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Doll of the week: 23% OFF!
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Irontech Doll brand, is owned and operated by Shenzhen Iron Technology Co.,Ltd. Various new designs and updates on craftsmanship arise here all the time. We keep improving on the design, doll craftsmanship and other details. We know that only great work can meet the customers' demand for beauty.

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Northern Michigan Weddings: Make your special day one to remember by attending the April Bridal Expo at Crystal Mountain this Saturday, April 6, 2013. Whether you are recently engaged or just completing the final touches for your big day, we invite you to meet with over 40 of the area's top wedding professionals. Vendors include photographers, cake decorators, entertainment and so much more! Plus, enter to win a Bridal Bliss package from Crystal Spa.
Time: 12-4pm
Location: Main Level of the Crystal Center
Cost: Free of charge and open to the public
Bridal Expo Lodging & Spa Specials
Want to make it a wedding planning weekend? $99 hotel rooms and spa specials are available for all expo attendees.
For more information please contact Chelsea Chapin, Catering & Events Sales Manager, at 800.968.7686, ext. 6605 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
Check out this video of the Traverse City Bridal Show for a preview on what's to come at Crystal.


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How to Build the Next Huge Mobile App April 19, 2012Posted by Bipul Sinha in discovery, distribution, location, mobile.
4 comments
The advent and growth of social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and, now, Pinterest has heralded a new era in the Internet where people are connected to one another to share, discover, curate, and collaborate. The mobile applications are fast becoming the primary vehicle to access what I call "connected services" to discover people, information and entertainment. However unlike the intent oriented desktop Internet search, the mobile platform is about discovery. Thus the application developers would have to think differently about getting user attention and engagement.
User Time Slices
I view smart phones as bite-size infotainment consumption devices. Users launch different applications for short spurts during the day to interact live, get updates, transact, share experiences, and generally play. I call these 2-5 minute spurts "time slices" and examples of these time slices include waiting for a coffee, a short break from work, waiting for everyone to gather for a meeting etc. Users typically don't have any fixed plans for these time slices and they like to discover infotainment through their applications. To build a mass market application, developers should consider two core factors: a unique discovery oriented infotainment experience and a bite-size time slice filler. An application that fits this paradigm would get huge user attention and engagement. Pulse News* is a great example of such an application. It allows users to discover news and information in a bite-size consumption format – you launch your Pulse when you have a few minutes and would like to be in the know.
How do you think about building the next large scale mobile app? I'm all ears.
* Lightspeed Portfolio Company


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Canoeing The Tennessee River Blueway
Do you ever have the desire to escape the routines of your life, to get out and merge with nature, observe wildlife and experience your world from a different perspective? If you answered, "yes" to any if that, then read on. The Tennessee River Blueway provides all of these opportunities.
The Tennessee River Blueway is a beautiful section of the Tennessee River that flows through Chattanooga, Tennessee from the Chickamauga Dam, about 50 miles down river to the Nickajack Dam.
Wildlife is plentiful along the Tennessee River Blueway. Don't underestimate the variety of wildlife that can be observed around downtown Chattanooga. The wildlife downtown is different from the wildlife you might spot in the gorge, in that the animals are more habituated to close human activity and you will be able to approach them to a closer range than the wilder gorge wildlife. The majority of my best wildlife photographs were taken between the Chickamauga Dam and Williams Island.
I was able to photograph feeding Osprey, Beaver, Turkey Vulture, Raccoon, Great Blue Heron, Rabbit, Turkey and White Tailed Deer. In the Nickajack Lake area I was lucky enough to spot and photograph a Bald Eagle that flew directly in front of my canoe. That was the most exciting highpoint of my trip.
There is plenty of primitive camping available throughout the Tennessee River Blueway (see the map). The keyword here is primitive. You will need to pack everything in and EVERYTHING out. Some of the campsites are not maintained very well yet. I suggest you pack a tarp to lie down on the tall grass to create a smooth comfortable immediate campsite area.
Some of the campsites are owned and managed by organizations that require prior permission to camp. See the "Contacts" page for contact information to acquire permissions and reservations.
I traveled alone and I was in no hurry. Paddling solo, the trip took me four days and three nights. I started the afternoon of day one and finished the morning of day four. I estimated that I performed about 88,000 paddle strokes to move my little loaded canoe about 50 miles.
Of course there are many restaurants within portage in the downtown Chattanooga area, but after you leave the bridges, you are basically on your own for food and water. You should pack what you need. Replenish your water, drinks and ice at the Sullivan's Landing. I don't recommend you relying on the marina as a source of good food. The Little Store is good for drink and food.
Begin your trip at the Greenway Farm canoe portage dock on the south side of the property. It is above the dam, but the North Chickamauga Creek will take you below the dam. You will not have to go through the locks. End your trip at the Shellmound Campground near the Nick-a-Jack dam. Be sure to visit the map page for more information and coordinances.
I strongly encourage you to go out and create your own experience on the Tennessee River Blueway. I assure you it will be an outing you will not forget. Interesting article for additional reading.


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George Salton reflects on Holocaust Remembrance Day
Holocaust survivor living in Palm Beach Gardens feels obligated to share story
For most, the Holocaust has been learned through books and movies.
For George Salton, it was learned through living it.
Salton was 14 years old and living in a small town in Poland when his life changed forever.
"The Germans came, occupied our little town some nine days later after the start of the war," Salton remembers. "Great oppression, misery, hunger, beatings, our synagogues were destroyed."
Salton spent three years in 10 different concentration and labor camps before being liberated by U.S. troops when he was 17. Nearly 70 years later, he now lives in Palm Beach Gardens, literally half a world away from where he grew up. But he never forgets.
"There is this compelling obligation to tell people what happened," Salton says.
It's an obligation Salton does not take lightly. He travels the country talking to school children, college students and church groups, just to name a few. He says Yom Hashoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, is an important day, but only as a symbol to show the victims are not forgotten. He says the most important part is living his life teaching.
"The moral lesson is we should not ignore evil, no matter how small," Salton said. "One should not be a silent witness when other people are being beaten or persecuted or executed."


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Story by
Brad McCarty
A music and tech junkie who calls Nashville home, Brad is the Director TNW Academy. You can follow him on Twitter @BradMcCarty. A music and tech junkie who calls Nashville home, Brad is the Director TNW Academy. You can follow him on Twitter @BradMcCarty.
There's a lot of press attention being paid today (by TNW as well) to Path. The life-journaling app has found itself in a tough position after it was found that it is accessing Address Book data and uploading it to its own servers without gaining express permission from users to do so. But there are bigger issues at hand here, and nobody seems to be paying attention to them.
First off, it's worth noting that most companies aren't building applications that snag your data and then do malicious things with it. There are exceptions, but I can wholeheartedly assure you that most of the startups I speak to have no clue that the data they're collecting can be used to further their business, much less do they have intention to do anything "evil" with it.
A developer that I spoke to today about the Path debacle stated it best:
"These features are created benevolently. For companies with good intentions, they get looped under the Facebook umbrella."
The problem is that almost all of us now base our ideas of personal data privacy off of our interaction with Facebook. The social network has, by and large, made very poor decisions about how it handles our personal info and we all are well aware that it's using that information to sell us as products. Yet nearly a billion people continue to use Facebook every single month.
The other obvious misstep here is on Apple's part. Flame me if you will, but Apple has set out some very specific language in its guidelines:
"17.1: Apps cannot transmit data about a user without obtaining the user's prior permission and providing the user with access to information about how and where the data will be used"
If that is indeed the case, then Apple has let Path slip through the cracks. Perhaps it's because the app is widely well-recieved, but that doesn't exonerate Apple's process from its responsibility to fully check that an app isn't doing things that it's not supposed to.
But Path is far from alone in its transgressions. We've heard from developers, both publicly and privately, that there are other apps that do this exact same thing and nobody has said a word about them. Again, two wrongs don't make a right, but it's well worth noting that Path has probably only come under fire because of its popularity, thereby making it more likely that someone would dig around and find the flaw.
The other question that has to come up is this: Why hasn't Apple set the flag for the address book to be inaccessible by default? It seems logical that access to the iOS Address Book should be relegated only to Apple's own apps, or by requirement of specific permission on behalf of the user.
So Path isn't without fault here, but it certainly doesn't seem malicious. Apple isn't innocent in all of this either. A bigger part of the problem is how we as users see our privacy. Invasions of it seem to be fine as long as they're handled well and we benefit from them. For Path, it's not the end of the journey, but rather just a bump in an otherwise-pretty road.
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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - After Medicare changed its rules regarding coverage for weight loss surgeries in 2006, the cost for the procedures went down while safety measures increased, according to a new study.
Researchers found that the benefits were primarily due to a rules change that allowed Medicare to pay for a newer, less invasive procedure called laparoscopic adjustable banding.
Prior to the 2006 changes, Medicare, the federally-funded health insurance for older or disabled people, only reimbursed doctors for performing gastric bypass surgeries.
"This is one of the more recent natural experiments by Medicare to try and change the health care system for the better," said Dr. David Flum, the study's lead author and a professor at the University of Washington. "The message is, it worked."
Laparoscopic gastric banding helps people lose weight by squeezing off a portion of the stomach into a small pouch that can handle only limited amounts of food.
Gastric bypass also makes the stomach smaller, while detouring food around part of the small intestine.
Flum and his team gathered data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on people with Medicare insurance who underwent weight loss surgery between 2004 and 2008.
Throughout the study period, more than 47,000 people had weight loss surgery.
Before the 2006 rules changes, no one in this group received laparoscopic banding. After the changes, that procedure made up more than a third of the weight loss surgeries.
As "lap banding" was introduced, the number of people who died after surgery fell by more than half.
Fifteen out of every 1,000 people who had weight loss surgery before Medicare changed its rules died within 90 days of the procedure. After the rules change, seven out of every 1,000 people died after the surgery.
Readmissions to the hospital also dropped, from 19 patients out of every 100 before Medicare changed its rules, to 15 out of every 100 patients after the changes.
The cost of the procedures also decreased over time.
Before 2006, Medicare paid roughly $24,000 for each procedure. Afterward, it paid about $20,000.
From Flum's study it appears that another part of the rules change, which limited reimbursements only to hospitals that receive a particular accreditation, made little difference to the cost or safety of the procedures.
Hospitals receive accreditation through the American College of Surgeons or the American Society for Bariatric Surgery by performing a certain number of procedures each year and by having staff and facilities that meet certain standards.
Before Medicare's new requirement for accreditation in 2006, patients received surgery at 928 sites. Afterward, patients went to 662 facilities for surgery.
"I think Medicare should get rid of that requirement," said Dr. Edward Livingston, a professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center who was not involved in this study.
Livingston's concern is that the changes to Medicare made it harder for some people to find an accredited facility in their area.
"This is a particular problem for rural America...where patients have to travel great distances" to locate a center that Medicare will reimburse, Livingston told Reuters Health.
He said that having facilities within easy reach is especially important for the growing proportion of people receiving laparoscopic banding, because the procedure requires frequent follow up care.
"One of the downsides (to Medicare's coverage decision) is that access to care was decreased in places that were not accredited," said Flum, "but I think that setting some accreditation standards around safety or volume makes a lot of sense."
Other than to say CMS is pleased that the coverage decision appeared to improve health outcomes for people with Medicare, an official at CMS would not comment on the study because the agency is considering changing the rules again.
Medicare's current coverage for weight loss surgery excludes one type, called sleeve gastrectomy, and officials are seeking input on whether there are enough data on its effects and safety to include the procedure.
Through the health care reform law passed in 2010, the federal government is making more efforts to steer patients toward the safest, most effective and cheapest procedures.
The law established the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, for instance, which funds comparisons of different approaches to preventing or treating diseases.
Flum said Medicare's decision to change weight loss surgery coverage is the type of move he'd like to see shake out of the push to encourage more informed decisions about what procedures should be paid for.
"This is a model of how health care reform could play out to help people," he said.
One of the lingering questions surrounding Medicare's changes is whether the shift toward laparoscopic banding actually achieves better weight loss for patients compared to gastric bypass.
Recent studies have found that gastric bypass leads to faster weight loss and greater appetite control than the banding approach, making bypass potentially superior for some patients (see Reuters Health story of October 14, 2011). Others have found better diabetes control with bypass versus banding.
Flum is part of a group studying the long term outcomes of lap-banding, and whether it can also help stave off diabetes and heart disease as doctors hope. His study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense
Livingston agreed that it will be important to determine if lap banding is as effective as other surgeries.
"You can do a safe operation, but if it doesn't work you haven't gained anything," Livingston said.
SOURCE: Annals of Surgery, online October 4, 2011.
Mochila insert follows.


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The European Commission has opened an antitrust investigation into Google's business activities after complaints from three European companies. The companies, which offer services similar to Google's, believe that Google actively demotes their rankings in its search results because they are competitors. Google insists that it's just offering what users want: useful search results.
The companies in question are price-comparison site Foundem, a legal search engine called ejustice, and the now-Microsoft-owned Ciao! from Bing. According to a post on Google's own European Public Policy Blog, both Foundem and ejustice argue that Google tries to limit the success of the competition by keeping their search rankings low, and that Google does this on an algorithmic level.
"Google has always used various penalty filters to remove certain sites entirely from its search results or place them so far down the rankings that they will never be found," Foundem wrote on its blog last year. "Whereas these penalties used to be reserved for spam, or sites caught attempting to cheat Google's algorithms, they are now increasingly targeted at perfectly legitimate vertical search and directory services."
Part of the problem appears to be the fact that Foundem—and also ejustice—aggregates third-party content and has a plethora of outbound links. These factors are likely to look at least somewhat spammy but, at the very least, they do not offer the kind of original content that Google claims is important in its search rankings. Despite this, Foundem posted again in December of 2009, saying that its "search penalty" had been lifted and that its traffic from Google increased by 10,000 percent "overnight."
Ciao! for Bing, on the other hand, appears to have an issue with Google's AdSense terms. According to Google's Senior Competition Counsel Julia Holtz, AdSense had a good relationship with Ciao! before it was acquired by Microsoft in 2008. At that time, complaints about the terms of conditions started coming in, and Microsoft eventually took the case to the German competition authority (the case has now been transferred to Brussels and combined with the other two complaints).
According to sources speaking to the Wall Street Journal, the investigation is currently in its early stages. The Telegraph adds that the EC has sent Google a number of questions related to its search functionality as well as advertising policies. This wouldn't be the first time the EC took a peek behind Google's curtain in recent years, either. In 2008, it opened an investigation into the never-consumated Google/Yahoo search pact, and in 2009, the EU held a hearing to discuss the proposed Google Books settlement.
Google acknowledges in its blog post that its search isn't perfect, but that its algorithms "aim to rank first what people are most likely to find useful." Unsurprisingly, the company says that it is not trying to stifle competition, but the EC may take a different view once it reviews Google's answers to its questions.


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by David Crane david at defensereview.com This is just a quick heads-up on the ShieldShot Tactical Mirror Sight/BUIS for around-the-corner engagements. It's made by ShieldShot, Ltd. out of Austin, Texas. The sight is designed so even the operator's hands stay behind cover while he aims and shoots. The ShieldShot Tactical Mirror/BUIS also allows you to shoot under vehicles, over walls, …Read More »
New Military-Grade ADT/Oerlikon Contraves Laser Light Module (LLM 01) Tactical IR Laser Aimer/White Light Module Introduced to U.S. Market by Advance Defense Technologies (ADT): British SAS and German KSK (Special Forces) Ready!
February 17, 2006 Last updated on 11/07/12. Photos below are of German KSK (German military Special Forces) and Dutch Special Forces operators with the Oerlikon Contraves Laser Light Module (LLM 01) tactical aiming laser/white light (laser aiming device/tactical white light) attached to their weapons. Click on photos below to view them full-size. The following is a slightly edited Advance Defense Technologies (ADT) …Read More »
Crimson Trace Introduces New G-Series Lasergrips for Glock Pistols at IACP 2005
by David Crane [email protected] All photos contained in this article were taken by, and are the exclusive property of, DefenseReview.com. Click on the photos below to view them full-size. Crimson Trace Corporation (CTC) has just introduced a new laser targeting system for Glock pistols called the G-Series Lasergrips. CTC bills the new G-Series Lasergrips as "the first user-installed Glock laser …Read More »
Raytheon Developing 'Smart Scope' for U.S. Military SPECOPS and LE SWAT Snipers
The following comes from NewScientist.com: 17:34 28 June 2005 NewScientist.com news service (written by Barry Fox) Smart scope An electronic rifle scope that automatically compensates for unsteady aim and recoil is being developed by US defence contractor Raytheon. Using the sight, snipers and police marksmen would no longer need to manually adjust their sight to account for the slight sideways …Read More »
Australian 'Off-Axis View Device' for Shooting Your Rifle/Carbine Around Corners
by David Crane [email protected] Click on photos below to view them full-size. All digital photos contained in this article are the exclusive property of the Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO). DefRev just received the following information and digital pics from one of our Australian defense industry contacts. It's called the OAVD, which, according to our source, stands for …Read More »
Air Force SPECOPS Pilots Get Panoramic Night-Vision Goggles for Night Combat Ops
by David Crane defrev at gmail.com May 18, 2005 Insight Technology, Inc. (Londonderry, NH), along with the U.S. Air Force Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC), has developed panoramic night-vision goggles (PNVGs) for U.S. Airforce Special Operations (SPECOPS) aviators. The new NVGs are designed to enhance combat capability for pilots engaged in night operations (night flying). At least 20 sets of goggles …Read More »
Laser Devices Inc. Dual Beam Aiming Laser-Intelligent (DBAL-I) at SHOT Show 2005
by David Crane [email protected] All digital photos accompanying this article were taken by DefenseReview.com, and are the property of DefenseReview.com. Click on photos to view them full size. While we're on the subject of infrared (IR)/visible laser aimers/illuminators designed and developed as alternatives to the Insight Technology, Inc. AN/PEQ-2 family of Infrared Target Pointer/Illuminator/Aiming Lasers (ITPIAL) (AN/PEQ-2 and AN/PEQ-2A), we …Read More »
LAMSA Weapons Systems Soldier's Laser Aimer/Illuminator for SPECOPS
by David Crane [email protected] Click on digital photos to view them full-size. All digital photos accompanying this article were taken by DefenseReview.com, and are the property of DefenseReview.com. DefenseReview recently got a chance to view a few interesting new products at the Larue Tactical booth at SHOT Show 2005. The first are the new LAMSA Weapons Systems/BEAMSHOT/Larue Tactical Soldier's Laser …Read More »
New Aimpoint 3X Magnifier Sight for Military SPECOPS and LE SWAT Operators
by David Crane [email protected] It's no secret that we really like our Aimpoint CompM2 Red Dot sights/optical gunsights here at DefenseReview. The Aimpoint CompM2 Red Dot optic is currently the best red dot tube sight in the world for CQB (Close Quarters Battle) applications. It's fast on target, and makes rapid multiple target engagement a snap at CQB ranges. However, …Read More »
Larue Tactical Free-Float (FF) Rail System, Tactical Rail Mounts, and BUIS for Rifle/Carbines
by David Crane defrev (at) gmail (dot) com July 22, 2004 Yesterday, I hand a very informative phone conversation with Mark Larue of Larue Tactical. Larue Tactical, long famous for their industry standard Larue Sniper Targets, is now manufacturing tactical mounts and their own FF Rail System (Larue Tactical Handguards) for the AR-15/M16 and M4/M4A1 Carbine. The Larue Tactical Mounting …Read More »


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Google's highly anticipated Gmail app for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad enjoyed a brief moment in the App Store on Wednesday, but was quickly pulled because of a bug.
Upon opening the Gmail iOS app for the first time, users immediately saw a "Notification Error," with the following cryptic message: "no valid 'aps-environment entitlement string found for application."
The error broke notification support, so Google removed the app shortly after launching it. "We've removed the app while we correct the problem, and we're working to bring you a new version soon," a note on the Official Gmail Blog said. "Everyone who's already installed the app can continue to use it."
Bugs aside, the Gmail iOS app still needs more work. Scrolling is sometimes laggy, button taps can be slow to respond, and there's no support for multiple inboxes. It's not clear whether Google will add some extra polish to the app before it's sent off again for approval.
This is the second time in a month that Google's had to remove an iPhone app because of bugs. Previously, the company pulled its Google Voice app from the iOS App Store because of continuous crashing in iOS 5. Google also had to fix several bugs in its Google+ iOS app a few months ago, but never removed the app from the store. Given Google's tendency to release products in beta form, these aren't huge surprises.
Once the bugs are fixed, the Gmail app should have some redeeming qualities, including push notifications, multiple photo attachments, Priority Inbox support and the ability to scroll through entire conversation threads.
Follow Jared on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ for even more tech news and commentary.


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BlackBerry Bold 9650 (Verizon Wireless)
Just like the Sprint version, the RIM BlackBerry Bold 9650 for Verizon brings an update to the carrier's BlackBerry Tour. It's not a major overhaul but brings some nice enhancements, including Wi-Fi, double the onboard memory, and an optical touchpad, to make it a worthwhile upgrade. In this review, we will focus on the Verizon-specific features and performance. For more information about the phone's design and core functions, please read our full review of the RIM BlackBerry Bold 9650 for Sprint. The RIM BlackBerry Bold 9650 is available from Verizon now for $149.99 with a two-year contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate.
The RIM BlackBerry Bold 9650 is a world phone with dual-mode functionality, meaning that it supports both the CDMA and GSM networks. Here in the States, the smartphone will work on Verizon's network as usual, but when you travel overseas, it will automatically detect and connect to a GSM network, so you can continue to make calls and receive data. Like the Tour, the Bold supports the 2100MHz UMTS/HSDPA band, so you can get 3G support overseas. In addition, the Bold is Verizon's first smartphone to support the carrier's GlobalAccess Connect service, which allows you to use the Bold as a tethered modem while abroad. Plans start at $65 per month with a 5GB data cap in the U.S. and Canada (5 cents per MB overage fee) and 100MB allowance in select countries ($5.12 per MB overage fee).
Though the Bold ships with a SIM card, Verizon will allow customers to unlock the SIM as long they have been a customer for 60 days and are in good financial standing with the carrier. Unlocking the SIM will allow you use an international SIM card, but note that you can't pop in a T-Mobile or AT&T SIM for domestic use. In all, you'll get voice coverage in more than 220 countries and data coverage (e-mail and Internet) in more than 200 countries, 110 being 3G. For an international coverage map and international roaming rates, check out Verizon's Web site.
As we mentioned earlier, two of the Bold's notable additions are Wi-Fi and double the onboard memory (512MB vs. 256MB). Though Verizon has a pretty extensive 3G network, Wi-Fi gives you an alternative way for getting online and can provide faster speeds for better browsing and media streaming, which is why we always insist on having Wi-Fi on a smartphone. You also get Bluetooth and GPS, and Verizon does allow you to use the Bold as a mobile hotspot as long as you sign up for one of its Mobile Broadband Connect plans.
Meanwhile, the additional memory will give you more room for apps and smoother performance. There are a number of basic apps already preloaded on the Bold, such as DataViz's Documents to Go, Bing Mobile, Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, but you can always get more from the BlackBerry App World. Of course, Verizon has plenty of services to pimp as well, including V Cast Music and Video, VZ Navigator (both domestic and global), and Visual Voicemail.
Verizon offers two versions of the Bold 9650: one with a 3.2-megapixel camera and one without, if you prefer not to have a camera or are prohibited from having a camera phone at your workplace. The camera version has standard editing options as well as a flash and video recording. Picture quality was mediocre at best. Despite having a flash, indoor shots were still a bit dull and had a hazy effect to them, but outdoor shots fared better. Video quality was acceptable and can get the job done if you've got nothing else handy.
Last but not least, Verizon packages the BlackBerry Bold 9650 with a travel charger, an international adapter clip, a SIM card, a 2GB microSD card, a USB cable, a belt holster, a wired stereo headset, and reference material. For more add-ons, please check our cell phone accessories, ring tones, and help page.
We tested the dual-mode (CDMA 800/1900; GSM 850/900/1800/1900) RIM BlackBerry Bold 9650 in New York using Verizon service and call quality was excellent. Calls were crisp and clear on our side of the conversation with very rich-sounding audio and no voice distortion. We didn't detect any background noise, which made it that much easier to deal with an airline's voice-automated response system. Friends also reported good results. A majority didn't have any complaints at all, but one did say that the end of our sentences got cut off a bit.
Speakerphone quality was good. There was a slight hollowness but overall, we were happy with the performance and volume was loud enough to hold conversations in louder environments. We had no problems pairing the smartphone with the Logitech Mobile Traveller Bluetooth headset or the Motorola S9 Bluetooth Active Headphones.
Verizon's 3G network provided reliable coverage throughout Manhattan with decent speeds. CNET's full site loaded in 50 seconds, while CNN's and ESPN's mobile sites loaded in 11 seconds and 13 seconds, respectively. Unfortunately, with BlackBerry OS 6 and the new WebKit browser not due till Q3, you'll have to get by with BlackBerry's current browser, which is difficult to navigate and limited in functionality when compared with the competition.
We also streamed clips via V Cast Video and as expected, it was choppy and murky during action sequences, but the quality wasn't so bad that clips were unwatchable. We must say it came in quite handy since it allowed us to watch some World Cup games when we were away from a TV. Our own MP4 clips played back beautifully with synchronized picture and sound, and audio quality was quite rich. The handset's 3.5mm jack also allowed us listen to music comfortably with our own headphones.
The Bold 9650 was able to keep up with our day-to-day demands with very little lag. The BlackBerry Bold 9650 ships with a 1,400mAh lithium ion battery with a rated talk time of 5 hours and up to 13 days of standby time. In our battery drain tests, we were able to get 6.5 hours of continuous talk time on a single charge. According to FCC radiation tests, the Bold 9650 has a digital SAR rating of 1.43 watts per kilogram and a Hearing Aid Compatibility rating of M3.


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It's boom time on the prairie
Last week the Grand Forks Herald reported that a parcel of farmland near Park River, ND sold for more than $10,000 per acre, a record in the state. The same week, Iowa set a record when an 80-acre parcel of farmland sold for $21,900 per acre. It'...
Last week the Grand Forks Herald reported that a parcel of farmland near Park River, ND sold for more than $10,000 per acre, a record in the state.
The same week, Iowa set a record when an 80-acre parcel of farmland sold for $21,900 per acre.
It's boom time on the prairie.
As commodity prices rise, farmers are understandably eager to put acres which once were set aside in conservation programs back into production.
Marginal farmland is being cleared of twenty year's worth of willow and poplar to be readied for crops next spring.
But what is marginal farmland?
With vastly improved varieties, the sandiest sand ridge can produce crops like it couldn't twenty years ago when the set-aside programs were at their peak.
"With the varieties of wheat they have today," a local farmer told me, "I could raise twenty bushels-per-acre on the Wal-mart parking lot."
Last summer we supposedly suffered through a drought. I am not a farmer, but even I could tell the corn was suffering. The soybeans looked wilted.
A farmer friend said he didn't even go out to check the corn field he was so scared of what he would find.
After harvest, I ran into the same farmer. He was bouncing around like it was New Year's Eve. Despite the drought, he had harvested a solid crop.
The wonders of genetics!
Is it any wonder the track hoes are out in force cleaning ditches that haven't been touched in decades?
Over the past three days, I drove across the Great Plains on my way to Arizona.
As I passed through farmland on the back roads of North and South Dakota, Nebraska and eastern Colorado, the sights on the prairie were everywhere the same: Freshly dug ditches, track hoes on the move, and a general sense of prosperity I haven't seen on previous trips.
The last such boom was the early 1970s when wheat prices touched $7 per bushel.
Bulldozers pushed down oak woods and old farmsteads with a vengeance. Wetlands were drained and filled with clay.
At that time, the county helped farmers drain lakes, potholes and wetlands in order to get more farmland on the tax rolls.
If you needed to run a ditch across a neighbor's farmland to get rid of the swamp on yours, no problem. The county invoked eminent domain and whoever's land got in the way had to adjust.
Permits today are somewhat more restrictive, at least when it comes to removing a cattail.
But somebody's giving somebody permission to clean out all these ditches and make sure the water gets to the river in a bigger hurry than usual next spring.
The same unknown somebody brought in a track hoe onto the corner of my farm a couple of weeks ago and cleaned out a drainage ditch, tearing down a little grove of mature ash trees in the process.
They left a nice big mess.
Nobody asked permission, or even sent a letter of notification. I was gone that day and still don't know who made the mess it or gave permission for the ditch to be cleaned.
But I am smart enough to know that when it comes to water issues, land ownership pretty much means nothing. In boom times, they'll do what they do, and they'll cross your land to do it.
When this present boom ends, which it surely will, all this land-clearing mania will look pretty silly.
The government will jump in and bail out those who over-extended.
Not only that, they will set up programs to pay farmers to put marginal land back into conservation programs.
The willows groves will grow back. So will the aspen.
Somebody will come up with the novel idea to restore wetlands.
In will trot the wildlife biologists with their degrees, badges, butterfly nets and bags of tadpoles.
Some entity, probably the same one that authorized all the ditching during the boom, will put up little dams everywhere at enormous expense to keep the water from getting to the river so darn fast.
The only winners in the whole absurd cycle will be those who sell track hoes, which can be used both to dig ditches and to dam them up.
When commodity prices crash, as they always do, and land prices follow, as they always do, those who overextended will blame everybody but themselves.
We'll all bail them out.
And the ongoing march of folly which is American agriculture policy will start another cycle anew.


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Because no one reads the newspaper, and SportsCenter's anchors are too perky for this early in the morning, Deadspin combs the best of the broadsheets and internets to bring you everything you need to know to start your day.
• LeBron James came back to Cleveland last night. He threw powder in the air and finished with a season-high 38 points, 5 boards, and 8 assists and the Heat won, 118-90. Before he left, he stated plans to continue this "greatness for myself." Cavs assistant Jamahl Mosley did not want to hear it.
• Rich Rodriguez got very emotional about his job security at the Michigan football banquet last night, telling the crowd, "I truly want to be a Michigan man." Then someone played a Josh Groban song, and everyone in the room spontaneously self-actualized.
• Ron Santo is dead.
• The Eagles beat the Texans 34-24 and are now 8-4 and first in the NFC East. Michael Vick threw for two TDs and ran in another, and not a single game report I saw included the words "dog," "jail," "redemption," or "character." This is progress.
• The Chicago White Sox have signed Adam Dunn and AJ Pierzynski. Homeostasis returned to Boston when Jason Varitek re-signed with the Red Sox. The Yankees may or may not be sweetening their offer to Derek Jeter.
• For the eighth straight year, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was named NASCAR's most popular driver. More importantly, he now has eight Hamburger Helper trophies on his mantle. America!
• NCAA president Mark Emmert said the organization is working on "clarifying and strengthening our recruiting and amateurism rules" and will "amend our bylaws" in the wake of the Cam Newton incident.
• Qatar promises to have these nine shiny air-conditioned, boat-accessible stadiums built by 2022. The digitally enhanced renderings of the stadiums exclude interpretations of involuntary servants and spectators melting into the ground in the 110 degree heat.
• Slate's Brian Phillips explains what all went down at the World Cup bid conference.
• Arizona State blocked two extra point attempts and earned a 30-29 double-overtime win over rival Arizona.
Good morning! It's Friday.


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Pertama Digital independent non-executive chairman Tun Zaki Azmi皇冠体育官网开户(www.hg108.vip)是一个开放皇冠体育官网即时比分、皇冠体育官网开户的平台。皇冠体育官网开户平台(www.hg108.vip)提供最新皇冠体育官网登录,皇冠体育官网APP下载包含新皇冠体育官网代理、会员APP。
KUALA LUMPUR: Pertama Digital Bhd has obtained its shareholders' approval to dispose of its entire stake in China-based textile subsidiary, BeTop Group Ltd, to Gifted Investments Limited for RM70mil.
The disposal will see Pertama Digital as a pure-play digital services player.
In a statement, it said 99% of votes were received in support of the asset sale at an extraordinary general meeting today.,
,Telegram群组索引(www.tg888.vip)是一个Telegram群组分享平台,飞机群组内容包括Telegram群组索引、Telegram群组导航、新加坡Telegram群组、Telegram中文群组、Telegram群组(其他)、Telegram 美国 群组、Telegram群组爬虫、电报群 科学上网、小飞机 怎么 加 群、tg群等内容,为广大电报用户提供各种电报群组/电报频道/电报机器人导航服务。
"With the disposal underway, we will also be reclassifying Pertama Digital from a textile-based company to that of a digital and Syariah-compliant business.
"Our digital solutions offered so far have been received extremely well and show bright growth prospects. We developed and operate eJamin, the world's first smartphone court bail payment solution, that is now used in Malaysian courts," independent non-executive chairman Tun Zaki Azmi said.
Director of strategy Saify Akhtar said: "With the disposal of this legacy business, Pertama Digital will now be free to efficiently deliver on its innovative strategy to transform how government agencies and enterprises approach digitalisation in this rapidly expanding sector, not just in Malaysia, but in other emerging markets like Indonesia, Bangladesh and Nigeria."
"Furthermore, as a Malaysian-born company, our stakeholders and leadership will now have a local majority. The company will continue to deliver swift, lean, and useful digital solutions and services on a pay-for-performance revenue model in close partnerships with government and enterprise," he added.
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2023-01-31 00:13:47


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Last week, the Associated Press announced that the U.S. would be "venturing into one of Africa's bloodiest conflicts." That's a theatrical way of saying that Obama is sending 100 U.S. military advisers to East Africa to counsel the Ugandan government in its fight against the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel group that has evaded national and international forces for over two decades. The U.S. troops will "not engage in combat, unless forced to defend themselves."
Last month I traveled to Uganda and reported for Ms. on the aftermath of the country's brutal, decades-long conflict with the LRA. After five years of living free of LRA attacks, the country's north, which bore the brunt of the fighting, remains economically devastated. With little perceived chance at earning an income, girls are pressured to drop out of school early and get married. Few reach graduation. Meanwhile, the LRA remains active, though well hidden, in neighboring central African countries.
When I asked my sources in northern Uganda what they thought of Obama's announcement, they agreed that it came as a pleasant surprise. "The involvement of U.S. army has been long overdue," says Okweny George Ongom, director of a school in northern Uganda and an advocate for women and girls in the area.
"There is a natural revolution occurring that those in leadership position[s] must observe and realize: that both the masses and just leaders like Obama will not tolerate injustice," says Okello Kelo Sam, the founder of Hope North, a secondary and vocational school in northern Uganda for at-risk children (many of whom were at one time abducted by the LRA). "The decision made by President Obama is very welcomed by our people."
For me, this is one of those uncomfortable media moments, and not only because of the sensational way in which the story was reported. Responses have been divided between two overly simplistic camps: those that see the policy shift as monumentally hopeful and those who see an opportunity to criticize Obama.
Leading the latter is, not surprisingly, Rush Limbaugh, whose comments have clouded Americans' already murky knowledge of the Ugandan conflict. Limbaugh ranted through one of his shows this week about the Obama administration's choice to "target Christians" and "kill them." What he ignores here: that the U.S. government has been clear that they are only sending advisers to the region, not engaging in combat and that the LRA operates under an unclear, ever-shifting mix of Christian-influenced mysticism designed to lionize its founder, Joseph Kony, rather than Christianity.
As a way of demonstrating to viewers that Obama is "sending the soldiers to fight Christians in Africa," Limbaugh also listed some of the legitimate grievances found in LRA literature. And it's true that the LRA does have valid concerns about the dictatorial Ugandan government, which has been found funneling international military aid money into "ghost soldiers" (deceased soldiers still on the payroll register) and has done little to support the reconstruction of the northern part of the country, where the war was waged for so long. Such atrocious abuses of power do not, however, validate the campaign of torture, rape and kidnapping waged by the LRA. One can only hope that when Limbaugh later admitted to not knowing that the LRA "is being accused of really bad stuff," his listeners realized that his take on things is dangerously uninformed–to put it lightly.
What does all of this bode for women and girls? For the 1,100 women that are raped every day in the Congo, where the LRA now continues its assaults, this announcement is likely good news.
But for Uganda's girls, who remain largely forgotten by their government, we can only hope that the U.S. military response will be tethered to a comprehensive rehabilitation plan that includes a meaningful look at the Ugandan government's responsibilities. UN officials I spoke with in Uganda were frustrated with the government's efforts to rebuild the war-torn country (or rather, the lack thereof), especially with regard to girls' education.
Full disclosure: I lobbied on Capitol Hill for the passage of the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act, the bill (passed a year ago) that has helped us get this point, after nearly a quarter century of violence in and around Uganda. And I think Obama's support is a step in the right direction. Still, a military presence alone is simply not enough to end this conflict and its reverb. We must demand more for the people of Uganda, and for their neighbors.
As a closing note, I implore anyone interested in getting educated about the conflict to read the comprehensive essays in the recent book The Lord's Resistance Army: Myth and Reality. And then, please tell your government what you think.
Photo by Amanda Montei, All Rights Reserved


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You might ask-as I did when I heard this story-"how can you feel better [after surgery] when you have no symptoms or exercise intolerance in the first place?"
Doctor X is a 50-year-old physician whom I met at a musical event several years ago. He was alone at the time; his wife had elected not to accompany him to the New York City venue-a prestigious and by-invitation-only event held annually. I remember this minor fact because I am not a music lover, but I am married to one. (Love means that you have to be willing to compromise.)
Two years later at the same event, Dr X, by now my good friend and occasional companion, took me aside and told me that his wife of many years had abruptly terminated their marriage. He was accompanied by a younger woman who was a music lover, and (to my great pleasure) a math whiz. It didn't hurt that she was bright, very attractive, and a fine conversationalist. We all got along splendidly, and I looked forward to our annual rite of passage.
When I saw Dr X the next year, he took me aside to tell me the following story, which offers a useful look into some important medical issues. His tale went like this . . .
Dr X was smitten with his new bride and wanted to protect her from unforeseen events. Since she was relatively young, he began to worry about his own health. He had smoked heavily in college, but had quit years earlier. He had become almost obsessed with the possibility that he might have a lung malignancy. He had been having sleepless nights worrying about his health.
Dr X was entirely asymptomatic and could walk more than 5 or 6 miles for recreation without any sign of breathlessness or excessive fatigue. In short, he was a worried, well, middle-aged physician who was experiencing considerable anxiety about his health.
He consulted a radiologist and asked for a chest film to rule out cancer. The radiologist suggested that a CT scan would be more accurate and would show some lesions that an x-ray film might miss. Price was the only drawback. Dr X decided to proceed; he had decent health insurance and wanted reassurance so he could stop worrying.
A while after the CT scan, the radiologist asked Dr X to return to discuss the findings. Dr X worried some more. When he got to the radiologist's office, he was told that the scans were normal and that there were no signs of cancer. Dr X was relieved, a great weight lifted . . .
Then the radiologist coughed and said:
"However, there are a few calcified areas in your coronary arteries. I suggest that you see a cardiologist I know. I will make the appointment for you and send him your films."
The cardiologist had Dr X perform an exercise treadmill test; the findings were "borderline." Dr X did not perform a 6-minute walking test (more on this later), which would have provided a low-cost alternative for prognostic information.
The cardiologist performed a very brief history and physical examination and did not note any significant abnormalities. There were no diagonal ear slits, xanthelasmas of the eyelids, or carotid bruits.
The cardiologist then suggested a standard (he used the term "routine") angiogram to evaluate the coronary atherosclerosis. The cardiologist was aware that Dr X was asymptomatic and that he had excellent exercise tolerance.
Shortly after the angiogram was completed, the cardiologist told Dr X that he would require an angioplasty; 3 stents were subsequently placed.
What did Dr X gain from the surgery? He had been given the classic answer: "You'll feel better."
You might ask-as I did when I heard this story-"how can you feel better when you have no symptoms or exercise intolerance in the first place?"
What clinical lessons does this saga offer?
There are numerous studies of the results of invasive versus aggressive ideal medical therapy in patients without a history of an MI within the previous 3 hours. The AVERT1 and the TIME2 studies both failed to demonstrate a mortality benefit in appropriately chosen patients treated with an invasive or an aggressive medical regimen. There were variations in the profiles of the subjects chosen in both studies that add some uncertainty to the study conclusions.
A later paper presented a strong case for medical therapy for patients with chronic stable angina.3 Dr X had never had a single angina episode and his exercise tolerance would most likely have exceeded that of the subjects in the previous 2 studies.
The development of sophisticated testing and imaging modalities has enabled physicians to identify coronary artery lesions in asymptomatic patients. Despite this ability, however, studies have failed to demonstrate a mortality benefit from intervention therapy.1-3
Americans undergo about 1 million angioplasties a year. Prices vary . . . in some community hospitals in Florida, for example, the costs approach $50,000 per patient.
In our rapidly expanding health care system, which expends over 2 trillion dollars a year, some of this may no longer be a justifiable expense.
Yet the concern over reducing the overuse of invasive cardiac procedures is not entirely focused on a cost-benefit analysis.
In fact, there are studies that demonstrate a very real potential for significant cognitive impairment in patients who undergo coronary artery bypass grafting or coronary angioplasty and stenting. In an article published 5 years ago, the question was raised, "Does the Brain Have to Pay for the Heart's Procedures?"4 More than 10 references were cited, each of which provided strong evidence that previous publications would have answered the query in the affirmative.
As for Dr X . . . he was asymptomatic after his angioplasty. Yet even for patients who have some angina, newer drugs, including ranolazine (Ranexa), may provide an important addition to the practicing physicians' armamentarium and may be a welcome addition to standard anti-anginal therapy.3 In a 2008 article published in Lancet, evidence for the effectiveness of ranolazine for chronic stable angina was described and affirmed.5
The vast majority of anti-anginal drugs are now generic; they cost a tiny fraction relative to the price of invasive cardiac procedures in parts of the country where the percentage of elderly patients with health care coverage is high.
The take-home message
Coronary atherosclerotic lesions, in and of themselves, do not require an ocular-stenosis-catheterization reflex.
Many patients can have a quick and simple test for their cardiovascular disease event risk with the simple 6-minute walk test. Details are published in the August 2012 issue of the Archives of InternalMedicine.6 I urge you to read this short and informative article.
A negative test result (ie, the ability to walk more than 550 or so meters within a 6-minute frame work) provides data that suggests relatively low risk, even in patients with known coronary heart disease.
By using this simple test, you will be doing your patients a service-and it will be much more cost-effective than the cardiologist Dr X consulted.
Patients with multiple cardiovascular disease risk factors, including high blood pressure, high lipid levels, inactivity, a family history, diabetes mellitus, the metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and obesity, require various doses and combinations of statin drugs, antihypertensives, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, and β-blockers, as well as an aggressive dietary program and exercise adherence and a realistic appraisal of methods to reduce personal stress.
All of these options will improve the outlook for your patients who resemble Dr X in one or more details. In addition, if your patient has some angina that is not already well controlled, consider trying ranolazine, which has been demonstrated to reduce the incidence of angina in medically treated patients with CHD.5
Your patient may not need an invasive procedure if you try most or all of the suggestions listed above. Good luck in your efforts.
1. Pitt B, Waters D, Brown WV, et al; AVERT investigators. Aggressive lipid-lowering therapy compared with angioplasty in stable coronary disease. Atorvastatin versus Revascularization Treatment Investigators. N Engl J Med. 1999;341:70-76.
2. TIME Investigators. Trial of invasive versus medical therapy in elderly patients with chronic symptomatic coronary-artery disease (TIME): a randomised trial. Lancet. 2001;358:951-957.
3. Nash DT. The case for medical treatment in chronic coronary artery disease. Arch Intern Med. 2005;166:2587-2589.
4. Nash DT. Does the brain have to pay for the heart's procedures? 2007. http://www.consultantlive.com/display/article/10162/37704.
5. Nash DT, Nash SD. Ranolazine for chronic stable angina. Lancet. 2008;372:1335-1341.
6. Beatty AL, Schiller NB, Whooley MA. Six-minute walk test as a prognostic tool in stable coronary heart disease. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172:1096-1102.


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Menu Tools
Listed in: Geology, as GEOL-271
Formerly listed as: GEOL-30
Jack Thomas Cheney (Section 01)
The crystallography and crystal chemistry of naturally occurring inorganic compounds (minerals). The identification, origin, distribution and use of minerals. Laboratory work includes the principles and methods of optical mineralogy, X-ray diffraction, back-scattered electron microscopy, and electron beam microanalysis. Three hours of lecture and three hours of lecture/discussion and directed laboratory.
Recommended requisite: GEOL 111, CHEM 151 or 155 or the equivalent. Fall semester. Professor Cheney.


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This is post number 2000 on the 7th Anniversary of FOOLS RUSH IN by Granny Annie!!!
Thank you all for escorting me here either by commenting or simply viewing. I felt your support and encouragement!Since I will not be posting for a while in order to catch my breath, please feel free to wander through the 52 links to my marathon posts on the sidebar and comment on anything you might have missed. I'm going to be catching up reading blogs and commenting.
A few of you did not allow rain, nor sleet, nor complete boredom keep you away from the designated path of cheering me on to victory every single day. (OMG! How corny can I get?)
Blog friends are among the best in the world. It is easy to welcome each and every one of you into my home daily. It is is so sad to say goodbye to dear blog friends who have died. It is difficult to part ways with some when we cannot agree to disagree. It is fun to welcome new blog friends into the circle. It is comforting to hear from blog friends who feel my pain. It is exhilarating to share joyful times together.
Thank you for being my friends for 7 years! Let's go another 7...(maybe).
Status summary for the Seven Years:
Total Blog Posts = 2000
Total Page Views = 78,811 +
Total comments = 12,200
Followers = 104


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US food aid: making the most with what we deliver
A report takes a hard look at the commodities the US uses to respond to disaster and food insecurity, such as is unfolding in the Horn of Africa, and makes concrete recommendations
This post was first published in the Guardian's Poverty matters blog here.
The worst drought in 45 years, a drought with no end in sight at the moment, is ravaging the south-central US and wreaking havoc on farmers and ranchers who are seeing their crops fail and their cattle suffer from lack of water.
Meanwhile nearly half way around the world in the Horn of Africa, a broad swath of the region – including parts of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia – is suffering a severe drought that threatens to push millions of people already living on the brink of disaster into a full scale humanitarian crisis.
Even the dry clinical language of the Famine Early Warning System Network (pdf)raises alarm bells:"Households in pastoral and marginal cropping areas in the eastern Horn currently face moderate to extreme levels of food insecurity due to ongoing drought, increasing staple food prices, declining purchasing power and in some areas, limited humanitarian assistance…"
"Current assistance programs are inadequate to mitigate existing and expected food deficits and high malnutrition. In areas with humanitarian access, expanded programming should be implemented to address current and expected food insecurity. However, development of new strategies is critical in order to reach affected households in areas with limited humanitarian access."
For farmers in the southern US, the drought is surely a disaster that will not only ruin their crops, but holds the possibility of running them out of business. Federal support in the form of crop payments, subsidized crop insurance, possibly disaster payments and an array of other social safety net programmes, will help soften the blow.
Poor farmers and pastoralists in the Horn of Africa face a much different and much deadlier reality. In Ethiopia, 3.2 million people currently need humanitarian assistance; in Kenya 2.4 million people do. And in Somalia, the current drought is compounding an already desperate situation where median prevalence of acute malnutrition was 25% in December last year and has deteriorated since. Without assistance many people, and children especially, will die. The US is responding to this unfolding disaster, for example releasing $80m in food aid to Kenya.
How the US responds to this disaster, or more precisely with what, is the subject of renewed scrutiny thanks to a new report released last week, Delivering Improved nutrition: Recommendations for Changes to U.S. Food Aid Products and Programmes. The study, commissioned in 2008 as part of the farm bill reauthorization, takes a hard look at the commodities the US uses to respond to food insecurity and makes concrete recommendations.
The current basket of commodities has been roundly (and rightly) criticized for being inadequate, especially to meet the needs of infants, young children and pregnant and new mothers who have unique nutritional needs. Corn-soy blend (CSB) or wheat-soy blend (WSB), are, in their current forms, not much more than empty calories with a few vitamins sprinkled in. Hardly the stuff needed to help prevent malnutrition (much less reverse it).
Updating the nutrient profiles of US food aid commodities by, for example, including an animal source protein, providing vegetable oil as part of food aid rations and updating the vitamin and minerals that are blended in most food aid commodities, are important steps that should be taken in order to improve the nutritional impact of US food aid.
However, the real challenge posed by the report is not scientific. It is political and also possibly technical.
Specifically, the proposed changes are not cost free. Applying the updated commodity specifications to nine programmes administered in 2009 raised the overall cost of these programmes by nearly $100m. In a cost-cutting mood, will agriculture appropriators provide enough money to update the commodities to improve their nutritional content while maintaining current food aid levels?
Oxfam and others have pressed for more local and regional purchase of food aid as a way of supporting smallholder farmers in the developing world. A key question is whether milling operations in developing countries have the capacity and technical skill needed to produce the improved foods.
These aren't easy questions to answer. On the political front, the US can find substantial cost savings in existing food aid programmes, for example by eliminating the cargo preference rule, which requires all US food aid be shipped on US-flagged vessels regardless of whether there are cheaper alternatives. Reducing waste in the programme would make it more efficient and offset the some of the added cost associated with the higher-priced ingredients needed for the improved food aid quality.
The technical issue should be considered a call to arms for USAID, donors from other countries and private sector partners to innovate and invest in processing facilities in developing countries in order to increase local capacity to mill and supply these foods. It's a challenge yes, but one that if overcome would have long-term benefits for food security and even poverty reduction.
The US could tackle these challenges or look the other way as our food aid programmes fail to live up to their potential. Hungry children deserve more. Will the US deliver?


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Family: Asteraceae
daisy fleabane, prairie fleabane, rough fleabane
[Doronicum ramosum Walter, more...]
Etymology: Erigeron: from Greek eri, "early," and geron, "old man," thus meaning "old man in the spring," referring to the fluffy, white seed heads and the early flowering and fruiting of many species
Plants: annual forb
Conservation Status: Native
Plants: annual forb
Conservation Status: Native
Flora of North America: Flora of North America Atlas of the Wisconsin Prairie and Savanna Flora: by T.S. Cochrane & H.H. Iltis: habitat, distribution infomation / flowering and fruiting times USDA Plants Database: Federal Distribution and detailed information including photos


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Thank you for your interest in the Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai. Please refer to the list below to find the most appropriate contact based on the nature of your inquiry. We look forward to hearing from you.
General inquiries can be made to:
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
One Gustave L. Levy Place
New York, NY 10029-6574
Telephone: 212-241-6500 or 212-241-6696


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New Peugeot RCZ Sports Coupe - enhanced desire
The restyled, new Peugeot RCZ which had its world premiere at September's Paris Motor Show will be launched in the UK in January 2013.
Central to the restyle of Peugeot's popular sports coupe is a dramatic update to the vehicle's front face, reinforced by an enhanced specification, a wider choice of equipment options with new colour and trim combinations.
For the UK, the New RCZ retains its popular, two level 'Sport' and 'GT' range line-up.
RCZ Sport continues with 18" 'Original' alloy wheels and a host of familiar features including dual-zone air conditioning, rear parking aid and USB box with Bluetooth. This rich specification is enhanced further by the addition of automatic lighting, including 'Approach' and 'Follow-me-home' features. New options on RCZ Sport include half leather and leather/ Alcantara trim treatments.
At the GT level, chosen by more than 80% of customers, the New RCZ is fitted with 19" 'Technical' alloy wheels as standard. This new wheel is designed to maintain the dynamic visual appeal of GT, while also marking the advent of the restyle with a fresh new look. The dynamism continues into the cabin of GT models with the standard fitment of the interior sports kit, complete with sports steering wheel and gear lever. Simple leather continues to define the interior of GT with the addition of an optional Cohiba Brown colour, on both simple and integral leathers. Also available as an optional choice are new matt black roof arches – an identifiable and characteristic aspect of RCZ. There are new body transfer decals and more alloy wheel options, demonstrating the continued visual versatility of RCZ and the extensive choice available to customers.
In addition to the new look and enhanced specification, New RCZ remains very competitively priced. On-the-Road prices for New RCZ Sport start from just £21,595 (an increase of £385 over the current RCZ Sport), with a 'price walk' of £2,400 to the New RCZ GT with an On-the-Road start price of £23,995. Deliveries commence from the second week of January 2013.
The 260bhp Peugeot RCZ R is launched towards the end of 2013.
Neil Moscrop, Sales Director at Peugeot UK, said: "We're delighted to have even more features that enhance the New RCZ, which has already proved to be a great hit with customers who love its characteristic double-bubble roofline and distinctive roof arches.
"One aspect with the RCZ is that because it looks 'a million dollars' most people assume it must be beyond their affordability, but a £21,595 starting price makes it astonishingly desirable."


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Let's first establish that, yes, it does matter what candidates think about your hiring process. There are far too many recruiters still out there with the attitude that if a candidate really wants to work for their company, they have to go through their process (no matter how crappy).
The entire process should be looked at from the candidate's perspective. The hectic, day-to-day of recruiting can leave you with more than enough excuses to forget about the candidate experience, but the outcome will never be as good as a real match. When you're evaluating your processes, keep the candidate in mind…
Is this how the company is run?
Sad to say, the majority of candidates walk away from an organization with a less than "OK" experience. Did you know that those candidates have the power to affect your bottom line? 38% of candidates who had a bad experience in the hiring process are less likely to buy from, or use that company's services or products.
How they are treated throughout the process is a direct reflection of how the candidate will expect to be treated as a part of the organization. Furthermore, the hiring process will indicate how the rest of the organization's processes are functioning. If your hiring process is disjointed, unorganized and discourteous, that's what the candidate will expect from the company.
Get on with it already…
From the candidate's perspective, there is no reason for the hiring process to take months. Having been behind the scenes, I get it; sometimes there is nothing to be done, sometimes you just can't get your client or hiring manager to pull the trigger. It's frustrating for recruiters, but I would bet you anything that the candidate is far more frustrated with a lengthy process.
HR pro Crystal Miller offers great advice on how to keep candidates engaged, and combat the frustration of a lengthy process:
"Social media offers you the opportunity to drop a little line through direct message, inmail, or FB message to a candidate letting them know something you appreciated in their interview, or a strength they have, or just that you (or they) aren't lost in the abyss. You can make note of the interaction in the ATS to maintain compliance with your company's policy and complete record keeping."
Being quiet is for movies, not the hiring process!
One of the most common complaints from candidates is a lack of, or poor communication on behalf of the recruiter. 60% of candidates report not receiving regular updates on the status of their application.
These people are looking for employment, not scented candles. This communication should be timely, regular and courteous. With today's technology and automated emails through your ATS, there is no reason that communication shouldn't be on point at all stops.
I am sooo gonna Tweet about this when I get home.
It's being tweeted, shared and talked about –the good, the bad and the ugly of your recruiting and hiring process. Like it or not, social media is a big part of the make-up of your employer brand. It can make or break an organization's image. 83% of candidates said they would tell their friends and family about their experience with a company during the application process. What would they say about yours?
If you're like the average company, with the average candidates, your candidates are your customers, they will share their experience, and a negative experience will impact your employer brand. With that in mind, a positive experience can have just as powerful of a positive impact.
Views: 343
Totally agree with you.
Thanks Raj:
"What Your Candidates Really Think About Your Hiring Process"
A: "It's *******, and BTW, Candidate, the people in charge of overseeing it DON'T care. Either THEY didn't have to go through all the things we make you go through, or they regard it as a perverse right of passage, like a hazing ritual. There are many more (better than you) who'll gladly jump through all the hoops we make you jump through and will eat all the **** we give 'em, and maybe THEY'LL get the job, but YOU certainly won't...
No Cheers At All,
Keith :(
Raj, good post. When my agency was at 30 people our hiring process sucked. We had Keith's process. And we got a lot of crap people out of it, but we trained really well, so there was some very good success also. When we reached hundreds of recruiters we had the hiring process refined and we cared what people thought about our company and spent less time looking for new hires because they was more quality coming in the door at the start. Our already good training got them up and running faster and they succeeded faster. Good read.
Thanks for reading Anna, Keith and Noel!
You're very welcome, Raj. Please keep blogging!


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Emergency Services
Due to COVID-19, our patient visitor policies are changing. Please visit: COVID-19: Enhanced Visitor Policy
If you believe you have symptoms of COVID-19, take these steps.
Timing and expertise are critical in an emergency. That's why families in Greater Houston depend on St. Luke's Health Emergency Departments and Baylor St. Luke's Emergency Centers. Board-certified emergency physicians, specially trained trauma nurses, and skilled health professionals, using the most advanced diagnostic imaging and laboratory services, are available around the clock, seven days a week.
Our hospitals' Emergency Departments attend to all emergencies—when minutes count— including heart attacks and strokes. Upon each patient's arrival, a triage process (to assess the degree of urgency) determines the order in which all patients are seen and the most efficient care plan.
Baylor St. Luke's Emergency Centers (Holcombe and Pearland) provide a higher level of care than non-hospital affiliated clinics and urgent care centers. We refer and transport patients to Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center in the Texas Medical Center if a higher level of care is needed.
Our goal is to provide the best medical care as quickly as possible. Patients and their families take comfort in knowing that high-quality emergency care is available at all St. Luke's Health facilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you feel you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 9-1-1. You may request that the ambulance take you to St. Luke's Health emergency room.


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Apparently, if you are the most admired hero in the history of computing and an awesome dancer, you can cut through iPhone 3GS waiting lines like a lightsaber cuts through butter. The Woz did that today, according to a witness:
I just got my iPhone this morning at the Apple Store in Valley Fair (San Jose, CA) and Steve Wozniak was there.
I arrived at 3:50am and Mr. Woz was chopping it up with the manager at Apple. Then around 4:30am he politely asked everyone in line if he could be the 1st to get his iPhone at the store and everyone said yes.
I would have let him go first too. As long as he gave me a hug, though. [MacRumors Forums via Silicon Alley Insider]


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Invisalign® aligners are clear; no one should even notice that you're wearing braces, making Invisalign® a seamless fit with your lifestyle and day-to-day interactions with others.
Invisalign® is removable. Unlike braces, you have the flexibility to eat and drink what you want during treatment simply by removing the aligners when you eat. You can also remove the aligners to brush and floss as you normally would for fresh breath and good oral hygiene.
Unlike traditional metal braces, Invisalign® does not use metal brackets or wires that could cause irritation to your mouth. In addition, you'll spend less time in the doctor's chair and scheduling appointments, and more time out doing the things you love.
Lastly, Invisalign® allows you to view your virtual results and treatment plan before you start your treatment, so that you can preview how your straight teeth will look once your treatment is complete.
The Invisalign® system is the virtually invisible way to straighten your teeth and achieve the smile you've always wanted. Using advanced 3D computer imaging technology, Invisalign® depicts your complete treatment plan, from the initial position of your teeth to the final desired position. Then, a series of clear aligners are custom-made for your teeth — and your teeth only — to move them little by little. Each aligner is worn for about two weeks before being replaced by the next in the series until the final position of your teeth is achieved. Your Invisalign® treatment time will be determined by your doctor based on your specific needs.
More than 1,000,000 patients worldwide have been treated with Invisalign®. The number of Invisalign® smiles grows daily. At your next appointment, we can help answer any questions you might have, and get you started on the smile you've always wanted.


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Asia's second oldest newspaper, the Bombay-based Parsi daily, Jam-e-Jamshed, turns 180 years old this year. Its editor Shernaaz Engineer, a former journalist with the Afternoon Despatch & Courier, in conversation with Prabhat Sharan of Deccan Herald:
What does Jam-e-Jamshed mean? And is the origin of newspaper connected to the growth ofMumbai as a trade post in the early 19th century?
Jam-e-Jamshed is the second oldest newspaper in Asia; the first being Mumbai Samachar, which interestingly still comes out from the same place where it was started. Jam-e-Jamshed also had its own iconic red brick building at Ballard Pier near Mumbai Docks before shifting out.
In Persian language, Jam-e-Jamshed means the goblet in which you can see the future. The paper was started by the extremely influential Marzban family of Mumbai. This was the time when Gujaratis, Parsis and Bohras—the three key trading communities—were slowly establishing themselves in and around Mumbai port.
And with the trade bourse coming up, the emergence of a newspaper was bound to be there. And the first newspapers carried reports primarily revolving around businesses in Europe as well as events that affected the Indian sub-continent then.
But has the newspaper always been catering to Parsis? Did it have a spectrum of diverse readership from other communities?
The newspaper primarily had a readership from the trading communities. And Parsis, of course, comprised a major chunk. But then other huge chunk of readership came from the Bohra community. Both are business communities. And since Parsis are the original "argumentative Indians" the newspaper also had moorings in carrying extreme views and debates on every topic on the earth.
Read the full interview: Providing a platform to Parsis


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Graduate Certificate in Garden Design
Fees & scholarships
Your fees explained
Australian Fee Places
When you apply, you will automatically be considered for an Australian fee place if you meet course entry requirements.
You'll pay tuition fees for each year that you are enrolled. Tuition fees are calculated according to your course and study load each semester. You may defer payment of your fees via the Australian Government's FEE-HELP loan scheme if you are eligible.
If your course is relevant to your current employment, you may be able to claim fees as a work-related tax deduction.
Tuition fees may be adjusted each year.
FEE-HELP can cover all or part of your tuition fees. The Australian Government pays the amount of the loan direct to the University. You'll make repayments through the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) whenever your income is above the threshold, or you can make voluntary repayments to the ATO at any time.
FEE-HELP is not means tested and there is no loan fee for graduate study. If you already have a HECS-HELP loan from your undergraduate studies, you can still access a FEE-HELP loan. No interest is charged on your FEE-HELP loan, however, it is indexed each year with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in line with the cost of living.
The Government's Study Assist website provides more information about FEE-HELP.
Other financial assistance
The University's Student Financial Aid Service can provide you with advice and information on student loans and bursaries/grants, cost of living, budgeting and tax advice.
Melbourne has one of the most generous scholarship programs in Australia. Scholarships, prizes, bursaries and grants can propel you to new heights and help you explore new opportunities. With over 1200 scholarships and prizes available for new and current students, it's more than likely there is one that you're eligible for either when you start your course or during your studies.


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- Diversitätskluft (1)
- Diversitätsüberzeugungen (1)
- Führung (1)
- Gruppe (1)
- Leistung (1)
- Subgruppen (1)
- Vielfalt (1)
- diversity beliefs (1)
- diversity faultlines (1)
- leadership (1)
Team leaders' and members' pro-diversity beliefs: powerful means to overcome the detrimental effects of diversity faultlines in teams (2017)
Western organizations increasingly organize work in team-based structures. Members of these teams often differ in various diversity attributes (e. g., gender, age, cultural background). In response, research aims to provide evidence-based recommendations on how to effectively manage diversity in teams. Within diversity research, the diversity faultlines approach has been particularly fruitful. It considers the impact of the alignment of multiple diversity attributes in teams. Strong diversity faultlines are associated with the emergence of relatively homogeneous subgroups in teams and have an overall negative impact on team processes and outcomes. This dissertation investigates factors that mitigate the detrimental consequences of strong diversity faultlines in teams, namely pro-diversity beliefs. It extends faultline literature beyond the conventional focus on processes and outcomes related to team members by emphasizing the leaders´ perspective. The three empirical papers included in this dissertation systematically examine how strong pro-diversity beliefs can help unleashing the positive effects of team diversity despite strong faultlines. The first paper highlights the role of leaders´ pro-diversity beliefs in mitigating the negative impact of diversity faultlines on two team processes: perceived cohesion and social loafing. Moreover, it compares the impact of socio-demographic faultlines (based on gender and age) and experience-based faultlines (based on team tenure and education level). Data was collected in a multisource field sample with 217 team members nested in 44 teams and the corresponding leaders. We found that socio-demographic, but not experience-based faultlines were negatively related to perceived cohesion and positively to perceived loafing. Path analysis further revealed that these relationships were mitigated when leaders held strong pro-diversity beliefs. The second paper extends these findings by additionally taking the impact of members´ pro-diversity beliefs into account. It examines whether the impact of sociodemographic faultlines on performance is contingent on leaders´ and members´ pro-diversity beliefs. Moreover, we assumed that aggregate LMX would mediate this relationship. In a multisource data set obtained from 41 teams with 219 members and the corresponding leaders working for the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we found partial support for our hypotheses. As expected, the impact of strong socio-demographic faultlines on diplomats´ performance was least negative when both leaders and members held strong pro-diversity beliefs. However, neither the two-way interactions of faultlines and leaders´ or members´ prodiversity beliefs nor aggregate LMX had a significant impact in our research model. The third paper zooms into processes and outcomes related to team leaders. It investigates how leaders´ pro-diversity beliefs and their perceptions of members´ prodiversity beliefs in teams with strong socio-demographic faultlines impact leaders´ task role assignment, performance expectation, and motivation. To test our hypotheses, we conducted two experimental studies with students, one in Germany (N = 55) and one in the US (N = 134). Findings showed that strong pro-diversity beliefs held and perceived by leaders made them assign task roles that cross-cut rather than aligned with the subgroup structure created by faultlines. Moreover, leaders´ perceptions of members´ pro-diversity beliefs, but not their own beliefs, had a positive impact on their motivation, mediated by their performance expectation. In sum, findings of these three papers extend the literature on diversity faultlines and leadership by systematically demonstrating the mitigating impact of pro-diversity beliefs on faultlines´ detrimental consequences on processes and outcomes related to team leaders and members. Based on various samples, we showed that it is worthwhile to distinguish between pro-diversity beliefs held by leaders, pro-diversity beliefs held by members, and leaders´ perceptions of members´ pro-diversity beliefs. Fostering strong pro-diversity beliefs among leaders and members should thus be a crucial element of effective diversity faultline management in organizations.


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Loan analysis worksheet
Use this accessible template to analyze various loan scenarios. Enter the interest rate, loan term, and amount, and see the monthly payment, total payments, and total interest calculated for you. Other interest rates and loan terms are provided for comparison to help you make the choice that's right for your situation.


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Louis XIII
Louis XIII, 1601–43, king of France (1610–43). He succeeded his father, Henry IV, under the regency of his mother, Marie de' Medici. He married Anne of Austria in 1615. Even after being declared of age in 1614, he was excluded from affairs of state by his domineering mother. In 1617 he caused the assassination of her minister Concino Concini, with the aid of his own favorite, Charles d'Albert, duc de Luynes, and Marie de' Medici was forced into retirement. He was reconciled to her in 1622 and entrusted (1624) the government to her protégé, Cardinal Richelieu. In 1630, urged by his mother to discharge Richelieu, he instead sent his mother again into exile. Melancholy and retiring by nature, Louis thenceforth gave full support to Richelieu and his successor, Cardinal Mazarin. Richelieu strengthened royal authority and centralized government control. Louis's reign was remarkable for the establishment of the French Academy and for the work of St. Francis de Sales and St. Vincent de Paul in religion, René Descartes in philosophy, and Pierre Corneille in literature.
See V. L. Tapié, La France de Louis XIII et de Richelieu (1952); H. W. Chapman, Privileged Persons (1966).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: French History: Biographies


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LONDON (AP) – The suits are taking over. An investment firm has agreed to buy Dr. Martens, the maker of the boots that became a fashion staple for punks.
Thursday's deal by Permira Funds to take control of R Griggs Group Ltd. for 300 million pounds ($485.9 million) ends 50 years of family ownership. It also puts to rest reports that the Griggs family was looking to exit the business.
Dr. Martens Chief Executive David Suddens praised the brand's status as a "symbol of self-expression" for decades, saying that Permira Funds respects and wants to nurture that heritage.
Dr. Martens employs 700 people worldwide and its products are sold in 63 countries. The deal is expected to complete in January.


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The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son.
Several times Jesus got tested. The Pharisees loved to tempt him to give the wrong answers or to give them something to show that he was not a real rebbe or master rabbi, not having enough knowledge of Scriptures.
Jesus answered the Pharisees and Sadducees by going on with his ministry as it happened more, speaking again by parables. They came to him with quibbles, he replied by parables. Though the Pharisees perceived that he spoke of them, it did not stop them to attack him further. Their partly concealed anger was all the greater because, through fear of the multitude, they could not yet lay hands on Jesus, and put him to death. They had wilfully closed their eyes to the light, set it continued to shine upon them.
When we look at the Parable of the King and the marriage of His son, we should see that it is all about Jehovah God and the bridegroom, Jehovah's son, Jesus Christ. This parable must be distinguished from the one recorded in Luke 14:16-24, which was spoken on another occasion, and with a different object. It would be worth while to compare the two parables, and to note their resemblances and their differences.
In this parable we have the Great King, or King of glory celebrate the union of his Son with our humanity. The divine Son of God, as the Son of David,is the central figure of the feast presented by the King, Who first of all invited His Own People. But we come to hear that many of them who were invited were unwilling to come. That is also what we clearly can see what happened with the People of Israel, today many living in the darkness, and lots of Jews even not believing any more in God.
As it was long ago said by a Spartan, that the Athenians knew what was right, but did not choose to practice it; so Christ now brings it as a reproach against the Jews, that they gave utterance to beautiful expressions about the kingdom of God, but, when God kindly and gently invited them, they rejected His grace with disdain. There is no room to doubt that the discourse is expressly levelled against the Jews.
Matthew says that a king made a marriage for his son: Luke only mentions a great supper. The former speaks of many servants, while the latter refers to no more than one servant; the former describes many messages, the latter mentions one only; the former says that some of the servants were abused or slain, the latter speaks only of their being treated with contempt. Lastly, the former relates that a man was cast out, who had gone in to the marriage without a wedding garment, of which Luke makes no mention.
Jehovah God bestowed on the Jews distinguished honour, by providing for them, as it were, a hospitable table; but they despised the honour which had been conferred upon them. The marriage of the King's son is explained by many commentators to mean, that Christ is the end of the Law (Romans 10:4), and that God had no other design in his covenant, than to make His sent one, the only begotten son of God, the Governor of His people, and to unite the Church to him by the sacred bond of a spiritual marriage.
When Jesus says, that the servants were sent to call those who were invited, these words are intended to point out a double favour which the Jews had received from God; first, in being preferred to other nations; and, secondly, in having their adoption made known to them by the prophets.
The allusion is to a practice customary among men, that those who intended to make a marriage drew up a list of the persons whom they intended to have as guests, and afterwards sent invitations to them by their servants. In like manner, God elected the Jews in preference to others, as if they had been his familiar friends, and afterwards called them by the prophets to partake of the promised redemption, which was, as it were, to feast at a marriage.
We know that all received an offer of the same salvation, of which they were deprived by their ingratitude and malice; for from the commencement, God's invitation was impiously despised by that people.
The gospel is a glorious festival in honour of that wondrous marriage. It was a grand event, and grandly did the King, propose to celebrate it by a wedding feast of grace. The marriage and the marriage festivities were all arranged by the King, He took such delight in His only-begotten and well-beloved Son, that everything that was for his honour and joy afforded infinite satisfaction to the great Father's heart. In addition to the son's equal glory with the Father as Creator, Preserver, and Provider, by his marriage he was to be crowned with fresh honours as Saviour, Redeemer, and Mediator.
Matthew 22:1-6 – The Nazarene's Commentary: Parable of Invitation to a Marriage
Matthew 22:7-10 – The Nazarene's Commentary: Invitations after City's Destruction
Matthew 22:11-13 – The Nazarene's Commentary: King's Inspection and Marriage Garments
Matthew 22:14 – The Nazarene's Commentary: Many Invited – Few Chosen
Matthew 22:15-22 – The Nazarene's Commentary: Caesar's Things and God's Things
Matthew 22:23-28 – The Nazarene's Commentary: Sadducees Question on the Resurrection
Matthew 22:29-33 – The Nazarene's Commentary: Resurrection Proof from Moses
Matthew 22:34-40 – The Nazarene's Commentary: Which Is the Greatest Commandment
Matthew 22:41-46 – The Nazarene's Commentary: Jesus Asks a Trump Question
Additional readings to Matthew 22:41-46
A Look of the Expositor Bible at The Marriage Feast {Matthew 22:1-14 }
A Look of the Expositor Bible at The Ordeal of questions {Matthew 22:15-46 }