situation and produce something with at least 80% quality without dying of stress. In fact, I'll stay level headed, and smiling, almost the entire time. The problem with such a skill is the pain point isn't high enough to force me to change my habit, so I continue to produce with a just-in-time mentality and reach only 80% each time. I'm not happy with 80%. As I previously stated, being more proactive vs reactive is... Continue reading
Posted Aug 12, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
Almost every single man, woman, and child has seen one of these videos, but I still can't get enough. This song played on my Pandora station today and I smiled thinking about the original video, then The Office remake, and then smiled thinking about my own wedding. All magical moments that gave me an amazing inner warmth. Continue reading
Posted Aug 10, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
Ed Cabellon of SA Collaborative, #SAchat, and On The Go fame stopped into NYC today. Originally Annie and I were going to host him at Casa de Krieglbert for the night, but instead we just enjoyed a nice dinner so he could get back to his family in Boston. If you care about Student Affairs and Technology, Ed should be a part of your personal learning network. Beyond his passion and knowledge, my favorite trait about Ed is how genuine he is. Hat tip to you Ed and all your upcoming success over the next three years. (Anyone who knows... Continue reading
Posted Aug 9, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
via Facebook friend Megan K. Continue reading
Posted Aug 5, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
Spending one month on the NBC Today Show Race To The Alter gave Annie and I a very tiny taste of what reality TV is like. I can only image what the experience was like for Ali to be this season's Bachelorette. Ali and I first met at Stanford University working for Supercamp. It was my last year as a Facilitator and I think her second year as a team leader. After working with her for the summer, and watching The Bachelorette on and off throughout this season, I'm impressed at how true she stayed to her real self. Kudos... Continue reading
Posted Aug 4, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
I took this photo at a small town gas station in Northern Wisconsin. Through a quick Google search, I see the "3 student rule" isn't an isolated policy. But why 3 verses 2 or 4? Continue reading
Posted Aug 3, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
Every year big box retails host large "back to school" marketing campaigns to drive sales. In a slap to the face of higher education goals, Target's using its national brand to promote "beer pong" equipment as essential college gear. We're joining Cindy Kane and Jeff Jackson in using this blog as a platform to protest this type of marketing by Target and other big box retailers. Please use the image below to repost to your blog or email list and help spread the word that this is not ok. Continue reading
Posted Jul 31, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
Last month, Erica Goldson graduated as valedictorian of Coxsackie-Athens High School. Instead of using her graduation speech to celebrate the triumph of her victory, the school, and the teachers that made it happen, she channeled her inner Ivan Illich and de-constructed the logic of a valedictorian and the whole educational system. In doing so, is now one of my heroes. Erica originally posted her full speech on Sign of the Times, and without need for editing or cutting, here's the speech in its entirety: Here I stand There is a story of a young, but earnest Zen student who approached... Continue reading
Posted Jul 27, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein
Twitter recently made a big fuss about a new tool called Blackbird Pie as a way to embed individual tweets into a website or blog post as seen in the screenshot below: While the embedded Tweets do look nice on the blog post, once the blog post is pushed out to its readers via an RSS Feed, things fall apart quickly: Continue reading
In a recent post, 37signals showcased what it means for a company to know where it stands. Their example was the NYC bike maker Francesco Bertelli. Bertelli is a great example of a company that knows where it stands. The best way to know where you stand is to figure out what you won't do. What will you say no to? Francesco puts his no's right out in front. It makes the experience better for everyone. And it's true, Bertelli makes beautiful bikes. Software and bikes are very similar in this regard. Too many software tools on the college market... Continue reading
College of Coastal Georgia recently transitioned to a four-year residential institution. Among the many changes, the campus will soon include residence halls and a director of residence life. Dave Leenhouts, director of CCGA's student life, heads the committee to hire their director of residence life. In a conversation with Dave over the weekend, he talked about how the big buzz word on the committee is affinity housing. In other words, pre-matching roommates ahead of time based on similar traits to ensure higher retention rates. The impact of first year roommates on an individual is huge and can have lasting life... Continue reading
The art is more impressive knowing it was made out of tar. Continue reading
Posted Jul 25, 2010 at Tom Krieglstein


text:
Recently, Boston Magazine listed Medford as one of the best places to get in the real estate game in Greater Boston.
So what makes a Medford home a must-have?
Medford has that sought-after sweet spot of 1) affordability, 2) walkability, 3) space (homes with yards, parks, etc.) and 4) an easy commute into Boston.
You can have any number of these features in towns across Greater Boston, but it's gotten more and more difficult to find all four at once.
For people starting out, Medford offers a relatively reasonable median home price point for single family homes ($395,000). Across the board property values in Medford increased and the days on market were fewer. More and more people found the true value of Medford with its easy commute, great schools, the fabulous restaurants and shops and the diverse type of houses and condominiums.
As residents and homeowners in West Medford, we understand and appreciate the value of our neighborhoods, schools and retail establishments. If you're thinking of selling your home or just interested in knowing its value, please contact us for a free and confidential market analysis.

subset: commoncrawl


text: ColeBandInstruments offers the following Return Policy: If we send you the wrong item, we pick it up and send you the correct item. If you order the wrong item, you send it back; we will then credit you for the wrong item, and we will send and charge you for the item you meant to order, plus shipping charges back to you. Returns: You must call and get a return authorization from Cole Band. You have ten days to execute any returns. After ten days, no returns accepted. WE DO NOT SHIP INTERNATIONALLY.


text:
Book'em Sadie – Free
January 31, 2020
Motorcycle deputy, Sadie Lazar is no damsel in distress. After all, the only man capable of getting a job done is a woMAN. She loves her life of independence. But when she is on scene at a mass car pile-up and finds a missing child, a pair of piercing blue eyes changes her world.
Widower, single-dad, Dr. Ryan Montgomery is in over his head. It's been four years since his wife's death and his former mother-in-law refuses to let him move on. When he finally starts dating, an accident makes him realize that dating a cop could put him right back in a world of grief and loss–a place he barely survived the first time around.
Now, two people who are used to saving others are forced to save themselves: one from a lonely future and one from a broken past.


text:
Sites we like: Fish Slaps a Baby
Fish Slaps a Baby is a blog written by the students of 826NYC — a nonprofit dedicated to supporting young students with their writing. Designers enrolled in SVA's MFA in Interaction Design program worked closely with the 826NYC students (all of whom are between the ages of 5 and 12) to craft a site that would suit their needs for expression. The result is a suite of themes which can be used on each blog post, accompanied by a delightful logo system.
The Pancake TV theme uses Corner Store for headings and Proxima Nova for text. Plus, a stack of pancakes on a TV, of course.
The Fire Dragon theme pairs a subtly textured background with Edo's brush strokes. Calluna serves well as body text.
The Green Team theme marshals its vegetables with Badaboom and Adelle. A text shadow helps lift the headline off the background.
In addition, Frank Chimero's lyrical logo system adapts to each theme in playful, lovely ways.
All of which work together to make a wonderful home for the students' writing, creating variety within a cohesive visual system. We're glad to see the authors approve.
4 Responses
We've been using Typekit heavily on some of our new special event pages and its been working out great.
An "Art and Design of TRON: Legacy" event with a bunch of concept artists from the film:
And a visual effects online training event:
Both pages have benefited a lot from the Typekit integration, largely just saving us a ton of work and letting us focus on other aspects. Super useful for a small team with limited resources.
Whoa, those are created and designed by tweens/teens?! I should be used to it now, but I'm always continually amazed by how talented the younger folks are in the realm of multimedia and technology.
Comments are closed.


text:
Ebola 2014 — The current Ebola epidemic in West Africa which was first noted in the spring of this year began quietly but has now escalated to include five countries (Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone) and an estimated 3707 suspected/confirmed cases with 1848 deaths (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Ebola Page, August 31st, 2014). The WHO declared this Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) epidemic a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on August 8, 2014 (WHO on Ebola Virus Disease). Despite this declaration, the new Ebola cases continue. Recently the Rt value for this epidemic was reported to be greater than 1 and less than 2 (R>1 and R<2) (Nishiura H. and Chowell G. Eurosurveillance 2014). These numbers soberly reminds us that the number of Ebola cases are not slowing down but are in fact growing which, appeals for immediate and urgent action to reduce and cease Ebola transmission. This plea has been echoed by prominent virologist and infectious disease experts, Richard E. Besse, Michael T Osterholm and "Science Magazine."
To aid in this global problem, Annie Feighery, an expert in using technology to improve public health, describes lessons she has learned from her work in West Africa with mWater, a mobile water sanitation tracking system, and how these lessons can be applied to the current Ebola situation.
Lessons for Ebola, from 3 years of water source mapping & monitoring in the African continent
by Annie Feighery
The West Africa Ebola outbreak has been said to be the World's Katrina. This means we are witnessing one of our lifetimes' worst tragedies which is largely due to the significant gaps in the local health infrastructure. Many of the stressors in what is now the worst Ebola outbreak on record are not directly Ebola-related, but rather legacy problems from generations of broken health systems. For years, the water and sanitation field has worked under very similar conditions in West Africa and learned valuable lessons about frontline health monitoring which we believe can be applied to the Ebola Response. Here we recount lessons learned on Report Systems, Checklists and Public Engagement from our work through mWater in West Africa that may be fundamental to Ebola reporting and management.
In 2011, I co-founded the organization mWater to develop technology to help communities and individuals have access to safe water by harnessing the power of smartphone technology. Our first partners were UN Habitat, the City of Mwanza, Tanzania, and the local water utility in Mwanza. It wasn't as simple as mapping, though. By creating a unique ID number for water sources, we were able to attach information to a source that could be updated over time. In the case of water, we mapped whether the source was functioning and we used a cheap but highly effective field test to update whether it was contaminated with E. coli, an indicator bacteria for more dangerous contaminants.
Since then, we've expanded our application to map sanitation facilities, schools, health clinics, communities, and households. Each is a different type of site that can have a broad range of data associated with it, and that data can be updated over time with mWater surveys. The result is an infrastructure that allows data-driven policies and improved municipal management. Most important, thanks to continued investment in mWater from USAID, Water.org, WaterAid, and The Water Trust, we can now offer this service to any community or organization for free, via the mWater app and online portal. What started in Mwanza has grown to more than 2000 free and independent users in 54 countries and 7 countries where large organizations contract our services for specific projects. Our user base includes communities, governments, utilities, scientists, and organizations who build infrastructure by mapping and monitoring sites, conducting M&E surveys, and deploying health worker checklists on mobile phones and tablets.
We have learned critical lessons about how the approach of monitoring water sources over time can also be helpful in addressing major public health issues. Currently, the biggest health emergency on our planet is the West African Ebola outbreak. Our technology can help. Our team is working around the clock to leverage our software for emergency response, mapping, and monitoring of this Ebola outbreak. But our biggest contribution may be our lessons learned about digital epidemiology.
Listed below are three lessons on Report Systems, Checklists, and Public Engagement which we think encompass the critical knowledge gained over our past three years that could increase the situational awareness and health capacity for the Ebola health crisis.
Report symptoms Frontline community health workers are the best way to gather information in developing countries. For Ebola-stricken countries, the military is also being deployed as frontline health workers, conducting temperature checks and enforcing quarantines. We found that data from health workers is more accurate when health workers are asked to report symptoms rather than conduct the diagnosis themselves. A diagnosis needs local context. For example, we asked 35 health care providers throughout Mwanza to define the symptoms of diarrhea. We received a range of 18 answers including red eyes, weakness, and fever. The WHO definition of three or more loose stools in a day was only the fourth most frequent response. This is likely because many individuals in this region go their whole lifetimes without a solid stool. A loose stool in this context is not a relevant symptom. However, a case that the health worker finds significant enough to report with a list of symptoms the health worker can tick off in checked boxes makes the data actionable, regardless of the accuracy of the diagnosis.
We are using this lesson for Ebola with our own launched platform for symptom reporting. Within five seconds, frontline health workers can press their finger on a map to indicate location, automatically filing a report to the cloud-based management dashboard. The app works on and offline, which is important in low-resource regions that can have sparse connectivity. If they have time, users can provide more detailed information on symptoms with tick-checked boxes. Previous digital epidemiology attempts have attempted to focus on reports from doctors and other official sources, limiting information to a slow but steady stream from experts. The lesson with crowd-sourced data is that the validity of the data increases with the "n", the number of reports, as opposed to traditional studies that increase validity with source quality. We are doing everything we can to increase reports, including eliminating barriers such as literacy and time expectations. We are focusing on the point of data being at the biggest interface with the community, the frontline.
Follow checklists Frontline health workers have a lot of information to remember, from diverse fields such as public health, sanitation, and community development. One very simple innovation that has been shown to dramatically reduce complications in hospitals is the use of checklists. We work to apply this same concept to community health workers, who provide the frontline health information interface for communities in developing countries. Mobile technology can help ensure that best practices make it all the way through the last mile and into the frontlines.
We can already use our Surveyor platform to deliver a checklist to smartphones, allowing us to add questions or steps that are automatically pushed to health workers and monitor whether they are using the tools provided. Real time data gathered in a cloud-based database can use checklist results from one survey to trigger another enumerator's questions. Symptoms queried can be adapted in real time, based on growing situational awareness. All data in checklists can be quickly monitored as indicators in the Portal, a management website that deploys surveys, collects their responses in real time, and allows users to download their data as CSV forms.
Listen to the public. In a large survey of the population in Mwanza, we found that water scarcity was a bigger concern for them than water contamination. As a public health scientist, I know this is due to a survivor's bias, where only people who survived the age of five and have the gut flora needed to survive high levels of fecal contamination are around to tell their neighbors, their family, or me about what they are worried about. I know epidemiologically that waterborne disease is the second biggest cause of infant mortality on the globe and an indicator for the other big threats to child well-being, namely lung infection and malnutrition. But I have learned that also meeting the self-assessed needs of a community is a critical must to any policy.
In water, focusing on self-assessed needs allowed the city to make a policy decision based on digital epidemiology with local buy-in. We mated the need of water scarcity with the health policy need of protecting water supply by providing more and safer water sources. Our data motivated the city to stop supporting any further construction of shallow wells, which were found to be frequently contaminated, instead approving boreholes and piped kiosks and taps for their own expansion and NGO donations.
Translating this lesson to Ebola, the communities affected are rarely hit with Ebola itself, but instead are regularly hit with diarrhea and lung infection and they have a chronic shortage of medical staff to treat those illnesses. The targeted response to Ebola while these more common life-threatening conditions go under-treated has caused distrust between communities and the emergency agencies. Taking the self-assessed need as a critical priority would mean we should also provide resources for lung infection, diarrhea, and other local health priorities alongside our effort to provide resources and expertise for Ebola.


text:
August 6, 2013
Updated: We round up the main new products from the show - including five more we missed first time round. Read More »
September 12, 2011
Review FBX and DAE files, complete with DoF and soft shadows - all without having to open your 3D app. Read More »
Sorry, no posts matched your criteria.


text:
Retrophile, seamstress and embryo packaging designer in Stockholm, Sweden, somewhat loosely anchored in the present. I love perfume, trains and women's uniforms, obsess over the cut of clothes and tinker with re-enactment and living history.
I am also a queer feminist. Things were not better back in the day, and one of the really beautiful things about the here and now is that it allows me so much liberty to be all of the above. A great part of my interest in history is an interest in what life was like for people like me – women, queer people – and others who are not prominently featured among those who wrote history as we know it.
The title is stolen from Margery Allingham's 1938 mystery The Fashion in Shrouds. It's not her best novel (my favourites are Death of a Ghost and The Tiger in the Smoke), but I love her and that multi-layered title, which reflects my relationship with the fashion industry rather well. It's complicated, shall we say?
This is my personal blog. My portfolio (in Swedish) can be found here.


text:
Recently, the DXC Agility Platform team released a brand new integration with Microsoft Azure SQL. Microsoft Azure SQL is a managed cloud database provided as-a-service as part of Microsoft Azure. As a managed service, Azure SQL takes care of database backup while also maintaining scalability and high availability of the database. There is a very long list of features in the Azure SQL service which greatly reduce the workload of IT and application owners.
While installing and configuring a SQL Server is not overly complicated, there are many features and maintenance considerations to take into account. By leveraging the Azure SQL service, the process becomes more of a point and click experience to decide the features you need, such as how to scale up/down, specify monitoring metrics, backup requirements, etc.
Now within the Agility Platform, an application owner is able to drag and drop Azure SQL into a blueprint that has web servers, storage, and load balancers. In turn, this not only provides access to many of the Azure SQL features, but reduce time in deploying new/updated applications and service offerings.
Here are some highlights of the supported features of the new Azure SQL adapter:
- Drag and drop of Azure SQL into new or existing blueprints
- Support for provisioning, reconfiguring and releasing of the database instance
- Customizable firewall settings and tiers of services
Please refer to the release notes for more details on features and functionality.
Customers who have the Agility Platform installed within their own data center(s) can upgrade to the newest version of Agility and/or updated adapters. Please refer to the documentation to review which versions of the Agility Platform the Adapters have been certified against; an upgrade of Agility may be required.
For customers using DXC managed cloud offerings, such as BizCloud, discuss this update with your account representative. Those DXC Services follow a separate schedule for updating the platform and the unique services they provide.
DXC Agility Platform 11.0 Released
DXC Agility Platform now integrated with Hitachi Automation Director


text:
"...Featuring gravity-defying frontman Tim Livingston and powerhouse drummer Al Kash (both veterans of the very first LarkFest 32 years ago!), as well as razor-sharp guitarist Terry Plunkett and bassist Nick Bisanz, the band charged through a high-energy sonic assault, railing against corporate radio, mindless nostalgia and the powers that be. The themes may not be anything new, but the band played with the palpable passion of rebellion, adding a new-found metallic edge to their already potent brand of politico psych-punk..."
Read the Whole review HERE!


text:
Amongst the many personality traits prominent across the world is what I believe would be called the cookie type preference. It's why there are so many different kinds available in the groceries- crispy, soft, hard, chewy, cakey, more chips, less chips, white chips, chocolate chunk, nuts...I could go on!
As a kid a reward for going grocery shopping with my mom and helping would sometimes be a box of those already prepared but very raw cookie dough balls in the box from the frozen aisle and you guessed it, they never made it into the oven because we would eat them how they were. Slightly frozen still, the chips were so cold and the batter thick, stickey and gooey, the kind that got stuck to the roof of your mouth. Those were the best. At the time "raw" was my preference. Not the healthiest choice, but oh so good! As an adult I think I prefer crispy. And guess what, I think I have officially found the perfect balance between the two in these caramel cookie bars. And don't worry, they do get baked and I don't recommend eating them raw either.
Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
2 Cups White Flour
1 Cup Oil
1/3 Cup Confectioners Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon of Salt.
1 Cup (Dee Best Brand) Non Dairy Caramel Sauce
1/4 Cup Vanilla Almond Milk
2 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Semisweet Non Dairy Chocolate Chips
1.Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a square cookie pan. Measure out and sift the flour and confectioners sugar and combine with salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the oil and mix until you have quite a thick dough consistency. Take the mixture and press it into the bottom of the square pan evenly so it reaches all of the edges. Bake it for 25 minutes and then remove it from the oven to cool for 10 minutes.
2. In the meantime prepare the caramel part. Combine the caramel sauce, eggs and vanilla almond milk and mix well before pouring it over top of the already baked bottom half (crust). Then pour the chocolate chips over the top as evenly as possible and put it into the oven again for another 25 minutes. The top will be slightly soft when you pull it out of the oven. As long as it's not runny and overly liquid like, this is fine. Allow it to cool completely before cutting it into squares and serving.
Thanks for stopping by!
I really hope you will give my Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars recipe a try! Don't forget to leave me a comment below letting me know what it was like if you do! And feel free to tag me on Instagram or post your photo on my facebook page as well.
Stay updated:
Don't forget to follow me with Bloglovin'
You can also follow me with:


text:
13 June 2018 | News
The research team created a device that includes an image-guided robot for drawing blood from veins, a sample-handling module and a centrifuge-based blood analyser
Researchers from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, US have created an automated blood drawing and testing device that provides rapid results, potentially improving the workflow in hospitals and other health-related institutions to allow health care practitioners to spend more time treating patients.
Diagnostic blood testing is the most commonly performed clinical procedure in the world, and it influences most of the medical decisions made in hospitals and laboratories.
However, the success rate of manually drawing blood samples depends on clinicians' skill and patient physiology, and nearly all test results come from centralised labs that handle large numbers of samples and use labour-intensive analytical techniques.
The research team created a device that includes an image-guided robot for drawing blood from veins, a sample-handling module and a centrifuge-based blood analyser.
Their device provides highly accurate results from a white blood cell test, using a blood-like fluid spiked with fluorescent microbeads. The testing used artificial arms with plastic tubes that served as blood vessels.
The device could provide rapid test results at bedsides or in ambulances, emergency rooms, clinics and doctors' offices.
"With our relatively simple chip design and analysis techniques, the device can be extended to incorporate a broader panel of tests in the future," said Max Balter, who led the study.


text:
Your Georgia Desk
From Governor Nathan Deal
Deal unveils Opportunity School District legislation
Governor seeks reforms to improve schools that have consistently failed to boost student achievement
Gov. Nathan Deal's Senate floor leader Butch Miller (R-Gainesville) today introduced legislation to create an Opportunity School District that will allow the state to temporarily step in to assist chronically failing schools, giving students and parents hope for a better future.
"While Georgia boasts many schools that achieve academic excellence every year, we still have too many schools where students have little hope of attaining the skills they need to succeed in the workforce or in higher education," said Deal. "We have a moral duty to do everything we can to help these children. Failing schools keep the cycle of poverty spinning from one generation to the next. Education provides the only chance for breaking that cycle. When we talk about helping failing schools, we're talking about rescuing children. I stand firm on the principle that every child can learn, and I stand equally firm in the belief that the status quo isn't working."
In the governor's proposal, persistently failing schools are defined as those scoring below 60 on the Georgia Department of Education's accountability measure, the College and Career Performance Index (CCRPI), for three consecutive years.
The Opportunity School District would take in no more than 20 schools per year, meaning it would govern no more than 100 at any given time. Schools would stay in the district for no less than five years but no more than 10 years.
"I would like nothing more than for the need for the Opportunity School District to decline every year; that would show our reforms are working," Deal said. "But everyone – regardless of where they stand on this issue – can agree that today there is a need. We know from other states such as Louisiana and Tennessee that these programs can produce positive results for students and communities.
"Educational opportunity opens the door to the American dream. We can't guarantee that every child will achieve, but we must do everything in our power to make sure they at least get the chance."
Creating the Opportunity School District requires a constitutional amendment. Deal this session will work with legislators to put the amendment on the 2016 ballot and to pass enabling legislation that will govern how the district operates.


text:
Hi There!
Remember the record?
Really?? Great!
(So you're the one!)
Well, if you're 40-Something or over and listened
to BBC Radio 1 or watched
TOP OF THE POPS on TV it may "ring a bell."
You can see KING OF THE COPS on YouTube
Top Of The Pops:
On Live TV Show
Disco Cops TV Show:
I Support Keech Children's Hospice, a tremendously worthy cause, here in Luton, by promoting sales of their £1 Weekly Lottery tickets for them.
Children who use the hospice have a variety of conditions. Some may live only a few months whilst others will live for a
number of years. Almost all will die before reaching adulthood. Many have conditions which worsen slowly over time, and
so become more and more dependent on their parents and carers as time goes on. The charity helps make their path as
pain and stress-free as possible by giving parents and their families care and support at every step of the way.
Tickets are only £1 each with a First Prize of £1000, a 2nd prize of £250, and 3 x 3rd prizes of £50. There are 155 prizes in
total, every week, and prize draws take place every Friday at the hospice offices by random computer selection.
So, if you would like to support a worthwhile charity -
why not join our WEEKLY LOTTERY SCHEME?
The FIRST PRIZE JACKPOT is ONE THOUSAND POUNDS
Well? How about it? Will you join our weekly lottery?
It's only £1 a week THERE ARE 40 PRIZES
If you do, you'll have the great satisfaction of knowing that every week YOU are helping a truly worthwhile cause,
and that whether you win or not, your weekly £1 has made a significant contribution towards the hospice funds.
If you'd like to 'come aboard' just email me (email address at the bottom of each page) or click the box below, and I'll contact you by return email and arrange everything for you.
And, if you know anyone else who
like to join, just let them know where to
find me. I'll be happy to do the same for
Meanwhile, thank you for visiting us,
and I hope you enjoy the rest of the
site. With every good wish,
OK, OK - - JUST KIDDING! The fact is I quit live performing in 1980 for a new career in sales and
marketing. My pregnant wife was expecting our daughter at the time and, after many miscarriages,
advised to go to bed for 6 months to ensure reaching full term. I felt I needed a new challenge
and went into the exciting area of direct sales where I spent the next 25 years.


text:
Inking in RED ... I love RED!
Thursday, June 6, 2013
CCEE1323 Direct to Paper
Our hostess for the month of June is Brenda O'Rear (Benzi). She challenged us to use the direct to paper technique.
I stamped my ink directly from the pad (Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads) to the white background, then inked stamps to place on the squares made by the pads.
I hope you will want to join us, this week and every week for FUN! Please link your card
, and be sure to check out the whole team's entries.
Posted by
jdmommy - Anne Harmon
7 comments:
Newer Posts
Older Posts
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)


text:
Beginning of pregnancy controversy
Controversy over the beginning of pregnancy occurs in different contexts, particularly as it is discussed within the abortion debate in the United States. Because an abortion is defined as ending an established pregnancy, rather than as destroying a fertilized egg, depending on when pregnancy is considered to begin, some methods of birth control as well as some methods of infertility treatment might be classified as causing abortions.
The controversy is not primarily a scientific issue, since knowledge of human reproduction and development has become very refined; the linguistic questions remain debated for other reasons. The issue poses larger social, legal, medical, religious, philosophical, and political ramifications because some people, such as Concerned Women for America, equate the beginning of a pregnancy with the beginning of an individual human being's life.[1] Many of these arguments are related to the anti-abortion movement. In this way of thinking, if the pregnancy has not yet begun, then stopping the process is not abortion and therefore can contain none of the moral issues associated with abortion, but if it is a pregnancy, then stopping it is a morally significant act.
A major complication is that ideological and religious concepts such as "ensoulment" (whether or not a human being is said to have gone from mere matter to having a spiritual entity inside) and "personhood" (whether or not a human being is said to be a distinct individual with innate human rights versus otherwise) exist outside of scientific analysis, and thus many individuals have argued that the beginning of pregnancy cannot be determined strictly through physical evidence alone. No experiment exists (or can exist) to measure the spirituality of an object or living thing in the same way that height, temperature, weight, etc. can be studied.
Generally speaking, some ideological and religious commentaries have argued that pregnancy should be stated as beginning at the first, exact moment of conception in which a human sperm makes full contact with an egg cell. In contrast, other commentaries have argued that the duration of pregnancy begins at some other point, such as when the fertilization process ends (when a new, independent cell genetically distinct from the prior egg and sperm exists) or when implantation occurs (when the new set of cells lodges itself against the uterine wall, allowing it to grow rapidly). The ambiguity's implications mean that, despite the scientific community being able to describe the physical processes in detail, the decision about what should be called "abortion" and what should be called "contraception" or pregnancy prevention are not agreed upon.[1]
Definitions of pregnancy beginning[edit]
Traditionally, doctors have measured pregnancy from a number of convenient points, including the day of last menstruation, ovulation, fertilization, implantation and chemical detection.[citation needed] This has led to some confusion about the precise length of human pregnancy, as each measuring point yields a different figure.[citation needed]
At its 2004 Annual Meeting, The American Medical Association passed a resolution in favor of making "Plan B" emergency contraception available over-the-counter, and one of the claims in the resolution was that hormonal contraception that may affect implantation "cannot terminate an established pregnancy."[2] Similarly, the British Medical Association has defined an "established pregnancy" as beginning at implantation.[3] The legal definition in the United Kingdom is not clear.[4]
Other definitions exist. The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary defines "pregnancy" as "from conception until birth."[5] Definitions like this may add to a lay person's confusion, as "conception" in a scientific context may be defined as fertilization,[6][7] in a medical context can mean either fertilization[8][9] or implantation[10] but in lay terms may mean both.[11]
Whether conception refers to fertilization or implantation would seemingly even impact "established pregnancies" such as an ectopic pregnancy. If conception is defined as at implantation, ectopic pregnancies could not be called pregnancies. However, some medical professionals who oppose birth control,[12] such as Walter Larimore of the Focus on the Family group, have argued that the medical definition of conception should include fertilization.[13]
Finally, the standard historical method of counting the duration of pregnancy begins from the last menstruation and this remains common with doctors, hospitals, and medical companies.[14] This system is convenient because it is easy to determine when the last menstrual period was, while both fertilization and implantation occur out of sight. An interesting consequence is that the dating of pregnancy measured this way begins two weeks before ovulation.
Although many anti-abortion advocates have argued that both pregnancy and status of a separate human life beginning happen at fertilization, several examples also exist of people within those movements taking alternate views. For example, doctor and social activist Bernard Nathanson wrote in his 1979 work Aborting America that a confirmed moment of implantation should be considered the point at which a distinct human being exists. He specifically stated (note that 'alpha' is his shorthand for an organized group of cells), "Biochemically, this is when alpha announces its presence as part of the human community by means of its hormonal messages, which we now have the technology to receive... know[ing] biochemically that it is an independent organism distinct from the mother."[15]
Legal implications[edit]
In August 2008, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposed a regulation to protect certain actions of health workers: refusal to provide patient services that the health workers believe to be abortifacient. The ban on discrimination against these employees would apply to all organizations that receive grant money from HHS. A draft version leaked in July proposed that the U.S. federal government define abortion as including "termination of [human] life... before... implantation." The official proposal dropped the definition of abortion, instead leaving it to the objecting individual to define abortion for him- or herself. Groups on both sides of the controversy believe the ban is intended to allow health workers to refuse to dispense IUDs and hormonal contraceptives, including emergency contraception. It has drawn widespread criticism from major medical and health groups.[16][17][18]
In the past, pregnancy has been defined in terms of conception. For example, Webster's Dictionary defined "pregnant" (or "pregnancy") as "having conceived" (or "the state of a female who has conceived"), in its 1828 and 1913 editions.[19] However, in the absence of an accurate understanding of human development, early notions about the timing and process of conception were often vague.
Both the 1828 and 1913 editions of Webster's Dictionary said that to "conceive" meant "to receive into the womb and ... begin the formation of the embryo."[19] However most references say that it was only in 1875 that Oskar Hertwig discovered that fertilization includes the penetration of a spermatozoon into an ovum. Thus, the term "conception" was in use long before the details of fertilization were discovered. By 1966, a more precise meaning of the word "conception" could be found in common-use dictionaries: the formation of a viable zygote.[20]
In 1959, Dr. Bent Boving suggested that the word "conception" should be associated with the process of implantation instead of fertilization.[21] Some thought was given to possible societal consequences, as evidenced by Boving's statement that "the social advantage of being considered to prevent conception rather than to destroy an established pregnancy could depend on something so simple as a prudent habit of speech." In 1965, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) adopted Boving's definition: "conception is the implantation of a fertilized ovum."[22]
The 1965 ACOG definition was imprecise because, by the time it implants, the embryo is called a blastocyst,[23] so it was clarified in 1972 to "Conception is the implantation of the blastocyst."[24] Some dictionaries continue to use the definition of conception as the formation of a viable zygote.[25]
Birth control – mechanism of action[edit]
Birth control methods usually prevent fertilization. This cannot be seen as abortifacient because, by any of the above definitions, pregnancy has not started. However, some methods might have a secondary effect of preventing implantation, thus allowing the proembryo to die. Those who define pregnancy from fertilization subsequently may conclude that the agents should be considered abortifacients.
Speculation about post-fertilization mechanisms is widespread, even appearing on patient information inserts for hormonal contraception, but there is no clinical support. One small study, using fourteen women, might be considered as providing evidence of such an effect for IUDs[26] and a study of the combined oral contraceptive pill has been proposed.[27]
Possibly affected methods[edit]
- Hormonal contraception, including emergency contraception, are known to be effective at preventing ovulation. Some scientists believe hormonal methods may have a secondary effect of interfering with implantation of embryos.[citation needed]
- Intrauterine devices (IUDs) have been proven to have strong spermicidal and ovicidal effects;[28][29] the current medical consensus is that this is the only way in which they work.[30] Still, a few physicians have suggested they may have a secondary effect of interfering with the development of pre-implanted embryos;[26] this secondary effect is considered more plausible when the IUD is used as emergency contraception.[31]
- The lactational amenorrhea method works primarily by preventing ovulation, but is also known to cause luteal phase defect (LPD). LPD is believed to interfere with the implantation of embryos.[32]
- Natural Family Planning (NFP) methods are intended to prevent fertilization through avoiding intercourse during fertile periods. Luc Bovens argues that, under an assumption that the age of gametes has an effect on embryo viability, errors in NFP method result in the occurrence of lower-viability embryos. This is intended to be an ethical thought experiment; Bovens states that his assumption "is not backed up by empirical evidence, but does have a certain plausibility."[33] His argument is controversial.[34] The age of gametes at the time of fertilization has been shown to have no effect on miscarriage rates in most cases, but is a significant risk factor where there is history of miscarriage.[35] Age of gametes at the time of fertilization has been shown to have no effect on low birth weight or preterm delivery.[36]
Viability and established pregnancy[edit]
A related issue that comes up in this debate is how often fertilization leads to an established, viable pregnancy.[citation needed] Research in in-vitro fertilization patients suggests that fertilized embryos fail to implant some 30% to 70% of the time, although it is unknown whether this rate corresponds to inherently low human implantation rates (in natural conception) or to an altered physiological state.[37][38] Of those that do implant, about 25% suffer early pregnancy loss by the sixth week LMP (after the woman's Last Menstrual Period), and an additional 7% miscarry or are stillborn.[39] As a result, even without the use of birth control, between 50% and 70% of zygotes never result in established pregnancies, much less birth.
Ethics of preventing implantation[edit]
The intention of a woman to prevent pregnancy is an important factor in whether or not the act of contraception is seen as abortive by some anti-abortion groups. Hormonal contraceptives have a possible effect of preventing implantation of a blastocyst, as discussed previously. Use of these drugs with the intention of preventing pregnancy is seen by some pro-life groups as immoral. This is because of the possibility of causing the end of a new human life.[40]
However, hormonal contraception can also be used as a treatment for various medical conditions. When implantation prevention is unintentionally caused as a side effect of medical treatment, such pro-life groups do not consider the practice to be immoral, citing the bioethical principle of double effect.[41] Likewise, when a hormonal contraceptive is used with the intention of preventing fertilisation, the intended reduction in implantation failures, miscarriages and deaths from childbearing may outweigh the possibility that the method might cause some implantation failures.[citation needed]
A related application of the principle of double effect is breastfeeding. Breastfeeding greatly suppresses ovulation, but eventually an ovum is released. Luteal phase defect, caused by breastfeeding, makes the uterine lining hostile to implantation and as such may prevent implantation after fertilization.[32] Some pro-choice groups have expressed concern that the movement to recognize hormonal contraceptives as abortifacient will also cause breastfeeding to be considered an abortion method.[42][43]
Detectable pregnancy[edit]
A protein called early pregnancy factor (EPF) is detectable in a woman's blood within 48 hours of ovulation if fertilization has occurred. However, testing for EPF is time consuming and expensive; most early pregnancy tests detect human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone that is not secreted until after implantation. Defining pregnancy as beginning at implantation thus makes pregnancy a condition that can be easily tested.[citation needed]
Philosophical issues[edit]
The distinction in ethical value between existing persons and potential future persons has been questioned.[44] Subsequently, it has been argued that contraception and even the decision not to procreate at all could be regarded as immoral on a similar basis as abortion.[45] In this sense, beginning of pregnancy may not necessarily be equated with where it is ethically right or wrong to assist or intervene.[citation needed] In a consequentialistic point of view, an assisting or intervening action may be regarded as basically equivalent whether it is performed before, during or after the creation of a human being, because the end result would basically be the same, that is, the existence or non-existence of that human being.[citation needed]
See also[edit]
- ^ a b c "The Implications of Defining When a Woman Is Pregnant". The Guttmacher Report on Public Policy. May 2005, Volume 8, Number 2.
- ^ FDA Rejection of Over-The-Counter Status for Emergency Contraception Pills American Medical Association House of Delegates Resolution:443. Retrieved April 30, 2007
- ^ BMA (May 2005). "Abortion time limits: A briefing paper from the British Medical Association". Archived from the original on 2006-08-27. Retrieved 2006-07-31. "The term 'abortion' is used throughout this paper to refer to the induced termination of an established pregnancy (i.e. after implantation)."
- ^ Hope, T. & Savulsecu, J. "Handout 3: Outline of Legal Positions in England and Wales". Medical Ethics and Law Teaching Materials: Termination of Pregnancy. The Oxford Centre for Ethics and Communication in Health Care Practice, Oxford University. pp. Appendix 3: Some key points in the law on abortion and fetal damage. Archived from the original on 2006-03-23. – "It is generally assumed that when the Act states that 'pregnancy has not exceeded its 24th week' it means 24 weeks since the first day of the woman's last period. But this is not clear – particularly if there is evidence that conception had taken place on a day after this....The Attorney General said, in 1983 (see Brazier 1992 page 293-4) that there is no pregnancy until implantation. This is persuasive but not binding precedence." "Termination of Pregnancy Handout (pdf)" (PDF).
- ^ The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary, 2002
- ^ Hellweg, Paul (2011). The American Heritage Science Dictionary. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. p. 137. ISBN 9780547470924. Archived from the original on 2013-06-22. Retrieved 2013-10-06.
- ^ Martin, Elizabeth A. (2012). A Dictionary of Science. Oxford University Press. p. 185. ISBN 978-0199561469.
- ^ Mosby (2012). Mosby's Medical Dictionary. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 415. ISBN 0323085415.
- ^ Dorland (2011). Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary. Saunders. p. 355. ISBN 1416062572.
- ^ "Sex Selection" (PDF). ACOG. February 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 10, 2015.
- ^ "Conception". Merriam-Webster.
- ^ Larimore, Walter. "Ethical Issues Regarding Hormonal Contraceptives". The Truth About Birth Control. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
- ^ Larimore, Walter L; et al. (2004). "Response: Does Pregnancy Begin at Fertilization?" (PDF). Family Medicine.
- ^ Doctor:George P. Pettit, M.D. (2002). "Due Date Calculator".
Hospital:Northwestern Memorial Hospital (2006). "What is a trimester?". Archived from the original on 2005-11-04.
Medical company:The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library (2003). "Stages of Development: Pregnancy".
- ^ Nathanson, Bernard N.; Ostling, Richard N. (1979). Aborting America. Life Cycle Books. p. 216. ISBN 9780919225008.
- ^ Stein, Rob (2008-07-31). "Workers' Religious Freedom vs. Patients' Rights". Washington Post. pp. A01. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
- ^ Shapiro, Joseph (2008-08-22). "HHS Backs Protections For Anti-Abortion Doctors". Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
- ^ Stein, Rob (2008-08-22). "Protections Set for Antiabortion Health Workers". Washington Post. pp. A01. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
- ^ a b Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary Archived 2012-07-10 at Archive.today (1913 and 1828) via the ARTFL Project. See definitions of "pregnant" and "pregnancy".
- ^ Webster's Third New International Dictionary (1966), defining conception as the "act of becoming pregnant (formation of a viable zygote); state of being conceived; that which is conceived (embryo, fetus)..." quoted in Mallett Shelley, Conceiving Cultures Archived 2006-08-30 at the Wayback Machine, p. 284 (U. Mich. 2003).
- ^ Boving, B.G., "Implantation Mechanisms", in Mechanics Concerned With Conception. Hartman, C.G., ed. (Pergamon Press 1963), page 386.
- ^ American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Terminology Bulletin. Terms Used in Reference to the Fetus. No. 1. Philadelphia: Davis, September, 1965.
- ^ Biggers, J., "Ambiguity of the Word Conception: Implications if S. 158 is Enacted", The Human Life Bill Appendix, Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Separation of Powers of the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, p. 281-288 (1982).
- ^ Hughes, E.C. "Gametogenesis and Fertilization", in Obstretric-Gynecologic Terminology. Philadelphia: Davis, 1972: 299–304.
- ^ Dictionary.com.
- ^ a b Stanford J, Mikolajczyk R (2002). "Mechanisms of action of intrauterine devices: update and estimation of postfertilization effects". Am J Obstet Gynecol. 187 (6): 1699–708. doi:10.1067/mob.2002.128091. PMID 12501086., which cites:
- Smart Y, Fraser I, Clancy R, Roberts T, Cripps A (1982). "Early pregnancy factor as a monitor for fertilization in women wearing intrauterine devices". Fertil Steril. 37 (2): 201–4. doi:10.1016/S0015-0282(16)46039-5. PMID 6174375.
- ^ Lloyd J DuPlantis, Jr (2001). "Early Pregnancy Factor". Pharmacists for Life, Intl. Retrieved 2007-01-01. Cite journal requires
- ^ "Mechanisms of the Contraceptive Action of Hormonal Methods and Intrauterine Devices (IUDs)". Family Health International. 2006. Archived from the original on 17 June 2006. Retrieved 2006-07-05.
- ^ Keller, Sarah (Winter 1996). "IUDs Block Fertilization". Network. Family Health International. Archived from the original on 23 June 2006. Retrieved 2006-07-05.
- ^ Grimes, David (2007). "Intrauterine Devices (IUDs)". In Hatcher, Robert A.; et al. (eds.). Contraceptive Technology (19th rev. ed.). New York: Ardent Media. p. 120. ISBN 0-9664902-0-7.
- ^ Trussell, James; Elizabeth G. Raymond (September 2010). "Emergency Contraception: A Last Chance to Prevent Unintended Pregnancy" (PDF). The Office of Population Research at Princeton University and the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 September 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-27. Cite journal requires
- ^ a b Díaz S, Cárdenas H, Brandeis A, Miranda P, Salvatierra A, Croxatto H (1992). "Relative contributions of anovulation and luteal phase defect to the reduced pregnancy rate of breastfeeding women". Fertil Steril. 58 (3): 498–503. PMID 1521642.
- ^ Luc Bovens (2006). "The rhythm method and embryonic death". Journal of Medical Ethics. 32 (6): 355–356. doi:10.1136/jme.2005.013920. PMC 2563373. PMID 16731736.
- ^ "The rhythm method and embryonic death". Retrieved 10 July 2013. Cite journal requires
- ^ Gray RH, Simpson JL, Kambic RT (May 1995). "Timing of conception and the risk of spontaneous abortion among pregnancies occurring during the use of natural family planning". American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 172 (5): 1567–1572. doi:10.1016/0002-9378(95)90498-0. PMID 7755073.
- ^ Barbato M, Bitto A, Gray RH, et al. (June–September 1997). "Effects of timing of conception on birth weight and preterm delivery of natural family planning users". Advances in Contraception. 13 (2–3): 215–228. doi:10.1023/A:1006508106197. PMID 9288339.
- ^ Kennedy, T.G. Physiology of implantation. 10th World Congress on in vitro fertilization and assisted reproduction. Vancouver, Canada, 24–28 May 1997.
- ^ Smart Y, Fraser I, Roberts T, Clancy R, Cripps A (1982). "Fertilization and early pregnancy loss in healthy women attempting conception". Clin Reprod Fertil. 1 (3): 177–84. PMID 6196101.
- ^ Wilcox AJ, Baird DD, Weinberg CR (June 1999). "Time of implantation of the conceptus and loss of pregnancy". The New England Journal of Medicine. 340 (23): 1796–9. doi:10.1056/NEJM199906103402304. PMID 10362823.
- ^ Finn, J.T. (2005-04-23). ""Birth Control" Pills cause early Abortions". Pro-Life America — Facts on Abortion. prolife.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2006. Retrieved 2006-08-25.
- ^ Doesn't breastfeeding do the same thing as the Pill? Archived 2006-10-15 at the Wayback Machine Eternal Perspective Ministries, 2006. Accessed May 2006.
- ^ "Emergency Contraception & Conscience: Christian Right Attacks on Contraceptives". About.com Religion & Spirituality Agnosticism / Atheism. Archived from the original on 28 June 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-22.
- ^ Shorto, Russell (2006-05-07). "Contra-Contraception". New York Times Magazine. pp. 4 of 9-page online article.
- ^ Page 212 and 213 in: Abortion and the Golden Rule By R. M. Hare. Philosophy and Public Affairs. Vol. 4, No. 3 (Spring, 1975), pp. 201-222 [1]
- ^ Do Potential People Have Moral Rights? By Mary Anne Warren. Canadian Journal of Philosophy. Vol. 7, No. 2 (Jun., 1977), pp. 275-289 [2]


text:
In today's retail environment the key challenges faced, are clear:
• Omni Channel Systems and Processes;
• POS Security Systems and Products;
• Evolving Customer Profile;
• Customer Acquisition;
• Maintaining in-store employee efficiency
• Brand Ambassador Development.
Omni channel retailing is the use of all physical (POS Display material) and digital (online) channels, which offer a seamless, innovative, exciting and unified customer experience.
Although it is thought that Omni Channel is driven by Systems and Procedures, all indicators are there that the customer dictates how to interact and transact in this virtual, but real world.
One of the biggest challenges is decreasing in-store traffic. Given the recent security issues within the shopping mall environment, combined with the fact that people just don't have enough free time available, this all just culminates in less shopping trips. While retailers can Market by texting to customers, it remains a fine line to figure out how much interaction is beneficial and non-intrusive?
Adding to this, customers are highly informed, and the retail options are endless, given all the online alternatives readily available. This leaves retailers with knowledgeable and informed customers with exceedingly high expectations. Customers are expecting the very best of everything – immediately and superfast.
Another reality for retailers is the challenge of the need to stimulate purchases without being too aggressive. The success of it is to deliver a tangible value proposition that differentiates your brand from alternatives, to align people and processes with technology and to make Real Time Retail a reality.
As virtually all consumer spending growth is captured by ecommerce, driving traffic to stores is critical, with the focus on turning lookers into buyers. Stores will have to implement an interactive experience and use activities to drive customer visits and purchases online, driving traffic to pick up in store.
Furthermore, the fact that "Price and Promotion" is dead contributes to the current trend in declining in-store traffic, which necessitates the need to increase sales; therefore focussing on the frontline employee is the only answer. This growth will only be achieved with more effective, trained frontline staff, to tend to the knowledgeable customer, who is much better informed about their products and any alternative, for that matter. In this regard, the challenge remains that employees no longer arrive for a job to make a difference, they arrive for a paycheck. The repetitive replacement of employees is diluting brand strength directly influencing and affecting bottom line sales. This remains a challenge and a threat that needs to be addressed.
Omni channel movement is making end-to-end supply chain visibility more important than ever. Retailers need to be able to see across their enterprise and have the flexibility themselves, as well as their suppliers, to make real time decisions.
Butlers Point of Sale Logistics directly enables their client to this market expectation, reporting and executing in real time, streamlining their clients' transportation needs by becoming one with the brand whilst supporting merchandisers and brand managers, in having the right product at the right place at the right time.
For many years, Butlers has proven themselves to be both available and reliable in enabling their clients with real time decision-making whilst being passionate and knowledgeable about the brands they work within.
Butlers continues to align themselves with the fact that 72% of product awareness is driven by In-Store Point of Sale. Point of Sale, remains vital in the Marketing mix, and continues to be the major differentiating factor in brands. The change in the retail environment is forcing brands to look differently at themselves and their supply partnerships so that they can be effective in facing these changes together, emphasizing that players within the Point Of Sale Supply Chain are an integral part of brand success and longevity.
Butlers Point of Sale Logistics
Becoming One with Your Brand Non-negotiable Delivery Excellence Being "On Top of It"


text:
Our Cookies Policy has changed.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on all our websites and mobile applications.
This includes cookies from third party social media websites if you visit a page which contains embedded content from social media. Such third party cookies may track your use of the websites.
We and our partners also use cookies to ensure we show you advertising that is relevant to you.
If you continue we will assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the websites.
Tofas Bursa forward Kyle Weems checks in with the latest version of his EuroCupbasketball.com blog just before his team's crucial game against Limoges CSP with a ticket to the Top 16 at stake.
The EuroCup game we have been waiting for is finally here! We have been waiting for this game against Limoges for two weeks. We know it is crunch time and if we get that win against Limoges, it puts us into the Top 16. This is what we had training camp for, why we logged all those hours in the weight room and meetings. We know what this game has in store if we get this win. It is going to be very important for our club, too. It would be the first time that the club makes it to the Top 16 and it is one of our goals. I would like to say it will be like any other game, but I don't think it will be. It is going to be very intense, very emotional, and Limoges is going to be fighting for its life. They have to win this one against us and will probably need one more win, but if they lose against us, they are done. We know they are going to come out and play extremely hard, but I hope we do the same, especially in front of our fans. At the same time, we have to treat it as a normal game. You cannot get too high or too low. We have to follow our normal routine and hopefully, we will come out, hit them hard, sustain it and get the win.
We lost against them in Limoges and that is, of course, extra motivation for us. It was one of the better games that we played during a very tough stretch. We had a tough trip to Krasnodar to play against Lokomotiv, played a game in the Turkish League and left to play in Limoges. We played pretty good defense, but there was a stretch, right before halftime, in which we allowed them to take a 10 or 11-point lead. There was another stretch after that in which we got a 6 or 7-point lead, but we let them climb back and take back the advance going into the fourth. We just need to put together a complete game and if we do, we will be just fine, but we cannot have those five-to-seven minutes of bad basketball. As you can tell, in this competition, it can cost you.
"It is going to be very intense, very emotional, and Limoges is going to be fighting for its life."
It is a do-or-die game in early December, which tells you how hard this competition is and it will be very hard for us to advance without this win. We have to use all our energy, enthusiasm, focus and togetherness during those 40 minutes, during that two-hour stretch. We have to take advantage of this opportunity, for our individual careers, but more importantly, for this club. I pray and I hope that we can put this together and get the job done. Everyone wants to be in very good, winning situations. I have been a part of some really good winning teams and am fortunate to be able to say that. I want Tofas to have a winning culture, a winning team in Europe. This is why I signed here and hopefully, we can make it happen.
I definitely think about the run I had with Strasbourg in 2016 and that series against Galatasaray a lot and I still have kind of a bad taste in my mouth about it, so this is one of the reasons why I want to compete as long as I can in this competition and see what happens. We had a pretty good team and a special group of players. We had great leaders, Mardy Collins was a good leader, I brought leadership qualities myself, Rodrigue Beaubois has had a fantastic career after that and also we had Louis Campbell, a great guy on and off the court, and Matt Howard. It was a great group of guys that was put together by Coach Collet. We struggled a little bit early, getting to know each other on and off the court, but when we got it straight, it was a beautiful thing and I was definitely blessed to be a part of that team. It might be the case this time, too! We are still getting to know each other on the court and have a bunch of interchangeable pieces and we just got Baris Ermis back after a three-week injury. We are excited to have him back to relieve a little bit of pressure off of Diante Garrett, who had to bring the ball and play so many pick-and-rolls. We are looking forward to the next games with Baris back.
And of course, we play at home and that is a great plus. Our fans are great! We have great support around the city. When fans see me, they always say hello and are very nice. At times, when they need to, they can get rowdy, and that makes it a little bit easier for us. We truly have a home-court advantage and I hope that makes the difference against Limoges. We had two home losses in the competition and both of them were in overtime. We definitely need to use that home court advantage to feel comfortable.
"I want Tofas to have a winning culture, a winning team in Europe. This is why I signed here and hopefully, we can make it happen."
Speaking of feeling comfortable, I love it here in Bursa. For one, there is no traffic! That is the one thing about Istanbul that I do not miss. There are not as many American-style things, but I am fine with that. I am more of a stay-at-home person and spend a lot of time with my family, taking my son to different parts of the city. We don't go out to eat too often and Bursa is perfect for us. They have some very good restaurants and Turkish food is great. I am enjoying my time here and am looking forward to the future, too.
Last season, Tofas was 4-6 and did not advance to the Top 16, so everyone wants to be there this season. When our coach talked to us for the first time in the preseason, he said it was one of our goals. We know we are able to do something special. We let a couple of games slip and we understand that, but we have been blessed with a huge opportunity against Limoges on Wednesday. I will play as hard as I can, bringing in the energy and enthusiasm that I always bring, and hopefully, we can put together the perfect 40 minutes and get Tofas where we want to be. And once we care of business, we can start thinking about the future.


text:
I wanted to write and post this before Leaving Neverland premiered at Sundance last Friday. After all, I had a close relationship with Michael Jackson growing up and nothing of what he continues to be accused of has ever happened to me. I decided to wait because I was curious to see if the film would get any wings considering Wade Robson's volatile and unsuccessful claims against Michael Jackson in the past. Sure, let him tell his story again. Truth and justice will prevail as they have. Soon after it premiered, I quickly Googled "leaving neverland" to discover news articles stating that the four-hour documentary received a standing ovation. In disbelief, I searched the hashtag on Instagram to see Story footage from the theater and there they were — Wade Robson, James Safechuck and the film's director Dan Reed — on stage in front of an applauding audience at their feet. I'm not sure if the audience was doing so because they were perceived as survivors making a public appearance, or if the film was actually good in their eyes, or both; but all I could think about was that their strategy, unfortunately, worked.
Raising awareness about child abuse and providing a safe community for others to speak their truth is vital, but using Michael Jackson as a vehicle to do so is simply wrong. In order for any story to be valid, there has to be an element of trust and I do not trust the people associated with this film. Let's be clear: Michael Jackson showed up. He faced public interviews, he answered difficult-to-stomach questions, he agreed to interrogative documentaries, he withstood a 10-year FBI investigation, and he appeared in an eighteen-month criminal trial until he was acquitted having been found not guilty on all fourteen child molestation and abuse-related accounts. The fact that twelve years of criminal investigations and government legal proceedings can be completely overruled by the media due to a manipulation of the same stories once told before by a select few, especially by those who were initially on the defense, is deeply concerning. Maybe even horrifying.
I haven't seen the documentary, but it "focuses on two men… who allege they were sexually abused by the pop star Michael Jackson as children" (Wikipedia). Everyone is entitled to his/her/their story and I believe that each story should be told in truth to the best of his/her/their ability, but my issue with Leaving Neverland is the heavy reliance on one side, especially when that one side is comprised of only two people. On top of it all, those two people happen to know each other. So what we have is a product comprised of two acquaintances' stories who were in Michael's life as boys that has been glorified in a 236-minute documentary. Remember that the film would mark Robson's second attempt to tell his story. He told the same, truncated version of his story publicly in 2013 and simultaneously filed suit against the Michael Jackson Estate, which the court later dismissed. This was eight years after he testified twice under oath explicitly stating that Michael did nothing wrong during a criminal trial in which the jury delivered a verdict of not guilty. It's clear that this film's intention is to position Michael as a child predator, but I find that the entire Leaving Neverland saga is really, in turn, a predation on a man of power and wealth now almost 10 years dead and thereby defenseless.
I was part of Michael's life from the day I was born in 1987 until 2001. The last time I was literally close to him was backstage at the Staples Center when his casket wheeled past me. I knew him well because my mother, Janet Zeitoun, his sole hairstylist during the time, knew him even better. One could say that they might as well have been siblings. In fact, my mother was one of the few non-family members invited to the private memorial service at the cemetery hours before the public one in Downtown LA. Michael felt so comfortable with my mother because she made him laugh unlike anyone else, let alone the fact that she's incredible at her craft. Michael even said in writing that she's the "Michelangelo of hair."
From the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, my mother has been around the globe with Michael. She's been by his side doing his hair on sets, in dressing rooms, backstage at his concerts, at his home, on planes, in hotel rooms, in cars, and yes, even at Neverland. When my mom was pregnant with me in '86, Michael told her that she'd be having a boy; and on the day of my birth, Michael sent a limo to our home filled with gifts. And from then on, my single, hard-working mother who wanted to spend as much time with me as she could often brought me to work with her. So I grew up on the sets of Michael's music videos, I played with my toys on the floor of his dressing rooms, and he sometimes came over to our house to get his hair done. As I got a bit older and could walk on my own two feet, I became the boy responsible for making sure Michael got candy in between some of his concert rehearsal sets. Michael would make everyone stop and patiently wait for me to wobble my way on stage to him. I even remember singing "I Just Can't Wait to be King" to him in his trailer (so embarrassing!) but he gave me his undivided attention and smiled. I went to Neverland, several times of which Michael was there and he gave us the full tour of his home. I remember my favorite golf cart to get around had a Peter Pan emblem on it. I remember his movie theater concession stand being filled with candy that you could go behind the counter and take to watch whatever movie you wanted. I remember riding the big steam engine train that would take you from one end of the ranch to the other. I remember a big pot-bellied pig named Petunia and that I could name a newborn deer and rabbit. I chose Cuddie and Thumper, respectively; original, I know, but Michael loved the names.
Unlike Robson or Safechuck, I wasn't in the public eye with Michael. The only sort of public thing that happened was him publishing a photo of us in the centerfold of his 1995 tour book. Fourteen years later, the caretaker of his children recognized me backstage at the Staples Center during his memorial service and told me that the photograph was one of Michael's favorites, and at the time in 2009 was still framed on his grand piano in Neverland.
View this post on Instagram
I remember leaving Neverland a happy kid who couldn't wait to go back. I remember telling my mom that I wanted to have another birthday party there or that I wanted to hang out with Michael again at the ranch. The bulk of my experience with Michael was during the 90s right when the FBI investigation began on account of child molestation allegations. Knowing that this was happening and that these charges were set against him, I don't think my protective and well-aware mother would've allowed me to continue hanging around Michael or head up to Neverland had she not trusted him.
I firmly believe Michael did no wrong. You don't have to take my word for it, though; know that his truth was proven in a court of law. The stories being presented in Leaving Neverland are incredibly one-sided. This film is merely the Wade Robson & James Safechuck Story because I, too, remember leaving Neverland, as does my mother, and as do many people in his life who'd be glad to have a say in a film so generically titled; now wrongfully entitled to depict Michael's life and his misunderstood relationship with children. Any credible director of a documentary seeking truth on the matter would do his/her/their due diligence and present the full story from a carefully chosen and meaningful variety of sources. With four hours of film time to spare, I'm sure there could have been room. This is why I'm deeply disappointed in HBO and Channel 4 UK for picking it up with plans to air it later this spring. The networks snagged a falsity and will be responsible for disseminating a poorly researched film based on the highly skewed opinions of a select few that many of its subscribers will conclude as true.
Leaving Neverland is connecting because Robson and Safechuck's well-acted stories are similar to those of true survivors watching the film. It's a smart, yet corrupt way to capitalize on an entire community's vulnerabilities. It's also connecting because their stories are bolstered with a compelling medium to tell them as well as an accredited establishment like Sundance to premiere it. It's riding the wave of an important #MeToo and #TimesUp movement, and it poorly validates a shortsighted equation that many people think they already have the answer to: Michael Jackson plus always being around children must equal child molester. The result? A byproduct of lies smeared with a thin layer of credibility intended to enrage the general media and side with self-proclaimed victims. And because the people behind these forms of media have a following (or not), perhaps they're employed by some "greater" masthead and their information is muffled with journalists who actually seek the truth, the general population slowly becomes convinced, valuing information by ease of access which has really been served to them by algorithms designed to showcase what individuals only want to see. This is where destruction escalates. This is where the snowball gains its mass. This is why I'm stepping in with my story now.
I urge you to make it your undying responsibility to seek truth and acknowledge all sides in your consumption of how Michael is being depicted in this film. The capitalization of circumstance, divisive use of content and manipulation of media — all combined with rising false senses of entitlement — can quickly nullify a verdict and forever challenge truth to favor the other. This is the loophole with our digital ecosystem that actually determines one's fate and this is the precise mechanism Leaving Neverland is using, especially when money is at stake. It will ultimately destroy his family, defame his legacy and eradicate his artistry. If you think this little loophole won't take it that far, well, for starters: it's already killed Michael Jackson.
Michael signed a letter to me on Neverland letterhead once. It read: "from your protective and older brother, Michael Jackson." Now I find it my turn to protect him by telling my story because I solemnly swear that this kind-hearted, genius-of-a-man is innocent. I probably would have known otherwise.
Editor's Note
I did see both parts of Leaving Neverland on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 and my position still stands.


text:
Search engine optimisation is now more important than ever before. It is also essential for every website owner/ business to understand the meaning of SEO as well as the potential … more >>
When WordPress came onto the market it quickly gained a bad reputation for being simple, meek blog software, WRONG as WordPress powers the entire website as well as the blog. The website you are looking at right now is WordPress, … more >>
Google has announced that from April 21 2015, mobile-friendliness will be incorporated into its search engine algorithms. The change, which will affect all mobile searches in any language on a worldwide basis, is expected to … more >>


text:
Seven former student-athletes and the only Northeast Conference women's soccer team to post a victory in the NCAA Tournament were inducted into the Central Connecticut State University Alumni Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday night, Jan. 29, 2016.
The Hall of Fame class included Everton Barrington '97 (men's soccer), Kenneth Blasser '71 (football), Edward Fernandes '93 (men's golf), Tammie Repass '03 (women's swimming), Tajuana Sands '88 (women's basketball), Julie Twaddle '99 (women's soccer), Ken Vallone '86 (baseball) and the 2003 women's soccer team.
"We are very excited to induct this class to the 2016 CCSU Alumni Athletics Hall of Fame," Director of Athletics Paul Schlickmann said. "They are all most deserving of this special honor. It was a memorable evening of celebration to hear from Blue Devils who represented seven different sports and from the members of one of the most successful teams in our history. They have obviously been selected as a result of their exceptional athletics accomplishments, but we are equally proud of them as alumni and for what they have accomplished in their respective professional careers."
Additionally, this year's Kaiser Award was awarded to former football student-athlete and current NFL executive Scott Pioli. Scott is a 1988 graduate of the University and a member of the Alumni Athletics Hall of Fame. The Kaiser Award is presented to a former student-athlete who has, since graduation, distinguished himself/herself and their alma mater by the accomplishments and service. Scott is currently the Assistant General Manager with the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL, and has also held executive positions with the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots. He has been named NFL Executive of the Year by various media outlets five times during his career. During his time in New Britain Scott was a three-time All-New England selection.
The 2003 women's soccer team becomes just the second team to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Blue Devils posted the first Division I NCAA Tournament win in school history when they defeated Boston College 1-0 before falling in dramatic fashion to UConn (3-2) in double overtime in the second round. The team finished the season 15-3-4 overall and won their second straight, and fourth overall, NEC title. It would be the second of four straight titles for the Blue Devils from 2002-05. At the time their 15 wins matched the school-record set the previous season, and their three losses are the fewest in a single season in program history. Their winning percentage of .773 on the year is still a program record.
Barrington holds the single season goals scored record (24) for the Blue Devils set as a senior in 1994. His 52 total points during that year still stand second all-time behind only Hall of Famer Ken Pearson. He helped lead the Blue Devils to a 15-6-2 record that season and the Mid-Continent Tournament Championship, as well as an appearance in the NCAA Tournament Play-In game. The Blue Devils matched the school-record for wins in a season and were undefeated at home (8-0) on the year. In four seasons with the Blue Devils Barrington played in 85 games, scored 50 goals and had 113 career points. The Blue Devils won 41 games including 15 in each of his final two seasons. He was a three-time All-Conference selection during his tenure in New Britain.
Blasser was a co-captain of the 1970 football team and was a three-time All-Eastern Football Conference pick and three time All-New England selection at linebacker during his time with the Blue Devils. The 1968 team led the NCAA's College Division in points allowed per game, giving up just 4.4 points in nine games played, including four shutouts. The Blue Devils allowed more than one touchdown in a game just once, a 14-14 tie with A.I.C., on their way to a 6-2-1 record. Blasser posted 28 tackles in a win over Montclair State in his senior season, and former head coach and Hall of Famer Bill Loika constantly told the press that Blasser was 'the best I've ever had.' He led the team in tackles as a senior. Following his graduation from CCSU, Blasser signed professionally with the Montreal Alouttes of the Canadian Football League.
Fernandes was a four-year member of the men's golf team for the Blue Devils, playing for Hall of Famer Lowell Lukas. He was a four-time All-Conference selection and a four-time All-New England selection during his time with the Blue Devils, putting together one of the most successful careers in school history. The Blue Devils won the New England Championship in the Spring and Fall of 1989, as well as again in the fall of 1990 while Fernandes was on the team. He posted individual wins in the West Point Invitational (1989), ECAC Championships (1989), Black Knights Invitational (1991), ECC Conference Championships (1991, 1992) and was twice named the ECC Conference Golfer of the Year. Since leaving CCSU he has enjoyed a tremendously successful professional career and currently competes as a long drive professional.
Repass came to CCSU after a decorated career at Enrico Fermi High School and did not disappoint. During her time with the Blue Devils she set seven school records including two that still stand 13 seasons after her final swim. She still holds the school record in the 200 Butterfly (1:59.82) and the 400 Individual Medley (4:24.02). She won three individual races at the 2003 NEC Championships, setting a meet record in the 400 IM with a time of 4:24.12. She would go on to become the first female swimmer in the school's Division I history to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Her performance in 2001 helped lead the Blue Devils to their first-ever NEC Championship and earned her the league's Outstanding Female Swimmer of the Meet Award. She also won that award in 2003. She left CCSU as the second-most decorated swimmer in NEC history with 11 individual titles and seven more as a member of relay teams. Repass would compete in the NCAA Championships in 2002, and would also qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2004.
Sands played four seasons for legendary head coach and Hall of Famer Dr. Brenda Reilly and was one of the top rebounders in school history. At the end of her four seasons with the Blue Devils she was second in school history with 746 career rebounds. She is currently fourth on the same list. She averaged 9.3 rebounds in 1986-87, still the eighth-highest single season rebound total in school history. On March 1, 1987, she posted 21 rebounds again Assumption which is one of only two 20+ rebound games in CCSU's Division I history. It was the highest total for 23 seasons before it was broken in 2010. She also had a 19 rebound game to her credit, giving her two of the top three single game rebounding performances on the list.
Twaddle becomes the third women's soccer player to enter the Hall of Fame, and was part of a group of young women who helped put the program on the map. Part of the program's first team in 1995, Twaddle and her teammates quickly established themselves as a force winning back-to-back NEC Championships in 1997 and 1998 in just their third and fourth year of play. They won 25 games in those two seasons, and Twaddle was a captain in 1998, along with fellow Hall of Famer Jackie Hadden. Twaddle was an All-Conference selection in each of her final three seasons in New Britain, and scored the program's first hat trick during the 1996 season. She played in 75 career games, making 70 starts, and posted 18 career goals and 14 career assists, good for 50 career points.
Vallone still ranks eighth all-time in career batting average for the Blue Devils with his impressive mark of .353 during his career from 1983-86. He is also second all-time in triples with 15 and seventh in stolen bases with 35 (in 41 attempts). He is eighth all-time in slugging percentage at .551 and was a two-time captain for CCSU in both 1985 and 1986. Vallone was one of the leading hitters in New England in his junior season when he hit .397 and also ranked in the top-15 in the country that year. He was an All-New England selection. He led the team in hits (50), doubles (8) and triples (5) that season.
The CCSU Alumni Athletics Hall of Fame recognizes and honors former outstanding CCSU student-athletes for their contributions and achievements in athletics. Nominees, in general, must be of good character and worthy of the award, and individuals, who, through their actions, have shown support for the ideals of the University. Nominees shall have represented CCSU in a positive manner both on and off the playing arena. Including the Class of 2016, there are 144 members of the CCSU Alumni Athletics Hall of Fame, and two teams.