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Foresight Archives
Foresight Nanotechnology FAQ for Students
How do I study the basics of nanotechnology?
Work related to nanotechnology falls into two broad areas: the study of nanotechnology itself (which will remain theoretical, for the time being) and research on enabling technologies leading toward assemblers and nanotechnology (which can be theoretical in part, but which also have an experimental, developmental component).
The theoretical study of nanotechnology involves exploratory engineering work in a number of areas. It includes basic studies in nanomechanical engineering (the study of molecular machines) and nanoelectrical engineering (the study of molecular and atomically-precise nanometer scale electronic systems). It also includes studies of complex systems, such as assemblers, replicators, and nanocomputers. More broadly, it includes studies of non-nanoscale applications, such as large systems built by teams of assemblers.
Inevitably, more resources will go into development than into theory, because technology development will yield practical, short-term results on the way to long-term objectives. It makes no practical sense to try to build an assembler today, but it does make sense to build tools today that will make it easier to build assemblers tomorrow. These tools are termed "enabling technologies."
Promising enabling technologies fall into several familiar categories. These include:
These approaches have differing strengths and weaknesses. Protein engineering can draw on a host of examples and prototypes from nature, and can exploit existing self-replicating machines (bacteria) to make products cheaply a major consideration, where short-term payoffs are concerned. General macromolecular engineering avoids the major problem with protein engineering (proteins, not having been designed for designability, are hard to design), but at the cost of moving away from natural prototypes and requiring more expensive chemical synthesis techniques for making near-term products (thus reducing the potential market). Micromanipulation techniques promise to ease design problems by allowing direct construction of molecular objects, but they suffer from higher costs: a chemical reaction typically makes many trillions of molecules at once, while a manipulator would make but one; hence, manipulator-made products can be expected to cost trillions of times more, dramatically reducing the potential market.
All the above areas bear watching, and all will be pursued to some extent, regardless of which ultimately proves to have the biggest payoff. Hybrid approaches, combining techniques from several of these areas (e.g., micromanipulation of molecular tools), seem promising. Finally, improved computational modeling of molecular systems is a generic enabling technology, relevant to all these approaches.
If you haven't already done so, we recommend that you read Foresight Briefing #1: Studying Nanotechnology. We also recommend that you check out "The Study of Nanotechnology" by Dr. Ralph Merkle.
Where do I study nanotechnology?
A growing number of universities are offering related degree programs, and it is difficult to track new additions. Keep in mind that this list may be incomplete, and you should contact specific universities for more information.
Academic Institutions offering Nanotechnology and related courses or degree programs:
Arizona State University
Brown University
University of Cambridge (United Kingdom)
Clemson University
Cornell University
Delft University of Technology
Flinders University (Adelaide Australia)
Florida Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
Iowa State University
Kaunas University of Technology
Kyushu University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Michigan State University
Middle Tennessee State University
New Jersey Institute of Technology
New York University
North Carolina State University
Osaka University
Pennsylvania State University
Princeton University
Rice University
Seoul National University
Stanford University
Technische Universitat Berlin
University of Arizona
University of Chicago
University of Cincinnati
University of Connecticut
University of Delaware
University of Glasgow
University of Greenwich
University of Hamburg
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Lausanne
University of Leeds
University of Michigan
University of Nebraska
University of Newcastle
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Notre Dame
University of Southern California
University of South Florida
University of Texas at Austin
University of Tokyo
University of Toronto
University of Twente
University of Washington
University of Wisconsin Madison
Washington State University
Yale University
16. What careers might result?
Numerous avenues exist for pursuing a career in molecular nanotechnology, dependent of course on the fields of study selected. In order to provide you with information that is specific to your situation, we ask that you take the time to examine the materials listed below and let us know the particular areas that coincide with your interests.
Once you've familiarized yourself with the potential paths in the development of molecular nanotechnology, pick up a copy of the book Nanosystems: Molecular Machinery, Manufacturing, and Computation by Dr. K. Eric Drexler. You may order this online and make a small donation to Foresight as part of the Amazon Associates Program, which donates a portion of each sale to the referring organization. Please note: it is not necessary to read all of Nanosystems before proceeding to the next step.
Finally, we may be able to recommend specific individuals, who may be able to provide you with direct assistance in your search for career opportunities. You will need to know what path of development most suits your interests, and armed with that information, we may be able to assist you with your search. Contact Foresight when you are ready to proceed.
Where are degrees being offered?
It is becoming increasingly difficult to manage the number of universities offering degree programs in nanotechnology. Foresight has often announced the creation of new degree programs in the quarterly Foresight Update, but has not yet undertaken the task of assembling these into a master document. Steve Lenhert of About.com has assembled some of this information. See specifically the sections on Nanotechnology Courses and Nanotechnology Centers.
You may also want to check out the University of Maryland's nanotechnology database.
What if my university doesn't offer nanotechnology degrees?
If your university does not offer a specific degree program, it is possible to obtain an excellent grounding by studying some of the underlying aspects of this widely-disciplinary science (see the section above, How do I study the basics of nanotechnology?). You may also take a more proactive stance by encouraging your university to develop a nanotechnology degree program.
Are scholarships or internships available?
Scholarships are available, and we will highlight as many as we can in this space. We would like to caution you however, about scholarship searches that want money for their services. If you come across one that requests money, be sure to check it out first with the Better Business Bureau.
You may want to try http://www.salliemae.com. It is a good way to quickly and easily find information on scholarships, grants and other sources of financial aid for college.
There is also the Siemens Westinghouse Science & Technology Competition, which offers scholarships to eligible students. A successful showing in this competition may also lead to internship opportunities with the Siemens Foundation or any number of the collaborating universities, including: Carnegie Mellon University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of California at Berkeley, University of Notre Dame and the University of Texas at Austin.
We would be hard pressed to assemble information related to the availability of internship programs, as they are popping up all over the country. We recommend that you check out the presentations of the Foresight Conferences on Molecular Nanotechnology for information on where research is being done. Perhaps in this list you will find a university or organization in your field of interest and in your area. We encourage you to contact these organizations directly for information on internships.
Information of this type may also be posted to Foresight's news and discussion forum, Nanodot.
How have students contributed to the development of nanotechnology?
These are just a couple of examples of how a student made a major breakthrough in the development of nanotechnology, and we look forward to bringing you additional cases as time passes. If you know of a student who has made a contribution to the development of nanotechnology, we encourage you to let us know the details. Send email to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Where can I get more information?
Foresight Institute's web site (http://www.foresight.org) contains more general information about the medical applications and the development of the various aspects of molecular nanotechnology. In particular, refer to Engines of Creation and Unbounding the Future. Both are freely available on our web site. Additional information is available in some issues of the Foresight Update.
Nanomedicine is becoming an increasing important and exciting field. Much of this excitement stems from the recent publication of Nanomedicine, Volume I: Basic Capabilities. This is the first volume in a series of three, and should provide a solid foundation upon which to develop additional capabilities.
We also encourage you to visit http://www.nanomedicine.com, which includes a large number of sources for related material. The Institute for Molecular Manufacturing (http://www.imm.org) may also contain items of interest.
Additional sources of information are available on the web.
You may wish to read NanoLetters, a publication of the American Chemical Society. This publication is free until June 30, 2001!
You may also select relevant keywords and search these websites:
Meetings are held throughout the year, see:
Useful books on nanotechnology:
What should I do if this FAQ hasn't answered my question?
We encourage you to contact our office at firstname.lastname@example.com with your specific question, though we ask that you first exhaust the resources we provide in this document and the Foresight web prior to contacting us directly. Foresight's staff is quite small, and we receive a large number of inquiries on any given day. While we do our best to respond in a prompt and courteous fashion, delays often result. In order to receive the fastest possible execution of your query, please phrase all questions in as detailed a fashion as is possible.
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When going to Paris, it's always best to take a sweetheart who hasn't been there before. So I did. And he was two.
Friends had rented a flat in Montparnasse and offered to share. They are parents too and their own boy was about to turn one. This holiday was to mark the impending end of their maternity leave and to celebrate his first birthday.
Sadly, of my own growing family, half of us had to be in class that week, so only Leo and I were free to take them up on their generosity.
I hadn't been to Paris since I was a backpacking student. The Couple had been there more recently, but that was before their son arrived. Paris with preschoolers was uncharted territory.
But first, the flat. Because, if you are travelling with small children, a home-base is vital.
You need to have a familiar spot to return to a place where you can establish, if not your regular routine, at least something resembling habit. And a Parisian self-catering apartment is ideal for this.
Our apartment sat on the fifth floor of a wonderfully typical Hausmannian building behind the Mairie (city hall) of the 14th arrondissement. Think quarry-stone facades with wrought-iron balconies, intricate and airy, symmetrical and oh-so-Parisian. The rooms were perfect - bright and clean; sparsely, but elegantly, furnished; and throughout there were planked wood floors perfect for small cars. The kitchen was small, but well-supplied with everything we might need - pots and pans (suitable for both cooking and banging), a stovetop espresso pot, a bottle opener and the requisite view of the Eiffel Tower out the window.
The Couple shared the bedroom with their son, so Leo and I claimed the large pullout sofa in the living room. At night, we closed the shutters and the streets below were quiet. In the morning, we woke early. On the balconies across the way, the geraniums were bright and French in the morning sunlight. Time to look for a bakery.
To get down to the street, you either climbed down a narrow and winding staircase, clutching the banister and balancing the child on your hip, or you descended in the elevator - a tiny box just big enough for one parent, one stroller and no breathing. An experience either way, but that is why we travel.
Outside, Paris opened up. We crossed the square by La Mairie underneath elephant-footed plane trees and Leo delighted in chasing Parisian pigeons. There was a well-mannered early morning bustle growing as people headed off to work, and, as we passed by enticing cafés, the urgent hiss of espresso machines.
Montparnasse is on the left bank of the Seine. It was nicknamed after the classical Mount Parnassus in the 17th century by students who favoured the district. Today, it is a perfect place to rent a flat, mainly because there aren't many tourists. You get to experience living in Paris, rather than just staying there.
Our local shopping street was Rue Daguerre. Wandering along, surveying the wares, it felt like its own village. But then, many of the best urban streets in Europe do.
There are bakeries and butchers, fishmongers, cheese shops and greengrocers - everything you need to put together meals in your flat and also a good scattering of interesting restaurants and cafés, a kitchenware shop for me and a toy shop for the boys. Something for everyone. But none of it feels touristy. It just feels French.
She of The Couple has a theory that the shopkeepers were staunch in their French conversation to discourage tourists. Perhaps she's right, but I felt very encouraged to find this real, living, place in the centre of a world-class tourist destination.
The bakery doors were open and the pastries arranged in flat baskets on the counter. We decided on a baguette because you must, and many variations on croissants because we could. And we also decided that all days should begin with French bakeries.
At breakfast we demolished the croissants, but the baguette travelled with us throughout the day as we set out to explore.
Montparnasse proved to be a good base for sightseeing. It is well connected via Metro and RER trains (the regional commuter system); the transport system is not too crowded or complicated to navigate and children younger than four travel for free.
But for those who want to stretch their legs, Paris is also walkable. Staying in Montparnasse means that you can always navigate home again using Paris's one skyscraper - the unsightly 200-metre-tall Tour Montparnasse.
Montparnasse is home to artistic and literary history galore. The Couple enjoyed a night out at La Coupole - the famous Art Deco café where the giants of the Lost Generation met to drink. Travelling with kids and other parents means that you can take advantage of each other for evening childcare.
But during the day, with toddlers in tow, history is best explored in open places. The Cimetière du Montparnasse is a very literary resting place, with a range of monuments - formal and traditional, minimalist and shiny, touching and austere, and pretty much everything else you might imagine.
Leo was particularly taken with a large mosaic cat that sat decorated with floral designs and looking quite at peace among the tombs. I liked the lipstick stains on the grave of Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir.
Those who come to Paris to see the sights might not dedicate a great deal of time to graveyard wanderings, but they can be the perfect answer for parents. You get to think about the great and the good of long ago, they get to run ahead of you and look at interesting things and there are no museum guards to say hush. And, of course, you can always be a culture vulture together once he's passed the Velcro-shoe phase.
Our flat was also walking distance of the Jardin du Luxembourg. The park's plan is formal - long straight promenades, ornamental gardens and gravel under foot.
In the centre, there is a large pond with palm trees and marble statues aplenty - a magnet for little ones. For older children, there is a puppet theatre and a merry-go-round, but we found that the combination of water and running offered more than fascination enough.
That said, no one should be asked to last in Paris solely on a diet of interesting walks. A fellow needs new clothes, too, or the trip may be considered a waste. But do you break the bank in the lovely French boutiques when your small sweetheart will outgrow his new threads in a matter of months? No. You do what you'd do at home and head for the consignment shops - only in Paris, all the clothes in the consignment shops are French. Lovely.
In Montparnasse, Rue du Cherche-midi is your destination. We found Chercheminippes Enfant, where you can collect armfuls of great quality used clothing at discounted prices. Leo picked up a smart hooded rain jacket and The Couple's son was soon sporting fancy new boots. A little farther along the street, there are also men's and women's consignment stores and one for housewares too. If only there were more hours in the day, the moms might have found something too. Next time. With Paris, there will always be a next time.
Katie Munnik is a writer from Ottawa who is living in Britain with her young family. She writes about kids, food and faith on the Messy Table blog at presbyterianrecord.ca

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Rise of identity theft sparks drive to block Social Security numbers and other data.
Most IT workers in state and local government know the cliché that asserts citizens should be "online" rather than "in line" when attaining government services. But many of them contend citizens should be "in line" when accessing some types of public information. Numerous states offer Web access to public records, such as uniform commercial code (UCC) documents, tax liens, divorce decrees, death certificates and many others. These documents frequently contain Social Security numbers (SSNs), mothers' maiden names, signatures, minors' names and other red meat for identity thieves and stalkers.
The Internet is forcing state and local governments to re-evaluate how they handle public information. Agencies are attempting to balance privacy concerns with the convenience and efficiency of online public documents. Public and private organizations increasingly rely on Web-based public document services. For instance, title companies say they would need to raise prices if their employees were forced to stand in line to research land records, and circuit court offices would need to hire legions of workers to search the records for citizens requesting them in-person.
Most governments expect to address the problem through software designed to remove SSNs from online documents. But the process - known as redacting - isn't foolproof; the technology options remain rather crude. Furthermore, state and local agencies struggle to fund redaction projects, which can include a huge number of online documents.
At this point, several governments have completed redaction projects, but many still lack concrete starting plans.
Social Security Number Surprise
Circuit courts and secretaries of state nationwide offer online public document databases that publish SSNs. You can often find them in UCC documents, tax liens and other property records. Most states began offering these documents online between 1999 and 2001. Title companies research them to verify ownership and collect other information necessary for real estate transactions.
In 2002, Virginia resident Betty Ostergren learned that her local circuit court clerk was about to put her mortgage documents online, which included her signature. Ostergren's documents didn't contain her SSN because they were filed prior to the 1990s - when nearby lenders began requiring SSNs. However, the thought of an identity thief lifting her signature from the Internet infuriated her.
She created the Virginia Watchdog Web site aimed at exposing state and local government agencies publishing SSNs, signatures and other personal information online. To draw attention to her crusade, Ostergren found the SSNs of public figures and agency leaders and posted them on her Web site. The strategy motivated several local agencies to redact SSNs.
She posted the SSNs of public figures, such as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and celebrities Kelly Ripa, Joe Namath and Troy Aikman.
Numerous national media outlets publicized Ostergren's efforts. Public outcry followed and prompted promises from agencies to redact SSNs.
Redaction Blackhole
To redact SSNs, states use software to black out the section of the document where the number appears. Redaction software vendors typically guarantee 98 percent accuracy, but SSNs tend to crop up everywhere in documents, increasing the difficulty of redacting them. For example, some lenders required borrowers to write their SSNs beneath their signatures. Other lenders organized the documents by SSN within their office filing systems. To do that, they wrote the SSNs on the upper right corners of the documents.
Some documents have multiple pages, providing numerous spots for SSNs. Software can't always predict all the additional places lenders might have written those numbers.
The Florida Secretary of State's Office was among the first agencies to redact SSNs from online UCC documents. Jay Kassees, director of the Division of Corporations in the Florida Secretary of State's Office, was one of the public officials who had his
SSN posted on Ostergren's site. He said Ostergren still calls him to report SSNs remaining on the site.
"She doesn't tell you where it is because she figures you'll just go in and remove that one and won't look at the rest of the database," Kassees said. "You're stuck going through 5 million records to try to find it. It's like a needle in a haystack."
Agencies can't expect 100 percent accuracy with the current redaction technology, he said.
"It's one of those things that I'm probably never going to be finished with," Kassees said. "We're asking the public to help us. Our database is public, and most folks look at their stuff more frequently than we look at it. We're hoping they'll spot it and help us remove it. We've gotten a couple of calls, but since 2005, I've probably fielded four or five calls."
Unfunded Mandates
Governments also struggle to fund redaction initiatives. For instance, the Virginia Legislature authorized county clerks to redact SSNs in 2007, but didn't offer counties funding. The Legislature set up a program allowing counties to use $4 of the revenue from each civil filing made in circuit courts for the redaction process. However, that won't provide nearly enough revenue to cover the cost, according to Paul Ferguson, circuit court clerk of Arlington County, Va. He said the county agreed to make up the difference, but many smaller localities likely can't afford that.
"Since the Legislature mandated this, maybe they'll come up with the extra funds as the deadline of 2010 approaches," Ferguson said.
Fairfax County, Va., Circuit Court Clerk John Frey will soon begrudgingly redact SSNs from the county's Web site. Frey defends current state practices requiring users to subscribe to an account with a username, password and monthly fee to access court documents, like UCCs. The user must submit signed, notarized documents before getting an account. Fairfax's monthly charge is $25, but amounts vary by county. Frey argues that process is sufficient to deter identity theft.
Frey said redacting SSNs from public documents would do little to reduce identity theft. He insists easier ways of stealing identities already exist.
"The odds are that you are more likely to have your identity stolen by using your credit card at lunch than by somebody who is going to take the time to find SSNs on public documents. It takes less than a second [for a restaurant worker] to swipe your card through a second machine that grabs your information off the strip on the back," Frey said.
John Pescatore, vice president of Gartner, disputes that reasoning. He likens it to someone giving up hope of reducing carbon emissions and buying a Hummer.
"[Online SSNs] are making identity theft easier, and the game is to make it harder. Nothing is going to make it impossible," Pescatore said.
Frey said he knew of no identity theft case involving SSNs in Fairfax's online database. The county's system can track the documents each user account accesses, if necessary. Frey argues those user accounts could help police if an incident occurred.
Current redaction practices typically run the documents through a software-based automated process, and then each document is searched manually for additional SSNs. Maryland began its redaction process in March 2008 and expects to finish in five months. The project will cost $140,000, according to Robert Young, associate director of the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted against directly funding Frey's redaction project in Virginia. However, they allowed him to increase the charge users pay to access public documents and use the extra money to fund the project.
"I've gone to the board, and they're not really sympathetic toward giving me money for an unfunded state mandate," Frey said. "
The state wants to do something, but they don't pay for it. That's quite common, at least in Virginia."
He predicts it will cost the county more than $2 million to process its 38 million records.
"In government, you hate to throw good money after something bad, but this country has spent millions of dollars on a local, state and national level for the pandemic bird flu that hasn't come," Frey said. "We spent the same amount on Y2K, and the end of the world that was going to happen on Y2K. Government almost is forced to deal with these issues, whether they are real or not, if they are perceived by the public. If you don't deal with them and something does happen, you're going to be held to blame."
Enabling Researchers
The obvious question is why agencies didn't redact SSNs from online public documents in the first place. Starting in the '90s, lenders often required borrowers to include SSNs on UCC forms, said Young. UCC researchers argued SSNs ensured research accuracy and timeliness. For example, if a researcher looked up a man named Kevin Stone and found 10 people with that name, narrowing by SSN would have been easier than searching with other pieces of information.
Agencies wanted those researchers to use the online databases, rather than visiting offices in person, so they kept the numbers in the online documents.
Before the California Secretary of State's Office awarded its redaction contract, it redacted by hand all but the last four digits of SSNs to appease UCC researchers. Then the winning redaction vendor redacted all of the digits. If an identity thief has the birth date, he or she could use an algorithm to reconstruct the entire number using only the last four digits, said Carol Foglesong, assistant comptroller of Orange County, Fla., and president of the Property Records Industry Association.
According to Mark Mishoe, chief deputy of the Oklahoma County, Okla., Clerk's Office, the oil and gas industry pleaded with the office to keep SSNs online. He said oil and gas mineral interest records contained less information than normal land records. Researchers of these records claimed SSNs were often the only information enabling them to verify interest ownership. Nevertheless, the Clerk's Office redacted the SSNs in 2007.
Pescatore rejects the notion that publishing SSNs to accommodate researchers was ever a reasonable policy.
"Should we really endanger the citizens' information to make it easier for the researchers?" said Pescatore.
By 2005, SSNs nearly vanished from incoming UCC documents in Maryland, according to Young. He said Maryland typically gets 40,000 to 50,000 UCCs annually, and roughly 40 percent of them came with SSNs before 2005. After 2005, privacy concerns caused a dramatic shift among lenders away from requiring SSNs on those documents. Now Maryland receives about 50 UCC documents with SSNs per year from "old-time lenders," said Young.
He contends that lenders nationwide rarely require SSNs. The California Secretary of State's Office urges people to make sure their UCC documents don't have SSNs before submitting them to the state.
Online Death Certificates
Concerns about personal information in online public documents don't end with SSNs. Death certificates aren't automatically public records, but they become that when citizens submit them to county recorders' offices. Some states, such as Florida forbid online birth certificate images due to privacy concerns.
"It varies dramatically across the United States," Foglesong said.
Other states, such as Arizona, Nevada and Colorado, allow those images online.
The Maricopa County, Ariz., Recorder's Office publishes death certificates with SSNs redacted, but a lot of information attractive to identity thieves remains.
A person's death certificate is his or her personal history in a nutshell. It contains a spouse's name, a mother's
maiden name and the person's spouse's maiden name. The certificate will report one's residence, place of birth and describe one's career. It will also contain the person's signature, which especially angers Ostergren.
"My husband is a professional engineer. Why in the world would we want our signatures on the Internet? We do banking with those signatures, and he writes his on his seal when he does drawings," Ostergren said. She said lifting signatures from online public documents is easy if they're in PDF files.
Pescatore said online death certificates were a bad idea.
"There are certain things, like birth certificates and death certificates, that are such aids to identity theft that the negative side of making them easily accessible outweighs the positive side," he said.
What is the positive side of making death certificates available online? People use death certificates to prove themselves sole owners of properties they once co-owned with people now deceased, usually spouses. A homeowner doesn't get a new deed when his or her spouse dies. How would a bank know that a spouse was really dead without a county-recorded death certificate? It's the only document lenders accept from the surviving spouse as proof of sole ownership.
Maricopa County provides death certificates online to help citizens accelerate that process, said LeeAnn Wade, office manager of the Maricopa County Recorder's Office. She said forcing citizens to visit government offices or attain this information through the mail would impede commerce.
"We strive for customer service, and that's why we have our records out there so we can make it as easy as we can for the public to obtain this information," Wade said.
She acknowledged death certificates are packed with information that identity thieves could use, although she had never heard of it happening with information from the Recorder's Office. She said the agency wasn't willing to take the records offline given that numerous opportunities for identity thieves would remain elsewhere.
The Recorder's Office is currently shopping for a more flexible redaction software package that would enable it to remove other information new laws might aim to redact. Wade is concerned that if the state goes redaction-crazy, the online versions of the documents will become useless.
"If you're trying to prove somebody died, how do you do that? Some of that personal information has to still be there," Wade said. "The death certificate has to have an original signature. Is that going to be the next thing that has to go out? Other people review our records whether via the Internet or whether they purchase CDs from our office.
Title companies do that; they update their title plans. If I've got everything redacted, where does commerce proceed?"
Looking for the latest gov tech news as it happens? Subscribe to GT newsletters.


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Like with most Ryan Murphy productions, American Horror Story can be a little problematic with its treatment of its female characters, but, at the end of the day, one very important fact remains — this show has some of the meatiest roles for women on television. It's a real actress showcase as has been repeatedly demonstrated in the performances of Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Frances Conroy and Lily Rabe. And just in case you needed more evidence on the kind of talent that this show attracts, Kathy Bates is now getting in on the action.
Bates is in the process of wrapping up a deal to join American Horror Story's third season, which, according to Murphy, will be more historical, though set in modern times. He also promises that it will be funnier (more in the vein of the first season than the second) and will focus on witches. Bates reportedly will play Jessica Lange's best friend-turned-enemy and, I don't know about you, but I cannot wait to see these two badass bitches act against each other.
Exclusive: American Horror Story Season 3 Pits Jessica Lange Against… Kathy Bates! [TV Line]


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The Beginning
Bruce Wayne has found himself in quite an ugly predicament, but being the resourceful fellow he is he won't have much trouble weaseling out of this mess.
Start by wiggling the left control stick to tip the chair over and follow the on-screen button prompt to learn countering attacks. The best time to press the counter button is when the enemy's head glows blue. Timing of the counter button is everything, and, while mashing can sometimes help, you're better off watching for these visual cues and fluidly stringing together combos.
Guide Bruce to line A as instructed and continue on to meet Jack Ryder. Practice more counters by fending off the aggressive inmates and rescuing Ryder from the beating of his life.
Bruce eventually finds himself staring at the grinning, nefarious Penguin. This time you have more freedom to dig into the combat with counters, strikes, and a combo counter in play. Take care of Penguin's minions and climb the nearby ladder with the intention of reaching the rooftop.
At the rooftop, Alfred has already prepared a care package to be en route to a location nearby. Daredevil leap off the rooftop toward the neon sign to just grab hold of the ledge and shimmy over to the right until you can pull yourself up. This narrow ledge wraps around the building, although you'll have to duck and drop into a hanging position to get past certain points. Eventually, you'll find a ladder leading up to the rooftop and to the impeccably timed arrival of Alfred's package.
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Your Tailor-made Tour Guide to EXPO FINEFOOD 2013
06 Feb, 2013, 06:00 GMT
SHANGHAI, Feb. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- EXPO FINEFOOD 2013 and EXPO Coffee & Tea 2013 will be held from April 1st to 3rd 2013 in the Shanghai New International Expo Center. Up till now, the number of exhibitors has increased by 27.5 percent compared with 2012, occupying nearly five halls with an exhibition area of 35,000 square meters.
The exhibit includes food, coffee, tea, ice cream and dairy products, seafood, frozen and chilled foods, bakery products, beverages, wines and spirits, and more. The exhibition will attract more than 30,000 professional visitors and 2,000 oversea visitors from star hotels, restaurant chains, bars, cafes, clubs, bakery and ice cream shops.
Eminent Industry Brands Annual Get-Together
Hundreds of international brands from more than 20 countries and regions will exhibit at EXPO FINEFOOD. Well-known ice cream brands include Taylor and Stoelting from the U.S.; Carpigiani, PreGel, Fabbri, Elenka and MEC3 from Italy; Nissei from Japan, and leading domestic manufacturers such as Chiao Tai, Spaceman, Synbiotech, and Donper. Exhibitors in the beverage industry such as Huiyuan, Weiquan, Fresh Juice, Guangcun, Geerzhi, Doking, Sanhe, Yudingshengyuan, Dele and Huaren are also among the list. Meanwhile, the Food & Beverage category has also been endorsed by brands such as Wushi Cate, Yon Ho, Bright Dairy, Nestle, and YiFang Rural. Shangdong Zhongde and Harbin Hande will display the latest beer brewing equipment at EXPO FINEFOOD 2013. The top coffee machine brands will exhibit as well, such as Astoria, Lavazza, and Rancilio.
Sugar Rush Tour at EXPO FINEFOOD 2013
Well-known Italian ice cream equipment manufacturer Carpigiani will announce its latest RTL ice cream machine that produces superior quality gelato at Hall E4. MEC3 focuses on low fat ice cream and provides more choices to meet the current health trend. As one of the famous Italian ice cream ingredient suppliers, Fabbri has a history of over 100 years and they are proud to be the sponsor of the China Gelato Championship 2013. Stoelting has become known as a manufacturer of durable, dependable frozen commercial equipment since it manufactured the first soft-serve ice cream freezer machine for Dairy Queen, and it will make its debut at EXPO FINEFOOD 2013.
Fascinating Industry Competitions for Top-notch Contenders
Several international competitions will be held at EXPO FINEFOOD to provide rich onsite sensory experience. The 2013 China Gelato Championship at Hall E4 is strongly supported by Italy ice cream ingredient brand Fabbri, Italy ice cream equipment brand Carpigiani, and the Masters of Italian Gelato (MGI). The three-day schedule includes two regular themes: PISTACHIO ICE CREAM variegated cherry and Strawberry sorbet, and an original theme as well. The winner will win the chance to study at the University of Carpigiani in Italy.
The China Barista Championship (CBC) and China Latte Art Championship will be held at Hall E7. CBC is an exclusive professional competition authorized by the World Barista Championship (WBC). It has become the cradle of up-rising young coffee professionals in China. CBC has marched into her 11th year with 24 division competitions covering East, North, and the Southwest regions of China. Champions representing 24 division competitions will gather at HOTELEX Shanghai Hall E7 in April 2013 to battle it out for the exclusive spot to compete at the WBC. The event is sponsored by Render Coffee, BEZZERA, Nestle (China), Davinci, HARIO and more.
China Latte Art Championship is founded by WCE (World Coffee Events), the premier events producer for the coffee community worldwide. Their mission is to develop events that engage the specialty coffee community and promote coffee. World Latte Art Championship is now coming to China, and it will launch at EXPO FINEFOOD 2013 in April. The winner will represent China in Nice, France, to fight for the World championship.
The 2nd China Master Bartender Competition will kick off at Hall E5, which is a professional competition initiated by the most authoritative bartender association in the nation. The 2012 Shanghai Bartender Championship attracted over 70 bartenders focusing on classic and flair bartending from all over the country and attracted over 10,000 visitors during the show. The sponsors include LUXADRO, CLEMENT, Stolichnaya, Marie Brizard, Xenta Absenta, The LONDON N°1, COCCHI, MONIN and Watson's.
Food Journey for the Most Discerning Taste Buds
EXPO FINEFOOD has prepared an exotic food journey for the most discerning taste buds onsite in Hall E6. EXPO FINEFOOD will work closely with Italian famous restaurant Casanova to put on an authentic Italian food journey by showcasing top-tier Italian chefs and best quality Italian food ingredients. Italian food has its own charm because of its unique cooking style and technique. The audience will have the chance to taste authentic Italian food and also experience Italian gourmet culture right at EXPO FINEFOOD.
In the 2013 edition, HOTELEX will collaborate with the U.S. Agricultural Trade Office Shanghai Center to help put on an excellent show featuring top-notch USA food ingredients. It will exhibit at EXPO FINEFOOD as the USA Pavilion showcasing several USA agricultural product associations at Hall E6. Meanwhile, with the purpose of introducing the varieties of USA food ingredients into Chinese restaurants, high-end food ingredients from the U.S. will be under the spotlight through Taste of the United States 2013 - Asian Master Chef Challenge featuring award-winning Chinese chefs.
No matter if your target is purchasing world-class brand products, tasting fresh hand-made ice cream, or supporting your favorite competitor, EXPO FINEFOOD is worth looking forward to.
1. About HOTELEX Shanghai (http://www.hotelex.cn/)
As the main part of HDD (Hotelex, Deco & Design), it contains seven differently themed sectors including Catering Equipment & Supply, Bakery, Tableware, Textile, Appliance & Amenities, IT & Security, and Fitness & Leisure. HOTELEX has led hospitality industry trends for 21 years and will continue to provide a one-stop purchasing and information platform for hospitality professionals.
2. About EXPO FINEFOOD (http://www.expofinefood.com/)
With the platform of Shanghai International Hotel Equipment & Supply Expo (HOTELEX Shanghai), EXPO FINEFOOD caters to hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs and shops with the most effective food solutions and innovative food ingredients.
Media Information, please contact:
Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo International Exhibition Co. Ltd.
Mr. Alex Ni
Tel: +8621 6437 1178 * 199
Fax: +8621 6115 4988
Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
SOURCE Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo International Exhibition Co., Ltd.


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The United Nations is calling on citizens, charities and communities to put forward their own ideas to tackle household poverty after 2015.
A new online consultation - launched this week - is inviting people to answer key questions around access to food, water, healthcare, education and jobs for the poorest people around the world.
These are the key themes set to be discussed at the next meet up of the UN's High Level Panel on the Post 2015 Development Agenda, later this month.
The public's suggestions will be fed in directly to discussions at the panel's meeting, which is due to take place in London from 31 October - 2 November.
The High Level Panel was set up to help explore the best way to fight poverty across the globe after 2015 - the target date for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Video: See the progress on the MDGs so far and the challenges ahead
The panel – set up by the head of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon – is co-chaired by Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron, Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
The Prime Minister appointed Michael Anderson as his Special Envoy on the Development Goals.
Mr Anderson said:
"The panel is in listening mode. Panel members want to hear from people and organisations around the world – to hear their experiences, to understand their challenges, and to share their priorities.
"It is only by working together in this way that we can, as a global community, agree to a development agenda that will drive poverty eradication and meet new challenges once the MDGs expire."
The deadline for online comments is Friday, 26 October 2012. A summary of contributions will be published online by the United Nations by mid November.
The Brussels based United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe - UNRIC provides information on UN activities to the countries of the region. It also provides liaison with institutions of the European Union in the field of information. Its outreach activities extend to all segments of society and joint campaigns, projects and events are organized with partners including the EU, governments, the media, NGOs, schools and local authorities.
United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC Brussels)
Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 155, Block C2,7th and 8th floor, Brussels 1040, Belgium
Tel.: +32 2 788 8484 / Fax: 32 2 788 8485


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I like the look of this recipe!I am curious about the differences between Munich and Crystal malts (and maybe Vienna). If the color (say all are 20L) is the same, what is the difference?
In the end, brew for what YOU like to drink. If you find your APA is too malty/sweet or not enough, you can make adjustments next time.


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After the 2013 Southern Baking Retreat, I couldn't help but come home and bake biscuits. This resulted in a delicious explosion of flour in my kitchen, but it's so worth the mess. Homemade biscuits have always been a favorite thing of mine to make. Mostly in part because it brings back all those wonderful memories of being in the kitchen with my grandmother, cutting biscuits with an upside-down sweet tea glass. Plus, I'm a self-proclaimed "bread girl," so no meal is complete without some sort of biscuit, toast or roll on the side.
When it comes right down to it, is there any food more quintessentially southern and delicious than a well-made buttermilk biscuit?
It's an art form in itself. Even though there's really only 3 ingredients involved - flour, butter & buttermilk - so much can go right, or so much can go wrong on any given biscuit-making day.
It's all about the technique and ingredients that you use:
- Southern flours, like White Lily, are made from soft winter wheat, and therefore have much lower levels of protein. This results in lighter, fluffier and more tender biscuits.
- In addition, always use COLD butter and buttermilk.
- Work quickly while making the biscuits, so that the ingredients stay cold. Once that cold butter hits the hot oven, it will create steam, which helps the biscuits rise higher.
- And most importantly - Use a gentle hand and do not over-mix.
Bon Appetit, my friends!
2 cups Southern, self-rising flour (such as White Lily brand)
1/4 cup COLD, salted butter, cut into cubes
2/3 to 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
2 Tbsp melted butter
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or coat with no-stick cooking spray.
Pour flour into a large bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut 1/4 cup cold butter into the flour until butter pieces are the size of peas.
Slowly blend in buttermilk using a fork, just until dough begins to leave the sides of the bowl. Do not over-mix!
Place dough onto a lightly floured work surface and very gently knead the dough 2-3 times, just enough to bring it together. Do not over-knead.
Pat or roll the dough until it is 1/2 inch thick. Cut biscuits using a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter, being careful NOT to twist as you cut. (This will seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from rising as high.)
Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, so that they are almost touching.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.
While still hot, brush additional melted butter on the top of each biscuit.


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Home / Mental Health Resources / Common Mental Health Conditions / Autism
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to socialize and communicate with others. ASD can also result in restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities. The term "spectrum" refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills and levels of impairment or disability that people with ASD can display. Some people are mildly impaired by their symptoms, while others are severely disabled.
The prevalence rate for ASD is 1 in 68 children and rising. Boys are 4 times more likely than girls to develop autism. ASD crosses racial, ethnic and social backgrounds equally. Awareness of this disorder and improved screening methods has contributed to the increase in diagnoses in recent years.
Symptoms of autism start to appear during the first three years of life. Typically, developing infants are social by nature. They gaze at faces, turn toward voices, grasp a finger and even smile by 2-3 months of age. Most children who develop autism have difficulty engaging in everyday human interactions.
Not everyone will experience symptoms with the same severity, but all people with ASD will have symptoms that affect social interactions and relationships. ASD also causes difficulties with verbal and nonverbal communication and preoccupation with certain activities. Along with different interests, autistic children generally have different ways of interacting with others. Parents are often the first to notice that their child is showing unusual behaviors. These behaviors include failing to make eye contact, not responding to his or her name or playing with toys in unusual, repetitive ways.
Symptoms of autism can include:
Delay in language development, such as not responding to their own name or speaking only in single words, if at all.
Repetitive and routine behaviors, such as walking in a specific pattern or insisting on eating the same meal every day.
Difficulty making eye contact, such as focusing on a person's mouth when that person is speaking instead of their eyes, as is usual in most young children.
Sensory problems, such as experiencing pain from certain sounds, like a ringing telephone or not reacting to intense cold or pain, certain sights, sounds, smells, textures and tastes.
Difficulty interpreting facial expressions, such as misreading or not noticing subtle facial cues, like a smile, wink or grimace, that could help understand the nuances of social communication.
Problems with expressing emotions, such as facial expressions, movements, tone of voice and gestures that are often vague or do not match what is said or felt.
Fixation on parts of objects, such as focusing on a rotating wheel instead of playing with peers.
Absence of pretend play, such as taking a long time to line up toys in a certain way, rather than playing with them.
Difficulty interacting with peers, because they have a difficult time understanding that others have different information, feelings and goals.
Self-harm behavior, such as hitting his head against a wall as a way of expressing disapproval.
Sleep problems, such as falling asleep or staying asleep.
Symptoms of autism fall on a continuum. This means that the learning, thinking and problem-solving abilities of children with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some children with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives. With a thorough evaluation, doctors can make a diagnosis to help find the best treatment plan for the child.
Scientists have not discovered a single cause of autism. They believe several factors may contribute to this developmental disorder.
Genetics. If 1 child in a family has ASD, another sibling is more likely to develop it too. Likewise, identical twins are highly likely to both develop autism if it is present. Relatives of children with autism show minor signs of communication difficulties. Scans reveal that people on the autism spectrum have certain abnormalities of the brain's structure and chemical function.
Environment. Scientists are currently researching many environmental factors that are thought to play a role in contributing to ASD. Many prenatal factors may contribute to a child's development, such as a mother's health. Other postnatal factors may affect development as well. Despite many claims that have been highlighted by the media, strong evidence has been shown that vaccines do not cause autism.
There is no medical test that can determine the possibility of developing autism. Specialists make the diagnosis after screening for social deficits, communication problems, and repetitive or restricted behavior.
Diagnosing autism is often a 2-stage process. The first stage involves general developmental screening during well-child checkups with a pediatrician. Children who show some developmental problems are referred for more evaluation. The second stage involves a thorough evaluation by a team of doctors and other health professionals with a wide range of specialties. At this stage, a child may be diagnosed as having autism or another developmental disorder. Typically, children with ASD can be reliably diagnosed by age 2, though some may not be diagnosed until they are older.
Types of ASD Screening Instruments
Sometimes the doctor will ask parents questions about the child's symptoms to screen for autism. Other screening instruments combine information from parents with the doctor's own observations of the child. Examples of screening instruments for toddlers and preschoolers include:
Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) is a list of informative questions about a child where the answers can show whether he or she should be further evaluated by a specialist.
Screening Tool for Autism in Two-Year-Olds (STAT) is a set of tasks that children perform under supervision to assess key social and communicative behaviors, including imitation, play and directing attention.
Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) is a series of questions parents answer to help specialists determine if further testing is needed for a child aged 4 years or older.
Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales (CSBS) uses parent interviews and direct observations of natural play to collect information on communication development, including gestures, facial expressions and play behaviors.
For more information on these screening tools, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Autism is treated and managed in several ways:
Education and development, including specialized classes and skills training, time with therapists and other specialists
Behavioral treatments, such as applied behavior analysis (ABA)
Medication for co-occurring symptoms, combined with therapy
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), such as supplements and changes in diet
Though autism cannot be cured, it can be treated effectively.
Related Conditions
A child with autism may have more disorders. Some of those disorders are:
Intellectual disability. Many children with ASD have some degree of intellectual disability. When tested, some areas of ability may be normal, while others—especially cognitive (thinking) and language abilities—may be relatively weak.
Seizures. 1 in 4 children with autism has seizures, often starting either in early childhood or during the teen years. Seizures, caused by electrical activity in the brain, can result in a short-term loss of consciousness, convulsions and staring spells. An electroencephalogram (EEG), a nonsurgical test that records electrical activity in the brain, can help confirm whether a child is having seizures.
Fragile X syndrome. Fragile X syndrome is a genetic disorder. It is the most common form of inherited intellectual disability, causing symptoms like ASD. Around 1 in 3 children who have Fragile X syndrome also meet the diagnostic criteria for autism. About 1 in 25 children diagnosed with ASD have the mutation that causes Fragile X syndrome. Because this disorder is inherited, children with autism should be checked for Fragile X, especially if the parents want to have more children. For more information on Fragile X, see the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development website.
Tuberous sclerosis. Tuberous sclerosis is a rare genetic disorder that causes noncancerous tumors to grow in the brain and other vital organs. Tuberous sclerosis occurs in 1-4% of people with ASD. A genetic mutation causes the disorder, which has also been linked to intellectual disability, epilepsy and many other physical and mental health problems. There is no cure for tuberous sclerosis, but many symptoms can be treated.
Gastrointestinal problems. Some parents of children with autism report that their child has frequent gastrointestinal (GI) or digestion problems including stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation, acid reflux, vomiting or bloating. If a child has GI problems, a gastroenterologist can help find the cause and suggest appropriate treatment.
Co-occurring mental illnesses. Children with autism can also develop mental disorders such as anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or depression. Research shows that children with ASD are at higher risk for some mental disorders than children without autism. Managing these co-occurring conditions with medications or behavioral therapy, which teaches children how to control their behavior, can reduce symptoms that appear to worsen a child's symptoms.
Rett syndrome. Rett syndrome is a developmental disorder that includes a regression in development. Unlike autism, Rett syndrome mostly affects girls. 1 of every 10,000-22,000 girls has Rett syndrome. Children with Rett syndrome develop normally for 6-18 months before regression and autism-like symptoms appear. However, after this period, most children with Rett syndrome improve their social communication skills, and autistic features are no longer a major area of concern.


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Together, we're amplifying the voice of young Canadians (20s, 30s & 40s).
A Voice in Politics
We run people-powered campaigns advancing bold solutions to the 360-degree squeeze. And when you're too busy to get involved in those, we suit up and advocate on your behalf!
A Voice in the Market
We negotiate discounts to help Gen Squeeze members save time and money, and to help us all live more sustainably. If you lack old-school employer benefits, our Member Perks may help!
Cutting Edge Research
The Gen Squeeze lab @ the University of BC provides analysis to help you explain to friends & family why so many younger Canadians are struggling, and what we can do about it!


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Twitter is just a part of everyday life for a lot of us, but back in the days before, someone actually had to think it up. In an upcoming interview on this week's 60 Minutes, Twitter co-founder and Square CEO Jack Dorsey sits down to explain exactly how the idea for Twitter came to be.
According to Dorsey, the idea spouted from his childhood fascination with emergency transmissions he would listen to on a police scanner. It was his first introduction to the short, terse bursts of information he'd later replicate with Twitter. Little did he know Twitter would grow up to become a global news network of its own. And also a place for bad jokes.
You can catch the whole interview this Sunday on CBS at March 17th at 7PM ET/PT. [CBS News]


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In a signing ceremony held last week, the University of Guelph became the fifth Canadian university to support the Next Einstein Initiative's One for Many scholarship campaign, which partners with universities in Europe and North America to help fund student scholarships for the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS).
Speaking at the event, Anthony Vannelli, the Dean of the College of Physical and Engineering Science at the University of Guelph, said, "By supporting these young men and women, we are planting seeds for the future of science and the impact it will have on society at large is enormous."
Through the One for Many campaign, universities contribute the equivalent cost of supporting one graduate student per year on their own campus to an AIMS centre in Africa, where it will support 4-5 African students. Partnering universities also have the chance to send faculty members and graduate students to AIMS centres as lecturers and tutors, where they gain valuable international experience as they contribute to the development of science in Africa.
Five Canadian universities have now signed on as supporters of the One for Many campaign, joining forces with Perimeter Institute in a shared belief that a vast pool of scientific and technical talent lies waiting to be unlocked in Africa, and that doing so will be vital to the development of the continent. The University of Ottawa, the University of Victoria, Simon Fraser University, the University of Waterloo, and the University of Guelph have all signed five-year agreements, totalling between $100,000 and $250,000 from each institution.
Speaking about the One for Many campaign's first members, PI Director Neil Turok said, "The commitment from these five Canadian universities is extraordinary: their farsighted investment will yield an excellent return. Africa is full of brilliant young people who will make the most of the opportunity to develop their minds and skills in Africa, and then go on to tackle the many challenges their continent faces."
During the signing ceremony, Akosa Collins Ashu, a graduate of the AIMS program in Abuja, Nigeria, shared his own experience and belief in the program: "In AIMS-Abuja, I met something different. I saw a different environment where I was personally motivated to study. I think this partnership is going to go a long way to help a lot of students who are motivated and who might be very talented, but don't currently have the opportunity to show their talents."
PI Director and AIMS founder Neil Turok (second from left) and University of Guelph President Alastair Summerlee (third from right) with AIMS graduates (from left to right) Joachim Nsofini, Dimbinirina Ramarimbahoaka, Solomon Akaraka Owerre, and Akosa Collins Ashu.
More About AIMS and NEI
Founded in 2003 by PI Director Neil Turok, AIMS is a globally recognized centre of excellence for postgraduate education and research based in Cape Town, South Africa. Its mission is to rapidly and cost-effectively expand Africa's scientific and technological capacity by providing advanced training to exceptional African graduates. The Next Einstein Initiative (NEI), stemming from Neil Turok's TED Prize wish that "the next Einstein be from Africa", is a strategic plan to build on the success of the first AIMS centre and create a coordinated pan-African network of 15 AIMS centres by 2020, producing 750 well-qualified graduates per year.
The Role of PI Global Outreach
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI), in Waterloo, Ontario, is a leading international centre for research in foundational physics. PI's Global Outreach program, with AIMS-NEI as its centrepiece, is devoted to promoting and sharing expertise with emerging centres of excellence in physics and maths worldwide. PI Global Outreach serves as the North American coordinating partner for AIMS-NEI and the One for Many scholarship campaign, facilitating the participation of other public and private partners in that endeavour.


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In April, I visited University Hospitals in Cleveland to discuss antimicrobial resistance, a public health crisis that affects two million Americans each year. Harmful microbes, like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), have adapted to the antibiotic drugs that we have used to treat them and, as a result, infections caused by these microbes are difficult to treat. Antibiotic-resistant infections kill more than 23,000 Americans a year, and if we continue to ignore this problem, we could find ourselves unable to treat what are now common infections.
I was joined by Molly Brudnick, a retired medical social worker who contracted MRSA while in the hospital, recovering from back surgery. After spending six weeks in a nursing home for IV antibiotics and three months of additional rehabilitation, Molly's back is permanently disfigured from the super bug attack and she still requires therapy.
To combat the rise of these deadly infections, I introduced the Strategies to Address Antimicrobial Resistance (STAAR) Act. This legislation would increase the emphasis on federal antimicrobial resistance surveillance, prevention and control, and research efforts.
The STAAR Act would require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to track antibiotic-resistant infections, reporting on infection trends, threats, and antibiotic use. It would also help facilitate connections between the CDC and state and local health departments to support prevention and control efforts during local outbreaks.
In addition, the Act would authorize grants for health care facilities to develop programs that test for appropriate antibiotic use. Finally, the STAAR Act would establish an Office of Antimicrobial Resistance at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide greater coordination and accountability between the agencies involved in researching and combating drug resistance.
The CDC has referred to antimicrobial resistance as "one of our most serious health threats." It's critical that we take swift action to stop its rise.


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Sitar Virtuoso Ravi Shankar Dies At 92
Sitar maestro Ravi Shankar has died. He was 92.
A tweet from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's official Twitter account broke the news to the world: "Prime Minister condoles the passing away of Pandit Ravishankar — A national treasure and global ambassador of India's cultural heritage."
The Hindu newspaper reports that Shankar died Tuesday in California. He'd been admitted to the Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla last week after complaining of breathing difficulties.
Shankar was responsible for making Indian classical music popular in the West, collaborating with artists as diverse as The Beatles and Yehudi Menuhin.
He's survived by his wife, Sukanya, and his daughters, sitar player Anushka Shankar and singer Norah Jones, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Update at 7:25 a.m. ET. India Mourns:
From New Delhi, NPR's Julie McCarthy tells us that "India is eulogizing the man whose musical discipline and sense of spiritualism set him apart. The country mourned Shankar's passing 'as the end of an era.' Prime Minister Singh added in another Twitter post that Shankar will be remembered for his unsurpassed genius, "his art and his humility."
A headline by The Times of India remind readers that Beatle George Harrison called Shankar "the godfather of world music."
On Morning Edition, NPR's Susan Stamberg profiled Shankar. As she said, his music "is like a fine Indian sari — silken, swirling, exotic, it can break your heart with its beauty."


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superblue32 - Tuesday 27/11/2012, 18:01
Playing around with using Scubb in a half deck its not as bad as you would think let me know what you think of the deck.
superblue32 - Wednesday 28/11/2012, 13:19
I have to agree the other options mentioned above are better always fun to try these things though
BombMonkey - Friday 30/11/2012, 19:27
Colossus - Time Conquers All
The idea is that based on the deck given you either got 2-1 more or less pillz 1 damage less vs using Kristin/Sheryl Assuming that you use Sheryl before your opponent is down to 6-4 pills or less.
Your deck makes me cringe because of the potential fluxuation rising and dropping for Scubb in this sort of deck.


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Council restricts parking on first block of North 17th
The Estherville City Council moved forward with an ordinance setting a no parking zone on the first block of North 17th Street on the east side.
The area affects two-three parking space areas on that street from Central Avenue to First Avenue North.
City officials said vehicles that park in the area create a narrow space, especially for traffic to and from school.
The council waived the three readings and moved for the ordinance's adoption.
In other business Monday, council adopted the 2015 Capital Improvement Program for the Estherville airport.
The project for next spring is a new apron. The fuel facilities also will be upgraded.
Plans for 2016 are to update the Master Plan since it was last updated in 1998.


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Stabbing Westward
Vocalist Christopher Hall and keyboardist Walter Flakus met in 1985 and formed the industrial rock band Stabbing Westward in Chicago. They released an EP in 1990, and recruited guitarist Stuart Zechman, bassist Jim Sellers, and drummer David Suycott. In late 1993, Columbia issued the band's major-label debut, Ungod. Although the album wasn't a success, the group promoted it relentlessly, touring constantly and doing scores of interviews. The groundwork paid off in 1996, when the group released their second album, Wither Blister Burn & Peel. The touring and promotion had built a solid, albeit small fan base which provided the launching pad for the second record's first single, "What Do I Have to Do." The single became a Buzz Clip on MTV, and by the summer, it was a modern rock radio hit that pushed the album to gold status. Stabbing Westward received further exposure that summer when they opened several dates for the reunited Sex Pistols.
Following the success of Wither Blister Burn & Peel, Stabbing Westward spent most of 1997 in seclusion, working on their third album. That record, entitiled Darkest Days, was finally released in April 1998. However, it failed to match the sales figures of its gold-certified predecessor, and Columbia dropped the band in the spring of 2000. A year later, the band inked a deal with Koch Records and issued a self-titled release. Plans for a fifth studio effort were in the works in late 2001, however things abruptly stopped when Stabbing Westward disbanded in February the following year. Material culled from those sessions were likely to turn up on solo efforts.
John Bush
Read more
- A lyric interpretation was added to Cold by EternalTearsOfSorrow.I think this is about extinguished love due to one partner turning cold suddenly and how the whole thing is tearing the other one apart....


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- Single Day Class
March 3, 2018
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
This Beginner Photography Class helps new users get familiar and comfortable with their digital cameras. If you want to learn how to use your camera, to understand what the various buttons, dials and menu settings do, this is the class you've been looking for.
You'll bring your camera, your camera manual and a willingness to have some fun to class with you while we teach you all about automatic and manual settings. We'll also discuss getting your what to do with your photos after you've taken them, how to edit them and then transfer them to your computer.
Read the extended beginner photography class description.
Please make sure that you are aware of our cancellation policies.
Venue: Providence Renewal Centre
Venue Phone: 780-430-9491
Venue Website: http://providencerenewal.caAddress:


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Extensions Extension Manager Update
From Joomla! Documentation
This screen is accessed from the back-end Joomla! administrator panel. It is used to update extensions that are installed in your Joomla! installation.
How to Access
- Select Extensions → Extension Manager from the drop-down menu of the Joomla! Administrator Panel. Then select the Update menu item in the Extension manager screen that appears.
This screen allows you to update installed extensions. The extension update feature is new to Joomla! 1.6 and you will only be able to update extensions which support this feature. For extensions which support this feature, you will be able to perform an in-place update of the extension without having to upload and install the updated extension files like you did with previous versions of Joomla!. The update feature utilizes standard HTTP connection mechanisms to download the extension update files from a remote update server.
Column Headers
- Checkbox. Check this box to select one or more items. To select all items, check the box in the column heading. After one or more boxes are checked, click a toolbar button to take an action on the selected item or items.
- Name. The name of the extension.
- Install Type. The type of installation that will be performed by the update. Usually this will be type Update which will perform an in-place update of the extension
- Extension Type. The extension type. Examples of extension types are module, plug-in, template, component, or language.
- Version. The version number of the available update.
- Folder. If the extension is a plug-in, the subdirectory of your Joomla! installation's /plugins directory where the extension is located. By default Joomla! 1.6 has the following subdirectories in the plugins directory which each represent the different types of plug-ins that are defined: authentication, content, editors, editors-xtd, extension, search, system, user.
- Client. Specifies if this is a site or administrator extension.
- URL Details. The URL for the extension update XML file which contains the information needed by your Joomla! installation to perform the update.
- Display #. The number of items to display on one page.
At the top right you will see the toolbar:
- Update. Update the selected extension(s).
- Find Updates. Scan your Joomla! installation and locate extensions with an available update.
- Purge Cache. Clear the available extension update information displayed in the listing.
- Options. Opens the configuration window for the Extension Manager. In this window you can set Extension Manager access permissions for each user group specified in your Joomla! installation.
- Help. Opens this Help Screen.
Links to Other Screens
At the top left, you will see the following five links:
- Install. Links to the Install Screen.
- Update. Links to the Update Screen.
- Manage. Links to the Manage Screen.
- Discover. Links to the Discover Screen.
- Warnings. Links to the Warnings Screen.
Quick Tips
- Only extensions which support the new Joomla! 1.6 update system will be listed in this screen. If you use extensions which do not support the new update system or you are not sure, consult the extension developer's website.
- It is critical to keep your extensions up-to-date. Failure to do so may expose a vulnerability in your Joomla! installation which can be exploited by hackers.
- It is recommended to backup your Joomla! installation files and database before attempting to update extensions or the Joomla! installation itself. This will ensure that you can restore your Joomla! installation to its previous state if the update fails or causes unexpected results.


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- CA BWGPL GJ-HistBuilding-2017-03-28-22
- Item
- 1995
The structure located at 21 Holland St. West is part of what is known as the Evans Block. The building was raised and Len Saint added a cellar and a foundation. It was originally a store with living quarters upstairs. The work was done by Mac Camp...
Janice Hopkins


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Millions of 'snips' will bolster our health system
Chris Bateman
]]> Scaling up male circumcision (MC) coverage to 80% of men and neonates in South Africa over the next 5 years would avert more than 1 million new HIV infections by 2025 but this is unlikely to happen.
The startling prevention claim emerged from modelling data presented by Kelly Curran, Technical Director of the HIV/AIDS and Infectious Diseases Department at Johns Hopkins University, who was in Cape Town this October to attend an AIDS/TB meeting of global researchers.
She told Izindaba that MC trials in Uganda, Kenya and South Africa had shown a 60% reduction in HIV infection among heterosexual men, prompting aggressive World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines for high HIV, low male circumcision prevalence countries 2 years ago. The goal now was to increase the scale-up of MC coverage among young men to 80% over the next 5 years in 13 eligible countries in Africa's East and Southern regions, namely South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya (Nyanza Province only), Uganda and, Rwanda. Nyanza Province in Kenya was identified because it had low male MC coverage and an HIV prevalence three times higher than the rest of the country.
Curran said that in spite of the start-up difficulties, the pay-off was huge. Modelling exercises suggested that the cost of averting an estimated 4 million new HIV infections in the 13-country region over 5 years would be around R7.5 billion eventually saving R150 billion in treatment costs. 'That's a pretty small investment for such a big return,' she said.
Similar modelling predicts that a scale-up of such magnitude (over 5 years) would in South Africa alone avert 20% of new infections and avoid more than 1 million new HIV infections in 15 years' time (when the incremental effect has kicked in).
Reaching 80% coverage in all 13 countries would require approximately 28 million procedures over 5 years.
To stress just how effective male circumcision was, Curran said a modelling exercise in Swaziland assessing the number of procedures that were required 'per infection averted' showed that as few as five circumcisions would avert one infection.
This had 'huge potential' for countries with high HIV incidences such as South Africa.
South Africa's MC preparation status]]> However, the consensus view at the South African National Aids Council (SANAC) is that MC should be introduced next year as part of a broader, strongly broadcasted package of sexual health and behavioural interventions.
Professor Helen Rees, head of the Reproductive Health and HIV Research Unit at Witwatersrand University (RHRU) and co-chair of SANAC's Programme Implementation Committee said a plan to upscale the provision of MC within this context was currently being developed.
The process had engaged SANAC's civil society sectors on the science of MC for HIV prevention while providing a platform for sharing views on policy development and implementation. Traditional leaders were involved in discussing the balance between traditional circumcision practices and medical male circumcision as well as concerns about unsafe circumcision practices outside the realms of established traditional practices.
Professor Francois Venter, President of the HIV Clinicians Society of South Africa, a senior Director at RHRU and an MC advocate, stressed that it would require 'serious energy, money and resources' for an effective scale-up of what he believed should be a stand-alone service. He downplayed other oft-cited barriers to implementation such as culture and risk disinhibition, saying the former was often driven by vested political interests under the guise of protecting traditional healer turf.
He described MC as 'an incredibly exciting' way of accessing men who as a group are notoriously elusive when it comes to addressing their health. It would create unprecedented opportunities for counselling on HIV risk reduction, gender violence and alcohol abuse, plus STI treatment and HIV testing. Women, by contrast, regularly accessed the system (family planning, pregnancy, birth, and maternal and child care).
Alluding to the initially fatally slow local ART rollout (a handful of pilot sites), a frustrated Venter said South Africa suffered from 'the disease of too much analysis and too little implementation'.
An MC operational programme would need workers, facilities, advertising, focus and project planning with intellect 'to make it real. It's like building the Gautrain: it won't happen by itself", he added.
Neonatal MC 'problematic'
Rees said including neonatal MC as part of any public sector activity was problematic given strict child health legislation about medical procedures on children. Public health practitioners opposed to MC roll-out as a mass anti-HIV/AIDS intervention claim epidemiological uncertainties, economic, cultural, ethical and logistical factors render it 'impractical and unjustified'. They accuse MC proponents of 'overstating the evidence in the current climate of desperation', saying this reduces the scope for informed consent while ignoring the rights of newborn children for whom the ethical principle of non-maleficence cannot be upheld.1]]> Observational data for the nine South African provinces showed 'no evidence' that HIV transmission between 1994 and 2004 was slower in those provinces with higher levels of circumcision2 though non-medical MC is known to be less effective.
A 2002 population-based survey (3 025 respondents) showed that a third of South African men are circumcised, most of them black, over 50, living in rural areas and speaking Sipedi or IsiXhosa. Most MC among whites and Indians takes place in childhood in hospital settings while among blacks most MC is performed after the age of 17 and outside a hospital setting.3
In contrast to the Xhosa practice of full circumcision, Zulus traditionally promoted partial circumcision (ukugweda), whose HIV-protective benefits are unknown. Proponents argue that acceptability of MC among uncircumcised men in southern Africa is high, at about 60 - 70% (Orange Farm, South Africa, 59%)4 while combining medical MC with traditional initiation will minimise adverse events and morbidity.5
The most heated MC debate at the 2008 International AIDS Conference in Mexico was around condom use and marginalisation of women.1
Who's doing what?
Western Kenya currently leads the MC field at 44 000 procedures towards their 150 000 per year goal (most of them done in the last year), followed by Zambia at 12 500 in two years (with 2 million to go).]]> Curran told Izindaba that 'the first 1 000 MCs are the hardest because you have to get systems, training and commodities in place, just as you had to with ART'. Some six to seven years ago many influential people were saying that scaling up ART in Africa was 'impossible'. 'It (male circumcision) needs a massive scale-up a few pilot sites here and there won't do it,' she emphasised.
Curran quoted the WHO's description of MC as 'a landmark in the history of HIV prevention'. She was presenting data at the annual Investigators Meeting of the international Consortium to Respond Effectively to the AIDS/TB Epidemic, (CREATE).
Addressing questions about resistance to MC, Curran said that she and fellow advocates had learnt the hard way that pure clinical trial data were often not enough to convince policy makers, clinicians and patients to act. However, when biological data were added, the picture often became more meaningful for them. She explained that this involved describing how circumcision prevented HIV infection by removing the foreskin where a profusion of immune system target cells resided.
Let the critics have their say
It was also crucial to provide 'a space for detractors' to air their concerns. 'It's easy to say, please, look at the evidence, but people's personal beliefs drive much of how they see the world. There are valid concerns for example, about whether women will still be able to negotiate condoms and whether it would act as a disinhibitor for young men (long-term follow-up at the Kenyan trial site found no evidence for the latter).
She said another effective motivator was 'benchmarking' or applying peer pressure among countries. This happened in Windhoek in June this year, where a stocktaking of progress since the WHO and UNAIDS issued their country guidelines on MC in March 2007, called 'Two Years and Counting', took place. The ministries of health and national AIDS councils from most of the 13 countries involved, plus a handful of researchers and some NGOs attended, each country presenting a status report before being grouped according to progress for discussion.
The most advanced, Kenya and Zambia, joined those who were furthest behind to share lessons learnt so far. She said that because both a partially and fully protective HIV vaccine were 'some time off', male circumcision was a vital tool, although 'hardly the holy grail'.
In spite of this, after the period of abstinence during wound healing (about 3 weeks), 'there are no adherence issues, once the foreskin is gone it's gone. We just need to scale up'.
World Cup opportunity?
With the football World Cup looming for South Africa next year and HIV prevention advocates tailoring their campaigns to take advantage of it, Curran suggested describing male circumcision as 'the goalkeeper'. 'But as we all know, a goalkeeper is only as good as his defenders.'
She described these defenders as including couples' HIV counselling and testing and other risk reduction strategies like abstinence, partner reduction and using condoms.
Praising the leadership on male circumcision at WHO and UNAIDS, Curran said they had consistently reminded the international HIV community and policy makers that the evidence on male circumcision was 'overwhelming and that this intervention needs to be scaled up for maximum impact'. Her unit's aim at Johns Hopkins University was to create the opportunities, an enabling environment and provide management support and motivation to countries willing to act on best evidence.
Most of the medical male circumcisions in the 13-country region are being done under local anaesthesia using one of the three surgical techniques recommended by WHO: forceps-guided, dorsal slit and sleeve resection.
MC roll-out history
The campaign began in 2002 when powerful observational data compelled USAID to approach her unit to run a pilot project in Zambia for male reproductive health. 'We were responding to the unmet demand for safe medical male circumcision in Lusaka and wanted to reach young men with HIV/STI prevention messages. (MC also helps reduce ulcerative infections like herpes simplex II and the papillomavirus that causes cervical and penile cancers.)]]> The MC package developed there evolved into the now well-known international package used for training in most of the countries in the region. Curran's unit focuses on 'research to practice', working with health ministries globally and was originally funded for reproductive health and family planning.
It has been involved in HIV work for 9 years, and its HIV work is primarily funded by the US President's Emergency Plan or AIDS Relief (Pepfar). Its speciality is training and quality assurance on clinical services, working side by side with Population Services International (known as the Society for Family Health in South Africa) which runs local clinics and does counseling and communication.
Asked about the utility of including MC in South Africa's national health insurance package due for legislation next June and roll-out over 5 years, Curran said experience in the USA suggested that doing this had a major influence on the uptake of the service, affordability being a key component of access. She cited Medicaid (for low-income earners) in the USA.
Those states that included neonatal circumcision in their MedicAid packages had much higher (24% higher on average) rates of neonatal circumcision than states which did not. Asked about human resource constraints, she said one element vital to Kenya's MC roll-out success was task shifting. 'They've advanced quickest because they've been very creative, using outreach mobile clinics staffed by nurses and "clinical officers" (mid-level workers). They also have excellent political leadership at provincial and national level with MC task forces and committees on each'.
She said that in designing service delivery systems her unit went out of its way to minimise the impact of MC on other critical surgical services while keeping in mind the enormous number of procedures required for population-level impact on HIV incidence. MC went straight to the heart of health system strengthening, currently 'the buzzword' in public health. 'Simply put, HIV prevention is one of the best tools available for health system strengthening. HIV requires lifelong care and support and the extent to which we can reduce the number of people who will require ART frees up resources for other important interventions,' she added.
1. Myers A, Myers J. Rolling out male circumcision as a mass HIV/AIDS intervention seems neither justified nor practicable. S Afr Med J 2008; 98: 781-782. [ Links ]
2. Garenne M. Long-term population effect of male circumcision in generalized HIV epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa. African Journal of AIDS Research 2008; 7 (1): 1-8. [ Links ]
3. Connolly C, Leickness CS, et al.. Male circumcision and its relationship to HIV infection in South Africa; Results of a national survey in 2002; S Afr Med J 2008; 98: 789-794 [ Links ]
4. Richter L, Sithole B, Mbehele, L et al. Only skin deep: Limitations of public health understanding of male circumcision in South Africa. S Afr Med J 2009; 99: 647. [ Links ]]]>